Write For One and Write For All

Okay, no matter where a writer goes, there will be someone who won't like their work or will think of every single reason to debunk it. From asking a question:

"Why would there be a [blank]?" 

To accusing you of something:

"You're messing up [blank]!"

 It seems like it would be the most fun to just laugh in the person's face and ignore them, but sometimes it's not that easy. Truthfully, you can't care what anyone thinks. You won't get anywhere if you're trying to please everyone. And if in some magical way you do, then there is a 000.1 percent chance you're happy. If you are, well then, great! Most likely, you aren't, though. Which is bad.You should write for yourself. Not your friends. Not your English teacher. Not whoever else. You.  

But who cares? If they do have a problem with your writing, have them be the villain and then have the hero(es) in your newest novel take. Them. Down.  

Ahem. Kidding...

But writing is meant to ask a question: What if a girl/boy/man/woman/animal etc. decided to [insert action] and another girl/boy/man/woman/animal etc. did [blank] in retaliation to [blank] and then [blank] happened leading all up to [blank]?

As for when when people say you're 'breaking the rules'- what rules? Each writer has his own rules, because different things work for different people!  If you told ten writers to write the same novel, each would go about it differently. One would outline, one would wing it. Another would do a little each day for a month, another would stay up all night for a week writing.  

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why there are no true rules to writing.  Outside of formatting, spelling, grammar etc. that is ;)

Spotlight Author: Gail Carson Levine

Hello! Annika here. Today on Spotlight, we're going to talk about one of my favoritest authors ever: Gail Carson Levine.

I came upon this outstanding author by chance a couple years ago. I was milling around in the paperback section, thinking there weren't any more good books. Boy was I wrong. Ella Enchanted caught my eye. It looked like it would be a gook book, so I brought it home and started reading... it was AMAZING! 

The fantasy world seemed so real, the characters right next to you, the danger your own! And Ella was just a darling, like an old friend. I read it again sometime later. Still I was blown away! 

Now, I will admit I've only read a few of Gail's books. But the ones I have read were superb. After I was done with Ella, I discovered the Princess Tales, retellings of old fairy tales that usually featured a princess or a to be princess. The only downside was that they were a quick read, as I read them in about two hours, even with distractions. But they were still very entertaining, with good morals, plots and characters overall. 

Now, for something that kept me just as captivated as Ella: Fairest. 

Enter Ava, a chubby, frying-pan-black haired girl, an orphan that was adopted by innkeepers. But there is one thing about her that is more beautiful than any of the other characters: Her singing voice. In the language they speak in the book, Ava actually means 'lark'. Despite her looks, she is one of the best characters I've read in a book in a long time. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes outstanding books and fantasy. 

And now, to a book I'm actually reading now: Writing Magic. I bought it because I kind of needed a writing book and I wanted to learn some of the master's fantasy writing secrets. It's really good and I'm about halfway through, but I can say it's improved my writing already and even induced a few new ideas!

Well, that's today's post. May the Force be with you!