Words in a Teacup

 Today's photo shows us a cup full of delicate flowers, some that are lavender and a few white ones. The cup and saucer rest on a book with a few of the blossoms scattered over it. Only a few flowers were needed to fill that cup.

Think about the possibility of filling that cup with words? How many words would it take to fill it to the brim? What kind of words would you use? Will it be words that might be used to create a poem? Or will it be words that tell a story-flash fiction perhaps. Could you fill the delicate china cup with the words of an essay, or a memoir, or an inspirational piece? 

I think you could fill the cup with all kinds of words, words that when put together in proper order will be a work you can edit and proofread, revise and polish, and have something new to submit to a publication. 

Where will you find the words to pour into your cup? Out of thin air? Maybe. More likely, you'll bring those words from deep into your past experiences. You'll find some in your subconscious. Others will emerge from your everyday observations. 

Will you drop the words into the teacup one by one and hear them go 'plink, plink, plink?' Or will you gather enough words to slip into the cup all with one big whoosh? That depends on what kind of writer you are. Some of you work with bits and pieces while others start writing and are deep into the work in minutes.

Here are some other receptacles for your words. What would it take to fill each one?

chalice

vessel

stein

mug

demitasse

goblet 

grail

bowl

The teacup is small, so it wouldn't take too many words to fill it. Some of the others in the list are much larger. Can you pump up your writing passion to fill any of them? 

If a huge project becomes overwhelming, step back and ask yourself if you can write enough words today to fill a pretty china cup. It's doable. Then go on and fill one more cup, then another and keep right on going. Have you ever been to the home of someone who collects china cups? The display can be anywhere from a few to a great many, all in a different pattern. If you can drop words into one, you can keep right on going and fill several others.