Diving Into A First Draft

Okay, my bad, I've been offline for too long. First off I'd like to say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Merry Kwanza, Happy Holidays! So this post is going to be about starting a first draft: how to go about doing it, tips, and encouragement.

That first blank page can very intimidating. I'm going to turn this into a work of art? Some people ease their way into it, like slipping into cold water. Others take the plunge. Then there are some people that just eye the water, psyching themselves out. DON'T PSYCH YOURSELF OUT! You can do this. Just go for it. Whether you jump right in or take it inch by inch, at least your doing it.

Source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/26/new-years-eve-expectations_n_4504646.html

Staying in the water is tough too. You know when you're in the pool, and your fingers are pruned, and your exhausted, but your friends just want to keep swimming? Your characters are your friends, and you must keep swimming.

At some point, you are going to look at what you've accomplished, and pat yourself on the back. And then your going to look at what's ahead of you, and you're probably going to want to give up. Don't. It's not worth it, believe me. Because then your going to think that your next draft will be different. It won't.

Source: http://kbmritchie.tumblr.com/post/83581798140/ryke-meadows-taking-daisy-rock-climbing

Tips For Getting You Through:

1. Believe you can, and you will

2. Keep a notebook handy in case you get an idea

3. If you get writers' block, take a short break

4. Never give up

5. Remember that you're amazing for even trying to do this

Happy Holidays!

Waiting for Perfection

You're in your first draft. You've gotten a couple of sentences down, but nothing else comes. Your head is in the clouds, waiting for those perfect words. And nothing comes. 

Why? Because perfect words don't exist. It will take so much editing before those words come even close to perfect. 

Take this following quote from Margaret Atwood, 

I agree with her 100%. I am a perfectionist, everything MUST BE PERFECT! I've struggled with it because it gets in the way sometimes. It's so hard to let it go! (Let it gooooo!) 

I had to...

Now I know, for those of you who can't write a sloppy first draft like me, this will take work.  To borrow a slogan from Camp NaNoWriMo (which is only a MONTH away!!), lock up your inner editor. When the first draft is done, let him loose, and let him do his job. But put him away until that draft is (completely, I'm looking at you anti-sloppy first draft people!) done.

This is a mug NaNoWriMo used to sell :)

What does your inner edit look like? Do you struggle with perfectionism?

Have a happy monday!

Motivation For Your Characters

Everybody needs motivation, that final push to get you to you're destination.

The runner, who sees the sign that reads, "Keep going! You've got this!" and makes it to the finish line.

The student, whose about to quit studying for the exam,  sees a future for himself, and keeps going.

The mom, tired from work and stress, who comes home to a three year-old who tells her that she loves her. That she is strong.

People need motivation all throughout their life. After all, if you don't have the motivation to get out of bed every morning, you're not exactly living.

Your characters need motivation to get to the end. To reach their goal. If they don't, the story isn't really a story, just an explanation of what they're doing everyday. It falls flat. 

Your MC needs a goal to pursue, otherwise they are just living, and that's very boring for a reader. Imagine if Katniss' sister didn't get chosen for the Hunger Games, Katniss and Prim would've gone home and continued on with their lives. No star crossed lovers, no survival, just living. I have high doubts that that version of the book would go onto become a major motion picture.

Maybe your character needs to reach the mountain and save his brother before the villain kills him. Maybe your MC needs to finish a huge project in order to qualify for the championship game.

What is pressuring your character to work harder? This motivation should be good enough to do three things:

1. Motivate your MC
2. Keep your reader hooked
3. Move your story along

If the motivation you give your character meets these three requirements, keep on doing what you're doing.

If, however, it doesn't meet the requirements, up the consequences. This will help motivate your character to go faster, which will move your story along, and make the reader root for the MC.

What do you think? Does your motivation meet the requirements? 

100 For 100 Challenge

Okay, so today I'm going to tell you about a really cool thing happening on another blog. It's called 100 for 100, and you write 100 words each day for 100 days! In the end, you'll arrive at at least 10,000 or more words-how cool is that? It's happening now at GoTeenWriters, so you should check it out :)

I pledged to do it, and already I've written 983 words (and it's only the first week!!)

(I do realize this post is a little late, the challenge started a couple days ago. Registration IS closed, but you can still do it without making it official, or contact the person running it!)

Hope you decide to join us!

Wise Words From Virginia Woolf

When I write, I weave in pieces of my mind and soul. We all do. Our writing is us. Even if you are a 14 year old girl who is writing about zombies. No matter what, we put in little bits of us into our writing. It's because we are writing it, and we only know what we know, so our characters only know what we know. 

We put ourself in our writing, and there is no way to get around it. We are a piece of our writing, and our writing is a piece of us.  Virginia Woolf says it perfectly:

Without realizing it, we take our biggest, darkest secrets and load them onto our characters. Every indescribable feeling we've had, we give them to our characters. We curse them and gift them all at once. They get the good and the bad. That's what great about writing, you can give the best and the worst, and your characters stay with you anyways. :)

Time Management

When you're a teen, there is so much going on. Soccer, dance, homework, etc. It can be hard to find a time to write.

The best way to overcome this is to separate a time for writing each day. During this time you do nothing but write. Schedule it around your soccer practice and study time. Adjust it to fit your schedule.

I might be able to write from 4:30-5:00 everyday, while someone else might not be able to write in that same amount of time. And that's okay. 

Maybe when you get home from school you start your homework  right away, and then you write for a half hour, and then you go back to finishing homework. It's whatever works for you. You may want to schedule 15 minute intervals when writing. This way, you can have fresh eyes for both your writing and that Social Studies essay due tomorrow.

Ex:

3:00-3:15-Homework

3:15-3:30-Writing

3:30-3:45-Homework

A lot of people talk about writing, and read about writing, and think about writing, but never actually write. Don't fall into that trap! Schedule time for yourself! You deserve it.

Music in Writing

I have over 600 songs on my phone, even still, I go to internet radio for music. Especially when I'm writing.

Building a soundtrack for your book can be very helpful, and authors do it all the time. Spotify is awesome for that kind of thing. Using it, you can create playlists, and follow others. I found one that has popular songs without the lyrics, so that it's easier to focus.

Sometimes, I'm just not in the mood to write (crazy, I know!), but it happens. Putting on music that sparks an idea really helps me  get going. Not everyone can listen to music while writing. Some people prefer complete silence. For me, it feels awkward sitting there waiting for words to come. It feels too forced.

Music can influence emotions and actions, making it a great cure for writer's block. Melodies have a way of inspiring ideas and plot twists you never thought possible.

Now, I'm a smidgen biased. I love music.There's something about a powerful song that just makes me fell good. I can't even describe it. It's like this soaring feeling in your chest when you just go wow, that was amazing. Bad songs can often have off the opposite affect on me, I'll often cringe.

There are downsides to listening to music while you write, one, you can get distracted. And two, if you're listening to internet radio, there is the distraction of ads and skipping tracks.

My favorite types of songs when writing are ones that correlate with that I'm writing. For example, if my main character just got his/her heart broken, I might play some Taylor Swift.

What about you?  Do you like to listen to music when you write? What's your favorite noveling music?

Asking What if

How is a story created? Most often, its by two simple words, what if? What if teens had to fight to the death? (Hunger Games) What if there was no color, no emotion, no pain? (The Giver) What if you were in a coma, and could decide whether to stay or to leave? (If I Stay)

Writers aren't the only people who ask this question, normal people do, everyday. Writers just pursue the idea and expand upon it. We can take a simple question, and transform it into pages of words and scenes and characters and life.

How do we do it? We think. And we think. And we think. Until that one question becomes a nagging thought in our minds, growing into an idea. If you have writer's brain, like me, you will start creating opening sentences and climaxes.

Think of an idea, and let it grow. Don't force it though. It wouldn't do you any good to just lay on your bed and stare at the ceiling. If you do you want that "what if" idea, just observe. Look around you wherever you go. Just be patient.

Back To School

Many students are back to school already, leaving summer behind for chilly fall. I, luckily, don't start until wednesday.

With fall coming much faster than anticipated here in New England, its hard to say goodbye to summer.  This year I'm vowing to work harder, be nicer,  and relax a little bit. I thought in the mean time, I'd share with you a quote that seems fitting for the back to school season;

I found this quote at thingswesay.com and thought it was perfect! 

Are you back to school?

The Time My Sister Had A Seizure

As you may know, about two weeks ago, I told you I would be going to NYC for a few days and wouldn't be able to post. I WAS going to New York, until my sister had a seizure the night before we were supposed leave.

A seizure is a very scary thing, everything you stand to lose is put right there in front you, warning you to be very careful. My sister, who is in a wheelchair, was going to the table for dinner when my family's new puppies walked over to her. Instantly, I went to tell her to sit back as it had become a very annoying, very bad habit. After a split second, I realized she was shaking. All I remember next was my mother shouting for me to get her a change of clothes and being told to get my father.

I ran up the stairs screaming "Daddy, daddy", words I had not used for my father in a very long time. I remember crying and feeling incredibly guilty for having snapped at her moments before, something she would not remember. An ambulance came and took her away, leaving my two other siblings and I, scared and unsure of what to do.

She came home the next day, making a full recovery. Even now, weeks later, they still don't know what had caused it. Anxiety and dehydration are what my family assume caused the first seizure my sister ever had. She is leaving for UMASS Amherst in a week. It could have also been my sister's Cerebral Palsy, a disability that gives her no use of her arms and legs.

I think the main reason I'm telling you this is because I'm leaving for NYC tomorrow, so I won't be posting until Monday. It also could be that life can sometimes get in the way of things. It might even get in the way of your writing, but you shouldn't let that stop you.

New Blog Design!

If you've visited this site before, you may notice it looks very different. I gave the blog a makeover! A new color scheme, fresh fronts, and a clean side bar later, and voila! It's bee-u-ti-full! Hope you like it!

Showing Instead of Telling

Showing instead of telling can greatly improve your writing and your word count. If you look through your writing, and find that you could be more descriptive, chances are, there is too much telling. How do I fix it, you ask? It's not hard if you put your mind to it.

Here is an example of telling,
Laila walked across the room and looked out the window to see a creepy fog over the harbor.

Here is how to show that same scene,
Laila glided across the dark room, watching out the window as an eery fog descended over the harbor.

There's definitely a difference, right? In the first example, you get a general sense of the scene, but it's not enough to make you feel there. However, in the second example, you see things more clearly.

You never want to tell emotions, either. Don't say Sally is sad, show it. Don't tell the reader David is angry, show it.

To fix scenes like this in your story, use richer adjectives and more descriptive verbs. Adverbs are okay, but using too many can become annoying for a reader.

 This doesn't mean to overload your sentences with adjectives, TOO much description isn't okay either.  Here is an example of using too much description:

Paul nervously approached the cherry red front door and shakily jolted the gold knocker as his hand shook.

See how this is too much? I was adding adjectives, just to add adjectives, not to help the story. Readers need a little freedom to imagine. Adding adjectives can also become repetitive. For example, we already know that he was shaky as knocked on the door, so why do we need to know his hand shook? Here is the same sentence, but with a more controlled use of adjectives:

Paul's whole body shook as he approached the cherry red door. His sweaty palms tightened as he used the gold-plated knocker to aware the house of his presence. 

We still know he is nervous, without being repetitive.  There are now two sentences, but it's necessary to explain the situation with it becoming a run-on sentence.

Dialogue can also be a form of telling. If a character knows another character knows something, they shouldn't tell that character what the other character already knows. (This is a bit confusing, and a tongue twister, but I can't think of another way to explain it!) It is possible to weave in the information though. For example, if Fred knows his friend, Bob wants a scooter instead of a bike, he shouldn't ask Bob if he wants a bike.

I hope this post will help those who are a little unclear. If you have any more questions, comment them below!

I'm Back!

You may have noticed that there hasn't been a post in a while, sorry for that! My computer started acting up a few weeks ago, so I brought it to the Apple store and they replaced the screen under warranty, but when I brought it home, it wouldn't start! It took some time to fix it, so I had zero access to Blogger.  I'm back now, and itching to write!

What is plot?

I don't think much explanation is needed. This is a beautiful explanation of what plot is. It's our character's emotions and desires intercrossing with different purposes, until finally,  the emotions and desires have different goals, causing them to "strike against each other" and resulting in a blowout, or explosion. (For some reason, I think of Star Wars!)

Just a heads up, I won't be able to post next week because I'll be in New York City on vacation. Unfortunately, I won't be able to bring my computer with me. In the meantime, I thought I'd create a writing contest.

Write a story with the following prompt; "It was supposed to be..." and finish the sentence!  I will post the winning piece here on the blog! Hope you enter! You can send it to the email wordsatplay13@gmail.com, either attach it as a document, or post it directly into the message box! Good luck!

Distractions

Do you remember the dog Doug, from the Pixar movie Up? Remember when he would be in the middle of a sentence squirrel! That happens a lot when we write. We are about to finish a chapter, verse,  or line, when BAM! Our squirrel comes along. WHAT did she just post on Instagram? That episode's tonight!?! Pinterest...Pinterest...Pinterest... They're endless.

My common squirrel is my mother, or more specifically, the chores my mother gives me. Dishwasher, counters, vacuum, sweep, cat food, litter box, dog food, animal's water, etc. That and the new puppies that just entered my house.

In case you wanted to see the cuteness overload :)

Anyway, distractions are inevitable. It's all in the way you handle them. Whenever I hear the word distraction, I often think of the word procrastination.

pro·cras·ti·na·tion

prəˌkrastəˈnāSHən,prō-/

noun

1. the action of delaying or postponing something.

   
   

   (Thought I'd save you a trip to the dictionary. Thanks Google!)

   
   

   I have an acronym for procrastination; PTR or Procrastination Takes Rest

   
   

   Prioritize: Not everything NEEDS to be done, what do you absolutely have to complete?

   Time: Time yourself, give yourself 5 minutes to surf Pinterest, in return for 20 minutes of writing

   Relax: Relax! You're only human (remember the song?), give yourself a break if you can't get everything done!

   
   

   Placing yourself in an environment where distractions are limited can also help. In my case, with chores, I have to set said time for chores so that I have enough time to write.

   
   

   What are your squirrels? How do you deal with them?

   
   

The first sentence cannot be finished

In my perception, this quote means that the first sentence cannot be as close to perfect as it can be, until the last sentence is written. Sometimes our writing can go off into directions we never expected, veering of our course and into its own. Don't be alarmed, this is completely normal. What this quote means, in my humble opinion, is that when your story goes off track like it does, that first sentence may no longer hold the importance it did when you started.

When you finish your first draft of your book, your poem,  your song, consider this quote. Does your first sentence still hold the same vibrato it did when you hopped on the writing train?

What do you think this quote means? Is your first sentence the best it could be?

Writing Spaces

#470660523 / gettyimages.com

     Some writers can write in noisy, crowded places, others prefer quiet places where they can collect their thoughts. Where you write can have impact on your writing. J.K Rowling wrote Harry Potter in a cafe near where she lived with her daughter. Jane Austen wrote in her home, at a small table by a window.

     Because environments can affect mood, our mood can affect our writing. Its almost like a chain reaction. Since the environment affects us, and we have (almost) complete control of our writing (we can forget that little voice in our head!), our writing is affected as well.

     Writing in a special space may help you "switch" on your story mode. I know for me, a routine spot is a great help. Right now, I'm in the process of converting a large closet into a miniature office for myself to write. (I'll post pictures later.)

     Many successful creative figures have written in offices overflowing with papers and books, or extremely simplistic spaces. William Buckley, an author and commentary, wrote in a cluttered space overflowing with papers and books. Georgia O'Keefe, a painter, painted in a fairly bare room with white walls.  If you'd like to see more examples or see pictures of the said spaces, head over to BuzzFeed.
   
     Wherever you write, make sure its place that you both enjoy writing in and can remain productive.

Where do you write?

Satisfaction in Writing

     Writing shouldn't be a chore. If it was, why would we do it in our free time? Writing should be an enjoyable activity.
     For me, writing is a relief. When I've had a bad day or just need to let out some steam, I write. Writing can be whatever you need it to be. That's the beauty of it.

     On Friday, I will be writing a post about writing spaces! Sorry for the short post, my grandmother's in the hospital and my house is very hectic!

 Why do you choose to write?

Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body

     The biggest advice I can give to writers is to read. Read, read, read, read, read. It's the best thing for you. It broadens your vocabulary, helps with grammar, and (if you would like to be published), helps you see what publishers in your genre are looking for. Of course there are more great rewards from reading, these are not the only ones.

     Sir Richard Steele is definitely right! Reading stretches your mind just like the aerobics machine. And books can make you work (hopefully not too much) hard, just like the loathed treadmill. Books are adventures compacted into pages with Times New Roman. For those who want to be published, the most likely reason you're writing, is so people will buy your book and read it. 

     My all-time favorite book is The Wedding Planner's Daughter by Coleen Paratore. I've been reading it since I was in second or third grade, and now every summer I reread it What's your favorite book?

Using Your Imaginary Friends

     When you were little, you probably had imaginary friends. They were always there, and only you could see them. It may seem like your too old for them, but they could be your biggest ally (again!). You can use your old friends as characters or use the adventures you had with them as plot ideas. If you have younger characters in your story, give them an imaginary friend just like yours!
     Have an old and interesting imaginary friend? Create a character version of them. They can support your character just like they supported you when you were younger.
     Ever had a crazy dramatic adventure with your invisible counterparts? Use that story as a unique plot. You may have to tweak it a bit to be a little more "together", but those made-up adventures are story gold.
     Are you writing a story that includes little kids? Give them some imaginary friends! This gives you the opportunity to add some humor to the story and make those minor characters way more interesting!
     For me, my imaginary friend consisted of an entire world. A place where I made all the rules and weird kick jumps counted as ninja warrior attacks on my enemies. I had a boyfriend there whose name I cannot remember and so did my cousin. My cousin was also in this world (don't worry, she's real!). Somehow, we both could see the imagined world albeit very differently. A name for this world you might ask? Well, none other than "Pretend World", very original, I know.

There's a whole psychology to imaginary friends, and if you'd like to read more, head over to The Understanding Blog! 

Imaginary friends were (are?) our best friends as little kids, its no wonder they'll help us even as we get older!

Writing About Yourself

     I'm so sorry for the lack of posts! Things have been really crazy lately. Anyway, a lot of writers I know like to write about them selves in their books. There are pros and cons to this approach, and in this post I'm going to explain of all them.


     Pros: Some writers can succeed with this approach. The book becomes a fictional diary without limits. With this process, you may not have as much writer's block because you'll have endless inspiration.

    Cons: The problem with the diary approach is that it can limit you. You can become so focused that you lose focus of the book's goal. I admit I've fallen into this trap before. I didn't wan't to give my character flaws because I didn't want to see my own flaws.  Then again, my book had been a very dramatic plot with myself as the main character. Like I said, this may work for some people, but for most, this should be avoided.

     If you want to avoid doing this,  there is a way. Instead of making yourself the MC, create a supporting character for your MC to interact with. That supporting character can become the story version you. You'll become unbiased because you will be writing about how others view you. That way, you can still be a part of your story, without falling into the diary trap.

     Writing requires you to be free from your own life and immersed in your main character's. When you write, you are not in your world, but in your MC's. If the diary approach works for you, that's great! If not, use the tip above to help you!

     I hope everyone has a happy Friday and an enjoyable weekend!

Quote of the Day: Creativity

Hi there! As promised, here's a quote of the day!

I think this goes for for a lot of writers, writing is an escape. The only difference between us and Demi Lovato is that Demi Lovato writes songs, and we write books, stories, etc. Music and writing have a lot in common! :)

Quote of the Day: Memorial Day

Every Monday, I'm going to try to post a quote in relation to writing.  They will be by a variety of different writers and famous figures.  Because its Memorial Day, I've decided to start with a quote about the USA!

I think it speaks volumes about this country! Hope you enjoy your day!

Hello There!

Oh! Hello there! My name is Kat, if you have stumbled upon Words At Play, welcome! This will be a blog for writers pursuing their dreams. Let me start by telling you a little about myself, (don't worry, I'll keep it short!), I'm 13 years old, the youngest of 4 kids, love chocolate, and want to be an author after I graduate college, (told you it'd be short!)! I want this blog to be a community for other teen writers filled with inspiration and tips! To start things off, I'm adding a great quote for writers:

(I made this edit myself, thank you very much!) I love this quote because it about sums up the importance of writers in the world. This blog will (for the most part) will be updated weekly, so check back often! Thank you so much for choosing to go on this writing endeavor with me!

 ~Kat