I've heard different methods, read author's advice on "how to deal" with this affliction. I still haven't found a sure-fire way to get past it, but I thought I would spend a brief post imparting my aquired knowledge. Who knows! It might help you.
1. I learned that a good writing friend of mine likes to write "fan fiction" in other to get over a writing rut. Sometimes it helps just writing about characters already established. And you don't have to work on a specific part like plot or scenery to progress the story. You can compose a dramatic monologue from a certain person's perspective or add a much-desired twist or create an alternate ending. In my friend's experience, it helps revive the creative mind. www.fanfiction.net
2. Every book I've read written by writers for writers says that when encountering a bump in the twisted, unsure road that is authorhood, the surest way to conquer is by just writing...something....anything. As long as you consistently put something on that blank page, an idea is sure to come. Some even say mindlessly typing "blank blank blank" or "word word word" or something of that effect will help. I think they mean that by going through the physical motion of writing, you're mind will soon follow. Whether this is true or not I can't certainly say, but on rare occasions it has helped.
In short, everyone has their own little trick when it comes to writing, whether it's dealing with creative difficulties or the order in which you compile your story. What techniques do you use? Any interesting theories or methods?
Friday, March 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Ramblings About "The News"
I’m a big news-junkie.
Anderson Cooper, Lisa Ling, National Geographic, “60 Minutes”—actually pretty much anything CBS and I’m there. Maybe it’s the story-telling aspect of it, I’m not sure. Regardless, I find it all fascinating. (Also, as I mentioned in my first post, it provides ample inspiration for writing.) We can learn a lot about ourselves and the world around us through watching or reading the news. True stories of triumph, friendship, and love encourage us; stories of real pain and tragedy break our hearts and move some of us to action.
That being said, there are numerous people that become paranoid because of the news. In fact, my grandmother is one of them. She’s the type that compulsively watches the horrible things on the news and then makes a round of phone calls warning everyone of the inherent danger of-well, just about anything. She has good intentions, and I know this but we can’t live in fear. Bad things will happen eventually. This is obviously an abuse of information.
I think people who use the excuse “but the news is so depressing” are missing the big picture. There are so many touching stories that make the news, meant to inspire and show us that incredible things really do happen. And what about the heart-wrenching stories that we hear about all the time? What about them? If it’s so horrible, just think about the people living through those nightmares. The least we can do is pray for them, keep them in our thoughts. Most of us are blessed enough to have relatively peaceful lives, which has spoiled us. Is it so bad to be moved out of our comfort zone, especially when it brings us closer to sympathizing with complete strangers in distress?
Despite the numerous benefits of news, I find it intolerable when news stations are so obviously biased and enjoy mean-spirited “debating” (which actually means yelling and senselessly arguing their own opinions). This is why I don’t like Fox News or CNN.
Anderson Cooper, Lisa Ling, National Geographic, “60 Minutes”—actually pretty much anything CBS and I’m there. Maybe it’s the story-telling aspect of it, I’m not sure. Regardless, I find it all fascinating. (Also, as I mentioned in my first post, it provides ample inspiration for writing.) We can learn a lot about ourselves and the world around us through watching or reading the news. True stories of triumph, friendship, and love encourage us; stories of real pain and tragedy break our hearts and move some of us to action.
That being said, there are numerous people that become paranoid because of the news. In fact, my grandmother is one of them. She’s the type that compulsively watches the horrible things on the news and then makes a round of phone calls warning everyone of the inherent danger of-well, just about anything. She has good intentions, and I know this but we can’t live in fear. Bad things will happen eventually. This is obviously an abuse of information.
I think people who use the excuse “but the news is so depressing” are missing the big picture. There are so many touching stories that make the news, meant to inspire and show us that incredible things really do happen. And what about the heart-wrenching stories that we hear about all the time? What about them? If it’s so horrible, just think about the people living through those nightmares. The least we can do is pray for them, keep them in our thoughts. Most of us are blessed enough to have relatively peaceful lives, which has spoiled us. Is it so bad to be moved out of our comfort zone, especially when it brings us closer to sympathizing with complete strangers in distress?
Despite the numerous benefits of news, I find it intolerable when news stations are so obviously biased and enjoy mean-spirited “debating” (which actually means yelling and senselessly arguing their own opinions). This is why I don’t like Fox News or CNN.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Musings about Japan
Warning: this post will probably be a little rambling and may seem aimless, but bear with me!
This weekend, as I mentioned before, I went to my friend's new family lake house. It was a beautiful location, with tall trees that stretched farther toward the sky than the squat live oaks we have here. As the name would entail, we were right beside a massive lake, although I was mildly depressed when I discovered it was manmade. The calming beauty was dampened, however, by the catastrophe in Japan that I heard of from my mom when we were beginning the 4 hour drive to the retreat. I can't imagine an earthquake, what it must feel like when the ground beneath you (the one thing we think of as solid) is actually quavering. I can't imagine what it would be like to see a rolling tower of waves rushing toward you, literally swallowing every thing you own. But the thought makes me sick. It would make any of us horrified if we actually took the time to think of the implications were we in their shoes. So many of us (I would venture to guess 80%, at least) suffer from what I call "The Bubble Syndrome." We constantly separate ourselves from any train of thought that doesn't seem comfortable or applicable to our own lives. We don't even attempt to truly imagine what someone else is thinking or feeling. Right now you're probably thinking that you're not "one of those people"...you actually sympathize with people around the world dealing with tragedy. If you are, think again. Do you honestly even take the time to see a situation from your brother's viewpoint or try to understand an argument from your best friend's mind? Probably not.
I believe it was the British poet, Matthew Arnold who conveyed similar sentiments in one of his poems, lamenting the unavoidable isolation we all face in life. You may feel extremely close to someone, but then you realize that you can never truly be of one mind. Individuality is a wonderful thing, but it can also be an excuse for narcissism. It can be used as a tool to further separate "us" from "them." We seem to view others through a pane of glass, their pain isn't real to us. Why? Because they're aren't me, and I'm not them. That's how our minds work...I guess.
This past winter, my worldview widened considerably. While in Minnesota, I met two college students who were on the same delayed flight to Tokyo Narita airport (the very airport that was flooded with water from Friday's tsunami). They were from Japan. One was an American who had grown up at the U.S. military base in Okinawa, heading back to spend Christmas with her family, the other was a Japanese girl born and raised in Tokyo, returning from studying. When the incident occured on Friday, I was thinking of them. And also all the other people from Japan that we spent hours with when our flight was delayed for two days. The idea that someone I had seen or spoken with or smiled at is dead from this natural disaster was shocking to me for some reason. Not only that. How many (if any) have family members or friend unaccounted for? Were any of the people I saw headed to Tokyo from Sendai or one of the towns washed away? It wasn't just the people I met in Minnesota that made me feel so deeply about this, though. For going on two years I've been thinking and wanting to teach English or live in Asia when I graduate. Japan was one of the places I've been considering, so when I heard that an American girl who had been teaching there for 3 years was missing after the tsunami the thought occured that her and I are not so dissimilar. (Thankfully, she contacted her parents after 4 days of being unable to communicate--she's okay :) Also, when I was watching the news coverage in the aftermath, an American correspondent was being interviewed over the phone from Tokyo. It shook me to my core when I heard his voice quivering as he related the earthquake. Realizing how deeply it affected him (someone I don't even know!) was...strange. He and his friends were in the newsroom going about their day when the world fell apart. He said that Tokyo was the more fortunate of the cities hit and that people were mostly dealing with the psychological blow. How could they not be reeling from the shock?
There are thousands of people still unaccounted for in Japan. Thousands. And now they're also facing a nuclear disaster. Even though it's impossible to imagine the gravity of the situation, I dare you to try. Burst the "bubble" that separates you from the rest of the world. What really makes us so different?
This weekend, as I mentioned before, I went to my friend's new family lake house. It was a beautiful location, with tall trees that stretched farther toward the sky than the squat live oaks we have here. As the name would entail, we were right beside a massive lake, although I was mildly depressed when I discovered it was manmade. The calming beauty was dampened, however, by the catastrophe in Japan that I heard of from my mom when we were beginning the 4 hour drive to the retreat. I can't imagine an earthquake, what it must feel like when the ground beneath you (the one thing we think of as solid) is actually quavering. I can't imagine what it would be like to see a rolling tower of waves rushing toward you, literally swallowing every thing you own. But the thought makes me sick. It would make any of us horrified if we actually took the time to think of the implications were we in their shoes. So many of us (I would venture to guess 80%, at least) suffer from what I call "The Bubble Syndrome." We constantly separate ourselves from any train of thought that doesn't seem comfortable or applicable to our own lives. We don't even attempt to truly imagine what someone else is thinking or feeling. Right now you're probably thinking that you're not "one of those people"...you actually sympathize with people around the world dealing with tragedy. If you are, think again. Do you honestly even take the time to see a situation from your brother's viewpoint or try to understand an argument from your best friend's mind? Probably not.
I believe it was the British poet, Matthew Arnold who conveyed similar sentiments in one of his poems, lamenting the unavoidable isolation we all face in life. You may feel extremely close to someone, but then you realize that you can never truly be of one mind. Individuality is a wonderful thing, but it can also be an excuse for narcissism. It can be used as a tool to further separate "us" from "them." We seem to view others through a pane of glass, their pain isn't real to us. Why? Because they're aren't me, and I'm not them. That's how our minds work...I guess.
This past winter, my worldview widened considerably. While in Minnesota, I met two college students who were on the same delayed flight to Tokyo Narita airport (the very airport that was flooded with water from Friday's tsunami). They were from Japan. One was an American who had grown up at the U.S. military base in Okinawa, heading back to spend Christmas with her family, the other was a Japanese girl born and raised in Tokyo, returning from studying. When the incident occured on Friday, I was thinking of them. And also all the other people from Japan that we spent hours with when our flight was delayed for two days. The idea that someone I had seen or spoken with or smiled at is dead from this natural disaster was shocking to me for some reason. Not only that. How many (if any) have family members or friend unaccounted for? Were any of the people I saw headed to Tokyo from Sendai or one of the towns washed away? It wasn't just the people I met in Minnesota that made me feel so deeply about this, though. For going on two years I've been thinking and wanting to teach English or live in Asia when I graduate. Japan was one of the places I've been considering, so when I heard that an American girl who had been teaching there for 3 years was missing after the tsunami the thought occured that her and I are not so dissimilar. (Thankfully, she contacted her parents after 4 days of being unable to communicate--she's okay :) Also, when I was watching the news coverage in the aftermath, an American correspondent was being interviewed over the phone from Tokyo. It shook me to my core when I heard his voice quivering as he related the earthquake. Realizing how deeply it affected him (someone I don't even know!) was...strange. He and his friends were in the newsroom going about their day when the world fell apart. He said that Tokyo was the more fortunate of the cities hit and that people were mostly dealing with the psychological blow. How could they not be reeling from the shock?
There are thousands of people still unaccounted for in Japan. Thousands. And now they're also facing a nuclear disaster. Even though it's impossible to imagine the gravity of the situation, I dare you to try. Burst the "bubble" that separates you from the rest of the world. What really makes us so different?
Thursday, March 10, 2011
On Spring Break
Just a real quick note on what's going on. I know I haven't been posting the past few days; things got crazy busy crazy fast.
As a result, I'm completely ready for Spring Break! I just finished a British History exam and turned in a paper about "The Man Who Would Be King" (which I'm not entirely confident about) and now I'm waiting for my Lit. class.
Tomorrow morning I'm leaving with my friend Juju to go to her family's lake house until Sunday. Enjoy your break!
As a result, I'm completely ready for Spring Break! I just finished a British History exam and turned in a paper about "The Man Who Would Be King" (which I'm not entirely confident about) and now I'm waiting for my Lit. class.
Tomorrow morning I'm leaving with my friend Juju to go to her family's lake house until Sunday. Enjoy your break!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Of Vampires and Such Nonsense
Am I the only one who’s getting tired of the vampire-romance phenomenon?
As a writer hoping to break into the Young Adult Fiction market, I find it very discouraging every time I go to Barnes & Noble and almost everything I pick up is rubbish. Don’t get me wrong, there are many (MANY) wonderful books and authors, but you can’t swing a stick without hitting something that involves vampires or other mythical creatures that fall under the category of “undead.”
I’ve read Twilight. Originally it was only to see what all the hoopla was about and later mock it (I’m not a person who catches on easily to trends or likes to jump on band wagons). But I actually liked it, unlike almost all or virtually any of my peers (although I do have one friend who is a rabid fan). I applaud Stephanie Meyer on the accomplishment of the first Twilight book, as for the others in the saga…well, that’s an entirely different rant. And let’s face it, even if you don’t like Meyer or her books, she has sparked a phenomenon. I’m not using that word lightly. A Phenomenon. Were vampire stories around before? Of course. Were they popular? Yeah... But who has spiked the resurgence of vampires, causing millions (if not billions) of teenage girls to be bitten by the book-bug? Stephanie Meyer.
Regardless, I’m sick of it. I’m sick of all the shameless rip-offs. Sick of second-rate authors taking over the classics. Just the other day I encountered a rather disturbing rendition of “Jane Eyre.” The title? “Jane Slayre.” Is that the best they can come up with? I can guarantee you that Charlotte Bronte is rolling in her grave (but not as a vampire!).
Another thing I’m concerned (but mostly irritated) about is the fact that these tactless and just downright stupid books are getting published. Was there a sudden lapse in judgment at the publishing firms? Were the editors themselves turned into brainless zombies? I’m beginning to wonder. There was a book (the name of which I will refrain from mentioning) I read about a year ago (“Fallen” by Lauren Kate!) which scarred me beyond repair. The plot was fairly predictable, but I was intrigued enough to be led about ¾ of the way through the story when something horrible happened. As soon as the two clueless and rather clichéd main characters professed their love for one another they’re personalities entirely changed. I was angry. Downright vengeful. I read two more pages of the spineless, mushy dialogue between the two before I closed the book, wanting nothing more than to vomit (perhaps I exaggerate). How could this happen? How is it that the publishing companies are letting us down? How is it that authors can forget their own characters’ character?!
That being said, let me clarify for the record that I am not entirely prejudice against the genre of “Teen Paranormal.” In fact, I’m a fan of “Need” by Carrie Jones and Maggie Stiefvater’s novels (expressly “Lament” and “Ballad,” despite the occasional bad language). Recently (last week actually) I even gave Claudia Gray’s “Evernight” books a chance. It seemed like the usual…new girl goes to a new school meets mysterious boy and he’s a vampire (some people even switch it up and make the guy a fallen angel—note the sarcasm). However, there was a plot twist (SPOILER ALERT) and the leading girl is actually the vampire. What a curveball, right? I appreciated it. But it still wasn’t enough for me to enjoy the rest of the book. It soon became really weird. Instead of the overly protective vampire boyfriend, the girl becomes an overly protective vampire girlfriend, which to be honest just freaked me out.
I feel like it’s unfair to end this post on such a negative note. So I’ll add that I recently began a book published by Harper Collins Teen (the very same company that publishes “Evernight” and such rubbish) that I’ve actually fallen in love with. It’s called “The Last Knight” by Hilari Bell. It’s quirky, funny, original, and skillfully written. Try it on for size and see if it’s not refreshing to read something you won’t be ashamed of.
As a writer hoping to break into the Young Adult Fiction market, I find it very discouraging every time I go to Barnes & Noble and almost everything I pick up is rubbish. Don’t get me wrong, there are many (MANY) wonderful books and authors, but you can’t swing a stick without hitting something that involves vampires or other mythical creatures that fall under the category of “undead.”
I’ve read Twilight. Originally it was only to see what all the hoopla was about and later mock it (I’m not a person who catches on easily to trends or likes to jump on band wagons). But I actually liked it, unlike almost all or virtually any of my peers (although I do have one friend who is a rabid fan). I applaud Stephanie Meyer on the accomplishment of the first Twilight book, as for the others in the saga…well, that’s an entirely different rant. And let’s face it, even if you don’t like Meyer or her books, she has sparked a phenomenon. I’m not using that word lightly. A Phenomenon. Were vampire stories around before? Of course. Were they popular? Yeah... But who has spiked the resurgence of vampires, causing millions (if not billions) of teenage girls to be bitten by the book-bug? Stephanie Meyer.
Regardless, I’m sick of it. I’m sick of all the shameless rip-offs. Sick of second-rate authors taking over the classics. Just the other day I encountered a rather disturbing rendition of “Jane Eyre.” The title? “Jane Slayre.” Is that the best they can come up with? I can guarantee you that Charlotte Bronte is rolling in her grave (but not as a vampire!).
Another thing I’m concerned (but mostly irritated) about is the fact that these tactless and just downright stupid books are getting published. Was there a sudden lapse in judgment at the publishing firms? Were the editors themselves turned into brainless zombies? I’m beginning to wonder. There was a book (the name of which I will refrain from mentioning) I read about a year ago (“Fallen” by Lauren Kate!) which scarred me beyond repair. The plot was fairly predictable, but I was intrigued enough to be led about ¾ of the way through the story when something horrible happened. As soon as the two clueless and rather clichéd main characters professed their love for one another they’re personalities entirely changed. I was angry. Downright vengeful. I read two more pages of the spineless, mushy dialogue between the two before I closed the book, wanting nothing more than to vomit (perhaps I exaggerate). How could this happen? How is it that the publishing companies are letting us down? How is it that authors can forget their own characters’ character?!
That being said, let me clarify for the record that I am not entirely prejudice against the genre of “Teen Paranormal.” In fact, I’m a fan of “Need” by Carrie Jones and Maggie Stiefvater’s novels (expressly “Lament” and “Ballad,” despite the occasional bad language). Recently (last week actually) I even gave Claudia Gray’s “Evernight” books a chance. It seemed like the usual…new girl goes to a new school meets mysterious boy and he’s a vampire (some people even switch it up and make the guy a fallen angel—note the sarcasm). However, there was a plot twist (SPOILER ALERT) and the leading girl is actually the vampire. What a curveball, right? I appreciated it. But it still wasn’t enough for me to enjoy the rest of the book. It soon became really weird. Instead of the overly protective vampire boyfriend, the girl becomes an overly protective vampire girlfriend, which to be honest just freaked me out.
I feel like it’s unfair to end this post on such a negative note. So I’ll add that I recently began a book published by Harper Collins Teen (the very same company that publishes “Evernight” and such rubbish) that I’ve actually fallen in love with. It’s called “The Last Knight” by Hilari Bell. It’s quirky, funny, original, and skillfully written. Try it on for size and see if it’s not refreshing to read something you won’t be ashamed of.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
A Word from Writers to Writers
I completed my first Creative Writing a few semesters ago! While studying for the final, I was reviewing the Characterization section of my only favorite textbook (which I will now shamelessly plug-in: "Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft" by Janet Burroway with Elizabeth Stuckey-French) and found some great quotes that I would like to randomly share with anyone who cares.
"You are going to love some of your characters, because they are you or some facet of you, and you are going to hate some of your characters for the same reason. But no matter what, you are probably going to have to let bad things happen to some of the characters you love or you won't have much of a story. Bad things happen to good characters, because our actions have consequences and we do not all behave perfectly all the time."--Anne Lamott
"What's vital for the fiction writer to remember is that the wicked, violent, and the stupid do also love, in their way. Just as humble and loving and thoughtful people hate. Hate humbly, hate lovingly, hate thoughtfully, and so on."--Doug Bauer
"If you take two sticks and hold them parallel, you can capture that image in a photograph because it doesn't change. But if you rub those two sticks together, harder and harder, faster and faster, they will burst into flame--that's the kind of change you can capture in a story or on film. Friction is necessary for change to occur. But without the friction of conflict, there is no change. And without change, there is not story. A body at rest remains at rest unless it enters into conflict."--Stephen Fischer
I take whatever I learn through my writing and art very personally (which everyone should), including the principle Doug Bauer mentions above. The characters of fiction are modeled (or at least are supposed to be) after the characters of real life. I've noticed that I often feel more sympathy for the villains of literature than I do for the antagonists in my own life. Why is this? Because while reading a good book, sooner or later, you see the two sides of a "bad" person, but many times in the real world we only see a person as a certain way. Whichever facet we glimpse of any human, they are still that...a human. Alright, so with that I will leave my soapbox for the day
Friday, March 4, 2011
Inspiration
It seems only appropriate to make my first post about one of the most important ingredients in constructing a story, poem, or any media of art.
If there's anything I've learned, it's that inspiration can come in any form and from anywhere. My most recent story idea came from a mystery artist from England named Banksy who appeared in an independent film and was sending his fans on a scavenger hunt all over L.A. in the days leading up to the Oscar award show. Stranger than fiction right?
Another source of inspiration can come from history. That's right, our very own history. I'm constantly getting whispers from a muse in the middle of my college history classes. The unexplained colony on Roanoke Island. Gladiatorial games in Ancient Rome. People are people no matter what era they're from and as always, react with powerful emotions and interesting drama.
I like to collect my ideas into a journal or clip out newspaper articles that I think are interesting and could provide a good plot or solid characters later on.
Sorry for such a short blog entry, more to come! I promise! :) Until then, keep writing!
If there's anything I've learned, it's that inspiration can come in any form and from anywhere. My most recent story idea came from a mystery artist from England named Banksy who appeared in an independent film and was sending his fans on a scavenger hunt all over L.A. in the days leading up to the Oscar award show. Stranger than fiction right?
Another source of inspiration can come from history. That's right, our very own history. I'm constantly getting whispers from a muse in the middle of my college history classes. The unexplained colony on Roanoke Island. Gladiatorial games in Ancient Rome. People are people no matter what era they're from and as always, react with powerful emotions and interesting drama.
I like to collect my ideas into a journal or clip out newspaper articles that I think are interesting and could provide a good plot or solid characters later on.
Sorry for such a short blog entry, more to come! I promise! :) Until then, keep writing!
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