College...

...gave me a great new way to learn more vocabulary. My comp II teacher has us turn in five vocabulary words each week. These are words we come across during the week but don't know the meaning of. We keep track of the word, the publication we came across them in (on), and the sentence it was used in.

At first I thought the sentences were busy work things so she could feel confident we weren't making stuff up, but it's really helpful. You get the context a whole lot better when you have an originating source of its meaning.

So try keeping track of words you don't know during the next month or so, see how many new words you learn and try to find ways to use them in little random works or even in a full-blown novel you may be writing.

I'll See You In My Dreams

Inspiration is generally hard to come by. You look to movies, books, music, poetry, and other works by other people. But it's not always up to other people to spark your mind into high creative gear. Sometimes it's as simple as getting a good night's sleep.

If you're one of the lucky few who has high-definition recollection of your dreams, count yourself blessed. Your dreams could easily give you crystal clear scenes or plots that lead to a phenomenal story. For those of you with my mind, a fuzzy recall of dreams that sometimes is clear and other times is a jumbled mess of nonsense, take what you can remember and write it down. The minute you wake up jot down what you can remember of your dream and be ready for sudden flashes of dream sequences you forgot. For those of you who can't remember your dreams at all, I truly mourn your dreams. Try daydreaming, perhaps you'll get so lost in a daydream that it will take on a life of its own and lead you down the path to a great story.

P.S. Daydreaming is also a great way to pass the time in bed if you happen to be an insomniac

Damn Dam

A while ago I found writing to be kind of stiff and while I typed it felt real professional so my voice kept coming out like a text book. Ugh! It was horrible. The plot had no problem, but the way it came out on paper was unattractive and unwelcoming. Shame to say (ok, not really) that class time has now been divied up into: listening, taking notes, and flipping to a page filled with tiny scrawl which is the continuation of my new story. Creativity is flowing free, now. The dam that had held me back has been demolished, though there is a bit of foundation left. I can't type stories well. I think I need someone else to type for me because I just am not comfortable with the hand-written words becoming blocky generic tattoos on paper.

The lesson in all this rambling: keep on keeping on! If typing isn't your thing lug a pad and pen(cil) wherever you go. And if you don't like writing just jot down ideas to flourish in ink at home, or lug a laptop with you all over. Keep your tools nearby and always be prepared for an incredible bowl-me-over idea. Writing is all about these moments, embrace them, do not be mad cause they come at unconvenient times. Be glad and embrace them.

Funsize

If you are having a bad case of writer's block or simply don't know what to do or where to go next here's a an idea. Take a random image or idea: a model, a house, a cat, a tree, a shoe, etc. Take this image and describe it's physical apperance in meticulous details. Follow this up with a new paragraph going in depth. Perhaps the model has sad eyes or the house has one window with the blinds down, why is that? Take that and you can either elaborate for practice if it goes nowhere, or you might get a whole story (idea) out of this excercise. Try it!

Here's an example:

His head (is it his head?) is curved smoothly like an egg made of soft gel. Speckles imitating a leopards only set against a clear body. Everything is clear, the ocean sets a soft, ethereal glow through the skin of the being. It's whispy, whiskery appendages float around it, a torn and tattered dress that still clings with its last intact strands. Behind this unsuccessful viel float bigger appendages, ruffled and soft and glowing with the ocean's magic. They scrunch and extend to push the magnificent thing through it's magical home.

Practice Perfection

This post has two points to get across today. The first:

DON'T STOP WRITING!

Even if you hit a rough patch and nothing you scribble down makes sense and nothing you furiously type is any good never stop! You need the practice, even if it's going nowhere. Keep writing even if it's just little quotes or plot charts or a few lines that lead nowhere. Writing is like every sport in the world, you can't stop and hope to start again and carry all those skills and ideas you had a week ago.

The second point:


Always be prepared. My best ideas have come just as I was falling into sleep or settling in under the covers. At work I would print off receipt paper and scribble in sharpie when an idea hit. So always be prepared. In your purse (or pocket) or in your car keep a pad of paper and a pen or pencil. On your bedside table leave a journal and a pen and a booklight. Always be ready for an idea so fantastic you'll regret letting it go.

Kismet's Word Of The Day:

According to Dictionary.com

Expression: Feeling, spirit, character; The power of expressing in words

A Listed List of Lists

So, recently, I was working on a story. It just came to me in the middle of my shift at work. I printed off some receipt paper about six inches long and scribbled all over both sides before abandoning it to list some names. I asked those around me for names and I rattled my brain around to see if any loose names drifted out. I got lucky!

When writing a story lists are exceptionally helpful. Lists can be compiled for just about any need! Names, Book Title, Chapter Titles, etc. You can even list off the plot line in order or just make a list of significant events and reorder them later. Lists can also establish what kind of name or title you may be looking for. For example, at work, I was listing off elegant names for men. Names that were older. Names outside this category were too obviously unfit and I easily realized what I was looking for.

And, always, an outside person is a great resource. I asked a coworker for ideas, not necessarily to use her ideas, but to at least trigger some new ones of my own. People outside the story and the writing process will help you edit better and tell if the story flows or if that paragraph makes any sense. They can also judge your names or titles and help you, yet again, come up with new ones or just point you in the right direction.


Kismet's Word Of The Day:


Wane: to decrease, decline, or grow smaller

Get Into Character

Before any story can start you need your characters. Just start with one. What do they look like? What makes their appearance special, or are they just plain and boring? How do they talk; sarcasm, soft voice, husky deep voice, bright chirping or bubbly talkativeness? What are their flaws? Their talents? Their dreams/goals? Their interests and dislikes? Their pet peeves and what makes them light up? Who is their love interest? Their enemy? Their best friend or relative or who give them their drive? Of course, you may just write out over a page on a character and you may not use all the information on that character in the book, but it builds a person. People need to feel like your character is real and that they are more than just a he said or a she said.

Then pick your point of view (POV). If you are using first person it's a little more involved because you have to convey thoughts and emotions and every aspect of the character from their eyes. You have to kind of become your character when writing in first person. If you use third person POV then you have a little more liberty. You can voyage through the thoughts and emotions and actions of every character and you can put a different interpretation on it whenever you want. These are the only two POV's I would suggest using.


The Word Of The Day According To Me!

Obsequious (adj): obedient, dutiful, fawning, servilely compliant.

http://www.teacherspetnj.com/basicobedience.htm