Brainstoryum

So...what is Brainstoryum?

Follow the white rabbit of your imagination with the surrealist word game of Exquisite Corpse! Anna Tizard plays the game live on Brainstoryum to brainstorm unique story ideas.

Enter a few words on the Play Exquisite Corpse page, and hear what happens when your words are scrambled and pulled out of… the Socks of Destiny!

Shows include writing tips, insights into the craft of storytelling and, inevitably, a few laughs.

Open up your imagination to a whole new world of story ideas.

"I love Brainstoryum" - Scribble's Echo

"It's a very fun and lighthearted podcast but also gets you thinking about your own writing."
Alessandro Bozzo, author

"50 mins of excellence. Enjoyed every moment and the "20 min magic" exercise is such a wonderful idea to get the imagination juices flowing. Your voice is therapeutic to listen to too."
@MagnaCarter1967

"It was very interesting to "see" those words appear and form really weird sentences. I feel something magical could happen ... What an intriguing experience you create"
M. L. White, author (@Mariah94350720)

"I’m really enjoying Brainstoryum by Anna Tizard which is all about the surreality of writing, the pursuit of imagination, and a few rounds of the “exquisite corpse” game for good measure. It’s great indie-author fodder."
Frasier Armitage, author

"Brilliant concept and beautiful, soothing voice. You could definitely be an audiobook reader, Ms. Tizard. As with Morgan Freeman, I could probably listen to you read the dictionary and come away smiling."
Edge Erin, author

Click on an icon to listen, or scroll down further to listen right here:

More play buttons below:

Episode 36: Story Writing Secrets & Universal Tropes: Vigilantes, Superheroes, Villains and Flaws
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 35: Creative Writing Techniques - First Person Point of View
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 34: Creative Writing Techniques - Getting the Most Out of Third Person Point of View
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 33: The 6th Alice in Wonderland special: Dare to be Different; Writing Outside the Box
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 32: The 5th Alice in Wonderland special: What Does it Mean? (And: How to be Happy)
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 31: The 4th Alice in Wonderland special: Writing Extremes & Plot Experiments - A Mad Hatter's Tea Party
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 30: The 3rd Alice in Wonderland special: According to the Cheshire Cat
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 29: The 2nd Alice in Wonderland special: Writing Advice from the Caterpillar.
Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 28: The 1st Alice in Wonderland special: Portals and Writing Adventures
Listen & read transcription here.

Other Episodes:

Episode 27: Why Short Stories?

Episode 26: Anna Tizard and the Fonts of Doom! Fresh new story ideas from unexpected places.

Episode 25: Cats, Teapots and Secret Conundrums

Episode 24: New Short Story! Missing Magicians and Other Mysteries of the Imagination

Episode 23: The Return of the Future Dog: brainstorms to get your creative juices flowing

Episode 22: Thieves, Piglets & Portals

Episode 21: The first Exquisite Corpse story brainstorms of 2023! With androids, orbs and octopuses.

Episode 20 features a snow-speckled short story perfect for Christmas. Snuggle up and enjoy The Bear and the Rediscovering Portcullis:

Episode 19 showcases the last 3 rounds of Exquisite Corpse game play for 2022, but never fear, this isn't (quite) the last show of the year:

Episode 18 features writing updates plus a new, humorous (and wickedly weird) short story based on an Exquisite Corpse result in Episode 17:

Episode 17: New Format! Personal update (giant balls!) & writing update (weeping cellos!) followed by Exquisite Corpse game play to inspire your writing:

Shows 1 - 16 contain bonus material. Listen and read transcriptions here:

#11 Limitless Interpretations: Expand Your Imagination with New Story Brainstorms – Could This Be the Weirdest Episode Yet?

What readers are saying

Review of The Empty Danger: 5.0 out of 5 stars
"I've never been one really to read novellas taking place during the current climate, but the way Anna Tizard composed The Empty Danger was inspiring. I appreciated her unique take on the pandemic and how to keep hopes alive in troubled times." - Scottish Hunni

"One of those writers whose work makes me itch to write as well... effortlessly profound, yet with a tongue in cheek kind of edge." - Tonya Moore, author

"The form for the Exquisite Corpse seems pretty clear... I like your style of writing- it is easy and draws you in. I really wanted to carry on reading as it was quite magical." - Gill

Subscribe!

​So...what is Brainstoryum?

Click on an icon to listen, or scroll down further to listen right here:

​More play buttons below:

​Episode 36: Story Writing Secrets & Universal Tropes: Vigilantes, Superheroes, Villains and FlawsListen & read transcription here.

Episode 35: Creative Writing Techniques - First Person Point of ViewListen & read transcription here.

Episode 34: Creative Writing Techniques - Getting the Most Out of Third Person Point of ViewListen & read transcription here.

Episode 33: The 6th Alice in Wonderland special: Dare to be Different; Writing Outside the BoxListen & read transcription here.

​Episode 32: The 5th Alice in Wonderland special: What Does it Mean? (And: How to be Happy)Listen & read transcription here.

​Episode 31: The 4th Alice in Wonderland special: Writing Extremes & Plot Experiments - A Mad Hatter's Tea PartyListen & read transcription here.

​Episode 30: The 3rd Alice in Wonderland special: According to the Cheshire CatListen & read transcription here.

​Episode 29: The 2nd Alice in Wonderland special: Writing Advice from the Caterpillar.Listen & read transcription here.

Episode 28: The 1st Alice in Wonderland special: Portals and Writing AdventuresListen & read transcription here.