Any one interested in attending the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest (in North Carolina) May 17th -21st, 2009?
If so you should check out CWFI (Christian Writer's Fellowship International) -- they're offering scholarships for the conference from the Cecil B. Murphey Foundation.
December 29, 2008
December 16, 2008
Literary Symbolism Challenge (continued)
Okay, are you ready for the next part of the challenge?
Have you chosen a color (see previous post) and a number between 1 and 12?
Great.
Here are the numbered lists -- remember in whatever you write you are to use at least three of the symbols that correspond to the number you chose (the color being one of the symbols).
Animals:
1) Cat: familiars(witchcraft), magic, cunning, forethought
2) Dog: loyalty, faithfulness (snarling dogs: ingratitude)
3) Dove: peace, purity, simplicity
4) Fox: slyness, cunning, cleverness
5) Lamb: Spring and renewal, innocence, sacrificial element
6) Lion: the sun, power, pride
7) Mouse: meekness, timidity
8) Owl: wisdom, logic, messengers of death
9) Peacock: pride, vanity
10) Raven: death, destruction, prophecy
11) Salmon: instinct, ancient traditions, perseverance
12) Snake/serpent: temptation, evil
Compass Points and Seasons:
1) North: coldness, alienation, hostility, death
2) South: warmth, comfort, relaxed attitude
3) East: renewal, youth, celebration, song
4) Far East = exotic mystery
5) West: evening, age, decline, ending
6) American West = lawlessness, unconquered or unexplored territory
7) spring: birth, newness, beginning
8) summer: maturity, knowledge
9) autumn: decline, age
10) winter: death, sleep, stagnation
11) Easter: rebirth, hope, salvation, miracles
12) Christmas/Advent: expectation, wonder, miracles, birth
Jewelry and Climate:
1) diamonds: romantic love, hardness
2) gold: wealth, perfection
3) pearls: associated with water as in life or as in tears, also knowledge, or great worth (not wealth)
4) rubies: good fortune
5) sapphires: contemplation, purity
6) silver: object of desires
7) snow: covering, obscuring, blinding
8) fog/mist: isolation, muddled thinking, indefinite (as in waiting, or prelude to a decision/revelation)
9) rain: sadness, despair, or bringing life
10) wind and storms: violent human emotions
11) lightening: power, strength, spark of life or death, suddenness
12) thunder: the voice of Deity
Have you chosen a color (see previous post) and a number between 1 and 12?
Great.
Here are the numbered lists -- remember in whatever you write you are to use at least three of the symbols that correspond to the number you chose (the color being one of the symbols).
Animals:
1) Cat: familiars(witchcraft), magic, cunning, forethought
2) Dog: loyalty, faithfulness (snarling dogs: ingratitude)
3) Dove: peace, purity, simplicity
4) Fox: slyness, cunning, cleverness
5) Lamb: Spring and renewal, innocence, sacrificial element
6) Lion: the sun, power, pride
7) Mouse: meekness, timidity
8) Owl: wisdom, logic, messengers of death
9) Peacock: pride, vanity
10) Raven: death, destruction, prophecy
11) Salmon: instinct, ancient traditions, perseverance
12) Snake/serpent: temptation, evil
Compass Points and Seasons:
1) North: coldness, alienation, hostility, death
2) South: warmth, comfort, relaxed attitude
3) East: renewal, youth, celebration, song
4) Far East = exotic mystery
5) West: evening, age, decline, ending
6) American West = lawlessness, unconquered or unexplored territory
7) spring: birth, newness, beginning
8) summer: maturity, knowledge
9) autumn: decline, age
10) winter: death, sleep, stagnation
11) Easter: rebirth, hope, salvation, miracles
12) Christmas/Advent: expectation, wonder, miracles, birth
Jewelry and Climate:
1) diamonds: romantic love, hardness
2) gold: wealth, perfection
3) pearls: associated with water as in life or as in tears, also knowledge, or great worth (not wealth)
4) rubies: good fortune
5) sapphires: contemplation, purity
6) silver: object of desires
7) snow: covering, obscuring, blinding
8) fog/mist: isolation, muddled thinking, indefinite (as in waiting, or prelude to a decision/revelation)
9) rain: sadness, despair, or bringing life
10) wind and storms: violent human emotions
11) lightening: power, strength, spark of life or death, suddenness
12) thunder: the voice of Deity
Nature:
1) Darkness: evil, ignorance, danger
2) Dawn: beginnings, promises, freshness, time of blessings
3) Flowers: beauty, youth, gentle strength
4) Forests: secrets, hidden things, often evil or fearful places
5) Light: truth, safety, knowledge, warmth
6) Moon: change, women, passage of time
7) Mountains: the meeting of heaven and earth, pride
8) Pine Tree: immortality (evergreen)
9) Rainbows: heralds of rebirth or change, promises
10) Sun: heat and light, source of life, royal power (usually masculine)
11) Water: regeneration, origin of life
12) Weeds: outcasts, disorder, wildness (not of society)
1) Darkness: evil, ignorance, danger
2) Dawn: beginnings, promises, freshness, time of blessings
3) Flowers: beauty, youth, gentle strength
4) Forests: secrets, hidden things, often evil or fearful places
5) Light: truth, safety, knowledge, warmth
6) Moon: change, women, passage of time
7) Mountains: the meeting of heaven and earth, pride
8) Pine Tree: immortality (evergreen)
9) Rainbows: heralds of rebirth or change, promises
10) Sun: heat and light, source of life, royal power (usually masculine)
11) Water: regeneration, origin of life
12) Weeds: outcasts, disorder, wildness (not of society)
So if your number is #2 then you could write about this faithful little Southern dog -- warm and comforting to his mistress Dawn, as she begins to seek her blessings and search for the great golden wealth she has been promised but encounters difficulties from the menacing man in the solid black suit.
Whereas the #11 might opt to go with a sci-fi story about blue waters coming to life after being struck by lightening...
Or something more poetic, like the using the "ancient traditions" symbolism of salmon, plus their seasonal upstream antics, to connect the life/rebirth symbolism of Easter and Water against a background of blues.
The possibilities are endless.
If you're not a blog author, please feel free to participate and publish your writing to the comments section of this post.
December 15, 2008
Color Theory and Symbolism
For December we will be looking at Literary Symbolism.
Sometimes a tree is just a tree, and sometimes it's an oak tree that represents strength and wisdom, or a sycamore representing vanity, or the evergreen pine whose branches clue us to a theme of immortality. You can give your writing depth by knowing and using symbolism in your novels or poems (it even works in non-fiction).
The easiest way to start is with color symbolism. Here's a simplistic example:
The sea flashes grey under the stormy skies as the fishermen cast their nets upon it.
The color grey represents both life and death -- in this example the sea might bring life in the form of food (fish) but it might also bring death or at least danger to the fishermen. (And storms usually represent violent human emotions by the way.)
So here's the list of Colors and what they usually represent:
1) white = life, good guy, purity
2) black = death, enemies, bad guy
3) grey = life and death (ie grey sea =fish/food+ danger/death)
4) red = pain, violence, blood (scarlet – emotional or physical pain)
5) gold = wealth
6) brown = earth/ farmer brown
7) green = birth or rebirth (in some cultures green = death /mold/decomposition)
8) pink = femininity (note: red and white)
9) purple = royalty
10) yellow = defined in context, often light/revelation/enlightenment , also blindness
11) blue = reflected off water is life symbol, contextual meaning (also calm, or Christianity)
12) orange = lust, fire, consuming
For our Monthly Challenge we will use one of the colors (in its prescribed meaning) along with at least two other aspects of symbolism. Any format as long as it's readable -- no sculptures, okay?
So pick a number between One and Twelve (can be the same number as the color you want to use) and watch this spot.
Tomorrow I'll post some other examples of literary symbolism.
In numbered lists.
Whatever number you picked, that'll be the symbols you'll work with for this exercise.
Oh, I know you'd rather choose for yourself, but remember this will stretch you, and stretching is good for your writing muscles.
Sometimes a tree is just a tree, and sometimes it's an oak tree that represents strength and wisdom, or a sycamore representing vanity, or the evergreen pine whose branches clue us to a theme of immortality. You can give your writing depth by knowing and using symbolism in your novels or poems (it even works in non-fiction).
The easiest way to start is with color symbolism. Here's a simplistic example:
The sea flashes grey under the stormy skies as the fishermen cast their nets upon it.
The color grey represents both life and death -- in this example the sea might bring life in the form of food (fish) but it might also bring death or at least danger to the fishermen. (And storms usually represent violent human emotions by the way.)
So here's the list of Colors and what they usually represent:
1) white = life, good guy, purity
2) black = death, enemies, bad guy
3) grey = life and death (ie grey sea =fish/food+ danger/death)
4) red = pain, violence, blood (scarlet – emotional or physical pain)
5) gold = wealth
6) brown = earth/ farmer brown
7) green = birth or rebirth (in some cultures green = death /mold/decomposition)
8) pink = femininity (note: red and white)
9) purple = royalty
10) yellow = defined in context, often light/revelation/enlightenment , also blindness
11) blue = reflected off water is life symbol, contextual meaning (also calm, or Christianity)
12) orange = lust, fire, consuming
For our Monthly Challenge we will use one of the colors (in its prescribed meaning) along with at least two other aspects of symbolism. Any format as long as it's readable -- no sculptures, okay?
So pick a number between One and Twelve (can be the same number as the color you want to use) and watch this spot.
Tomorrow I'll post some other examples of literary symbolism.
In numbered lists.
Whatever number you picked, that'll be the symbols you'll work with for this exercise.
Oh, I know you'd rather choose for yourself, but remember this will stretch you, and stretching is good for your writing muscles.
October 21, 2008
November Meeting Cancelled
Unless otherwise announced, we will not be meeting for the month of November. Our next meeting then will be the third Monday of December (the 15th) 6-8 PM.
Our challenge which will now be extended until December, is to write a characterization -- several pages detailing the appearance, background, motivations, etc. of a character (this need not be about a character in a story you are currently writing). This information helps round out the characters for the writer though much of it might never be told to the reader of the story. The purpose is to know your character inside and out so that you (the writer) can portray that character with more realism and continuity. Feel free to use a picture (i.e. from a handy mail-order catalogue) to create an "illustration" of your character. This can be a helpful jumping off point to begin your characterizations.
Also, as we will now have two months to work on this challenge, you may wish to work on a brief scene (containing dialogue and description) using the character developed from that exercise.
Our challenge which will now be extended until December, is to write a characterization -- several pages detailing the appearance, background, motivations, etc. of a character (this need not be about a character in a story you are currently writing). This information helps round out the characters for the writer though much of it might never be told to the reader of the story. The purpose is to know your character inside and out so that you (the writer) can portray that character with more realism and continuity. Feel free to use a picture (i.e. from a handy mail-order catalogue) to create an "illustration" of your character. This can be a helpful jumping off point to begin your characterizations.
Also, as we will now have two months to work on this challenge, you may wish to work on a brief scene (containing dialogue and description) using the character developed from that exercise.
Root named Daddy
Love is very sharp and deep when it roots in your heart. My heart has a root named Daddy. He has always loved me even when I cry, pout, laugh, or fall. His love knows no end. I can look into his eyes and see the love for me with no words heard. The eyes which gaze back are the very ones he gave me. As I study his hands, I see the same shape and size in my own. I can not bear to think of the day when I shall see his eyes no more or be able to touch his hand to mine. I can feel his soft touch on my leg with the light pat to say “I love you”. We share the same eyes and hands as well as the same Spirit, the same Father. We both know because of “Our Father” we will spend the rest of time with each other even after our last good bye or “pat”. This love is so deep in my heart, to pull it out would drain all the life from my soul and I would cease to live.
October 20, 2008
October Writing Exercise
Your character is walking on a moonlight beach watching the waves come in.
Write the scene without using the following words :
- water
- waves
- sand
- beach
- night
- ocean
October 14, 2008
Have You Heard About NaNoWriMo?
November is National Novel Writing Month. Did you know this already? I just heard about it, a friend sent me a link. It sounds like fun. Check it out; give it a try. Why not?
October 12, 2008
One Syllable Words Writing Challenge
.
"I Think, Therefore I Am."
When the hills bend with trees to shape a pause, to stop the world…
When all that I know will not hold thoughts of time with out end,
vast clear seas, one small cell
or moon, or bone, or dirt,
leaves and wings and death…
When all that I can tell you is less than you can learn
from birds who fly south and north
from signs and clouds and the sun stained sky
when day first breaks …
When the ease, the cheer, the sigh,
the voice in my head,
brings peace that is not my own…
I am formed, made new
shaped and bent, pressed like clay
torn and sewn, patched like quilts
carved and hewn, like wood planed smooth
in His hands.
When these things spin in my mind…
When the hushed wind that moves crowned peaks bends to speak…
When the child is born,
and the rocks cry out,
and I see who He makes me…
When I reach that place,
I know
He is
I AM.
"I Think, Therefore I Am."
When the hills bend with trees to shape a pause, to stop the world…
When all that I know will not hold thoughts of time with out end,
vast clear seas, one small cell
or moon, or bone, or dirt,
leaves and wings and death…
When all that I can tell you is less than you can learn
from birds who fly south and north
from signs and clouds and the sun stained sky
when day first breaks …
When the ease, the cheer, the sigh,
the voice in my head,
brings peace that is not my own…
I am formed, made new
shaped and bent, pressed like clay
torn and sewn, patched like quilts
carved and hewn, like wood planed smooth
in His hands.
When these things spin in my mind…
When the hushed wind that moves crowned peaks bends to speak…
When the child is born,
and the rocks cry out,
and I see who He makes me…
When I reach that place,
I know
He is
I AM.
September 27, 2008
September 15, 2008
September - October Writing Challenge
Think of something that is important to you -- a life changing experiance, a sorrow, or a great joy. Write one page, double spaced (about 250 words) about this. BUT you may only use one syllable words.
Three exceptions:
1) You may not lie, so don't say "I was born in Maine." if you were born in Michigan.
2) You may use contractions of one syllable words. So, for example, you can say "couldn't" instead of "could not."
3) You may use two syllable words if they are under 5 letters long. (i.e. into, over, upon).
(Certain one syllable words, swear words, should be avoided still.)
This writing exercise comes from a class (at Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference) taught by Susan King an editor with The Upper Room, and is used with permission.
Three exceptions:
1) You may not lie, so don't say "I was born in Maine." if you were born in Michigan.
2) You may use contractions of one syllable words. So, for example, you can say "couldn't" instead of "could not."
3) You may use two syllable words if they are under 5 letters long. (i.e. into, over, upon).
(Certain one syllable words, swear words, should be avoided still.)
This writing exercise comes from a class (at Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference) taught by Susan King an editor with The Upper Room, and is used with permission.
September 14, 2008
Free
The woman fell at his feet, exhausted
“No!” The girl screamed, flopping on her pallet.
Touching his dusty feet, the woman felt a surge of strength. Hope remained.
The girl felt what little strength remained begin to flow out of her body. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone?
“Please,” the woman cried out, her face in the dirt. “Heal my daughter. Make her clean!”
The cloth rough against her face, the girl tasted blood from where she’d bitten her cheek.
“Its not right,” he said. The woman raised up her thin body, searching for his face. “Please! I’ll settle for the dog’s crumbs.”
The girl tried to breathe, but failed.
He bent and wiped away a tear. “Go. Your faith has healed your daughter.”
A focused shaft of sunlight found its way through the thin, threadbare curtain, revealing startled eyes. She was free.
“No!” The girl screamed, flopping on her pallet.
Touching his dusty feet, the woman felt a surge of strength. Hope remained.
The girl felt what little strength remained begin to flow out of her body. Why wouldn’t they leave her alone?
“Please,” the woman cried out, her face in the dirt. “Heal my daughter. Make her clean!”
The cloth rough against her face, the girl tasted blood from where she’d bitten her cheek.
“Its not right,” he said. The woman raised up her thin body, searching for his face. “Please! I’ll settle for the dog’s crumbs.”
The girl tried to breathe, but failed.
He bent and wiped away a tear. “Go. Your faith has healed your daughter.”
A focused shaft of sunlight found its way through the thin, threadbare curtain, revealing startled eyes. She was free.
The Feast of Crumbs
Hers is the voice
that cries out. She is
the dog at the children’s table.
She seeks. She finds.
She knocks and the door
is opened. The Bridegroom
welcomes her. He spreads the table,
anoints her head,
and pours out blessings. He saves
the crumbs for her.
He says, Partake
in remembrance of Me.
Feast upon the bread that was broken.
Partake of the crumbs, liberally spread,
she gathers seven baskets,
twelve baskets full.
Bread crumbs
scattered as a miracle,
as a sacrament.
that cries out. She is
the dog at the children’s table.
She seeks. She finds.
She knocks and the door
is opened. The Bridegroom
welcomes her. He spreads the table,
anoints her head,
and pours out blessings. He saves
the crumbs for her.
He says, Partake
in remembrance of Me.
Feast upon the bread that was broken.
Partake of the crumbs, liberally spread,
she gathers seven baskets,
twelve baskets full.
Bread crumbs
scattered as a miracle,
as a sacrament.
The Children's Supper
I want to tell of feasts of bounty
the wedding at Canna
the table in the presence of mine enemies
the finer points of pre-medieval religious banquets
and I am left with crumbs
crumbs from His table like a dog
crumbs of a life liberally scattered
and spread like a feast
the wedding at Canna
the table in the presence of mine enemies
the finer points of pre-medieval religious banquets
and I am left with crumbs
crumbs from His table like a dog
crumbs of a life liberally scattered
and spread like a feast
August 18, 2008
August - September Writer's Challenge
Use the passage from Mark 7:24-30 (also found in Matthew 15:21-28) about the faith of the Syrophonecian Woman, as the basis for your writing. Any format.
The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." And he said to her, "For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter." And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
~ Mark 7:24-30
The Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith
And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs." And he said to her, "For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter." And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
~ Mark 7:24-30
August 2, 2008
Round Robin Example
Somewhere a meadow bird sings a song of glory and praise.
"The Lord of Lords shall walk my way."
He will light up my path and I will lean on Him.
I can count on Jesus to be with me and guide me through all things.
The Lord, inconceivably abstract, becomes tangible in the world around me, and I walk with Him, holding His hand and hearing His songs.
"The Lord of Lords shall walk my way."
He will light up my path and I will lean on Him.
I can count on Jesus to be with me and guide me through all things.
The Lord, inconceivably abstract, becomes tangible in the world around me, and I walk with Him, holding His hand and hearing His songs.
August 1, 2008
A Round Robin Exercise
For a Round Robin each participant begins with a paper on which they write one sentence.
Pass the paper to the next person.
The second person will write the next sentence.
They fold down the paper so only the second sentence shows.
Pass the paper to the next person.
When the third person has written their sentence they fold down the paper so only the third sentence shows, and then pass it on.
Continue passing the papers round until they come back to their originators. The author of the first sentence then opens the paper and reads the resulting "story."
Pass the paper to the next person.
The second person will write the next sentence.
They fold down the paper so only the second sentence shows.
Pass the paper to the next person.
When the third person has written their sentence they fold down the paper so only the third sentence shows, and then pass it on.
Continue passing the papers round until they come back to their originators. The author of the first sentence then opens the paper and reads the resulting "story."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)