Belle’s Ghost Speaks

It has been over two years, my friends, and as is the case with the passage of time, things have happened.

I have two and a bit years of college behind me. I think I can safely say the secret and true goal of higher education is to tear a person’s worldview, sense of self, and self-confidence apart and make it very difficult to put back together. I don’t know if I like who I am now better than I liked who I was when I first came to college. I am less outgoing but more loyal. My creative output is less effusive but more thought out. My nights are riddled with nightmares and my days with fears and doubts.

Still, I have found so many new thoughts and so much beauty that I would never have encountered without these experiences. I feel like a ghost possessing the body of a once vibrant person, but I find joy in the haunting.

Cheers!

When Wonder is Lost

Wonder is not an impermanent thing.

Inside each of us resides that soft, seeking light, reaching out through our senses and connecting with its brothers and sisters, emanating from all the things around us. By its guidance we seek to unfold mysteries and bring dreams to life. This light is wonder.

Wonder is not lost all at once.

Slowly it becomes less easy to see other lights. Then, one day, you reach for your own light so you can create, and find that it has gone out.

No. It hasn’t gone out. You have built a labyrinth, with your wonder at the center, and you are lost, lost, lost. You have surrounded it with a wall of shields, spearheads glinting sharp in every opening and crevice. You have mounted curtains, sheer and delicate, around it, and they are too holy to be parted. The veil must not be lifted; the bride must not be kissed; the virgin must not make love.

Wonder is something you steal from yourself.

You realize that you can’t reach it, that barriers have been made. Without it, you can’t find the ambition to weave through the maze, battle the guard, tear the veil. You are empty and dull. All you have is routine. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. You have no eyes.

Wonder will always be there.

You have no reason for existence, but you continue to exist because it is still there, somewhere deep and dark and cold. Someday you will find it again. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Still, some day.

On Entering College

Who eats?

Who sleeps?

Who finished their homework early?

I cannot imagine being able to do these three things. Period.

That is all.

 

Cheers!

Warming Up for Writing

Some writers (specifically, college students) don’t have time to write every day. Whether you have five papers to write, a VBS skit and three new songs to memorize in the next four hours, a house to clean before your sister’s birthday party (because no one cleans for their own birthday party… or so they say…), or working dawn to dusk, some days are made for collapsing in exhaustion instead of forcing yourself to stay up an extra half hour and write.

The above will be disputed by some writers with more steel in their adenosine receptors and less kittens than I have. They are entitled to their methods. I accept that I am lazy and overly fond of sleeping on couches and in my sister’s sleeping bag. I am also fond of air conditioning.

To return to the yet-to-be-manifested point, some of us write in waves. In between waves of words, we may fall out of touch with our characters’ voices, our narrative style, or our story in general.

Just like warming up your violin or vocal cords, sometimes you need to warm up your writing.

Lots of writers do little exercises or warm-ups to get them into their writing for the day… I just can’t remember any names. Here are a few different exercises to try.

1) Write a poem around a visual or emotional theme from your story.

2) Write a diary entry about a previous event in your story from the perspective of a minor character.

3) Write a descriptive paragraph using only adjectives that start with B.

You get the picture. In my case, I write little poems or maxims to get me in the right groove (thinking of records, here). I have a gorgeous little diary with gold sakura blossoms stamped on it, and I use it for my poems and sayings. I love journals… I use different journals for everything, and I always ask for “cute journals” for Christmas and my birthday.

How do you get in the groove for writing? Do you read through the previous scene or two? Do an exercise or warm-up? Listen to specific music? How do you find your story zone?

Cheers!

Inspiration and Story Origin

Every story is, at its core, a single thought or image. Often, this thought or image is the original inspiration of the story.

As I wade through the wisdom within Stephen King’s On Writing, I have resonated with certain ideas he puts forth. One of these, as previously states, that a story is born from a single precious piece. This piece might be an image, a thought (commonly called a “what if”), or a dream. The common factor within these, which is the spark of the story, is the wondrous excitement it causes you, the writer. The kindling which you can’t help but light.

In this sense, I suppose writers are similar to pyromaniacs. Ehehe.

I have also come to the conclusion that a story burns out when the writer loses sight of the origin which made them want to write the story in the first place. I know this is commonly the case with me. I love worldbuilding… but I get so complex that I lose sight of the magical idea I wanted to write about and get lost in the details. Details are poisoned arrows. I am highly susceptible to poison. Therefore, getting lost in the details effectively kills my stories.

In hopes of preventing this from happening, I am making a resolution. Whenever I come up with a new story, I will write down the inspiration and story origin. Whenever I sit down to write the story, I will first review the ISO. If I start to divulge in details which draw me away from the ISO, I will simplify.

What do you do to keep a story from dying? Where do you keep the original wonder?

 

Cheers!

Hymn to Eternal Truth

Written in the deepest element of all creation,

From the cold hard stone which forms the earth

To the star petals set aloft on thy airy brow

And the green blue blood flowing trenched between-

In the mists and the shadows,

In the crags and the effaces,

In the changing and the unchanging-

Inexhorable, art thou, Truth.

 

 

This poem sort of corresponds to one of my old (i.e. absolutely terrible instead of just terrible) stories. I was thinking, what if every story had a core made of words, like the earth’s core of molten iron. What would that core be? Oh, and thank you, Percy Bysshe Shelley, for the title inspiration.

 

Cheers!

Belle Returns and Liebester Love

I come again!

ElectricBubbles, from Aquamarine Dreams, has nominated me for the Liebester Blog Award. And because I fail at almost all things computer, here is a big, ugly link to her wonderful blog.

http://aquamarinedreams.wordpress.com/

First, I have to state eleven things about myself. I’ll use this as an opportunity to explain my absence and let you know what I’m up to now!

1. I am currently taking US Government, Pre-Calculus, British Literature, World History, and French in school.

2. I very recently became an official adult! All my online accounts are “changing”. It’s weird.

3. I am studying The Journey to Wholeness in Christ with my church, and of course I’m a whole week behind.

4. I have managed to be accepted into my top college, and receive nearly a full ride in scholarships and grants.

5. I have discovered a love for inking. As in, covering pencil sketches with ink. Fun!

6. I have slept and eated and read. A lot. In other words, I have done practically nothing except the above for my entire absence.

7. My precious coffee cat, Java, is very pregnant. I’m so excited!

8. All my friends are becoming world travelers. Ireland, Wales, France, Belize, some random place in Africa… I feel unworldly.

9. My strength and passion is worldbuilding. Which is why nearly all my posts in the past are on worldbuilding. Ehehe.

10. My second love is character, and as an offshoot, sneaky little romances that twist their way into the plot.

11. I think I am either really bad at plotting, or really bad at transitions. Yeah….

Now, to answer the questions!

• Would you eat green eggs and ham? That would depend on why they were green. If the answer is mold, no. If they’re naturally green, then I’d eat the ham…but I’m not fond of eggs.
• Would you eat them in a box and with a fox? Yeah, I’d eat them in a box. I used to have a refrigerator box house in the living room. However, I do not eat with wild animals armed with sharp teeth and claws. My dear domestics cause me enough trouble in that area in all their sweet hungry gentleness.
• What time do you do your Bible study? About nine o’clock.
• Turn your iPod, mp3 player, or music system on shuffle and give me the first 4 songs that pop up. Hide Your Love Away, by Anthem Lights. My Immortal, by Evanescent. Set Fire to the Rain, by Adele. Awake and Alive, by Skillet.
• When was the last time you were told to use your “inside voice?” Er…years and years. Either I don’t talk at all or everybody is talking and nobody cares.
• Do you find the smileys funny? (all from deviantArt)
  (see me favorite penguin? That’s Tux. I used to make pictures with him….but I improved to the wolf….) I think they’re very funny. Very cute. I LOVE THEM!!!! DAW!!!!!!
• Have you done, and do you enjoy Contra dancing? Never touched the art. What is it, anyway! Ah, I feel my ignorance!
• How much do you outline before you write? Depends. Sometimes a lot. Sometimes not at all. The real question is, how much do I worldbuild before I write.
• In a portrait of the true you, what objects would you have with you? (limit four) Which objects would you be holding, which would be beside you, and which would be behind you? I’d be holding a laptop, with an easel and a half-finished watercolor beside me, and a sparkly rainbow behind me. Because that’s me… a joyful expressionist who would be lost without a “worldpool” of knowledge at my fingertips!
• If your best friend wrote a book about you, what would it be titled? The Sound of a Smile
• What is your favorite part about Christmas? Christmas lighting with my friends, and seeing my awesome step-cousin.

 

Now for my eleven questions!

1. What is your current favorite book?

2. Poetry or prose?

3. If you went to prison, would you rather wear orange or black and white stripes?

4. What would you say if you met the president?

5. Dating or courting?

6. Do you prefer The Voice or American Idol?

7. Hunger Games or Divergent?

8. What Middle Earth race would you be?

9. Would you rather have a Tardis or a wardrobe?

10. Are you a nerd or a geek?

11. Apples or bananas? Or oranges?

 

Now, to tag five people. I’m terrible about remembering who I’ve tagged for awards before, so, sorry if this is a repeat!

http://ashsilverlock.com/

http://oyeahwrite.wordpress.com/

http://www.siennanorth.com/

http://caitlynbyers.com/

http://katelynthekreative.blogspot.com/

Cheers!

The Aspect of Mystery

Why does a reader read a book? Why does he start it? Continue it? Plow through to the end? What is it that tantalizes him so that a unique series of words entices him to invest in perusing and understanding them?

As with most questions dealing with mental processes, there are several answers. Today I would like to focus on the aspect of mystery.

I am an avid reader, but I don’t read books just because they are popular or recommended. And while I do read successful books that don’t necessarily appeal to me as a study of my craft, I also read for pleasure. What pleasures me is the pursuit of knowledge.

Did I ever mention that I am so Erudite it makes me feel guilty?

So, when I read a book for pleasure, I pick it up because I am interested in the knowledge I can accrue through it. In other words, I read a book because it is a puzzle, a mystery, for me to solve. I read it because I want to discover a new way of looking at a particular subject, or the answer to a riddle of story the author has laid out which I cannot solve simply by reading the back cover (which is possible, by the way.) I read a book because of its aspect of mystery.

What are some of your favorite books? Why did you choose to read them? What is the aspect of mystery in them which intrigued you as you read, or was the cause for your reading?

There’s Only One God, Ma’am…

…and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t dress like “Shakespeare in the Park”. Doest Mother know you weareth her drapes?

Excuse my inaccurate quotations.

Guess what we’re talking about today.

Clothing!

Yeah, characters do wear clothes, you know. Lots of clothes, usually. Sometimes, not so many. After all, some characters just can’t wear sleeves, because they have to show off their ham sized arms!

I love Avengers, by the way. LOVE. Especially Hawkeye, because he’s a guy with a bow and arrows. If he was a girl, I’d be like “modern Katniss get out of my sight!” Unless she-Hawkeye had curly red hair, in which case I’d say, “Prithee, Merida of the here and now! Shoot thy cupid’s bow into the mercury-stream of yonder robotic alien who seems set on destroying this thy earthly abode!”

Enough digressing, as much as I enjoy it.

While names are chosen for a character by others and are subtler hints (if you like to be a writer who puts extra meaning into everything,) clothes are chosen by the character. They are a direct reflection of who the character is…or who the character wants to be seen to be.

Let us take, for example, the notorious Discworld business rivals Reacher Gilt and Moist von Lipwig. They both know the importance of outward appearances.

Reacher Gilt. Look at him, with his long, dark, curly hair and beard, his eyepatch, his parrot, his flamboyant clothing…there is a business man! Well actually, he looks very like a pirate, and pirates are murdering thieves. But he couldn’t possibly be that, because he looks it! Here is the genius of Reacher Gilt, according to Moist. He tells the world what he is (through his appearance) and they keep giving him their precious pence and clacks messages. A villain who looks a villain and is a villain is too villainy to be true.

Picture: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__7s9GUTM-oY/TAh5dIVjPqI/AAAAAAAAREs/BPnnJAG6GHI/s1600/Going-Postal-19.jpg&imgrefurl=http://enchantedserenityperiodfilms.blogspot.com/2010/06/going-postal-loved-it.html&h=364&w=570&sz=32&tbnid=VrP8oVr8_EkNpM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=141&zoom=1&usg=__yRqS6gNHvw4O_yMfOKzEJ757xik=&docid=UxPdOHbwuupDMM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ufAiUOvRN-q5iwKqqIDoCg&ved=0CGoQ9QEwBA&dur=3173

I love Discworld.

Oh, wait! Here comes the Postmaster, Moist von Lipwig! Appointed by Lord Vetinari himself! He’d be completely unmemorable if it weren’t for the blinding gold suit, winged hat, and captivating smile. He looks to be an avatar. He acts like a conman. He is a conman, and he works for the tyrant of the city. That is the genius of Moist.

Picture (minus winged hat):http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Making_Money_Lipwig.JPG

And the genius of Terry Pratchett. He has created two business rivals who are both the same sort of person, and through their accoutrements alone you can tell who they are, both as villains and as characters.

How do you dress your characters? Is it in line with their personality, or the one they are trying to portray? Do they change the way they dress as their personality changes? Like Violet, in The Incredibles….

I digress. Again.

There are other things to consider, of course, like culture, money, time period…but I don’t want to digress on those right now.

Cheers!

What’s In A Name?

Character names are considered very important. There are whole books about finding the right name for your character. Whole websites. Tons of forums. Are names everything? Or are they nothing?

“A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” So a name is just a name, right?

But names have associations. Names have meanings. So do names make or break you story?

It depends on how you feel about meaning and branding. What I mean by branding is the characteristics and stereotypes associated with a name. For example, what is the brand you think of when you hear or see the name Scarlett? Or Edmund? Matthias? Johanna? Ariel? Prince Charming?

Snicker. I know, eyes rolling. Moving on.

Let’s take Edmund as an example. When I think of the name Edmund, I immediately think of Edmund Pevensie, the just king of Narnia. I think dark, with beautiful eyes (thanks to Skandar Keynes). I associate it with betrayal, and redemption. Edmund is a beautiful and heroic name to me.

Let’s add another layer. Did you know Edmund means Wealthy Protector? We’ll take the protector part first. Think of Edmund’s act of sacrifice in the great battle against the White Witch. When he slices through her wand with his sword and subjects himself to fatal injury at her hand, he is not just trying to prove himself. He is protecting his people. Think of when Shasta meets Edmund and Susan in Tashbaan. What was Edmund doing there? He was there to protect his sister, and that is precisely what he did.

Next, let’s look at the wealthy part. In what ways is Edmund wealthy? Besides being one of the kings of Narnia during the Golden Age, of course. Obviously he had lots of jewels and gold and fancy swords. How was he wealthy in Aslan? Or by his siblings? Was he wealthy in the love and respect of others? Did his wealth come from his jewels, or from the wisdom and care he received from those he gave himself so selflessly for?

So, names are definitely important. On the other hand, I don’t think there is such a thing as a perfect name for a character. Names add depth and layers to a character, but there are alternatives in every case. For example, a tough, life-loving survivor (female) could be named Zoe, Eve, Ayisha, Aoife, Keisha, Liv, Nona…Katniss…Tris…June…yeah, yeah, whatever. The point is, names don’t make or break a character. They do define character and have important implications that must be considered.

Which is a good thing. Because my name (my secret, real life name) means Black One, or Dark. If you knew me for real (and some of you do) than you know black one/dark does not describe me. At all. Period. I should have been named Angelica, or Blythe, or Felicia, or Hana, or Joy, or Lacey, or…well, you get the picture. Something light and fluffy. Oh! Is there a name that means fluffy?

Apparently not, unless your name actually IS Fluffy. 😦 Sad.

 

What do you think about names? Can you give any examples of names whose meaning or brand stick out to you?

 

Cheers!