#writersblockcure

Pull out a chess board and challenge a friend. Take notes while you play.

-If a piece is captured, take note of which piece captures which.

-If a piece is at risk of being taken, assign a risk value and take note of how long the piece stays in danger of being captured.

-If a piece has been pinned to another piece, make note of that too. ((Ie, if you move one piece, it will put another at risk simply by moving the first piece. ))

-Make note of how many times you or your opponent manages to take the other by surprise, vs how many predictable moves were made. A good indicator is how fast your opponent takes their next move. A quick movement without hesitation means that you were predictable and they have a plan.

Now take those notes and set them aside for a moment. Pull out your cast of characters for your story. Assign them to a chess piece based on their importance to the story and one another. Now the fun starts.

Go over your notes and compare the chess game to the character assignments. When you see a capture move on the game, assign an appropriate story element that would essentially "remove" a character from the drama. It could be a death or it could be a move away from the other characters. It's all up to your story and what is appropriate for the context.

If you see a piece sitting at risk of being taken, add a story element to reflect that. Suspense is a great way to go. Take an element that would eventually remove the character and draw out the drama according to your risk rating and length of the risk being taken.

If you see a pinned piece noted in the game, choose a risk rating based on the value of the pieces and the length of time it stays pinned. Add a story element that reflects the danger there.

Now pull out the parts about surprises. You guessed it, add a plot twist. So if you have a rook come flying out of nowhere to take your queen, then there should be an appropriate twist in the story.

Keep in mind the value of the pieces and their actions in the game. A pawn moving out of the way to allow a bishop to take your queen can manifest well.

For example. A woman's best friend makes the mild mistake of overlooking red flags about this person she is inviting into their home. The person notices things about the woman and uses that information to sell the woman to a third party that is invoed in human trafficking.  In a chess game that could look like a bishop that moved to accomplish something else, while a pawn moves forward to cover the square that you intend to place a rook into. If the player moving the bishop does not see the setup, they end up in checkmate. If they do see the setup and block it, then the character sees the red flags for herself and manages to narrowly escape being sold into a human trafficking ring.

You can randomize your elements a bit by pulling out a D20 and making lists of events. Plot twists, drama, suspense... Then roll a d20 whenever you need a story element from a certain category based off of the values that you assign to the chess pieces and certain moves. It you don't like a combination, you can reroll part or all of your results until you find inspiration.