Write a segment of a loosely structured story�that is, a story with many untied ends and tangents. Let a character think about five things in her life. Once could be the importance of bread; another, socks; third, cafes; fourth, knives; fifth, bicycles. Create your own list, randomly and by free-associating if you like. The character�s point of view (you may write in first person point of view.) could reveal much about him/her while describing the objects.
The objective of this exercise is to move the story impressionistically. Try creating a lot of images and fleeting scenes, and make a beautiful flow of language to compensate for abandoning a chain of events. When you�re finished, ask yourself: Is there a plot? Do the juxtapositions of different images spark possibilities for you? If so, develop those possibilities further. Push deeper into them. If not, think of a few new thoughts for your list of five and try again. And as always�have fun with it!
