Liebster Award

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Caring Confusion

You might have been a little confused when you read in my post 'Elementral elements', and saw that you were supposed to write about characters you "care" about. What makes you care about a person? A fictional person at that. Well, the choices that they make really make you warm up to them. Still don't understand? Well here's an example.

'Callie was a pretty girl at fourteen who lived in Arkansas. today she was wearing a  red shirt, blue jeans, and converse. they were her favourite pair'

Do you car about Callie? Do you care if she skydives and her parachute doesn't open? No. At least I don't. You don't want her to die, but you don't necessarily want anyone to die. At a personal level, you most likely have no emotions for her. that is because you know nothing about her. Her age and she's pretty and what shoes she likes, but nothing personalty wise.  Now look at this little section:

'The nurse's heart melted a little for the first time in a long time. She honestly couldn't help it when reading this report:"Agreed to donate kidney, not sure if will live, but patient #201 will be good."
She knew that it was talking about the women, #201, who would die if she didn't have another kidney. No one had been a match except for a little boy they had found through records, he had agreed to donate his own kidney for her, dispite not knowing her. And despite he might not live.'

Ok, so what about him? You don't know his age, where he lives, or even his favourite shoes, but you know about the choices he makes. And that, make you care about him. So, to be very cliche but very nessicery, "Show, don't tell."

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Quirky or Annoying?

I have noticed in my supreme observations(ha.ha) that there are some quirks out there in books that are...annoying. A quirk is something that is something only a certain character has. Nervous habit, phrase they always say, popping knuckles. The benefit in putting a quirk to some character is that it defines them, as well clues the readers into what their feeling without just coming out and saying what they felt. However, I was reading this one series of books (Fallen, Lauren Kate, 2 stars) where the main character cracked her knuckles when she was nervous, bored, or awkward. It started off as a way for another character to remember her , then morphed into a constant, somewhat random habit of the author. It took from the story in my own opinion, but not all quirks have too. I have a friend who's a Blondie, blue-eyed and cheery. She's like a  bubble of happiness. She used to have this habit we'd tease her about non-stop, she's sweep her bangs out of her face and simultaneously say "Seriously" But now thinking back on it, I realize that it was a window to her deeper self. She is really very a well thought out person, and can be serious. This was her way of agreeing, of making things more serious. In a book this would be a bit to reveal herself more to reader, for them to get to know her better.
What are some quirks you've read about, or know?

Monday, August 22, 2011

Elementral Elements

I just now discovered something that makes me very, very happy.
Dum-dum elements.

I am assuming that you know the basic elements in writting:
setting,
theme,
characters,
 plot,
  style.
All books, movies, and graphic novels have them. Well, whenever I used them to write my story, I would always struggle to think of intelligible answer, one that would look good on a test, not one that looks good in a book. Therefore when I found David Schwabauer and his dum-dum elements, I was beyond thrilled. Here are his:
Someone To Care About
Something To Want
Something To Dread
Something To Suffer
Something To Learn
J

1. Someone To Care About is your Star, your Hero, your Other You. You’ll notice it doesn’t say Someone You Like, that is because you may not like the main character, and also, which person is closer to you, the person you like, or the person you care about? I’m guessing you thought care about.  This enables the audience to become closer to the main character, to want what they want, which draw them into the story.

2. Something To Want is the story goal, what makes your character keep going, it makes a photographic image in your readers mind of what they think will happen at the end of the book. This is what makes the end the end, and also makes the end climatic. You may or may not give your hero their Stroy Goal.

3. Something To Dread is the punishment of the story, it can be if the main character does get what they want, making it dangerous, or it what would happen if your star doesn’t get the story goal, like in Harry Potter, If Harry doesn’t get Voldie dead, it’s the end of the world. It could have nothing to do with the Story Goal. Just make your Hero scared of something.

4.Something To Suffer should really be somethingS to suffer, considering your Other You must be miserable at numerous times.  They can’t win anything too easily or it will be unrealistic, annoying, and just flat out bad writting. So spit on your character.

5.Something To Learn is the least important, in the sense of the NIP doesn’t have to have it, but It will make your novel memorial, unlike the books that are popular for a week then are never heard of again, in which the theme is making-out is fun. Those are fluffy, needless books, make yours outstanding.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Writting.....

A few people have commented on the fact that my blog has writTed, instead of writing. I do know that it the word is not supposed to have the extra t. When I first was creating this site a few months ago, it was late, I was tired, and many of my ideas for names had already been registered. so when i saw that "quirksofwritting" was available, i was thrilled and  and took it up. I never stopped to think of why  it was avalible. I later noticed and was horrfied. Then I thought it wasn't too bad, the world wouldn't because of my mistake,  then I kinda liked it. I decided it would be one of my quirks. Then I started writing all my writings "writtings".
I posted this not-related-in-any-way-to-this-blog to let you know, that you are not taking writing tips and reading suggestions and reviews from a person who can write writing, read properly to understand she did.


:)Rachel

Just Say Yes

I have problems sometimes saying yes. Yes, I will sit down and write this chapter sketch, yes, I will type up all those words in this scene.  I'm guessing you know just what I'm talking about. The moment of dawdling, excuses, and "tiredness". The moment of "I Don't Want To Deal With This Now!!" You simply  must do it then. Your book is kinda like a young child, your young child, wonderful and brilliant, but requires a lot of time and energy. So if planning out every time you write doesn't work for you,  try finding a spare moment, and sit down and make yourself, if you have no inspiration, edit something. Anything. Even after a book is published, it can stilll be edited more. After your done editing and still no closer to gaining some new chapters, write about coffe and guy named Micky. Yes, you did read that right. I mean for you to just be writting about anything in the world. As long it's writting. Every published auther that has a website and a FAQ section, has the question "How do I become an author?" And every answer is the same. Write.  At first when ever I saw those never varying answers, I kind of nodded at the computer screen and think, "Well, that why they call us writers, isn't it? And it is, but you must be repeative about your habits. It must become a natural thing for you to be writting all the time, even when it isn't on the calender and your inspired. Take a notebook with you wherever you go, if you can, so you can write ideas and dialogue you overheard that's perfect for your NIP(novel-in-progress). Just say yes, and write.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Words....oh the horrid things.




Even if you don't write, even if you don't like to read, you know that books, fiction, non-fiction, whatever
genre, have words. That's fairly obvious. But what words, my dear reader is essential. My current novel-in-
progress(NIP)  is set in 1700's. With a good dose of Pirates. So problem is, as a Christian, I can't have my
foul mouthed pirates curse. I don't want to set that example, and frankly don't really want to cuss myself.
However, after exhaustive research, I learned people, and most certainly heartless, cold-blooded pirates in
1749 did not say "oh my gosh," or many of the shortcuts so helpful in today's world.  So What am I to do?

Curse or Christ?

I decided on no cursing, but making it known to the reader that Person A is unhappy in a way that uses facial
expressions,  breakable things being broken, and silence treatments. Anything that doesn't stray from their
character but doesn't make the Lord flinch whenever I write an angry scene.
Any thoughts on a clean, angry scene?
Post below :)

Google And God



I am a Christian. I read the Bible, and actually enjoy it. I'd gone to 2nd grade Sunday School class all my second grade year and memorized the verses. However,I cannot tell you half of what I learned. But what I researched on Google for my book. Every.Word.I.Know. But can I say the same for the Bible I say I love? The honest answer is no. I spend more time analyzing what my main character of my own book is going to do in chapter four, scene three than what Jesus did, The main charter of God's Word did in the fourth book and third chapter of the Bible. Sad. And Hypocritical of me.  So if you're reading this to hope to gain supreme knowledge on your upcoming book(no promises) the advice I'll give you now is research in  your Bible and research on the web for your book.