Items of interest:
Duotrope: https://duotrope.com/login.aspx This is a great site for finding places to submit your work. It also has a database that keeps up with your submissions.Dictionary of Symbolism: http://www.umich.edu/~umfandsf/symbolismproject/symbolism.html/
Dream Dictionary: http://www.dreammoods.com/
Amazon.com: Sometimes we forget how much free stuff is here. All of the classics are free as Kindle books. You don't have to have a Kindle, either--just download the Kindle app on your phone or laptop. Almost every Kindle book offers a free sample consisting of 1-3 chapters. Also, many books offer previews online.
Language is a Virus: http://www.languageisavirus.com/ Lots of writing games! Good ways to jump start your brain.
Process:
Today we set up our journals. You should free-write in your journal every day. Even if it is only for three minutes. Always date your work and refer to the rules if you need to. We also set up a Title page, an envelope in the back of the book, and started collecting interesting bits.We looked at two poems: The Two-Headed Calf by Laura Gilpin, and Hazel Tells Laverne by Katharyn Machan Aal. You can go to these poems by clicking on the titles. I usually try to find links that offer audio versions of the poem, too. You also have them in your journal if you want to take notes or annotate them.
Homework:
- Write in your journal. Try to do this every day. Try not to look at past entries for at least a week. If you absolutely can't help your self, highlight the things that draw your attention. If you get stuck and can't think of a "topic" for your daily writing, I have provided you with a list of topics below. These come from "Chat Pack: Fun Questions to Spark Conversation." Just think of the results as conversations with your self!
- Topics: 1. Suppose that instead of having a name, you had a letter, and people would always refer to you as that letter. Which letter of the alphabet would you want to take the place of your name and why? 2. If you could have any object or place in the world completely to yourself fo one day, what would you choose and why? 3. What is one item you own that you should throw away... but probably never will? 4. If you could open your own retail store, what type of merchandise would you sell? Describe your store in detail. 5. What world record would you most want to establish if you could? 6. Which punctuation mark would best describe your personality? (This gives you a week of topics, so you have no excuse for not writing!)
- Do the listening exercise: Start by listening to things in your immediate vicinity, then take a deep breath and expand your consciousness so you can hear even further away. Do this at least three or four times. Then take an even deeper breath and imagine what you could hear if your abilities to listen were unlimited.
- Collect some titles and write them in the back of your journal on the "Title Page." Be prepared to share a few of these with the group.
- Check out the websites above and set up an account at Duotrope.
- Leave comments on this blog if you want to.
Terms: (If you click on the word, it will take you to Wikipedia for more info.)
Ekphrasis or ecphrasis is the graphic, often dramatic, description of a visual work of art. In ancient times it referred to a description of any thing, person, or experience. The word comes from the Greek ek and phrasis, 'out' and 'speak' respectively, verb ekphrazein, to proclaim or call an inanimate object by name. (We discussed writing ekphrasis poetry, which is a poem based on a work of art. The artwork I mentioned is one I found titled "Self Portrait with Bird on a String.")
Vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is a second language or foreign language to the population. This word was tied to the poem "Hazel Tells Laverne," because the poem is written in a rather illiterate sounding type of speech.
