Writing Exercises to Stimulate the Imagination

 

            Unless a writer regularly exercises his/her imagination; one’s creativity will become stale.  Lack of raw creative energy can produce “writer’s block”, or worse.  Therefore, the objective of this article is to share writing exercises that one can do alone, or in the charming company of fellow writers, to flex, stretch and pump the imagination. 

 

Suggested Tools:

• Dictaphone or tape recorder
• Small notebook, in the event of a brilliant “brain-fart”, interesting snap-shot of conversation, or divinely inspired poetic verse

 

            In the least, always, everywhere, carry a small notebook and pen.  Write all ideas and notable observations of the people, places and conversations around you—be discreet, of course.  You never know when a scribble in your notebook will ignite your Pulitzer-prize winning novel, or a piece of conversation between two post office clerks may be used in your film starring Judy Dench.

 

Exercises:

·         Record various conversations with family and friends—with their permission of course.  This is to remind you of how “real” people speak, not Chaucerian characters.

·         Make note of inspiring, humorous and/or contemplative quotes from historically-recognized persons and complete the conversation.  E.g.:

           

            “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds,” Einstein stated.  I nodded in agreement, “Think of Jesus, Gandhi, Darwin, Galileo, Socrates, Steven Biko, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr., Joan of Arc, etc.”

 

• Select an inanimate object in your immediate environment and try to creatively describe it in as many ways/styles as possible:  how would you describe it to a blind person?  How would Dali see the very same object?  How would a child view the object?  How would a quantum-physicist see it?  How would an arthropod see it? 
• Write your own eulogy (embellishment is highly encouraged!)
• Select a piece of music and then write exactly what you see (in your head) as you listen to the music (recommended with instrumental music.)
• Play “Pass the Sentence” with fellow writers.  One writer composes one sentence and then passes it to the next person.  The second person adds one sentence to the first and so on, back and forth or around the circle, until the story is completed.  Try to stun your fellow writers with bizarre sentences!
• Select one of your favorite songs or pieces of music.  Imagine you are the musician being interviewed about the song.  Explain why you wrote the song.
• Select an animal.  The first one that pops into your mind (“platypus”) and then write “The World As I See It”, from the perspective of the animal you chose.
• “How does it feel to be an (inanimate object)?”—your choice of objects.
• Write “stream of consciousness” for 20 minutes.  Write exactly everything that floats to the surface of your mind.
• “If you had 365 days to live, what would you do?”
• Inspired by a loved one, or maybe just your fantasy partner (e.g., Sting, Sade, etc.), attempt to write of an erotic liaison between you.
• Ask a friend or fellow writer, anyone really, for a “writing assignment”.  This never fails to catch you off-guard and forces you to be creative.
• Select a painting or statue, any work of tangible art, and write how this piece of art makes you feel.  Or, write a story based on the work of art.
• Make a list of things you detest (bigotry, intolerance, war, olives, etc.) and then personify the thing you detest.  Script a dialogue.
• Read! Read! Read!
• Turn on your television, but turn off the sound.  Narrate and insert your own dialogue with the television show characters.  This should be recorded, at least, for the humor value.
• Write the promotional piece (the back of the book) for your own novel, collection of short stories, non-fiction text, play, etc.  What writers would endorse your book?
• Write a one-act play based on one of the conversations you noted in your notebook.
• Keep a scrap-book collection of articles, quotes, photos, drawings, cartoons, etc. from periodicals that appeal to, or disgust, you.  These may inspire some writing now or later.
• Write your “Thank you” speech for your Nobel, Pulitzer, Booker, Oscar, etc.
• Create your own original “superhero”.  What powers does he/she have?  What does she/he wear?  Where is he/she from and how did he/she get his/her powers?
• If you are a man, re-create yourself as a woman and comprehensively describe yourself.  And vice-versa.
• If you had the skills and resources, what would be your invaluable invention?  A machine to convert salt water into drinkable water?  The diet pill that really works?  An anti-aging serum?  Write about it.

 

 

            These are all suggested listening, observing and documenting drills that can be used to feed your imagination and fuel your creativity.  If you attend a writing group, perhaps, try a different exercise to begin each literary session.  The true mark of an artist is his or her ability to take something old and show you 406 different ways to look at the same old thing.  Good luck and keep your imagination healthy!

 

 

 

Reviews

[Silver_Anime]

thank you so much! this really helps me with my writing and my creativity! ^_^ i will definitely come back here to look at some of the exercises!

[Nicole Hellene]

Hi, Thanks a lot for the article, these are all really good ideas. I'm wondering if you came up with them by yourself or got them from someplace else? As far as creative wheels, I can't get mine to stop turning and I'm a compulsive notetaker by nature, so a lot of this stuff comes annoyingly natural to me, but I am favoriting this article because everyone needs to practice and every writer can improve (I used to think contrary but now see differently). "Stream of consciousness" writing however IMHO is more detrimental to writing than productive. Unless you have a clear thought in mind and are just jotting stuff down incoherently so as not to lose that great idea, you really are just jotting stuff down incoherently and it gets you used to doing that, so when it comes time to write something coherent you end up sounding more "stream of consciousness." It works for some people I guess but I just don't do it personally.