The Writer’s Playground Series – The Prop Bag

Thank you for joining us in The Writer’s Playground series!

Here we run through writing games to spark imagination and sharpen your craft.

Today’s Exercise is

The Prop Bag

Objective: To build a story around a concrete, unexpected object.
How to Play:
1. Before the meeting, the facilitator fills a bag with an assortment of random, mundane objects (a single key, a ticket stub, a foreign coin, a broken compass, etc.).
2. Each person draws one object from the bag without looking.
3. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes. Everyone must write a short story or scene where their object plays a crucial role.
Best for: Generating plot from a single detail, symbolic thinking.

You can collect physical objects for a prop bag, name a random item, or use one of the prop ideas from below. (Close your eyes and drop a finger on the page if you want a surprise):

A single, ornate key that doesn’t fit any modern lock.	A faded ticket stub from a concert or movie.
A foreign coin, worn smooth.	A broken pocket watch, stopped at a specific time.
A book of matches from a restaurant that no longer exists.	A single Scrabble tile (preferably a Q, X, or Z).
A worn-down guitar pick.	A single, tarnished silver cufflink.
A dried-up fountain pen.	A bent paperclip that has clearly been used to pick a lock.
The Queen of Spades from a deck of playing cards.	A shard of a blue-and-white porcelain plate.
A fortune from a fortune cookie.	A small, empty glass vial with a cork stopper.
A single, polished piece of sea glass.	A button from a military uniform.
A thimble.	A claim ticket from a pawn shop or dry cleaner.
A pressed and dried flower.	A business card with a cryptic message handwritten on the back.
A page torn from a diary.	The lens from a pair of eyeglasses.
A single, unused teabag of an exotic flavor.	A handwritten recipe on a stained index card.
A cicada shell.	A lock of hair tied with a ribbon.
A single die, scuffed on the corners.	A torn piece of a map.
A cheap, disposable lighter that’s out of fluid.	A single chess piece (a pawn is good, a knight is better).
A yellowed photograph of strangers.	A small, velvet pouch that is empty.
A fish hook.	A cracked marble.
A bird’s feather (e.g., from a blue jay or cardinal).	A single, pearl-like button from a wedding dress.
A cork from a bottle of wine.	A smooth, flat worry stone.
A single postage stamp from a defunct country.	A doll’s glass eye.
A miniature, foldable telescope.	A cocktail napkin with a phone number and a lipstick stain.
A polished animal tooth or claw.	A wedding ring with a worn-down inscription on the inside.
A golf tee, snapped in half.	A single, unused bullet casing.
A small, winding key from a music box.	A rubber band wrapped around a small, tightly folded note.
A sealed envelope with no name or address.	A broken compass, with the needle spinning freely.

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