In this section of the Scriptorium we’ll provide you with freewriting exercises and wordplay puzzles to help you unlock creativity and imagination, and shape up the inventive side of your brain.

Below are our current writing exercises. Try to do each one in turn — and have fun!

#1
Write a brief scene in which a strict disciplinarian has a change of heart.

#2
Write a scene beginning with the line: “There was something in the mirror–something that shouldn’t be there.”

Homework

The homework exercise is not necessarily a freewrite; you can spend as much time as you like on it. Unless otherwise noted, homework assignments are limited to one page long.

Write a brief story in which a kiss leads to an argument, or an argument leads to a kiss.

What’s Freewriting?

Freewriting means taking a topic and writing on it for a specified amount of time (usually 5-15 minutes), without stopping to think, plan, correct mistakes, or worry about what you are writing. Just write!

Write whatever comes into your head, whatever the topic makes you think of. It may be a personal reflection, a description, a scene, a dialogue, anything. Some exercises may have specific instructions, but many consist of merely an image or a word. The goal is to get thinking!

If you decide to try our exercises, you should try to stay within the specified time limit, don’t take time to think before starting, and write for the entire time. Don’t worry if what you’re writing doesn’t seem to make sense. The point (and the fun part) of freewriting is to see what comes out when you turn off your internal censor.

The Story Forge

The Story Forge is a local writer’s group. We meet biweekly to share ideas, practice creativity exercises, and encourage and support our members in their writing endeavors. Some of us write only as a hobby, some with an eye to publication, but we try first and foremost to have fun. We do take our writing seriously, but not ourselves!

Forming a writer’s group isn’t difficult. There are several web pages which offer ideas and agendas for meetings, and you’ll find some on the Links page. Every group will eventually work out the dynamic that works best for its members, although it may take some trial and error. If you’d like to know how we run our Story Forge meetings, send us an email.

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