Questions

Atop this hill is where it happened, where I lost everything and anything precious to me. It’s atop this hill where the only reason I kept moving forward stopped pushing me and ceased moving altogether. It was atop this hill that I decided to find out who did this and it is upon this very hill that I will take them and judge them for what they have done to me…for what they did to her. It all seems so unreal, so much like a dream that starts off innocent enough but quickly turns to shit right when things seem so cheerful. However, unlike a dream, I can’t seem to wake up. It’s been two years since I found her here, lying peacefully , undisturbed, and just as beautiful as those days when we used to lay in that exact stop and look at the stars. This time however she wouldn’t move when I nudged her, she would answer when I said her name, and she no longer was there to console me when the tears came. I stayed with her for several hours just knelling their chain smoking cigarette after cigarette, something I was planning on quitting with her help. I stayed their till I no longer had tears left to give, till my throat felt raw and on fire from the constant supply of smoke, till I realized what It was I had to do. Ever since that day I return to this hill. I return to this hill and I lay down in the spot where I found her. I lay and I think. “Who could have done this?”, “Why did they do this?”, and “What can I do to them when I find them that will make them suffer?” These are the questions I ask myself as I sort through a mental list of possible suspects and their motivations. It’s as I lay here upon this hill that something unexpected is about to happen. Its upon this hill that a new lead reveals itself to me and its upon this hill that I finally start down the ever twisting road of revenge.
- I Have Krabs

You are different from most people who “would like to write a book someday.” You decided to read this article, which refers to “your book” in the title. This means you have an actual book in mind that you want to write. This puts you into a very small, and very elite, percentage of would-be authors.

For whatever reason, you haven’t done it. Let me guess: you don’t have time. There are many other possible reasons, including getting discouraged by other people, feeling your book isn’t good enough, or even getting started and then stopping because it wasn’t turning out as well as you wanted it to. The easiest reason to fall back on, though, is you don’t have time.

Guess what? You do have time. You can find 15 minutes a week to write your book. At that rate, it will take a while, but you do have the time. What you might not have is the organization you will need. Without organization, your 15 minutes will be spent going over what you have already done, instead of adding to it.

Here is your organization:

In your first 15 minutes, write down what your book is about, well enough so that someone else can get a solid understanding of what to expect when they pick up your book. This short description should be as close to cast in concrete as you can make it, because you will use it from here on out to keep yourself on track.

The following week, in your next 15 minutes, write down the chapter titles, and maybe a sentence or two about each one. This may take two or three 15-minute sessions, but do as much of it as you can in the first one. This outline doesn’t have to be quite so solid, but it will be invaluable as you continue your sessions. Maybe down the road you will add, delete, or combine chapters, but that is for later. For now, just list the chapters as best you can.

Next session: Outline the main points you want to make in chapter one, or the characters you want to introduce if it is fiction. No detail, but enough information to guide you in the actual writing so you don’t have to re-think it in future sessions.

Each session for a while: write about each point in order, or each character. This is the actual writing part. This is where you might start slogging, fall down, and lose hope, if you fall into The Re-writing Trap. Oh, it is a sneaky trap. You write something, don’t like it, think it could be better, and re-write it. Blam, there go three of your fifteen minutes, and there goes your book.

Do Not Re-write While Writing! Even if you know you messed up a sentence or spelled a word wrong or could come up with something better, Do Not Stop! Get your thoughts down on paper about that one point or whatever small goal you have set yourself for that session. You can and will be re-writing the whole thing later anyway. Plus, by the time you finish, your re-writing will be very different from what it would be at the beginning. When you re-write after the book is done, you will be re-writing a cohesive whole, to make it all work together, rather than re-writing bits and pieces that you will later have to re-write again anyway.

The fact is that the first draft of your book will not be great, but it will be complete. Well done! Take a week off if you want. Then start reading, with a pad of sticky notes at your side. Print out your book and read it straight through, 15 minutes a week, and stick notes on it wherever you see something that needs changing.

When that is done, go through and handle one sticky note per week.

Repeat as necessary.

You will finish your book. Whether it is good, bad, or indifferent, it will be done. Chances are very good that it will still need an editor’s experienced touch, or even another more experienced writer’s flair with words, before it is publishable, but it will be done.

The only way to find out for sure is to decide when you will next have 15 minutes you can call your own, and get started. It’s about time, after all.


- Ajay R (articlesubmit.net)

When you choose to send a greeting card to a special person, you are looking forward to their appreciation. There are many ways in which you can make cards have the impact or effect you are looking for. First, all cards are meant to touch the hearts of recipients and communicate a particular message. When you want to really make a difference with the cards you send, you need to look into the kind of greeting cards message you include on them. Messages should be emotive yet straight forward and clear. They should not appear to be forced and for this reason, the best greeting cards messages are those from the heart. If you really love your friends and family, you should not have any problem expressing your emotion and affection towards them. However, even if you love them, sometimes it can be pretty hard to really express your emotion in the right manner. This is because you might be worried whether the message will come out right or not.

A good greeting cards message has several properties. First, it shows how the person sending feels. It also shows the kind of state the person sending was at. In other words, you will get to read the mood and state of mind of the sender. A good greeting cards message should not be vague. Therefore, as the recipient, you should not struggle to find out what it means. In some messages, people are able to read between the lines and, apart from there being clear, some messages are intentionally mysterious. For example, cards sent by people who love each other romantically are very edgy. They are exciting and they leave many wondering. This is a good thing because they communicate the romance and mystery. The best messages are those that are personalized. This means that cards should have messages written by sender. Many cards come with an already written massage but, to make it more personal, you should strive to express your feelings. However, many cards that already have messages on them may capture what you have in mind and you may not have to write your own message.

A good greeting cards message should speak for itself without the need for further explanation. I think this is the greatest property. Some people will use poetry as the wording when it comes to messages. Others may even use famous quotes to stress what they have to say. Others will take a few words from a favorite song and include it in the message. This is very special and, more and more people should strive to do something different when it comes to the wording of messages. If you are not a very poetic person, you do not have to strain to make an impression; go with what you have. It is not about which message is most beautiful but, it is about which emotions are real and sincere. Therefore, the next time you are writing messages on cards, take time to really do something special for your loved ones.


- Francis Githinji

I am trying to remember the title of a book I read several years ago. There is a whole series about a boy who is able to control fire. In the novel he is one of the last people who are able to do this. I also recall something about the boy having a telepathic link with some animal (I think it was a horse).

The book is probably classified as either “young adult” or “juvenile” fiction.

And for some reason the word “firestorm” comes to my mind, but this is not the title of the book.

Thanks in advance for any help you are able to give, this is really bugging the crap out of me.
- The Penguin Protectorate

A family member of mine had a stroke and other things, and was revived 4 times. For some reason, the person has tremendously low blood pressure, and other symptoms.
The doctors can find no reason for any of the shown symptoms.
I need to find someone who can figure this out, for the local doctors seem ignorant.

*Not to relate to particularly silly fiction, but something like the “House” TV show would be appropriate - if it were real.
- ssjagta18

I am writing another novel and I wrote ten pages in the last two days, and for some reason, whenever I sit down to write, I end up making excuses for why I SHOULDN’T write. I know what I want to do with the story, but I just can’t write it down for some reason. Any help???
- Maddy R

i need to write an essay on why i want to pursue creative writing. so far i have this:

The reason why I want to pursue creative writing is fairly simple. When I write its like I am putting my feelings out of my brain and sharing it with the rest of the world. When ever I write I feel like I’m doing myself a favor and letting everyone read what I feel and think. I get to explain my many thoughts and beliefs on paper using any technique of writing and words.

can anyone give me some more advice on whatelse i can say in my essay.
- calbright2005

I cant seem to overcome my writers Block for some reason.. any suggestions?
- guitar = my life

I think the ultimate reason why people have writers block is because there are no more good ideas. True?
- Sebastian B

Bowchicawowwowchicawowwow.. lol. sorry. i had to get that out of my system.
why are people attacing me for saying “Bowchicawowwowchicawowwow.. lol. sorry. i had to get that out of my system.” jeez people. i was just being myself.
- Kayde