I'm on Spring Break with nothing to do, so I'm posting on a random writing topic.
How To Keep Pushing Through:
I know, it's hard to keep writing. You've passed the happy, new-idea phase and you're into the oh-my-goodness-where-am-I-taking-this? phase. If you're anything like me, you've got the very basic plot down, but you're unsure of the actual details and problems that fit in between. I've hit this problem in my own writing, so I figured I'd improvise this and then follow my own advice.
To start off, DON'T LEAVE YOUR WRITING BECAUSE YOU'RE FRUSTRATED. Even after just a few days, you'll look at what you wrote and think, "what the freak was I thinking? This is rubbish." Then you'll put it in the recycle bin and start over. You'll get to the same point, do the same thing, and you'll think all over again that your writing isn't worth the brain cells you put into it. This is a very nasty circle-spiral of useless writing time. Stay true to your writing and improvise a temporary scene to get you through the rough patch, and change it to suit your needs during editing. Of course, your temporary scene has to be similar to what you want there, because your story is delicate. If you put that Mary Sue wants to fight an evil king, and you've hit a rough patch when she's meeting him the 1st time, you cannot make this meeting end with King Evil giving her a bunny and her promising a rainbow. Don't forget your action-reaction idea.
Another point is DON'T GO BACK AND EDIT. If you go back and edit what you've already written, then you'll end up finding so many mistakes, you'll be tempted to trash it. And you know where that'll end up. So just push through that stubborn scene and resist the temptation to edit. You have plenty of time for editing when it's all said and done.
Third point: SEEK INSPIRATION. Grab it by its bunny-rabbit ears and don't let go. Listen to new music, convince your parents to take you to the park (or drive there, if you have your license. I don't happen to have mine yet, so I have to find other transportation). Do some research on topics you enjoy: look up religion on Google, go to your library and find books on ancient civilizations. Just pick something and read up on it. Or watch documentaries, which I personally love to do. I once watched a very informative show on the history of playing cards. Just... do something worth doing.
Try a RANDOM GENERATOR. Like http://nine.frenchboys.net/housing.php or tp://seventhsanctum.com/. These are fun and can spark an idea. You won't use all of the suggestions they give you - some are so blatantly against your story that you'll have to find something else. But they're pretty reliable.
Ummm... ADD SOMETHING NEW. If you don't consider this part of inspiration. Write a dragon into your scene! Have your MC join a pirate gang! Let your MC's sister get kidnapped! Just add something worthwhile or odd into your scene and change your plot to accomadate it. If you hate it, you can come back to it in editing.
That's all I've got. I'm sorry, I feel this kind of advice has been parroted out to writers by pretty much everyone. "Don't give up!" "Find inspiration!" It is good advice, though. And all the labrynth of my mind can come up with at the moment.
Have a blessed day and keep writing! <3
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
One upon a cat...
Happy Valentine's day! <3
And happy Tuesday, since I don't particularly enjoy V-day. You should love everyone all year round, not just some random day in February. And also, I hate... *ahem*... severely dislike the color pink.
Anyways, since I didn't plan anything, I'm going to write you a short story.
The song that inspired this short story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rMt9nMm124
It was January, although no snow coated the ground. I shivered in my threadbare jacket, staring forlornly at the sand beneath my feet. When would good luck look away from everyone else and notice little me?
The roar of the ocean calmed my thoughts. Its steady beat promised that no matter how much changed, some things would stay the same. Even the icy waves reached towards me before pulling back, time and again. I thought back over the past few hours.
"No! How dare you come back here, you little rat," Mother shouted. Her normally white face was red with anger. "Get out of here. You are not living under my roof ever again, you hear me? Never!"
"Why? Because I refuse to give you money so you can buy some more beer? Your perfect little daughter has shed her obedience. I'd rather die on the streets than be here." I slammed the door on my way out, not even bothering to go to my room. All the money I had earned that day stayed in my pockets.
The twisted happiness of rebellion had faded by now. What would I do? I couldn't afford to keep up school tuition by myself; it was almost too much between Mother and I. And my Mcdonald's job only payed so much. Where would I find food and shelter? I swallowed my tears and gazed up at the night sky. It was a gorgeous view, with the stars shining confidently and the waxing moon shed some light down on my face. More than ever, I wished the world could slow down, forget the money and power and just enjoy the view.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" remarked a voice behind me. I turned around awkwardly, but saw no one but a small Siamese cat. It licked its paw and stepped closer, laying down beside me. It opened its mouth. "Humans almost never look past themselves. I sense you do, though. You understand the true beauty of life." The cat sighed. The voice sounded cultured and rich, and I judged that it was a tomcat who spoke to me.
"It is," I said after a pause. "But I almost can't focus on it. I'm afraid I can't see past myself at the moment." I laughed ruefully and sat down beside him. "Sometimes I wonder if the world can't see past itself to find me."
"Maybe not this world," said the cat thoughtfully. After another silence, he continued. "I like your honesty. But I think you aren't looking at yourself at all. You're looking at who you think you are, and they are very different people." He picked himself up and crawled into my lap, purring as I scratched behind his ears.
"You know, you don't belong here," he confided in me. "Not on Earth. It's corrupt and broken, while you... you are too beautiful, too knowing, too stay. And thankfully, I have a solution." He purred louder.
"What?" I said carefully. I was by now wary. But there was something comforting about the cat, as if he were a caring father looking after his children. The fact that he talked and thought just like me wasn't as surprising as what he said, though.
The cat stretched and launched himself onto my shoulders. I winced as his claws dug through my clothes and into my skin. And he whispered his name into my ear.
I closed my eyes as a wave of nausea rolled over me, drowning out the ocean. When I opened them, I gasped. I was standing on a steep hill, with plains spreading for miles to the north and a great forest stretching to the south. To the west stood a small village, the buildings tall and built with human hands. But there seemed to be very few humans at all; most of the villagers appeared to be cats, tigers, lions, ocelots, leopards, cheetahs, and every other feline species you could name, as well as a few more. And looking down, I saw that my clothes had disappeared and so had my human body. Instead, I flexed my claws and yawned, feeling mighty and powerful in my diminutive Siamese cat form.
"Welcome home, Princess," said my real father from beside me.
********************
So, hope you enjoyed it. Goodbye for now, and have a blessed week. <3
And happy Tuesday, since I don't particularly enjoy V-day. You should love everyone all year round, not just some random day in February. And also, I hate... *ahem*... severely dislike the color pink.
Anyways, since I didn't plan anything, I'm going to write you a short story.
The song that inspired this short story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rMt9nMm124
It was January, although no snow coated the ground. I shivered in my threadbare jacket, staring forlornly at the sand beneath my feet. When would good luck look away from everyone else and notice little me?
The roar of the ocean calmed my thoughts. Its steady beat promised that no matter how much changed, some things would stay the same. Even the icy waves reached towards me before pulling back, time and again. I thought back over the past few hours.
"No! How dare you come back here, you little rat," Mother shouted. Her normally white face was red with anger. "Get out of here. You are not living under my roof ever again, you hear me? Never!"
"Why? Because I refuse to give you money so you can buy some more beer? Your perfect little daughter has shed her obedience. I'd rather die on the streets than be here." I slammed the door on my way out, not even bothering to go to my room. All the money I had earned that day stayed in my pockets.
The twisted happiness of rebellion had faded by now. What would I do? I couldn't afford to keep up school tuition by myself; it was almost too much between Mother and I. And my Mcdonald's job only payed so much. Where would I find food and shelter? I swallowed my tears and gazed up at the night sky. It was a gorgeous view, with the stars shining confidently and the waxing moon shed some light down on my face. More than ever, I wished the world could slow down, forget the money and power and just enjoy the view.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" remarked a voice behind me. I turned around awkwardly, but saw no one but a small Siamese cat. It licked its paw and stepped closer, laying down beside me. It opened its mouth. "Humans almost never look past themselves. I sense you do, though. You understand the true beauty of life." The cat sighed. The voice sounded cultured and rich, and I judged that it was a tomcat who spoke to me.
"It is," I said after a pause. "But I almost can't focus on it. I'm afraid I can't see past myself at the moment." I laughed ruefully and sat down beside him. "Sometimes I wonder if the world can't see past itself to find me."
"Maybe not this world," said the cat thoughtfully. After another silence, he continued. "I like your honesty. But I think you aren't looking at yourself at all. You're looking at who you think you are, and they are very different people." He picked himself up and crawled into my lap, purring as I scratched behind his ears.
"You know, you don't belong here," he confided in me. "Not on Earth. It's corrupt and broken, while you... you are too beautiful, too knowing, too stay. And thankfully, I have a solution." He purred louder.
"What?" I said carefully. I was by now wary. But there was something comforting about the cat, as if he were a caring father looking after his children. The fact that he talked and thought just like me wasn't as surprising as what he said, though.
The cat stretched and launched himself onto my shoulders. I winced as his claws dug through my clothes and into my skin. And he whispered his name into my ear.
I closed my eyes as a wave of nausea rolled over me, drowning out the ocean. When I opened them, I gasped. I was standing on a steep hill, with plains spreading for miles to the north and a great forest stretching to the south. To the west stood a small village, the buildings tall and built with human hands. But there seemed to be very few humans at all; most of the villagers appeared to be cats, tigers, lions, ocelots, leopards, cheetahs, and every other feline species you could name, as well as a few more. And looking down, I saw that my clothes had disappeared and so had my human body. Instead, I flexed my claws and yawned, feeling mighty and powerful in my diminutive Siamese cat form.
"Welcome home, Princess," said my real father from beside me.
********************
So, hope you enjoyed it. Goodbye for now, and have a blessed week. <3
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tentative suggestions
So, inspiration. If you're like me, inspiration can come from anything, whether it's the numbers on your digital clock or some crazy stunt your family/friends pulled.
But if you're not, here's some common ways to find inspiration:
MUSIC. The mood of a song can determine the mood of your scene. Like, there's a vast difference between Owl City and Black Veil Brides. Although I don't keep track of music genres (rock, heavy metal, country, etc.), I do keep track of the melodies/lyrics. For a happy scene, I'd recommend:
1. Britt Nicole (Headphones, How We Roll)
2. Owl City (Galaxies, Designer Skyline, To The Sky)
3. Carrie Underwood (Crazy Dreams, The More Boys I Meet)
For a love scene:
1. Owl City (Honey and the Bee, Deer in the Headlights)
2. Allison Krauss (When You Say Nothing At All)
3. Diamond Rio (Beautiful Mess)
Inspirational:
1. Superchick (Hero, We Live, Get Up)
2. Aly & AJ (Rush, No One)
3. The Afters (Beautiful Words)
Heavy, like rock music (you know what I mean):
1. Skillet (The Last Night, Monster, Falling Inside the Black)
2. Black Veil Brides (Fallen Angels, Perfect Weapon)
3. Sanctus Real (I'm Not Alright)
You can probably tell I love music, by now. And like I said, I don't keep track of just one genre, more just the feel of the music.
Another source of inspiration is REAL LIFE. I get quite a few ideas looking at my family or friends, or even random strangers. Like, I based my MC's sister of of my real sister. My MC has a love of art, just like my mom. Lines of dialogue, plot ideas, personality quirks, all can come from around you. What I do is, whenever my brain sparks off an idea because of my surroundings, I write it on my arm in pen. I don't go anywhere without a pen. This way, I don't forget my idea before a more convenient time comes around. I can write it on my arm during a test at school or doing my chores.
Third- READING/TV. It feels unfair to group something as mundane as TV with glorious reading, but I must, to keep this post shorter than a mile long. You can get a general stereotype, like the nagging wife, the grumpy old man, the wise, blind person. Or you could come across something unique and refreshing, and want to try and do that. For example, you think of all mice as rodents/pests. Then I read The Tale of Despereaux, and it's really sweet towards mice. Or, you think of imaginary friends for little kids, until you read The BFG or maybe Bridge to Terabithia. Or that biology is boring, until you read Leviathan. The possibilities are endless. For TV, Warehouse 13 or Eureka on SyFy are awesome. Mythbusters is good, too.
To recap, music + real life + books/TV = common inspiration. I just gave you a ton of ideas, now pick up your pen, or sit down at your computer, and WRITE.
And a semi-relevant quote for you to think over~
"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living." -Dr. Seuss
But if you're not, here's some common ways to find inspiration:
MUSIC. The mood of a song can determine the mood of your scene. Like, there's a vast difference between Owl City and Black Veil Brides. Although I don't keep track of music genres (rock, heavy metal, country, etc.), I do keep track of the melodies/lyrics. For a happy scene, I'd recommend:
1. Britt Nicole (Headphones, How We Roll)
2. Owl City (Galaxies, Designer Skyline, To The Sky)
3. Carrie Underwood (Crazy Dreams, The More Boys I Meet)
For a love scene:
1. Owl City (Honey and the Bee, Deer in the Headlights)
2. Allison Krauss (When You Say Nothing At All)
3. Diamond Rio (Beautiful Mess)
Inspirational:
1. Superchick (Hero, We Live, Get Up)
2. Aly & AJ (Rush, No One)
3. The Afters (Beautiful Words)
Heavy, like rock music (you know what I mean):
1. Skillet (The Last Night, Monster, Falling Inside the Black)
2. Black Veil Brides (Fallen Angels, Perfect Weapon)
3. Sanctus Real (I'm Not Alright)
You can probably tell I love music, by now. And like I said, I don't keep track of just one genre, more just the feel of the music.
Another source of inspiration is REAL LIFE. I get quite a few ideas looking at my family or friends, or even random strangers. Like, I based my MC's sister of of my real sister. My MC has a love of art, just like my mom. Lines of dialogue, plot ideas, personality quirks, all can come from around you. What I do is, whenever my brain sparks off an idea because of my surroundings, I write it on my arm in pen. I don't go anywhere without a pen. This way, I don't forget my idea before a more convenient time comes around. I can write it on my arm during a test at school or doing my chores.
Third- READING/TV. It feels unfair to group something as mundane as TV with glorious reading, but I must, to keep this post shorter than a mile long. You can get a general stereotype, like the nagging wife, the grumpy old man, the wise, blind person. Or you could come across something unique and refreshing, and want to try and do that. For example, you think of all mice as rodents/pests. Then I read The Tale of Despereaux, and it's really sweet towards mice. Or, you think of imaginary friends for little kids, until you read The BFG or maybe Bridge to Terabithia. Or that biology is boring, until you read Leviathan. The possibilities are endless. For TV, Warehouse 13 or Eureka on SyFy are awesome. Mythbusters is good, too.
To recap, music + real life + books/TV = common inspiration. I just gave you a ton of ideas, now pick up your pen, or sit down at your computer, and WRITE.
And a semi-relevant quote for you to think over~
"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living." -Dr. Seuss
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