How to Generate Stories from a Deck of Cards

🃏Deck of Tales: Turn a Deck of Cards into a Storytelling Game

Did you know your old deck of playing cards is secretly a novel generator?

If you were the kind of kid who made your barbies have backstories or invented entire kingdoms on notebook paper, Deck of Tales is for you.

This game turns a plain old 52-card deck into a whimsical, dramatic, slightly chaotic storytelling machine. It’s part improv, part intuition, and all creativity. Great for writers, kids, bored adults, or anyone who wants to escape into a made-up world for a bit. It’s a game I invented as a middle schooler, and I hope you’ll get as much joy out of it as I have. But, enough backstory, on to the rules!

🎲 What You Need:

• A regular ol’ deck of cards
• Your imagination (and maybe a notebook if you’re a writer-type)

🧙‍♀️ The Magic of the Cards:

Face Cards = Characters
These are your story’s stars.

• Kings are leaders, wise or power-hungry
• Queens are love interests, schemers, warriors, or socialites
• Jacks are dreamers, rogues, or loyal sidekicks

Aces = Fate
These cards shake things up.

• Ace of Spades = The villain appears
• Ace of Hearts = Love is declared
• Ace of Clubs = A major battle or victory
• Ace of Diamonds = Treasure or opportunity

Number Cards = Events
Each number is a kind of scene. Each suit gives it a flavor.

Suits = Story Themes

• ♥ = Emotions, relationships
• ♠ = Conflict, mystery, death
• ♣ = Action, battle, adventure
• ♦ = Wealth, ambition, discovery

Numbers = Action Prompts

• 2 = A new encounter
• 3 = A choice must be made
• 4 = A new place
• 5 = An obstacle appears
• 6 = Bonding or betrayal
• 7 = A clue or item is found
• 8 = A fight or competition
• 9 = A shocking reveal
• 10 = A major turning point

Jokers (if you want to get wild): Plot twist! Magic! Prophecy! Sudden death! Dream sequence!

🧩 How to Play: The 7-Card Spread

1. Shuffle your deck.
2. Lay out 7 cards in a row. These are your story beats:
   1. Setting
   2. Main character appears
   3. Conflict begins
   4. Rising action
   5. Twist!
   6. Climax
   7. Resolution
3. Interpret each card using the guide above.
4. Tie it all together into one juicy little tale.

✨ Bonus Ways to Play:

• Genre Remix: Assign each suit a genre. (♥ = Romance, ♠ = Mystery, ♣ = Fantasy, ♦ = Sci-Fi)
• Free Write Oracle: Pull cards one at a time and just write what comes to mind. No rules.
• Group Mode: Each person draws a card and becomes that character. Let the drama unfold.

💡 Example:

You draw:

• 4♦ (a new city)
• Q♥ (a charming love interest)
• 6♠ (a betrayal)
• J♣ (a loyal bestie)
• A♠ (the villain arrives!)
• 8♣ (a showdown)
• 10♥ (a love confession that changes everything)

Story Summary:
A traveler stumbles into a glittering city. They fall for a mysterious woman. Just when things heat up, betrayal! With help from a scrappy sidekick, they escape. But then, the villain strikes. After a fight in the rain, love wins the day. Cue dramatic music.

If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel without actually writing a novel, this might be your new favorite game.

Let me know if you try it! I’d love to hear the wild tales your deck delivers.