Revision Exercise

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 2 Comments

Photo courtesy of: blog.patrickrothfuss.com

I borrowed the following exercise from Darcy Pattison’s  Fiction Notes and her recent article, Pacing: Space out the Tense Moments. 

As Ms. Pattison found when having her students perform this exercise, openings of their WIP, often had little to do with the rest of the story. However, somewhere between the third and  eighth revision, they nailed it.

If you’re struggling with the opening and pacing of your current WIP, try this exercise.

Revision exercise… write eight different openings for your essay/story. Then, start writing the essay/story again from that starting point.

Happy revising and let me hear from you.

Unheeded Warning

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 15 Comments
images-4

photo curtesy of abcnews.go.com

 Lillie McFerrin Writes: Five Sentence Fiction – Villainous

Adam stepped from behind the closed door, “Where the hell you been, woman?”

She squeezed her eyes shut against the spew of anger and drunken spittle, cowered against the counter, and waited for the inevitable.

“You mark my words, Norma Jean, a tiger don’t change his stripes,” her mother warned.

“He’s changed, mama. You don’t know him like I do.”

The back of his hand landed hard and she tried to think of happier times; he hadn’t always been this way.

 

The Death of Me

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 4 Comments

images courtesy of fmcpaware.org

100 Word Challenge for Grown Ups – Week#166. Prompt: … checking in proved to be…

A different take on this weeks prompt. Hope you enjoy.

A tap on the wall next to the curtain stirred me. “Mrs. Cole?” A moan escaped as I shut my eyes in protest to the bright light. “I’m sorry to disturb you,” she said, “Is this a bad time?”

A bad time? I moved my head back and forth, wincing with the effort.

She held a clipboard out to me. “I’m from the business office and need a few signatures for you insurance.”

Sucking on my oxygen mask, I reached for the pen making an illegible mark. Exhausted I closed my eyes… checking in proved to be the death of me.

Loves Appeal

/ Sheila McIntrye Good, Author / 13 Comments

PHOTO PROMPT – Copyright Ted Strutz

 Rochelle Wishoff-Fields’ weekly 100 word challenge.

Ellen cringed as the door squealed in protest. “Come inside,” she said waving to Bill.

“Are you crazy? This place is ancient.”

“Stop being negative. This place is perfect. Look at the windows, the light, and space. My God, it’s like an open canvas.” She spun around like a schoolgirl. “Can’t you see it?”

“What I see is a money pit,” he said lifting the cord on the strange switch box. “Who wired this place, Mickey Mouse?” He shook his head, “But, I see the appeal.”

She squealed, clapping her hands. “Yes?

“A suckers born every minute,” he said, smiling.