Currently, I’m working on two big projects so I don’t have any time, but I’ve got two ideas for posts swimming in my head. Just wait for me once more, and I’ll be back!
Another Month Hiatus…
Posted by selithewriter on February 18, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/another-month-hiatus/
Cinder, and the Multiple Identities That Can Help Your Confidence
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .
Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
THERE ARE certain books in the world with outstanding social commentary on the relationships between power and society. They further your acknowledgement and understanding of the human condition, to which you can debate and discuss with fellow scholars the themes that you’ve taken from the work. Cinder by Marissa Meyer is not this book. Is that a bad thing? No, because it didn’t want to be. It was a simple, unassuming book—albeit very predictable. But if that is the great criticism for this book, then I ask you what you expected when it was marketed as a Cinderella retelling.
What is outstanding about Cinder is that although the genre is all over the place, it knows what it is. It’s a book about a girl that’s a [I CANNOT WRITE THIS FOR IT IS A SPOILER]. You know from Chapter 2 it’s a book about that. It’s a fairytale. There’s a prince. Meyer could have gone in circles around these facts, but she doesn’t.
And How does this help you as a writer, you ask me. Well, as writers we sometimes forget that our books know what it wants to be. Either it wants to be an action, or you are forcing action in. Either it wants a prince, or you want a prince. It’s knowing your identity as a reader separately from your identity as a writer, that can help you decipher what you want from what your book wants.
My Writer Identity
I’ve always wanted to write a standalone fantasy novel, because series are starting to gain on great standalone universes. I write stories that deal with decimation between groups of people, because I enjoy the intricacies and history of how these tense relationships came to be. I like to write imaginatively, but gritty—like if my daydreams were painted black. And because I know that this is what I want to write, I know I’m writing for imaginative people like me, and people who take note of relationships in society. I’m also writing for people who enjoy characters, and don’t need tragic pasts to identify with mine. I write because I enjoy it, because there are some issues that I want others to read about and because I enjoy sharing my imagination with others.
My Reader Identity
As a college student, I have to read things like Foucault and Gabriel García Márquez (and those are the ones I look forward to) on a fifty-page-a-day basis with in-depth notes comparing the main ideas with some other complicated author (Drew suggested Dr. Seuss as this additional author. Please don’t throw vegetables at him). As much as I like to be mentally stimulated, I can’t do it all the time. This might make me an idiot. If so, then I am a functioning one. Thus, I read brain-numbing romances or kick-ass, if-this-was-a-movie-it-would-star-Vin-Diesel action novels from time to time.
One of my favorite things to read about is a world that makes me feel hopeless at the end. It doesn’t need a bad ending, it just needs something to tell me—yes, things have changed, but no, they won’t change overnight. I love reading about Normal Guy protagonists the most because they remind me of myself. I hate reading about superficial characters, no matter if it is a good character flaw. I also hate when the entire cast of characters are just dishonest for the Purpose of Plot.
Quite frankly, I could go on forever with both identities. And if you compare the two, you will see that my reader identity (which came first) has in many ways inspired my writer identity (and vice versa). But the most important thing I want you to notice is the questions you can ask from these identities. When you know what you read and what you write—ask yourself: if I read my book, would I like it? Would I finish it? Am I writing for reading audiences like myself? You could even look at my reader identity and ask yourself if I would like your book. Do you think I would understand your book? You should ask these questions somewhere between putting the pen on the paper (or the fingers on the keyboard) and writing the last revision. Who are you writing for?
Cinder is an example of a book clear in what it isn’t targeting.
I wasn’t the target audience for this book. First of all, I hate the Cinderella fairytale. I hated her, and how she would just let her step-mother push her around. Second, I think fairytale princes are never well-developed, and usually cop-outs of real characters. Third, the name “Kai” makes me think of Dragonball Z—which I love, but not mixed into my YA sci-fi romance. The third may not seem like a big deal to you, but think of the last book you read that reminded you of something else. How well were you able to concentrate?
And after all of these strikes against, I still read the book. This is why: First, the cover was awesome. I judge books by their cover because although it has failed me before, at least I have something pretty to hate. Second, I am on a sci-fi kick, so what the hell? It was winter break, anyway. Third, nearly every review was positive. Marcus is the first to play Public Enemy’s Don’t Believe the Hype, but reviews are a good way to judge whether you’ll like the book or not. As soon as I read a review about how OMG [insert male character here] IS SO HOT, I know to proceed with caution (I’m not judging you spazzy typer, because I get that way too. Sometimes all the emotions won’t fit). Another reason is because, for once, it takes place in a non-dystopian world (futuristic ≠ dystopian).
Overall, I think Cinder is a fun book. It had some great characters, but others were not-so-great. However, lately, the only requirement I’ve had for YA heroines is for them to not be annoying. Cinder fit that expectation. I didn’t hate her. And Prince Kai was a very welcome change from every YA hero that I have read about that wasn’t described as ugly. Welcome for the fact that in most other books with any romantic element, this kind of prince would not get the girl.
And despite these characters not standing out to me, I was wrapped in them emotionally. I wasn’t exactly crying from page to page, but I did care about Cinder and Iko and Kai and those automated robots (because they couldn’t love). The plot and setting could be better developed—particularly the plot, which could stand some more complexity and solidarity. It touches on a lot of things—discrimination, disease, ethics, obedience—but never goes deep into the interesting social aspects of its world. Maybe it’s because Meyer writes for different reasons than I do. Maybe her reason is because she had characters that she wanted us to know. Maybe she wanted to diversify the settings in YA. Or maybe she just wanted to write a prince worthy of my royal trousers.
Whatever it is, I hope she’s satisfied with it. There’s something releasing about fairytales, where you know what the story is, where it will go, and how it will end. She knew that there would be some readers out there that would read weren’t be her target audience. That doesn’t mean she had to change the story. We’ve got to remember that every reader it doesn’t matter. You should pay more attention to the reader that was disappointed in your plot holes than the reader disappointed about the lack of romance. As long as you know who you are as a writer, and who you’re writing for you should be able to take pride in any work you do.
Final Verdict: Applause
Posted by selithewriter on January 19, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/cinder-and-the-multiple-identities-that-can-help-your-confidence/
Divergent, and Alternatives to Physical Worldbuilding
Goodreads Summary: In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves… or it might destroy her.
What I came for: A “Fill the Void” book that would plug the hole in my heart The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins and Unwind by Neil Shusterman left behind.
What I stayed for: An independent, action-packed YA more-so about identity than the state of society.
I must say that I’m a little late on the uptake with this YA dystopian jewel, Divergent by Veronica Roth. Of course, it has been reviewed plenty. I won’t waste your time by highlighting everything that you probably already know—besides, that’s not how I read books. You could say that I reach when I read books. I’m a firm believer that the authors thoughts and beliefs are hidden within the core plot and setting of the work. I’m not exactly talking about theme, because that insinuates the writer consciously wrote certain ideas into the story. I’m talking about how you can tell Suzanne Collins values family (and food), hard-work, and bonds between people. Is there a point in the story where it says THIS IS THE THEME, MAKE SURE YOU ANALYZE IT. No. That’s what Shakespeare’s for.
To move forward, I should explain why I chose to review Divergent. There are a lot of people out there who were like me. When the book came out, I just thought it would be The Hunger Games II—reimagined by a different author with new characters (I mean, we all know that these sectioned nations have gotten overplayed, i.e. districts, factions…why aren’t cities and towns not good enough anymore?)! In the beginning, I definitely hadn’t planned on reading it. However, I’d worn my copy of Unwind and I have yet to buy The Hunger Games. I got book-lonely. It wasn’t until I’d read a fresh review of the book that I was inspired to give it a chance (I did a pitiful search on Google for it, but I couldn’t find it). It told me that if you’re going to read this book, you really should ignore the summary because it doesn’t do the book justice.
What I’m telling you, dear reader, is that this reviewer was right.
If I’m honest, Divergent isn’t the strongest world-building I’ve ever seen. I don’t get lost in the world, as you would expect, and I don’t have an epiphany after reading. However, whether this is a fault of the book is a different story. Let’s examine, for a second, why this could actually be a positive:
Detailed Relationships
Rather than being about the physical world, I feel Divergent deals with the world relationships. How the factions interact with one another say much more about the setting than the plant life does. The structure of the government will tell us more about what society values than how many oceans are left. A lot of dystopian novels get lost in the novelty (Cat almost killed me for that pun), and give fancy names to fancy officers that abuse their power or some other unnecessary embellishment. Yes, it will seem special to your world, but what does it add to the story.
Man Vs. Man Conflict
In Divergent, all the conflict focuses on man vs. man (I would explain further, but not everyone has read this). These obstacles Roth has set up for her characters leads to more reader sympathy. When was the last time you had to battle giant plants that eat your face? Maybe you’ve never had to overcome such an adversity, but we’ve all had to deal with a bully. And we’ve all had to deal with others who think they’re more privileged because of their background (whether based on class, race, or physical ability). Rather than appealing to our imagination, Divergent appeals to what we already know—and I consider that a plus in this case.
So what do I think of this book? I thought it was pretty great, considering what could be against it. This may have to do with my relatively low expectations (me in the past: I can’t wait to read this rip-off!) It had twists and turns—and Identifiable characters. Secondary characters could be stronger, but she got all the main ones down pretty well. Even more, I remember all their names. When you have such a large cast, it is extremely easy for me to forget. But not only do I remember, I remember the role they played in the story. There were some plot twists that I hadn’t seen coming, as well (which is hard to do…lately, people have forgotten that foreshadowing is an art!).
Overall, however, I think that Divergent is the closest the world can get to an advertising fail, and an advertising win. It fails because it really doesn’t say what the book is about on the back. That summary does little for readers like me (someone who has read several exemplary books in a genre, and the vast collection of horrible books in said genre). It wins because it really was a hyped book. And most readers weren’t disappointed. But due to this thing that readers are so against (called “spoilers”) no one could really find a non-spoiling way to tell you: read it, even though your gut is saying different things. It’s not going to be what you expect from the summary.
Final Verdict: Standing Ovation
Posted by selithewriter on January 10, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/divergent-and-alternatives-to-physical-worldbuilding/
Writer’s Block: The Most Obvious Choice
I SAVED THIS method for last, because it is, as the title suggests, the most obvious solution to writer’s block. I don’t think I can tell you, reader, enough that I’ve been around the block (pun intended) enough to know just what you’re going through. You can’t muster up the inspiration to write anything. You are stuck. I get that. And the solution that you’ll probably hear the second most (after BICHOK) to get this inspiration is:
Writing prompts.
Not as revolutionary as you’re used to, but it’s true. As writers, we can do all sorts of roundabout things to avoid the issue of derailing from our work. We can force ourselves to keep on, and write ourselves into a hole. We can “take a break” from the manuscript, or writing in general, and hope that one day inspiration will just fall onto our lap. But in the back of our mind, we know that if we’re not writing—at least a bit productively—we’re not doing much of anything, except making the story worse.
And if I’m real with my audience, this is entirely hypocritical. I hate writing prompts. I avoid them at all costs. I would rather read the dictionary than “write a story in fewer than four pages, beginning with a misunderstanding about gum.” It feels forceful. It feels like betrayal to my work-in-progress. And most of all, it feels like extra work that won’t amount to anything.
But this is something I have to get over, myself. I know that I’m wrong. Despite all my instinctive feelings that I have against writing prompts, there has never been a time that they don’t work for me. Somewhere in the middle of writing my response, I get this inkling of inspiration. Then, I get a great idea that must be written into my manuscript. And the ideas are great. Never has this not happened to me, actually (I’m not saying the same will be for you, but I’m giving myself a little therapy right now), however I still can’t find it in me to actually sit down, suck it up, and do what a prompt tells me to. (Marcus yells, “FOREVER A REBEL!” to which I roll my eyes).
Reader, don’t be like me. Some of us will always hate the idea of them. However, the benefits truly outweigh the inconvenience (am I the only one who thinks so badly of writing prompts?). It truly flexes the intellectual muscles. But, me being me, there are some additional things I want you to keep in mind when you use them:
1. You don’t have to choose the prompt you find.
You don’t have to force yourself to address a prompt that doesn’t interest you. Choose one that inspires you. If you find a website with a long list of prompts, they’re all there for a reason. You don’t have to do the first one first, if you don’t want to write about “Sally’s day at the seashore.”
2. Sometimes, you can make up one.
Maybe you find one you’d rather not do, but you can’t find any that interest you. It’s okay to tweak a challenge to fit your current work, or your mood. You could replace aspects in the prompt, like adding the word “strawberries,” and go on from there. What you should be doing isn’t set in stone.
3. Or, you can use mine.
I have a default writing prompt that I always do when things get too hard. I find a random word generator, get three random (common) words, and then must use them in the next few pages of my manuscript. The inspirational part of the prompt, is figuring out how you’re going to get the words in. It’s no fun if you just put it in randomly, or add it into the dialogue. Give some thought to it.
For example, you get the word “strawberry.” Rather than just having your novel’s detective say, “I love strawberries, actually,” why don’t you do something different? Why don’t you write in a serial killer who signs all of his victims “The Strawberry Killer?” How did that name come to be? What does that have to with the detective? This is the inspirational part of the prompt. And if you don’t like the word you were given, just click the random generator again and use that word. No one’s watching, so they can’t judge!
To conclude this series, this has been a fun journey. I enjoyed tearing apart writer’s block and hating prompts together (or was that just me?). I’ve covered just the tip of the iceberg in this week, but I want you to remember that you can always ask a fellow writer, and search the web. I feel that writing is an interactive career.
Anyway, there are several things to remember from these posts, but I’ll give you a list (a short one!) to help jog your memory:
- Nothing is set in stone (Do what you want!)
- You can try more than once (Don’t be afraid to start over, but don’t be afraid to push on!)
- Patience is key (Don’t get frustrated with yourself! Writing is fun, remember?)
- WRITE, MY FRIEND, WRITE!
Now off you go! I’ll see you next Monday, with my review of Veronica Roth’s Divergent.
Posted by selithewriter on January 6, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/06/writers-block-the-most-obvious-choice/
Writer’s Block: Not According to Plan
THIS PROCESS is what I think most writers are afraid of: changing their intent altogether. The only people I can think of that wouldn’t be bothered by this would be the Outlinus Haticus species of the writer. And when I hit this kind of roadblock, I can see why.
As writers—novelists, journalists, bloggers, etc.—we often have a plan before our hand hits the keyboard. However undeveloped a plan it is, we still know what’s going to happen. The main character tells her mom she hates her, and then something else happens. It’s that simple, sometimes. And while we are writing, our minds become a sort of filter—irrelevant ideas are discarded, while the meat of our concept is kept.
And you may be writing according to this plan, that just so happens to start with “Hippopotamuses aren’t the only ones with thick skin.” You are smitten with that line and the two—maybe three—paragraphs that follow. They are all well developed, and beautifully written. Good job. But what’s that down there? Yes, that empty space. Could it be that you have shut down, right behind a writer’s block? Why can’t the next twelve paragraphs flow as easily? And why did you have to stop here, before anything really happened?
This is what I’m here for. Well—me and Anna (sometimes Cat and Marcus, but never Drew). Reader, may I ask you a question? Have you ever tried changing your approach?
I know! Scary! Revolutionary! Sorcery?
No! It’s easy. First, all you have to do is give up—
No, no, no reader, please put down the pitchforks. You misunderstand, you’re not really giving up. You just have to pretend to give up. Convincingly, to yourself. What’s so great about hippos anyway? They can’t love. And then, once you have convincingly told yourself that you are not going to write this part the same way anymore, move on. That idea didn’t work in the long run. Accept it.
And where do you go from here, you ask me. Certainly not to the bar. You write. Just as you always have. But as I like lists, I’ve given you a few things you can do now that you’ve gotten to this step:
1. Just skip.
Some writers—I can’t imagine why, but there are some—are very against skipping ahead in a manuscript. I say, what have you got to lose? You’re certainly not writing anything now, so why don’t you try to write what you would’ve later, now? When you write a news story and the background information is bogging you down—why not just start with the what? Add in the “who” and “where” later.
2. Use those irrelevant ideas.
There are also writers whose filters are more functional than others. Every idea you think does not relate, does not necessarily have to be written out. So you were writing about how hippos have thick skin, and all of a sudden, a zebra hops its way into there. What? What are you doing zebra—go find a lion and get out of my face! However, rather than banishing this zebra from your savanna of words, why don’t you use him? Compare his elegance to a hippo’s. Maybe you could state how his lack of thick skin makes his life harder.
3. Move the Line Awesomer Than All Lines somewhere else.
Sometimes, you really feel an attachment to a line or dialogue, and you want to add it no matter what. If that’s your problem, don’t let me stop you—but why don’t you move it somewhere else? This will help you get your creativity pumping again. If you’re able to start again, with the line you want as a goal you can build up to, maybe you can find what you’re missing. Maybe even a new, awesomer line. The buildup might even give you a chance to get right to the action, and then your pen should just roll after that.
4. Scrap it.
This is the scariest of them all, but it also works. So the hippopotamus thing isn’t working. Now’s your chance to discover what does. Maybe it would be better to, instead of some sarcastic line, begin with a description of feeling. Maybe a flashing memory of a time when things were different. There is no sugarcoating this one, but I think this one pays off. Sometimes you find out about your characters. Sometimes you find out about your plot.
The beautiful thing about this craft we have chosen is that although there may be rules, there is no order (kind of makes you look at the title again, doesn’t it?). There’s no specific need to follow every rule, and no one’s there to tell you which ones are more important. Every writer must face his or her own trials when it comes to this, and that is how we immerge intact, with ink on our faces and callouses on our hands. Oh, and with royalties. Lots of royalties.
Posted by selithewriter on January 5, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/writers-block-not-according-to-plan/
Writer’s Block: Come on, pencil…make words!
THE PROBLEM with having writer’s block is not always lack of ideas, but the lack of getting these ideas onto paper. Take, for example, the introductory post to this series. Did I know exactly what would happen when I first began? Actually, yes. I wanted to write a short fairytale—with a river somewhere, and a desert. I think, at some point, there was also a dragon (Marcus really likes dragons); however, despite all of my ideas and convictions, it took a bit of time to write. Why?
It was because a pest we writers like to call “distractions.” They’re like flies: the more you swat at them, the more they come back—especially when you’ve got a big plate on your hands. My friend, I’m right there with you—swatting, swearing, putting down the plate so that you can focus on this fly that just won’t leave you alone. But, dear reader, that is where we all go wrong. The trick to the flies, in actuality, is ignoring them (except when they fly into your ear and you flip out because it scared the crap out of you).
And, reader, I can hear you now:
Don’t you think I’ve tried that? Boo this woman!
Calm down! (And Marcus, don’t you dare go near the trash). We have forgotten—as I sometimes do—that our friend, Anna, is a fellow writer. She has corrected me, reminding us that she is a poet. Don’t you think she’d have tried this as well? Yet Anna gets out a poem a day, because she does what many authors tell us to do when writer’s block hits: just write. And that is why I have slaved at the stove of creativity, and conjured a recipe.
S. Eli’s Recipe for Success (of the Writing Brand)
What You’ll Need:
- A good state of mind
- Chocolate Chocolate (yeah, we always need that)
- A boring movie/CD you don’t really pay attention to (Or, if you are noise intolerant, complete silence)
- A timer
- A pen & paper/laptop
*Note: Whatever writing space you prefer is included in these ingredients, however some writers say it matters what this writing space looks like. I don’t think so.
Instructions:
Take your state of mind and get into a comfortable writing position. The goal is to be settled before the timer starts, so you have an idea whether or not you’ll be able to sit there for an hour. This step is mostly a trial and error period, where you find your niche. My niche, for example, is just in a chair—no desk, just a chair—a distance from a television so I can’t really see it without focusing.
Next, put on your boring movie/CD and relax. If you find yourself sucked into the movie/CD, then perhaps you should change what you watch/listen to. Maybe you should try silence, although it doesn’t work for everyone. Using myself as an example, silence is a trap. On top of being a very creative person, I have ADD (diagnosed by my mother, but she has a background in child psychology so I trust her opinion.) Although I have never been tested, I know from experience that silence is not in my best interest. All I do is daydream about fighting robots with magical glasses and a sassy, talk-back goldfish. Therefore, I use a movie to help me relax: The Princess and the Frog—not because it’s boring, but because I’ve seen it maybe five billion times. This is a movie I can definitely push to the backgrounds of my mind as I work.
Finally, you set your timer for an hour or more. You want manageable, yet extensive amount of time so you won’t obsessively check how much time you have left. Hopefully, you’ll even forget about it while you write. The timer’s purpose is not to pressure you, but to motivate you as you trudge through fuddled sentences and awkward phrasing. It is your personal trainer, if you will—helping you see past the pain, your urge to correct yourself, and your urge to quit. If you finish your current chapter in thirty minutes, the extra thirty left on the timer should motivate you to keep working. And to see what you can do in thirty more.
If I’m honest, this is basically the BICHOK procedure that all writers should be familiar with. If I’m not honest, this is a new age, groundbreaking technique that fixes the problem of writer’s block altogether. And if that’s true, what are you still doing here—distracted? Get to writing!
And don’t forget to stay tuned for the next part: New approaches!
Posted by selithewriter on January 3, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/writers-block-come-on-pencil-make-words/
Writer’s Block: X, Y, Z…Z…Zzzzzz
A summary of this blog so far, simplified: I like categories, I like order. I hate writer’s block. And I face it nearly everyday because sometimes the universe has a sense of humor. I cannot complain to Marcus about this, becasue it’s not a problem you handle his way. You cannot swear at, dismember, or enflame writer’s block (you can try, but it won’t go away). I tried Anna and Drew, but Anna is a fellow sufferer. Drew—well, he will always be Drew. He told me to buy her chocolates. So ignored the useless three, and I turn to Cat.
My dear, dear Catherine, you are the wind beneath my wings. I am forced with the perils of irony. Of despair! O, how am I to fix my unfortunate writer’s block?
Cat: Take a nap.
And reader, my friend, I nearly slapped her. Her deadpan wit was a constant, but not constantly appreciated. Though, after she caught my falling palm and proceeded to break my wrist, I took her advice seriously. As a writer, we are expected to think of our own rules. Our own world, that we are somehow able to control, with our pens and keyboards through all genres. Contemporary, I am not excluding you. No high school is the same, and the one you decide to write about is of your own construction— although inspired.
And what does this have to do with Cat’s suggestion? A nap, how does that help you?
Cat: Your dreams, idiot!
I admit that I jumped when she spoke so suddenly. Cat always had a habit of snarking her way into my thoughts. But she is right. your dreams are your brain’s natural center for world-building. Be it fantasy, contemporary, historical, or sci-fi, we all can benifit from these dreams and draw inspirations.
And here are my thoughts regarding dreams and writer’s block.
1. Keep a dream journal.
Do you have to record every dream? No. Should you if you want? Sure, it’s a free country (oh, no, Marcus—I didn’t mean that. Not the—trashcan…). Keeping a dream journal is something that can serve as inspiration later on. Plus, I read on Cracked that dream journals actually help you control your dreams, and who doesn’t want to do that?
2. Use said dream journal.
You are sitting at your desk, watching your laptop screen refuse to make words. This is where the dream journals come in handy as an inspiration. Remember how you felt when that giant Christmas sweater was chasing you? Your chest pounding and the tingling in your palms? Yeah, that terror? I’m not saying write a Godzilla-esque attack on the town by an itchy wool ensemble in your 18th Century mystery. I’m saying that when you write in that scene where the detective comes face-to-face with the killer, you should remembedr that fear. Write it in.
Now, I am not an expert (as Cat points out under her breath). You can take this post with a grain of salt (because it makes the medicine go down, ya know?). Simple advice from a simple girl, but I appreciate Cat for helping me out. So write on, reader! Come back tomorrow for the next step: Write or Die.
Posted by selithewriter on January 2, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/writers-block-x-y-z-z-zzzzzz/
Writer’s Block: The Urkel In Your Life
STEVE URKEL really had a way of screwing things up. Plans–easiness–must be left at the door when he bulldozes in, blissfully unaware of just how infuriating his existence was (“Did I do that?”). Urkel, my dear reader, is no different than writer’s block. And you are Laura (or Carl).
Many writers have tried to address this problem. Even tried to solve it. I’d like to think that scientists are at work as well, though that would only be a perfect society. One thing that we as writers must come to terms with is that this Urkel is all part of The Job. Just like an athlete and injuries, or an actor and aging–there are things that go directly against our jobs, to the point of jeopardizing it. So, although I have no idea how to make it disappear completely, I’d like to think I can help you shorten the amount of time it cripples you. Marcus agrees, but he cannot speak (he is on punishment, cleaning up the remnants of the charred garbage can).
But first, reader, we need to get to know our nemesis. If you understand the enemy, you may be able to conquer it. So let me try and explain her origin, which started long ago…
Once, there was a girl, considered forgettable by all others in her village. Her hair was not short or long. She was neither fat nor skinny, or tall or short. And this girl’s mind was not to be revered.
And the girl knew it. She knew it in the way others laughed at her behind polite hands. She knew it in the way the boys of the town avoided her at all costs —going so far as to court stupid, ugly, or smelly girls. Was it her fault that she could not hold intelligent concepts, but could hold remedial ones? Was it her fault that her mind and body did not work in a way to spur individuality, and produce something that was specifically her?
She didn’t think so. And one day, while reading a book much like herself (neither boring nor riveting), she came across the author’s idea:
“Few have taken the journey, no matter how easy it is, to the River of Idea and Originality. Be it because they are lazy, or because as humans we do not need it, the trail to the River is a road less traveled. Although through a desert, it is not hot. And although long, it is not unmanageable. Yet as normal people, we choose our own minds rather than the God given droplets of the River…”
And the girl was struck with an idea of her own. It was not any spectacular one—it was logical, in fact—that she decided the only way to correct herself was to go to the River of Idea and Originality, and drink from its waters. If she took ideas from the River, although she could not change her physical ordinariness, she could change her mental state. What if she were even to become creative?
This swelling hope sent her off, and she travelled for days until she finally heard the rushing waters in the distance. She smiled her first big smile, and ran for the beautiful sound. After hours of running, though, her thirst grew and her throat went dry. The River seemed although it would never come.
She came up to a small house after several more hours of walking. Upon the sight of her, a young man stepped out.
“Who are you?” he demanded. The girl cowered away. Never had a man addressed her before. “What have you come for?”
When she spoke, she found herself unable to speak steadily. “I-I have come to drink from the waters.”
“To drink from the waters?” He furrowed his brow when she nodded. “I am the keeper of the river. I will bring you there.”
Alone, the splashing of the River got no louder no matter how long she walked. Looking down now, however, the sand tinged green with every step. The little girl followed the man until they came upon a fruitful marsh with a rushing river crashing at their feet. Then she broke away, reaching her hands into the waters greedily. Not only was she parched, she was impatient for the mind that the River could give her.
After waiting for a minute, no water filled her hands. Any water that came close was hit away by a larger wave, and wiped her hand clean of its trace. She turned to the keeper. He had his arms folded.
“Do you see it now?” he asked her. He kneeled beside her in the grass and ran his fingers through the current. “This river cannot be controlled any more than pure ideas can. You cannot hold it. Only experience it.”
But this girl, having waited for so long and suffered so much, would not listen to the young man. “I will try,” she challenged stubbornly. And she did. Although her mind was not brilliant, she could call upon many commonplace ways to stop running water. She tried dams of all materials. She tried filters of sand and wooden pails. Each time, the river was only disturbed. It never stopped.
“You cannot stop the river. And no matter what you do, these disturbances will only be temporary.”
“I will keep trying!”
The young man gave up on her after the first decade. However, the girl never gave up on herself. If only she could see what was extraordinary about her, she would stop. But sadly, she could not see her amazing perseverance, as the keeper does. The girl could only see the promise of creativity, and she would never stop searching for it. Even after death.
Now that you guys know just how random I can be, I feel we won’t misunderstand each other. If you get what I’m saying with the river, then let’s get on with the post. If you don’t, hover over the page break for a hint (don’t worry, no one will judge!). Furthermore, I should warn you that I’m not actually giving any answers in this post: this is just the introduction, but tomorrow you can expect our first step. There are four, if you didn’t know. And perhaps, we will meet my other friends along the way. But not Marcus. He is still on punishment.
Carry on, Laura (or Carl, if you want to be Carl) and stay strong.
Posted by selithewriter on January 1, 2012
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/writers-block-the-urkel-in-your-life/
An Introduction to Order
I LIKE organization and categories. Many “I-Can-Change-You” RomComs have taught me that is wrong. Incorrect, even, though I cannot help if everything is supposed to be packaged neatly–more or less.
Also, you cannot judge me solely on my messy desk. On my room. Marcus tells me that it is okay to be organized in my mind, but not in surroundings. Julia Roberts, and any other generic, pretty celebrity, has told me this as well. Chaos must be in your life. So here is my attempt:
LKJDLJGL:DJOIIWLNGNL
Aah, I think that’s better. Contractions are good. And Marcus is nodding in approval.
One might think poorly of that outburst, but I don’t mind. Freedom of speech. And what does Marcus think of that? He agrees. And he sets a trashcan on fire.
Please, reader, allow me to move on from this rambling (if I haven’t lost you, yet). As I said, I like organization. I like when everything fits. This is my chance to do that, along with pens and a group of imaginary friends: Marcus, Anna, Cat, and Drew. I would tell them to introduce themselves, but Anna and Cat are helping Marcus put out the fire.
Drew says he is happy to be here, and that you look beautiful.
Cat: He says that to everyone, though.
Sorry you cannot meet them, as I have. But I encourage you to discover them. And perhaps we can read books along the way.
Next Month’s Line-Up:
Writer’s Block, a 5-Part Post (January 1-6, 2012)
Divergent, a Review (January 9, 2012)
Cinder, a Review (January 16, 2012)
Wildcard Post, (January 24, 2012)
Posted by selithewriter on December 22, 2011
http://readingandwritingwithme.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/an-introduction-to-order/
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