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Yarn a Tale to Grow Flow

Have a Ball with Yarn as Prompt

Yarn is a good prompt for writing.
Squeeze a ball of yarn. It’s soft and fluffy to the touch. What metaphors or images arise from the sight or touch of the yarn?

Have yarn, will create! Using this spun thread to create connections is nothing new. The word itself has a secondary meaning, which is to spin a tall-tale, fable, or myth. There are some good reasons for this connection. First, yarns squeeze metaphors to create literary impact. Second, creatives can literally juggle  balls of yarn to consider how a plot can be twisted and turned to add drama. Finally, finger-crocheting can help knit together a dialogue or setting. Let’s look at yarn’s versatility as a writer’s tool below.

Squeeze Out Metaphor

Rubber stress balls work to help anxiety-filled writers and artists, but those made from yarn are better. Soft, fluffy, and light, they help us to squeeze metaphors while literally clamping down on them. Think about it. Maybe the logger who created the Paul Bunyan folklore had access to yarn balls while spinning tales of Paul and his blue ox named, Babe? Not familiar with the American tale? The city of Bemoiji, Minnesota’s website has detailed storylines for Paul and Babe’s travels. See more here: https://wewriteitright.com/sow-flow-visit-antique-shop/

Juggle ideas around while rotating these light-as-air balls to loosen up a plot.

Juggle Ideas Around with Yarn Balls

Perhaps juggling can loosen up a stuck plot. Without too much scientific thinking here, simply juggle three balls of yarn. Stand or sit. It doesn’t make a difference. Focus on the act of juggling the balls for five to 10 minutes, then write a journal entry about the current piece. See what types of connections altered or sprung up from the simple act of juggling. Need a refresher on how to juggle? Look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNigMfLNhpg

Finger Crochet to Knit a Tale

Want to bring a scene or a dialogue alive? Try finger crocheting some yarn at the desk. This works better seated than standing. Again, do not think too much about the creative piece. Think summer camp or study hall in middle school. Simply focus energy on doing the loops in finger crocheting for about 10 minutes. The process is what matters here, so don’t sweat the way the long link looks. Then, again, write a journal entry to note any new sensory images to add to a scene or dialogue.

Finger crochet for dialogue or scene development.

Your Turn

Creating space to allow images to pop up is important for writers and artists to yarn their tales. Frist, try to squeeze metaphors to enhance the story. Next, mix things up in a plot after juggling. Finally, use finger crocheting to knit together a scene or a dialogue. Choose any of these or all three to keep your story skills fluid.

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa

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Enter Flow Via Recycled Greeting Cards

Use Recycled Greetings as Upcycled Prompts

Upcycling cards to get into flow!
Go green by recycling holiday cards as writing prompts!

Before tossing those holiday cards, let’s recycle them to use as writing prompts. There are many ways to use the cards. Here are three that produce quick results. First, tear the card covers off and make a deck out of the cards. Choose one to write a theme, Second, take a card from the deck and describe the scene found in the image and write it in your journal. Finally, choose three to five cards and make a word bank to do a quick write. Let’s look at the benefits each prompt writing session can bear.

Pick a Theme from Deck

You remember themes from grade school, right? They are five-point essays, which have an introductory paragraph, three supporting paragraphs, and a closing paragraph. This structure is comforting to some  folks. Pick a card, then write about 500 words on the metaphor from the image or message on the cover. For example, an image of Santa holding a decorated and lit tree with a bag of toys might convey traditions. Then, think of at least three holiday traditions your family or town celebrates annually. Or, a birch tree with cardinals on branches and the words Comfort and Joy may invoke nature’s beauty as a theme. If you belong to a writing group, then this exercise allows you to create a piece to share in a recognized format.

Write a Journal Entry on Card’s Scene

A snowy town with people shopping or a sleepy mouse resting in a bow of a present are both whimsical images. Picking a drawing on a card and writing about what is going on in the scene helps build a story. If you are ambitious, think about what happened just before or just after the scene in the card. Write that description as a journal entry. When everything else seems too difficult, this is a very quick way to get into flow.

Choose Words for Word Bank Quick-Write

Take a quick look over the cards and choose 10-12 words for a word bank. Make sure that the words are vivid. The words from my stack include: merry, bright, believe, magic, Christmas, savior, gift, adore, happy, silent, night, snow. If you kept the inside of the card, see what juicy words or phrases are offered. Then, pull out your journal and set a timer for 15 minutes and write an entry or a children’s tale. Use all or most of the words. It is a quick way to get ideas for other stories, poems, plays, and even novels.

Pulling It Together with Greeting Cards

Try one, two, or all three of these exercises. Combine them to create longer pieces. Most of all, extend the joy of the holiday season while writing!

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa Moks-Unger

 

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Day After Twelfth Night Stirs Flow

Flow Arrives the Morning After Twelfth Night

Red wreath brings glee.
A red berry wreath remind bears glad tidings beyond Twelfth Night.

Entering into life beyond The Twelfth Day of Christmas challenges even the most cheerful among us.  People don’t get too excited about the thirteenth day of Christmas now, do they? Yet flow arrives on the heels of such a day. Honestly, it is important to know where to look. My family packed up Christmas after attending an Epiphany service. And, I’m not going to lie, it felt a little sad. Then, I realized what was needed to keep the spirit of the holidays going into at least next month. What was it? A simple red berry wreath.

Flow Found in Red Berry

A wreath is a traditional sign to welcome those entering a home. This red berry wreath is hung on a pantry door in my kitchen for a few reasons. First, it recalls winter’s joyful landscapes. Where I live it is in the 70s during the day and down in the 40s at night.  So, the symbolism of a white door behind the red berries reminds me of the Snow Belt where I grew up. Next, it winds around on itself as a sign of infinity. Glad tidings, I am reminded, are reason for an additional smile. And, another. Finally, stir those images around to find a satisfying sense of flow to extend the joy of Twelfth Night into today –  and beyond.

Other Places to Find Flow Beyond Twelfth Night

Easily find flow and where it grows through the five senses. First, get out a journal. Next, walk around the office or house and jot down anything that smells, sounds, tastes, feels, or looks like an extension of the holiday. For example, note that the red earthen wear bowl can hold fruit such as apples on the counter. Perhaps a dash a cinnamon in coffee or on cocoa brings a jolt of joy. Finally, take this listing of sense-related phrases and quickly write a reflection on Christmas joys. No need to share it – unless that, too, brings joy.

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa

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Evergreens Springs Forth Renewal of Writing

Evergreens help us move flow.
Just like evergreens, some writing projects are always in need.

Evergreens Grows Promises of Work Renewed

Today’s word-of-the-day selection is evergreens (n) – 1. trees, twigs or branches of evergreens plants used as decoration 2. Something that remains perennially fresh, interesting, or well-liked. This term has a lot of impact for two reasons. First, the plant or boughs carry with it a remarkable association with the yearend holiday of Christmas. Second, the term itself is fresh, interesting, and well-liked. Are you still trying to get ready for the holidays? Get some ideas for decorating from a literary point-of-view here: https://www.cafepress.com/+literature+ornaments

Decorating the Tree or Article

Evergreens are popular, because they are reliable. In both the customary tree form and the literary form, people are at ease with this subject. It gives writers a sense of confidence and accomplishment to renew an older piece by finding new ways to rewrite a piece. I’ve done this a number of times describing a trip to the beach during a Florida winter. As we bring new ornaments to our trees so do we through our experiences, bring new life to evergreen assignments.

The Message of This Rejuvenating Term

The message of this term is about renewal: What novel ways can you breathe new life into a subject? Look very closely at a needle, a twig, or a branch to find the answer you seek.

Your Turn

Take out your journal and free write for 15 minutes about experiences you had getting, setting up, and decorating a Christmas tree. Perhaps the story is in how the tree came down! That happened to my family when my husband thought I was watering the tree. And, I thought he was giving it a little drink daily. As we brought the subject us, down came the tree between us two! And the tree story is authentic even if the evergreen is from a box. Just get the story down in your journal!

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa

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Incautious Daily Word Crimps Flow

 

Get work done more quickly wihen you have a plan.
Having a plan to use an outline, template, or other tool to organize thoughts prevents incautious work.

Bypass Incautious Work with Plan

Today’s word-of-the-day selection is incautious: (adjective) – not cautious; careless; reckless. As a writer who has been an educator, I have seen my fair share of incautious work from students. Deadline procrastination is often the culprit. First, passive voice is favored to increase word count, especially on the 500-word essays. Next, misspellings get overlooked by spellcheck apps that scan by word and not sentence. Think they’re, their, or there.  Finally, abbreviations are often added to copy that belong in text messages such as IDK (I don’t know) or IMHO (in my humble opinion).  All of these errors – and more – can be handled with a plan. Orderly writing helps curb procrastination, which yields the mistakes mentioned above by anyone pressed for time.

Set the tone for anything from a blog post to an essay with an outline. Anchor the beginning, middle, and end of the piece with headers. Expand the outline to a template to use repeatedly, especially for reports, blogs, or journal entries. For example, my morning journal is anchored with my daily intention. Next, I write the three things that I want to accomplish that day. Finally, I free-write for three pages by asking myself questions like: What do I need to know? Who do I need to ask? Where can I find that resource? These prompts help me to get the work completed in a timely fashion.

 The Message the Word Incautious Sends

The message from this term reminded me of grade-school fire prevention talks: If you are rushed and begin to unravel, then stop, drop, and roll. Stop flying by the seat of your pants and get a plan. Drop into the template form or create an outline. Roll with the plan and get the work done. The message made complete sense to me. Stop and reset the process instead of embarking on a crash course to failure.

Your Turn

What projects are you working on between now and the end of the year? Take some time to prioritize the work. Set a plan. Pick out or create a template. Then, apply your analysis to let flow help to get that work completed.

Here’s to growing your flow,

Marisa