Dream Journal: The Good Ones

For the past couple of years, I've been haunted by nightmares. But, seemingly at random, these nightmares have stopped, replaced by a bunch of pretty good dreams. Yay! 

Today, I'm going to share a couple of favorites.

1. Selling Stephen Amell a copy of my superhero novel at comic con.

This was a fantastic dream, I got to say. It's one of the few times I've woken up, going darn it! I wished it was real. So basically this is what happened:

Stephen Amell walks up to my table, where I am selling copies of Trapped, my superhero novel (currently unpublished). He asks to buy one and I sign it for him before calling up my friend to join me at the table. She starts freaking out and we're both trying to not scream we're so excited. The beauty of the dream was that Stephen Amell plays the Arrow and my superhero novel drew a lot of inspiration from his show. Really, a dream would be for him to be as big of a fan of my work as I am of his.

2. Watching a scene from Trapped.

So the other day I created a new character, a gorgeous bad boy with a British accent. Anyway, I dreamed about him and my protagonist's second meeting. It's hilarious and memorable, but unfortunately I can share the dream. Spoilers.

3. Taking Selfies with the Twelfth Doctor on a Cruise Ship.

This was a fun dream. I just got into Doctor Who and am loving it. Anyway, in this dream, the doctor happened to be the president of the United States. I got into the pool on the cruise ship and he joined me and we took selfies, with my copy of The Amulet of Samarkand, the first book in The Bartimaeus Trilogy. Fun stuff.

Okay so those are the top three. There are others but they're not as interesting or I can't remember all the details. Thanks for reading!

She Would

She would fight.
Harder than she thought she could.
Longer than anyone expected her to.
Every day she would push
Back against the walls that held her
Testing their limits.
She would fight.

She would cry.
In grief, for the people she loved.
In joy, for the life she lived.
In despair, for everything she’d lost.
The tears would fall like rain.
More tears than she’d ever expected to shed.
She would cry.

She would laugh
Every worry and tear away.
Everything would be okay
Because she knew who she was
And that knowledge gave her joy.
She would laugh.

She would mourn.
For the poor man, for the soldier, for the lost and the lonely.
Every sorrow would be hers to bear.
Every pain hers to share.
She would mourn.

She would struggle.
Nothing would ever break her
Not the jeering nor the anger nor the doubters.
Her strength would never falter.
She would struggle.

She would love.
Every heart would be hers to hold.
Every heart to be cared for by her gentle hands.
Not an ounce of it would be held back
Because it was all she had to give.
She would love.

Call Yourself a Writer

Step one of becoming a writer: call yourself a writer.

Step on of staying motivated as a writer: again, call yourself a writer.

Sound too easy? You'd be surprised by how much this helps.

There will always be times when you'll struggle with writing. It happens to the best of us. What you have to learn to do is not let it get to you. And the best way to not let it get to know is to learn to remember that you are a writer.

The moment that you decide that you're a writer, the moment you become one. So if you're reading this post with the intent of becoming a writer, congratulations. You're a writer. When people ask, that's what you tell them. It doesn't matter if you have written a thousand words or none. You are a writer.

Staying Motivated

The number one problem most writers share is commitment. We start billions of projects but never finish them. Months pass with no writing getting done.
Never fear, my young writer friend. There are things to help you stay motivated and keep writing. Here are a few ideas:
Schedule
Setting a writing schedule for yourself is a great way to stay motivated. Find a time to write every day, always at the same time. Consistency will make it easier to write. Find a time to write every day and keep to your schedule. For example, I write every night, whether that be for thirty minutes to three hours.

Surround yourself with writers
Get to know other writers. It's an extremely beneficial to talk to others who love your craft. Join writer groups on Facebook, find other writers in community. Bounce ideas off other writers, as well as get advice from others.

Call yourself a writer
You'd be surprised how few people see this as a necessity. But the moment you decide you are a writer, even if you haven't written a word, the easier it is to write.

Writing space
It's important to be consistent about where you write. You can work in a cafe or a library or a desk in your bedroom. Wherever you can focus comfortably.

Writer's Block Help
Writer's block? Try doing something to get the juices flowing. Read, ride a bike, go on a walk.

Writing Prompts

So you want to be a writer but you don't know what you want to write about. Well, look no further than this epic list of writing prompts! This is a list of prompts to help you get started on a project for those writers that are a little stuck. Give it a try!

1. What does moonlight sound like?
2. In your dying moments, you see a "Game Over" screen with two options: Try Again or End Game.
3. Write a scene about gold ballet shoes and a deciduous tree.
4. Write about the seasons in terms of sounds.
5. "I promised that I'd save him, that I'd take him home. I promised."
6. Write about an assassin who gets hired to kill a man who doesn't exist.
7. Write a story set in a world where crying is forbidden.
8. Choose a line from a song. Use this as the first line of a story.
9. Write about the way he died.
10. Write about a time traveler and an ancient scroll.
11. Write about the dragon that saves the princess. 
12. Write about the little girl who is afraid of the monster under her bed, which turns out to be her guardian protecting her from the real enemy-her parents.
13. Write about a land where night doesn't exist.
14. Pick a line of a poem and write a story about it.
15. Write about a cursed princess and her pet owl.

Have your own to add to the list? COMMENT!

Movies can be just as inspiring as books can. I can remember several movies I watched that got the ball rolling for my latest project. 

Here are some movies that every writer should see:

1. The Lord of the Rings
2. Inception
3. Pride and Prejudice
4. Dead Poets Society
5. Avatar
6. Harry Potter (8 movies)
7. Secretariat
8. Courageous
9. Forever Strong
10. Divergent
11. The Fault in Our Stars
12. The Blind Side
13. Star Wars
14. Oblivion
15. Jack Reacher
16. After Earth
17. The Vow
18. The Great Gastby

Okay so this list is just a few of my personal favorites. There are plenty of other amazing movies out there to see. 

Have anything you want to add to my list? Leave a comment!

Readers Are the Best Writers

It's the truth. No writer can survive by writing alone. Reading is a crucial aspect to being a writer. After all, hidden between the pages of a novel are the secrets to good fiction writing. Reading is inspiring and it helps us understand how to be good writers. The best writers are always readers.
In my mind, there are three different kinds of books writers need to be reading.
1. Writing Guides
Duh. In order to more fully understand the writer's craft you should be reading books about writing. When I first started, I read every novel writing book I could get my hands on. I suggest you do the same. Here are some ideas:

• Writing Fiction For Dummies
• This book is awesome from the planning stage to the publishing stage.
• Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway
• This book is a must. I'm currently reading it and it's the most clear guide on writing I've ever read.
• How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card
• Definitely check this out Science Fiction and Fantasy writers.
• 90 Days to Your Novel
• This book is split up for those who are anxious to finish but feel overwhelmed.
• A Writer's Guide to Character Traits
• This is awesome for creating three dimensional characters.

2. Classics

This is something I struggle with. I've never been that into the classics. Jane Austen, George Orwell, eh. But I truly do think every writer should invest some time with these kinds of books. There's a reason these books are classics, people. Here are some examples:

• J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• The Great Gastby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

3. Fiction

Now for the fun stuff. To be a fiction writer, it's crucial that you read the kinds of books that you write. So below are lists of books to read depending on what genre you write. These are not the only things you can read but just some ideas to get you started.

Fantasy and Science Fiction:

• A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
• Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
• The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Romance:

• The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
• The List by Melanie Jacobson
• The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum
• White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Young Adult:

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Historical Fiction:

• The Book Thief by Markus Zusack
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• The Undaunted by Gerald Lund

Those are just a few examples. Of course there are plenty more genres to choose from. If you want to see more options, a great place to look is https://www.goodreads.com/genres. 

Start reading today. Even if you aren't writing anything yet, read. It'll make a huge difference.

Have any books to add to any of these lists? Leave a comment!

People Watching: Why You Should Do It

So, as promised, for the next few days we'll be discussing the different ways to boost your creativity as a writer as seen in the blog post, Creativity Boosters: How to Stay in Tune With Your Creative Side. Today, we begin by discussing the importance of people watching.
Before we begin, I have one very important thing to point out: when I say people watch, I am NOT giving you permission to stalk. It doesn't matter your intent, that's just creepy. What's the difference? Well, people watching is observing other people's habits and dialogue to gain a better understanding of people in general. Stalking is following a single person around in an extremely creepy manner. Writers don't stalk, we people watch. Clear?
Okay, now that that's over and done with, we can get into the fun stuff.
TO THE MECHANICS OF PEOPLE WATCHING!
Okay, so there really aren't all that many mechanics to people watching. It's not that complicated. You're simply observing people. However, I do have some advice on how to get as much out of people watching as possible.
1. Have the right equipment.
For starters, bring your eyes. Not that you wouldn't have those with you anyway but I guess you never know. Of course, if you wear glasses or contacts, I would highly suggest you bring those. But I digress.
You also should bring a notebook and a pen. Of course, if you truly want to be a writer, I would expect you to have those no matter where you go. For people watching purposes, use the notebook to write down anything you notice, how that one girl kept brushing back her hair or how the one dude talked. Trust me on this, it's a good idea.
2. Location is everything.
You're going to have a really hard time people watching without a good place to watch those people. Think about the town you live in. Is there a good cafe you can observe from? Or a park a lot of people go to? Or are you a college student and there's a good building on campus you can watch at. Take me for example. I go to BYU-Idaho so I spend my people watching time at the Manwaring Center on campus. There's the a bunch of tables inside for people to eat and talk and do homework. It's the perfect place for me to people watch. There's people, food, a place for me to sit back and watch. Perfect.
3. The actual watching.
Congrats. You've got your place and your equipment. You are now ready to start the people watching. When you take your seat to begin the watching, make sure it's somewhere with a good view of a lot of people and close enough that you'll be able to listen to how they talk(do your best not to eavesdrop; that won't make very many friends).
As you watch and listen, pay attention to the different things people do as they talk, how they talk, different facial expressions, how they are dressed and look, and anything else that could help you write better characters. Write everything down in your notebook.
I suggest spending ten to twenty minutes people watching. Less than that and you won't get a whole lot out of it. More than that and you're spending too much time watching and not enough time writing.
Okay! So that, my loyal friends, is people watching. Even if you aren't working on any project in particular, I highly suggest that you make this a habit today. It'll work wonders for your writing.
Any questions? Any suggestions on people watching or how people watching has helped you as a writer? Leave a comment!

Creativity Boosters: How to Stay in Tune with Your Creative Side

Over the years, I've gotten a lot of different reactions to being a writer. The most common one? "I could never do that. I'm not creative enough." Most of the time I give them a winning smile that says "Yes, I am just that good." Not that I ever truly mean it. I may be confident but not that confident.
In all honesty, I see the way people view creativity almost disturbing. Most people seem to be under the impression that  creativity is some kind of gift that is only bestowed to some. These people are of the belief that either you have it or you don't. I disagree. Creativity is a talent, yes, and some are born with it. However, if you are not one of the lucky few to be born with the gift of an imagination, you can cultivate it. Even those that are creative by nature need to keep working at their creative sides. Practice makes perfect and if you don't practice using that imagination it'll rust.
To avoid the rusting of an imagination (and I do suggest you avoid that; it sounds a little painful), there are several ways for you to practice using creativity:

1. People watching
Yes, you're reading that right. No, I don't mean stalk people. People watching is actually a legitimately good way for a writer to boost creativity. Just don't be creepy about it and I would definitely advise against watching the same people all the time. But definitely take advantage and use other people to boost your own creativity. Doing some people watching can seriously help you with how people work and create more life-like characters.

2. Reading
One of the number one rules of being a good writer is to read. And I don't mean read a novel here and there. I mean seriously read as much as you can. To be a good writer, you need to be a good reader. Read everything you can get your hands on. It will make it easier to come up with new ideas. Books make great inspiration.

3. Watching movies
Of course reading is always better than watching movies but movies are also a great source of inspiration. Watching them can get the wheels turning and help you write better and write more. 

4. Writing prompts
Prompts are a lot of fun. Some of my greatest ideas came from a prompt.
And those are ideas for how to boost your creativity. For the next few days, we'll examine each of these different ideas in detail to help boost creativity.
Have any other ideas on how to boost creativity? Have any questions on my ideas? Leave a comment!

Novel Outlining: The Note Card Method

Confession: I am addicted to change.

A curse that has caused me to never simply get my hair trimmed. So boring, so much the same. Every time I get my hair cut, I can't stand the idea of just getting it colored the same as before or just getting it trimmed. Which is why every time, without fail, my hair gets completely transformed, whether that be by length or color. 

You may be wondering why I'm bringing this up. No, I did not just change my hair. It's been about a month since I changed it. I bring up my addiction to change because I have recently made another kind of change. 

Since I started my journey into fantastical world of the writer, I've always had the same methods of writing. No longer! As of a few days ago, I began a new method of writing. Which is the purpose of this post. Not to discuss my addiction, but to discuss a new method of prewriting. This is how it goes:

1. Research.
2. Create characters.
3. Make a web.
4. Outline on note cards.

These are my four planning steps, as of a few days ago. Actually, the first three are essentially the same. Researching consists of pinning articles and pictures onto a secret board dedicated to the project I'm researching. Character profiles (which I will discuss at a later date) come next. I fill pages full of information on these characters. Making webs have always been a part of my writing process but I would never dare delete them from the process. Again, those will be something discussed on another day. 

Today I would like to focus on number four of this process. In the past, I've outlined on lined paper, writing a list of events for each chapter in a very formatted page. The note card method I'm doing for this project is quite different. 

For those writers reading this and would like to try this outlining method, here's what you will need:

• Note cards
• Something to write with

Use one note card for each scene in the project. On each card, write the following information:

Setting: Where does this scene take place?

Characters: Who is involved in this scene?

• Bullet points of everything that happens in that scene.

Goal: What is the purpose of this scene?

This method is something I pulled from a book called 90 Days to Your Novel: A Day-by-Day Plan for Outlining and Writing Your Book by Sarah Domet. It's a fantastic resource and I would suggest it to any budding writer. 

Here's how my first note card turned out, for those of you who learn by example:

Setting: Irina's apartment

Characters: Irina

• Spends time meditating
• Stops when memories get too intense
• Starts sparring by herself, eyes closed

Goal: Shows Irina's emotional scars

Okay, so, that's it! I did that for every scene (which ended up using up a lot of note cards by the way) and it turned out to be a great method for me. 

Thanks for reading guys! Post your comments below about how this worked for you! 

Until next time!

The Struggle Within

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

The thoughts beat on me like the drum of war.

I’m breaking under the pressure that comes with the night.

I can’t seem to pull myself out of the fight.

I write and I write and I write, trying to break open the door.

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

But the blows keep coming; everything is flashing white.

I know I’ll black out if there’s much more.

The cynical voices cut me down like swords but I fight with all my might.

I try to block out their words but I know they’re right.

“You will never be good enough,” they roar.

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

I shake my head and stand at my full height.

They try to break me, cut me to the very core.

The cynical voices cut me down like swords but I fight with all my might.

I know who I am despite the words that bite

And I will keep fighting through the angry downpour.

Within me a war rages, a fight between dark and light.

The cynical voices cut me down like swords but I fight with all my might.

Bolder Words: A Guide to Brave Writing

This was taken during a vacation in California. The words read "Once upon a..."  

 The world of a writer is a world full of struggles and doubts. To be a writer is to expose the faults of men so that they may better themselves. To be a writer is to put your soul down on paper with the hopes that instead of mocking it the world will celebrate what you have to say and to teach. That is no simple task.

Of course, the writer must be brave but it isn't always easy to find that kind of courage. Many writers become what are known as "closet writers". They write fantastic stories, weave words together beautifully, but their fear overtakes them and so their writing remains secret, hidden from the world. During my high school years, this was the kind of writer I was. I was determined to someday publish a novel but at the same time I was terrified of being rejected. Today, my hope is to help those closet writers to find the courage to write boldly and to send your brave words off into the world.

It takes a great deal of courage to share any sort of writing, let alone the kind of writing this world needs so desperately. Your duty as a writer is to not only let your very soul shine through your writing but to speak boldly of the things the world needs to hear, words that only you can give. So, with that in mind, I would like to share my own advice of how you might find the bold words within you. Here is my advice:

1. Write for yourself.

This is unbelievably important. Yes, if you want to be very successful, you will have to write for more than just yourself. However, if you only write for others, the things you are passionate about may be lacking in your writing. Here's my solution: first write for yourself, then rewrite for your potential audience. Revisions will help you figure out what works and what doesn't without constricting your passion.

2. Get a thick skin.

I'm not going to lie to you. Getting something out in the world is a lot of hard, brutal work. You'll be shot down more than once. But if you let it get to you, you'll never get anything published. Forget about what all those other people think. They're wrong. You have just as much chance of being the next J. K. Rowling as anyone else. 

3. Be brave in everything you do.

Bravery doesn't come naturally to all of us. Don't let that stop you. Practice bravery in everything you do. You've got to put yourself out there, even if that absolutely terrifies you. The more you practice being brave, the more naturally it will feel. You'll be able to write bravely and say what you think rather than what you think you should say.

So that's all I've got for today. Write for yourself, get a thick skin, and be brave in everything you do. Find your voice and don't be afraid to shout. I challenge all you closet writers to share what you have to say with the world. You never know what it could do for someone.

Questions? Comments? Don't be afraid to ask me anything!

The Words That Make Up Me: 20 Facts

Hi Everyone,
I'm Brittany Oldroyd, a slightly eccentric blogger and a very passionate writer. At the time of writing this blog post, I'm 21 (almost anyway) and the author of a novel called Segolia: Daughter of Prophecy. I'm about to go into my second year of college (yahoo!) and work my way closer to a degree in English Literature (with an emphasis on Professional Writing).
With this blog, THE WORDS THAT WHISPER, I hope to teach writers about writing, let my fans get to know me, share works in progress, and share my experiences in college and in life. And to start this off, I have 20 facts about me as a sort of get-to-know-you post. So, without further ado, introducing The Words That Make Up Me: 20 Facts:

1. I absolutely HATE it when people say they suck at something or that they can't do something (I could rant about it all day).

2. Rain instantly makes me in a good mood.

3. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it when people call me crazy or insane.

4. My favorite word is monotonous (because it isn't monotonous at all).

5. I have no idea what I want to do with my semi-useless major once I graduate (I might change it since Creative Writing is limited in what I can do with it).

6. I am completely OBSESSED with Lord of the Rings.

7.  I lost everything I had written of Segolia: Daughter of Prophecy in a truck fire that made me have to start over on the whole thing.

8. I'm the oldest of seven kids.

9. I'm a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. I'm Mormon).

10. I love stargazing but I have never seen a shooting star before.

11. I HATE snow.

12. I love kick boxing.

13. I've only had caffeine once and it made me sick to my stomach.

14. I get what I call writing "epiphanies" when I either pace back and forth or sit on a couch upside down (both help me think when I am stuck).

15. I LOVE irony.

16. I love film scores, especially for superhero and inspirational movies (and of course LOTR).

17. My favorite color is sunset orange.

18. My favorite book changes on pretty much a daily basis (because I read a book almost every day).

19. Misspelled words and grammar errors drive me nuts.

20. My face hurts on almost a daily basis from smiling.

Okay, so that's me for you. Thanks for reading and hope to hear from you. 

What do you think about my 20 facts? Anybody have some in common with me? Leave a comment!