Wednesday Musings

So, today was my second day of school. I'm officially a junior.

I am taking three AP classes (all on the same day, if you can believe it). I have a ton of homework. So, what do I do? I go look through my little blogger inbox and read blog posts, and I post something myself... you know.

So this is going to be a short, update post, until Friday when I can breathe.

First of all, my novel is coming along poorly. I've written maybe the first sentence. I need encouragement; I feel like I've talked about this before, but I may have read someone else's post on motivation. My mind is fuzzy. I really need a way to stick to my writing, and I hope that by filling that creative well in my mind I'll either be driven crazy or to writing. Anyone have any ideas for a girl with minimal supplies, no money, and no driver's license?

(By minimal, I mean my mom's craft supplies: popsicle sticks, maybe pipe cleaners, foam stickers, those little pom-pom balls. Stuff you find in a little kid's artroom, except way less of it.)

(I also don't mean do my homework. It's the first week of school, for goodness sake.)

It's been hectic, but I might post a short spiff next Wednesday. A sample of my writing, if you wish to call it that. Beyond that, I don't know.

I have a picture quote with some penguins on it. Yay. :)

 I used a sample picture from my computer and added a quote to it.

I have... really nothing else to say. How do you stay motivated when writing? Do you have any ideas to get my creative well... welling up again? (What a pitiful metaphor. Oh goodness.) Comment or link to a post with a good answer, please.

Have a blessed Wednesday, and I hope you don't get eaten by tigers!

Wednesday Writings

Wednesdays are writing advice! I share tips I've learned on creating realistic characters, building worlds, and that tricky, sticky grammar.

Inspiration and Imagination

Today I urge you to imagine. Imagination is your most useful tool as a writer; it uncovers the magic and mystery in the world around you. It allows you to express something more real than anything science, math, or society could teach you. 

Of course, we all know imagination. We may even take it for granted. But this post is not about just that: it's about the problems you face when you're out of ideas, and you think your imagination lake has run dry. Yes, the Dreaded Writer's Block.

To combat your lack of creativity and imagination, you need inspiration. And inspiration is like air: you can find it anywhere. (Except in a vacuum, like space, but you know what I mean.)

Here are my suggestions when you hit a roadblock:

1. Listen to new music. If you normally listen to pop music, try country or rock music. If you're normally more of a classic rock fan, then listen to classical.

2. Look really, really closely at a flower. Or a tree, or a bush, or something of that nature. This is how Georgia O'Keefe got her inspiration, and she painted some beautiful stuff.

3. You know those scented candles? Burn one of those. Watch the flame and breathe in the [smell-sort of adverb/adjective] goodness. You can relax away the stress and get your creativity flowing. If you don't have a scented candle, just staring at a regular one works, too.

4. Research some random topic on google. I've done this a lot - my last research topic was on the Bubonic Plague. This helps clear up any questions you had about a particular topic, and makes it easier to write about it in your story.

5. Read a new book. If you're an avid reader like I am, then pick a book out of your comfort zone. Like, if you normally read romance, pick up an adventure or epic fantasy novel. If you're normally an epic fantasy type person, pick up a general fiction or even a nonfiction book.

6. If you have any pets, now would be the time to pay attention to them. Stroke their fur (or feathers, scales, or whatever else) and let them sit in your lap. Look deeply in their eyes and try to find the right color to describe them. Or, simply observe the way they move; I watch my cats move around, and they're so graceful and elegant that I'm inspired to incorporate the beauty into my story.

7. Ask yourself how well you really know your characters. Do you know what they dream about at night? Do you understand the reasons behind their actions?

8. Go outside on a clear night and look up at the stars. Perhaps you'll spark an epiphany.



Imagination is an important aspect to writing, and if your creative lake has gone dry, then follow at least one of those simple rules above. It's not like I'm asking you to run a marathon; I just want you to observe your surroundings and draw inspiration from them.

Oh, what the cupcakes - I'll include a Georgia O'keefe picture, as well as my normal quote and goodbye. (I even found a quote that's relevant to my post! Yay!)

"I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
-Albert Einstein

Red Canna, Georgia O'Keefe