The Writing World Tag

Can I just say a big Thank You to Life Lessons around the dinner table for tagging myself in this…I have absolutely enjoyed doing it, it’s really made me think! (I had SO much fun writing this up) Please see their questions and answers here:

https://lifelessonsaroundthedinnertable.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/the-writing-world-tag/

The Rules

• Thank the person that tagged you and link to their website
• Post the rules
• Answer your tagger’s questions
• Share your two favorite writing tips and where you got them from
• Share two random story/WIP ideas you’ve never shared before (It would be cool to include covers, but you don’t have to) (And also they don’t have to be ideas you’re ever going to turn into anything)
• But don’t spoil them for us 
• Tag five people
• Let the people you tag know that they have been tagged
• Ask five questions
• No, you can’t re-tag the person that tagged you

My Questions

• If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

JUST DO IT! Just start somewhere…DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT!

• What was an early experience where you learned that language has power?

My Grandmother is a Librarian, now retired. When we were younger we use to go and visit her a lot and got involved in a lot of the Libraries children programs. I definitely learnt the power of language there. The power of good story telling.

• What period of your life do you find you write about most often? (Childhood, adolescence, adult hood, young & golden years)

I write mostly, I think, YA mainly. I write more along, teenagers becoming young adults.

• What is the most difficult part of writing for you?

I just don’t believe in myself enough. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t want at least one writing of mine published. Then when I start writing and I feel like it’s silly. I think trying to compare myself to someone like JRR Tolkien does not help myself.

• What inspired you to start your blog? 

If you are a frequent reader of mine you will know that I started my Blog because of a school project. We had to write up about two different social media type platforms that we have never used before. I just enjoyed it so much I’ve just kept it up.

Share your two favorite writing tips and where you got them from.

• Do not write unless you want too! There is nothing worse than trying to make yourself write. If you’re not feeling it, it’s just not going to happen. This is just a personal tip. Sometimes I feel like (especially if I’m not doing anything) that I should be writing. I always find that I get nowhere and even if I manage to write something, I usually rewrite that bit later.

• If I’m having a bit of writers block I watch everything and listen to what I consider to be fantasy. I find that this motivates myself. Even if I don’t end up writing, I definitely come up with ideas.

Share two random story/WIP ideas you’ve never shared before (It would be cool to include covers, but you don’t have to) (And also they don’t have to be ideas you’re ever going to turn into anything) 

I have actually been kind of working on the two below, it’s be great if they’d turn into something…But we’ll see!

1. The first one I’ll let you know about is actually supposed to be like a television series. I was inspired by a role playing game I played years and years ago. I was a Sorceress, but we had elves and monsters and all sorts! I’ve been writing it like a cross over Lord of the Rings with the television series withX-Men Evolution. Of course though my character (the Sorceress with the pet Wolf) is the Rogue type character.
   I haven’t written anything for it for years though, but every now and then I’ll think of an episode idea.

   

   Picture Courtsey of: http://x-men.wikia.com/wiki/X-Men:_Evolution

2. The other was inspired by a computer game, but I’m writing a novel, that I used to play, also years ago, on a portable PlayStation portable hand player. That is now a huge game on the XBOX 1. It’s supposed to be kind of like I guess YA novel. I would love to publish it, but I don’t think I’m even half way through it.

Tag Five People – I will Tag five people, but if you want to do this one, please feel free!

1. Musings from a Tangled Mind
2. This is My Truth Now
3. From Private to Public
4. Where Words Daily Come Alive
5. On Dragonfly Wings with Buttercup Tea

My Questions to you:

1. What is the worst advice someone can give you when you’re in the middle of  writers block?
2. Do you have a writers “set up”. Similar to a reading nook. Please describe.
3. What (if anything) do you need to have around you to write?
4. Are you inspired by other authors/writers? If yes, who and why?
5. Writing wise, what is the most important lesson/s that you have learnt?

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Let’s change it up!

Usually on a Thursday I do Cee’s Photography “Share Your World” Unfortunately Cee has been having trouble with her internet. So she’s had to rehash the questions she used from last week for this week as well. You can find the questions here though, if you’d like to give them a go.

Which means that I am going with something a little different this Thursday instead. I’m trying to keep positive in these last couple of weeks of the year. What I’d like to so is write about 5 of my favourite things. I was trying to find one of those “Get to know me” type, but I just wasn’t “feeling them” if that makes senses? So let’s talk about things us happy, but also why they do.

I’d also like to talk and share about things that make us happy, that people may not see coming! Let’s get to know the world a little bit more. Let’s mix it up a little bit! Feel free to tag me if you decide to do this or just write in the comments! I want to make these last two weeks of the holidays so happy.

Well not *that* Mix…I love their songs though!

1. Favourite combination of foods: I LOVE…Absolutely love, especially and mainly only during Winter and before you ask or wonder, it is probably incredibly unhealthy (I don’t want to know) I love mixing two minute noodles (chicken flavoured of course) and mac’and cheese…It is SO yummy! Also full of the much comfort.
2. Your favourite YouTube Channel…If you don’t watch YouTube…What is your favourite television show?: Mine has changed over the years, obviously. At the moment though my favourite YouTube channel to watch is “Simon’s Cat”.
3. Your favourite movie right now: Right now it is Ferdinand…The Bull. I think because of my star sign (I’m a Taurus) I love Bulls. It’s just an adorable film and I would highly recommend it! Espeically over the holidays.
4.  What is your favourite song right now?: I am really into Celtic music right now. One of the songs that I have on repeat is by “The Celtic Woman” and it’s called (let’s see if I can write this right) Teir Abhaile Riu.
5. If you like to make food, what is your favourite food to make? If you don’t really making food, what is your favourite food?: There are these biscuits that I love to make. I always follow the recipes and then I make heaps of them and they all get eaten! Fudgy-wudgy chocolate cookies

Feel free to tag me if you decide to do this or just write in the comments! I want to make these last two weeks of the holidays so happy.

 

 

 

The Makeup Book Tag

I found this awesome tag on Hot Shot Headlines (and you should definitely check them out) and considering how little I wear makeup, I thought that this would be great!lol…I usually wear make up if I have a lot of “things” on my face and I want to cover them, or if I’m going out.

Primer – Pick a book that left a lasting impression on you.

Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park.

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Concealer – Pick a character you wish didn’t exist.

I don’t have a good answer for this one – I think most characters, if written well, should exist!

*While I agree with the above statement there is actually a character from a Jodi Picoult book, that I just don’t like. It’s also probably my least favourite Jodi Picoult and he is a big reason for that*. 

Nicholas from Harvesting the Heart – Jodi Picoult

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Foundation – A favourite first book in a series.

Clockwork Angel/Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.

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Powder – Pick your favourite last book in a series.

Clockwork Princess/Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.

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Eyebrows – Pick a book you think everyone should read.

Any ancient classical reading, for example, The Odyssey, Art of War, .

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Eye Shadow – Pick a book with your favourite colours on the front.

A Faery Guide by  – It probably sounds a little childish, I’ve had this book for years and the cover is just gorgeous.

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Eyeliner – Pick a dark and mysterious book.

I have a book I swear! I have been trying to find it all weekend. It’s based on the premise on Andy Warhols “15 minute of Fame” and the lengths some people will go to get that fame and that kind of “being noticed”. 

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Mascara – Pick a long book.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien … It’s just one book, it’s not split up like LotR, those are long even so,lol

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Blush – Pick a book with a cringe-worthy romance.

I don’t really read romance  type books, I kind of find them all cringe-worth. 

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Highlighter – Pick a book that brightens your day.

Not really a “book” but whenever I read “Archie Comics” I enjoy them a lot. #TeamVeronica =P

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Lipstick – Your favourite book kiss.

As mentioned above one of my favourite series is Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, and one of the reasons for that is the love between Tessa Gray and Will. (I still hate the ending of that series though).

How a Book is Made Tag

(This tag was created by WritingMime over on YouTube. I am totally stealing this from The Orangutan Librarian Please check them out!)

1. Should you participate in National Novel Writing Month to create a book?

I have never participated in NaNo myself, but I have known a lot of others who have. I think that it could definitely help to inspire, but I don’t think people should pressure themselves to try and create the next “Harry Potter”. It should be a good start though!

2. Self-publishing or traditional publishing?

I would always want to try traditional publishing first, but I can totally see why someone would want to self-publish. When I think of someone like JK Rowling and how many times she got rejected. I could see why someone might turn to self-publishing.

3. Write one idea at a time or write all the ideas at once?

I have this “habit” where I’m trying to focus on something, but then I might see something out of the corner of my eye and get distracted. What I try to do now though is send a text to myself, or write a note somewhere and come back to it later…If I remember! If I want to focus on different parts of a story I’m writing, for example, having two ideas at once for two different chapters. I will try my best to write bits and parts at the same time for each section. Even if it’s just a sentence here or there, something that when I came back to it later, I’ll remember what I was writing.

4. What genre is the easiest to write?

Well I haven’t tried writing for ALL genres, but I would suspect it’d be the genre that you enjoy writing the most. For me, it’s Fantasy. I can’t draw what I see in my head, so I write instead. I love to read crime, but I would be really bad at writing for it. I’m secure enough to admit that I am not nearly clever to write in some twist at the end.

5. Where do you need to write to get the work done?

I could write pretty much anywhere. It’s more about my mind space.

6. Where do you find your inspiration?

Like the Orangutan Librarian I can find my inspiration everywhere! Bad, Sad, Mad, Happy, Wonderful, Bright. I do have a set playlist on YouTube though, it usually helps me to stay focus on my writing. All nice and inspirational music. Mainly Celtic.

7. What age do you start writing?

You can start at any age, once you’ve started to learn to write of course.

8. What’s easiest to write? Short stories, stand-alones, series, etc.

Personally I find it easier to write novels. I have tried writing short stories but my imagination takes over and I end up writing longer stories and longer descriptions and the story just tends to keep growing.

9. Do you mill your books or take years to write a book?

I am still writing all my books, none of them are done. I am actually thinking of continuing on with a “tv script” that I started years ago when I started role playing online…via AOL…So long ago!

10. How fast can you type?

Very! When I think about it I get a really bad accuracy score, when I just do it I get a good score,lol.

11. Do you write in the dark or in the light?

I write whenever I can, or when inspiration hits and I have access to write.

12. Hand-written or typed?

I am usually a typer, sometimes though I write down things and then type them up later, but usually I’m a typer.

13. Alone or with someone else?

I am assuming about this is in reference to writing books etc. I like to write alone, I find I spend most of the time to trying to negotiate what should or shouldn’t be written in. It’s too constrictive.

14. Any typing hacks?

Nope

15. Are you already published?

No, hehe…As I’ve written above (see Question 9) I haven’t even finished writing a book yet. I would love to be though…If could finish it off!

16. When did you first consider being an author?

I have been writing for years. I can’t even remember what really made me consider it. I grew up around Libraries, so I guess it kind of just started there? I never really went “this is it”…If that makes sense? The writing has just kind of happened.

17. How many books do you have in draft form?

All of them I guess? I have one major one going and the rest are in total beginning stages. Idea forms.

18. Do you outline or no?

19. What’s your favourite note-keeping strategy?

I actually text myself a lot, I find it handy when I am out and about. When I’m at home I do it even then. I also have Word documents with notes, explaining character relationships to each other, mainly so I don’t get myself confused.

 

20. What do you think about writing in different genres?

I have no problem with it, I just don’t think that I would very good at writing in different genres. I mainly, actually pretty much all of my writing is in Fantasy.

I tag:

Anyone else who wishes to do this!

So, let’s chat

So, lets chat some time, over coffee maybe?

(No really, let’s chat some time)

*Please feel free to do this!*

As my Blog is expanding, it occurred to me that not too many of my readers know that much about myself. So I have found some questions, ones that I think are a good lucky top 7, so that you can get to know me a little better.

1. Are you named after anyone?

I am! I am named after the Hollywood Golden Age actress “Lauren Bacall“

2. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Honestly, the first thing I notice is their hair or what they may be wearing. It depends what stands out more at the time. I have noticed an increase in people getting crazy and more creative with the colour that runs through their hair and sometimes it can be with amazing results!

3. When was the last time you cried?

I have cried several times over the last week, but before that it honestly has been such a long time since I cried. I have a major frustration going on right now and it is affecting everything else in my life, but I have no control over it. I have been getting considerably less hours at work, which then, if I’m not getting paid, affects lots of other things. What’s making me the angriest is that it is clear “favourites” are being played in the situation here. It’s affecting my confidence badly as well. It upsets me because I work my butt off.

4. What’s your favourite cereal?

I don’t actually eat a lot of cereal for breakfast. I don’t usually have breakfast, other than a cup of coffee (I know, it’s bad!) Sometimes I will make myself a smoothie! If I do have cereal in my cupboards though it’s usually because I eat it throughout the day, kind of like a snack.

5. Can you cook?

I can, but it’s like my situation at work…No one believes in me. I can definitely cook though and every now and then I’ll get creative and experiment. I’m just not that “into” cooking. My major problem is everyone around me doesn’t like how slow I am, and like to point out every time I do something wrong. It definitely doesn’t help. Other people will literally will just grab whatever is in my hand and take over…But then tell me I don’t know how to cook.

6. How do you want people to feel when they read your words?

I hope when people read my words a sense of joy and hope. Even if my post is not a positive one. I believe every day we learn a new lesson, not just learn something new, but also a new lesson. Even if it’s something really small.

7. What does the meaning of this life, mean to you?

To me the meaning of life is to have as happy one as you, no matter the circumstances. Every body on this planet has a different story to tell. We’re kind of like snowflakes really, no two are the same.

*Please feel free to do this!*