I recently read Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau (reviewed here on Rebecca Reads). It’s a fascinating look at how changing the style or approach to a story can completely change a story because it tells the same story 99 different ways.

Queneau tells a very simple, albeit boring, story: A man with a long neck and a funny hat on the bus accuses the man next to him of stepping on his toes. When a chair is free, he goes to it and sits down. Later, the narrator sees the man again with a friend. The friend is telling him to move a button. (None of Queneau’s tellings are quite this boring, however.)

Queneau repeats this story 99 times in 99 different styles. Some are very amusing. Some are well done and memorable. Other styles are odd. But the concept still fascinates me. I thought I’d try my hand at some of these too. I think it’d be fun if others joined in.

Ideas for styles: Notation, double entry, surprises/ exclamation, official letter, blurb, analysis, insistence, ignorance, past, present, reported speech, passive, cross-examination, asides, awkward, casual, biased, feminine, parts of speech, proper names, spoonerism, medical, abusive, portrait, unexpected.

I’m going to aim for 99 exercises, but I’ll start with a few at a time, I think. I’ve included four below, and when I do more, I’ll link to my exercises in the comments. These four are probably the most “boring” ones. I’ll try to be more creative in my next.

Feel free to leave your own exercises in the comments, or link to any that you may do on your own blog!

I’d love to have an award for the best submission(s), but I just moved and have no budget for giveaways right now! In the future, I’ll do a link round up of all submissions of clever “exercises in style.”

(I’m going to start by using the story of Cinderella at the ball, but feel free to use any little story you create. Keep the story simple. It helps, I think, if the narrator is someone watching the action to begin with, though changing it up may help in the end.)

My Styles Practices

Style 1: Past

She glided in the hall late. Her blonde hair was wrapped in a bun on top of her head, with a few little curls loose, and her dress was long and lacy. It was very becoming. The prince immediately stopped talking to the countess as he looked up. He immediately went to the new girl, bowing as he took her hand. They danced the rest of the evening.

I later saw her running away from the palace. One of her shoes was missing and she looked rather panicked. The prince ran after her, but he couldn’t catch up.

Style 2: Present

She glides into the hall late. Her blonde hair is wrapped up in a bun on top of her head, with a few little curls loose. Her dress is long and lacy, and she looks very becoming. The prince stops talking to the countess as he looks up. He leaves the countess and goes to the new girl. He bows as he takes her hand. They dance.

I see her again, running away from the palace. One of her shoes is missing, and she looks rather panicked. The prince is running after her, but he is not catching up.

Style 3: Notation/Exact

She arrived at 8:37 (late). Blonde hair (Clairol Nice ‘N Easy Natural Pale/Neutral Blonde): in a bun, 6 small curls loose. Dress: long (to her toes) and lacy (top layer approximately 70% lace). Overall: very becoming. The prince: stopped talking to countess, looked up, left countess, bowed, took new girl’s hand. They danced from 8:39 until 11:58 p.m.

Later (about 11:59 p.m.): She runs away from prince (about 7.5 mph), missing one (1) shoe, looking panicked. Prince runs after her (about 6 mph), unable to catch up.

Style 4: Double Entry

She glided and swayed into the hall and ballroom late and after everyone else. Her yellow blonde hair was on her head tightly wrapped and twisted in a bun and braid on top, except for a number of a few loose little and tiny tresses and curls. Her dress and skirt was long and lengthy and lacy and made of a delicate fabric with little patterned holes. She looked very becoming and gorgeous.  The prince (the next king) stopped talking and gossiping with the countess lady as he looked up and saw her. He abandoned and left the countess lady and walked and went to the new and newly arrived girl and woman, and he bowed and curtsied as he took her hand and arm. They danced and swayed together, not alone, for the remainder and rest of the evening and night.

I saw and observed her once again later and not at that time: she ran and hurried away, missing and without one (1) of her shoes or slippers and looking rather worried and panicked. The prince (future king) ran and rushed after her and did not catch or reach her.

I’ll work on a few more of these “exercises” for this site in the coming days.

I really think this would be a fun exercise with TXT MSG style, but I don’t really txt, so I was unable to succeed in that. If you can share your own successful TXT of this little story, please do.  Please share yours too!

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