Writing games are tricks, exercises, things to try to get your writing brain in the mood. I find them useful when a story's giving me trouble - I can't think of a way out of the corner, or I can't think of a corner to get into, or I'm just not feeling in the right mood to write that story - as well as generating new ideas, and just keeping my writing-mind in shape. And on the plus side, they're usually fun to try, and you can end up with the germs of some great little stories.

Downsizing

You can do this with a story you already have, or write one specifically for it. The challenges are different for either - perhaps working from an existing story is closer to the 'spirit' of things - you might be inclined to 'cheat' with padding if you're writing one for it, but either works. This is also a really good exercise if you're struggling with a query for a novel, or if you're trying to figure what a story's actually about.

Start with a story that's at least 1000 words long. Your first challenge is to rewrite it in 500 words*. It must still work as a story - a beginning, middle and end, logical progression, arcs, prose that pulls the reader along. That means you're not just converting the story from 'show' to 'tell', and you're not just cutting out every second and third sentence. It has to be reimagined, re worked.

Don't start from a "what can I cut" perspective - it'll take forever, and won't work. The story will have to change or simplify - maybe the perspective, the details or the way you're telling it. Fewer characters, more straightforward plot. That's okay, it doesn't damage or change your original story - what you're doing is giving yourself another perspective on what the story really is.

Once you have your 500 word version, take that version (not the original) and write it in 100 words. Again, you'll have to simplify and streamline it to get it to work as a story within the limit.

When you have your 100 word story, make it a sentence. A whole story in a sentence. Here's where you'll have to be very economical with words - nothing can be wasted. If you doubt you can, just think of Hemingway's now near-legendary six word story - For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

*If you're working with a novel, try going to a few thousand words first, and then to 500. 100,000 to 500 can be a little difficult.