• Interactive writing gamesman writing image by green308 from Fotolia.com
  
  Writing does not have to be solitary work all the time. Participating in writing games with other people in a class or writing group setting is not only fun but may inspire writers with new story or poetry ideas, open up new possibilities or concepts, and get the creative juices flowing.The groups playing these games can be small or large.
  
  

Poetry

• A poetry writing game that involves several people is played as follows: Start by having the group create a poem title. Have one person write the first line, and pass it on to the next person. As it makes its way around the group, people's contributions will show whether it is rhyming or freestyle. To keep the momentum, have more than one poem title to pass around. This will prevent dead time for those waiting their turn.
  
  

Silly Sentences

• In this game, the group writes sentences using a combination of real words and made-up words. The sentences do not need to make complete sense, but they should be readable. Throwing in a few nonsense words will add humor to the activity and the exercise will encourage creativity.
  
  

Continue a Story

• This game is played by one member of a writing group or class beginning a story with a few sentences, and the next person adding more sentences continuing in the same story line to form a readable, cohesive story.
  
  

Dictionary Search

• In this game, each person looks up three to five words in the dictionary. She writes writes down the actual definition next to the word on a piece of paper, and then adds another definition that she creates below the word. She should try to make the composed definition believable so it is difficult to decide which of the two is the actual definition. Then, each group member shares their words and definitions, and everyone in the group guesses which are the correct definitions.
  
  

Alternate Endings

• Another game involves one person presenting a short story that has no ending, and other class or group members write the ending they envision. Then, each person in the group shares their alternate endings. The larger the group, the more variety there will be based on the same story.
  
  

Item Description

• Pick an item and have each group member describe it in writing. Participants can write it as part of an essay, a poem or a story or as a standalone description. Then share the descriptions in the group.