More Generative Writing Exercises

A while ago, I published a list of generative writing exercises . They seem to be quite popular and so I submit to you, even more generative writing exercises .

In particular, I am fond of the postcard exercise .

This set of activities was designed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, to be used with lesson plans, but they’re all so simple and useful that I think anyone would be able to use them.

The term “generative writing” can have a few meanings. With computers, AI, and hypertext, it can refer to mechanical generation of texts, or relationships between texts, or collections of texts.

The same term is also used for a part of the writing process, when the writer is generating ideas, sketches or drafts, or structures to be used for a later version.

Generative writing is […] a time where the writer generates ideas, considers multiple options for topics, invents material that might be useful for the later essay, and rethinks positions and perspectives, reinventing their own take on the issue.

It may be tempting to think that writing is done all-at-once, in a single draft, with nothing preliminary, and no revision, but where’s the fun in that! Writing is a generative process. Art is a verb.

Here’s the a long list of generative writing exercises.