Something Different

Yesterday was supposed to be a writing day, but I realized I didn't want to work on my novel. I was stuck, and I wasn't having any fun. I didn't want to submit poems or stories to magazines either, even though I had a self-imposed deadline to do so.

Instead, I realized I've made exactly $10 from creative writing over the past several years. (Freelancing has earned me actual money, of course, but that's not in the same category.) I realized there must be a more fun way to be a poor, unpublished writer. I was under no obligation to write a novel or submit pieces; all that pressure came from my own head. So instead, I decided to play with writing. I sat down and made 5 collages: 4 with words, and one with pictures.

Kaela started me making picture collages in college when we were roommates. She had to do one as an assignment for an art class, and I was fascinated. My boyfriend had just broken up with me and I was miserable about it, so I channeled my energies into an elaborate breakup collage.

Later, when I taught high school English, I used word collages as a way to get students thinking creatively about language. It's the same principle as those magnetic poetry kits that were popular a few years ago: take lots of separate words, mix them up, and make the best poem you can.

So this afternoon, I listened to American Idiot straight through twice and sat on the floor cutting and pasting. I tried to disimiss the voice in my head that told me that the fact I had nothing better to do than cut and paste meant I had failed as a writer. Instead, I tried to get in touch with the spirit of playfulness that makes me like writing. By the end of the afternoon, I felt much better.

Here's a close-up of the collage:


Here's my favorite of the poems. I like it because I was getting to the root of some of my writer's block. I've followed the picture with a transcription of what it says (with punctuation added), since it's hard to read from the digital picture.

You should must most
pick smart.
Don’t slip.
Worry, and win contest and award.

That dragonflower of pride
blooms in my garden.
The rank toad
whispers compassion.

I had fun getting out of my rut, so I'd like to challenge my readers to try something different and creative this weekend.

(Also, just curious--is anyone font-savvy enough to be able to tell which magazines I cut up?)