In this month's Writer's Digest with Stephen King he talks about how he writes (creates) 3 to 6 hours a day, generally every day of the year. When asked about writing production he talked about examples of authors who wrote from only one book: Harper Lee, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD to John Creasey, a British mystery novelist, who wrote 500 novels under 10 different names. Stephen King has written 35 or so.

My interest in mystery books and stories started in the 1950s with watching episodes of DRAGNET and a series of "detective" television shows, writing my own on index cards for a couple years and my wanting to write them became revived when I signed up, six years ago, for an evening class at the University of Georgia's Continuing Education Center, titled: Murder and Mayhem for Money. For me it has become more of a support group for interested mystery writers in which an on-going core of the group, who still regularly attend, have had several of their books published and are for sale in bookstores locally and around the U.S.

The common factor I find in Stephen King and the Murder and Mayhem members I have gotten to know is their focused daily use of their imaginations.

For me that is one key for the development, advancement or reawakening of creative thinking abilities: focused daily use of imagination.

The Challenge I offer you to consider playing with this week is to take 15 minutes to an hour, each day Monday thru Friday to focus your imagination.

Choose a time, your creative time. Most writers I have met or have read about have their own select time for many it is early in the morning, especially those who have other jobs that provide their primary income.

Then simply let your imagination loose. Record your pure imaginings in any manner suited to you, written, visual, or audible.

You may start with saying to yourself, "I am creating a ______ today. Focus on imagining characters: names, descriptions, backgrounds; locations; times the story is happening; plots. Let your imagination wander. List 12, 24, 144 characters. Imagine 12, 24, 144 characteristics about one of your characters. Imagine 12, 24, 144 locations. Recall details about one location, for instance an exotic city you have read about or have visited: Istanbul, Cairo, Athens, Greece, Johannesburg.

MONDAY Imagine a mystery story

TUESDAY Imagine a western story

WEDNESDAY Imagine a children's fable

THURSDAY Imagine a mythical historic story

FRIDAY Imagine a situational comedy series

Have fun getting started through daily focus.

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