When my friend and I first started getting together once a week, the intention was that we’d spend at least part of the time writing. However, we’d talk and go out to lunch and never get to the writing part. These story aids were supposed to change all that.
Unfortunately, my friend got called back to work for an 18 month contract. Figures. She dodged a bullet and I get to do these reviews by myself.
I decided to start with the Story Cubes There are nine, six-sided dice, with a picture on each of the six sides. You’re supposed to roll the dice and write according to the pictures that come up on the top of the dice.
Technically it’s more of a game, and it’s meant to be played with several players, but there is is a layout where you can use them solo. The layout is called My Hero. You roll three cubes and use them to create a character, or hero, then you roll all nine cubes and tell a story featuring your hero.
The three cubes I rolled for my character came up with: a sunflower, a rainbow, and an angry shadow. And here’s what I came up with for my character:
Her name is Sunflower Reid, her friends call her Sunny. Her parents signed over the deed to their small, but successful organic farm to her two years ago, leaving them free to travel the country in their Volkswagen camper van. She has a ghost attached to her, but I’m not sure at this point if this is a good thing, or a bad thing.
When I rolled all nine dice for my storyline, they came up: an apple, water flowing under a bridge, tree, balance scales, fish, an L in a box, an arrow pointing down to the left, a worried face, and an open hand.
I’m finding the Story Cubes both fun and a little bit challenging. I’ve spent a couple of days brainstorming and I think I’ve finally come up with a couple of story ideas. One is sweet and maybe a bit romantic, and the other is a little on the creepy side. Which one will I choose? You’ll have to wait and see. I’ll post it when I’m done. :-D
