Telling stories.

I don’t like saying “I’m going to write a book.” Because, first off, it’s very unlikely that I’ll ever get it published. Also, continuing with a book idea is difficult. Not difficult to the point that I want to stop, but still difficult.

I would much rather say “I’m going to tell a story.” Because that’s more true.

Writing a book is hard.
But telling stories aren’t. We tell them all the time; telling our friends and family of what happened during the day, catching up with old friends or making new ones. We’re constantly telling each other stories, to entertain or pass the time. To make ourselves seem more important.

The problem is, people don’t take you seriously if you say you’re going to tell a story. They just nod, and say how nice it is. Ask if you’re volunteering with children; of course the automatically assume its a children’s story. Because adult books aren’t called stories. They’re books.

Stories are magic. Books contain the words, stories contain the emotion. “The Lord of the Rings”, is a difficult book to read, but a wonderful story to be told.

Stories aren’t just in books, they’re everywhere. In the trees in the forest. The lonely girl in the park. The prison inmate, lying in his cell.

No, I’m not going to write a book.
I’m going to tell a story.
Shannon.

Multi Person Interactive Harry Potter Fanfiction

Harry Potter. I have never been prouder than when I say I am part of the Harry Potter generation.
My earliest memories of loving reading and books, were of my Mum reading them all to be and my sister, from when we were 6 onwards. Harry Potter is in a league with the Greats, the Original Ideas. Nothing will match it, in terms of films or books or idea.
Not for a hindered years.

But, and this is a common thought, what about the Marauders? The majority of the fandom are insanely curious about James, Sirius, Lupin and Pettigrew’s time at Hogwarts!
I mean, there are literally thousands of fanfictions on the topic!!!

So, here is what I propose.

We should all write a fan fiction on the Marauder’s time at Hogwarts. Come up with a plot line, post it in the comments and see what people think! Share ideas, talk to others about using their ideas.
If this seems popular, I could run a competition? Maybe chose 7 or 8 chapters? And the ones who came up with them get to write them and I’ll share them up here? It doesn’t have to happen, I just thought it would be a really cool idea!
I’ll be writing a Marauder’s fanfic over before January. I’ll post it in stages and, hopefully, it may be good?

Personally, I think they should have a story; it can’t only have been exciting at Hogwarts when Harry was at school? There must have been other adventures, other mysteries and adventures?

Anyway, share this around! The more people coming up with ideas, the better! Don’t be afraid to comment either. I look forward to all your ideas!
(If this doesn’t work, I’m going to look like a very sad, lonely person indeed…)
Shannon.

NaNoWriMo

For those people who aren’t as nerdy as me and don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, November is National Novel Writing Month. (Get the acronym now?) Basically, its a challenge where, throughout November, you write a novel. Its a first draft, doesn’t have to be perfect, and you can plan beforehand. You are not allowed to write any of it beforehand, and you must be finished by the end of November. If must be an original piece.

2013 is my first year taking part and I’m very excited. I’ve always wanted to write a novel, and my writing skills have developed so much since the crappy fairy and pirate stories I wrote in years 5 and 6. Mine were the longest because I don’t seem to have a stop button, and I didn’t get to write them up neatly 😦

Being a very avid reader, I’ve wanted for a long time to be able to create the same sense of emotions that other authors create in me.
Though most of my other attempts have kind of.. Well, died.
This one actually has a plot! Like, not a one shot fan fiction! A plot that I want to know more about!!

Basically, a youngish man/teenager (haven’t decided) goes to Peru and finds a magic plate. He take sit home and uses it as, like, a victorian face washing bowl? Then he accidentally drops a ring in it (gold or sliver – again, not sure) and it shows him ancient Peru. A boy is shown (not native to the area, probably from England?) they become friends. Some sort of conflict happens (haven’t got that far) and the boy goes through the portal to help, because he really wants to help this other man.
Thats as far as I’ve gotten.
I’d read it! 🙂

By the way, if you’re considering NaNoWriMo, let me know! I’m looking forward to reading your stories when November comes to an end!
Shannon.

Books are hard to write.

Since I was 12, the idea of writing a book had always appealed to me. I’d always aspired to be like those writers who created and drew out emotions in me that I didn’t’ think it were possible to even have!
I love putting pen to paper. I’ve always had notebooks and dairies (of sorts) where I can just write down anything I like and no one would judge me.

In the words of Blackadder,

Everyone has one good novel in them…

I’ve had some rather good ideas for books, if I do say so myself. And, while having a good idea is one thing… If the writing quality is crap…
And, trust me, the way I was writing was crap.
I could ‘t do dialogue properly. It came out stiff and unnatural. I was mostly telling a narrative account of something made up that happened.

My dream is to have one fiction book written. Completed. Not necessarily published, just finished. And I have a good idea for a plot.

It starts off much the same way as one of my fan fictions.
There is a teenage boy who is gay. At first he doesn’t know this, having a girlfriend and growing up in a homophobic family. But he comes to terms with it. Thats as far as I’ve gotten.

Its the kind of book I’d read. Actually, I’m really intrigued as to where this is going.
Night.
Shannon.

Fault In our Stars: John Green

I spent 2 days trying to write a blog post about how much The Fault In Our Stars means to me.

I can’t convey it in words. John Green, if you ever read this, and I highly doubt it because you are a genius author who knows how to make thousands of readers fall to their knees in anguish, while I’m a British teenage girl with a passion for reading and talking to people on facebook. But for someone who has no relations to child cancer patients, this book means the world to me. I can only imagine what it must mean for all those people who understand Hazel’s torment better than I do.
Whilst trying to figure out how someone could came up with such a beautiful story, I came to the conclusion that Hazel is your alter ego.

In all honesty though, I just, I really wanted to say Thank You.
Thank you for writing this book. Not just for avid readers like me, who need fiction like food or water. And not just for the people who are fighting so hard for what most of us take for granted.
Thank you from someone who needed a love story that wasn’t cliched or sappy and was as much of a hopeless case as her own. Thanks John.

From a very emotional Shannon.

Shannon has a new friend

I’ve been trying to think of a blog idea for a couple of days now. And suddenly, I’ve had this enormous tidal wave of idea come falling upon me, squeezing out any room for other thoughts. So, I though to myself,
“Self, why don’t you just start typing and see what happens? It might not make sense, it might be embarrassing or it might cause loads of people to hate you and turn your name into some obscure swear word. But at least you’ll mind will be clearer!”
My ‘self’ is really more intelligent than me. I should give her more credit.
Yes. Yes you should.
Oh fantastic. Even in my blog, I’m talking to myself. Righty-o on with the show!
Wow. That was truly original. Do you write your own jokes?
Oh, bugger off, Self. I shouldn’t have to put up with you ruining my blog!
Sorry, little miss Big Shot Author. Please forgive my humble and too-stupid-to-come-up-with-any-ideas self
Apology accepted. Now shut up.
Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted by myself… Nope. Lost it. Well thats just fantastic.
Oh yeah!!
In English, we’re doing A level work because, at our school, top set start A levels a year early.
And, as part of our really, very interesting course
(no) we have to write a soliloquy.
Bet you couldn’t spell that without spell checker
Yes, yes alright! My point being…
The soliloquy is supposed to be by Malvolio, from Twelth Night. It should be 500 to 1000 words long; after the creative writing part, we have to analyse our work, brining the total number of words to no more than 1500.
I’ve done about 250 words so far. And I actually quite enjoy it! I like Malvolio as a character, not because I feel sympathy for him, but because I can mock him in my writing. And I know it makes me sound like a horrible person who should not be fit to become a doctor.
Thats not why I don’t think you should become a doctor.
…
I don’t think you’re clever enough.
Well, you’re a voice in my head. Who’s the more clever one now?
Anywho, according to my English teacher, I’m apparently a naturally sarcastic and cynical girl (not so great for interviews… I’ve imagined saying something sarcastic in answer of a question and, not just not get the job, but also get banned from the shop…) and that it comes across as quite funny!
Hahaha you’re making me laugh with this rubbish!
…moreover, with Malvolio, he’s someone who views himself as the innocent, even when he’s the main ass muffin in the story. So I can have lots of fun with this, playing around with the “I’m innocent and I’m the victim even though I’m an utter dick to everyone else in the play”
Yeah, I like A level Literature!
Goodnight gang!
Personally I hope you have nightmares.
Are you talking to me or the reader? Actually, I don’t want to know.
Shannon.

That place where you do that learning… Thing…

Ugh.
That sums up school.
There are some little brats at my school!! Despite me being in my last year and one of the oldest, a YEAR SEVEN stuck his foot out and tried to trip me up.
Well, excuse you, little child. Eventually you’ll know better than to annoy or irritate an almost-16 year old teenage girl.
And a fricking YEAR 8 stood in front of me and refused to move.
If I pushed him out if the way then its his fault. Rude, bratty children.
Some if them are lovely though 🙂

I’ve been back for 2 days and I already miss summer.
I had such a fantastic summer though! I guess thats what made me dread going back more this year; it feels like summer, camp and new friends are all part of a big dream. The best dream ever. And I’ve just woken up.
And it sucks.

On a regular topic, I’ve been getting through a lot of books 😀
It started with The Fault In Our Stars (I cried. Its such a beautiful story) then it was Angels and Demons, The Great Gatsby and City of Bones.
At the ending of that last one, I was shouting at the book. And I NEED THE NEXT ONE SO DESPERATELY OMG!!

I’m writing up a story of camp from my perspective. Not just a list of all we did, but my thoughts and feelings on what happened. In more detail. Hopefully that should be done by the next camp. In 4 years. Which I hope to go on!
Shannon.

It’s that time of night again!

Hello again!
Wow!! People actually read that last one! Honestly, I’m shocked. I seriously just though this would be an online diary because no one would be interested. So, you know, thanks!

And, you’ll probably want to stop reading now. It’s about to get a bit more “diary-esque” and less about… Well, no, it’s still about books!

Have you ever fallen in love with a book character? Have you ever just thought that they were so perfect that you would never love anyone else in the same way?
Oh gosh, have I.

Yeah, I’m just 15. I “don’t know what love is.” Maybe not in real life (just crushes…) but I absolutly do in the world of books.
Would you like me to name some?
Eragon
Dean Thomas
Scott Tyler
Matt Freeman
Samwise Gamgee
And the list would never end. In nearly all the books I’ve ever read, I’ve fallen, in some way, for a character and not necessecarily the main one!
But the one with whom we all feel sympathy. The underdog.
Isn’t that the job of a brilliant writer? To get us attached to the people in the books? Love or hate, we must feel something, if it is truely a book we adore?

Developing an unhealthy attachment to book characters is also a problem (is it really a problem??) readers have always had to deal with… Us teen girls can imagine them to look like our school crush, but they have hearts of angels, are brave and honest; almost better than the real thing!

Did this one make sense?? Because, to me, it seemed a bit all over the place, with lots of, just random things!
Nighty nighty!
Shannon