Movies Vs. Books

Everyone loves a good a movie, yet not everyone will read a good book. Why is that? There are several possible reasons. One, being they don't want to engage their mind and would prefer to passively watch a story being told to them rather than get involved in it. Or maybe words are just too big and confusing for some people. Nonetheless, there are reasons people like movies, and writers should keep them in mind.

Movies are a unique means of storytelling in that they show with pictures, and convey emotions with the mere sight of a face, rather than the description of one. If you are a writer chances are you have heard the advice, "show, don't tell." I will be far more excited if you use an interaction, thought, or physical description to show me that Bella is in love with Edward, instead of stating it blatantly. This concept obviously applies to films as well. After all, watching Bruce Wayne's pupils dilate and see his brow waver, is a much more hooking indicator than if the narrarator were to suddenly announce, "And then Bruce Wayne knew it was time to put on the Batman costume again."

In today's market, one of the marks of success for a book is when it is adapted onto film. Often, movies engross the audience to read the book the movie was based on. This happened to me when I watched the Lord of the Rings, and then I discovered that J.R.R Tolkien was a bit of a task to read. So when you are writing your book, consider if the story could translate well into film. I have heard children describe books as, "movies in your head," and while this may be a problematic/offensive statement in some ways, there is truth in it. Movies are something you can sit back and watch while shoveling popcorn in your mouth, while books not only put images in your head, they can entrance you with the music of well-formed sentences, and take as much time as they want to develop lovable characters.

So they next time you watch a good movie, think about why you and so many others like it, and compare that to literature. And when writing your book, consider if it is something that would sound well on paper, and translate to the screen.

Written By: Karoline Kingley

Deadlines: Everybody Needs Them

"I don't have to set deadlines, I can get things done on my own. Besides, I'm not a procrastinator." You've probably heard people say this, or maybe you've said it yourself. But the fact of the matter is we all need deadlines, even if you can get things done. I would argue that deadlines are imperative for those of us who work a lot because without them, you WILL continue editing and perfecting for the next five years.

I realized this a couple months ago when I found myself repeating the same phrase to my friends and family regarding my book: "Yes, I'm almost done, I just want to edit a few more times." I would estimate I did more than ten blanket edits of my book in two months. And whilst I do believe my creation is far better off with that extra mothering, too much more of that pattern would have gotten me nowhere. Just the other day I looked at my book again after two weeks of abstaining from doing so and marked some changes I wanted to make upon first glance. At some point I probably will be making more changes yet I feel sure that if I had not submitted my book to that writing contest, I would be incessantly editing until this day.

I believe that you should work on a project until you are happy with it, but set a deadline for when your happiness is complete. I'm convinced that you can never be 100% gratified with something that you create. 98% maybe, but don't waste your time attempting to achieve perfection.

Written By: Karoline Kingley

Dare to Flop

This week, something amazing happened. But let me start from the beginning. A few weeks ago, a family friend linked me to a writing contest with the Women of Faith of West Bow Publishing Press company. I read the terms and conditions, and was doubtful about entering my novel. Although the company is Christian, they claimed they would accept works of any genre. Even so, I was skeptical of partiality. Despite that, after yet another blanket edit I submitted my book on January 28. And yesterday, I received this email:

Dear Karoline,
Thanks to you and the more than 450 other entrants, the 2012 Women of Faith Writing Contest has been a success.
It was difficult narrowing down this impressive field, but 30 finalists have been selected -- and you are one of them!
That means that you are one step closer to potentially being named the Grand-Prize winner and following in the footsteps of previous winners Marcia Moston and Amy Sorrels, both now traditionally published authors.

I pinched myself. Then I did the math. I rounded up to 500 and calulated the percentage of thirty finalists. 16%. Only 16% of the entries moved on the final round. Here I am, a novice, inexperienced fifteen year-old, and my novel has been counted worthy to be considered for a publishing deal among other adult female writers.

Every time I see that email or look at the list, I can't help but smile. When I told family and friends I entered the contest, I was unenthusiastic. I honestly didn't think I had a chance of being considered. Yet somehow, this fortune, this blessing has been thrust upon me, and I scarcely know what to do with it. I would say it is chance, only I know that is not true. I have God and His abounding grace upon my life and craftsmanship to thank for this. Parents, friends and teachers have influenced this current acheivement. And to think that a few weeks ago, I entered my book, "just to see what would happen."

I have no idea if I will place, but whether I do or not, I shall rejoice nonetheless for this kind of promise and recognition surpasses all that I dared hope for. And that is the challenge I want to propose to you today. I have a dare for you: Dare to Flop. Other variations include "dare to suck" etc.

When I submitted my little book, I was being daring, taking a risk even though I didn't look at it that way. Imagine if I had not done that! I would not be rejoicing like I am right now, or clinging to the hope that maybe my book is worthy to be read by the real world.

Therefore I encourage you, to relinquish every fear and doubt and dare to flop. Whatever your talent or ability. Be it dancing, music, rocket ship construction or soap-making! If you never take the chance that people will laugh at you and reject you, you will never experience the joy of praise and commendation. I am exceedingly grateful for this opportunity and will keep you posted on further updates; but till then, dare to flop my fellow readers.

Written By: Karoline Ott

A Writer's Definition of Love

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! In honor of this special day I thought I would write a little bit about love. But not in the way you might expect.

Last year, my mother suggested I find some sort of writing contest to enter. After extensive browsing I finally found something that fit my narrow criteria. The prompt, was this: Write about your definition of love. That sounded easy enough, so with minimal research I wrote a one page essay which, at the time, I thought accurately, and effectively explained my definition of love. To be honest the hardest requirement of that assignment was writing something in less than 1,500 words. Can you tell I like to write? Now however, my writing has become far more succinct, and I can usually write a descriptive essay in three simple paragraphs. But where was I going with this...oh yeah.

Since then I have grown a lot. Both as a person and a writer. *Cue the rolling eyes* Looking back on that essay now, I see room for improvement. Don't get me wrong. I in no way regret entering the contest because if I hadn't, I would not be able to grow, and learn from my mistakes. So let's take a look at together and see how a slightly more mature Karoline can help her younger self.


Here is a snippet from the second paragraph:  "Most would agree that there are two types of love: Affectionate and romantic love." Okay honey let me stop you right there. In the first part of my sentence I stated the topic of my current argument: love. So was it necessary to reiterate that when writing, "'Affectionate and romantic love?'" No. It would have been better if I had simply written: "Affectionate and romantic." Okay moving on.

"For those fortunate humans with a heart, they have most likely felt both during their lifetime." This sentence makes me cringe for a number of reasons. Number one, "humans?" Why would I use a lifeless word like "human" to describe loving people? I might as well have said Homo Sapien! And second, the overall structure of the second produces no melodious or particularly informative affect. Let's try and re-state it. Although, it might be a better idea to omit it altogether. How about this instead: "Most people will experience both in their lifetime." Or maybe, "To experience both is a fortune open to anyone capable of feeling." Yes, I think either one of those would have been better.

 Continuing, "However, upon closer examination, I have concluded that each type of true love possesses characteristics common to the other. Whatever the motives, true love is always, selfless and unconditional. Anyone who doubts this has clearly never known true love. Think about the person dearest to you. Would you take a bullet for them? Would you continue to love them despite their imperfections? Here is a truth that may enlighten those who answered “yes” to both: feelings do not make you suddenly behave with respect.  Neither does emotion alone cause you to sacrifice that which you before considered life-essential. Resolution invents noble decisions." So this last passage was not quite as flawed as the previous ones. But I did notice I used the word 'you' an awful lot. For example, in this sentence, "Neither does emotion alone cause you to sacrifice that which you before considered life-essential." Instead, I could have said this: "Neither does passion inspire sacrifice." 

Well, I think I've picked up on a few tips and tricks since then. However I think it is worth pointing out that even though so long as you keep writing you will get better all the time, do not let that hold you back from writing now. In a year I will probably read this blog post and be shaking my head at myself. But that's okay. If I did not dare to stink, I could never grow.

Written By: Karoline Kingley

Oh, and if you steal any of this content, you better hide yo kids and hide yo wife cause I'M GONNA FIND YOU! 

Photo: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=706&q=picture+of+a+heart&oq=picture+of+a+heart&gs_l=img.3..0l3j0i5l4j0i24l3.1490.4631.0.4873.18.17.0.0.0.0.188.1656.11j6.17.0.ernk_timediscountb..0.0...1.1.3.img.vPh0A9Soecc#hl=en&tbo=d&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=picture+of+a+vintage+heart&oq=picture+of+a+vintage+heart&gs_l=img.3...12629.15263.0.15523.20.19.1.0.0.0.145.2029.9j10.19.0.ernk_timediscountb..0.0...1.1.3.img.J2ZM19b1ksQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.42452523,d.aWM&fp=1f8ee8d16cb09f09&biw=1252&bih=647&imgrc=vyKeeeQMFNbQgM%3A%3Bj2eMqTnagp65iM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.iliveonafarm.com%252Fimages%252Fvintage-heart.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fscrumptiousliving.wordpress.com%252F2007%252F02%252F12%252Fmy-vintage-heart%252F%3B350%3B313

Why I Hope You Don't Pirate My Book

Please Don't Pirate My Book

Chuck Wendig of "terribleminds" blog,  has proclaimed February 6th "International Please Don't Pirate My Book Day." I, and many other writers I am sure, have agreed to take part in this revolutionary holiday, and share my thoughts on why I hope you don't pirate my book.

Just like Chuck Wendig, money is not the issue for me. I mean, obviously it would be nice if you did not deprive me of my money, but that is not the main concern. I don't want you to steal my art, the things I have created that are a reflection of myself. I especially don't want you to sell something of my own as if it's yours. There is really one one reason for this:

Art is a form of expression that cannot be duplicated. The purpose of art is to convey a message and in my opinion, words are the most personal form by which feeling travels. In a sense, art is sacred. It is one of the few ways in life by which we can express ourselves in a beautiful, unique way. And when someone steals art, they commit derision. Just as anybody would frown and gawk at someone if they ground a lovely lily into the ground with the heel of their boot, in the same way, I would naturally be upset if you stole my "lily," even if it were in tact. Say someone ripped my book somehow, then sold it. Even if it sold millions of copies and the thief returned it to me, I would find no value in re-possession after that. When someone steals, they show  no respect towards the owner of the object. Stealing something because you like it does not justify thievery. After all, if you do, you don't really like it. When you truly admire someone or something, you will not do it the injustice of abominable disrespect.

In conclusion, please don't pirate my book because (sigh,) it's not nice. It's really not nice. And if you do, I hope you feel happy that you have derided a vulnerable, honest, reflection of myself. Thanks!

"The Fault In Our Stars" - Book Review

"The Fault In Our Stars" by John Green topped the Young Adult fiction charts for most of 2012, and recently won 'best book of the year.' As you might expect, when I picked up the book from the library, (I had to wait two weeks to get it,) I had high expectations. Unfortunately, they were not met.

My friends had raved about this book, I had read reviews, and not found a single one in the negative. Therefore I am fully aware that I am part of a small minority when I say I was disappointed in "The Fault In Our Stars." Also, it remains a possibility that this book was just so different than what I normally read, that made it difficult to enjoy. I mostly read classic novels; long and strategically paced. Reading something written in this century is a stretch for me. But I'll stop explaining myself and tell you what I thought.

If you aren't familiar with this book, I'll give a short synopsis. "The Fault In Our Stars" is a young adult fiction novel, narrated by a sixteen year-old cancer survivor named Hazel. She befriends a charming, ridiculously handsome cancer-survivor named Augustus Waters who always knows what to say. (On a side note, have your expectations for men been wildly thwarted because of the novels you read?) They bond over Hazel's favorite book called An Imperial Affliction, written by a recluse dutch author named Peter Van Houten. Together, they learn to cope with and understand the questions that philosophers have asked for centuries, but from the viewpoint of teenagers who have looked death in the face.

 In retrospect, the book is well-written, different and funny. Hazel and Augustus both  have fabulously sarcastic senses of humor that made me laugh out loud several times. I suppose the book was meant to be heart-breaking too, and it would have been if I had not seen the ending from a mile away. If you did not find the plot predictable like I did, you probably would have soaked the pages with a torrent of tears.

The fact is, I found the book meatless. The plot was simple, too simple, and the outcome (to me) was obvious. I can't fully explain the reasons I did not enjoy this book without spoiling it, but I'll try. 

At the beginning, I really enjoyed it. Hazel is funny, thoughtful and she loves her parents. She acts like your typical teenager in many ways, but she also demonstrates maturity in thought that sets her apart from the crowd. She meets Augustus Waters in the first chapter, and after only four chapters the audience is immediately thrown into the heat of the story, and I hadn't really had a chance to attach myself to the characters. The fact is, not much happened. And the things that did happen were not as important to me as they would have been if the author had devoted more words to the characters.

I guess it was a good book. It had interesting concepts, and unique themes. However, the pacing and unfolding process did not do justice to the ideas being communicated. As aforementioned, I have not heard anyone have negative feelings about the book besides myself, so perhaps I am merely uneducated, or the book was too different for me. John Green is a great writer, not to mention hilarious. I might look into some of his other novels simply to enjoy his writing-voice, yet if his story telling tactics are the same as expressed in "The Fault In Our Stars," I can't say I will be reading anymore of his books.


Photo: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1366&bih=706&q=the+fault+in+our+stars&oq=the+fault+in+our+stars&gs_l=img.3..0l10.313.3918.0.5044.22.10.0.11.11.2.310.2022.2j3j4j1.10.0...0.0...1ac.1.2.img.3BHSeB3BTMY#imgrc=VwrXpHGS5lEWbM%3A%3BUU4akBDSFpxMkM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftangledupindaydreams.files.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F06%252Fthe-fault-in-our-stars.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Ftangledupindaydreams.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F06%252F16%252Fthe-fault-in-our-stars%252F%3B3648%3B2736