Writing blind

A while back, I gave my Author Club members a little writing task and a big nudge. Here’s a simplified version you can do:

• Write a description of a scene that’s rich in sensory detail, but that includes zero visual detail. It’s surprisingly challenging, surprisingly fun, and can take as little as five sentences.

  Use

  • Sound

  • Smell

  • Touch

  • Hearing

  • Inner senses (intuition, expectation, emotion…)

Do it a few times—and here’s the hard part: share your tries online. I bet you’ll be a little shocked at how you falter just before hitting “post.” This is one low-stakes way to fall down as a writer. The vulnerability it takes to practice in public will serve you in the long run. Share it in the comments below, or on your own social media. Tag me in it—I’d love to see what you come up with.

You’ll notice that I’ve sponsored today’s newsletter myself—Author Club is a great place to spend your summer (and beyond) if you have serious writing goals. I’m opening the membership to a few new people for summer, so if that sounds like you, I hope you’ll check it out.