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The Power of Nightmares

January 13, 2012 4 Comments

There is power in the “image.”

An image either real or imaginary has the power to evoke a vast array of emotions. An image haunting or harrowing enough can stay with for our entire lifetime.

If we are not creating stories that contain visual images then we are just talking and not really in the business of storytelling.

Words describe an image or a series of images, but they are not a means unto themselves.

The more visceral your language, the more universally understood your story will be; because you have evoked the imagination (image-n-nation) of large numbers of people.

Everyone understands a nightmare, but written theories and intellectual language will alienates many.

2012 Copyright – Seven Sentences – The Power of Nightmares.

Writing Prompts for New Bloggers

January 12, 2012 4 Comments

Seven Writing Prompts For New Bloggers

1. Limit the amount you will write to a set number of words, sentences or paragraphs; this way you have a known finish line.

2. Imagine three different visual images or metaphors that illustrate what you are planning to write about.

3. Think of a friend, a person you know or would like to know and imagine them reading your blog; now write it for them.

4. Think of someone who really would not like or who would disagree with the topic of your blog; do you want to include their views or confront them.

5. Don’t censor or second guess yourself as you write the first draft, be creative and take risks.

6. What effect do you want to have on your reader; i.e. are you trying to incite, inspire, confront or question?

7. As you go back over your writing, imagine the simplest and most straightforward member of your audience reading your blog, does your language include them or alienate them?

2012 Copyright Seven Sentences – Writing Prompts

Where does my story come from?

December 20, 2011 10 Comments

Stories live inside you? You are like a hunk of stone and the stories inside you are fighting, kicking, sleeping, breathing, waiting to be born.

Storytelling is much like childbirth and every single person is pregnant with a story in one way or another.

For your story to be pure in its origin, you have to chip off all the layers of worthless rubble and debris to get to the heart of the story inside.

Why must your story live? Why must your story be told?

A story in its purest form is not a screenplay, a novel, a song, a treatment, a nine sentence pitch or a tag-line; a story in all its magnificent unadulterated glory is a primal sound.

2011 Seven Sentences – Storytelling Tips

Running out of Ideas

August 30, 2011 2 Comments

Every blogger, writer, poet or visual artist knows what it’s like to run dry. To feel like they have lost their creative flow and that there are no more good ideas inside their souls.

What do you do when you simply run out of ideas?

There are so many solutions and there are an infinite number of ideas, so don’t be scared. Look outside of yourself for inspiration, read, dream, talk to friends, ask them for random creative suggestions and just begin.

Ideas are free, they are simply a combination of words, situations, characters, objects or scenarios put together in whatever combination you choose.

When I run out of ideas it is because I am becoming far to structured and tight, I need to loosen up and let go of the notion of being right.

2011 Copyright – Seven Sentences – Running Out of Ideas

The Second Blank Page

August 16, 2011 8 Comments

And so the creative soul stands on the precipice, the first blank page in front of them, full of uncertainty, full of vulnerability, trusting that inspiration will come in that moment of need…

Creativity requires at first, complete surrender; surrendering our expectations, our plans, our ideals, our morality, to the story that is set before us. Is it scary to give up your morality?

My acting teacher used to say… “you can’t be polite and act at the same time”; there is a very good chance your character(s) have a different set of values and belief’s than you do. If you judge them, if you use them to preach your message, then they become contrived and less than real.

Something must surpass your morality when you create; there is only one thing that makes a safe and sensible idea… and this is grace.

Grace, allows the artist not to judge or condemn but to love their characters.

How To Write Without Thinking

July 26, 2011 15 Comments

What happens when we write without thinking?

Are you staring at the blank page for far too long before you start writing or typing?

Perhaps heavy concepts, deep thinking and an overarching need to be good are strangling the life out of your pen.

Your controlling hands around creativity’s throat are preventing the “ink” from flowing.

What to do, what to do, what to do?

START.

Free your creativity – grab a piece of paper and a pen, look at the clock and for the next “seven minutes” write every single thing that comes into your head.