Monday, February 11, 2013
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Why I Write.
I write simply because I want to.
I write because it gives me something to do other than lounge around feeling lame. I write because I the most bizarre thoughts, sometimes, and somehow my brain comes up with strange scenarios that I want someone to read and feel entertained.
I write because there's a part of me that feels disconnected from other human beings emotionally. I write because a part of me hopes that I'll learn what "empathy" means. I write because I want to learn who I am, because who I am is subconsciously written down in between the words I record.
I write because want other people to hear what I have to say. I write because I want to teach people lessons that they can keep with them. I write because in this world, it's very easy for meaningful words to fall upon deaf ears, or to be forgotten, or to be lost. I write because written words are forever and never disappear.
I write because I want to impact lives. I write because I want people to read my words and think, and do more than just sit there and absorb. I write because I want to provoke thoughts, arguments, debates. I write because I want to provoke dreams.
I write because I want to evoke emotions. I write because I love to make people laugh, because I want to touch people's hearts with words that mean so little yet mean so much.
I write because it is an art that I enjoy. I write because it's one of the few things I actual have a certain degree of talent in and am sure that I can.
I write because it helps me forget. I write because it helps me remember.
I write because I love when people tell me that they love what I write. I write because it feels good to be doing something. I write because it gives a sense of accomplishment when everything else I do sucks. I write because while everything else feels wrong, writing feels right.
I write because it's the one thing I can call my own, from my heart. I write because it gives me a way to show.
I write for a number of reasons. But above all, I write because I love it.
I write because it gives me something to do other than lounge around feeling lame. I write because I the most bizarre thoughts, sometimes, and somehow my brain comes up with strange scenarios that I want someone to read and feel entertained.
I write because there's a part of me that feels disconnected from other human beings emotionally. I write because a part of me hopes that I'll learn what "empathy" means. I write because I want to learn who I am, because who I am is subconsciously written down in between the words I record.
I write because want other people to hear what I have to say. I write because I want to teach people lessons that they can keep with them. I write because in this world, it's very easy for meaningful words to fall upon deaf ears, or to be forgotten, or to be lost. I write because written words are forever and never disappear.
I write because I want to impact lives. I write because I want people to read my words and think, and do more than just sit there and absorb. I write because I want to provoke thoughts, arguments, debates. I write because I want to provoke dreams.
I write because I want to evoke emotions. I write because I love to make people laugh, because I want to touch people's hearts with words that mean so little yet mean so much.
I write because it is an art that I enjoy. I write because it's one of the few things I actual have a certain degree of talent in and am sure that I can.
I write because it helps me forget. I write because it helps me remember.
I write because I love when people tell me that they love what I write. I write because it feels good to be doing something. I write because it gives a sense of accomplishment when everything else I do sucks. I write because while everything else feels wrong, writing feels right.
I write because it's the one thing I can call my own, from my heart. I write because it gives me a way to show.
I write for a number of reasons. But above all, I write because I love it.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
10 Things I Don't Like in Books
I recommend you write one of these lists! It helps you figure out whether other people will like your books, because chances are, if it's something you don't like, 90% of readers won't like them, either.
So, here's a (very basic) list of things I don't like in books!
1) Perfect characters (physical or personality)
2) Unrealistic characters
3) When the main character is too nice (This aggravates me to no end)
4) Narrator does not sound like how they should sound (i.e. boy sounds girly; 16 year old sounds 10)
5) Paragraphs that are ten pages long (exaggeration)
6) When every sentence starts with "I" (sounds like a list. "I did this. I did that. I ate. I slept."
7) Too little detail
8) Too much detail
9) EVERYTHING is predictable
10) I can't relate to it. At all.
I'm guilty of some of these things. You're guilty of some of things.
But the great thing is, because you've written out a list of what sucks in books, you'll be aware of it & you can improve!
Happy writing!
--Ivey
So, here's a (very basic) list of things I don't like in books!
1) Perfect characters (physical or personality)
2) Unrealistic characters
3) When the main character is too nice (This aggravates me to no end)
4) Narrator does not sound like how they should sound (i.e. boy sounds girly; 16 year old sounds 10)
5) Paragraphs that are ten pages long (exaggeration)
6) When every sentence starts with "I" (sounds like a list. "I did this. I did that. I ate. I slept."
7) Too little detail
8) Too much detail
9) EVERYTHING is predictable
10) I can't relate to it. At all.
I'm guilty of some of these things. You're guilty of some of things.
But the great thing is, because you've written out a list of what sucks in books, you'll be aware of it & you can improve!
Happy writing!
--Ivey
Friday, September 21, 2012
Homemade Coconut & Sugar Scrub
Hey guys! Once I learn something fun and cool, I like to share it, so here's something I tried today: Homemade Sugar Scrub!
At bath care stores, sugar scrubs can cost like $20-$30. I don't like to spend too much money, so I decided making my own! It's really easy and it leaves your skin super soft :) I found this recipe on Google, then modified it just a teeeeeny bit.
INGREDIENTS:
-table sugar
-coconut oil
-(optional) water
To make a sugar scrub, all I did was add two parts of sugar to every one part of coconut oil (Coconut oil is really good for you!). That means for every one tablespoon of coconut oil, I used two tablespoons of sugar.
First, I put the coconut oil in the microwave it for 15 seconds, since it's usually a soft solid at room temperature. It's just easier to mix when it's a little runny, but not impossible.
Combine the sugar to the oil and mix. I added just a little itty bit of water, like a few drops. Probably about half a teaspoon. Don't add too much, otherwise the sugar will get kinda mushy and soggy.
I let it sit in the fridge, just long enough for it to chill and harden. It doesn't take too long, like two minutes.
Voila! A homemade, cheap, easy, quick sugar scrub all under three minutes!
The best way to use it is on dry skin. Don't wet it first, otherwise the sugar will just melt. I tested the scrub on my hands first. It's supposed to be kinda weird to use. You're supposed to feel all the grains rubbing into your skin. After, rinse it off. It'll also feel kinda weird--kinda like when butter melts on your hands? You know, slippery and oily? It's from the (duh) coconut oil, but also from the sugar melting.
Dry. Doesn't your skin feel soft now? ;)
I even used it on my face. It didn't dry it out at all! Mind you, I didn't scrub so hard that it hurt to wash my face with it, but the scrub kinda gives like a little massage. It feels really nice and left my cheeks feeling smooth and soft(: If you feel your skin going a little dry, just use a little bit of coconut oil (like, a little little little teeny bit) as a lotion on dry spots. The nice thing about coconut oil is that it hydrates without clogging. It's like a light lotion!
This scrub can be used all over your body. I love it so much xD
Ya'll should try it and tell me watcha think! :D
Ciao!
--Ivers
Sunday, August 19, 2012
How to Succeed on Wattpad
Tips for How to Become Popular on Wattpad
This is all my experience/opinion. Don't hate.
1) Write a good book.
Seriously. I'm gonna be honest here. There are some people who write crap novels and expect everyone to read it. I'm not saying that your writing is necessarily bad, but that doesn't mean your novels not...if that makes sense. Aha. But you can't expect to be popular in anything if you suck at it.
2) First impressions count.
TITLES. Need I say more? Don't give the entire plot away in the title. You know how for papers, you have to formulate a thesis that sums up the entire paper into one sentence? It's kind of like that. Titles should be concise and intriguing. I'm not going to lie; I really like "Why She Fell" as a title (does it sound pompous that I say that?). Put enough thought into the title so that when people read it, they'll think, "Hey, this sounds interesting." At the same time, don't over think it!
Make your cover attractive. Don't put too much on it, you know? Be bold and make a statement but don't overdo it. I really like @Perfectionism 's covers because they're simple, pretty, and professional looking. Make sure you can read the title, too. Dude, like, if I can't read the title, chances are I'm not going to read the book. "Don't judge a book by it's cover." Pshhhh screw that. Everyone does it; I know I do. If you can make good book covers, great. If you can't, go to the book cover forum. Choose your book cover maker person wisely, dude.
AND OH MY GOD DON'T PUT PEOPLE MAKING OUT AND NAKED ON YOUR COVER.
Kissing, okay.
BUT NAKED AND GROSS AND EWWWW.
PLEASE DON'T.
IT'S DISGUSTING.
Classy, not trashy, folks.
The summary of your story is perhaps one of the more crucial elements. Sure, your title might be great, and your cover may be pretty, but the first thing a reader will read of your book is the summary. Again, don't make them super long (I had a really long summary once. I deleted the book, aha). Use as few words as you can to give little bit to the story. Make it concise and interesting. Ask a friend to help you, if you need it. Ask them, "Would you read this story?"
Actually...don't ask a friend. They might just tell you that they would 'cause they're your friend. I'd ask a sibling if you have one. They can be pretty harshly honest (trust me).
3) Do read-for-reads.
Before I start on this, let me just say: Don't spend too much time promoting. If you're spending five hours promoting your book that has one chapter, and you've written 50 words of the next chapter, then obviously you're promoting too much. Remember the real reason you want to write--because you love it, not because of fame.
That being said...
You can't expect that everyone in the world will just seemingly stumble upon your story. Sure, a few people will, but if you're just starting out on Wattpad, there's a very slim chance you'll get anywhere. (I'll talk more about my experience in a bit). The fairest way is to do R4R's and C4C's, ya know?
If you're just starting out on Wattpad, your new best hangout place for when you're not writing? The Share Your Story Club.
Don't be one of those "omg i love this check out my book http://wattpad.com/sdlfkaj;sdlfkjlfrkjdlkfjdkfldjfdl" It not only gives you a bad reputation, but it's annoying. Do it fair. If they say to read their prologue and comment, read it thoroughly and give a genuine, honest, and helpful comment, not just a generic one. I hate when people do that. You know who you are.
Enter in contests, too! I did a few of those, it really helps to expose your story to other people's fans (if they have any). Follow the contest guidelines. Hold your own contests, too, if you want.
Now, I've often said that the reason, I think, Why She Fell became so popular is mostly because of luck. And you know what? It is. I did advertise and enter contests and stuff, but I think that there are some people who read my book that happened to have a lot of fans, or liked to recommend books, or whatever. But remember--I did start out as an undiscovered writer. I did start out with R4R's. I did once have only, like 28 reads on my story (I was so psyched when it hit 100!). I spent time promoting, but the most important thing: I wrote the book.
4) Be social.
I've made a few friends on Wattpad. And you know what? They all read my stories. I read all of theirs.
If I receive a comment or message that says something as simple as, "Hi! Let's be friends." I'll usually click their profile and see if they've got anything written. At the same time....DON'T JUST BEFRIEND PEOPLE SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING YOUR BOOK READ. I cannot stress this enough. I HATE WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT. STOP BEING A USER.
All you have to do is....you know. Communicate. If you like a story, click the Vote button and comment. Drop a message on a newcomer's board welcoming them. Help out a writer in one of the clubs. Ya know? Good.
5) Ignore them haters.
People will tell you they hate your book. It happens. People have told me that. Get used to it, or get out.
6) FINISH YOUR BOOK.
DON'T LEAVE PEOPLE HANGING OH MY GOD I CAN'T STAND WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT.
7) Keep your fans in the loop about updates.
Okay, so I'm the last person to ever say this hahaha because I suck at updating frequently.
But, as a fan of books myself, I like it when authors post maybe once a week and consistently. (I'm sorry I suck!) If you want to update on Saturdays, do that. If you're running off schedule and you're going to be two days late, let them know.
But please, please, please don't broadcast messages every two minutes. That's just annoying.
So. These are just a few tips. I'm going to do a part (2) soon--How NOT to Succed on Wattpad aha.
Hope this helps! :D
--Ivers
This is all my experience/opinion. Don't hate.
1) Write a good book.
Seriously. I'm gonna be honest here. There are some people who write crap novels and expect everyone to read it. I'm not saying that your writing is necessarily bad, but that doesn't mean your novels not...if that makes sense. Aha. But you can't expect to be popular in anything if you suck at it.
2) First impressions count.
TITLES. Need I say more? Don't give the entire plot away in the title. You know how for papers, you have to formulate a thesis that sums up the entire paper into one sentence? It's kind of like that. Titles should be concise and intriguing. I'm not going to lie; I really like "Why She Fell" as a title (does it sound pompous that I say that?). Put enough thought into the title so that when people read it, they'll think, "Hey, this sounds interesting." At the same time, don't over think it!
Make your cover attractive. Don't put too much on it, you know? Be bold and make a statement but don't overdo it. I really like @Perfectionism 's covers because they're simple, pretty, and professional looking. Make sure you can read the title, too. Dude, like, if I can't read the title, chances are I'm not going to read the book. "Don't judge a book by it's cover." Pshhhh screw that. Everyone does it; I know I do. If you can make good book covers, great. If you can't, go to the book cover forum. Choose your book cover maker person wisely, dude.
AND OH MY GOD DON'T PUT PEOPLE MAKING OUT AND NAKED ON YOUR COVER.
Kissing, okay.
BUT NAKED AND GROSS AND EWWWW.
PLEASE DON'T.
IT'S DISGUSTING.
Classy, not trashy, folks.
The summary of your story is perhaps one of the more crucial elements. Sure, your title might be great, and your cover may be pretty, but the first thing a reader will read of your book is the summary. Again, don't make them super long (I had a really long summary once. I deleted the book, aha). Use as few words as you can to give little bit to the story. Make it concise and interesting. Ask a friend to help you, if you need it. Ask them, "Would you read this story?"
Actually...don't ask a friend. They might just tell you that they would 'cause they're your friend. I'd ask a sibling if you have one. They can be pretty harshly honest (trust me).
3) Do read-for-reads.
Before I start on this, let me just say: Don't spend too much time promoting. If you're spending five hours promoting your book that has one chapter, and you've written 50 words of the next chapter, then obviously you're promoting too much. Remember the real reason you want to write--because you love it, not because of fame.
That being said...
You can't expect that everyone in the world will just seemingly stumble upon your story. Sure, a few people will, but if you're just starting out on Wattpad, there's a very slim chance you'll get anywhere. (I'll talk more about my experience in a bit). The fairest way is to do R4R's and C4C's, ya know?
If you're just starting out on Wattpad, your new best hangout place for when you're not writing? The Share Your Story Club.
Don't be one of those "omg i love this check out my book http://wattpad.com/sdlfkaj;sdlfkjlfrkjdlkfjdkfldjfdl" It not only gives you a bad reputation, but it's annoying. Do it fair. If they say to read their prologue and comment, read it thoroughly and give a genuine, honest, and helpful comment, not just a generic one. I hate when people do that. You know who you are.
Enter in contests, too! I did a few of those, it really helps to expose your story to other people's fans (if they have any). Follow the contest guidelines. Hold your own contests, too, if you want.
Now, I've often said that the reason, I think, Why She Fell became so popular is mostly because of luck. And you know what? It is. I did advertise and enter contests and stuff, but I think that there are some people who read my book that happened to have a lot of fans, or liked to recommend books, or whatever. But remember--I did start out as an undiscovered writer. I did start out with R4R's. I did once have only, like 28 reads on my story (I was so psyched when it hit 100!). I spent time promoting, but the most important thing: I wrote the book.
4) Be social.
I've made a few friends on Wattpad. And you know what? They all read my stories. I read all of theirs.
If I receive a comment or message that says something as simple as, "Hi! Let's be friends." I'll usually click their profile and see if they've got anything written. At the same time....DON'T JUST BEFRIEND PEOPLE SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF GETTING YOUR BOOK READ. I cannot stress this enough. I HATE WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT. STOP BEING A USER.
All you have to do is....you know. Communicate. If you like a story, click the Vote button and comment. Drop a message on a newcomer's board welcoming them. Help out a writer in one of the clubs. Ya know? Good.
5) Ignore them haters.
People will tell you they hate your book. It happens. People have told me that. Get used to it, or get out.
6) FINISH YOUR BOOK.
DON'T LEAVE PEOPLE HANGING OH MY GOD I CAN'T STAND WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT.
7) Keep your fans in the loop about updates.
Okay, so I'm the last person to ever say this hahaha because I suck at updating frequently.
But, as a fan of books myself, I like it when authors post maybe once a week and consistently. (I'm sorry I suck!) If you want to update on Saturdays, do that. If you're running off schedule and you're going to be two days late, let them know.
But please, please, please don't broadcast messages every two minutes. That's just annoying.
So. These are just a few tips. I'm going to do a part (2) soon--How NOT to Succed on Wattpad aha.
Hope this helps! :D
--Ivers
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Lesson #2: Characters~Pt. 1
No one wants to have a perfect character.
Let's be honest here--what fun is it to read about someone who lives the ideal life, has an ideal personality, and looks perfect? It just reminds us how much our lives suck. It reminds us how screwed up our family is, and how mean we sometimes can be, and how we don't have a perfect body. If there's one thing that bothers me it's when characters aren't people I can easily relate to.
That being said, here's a little something you can use to make your characters more realistic.
In 7th or 8th grade, my class came up with "ASHAT." It stands for 5 things to think about for your character: Appearance, Speech, How others react to him/her, Actions, and Thoughts.
Step One: Appearance.
Some basic questions to think about:
-What clothes does he/she wear?
-How does he/she present herself?
-How does he/she walk?
-What does her physical appearance reveal?
-Does your character have any scars?
Like I said before--nobody's perfect. Don't be afraid to give your characters some flaws. Maybe she's short. Maybe he doesn't have a six pack. Maybe she has a little bit of a tummy. Maybe he has acne. Maybe she dresses in sweatpants all the time. Maybe he likes Armani suits.
Catch my drift?
Here's an example:
A boy is walking down the hallway, hunched over. His dark hair is tangled in a wild mess and his pale skin looks even paler underneath the fluorescent lights. He wears jeans that are two sizes too big, and a sweatshirt that is fraying on the edges.
When you read that, what can you conclude about the boy?
Here's what I say:
-A boy is walking down the hallway, hunched over. He doesn't have a lot of self-confidence, so he tries to hide himself.
-His dark hair is tangled in a wild mess. He doesn't care much for grooming.
-his pale skin looks even paler underneath the fluorescent lights. Perhaps he doesn't go out much, which implies that he may be a very lonely kid.
-He wears jeans that are two sizes too big, and a sweatshirt that is fraying on the edges. Maybe these clothes are hand-me-downs, because perhaps he can't afford his own clothing.
Get it? Got it? Good(:
Step Two: Speech.
Dialogue is a major step in making someone feel real. What you say is what is in your heart. So the first important thing is: listen. If you're in the cafeteria of school, eavesdrop on some kid's conversations, or pay close attention to your own. What are some often used phrases? How are the kids saying them? What do they do while talking to friends? Do they swear?
The key to writing is understanding. You have to get why someone would say something.
What I like to do while writing dialogue is imagine that I'm the person speaking. How would I respond to the question? For example, if I were Calista, what would I say in response to Melodie's question? Basically, I'm having a conversation with myself :S but I think it really, really helps to put yourself into your character's perspective.
And honestly? No one actually talks like "OMG did you see him? WTF are you doing?" NO ONE SPEAKS IN TEXT LINGO. Okay, so I get it. You want to show that these girls are stupid, ditzy, and annoying. But I beg you, DO NOT USE THIS. I hate it. Where I go to school? No one uses text lingo. It just sounds...stupid. I may have used it in WSF but I'm probably going to change it when (if) I edit it, because it's so STUPID. Want to show how someone is ditzy? Rather than using text lingo, just use their dialogue. Maybe they ask a stupid question. Maybe they say something dumb. You know?
I'm gonna stop here because I'm getting lazy. I'll continue on later :)
Let's be honest here--what fun is it to read about someone who lives the ideal life, has an ideal personality, and looks perfect? It just reminds us how much our lives suck. It reminds us how screwed up our family is, and how mean we sometimes can be, and how we don't have a perfect body. If there's one thing that bothers me it's when characters aren't people I can easily relate to.
That being said, here's a little something you can use to make your characters more realistic.
In 7th or 8th grade, my class came up with "ASHAT." It stands for 5 things to think about for your character: Appearance, Speech, How others react to him/her, Actions, and Thoughts.
Step One: Appearance.
Some basic questions to think about:
-What clothes does he/she wear?
-How does he/she present herself?
-How does he/she walk?
-What does her physical appearance reveal?
-Does your character have any scars?
Like I said before--nobody's perfect. Don't be afraid to give your characters some flaws. Maybe she's short. Maybe he doesn't have a six pack. Maybe she has a little bit of a tummy. Maybe he has acne. Maybe she dresses in sweatpants all the time. Maybe he likes Armani suits.
Catch my drift?
Here's an example:
A boy is walking down the hallway, hunched over. His dark hair is tangled in a wild mess and his pale skin looks even paler underneath the fluorescent lights. He wears jeans that are two sizes too big, and a sweatshirt that is fraying on the edges.
When you read that, what can you conclude about the boy?
Here's what I say:
-A boy is walking down the hallway, hunched over. He doesn't have a lot of self-confidence, so he tries to hide himself.
-His dark hair is tangled in a wild mess. He doesn't care much for grooming.
-his pale skin looks even paler underneath the fluorescent lights. Perhaps he doesn't go out much, which implies that he may be a very lonely kid.
-He wears jeans that are two sizes too big, and a sweatshirt that is fraying on the edges. Maybe these clothes are hand-me-downs, because perhaps he can't afford his own clothing.
Get it? Got it? Good(:
Step Two: Speech.
Dialogue is a major step in making someone feel real. What you say is what is in your heart. So the first important thing is: listen. If you're in the cafeteria of school, eavesdrop on some kid's conversations, or pay close attention to your own. What are some often used phrases? How are the kids saying them? What do they do while talking to friends? Do they swear?
The key to writing is understanding. You have to get why someone would say something.
What I like to do while writing dialogue is imagine that I'm the person speaking. How would I respond to the question? For example, if I were Calista, what would I say in response to Melodie's question? Basically, I'm having a conversation with myself :S but I think it really, really helps to put yourself into your character's perspective.
And honestly? No one actually talks like "OMG did you see him? WTF are you doing?" NO ONE SPEAKS IN TEXT LINGO. Okay, so I get it. You want to show that these girls are stupid, ditzy, and annoying. But I beg you, DO NOT USE THIS. I hate it. Where I go to school? No one uses text lingo. It just sounds...stupid. I may have used it in WSF but I'm probably going to change it when (if) I edit it, because it's so STUPID. Want to show how someone is ditzy? Rather than using text lingo, just use their dialogue. Maybe they ask a stupid question. Maybe they say something dumb. You know?
I'm gonna stop here because I'm getting lazy. I'll continue on later :)
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Oh Dear.
My life is truly a mortifying mess.
Dueces!
I'm actually extremely late typing this, because this happened almost three weeks ago.
I haven't had time to blog or much lately--finals week is next week (!) and after that, I'll be done with my freshman year of high school! :D
So I've been studying studying studying studying studying. I've already taken my physics final--that's over and done with, thank goodness! I'm taking my Spanish final in class tomorrow, and I've already taken half of it today. All that's left is History, Math, and English...three of the subjects I struggle most with =\
Anyways. I'm getting off track. What was I saying again?
Oh yeah. My life is mortifying.
So I liked this boy. We are good friends. Then finally I got up the courage to tell him "Hey. I like you."
You know what he did?
He didn't take me seriously.
In fact, you could say he laughed at me, kind of. He thought I was joking and making it all up just to screw around with his brain, and no matter how much I tried, he WOULDN'T. BELIEVE. ME.
I haven't bothered mentioning it to him because...well...I don't know. It's almost the end of school, anyway. It's just a waste of time, right? I may as well not even bother.
Yeah, I'll keep telling myself that.
And maybe, just maybe...I'll start believe it.
But...probably not.
God, I'm so naive.
I'm sorry if you're reading this and you're bored. My life is boring.
Gah.
Dueces!
--Ivers
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