Yesterday was earnest. Today, let’s play with sound.
I’ve got a more involved prompt involving anagrams and word play coming from the brilliant Bronwen Tate in the next couple of days. Today’s exercise is meant to be mostly fun.
today’s exercise
Pick a two-word phrase you like the sound of. I’m using double daffodil, a flower I’ve just started seeing around my neighborhood. I also like the phrase keystone state, with its great consonants and st repetition. (You’re welcome to start with double daffodil or keystone state, if either speaks to you.) You’ll have the easiest time with an adjective + noun combination. What we’re going to do is just generate a bunch of phrases starting with those sounds.
initial letter
so double daffodil might be dozen donuts, then digital dragons, then dolorous dentists
vowel patterns or internal sounds
so keystone state could become cross-stitch stop or something else with the long vowels E, O, or A in each word, like creep, mope, or tape.
rhyme and slant rhyme
so double daffodil might become couple bubble; keystone state could become crone plates (daffodil is basically impossible to rhyme!)
This is silly! It feels silly to explain, and it’s deliberately nonsensical as a writing exercise. Just aim to write a bunch of phrases. See where they take you. Have fun.
How is your writing going? I’d love to hear from you. You can always reply to this email, comment below, or find me on twitter (@nancy_reddy) and instagram (@nancy.o.reddy).