Day Four's video include many things because I am literally so scatter brained.
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Day Four's video include many things because I am literally so scatter brained.
So!
As you can read on the descriptions to my videos over at my Youtube Channel, I had some major technical issues, so I have three videos from the last three days for you guys!
I have now solved the problem, and we are all caught up and back to normal!
Writing Class: Day One!:
So, I'll be posting one more Video later tonight, Day Four, which is actually what is SUPPOSED to happen!
So sorry about the huge dump of videos, and thank you guys so much for hanging in there!
Thanks for reading/watching!
Sorry I've missed last Top Three Thursday--I have one written, and it will be posted this Thursday, promise!
Let's get on with it?:
Do you have a 'type'?
And by this, I mean do you have a certain kind of fictional character you are drawn to?
Just like stories, each and every character has a certain 'feel' to them--a certain theme.
This would be, of course, their personality.
Look at your favorite books. Now pick out your all-time favorite character from each. Are they anything alike?
Mine are. I love many, MANY characters, but my favorite all have the same FEEL to them.
You may be drawn to the quiet, smart, shy character. It may be the sarcastic underdog.
For me, it has to be the snarky, rebellious character that are, sadly, mostly male.
Now, before you judge too harshly, let me explain WHY.
I don't mean the kind of jerks who treat the love interest like trash and are rude for no apparent reason.
I like the characters who are so terribly flawed, I could go down a list of all their problems. But that makes them real.
And, along with that, they all have equally good qualities. Bravery, wit, depth and, most of all, passion.
Just look at all of these characters: Will Herondale, Noah Shaw, Adrian Ivashkov. These are some of my favorite characters of their series, and they all have a few smaller things in common, but overall it's that they are PASSIONATE and flawed.
My question is this: why are there not snarky, rebellious, passionate female characters that are equally as lovable and intense as the guys listed above?
Anytime I've read an author try to make a girl like this, they are over the top obnoxious, they whip out swords for no apparent reason, and they swear every other word, just to make them sound 'tough' or 'uncaring'.
But the guys above don't do that. They are the perfect amount of sadness and cleverness that creates a deep, well built character.
And, equally, why is it so hard to write a shy, timid male character? I don't believe I've ever rad one of these, not as obvious as I've read female roles like this, anyway.
I think that the reasons for this is one) readers judge harshly on characters that are 'different'. Sorry to say it, but I know tons of people that do, whether they notice it or not. Girls that are dark and mysterious, guys that are painfully shy and easily embarrassed. It's not the normal, so readers may find it unbelievable. And two) authors, in turn, are afraid to write such characters.
I believe it's a cycle, and only every once in a while will one brave author step out of it and attempt to do something that is not the usual, and I respect these authors, even if they failed.
More and more, though, I see writers taking a leap, taking a risk, and breathing life into characters that I've never read about before, and that's wonderful.
Characters should be something new--something to experiment and bend. Again here comes the quote, "Learn all of the rules, only so that you may break them properly later."
So have fun with your characters, and make them whoever you want them to be. Brave writers make good writers, and the careful ones are easily forgotten!
What are your favorite type of characters? Do you know of any books with mysterious and rebellious females? What about shy and clumsy males? I would love it if you shared!
Thanks for reading!
Here I am, and there you are--let's get to announcing, shall we?
So I've had many things 'in the works' for Defying Impossible for over five hundred years now, and I think it's time to clue you lot in on some of the future going on's over here, considering you all are fantastically amazing people for actually READING the crap on this blog.
Really you are.
So, for starters, I want to tell you something that's been stirring around inside the vast, chaotic world of my brain for quite some time.
I was more-or-less recently introduced to something beautiful: Booktubers.
Booktubers are people who talk about books on Yutube. Pretty self explanatory, yeah?
I follow a great deal of awesome people, and just fell in love with the whole idea of it.
And then I got to thinking
So that's basically the story.
Defying Impossible is going to YOUTUBE!
*Party music* *To the right to the right to the left to the left NOW KICK NOW KICK*
That's right--I'm going to be a Booktuber! Except I'm going to add my own little spin to it, and include writing in the process!
What would you call a writing/reading Youtube channel? WriteBookTube?
Hm, how about I just make a Youtube channel for all things words?
WORDTUBER!
I'M A WORDTUBER.
Well, not quite yet, really. I have a really super nice camera for filming, and I'm still trying to figure out when exactly would be a good time to start. What do you think? Are you looking forward to seeing Defying Impossible on Youtube?
Another very exciting announcement: I have offered a Guest-Post to the wonderful Meghan Gorecki, and my post will go live Monday, June 2!
I will post on that day with the link to the post and much squealing, but in the meantime go check out her Blog over HERE, and don't forget to read all about the book that she recently got published! She's an amazing person! So proud of her! (It also include a giveaway which can be found HERE.)
Speaking of Guest-Posts, this leads to my next announcement. I'm working on a new page on my blog the will be something of a 'feature me' page, where you--yes, YOU!--can submit your own post about writing/reading, and I will feature you here right on this very blog!
And last but certainly not least, I have many giveaways planned.
YES I DID JUST SAY GIVEAWAYS.
Book giveaways, writerly giveaways--all of the free things giveaways! Look for ward to it, because I am!
And that concludes announcement day.
Oh wait.
One more.
I got City of Heavenly Fire at Walmart at midnight last night and I'm reading it non-stop but MORE ON THAT IN A LATER POST!
Tell me your opinions! Are you excited for some new features? Or do you have any suggestions or complaints?
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you Thursday!
I believe that Authors should never stop learning.
That's right--I don't care if you're published. I don't care if you're a writing teacher or if you've taught 100,000 classes to 236 famous, best-selling authors. I don't care of you've researched for three hours straight. I don't care if you've been New York Times best seller list for six hundred years in a row.
You can always learn more, and it sickens me when writers--PEOPLE--think otherwise.
There are a million different articles and blog-posts out there about the same exact thing, with a million different views and opinions. You can learn so much about the same thing, and even if you have your own beliefs about something doesn't means everyone else is wrong.
We as humans, in our own lives, should learn every hour of our lives.
No, I don't mean sit down and take a test for school or read a huge book about the History of the entire Earth.
I mean we should learn small things. Big things and small things and things that might not even matter. I am always seeking to know more--about people, about the world, about writing, about everything and anything I can. Anything I care about.
Most people may think they know everything about a certain subject, and you probably know a lot. I'm not doubting that. It's good to research and be able to be resourceful on topics that you are passionate about.
But someone who's really smart about things will know that they don't really know everything, and that there are still tons of information left out there to discover.
You may be ten or sixteen or thirty or eighty years old. It doesn't matter. There is always going to be knowledge out there to better yourself with.
Because even now, today, writers young and old are still writing and talking about character development and the easiest way to outline a plot and how to be a brave writer and what's the best route of publishing.
As long as there are people breathing and minds thinking there will be new opinions, and to shut of your own mind and say "No, I already know enough." is an absolutely horrible thing to do.
We will never know enough. We can discuss theories and create writer groups and share our own ideas with the world and though it's all probably been done before it doesn't matter because it hasn't been done by YOU, and there has never, ever been another you, and there never will be.
So never stop learning and never stop looking for ways to help yourself write better. Never stop practicing and helping others, and let others help you.
Do you still search for ways to do better? What's a subject do you know a lot about?
Thanks for reading!
Hello lovelies!
I'm back with new posts and new enthusiasm and TONS OF NEW SECRETS to be revealed within time.
Spoilerrsssss...
Hemhem.
Today I'm going to tell you about my Top Three favorite genres to write in!
Until recently I never really had the need to put my books into different genres, because to me I was only ever writing a story and I didn't care if it would be considered a MG or a YA or a Fantasy or a Thriller. I wrote the story my characters had to tell, and the rest wasn't important.
But, of course, I've lately had to really think about the categories and age groups my books would be put into with the view of publishing that will be happening in the later future.
For Editing and Revising and such, I've really had to get into the right mindset for who my readers will be, so that will make this list a bit easier to create.
1. Romance
Okay.
When I first thought about it and realized that I mainly wrote YA Romance, I almost threw up, because this is DEFINITIVELY not what I ever imagined myself writing. But though there is so much more to the stories I've written, the main theme is a love story.
Either between two characters or the character and their power or the character and a villain--my stories would be considered to have a big touch of Romance, whether I intended to or not.
Though it's truly not very surprising considering when I was little I was all about true love and riding into the sunset to live in a big fairy tale castle.
I guess I never really outgrew it.
2. Fantasy
I think that really I mainly write Fantasy Romance, if that's a thing, but it feels weird to separate them considering I don't strictly write one or the other.
I like using Supernatural/Magical elements in my stories, from Ghost to Dragons, but I absolutely hate the standard basics.
I make them my own because I believe the world's to small to be full of the same ideas repeated over and over, right?
3. Realistic
That last on tho.
Wow.
This didn't happen until recently, actually--I'd had many, MANY ideas for ideas set on Earth, with no magic elements. I have a ton of little plot bunnies, but none of them really grew into a fluffy rabbit of plot twists.
But this April's Camp NaNoWriMo Novel did, and it carried me to 50k words, and it's still not finished.
It has a plot and characters and I was shocked to find how much I loved writing in a modern day setting, because this is a first for me.
I found that instead of having, say, Dragons and Ghosts, I put the Magic into the words instead of into the plot. It's been neat to try something new.
It's also gotten me wanting to try a few other genres, though really I believe I dabble in many things.
Stories can, even in a single book, range from Sci-Fi to Mystery to Comedy to Adventure to Tragedy to Action. I think the best stories are a mix of many things--too big and too great to be defined by one measly little category.
What about you? What Genres do you enjoy writing in?
Thanks for reading!
Kay, kay, kay, here on time to deliver the newest Top Three Thursday!
Here we go...
Favorite Motivational Quotes for writing guys!
1. Favorite Writing Quote Number One:
"If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word." - Margaret Atwood
I really love this quote, and live by it daily. Everyone says writing is hard--they say they can't do it right, they say they they can't find the right words, they say no one would understand it or it's not good enough and not interesting enough.
They say writing is a difficult challenge that they could never accomplish.
But writing is only hard if you are waiting for perfection.
If you're trying to get these perfect, magical words to flow out of you the first time you sit down at a blank page?
It won't happen. You won't write a single word.
Only you are putting pressure on yourself to be perfect--first drafts don't need to be perfect, just written.
So get the sloppy, lame words down that don't hold any logic at all, and save the rest for editing. Just write it and have fun!
2. Favorite Writing Quote Number Two:
"I wrote my first novel because I wanted to read it." - Toni Morrison
Another quote I really really love.
When you're writing a novel?
You don't have to know everything!
All you have to do is use your own two hands to write down words. Yes--look for inspiration, plot it out, plan, brainstorm. Have fun with it and go on new adventures. Jot down ideas and create plot twists.
But if your characters don't surprise you at least once, you're not doing it right. If something, SOMEWHERE in the story doesn't shock you, if something unexpected down't happen, then you're putting too much pressure on yourself.
In a way, you're just another reader. You're telling the story, but you're also simply going along with your characters to distant lands.
So sit back sometimes and clear your mind--watch what happens!
3. Favorite Writing Quote Number Two:
"Keep your head in the clouds and your hands on the keyboard." - Marissa Meyer
This last on is from one of my favorite authors, Marissa Meyer!
I absolutely love this one, because I think it accurately captures the way a writer thinks. It's so perfect.
Because I can never just stick with the top three, below I'll list a few of my other favorites!
- "Three paragraphs a day, keeps the writer's block away." - Unknown
- "Whether or not you write well, write bravely." - Bill Stout
- "Don't tell me the moon is shining; Show me the glint on the broken glass." - Anton Chekhov
- "Write the book you want to read." - Unknown
- "A writer never has a vacation. For a writer a life consists of either writing or think about writing." - Augene Ionesco
(I'm not like entirely certain if these are the proper names these quotes are by, and where they are marked unknown that is just because I couldn't find who originally said them. So don't kill me if one of these are wrong!)
Do you have any favorite quotes? Which do you try to live by?
Thanks for reading!
So, as many of you well know, I will be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this April (I hope you will be joining me?), which, naturally, means I will be writing my face off in order to reach 50k in the course of one Month, which, again naturally, means I will not have as much time for Blogging as I would like.
I planned out this April on my Calender, trying to see if I couldn't fit a normal schedule in there on some days, but there's simply no way to write really great, quality posts that you need while my brain is drowning in so many words and late night and Coffee and Chocolate.
So, I WILL be posting--I am pre-writing some Reviews I've gotten behind on, and will post those throughout the Month, along with some Updates and Top Three Thursdays so, all in all, a pretty full Month ahead, but I just wanted to give you guys a little insight on what to expect.
To be honest, I'm a bit panicked at the moment--I have one day left until April 1st and I haven't even decided which Novel I will be working on!
I currently have three--YES, THREE--ideas that could be potential Novels, but I can't pick between them! I'm sure most of it has to do with this little problem I mentioned here, so I'm just all over the place.
One Novel I've over-thought way too much to the point that I've rather boxed myself in (I've tried re-planning this idea at least four times now.), the second Novel I haven't thought out enough (And this is fine with me, but usually I like to had at least a Point A to Point B.), and the Third Novel is just merely a flicker of an idea.
So each one I could probably salvage, but each is COMPLETELY different from the last, and I'm not sure what I'm in the mood to write next.
So, all dramatics aside, I'll decide and I will overcome and I will write this April, whether I hit 50k or not!
Also, I'm sure I'll be posting regularly over on all the places Defying Impossible is TAKING OVER THE INTERNETZ, so make sure to hit Like, Follow, Subscribe, ect, at THESE places!
My Facebook
My Twitter
My Tumblr
My GoodReads
My Pinterest
My DeviantArt
Thanks for Reading, and happy NaNo-ing!
I have a new Top Three Thursday for you today, this week featuring my Top Three favorite Blogs recommended for Writers!
There are many, MANY wonderful Writing Blogs out there, and all of the have some good content that is worth reading and worth learning from, and then you have those unique little Blogs that explode priceless information like rainbows and just are so good the you must hold them close and dear and basically stalk them any chance you get.
I shall now list my Top Three favorite Blogs-To-Stalk:
1. Blog Number One: Writers Helping Writers
I've been a proud follower of this particular Blog for a very long time, and I absolutely adore it!
The wonderful Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi run this Blog, also the same people who wrote the Emotion Thesaurus, as well as the Negative Trait Thesaurus and the Positive Trait Thesaurus! (I have yet to purchase the last two, but I'm sure they're epic!)
2. Blog Number Two: Go Teen Writers
This Blog is run by the lovely Stephanie Morrill and Jill Williamson. They have some awesome books written by themselves, but they've also together written the Go Teen Writers book. I, again very sadly, have not read this one but I'm dying to get my hands on it.
I love this Blog very much. It's really great for Teen Writers in all stages of the Writing process.
3. Blog Number Three: Creative Writing with the Crimson League
I adore this Blog a ton! It has so many tips and tricks and advice that I could spend hours over there and just lose myself!
And those have to be my Top Three favorites!
To see my other favorite Blogs, scroll on down to the bottom right on my Blog and I have a whole nifty little list for you!
Go! Stalk away!
What are your favorite Blogs? Are you a stalker of any of the three listed above?
Thanks for reading!
Hello, Love's!
I'm here for your latest Top Three Thursday! ...Er, I'm a bit late, but it's been a super busy day, and you all have big imaginations, don't you? Good, so let's just pretend it's still Thursday... Hemhem.
This week I'll tell you my Top Three favorite books on writing!
These are books that I find most helpful on all things Writerly, and I'll leave the Links to them all as well so you can check them out yourself!
1. A Novel Idea; Best Advice on Writing Inspirational Fiction. There are many epic authors featured int his book, so it's not solely written by ONE person, and that's one of the things I absolutely love about this book. You can see so many different opinions and advice by so many wonderful writers!
This book is my first and favorite Go-To book for all things Writerly--it touches on literally everything, from the basics of plot, characters, dialogue, pacing, ect, to grammar, publishing and marketing. It's full of easy-to-read chapters and so much priceless information and inspiration. I've learned so much from this book, and have re-read it multiple times over!
2. The Emotion Thesaurus, by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. This book is exactly what it sounds like--a big book containing physical, emotional, mental responses and actions and thoughts to literally every single emotion you can possibly think of. Each page goes over a different emotion--such as Anger, Grief, Love, ect-- in such a quick and easy way. It's almost a cheat sheet, of sorts, for authors, and I look to this book for all of my quick needs, whether it be a description or a feeling, ect.
3. The Creative Writer's Phrase-Finder, by Edward Prestwood.
This book is, in a small way, a bit like the Emotional Thesaurus, except instead of emotions, this book focuses more on physical elements. It's packed with pages full of descriptions and phrases--legit, it covers every single topic. It has phrases on faces and eyes and perfumes, and also landscapes, houses, thinking, voice, behavior, names, and a ton more categories, each with multiple prompts/descriptions on that topic.It's a really handy book to get you going on something you can't quite describe, and gets your imagination flowing effortlessly.
So there you have it! There's my Top Three favorite books on writing!
What's your favorite Writing books? Have you ever heard of any of these?
Thank you for reading, and make sure to check back in a few days for something special!
So, as most of you very well know:
Camp NaNoWrimo begins in April!
*Celebrations! Excitement! Buy Lots of Caffeine!*
What is NaNoWriMo, you may ask?:
"National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 p.m. on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel."
(Description taken from the Website HERE.)
So CAMP NaNoWriMo is just exactly the same as that, except it starts April 1st rather than in November!
Want to know more? Of course!:
"Welcome to the fourth year of Camp NaNoWriMo!
We first imagined Camp simply as an off-season alternative to National Novel Writing Month, but it’s evolved into much more than that: writers choose their own projects—from novel sequels to scripts to pop-up books—and find cabin communities (and often new friends) to support them.
We call it a retreat because you can write anything here, plus see what you’re capable of when you have the time and space to create.
Last year, we introduced flexible word-count goals (10,000 to 999,999) and the ability to add your own project genre. Our 2014 features are designed to make Camp even more open-ended:
Remodeled, ultra-hyphy cabins. Share your triumphs with more fellow writers: cabins now accommodate 12 campers. Worried that’ll be too much conversation to keep track of? We’ve also added @replies to the cabin message board. Set your preferences before March 25 to claim your bunk.
Full project-defining power. Now, you can select your genre and category. Working on a collection of swashbuckling tales? “Adventure Short Stories” will be shown on your profile. Writing presidential haikus? You can proudly display your choice of “Historical Poetry.” Create and edit your project here.
One-click access to the big world of Camp. Hanging with cabin mates is great, but there are about 20,000 other campers to meet, too. Find quick links to our blog, Facebook, and Twitter in your cabin and on the homepage.
A new T-shirt, a full stock of merchandise, and updated donation levels. The shirt is gorgeously candlelit, plus there’s a twig pen! And as always, we have an array of web and social media graphics to show your Camp spirit.
The writing starts on April 1, and we’ll have plenty more to share before then. For now, start thinking about what you’d like to work on. Remember: this is your creative retreat. Make it count!
Chris Angotti
Director of Programs"
Director of Programs"
(Description taken from HERE.)
Sounds epic, right? Trust me, it is.
I did Camp NaNoWriMo in July last year, and I had the most fun ever! I also did the original NaNoWriMo in November, and had such a good time.
I look forward to NaNoWriMo anytime I'm not doing it--it's the perfect motivator to get those words on the page, plus you get to meet and interact with so many awesome people while you're writing a book? Now, WHAT is better than that?
So hurry! Go sign up and get to celebrating!
Stock up on the caffeine--you're going to need it!
(Feel free to add me as a Writing-Buddy if you already have your account set up! You can find my page HERE.)
Are you thinking about participating this April? Have you ever done NaNoWriMo before?
Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll be joining me this Month!
So I need to tell you guys about my night.
At twelve at night, some people are asleep, some people are peacefully reading a good book, some people are out partying with friends.
I, on the other hand, was blaring music through my headphones last night, pounding away at the keys of my laptop, nearing the end of my Novel.
Now this is the third and final installment of the Dragon Master Trilogy, titled FORSAKEN. This is the book that I talk about HERE, in the context of not wanting to finish it in fear of not having anything to write after I type THE END.
So, anyway, moving on with my night. This was just the beginning.
What do you suppose people are doing at three in the morning? Probably sleeping or, if you're more like my kind of person, still having a marathon your favorite TV Series on Netflix or wasting time on Tumblr.
This is all great, but at this time, I was STILL numbing my ears with my Writerly music, making myself vibrate by the words that were flowing from my fingers.
Now--What do normal people do at SEVEN in the morning? Sleeping still? Out and about their day?
I kept glanced at my window, watching the sun rise into the sky, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.
I couldn't. Stop. Writing.
And so, at long last when the clock struck exactly 9:48, I typed THE END on my Novel, thus ending the epic story of my Soulyer and Bair.
It was heartbreaking and exciting and overwhelming and I got up and danced around the house a little before getting a few hours of sleep before the rest of the day.
It ended with:
127,433 words
346 pages
100,000,000,000 tears
(No, I'm not kidding about the tears.)
I cried and I laughed and I ran in circles a bit, and I'm still vibrating.
And, the best part:
I'm not afraid anymore.
I always knew once I got it over with I wouldn't be afraid of what happened after I finished it. I now have a semi-thought out story for Camp NaNoWriMo this April, and I'm excited to write about it! (More on this in a later post!)
So I'm very sad to say goodbye to my lovely little characters, but I know that this won't be the last time I see them. There are at least three other short stories/spin-off Novels I'm planning on writing set in their world, and I can rest peacefully knowing that I will see them again!
Have you ever finished a novel? Can you relate to this feeling?
So now I'm terribly sleepy and smiling like mad, and I'm going to go dance a little more.
Thanks for reading!
First off, today is super duper special and I'm super duper excited because today is my Lovely Kairi's Birthday!
*Explosions...Confetti Blasts...Partying Squirrels*
I have dates set for all of my characters Birthdays, and on that day I celebrate them in all the ways that I can!
Kairi here is the main character in my second ATREA Series, and in celebration of the day of her birth I'm drinking a ton of Coke (Her favorite!), drawing pictures of her, snuggling an adorable Panda I named after her (It's so fluffy!), and reading through my old books she's featured in. It's been a long time since I've opened up those documents, and it's really great to see her and the rest of the gang again! I hadn't realized how much I missed writing with them until now!
And, last December, was my other Lovely Casper's Birthday, where I celebrated with buying an old adorable copy of Puss,N,Boots, his favorite, and drank a bunch of Apple Cider!
I love creating characters that are so real to me that I can celebrate their Birthday, or carry on hour long conversations with them in my head, or spend days stuck in their world, traveling with them and watching them tell me their story.
I love real characters, and that's exactly what I'm going to talk about in today's post!
Keeping It Real: Characters
How can we create characters that are so life-like?
Reading Harry Potter, you get to know the character as much as you do your best friend. Reading Percy Jackson you can hear the characters voices and you laugh out loud. Reading The Mortal Instruments you can imagine the characters as clearly as if you were seeing them right in front of you.
All of these authors and more have done something incredibly hard to accomplish--they dug deep, then dug even deeper, and found the roots of their characters, and just like that: they brought them to life, and made them living, just like me and you.
Now, though I know many fabulous authors who have done this successfully, there are some I know that tried and failed, or didn't even seem to try at all!
You know those bland, flat character who really don't have any personality what-so-ever? Those that go by the title "The smart kid" or "The popular girl"? Yeah, those are one sided characters that are literally stereotypical and, basically, just ridiculously boring and annoy me like nobodies business.
I know many characters like these by many authors, but I'm not going to name names or point fingers because, who knows, you might stumble upon one of them and see something redeemable about them that I failed to understand.
All of this is interesting, but, really, how do the authors do it so perfectly, when it's a hard thing to have a double sided character? Or even a three sided character, or maybe four or five or six or.
You get the point.
Well, considering Characterization is something that I absolutely love, I'll do my best to answer:
You add layers.
Imagine a chart in your mind--or even draw it out on a bit of paper or in your notebook. In your mind/Notebook/ect, draw a small straight line going left to right, like this:
Front: What You Learn at First Glance
-----------------------------------------
This line represents the characters front.
This is everything that, at first glance, is apparent. Because when we meet a person in real life, we don't know every single detail about them and who they are. At first glance we only know what we see,a nd what we can guess about. It's their appearance--are they big and buff? Slender and child-like?--as well as how they speak and act around strangers. They may speak kindly to people they don't know, or maybe they don't have any respect for anyone and are rude, or maybe they're shy and don't even speak at all! Think about this--really think about it--and write it above the first line.
Next draw another line above that one, a bit bigger:
Monitored Thoughts/Actions/Speech
----------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
This is your character's ordinary personality.
This line is all of the things they say and do in front of people they are familiar with. This line is all of the simple thoughts when they're going about their day, and, in a way, basically who they are in general, maybe a bit monitored depending on who they're around, and who your character is.
Next line above that one, even bigger now.
Natural Thoughts
---------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
This line represents your characters mind.
This line is all of their raw, real thoughts that course through their own, private brain without being monitored. More than the line before, this line is who your character really is. This is them being themselves--maybe your character is openly honest or can't keep their mouth shut, and this line isn't quite so private, or perhaps your character is incredibly secretive and never says a word about themselves to others. Whatever the case may be, think hard about your characters thought process--How do they think? What do they truly like/dislike?
And now, the last line, the smallest, at the very top.
Secrets
-----------------
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
This line is special to your character.
This is the line that holds all of their secrets and dreams and desires--their motive for the story, if you will. This is the line that says they want parents, or friends, or an adventure, or a home, or love. This is the line that drives the character to act again and again--this is what they want, more than anything.
You should have something that looks a bit like this:
Secrets
------------
Natural Thoughts
---------------------------------------------------
Monitored Thoughts/Action/Speech
-------------------------------------------
Front: What You Learn at First Glance
----------------------------
Now you've created a chart that looks a bit like a deformed triangle, but it's close enough, right? Write in little thoughts and descriptions and sentences above each line about your chosen character.
But this is just an exercise to get to know your character a bit, and to keep them realistic. But there's still plenty more.
Another thing I want to say is to add flaws to your characters.
This part is so incredibly important, and it will bring your character to life and you'll see them sitting on the couch beside you within seconds!
What's a perfect character, in your mind? Imagine them now. Perhaps its a tall girl with curly blonde hair and big blue eyes? Maybe a guy with pale skin and dark hair?
Whatever it is, they're perfect, right? They may be kind and caring or daring and reckless--but this is just exactly how one sided characters are created. Add more to them. Add layers.
A perfect character is a boring character.
Have that heavy metal skater boy have a weakness for adorable puppies. Have that burly truck driver have a secret dream to fall in love. Have that smart girl who everyone thinks is perfect miss her parents everyday of her life. Have that ignorant, careless rebel secretly just wants someone to pay attention to him, because his mom is in jail and his dad is a lazy drunk who lays on the couch all day.
Give flaws, give secrets, give layers.
Give them a chipped tooth, unique colored eyes, different thoughts. Every character has their personality and a secret, or maybe more than one, that pushes them through their story.
Dig deep into your character--find the roots of who they are and make it bigger, better, more flawed, more real. Make it rough and realistic.
I'll have more on characterization later, because there is so much to talk about, but for now I'll leave you with this extremely long post!
Do you celebrate your characters birthdays? Do you have any tips and tricks or thoughts on keeping your characters realistic? Share in the comments!
Thanks for reading!
I mean, granted, one of the characters is evil and you've been wanting him dead for a long time, but even with him it's a bittersweet thing, because, through my eyes, of course, he still had redeeming qualities and he had reason's for why he taunted and teased my main characters the way he did.
Alas, he's dead now, and next chapter I get to kill off a character that is actually likable.
Oh boy...
Killing off characters is really actually a hard thing. Not only in the sense that it's hard to say goodbye, but also because there is a certain balance with it that is very fragile and intimidating.
On the one hand you can't go killing off every single character in the book right and left. You need meaning and purpose--if a character has to die, make it have impact and emotion. And, on the other hand, you can't have an entire novel without someone getting hurt or dying or suffering, because then it would be a 'Disney Ending' where everyone is happy and healthy and blah blah blah.
Now, if you're writing a MG (Middle Grade) book, this might be acceptable, but still you have to have plenty of conflict and struggles for your characters, but right now I'm talking about when writing a YA (Young Adult) book.
The Four Steps to Killing Off Characters:
- Step One: Create your character.
TIP: Don't create a character already knowing they're going to die! And, if you create this character and already have the plans drawn up for their death scene, don't treat them any differently than you do the characters you know are going to live. Being in the mindset of 'well, they're going to die anyway!' is a horrible thing to do, and you won't do them justice!
- Step Two: Plan Properly
TIP: Of course, you also need to consider exactly HOW they are going to be killed of. With a sword? A gun? A car? Off a cliff? Killer Bunnies? Get creative with it! Another question you need to ask yourself is, if it's a purposeful death, who kills this character? Why? Figure out the motives behind the death, as well. Look at it from all angles.
- Step Three: Fetch the Tissues
If you've done steps One and Two correctly, you're going to need them.
This is the part in the process where you actually KILL the character.
I've written MANY deaths scenes, all completely their own, but one thing they all had in common?
Each and every one broke my heart in some way.
Even if it's a villain you're killing, if you've rounded him/her out properly, there should still be some sadness in you when they die, because you know the secrets deep in their souls, and you know that they have a cause, a reason, no matter what terrible things they'd done.
One of my death scenes that I finished up yesterday consisted of someone getting stabbed in the stomach by a dagger. And, as odd as it sounds, I nearly cried writing it even though some part of me hated the guy. And, the death scene I will HOPEFULLY be writing tonight, consists of someone being shot in the chest.
Now, look at them closer.
One of the deaths is up close with the character who stabbed the boy--he can see the life in his eyes fading and his pale face and watches him crumple to the floor, blood around him. This scene is very emotional for the character who stabbed him, and rightly so, to. (But, shh, spoilers!)
Then we have the other death, which is from afar. The character is running to catch up to the others, and a bullet hits her from behind. The other characters, rather than running to her and dragging her out as they would have liked, are forced to leave her body behind because if they stayed there's a risk they, too, would be shot.
So one is up close and personal, and the other is from a distance, and each one gives off a different feel. One is real and rough and heart breaking, while the other one could be perceived as a dream, where the remaining characters are shocked at the abrupt bullet hitting their friend.
Figure out the tone of your death scene--It can be emotionally crushing, victorious, feeble, or even humorous!
- Step Four: The Aftermath
As you read above, there needs to be a reason for this characters death. They need to be important to someone in the story, and that someone (or multiple someone's), needs to feel whatever emotion that is proper, and you need to make sure to touch on that. The emotional part of every death, real or not real, is mostly in those surrounding the dying person, and not within the dying person themselves. Now, there are some cases where that is different, but the majority that I've seen are more tragic within those who knew them.
It's like Funerals. Funerals are not meant for the person who is dead (Because they're already dead.), but instead for those loved ones and family and friends who knew the person, and come to grieve over their lose. I've always believed that Funerals are pretty selfish things, meant for the people left behind and not as much for the person leaving.
Not that there's anything wrong with this--characters feel things just as real people do, and they need to be effected by the death of their friend, sibling, parent, ect.Make it messy or clean, sweet or tragic, bloody or peaceful--make it however you want, make it your own, but the single golden rule is:
Make it have impact.
Impact on the story, on the surrounding cast of characters, on the reader, on you. Write something so sad and so touching you make yourself cry, or write something to horrible and shocking that even you have to gasp.
Surprise yourself and let what happens happens. Killing off characters is a very hard thing to do, but sometimes it simply must be done, and you are the only one brave enough to follow through.
Have YOU ever killed off a character? How did you make it carry impact? Do you have any strategies you'd like to share?
Thank you for reading, and good luck on becoming a murderer!
But there comes a point when Google Search runs out of answers. When you are left to decide things for yourself.
I am facing one of those times.
You may have heard me complain about it before (A LOT), but I always said "oh I'll figure it out later", because that's the way things work for me. If I just let something be, chances are the question will be answered without effort.
But, this time, that doesn't seem to be the case.
My dilemma is, of course, which of my books I am going to publish first.
This isn't necessarily an immediate problem, considering publishing comes later after I turn sixteen but... I can't pretend I don't need to know now. Not only so that I can have a clear head about things, but also so that I know which book to pour my blood, sweat, and tears into first.
Option number one is my ATREA books. They were the first books I ever wrote when I was, like, eight, and since then I've started re-writing the first one considering, well, I hardly even knew how to spell correctly when I was eight.
I love my ATREA books with all my heart. They got me started in writing, and I had the most fun in the world with my characters there.
But option number two would be the Dragon Master books, and I am currently working on editing the first one, while also almost finished writing the third and final book.
These books are, obviously, better written because I started them a year or two ago. It's easy for me to tell myself I like these more then ATREA, but only because it's currently what I'm involved in, and I haven't visited ATREA since I had to stop re-writes this November.
So, it's obvious which one is the easier option--but is that the right option?
Am I meant to continue on the path of making my Dragon Master books more readable? Or should I dig deep and get to work on ATREA, that I may be proud of them, as well?
This question hasn't let me be for months now, and though I don't have to decide now, I'm on this constant circle of thoughts over and over again, and an answer doesn't seem to be in sight.
The problem is; this is one of those situations that, honestly, no one can help me in. It needs to be my decision--what I feel is right. I'm a very indecisive person, so this is horrible for me, but I am determined to keep praying and keep thinking, and I hope in the end I'll make the perfect decision!
Here's to hoping!
Do you have any tough decisions to make in your writing?
And, I am glad to say, that I have indeed been writing, though, this time regretfully to say, it is not really any easier.
After my long break during this winter, I made myself start writing knowing that I would snap and get back to it like I always do after writing those first few words after a writing slump, but this time that didn't happen. It still hasn't.
And I think I've figured out why.
So this book that I'm currently writing is the third and final book in my Dragon Master Trilogy, and I started it back in November for NaNoWriMo, with the word count far past the goal of 50k words.
Currently, this book has 85k words, and 230 pages, and I have only just started writing the ending--which I pretty much consider everything after the halfway point.
This is the longest book I've ever written, the first two in the trilogy ranging from 60k words to 65k.
But none of this is the problem. The problem is that I think I'm afraid to finish it, stalling for as long as I can before having to type The End.
One reason for this is because I absolutely adore these books and these characters, and I hate to wrap up their story--but I've done this before, and I've gotten over this before, so saying goodbye for now isn't why I'm procrastinating so hard.
I think the actual reason is the fear of what happened last time I finished one of my series.
The first set of books I ever wrote was titled ATREA, with five 50k word books. Soon after I typed The End on that one, I started a SECOND series to ATREA, with five more books and 50k more words each, of the next generation of the characters in the first.
But, after I typed The End on the second series, I sort of stopped and stared off for a minute...
...What was I supposed to write, now?
I was convinced that was it. I would never write another world that I love as much as Atrea, and never create wonderful characters like them and I could never think of another good plot. I mean, how could I? Atrea was and is my life--how could I replace it with something equally as good, let alone better?
I tried for many months. I would get half formed ideas and desperately try to make a plot out of it, a character--something! I had nothing to write, and I felt like I would never do anything great with words ever again.
And then the Dragon Master Trilogy hit my like a sack of bricks, and into another world I fell, writing and writing for nearly two years until my fingers hurt and my brain melted.
And now, for the first time in those two years, I've nearly stopped writing the Dragon Master Trilogy. I've slowed down.
Because I fear what comes after I type The End.
Can I really think of something else to fall in love with, as I did with ATREA and the Dragon Master Trilogy? Of course I can. I've done it before, right?
But then I remember all of the months of lamenting over ideas, waiting for 'The One' idea.
'The One' idea meaning the one book that I will write and love. The one idea out of all of the little scattered thoughts that will fully form and drag me along. The one perfect spark of imagination that will create my next favorite character or my next devastating plot twist.
I like to look at it in the form of falling in love with someone:
"How do you know he/she is the one?"
You just do. It's this gut instinct that tells you this is right. It makes you happy and makes you excited and, basically, just makes you fall in love.
So I'm having a hard time writing the ending of the third and final book, because I know after this I will have to think of something else entirely to carry me throughout the next however many years.
Don't get me wrong--I have tons of ideas I've been dying to write--but that's just it. They all simply feel like 'ideas' and nothing more. No big OMG I HAVE TO WRITE THIS NOW nor any THIS IS BRILLIANT I'M DYING ideas.
No stories to make me fall in love.
So I am very torn about my feelings, because I am so excited for this ending, but I'm also so crushed to have to say goodbye again to the story I love. Thought there will be rewrites and editing and revising and such, there's nothing quite like writing a first draft for the very first time, and if I could go back in time and write my stories for the first time again, figuring out the plot holes and gasping when something I didn't expect happens and crying when someone died, I would in a heart beat.
Creating things is beautiful to me, and it breaks my heart when I can't think of anything to create.
An advice/opinions on this subject? Have you ever had trouble typing The End on a book? What's your favorite way to come up with ideas that make you fall in love?
I'm going to attempt to get some more work done on the third book, so wish me luck!
Writers Block doesn't exist. It's not real.
It's something we, as authors, tell ourselves is real so that we have an excuse not to write something.
There IS a form of Writers Block that is real, but it should under no circumstance go as that title.
If it's under that title, you think you are blocked. You can't write anything, you can't brainstorm, and your creative flow is blocked by... What?
The need for a break. 'Writers Block' often comes after you plot a ton or you write for however many hours straight, or are surrounded by your own words for days/weeks on end. Another time it comes is if you've taken a short break, such as a vacation, or a busy schedule, ect, and in turn it makes it incredibly hard to get back into the groove of writing.
I am experiencing the second, which is perhaps why my words sound so bitter.
I know it is not Writers Block I am going through, because that is just an old fairy tale that is more myth than fact, but I AM going through "Writers Rehabilitation". I am on the way to getting back to normal, to falling in love with my stories again, embracing the beautiful flow of writing.
As hard as it is to believe, I'm sure I'm not the only one who understands that sometimes, whether there's a tangible cause or not, writers just get distracted from their writing. While their characters ride back seat, they are patiently waiting for the day--after days or months or years of distractions--for you to pick up the pencil/keyboard again and continue their wonderful lives full of adventure and challenges.
I think these breaks are healthy, to a point. I know that what I have done--gone without writing for over three months--is one of the unhealthy cases. And, of course, my reason for this was editing AWAKEN in order to get it pretty enough for a printed copy for my personal use.
I think a few days off of writing is a good idea, here and there, but the longer you wait to get back into your stories, the harder it's going to be. So, as you can well imagine, right now it's most certainly a struggle to return to the natural order of things.
I once read somewhere, in response to a person saying they haven't written in a few months, that they 'may not be a real writer, then.'. Like not writing for months or even years strips you of your 'writer' title?
Writing is not the act of one person putting words on paper. Writing is the act of one person seeing the world in a way that makes you capable of sharing that view of the world through, not just ink on paper, but any form of words. Writing, to me, is not a hobby or a career or a past-time--it is a mindset.
Writing is a personality trait.
So my break is officially over. I need to find the proper balance between things, and while I'm still trying to figure that out correctly, I can say I will be making an effort to keep more constant posts up here, while also juggling other life priorities.
Defying Impossible is like my own child, and I hate to leave it empty for so long at a time.
Do you have any theories about Writers Block? What is one of your favorite ways to get out of a writing break?
Want more Defying Impossible? Make sure to keep up to date with my Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr!
The dreaded Love-Triangles!
*DUN DUN DUUUNNNN*
But wait, because what I'm going to talk about is really incredibly interesting.
Okay--so we've all been taught to hate Love-Triangles, right?
Taught by who, you ask?
By Authors who, most of the time, screw them up and make us all growl and want to rip out the pages of the book.
In your mind, what does a Love-Triangle mean to you?
It means where a character (Usually female because reasons), has the same feelings of love for two separate people., right?
But not all of them have to be that dramatic "Oh but I love him but OH I love him more and". No. Get that out of your head. 'Love-Triangles' are just like your characters or your setting or your plot--it is a part of the story that, if not done properly, will surely make you want to destroy everyone in your book.
Now, like it or not, over half of the things you watch and read today have at least ONE Love-Triangle involved.
Sorry to say, but it's the truth.
Of course there's Twilight (This is my least favorite Love-Triangle in anything. Ever.), but there are many more in places you wouldn't necessarily think to look. I'm going to list a few of the ones right off the top of my head, and if recognize any of them, feel free to ponder on it:
- Clary, Jace and Simon from City of Bones. This one was brief, and I thought it was incredibly crappy, but it's still there, none the less.
- Katniss, Peeta and Gale from the Hunger Games. Yes, as annoying as it is, there's a competition here.
- Una, Peter and Indy from StoryBound. This one was not exactly able to develop as other one's might, considering it was a MG book, but there were still technically two love interests involved.
- Alina, Mal and the Darkling from the Grisha Trilogy. This one was very unique, and I think it was well done.
I know there are many, many more out there, but this is all I can list right now. Can you think of anymore?
Now--while all of these have the same idea of the Love-Triangle, each one is completely different from the last. I told you before--Love-Triangles is part of the story, too.
Though Love-Triangles involve three people (Obviously), that doesn't necessarily mean that both options, if you will, have to be equal in the competition for the girls love. From a person's point of view with no opinion on either competitor, sure, they both have a fair shot. But if you actually read the book, then like it or not you will root for one other the other. It's just the way it goes, and is why we choose "teams".
A lot of Love-Triangles have reasons and motive and, no, the book couldn't be what it is without it.
One of the references for this is the Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.
Sure, there's a bit of uncertainty with Tessa between Will and Jem, but I believe the Love-Triangle in this book was done beautifully, and it is actually what changed my view on hating Love-Triangles as a whole. I learned that they are more than just a random part of the story to get average teenage girls interested.
While most YA Love-Triangles are petty and annoying, what with the one 'kind-hearted blonde guy' and the 'dark haired rogue', and ultimately I just what to stab my eyes with a fork, but some Authors have the ability to do them properly.
Love-Triangles are not for everyone to write, I'll tell you that. They're very easy to make too dramatic, or go overboard, or screw up, or. You get the point. But if you feel that you can serve it justice and balance the emotions? Go ahead and try it. You might like it!
In my opinion--if the Love-Triangle doesn't make the book better, and bring something that will lift, not tear down, the novel, it is unnecessary and should not even be there.
So--while Love-Triangles are complicated and risky, they're very realistic because, in real life, we don't meet one guy and think 'he's the one'. At first you're not sure about anything. It takes time to understand what love feels like, so I think, if you're going to have a Love-Triangle, don't drag it out through the entire book--or worse, the entire series. Oh gods, PLEASE don't do that.
If you spend that much time going back and forwards between two guys, you would figure out that you enjoy spending time with one over the other, thus letting you understand you actually love one more than the other. It's unrealistic and impossible to be THAT torn to carry on through an entire series--there comes a time to just say enough, alright?
I have a love/hate relationship with Love-Triangles, truthfully.
What about you? Have you ever written a Love-Triangle? Have you ever read about one?
Thanks for reading!
(And thanks, my sister, for pondering and studying Love-Triangles with me last night. Biscuit!)
I've been insanely busy writing, trying to finish FORSAKEN before November comes to an end, but I'm able to sneak away for a few minutes to write this!
I want to talk about writing with music, for a minute.
Anytime I plan to get some serious writing done--like when I'm planning on sitting down at the computer for three hours at the least, and ignore all of the internetz, the first step is to put on my headphones and start my playlist.
Most of the time I open up my FORSAKEN playlist, which is full of Jennifer Thomas and Brian Crain and such, OR, on days that I need a little more motivation and excitement, I click over to my playlist titled 'EMOTIONS' which is packed full of lyrical songs that make me happy and have a good tune, such as Twenty One Pilots, Evanescence, and plenty of other songs I've heard on the radio and added.
Music has the power, to me, to make my book better than I ever could have written it. With a soundtrack in the back, I can't spend a bunch of time thinking about which words to use, or worrying about if it sounds good, ect. This is a good thing. Editing comes later, and having music to half-way distract me keeps me from critiquing AS I'm writing, which I think is what most authors struggle with.
It also has the power to set a scene. Is it an emotional song? Is it a fun, pop song? Is it full of sad violins and quiet pianos? Every song carries an emotion, so be careful which song you're playing when, because, believe it or not, it has power over you, as the writer, to accidentally seep into your writing as well. You expected that scene you wrote to be lighthearted, yet you were listening to a hard rock song? Yeah, think again.
Music has influenced my writing to the point that, if a good enough song is playing, something COMPLETELY unexpected happens, and I have to rearrange my entire plot just because a certain song played.
This is just how it is for ME, of course--I'm not sure about other writers. I've heard some writers need complete silence, others with a rainfall sound in the background--we each have different quirks. What's yours?
Do you play music while writing? Does music influence your writing? What is your favorite artist to listen to?
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you soon!
(Actually, I won't SEE you, because this is a blog and technically I'm looking at a computer screen right now, but... Whatever, you get the point.)
I'm going to real quick cover a Topic that is haunting me today, and I can always seem to get over things if I write them down.
Comparing your book to other books
I can't be the only one who does this every once in a while, right?
I've gotten better at not comparing my words, my stories, my characters, ect, to other authors I love, because I tell myself they have edited/revised that books so many times to make it as beautiful as it is, so don't compare your first draft to someone else's fifteenth.
But, truthfully, it's sometimes a good thing to--no, not compare--but to make sure you're not straight up copying or stealing from someone else's work.
With each of my stories, sometimes even just parts in the story if it's long enough, I can tell exactly what book I was reading at the time I was writing it, what TV show I was watching. I can pin-point exactly where I got that inspiration from, and this is what troubled me.
But this is a normal thing. You can't create something fully on your own--not really. You have to have a basis to start from, something has to inspire you!
My first idea that comes from a TV show/book/ect, is truthfully a lot like the idea it originated from, BUT that's why I choose the second idea, and work hard to make it my own.
I have this fear that someone will read my book one day, and say 'She totally stole that from ----!', and I will feel as if I had failed to create my own thing. I think a lot of Authors fear this.
So, how do we get inspiration from other writers works without stealing, and forever being known as 'the next Harry Potter'?
Let's say you get an idea from the Hunger Games, but instead of fighting to the death, it's slightly changed in one way or another, but still close enough to recognize the source you took it from.
What then?
You disguise it, of course.
You add elements of your own. What if weapons are banned? What if the point wasn't to kill each other, but to join together? What if the whole thing is actually a test of teamwork, but the world always follows their instinctive reaction and thinks it's to destroy each other? (I know, these may be pretty bad references, but you get the point.)
The WHAT IF method saves lives, and that's exactly what I just got finished doing, to turn an idea from 'that one idea I got from the one book', to 'my own idea'.
Like words, like stories, you make ideas your own, and yours alone.
Writer-Blog Question for today:
What You Wore Today
Uhm, Pajamas? Frosty the Snowman pants and my Camp NaNoWriMo T-shirt, of course! I may also be snuggling my Panda Pillow Pet, but that's totally irrelevant.
What are you wearing today? Do you have any methods for making ideas your own? Feel free to share!
Thanks for Reading!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)