How (and Why) Play Exquisite Corpse?
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Do you ever think, "It's all been done before"?
With so many story tropes being reused, reshaped and retold, how can you find (or write) anything truly "original"? Another fairytale retelling, another vampire story. Another comic hero movie... Well, it's true that each author will have a different approach; different characters, tone, and so on... |
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If it's also true that there's "nothing new under the sun," then unique ideas must come from unusual connections.
In the game of Exquisite Corpse, each player contributes a different word or phrase to the same sentence -- without seeing each other's entries -- but following this sentence structure: "Describing word -- noun -- action -- describing word -- noun." The results are bizarre, hilarious, creepy -- or a bit of all three. They also make incredible story writing prompts. |
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Examples:
“The lush telephone salesman stupidly sat on the metaphysical fingertip.” This led to a peculiar tale of a door-to-door salesman visiting a haunted house - with strange flood markings on the walls.
"The bright red sock puppet lustily opened the fridge that belonged to the empty danger." Woah! I couldn't do anything with the first part, but I wrote a novella based on "the empty danger". (Subscribe to my private email list and it's yours for free!)
"The humungous vampire angrily washed the engorged cheese." Okay, this is one I haven't dared try yet! But it's definitely on my list of creative challenges.
“The lush telephone salesman stupidly sat on the metaphysical fingertip.” This led to a peculiar tale of a door-to-door salesman visiting a haunted house - with strange flood markings on the walls.
"The bright red sock puppet lustily opened the fridge that belonged to the empty danger." Woah! I couldn't do anything with the first part, but I wrote a novella based on "the empty danger". (Subscribe to my private email list and it's yours for free!)
"The humungous vampire angrily washed the engorged cheese." Okay, this is one I haven't dared try yet! But it's definitely on my list of creative challenges.
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Why not try using one of these to come up with your own story?
Better yet, listen to Brainstoryum where I play the game on air (and discuss the weird, wild world of inspiration)! Enter a few words here and they may be pulled out of the Socks of Destiny in the very next episode. Story ideas are everywhere, if you just know where -- and how -- to look. |
Apart from being ridiculous fun, Exquisite Corpse is also an amazing way to stretch your imagination, especially if you're an author - aspiring or experienced.
If you dedicate just 10 minutes to brainstorming a story idea from an Exquisite Corpse, you will be exploring ideas you've never even dreamed of before. Something unique; something truly original.
So try it! Challenge your imagination to new heights and new worlds.
If you dedicate just 10 minutes to brainstorming a story idea from an Exquisite Corpse, you will be exploring ideas you've never even dreamed of before. Something unique; something truly original.
So try it! Challenge your imagination to new heights and new worlds.
NEW! Play Exquisite Corpse at Home and in Parties
Why not try a round or two of Exquisite Corpse with friends or family?
Download and print off the instructions and game sheet below, and get chuckling! Minimum 5 players.
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In Brainstoryum, I delve into the surrealist origins of the game of Exquisite Corpse, and explore the enigma of inspiration. Can we learn to become more inspired?
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Thanks for reading. All written contents copyright of Anna Tizard, 2020.
"Glaring Genie Cloud" image rendered by Jon Smith, 2019. All rights reserved.
