Unraveling Word

Thoughts coil and catch, like yarn in a cat’s paw. The hook-ended practice of word-smithing catches a strand of thought and pulls it out in linear form, laying the words on a page. Tug by gentle tug, the unexamined thoughts become disentangled and lay before you on the paper like a river with clear and obvious direction.

In this writing-focused workshop, we will explore the emphasis of painting pictures with words in your journals rather than relying wholly on visual imagery for translating your thoughts. We will engage in a series of exercises and techniques both in the classroom and outdoors in interpreting the thought strands and putting the words to paper. Word-smithing specific exercises including poetry play, partner and prompted dialogs, word walking and “yarn unraveling” will be examined and practiced in depth.

Supply List

• Your favorite pens in various colors including black and opaque white.
• Journal or notebook
• Various words cut out of books, magazines etc. that resonate and represent you. Consider words that include the senses – color, textures, scents etc. as well.
• A small object that is a color that you love. This could be anything – for example, a red fabric swatch, blue ceramic dish, white clump of cotton, russet pressed leaf, green moss.
  
  Optional Items:
• Dictionary
• Thesaurus