Words With Impact: Discover Metaphoric Threads

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“Metaphors are the gate-crashers of the spirituality static quo.” Joy Sawyer

Metaphors are meant to help us see life through a fresh perspective, both verbally and visually. When they tap into theme and character and setting and atmosphere they have the ability to gate-crash through our pre-conceived clichéd views. Even clichés were at one time a fresh perspective—so innovative in fact that they eventually became overused.

And we don’t need to jettison familiar images. In fact metaphors often work better through familiarity but need to be slightly angled. Sometimes the image must loom large in order to crash through numbed thinking. Other times it only needs to be a soft reflection that catches us up enough to pause and take a deeper look.

Waiting For Midnight, by Merrie Destefano, is a brief collection of short stories and flash fiction that highlights the power of image and metaphor and theme in unexpected ways. By altering the anticipated viewpoint character or the setting we step into the story one side up, but come out the other end as if we were in house of mirrors. 

For example, in her flash fiction piece Breathtaking we immediately identify with the character’s desperate struggle to simply take a breath—to fill out the form—to remain calm instead of anxious in the emergency room—to remember. How many other images of trying to simply breathe pass through our imagination as we struggle along with this person wondering what is really causing his anguish. And then the mirror metaphor shifts.

“No. Not poison. My sweat on the floor, my blood, my skin. It was my own

              designer disease, all brand new and deadly—

              And, unfortunately, highly contagious.”

Action Steps:

1.     What was the first thought/word/image/or emotion that struck you?

2.     Take a brief scene from your novel, either in dialogue, or internal monologue, and twist the end into something opposite.

3.     What impact would that have on your character’s situation emotionally, spiritually, or mentally?

4.     Even if you cannot use the shock difference at this moment, is there a way you can introduce the possibility of another outcome?

Share: Did your opposite effect turn into humor or shock?

Read deep, marcy

Words With Impact: Direct Language Echoes

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“Choose a particular item or activity and make that the object of the language search. Find out as much as possible about the language associated with that object, especially active and concrete verbs, the history of the names used for that object, and terminology that seems especially colorful. Then save from your search a list of nouns, a list of verbs and a list of adjectives.” James McKean

Memory holds our emotional reservoir, both personal and public. Some memories are buried so deep that we don’t recognize them when they echo in the present. We have a fleeting pang or touch of comfort, and wonder why. We need these echoes to help us bridge understanding and communication with others. Regardless of language or status we immediately connect, or recognize, the joy of a newborn child or the grief of a death.

When we recognize an object as an echo for ourselves, or a character, we can dig deep to search out an unexpected perspective that can strengthen our emotional vocabulary with ordinary words.

 James McKean’s suggestion above is a variation on the list poem as well as a general search for key metaphoric and rich words. The first run may or may not contain usable words, but by doing so you’ll spark imagination. And/or you may discover just what you needed for a particular sentence or detail.

Here’s an example of one word I searched just on the surface. I didn’t take his next step of research on this. Dividing the nouns, verbs and adjectives gave me sufficient material for my needs at that time.

Word=Compass

Nouns                                                Verbs                                                Adjectives

arc                                                enclose                                    curved

spatial position                        draw                                                navigational

instrument                                    determine                                    indicator

directional device                        pivot                                                magnetic

circular cord                                                                                    ‘moveable rigid legs

hinged at the end’

I ended up with fifteen words to choose from. The next word I choose to search was navigate for which I ended up with thirty-six words.

To my surprise I was actually able to incorporate the moveable rigid legs.

Action Steps:

1. Write your own opening to the Titanic using another focus. Or choose another movie’s silent image that has captured a memory for you or your character.

2. What echo becomes enhanced? What echo disappears? Apply the same technique to a new scene in your novel.

Share: What emotional echo surprised you?

Read deep, marcy

Words With Impact: Direct Language Nuance

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“All the poet can do is warn. That is why true poets must be truthful.” Wilfred Owen

Recognizing and Developing Implicit and Explicit Language

Read the following poem Emplumada, from the University of Pittsburg Press. As soon as you finish, write down a journal response of your immediate thoughts and feelings—no analysis—just your immediate reaction.

Emplumada

BY LORNA DEE CERVANTES

When summer ended

the leaves of snapdragons withered

taking their shrill-colored mouths with them.

They were still, so quiet. They were

violet where umber now is. She hated

and she hated to see

them go. Flowers

born when the weather was good - this

she thinks of, watching the branch of peaches

daring their ways above the fence, and further,

two hummingbirds, hovering, stuck to each other,

arcing their bodies in grim determination

to find what is good, what is

given them to find. These are warriors

distancing themselves from history.

They find peace

in the way they contain the wind

and are gone.

Would you classify this poem as using implicit or explicit vocabulary? Back up your opinion with examples. For instance:

Literal—explicit: two hummingbirds, hovering,

Figurative—implicit: They find peace

 Is the use of nature metaphors effective or not? Why?

Action Steps:

1. Take a few lines that are explicit and implicit and reverse them to be contrary.

2. In what way does the power of the phrases diminish in expression?

Share: What other metaphor concept other than nature could this poem be spoken in? Why or why not?

Read deep, marcy

Words With Impact: Direct Language No Language

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“Metaphor makes words flesh. Metaphor opens our eyes to applying The Word. So metaphor makes the world of The Word fresh.”  Larry Woiwode

No Language

This is probably not a good choice for an entire novel, but could be adapted for brief scenes, especially if it ties to the plot and theme. The question then is, what other methods of communication would be possible if words or language are not successful or not available? And would it enhance your story’s atmosphere?

In one Star Trek episode Captain Kirk was forced onto a planet surface to fight a beast. He had no idea what was happening and it seemed impossible to communicate with the alien leader he was stranded with. But gradually Kirk realized that the alien spoke in metaphors, and finally they found a way to speak to each other and to survive the attack. It was quite different from the usual episodes and one that forced the viewer to work harder. Yet it became a popular episode. It fit the circumstances of the story.

Law enforcement often use signals. Magicians have built in codes to their assistants. Sign language, lip reading, and body gestures can all be incorporated for communication.

One student mentioned the way the military uses flags. Another pointed out that lack of personal hygiene might indicate illness or depression.

Action Steps:

1. Make a list of all the possibilities you can think of to communicate without any form of spoken language.

2. Choose one version. Then take a short scene you have already written and re-write it without verbal or sign speech.

Share: What effect did you gain? What clarity did you lose?

Read deep, marcy

Words With Impact: Direct Language Study

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“Creativity is itself an act of optimism.”  Edward Albee

Language Study

Another aspect to consider is the sound of your language. This goes beyond sentence structure of flow and pacing, although it can impact both. What sound do you want as your influence—a soft flowing romantic lilt or a more guttural tone such as Klingon. And yes, I do know it’s not a real language even though it has its own dictionary.

Give yourself a few days to wander through a busy city and stop in restaurants to listen to styles of speech. When you hear the accents that attract you, then use their tones and words for your backdrop atmosphere. In my city culture changes from neighborhood to neighborhood. On one street alone within a two-block radius the restaurants include, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Italian, Greek, Hamburger joints, vegan, coffee shops, bakeries (Russian and Polish) and an Irish pub. And I know I’ve forgotten some. Each is owned and provides meals from their cultural specialties.

A twenty-minute stop for an appetizer or dessert or drink offers an opportunity to listen to another country. It’s a relaxing way to study a language.

Another way to hear with a fresh insight is to watch a television show episode, or a movie, in a different language without the sub-titles in any language you speak. Note how intensely you listen and observe and write down any actions or expressions that stand out. Then go back and watch again with the sub-titles to verify or clarify your immediate impressions.

Action Steps:

1. Using one of the suggested categories, write up a brief three to four paragraph scene using a setting from your novel. Or a location you have found charming.

2. Incorporate the sense of communication unique to this place and/or specific conversation between two characters.

Share: Did any details surprise you? Why?

Read deep, marcy

Words With Impact: Direct Language Communication Choices

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

                           “The best actors do not let the wheels show.”    Henry Fonda

Not many novelists today have the time, or the desire, to create entire new languages as did Tolkien, but if you do, start with a beginning layer and build as you go. Keep a vocabulary list for the words you create. Decide on verb tenses. Are they singular or will they conjugate into past, present and future?

Perhaps an entire vocabulary is not needed, but just a sprinkle of words throughout to give the language a unique flavor. Farscape knew that their warriors would not be real if they said  ‘oh darn’ when really furious, but they also wanted their series to attract family viewers, so they invented the swear words.

The Firefly series incorporates real Mandarin Chinese within their Western genre atmosphere creating an entirely new and unique setting.

Some of you may use horses in your novels. Consider the possibility of either making up your own distinct vocabulary just for them. Or make a list of all the everyday descriptions of horse care, riding, food, and gear and then choose another language.  Put them all in French or Arabic, Spanish or Portuguese.

Do the same in other areas of your world such a social or government hierarchy. Keep the familiar roles but substitute a different vocabulary when possible.

Writing a mystery? Try using a code throughout a familiar vocation that would not raise any suspicion. Such as the owner of a tearoom using her various teas as code words.

For historical and contemporary stories, look for the specific flavor of words for the particular era or current location. But also be careful not to use modern slang that might be out of date in a few weeks. However, even within a regional section there may be some phrases used differently from town to town.

Find a cultural blog or newspaper column for the region or city of your choice and read through the back issues. Look for phrases that repeat. See if you can find some news videos for your selected region to pick up the cadence. Listen for the public words used for customers. Formal or informal: “Good morning Ma’am,” or “How are you today, Sugar?”

Action Steps:

1. Choose one category that will thread throughout your whole story such as food or a transit system, or an artist in some medium such as photographer or dancer or musician.

2. Make a short list of vocabulary words that would apply to your choice on a daily basis. For example a teacher would have books, a desk, papers to grade, exams, and perhaps a microphone if teaching in a large auditorium.

3. Choose two different languages and compare their counterparts to your list. Would one of them add a nuance flavor or be too cumbersome?

Share: What possible language did you choose and why?

Read deep, marcy

Words With Impact: Direct Language Communication

Workshop: Discover Words That Sing

“The artist’s vocation is to send light into the human heart.” Robert Schumann

Language communication is built into the fabric of everyday life. A family can spend a day without words and still know what another is feeling, or knows what needs doing because of the rhythms of the household. A glance, a gesture, and body language all speak volumes within a family unit with or without spoken words.

Close friends have a private form of communication. And there are separate methods of communication within the workplace—vocabulary, codes, abbreviations that sometimes make no sense to outsiders.

Movies often communicate through both silence and words to convey emotional echoes to relate to their audience. For example, the opening of the movie Titanic focuses on the sunken vessel. The camera lingers over the silent giant at the bottom of the sea. What echoes are stirred by this choice? Another opening could have extended the newspaper stories, or old photographs. It could have highlighted the passengers. All of which are included in the movie as well, but not right away with the slow pace of the mysterious ocean liner seen through murky waters.

All of these contacts have the potential to build tension and conflict to our characters. First we need to establish what the language of the land is, and whether it is understood by your character, or is completely confusing.

For some the opportunity to study languages is pure joy and for others pure frustration. And yet to not be able to communicate at all can be an emotional prison.

Action Steps:

1.Think of a day when you and someone close to you could not (or would not) speak openly to each other. List all the non-verbal actions you remember using to be heard.

Share: Which one stood out as the most emotional?

Read deep, marcy