“Once in a while, someone amazing comes along, and here I am!”
Tigger, Winnie the Pooh
Literature is full of animals. From Black Beauty and Mr Toad to the talking animals of Narnia, animal characters have starred in many of the children’s classics we grew up with.
They feature widely in adult literature too, and their use is often allegorical. Describing a character as an animal can be a handy way of depicting all too human characteristics.
Observing the movement, emotions and behaviour of another creature can serve as a useful exercise in characterisation. Thinking yourself into the mindset of that animal can be a fun take on point of view. Today’s writing exercises tap into this potential.
Exercise 1: Bird or Beast?
- Imagine you can become any animal you want
- Would you choose to be a land animal? A bird? an aquatic creature?
- Would you be a large hunting mammal? A cute, cuddly, furry creature? Wild or domesticated? (I always fancied being something that hibernates – I’d just be emerging round about now..)
- Write a diary entry as your chosen animal
Exercise 2: If only they could talk
- Think of an animal you know. It might be a childhood pet or a creature you’ve come across more recently.
- Give that animal a voice
- What would they say if they could talk?
- Write a piece from that animal’s point of view.
Exercise 3: What is your animal spirit?
- Choose yourself or another person you want to describe
- If that person were an animal, what would they be?
- How do they move? Occupy space? Interact with their environment?
- Write a description of that person as an animal.
- NB this can also be a party game – a variation on ‘Who am I?’
If you have a go at this exercise – or any of the other exercise on this site, and want to share your efforts, feel free to post your writing in the comments.
