I have a great respect for improv actors… being able to wing it like that requires a special talent. Writing is the opposite of winging it for most writers. We create characters and guide their interactions, but it tends to be planned out. There’s a structure, a goal in mind. While the characters might meander their way at times, and rush headlong at others, it’s not winging it.

I think we could borrow some of the elements of flash fiction exercises to improve improv abilities. (Ooh… improve improv… hehehe!) Here’s an exercise I’m contemplating, a modified version of something I read at writingforward.com . The only modifier I’d add is, “In under 20 minutes”:

• Write a piece of flash fiction from scratch and try to keep it under 1000 words. If you really want to push yourself, aim for less than 500 words. It’s harder than it sounds!
• Instead of rewriting an entire piece, turn a scene or a chapter into a flash fiction story.
• Turn movies, novels, and other story sources into flash fiction writing exercises. Take the plot from a movie or book that you like and try to write it as a piece of flash fiction.

I’ll let you know how it goes!