Realm of Empires

Need a few minutes' break from writing? Try Realm of Empires, a Facebook strategy game that doesn't require oodles of time. In fact, the game is designed to be played only a few minutes a day over a period of several months.

You start off with one small village, and gradually improve it into a well-guarded fortress. The game has a easy-to-follow tutorial for beginners, quests to help you gain a little silver, and a helpful adviser to answer the question, "What do I do now?" I've also written a quick how-to guide that will help you get started in the game or give you more information if you're just curious.

As you grow, you can conquer other villages, join a clan, and go from serf to royalty. Different situations keep the game fresh, and you can get to know others (only if you wish) through the clan's forums.

So what are you waiting for? Instead of playing a mindless game of solitaire while waiting for your muse to strike, give Realm of Empires a try. And for fun, do what I did - name your villages for people and places in your current novel-in-progress!