Whenever I’m trying to find inspiration for a story, I try to look at objects we see everyday but might take for granted. Trees, signs, mountains, light fixtures. And I try to add a spin to it. It’s an exercise that helps take me around that writer’s block. What new world will I enter? What strangers will I meet? What adventure awaits?

These answers come when I ask…what if, and what do I see?

So in this segment, I’m taking a picture of an object and brainstorming ten things that I see.

Here’s a picture of a tree. I see…

1. A girl who discovers a tiny city of fairies in the treetop.
2. A terrifying murder, with the only witness being the tree itself.
3. A tree that carries the weight of secrets of everyone who rested under its shade.
4. The secret rendezvous of lovers beneath the tree’s protective cover.
5. The tree’s arms lifted high in prayer for the girl who cries from heartbreak as she leans against its trunk for support.
6. A baby bird learning to fly.
7. A protest against cutting down the city’s landmark.
8. Elves who speak to the tree spirits and learn the stories of the past.
9. The dying breaths of a hero who fought his last battle.
10. A family of squirrels seeking shelter from the rain.