Chaotic Inventory
Write as playing Legos
This afternoon, a writer I follow asked me about my creative process. I had never thought about that. I understand writing as the road between two blank pages, where when we finish, we can offer our discoveries to the world.
One of the techniques I use when I start that road to a short project like an article, poem, or flash fiction, is the Chaotic Inventory + Legos. A mix of the Chaotic Inventory technique taught in most of the creative workshops I attended and my fondness for Legos.
Chaotic Inventory
Chaotic inventory is nothing but a random list of things you like without context. Just take a piece of paper and write on it. The line you write should describe a particular detail of the object. For example: I look through the window, and I see some leaves, so I like leaves. What makes these leaves different from the rest? Well, these are the first dry leaves from the fall, I saw. My first item in the chaotic inventory is :
I like the first dry fall leaves.
Now, I am going to add one more item to the list. I like a girl named Beatriz. Why do I like her? I think she is beautiful. This is an easy one and also superficial description:
I like the beauty of Beatriz.
Finally I will add one more item, the word “Beauty” reminds me more things I believe are beautiful, for example the memories. My last item is:
I like the beautiful Memories.
The chaotic inventory is by itself a piece of writing.
I like the first dry fall leaves.
I like the beauty of Beatriz.
I like the beautiful Memories.
Peter Wright
But we can transform that inventory into something more powerful if we use any line as a piece of Lego. Now we are on the second and funniest part of the technique.
Let’s play with some Legos.
Now you have three pieces of Lego, and we can construct whatever you want. As sample a quote:
I like the first dry fall leaves; I like the beauty of Beatriz, I like the beautiful Memories.
Ok, lets remove part of the pieces
I like the first dry fall leaves, the beauty of Beatriz, beautiful Memories.
Ok, sounds better. Now its time to switch the pieces and add one more small piece.
I like the first dry fall leaves, beautiful Memories of the beauty of Beatriz.
Now we have a quote.
I like the first dry fall leaves, beautiful Memories of the beauty of Beatriz.
Peter Wright
Now that we have a quote, let’s take our legos and rebuilt an small poem.
I like the first dry fall leaves,
beautiful Memories
of the beauty of Beatriz.
Ok its time to remove some lego pieces and then we construct a poem.
First dry fall leaves,
beautiful Memories,
Beatriz.
Peter Wright
Can we construct more complex Legos?
The Answer is Yes.
To construct more complex structures we shall knew complex structures like haikus. The metric of a haiku is five-seven-five syllables. And there will be a “Kigo” which is an element which describes season of the year, also describes scenes from nature or everyday life and conveys the impression that the contemplation of something has caused. Well its time to try it:
Dry fall Leaves ( three syllables, not working)
Beautiful memories (six syllables, almost done!)
Beatriz ( two syllables, Game over!)
So, we can always switch legos:
Dry fall memories (Yes!, five syllables)
Beautiful leaves ( four syllables, we are getting close)
Beatriz ( Still two syllables, this need urgen attention!)
The line one is done, and we cover the “Kigo” part too. The line two can be fixed adding some words. The memories are something which is behind, so we have a new piece of Lego to play. The impression that the contemplation of something has caused is also a missing Lego part. Let’s analyze these words:
Beauty, Beautiful, Beatriz: All of them start with “Bea” and we can remove the “triz” from Beatriz as a nickname. Now the only word combinación of five syllables is : Beauty starts with Bea. This sound like a contemplation of something deep.
Dry fall memories
Beautiful leaves behind me
Beauty starts with Bea.
- Peter Wright
We constructed a Haiku with legos.
Put some rules on your Chaotic Inventory
After some practice you will be an expert on Chaotic Inventories, a way to improve your writing is to put some construction rules, as a sample, write about love without using the word love, or put a limit of 10 words per line or only use words without the letter “a”. The creativity of your rules will be the force of your poems, articles and flash fictions.
Then on the other side of the inventory, put another inventory of things you don’t like with the same or other rules. You will have more lego pieces.
And the most important thing: Those chaotic inventories can be constructed with your dreams, fears, wishes, and hopes. Anything that talks about you.
I hope this could be helpful for your writing. As you know, I am not an expert writer. But I am a writer who enjoys a lot to experiment and play with words. If you like and use this technique someday, please share your article with me. I will be glad to read your work and give you fifty claps.
One thing I like plus one thing I hate,
both serving the idea your poem is great
- Peter Wright
