Finding what to write about

[FangedSmile]

Well, most of the sites, pros and articles I've read say to, "Write what you know." What does that mean? Well, it doesn't mean not to write about slaying dragons because you've never done that. It does not make you limit yourself, just focus your efforts. If you enjoy horror movies, set up haunted houses, read horror books and enjoy a good scare... write horror. Then you can branch out. Ever read a Grim fairy tale? That's horror with a twist. A horror martini if you will. ;D

If you like horror, then read horror, do your homework, and find out what works. Then you'll know how to describe any monster you can dream of, and gain a better understanding of how to make a horror story work. Like when you watch a horror movie. If you are really scared you're just scared, if you hate horror then you're probably jut mad about having to watch the movie and you're sitting in a half-dazed pose with your eyes half-lidded and rolling frequently. But if you love horror then you're noticing strange flaws, but also enjoying moments that just make the movie... like certain cricket bat adventures. This allows you to write a better horror story.

If you do not have a particular genre that you like, that's okay too. You'll find one sooner or later, and in the mean time just read a lot and find out what you like. You can combine all that you like and take a bit from everything. That is what I do.

Also... I can't write from the viewpoint of someone like... well someone who's idea of a bad day is missing the bus or those models on tv who cry all the time because they got a bad hair cut and don't seem to realize that hair grows back. I just do not understand the mindset. I can't write about reporters or paparazi... i do not understand how they think. Now, this doesn't mean i cannot do a lot of research and make one of my secondary characters a person like that, but not a main character as you usually need to explain the mindset of your main character. It'd be like a six year old explaining why the sky is blue, it might sound logical... but it's wrong.

So you can try, but stick to what you know. You can create wonderful stories this way that will be more believable. Try using the character profiles, doing research, and talking to people if you want to stretch out of your realm of knowledge. You can make up how a character put in a new situation will react, but try to take in their personality and see what people with that personality would do. If you're doing fantasy and you don't know how your peasant farmer would react to becoming a hero, then you'll have to make it up. Stunned amazement, joy, fear... what works for your story? What is the character like so far? If it is fantasy you can play around, but try and base your characters off of people you know well... how would they react?

And thus I end this post because the more I read about the 'write what you know' policy... the more confusing it was. If you don't get it, ask a question, if you do get it, do it and help answer any questions.

[FangedSmile]

Keeping the Words You Write


In 8th grade, I had a fabulous English teacher. Every Monday, we would pull out a piece of notebook paper and just start writing. Our teacher didn't care what we wrote, so long as we filled both sides of the page. Then, every Friday, we were expected to turn in a second sheet of paper, also filled on both sides. He called it the "Dear Chronicles" assignment and he collected every single one and kept them.

At the very end of the year, the entire collection was handed back to us. As we busied ourselves putting them in order, he handed us each a large sheet of bright orange paper. We wrapped the bundle in the ugly orange paper, stapled it shut and wrote "Do not open until June 2003" on it. June 2003 was the month we would all graduate high school, 4 years later.

I kept that orange packet of papers for the four years. Sometimes it was on a bookshelf, other times it was in a desk drawer, while other times I found it tucked away in a box of everything else. I forgot about it, naturally, until 2 weeks after my high school graduation I dug it out of the box I had been cleaning. What a treat it was to finally peel away the paper surrounding it and read my writings, my thoughts, my stories from 4 years before, some of them were even from 5 years before.

The writing itself was poor. I wouldn't have rated any of them past 2 stars. Yet, those papers still sit safely tucked away in my "box of everything", preserved in a simple manila envelope. I don't keep them because they're great, I keep them because something like that is something you hold on to for as long as possible. So 10 years down the road, when I decide it's time to clean out that box again, I can pull out those silly stories and laugh at how far I've come.

As a writer, we are often warned never to throw anything away. I wish I had listened to that warning sooner. Truly, when I was fifteen years old and jotting down every story idea that came to mind, I thought nothing of tossing out the older stories that might tattle on me and tell people I hadn't always written as well as I do now. I finally did start holding on to things I had written, but by the time I had started, I had lost almost 3 years worth of writing.

Lucky for me, my English teacher had taken it upon herself to keep her hands on a short story I had written for an assignment. When she tracked me down to return it to me several months later, I was able to tuck it away and hold on to it. Any story my English teacher had deemed worth keeping herself, must be worth keeping in general. That short story, and a review I recieved, soon spurred the creation of a young adult novel. Our past writings can be a great source of inspiration for newer, better ideas.

Any experienced writer knows that you should keep the things you write, so you think we inexperienced writers would want to do the same. I encourage each of you to find a safe place to put your writings in, even the ones you hate when you finish. That way, years down the road, when you are short on inspiration you can look through them and either find the inspiration you are looking for. Or just have a good laugh. As writers, we need both.

~Sarah Rae

[FangedSmile]

Children in Weddings


A curly-haired little princess in a filly dress brings ooo’s and ahhh’s from the rows of friends and family members as she trips down the aisle before the bride. The ring-bearer solemnly marching beside her causes the same reaction. The youngsters leave everyone in awe, sometimes taking attention away from the couple marrying – especially if one or both start crying, throwing a temper tantrum, or becoming bored during the ceremony. However, with some pre-planning, children can become a positive and delightful part of a wedding.

First of all, a child needs to understand what will happen during the ceremony. I remember the first time my daughter did the “flower girl” job. The rehearsal consisted of the wedding party standing at the front of the sanctuary while the minister explained what each person would do in what order. The only problem was a four-year-old didn’t understand. She didn’t know that when she went down the aisle that the people she expected to see would be standing with their backs to her: she couldn’t see her daddy or the aunt she was to stand beside. She turned and ran to me crying. I held her and pointed out where the expected people stood. Then I showed her the bride waiting to come behind her. She finished her trip down the aisle throwing rose petals and sniffling.

A wedding rehearsal should allow any children to practice their duties several times. They should know where to go during the ceremony, too, if they should get bored or tired. An adult, that the child knows, should sit close enough to the front that the child can go to her or him if needed.

Before the wedding ceremony itself, any children should have a rest time, if not a nap. Then before guests start arriving, someone should walk the children through their paces: allow flower girls and ring bearers walk down the aisle and stand or sit where they are supposed to after reaching the front or doing their duty. Refreshing their memories will help them do a better, calmer job.

At the reception, having a room with an attendant (an adult or a responsible teen) for young children makes both the adults and the children enjoy the celebration more. Children could take part until they start showing signs of boredom or irritability, then the attendant could take them where they can play or rest. Older or more mature youngsters wouldn’t have a problem staying at the reception.

Children can add to a wedding if planning and care has been taken, or a wedding can become a frightening experience.

Writing a story or novel that includes a wedding with children needs to have details that make the ceremony believable. Knowing about the possibilities of possible problems and hints for avoiding problems adds to the realism.

~Vivian Gilbert Zabel