by Nancy Casey
Set up your page in the usual way by drawing a line across the top where your title will go. Then divide the remaining space on the page into four different areas of roughly equal size. Next, get some scrap paper where you can jot down a few notes.
On the scrap paper, write down the names of four objects that are familiar to you. You can choose something that is right in front of you, or something that you see (or have seen) often.
For each object, write down three descriptive details, that is, short bits of information that tell something about the object. A detail could have something to do with how the object looks or sounds or smells. You could have a detail about the history of the object. You could say something about its function. Any 3 details. A couple of words max. Make them as odd or interesting as you can.
Then begin your actual page. In each of the four spaces you have marked off, write about each of the four objects as if you were an emcee introducing the object for a fabulous performance before a live audience. No need to say what the performance will be, you only need to tell how fabulous the object is.
An emcee must create interest, suspense and excitement in the audience. One trick for doing this is to withhold the name of the object until the very end, so be sure to do that.
Here are some phrases that emcees often use. You can borrow them or think up some of your own.
- Ladies and gentlemen, appearing next on our stage is one who…
- Our next guest is one you would be likely to find…
- … is never a problem for our next guest, because…
- Tonight we welcome to the stage one who comes to us all the way from…
- Without our next guest, the world would be…
- You might find it hard to imagine that…
Your introduction will be short—there isn’t much space provided. It will only rely on three details. Try to build up the object as something fantastic, marvelous, and perhaps a bit mysterious, before revealing what it is.
When you have finished all four introductions, reread your work. Make small changes if you need to.
If there is not any room for illustration in the spaces where you wrote the introductions, you can add decoration or color to the page by decorating the lines that divide the four spaces.
When you are satisfied with the page, give it a title and write the date on it, too. Here is an example of what someone could write.
You can share your work by posting it as a comment below. You can type it in, or take a photo of it and upload the image.
Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. If you would like to do this exercise or others like it with a group of people, come to the Write-for-You class at the Latah Recovery Center on Thursdays at 5pm. Anyone can join. Just show up! You can attend just for fun or work to earn a writing certificate. For more information, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Community Center.
Latah Recovery Community Center, Inc. 