This Week's Practice Exercise~

Flights of Fancy (Version 2)

Originated by Florence Cardinal
Reposted, revised, on: Sunday, December 23, 2007

Exercise: In 400 words or less, describe an everyday task you've done many times. Then stop and ask yourself, "What if?" Take your readers on an imaginary adventure. Begin your story with the ordinary task and then let that lead into your adventure.
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Everyone has fantasies. We all try to imagine how things could be different from reality. Writers need to draw on these flights of fancy to encourage new ideas and get through any blocks in their writing. This is how many great stories are born.

Start with a mundane occurrence like washing the dishes, driving to work, or weeding your garden. Let your imagination take over so the ordinary leads you into an extraordinary adventure or flight of fantasy.

Think "what if?" What if I were washing dishes and looked up to see a stranger in weird clothing peering in my window? What if, while driving to work, I travelled through a bank of fog--into the year 3011? What if while I weeded my garden all the weeds began to grow until they towered over the house?
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These exercises were written by IWW members and administrators to provide structured practice opportunities for its members. You are welcome to use them for practice as well. Please mention that you found them at the Internet Writers Workshop.