One of my favorite things to teach in a creative writing class is the “hermit crab,” a variety of creative writing that borrows the form of a non-literary text and uses that form as a “shell” in which to tell a story. Creative hermit crab writings can take the form of a rejection letter, American Girl doll description cards, iPhone screens, a syllabus, Mad Libs, or any of the forms below.

These are just a few ideas. Leave a comment with other ideas and help me grow this list!

• Hospital forms: intake form, patient chart, etc.
• Birth/death/marriage certificates, will, contract, court document, license plate text, etc. 
• Driver’s license, passport, work or school ID
• School: 4th grade vocabulary quiz, syllabus, spelling bee word list, standardized test questions, multiple choice questions, math word problems, etc.
• Word search/crossword puzzle/sudoku
• To-do list, grocery list, five-year plan, strategic plan
• Receipts of all kinds
• Bills: utility, phone, loans, car note, etc.
• Dictionary definition
• Media: Musical score/sheet music, album liner notes, end-of-movie rolling credits, Academy Award acceptance speech, etc. 
• Games and collectibles: Mad Libs, Scrabble, Monopoly, Magic cards, Pokemon cards, baseball cards, etc.
• Newspaper article, classified ad, obituary, real estate ad, top 10 list, cheesy magazine ad, listicle, “advertorial,” etc.
• Digital media: Instagram captions, tweets, Facebook updates, text messages, message board posts, Reddit thread, search results, Powerpoint presentation, spreadsheet, etc. 
• Library card catalog entry, library “metadata,” Worldcat entry, etc.
• How-to guide, schematic, flowchart, blueprint, etc.
• “These Activities are Forbidden” park entrance sign
• Workplace writings: email, memo, notice posted in the workplace kitchen, hiring contract, safety notice, professional bio, etc. 
• Stuff about the writing business: rejection letter, acceptance letter, announcement flyer, call for submissions, writer bio, blurb, pitch, query, etc. 
• Map (digital or old school), travel guide, weather forecast, plane ticket, bus schedule, Amtrak dining car menu, etc.
• Page-a-day calendar, advent calendar, itinerary, appointment book, etc.
• Cooking: recipe, measurements conversion chart, restaurant review, menu, food packaging label, nutrition facts grid, etc.
• Religious newsletter or bulletin, prayer request, etc. 
• Correspondence: love letter, diary, telegraph messages, cover letter, birthday card, fan letter, formal complaint, mass-produced holiday letter, letter asking you to donate money, job offer letter, breakup letter, Dear John letter, birth announcement, “save the date” cards, invitations, spam email, etc.