Respect Writers

Respect writers for their time. For their energy. For their work.

For the stories they share.

For the characters they create.

For the worlds they fabricate.

Just respect writers, okay? It’s not that hard. 

If you’re a writer, respect yourself. Love what you do because no one else will.

You deserve to be respected by others. But ultimately you deserve to be respected by yourself.

10 Tropes I Can Tolerate

Surprisingly enough, I can tolerate a few tropes in this lifetime.

1. A girl who saves herself. Yes!
2. Friends who remain friends. Can I be your friend too?
3. Overachievers. Go you.
4. Others underestimating the underdog. Prove them wrong.
5. A character who is forced to confront their past. There’s a reason why you are who you are.
6. An overly protective brother. I will never not love this.
7. Love squares. Love triangles are too trite.
8. Someone overcoming the odds. I want to give you a big hug.
9. Characters with characters. You can’t go wrong with that.
10. Anyone who loves reading and writing. Let’s be friends.

Yup, these are pretty much the opposite of 10 Tropes I Can’t Tolerate. How’s that for lazy blogging?

10 Tropes I Can’t Tolerate

My tolerance level is low.

1. A girl who needs saving. No. Just no.
2. Strangers meeting and falling in love within a split second. Seriously?
3. Underachievers. Get a goal. 
4. Someone overestimating him- or herself. Cocky!
5. A character who doesn’t seem to have a past. I can’t relate.
6. A father abandoning their daughter or son. It breaks my heart.
7. Love triangles. I have nothing against triangles.
8. A character with a largely unfair advantage. Make it a bit more interesting by levelling the playing field.
9. Cliques and clichés. That’s lazy writing at its worst.
10. Anyone who hates reading and writing. We can’t be friends.

Yes yes, I know. Some of these aren’t exactly tropes, just random things that occasionally irk me.

12 Ways To Kill A Character

Kill your darlings. Murder your darlings. Or maybe a character isn’t exactly your darling. In that case, you have an even easier job ahead of you.

By no means is this list extensive or exhaustive. It’s merely suggestive. Not in any particular order either. Like all the lists that have come before it.

I won’t get into too much detail. That’s what your imagination is for.

• Stabbing
• Shooting
• Choking
• Pushing (off a building)
• Burning
• Poisoning
• Drowning
• Crashing (a vehicle into him or her)
• Beating
• Bombing
• Hanging
• Eating (them alive after you cook everything well)

I’m not a serial killer. I’m a writer. And I haven’t killed too many characters.

8 Ways To Make Things Go Your Way

When nothing goes your way, make things go your way. Force people to listen to you. Or be nice and pray for the best. But if the latter doesn’t work, the former might.

Or you could…

Argue.

Arguing isn’t just screaming nonsense at another person. Know your argument. Back it up. Watch the smirk get wiped off their face when he or she realizes they can’t win against a writer.

Ask.

*Yawn*. Boring much? But the answer is always no if you don’t.

Barter.

Offer them a proposal they can’t refuse. Like your signature. It’ll be worth a lot more when you’re published.

Beg.

On second thought, don’t. You don’t owe them anything. Unless they’re your parents.

Call.

For help. For backup. For deus ex machina.

Cry.

Ah, people and tears, people and emotions. Will you judge me if I said I’ve cried to get my way? What, I was just a baby okay. I don’t do this anymore. If you ever see me bawling like a baby, you’ll know why.

Demand.

If you’re in any position to, that is.

Dodge.

Dodge dodgy people. Dodge that dodgeball coming at you. Do what you have to do.

When your characters aren’t getting their way, maybe they can do one of the above. Or two. Or all eight. 

15 Things I Love

I’m capable of love too. I’m not that hateful of a person.

1. The sound of keys being pressed.
2. The sound of pens being clicked.
3. The colour red.
4. Simple Plan.
5. Criminal Minds.
6. Cheese.
7. Chips.
8. Smoothies.
9. Eating.
10. Learning.
11. Winning.
12. Cleaning.
13. Creating.
14. Many fictional characters.
15. My family.

No surprises here.

It should be obvious that I love lists. Even if you only followed me two minutes ago.

5 Things You Can Do On Family Day

Since a lot of stores are closed today, you might as well do something different.

Enjoy my ideas!

Give back to the blogging community. This should happen all day, every day. You’re the brothers and sisters I do get to choose.

Surround yourself with books. As many as you can. Go on a hunt for novels you didn’t realize you own. You can thank me later.

Fall more in love with your characters. Create new ones or enjoy your current characters. I don’t think you realize how much time I spend talking to the characters in my head.

Dance..or just move your body in some way. With people you know, people you don’t, people you hate, people you love. I won’t judge you.

Spend it with your family in real life. Even if it isn’t Family Day where you live. Even if you don’t get today off. You might not get to choose your real family, but they probably didn’t get to choose you either.

Did you enjoy my ideas? Are you going to act on any of them? You should. You can’t go wrong with any of the aforementioned activities.

The World Is Ridiculous

Why aren’t all writers making a fortune? If they can master a language, a few numbers to manage is nothing.

Why aren’t writers controlling every inch of the Earth? After all, they are capable of writing stories about other worlds.

Writers can craft imaginary experiences and create fictional characters. Surely they can do everything.

Don’t you love my thinking on a Saturday night?