Writing

In fiction writing last night, we did a great exercise that really helps with creativity and coming up with story ideas.  I loved it.  All it takes is a few index cards and a pen.  I mean, come on.  It doesn't get any easier than that.

We wrote some kind of identifier on one card and some kind of action on another.  The identifier could be something like: the milkman, the maid, the accountant, etc.  Anything.  The action should not be something simple (tied her shoe) or something completely outrageous and impossible.  It should be something unique that is possible, but also not something that happens every day.  Some examples from last night's class are: slashed his tires, put the hamster in the microwave, and punched the librarian (thank you Evan!)

We took our identifier card and passed it to our left and then took the action and passed it to our right.  Everyone was left with new cards.  Nothing that they actually wrote.  Some were boring and did not make sense, but some were so funny and just amazing.

So you then ask yourself: why did the identifier do this action?  For example, my combination of cards left me with this question: why did the investment banked punch the librarian?  Think about that question for a minute and try to come up with the story.  It's awesome.

Now I will be getting a stack of index cards and filling them out.  I might even have some of my friends and family fill some out.  That would give me some options that I would not think of myself.