Creative Fun Exercise

Here’s a wonderful quote by Colin J. Jeffcoat IV, a fellow member of

FCW (Fellowship of Christian Writers):

“Know the law and you will be okay . . . and make sure that God is okay with it too.”

Isn’t that an intriguing thought? It’s not enough to just walk the line . . . it’s important to have a clear destination . . . to draw as close to The Creator as possible through His Son.

Today, I have an assignment for you, one that should get your creative juices moving a bit.



1. Find a photograph or magazine illustration that appeals to you. I’ve posted several choices on this blog as well. Take some time to really observe your photo.

2. Now, using your imagination . . . give a name to the place in the photo. Give it a location. Is it windy? Calm? What time of year is it? What aromas can you smell? What sounds do you hear? What year is it? Is it common? Or exotic?

3. Name the people in the photo. If there aren’t any people, then imagine some and give them names. How old are they? What kind of past have they lived? What is a normal day like for them? What dreams do they have? What goals? Who do they love? What fear clutches their heart?

4. Choose one of the people and pretend you are them. Give them an event or action to take place in the scene. What happens or has happened to start the action? What goal does that create? What problem must they solve?



5. Give yourself an enormous enemy. Is it physical? Emotional? Spiritual? Do battle with it as you head toward your goal. The battles must increase in number and intensity the nearer you get to your goal, finally climaxing at the make-it-or-break-it moment when you will either obtain your goal or die trying.

6. Do you reach your goal? Do you fail? What have you learned in the process? What is your new real world like now?

7. Work on the above project for at least three hours. They can be separate hours if you want, perhaps one hour to think and plan; one or two hours to write, letting your creative juices flow, and at least another hour editing and revising. Hooray for you! You have now written a scene!



Every scene, every chapter, every book pretty much follows this outline.

My students can earn 20 extra points for faithfully completing this exercise and handing it in next week. If you weren’t at class tonight because of the snow, then you will receive the normal class points plus 20 points for a quiz. If you weren’t in class and you want all the above points, then write two scenes over six hours and I’ll give you full credit.



If you aren’t a student, but you love to write, give it a try. It’s fun! And many of my students have used these very exercises in completed versions of their stories and books.

Have fun!