Sandbach U3A – Creative Writing Group
A recent exercise for the group was to write a paragraph about a person using the characteristics of an animal – the group then had to guess what the animal was.
Here are some examples for you to guess (answers at foot of page):
A – written by Christine Saucedo
If Millicent had not been the CEO’s brother, she would never have got the job of office manager. She did not know how to lead or to delegate. On top of that she was not a striking woman. Her eyes were too small and her nose was too long. She spent her time scuttling from desk to desk, sniffing out information from each employee. She darted here and there looking over people’s shoulders and watching what they were doing. Her entire existence seemed to be dedicated to searching at high speed for some unknown thing, without ever finding it.
B – written by Kathryn Simm
I met Alice when we were six. We shared the same inkwell at school where, learning to write, she would dribble a blue stream across my clean white paper. She was very messy. A left-hander. So loyal We had mothers who loved each other so we loved each other too. We would chatter and giggle in her big bed til midnight, interrupting ourselves to burp from fizzy lemonade and crisps. She was mischievous, finding secrets. Like the wrapped presents hidden in tall cupboards meant for Christmas time. She was always fun. We would laugh at the man down the road with the funny walk or the old woman who grew whiskers on her chin….The Bearded Wonder. Alice certainly got me into all sorts of scrapes.
C – written by Nicole Moss
There she is, lying supine basking in the sun,as the heat seeps through and is captured by her scaly skin. Barely moving, except to face the heat not wasting any whilst nibbling on her salad lunch. As the rays fall she leaves a calling card of flaky skin ready for someone else to dispose of. Only if she spots an attractive male will she move fast, seductively expending her pent up energy to secure her unsuspecting prey!
D – written by Jinty Pyke
Jack glanced in the mirror as he walked down the corridor. He was always anxious to give the right impression and although his beard was slightly greying now he was still proud of his full head of reddish brown hair. It was the end of a quiet day in the office which had dragged rather so he was glad to be heading home. The children would be in bed when he got back. He didn’t really miss seeing them as looking after them at this young stage was very much Sarah’s domain anyway. He reckoned when they were older he would get more involved. His parents had raised him in the country but he much preferred the urban environment. Particularly in the late evening as it got dark or even in the dead of night he liked walking the streets, listening for sounds of other creatures moving about, or sitting quietly in the moonlight on a bench somewhere. More and more of his friends from childhood were being drawn to city life too where it was exciting and in business there was the challenge of the chase to land deals. You just had to be devious enough not to be the one being chased he had quickly realised.
E – written by Simon Wisbey
He was a deliberate man, well known for blending in with his colleagues. Every move was carefully chosen to maximise impact, he would pause often to survey his surroundings. Sometimes in meetings he would sit stock still and stare, just waiting for the next person to speak. Invariably someone cracked, and then he pounced. You just didn’t see it coming – he seemed to be invisible, part of the furniture almost, but when he made his move he was sure of success. His grasp of the subject was strong, his arguments well prepared, and escape was impossible.
A – Mouse
B – Puppy
C – Lizard
D – Fox
E – Chameleon