“Every Picture Tells A Story ...”

Thanks to my practice of writing in my journal each morning, I was able to capture the words of my then six-year-old son when he wandered into my bedroom one Saturday morning and sat down in front of my word processor screen. After staring at his reflection for a few moments, he said, “My teacher says a picture is worth a thousand words. Look. Can you see me in the screen? It would take you a thousand words at least to say what you see in my face.”

Images have great power. Here is a writing exercise for you to try: Read the pieces on this page, which were created in WordPlay’s “Every Picture Tells A Story” Class.

Spend three minutes riffling through an old magazine, ripping out any image that captures your eye. Don’t think too much! (Our conscious mind often gets in the way of our creativity.) Choose one of your images. Reflect on it for a moment, then write for five minutes. Keep your pen moving, and don’t edit as you write. Let the words flow. Try it!