Writing figurative language from the heart.
Note to parents: Please work together with your child on this exercise. Writers young and old can get very emotional when writing their scenes!
Kids are natural writers because they don't wonder if they can do it...they know they can. In this quick exercise, you'll search deep inside your heart and write without thinking. Write what's in your heart—and this is important—even if you think it doesn't make sense.
Write what's in your heart, even if you think it doesn't make sense.
STEP ONE: FIND AN EMOTION!
Pick and emotion that you've felt very strongly in a specific time in your life. The more recent, the better. Some examples: Joy, anger, courageousness, frustration, nostalgia, excitement. Click on the list below for more inspiration.
STEP TWO: PLAY YOUR MUSIC
Find and play some music that reminds you of your emotion. Sit and listen to it with your eyes closed. Picture a scene, and feel the emotion in your heart as if you were there.
STEP THREE: WRITE YOUR FEELINGS
While the music is still playing, fill in the blanks below on a piece of paper. Or, you can download and print the worksheet here. Remember to write what you feel, even if it doesn't make sense.
(Your emotion) looks like (something you see)
(Your emotion) sounds like (something you hear)
(Your emotion) feels like (something you touch)
(Your emotion) smells like (something you smell)
(Your emotion) tastes like (something you taste)
(Your emotion) feels like (something you feel in your body)
STEP FOUR: REFLECTION
Free-write (write without thinking) about the exercise, now that you're finished. How did it make you feel? Did the words flow easily? Did you get stuck? How did listening to the music feel? What did you learn about writing about your feelings? Did any of your descriptions surprise you?
Now, you can move on to this Reading for Sensory Detail exercise!
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