Orientation: Tarot for Writers

Day ~1~ in the Tarot Tent

Welcome to The Tarot Tent, a special five-part “virtual summer camp” workshop for writers brought to you by The Shuffle.

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You can watch all Tarot Tent workshops on demand here.

The opening card of the tarot is the Fool, and if any card in the deck gives first-day-of-camp energy, it’s this one: The Fool is lightly packed and ready for anything.

An adventurer to the core, The Fool is the embodiment of moving boldly through the world, trusting that they have what they need to keep themself safe. I’ll ask you to bring that same energy with you over the next five days.

Like the Fool, we’re going to be diving off some deep ends as we explore ways of unlocking writing magic through the tarot.

Speaking of what to bring with you on our Tarot Tent journey….

One of my favorite details about the Fool is the rucksack — this small but critical bag signals to me that this character knows they’re off on a journey, and they aren’t heading out completely unprepared. They’ve been clever enough to pack the essentials, and leave everything else behind so that their heftiest pre-conceptions, judgements and fears don’t weigh them down.

Before you dive into today’s materials, I’d love for you to curate your own rucksack.

Let’s start with what’s absolutely required to make the most out of what’s to come this week:

• Something to write with

• Something to write on

• A tarot deck

• A pinch of: imagination, curiosity, and playfulness

Meanwhile, there’s one thing you’ll definitely have to leave behind:

• Your inner-critic (it’s simply too heavy to take where we’re going! But don’t worry, you’ve got pen and paper. You can write the old inner-critic a letter if you’re missing it 😉)

Take a moment now, with that same pen and paper you’re planning on bringing along with you, to jot down a few more things you’ll definitely need for the journey, and a couple of things you can ditch to lighten your load.

And while you’re at it, why not reflect on paper about what you hope your Tarot Tent experience is going to be like? Ask yourself:

• What do I hope to learn?

• How do I hope to grow?

• What questions about my projects and/or the tarot do I want to explore?

• How can I be adventurous this week?

Alright campers, now that you’re packed and your intentions are set, it’s time to to go. The Tarot Tent is officially open, so come on in and choose a bunk.

Below you’ll find our first pre-recorded workshop. Think of today’s Tarot Tent experience as a first-day-of-camp orientation. Consider it your chance to get a lay of the land, and learn the foundations you’ll be returning to all week as we explore the many facets of using tarot as a writing tool.

We cover:

• What makes tarot a brilliant storytelling tool

• How to start using tarot in your writing today, even if you've never touched a tarot deck before

• How to read a tarot spread like a writer

• What tarot decks and tools I recommend for writers

NOTE: This workshop was first recorded in October 2023, as part of my TAROTWRIMO workshop series to help writers prepare for NaNoWriMo.

Wherever participants have been invited to share in the chat, I encourage you to share in the comments below.

Watch the Workshop

Thanks for watching, campers! Don’t be shy - share your experiences and questions in the chat, and come back tomorrow for a new Tarot Tent adventure.

Until then, consider closing out your first day of camp with the following reflection prompts:

• What resonated with me most?

• How will I apply what I learned today to my writing?

• What am I most excited about for the week ahead?

Check out further Tarot Tent sessions:

🧙‍♀️Develop Compelling Characters with the Tarot

I'll walk you through how to use the tarot as a character development tool. Through discussion and writing exercises we'll cover:

• How the tarot can help you create compelling characters

• How to read a tarot spread for your characters

• How to have a conversation with your characters via the tarot

• How to use tarot cards to explore the relationships between your characters

🧚‍♀️ Outline Your Novel with the Tarot

I'll walk you through how to use the tarot to plot out your novel or memoir. Through discussion and writing exercises we'll cover:

• Three methods of plotting your whole novel using the tarot

• How to outline specific scenes and/or arcs with the tarot

• How to solve plot holes with the tarot

🪄 Dissolve Writers' Block with the Tarot

I'll walk you through how the tarot can help you confront and dissolve your writers' block. Through discussion and writing exercises we'll cover:

• How to generate ideas with the tarot when you're stuck

• How to use tarot to reconnect with the core elements of your story when you've lost the plot

• How to use the tarot as a creative self-care tool while navigating block

👻 78 Degrees of Spooky: Write a Ghost Story with the Tarot

In this generative campfire-tale-themed workshop, you're going to write a ghost story using the tarot.

Following a brief discussion about how the tarot can help us generate stories, I'll give you a series of tarot-informed prompts and invite you to outline your story. You'll then get some focused writing time to develop your idea into a story.