"There is not really
hope in longing, and that might be why it feels so sad."
-- Ann Hood
1. Write a scene in which
a character is longing for something surprising, such as a truant child
longing for school or an elderly woman longing for a baby. Whatever you
choose, make it convincing.
2. Choose either a man
longing for a happier time in his marriage or a man longing for a time
when he could drink and write a scene that demonstrates the emotion. Make
the present situation crisp and strong to contrast with the time longed
for. Focus not only on conveying longing, but on conveying the reason for
it.
3. What is the time,
person, or thing you most long for right now? Write about it, being as
clear as you can. Describe it with concrete details. Try to evoke the essence
of that time or person through sensory images. Write as you would in a
journal entry. Don't worry about an audience for right now, but concentrate
on being accurate. When you're done, go away for a while. Come back to
it in a day or two, maybe a week. Do the words you wrote convey longing
to the reader? Do the details you used cause the reader to share your longing?