The Treasure Hunter

by Rochelle Melander

On Saturday evening, I heard my dog digging through my office closet. I turned around to see her move a crate of totes. But she wasn’t finished. After videoing her digging for something, I took a look. She’d hidden one of her dental chews in the closet. As the weekend went on, I saw her digging in chairs around the house, my son’s room, and the living room sofa—uncovering a hidden treasure in each place. (Always a dental chew.)

This week, I want you to think of your life as one big treasure hunt. Imagine that someone has hidden ideas and emotions and fuel for your writing—all you need to do is find it. Here are some prompts:

Forgotten emotions

We went to the Buffalo AKG Art Museum on the way to Vermont, and saw Steina: Playback, a solo exhibition of a pathbreaking media artist. In that collection, I found a letter she’d written to a publisher who’d misidentified her by adding her partner’s last name to hers: “Please note: The signature was my full name, the author’s credit is Steina, not Steina Vasulka. Thanks, Steina.” Her letter reminded me of how I felt when I was first married, and we received cards addressed to the Rev. and Mrs. Harold Eppley, erasing my name and ordination. Accessing that anger was a powerful experience for me.

Your turn

When in your life has someone erased you? How can you tap into your emotions and use it in your writing?

Forgotten histories

I’ve been reading Adam Moss’s The Work of Art: How Something Comes from Nothing and learning how so many artists spend a great deal of time asking questions. This persistent questioning of society, their experience, and their work leads to new work. I took this idea and began asking questions as part of my creative process. This tiny step has helped me move my work forward.

Your turn

Look up the lives of famous people you admire. Find experiences, expressions, and art that seem interesting to you. How could you play with some of these elements in your life this year? Make a list in your journal.

Forgotten writing

After my dog dug up my closet, I decided to organize it. I found several notebooks filled with my writing, including several short stories for children. I’ve set those on my desk for excavation.

Your turn

I have no doubt that you have left treasure behind in old journals or manuscripts. Take a dive into your previous work to find buried treasure. Can you find new use for it?

Bonus: People!

I’m always amazed at how people in my writing groups are inspired by each other. As they share their work or challenges, and others comment, they get new ideas for how they’re going to tackle a challenge or what they might write about.

Your turn

If you’re looking for a way to get some fresh energy for your project, try one of my groups:

My most popular offering, the Writing Accountability Group meets on Monday afternoons at 1:00 PM CT starting Monday, September 22. This group provides you with focused writing time, goal accountability, and group coaching. You can read about it and sign up here: https://writenowcoach.com/writing-accountability-group/ I have room for 2-3 people for this fall’s offering.

The Goddess Group meets on Thursday afternoons at 2:30 PM CT, starting Thursday, September 25. We exchange manuscripts each session, so this gives you a real deadline to motivate you to write. You have time in each session to talk about what’s working, what you’re struggling with, and what kind of help you need from the group. I have room for 1-2 people person to join the group.

This past year, Show Up and Write has been one of my most popular offerings. We currently meet three times a week for half the price of last year. https://writenowcoach.com/show-up-and-write-writing-circles/