5 Ways to Release Your Creativity

(I apologize for the image being blurry. My photo editor is acting up)

I'm a procrastinator. I have a hard time managing my schedule (of which you are probably well aware by now - the blog hasn't had much attention from me lately, though surprisingly the amount of views have been steady, so thank you!!). There are days I say I will write…but I never get around to it. I haven't adopted the "write every day no matter what" system (yet).

It's easy to fall out of routine or to get discouraged when the well feels dry, and during that time sometimes our creative side plunges and can feel neglected.

So when you're in one of those ruts, I'd like to encourage you to ALWAYS be nurturing the creativity inside of you. It doesn't mean you have to write a chapter, or even a paragraph, in your WIP everyday. Some of us are just too busy, whether you're a mom or trying to balance a full-time job. However, it's important for you to have "me" time. Sitting down and writing a battle scene or emotionally-tugging conversation between two characters just isn't what you want to do at the end of a long work day.

So what are some things you can do to get those creative juices churning once more?

1. Daydream. Think about your story, your characters, plot holes, twists, cliffhangers, settings, secrets. Writing isn't the only part of paying attention to your beloved characters; it's necessary to take a break and just think for a while.

"A big part of writing is actually the thinking. Sometimes you're just thinking and thinking and thinking, and you've got to just say, "Whoa, stop thinking about it, so you can just really "think about it." -- Everybody Loves Raymond, Episode 2x07 "Working Late Again"

2. Listen to Music. Do you have a writing playlist? Turn that on and listen to it while surfing the web or cooking dinner. I just made a playlist that isn't technically for listening to while I'm writing, but more of a "scene-provoking" playlist. The songs get my emotions going and my mind rolling; I've thought of many different possibilities for scenes while listening to these particular songs, and a few of them also relate closely to certain characters I'm working on developing. In fact, I've got it playing right now.

Currently listening to: Hear Me by Imagine Dragons

3. Create an Inspiration Board. I have a cork board above my desk. For now, I've filled it with noir-inspired images/inspiring quotes. I plan on adding more variety, but I just pulled the images from magazines I had lying around and pinned them to the board. You could also use a smash book and create one for each story or character. 

4. Search for Character Faces. Ah, there's nothing better than having a new story pop into your head and scrambling over to Pinterest to start searching for the "perfect face" for your main character. Not only can you find a character match, but images can bring scenes and a developed plot line to mind. It doesn't cause much strain on your mind, but it's easy to get deeply involved (careful, you may find two hours have slipped by in no time *cough*).

The newest "character face" (Nicola Peltz) I discovered for my most recent story idea. Her name is Eden. 

5. Create Book Covers. This is by far one of my most favorite things to do when I'm feeling creative but having a bit of writer's block (or plain laziness o.O). What's more inspiring than seeing YOUR story on the cover of a book, no matter that it isn't what's going to end up on the shelves. Just seeing my story title and name pasted onto a picture is enough to get me writing.

Here are some I created for a story in development, Where Lies Lead. 

          

   

What do you do to invoke creativity? Let me know in the comments!

(If enough people comment/message me to share my playlists and/or inspiration board, I'll share those in another post! (: )

Jane News

This is simply a geeking-out post, so excuse the hyper undertones and enjoy!

First of all, Jane Eyre: Writer's Digest Annotated Classics with Annotations by K.M Weiland is available on Amazon (and earning great reviews so far). Author K.M. Weiland looks at this beloved classic through the eyes of a writer and discusses technique, character development, symbolism, and much more. This is going to be a must-have; I can't wait to get my hands on this book!! (Click here to view on Amazon)

Second, The Jane Austen Centre has constructed a life-size wax model of Jane Austen, using her nephew James Edward Austen-Leigh's first hand account of Austen as well as other accounts.

"Her figure was rather tall and slender, her step light and firm, and her whole appearance expressive of health and animation. In complexion she was a clear brunette with a such colour; she had a full round cheeks, with mouth and nose small and well-formed, bright hazel eyes, and brown hair forming natural curls close round her face."

I got chills when I saw this - you all know how much I love Jane Austen's works!
(Think she's holding the start of a book in her hands? Which one do you think it is? Hehehe!)

Opinions: Character Gender Change

Say what now?

If you're into superheroes, Marvel comics, and frankly hunky men (or if you've simply perused the latest headlines), you might have seen that Marvel character "Thor" is no longer a male in the comic books.

When I clicked on the original headline on FoxNews about Thor becoming female, I was initially angry. I'm not saying I'm against feminism or strong female characters (look at my latest work-in-progress and Pinterest boards to verify), but frankly I'm sick of the obsession to cater to female audiences just because…they're female. Does anyone else see a slight problem in this?

However, upon doing a little more research, turns out the male character of Thor supposedly is to lose his ability to wield the hammer, and a female picks it up. While it has been noted the writers wanted to cater a bit to the audience of today and there are many gaps still to be filled, this storyline seems straightforward.

If the character of Thor had been completely replaced by a woman, erasing the male existence that's been with us since 1962 just because "there aren't enough female superheroes," I would've been greatly disappointed. (Which, by the way, there are at least over a hundred listed on Wikipedia from comics and television). However, I'm tentatively excited to see how this will play out, how others will respond, and if this will spill into the Marvel Studios movie franchise.

I intend to write more posts concerning views on heroines in the future, and I fully understand that others might not agree with me. That's great — we can't all think alike or there would be nothing to talk about. I'd love to hear your opinions in the upcoming posts, so feel free to leave comments here on the blog or on my pinterest account (also vote on the poll!). Just keep it civil, peeps ;)

So…what do you think about Thor's character change?

(I wrote an article on News for Shoppers that highlights what little detail we have been given from the Marvel Editor in Chief concerning the new female Thor. You can read it here.)

Book Review and Giveaway of The Case of the Tabloid Tattler!

Author Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick is having a blog tour for the release of her new book, The Kitten Files: The Case of the Tabloid Tattler. She has graciously allowed me read the book ahead of time and post a book review as part of her tour!

A cat that writes? Impossible! But not so in The Case of the Tabloid Tattler. Detective Keith is shocked to discover the stray cat he took in can carry a conversation on paper. Together, they form a plan on how to solve Keith's latest case in which a wealthy young woman's secrets are being sold to the public by a perpetrator.

I first offered to write a book review because I thought the story sounded like something I would've been excited about as a young kid. I wasn't mistaken.

The book is charming and cleverly twists you around as you try to figure out just who is spying on Mrs. Thornblood and exposing her private life. The wording is simple enough for a younger reader to understand, yet incorporates just enough mystery and suspense to keep you on your toes and does a wonderful job in setting up future books.

I also enjoyed the special insight into a cat's life; the author did a great job in not letting us forget the protagonist was a domesticated animal while still providing a personal voice.

I wouldn't want to give away any spoilers by adding more details, but this story is perfect for your curious and mischievous young readers and would also make an excellent candidate for story time.

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A Bit About the Author:

Perry is a Christian, homeschool graduate who has written and published "The Heavens Declare," "Light of the World," "Pearl's Practice," and "The Case of the Tabloid Tattler." She lives in beautiful Oregon with her best-friend-turned-husband and their sweet baby boys. Find her books and other writings and connect with her at: perryelisabeth.blogspot.com.

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The book releases on the 17th, but in the meantime the next blog tour stop is at http://ekaiserwritesablog.blogspot.com , where E. Kaiser will interview Perry about her writing process, AND http://noblenovels.weebly.com, where blogger Holly Ciampi will be bringing you a character interview with Mia, the cat.

Perry Elisabeth is also hosting a giveaway for a signed, free copy of her new book, a chance to help name the dog in Book 2, or a free e-book version! Enter below for a chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: The Death of King Arthur

Last year in the fall I had purchased The Death of King Arthur: A Retelling by Peter Ackroyd. In the book, Ackroyd takes Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur and turns the language into modern English. The book was on sale, so I snatched it up; I have a hard time understanding old King James language, so this sounded perfect to me. (Plus, after finishing the BBC series Merlin, I wanted to learn more about the real Arthurian legends.)

Unfortunately, I've been less than thrilled with this retelling.

First of all, I do want to say that the book has been a good, basic introduction to the Arthurian legends. I've learned some things that I'd never heard concerning the legends, and some of the ideas in the book have been quite thought-provoking.

However, the style in which this retelling is written, though meant to be understood in modern language, is extremely simple. As I was reading, I felt like I had picked up a middle school book. It just all seemed very odd to me for the reading to be so incredibly simple, but the subject matter not always for young children.

For my reading experience, it felt unnatural and plain. This book might be preferable to keep on the nightstand for late at night when you're too tired to do any serious reading; The Death of King Arthur is broken down into several books and sections for each little story, so it's easy to choose one or two 3-7 page stories to read and then set aside. This is what I'm going to do and move on to another book for the majority of my reading.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Would I recommend this to a friend?: For a fairly light read or, as I mentioned, night time book, yes.

Have you ever read this book? What was your opinion?

Have you read the original Le Morte d'Arthur?

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Exciting News (Personal Opportunity)

Hello, followers!

I just wanted to update you all on some news that is personally exciting to me.

Earlier this week I applied to write on a site called News for Shoppers, where shoppers and consumers can read the latest information on not only online shopping, but also get updated on entertainment news (TV, books, music), travel, social networking, ect.

On Wednesday night I found out I'd been accepted and am now a "journalist" for the website; I've already had my first article posted! I plan to post mainly on entertainment and personal care/health as I get started but hopefully branch out as I get the hang of things.


You can read my first article here and subscribe to to email alerts for new posts from me, if you're interested. 

As you know, I've always been more of a creative writer than a journalist, but I'm very excited for this opportunity to gain some experience and stretch my comfort zone. :)

Random Facts About Me

Hello all! I've never done one of these things before, but Mercy Ray was kind enough to tag me in her response, and I thought this would be a good opportunity for all of us to get to know each other a bit better in a fun way. :) This is for participation in The Sunflower Blogger Award. I share 11 random facts about myself, answer 11 questions that Mercy Ray gave me, and then tag 11 bloggers and give them 11 questions. Shall we begin?

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I'm lactose intolerant. 

2. I can sit down and watch superhero movies all day, or I can watch BBC shows with my mom over and over. My interests are quite broad :P 

3. Out of fiction genres, contemporary seems to be the hardest for me to write. 

4. Emma by Jane Austen is one of my all-time favorite books, but I've only read it once.

5. I'm deathly afraid of snakes. I can't even look at a picture of one without hyperventilating, and even saying the name makes me jittery. 

6. Biology was the only science I liked in school. 

7. I'm nearly incapable of making a decision. Deciding answers to the questions coming up below was quite hard for me. I drive my family and friends crazy because I always have to see what they want to do and make sure I don't pick something that they don't want.

8. I love knick knacks and collecting things. Fairly recently I've developed an interest in collecting tea pots and tea cups. 

9. I've wanted to be an actress since I was about ten years old, which completely contradicts my shy, introverted self.

(Being an introvert is like being Robert Downey Jr. in your head and Castiel in real life)

(~image found on pinterest~) 

10. Oklahoma! was the first old musical I saw, and I've loved them ever since. Singin' in the Rain and State Fair are two of my favorites. 

11. I hate cooking. I get stressed in the kitchen because I'm a perfectionist, and I just plain don't like it. I tell everyone that I'm either going to marry a chef someday or buy a lot of take out. ;)

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My Answers to the 11 Questions

1. What is your favorite TV show?

"Family time" evenings were always TV time growing up, so it's hard for me to pick a favorite! However, lately I've been watching Blue Bloods with my parents, and I've become a bit obsessive. 

2. If you could live in any country, besides the one you live in now, which would you pick?

Ireland, because it's gorgeous, and I hear the people are extremely friendly. One thing I've always dreamed of doing is going to Ireland, finding a breathtaking spot, and just sitting down for a day and writing.

3. What is your favorite wild animal?

I'm a huge animal-lover, but I'd have to say dolphins.

4. If you could live as a character in any book, which book would you choose?

Does a series count? I'd have to choose The Chronicles of Narnia. I'd love to have the opportunity to escape to another reality but still know that I could come "home." Plus, I know the books so well I probably wouldn't have to deal with getting lost in a new place ;P

5. If you had to choose, which of these famous cities would you live in: Paris, London, or New York?

London. I'm not even going to pretend I had to stop and think…

6. What movie, book, or TV show can you quote endlessly? 

I have to go back to The Chronicles of Narnia probably, both books and movies. 

7. What is the most embarrassing thing you have ever done?

I can't give a direct answer; my life is full of embarrassing moments. I'm a very awkward person. 

8. What is the bravest thing you have ever done?

I can't say this is the bravest, but flying to North Carolina by myself took some guts; flying makes me very nervous. 

9. What do you consider to be the best smell in the world?

Chicken grilling on a summer evening!

10. What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?

I had a skiing accident when I was 13 and ended up having brain surgery. 

11. If you could punch a fictional character in the face, who would it be?

Moriarty. 

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And here are the tagged bloggers, though I don't have 11! ;)

Elizabeth at Exhortations by Elizabeth

Sunny at A Splash of Ink

Sierra at A Burst of Many Colors

My 11 Questions for the Tagged Bloggers: 

1. Do you prefer writing with paper and pencil or on the computer?

2. If you didn't write/blog, what would you be doing?

3. Who has influenced you the most, whether it be a "historical" figure (missionary, author, president, ect.), someone you know, or a character?

4. What song do you find yourself listening to the most lately?

5. Do you love the feel of a paperback in your hands or the convenience of a kindle/the like?

6. What was the last word you wrote in a story or read in a book?

7. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

8. If you could choose one thing to accomplishment immediately from your bucket list, what would it be?

9. What is one quirk you consider to be special and unique to you? (C'mon now - we all have one!)

10. What is your one essential travel item? 

11. What is the first story ever you remember writing?