If you’re stuck for an idea, go to the drawer and get the scissors out, find a piece of card or paper and cut a frame out.

Or find an old frame with nothing inside it.

Now go and find an interesting spot, and write about everything you see, or imagine you see, in the picture frame. It will take you to many new and interesting places.

Still stuck?

Find an old photograph, or painting, or print. OK, anything with a picture from anywhere will do.

Now go on an adventure inside the picture. Write it down, or just travel through it with your imagination. For example:

I’m looking at a photograph of a group of people sitting together in what looks like a woodland setting. The photograph is very old and I don’t know where it’s from, or who is inside the picture.

One of the characters in the photo has a wry smile on her face, and behind her to the left there is a young man peering over the top of someone’s head, staring at her.

She has a mug in her right hand. It looks like a modern day mug, in a photo which may be a hundred years old.

It smells like chocolate. Now get nosey.

She has a long coat on, so it cant be a warm day. Look inside her pocket, what do you find? Rummage around a bit. Something hard, a brooch. Take it out, and see a small drawing of a child inside.

Listen in on the conversations going on, read minds, go behind the tree in the corner of the photo. There’s a basket hanging there with food and drinks inside. They’re going to have a picnic after the photographer has finished with them.

Move further away, down a small slope behind the tree into a clearing. There is a farmhouse there, not in the photo of course, but by now you’ve moved out of view. Push the kitchen door open. You’re inside a cottage, a kitchen with copper pots and a fire burning below a range in the corner.

Try not to make up what you see. Actually notice what you see as you move through the building.

From there you can go anywhere, meet anyone, do anything, find anything. There is no limit to your imagination.

Anyway, that’s my picture. What’s yours? Take a close look, and go beyond the hills, passed the tall buildings, go below decks or even below the ocean. Talk with people, listen to their answers, touch what they touch, feel what they feel, see what they see, hear what they hear, smell what they smell. Use all your senses, and move through time and space.

There is nothing more extraordinary than your own imagination, and you don’t have to go anywhere to find it.

Rob Daniel is a children's author, creative writing, memory and self-esteem teacher. He lives in beautiful Albany on the south west corner of Western Australia, has a passion for mangos, the Greek Islands and bringing the best out of young people. He has been booked to go on a creative writing tour of primary schools around the south-west in September, and is very excited about the adventures he's about to have!

Rob creates 'turn the page' children's e-books with illustrators from around the world. You can check out and buy these books instantly from http://www.chocmint.com You'll also find an opportunity to join the chocmint adventure yourself, if you have a passion for writing and illustrating for children.

LATEST book published 'A Tail's Tale', illustrated by UK artist Elizabeth Stringer. Part proceeds from these books go towards sponsoring children at the Bear-Care orphanage in Kitgum, Uganda run by the extraordinary Murray Kidd