Friday, May 2, 2014

Friday Challenge ~ Vignette

Vignette 
Something that may be written on a vine leaf

noun 1. a brief evocative description, account, or episode.
        2. a small illustration or portrait photograph which fades into its background without a definite border.

verb 1. portray (someone) in the style of a vignette.


John Wesley Thomas
1831 - 1908
Fair Use


A vignette is like a poem and personal narrative combined. it focuses on a particular moment, mood, aspect, setting, character or object. Writing a vignette can help you illustrate a certain moment for others to learn from or help you come to terms with professional or personal issues. It can also be used for character exploration. Similar to flash fiction, which is an explosive moment described with a great deal of impact squeezed into a few pages, a vignette does not need a lot of dramatic weight. It's an honest and very personal reflection of anything that comes to your mind or that you've experienced.

Source

Tips on how to write a vignette:

Nowadays, a vignette is what you call a snapshot in words. It differs from flash fiction or a short story in that its aim doesn’t lie within the traditional realms of structure or plot. Instead, the vignette focuses on one element, mood, character, setting, object, or if you’re clever, a unique and smooth blend of them all. It is the perfect form of writing for poetic descriptions, excellent for character or theme exploration and wordplay. 

The language can be simple and minimalistic, or extravagantly crafted literary prose. It’s your choice. Write in the style and genre you are comfortable with and in the genre you love. There are no limits regarding style and genre. In fact, the vignette only has one rule: create an atmosphere, not a story. Set your mind on a moment. Use all the senses to describe it. Especially the neglected ones like touch and taste and sound.
Source

For our challenge today, I have set the limit of words at 150. You may select the style of your piece, from free verse to prose poetry (and anything else in between), which you feel best suits the purposes of your vignette.

15 comments:

Marcoantonio Arellano (Nene) said...

wrote this yesterday. might fit the vignette concept. i think, maybe, hopefully, does it?

Hmmm! did i just manifest subtle characteristics of insecurity there?

Sumana Roy said...

thanks Kerry for the wonderful prompt but i'm not sure if mine fits here as a vignette..

Kathryn Dyche said...

Hoping mine works as a vignette. :) Have a great weekend.

hedgewitch said...

A really interesting challenge Kerry--I am pretty bled dry by this last month and I don't know if I have the resources handy to respond to it, but I am filing it away for eventual use.

Unknown said...

This is my kind of poetry! Thanks, Kerry.

Anonymous said...

It's not fair! Don't have time to write right now since I have a birthday party to go to, and then you go and do this! Inspire me in a way that makes it impossible for me not to write! *sigh* Well, I've posted it, but won't have a chance to return to check others' offerings until tomorrow. Thanks for a far too inspiring prompt! *sigh*

Helen said...

Hi Kerry! I love this challenge! My link should read "Helen" ... (not Helen - correct link.) Is it changeable?

Herotomost said...

I so suck. Started writing the Friday Challenge last night and got called away to work until the wee hours. Kerry graciously picked up my slack and gave a wonderful prompt. I hope she doesn't hate about now. Not sure if what I posted is a Vignette...but I had fun writing it. Have a good weekend Toads!!

Kerry O'Connor said...

You are always forgiven in the morning.

:)

Susan said...

Hi Toads! I, too, feel I need recovery time. I am pretty sure this is a vignette under 150 words, but I wouldn't write it on a vine, Kerry. I'll write something worthy of a vine another time. I had fun with this!

Susie Clevenger said...

I'm afraid I got a bit carried away on this. Not sure it could be called a vignette. I revisited the swamp with a second poem inspired from my trip to Louisiana.

Gail said...

Lucky thirteen. I gave it a shot.

Be patient. I'm still learning. Thanks for the opportunity to try.

Hannah said...

Thank you for this, Kerry...just what I needed to bring back today's walk.

I'll be back to read in the morning.

Anonymous said...

super late, but posting anyways. not that anyone reads old posts :) ~

Margaret said...

Posting so late… but had to write to this prompt! I will be back in the morning to visit and comment - almost midnight here.