Writing Exercise: “What I Draw Is Never As Lovely As What I See”

Writing Exercise: “What I Draw Is Never As Lovely As What I See”

Key Techniques

Subtext through dialogue: Characters reveal vulnerability through implication, hesitation, or avoidance, not direct confession. Interior perception of another character: The observing character’s emotional state is projected onto the physical presence of the other. Emotional contrast through setting: A confined, transitional space (like a vehicle or terminal) heightens tension and underscores emotional proximity or distance.

500-Word Writing Prompt

Write a scene between two characters traveling together—by plane, train, car, or bus. One asks the other a question that hits a vulnerable place, unearthing something unspoken. Neither character should plainly name their emotions. Let discomfort or intimacy surface through silence, observation, and restrained dialogue.

The observing character should describe the other in detail. Let that gaze reveal more about the watcher than the watched. Focus on fleeting physical cues: a knuckle tightening, a glance deflected, a line of light on the skin. Use the movement of travel and the closed space to raise the emotional temperature.

Start in the middle of the ride. Let the question land without setup or backstory. Use the next 500 words to let that question open something quiet but irrevocable.

Time Limit: 2 hours

Target Word Count: 500 words

Evaluation Criteria for Success

– Dialogue that carries emotional weight without explanation:

Strong: “Is that why you always ask about the weather?”

Weak: “I know you’re afraid of being alone.”

– Character perception that reveals more than it observes:

Strong: “His voice caught when he said her name, and for a moment, she was the only still thing in the moving world.”

Weak: “He looked nervous and stared at her.”

– Setting that amplifies emotional tone:

Strong: “The train rocked gently, but neither of them moved.”

Weak: “They were sitting in a train car.”

Workshopping & Revision Questions

– Where do the characters’ silences speak loudest?

– Does the gaze of the narrator do more than describe—does it reveal something repressed or feared?

– How does the setting trap or free them emotionally?

– Does the dialogue feel earned, or is it doing too much emotional heavy-lifting?

Recommended Reading

“Chance” from Runaway by Alice Munro

In this story, a young woman’s encounter with a stranger on a train reveals unspoken emotional needs and buried longing. Munro uses subtext-laden dialogue, close perception, and the confined setting of travel to unfold character in restrained, devastating strokes.

Strong Response Example (excerpt)

She asked, “Do you think it ever goes away?”

He turned toward the window, where the plane wing cut a line through a sea of night.

The overhead light caught the curve of her neck. He remembered tracing it once, absently, like it was a line on a map.

“No,” he said. “You just learn how to carry it without looking down.”

Weak Response Example (excerpt)

“Do you ever feel better?” she asked.

“Not really,” he replied. “I’ve been depressed.”

She nodded. “Yeah, I get it.”

They sat in silence.

He looked at her. “I wish things were different.”

“Me too.”

The strong response uses image and gesture to surface emotional complexity. The weak version relies on abstraction and tells us feelings without evoking them.

AI Disclosure Statement:

This writing prompt was created in collaboration with ChatGPT, an AI model by OpenAI, to support creative practice. ChatGPT assisted with idea generation and drafting; the final text was edited by the author. The illustration was created using Google Gemini.