The year is well and truly racing by and sometimes, for me at least, life just seems too busy to find time for creativity. Remember, though, that if being creative is part of who you are, whether it’s as a writer, artist, photographer, filmmaker or in some other form, then you owe it to yourself to carve out space for what makes you come alive.
Perhaps you don’t have a whole day to give over to your creativity. Maybe you don’t even have a two hour block (which seems to be my ideal time frame). But we can probably all find 25 minutes. Even 15 minutes is enough to get you started. And if you’re anything like me, it’s getting started that always seems the most difficult.
Here’s a few prompts to help you do just that.
1. Five Random Words
Create a poem, story or piece of artwork that includes the following five words, which come courtesy of my 14-year daughter:
- elephant
- cookies
- margin
- pencil
- imagine
2. Image
Write or create something inspired by the following image.
3. Musical Characters
Choose a song. It can be your current favourite, one from the past, or one chosen at random.
Imagine the story behind the song:
- Who is the narrator of the song?
- What is their personality?
- Why might they be singing these words?
- Who are they singing to?
- How does the recipient of these words feel about this?
- What has happened leading up to this point?
- What will happen next?
4. Random Images
Choose three interesting but random images from a newspaper or magazine.
Make up a connection between the three images.
Write a story, or create another piece of artwork, based on these images and their imagined connections.
5. You’re Braver than You Know
On my desk sits a frame which holds the following words: ‘You’re braver than you know.’
What do you think it means to be brave – and it may not be the obvious definition.
Who is the bravest person you know? Why?
Write a story – real or imagined – about someone who shows courage. Alternatively, represent the idea of courage in any art form of your choice.
6. Ten Questions
1. Invent 10 questions about the image below. These should be questions you cannot know the answer to simply by looking at the photo.
2. Once you have your 10 questions, write down your imagined answers to each.
3. Write a story, poem or song based on the information your imagination ‘discovers’.
7. Recipes
Create a piece of writing or artwork that includes cooking or a recipe.
Over to You
I’d love to hear from you! Which creative prompts appeal to you? Try one, or complete them all.
