Writer Games

I'd never actually heard of Liebrary until I went over to the house of some of my writer friends. They had a copy that they'd played with their family, and wanted me to play too.

Wow, was it fun!

In a way, it's story telling and trivia wrapped in one. One person is the librarian (everybody takes their turn). You're given, I believe, the title, genre, and author of a book. Each person writes down a first line for that novel. They're all passed down to the librarian who reads each line out, including the real first line. Then, everyone votes for the line that they think is the real first line.

I forget how the point system works, but I think you gain a point every time you vote for the correct first line.

The best part was, however, when I picked the correct first line to a Tolstoy novel with the reasoning that "we're all better writers than that". Forgetting, of course, that Tolstoy is one of the most celebrated novelists. Oops.

Obviously, this is a great game for writers and readers. Ideal for book clubs or writing groups. Even a good idea for crit groups if not enough people produced work that week! Writing those first lines could spark the idea for a new story, or work its way into your WIP. And if not? It's still good practice.

Accused! the board game is the ultimate game for murder mystery writers or suspense novelists. And it's just a lot of fun anyway.

You, and everyone else playing stands accused of murder. You each hold guilt cards (be they weapons, witnesses who will swear it was you they saw kill that poor little whatever, people who claim you have motives, evidence that you were somewhere that you claim you were not, and so on), and only a pitiful few alibi cards (may be proof you were somewhere, or a friend who will vouch for your good character).

Before the game begins in earnest, you are given 3 locations. You need to write a short story explaining why you were at each of those locations. You're also handed a guilty or innocent card which is hidden until everything is tallied up.

You race around the board, gathering alibi cards and dumping guilt cards. When someone thinks they have a strong enough case, they go back to the Police Station, and court is in session. The play ends here, no matter how close you were to an air-tight alibi.

You play judge, jury, and convict. Each, in turn, presents his or her case for why you're innocent, beginning with reading your short story alibi aloud. You then continue your story telling in an attempt to make what's left of your cards seem as innocent as possible. The votes are cast, points are tallied, and someone is convicted.

Did you get away with murder?

Accused! is only available in the UK, but occasionally it's offered on eBay. However, you can contact the game company directly at AccusedGame.com and make arrangements to have it shipped wherever you are. We may have been the first people in the USA to have a copy, but I'm sure that we won't be the last.

Accused! costs £29.99 with free shipping to the UK, but they have a special right now for 50% off shipping elsewhere.