what is synesthesia?Synesthesia: a blend of sensory details that creates concrete images for your readersFiction writers are both artists and craftspersons. To practice our craft, we need to be familiar with our tools and study others' processes, methods, and polished work. That's what this … [Read more...] about Tools for Fiction Writers: Synesthesia
Inspiration
The Seasons of Creativity: Autumnal Reflections on the Creative Process
Do you feel as though you've hit a creative rut? That it's time for something new, but you're not sure what? Or perhaps you're feeling like there's too much on your plate, or that there aren't enough important things on your plate. seasons of creativityThis blog is, in part, an in-process record of … [Read more...] about The Seasons of Creativity: Autumnal Reflections on the Creative Process
The Magic of Adding More Plants to Your Life
Have you experienced that feeling of ease and calm when you walk into a greenhouse or garden space? That rush of oxygen, and the scent of green on the air? Do you smile when you see the lines of mums outside the grocery store in the autumn? Or feel inexplicably happier when you notice the garden … [Read more...] about The Magic of Adding More Plants to Your Life
Myths and Legends: Harpies and the Alkonost
Our most common depictions of harpies show a figure with a female face and large, birdlike wings. The harpies' bodies vary in their proportion of human to avian qualities: most have talons and tail feathers. Some have longer, humanoid legs while others have short, birdlike legs. But when we think … [Read more...] about Myths and Legends: Harpies and the Alkonost
The Heroine’s Journey: An Alternative to the Well-Trodden Path
This post proposes an alternative to the Hero's Journey: the Heroine's Journey. And while the Heroine's Journey outlined below is not yet complete, I hope that these ideas and examples serve as a spark that contributes to and furthers this conversation.Affiliate link disclosure: Some of the links … [Read more...] about The Heroine’s Journey: An Alternative to the Well-Trodden Path
Elm Tree Mythology: The Wonders of the World of Trees
Mythology, Folklore, and Fiction of the Elm TreeIn this post, I cover some of my research into elm tree mythology and folklore. I also share some of my recent fiction inspired by the lore of the elm!One of my hopes for this site was that I would have a place to share interesting research and … [Read more...] about Elm Tree Mythology: The Wonders of the World of Trees
Tarot for Creatives
Tarot first started several hundred years ago, in the 14th or 15th century. The cards are based on archetypes, and we interpret them through our intuition. Whether we're assessing the story we're telling ourselves about our lives or creating a story for others to enjoy, both of these elements are … [Read more...] about Tarot for Creatives
Leaning into Ritual
Fostering creativity in a time of uncertaintyThe thing that can open the portal to creativity again is ritual."Mark McGuinness, on The Creative Penn PodcastInto the UnknownWhen talking about the discovery part of the writing process, especially for something lengthy like a novel, many writers turn … [Read more...] about Leaning into Ritual