The Wizard of Oz Book Trailer

I take no credit for any of the photos. They all may be subject to copyright. Photo of house: © AHays

Haikus

Vote on which one you like best!

Rhymes by CB

It rolls off your tongue,
Tumbling over itself,
'Til it hits the ground.


Winter's Cold by CB

T'was a quite cold night,
Ne'er had I dreamed such a plight
Would befall me now.


Wind by CB

You never see it,
You cannot touch or hold it,
Yet, you know it's there.




Rain by CB

It falls from the sky,
Pounding the earth with its drops,
And soaking the land.


The Water Cycle by CB

The sun carries it,
The clouds will dispatch of it,
And all starts again.

Rain by CB

It falls from the sky like a drop of the sun,

It always falls, no intent of stopping, it ne'er slows,

It always insists on dropping, it stops for none

It does what it will, goes where it goes.

It touches thy skin like a silken wing,

Encasing thee in a heavenly trance,

Stopping thy worries, and numbing thy sting,

Making thee feel secure, even when relying just on chance.

Wetting thy face, drenching thy clothing.

Thou hast always bade that on another day, it come again.

Falling, falling, whilst the freezing wind is blowing.

Thou art found always peering at the sky, looking at the clouds, hoping for rain.

Questions From the Writers: Writer's Block

Subject: Dear CB, (I give my permission for this to be posted on Blogger)


Message: Dear CB,


I have a question about writing:


What do you do if you get writer's block? I was writing a story with a really great storyline, but then I just... I guess I just hit a bump... I couldn't concentrate or think of ANYTHING! It is really frustrating.


Please help,
Drawing A. Blank

Dear Drawing A. Blank,

This is quite frustrating. Even though it is so hard to get past, it is completely normal, and this is not the last time it will happen. It is quite normal for writers to 'hit a bump,' as you said. Some writers have a way of writing where they watch what is going on and write it down. (That is how I write) It is almost like watching a movie, in that you can pause and all, but you don't normally get writer's block. Not everyone writes like this, and that does not mean you 'write weird.'

The only thing that you can do to get past this is relax. It is normal to not be able to focus if you are writing to a deadline, or time limit. Even if you don't have much time left, you still need to relax. If you don't, you won't ever get past writer's block; At least, not soon. 

Sit back, close your eyes. Imagine you are watching a movie. Recap on everything that has happened in your story so far. Maybe see what else could happen because of something that just happened. Maybe Ted leaves, or Betty has to break up a fight, and both of those lead to the discovering of something. I don't know. 

But relax. Writer's block comes easily when you are under pressure. Maybe when writing a timed essay, or working on a report that is due the next morning. Just be careful not to fall asleep! 

I hope this helped a little. Good luck on your book! When you are finished, I would love to hear about it. 

Signed,

CB

Writing Workshop, Part 1: Character Development

  When writing a book, one must have a clear view of the main characters, and even the extra ones. You need to know what Ashley might say here, or what Ted might do in this situation. You have to sculpt a word sculpture of your character, so that, by the time the reader has finished the book, they will know exactly who they are, what they would do, when they would do it, and where they would say it. They need to have a clear view of their personality. The writer must write about a character as if they are right there in the room with them. For this workshop, we are learning the parts of character development.

  Lets say you are writing a book, and in the first paragraph it talks about a character (sometimes first paragraphs talk of a setting, or situation). Lets say it is the main character. What if her name is... Betty?

  So, you want Betty to be clear in the reader's mind's-eye, as well as yours. Here is a failed attempt at character introduction:

 Betty walked around her house. Betty was very friendly, and she had a lot of hair. She had brown eyes and big ears. Also, she was wearing overalls.


  See how the writer didn't capture your attention? When introducing a character, you need to be interesting, and tell a LITTLE about the character while intriguing the reader. Also, the writer did not give much detail as to the kind of person Betty is. Yes, she is friendly, but what else is she like? I am sure there are lots of friendly Betty's out there, but what sets apart OUR Betty? Also, you shouldn't rush into describing her face. Maybe slip in something later, like how she rubbed dirt out of her brown eyes, or gathered all of her hair into pigtails.
  Here is a better attempt at character introduction:


     Betty walked around her farmhouse, looking for her dog. 
  "Mel, where are you?" She walked to the sink and rinsed her face, washing off the dirt from her brown eyes. She couldn't find a towel, so she wiped her hands on her overalls.
  "Mel? Come here, girl!" She thought she saw a shimmer of blue on the ground outside the window. Betty walked outside and stepped carefully around cow pies over to where she thought she'd seen the blue puddle. It was still there. It seemed to Betty like some sort of gel. Betty crouched next to it and rubbed some around between her fingers. She brought her hand up to her nose and sniffed. It smelled like some sort of saliva from an animal. But what kind of animal had blue saliva? And why was that animal on the farm? 
  Suddenly, she heard a growl from behind her and saw a cow staring at her, making strange throat noises. Betty walked slowly up to it, gently examining its neck to see why it could be making those sounds. She  observed some sort of bugs all over it. They looked like giant mosquitos. Hundreds of these bugs were all over the poor cow. Suddenly it made a loud noise, and Betty saw it dripping blue saliva from its mouth.


  If you will notice, I took a bit longer to introduce Betty than the first time. I told you of her overalls, which means she was living on a farm. I told you of her eyes, and her friendliness. She called for her dog nicely, she was very nice to the cow, even though it was infected. (Spoiler alert! (: haha) I told you almost everything that I told you in the other try, but I presented it differently, and I intrigued some of the scifi lovers, too (eh? Eh?).
  If you are finding this helpful, why don't you make up a character and introduce them in the comments? I would love to see how you are doing, and what you might need to work on, though I am sure that you are an exquisite writer already. :D


  Next, when you are ready, introduce the bad guy, or antagonist (if there is one). Lets call him... Count Kerberos. Now, Count Kerberos is so evil, he deserves a good introduction. Lets find out if this first try is worthy of him:


  Count Kerberos paced around in his study. He was really mean, and didn't like nice people. He only wanted one thing in the world: To be evil. So he worked a lot to be evil, and take over the world! Nobody else wanted him to, but he was too scary for people to stop him!


  If you will notice, the author did the same thing as before: They rushed into describing things. And, what else is his personality? Yeah, he is the bad guy, he is mean, so what? What makes this bad guy different from all the others? Also, there are not enough description words, and there is incorrect usage of exclamation points. It sounds like the narrator is happy about it. 
  Maybe this try is worthy of him: 


  Counter Kerberos paced about his study. A henchman knocked on the door, and entered slowly.
  "My lord, we have won our third battle against the Other Side."
  "Yes, yes. But why? Why did they let us win so easily?" Kerberos  turned away and continued pacing.
  "Well, maybe they--"
  "Silence!" Kerberos drew his dagger and threw it at the henchman. The henchman squealed and closed the door. When Kerberos  turned back to the door, he saw that his dagger had sunk halfway into the wood.
  "Why would we win a battle against the Other Side? When they released the plague on our soldiers we were dwindling in numbers. During the battle, we had even less. How could we possibly have won? What were their motives? WHAT ARE THEY DOING?" He yelled. He took a deep breath, dearly hoping that the Other Side didn't have a plan, but he felt they did.
  "No matter," he said, seating himself in his chair, "It is merely a bump in my path to greatness. We will overcome it... Won't we?"


  See how I told you of the Other Side? What is it? I also showed you he was mean. He threw a dagger at his henchman! It sank halfway into the wood, so he must have meant to kill! His path to greatness... Could this have meant he wanted to rule? Probably. And I also got you interested but talking of the Other Side and its battle. What are they battling over? Maybe power, but is that all? I also showed you of  how Kerberos was unsure of himself and his armies. He wonders if they are really going to overcome this last blow to his army. 




  Now, since we have covered most of Character Development, lets take a quiz:


1. Give me a short fantasy, realistic fiction, or scifi example of introducing Ted as a friendly, but curious person.


2. Would you tell everything about a character int he first sentence?


3. Would you tell about a person being mean by saying they are mean?


4. If Nancy wanted to be a queen, how you you tell the readers in one sentence?


5. When you write, do you want to have a clearly painted picture in your mind's-eye, or the reader's?




Post your answers in the comments! Thank you for reading! I hope this writing workshop was helpful to you! In any of my writing posts, I welcome you to post some of your works in the comments. Be sure to embed a copyright-like something in the middle (to trick copy-and-pasters). If you have questions or comments, please, do comment in the comments, or "Send Me a Message" or email ItsBumpyBackHere@Gmail.com. If you have a question about writing, tell my specifically in the subject if you want it to be posted on Blogger. If you do not tell me to post it, it will not be posted or shared with anyone. 


Thank you!


~CB

How To Write a Book, Part 2: The Beginning and Part 1 of the Middle

THE BEGINNING

  Welcome back! If you have no earthly clue what this is, I suggest that you read How To Write a Book, Part 1: The Very Beginning by clicking Here, or just read on, if you don't mind starting in the very middle; My favorite way to read a book! Sometime, you will catch up, but reading the first part is a pretty good idea.
  Now that you have the very beginning down, and a seedling of an idea is starting to sprout, we can continue on to the next part: The beginning. This is different from the very beginning, in that it is carrying an idea, and you are actually starting the storyline. I, personally think that this is easier, because you have a bit of what you are going to write in your mind, and you have already started the character development.
  First, you might start a "Meanwhile" paragraph. For instance, if you remember the sample about Eva's brother who was going to America, this might be the "Meanwhile" paragraph:

  Evelyn McWheedon sat on her stoop. She was waiting. Not waiting for rain, or to see her father's carriage pull up, or even for the mail. She was waiting for a pigeon. She was sitting in agonizing anticipation for her pigeon, Adéle, to show up. Six weeks ago, Evelyn had sent her to France to carry a note to her friend, Amélie. Evelyin peered into the red and purple sky, thinking of all the terrible things that could have happened, when she saw a white speck in the distance. She craned her neck to see what it was as it flew erratically over her house, and it doubled back and landed, haphazardly, next to Evelyn. It was carrying a package. What in the world?... Evelyn thought as she untied the package. Adéle flew off to her perch in the chestnut tree. 
  What Evelyn unwrapped was amazing. Terrifying, but amazing none the less. Evelyn reached gingerly in and held up a brass ring, inset with a scarlet gem the size of her knuckle. When Evelyn held it up the light, she saw a flash of green in the gem. She could feel its power surging through her fingers.
  She saw another flash of green and a twig snapped behind her. She gasped and turned around. 
  "I wondered when you would see me," A woman was standing behind her.
  "Who--"
  "I am... Someone. Names don't matter right now." 
  "But, how--"
  "That ring you're holding? Yes, that is one of the most powerful artifacts on earth, and if you let it out of your sight, you will be guilty of putting existence in danger. Do you understand?" She didn't wait for Evelyn to answer before continuing. "Either you give it to me our you hold the biggest responsibility that has ever existed."
  Evelyn stood, and looked at the ring. 
  "Good," the woman said. "Now hand it to me."
  Evelyn put the ring in her pocket and stepped backwards a few steps. "Adéle!" She called, and a white streak shot out of the tree and hovered over her. Evelyn turned and ran. She had no idea why, but she knew that this woman was bad news.


  I apologize for droning on and on there, but I was on a roll! Anyway, you see how you mostly forgot about the first story? You were wound up in this one. The ropes of curiosity bound you to your seat, moving your eyes across the page. Or maybe not. Maybe fantasy isn't your style? That's okay, but if you did like it, that is what you want your readers to do: Like it. Be bound to their seats, reading, reading, can't stop, just has to finish one more chapter, only one more chapter. Even if that didn't happen to you on my sample, there will be readers with the same style of reading as you. Maybe it is science-fiction, fantasy, or realistic fiction, but that is what you want to happen. 
  Above, I demonstrated the three rules of writing: Engagement, Thinking, and Curiosity. Engagement by telling the reader what she was waiting for. I demonstrated a thinking at the end by saying the woman was bad news, whether evil or not, we don't know yet, so you thought about why Evelyn didn't like her. Lastly, I demonstrated curiosity. What is the ring? Why does the woman want it? Who is she? 
  You might not have done a second story, but, typically, there is a second something going on, and soon they may intertwined. Something to draw the readers attention away to something else.




THE MIDDLE: Part 1


  This is where you have your idea almost fully grown, you are reaching the climax, the characters are in some sticky situations (maybe). Here is where you want to prove to your readers that they read the beginning for a reason. You shouldn't have to try too hard to keep their attention, because you will be writing and not caring if the readers are still reading (What I mean is, you are so involved in your writing, you aren't thinking about if your readers will like it. Also, if you like it, that is all that matters). 
  Maybe the characters are about to fight some evil person or monster. They are suiting up. Here is where it matters what you have written, and what genre you wrote it in. I can't tell you the directions for fantasy if you are doing scifi or realistic fiction. You need to follow your instincts here. What you want to happen, when and how you want it to happen, all that. 
  Here is a tip I learned: Show a gun in act one, show its tricks by act six. What this means is that, if you introduce something, you need to show the reason you introduced it by the middle or end of the book. Say I introduced a bartender that was blind in the beginning.    
  Maybe he is a secret agent, and blind is his way to get away with something, or maybe he was really abducted by aliens and they experimented on his eyes. Something that helps with the plot of the book, or revealing a mystery, or something like that. If you will notice, in a lot of books you read, it will show you an object that has special powers or something.   
  Nothing is introduced for no reason other than to help with the plot, and to put together a book. Anything that takes up a lot of space in the book and is meaningless to the plot should probably, depending on your book, be edited out by the time you are done with your final draft. 


Questions? Comments? I am not sure if I explained it well enough, so please tell me in the comments if there is something I left out, forgot, or didn't explain clear enough. Thank you! (It won't hurt my feelings if you tell me. I need you to tell me!)

Rain by CB

O Rain, why do fall from the clouds?

Why are your drops so wet and small?

Sometimes your thunders are quite loud,

And your lightning bolts are quite tall.

Every afternoon, at least a sprinkles falls,

And every time it does, the street gets soaked and wet.

It drenches the ground, the grass, and even the walls,

And I got pounded with every rainstorm that I met.

Thank you, O thank you, for making me soaked,

Thank you, O thank you, for watering the plants,

And I love you, even though your lightning smoked.

Only, why couldn't you have left dry my pants?

How to Write a Book, Part 1: The Very Beginning

This week, we are learning how to write a book. Everyone has read a book. Today, we are writing fictional books. This means it isn't a true story. If might be realistic fiction, where is could have happened, but didn't, or historical fiction, where the events and maybe some of the people were real, but the main characters most usually were not. Sometimes it is a real person, but not usually.

First of all, think of an idea. It could just be the first few sentences of a book. You might to have an idea to begin with. Just write. I can almost guarantee to you that by the next couple of paragraphs, you will be incubating an idea in your head, fertilizing it. Soon, it will grow into an elaborate set p for your characters, situations, and ultimately, the climax.

"If you wait for inspiration to write, you're not a writer, you're a waiter."
--Dan Poynter

Also, once you have the faintest sliver of an idea in your head, you ned to make the beginning interest the reader. Later, once your idea is fully grown, you will almost have to go back and change it a bit to fit the story, but even before then, you need to figure out a first-draft way to get readers interested. Here is the first few paragraphs of an untitled book I am currently writing:

It was a morning much like last week’s in the city of Starna in the great land Grimfalia. Not too hot, not too cold. But is was too... Something. Dark? At least, that’s what Belva LeRenard thought as she got ready for Evening Day. Evening Day was when the people of Grimfalia celebrated the coming of night, which lasted one thousand years.

By now, Belva was ready. She was wearing the Red Shawl of Livetronte. The shawl depicted a raven holding six snakes and six swords in it claws. Belva was also wearing the official robe of Lockenesk. The robe was black with stars and had the raven embroidered on the front. She picked up her satchel.

Next, once you have written your first couple of paragraphs, you will have a hatching idea in your mind. Above, I had only barely created the essence of Belva. Later in the novel, though, she had taken a her own shape. She was fun loving, adventurous, and rushed head first into everything without a second thought (which she usually ended up regretting afterwards). Soon, your main character will take shape to, growing and changing in your mind. Pretty soon, control will be out of your hands in into theirs. At least for me, they do everything of their own accord, and I only write it down. (Yes, yes. It seems like I m trying to show off or something, but I'm not!)

Anyway, after you have written your first paragraphs, the story will start. The mystery, or the problem, or the situation will come into focus, come into play, or begin. These next paragraphs of my novel were the ones that began the story.

She went downstairs to say good bye to her grandmother.

“Minniline?” She called to her grandmother. “Minniline, are you in here?”

“Minnie weft,” Belva felt a tug at her gown and look down to see her brother Peter clinging to her, tears in his eyes.

“Petey, what did you say?”

“Minnie weft.”

“Where did she go?”

“There,” The five-year-old pointed to the ground.

“Peter,” she said, crouching down to look him in the eye. She grasped his shoulders. “Where did Minnie go?”

“She went down. She said, ‘No more of this. I will go now.' She said, 'Say bye-bye to Bevvie.’ And she went down.”

See, above, the mystery, the situation started. Now the readers are wondering. Where is Belva's grandmother? What does Peter mean by saying that she went 'down?' Also, if you want (all of this is only a suggestion), you can make it a bit tear-jerking. This wasn't really, but it is a bit of an example.

“Peter, I-” Revelation poured over her. Minniline was dead.

A better example would be: (This isn't from my novel)

  "But where are you going?"

  "I don't know."

  "Where will you live?"

  "I don't know."

  "What DO you know?"

  "I love you. Take care of everyone. America is our last hope. Wish me luck, Eva. Goodbye," He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and a hug. Eva was too shocked to say anything.

  "Goodbye," Eva said, her voice cracking. She watched her brother walk away from her, head high, shoulders back. He is so brave. She thought. Eva had grown up with her brother. She had always looked up to him, looked to him for advice. And now he was gone, and never coming back. 

  He disappeared into the sea of bodies. Is this the last time I will ever see him? She watched him board the boat, and it began the set sail. She saw him leaning over the railing, waving to her. 

  She shook her head and turned away, failing to see her brother waving to her out of distress, signaling to help her. A man grabbed him and they disappeared.

  I don't think you will have cried, and if you did, you are a sissy. ;) Anyway, you see how I started it out where it just jumps into the story? And then you kind of start reading, because you don't know what is going on. I made it a bit tear-jerking, but not so much that it was sappy. I also thought I'd just start it out where it is all, Who grabbed him? How did he know he needed help? Why didn't he ask anyone else for help? Why just her?

  That is all we are doing for now on the beginning. In the next installment of How To Write a Book, we will learn a bit more on the beginning. In the next next one, the rising actions, and then the climax, and then the falling actions. Also, in another writing workshop, we will learn about character development. 

Questions or comments? Just click on my profile and then Send Me A Message, or email my secondary email,  ItsBumpyBackHere@Gmail.com

Thanks! (I don't bite!)

The Random Project, Part 1: Billy Bopkins' Plight of Touristy Rain

  It all started one saturday afternoon. Billy Bopkins sat on his couch wondering when this horrid thunderstorm would stop and he could go back to work. For, Billy worked on the street selling those little tacky squirt bottles that you see tourists wearing.
  "Why does anyone need a spritzer while it's raining?" Billy thought to himself. "It must be the most sunniest day in the history of the universe! But it is raining... I suppose if it is raining, then it is not a sunny day, so it is the perfect day for rain. I wonder if Global Warming is making it rain... But if it is always dreary, when will the sun come out? If it is raining it is not a sun day, so the sun can't come out. Then, I won't be able to sell my spritzers! Then some guy in China will lose his job because they are not making enough profit off of them. And don't greenhouses contribute to Global Warming, too? Like, Greenhouse Gasses? And all these old gardeners have greenhouses! Why do they have greenhouses? Because they need a place to put their plants! And trees are plants, too, right? So some guy in China will lose his job because of a tree. Yeah, that's fair enough. So, all we have to do are cut down all of the trees, and Global Warming will get better, and then the sun will come out, and I will be able to sell my spritzers again! Yay!"


Is ANY of this correct? You decide.

Poetical Nonsense by CB

You walk around in your own special room,

Thinking of thoughts, and cooking up ideas,

Nurturing your mind until it's in full bloom,

Mentally designing your own chain of pizzerias.

Wondering, wondering, where are you going?

Walking and walking, just counting sheep,

What do I rhyme? Is it mowing or snowing?

Am I really boring you into an endless sleep?

That verse is over, it is time to start anew,

Writing and writing, and now this line is pending,

Now, O, now, "Finally," you say, I bid you, adieu.

The very last line is this, for this is the ending.

Welcome

Hello! Welcome to the Rambles of the Misc. Drawer! No, not drawer as in artist, but that little container you pull out of a desk or something? Though, I do draw a bit...

Here you will find only the most terrible, the most boring, the most random............ MISCELLANEOUS RAMBLES! Thank you for FOLLOWING! Yes, right over there! ----> You know you want to click it. Just, just click, man. Just click. One click. Just one click. AW! DEJA VU! FREAKY! Oh my gosh! TELLING you about my Deja Vu was Deja Vu... Weird. Okay, it stopped. Wait! It's back! No, no, I think I gone. BACK! GONE! BACK! Okay, now it's gone. BACK!..................Shhhhhhh! Okay, I think it's gone..... Yeah. Gone. BACK! Gone. Sorry. I didn't mean to ramble so early...

Just click it. ------->