Writing Companion

The Directors Bureau Special Projects has an unusual phrase generator that you can download or use on-site. When you click the ‘X’ button on the left, the generator loads a word in each of the windows to the right. The result is a random three-word phrase.

How can you use one of its generated phrase in your writing? It’s fun to explore the possibilities of the phrase by freewriting, mapping or clustering. Or a phrase may lead you to developing a coherent piece, .e.g, a scene, article, story or poem.

Whatever you write, decide what challenge you want to set for yourself. Do you want to include the phrase itself? Or do you want to follow the associations your mind makes and not worry about including the phrase?

I ’spun’ the generator 4 times, for these results. My questions suggest some possibilities but I’m sure you’ll think of many more.

• Inexpensive nuclear garden.
  Why inexpensive? Side-effects? On earth…or? For special plants…or? Why is a nuclear garden needed–what’s happened? Who makes the garden? Past, present, or future? Metaphor or symbol?

• Do-it-yourself torture game.
  Who would do this? Why? What happens? Fun, scary, a bit of both? What kind of torture–physical, emotional, social? Do we all indulge in our do-it-ourselves torture games in our lives and our relationships? Past, present, or future? Metaphor or symbol?

• Secret foam art.
  What’s secret about it? Is it a ritual for some society? There’s all kinds of foam, from shaving foam to hard packing foam–which one? Who’s the artist and why this form of art? Is there something strange or sinister about this? Humorous? Can the term ‘art’ be thought of more broadly? Past, present, or future? Metaphor or symbol?

• Medieval inflatable instrument.
  For war? Music? Sex? Religious observance? Medical? Who makes it? Who uses it? Who likes it? Who doesn’t? Is it restricted to a certain group or level of society? An instrument of vengeance, power, help? Past, present, or future? Metaphor or symbol?