Vignette Writing Whats a vignette It is helpful

Vignette Writing What’s a vignette?

It is helpful to consider some general sources of information to start

Merriam-Webster says: 1 vi·gnette noun vin-ˈyet, vēn- Definition of VIGNETTE 1: a running ornament (as of vine leaves, tendrils, and grapes) put on or just before a title page or at the beginning or end of a chapter; also : a small decorative design or picture so placed 2 a : a picture (as an engraving or photograph) that shades off gradually into the surrounding paper b : the pictorial part of a postage stamp design as distinguished from the frame and lettering 3 a : a short descriptive literary sketch b : a brief incident or scene (as in a play or movie)

Reference. com says: Vignette [vin-yet] The word vignette , from the same root as vine, originally referred to a decorative border in a book. Later, the word also came to be used for a photographic portrait which is clear in the center, and fades off at the edges, and also short descriptive literature focusing on a particular moment or person. The other uses below are mostly derived from these:

Reference. com con’t. • • • Vignette (graphic design), decorative designs in books to separate sections or chapters Vignette (packaging design), a decoration technique to add colorful customization, company logo or variable data to a presentation package. Typically vignettes are made of metal or a polymer material and digitally printed in 4 color process. Vignetting in photography, any process by which there is loss in clarity towards the corners and sides of an image Vignette (literature), short, impressionistic scenes that focus on one moment or give a particular insight into a character, idea, or setting Vignette (architecture), small views or pictures which display what's going on in certain areas of a drawing, and they can be rendered or sketched Vignette (road tax), a small, coloured sticker affixed to motor vehicles in some European nations to indicate road tolls have been paid Vignette (software), a commercial software content management system, records and documents management system, portal, and collaboration tools company Vignette (vineyard), a vineyard in viticulture Vignette (entertainment), a brief scene, skit or sketch; used in Vaudeville, on variety shows, comedy programs, adult entertainment, talk shows or certain children's television programs (such as Sesame Street, The Electric Company or Between the Lions and frequently found on the Disney Channel); a vignette could include footage of a "man on the street" on shows like David Letterman or Jay Leno, or a video clip shown on a professional wrestling program Vignette (immigration (UK)), a securely printed sticker containing a photo which is inserted into a passport by an immigration official and confers an immigration status upon the holder

Vignette (literature), short, impressionistic scenes that focus on one moment or give a particular insight into a character, idea, or setting

Wikipedia says: Vignette (literature) In theatrical script writing, sketch stories, and poetry, a vignette is a short impressionistic scene that focuses on one moment or gives a trenchant impression about a character, idea, setting, or object. [1] This type of scene is more common in recent postmodern theater, where less emphasis is placed on adhering to the conventions of theatrical structure and story development. Vignettes have been particularly influenced by contemporary notions of a scene as shown in film, video and television scripting.

Online Etymology Dictionary says: vignette (n. ) 1751, "decorative design, " originally a design in the form of vine tendrils around the borders of a book page, especially a picture page, from French vignette, from Old French diminutive of vigne "vineyard" (see vine). Sense transferred from the border to the picture itself, then (1853) to a type of small photographic portrait with blurred edges very popular mid-19 c. Meaning "literary sketch" is first recorded 1880, probably from the photographic sense.

Now for some more “academic” definitions!

Some Definitions of Vignettes: • A vignette is a short, well written sketch or descriptive scene. It does not have a plot which would make it a story, but it does reveal something about story elements in it. It may reveal character, setting, or mood or tone. It may have a theme or idea of its own that it wants to convey. It is the description of the scene or character that is important.

And. . . • A vignette can be used by writers, scholars, and artists in many walks of life as a way to focus in on a particular character, issue, or moment. A vignette is a "snapshot" of a particular moment that can help the writer come to terms with a personal or professional issue or illustrate that moment for others to learn from.

Also. . . • a sketch or essay or brief narrative characterized by great precision and delicate accuracy of composition. The term is borrowed from that used for unbordered but delicate decorative designs for a book, and it implies writing with comparable grace and economy. It may be a separate whole or a portion of a larger work.

One writer said. . . • "A vignette is like a journal entry. It is a personal reflection. " • “A vignette is a snapshot in words” • “It's different from flash fiction because you're not aiming to tell a story. The vignette focuses on one aspect, mood, character, setting or object. Use it as a descriptive exercise, for character exploration, wordplay or just to get something off your mind. ”

Another writer said. . . • “A vignette is the name for the piece of writing that comes from clustering. It can be poetry or short stories or thoughts that have a circular nature. ” • "A vignette is a whole or complete thought or statement on a subject. It is a fully expressed idea; even a fully developed short, short story with a fully developed plot can be called vignette. "

A literary journal dedicated to vignettes: http: //www. vineleavesliteraryjournal. com/vig nette-writing-tips. html

Skills to Focus on. . . • Continue inclusion of “creative elements” • Precise, concise language (all words need to be working for you) • Rich imagery • Sound devices (rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, assonance, consonance, etc. ) • Moving away from narrative and toward poetry writing • Mood/Tone • Sentence play/variety

Your assignment for this unit See handout

Example (part 1 of 3) The Dusk As lightning forked across the sky with a noise akin to the sub-sonic boom of a stealth fighter, the dim silhouette of the S. S. Sarah could be made out in-between the tossing of the sea. Waves thirty feet high created a scene of utter chaos, the ship going from straight up to straight down as the cries of the crew borne on the wind added an echoing bellow of a shriek to the pandemonium of the storm. Sea spray rose so thick it blended with the mist so everything was cast in an eerie and slightly blurred light. A death cry pierced the night, as a sailor was bucked off the bow and caught in the hooked tentacle of the kraken.