The stories around the room activity can help writers think about several specific aspects of stories:
Setting
Character
Conflict
Plot
Summary
In this activity, writers spend time in different stations. In the first station, they brainstorm a setting. Then, they move stations. They examine someone else's setting and create a character who might inhabit it. Then, they move stations again. Looking at the setting and character, writers create a conflict. In the fourth step, they return to the their original work. In addition to their setting, they will see a character and a conflict. They will outline a story that resolved the conflict.
Materials
Large whiteboards or collaborative online workspaces
Skills
Conventions of narrative
Inferencing
Communicating clearly
Obviously, the activity helps writers understand conventions of storytelling. The format of the activity also compels them to communicate clearly and make inferences. If they are not able to organize their thoughts clearly, they will realize that their characters, settings, and conflicts will get misinterpreted. When they approach someone else's brainstorm, they will need to draw reasonable conclusions from what has been explained.
Directions
Station 1 - World
Describe a world
Is it similar or different to our world?
What are the laws, practices, cultures in this world?
What are the physical characteristics of this world?
Switch stations. Examine another world.
Station 2 - Character
Describe a character who would live in this world
What do they look like?
What do they do?
What do they want?
Switch stations. Examine the world and character.
Station 3 - Conflict
Create a problem for this character.
What is a problem they would realistically have?
Is it related to the world, themselves, or both?
Switch stations. Examine the character and conflict created in your world.
Station 4 - Story
Outline a narrative based on what you have.
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