MAGAZINE
TALE Tale’s New Look
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Writing: Villains
Find a couple of articles on villains for this issue!
Journal Page 30-34
APRIL/MAY 2014
Get inspiration for creating a journal that’s uniquely yours.
Tale Magazine Editor NICOLE BLANCHE Contributors NICOLE BLANCHE CATSI ECEER C.M. DAVIDSON AURORA H. BUNTEN JOSEPHINE PAIGE Photography & Graphic Design NICOLE BLANCHE Proofreader NICOLE BLANCHE
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Thank you all for your wonderful patience. There’ve been quite a few problems in the making of this issue, but now it’s finally here. You can find the featured article for this issue, Journal, towards the back of the magazine. It’s all about different creative ways you can keep a journal, helping you think out of the box and tailoring it to fit your personality – more than just a log on a page. We also have some rather exciting news… Tale has a new website! Although we (or at least I!) dearly love Wordpress, it’s more blogoriented. Our new host has enabled us to have a lovely, clean website that looks even better than the last one! The web address is also much simpler: talemag.weebly.com. Don’t worry about losing the address or anything, though. We’ll keep the wordpress site up to redirect readers to our new site. It’ll also still be used as our main blog, with only quick updates on the website. Thanks & Enjoy, Nicole Blanche
Visit us online. Find back issues, news, profiles, and more at talemag.weebly.com!
CONTENTS 4 | Poetry: The Villain 5 | Inspire Me - Prompts 6 | Paperclips 12 | Book Review 13 | Movie Review 15 | Pinterest 16 | Writing, Catsi-Style 20 | Tanglewood Times 28 | Poetry: Fear 29 | Poetry: Guides 30 | Journal
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
START YOUR ADVENTURE
VILLAIN C.M. DAVIDSON
The black mark on the white book The stigma grim where passers look All plain; and yet the stain of sin Is oft writ by those who victory win. For who can tell if Nature’s hand Has wrought uncleanly in the sand And built a creature wholly ill Or if he struggled at her will? All can see the hero’s crown His Fortune’s favors, great renown We stop our eyes where evil’s shade The victim into darkness laid. For who has seen his struggles grim Against encompass’d snare of sin? And who has no sin of his own, That he should cast the first black stone? Remember yet what Portia sighed to Shylock, and her council bide: That in the course of heaven’s smite Which of us could bear its light?
INSPIRE ME WRITING PROMPTS UP, UP, & AWAY
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PAPERCLIP PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S PAPERCLIP S THOUGHTS OF A TEENAGE
Villains. I have to admit, when I heard Tale’s theme for this issue, I was kind of really excited. Villains are incredibly captivating to me--an interest that few understand and fewer share--and having a whole issue to talk about these people was really exciting. Then, of course, I was hit by the terrible question: What about villains should I talk about? Do I monologue about how not to write your baddie, or do I list potential qualities of a “good” villain? This is a fairly wide topic here--what if I just talked about how much I hate wall-of-meat brainless henchmen? In the end, I decided to go with something that’s been bothering me for a while now, so here I am to talk about different kinds of villains. This could potentially end up as more of a rant than writing help, but I’ll try to keep this as professional as possible. I’ve seen a lot of blog posts about “how to write the perfect villain,” and I’d like to infuse this issue with my spectacularly brilliant opinion on the subject. Before I launch into this, however, I’m going to briefly talk about a few different types of antagonists that I’ve come across in fiction. The “Pure Evil” Villain. I’m thinking along the lines of Ombra, from the Peter and the Starcatchers series. This is a thoroughly despicable character. He’s just plain twisted. Like, he enjoys being evil. It’s all he knows. A very obvious, very clear villain: Someone
JOSEPHINE PAIGE
for the reader to hate. Now, this kind of villain is all very well, but it can be hard to write without seeming a) overused, b) unrealistic, or c), if you’ll believe it, boring. Lord Ombra isn’t really human--he’s like finely sifted depravity. This can be kind of cool (in a sick, twisted way), but it can also be predictable. You know, the kind of villain who you know is going to backstab their henchmen and double-cross the hero. The “Justified” Villain. This is when the villain strongly believes that they are in the right. They think that they, and not the hero, are the good guy. They see something that needs to be done, and they go about doing it. This can be interesting because often they can be striving for something that can be seen as good, but they can be doing it in the wrong way. It’s like meticulously blurring the very fine line between black and white. A villain in shades of grey, who thinks they are justified in their actions. Technically speaking, this villain does not necessarily have to see themselves as good--only vindicated. The “Tragic” Villain. (Psst. This one is my favorite.) This is the villain who has had a pretty rotten life, was hurt in some way, or is emotionally (or physically) scarred. Like Marvel’s Loki. This can alter the villain’s life and decisions in many ways, but basically it’s a way to make your villains more humansomeone you can feel sorry for. It’s also where you’ll hear
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people saying, “He’s not evil, he’s just misunderstood!” Though actually if you ask me, the misunderstandings are happening on both sides. Having a tragic past doesn’t make it okay to be a bad guy--be careful when writing this type of antagonist. If their actions are bad, try not to point them out in a good light. These are just three of the many, many kinds of villains that you can write--I’m using them as examples. Of course, you can have a Justified Tragic villain, or a Tragic Pure-Evil villain--but bear with me here. Now. As I said before, I’ve been reading a lot of articles about the “perfect” villain. And while reading them, I’ve seen a lot of people saying things like, “Never make your villain entirely evil,” or, “Your readers should feel sympathy for your villain.” “Paint your villain in shades of grey.” My point is that if you follow all the advice these people give you, you will never find your villain at all. Villains aren’t all the same! Sure, they all need a motive, a drive. They’re all the antagonist in your story. But not all villains need to be “redeemable,” not all villains should be a decrepit sorcerer with a beard down to his knees. These people writing their blog posts about villains usually have a lot of good stuff to say. But when reading them, you need to remember that what is so important about fiction is variety. If every villain has a super dark depressing childhood, it’s going to stop making us care. If every villain is made up of pure dark magic or whatever, it’s not going to scare us after a while.
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Basically what I’m getting at is that there is no “right” way to write a villain. Just because you read something on the internet doesn’t make it true. Mostly it’s just a bunch of people’s opinions. For instance, my favorite kind of villain is the tragic character who really needs a hug, maybe a cup of tea and some cuddles. Therapy. Maybe they’re slightly insane--it works for me. (Dr. Crane in Batman Begins--So much wonderful.) I don’t know why I love them so much, but there you go. That being said, though, I don’t want every character to be like that. That would ruin it. It would be like mass-manufacturing it. Your villain is special and original because he’s yours. Yes, those blog posts can be helpful, and it’s good to get to know your options. But you aren’t limited. You’re a writer--at least, I’m assuming you are, if you’re taking the time to read this-you can craft worlds on a keyboard. It’s your story. It’s your villain. Don’t let people tell you how you have to write your characters. That sounded like a rant. Oh well. I suppose I’m just a bit passionate about the spreading of villainy and dastardly deeds the subject of good villains. What can I say? Maybe it’s a writer thing.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Josie, a Catholic homeschooling teenager with a love of reading, writing, and art. I am a pint-sized fangirl with a mop of flyaway curls. A mop of them. They take forever to grow out, as is my daily lament. My personality type is ENFP, which means that I'm a people person. I get excited about things, especially British television, and excited usually means obsessed. I'm a bit of a nerd, complete with glasses which I actually do need. No, I'm not one of those people who wear glasses because they are "cool." I have pretty awful vision and absolutely loathe wearing them. We clear? That being said, I like Doctor Who, Sherlock, and Merlin, (No spoilers, I haven't finished it.) I'm a huge bookworm--That includes the classics. I believe Pride and Prejudice is right next to the Hunger Games on my bookshelf. I'm a hopeless romantic, and while I can simulate maturity, I still haven't grown out of wanting to be a princess.
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THE WINTER SOLDIER Continuing the series of superhero movies, Marvel recently released their newest addition: The Winter Soldier. This sequel is definitely worthy of the previous Captain America movie. There were lots of explosions, which turned some people off, but personally I think it was done nicely. It added confusion and suspense to the scenes that were necessary and really helped carry the feeling of enormity the film seemed to portray. The newest addition to the heroes, the Falcon, was enjoyable, and played nicely off of Steve Rogers (Captain America). Black Widow was back once again (with another new hairstyle). At first I was hesitant about how they seemed to be portraying Cap and Black Widow together, but by the end of the film I was very satisfied with how everything turned out. They seemed to have settled on a regular friendship rather than romantic relationship. Now let’s look at the “villain,” though I’m not sure if he really counts as one! Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, is a fantastic character to add to the cast. Of course, we’ve had Bucky before, but this new identity is completely different. Steve Rogers, in his typical way, stays loyal to his values and his past friendship. One side trying to destroy the other, while the second side tries to preserve the first... It creates an amazing dynamic for the film, especially when Bucky begins to have doubts. As the Winter Soldier was never “resolved” in terms of Bucky Barnes, I think we can all safely expect him to be coming back in at least one other film. Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a wonderful movie and is definitely worth seeing! The one question is: Where was Hawkeye through all of that?
NICOLE BLANCHE
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DIVERGENT VERONICA ROTH
Let me begin this with a confession: I’ve known about this book for years, but I only read Divergent once I saw it was being made into a movie. Mea culpa, mea culpa, my friends—this time I am guilty of all of the sins of bandwagon-hopping, fair-weather-flocking, and you-only-like-it-cause-it’sfamousing that I am so fond of accusing other fans of popular things with. For several years now, my cousins have been telling me that this book is “even better than Hunger Games!”, but I freely admit, it took it being made into a movie to peak my interest sufficiently for me to actually open my Nook and order it. Actually, I think my skepticism was somewhat justified in this case; I think Divergent will probably make a better movie than a book. I actually look forward to watching it. But is it better than Hunger Games? Um, NO. When I asked my cousin why she liked it better, she replied, “It’s less bloody.” Well, yes, it certainly is less bloody, violent, and hopeless, and I can certainly see why fans of dystopian fiction who aren’t into quite so much violence and doom and gloom would be attracted to this book. As far as dystopian fiction goes, this is a pretty decent one. The idea of the factions was well-thought-out and interesting, and I think Veronica Roth does a good job capturing the character of each. It’s actually a pretty interesting study of human nature and its inherent flaws, and the conclusion that seems implied at the end of it—that our souls are essentially complex, and if we devote ourselves to the pursuit of just one virtue to the exclusion of all others, we open ourselves up to further mistakes—is certainly thought-provoking. The heroine, Tris, is engaging and commanding; easy to root for, and the many villains are definitely people we love to hate. Most of the characters, in fact, are basically well-drawn and attention catching. Roth uses the characters from different factions to contrast the strengths and weaknesses of each—for instance, the Candor-born characters (those from the faction dedicated to honesty) are forward, unpretentious, and open, but also thoughtless, insensitive, and in
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some cases, downright mean-spirited; while the Abnegation born characters (those from the faction dedicated to selflessness), are humble, kind, and unfailingly helpful and considerate, but are also often stifling, passive, and timid. The plot is fast-paced and engrossing; and yes, the love interest is kinda cute. However, if Divergent is lacking in some of the violence that turned certain Hunger Games fans off, it is also lacking in the depth and emotional quality of the reigning dystopian queen. The difference between the violence in Hunger Games and the violence in some other dystopian novels is that is does not exist solely for shock value or to add grit to the story. It is there it is there for a specific reason; it is there to emphasize the author’s central theme; it is there to prove to us beyond a doubt the consequences of a society lacking in compassion and empathy. The virtue of the Hunger Games is that it is not simply a dystopian romance crossed with an action movie; it is a complicated and sophisticated social critique. It takes elements from our own culture and shows them to us in a new and sometimes horrifying light. (One of the unfortunate things about the books, and even more the movies attracting a much younger audience now than was originally intended is that you end up with a bunch of twelve-year-olds wearing Team Peeta or Team Gale shirts, and a lot of the depth of the story gets forgotten, but that’s a rant for another time). Divergent was an interesting read, and good story. But it had little depth to it. The characters were well-drawn, but not explored: Tris is the only one we see actively changing as the story goes on, and even some of her decisions leave us befuddled. Although Roth touches on other characters motivations and fears, she never develops them. All things considered Divergent is what most people would call “a good read”, that is, it’s not going to rock your world or leave you in tears, but it’s a good way to kill an afternoon. Divergent gains my approval as a sortof in-betweener, as far as the dystopian and sci-fi genre goes: it’s no Hunger Games, but it sure as heck beats Twilight.
C.M. DAVIDSON
t s e r e t n i P THE QUICK GUIDE TO MAKING YOUR PINTEREST STAND OUT
nche a l B e l o c i By N
IT’S ALL YOU
You want it to be clear your Pinterest is completely you. You want it to have an overall “feel” that’s unique to your personality. But how do you make it stand out? First of all, you get a little space in your profile for your account’s “header.” Use that as a hook. When coming to your boards, this is one of the first things people are going to see. Don’t waste the space! Include things like a very brief summary of your personality, hobbies, and things that are important to you. Add your favorite quote if you like! Ex: Hi, I’m Rachel, a teenage artist and photographer who’s completely obsessed with everything vintage. Make your hobbies and tastes clear. ORGANIZE Think it out. Create a quick “map” of what boards you want to make. Don’t make them too general… you might pin more than you think! Also, figure out where you’re going to put them. Don’t put boards around helter-skelter. This will frustrate people and make them less apt to explore your boards. DESIGN
Play with things like titles and colors to create the mood you want. Instead of just throwing up random cool-looking pins for headers, try choosing ones that go nicely with the header images of your other boards. For instance, Lauren Conrad (laurenconrad1) uses all pale pinks and neutrals with vintage overlays. Experiment with titles too. You can do things like making all of your titles similar. Ex: WRITE, Write., Write & Draw, Writing, | Write |, ~ Write ~ SHARE Pin lots, follow other people, and create shared or “group” boards. Pinterest also has tools for those of you who have websites and blogs so that you can imbed a pin, a mini profile with your recent pins or a specific board, and Pinterest link buttons. (You can also find out how to “certify” your website with Pinterest and get it put on your profile with a little check mark saying you’re the owner of that site.
WRITIN CATSIG STYLE by catsi eceer
Today we’re going to be talking about something fun. Villains are always fun, right? (Well, maybe not quite right. I have one villain who scares the living daylights out of everyone he meets, myself included. Less than fun.) I’m actually going to be talking about more than just villains. I’m going to try and point out what makes a good hero-villain pair. I recently came up with a villain who went extremely well with my hero, and the following bullets are what I got from them. Hero and Villain mirror each other. They don’t need to be, and maybe even shouldn’t be, very much the same. But they should have some similar traits, wants, and ambitions. Try to put one scene in your novel that shows that similarity. Hero and Villain embody opposite ideals. Say your Hero’s positive ideal is Love. The obvious choice would be to make your Villain’s be Hate, right? It would work, I’m sure, but the story would be so much more intense if you take the Hate a step farther. Either make the hate so deep that it pretends to be Love in order to cut deeper,
WRITING, CATSI-STYLE | CATSI ECEER or direct the hate at itself. In the words of one of my characters, “I hate everything. I hate you, I hate me, I hate my hate.” Hero and Villain want the same thing, but for different reasons. There should be something that we see them both wanting. Maybe it actually is the story goal, or maybe it’s just something “small” - freedom, love, etc. We care about Hero and Villain. I always enjoy villains that I care about. It kills me inside everytime I see my baby turn to the dark side, but that’s the way to do it. And since your reader will care about both the hero and the villain, you get some extra story tension to keep them reading until the end.
And since I’ve got more room (as usual), I’ll go over my hero-villain pair I’ve been referencing to see if there’s anything you can pick up from them. The hero’s name is Pitch, and the villain is Hans. (Yes, I do realize that Hans is the villain from Frozen. I named him prior to knowing about the movie. And, yes, I do also realize that Pitch is the villain from Nicholas St. North by William Joyce. I just like naming my characters after villains. Don’t judge. :P) We’ve had Pitch narrating since book one, so by book three (the one in which Hans enters the stage), we obviously care about him. Otherwise we wouldn’t still be reading. However, we also caught glimpses of Hans in book two; not many, but enough to decide that we like this kid. So when he comes in as main villain in book three, there’s a bit of the “NUUU YOU CAN’T BE EVIL WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME D:” thing. And then we start to see exactly why he went evil, and somehow we can’t blame him. He’s gone through a lot. But so has Pitch. And we now see that both Pitch and Hans have gone through the same “a lot.” And Pitch definitely turned out better than
WRITING, CATSI-STYLE | CATSI ECEER has gone very reversed ideal. So, our loyalties are still with Pitch (even though we really hope there’s some way Hans can be saved). Well, I hope you got something out of that, and you weren’t too bored. Thanks for reading!
May your villains forever be evil,
Catsi Eceer
WRITING, CATSI-STYLE | CATSI ECEER
about the author
Greetings. It is I, Catsi Eceer. People that I like call me Cat. Whether they call me Cat because I like them, or I like them because they call me Cat, is yet to be determined. I like writing, cats, the word “so,” bullet lists, and calling my best friends nicknames that no one else understands. I love my family, my friends, and my God. I am a writer, an artist, an archer, a musician, a child of the One true King, a daughter, a big sister, a little sister, a best friend, a “Dalek” (nicknames that no one else understands...), a fangirl, a storyteller, a dreamer, a goofball, a teen girl with no: sense of fashion, boyfriend, cell phone, Facebook, or desire to get any of those things. I am me, and that will never change.
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anglewood TIMES
By C.M. Davidson
QUOTE: “WRITING – THE ART OF COMMUNICATING THOUGHTS TO THE MIND, THROUGH TH E EYE – IS THE GREAT INVENTION OF THE WORLD.” - Abraham Lincoln
MAN, AM I GLAD IT’S APRIL! PARTLY BECAUSE WE GET A NEW ISSUE OF TALE, BUT PARTLY BECAUSE – LET’S BE HONEST – I ABSOLUTELY DESPISE I read a poemMARCH. recently by Robert Seymour
Bridges called "While yet we wait for Spring," and one line talks about ". . . the dry, And blackening east that so embitters March," address. alsoifcount as were your back-up andIt Ican think, I ever to meet database this Bridges, the first I would do would be to congratulate on capturing with God-given clarity the subtle depression of March in the Great Northeast. The point of this introduction is mainly to explain that this time of year—when winter has outstayed its welcome whilst Spring is still hesitating maddeningly on the doorstep—is one of the hardest times of year for me as far as writing
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is concerned. I really don't know what it is, except that somehow all the life and energy and romance in me seems to be driven as dull and ugly as the dirty piles of snow which refuse to melt. It's been EXTREMELY hard lately for me to get anything done. And so, when I sat down to think of a topic for this article, the obvious thing seemed for me to write about how to get yourself motivated to write. Especially, how do you get yourself motivated to KEEP writing, to finish things? I think we can all agree that there's the rub, for every author except a select and divinely inspired few. So, what can we do? How do you stay motivated to keep writing, even when you don't Not exactly an back-up original database address. It feel canlike alsoit?count as your question. Writers live for rainy summer days and the brisk animation of the Fall, the quiet romance of the first snow and the unbridled energy of spring, but the thing is, you still have to be writer even when you don't feel like it. You have to write every day, no matter how tired you are or how dry the world seems. That's the ideal, anyway—the thing that all writers strive for, more than perfection And let's be honest: I'm a long walk and short train ride away from that. But that's okay. Writing, like life, is a constant work in progress. And in writing, just like in life, the best thing you can do when you're stuck is to ask for advice. So, when planning this article,
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I decided to go straight to the source, and find out what kind of advice was out there from real-life, actually published authors. Here is a short compilation of what I thought were the most helpful and direct advices, with brief expansions tacked on by Yours Truly:
“AND WHAT, YOU ASK, DOES WRITING TEACH US? FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT REMINDS US THAT WE ARE ALIVE AND THAT IT IS A GIFT AND A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT.” RAY BRADBURY This is ultimately where you have to start,
whenever you get really and seriously into a rut, It whenever trulyasstart to back-up doubt your address. can alsoyou count your database own ability to write. You have to start by remembering why you want to write in the first place. What is it about pouring your words onto the blank uncaring page that makes you come back time and time again, that makes you sacrifice your sleep and sanity to this unappeasable god? Why do you want to write? Why do you fee the need to do this? Try, just try, and remember why you're here. No one is making you. You're not going to make money doing this, at least not for a long, long time. So why are you? Habit and routine can be helpful, even necessary to a writer, but if you find yourself stuck going through the motions, if you just can't seem to feel it, take a moment and remember.
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Remember the silent midnight moments and the sunny bursts of ecstasy, remember the spark and the swell of the words, remember the release and the power and the joy and whatever it is that keeps you going. That's why you're here. That's why you'll always be here. Don't forget it.
“ART IS NOT A HANDICRAFT, IT IS THE TRANSMISSION OF FEELING THE ARTIST HAS EXPERIENCED.” Okay, that we've had deep and –LEOnow TOLSTOY
meaningful communications with our inner Muses and affirmed ourselves in our purpose to write whether or not we make a nasty mess it, also we can get to part. address. It of can count asactual your writing back-up database This is for people like me, who tend to get a few chapters or a good half-way in to the book, only to get stuck. These are a few helpful little tool-like things with which we can attempt to pick apart the miasma of our story and see what exactly is wrong with it. Starting with Tolstoy: Okay, so you're stuck. Try going straight to the roots. What are you really saying with this story? What does it mean to you, whether or not anyone else gets it? We all know that writing strictly from experience is pretty much impossible, especially for young authors, but what of your own life are you putting into this story? This is not a matter of people and events from your life so much as real emotions and
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feelings and thoughts that you yourself have experienced. You can't get them second hand. This has to be you. Your reader should be able to look through the pages and see straight into your heart. It's terrifying, but there it is. So, you can practice and practice and practice every day, but until you really open up and dig deep and expose yourself, it's going to go flat.
“BEGIN WITH AN INDIVIDUAL, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT YOU HAVE CREATED A TYPE; BEGIN WITH A TYPE, AND YOU FIND YOU HAVE CREATED – address. It can count As as every your back-up database On to youralso characters. writer knows, NOTHING.” the makes the story, for better or – F.character SCOTT FITZGERALD for worse. Chances are, if you're having trouble with the story, it's because one or more of your key characters aren't pulling their weight emotionally. So take a good look at them. How well do you know them? Are all of their motivations still as sound as you thought they were when you first started out? Are any of them becoming unnecessary or burdensome to the story? (If so, be ruthless. Either cut them out altogether, or, if you think their death can serve some meaningful purpose, kill them off). How do you feel about your cast, now that you're a little ways into your drama? What can you change or add to them to make them more
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emotionally engaging or interesting to the reader. How's your villain? Do you hate him? Make me hate him. Do you still like your hero? The story should leave him somewhat compromised, but not unlovable. Readers despise angels and Machiaveli's alike, so avoid both extremes. Avoid triteness and "types" like the plague.
“I REALLY THINK THAT IF THERE’S ANY ONE ENEMY TO HUMAN CREATIVITY, ESPECIALLY CREATIVE WRITING, IT’S SELFCONSCIOUSNESS.” address. It also count asIII yourwhenever back-up database Ah, thecan killer for me! I tremble - ANDRE DUBUS anyone else reads my work. This magazine is intimidating, for crying out loud! But forget it. Forget anyone's ever going to read your work. Forget about writing what you think people will like. You're never going to please everyone, anyone, and besides, if you think about it like that, you'll end up not even pleasing yourself. Forget the audience and just write. Write whatever you want to, because you want to. Don't be afraid to show it to people after you've finished—it's the most helpful thing in the world to get someone to give you their opinion on your work—but don't sweat it if they don't like it, and do not, DO NOT, write specifically so that they'll like it. A baby creativity cell dies when-
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ever you cross something out because you're afraid someone might laugh. Scientific fact.
“WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE, THEREFORE, IS NOT AN ACT BUT A And, of course, the ever-misquoted Aristotle. HABIT.” I- really only chose this one to annoy my Dad ARISTOTLE
—he's always complaining about people misusing this quote. Still, write this one down and put it on your dashboard, kids, because it doesn't get much truer than this. You already know this, but let me say it again—you MUST write if you want to be a writer. Okay, so you're stuck. You can't think of anything. You're tired. You're bored. You'd rather be address. It can also count as yourLUCK. back-up database doing something else. TOUGH WRITE ANYWAY. (okay, okay, I KNOW—believe me I do—that it's not that easy. Still, there's no getting around it. It's not fun at times, but you just gotta suck it up and give yourself some tough love.)
“MOST OF THE BASIC MATERIAL A WRITER WORKS WITH IS ACQUIRED BEFORE THE AGE OF FIFTEEN.” - WILLA CATHER
Not much to say about this, just throwing this out there for all the young authors like me. You don't have to have tons of experience to be a writer. Just look around you. This is your world, and there is enough material here to
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fill a thousand books, if you know how to use it. Keep trying. It'll come to you. Well, that's pretty much all the maternal wisdom I have to bestow on the masses at this present time. The most important thing, I guess, is that no matter what, you just don't give up. This advice may work for you. It may not. You may have to find your own way. But, please, keep looking for it. You can't understand the terrible loss that the world suffers every time a story is left untold or a song unsung, but every time you give up on a story, you deprive everyone of something truly precious. So. Keep fighting the good fight, and finish the race. I am all done being cheesy now, so we'll end it here —tillItnext address. can time! also count as your back-up database
THE END
 Note: All the quotes in this article are taken from Writer's Relief.com, "Quotes for Writers." You can find them and many more here at http://writersrelief.com/quotes-for-writers/.
Fear
Sense it sneaking down the hall Dark, cold, dead What it is I can’t recall Pain, hate, dread Slowly slithering my way Closer, seeping, crawling I can’t seem to get away Running, hiding, falling Failing to find an escape Trap, enclose, break Evil thoughts are taking shape Despair, cower, shake Terror overcomes my senses Vanquish, conquer, no defenses
Guides Tall, towering tulip tree What is it you say to me? I hear you speak in my delirium, “Go, go as Aeneas to Elysium, Where reality thrums like a drum And the truth grows, As thorns on a rose.� Splendid, sprawling sycamore tree You are a window, let me see The fantastic visions before my eyes, Open your shutters, show me the prize Lead me away from my demise The stinging light Banishes my plight Aurora H. Bunten
JOURNAL By Nicole Blanche
USING THE DIARY FORMAT
YOUR THOUGHT S Dreams | Emotions | Moments
This is what most people immediately think of when “journaling” is brought up. The diary format is more about emotions and personal opinions than actual events. Situations that were upsetting or exciting are entered, then talked about.
TOO PERSONAL?
Some people don’t like this format because it’s “too personal.” That’s totally logical. A common misfortune in movies, books, and TV shows is someone’s diary being found, lost, and/or read. There are ways to get past this, though! For instance, try recording only “surface” information. Rather like a journal, but more about the fine details. Writing about something without actually going into what you think or feel about the situation can be just as therapeutic. For instance, instead of going on about that rude lady at the cash register, talk briefly about what the lady looked like (go into detail), then simply say she wasn’t kind… without an emotional rant!
USING THE LOG FORMAT
YOUR STORY Events | Facts | Observations The log format is just that: a log. Without going into too much detail, you list what happened that day. Often, entries will be made throughout the day, will a simply date and time at the top of each new addition.
EVENT JOURNALS You can make a journal/diary specifically for a certain period in your life. Maybe you’re going on a trip to London? Maybe you want to record a mission trip to Africa?
GET THE DETAILS This format is great for fiction writers to log inspiration or important facts they need to remember for later on. For instance, if you’re writing a book that takes place in Venice and you’re traveling to Venice this summer, you can use a log to capture the look of things, customs, the people, etc. That way you’ll have an impartial book of facts you researched yourself.
MAKING IT YOURS
CREATIVE TOUCHES Scrapbook Style | Doodle Journal | Etc.
MIX IT UP You could make your journal purely about books or completely devoted to your poetry, or you could turn it into a doodle journal where your entries are accompanied by a generous amount of art work (you could even try using only pictures to describe a day!). A scrapbook-type journal is also another great idea, especially for those “event journals” we just talked about. Dream journals are another fun thing to start, if you’re not too worried about the “personal” thing.
WHY START JOURNALING? Because, not only can it feel relaxing now, in a few years you’ll love to be able to literally flip through your life. Reading a book that’s completely you, seeing how you’ve progressed, remembering things you wouldn’t have recalled otherwise.
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