Crossing Out vs Erasing

    Writing by hand is fun, has a sort of artistic feel to it, and it's a great opportunity to practice nice penmanship. Though just like when typing on a computer, mistakes happen, and must be eliminated from the passage. When a person is writing by hand, there are two ways to do this: erase it (with an eraser or whiteout) or drawing a line through the words with pen or pencil. Erasing the imperfections is definitely the neater option, and best when you want to keep pages looking nice and beautiful (particularly when the handwritten passage is for school or for work). But there's also great value in crossing out unwanted words/sentences instead; skill-sharpening, useful value.
    Mainly, it lets you know what phrase or word you decided not to use. And looking at such a word again, noticing it's crossed out, can help one remember that the word didn't fit and perhaps remember the reason why. A particular phrase (like say, one that's totally out of character for the speaker) is noted as one that will not work and shouldn't be used in the future when writing similar things.
    Crossing out only a few particular words in an awkwardly worded sentence also sticks out as a reminder of proper diction (the order of words in a sentence). The act of crossing out individual words can be more effective for remembering what way to word such a sentence than erasing the whole statement would be.
    In some instances, words can be crossed out when one starts a sentence but realizes midway that there's something else that should be written instead (a description, an action, some dialogue). But maybe that particular line will be put in play a little bit later in the writing, so having the sentence (or the beginning of it) visible could be better than trying to call it back later from the depths of memory.
    And, of course, crossing out words instead of erasing them saves more eraser for other things (like sketches).
    So there are a few advantages to going the sloppier way of self-correcting writing. :) Does anyone else prefer to cross out unwanted words when they're writing on paper?

Matthew 10:30

"'But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.'"

Matthew 10:30 (NKJ)

    First thing that pops into my mind whenever I read this verse is usually: "Whoa."
    God knows how many individual hairs are on every person's head. Obviously, it's a lot. Millions. And according to this verse, the Lord knows how many we each have--not an estimate, but an exact number. Which says something even more incredible about Him: not only is He capable of counting and re-counting millions of hairs (or maybe just remembering them as He makes them grow), but He cares enough to do it. He actually remains aware of how many hairs are on our heads. He loves us that much to find such a small detail worth knowing.
    His love is so deep; verses like these show that. Aren't they wonderful to read?

A Few Thoughts on Self-Discipline

    Alas, good habits do not form overnight. They have to be developed, shaped into a person--which can be uncomfortable. And it takes a considerable amount of time, effort, and serious motivation.
    Personally, I've found that I need to write out some rules and have at least one consequence set up for when I fail to meet an established standard. Guidelines and a consequence: that's my method for self-discipline.
    The rules don't have to be a long list. Sometimes it's just one or two guidelines. Better to keep it simple and basic; the more regulations there are, the harder it's going to be to keep them. They should be the core necessities of the endeavor, things that will create the hoped-for result.
    Then there are the consequences (boo!) for when (not if; when) the regulations aren't fulfilled. Usually it involves taking something away, temporarily revoking access to it. It could be a fun activity (like watching a favorite TV show or listening to music) or a hobby/skill (like painting or skateboarding), or "fun food" (like chocolate or a favorite snack); something done often if not every day. Probably not something vital (like working on a fun project for school, drinking water, or going to youth group), but something that'll smart when it's taken away.
    It's also very helpful to pray about it. Being a Christian, I find strength in the Lord and believe that He can and is willing to answer prayer. It brings not only encouragement to ask Him for help in sticking to decisions, but real support and strengthening.
    Right now I'm trying to wake up early in the morning. I like to sleep in, but I also like writing and I need the quiet time of the morning to dedicate to it. So here's the plan. The guidelines are: be out of bed before seven AM. One requirement; simple to remember. The consequence for not fulfilling it is that I won't allow myself to knit for the rest of the day. Knitting is a very fun and useful hobby for me. I wouldn't want to have to wait a whole day to get back to a project (particularly a long one!) so it works as incentive for me to get up and start working.
    No question about it: it's tempting to give up, or to let the rules slide every now and then. But that would be defeating the entire purpose of self-discipline. There can be no compromise.
    As difficult to maintain as self-discipline can be, it is effective. When a good habit forms and work gets accomplished, one can see the precious results.
    Do you have other methods for self-discipline?  :)

Maya Angelou, Making People Feel, and How This Can Be Applied to Writing

"I've learned the people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

~Maya Angelou



    This quote is a fantastic one to memorize and apply for living life. And in addition, I think it's also something useful to keep in mind while writing.
    I remember the last book that made me cry. Really cry. As in yanking my heartstrings, making me really feel. Not only do I remember the book title, but I remember the characters, the settings, the significant scenes, and the plot. I remember the story because of the strong emotions it made me feel; whereas while it was a nice book, I probably wouldn't think of it as often if it hadn't touched my heart the way it did.
    We get emotional when something significant and meaningful is happening. When tragedy strikes, as someone finds true love, when justice is being overlooked, when a hard-gained achievement is finally won, etc. Feelings also are important  in how they're an awesome part of the reading experience; exhilaration is fun! And sadness, while not so fun, can prompt a few moments of remembrance and thought.
    Emotions are powerful. They exist in many--if not all--well-written stories.
    Of course, these aren't ingenious revelations. Every writer wants to make the reader feel emotions while reading their story/poem/script. And no one wouldn't want their work to be remembered. These facts are nothing new. But they are nice to be reminded of, right?
    Do you remember the last book/poem/movie that really pulled your heartstrings?

Luke 21:19

 

"'In your patience possess your souls.'"

Luke 21:19 (NKJ)

 

    Patience. Now that's a desirable virtue. The ability to be able to wait and/or to endure something for a very long time without getting annoyed or anxious . . .
    It seems to involve having complete peace. Understanding that things are going the way they should be and that everything will be all right in the end. Not worrying because of a knowledge that there's no need to be worried, and that getting upset or irritated is pointless.
    Come to think of it . . . isn't that just like the peace that the Lord gives us as we trust in Him? Could patience be directly linked to faith?
    What do you think? :)

Oswald Chambers: Pinholes



"My personal life may be crowded with small petty happenings, altogether insignificant. But if I obey Jesus Christ in the seemingly random circumstances of life, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God."

~Oswald Chambers

    Life can get really cluttered, and not just schedule-wise. When there's vital stuff to do, the mind's got to stay focused on it, and sometimes that cuts out time for meditation or talking with the Lord. And then a person can feel guilty because they worry they're not honoring or that they're even neglecting their relationship with God.
    This quote by Oswald Chambers totally addresses that concern though. Pinholes in life: small, scattered moments throughout time where one just does what they know is God's will. Just taking a few seconds to do what Jesus would do. Doing this is awesome not only because it's a relief to know we're doing what pleases God, but also because doing what Jesus would do reminds of how wonderful He is. Don't you agree?
    What do you think of this quote?

Writing Games: What's On the Table?

    Sometimes for a couple moments, it's fun to daydream up a scene where a character is meeting with another--usually someone who's either meeting the character for the first time or has met him/her only a few times--sitting at the  table with the first character's favorite snack set out.
    To be efficient about the creativeness of the scene, one has to think for a couple moments what kind of snack it is. To determine that, some contemplation of the character is involved. Are they carefree and eager to accept the privilege of tasty fast food, or do they discipline themselves strictly to a diet? Do they enjoy the sweet taste of chocolate, or do they prefer the mellower sweetness of melon? Are almonds their fancy, or is buttery popcorn more attractive? Or does this character drink something fun like soda or hot chocolate or tea in their relaxing time?
   And it's not just the type of food that can play a role in this daydream. The condition of the table and the room itself can factor in. Are they even eating at a table, or is this snack being consumed in armchairs or in hammocks or on the floor? Are they in the kitchen, the living room, outdoors? What's the environment like? Clean, fancy, dirty, organized? Are crumbs burning under the oven's range as the two characters chat? Is there a pleasant aroma of freshly cooked/baked food in the air? Is sunlight streaming in through dust-free blinds, or is the place lit by an electric light on the ceiling?
    All of these things can affect which way the conversation goes in the scene, and it shows a little bit more about the focus character's life and personality. All in all, writing a snack/meal scene can be a nice writing exercise.
    So what's your protagonist's (or other character's) kitchen look like, and what's on the table?

Isaiah 41:10

"'"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."'"

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJ)

    Don't you love these verses where the Lord speaks directly to His people? There's more than a few of these in the book of Isaiah--it's so cool! We not only get to see His immeasurable strength and hear of His incredible acts, but we also get to hear Him say soft, kind, loving things like this. Here He personally tells us not to be afraid, and promises to make us stronger. He's actually saying He'll hold us up, supporting us, protecting us.
    Do you know any Bible verses from Isaiah by heart? :)

Hooked By a Book!

    I'm pretty sure you don't have to be an extremely avid reader to get hooked by a story. You don't have to be the kind of person who always carries two or three novels in your backpack. It only takes one. One story that draws you in and holds you like a tornado, pulling you through the current of its plot and keeping you thrilled to the point where you don't want to stop reading until the story is over.
    It's actually pretty cool, experiencing a novel that interesting. It's a fantastic adventure and the sort of story one can take valuable notes on.
    But there are, unfortunately, more than a few consequences to being so focused on reading a book. The worlds in stories can be awesome to travel in, but we still live in a real world that requires our attention. Whether you're a kid, a teenager, or an adult, there are things to be done. Homework to do, classes to pay attention to, family dinners to attend, a job to work at. When we're reading, we're not doing these things, and we can't put those things off for days.
    And tragically, not every day has hours of uninterrupted free time to spend on reading. Sometimes we've got to pause, shut the book, put it away, and focus on a completely different task. Which can be especially difficult when the story's in the middle of the action, or when there's a cliffhanger to be resolved. It's like a part of the mind is still stuck between the pages! Can't you sometimes hear particularly interesting lines being reread, picture scenes replaying? It can take more than a couple minutes to readjust to the real world.
    Then of course, there's the beast of procrastination. This thing seems to enjoy taking advantage of awesome books. When there's a nice hour to do something, and the choice is between the fun, three-quarters-of-the-way-completed book and the boring homework assignment, it's not too difficult to guess which one will be picked and which one neglected. I can finish the book tonight! There's only a hundred more pages! There'll be time to finish the other thing later! Sure there will . . .
    It's tough sometimes. Somewhat unbelievable, but it can honestly be hard to put a really interesting story down and force oneself back into the real world. It takes willpower, and a remembrance of priorities.
    I schedule a specific time on a particular day to finish a novel. On the weekends, usually, or during a break. Having an arranged, usually uninterrupted time to look forward to helps me put off immediately going into the next chapter--which would then be followed by the next one, and the next one, etc.
    Do you know what it's like having a book you can't put down? Which book was it? Do you have a strategy for putting it off for a while?

Drawing A Cover for Your Story In Progress

    At least one of my writer friends and myself have done this before, sketching out covers for the novels we've written. My friend's end result is an impressive piece of art, and my own . . . well, they're not as impressive. But they're not too shabby either.
   And you know, I think designing a cover for a story in progress really helps the writing process. Whether you sketch with pencils, go full-out with colored pencils and pen, do some techy wonders with a computer program, or take actual pictures and add captions to them, it's useful.

This is a cover I sketched out on my computer
via Paint for a story I was writing a couple years ago.
 As you can see, I am not one of the talented people
who can use a computer to make great art!
(By the way, the reason they have no pupils is because
they're supposed to be identical and I thought trying
to make the pupils align perfectly would be impossible.
Sorry if it looks creepy!)

    For one, creativity is being put to work. Thinking about which color schemes look better and what formats are cooler tap into the right side of the brain.
    Secondly, it can help you realize what sort of image represents the tone and the gist of the story. Should the protagonist be on the cover, or their trusty tool? Should the villain be on there too? And a background shot of the story setting? Which location in the setting? What kind of image would properly invite a potential reader into the story?
    Thirdly, it can aid in visualization of your character. It lets a person see what their character descriptions actually make the character look like. Maybe so-and-so's eyes should be almond-shaped instead of bouncy ball round. Wow, her hair looks really nice long instead of short. Green would probably be a better color for his eyes. Yes! Finally got the smile on this character's face just right!  Etcetera.
    Plus, having an image of what your story could become, published with an official cover, can be really encouraging and motivating! Can you see it now? Pinned to the corkboard or whiteboard or wall, your novel's front cover with your character (or whatever the focus element is) shining in color, with the title displayed in large letters above and your own name printed in smaller lettering below. A beautiful display of the work you're working hard on. Something you're working towards. Almost like a writing target to shoot for.
    So in conclusion: designing a front cover for the story you're working on (at least in my opinion) is useful and fun.
    What do you think? Have you ever designed a cover for your story? Have you drawn it out, computerized it, taken pictures, or is it still in written form?

Proverbs 31:25-26

 

"Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness."

Proverbs 31:25-26 (NKJ)

Truly Knowing God--A.W. Tozer



Went to the beach a while ago--the sand was ready for footprint-making!

 

"To truly know God we must long for Him without any other motive than reaching God Himself."

~A.W. Tozer

    Two vital things that you need in order to have a good relationship are time and communication.
    It's true that lots of long-distance relationships work, and sometimes when you have a friend you only get to chat with, say, once a week or once a month, it can still work. But the particular relationship A.W. Tozer is talking about in this quote is our relationship with God.
    The Lord wants us to know Him personally. To live life with Him, to be in constant contact with Him like we would with a father, friend, teacher, lover (He is technically all of those things). And naturally, to have a genuine, joyful relationship with the Lord, we not only have to hear from Him, but we also have to spend time with Him.
    Having Bible studies, taking time to worship via musical instrument/singing, memorizing God's Word, and praying are ideal ways to draw near to God. But unfortunately, every so often, one might do it out of a feeling of duty or obligation. Like it's a chore. Opening the Bible to read a few chapters or singing a song just because it's proper.
    But you don't pick up the phone to call a friend because you think you should--you do it because you want to! And it's the same way here. God knows our hearts and loves us deeply. If it's just a few Bible verses, or a sentence or two of thanksgiving, at least it's genuine. And I think that's what God really want: a genuine, loving effort to communicate.
    Ever feel like this sometimes? Isn't finding a nice, quiet period of time to spend with the Lord great? :)

Humor and Verbal Irony

    In a nutshell, verbal irony is when somebody says something that's completely different than what they really mean. It's a tool that lots of satirical writers use, and sometimes it's applied in serious works, but it can also be used in creating humor in a story.
    Sarcasm is possibly the most identifiable and common example. You've got to be really careful when using it in real life (it can seriously hurt people's feelings), but in fiction, in certain scenes, it can be hilarious and endearing. For example: Low, unhappy groans sounded from the other side of the wall. "Dude, are you all right?" Guy #1 asked. "Oh yes," responded Guy #2, "I just love it when old bookshelves decide to dump their contents on me." You can picture the tone of Guy #2's voice, right? And maybe the look on #1's face.
    Another example of funny uses of verbal irony is what I call a "fake" simile. It's when someone says something like "she's about as happy as a cat who just crawled out of a pond." The description is understood in a more illustrated way, and the mental picture it sketches can be more funny. It's not actually amusing when a poor cat gets dumped into a pond, but when picturing the cat's feline glower on the face of an irritated person, isn't it slightly funny?
    Wit. Not exactly sarcasm, but it does usually annoy the person it's directed towards and highly amuse the person watching. It's a little hard to describe, but sometimes it's when a person states the obvious in criticism to the person to whom they're talking, sometimes it's when someone says something "punny" (get it? Puns? Funny? Punny?), and sometimes when someone being witty, they're acting like a smarty-pants. Wit is saying something clever (or obvious but un-thought of) at just the right moment, making the random statement laugh-worthy.
    Exaggeration. Most of the time it holds hands with sarcasm, but it's not uncommon or ineffective to have a "funny character" who tends to un-sarcastically exaggerate most of the time. With an eager or excited tone, a couple enthusiastic bouts of arm waving, and an unintentional rising voice, this kind of character can draw out a couple chuckles. Though exaggerations, in my opinion, aren't quite as strong as its counterpart . . .
    Understatements. These are hilarious moments waiting to happen! The effect is more powerful in a movie or TV show, but they work in novels too when the wording is right. An understatement could fit in fantastically as the final line of a chapter, even opening doors into the next one. Example: "How bad is it, really?" Person 1's eyes turned upward as he thought. "Not terribly bad." (Next chapter) It was terribly bad. It takes a little more build-up and character investment than this example, but there's potential for funniness, right?
    The harbinger sentence. You probably know it well. A little cliché, and whenever it's spoken, you know for sure that something huge and not particularly fortunate for the heroes is going to happen. But when you're writing a humorous story or trying to thread in some humor, it can set a stage. The phrase is also useable for all age-groups because it's something that children, teenagers, and adults would all potentially say. The statement, of course, is: "What could possibly go wrong?"
    Have you ever read a book filed under the "humor" genre? What is it? Is there a particular factor in it (perhaps one of the ones listed above?) that is the chief funniness factor?

Psalm 105:1

 

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples."

Psalm 105:1 (NKJ)

 

    In other words: praise the Lord, rely on Him, and talk about Him to other people.
    All are vital and wonderful things . . . though the last one can be really difficult sometimes, can't it? Talking to people about Jesus, telling them that God loves them. Risking being rejected and annoying the person you're trying to help.
    But speaking out is specifically what God has told us to do. And even if someone rejects God's word initially, it doesn't mean s/he won't be open to it later and remember the message they first heard.
    Being shy can make talking to people difficult, especially about such an important topic. But the Lord is with us; it's His Holy Spirit who gives us the words to say; and even if people reject us, He won't. He will give us the strength, faith, and the words we need to say just the right thing.
    Hope you have a wonderful week! :)