Chose an object that you see everyday – like my desk-lamp here.  Describe it to someone who has never seen it, telling the story (either true or fabricated) as to how this object came into your life.

Think about everything you ate over the last 24 hours.  Describe each food item, and every drink, in detail.  Think of textures, tastes, how things smelled, how they looked.  Remember, people in stories need to eat and what they chose to put in their mouths shows a reader a something about their character.  As you do this food exercise, think about how writing about what someone eats or drinks reveals who they are on the page.

Use this image to inspire a poem, tell a story or write a personal essay: