Rosie Chard

One way to get past the blank page is to activate the senses one by one.

For example: close your eyes and note all the sounds in the room.

Write them down and think about why you noticed them and which you noticed first.

This activity can be repeated using smell, touch, sight and even taste. Then consider how a particular character might notice and respond to particular things they have experienced directly through their senses. For example a baker might be tuned to smell, while an architect might notice shapes, colours or scale of objects in relation to each other.

Once you have begun to identify your character’s propensity to notice certain things over others you can start to think which particular words they might use to describe them.

This exercise can be begun in a room, but can then be developed further in the outside world.