Imagination Sparks Blogfest

About the Blogfest

Time for our Imagination Sparks Blogfest! It's not to late, you can still sign up and join in - the link's below. What is the Imagination Sparks Blogfest? Simply share with us a creative writing prompt, or suggest a way to warm up your imagination before you sit down to write - it's really up to you. Then pop around and see what other bloggers suggest, try out one or two activities (or all of them if you're really keen for a creative week), then on, or around, the 8th of August, do a post to let us know how you went. Did you learn something, find a new story idea, discover a favourite writing prompt? Let your imagination go wild.

My Creative Spark

I must admit, this is not something I usually do to spark creativity, but I decided to try something a bit different for this blogfest. Today I'm using music to prompt my writing. I first discovered the power of music for story writing when I was eight. It was 1977, and my mother took me to the cinema (a very special treat back then) to the see the magnificent Fantasia. I will never forget the amusement of the dancing hippos, the wonderment of the frolicking cupids, and, the concern when Micky's brooms just wouldn't stop marching! But most of all, I remember that terrifying finale, with the huge devil letting souls slip between his claws to the soundtrack of Night on Bald Mountain and Ava Maria.

Years later I enjoyed the spectacular release of Fantasia 2000 with my girls, and it was an instant win for them too (aww, that sweet little whale getting separated from his mother).

Today I've included two classical masterpieces for you to write to. Choose your favourite, or try both. Both have a good mix of emotion and rise and fall in the tempo. Try to write a story, or whatever comes to mind as you listen. Here's hoping you get something surprising!

I'll be checking in with all the other participants and trying the writing prompts/exercises. Hope we get lots of sparks this week!

I'd like to just give a little shout out to a couple of musical friends this week. Perhaps they'll inspire something creative in you!

I don't watch much television and never reality competition shows, so I got a pleasant surprise to learn one of my students from my old school (which I do miss a lot!) was an entrant on X-Factor. Not only that, but she made it through! Please check out Veanka Howard, she has an amazing talent...

And I also discovered one of our writing group buddies plays around with producing electronic music with his band. I think this could inspire a sci-fi story...

That's all from me today, now, I've got a few blogs to visit and a hankering to watch Fantasia over and over.

PS: for those following my website design journey - I'll post the first few steps in my progress after the blogfest is over.