This is a marvelous pursuit! One of the things that can get in my way is having a spark of an idea-- which I write down and then decide is not at all original or noteworthy. Possible a form of imposter syndrome. Rather than burn out, personal flaming. :-/ I have tarot cards for the purpose of generating plot ideas. Also, enneagram charts for character development. Thank you for all the lessons and encouragement!
Inadvertently saying no to yourself at the early in the process is such a common struggle. Enneagram charts are great! I’d love to hear more about how you use tarot cards in your writing process.
Using Tarot cards is a lot like rolling dice--something to spark imagination. About 15 years ago at a conference, a writer was offering Tarot readings. I watched a couple, went home, and bought a deck. Running Press, "Tarot: The Complete Kit," at Barnes & Noble among the gifty stuff near the cashiers. The instruction book walks you through: shuffle cards, cut the deck into four piles, draw the top card from each, interpret the symbols as described in the guide. Like every psychic performance I've seen, the analysis draws out and brings into focus what's going on in your head. So when I drew The Lovers (upside down!) for my classic middle grade 90 percent scene (admit what's been going on to the adults) the guide book tells me, "Exaggerations abound, emotions run high--especially jealousy... Don't let anyone rush you or push you into things," I'm thinking about the adult in the scene taking an antagonistic role. Ordinarily, the adult will play a helping role. Because we're wrapping things up! But it's interesting to consider a bit of push back here. I can use this interpretation to layer in another perspective. Or I can ignore it. But I'm in the scene now!
I LOVE this as a generative writing exercise. I do tarot and saju (fortune) telling readings often here in Korea, and it's so exciting to see how I can connect this interest with writing. Thanks for sharing!
I keep thinking about your book "You Will Survive This"...It sounds so good. I am wondering if your story would do well as a comic? There is a huge webtoon community in the USA and lots of Korean comics do well here. Most of those are manwhas or dungeon leveling type comics, but omg a black protagonist on a highstakes mission in Korea, rife with folklore--people need this!!
My idealist self is imagining more of an artist/writer partnership like you'd get with an editor in traditional. That's probably not how it works these days 🤔.
I happen to be an artist but I have yet to spend enough time drawing digitally to be worthy of forming a comic. Drawing is soooooo time consuming--or maybe I'm just slow at it.
Gosh enough of my rambling!
We creators will create! Keep having fun with it! 😊
Yes I am already enjoying your DnD writing act so much that it's giving me funny ideas 😂. Thank you for this article. Stress, especially worry, is a huge burner on my creativity.
One thing I've done during burnout is taken a little break without giving myself a hard time about it. I find a good book and think about things I really like about it while I'm reading it.
I go to places thay excite me: the local book shop, a special garden.
Or I get dressed up and take myself for a meal. I listen to the world around me, marking sounds that are unique or annoying and why they annoy me.
Dressing up and going out without headphones is such good advice! I often dress nicely when I'm feeling poorly. It helps a lot. I need to try going through my day listening to the world more rather than listening to whatever's playing in my headphones. This is great advice.
This is a marvelous pursuit! One of the things that can get in my way is having a spark of an idea-- which I write down and then decide is not at all original or noteworthy. Possible a form of imposter syndrome. Rather than burn out, personal flaming. :-/ I have tarot cards for the purpose of generating plot ideas. Also, enneagram charts for character development. Thank you for all the lessons and encouragement!
Inadvertently saying no to yourself at the early in the process is such a common struggle. Enneagram charts are great! I’d love to hear more about how you use tarot cards in your writing process.
As always, thanks for reading.
Using Tarot cards is a lot like rolling dice--something to spark imagination. About 15 years ago at a conference, a writer was offering Tarot readings. I watched a couple, went home, and bought a deck. Running Press, "Tarot: The Complete Kit," at Barnes & Noble among the gifty stuff near the cashiers. The instruction book walks you through: shuffle cards, cut the deck into four piles, draw the top card from each, interpret the symbols as described in the guide. Like every psychic performance I've seen, the analysis draws out and brings into focus what's going on in your head. So when I drew The Lovers (upside down!) for my classic middle grade 90 percent scene (admit what's been going on to the adults) the guide book tells me, "Exaggerations abound, emotions run high--especially jealousy... Don't let anyone rush you or push you into things," I'm thinking about the adult in the scene taking an antagonistic role. Ordinarily, the adult will play a helping role. Because we're wrapping things up! But it's interesting to consider a bit of push back here. I can use this interpretation to layer in another perspective. Or I can ignore it. But I'm in the scene now!
I LOVE this as a generative writing exercise. I do tarot and saju (fortune) telling readings often here in Korea, and it's so exciting to see how I can connect this interest with writing. Thanks for sharing!
I keep thinking about your book "You Will Survive This"...It sounds so good. I am wondering if your story would do well as a comic? There is a huge webtoon community in the USA and lots of Korean comics do well here. Most of those are manwhas or dungeon leveling type comics, but omg a black protagonist on a highstakes mission in Korea, rife with folklore--people need this!!
If only I could draw! I'm not in a financial position to commission an artist for their work. But writing a comic is on my bucket list!
My idealist self is imagining more of an artist/writer partnership like you'd get with an editor in traditional. That's probably not how it works these days 🤔.
I happen to be an artist but I have yet to spend enough time drawing digitally to be worthy of forming a comic. Drawing is soooooo time consuming--or maybe I'm just slow at it.
Gosh enough of my rambling!
We creators will create! Keep having fun with it! 😊
All good ideas!
Yes I am already enjoying your DnD writing act so much that it's giving me funny ideas 😂. Thank you for this article. Stress, especially worry, is a huge burner on my creativity.
One thing I've done during burnout is taken a little break without giving myself a hard time about it. I find a good book and think about things I really like about it while I'm reading it.
I go to places thay excite me: the local book shop, a special garden.
Or I get dressed up and take myself for a meal. I listen to the world around me, marking sounds that are unique or annoying and why they annoy me.
Those things help me.
Dressing up and going out without headphones is such good advice! I often dress nicely when I'm feeling poorly. It helps a lot. I need to try going through my day listening to the world more rather than listening to whatever's playing in my headphones. This is great advice.