For this meeting, I thought I would have to do a recap of last week's meeting. As it turned out, we only had one new person show up. I was hoping for more, but this thing is to be expected. People can be enthused about something, but then their excitement wanes. Besides, I like having a smaller group anyway because we can discuss more.
For starters, we did a two minute forced write on what fruit that person believes they are. Why don't you do one too? I picked blueberry because they're not really blue. They're very different from what their outside implies.
During this meeting I discussed information, and training your brain to make itself be creative. The thing is, usually the places that inspire us are not the places where we write. One member of our club was inspired by the lighting section at Lowes, and another was inspired by gas stations. But nobody ever writes at those places. We write at home, in our room or on our couches. So the key is to force ourselves to be creative in the places that we write.
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Write Club -- Keep Writing!
Hey y'all. It's been a while since I've done one of these posts.
Okay, so I just wanted to go over something about writing. One of the hardest parts of keeping up with it (as you can see by my meager posting of the Hero of the Month segment) is that you just have to keep on writing. It's not a habit that always comes to you easily. The worst thing ever is sitting in front of a blank computer screen or page and wondering what the heck you're doing. There seems to be some sort of myth going around that writers are able to look at that blank page, press on through, and just write.
See, this is exactly what doesn't happen, and I think the myth trips up a lot of writers. It's like comedians. You always expect those guys to just think "okay, I have to write a comedy routine now" and then just sit down and do it. Nope. They have to have a goal in mind, a subject they want to go on about. It's exactly the same about writers. We never make something out of nothing.
So how in the world do we write? We have to be inspired. You'll be walking somewhere or you'll be washing dishes or staring at an awesome picture (maybe even a special word), and you'll just have a "DING DING DING!!" go off in your head in the form of inspiration or story. Sometimes this inspiration is only a little, and sometimes it's enough to actually start writing something with. In any case, the hard part is definitely sitting at your computer and typing up something out of your raw inspiration.
I've learned a lot through my years of fanfiction and poetry, so here's a few tips for young'uns to learn.
1. Write quickly after inspiration hits.
Not only do you not want to forget your inspiration, you also need to remember how much passion you felt for it. If you remember the idea but have stopped caring, it's going to be very hard to write on it. Maybe you have an idea for a story but really have more background than actual plot in your head. That's okay, write it down too. That way you can follow the next tip.
2. Reread what you write constantly.
While writing my Mega Man fanfiction, one of the things I more or less inadvertantly ended up doing was rereading my story. I started off on Okkusenman, a story where Bass gets out from under the thumb of Wily, and I found myself enjoying the story so much (doesn't it feel sometimes like someone else wrote your work?) that I just wanted to read it again and again. That proved a great way to maintain my passion for this story series, especially now that I'm on the fifth and last story of my Mega Man fanfiction. It reminds me of how much I wanted to write this story in the first place.
Not only that, but it helps me remember what directions I took in my first story. Sometimes in my later stories I'd wonder what to do next or what to give a character to make them more interesting, and then I'd look back at my writing and get inspired to do something or remember an old character trait that I need to show off again. It's a great way to find errors in your work or odd points that you can exploit and pretend was planned from the beginning.
So heck, reread your stories and even your notes about your works. It helps your brain get into the proper mode for your story so that when you think of your works, it will only be a natural extension of what you have already written rather than mismatched and sort of random plot additions or changes. *COUGH*R.A.Salvatore*COUGH*.
3. Love your characters and story.
One of the mistakes you can make is just get bored with what you're doing and just stop. Or maybe you carry on, but because you have lost your love for a person or even a plotline you just kind of go on with it for the sake of money or reviews or whatever. Just so you know, if you're bored by something, chances are your readers will be.
So if at any moment you feel bored, there are a few things you can do. You can stop working on that plotline and find some outside characters to write about. You can focus on that character and think about how they feel or how they got to a situation. Maybe go out and take a walk, or do the dishes (it's surprising how much work inspires my writing).
Maybe you could go listen to music that inspires you. This song Into Being from Paul Oakenfold's Another World (yeah, sometimes I listen to Oakenfold, sue me) really inspired me to write about Kerrigan from Starcraft. There are certain videos on youtube that make me want to write about the Mega Man universe, including fan-made music videos and let's plays of the games.
Really, at the end of the day you just have to remember that your characters are people. Notedly, so is your audience. Your audience wants to identify with the people from the story and be able to live your story through them. Write the story as if it's someone's life, and learn to describe things in a way that makes your readers think that even if it's only in some far off, fantasy alternate dimension, your story really could have happened.
4. Write incomplete ideas.
Yeah, basically don't forget the things that you don't know what to do with. Like maybe you're staring at a few inspirational words or ideas and you have a clue where to go, but you're not sure yet. Just write it down and wait. Sooner or later you'll get more ideas, or maybe you'll figure out how to attach that idea to one of your current stories. There will be times when particular inspiration won't be useful ever, but the more you think and the more ideas constantly pop into your head, then the better you'll be.
5. Have a vision and aim for it.
Oftentimes you'll have a key idea or image you're trying to express in a story or story series. This is the most important part of writing. Maybe your vision is to create a vast world with interesting creatures. Maybe you want to talk about a certain theme or emotion, how you feel on a particular topic. Or maybe you just want to fill your audience with a specific emotion, sharing your past or a specific hurt or glory in your life.
Let me emphasize this. If you have no vision, your story will suck. Period. This is the ironclad rule of all storytelling. For example, look at these movies that came out lately after you pretty much thought their series was over: Rocky, Rambo, Indiana Jones, Die Hard, etc. Rocky and Rambo had the advantage that Stallone seems to understand that you need a vision. Rocky Balboa was about not letting anyone tell you that you can't do something. Rambo was about the Karen rebels of Burma with the additional set of themes that show the perspectives of how different people feel about going into dangerous situations: some want to go without guns and show peace, others just want to stay away, still others believe that it's fine to let people trapped in terrible countries just rot, and finally there are those who will go in and fight.
Indiana Jones 4? All about the money and universally derided. Die Hard 4 actually tried to have a theme, one that basically says it sucks to be a hero, but this is a major failing because none of the other movies in the series have that theme, and it looks tacky and not a natural extension of the trilogy before it. Also they have a sucky villain, but that's a different topic. I mean, in the first movie Hans Gruber was hardcore. This guy in the fourth? Some idiot that you feel like you can just walk up to and slap in the face without consequence.
Better get back on topic...
For my story series on Mega Man, the idea which keeps me inspired is my objection to Keiji Inafune and the direction he took Mega Man in. I disagree with how dark the X series, the Zero series, and the ZX series ended up being. They tried to make Mega Man Legends more happy, but that game feels like it could be its own universe; it didn't really need to be a Mega Man game. Honestly, I feel like they sort of betrayed Mega Man Classic. Pretty much every game in the X and Zero series (I haven't yet seen playthroughs of ZX, I just know it's dark) makes the world worse off after the heroes save the day, and honestly that sucks. It's like saying that nothing you do in the end matters. So that's my motivation in what I wrote.
So anyway, the real key to writing is this: To write! You'll only get better if you write and read, making yourself more kin to the written word. Don't sit there in front of a blank page and wonder what you're going to do. Take the things running around your heart and mind and put them on paper! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat food!
Okay, so I just wanted to go over something about writing. One of the hardest parts of keeping up with it (as you can see by my meager posting of the Hero of the Month segment) is that you just have to keep on writing. It's not a habit that always comes to you easily. The worst thing ever is sitting in front of a blank computer screen or page and wondering what the heck you're doing. There seems to be some sort of myth going around that writers are able to look at that blank page, press on through, and just write.
See, this is exactly what doesn't happen, and I think the myth trips up a lot of writers. It's like comedians. You always expect those guys to just think "okay, I have to write a comedy routine now" and then just sit down and do it. Nope. They have to have a goal in mind, a subject they want to go on about. It's exactly the same about writers. We never make something out of nothing.
So how in the world do we write? We have to be inspired. You'll be walking somewhere or you'll be washing dishes or staring at an awesome picture (maybe even a special word), and you'll just have a "DING DING DING!!" go off in your head in the form of inspiration or story. Sometimes this inspiration is only a little, and sometimes it's enough to actually start writing something with. In any case, the hard part is definitely sitting at your computer and typing up something out of your raw inspiration.
I've learned a lot through my years of fanfiction and poetry, so here's a few tips for young'uns to learn.
1. Write quickly after inspiration hits.
Not only do you not want to forget your inspiration, you also need to remember how much passion you felt for it. If you remember the idea but have stopped caring, it's going to be very hard to write on it. Maybe you have an idea for a story but really have more background than actual plot in your head. That's okay, write it down too. That way you can follow the next tip.
2. Reread what you write constantly.
While writing my Mega Man fanfiction, one of the things I more or less inadvertantly ended up doing was rereading my story. I started off on Okkusenman, a story where Bass gets out from under the thumb of Wily, and I found myself enjoying the story so much (doesn't it feel sometimes like someone else wrote your work?) that I just wanted to read it again and again. That proved a great way to maintain my passion for this story series, especially now that I'm on the fifth and last story of my Mega Man fanfiction. It reminds me of how much I wanted to write this story in the first place.
Not only that, but it helps me remember what directions I took in my first story. Sometimes in my later stories I'd wonder what to do next or what to give a character to make them more interesting, and then I'd look back at my writing and get inspired to do something or remember an old character trait that I need to show off again. It's a great way to find errors in your work or odd points that you can exploit and pretend was planned from the beginning.
So heck, reread your stories and even your notes about your works. It helps your brain get into the proper mode for your story so that when you think of your works, it will only be a natural extension of what you have already written rather than mismatched and sort of random plot additions or changes. *COUGH*R.A.Salvatore*COUGH*.
3. Love your characters and story.
One of the mistakes you can make is just get bored with what you're doing and just stop. Or maybe you carry on, but because you have lost your love for a person or even a plotline you just kind of go on with it for the sake of money or reviews or whatever. Just so you know, if you're bored by something, chances are your readers will be.
So if at any moment you feel bored, there are a few things you can do. You can stop working on that plotline and find some outside characters to write about. You can focus on that character and think about how they feel or how they got to a situation. Maybe go out and take a walk, or do the dishes (it's surprising how much work inspires my writing).
Maybe you could go listen to music that inspires you. This song Into Being from Paul Oakenfold's Another World (yeah, sometimes I listen to Oakenfold, sue me) really inspired me to write about Kerrigan from Starcraft. There are certain videos on youtube that make me want to write about the Mega Man universe, including fan-made music videos and let's plays of the games.
Really, at the end of the day you just have to remember that your characters are people. Notedly, so is your audience. Your audience wants to identify with the people from the story and be able to live your story through them. Write the story as if it's someone's life, and learn to describe things in a way that makes your readers think that even if it's only in some far off, fantasy alternate dimension, your story really could have happened.
4. Write incomplete ideas.
Yeah, basically don't forget the things that you don't know what to do with. Like maybe you're staring at a few inspirational words or ideas and you have a clue where to go, but you're not sure yet. Just write it down and wait. Sooner or later you'll get more ideas, or maybe you'll figure out how to attach that idea to one of your current stories. There will be times when particular inspiration won't be useful ever, but the more you think and the more ideas constantly pop into your head, then the better you'll be.
5. Have a vision and aim for it.
Oftentimes you'll have a key idea or image you're trying to express in a story or story series. This is the most important part of writing. Maybe your vision is to create a vast world with interesting creatures. Maybe you want to talk about a certain theme or emotion, how you feel on a particular topic. Or maybe you just want to fill your audience with a specific emotion, sharing your past or a specific hurt or glory in your life.
Let me emphasize this. If you have no vision, your story will suck. Period. This is the ironclad rule of all storytelling. For example, look at these movies that came out lately after you pretty much thought their series was over: Rocky, Rambo, Indiana Jones, Die Hard, etc. Rocky and Rambo had the advantage that Stallone seems to understand that you need a vision. Rocky Balboa was about not letting anyone tell you that you can't do something. Rambo was about the Karen rebels of Burma with the additional set of themes that show the perspectives of how different people feel about going into dangerous situations: some want to go without guns and show peace, others just want to stay away, still others believe that it's fine to let people trapped in terrible countries just rot, and finally there are those who will go in and fight.
Indiana Jones 4? All about the money and universally derided. Die Hard 4 actually tried to have a theme, one that basically says it sucks to be a hero, but this is a major failing because none of the other movies in the series have that theme, and it looks tacky and not a natural extension of the trilogy before it. Also they have a sucky villain, but that's a different topic. I mean, in the first movie Hans Gruber was hardcore. This guy in the fourth? Some idiot that you feel like you can just walk up to and slap in the face without consequence.
Better get back on topic...
For my story series on Mega Man, the idea which keeps me inspired is my objection to Keiji Inafune and the direction he took Mega Man in. I disagree with how dark the X series, the Zero series, and the ZX series ended up being. They tried to make Mega Man Legends more happy, but that game feels like it could be its own universe; it didn't really need to be a Mega Man game. Honestly, I feel like they sort of betrayed Mega Man Classic. Pretty much every game in the X and Zero series (I haven't yet seen playthroughs of ZX, I just know it's dark) makes the world worse off after the heroes save the day, and honestly that sucks. It's like saying that nothing you do in the end matters. So that's my motivation in what I wrote.
So anyway, the real key to writing is this: To write! You'll only get better if you write and read, making yourself more kin to the written word. Don't sit there in front of a blank page and wonder what you're going to do. Take the things running around your heart and mind and put them on paper! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat food!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Write Club - Inspiration
Hey y'all. Let's write stuff.
I was talking with a girl who works with me in the church nursery, and she said that she found it amazing that people could create fictitious worlds out of seemingly thin air. It never seemed this way to me, but because I'm a more creative person, I might just not know the difference. I mean, writer people, of which I hope you are one, get their inspiration from anything and everything. Is there anything we twist into originality? Well, if it inspires us aside. Without inspiration, we can't really do it either.
So where does inspiration come from? None of us writer people know, that's for sure. That's why somebody invented the metaphorical concept of a muse, a more or less fairy-like being that magically shines creativity on us from time to time. Thing is, a muse can be rather inefficient when it comes to writing to make money.
In reality, creativity is a muscle, and it needs work too. This brings me to the point that the only way to become a good writer is to write, and in the meantime you're going to make some rather undelightful choices as you progress. Don't be ashamed. There are no writer prodigies. All of us have to learn a language, and expressing our creativity in that language is a learned thing too.
So, let's go more on inspiration. Thing of some things that inspire you to write. Not things that make you happy, necessarily, but things that make you want to open up your computer or journal and start putting words together. Go ahead. Think of some. If you can recall a specific instance, so much the better.
But what if you don't feel inspired? You've got to practice somehow. Here's some creative ways to get your brain going.
Inspiration #1: Music.
Honestly, today nothing inspires me more than music. Sometimes I'll be listening to several different songs, and they seem to cooperate together to make a story influence. Let's practice.
I find that the best way to go about this is to choose a song with little to no lyrics. Or lyrics you just don't understand. It works with lyric songs too, but decide for yourself.
Okay, so clicking this link will bring you to the song "Silence" by Delerium. It is a very passionate song with only a few lyrics, but since these lyrics are poetic this will still work. Okay. Play this song a couple of times to get used to it, or you can skip directly to step two: close your eyes and listen.
Silence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQXKd1Fhag
Think about this song, and think about how it makes you feel. Don't look at the video (not that there's much of one, but still), just listen and think about what this song makes you feel. After that, think of the things that make you feel the same way or similarly. Does it make you feel like walking through a haunted wood? Make you feel like you're fading away? Try to think of places, activities and people. Think of a character (yourself if you have to) wandering in this environment, doing this thing, or meeting these people. What would that turn out to be like? What happens next? Write it down.
Writing these down will give you the basis of great stories. In case Silence doesn't work, try one of these songs. Remember, listen to the music, don't watch the vid. Well, you can, if it inspires you, but for the sake of this exercise try not to. Some are serious songs, some are not. Click at your own risk. Don't worry, they won't hurt you. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEl1OwL_mTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTnfwNcXSRc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Ys0KhvWWM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6hu0wsdNwU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9id95XlhFZs
Notedly, if you don't like these songs you can just go get an album and check out your own music. Also, as a way of progressing from this exercise, take a cd that you have, or at least a whole album off of iTunes or something (no skipping songs!) and do this exercise for all of the songs. Then you should connect all of your inspiration notes into one massive story for that album. The best albums have united themes, so your album should sound rather like a story when you do this. Even if you don't like a song, try anyway. You'd be surprised how inspirational songs you don't like can be.
Inspiration #2: Fabric.
That's right, I said fabric. Okay, so first of all, go from your computer and pick a fabric out somewhere in your house: a shirt, couch, purse, scarf, whatever. Anything fabric-y. Things that have patterns are better, but that's not necessary.
Okay, so there's two ways to go about this. The first way is to think of how this fabric makes you feel. Is it a warm sweater that reminds you of your boyfriend? Is it an antique design that makes you think of the past? A glamorous design that that makes you feel like you're right in the middle of paparazzi? Does it make you think of something that doesn't seem logical at all? When you look at it are you happy? Sad? Dramatic?Write it down, then think about the people and places your mind comes up with. What would you do in those situations?
The second way is to look at the pattern and think of an object that pattern reminds you of. I once did this exercise with a lady using the pattern on a bag I own, and the pattern reminded her of a chair. I asked her to describe this chair, and to her it was one of those older fabric chairs that are fancy. I then asked her to imagine a place where this chair would exist. After that, what sort of things would happen in this room?
It's really not hard at all.
Inspiration #3: Words
This inspiration is muse-heavy, I like to say, because there are certain words that appeal to certain people, but not others. Basically this is where you take a word and imagine what that word really describes. For example, I was staring at the music term "dark house", and after thinking about that for I while, I got the inspiration for a techno-thriller.
How do these words make you feel? A simpler way to go about it would be to imagine that that word is the title of a movie. What movie would go with that title? Use whichever word or phrase on this list you like better.
Free Options
Opinionated
Promise
English Translation
Shift
Dwelling Place
Quartz Words
Winter
If you don't like any of these, you can use words in a book you like, or on the internet, or whatever. As long as the word speaks to you, that's the one to go with.
After looking at all of these, you'll notice that the basic idea is to look and see how this thing makes you feel. Bingo. That's inspiration. You can take absolutely anything in the world and be inspired by it, as long as you note how it makes you or other people feel. Getting people to feel what you feel is the point of writing, so if you get these exercises, you're good to go.
I was talking with a girl who works with me in the church nursery, and she said that she found it amazing that people could create fictitious worlds out of seemingly thin air. It never seemed this way to me, but because I'm a more creative person, I might just not know the difference. I mean, writer people, of which I hope you are one, get their inspiration from anything and everything. Is there anything we twist into originality? Well, if it inspires us aside. Without inspiration, we can't really do it either.
So where does inspiration come from? None of us writer people know, that's for sure. That's why somebody invented the metaphorical concept of a muse, a more or less fairy-like being that magically shines creativity on us from time to time. Thing is, a muse can be rather inefficient when it comes to writing to make money.
In reality, creativity is a muscle, and it needs work too. This brings me to the point that the only way to become a good writer is to write, and in the meantime you're going to make some rather undelightful choices as you progress. Don't be ashamed. There are no writer prodigies. All of us have to learn a language, and expressing our creativity in that language is a learned thing too.
So, let's go more on inspiration. Thing of some things that inspire you to write. Not things that make you happy, necessarily, but things that make you want to open up your computer or journal and start putting words together. Go ahead. Think of some. If you can recall a specific instance, so much the better.
But what if you don't feel inspired? You've got to practice somehow. Here's some creative ways to get your brain going.
Inspiration #1: Music.
Honestly, today nothing inspires me more than music. Sometimes I'll be listening to several different songs, and they seem to cooperate together to make a story influence. Let's practice.
I find that the best way to go about this is to choose a song with little to no lyrics. Or lyrics you just don't understand. It works with lyric songs too, but decide for yourself.
Okay, so clicking this link will bring you to the song "Silence" by Delerium. It is a very passionate song with only a few lyrics, but since these lyrics are poetic this will still work. Okay. Play this song a couple of times to get used to it, or you can skip directly to step two: close your eyes and listen.
Silence: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQXKd1Fhag
Think about this song, and think about how it makes you feel. Don't look at the video (not that there's much of one, but still), just listen and think about what this song makes you feel. After that, think of the things that make you feel the same way or similarly. Does it make you feel like walking through a haunted wood? Make you feel like you're fading away? Try to think of places, activities and people. Think of a character (yourself if you have to) wandering in this environment, doing this thing, or meeting these people. What would that turn out to be like? What happens next? Write it down.
Writing these down will give you the basis of great stories. In case Silence doesn't work, try one of these songs. Remember, listen to the music, don't watch the vid. Well, you can, if it inspires you, but for the sake of this exercise try not to. Some are serious songs, some are not. Click at your own risk. Don't worry, they won't hurt you. :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEl1OwL_mTA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTnfwNcXSRc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Ys0KhvWWM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6hu0wsdNwU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9id95XlhFZs
Notedly, if you don't like these songs you can just go get an album and check out your own music. Also, as a way of progressing from this exercise, take a cd that you have, or at least a whole album off of iTunes or something (no skipping songs!) and do this exercise for all of the songs. Then you should connect all of your inspiration notes into one massive story for that album. The best albums have united themes, so your album should sound rather like a story when you do this. Even if you don't like a song, try anyway. You'd be surprised how inspirational songs you don't like can be.
Inspiration #2: Fabric.
That's right, I said fabric. Okay, so first of all, go from your computer and pick a fabric out somewhere in your house: a shirt, couch, purse, scarf, whatever. Anything fabric-y. Things that have patterns are better, but that's not necessary.
Okay, so there's two ways to go about this. The first way is to think of how this fabric makes you feel. Is it a warm sweater that reminds you of your boyfriend? Is it an antique design that makes you think of the past? A glamorous design that that makes you feel like you're right in the middle of paparazzi? Does it make you think of something that doesn't seem logical at all? When you look at it are you happy? Sad? Dramatic?Write it down, then think about the people and places your mind comes up with. What would you do in those situations?
The second way is to look at the pattern and think of an object that pattern reminds you of. I once did this exercise with a lady using the pattern on a bag I own, and the pattern reminded her of a chair. I asked her to describe this chair, and to her it was one of those older fabric chairs that are fancy. I then asked her to imagine a place where this chair would exist. After that, what sort of things would happen in this room?
It's really not hard at all.
Inspiration #3: Words
This inspiration is muse-heavy, I like to say, because there are certain words that appeal to certain people, but not others. Basically this is where you take a word and imagine what that word really describes. For example, I was staring at the music term "dark house", and after thinking about that for I while, I got the inspiration for a techno-thriller.
How do these words make you feel? A simpler way to go about it would be to imagine that that word is the title of a movie. What movie would go with that title? Use whichever word or phrase on this list you like better.
Free Options
Opinionated
Promise
English Translation
Shift
Dwelling Place
Quartz Words
Winter
If you don't like any of these, you can use words in a book you like, or on the internet, or whatever. As long as the word speaks to you, that's the one to go with.
After looking at all of these, you'll notice that the basic idea is to look and see how this thing makes you feel. Bingo. That's inspiration. You can take absolutely anything in the world and be inspired by it, as long as you note how it makes you or other people feel. Getting people to feel what you feel is the point of writing, so if you get these exercises, you're good to go.
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