Constrained Writing
Cartes Noires: A Creative Writing Exercise For Mystery and Detective Fiction
·1875 words·9 mins
Oulipo
Writing Prompts
Constrained Writing
Exercise
Mystery
Novel
Oulipo
Writing Prompt
Cartes Noires is a creative writing exercise to help you craft the plot for a mystery novel in about 30 minutes using only a standard deck of playing cards and your imagination. With it, it is possible to make an elaborate, whodunnit story on the fly.
What is Holorhyme Poetry?
·624 words·3 mins
Poetry
Writing Prompts
Constrained Writing
Experimental Writing
Writing Prompt
Holorhyme
Oulipo
I made this experimental poem by reading the alphabet aloud forward and backward. It is also what 2000’s era chat bots sounded like when they talk to each other.
Beau Presents & Big Ol' Crusty Books O' Magick
·451 words·3 mins
Oulipo
Poetry
Writing Prompts
Constrained Writing
Experimental Writing
Oulipo
Beau Present
In college I experimented with a constrained writing system called the beau present. This is an experimental poem often prepared as a wedding gift. The names of the betrothed serve both as the title of the poem, and as a challenge to the writer.
Writing Snowball Poems
·280 words·2 mins
Poetry
Writing Prompts
Constrained Writing
Writing Prompt
Experimental Writing
Oulipo
Sloths
Snowball
Writing prompts like the snowball poem are fun for discovering unexpected stories. For instance, this poem focuses on a bisexual two-toed sloth hanging out with con artists deep in discussion about matters of national (and psychic) security.
Writing With The Prisoner's Constraint
·592 words·3 mins
Oulipo
Poetry
Writing Prompts
Constrained Writing
Writing Prompt
Experimental
Oulipo
Growing up I heard this story of two Welsh brothers, my ancestors, stowing away on a ship bound for the new continent. Some time later I decided to turn it into a sort of story using a constrained writing system called “the prisoner’s constraint”.