OK, I’m sending you out on your first journalistic walkabout. This one will be relatively short. I want you to wander
your neighborhood (or campus) until you observe a scene of some kind that might be of
interest to your readers (yes, think like that). You are going to write the
first three paragraphs of this story in two different ways: First, write it
(three paragraphs worth) using as many clichés and trite phrases as you can
work in. Next, write it again (three paragraphs worth), this time channeling
your inner Gay Talese (or favorite writer of your choosing). Finally, give me a
paragraph that tells me what you have learned about your own personal writing
style from this assignment and how you can improve.
Due: Jan. 13 at 5 p.m.
Cliché & Trite Writing:
ReplyDeleteOn a chilly winter day, I walked along the empty sidewalk. The cars rushed by while I strolled forward. Not much on my mind. I saw a lonely man, he stood cold and afraid—no friends in sight. I wondered what he was doing there on the corner like that. I hoped he had someplace to stay the night.
I spent some time eating at a restaurant across the street. I sat by the window gazing out at this man while watching people pass him by. Only a few people stopped to offer their spare change or leftovers. However most kept driving, pretending not to see him. They acted like strangers and showed no regret.
I felt sad for this man and thought about what I could do to help. Many options crossed my mind, followed by reasons of why they would not work. We are all human yet people can be so cruel. We should all try harder to do better. This would make the world a much better place.
Favorite Author Writing:
He held a sign with humility. His head held up and his eyes looked down. His body stood tightly clenched as he shivered dripping with water. Without shelter, he claimed the corner as his home.
A man of mystery, his beard hid his identity. I wondered what his past entailed—a mountain man? A father? An employee fighting in the corporate world? I did not know. No one stopped to inquire, all looked away. Strangers passed too busy to help, too busy to talk, too busy to give.
I reflected on the many times I had passed by just as they—too busy to help, too busy to talk, too busy to give. We all roam as strangers. This man’s story, few may know. He stood alone across the street, just a few little feet but a world of difference.
What I Learned:
I learned that by trying to write with less clichés words and sentences start to hold more meaning and emotion. I think that this is because they seem more sincere and personal. My favorite writers write in a way that is outside of the box—they make you stop to think and visualize. I also think they make you consider situations from a different perspective. The second time I wrote about my experience I tried to say things I little bit differently than I normally would—a little slower and more introspective for readers to think about.