Volume X1, Issue 1
January 5, 2022
Dear ,
I hope 2022 is starting out well for you. Maybe you've been making resolutions, setting goals, doing a lot of dreaming about what you'll accomplish and what you hope will transpire.
It feels good to do all this, and so I do. But I've learned that, while making lists of dreams and goals, as long as SMART planning is a part of it, can make a big difference, what I choose to say yes or no to
on a minute-by-minute basis has even more impact on my life.
There are those BIG yeses and noes, of course. Like when my son Dan and daughter-in-law Allison said yes to each other at their wedding just a tad over two years ago. (These yeses made me very happy, as well as Dan and Allison, as you can probably tell from our smiles.)
But there are also tiny yeses and noes all day long, every day. Will I go for a walk? Will I recycle the junk mail as soon as I bring it in the house?
Will I check my text messages now or write for fifteen minutes first? These yeses or noes can have a huge impact on both the quality of our days and whether or not we fulfill our goals and dreams.
And, oh, the stories that have sprung from the yeses and noes we've given—to what and to whom! Talk about good writing material!
A few of my favorite literary "yeses" are the ones in this excerpt from James Joyce's Ulysses: “And then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will
yes.”
And, given that, knowing my nearly lifelong fondness for this character, my husband gifted me with a Storiarts Anne of Green Gables book scarf this Christmas, today's featured writing is an excerpt from this beloved book in which Marilla Cuthbert says yes to keeping Anne, the girl orphan who was supposed to be a
boy.
I hope you'll take the time this week to mindfully choose what you say yes and no to as you consider what you'd like 2022 to hold for you. (The year-long TAG, I'M IT! or three-month TAG, I'M IT! are very helpful in this regard.)
And I hope you'll also write out some interesting yeses and noes from your life, or the life of one of your characters.
Love and light,
Maureen
Upcoming WordPlay
COASTAL WRITING RETREAT AT SUNSET BEACH
Friday, February 24th - Sunday, February 26th
OR
Friday, March 3rd - Sunday, March 5th
Renew yourself and reconnect with your own creativity, whether you are a practicing writer, closet writer, or as-yet-to-pick-up-the-pen writer! The techniques and prompts we’ll use will spur your imagination, and can be used to create nonfiction, fiction, and/or poetry—the choice is yours.
Give yourself time to write in community with others who love words and ideas, and time for solitude, too. There’ll be ample free time to savor your beautifully appointed private room at The Sunset Inn, with king-sized bed, private bath and balcony, and the coastal setting the Sunset Inn provides. You’ll return home refreshed, with new ideas and energy for your writing — and your life.
Full details here: https://www.wordplaynow.com/coastal-writing-retreats-early-2022/
TO REGISTER: Please call The Sunset Inn at 1-888-575-1001 to reserve your spot.
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POETRY ROCKS!
Would you like your writing — prose and/or poetry — to be more graceful, powerful, beautiful? Do you sometimes find poetry confusing or intimidating and wish you could “crack the code”? Or do you enjoy writing and reading poems, but want a more thorough understanding of what makes a poem good? Then this poetry extravaganza is for you.
Expect a good time exploring what makes a poem a poem, gaining the knowledge you need to confidently create and revise poetry, and strengthening your writing skills in all genres.
It would be a joy and an honor to share what rocks about poetry with you!
HERE’S WHAT YOU GET:
- 23 poetry creation tools, delivered one per day (Monday through Friday) to your inbox — in honor of National Poetry month. Use them as you get them, use them when you can, use them over and over to create poems. Each tool zeroes in on one aspect of poetry and provides an innovative method to approach writing a poem. Many of them are great for creating
prose, too. The tools include:
* a purpose, so you’re clear what you will learn
* background information when helpful
* “how-to” directions to create a poem
* an example that illustrates the poetry tool in action
* a short reflection to solidify the concepts covered
* “Hone Your Craft” suggestions for further exploration
* a short reflection to solidify the concepts covered
- A PDF document of each tool that you can print or save on your computer
- An audio recording of each tool, so you can learn by listening and/or reading
- Instruction on the role of audience, reading like a writer, and the process of revision, including a handy Revision Checkpoint Chart — this information can be applied to strengthen your prose as well as poetry
- Additional poetry resources
- An e-book that contains the information and resources covered, as well as your 23 poetry creation tools for ongoing use
WHERE: From the comfort of your own home, via the web.
WHEN: Any time you want! And once you receive all 23 tools, they’re yours to keep, which means that you can keep using them for years to come.
COST: $45
TO REGISTER: To pay via Zelle, Venmo, or a check via mail, email info@wordplaynow.com for instructions.
To register for Poetry Rocks online, click here.
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TAG, I'm IT!
Both the year-long TAG, I'M IT! AND three-month TAG, I'M IT! offer—in no more than five to fifteen minutes—a simple way to recap and celebrate the very best of each day of your life. The practice of writing out your “T’s” (things you’re thankful for), “A’s” (actions you can acknowledge yourself for), and “G’s” (gifts you’re grateful for) is a transformative one,
especially combined with the final step, I’M IT!, in which you intentionally choose three do-able, most-important-to-you actions you’ll take the next day.
The TAG, I'M IT! journal grounds you in two important habits: keeping your focus on appreciating and celebrating the good in your life and intentionally accomplishing what matters most to you. You’ll also create a record of your most meaningful, happiest events and
experiences.
Start your journal—or restart, if needed—whenever you like. (Though a new year, or a birthday, is a perfect time.)
An introduction with tips and ideas will help you make this practice your own. Soon, you’ll notice that you’re living your days with more joy, presence, purpose, and intention.
More WordPlay opportunities coming soon. Stay posted!
Learn more about Anne of Green Gables here.
WordPlay Now! Writing Prompt
This is WordPlay—so why not revel in the power and potential of one good word after another? This
week, it's "yes."
PROMPT:
Make a list of yes and noes that have, in large or small ways, altered your life or the life of one of your characters. Choose the one you'd most enjoy writing about and craft it into a scene, story, essay, or poem.
It's fun to play with prompts in community with fellow writers, and to be able to share the results when you're done. You can find out about WordPlay classes, workshops, and retreats here.
MAUREEN RYAN GRIFFIN, an award-winning poetry and nonfiction writer, is the author of Spinning Words into Gold, a Hands-On Guide to the Craft of
Writing, a grief workbook entitled I Will Never Forget You, and three collections of poetry, Ten Thousand Cicadas Can't Be Wrong, This Scatter of Blossoms and When the Leaves Are in the Water.
She believes, as author Julia Cameron says, "We are meant to midwife dreams for one another." Maureen also believes that serious "word work" requires serious WordPlay, as play is how we humans best
learn—and perform. What she loves best is witnessing all the other dreams that come true for her clients along the way. Language, when used with intentionality and focus, is, after all, serious fuel for joy. Here's to yours!
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