Writing Short Stories Through Games

Introduction

Christmas is coming up, which means spending time with others on cozy nights . . . and the perfect excuse to pull out those classic family games. This season, why not try something new? When was the last time you used a game to spark creativity? Invite and gather the people in your life and turn those games into creative writing prompts.

Yes, you read that right . . .

You can play and write at the same time.

Invitation

Choose a date and time where everyone can meet and host a Game-Inspired Writing Party. If you don’t have many games on hand, ask others to bring theirs. Or make it a festive outing and pick up a couple from the store.

Each person writes a short story based on prompts pulled from the game they’re playing. When you’re done, read your stories aloud. You’d be surprised how one shared game can lead to several wildly different stories.

And, of course, you can always add a little friendly competition.

Types Of Games To Try

Here are some recommended games to try: classic dice and word games like Bananagrams, Boggle, and Scrabble, along with board games such as Clue and The Game of Life. These games can be played solo or in groups of 1 to 8, suitable for lively writing parties or quiet creative sessions. Access my free Christmas Game-Inspired Writing Kit for score sheets and writing prompts.

If you're new to any of the games, review their standard instructions first. Then adapt each game using the writing-focused methods below.

1. Bananagrams

BANANAGRAMS is a fun tool for generating quick story ideas through word-building. In this game, players create a crossword-style grid of legal words, but for storytelling, you can use names, places, and invented words freely.

Bent Rules

Build a grid, expand your imagination, notice unusual words, twist them into story feed.

Rules

• Build a crossword using letter tiles.

• Traditional rules allow only real words, but for storytelling you can freely bend that guideline.

• Names, places, invented objects, and fictional words count.

Prompt

Use your final word grid as your story starter and select five impactful words that guide your writing.

While you play:

• One name

• One place

• One object

• One emotion

• One conflict hint

After you finish:

Write a short story inspired by the combination.

Tips

• Flip tiles with story potential in mind.

• Embrace odd or “unusable” words; they make great fantasy elements.

• Between rounds, choose one favorite tile word and free-write for 3 minutes.

  
  

  2. Boggle

BOGGLE is a rapid-fire word–finding game that uncovers surprising vocabulary pairs and emotional tones perfect for quick story sparks.

Bent Rules

Big bursts of ideas from tiny, connected letters.

Rules

• Words must be at least 3 letters.

• Letters must connect in sequence (touching vertically, horizontally, or diagonally).

• Proper nouns are usually not permitted, but in writing you are welcome to include them.

Prompt

Use the words you find in Boggle as seeds for your story.

While you play:

• List all the words you discover.

• Select three words to guide your writing:

  • One for your main character’s name

  • One for your setting

  • One for your story’s mood

After you finish:

Write a scene that connects these three elements.

Tips

• Use the longest or strangest word as your story anchor.

• Let the shapes of the letters influence the tone, since sharp letters create tension while soft vowels create a whimsical feeling.

• Choose a short, medium, and long word for balanced shaping.

  
  

  3. Scrabble

SCRABBLE builds vocabulary while pushing creativity through letter constraints. Every high-value tile can turn into a high-impact plot point.

Bent Rules

Score points on the board, score ideas in your story.

Rules

• Use valid dictionary words only, and avoid abbreviations or hyphens.

• Premium squares apply only upon first word placement.

• For story writing, proper nouns and fantasy terms are allowed.

• Challenge questionable words during gameplay, then decide how to adapt them creatively.

Prompt

Use each scoring moment as a writing cue that helps you build a layered, patchwork-style story.

While you play:

• Write a meaningful sentence or paragraph every time you score ten points or more.

• Use the earned word in your writing, keeping its spelling and tone as inspiration.

• Let unusual or high-value letters guide major turns in your plot.

• Allow the board layout to influence the geography or movement within your story world.

After you finish:

Combine all of your sentences or paragraphs to create a unique story shaped by your gameplay decisions.

Tips

• Use high-value letters for major twists:

  • Q = quest

  • Z = sudden change

  • X = unknown or mysterious element

    • Treat the Scrabble board as a geographical map for story settings.

    • If stuck, separate tiles into vowels vs. consonants to build names.

  
  

  4. Clue 

CLUE is the perfect prompt generator for mystery and suspense writers. Its classic structure of suspects, weapons, and rooms provides instant support for building a story.

Bent Rules

Clues spark questions; questions spark stories.

Rules

• Suggest a murder based on the room your token occupies.

• Accuse only after gathering enough evidence.

• Use the full list of suspects, rooms, and weapons to shape your narrative.

• Interpret each clue not as a guess, but as a writing prompt.

Prompt

Use each correct deduction as a writing cue to build the structure of your mystery.

While you play:

• Choose one suspect, one room, and one weapon.

• Create a backstory explaining how those three elements connect.

• Draft a scene revealing the culprit and their motive.

• Add an unexpected twist at the end.

After you finish:

Each time you make a correct deduction, write one meaningful sentence or paragraph using the suspect, room, or weapon, and compile them into a complete mystery scene.

Tips

• Avoid picking the most obvious suspect, because unexpected culprits create stronger tension.

• Let room atmosphere shape description (dark hallways vs. bright conservatories).

• Structure your mystery in three parts:

• The Crime

• The Investigation

• The Reveal

  
  

  5. The Game Of Life

THE GAME OF LIFE gives you ready-made story beats such as jobs, homes, twists, and major events, which makes it ideal for coming-of-age plots or character development arcs.

Bent Rules

Spin a wheel, experience a life, write a story from the journey.

Rules

• Follow every instruction regarding movement across the board, even when the result is a setback.

• Career and salary cards remain unless an event changes them.

• Some spaces affect all players at once. 

• For writing, treat each space as a scene card.

Prompt

Use the gameplay moments to shape emotional beats and life transitions for your character.

While you play:

• Pause at major events 

• Write 3–5 sentence scenes that capture your character’s emotional reactions. 

After you finish:

Connect all of your mini-scenes to form a complete life story.

Tips

• Use high rolls for hopeful scenes and low rolls for tension.

• Explore job or house choices to flesh out your character’s past.

• Add unexpected problems to “perfect” lives and peaceful moments to chaotic ones.

Conclusion

Think of this as a blast from the past meeting your very own Christmas Carol, except instead of ghosts walking you through your life, you have games guiding you into brand-new stories. Past, present, and future are all sitting on your table in the form of tiles, cards, and dice. So, this season, when someone says, “Wanna play a game?” you can say, “Sure, let’s see what story we write tonight.”

Resources

Creative Writing Dice Game