OuterSPACE

Are you over the moon about your writing, or are your feet still tethered to the ground? Finding joy in writing takes more effort than simply wishing on a shooting star. This collection of out-of-this-world SPACE maps is themed around space—its spaceships, stars and strange aliens. As you look through, ask yourself: what steps can I take to become a star writer?

Gina, USA

Gina’s SPACE map is a star emanating outwards. Writing is not only about putting pen to paper. According to Gina, it involves “the people seen and unseen” who share ideas and requires moving parts of yourself “into the outer world” In other words, pleasurable writing is a form of SPACE exploration. 

Christina, New Zealand

Christina sees her SPACE map as a shimmering star. To keep her writing shining, Christina plans to go on daily walks, meditate, monitor her progress, and write in aesthetically pleasing public spaces.

Amelia, Norway

Words explode from the centre of Amelia’s SPACE map. These radiating aspirations range from a plan to protect her eyes from harsh computer light to a promise to explore more poetic language. 

Johnathan, USA

Earth hangs in the middle of the page, surrounded by stars and the moon. Squint at Johnathan’s SPACE map—yellow and faded— and you’ll read that Johnathan seeks to “find a group of people I can orbit around to keep me accountable’ in writing.”

Zoë, New Zealand

Zoë’s star map offers a practical terrestrial plan for making writing more enjoyable: take breaks, celebrate success, and pause to enjoy the twinkle of a well-expressed sentence.

Antonio, Italy

In this SPACE map, Antonio, a PhD student in astrophysics, depicts an astronaut adrift in space. The aliens ask after his due dates.

Ava, Canada

Ava’s SPACE map is a rocket, ready for launch. Thought bubbles pop out from every letter in the SPACE acronym, each filled with images depicting rocket-fuel elements such as music, art, and the outdoors.

Kirsten, UK

Kirsten’s SPACE map is a star, and colours emanate from its centre. In some corners she writes aphorisms: ‘Remember why you started’ or ‘Writing doesn’t have to be a solo trip’. In others she writes affirmations: ‘I am not chained to my desk’ and ‘the final product will be beautiful’. Kirsten’s star glows with the possibility of joyful writing.

Ellen, USA

Ellen’s SPACE map depicts a process of transformation. She cloaks herself in the mess and pain of writing and emerges at the other side—joyous and free.

Lorraine, Canada

Lorraine’s SPACE map offers many practical ways to fuel pleasurable writing for take-off. Facing her fear of rejection, trying out new writing styles, joining a writing group, and writing outdoors all offer ways of launching her writing into the next solar system. 

Alice, New Zealand

Alice’s SPACE star is surrounded by a sky of action words that can help her turn her faded writing into starlight. Rather than remaining tethered to the earth by the guilt of not-writing, Alice needs to find the emotional fuel to rocket beyond become her own kind of star.

Zaffie, UK

Zaffie does not enjoy editing. She often feels as if she has ‘told the story’ and is now ready to ‘move on’. Her SPACE star makes editing sparkle: edit with others, edit with colour and, as Zaffie says, ‘make it pretty!’

Payas, USA

Payas believes that ‘scientists, as a group, are forgetting the whole joy of discovery and invention.’ His SPACE map embraces the joy of discovery in writing; a rocket ship and an alien spacecraft encounter each other, connected on the page yet separated by a sea of stars.

Main image credit: Johnathan, USA