Your final triad exercise is an essay, and it will involve three things that you might want to keep in mind as you embark on your year of novel writing.
1. An old book on your bookshelf
2. The novel that you intend to write
3. A book that is comparable to the novel that you want to write.
How you will put all these together is up to you. You can compare the three different books, or you can vow to trump the other books and come up with a revolutionary literary piece.
When you are done, post your work in the Comments section. You have as many words as you need at your disposal, so feel free to write as much (or as little) as you please.
Good luck, and happy writing!
Showing posts with label triads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label triads. Show all posts
Monday, July 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
It's All You: A Schizophrenic Triad
It's time for you to talk to yourself - and characterize yourself! One of the greatest powers of the best writers is in turning every single person in a novel into a character - a real, living, breathing, almost three-dimensional person that seems to rise out of the page and drag you into the story. exercise your characterization by making three kinds of people talk to each other:
1. You - as in YOU, right now.
2. The person that you want to be.
3. The worst version of you.
What will the three of you talk about? What are the three of you doing? Make sure that you have distinct characters. Write them out in about 1000 words, and make your own plot and story. When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it.
Good luck, happy characterization, and happy writing!
1. You - as in YOU, right now.
2. The person that you want to be.
3. The worst version of you.
What will the three of you talk about? What are the three of you doing? Make sure that you have distinct characters. Write them out in about 1000 words, and make your own plot and story. When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it.
Good luck, happy characterization, and happy writing!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A Love Triad - NOT!
It's time to write a story about a triad that you would normally associate with love - but you have to do your best to NOT write a love story. Incorporate the following elements into your story.
1. An anniversary
2. A movie date
3. A promise
You have your choice of characters and setting, but your plot SHOULD NOT BE A ROMANCE. This is an exercise of your creativity in writing stories that break molds and conventions. You have only 1000 words or less to do the job.
Good luck and happy writing!
1. An anniversary
2. A movie date
3. A promise
You have your choice of characters and setting, but your plot SHOULD NOT BE A ROMANCE. This is an exercise of your creativity in writing stories that break molds and conventions. You have only 1000 words or less to do the job.
Good luck and happy writing!
Friday, December 18, 2009
A Triad for All the Shopping!
Do you have the time to write a 300-word story? All you need are the three elements that follow, all of which should figure in your work:
1. candy cane
2. candle
3. wreath
These three things should fit into your story, along with your own plot and characters. Another rule: DO NOT MAKE IT A CHRISTMAS-THEMED STORY. This exercise should help you craft your own story without being influenced by the hubbub and ruckus all around you.
When you are done, post your work in the Comments section, or provide a link to it. Good luck and happy writing!
1. candy cane
2. candle
3. wreath
These three things should fit into your story, along with your own plot and characters. Another rule: DO NOT MAKE IT A CHRISTMAS-THEMED STORY. This exercise should help you craft your own story without being influenced by the hubbub and ruckus all around you.
When you are done, post your work in the Comments section, or provide a link to it. Good luck and happy writing!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A Special Halloween Triad
Your job is to make a short story out of three elements of Halloween. You should have only 1 (ONE) character. The choice of setting is yours, the plot is entirely your own, and you have only 1,000 words at your disposal.
You also need to incorporate these three things into your story:
1. a pint of blood in a really big mug
2. a tombstone with nothing written on it
3. a white sheet
Whwn you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it so that other readers can look at your work.
Happy Writing, and good luck with your story!
You also need to incorporate these three things into your story:
1. a pint of blood in a really big mug
2. a tombstone with nothing written on it
3. a white sheet
Whwn you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it so that other readers can look at your work.
Happy Writing, and good luck with your story!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
It's a Salon Triad!
Your job today, dear writer, is to be creative; and today, you are going to the parlor.
Mind you, this is no ordinary parlor! You are going to write a horror story - whether it's a slasher, ghost, zombie, vampire, or whatever story - and you have to set it in a beauty salon/parlor. You have 10,000 words to write your story, and the three objects below must figure significantly in it:
1. a hair dryer
2. a fine tooth comb
3. hair straightening fluid
When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it if the story is too long. Good luck, and happy writing!
Mind you, this is no ordinary parlor! You are going to write a horror story - whether it's a slasher, ghost, zombie, vampire, or whatever story - and you have to set it in a beauty salon/parlor. You have 10,000 words to write your story, and the three objects below must figure significantly in it:
1. a hair dryer
2. a fine tooth comb
3. hair straightening fluid
When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it if the story is too long. Good luck, and happy writing!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
And Now, for Some Food in Threes...
Your challenge for this triad is two-fold. First, you must not set your story in a kitchen, in any Mediterranean country, or in a garden. Second, you must not talk about cooking at any one point in the story. If you still don't get why, here is your triad:
1.Oil
2.Tomatoes
3.Garlic
You have five hundred words at your disposal to write an ultra-short story involving these three things. You are in charge of the plot and characters, and you can take as many liberties as you wish as long as you follow the rules stated above. When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it if you want to take readers to your site.
Good luck, and happy writing!
1.Oil
2.Tomatoes
3.Garlic
You have five hundred words at your disposal to write an ultra-short story involving these three things. You are in charge of the plot and characters, and you can take as many liberties as you wish as long as you follow the rules stated above. When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it if you want to take readers to your site.
Good luck, and happy writing!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Breakfast Triad
Hungry for some exercises? Ready for a story? Here's an exercise that's designed to tickle your tastebuds and get your brain working. You need to incorporate the following into your story:
1.An egg
2.Bacon
3.Toast
You have only 1000 words to tell your story. You can choose as many characters as you please to put in, but your story must NOT be set at breakfast time, nor should it be set in any dining room, kitchen, restaurant, or diner. Be creative: where else can you find a breakfast combo meal? And how can you keep your word count low?
When you are done, serve your story up in the Comments section, or give readers a link to it. Good luck, happy writing, and happy eating, too!
1.An egg
2.Bacon
3.Toast
You have only 1000 words to tell your story. You can choose as many characters as you please to put in, but your story must NOT be set at breakfast time, nor should it be set in any dining room, kitchen, restaurant, or diner. Be creative: where else can you find a breakfast combo meal? And how can you keep your word count low?
When you are done, serve your story up in the Comments section, or give readers a link to it. Good luck, happy writing, and happy eating, too!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Wildife Triad Fun
It's time to get some animals into your story! You need only 1000 words, and you can't put any people in. You need only the three animals below (and some main players, all of whom belong to Kingdom Animalia):
1. Turtles
2. Snails
3. Whales
Make sure that your story is exciting, and one that can be read by people of all ages. When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it. Good luck and happy writing!
1. Turtles
2. Snails
3. Whales
Make sure that your story is exciting, and one that can be read by people of all ages. When you are done, post your story in the Comments section, or provide a link to it. Good luck and happy writing!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Another Triad for A Rainy Day
Incorporate the three elements below into your story, but make it a happy one.
1. A teardrop
2. Rain
3. An awkward phone call
You have only 1000 words at your disposal. You can pick any plot, as long as your story ends up happy. Don't forget to paste your story in the comments section, or provide a link to your story. Good luck.
1. A teardrop
2. Rain
3. An awkward phone call
You have only 1000 words at your disposal. You can pick any plot, as long as your story ends up happy. Don't forget to paste your story in the comments section, or provide a link to your story. Good luck.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
A Nursery Rhyme for a Story
It's time for a trio, this time of people. And it's time for you to write a story about them, where you can make them go through adventures, learn about the world at large, and probably win something in the end (maybe a cow, a sack of flour, or some tallow, depending on who you like best).
With 10,000 words or less at your disposal, you need to write a story involving:
1. A butcher
2. A baker
3. A candlestick maker
When you are done, post a link to your story in the Comments section, so that everyone will get a chance to read it. Good luck, and happy writing!
With 10,000 words or less at your disposal, you need to write a story involving:
1. A butcher
2. A baker
3. A candlestick maker
When you are done, post a link to your story in the Comments section, so that everyone will get a chance to read it. Good luck, and happy writing!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Get Some Tissues Out for This Triad!
It's a sad, rainy afternoon where you are - just the right time, place, space, and weather for you to start writing a sad, sad tale of sad...uh...sadness. Now, all you need is a plot, people, and the three things below:
1. A teardrop
2. An umbrella
3. A note
It can be a note of any kind: a goodbye, a hello, a love-you, a love-you-not, anything.
Your story has to be only 500 words long, with any person/s, plot/s, and ANYTHING of your choosing. Make it short - keep the three things - and post your story in the comments section (or provide a link to where people can find it).
Good luck and happy writing!
1. A teardrop
2. An umbrella
3. A note
It can be a note of any kind: a goodbye, a hello, a love-you, a love-you-not, anything.
Your story has to be only 500 words long, with any person/s, plot/s, and ANYTHING of your choosing. Make it short - keep the three things - and post your story in the comments section (or provide a link to where people can find it).
Good luck and happy writing!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
We're going ALL BERRY!
All right, people of the writing universe! Pick up your pens, get your keyboards ready, and sharpen your pencils! Whatever you use for your writing, have it on and ready - we're up for another triad!
Write a short story, and make sure that you incorporate these three things into the plot:
1) cherries
2) blueberries
3) strawberries
You need not have a food story, but these three things have to be mentioned. Good luck!
Write a short story, and make sure that you incorporate these three things into the plot:
1) cherries
2) blueberries
3) strawberries
You need not have a food story, but these three things have to be mentioned. Good luck!
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Sandwich Triad!
Behold the almighty sandwich! Purveyor of goodness, bringing of full stomachs - and now, the star in your story!
This is fast fiction, so have only about a thousand words (or less) of a tale that involves these three sandwich fillings:
1. Ham
2. Cheese
3. Lettuce
The sandwich can be the star, or a special supporting cast member, or the fly on the wall (or should we say the spectator on the table?). Now, get to work on that story and post it in the comments section (or leave a link) for everyone to enjoy - and consume.
Happy writing!
This is fast fiction, so have only about a thousand words (or less) of a tale that involves these three sandwich fillings:
1. Ham
2. Cheese
3. Lettuce
The sandwich can be the star, or a special supporting cast member, or the fly on the wall (or should we say the spectator on the table?). Now, get to work on that story and post it in the comments section (or leave a link) for everyone to enjoy - and consume.
Happy writing!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Triad #2: One and One Make...
Two.
In love.
That's right. You are working on a love story. A short story on love. Two people, animals, microbes, things, concepts, what-have-you in love.
And you need these three things in your short story, which should not exceed 1,000 words.
1. A slap on the face.
2. A slammed door.
3. A rose.
And yes, melodrama is welcome.
Please don't forget to post your stories, or share your links to them.
In love.
That's right. You are working on a love story. A short story on love. Two people, animals, microbes, things, concepts, what-have-you in love.
And you need these three things in your short story, which should not exceed 1,000 words.
1. A slap on the face.
2. A slammed door.
3. A rose.
And yes, melodrama is welcome.
Please don't forget to post your stories, or share your links to them.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Triad #1:
Sorry for being away for so long. Vacation was calling: Mother Nature gave me a nudge out the door and kicked me down the garden path. Serves me right for reading and studying too much.
Anyway, here's your first writing exercise! Our aim: fiction. You can write a short story, two paragraphs of something that you want to develop later, a movie script, or even a novel! (Prepare for the grueling month of novel writing come November and you'll walk away triumphant on 11/30/08).
You will need to write fiction incorporating these three things/persons:
1. a gardener
2. a ballpoint pen with purple ink
3. a CD filled with sappy love songs
The aim is not to write the longest story or the shortest one, but to incorporate these three things/persons in the most creative way possible. You can write in any language you like, using any format, as long as you're writing fiction.
Do post your work (or links to them) when you're done!
Good luck and happy writing!
Anyway, here's your first writing exercise! Our aim: fiction. You can write a short story, two paragraphs of something that you want to develop later, a movie script, or even a novel! (Prepare for the grueling month of novel writing come November and you'll walk away triumphant on 11/30/08).
You will need to write fiction incorporating these three things/persons:
1. a gardener
2. a ballpoint pen with purple ink
3. a CD filled with sappy love songs
The aim is not to write the longest story or the shortest one, but to incorporate these three things/persons in the most creative way possible. You can write in any language you like, using any format, as long as you're writing fiction.
Do post your work (or links to them) when you're done!
Good luck and happy writing!
Monday, May 5, 2008
A New Class of Exercises: Triads
If I gave you a penny, a pencil, and a pig, what would you do?
Well, you could sit and ponder on the profundity of the three-item situation - or you could write about it.
No, this is not one of them Hong Kong Gangster triads - it's a writing exercise that's meant to bring out the creative genius in you. "Once upon a time, a pig was sold for a penny to a pencil maker..." "Once upon a time, a penny-worth pencil dreamed it was a pig...."Once upon a time, a pencil sharpener fell amongst pigs in a pig sty - and there, it met a penny..."
Triads are meant to make you start thinking about how three things can come together logically (even illogically) in one story, essay, or even novel excerpt.
Hang on for more triads!
Well, you could sit and ponder on the profundity of the three-item situation - or you could write about it.
No, this is not one of them Hong Kong Gangster triads - it's a writing exercise that's meant to bring out the creative genius in you. "Once upon a time, a pig was sold for a penny to a pencil maker..." "Once upon a time, a penny-worth pencil dreamed it was a pig...."Once upon a time, a pencil sharpener fell amongst pigs in a pig sty - and there, it met a penny..."
Triads are meant to make you start thinking about how three things can come together logically (even illogically) in one story, essay, or even novel excerpt.
Hang on for more triads!
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