Category: Blog

by: Beatriz DeMelo

Everyone’s an author. We all have a story to tell. We can all share something with others that can impact their lives. Allowing readers to experience events from someone else’s view.  Everyone has a narrative to tell, even if it may not seem like it.

The process of writing a story or narrative can be scary or overwhelming. A great place to start is to just begin writing out words that connect with the story you are trying to express. Once you’ve done that, use those words to form sentences, then paragraphs, then chapters; in the end, you have a story. You may be surprised by the significance of what you have written.

Authors will include a theme or lesson in the story they write. The power if the theme, though, lies with the reader; it is up to them to interpret the author’s intent. Think of your favorite piece of literature and how you have learned from its theme; how its, maybe, gone as far as changing your view on life.  A literature piece that has done this is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; a piece famously known for its intellectual imprint on readers. Themes of family, social class, and more obviously pride and prejudice. Allows for reader to interpret these themes in ways that connect them and their lives to the narrative.

So, start off by writing those words on a page, and create sentences; you never know the impact your story will have on someone who reads it. Focus on creating connections with people through your work. Everyone has different opinions and interests, but storytelling can unite us in amazing ways. No matter what your topic is, you can send a powerful message, don’t sit in silence: make your voice heard. What’s your story?  

By Matt Fuentes

In the present-day world, the field of academia has been noted for promoting the creation of written works on subjects that may not necessarily arouse the writer’s passion or inspiration. This phenomenon can often lead to individuals feeling hesitant about engaging in writing as a whole. However, I implore you to ponder on something that you hold dear to your heart and attempt to create a written piece about it. What is that one aspect of your life that you deem irreplaceable? What is that one topic that you can discuss for hours on end and educate others about? I am certain that it would not be a difficult feat for you to pinpoint this particular aspect, as each person possesses that one passion or hobby that they would love to write about in the absence of any academic constraints.

For me, personally, the subject of music holds a special place in my heart. Although it is true that music is a common love among most individuals, it occupies a particularly vital role in my life. I am constantly listening to it, playing it, and even producing it. It occupies my thoughts for a significant portion of each day. I am certain that you, too, possess that one thing that you continually think about and would prefer to be doing in place of school or work.

It is important to note that you need not conform to a particular set of guidelines or format. Rather, simply allow the words to pour out of you with the ease and fluidity that often characterizes people when they are in their “zone”. This may entail writing about your favorite pastime or even your most beloved passion. In sharing what you love, you will find that it can be a therapeutic experience, while simultaneously inspiring others to take up your cause. Who knows, you may even succeed in influencing someone to take up your passion themselves.

Write down the initial thoughts that come to mind without giving in to the temptation to overanalyze the process. Then, at a later time, you can revisit your work and modify it to your liking. Rest assured that this undertaking should not pose any difficulty since you are writing about something that you adore, rather than some unexciting topic. This exercise may even engender an enhanced appreciation for writing in its entirety and may be the starting point for a newfound passion. I am eager to read about your interests and hopeful that they may spark a newfound appreciation within myself as well.

By Marley Churchward

Often the intensity of a book’s storyline or theme can be so gripping you cannot stop turning the pages, despite knowing it is much past your bedtime. Does this ever make you think “how do writers do this?” “What gets the reader to keep turning each page?” Some of the most crucial factors of a theme are the characters, as well as key events, character development, and how the writer can create helpful plot points to keep things moving.

Let’s look at the Divergent series as an example of how the author expands on theme. The series is about a dystopian society divided into five factions that everyone should be able to fit into, except for one or a few. This develops into a theme of “you should always make decisions for yourself, rather than allowing society to make decisions for you.”

The main character, Tris, throughout Divergent really drives the development of the theme by making her own choices, despite her fear of what others might think of her for possibly defying the five factions. But Tris doing this was for the greater good of everyone else without even knowing.

A remarkable thing to take away from this is not only the character development through conquering her fears, but these moments through the story that drive to theme. This brings me to how these events keep your audience interested. When key events occur, it should bring character development with it as well as the development of the plot. This gives the writer the ability to expand the theme.

Diving into another example, where the key points involve the main character(s), Tris chooses dauntless rather than the faction she grew up knowing. Tris continues through with her choice when she realizes how physically demanding and scary the faction she chose was. The faction made her get on moving trains and jump off, and even fight peers to get accepted. The Dauntless faction is for protection because those who are willing to protect are brave enough to do so.

Furthermore, these choices bring about new characters, adding more development to the story. These characters also aid in building the main development and theme! Also, worth noting is understanding how your characters would act/behave in various different circumstances, this can aid you in creating helpful plot points that can drive a character into an action that supports your story’s theme.

An example of this is, when Tris meets Four not only adding another character but also adding more development. Through Fours character development you find out Four is like Tris and does not just fit into just one faction. Whereas Tris fits into all the factions, but four only fits in a few. With Four by Tris’s side he is able to give her new information about a developing plot to overthrow the current governing faction.

Using the main or developing characters to help plot points throughout the story not only gives further development of these characters, but also theme. As in the example above there are other developing characters that have other motives unknown yet.

In conclusion, you should be able to not only develop your main characters but also the key points developing your theme, giving room for expansion in many ways. Making sure to understand how your characters will respond in many situations can help understand how they respond to big “life changing” or key points in your storyline. All the more allowing you to develop your theme.

By: Matthew Carter

The Economy of Language

By Matthew Carter

Whether you are a seasoned writer, or relatively new to the scene, one aspect of writing is the most important. Can you guess what it is? WORDS! It should go without saying that language, more importantly word choice, is at the forefront of all writing skills. It is important for a writer to understand the message they are trying to convey, and to deliver that message as cleanly as possible.

Oftentimes writers may use an excess of lacklustre words when one impactful word is what completes the thought in the cleanest way. It is important for a writer to utilize their vocabulary to write at their best. The following two sentences describe the same setting, one using enhanced vocabulary, and one using filler words.

It was a very hot day at the beach.

It was a sweltering afternoon in Daytona,

Here we can see that these sentences are conveying the same message with different deliveries. It is important to understand that a story is only as good as it is conveyed. One may write an incredible story with a poor word choice which suddenly diminishes the value of the story. It is common for the first draft to not be entirely polished with the most effective word choices. It is typically in the editing process where revisions to direct use of language is made.

One great way to understand the importance of words is to look at language as an economy. If you had to spend a dollar for every word you used in a story, how often would the word “Very” be used? Chances are you would avoid this word at all costs. There are a variety of key exercises one may use to practice their effective word choice. One warmup one may use is writing in the Haiku format which only allows for limited syllables. Another practice would be to describe your favourite story in exactly 10 words, no more and no less.

Next time you write a piece of work, look over your word choice and who knows, maybe your story will go from very average to phenomenal.

By: Maddy Campbell

You sit down at your desk, feeling creativity surging through your head. You open your computer and look at the blank canvas in front of you. With hands hovering over the keyboard, you wait for inspiration to strike. You keep waiting. You then get frustrated and slam your computer shut. 

Believe me, you are not alone in this feeling. Writing poetry is a great way to express your emotions and explore your creativity, but it can be difficult to get started. One common issue when preparing to write poetry is finding inspiration. Writer’s block is tricky, and staring at a blank page with frustration can keep potential poets from writing their masterpieces. Through the following 3 practices, you will feel more confident in finding inspiration for your poetry than ever before. 

1. Choosing a Form

When new ideas are not generating, the first step toward tackling writer’s block is choosing a form of poetry. This can affect what you write about. There are so many styles to choose from free-verse, sonnet, or haiku. Each form comes with its own sets of rules, which we will not be going over here, and some with a common subject. Sonnets, for example, are typically written about a strong emotion or memory. Haikus are commonly used to describe nature, like “The Old Pond” by Matsuo Bashō. Picking a style of poetry can help channel ideas like a funnel onto the page. 

2. Finding Your Focus Through Meditation

What if you already know how you want to write your poem, but the subject is still eluding you? The next step that helps me focus is meditation. That may sound drastic, and a little cliché, but taking the time to center yourself and tune into your thoughts can create an explosion of ideas. Now, I do not mean “pull out your yoga mat and light some candles” meditation. Take a moment and sit in your space. Close your eyes and slow your breathing. Listen to your surroundings. Are you comfortable? Is it quiet enough? Is it too quiet? Is your space set up for you to be productive? If you answer no to any of these questions, a small change to your space can be the needed change to get started. 

3. Optimizing Your Space

You picked your style of poem, made your space the most optimal for writing, and you still have no idea what to write about. Do not let that stop you. Think about why you want to write poetry. If you love writing about nature, go outside. Observations can be an amazing way to find inspiration. Sit on the ground and watch the skies or trees. See how the world around you communes with itself. Take notes, record the sounds you find special, then use the meditation skills you practiced earlier to think about what sticks with you. Maybe nature is not your cup of tea. Find a journal and start writing about your feelings, childhood memories, and stories about your friends. 

Writing poetry is not just for old men with quill pens. Reflective free-verses about your favorite birthday or a descriptive haiku about an oak tree are art that you can treasure and share. Do not let the stigma of great art cloud your thoughts. Finding a simple idea can create the best poems if you give yourself the time.

By: Christian Copley

The central idea behind most if not all forms of writing is the theme. Without the theme there is no story, there is no meaning, and there is nothing to take away from a piece of writing. The theme is the backbone of an entire piece of writing. Therefore, without a shadow of a doubt, the most important thing to do before you begin writing is to figure out what the topic of the piece will be.

Start simple. If the topic is easy to remember and straightforward, then the rest of piece is most likely going to come naturally to you as well.

Although simplicity can make things easy, that doesn’t mean you are not allowed to expand on the theme and have multiple topics or ideas spread throughout your piece. While it can sometimes be difficult to have multiple topics in one piece of writing, it is a good way to keep the reader interested.

One of the best examples that shows how topic enhances a story is the original Star Wars trilogy. While these movies are not technically pieces of writing, the ideas behind them are great examples of how the theme affects a story.

The main theme behind these movies was the idea of the Hero’s journey. Throughout the entire trilogy, we see the main character, Luke Skywalker, evolve from some farm boy who lives on a desert world, into a magic wielding samurai who fights an evil empire with nothing but a laser sword.

The entire trilogy explores how Luke grows throughout his adventures; however, the films also explore other topics along the way to enhance the viewer’s experience. The films are called Star Wars, so obviously there is probably some sort of war going on in space. Naturally, the films also explore the war being fought between the Rebel Alliance and the evil Galactic Empire.

One of the greatest things a writer can do with multiple themes, is to answer questions that a viewer might have. Going back to Star Wars, something the viewers might be asking is “well, what are the villains doing?” Something that the movies do well is show certain scenes explaining what the villains are planning to do to stop the Alliance. Having these scenes scattered throughout the films is a great way to give the viewers a sense of scale of the movie’s universe and, as an added bonus, answers some of the viewer’s questions.

There are many ways to expand upon the theme of a piece and knowing where to begin is not always clear. Whether the topic is simple or complicated, the entire piece of writing is dependent upon how well the writer makes the piece connect with the theme. Knowing what you want the topic to be undoubtedly ends up affecting how well the piece of writing resonates with the reader.

When writing a story, one has many aspects to consider. However, the most important aspect is the bones. Most writers recognize this, and tend to read their first draft and think to themselves, “Yeah, that’s the story!” Then they send it out for publication and wonder why their story hasn’t been picked up. Well, while it is wonderful to have the bones of a story, it is another matter altogether to tell a story. The following will inform the reader on how to properly write a first, second, and third draft.

When writing a first draft you want to focus on the basic structure of the story, or as I referred to it previously, the bones of the story. This is the solid beginning, middle and end. It could come in many forms from a simple cause and effect format of (a) happens, then (b) happens, then (c) happens, to a timeline, or even just a bullet-point outline. The important bit is to know where the story starts and where it ends. If the story is inside, it will come out, and filling in the middle should not be a bother, it will come naturally. However, this is not a genuine story as of yet. While, your audience may understand the gist of your story, all they are really receiving are the spark notes. This is where a second draft comes in handy.

A second draft can come in many forms as well. It could be an annotated version of your first draft, or even an entire rewrite with some parts added and some parts removed, all of this will come when reviewing your first draft. The trick is to WRITE IT ALL DOWN! If something sounds wrong, make it sound right. If something doesn’t fit, get rid of it, or find a way to make it fit. Sometimes you will realize that the story has a much better flow if you removed a whole section entirely. The point is to find places to add prose, and dialogue and scenes to the story. It is not well enough to say, “This happened, then this happened, then that led to this happening.” That is just the basics. The audience wants to relate to characters, become a part of a world that is different than their own. The audience wants an escape and that is what you will give them in your third draft.

The third draft of your story is where the real craft of writing is presented. One must find the way to tell their story in a way that an audience can not only relate to, but also be entertained by. This is where one would refer to their second draft and find a way to tell the story almost second handedly. By the third draft the writer should and will most likely have a beginning, middle, and end, prose, dialogue, characters and character development, and maybe even a theme, or moral to the story. (Don’t worry, if you don’t have a moral, lesson, or hidden meaning in your story, your audience will find one for you.) It is always okay to write a story for the sake of writing a story. Also, the more drafts, the better. However, by the third draft one should have filled in the blanks enough to where an editor can take over and the final product can be decided from there.             Hopefully, this blog was insightful and helpful to budding writers hoping to be published, and there are many other helpful resources out there for refining one’s own literature. Drafting a piece id a very important aspect of completely a story and after a few drafts that fact will become incredibly apparent. Good luck to all the aspiring writers out there and keep your pen to the paper.

By: Jordon Moran

Writing can be like magic. Sitting down without a thought in your mind and ending with an entire story, crafted entirely of ink, paper, and imagination? There is something magical about that, and the more I learn about creative writing, or writing in general, the more like magic it becomes. Imagine, [JB1] if you will, a magical place filled with all your favorite characters from fiction. Who do you see? The Mummy that scared you as a child, or perhaps Hercules swooping you up in his arms to rescue you from its bandaged clutches? Maybe this whole scene is taking place on Blackbeard’s pirate ship as it hurdles through space being chased by the Mad God Azothoth. This is a real place! A place of magic and adventure, romance and betrayal, and it is an entire world of numerous settings and characters and stories in itself. This wonderous place is known in the literary world as the Public Domain.

The entire scene that I set up in the introduction is entirely possible to publish thanks to the public domain. Let us first understand what the public domain is. The public domain is intricately connected with our copyright laws. Basically, when an artist creates a character, they own that character under copyright law. They can profit from that character’s use in books, movies, and other forms of media. However, after a certain amount of time that creation would inevitably enter the public domain, thus shedding its copyright shackles and becoming free and legal for public use. This means that anyone can take a character or setting from the public domain and use it in their own original stories. In some cases, entire stories have been remixed in novel ways and rereleased successfully to the public, such as “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” “Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters” and even the “Shakespeare’s Star Wars” series. The possibilities are endless, and the public domain is a great tool for writers of all ages and skill levels. However, no magical place is complete without conflict; without a villain, and the public domain is no exception, though the villain may surprise you for it is an unlikely entity!

The public domain was a wonderful and amazing system that worked perfectly until the late 90s. In 1998 Mickey Mouse was about to enter the public domain. How great would that be? To have free access to use one of America’s most loved characters in your own art is a dream for some[JB2] . And it will remain a dream for a very long time. You see, the greed of Disney and other companies seem to be more important than allowing the public to retain access to such a cash cow, so Disney and others lobbied in congress to change the copyright laws, therefore extending their ownership of their characters for decades longer. This led to an over 20 year void in the public domain, and another character had not entered it until 2019. The saddest part is that the characters that Disney kept under their thumbs were never their own characters in the first place, including Mickey Mouse! Almost all of their most popular characters, from Aladdin to Mulan and a plethora of others, were taken straight from the public domain, and every time they release a new live action redux of these works they are extending their ownership of each character, thereby keeping it from the public domain even longer. It is a truly dastardly deed they are committing, considering the characters they are making money off were never their own characters in the first place.

When I learned of the travesty set upon one of my passions by the family friendly, and apparently heinously greedy company that was a pillar of my childhood I was conflicted. Do I continue to support Disney after knowing what I know, or do I boycott them? After all they are not only stealing characters that aren’t theirs to steal from the public, but they are also wrongly profiting off them. Why should I give them my money? After some (not much) contemplation I decided to boycott Disney. I do not want my hard earned going toward a bogus company that steals from the poor to give to the rich, and while I would never condone breaking any laws of any kind, I often think about the times we live in and how easy it is to pirate movies online. I also think about the moral question, “Is it really stealing, if the object in question was originally stolen from you?” That is for the individual to decide.