Does the written word attract you? Do you aspire to be a writer someday? Then you should start right now. Great writers are not built in a day. They hone their craft every day. Through a writing exercise or a story-building game.
Whatever works and whenever inspiration strikes. They write all the time and take every opportunity to write something. From letters and short stories to poems and dialogues, they wield their pen at all times.
You can search for the Best App for Writing a Book and you’ll still need to follow the same advice. Granted, such an app would have great features to practice your writing skills, but no matter where you write, you still have to write!
Read on to learn how to build prolific and versatile writing skills.
Story writing games to play to improve your writing
Often writers are gripped by writer’s block and stare at the screen in confusion. They don’t know where and how to start and words seem perennially out of reach. Playing a story-building game helps you create a story from scratch in a step-by-step fashion. It helps you overcome all imaginary blocks and just gets you started. Playing writing games is a good way to let your desired story see the light of day.
So, here are a few games to get creative with your stories:
1. Description game
A description game can be really helpful if you want to write captivating stories. A good way to judge a writer is his descriptions. How he describes a scene and how he portrays a word picture of characters.
Imagine a character, say a 19th-century detective, and describe the setting in your own words. Be specific about his appearance, his clothing, and the environment he lives in. This is a great way to exercise your brain muscles.
2. Word association game
While the best app for writing a book may solve your vocabulary issues. But it’s always good to build a strong vocabulary. It’s not about being verbose and using a lot of high and mighty words. It is to exercise complete control of your thoughts and summon words whenever you want them. To make every word do the job it’s supposed to. Pick a word randomly and try to think of as many words that come to your mind.
3. Rhyming game
This is a great way to put your writing skills to the test. This is particularly useful if you’re aspiring to be a poet. Writing a poem demands precision. Rhyming exercises build precision in writing and bring a flair to your word-crafting skill. Start with simple 3-letter words like cat and hat and make as many rhyming words as possible. Then do it with 4- and 5-letter words. You can even write poems with an iambic tetrameter.
4. Cliche game
Cliches ruin a story. A reader is bound to lose interest if they see the same recycled trope used again and again.
Take a look at the following phrases:
- Don’t judge a book by its cover
- Best-laid plans
- Grass is always greener on the other side
These are trite expressions that have been used too much. You should avoid it like the plague. The advice by the way is another cliche! Try to think of as many cliches as you can to make an avoid list.
5. Red herring game
Red herring means deflecting a story to prevent giving away the end. A sort of distraction that takes readers on a roller-coaster journey.
Try to think of a story with multiple characters and think of a good red herring to deflect your reader’s attention to the ending. Practise it enough and you’ll get good at creating a good red herring.
6. Letter to your younger self
This is a great story-building game and gives you the ability to think back in retrospect. Write a letter to your 10-year-old younger self and guide yourself through the next decade to improve his life.
Discuss the mistakes your younger self is about to make; the things you’re doing right; and the possibilities that lie ahead. Such an exercise would help you build a great character reformation arc in your stories.
7. The Anecdote game
This one is easy. Recall an interesting anecdote you experienced in your life. Then, try to describe it to the best of your abilities.
Write the anecdote down and describe it in vivid detail. Take creative liberties while you describe to make the anecdote more appealing. Narrate it to your friends and see if they are hooked to your storytelling.
Key Takeaway
You exercise to keep your body in shape. Similarly, it is important to exercise your mind. It makes you an agile thinker and writer.
Your writing reflects the quality of your mind and exercises like a Story-Building Game helps you keep it in top shape. Play writing games like describing a scene or a character’s appearance, anecdotes to improve your narration and rhyming exercises to build a killer vocabulary.
