College is Rewarding?

Hi everyone,

Monday started my First week of Classes. I am taking them all online so the workload is a lot heavier. I would love to post something on here every other day but realistically speaking that might not happen. I am going to try to stick to posting something once a week at the least. When I don’t post for a while I feel bad and post like three blog post. So I hope that makes up for it. This semester I am taking Spanish 1 (Which is require for my major  although I am going to learn for myself) Advanced Creative Writing Fiction, Advanced Creative Writing Poetry (which is my personal enjoyment) and intro to women studies. Which is my minor, No I am not a crazy woman who wants to kill men. It was the best option they offered that seemed interesting to me. I am a women so I would like to know more about women in literature and so on. I will be finished with college next summer so I will be able to blog as much as I won’t. Unless I’m touring and doing book signings. College is rewarding if you are staying focused and doing all you can to succeed. It is also very challenging. Anything worth fighting for is rewarding.

I hope that with everything that I do it pleases God. That it brings hope to someone. That it brings about change in some small significant way. We are just one turn from doing something severely right or wrong. I hope that you decide today and for the rest of your life to do good. I am not in anyway trying to convert anyone or push my views upon you. This is how I feel about life. This blog is my VIEWS, my OPINIONS, and my BELIEFS.  Even if you don’t feel the same way I hope that doesn’t prevent you from enjoying what I am trying to get across. The message that I am sending out through my books and post. which is of just helping and encouraging your fellow human. The title to this post is a little misleading since I got off topic. But I just wanted to let you know why the posting might be scarce. School takes up a lot of my time, and I don’t want my lovely blog followers to feel neglect. Because I truly love and appreciate everyone that follows and reads my post. Have a blessed day world. May love shine down on you and encourage you to make that good turn.

Additional Blog

Hi everyone,

I have been wanting to mention that I have another blog on here. For some time but It kept slipping my mind. It was created over a year ago and its mostly filled with poetry and book reviews and venting. Its the typical blog type thing. I really enjoy blogging on there as well. It seems that my readers were used to my poetry and books reviews that when I posted my first excerpt of my book they weren’t as interested. So I decided to get another blog and promote my books on there. I really enjoy writing poetry it is my writing first love and it moves me like no other form of writing does. It always me to say things that I normally wouldn’t say. I am able to be another person with my poetic touch on things. When I look at life through my poetry lens it affects me differently than when I look at life normally. Even in my books my poetry is present through songs and things of that nature. My other blog is lisharvey.wordpress.com I hope you go take a lot if your interested. Some of them are me at my lowest point and it is evident in my words. My emotions are very widely raged and depending on how I am feeling a particular day affects what I write.

Also I think I might start doing writing prompts??? I come across wonderful writing prompts in school, from books. I thought it might be a fun thing to do. We could each do a post on the writing prompt and share it with each other. It could be like a virtual writing workshop. Or just something fun to get the writing juices flowing. Let me know how you feel about that in the comments. I am totally willing if others are. i hope you have had a wonderful last few days.

Writing Tips From Me To You

1.   Ideas

–When you have an idea run with it
We get so many ideas per day and we ignore them because we’re too busy. Or we put in back on the back burner. Those ideas don’t always stay there. If you are honestly at a point in your life where you can’t write a story them at least write down the entire outline somewhere where you can get back to it.
–Don’t assume your idea isn’t good
We as people are harder on ourselves than any other individual would ever be. Not to say that there aren’t some cruel people. But what I am trying to say that if you got the idea. Then write it. Someone out in the world living right now could be deeply touched by your story. Even if its only one other person than you can proudly say you helped someone.
2.   Research
–What? I have to do research for my books? Yes you do if you want your book to be credible. Even fake worlds have to make sense. I can’t just tell my readers pigs fly. I have to make this myth so believe that they walk away believing that pigs can actually fly. Or at the very least understand why you came to that conclusion yourself.
–Research is also helpful when it comes to knowing how to set up your book. When you start writing a books for the most part you’re lost. Find some writer groups, do some workshops. Figure out HOW to write a books. Its not as challenging as you would think. But you have to find out the appreciate tools to build the books.
3. Audience
–By the time you work out that outline you should know who you are writing for. That will help you direct your book in the right age group. If you are aiming for young adult and you write a children’s books well then you might want to start looking up daycare that you can do readings in. Not saying that some young adults don’t enjoy children’s books. I myself adore children’s books. However I am only one reader. How will you make sells???
–Finding an audience means doing some research within itself. You want to target Y.A. Well figure out what they are reading. Doesn’t mean you have to write a books about vampires but you can write a book about love.
4. Finish What You Started
–This is probably one of my biggest tips. When you start actually writing the books, FINISH it. I know that seems like a no brainer but that is one of the big problems for people. With anything you do in life if you never complete it, it will never even have an opportunity to accomplish something.
–There maybe times were you don’t like what you are writing or feel as though it needs some work. Just push through it and get the books finish. You can always go back and edit things.
5. Dreams Vs achievers
–Dreamers are people who speak about doing what they have always wanted to do in their lives. Achievers are people that stop at nothing to reach there goal. (hopefully in an honorable way). When you decide from the beginning what you are when you set out to write. You will accomplish it. It may not be on the grand scale you want but something will happen if you decide to not give up.
–If you are ONLY going into writing for the money you might want to start in another profession. Not that writing can’t pay the rent. Its just that it may take some time and you have to stick with it. Writing just doesn’t start off that way.
6. Writing Faucets
–The best writing tool for me is a journal. I know that may seem old fashion but it worked for me. I am a full time student and there are times where I don’t have much time to write. I sent in writing sessions anytime I have free time. I just whip my journal out of my purse and start writing.
–Another reason why I liked journals is because my Mom bought the ones with inspirational quotes in them. So when I felt discouraged or didn’t feel like writing. I would read a quote or saying and it would motivate me to keep going.
–I just felt more personal with my writing. It felt like mine, like I was accomplishing my goal. I was able to look in my journal and see my own handwriting doing the work. Reaching my goal.
–Granted at the end I had to type everything up but if you type the book up by chapter it won’t be so overwhelming at the end.
7. Know What Works
–Find what works for you in regards to writing.
–Some people use laptops to type everything up. I feel as though its easier to get lazy with your writing. As well as getting distracted. The plus side is once its typed. You just have to go in and do editing.
Some people use their phone. You can access that at anytime and send it to your laptop. I feel as though with phones you can’t type as fast as your mind is processing things. You get distracted with text messages and things of that nature.
8. Ignore Negative People
–This is my most precious advice
–When you decide what you are writing is worth reading. don’t allow anyone to sway you with mean words. It wasn’t their idea in the first place. It wasn’t there dream in the first place. You Can’t tell me if I am good at what I love. Only you can truly tell what you have on the inside of you. After all what they are saying is just their opinion.

That’s all my tips for now. If you have any tips to share please comment below. I might add them in a later post and I might use them myself. I am always ready for sincere advice from people. I never try to believe that I am to great to grow more and gain more out of life. I hope these tips help you on your writing journey, if they did let me know. Much love and always remember Write, Write, Write.

Why I Write

When I was younger I was in Foster care. At one particular time I moved in with my older sister. She used to write poetry and I would sneak into her room to read it. When she left the home she left all her journals. I would read them and it would help me have something of her to hold on to. I would also read the Maya Angelou poems she had. Who till this day is one of my favorite poets. She is also one of the people who inspire me to write. After my sister left I kinda started to play around with words. I wanted to express myself like she and Angelo were doing. Once I began to get a feel for it. You would always see me with a piece of paper and pencil. Writing was my private escape from life. I had  a lot of emotional issues growing up. Neglect and being in foster care can really messes up a kid. But through writing and God being present in my life I was able to muddle through. I believe I was ten at the time. I found out not only did I enjoy writing to release my feelings. I was actually pretty good at it. I could write on anything. I started just thinking about topics and I would write a poem about it. When I turned fourteen I was adopted by my family. I continued to write but I started getting recognition in high school. My parents would tell me how good I was at writing. But I always would respond that’s what your suppose to tell me.

I entered several contest and I wrote a play during my high school years. I enjoyed my English classes I was good at writing papers. It wasn’t my favorite type of writing. I love writing but I do not enjoy MLA formatting and strict guidelines for my writing. I took a year off after high school and it was a hard year. I am sometimes known to be an over thinker and a bit of a worrier. Its all the years I spent as a foster kid not knowing where I would end up in life. I spent that time filling up so many journals with poetry. Trying to figure out my purpose and what I wanted out of life. That probably was the most difficult year of my adopting process for my parents to. I would spend hours talking to my Mom about what I wanted to do for college. Finally I was tired of being at home and applied for Seminole State College of Florida. I started my own Creative Writing Club at school and I was sold. Writing was my purpose. It was my gift.

         I write to remember those that have come before me and inspired me. I want to bring hope to the world in some small way. Whether it be bringing a smile to someone’s face. Or allowing a reader to escape from there lives for a while. I write to leave a positive legacy for my generation and the generations to come. I write as a way to express myself and sort out my feelings. I write because it is one of the things that brings me satisfaction in life. Writing is such an essential part of who I am. How do I know this? Because it is something that I couldn’t go the rest of my life without doing. This is why I write.