Welcome Back to the Warm-Ups!

What’s a writer to do with a short piece of deliberately flat, ordinary prose? Transform it into our own unique, immersive, vivid version. You’re invited to rewrite and share your take in the comments.

Go here for other warm-up prompts and their re-writes:

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Vivid Prose Warm-Up Library

This Week’s Flat Prose

The old wooden box sat on the dusty shelf in the attic corner. Sarah noticed it while cleaning out her grandmother’s house. She had not been up here in many years. She reached out and lifted the lid carefully. Inside were several letters tied with a faded ribbon and a small silver key. She wondered whether she should read them. Some things from the past were better left alone, she thought. Still, her curiosity grew as dust floated in the thin light from the window.

Welcome Back to the Warm-Ups!

What’s a writer to do with a short piece of deliberately flat, ordinary prose? Transform it into our own unique, immersive, vivid version. You’re invited to rewrite and share your take in the comments so we can all read, discuss, and learn from one another.

This Week’s Flat Prose

Elena felt very cold as she stood beside the research tent in the endless white Arctic landscape, and she thought that the biting wind might be strong enough to freeze a person solid, which was a rather common occurrence in these frozen wastelands where survival was never guaranteed. Her companion, a quiet man named Marcus, was seen by her to be checking the equipment somewhat slowly with his heavily bundled hands, and he wondered if the storm would arrive before they could finish their samples. The snow-covered ground stretched out endlessly in every direction for miles, and Elena realized that being so far from civilization made even simple tasks feel overwhelmingly difficult, yet she knew they had to press on because time and tide wait for no man, as the saying goes. The temperature dropped quite steadily while they worked together in the vast icy emptiness.

Reward #1—Share 2 Phrases That Make the Paragraph Flat

The first reader who drops a comment listing all the flat prose phrases they find (and why they make it fall flat), gets free access to the D3ASS (Dynamic 3 Act Story Structure) masterclass through July 31, 2026.

Examples of what makes prose fall flat:

• Clichés

• Run-on sentences

• Generic description

• Explaining, not showing

• Unnecessary adverbs

• Filter words

• Passive or inconsistent voice

• Compound adjectives

• Purple prose

• Switching tense

• Head hopping

Reward #2—The Rewrite

Your rewrite doesn’t have to be a model of perfection. This is an individual practice drill to build your creative muscle, not a competition.

Everyone who drops a comment with their vivid prose rewrite by Friday, July 10, and get free access to the D3ASS (Dynamic 3 Act Story Structure) masterclass through August 15, 2026. Let us know if you’d like your rewrite critiqued by readers.

Here’s a few techniques to improve flat prose:

• Vary sentence length

• Describe with specificity

• Use subtext

• Use metaphors, similes, personification, and symbolism

• Delete words

• Using precise adjectives (instead of “very”, “barely”, etc.)

• Show don’t explain

• Appeal to the senses (sight, sound, touch/texture, taste, smell)

• Be selective about adverbs

Reward #3—Hearts, Hearts, Hearts

Everyone posting their re-write on the comments of this Substack post who gets 3 (or more) hearts on their rewrite during the month of July, gets free access to the D3ASS (Dynamic 3 Act Story Structure) masterclass through August 31, 2026.

Athletes practice, doctors practice, and musicians practice with the support and encouragement of others to elevate their skills and reach their highest potential. Writers need practice, too, so this space is dedicated for the practice of writing vivid prose with the support of fellow writers.

Thank you for subscribing at any level.

Let’s have fun! Leave a comment with your rewrite.

CM Torres

More Vivid Prose Warm-Up prompts:

⬇️

Vivid Prose Warm-Up Library

Welcome Back to the Warm-Ups!

What’s a writer to do with a short piece of deliberately flat, ordinary prose? Re-write!

Rewriting

Take liberties choosing character details, backstory, period (present, past, future), setting, and any details that will showcase your creativity.

Blow our minds!

Examples of what makes prose fall flat:

• Clichés

• Run-on sentences

• Generic description

• Explaining, not showing

• Unnecessary adverbs

• Filter words

• Passive or inconsistent voice

• Compound adjectives

• Purple prose

• Switching tense

• Head hopping

What we can do to improve it:

• Vary sentence length

• Describe with specificity

• Use subtext

• Use metaphors, similes, personification, and symbolism

• Delete words

• Using precise adjectives (instead of “very”, “barely”, etc.)

• Show don’t explain

• Appeal to the senses (sight, sound, touch/texture, taste, smell)

• Be selective about adverbs

Athletes practice, doctors practice, and musicians practice with the support and encouragement of others to perfect their skills and reach their highest potential. Writers need practice, too, so this space is dedicated for the practice of writing vivid prose with the support of fellow writers.

Thank you for subscribing at any level.

Let’s have fun! Leave a comment with your re-write.

CM Torres

Go here to link to all the Vivid Prose Warm-Up prompts:

⬇️

Vivid Prose Warm-Up Library

Welcome to the skillbuilding section of the D3ASS Substack!

In this section of the D3ASS Substack, I’m publishing flat (downright awful) paragraphs for writers to practice writing their own unique, vivid prose version, share their take, and join the discussion in the comments.

Rewriting

Take liberties choosing character details, backstory, period (present, past, future), setting, and any details that will showcase your creativity.

Blow our minds!

Examples of what makes prose fall flat:

• Clichés

• Run-on sentences

• Generic description

• Explaining, not showing

• Unnecessary adverbs

• Filter words

• Passive or inconsistent voice

• Compound adjectives

• Purple prose

• Switching tense

• Head hopping

What we can do to improve it:

• Vary sentence length

• Describe with specificity

• Use subtext

• Use metaphors, similes, personification, and symbolism

• Delete words

• Using precise adjectives (instead of “very”, “barely”, etc.)

• Show don’t explain

• Appeal to the senses (sight, sound, touch/texture, taste, smell)

• Be selective about adverbs

Athletes practice, doctors practice, musicians practice…not in a vacumm, but with peers, mentors, and coaches. It’s the best way to perfect our skills and discover our true potential. Writers need practice, too, so this space is dedicated for the practice of writing vivid prose.

Thank you for subscribing at any level.

Now, let’s have fun! Leave a comment with your re-write of the awful paragraph in the photo. I’ll go first…

CM Torres