USING ART TO WRITE

When I teach memoir writing classes or give seminars on the subject, I bring along a family photograph. I encourage beginning writers to pick such a photo and write the story they see in it. The memory might be of the people shown. Maybe it's the place--the river where you fished with your grandfather, the area where your family went on picnics, the lot where you chose the Christmas tree each year, cousin's homes, or the great-grandmother holding you as a baby.

You could also use a photo as the basis for a short story, or the beginning of a novel. Or you could use a great painting, a piece of sculptor, or a Remington bronze to stir the emotions, bring out the story.

Viewing artwork stimulates the poetic areas of our imagination also. I've done this thourgh a local art gallery where writers choose a painting or piece of artwork to produce poetry. It's a great opportunity to let art speak through your words.

Make this a part of your writing schedule. It's especially good to use such techniques when your book is stalled, or the article you have a deadline on won't come together. Using images or artwork heightens your creativity when you least expect it.