Here is the first summary I wrote without the aid of tarot.

After the rest of her family are killed in an accident, injured Butterfly is placed in the care of her grandmother. Resentment builds between the two until The Dragon lashes out, verbally and physically, deciding to keep Butterfly a prisoner in the home. Butterfly decides to try and reconcile with her grandmother who rebuffs her attempts, and mocks her in front of the rest of the family. Frustration and depression overwhelms Butterfly who withdraws and contemplates suicide as a way out. After a massive fight that alerts others to Butterfly’s plight, she is rescued scared and afraid.

How I used Tarot for this task

1. Selected two tarot decks: Llewellyn and Legacy of the Divine.

2. The Legacy deck had already been sorted into three groups: Major Arcana, Minor Arcana and Court Cards as my regular writing process involves me drawing one card from each group when answering questions and drawing up character profiles. I use Ciro Marchetti decks as his artwork sparks me creatively.

3. I put the Llewellyn deck into three random piles and shuffle each one thinking ‘One Paragraph Summary for Surviving Dragon Burns’ which is the name of the story.

4. I pick up the pile that I am drawn the most to and deal 5 cards. One for each of the following:
a) Story Setup
b) Up to the end of Act 1
c) Up to the Mid point (Middle of Act 2)
d) Up to end of Act 2
e) Ending (Up to end of Act 3)

5. Once I’ve noted the cards I’ve drawn from Llewellyn, I lay the corresponding Legacy cards I begin to write.

I drew the following:

Setup: Devil
End of Act 1: 7 of Pentacles
Midpoint: King of Wands
End of Act 2: Knight of Cups
Ending: Emperor

Each story point/card equals one sentence of the paragraph. At end of Act 1, mid point, and the end of Act 2, there should be a disaster that puts the main character in increasing peril. There can also be a disaster at the ending if you choose.

This is what I came up with:

After an accident that killed most of her family injured Butterfly lives with her grandmother, but The Dragon resents taking care of her granddaughter and uses the power that she has over her to make Butterfly’s life miserable. Butterfly decides to wait it out and see if she can reconcile with her grandmother, but this is rebuffed and Butterfly is mocked by the remaining family. Butterfly strikes a friendship with a man who has mysterious past who takes on the role of Butterfly’s protector, but his secrets threaten their future. The Dragon forces them apart sending Butterfly into turmoil over the loss of Samuel. He returns with a judge who orders that Butterfly is released, but the Dragon refuses to go quietly.

In my opinion the second version is better. What do you think?

Please comment and let me know what you think.

The Fool Attributes Affirmation

I am innocence
I am joy
I am faith
I am trust
I am simple pleasures
I am adventure
I am conviction
I am unconditional love
I am friendship
I am endless possibilities
I am freedom
I am The Fool

The Fool Symbols Affirmation

I am the eyes that see the wonder in the world around me
I am the lips that sing in joy to the universe
I am the heart that loves unconditionally
I am the mind that is open to new things
I am the cloth that is given by nature to become my second skin
I am the long legs that will carry me forward
I am the defined path that I have chosen to leave
I am the cliff edge where life changing decisions are made
I am the branch full of possibilities to be used as a tool
I am the pouch that has yet to be filled
I am the breath that allows me to sing
I am the sun that shines down on me
I am The Fool