Creative writing exercises

Here are some creative writing exercises to try. I knew some of them, but others I didn't and I thought it would like to share them. As with every creative writing exercise, use them to train your writing skills generally or as a kickstart when stuck (see how I try to avoid the dreaded word one does not mention ....otherwise known as writers block.



1. Free writing

This is quite a common creative writing exercise and probably one of the best known. I bet you that was the first creative writing exercise you got taught.

Very simple. Set a time limit (usually 5 or 10 minutes) and start writing. Do not think too much what you are writing, do not stop writing. Just continue with whatever comes in your mind and without looking back at what you have written. Make sure you don't get disturbed!

You can either just start writing straight out, or set a starting sentence.




2. Show don't tell

Of course, every aspiring writer knows the 'show, don't tell' rule. 
Take a simple sentence which 'shows' and try to rewrite it so it 'tells'.


He was very muscular and went to the gym regularly: 

He was never seen without a gym bag slung over his shoulder, and I always feared for his t-shirts ripping from those biceps. 


----
She was upset after the argument:

There was no shouting, no stomping up the stairs. But her head turning around quickly and just a quick glimpse of her swelling eyes could not betray her. 

----

He walked home in the rain:

'How long did it take you to get home? Don't come in here with those wet clothes.'




3. How do you feel

Describe how you feel right now. Listen to your body. Hungry? How does that feel? Tired? Hot?




4. Word association

Chose a random word and write anything which comes in your mind about this word. You could try to simple take a book / newspaper, close your eyes and point at any word.

Sun: weather, holiday, Mallorca, BBQ's, global warming, bikini, skin cancer
Profile : internet, facebook, picture, relationships, old friends

Apart from a few obvious ones, the associations will be very personal to you. For example, if you are not on Facebook, the word Profile may have a very different association for you. I love Mallorca and spend many happy times in the sun there. 

To take this exercise further, take 5 words and write associations. Than, write a short story using those 5 words and some of the associations. 




5. Genre - Place - Time


Chose a genre, a place and a time and write a short story.

Romance - Paris - Christmas
Crime - village - night



6. What if

Imagine 'What if' and write a short story
What if:

...I had been born in India
...trees could talk



7. Superlatives

Think of superlatives and write what comes in your mind:

• the nastiest person I ever met
• the most expensive present I have ever given
• the loneliest person

8. Clothes

T
Think of an item of clothing or an accessory and write about it.

• what time period is it from
• who could have worn it, what was their social standing
• detailed description of the item

9. Pictures / Painting

Look at a picture or a painting and write whatever comes in your mind about this. It could be pictures of your wedding, holiday pictures, pictures in magazines or famous paintings. It does not need to be the truth!



10. Quotes


Take a famous quote (can be from a 'real' person or fictional - movie character) and write a story around it. Again, it does not need to be the truth and a story about the real person. It's more fun to change the story around.

I have a dream (Martin Luther King)
I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse (The Godfather)


11. Box

I open a

•  box 
•  email 
• train door

and...

Continue the story. 

12. Being Angry

Imagine being really angry with a non-living object and describe why and how it feels and write the dialogue.

• washing machine broke
• train delayed

Now do the same with a person / animal. 

13. Synesthesia 

Mix senses, perceptions and feelings and write about it.

• how does love taste
• what colour is silence
• where does anguish exist
• what language does bereavement speak

Mis 


14. All your senses

Take an object, engage all your senses to describe the object and write anything that comes in your mind about this object.

• a pen (what colour. how does it smell, where/when does it make, how can it be used, how would I use it, does it have the power to change things...)

15. Explosives

Use the following formula to write a story.

1. Place
2. Invent a person who would usually be at this place and describe this person and why he/she would be there
3. Invent a second person, 2+3 start talking (why? do they know each other or not?)
4. Something explosive happens (bomb? shouting argument? car accident? window brakes?)
5. How do 2+3 react to 4. Are they connected to the incident or not? 

16. Listen listen listen

At last, another exercise aspiring writers will be familiar with. Just listen to what you hear right now and make notes of it - can you use any of it? Construct a story? Write a dialogue?

• TV show / or news
• people on a train or on the table next to you in the coffee shop - listen in to their conversation (Ok, just make sure they don't feel like you are stalking them - keep the listening in to a minimum :)
• if you are sitting at home and all is quiet --- is it really? Traffic noise outside? Animals?

Adapted from following website:
http://woman.brigitte.de