In this article I present a basic but very effective way of using Narata Storytelling Cards. Make use of whatever jotting-down-ideas tech you prefer. Pen and paper will do nicely. You’re ready to start generating ideas.
- Shuffle the deck. Deal three cards, back sides up.
- First card. Turn it over. Look at it. Write down whatever scenes, characters, or other notions pop into your head.
- Second card. Study the two cards side by side, letting their titles, images, and associations play off each other. See if any dramatic conflicts or exciting or intriguing scenes come 5 to you. Keep jotting down ideas.
- Third card. Let all three cards suggest even more story possibilities.
You can discard a “bad” card and just keep dealing more cards, but it is important to give seemingly hopeless cards a few minutes before moving on. Weird card combinations can sometimes produce ideas that are more original and fresh. Aim to formulate each story idea as a specific character with an interesting problem or goal.
Remember that the Narata cards are just a tool to get the brainstorming process going. Here, there is no duty to include all three cards in the concepts you come up with. If just two or one of the cards trigger an amazing story idea, no one is going to ask you where the “missing” card fits in. Your reader or audience won’t know that Narata was part of your creative act.
Aim to formulate each story idea as a specific character with an interesting problem or goal.
Don’t censor yourself. Write down every idea that comes to you. A story concept that seems silly now might prove to be the kernel of your masterpiece or bestseller when you go through your notes months from now.
Case Study: 15 quick story ideas
Let’s see what I can come up with brainstorming story concepts based on just the three randomly picked Narata cards shown below. I’ll do five genres, three ideas each: Thriller, Romantic Comedy, Science Fiction, Horror, Sword & Sorcery. Needless to say, some of these genres will be harder to develop stories for with this batch of cards than others, but remember that the cards need not be interpreted literally. The Associations field below the image will help here. At this early stage in the story creation process, it’s useful to start each idea with the words What if … ?
But before you read on, spend some minutes studying the cards and jot down your own ideas. Chances are good several people could come up with the same or very similar ideas, and I don’t want you feeling you can’t work on a story idea just because you read a similar idea described here. I lay no claim to any ideas I come up with in this blog post, so if any of the following ideas tickle your creativity, feel free to make them your own.
Some concepts that you may not want to use for projects now may still become the basis for stories (or just scenes or chapters) in the future.
1. Thriller
- What if the new teacher in a small Mid-Western community is in the Witness Protection Program, and her criminal ex who she testified against is on her trail?
- What if a teacher and his fiancé headed for new jobs in a new city, pass through a small desert town where they witness a crime, and now the perpetrators are after them?
- What if a teacher in a small town kills a would-be rapist and gets away with it, but now his family is out for revenge?
2. Romantic Comedy
- What if a physics teacher falls in love with a local conspiracy nut who wants her to help him investigate a crime that’s remained unsolved for half a century?
- What if two people who dislike each other get jury duty, start investigating the case independently, and fall in love?
- What if a city gangster’s car breaks down passing through a small town, and there he meets the woman of his dreams, the local school Principal?
3. Science Fiction
- What if the chief scientist on a small planetary outpost announces he’s discovered something that will change the destiny of the whole Galaxy and is then found murdered?
- What if a scientist on board a spaceship to a newly discovered planet discovers the expedition’s true purpose is a horrifying secret?
- What if a journalist investigating purported UFO sightings in a small town discovers a secret government project is killing people who know too much?
4. Horror
- What if the new teacher in a small town high discovers several colleagues are part of a demon-worshipping cult?
- What if three horror movie nerds become convinced their sexy teacher is a vampire?
- What if a homeschooling mother discovers their new hometown has a terrifying secret and for years people have been disappearing?
5. Sword & Sorcery
- What if a Knight and his young squire are asked to rescue young women kidnapped by a wealthy sorcerer?
- What if an aging warrior must teach peaceful farmers to be soldiers before an evil empire attacks?
- What if a warrior on the run from the law hides in a citadel plagued by spectral monsters that come out at night?
With that third Science Fiction idea, I put journalist instead of scientist. The idea just felt more interesting to me that way. Remember, Narata is supposed to be a springboard for ideas, not a straight jacket.
For this exercise, I stuck to the three cards, but you might want to discard one card and see how a brand new card affects your ideas. For example, I think the card Get Away With Crime felt a bit restrictive with some of these genres, so let’s discard that one and add another Narata card.
That change certainly opens up new possibilities. Try adjusting the ideas you already came up with and add brand new ones as they occur to you. It’s wise to keep a notebook or computer file where you collect all your ideas. Some concepts that you may not want to use for projects now may still become the basis for stories (or just scenes or chapters) in the future.
Happy storytelling!
