Writing Prompts: Describe your dream pool
Okay, I confess, this might be a bit of a stretch to call it a writing prompt, as I'm really killing two birds with one stone here--wait, that's a cliche. Killing two birds with one post? Killing two posts with one stone? Stoning two posts with one bird? I'm sure I can come up with something better. I'll post it when I do. Posting one bird in two pools--that's closer to it! Yes, Dickens had the Tale of Two Cities. I have a much shorter Tale of Two Pools. And I would promise nobody gets beheaded in the end, but, hey, I do write about medieval Scotland, so no promises. But not in the pool!
My personal writing project at the moment involves a discussion on forgiveness, between Amy and Shawn. (Oh, Shawn, Shawn, Shawn! Don't say anything stupi....toooooo late!) Some people learn slowly. While the conversation itself is what's vitally important, part of good writing is to bring the setting to life. The conversation should not come across as 'talking heads,' as we say in Night Writers--i.e., blah blah blah, he said. blah blah blah she replied. oh yeah, he asked. blah blah yes blah blah she responded. No clear visual of where these people are, no sense of setting.
Part of what lets a conversation become very vivid--in my humble opinion--is bringing the whole scene to life, not just the words, but where they are, what they're doing.
Shawn's Stupid Moment occurred in his gourmet kitchen where they're preparing food for tomorrow's big party in the brand new and Amazing Indoor Pool he's just had built onto his house on twenty acres, at which point Amy wipes her hands on a towel and walks out, across this Amazing Indoor Pool room.
I had a very strong image of this pool in my mind to begin with--slate or stone floor, glass walls that arch at one end up to and into the ceiling so people can look straight up to the stars at night. There are potted plants all over.
I went looking for pictures of this place to get it even more vivid in my mind. This one came close, though his pool will be rectangular.
His pool actually has a very practical and vital purpose--it is not merely for entertainment. The arching wall of glass, however, is very close to what I saw in my head.
But, research being half the fun, and also wanting to see other possibilities, I kept looking, and found this beautiful pool room with lots of stonework. Once again, it's not quite right. The pool itself, as far as I can see in the picture, isn't that big. Shawn's room will be amazing and a place he looks forward to hosting fantastic parties that will be spoken of for years--but it was ultimately built for work, for very serious reasons. But maybe the decor would be more like this than I originally intended.
Still, I kept looking.
And this is the fun of writing, of creation--when we suddenly realize our 'characters' are in full control and know exactly what they would do. And we're the ones behind the 8 ball (ouch, another cliche, I've got to stop this! I will--in a New York minute!)
Because suddenly, there it was! Shawn's new addition, the room Shawn would build now, after his life-changing time in medieval Scotland. The first picture is what he would have built before that happened. The second took me a step closer, but when I saw this third one, when I thought how he's been wearing breeks and leather boots since he got back, and accidentally writing medieval stylings into his arrangements, and living with his mind half in the past, still ready to draw knives and fight--I realized this room is what Shawn's new pool addition looks like, although once again, the pool itself will be much bigger. There will still be potted plants, I think, and maybe one end of the room will still be open to his 20 acres with an arched glass wall, but here it is:
It doesn't change the conversation at all. In some ways, it doesn't change much of anything--except that it portrays Shawn's changes more exactly. He'd be comfortable in a room like this. He'd feel connected to that past he can't leave behind. Yes, this is Shawn's new room. What would your pool room look like? How would it reflect you, your tastes, your personality?
Which of the rooms above would you choose? What do you think of this nearly medievalesque pool room?
What images have you found online to help you describe setting?
My personal writing project at the moment involves a discussion on forgiveness, between Amy and Shawn. (Oh, Shawn, Shawn, Shawn! Don't say anything stupi....toooooo late!) Some people learn slowly. While the conversation itself is what's vitally important, part of good writing is to bring the setting to life. The conversation should not come across as 'talking heads,' as we say in Night Writers--i.e., blah blah blah, he said. blah blah blah she replied. oh yeah, he asked. blah blah yes blah blah she responded. No clear visual of where these people are, no sense of setting.
Part of what lets a conversation become very vivid--in my humble opinion--is bringing the whole scene to life, not just the words, but where they are, what they're doing.
Shawn's Stupid Moment occurred in his gourmet kitchen where they're preparing food for tomorrow's big party in the brand new and Amazing Indoor Pool he's just had built onto his house on twenty acres, at which point Amy wipes her hands on a towel and walks out, across this Amazing Indoor Pool room.I had a very strong image of this pool in my mind to begin with--slate or stone floor, glass walls that arch at one end up to and into the ceiling so people can look straight up to the stars at night. There are potted plants all over.
I went looking for pictures of this place to get it even more vivid in my mind. This one came close, though his pool will be rectangular.
His pool actually has a very practical and vital purpose--it is not merely for entertainment. The arching wall of glass, however, is very close to what I saw in my head.
But, research being half the fun, and also wanting to see other possibilities, I kept looking, and found this beautiful pool room with lots of stonework. Once again, it's not quite right. The pool itself, as far as I can see in the picture, isn't that big. Shawn's room will be amazing and a place he looks forward to hosting fantastic parties that will be spoken of for years--but it was ultimately built for work, for very serious reasons. But maybe the decor would be more like this than I originally intended.
Still, I kept looking.
And this is the fun of writing, of creation--when we suddenly realize our 'characters' are in full control and know exactly what they would do. And we're the ones behind the 8 ball (ouch, another cliche, I've got to stop this! I will--in a New York minute!)
Because suddenly, there it was! Shawn's new addition, the room Shawn would build now, after his life-changing time in medieval Scotland. The first picture is what he would have built before that happened. The second took me a step closer, but when I saw this third one, when I thought how he's been wearing breeks and leather boots since he got back, and accidentally writing medieval stylings into his arrangements, and living with his mind half in the past, still ready to draw knives and fight--I realized this room is what Shawn's new pool addition looks like, although once again, the pool itself will be much bigger. There will still be potted plants, I think, and maybe one end of the room will still be open to his 20 acres with an arched glass wall, but here it is:
It doesn't change the conversation at all. In some ways, it doesn't change much of anything--except that it portrays Shawn's changes more exactly. He'd be comfortable in a room like this. He'd feel connected to that past he can't leave behind. Yes, this is Shawn's new room. What would your pool room look like? How would it reflect you, your tastes, your personality?
Which of the rooms above would you choose? What do you think of this nearly medievalesque pool room?
What images have you found online to help you describe setting?
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If you liked this article, you might also like
Creating Setting
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It helps us continue to do what we do
If you liked this article, you might also like
Creating Setting
or other posts under the
Writing Prompts and Writing Tips labels
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