The Shape of Writing

Exercise #382 Conquering the Blank Page Through Visual Metaphor

Strategy:

The blank page is a canvas, waiting to be filled with vivid imagery and compelling narrative. Just as an artist begins with basic shapes before adding color, depth, and detail, so too can a writer approach their craft. This exercise introduces a unique drawing metaphor to help you overcome the intimidating blank page. By visualizing your writing as a piece of art in progress, you'll learn to work within boundaries, focus on immediate story elements, and avoid becoming overwhelmed by endless possibilities. Ready to transform that daunting white space into a masterpiece of words?

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a structured approach to initiating the writing process

• Utilize visual thinking to conceptualize and plan written passages

• Practice breaking down complex writing tasks into manageable steps

• Enhance the ability to create cohesive and well-structured written pieces

• Overcome writer's block and blank page anxiety through creative visualization

Instructions:

1. Basic Shapes: Identify the fundamental element of your writing passage. Is it centered around a person, place, or thing? An event, action, or experience? Write a single sentence that captures this core element, as if you're sketching the basic shapes of your story.

2. Flat Color: Consider the primary mood or emotional tone of your passage. If this piece of writing had a color, what would it be? Write a brief paragraph describing this mood, using sensory details and metaphors related to your chosen color.

3. Gradient Fill: Reflect on how your passage will evolve from beginning to end. What kind of shift or progression will occur? Create a short list of points that outline this transition, as if you're describing how colors might blend across a canvas.

4. Texture and Depth: Contemplate the reading experience you want to create. Should it feel smooth and flat, rough, deep, or shallow? Write a few sentences describing your ideal reader experience, using tactile and visual metaphors.

5. Boundaries and Edges: Now that you have a sense of your passage's shape, mood, progression, and texture, create a more detailed outline. Write a few bullet points that sketch out the specific elements and flow of your passage, paying attention to how each point connects to the next.

6. Begin the Masterpiece: Using all the elements you've developed in the previous steps, write your passage. As you write, visualize yourself adding detail and refinement to the mental image you've created, bringing your word-painting to life.

Tags: visual thinking, writing process, overcoming writer's block, creative visualization, structured writing, artistic metaphor, blank page

Example:

1. Basic Shapes: My passage centers on the experience of wandering through the bustling streets of Hoi An, Vietnam, as the sun sets and the city comes alive with lanterns.

2. Flat Color: The primary mood is one of wonder and warmth, like the soft golden glow of lantern light. The air feels thick with possibility, each narrow street a portal to discovery. The evening wraps around me like a silk scarf, both comforting and slightly mysterious.

3. Gradient Fill:

   • Start: Bright afternoon sun, tourist-filled streets

   • Middle: Sunset casting long shadows, gradual shift in atmosphere

   • Transition: Lanterns being lit one by one, like stars appearing

   • Peak: Full night, city transformed into a magical lantern-lit wonderland

   • End: Quiet reflection on a bridge, taking in the whole scene

4. Texture and Depth: I want the reading experience to feel immersive and textured, like running your fingers over an intricately carved wooden panel. The narrative should flow smoothly overall, but with moments of pause to focus on specific sensory details—the rough cobblestones underfoot, the silky lantern fabric, the pungent smell of street food. The piece should have depth, layering historical context with personal observations and emotional responses.

5. Boundaries and Edges:

   • Opening: Arrival in Hoi An, initial impressions of the ancient town

   • Exploration of narrow streets, description of architecture and people

   • Encounter with a local artisan, brief history of lantern-making

   • Sunset transition, noticing the change in atmosphere

   • Description of lanterns being lit, transformation of the city

   • Personal reflections on the experience, cultural significance

   • Closing image: Standing on bridge, taking in the full view of the illuminated city

6. Begin the Masterpiece:

   As the afternoon sun began its descent, I found myself standing at the entrance to Hoi An's ancient town, a living museum of Vietnamese history. The air hung heavy with humidity and the promise of adventure. Narrow streets stretched before me like arteries, pulsing with the lifeblood of locals and tourists alike.

   I wandered down a cobblestone alley, my fingers tracing the weather-worn walls of yellow French colonial buildings. Each step revealed new wonders: here, an old merchant's house with ornate wooden carvings; there, a tiny shrine perfuming the air with incense. As I turned a corner, I stumbled upon an old man carefully crafting silk lanterns, his weathered hands moving with practiced precision. He smiled, revealing a lifetime of stories in the creases around his eyes, and began to share the centuries-old history of Hoi An's famous lanterns.

   As we talked, the quality of light began to shift. The harsh afternoon sun softened, painting the town in hues of gold and amber. One by one, as if by magic, lanterns flickered to life along the streets. Red, blue, yellow, green – a rainbow of light transformed the ancient town into a fairytale landscape.

   I stopped on the Japanese Covered Bridge, the heart of Hoi An. Below me, the Thu Bon River reflected a thousand points of light, doubling the enchantment. The chatter of the day had softened to a gentle murmur, punctuated by the occasional chime of a bicycle bell.