I’m the most hopeful pessimist you’ll ever meet
how do I accomplish such a feat?
I wish to see the good in all I meet,
yet expect something dark lurking beneath.
I hope for the best
expect the worst.
hope I won’t be last,
but I don’t expect first.
the world can be cruel, that much is true,
but I couldn’t help but hope for the best in you.
Tag: writingblog
Writing Prompt: Moonchild
You are a moonchild. What does this mean exactly? A lot of trouble, apparently. For every moon phase you take on a different form. These forms make it rather hard to make friends as you are changing bodies on a near regular basis. Tell me about the struggles one might have living 8 different lives yet still being the same person inside.
Evening Poems: Jars of Clay
Sometimes I wish I could keep my thoughts in Jar,
Set it down and examine it from afar.
Thoughts that worry me, locked up tight.
Hidden under my bed, now out of sight.
Ideas that I can save for a rainy day,
Encased in a shell of glass or clay.
Sometimes I wish I could keep my thoughts in a Jar,
So when I feel myself spiraling hard,
I can pluck the darkness from my head,
And place them in a jar instead.
Maybe then I can get some rest.
It’s been awhile, I must confess.
Sometimes I wish I could keep my thoughts in Jar,
The ones that haunt me and continue to scar.
Ones that I’ll take to a cliff so steep.
And throw them far and into the deep.
Only to sink to the ocean floor,
To be forgotten forevermore.
Being An All or Nothing Writer
One of the many writing struggles I have had to overcome as I write more and more is the issue that I tend to be an “all or nothing” person. And that transcends to nearly everything I do, including to my writing. So what does this look like exactly?
Well, for me personally, it looks like writing 4,000 words in an evening and then not touching the project for 4 months. It looks like powering through the first couple of chapters of a book and then going “alright, I’m not feeling this anymore”, and walking away.
And it sucks.
I have unfinished projects everywhere that include stories and other creative projects alike. I covered this in a similar way in my other blog post “The Struggles of a Project Bouncer”, one of the first Writing Blog posts I posted on this blog. In this post, I focused on this is a broad sense in that I have a bad habit of just jumping from one thing to another and not seeing stuff through to the end. And this seems to be particularly bad when it comes to my writing.
And the solution?
Well, it’s kind of boring, not gonna lie. It’s the answer to like 75% of must problems writer’s have and a lot of people have for that matter (myself included).
Self. Discipline.
Yuck. I don’t like that word. But it really is the answer to this “all or nothing” problem I have. But to get more specific, what does “self discipline” look like when it comes to pacing myself so I actually finish something in less than two years as oppose to typing out three chapters and walking away for 6 months?
Well, for me it looks like a writing schedule. And one that I stick to.
Everyone’s writing schedule looks different. In fact, many people measure it in different ways. Some people set the goal of writing X amount of chapters every week or month and others set their goal in amount of words. This seems to be the most common strategy.
Getting back to my particular solution, my goal tends to be around 5,000 words every week which comes to about 700 words every day which I know is manageable, at least in the summer time (my plan changes when school starts back of course). And even though I don’t stick to it perfectly, I find the pacing helps me see writing a more of a habit and something I do more consistently as oppose to a project I add to when the moon is in the sky just right and I actually feel like writing. Because If I do that, come to find out, I never get it done.
So if you’re an “All or nothing” writer like me, I definitely recommend trying this strategy. Try setting a goal and pacing yourself and resist the urge to spit up 5,000 words in one sitting and then running away.
You can do it! You can finish that story or that book! I believe in you!
Writing Prompt: The Water Whispers
You are gifted with the strange ability to be able to talk to water. Tell me about what the water says and how this ability plays out in your day to day life.
Evening Poems: Wonder
Stars sing a melody we cannot understand.
How rare it is to live as we are.
The planets hum in a language we’ve never known.
We are always compelled to look up.
We used to think that the light touches everything.
But Space is so incredibly big.
The Stars, glittering like a jewel on a quilt.
Objects in an endless, weaving dance
You see, the Magnificence of it all haunts me.
The void gaping above as always.
And there are deep corners we know nothing about.
Forever drags further than we know.
Yet, in odd irony, It all goes by so fast.
Because we are here as only Smoke.
But, We act like this is all unbeknownst to us.
Types of Writer’s Block
A comprehensive list I made while ironically having Writer’s block. Hopefully you can relate. But! In the interest of maybe helping you out, I’ve added suggested solutions for each different kind of Writer’s Block. So Enjoy!
Drawing a Blank
Writer’s block where you have one singular aspect of your story planned out the most minute detail but everything else is just a blank. Examples of this include:
“I have a Plot but nothing else.”
“I have Characters but nothing else.”
“I have A World Concept but nothing else.”
Suggested Solution:
Write down what you do have. Write it in the form of a sort of outline as the “skeleton” of your story. Begin focusing on slowly filling in your outline, maybe searching the internet for some inspo to help you out when you get stuck.
No Motivation
Where you have an idea but no actual motivation to put it into works. So it just sits and rots in a notebook or word document as a single plot synopsis that never gets worked on.
Suggested Solution:
Refresh your brain. You can do this a few ways. I find what works best for me is exercising a little or taking a walk. A shower might also help you reset and find your second wind too.
Short on Inspiration
You have the motivation! Yay! But what to actually write…? This is where you don’t lack motivation, but you are drawing an absolute blank on what your next writing project is actually going to be.
Suggested Solution:
The internet is a wonderful source of writing inspiration. Maybe search up a few writing prompts online? You cna also find inspiration from reading other books or maybe even watching a movie?
Maybe Tomorrow….
You sort of want to write but doing everything else besides writing sounds more appealing. You might even make plans to write one day but somehow you just end up watching a few episodes of your favorite show or mindlessly scrolling through social media. Sadly, this is the one that is the most common to me.
Suggested Solution:
Try writing for at least 5 minutes. If by the end of the 5 minute mark you feel like continuing, do so! If not, step away, do something else, and come back and try again.
Slump
You already started your story. You have a plot, characters, and a world. Things were going so well when BAM! you just hit a wall for no rhyme or reason. You probably spend a lot of time staring at a word document, at a loss as to what to do next. You are in a slump
Suggested Solution:
A slump can sometimes be a sign that something in your scene or story isn’t working. So I suggest maybe consider rewriting the chapter before the one where you began your “slump”. Re-review your outline for your story as well and you’ll get back on track in no time!
Evening Poems: Homesick
I woke up today with an ache in my chest
It was so strong, it impeded my rest.
The feeling and loss of a place I call home,
As time goes on, I seems to have only grown.
Darling, I’m homesick for fields so green
Skies that are bluer than you’ve ever seen.
Sick for sunflowers in their neat little rows.
And for bubbling creek that in the forest flows.
I’m sick for the house that’s sits on the hill.
Nestled next to trees that the wind does fill.
Sick for the kitchen, with yellow on its walls.
With a goldfinch on the sill that continually calls.
Curtains washed, air and white.
Cows in a field, just barely in sight.
Darling, I’m homesick for every little thing.
The cows, the kitchen, and the birds that sing.
But most of all I have a desire that can’t be quelled
For the innocence and love that that place held.
Writing Prompt: The Clock House
A group of teens are trapped in a haunted house. At midnight, the games begin…
Every hour, a new creature or monster is released into the house that the group has to survive and then kill. They win the “game” if they live until morning. A grandfather clock chimes every time an hour passes and announces the arrival of a new challenge.
Recommended Drinks for Writing
Admittedly, writing can be hard sometimes and on bad days, a little exhausting. That’s one reason I like to have something to sip on sitting on my desk while I work. It generally helps me focus and takes away an excuse for me to get up and break my writing streak. So, here’s a little list I’ve made of best drinks for writers. Enjoy!
Turmeric Lattes
So, Confession, I really didn’t know what turmeric was until I was searching for good drink options for me to sip on while writing my book. However, upon research, I found that turmeric was a spice, closely related to ginger, that has brain boosting effects. One of the many ways you can consume this spice is by means of a latte which considering how much I love creamy and hot drinks, I’m all for.
Link to a Turmeric Latte Recipe is here
Blue Berry Juice or Blue Berry Smoothies
Second confession, I don’t like blue berries. However, blue berries are filled with polyphenol which is a brain boosting chemical that can aid you when writing. Plus, they’re relatively healthy!
Tea
Specifically ones that help with concentration and focus. This includes Matcha, Peppermint, and Ginger. Or, more broadly, Black and Green Teas.
Coffee
This is a pretty obvious pick considering the nice little caffeine rush coffee offers. Not to mention there’s nothing more comforting than cupping your hands round a warm, steaming mug of coffee as you work on your latest writing project or book.
Chocolate Milk or Hot Chocolate
I really like the science behind this. Did you know that it has been shown that chocolate increase blood flow to your brain? I think this is a very fun fact, especially considering I’m going to be eating and drinking chocolate regardless of whether or not its beneficial to my focus.
Lemonade
Another great option! Lemons have been shown to boost your brain function and lemonade can also help hydrate you much better than say a soft drink or coffee.
By the Brooke 