Hungry for Words: Clarifying Voice & Story, a Writing Class by Best-Selling Author Kathleen Flinn
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International Food Bloggers Conference 2014 Voice & Story Kathleen Flinn
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You've got an idea for a food memoir, or a narrative or even a cookbook, but you're not sure what direction to head or how to contain the many many idea you've got exploding in that industrious head of yours. Or, you're debating the route you've taken with your blog. Even a cookbook needs a narrative, a hook, a clarifying concept. A blog needs an identity. A memoir needs a clear narrative. When facing a big project, it's easy to look at the examples of success. But imitation begs a question. What makes you unique? What's your story? In this four-hour optional workshop, we'll spend some time looking at these questions, along with what makes notable food stories endure, regardless of the media in which they appear. You'll complete a series of exercises to help you start thinking about your how to find a voice for your work. We'll discuss and flesh out your concepts within a small group environment. The most difficult part of being a writer is finding your voice; the toughest part of being an author or a blogger is determining a clear way forward. Let's start the process of finding both together.
Transcript of Hungry for Words: Clarifying Voice & Story, a Writing Class by Best-Selling Author Kathleen Flinn
International Food Bloggers Conference 2014
Voice & StoryKathleen Flinn
First, a little reading
Voice The Six-Word Memoir
- Free Writing: A Series of Questions
(yoga break)
Story - Charlie Rose - The Story Cycle - Story Boarding - Cat in the Kitchen
Q&A
In this session:
Voice
“Anybody who can talk can also write.
If something is worth hearing or listening to, it's very probably worth reading. So, this above all: Find your own voice.”
- Christopher Hitchens in Vanity Fair, 2011
“Ultimately, voice is the writer's personal style coming through in the writing. It's as complex and varied as human personality itself.”
(Jack Hart, A Writer's Coach: An Editor's Guide to Words That Work. Pantheon, 2006)
In November 2006, writer and editor Larry Smith issued a challenge to fans of his Web publication, SMITH Magazine.
Inspired by Ernest Hemingway's legendary shortest of short stories ("For sale: Baby shoes, never worn"), Smith asked his readers to describe their lives in six words. The Six-Word Memoir contest officially ended after a month, but the stories kept coming.
The Six-Word Memoir
In order to narrow down a life into six words, a writer needs to begin with many words and ideas.
In other words, who are you?
Six Word Memoir
Five years on, participants have contributed more than half a million mini-memoirs. Smith has published five compilations of the intensely personal accounts and continues his online quest to spark the creativity of aspiring writers.
"There is inspiration everywhere," he says. "Even if you don't think you're a storyteller, you are."
Dolores Tuffin:“Free falling, ready for my future”
Jennifer Boire: ”Spiritual being having a human experience”
Snabors:“Taking each step tenaciously and joyfully”
Cindy Starry:“Flow within your heart's joy forever”
Examples
More Examples:
Best Wordplay:
“Meditation: Personal search engine via inner-net.”
Funniest:
“15,000 days spent considering a bellybutton.”
Most Sensory:
“Hardwired for coupling. Short-circuited being single.”
Most Circular:
“Dad’s baby now changing Dad’s diapers.”
Best Metaphor:
“Mouth to mouth couldn’t resuscitate the marriage.” -Laconic from Six Words on Love & Heartbreak
Most Self-Aware:
“Won’t let magazines shape my body.” -songwriter
Bonus #7—Celebrity Six-Worder of the Week:
“Not funny. Funny. Not funny. Funny?” - Jimmy Fallon.
”Wishing sadness and geometry made sense.” - Grounded Clouds
Best Metaphor:
“Mouth to mouth couldn’t resuscitate the marriage.” -Laconic from Six Words on Love & Heartbreak
Most Self-Aware:
“Won’t let magazines shape my body.” -songwriter
Bonus #7—Celebrity Six-Worder of the Week:
“Not funny. Funny. Not funny. Funny?” - Jimmy Fallon.
”Wishing sadness and geometry made sense.” - Grounded Clouds
More Examples
List as many words, topics, memories, or personality
traits as you can about yourself – activities you do, items, belongings, places you like, and feelings you have. Don’t edit, cross out, change, or rewrite words. Don’t worry about spelling – just write. You are going for quantity, so write as much as you can in about three minutes. You should fill at least one full page.
How to Start
Teacher, wife, enthusiasm, coffee, overworked,
smores, colorful, justice, missions, laughter, moving, sister, friend, grumpy kitty, travel, corgies, Christian music, inspirational, contemplative, hands and feet, questions without answers, cards, planning, preparing, connecting, chocolate, reading, children, compassion, guidance, support, mentor, walks, autumn, apple cider, leaves, crisp fresh air, heirloom rings, surprise, analyze…
Example List
Now, circle the two or three words that stand out for
you, the ones that you could say more about.
Next… highlight
Teacher, wife, enthusiasm, coffee, overworked,
smores, colorful, justice, missions, laughter, moving, sister, friend, grumpy kitty, travel, corgies, Christian music, inspirational, contemplative, hands and feet, questions without answers, cards, planning, preparing, connecting, chocolate, reading, children, compassion, guidance, support, mentor, walks, autumn, apple cider, leaves, crisp fresh air, heirloom rings, surprise, analyze…
Example List
Pick one item and freewrite about the thought. That means you just start writing about that idea, object, role, or event. The only rule is don’t stop writing for at least two or three minutes. Whatever comes to mind is fair game.
compassion
Next… write
“Compassion drives me to the questions about social justice and our role around the world. What can I do? Is it enough? Aren’t we more effective together but how can we all work together? What should I do independently even if community doesn’t choose to? How can I show care and compassion to brothers and sisters around the world, in my neighborhood? I feel wrapped up in these questions without clear answers...”
Freewrite Example
“…Don’t we all want to make lasting difference? Isn’t that going to happen through love? Pride and hate will not change the world. Change the world sometimes seems like an overwhelming cliché. I am only in charge of a small part of this world….and there is only one part that I can change…myself.”
Example continued…
As a result of the freewrite, you have a sense of
your topic. Synthesize, combine the individual elements into an understandable whole, your writing into a phrase that captures the essence of what your topic means to you.
Synthesize
Create a single PowerPoint slide or drawing/photo that captures you.
“Inner cowboy adrift on literate shores”
“Seeking home, balance outside a turbulent world”
What if you could interview yourself?A few questions to get you thinking about your genuine voice…
“You Would Never Know This by Looking at Me, But…”
Questions
“I tend to present the illusion that…”
Questions
“The thing that I’m most proud to have written is…”
Questions
”I struggle with…”
Questions
”I’m happiest when..”
Final Question
Story
Dilemma Inciting Incident Conflict & Obstacles Resolution
Stories are always about transformation – for the characters and the reader
Basics of Story
Charlie RoseExercise
Stories are cyclical, not linear
Beginning
Middle
End
Think about either a project
that you want to do or a recent blog post and apply the concept of cyclical story line to it. How would it change? What are the plot points?
Exercise
Writing in Scenes - StoryBoardWrite a storyboard a paragraph. What happens? Who’s talking? What do
you want the reader to envision? (Stick figures at OK!)
Humor + Food + 20something
perspective will yield a very different story than…
Practial + Food + Southern Lady (think Paula Deen)
Marry Your Voice & Story
Big Cat in the KitchenThinking of your answers and your six-word memoir, how would you write
a story about a great cat in your kitchen?
It takes a lot to pass the Who Cares Test when you rely on food writing’s most overused compositional crutches:
The Grandmother/mother reference
The Weather report (“It’s (spring, summer) so it’s time for (asparagus, peaches)”
The farmer’s market (“I went to the farmer’s market and got some peaches..”)
Stating the obvious.
“Crutches”
Remember: YOU ARE AWESOME Avoid imitation, focus on innovation & voice
Story is about Transformation, Dilemma and Conflict
Writing is a an Act of Courage
Story is Cyclical
Be a Child. Be Fearless.
Recap
“Make them remember you”
- The Hunger Games
