“What if” exercises are some of the most fun to play with for writers, for they really get to the heart of the matter: finding inspiration by considering the ramifications of something quirky and wild.
You can answer “what if you…” or “what if your…” questions from your own point of view if you wish. If you’re a fiction writer, however, you might prefer to answer them from the point of view of one of your characters, particularly one you’d like to learn more about.
Either way, pick one of the following whole questions, set a timer for 15 minutes, and start writing:
What if your spouse was…
- an alien?
- a spy?
- an impostor?
- doing super-secret research that could endanger (or save) the entire planet?
Perhaps…
- you’ve known about this all along, and you’ve participated in hiding it.
- you just found out by accident and you need to figure out how to handle it.
- you just found out and your spouse knows… and isn’t happy!
Forms this exercise might take, although feel free to just start free-writing without a specific form in mind and see where it takes you:
- a diary entry
- fiction
- interview-style question-and-answer
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