Innovative writing - Collages

Creative Collages (Michalko, 2006, Thinkertoys)."Similar to the sand tray, the metaphorical collage is an assemblage of pictures, both whole images and fragments. Each element in the collage loses its separate identity as it becomes part of the whole. The collage is greater than, and often different from, the sum of its parts. When two or more dissimilar images collide in a collage, the imagination transform them into an altogether new realitythat transcends the separate elements." Use this to method to be inspired for new ideas to write your novel or poem.

Innovative Writing

I am interested to know how many authors use true innovative writing techniques to come up with ideas for their stories and to assist them to flesh them out. I am the author of Jade and the Serpent's Circle that will be launched on the 1st of August at Maropeng in the Cradle of Humankind. I have used some of these techniques to write the story.

With Innovative Writing you can truly think your story into its cover!

When you reverse your assumptions you will broaden your thinking. Therefore, if you have a vague idea for a story, you may be able to create an exceedingly innovative story by reversing your initial assumptions.

Recipe to use the technique (Jade and the Serpent’s Circle was used as an example):

• State the main idea for your story (if you have no idea then there are innovative thinking methods to help you come up with ideas as well!)
• “I am particularly interested in human evolution and wish to write a fantasy fiction story based on this theme...”
• List your assumptions
  “Humans evolved from chimpanzees millions of years ago”
  “The earth changed during this evolution process and continents were formed from a solid mass”
• Now challenge your assumptions to develop an innovative novel idea
  Record the reversal of your assumptions
  Spend some time on how you could accomplish these reversals. List as many ideas/viewpoints as you can
  “What if the earth evolves back to these initial times of human evolution?”
  “What if the continents shifted back to a solid mass?”

Here are more examples:

• Racing Stripes – Reversing the assumption that you can only race a horse competitively in a horse race.
• The curious case of Benjamin Button – a man who starts aging backwards.

Here is a TV interview that explores the book as well as Innovative writing (ETV last Tuesday):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3XkIjQp9gA