The Timed Writing Game

A quick writing game to get ideas flowing! The rules are simple. All you need is a timer and a way to get your ideas down, whether that be with a pen and paper or a computer.

h o w t o p l a y

  • Choose any amount of prompts to get an idea for the base of your story. The only rule is your story must include all of the prompts you choose. This step should be quick, easy, and even random! You can roll a dice or use a random number generator to make choosing even more simple.

  • Set a timer for 15 + minutes (15 min for writing and 5 min for last minute editing seems to be a sweet spot)

  • Get all your ideas out and just keep writing until your timer is up! You only have a short amount of time so just write anything that comes to mind!

  • If you do this with 1+ other people, read what sweet nonsense you each conjured up! Did you go creative? Psychological? Thriller? Whimsical? Spooky? Comical?

E x a m p l e S t o r y

What Goes Around Comes Around

P r o m p t  W o r d  E x a m p l e s

    1. Dragonfly

    2. Octopus

    3. Cardinal

    4. Penguin

    5. Elephant

    6. Hawk

    7. Owl

    8. Deer

    9. Cardinal

    10. Raven / Crow

    11. Alpaca

    12. Sealion

    13. Lion

    14. Snake

    15. Hedgehog

    16. Mouse

    17. Toucan

    18. Pelican

    19. Clownfish

    20. Shark

    21. Race horse

    22. Wild horse

    23. Sheep

    24. Mermaid

    25. Fairy

    26. Dragon

    27. Wolf

    28. Chameleon

    1. Out at sea

    2. In the middle of nowhere

    3. Forest

    4. Highschool

    5. At home

    6. Shopping mall

    7. At work

    8. Amusement park

    9. Concert

    10. Beach

    11. Skiing

    12. Mini golf

    13. Bowling alley

    14. Trade school

    15. College

    16. Bedroom

    17. Bathroom

    18. Restaurant

    19. Kitchen

    20. Basement

    21. Attic

    22. Dog park

    23. Hiking trail

    24. Lake house

    25. Animal Farm

    26. Vegetable Farm

    27. Sunflower Farm

    28. Apple Orchard

    29. Snorkeling

    30. Scuba Diving

    31. Library

    32. Video Game World

    33. Depths of the ocean

    1. Ship

    2. Couch

    3. Lightbulb

    4. Candle

    5. Jar

    6. Bottle

    7. Basket

    8. Reclining chair

    9. Nightstand

    10. Book shelf

    11. Piano

    12. Guitar

    13. Daisy

    14. Sunflower

    15. Rubber plant

    16. Pine Tree

    17. Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock Tree (big enough to hide under)

    18. Computer

    19. Bowl

    20. Lawn ornament

    21. Picture frame

    22. Canvas

    1. What goes around comes around.

    2. Better late than never.

    3. I have found that if you love life, life will love you back. (Arthur Rubinstein)

    4. Bite the bullet.

    5. Break a leg.

    6. Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

    7. The best of both worlds.

    8. The grass is always greener on the other side.

    9. Speak of the devil.

    10. Seeing eye to eye.

    1. Dragonfly

    2. Bite the bullet.

    3. Fairy

    4. Mini golf

    5. Wolf

    6. Amusement park

    7. Hawk

    8. Computer

    9. Owl

    10. Concert

    11. Cardinal

    12. Sea lion

    13. Snake

    14. Hedgehog

    15. Toucan

    16. Pelican

    17. Clownfish

    18. Deer

    19. Race horse

    20. Lawn Ornament

    21. Sargent’s Weeping Hemlock Tree (big enough to hide under)

    22. Hiking trail

    23. Mermaid

    24. Canvas

    25. Dragon

    26. Out at sea

    27. Chameleon

    28. College

    29. Forest

    30. Highschool

    31. At home

    32. Shopping mall

    33. In the middle of nowhere

    34. Lion

    35. Wild horse

    36. Beach

    37. Skiing

    38. Picture frame

    39. Penguin

    40. At work

    41. Sheep

    42. Raven

    43. Bedroom

    44. Bathroom

    45. Alpaca

    46. Bowl

    47. Kitchen

    48. Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

    49. Elephant

    50. Mouse

    51. Attic

    52. Dog park

    53. Speak of the devil.

    54. Lake house

    55. Snorkeling

    56. Animal Farm

    57. Vegetable Farm

    58. Sunflower Farm

    59. Apple Orchard

    60. Ship

    61. Couch

    62. Octopus

    63. Candle

    64. Jar

    65. Bottle

    66. Basket

    67. Reclining chair

    68. Nightstand

    69. Video Game World

    70. Book shelf

    71. Piano

    72. Depths of the ocean

    73. Guitar

    74. Daisy

    75. Bowling alley

    76. Scuba Diving

    77. Seeing eye to eye.

    78. Sunflower

    79. The grass is always greener on the other side.

    80. Rubber plant

    81. Pine Tree

    82. Restaurant

    83. Crow

    84. Better late than never.

    85. I have found that if you love life, life will love you back. (Arthur Rubinstein)

    86. Shark

    87. Library

    88. Break a leg.

    89. Trade school

    90. Cardinal

    91. The best of both worlds.

    92. Lightbulb

    93. What goes around comes around.

    94. Basement