This exercise is ideal for writing groups, but can be done with as few as two people. By exchanging secrets, fiction writers are prompted to explore a topic they may not have considered otherwise.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 1-2 hours
Here's How:
- Each writer should take out a piece of paper.
- Write down one secret and fold the paper up.
- Put all of the secrets in a hat, box, or other container.
- Each person draws a secret. (Draw again if you get your own.)
- Use the secret you receive as a jumping-off point for your short story.
- At the end of the session, or the next day, share both the short story and the secret that inspired it.
Tips:
- Be creative in how you work with the secret.
- Have fun, both in picking a secret for the hat and in writing about the secret you choose. The best part about this writing exercise is the element of surprise.
What You Need
- Secrets
- Paper
- Pen
- Container of some sort