TuesdayTips148

Today’s #TuesdayTip is another writing exercise/writers’ block buster.
The aim is to practise writing for different audiences.
You are going to describe the same scene several times as if to different people. Eg to a child, a police officer, a parent, your best friend, etc.
First choose a scene. It could be one that you write yourself, or a scene you know well from a book or film.
Then choose your audience – see above for some suggestions.
Describe the scene in a manner appropriate to that audience.

• Consider the language you will use.
• Is it age appropriate?
• Is it formal or casual?
• Is it an amusing anecdote or a sad story?
• Is it a factual re-telling or are you aiming to entertain?
• What details are relevant, appropriate or unnecessary?
• Would you embellish it?

Now pick a different audience and rewrite the same scene so that it is appropriate to them.
Ask the same questions as you did previously.

• Consider the language you will use.
• Is it age appropriate?
• Is it formal or casual?
• Is it an amusing anecdote or a sad story?
• Is it a factual re-telling or are you aiming to entertain?
• What details are relevant, appropriate or unnecessary?
• Would you embellish it?

Tip: To get the most out of the exercise, try and choose two very different audiences.
Remember the rules:

• Set yourself a time limit.
• Write without stopping, editing or overthinking.
• Write whatever comes to mind and don’t worry if it doesn’t make sense.
• It doesn’t matter if it has nothing to do with the scene that you are stuck on.

If you are a writer with a tip to share, or fancy writing a fictional interview between you and one of your characters, please feel free to email me.
Until next time,
Paul