Literary Mad Libs

Remember this game from when we were kids? You pick a noun, a verb, a what-have-you to fill in the blank and make a story.

Well, we can use it to boost our writing now, too.

Choosing the right word can give us more information with fewer words. Have some fun with these examples, then scroll down and see what the authors actually chose.





What the Authors Used

Example #1
Harry kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; he soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins’ friend Lee Jordan.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J.K. Rowling

Example #2
I creep silently through the shadows, letting them conceal me. But nothing seems suspicious. There’s no sign of any kind of struggle, no disruption of the needles on the ground. I’ve stopped for just a moment when I hear it. I have to cock my head around to the side to be sure, but there it is again. Rue’s four-note tune coming out of a mockingjay’s mouth.
The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

6 comments: