Sunflower Blog Tag

I was tagged by Ryebrynn with the Sunflower Blogger tag.  Here we go.

Rules -

1.  Share 11 facts about yourself

2. Answer the 11 questions set by your nomination blogger- Nominate 11 bloggers

3.  Set questions for the nominated bloggers. 

1.  My major writing projects since I began serious writing - my first writing project ended in 45,000 words, my second, 20,000, my third, 60,000, my third, 10,000, my fourth, 10,000, my fifth I'm still writing.

2.  I write incredibly slow. D:

3.  I have dirty blonde hair.

4.  I'm an anachronist.

5.  I have an invisible mustache (according to some people).

6.  I have grey-blue eyes.

7.  I'm not a "Grammar Nazi," and I believe it's impossible to be one.  Nazis were the guys who put people in showers and then gassed them.

8.  I'm a sucker for sad books.

9.  I can't think of another one.

10.  I don't watch Doctor Who.

1. What are you currently reading?

The Bronze Bow.

2. What book coming out soon are you most excited about?

Golden Daughter.

3. Do you like Mountain Dew(if you don't, I'll still forgive you... maybe :P)

Course! :D

4. Who is your favorite author?

Maybe C.S. Lewis.

5. What is your favorite series?

The Chronicles of Narnia?  The Lord of the Rings?

6. What is your favorite stand-alone novel?

The Hobbit.

7. Do you like cats?

Sure.

8. What is your opinion of dogs?

They're good boys.

9. What is your favorite state(In America)\

Washington D.C.? :)

10. Spicy food or sweet food?

Spicy, all the way!

11. What is your favorite movie?

You can't separate the Lord of the Rings.

And now I'll tag -

MagicandWriting

Bluebelle

CrazyAndyMan

Ellron Silvertree (even though he doesn't have a blog)

Raptor Elytra

Hyperlinkzer

T. Granger

CNGoodhue
Dmitri Pendragon

Questions -

1.  If the exact opposite of you (personality wise) showed up, what would you do?

2.  What are your current writing projects (if you write)?

3.  Most depressing thing you can think of in an instant?

4.  Do you know a second language?

5.  Have you read the Count of Monte Cristo (unabridged)?

6.  Have you done the Sunflower Tag before?

7.  Eye color?

8.  Hair color?

9.  Do you want a different hair color/eye color?

10.  How are you? (this is not a rhetorical question. :P)

11.  How's your writing going?

- Robert

February 11th - The Day The Internet Revolts?

Today, February 11th, is the day the internet rises up and revolts.

If you haven't heard about it by now though, I guess the revolt didn't quite work.

Today is the day we - the internet - fight back.  Virtual protests rise up from all around the blogosphere and elsewhere.  Will the NSA hear us and comply with our demands against Mass Surveillance?

They better.

But we'll see.

(I figured I better post this for my duties to America - and finding something to post.)

Robert

Crazy Idea?

As it is with anyone in their trade, writers can relate to other writers.  Each would have different levels of experience and knowledge on all kinds of subjects.  And even without ever having met each other before, we share a connection because we've all gone through the struggles of writing.

And so, it makes sense for writers to gather and share knowledge and experience, right?  Even just to relax and talk.

And writing together, in one place, is also inspiring.  You can feel the power of creation all around you (although it's more of a subconscious feeling than anything else).  Your environment can mean the difference between 10 words a day and 10,000.

And why not?

Why not a place for writers to gather, to share, to talk, but mostly just to write?  It's a crazy idea (although potentially not the first idea of its kind), for a group of writers just to come and write in one room.  But it's also kind of empowering.  Together is always better than alone, right?

So just imagine.  A large central room of sofas, cushions, desks, beanbag chairs, etc.  Pictures line the walls, something to lighten up the walls but nothing distracting like a movie.  A speaker in the center plays music.  At one end of the room a smaller round room coffeehouse for writers taking a break to talk with others and have refreshments.  At another end of the larger room are a few smaller separate rooms, for those who would rather write in silence - these we can call the Art Rooms, or Exploration Rooms, for us to create in or draw in or just to sit in silence in.

It would be for a collection of writers to just be, well, writers.

Whaddya think?  Would you approve of a place like this, theoretically?  What would you like to see in a place like this?

Robert

Reading? What's that?

A lot of young writers read a lot.

And the simple truth is - I don't.

I used to read though.  I used to read all the time.  Virtually all the time, that is.  I read the first three books of the Inheritance Cycle, I read the Lord of the Rings, I read all of the Chronicles of Narnia books.  And then I reread them.

I used to read a lot.  But I don't anymore.  Last year I might have read ten books - and I was shooting for twenty-five.  This year (or really last - still can hardly comprehend it's 2014), I've read five at most.  Let's see if I can count them on one hand.

Prisoner of Zenda
The Cross and the Switchblade
Beyond the Cross and the Switchblade

One hand.  And that's with two fingers missing.  Am I just that lazy?  And next year I have to read twenty-five books for school.  Well, that's it for me.  I'm doomed (to borrow the colloquialism).

But why?

For one thing, my environment changed in the past three years like it never had before.

I discovered the internet. O_O (And in the process the key to the future generation of socializing - emoticons)  Which has turned out not only to be the bane of my reading time, but also my writing time, my social time, my school time, and my existence in general.  But not my thinking time, which of course is always the prime of life as a teen still trying to figure out whether the Affordable Care Act is a token of the Devil or a gift from God (after months a year of contemplation, I've discovered it's somewhere in the middle, leaning towards the former - it's a pie in the face from our government).

But this is a bit sidetracked.  Three years ago I lived in a much different environment.  One in which there was a couch.  A bookshelf.  And a fireplace.  And a library about twenty minutes away.

At the time though you must understand - this was not a cool place (actually, considering we had neither gas nor electric heat and only a fireplace, it was a cool place).  At the time I hated libraries - and yet I loved reading books.

Sound confusing?

Don't look at me.  I was the victim to that delusional state of mind.

So I read on that little couch.  And I read.  And I read.  And then we moved and I stopped reading.  About that time was when I starting writing, however.

So obviously there's a big shift in ideals during this time of my life.  I went from feeding of others' work - a consumer - to (trying) to create - a producer.

I went from living a normal life, to wanting to help others live normal lives (through books - though I was at the time still quite disillusioned, as I believed writing was for the sake of it.  As if!)

And so I can firmly come to this conclusion.  My shifting ideals actually affected my behavior subconsciously.  I don't, however, believe that I should remain this way.  Therefore, maybe 2014 will be a better year for me in terms of reading.  Maybe I shall return to those frolicking meadows (the ones I believed I was in on the stormy days of childhood).  And once again return to being that fat happy consumer.

Although I don't think choosing Alice in Wonderland was quite the book to start off with in my return to preexistence . . .

Adios and vaya con dios
Robert

Swearing in YA Fiction

I was reading a forum thread today.  It was the first page of a debate thread.  And being that it is a Christian forum, everyone on there agreed swearing is bad in YA fiction.

Is swearing bad, then?  Is it just inherently evil, or does it not really matter?  My immediate reaction might be something along the lines of "Well, it's what the writer means it as."

But is that true?  If I don't really mean what I say when I take God's name in vain, does that excuse me?

If they're empty words, why is there a taboo on them in Christian culture?  Do you see the point in holding up a meaningless tradition?

If they're just words, I may as well expand my vocabulary!  If I don't mean anything by them, how can they harm?

But do I really mean something?  Maybe, maybe not.  A lot of teens  (and adults) spout out words they might not even understand just for the sake of it.  But they're expressions, are they not?  For some, swearing is just another adjective.  For others, they say it in anger, surprise, or even happiness.  They're expressing their feelings.

So is expressing your feelings - even when you're using swear words - okay?  Here's a key point though.  I'm not using a swear word for basically no reason - I'm using it to express myself.  And so it does mean something to me . . .

Of course, it may just be a habit I got stuck onto.

So is swearing really bad?  The Bible says using God's name in vain is bad, but what about the other words?  The words that aren't using God's name in vain?  The f-word, the s-word?

We might find them vulgar, as Christians.  There's nothing wrong with that.  Our own beliefs should come out far stronger than what the world excepts.  Our beliefs should be more powerful to us individually.  Philippians 4:8 validates our shunning of those two words for us personally.

And so as a writer, it partially depends on what your own moral standard is.

But going back to this forum.  One member said:
"If you need a character to cuss:

1.  Make up swear phrases.
2.  Simply write "Billy cursed."

Do you agree with this?

I don't.  Why?  Because making up your own swear words is just a pathetic excuse to make yourself feel "unguilty".  I'm sorry, but I have to be blunt.  What's the difference between using the phrase: "Oh my god" and "By the King's beard."?

The king in the second phrase is referring to a god-like presence in whatever fantasy world writers may be writing in.  But there's no difference.  Using God's name in vain, only switching the official title?  Think about that a while.

Moving on to number two then.  I feel uncomfortable with this too.  If someone - maybe an impressionable young kid, reads that his hero curses, then by all means, that should mean he is allowed to do so too . . .

Even if original intentions are not so, indirect and even subconscious messages can be transmit through the page.  I know what "Billy" is saying.  And covering up the word with "Billy cursed" is only an excuse to hide what the character is saying.  Just write the word if that's what you're trying to say.

Or would you feel guilty . . . ?

I don't like swearing in my fiction - or anything that I read.  But what's the point of trying to hide it when I know it's there?

C.S. Lewis swore.  Or maybe he just used it in his books to give a more authentic feel to the characters.  Whatever the case, he didn't use it in the Chronicles of Narnia.  It's a family friendly series.  I have no wish to put profanity in children's stories - but covering it up with "he swore"?  There's no difference.

If a kid gets the wrong idea from a curse word, it's your responsibility.  You may not be able to fix it - but you could have prevented it.  It affects.  Words affect.

And that is why words are so powerful.  They can create emotion.  And they can create mistakes.  If you have swear words, even in foreign languages, show that it is wrong.

Show that swearing, no matter the random string of letters - but that the meaning of it - is wrong.

What's your opinion on swear words?  Are they inherently evil?  Do you not mind "he swore" so much?  What about other words?  Would you replace a swear word with "rats!"?  Also, what do you think about the words that mean different things in different places?  In America, bloody is an acceptable word.  In the United Kingdom and other British affiliated nations however, "bloody" is offensive.

Is masking what you mean by using other words acceptable?  Even if your meaning is the same?  For an evil character, this is sometimes a question you may be faced with, even just for the sake of authenticity.

And also, what - in your mind - is the difference between using God's name in vain, as in "Good God!" and exclamations of surprise or other emotions?

- R

Save Jonathan Park!

Jonathan Park is in trouble!

Jonathan Park is an awesome Christian radio drama.  But the series is in a crisis - because last year a business partner with the series folded, and with it seemingly went the hope of Jonathan Park ever returning to the 'waves.

But recently a new chance came up for the Roys - the family who created, wrote, and directed the series.  They were offered a chance to buy back the rights of Jonathan Park.  This could mean a lot.

But that chance to get back the full rights is costly.  And they don't just have the capital sitting around.  So Mr. Roy started a crowdfunding option.  100,000 dollars is a lofty goal - but who said anything is impossible with God on our side?

Jonathan Park is an invaluable endeavor.  The series aired all over.  And now they need our help to bring back Jonathan Park.

It's time to Save Jonathan Park!

The crowdfunding host is fundable - https://www.fundable.com/creation-works-of-california
But you can also just search for savejonathanpark.com and it will send you straight there.

Learn more about the Jonathan Park series here - http://www.jonathanpark.com/
And visit the group (lead by Mr. Roy and his wife) website who will be buying the rights - http://creationworks.net/

~Robert T

I Don't Have The Patience For Writing

What if I don't have the patience to write?

Patience for writing.  This is something I have been asked before.  Truth is, you don't need patience.

You don't need, even, devotion.  Even inspiration.  Just interest.

That's all.  If you're interested in writing, you can write a novel.  Now I can't promise you'll hit the New York Times bestseller's list, but if you want to write a novel, you can write a novel.  To make a career out of it, you need to have an intense devotion to it.

But if you just want to write as a hobby or for leisurely fun, you should have no problem with silly "patience".  And patience to write is also something you will learn over time if you do want to make a life out of writing.  All in time, of course (and a lot of patience!  Oh, wait . . .).

 But there's more to patience than just that, right?  Yes.

Determination.  Persistence.  You might not need the patience to write, but you need the determination.  If you don't have it, get it.  Force it on yourself.  Discipline yourself.  And if you want to write regularly, set up a schedule that you will follow.

If you want to consistently write every day, try the 100 for 100 on the Go Teen Writers website.  You write 100 words a day for 100 days.  And of course if you want to keep going that day, write more than a hundred words.  The point is not to get a lot done, but to get it done consistently.

If there is anything in writing you need more than anything else, it's determination.  This is all writing really is;

10% skill, 90% persistence idiocy.

An exaggeration, of course.  But the point is brought across.  And if you don't have the persistence, that's something you can train yourself to have.  Do writing challenges - and tell your friends you're doing them.  That will put some heavy-handed pressure on you to actually finish them.

In the end though, your determination will take energy out of you.  Writing is like a seesaw.  It's a give and take.  The more energy you put in it, the less you'll have to put into others things.  But of course there are the many rewards of writing it will give back to you.

Have any of you ever run out of patience with writing?  I know I certainly have.  How have you mastered this trial?  Brute determination or taking a rest, or both?

Robert T.