Exquisite Corpse

A Surrealist Writing Game

Jun 23, 2008

Try using images as prompts for another variation., Elaine Walker

Using writing games can be an excellent way of generating material during writing workshops.

The game known as Exquisite Corpse comes in several versions. This one uses specific prompts to generate a complete grammatical sentence and is a useful exercise for peer-led or taught classes.

How to Play Exquisite Corpse

Everyone needs a piece of paper on which they write down their response to the first prompt. They fold the paper towards them to cover up the word and pass it on.

After the next prompt, everyone writes down their response again, folds the paper towards them and passes it on. This continues until all the prompts have been given.

Everyone needs to write their word under the fold, so that all the responses end up on the same side of the paper and, of course, no one unfolds it until the end.

The Prompts

1. Write down an article, definite or indefinite (A or THE)

2. Write any adjective (i.e. describing word e.g. yellow, funny, huge)

3. Write down a concrete noun (i.e. one that names something physical – dog, elephant, apple, trombone, child)

4. Write down an adverb (i.e. a word that describes how something happened - e.g. he ran slowly)

5. Write down one of the following verbs: carries, remembers, chases, sees

6. Write down a number larger than 1

7. Write down any adjective (as in step 2)

8. Write down any plural concrete noun (e.g. dogs, elephants, apples, trombones, children).

Next Step

Pass the paper around one last time then open and read the full sentence.

The Outcome

You should end up with a collection of very strange but grammatically accurate sentences, such as:

The shadowy sideboard triumphantly chases fourteen enthusiastic elephants.

A frightened fence-post hurriedly carries two reluctant doors.

The glorious sheep quickly remembers four happy windows.

Don’t Stop There

Each person uses the sentence they have ended up with as the first line of a short poem and chooses one of the others as their last line.

Two words can be changed in any sentence.

The Final Result

Everyone in the group will have a finished and probably highly original poem.

This is a good ice-breaking game but can also result in some very interesting material and a starting point for further work.

Everyone can Play

As the person giving the prompts can take part too, this makes the game ideal for peer-led groups. Ideally, there should be at least as many people as there are prompts.

However, if there are fewer, the sheets can go around the group more than once. They could be shuffled before making the second round so no-one knows when they have their own first response back.

Footnote

It can be a mistake to assume that everyone will, or will not, know what an adverb, concrete noun etc are, so the explanations and examples are a good way of levelling the field without anyone having to admit they don’t know.

Using them in this very practical way can also make the game useful in aiding the understanding of anyone who is unsure.

The copyright of the article Exquisite Corpse in Writing Techniques is owned by Elaine Walker. Permission to republish Exquisite Corpse in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.