Tag: writer

Self-Care Tips for Writers

~ Brooke F. ~ 8 Comments

As a writer, I can often find myself collecting bad habits like Pokémon. A cruddy sleep schedule (gotta finish that chapter), living on caffeine, imposter syndrome, the infliction of self guilt for not writing enough, and the list goes on and on. If you face similar unfortunate circumstances, then perhaps you can use this post as a checkpoint in your writing journey to take inventory. Have you been taking care of yourself lately?

★Avoid screens for a little while.

Chances are, you’ve been staring at one for awhile is you work using a word processor. Maybe consider having a “screen cleanse” day where you try to not look at a screen at all (unless necessary of course). If a whole day feels too long, try setting a timer from 1-3 hours and just reset your eyes by not using a screen within this time.

★Create a morning routine.

It’s easy to wake up ten minutes late, look at your phone first thing, or skimp on breakfast. But doing these habits on the regular can often make it even harder for you to start your day, especially if you have a lot of writing to get done. If your brain doesn’t feel refreshed and ready to get to work, it can often lead to writer’s block. Take a minute to write out your current morning routine. Make adjustments as needed.

★Fix yourself some coffee, tea, hot chocolate or maybe just a simple glass of water.

We all have that comfort drink. Why not fix yourself one? And if you haven’t drunk any good ol’ H2O in the last couple hours, then for the love of your brain and body, please go get yourself a glass.

★Don’t neglect your physical health- look up a workout online and start moving around.

This is something I probably have brought up before though I think it’s super important. Especially since it’s one that I struggle with personally. Especially if I feel uninspired and blobby. But a quick walk or workout has a way of resetting my brain and I know for a fact that it usually works. It’s often a matter of doing it.

★Journal.

Journaling is a wonderful way to reflect and track your current habits, writing related or otherwise. Sometimes journaling can simply be a way for you to dump out all the thoughts that are preventing or distracting you from whatever project you are currently working on. Either way, I definitely recommend pulling out a journal every now and then and getting to writing.

★Read. For fun.

Try to let yourself slip into the reader’s mindset. Try to not analyze everything you’re reading. Just read and let yourself bask in the words for a while.

★Pretty up your writing space.

My favorite way to do this is by adding some lighting or greenery. Or maybe both! Plants do a lot for brightening and livening up a space and fairy light…well, they just make me happy. They look so magical, what can I say! Don’t judge me, sometimes I just gotta satisfy my inner toddler. All she really wants are sparkles and glitters and I’m not about to tell her she’s wrong.

★Go to bed early.

I haven’t met a writer yet who wasn’t a night owl, so I might be biased. But let’s be honest here- couldn’t we all improve our sleeping habit? Maybe just a little? If not, then you have your life far more together than I do and this tip isn’t for you.

★Congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come already.

Your journey as a writer has probably been wrought with imposter syndrome or fear of not measuring up. Or perhaps you find yourself comparing your drafts to the finished drafts of other writers and fear that you have fooled everyone into thinking you’re a writer but are you really?

We’ve all been there. So maybe take a second to reflect on how far you’ve come as a writer. Even thought you might have written some really cringy stories in high school or middle school, by golly, you still did it. And it’s become a part of your journey to grow as a writer. And that’s something worth being proud of!

The Procrastination Tag

~ Brooke F. ~ 8 Comments

The Rules:

  • use the graphic in your post (as seen above!)
  • mention the creator of the tag (maya)
  • use the tag #theprocrastinationtag so the creator can see your cool post!
  • mention the person that nominated you: Corrie.S.P.
  • answer the questions below
  • tag as many people as you like ❤

Many thanks to Corrie for tagging me! And in the spirit of this tag, I procrastinated doing this tag! (It was definitely because I wanted to get in the spirit and not the fact that I…legitimately…procrastinated…it.)

Ahem…as I was saying! On with the tag!

Questions:

1. How many times do you think you have procrastinated in your life?

Oh. Starting out with a banger I see.

It’s impossible to tell at this point. I feel that at one time or another, I am always procrastinating something! I do this thing where I complete a task I had been previously procrastinating because I am simply procrastinating yet another task. It’s a continuous cycle.

2. How do you combat procrastination?

In the spirit of a certain shoe brand, I just do it.

Though there is an inner battle that takes place before hand that usually consists of me telling myself “just work on it for 5 minutes. Just 5 minutes.”

This is, of course, a trick and a lie. Usually if I can suffer through 5 minutes of something, I’m finally in the groove and I continue until I get it done or at least a big portion of the task accomplished. It’s a secret though, so don’t go telling my brain about this!

The more I think about it, the more I realize getting myself to do tasks is like motivating a toddler.

If we do the hard thing, what if we get a treat afterwards? You like treats right? Maybe some coffee…?

This is IMPORTANT. It will not go away. You don’t want to do this tomorrow, do you?

No, you cannot nap.

Just do it for five minutes and then we can go play with toys.

3. What advice would you give to someone procrastinating?

I think I’ve made a few posts on this very thing (as it’s something I clearly struggle with) but most of my advice generally boils down to just sitting down and working on the thing, if only for a short amount of time. Set small goals. Small goals seem more manageable.

It can also help to pinpoint specifically why your procrastinating. Not all procrastination is the same. Figure out which of the follow reasons is why you’re not working on the thing. This can further help you come up with a more fitting solution.

You’re burnt out: Go do something different for a little awhile. Take a walk and then return to the task.

You’re scared of failure: Remember that doing nothing and not trying is often worse than failure. It is basically a failure in of itself. Also remember that you don’t have to do everything perfectly. Take a breath, take a shower, or meditate for a moment. Then go try. It’s okay if you fail. Give yourself permission to suck.

You simply are in one of those lazy moods: If you have the time, take a quick 30 minutes to rest or let your brain switch off. Tell yourself after the allotted 30 minutes, you are going to work on the project for 10 minutes. Do the thing. See how easily your brain switches gears. If you still feel lazy, take another 30 minute break and then work for 10 minutes again afterwards.

You feel like garbage all around and just don’t want to work anymore: Ask yourself if you are feeling one of the these three things: Dehydrated, Hungry, or tired. You may feel all three of these things sometimes! Set about fixing these things before getting to work. You brain is not going to function well on 0 water, 0 sleep, or 0 food.

You are overwhelmed: Again, break things into smaller tasks. Make a to-do list and feel accomplished when you check things off. Prioritize. And then tackle the little tasks. Kick proverbial butt.

Phew, that was a lot! I didn’t mean to ramble like that! Thanks for sticking around till the end of the post! Hopefully you found something useful in there.

Anyways, time for nominations!

Inky @ https://borederthanever.wordpress.com/

Texas Lass @ https://thetexaslass.wordpress.com/

Jan @ https://love13reading.wordpress.com/

Lillian Keith @ https://lilliankeithauthor.wordpress.com/

And remember, it’s okay to procrastinate this tag.

An Extensive List of Character Flaws

~ Brooke F. ~ 2 Comments

Character flaws are a great tool to use in your writing. When used correctly, character flaws can add depth to the characters you write about, and make them seem more realistic and believable. But I bet you already knew that because why else would you be here? Anyways, here is an extensive list of character flaws that you can use at your leisure. Happy writing!

Absent-minded

Addictive personality

Aggressive

Aimless

Anxious

Arrogant

Attention-Seeking

Bad Habits

Bigmouthed

Blunt

Callous

Clumsy

Cowardice

Cruel

Cursed

Defensive

Dependent

Dishonest

Disloyal

Disturbed

Entitled

Envious

Erratic

Fantastical

Fickle

Flirty

Gruff

Gullible

Humorless

Hypocrite

Ignorant

Immature

Impatient

Impish

Incompetent

Infamous

Inflexible

Insincere

Judgmental

Lack of Self-awareness

Lacking Self-control

Lazy

Lustful

Manipulative

Martyr Complex

Meddlesome

Meek

Messy

Naive

Nihilistic

Non-reflective

Obsessive

Oppressive

Overambitious

Overemotional

Overprotective

Overzealous

Paranoid

Petty

Prejudice

Prideful

Prudish

Reckless

Refusal to change

Remorseless

Rude

Sadistic

Sarcastic

Self-denial

Selfish

Self-pities

Self-righteous

Shy

Snobby

Spiteful

Spoiled

Squeamish

Stand-offish

Stubborn

Superstitious

Tactless

Unfair

Unfriendly

Vengeful

Weak

Wrathful

Another Art Review

~ Brooke F. ~ 17 Comments

Hey all!

I teased this post in my summer art review post which I made a few months back where I said I’d share some of the traditional art I’ve made over the summer (and not over part of the semester). I have no really good reason as to why it’s taken me so long to post this besides that fact that every time I managed to think about it, it would slip my mind when I actually sat down to write a blog post.

All that being said, here are a few art pieces I’ve made over the last few months.

I think a few of my favorites are the mouse in the tea cup, the girl in the ballcap, the girl with a ponytail, and the close up of the cat. I wasn’t a huge fan of the green dress fashion sketch as the shadows just didn’t look right and I regret not giving her face (even though I feel it should be alright not to have to draw a face in a fashion sketch). Anyways, I hope that you found these little sketches interesting or at the very list give you a little inspo as to what you can sketch (or if you find them awful, use them as an example of what NOT to do when drawing :P)

Anyways! That’s all for now! Have a good week my friends and, if you happen to be on fall break like me, have a fabulous fall break where you drink lots of pumpkin spice lattes and attend a lot of campfires and soup potlucks.

Kind regards,

If Polaroids Could Talk

~ Brooke F. ~ 6 Comments

No, it wasn’t better then.

It was only different.

Nostalgia,

You are liar

Who insists things were better before.

And I’m tired of listening to you.

You can keep your sepia filters,

Your polaroid’s,

Your cassette tapes,

Your photo albums,

And your yesterdays.

I left them for a reason.

And the reality is,

If I were asked,

“Do you want to go back?”

I would most certainly shake my head.

It’s amazing what flaws you miss

When you apply that tinted brown filter.

To be a child is magical, yes.

But growing up is rarely painless.

Fox Writing Prompts

~ Brooke F. ~ 13 Comments

★The Slyest of them All

A battle of wits is held every 3 years in the Kingdom of Foxes. The goal is simple- win each test and beat your competitors. The Fox that reigns supreme is named Slyest of them all and is to rule the next 3 years. However, if all the participants fail, the currently residing Fox King remains for another 3 years.

The current King is a tyrant and you will do everything in your poem to dethrone him.

★Fox Detective

A pompous Detective wrongs the wrong person. A witch, enraged, curses him to turn into a fox every time the sunrises. The only way he can lift this curse from himself is if he helps the witch and solves her case. It’s Swan Lake but with a twist in this fractured fairytale!

★Fairy Foxes

This prompt is a little more vague. I just want you to imagine a world where Fairy Foxes exist- little flying creatures that are always out to cause trouble. What do you think this world would look like?

★Revenge in the Forest

The other forest animals are sick of being terrorized by the local fox. He comes at night causing trouble and sometimes even killing some of the forest residents for food (none of the other animals have been able to catch him red-handed though). Secretly, they hatch a plan and plot their revenge.

★ To Err is to Fox

In some sort of magical mix-up, a fox gets turned into a human and must figure out how to pass as one, all while trying to figure out how to revert to his normal, animal form. Hijinks as I’m sure you expect, ensue.

★Outfox or Befriend?

A fox has no friends. At least, that’s how it’s always been. However, a certain fox is starting to rethink this. A fox is given a task to steal or fool someone else but, in the process, becomes too attached and begins forming bonds with the one they are supposed to fool and begins having second thoughts.

★The White Fox

Legend has it that white foxes are magical creatures that grant wishes upon being caught. You always chalked this up as a myth- after all, you’ve never even seen a white fox! However, you begin to rethink this as you found that you have accidentally snared a white fox in one of your hunting traps. And it’s still alive.

Ways to Brighten up Your Writing Space

~ Brooke F. ~ 11 Comments

Got a writing space that you’re uncertain how to spruce up? Well, I’ve got you friend! I spend way too much time on pinterest and am ready spill my favorite decor ideas geared specifically towards writer’s and decorating their little writing nooks. Honestly though, the first and main thing you need to know when decorating your writing space is that it should be a place where you feel comfortable. You should want to be there, and feel at home in it. Whether this means hanging up your gaudy posters or having a gazillion little knick knacks all over your desk or that you’re surrounded by piles of loose paper, then so be it. At the end of the day, this is all about making a space that you’re comfortable in and, consequently, write in more freely.

Suggestions are as follows:

Candles.

Pictures (family, pets, memes… it really doesn’t matter. Whatever you want really).

Posters of things you love,

A cup or mug of coffee or tea (adds to the cozy vibes),

A Quill Pen (For decorative purposes but also fits the writing theme).

Decorative Glass Bottles.

Fairy Lights.

Succulents.

Drawings.

Colored Pens.

Coffee mugs that are cute.

Paintings.

Flowers (both live ones or pressed/dry ones).

Journals from which you can grab inspiration from.

Cute Lamps.

Cute stuffed desk animals.

A Blue tooth speaker for playing whatever ambiance music you desire.

Desk Stationary Organizer.

Sticky Notes

A Pet (preferably a cute cat that will sleep at the end of your bed or at your feet and make a nice rumble-y purring sound).

A cute rug.

And that’s it I think! Hopefully these suggestions are enough to trigger your inner Joanna Gaines and get you into your decorating mode. I bet it’s gonna be a space worth writing a book in!

Bets of luck to you!

35 Journaling Prompts for Writers

~ Brooke F. ~ 10 Comments

I’m a big believer in the power of journaling. I say this as someone with like a gazillion empty journals around the house. Collecting them and writing in them are entirely different hobbies I believe (I’m sorry! They’re just so pretty I don’t want to mess them up!). However, I do think its important to have a place to dump your thoughts every now and then, especially if you’re a writer with a loud brain like mine. I may not do it as routinely as I probably should but I still think its good for everyone to sit for a moment and reflect whether its about the day, one’s identity, your loved ones, goals, or random intrusive thoughts. In summary, I think it’s a great way to process your feelings, work through tough times, and explore new ideas.

So I made a list. I love lists.

Now, to be clear, I wrote these prompts with writer’s in mind, however, the vast majority of them could apply to pretty much everyone so if you’re a non-writer and you’re looking for some prompts, feel free to steal some from the list below because they will probably work just as well for you. I give you permission to cherry-pick.

  1. What is your favorite part about writing?
  2. Why do you write?
  3. What do you like most about writing?
  4. Do you have any favorite characters or literary topics that you enjoy?
  5. Make a list of your favorite authors.
  6. Think about the things that make you happy. What might those be?
  7. Write about your favorite places to go.
  8. What is your most ideal writing space? How could you change your current one to reflect that?
  9. What’s your ideal writing schedule?
  10. Do you have a pre-writing ritual?
  11. Write about what you’ve learned from a difficult situation, or how you’ve grown from it—even if it was just a little bit.
  12. Write about something that’s bothering you, but is also good for you—maybe even give yourself some advice on how to get past it.
  13. What are some of your favorite quotes or sayings?
  14. Describe where you are in your life right now, and what you’re doing there—wherever that may be!
  15. Write about your favorite memories with your parents
  16. Describe your life in a few sentences
  17. What’s one thing you’re looking forward to this week?
  18. What are you thankful for in your life right now?
  19. What’s one thing that makes you feel good about yourself?
  20. What did you learn today?
  21. What’s something you need to let go of?
  22. What are your goals for the coming year?
  23. What are you scared of?
  24. What’s your favorite day of the week?
  25. Write about a dream you had last night/this morning.
  26. Do you ever wish you could go back and change the things that have happened in your life?
  27. What is one thing that makes you feel fulfilled?
  28. Write about the things that make you angry.
  29. Write a letter in your journal to someone who hurt you. What would you say?
  30. Write a letter to your favorite book character.
  31. Write a letter to your favorite author.
  32. How do you want to inspire someone else? How do you want your work to inspire others?
  33. Write about your favorite movie/book scene. Why was it good?
  34. How do you feel about your work overall? Are you proud of it?
  35. What is a piece of advice you’d give to a new writer?

Alrighty! I think that’s it for now! Happy journaling!

Columbus’s Stars

~ Brooke F. ~ 8 Comments

My small feet pattered up the steps as I made my down the stairs of my Grandparents’ rickety steps that led to a wide kitchen. The screen door creaked open, then snapped shut behind me as I continued to join my Grandfather on the porch.

Peeling paint pricked my toes and a chilly breeze nipped at my small ears. A perfect night for soup, as my mother would often say. Mother always loved soup.

 “Could you not sleep?” The lilting voice of my grandfather broke the night. There leaned against the railing, slightly bent, bearded, tan, and plump, my grandfather beckoned me over to lean with him. I accepted of course.

“You told me I could stay up late!” I accused. Surely, he hadn’t forgotten. Did he?

“Are you sure?” Grandfather leaned his head back and stroked in his beard as if he were deep in thought. “I don’t recall…”

“You said at dinner that I could come out and see the stars fall!” I informed him. Adults always thought they were so funny. And Grandfather often was but he didn’t need to know that.

Grandfather smiled at me and even though it was dark, I could still tell that his eyes are sparkling in amusement. I could hear it in his voice.

“Well, you did.” I finally concluded. Grandfather seemed satisfied with this and returned his gaze to the sky.

 All around, light streaked the sky. Mom often described stars “like diamonds on tapestry”. But these stars were not diamonds. They moved and danced across the sky, leaving a glowing pathway behind.

“What are they?” I found myself asking aloud. “Why can they go so fast?”

“Because they’re ships, Molly.”

My 10-year old self was aghast. “I thought they were fire? Burning fire and chemicals and stuff. I remember from our astronomy class at school.”

Grandfather shrugged. “That’s the boring answer. You already get a bunch of boring answers at school. Wouldn’t you like to hear a fun one for a change?”

“Even if its not true?” I was very concerned with the truth, even as a 10-year old.

“Good stories often aren’t.”

I was fortunately intrigued. “Tell me about the ships then.”

Grandfather’s eyes shut as he began to imagine. “Ships often travel in big groups. You’ve learned that in school, right?”

“Of course!” I responded, eager to demonstrate my knowledge on the matter. “They’re called fleets. The Pilgrims traveled in one to America.”

Grandfather seemed entertained by the Pilgrims remark, half smiling as I came to the end of my sentence, but he would not be sidetracked. “Look out then, M. What you see is a fleet. Ship after ship passing by.”

I still wasn’t fully sold on the idea. “And why do they glow white then?”

 “That’s their sails of course,” responded my grandfather. “Sails that reflect and are powered by pure moonlight.”

“And where are they going?”

Grandfather shrugged. “Who knows. I reckon it’s not for us to know.”

A beat of silence ensued as I wrapped my mind around the idea. I didn’t believe it and the both of us knew it wasn’t true, but perhaps that was what made it a fun idea. It was so utterly impossible. Then I was struck with another thought.

“What about shooting stars?” I wondered. “What are they?”

“They’re ships too,” Grandfather said, now a little more quietly. “The ones left behind and lost.”

This thought saddened me.

“Maybe they’re explorers. Like Columbus. I learned that in school too.”

Grandfather opened his eyes and leaned back to look at the sky. “Maybe so, M. Maybe so.”

Tips for Artists & Keeping Motivated

~ Brooke F. ~ 8 Comments

While I generally enjoy populating my blog with tips for writers primarily, from the few art posts I have on my blog, you can probably tell that I dabble a bit in the realm of drawing both digitally and traditionally. It is not a source of income for me nor do I ever really plan on it being however, I still find myself in a much better mood having created something that appeals to my eyes (for the most part. Every artist knows you must create an abomination every now in then to keep thinks spicy).

So, all that being said, I felt like it would be fun to make a little “tips and tricks” post for my fellow artists out there for keeping motivated to draw and create even when you feel like you’re not improving or find yourself in a rut creatively.

1. It’s okay to have a pretty scuffed sketchbook.

I know first hand the discouragement that Pinterest drawing journal inspo can produce. On one hand, I feel inspired to create such beautiful pieces myself! On the other, it can cause me to obsess over the “cleanness” and perfection of not just my individual sketches but the state of my sketchbook itself. And, like I often say over here on my blog, perfectionism can be one of the biggest obstacles an artist must overcome. So take heart, artists with beat-up and banged-up sketchbooks! It is totally fine to have a collection of drawings with a few “scrap” pages and maybe a few coffee stains on the cover. Actually, I’ve found that I often draw more when I have a slightly scuffed sketchbook as it prevents me from being nervous about messing up the book with a less than perfect sketch.

2. Draw, Draw, Draw. Quantity (mostly) over Quality.

Just like with writing, often skill comes overtime with the production of a lot of creations. This is the whole practice makes perfect phenomenon. Not that you shouldn’t try of course. Keep trying, by all means. But try not to get all caught up in creating the perfect piece now.

3. Not every art tip you find online will apply to you.

This is another important thing to note when you’re an artist with an internet connection. You have an endless supply of lists of “Do’s and Don’t” that you should follow when drawing. However, while it is good to at least CONSIDER these tips when making your own art, you probably shouldn’t follow every single one. Certain things are creative decisions and a piece that follows all the “rules” can sometimes feel boring or devoid of creativity.

4. Practice the things you struggle with.

I don’t like this tip but once I decided that I was going to draw a hand every day for a month, I saw a huge (though gradual) improvement with my ability to do so. Now that’s a pretty intense solution that I don’t think everyone should do, but I think you get the idea. Try not to avoid things that you struggle with and feel you aren’t good at it. Not that you have to now make your living as a hand-sketcher but it really pays off to put extra practice into those artistic pet-peeves you have whether it be drawing hands, eyes, people, animals, etc.

5. It takes time to find your style.

Not to mention it also evolves constantly. That’s alright though. That’s actually good because if you weren’t changing, you wouldn’t be improving in the slightest. Remember, change is (usually) good.

And I think that’s about it! Thanks for dropping by and reading! Also feel free to let me know in the comments section below of what tips really helped you as an artist! I’d love to hear them!

And I’m outta here! Bye!