Here are ten of the best creative writing exercises for you to enjoy.

1. 7x7x7
Find the 7th book from your bookshelf. Open it up to page 7. Look at the 7th sentence on the page. Begin a poem that begins with that sentence and limit the length to 7 lines.

2. Dictionary
Open the dictionary to a random page. Find a word that you do not know how to define. Write an imaginary definition for it. Repeat.

3. First
Describe a first. Your first kiss, your first kitten, your first day of school—all will make excellent stories.

4. Magazine Puzzle
Cut out interesting words, phrases, and images from a magazine. Place them in a bowl, close your eyes and pull out two of these magazine snippets. Write a mini-story of not more than 250 words.

5. Pin the Atlas
Find a world map and blindly put your finger on a spot. Then pretend you’re a travel writer and write about a weird experience you had in that particular country.

6. Sell the pet
Write an advert selling a boa constrictor as a family pet.

7. Hello, you!

Write a letter to your future self. What do you want to say?

8. Found poem
Find two ads in the newspaper. Create a poem only using words from the two ads.

9. “I remember…”Start a paragraph with, “I remember…” and let your memories dictate what you write.

10. Switch Persona
Write a mini-story in the first person. Take on the persona of someone with a different gender, different nationality, and different age.


Mary Jaksch