Quotes

There are a few quotes that are inspiring me at the moment and I thought I'd put them down for you:

"It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves."   Andre Gide

"We could learn a lot from crayons; some are sharp, some are pretty some are dull, while others bright, some have weird names, but they all have learned to live together in a box." - Unknown

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matter compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"If you don't create change, change we create you." - Unknown

They are inspirational and really get me into the mood to write. I think the creativity that flowed from some of these people just comes through when you start reading some of their stuff. Wow, that sounds weird but really, I think it's true.

Post School - School

Two months into school and my mind is finally clear enough and I finally feel under control enough to start writing again. It's funny though, the new thoughts of writing, the revelations of what comes next and what on earth I'm writing about has stopped until yesterday. I began to finish my assignment again for my diploma in Creative Writing and finally my life is looking like it has form again instead of a mess of books, reading, homework and classes. Thank the Lord.

So this is just a note to say, I'm back on track, no longer lost in the midst of school work and study.

A look into Brooke's thought process

So, it has been about 3 weeks and I've resigned myself to this particular thought. Before I tell you what it is, I want to let you know how I got there. Read on for how my mind works through thoughts:

I read a blog post by Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, about back story and how to write it well without making the reader overwhelmed and, quite frankly, bored. She suggested "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner as a good example of well written back story. I bought the book but and waited and as I waited read some more blog posts, she then talked about books that have a point, that have a moral story behind it. This interested me a lot. She felt that a good book doesn't need this, just write and have your focus on writing a good story. Mmm what a brilliant idea.
So I just finished "The Maze Runner" and it made me think what I want people to feel at the end of the story. I decided *satisfied* was the word. I want you, the reader, to feel like it was time well spent.

I have decided that I wont focus on a moral that I wanted to portray quietly in the background, but rather focus on a great story. Good characters, good plot and a satisfying story. Yep. That's it. And it took three weeks to get to that.

Plot Outline of Harry Potter

This picture right here is J. K. Rowling's outline for Order of the Phoenix. Brilliant stuff and really quite interesting. I will definitely be taking notes ;)

2 years ago I attempted to outline Harry Potter and stopped half way through book four. Now I kind of want to finish it. Oh gosh, I'm such a HP nerd.

10 Things When Writing Your Novel

An absolutely brilliant blog post by Alistair Bain Here
But for ease of reading I've posted it below...

10 things I will need from you when you write your novel

1. Simplicity. Maybe that's not the best word. I don't mean that I want you to write a light novel. I like to read about darkness and complexity. I just want you to make it easy for me to follow you. My life is already too complicated to have to think hard about what you are trying to say. Use short sentences. Keep me sensing that you're taking me somewhere.

2. A relaxed and open voice. I want you to sit next to me and chat. Write the way you speak. Use the vernacular. Be breezy, even. Don't be like Louis De Berniers. Or William Faulkner. Or Patrick White. Or Don Carson. I haven't finished any books by those blokes. But I know I'm going to finish this one.

3. Humour. Give me something to laugh at. Use words cleverly. Tell me funny stories. Make me laugh at myself. Make me laugh at anything. Like this guy does.

4. Short chapters. I want to be able to feel like I'm getting somewhere. When I tell Rachel that I'll finish the chapter I'd like to be able to turn the light out on the same day. The book I'm currently reading has 35 chapters and I read 3 of them in an hour this morning.

5. Keep it under 250 pages. If I can't read it in a week I won't read it all. The one I'm reading now is 245 pages. Just short of a length.

6. A good cover. One like this. I know. I'm shallow.

7. A killer first chapter. I've started The Girl with the Dragon Tattooabout 5 times. But it's hard work. So haven't read it. It might be a ripping yarn. But I'll probably never know.

8. Characters I can have empathy with. Write about things that I worry about. And things I get angry about. And things I don't like about myself.  It's not that hard. I'm a complicated person. Make me feel something. Stretch me emotionally.

9. Shock me. Make me think about the story for a day or two afterwards. Make me care about how it will end. And then end it in a way that I couldn't have predicted. That's why I liked The Kite Runner, and Eucalyptus, and My Sister's Keeper. And Romulus my Father (OK - so that wasn't a novel, but you get the idea).

10. Publish it in paperback and don't charge me more than $20.00.Like this one.

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

—	Muhammad Ali

Stereotypical Characters.

Us new writer tend to lean towards the easier characters, the ones we have know since we were young: the little old lady, the scary gang member, the blonde bimbo cheerleader, the class clown, the school bully.
They tend to be 2D and we need to give them more back story. The little old lady may actually be a tall old lady, grumpy and annoyed at everyone because her husband died in the war for them, they should be more grateful!
There is a reason for everything and we can keep the titles but you need a twist, a history, a reason for the way they are. We need to concentrate on showing the complexity of the characters. Even the worst people have some sort of good traits.

The reader wants to become involved with the life of the characters; become the characters best friend. The reader can only do if the writer actually creates a character that they believe can be real. No two people are alike and to be honest, I read enough stories of the stupid blonde head cheerleader that if I was to read another I don't think I could relate, they just aren't real enough for me. I've seen too many.

So create character that aren't so clique that the reader cringes and not so out there that its literally unbelievable. That's my goal for the week anyway.

Exit? Entrance?

This picture and this statement describes the ideas and thoughts currently running through my head at this exact moment. It happened only a few days ago when (yes, I know it'll sound crazy but bear with me here) I was staring at the floral rug we have on the ground and it looked like it started to move as if a breeze had floated by. And as I considered this I thought about what if, when that design for the rug was created and made into hundreds of rugs, what if their idea of these beautiful flowers could become real and as you stepped onto the carpet you could fall right through into their world?

Oh such rich ideas have flowed on since that day! It's too exciting. Although, every time I try to write say the first chapter of this story I go to type, to write, and my mind goes ------- Blank. Why? Why? Why? Please God, why???

And that is when I had this revelation. I'm sitting down to write and as soon as I get about 1000 words in, I'll have no where to go. I'll have no story to continue. I need to put a lot more effort into this and think of it as a work of excellence. background stories on the main characters mother's, mother's, mother. It's disappointing but exciting. For every obstacle is yet another adventure. And if it's another adventure, then I am all for it! Bring it on!

Choices

Left or right? Right or wrong? A or B? Good or bad? Fast or slow?

Pushing through

Oh man. I have an assignment due real soon and I am feeling inspirationally dry. I look at the page and every sentence is worse than the last. I can't think. I can't seem to get anything right! What is happening to me!? This never happened before! Argh!

Okay. Rant over. I need to stop being annoyed, play some piano, eat some chocolate and start writing and whatever comes out of my fingers and onto the screen I'm going to go with. Yep. I can work with anything!

.... Oh goodness, I really need to stop procrastinating.

Description

You can learn a lot about a character by the way they describe others. The things they pick up on (the fact that they always have a pencil on them), their opinion on the person (They always have a clean room) and facial features (Their eyes are always sparkling). It shows what's important to them or things they don't do. Such as for this particular character, they aren't clean and organised so when someone else very clean and has to have everything a certain way they tend to criticises and judge the person. Description sounds easy and simple but deep down, all writers know there is a lot more to it.

I recently finished read Insurgent by Veronica Roth, the sequel to Divergent, and quite liked it. However, I'm noticing more and more the in depth plot known as Harry Potter was just so brilliant that everything else dims in its shine. Layer upon layer each character was formed, for every action there was a reason and for every disaster there was a purpose. Everything has a purpose. Everything can be analysed. Such depth I really want to have.

I don't want a prissy novel that is simple enough to guess the end. I want someone to be able to have an idea of how it is going to end if they want to study real hard and pick up the clues left between the lines but only for the readers who strive for it. I understand now that the thought of finishing writing a book this year is not likely because of what I want to achieve. Not impossible but I think I want to work on the plot a bit longer, more and more ideas and flowing forth now I just have to give them a place inside the world I am creating.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill

Living Characters

Everyone sees the world differently. Everyone has a different hiding spot, a different place they go where they need (want) to be alone. We each choose these things but they also come from what our past looks like. We have been shaped by our past and will continue to be moulded by our future.

Each character you create has a reason behind every action they have. You're there to find out why and write their story, giving the character a chance to live; a chance to breathe for the first time.

Keeping on the Move

Everyday can be a struggle. You wake, shower, dress, eat and sit in front of the computer staring at the screen waiting for the words to come. Waiting. Just waiting. Instead you make yourself a cup of tea, bake a cake, go for a walk (exercise is of course the last resort). And finally you are back where you started, standing still and staring at the small blinking line. So, how do you get inspiration? How to you keep moving?

Recently I bought myself a white board. Wow, I didn't realise the joys of having a whiteboard until I had it sitting on my wall. I'd had it sitting on the floor for about a month and finally, 3 days ago, I convinced my Dad to put it up on my wall (I just don't trust myself with a drill). And now, it's constantly full of thoughts and ideas. It's as if I can now put my thoughts down easily and now I can see them out before me.

So, tip #1 - Get a whiteboard and put it on your wall.

I constantly have a stack of plain white paper next to my bed (which is kind of like my desk) in which I doodle over when I'm doing anything i.e. talking on the phone, writing an email, thinking about the world, scrolling through facebook, talking to someone and so on. And in this doodling I come up with pictures, quotes, one liners and sometimes dialogue. It really is the most amazing thing.

Tip #2 - Always have some blank A4 paper lying around.

If you're feeling inspiredless (yes, I know it's not a word) I tend to watch a tv episode or a video blog, or read a blog because that always inspires me to get creative.

Tip #3 - Have a few inspiring blogs, vblogs ect. that you can go to when you're feeling dry.

And thus ends today blog post...

Imagination is Like a Tree

Imagination is like a well grown tree. You need to prune it to keep in shape and weed the garden around it. However, if you let it grow and grow it becomes wild and untameable, the branches begin to hold more then just leaves and begin to hold secrets, nests, homes, fights, life, death and first or last kisses. You can no longer see whats on the other side. Instead, your imagination becomes a journey to a place unknown. Shelter from the rain, shelter from the heat but nothing can stop the wind of creativity (some may see it as destruction but it's really just the next big adventure).

Life will be however you look at it.

Everything you can imagine is real. - Pablo Picasso 

How Does Someone Write a Book?

At the moment I couldn't answer that question...I'm too busy trying to figure it all out.

Writing your life out

Writing stories you realise how much of yourself shines through each sentence. Each character has taken on a little something of yourself and whether it be a scar, a fear, a love, an adventurous spirit or a dream - your writing reflects your life.

More and more as the plot and life comes together I notice traces of Brooke throughout the whole thing. It's cute but also scary. It's becoming me and to publish and sell a part of me would be scary. Do I need to remove myself from the story to protect my heart? I don't know. Too many thoughts.

Quote

Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.


—John Jakes

Ideas...

The plot, I've decided, cannot be too complex. If one is trying to figure out what is happening half the book it wont be interesting. I hate when I read a book and don't understand what is happening, it frustrates me to no end and I end up putting the book down never to pick it up again. I'm stubborn I know...it's something I'm trying to deal with.

Is there a way that you can put the saying "If you believe it, you can do it" into a realistic setting? At the moment that's a large part of the plot and I'm just thinking it's just not believable enough....

Childlike faith is my next big thing. It's such a christian core value that I want it to be a main plot point in my book. It's working. Kinda. :)

Writing out my thoughts on paper so not only I can see them but I'm also putting them into words, really helps. I'm surprised at how much clearer my head feels.

So yes, I'm still working on the plot since after all if that isn't set out how on earth am I meant to start actually writing or storyboarding?

The Year of Revelation

Just lately I have been reading a book by Donald Miller who wrote Blue Like Jazz however, this is not the book I am reading. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller is a must read for anyone wanting to be a writer. He is a christian and mentions God a lot but even if you choose to not believe in God this book has so many tools for your writing life and yours that you really need to get your hands on one of these.

The main gist of the book is about how you need to be living a good story. If your life was a movie (or maybe a story) would the cinema be full or empty? Would they be rooting for you to win or fail? What is it your striving for? If it's nothing, what exactly are you doing with your life? You might think life is meaningless but maybe you just aren't finding any meaning in yours...


Wow. Just wow. It is blowing my mind such simple things about life and setting up good stories for not only yourself but other people (kids, family, friends) to step into. We watch the characters that we write change into amazing people but don't do the same for our lives. We don't end up chasing our dreams and in the end our life turns into a boring cycle of the same thing that an outsider wouldn't even want to be you. What are we doing???


If you were watching your life, would you be interested in it?

Developing a Character

So at the moment I am studying developing a character and I thought I would put up a little post on tips for when describing a character and what not.

When describing your character remember to use the five senses:

- Sight (What can you character see? Can they see the boy staring at them five rows down the hall of the library? Can they see the person in the desk across not turning the page? Can they see the computer screen of the person on the couches looking at a weird website?)

- Hearing (Can they hear the click as someone types? The sound of someone dragging their feet? The soft hum of the air con? The tapping of someone pen?)

- Taste (Can they taste the salt on their lips from the run to the library? The coke cola lingering on their tongue?)

- Smell (The smell of the sweaty jock who just walked in the library. The smell of old and used books. The smell of the heavy perfume that girl has on. The smell of McDonnell's someone tried to sneak into the library.)

- Touch (The etchings in the desk. The ripped edge from the book where someone had torn something out. The locket they always have around their neck.)


This is something I really need to work on. I tend to remember and sometimes add one of the five in but I feel like you need to try and about three in, at least. Of course you can over do description so try and be tasteful in it. I know I tend to skip description if I know the author can't write it. At least it helps me get through the book when I don't have to read it but then I read every little word in Harry Potter...

Thats's all I have for today. I think I'll go watch an episode of the Vampire Diaries. Ha. I never wanted to get into that show. Ah well. It's kinda cute.

Bridge

It's like a bridge that has been broken in the middle. You can't get to the other side without first fixing the gap. You can look and earnestly desire the other side but the fact of the matter is your going to be standing in the same place for an awfully long time. You gotta get building so you can get to the other side soon. Not now, but soon.

That's my revelation for today. Not bad. And I would just like to add at the bottom of this rather short post that I rather dislike hypocrites. Yep, I said it. Ah, well now I have that off my chest I have better things to do :)

Until next time...

Now

Such a simple three letter word yet when it came to me I knew, I just knew, I was to begin writing again. I had stopped for a while, I wont lie I had began to get bored of the nothingness that was becoming of the words the flowed out of my mind and onto the page, but that three letter word reminded me not to stop, to never stop. So yet again I'm writing my spiels and having a marvellous time. And I would just like to add a bit of my assignment I went to hand in today. It's two paragraphs that I came up with from their first sentence. So without further ado, my paragraphs:

"Prepare for take-off" I heard the captain say, but my mind was a million miles away. The letter in my hands felt like it weighed a ton and the bag above my head, filled with many others much the same, felt like it could land on my head any minute. It was two days ago when I had gotten the news of my dad's death. It had been on the front page on the newspaper. There had been no call, no text message, not even an email, just a one way flight ticket that had somehow ended up on my bed when I had gotten home that day. 

Now, sitting on the plane, the heaviness of all the letters my dad had sent me began to burden my shoulders. All unopened, except this one, the last one I would ever receive. I had cracked the seal of the envelope open hours before the flight, not that anyone would notice as I had perfectly resealed it again with ease. I didn't want to read it, but I had. I wanted to forget what the words had said, but I couldn't. I shouldn't have run away, but I did. And I knew you couldn't change the past because trust me, I had tried that one a million times. I let my head fall onto my hands let the world fade into the distance as I let my feeling slide down my cheek. 

"What have I done?" I whispered into the air and if the person beside me noticed, they thankfully chose not to comment.

(c) Brooke Ela

Thoughts

The Journey

I put my application in for Disney today. Some may wonder why exactly as it has nothing to do with writing and the answer is quite simple.
-I want to be inspired by walt Disney.
-It's something I've always wanted to do.
-To write for children you must understand them.
Three easy answers. All a part of a long journey. And, funnily enough, part of me would like to always be on a journey for I have no idea what I would do once I arrived at my destination.

Yes, I want to write for children but if on this path I find something else is pulling me another way or I get side tracked, I don't mind because the goal isn't to write a book, it's to learn how to change the world.


“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci

The Process

There is a process for everything and sadly, you cannot rush the process. Dang.

I've realized that you can only get so far just by talent alone. However, with the anointing from God you can continue to burn bright. I feel like God has told me to not write just yet, like I'm not quite ready and I know I can't do it without Him. So here I sit, here I wait, writing little things about the story every day until I get the signal from God and the revelation from Him too. Of course every now and then I try to write the story thinking maybe I missed God saying to start writing but I am always wrong. In the meantime I'll just read my bible, I'll just learn more about writing, I'll just smile at the fluffy clouds and think about what I'm going to do tomorrow. It's fun. It's great. It's probably going to be a while. :)

Random Quote

"Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
- Howard Thurman

Writing and trying to write

Are two very different things. I spent quite a while today and only got one paragraph. I'm not upset or angry, I just wonder if there is a easier way to pull the information from the brain to the paper....

I'll let you know if I ever figure it out.

Random Post

I love how original and cool this is! 

Meaningful

I don't want to just write a story that has no meaning, that leaves no impact. I don't want my reader to leave the pages of the world I created unchanged, unloved, without a thought of wonderment, I want them to realize, get answers, be inspired, laugh, cry, and smile and the idea of maybe one day doing something that might change the world. That is what I want to write. That is why I want to write.

D is for Disney

Disney inspires me so much. It can always put a smile on my face and a laugh on my tongue. I just want to make kids feel what I do when watching movies like Toy Story, oh the brilliance of that movie. It's a desire to make people happy, to change atmospheres and encourage. Oh I just cannot wait! Got to go, need to do some more writing! 

I can do it.

I can. Really. Just watch.

Could it be?

Is it so far fetched to believe that your story, that while the idea might have been written about many times before, could be better than and have more depth and parts to it? Is it possible that I might have ideas that no one else has had? Is that selfish of me? Is that ignorant of me? Oh goodness I don't know what to think anymore. If a writer has written a story with a similar idea to one another writer is beginning to write is it pride or selflessness? I just don't know who to believe anymore.

Today is a New Day

Get creative. Get excited. Get imaginative. And stop reading and get writing. Whoops. I'm not saying stop reading all together but I constantly find myself being pulled into the easy world of reading others great works instead of working on what mine could be. Today I change the name of my blog for I realise the words I am declaring are 'never writing' when that is not the case. Sometimes I feel like my brain is just too full that I can't be bothered sorting through it to find the facts. Others I can only say is pure laziness. Motivation, and possibly a desk, would help. I don't want to get to June 29th and have not moved forward. I don't want to get to June 29th and find that yet again I am still not in forward motion. I don't want to be in the same place I am today come that certain date. Or tomorrow for that matter. I waste time like it is redeemable and watch seconds float by like the money in my pocket and for some reason still haven't gotten the full revelation. What is wrong with me? Today is a new day and tomorrow will be too, I just have to decide when I wake up whether it will be a new me as well.