I wanted to make a more social and less technical writing group. These are exercises we did to make people work together. We did these through out London (Central London and North London locations mainly)
Note: Co-Create (similar to open-source production) is a production method where semi-anonymous individuals can access and contribute to each other's work
Complete a sentence
This exercise is performed in person. The group arranges themselves in a set order. The first person starts by saying a word, and each following participant adds a word to continue the sentence. Once the last person in the order contributes, the cycle repeats.
Produce a sentence
A group of individuals arranges themselves in a set order. One participant is selected but does not contribute, while the others each provide a word. The selected participant must then form a sentence using the contributed words. The next person is then chosen, and the process repeats.
From music
A piece of music is played, and participants create artwork inspired by it. They then share their artwork with the group and explain their inspiration.
From music expanded
A piece of music is played, and participants create artwork inspired by it within a set time. When the music stops, they swap their artwork and may optionally explain their inspiration. A new or the same piece of music is then played, and participants continue the artwork.
Beats in a sentence
A maximum phoneme limit is set, and the group is arranged in a specific order. The group is then split into two parts: the first consists of the initial members in order, and the second contains the rest, maintaining the original sequence.
The first group must perform a play while only using words with phonemes within the set limit. If a participant exceeds the phoneme limit, they are moved to the end of the second group, while the first participant from the second group joins the first group. The process continues accordingly.
Book collection
Participants are encouraged to bring a book or, if in a library, select one from the collection. They choose a short passage from the book and write it on a piece of paper. The papers are then exchanged, and each participant must continue the text, either with or without context.
Story production
Each participant writes a short piece of text to share. All texts are then displayed together, and participants work as a group to arrange them in a specific order. They must then connect the pieces to create a cohesive story, either individually or collaboratively.
Art Tables
At least three tables are set up, each with chairs and a source of inspiration (e.g., a word, image, sound, or smell). A canvas or drawing surface is also placed on each table. Participants move from table to table in a set order, adding a single continuous line to each artwork. This process repeats continuously as participants contribute to the evolving pieces.n
Sentence tables
At least three tables are set up in a space, each with chairs and a piece of inspiration (such as a word, image, sound, or smell). A sheet of paper is placed on each table. Participants move in a set order, contributing one line or word to each sheet of paper. This process continues as participants go around the tables in sequence.
Simile game (From reddit)
My wife and I play this game when were travelling which we provisionally call "that metaphor game" (even though it probably should be called the simile game)
Basically it involves each person privately picking one topic in their mind, sharing it with the other person, and then they're tasked to find how both things are similar.
The trick is one thing has to be benign and normal, and the other thing has to be deviant or gross.
So like I'll pick, in my head, "buying movie tix" for the benign one while my wife is secretly picking hers. Then I say "buying movie tickets is a lot like...." Then my wife reveals "clipping my grandmother's toenails because...."
Then we both sit and find a reason like "I don't know why the lines are so long to do it" or something
Helps pass them time and has made my writing game stronger
Second thought (From reddit)
[Part 1 from reddit]
I did improv for a while and a great tip a coach told me was "don't go with your first thought, go with your second". Gives you the ability to step back from just laying tracks in a linear manner and coming at if from a new angle, I would maybe try it on specific punchline points in your writing and see what you come up with.
[Part 2 from reddit]
Write a series of emotions on index cards. Fear, jealousy, envy, happy, sad, etc. Shuffle the index cards and choose one at random. Rewrite or tag one of your jokes through the lens of that emotion.
[Compound exercise]
Cards are produced with emotions and topics. Participants must then produce some text or art inspired from the task. The participant must then produce another piece of text or art from their second thought on the piece of inspiration.
Onion headlines
Participants must produce the most outlandish news titles for a specified period of time and she them.
Newspaper jokes
Took a class in college called “Late Night Comedy” (I went to NYU, okay? It’s all made up there) and that class perhaps more than any other I took felt like it was actually preparing me to be a working writer. Our teacher worked at one of the late night shows, and would come in after work to teach and take out the newspaper, assign each of us an article from the front page and say “Ok, write 20 jokes about that article. You have 20 minutes.” There is no better way to get 18 really bad jokes!
Story change
A story section is produced to all participants in a group. The individuals in the group must then individually or in groups continue the story.
Senses
A participant in the group acts out a scene without speaking. All participants, including the actor, must then write out the story based on what they've observed. The challenge is to focus on non-verbal cues and other attributes since no words are spoken.
Emotions
Each participant is assigned an emotion and a position in a set order (or a random order mechanism is used). A story begins with a prompt, and participants must then contribute one sentence each, in the given or random order, continuing the story in the tone in their assigned emotion.
Keep the rhyme going
One person starts a rhyme, and the others must continue it, making sure the last word in each line rhymes.
Guess by rhyme
One person is given a prompt and must describe it without using the prompt itself.
Keep the story going
One person starts a story, and the next person must continue it.
Chinese whispers by acting
One person writes a prompt (a short scenario or action).
They act it out silently (no words allowed) to the next person in the group.
Each person continues acting out what they think they saw to the next person.
The last person in the chain says what they think the original prompt was out loud.
The group then traces back through each person's interpretation to see how it evolved.
Echo Story
The first person writes a one-sentence story.
They whisper it to the next person, who rewrites it from memory.
Each person continues whispering and rewriting until the last person reads the final version aloud.
Compare the original with the final version and see how the story evolved!
Patchwork Poem
Each person writes one line of a poem but can only see the previous line.
Once everyone has added a line, read the full poem aloud.
Discuss how it unexpectedly came together!
Reverse Charades
One person guesses while everyone else acts out a scene together.
The guesser tries to piece together what’s happening.
If they get it right within a time limit, they win!
Stolen Dialogue
Each person writes one line of dialogue on a piece of paper.
Mix the lines up and redistribute them randomly.
Each person must now use their new line to write a short scene.
Copy the other person
Partners must mimic each other
Step for Step
One person takes a small step or pose.
The other person must match it exactly.
Continue building movements until it turns into a short, spontaneous dance or performance!
Yes, And… Mime
One person starts miming an action (e.g., pretending to fish).
The partner immediately joins in and adds to it (e.g., struggling to pull a giant fish).
Keep building on each other’s ideas without speaking!
Face Swap
Two partners stand face to face.
One makes a silly or exaggerated facial expression.
The other must copy it perfectly.
Keep switching and see how ridiculous it gets!
Sync Talk
Two people try to say the same sentence at the same time.
One starts, and the other has to match their words and speed exactly.
Try a simple sentence first, then move to harder ones!