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One Word and Three Stories: A Writing Exercise
Three opening paragraphs spawned from the same word
I had a photography instructor in college whose key message was:
One variable changed and the meaning of a photo changes.
He was correct and proved it on many occasions. The variables in question were everything from lighting to composition, shutter speed, the nature of the film, and the position of the photographer taking the photo.
The reality is that hundreds of variables can be manipulated to achieve the photographer's vision. And that's what makes the creative arts so unique.
There are very few exact replicas of anything created as an original. And that extends into the world of writing.
I had an English professor who loved challenging us. We were freshmen at the time—top of our game in high school but goofy kids when we got into college.
Our English prof was an excellent instructor. People lined up for hours to get registered for her classes.
She used to challenge us with what became known as the 'one-word challenge.'
It was a fun challenge and has stuck with me for fifty years.
