if you only ever do one writing exercise, let it be this one
I’m not even kidding.
I call it the “ACTS OF” exercise, and I know it from the playwright Miriam Battye.
The reason I love this exercise is how both simple and powerful it is in utilizing themes as a way to get material for your story.
Now let’s get into it.
Exercise
- Set a timer for one minute and spend a minute on each of the following lists:
- Things that frighten me
- Things that piss me off
- Things that give me hope
- Things I want to understand
- Choose a few of the things you’ve written, preferably the ones that intrigue or emotionally evoke you the most. For each, write a list of ACTS OF that thing. For example, acts of love might be giving a kiss, asking someone to text when they get home, preparing food for them, punching someone else in the face, killing someone who has harmed them, and so on. The more specific you get, the better. There is no time limit here; try to write as many examples as you can.
- Go through everything you have so far and see which actions intrigue you or you feel drawn to. Think about who would do that and why they might do it. Then start writing a scene about it.
Bonus
If you want more inspiration, write a list of ACTS OF any of the following:
- love
- hatred
- revenge
- identity
- pain
- compassion
- violence
- arrogance
- submission
- survival
- fear
- activism
- greed
- loneliness
- despair
- jealousy
- anxiety
- joy
- courage
- strength
- hypocrisy
- obsession
- intelligence
- confidence
- suspicion
I’m telling you, this exercise will provide a material gold mine for your stories. And if you ever feel stuck with a project you’re working on, you can always turn to this exercise for help.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
