As an author, I use my brain daily. So I like it to be sharp and accessible. I am relying on it, after all. Luckily there are fun ways to train your brain. All it takes to sharpen your writing capabilities are playing games. Games for writers that is!

Games help you develop new skills and sharpen the ones you have. They actively engage you while simultaneously stimulating your reward system. Research shows that when people participate in games, they make connections that will also flare up when performing likewise tasks.

I surprise myself sometimes by the direction my brain takes me in or the solutions it provides. It helps me write better, faster, and more logically. My creativity is easily sparked, but those brain connections are strengthened by practice. And in this case, practice means party time! Let me share my top five favorite games for writers. 

#5 Writer’s toolbox

When I’ve just finished a writing project, I can hit a creative dry spell. Some would describe it as writer’s block or insecurity. For me, it’s a downright panic. I feel like an imposter, get scared that I will never get a good idea again, and question why I even do what I do. That is the moment to grab my writer’s toolbox.

The writer’s toolbox is a fun way to create your own writing prompts. Playfully you’ll gather bits and pieces to a story, but it’s up to your brain to fill in the gaps. There’s a little hourglass to time your exercises. Before you know it, you are writing again. Doesn’t that sound amazing?

#4 Story Cubes

In my writing group, we like to think of fun ways to inspire and motivate each other. We challenge one another to write in the genre most uncomfortable to us. We use a specific location in our stories. Or we roll some story cubes.

The story cubes are fun. You roll them to get several items (we choose three, but there are nine dices). You have to use these pictures in your story in a way that makes sense. Doing that will spark your creativity. Especially when you combine several themes. You can also play this one on your own, which makes it a perfect writing game, in my opinion.

#3 You can do it better!

Have you ever been excited about a movie because the description had amazing story elements, but when you turned it on it was a total bust? Or even worse. The movie was good, but the ending ruined it all? Then this writing game is for you!

You can play this game alone, but it is more fun to do it with some friends. Make a list of disappointing movies and pick one. Then take a few moments to rewrite the last or most disappointing scene. You can bring in incentives for the best scene, but the real fun is reading it out loud to each other.

#2 The first sentence is…

This game is in my top five because it isn’t just fun. It also helps you sharpen your writing skills. And to top it off, it’s free too. Here’s what you do. Pick a book from amazon that offers you to look inside, or grab one out of your library. Read the title and the blurb out loud. Now take ten minutes and write down how you expect the first scene in the book to go.

You can play this game by yourself, or with as many friends as you like. Read the sentences to each other and see what people came up with. It guarantees laughter, inspiration, and good old fun.

#1 Black Stories

My absolute favorite game is Black Stories, a deck of twenty cards. You play it with two or more people. The person holding the card reads out a riddle, and you have to find out what happened by asking yes or no questions. But here’s the twist: all these situations have a morbid twist.

I write thriller and horror stories, so I love to find out what freaky shit my brain comes up with. This game lets you delve into the darkest nooks of your imagination, and I love that. You’ll get inspired by things other people say, the methodology in which they work, and how fast things can turn dark. So if you have a game night, make sure to include this one!

Just have fun

The most amazing thing about these writing games is that you don’t even have to be a writer to enjoy them. You can sneak your friends into playing it with you, without them even noticing.

So what are you waiting for? I’m curious to see your next story. Go, go, go!