Creative Writing Visual Stimulus exercises for the writer who needs to just write for

fun and get into right brain writing. Often staring at blank pages or screens limits the
ability to write. ollowing are writing exercises for writers to do that may help shift
the mind from the concrete left brain wanting to be perfect to just the joy of writing
that happens when one shifts into right brain.
Study the picture above and the title! What do you think the use of the word
"experience# relates to in respect to this picture$ %escribe the various visual elements
that you see in this scene. Some things are subtle so look carefully. Where is this
taking place$ &nvent a scientific explanation for its existence. What's the name of the
individual with the cap in the foreground$ (sing who) what) when) where) why and
how write a short story about this picture and title.
*his picture is entitled "%istraction#. What do you think it is about and why$ When
you've written your thoughts you might share it on Scribd comments in hopes others
will share. *he process of sharing ideas can lead to more ideas.
Come up with a +hilosophy of Strategic ,iving and a reason why strategic is spelled
wrong. *hen answer the -uestion. Who are the two larger people in the foreground
of this picture and how do they interact with the smaller people$ &magine there is a
mystery involved regarding the clues found here. *ell the story.
&n this picture all the positive and negative space is used up which emphasi.es how
each interacts and relates to the others. /ive a name to each character and describe
each one's personality and expand their physical description from the clue's given.
0ody ,anguage also can help to build what you know about each. Write the story
and give it a title. &t may help to think Soap Opera if your stuck for a theme. 1lso
consider feelings of each.
,ife) light2dark exposed and in shadow. ,ook carefully and explain the various clues
and how it all interacts to make a story. What genre will it be$ &t is worth turning the
picture at various angles to study it as you may see things you missed in first looking.
*here are images in the positive and negative space. *he more you see the more you
can include in your story which should have the complexity of interlocking ideas that
a jigsaw pu..le has. &t can be useful to make a simple view finder to carefully look at
one small section at a time. 1s this is a creative writing exercise start by making
some notes about the picture and what is next to what. 1sk Why$ %escribe the past)
present and future of some. 1 clue might be the central character who is wearing a
chicken costume but one foot is bare and the sock boot of the other seems to see. (se
this if you have no idea where to start.
1n art work like this isn't a
physical representation but communicates an idea about a person. 0uild the character.
3ame) 1ge) Sex) Where do they live) What special -uality or ability do they have.
4ow do others treat them$ What is 4e2She feeling2thinking$ %o you think they are
neat or messy$ Why$ One eye looks forward and another to the side) what is that all
about$ What kind of job does he2she have$ 5xpand as far as you can.
&n a black and white world there is red. Combine that first sentence and the above
picture into a story. ree associate the abstract shapes to let the mind see what may
not be there. Of course some is there. Clues and false clues can lead one down
various paths but eventually a solution must be found. 1n exercise like this may take
several days to piece together for some writers yet others may look set them selves a
problem) sleep then dream the story. *rust your imagination to give you context but
use structure to link it all together into something that makes sense.

*hese two pictures suggest parallel universes or dimensions. 1n opportunity to use
compare and contrast. 6ou might consider using the magnifying glass in the reading
program to view the more complex of the two pictures. *hen again enlarging the
writing in the right hand picture may also help stimulate ideas.
1nother idea back to front or front to back$ What do you think that means$ Can it be
used in this story. Could it be a reader with no face and friend looking over his
shoulder who resembles a violin and his pet dog or as 7r. S-uiggle might say "upside
down upside down# and the reader becomes a girl walking while intent on what she
reads. *hese are possible starting points and in creativity it is more to do with your
imagination attempting to explain mine. *he more you challenge your perception the
more you will see and the more you might write. *ry doing a mind map first. &f your
not familiar with mind maps do a search on the term or perhaps *ony 0u.an.
&nspiration.com also has an online beta program called Webspiration that allows you
to store your ideas and create links to other pages to make -uite complicated plans.
*hese are just a small sample of the sorts of stimulus one can find by looking at art
and asking yourself good -uestions.
&t is said that there is more than meets the eye. When we meet people for the first
time more than likely we start to assume things about the person without really
knowing much about them. We base it on cues we pick up from them and also
reminiscences of other people from our past who have some kind of similarities
stimulated by their meeting. & also remember a sales book that said when a person
gives an excuse for not buying their first reason is not the truth and it is worth trying
to keep selling the product because it could be they want to buy but you haven't
answered their objection yet to buying. & thought about this when & read it and noticed
some truth to this. & don't always give my real reason for not buying which is
generally lack of money and the reality if & let the salesman keep talking then 4e2She
might just give me a reason to go into debt but & don't want them to know it. Okay so
what has this to do with writing. Well take what &'ve just said and the picture above
and find a way to tie the two things together. When considering the picture make sure
you look closely on the left hand side and all that is hidden within it.
Who knows maybe &'ll produce a more complex book of these for writers with more
specific challenges.
1nyhow enjoy these and if any of them help you specifically please come back and
leave a comment. *hat way future sharing can be better tailored to those wanting
writing stimulus.
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