A Handwriting Exercise for Improving Prose

When I was revising the latest installment of my novel, I noticed the descriptions were falling a little flat. I was repeating the same words and imagery, the emotions weren’t resonating through the language. To spruce up my prose, I revisited this exercise I learned while studying creative writing at Hampshire College:

As you’re reading, bookmark any passages that inspire you, or have the feeling you’re trying to express in your work-in-progress.

Write the passage, three times, by hand. This helps give you a sense of the rhythm of the writing, how the sentences are structured, how the worlds flow.

For example, this time I used Audrey Niffenegger’s lyrical description of Henry’s abilities from The Time Traveler’s Wife.

Have you tried this exercise? Leave a comment with the issue you were trying to address, and the book you handwrote from to address it!