Happy
Scream
Guard
Evil
Whirlwind
Cactus
King
Chaos
Angry
Desert
Laugh
Heart
Give each participant a couple of pieces of paper at random. The first person says the first sentence of a story and they must use their first word as part of that sentence. The second person then continues the story and must include their word in it, and so on. Go round the group twice to complete the story.
You can also do this creative writing exercise with story dice, your own choice of words, or by asking participants to write random words down themselves, then shuffling all the cards together.
Every Christmas adults tell kids stories about Santa Claus. In this exercise you write a Christmas story from an alternative dimension.
What if every Christmas Santa didn't fly around the world delivering presents on his sleigh pulled by reindeer? What if gnomes or aliens delivered the presents? Or perhaps it was the gnomes who are trying to emulate the humans? Or some other Christmas tradition entirely that we humans have never heard of!
If you're working with a group, give everyone a couple of minutes to write two possible themes for the new Christmas story. Each theme should be 5 words or less.
Shuffle the paper and distribute them at random. If you're working online, everyone types the themes into the Zoom or group chat. Each writer then spends 10 minutes writing a short story for children based on one of the two themes, or their own theme if they really want to.
If working alone, choose your own theme and spend 15 minutes writing a short story on it. See if you can create the magic of Christmas from another world!
In a murder mystery story or courtroom drama, there's often conflicting information and lots of links between characters. A mind map is an ideal way to illustrate how everything ties together.
Split into groups of 3 or 4 people each and place a blank piece of A3 paper (double the size of A4) in the middle of each group. Discuss between you who the victim is and write their name in the middle of the piece of paper. Then brainstorm information about the murder, for example:
Feel free to expand out from any of these, e.g. to include more information on the different characters involved.
The idea is that everyone writes at the same time! Obviously, you can discuss ideas, but anyone can dive in and write their ideas on the mind map.
If you’re writing a piece of fiction, ask yourself how your protagonist would react to an everyday situation. This can help you to gain a deeper insight into who they are.
One way to do this is to imagine what their New Year’s resolutions would be.
If completing this exercise with a group, limit it to 3 to 5 resolutions per person. If some participants are historical fiction or non-fiction writers, they instead pick a celebrity and either write what their resolutions will be, or what their resolutions should be, their choice.
Stephen King said, "I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout it from the rooftops."
He also said, "Take any noun, put it with any verb, and you have a sentence. It never fails. Rocks explode. Jane transmits. Mountains float. These are all perfect sentences. Many such thoughts make little rational sense, but even the stranger ones (Plums deify!) have a kind of poetic weight that’s nice."
In this fiction writing exercise, start by brainstorming (either individually or collectively) seven verbs on seven different pieces of paper. Put those aside for later. Now brainstorm seven nouns. Randomly match the nouns and verbs so you have seven pairs. Choose a pair and write a piece of fiction for ten minutes. Avoid using any adverbs.
It’s the end of the world! For 5 minutes either:
If working as a team, then after the 5 minutes is up each writer reads their description out to the other participants.
For use after your first draft
I’ve listened to a lot of masterclasses on writing by successful authors and they all say variants of your first draft won’t be good and that’s fine. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman summarise it the best:
“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.”
Terry Pratchett
“For me, it’s always been a process of trying to convince myself that what I’m doing in a first draft isn’t important. One way you get through the wall is by convincing yourself that it doesn’t matter. No one is ever going to see your first draft. Nobody cares about your first draft. And that’s the thing that you may be agonising over, but honestly, whatever you’re doing can be fixed… For now, just get the words out. Get the story down however you can get it down, then fix it.”
Neil Gaiman
Once you’ve written your first draft, it will need editing to develop the plot, enhance the characters, and improve each scene in a myriad of ways – small and large. These seven creative editing exercises are designed to help with this stage of the process.
Read the first paragraph of the novel, in particular the first sentence. Does it launch the reader straight into the action? According to On Writing and Worldbuilding by Timothy Hickson, “The most persuasive opening lines are succinct, and not superfluous. To do this, it is often effective to limit it to a single central idea… This does not need to be the most important element, but it should be a central element that is interesting.” Ask yourself what element your opening sentence encapsulates and whether it’s the best one to capture your readers’ attention.
Consistency is crucial in creative writing, whether it’s in relation to location, objects, or people.
It’s also crucial for personality, emotions and motivation.
Look at scenes where your protagonist makes an important decision. Are their motivations clear? Do any scenes force them to choose between two conflicting morals? If so, do you explore this? Do their emotions fit with what’s happened in previous scenes?
As you edit your manuscript, keep the characters’ personality, emotions and motivation in mind. If their behaviour is inconsistent, either edit it for consistency, or have someone comment on their strange behaviour or be surprised by it. Inconsistent behaviour can reveal that a character is keeping a secret, or is under stress, so characters don’t always need to be consistent. But when they’re not, there has to be a reason.
This exercise is the first in The Emotional Craft of Fiction by Donald Maass. It’s a writing guide with a plethora of editing exercises designed to help you reenergize your writing by thinking of what your character is feeling, and giving you the tools to make your reader feel something.
Search for the following words in your book:
Whenever these words occur, ask yourself if you can demonstrate how your characters feel, rather than simply stating it. For each occasion, can you use physiological descriptors (a racing heart), actions (taking a step backwards) or dialogue to express what’s just happened instead? Will this enhance the scene and engage the reader more?
Find a scene where your characters disagree – in particular a scene where your protagonist argues with friends or allies. What happens next?
It can be tempting to wrap up the action with a quick resolution. But what if a resentment lingers and mistrust builds? This creates a more interesting story arc and means a resolution can occur later, giving the character development a real dynamic.
Review how you resolve the action and see if you can stretch out the emotions for a more satisfying read.
Ensure that the words used don’t detract from the enormity of the events your character is going through. Can you delete words like, “Quite”, “Little”, or “Rather”?
Of “Very” Florence King once wrote: “ 'Very' is the most useless word in the English language and can always come out. More than useless, it is treacherous because it invariably weakens what it is intended to strengthen .” Delete it, or replace the word after it with a stronger word, which makes “Very” redundant.
“That,” is another common word used in creative writing which can often be deleted. Read a sentence as is, then reread it as if you deleted, “That”. If the meaning is the same, delete it.
When talking about chapter endings, James Patterson said, “At the end, something has to propel you into the next chapter.”
Read how each of your chapters finish and ask yourself does it either:
Review how you wrap up each of your chapters. Do you end at the best point in your story? Can you add anticipation to cliff hangers? Will you leave your readers wanting more?
The editing exercises are designed to be completed individually.
With the others, I've always run them as part of a creative writing group, where there's no teacher and we're all equal participants, therefore I keep any 'teaching' aspect to a minimum, preferring them to be prompts to generate ideas before everyone settles down to do the silent writing. We've recently gone online and if you run a group yourself, whether online or in person, you're welcome to use these exercises for free!
The times given are suggestions only and I normally get a feel for how everyone's doing when time's up and if it's obvious that everyone's still in the middle of a discussion, then I give them longer. Where one group's in the middle of a discussion, but everyone else has finished, I sometimes have a 'soft start' to the silent writing, and say, "We're about to start the hour and a half of silent writing now, but if you're in the middle of a discussion, feel free to finish it first".
This way everyone gets to complete the discussion, but no-one's waiting for ages. It's also important to emphasise that there's no wrong answers when being creative.
Still looking for more? Check out these creative writing prompts or our dedicated Sci-Fi and Fantasy creative writing prompts
If you've enjoyed these creative writing exercises, please share them on social media, or link to them from your blog.
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Group writing exercises you can do with your writing circle or critique group are a fun ice-breaker and a way to get creative ideas flowing. Read 50 ‘fill in the blank’ creative writing prompts.
‘Fill in the blank’ writing exercises are fun to do in a group. Writing exercises with some set parameters highlight the diverse, interesting ways different writers interpret and respond to the same prompts. Try one of 50 ‘fill in the blank’ creative writing prompts below, and share your creativity in the comments or tag @NowNovel if sharing your version on social media.
The first prompt was a prompt for a contest to win a place on our Group Coaching writing course .
Every year, I’d made a resolution not to ever __ again. Yet by January 20th I’d already __ and __.
Entries were voted on blind by a panel of four from the Now Novel team, and the winner was Ethan Myers with this entry:
Here are 49 more prompts to enjoy and stimulate creative ideas:
On leaving As soon as I turned 18, I left__. It was a town of__and__ .
On arrival I walked through the arched entryway and my jaw dropped. Everywhere you looked there were__. Marco Polo himself could never have imagined__.
The first time It was my first ever flight. I was__. Then a__ sat down next to me, turning to me and asking, “__?”
Compare and contrast My hometown was__. When I got to__, a college town, the first thing I noticed was__.
Use the senses The minute you entered, you could smell __. Paired with the sound of __, it was unmistakably home.
Be specific The home we’d rented for the holidays was neither__ nor__, contrary to the listing. Yet my younger brother was delighted when we found__.
Build a bucket list I’d always wanted to go to__. I’d read so much about its__, though nothing had prepared me for__.
Create a world In the books I had read as a kid, portals were gateways to worlds where __. Yet here, I was surprised to find a__.
Outside/inside Outside, the sounds of__ filled the air__. Yet inside, the 19th Century __was like another world, full of strange __.
Stay accountable, in a structured program with writing sprints, coach Q&As, webinars and feedback in an intimate writing group.
Lovers’ quarrel We thought it would be a romantic getaway to Rome. Then__. By the end of the day, hot and fed up, we__.
A troubling lookout He climbed the watchtower, yet when he turned to the window, what he saw made him tremble.__.
The duel Many had said that if they were ever to duel, no two could be more equally matched. But what his opponent didn’t know was__.
Alien invasion In alien movies, they always blew up The White House or__. So he hadn’t expected to be toe to toe with an extraterrestrial having a screamed debate about__.
An assassin As the most skilled contract killer in the kingdom, she knew how to__. Yet nobody knew that she__.
Warring nations It started with a trade embargo. Then the president said that our neighbors’ president was a __ with a __. Next thing we knew, __.
Difficult decisions I couldn’t decide whether to__ or to__, but it was 4:45 pm and the last train was leaving in five minutes.
Secrets and lies “I never__,” he said. Yet I knew he was lying because__.
Surprises “Guess what I have behind my back?” she said. “__?” I guessed. “No!” She held out__.
Confessions “I didn’t know how to tell you this … I__.” “I’m glad you told me, now we can__.”
Embarrassing family “Your son is very talented, Mr Jones,” the__ said. “You say that now. You should have seen when he was 9. He__ and we were told that__.”
Thinking aloud “You should__.” “What did you just say?” “Did I just say that out loud? I was thinking about__.”
Know-it-all “Bet you didn’t know__,” he gloated. “Bet you didn’t know__,” I clapped back, full sass.
Bad bard “Shall I compare thee-“ I married a thespian. “Shall I compare you to __?” I rolled my eyes.
Wild reactions His face was as __ as a__ after the bug bite and we were all a bit worried.
Comparing the moon The moon is a__ tonight, its thin crescent glowing like a__.
Making abstraction specific My anxiety is like a__ on the first day of school. A__ with a __.
Sound and simile The first minutes the orchestra was like a __, the music shimmering like __. But in the allegro the principal violinist’s string broke and the conductor__.
Describing emotions Fear is a__ with a__.
Describing the human voice He had a voice like__, like a__ echoing in a __.
Degrees of comparison The mysterious drink they prepared was sweeter than__. But sweeter still was__.
Fugitive I had run all night, adrenaline keeping fatigue at bay. When I saw__ as dawn broke, I knew__.
Collective They had ways of dealing with dissent. If you dared to go against the clan, you would be__, God help you.
The reader as reader You decide to go to the library. You want to read a book about__. The librarian raises an eyebrow as they run the barcode scanner. “__?” They ask, as you blush.
The group as one That summer, we__ until we couldn’t__. We were all in our twenties, and the days were__.
Future perfect tense, indicative mood In several years’ time, she will have changed, our__ changing like__.
Present tense, potential mood “They may change their minds,” the King says, scowling, “or else we may have to__ and__.”
Future tense, subjunctive mood If I should__, then tell everyone I never__.
[See a helpful explanation of verb moods and tenses in Ursula K. Le Guin’s Steering the Craft . ]
Colum McCann – Let the Great World Spin We had a short driveway full of__. If we crossed the road, we could stand on__ and__.
Gabriel Garcia Marquez – Love in the Time of Cholera He had returned from a long stay in Paris, where he__, and from the time he set foot on solid ground he__.
Margaret Atwood, Oryx and Crake Jimmy’s earliest complete memory was of a huge__. He must have been five, maybe six. He was wearing__.
Virginia Woolf – Mrs Dalloway Her only gift was__. If you put her in a room with some one, up went her back like a cat’s; or she__.
Italo Calvino – The Complete Cosmicomics I thought only of the Earth. It was the Earth that caused each of us to__.
David Sedaris – Me Talk Pretty One Day When painting proved too difficult, I turned to__, telling myself__.
Eva Hoffman – Lost in Translation The library is located in a__ street, in an ancient building, which one enters through a__. It is Plato’s cave, Egyptian temple, the space of__.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie – Half of a Yellow Sun Richard said little at the parties Susan took him to. When she introduced him, she always added__. But they were pleasant to him; they would be to__.
Ursula K. Le Guin – The Left Hand of Darkness I’ll make my report as if I told a story, for I was taught__.
Colson Whitehead – The Zone The reunions were terrific and rote, early tutelage in the recursive nature of human experience. “__?” the girlfriends asked as they padded in bearing__, and he’d say “__”.
Barbara Kingsolver – The Poisonwood Bible Once every few years, even now, I catch the scent of__. It makes me want to keen, sing,__.
Jorge Luis Borges – Labyrinths He opened a drawer of the black and gold desk. He faced me and in his hands he held__.
Emily Brontë – Wuthering Heights While enjoying a month of fine weather at the sea-coast, I was thrown into the company of a__, a real__.
Find daily writing prompts plus literary device definitions and terms.
Build focus and a steady writing routine, and get help from experienced coaches and editors while connecting with other writers on our 6-month Group Coaching course. Learn more and see what alumni loved.
Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.
These exercises look like fun!
Sometimes there comes a point when you can’t think of anything worth writing. I guess every writer will know what I mean. But with these templates, I can get some inspiration and share whole stories with my friends.
Thank you, Jordan.
Hi Daisy, I’m glad that you found these ideas inspiring, it’s a pleasure. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
I love these! They’re inspiring (although I want to cheat and use them as-is). Lots of material for future fun 😉
Hi Margriet, thank you! I’m glad you find these writing exercises fun. We can share fill-in-the-blank exercises in the challenge group, that’s another idea.
Thankyou Jordan for these great points.
It’s a pleasure, Dave. Thank you for reading our blog.
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This article is part five of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club. Part one is here . Topics will include giving constructive criticism , running a workshop , and writing games / prompts .
Writing prompts are both fun and a great club icebreaker. There are several types of writing prompts. My favorites are story prompts and first-line prompts. I used to come up with them for the teen creative writing club I ran. I’ve put some of each below to get your club started.
Here are my general rules for writing games/prompts:
One last thing. My personal rule for coming up with prompts was I would never put it in the basket unless I could take the prompt in at least a couple of directions. Take the first line prompt below, “I hated that smile.” I could imagine a creepy story where the main character faces someone that scares them. I could also see the main character coming home to their mother, and the smile means they’re about to do something they don’t want to, like spend the weekend volunteering. Those are two very different stories. So, the prompt went into the basket.
I would always allow people to change the pronouns for their prompts. He to she, she to I, you to they, etc.
Story Prompts:
First Line Prompts:
Check out my Pinterest board for weekly writing prompts!
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Touching base.
Mutual support can be one of the most important functions of a writing group. Sometimes encouragement and the knowledge that others are interested in and committed to your work and your progress as a writer can be just as helpful as feedback. To that end, your writing group may want to reserve some time in each session to “touch base” or “check in” with one another. During this time you could:
Some writing groups ask members to distribute their work in advance of the group meeting, particularly if the piece of writing in question is lengthy. Internet-based file-sharing platforms make it easy to share files, and groups can choose a platform that will offer their members the appropriate level of access and security. Standardized file-naming conventions will help members locate documents easily, e.g., consistently naming folders by Date_Name of writer (11.14.20_Maria or Nov. 14 Maria).
The following ideas might help you respond to work that has been distributed beforehand:
Some groups prefer to bring writing, particularly shorter pieces, to the group meeting for immediate discussion. You might bring a draft of an entire paper, a section of a paper, or just a sentence or two that you can’t seem to get “just right.” Many of the above ideas will work just as well for writing that has been presented during the meeting of the writing group. However, since writing presented during the meeting will be new to everyone except the author, you might try these additional strategies:
Sometimes, especially with new writing or writers needing a boost of confidence, it can be helpful to share writing without anticipating feedback. This kind of sharing can help writers get over fears about distributing their work or being judged:
Writing groups can provide not only feedback and a forum in which to share work, but also creative problem-solving for your writing troubles. Your group might try some of these brainstorming ideas:
Your writing group may choose to write during some of its meetings. Here are some ideas for what to write:
Just as writing during group meetings can prove beneficial, reading can sometimes help writing groups work together better:
Just as guest lecturers in courses sometimes spice up the classroom experience, guests in writing groups can enliven the discussion:
Your writing group can also help you plan your writing schedule for the week:
You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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by Melissa Donovan | Jan 4, 2024 | Creative Writing | 24 comments
Try some of these creative writing activities.
Are you looking for writing motivation, inspiration, or ideas that will give your latest project an extra boost?
Below you’ll find a massive list of creative writing activities. Some of these activities will keep you writing when you’re in need of ideas and inspiration. Others will improve your writing skills and techniques through practice. Some will give you experience with forms and genres you haven’t tried. And others will help you promote your writing once it’s published.
Pick any activity and use it as a creative outlet. Bring a few activities to your writing group or do one with your kids. Use these creative writing activities in any way you want.
Journaling is an excellent way to maintain a steady writing practice, and there are lots of different journals you can write: gratitude journals, dream journals, media journals, poetry journals, and idea journals, to name a few.
Flip through some images on Instagram or Pinterest and see what sparks an idea. Don’t place limitations on your writing—just let the words flow.
Writing letters in your characters’ voices can help you get inside their heads and understand them better so you can write them with more depth and realism. Create an ongoing correspondence to explore character relationships and group dynamics within your cast.
Write a series of short bios for your social media accounts and a longer one for your author website. Don’t forget to make a bio for your press kit and another to include in your books.
Set your inner musician free by composing lines and couplets in metrical patterns with rhymes. Establish the parameters before you start writing, or just let the words flow and note the meter and rhyme afterward.
Grab an old photo album or flip through the photos on your phone—or use recall to bring forth memories that you can write about. Use this as an exercise in writing description or crafting a narrative about something you experienced or witnessed—ideal if you’re interested in writing a memoir.
Writing exercises keep your skills sharp and your creativity flowing even when inspiration is fleeting. They are excellent for keeping up your writing practice between projects. Pick up a book of creative writing exercises so you’ll have plenty to choose from.
Create a repository of ideas by writing a list of what-if questions that could spark characters, plots, and settings for your future works of fiction or provide ideas you can explore in poetry and nonfiction writing projects.
A mailing list is one of the best ways for an author to connect with a readership. Start planning yours now. You can fill your newsletter with behind-the-scenes material from your books or excerpts from your work in progress. Or write a poem or piece of flash fiction for your newsletter.
The best characters feel like real people, which means the writer has fully gotten into their heads and hearts. One way to do that is to keep a diary in your character’s voice, which will help you establish their innermost thoughts and feelings. And who knows? Maybe a character diary will turn into a novel written in first person!
Jump at least ten years into the future and write a letter from your current self to your future self, write a letter from your future self to your current self, or write a diary entry as your future self.
Comics are often partnerships between artists and writers. Give the writing side of comics a try. If you don’t want to draw, just make notes about what the illustrations will depict. Focus on character, plot, and dialogue. Flip through a few comics if you need examples to guide you.
Write a few pages describing your dream vacation. Where will you go? How long will you stay? What will you do there? If you’ve already experienced a dream vacation, write about that instead.
A book blurb is a short statement endorsing a book, often written by another author. Choose a few of your favorite titles and write blurbs for them.
Focus on dialogue by writing a script. It could be a script for a play, a TV series, or a movie, or it can simply be an exercise in practicing or exploring dialogue.
Create a fictional history for a fantastical or sci-fi story world. What were the origins of the civilization? What are their customs and traditions? Their laws and beliefs?
Start with an introduction that makes the reader’s mouth water, and then deliver the recipe, complete with an ingredient list and cooking instructions.
Do you have a favorite book that’s never been made into a film or television series? Put together a two-page pitch convincing studio executives that this story needs to be seen on a screen.
Write a letter to someone who’s gone, someone who’s upset you, or someone you admire from afar.
Found poetry is when we use words and phrases from source material to create a poem. This is most often seen as a page of printed text with various words and phrases circled, or all text blacked out except the portions that make up the found poem.
Write an award acceptance speech; a campaign speech, or a graduation or wedding speech.
Create an outline for a large-scope project, such as a book or series of books.
Practice writing similes and metaphors. Similes are when one thing is like another (your smile is like sunshine) and metaphors are when one thing is another (your smile is sunshine).
If you’ve written a lot of short pieces, like essays, poems, and short stories, collect them into a chapbook. Bring it to an open mic and take along copies you can sell or give away, or offer it on your blog, website, or social media as a free or premium download.
Fill it with things that make you want to write — positive affirmations, favorite lines from poems, quotes of wisdom, and useful reminders. Crack it open whenever you catch yourself procrastinating when you should be writing.
Write a few scenes in your favorite story world. Create new characters or use existing characters. Just remember — you don’t own the intellectual property, so you can’t commercially publish it.
A critique should start by highlighting the strengths in a piece of writing, and then it should gently but constructively offer feedback that is meant to show the author how to make improvements. You can critique any work, but it would be ideal if you can find a writer friend to swap critiques with.
A log line is a sentence or two that summarizes a story and entices readers. If you’re working on a project, write a log line about it. Log lines are excellent for crystallizing your vision, and they’re also useful for pitching and selling written works.
A legacy book is a collection of writings and other materials (letters, photos, ephemera, etc.) that can be passed down as a family heirloom. Write about your family history and document significant or memorable family events.
What do you think the world will look like in twenty-five years? Fifty? A hundred? A thousand? Write an essay or short story, or create a world-building document for a futuristic civilization.
Written like a short story in present tense, a film treatment is an overview of an entire film; it’s usually written before the first draft and used for pitching film ideas throughout the industry.
If you write nonfiction, this should be easy; just write a post about one of your usual topics. If you’re a poet or a fiction writer, write about the craft, the industry, or use subject matter from your written works.
Writing description is an important skill. Create a one-page description for a story setting, or describe a location you’ve visited, or write a description of a real person or a fictional character.
Memories can provide a wealth of ideas for any type of writing, from poetry to fiction and a variety of essays. Choose an early memory and write it as a story, essay, or poem.
Social media is ideal for people who can write snappy, witty, and entertaining or engaging vignettes. Social media is an excellent tool for writers to find readers and connect with one another, so mastering a couple of these social platforms is a good idea if you hope to build a career as a writer.
Dig through your old, discarded writings and find a piece that had some potential. Then rewrite it.
Choose a piece of writing (it can be a book, an article, an essay — anything) and then write an analysis of at least 2,000 words (or about four pages).
Read a handful of poems by a single poet and then attempt writing a poem in that poet’s voice. This is not an exercise in copying; it’s an exercising in studying the voice of a writer. If you’re feeling ambitious, try it with works of fiction and write a scene in an author’s voice.
Choose a book that you’ve read recently and write a detailed review of it. What worked? What didn’t work? What did you like? What didn’t you like? Remember, a review should help a book find its readers. Who is this book for, if not for you?
What are some of your favorite creative writing activities? Have you done any of the activities on this list? Which ones would you want to try? Can you think of any writing activities to add to this list? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment, and keep writing!
Thank you for all these wonderful ideas. After a very long hiatus from the writing world (mostly because of health) I am feeling a bit rusty. Using some of these ideas will certainly prime the pump! I really enjoy your blog and appreciate the basics of grammar, etc. I find that I have slipped into some old habits just in my everyday writing and your tips help me get back on track.
Thanks, Ann. I’m always touched by comments like yours. It keeps me going when people let me know this blog is helpful or inspiring. So thank you for taking the time. Best of luck and keep writing!
The character journal is a great idea!!!
The problem with the character journal is that it could be time consuming, but I love it as a way to get to know a character, and more specifically, to get inside a character’s head.
All of these ideas are wonderful. I’m especially attracted to the last two suggestions. Both of those activities are fun for me and certainly bound to be helpful concerning my writing skills.
When I must wait in the car (with a sleeping grandchild, for instance) I’m only happy if I can see folks as they come and go.
We play word games on a regular basis and have found it strengthens the writing skills of even those of us who do not call ourselves wordsmiths.
Keep up the excellent work.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Yvonnne. I’m looking forward to the day when the little ones in my family (niece and nephew) are old enough to play word and letter games.
Hi Melissa, Thanks for these wonderful ideas. I ‘m taking a couple of days off from writing my memoir, and will try them out.’Writing as one of my characters’ and ‘sitting in some heavily populated place for observations’ are intriguing.
Those are my two favorites as well. Good luck, Margaret, and enjoy your hiatus. I hope it refreshes you so you can return to your memoir.
Love the character journal idea! To keep my vocab going I choose pages out of the dictionary/thesaurus to keep my brain working. It also does wonders for my muse. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this list.
I write a lot of scenes and backstory for my characters, which are never included in the book. Exploring the characters outside of the narrative has proven to be very helpful in better understanding them.
Hi, Melissa!
Well, I’ve been absent for quite a long while. But I have been busy. A spec piece submitted to my local daily newspaper landed me a column. (Who couldda guessed?) I also write theater reviews for them; write what you know has never been more true.
Consequently, I find that my creative writing has slowed quite a bit. The sequel to my debut needs, maybe, two more chapters yet there it sits, though a production company asked for it. Even reading the preceding few chapters doesn’t help me get into the character’s heads in order to finish the thing.
Got any ideas?
Congrats on landing a column, Paul. That’s awesome. I’m not sure why you’ve been unable to finish your sequel, so I can’t offer any specific suggestions, but you can start by fguring out why you’re not finishing it (no time, lost interest, etc.), and then you can probably rectify the problem.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing these great ideas.
You’re welcome. Thanks for commenting!
It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut. Every writer needs to step away.
I live near the University of Oregon. Every now and than I take a walk through campus. I try to time it during a busy school day. I wish I could bottle the youthful energy that is floating in the wind.
If any of you live near a school try it.
Thank you for the list. It helps a lot.
Yes, breaks are great refreshers for a creative mind. You’re lucky to live near a beautiful place for walks.
I don’t speek english so, sorry if i write wrong, but i need to tell you that your blog is amazing. Your write it’s soo good and make me wanna write. I have 15 years old and i love write, maybe I become a writter when I grew up, and I don’t know how to make my ideias go for the paper but your blog has helped me. Thank you!!
Hi Isabella. Thanks for sharing your passion for writing. I’m glad you’re enjoying this blog. Keep writing!
Thank you for your useful ideas! You have inspired me to try out new formats. I’m not a professional writer, it’s more my hobby. But still, I want to improve myself by writing texts and short stories.
You’re welcome. I’m glad this inspired you, and I’m thrilled that you’re working toward improvement. That’s wonderful!
Hi Melissa! I just wanted you to know that I recently bought some of your books and I absolutely love them and carry them around with me everywhere. Keep up the amazing work! Best wishes, Sandra Harris.
Wow, you just made my day, Sandra. That’s one of the nicest things anyone has said about my books. I’m so glad you like them. Keep writing!
Thank you for those amaing ideas. I’m not exactly stuck, as I know where my latest book is going, but I’m a bit lacking in motivation right now. Some of your suggestions might just get my juices flowing again.
Hi Vivienne. You’re welcome. I’m glad you found some motivation here. Keep writing!
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Make writing less boring with these 12 fun creative writing activities for kids.
When most children think of writing, they think of lined paper with thousands of words written on it, line by line with the occasional spacing for paragraphs. But writing doesn’t need to be that boring and gloomy. Today we bring you12 creative writing activities to make writing fun and colourful!
It is important to show your kids that there’s more to writing than just homework and long essays. Writing can be fun and it doesn’t always involve writing thousands of words in a formal structure. It’s time to stop worrying about sentence structure, grammar and spelling mistakes. Instead, encourage your kids to explore their creativity and write down their thoughts as they come in any format they like. Here are 12 fun creative writing activities that will boost your child’s creativity, imagination and encourage them to write for fun.
Use story maps.
Story maps are a great way to unleash your child’s imagination. You can either create your own or print out one of these free story map templates . To create your own story map, you’ll first need a location. This could be anywhere, a planet , an island , the woods or even your hometown. Don’t worry, you don’t actually need to leave your home to enjoy this activity.
Next draw out a simple map of the location. The map must have a starting point and an endpoint. Here is an example of our treasure island story map:
You can see that we marked the starting point with a star. And the end point with a red cross. Once this is done, you need to put loads of obstacles, challenges and interesting things on the map for your child to explore and engage with in their imagination. This could be a giant octopus monster, a lava lake, a cunning princess or even some secret symbols or lettering.
Once you have completed creating your action-packed story map (or printed out one of our free templates) – It’s time for the real adventure to begin. Give the map to your child and together you can pretend that you have landed in a whole new location.
Start from your bedroom (or your imaginary pirate ship) and make your way through the obstacles to find the secret treasure located in a mysterious cave (or the shed in your backyard). As you go through the map, think about the characters you might encounter, items you might find and even challenges you could face.
After your little adventure, your child will be inspired and ready to write about the adventure they just experienced! Go ahead and check out these free story map templates to get you started:
Puppets and toys are a great way to stimulate imaginative play. In particular, creating your own paper finger puppets is a brilliant creative activity to boost your child’s imagination and make story-telling more fun. When creating your own finger puppets, your child can create any character they like. If they love football , try creating some famous football players, and if they love Harry Potter , get them to create some wizard themed characters. Whatever your child’s interest, combine it with story-telling, and make storytime extra fun.
To get you started, you can download our free paper finger puppet templates by signing up to Imagine Forest:
Create your own paper characters, props and background. Then let the role-playing begin!
Kids love playing games. The Would You Rather game is a great way to boost logical thinking and communication skills. Print out our free Would You Rather game cards pack, to get a mix of funny, gross and Disney themed questions. Then get at least three players in a team to begin the game. The purpose of the game is to convince the whole team that your answer to the question is the best one and to get other players to agree with you. This game is guaranteed to get your kids laughing and thinking logically about the answers they pick.
Another brilliant creative writing activity is the Telephone Pictionary Game . The basic idea behind this game is to write a story collaboratively with your team using drawings and phrases. Together as team members take turns to write/draw something down. They’ll be improving skills such as creativity, teamwork and communication skills. And when the game is over, they’ll have a really funny story to read!
Poetry is a quick and short writing activity to get kids engaged in creative writing. But writing a typical haiku or limerick can get boring over time. To add a little more excitement gets your kids to write poems in the shape of something. For example, your child could write a poem about cats , in the shape of a cat:
Not only are these poems great to read, but they also make wonderful pieces of artwork. For more inspirations, check out our Alice in Wonderland inspired shape poetry .
The finish the story game is the simplest creative writing activity in our list. In a team of at least 2 players, each player takes turns completing a story. Start off with a random story starter and then each player takes turns to continue this story. Which way will the story go? No-one knows. And that’s the real beauty of this game. Let your child explore their imagination and come up with wild ideas to keep the story interesting. And by the end of the game, you’ll have a really unique and funny story to read.
Image prompts are a great source of inspiration. And can be used in a number of ways to encourage your child to write. For instance, you can ask your child to write a quick snappy slogan for a random image or photograph. Alternatively, you could play a whole game centred around a single image, such as the Round Robin Tournament game explained in our post on storytelling games using image prompts .
Inspiration is key in making writing fun for kids. That’s where story cubes come in handy. You either buy ready-made story cubes or make your own story cubes at home. If you’re interested in making your own story cubes, check out these 9 free story cube templates for ideas. Once you have a bunch of story cubes, you can simply roll them like dice and then challenge your kids to write a story based on the images they get. For game ideas using story cubes, check out this post on how to use story cubes .
If your kids hate writing but love drawing, then comic strips are a great creative activity to sneak in some minor writing with huge levels of imagination. Pick a topic, any topic you like. This could be related to your child’s interest and then ask them to create a short comic strip about that topic. For example, if you child loves dinosaurs, ask them to create their own comic strip about dinosaurs. For more inspiration and ideas, check out this post on how to create your own comic strip and comic books at home.
Another fun way to get your kids to write more is by creating your own pop-book books. Pop-up books seem really complicated to create, but in reality, they are really easy to make at home. All you need is some paper, scissors and glue. Check out this super easy tutorial on how to create your own pop-book at home for quick step-by-step instructions. Similar to comic strips, pop-up books are a great way of combining drawing with writing to get your kids writing more in a quick and fun way.
Turn your child’s story into a real book! You can buy blank books from Amazon or create your own mini paper book, using this easy mini notebook tutorial . With this tutorial you can create a fully customisable book, with your own cover, back page and you can even draw your own illustrations inside! This is a really fun and cute way to gets your kids writing in their spare time.
Forgot ordinary boring letters! Check out our Paper craft animal envelopes to encourage your kids to write letters to their friends, family, heroes, aliens, anyone they like! Inside the child can write any message they like, such as “how were your holidays…” or “We’re having a party this weekend…” And on the outside they can create any animal or creature they like as envelopes.
Ask your child to draw their own monster or character and describe it. – What are its strengths, and weaknesses, where does it live, what does it like doing and so on? This creative writing activity is quick, simple and full of imagination! And you could even take this a step further by creating your own monster flip books !
Use story starters to inspire reluctant writers. These can be simple sentences, such as “It was Timmy’s first day at school and he was excited…” and your child can continue writing the rest of the story. Or you could use photos and your child’s drawings to inspire story-writing by asking the child to describe what’s happening in this image. Take a look at this post on 60+ first-line prompts to inspire you or you could view our mega list of over 300 writing prompts for kids .
Get your child to create their own Christmas cards , greeting cards or get well cards to send to someone they know. They can write their own personal message inside and draw a picture on the outside. Quick activities like this are a great way to sneak in some writing with some arts and crafts.
Ask your child to write their own newspaper article or create their own newspaper about the daily events that happen at home or at school. Remember the use of the 5 W’s and 1 H when writing newspaper articles. Our newspaper challenge online activity is great for creating fun newspaper articles.
Get the kids involved in the weekly grocery shopping! Ask them to write the shopping list with drawings. If the grocery shopping list is too boring, then get them to create a wish list of items they dream of owning or even a list of goals they want to accomplish. You can buy some really pretty shopping list pads from Amazon , which could be a great way to encourage your kids to get writing!
Fairytales have been around for centuries and by now they need a modern twist. Challenge your child to update an old classic. And you could even use this free ‘Retell a fairy tale pack ’ to help you. Re-telling a fairytale is a lot easier than creating a whole new one – Simply ask your child to change one or two key elements in the story and see how it changes the entire fairytale. For example, what if Cinderella was the villain? Alternatively, you could go wacky and add a whole new character to a classic fairytale, such as Spiderman making an appearance in Jack and the Beanstalk. The possibilities really are endless!
Ask your child to write their own short movie script, they can create a cast list and give all the different characters different things to say. You can find a free script and cast list template here ! Think about the conversation between the characters, what problems would they encounter, who is the villain in this story? We also think these free finger puppets printable could be great for story-telling.
Ask your child to keep a simple hand-written blog about their hobbies and interests. This can be done in a journal or notebook. Ask them the following questions: What do they like doing in their spare time and why do they enjoy this. Maybe ask them to provide instructions on how someone else can also be good at this hobby. They can update their hand-written blog everyday with new tips and interesting pieces of information on their hobby.
Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for famous villains in storybooks, such as Miss Trunchbull from Matilda or Cinderella’s Stepmother. You can find a free blank template here . Alternatively try out the Most Wanted online activity on Imagine Forest, to create your own wanted posters online:
Writing a whole story down can be cumbersome. That’s why storyboarding can make a really good creative writing activity. Instead of asking a child to write a whole story down, get them to think about the key events in the story and plan it out using a storyboard template . Planning their story out beforehand could even encourage your child to write a complete story down afterwards. The first step is always planning out what you are going to write, and this could give your child the confidence to keep going.
Know anymore fun writing activities for kids? Tell us your ideas below.
Marty the wizard is the master of Imagine Forest. When he's not reading a ton of books or writing some of his own tales, he loves to be surrounded by the magical creatures that live in Imagine Forest. While living in his tree house he has devoted his time to helping children around the world with their writing skills and creativity.
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Have you ever heard these questions or statements from your students?
If so, you won’t want to miss these creative writing activities.
Activities that teach creative writing serve as drills to exercise your student’s writing muscle. When used effectively, they help reluctant writers get past that intimidating blank paper and encourage the words to flow.
When I think of creative writing exercises , writing prompts immediately come to mind. And, yes, writing from a prompt is certainly an example of a creative writing activity (a highly effective one).
However, writing prompts are only one way to teach creative writing. Other types of activities include games, collaboration with others, sensory activities, and comic strip creation to name a few.
Unlike writing assignments, creative writing activities aren’t necessarily meant to create a perfectly polished finished project.
Instead, they serve as more of a warmup and imagination boost.
Picture-based writing exercises are especially fun. You can download one for free below!
How to use creative writing exercises effectively.
When teaching creative writing , the most effective exercises inspire and engage the student.
Remember that worn-out prompt your teacher probably hauled out every year?
“What I Did This Summer…”
Cue the groaning.
Instead of presenting your student with lackluster topics like that one, let’s talk about ways to engage and excite them.
Early writers tend to possess misconceptions about writing. Many picture sitting down for hours straight, polishing a story from beginning to end.
Even for experienced writers, this is next-to-impossible to do. It’s preconceived ideas like these that overwhelm and discourage students before they’ve even started.
Instead of assigning an essay to complete, start with simple, short writing exercises for elementary students such as:
Creative writing exercises don’t have to end in a finished piece of work. If the exercise encouraged creative thinking and helped the student put pen to paper, it’s done its job.
Creative writing activities for middle school can be a little more inventive. They now have the fundamental reading and writing skills to wield their words properly.
Here are some ideas for middle school writing exercises you can try at home:
Your high school student may be starting to prepare for college essays and other important creative writing assignments.
It’s more critical than ever for her to exercise her writing skills on a regular basis.
One great way to keep your high schooler’s mind thinking creatively is to have her make “listicles” of tips or facts about something she’s interested in already.
Another fun and effective creative writing exercise for high school is to have your student retell classic stories with a twist.
No matter what age range your students may be, I think you’ll find something that suits their personality and interests in this list of creative writing ideas. Enjoy!
One of the best ways to encourage students to write regularly is by providing fun creative writing activities .
They serve to encourage both the habit and mindset of writing with imagination. If you need extra help with that, check out Creative Freewriting Adventure :
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This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. This article has been viewed 35,847 times.
Do you have a passion for creative writing that you want to take to the next level? A great way to grow your writing skills is to start a creative writing club, where you can share your work with others who are invested in cultivating the same craft. Working with people who share similar interests to you is both fun and incredibly rewarding!
Get pupils into the scribbling spirit with these ideas for the classroom and after-school clubs…
Get children excited about creative writing and use it to get to know your students better with this advice from teachers and education experts…
How to run your own creative writing club, creative writing year 6 project.
Want to learn more about your class? Just let them write, says teacher Simon Hunt…
It’s remarkable what you can discover as a teacher when children have the freedom to express themselves in their writing.
At the beginning of term, I use creative writing to understand where a child is academically and to help me get to know all the children in my class.
Why not just give them a test, you ask? Well, you can learn a surprising amount about a child from a piece of their creative writing.
The choice of topics and themes in their writing can unveil children’s interests and passions, which is an incredibly valuable thing to know. Whether it’s street dance, football or dogs, you can use this knowledge to help spark their interest in maths, science, or any other subject by tailoring examples to suit them.
Creative writing also provides an avenue for children to express their emotions and thoughts, which will allow you to understand more about their feelings and concerns. It can unveil a child’s depth of insight and emotional intelligence that they may be hesitant to express verbally. This will really help you choose the right support for them through the school year.
Reading aloud is an important part of writing stories, as it gives children the opportunity to practise their oracy skills: pitch, tone, and intonation. And, vitally, hearing them read out loud will allow you to baseline their reading fluency. Presenting their writing to an audience can be very intimidating though, so should be handled sensitively.
Some children naturally have quieter voices and may avoid volunteering to read aloud, as they are aware that not everyone can hear them. In class, we have a pass-around microphone that children use when reading.
The microphone is connected to a speaker, meaning that everyone can hear them. The simple act of holding the microphone can significantly impact a child’s focus when reading aloud – often serving as a sort of comfort blanket, boosting their confidence.
Ultimately, the important thing to note is that stories are meant to be read and heard, and anything we can do to encourage that nurtures children’s literary and communication skills.
Creative writing reveals a child’s imaginative abilities, giving insights into their capacity for original thinking and storytelling. It can be surprising to see the children that excel at this and can help to highlight an aspect of a child’s personality that might otherwise not have come to light until later in the term.
If we want children to be excited about creative writing, we have to be too, so think about how you introduce the lesson.
I often begin by telling my new class about how I felt about writing as a child. I loved reading books, but I struggled at school with spelling and grammar (in fact I still do).
Sharing how creative writing helped me overcome my fear of writing allows me to explain how I realised that what was important was the imagination and creativity I could bring to my story.
As a published children’s author, I show them the books I’ve written and connect them back to what I learnt at school. I hope this helps them to overcome their worries about spelling and grammar – I’ve found post pandemic that more children feel anxious about ‘getting things wrong’.
Of course SPAG is still incredibly important but in creative writing I really want them to tell me a good story.
There are so many ways to understand the children in your class and what makes them tick and, as teachers, we’re attuned to gathering this information from day one. However, I think creative writing is one of the best because it gives us the basics but also tells us so much more about the child.
Simon Hunt is a Year 3 & 4 teacher at an inclusive school in Greater Manchester and education consultant for 500 Words 2023, the UK’s most successful children’s story writing competition hosted on BBC Teach. He also advises on 500 Words Live Lesson, which you can watch online .
Would you rather fly, or be invisible? Explore endless impossibilities and get pupils into the scribbling spirit with these ideas…
If you could wish for one thing, knowing that it would definitely come true, what would it be? A million pounds? To fly? Talk to animals? Live in a tree house? Travel the world at the click of a finger?
I’ve asked this question hundreds of times to thousands of pupils, and their answers are always imaginative, normally well thought-out, and quite often, impossible .
I then follow it up with the question, “What if you could experience that thing right here, right now?” Cue eyes widening, ears pricking and backs straightening. “All you need is… a pencil.”
Before becoming an author, I ran creative writing clubs in 30 schools a week for almost a decade. I hired over 100 tutors, won some awards, teamed up with publishers to arrange author events, and even had requests from teachers in Europe, Dubai and Australia asking to launch a club in their schools.
There were long waiting lists in almost every setting, and teachers, parents and librarians would ask on a weekly basis, “How have you turned that reluctant reader/writer into someone that actually wants to do more writing after school?”
The secret? First and foremost, I planned workshops that were FUN. I knew if I enjoyed running them, pupils would enjoy taking part.
I was just another writer in the room who talked about the books I was reading, collaborated on ideas, and asked for feedback on stories in the same way they asked me.
At this point I wasn’t a published author – just someone that loved to invent characters and write about fantastical, magical worlds.
I wrote alongside the students, making mistakes, scribbling over anything I didn’t like, and asking for help whenever I got stuck.
Everyone knew this was just ‘rough’ work. There was no pressure. No marking. No tests. And we didn’t have to share our ideas if we didn’t want to.
I genuinely looked forward to every single workshop I ran, and I know the students felt the same when they came racing into the classroom and didn’t want to leave at the end (yes, even the ones who ‘hated’ writing to begin with!).
Of course, I couldn’t rely on pupils simply coming up with new ideas each week for enjoyment. I had to provide them with inspiration, jumping-off points, and exciting writing hooks, too.
For this, I turned to the experts – children’s authors. I chose five ‘Authors of the Term’ that I knew would enthuse and inspire the students, and designed workshops around their books.
This was always a fun part of the process – I looked for books that had wide appeal, simple concepts, and an excitable element that made my inner child say ‘ oooh!’. Here are a few examples . . .
I used Abi Elphinstone’s Rumblestar to write fast-paced adventure stories. We plotted our adventures on maps, devised the main action in ‘cloud planners’, and focused on exciting ‘world-crossing moments’ to start our stories.
At Halloween, I chose books like Guy Bass’ Stitch Head and Joseph Coelho’s Zombierella , and ended each workshop with a spooky storytelling session where we turned off the lights, closed the blinds, and sat on the floor as if we were gathered around a campfire!
The most successful workshops were the simplest. I used L.D. Lapinski’s Strangeworlds series and copied what happened to the protagonist when she jumped inside a suitcase and travelled to another world.
Pupils planned their new setting, focused on the five senses, and described the first thing they noticed when they arrived.
Their stories were thrilling, fast-paced, hugely descriptive, and completely individual, because they had the freedom to take their ideas in any direction they chose.
I normally scheduled two sessions around each book – the first session involved planning and starting stories (or poems / diary entries / letters, etc), and the second session involved extending, improving, or continuing them.
I also added one ‘paint a picture’ session (using images for inspiration) and ‘free writing’ at the end of each term to give pupils a chance to finish their favourite piece of work.
Remember, if you want to boost writing for pleasure, pupils should know that they can write about anything. Nothing is off limits, impossible or ‘wrong’.
And if you’re not sure how to start your first session, why not ask your pupils that if there was one thing they could wish for, knowing that it would definitely come true… what would it be?
1) distraction.
Beware: pupils love this game so much, they might ask to play it every week! The idea is simple. Children write for 10 minutes, in silence, and if they speak / laugh / stop writing for an extended period of time, they get a ‘strike’.
If a table gets three strikes, they risk not being allowed to read their work out. The twist? It’s your job to distract them!
Shake tables and shout ‘EARTHQUAAAAKE!’, steal their pens, use rulers as drumsticks, play songs they’ll want to sing along to, bust out the YMCA and get caught by a bemused headteacher.
Between the giggling and dancing in their seats, pupils will write so much in these 10 minutes, and it’s a great way to get them writing without overthinking.
Give students a setting (e.g. a library / the moon / horse stables / a rocket ship) and challenge them to describe it without saying where it is.
They should focus on the five senses. They must give at least three clues before the class can guess where it is, and the person who guesses correctly gets the next go.
The winner is the person who gets the most correct answers or the person that comes up with your favourite description.
Tell pupils that most adults can write two lines in one minute, and then challenge them to write 10 lines in five!
Give constant time reminders, walk around the room shouting out ideas or words of encouragement, and watch their competitiveness soar.
This is a great game to play if, like me, you spend most of the lesson talking about books and story ideas, and realise there’s not much writing time left!
This game is a great way to warm up imaginations at the start of a workshop. Ask pupils to stand behind their chairs and give them an opening line such as, ‘I was walking through the haunted castle when . . .’.
Walk (actually, it’s more of a run) around the room, pointing at each pupil in turn, and asking them to add one word to the story.
It must make sense and they have three seconds to answer. If they can’t think of a word, if it doesn’t make sense, or if they take too long, they are out and must sit down.
The winner is the last person standing. Note: when they get really good, try introducing a one-second hesitation rule – it’s hilarious!
Remind students that every story needs a problem to make it exciting.
Then ask them to stand behind their chairs and each give one problem like, ‘aliens invaded Earth’ or ‘I broke a fingernail’.
Problems can be big or small, but they must give an answer in three seconds, and they can’t repeat anything that’s already been said. The winner is the last person standing.
Mel Taylor-Bessent is the author of The Christmas Carrolls and the director of the award-winning educational website, Authorfy . See more of Mel’s work at meltaylorbessent.com . Browse more creative writing prompts .
Combine twisting tongues and paperback publishing to produce an exciting writing project that allows pupils to make their very own book …
Have you ever tried to get your class excited about a writing exercise, only for them to pipe up with “But what’s the point?”.
We’ve all been there, and it can be incredibly frustrating when you don’t have an answer lined up.
Well, with this project, the outcome is both evident and impressive!
As part of a workshop, we decided to show children the amazing process of publishing, while adding in some humour, and – of course – essential literacy skills…
We visited Helen and her Y6 class for a morning, and explained to the children that we would do some writing that would lead to the publication of their very own paperback book.
We’d act as their agents, editors and publisher; they would have full control over all other aspects of the process.
The class settled on tongue twisters as our subject, and began by inviting children to try out some old favourites.
After much twisting of tongues and accompanying laughter, we showed the children probably the best-known English example: the one featuring Peter Piper. Most knew the first line but didn’t know there were three more:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper.
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
We challenged the class to compose 26 brand-new twisters, each following the alliteration pattern of that original but finding their own vocabulary.
Helen organised the class into pairs or threes, and each group was given two letters of the alphabet to work on, ensuring no group got two of the trickier letters.
Armed with dictionaries, the children got to work, and by breaktime had produced some impressively inventive twisters.
Here’s an example, cleverly coping with one particularly difficult letter:
Xavier Xmas x-rayed an extra-terrestrial xylophone.
An extra-terrestrial xylophone Xavier Xmas x-rayed.
If Xavier Xmas x-rayed an extra-terrestrial xylophone,
Where’s the extra-terrestrial xylophone Xavier Xmas x-rayed?
Although writing was the focus of the project, there were clear opportunities throughout for lots of worthwhile speaking and listening, too.
The pupils engaged in planning their tongue-twisters, and shared drafts in small groups.
Next, the groups came together to swap ideas and ask for opinions, and, finally, children read aloud their contributions and again asked for feedback.
As the children worked, they giggled a lot, but the seriousness and concentration they brought to the task was impressive throughout.
The talk was easily focused, because, in National Curriculum terms, pupils were ‘discussing writing similar to that which they [were] planning to write’.
There was also a clear need for writers to read the original text very carefully, which was built into their discussion and planning for their own verses.
This focus was nicely balanced by the eager and sustained use of dictionaries and the need for creativity in their word-hunting, showing their ‘enjoyment and understanding of language, especially vocabulary’.
Throughout, the process was always collaborative; writers understood they were working towards a shared, larger whole, and to tight deadlines, with a clear need for some ‘speedy writing’!
Once drafts were complete, all the children had to do some editing, and lots of proofreading.
After breaktime, we explained that once we were gone, they, the writers, would be in charge. All 26 twisters must be typed up and emailed to us by the end of the week. For the book, they must write a blurb and an introduction, and choose a title.
We explained how easy and low-cost it is to self-publish; the only cost came with the ordering of actual copies and so they must settle on a price per copy and crucially decide how many they would like to order (sneaking in a bit of economics!).
The children listened with real attention to all this and asked a good number of questions after, showing a remarkably mature commitment to the task.
Helen reported that the children very much liked the novel approach to writing.
They enjoyed their shared creativity and loved being entrepreneurs, relishing the involvement and control they had over the tasks, the decision-making, and the purpose.
For that short time, they had turned their classroom into a genuine publishing house and experienced purposeful writing for a real-world outcome – we won’t soon forget the looks on their faces when they saw their books for the first time.
David Horner was a writer-in-schools for over twenty years. Mike Jackson is a former primary school headteacher.
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One on one: creative writing, phonics, blending and short stories.
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Discussions about the writing craft.
This writing club is longstanding and has great participation across all grades. I've helped out with it in the past but really only just been there as a sounding board for kids. I never led anything.
I've taken over as of this week since the original teacher left, and am excited and have some great ideas...but this week is going to be super busy already and I am afraid I won't have time to really come up with much.
Most of the students already know each other pretty well, and those who are new will get the chance to mingle this week, which is fine. It can be pretty laid back for a while as they do this. It SHOULD be laid back overall, but I'd like to offer something for those kids who are ready to just get started with actually writing and workshopping.
What are some ideas for 30-50-minute creative writing exercises I could implement for part of the group?
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We’ve gathered five fun creative writing activities you can assign to spark a love for writing. Our hope is that these activities will create a workshop-like environment that fosters feedback and collaboration in your writing classroom.
You’ll notice that none of the activities focuses on the technical aspects of writing. Instead, the activities encourage creativity, reflection, and self-expression—hallmarks of meaningful writing.
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Writing back-and-forth stories takes a little creativity and a lot of flexibility. How long can you and a partner keep this story going?
An abandoned home sat at the top of the hill. Matt and Brianna knew the rumors about it, but they had to see it for themselves. They tiptoed their way up the steps, and when they reached the door, it swung open. Inside . . .
Want more creative writing ideas? Check out these creative activities.
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The State Standards provide a way to evaluate your students' performance.
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100 Last-Day-of-School Activities Your Students Will Love!
These activities are the definition of fun!
Learning new words is like adding to your writing toolbox. The more tools available, the more interesting and engaging your writing becomes. Check out these fun and engaging vocabulary activities for kids in grades K-12, and supply your students with the tools they need to build their wordsmith skills.
Using vocabulary words in writing shows mastery. Challenge your students to use all of their vocabulary words in an original short story. Allow students to pair up and share their stories with a partner.
Learn more: Vocab Short Story
Divide your class into two teams. Choose one student from one team to go to the front of the room and sit in a chair facing the class with their back to the board. This person is “on the spot.” Place a word on the board so everyone can see it except the person in the chair. One at a time, team members give the person a clue about the mystery word. If the word is guessed before two minutes are up, the team gets a point and play turns to the other team.
Learn more: On the Spot at Upper Elementary Snapshots
Download these vocabulary words and matching definitions. Distribute one card to each student (either a word or a definition). Allow students to circulate in the room and find their “match.” Switch cards and repeat.
Learn more: Dictionary Sort
Creating word maps from vocabulary words encourages students to find the relationships between the vocabulary word and other words. Have them include words, pictures, examples, real-world connections, definitions, descriptive words, etc.
Learn more: Word Map
Post vocabulary words around the room, then have students circulate and write an original sentence using that word on a sticky note. Follow along and make sure students use the words correctly.
Learn more: Post-it Stations
Kids draw cards out of the bag and attempt to correctly spell them. But be careful, you don’t want to draw the Pop! card.
Learn more: Pop!
Hang six to eight large sheets of chart paper in various places around the room. On each sheet, write one vocabulary word. Have students work in small groups, rotating between stations. At each station, ask students to come up with a different, original way to use each word. Continue the activity until all students have visited every station.
Learn more: Gallery Walk at TeachWriting.org
This fun activity requires students to draw a picture for each word to create their own visual dictionary. When students create their own visual representations, they develop an association with the word that they will be able to tap into when needed.
Learn more: Pictionary
Word maps help deepen understanding of a vocab word by relating it to other words and concepts students already know.
Frayer models are a popular way to learn new words and concepts. Kids define the word in their own terms, then list facts and characteristics, examples, and non-examples.
Learn more: Frayer Model
Kids and teachers love Sketchnotes ! Rather than writing out definitions, have students draw a sketch that sums up each word instead. It’s a lot more fun and gives kids an image for visual association to help them remember the meanings.
Learn more: Sketchnotes
Group vocab words together with a few other words with similar meanings and one that’s an antonym. Students identify the antonym and “bump” it to the next box, filling in the next group of words. They continue until the worksheet is full.
Learn more: Bumper Words
Think of a vocabulary graffiti wall like a collaborative word wall. In the classroom, post the words on the wall and have kids add sticky notes to illustrate the term (they can use words or pictures). Online, try a tool like Padlet or Google Slides.
Learn more: Graffiti Wall
This is a terrific way to practice vocab words pulled from books you’re reading. Ask students to use various words to describe the different characters in the book and their feelings, thoughts, and actions.
Learn more: Vocabulary Activities
This vocabulary game is fun and challenging, and it can be played by kids of any age. Choose a word, then challenge kids to come up with related words for as many letters as possible. These could be synonyms, antonyms, examples, and more. Trickier letters are worth more points!
Learn more: A to Z
Are you on the Flip (formerly Flipgrid) bandwagon yet? It’s perfect for vocabulary activities! Have kids record a quick video for each word, using their creativity to make it fun and meaningful.
Learn more: Pop-Up Pods
Good vocabulary activities encourage more than just memorization of definitions. That’s why we like this Jeopardy game idea. It explores synonyms and antonyms and how words are used in real sentences.
Learn more: Not So Wimpy Teacher
Writing a story using vocab words is a perennial favorite, but the RAFT method gives it a new twist. Students are assigned a Role (the point of view from which they’ll tell the story), an Audience, a Format, and a Topic. For instance, they might be an astronaut (Role) writing a postcard (Format) to their friends back home (Audience) about what they’ve seen on Mars (Topic). RAFTs are especially great for kids who claim they don’t know what to write about.
Learn more: RAFTs
Vocabulary words take on greater meaning when students incorporate them into their daily lives. Challenge kids to use their vocab words in conversation and writing outside the language arts classroom. Use the free printable worksheet here to help them keep track of how often they use them.
Learn more: Downloadable Vocabulary Activities
Colorful organizers like these are terrific vocabulary activities. Want to go digital? Have kids make a slideshow, one slide per word. They can include the same information, but instead of drawing a picture, have them find one online that illustrates the concept.
Learn more: Graphic Organizers at Upper Elementary Snapshots
Give really important terms the attention they deserve. Choose a new vocab word each week, then explore it in depth day by day.
Learn more: Word of the Week
Post a list of target vocab words. If a student uses one of the words in class (outside of vocabulary activities), they become a member of the Million Dollar Word Club! You can have them sign their name on a wall in the classroom or award a badge online. You could even develop this into a reward system for homework passes or extra credit.
Learn more: Million Dollar Words
This is a cool idea for exploring synonyms and the slight differences that make words unique. Ask for paint sample strips at your local hardware store, or buy a clip art set .
Learn more: Shades of Meaning
This is one of those vocabulary activities kids will want to do over and over again! Assign each student a word and have them create a faux Facebook, Instagram, or other social media page for it. They can draw them freehand or complete a template like these from Teachers Pay Teachers . Post the images to a shared Google slideshow so other students can use them for review.
Learn more: Social Media Vocabulary
Have students draw a diagonal line across an index card. On the top half, have them write the vocabulary word and definition. On the bottom half, have them draw a picture of the word and use it in a sentence. Cards can be joined together in a strip for easy review.
Learn more: Index Card Vocabulary
In this game, the goal is for one student to get their partner to guess the word by describing or giving examples of it. The trick? There’s a list of additional words they’re not allowed to use! Let other students see the card in advance to help keep the players honest. (Flash it on a whiteboard and have the guesser face away.)
Learn more: Don’t Say It! Vocabulary Game
Choose a vocab word, then have a student roll a die ( these virtual dice are handy ) to see which activity they get to complete.
Learn more: Roll a Word
Write an acrostic poem for each vocab term, using the letters to determine the first word in each line. This can get really challenging when words are longer!
Learn more: Acrostic Poem
Everyone knows that playing games is the best way to learn. Try some of these fabulous board games with your students and watch their vocabularies grow.
Learn more: 11 Vocab Games To Make the Learning Stick
This is one of those picture books that grown-up kids will enjoy as much as little ones. Use it to remind your kids that they don’t need a vocabulary list to learn new words—new words are all around them. Encourage them to keep a word list or journal of their own to record new words they want to explore and use more often.
Buy it: The Word Collector
Make or buy headbands with a notch on the front designed to hold a card. Create cards with vocabulary words on them. To play, each student gets a card but can’t see it. Other students will describe the word, trying to get the one wearing the headband to guess the correct word.
Learn more: Vocab Headbanz
A fun and lively way to practice vocabulary words. Create a deck of vocabulary words with two of each word. Explain the rules of Go Fish to students and let them loose!
Learn more: Go Fish Vocab Game
Using wooden letter beads and pipe cleaners, students will form three-letter words that match vocabulary cards.
Learn more: Three-Letter Busy Bag
Everybody loves an exciting round of charades. Break your students into groups, provide them with a stack vocabulary cards, and watch them learn!
Learn more: Word Charades
Use plastic letters, magnet letters, or letter blocks to make words. Play it mentally with older kids, or with paper and pencil. Simply give your children some letters and challenge them to make words from those letters.
Learn more: Make a Word
Send your students on a scavenger hunt … in the dictionary! Exposing kids to the thousands of words in our language is both inspiring and fun. Download the free task cards below.
Learn more: Dictionary Dig
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A selection of fun creative writing exercises that can be completed solo, or with a group. Some are prompts to help inspire you to come up with story ideas, others focus on learning specific writing skills. Intro. I run a Creative Writing Meetup for adults and teens in Montpellier or online every week. We start with a 5 to 20 minute exercise ...
Having a creative writing club at your school can have a whole host of benefits for pupils. Read on to learn about our 10 top creative writing club ideas and activities that can help pupils overcome writer's block and write more confidently. ... Maybe your school already has its own long-standing club, and you're hoping to find some fun new ...
This article is part four of a series about starting your own creative writing group/club. Part one is here. Topics will include giving constructive criticism, running a workshop, and writing games/prompts. I found that the best way to start a group meeting is a fun game. Here are my general rules for writing games/prompts:
Here are over 105 creative writing exercises to give your brain a workout and help those creative juices flow again: Set a timer for 60 seconds. Now write down as many words or phrases that come to mind at that moment. Pick any colour you like. Now start your sentence with this colour.
Writing exercises using simile and metaphor. Wild reactions. His face was as __ as a__ after the bug bite and we were all a bit worried. Comparing the moon. The moon is a__ tonight, its thin crescent glowing like a__. Making abstraction specific. My anxiety is like a__ on the first day of school. A__ with a __.
Writing prompts are both fun and a great club icebreaker. There are several types of writing prompts. My favorites are story prompts and first-line prompts. I used to come up with them for the teen creative writing club I ran. I've put some of each below to get your club started. Here are my general rules for writing games/prompts: Encourage ...
Write a story using only six words. Write in the style of Poe's The Raven . Write about something that changed your life, but fictionalized. Write the first sentence of a story, then pass your notebook to the right, and have somebody write what they think should happen next (this was always popular). Reply.
Discuss your writing goals, both broadly and for the immediate future. Ask your group if those goals seem realistic. Ask group members to e-mail you with reminders of deadlines and encouragement. Create a group calendar in which you all set goals and deadlines for your writing. This calendar could be for a week, a month, a semester, a year, or ...
Read and Resemble. Read a handful of poems by a single poet and then attempt writing a poem in that poet's voice. This is not an exercise in copying; it's an exercising in studying the voice of a writer. If you're feeling ambitious, try it with works of fiction and write a scene in an author's voice.
Fun activities to break the ice at the top of your group session. ... The theme could relate to the workshop — if your session is on travel writing, for example, you could get everyone to share their scariest travel moment or secret travel tip. ... Here's a good one for a creative session. Provide a few random objects, ...
Telephone Pictionary Game. Another brilliant creative writing activity is the Telephone Pictionary Game. The basic idea behind this game is to write a story collaboratively with your team using drawings and phrases. Together as team members take turns to write/draw something down.
Go on a five-senses scavenger hunt. Find three items for each sense. Create a story using the items you found. Create a story around an interesting picture ( try these fun picture writing prompts!) Find an ad in a magazine or elsewhere and rewrite the description to convince people NOT to buy the advertised item.
1) Free-writing: Free-writing is good as a warm-up exercise and as a strategy for overcoming fear or writer's block. Set a short time limit in advance (10 minutes maximum) and have students write continuously during this time. The goal during this time is not to write well, but to keep the pen moving and not to stop until the time is up.
You can initially publicize your club with a simple name, like a "Creative Writing Club" or "Romance Writing Club.". 2. Choose when and where you will hold the first meeting. At this first meeting, you can brainstorm as a group and make decisions about when and where to meet long-term. Possible locations include your house, public park ...
Creative writing club. Before becoming an author, I ran creative writing clubs in 30 schools a week for almost a decade. I hired over 100 tutors, won some awards, teamed up with publishers to arrange author events, and even had requests from teachers in Europe, Dubai and Australia asking to launch a club in their schools.
In this Ongoing Creative Writing class, club members choose from 25 different story prompts; using the idea to engage in a fun, short story writing creation. Read your story if you choose, and get comments & tips from the club.
lockwoodfiles. • 2 yr. ago. Bring in work you have written and share it. Write flash fiction from the same prompt. Write poems. Watch videos or lectures about writing techniques. Collaboratively outline a book. Learn about writing events in your area. Talk about writing contests or places to submit stories.
I used to run a college writing club, and we had a lot of fun doing some interesting writing-adjacent activities that most writing classes and what not neglect. Some ideas: Have students write character descriptions without names, then put them all in a hat. The students then pull a random description from the hat and have to "act" as that ...
Inside . . . Continue the story. Write for two minutes. Pass the story to a writing partner. The partner continues the story where you left off and writes for two minutes before passing the story back. Continue writing and passing the story every two minutes.
18. Use RAFTs to write vocabulary stories. Writing a story using vocab words is a perennial favorite, but the RAFT method gives it a new twist. Students are assigned a Role (the point of view from which they'll tell the story), an Audience, a Format, and a Topic.
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