“A Year from Now You May Wish You Had Started Today” -Karen Lamb

Hey internet,

Sorry I’ve been gone for a while. I had to move back home, I know, I know. Sounds sad, but I need to do it, so I can afford to go back to school. I’ve also been slacking in writing, which kills me, because I don’t want to stop the roll we were on. So, I’m getting back into the groove of things as soon as I can, Fam Jam has been wanting me to spend time with them the past few days, but I’ve been brainstorming where I need to go with the story. Where it’s going to end up. All the while putting a bedroom and a living area together with the few pieces of furniture I own. I really need to get a couch or something. Maybe a nice armchair.

This is something I’ve needed to do for a long time. books have been my life, and I feel that I need to give back to everything that has opened my mind to what has brought me to where I am today. It’s going to be a long process, I know there will be times that I can’t or I don’t want to tell this story. But, I will always come back to it. Knowing, one year from now I’ll wish I had started today.

Thanks for reading.

Eric

A creative way to brainstorm and generate ideas!

Sometimes I get the urge to write so bad I will grab a pen and a notebook and curl up on the couch and just stare at my blank white page. I pretend I have magical powers in my eyes that will just summon words to the paper. The urge and want to write is there, but the words and ideas won’t flow freely. This becomes a problem. Here are some ways I counter that:

Music: Listening to music is probably my favorite way to brainstorm. I use this particular method I like to call “Sound-tracking”. I listen to a song and ask myself this question: If this song was playing in a movie or show, what would the scene be like? I can listen to the words and the sounds and I am able to almost see in my mind a scene unfolding. Music helps me get into certain moods as well. 

Watching Boring TV: OK, so Planet Earth ISN’T that boring. It is really educational and the scenery is beautiful. Some of the best ideas can come from taking something that is a fact in our world and adjusting it to fit your world. I have sat there before watching TV, shows like Planet Earth, 1000 ways to die or even sitcoms, taking notes on a small pad or book. Looking back on them when I need to brainstorm or get an idea really helps me out.

Read a Book:  Reading has always been one of the best ways to get ideas. I don’t consider it stealing so much as doing research. You writing a novel about Vampires? Read both sides of the Vampire coin, Get an Anne Rice book and that one about the girly Vampires that sparkle. Read the books that look and sound really cheesy. Don’t just read the BEST book for the genre, read the mediocre, the boring, and the bad as well. You can learn what works, what doesn’t, and even improve current facts and myths.

Look at Pictures:  A picture is worth a thousand words. You can stare at a picture and just let your mind wander about it. Look at the picture and write down as many questions as you can. Like this, Why was this picture taken/painted/drawn? Who is that person/thing? Why are the doing this/that? What IS that? Why is the sky green instead of blue? Once you have your questions, take a moment and answer them yourself making it up as you go along. You have just started brainstorming! See how far you can take it from there! 

Hope this helps you the way it has helped me!

Love,

Ness

 

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, chapter 2 has been done for a day or so. Eric and I had a very productive meeting over the chapter and what is to become of our book. We really have our differences in thoughts and ideas, we can go back and forth a million times until we do have that same singular agreement and thoughts. Once we get on the same path of agreement, we find it easier to branch out from there. We have been MIA from the blog scene for a bit so I’d thought I’d stop by and say hello.

I am sure you noticed our lack of posts. We kind of hit a bit of a writing rut and have been dealing with real life problems outside of our fantasy nerd world. Hopefully getting back on track will be easily done. We are two chapters in and excited and anxious to finish our first collaborative masterpiece. Even if just one person reads our story, it will be an amazing experience for us.

On a side note, I am a Bronze League player in League of Legends. I cannot get out of bronze no matter how hard I try, how good I am, it never fails that I am matched up with people who throw the game because “my mom hit the router” “GG they got first blood AFK in base” “OMG ::insert random laner here:: just took my kill, report them” .. I could go on about the plagued matches I have had. It really made me think that I should lay off the games until kids are back in school… Or have one of my friends carry me XD.

The most important thing I need to remember is NOT TO GIVE UP!! I told myself I will make it to silver league. I will keep trying! Just like with writing, when words will not come out – I will force them out. What comes out may be twisted, trashy, and worth nothing… but to me if I can make something come out it will jump start my creative energy again.  We will finish this book because we said we would. Even if the result is garbage – the lesson we learn will carry us into our next projects.

Love,

NessP.S. Eric is camping for the weekend, he most likely will get eaten by a bear or moose while taken a bathroom break, drunk, in the wilderness of Canada. We will all say a prayer for our lost fellow Nerd. Updates when this happens.

Nessa’s review of ‘The Last of Us’!

I have finally finished The Last of Us! It took a couple sleepless nights and many squeals of terror, but I did it. I only played on normal and I did not aim to 100% it. Regardless, I want everyone to know just how good the game is. So!  Brace yourselves for the noobish review I am about to lay on you.

For those unfamiliar with the game, The Last of Us is a PlayStation 3 game by Naughty Dog. It follows the story and adventure of a man named Joel and a girl named Ellie as they make a dangerous trek across a post-pandemic US.

“Tonight I’m gonna have myself a real good time I feel alive and the world it’s turning inside out Yeah!” ~Queen, Don’t Stop Me Now

When life gets the best of me and makes me mad or tries to bring me down, I find that music really helps me feel better. I haven’t been able to write much, had some issues come up, like my car not starting before I had to be at work. All the problems aside right now some good music and my story is pulling me out of a bad mood and into a great one.

Also, Last of Us is really a fantastic game!! I am so addicted to it. I am about 75% done. My boyfriend is right on my tail, we have to split the day up and play at separate times so we don’t ruin the game for each other. It makes me annoyed when I feel like I was super thorough and really combed through the place….then he plays the same level later and I see that I really missed a lot of crap. I will have to beat the game AGAIN to 100% it. The game is well worth a second play through though, so it won’t be that bad.

OK, back to the story, I hit a brief wall and this little post helped me clear my mind a bit. Thank you!!

Love,

Ness

P.S. Queen is still on, I am really rocking out.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”- Mark Twain

I am feeling pretty good today, a little over 2k words into the second chapter. I find that setting myself little writing goals helps me out tremendously. My goal is at the least 1,000 words a day. A chapter a week for us, maybe even two weeks. We don’t want to burn ourselves out or let our ideas get tired and cranky. We want to nurture it slowly, and raise it right. We started out with just a little idea, broke it down to characters, and now we are taking it chapter by chapter. Hell, I don’t even think we know our true ending yet.

Writing is easy once you have something to work with, it’s keeping track of all the ideas and twists that becomes a pain in the butt.

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” -Jack London

I sat last night listening to Nessa type away at chapter 2, sometimes clarifying why something happened in my story the way it did, or my thoughts on what will happen next. After she was finished writing we started getting on the subject of what was going to be happening in our story. I realized something. We were looking for the book to go two different ways to, not just end the story, but tell it. This was our first real clash as collaborating writers. This being said, we had worked side by side for years in World of Warcraft, as either guild officers, raiders, achievement hunters or near the end Co-leaders of our guild, this wasn’t the first time we had ideas that clashed. We both are passionate about what we think, regardless of what anyone else thinks of it. I was starting to think, after our disagreement, that this might be over before it started. That’s when I thought back to every other time we had ended up tell each other off, I gave it about an hour then messaged her to play League of Legends. We did, and we made a few seriously awesome comebacks. It was great!

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.” ― Orson Welles

Just stopping in for a quick post. I have a lot on my plate today. I have to squeeze in laundry, dishes, writing, cooking dinner, and playing Last of Us. I am hooked on that game. But seriously, who has time to do all that stuff and not get sidetracked?

Good thing I have a slow cooker – set it and forget it. I am still a novice at cooking but put a recipe in my hand and I become Betty Crocker. I can follow directions, I even love pictures. Tonight’s kitchen boss battle is: Lemon Chicken. I am the master (according to my boyfriend, Mike) of fried hot wings. So more chicken? Shouldn’t be too hard. My friend, Google, helped me find this recipe:

http://www.thecountrycook.net/2013/04/crock-pot-lemon-garlic-chicken.html

A beautifully and tasty looking little recipe. The pictures help you so you can follow along by picture, without even reading the text. I am really excited about this recipe. I will be assembling it shortly. My side dishes will be steamed broccoli and roasted garlic potatoes.

Food has always been a passion of mine. I love great tasting food and I will try anything that looks and smells like a piece of heaven. Now, I will eat my BLT and start some laundry and do the dishes while waiting patiently on dinner.

Love,

Ness
P.S. Our first chapter is done. I finished reading what Eric wrote last night. It is FANTASTIC. A strong start! Chapter 2, here I come!

The Liebster Award!!

Wow! The Liebster award! This post has been brewing for a couple of days. It has been a hell of a weekend and I am glad that I have a belly full of chicken and some headphones on because this is going be to one doozy of a post.

We are so happy on how this blog is flourishing. We would like to say that it isn’t is, but it really is. We just pour my thoughts onto the paper (Eric more forms words into imagery) and people click a little button and tell me they like it or give me feedback. For us, it is that simple. This is our first blog award and we are just happy that people like us. Thank you again, Plotting Bunnies (http://plottingbunnies.wordpress.com/), for nominating our humble little blog for this!

Without further interruption. The Liebster Award. For those of you not acquainted with my friend, Google, I would be happy to tell you more about it. The award is propelled by the powerful blog community and awarded to the blogs that are underrated and really great. The blogs must have less than 200 followers. You also get this adorable trophy to display proudly for everyone to see!

The award comes with a few rules, so listen closely people:

• List eleven random facts about yourself.

• Nominate eleven bloggers for the award.

• Let them know about the nomination.

• Ask eleven questions for the new award winners to answer.

• Answer the eleven questions you were asked when you were nominated.

So, If I have nominated you. Congrats! I love your blog. I hope this award inspires you the way it has Eric and I. We wish you all nothing but the best! Keep writing, because at least ONE person loves your blog and wants you to continue to write.

::cracks knuckles:: OK! We have some work to post here. I hope you all enjoy!

10 links for writers

10 links for writers.

These are some awesome links! I know I will be using them! Make sure you do too!

Thanks Jill London!

Eric