Mythic Archetypes and the Writing Life
Nov. 5 – Dec. 7
Most writers are familiar with archetypes: those vivid symbols, characters, and stories that crop up everywhere, representing powerful universal themes.
There are dozens of blogs, books, and articles out there about using archetypes to develop characters and construct plots. But starting November 5th, I’m going to present a series of posts on mythic archetypes from a unique perspective. Rather than looking at how you can use archetypes in your poetry and prose, I’ll be blogging about how archetypes can enrich and support your life as a writer.
For thousands of years, myths have served as models of behavior, cautionary tales, and guides for daily living. In modern psychology, mythic archetypes have been used to help people address problems and bring about change in their lives. In this series of posts, I’ll be using mythic archetypes from around the world as guides to facing the complex challenges of the modern writing life.
Each week for five weeks, I’ll blog about a different archetype and how it can inspire, comfort, and encourage writers. Drawing on myths from Egypt, Greece, India, China, and the Yoruba and Winnebago peoples, this series will apply mythic archetypes to issues like confidence, happiness, productivity, and balance. How can myths about an AfroCaribbean fertility goddess help you find abundance and joy in your writing life? What does an ancient Egyptian God of the Underworld have to do with your journey into the subconscious? Can you apply lessons from the Chinese Goddess of Compassion to your writing? Join me from Nov. 5 – Dec. 7 as I answer these questions, and more.
And, coming in the New Year, look for Christian and Buddhist Virtues and the Writing Life.
As ever, I will be continuing with Writing Tips Thursday and Great Stuff for Writers Friday, occasional reflections on my own experiences as a writer, and book recommendations. Please join me as I continue on this great adventure.