Today is the day. Now is the moment.
“You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing.”- Doris Lessing
Time to Write!
Prepare.
Make space.
Turn off the world.
Tune into yourself.
Open your writing book or file.
Write the words "No Judgement,"
and, "First Thought - Best Thought
on the top of the page."
Now, think of one major turning-point in your life -
one major 'Epiphany,' in your life - after which,
nothing was ever the same again.
On the top of the page - write down a working title
Boom! You're on your way.
Revisit the memory of the Epiphany
which you titled.
Don't think of writing a poem
but more, think of yourself as the collector of images.
Make a list of what you remember
almost like... you're gathering evidence -
like a spy - of life.
As you write - imagine who you're speaking to
Revisit the place of your original Epiphany - the entire memory -
consider all of your senses.
With your Sight -
visit both the visible & invisible worlds.
What do you see if you let your vision levitate?
Tune in to all perspectives.
With your Hearing -
Listen deeper for sounds layered beneath
what you first hear in the memory.
What is the vibration? The Frequency?
What sounds are you making?
With your Taste -
What does the memory taste like?
Bitter, tart, sweet, or sour?
Find an image to explore this.
With your sense of Smell -
What else is there beyond the obvious?
What could it smell like
or what does it remind you of?
With your sense of Touch -
What is the stimulus?
What other pictures match this?
Now visit your Internal Sensations.
Temperature.
Balance.
Your inner compass.
Equilibrium.
Pain.
Pleasure. Et cetera.
How are you sensing gravity?
Explore every aspect of the Epiphany.
Don't censor your senses! Let it flow.
See what breathes, what suffocates.
Explore. Look for what you don't want to see
or remember. Observe what you avoid.
Imagine that you are drawing pictures with words.
Doodle. See the connections between things.
Exhaust every idea.
Now walk away and let it simmer...
Let the piece rest
Reopen your Epiphany piece, and look at it again with fresh eyes.
Observe what you have written from the outside
as if you are editing someone else's work.
What do you observe? Make another list of your observations.
Ask yourself: What is this piece about?
As you answer the question
speak in plain language,
and then, write down everything you say -
and whatever you say,
will likely be the beginning
of a great poem.
Read the poem aloud
Ask yourself:
Who am I speaking to?
What am I really saying?
Where am I?
What is my tone?
Why am I saying this?
Where does the piece flow?
Where does the piece fall flat?
What is easy to say?
What is bumpy?
Edit as you work.
Look at the verbs. Underline them.
They inform the action of the piece.
Make certain your verbs are startling, original, and wild.
Look at the images.
How do they support the metaphor of the piece?
Experiment with ways of speaking
Try speaking the piece from every perspective you can think of.
Use different characters, voices, accents and rhythms -
MOVE OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
TAKE RISKS
EXPLORE
BE SILLY
STEP OUTSIDE YOURSELF
AND THINK WHAT YOU HAVE NEVER
THOUGHT BEFORE
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- Sheri-D
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Sheri-D Wilson, D. Litt, C.M.
Sheri-D Wilson (aka The Mama of Dada) is the award-winning author of 12 books, the creator of 4 short films, and has released 3 albums which combine music and poetry.
Every fortnight, I send out a free blog post with my best tips to inspire you to write/tell your own story, and to suggest ways for you to present your words with confidence and panache.
