Exercises can have two functions: They can lubricate the gears and make you put words on paper so you're in the habit and therefore more likely to write something you want to write, or they can actually turn into something.
I spent an ecstatic January term in college doing nothing but freewriting. I love it. I didn't get very many poems out of it—at least not ones I've kept. But the one I did has become one of my favorites. Go figure.
Then I had to go through a period where I let myself believe it was OK to write only when I was "inspired"—it didn't mean I was pretending to be a genius. It was just another way of working (a good one for not feeling pressured).
Now I oscillate. I don't always use them, but I can actually get something out of terrifying exercises like this one that Oscar Bermeo laid on my writing group: Write a sonnet, mentioning an invention of the 1990s, in 15 minutes. Wow. I did it though.
Here are some of my other favorite exercises . They range from very loose and flexible to wildly specific:
- Write the poem you have no right to write. (Marty McConnell)
- For a group: have everyone write a phrase. Put them all in a hat. Draw one out and do a freewrite on it for 10 minutes. Underline the best line from what you wrote, and do another freewrite on that.
- Write from the point of view of a disgruntled bedroom object. (Here's my result.) When you're done, respond as you would to a lover. For added challenge, combine the two, using the two viewpoints as your own body and mind. (Raymond Medina)
- Write a piece that includes a lie. (Marty McConnell)
- Create a sentence. Rewrite that sentence in as many different forms as you can, while retaining the basic meaning. For example: "I walked to the store today." "Earlier today I found myself at the store." "Today I wandered down to the store." For groups, exchange sentences first. (found this online. I don't remember where. oops.)
- With a partner, and without talking, write a story or poem by each writing alternating words. This can be a co-operative or antagonistic effort. (I got this from Robin, who got it from his college roommate, I think.)
- Can you write a piece in which every single sentence is interrogative? You follow me? Can any kind of narrative arc be formed or sustained that way? How long can you keep doing it? Do you really want to find out? (Robin)
- Pick a character of a familiar story (scripture, myth, fairy tale) who's not usually the point of view character. Can be the "bad guy." Give that character a voice. Two options (1) the story is as we understand it, but here's a different perspective (2) the story is different.
