The Oulipo is a French writing movement started in 1960 by Raymond Queneau and François Le Lionnais. its name derives from Ouvroir de littérature potentielle, which approximates to ‘workshop of potential literature’.
Unlike other approaches to writing, Oulipo is based on constraints rather than such devices as free association. For example, one technique is N + 7, in which you take a noun and replace it with the seventh one further on in the dictionary.
For example, applying that technique to the term Accident and Emergency Department gives me Accomplishment and Emission Deposition. And that’s where the ‘potential’ part comes in. I’m pretty sure I could write a short story around an imagined government department called the Accomplishment and Emission Deposition!
One of the principles of the Oulipo is that chance is supposed to play no part in the process. However, the N + 7 technique highlights the fly in the ointment, because the result you obtain will depend on the dictionary you use. You can also cheat, of course, as I myself have done when the N + 7 process yields a vulgarity.
I’ve tried a number of Oulipo and Oulipo-inspired techniques, which may be found by browsing through the Oulipo category on this website. But the question is, has doing so actually helped me as a writer?
I would say ‘yes’, though indirectly rather than directly. By this I mean that although using the various techniques have given me plenty of story and poetry ideas, I haven’t used them because I rarely write stories and write poetry even less frequently.
However, I have really had to stretch my writing muscles in order to abide by the self-imposed rules, and still produce something that is reasonably coherent. I think all writers can benefit from such exercises. Besides, I regard these techniques as additions to my toolbox that I draw on when needing inspiration or a hook.
I’ll be taking a very short course called Writing the Oulipo: a taster, on 19 June 2021. As it’s name implies, this is an introductory class, and lasts for just two and a half hours. If you’re interested in learning a few techniques to expand your writing ideas, along with suggestions for further reading, then sign up. It will take place online, so from a geographical point of view it doesn’t matter where in the world you are. Details here: Writing the Oulipo: A Taster.