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Tarot for Writers

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"As a writer, you already know what it's like to hold the power of creation in your hands. With a few strokes of a pen, you can forge a universe or start a galaxy spinning in space. You can mold brave new worlds and planets, complete with mountains, plains, and seas. You can even establish nations and cities, and populate them with culture and history. Like a living god, you can determine the future of an alternate reality. When you hold a tarot deck in your hands, you have an additional tool at your disposal--on that can make your job as a creator infinitely more rewarding." - From Tarot for Writers

One of the go-to authors for making the cards incredibly accessible, lively Tarot author Corrine Kenner focuses her sparkling wit and breadth of knowledge on equipping writers with a handy tool for their creative endeavors in her newest book, Tarot for Writers.

From mapping out the Hero's Journey with Tarot to producing character profiles, busting through writer's block to constructing that all-important first line, Tarot for Writers serves as both an introductory lesson in fiction writing and a first-rate primer on the cards, especially since Kenner provides detailed information on all 78 cards in the second half of this 358-page book.

With literally hundreds of practice exercises, writing prompts, and helpful lists accompanied by black-and-white card images, Tarot for Writers is the only book on the market showing how the mysterious imagery and symbolism of the cards can be applied to conflict (inciting and resolution), characterization, dialogue, description, metaphor, pacing, scenery, introducing unpredictable elements and so much more.

In fact, one of my favorite tips in this book (in the section on breaking writer's block) is where Kenner suggests writing an impromptu story based on a card's title or keyword. She writes "Feel free to play: you don't have to take them seriously. Perhaps when you see `Stagnation', it's time to send your character to a bar called `Stag Nation'."

I also loved the prompts from the Eight of Cups card, especially the last one:

Write about:
* a pilgrimage
* a return from a hunt
* a shepherd
* a scavenger hunt
* ....or take a break from writing and go for a walk

As a writer, that's a great piece of advice! Many of my breakthroughs come while on the treadmill or spending time outdoors.

Another neat writing practice, Fill in the Blanks, encourages writers to imagine the responses a character might have to simple, fill-in-the-blank prompts, such as "I am _____. You would never guess it by looking at me, but _____" and "I am _____, and I always say _____".

Using card imagery from the Universal Tarot by Roberto DeAngelis (Lo Scarabeo), owning an actual Tarot deck isn't required for using Tarot for Writers, which is fantastic. However, Kenner provides enough tips and prompts to show writers how to cull similar inspiration from virtually any Tarot deck on the market (provided the Minor Arcana contains animation of some sort--people, action, scenery, and so on).

There are a few sticking points with this book, however. For one, Kenner sends writers through the whole "make a sacred space by dispelling negative energy with sage" spiel, including laying out a spread cloth, cleansing, centering meditation, grounding visualization, and so on. Personally, I feel this is highly inappropriate because not all writers are spiritually inclined, wanting only to use the cards as a practical tool for enhancing the writing experience. (Yes, I realize Tarot for Writers is categorized in Body, Mind & Spirit, not Reference, but still...)

Also, Kenner does a great disservice to writers completely new to Tarot by not providing a list decks with imagery that would be appropriate to use with her exercises. As many of us familiar with Tarot darn well know, trying to find a Tarot deck as a newbie can be incredibly overwhelming. And, if a writer is shopping in a brick-and-mortar store--which often doesn't have opened Tarot decks for perusal--how would they know if a particular deck has an illustrated Minor Arcana as she recommends (especially since many Tarot boxes, even box sets, conveniently leave off pictures of the Minors)?

And a Bibliography, showing the books that Kenner referenced when writing? Non-existent. Um, sorry, but no matter how knowledgeable a Tarot author might be, no one has everything memorized to the point of instant recall, especially historical facts, writing theory, traditional symbolism, etc. To her credit, Kenner sometimes says, "Waite says this card..." (This isn't an isolated incident, though. I've seen quite a few reference books spanning various publishers that don't seem to require a Bibliography, which I find inexplicable and exasperating).

Additionally, it would have been nice if Kenner listed some additional books for further reading, both on writing in general (such as excellent Writer's Idea Book by Jack Heffron), as well as Tarot--especially ones that are more intuitively oriented. (And, as usual with Llewellyn, there are some glaring editorial mistakes in the book that the proofreaders missed--one major one on page 12 that repeats Cups for the Pentacles description--as well as overuse of some phrases, e.g. "dovetail perfectly" used three times before Page 3!).

Having said that, Tarot for Writers is still a valuable resource for aspiring and established writers and would benefit from clever prompts, innovative exercises, and brainstorming techniques for story ideas.

I found Tarot for Writers an exciting read; in fact, it inspired me to begin a novel (in conjunction with another new book I'm reading, The Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes)! The exercises and examples Kenner provides are engaging, clear and stimulating. Even experienced Tarotists will learn a thing or two from Kenner's ideas, advice and writing samples.

As one who wants to flex her fictional writing muscles (er, maybe I need to begin building those muscles first!), I notice that I'm carrying around Tarot for Writers quite a bit these last few weeks. (I think it's visited every space in my twelve room house, actually!)

Do consider putting Tarot for Writers on your desk, too. I think you'll consider it one of the best investments you can make whether writing for pleasure or as a professional.

-- Janet Boyer, author of The Back in Time Tarot Book

Most people think of tarot cards as a fortune-telling device--but they're also an excellent tool for writing and creative thinking. Writers from John Steinbeck to Stephen King have used tarot cards for inspiration, and novelist Italo Calvino went so far as to call the tarot "a machine for writing stories."

With Tarot for Writers, you'll discover how an ordinary deck of tarot cards can help you break through writer's block, generate story ideas, and develop multi-faceted characters and plots. You'll also learn how tarot cards can help you hone your dialogues and descriptions, whether you're generating new material or breathing new life into a project you've already begun.

Tarot for Writers will guide you through every stage of a writing project, from conception to execution, and later through the rewriting and editing process. You'll even learn how tarot cards can help you market, publicize, and promote your work.

I anxiously waited for this book to be released and bought it the very day it came out. That's not something I usually do. It was due in part to intrigue: I have a tarot deck at home that I am learning about and was curious about this new use for; but mostly to try something new to aid me in my quest for writing a book of my own.

I rushed home with it, got my hot cup of coffee, my blanket, a notebook, my tarot cards and my dog and dug in. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I can say that this book contained a lot more than I thought it would. What an invaluable resource for writers, and a great resource for those just wanting to learn more about the tarot cards themselves!

Corrine Kenner sets out, very simply and thoroughly, how to use one card at a time to develop a story. From creating characters to enhancing dialogue to creating conflicts, this book tackles every conceiveable topic. It will definately give you a new way to look at your project or start a new one.

It's my understanding that Ms. Kenner is in the process of preparing a workbook to go along with this book, and I can't wait for that to come out too. I highly recommend this book to any writer, experienced or not, as I think it will become one of the most valuable tools in your writing tool box.

When I first saw that someone had written a book about Tarot specifically for writers, I was so excited. What an amazing concept! Of course Tarot cards would be an excellent way to help generate exciting plotlines, interesting characters, and fascinating life situations! After all, the Tarot is the story of the Fool's journey to spiritual enlightenment and the interesting "characters" he encounters along the way. Although Tarot For Writers does contain good information and some interesting interpretations of the cards, it does not live up to its promises to "kick-start your creativity."

Tarot For Writers opens with a very generic history of the Tarot, a few pages on the basics of reading Tarot cards, and some simple spreads to lay out and interpret the cards. For those new to Tarot, this is hardly comprehensive, as the entire section covers only about 30 pages of the book. However, for those looking to use the cards for nothing more than a bit of writing inspiration, this may be sufficient.

My biggest complaint overall is that although this book is titled Tarot For Writers, the actual section devoted to using cards in writing practice (what the author refers to as "the real heart of the book") covers less than 100 pages of this 350 page book. Corrine Kenner does go into basic use of Tarot cards to help create characters and storylines along with setting and description, but these chapters run about 10 pages each and barely skim the surface of all the possible methods through which the cards could be used to help writers. In the early chapters, the author makes some bold promises that are not kept. Directly, she states, "You'll even explore ways to boost your success at editing, revising, and promoting your work." This reader did not find any relevant advice as it relates to editing and revising, and I found absolutely nothing related to promoting your work.

The bulk of this book is its individual description of each of the Major and Minor Arcana cards in the Tarot. This section makes up more than half of the book. Although I did find some interesting interpretations of the cards, Kenner's thoughts on the cards are nothing new, and much better interpretations can be found in more comprehensive books. Particularly disturbing, though, is Kenner's ability to interpret much of the imagery in the cards as phallic symbols. I am not sure that every long, thin image in the cards is intended to subconsciously represent the male genitalia. Also, this book promises "over 500 enjoyable writing prompts." Here are examples of writing prompts from Ms. Kenner's description of the Four of Wands: "Write about: a wedding, a celebration, a marriage, your first home, your parents." These are hardly writing prompts alone, let alone "enjoyable" or original ones.

Tarot For Writers, although conceptually a great idea, is a huge missed opportunity to explain the many possibilities when using Tarot cards as a tool for writers.

Are you a writer looking for an endless source of new ideas, or a Tarot reader with a longing to write? Then I've found the book for you- "Tarot For Writers" by Corrine Kenner.

If you fall in the first category, you will get a solid grounding in Tarot from this book. Basic concepts, reading the cards, and layouts are all covered in an easily understood and engaging way. There is also a handy lookup section for the Major and Minor Arcana to flip to whenever you have a question.

Those in the second category may find some aspects covered they haven't
thought of.

Regardless, both groups will learn how to use the cards to draw characters and stories out of the well of their subconscious minds. I was shocked at how easily the words flowed in response to the image on a card even when I was a raw beginner.

As I learned more, there were more riches to be mined. Corrine's many and
varied writing practices and writing prompts trigger plot lines from the cards and my inner being in ways that amaze me.

She teaches you to use Tarot to defeat writer's block and to be your
personal writer's coach- much cheaper than therapy or a creativity coach!

In short, Corrine Kenner gives you a perpetual source of inspiration, waiting for you pull a card and pick up your pen or turn on your laptop and just start writing.

A helpful aside: go to a Tarot cards site and look at the pictures of some decks to see what appeals to you. Certain decks will click better with you than others. Don't buy a deck that does not have the Minor Arcana in pictures. And an assortment of decks will keep your writing practice fresh and full of vitality.

In "The Writer's Tarot," author Corrine Kenner implements using the 78 cards of the tarot as a tool to invoke the hero's mythic journey in a clever large format book that playfully invokes Joseph Campbell's "The Hero with a Thousand Faces" and Frey's " The Key: How to Write Damn Good Fiction Using the Power of Myth" Her method? Choose random cards and based on symbols that reflect myths, astrology, and archetypes utilize them to fashion characters, plotlines, scenes and descriptions that will add dimension to your works of fiction.

Does it work? Indeed, all the tools are present to cultivate imaginings of multi-dimensional precision.

Whether this is a book on the reading of tarot cards or a writer's workshop exercise workbook is left to the reader and his/her intentions. Kenner formats the book so that either goal can be achieved with ease on the part of the reader.

The first portion of the book focuses on tarot fundamentals and their similarities to the tools used in crafting literature. Kenner showcases the tarot as archetypes, life moments, numbers (beginnings, middles and ends) and ideal families; the four suits suggest the four elements that in turn correspond to the intellectual, spiritual, physical and emotional realms. Kenner speaks of preparing oneself before a reading and details a number of typical spreads. She encourages writing exercises based on what one feels and sees depicted on the face of the cards. From there she constructs using the usual building blocks: character development of which the archetypes of the tarot are most appropriate, plot lines where she employs the use of a three card spread to puzzle out the beginning, middle and end of a story, Freytag's Pyramid that details the rising and falling action of a compelling story--Kenner uses one card for each of the seven part structure of the pyramid and most importantly the hero's journey which she illustrates as a 12 card circular spread. Setting and Description are also touched upon--the use of the cards here is purely sensational; Kenner pulls a card and based on what is portrayed creates a sight or scene. When writer's block strikes, what better inspiration but a random draw to help unblock the senses. Kenner provides dozens and dozens of suggestions and exercises that will help uncork the creative in a symbolically intuitive way.

The second half of the book is devoted to the actual cards of the tarot. Two pages are set aside for each card where a black and white Universal Waite version of the card is shown along with a general idea of what the card usually means in a reading. Most enjoyable are Kenner's detailed list of the symbols that appear in each card and that symbols meaning with respect to myth and legend, astrological associations and literary archetypes. Each explanation is followed by associated writing prompts. For example, The Hermit card perhaps would suggest a magic lantern or a walking stick. Kenner's intention is to fuel the writer with images that will invoke the muse and how can she fail to do so with such a wellspring of information?

Last but not least, a dictionary of tarot terms is supplied in the back.

Bottom line: Whether or not you intend to use `Tarot for Writers' for tarot reading or to hone your writer's skills, author Corrine Kenner does a fine job of providing insights and exercises to using the tarot to explore the lives and stories of the fictional characters that we craft in our minds. Definitely a book to keep as a reference with your other writer's tools and guides, more than half of the text is devoted to a symbolic, archetypical, astrological and mythic explanation of each of the seventy-eight cards. Recommended.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"

Corrine Kenner has long been known in the world of Tarot Professionals as a superb Tarot Consultant as well as a wonderful writer. Corrine has the singular gift of making the complex easy. Her ground-breaking book, `TAROT FOR WRITERS' brings to those passionately involved in tarot or writing the ultimate gift of combining both worlds. Perhaps you've postponed writing? Stop dreaming and start writing! This is the ultimate text for writers and those wanting to write. `Tarot For Writers' is the only book you will need to solve any issue a writer may face. It is also a wonderful foray into the world of writing for those already familiar with tarot and will expand your skills as a tarot reader.

`Tarot For Writers' by Corrine Kenner explores what any writer needs to know about the complicated world of Tarot in simple, easy to understand language. Topics every writer faces such as how to create full-bodied characters; issues of plot, the development of your story concept, creating rich settings and descriptions, handling writers' block and The Tarot as Your Writing Coach are explored in depth using the cards plus tarot spreads specifically designed by Corrine for the writer. There are also traditional writers' tools every writer may be familiar with explained and re- envisioned by Corrine for the tarot and writer.

Corrine's section - `A Writers' Guide to Tarot Cards' - will quickly encourage any writer to begin an exercise immediately because she is so in love with her subject you will find yourself writing within half an hour of your opening this book! Are you in the middle of a writing project and don't know what to tackle next? `Tarot For Writers' will quickly get you back on track. Do you have a burning desire to start a short story, novel or screenplay? `Tarot For Writers' can help you actualize your dreams!

Corrine was generous enough to give me an advance copy of her upcoming, `Tarot For Writers.' I had been sitting on the fence about re-activating my writers' life so I looked forward to exploring `Tarot For Writers' to see if it could be of help. This has been one of the most productive years of my life as a writer. I completed a novel during the month of NaNoWriMo and finally finished the first draft of a manuscript of poetry. I am thrilled to be writing daily and know that if `Tarot For Writers' helped me - it can help you to expand your options in writing and learn how to read the cards in new ways.

Those who teach the craft of writing will want `Tarot For Writers' to help their students. Those who read Tarot as professionals will want to explore `Tarot For Writers' to find new ways of assisting their clients. For those who write for a living `Tarot For Writers' will expand your options and broaden your daily interface with your craft. Beginning writers are blessed to have `Tarot For Writers' as it will inspire and give them confidence to go for their passion. Those of us deeply involved with the art of writing will not part with our copy of `Tarot For Writers' and will find ourselves buying it for friends and writers' groups. If you buy one book this year on either tarot or writing be sure it is `Tarot For Writers.' I predict `Tarot For Writers' will become the gold standard for both writers and tarot professionals.

Corrine's online Tarot for Writers meetup has helped me in my writing, and I'm so glad her book is finally in my hands. I joined her group in November 2008 and the exercises helped me with the novel I was working on for NaNoWriMo. Her book is full of wonderful ideas and exercises to help writers delve deeper into the worlds and characters they are creating.

Learn to take one card and turn it into a character, a sentence, a scene. Then take another and continue the story. There are lots of exercises, and they can be done over and over with different cards to generate different results. The possibilities are limited only by your own imagination.

Whether you are an old pro with cards or a beginner doesn't matter. It helps to know the meanings of the cards, but you can also do this by looking at the card and focusing on any detail you find in it. Tarot for Writers is a great tool for people at any level.

I have a college degree in English and have been writing non-professionally for over fifteen years. I have read many many books on writing, and this is my new favorite. I know it will only be more valuable to me in my future writing, as I pursue my goal of publication.

I've had this for a few months now. Corrine's spreads are an excellent way to open up characterization and story structure (very good for NaNoWriMo). But what I've found very useful is her breakdown of symbols on each card, and the individual card prompts. It has a permanent place on my writing desk.

Got this book and went through it.

I am a writer and a Tarot card reader. So, for me, this book was a thrill to read - finally, a nice way to combine both of my passions!

It is interesting how I always saw reading Tarot cards as a storytelling of sorts, and now, the cards are poised to help me figure out my other stories!

I have had a prior interest in Tarot and I've always loved to write, even though I've been away from it for some time. This is the perfect book to get back on your feet with writing. I've never thought about using Tarot to write, but it does make sense and I've come up with so many ideas I don't even know where to start. There are many writing exercises throughout the book and I would say it's just as useful as taking a fiction writing class. I refer to this book constantly; I have been ignoring all my other writing books. Now I feel like I could actually write something and have it published. Worth every penny in my opinion!