Using Song Titles to Spur Creativity

Here’s an exercise suggested by a colleague of mine who’s been reading the blog for a few weeks now.

Dish out a slip of paper to each member of the group. Ask them to write a popular song title on a slip of paper. Next, ask them to fold up the slips and throw them into the middle of the table. Mix up the folded slips. Ask each person to pull out a slip at random. The title you’ve been given is the theme for your vignette.

For ten minutes, I’d like you to tell a story on the theme of the song title you’ve received. Inside this story, I’d like you to surreptitiously lace in as many song titles as possible.

Here’s mine:

Tracey Jones could see only the ceiling.

“Stop!” somebody yelled.

The driver killed the engine.

She was dizzy. Her head hurt. She felt a little sorry for herself, but she thought, everybody hurts sometimes. The driver emerged upside down in her vision. She recognised the uniform. You’ve got me burning up, she thought. He started to sit her up. Passengers check their watches, grumbling.

An elderly lady scolded a businessman. “Have a little patience,” she grumbled.

A skater boy spoke up. “Get some help,” He said. “Go now!”

“I’ve got to stay,” said the driver. “If I go, who’s going to drive you home?”

“Okay, think,” said the skater boy. “I’ll find someone.”

“Please don’t go,” said Tracey. “Don’t leave me this way.”

“Hang on in there, baby,” he reassured her.

Pity overwhelmed her as the colour drained from her face. “Take a look at me now,” she moaned.

Song inclusion count: 17.

Now. Once the buzzer’s gone, each take turns reading out the stories. Don’t tell the group the theme of your own story (the song title you picked out.) When you hear a song title in the midst of the vignette, shout out PING.

At the end of each vignette, see if anyone can guess what song they picked out as a theme.

Did you guess mine? Scroll down…

 

“Staying Alive”

Pic courtesy lobstar28, Flickr