The mirrors in my home all lie to me in ways that I find comforting. “Hey, looking good!” I know how to look at myself in them to present the image to myself so I look thin and handsome.
And then I’ll be out somewhere and catch my reflection and find that reality is a bit more unforgiving.
For the writer self reflection can be equally difficult. It’s easy to disparage oneself, but can you really see yourself precisely as you are? And the exercise becomes more difficult when you try and move beyond physical appearance and describe your character.
One way to examine your character would be to pour out your heart, page after page. But what can you do with that? Can you see yourself in endless, anguished prose?
Another way would be to do what is essentially a sketch, like one an artist might make. Write down just a few lines, enough for you to see yourself, to see what is essentially you.
For today’s assignment write just three sentences about yourself, focusing on your character or what is essentially you, but not about your physical appearance. Craft your sentences to be short, declarative, and simple. Avoid long, nested comments, asides, and clauses.
You might need to write at length and then condense down what you’ve laid out. I suspect that if you allow yourself to write freely and honestly for an extended time you might discover your three sentences somewhere within.
Be brave. Look at the strange, new mirror. Then set out your sketch.
This exercise is for you. You need not publish it or share it with others (I’m not). And consider keeping it with you. Look at it from time to time. When you no longer see yourself in it, it’s time to write another.
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