Creative Interpretation - The Nuts and Bolts of Idea Generation

by Annette Young

Creative writing demands many skills but interpreting a scene in a unique way is a necessary talent to have. This is why many skilled wordsmiths fail to do well in a writing competition or, when sending stories out in the hopes of getting published. To stand out creatively in today’s pool of eager writers, you have to train your imagination to look for more than the obvious. If you can keep this in mind, you will naturally stretch your imagination a little more.

Take the shower scene photo published here. It has so much potential in terms of stimulating the mind but often, writers jump on the first few story ideas without stretching them out and pushing and pulling the story into a unique shape. What’s the first thing you think of when you look at it? For me, I considered the vulnerability of the woman. I imagined someone breaking into her house and catching her at her most vulnerable. Let’s face it, no-one really wants to be naked in front of a burglar.

Shower scenes lend themselves well to the horror or crime genre because we all know that vision and hearing is limited when the water is running. We also feel vulnerable and writers who work in these genres know this. They take an everyday scene and add tension and suspense. But, if you were given a photo such as this to stimulate your creative writing skills and you had to compete against others, horror or crime may not be unique.

So, what else could you do with this type of scene? Erotica of course, also springs to mind. This is a popular market in which to write and, it’s not a big stretch of the imagination to take this photo and craft an idea worthy of an erotic fiction market. But even so, erotic writing is a market and not a story, so what would make yours different? You have to think about your story and understand how it will make your readers feel.

Let’s run through a few general ideas:

What if this character turned out to be the burglar who had broken into a house?

What if this character was being filmed – with or without her knowledge?

What if this character was being stalked? Private detective or by an unknown admirer?

What if this character had been injured and the shower scene became part of the aftermath of something traumatic?

What if the character was getting ready to go on a hot date?

What if the character slipped and had no way of getting help?

What if someone left an ominous message in the steam on the bathroom window?

These are just very quick ideas but there are a great many options for the savvy creative writer. Just remember, it doesn’t always have to be about the (in this case) shower scene, but the character and the events that unfold. The scene could be a small part of but not necessarily, the central core of the story. Scenes can be used to create intimacy, to instil tension or fear or, to invite the reader to take a step closer to the story.

There has to be a healthy mix between imagination and writing technique. The most wonderful story idea in the world will not get published if the writer’s ability to hold attention and to progress the story is insufficient. In the same way, a truly talented writer will not get far if their imagination is stifled and they are not prepared to commit to their idea generation.

Next time you are looking to use a photo as inspiration, take the time to develop your ideas and stretch your imagination to the full. You may find it really pays off!