Writing or creativity of any kind is a mysterious process, a journey into deep and unchartered waters. What you need is a compass… the Tarot.
Empathy, the least comfortable of human emotions. ~Frances Gray Patton~ An important technique of fiction writing is Deep POV (Point of View). This technique uses the third person point of view in such a way that the reader feels as if she is inside the person’s head—or heart—for that scene.
I love books, in any format. If you are a writer, then you love books too. And, I bet you were introduced to their magic early in your childhood. I also bet that, like me, you have memories of several favorite books that introduced you to that magic and set
Stories are the creative conversion of life itself into a more powerful, clearer, more meaningful experience. They are the currency of human contact. -Robert McKee Now that we are formally into spring, I’ve enjoyed a full week of watching birds at the feeder just outside the window where I work
After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world. ~ Philip Pullman~ This past Thanksgiving, Bob and I traveled to Virginia to be with our oldest son, his wife and his two sons, all of whom were struggling with a virus that resulted in
The Magician of the tarot is number one in the Major Arcana (Arcanum = secret knowledge), often called the Fool’s Journey. The Fool travels through consciousness (outer concerns of life), to the subconscious (the search inward) and finally to the superconscious (spiritual awareness). Most people travel through these stages more
The Universe is made of stories,/ not of atoms. ~Muriel Rukeyser Our oldest son and his wife came for a visit recently, bringing our grandsons, one-year-old Ryan and three-year-old Andrew. Andrew went home at the end of his visit with us with a fine collection of stories. Stories about roasting
Believe in your own identity and your own opinions. Writing is an act of ego, and you might as well admit it. ~ William Zinsser Author William Zinsser died last week. He wrote the book On Writing Well. I love the idea that to be a writer, I must first
Fire is a good companion for the mind. ~ May Sarton ~ Fire. Not the element you’d normally associate with spring. And yet, if it wasn’t for the heat, the fire of that ever-nearing sun warming the Northern Hemisphere, snow and ice wouldn’t melt and fill the rivers, and lakes.
We all end in the ocean We all start in the streams We’re all carried along By the river of dreams In the middle of the night ~Billy Joel, River of Dreams~ In classical Greek thought and other ancient world philosophies, it was believed that the simplest parts that made
For this post in this special series by Beth Barany and I on Travel and Writing, we share about the importance of following the bread crumbs of curiosity when you travel in order to discover new stories, settings and information. Look for more posts from us every other Wednesday. And
Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true Deep down inside we want to believe they still do… Carrie Underwood, Ever, Ever After Whenever I attend a writing conference, especially one of the size (2000 attendees) and caliber of the Romance Writers of America (RWA) annual conference, I treasure and am enchanted
After nine years, our reliable Chrysler Town and Country van is giving up the ghost. Although the engine is still solid, the body is rusting and other maladies afflict it. We are so ready for a new car. Still, I’ll be sad to see the van go. That van was
Doesn’t starting a New Year feel like opening a new book? The pages are crisp and have that new book smell. There is the anticipation of the new story waiting to unfold before you as you turn page after page. On New Year’s Day, we had a New Moon in
“Would that I had a child as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as the wood of the window frame.” The Queen from Snow White As with all creativity, first there is the wish, the dream, the idea. The Queen spells out the picture of her
I don’t remember the first time I heard the story of Sleeping Beauty. Some fairytales enter your lexicon and mind before you’re aware of it, and feel like they’ve always been there. I do remember, though, when the fairytale pulled me in to let me see its deeper aspects and
A Story has emotional power: it brings meaning, hope, and vision together; it connects body and soul. It can be as simple as a saying or as complex as a biography; it can come from a conversation, a newspaper clipping, a movie, or a myth. A Story can bring the
I gave birth to three sons who ranged in weight from 7 lbs. 14 oz. to 9 lbs. 3 oz. My three favorite creative projects, I birthed them without medication, so I was very aware of the stages and the process. If you’ve given birth or attended someone who has,
On a recent vacation, Bob, his friend, Bill, and Bill’s wife, Patty and I walked into an old building in a run-down area of Indianapolis. It was an antique shop called Audrey’s Place. Walking through the back door where stuff was pile high for loading or unloading, a guy who
Friday night, Bob and I watched the movie, “The King’s Speech.” In spite of several important historical misrepresentations, the movie is a powerful story about King George VI’s struggle to conquer his stammer at a time when the popularity of radio was changing how governments communicated with their populace. One