Creativity does not require grand gestures, big setups, or exotic locations. In fact, it doesn’t require anything more than your senses and your mind. This week, we take that idea to the extreme when we play with nothing but words.
Creativity starts with observation, and observation can be imaginative. So, today, we will not write stories or poems, just simple textual descriptions. We will capture what we see in writing but do so in-depth and in an imaginative way.
An Everyday Object
Pick an everyday object you have at hand — something you can physically look at and touch. Now, write at least 300 words describing it in detail.
Observe it carefully and capture aspects you haven’t noticed before. Zoom in and zoom out to capture different perspectives of the object. Don’t describe its usage but just the object itself.
Now, here’s the catch. Shapes and colors are typically part of describing an object, and you should try to capture these aspects. But, in this exercise, you must not use explicit color or shape names. Ready to give it a try?
A Movie Poster
Pick a movie you haven’t seen, preferably one you don’t know anything about. Look for its official poster. You can find it on sites like imdb.com.
Observe the poster carefully. Look closely at every detail and write a textual description of what you see. Don’t try to guess what the movie is about or who the characters are. Just describe what you see with as many details as possible.
A Tree
Go out and pick a tree you can physically see and touch. Write a 300-word description of the tree. Again, zoom out and zoom in to capture the overall subject but also its fine details. Use your imagination, and don’t settle for an “objective” description. Make the tree come alive using your words.