Tag: creativewriting

How to Juggle being a Writer & Student

~ Brooke F. ~ Leave a comment

Hello everyone! It’s me! Winter break has been kind to my thus far and I am super relieved finals are over at long last. And even though I’ll miss some of my teachers and class, overall, I’m excited I don’t have to worry about the whole writing & school juggling thing that I have to do for the majority of the year.

Admittedly, some weeks I’m better at it than others. But I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t picked up a few tips and tricks along the way that help me balance writing and doing homework/attending classes like a good college student. And here are a few.

★Read

Reading gets your brain in that “book” mindset. It helps exercise your brain and keeps you sharp and in the zone to write. Plus, reading other people’s books is always a marvelous way for you to pick up writing nuances and techniques that you could employ in your own work when you finally have the time to work on it.

★Write between classes

Filling up the random chunks of time you have between classes with a bit of writing never hurt anyone. In fact, you don’t even need to sit down and write for a long time. I had a goal of a 200 daily word goal throughout the semester and while I didn’t manage it everyday, most times I met it while writing between my biology lab and poetry class.

★Write on breaks

I mean during Winter break, spring break- whatever you feel like you can manage. But I do caution people in the event that they really need the mental break for themselves and not for writing, that is 100% fine too. I did that many times throughout the school year. At first it made me feel guilty as I felt I was wasting precious writing time, but really, sometimes the mental rest is worth more.

★Write in more chill ways

For example, journaling. Or roleplaying with your friends. Or writing a blog post. Or setting a timer for five minutes to crank out a flash fiction piece. Writing a little or badly is better than not writing at all. Quantity over quality is a philosophy that applies to writing as you naturally get better with more practice.

★Be kind to yourself

Just keep in mind that you’re student. You have limits. And school is going to cut into your writing time quite a bit. That’s just the reality of it. School also might cut into your “mental space” to where you don’t have the brain power to write all the time. And that’s fine too. It’s a hard thing, juggling two parts of yourself, and sometimes you just need to step away from it all and just be a person.

Not a writer.

Not a student.

Just you.

And that is enough.

The Writer’s Game: Level 13

~ Brooke F. ~ 3 Comments

Topic: Endings

Threshold: 6,500 Points

Possible Points:  1,100 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  9,470

  • “Write about death.” [100 points]
  • “Write about your childhood or something that represents it.” [100 points]
  • “Write about healing and moving on.” [100 points]
  • “Write about a bittersweet goodbye.” [100 points]
  • “Write about a key memory.” [100 points]
  • “Write about the seasons changing and have it play a key symbol in the story.” [100 points]
  • “Write a tragedy.” [100 points]
  • “Write about forever.” [100 points]
  • “Write about the end.” [100 points]
  • “Reflect on this challenge.” [100 points]
  • “Write about whatever you want. You’ve earned it.” [100 points]

And that’s it! The final level. This has been an intense challenge & I hope it has been an enjoyable ride for you! Take a break from writing for a bit if you so desire! You’ve earned it! And if you have a desire to challenge yourself again, I hope you’ll make your way back here. You’re always welcomed. Take care, lovely writer!

~ Brooke F.

The Writer’s Game: Level 12

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: Everyday

Threshold: 6,200 Points

Possible Points:  550 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  8,370

  • “Design your own academy/school and place your own characters in it.” [ 50 points]
  • “Design your own café/bookstore and place your own characters in it.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about someone looking for a friend and finding them in an unexpected place.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write a story that takes place primarily on a rooftop.” [ 50 points]
  • “Design your own festival/fair and place your own cast of characters in it to have some fun.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about two unexpected friends.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about someone healing.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about someone coming home.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about someone who finds fulfillment in a place they didn’t expect.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about someone who lives in your dream apartment.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about someone with your dream career.” [ 50 points]

Score 6,500 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 11

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: Power

Threshold: 5,500 Points

Possible Points:  600 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  7,820

  • “Write about someone with the ability to change their physical form.” [50 points]
  • “Write about someone with the ability to control an element or something in nature.” [100 points]
  • “Write about someone with the ability to control something with their mind.” [50 points]
  • “Write about a war between two groups of gifted/powerful people.” [100 points]
  • “Write about someone who is normal in a world of powerful/gifted people.” [50 points]
  • “Write about someone who is seen as having a useless gift that proves quite useful in the end.” [100 points]
  • “Write about someone who lives in the shadow of their gifted/powerful parents.” [50 points]
  • “Write about a normal villain going against a normal hero in a world where gifted people exist just to throw off the dynamic completely. They’re both underestimated in different ways but then chose completely different ways to respond to the prejudice.” [100 points]

Score 6,200 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 10

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: The Future

Threshold: 5,100 Points

Possible Points:  950 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  7,220

  • “Write about a future where aliens invade.” [100 points]
  • “Write about a future where technology takes over.” [ 50 points]
  • “Write about a future where the world ends by flooding.” [100 points
  • “Write about a future where the apocalypse occurs in an odd way.” [100 points]
  • “Write about someone who causes the end of the world.”[100 points]
  • “Write what you believe the technological future will look like.” [50 points]
  • “Write about mankind finding the secret to time travel.” [100 points]
  • “Write about man colonizing space.” [50 points]
  • “Write from the point of view of a robot or AI.” [100 points]
  • “Write about a future where the world ends by war.” [50 points]
  • “Write about a future where there are big scientific advancements. (Biological technology, Medical technology, etc.)” [50 points]

Score 5,500 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 9

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: Companionship/Love

Threshold: 4,800 Points

Possible Points:  650 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  6,270

  • “Write about the love for a parent.” [50 points]
  • “Write about the love for a pet.” [50 points]
  • “Write about the love for a childhood friend.” [50 points]
  • “Write about love for a new friend.” [50 points]
  • “Write about loving yourself.” [50 points]
  • “Write about loving someone but not trusting them.” [50 points]
  • “Write about a love that has lasted a long time.” [50 points]
  • “Write about loving your past or future self.” [50 points]
  • “Write about loving someone far away.” [50 points]
  • “Write about searching for one kind of love and finding another.” [50 points]
  • “Write a love letter without using these words: heart, love, soul.” [50 points]
  • “Write about someone who thinks they love someone but is wrong. ” [50 points]
  • “Write about love dying.” [50 points]

Score 5,100 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 8

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: Intangible

Threshold: 3,400 Points

Possible Points:  1,100 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  5,620

  • “Write about a color without using its name.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem only using sound.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem only using the sense of touch.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem only using taste.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem describing loss or sadness without using the word.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem describing joy without using the word.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem describing justice without using the word.” [100 points]
  • “List your values. Now write a story involving all of them.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem describing ambition without using the word.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem describing kindness without using the word.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or poem describing cruelty without using the word.” [100 points]

Score 4,800 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 7

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: Inspired

Threshold: 3,000 Points

Possible Points:  640 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  4,520

  • “Write a story or poem about a piece of art that inspires you.” [80 points]
  • “Write a story or poem about a song that inspires.” [80 points]
  • “Write a story or a poem about a movie that inspires you.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story or a poem about a show that inspires you.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story or a poem about a person or figure that inspires you.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or a poem about a book that inspires you.” [80 points]
  • “Write a story or a poem about a game that inspires you. (Think outside the box. Could be a board game or a video game)” [100 points]
  • “Write a story or a poem about a children’s show that inspired you growing up.” [100 points]

Score 3,400 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 6

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: Mystery

Threshold: 2,200 Points

Possible Points:  1,100 Points

All Possible Points up until this level:  3,880

  • “Write a short mystery or poem from the killer’s perspective.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short story or poem where an item is stolen.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery about an escape room of sorts.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery about a missing person.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery where the detective has the wrong person.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery or poem from the murdered person’s perspective.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery or poem from the side character’s perspective (specifically, the character that gets showed up when the detective is right).” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery where the death is faked.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery from the perspective of someone unimportant or someone unexpected (e.x. the house cat, the maid, the detective’s dog, etc.).” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery where the detective is the killer.” [100 points]
  • “Write a short mystery where the detective dies.” [100 points]
  •  

Score 3,000 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.

The Writer’s Game: Level 5

~ Brooke F. ~ 1 Comment

Topic: History

Threshold: 1,800 Points

Possible Points: 590 points

All Possible Points up until this level:  2,780

  • “Write a story that takes places during a war.” [50 points]
  • “Write your own myth.”
  • “Write a story that takes place during Ancient Times.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story that takes place during The Middle Ages.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story that takes place during The Renaissance Period.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story that takes place during The Colonial Period.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story about a historical royal figure.” [50 points]
  • “Write a story about a historical conspiracy.”
  • “Write a story about an execution.” [100 points]
  • “Write a story about a voyage.” [100 points]
  • “Write and old love poem.” [20 points]
  • “Write an old ode to a hero.” [20 points]
  • “Write a “letter”. It can be from one historical figure to another or whatever you want. But it must reflect its time period.”[50 points]

Score 2,200 points to advance to the next level.

When you’re ready to advance to the next level, click here.