A Music-Filled Endeavor To Write and Purchase

Oh, my. This heat is killer! I have mini desk fan pointed at me right now AND a ceiling fan going full speed an it is still uncomfortably hot in this house.

Well, it is the beauty of summer!

Speaking of summer, mine was supposed to be filled with rewrites and edits of my book! Has that happened. No. But it will! Oh, yes it will! I am grasping with the tips of my nails at the hope that I WILL have time! I have to!

Drivers Ed ends Friday so I will be getting a lot of time back with that. You know even though it IS only an hour and a half in the morning, there is a LOT of studying outside of class. Yesterday, I LITERALLY did not do anything but study all day. Today was my last test and so I finally feel like I have my life back. July is a busy month, but with school out of the way maybe it will start to feel even more like summer finally.

I will throw myself into Full Crazy Writer Mode the second I get the chance to devote myself to it.

I will be writing a lot of poems, first off! DEFINITELY will be doing a lot of rewrites and editing for Ember. And, I've decided I may just start doing book reviews on this blog. The next book I plan to start reading today or tomorrow is Pretties by Scott Westerfeld. It's the second in the Uglies series, so I'm very excited. I'm considering having that one be my first book review on here. We'll see.

Also, I have been searching high and low for songs that fit in with the story of Ember. Stephenie Meyer has a playlist for each of her books, and they all have AMAZING songs on it, so I've been looking for some for Ember. If you have any ideas or songs you think might work based off what you know, let me know.

On a musical note (pun intended), music is the one thing that has gotten me through all this studying and going to school and not being able to write. I have fallen in love with many more bands and songs. As of this second I am listening to "Just Breathe" by Pearl Jam. And since I want to keep typing, I will allow myself to go off on another rambling.

Some of my favorite bands that I have fallen for are Mayday Parade, We The Kings, Boys Like Girls, Kill Hannah, and Breaking Benjamin. And I feel that I will be broke because of this music affair. Not only do I want to go to a concert of all these bands, but I have been looking on their sites and they have some very cool t-shirts and hoodies and I have more than a few I want to buy.

And I don't believe I've mentioned this before on this blog, but I am a big Chicago Blackhawks fan (and yes, I am from Chicago) so when they won the Stanley Cup I was PSYCHED! I was so proud and Chicago was in an absolute uproar. So, not only will I be broke because of my bands, but also because there is a lot of Hawks stuff I am planning to buy.

Psh.

Drama, Storms, Driving...and the Desire to Write! EXCLUSIVE: Letters to Stories

Whew!

There is just so much going on! I didn't know how long it would take me to get back to a blog! That, and I haven't known what to blog about but it just feels so good to be back!

So on the topic of not knowing when I was going to back, life has been busy. Busier than I ever remember it being and I'm not even in school anymore. Okay, fine maybe not busier than I ever remember, but you get the emphasis.

Drama? Check.
Storms? Check.
Reading? Check. (A movie for a book is coming out soon, so naturally, I had to reread it.)
Driver's Ed? Check.
Writing? Sadly, not yet. How depressing! I have not had any time to work on my book at all. This summer was supposed to be all about writing! What happened? Life. It got in the way. I don't imagine that I will be able to do rewrites and more drafts until perhaps mid-July at best. If not, probably the start of August.
But I WILL be working on it, hopefully sooner rather than later!

On a completely unrelated, moot, I-just-want-to-blab note, I finally saw Letters to Juliet! I know, I know. It has been out for over a month. But I just saw it Sunday. So shush. It was SO good! I have truly been missing movies that amazing for some time. Sure, I'll admit it was a predictable, chick-flick type deal, but I've always been a sucker for that kind of stuff. And any girl looking for a fairytale ending with her handsome prince (like Ember!) would love the movie, no matter the cliches it fits into. That doesn't make it any less amazing. Stories (movies and books alike) are never entirely different from any other thing made. Sure, things can be predictable! There is no question about that! My English teacher helped my classmates and I to appreciate this: Every story has been told a thousand times before. That's why you don't read or watch movies just to see the ending. The part you have to enjoy is the execution, the way it's done. That's why people tolerate the same things over and over. Sure, there are exceptions, but essentially, every story has been told before. You just have to appreciated the differences in the way it's told.

It's Hard Being A Writer

So, I just wanted to give one little quick update.

I have talked on this blog before about Poetry Magazine and how I submitted my work to it. Well, I got a notification today that they didn't want to publish any of my poems that I had sent. Inevitably, I am kind of sad now, but I won't give up. I've already submitted three more, but I don't know how much hope these three have.

Guess we'll just have to wait and see...

Writers Don't Control The Story and Other Things To Learn

Prepare for a long, somewhat random rambling.

So, while I was in school the other day, (yes, I am still in school, unfortunately) we were having a discussion about a book we had read. The book: Oedipus The King. The Author: Sophocles. As we were discussing this amazingly twisted play, we had to discuss the question of Oedipus having any "freewill" in the story. Well, someone pointed out that Oedipus "doesn't have any freewill because Sophocles is controlling the story and could do whatever he wants with him." Wrong! I cringed when I heard this! It actually made me angry, and this person has obviously never tried writing.

Almost any author will agree with me here. Yes, the author does have some control over the story. I'll give you that much. However, almost any author will agree that the characters take on a whole persona, a whole person and sometimes they take this on without the author intending for it! To the author and hopefully to the readers, they're real! You can't force a real person to do and say whatever you want, can you? Yeah, I didn't think so.  Same with characters.  If they become real, you can't force them to do something.

Stephanie Meyer (whose new book came out today, and yes, of course I already have my copy, why'd you have to ask?) once said in an interview how a character had suddenly unveiled a side of their personality to her. She hadn't known that this character wouldn't like Bella, but all of a sudden she hated her. Stephanie didn't just make that happen. It was in the characters makeup, something slightly beyond all author control. Out of nowhere, it just happened. Once she knew that this character didn't like Bella, she couldn't just leave it out of the story because she would be betraying that characters true nature.

Shannon Hale has had many encounters of this sort with her characters. She writes them so realistically that they are real, they have to be real.  I don't like to think that there is a possibility that they're just a figment of imagination.  Because they're not, to me, at least. One of her most notable and most amazing characters wasn't even in first drafts. He just popped up. All of a sudden, there was this character that she had to write in. After being a side character in two books, he demanded his own! This is how she will explain it when you hear her speak or read her blog. She said she was done with that set of characters and story ideas, but he weaseled his way into her mind, planted his story right in front of her and forced her to give him his own book!

Honestly, how can you say that the author always controls the characters? People!

Okay. Rambling done. For now.

Also, I was at Borders yesterday and today. Yes, I realize that might sound quite nerdy. Whatever. Anyhow, I was looking at the new issue of Poetry Magazine, which I bought, and I was thinking of how little poetry I have read and how I don't understand a lot of poems most of the time. So, I've decided to expand my horizons! This summer I will also add to my list a lot of poetry books. I plan to explore different poets work and expand my knowledge in this area. I am rather excited about reading poems and getting to know different poets and their style of writing. Perhaps this can help me to become a better poet. Speaking of which, my English teacher liked the poem I had published in Facets! I was very happy about that. I also really hope at least one of my poems will make it into Poetry Magazine. That would be so thrilling! I should know if the ones I submitted will make it in by July.

The Pursuit of Time. Oh, yeah, and Happiness too.

Something I've learned: You cannot do everything you want.  Well, not all simultaneously, I mean.  I feel like all my free time is being zapped away.  Finals are coming up in school (I don't get out until the 11, can you believe it?) and there are some that I really, emphasis on really, need to study for.

In addition to that, summer is coming up.  No, it's here!  So, inevitably there are all those parties and BBQs coming up that I wouldn't trade for the world.  And I have a million hobbies I want to start this summer, too.  I had decided, while looking at my interests, that I was really pretty boring.  So now I have a ton I want to take up.  They are: Origami, String Art (also known as Curve Stitching/Line Design), Cross-Stitch, Crocheting, and Knitting.  I'll be working on those this summer.  And I'm taking Drivers Ed this summer. Boy, oh boy.  The things I'm willing to throw myself into . . . oh my.

On a writing note, three new ideas for three new poems came to me today.  I'm really excited about them.  Usually, an idea for a poem comes when something is on my mind or I hear something that triggers something else.  Then I play around with the idea until I have a creative title.  Seriously, I usually have the title in my head before I write a single word of the poem.  Once I have the title in my brain, I think of how I could word it, if it would rhyme, etc.  Unfortunately, with this time-jam I have been experiencing as of late, I have no idea when I will get to writing these poems.  Or any of my other poem ideas I have written on a piece of loose-leaf paper for that matter.  But I will get to them this summer.  That much I'm sure of.  I hope.  Plus, I want to write more of my book until I have a final draft.  I have some new ideas for that book, too.

Though this is, in fact, a writing blog, (mostly) I am also very interested in photography.  I haven't talked about that too much yet, but now I will.  My first semester of high school, I took Photography 1 class.  I fell in love.  My father is a photographer, and I enjoyed it so much.  On a side-note, my photo even won first place in the Novice Photography category in the school art show.  I do plan to continue on with photography, all through high school, all up to AP Photo.  But I digress.  So, the school had another art show just this past Tuesday, though I wasn't in it because I'm not in an art class this semester.  But I still went, and it was so beautiful!  So inspiring and making me itch to take Photo 2 next year.  I will also be taking Digital Imaging next year, too, which is photography but with digital.  I am very excited for this opportunity to make myself a better artist.  And it's nice having a way to vent through art--including writing.

A Facet Of Being Published

So, I have been published, with my name on it and everything!  I have a published poem and photograph in my school creative arts magazine, Facets.  This is such a great accomplishment and I am so thrilled that I got to do this!

I am actually on the Facets staff at my high school so it was very rewarding to get two of my pieces into an annual magazine.

In other publishing news, I submitted some poems to Poetry Magazine. ( http://www.poetryfoundation.org/ ) The current response time is eight weeks so I won't know for some time if I got in, but we'll just have to wait and see!

The Squeeter And I

No, no, this was not my own signing. I had you thinking it was, didn't I?

I went to see Shannon Hale at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL!  This was one of the most exciting things I have ever done. Honestly. I would recommend her books to anyone so if you haven't read them, go do that now.

My sister, Morgan, is a fellow Shannon-fan:

Aw. This was before Shannon came out to talk.

So it started off with questions.  Shannon is such a cool, sweet person and I am so glad I got to meet her. She talked about her books, writing in general, and the process involved with Graphic Novels, of which she has two. I have read everything by Shannon Hale and own almost every book of hers except for two. She signed the four that I brought, Book Of A Thousand Days, River Secrets, Forest Born, and The Actor and the Housewife. I could never pick a favorite book of hers, but these were the ones she signed.

Honestly, when it was my turn to have my books signed, I was freaked. She is such a cool person, and she has been a great inspiration to me, as well as to my writing. So I really didn't want to make a fool of myself, which I know I should probably be used to. But I managed to tell her that I wanted to be a writer. I seriously cannot get over just how cool she is.

That is me with Shannon and my sister.

Now, she didn't put a limit on how many books she would sign, which is what I would do when I may ever have a book signing. And, yet another very-cool-person thing she did (that I hope to be able to do when I'm an author!) is when she signed the book, she didn't just say For So-and-So From Shannon Hale. She wrote messages in with it! That was just so cool to me. They either related back to the book, or something you had talked to her about. Very amazing.

I just can't get over this. This woman was just so mind-blowing. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had, honestly.

She is just so pretty.

A Slam Of Great Words, Cool People, and A Whole Lot Of Fun

So, today was the Poetry Slam! It was SO fun. I just had to come here and talk about it!

It started off with three poets, (Yes! Actual Poets!) and the first lady told us a little bit about herself. Her name was Mary Fons, and she was so cool! My friend was sitting with me, and after Mary recited her poem (which was AWESOME) my friend turned to me and said "She is my new role model!"

Then there were two other poets Marc Smith and Dan Sullivan. I think that's their names, but I'd have to double check to be positive. So it started off with the three poets telling us about themselves, how they got started in writing, and they performed a poem. They're what are called Performance Poets and they memorize their pieces and use the body and gestures to go along with what they're saying, which was UNBELIEVABLE!

Then, all the students were broken into three groups and went with a poet for their workshop. In my first workshop, with Marc Smith, we worked on projecting our voices and showing the differences and how it affects a poem. Then we had a break where we got to eat Chex Mix (!)

After that, we had another workshop, with Mary Fons who gave us a list of things to do and not do during a Poetry Slam and Open Mic. (Side-Note: Marc Smith, was actually the person who invented Poetry Slams. I did not even know that a "Slam" meant competing with poetry until today!) But it was SO cool. She is such a cool person in general.

Then (surprise!) another break! Then our last workshop with Dan Sullivan, where we had to write a poem about our name and I used ideas of the Amber gemstone in mine.

Lunch. Then we had the Slam Overview, where we had to go to our "Home Poet" (our first poet in the first workshop) and discuss how our team would compete in the Slam. Then we had the slam, which was so much fun! Our teams finale piece was about a break up, and we had couples arguing in the audience. Then, when she got to the powerful last line, they all stopped. She went to read the poem again, and this time everyone in our group was supposed to argue with another person in our group. This was insanely fun to do! The two poets that had not been coaching our group even joined in arguing together! Once again, on the last line, we were all silent.

After that, the poets did two more poems and we had Open Mic. Honestly, I couldn't and I didn't do it. I was too scared. I really need to get over this if I want to do something like writing, where every once in a while you have to talk to someone! Whoa!

There were a lot of funny poems, sad poems, poems about love, but I was moved by every single one of them.

All in all, it was a VERY good and enjoyable experience and I am SO happy I went! I had a lot of laughs, and I got teary at many poems, and I LOVED it! This definitely gave me some much-needed exposure and I am much more confidant in going forth with my writing.

P.S. In looking over this blog, I realize I have a lot parenthesis. Sorry about that. I just had so much I wanted to say!

P.P.S. This is also National Library Week! So yay libraries!

Have a great day!

The Dates That Come With Being A Writer

So, April is turning out to be a very busy month for me and my writing! First off, it is National Poetry Month and my library is having a young adult poetry contest! Last year, I was one of the winners in this contest and I got it published and a prize and all that jazz. I can't wait to turn in my poem for this one and see where that goes!

Also, my school is having a Poetry Slam/Writing Workshop next week. You had to fill out a whole application form to get into it and everything. Basically, we just go to our first period and then spend the rest of the day in the library. I've never been to one, but it seems like it's reading other's writing as well as letting others read your own so you can get feedback. And, I'm guessing from the Slash-Writing-Workshop part that we can do some writing as well. Two poets are also going to be there, so I'm all excited.

Going back to my library, they are also having a presentation this month called 10 Steps to Getting Your Book Published. I've already registered to go to this event and I'm eagerly anticipating! There is also going to be yet another author and his agent at this event! I feel like I'm finally starting to really pursue writing on a whole other level.

Now this isn't a writing event for just the month of April, like the past couple have been. This is more of a story that ends with an epiphany. Not really, but go with it. So I was in the car with my aunt from Georgia (which is a beautiful state, by the way and I really recommend you visit) and we were talking about books. She took a book out of her bag to show me what she had just bought at Borders and I recognized the authors name because her picture is all over my local Borders advertising her signing there soon.

This made me start to think... I'm going to be an author, right? Well, I have never really been to an author signing. As in, I have no idea how those things work. And that irked me. If I'm going to be a writer, I should know all about those, right? So. I decided (and my mom thinks this is a wonderful idea) that when I see a local book store starting to advertise an author for a signing, I will buy one of their books and read it. Then, I'll go to their signing! This way, if I do this with enough authors, I will know how this works! Genius, I know. But I am rather excited.

Have a good day!

A Faithful Fan Before A Finished Book

So, I haven't updated this in forever. Honestly, I really didn't think anyone read my blog. But I found out my sister faithfully goes here all the time looking to see if I've updated. So I'll continue with this silly blog even with just one faithful reader that I know of. Plus, it is a very nice place for me to vent about my writing.

In other news, I finished the first draft of my first book. Ever. This is a big thing for me! I know I was pursuing being a writer as if I was one, but I have never finished an entire draft of something nearly as lengthy as a book. And I am ridiculously pleased with myself.

Of course, there are a ton of rewrites of certain chapters and parts that I want to do. And loads of editing not only the story, but grammar and spelling and such. Before I do that, however, I really need to do some reading. I have a list of books to read. Being in school, it's hard enough to read but then writing a book on top of that is quite a lot. But I'm going to read some books that look really good and have been waiting for my attention. Also, I think I should read some classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Pride and Prejudice, and Wuthering Heights before I continue with my book. Oh! And along with things to read, Stephenie Meyer has a new book coming out! That is definitely on my list. I think I may even pre-order it.

Speaking of things I need to read before continuing in the writing process, I was looking in Borders the other day at books about writing and writing well. Perhaps I should have looked into those earlier, but to be completely honest, it would have caused me to be overwhelmed and freaked out and never pursue writing. So, it's better this way.