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A student emailed me asking for scene writing exercises to overcome their creative slump during lockdown. Here's what I suggested (1/6):
- Dialogue exercise: write a 3 page scene (or however long you want) of two friends chatting. Don't even plan what it's about, just start writing the dialogue and see where it takes you. Then rewrite the scene into something more crafted with theme and intent.
- Scenario exercise: two people wake up in a room with no windows or doors. They try to get out. How? What happens next?
- Subtext exercise: a guy (or girl) wants to break up with his girlfriend (or boyfriend) but doesn't want to be the one who does it, and subtly tries to steer the conversation so that the girlfriend (or boyfriend) breaks up instead.
- Non-dialogue exercise: An old man tries to push a broken cart, and attempts to get help from a young boy who's skipping home. No dialogue. Subtext a bonus.
- Non-dialogue action: A guy or girl discovers a bomb so he/she jumps on their bike and races through town, avoiding obstacles and set backs, in order to throw the bomb into the river before it explodes. (6/6 end)
