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| Hey northern part of SoCal-you okay over there? The earthquake map is getting crowded…. https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=24.84657,-124.27734&extent=4... |
| Does anyone know anything about SciFidea? It popped up as a sponsored link on profile. Just wondering what others know about the site? Thanks! |
| The following is my opinion only, and is based on people I know who have used it, and the reports in writing online sites. Science fiction version of Wattpad, essentially. You sign your work to them, and they can act "on your behalf". Are in the "potentially avoid" category of online writing sites. Not done enough to get a full-on "avoid" (like Wattpad is now considered), but getting there. They are just another site that promises money for views, but makes writers jump through hoops before they deliver. Yes, the odd person here or there gets rich and famous through Wattpad and DS, bit the vast majority do not. It is a form of self-publishing, there is no editorial oversight, there is just post and hope. I have not done it personally, but two people in one of my writers groups tried it out because of the sponsored advert on a Google search, and they regret it. |
| Almost a year ago, I moved from the big city to a wannabe city. I am not adjusting. People wonder why I love the city, with the constant crime, crazy people on the subway, and the insanity of trying to figure out how to actually save money when paying outrageous amounts for rent on an apartment barely 400 square feet. The answer? I miss old towering buildings, dark wooden paneling in old colonial bars, libraries built before the first world war. I am desperately in need of hidden hidey-holes designed with seating that looks like hideous random modern art meant for the passerby to sit and enjoy a moment of contemplation and people watching, and I miss exploring new neighborhoods and constantly changing neighborhoods that allow for new discoveries of those random hidey-holes. I never struggled to find inspiration in the city. I never struggled with feeling like I belonged. And here I am, a good job which actually happens to be a terrible match for me, and I can't even find a happy place I can cozy up and just create. Dear I say it, but even Barnes and Noble in this place feels flooded with the white lighting bouncing off even whiter walls. It isn't pleasant. Why am I so reliant on ambiance for inspiration? Is it because this place is lacking opportunities to experience culture and life? Am I city snob? Am I just a moody creative in need of a slap in the face? Am I just 1990's emo kid having a midlife crisis? Alas... I miss the city. And needed a place too vent. Thanks for reading.  |
| I'm just the opposite and felt the same way while living in a city. I could not find a place that inspired me, perhaps I was overwhelmed by everything. For me, exploring the woods, lakes, and nature, looking for a remote spot to relax and cozy up (especially with a fire crackling) is all that I longed for. |
| So, here's a Freundian moment for one to consider, if you should be so inclined... I "interviewed" my characters because I am feeling a bit stuck in plot development, and discovered one of them really hates me. Seriously, he is so angry at me for destroying his family just for the sake of plot, that he threatened to depart the story all together. Then I reminded him that even now, he is all in my head, which just pissed him off even more.... So... reach into your inner Freud and tell me: should I be proud that my character has "taken on a mind of his own," or worried that I can have a fully imagined conversation with my character, who so easily expresses his hatred towards me me for purposely making his tragic life a plot device? Or maybe a little bit of both with a side order for a mental health check??? |
| My characters do things all the time they're not supposed to. I had a couple, did their meet-cute, they fought a demon... and the male died. He sacrificed himself! He wasn't supposed to do that, because I had a sequel in mind. I like to say I do not tell stories - characters live in my mind and I simply tell their story. That's one of the reasons why I am a pantser. |
| Got a plot hole waiting to be filled if anyone is up for it! Due to a curse, the majority of the world is now living in an altered reality (think Once Upon a Time…but not so nice and much more complicated). You are related to the individual who performed the curse. You remember both realities and every day is a struggle to compartmentalize which history belongs to which reality. My plot hole: Why are you the only person who remembers both realities? |
Wow lynnichole! I love that plot! I am actually exploring the chaotic nature of the curse, but honestly, I think you got a great story going! For me, the individual who remembers both realities is the protagonist and a foil for the antagonist. But, would you write that story? Pretty please??  If you did, I would be happy to be the first reader/reviewer!!!   |
I can find inspiration in a picture, a word, an experience, and write a complete story. But, for some reason, when I am prompted to write about myself for something like a scholarship essay, I stare at a blank page and have absolutely nothing to say about myself... Every first sentence feels awkward and misplaced.  Any suggestions out there as to how to start an essay about one's self that will catch the reader's attention and encourage judges to keep reading? Just to emphasize my request, here is some incentive...  5000 GPs for the first 5 people to offer promising suggestions within the next 24 hours of writing.com time. (writing.com date: Tuesday, May 7).... Thank you! |
| No GPs necessary! I like talking about writing, so I should be giving you GPs! I hope some of this might be of help, though it's entirely likely that you know all of these things already. Writing about yourself is hard! I wrote a two-page statement of purpose for an exchange program several years back and it took weeks of panic and rewrites and brainstorming... and I was an experienced writing center tutor at the time and had plenty of support. Talking about yourself is awkward and terrifying; it shuts that desire to write right down. Don't be afraid to put on your fiction hat for a second. Pretend you're writing about a character if you have to, and don't be afraid to make the "moral" of your experiences a little more powerful than it felt. For example, tutoring a single student may not have been an epiphany for me that allowed me to "enhance my understanding of other cultures and enrich myself as a person." Maybe that development happened over several years, but for the sake of the essay, I might apply that particular epiphany to that particular moment, because it works well for the essay.  Brainstorming is a no-stress way to get ideas down. Open up Notepad or Wordpad and just word-vomit into a document. Ideas, experiences, fears, organization ideas... anything. It doesn't have to be grammatical or logical. Forget capitalization. Don't worry about spelling errors. This is just a disaster zone for ideas. It could be something like... "uh okay maybe start with that experience with the tornado when i was 11 then go into how it shaped me and made me who i am. USE STRONG WORDS only two pages start with clear topic sentences - what about that thing i did in college maybe it's a good example of leadership?? this place is all about community action so maybe i should--" Disclaimer: all of that is fiction. It may not work for you, but brainstorming is my go-to. Then I can pull any good bits from the noxious swamp of randomness and make a slightly more organized plan for my essay. Powerful verbs are good stuff. You facilitated something, an experience challenged and enriched you, this opportunity will equip you to do some important thing... and so on. These might be bad examples, but they're what I have off the top of my head!  Avoid passive voice and weak verbs (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been) when at all possible. |
 Some more random stuff: 1. Make sure to check for and observe topic requirements or length limits. 2. Make yourself stand out. What parts of yourself do you want to highlight? What makes you unique? Start with those. What things have you done that show the traits they're looking for? Use interesting examples from your experience, and clearly state how they make you an attractive candidate. Don't be afraid of straightforwardly stating any accomplishments. It may be tough, especially for writers who are more reserved, but in a scholarship essay, it's a good thing to sound confident! 3. Ugh, research. Knowing what things the place you're applying to values or what their requirements are for scholarship applicants may help in choosing what things you want to talk about. It doesn't hurt to show that you value the same things they do, and it'll come in handy when you make a strong closing statement, letting them know why you are a perfect fit. 4. Highlight and develop specific examples. And don't stop there! If you volunteered somewhere or had an experience of any sort that really developed you as a person or shows that you are a motivated self-starter (or whatever they're looking for!), give that a solid paragraph that starts with a topic sentence introducing your experience and goes on to describe in detail how it positively affected you and what you learned from it. It doesn't have to be a positive experience. We can learn plenty of good things and grow even from challenging or negative experiences. Every story should be interesting and have a clear purpose that connects it to some aspect of yourself that shows off your best sides. 5. Don't neglect the future! What will getting this scholarship enable you to do? How will you theoretically go on to do great things? Again, from experience, putting on the fiction hat for a second in this part doesn't hurt! It's hard talking about yourself, but it's sometimes even harder talking about the nebulous future! My favorite thing: Start with a story—a hook that draws readers right in and is closely related to your goal/the school/company/whatever. Segue from that story to why it's important. I'm not sure what you're applying to or if any of these suggestions work at all, but I wish you every success! |
| concrete_angel! This is wonderful advice and I very much appreciate it! Honestly, I have been struggling with the essay length requirements and the topic for about two months now (This type of OCD only seems to happen when writing about myself), that reading, "don't be afraid to make the 'moral' of your experiences a little more powerful than it felt." And, thinking about the future is actually helping me to brainstorm much more than I had before. The hook is still killing me though, but now that I have a vision of how I want to communicate my future goals after earning my masters, I have seed of an intro. And, I you have totally earned GPs. Please don't hesitate to chime in if you think of anything else! Thank you sooo much!  |
| Have you ever used Onyx Boox or Remarkable or any other form of digital e-writers? If so, would you recommend any specific model? I have been looking at them for awhile, but every time I go to purchase one, I stop because I can only find them on Amazon and I am hesitant to make such a big purchase without actually physically experiencing it for myself. I have watched tons of youtube reviews, but I figured I would see if the writing community has had any personal experience... Thanks! |
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