My Writing Process

So it's my week to choose a topic. And couldn't remember if I was supposed to post today or on my normal Thursday, so Em if I stole your day I'm sorry. You hadn't posted and then I freaked out and was like "oh goodness was I supposed to post first?" so I'm so sorry if that is the case, please feel free to steal Thursday this week. But not forever, please, because I love Thursdays.

Now to the point, I am in the throws of a project for school, I'm writing a novel for credit as in I'm being graded on writing for fun!! Sweetness! So I've been approaching new ways to plan out my story.

The approach that I normally take is simple. I write the story as it comes to me. i.e. on the palm of my hand, my tiny notepad at work, in my notebooks at school instead of paying attention in class. It has always worked for me. Granted, I don't always produce massive amounts. But what I produce tends to have a significant importance to my novel, scenes that pull it together you know?

Of course then there is the brief outline. Scenes and ideas, whatever flutters across my thoughts. This special little sheet of paper has no rhyme, nor reason, it is just a list. It is, in my opinion, the most basic of any outlining that I do.

Next up is the note cards. I tend to take the ideas from my brief, expand on them on note cards and then shuffle it all around until I like the way it plays out. I don't like this way all that much because it takes a lot of time, and we all know how precious that time is. Not that it isn't worth it, but sometimes I just think it makes more sense to write every scene out, beginning to end, and then shuffle it all around. Of course that gets messy and can take up just as much, if not more, time you never really know.

Now I'm approaching a new type of planning, as referenced in paragraph one, because of my Independent Study aka the class I designed so I'm being graded on what I love. I'm throwing caution to the wind and approaching outlining with a whole new outlook. I'm starting small, a list of ideas (in chronological order this time), then expanding that into scene summaries. I'm then going to organize those scenes into chapters (so it's a chapter by chapter break up) and eventually give the scenes dates. As in stuff like Oct. 17th or something like that.

So normally my writing process mimics my life, it is all over the place organizational wise. However, now I am trying out something new and going to see if I can pull off organization. Wish me luck.

Quirky Writer Quirks

MUSIC
I know there is an ongoing debate on playing music while writing and not playing music while writing.
I admit, I'm a playa. ha ha
Not that quirky I'll admit, but I don't really have much to go on. I write a lot, where ever and whenever I can. The thing is I have to be in the right mood and generally I am, but music makes me get there a whole lot faster. The key to my whole music is an almost must is that it must be the right music and I'm rather finicky about it. There's no way I can listen to I'm walkin' on Sunshine while writing a battle. NO. WAY. IN. HECK. But, I can definitely get my mojo going with this:

So yeah, I listen to music while I write, but I also can only listen to a certain kind of music. Sometimes it's very obscure and I'm not sure why a certain song works and another doesn't. I just know that it does work which really is all I care about in the end. It's all about writing for me.

Tuesday Gets Quirky

This week, it's all about quirks! Now, before today, I never really thought I had an writerly quirks, but the more I thought about it, the more I think I do!

First off, I'm a very visual person, so almost as soon as I get a new story idea, I start gathering pictures that I think will represent the story best. I love looking online for pictures of actors and actresses that I think most look like my MC and I also love finding pictures for their house, bedroom, hometown, or for any situation they may find themselves in (especially if it involves kissing, there's nothing like finding a picture of the perfect kiss or romantic moment to get your creative juices flowing! :), you name it, I've got a picture for it.

Another thing that I have to have before I sit down to write: tunes. Very rarely can I sit and write in complete silence, I usually have to have some type of music playing in the background before I can get into the writing mood. I love classic rock, so I'll definitely throw some of that into the mix, along with songs that I think best represent whatever story I'm working on at the moment and of course, I'll include songs that I just love listening to, no matter what I'm writing, like songs from Glee or songs from any of the Twilight soundtracks (especially Muse) and last, but certainly not least songs from my new favorite band in the whole wide world, Florance + The Machine (seriously, check them out, Florance's voice is A-MAZING)!!! :) And, in case your wondering, I find my music either on AOL Radio or Playlist.com, both are awesome sites to listen to music for free!

As for the perfect outfit to wear when I write, it has to be something comfortable that I can move easily in, like a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. If what I'm wearing is uncomfortable, then I'll become easily distracted and spend my time fidgeting instead of writing.

On the subject of a favorite food and drink to have nearby while I write, for the food, I would have to say either those bags of sweet and salty trail mix or chocolate, anything with chocolate. For a drink I would have to say either water, coffee, peppermint tea or a steamer, mmm... :) (I've also been thinking about adding a frappacino to the list, maybe buying a pack of those that come in glass bottles at the store, those are YUM! The only thing is, I would have to force myself to have only one a week, maybe as a reward if I reach a wordcount goal, they're super fattening)!

Finally, I think the biggest writing quirk I've learned about myself is that to write, I need some sort of stimulation, I need something going on around me. If I had the opportunity to be locked in a room that was completely silent with no distractions whatsoever, I probably wouldn't write a word, I'd be driven mad by the vast echoing silence all around me. But give some music, a sound machine, a crazy family or a crowded coffee shop and I can write till the cows come home! :)

Until next time!
~Ella

SSR: August Book I Read

My goal this year was to read the Chronicles of Narnia by Christmas. As you might be able to tell, I'm off to a bit of a slow start. I did however, make a start I guess that means something. I read the first book in this wonderful series by C.S. Lewis just a few weeks ago and was floored by two things: creativity and imagery.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew

Summary: Digory and his friend Polly travel to the Wood between Worlds via Digory's half-crazy, magician man, uncle's yellow and green rings and end up in a world quite unlike the one they come from, called Charn. While there, Digory, as most young boys and girls would do, lets curiosity get to him. He frees the last ruler of Charn, Jadis, an evil queen. An insane adventure begins as the two children try to get rid of the queen and end up finding Aslan, a talking lion and creator of all things in Narnia but not all is well because the two children are not alone, the evil queen has come with them to the new land and threatens all the good things that Aslan has created.

After learning that Digory has brought Jadis to Narnia, Aslan sends him on a mission to get a magical apple. He uses the apple to grow a tree that will act as a shield of protection from Jadis for all the other peoples of Narnia. After seeing all that Aslan can do, Digory begs him to do something to save his mother, who is sick with an illness. From this new tree, Aslan gives Digory an apple so that he may go back home and give it to his mother. This apple is a special thing and it is hardly finished after curing Digory's mother, it grows into a beautiful tree and well, the rest is up to you to read.

Review:

I found this book charming and as I mentioned before, it was wonderfully filled with imagery and creativity. It left me wondering what would happen and at the same time revealed several worlds so completely it was like the book was really a movie playing itself out in my mind. Truly magnificent! Here's a quote from the book so you can begin to understand the richness of this text if you haven't read it.

"Things always work out according to their nature. She has won her heart's desire; she has unwearying strength and endless days like a goddess. But length of days with an evil heart is only length of misery and she already begins to know it. All get what they want; they do not always like it." -Aslan after Jadis has stolen an apple and eaten it for herself.

Recommendation:

There really isn't anyone I wouldn't recommend this book to. It can be a bit long winded for some really young children, but students in third grade and beyond could easily comprehend it. Beyond the imagery and creativeness, this book is frocked with morals from issues with stealing from others, to understanding how one person's actions can change the course of many other people's history. Truly a must read that I will definitely be reading again.

Best Book I Read In August: Aaron

"If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen."

Anges and the Hitman is the story of how Agnes, a food columnist, met Shane, a government sanctioned hitman, and the chaos that ensued. This story involves mob bosses, frying pans, bullet proof trucks, pink flamingoes, dognappers, and lots and lots of food. Best of all, with the exception of one person, everyone who didn’t die lived happily ever after.

If you look up “crazy” in the thesaurus all of the words you see there will also be words that perfectly describe Anges and the Hitman. In fact there’s only one word that I can think of that’s missing from that list, and that word is amazing. Crusie and Mayer, the two authors responsible for this amazing book, threw everything including the kitchen sink into this book and somehow managed to pull it off. This is one of those books that if you tried to explain it to someone who hadn’t read it they would just stare at you like you were a nut, but then once they read it they would look at you and say “I totally know what you were talking about before about Agnes throwing the raspberry sauce and the dognapper falling through the hidden door into the basement that nobody knew was there. That part was so funny.”

Yeah, it’s one of those types of books, but it’s also one of those books that you’ll keep going back to over and over because no mater how many types you’ve read it never ceases to surprise you.

-Aaron

Best Book I Read in August!

The best (and pretty much the only, man, being a college student is a total time suck!) book I read in August was the one, the only...

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl!!!! Here's the book's summery:

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Sounds amazing, eh? Well, trust me, it is! For my review, I thought I'd do something a little different. To show my devotion for such an amazing book, I decided to express my feeling in the form of a letter. But, more specifically, a love letter. Enjoy! :)

Dear, Beautiful Creatures,

When we first met, it wasn't love at first sight. The first time I tried reading you, I only made it to chapter two and then gave up. Your summery intrigued me and I knew you were the kind of book I would love to read, but for some reason I wasn't feeling that...connection that a girl and a good book are supposed to feel, so, like a coward, I stopped returning your phone calls (a.k.a. returned you to the library) and hoped that I would eventually forget about you and move on.

But, alas, everywhere I looked, your name was mentioned and I just couldn't get you out of my head, people said you were amazing and fantastic and one of the best books they'd read in a long time, but I just couldn't understand their love for you.

Until...

A few weeks ago I happened to pay a visit to my public library and there you were, sitting all innocent-like on the shelf. I avoided your gaze for as long as I could until, unable to find anything else to read, I plucked you off the shelf, reread your summery for what seemed like the hundredth time and thought, "eh, why not?" And decided to take a chance and check you out to see what all the hubbub was about.

That same day, I took you home and began to read you...and I haven't stopped since.
Once I got past chapter one and began to get into the meat of the story, I was hooked. I fell in love with your luscious setting, your lovable characters and your romance, oh, your romance! And I also fell hard for your sweet and loyal leading man, Ethan and really identified with and felt for your strong-willed and feisty leading lady, Lena. Like Ethan and Lena, now I couldn't imagine my life without you in it. You are to me what other women's clutch purses and cell phones are to them, I have to have you with me wherever I go, or else I would cease to exist.

So thank you, Beautiful Creatures, for coming into my life. These past few weeks with you have been like a dream. You've taught me how to love again and how not to judge a book by its first chapter. I can't wait to read your sequel, Beautiful Darkness (I'm gearing up to write his love letter as we speak! :P)

~Ella

August Confessional: Bethany

I have never really done a confessional before so I'm super pumped to give it a try!

1. I have a huge tendency to trip over my own feet. It's an issue and my dorm this year has this 1/2 step to get into the building (really, it's silly. It's like it tried to become a step and then just quit halfway through) and I think it's going to kill me. I've already tripped over it countless times and I've only lived here for about 2 weeks. I think it has it out for me and my clumsiness. 
2. I have four calendars in my dorm room (that doesn't count my roomie's). Generally, they'll stay in August the entire year. I always think I'll remember to change them but alas, no. I'm hoping I'll make it to at least September this year (*OMG bangs head in embarrassment*, going to change two of the calendars so I can say I've made it to September). 
3. As of this year, I've been driving for 5 years (really just 4 'cause I didn't drive much when I was 16) and I've locked my keys in my car at least 6 times. Once while the car was running. (No, sadly I'm not joking)
4. I made mud pies two days ago. Well, technically it was because I needed to for a class (Soils Lab if you must know). But the confession part is that I really, quite thoroughly enjoyed myself. 
5. I don't know if I believe there are ghosts, but I've heard rumors that there's a certain transparent "Blue Lady" who walks the bell tower near my dorm and I maybe, might be making extra excuses to go take a stroll when it gets dark outside. 

Well, I hope you enjoyed my confessions I definitely enjoyed everyone elses'. Have a great weekend!

Sidenote: If you want a chance to win some awesome stuff check out my contest by clicking on the pic below!