Tag Archives: writing

Why Everyone Should Blog

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When I started blogging, I had no clue what my focus would be. Writing would simply be something to occupy my free time, a task which would bring about a sense of productivity. After some thought, I decided that I essentially wanted to share my perspective on the world, my observations about others. The vast majority of my posts are poured directly from the faucet of my brain, written in the same manner by which they cross my mind, and using the same words. Writing is easy for me because I write about the things I think about anyways, those ideas which actually hold some level of personal significance.

“Find a subject you care about and which you in your heart feel others should care about. It is this genuine caring, not your games with language, which will be the most compelling and seductive element in your style.”

-Kurt Vonnegut

Were you to start writing about your fondest passions and deepest interests, the areas in which you dabble for fun anyways and research purely out of curiosity, writing would come effortlessly. Whether you enjoy cars, taxidermy, or knitting, share your knowledge and insight with someone. Through writing about something, you can explore your own ideas further, prompt new perspectives, and indirectly solve problems and improve efficiency.

Beyond the simple promotion of knowledge and sharing of ideas, blogging is a way to connect with others, to meet other individuals with the same passion and ideals, people who understand where you’re coming from and can benefit from what you have to say.

Blogging can also serve as a creative outlet, a means of expanding your range of understanding on a subject by projecting what you know through writing. Until I began blogging, I didn’t consider writing to be an art or form of creativity, but rather a didactic subject in school. It’s truly amazing what you can discover about yourself and your interests through writing, and what’s even more incredible is finding out that others on the same wavelength actually appreciate your knowledge, insight, and presentation.

To be honest, I’m still not entirely sure what the underlying theme of this blog is – perhaps a meshing of knowledge, experience, and inspiration – but it doesn’t really matter. I think as long as your honest with yourself and and your reader, as long as you’re exploring topics that you’re genuinely passionate about then blogging will prove to be worthwhile and beneficial.

How to Write Fictional Dialogue

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Since completing NaNoWriMo, I’ve been receiving periodic emails from the local meeting group. One such email invited me to attend a Toil and Trouble: Dialogue Workshop led by Tom Leveen, a local author of young adult fiction with 22 years of live theater experience. Beyond his experience in the fields of writing and acting, Tom truly believes in helping other achieve their dreams and live up to their potential - a great quality considering his books are aimed at teenagers.

Many writers find dialogue to be the most difficult aspect or storytelling, so this was a fun and unique class aimed at improving dialogue and polishing fictional writing technique. On top of that, it was absolutely free. I’m still on the fence about editing and revising my NaNoWriMo novel, but in the case I do, this information will be highly beneficial.

So what did I learn? Here are some key points:

  • The root of dialogue means “two logics,” so dialogue should involve a conflict that actively moves the story towards a resolution.
  • If your character wants a glass of water on page one, we will read 1,000 pages to find out if he gets it. A character’s wants much be tangible and actionable.
  • Every time there is an entrance/exit, relationships change. For example, if two teenager girls are gossiping about someone, the topic and tone will shift when that other person walks by. Also take into consideration where the character is coming from and their subsequent attitude.
  • Every line of dialogue is a win or loss, and each indicates conflict (which is the heart of the plot). When editing a manuscript, it’s helpful to mark “wins” and “losses” to ensure that there is a healthy balance.
  • Along with words, people also communicate through blocking, which is motivated by emotional responses. Actions can signify one’s agenda or motive just as well as words.
  • Double- and triple-check for internal logic in dialogue tags. For example, you can’t hiss “go away!” but you could bark “no!”
  • Don’t typecast characters; choose a reaction opposite from what’s expected from time to time; have the character do something “out of character.”
  • Placing the same line of dialogue into a new setting can change the tone and meaning entirely, creating something entirely new.
  • Your protagonist can guide you, but don’t let them take the reins.
  • In freighting situations, there’s no time to think of eloquent wording. Yelling “run!” is more realistic than shouting “there’s a massive dog racing towards you and it might be a good idea to run away.”
  • The sole purpose of punctuation is to indicate the length and type of a pause to the reader.
  • Ticks, cadences, and accents are risky to do right, can be offensive, and are often difficult. If necessary, they should be used in moderation.
  • Catchphrases are good when used sparingly because they serve as a distinction, something that makes a character unique.
  • A character’s upbringing, location, and emotional state will influence their dialogue.
  • If you can’t write a compelling story, nothing else matters. First worry about the story, then go fix everything else once you’ve finished your first draft.
  • When it comes to publishing, be more conservative and know the rules when starting out. If you want to take risks, wait until you’ve made a name for yourself.
  • Clarity is GOD.
  • Use dialogue to help reader relate the characters.
  • Give characters a unique voice through their vocabulary. Does the character use four letter words or are they a walking dictionary?
  • Improve your dialogue by listening in on others’ dialogue.
  • Incorporate “fabulous realities” into your story – those things you see and hear in everyday situations that stick out and that you’d love to write down and save for a future story.
  • Accuracy and research are important to a story. If you know nothing, start with children’s books and build up from a basic understanding. Write about what you know. Don’t be a slave to research because, ultimately, the story is what really matters.
  • Combine original ideas with inspiration from others’ literature, as well as other mediums.
  • When writing from the perspective of the opposite gender, women traditionally ask questions, whereas men make more statements. Don’t fall into too many stereotypes and clichés, but they are a good start.
  • Sharing your work with a few other people is a good way to gauge how realistic your dialogue is.
  • If you haven’t been in the same situation as your character, rely on emotional memory and think of similar memories you’ve had that trigger the same emotions.
  • When it comes to revision, begin with broad strokes, then move on to internal logic and the smaller details. You should be able to summarize your  plot into one sentence.
  • Keep your readers interested by writing your book, committing to your idea, and being honest with your readers. However, when you pitch your book, appeal to what the publisher wants.
  • Editors and agents are rooting for writers because they want up to write the best book and they want to represent us. They’re simply looking for a good story, so write them a good story.

The story should end on a different plane that it begins; it should progress and develop

Recommended Books and resources:

Thanks to Tom Leveen for the wonderful workshop! Be sure to check out his young adult novel, Party, and soon-to-be-released novel, Zero .

The Importance of Character Development

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For the past few days, I’ve been floundering about trying to recall what on earth I did before November, when every minute of free time was dedicated to fiction-writing. Blogging, that rings a bell, but writing about what? And books, I faintly recall the voracious consumption of literature. Music, food, friends…it’s slowly coming back to me. But not quite. As my mind continues to recover from creative inundation, I’ll stick to the simple and familiar.

What makes for a good book? Everyone has different tastes and preferences, everyone has different reasons. I like personally enjoy elevated vocabulary, honesty, and raw emotion. But I believe the biggest draw to a story are its characters and their relatability.

Over the past month or so, I completed the Hunger Games trilogy, which I loved. I haven’t been a fan of young adult fiction since the highly anticipated release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2000. I’m not going to touch Harry Potter because I haven’t read any of them in nearly twelve years.

Instead, I wish to talk about the Hunger Games and the characters in my own novel. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonists in dystopian society of Panem, is fiercely and stubbornly independent and everything she does is either a reflection of that or an example of her giving in a bit. Peeta Mellark, a fellow Hunger Games contestant and potential love interest is compassionate and yielding, to the point where you come to expect this type of behavior from him. The persona of the fictional players is established early on and continually developed, the story revolves around and acts in accordance with the drive of the lead characters. The characters are developed into real and predictable, as well as relatable, people. I think an author’s ultimate triumph is reaching a point where the reader understands the characters - their fears, motivation, responses, and hope for the future. Without that, the story holds very little value for the audience.

Although the characters in my NaNoWriMo novel are nowhere near as full and developed as Katniss and Peeta, my idea all along was to build the characters and then toss them into situations to see how they react. Although the plot was scattered and inconsistent, I like to believe that what the characters say and do generally makes sense. The one aspect I was most concerned with in my story was conveying emotion, whether pity for Ainsley or disgust towards Hannah. Although the novel could use a lot of work, I feel like the characters are the biggest redeeming quality and really carried the story.

Several people have suggested I publish my novel, but I’m honestly not too impressed with it. My effort, yes. The product, not so much. I have not reread any of it, but I would estimate about a third is salvageable, content that seem relevant and publishable. But that’s still 15,000-20,000 words, far more than most people have written. And I have decently developed characters, which is a huge accomplishment.

How to Survive NaNoWriMo (or any other daunting project)

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National Novel Writing Month is nearly upon us. Are you prepared? No, I’m not asking whether you know each of your characters inside and out, whether you’ve built their world, or whether your have a five-page outline. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve bought all your supplies or cut out pictures of what you’d like to achieve. Our lives are packed to the brim with commitments, tasks, and distractions. Preparedness ultimately comes down to navigating those treacherous waters, being able to work this new project into your already hectic schedule.

Set aside a specific time to work. Wake up an hour early. Spend the last two hours of your day holed up in your office. Spend a good portion of your day off plugging away. Set a time to work and stick with it, no excuses. Work at a time when you will be not be interrupted. Work every day, if possible.

Set a timeline or goals. What do you need to do? How much time do you have? When are you available to work and for how long? Have a clear idea of what you need to do. Sketch a reasonable plan of action for your project before you start. Set goals that will help you stick to your schedule.

Stay organized. Sort out important documents, notes, and plans before starting your project. Knowing where everything is will reduce stress and frustration. Remove clutter from your work area. Don’t reorganize or move things around during your project.

Eliminate distractions and focus. Turn off your phone. Turn off email and social network notifications. Make sure your family, friends, and housemates know that you’re busy and not to be disturbed. Go to a library or coffee shop, if necessary. Download distraction-eliminating software, such as OmmWriter. Clear your desk of clutter. Put in headphones and listen to white noise or ambient music (I like David Ummmo).

Just do it. Sometimes it’s difficult to get started, but completion is generally rewarding. Work on your project first thing in the morning. Make your project the prerequisite to some other necessary task. Get it done.

Have fun. A project doesn’t have to be tedious or boring. Enjoy what you’re doing. Make it into a game. Set up goals and rewards. Allow yourself to get lost in what you love doing.

Seek inspiration. Don’t lock yourself up and shut everything out. Read a book. Flip through a magazine. Listen to music. Engage in your favorite hobby. Do something you enjoy. Free up your mental energy and allow room for new ideas take root.

Give yourself a chance to rejuvenate. Take a deep breath. Meditate. Relax. Go for a walk. Grab coffee with a friend. Release any stress, frustration, or sense of failure before you get back to work. Give yourself several small breaks throughout your working period.

Maintain social relationships. Don’t neglect the people who care about you while you’re busy working. Talk about your project and ask others to hold you accountable. Savor the encouragement and affirmations. Rely on your built-in support group.

Meet others working on similar projects. Connect with others who are working on the same type of project. Having people who understand what you’re going through, people who will help you through feelings of defeat. and people with whom you can celebrate your triumphs. Knowing that you’re not alone makes it easier to fight through and complete a project

Take care of yourself. Get an adequate amount of sleep. Eat well. Drink water. Excercise. Take breaks to clear your head. Listen to your body. Rest when you need it.

Reward yourself. Celebrate little victories. Acknowledge your hard work. Treat yourself to chocolate, flowers, or a night out. Bask in the satisfaction of your progress or reaching a goal. You’ve earned it.

A final review. Once you’ve completed your project (or gone as far as you’re able), summarize what you did. What went well? What could you have done more efficiently? Take notes of how you can do even better next time.

What would you add? How do you deal with daunting projects?

Why Blogging Isn’t a Waste of Time

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Allison and Shikole of The Real Post Grad recently invited me to write a guest post for their site. The topic I choose was Why Blogging Isn’t a Waste of Time. I would love for you to go check it out and let me know what you think. Be sure to explore the rest of their site – there are some wonderful posts on post-grad life!

NaNoWriMo

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I just signed up to write a novel this November.

…on top of blogging, working, and life.

50,000 words in 30 days.

I must be crazy.

Regardless, I’m unbelievably excited!

National Novel Wring Month  is an annual internet-based creative writing project which challenges participants to write 50,000 words of a new novel in one month. They don’t ask for perfect, publishable pieces. but rather that the author simply write for the sake of creativity.

The prize for completing the project is a free, paperback proof copy of your manuscripts, with the option to use the proof to then sell the novel on Amazon.com.

I highly doubt I’ll produce anything publishable, but that’s not my goal. My goal is simply to give it a shot. How cool would it be to say that at age 23 I’ve actually written a novel? (My birthday is at the end of November, so this hypothetical novel is going to be my 23rd birthday gift to myself.)

This past year has been about pushing myself, stepping out of my comfort zone, shooting for the stars. The past year has been about abandoning my typical risk-aviodance tendencies and plowing headfirst into anything and everything that catches my interest. Thus far, it’s been pretty successful. I’m amazed at what I’ve accomplished. I’m really proud of myself.

Does anyone else plan on participating in National Novel Writing Month? Has anyone done so in the past?

Versatile Blogger Award!

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For the past week or so, I’ve seen my fellow bloggers receiving an interesting chain-letter type award: The Versatile Blogger award. In the past day, Melissa from Melissa’s Meanderings and Mac from Hemlock1981 were kind enough to pass it onto me. It’s so nice to be recognized and appreciated. I’m beyond excited to pass this along to some of my favorite bloggers!

So, here are the wonderful rules of the game:

  • Thank the person who gave you the award and link the blog back to them
  • Tell us 7 things about yourself
  • Pass the award to 7 bloggers
  • Contact the bloggers to let them know they’ve received the award

You’re not obligated to pass this along, but I think it’s a great idea. It’s always nice to learn something new about a friend (yes, I consider you all to be my friends). We each have our own networks on here and it’s nice to discover new (potential favorite) bloggers. Also, everyone likes feeling noticed and appreciated, so why not be the benefactor!

So, 7 things about myself:

  1. My parents didn’t have a name picked out for me when I was born. My mom had the perfect name for a little boy, but hadn’t thought of girl names. My grandmother suggested “Erin” because it was Irish and went well with my last name. My middle name, “Page,” is a family name.  

  2. I absolutely love learning, especially reading! I’m graduating from college in May and when my parents asked what gift I’d like, I said “a bigger bookshelf.” I love owning every book I’ve read (or as many as possible) and I can’t wait to have them proudly on display. Hopefully Mother Earth can forgive me.

  3. I’ve lived in Arizona for my entire life. Thus, I think 70 degrees Farenheit is chilly, 50 is freezing; over 108 is hot and 102 is “not that bad”; mid to high 80s with a light breeze is my ideal. Snow is a foreign concept. Rain is a really big deal. Sunburn is inevitable. 

  4.  My favorite foods are dark chocolate, steak, and kalamata olives. My favorite animal is the jaguar. My favorite colors are turquoise and sapphire blue. My favorite season is autumn. My favorite words are eloquent, grotesque, abysmal, and voracious.

  5. I have a fear of falling (but not heights), so I don’t like rickety bridges, balconies, or seemingly unsecure rollercoaster rides. I also have a phobia of knives – if I see a knife out (that’s not in use) I experience an irresistible urge to put it in the dishwasher or silverware drawer.

  6. I absolutely love singing in the car with the music turned up and the windows rolled down, even if I’m embarrassing my passengers. It just makes me happy. If gas prices weren’t so high, I would drive around aimlessly listening to music and observing the scenery all the time.

  7. I’m going to borrow Melissa’s idea a leave the final question open. So, what would you like to know about me? I’ll answer either below in the comments or delicate an entire post to the topic.

And the awards go to:

  1. Genn at cadencies
  2. Jaclyn at Jaclyn Rae’s Blog
  3. Danny at dannyduluoz
  4. Joss at Crowning Crone
  5. J Roycroft at The Roycroft Report
  6. Gina at Just Married
  7. Batty Broad at The Life of a Batty Broad

Thank you all for your wonderful and inspirational work!  There are so many other writers and readers I’ve come to know over the past few months who I did not specifically mention and I’d like to thank you as well!

100

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Life is full of firsts: first steps, first word, first day of school, first kiss, first car, first child.

Life is full of milestones: birth, thirteen, eighteen, twenty-one, marriage, kids, mid-life crisis, death.

Then there are all the days in between that don’t really get the credit they deserve.

This is my 100th WordPress post. It’s not a huge deal, but sometimes it’s nice to celebrate the mini-milestones in life. I can fondly remember “100 Day” in kindergarten: on the 100th day of school, each student counted 100 of something, put it in an empty milk carton, and then brought it in to school to show the class – Fruit Loops, lollipops, Q-Tips, pennies, you name it! Although celebrations such as this may seem somewhat arbitrary, they hold special meaning to the individual or group celebrating the occasion.

Milestones are a perfect time to look back on your accomplishments and plan ahead for the future. In my four months of blogging, I’ve published 100 posts, reached over than 20,000 page views, and received more than 1,000 comments, thanks in large part to being Freshly Pressed. Who would have thought? I was shocked and ecstatic the day I clocked in 100 views! I have no idea what’s ahead, but I know that I’m facing in the right direction and if I just keep moving, things are sure to work out.

Through my blog, I’ve shared my views, my stories, my wisdom, and hopefully helped at least one person, in some small way. If nothing else, I know that writing has proved to be beneficial for me and the most wonderful undertaking. For the longest time I hesitated to even begin blogging. It’s said that writing is a window to the soul; I absolutely love writing, but do I really want to expose myself and make myself vulnerable to the opinions and criticisms of complete strangers? The question still crosses my mind on occasion, but it’s much weaker than it used to be. I love writing, I really enjoy blogging, and it still makes me smile every time I receive a comment or a ”like.” Writing makes me come alive, as I’m sure is the case for you, my fellow writers.

To all those doing what they love every day and celebrating those seemingly arbitrary days, this post is dedicated to you! For the rest, you might want to give the above formula a shot. Cheers, and keep up the good work!

Knock, knock…persistence here

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Persistence is not about knocking on one door until the damn thing finally opens.

It’s about knocking on all of them.

All too often, we focus on achieving one particular goal, in one specific manner. We have a narrow mindset and refuse to embrace the “master plan” if it goes against our own hopes and expectations. We thus instinctively ignore and shut out other opportunities when they present themselves.

A hot pink, heart-shaped sticky note sits prominently over the peek-hole on a worn wooden door screaming “In here!” but you walk right past because you can’t see what lies on the other side. Instead, you confidently walk up to the bright white French terrace door with huge windows. Clearly, the other side is occupied by weeds, old cardboard boxes, and is steeped with despair. But you still walk proudly through that door.

Sometimes knowledge – no matter how negative the reality – is more appealing than the unknown. The mysterious is equated to the frightening, the dangerous. Although the new, different, and challenging can be some of the best and most rewarding experiences, people often chose the easy and safe route instead.

“Better safe than sorry”, right?

No. I would argue in favor of “What’s the worst that could happen?” You may be embarrassed; You might be forced to laugh at yourself. But mistakes are some of the best learning experiences.

Go knock on every door you encounter! The love or your life, a future employer, your best friend, an important networking contact may lie on the other side. It’s daunting – trust me, I know! But I like to believe that it’s worth it.

Publishing my writing (online) for everyone - friends, family, former English teachers, and strangers – to read is terrifying for me! Regardless of how many positive responses I receive, some days I feel like calling it quits. But, you know what… I love writing and I want to help people. I think writing just might be the medium through which a shy, but opinionated little girl, like myself, can help people. If one person reads a post and is positively impacted by what I have to share, that’s motivation enough for me to keep writing, to keep knocking on and knocking down any doors in my path.