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Playing Cards (Creative Writing Exercise)

Let’s have some fun with the writing exercise this time. All that talk about cards on the table has me thinking about the serious drama in every hand of poker.

So that’s your job this week. Sit down at the poker table with four of your characters — whether you make up new ones for this assignment or mix and match from your works in progress. In 300-600 words, tell us about one hand, maybe just one round of bidding, but make it intense.

Maybe it’s relationship drama among the players, or financial drama for our gambling addict protagonist. Maybe it’s international espionage coming to a head at the high-stakes table, or a deeply introspective consideration of morality, expressed as an extended metaphor.

Whatever your story, show it on the camera. Practice revealing your characters through their actions, not explanations, and give your readers just the hints they need to figure out everybody’s hands (literally or figuratively, depending on your plot).

Then, when you’re done, put your cards on the table. Share your scene with us on the discussion board, and we’ll let you know what we think.

4 Responses to “Playing Cards (Creative Writing Exercise)”

  1. That’s ironic, since there’s a small poker scene in my book. Although I’m sure it’s not exactly what you had in mind. I can’t remember what chapter it’s in.

  2. Aaron Pogue says:

    @Rebecca Campbell: First page of chapter 10. 🙂

  3. Courtney Cantrell says:

    I’ll have to give this one some thought. Unfortunately, I never can remember just how to play poker, so a part of my scene would involve a great deal of confusion over the rules, as well as somebody’s frustration at being the only one who understands the game.

    Knowing me, a dragon would probably stick its head in through the window and scorch everybody because their arguing woke him from his pleasant nap. ;o)

  4. Aaron: Ha. So I guess you hadn’t read it yet when you posted the blog.

    I would post mine, but I’m sure it would get ripped apart! 🙂 J/k…well, sort of.