Writing Truthfully in Poetry

 

As Edgar Allen Poe once said, "Poetry is the rythmical creation of beauty in words." So true, so true. The thing is you can't always just want to write, and then write, especially with poetry. Poetry is just so full of emotions and ideas and honesty that it just can't work that way. The poetry doesn't feel as real. It's better if you get inspired, although it's not a necessity. It doesn't have to be something big. For example, I wrote a poem about an Easy-Bake Oven. By 'truthful,' I mean that the descriptions -though they can be somewhat flowery, if you'd like- are honest. As Brenda Ueland once said in If You Want To Write, "Describe something just as it is. Don't worry if it is angular or clumsy or how it comes out. Just put down what you see." You're not pretending that the person or chair or Easy-Bake Oven is something they're not. That's not how poetry works. Back to my Easy-Bake Oven poem . . . here's an excerpt:

Perching on dull counter-tops
in inviting pastel accessories,
accents of robin's-egg and lavender,
your wares, carriers
of "lite" calories
and synthetic cake mixes
(about as real as Ring Pops)
in doll-size baking pyrite

          Obviously, that wasn't high-quality. I didn't describe the magnifications of birch trees or whatever is idealized and hailed as high standards in poetry, like Robert Frost, for example. I also write poems about nature, et cetera, as well, but this one was different. I felt what I was writing, and it was honest, and so it came out better than some of my stories, which sometimes feel forced. Nobody wants that feeling, and people will notice if you don’t actually feel your idea.

Even if you dislike certain types of poems, like free-verse or ballads, I encourage you to give it a try. It might be hard for a short-story writer or novelist to switch gears, but I'd recommend it. Also, your poetry might give you some writing fodder. Or of course, you could use some of the phrases from your poem in your writing if you're so inclined. Plus, there are many different kinds of poems, such as limericks, haikus, and sonnets.

           

Here’s a haiku I wrote on the subject:

Often in poems
It isn't about trying
But expressing truth

Also, I'm going to only blog once a week from now on, as I'm busy with school and sports, et cetera. In the summer I think I'll blog two or three times a week, though. Happy Labor Day!


 

Grammar: Does It Really Make a Difference?

     According to the lyrics of one awful Hannah Montana song, and many other sources, "everybody makes mistakes." Ah, the irony, considering the fact that she's a role model for many young kids, and how Miley Cyrus has turned to the dark side . . . Well, that's another story. I can rant about Miley Cyrus another time, hopefully. I do rather enjoy ranting, I must say. All right, back to grammar.
     I personally have pretty good grammar, generally, although I don't nit-pick quite so much. I occasionally misuse hyphens and add too many commas, but I mostly stay on track. However, in manuscripts and query letters, you have to be super careful. Bad grammar in the manuscript might turn agents off, and you don't want your manuscript to be turned down because of grammar. That much, I know. If you're just not very good at spelling and grammar, and are sending out a manuscript,  I'd suggest these simple tips.

-Make sure you're not mixing up homophones, or commonly-misspelled words
-Spell-check doesn't catch everything; I'd read it again to make sure that you're using the words that you want to use, not the ones autocorrect wants
-Have a friend or aquaintance who's good with grammar look over it to proofread it, because grammar can be kind of a big thing, like with agents

Even though the big things matter most in the long run, sometimes the little things are pretty important too. I hope this grammar post helps, at least a little bit, and -as usual- if you have any thoughts, let me know!
 

The Name Game

                Choosing names for your characters can be fun, or it can be irritating. Personally, I like picking out names, but sometimes I can’t choose between two, or three, or just choose any in general. I guess all of my name-researching will come in handy if I ever decide to have kids, though! Worse, if you don’t know which kinds of names you want for your story or novel, you can spend hours poring through lists of names. I don’t know about you, but that’s not high on my to-do list.

                Here, I’ve divided types of names into four categories: Biblical, Middle-Ages and 18^th/19^th Century, Contemporary, and Futuristic.

-Biblical: Well, for this I’d do a Google search. For this time, it seems hard to strike a balance between too mainstream and so unknown that it sort of seems like you made it up. I’d suggest Behindthename.com, biblical names. Some personal favorites for this time are Arieh, Isaiah, and Adina. I’d suggest not naming any characters Jesus, though. Just a tip.

-Middle-Ages and 18^th/19^th Century: I think you should use plain English names for this time. Names like Mary, Robert, and Elizabeth work well. People at the time weren’t very frivolous, so it makes sense that their names weren’t either. For the nineteen-hundreds and twentieth-century, I’d follow this basic guideline, with a few additions. Also becoming popular were names that were slightly more current, such as Cornelia and Alexander, as well as Zachariah and Emma.

-Contemporary: Well, obviously, this is the easiest category for which you could come up with names. I would choose names that have fared well in the top 100 baby names per year, though not at the top of lists. If you’re looking for an unusual name, I’d do a twist on a conventional name. Or you could choose a name based on characteristics or the history of the name. For example, you might expect Mary’s to be bland and plain, but Mariah’s are a different type of girl, and therefore, a different type of name. You can also go by definition, using one of the many name sites.

-Futuristic: In my opinion, this is the hardest. You can look into the past to find names, but you can’t look into the future to find potential names. I’d suggest doing twists on current names, by swapping vowels or adding on a name-suffix. I usually go with one-syllable or two-syllable names, and for my futuristic novel that I’m planning, all the girls’ names end in ‘i’ or ‘a’, and the boys in ‘o’ or ‘u.’ For example, writing a character named Lonta instead of Lana.

Writing Satisfactory Endings

                Everyone hates bad endings, right? Like when you get to the end of a story or book, or even a poem, and you’re like, “That’s it?” It doesn’t matter if the rest of the story’s good –I mean, it does, but the ending’s what you actually remember. I could lie and say that I’m really good at writing endings, but that’s not always true. Honestly, this is really something that I have a lot of trouble with.

                A bad ending doesn’t necessarily mean racy or violent. To me, anyway, it means fake or unrealistic, or not very well done, like the author was just trying to finish it quickly. Nobody really wants that, but sometimes it seems like the only option. There are lots of ways to go wrong with endings, but if you do it correctly, it pays off. Here, I’m going to try to offer several solutions to potential bad endings.

                -Mull over it for a while, and come back to it. After all, writers don’t have to write 24/7.

                -Try something unexpected, something different from what you usually write.

                -Ask a friend for advice if you’re at a loss for how to make the ending better.

                -Reread what you’ve written, to get the feel of your characters, so that you can write a more honest scene.

                -Use a writing prompt to approach your story from a different angle. Put your characters into the scene and try to work with the given concept.

                *Note: sorry this was late! I meant to post it yesterday, but I was too busy until now to post it. Apparently, sleeping takes up more time than I think! J

Forcing Yourself to Write

                Everyone loves those days when they love to write, but the days when they don’t are harder. I was struck by a realization last night: for the first time in months, I didn’t want to write. For me, that was crazy. Ever since I got seriously into writing, about eight months ago, I’d always went to bed or around my daily activities thinking, “Oh, I wish I had time to write –whatever story or article-!” or “Yes, that’s a great poem idea!” or “That’d make a great six-word story!” However, for the past two days I was bone-dry, creativity-wise. I just didn’t have anything to write that I really liked, or truly wanted to write. I honestly didn’t know what to do with myself.

                It was easier when I forced myself to write, I noticed. For example, back in Camp NaNo, I would write 1,667 words a day because I had a deadline and a goal. However, when you’re on your own, you have to make time to write, and use it as well. I wished I could just figure out how to force myself to write; it would have been so much easier if I could just sit down and write. I was worrying about quality and dialogue and the various facets of characters, whereas during Camp I was just writing. My advice is this: just try to write, and don’t worry about all of the tips and tricks to make it better. I didn’t worry about that before, because I just loved the stories, but now I get concerned with that, instead of just simply writing. Crazy, I know.

                Last night, I was talking to my sister, Anni, about all of the doubts I’d been having about writing, and the fact that I didn’t want –so badly- to write, that day. I didn’t know what to do. As some people think of themselves as swimmers or builders, I think of myself as a writer. I was getting so caught up in verbalizing my feelings and fears, when I went over to my window. My sister had tried to reassure me, but she didn’t really know what to say. I stuck my head out and inhaled the fresh air, and got an idea. I reached for the paper I kept by my bed and started writing happily, getting struck by an idea. Anni must think I’m very strange. After fourteen years though, I think she’s gotten used to my abrupt writing style.

Sometimes the best thing to do is to write a story without worrying about its quality, or to talk out your feelings about writing with a writing buddy, and to not stress out of you can’t force yourself to write while having writer’s block. After all, it happens.

Writer's Block

    

                                Ah, the irony. As I write this, I’m being struck with writer’s block. Of course, most authors say it doesn’t exist, but for this blog post, I’m going to say it does, at least hypothetically, for the sake of conversation. I’ve been getting writer’s block lately. I’ve recently written stories that I absolutely loved, and now I just don’t feel like what I’m writing can compare. I also haven’t had many good writing prompts lately that really inspired me. I’m going to try not writing for a while, and focusing on other things. The thing is, I know I can write moderately well, or at least that not everything I write is horrible, but I just can’t shake my writer’s block. How do you get rid of it?

                I’d suggest, from my non-authoritative platform, to . . .

·         Try some writing prompts, or make up some story-starters, like thinking of a great first line and writing a story to go with it

·         Take a break from writing for a while, and get out into nature or do something that promotes endorphins

·         Be non-judgmental when your writing isn’t your finest

·         Set goals for yourself for writing so you don’t get discouraged and distracted

·         Know that you can edit and change parts of your writing later, after the first draft

·         Read some of your favorite books, and don’t stress out about it

·         Remember that you love, or at least like, writing and why

·         Have some quality social time with friends

                      

I hope this helps. Oddly enough, I’m going to take some of my own advice. I’ll keep you posted on however that turns out. Happy Wednesday!

My opinion on middles and a writing audience

                When writing, I often find myself in the middle of stories, unsure of where to go. Then, I randomly fill up space until I can get to that coveted, planned-out last sentence. I love the beginning and the end, but dislike the middle. I go so far as to continually think of story-starters so I can have that great first line, and almost always end satisfactorially.  It doesn’t always work out with lots of agonizing about the middle, but usually, it does. Therefore, I try to plan more in advance. I also try to put myself in the character’s mindset, by re-reading (though not editing) what I’ve written before for that story. I’m trying to get better, though, and Stephanie Morrill's post on writing middles of stories really helped. Here’s an excerpt from one of my stories:

She pushed through a door, which was once painted white, and led me inside. “Here you are,” she said with a grim sort of pleasure. I stood silently, gaping and wishing to never have gotten on the boat that brought me here. The interior was worse than the outside, much worse. While the exterior at least bore some semblance of normalcy, the inside was sterile, shabby, and reeked of horrible things behind closed doors. Well, it truly reeked of unpleasantness, urine, and whatever stale food had been served. I grimaced, and the woman laughed. She seemed to mock me. I bit my lip.

“Mary, this new-coming shabby waif wants a room!” I stiffened. How dare she? My husband was a high-ranking member of society, and I as his wife had certain privileges. A rough-looking nurse came. Her brows had stern lines, and she seemed to never smile. “Well, be off with ye,” she said, and walked over to me. She grabbed a firm hold of my arm and marched up the stairs, pulling me along with her. I cried out in pain, but she seemed to not notice. At the stairwell she turned and then shoved me into a room and closed the door, not looking back. I could hear her hurried footsteps on the worn floor, if you could call it that. I stared sullenly at my quarters in astonishment. There were no windows, and the place seemed a semblance of intentional punishment. It seemed a jail cell. Its walls were bare, and the furnishings were stiff. The air was bitter and stale. I wondered how many other women had sat in this laughingstock of a room, left here to wilt like a vase of old flowers. Here, your voice could never be heard. I sat on the floor, and started to cry. I had never broken down like this, but here it seemed correct, and the only thing I could do. At last I went and sat down on my bed, some of my vanity already taken from me.

                It’s one of my favorites. It came to me rather late at night, and I knew I had to write it down, no matter how odd it seemed to others. That, as a matter of fact, brings me to my next topic: writing what you love. I’ve had this both ways. I’ve written stories that I didn’t particularly care for, that others really liked, and ones that I loved that nobody else liked, and I've had the happy medium of liking it and having othes like it as well. The thing is, at the end of the day, it’s your work. Sure, if my family and friends like it, that’s good, but as selfish as it sounds, I believe that you should write for yourself. If you’re not happy, why write it? I mean, you can totally edit it and make it better, as it probably has at least some potential, but if you don’t like it, nobody else will. I've disliked stories I wrote, and if the author doesn't like them, well, it might be doomed. For example, I loved, completely loved, this story that I wrote the other day. It scared me a bit, because it’s not like anything I’ve ever written before, but I was so happy with it. It is coming up with stories like that that make me want to write. It’s posted on Teenink, under the name Fearless, about the seventh one down. It’s teen realistic fiction about death. I thought about that story constantly for several days, and became amazed by it. That may sound stupid, I know, but for me, it’s true.

                Other news: the NextGen Writer’s Conference went really well, and I learned a lot. I’m not doing Camp NaNo this month, as I want to go more freestyle and focus on other things. I’m going to blog every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Also, I will (attempt to) NaNo with the best of them! Thank goodness for

3 Recommended Writing Websites for Teens

As I have been venturing into the -online- writing world lately, I have sifted through lots of websites, mostly blogs, about writing. Some I didn’t like, some were okay, and others I follow devotedly. So as to not bore you with my many recommendations, in addition to the fact that my sister just made chocolate-chip cookies, I’ll keep this quick.

First of all, I have been a member of TeenInk for a long time, and have truly grown to appreciate it. I’m a contributor for its online website, and I really like the fact that I can share my work with other teens around the world. They also have a national magazine in print, which has ten issues a month. They publish the best of TeenInk’s online writing in it, and it is very enjoyable, at least to me. I really like the fact that I can submit my writing, and have it online for friends, family, and my peers, as well as for honest constructive criticism.

Secondly, I’ve been following Go Teen Writers for several months or so now, and I find it very helpful. It’s a blog with contributing authors and an editor to help teens improve their writing. There are blog posts published every day in the school/work week, and they range from tips about building a platform to marketing to book proposals to characters and query letters. They’re immensely useful, giving aspiring writers help and reassurance at a stage of their lives when most are in dire need of knowledge, delivered from someone who’s “been there”. In addition, they have sections on writing a novel and writing contests every two weeks, as well as occasional giveaways. I love everything about the idea, and the authors put so much thought into their topics so that they feel personal and inspiring, as well as educational. In addition, the writing’s above par (of course).

Lastly, my new favorite writing website is SmithTeens. It is the home for the famous six-word memoirs. I had read about it in the paper about a year ago or so, and liked the idea, and just recently (well, this past week, to be exact) found the website, including a webpage dedicated to teens. You can create an account, and from thereon simply submit six-word memoirs about your life. They also have forums: Freestyle, to post about anything you want, and Forums, a guided place for conversations. Expressing myself in specific writing forms has always appealed to me, whether it is sonnet, haiku, or now six-word stories. There’s just something inspiring about telling a story with a familiar number of syllables or words, and being able to use your expertise. I also loved how all of the teens on the site were very welcoming to newcomers, a fact that I noticed quickly. Their six-word stories were very compelling as well. In conclusion, I appreciate SmithTeens for its six-word potential, as well as all of its gracious contributors.

These are some of my favorite websites for the moment, and I’ve found them really motivational. I’d highly recommend them. I need to stop now, and get some delicious chocolate-chip cookies! Anyway, visit these sites if you want to and have the time. Again, recommended. Note: my username on SmithTeens and TeenInk is KatsK, in case you’re wondering who I am. The websistes, as I have been unable to figure out hyperlinks, are .coms. Have a nice Thursday! (wait, it's Wednesday . . . right? Just kidding.)