In the Fearless Writing workshop, we created a list of words and used them in several exercises. It's challenging to work in 35 or so words into something that makes sense and tells a story in 15 minutes or so. In the first few exercises, all my dogs barked and all my shovels dug.
After listening to other folks read, I recognized the limitations of my thinking. If I'm brutally honest with myself, it is one of my great failings as a human being that all too often, I consider my first interpretation of something the only interpretation.
On a chalkboard in my writing space, I wrote "Not all dogs bark." Before I sit down to write each day, I pick a random word and make a list of ways to use it. Not all dogs are canines, and a "bark" isn't always a sound made by a dog. Truly, I am dogged about making my dog-eared lists of doggeral regarding hot-diggity-dogs and their doggone variations.
"Bark" can't make up its mind, either. Sometimes it's candy made with almonds; sometimes it's the action of speaking forcefully; sometimes it's the outer surface of a tree.
6 comments:
I love stopping by here. Your ideas are thought provoking, Jere, and often times cause me to smile.
I love those workshops that help us to see outside of our normally narrow viewpoints. Something about being with other creative people helps get our own juices flowing!
Keep working, girl!
: )
Playing in words, like a giant sandbox, is so much fun. This made me really happy to read.
Fun little post! I really need to take a writing class, but not sure my brain would work as well as yours.
;)
I think you are amazing:D
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