I am shamelessly (yes, that seems to be my middle name of late) taking an idea from another blog I have been visiting. Helen Ginger at Straight from Hel had interesting little exercise set about a photo of a quilt on a bed. The topic was stereotypes. What sort of generalizations would you make about the owner of this quilt by looking at it? I present to you a photo that I took from my travels (a lifetime ago).
What sort of generalizations would you make about this person? Where are they? Why are they there? Alone or with somebody else or a group of people? Can you summarize what is going on in a couple of sentences?
When I last attended a writer's group in London, Ontario, we would do an exercise where we would go around the table throwing out words one after another trying to make a story sort of flow, usually in a wacky, nonsensical fashion. It usually got the creative juices flowing. I think visual prompts are an excellent source of 'story fodder' as they get your mind working and building about a central premise. Is this story speaking to you? Give me your thoughts...maybe somebody will get a short story out of this.
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8 comments:
Tina was extremely proud of her work on the world's largest horseshoe magnet...
That is a very interesting picture. I love the lighting. It appears to be a woman in a religious center, maybe Mediterranean. And she's dressed in a robe - could be a man.
Father Eracleur stood in two worlds, caught between the heat of the afternoon sun and the tile's cool fingers crawling along his bare feet. He prayed for the thousands who had died that day, and for the lives he would take tomorrow.
Helen
Straight From Hel
Anton - LOL, now try again...
Helen - That's an excellent opening for a story. I especially like "...stood in two worlds." It is now leading to: Why are thousands dying and why is Father Eracleur, a religious figure, responsible for these deaths? Definately a moral dilemma for this man as he prays for them.
Very cool picture! Of course, I'm looking at it on my eee's seven-inch screen, so I'm probably missing important details. For some reason, I've never been good at coming up with stories from visual cues like pictures. Sometimes music will give me ideas, though.
I love visual prompts : ) I have folders for them!
Makbar the Just regarded his major domo over steepled fingers. "I appreciate the point you're trying to make about the budget, Tina, but we need to get this giant mouse situation under control NOW! Oh, and for goodness sake, would somebody fetch Father Eracleur some sandals."
I came back today to read what others had written. Good gracious, Anton and I have started a novel.
Helen
Straight From Hel
;-)
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