Yup, I'm getting rid of the schedule because I can't stick to it. I don't always have time to blog, so if I ge rid of the schedule, I won't feel bad when I don't post. Also, it gets rids of the pressure, and I need less stress and pressure in my life. So, from now on I will post whenever I feel like it, and my posts will be about what ever I feel like writing about. It will still be all literary based, but there will be less structure.
-Dru
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Sunday Literary News: A website and my writing
Hello everybody!
So, I just discovered this wonderful website called Good Reads. You get to record what you have read, and suggest books to other. You also can get recommended books, which is awesome! Best of all, I hear that they have frequent giveaways. Who doesn't love free books? So, here is a link:
http://www.goodreads.com/
Next, InkeNoWriSum offically started today. I stayed up until midnight so I could get started right away. I already have nearly 3,000 words and I'm still writing. My goal is to finish my novel by the end of the summer. I'm so excited!
So, I just discovered this wonderful website called Good Reads. You get to record what you have read, and suggest books to other. You also can get recommended books, which is awesome! Best of all, I hear that they have frequent giveaways. Who doesn't love free books? So, here is a link:
http://www.goodreads.com/
Next, InkeNoWriSum offically started today. I stayed up until midnight so I could get started right away. I already have nearly 3,000 words and I'm still writing. My goal is to finish my novel by the end of the summer. I'm so excited!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Poetry Tuesday: A Poem by Robert Frost
Here is a classic:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference
Sunday, June 5, 2011
About Sunday....
Two posts in one day, oh yeah!
Anyway, I've decided to revert Sunday back to literary news, as you can see by my previous post, and just drop book reviews all together. Don't get me wrong, I will still do them periodically, but I just can't do them every week.
Anyway, I've decided to revert Sunday back to literary news, as you can see by my previous post, and just drop book reviews all together. Don't get me wrong, I will still do them periodically, but I just can't do them every week.
Sunday Literary News: InkieNoWriSum
I'm am posting my first ever Sunday Literary News which will contain interesting news about the literary world. Today I have but one story, but it will be good.
I don't know how many of you know about Inkpop, but it is a writing website, geared towards Young Adult works, that I am part of. It is a wonderful community where people can safely post their works for the world to see and talk to other like-minded writers. So, some lovely Inkies, as we are called, decided to put together a summer event called InkieNoWriSum. It is pretty much the same thing as NaNoWriMo, except it takes place during the summer. I know I have lost a couple of you by now, so I shall explain.
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It is an event that takes place in November where writers worldwide attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I will talk about this more come November, where I will try the challenge for a second time, and hopefully win. I suffered a miserable defeat last year and I need to redeem myself. Anyway, for more info, go here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
InkieNoWriSum stands for Inkie Novel Writing Summer. It is pretty much the same thing, except you have the entire summer to reach a writing goal of your choice. My goal this summer is to finish my novel. I have a writing buddy I'm working with so we can complete our goal together, which may help succeed. And right now, my fellow readers, I have decided that if I accomplish my goal, it will make up for my NaNoWriMo failure! Woohoo!
Okay, so how many of you are up for the challenge? Let me know by posting the comments. I will be rooting for you!
Oh, and here is a link to Inkpop:
http://www.inkpop.com/
-Dru
I don't know how many of you know about Inkpop, but it is a writing website, geared towards Young Adult works, that I am part of. It is a wonderful community where people can safely post their works for the world to see and talk to other like-minded writers. So, some lovely Inkies, as we are called, decided to put together a summer event called InkieNoWriSum. It is pretty much the same thing as NaNoWriMo, except it takes place during the summer. I know I have lost a couple of you by now, so I shall explain.
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It is an event that takes place in November where writers worldwide attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. I will talk about this more come November, where I will try the challenge for a second time, and hopefully win. I suffered a miserable defeat last year and I need to redeem myself. Anyway, for more info, go here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/
InkieNoWriSum stands for Inkie Novel Writing Summer. It is pretty much the same thing, except you have the entire summer to reach a writing goal of your choice. My goal this summer is to finish my novel. I have a writing buddy I'm working with so we can complete our goal together, which may help succeed. And right now, my fellow readers, I have decided that if I accomplish my goal, it will make up for my NaNoWriMo failure! Woohoo!
Okay, so how many of you are up for the challenge? Let me know by posting the comments. I will be rooting for you!
Oh, and here is a link to Inkpop:
http://www.inkpop.com/
-Dru
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Wednesday Writing Tip: Write on Paper
Constantly caught in the never-ending "write a line and then hit backspace" cycle? Try putting the computer down and write on paper. It takes a lot more work to rid yourself of a line written on paper, especially when you do so with pen. And if you are enviornmentally conscious, like me, throwing away that paper you mess-up on is out of the question. Thus, you stick with what you have, which is all you have to do with a first draft. The first draft is all about finishing something; you can perfect things later when you type it up on the computer.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Poetry Tuesday: A Poem by Auden
I have my english exam today and my big essau question required me to decipher a poem by Auden and compare it to one of the books I read this year in class. I think I did pretty well...or I might've been overly reptitive. Either way, I thought the poem was really cool and I am going to share it with you. Feel free to decipher it for yourself!
Musée des Beaux Arts
W. H. Auden
About suffering they were never wrong, The Old Masters; how well, they understood Its human position; how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along; How, when the aged are reverently, passionately waiting For the miraculous birth, there always must be Children who did not specially want it to happen, skating On a pond at the edge of the wood: They never forgot That even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot Where the dogs go on with their doggy life and the torturer’s horse Scratches its innocent behind on a tree. In Breughel’s Icarus, for instance: how everything turns away Quite leisurely from the disaster; the ploughman may Have heard the splash, the forsaken cry, But for him it was not an important failure; the sun shone As it had to on the white legs disappearing into the green Water; and the expensive delicate ship that must have seen Something amazing, a boy falling out of the sky, had somewhere to get to and sailed calmly on.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Wednesday Writing Tip: Randomness
Here is a trick I learned from Anne Rice:
All writers have that moment when they are writing where they get completely and totally stuck. You wrote yourself into the corner, or your inspiration has died, or you are so freakin' bored with your character/story that you can't move one. I think the technical term for this moment is Writer's Block. Well, here is a very interesting way to defeat it: do something random.
Okay, this sound crazy, right? Wrong! Actually, no, it is right, but writers need to be crazy. Anyway, back to my point, do something completely random. Make your character randomly do a backflip, or kiss the person next to them, or kill there best friend. At the very least, have them shout "I'm bored!". This will create an action for you, and the more dramatic the better because with every action, there is an equal reaction. Newton's First Law? Second? Third? I'm not a science person, but the prinicple is the same. You have caused something to happen, and now you have to clean up the mess left behind. Thus, your Writer's Block is destroyed...for now.
I used this technique during NaNoWriMo (which I failed at, by the way. *sigh*). I wrote myself into a hole and I was bored, my character was bored, and my story was bored. So, I made piano play by itself. Of course, once I did that, I have to create some vague explantation, which led to be creating a disembodied voice. Naturally, I had to create a reaction for my character, who was a young Victorian girl who couldn't understand why the piano was playing by itself and a mysterious voice was talking to her. Then I had to create dialogue, some panicky thoughts, etc. It was a lot of fun and it dragged my out of my pit of despair!
So, what are you waiting for! Defeat Writer's Block and make something strange happen!
All writers have that moment when they are writing where they get completely and totally stuck. You wrote yourself into the corner, or your inspiration has died, or you are so freakin' bored with your character/story that you can't move one. I think the technical term for this moment is Writer's Block. Well, here is a very interesting way to defeat it: do something random.
Okay, this sound crazy, right? Wrong! Actually, no, it is right, but writers need to be crazy. Anyway, back to my point, do something completely random. Make your character randomly do a backflip, or kiss the person next to them, or kill there best friend. At the very least, have them shout "I'm bored!". This will create an action for you, and the more dramatic the better because with every action, there is an equal reaction. Newton's First Law? Second? Third? I'm not a science person, but the prinicple is the same. You have caused something to happen, and now you have to clean up the mess left behind. Thus, your Writer's Block is destroyed...for now.
I used this technique during NaNoWriMo (which I failed at, by the way. *sigh*). I wrote myself into a hole and I was bored, my character was bored, and my story was bored. So, I made piano play by itself. Of course, once I did that, I have to create some vague explantation, which led to be creating a disembodied voice. Naturally, I had to create a reaction for my character, who was a young Victorian girl who couldn't understand why the piano was playing by itself and a mysterious voice was talking to her. Then I had to create dialogue, some panicky thoughts, etc. It was a lot of fun and it dragged my out of my pit of despair!
So, what are you waiting for! Defeat Writer's Block and make something strange happen!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Poetry Tuesday: A Poem..erm...Song by Florence and the Machine
Songs are but poetry put to music. They are tend to be more potent. Enjoy!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday Writing Prompt
I'm really tired today, so....
Describe the day when you were most tired.
Feel free to post your response in the comments.
Describe the day when you were most tired.
Feel free to post your response in the comments.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
About Thursday....
Quick update! I'm moving Thursday Book Review to Sunday. So, enjoy the new Sunday Book Review...on Sunday.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday Writing Tip: Page-A-Day
As writers, many of us decide to achieve the impossible. We attempt to write a novel. Thus, we are forcing ourselves to create an amazing story that covers over 300 pages. Naturally, these attempts often are futile because who can focus on one story for so long? Certainly not me, my computer will tell you. Lucky, I picked up this handy tip from Be-A-Better-Writer.com. It is simple: Make a goal to write one page a day. That's just write a page a day. In one year, you'll have a 365 page novel. If you write two-pages a day, in 6 months you'll have a 365 novel. Easy and simple. Something you can easily do. Just write a page a day and soon you will have a novel.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
A Poem by Alfred Noyes
Here is a poem by my favorite poet! You'll be seeing many poems by him on this blog. Anyway, can anyone figure out the meaning of this poem, but I'm still not sure what it means. I just like the way it sounds.
The thousand-windowed towers were all alight.
Throngs of all nations filled that glittering way;
And, rich with dreams of the approaching day,
Flags of all nations trampled down the night.
No clouds, at sunset, die in airs as bright.
No clouds, at dawn, awake in winds as gay;
For Freedom rose in that august array,
Crowned with the stars and weaponed for the right.
Then, in a place of whispering leaves and gloom,
I saw, too dark, too dumb for bronze or stone,
One tragic head that bowed against the sky;
O, in a hush too deep for any tomb
I saw Beethoven, dreadfully alone
With his own grief, and his own majesty.
The thousand-windowed towers were all alight.
Throngs of all nations filled that glittering way;
And, rich with dreams of the approaching day,
Flags of all nations trampled down the night.
No clouds, at sunset, die in airs as bright.
No clouds, at dawn, awake in winds as gay;
For Freedom rose in that august array,
Crowned with the stars and weaponed for the right.
Then, in a place of whispering leaves and gloom,
I saw, too dark, too dumb for bronze or stone,
One tragic head that bowed against the sky;
O, in a hush too deep for any tomb
I saw Beethoven, dreadfully alone
With his own grief, and his own majesty.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Firday Writing Prompt
Here is this weeks writing prompt!
You are trapped in a dystopian world and are asked to lead an uprising? What do you do?
Feel free to share your stories in the comments!
-Dru
You are trapped in a dystopian world and are asked to lead an uprising? What do you do?
Feel free to share your stories in the comments!
-Dru
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday Writing Tip: Where to Write?
Having trouble writing? Can't focus? The ideas just not flowing? Well, here is a question you should ask" Where am I writing? Where you write can have an impact on how well you write. For me, I write often in my house, but I'm far to distracted. There's food, the TV, Facebook...needless to say, little gets done. So, I tended to write at school. I can't watch TV, eat food, or use Facebook in the library, plus my mind is stimulated by school work. The result is a whole lot of progress. So, if you are having trouble writing, try writing someplace else. Maybe sitting in front of the TV isn't working for you, or maybe it will. Maybe your house completely kills your story, or maybe it is the only way it can possibly be written. Switch things up and see what happens!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A Poem by Robet E. Howard
It's poem Tuesday! Today's poem is by Robet E. Howard and is from his book "The Phoniex on the Sword". It is one of my favorites because it is so very pretty but also sends out a very true message. It also kinda reminds me of the times of Beowulf, but that might just be me. I hope you enjoy it!
"When I was a fighting man, the kettle drums they beat,
The people scattered gold-dust before my horses feet;
But now I am a great king, the people hound my track
With poison in my wine-cup, and daggers at my back."
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday Writing Prompt
Here is you topic to write about this week:
What would happen if one day you woke up with a tail?
Feel free to share your stories in the comments!
~Dru
Oh, and my friend entered a writing contest. Please vote for her by rating her story 5 stars! Thank you!
http://inkpop.strutta.com/entry/158849
What would happen if one day you woke up with a tail?
Feel free to share your stories in the comments!
~Dru
Oh, and my friend entered a writing contest. Please vote for her by rating her story 5 stars! Thank you!
http://inkpop.strutta.com/entry/158849
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday Book Review: Sarah Dessen's "Along For The Ride"
Hello! It's Thursday, so I'm writing up my book review. Note that I can be brutal at times. Just remember that I am merely presenting my opinions. In my full length review, I will probably spoil the book for those who haven't read it yet. So, to help fix this problem, I have split my review in two parts: an overview that has no spoilers, and the full review with spoilers. Enjoy!
This weeks book is Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen. I finished reading this book last week, and this is what I have to say.
Overview:
Rating: 5 Stars
Pros:
-kept me thinking
-unique and realistic character
-entertaining storyline
Cons:
-a random, out of place scene
Recommended?
YES! YES! YES!
Review:
Obviously, from the overview, I really enjoyed this book. This was a surprise because I usually don't enjoy Teen books, but this one was surprisingly good. I went in expecting the usual: plain girl ends up attracting the attention of hot popular guy, but she doesn't like him, but he shows up everywhere when she is in emotional distress, which is often, and then they fall in love, but mistakes tear them apart, and then they come back together. I was wrong!
The main character, Auden, is rather plain, but she doesn't mope about it, thank goodness! She is intelligent, and doesn't mind, though later she does feel a little uncomfortable with her social ineptness. And while her parents are divorced, and her father is having troubles in his new relationship, this doesn't send her into a neverending downward, emotional spiral.
Eli is her love interest, but not at first. When she first arrives in the summer town which her father lives in, she hangs out with another boy. The relationship doesn't work out though. Then she meets Eli, the dark and mysterious guy. She doesn't, however, have deep, straight-forward conversations about their feelings ever. Instead, they spend their evenings shopping at an all-night super market and eating pie in the backroom of laudromat. They are insomniacs, so these midnight activities are normal. But these activities to strengthen their bond and they learn so much about each other without having to pour out their hearts
What I really love about their relationship is how realistic it is. They do kiss, don't worry, but there isn't a deep, super absorbed relationship. They don't spend every waking moment trying to "fix" each other out of love. Also, when Auden is having a near emotional meltdown, it isn't Eli that magically appears to comfort her, but people like her friends, you know, the people that would actually show up. Basically, it is a healthy, realistic relationship where each person has their "me" time.
I do have one complaint about this book, and it pertains to Auden's first relationship. She meets this guy the first time is in town and hooks-up with him. Given the fact that she clearly states that she does not have much social experience makes it hard to believe that she would hook up with a guy she didn't know. She does regret her choice, but I would imagine that the emotional consequences would've been far worse then they were. I think this detailed should've been either toned down or further explained.
As for the rest of the book, it is amazing! The first few chapters are a bit slow, but after that I could not put this book down. It made me laugh, cry, and feel slighlty embarassed for Auden. It was one of those books you wanted to finish, but never wanted to end. And for people like me, who read all the time, it is unpredicatable, which is really quite refreshing. I recommend it for anyone who wants a light and fun read!
~Dru
This wasn't too bad of a review, was it? I'm not very good at this yet, so bear with me. It make take a couple of tries, and some advice, before I get it right. Constructive criticism is welcome!
This weeks book is Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen. I finished reading this book last week, and this is what I have to say.
Overview:
Rating: 5 Stars
Pros:
-kept me thinking
-unique and realistic character
-entertaining storyline
Cons:
-a random, out of place scene
Recommended?
YES! YES! YES!
Review:
Obviously, from the overview, I really enjoyed this book. This was a surprise because I usually don't enjoy Teen books, but this one was surprisingly good. I went in expecting the usual: plain girl ends up attracting the attention of hot popular guy, but she doesn't like him, but he shows up everywhere when she is in emotional distress, which is often, and then they fall in love, but mistakes tear them apart, and then they come back together. I was wrong!
The main character, Auden, is rather plain, but she doesn't mope about it, thank goodness! She is intelligent, and doesn't mind, though later she does feel a little uncomfortable with her social ineptness. And while her parents are divorced, and her father is having troubles in his new relationship, this doesn't send her into a neverending downward, emotional spiral.
Eli is her love interest, but not at first. When she first arrives in the summer town which her father lives in, she hangs out with another boy. The relationship doesn't work out though. Then she meets Eli, the dark and mysterious guy. She doesn't, however, have deep, straight-forward conversations about their feelings ever. Instead, they spend their evenings shopping at an all-night super market and eating pie in the backroom of laudromat. They are insomniacs, so these midnight activities are normal. But these activities to strengthen their bond and they learn so much about each other without having to pour out their hearts
What I really love about their relationship is how realistic it is. They do kiss, don't worry, but there isn't a deep, super absorbed relationship. They don't spend every waking moment trying to "fix" each other out of love. Also, when Auden is having a near emotional meltdown, it isn't Eli that magically appears to comfort her, but people like her friends, you know, the people that would actually show up. Basically, it is a healthy, realistic relationship where each person has their "me" time.
I do have one complaint about this book, and it pertains to Auden's first relationship. She meets this guy the first time is in town and hooks-up with him. Given the fact that she clearly states that she does not have much social experience makes it hard to believe that she would hook up with a guy she didn't know. She does regret her choice, but I would imagine that the emotional consequences would've been far worse then they were. I think this detailed should've been either toned down or further explained.
As for the rest of the book, it is amazing! The first few chapters are a bit slow, but after that I could not put this book down. It made me laugh, cry, and feel slighlty embarassed for Auden. It was one of those books you wanted to finish, but never wanted to end. And for people like me, who read all the time, it is unpredicatable, which is really quite refreshing. I recommend it for anyone who wants a light and fun read!
~Dru
This wasn't too bad of a review, was it? I'm not very good at this yet, so bear with me. It make take a couple of tries, and some advice, before I get it right. Constructive criticism is welcome!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Wednesday Writing Tip: What if?
What if I gave you the power to battle Writer's Block and create story plots? What would you do with this power? Why? What if you didn't use this power? Would you wish you had? Are you still going to read this post? I hope so.
All writers have the moments when they just can't think of anything good to write. This moment is called Writer's Block, and it can last for hours, days, weeks, months, years...you catch my drift. This block of sorts can cause stories to stop in their tracks and keep ideas from getting off of the ground. There is a million dollar question of how to cure this "disease", and I think I may have that million dollar answer. I call it the "What If Game".
The "What If Game" works like this: take your idea, be it the middle of a chapter or a blossoming story, and ask a "what if" question about it. Like, what if so-and-so jumped off a building? What if what
's-his-face fell in love with his best friend? What if it was illegal to brush your teeth? This is just the begining though.
After asking your what if question, follow it up with another question. Why is it illegal to brush our teeth? Why would she jump off of the building? What would his friend think?
Then, follow those questions with more "what if" questions. What if his friend was a guy? How would his friend react? What if she thought she could fly? Is she insane? What if brushing your teeth was a proven way to defeat mind-control? Who is trying to control our minds?
Playing the "What If Game" helped me create an entire plotline for an idea that has been stuck for several years. Hopefully it will help you out of any rut you are in or will get into!
~Dru
All writers have the moments when they just can't think of anything good to write. This moment is called Writer's Block, and it can last for hours, days, weeks, months, years...you catch my drift. This block of sorts can cause stories to stop in their tracks and keep ideas from getting off of the ground. There is a million dollar question of how to cure this "disease", and I think I may have that million dollar answer. I call it the "What If Game".
The "What If Game" works like this: take your idea, be it the middle of a chapter or a blossoming story, and ask a "what if" question about it. Like, what if so-and-so jumped off a building? What if what
's-his-face fell in love with his best friend? What if it was illegal to brush your teeth? This is just the begining though.
After asking your what if question, follow it up with another question. Why is it illegal to brush our teeth? Why would she jump off of the building? What would his friend think?
Then, follow those questions with more "what if" questions. What if his friend was a guy? How would his friend react? What if she thought she could fly? Is she insane? What if brushing your teeth was a proven way to defeat mind-control? Who is trying to control our minds?
Playing the "What If Game" helped me create an entire plotline for an idea that has been stuck for several years. Hopefully it will help you out of any rut you are in or will get into!
~Dru
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Intro
This is the introduction to my blog! Basically, I'm going to be posting book reviews, stories, and writing tips whenever I feel like it. I'm also going to create and awesome layout eventually. So...let's begin!
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