Rainy Days and Mondays Isn't Only The Name Of A Song

It rained last night and the forecast in our area is for more the next three days. Tuesday conditions will be right for possible severe storms. As much as we need the moisture in the state of Kansas, no one wants to see heavy hailstorms or tornado activity. A nice soaking rain would be most welcome, however. We've been declared an Extreme Drought area so we'll take what we can get.

Last week, we talked a bit about writing haiku poetry, many of which deal with the seasons, nature and also weather. But there are other types of poems to write that center around weather. Free verse, rhymed poetry and other more specific forms will help you describe days that bring us rain and thunder.

You can also write good descriptive paragraphs about a stormy day. Use it as an exercise. The picture above should be some inspiration. Review the lyrics of the song Rainy Days and Mondays made popular years ago by The Carpenters.

An entire story can be developed using the rainy day as the base on which the story plays out. Once again, a possibility for some good descriptive phrases. A nonfiction article about inclement spring weather in the area in which you live might be just the right subject for a local magazine or newspaper.

What sensory details come to mind when you study the picture here? Smell--sound--sight--touch--perhaps even taste if you stood outside with your tongue haning out! Think about it. What does the rain smell like? What sounds do you hear on a rainy day? Big ones and/or soft ones. What do you see when you look out your window on a day when the skies have opened up? How does it feel if you open your car window and put your hand out to catch the raindrops? And yes, what does it taste like if you dance in the rain with your mouth open? A stretch perhaps, but that might lend itself well to a story you're writing.

How about mood? What do you feel like on a day when the sun hides and the rain pounds steadily all day? Some of us hate it while others revel in it.

Give some thought to the questions I've asked. Study the picture and try your hand at a poem, story or article. Send it to me via the comments section. I'd love to see what you come up with.

Time To Exercise--Your Writing That Is

We read all the time about the importance of exercise for both our bodies and our minds. Using our muscles and our brains keep us fit. We need to do writing exercises, too, if we want to keep our writing  up to par and maybe beyond.

So, today I have a new exercise for you. Pump a little iron in a different way.

Write details for the images these phrases bring to mind. Perhaps your efforts will trigger an idea for a story. Make the details sensory. Let us see, hear, smell, taste and feel the touch of some of these items.

1.  Laundry in a wicker basket

2.  an open back door

3.  a broken cup

4.  six ducklings

5.  grandmother's silver locket

6.  twelve cars in the parking lot

7.  a dandelion

8.  jitterbug music

9.  a sink of soapy water

10. an international airport

Touch--An Important Sensory Detail

We've talked about sensory details a number of times. Using sensory details makes a good story even better. They bring life to a story and allow the reader to relate to the characters and situation.

We use sight, sound and smell often when writing a story, but the sense of touch can be very useful, as well.

Think about the way your fingers relay messages to your brain when you touch something. Immediately, you know if what you touched is soft, hard, smooth or greasy. Some things we touch bring satisfying reactions while others are startling.

Try this exercise on using this important sensory detail. Write a sentence showing a reaction to each of the items below:

1.  kitten
2.  doorknob
3.  grass
4.  baby's blanket
5.  a tub of water
6.  grease
7.  tree trunk

Now, reverse the exercise by using these reactions to touch in a sentence. Show, don't tell

1.  soft
2.  hard
3.  smooth
4.  rough
5.  sticky
6.  greasy
7.  hot