Writing games for seminars and workshops
Participants often turn up their noses when they are asked to "play" in seminars and workshops. Writing games look pleasantly "like work". And are therefore much better received. Another advantage of writing games: They require almost no preparation. Why not let the people in your seminar write a round poem, write an eleven or break down their first name?
Writing game number 1: Round poem
All participants receive a sheet of paper with two concentric circles (like a bird's eye view of a donut). Then everyone divides their "donut" into as many equally sized sections as there are people taking part in the game. Now everyone writes a line on the given topic in a field. On command, the sheets must be passed on. The next person adds a line in the next box. This continues until each sheet is back at the starting point.
Have the round poems read out and discuss them. Does a poem say something different if you don't start with the "first" line? Does a discussion arise about the hole in the middle? Is a title important? A maximum of 8 people should take part in writing a round poem. If you have more participants, form sub-groups. Otherwise it gets boring. If the group is very small, simply do two rounds.
Writing game number 2: Elf
At the end of a seminar, the participants should get to the heart of what was important to them during the seminar. Reach into the treasure chest of creative writing and explain the "Elfchen": It is a poem of eleven words divided into five lines. A possible structure: The 1st line names the topic, the 2nd an activity, the 3rd describes the topic in more detail, the 4th shows the writer's view and the 5th the conclusion.
(1 word) I
(2 words) Wish you
(3 words) All the best
(4 words) If you play the writing games
(1 word) Try it out!
Writing game no. 3: Spell out first name
Before the introduction round, all participants write their first name in capital letters on a landscape sheet of paper. During the introduction, the participants have to find a word for each letter of their first name that matches their name.
Example Julia
- Young
- Impatient
- Lisbon
- India
- Asthma
