Story Development

By Corey Rosen and Brandon Spars Several months ago, when I started collecting my thoughts on storytelling and related ideas (AI, active listening, and improvisation among them), I put out a call of sorts. “What are you interested in hearing about?” What topics, ideas, or techniques are you curious to learn more about or deepen your own knowledge of? One of the first I received was from a Bay Area storyteller I respect and admire deeply, Brandon Spars. I first encountered B

“AI Slop” has become the insult of the moment. Usually people use it to describe images: six-fingered hands, uncanny faces, endless streams of generic fantasy warriors, hyper-realistic astronauts riding tigers through space. And some of that definitely deserves the label. But I don’t think the real problem is the images. I think the real AI slop is the ideas. For most of human history, making something was hard. If you wanted to make a film, you needed cameras, actors, loca

What This Game Teaches This exercise builds imagination, positive acceptance, and the ability to respond creatively to unexpected ideas. Group Size Pairs Time 10–15 minutes Energy Level Medium How to Play Divide participants into pairs. Player A gives an imaginary gift using pantomime and description. Player B receive the gift enthusiastically “This is exactly what I wanted!” and explains its use. Switch roles. Keep giving gifts back and forth, delighting in each gift regard

What This Game Teaches This exercise helps participants quickly generate meaningful stories by anchoring them to clear, memorable categories. Group Size Individuals, pairs, or small groups Time 10–20 minutes Energy Level Low How to Play Give participants a prompt category such as: First, Last, Best, or Worst Add a topic (e.g., job, trip, performance, mistake). Participants choose one combination (e.g., “worst job” or “best trip”) and tell a story based on it. Share stories in

What This Game Teaches The Story Spine teaches fundamental narrative structure—how to move from setup to escalation to resolution—while helping participants organize ideas into a clear, compelling story. Group Size Individuals, pairs, or small groups Time 10–20 minutes Energy Level Low to Medium How to Play Introduce the Story Spine prompts: Once upon a time…Every day…But one day…Because of that…Because of that…Because of that… Until finally…And ever since then… Partici