There are three basic steps to distill liquor. Collect the raw material, separate the water through evaporation, and condense the spirit. The rough draft is loose and flabby, but all the material is there. The second draft is stronger but still lacks punch. The final draft is the most potent yet.
Now your turn. This is a 3-part writing *and* distillation process.
PRODUCTION: Describe a person as a drink. For example, an elegant but stern mother can be a martini. A dishy best friend could be English Breakfast tea. Feel free to depict a real or made-up person. Write freely without editing yourself.
PRECISION: Time to separate the water from the spirit. Remove repeated ideas or words. Take out moments where you’re simply clearing your throat. Cut your piece by half.
PUNCH: Replace lackluster words with powerful, assertive ones. Instead of “he put the bowl down”, say “he dropped the bowl”. Instead of saying “She missed him,” say “She mourned him”. Make each sentence a knockout. Aim for 4-6 sentences when you’re done.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Post your work on Instagram this Friday using the hashtag #FoodFictionFriday and tag me at @jessica_tom.
2) Follow #FoodFictionFriday and support your fellow writers with words of encouragement. I’ll be in the mix cheering you on and offering feedback. I’m so excited to read your drink-people-profiles!