By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Fiction writers use their imaginations to transport readers into an adventure. Imagination and creativity are not the same tools, but they work together.
Imagination propels creativity by connecting what our mind sees with how best to show it to readers: an inner landscape is used to develop the outer landscape. For example, a writer imagines a concept and forms the words with events to make it happen, paving the way for an exciting adventure.
Writers take ideas and turn them into tangible stories. They shape a character into a credible, three-dimensional story player and develop worlds in which the character struggles to achieve a goal or solve a problem. Along the way, the character changes and grows into a better person.
How can we enhance our imaginations to ensure our readers receive a powerful adventure?
- Read. Read. Read.
- Study the creativity of other writers, then imagine how you could use the same techniques in your story.
- Keep a journal of your difficulties, victories and defeats, triumphs and challenges, and varying opinions about life and the world.
- Record dreams. Our dream world is practical, logical, or has time restraints. The impossible can happen.
- Daydream about your characters, plot, setting, emotion, dialogue, and symbols. Record these for the future.
- Ask what-ifs in every situation. And don’t settle for the first idea. Keep pressing for the unique and the unpredictable.
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Don’t only use the right side of your brain for creating story. Mixing the left (logical and analytical) and the right while writing expands our imagination.
- Exercise your body. You’ll fuel your brain and heighten your imagination. Think of sweat (perspiration) as fuel for your story.
- Explore another type of creativity: painting, gardening, cooking/baking, woodworking, etc. Watch your story take a new level of excitement.
- Forget reality and logic.
- Spend lots of time with children and play.
- Close your eyes. Imagine a specific area of your story, perhaps a problem spot. Now type away. Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, format, etc. Let the left side of your brain handle that another time.
- Pay attention to sensory perception. How can what we see, hear, taste, smell, and touch burst onto the page with metaphors and similes unique to the character?
Try your hand (imagination) with this exercise:
- Imagine you have been transported to the far future.
- Your home is on a planet quite different from earth. Where? Describe it.
- What is the language?
- What is medical care?
- What is the government?
- What do you eat?
- What is the housing?
- What is your career?
- What is the vegetation?
- Who are your friends?
A writer digs deep to ensure readers’ expectations rise above the mundane. How are you expanding your imagination to improve your writing?
Comments 13
I love the exercise you presented us with! Years ago, as a brand new baby Christian, the Lord told me to stop praying with words for a season and to just pray from my heart. As someone who operates very much from my head… whether on the left side or the right side… that helped me to become more sensitive to what was in my heart, and it freed me from limiting my prayers to what I could express in English. So, your exercise got me to thinking about how rich the story could be if I — as a verbal communicator — were transported to a planet where communication could only be accomplished from heart to heart. There would be so much opportunity for character growth and exploring the deeper elements of relationships.
Diana, what a beautiful story. Thank you so much for sharing.
Walking starts my brain activity, but no sweat is involved because I find myself standing still while I work through a problem. I “come back to life” often to find a small bundle of fur sitting at my feet barking.
Peggy, that’s such a sweet accounting of your writing imagination experience. Love it.
Thanks for sharing, these rich treasures, DiAnn.
Thank you, France! I appreciate you.
Wow, this is rich with information. Thanks for sharing, DiAnn!
Barbara, thank you for your kind words.
I agree 100% with your recommendation to exercise our body. I used to listen to podcasts or Christian pastors when I went for my daily walk/run but lately I just observe nature, or other people walking the same paths/trails and pretty soon my mind is freed up and I get inspiration and ideas for my current writing project or even get a new story idea. That is as invigorating as the endorphins from exercising.
Thank you for the ideas in this post.
Karen, like you, my best inspiration happens when I’m “sweating.” Thanks for your comments.
Hey Diane.
When I am experiencing writer’s block, or need a twist to an existing plot, I’ve found that receiving feedback from writers in my critique group help to expand my imagination. When I need a idea for a new story, a critiquer might suggest finding a personal connection to a story or I can find what part of a story feels particularly relevant to me. Are there any moments missing from a family record? How did you meet your best friend? What is your biggest regret from fourth grade? What is your most embarrassing moment from high school? Critique writing partners encourage deeper digging. The worlds we create in our stories can be born from snippets from our own histories in addition to the vivid imaginations within our community of writers.
Dawn, you are so very right. I love brainstorming because I’m involved with helping the writer with their story. My mind frees up, and creativity jumps in.
Diane, many times when we are brainstorming, it is good to know that we discover that God is not absent in our creativity.