How to Write a Story Together — With Friends, a Partner, or a Class

Pick a Format That Fits Your Group

With friends

Round robin works best: sit in a circle (or a group chat), agree on a genre, and each person adds one paragraph. Set a finish line — say, one full lap each plus an ending — so it doesn't fizzle out.

With a partner

Alternate paragraphs, or give each of you a character to write. Writing from two points of view is a great way to turn a shared story into a conversation.

With a class or writing group

Split into small groups of three to five so everyone gets several turns. Give each group the same opening line and compare where their stories end up — it's a lesson in how many directions one idea can go.

Ground Rules That Keep It Fun

• Yes, and… — build on what the last person wrote instead of undoing it.
• Keep turns short. One paragraph each keeps everyone engaged.
• No killing the main character until the final turn.
• Read everything first so you don't contradict an earlier twist.
• Decide who writes the ending before you start.

Story Starters to Get You Going

• The last message on the dead man's phone was sent an hour after the funeral.
• Every door in the house was unlocked except the one that had never had a lock.
• The spaceship's AI had been lying to the crew for exactly three hundred days.
• She'd been left a bakery in her grandmother's will — and a list of customers she must never serve.
• Nobody in town remembered the lighthouse keeper's name, but everyone remembered his warning.

How to Write a Story Together Online

When you're not in the same room, you need somewhere to keep the story and a way to take turns. A shared document works for two people who check in with each other; for a group, or for writing with people you haven't met yet, a platform built for co-writing does the organising for you. See our guide on how to co-write a story online for the full process.

On TaleUs, you start a story, invite friends by email to add the next part, and anyone else on TaleUs can join in too. Each story has a set length and each writer can only add a limited number of paragraphs, so the whole group gets a turn — and when the last paragraph is written, the finished story gets cover art and audio narration you can all share.