A penny for your thoughts?

We've turned ourselves into machines.
Race and religion and creative thought are detected as viruses we shut down without a second thought.
We fear the things that make us unique. We are so utterly desperate to fit into the mold of what society deems acceptable that we neglect the idea of being our own person. We would rather conform than strive. Surviving has become a priority over living.
What do we have to look forward to if we're all the same?
Media and public figures preach that we find love for ourselves and be the person we want to be, but if we don't fit into the idea of what it means to have self love and the "perfect body" we're shamed. We're put down and picked apart and dissected until the very idea of trying to break the social norm makes us sick to our stomach.
Who wants to live in a world where they can't where they want or listen to a certain type of music or think a certain way without being profiled and stereotyped?
When did we become so fixated on labels and categories that we forgot what it meant to have freedom of expression?
Sure, we can scream and yell and claim that we support the idea of self image and body positive thinking, but is it the truth? Or are we covering for the deep seeded  reality that we can't stand the fact that people just may be different?
Differences are what make us beautiful.
Conformity never will be.

Don't Be Afraid Of Detail

I used to always think I was going into TOO MUCH detail when I would write. I would panic, erase everything, and return to my trusty elementary school simple sentences.
 It took me a while to realize that those details made the story worth ready. Where is the fun in a story in which you can't picture? The whole point of books or stories are to transport you to another world, and to help you find your escape from the rest of reality.
Don't be afraid of detail.
As the saying goes, "No emotion in the writer, no emotion in the reader."
Write what you want to. Don't worry about what other people may think about your work. As long as you are proud of your literary creation, you have nothing to fear.

More Prompts And Ideas

Still struggling with starting off or simply COMING UP with a new story? I have some more prompts here to help give you the swift kick you need.

1."Drugs may kill you," I said, looking deep into her eyes. "But they never break your heart."

2. "You're stepping over the line." He said.

    "Then don't draw one." I replied. 

3. "I took 20 shots of vodka because I wanted to forget your name, but the only name I forgot was mine. And it turns out, either when I am drunk or sober, you're the only thing that's on my mind."

4."A tiger can't change its stripes." He whispered in my ear. 

5."For every sin, there's a price."

6. "Why do you wear polka dots on Tuesdays?"

    "Why do you wear white on Sundays?" I shot back.

7. "The war is in my mind." I didn't dare look up to meet his gaze. "And the battle scars line my skin."

8. "I'd rather walk through hell than be held up on a pedestal, sitting on a throne of lies." Her eyes blazed with an intensity I have never seen before. "I'd rather be alone than spend my days pretending something's real when it is nothing more than playing make believe."

I hope this prompts have helped guide you along the writing path you were looking for! Soon I will be posting a writing contest. Get your pens ready and a competitive spirit! The race will be on, and on,y one can win!

Look Around You

If you are having trouble writing the start of your next story -or maybe you don't know where to go with your current one- look around you. Life is full of inspiration. Did you recently go through a bad break up? Use that. Did something great happen at school? There you go!
The point is, if you really pay attention to what is around you there is inspiration. They key is to search it out.
For example, when I grew up in Arkansas, my grandparents live in this tiny little blue house on the corner of the street. To this day, I pretty much always find a way to use that very house in my stories.
Your life can be the most inspirational thing if you look close enough.

10 Do's and Don'ts of Writing

I know it has been a while, but I am back with all new tips, ideas, and writing advice like never before! I have been spending the last couple of days researching and exploring the literary world to develop a list of five writing MUST DO'S and DON'TS.

The DO's:
1. Write from your heart. 
2.Write without editing, fixing, or checking.
3. Research what you are writing about. 
4. Maintain the personalities of your characters. Show them evolving. 
5. Put thought into your delivery.

The DON'TS:
1. Using the same plot line over and over again is never a good idea.
2. Don't reuse the same verbs and adjectives in every line. Mix it up a little bit.
3. Don't second guess what you are doing, just write. 
4. Don't write when you feel like it. Set aside time to write at least a little bit everyday. If you only do it when it seems like a good idea, you will never get anything done.
5. Don't work on too many works at one time.

10 Novel-Writing Tips

Found this gem on pinterest this morning and couldn't NOT share it with you all. Hope you find it useful.