Prompt 9: Pick your strange phrase

Here’s a most unusual phrase generator that makes a fun writing prompt. I’ve included a visual of it (above). But if you want to use it, click on this link: The Directors Bureau Special Projects.

How does it work?

The dial has a button in the centre, marked ‘X’. When you click on it,  the generator loads three words in the bar (marked ‘loading’). The result is a random three-word phrase.

Using it for writing

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.
• After doing that, you may find that the phrase inspires  you to develop a coherent longer piece, such as an article, story or poem.

Decide the challenge you want to set for yourself. Will you try to include the phrase itself in your writing? Do you prefer to forget the actual phrase, and let your writing follow the associations your mind makes?

Examples

I ’spun’ the generator 4 times. Here’s some questions I’ve developed for each phrase. They suggest some possibilities that could lead to interesting writing—I’m sure people reading this will think of many more.

• Phrase: 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? Who keeps it up? Who likes it? Who uses it? Who hates it?
  Past, present, or future?
  Metaphor or symbol?

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

• Phrase: 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?

• Phrase: 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?