Writing Exercise- Writing Tragedy (or Satire) from Real Experiences.

Today started with a tragedy. One that is known to throw writers into a depression so deep, they may emerge as right-wing pundits. My Keurig broke.  For those uninitiated to the absolute coolness factor of the Keurig coffee machine I offer you this review:

http://youtu.be/8ChnWRzEh5g

Mornings became easier when I discovered Keurig. I jump out of bed to have my coffee instead of dreading the grind of the filter. My Keurig is ridiculously easy to use. Brews a perfect cup. No paper filters needed. No grinds in the bottom of the cup. No clean up; just toss the K-cup into the trash. I'm exhilarated with my Keurig every morning. People are impressed with my magnificent machine.

Keurig's are expensive, so I was thrilled to find mine at an Estate sale and only paid $30 for this master brewer. I start most mornings with a mug of hot coffee and end each evening with a cup of hot, peppermint tea. It's lovely.

 

The founders developed the company based on brewing single cups of coffee. Brewing single cups provides for better consistency in the quality of the coffee. It also can be used to heat water in less than 20 seconds. A perfect cup of coffee every time. I love this machine. It makes me a better person.

Now it is broken. I don’t know how I will go on with just my French Press. I may have to pay retail to replace it, which is blasphemy for me. I will comb Craigslist first, and then wander into Bed, Bath and Beyond. I will find my happy place again.

Tragedy is also irony, satire and comedy. There can be high tragedy- where the stakes are high and almost certainly end in death or low tragedy that just drives home the point of the sad state of affairs.

When a writer embarks on tragedy- they use the drama to create.  All the emotion of the saturation can be turned into prose using the real details or a thinly veiled facsimile of them. Using your passion to create, not only heals the sting, but the inscribing commencement can lead to a satisfying conception.

According to Aristotle, most tragedies follow a basic outline and have the same basic principles.

1. Unity of Time: Everything should happen within the same amount of time it would really take. For example, don't skip five years in the middle. 


2. Unity of Place: Things should all happen around the same setting or few settings, and not skip all around the country. 


3. Unity of Action: Each thing a character does should not be random; it should affect something that happens later. Any coincidences should lead to something else. The plot should flow, and not be episodic.

Writing Exercise: 

Today, on this sad, sad day, I want you to write a kitchen tragedy. Use these elements:

1. Recall an event where something went wrong in your kitchen.

2. Throw into that kitchen a famous person (alive or dead)

3. This is all happening in 1980.

Write at least 1000 words and make sure you stick to the elements of drama, even if you are writing satire.