Story Parts

Hello! Happy Wednesday! Today I'm going to be telling you about what makes good beginnings middles and ends in a story.

Different people have different points on view on which of these are harder to write. I find endings hard, but that's just me.

Beginnings: Some people will stop reading a good book just because of a boring beginning. Of course, you can't start every story with a plot twist and a page turning battle. Please don't be one of those authors who spends four chapters with their character's doing nothing! I have quit many stories this way, because nothing exciting seems to be happening. Yes, I understand that you need to describe your main character and start to develop them, but please don't take four chapter to do this! Your beginning needs to be strong, you need to pull your reader into your story right away to keep them reading. For example: In a far off land past lush rolling hills and tall mountains. Past the Camelot River, lived a girl. Please don't do this! Describe the land later, most people would prefer to go straight to the girl. For example: Sadie rushed up the stairs of her empty house to her bedroom where she threw herself on the bed as tears fell from her large brown eyes. Imminently your reader will want to know why Sadie's crying and they're hooked!

Middles: A story won't be good if it has a strong beginning and ending, but a weak middle. The middle can be the hardest to write, because coming up with plot twists can be difficult. The best stories have unexpected plot twists in the middle. Please don't do the secretly twin sisters/brothers plot that everyone does! Do something unexpected like maybe quickly mention that the secret agents life was so dangerous that she had to give her own child away, and maybe later introduce her long lost child as one of the main character's if you want to do something like that. All I can stay is shoot for the unexpected to keep the reader hooked!

Endings: Like I said before, endings are hard to write for me, so my tips will be limited. Always end strong. This is very hard for me to do, but please don't do the and they lived happily ever after type of ending! Please end strong especially for the last book in a series! This is all the advice I can give you for this one... My apologizes.

I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!

~Emily~

Quote of the week

Hello! I'm SO sorry for the lack of posts in the last couple of weeks. My swim season has finally come to an end, so now I have the time to start blogging again! Thanks for bearing with me!

Here is today's quote of the week! Please enjoy!

This is a great quote. It's not just talking about baseball in case you were wondering! It's talking about life! Never let your fears or your doughs keep you from doing something you love!

I actually have a real life example for this one. Just last Tuesday I was in a swim meet and I got disqualified in one of my races. I was already planning on swimming that race at our championship meet the coming Saturday and I began to worry that I would be disqualified on Saturday. When Saturday came I decided that I wasn't going to worry and that I was going to have fun! I did get disqualified again, but I had fun, and that's what counts!

Sunday Short Snippet!

Hello! I hoped you all enjoy my short story snippet last Sunday! Today I have part two! Please comment below if you enjoy it! I also take criticism!

          Then Father turned to Elaina as he did every night and asked her the same question he asked us all. “How was your day Elaina?”

            “It was great!” giggled Elaina. “I met the new family down the road and they have a girl my age! Her name is Sara!

          Father then turned toward Eric and he took a breath, but mother interrupted him.

            “Eric, was very disobedient today,” sighed mother. “I called him for supper four times before he came down.”

            “Eric,” began father. “You need to show your mother respect and come when she calls. “I expect better from a grown boy like you.”

            “Yes sir,” mumbled Eric.

          When it had been quiet for a few seconds, I began to speak, “Today I finished new clothes for Elaina, Elliot, and Hazel. I also went for a walk.”

          Father then turned to Elise and she spoke last. “I invited James over for dinner tomorrow. He wants to discuss wedding plans with you both.” I smiled. I really liked James he was a wonderful man for Elise.

          Then, Father began to speak. “Today,” he began, “I went over to Gandote today, the town right next to ours, and three more children have disappeared. That makes eight children in all. I just don’t know where they might’ve gone or who might’ve taken them. Also, Anne-Marie Riper has disappeared too!”

          I gasped. I knew Anne-Marie. She was eight years old and lived next door to, Hazel.

          Supper ended with some delicious blueberries that Eric and Elaina had picked that afternoon.

          After supper, all my siblings helped Mom clean up and then started their homework. Eric headed outside to practice with his bow and arrows. Elise was finished with school so she didn’t have homework.

          I climbed the stairs to the loft that Elise and I shared. Mother and Father slept in a room with a pullout bed for Eric and Elaina and Elliot slept in a crib. Next month when Elise would be married then Elaina would move up here with me.

          I slowly pulled on my night dress and then sat on the end of my bed running through my day in my head.

          After a few minutes, Elise had climbed up and got dressed for the night. She pulled out a hair brush and began to brush my hair. It was a soothing feeling and I enjoyed it very much.

            “Your hair is beautiful Erin, so long and dark I wish you could see it!” mumbled Elise.

          As her fingers gently began to braid my hair my thoughts flashed back to the day I became blind. I had been four years old. It was a warm summer day and Father was taking a break from chopping wood to drink some water. I had been a curious child and of course had wanted to see if I could chop wood like Father. I had almost reached the ax, when I tripped over my long dress. I had fallen onto the ax cutting right through my eyes and leaving a huge scar across my face. Then I just remember darkness and so much pain.

          I ran my fingers across my scar which I was sure was ugly, just as Elise gave a tug on my hair telling me that she was done. I thanked her and covered myself with a blanket and tried to sleep.

          After Elise had brushed and braided her own hair, she joined me in bed. Her cold feet touched my warm ones and I squealed.

            “Sorry,” giggled Elise.

            “Sure you are,” I accused.

            “Goodnight,” whispered Elise as I heard her blow out the candle.

          My thoughts rushed too little Anne-Marie. I had thought that my home town Allyin was safe, but apparently not.

 
This is officially the end the end of chapter one! I hope you enjoyed it!

The First Fun/Mystery Friday!

Sorry about the lack of Wednesday and Thursday blogging, but once again swimming took over.

And today the day you've all been waiting for... drum role please... it's Fun/Mystery Friday!!! YAY!!!
I will be giving you a sentence just one sentence and your job is to make a short story teaser from the sentence! Ready?

I always though that he was teasing, but as I felt the monsters breath on my face and it's teeth as they dug into my arm, I knew that his story had been more then a legend. 

Please comment below! I'm looking forward to hearing from you all!

 

Insperational Quote!

Hey everyone I came up with this one all by myself, but I'm pretty sure I've heard it before. If you enjoy this quote please comment below with what it means to you!

Happiness doesn't mean that life is perfect, it means that you've decided to look on the bright side.

Wow! I mean it is probably pretty obvious to you all that life is not perfect, but some people think that unless their life is perfect they can't not be happy. Even in your worst days there are SO many things to smile about. Look on the bright side and keep an eye out for the good things hidden in the bad things because everything happens for a reason. Then happiness will cover you and stomp out your anger, and sadness. I leave you with one instruction, keep your eyes open to the things around you. You pass so many amazing things everyday yet many people are so stuck to their troubles that they walk right by the small things that could put a smile on their faces.

Sunday Story Snippet

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of Fun/Mystery Friday, but I was VERY busy, so you'll just have to wait until next Friday to find out what it is. Mwhahahahahaha!!!! ;)

As promised on Sunday's I will be sharing a short story snippet from my story Dragon-Bound. I'm very excited to share this with you and I hope you all enjoy! Please comment below if you enjoyed!

Chapter 1

          I felt the cool breeze against my face and I knew that I should head inside. I slowly gathered my sewing and began the short walk home. The sun would be setting and it was almost time for dinner.

          I tripped over a tree root and fell probably getting dirt all over my dress.

            “Are you alright Erin?” questioned my neighbor.

            “Yes,” I growled. “Getting back to my feet and brushing the dirt off of my dress.” I continued walking being more careful this time.

          Everyone thought that I was helpless. Being blind didn’t make me helpless I wish I could shout that to the world sometimes.

          I had let the frustration bubble inside me for years. I knew that God had a plan for everything in my life even my being blind, but I felt helpless. Even my own mother sent me outside every day to sew saying that I needed the fresh air, but I knew that she just wanted me out of the way.

          Everyday children and adults passed by me and I could hear them whispering about poor blind Erin Clapton.

          I wished that the world could know that I hadn’t tried to be blind. All I want is to be like everyone else. I couldn’t even go to school like my best and only friend, Hazel.

          Just thinking about Hazel put a smile on my face. She is the only one who understands me. She understands what it’s like to be stared at all the time. She was born with one leg shorter than the other so she limps. Hazel always has a smile on her face. She is my eyes. She tells me about everything she sees. When we walk Hazel holds my hand and keeps me from stumbling.

          I almost tripped over my own front step, but I caught myself. I slowly opened the door and like every other day I was almost knocked over by my six year old sister Elaina.

            “Elaina!” scolded my older sister Elise who at eighteen, was only three years older than me. “How many times do I have to tell you to be careful you could hurt Erin.”

          My baby brother Elliot began to cry and Elise quickly forgot about Elaina and began to rock Elliot in her arms.

            “Hello Erin,” yelled Mother from the other side of the room. “Eric!” she called to my ten year old brother who was up in the loft, “I have already called you three times for supper! If you don’t come down now you will have no supper at all!”

          I sat down at the table and five seconds later I could feel the air as Eric rushed down the stairs and sat down beside me.

          Mother opened her mouth to scold Eric, but before she could the door opened and Father walked in.

          Elaina ran to give him a hug and we all greeted him.

          Father sat down just as mother put the last platter of food on the table. It smelled fantastic! I could smell potatoes meat and fresh cooked vegetables.

            “Let’s pray,” said Father softly as he folded his hands. “Father, thank you for all that you have given to us, and please bless my wonderful family and thank you for providing us with this wonderful food. Amen.”

            “Amen,” I echoed softly.

Writing Prompt!

Happy Thursday everyone! Thursday's will be a day where I give you all a fun writing prompt. Feel free to tell the pictures story in the comments or leave a link to your blog with the short story. I personally LOVE writing prompts, because they fill my mind with ideas and leaves me with a story to tell.

Tell this pictures story! Enjoy! I'm excited to see what you all come up with!

Getting to know your characters

Hello friends! As promised Wednesday's will be devoted to tips and suggestions to make you a better writer.

I'm sure you all know that the best authors are able to make their characters come alive, and "Jump" out of the pages. The best characters are the ones you care about, cry with, and laugh with. How do some authors do that? Well, it all starts with getting to know your characters. Let's begin!(Keep in mind, it would be good to write down the new facts you learn about your characters!)

First, you must decide if your hero will be a boy or a girl, that's easy enough :)

Next, you must think of a name. This can be a hard step for some writers, so here are two suggestions to make naming your character a little easier. You could just choose a name that you like, or you could search for a name by it's meaning. For example Andreya means brave, and then your character would have something to live up too.

Now that you've chosen a name, we'll go on to what your character looks like. Please be more specific then just brown hair and blue eyes. For example, Andreya might be about 4'8" with waist long sandy brown that has a small but noticeable wave in it and is always kept in a braid. She has eyes as blue as the ocean water that shine when she's happy. To be more specific in what your character looks like, you might want to add what your character wears, dresses? pants? jeans? Is your character a girly girl or a tom boy? Does your character have any noticeable scars or other unexplainable marks on their skin? How did they get them?

Next, we'll need to add the details that most writers never consider. To be an amazing writer, you need to know more about your characters then the reader will ever even know. Out-do yourself and include many details!

Let's go back to your characters life before their adventure begins. Do they have any major secrets or a shattered life? One day did their whole life change? Where does your character live? Describe their home and their neighborhood/city. Do they have a mother, a father, and siblings? What are they like? Do they have a favorite past time? Do they have a best friend?

Now, let's explore your character a little deeper. Is your hero emotional or do they hide their feelings? Does your hero have a temper, or do they struggle with stress or guilt from past problems? Does your character have any nervous habits such as cracking their fingers or biting their nails?





After your adventure take place, will your character have grown physically or spiritually? In what way?

There are many other questions you can ask yourself to understand your characters better, but this gives you a start. Another idea is to write a few short stories about major turns points in their lives so you can understand them and their emotions better.

I hope you enjoyed reading this and it challenged you to think more about your characters! Feel free to comment below with how this helped you discover more about your heroes!