If you recall, I mentioned it in my last post. This wouldn’t be a first, but this is the first time I’ve shared my writing on my blog. This year in my home school curriculum, I was required to write a short story — totally not a problem, right? I knew I wanted to write a story set sometime in the 1940s, regarding WWII. But there are so many stories and locations you could set a WWII story in, so I was largely overwhelmed and a bit intimidated. Eventually, taking advice and ideas from my parents and pulling from other books/movies/stories I’ve read, I put something together that I think turned out pretty well.
(I asked my dad to help me with a cover… and he had a little fun.)
Research was actually a lot of fun (I watched a 1945 US propaganda film and somehow managed to connect PTSD to what you might know as truth serum from the Divergent series. The world is a crazy place, bookworms.) I would really appreciate any feedback or comments you have for me. You can read the story on my Wattpad (linked below) or in a PDF format (also linked below.)
Are you a writer? What kind of stories do you enjoy writing? Are you working on anything in particular at the moment? And how do you work up the courage to share your writing? (Spill all, ’cause I haven’t got a clue.)
I truly believe I would go insane if not for writing. No, it’s true! I know people say all the time “I can’t live without books” or “I can’t live without my cat” or “I can’t live without chocolate” (wait that one is true.) But I WOULD go insane without writing. They’d put me in a place for crazy people. (What’s that called again? An asylum?) There are several reasons that I’ve grown to depend on writing. Like, for instance:
Sometimes people drive me NUTTY! I’m not always good at socializing. Or getting along with people. It’s why I much prefer fictional people; they never get on my nerves. Sometimes – well, MOST of the time – I end up writing furiously in my journals about so-in-so and how they make my blood absolutely, positively BOIL… and yes I cringe at old diary entries but it got my blood back down to a normal temperature at the time. Something about getting my crazy thoughts on paper is so refreshing. And when that backfires because I’m terrified someone might find my diary someday and call the cops, I rename people and kill them off in my stories. Don’t judge. You know you do it too.
The best writing is emotional. I write all the time, even when I’m chill. But when I’m downright bloody mad or sobbing with salty, pitiful tears running down my ruddy cheeks (see? emotional!)… that’s when my writing is the best. It’s raw. It may seem a tad melodramatic later (because I am a very dramatic person, and I may have been an actor in another life) but it’s REAL.
MY writing could someday give someone else life, too! Isn’t that the most amazing thought? If you’re a writer, or a reader (which I know the majority of you are, unless you’re my cousin who says she dislikes books and makes me downright BLOODY MAD… oh hey, Sydney) you know what I mean. Don’t we LOVE books that make us think, that make us cry? The writer of those stories thought to share their writings and it affected us in a great way. Shared writing is incredible; powerful, even. In fact, I may make another post on why books give me life. WE WRITERS MUST STICK TOGETHER!
It’s much more reliable than talking. Oh, I’m a mess of a talker. True, I love discussing things and debating and sharing my thoughts with my family and friends… but I feel like it all comes out warbled and messy – my words are just all over the place! For example, if I was talking with my mom or dad about why writing gives me life, here I would have said “It comes out so much better than talking.” Now doesn’t “I’m a mess of a talker, it comes out warbled, much more reliable” sound loads better?? I stopped for a moment and googled synonyms and thought to myself “now what could I say here…” and it looks much nicer. My words on a screen or paper – whatever it may be – make me feel something more.
Writing is timeless. Look at Jane Austen. Look at Emily Dickinson, or Charles Dickens. They could never have imagined how long their writing would LIVE. They died years ago, but their writing is still very much alive. And even though they wrote it in another time, another place, CENTURIES ago… it still affects people. I like to think that my kids and grand kids will thumb through all the journals that take up so much space in my room (seriously. so. much. space.) and laugh at tiny 11-year-old or 12 or 13 or 14-year-old Emily and think “if Grandma could survive little sisters and mean girls at school, so can I!” Even if the only people who ever read what I wrote is my family, it’s enough. It’s enough to know that someone understood me, and it’s fascinating to have parts of my life documented.
Looking back. That brings me to my next point, and I’ve said it many, many times here. I LOVE reading my old writing. I can see how far I’ve come in just a few weeks, months, or years. I can see how I felt then. I can laugh at myself or cry or just smile. It’s COOL, okay?! Again, it’s just fascinating to have parts of my life documented – even if it’s only for my eyes to see.
If you don’t write already, you SHOULD. I don’t write all the time. Sometimes I won’t touch a notebook for weeks or months. I have notebooks where I write ideas for stories, and notebooks where I write about my everyday life. (“I had a PB&J for lunch.” “I lost my cat today.”) If that’s all you write, it’s still important! It’s like a physical “Time Hop.” (That’s an app where you can see what you posted one, two, three, and so forth, years ago on this day.)
SO, in honor of writing, and in hopes that you’ll take up a notebook and write anything at all down, I’m giving away this journal! It’s from Barnes & Noble, and pictures are below. Plus I just bought it for myself, so whoever wins can be notebook twinsies with me! 🙂 Please read the guidelines below and get going! 🙂
The front of the notebook.… and the back! 🙂
You have two weeks to enter. The giveaway ends on October 9, 2015. The winner will be announced shortly after on my blog and will receive an email from me.
The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email; if you don’t respond sooner I will choose another winner.
The giveaway is open to US residents only, please. Sorry to any international blog readers! (INT giveaways are headed your way soon, I promise!)
Over the past year or so, I’ve used two notebooks for all sorts of inspiring things – quotes, pictures, lists. Anything that sparks my mind. (Including doodles of Despicable Me minions. So not always writing-inspired, but hey, it’s got my mind going.) 😉 Upon finishing my second one today, I’ve realized that I never want to be without one as long as I live. In fact, I don’t even know why I never had a randomness-inspiring-thoughts-no-nonsense-journal before then.
I keep two notebooks that I’m always writing in: one that I write things going on in my life. (Aka my diary, which isn’t as secretive as the stereo-typical teenage girl would keep hers, under lock and key. So… I don’t like to call it my “diary,” since it’s sort of a “stereo-typical” word, but that’s basically what is.) I’ve been writing in that one for two and a half years. I was in fifth grade when I started it, and that was a tough year, so I’m glad that I did write down what I was feeling. It’s definitely something to look at my past entries. But I won’t be sharing those today. Maybe in a few more years… or ten…!
an entry on Oct. 4, 2012…
I definitely recommend keeping a journal like that, even if you write a few sentences like “Went to the movies today with my friends” or “Rainy summer day… ahhh.” I will admit I turn to my journal more when I’m going through something really emotional. In fact, some of my entries are just scribbles on the page from when I was angry. (Getting grounded, my sister being annoying, friendship issues. You get the picture.) But it’s still okay, because it’s a safe place to reflect and writing has always been an outlet for me to do just that.
The other notebook that I keep is my “writer’s notebook.” Now, I first decided to start a writer’s notebook when I read the book A Writer’s Notebook by Ralph Fletcher, meant for kids, and it tells you and gives you all sorts of ideas of what to write in your notebook. It talks about what a writer’s notebook is, and has some fantastic ideas. Some of the chapter titles are “Memories” or “Writing Small,” “Lists,” and “Writing about Writing.” It’s a really great book! I had no clue where to start, and it got me going.
a list of things I’m grateful for.
Now, I like to call my writer’s notebook my “Offline Pinterest,” because even when I can’t think of anything to jot down in it, looking at old entries inspire me.
I’ve written quotes…
Audrey Hepburn, Markus Zusak, and Taylor Swift quotes I wrote down on Feb. 8, 2014
and pictures…
and pictures of my characters! (You’ll recognize some from my Pinterest boards.)
one of my main characters, “Rowan Markley.” I’m in love with her name!
and, like I said, I’ve drawn minions. (Hawaiian minions, to be exact.)
I drew this in April. Isn’t he cute?! My next goal is to draw a one-eyed minion. I just need to nail the overalls… hula skirts are easier. 😉
do you keep journals? writer’s notebook? “diary?” what do you keep in them? i’d love to hear your thoughts!
P.S. I apologize for not answering questions the past few days, and in advance, since the next two weeks are going to be pretty busy! I’ll keep you posted! 🙂
Mine is going GREAT, particularly because I’m so crazy excited about a current story I’m working on for National Novel Writing Month. I’m in love with the characters, I’m in love with the plot… everything about it. I was sitting here writing this scene where one girl is crying because she and one of her best friends are drifting apart, and I’m trying my darned hardest not to pound the keyboard in tears myself.
WHY ARE MY CHARACTERS SO MEAN TO EACH OTHER?! Don’t ask me. They have a mind of their own.
… Meanwhile, my family is cracking each other up while they play board games. (I played a round of Clue with them and WON! That almost NEVER happens! 😀 ) And since I’m roughly 1,000 words ahead of my word count goal for the day, I decided to share a small excerpt from my NaNoWriMo novel with you. Enjoy! (By the way: I’ve tentatively named my main character ‘Allie,’ though I’ll probably change it later.)
For the whole duration of the service, as Pastor Paul droned on, I thought about Pippa and Stacey, and what was wrong with Stacey. Something was definitely up. I knew it wasn’t my business to go poking around, but I couldn’t help but wonder.
“And Jesus said to the crows, ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted…’” Pastor Paul read from the pulpit, and my ears perked up at what he read. “‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”
Meek. I made a mental note to look the word up after the service. “‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.’” Righteousness. Do I hunger and thirst for righteousness? Do I want to be filled? Several minutes later, the pastor was ending the service in prayer and dad and I stood.
Making our way out the door, dad stopping to chit-chat with people along the way, I thought about what the pastor had been reading; being hungry for righteousness and comforted when you mourn. The words rang in my ear. Mom hungered for righteousness everyday. She talked about God all the time. Talked to God.
I knew there had to be a God; my mom wasn’t crazy, but she was definitely crazy about God. Even dad, over the years, had begun to love God and read his word. I’d learned about the bible for years now, but it always went in one ear and out the other.
There just had to be something more.
So that was that! I don’t have a set-in-stone synopsis yet, but I’ll tell you more as I get deeper into the story. =) I hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you all think! Are any of you participating in NaNoWriMo? What’s your novel like?
Oh, and if you are, add me on the Young Writer’s Program for NaNoWriMo here. =)
November 1st begins one of my favorite months of the years. Not only is it officially the start of the holidays for me (Thanksgiving, anyone? My favorite holiday. All the food! YES, PLEASE. Oh, and let’s not forget Christmas! Then there’s Valentine’s day, and… President’s day… Anyway.) It’s also NANOWRIMO! NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month, happens every November. Thousands of writers all over the world set out to write a 50k novel in 30 days.
Yes way!
I’ve decided that this year, I’m really going to commit. I had originally wanted my word-count goal to be 50,000 words, but since I’ll be out of town for ten days (don’t get me wrong, I am NOT complaining! I’ve been waiting to go on this cruise since January!), I lowered it to 30,000 – which means if I don’t write while I’m out of town and write every other day I’m at home, I’d only have to write about 1,578 words a day – which is like a chapter for me, since my chapters typically range from 1500-2000 words.
I first heard about NaNoWriMo through Heather Vogel Frederick (one of my all-time favorite authors!) three years ago through her blog. I took a composition notebook and filled it with plans for my novel – a sci fi novel about a girl who found out she was born on Jupiter. (I mean, really, what was I thinking?! I’ve never even read sci-fi, much less write it!) I’m pretty sure I read a blog post encouraging writers to step out of their comfort zone and write something different. Needless to say, I finished it in that composition notebook and I’ve no idea what happened to it.
Last year I didn’t even reach my goal, but this time around…
I have a plan.
Yes, I have a plan. And this year I’m going to complete my word-count goal.
I’ve even been reading some blogs with some awesome NaNo/Writing tips… Tessa at Christ is Write wrote 10 tips to prepare for NaNoWriMo, Cait at The Notebook Sister shares her sneaky secrets to writing 10,000 words in one day, and Shannon, Jill, and Stephanie are always sharing some awesome tips at Go Teen Writers – but this week they’ve been talking about where to begin when writing a novel. (I dare you to go check out Go Teen Writers! It’s a gold mine for writing tips, I promise!) And, of course, the Young Writer’s Program for NaNoWriMo is always posting loads of writing prep on the blog.
Are any of you guys participating in NaNoWriMo this coming month? Let me know in the comments below!
No Stacking the Shelves today, since… I pretty much covered the books I’ve read this week (all of the books in The Selection series and still making my way through Sara’s Key. That one’s gonna take me a while. Meep.) Instead, I’m linking up with Sky @ Further Up and Further In and Cait @ Notebook Sisters for the Beautiful People meme. The meme is designed to help writers learn more about their characters. The hosts will give you ten questions to answer on my blog every fifth of the month and the meme is open all month. I, for one, definitely need to get to know my characters. (I like to skip to the writing part and totally disregard the planning part.)
SO. This month’s character is going to be Maisie, my newest character for the story (no title yet!) I’m working on for July NaNoWriMo. Without further ado… the questions! (WHOO! GO MAISIE!!) Okay, okay, that’s enough. Settle down now.
1) What is their full name and is there a story behind why they got it? Maisie Rose Reed. I wanted a classic, feminine, sweet sounding name that was still not quite as known as Emma or even Ellie, which were my first choices. Her mother is kind of… crazy. (I’ll leave it at that, lol), and so I also wanted a name that sounded kind of rough around the edges. (Similar sounding to Macy, or something, except you pronounce it with a z, not a c.) Rose is her aunt Eleanor’s name, who ends up raising her and her older sister, Carmine, and Maisie adored aunt Eleanor. Reed is so pretty, I just really fell in love with it when I discovered it. 2) How old are they, and when were they born? So, in the present day, Maisie is 25. There’s no actual year set or anything, it’s just kind of present day, but her birthday is in October. But the chapters take you back to when she was 6, then 7, 8, 9, and so on until she’s 19 and kind of shows you how she ended up with her aunt and then her best friend, Zander, ends up falling in love with her, they get in a fight, break up when she’s 19 and never see each other again. (Something like that, okay? I’m still working out the kinks.) So yeah. In present day, she’s 25. 3) Describe their physical appearance. (Bonus questions: 1. What is their race/nationality/ethnicity? 2. Do you have a picture of them? If so, include it!) I imagine Maisie to have dark brown hair and blue eyes. I imagine her to have some Mexican roots on her father’s side (her father never makes an appearance in the book, but she does have some fatherly influences), but it’s not really said much in the book. I tried to find the best picture possible for Maisie, but this is pretty darn close: 4) Describe your character’s personality first in one word, and then elaborate with a few sentences. Strong. Very strong. Not like, the muscular type (I hope you didn’t assume that, lol), but very strong in the way that in the beginning of the book, she loses her aunt Eleanor, her mother pretty much left her on her aunt’s doorstep when she was six, and she lost her best friend and first love. Plus she and her older sister are growing apart, and that kind of makes her sad, especially because she still loves her nieces. She carries a lot on her shoulders, but she keeps going and works hard in school and at work and everywhere else. 5) What theme song(s) fit their personality and story arc? (Do you want to reword that or does that work? I’m not sure…) Probably All Too Well by Taylor Swift (it actually kind of makes me cry because it reminds me so much of Maisie’s story), and Strongerby Kelly Clarkson. 6) Which one of the seven deadly sins describes your character? Pride. 7) If they were an element (fire, water, earth, air), which one would they be? Air. 8) What is their favourite word? Hmmm… tough one. Get back to you on that one? 9) Who’s one person they really miss? (It could be someone who’s passed away, or someone they’re not close to anymore, or someone who’s moved away.) Her aunt Eleanor. And, at first, when she was younger, her mother. (She eventually lets go.) 10) What sights, sounds, and smells remind them of that person? Well, for her aunt Eleanor, the sweet perfume, Crimson Plum, she wore. And chocolate malt milkshakes. With a cherry on top.
I love descriptions. I am particularly fond of weather. The rain seemed to pour from all different directions. The sun drenched the spot on the desk where her pencil lay, rolling back and forth, just as she left it a few minutes before. The wind whistled, blowing whispers through her wild hair. The problem is (or so I have recently discovered), that sometimes we (as writers; as readers), tend to get a bit wishy-washy in the descriptive department.
Google tells me that the word wish-washy means “watered down.” And when authors use too many descriptions, that’s just what your writing turns out to be. My writing mentor, Rachel Coker (go check out my review on one of her books, Interrupted!), said several weeks ago that adverbs and descriptions can really bring your writing down. Those of you who have read my writing before know I absolutely love using descriptions, so that was a pretty hard concept for me to swallow. But with a little time and effort, you can still get your writing to flow easily in a way that makes your reader know exactly what you meant without so much descriptions preventing your story from moving forward.
Take this example Rachel gave me one week when I was working on a mystery story. (The story was kind of challenging for me to write because while I love descriptions, with mysteries you really have to dive right in to keep the reader hooked.) Instead of “She laughed playfully before slowly falling asleep,” read this next example and see which of the two you like better – “He heard her tinkling laughter dying out as her heavy eyelids closed in sleep.”
The first is a really great sentence! … for an average writer, who, in this example, clearly used over-used adverbs that would put one to sleep if he/she constantly used sentences like that in a book. And the truth is, reading my writing in my head, I notice I use adverbs and sentences like that all the time. I hate it when my mom or dad reads my writing aloud, because suddenly I hear all the flaws and errors I made. How can I possibly call myself a writer? I think. Listen to this… this mess!
I find myself editing and going over and over fixing every little thing, every tiny detail that caused my writing to sound drab. It bugs me like crazy, but how I adore descriptive details! So I try to make sure I have limited descriptions… in a fascinating, hooking way! This can be hard, but if I relax and take it all by stride, my writing looks nice, clean, and interesting! And what reader wouldn’t love that?
