Tag Archives: Taylor Swift

🦋 What Taylor Swift Can Teach Writers About Symbolism

Featured

Posted on by
2

Help – I have fallen down the rabbit hole of symbolism in writing! Last week’s post on the symbolism of doors sparked something within me.

I wouldn’t say I was a Swiftie with regards Taylor Smith but I do have an appreciation of her music especially her albums; Midnights and The Tortured Poets Department. Both of these albums contain songs which are forever playing on my playlists.

I do think Taylor Swift is more than a singer / songwriter. To me she’s a master storyteller. The way she uses objects, colors, numbers, and repeating motifs to make her songs come alive, boggles my fiction writing mind.

When it comes to symbolism I think we can learn a lot from Taylor Swift:

Signature symbol. I love how the number 13 follows her across her albums, eras and performances. The number 13 needed Taylor Swift to take it under her wing as up until she came along it didn’t have great street cred. What can we learn from this? Give your protagonist or story a recurring object, number, or phrase that becomes uniquely tied to them. This could be a piece of jewelry, a meaningful song lyric, or even a personal superstition that appears at key moments.

Use of colours. I love how each album has a distinct colour palette and there is always meaning behind it. Her album, Lover, is bathed in a soft pastel pink which represents love and warmth. Grey and neutrals for her album, Folklore, to me were about nostalgia and Midnights was dark blue and lavender signifying introspection and mystery.

Small objects carry big meaning. This is my favourite part. Taylor does this very well. She gives small object so much emotional weight. Here are a few examples:

A scarf becomes a symbol of love and loss (All too well).

A mirrorball represents fragility and self-reflection (Mirrorball).

A cardigan is comfort and memory wrapped in one (Cardigan).

What can we use from this? Pick one or two objects in your story and let them evolve with your characters. Maybe a chipped mug follows your character from their old life into their new one, symbolizing what they carry with them.

Symbolism turns Taylor’s songs into things that linger in your mind long after they have stopped playing. It gives her songs a narrative emotional texture — that extra layer that makes listeners pause and say, “Ohhh, I get it.”

We can learn from her.

Things I am learning from Taylor Swift:

Choose one object, one color, and one repeated idea.

Plant them early in my story.

Letting them grow in meaning as my characters change.

I can’t leave this post without giving you my top 5 Taylor Swift songs:

  1. Mastermind (Midnights)
  2. So, Long London (TTPD)
  3. Look what you made me do (Reputation)
  4. My tears ricochet (Folklore)
  5. The Prophecy (TTPD)

Would love to hear your thoughts and your top 5 Taylor Swift songs 🦋

🎤 ❤️

If you want to know more about me click here

🚪 5 Things About Using Doors in Your Writing #MondayBlogs #Writers

Featured

Posted on by
6

I have been reading about how doors can be used as writing devices, and I am obsessed. You’re probably reading this and thinking, Lucy Mitchell needs to get out more…

But…I am not the only one thinking about doors…

A few days ago, I listened to Taylor Swift on the New Heights podcast, and she talked about her dramatic exit through an orange door during the final Eras Tour show, which was no accident—it was what she referred to as one of her carefully placed Easter eggs. Unlike her usual exit via elevator, this one symbolised both an ending and a beginning. I was writing this blog post at the time and suddenly felt Taylor Swift and I were on the same wave length. Sigh!

Useful article on Taylor’s orange door here.

I didn’t realise how doors can be used as powerful symbols.

In my writing, I have never thought about using doors as symbols or tools. In my stories, characters are constantly slamming them shut when they are having a temper tantrum or an emotional outburst. But I have never intentionally used them.

But now after my research I think doors offer us so much more:

Symbols. Doors can have lots of symbolic meanings which we can use in our writing. Symbols can convey things to your reader

  • A closed door can mean opportunity denied or hidden secrets.
  • An open door can suggest freedom, an invitation or vulnerability.
  • They represent a choice or the act of making a decision.
  • Doors can represent escape.
  • An open door can mean hope.
  • Doors can represent barriers that need to be overcome.

Character insights. How a character interacts with a door can show a number of emotions. What doors do they keep shut and does this show avoiding confrontation?

Symbols of Opportunity and New Beginnings. A door opening and entering a new phase and chance for change. Think Alice in Wonderland. Alice stepping through the small door into Wonderland.

Plot catalyst. Doors can move your plot forward. They can be used to act as portals to other worlds, revealing secrets or a forgotten past or trigger events,

Internal reflection. Hesitation at the door can show fear, doubt or anticipation. Forcing the door open can show urgency, desperation or defiance.

Passageway between two worlds. This is probably my favourite. I am a huge fan of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. In this the door is used as a passageway from isolation to connection. On one side you have Mary’s old, stifled existence and on the other a works full of possibilities and connection. The door is also a passageway between the old world of death and neglect to healing and self discovery.

Doors in Romance and Relationships
Metaphor: “opening the door to love.” Great way to use physical space to mirror emotional journeys.

The next time your character approaches a door, ask yourself what it means – not just where it leads…..🚪

Learn more about me here.

Door pics from Canva