I hope June has begun nicely and, if it has not, then I challenge you to find one thing to smile or laugh about ASAP. This is very easy for me, because I have a silly kitty. (See photo)
I hope she makes you smile too. She's the only lady I allow in my husband's pants. 😂
Last month, we got into some heavy work and I thought this month we could look at being PLAYFUL writers - it will be a good balance of energy and a delightful way to begin the summer season.
Welcome!
I wanted to welcome Ellie and Elizabeth and Annice to our Circle! We have such a wonderful crew and I'm so excited for all the fun we're going to have this summer.
The June Missive #1
Many writers I know - myself included - struggle to be playful in the writer's seat. It's almost like they're in the end of Act 2 of a novel about them as a writer, where all seems like it's lost.
Some of us aren't naturally playful, so the word might feel forced. I encourage you to create a synonym that works for you - curious, delight, silly, etc.
I chose PLAYFUL for myself because it feels active, like something I can intentionally engage in. One of the ways I can quickly access that is through Yoko Ono's ACORN book that I shared with you all a while back.
This week, I encourage you to just notice your level of play and to get a sense of when you're in a playful mood in and out of the writer's seat. (You may want to journal about this!) If you're not finding you're playful, then that is really something to look at, right? Lots of chances to open up this summer.
How does playfulness show up in the body?
What is the ripple effect of that playfulness on your writing and your day?
Do you have props or specific activities that help you feel playful - knick, knacks, coloring books, etc?
Our June Writer's Koan - muse on this, collage or write or dance about it. What can this teach you about your playfulness? I really had no choice - it had to be a brain-bender from Alice in Wonderland....
“Who are you?” said the Caterpillar.
This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, Sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.”
“What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar, sternly. “Explain yourself!”
“I ca’n’t explain myself, I’m afraid, Sir,” said Alice, “because I am not myself, you see.” —Chapter 5, Advice from a Caterpillar
How is this a playful response to last call's work with the Who Am I? meditation???
One way that I am working on the page to be a bit more playful this month - even though I am writing a literary Novel About War - is to warm-up with some flash fiction to get into the emotional space of my scene.
My favorite approach, which many of you heard about in The Well or saw in my 31 Days of Writing PDF, is based on Erin Morgenstern's Flax Golden Tales project on her website, which you can read for free.
Here is the PDF and the work begins on Page 10. When we meet together this month, we'll get to do one together. I'll find a juicy image to have us all write one about.
Here we gooooooo!
Heather (who was a playful cat in a former life)