For May's writing challenge, we turned to John Gardner's classic, The Art of Fiction. The writing exercise offers the chance to work on description, and to experiment with how description alone can reveal a character's state of mind.
Writers may choose from one of three scenarios: Describe a landscape as seen by an old woman whose horrible old husband has just died, describe a lake as seen by a young man who has just murdered someone, or describe a landscape as seen by a bird.
Read the responses that have come so far below, contribute your thoughts on them, and then submit your own response.
1. "Room with a View" by Liz Adams
Never before had Catherine seen her own garden like this through her own kitchen window. As she stood, her hands resting on the edge of the kitchen sink, she wondered how, after 30 years in the same house, with the same garden, same view, it could suddenly feel so different?
2. "The End of Memories" by Catherine Garcia
It was beautiful, breathtaking. I closed my eyes for a moment and listened to my lake live, and breathe. I felt the hard bark pressing through my shirt as I leaned against a tree. There was a splash in the water that I knew to be a bird snatching a fish out of the water.
3. "Julia" by Rajeeyah Hasan
Julia loved to sit here by the lake at sunset. I must admit I love the lake too. But mostly I love to watch Julia. We were only sixteen when we met.
4. "Cycles" by Aaron Taylor
The day had taken a lot from her so maybe it would give something back and allow her to sleep. Going to bed was one of the landmarks of Maureen's days. She had the light nights and longer days to consider now.
5. "Emily Prayed" by Douglas Shone
Late last night she was pushed on old shaky legs. Emily staggered through the shack's hanging door into black fresh air. Starlight had not helped her footholds down a steep gravel path to the Atlantic Ocean's lee side damp Labrador shore.
6. "The Lake" by Fifi Kilani
To relax my mind I’ve been walking in the woods when I saw something that I wasn’t sure if it was familiar to me so I approached to see it. It was a lake.
7. "Memory Lake" by Terry Mullett
Midday was hot and humid when he came to the spot between where two streams fed the lake. The sky was as dark and opaque as the water. He thought it could rain at any moment.
8. "The Uneasy Pause" by Lucus
After some time I reached the lake. Upon reaching its rocky shore I realized the sound I had heard before was a narrow creek which fed it from higher in the mountains. The wind rippled the surface with less vengeance than its bitter touch on bare arms.
9. "The Lake" by Mike Potter
Even bodies of water can have delusions of grandeur. Lake Piedmont wasn’t much of a lake, more of an over-grown puddle for the cock-sure and belligerent geese to paddle around in.
10. "Prison Window" by T. L. Kerch
Can I call myself a prisoner if I am free to come and go? Then again, am I free? The door is not nailed shut but it feels like it. It is here at the door window that I stare. Every day I stare.