What is Imagination? by Linda Broday

Many of us in the writing profession take our imaginations for granted, me included. I’ve always had it and these thoughts are as much a part of me as the beat of my heart.  Without imagination my stories would be as riveting as a plumber’s manual.

But what is imagination?  Where does it come from?  Are we simply born with it?

Writers take a seed of thought and fabricate a story around it. The events and people we create could happen exactly as we portray them. Take Jules Verne’s submarine in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea? Or his novel, Paris in the Twentieth Century where he describes subways, gas stations, fax machine? What about any number of other authors who accurately portray things far before their time?

I don't want to be in a world without imagination. It can take you to exciting, amazing places.

One very respected 18^th century philosopher acknowledged that nothing is more free than the human imagination. “Our minds have the power to mix, compound, separate and divide all of our ideas into a variety of fiction and vision.”

Children have very vivid imaginations, especially at Halloween. In my house, this was my kids’ favorite day. We couldn’t afford the fancy store costumes though. They looked around the house and put their brains to work. Sometimes they came up with some great ideas and they always had a blast. The photo here is my son and daughter on one Halloween long ago. I remember the fun of giving creativity free rein and seeing the end product.

I think children and adults lose something important when they don’t use their imaginations. If writers didn’t engage in play, there would be no new books. I’ve always loved to play and create and I take great joy in writing my stories. In doing so, I learn and grow. So do you.

When I was young I spent hours playing paper dolls, making up elaborate lives for my cardboard people. How did you use your imagination as a child? Are you still doing it? I hope you never stop.

She was a pickpocket and he a half-breed...bound by a love that's stronger than iron bars. The third book of my Bachelors of Battle Creek Series will release on December 1st. FOREVER HIS TEXAS BRIDE is available for preorder almost everywhere online. I just love the cover! This final book in series features Brett Liberty. You'll see how I used my imagination in it in December. I'm excited that release day is almost here.

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