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“You enter the extraordinary by way of the ordinary.” ~Frederick Buechner
Innovative
synonyms:
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 original, new, novel, fresh, unusual, unprecedented, avant-garde, experimental, inventive, ingenious, creative; advanced, modern,
state-of-the-art, pioneering, groundbreaking, revolutionary, radical, newfangled
(Google)
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Over the past twelve weeks we’ve looked at the
definitions and concepts behind the words mythic
and impact to examine timeless
precepts for strengthening our stories. So how do we practically apply them?
In the synonym list above you’ll notice that not
all the applications need to be radical. Fresh, creative, and groundbreaking
are as effective at creating a unique impact as is inventive. Settings for your
short story, or memoir, or novel may range from a quiet backdrop to a mega-world with a character of its own. But no matter which level you choose for the
degree of presence, each still resonates with atmosphere, tone and mood. It is
your choice how to boost their impact when relevant.
It’s important for us to first know the
details ourselves. Just as we can walk around our homes in the dark, knowing
exactly where we are, so must our characters. What is real to them needs to be real
to us—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This provides authentic
atmosphere, tone, and mood. But it doesn’t mean we need to invent everything.
In this free eight-session blog workshop
we’ll examine eight key strategies to create impact for our unique setting
regardless of genre. Each month will focus on one strategy with three or four
applications and creative writing prompts to customize to your work. Whether
you are just beginning a new project or are ready to revise, these suggestions
will give you critical perspective.
Several
of my clients have given me permission to use their settings as examples, so we
will be looking at a variety of novel excerpts from contemporary women's fiction,
romantic police drama, historical romance and adventure and mystery, sassy
comedy, fantasy and a smidge of sci-fi, as well as a mythic world in my own
upcoming series.
Read
deep, marcy
Introduction June
26th
Workshop Sessions
Begin July
3 rd
Strategy # 1 Habitat Highways July
Strategy # 2 Holy Landscape August
Strategy # 3 Historic Landmarks September
Strategy # 4 Hungry Territory October
Strategy # 5 Honest Sensory Keys November
Strategy # 6 Homespun Locale December
Strategy # 7 Harmful Dangers January
Strategy # 8 Hidden Secrets February
Share:
What questions do you want answered for your specific setting? Send them to me
via the contact link above and I will incorporate feedback and examples when
possible in the individual lessons.
Write with Impact
 Have you ever noticed how many fairy tales and folktales
begin with the concept of a land far away, and yet the "new land" might be just
down the road as well as across the horizon? And while following that geography
the tales repeat what would be considered familiar locations: a great forest,
across the seas, a castle, a cottage, a road. The people and animals are listed
by familiar type as well: beggar, woodcutter, king, peasant, dragon, wolf.
Often their immediate actions and choices fall into familiar patterns, but then
they have to reassess.
From Aristotle on many writers believe there are only two
basic plot points which apply to every story. 1) A stranger leaves
town. 2) A stranger comes to town. Note how perfectly they fit into the land
far away mentioned above. And these two stories, as well as other patterns,
keep being told over and over.
This is myth as creativity. Regardless of the consistent pattern
structure or the basic ingredients, it comes out new and keeps being re-told.
Think of Cinderella or David versus Goliath. Once Upon a Time has been completely recreated in the popular
television series.
Mythic stories look at the familiar surroundings from a
different vantage point. What is seen is not necessarily so. It takes a new vision, a
deeper look. Whether the journey is long or short in physical distance or in terms of moral
choices, the story characters return with a completely new perspective on their old familiar
life.
These stories are both personal and universal. No two versions are identical. With each new telling the
storyteller brings fresh color and music and conversation designed for his
particular audience. It feeds the creative heart much like a child who asks to hear
a story over and over again. Which
one is your favorite?
Share: Whenever I give workshops where I give an exercise where I set out a pattern sentence or pattern ingredients I am always amazed at the variety of style genre and atmosphere.
Write your
version of the following pattern.
Turn right at the end of the town square (whatever key detail you choose) and head (north, south, east,
west) down the ………road. Soon you will (see, hear, notice, recognize)……. Be sure
to reach the…….by sunset or else you will face…….
Have fun!
Read deep,
marcy
Write with Impact
 “The imagination is
our way into the divine Imagination, permitting us to see wholly—as whole and
holy—what we perceive as scattered, as order what we perceive as random.”
Austin Farrer (as quoted in Reversed
Thunder by Eugene H. Peterson)
Mythic is often acknowledged, or accused, as imaginary with
the emphasis on made-up impossibilities, or fantastical and unbelievable
stories for entertainment. But mythic imagination is actually visionary—a
strategy of seeing from a new perspective. It dares to ask the what-if
questions to the nth degree. It risks failure over and over again in the
attempts to make whole broken parts.
Mythic imagination permeates story and science, exploration
and cuisine, language and geography. It is priceless, peerless, and passionate.
It dares to dream beyond the reality it can see and touch
and feel. Galileo studied the heavens, improved the telescope, created an early
version of a thermometer, and set his world upside down in arguments by
proposing the earth and other planets revolved around the sun. For that he
faced a trial for heresy.
Three Persian astronomers, or wise men, followed a star
across a thousand miles to welcome a newborn king, born in a stable.
Known primarily for inventing a working light bulb, Thomas
Edison also invented the phonograph and a motion picture camera. With world
changing fantastical consequences. Madam Curie is famous for her studies on radium
and Albert Einstein for the “speed of light”. He is acknowledged as a genius
even though as a teenager he struggled in a school that demanded rote only learning.
One of his quotes states, "The
important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for
existing."
Mythic imagination explodes with possibilities. It ignites wonder. It
sparks creativity.
Share: What
reality would you like to see re-designed? How would a new perspective change
its focus?
Write with Impact
 “For now we see in a
mirror dimly, but then face to face;….. . But now abide faith, hope, love,
these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13: 12-13
A mirror reflects images. Outer landscapes often act as mirrors in
myth and fantasy, allowing the characters and/or reader a deeper insight into
themselves, a reflection of their inner (soul) landscape, and recognition of
shared humanity. When the inner and outer landscapes connect, this combination
often illumines spiritual imagery through mirrors and maps. They translate the
character’s internal landscape for him/her.
In a similar way the mythic stories that are handed down from
generation to generation act as mirrors of hope. They include an assortment of
proverbs, parables, wisdom stories, creation, family heritage, cultural, songs,
fairy tales, and folktales. But a common thread they all share are that the
stories are considered of value, the reality of what has gone before and the
promises that the future will bring. Through a heart of love they continue to
pass along hope.
In some ways myth as hope is tied into myth as yearning
although this is not a fabricated put on a happy face future, but rather an
expectation based on experience and relationships and truth. It is hope in
story that brings about new beginnings. It shares dreams fitted with solid
hiking boots.
James N. Frey, in his book The Key, points out that a hero’s journey does not necessarily mean
the hero will survive, but rather that he succeeds and if he perishes—he dies
victorious.
“The hero faces
natural fears. They include the terrors of height, fire, wild animals, creepy
things, dark places, claustrophobic spaces, physical combat, inhospitable
environments, monsters, evil spirits, and perils involving water: storms at
sea, rapids and so on.” James N Frey
When we can connect our stories to these characteristics and
the patterns they provide as they pass down through generations, then we
discover and develop personal essence that resonates today. They bridge the
past, the present and the future with possibilities—with hope.
Share: What is the
first novel you remember reading that gave you a sense of timeless hope?
Read deep,
marcy
Write with Impact
 “Literature proves
there is order in the universe. It says that, in life, moral choices lead to
outcomes. In fiction there is meaning in human events.” James N. Frey
A truth is true or accurate regardless of opinion or debate
or rebellion. A truth is true even when information is missing and we cannot
readily perceive it. Or have not yet reached a maturity to comprehend its
breadth and length and depth and height.
Science, for example, has seen many instances where
discoveries and knowledge have opened up unbelieved vistas. One major universal
fact being that the earth is round, not flat, and that it orbits the sun rather
than being the center of the universe. Talk about a complete upheaval of
perspective!
Although there continues to be ongoing debate over a
“historical” King Arthur, as well as Robin Hood, historians do agree that
legends often have a grain of truth in them. And in contrast, a recent
television series had one character telling another that, “for a con to work there has to be a grain of truth in it.” That
true recipe for telling lies goes all the way back to Satan’s deceit to Eve
over the fruit on the tree.
Mythic characteristics can impact our stories when we tap
into the heart truths they represent. Like a parable, there is a surface story
and also an undercurrent story that produces an emotional tie.
We make ‘copies’ of the original stories and characters and
pass them on through the generations. Some become so familiar that they enter
into everyday language as common metaphors or references, both across languages
and within ethnic cultures, giving us shortcuts. Terrible sea incidents become
tied to Poseidon allusions, or floods. Rainbows are considered a sign of
promise all around the world. Black holes immediately spell danger. So does
Godzilla, regardless of the language being spoken.
James N. Frey points out in his book The Key, that “an astounding
example of the similarity of myths from culture to culture is the myth of the
hero king.”
In A Case For Christ, C. S. Lewis is cited as saying, “... the story of Christ is simply a
true myth: a myth working on us in the same way as others, but with this
tremendous difference that it really happened.”
What meaning do you want your readers to hear in your story?
How might mythic truth help you make that connection?
Share: What
historical or fictional character do you think embodies original hero
attributes?
Read deep,
marcy
Write with Impact
 Albert Einstein said, “When
I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the
gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing knowledge.”
Einstein called his imagination “a holy
curiosity.”
Mythic mystery absorbs this concept of holy curiosity
combined with awe.
“Manna—what
is it?” Israel asked, mystified by the flaky fiber carpeting the earth,
surrounding their camp.
“Bread from
the Lord,” Moses replied. Gather as much as each needs, an omer apiece only,
one day at a time.
They did not, could not, recognize
the substance. They struggled to comprehend it, classify it, cook it. Food from
heaven. Fare of the angels.
Mythic mystery creates a sense of yearning ‘awe’ that
ignites a heart hunger. It combines a search for answers as well as a
willingness to just absorb the beauty and questions left behind.
Science has given us detailed explanations of why the sun
rises and sets. Yet the causes do not affect the unique beauty of each one
spreading its palette of design across the heavens every day.
Jane Yolen refers to folklore as “constantly transforming and being transformed, putting on chameleon
like, the colors of its background.” So despite the familiarity, the story
is always new and unique.
The lure of a mystery is present in all genres due to the
main story question. If we are hooked at the beginning we will read, even
through dull sections, determined to find the end’s answer. Chapter endings,
scene endings need to leave us with that pause of ‘will she or won’t she
succeed or fail’. The books and movies that keep us wondering breathe that
mystery thread with both multiple possibilities and/or multiple questions.
When we add and weave a mythic thread of mystery’s awe into
our stories, then we can also leave a lingering sense of yearning and a ‘holy
curiosity’ that fuels our soul language as well. We write with deeper impact
and significance. Like a light breeze causes us to pause, mythic mystery leaves
a catch in our throat.
Share: What aspect
of nature continues to fill you with awe?
Read deep,
marcy
Write with Impact
 “Myths are narrative
patterns that give significance to our existence.” Rollo May
Why do we need myth? What exactly is it?
According
to one google search, myth is defined as:
“1.
a
traditional story, esp. one concerning the early history of a people or
explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving
supernatural beings or events.
2.
a widely held but false belief or idea.”
How
to reconcile two seemingly opposite concepts? The Bible itself is filled with
stories under the first category and yet there are also a few verses warning
against myths as lies.
Rollo May says that, “A
myth is away of making sense in a senseless world.” Perhaps that is where
the crunch comes—what makes sense in one situation can be a serious threat in
another and seen as senseless.
Yet when we study myth under the first definition above we
find ourselves building bridges of understanding between a different world and
our world. We begin to see with a new perspective. A perspective that drives
from a heart/soul story truth rather than a formal legal rule.
Like wisdom literature or love, myths speak across time and
across cultures in fresh and ever changing language. It encompasses mystery and yearning, truth and hope, imagination and creativity
in myriad possibilities.
Mythic literature refers to stories that have been handed
down from generation to generation, orally and finally in print. They include
proverbs, parables, wisdom stories, creation, family heritage, cultural, songs,
fairy tales, and folktales.
According to Rebecca J. Lukens the term ‘traditional’ or
‘folk literature’ expresses the universality of human wishes and needs. “Folktales have been called the ‘spiritual
history’ of humankind, the ‘cement of society,’ binding a culture together.”
Whether we recognize it or not myth plays an integral part
in our lives. As writers when we can tap into its qualities we are able to
write our stories with deeper impact, regardless of genre. Sometimes myth will
drive the entire narrative and sometimes it will add only a few spices. However
it’s premise of soul language has the capacity to add significance whenever it
is used.
Over the next few weeks we’ll take a close look at mythic
characteristics to see how they can help us build our stories and write with
impact.
Share: What mythic
story has impacted you?
Read deep,
marcy
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