WordFlame #16

Ice Cream

WordFlame #15

Bitter Things

WordFlame #14

Bus

WordFlame #13

Old People

WordFlame #12

T-shirt

WordFlame #11

Jail

WordFlame #10

Snacks

WordFlame #9

Trucks

WordFlame #8

Bugs

WordFlame #7

Swimming Pools

Hint: What happened in the various swimming pools you've been to in your life?

WordFlame #6

Hairstyles

Hint: List the hairstyles you've had from your earliest memories.

WordFlame #5

Smells

WordFlame #4

Car Accidents

WordFlame #3

Relatives

Hint: list relatives you have the strongest feelings for (good or bad).

WordFlame #2

Playing

Hint: list some vivid memories of playing (with a toy, a sport, or an instrument, etc.).

WordFlame #1

Dogs

Hint: List the dogs that you have known or encountered in your life.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I use WordFlame?
Please read the steps here.

2. Do I really need to listen to the sound of the ocean to relax (Step 1)?
No. Please feel free to relax your body and mind through other means.

3. Why am I using paper instead of typing into my computer (Step 2)?
You can definitely use your computer to write and use WordFlame, but there is a tendency to edit your work when you should be concentrating on writing and capturing images. Very often a writer will keep "fixing" a paragraph or sentence to death and then lose that creative flow that happens when a story gets into the groove. Writing on paper helps focus the writing activity on creating the story. You can always type and edit your story later into the computer.

4. I need help in trying to list ten images from the WordFlame (Step 3).
Here's a suggestion: if you were going to tell the story of your life using only in terms of the WordFlame, what would your list look like? For example, if your WordFlame is "Dogs," you can try and list down all the dogs that you've known in your life, starting from the first dog to the last. If your WordFlame is "Playing," think of all the times you've played anything, again starting from your earliest memories to the present. The words are meant to be a starting place. If the word "Playing" evokes images of theatre instead of the playground or games, go with that.

5. What if I can't list ten images in 3 minutes (Step 3)?
That's ok. You can proceed with the list of images you have or you can try a different WordFlame. The 3 minute limit is meant to give some structure to this step. If you have unlimited time, you may spend too much time making a list instead of writing.

6. How do I pick the "strongest image" (Step 4)?
The strongest image should be the one that evokes the most emotion to you or the most vivid image. If the image is one that you can see precisely in your mind, or the one that brings anger or tears or happiness to you, that's the one to pick.

7. What if I don't want to write about the one with the strongest image (Step 4)?
That's ok, pick one randomly. It should be a good exercise to get you to dig more deeply into images.

8. What's with the questions on Step 5? What if I can't answer some of them?
Step 5 deals with trying to help you flesh out your images. If you answer the questions, it should bring to you the substance of the image and help you paint a more vivid picture. If, while you're answering the questions, you start writing full prose, go with it. When you get stuck, come back to the questions and see if it spurs some more writing.

9. Do I have to take the questions in Step 5 literally?
No, you can go metaphysical and answer the question "What is above you?" with "A cloud of depression" instead of "The ceiling."

10. I'm at Starbucks and I can't play the soundclip of the questions (Step 5). What should I do?
You can read the questions here.

11. In Step 6, it says to start with "I am..." My story is about my uncle or my ficitional character. What should I do?
Writing in the first person will help you get into the mind of the character or scene more closely. You can re-write it later to adapt to your character. If you master this process, you will not have to use "I am..." anymore and go directly to third person or whatever point-of-view.

12. Why am I limited to writing for 10 minutes only after I answer the questions (Step 6)?
This is because most people who write tend to edit their work as they are writing the story and this causes the act of writing to slow down. The point is to write, not edit, and if you were given only 10 minutes to write about the image, you wouldn't spend all that time editing. You can edit later. After you finished writing.

13. How do I apply this technique to fiction writing?
You can use the fictional image you have in your mind and answer the questions in Step 6 as if they were being asked to the character in your image. Put yourself in the mind of your character, answering the questions in the first person. You can change the point-of-view when you've complete the exercise.

14. How did you come up with WordFlame?
WordFlame is based on a very simplified version of Lynda Barry's writing workshop Writing The Unthinkable. This blog is not even close to what Lynda teaches in the workshop. Lynda believes that the key to writing is the image which we access through our memories. She also teaches a method of teaching your mind and body to prime itself to the process of creating. I highly recommend this workshop.

You can also get the book (a work of art really) that she published based on this workshop. The book is called What It Is. You can buy it here.

15. I have another question not answered here.
You can write me an e-mail at nomilkpleez @ yahoo dot com.


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WordFlame Questions

Concentrate on the image that you've chosen. You don't have to take the questions literally. Just go with what images come to you...


Where are you in the image?

What are you doing?

Why are you here?

How old are you?

Who else is with you?

What is in front of you?

What is behind you?

What is to your left?

What is to your right?

What time of day is it?

What time of the year is it?

What does the temperature feel like?

What do you smell?

What do you hear?

What do you feel?

Is there anybody who just left?

Is there anybody coming?

What is above your head?

What is below your feet?

What is beyond your left?

What is beyond your right?

What is beyond what is above you?

What is beyond what is below you?



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How To Use WordFlame!

Step One

Relax. Close your eyes. Take a minute to empty your mind and loosen your body.

If you need help, this soundclip of the ocean is exactly one minute:

Step Two

On a blank sheet of paper, write the numbers 1 to 10, leaving a space in between them.

Step Three

Concentrate on the WordFlame.

List down 10 images that come to you from the WordFlame (don't worry if you don't get ten).

Do this for three minutes only.

Example: If your WordFlame is "Dogs," you could have:
1. My boyfriend's dog.
2. Skip, my first dog.
3. The cocker spaniel that I saw tied up one day.
4. Neville, who I had to put down.
5. Cleaning up dog poo.
6. Sam.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Step Four

Pick the one that has the strongest image. For fun and adventure, pick one randomly. Or number 3.

Step Five

Holding the image in your head, play the soundclip below and answer the questions, writing down the images that come to you.



You can read the questions here.

Don't force the direction of the images as the questions provoke you. If your WordFlame is "Dogs" but the image you are getting is how your mother used to have to wipe the floor because the dog spills the water, let it.


Step Six

Now, you have the raw materials at your disposal for your blog or story!

Write for ten minutes only.

Time yourself if you can. This will allow you to develop the image into a story and not dawdle trying to make it perfect. You can do that later when you're taking a dump.

That's it. Now Write!

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Questions? Read the FAQ!