Writer-Ambrosia 6

Come one, come all, and join us for another fantastic blog post! Or not, it's your life.

So I'm sitting eating a box of junior mints one lovely chocolate coated pebble after another. But now's not the time for snacks, M-pals! Getting me distracted like that, it's unbelievable. We have important things to discuss, guys.

So today's favorite website is a bit different. Why? Because it's youtube.

Okay, it's not youtube in general. Not to bash youtube--I have an unhealthy love for youtube; it's basically bought and permanently retired in its own tab on my browser, it's that confident I'll keep it up. With good reason. I love to listen to music while I write.

How many of you listen to music while you write, or brainstorm? What genre do you use? Post in the comments! I'm always looking to expand my "writing playlist." 

Uh, moving on. So today's website is, specifically, a channel on youtube. It hails from the most popular side of nerdom and, while not exclusively geared towards writers, is an absolute gem of a subscription, should you choose to subscribe. Which you should. Right now. What is this channel, you ask?

The official writer's website of the day is...

Vlogbrothers https://www.youtube.com/user/vlogbrothers

John Green, author of various fantastic novels such as Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, and his brother Hank, are the hosts of these various vlogs! Their followers are referred to as Nerdfighters, a particularly empowering name is you ask me. Maybe we should follow their lead! Should we be the M-army? The M-fighters? I'm taking myself too seriously again, huh? Right, back to the Vlogbrothers then.

John and Hank host everything from comments on Johns books to inspirational campaigns for making the world a better place. Basically, they have cultivated a haven of ideas, nerd-lingo, hilarity, and book advice. Each brother has their own specialty. Hank is an ecogeek (he actually has a blog entitled Ecogeek), and is both an entrepreneur and a musician. John is a literary nut, a YA genre fan, and of course, a critically acclaimed writer. Both have fantastic senses of humor and valuable ideas.

Well, now that your inner Nerdfighter is surfacing, shall we continue? If you need to calm down your sudden, overwhelming excitement, I understand. Take your time, I've got a half a box of Junior Mints left.

Alright! Today's indulgent visual bubble bath is...

Kyoto

 

 

Background:

Kyoto (京都市 Kyōto-shi?) is a city in the central part of the island of Honshu, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan for more than one thousand years, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area. With temples, parks, bustling business districts, markets, from regal estates to the tightly-packed neighborhoods, Kyoto is one of the oldest and most famous Asian metropolises

The languages spoken in Kyoto is Japanese and Kyoto-ben dialect. This historic city is known for geishas, beautiful temples, and magnificent works of art. Nintendo also originated from here. Doesn't that just tickle your inner g33k?

Want to know more about that faraway, magical city of Kyoto, Japan? Then book a ticket and go! Or just click this link and get a theoretical knowledge. It's your life, after all. http://www.city.kyoto.jp/koho/eng/.
 Literary Significance:

Kyoto, Japan is probably the most literary background of all of Japan's cities. Whether born in this ancient capital or not, many famous Japanese writers have been drawn to this historic metropolis. Such grand names as (listed in chronological order) Murasaki Shikibu, Sei Shonagon, Matsuo Basho, Tanizaki Junichiro, Kawabata Yasunari, Mishima Yukio, and the Beat poet Gary Snyder made their greatest developments in this city. Monuments, residents, etc., all exist in Kyoto, Japan.

A little lost because of the long Japanese names? Don't worry, I am too. But I plan on clearing up these names later in blog posts. Riveting, isn't it? I love learning! Go ahead, call me a geek. I enjoy being me too much to stop.   

Dare You to Try:

• If you were going to write a book set in Kyoto, Japan, what genre would you pick?
• What if the spirits of the great writers really did linger about in the many shrines and temples? Would they show up on a naïve American tourist's iphone while they're taking shots of the gorgeous landscape?
• Quick! Handsome man, beautiful woman, bumping into each other in the bamboo forest of Kyoto, Japan. No matter what they do, their tours seem to intersect. Now, run with it, M-pals!
• A local Japanese landscaper has to deal with dozens of tourists and obnoxious children every day while he works the bamboo forest. What genre will his story become? Horror, thriller, adventure, romance? Dazzle me!
• People travel the world for one of three reasons. They love it, they're miserable, or they're lost. Which one is the man closest to us in the picture?  

The Challenge Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.

Writer-Ambrosia 5

Welcome back, fellow inspiration addicts!

So, how's your life trotting along? Right, I hear you, none of my business. Then we'll awkwardly skip on to the subject of--me! I'm moving along myself, preparing a novel of mine for ebook publication, researching, planning out a future series, etc. Exciting, right? Or exciting for a writer, at least. Maybe not so thrilling compared to, say, an acrobat's newest performance or any number of Evel Knievel's acts, but for me, pretty heart-stopping.

Anyhow, with this schedule, I'm reducing updates. Don't cry now, M-pals. We'll still meet every Tuesday and Friday--promise! So make sure to stop on by every Tuesday and Friday, at least for the summer. I may have to reduce again for going back to school in September, but we'll leave that decision until later. Much the same way I handle laundry.

Anyhow, I believe it's time to get down to business. So, what's today's writer website snack? Scroll on down, guys, and you'll have your answer.

The official writer's website of the day is...

Writer's Digest http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/new-agency-alerts

Writer's Digest is basically the professional hub of all things writers. It hosts articles written by agents, published writers, editors, etc., to give writing advice to those of us who are less fortunate and less published. I think of it as the nucleus of the online writing world, but with less science and more phraseology.

The link I've given you is only one of the many sided Writer's Digest creation; the New Agency Alerts page is one of my best friends, a permanent member of my favorites list. Every time an agent has pointedly expressed that they are actively seeking new clients, or a new agent has been opened up in a new agency or just entered the scene, Chuck gives us all a holler. I swear, if I ever met that guy, I'd probably have to stop myself from launching on him and hugging the hishnit out of his big ole smile! New agents or opened agents are excellent opportunities, for both you and the agent in question.

Want my advice? Stop on by and explore Writer's Digest! Sign up for the online newsletter, get the 101 Best Websites for Writers (many of which will be featured on this blog), and expand your world. Writer's Digest is the online writer's café. Head on over and give it a shot.

What's that? You want your biweekly dose of writer-ambrosia? You've got it; I'll get the bath salts. 

L337

Background:

Leet (or "1337"), also known as eleet or leetspeak, is an alternative alphabet for the English language that is used primarily on the Internet. It uses various combinations of ASCII characters to replace Latinate letters. For example, leet spellings of the word leet include 1337 and l33t; eleet may be spelled 31337 or 3l33t.

The term leet is derived from the word elite. The leet alphabet is a specialized form of symbolic writing. Leet may also be considered a substitution cipher, although many dialects or linguistic varieties exist in different online communities. The term leet is also used as an adjective to describe formidable prowess or accomplishment, especially in the fields of online gaming and in its original usage, computer hacking.
(For more information on L337 history, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leet and http://www.tek-lado.com/2011/01/19/sp34k-memory-the-history-of-leet/?lang=en)


Literary Significance:

One of the most famous pieces of work containing l33t, and the piece of work responsible for the expansion of knowledge concerning l337 sp34k, is Megatokyo. Using this as my plug may be cheating, since it is not technically a piece of pure literature, but since it is a comic and, therefore, uses words, I'm going to risk it.

Megatokyo is a graphic novel accomplished through online comic updates. You can buy the actual novels, read it for free online, and purchase their brand products (most of which are superbly hilarious). The story follows the two main character Piro and Largo, which I believe were the original creators' usernames. Megatokyo uses l33t sp34k as a tension used throughout the work; it is almost the line where Largo and Piro's world--the place where the gaming, geek, and online savvy thrive--and the complicated and deceitfully simple reality of the world collide.

I am personally a fan of Megatokyo, both for the unique art and fantastic story development. Although it is not purely a piece of literature, it performs the same tasks with the same literary devices, just with the added element of visual performance.

Have a hankering for l33t sp34k and all that g33k fun? Check out Megatokyo! It's online and free, so no harm done, rightio gov'nah?  http://www.megatokyo.com/ 

Dare You to Try...

• Decipher the billboard. I dare you.
• A "real world gal" is being sent notes full of crazy numbers and jumbled symbols. She may not know what they mean, but the geeky guy working in the hotdog stand across from her Abercrombie cashier job sure does. Can he save her life from the stalking threat? Or, could this love-struck boy be the creep in disguise?
• Who would broadcast a l33t message on a public billboard? What is the message? A cry for help, a hacker's call to arms, or a proposal between a cute gaming couple?
•  L33t is almost unreadable to most people. But who's to say this sign is for people?
• A robot malfunctions and starts l34king government secrets through public billboards. Fortunately, the information is 3l173 coded. Unfortunately, a poor g33k in the crowd deciphers it. Will the government catch him? Can he bear the information he just accidentally decoded?
• Have fun! Pick a person from the crowd and try to imagine what their story would be after reading this l33t sign.

The Challenge Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.

        

Writer-Ambrosia 4

Is it that time again, M-pals?

I came totally unprepared. Hold on while I gather all my things together--just kidding! M. Jade Rivera always comes prepared. If I didn't, I'd probably have a panic attack. I'm one of those worry warts you've heard so much bout.

Moving on. It's time to display our writer's website of the day. Take a guess; what will it be today? I'll give you a hint. It has to do with saving yourself money, time, and copyright.

The official writer's website of the day is...

Writer's Beware   http://www.sfwa.org/other-resources/for-authors/writer-beware/alerts/

Writer's beware is a must for any new writer attempting to navigate their way through the publishing labyrinth. There are a lot of crooks, thieves, and just generally bad business goers out there posing as agents, publishers, and editors. Make sure you're not taken in by these money suckers by checking out every "sound too good to be true" or "they want money upfront?" operation. I can almost guarantee you, this place will save your skin almost every time.

By the way, I hope you bathe (or shower, that's actually more sanitary) more than the three times a week we soak here. Otherwise, I think we need to have an intervention. Now that this serious matter has been addressed, it's time to turn our thoughts over to our daily bubble bath of inspiration.

What's our odd piece of visual history today? Take a gander, my inspiration addicts. Wait, no, stop, not the female goose! Goodness, just look down.

Pele, the Volcano Goddess

Background:

Pele is the Hawaiian fire and volcano goddess, and was, in legend, as dangerous and uncontrollable as the elements she ruled over: namely fire and volcanoes. She is the most truly Hawaiian of deities, the number one god/goddess in their mythology, as most Hawaiian deities have a counterpart in other Polynesian island groups. Pele, with the exception of her counterpart in Tahiti where she is called Pere, and she is a unique and all-powerful being throughout all the legends.

Pele's volatile nature, as the tales go, prompted her father Kane to dismiss her from the heavens. As a result, she wandered the Earth, creating the world’s volcanoes until finally establishing her home on Mount Kilauea on the Big Island. Another indicator of Pele’s importance in the Hawaiian pantheon is the fact that Mount Kilauea is the "Mount Olympus" of Hawaiian classic mythology, basically. Feel free to correct me if there is a better metaphor for that, by the way, M-pals!

There is a lot more to Pele's legend, including how she ascended as a goddess once more, hid from her father, refused a husband, and finally married. If you want to know more about her and the other, fantastic Hawaiian gods and goddesses, go here: http://glitternight.com/2011/02/20/the-top-eleven-deities-in-hawaiian-mythology/ 

Literary Significance:

Besides the obvious allusions available with this mythology, someone has taken a twist on the Pele myth. Karsten Knight has written a YA paranormal series about a teenage girl who finds out she's a volcano goddess--sound familiar? I haven't read Wildefire or the proceeding books in the series, but they've been highly recommended!

Check it out the series here: http://www.karstenknight.com/

Dare You to Try. . .

• If you were going to make a twist on the story of Pele, what would you change? Is Pele secretly a woman, or a man? A volcano, or fire under pressure? Etc.
• Where does Pele's fire come from? Is it from her personality, her anger at her father, or sheer power? Go on, give it a shot!
• Where would you begin Pele's story? From her birth, her banishment, or her hiding?
•  Pele's eyes look like they know something. Why is she holding her fire like that? What does she know that you and I don't?
• How do you think humans first reacted to Pele's presence creating volcanoes around them?
• If you were a human, would you worship Pele, or hunt her down? I'd probably be the hunting kind myself, but who knows. The Hawaiians worshipped her, after all.

The Challenge
Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.

Writer-Ambrosia 3

Welcome back, M-pals!

This post is a little bit late, so please partake of my sincerest apologies. I stayed late babysitting for a friend, and the rest of the day was spent dashing about attending graduations. So, for all the graduates out there, congratulations! I hope you're prepared to grasp the world the world out there with both hands. And to help you do that is this beautiful little site, made just for people like you!

The official writer's website of the day is...

Life Is an Open Book http://esckeyes.blogspot.com/

Life Is an Open Book is a blog by Emily S. Keyes of the L. Perkins Agency. Deep breaths, everyone, I know agents are basically celebrities to us writers but you'll want to your mental faculties in order to hear this. On this blog are the inner workings of publishing and agenting. From updates on genres to writer conference announcements, Mrs. Keyes opens a bit of her working life to us literary fanatics. I think we all owe her a big, "Thank you!" So scroll on over to her site and check it out. Really, I don't mind.

Back already? Well, we'll move on then. Need a little inspiration pick-me-up after reading the realities of publishing? Well, I'll only be too happy to oblige. So, bring on the inspiration. Or as we M-pals say, bring the writer-ambrosia forthwith.

So, what's our visual bubble bath of the day?

Graffiti

 



Background:

 The history of graffiti art began in what is called the "Ground Work" time between 1966-71 with a surge of, primarily, political activists. It was used as both a way to make public and widespread statements, and street gangs to mark their territory. It wasn't till the late 1960s that this writing's current identity started to form. The history of the "underground art movement" most commonly referred to as graffiti, began mainly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the mid to late '60s and has its roots in bombing. The writers who are credited with the first conscious bombing effort are CORNBREAD and COOL EARL. They wrote their names all over the city, gaining attention from both the community and the local press. It is unclear whether this concept made its way to New York City via deliberate efforts or if it was a spontaneous occurrence.

If you want to learn more about the history of graffiti, you can follow this link. Davey D. covers the progression of this art style throughout the decades. http://www.daveyd.com/historyofgraf.html

Literary Significance

I had a hard time finding any direct connections between graffiti and novels, classic literature (as can be expected), or modern short stories. That's not to say they aren't out there. However, I found a mental connection between this art movement and the tone and significance present in the short story The Destructors by Graham Greene. Though it's set in England's WWII aftermath, and was written in 1954, I believe you'll find a deep connection in both tone, generational values, and a strange parallel between creation and destruction that is present in most graffiti art.

Dare You to Try . . .

• Try to imagine what character matches which graffiti signature. What are they like, and how do their lives interconnect through this one piece of plywood?
• How will the man in the background be affected by this graffiti? I wonder if he will stop and notice the colors and the effort people have put into this work?
• "Now in the land of crackheads," says the navy blue writing. Why, and who, would put out this warning?
• I wonder why there is a star of David--the symbol of Judaism--spray-painted in this location? Is it a threat, or a declaration? How is it significant, or is it at all? What artist made this decision?   

The Challenge
Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.

Writer Ambrosia #2

Hello again, M-pals!

Before we dive straight into the writer-ambrosia, I'd like to announce a slight change. From now on, every update will also include an official writer's website of the day. What's today's you ask? Oh, just a gorgeous little site I found lying around.

The official writer's website of the day is...

Teens Can Write, Too! https://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com/

Teens Can Write, Too! is an excellent website for all the advice a beginning, budding, or teenage writer will ever need. Don't let the name fool you, though. There are plenty of resources, recommendations, and website links available on the site for M-pals of all ages and levels of experiences. Go on and take a gander at the jewels on their site.

Seriously, go ahead, I'll wait.

Oh, good, you're back. Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for! It's time for a lovely little bubble bath; what will our fragrance be today, you ask? Just scroll on down, turn on your favorite mp3, and have a nice soak.

Today's visual writer-ambrosia is . . .

The Sex Demon

 



Background:

Today's picture actually comes from envios on deviantart.com (http://envios.deviantart.com/) However, the picture itself refers to the succubus, which is one of history's most famous sex demons. A succubus has always been said to come in the form of a tempting woman and seduces men for her personal gain. What exactly she gets out of this is debated, but it is easy to see why this myth could have been invented.

The succubus' male counterpart is the incubus, which is latin for "to lie upon." He's exactly like a succubus, only he takes women instead of men. It's also interesting to note that the son or daughter of an Incubus is said to become a wizard, as is explained to be the origins of Merlin in original Arthurian legend.

More about uncomfortable sex demon legends here: http://listverse.com/2011/01/13/top-10-sex-demons/

Literary Significance:

I would say allusions are the most significant thing related to succubus and incubi. Catholicism kept the idea of sex demon very much alive in the 1600's. Some Pope's even wrote declarations advising Catholics how to excorcise these demons from their homes, towns, or even individual people. This could be a fun thing to include if you ever decide to write on this subject. However, I would reccomend using taste when writing about either sex demons or Catholicism. Both can be pretty touchy subjects.

That's not the end of the matter, though. I hear from goodreads that Richelle Mead has a fairly expansive series of fantasy novels on the matter. They're said to be a mixture of genres: fantasy romance, suspense, urban fantasy, dark fantasy, and horror. If you're into that, look it up. If you don't, relax and continue your ambrosia bath.

Dare You to Try . . .

• What kind of factory lives in fear of a succubus attack? In fact, where the hishnit would your factory be located to be in range of a succubus? On the edge of hell, or is this urban fantasy? Go on, you tell me.
• If I was a succubus, I'm not sure I'd seduce men who knew about succubi. I think I'd go for the idiots. But--what would happen if one found out?
• I wonder, who is it that's tracking succubus activity? A young woman training for her degree in demon-slaying? Or a man with a grudge?
• What genres could you slip a succubus into without breaking the all-important suspended disbelief?

The ChallengeTry to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.

Writer-Ambrosia #1

Welcome, M-pals!

Thank you, thank you! I'd like to thank my mom, my dad, and of course, my stuffed killer whale named Spot, without whom I would never have made a blog. Or, most importantly, have become a writer.

Anyway, I've decided to start up this blog for people just like me--you, the M-pals, the writers with a passion for all things literary or inventive. This blog, or at least this page, is dedicated to all things inspiring. Three times a week, I'll upload a picture and a little background on the subject matter as a sacrifice to your writer cravings.

Sometimes, writers are scurrying about, starving to death for a sweet little drop of inspiration. Well, open your mouths, because a little of that writer-ambrosia is headed your way.

Today's Visual Writer-Abrosia is . . .

The 20's Flapper

Background:

Just a bit of background for this photo. This is a girl from the 1920's, also called a "flapper," named for the type of dress she's wearing. If you didn't know, the 1920's were always refered to as "The Roaring 20's," because of the economic prosperty and party-going scene that developed during the time.

Literary Significance:

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels were mainly set in the 1920's. One of his most famous novels, The Great Gatsby (you heard right, it's a book, not just a movie featuring Leonardo DiCaprio), was also set during this time. Erase some of the darker makeup, make this girl blond, and BAM--you've got Daisy pegged.

Dare You to Try . . .

• I wonder, who is she looking at with that sardonic expression? A raging nanny, an overprotective father, or maybe a hapless suitor who simply isn't her type.
•  Hypothetically speaking, of course, but I wonder exactly how hard it would be to meet the woman your ex-boyfriend stole your favorite pearl necklace from? 
• For a woman living in the "Roaring 20's," this woman doesn't look like she's in the partying mood. Someone needs a martini. But why?
• What genre would this girl's story fit into? A mystery? Horror? Or an exciting, paranormal romance twist?

The Challenge

Try to come up with a pitch for this picture's story, and share it with your fellow M-pals! You may never end up writing the novel, but if you can create the plot or pitch for one after looking at a single photograph, you'll never run out of ideas.


*Remember to comment and share! Also, if you ever find a photo or line from a poem, novel, etc., that nearly renders you catatonic with inspiration, send me an email, a comment, whatever, telling me about it. I'd love to feature it. Inspiration is a well, fellow M-pals, and everyone needs to draw from it.