Friday Speak Out!: What If . . . ?

by Lisa Ricard Claro

A few years ago I posted here at the Muffin about blogging as an antidote for writer’s block (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/2010/01/friday-speak-out-from-block-to-blog-in.html). The problem with that suggestion, of course, is that not everyone enjoys blogging. But no worries. I’ve got a method for unblocking the jam on Creativity Boulevard that works every time. Yes, you heard me. Every time.

It’s called the “What if?” game, and it works like this:

Step 1: Grab a pen, paper, cookies, hot cocoa—because what isn’t made better with chocolate?—and the nearest kid. Age seven is perfect. Wait. What? No kid at your disposal? Well, do you have a husband? Because that’s almost the same thing. No husband either? Grab your best gal pal, trade the cocoa for wine, and you’re in business. You can go it alone, no problem, but it’s more fun with a companion.

Step 2: Munch the cookies, sip your beverage, and chat. Explain to your buddy that no idea is too big or too small, no subject taboo. Absolutely everything—and I do mean everything—is (age) appropriate for this exercise. Giggling encouraged.

Step 3: Stream of consciousness, no heavy thinking, just blast out as many what-ifs as you can:

What if while sipping cocoa I’m sucked into the mug and trapped inside a marshmallow?
What if I discover the poops in my cat’s litter box have turned to gold?
What if my farts were so bad they made smoke and set off the fire alarm at school/work?
What if the UPS man was really Hugh Jackman?

Okay, so that last one is for me and me alone, but you get the idea.

Step 4: Using the what-ifs you’ve created, write anything. You aren’t writing for publication. You are writing for the sheer joy of stretching your mind and putting words on paper, no matter how silly. No one ever has to read your output. The format is up to you. Choose whatever will be the easiest and most fun. Don’t think, don’t stress, and don’t wait. Just write.

What if while sipping cocoa I’m sucked into the mug and trapped inside a marshmallow? No story idea coming along? Write something simple then, like a warning label: CAUTION: Contents may be hot and hungry.
What if my farts were so bad they made smoke and set off the fire alarm at school? Not into kid lit? Pen a letter to your mother: Dear Mumsie, You’ll never guess what happened to Junior at school today!

Apply “what if?” to popular fiction. Can you pick out these books?

What if vampires sparkled in the sun?
What if a psychotic wife planned her own disappearance, making her husband look guilty of murder?
What if a teenage girl with a bow and arrow changed the course of her dystopian society?

What if you play the “What if?” game? What if you come up with a brilliant, high concept idea?
What if you write about it and it becomes a bestseller? What if . . . ?

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Lisa Ricard Claro is a professional editor (www.RicardWritingEditing.com) and award-winning author with published articles and stories spanning multiple media. She resides in Georgia but dreams of beach living (usually while stuck in Atlanta traffic). Lisa has a heart for rescued pets, and you’ll find one in all of her novels. She loves all genres—a mystery is in the works and she also writes for kids—but Romance is a favorite because she believes in love and happily-ever-after. To learn about the books in her romantic Fireflies series,or to connect with Lisa, visit Amazon, Goodreads, or her author website, www.LisaRicardClaro.com.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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6 comments creative juices, Friday Speak Out, Lisa Ricard Claro, story ideas, what if, writer tips

Is Your Writing Space Helpful? Share Your Ideas!

Some folks write at local coffee shops, some curl up on the couch, and I suppose there are as many writing space styles as there are writers. I think best in the kitchen and I'm a foodie as well as a stress baker. When I was feeling a bit blocked with my writing, I hauled my laptop into the kitchen in hopes it might inspire something fabulous. I gained 10 pounds and my husband is sick of pastries. Still no NYTimes best seller...Apparently my ideas flow in the kitchen but it's not a helpful writing space for me.

I decided I needed to lose the 10 pounds. The day I made that decision was also the day I was scheduled for a bread making class. We chuckled as I enjoyed the yummy warm bread and joked that I was going to have one heck of a time going carb free (or even low carb if I'm honest with myself). It was a good thing I went to class though. The friend teaching it gave me several ideas on improving my writing space. My office now has dim lighting, a salt lamp, and an essential oil diffuser. I even found an essential oil blend that claims to have creative qualities (appropriately named 'Creative Juices'). It's a wee bit early to tell for sure, but I'm feeling like I may be onto something here.

My writing career started in the corporate world under fluorescent lights. The call center I worked at was anything but quiet. It didn't seem to bother me,  I'm starting to think that creating the right work space is important. What works for you? Does your writing space matter? Has it always mattered or is it something that changes? As an active journaler, I jot down ideas before my feet hit the floor each morning...but that's not really my 'writing space' if you will. Similarly, my kitchen doesn't seem to be the right writing space. I feel like I have brainstorming places but they shouldn't be confused with the actual space where I write. Not even sure that made sense, but I hope you get the drift of where I'm going here.


Toss out some thoughts about what works for you and maybe it will help inspire me or someone else. Thank you in advance for your help and I maybe let us know how you're doing with Novel writing November? How many words do you have done already?

Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 8 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at:http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
and here: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/

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2 comments being creative, creative, creative area, creative juices, Creativity, work space, Writers Block, writing desk, writing environment, Writing Space