Hello World - Wanna Know What's Going On?

Hello fellow Writing Wonders! It's been awhile!

I've been quite busy, so haven't been posting as much. But here's some updates as to what is coming soon. I'm super excited!

• Getting caught up with the A to Z Challenge. I am VERY far behind, but I will make it happen - promise.
• Voting for the Name My Owl Contest has begun! If you haven't voted yet, go vote now!
• Interviews with some very amazing people
• Daniel Gansle - author of 2012: Day of Reckoning
• Emilia Plater - fellow 17 year old novelist with Autochromatic on the way
• Amanda Leduc - author of Instructions for an Inexperienced Love
• Bethany Huang - 11 year old author of The Eiffel Tower Daughter
• and more!
• Blog Tour Hosting - Reviews and Possible Interviews
• In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long
• Bridges: A Tale of Niagara by dk LeVick
• My Kickstarter ends THIS SATURDAY! I am really excited and anxious for this to come through, and I'm working hard up to the end to make this happen! If you haven't already pledged yet, please go pledge today. Right now! And spread the word if possible. You know when you really really want something that defies all odds and seems impossible, but you can't resist trying and wishing and hoping and praying and working your butt off to get there? This is my necessity and life right now. PLEASE help me make it become a reality. I don't ask for much, but this, I truly need some assistance on! If you need the link again, you may find it here.
• I've started my new novel! And I adore it. I will be posting details all about it soon! (:

That's all I can think of at the moment. I shall return with amazing content soon!

Have a WONDERFUL day! (:

Tweet

Writing Prompt: Not JUST a Bug

Write from the perspective of a bug: ladybug, butterfly, spider, ant, bumblebee... bug of your choice. What are the daily hassles he/she has to deal with? What is his/her epic quest? What brings him/her the most joy?

This prompt is designed to get you writing in a unique perspective, rather than the typical first person human being we deal with every day. This also presents a challenge, because if you're anything like me, you'll shoo bugs away, smash them with the corner of your shoe, or run away in fear, depending on what bug it is. In order to write a successful story, we have to care about your main character, which in this instance, is a creature most people despise. How will you get us to love it?

Get creative and passionate about the little tiny insects we flick away with the whip of a hand, and write this story of a special bug, one who is more than JUST  a bug, right now.

Tweet

I Want YOU For an Interview!

I is for Interview

That's right. I said YOU! I want YOU for an interview!

Requirements:

• love to write
• have a work-in-progress of sorts
• any age
• published - traditionally, online, self, contests etc. - or not; maybe you're just hoping that you will be!

Basically, you are/want-to-be/an-aspiring writer. Other than that, it's any one's game. Help me discover who you are and declare you as a Writing Wonder to the world! I found some awesome people on my "Hello" post, so now, let's take it a step further.

Comment below or email rachelgiesel @ hotmail [dot] com to sign up! I'd love to have you!

Tweet

Hello!

H is for Hello!

Hello! Hey! Hi! What's up! Guten Tag! Hallo! Hola! Aloha! Bonjour!

Hello everyone! I'm seeming to have new visitors and followers lately, so today is the day of welcoming you!

I would love to get to know you all a lot better. So I'm saying hello, introducing myself, and YOU better do the same.

I'm Rachel - I'm a writer, editor, author, aspiring novelist, and I'm seventeen. I like yoga and Diet Coke. I'm an avid reader. You may find the long version here.

Fun facts include - I have lived in the same house my whole entire life. I'm terrified of doctors and dentists. My favorite animals are cats, horses, giraffes, and dolphins. I like mismatched socks as long as they have a theme, such as a red sock with one cat and a black sock with multiple cats. I don't know where I'm going to college yet, and I have less than a month to decide. I really want to go to Mexico or Hawaii, right now.

My goals are - ambitious and crazy. But I love striving to reach places I've never been. I recently posted about my goals for the month but I also have this list of 101 goals I want to accomplish in 1001 days. This started March 1 of this year, and will end November 27, 2013. I know it's insane, but it's entertaining. And perhaps more attainable than just a new year's resolution. Ah, well, we'll see!

What about you? Introduce yourself and give me some fun facts! Let's be friends! (:

Tweet

G is for Ghosts

G is for Ghosts

I'm a believer in the after life. I'm a believer in souls and spirits. I'm a believer in ghosts. Despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence to prove this, I still believe.

I'm a sucker for all the pictures that claim to have captured ghosts on camera. I even believe I've captured orbs on camera. Yeah, they were faint and I had to play with the coloring to see them, but they were there.

 {Geez, I'm going through and trying to find the best picture for you and I'm finding stuff I hadn't even noticed before! Now I'm finding insane things in these pictures and I'm getting all worked up and excited...}

Observe. This is one is the easiest to see because the orbs are well rounded. It's also clear and not just smokey looking.

This picture was taken July 27, 2010 while on a ghost tour in Key West, Florida. The little blueish whitish circles are the orbs, which is a collection of energy. Basically a ghost in an small concentrated form instead of appearing physical. This happens if their energy isn't strong enough or they don't have a purpose to be in an apparant physical form.The only editing I did to this picture was brightening shadows because I didn't use a flash. Promise.

Okay, you got me. I'm a ghost-loving nerd. But I can't help it!

Do you believe?

Tweet

F is for Flowers

F is for Flowers

The dull monotone of winter is beginning to fade into spring brightness. The colors are pale and innocent now, but I wait patiently for the green buds to explode into majestic colors. I long for the creamy white petals to pop from the trees. Daffodils are already springing up from their slumber. The sun is growing warmer. I realize how much I missed the feeling of tickling my bare feet in soft grass hairs. The clash of clouds signals an approaching thunderstorm. I can't get enough of the smell of rain, the breeze caressing my cheek. Bunnies frolic across my driveway. I've seen a single bumble bee, and surprisingly, I like him. {I've also seen a spider, but I REALLY don't like him.}

And waking up to the birds' melody brings me warmth and pure joy.

Tweet

E is for Eminem

E is for Eminem

So, I was toying with so many ideas for today's "E" post. E is such an Easy letter! But I decided on Eminem because I've been meaning to mention these thoughts for some time now - and hopefully my post will be different than everybody else's!

Eminem is a genius. Music and literary industry. End of discussion.

And I'm not the only one who thinks this! Check out The Eminem Guide to Becoming a Writing and Marketing Machine to see how he can help you with your writing! Can't beat that.

Aside from being a music phenomenon, he is also well versed in the literary realm. Take apart any of his songs and you'll see what I mean. His words are delicately phrased to compose lyrical rhymes. They elicit an emotional response within listeners allowing them to feel such strong energy from him. He's powerful, relatable, amazing.



This isn't to say that he doesn't curse excessively or reference dark situations. Yet, his tone and message behind it are what makes it successful. He has such a strong and definite personality that it carries through beautifully. He is able to help people understand these sorrows through three minute songs.

One thing that gives listeners comfort and understanding is the stories his lyrics create. Eminem tells stories of loss, loss and growth. His brutal honesty is what may frighten potential listeners away, but the harsh reality that his words and correlating emotions display is what makes him so strong.

Rapping about having the most expensive car on the block or being decorated in diamonds has become cliched in the industry. Eminem hasn't bragged about these things, even though he could. He raps about life. And that's how it should be. That's what I love.

As a writer, you can learn much from him. By using his practices of honesty, clarity, and specific wording, your pieces will become much tighter and much more powerful. The biggest lesson to be taken from Eminem is to make every word count in a short amount of time.

Another quick fact of the day about Eminem: His name is practically the only rapper's name that makes any sense. If you sound "Eminem" out, it's "M n M." But this isn't referencing the candy. Eminem's real name is Marshall Mathers, m [and] m. It's his initials spelled in a unique way. How creative is that? I would have never guessed... 

 And a special surprise:

I am NOT at all a poet. I never have been, and I doubt I ever will be. I like stories. But it's National Poetry Month and what not, so I think I shall be a little spirited and share a poem with you.

For my creative writing class a few months ago, we had to write a few poems. The prompt of one of them was to take a character, real or imaginary, and write a poem from their perspective. I chose Eminem, because I am so very fond of him.

I included lyrics from three of his songs, "Beautiful," "Superman," and "No Love," and interweaved them with my own words of how he could potentially feel. I believe Eminem strives to be a real person with an honest attitude rather than a "know-it-all."

Disclaimer: This may or may not be how Eminem feels. This is my ATTEMPT at poetry. I know it's not great, I'm not claiming it is.

Here it goes:

Eminem

“I’m alive again,

More alive than I have been in

my whole entire life

I can

See these people’s ears perk up

As I begin”

They look up to me

And what do they see?

A hope of guidance

An idol

But I’m not liable

I’m “just plain old Marshall”

I’ve been walkin’ through the gates of

hell

Locked in my own mental cell

Wonderin’ if this song will even sell

But I’m really just a person

I don’t know why you think that

“I’m here to rescue you,”

Cause that ain’t true

Everybody’s gotta have their own life plan

And “I can’t be your superman”

You can’t be mine, and that’s just fine

I’m not any different from you

“I guess we would have to

Walk a mile in each other’s shoes

at least

What size you wear? I wear 10s

Let’s see if you can fit your feet”

About the A to Z Challenge: A challenge to write 26 blog posts in 26 days using all 26 letters of the alphabet. This accounts for every day of the month of April excluding Sundays. It's designed to encourage blogging, increase blog posting, and create friendships with fellow bloggers. Begins April 1st and ends April 30th. Join the friendly community of bloggers attempting this challenge, today!

Tweet

D is for Dare to Draft

D is for Dare to Draft

You might classify me as a perfectionist when trying to write my novel, which sounds potentially good, as then the story would turn out amazing! But put bluntly, it's not.

Sometimes I feel fearful of starting that first draft. I become become afraid of imperfection. I am terrified of finishing, feeling successful, but hating my story. Or maybe I adore it, but it others don't think it has the potential that I see in it. This has happened. And this will continue to happen. 

And that's okay. A draft is a draft. It's meant for mess-ups and terrible writing peppered with cliches. It's supposed to have plot holes and way too many adverbs. Anne Lamott calls it in her book Bird by Bird, a "shitty first draft." You need the "shit" because without it you'll never be able to find it's true beauty.

Tweet

C is for Character Confessions

C is for Character Confession

One of the most important aspects of a successful story is a strong character that readers adore. Think about your favorite characters in books. They're heroic, relatable, and full of life. Readers love these characters because they come alive on the page and live their OWN life in their OWN world.

Check out The 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900, and see if your favorite made the list.

When writing a novel, and even when writing a story, you have to allow your characters to live on their own. They have to be lovable and relatable. And even the villains must provoke that love-to-hate feeling within readers.

One of the best techniques to bring your characters to life is to get them to confess.

If you treat your characters like they exist without the necessity of your fingertips and imagination, it will be easier for them to live on their own. If you confront them, they'll be willing to spill their innermost thoughts, secrets, pains, and desires.

So try confronting your characters? Start out small, asking simple, easy questions such as, "Tell me about yourself," just to establish the comfort zone. Then move forward to asking stronger points, such as "What is your biggest fear?" and "What do you want the most?" Don't restrict the answers you receive, as you can always include/ignore the points that you choose. But during this exercise, use open and free communication to get your characters to reveal the most information possible in the time that you are given.

Good luck! And let me know how it goes! I will be applying this technique today too in order to get a confession from my main character!


About the A to Z Challenge: A challenge to write 26 blog posts in 26 days using all 26 letters of the alphabet. This accounts for every day of the month of April excluding Sundays. It's designed to encourage blogging, increase blog posting, and create friendships with fellow bloggers. Begins April 1st and ends April 30th. Join the friendly community of bloggers attempting this challenge, today!

Tweet

Being, Breathing, Believing the Life of a Writer

 

Today's Letter is B!

B is for Being, Breathing, Believing - the Life of a Writer.

What makes a writer? What are the rules of a writer, and the rules for those that admire a writer? What does being a writer mean to you? I found some great articles of writers describing their writing characteristics, and I made my own list. But the final question is, what is your definition?

Tweet

A is for April Anticipation

It's April 1st. April is the month of decisions, the month of growing up, the month of planning for new exciting and courageous events. April is the month of Anticipation.

This month alone, is a giant stepping stone for my future. The amount of value it holds will spring me from the depths of murky beginning waters to dry land of accomplishment. After this month, I'll be ready to take on the future, and even begin to see a bit of where I'm going.

Hopefully I'll be going somewhere wonderful.

Tweet