Imaginary Writing: What It Is and a Wonderful Sample That Will Inspire You

It is that special kind of magic that happens when a writer closes his eyes, thinks of a world, and puts pen to paper describing it. This is imaginary writing, rewriting the rules of a real world set down by imagination, emotion, and pure creativity.

Imaginary writing is either a comet that carries a child to school or a kingdom governed by sentient plants, a world nonexistent yet feels as real as our own. Above all, imaginary writing invites both writer and reader to a world that doesn't yet exist.

This blog is going to be about imaginary writing, how it works, and one example to help you start the writing journey on your own.

Table of Contents

1. What Is Imaginary Writing?

2. What Makes Imaginary Writing Needed?

3. Sample of Imaginative Writing — “The City That Fell Asleep”

4. Breaking Down the Sample

5. Try It Yourself — Imaginary Writing Prompt

6. Key Takeaways

7. Expert Insights

8. FAQs

9. Final Thoughts

What Is Imaginary Writing?

Imaginary writing is a kind of creative writing that is fictional or fantastic. It may take place in a world created by its own rules, contain impossible events, or use metaphors that make abstract emotions into living scenes; it is not fantasy, it is about possibility. 

This kind of writing might be found in :

• Novels (mainly fantasy or magic realism)

• Short stories

• Poetry

• Books for Children

• Journals or personal reflections with symbolistic storytelling. 

Some of the key features of imaginary writing: 

• Invented characters or settings 

• Symbolic meaning or metaphorical depth 

• Experiences unreal but emotionally true 

• Playfulness with time, space and logic

What Makes Imaginary Writing Needed?

With imagination we have the truth in disguise: in invented worlds we can often say much more about our real emotions, hopes, or traumas by using straightforward narration.

Imaginary writing helps to: Heal an emotional crisis through the symbolic expression, stretch one's creativity and stimulate new ideas, bring the abstract into reality, especially in children's and poetic writing, invite escape but also reflection, ask impossible questions and explore the answers in a story. 

Sample of Imaginative Writing:

"The City That Fell Asleep" (Short Fiction Excerpt) 

The city yawned. 

It was a long yawn- wide enough that the sky trembled and one of the clock towers cracked its jaw in protest. The people didn't notice it, of course. People are rarely aware when their cities are tired. 

Tuesday was the day lamps started dimming themselves at dusk, whether anyone requested it or not. Thursday, however, escalators refused to rise. "Up is exhausting," they whispered. "Down is a softer landing." 

And thus began The Big Sleep. 

Trains curled like snakes into themselves. Roads unfurled with plaintive sighs. The buildings dozed upright. Even the statues leaned their marble heads on each other’s shoulders, sharing forgotten dreams. 

Only one boy remained awake. 

He was seven years old and loved to whistle - sharp, curious, always off-key. 

The city liked the sound. It reminded her of when she was young.

In his after-hours, she let him leave an imprint on her lifeless body, from one street to another, gently placing a dream under each door. And by the time he was done, lying tired on the pavement beside the bus stop, he wrapped himself in the LOST AND FOUND banner and drifted off too. The city smiled. Finally, everyone was dreaming. 

Breaking Down the Sample

The city literally yawns, sighs, and dreams.

Dream-like settings almost negate physical laws.

The theme is one of emotion: utterly worn out, cuddliness, imagination and rest.

A child being the intermediary between the two was one trick employed by imaginative writers. 

Even though it is quite magical, it reflects something: burnout, yearning for rest, and childlike wonder as a healing instrument. 

Try It Yourself — Imaginary Writing Prompt

Here is the initiation:

"The last tree on Earth didn't want to be planted. It wanted to grow on its own. One night, it uprooted itself and began walking..." 

Let go! Give emotions to objects. Let the landscapes speak. And last, enjoy! 

Key Takeaways

• Imaginary writing is making abstract feelings real in an unreal world.

• It’s not escaping reality—it’s reinterpreting it, with emotional truth as the foundation of all good imaginary writing.

• Playfulness, metaphor, and curiosity are your most potent tools.

• Underneath every imaginary story, a real emotion exists.

Expert Insights

“Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.” —Lloyd Alexander

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” —Lewis Carroll

Rolling Authors Insights:

We frequently observe authors grapple with making imagination believable. The secret is to ground wonder in emotion. When fantasy feels emotionally real, readers will follow you anywhere—no matter how strange your world is!

FAQs

1. Is imaginary writing the same as fantasy?

Not really. Fantasy typically relies heavily on world-building and genre conventions, while imaginary writing is more symbolic, emotional, and metaphor-driven.

2. Can imaginary writing work in non-fiction?

Yes! You can use imaginative metaphors and personification to express truth, even in memoirs and reflective essays.

3. How do I begin writing in an imaginative way?

You can start with one question: "What if the impossible was possible?" Then you use emotion to lead your logic.

4. Is writing in the imaginary mode a good fit for children’s books?

It’s a perfect fit. Children love stories where inanimate objects take on a life—it’s a fantastic ground for imaginative tales.

Final Thoughts

Imaginary writing is such a sweet rebellion against logic. It shows us that the unreal could be deeply true. It stirs writers to attempt the impossible, whimsical, and very, very real.

At Rolling Authors, we love helping the most outrageous ideas become polished publishable stories. Whether that be a children's book, magical novel, or poetic memoir dripped in surreal imagery—we're positioned to edit, ghostwrite, and mentor.

Have a story bubbling in your imagination? Let’s help you bring it to life.Reach out to our ghostwriting team today!

Written by Rolling Authors—professional ghostwriting and editing support to leaders, entrepreneurs, and storytellers to manifest their visions into powerful books.