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Runes for Writers: Boost Your Creativity and Destroy Writer's Block
The runes of the Elder Futhark were used by ancient Germanic shamans for divination centuries before they came into use as a writing system. Now, novelist and shamanic practitioner Marc Graham brings these tools of the ancients into the twenty-first century. Using a combination of cards, tiles, and dice, writers (and storytellers in any medium) can silence the inner editor and tap directly into the realm of the Muses, the Source of Story.
Runes for Writers provides an introduction to the ancient Norse Runes and presents a number of practical exercises to tap into the creative unconcious. Using specific layouts, or runecastings, you can quickly develop character sketches, develop and troubleshoot scenes, even create a broad outline of your entire story.
A companion to the Runes for Writers story-development system, this book is your guide into the fascinating world of deep, intuitive storytelling.
Runes for Writers provides an introduction to the ancient Norse Runes and presents a number of practical exercises to tap into the creative unconcious. Using specific layouts, or runecastings, you can quickly develop character sketches, develop and troubleshoot scenes, even create a broad outline of your entire story.
A companion to the Runes for Writers story-development system, this book is your guide into the fascinating world of deep, intuitive storytelling.
- GenresWriting
148 pages, Paperback
Published September 26, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 5, 2020
I've been fascinated by the idea of using tarot cards and runes for storytelling for a while now, so I was delighted to be given an ARC of this title.
The sections were clearly laid out and the way the author referenced the Hero's journey and drew in examples from literature are sure to please fans of The Hero with a Thousand Faces and other studies of folklore and traditional story structures.
I would definitely like to try out the author's system to tinker with a writing project, and I think it would be a useful book for any writer to find inspiration in.
The sections were clearly laid out and the way the author referenced the Hero's journey and drew in examples from literature are sure to please fans of The Hero with a Thousand Faces and other studies of folklore and traditional story structures.
I would definitely like to try out the author's system to tinker with a writing project, and I think it would be a useful book for any writer to find inspiration in.
November 20, 2019
This uses a tarot card like system to gather details on the character, situation and plot. Much like a plot and character generator. The author uses ancient runes for inspiration.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.
January 21, 2020
Get to know your characters and their lives with the use of Runes. Wat a novel concept! (Pun intended)
As I am not familiar with Runes or Norse mythology, initially this was hard for me to understand. Sticking with it will help as the historical portion was designed by the author to make sure that everyone is on the same page regarding rune symbols and rune casting.
I hesitate to use tarot cards or dice for predicting the future for religious reasons. However, it is a great tool in this instance. It makes perfect sense for getting to know your characters and their lives better.
There is no right or wrong way to interpret any given card or casting so you can get an idea from the runes and run with it. “As with writing itself, the joy (and the challenge) of rune casting is in the process and in the discovery.”
The one caveat I would make is that the author tells us that this book is not for beginning writers but instead should be used for writers with at lease two manuscripts under their belt. This warning is not given until you are into the book. I believe it would be helpful to know that such experienced writers are helped by the information here before purchase.
I received an ARC from Erulian Press through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.
As I am not familiar with Runes or Norse mythology, initially this was hard for me to understand. Sticking with it will help as the historical portion was designed by the author to make sure that everyone is on the same page regarding rune symbols and rune casting.
I hesitate to use tarot cards or dice for predicting the future for religious reasons. However, it is a great tool in this instance. It makes perfect sense for getting to know your characters and their lives better.
There is no right or wrong way to interpret any given card or casting so you can get an idea from the runes and run with it. “As with writing itself, the joy (and the challenge) of rune casting is in the process and in the discovery.”
The one caveat I would make is that the author tells us that this book is not for beginning writers but instead should be used for writers with at lease two manuscripts under their belt. This warning is not given until you are into the book. I believe it would be helpful to know that such experienced writers are helped by the information here before purchase.
I received an ARC from Erulian Press through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.
December 3, 2019
Writer's block is a problem most writers face at one time or another. It's frustrating and can block your creativity. The ideas in this book do a great job of getting you out of a creative slump. Using ancient ideas in a modern way is a radical idea and one that works. I definitely recommend reading it if you are a writer feeling stuck.
February 8, 2020
The use of runes for divining stimulates the unconscious mind to randomize story ideas, a similar process to tarot.
I honestly didn't find this information useful, and was more interested in the psychological applications of conjuring up the unconscious, or the historical facts of storytelling. This book mostly focuses on the Norse runes, walking through the process of runecasting. The part I found most interesting, but was sadly quite brief, was the chapter "On Creativity and Writer's Block". The overall content of the book seemed a bit.. impractical, or perhaps unrelatable to non-fantasy type storytelling (given the dense Norse mythology references). I think I was expecting something else, and perhaps this just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this free ARC.
I honestly didn't find this information useful, and was more interested in the psychological applications of conjuring up the unconscious, or the historical facts of storytelling. This book mostly focuses on the Norse runes, walking through the process of runecasting. The part I found most interesting, but was sadly quite brief, was the chapter "On Creativity and Writer's Block". The overall content of the book seemed a bit.. impractical, or perhaps unrelatable to non-fantasy type storytelling (given the dense Norse mythology references). I think I was expecting something else, and perhaps this just wasn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this free ARC.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews