W.O.R.D. of the Week is a blog and virtual writer’s notebook that explores the power of words in four fundamental ways: through writing practice, observations, re“vision” techniques, and discoveries. This is a place for writers and word lovers, parents and professionals, students and educators to share in the essential ingredients of becoming a wordsmith. Two elements concern the CRAFT (writing and revising) and two focus on the JOY (observing and discovering). Believe that you can accomplish all four, that you possess a unique voice, and that what you have to say matters.
WRITE: Writing is about self-expression. The goal of each month’s WRITE post is to provide you with the encouragement and opportunity to get your words down on that blank page in a variety of ways. Topics will range from mini lessons and quick writes to nuts-and-bolt strategies for living a writerly life.
OBSERVE: “Notice what you notice.” We humans can’t help but see, hear, smell, taste, and touch our way through the day. That’s why the second Tuesday of each month is devoted to OBSERVATION. Writers are serial sensory spies, and in order to write authentically, we need real life stuff to evoke feelings and wonderings and to make our material believable and unique. Observation is a requisite for good writing, so let’s embrace curiosity!
REVISE: Writing is messy. First drafts are ugly, but necessary. What a relief to know that we can work through the layers of dull, grubby rock to extract our dazzling, polished gems! The third Tuesday of each month celebrates RE-“VISION” strategies that enable us to see our writing with fresh eyes, cracking it open in ways that bring clarity and that unearth more meaningful thoughts and images.
DISCOVER: Here’s our theory on art and creating: nothing is really, truly, totally original. Creating art involves at least a pinch of well-meaning kleptomania and a hefty dose of recycling. So, when you’re not writing, you’re collecting seeds and sparks, anything that inspires you and feeds your imagination. Movies, shows, music, books, art, photos, articles, issues, debuts, interviews, research, reviews, products, fashion, architecture, people, places, objects, colors, ad infinitum. Gather, go home, and tinker. Repurpose, recreate, reconsider, or recombine to make something new. Like the famous artist Jean-Luc Godard said, “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to.”
Subscribe to our blog's RSS Feed or eNewsletter
and receive W.O.R.D. of the Week's rotating, themed posts (Write. Observe.
Revise. Discover) biweekly!
Our Comment section is always open.
Tell us about your WRITING, OBSERVATIONS, REVISIONS, and
DISCOVERIES.
Share questions, links, a-ha moments, struggles, goals, progress, and reflections.

Tags: creativity, DISCOVER, educators, inspiration, motivation, OBSERVE, parents, practice, professionals, reflection, REVISE, self-expression, sensory details, students, technique, W.O.R.D. of the Week, word lovers, WRITE, writers