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Oliver Twist: A Lesson on Satisfying Endings+Meet the New Blog Mascot!
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Oliver Twist and Star Wars: A New Hope. Dickens’ classic, Oliver Twist, is a novel full of darkness and despair. But that evil is lessened by the hope found in little Oliver himself. No matter the tragedy, he maintains his sweet, hopeful innocence. Because of these incredibly dark themes, the ending needs to be bright and happy. Otherwise Dickens’ readers would be depressed for days. While I personally enjoy bittersweet endings the most, I was satisfied by the conclusion of Oliver Twist. How did Dickens pull off this “happily ever after” ending? The Good Guys Win As humans, we have God’s Law written on our…
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Taylor Writing Conference Recap!
Last weekend, my mom and I went to the Taylor University Professional Writing Conference again. We went last time and met DiAnn Mills! And as I usually do, here is a recap post (with pictures). (header image from last year) Day One We left on Friday right after an early breakfast. I drove the whole 3 hours there, including through the maze of construction. Before the first session began, Mom and I perused the book tables. While we were doing so, my friend from the last Taylor conference, Rebecca, found us. We had kept in touch and were excited to meet up again. That’s the second time this year I’ve…
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Writing is Really Hard (but also really fun)
When I was younger, I don’t know where I thought books came from. I remember being frustrated that the next book in a series wasn’t out yet and that I *gasp* had to wait. When I started writing, I was under the impression that real writers sit down at their computer with a cup of coffee, type up a couple chapters of perfect prose, and finish their book in a week or so. It all seemed so simple. I knew how to type. I knew how to construct sentences. I’d read a bunch of books. How hard could it be? Really, really hard. And if you, like me, have believed the…
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Plot Twist! A Writing Update
Good morning, friends! Just like a good book, life has unexpected turns and “plot twists.” And recently, I had one of my own. After much prayer and thought, I have decided to lay off working on Checkmate for a while. Let me explain why: When I first started writing CM, I had very little knowledge of writing. I was arrogant and rejected a lot of the advice that I received. I wanted to do it my way, so I did. They said don’t write fantasy for your first book. I wrote fantasy. They said don’t have more than one POV for your first book. I had four. They said outline,…
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Writer’s Jargon: A Basic Dictionary
When I first joined the writing community, I was pretty much clueless when it came to writer jargon. When people talked about MCs, word sprints, and ships, I just skipped over those posts until I finally got enough courage to ask what those words meant. Once I learned the terms, I started using them in my everyday conversations with my family. Then they had to ask me what they meant. 😅 So, I hope this quick guide will help you (whether you are a writer or not) to understand some of the slang us writers throw around. Character Arc—A super basic definition is the inner change a character goes…
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The YDubs Conference 2019
I still can’t believe that I actually got to go to the debut YDubs conference in North Carolina last week. It was a dream come true. (If you don’t know what YDubs is, go here to check it out! If I had to describe it in one word I’d say: SPLENDIFEROUS! Everything about it was so inspiring, encouraging, and uplifting. For the first two days there was nothing but laughter and smiles (and lots of hugs). The last day included more laughing, smiling, and hugging, but also some tears. But enough words, let’s have some pictures! Day One: June 11 It took us 8.5 hours to drive down. Thankfully I…
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English Sonnets and Baseball Games
My last semester of high school, I studied Shakespeare’s tragedies (Julius Caesar, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear) and various sonnets. One of my assignments was to write my own English sonnet. I was inspired by the Irish tune “The Foggy Dew.” It’s beautifully haunting and one of my favorite pieces to play on my flute. Midsummer’s day looked over war, And now the soft shadow of night doth fall Where long grass once rolled with heath of the moor. Now death’s gentle cry rings out a chill call. The haunting pipes long since ceased weeping, Éire’s bold colors no longer sway proud. And yet the fog comes quietly creeping…
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The Ultimate Writing Conference Guide: You’re Finally Here–What To Do At The Conference
You walk in the door of the conference and are instantly surrounded by the buzz of conversation and clusters of strangers with name tags. Oh boy. What was I thinking? I can’t do this thing. Maybe I should go back to the car. But you paid for it, so you decide to stick it out for the afternoon. Maybe you won’t come back tomorrow. Most writers are introverts. (I am!) Conferences are scary. There are a bunch of strangers and most of them seem to know each other, leaving you by yourself. Going to a writer’s conference gives you the chance to rebel against the stereotype. You get to…
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The Ultimate Guide To Writing Conferences: What To Pack–The Essential Tools You’ll Need at a Writing Conference
It’s time! The conference is almost upon you and it’s time to start packing. But you freeze, unsure of what to take. You certainly don’t want to forget anything. Here are some of the essentials: Backpack or other sturdy bag You’ll want a nice big bag to carry your papers and books around in at the conference. Take something that zips so you don’t dump your stuff all over the floor. Comfortable shoes Wear some shoes you don’t mind running in. (i.e. not high heels) You’ll often be cutting it close to get to sessions (particularly if they are in different buildings) and you don’t want to be…
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The Ultimate Guide to Writing Conferences: How To Prepare–What To Do Before You Go
Welcome back! Today we’re talking about preparing for a writing conference. If you missed last week’s post, you can find it here: How to pick a conference After you have picked the conference you wish to attend and registered, there are a few things you should do before you arrive. Conference Schedule Print off the conference schedule, which should be easily found on their website and/or social media. Then, take a highlighter and pick what sessions you want to attend. If you can’t make up your mind yet, don’t worry! Sometimes sessions are moved or canceled, making the choice easier for you. Looking over the schedule beforehand helps you…
