Writing challenge

Last week one of my lecturers challenged the group with a fascinating warm-up writing activity.

The challenge: we had to write a paragraph without using the letter “e”.

Now e happens to be the most used letter of the alphabet in English. Mmm… we all rose to the challenge and started scribbling. Below is what I came up with:

I am going to swim all night in the dam for it is so hot. I will wallow and splash all through the long dark hours. I will try not to swallow any of that putrid liquid.

I was feeling very pleased with my effort… until… Just as I was about to share my brilliant piece of writing I realised that I had used that inoffensive little word “the.” Not once – but twice.

Now I could correct this little aberration in this way:

I am going to swim all night in the a dam for it is so hot. I will wallow and splash all through the this long dark hours night. I will try not to swallow any of that putrid liquid.

It is not as easy as it sounds.

Try it as a warm-up activity.

Good writing.

More writing hints can be found here.