Imagine what it would be like to work at a job you know nothing about, e.g., working in a fish hatchery, folding parachutes, or flying jet planes. Write a description of a typical workday.
Pick three sentences at random from three different books. Now write a short story that includes all three of these.
Write down your thoughts about this sentence: "All happy families are the same, but every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
A noted artist once said, "Art is a lie that tells the truth." What do you think this means?
Write your autobiography in sixty seconds.
Is happiness something that can be learned? How would you go about teaching happiness to someone?
Write a fourteen-line rhyming poem.
Write a short story without using the letter E.
Think of a short story you've enjoyed, and then try to rewrite the story from memory. Of course, you won't be able to do this with complete accuracy, but try to stay close to the author's style. You can also change the plot if you don't remember the original sequence of events. When you're finished, read over both stories. You'll probably find that your new story is much more imaginative than you might have expected.
