Saturday, August 11, 2007

An ETWA Writing Assignment

Our president has hit on an ingenious idea, in my opinion. Monthly writing assignments for the members of the group and any visitors who wish to participate.

In July, Gay Ingram presented a program and at the end an assignment was given - write a 1,000 - 2,000 word piece in any genre on one of five topics. The topics were: a cabin in the woods, a cold morning, an empty parking garage, a woman on the beach, and one other that I can't remember at this moment. Brain lock is terrible you know.

Last night, at the August meeting, members brought in their projects and read them with the members present. They were wonderful. I did notice that each person who completed the assignment wrote in the same genre as they usually do. That's beneficial in one way because at least people wrote something.

Then before we were dismissed, the president gave out another writing assignment - take one topic and write it in three genres. These are shorter, only 250 - 500 words, but it will force each person who participates to write in at least two genres different from the genre in which he or she usually writes. The topic can be anything, even one of last month's topics, just so all three genres are on the same topic.

I'm a former teacher by profession, so this type of thing is exciting in itself. I came home and wrote the first of my three versions. Now, I chose a typical genre to start with - romance. But I plan on the other two versions to be a teen story and a science fiction story, or maybe a western. Hmmm, I'll have to think about that for a while. Can't wait to get typing on the next one.

kmparis

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