https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:52:42 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368184 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:08:07 +0000 Sunday Songwriters Group Nick Torres https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368184 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368179 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:19:53 +0000
:( :( :(

Vic]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Vic Lewis VL https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368179 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368157 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:27:17 +0000 Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368157 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368156 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 16:35:17 +0000 Sunday Songwriters Group Nick Torres https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368156 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368154 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:23:38 +0000 Sunday Songwriters Group John Sargent https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-368154 https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-41572 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 04:40:33 +0000
"This was an interesting experiment I was reading about from Rebecca McClananahan's book "Word Painting".

Definition: Constellation of Images -supplies the metaphor in everything the writer writes

She states that Stanley Kunitz referred to writer's having a "Constellation of Images" in them. For Kunitz, his constellation formed around his father. For McClananahan it was the death of an infant sister the year McClananahan was born.

The experiment: Look over your past lyrics for words or ideas that keep resurfacing. McClananahan states, "Paying attention to reurring motifs in our work can help us discover the sources of our originality....and extend isolated metaphores" (McClananahan page 100)."

Well yes, whatever that last bit meant I'm sure I agree.

James even conveniently provides us with a tool to show us these recurring motifs. http://www.wordle.net

You can create your own by cut and pasting existing lyrics into the website and clicking create. Here is one of mine to look at:

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3867472/Nick%27s_songs

This is made up of three songs, Without Words, Lost Summer Days and It's not a love song. I cut and pasted them in and removed any second or third reference to the chorus, so it only gets counted one time. It's interesting. Look, Hear, Never, Eyes, Words and a few show up I'd rather not have. I have a sensory theme going I think.

So your assignment is to pick as many of your own songs as you want and paste them in. Take a look at the biggest words. This week write about any topic, focusing on using the "motif" presented in your wordle, but I want you to avoid using the exact words. You can use your online thesauraus for alternates if you like.

Please post a link to your wordle for us to see.

If you don't have many songs written, or no songs written, paste three of your favorite songs in and use that.

If you need more inspiration, go for the rhyming dictionary, random wiki or random flicker images.

Good luck and good writing.]]> Sunday Songwriters Group Nick Torres https://guitarnoise.forum/sunday-songwriters-group/ssg-year-9-week-39/#post-41572