by Nancy Casey
Imagine that you have been given the sudden ability to invent something new. What would it be?
There are lots of ways to invent something and many different types of inventions.
Many inventions are something like machines. You could invent a robot that behaves in a certain way. You could invent something to add to your body that gives you new abilities, such as special glasses or an extra limb.
You don’t have to limit yourself to inventions that obey the laws of gravity, biology, or time. You don’t have any restrictions at all when what you are inventing is imaginary.
Maybe you would like to invent something where you press a button. Press the button and then what happens?
Many inventions do some kind of useful work, such as building something or moving things around. Some inventions aren’t particularly useful. Instead they might do something that is interesting or beautiful.
Not all inventions are for doing things. Imaginary worlds, for instance, simply exist. You could invent one of those.
You could invent a language, or a new way of communicating. You could invent a conversation that didn’t take place and then invent a way to insert it into the past.
A person could invent plants or animals or living creatures that are neither or both.
What would you like to invent? Think about it while you set up your page. Draw a line where the title will go and set off some space for illustration if you like.
Describe your invention. Tell what it looks or tastes or feels like. Is it useful? Silent? Funny? Explain why it’s a good idea. Tell who will appreciate it and who will dislike it. Invent as many details as you can.
If you finish writing about one invention and still have room on the page, write about another one.
When you have finished writing, read over your work. Add decoration and color to the page if you would like. Sometimes a little doodling helps you think up a good title. Write the title at the top of the page and make sure the date is on it somewhere, too. Here is an example of what a person could write.
You can share what you have written by posting it as a comment below. To do that, you can type in your work. Or post a picture of it.
Nancy Casey has lived in Latah County for many years. You can find more of her work here. She leads a writing workshop at the Recovery Center on Thursday evenings at 5pm. Anyone can drop in—just show up. You can attend just for fun or work to earn a writing certificate. To sign up or get more information, contact Nancy or the Latah Recovery Community Center.
Latah Recovery Community Center, Inc. 