This week my sparking source is

FICTION WRITER'S BRAINSTORMER by James W. Smith, Jr.

I simply let the book fall open and the first word I saw was character. The following came to my mind.

Make five lists of characters (6 to 12 if possible in each category):

1. Fictional-classic or contemporary
2. Friends & relatives
3. Fantasy or Fables
4. Television show
5. Real-Life-in the news

Each day choose one list and randomly pick from the other four categories and swap the characters.

I.E.: If your television show was M*A*S*H and the 6 characters you listed were Hawkeye, Trapper, Klinger, Radar, Margaret, Henry and chose them and then you randomly choose friends & relatives spend time imagining how you would like these 6 people as your friends. How might your life be different? How are they like some of your actual friends and relatives?

MONDAY Choose one list of characters.

TUESDAY Choose one of the remaining 4 lists.

WEDNESDAY Choose one of the remaining 3 lists.

THURSDAY Choose one of the remaining 2 lists.

FRIDAY Use the remaining list.

Have a creative week.

© 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 Robert Alan Black, Ph.D. CSP