by Naomi L. | February 12, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing, Tropes |
Ah, love at first sight. It’s a beautiful idea, and with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s easy to get lost in such a romantic thought. This is a trope that’s been present in romance for centuries. Romeo and Juliet, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere; all are well-known examples of couples in fictional tales and legends who fell in love instantly. But is love at first sight just a myth fit for fantasy, or is it real enough to warrant a place in more naturalistic fiction?
What is Love?
What a complex yet simple question. If you were to ask several different people what love is, you’d probably get several different responses in return. Everyone seems to have their own explanation, and the most interesting part is that they aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
Socially, it’s a strong positive connection between two people. Psychologically, it’s a form of deep affection for another being. Biologically, it’s a chemical reaction in the body that creates a feeling of intense passion. There are many ways to characterize love; it all depends on your chosen perspective and your personal experiences with it.
So what about love at first sight? If love is clearly possible between two people, can such a powerful attraction happen instantly?
The Science of Love at First Sight
Romeo and Juliet fell in love the moment they first laid eyes on each other (Romeo + Juliet, 1996)
I asked a few people I know for their thoughts on love at first sight, and to my surprise, the answers I got came from both sides of the debate. On the one hand, my mom (as well as most other people I asked) believes that such a concept is impossible in real life because love is based on something more than physical attraction, something you can’t discover until you’ve really gotten to know the other person. On the other hand, my dad not only believes in love at first sight, but he swears it’s happened to him at least once in his life. To hear others tell it, it was mostly likely infatuation at first sight, but if he believes it was love, who are we to say otherwise?
Oddly enough, some studies seem to suggest that love at first sight is indeed possible. I’ve read some interesting takes on the subject on sites like HowStuffWorks, Psychologies and Daily Mail, to name a few. Of course, it’s worth noting that most arguments defending the concept refer foremost to the physical side of love, but then again, what are human beings if not mostly flesh and blood, right? What matters is that science seems to support the idea that two people can accurately size each other up within the first three minutes of meeting, and have a good chance at making a subsequent relationship work.
Fiction or Reality?
So what does all this mean to writers of romance? I suppose it means whatever you want it to. Characters in fantasy stories can certainly fall in love instantly without compromising the plausibility of the plot; at the very least, the attraction could be attributed to magic. Yet writers of realistic fiction could also possibly make their characters fall in love immediately and get away with it, provided the event is narrated well enough to work in the context of the story.
As for me, even though I’ve never really experienced it myself (unless you count my first crush in Kindergarten), I like to believe that anything is possible. I don’t normally write about it in my own stories, as I prefer to have my characters’ relationships develop over time, but I wouldn’t discard the idea for a future project. It might be fun to explore the possibilities that come with falling in love at first sight!
What about you? Do you believe in love at first sight? Would you impose such a fate on your characters?
by Naomi L. | February 5, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Language is a beautiful thing. We use it every day to translate our thoughts and convey our feelings to our fellow human beings, and that has undoubtedly helped us to progress as a species. But the use of language is not without its flaws; words get mixed up and can be misunderstood if people don’t know how to use them properly. So just for fun, here are four words that are commonly misused in speech and/or writing in the English language. Enjoy!
1) If you have a question, please don’t “axe” me…
OK, I know people aren’t really trying to say “axe” in this context, but the common mispronunciation of the word “ask” still bothers me enough to warrant a place on this list. I admit that I cringe a little whenever I hear someone say they want to “aks” a question; every time, the editor in my head screams “Ask! Ask! ASK!” Yes, I understand that people in different regions have different ways of speaking, and old habits are hard to break. But that doesn’t make this mistake OK.
So if you have a question, please don’t “axe” me. I don’t want to die.
2) “Defiantly” is not an alternative spelling for “definitely”.
Of all the spelling mistakes I come across regularly, this is one of those that bug me the most. Every time I see it made, a part of me wants to explain to the so-called language offender that “defiantly” and “definitely” are two completely different words that should never be confused. But people probably don’t notice the mistake because the spellings are so similar, or worse, they assume that one word is the same as the other because the error is so common.
Remember: “defiantly” means “showing open resistance”, while “definitely” means “without doubt”. Hopefully you can “definitely” love someone, but you don’t have to love them “defiantly”!
3) “Ironic” doesn’t mean what you probably think.
I’ve noticed that people sometimes like to use the word “ironic” as a synonym for “sarcastic”. But even though these adjectives have similar meanings, they’re not actually interchangeable, at least in a formal sense. Yes, the definition of “sarcasm” is “the use of irony to mock or convey contempt”, but the uses of these words in speech are still distinct. The best known meaning of the word “ironic” is “happening in the opposite way to what is expected”. Thus, irony is often used as a more harmless humor technique compared to sarcasm.
So whenever you describe an event as “ironic”, you may want to consider whether you really mean “sarcastic”, or vice-versa. ‘Cause you know, it’s sooo ironic when human beings make mistakes.
Even Windows has a sense of irony…
4) If you had “literally” died, you wouldn’t be here to tell the story!
Ryan: Did you see that? What just happened? That was literally a train wreck!
Steven: No, Ryan, it was figuratively a train wreck.
– Go On (Season 1, Episode 12 – “Win at All Costas”)
We all probably know someone who tends to overuse the word “literally” when speaking. “It was literally the best pizza in the world!” “It’s literally a million degrees today!” “The interview was literally a train wreck!” Over time, the word has become a common adverb for conveying exaggeration. However, although it’s technically acceptable in an informal way, “literally” shouldn’t really be used for emphasis, as it means “in the exact sense, without metaphor or allegory”.
So no, the wasp was not “literally” the size of a helicopter. No, you did not “literally” jump out of your skin at the sight of it. And no, you did not “literally” die of embarrassment when everyone laughed at you for running away. Otherwise, the military would be after that giant insect, you’d be an undead heap of raw meat and bones, and everyone would be feeling a horrible mix of confusion and guilt for having killed you with laughter!
What are your thoughts on these misused words? Any others you would add to this list?
by Naomi L. | January 29, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Lately there have been plenty of thunderstorms where I live. And as we all know, with thunderstorms often come power outages, or “blackouts”, if you will. Now I’ll be honest: I’m not a fan of blackouts. Storms fascinate me, and I enjoy watching the occasional lightning show outside my window, but when it means taking out the electricity that powers my computer and router, I can’t say I really care for it. There is an upside to blackouts, though, and the most recent ones in my area have inspired (read: practically forced) me to write this post.
Let me start off by making a slightly embarrassing confession: I’m completely addicted to technology. I have trouble getting off the Internet for longer than an hour, I take an iPod with me every time I leave the house, and I always go to sleep well after midnight because I just can’t tear myself away from the screen before getting one more idea typed out. So the occasional abstinence from that addiction is probably healthy, especially for someone as hooked on electronics as me.
The thing is, electronic devices, despite all their practicality, are a major distraction. From what, you ask? Well, that depends on what type of person you would be without modern technology in your life. And as a writer, the type of person I would probably be is one who can frequently think up new ideas and write nonstop until a whole novel is done. But my gadgets always seem to draw my attention away from the tasks on which I should be focusing most.
Enter the power outage. Yes, I do get annoyed at first when a bad storm takes out the electricity; no TV or Internet means I can’t kill time on some of my favorite hobbies, and though I do work on a laptop, it’s already over four years old and the battery just doesn’t stay charged as long as it used to, so I prefer to leave it asleep. But I find that all these gadgets off allow for the quiet time in which some of my most creative ideas often emerge.
It’s kind of like meditation, really. I’m too easily distracted by the technology around me, and too addicted to drop it at a moment’s notice (without suffering withdrawals, of course). Yet I love taking the occasional break just to daydream, and when I can’t be drawn back to my electronic devices right away, those breaks can last even longer, providing extra time for a good story to come to me. On top of that, I have more time for hobbies like reading books, listening to music, and other activities that help me get inspired for writing.
So if you have a stronger willpower than I do when it comes to technology, I highly recommend taking long breaks from it once in a while, at least enough to let your ideas flow without distraction. And if you are like me, thoroughly annoyed throughout the first minutes of a blackout, try to think of it as an opportunity to set your creative spirit free. Maybe all it wants is a chance to breathe.
Are you as hooked on technology as I am (or worse)? Do blackouts ever help you keep your addiction in check, or are they just a reason for angst?
by Naomi L. | January 22, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing, Off The Bookshelf |
I wanted to start this year’s Off The Bookshelf posts with a review of a beautiful story that I finally got around to reading recently. I know I really should have read it (or rather, finished reading it) a long time ago, and after I did, I realized what I had been missing since I was a kid. So long overdue, here is a review of a classic tale by a French aviator and author: The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Summary
The Little Prince (or Le Petit Prince, in its original French title) was first published in 1943 by Reynal & Hitchcock, in both English and French. Narrated in the first person, the book tells the story of a pilot who ends up stranded in the desert, where he meets a strange boy from a distant and tiny “planet” (which is really an asteroid). Over the eight days it takes him to fix his plane, the narrator gets to know the story of this “Little Prince”, from the life he had on his planet to the journey that brought him to Earth. The Little Prince enchants the pilot with his eccentric and poetic outlook on the world, and when the time comes for both of them to return home, the narrator is utterly heartbroken to lose the only friend he’s ever known who could appreciate life with the beautiful innocence of a child.
Review
What stands out most about this book is how it criticizes the “adult” way of thinking. The story begins with the narrator telling his readers how he was discouraged from pursuing art by grown-ups who couldn’t comprehend his drawings when he was younger. Since that time, the Little Prince was the first person he ever met who understood the vision he had as a child. Still very young himself, the Prince thus represents the simple way children see the world in contrast to the analytical views of adults, and does so in a way that makes the former much more appealing.
The Little Prince and the Fox
(Illustration by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
Though appearing to be a children’s book, The Little Prince is arguably targeted at adults who have forgotten how to understand the world the way they should. We as mature readers have it constantly pointed out to us that our manners are flawed, that we are too concerned with “matters of consequence”. Basically, we’ve become so focused on trivial details that we’ve lost sight of the things that are truly important. Perhaps this idea is most evident in a scene involving another well-spoken character of the story: a fox that the prince meets on his journey through Earth.
One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.
– The Fox, The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, 1943)
The Little Prince is a charming tale fit for readers of all ages. For adults, it’s a reminder of the lessons that can be learned from youth, many of which may have been lost long ago. As for children, they can find embedded in these pages the encouragement to keep living their own special way, and, if nothing else, a friend who can teach them the real matters of so much importance.
Inspiration
If there’s one thing I loved most about this book, it was the way it constantly reminded me how I used to see the world when I was a little girl (and how I probably should see it again as a woman). Living in a world that seems to demand we grow up as quickly as possible, it’s easy to forget what it’s like to experience life through the innocent eyes of children. The Little Prince’s questions and observations, coupled with the grown-ups’ awkward answers, served as a lesson on how I should never lose touch with the curious child still in my heart, for to do so would be like losing a very special friend.
Overall, I enjoyed this book very much. Though it did break my heart a little, it was wonderful to read a story that could effortlessly shine light on the poetry children can bring to the world. The Little Prince has a lovely perspective on life, and after reading his story, I only hope I can remember to keep setting my inner child free. She is, after all, a very important friend to the grown-up writer I’ve become.
by Naomi L. | January 15, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing, Featured |
Welcome to the first Writers Reveal of the year! This month’s topic was sent to me by Ashley Howland, who asked me to write about animal characters: who are my favorites, what makes a good animal character and storyline, etc. Honestly, I don’t think she could have picked a topic better suited for me. Thanks, Ashley!
Favorite Animal Characters
I was pleasantly surprised when Ashley sent me this topic, because the truth is that many of my favorite fictional characters in the past have been animals (or at least non-human). I’ve mentioned before that I spent part of my childhood writing stories about video game characters, most of which were non-human (e.g. Yoshi, the colorful dinosaur species from the Mario franchise). Even today, I love writing stories about animals, especially flash fiction pieces narrated from their point of view. Maybe it’s because I studied Biology (or maybe it’s why I studied Biology), but I have a lot of fun imagining the world through the eyes of animals!
Honestly, I find it hard to choose just a few favorite animal characters. It really depends on their stories. In books, I love the animals in the children’s stories I used to read all the time, like Horton the Elephant in Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who! and Mr. Fox in Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. As for movies, my favorite animals are usually the sidekicks thrown in for comic relief (and often to help move the plot forward): Maximus, the horse in Disney’s Tangled; Dug, the dog in Pixar’s Up; Jack, the monkey in Pirates of the Caribbean, etc. Of course, I also enjoy movies where the main cast is comprised of animal characters; stories such as The Lion King and Finding Nemo are among my favorites!
Still, I’ll probably always have a soft spot for the animal characters of video games. Whether they’re sidekicks like Yoshi or main characters like Sonic the Hedgehog, they always bring something special to their games, and that “something” is usually a twist on the abilities of their real-life counterparts. Where else but the Gameverse can you find hedgehogs that run at the speed of sound, or foxes that fly planes and spaceships, or mouse-like creatures that can shoot lightning? They may not be like the animals of books and movies, but that’s exactly why I love them. They would likely push the boundaries of plausibility in standard fiction, but in their own interactive worlds, they fit perfectly well.
Writing for Animals
So what does it take to create a good animal character or story? In my opinion, it’s all about balance. Every character you want to make relatable must have realistically human qualities. However, one mustn’t forget that these characters are not human, and when written well, this detail is exactly what gives them their unique charm. After all, if the animals in your stories are too human, you might as well replace them with actual humans, right?
Therefore, I think the greatest animal characters are the ones that encompass the best of both worlds. They’re anthropomorphic enough to be relatable, but they still take advantage of the qualities that their human counterparts don’t possess. Horton, the most compassionate resident of the Jungle of Nool, uses his extra-sensitive hearing to communicate with the microscopic Whos. Mischievous characters like Dahl’s Mr. Fox and Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit use their agility and wits to escape from their human pursuers. Even the best mythical creatures of fantasy tales demonstrate a mix of human intellect and animalistic behavior (with a touch of magic, of course).
But these characters’ traits don’t always have to be useful to the plot. Sometimes just the fact that they’re animals is what makes them endearing. Would Winnie-the-Pooh have withstood the test of time if he were a human doll instead of a stuffed bear? Could Shakespeare’s Hamlet be appealing to children if it weren’t played out by a cast of animated lions? Would the Pokémon franchise have become successful if most of the creatures’ designs and abilities weren’t inspired by those of real animals? Probably not!
Based on my experience, animals make wonderful inspiration and even better characters for fiction. They can always bring something fresh to a story, and they have the potential to capture their audience and stay in our hearts for years on end. And isn’t that all a writer really wants from their characters?
Who are your favorite animal characters? What do you think makes a good animal character or story?
This has been a special topic post in Emily Morgan’s Writers Reveal. To learn more, just follow the button below to her site, and be sure to check out the other blogs participating in the event. Thanks for reading!
Other bloggers in the Writers Reveal
Emily Morgan: Emily Morgan Writes
Melissa Khalinsky: Melissa Writes
Jodi Gibson: JFGibson
Becky Fyfe: Imagine! Create! Write!
Rhianna: A Parenting Life
Ashley Howland: Ghostnapped
Emily Hawker: You Learn Something New Every Day
Emily Toxward: Have A Laugh On Me
by Naomi L. | January 8, 2014 | Blog, Creative Writing |
Recently, I was tagged over on Rachel Rose Teferet’s blog, in a post about the top ten books that have been influential to her as a writer. To keep the chain moving forward, I’m now sharing my own Top Ten list. So in no particular order, here are the books that have helped me evolve as a writer (and as a person). Note that I had to omit some excellent titles, but there were so many choices that it was hard to come up with just ten. Also, I’m counting series as one item each! Enjoy!
1) The Bible
OK, maybe I borrowed an idea from Rachel for how to start my list. Or maybe I just couldn’t lead with any other book. You decide. Either way, the Bible has been an important resource to me, mostly for its abundance of lessons that have helped me and my family through some trying times in our lives. Though I don’t like to think of myself as a religious person (if anything, I prefer the term “spiritual”), the Bible is a special book that will always hold a place on my shelf.
2) Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
This is probably the most important book series of my childhood. Being part of the “Potter generation”, I had the privilege of growing up with this wonderful story, reading each new novel shortly after it was released. With its excellent narration, detailed plot and intriguing characters, the Harry Potter books taught me almost everything I know about storytelling, and I’ll always treasure them as the books that kept me hooked on fantasy for life.
3) The Mists of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
If Harry Potter was a big part of my childhood, The Mists of Avalon was a big part of my adolescence. This Arthurian fantasy saga introduced me to mature themes such as feminism and religious intolerance, and for that, it was a major step in my development as a writer of more advanced fiction.
4) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl
This was the book that first inspired me to become a writer. After reading Roald Dahl’s enchanting tale about young Charlie and his wild adventures through Wonka’s magical chocolate factory, I knew that creating fantasy stories of my own was something I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
5) Artemis Fowl, by Eoin Colfer
I started reading this series around the same time that I was reading Harry Potter, and I probably loved it just as much. Written by an Irish author, Artemis Fowl never failed to bring a humorous twist to the fantastic adventures about a boy genius and his interactions with the technologically advanced Fairy People. They were also the books that introduced me to “science fantasy”, a genre mixing elements of science fiction and fantasy. What could be better?
6) The Cat in the Hat, by Dr. Seuss
It may seem like an odd choice, but I added this children’s book to my list because it was one of the first books that I could ever remember reading by myself. By the time I started learning how to read, we had a huge collection of Dr. Seuss stories, and The Cat in the Hat was one that I always loved reading with my mother. Having been introduced to literature with Seuss’s fun rhymes and memorable characters, it’s no wonder I developed a love of books at such a young age!
7) The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman
I admit, I didn’t start reading the His Dark Materials trilogy until after the movie came out, but I’m glad I did. Though the books are interesting enough for the author’s (often thinly veiled) metaphors criticizing religious organizations, I appreciated the story mostly for its fantasy elements, especially the creative idea of a parallel universe where human souls exist as tangible animal spirits. If anything, The Golden Compass and its sequels have taught me a lot about symbolism, which is one of my favorite parts about writing fiction.
8) Romeo & Juliet, by William Shakespeare
How could I possibly leave this story out? Most of my favorite romantic stories (as much to read as to write) are about forbidden love, and Romeo & Juliet is certainly the epitome of this plot type. This was the first Shakespearean play I ever read, and after growing accustomed to the style of writing, I quickly fell in love with his poetry. I think what I like most about this story is how it can be interpreted in so many different ways, and how a lot of its elements seem to be relevant even today. Why else would it still be so popular after 400 years?
9) Dom Casmurro, by Machado de Assis
Why not throw a foreign language book into the mix? Though I had to read several books in Portuguese for school, this was one of the few that I actually liked. Written in the 19th century, Dom Casmurro is a realist story told from the perspective of a jealous man who suspects his wife of having been unfaithful. The main reason I find this book so interesting is because it’s an excellent example of the “unreliable narrator”, as it’s never made clear in the story whether his wife actually cheated on him or it was all just in his head. The author’s achievement of sparking heavy debates over the story to this day make this novel a classic of Brazilian literature.
10) Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O’Dell
This book was recommended to me by my mother, who also read it when she was younger. I enjoyed reading about Karana’s adventures living alone on an island for years, and her story helped me see themes like social interaction and survivalism in a new light. Looking back, I realize this was one of the first examples I’d seen of a strong female protagonist, and I’ve since been inspired to create heroines who are equally independent and profound in character.
Now to move the chain forward, I’m tagging Vanessa Levin-Pompetzki and Inion N. Mathair. What are your top ten books?
Recent Comments