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Writing games

The exquisite corpse writing game, one line at a time, half blind.

Exquisite corpse is a writing game where each player adds to a text while seeing only part of what came before. The result is a story or poem nobody could have written alone.

The name sounds alarming, but the game is gentle and works with children as young as six.

Play it on one phone Questions

Where the name comes from

The Surrealist artists in Paris played it in the 1920s. One of their first folded sentences was “Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau”: “The exquisite corpse shall drink the new wine”. The name stuck. It grew from the older parlour game Consequences, and the artists also played a drawing version.

Three ways to play with words

  1. Fixed sentence parts

    The original version. Agree a pattern, for example: describing word, noun, verb, describing word, noun. Each player writes one part, folds and passes. The result is one strange sentence.

    Start with The (wobbly) (lighthouse) (whispered to) the (nervous) (spaghetti).

  2. Last line only

    Each player writes one or two sentences, then folds the paper so only their last line shows. The next player continues from that line alone. This makes proper stories that drift in odd directions.

    Start with The motel key was shaped like a fish, and the number on our door was 7½.

  3. Poem

    Each player writes one line of a poem, seeing only the line before. Agree a theme first: the sea, night, a city. Read it aloud slowly. It often sounds better than it has any right to.

    Start with Snow fell all night, and by morning it had drifted into one enormous word…

How to play: last line only

  1. Pick an opener. Write a first line at the top of a sheet of paper. Use one of the prompts below.
  2. Write and fold. The first player reads it and writes the next one or two sentences. Then they fold the paper so only their last line is visible.
  3. Pass it on. The next player reads only that line and writes what happens next. Fold again.
  4. Finish the story. After six to ten turns, the last player writes an ending.
  5. Read it aloud. Unfold the whole sheet and read it out. Vote for the best line.

Prompts to start a round

  • Tomás woke up to find that his shadow had packed a small suitcase and was waiting by the front door.
  • The library book on our shelf was due back in 1897, and the librarian has just phoned to ask where it is.
  • Train station announcement: “The 9:15 to Nowhere is now boarding at platform 6. Please bring a spoon.”
  • The washing machine finished its cycle, beeped twice, and gave back a jumper with a map knitted into it.
From the Weird Wednesday deck (free)
  • Our school has a haunted lunchbox. It has been in Lost Property since 1962, and it still smells of fresh sandwiches.
  • The ghost tour was going perfectly, right up until a real ghost stepped out of the wall and asked for a refund.
From the Spooky deck (Pro)
  • On Mars Colony 4, it rained for the first time in history, and the rain was warm and tasted faintly of lemonade.
  • The sign on the console said “DO NOT PRESS THE RED BUTTON.” Underneath, in tiny letters: “Seriously. Not even a little bit.”
From the Sci-Fi deck (Pro)

With children and in class

  • Use “last line only”. It is easier than fixed parts and teaches pupils to follow on from what they read.
  • Give each group a sheet with an opener printed at the top and six writing strips.
  • For ages 6 to 8, let pupils say their line and a grown-up scribe.
  • After reading, ask: where did the story change direction? Which line linked best to the one before?

More ideas in storytelling games for the classroom.

Questions

What is the exquisite corpse writing game?

A game where several people write a story or poem in turns, each seeing only the last part of what the previous player wrote. The paper is folded to hide the rest.

Why is it called exquisite corpse?

It comes from a sentence the Surrealists made playing it in Paris in the 1920s: “Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau” (“The exquisite corpse shall drink the new wine”).

Is exquisite corpse suitable for kids?

Yes. Despite the name, nothing in the game is scary. With children, call it “fold-and-pass stories” if you prefer, and use the last-line-only version.

How many players do you need?

Three or more is best, but two players can take turns on one sheet. In class, use groups of four to six.

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