Tarot for Stories

Writers use many tools to help craft their stories. Some use outlines, others use the snowflake method, a few might use index cards, and then there are those of us who use tarot cards.

When I prep for NaNoWriMo in October, I try and create an outline of plot points and a few character sheets. Nothing too detailed because I would like the characters to help write the story and see where they take it, but nothing so flimsy I am left pounding my redhead on the desk due to lack of direction.

My plot bunny is angsty and I am currently experiencing the dreaded writer’s block.

My outline shows me how the story gets started and how it will end, yet that part in the middle? Kinda fuzzy. Currently my MC is traveling to an otherworld and though I know what her demise may or may not be, I am having frustrations over what other incidents will happen on her journey before the big ending. That is where my tarot cards come in.

Using tarot cards to ignite imagination for a writer is nothing new. Corrine Kenner wrote about it extensively in “Tarot for Writers” and my dear friend, Jaymi Elford, also discusses this technique in her blog at Shades of Maybe. Yet this is the first time I have adopted this tool for NaNoWriMo.

Since I am writing a dark fairy tale with no fairies, I figured the perfect deck would be “Tarot of the Sweet Twilight” (Artwork by Cristina Benintende, published by Llewellyn). It is dark and sweet. I love it. (Ed. Note – this is not a deck review, this is deck gushing).

The Two of Wands is propped up against my screen because the young girl looks exactly like my MC. The imagery within the cards ignites my creativity by figuring out what this otherworld looks like, to designing eccentric fairies my MC meets along the way, to possible new plot points. I could even do a tarot reading on my MC if I am so pro-actively inclined, but at the moment I am sticking with what images sparks my muse into overdrive.

So if you ever feel stuck in a writer’s rut, give tarot a try.

Motivation, where art thou??

I have not contributed to NaNoWriMo since Tuesday. I’m in a holding pattern of just over 12,000 words and I should be at 20,000 by all sensible standards. Am I worried? No. Am I stressing? Not yet. Am I motivated to ignore this blog post and sprint onward in my novel at no-holds-barred finger-lightning speed??

Nope.

My motivation is taking a nap for some reason. Small little bits on a blog it can handle, but the daunting hurdle of writing 2K or 5K makes it want to serve up a full-bodied sigh with an eye roll garnish. I’ll get my groove back, I know I will.

In the meantime, I do have my spiffy, handy-dandy, Plot Pirate Writing Altar. This baby helps kick me in the ass when I need it (BOY do I need it) and it’s a reminder on just how darn creative I can be. A few years ago, my friend Inno invited me over so we could each make one. So, blame her. With an Altoid Tin, some fimo clay, a little bit of pre-Twilight sparkles, stones, and some sturdy E-6000 I created this Altered Traveling Altar in one afternoon.

Feel free to check out more of Inno’s crafty traveling tins over yonder. You won’t be disappointed.

NaNoWriMo 2009

Also known as “WTH-Was-I-Thinking??!!”

In under six hours I will be embarking on my fourth journey through Inner Editor hell.  Many of you know of what I speak, but there are still some who do the Scooby Head Tilt when I mention “National Novel Writing Month”.  Simply put, it’s taking your desire to write the great American novel and forcing you to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

The best part?  It doesn’t have to BE great!  Or even GOOD for that matter.  Just write it.  Write with bad grammar, crappy spelling, and questionable plot points.  Just GET. IT. WRITTEN.  You can edit later.

In the past I’ve written an urban fantasy, a horror, a steampunk tale, and this year I’m venturing into unknown territory — the dark fairytale.  You see, I don’t do faeries.  Or vampires for that matter.  As a proud card carrying member of the Pagan Community, I am a rarity in that I don’t get into things like dragons, wizards, faeries, and the like.  So one day while driving, I was struggling with what my NaNo novel would be about this year.  I opted to write a faery tale WITHOUT faeries.  Brrrrrrrilliant!  Instead, it will be comprised of Scaeries (Scaery singular) and you’ll have to read the finished product (points left to shiny dustcover) to find out exactly what they are.

If you are participating this year, feel free to add me as a writing buddy / cheerleader at www.nanowrimo.org.  I’m known as “iScribe”.