Creative Writers Love this Writing Game

Play it in your group today, without buying anything!
 
     One day, I was looking through some magazines before I recycled them, and found some funny pictures.  I tore them out, thinking I could make a game out of them.  So, after our next French dinner, my friends and I played it.  Here’s how you can play it, too.  You’ll only need:
     Pictures from magazines that can tell a story or merit a caption.  A whole page is best, but you can tape a smaller picture to a page of letter paper.
     A pad of sticky notes.  Or, paper cut into 3x3” squares, with tape handy.  Give a supply of papers and a pen to each player.
     One person, the Keeper, shows the magazine picture to everyone.  Pass it around so they can peruse it for a minute more.
     Everyone writes a caption on their paper and signs their name.  This can be anything that pops into their head: a caption, the thought of the person or animal in the picture, or what they’re saying.
     The Keeper collects them and sticks all the papers to the back of the picture.  He or she reads them aloud while everyone listens.  The second time they are read, people can call out who they think wrote it.  Each writer admits it if it’s theirs. 
     Here is an example from my FORBIDDEN ARABELLE book page instead of a magazine shot.  On the right is what the back of the picture looks like with three captions added.

     This game is that simple.  It’s meant to be a fun, non-competitive ice-breaker.  We’ve had brilliant words from shy people because they don’t have to talk before the group. Writers and non-writers love it.
     We have played this with 4 to 30 people, and it’s hilarious every time.  One six-year-old wrote such a clever observation that I encourage adults and teens to let the young ones play.  If they’re too little to write, they can whisper their words into an older person’s ear, who can write it for them.
     Notes:  The one who holds the magazines and reads can be the Keeper the whole time, and participate with their own captions.  Or, the stack can be passed around so everyone gets a chance to lift up the next picture and read out the captions.
     If someone’s writing is hard to decipher, the Keeper should go to the person who wrote it and ask them to whisper what it says before reading anyone’s captions aloud.  Encourage players to write clearly.
     I keep my games with all the notes stuck to the pictures because I enjoy reading them later, and laughing.
     To replay the same pictures, I use different-colored sticky notes for each party, and just stick them over the previous ones.
     What people write shows their viewpoint and personality.  That’s really enjoyable, and often surprising.
     If you play this game, please write to me about it on the "Contact Me" page, or click "Comments" above.  (It's a tiny link.)