"Anything Can Happen"

Ello readers! I am now going to share with you a new book, continuing our adventure on how to write. This book I really enjoyed reading, for the author stirred the child inside of me while making me realize how much maturing I've yet to do. Writing Magic, by Gail Carson Levine, is basically imprinted inside. Honestly, I could write this post without even viewing my notes (but I will do so anyway, for who am I to deprive you of the best?).

Straight off the bat she challenged me to take the writer's oath...so I did. "Anything you say Gail." I am quoting directly when it comes to this oath, so please do not mistake me for being original.

"The Writer's Oath
        I promise solemnly:

1. to write as often and as much as I can
2. to respect my writing self, and 
3. to nurture the writing of others"

I accept these responsibilities and shall honor them always!! 

The following tips are random tips that I felt weren't covered by the book I had discussed previously. Though they are in no certain order, they are still valid, so bear with me, and remember, all tips are useful. It's how you utilize them that determines their worth. Remember, if you keep writing, something golden will show up eventually. Nothing is impossible. 

• If you have an idea, write it down. Don't let it slip away. Too many times have I had the makings of a great poem or story, but I am busy so I do not write it down. This is a mistake. Take the time and write. If you're a writer, this should be a trade for you, and done with ease. You never know what will come up. 
• You can make and fill out a questionnaire for your characters, in order to aid the development. 
• Keep everything you write. Never throw anything away, for you never know when you can use it, or even when you might need it. 
• What makes the reader care? The author's cruelty by making his or her hero suffer and the reader's sympathy. 
• Show where you are right away to get the readers interested. Setting is a weakness of mine, so this tip has significance for me.
• Know when to end the book...this was dabbled in the last post, but it is still important to remember.
• When you're stuck, write down twelve options of what to write about, some stupid, some silly, some great, and plow through. 
• DO NOT bend your story in order to accommodate your beautiful words. Revise!! I am very bad at this, for if I like a sentence, I try to make it work. I will definitely improve on that though by letting go of something if I know it does not work. 
• Consider joining a writing group or a writing workshop. Hearing from your peers is the best criticism you can get. 

That's all I have from the book. I am sorry they are so brief, but in my defense, the book was very short. There are a few writing practices that the book listed, some that I participated in. I will post those soon. Thanks for reading! Remember your oath and to keep writing! Don't forget, anything can happen. 

"Data, Data, Data"

Alright, this is my last post on tips from The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing. I have a lot though, so bear with me if you can. I find that when I get overwhelmed from all this information, it is best to see it in action. Writing them out helps, but I also feel relieved after I watch someone write. For example, after watching The Hours again, I have gained much more confidence in being able to incorporate these tips into my writing. Nicole Kidman portrays Virginia Woolfe as she writes the well-known novel, Mrs. Dalloway, and my heart still stops with certain sentences that she writes. With the right Hans Zimmer song, I know that I can do this, and I hope you feel the same after reading these tips, my dear imaginary readers.

• The Ending

I have a habit of killing off my characters, so when I read this forthcoming tip, I was deeply touched. "The struggle is life, not death." Beautiful isn't it. I never looked at it this way. Of course I know this truth. Of course I understand the difficulties life hands us, but I never really understood what this meant for my writing. Basically, be careful when you're writing the death of a character. Perhaps it's not always the best option. Death is not always the answer when it comes to resolution or appeal. This is important too because the best stories end with characters, not an idea. Perhaps the idea can still be raised, but it can be done through the character. That being said, good endings never really conclude or close, but rather, they open. 

Here are a few ideas on how to end the story: repeat imagery or lines throughout the end of the novel, end with a journey, think of the ending first and then write the climax when plotting the story, and save the best for last. 

I'm going to emphasize the latter. Saving the best for last can really be what sets your story apart from all the others. For example, Ned Stark's death in Game of Thrones has literally changed me. I have never been able to read a book and feel for a character again like I have for Ned, and I set every character up to Ned's standards, constantly comparing them. This would not have affected me so greatly if it had not been at the ending of the story. Now I know to say careful when ending the story, but trust me, if you've read the series then you would understand that Ned needed to die in order for the story to develop into five books. The point is, if Ned had died earlier, I would have definitely shut the book and never continued reading the series. Because he was beheaded at the end, I was forced to keep reading, to see if what I had read was a mistake Maybe he will come back, I always thought. Maybe Ned died for something more than what I am understanding. I could not find peace until I knew that he did not die in vain, and after reading the series, I have learned that he did. I am still not over my mourning period, but I do love those books over all others really. Ned is by far my character, mainly because of timing of his death. Know how to manipulate your story line in order to affect your readers as I have been affected. I surely will not forget this great lesson when writing. 

• Dialogue

This is what the book called "7 Tools for Talk"

1. Let it flow. Write as fast as you can and get it all out, paying no mind to sense or correct writing. Just get it all out there, then worry about editing. 
2. Act It Out. I'm really shy just to do this with myself, but I tried it once, in a British accent, and I actually think it's the best dialogue I've done in a story before. Just try it. The point of being a writer is to feel the words and make them come alive, so what could be better practice?
3. Sidestep the Obvious. This makes me so happy because I resent back and forth dialogue. Try to add new concepts within the conversation, rather than just answering the direct question or comment. Make it interesting, like real life. 
4. Cultivate Silence. As they are talking, have them focus on something else, look at an item, pause between dialogue. Build the spaces, as we do in everyday conversations. 
5. Polish a Gem. Now you may edit and perfect.
6. Employ confrontation...this is really self-explanatory.
7. Drop Words that you know you do not need. Limit them. Words are precious, so don't take them for granted. 

Also, a random tip for you...be careful of tag lines. I know, surprising. Nevertheless, they destroy a story, so keep them limited. 

• Details

You authenticate things by inventing details on how it works. Get specific with your details, but be careful not to use so many that it distracts the reader from what they are supposed to be able to extract from your story. You don't want to write a story about a woman who is throwing a party and leave the reader putting the book down remembering nothing but the beautiful, Victorian-styled lamp. Try not to make obvious detail either. It has to be believable, yet more interesting than real life. I know it's confusing, but that's the trick of being a writer, being able to balance the impossible. An exercise I know that I will use is observing something in a public place and writing down all the details that I see, but here's the spin...they have to be colorful details, details I can only pick up if I'm paying attention. Try it. See if it helps. Write!

• Adding Real Life to Fiction

Here's the thing...don't do it. It doesn't really work in fiction. However, coincidence isn't believable either. Try to make your story real enough where they can escape into it easily, but not too real where it feels as if they never left their bedroom. A book is a new world, so give your readers a good one. One last thing to remember when it comes to this is that complexities and contradictions of human beings must usually be redefined in fiction without reducing characters to attributes. 

• Genres

This one isn't really from the book..it's just my own input. That doesn't meant that you should skip this section. I've learned that you should really stick to your trade. Although it is good to push your boundaries and see what areas of writing you are good at and love, I find it is much more beneficial if you stay true to who you are. Personally, I cannot stand mysteries. Sherlock Holmes will never be a love of mine, sorry Sir Conan Doyle. However, when it comes to historical fiction, my passion is endless. I can read about medieval times until the end of my days. I also feel that writing about history with a creative twist is my trade. I know that I am passionate about, I know that I can write this genre well, and I know that I love the dramatic appeal that history gives the story. Therefore, I will develop my writing skills in this genre, occasionally adding elements of other genres in my story. I would advise you to do the same. I say the rule of thumb isn't write what you know, it's write what you love. After all, isn't love what we are known for? 

• How to Get Yourself Writing

One trick that the book gave was using the acronym LIFE. 

L= Literature

I = Imagination

F = Folklore

E = Experience

**Using all of these together can help your mind begin to pump creativity into your writer veins. Interpret them as you will.

Other tips to help you think of ideas is to change your perspective. Let serendipity happen by breaking your routine. Don't be afraid to do this, because I guarantee a breath of fresh air is everything for a writer. Set boundaries for the idea you have by building a fence around them. Look for connections. Ask stupid questions...this is my specialty ;). Lastly,when all else fails, question your direction. No matter what, keep writing. DON'T STOP WRITING! STAGNATION WILL BE THE DEATH OF US!

• Revising

Here is a four step plan on revision.

1. Edit the Structure
2. Edit the Texture
3. Edit the Dialogue
4. Edit just to edit....edit all you can until you are happy. 

You need to know that you will have to stop. Perfection will never be attained. It is not possible. However, you can get pretty darn close, so don't be disheartened. More steps on revision will be in later posts but they are referring to different books. 

• Miscellaneous Tips that are just too good to miss out on

Strong verbs are the key to taut writing. This will also help your editing process.

Name as few characters as you can; describe even fewer. 

When necessary, it is okay to tell...don't over-dramatize though.

Never skip a step.

Always remember to write. Never stop. Never, ever, ever stop writing. 

That's all the tips I have from the book. Don't worry though, for I am not done! I have read a couple more books on how to write and cannot wait to share the information I have learned. By the time you are done reading my blog, you will be a writing expert. For now, cheerio! 

"I Don't Think Now is the Best Time"

Alright, so I have a lot to work out with the novella I am currently plotting, and eventually my blogs will revolve around how I incorporate what I have learned with what I am struggling with. However, I simply cannot abandon the task of informing my numerous readers (indeed, if you scroll down, you will see that my ratings are just scoring up the charts) what I have read! Therefore, I understand that it is not the time or place to go astray.

That being said, it's the five basic modes of fictional discourse time.

1. Dialogue
2. Action
3. Description
4. Thought
5. Exposition

....I'd go more into this but it's really self-explanatory....basically just try to include all of these when writing something. If you're stuck, try expanding one of these modes and see where it takes you.

• How to Write a Good Scene

Basically you just make your characters as rich as you can, and I don't mean this in the literal sense...well I do, but only the ironic sense of literal. Enrich your characters by giving them depth, as was discussed in a previous post. By providing the necessary information to the audience, the plot can easily be moved forward. Focus on giving the readers "more matter, and less art." Focus on the actions, not the thoughts. Again, it all comes down to the art of writing. Skip as much as possible. Here is the key thing that I have learned: get into the scene as late as possible and get out as soon as you can. I was so surprised when I read this, for I was always one who suffered under the tedious labor of writing entrances and exits. You can only imagine my joy when I read that skipping was skillful. I tell you, these books only increase your passion. 

• The Importance of the First Fifty Pages

This is crucial. I cannot begin to state how vital it is that your beginning is captivating, for that is what the publishers read. If they cannot get through the first fifty pages, they chuck it, regardless of how impressive the rest of your novel may be. Personally, I've never written anything over fifteen pages, so this is quite daunting to me. Don't worry. There is hope. Here are tips to make your beginning what it needs to be. 

*Consider opening your story with a prologue in order to keep your readers wondering. 

*Open with a line from an engaging character then continue with that character's development.

*My personal favorite: write what happened with the characters two weeks before the readers are introduced to them. This allows you to meet them and know them very well. I know that I will do this for many of my characters. 

• The Big Bang

This is basically referring to the major scene in the story. It's important, and if your story doesn't have one, then you can be certain yours will not excel. However, the scene is insignificant if you do not have a scene to counter it, meaning that if your scene left a negative impact, then you must write a scene that has positive results. During "the big bang," let the reader know all that the character is experiencing. They have been waiting for this moment the entire story, so don't cut them short. Allow them to share the senses of feel, smell, taste, sound, etc. They should be able to absorb everything the character does. Most importantly, overwrite these scenes. Just continue to write and write, your hands burning with the passion that all writers feel when they are experiencing the true beauty of connecting to the story. Editing can come later. For now, just write.

Alright, that's all I have for now. I will be sure to share more exciting tips tomorrow! For now, thanks for reading. 

"Victory Starts Here"

Another day of writing, another day of success. I've started a new book that is giving me tips on how to write, but first I have to share the one that I was so excited about in my previous post. For all legal purposes, the book is called The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, though there are numerous authors who wrote this book, so I am not going to properly cite it because it's a blog, and honestly, no one is going to read this and care that much. If you find that you read these tips and want to purchase the book so that you may have these tips at hand, feel free to leave a comment and I will post more information regarding the details of the novel. My overall point is that with this beautiful book of information, I can now write a novella during my high school career. The first step to achieving my dream has been taken, and it is simply because I learned how to get out there again.

From this point on, all that I say will be referenced from the previously stated novel, with the exception of a few personal statements here and there.

• Plot:

I know that the concept of plot has been drilled into me, perhaps too deep, so I was thrilled when I read a few authors' interpretations on it. One insightful writer stated something along the lines of the fact the plot can be viewed as the highway and the characters as automobiles. Another way to look at the plot was as a chauffeur. It was even said, and this still confuses me, that it is possible to never plot at all. In serious work, plot doesn't really matter as much; the author should focus on character development instead.

• Character Development

I am not really strong in this area. I spend so much time writing in first person because of this. As I was reading, however, I came across an exercise that I will do for every character probably. The basic concept is to conduct interviews with the characters or write diaries in their voices. Beautiful! Can you imagine what this will do?! Not only will I get to know my characters very well, but they will be developed on a much stronger scale than I ever could have hoped for. 

I also learned that it takes time to give characters depth. First you have to give them the dimension you would give a photograph. Then, develop them into someone you would see in a video. Next their traits are revealed. Their traits can be brought out by showing how they react or interact with specific circumstances. The last dimension shown is just like the former only it is from a private persona and it includes the infamous "why?" that so many writers dread. 

Another thing is that there is such a term as the "emotional framework" behind your character. There are a few ways to attain this such as realizing your character's greatest strength and weakness, giving your character specific goals, knowing how your characters will react, giving the character an inner conflict, and integrating your character well. 

Some of this information overlaps, but that's a good sign that it's telling the truth. 

Well, that's all my updating for today. I'll keep you posted on more tips for writing tomorrow!  

"My Mind Rebels At Stagnation"

There is a crime that all writers are guilty of at some point in their lives - not writing. Too many times have they used that excuse the they're just too busy, the inspiration isn't there, life has been so chaotic that writing isn't a viable option, you know the drill. Being a writer myself, I have been known to use these reasons, and many more, far too many times. It is because of this that I decided to be proactive when it came to my writing career. I decided to take on the mindset that writer's block simply doesn't exist, for any great piece of literature can result from practice and perseverance. After staying so long out of practice though, I lost confidence in my writing skill, causing me to lose my perseverance. More importantly, I forgot the most important aspects of writing a story. When this cruel realization set in, I knew it was time for me to get informed.

After reading a book on how to write a novel (yes, I will name the book, but I don't have it, so I will name it in my blog tomorrow...my apologies), I am amazed at all that I didn't even think about. I consider myself a great student when it comes to English, but this educational book was packed full of so many facts, that I could have never imagined all of the tips listed in there. I can now say with confidence, however, that I am starting my novella with a ready mindset and an enthusiastic attitude, for I now have the necessary and useful knowledge to support my story. 

Because I am far too excited to keep all these excellent tips to myself, I simply must share. I will be more specific in my later blogs, when I know that legality is not an issue due to lack of citing, so alas, a brief overview is all that I can give as of tonight. 

Writing 101

In my blog, I will give insight into:

• Plot
• Characters 
• How to develop them, their importance to the plot, the emotional framework behind them, etc.
• The Five Basic Modes of Fictional Discourse
• How to Write a Good Scene
• The Importance of the First Fifty Pages
• The Big Bang (the major scene)
• The Ending of the story
• Dialogue
• Details
• Adding Real Life to Fiction
• Genres
• How to Get Yourself Writing (stirring creativity)
• Revising
• Miscellaneous tips that are just too good to miss out on

The beauty of writing is unending, and I'm incredibly excited to have this experience.