Saturday, October 31, 2015

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.




Here are some sobering facts, gathered http://www.cancer.org/


  • Estimated for 2015 (in the U.S):
  • 31,840 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer
  • 60,290 new cases of CIS (the earliest form of breast cancer, non-invasive)
  • 40,290 women will die from breast cancer

  • 12% of women - 1 out of 8 - are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.
  • Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women.

One of my best friend's mother died of breast cancer a while ago. I remember when I heard about it and going to the service before she died. I remember her. I remember her smile. I remember how kind and what a lovely woman she was.

A while after she died, I started thinking up projects to help with this. None of them ever got off the ground, unfortunately. I still have the little pink ribbon charms I made, sitting in a box in my room. I have a list of sites discussing breast cancer. I have folders full of ideas on how I could help.

It makes makes my heart clench up when I think about all of this. I still nearly want to cry when I think of all the people that have died from this. I take deep breaths, thinking about the people that sit there in shock after they are diagnosed. The women that go through awful struggles. The families and friends they leave behind when they die.

I wish there was a "but..." I could put here. I'm sitting here, wondering about what I could say. A bright side to all of this.

And what I can think of is simple.

God has every single one of us in His hands.

We're still going to struggle.

Breast cancer is a horrible thing. We still don't have a cure. You saw the statistics above. You can see how many they estimated would be diagnosed and how many would die this year.


And not all of us will be scientists trying to find a cure. NOt all of us will raise millions of dollars to help the cause.

But maybe, actually, that's what's God is calling you to do.

I don't know.

But one way to start is to be aware of it. Then maybe doing a little research. That might put up a sprout.

Next, pray.

And pray some more.

The power of prayer is a miraculous thing - and I'm not just saying that. It has the power to save lives.

Breast cancer is one of our many, many wars going on at the moment. It's not the type you can fight with guns. Its a disease. A disease we don't know how to fight. And that's even more frightening.

Let's fight our war. 

A salute to all the women and men diagnosed, struggling, or dead from breast cancer. Fight your way through.

And keep us in Your hands, God.

Keep us in Your hands.








Friday, October 30, 2015

NaNoWriMo Approaching

one-does-not-simply-a - One does not simply have a calm November

*nods at Boromir* *waves the flag of a book Tolkienite*

*coughs*

Anyways, NaNoWriMo is coming up!! It's only TWO DAYS AWAY.

If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, go check it out at this clicky-clicky. (Which leads to the NaNoWriMo website, if you were wondering, where you can sign up for free. And, be honest, what can beat a free deal? ;D )

NaNoWriMo is this writing website with forums and threads for writers, whether you be in need of help plotting, editing your plot after NaNoWriMo, finding names for characters, etc., etc. And there's an abundance of writing communities as well!

Now, this perfection must come with a challenge, should you choose to accept it. ;D

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writer's Month, which takes place in the month of November- Wait. I know a better way to explain it. ;D

*brings forth the mighty pen*

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write 50,000 words during the month of November. Will you undertake this mighty task, to write a novel in November?

(The correct answer is yes. ;D )

This will be my second NaNoWrimo. I'll be updating my Current Works tab, so you can watch out for that as well.

Blogging might be a bit...chaotic during November. Just to warn you. That should be an interesting time! We'll see what it turns out to be like.

~Leila 

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Happy Anniversary!

Guess what today is? *drumroll* Get out your confetti guns, people, and plop on some party hats, because it's the one-year anniversary of Inspiring Ink'lings!

One year ago today, this blog was set up and I posted the very first post. *overcome by fit of nostalgia (one of my least favorite words, by the way. It has a good meaning, but the sound of the word. Ugh.)* *reminds self that I'm blogging, not daydreaming*

I have to admit, I made a lot of mistakes throughout this entire year. It took me a while to figure it out, I was messed up at the very beginning (for example, I didn't do an introduction post until later. *shaking head at past me*). Actually, I'm still partly figuring this whole blogging thing out.

But I enjoy doing this. :)

It's hard, I've made mistakes, and I've been stressed out, but I definitely enjoy it. ^-^ (And I hope you enjoy reading it!)

When you mess up, or want to give up, DON'T. You'll find enjoyment from it, learn from it, or at least be able to look back and be proud of yourself because you didn't give up.

I hope you've enjoyed this one year - whether or not you've actually been reading it the entire way. :) I certainly have!

~Leila

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

10.7.15

Smile.

A Blog Nomination

Gather round, all of you, because I have an announcement to make. *hands out (sadly virtual) warm cookies and tea/hot chocolate*

I was nominated for a blogging award!! :D I was nominated by my friend Alyssa over at the blog The Honeydrop Post. It's an amazing blog run by a marvelous person, so go over and check it out!

This is thrilling, my friends. Perfectly thrilling.


Hence, the award rules:

          1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and post the link to their blog.
          2. Answer the questions the blogger has provided.
          3. Nominate four other bloggers.
          4. Create ten questions for your nominees and notify them of their nomination.

Without further ado, to begin!


My Answers:
 
          1. What is the one thing that you own that you would LOVE to be able get rid of but can't bring yourself to give away?
          I have some stuffed animals that I want to get rid of (in some moods), but can't make myself do it. *sniffs sentimentally* I'm personally invested in them, even if I never touch them anymore.
          ....anyway, let's go on.
     
          2. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
          Rome! I've always wanted to go to Rome.
         
          3. What was the last song you listened to?
          Far Over the Misty Mountains Cold (Extended Version).
         
          4. Who is your favorite book character?
          Ugh, just one? Well, I've always loved Anne from Anne of Green Gables series.
          *walks away before I can start overflowing with fangirlness or go back on my decision ;)*
         
          5. Do you dream in color?
          I barely ever dream, but when I do, yes, it is in color.
         
          6. If you could have one skill for a day that you've never had, what would it be?
          I've always wanted to have a good aim, but sadly I don't. I can't hit most things for my life. (Which includes throwing trash into the trashcan. It's embarrassing, my friends.)
         
          7. If someone based a character in a book/movie/play off of you, who do you think it would be?
          Jane Eyre. I may appear quiet and shy at first, but I'm actually an incredibly intelligent, independent person. I'm not afraid to stand up for myself and I value honesty and justice deeply. I don't let the "rules" of society tell me what I can and cannot be.
         
          8. What is your favorite sound?
          A crackling and popping fire. I love that sound because it makes me feel warm and content inside.
         
          9. What ten words would you use to describe your dream home?
          Cozy, warm, stylish (face it, that one might not be happening, though), home, love, refuge, bookshelved*, personal-library, inhabited, and musical.
         
         10. What is one wish of yours that you want to come true before you die? (Spill your deepest desires out, here. Dream BIG. It's the best way to get anything done, you know.
          This one is more vague, but I want to write something that people choose to read over and over again, love, and say, "This book changed my life for the better" or "This is what started me on my walk with Christ".
 
 
*drumroll*
The nominees!
 
http://bloom4jesus.blogspot.com/
https://momsprincesspari.wordpress.com/
https://concerningwriting.wordpress.com/
https://freckledmermaids.wordpress.com/
 
NOTE: If I nominate you and you do not want to participate, please don't feel forced to! This is a fun award/nomination and I love your blogs, but lives get busy and you don't have to at all. ^-^

My Questions for the Nominees:
 
         1. What is your favorite book quote?
         2. Are you a cat or dog person?
         3. Do you prefer sad endings or happy endings (in books, movies, etc.)? Why?
         4. How would you describe your sense of style in five words?
         5. What is your favorite time of day?
         6. Do you have any hobbies that your followers don't know, that you'd like to share?
         7. What is one thing that you couldn't live without? (In case you're wondering, answers like air and water don't count. ;) )
         8. If you could make one scent into a candle, what scent would you choose?
         9. Do you have a favorite accessory?
         10. If every time you walked into a room, a song started playing, what song would you pick?


 

Thank you for reading and thank you again for nominating me, Alyssa! ^-^
 
~Leila
 
 
{*bookshelved: Now an official term (coined by yours truly) meaning full of bookshelves. :) }

Happy writing!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Updates

That Awkward Moment When: You realize that when someone finds your blog, they will know you by a different name than you blog by.

That Other Awkward Moment When: You realize that, therefore, blogging by a different name makes no sense.

So, I have an announcement to make:

I will be blogging by a different name. (Cue the epic face-palming and epic desire to crawl into a hole.) Hopefully, this makes things simpler for y'all's, though...?

Check out my About Autumn page for more details.

A few quick life updates:

-School started for me the other day. We're trying out different things this year, so I might have more time to blog, and I might have less time. We'll see what happens, but I'm getting more excited about this year!

-I planned out my entire novel, Immortal Fire. Then...I lost it. (Let us have a moment of silence.) But I plotted it out again (on Gdocs, where I will hopefully not be able to lose it...), and I'm still working on it, but so far it's coming out fine!

-I started drawing again! I got a couple books, nice pencils, and a sketch pad, so you might be seeing some of my sketches/drawings on here.

8.25.15

Family isn't just whose blood you share.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

8.23.15

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice! -Philippians 4:4

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Write What Scares You, Part 1

Write what scares you.

Hm. That doesn't make sense sometimes... Why would we write what scares us?

This can be looked at from a few different ways. So this will be a multiple part post.

One thing that I thought of, that maybe isn't exactly what they meant, but is worth thinking about anyhow: Write what makes you sad.

At some point in your novel, your going to have to write sad things. That's how it goes. When it comes to reading and/or writing sadness, I have different feelings.

Sometimes, I enjoy writing that. "Yes, let's make the reader cry!" When I'm in those moods, I almost like writing sad things. Another mood I enjoy writing sad things in is when I personally am in just a melancholy mood. Grab a Kleenex box, turn on sad music, and lock myself in my room and cry.

I don't mind reading sad things, either. (Yeah, I'm weird.) Nothing TOO sad though, y'know?

I don't always like writing sad things. It almost scares me. I'm the kind of person that crying...it comes at the wrong times, when I'm stressed or not unbearably sad, and I can barely cry when I'm actually sad. Honestly, crying is a strane thing for me.

But sometimes I'm scared of writing something sad, like a death scene, for example. That just plain scares me. I don't want to cry, and it's almost like I'm scared of putting too much emotion into it. I can be a very emotional person, but also rather blank on the outside, preferring not to show people what I'm feeling.

I tend to be like that when it comes to writing. I'm so scared that I'll break down, or pour too much of my heart into it and just end up being hurt...the death/sad scenes I write will turn out stiff and unnatural.

That's something I have to work on myself as a writer.

If you're like me, maybe that's something you have to work on too. Either way, you need to work on the sad things in your writing.

To quote Albus Dumbledore: "This proves you are still human!" (Or rather, a writer, eh? ;))

NOTE: I thought I published this last night, but I guess I didn't. That's why there wasn't a daily thought yesterday. The other two, I was awfully busy and didn't have time. :/

Happy writing!

-Autumn

Friday, August 14, 2015

8.14.15

Life is worth the living because Jesus lives.

My life will end, but because He lives, we can live on in Heaven.

I can face the rest of my life and death because He lives.

I'm typing this up on my phone and I accidentally pressed 'o' instead of 'i', which made it 'loves. But that's just as true! Thank you, Jesus, for living and for loving and for dying and for everything. Thank you for tomorrow.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

8.13.15

My ten-o-clock thought: Dance. Even if you look like a fool for doing it, out on the driveway under the stars on the driveway in Disney pjs and monkey slippers (which happens to be what I just did... >.> ;) But I don't regret it!!). Dance your way through life.

Dance like you love yourself, then DO!

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

8.12.15

I'm starting up a new post-series!

Every day, I'm going to come on and post just a quick thought. So here's today's.

Breathe in other people's hate but don't let it consume you. Instead, exhale love their way.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Camp NaNoWriMo and Updates

Hello! I'm back! ;)

I did Camp NaNo this month, which was an awesome experience! I aimed for 18,918 words, because I started the novel I was working on before Camp, so I added how much I wrote before to my word count. I'm not sure if I reached my word count goal or not, which sounds odd, but I finished up writing at nearly midnight and was ready to submit it, copying and pasting, when I lost 10,000-some of my words. I recovered the words, so I still have them, but I gave up on actually submitting.

(I don't think I reached my word count, though.)
But I learned a lot!

I started a new novel - I know what you're thinking, not another novel! ;/ - called Black and White. I started this new novel to take a little break from Immortal Fire. I was having serious writer's block on it, and I knew that I needed to change some things up, so during Camp I worked on this new novel and plotted out Immortal Fire.

Like I said, I learned a lot from doing Camp, even if it wasn't as successful as I hoped.

So, I thought I'd share with you my top five lessons that I learned from this Camp:

#1: I found out more about plotting.
I discovered that plotting out stories can be fun! I found out more about how I personally like to plot, and I think that this will be valuable for future writing.

#2: Goals.
As you can see from my blogging and what I have said previously, that I might be a little bit iffy about goals and writing times and such. During Camp, I realized that I have to write more regularly and set goals for myself if I want to accomplish anything.

#3: This might sound funny, but music.
I am a complete music fanatic. I play the violin, I sing (a lot for someone who is not especially talented at singing, and either have the radio blaring or headphones in all day. I discovered that instrumentals are a ton of help! Also, I made soundtracks for myself, which are very helpful when you need to get into a certain mood.

#5: Enjoying what I do.
I love to write. I've said this a million times, and I'll say it a million more. I've been sinking into a rut, though, lately, of not getting enough writing in, finding myself discouraged, and not really enjoying it. That's partly why I switched tactics - or novels, whatever - for this Camp.

But I think that now I can say that I found my love of writing again!

What about you? Did you do Camp? If so, what did you learn from it? Where you more successful than I was?

Here's an extra one:

#Bonus: Success.
Success is measured in different ways. Some people might say that success is purely result-based. That is a big part of success; what you end with. It's whether or not you succeeded in what you set out to do.
But another part of it is what you learned. I learned a lot from Camp, even if I didn't reach my goals. I was successful - at least I think so! - even if it wasn't in the ways I originally imagined.

Happy writing!
-Autumn

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Anyone Can Be A Hero

By doing what you love, you inspire and awaken the hearts of others. -Satuski Shibuya
 
Isn't that an amazing calling, to "inspire and awaken the hearts of others"?
 
This quote doesn't apply to just writers, either. It applies to everyone. When you do what you love, you inspire others. So do what you love!!
 
Inspire people. Show them that anyone can be a hero. Because anyone can.

We all have the potential to be a hero. But not everyone lives up to their potential, and not everyone is destined to save the world, like Superman.
 

Superman Logo - Iconic Superhero (Need this to reference as a draw some visuals)

Sadly, we can't all be Superman. ;)
  
But you don't have to save the world to be a hero. Sometimes all you have to do is do what you love, like our quote says. God knows what you love, and He will take that, make you a hero, and help you to do something for Him.
 
That's even better than just inspiring people. (Though part of your calling is to do that: inspire others.)
 
So what are you waiting for? Go inspire others. Do what you love. For writers, that might mean writing! ;) Write something that will inspire others. Write what you love to write. Write something that will awaken your reader's hearts. Take your calling.
 
Show your readers and yourself that anyone can be a hero. Even if it's hidden deep down inside. Remember, anyone can be a hero. So go be one, and do what you love.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Happy Mother's Day!

This Mother's Day, I decided that I would write a shoutout to mothers everywhere.

My mom is amazing. Being a mother to a crazy, all-hours writer that is me can't be easy.

Sometimes, I'll admit, I neglect my family. And I'm really ashamed of it. So I'd like to apologize to my mom for all those hours that I spend on my computer. I want to apologize for the times I've been moody because of something I've written. For the times that I've obsessed over my characters and chatted about my story nonstop. (I just hope that you found it interesting. ;) I'm sorry for the mistakes; you'll know what I'm talking about, Momma. I'm sorry that I was reluctant to show you my writing. I just didn't want you to see the mistakes and the dark bits that are hard for me to write and even harder for me to show.

If you identify with a single thing I said above, go and hug your mom. Drop whatever you're doing write now, go up to your mom, and wrap your arms around her. :) Even if it still isn't Mother's Day when you read this. You don't have to just hug her on one day. ;) Moms are wonderful that way. You can hug them whenever you want.

I'd also like to thank you, Mom.

Thank you for being patient with me. Thank you for being amazing and sweet and kind. Thank you for loving the little poems I've tried to write for you, the little sketches, the little cards. Thank you for being your amazing self. Thank you for complimenting me. Thank you for your laughter and your jokes. Thank you for everything that you've ever done. Every act, every word will forever be with me.

Thank you for saying that you love to be my mom. In turn, I'd like to thank you. Thank you for being my mom.

I love you, Mom.

To moms everywhere:

Thank you. Thank you for doing what you do best: Mothering us. Stay with us crazy writers. We don't mean to make mistakes. We're just feeling our way along. But know something. We love you like crazy.

If you agree with any of that, go up to your mom and tell her you love her. I don't know how you say that. Maybe you'll hug her. Maybe you'll give her a gift. Maybe you'll tell her, in plain old words. Maybe you'll do something else. But tell her.

So, I'll wrap up this shoutout.

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY!

WE LOVE YOU, MOMS!

-Autumn

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Apologies and Camp

I am so sorry! I have not posted in ages.

I'm going to try and do better-

Do or do not. There is no try. -Yoda

Thanks, Yoda, for convicting me. But Yoda, as it turns out, is right. I am going to do better with blogging regularly. One would think that, with a schedule and everything, everything would be fine. Evidently not.

Sometimes, you have to figure out different ways. So that's one thing I'll be working on this month: finding good ways to remember to blog. :)

One reason that I haven't been posting very much is that I've been busy with Camp NaNoWriMo. I might have mentioned NaNoWriMo on here before. Camp is pretty much the same thing, except you have an adjustable word count, you don't have to work on a novel, and it's during April and July. :)

During this Camp, my goal is 20,000 words. I've gone for a more laid-back goal, because April is a busy month for me. (On that topic, a very happy belated Easter to you all!)

I'm going to be working on a novel I've titled Heal My Soul. I put the synopsis under my Current Works tab, if you would like to check it out. Heal My Soul is set in the same place as Immortal Fire, another novel I am working on, and I believe it is either going to be a prequel or just a book that goes along with it. It's set about twenty years before, and the characters are- Well, we'll keep that a surprise. ;)

I'm really excited about this novel! I think I've got some fun characters, and, for the most part, the plot's coming along fine. Maybe sometime I'll post an excerpt on here. :)

I think that's all I have for now!

Happy writing!

-Autumn

Monday, March 30, 2015

Alix

New character time!! Meet:



These is Alix's hair color, skin color, and eye color, but her hair isn't curly and quite so long...

Alix



I'm Alix. Just Alix. Yes, there's a story behind it. But it's none of your business, okay?

*sighs* Just had too many people ask me about it.

But who knows. Maybe you'll find out someday.

However, that's not what I'm here for. I'm here to introduce myself. As I said, my name is Alix. I'm a... Water Akarei, specializing in ice. It's okay. Best of times, helps other people. Worst of times- Well, let's just not go there.

Hm. I didn't realize that's what I looked like. Guess so. My hair doesn't have that much curl, though. Other than that, don't really care what you see me as. Because I change.

... .. ... .. ...

Let's see...

I'm different. Different in a bad way.

I didn't grow up like other people. I don't act like other people. I don't talk like other people. I don't look like other people. I don't- You get the point yet?

But off of that topic. I have too much of that.

I live with the other Akarei. It's a nice place. There's a lake out, and when it gets cold, I teach my friends to skate. There's a forest near us, and I go out there a lot. It's a nice place to...just be myself. That's something I don't get a lot of.

Hobbies. Well, I sing... But don't you tell anyone. And I'm not singing for you. But I do sing.

Among other hobbies, I'm a Water Aka, which I said already. It comes with benefits, like swimming and controlling water and skating and stuff, but it also comes with prejudices.

Not many people here like the water. I don't know why. To me, water is beautiful. It's...kind of like me. Ever-changing and fluid, going along with the flow. When water un-calms, it takes a bit. I'm like that. It takes my temper a bit to rise up, but when it does, you fear it as bad as a hurricane.
It freezes when the cold comes, to keep itself whole. I do that. I "freeze up" so I can emerge whole later. It's a survival technique. Survival is my specialty.

Well... Anything I start, I finish. That's my...thing. I start something, I finish it. I believe that you should only start a job worth doing, and if it's worth starting, then it's worth finishing.

(Have I talked enough yet?)

I love dragons. Everything from the tips of their scaly heads to the bottom of their feet to the fire coming out of their mouths. They're beautiful creatures and very fun to work with.

Don't judge me by what I do with them, though.

Don't blame me for what I do.

Because it's the only thing I can do.

.... .... .... .... ....

If I haven't scared you off already with "my version of philosophy" and my odd way of talking, maybe we could chat sometime. Don't expect me to form attachments or friendships or anything, though.

Yeah.

Well, now you've met me. Nice seeing you and all, I guess. (How do I sign off?)

Alix, over and out.

----------

There she is!

Alix's intro ended up being kind of different, but, as she admitted, she's different. ;)

Hope you liked her! And - also like she said - she's willing to chat with any who wants to. She'll answer questions about herself, down in the comment section. (Even though she doesn't admit it, she kind of enjoyed revealing little bits about herself. So you're welcome to ask questions. :) )

May God's blessing be on you and your writing throughout your week!

-Autumn

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Writing, and Plotters and Pantsers, Oh My!

There are two main types of writers: plotters and pantsers. Today we will be going through the basic types of both.

Pantser
There are different types of pantsers. For these examples, I am going to use writing, considering this is a (mainly) writing blog. ;)

Class A - The Choosers: You choose to do other things with your time. You realize that you ought to be doing your writing, but you just choose not to. Once the day is out, you slap your hand to your forehead, and honestly regret your decisions, but don't know how to right them. (

Class B - The Forgetfuls: You honestly do not realize that you are pantsing. It's only once the time is gone that you realize that you should have written.

Class C - The Do-It-Laters: You insist that you will "do it later". Then, once the day is gone, you remember.

Those are the three main classifications of the creature commonly called the "pantser". Most pantsers are born with "pantserism", but a few contract this mysterious disease.


Plotter
Just as some writers are naturally born with this, some are naturally born "plotters".
The mysterious creature that is the plotter is an intelligent one. They plot out their stories ahead of time and plan their writing time. This one isn't found everywhere; some do not plan out when they will write.

Class A - The All-Outers: You plot out their story, allot your writing time, and make character charts/Pinterest boards all ahead of time. (Those of you who classify as an "All-Outer", I applaud you.)

Class B - The Plotters: You do not necessarily allot writing time for yourself, but you do plot out significant events of your story before you begin!

Class C - The Developers:  You develop your characters beforehand. You also flesh out where you want the story to start and where you want it to end.

I hope this has been an insightful visit on plotters and pantsers!

Thursday, March 5, 2015

My Works

As a kind of "post", I got my Current Works tab up and running! However, the synopsis for it will probably be revised at least a dozen times, just to warn you. ;) This tab only has the synopsis of my largest WIP (work-in-progress), which I might be revising later. :)

Oh yes, I also added My Bookshelf to show what books I'm reading right now.
(Wow, this is a short post.) I apologize for this. Today was...confusing. :/ *sigh* I'll do better next time. Hopefully, I won't be saying that again.

Until next time,
-Autumn

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Stephen


Hello again! I hereby introduce one of my (favorite) characters from my WIP:
Stephen Dwyh
 
This kind of looks like Stephen... But he should have violet eyes. He would wear that shirt, though, and the hat.
 
__________
 
Uh, hi. What am I doing here? Oh, I'm supposed to introduce myself. My name is Stephen, Stephen Dwyh. I'm a Thunderstorm Akarei, which is definitely interesting. You can't see by that picture, but I'm always wearing a hoodie with my Aka badge pinned to it.
 
That hoodie's old. I don't even know why I still wear it. But I like old stuff. Old scrolls, old ways, old games...You name it! I'm not as much of a bookie as the healer's kid, but I don't think anyone is. She's insane.
 
What? This post is supposed to be about me?! I don't like talking about myself. When you're me, it solves a lot of problems to just lay low. Of course, when you're me, it's also hard to do just that.
 
No, I am not purposefully diverting the subject away from myself.
 
*Stephen takes a long breath* Ok, so here's the deal. I have some stuff that nobody needs to know about. And I like it that way.
 
What again? Oh, back to the introduction.
 
Well, I said I'm a Thunderstorm Aka. I get to control thunder, pouring rain, and lightning bolts. I've gotten into some....trouble when I get mad. The other person is always more injured than I am. The Thunders are known for getting into fights. But I never really mean to. It just...happens. Believe me, if I could stop it from happening, I would, I really would. I've gotten it under control, but only for- Wait, am I allowed to tell them that? No? Okay, so I guess you'll just find out eventually. I mean, the whole school knows.
 
Just because I get into fights and I don't like talking about myself doesn't mean that I don't like to joke around. Not at all. Once I find friends, I'm like a normal kid. I've been told I'm a sarcastic joker, which is cool.
 
I like going out to the woods. I'm the best tracker in the school, and my syah says I'll be famous for rounding up dragons when I get old enough. So I practice a lot. There's lots of stray dragons out in the woods. Nobody even knows how many I've found. Different types than anyone's seen before. It's really cool.
 
What else should you know... I'm not sure if you would call me 'easygoing' or not. I worry a lot, but what I show people is different from what I actually am.
 
Oh, yeah. Uh... *Stephen scratches his neck embarrassedly* Not exactly psyched about telling you this, but I'm clumsy. Knocked over too many things to keep track of. Bookcases, people, you name it.
 
So. That's me. Nice to meet you all. Maybe sometime we could hang out? That would be super cool. Well, I've gotta go now. Uh, again, nice meeting you, and I hope you enjoyed meeting me. Bye!
 
__________
 

That was Stephen Dwyh, from my novel! Did you enjoy meeting him? I hope so. :)
I've said this before, but if you ever want to chat with any of them, post it down in the comments! I love hearing from you, and so do they.
 
-Autumn


Saturday, February 28, 2015

Can You Run Out of Creativity?

You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. -Maya Angelou
Hello! :) This is our quote of the week, as you've probably guessed. ;)

The first thing I thought of when I read this quote was love. Why? Because the more love you give away, the more you have.

Do you think this is true? The more creativity you use, the more you have? One could argue that this makes no sense; how can you have more of something after using it? Well, this isn't exactly an easy question to answer.

The first thing that I thought of was love. It's not exactly an answer, but it reminds you that not all of your questions can be answered. Not everything can be used up. Love - and creativity - aren't material, therefore you can't run out of them.

If you aren't satisfied with that, let me give you another answer. :)

When you are creative, you are making room for more creativity. In other words, creativity inspires itself. When you write, you are being creative. And if you never start, then you won't be able to be creative further. In turn, when you are creative, you are able to be creative further.

So don't worry that you'll ever run out of ideas. You simply can't!

-Autumn


Friday, February 27, 2015

Introductions

So, I realized that I never really did an introductory post. There's always my About Autumn, so you can check that out, but I still thought it would be nice to introduce myself. :)

Her name is Autumn Browne. She's a teenager with a passion for writing, because you don't have to be an adult to love to write! Known for her daydreaming talents, Autumn loves curling up in a thunderstorm with a good book, some chocolate, and a box of tissues.

She's a newly beginning blogger, and admits how glad she is that she started, for she has learned how to schedule and how to "practice what you preach." :)

Currently, Autumn is working on a novel entitled Immortal Fire, began in November 2014 and is on the fourth draft, having stopped and restarted numerous times. More information about Immortal Fire can be found under the Current Works tab, which *ahem* is under renovations (aka, it will be up soon.). She's only written short stories and poetry before, but she says that she loves noveling, although it is a challenge.

Autumn is an avid reader. She reads many genres including fantasy, science fiction, and Christian. If you meet her on the street, don't be surprised if she is carrying a book. "If you'd ever like to chat over books sometime," Autumn says, "I'd love that! But watch out, because once you start me, I may never stop!"

She also enjoys drawing and calligraphy, being a true artist at heart. Autumn loves dogs, especially Shih Tzus and even more especially, Mal-Shihs. She also wishes desperately for a pet dragon, but her house isn't large enough. So dragons frequently influence her writing because who doesn't love dragons? ;)

On that happy note, we return you to your regularly scheduled blogging. Autumn loves blogging for you lovely people, and hopes you come back soon!

-Autumn

Friday, February 20, 2015

Character Names

One of the first things you pin down in character development is their name. (Note: I said one. ;) There are many 'first things'.) But names are essential. Your character has to have a name. That's how you keep track of them, and make them more relatable to your audience.

On rare occasions, your characters will practically name themselves, or you create them already knowing their name. But what do you do when they don't?

I enjoy using baby name generators and books. Nameberry and Behind The Name are just two examples. Also SheKnows and various blogs.
A simple Google search will do the trick in this case. Search "baby name generator" and add "male/boy" or "female/girl" depending on the gender you're looking for. If you have any more specifics in what you're looking for, type that in as well! It never hurts to be more specific. :)

In my fantasy, I often make up names for them. Sometimes, I take a popular name and twist it, changing it somehow to create a whole different name. Another method is to try out sounds, joining them together to create a name you like.

One thing to avoid while naming characters:
Don't name them after famous people, or similar characters in other books. This just leads to confusion and annoyance on the part of your readers.

I hope this helps you! I know I often need help when it comes to naming. :)
-Autumn

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Scene Starters

Hi again! I'm starting a three-week 'project' on here. Each week, I'll be dropping off ten new prompts!

Part 1: Scene Starters
Part 2: Plots
Part 3: Twists

This week, we have Scene Starters! Have fun!

Scene Starters:

1. "You don't want to know. There was a reason we kept this from you."

2. Write a scene set in/by some large body of water.

3. "You're kidding. You've got to be kidding."

4. Write a scene that includes a sarcastic character and a dragon.

5. "I've always loved you, you know. And I hoped you would love me back."

6. Write a scene with a sleepy cat and a peppy, enthusiastic boy.

7.  'All of a sudden -'

8. 'He looked down at his arm, inspecting it thoroughly.'

9. Write a scene set in a castle.

10. Write a scene between your two least favorite characters.

----------
There we have it! Tune in next week, folks, for your next installment! ;)

-Autumn

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Sketching

For Christmas, one of my presents was drawing pencils. I already owned a small sketching pad, the perfect size to fit in a purse or bag.

That got me to start drawing more. I've checked out drawing books, experimented, and searched Pinterest for things to draw. The one thing that I wanted to draw, however, was people. In art class, we've drawn portraits of ourselves, and I really enjoyed that. But I'd never really drawn full body portraits.
A.K.A. I am a total beginner. ;)

Of course, I really wanted to draw the characters from my book. Being *ahem* overly-ambitious, I started planning out poses/scenes to put them in. Some poses... let's just say, some are easier than others.

One of the methods I prefer the most is the Ball-and-Socket technique. It's really handy, and makes it a lot simpler. Take it from me, a total amateur. :) My people-drawing has improved under this.

1. You lightly sketch out the "wire frames", or the basic pose your person/character will be in. Draw small balls to show where the joints are, and simple "sticks" for the basic arms and legs.

2. Enlarge it, building the body to be more realistic and not so much of just a stick figure.

3. Erase the sketch marks, going over it, fixing the smaller bits.

4. Draw in hair, expression, etc.

5. If you are like me, make minor changes/edits several times.

6. Go over with a finer tipped pencil, fixing rough patches.

7. (Optional) Color.

I prefer to keep my sketches just... sketches. But that's just me. ;)

There you have it! My tips to drawing the basic human figure. Now get to sketching!

Monday, February 9, 2015

Jovana


Here we are, already time for me to introduce another character! So I give you:
Jovana Ala
 
Jovana
 
__________
 
 
Hello, all. I'm Jovana Ala. As you can see, that's supposed to be me up there. It's not too off, surprisingly, but, like Keshi - my twin sister - I have a tendency to obsess over small details. That's something we actually have in common. Anyways, the picture isn't that off, as I said before. My hair is lighter, more of what my author says is a honey-bronde color and it's slightly curlier than that.  But, on most days, that's the color of my eyes and my skin is about that color.
 
I'm not as talkative as Keshi, but I want you to get the right image of me. I mean, if my author ever finishes her book, it should be important, right? You'll get to know me then, but - Sorry. Sometimes, when I'm nervous, I chatter on and on.
 
I'm a Sky Akarei, specifically the clouds. I've heard Keshi grumble about how hers isn't "glorious", but there's nothing wrong with it. It fits her, I believe. That's not an insult, at all. She's darling. She's always liked- Wait, I'm off topic again. This is supposed to be all about me. However, it's so much easier talking about other people than talking about yourself, at least in my experience.
 
I'm quieter than most. I'm not an adventure girl like Keshi. I prefer sipping cinna in front of a warm fire and reading a book. If I'm not there, I'm usually out riding my dragon. With me, it's not limited to fair-weather: I enjoy the rain, the clouds, the storms. They satisfy something deep inside, something that won't be restrained; wants to be wild and free. When I'm sad, I go out in the rain with my dragon. Somehow, the water flowing down expresses things that I never could by crying the tears I can never cry.
 
Now you're going to just going to think I'm odd.

My favorite subject here is languages, but people here just think I'm a nerd for liking it so much. They already think I'm a nerd, though, because I care about my grades and how well I do in class. I don't tell Keshi how much I get made fun of, because all she does is go get into fights on my behalf, when it just makes it worse.
You've probably guessed that I'm not really the popular one. But I don't really mind. I prefer watching people over interacting with them.
 
Um... I'm not sure what else to tell you. I've gone out of my comfort zone already, which my author and all my friends say I should do more often. But I'm safe in my comfort zone, so why go out of it?
 
*to me* Is there some sort of polite way to leave? I'm starting to get tired after all of this. Do I just close off?
 
*to you* So, I have to go now. Er, bye and nice meeting you!
__________
 
Now you know Jovana, one of the main characters from my work-in-progress. I hope you enjoyed meeting her!
Again, if you'd like to ask Jovana any questions, post it down in the comments and she'll answer. If any questions reveal too much about herself or the story, she might not answer, but she'll be somewhat pleased at the attention. ;)
 
Happy writing!

-Autumn