The Fun in Reading Science Fiction Books

One of my favorite genres to read are science fiction books.  The fun in reading science fiction books is never ending!  I like to read books that are full of imagination and creativity, and science fiction books are some of my favorite.  They always have these qualities in them that are fun to explore.  I like to see all of the different ideas that can fit into this genre because it seems that they are limitless.  When I read a book, I like to come across a variety of different forms of imagination and creativity.  Science fiction books are full of these things.  That is the best part about reading science fiction books.  It makes them so much fun to read.  Reading science fiction books are a great form of entertainment.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Sometimes when you come across a stump in your story making process, "taking a break" or ignoring the problem is exactly what you want to do.  Put your story away and let the piece boil for a while.  If you have been cramming ideas into your book, trying to make things work, this will work even better for you!  Within the first night you might have "possibilities" for your book.  But hold off for a couple more days or so and see the results!


     Even though you might think you found the perfect way to write it, try to leave it be.  Your mind will expand even further in the direction you want to go.  Pause.  Don't try to remember anything you think of, just let it come and go without pressure.  You'd be surprised at how well you remember what you thought of when you let your subconscious take control.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Like viewing the earth from outer space, seeing your book from above with all other books brings you back to reality.  (Maybe my book isn't as big as I thought it was....)  But seeing from a distance also misguides you at times.  Everyone should look at their career this way to see how they could improve.  Just don't let it scare you.


     Of the many benefits, one is that you can see how your book correlates with other books of the same genres.  You might notice that the climax in most westerns happen around the same points in time as your western does, for example.  Your books add up along with all the others.  Taking some time to see how is beneficial and interesting if you really take some time to think about it.

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Short Stories Continued

I love to read and write short stories when I am on a vacation.  It is the perfect time to get some ideas down and then get right back to your fun activities.  I have time to get some work done and go back to my vacation.  I find this fun to do because it purely inspires me to write a short story.  A vacation is what inspires the writer in me to write short stories.  It doesn't have to be a long one.  It can be a mini vacation.  And it doesn't have to be an expensive vacation to inspire the writer in me.  Sometimes something I truly enjoy and spend the day on count as a vacation to me.  It really inspires the writer in me when I take vacations like an all day gardening trip to my backyard, or play tennis all day.  I take a short break whenever I feel like it, and how long I feel like it.  During this time I love to read and write short stories.  When I am on my vacation I can reflect on some of the ideas I am putting in to my short stories.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Describe yourself as a character.  On the days that you choose this writing exercise, try to change yourself slightly in stances, beliefs, flaws, and strong holds.  This helps to develop good character invention skills;  i.e. learning to walk in their shoes.  As you develop different characters in this way change up on some days, putting a particular "you" character into a situation and really try to ask yourself what you would do.  Be honest.  You can learn different takes on stances and what actually keeps people in line with what they know is right and wrong.  Anyone can slip or slack on certain issues but it is the amount of discipline and to the degree of discipline that they project onto themselves that makes them who they are.  And to a certain point, that can change every day.  Make your characters ALIVE.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     One of the best ways to overcome writing obstacles is to write.  And I mean write anything!  That's easy to say, I know, but enacting it may not be as hard as you think it is.  In fact, I'm sure you've done it in the past already!  Yeah, you might say, tried, failed, and gave up!  If that's the case, you didn't exactly do it the way you should have.  Listen up fellow writer!


     When faced with writer's block or any dilemma, it is best to embrace the hold that your mind has put on you rather than fight it.  Figure out the extra somethn' your brain wants for the story.  The only way to figure this out is to wait.  By "wait", I mean keep on until it comes to you.


     Keep on writing even if you think the material is trash.  To get to the final masterpiece your brain must cycle through other ideas and rule them out.  Even if you have it all planned out, sit through the block until the action finally starts. - Write.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     On a writer's good day he/she can give advice to fellow writers if asked to.  Because the writer is up to beat that day, recieving many ideas, the ideas coming to him can quickly come to life in words.  If you can do this, or have helped someone in this way, it's no wonder the day you can't write becomes "a dying day".  Frustrated and eager minds quickly label failures in this way.  So, I'll bet you want someone like you on those days.  But why not have you.


     On those good days take some time after you write or on breaks to give a quick note on what motivated, inspired, or helped you write.  Then on the bad days, open up this note and read for yourself some helpful tips on what can get you going.  After all, who is better to help you than yourself.  You know what to warn yourself of and how to get that mind of yours going.  The pure feeling of opening the note can give you the inspiration you need, as you remember how good it felt to write on that good day of yours.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Do you ever feel happy reading your mail or emails?  Do reminders in the mail help you stay on track?  Here's an idea:  there is someone who wants to see you finish your book and is emailing you constantly, everyday, to remind you and to give suggestions.


     Okay if the message isn't worth seeing you might end up with a crowed inbox, but say that it is worth it.  Sometimes ideas roll in and suggestions of ways to go in the story.  Who?  An agent.  No.  A publisher?  I wish.  A friend?  hmmm....you might call it that.  It's a character from your book!


     What?!  Ha, ha!  A character from your book is a very important individual to be speaking to you because they know how much your book has to offer.  There is no one else who has that special insight.  The author that spends valuable time to put together something that can be shared and provide a joyful experience for those who read the material, should be as eager as the character in their book to get this thing finished!

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     When faced with a writing dilema, or writer's block, the writer can go with the flow and work with the dilema by going at the pace he/or she is alloted.  We like to think that we can rush our way through the block in our mind and end up with something to work with, but in reality, a book takes time to create.  If you could come up with something that fast, you're like a computer!  Why not have it pre-written, for crying out loud?  Where's the joy in creating the story?

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Answering questions can be your worst nightmare.  In many situations around the world it is the fear that we might answer them wrongly or draw the wrong impression from our response.  The writer certainly has questions he/she must be able to answer about their work.  They have to know the answers to the questions because for most of these questions, the author has already asked it to himself (sometimes instinctively, without knowing).  The author has character questions to answer as well.  But when relating to your story line, have you asked the "tough questions"?


     Asking tough questions can bring forth story ideas and room for development.  For example, who do I save first?  Knowing that there is a possibility you will not be able to save everyone, put in an extreme situation, and think of what you would do if you and the people you know were the characters.  How horrible it would be for these characters in their dying moments to see you choose from them in order of importance.  We do this all the time when watching movies and reading books.  We relate to the characters in this way.  We try to feel what they are experiencing.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Being able to answer basic questions about your book and story line is essential for the novels sake.  It is in these basic questions that we sometimes assume to know already but don't, that every author should be able to answer, and the simplicity brings on a broader perspective as you go from one question to another or idea that develops into material used in your novel.  Ask yourself these basic questions, but go even further to ask character questions.

     For example, try thinking of basic questions that people ask themselves in the real world.  "What am I doing?"  "Who am I?"  "What now?"  All of these questions provide large range thinking and developing of character.  For instance, my favorite, "Who am I?", can help you expand on your characters, and know them better, by helping them answer the questions.  What does this character think of himself?

     You might even use some of the questions that you came up with in your book.  And when your character gets to a certain emotional point, one of these questions might arise.  You will relate to your character's feelings and help the reader to also.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Writer's block is complicated at times, but the solution is always easier than the problem.  Ask yourself some basic questions.  Sometimes the answer is found through understanding what the problem actually is.  Try it.  You might not know as much as you think you do.  Thus, the writing problem could be created from a lack of information.


     If you can answer the "basic" of basic questions (real simple ones), then you can move on to other possible culprits to your writing dilemma.  But chances are, that if you take some time to do this the problems will work themselves out as you will move along the right direction and begin to write your book again, the way you wanted to.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Pay attention!  Have you told yourself that recently?  I have.  Sometimes I can't stay focused on what I'm writing on my novel and end up jumping around and saying "what if's".  Other times, I draw a blank, and go no where.  Every time I stall I kick myself mentally and talk to myself.  The times that hurt are when I don't and waste my time dreadfully.


     To help I began to make a list of the comments that I tell myself while writing.  I keep the list of quotes by my writing desk where it is very visible.  Each time before I write, I look at the list and I find it is easier for me to stay on track this way.  I do say, I never thought I'd be quoting myself.

What Inspires the Writer In Me- Horror Genres Continued

Talking about horror genres probably brings some of the most gruesome horror books to mind.  Whether they tend to be gory, terrifying, or both is the art of the writer's ideas.  They appeal these things to you while working with the plot of the story.  In my opinion, I think I like the scary part the most!  What inspires me to write horror books is when I think of things that I would avoid out of fear.  For example, I would not hang around a place that is dark with sounds of zombies moaning.  That's for sure.  After that, I would think of possibilities that force me to be in this situation, like if it was dark every where and I honestly did not know where I was headed.  Of course the list goes on.  No matter how brave we may be there is going to be some frightening situation that we would avoid at all costs.  I find that I relate to horror books like this.  I often agree with the writer that I wouldn't want to be in the place that the horror book is taking me.  This makes it even more exciting to read their book.  When I use this as my inspiration I like to think that my readers will feel the same when going through the plot in my horror book.

Inventions Inspired by Books

Hi, there!  This is a very special post I took an interest in lately.  It excites me when I see people inspired by books.  Real push throughs in science with technology are based on...science fiction books!  Naturally the real-life inventions took the spotlight.  These were things made by man that were thought to be only imagination.  But the ideas pushing the invention forward made it possible.  Inventions inspired by the ideas of a writer's science fiction book are indeed possible.  Such science fiction books that were the starters of an invention are Runaround written by Isaac Asimov, and the Star Trek book Mission to Horatious by Mack Reynolds.  The book Runaround was one of the inspiring ideas leading up to the invention of robots and the book Horatious was part of the Star Trek series leading up to the invention of the cell phone.  Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is the first of many books leading up to the invention of the computer.  Of course, this list never ends, and we are just talking about inventions!  There will be some more to come for another time.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Finding a writing group, or writing partner is sometimes necessary depending on the individual author.  Whether it is frequent or on a need-to-do basis, sharing has its many benefits.  And if you've run into trouble, and haven't tried it yet, you should give it a shot!


     Socializing with others always gives an extra edge to the subject, may it be the inspiration, another take on the matter, an insight otherwise not seen, or only the satisfaction of your voice being heard, a writing friend is full of surprises, and the list could go on.  Many authors have gone through this process.  Some seek writing groups, others go from one writing group or one individual to another to share their work, and still others simply read their work to a family member.


     You don't even have to speak of your current work.  The process of "speaking about writing" is soothing in itself.  Some writers develop a whole new idea that would not have come up if they hadn't used both of their heads to do it.  Some people join to write a book together.  You never know where writing may take you if you pull yourself up to your greatest ability.

Comic Books Make the Best Movies- Revisited

I never get bored of comic books!  These books truely have unique ideas that make great movies.  It is becoming increasingly popular to see movies based on comic books.  I thought that I would revisit this post once again to update the list on these fantastic stories.  Some movies based on comic books are Watchmen and Men in Black.  Some more recent ones are Green Lantern and Captain America.  Some of my favorites are Blade and Hellboy.

My Favorite Settings in Comedy Books

While there are a lot of different types of comedy that may or may not appeal to you, there is one common setting for these books that seems to stand out as my favorite place.  Settings that focus on normal life are my favorite settings in comedy books.  Now you may be thinking "BORING!" , but you can have a lot of fun with things that appear to be normal under comical circumstances.  I like settings with real places in life that people have to deal with and work under on a daily basis.  I know there has been a time for all of us when we are minding our own business, and something comical comes up.  All of a sudden you are smiling to yourself thinking "Oh gosh."  Yes, some ideas may be coming to you now!  People do funny things and end up in funny situations.  I find myself looking back at times that I find comical now.  These kinds of settings are my favorite for comedy books.

My Book- A Movie?

     Just as a director decides on so many different aspects relating to the film making process, a writer must do the same in his/her book and can learn from the questions that are raised and the types of solutions that are offered.  Think of how the cameras are set in a scene, and the (mood) being captured in so many different ways.  The script should bring the point of view to life; providing more narrow and decisive camera options.  An author can do the same.


    Camera angles, for example, change numerously throughout a scene, but make no mistake; every angle has a purpose.  When thinking of this idea enough one can almost see the cinematic techniques within a novel.  Take some time to focus on these ideas.  When watching a movie or reading a book, do this also.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Poems based on books enlighten the world around us.  If you need a writing exercise or even some inspiration pull out your favorite book and write a poem describing it.  Since songs are so much like poems, I like to pick a song that reminds me of the story and listen to it before I begin my poem.  This is so fun!  While writing you remember all the memories of reading this book and now you are describing that joy in writing.  Don't worry about not doing justice to the novel, just go with it.  It actually brings more popularity to the novel, and it puts you in writing mode.  Think of it as a book review.