Yesterday, while I was doing the dishes, I was thinking about my social media and what I wanted to write about. I had some ideas written down but none of them were feeling very fun or exciting. In between soaping up some bowls and drying some plates, I had a really crazy idea – and I’ve learned to run with those without much hesitation because usually my intuition is pretty spot on. So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce you to an experiment…blog a book!
Over on Instagram this past weekend I shared my secret project that I’m working on – Tarot Spreads for Writers – another crazy idea I decided to run with and have been working on since February. People seemed interested so I thought, why not share some of what I’m working on while also using my own spreads to create a short story here, in real time?!?!
The goal is to have a 5,000-7,500 word short story written using my own tarot spreads within six weeks. The finished project will then be available as a PDF download (with a fun cover and copies of the spreads that I’m sharing) to my newsletter list — so sign up now!! AND, for some extra fun, I’ll be having my Instagram followers help me choose names, plot points, and other things over on my stories so make sure you are also following me over there so you can help me out along the way!
Characters
This isn’t so much a formal spread as it’s more about pulling two tarot cards – one for my protagonist and one for my antagonist. But first, let me share a little about how I use tarot cards in my writing. I pull the cards and try to use my intuition and storytelling to figure out what the cards mean. Basically, I ask a lot of WHAT type questions.
For example, what is the page of cups doing right now? What was she doing 5 minutes ago? What is she doing after this? Why is she holding that cup? What does that cup contain?
Note: If you are completely new to tarot and don’t already own a deck, you can get a few apps that help you pull cards and use those to follow along. It’s cheaper than an actual deck and you get to see if you like the artwork before purchasing. If you want to learn more about tarot in general, I’m going to suggest Biddy Tarot’s site and books!! She’s amazing and her site is how I started learning more about the amazing world of Tarot.
Protagonist – Page of Cups
A young woman, emotional and extroverted, who is very into the beach and the sun and the surf. A true California girl, she loves to rollerblade in her pink skates and sand volleyball is the best exercise ever! She hates when people assume she’s vapid or stupid because of her blonde hair and slight Valley Girl speak, but she actually loves to read and is #1 in her school’s debate team. She has a very open mind and is extremely curious about the world around her.
Antagonist – Wheel of Fortune
Luck, circle of life, cycles, or a turning point. Rules and regulations – old world vs. new. I feel like the creatures around the edges are writing down people’s stories, keeping track and watching who does what – keeping score perhaps? I feel like this will be an antagonistic force rather than an actual person (but I might be surprised later when I do the 3-card beginning/middle/end spread). Another way of looking at this card is Karma or what goes around, comes around. It can also remind you to remember that miracles happen and bad luck can quickly turn to good with the right attitude.
What’s Next
What do you see in the cards? I’ll be sharing these thoughts on Instagram this weekend and asking for a name for my main character so follow me over there and let me know your thoughts!
Next week I’ll be doing the basic 3-card Beginning – Middle – End spread to get a really simple outline and will announce the name that was picked this weekend. I’m super excited to share not only these spreads with you, but also my process and my story.
If you’re a writer (or just looking for a fun challenge) and decide to do these spreads with me to come up with your own story, I would love to see it or hear about it. Please comment down below!!!
Check out Week 2 – Let’s Start With a Simple Outline HERE
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