CREATIVE ADVENTURES — 66
Imagine You Can Read Minds
You Are A True Mentalist
In this exercise, you will imagine that you have the power to read the minds of other people. In other words, you are a true mentalist. Please respond to the following prompts:
- How would you use this super-power? Please think of at least 10 different ways and situations that this power could be useful.
- Imagine that you are working as a mentalist and detective, given your rare ability to read minds. You are hired as a special consultant and sit in interviews with people who get arrested. Write a thriller story where you unlock a murder mystery using your power (a sample scene from The Mentalist series is below).
3. Reading people’s minds is a double-edged sword — it might be a superpower, but also a curse. Think of 7 disadvantages or risks of having this power. For example, you might be exhausted from hearing or seeing the thoughts of thousands of people, particularly in crowded spaces. You might be seeing the dark sides, pains, confusions, or depressions of people around you, and this might be very difficult for you if these people are the ones that you love. You might feel betrayed all the time, as you witness the hypocrisy of people. What else? Make a list of other disadvantages or risks.
4. Choose one of these disadvantages. Based on this scenario, write a story about the dark side of being a mentalist.
5. Write a story about betrayal. Someone you love and respect is lying to you, or playing you up, or scheming against you. How do you deal with this situation?
6. Imagine that you can read the minds of animals and you can communicate with them. How would you use this power? Create a heartwarming story.
7. Write a thriller story where you are now the villain. As a sociopath, you use your mind-reading power to manipulate people and gain power over them. Write the story from your evil point of view.
8. How can you get rich using this mind-reading power? Think of 12 effective ways to get rich. Would you work as a magician? Would you play in high-stakes poker game tournaments? Would you read coffee cups or work as a fortune-teller? Which way would be most ethical? Which way would make the world a better place?