Build a Story

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Practice narrative continuity and listening by building directly on a predecessor's plot point.

Use it when: Use at the start of a meeting or workshop when a group needs an active warm up focused on collaborative improvisation.

Skip it when: Skip when the room lacks open floor space or when physical proximity is unsuitable for the participants.

Group arrangement: Whole group standing in an open room, forming an expanding line

Timing: UWT suggested 15 minutes allows up to 20 people adequate time to step up, link, and contribute one sentence each.

Materials and tools

• No special materials.

Before participants arrive

1. Clear an open floor space where up to 20 people can stand side by side in a line.

Say this to open

We will construct an entirely fictional story together, one sentence at a time. One person will step out and speak an opening sentence. The next person who has an idea will walk up, link elbows or stand right next to them, and speak the next sentence that continues the plot. We will keep adding to the line until everyone who wants to add a sentence has joined, and our final contributors will bring the tale to a finish.

How to run it

1. Introduce rules and set opening line 2 minutes

   Explain the rules: each contribution must be a single sentence that moves the plot forward without restarting or contradicting what came before. Deliver the opening script. Invite a volunteer to step forward into the open space and offer an opening line, for example: 'I was walking down the street, when suddenly a strange door appeared in the sidewalk.'

2. Build the story line 8 minutes

   Invite participants one at a time to walk up to the line, link elbows with the last person (or stand shoulder-to-shoulder if they prefer no touch), and speak the next sentence. Allow roughly 20 to 25 seconds per person so contributors can step forward, link, and speak. Continue until almost all participants who wish to contribute have joined the line.

3. Bring the narrative to a close 2 minutes

   Signal when only two or three participants who wish to contribute remain. Prompt those final contributors to resolve the immediate challenge and speak the concluding sentences to finish the story.

4. Debrief 3 minutes

   Lead a brief reflection with the whole group while standing or after returning to seats. Ask one or two debrief questions and take 2 or 3 responses from the room.

Debrief questions

• What helped you connect your sentence directly to what the previous speaker said?
• Where did the story take an unexpected turn, and how did the group adjust?

Finished output: A completed multi-sentence oral group story with all willing participants joined in a physical line.

Remote

Run in video gallery view. The facilitator establishes and posts a numbered speaking order in the meeting chat before starting. Instead of linking elbows, each participant un-mutes in that posted order to speak their sentence, then types the sentence into the shared chat so the full story stays visible.

Hybrid

The facilitator actively coordinates turns by alternating between an in-person speaker and a remote speaker. An in-person participant steps to the physical line and speaks, followed by a remote participant speaking over the room audio while their name is added to a visible shared slide or whiteboard, continuing back and forth until conclusion.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may stand next to the line without linking elbows, or remain seated and speak from their seat when their turn arrives.
• Anyone can pass by signaling with an open hand or simply remaining in their seat without stepping forward into the line.

If the session gets stuck

A participant tells a rambling paragraph instead of one sentence.

Gently interrupt and say: 'Pause there, that is our plot twist. Next person, give us the next sentence.'

A speaker introduces an element that completely contradicts what was just established.

Remind the group: 'Accept what came before and build on it. What happens next with that situation?'

Terms used here

• Narrative continuity: Ensuring each new event logically or causally connects to the events established before it.