Blackout Bard: Blackout Poetry

Carve out new meanings from any text. Select and highlight words to create a fresh expression, or blackout words to reveal a hidden message. Blend with your own artwork. Surprise yourself with the poetry hiding in plain sight. It’s creativity, minus the pressure!

This form of creative writing is also known by various names such as "Blackout Poetry", "Found Poetry", "Erasure Poetry", "Caviardage Technique", "Redaction", etc.

Create with a tap: Easily select words to form new phrases

Blackout or dim: Hide the unused words with various options

Themed templates: Choose from a set of carefully curated templates to set the perfect mood for your writing

Use your own images: Import your own photos to serve as the backdrop for your creations

Use Curated Fonts which adapt: We've selected a range of fonts, including options for users with special needs, such as those with low vision, dyslexia etc ensuring the app is accessible to everyone. Text scales as per device settings.

Interact using Voice Over: For low vision users

Distribute Content & Settings via QR Codes: Automate preliminary setup tasks such as curating content, styling, export options etc. This reduces overwhelm and decision fatigue with certain individuals

Share with ease: Export your art to your image gallery or as a pdf; Share it on social media

Language-friendly: The app works with any language script that uses a space as a word separator.

This process is a powerful cognitive exercise that stimulates the brain and enhances your ability to "unlearn" conventional thinking. By working within the constraints of a pre-existing text, you are forced to explore possibilities outside your usual creative boundaries, often resulting in artwork that is remarkably different from what you would create on a blank canvas.

Pre-existing text lowers anxiety and decision fatigue, since the writer only has to select words, not invent them from scratch. Blackout Poetry gives room for self-expression without relying on social or verbal language. Hence, this technique is being used by therapists in their workshops with Hikikomori (persons who exhibit extreme withdrawal from society) & autistic individuals.

The app can be used by writers and non-writers alike. The experience is quite calming and meditative. Great insights arise, to reflect upon.

Tap away, flirt with words and create magic! Fill your lull