Beat the Blank Page
 
 
'Without hope and without despair.'
Raymond Carver on writing
Esther
Morgan
Beyond Calling Distance

Other Exercises:
 
[ Latest ]
[ All ]
Silence Living in Houses
Home
Biography
The Silence Living in Houses
Beyond Calling Distance
Events
New Poems
Journey of a Poem
Reactions
Ordering Books
Beat the Blank Page
RSVPoetry
Links
Contact Me


Beat The Blank Page Writing Exercise  

March 2004 

"An Object Lesson"


An Example Poem      Submitted Work For This Exercise

Other Exercises:
[ Latest]       [ All]

Instructions

  • This is another exercise in intensive focus and one I've used in classes from primary school children to evening class regulars via undergraduate seminars. Start by choosing an everyday object - any object will do, a lightbulb, a scarf, a cheesegrater, a piece of fruit, anything. 
  • Next close your eyes and explore this object through touch, smell, taste (if practical!) and sound. Really concentrate on how the object feels under your fingers and allow words and phrases to come into your mind. Be open to simile and metaphor.
  • When you feel ready, open your eyes and start to write about the experience of feeling/smelling/tasting/listening to the object. Try and write as fluently as possible, without pausing to censor your words or consider whether they are 'good' or not.
  • Next describe your object using your eyes - what does it look like? Try and write as many similes down as possible. To encourage your imagination to really take off, imagine you're an alien who's never seen this object before - perhaps it has the potential for other uses which we haven't thought about?
  • The next stage of the exercise is about tapping into memory using this object as an entry point - write about times when you can remember using this object or when you can remember other people using it. Try and be as specific and descriptive as possible.
  • Write for at least 20 minutes about the object, longer if possible. By the end of this time you should have really scrutinised it carefully and hopefully it will have triggered lots of images, thoughts and memories. You can now review your notes and see if there's any particular section which stands out strongly from which you might build a poem. Perhaps the 'alien eye' is where your writing really took off, or maybe it's the memories inspired by the object which triggered a powerful response in you.
  • As a follow up to this, you might like to try writing from the point of view of your object, that is giving it a voice. Imagine how your object spends its days, where it is positioned, how it is used and how it might feel about these things. Does your object have all its senses or is it blind/deaf or dumb? What happens to it at night? What does it dream about?

Purpose

  • This kind of intensive focus is useful in reminding us of the power of our senses in creating vivid writing. A lot of our time is spent editing out our surroundings - this exercise makes us stop and take interest in objects that we may normally take for granted. The idea is to explore the world again as a child might encountering something for the first time, in an attempt to recapture a spirit of excitement about the physical world. 
  • Sight is our dominant sense which is why the exercise asks you to start with your eyes closed, to give the other senses a chance of joining in. They shouldn't be neglected in writing.
  • The follow up exercise of writing from a different point of view stretches the imagination and introduces an element of the surreal - this kind of techniqe can freshen our perspective.

Example Poem

I thought I'd give you one of my own which came out of just such an exercise

Avocados

I like the way they fit the palm -
their plump Buddha weight,
the sly squeeze for ripeness,
the clean slit of the knife,
the soft suck
as you twist the halves apart,
the thick skin peeling easily.
Naked, they're slippery as soap.

I serve them for myself
sliced and fanned
on white bone china
glistening with olive oil,
or I fill the smooth hollow
with sharp vinaigrette
scooping out
the pale, buttery flesh.

Every diet you've ever read
strictly forbids them.

Esther Morgan
 
Submitted Work For This Exercise
 
Send me your work! - I will put up the best pieces I've received inspired by each exercise. Please mark your e-mail 'Object Lesson Exercise'.
 
Thank you to Tonia Bevins for sending me her poem 'Protea' inspired by this exercise. I enjoyed reading it and I'm sure others will too.
 
Other poems selected from those submitted by readers can be found on the Submitted Poems page 


[top]
Contact Me