Today’s goal
Build a story three words at a time.
Nobody gets to plan it. You find out where the story is going while you build it.
You will play twice. The second time, we change something.
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The rules
Three words, then pass.
- 01Pick who starts, then go in order.
Keep going the same direction around the group.
- 02Say exactly three words.
Not two. Not four. Three, then it is the next person’s turn.
- 03Connect to what you just heard.
Your three words have to follow the three before them.
If you get stuck, say any three words and keep it moving. A weird turn is better than a dead stop.
Worked example
Here is what it sounds like.
- 01“The dog found”
Player one starts. Now we know who we are following.
- 02“a door that”
Player two adds. Something is about to get interesting.
- 03“should not exist.”
Player three lands it. That is a story starting.
Notice: nobody planned that. Each person just answered what came before them.
How to be good at this
Listen more than you plan.
If you plan your words early, you will miss what just happened.
Build on the last person’s idea instead of undoing it.
A fast okay story beats a slow perfect one.
This is the same skill you use on a real crew. You work with what the person before you handed you.
Round two
Same game, new target.
- 01Start over from nothing.
Do not continue the first story. This is a new one.
- 02Take a new genre or a new audience.
Horror. Comedy. Or a story built for kindergartners.
- 03Notice what changes.
The same game feels different when the target moves.
Genre and audience change which words you reach for. That is the point of round two.
Before you leave
One sentence from your group.
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What kept your story making sense?
Maybe someone named a character early. Maybe you all agreed where it was heading. Maybe someone kept pulling it back.
“Our story held together because __________.”