“Write an Exquisite Corpse” is not code for ChatGPT or murder! Exquisite Corpse is an uncensored writing style that is independent of AI and all about automatic human reactions.
Exquisite Corpse: A Collaborative Writing Adventure
Exquisite Corpse is also known as ‘Exquisite Cadaver.’ Now how this term came about is discussed later!
While ChatGPT undeniably brings its own set of advantages to the writing process, Exquisite Corpse is a writing style that stands on its own, independent of AI prompting. The beauty of this technique lies in its ability to tap into the collective imagination and creativity of a group of participants.
Celebrate Human Uniqueness Amidst AI Influence!
This exercise relies solely on human responses. (Yay!) By focusing solely on our human ingenuity, we embrace the pure essence of collaborative storytelling. Writing an Exquisite Corpse allows us to explore the depths of our own creativity and connect with others in a deeply authentic way. It’s a celebration of the human spirit and our innate ability to create something extraordinary without the aid of AI prompts! 🙂 Read A technical analysis of writing with ChatGPT!
Encourage spontaneous connections, surprises, and the unexpected.
The groups I’ve used this exercise with span art students and corporate clients. It works with groups of two or more so it’s very versatile. Exquisite Corpse is a lot of fun as an ice-breaker because it can demonstrate spontaneous synchronicity when you don’t direct it for specific storytelling purposes. For example, you can direct towards synchronicity by asking training participants to describe their mood, what they hope to achieve in a session and to give a word of advice to colleagues. The group output inevitably adopts a rhythm as a result of the common goals that emerge.
Starting an Exquisite Corpse: A Collaborative Writing Adventure
Two or More Participants for an Exquisite Cadaver
Welcome to the captivating realm of Exquisite Corpse, a collaborative writing adventure that sparks creativity and nurtures connection!
- I’ve written three lines but have folded the paper over my first two lines to hide them from you. But the third line that is visible to you, says ‘The sky can turn green and the sun black, but…”
- Now you start writing a response from the sentence you can see. Complete the sentence without thinking about it by adding three of your own unique sentences.
- Fold your paper over so that only your last line is visible to the next person.
- Pass the folded paper to the next person so that they can continue from your last line.
The Origins and Influence of Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism
Exquisite Corpse is an innovative writing technique that grew out of a captivating artistic and literary revolution to tap into the depths of the subconscious. Early 20th-century Surrealists, led by visionaries like André Breton, embraced the subconscious, chance, and the exploration of the unknown.
Exquisite Corpse emerged as a unique technique within the surrealist movement, allowing artists and writers to collaborate and create fascinating, unpredictable compositions. Surrealists wanted to challenge conventions and embrace chance. They used the Exquisite Cadaver to break from rational creative patterns.
Natural Writing: What is ‘Automatism’?
Automatism refers to the spontaneous and unconscious creation of art or writing.
Artists were inspired by the randomness of life. They would toss shapes cut from cardboard down, letting them fall in a random formation. They would then create a composition for a painting based on these randomly created patterns.
It’s your ‘automatic‘ response to a stimulus. for example, you could listen to a piece of music and be inspired to write a poem or do a painting.
Automatism writing involves tapping into the subconscious while writing with ChatGPT involves interacting with an AI language model. While both approaches can lead to unexpected and surrealistic outcomes, the source of inspiration, collaboration, and level of control differ between them.
ChatGPT Writing vs ‘Natural Writing:’ Similarities and Differences
Similarities:
- Spontaneity: Both automatism writing and writing with ChatGPT can involve a spontaneous flow of words without premeditation or careful planning.
- Unconscious expression: Both approaches can allow for the expression of thoughts, ideas, and associations that may not be immediately apparent in conscious thought.
- Surrealistic elements: Both automatism writing and writing with ChatGPT have the potential to generate unexpected and surrealistic outcomes, with surprising juxtapositions and unconventional narratives.
Differences:
- Source of inspiration: Automatism writing draws from the individual’s own subconscious mind while writing with ChatGPT relies on the AI model’s vast training data and algorithms.
- Collaboration: Automatism writing can be a solitary act while writing with ChatGPT involves an interaction with an AI language model.
- Control and influence: With automatism writing, the individual has more control over the content and direction, consciously or unconsciously. Writing with ChatGPT involves the guidance and influence of the AI model, which may shape the output based on the provided prompts and training data.
Exquisite Corpse: Creative Collaboration
Collectively Create an Exquisite Corpse
Surrealism embraced the fantastical, the dreamlike, and the unconventional. Artists like Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró led the way, creating visually stunning and conceptually provocative works. The Exquisite Corpse technique embraces the element of surprise, challenges linear storytelling and allows participants to collectively create something greater than the sum of its parts.
Writing an Exquisite Corpse
Collaboration is at the heart of Exquisite Corpse. By establishing guidelines and creating a supportive environment, participants can unleash their creativity and build upon each other’s ideas. Setting the tone encourages open-mindedness, respect, and a sense of adventure.
Exquisite Corpse as a Catalyst for Creativity
Exquisite Corpse Exquisite Corpse can spark new pathways of expression and break through creative blocks. It frees participants from self-imposed constraints and encourages them to explore new ideas, helping to overcome creative obstacles and reignite inspiration. Let’s delve into how this collaborative technique ignites inspiration and fuels the imagination.
Unpredictable Outcomes: Unraveling the Magic
Exquisite Corpse’s true beauty lies in its unpredictable outcomes. As the collaborative creation progresses, unexpected narratives, characters, and twists emerge. This sense of wonder and surprise adds an element of excitement to the creative process. The technique is structured, yet open-ended, providing participants with the freedom to weave their narratives together.
Exquisite Corpse Breaks Creative Blocks
The technique encourages participants to let go of inhibitions, silences the inner critic, and embraces the unexpected. By relinquishing control and surrendering to collective creation, individuals find themselves immersed in a liberating creative flow.
Embracing the Collaborative Process
One of the most enchanting aspects of Exquisite Corpse is the collaborative nature of the technique. Participants embark on a journey together, weaving their ideas and words into a cohesive narrative. Let’s explore how to embrace the collaborative process and create a fertile ground for creativity to flourish.
Establishing Trust and Creative Freedom
Building trust among participants is essential for a successful Exquisite Corpse experience. Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment allows individuals to express themselves freely, encouraging a more vibrant and diverse range of ideas to emerge. Remember, there are no right or wrong contributions—only opportunities for unexpected brilliance.
The Technique: Structure of an Exquisite Corpse Creation
Each participant contributes to a story or poem, building upon the preceding segment while remaining unaware of what others have written. This creates a mysterious and surprising narrative that unfolds organically.
- Start: An Exquisite Corpse creation typically begins with a group of participants sitting in a circle, each armed with a writing instrument and a piece of paper.
- Setting a Context: Facilitators can set a theme, topic or title to give direction. However, for a spontaneous creation nuanced by each participant, facilitators can simply tell participants to write three lines, fold the paper and pass it to the next writer.
- Pass the Paper: The process involves folding the paper to hide previous contributions while leaving a small portion (for example the last line or word) visible for the next writer.
- Write: As the participants pass the paper along, each writer adds their segment without knowing what came before.
- Outcome: A captivating and unpredictable collaborative piece.
Analyse the Exquisite Cadaver
Once completed, the facilitator should read the Exquisite Corpse to the participants and discuss responses.
Explore Themes Emerging in Your Exquisite Corpse
Symbolism and themes often reveal themselves in unexpected ways! By embracing the unconventional, participants can explore profound metaphors and thought-provoking ideas, giving rise to unique narratives and connections. Don’t hesitate to explore the content that emerged but avoid encouraging a ‘who wrote that‘ witch hunt if sensitive details were shared.
Encourage participants to discover hidden meanings and surprising connections. Use the Exquisite Cadaver as an invitation to explore the depths of imagination and unravel the layers of meaning.
Exquisite Corpse Gives Rise to the Unexpected: Unique Group Narratives
The Exquisite Corpse has an uncanny ability to generate narratives that surpass the imagination of any individual contributor. Through this collaborative process, participants unlock hidden connections, merge diverse perspectives, and witness the birth of narratives that take on a life of their own. It’s a testament to the power of collective creativity.
Exquisite Corpse is a celebration of the unexpected, a whimsical journey where the sum becomes greater than its parts. Let’s celebrate the magic of this collaborative technique and the rich narratives that emerge from its depths.
Uses for Exquisite Corpse
Exquisite Corpse can be a versatile and engaging activity to unpack a concept that has been taught, provide training feedback, or conduct a group “health check.” Let’s explore how this collaborative writing adventure can be applied in these scenarios:
Educational Applications: Exquisite Corpse in Workshops and Training Sessions
In workshops and training sessions, Exquisite Corpse serves as an engaging warm-up exercise, encouraging participants to step outside their comfort zones and tap into their collective imagination. By working together, participants enhance their collaboration skills, open up to new perspectives, and build connections with one another.
Reflecting on a Concept:
After teaching a complex concept or topic, Exquisite Corpse can serve as a reflective exercise to deepen understanding and encourage critical thinking. Participants can collectively build a narrative that embodies the essence of the concept, for example, ‘What is leadership?’ This allows participants to explore different perspectives and connections.
Each contribution adds a layer of interpretation, fostering a rich and multidimensional exploration of the topic. By unravelling the collaborative creation, participants gain insights into how the concept resonates with each individual and collectively construct a comprehensive understanding.
Use Exquisite Corpse to Creatively Obtain Training Feedback
Exquisite Corpse can also be employed as a feedback mechanism in training sessions. Participants can collaboratively create a narrative that reflects their experience, learnings, and key takeaways from the training. Each contribution becomes a voice in the story, offering insights, observations, and reflections.
This activity provides a platform for participants to express their thoughts and feelings in a creative and non-threatening way. By examining the collective creation, trainers can gain valuable feedback about the training’s effectiveness, identify areas of improvement, and celebrate successful outcomes.
Group “Health Check”:
As a group activity, Exquisite Corpse can serve as a “health check” to assess the dynamics, cohesion, and communication within a group. Participants collectively construct a narrative, representing the group’s collective voice. This activity can uncover underlying dynamics, shared perspectives, or potential challenges within the group. By analyzing the collaborative creation, facilitators or team leaders can gain insights into the group’s overall health, identify areas for improvement or intervention, and foster open dialogue among participants.
In all these scenarios, Exquisite Corpse provides a unique and interactive approach to deepen understanding, gather feedback, or assess group dynamics. Its collaborative nature fosters engagement, creativity, and collective ownership of the process. Whether used to unpack a concept, provide feedback, or conduct a group “health check,” this collaborative writing adventure offers a dynamic and inclusive platform for participants to express themselves and contribute to a shared narrative.
Conclusion: Unity Among Participants
As we conclude our exploration of Exquisite Corpse, we celebrate its ability to nurture creativity, inspire connection, and unleash the magic of collaborative storytelling. Whether in art history classes, workshops, or corporate training sessions, Exquisite Corpse continues to be a powerful tool for engaging imaginations, breaking creative barriers, and fostering a sense of unity among participants.
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