Sometimes a simple image can say so much, whether it’s a photograph, a painting, or even a real life image taking place before your eyes. Have you ever seen two people embracing at the airport? Have you ever seen a bored couple sitting at a table at a restaurant, hardly speaking to each other? Have you ever watched a little kid staring at the world around him in complete wonder and awe? Did you make up stories about these people in your head when you saw them?
This is an example of using your imagination to create a story, which is exactly what I’m asking you to do here. I have done many exercises like this. Sometimes it’s just a fun exercise, and sometimes it leads me to characters or stories that I expand on and write a much longer piece about. So here you go.
Writing Exercise
Pick one of the following images. Look at it for at least five minutes without writing anything. What does the image make you think of? What does the image make you feel? What could the story be behind the image? What’s going on behind the camera or behind the scenes? What can you not see? Think about these questions, jot down some ideas, and then write a 2-4 page story, a 2-4 page play, or a 25-50 line poem inspired by what you saw/felt/thought of by looking at these images.
Feel free to post your exercises or links to your exercises here in the comments!
Image One:
Candle Light 2 by Sinned-angel-stock on DeviantArt
Image Two:
Phone by Oliver-Sherret on DeviantArt
Image Three:
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Friends by ncode on DeviantArt
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