If I Were a Flower

December 4, 2009 at 4:55 am (Thoughts on Writing) (, , , , )


I am constantly asking questions.  “What if” is my favourite question because it usually means I am chasing down a new plot or idea for a story.  “Why” bugs me a little because it means that I’ve just written something illogical and I am now trying desperately hard to rationalise it but ultimately I’m going to have to scrap the idea and try something else because if I’m asking why it means no one else is ever going to understand what I was thinking.  Wow, that was a long sentence.

What if can be a great game.  It can be productive.  It can be entertaining.  It can get your mind to move away from all those boxed in ideas you think have to be and start you thinking about something fresh and new.

Another fun game is “If I were a…”  Part of the fun comes from understanding yourself, but I like to play this game with my characters as well.  It helps me to realise what I know and don’t know about them.

If I were a flower what kind would I be?  I’d probably say I am lavender but many will disagree.  I’m choosing lavender because it is tougher than it looks but needs to be handled with care.  If I were to answer the same question for one of my characters would I know what to say?

What is your favourite ‘if I were’ question?

If you were a flower what sort would you be?

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9 Comments

  1. Corra McFeydon said,

    December 4, 2009 at 8:19 am

    If I personally was a flower? I’d be a daisy. It’s sunny and doesn’t take itself too seriously. 🙂

    I can definitely say my protagonist is not a flower. He would have issue with anyone comparing him to a flower. LOL.

    But I do agree about opening up the mind and allowing it to examine possibility within the characters. Sometimes, as a challenge, I write my characters doing the opposite of what I think they’d do. It opens up some possibilities, or at least gives me a good creative work-out.

    • Cassandra Jade said,

      December 4, 2009 at 10:20 am

      I have a few characters that would probably object to being called any kind of flower. I just like making sure I know my characters and playing with them. Adding to my knowledge of who they are. I think ultimately it makes them easier to write because they are so familiar. Thanks for the comment.

  2. Elizabeth Spann Craig said,

    December 4, 2009 at 10:59 am

    Always great to explore a little bit!

    I’d be a crocus, I think.

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

  3. Margot Kinberg said,

    December 4, 2009 at 12:36 pm

    Cassandra – That is an interesting question; when we ask, “what would I be,” the answer tells us a lot about our self-perceptions. That’s an interesting question to ask about characters, too; what’s the character like? What kind of animal/tree/flower would s/he be? I think I’d be either a lilac or a tiger lily.

  4. Carol Kilgore said,

    December 4, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    Flower – I’d probably be a daisy. I like to hang out in the sun before it gets too hot and have the wind blow in my face. And I’m persistent – or periennial – and keep coming back.

    I ask WHY more than I ask WHAT IF. Why lets me understand, well, why the character did something. Or wants to do something. And that opens more possibilities for me. I ask my share of what if, too, but it’s my second in line question.

    • Cassandra Jade said,

      December 4, 2009 at 8:07 pm

      Why is a good question but I save the why for after I’ve figured out the what. When I first start brainstomring possibilities I leave why completely out of things becaue it brings my logical mind back into play and limits the creativitity. After I have let myself have a bit of fun, I then get to the how and the why. Thanks for sharing this comment.

  5. Kit said,

    December 4, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    I tell myself I’d be a rose: a hell of a lot of work but worth the trouble in the end. Another variation: If I were a horse, I’d be thoroughbred (same reason). I have lots of ups and downs with my energy and health, and these images help me to accept the reality of what I have to do to take care of myself.

    I like the idea of playing this sort of thought game with regards to my characters. I think I’ll go do a version of this with Sean, who is my current “problem child”.

  6. Marvin D Wilson said,

    December 4, 2009 at 10:12 pm

    If I were a flower I would want to be a lotus. It produces beauty in the midst of swampy, dirty water.

    Nice post and muse, Cassandra.

    The Old Silly

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