“I don’t have anything to write about”
That was something I used to hear pretty often when I taught writing several years ago during free-writing time. I collected images on index cards, and if kids were stumped, they could choose a card and describe what they saw, imagine they were there, imagine their story was set there, etc.
Here’s a cooler digital idea … Getty Images has introduced MoodStream, which plays a random collection of images, videos, and music to stimulate brainstorming and new ideas. Need a new mood? Adjust the site’s palette of sliders.
When I took MoodStream for a spin, I found lots of images of summertime - children at the lake, a vintage shot of a couple in a canoe, a Technicolor image of a poolbasker, vintage video of what looked like Miami Beach — plus a field of flowers, a sixties Christmas shot, and more.
The perfect way to spend my first day of vacation … playing around with ideas.
(Found via Ewan McIntosh’s blog)