As a toy designer in a past life, I had the opportunity to tease apart different games and see how they worked on a fundamental level. The game Clue was always one of my favorites because it essentially comes down to telling a mystery story using only four elements: a character (one of the suspects), a situation (the murder), a setting (one of the rooms), and a prop (one of the murder weapons).
That got me thinking that storytelling really boils down to two things: a character plus a situation (preferably one rife with conflict). The props and settings add detail to make the stories unique, but ultimately, a character in a conflict-filled situation is what makes a story. From that idea came this prompt builder technique that I've used with various groups of students.
What I love about this technique is that with one index card and one standard die, I can have over 1,200 possible writing prompts at my fingertips. Also this writing tool is completely customizable so if you write a certain genre, you can tweak the different lists to make them more applicable to your own writing. I myself have devised various versions of this activity, including one for fables and fairy tales to use with younger students, and one mega-set that has over 28,000 possible combinations! Talk about prompts that will last a lifetime.
Today I'd like to share with you the pocket-sized version.
Instructions: Copy the four lists below onto one index card or into a pocket-sized notebook (make sure to include the headers "character," "situation," "prop," and "setting"). Roll the die four times to determine which item you'll use from each list. Now write.
Character
1. Child Prodigy2. Driver's Ed Instructor
3. Shopping Mall Santa
4. Clerk at MegaMart
5. Father of 12
6. Wedding Planner
Situation
1. Runs into an Ex2. Visits a Psychic
3. Discovers a Secret
4. Has to Hitchhike
5. Loses a Bet
6. Flunks a Test
Prop
1. Red Shoes2. Evidence of a Crime
3. Superstition
4. Regret
5. Mask
6. Someone Else's Spouse
Setting
1. Wedding2. Funeral
3. Middle of Nowhere
4. Fancy Hotel
5. Rowboat
6. Beach
6 comments:
I am so behind! :( Such great ideas here, I know that when I actually sit down and really start to work this will be very helpful! Have you sent out the workbooks yet?
-MJ
A child prodigy discovers a secret with someone else's spouse at a fancy hotel. Ha ha, interesting! Fun exercise :)
No worries MJ. The great thing about DIY MFA is that it's always here for you and you can work at your own pace.
Also, I haven't emailed the workbooks just yet (putting on the last finishing touches). My goal is to email them out at the latest by next Monday.
You used to be a toy designer?? OMG am SO jealous. Am also now picturing the Tom Hanks dancing on the paino scene from Big :)
Anyway, great story prompts, thanks!
I love this. I'll be doing it as soon as I catch up on everything else. (Doh me.)
I love the idea of your mega-set. I totally have to put together a box of writing toys like this of my own. I got...
"A child prodigy visits a psychic with evidence of a crime in a fancy hotel."
I wonder whether the psychic is in the hotel or the the crime was. Or perhaps the psychic was involved in the crime. This is fun. :)
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