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?