These posts are now unlocked for everyone including free subscribers.
Two weeks ago we took a deep dive into words. Now comes sentencing. The are many models of write a good sentence, but these exercises take much of their opinions from the reader expectation model which tries to put the right information in the best place for it to be understood. Of course, when writing fiction, as with poetry, sometimes we’re best off breaking the rules.
Monday, June 24, 2024
🟡 One Sentence, Many Interpretations
Exercise #253 Understanding the Context of a Sentence
Strategy: Ever wonder how a seemingly straightforward statement can morph into a kaleidoscope of meanings? Welcome to the linguistic funhouse where words play dress-up and context is king! This exercise will have you donning different perspectives like a master of disguise, turning a simple line of dialogue into a shape-shifting chameleon. You'll start with what looks like a clear-cut statement, only to discover it's as slippery as a bar of soap in a bubble bath.
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
🟡 Sentence Shenanigans
Exercise #254 Playing with Sentences to Break Expectations
Strategy: Ready to flip your sentences upside-down and inside-out? This exercise is all about having fun with sentences, turning your typical writing habits on their head. By imposing playful constraints, you'll learn how to manipulate your sentences to better understand how to play with reader expectations. We won't spend much time analyzing what you write, so just think about how readers my be surprised and/or confused by the sentences as you write.
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
🟡 Cutting the Gordian Knot
Exercise #255 Rebuilding Clarity from Complex Sentences
Strategy: Imagine your sentence is a complicated knot of words that seems to offer no space for your fingernails to dig and pull the strands loose. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to cut the Gordian knot and find the writer’s intention. Can you find the hidden subject buried under a pile of modifiers? Can you rescue the action verb from its exile at the end of the sentence? And most importantly, can you decide which word deserves the spotlight at the grand finale of your sentence?
Thursday, June 27, 2024
🟡 Twisting the Subject Around
Exercise #256 Exploring the Sentence Subject
Strategy: Ready to turn your sentences into linguistic pretzels? Welcome to the wild world of subject twisting! A good solid sentence starts with a subject. But we can also bend and twist sentences like never before. You'll discover how shifting your subject can transform a mundane statement into a captivating piece of prose (or not.) So, let's grab our pens and pretzelfy a sentence.
Friday, June 28, 2024
🟡 Where's the Action, Bub?
Exercise #257 Experimenting with the Action of a Sentence
Strategy: Ahoy, wordsmith! Ready to set sail on a thrilling verb voyage? Imagine your sentence as a ship, with the action as its engine. Where you place that engine can make your sentence zip along smoothly or struggle against the current. Of course, sometimes you might want to create waves! In this exercise, we'll play captain to our sentence-ships, experimenting with where we dock our verbs. We'll add some cargo (modifiers), throw in some stowaways (incidental material), and even try running our ship in reverse. By the end, you'll have a fleet of sentences at your command.
Saturday, June 29, 2024
🟡 Cartoon Caption Crescendo
Exercise #258 Comedic Timing in Single-Panel Cartoons
Strategy: Ready to turn your wit into a knockout punch? Welcome to the world of cartoon caption crafting, where timing is everything and the last word can make or break your joke! Today we're going to study the stress position of a sentence by crafting cartoon captions. You've got just one sentence to set up and deliver your punchline. While every word counts, you've got to make sure you stick the landing. In this exercise, we'll turn you into a linguistic acrobat, teaching you to balance your words just right so that your punchline lands with maximum impact.
Sunday, June 30, 2024
🟡 Sentence Backlinks
Exercise #259 Connecting Sentences Together
Strategy: Welcome to the world of backlinks, where sentences don't just follow each other - they walk hand in hand. Each sentence links with ideas, actions, and emphases in order to create a complex structure that keeps your readers grooving along. The link is the first idea a reader encounters that connects two sentences. In this exercise, we'll explore different ways to link your sentences, from obvious connections to subtle nods.
Our next weekly theme will focus on action.