A few weeks back, a friend and I signed up for 'Metaphoria', a creative writing contest in another school. The challenge was to write with your partner a story or poem in thirty minutes, based on two random words we would get on the spot.
I was worried. I considered writing a solitary pursuit. I would write a piece, and then just ask my friends to read it and give feedback. I have never worked on the same piece with someone. My friend and I were worried we could get in each other's way.
So we did a lot of research trying to find a form that would suit us. We considered ekphrasis—where the two words could be based on an imaginary painting—list poems, and epistolary poems. Unfortunately, all of these needed a lot more time than the meager thirty minutes. Thankfully, on the day before the contest, we hit the jackpot! We discovered a form called 'Renga'.
A 700-year-old Japanese poetic form, the word 'renga' literally means 'linked poem', and writing a Renga requires a partner, or partners. Renga consists of alternating haiku and couplets, with each stanza written by a different person.
You could look it up here- https://ypn.poetrysociety.org.uk/workshop/renga-a-collaborative-poetry-challenge/
This form was perfect! The words we got were 'bridge' and 'hope', and we each took one word and started writing. I did the haikus, and my friend did the couplets. We had to slightly modify the form considering the time limit, but it turned out well.
Those intense thirty minutes were an interesting experience. I was never stuck trying to get my rudimentary thoughts out, and my friend didn't have to pause in search of synonyms, because we were working with each other. As the poem unfolded, I realized that writing with a friend or another person is always fascinating, especially when there is a time shortage!
That reminded me of a game called "Rigmarole" I used to play with my brother when we were younger. I would start a story, and he would continue, twisting the story around and then stopping at an exciting place for me to continue. While these stories were just a long series of absurd events, it was really fun.
Recently, my friends and I have started playing a different version of "Rigmarole" wherein each of us writes one paragraph in a little notebook and then eventually makes a longer piece out of it. We occasionally add illustrations too!
Whenever you are under pressure to complete the most random piece on earth or languishing in boredom, consider writing with a friend. It is a really rewarding experience: you learn from the other person's way of writing, and you find out where you can improve. You can give and receive feedback with a person who truly shares your interests.
It could be a series of letters and/or emails between two people, a Renga, a chain of random words, comics, a story in episodes, or anything you like. If you are an artist, maybe you could make a collage with your friend?
Sharing your creative process makes the final result richer, more surprising, and infinitely more satisfying. Who will you collaborate with this week?
Enjoy the process!
~Elaine Elizabeth Jinto
