Writing Games

Have you used any of the writing games that are sold by various retailers? I have one of them, The Storymatic®. There are three versions. I have the Classic edition. It’s made in the USA, by The Storymatic Corporation of Vermont and has been around for several years.

My writers group played with The Storymatic recently. The box is filled with cards of two different colors. One color is about characters, the other color is about situations. There are nine suggested games within The Storymatic to choose from, but you do not have to use any of them.

At our meeting we tried “Add to It.” Each person takes turns drawing cards and adding to the story that the first person started. You can go as long as you want. My group took turns telling a story about a couple out on a date. An engagement ring, a paramedic, an ambulance, a Chihuahua, a baby elephant, and a veterinarian hospital were involved. I have forgotten what else was thrown into the story. It was very funny! We were meeting in a public place, so our laughter generated some looks from other customers. We decided to play again sometime, but in the “safety and comfort” of a member’s home!

To generate new ideas and have some fun, I recommend The Storymatic. If you want to learn more about this game, two websites that contain additional information are http://thestorymatic.com/ and http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/2012/02/storymatic/. The latter site includes an interview with the man who created The Storymatic.

Have you tried a game to get new ideas or to break writers block? Please post about your experiences here.

Have fun playing and writing!

Debbie A. Byrne has a B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in History. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and is working on her first children’s book.

5 comments:

Karen Cioffi said...

Debbie, this sounds like a great idea to generate ideas. I haven't used writing games yet, but will look into this one. Thanks for sharing!

Debra Quarles said...

It's been years since I've played a writing game. What fun!

Mary Jo Guglielmo said...

Debbie, Thanks for the suggestion. I am definitely going to check out storymatic.

Debbie A Byrne said...

There was a second game being played at our meeting this month. I did not get to do anything with it. Maybe another time. And maybe I'll write about that game as well. Let me know what you think of The Storymatic.

Anne Duguid Knol said...

Dear Debbie, I'm so not a games person but you do make it sound not only fun but useful. Shall check out the websites mentioned for more info :-)

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