The Iceberg Technique.

Write a descriptive paragraph without specifically or directly mentioning the emotion and/or situation you are writing about. Use one of the following examples. All of these examples require you to describe a river, and you are required to use the physical description to convey the mood and the situation. I suggest that, to select details, you visualize the Trinity River just down the road, or another river that you can see in your mind’s eye, and consider how one of the characters below would describe what you are seeing. In addition to physical description, this is an exercise in tone and perspective. Obviously someone sad is going to describe a scene differently than someone happy, even though they might be standing in the same spot.

--describe a river as seen by a young woman who has just learned she is pregnant three days after her boyfriend broke up with her. Do not mention the pregnancy or her ex.

--describe a river as seen by a young man (or woman) about to meet his parents to tell them that he has been expelled from the university for cheating on a final exam. Do not mention cheating or the expulsion.

--describe a river as seen by a young man or woman who was recently in a terrible car accident and survived , although another passenger was killed. Do not mention death, the accident, or the other passenger.

--describe a river as seen by a young man who has a diamond ring in his pocket and who is waiting for his girlfriend to propose. Do not mention the ring, becoming engaged, or marriage.

Consider the time of year and day, the weather and temperature, and the specific details of the images you want your readers to focus on.