Tiny Stories

It’s late at night as I sit at my computer compiling a funeral service for David, a person I’ve never met. Earlier in the day, I sat with his partner and family, devastated that the man they spent Christmas Day with has gone, his life extinguished in a heart beat. My job is to craft the words, provide structure to the ceremony, hold space for them as we farewell him on a hot summer’s day in Auckland. But first I need to write, I need inspiration, I need energy. Fragile and fragmented - and oddly enough, sometimes funny - conversations with families and friends are my starting point, even when a death is unexpected. But after the meeting, after the tears, it's time to explore, and the internet is a great place to begin. Start with Google (or other search engines) to see what’s available, what’s already been done, and what’s popular. Here are a few things I’ve found useful:   1. Quotes: there are millions of quotes on the internet. Type in a few key words, and you’ll be flooded ...

 Yes, yes, I know. I only started the blog today, but I want to get busy. After all there's so much I want to share.  If you're an independent celebrant, a writer or blogger, or just someone wanting to be a bit more creative, this post is for you! It's hard to stand out in a world full of reposts and shares, where algorithms follow our every move, pushing and pulling likes and advertisements towards us. But there are endless possibilities to create your own stories, readings or images, helping you to stand out from the crowd. 1. Cut the cliche - one of my favourite sayings - and get original! Write a poem or a new introduction. Give yourself 20 minutes, and see what comes to mind. Try metaphor (their love was like the sea, the waves of passion crashing on the shore) or fall back on that primary school favourite, the acrostic poem. Play, scribble, share if you're brave enough.  2 . If you've got a Kindle, get to know the highlights feature. If you're old school...