At the end of all time, man will look upon existence.
Standing so tall, time machine ready, his mind will face resistance.
He will stand on top of the world and see reality.
Life, death, past, present, future, no; to be lost at sea.
The planets will burn brighter, darker than any star ever should.
He will mourn and weep stronger than any man ever would.
He will learn more than long life has come to know.
At the end of the Universe, he will finally let go.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Written on June 29, 2011 by B.S. Meyers
(Original Post on June 29, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers72 )
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
"Truth"
“Our hearts and our minds are always in conflict. It’s when we open them that we see the truth.”
——————————————————————————————————-
Spoken on June 29, 2011 by B.S. Meyers
(Original Post on June 29, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers71 )
——————————————————————————————————-
Spoken on June 29, 2011 by B.S. Meyers
(Original Post on June 29, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers71 )
School and Books
Now here’s the rant I’ve been looking forward to!
In elementary school your teacher gives you Dr. Seuss books and The Magic Treehouse books. Kids love those! They’re short and they’re not hard to understand.
In fifth grade we stepped it up a little and read books like, Frindle and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (I still love that one).
In 7th grade we moved on to My Brother Paul is Dead, They Cage the Animals at Night and we read our first biographies (I read one about Christopher Reeve).
However, then you get to 9th Grade and you read books like The Old Man and the Sea, Watership Down, and The Odyssey. We read our first plays, Romeo and Juliet, and Antigone. I thought those books were bad (there’s a reason Hemingway killed himself), but then I started 10th Grade. We read more plays; Cyrano de Bergerac, Medea, and Julius Caesar. We read Brave New World and A Tale of Two Cities.
Brave New World was just strange. I don’t know about you, but at 7:30 in the morning, the last thing I want to do in my study hall is read about an orgy. I also don’t enjoy the author trying to convince us that we can’t know the truth AND be happy. That’s BS (and those are my initials, so you know it’s true).
There is a reason some books are considered “Classics”. It’s because they were good and enjoyable when they were written. I’m sure A Tale of Two Cities was great when it was published two chapters at a time in a newspaper, but if you try and make students read it all at once the only result will be sparknote quiz grades.
The summer assignment going into 10th Grade was The Count of Monte Cristo. You DO NOT give that to a group of 15 year olds and expect them to write an essay with no guidance and then give them a test on the whole book on the first day of class. It’s ludicrous!
So, if you’re an English teacher and reading this, the moral of the story is: give kids books they want to read. If you want good grades and students that pay attention, put the first Harry Potter in front of them. Give them Redwall. In elementary school, I didn’t even get to read Narnia. If you gave your tenth grade students Harry Potter as an assignment they would probably start crying with joy.
Do you know why I think this country is so stupid? It’s because the schools give us books that we don’t want to read. The end result is a generation that has the mentality that books suck. They avoid reading at every cost. If you start giving kids books they want to read, they will have the mentality that reading is good and that will create a generation that wants to read, and is ultimately smarter.
GIVE GOOD BOOKS. THEN WE READ. YOUR BOOKS BAD.
(Seriously, give them books they’ll enjoy… or they’ll eventually end up talking like that.)
(Original Post on June 28, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers70 )
In elementary school your teacher gives you Dr. Seuss books and The Magic Treehouse books. Kids love those! They’re short and they’re not hard to understand.
In fifth grade we stepped it up a little and read books like, Frindle and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (I still love that one).
In 7th grade we moved on to My Brother Paul is Dead, They Cage the Animals at Night and we read our first biographies (I read one about Christopher Reeve).
However, then you get to 9th Grade and you read books like The Old Man and the Sea, Watership Down, and The Odyssey. We read our first plays, Romeo and Juliet, and Antigone. I thought those books were bad (there’s a reason Hemingway killed himself), but then I started 10th Grade. We read more plays; Cyrano de Bergerac, Medea, and Julius Caesar. We read Brave New World and A Tale of Two Cities.
Brave New World was just strange. I don’t know about you, but at 7:30 in the morning, the last thing I want to do in my study hall is read about an orgy. I also don’t enjoy the author trying to convince us that we can’t know the truth AND be happy. That’s BS (and those are my initials, so you know it’s true).
There is a reason some books are considered “Classics”. It’s because they were good and enjoyable when they were written. I’m sure A Tale of Two Cities was great when it was published two chapters at a time in a newspaper, but if you try and make students read it all at once the only result will be sparknote quiz grades.
The summer assignment going into 10th Grade was The Count of Monte Cristo. You DO NOT give that to a group of 15 year olds and expect them to write an essay with no guidance and then give them a test on the whole book on the first day of class. It’s ludicrous!
So, if you’re an English teacher and reading this, the moral of the story is: give kids books they want to read. If you want good grades and students that pay attention, put the first Harry Potter in front of them. Give them Redwall. In elementary school, I didn’t even get to read Narnia. If you gave your tenth grade students Harry Potter as an assignment they would probably start crying with joy.
Do you know why I think this country is so stupid? It’s because the schools give us books that we don’t want to read. The end result is a generation that has the mentality that books suck. They avoid reading at every cost. If you start giving kids books they want to read, they will have the mentality that reading is good and that will create a generation that wants to read, and is ultimately smarter.
GIVE GOOD BOOKS. THEN WE READ. YOUR BOOKS BAD.
(Seriously, give them books they’ll enjoy… or they’ll eventually end up talking like that.)
(Original Post on June 28, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers70 )
Monday, June 27, 2011
Query. Letters. Suck.
Lets face it, if you're asking yourself how to write a query letter it's because you wrote a book. I've got news for you, writing the book was the easy part. The query letter sucks. There's a ton of articles online that tell you how to write one, but they all say conflicting things.
Even if there was one solid way to write a query letter, it would still suck having to write one. Yesterday I worked with the wonderful, Melissa Foster (Go read her blog: http://www.melissafoster.com/ ) on writing my query letter. She did a wonderful job helping me, despite the fact that she hadn't read my novel.
Five revisions later, here is the format that we've settled on.
Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. (Agent's Last Name)
Paragraph 1: Tell the agent why your querying them specifically. Give the title and word count of your novel. This paragraph was only about 2 lines for me.
Paragraph 2: Write something interesting about your book. This needs to be something that will hook the agent and make them want to keep reading your letter. This was about three lines for me. (This doesn't have to be here. It works for some people, but not everyone needs it.)
Paragraph 3: This is the big paragraph. Write a synopsis of your book using the main events and the key points. This is the ultimate hook. If the agent doesn't like this, they're probably not going to ask for more.
Paragraph 4: Just a simple, "thank you for your time" and, "my complete manuscript is available upon your request."
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Your Address)
(Your Email)
(Your Phone Number)
(If there are any blogs you write that pertain to writing, put their address here.)
Before you even think about writing any of this you need to DO YOUR RESEARCH! A big percentage of denials from agents are due to the fact that the person querying them didn't do their research. If the agent only represents Mystery books and your wrote a Science Fiction novel, don't query them. Find a different agent.
When you do find an agent that represents your genre you need to find their submission guidelines. They may ask for only a query letter or they may ask for a query letter and 5 pages of your manuscript. Whatever they want, give it to them! Also, find out how the agent wants to be queried. If they only accept emails, make sure you send an email. If they only want mail, make sure you send mail.
The process has to be professional. You need to do your research. A query letter is basically a job application. You're asking the agent for a writing job. You wouldn't walk into a job interview dressed in jeans and a ripped t-shirt while talking in slang, would you? So don't write a query letter that gives the same impression! (If you would walk into a job interview that way, I sincerely hope you don't write that way.)
This is just the basics. Some things you should know: Always use Ms./Mrs./Mr. and the agent's last name. No buts. Write your second and third paragraphs in the present tense using an active voice. You want to entertain the agent, not put them to sleep. Read, read and reread, and then give it to someone else to read. Make sure there are no contradictions in your query. Agents will pick up on them! Finally, spell check and grammar check it all!
The Query is your first and only shot with an agent. Don't blow it. It HAS to be perfect!
(Original Post on June 27, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers69 )
Even if there was one solid way to write a query letter, it would still suck having to write one. Yesterday I worked with the wonderful, Melissa Foster (Go read her blog: http://www.melissafoster.com/ ) on writing my query letter. She did a wonderful job helping me, despite the fact that she hadn't read my novel.
Five revisions later, here is the format that we've settled on.
Dear Ms./Mrs./Mr. (Agent's Last Name)
Paragraph 1: Tell the agent why your querying them specifically. Give the title and word count of your novel. This paragraph was only about 2 lines for me.
Paragraph 2: Write something interesting about your book. This needs to be something that will hook the agent and make them want to keep reading your letter. This was about three lines for me. (This doesn't have to be here. It works for some people, but not everyone needs it.)
Paragraph 3: This is the big paragraph. Write a synopsis of your book using the main events and the key points. This is the ultimate hook. If the agent doesn't like this, they're probably not going to ask for more.
Paragraph 4: Just a simple, "thank you for your time" and, "my complete manuscript is available upon your request."
Sincerely,
(Your Name)
(Your Address)
(Your Email)
(Your Phone Number)
(If there are any blogs you write that pertain to writing, put their address here.)
Before you even think about writing any of this you need to DO YOUR RESEARCH! A big percentage of denials from agents are due to the fact that the person querying them didn't do their research. If the agent only represents Mystery books and your wrote a Science Fiction novel, don't query them. Find a different agent.
When you do find an agent that represents your genre you need to find their submission guidelines. They may ask for only a query letter or they may ask for a query letter and 5 pages of your manuscript. Whatever they want, give it to them! Also, find out how the agent wants to be queried. If they only accept emails, make sure you send an email. If they only want mail, make sure you send mail.
The process has to be professional. You need to do your research. A query letter is basically a job application. You're asking the agent for a writing job. You wouldn't walk into a job interview dressed in jeans and a ripped t-shirt while talking in slang, would you? So don't write a query letter that gives the same impression! (If you would walk into a job interview that way, I sincerely hope you don't write that way.)
This is just the basics. Some things you should know: Always use Ms./Mrs./Mr. and the agent's last name. No buts. Write your second and third paragraphs in the present tense using an active voice. You want to entertain the agent, not put them to sleep. Read, read and reread, and then give it to someone else to read. Make sure there are no contradictions in your query. Agents will pick up on them! Finally, spell check and grammar check it all!
The Query is your first and only shot with an agent. Don't blow it. It HAS to be perfect!
(Original Post on June 27, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers69 )
Sunday, June 26, 2011
"Camelot"
In the heart of Camelot a war wages on.
With the castle under siege and man’s heart brittle.
The trees stand silent, staring, trying to interpret humanity.
They see fire of the soul, lacking water’s tranquility.
The walls have broken down, the warriors have withdrawn.
Blood, tears combine in the mysteries of life’s riddle.
Men and boys have lost their souls to brutality.
And left the hurt, lonely masses lost at sea.
——————————————————————-
Written June 26, 2011 by B.S. Meyers
(Original Post on June 26, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers68 )
With the castle under siege and man’s heart brittle.
The trees stand silent, staring, trying to interpret humanity.
They see fire of the soul, lacking water’s tranquility.
The walls have broken down, the warriors have withdrawn.
Blood, tears combine in the mysteries of life’s riddle.
Men and boys have lost their souls to brutality.
And left the hurt, lonely masses lost at sea.
——————————————————————-
Written June 26, 2011 by B.S. Meyers
(Original Post on June 26, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers68 )
Updates and Multiple Emails
I’m sorry I haven’t been posting very much the last few days. I’ve been pretty busy! As you may notice on ALL of my blogs, there are now icons that go to my Twitter, My WordPress, my Blogspot, my Tumblr and my newly created Facebook page. You’ll also notice that I have a new blog header on my WordPress and my Blogspot and I created a blog header for Tumblr.
Why am I doing all of this? Well, I feel that my blogs need to look as professional as possible and be easy to use. Don’t get me wrong, I love my fun, but there is a time to be professional. When it comes to my writing, I want everything perfect. That includes, blogs, tweets and any other accounts I’ve created.
This brings me to something I think you should be aware of. You get lots of email updates from Twitter and Tumblr and everything you’ve signed up for to help you get noticed. While you can usually turn these updates off, I prefer to keep them. This is why I created an email that was separate from any of my personal life that I would ONLY use for things related to my writing. With Gmail (Mail from Google) I can make as many accounts as I like for free! I can also create labels for different kinds of email and keep detailed information on all of my contacts.
With Gmail’s new ability to use two different gmail accounts at once I can keep my writing and my personal emails open in different tabs or be able to switch between them without having to log out first. This is a VERY nice feature. The other great thing is Gmail’s spam filter. It catches anything you would consider spam and lets you see all of it for thirty days before it gets deleted (so if it thinks something is spam that isn’t, you can tell gmail it’s not spam and you didn’t lose anything… like say, an agent asking to view more of your manuscript).
Now, I bet you’re wondering why I put all this time into my writing the past two years. Well, you’ll find out soon enough. These website updates weren’t just for being professional. They are leading up to the surprise I’ve got planned for you on Friday at noon! It’s not too late to sign up to be notified. There’s a link up there called “Surprise!”… Go click on it! (You know you want to!)
(Original Post on June 26, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/BSMeyers67 )
Why am I doing all of this? Well, I feel that my blogs need to look as professional as possible and be easy to use. Don’t get me wrong, I love my fun, but there is a time to be professional. When it comes to my writing, I want everything perfect. That includes, blogs, tweets and any other accounts I’ve created.
This brings me to something I think you should be aware of. You get lots of email updates from Twitter and Tumblr and everything you’ve signed up for to help you get noticed. While you can usually turn these updates off, I prefer to keep them. This is why I created an email that was separate from any of my personal life that I would ONLY use for things related to my writing. With Gmail (Mail from Google) I can make as many accounts as I like for free! I can also create labels for different kinds of email and keep detailed information on all of my contacts.
With Gmail’s new ability to use two different gmail accounts at once I can keep my writing and my personal emails open in different tabs or be able to switch between them without having to log out first. This is a VERY nice feature. The other great thing is Gmail’s spam filter. It catches anything you would consider spam and lets you see all of it for thirty days before it gets deleted (so if it thinks something is spam that isn’t, you can tell gmail it’s not spam and you didn’t lose anything… like say, an agent asking to view more of your manuscript).
Now, I bet you’re wondering why I put all this time into my writing the past two years. Well, you’ll find out soon enough. These website updates weren’t just for being professional. They are leading up to the surprise I’ve got planned for you on Friday at noon! It’s not too late to sign up to be notified. There’s a link up there called “Surprise!”… Go click on it! (You know you want to!)
(Original Post on June 26, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/BSMeyers67 )
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Creative Writing Tag
So, here’s the situation. If I’ve “Tagged” you over on twitter consider it a challenge to take part in my Creative Writing Tag. I will give you a paragraph to start with and I want you to finish the short story. Please, don’t write a novel for me. Feel free to post your response on any of your blogs or websites. Send me a link and I’ll post it over here with a link to your blog.
I’m going to start by tagging three people and those three people, along with myself, would have to take maybe twenty minutes out of their day to finish the short (and by short, I mean short) story based on the paragraph I give you. Once you’ve been tagged, you can feel free to write yours and tag other people. This could be a pretty massive writing exercise. What do all of you wonderful writers say? (The first three of you to comment below will be the first ones tagged!)
(Original Post on June 22, 2011 at: http://bsmeyersauthor.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/post-66/ )
I’m going to start by tagging three people and those three people, along with myself, would have to take maybe twenty minutes out of their day to finish the short (and by short, I mean short) story based on the paragraph I give you. Once you’ve been tagged, you can feel free to write yours and tag other people. This could be a pretty massive writing exercise. What do all of you wonderful writers say? (The first three of you to comment below will be the first ones tagged!)
(Original Post on June 22, 2011 at: http://bsmeyersauthor.wordpress.com/2011/06/22/post-66/ )
Surprise!
I have a surprise for you on…
July 1, 2011 12:00 PM
If you want to be put on my list to be notified of the surprise, comment your email or Twitter on the link below. (These comments will not be displayed.)
https://bsmeyersauthor.wordpress.com/surprise/
July 1, 2011 12:00 PM
If you want to be put on my list to be notified of the surprise, comment your email or Twitter on the link below. (These comments will not be displayed.)
https://bsmeyersauthor.wordpress.com/surprise/
My Advice
Someone over at: http://z15.invisionfree.com/It_Is_Written/index.php?act=idx#.TgCsOqVCKio asked me what advice I could give them besides what’s on my blog. Here’s what I told them:
Don’t worry about when you want to be done and don’t stress about word count (but keep an eye on it). When you start, your primary goal should be getting the characters and plot on the page. Once you’ve accomplished this, go through and do a major edit of everything you’ve written. Once you’re content with that, polish everything up a bit. When you’re totally happy with what you’ve got, have a close friend (Who’s good with grammar and spelling) read the whole thing over, fixing spelling mistakes and telling you when sentences sound strange. (I recommend they do this on paper, so you can see what they did before it gets put into your novel.)
Once that is done, ask yourself, “Is there anything I’m not happy with?” If you answer yes, you’re not ready to self publish or query literary agents. If you think something doesn’t work, so will someone else. Fix anything you feel necessary. Then, ask the person who edited for you the same question. If they suggest something, don’t dismiss it because you just want to get on your way. Look at what they suggest and see if it needs work.
At this point, you’re ready to self publish or query literary agents. If you decide to self publish, I’d have a different set of eyes look over your novel. You can ask a friend or pay an editor at: http://www.everything-indie.com/index.htm If self publishing, you also need to either make a cover yourself, or let the good people at the link I just gave you do it for you. They will work with what you want.
If you decide you want to try and publish traditionally, read this: http://www.yafantasyguide.com/articles/how…uery-letter.htm and then use it to the letter. Then go to these sites and find literary agents: http://www.authoradvance.com/ and/or http://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx DO NOT JUST FIND A NAME AND SEND A QUERY. You need to look at the agent’s blog or at their info page on their agency’s website. See if they represent your genre and how they want your queries.
There’s a good start for you. Most importantly, have fun writing, don’t write for the money or fame, and always write your way. Don’t try and emulate J.K. Rowling. You’re not writing Harry Potter, you’re writing YOUR book.
So there’s what I’ve got to say right now. This could change eventually. In the meantime, go check out http://itiswrittenclub.wordpress.com/ Feel free to sign up and submit your work. You get good criticism and some exposure. This is a great tool for new writers.
(Original Post on June 21, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers65 )
Don’t worry about when you want to be done and don’t stress about word count (but keep an eye on it). When you start, your primary goal should be getting the characters and plot on the page. Once you’ve accomplished this, go through and do a major edit of everything you’ve written. Once you’re content with that, polish everything up a bit. When you’re totally happy with what you’ve got, have a close friend (Who’s good with grammar and spelling) read the whole thing over, fixing spelling mistakes and telling you when sentences sound strange. (I recommend they do this on paper, so you can see what they did before it gets put into your novel.)
Once that is done, ask yourself, “Is there anything I’m not happy with?” If you answer yes, you’re not ready to self publish or query literary agents. If you think something doesn’t work, so will someone else. Fix anything you feel necessary. Then, ask the person who edited for you the same question. If they suggest something, don’t dismiss it because you just want to get on your way. Look at what they suggest and see if it needs work.
At this point, you’re ready to self publish or query literary agents. If you decide to self publish, I’d have a different set of eyes look over your novel. You can ask a friend or pay an editor at: http://www.everything-indie.com/index.htm If self publishing, you also need to either make a cover yourself, or let the good people at the link I just gave you do it for you. They will work with what you want.
If you decide you want to try and publish traditionally, read this: http://www.yafantasyguide.com/articles/how…uery-letter.htm and then use it to the letter. Then go to these sites and find literary agents: http://www.authoradvance.com/ and/or http://www.agentquery.com/default.aspx DO NOT JUST FIND A NAME AND SEND A QUERY. You need to look at the agent’s blog or at their info page on their agency’s website. See if they represent your genre and how they want your queries.
There’s a good start for you. Most importantly, have fun writing, don’t write for the money or fame, and always write your way. Don’t try and emulate J.K. Rowling. You’re not writing Harry Potter, you’re writing YOUR book.
So there’s what I’ve got to say right now. This could change eventually. In the meantime, go check out http://itiswrittenclub.wordpress.com/ Feel free to sign up and submit your work. You get good criticism and some exposure. This is a great tool for new writers.
(Original Post on June 21, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers65 )
Song: Only Time Will Tell
Once again, the formatting for my Wordpress doesn’t work over on Blogger. Go here are read it, please: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers64
(Original Post on June 19, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers64 )
(Original Post on June 19, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers64 )
I Want You to Know
I want you to know that the glow of your eyes sets my soul on fire. I want you to know that your smile turns the darkest room into a shining star. I want you to know that you hold me up when the sky is falling. I want you to know that your scent makes my blood boil. I want you to know that your minds depth leaves me in tranquility. I want you to know that without you the grass is not green, the sky is not blue and the wind does not blow. I want you to know that without you the seasons stay winter, the stars burn out and black holes cease pulling. I want you to know that without you the fire does not burn, the world does not spin and my heart does not beat.
____________________________________________________________________________ Written June 18, 2011
(Original Post on June 19, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers63 )
____________________________________________________________________________ Written June 18, 2011
(Original Post on June 19, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers63 )
I Apologize. (Opinions)
I’m going to go ahead and tell you all that I’m sorry for insulting Stephanie Meyer’s writing as well as Rebecca Black’s and The Ting Tings’. Everyone has the right to their own opinions and I’m apologizing simply because I don’t want to deal with hate mail/comments and sometimes it’s just easier to shut your mouth and let the world keep revolving.
<——-Begin Addition——->
I’d like to add that I have not read any of Stephanie Meyer’s writing, so it was unfair of me to insult her writing, but I will go ahead and insult her plot choice.
<——-End Addition——->
But my offer still stands. Go ahead and pick up a copy of my first novel once it’s published and if you don’t like it, comment in any comment box you find on my blog and tell me you think it sucks! I’m not afraid to be hated because of my writing. I refuse however, to be hated because of my opinions.
(Original Post on June 18, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers62 )
<——-Begin Addition——->
I’d like to add that I have not read any of Stephanie Meyer’s writing, so it was unfair of me to insult her writing, but I will go ahead and insult her plot choice.
<——-End Addition——->
But my offer still stands. Go ahead and pick up a copy of my first novel once it’s published and if you don’t like it, comment in any comment box you find on my blog and tell me you think it sucks! I’m not afraid to be hated because of my writing. I refuse however, to be hated because of my opinions.
(Original Post on June 18, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers62 )
Different Kinds of Writing (Which Turned Into... "Tell Me My Writing Sucks."
I know that what I’m about to tell you may come as a shock, but brace yourself. I’m not paying your heart attack bill. Writers don’t just write books. Shocker, right?
In reality, writer’s write books, poems, television shows, movies, news articles, plays, musicals and songs. Did I leave any out? All of these different forms of writing make up what we call media. You may think it doesn’t take much to write a movie, but look at it this way. Movie writers have to write a script for each actor/actress. Depending on the movie there can be a lot of talking. They also have to come up with a plot and the characters. This is the same for the writers of television shows.
Now, I mean no disrespect, but if you’re new to this whole writing thing, you may find yourself asking, “Is it really that hard to write a poem, or a song?” The answer depends. If you write a song where every other phrase is, “That’s not my name” or you have to write about the fact that today is Friday and your biggest worry is which seat to sit in… personally, I don’t think you’re that great of a writer.
(I’m also a bit disgusted with the fact that I had to google, “Friday Lyrics” because I’ve never actually listened to that song any longer than, “It’s Friday”. I’m currently going to pause writing this post so I can delete that search from my browser history.)
Back on topic… I think *all* poetry is good. It may not call to me, it may not apply to me, but it calls to the poet that wrote it and it may very well call to someone else out there. It’s the same with books. Now, there are some bad books out there, but I won’t mention anything specific. *coughsparklecoughcoughvampirescoughcoughvomit* Okay, that was a little mean, I’m sure Stephanie Meyer loves her books and I’m sure there are people that like them that aren’t crazy, obsessive, teenage girls. It’s my own personal opinion that I don’t like sparkling vampires.
Lets get back on topic again. My original intention for writing this post was to inform you that writers don’t just write books. I’ve done that, but now I feel the need to say this. If you don’t like my previous comment about that series (which I refuse to insult my blog by including its title in this post) then you can feel free to find a copy of my first novel once it’s published and if you don’t like it, go ahead and tell me. There’s a comment box right below this, and every other, post on this blog. Go right ahead and tell me you think my writing sucks because I welcome the input.
And if anyone doesn’t like my comments about Rebecca Black’s song or The Ting Tings’ song, I reserve the right to my own opinion. I personally don’t listen to much music outside of the 70′s and 80′s because I think once we got into the mid 90′s, music died.
(Original Post on June 18, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers61
In reality, writer’s write books, poems, television shows, movies, news articles, plays, musicals and songs. Did I leave any out? All of these different forms of writing make up what we call media. You may think it doesn’t take much to write a movie, but look at it this way. Movie writers have to write a script for each actor/actress. Depending on the movie there can be a lot of talking. They also have to come up with a plot and the characters. This is the same for the writers of television shows.
Now, I mean no disrespect, but if you’re new to this whole writing thing, you may find yourself asking, “Is it really that hard to write a poem, or a song?” The answer depends. If you write a song where every other phrase is, “That’s not my name” or you have to write about the fact that today is Friday and your biggest worry is which seat to sit in… personally, I don’t think you’re that great of a writer.
(I’m also a bit disgusted with the fact that I had to google, “Friday Lyrics” because I’ve never actually listened to that song any longer than, “It’s Friday”. I’m currently going to pause writing this post so I can delete that search from my browser history.)
Back on topic… I think *all* poetry is good. It may not call to me, it may not apply to me, but it calls to the poet that wrote it and it may very well call to someone else out there. It’s the same with books. Now, there are some bad books out there, but I won’t mention anything specific. *coughsparklecoughcoughvampirescoughcoughvomit* Okay, that was a little mean, I’m sure Stephanie Meyer loves her books and I’m sure there are people that like them that aren’t crazy, obsessive, teenage girls. It’s my own personal opinion that I don’t like sparkling vampires.
Lets get back on topic again. My original intention for writing this post was to inform you that writers don’t just write books. I’ve done that, but now I feel the need to say this. If you don’t like my previous comment about that series (which I refuse to insult my blog by including its title in this post) then you can feel free to find a copy of my first novel once it’s published and if you don’t like it, go ahead and tell me. There’s a comment box right below this, and every other, post on this blog. Go right ahead and tell me you think my writing sucks because I welcome the input.
And if anyone doesn’t like my comments about Rebecca Black’s song or The Ting Tings’ song, I reserve the right to my own opinion. I personally don’t listen to much music outside of the 70′s and 80′s because I think once we got into the mid 90′s, music died.
(Original Post on June 18, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers61
"To light a candle is to cast a shadow"
While writing an essay today, I realized how much I love A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin. I first read the novel in my ninth grade English class. As you can probably imagine, in ninth grade I wasn’t that interested in reading. I’m still not, but I’m getting better after selecting better novels for my taste.
LeGuin’s writing is somewhat simplistic. However, she uses a juxtaposition of light and dark imagery very well. The story itself is follows a young wizard by the name of Ged. In an effort to preserve his pride, he attempts to summon a spirit of the the dead and in turn releases a dark shadow. Ged is forced to run and hide from the shadow. His journey takes him all across Earthsea as he learns about himself and others along the way.
What I find most fascinating about the novel is the quote, “To light a candle is to cast a shadow.” I’m sure many of you have heard it before. LeGuin is trying to convey the concept that there cannot be light without darkness… good without evil. I don’t know why, but I was drawn to this as soon as I read it.
A Wizard of Earthsea is the first novel in a trilogy followed by The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore. There are also two supplementary novels, Tehanu and The Other Wind. I have not read them, but I am confident that they are just as magical and will draw you in just as well.
Ursula K. LeGuin has 8 more novels in her Hainish Cycle Series and seven other individual novels.
(Just as a note, I love her name even though, Ursula, isn’t a very enticing name, in my opinion.)
(Original Post on June 17, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers60 )
LeGuin’s writing is somewhat simplistic. However, she uses a juxtaposition of light and dark imagery very well. The story itself is follows a young wizard by the name of Ged. In an effort to preserve his pride, he attempts to summon a spirit of the the dead and in turn releases a dark shadow. Ged is forced to run and hide from the shadow. His journey takes him all across Earthsea as he learns about himself and others along the way.
What I find most fascinating about the novel is the quote, “To light a candle is to cast a shadow.” I’m sure many of you have heard it before. LeGuin is trying to convey the concept that there cannot be light without darkness… good without evil. I don’t know why, but I was drawn to this as soon as I read it.
A Wizard of Earthsea is the first novel in a trilogy followed by The Tombs of Atuan and The Farthest Shore. There are also two supplementary novels, Tehanu and The Other Wind. I have not read them, but I am confident that they are just as magical and will draw you in just as well.
Ursula K. LeGuin has 8 more novels in her Hainish Cycle Series and seven other individual novels.
(Just as a note, I love her name even though, Ursula, isn’t a very enticing name, in my opinion.)
(Original Post on June 17, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers60 )
Traditional vs Independent Publishing
I’ve been doing a lot of reading and a lot of thinking lately about indie publishing. There are some aspects that I find appealing about it. For one, you publish your novel the way you want. You don’t risk some editor, who doesn’t necessarily care if you’re happy, messing with your work. I haven’t thought about that until now because one of my best friends has been editing my novel.
I like that indie publishing is quick. If you know what you’re doing, and you’ve formatted everything properly, you can have your novel on a nook or a kindle pretty quickly. That’s definitely appealing because I don’t like waiting.
However, as far as I know, it’s not easy to go from an independently published ebook to have your novel in print. I want my work on paper. I don’t want to only accommodate half of the readers out there. I, myself, prefer a book to an ebook simply because I spend too much time looking at a computer screen as is.
With indie publishing every bit of advertising lies on your shoulders. With traditional publishing, the advertising lies mostly on the publisher. Advertising all by yourself isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Not everyone has thousands of people subscribing to their blog or 60,000 people following them on twitter. I have 467 twitter followers, and while I appreciate them a lot, that’s not a big audience for my work.
The traditional publishing company gets to pick your book cover for you. Now, I’m sure you get to give input, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get what you want. If I publish independently, I can hop over to sites like http://www.everything-indie.com/ and tell them what I want in the cover. For a small fee, they will make me a book cover.
That brings up another issue: Money. It is my firm belief that money is the root of all evil, but there’s no surviving in this world without it. That being said, paying for a book cover and maybe editing, if you’re publishing independently, is not always an easy task. I have no money at all. That doesn’t make it easy to pay for things. I’d find a way to pay for it if I decided to publish independently, though.
So, I’ve discussed this with my editor and we’ve figured out a pretty solid plan. If by September of 2012 I’ve exhausted all of my agent querying resources, and no one wants to represent me, I will seriously consider indie publishing, which has always been my plan B.
(Original Post on June 16, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers59 )
I like that indie publishing is quick. If you know what you’re doing, and you’ve formatted everything properly, you can have your novel on a nook or a kindle pretty quickly. That’s definitely appealing because I don’t like waiting.
However, as far as I know, it’s not easy to go from an independently published ebook to have your novel in print. I want my work on paper. I don’t want to only accommodate half of the readers out there. I, myself, prefer a book to an ebook simply because I spend too much time looking at a computer screen as is.
With indie publishing every bit of advertising lies on your shoulders. With traditional publishing, the advertising lies mostly on the publisher. Advertising all by yourself isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Not everyone has thousands of people subscribing to their blog or 60,000 people following them on twitter. I have 467 twitter followers, and while I appreciate them a lot, that’s not a big audience for my work.
The traditional publishing company gets to pick your book cover for you. Now, I’m sure you get to give input, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get what you want. If I publish independently, I can hop over to sites like http://www.everything-indie.com/ and tell them what I want in the cover. For a small fee, they will make me a book cover.
That brings up another issue: Money. It is my firm belief that money is the root of all evil, but there’s no surviving in this world without it. That being said, paying for a book cover and maybe editing, if you’re publishing independently, is not always an easy task. I have no money at all. That doesn’t make it easy to pay for things. I’d find a way to pay for it if I decided to publish independently, though.
So, I’ve discussed this with my editor and we’ve figured out a pretty solid plan. If by September of 2012 I’ve exhausted all of my agent querying resources, and no one wants to represent me, I will seriously consider indie publishing, which has always been my plan B.
(Original Post on June 16, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers59 )
Another Song
When I wrote this, it was a very dark weekend for me. The events in my life had reached a climax of sorrow. I couldn’t take it.
Unfortunately, the formatting I had to do to get my song to show up properly in Wordpress does not allow me to copy and paste it here with the same effect. Go here and read it, please! http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers58
Unfortunately, the formatting I had to do to get my song to show up properly in Wordpress does not allow me to copy and paste it here with the same effect. Go here and read it, please! http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers58
The Synopsis
Personally, I hate the concept of a synopsis. I wrote a book because I had a concept to express and a story I could express it with. I don’t want to compress 50,000 words into a paragraph and I certainly don’t think a synopsis gives a literary agent a clear view of my novel.
However, the publishing industry is the way it is and unless I decide to publish independently, I have to live with writing a synopsis (despite how hard it is for me). I believe I need to get over the fact that I hate synopses and just do it.
What are your opinions on synopses? Any suggestions on how to write better ones?
(Original Post on June 15, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers57 )
However, the publishing industry is the way it is and unless I decide to publish independently, I have to live with writing a synopsis (despite how hard it is for me). I believe I need to get over the fact that I hate synopses and just do it.
What are your opinions on synopses? Any suggestions on how to write better ones?
(Original Post on June 15, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers57 )
Query Letters
So, here is my dilemma. I’ve read a ton of articles about writing query letters to literary agents and it seems like each one had a different idea of how you should format your query letters. What did you do? I would assume Times New Roman, Size 12 Font, but I’ve read it should be single spaced. Everything I have read says no more than a page. I’ve read that I need a hook, a synopsis and a bit about my writing history. I’ve also read I need to say why I am querying that particular agent, then do a hook and a synopsis and a bit about myself.
What did you do? Did it work? What didn’t work? Please comment and tell me!
(Original Post on June 14, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers56 )
What did you do? Did it work? What didn’t work? Please comment and tell me!
(Original Post on June 14, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers56 )
What do you think of when you hear, "the end of the world?"
(My editor wrote a pre-review of my first novel. These are HER words, not mine.)
Genocide? A religious purge? Mass combustion? The options are endless. In up-and-coming author BS Meyers’ Sci-Fi fantasy novel The Greatest Story Never Told, Scott Torres is faced with a strange alternative to your typical “end of the world” situation. Torres is lazy, jobless, lives with his mother and lacks motivation… but somehow, he holds the key to save the Universe from ultimate disaster. The problem? This key is nestled deep within Torres’ consciousness, and he isn’t sure how to utilize it just yet. Instead, he takes an expedition through the Universe with new friends, learning not only about himself, but also about love, happiness and the meaning of life along the way.
Meyers does an incredible job of developing his characters throughout this novel. From start to finish, our storybook hero Scott Torres and his new friend Olgrin are not only fascinating to learn about, but also extremely easy to relate to. His style of writing is simple and familiar, making this novel easy to read, but also sophisticated in its tones and intensity. He draws you in with a unique and engaging plot line, making it near impossible to set this story down. No matter what your favorite genre is, this is definitely not a book that you would pass up on the shelves.
Follow Meyers as he travels his own journey through the process of finding an agent, and eventually having this incredible story published and available for you all! He can be found on Twitter, Tumblr and WordPress:
http://twitter.com/BSMeyersAuthor
http://bsmeyersauthor.wordpress.com/
http://bsmeyersauthor.tumblr.com/
[Quick Review written by BS Meyers’ editor, Danielle D’Agostino, @daniellexda]
Genocide? A religious purge? Mass combustion? The options are endless. In up-and-coming author BS Meyers’ Sci-Fi fantasy novel The Greatest Story Never Told, Scott Torres is faced with a strange alternative to your typical “end of the world” situation. Torres is lazy, jobless, lives with his mother and lacks motivation… but somehow, he holds the key to save the Universe from ultimate disaster. The problem? This key is nestled deep within Torres’ consciousness, and he isn’t sure how to utilize it just yet. Instead, he takes an expedition through the Universe with new friends, learning not only about himself, but also about love, happiness and the meaning of life along the way.
Meyers does an incredible job of developing his characters throughout this novel. From start to finish, our storybook hero Scott Torres and his new friend Olgrin are not only fascinating to learn about, but also extremely easy to relate to. His style of writing is simple and familiar, making this novel easy to read, but also sophisticated in its tones and intensity. He draws you in with a unique and engaging plot line, making it near impossible to set this story down. No matter what your favorite genre is, this is definitely not a book that you would pass up on the shelves.
Follow Meyers as he travels his own journey through the process of finding an agent, and eventually having this incredible story published and available for you all! He can be found on Twitter, Tumblr and WordPress:
http://twitter.com/BSMeyersAuthor
http://bsmeyersauthor.wordpress.com/
http://bsmeyersauthor.tumblr.com/
[Quick Review written by BS Meyers’ editor, Danielle D’Agostino, @daniellexda]
MY EDITS ARE DONE!
One of my best friends, the fantastic Danielle D’Agostino, has worked her @$$ off since I started writing my first novel. She read each and every word throughout each and every revision and edit and then she did the hardest thing to come: She read my entire novel from *imaginary* cover to *imaginary* cover, editing everything along the way. Danielle, you’re awesome!
People of Earth (and other planets), my name is B.S. Meyers and I will stop at nothing to get published. I just have to input all of Danielle’s final edits and then there are only three steps keeping me from my goal.
Step 1: I have to tell my parents that I wrote a book. Yeah, they kind of have no clue that I spent the last year and a half writing a novel… or that I like writing… or that I plan on writing for the rest of my life.
Step 2: I need to find an agent! I realize that this is not such an easy task, but I’m ready. I’ve never been more ready in my life. Come July, those query letters are getting sent!
Step 3: After that, I may need some professional editing, if my Agent says so. Otherwise, my Agent just has to shop some publishers! This is just the beginning, but it’s the best beginning I could ask for.
Of course, maybe I won’t find an agent willing to represent my work. This tells me that I would need to revise my novel and try again, or that I need to revise and publish independently. I’m not opposed to publishing independently, I just figure I might as well try my luck to get published traditionally.
(Original Post on June 13, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers54 )
People of Earth (and other planets), my name is B.S. Meyers and I will stop at nothing to get published. I just have to input all of Danielle’s final edits and then there are only three steps keeping me from my goal.
Step 1: I have to tell my parents that I wrote a book. Yeah, they kind of have no clue that I spent the last year and a half writing a novel… or that I like writing… or that I plan on writing for the rest of my life.
Step 2: I need to find an agent! I realize that this is not such an easy task, but I’m ready. I’ve never been more ready in my life. Come July, those query letters are getting sent!
Step 3: After that, I may need some professional editing, if my Agent says so. Otherwise, my Agent just has to shop some publishers! This is just the beginning, but it’s the best beginning I could ask for.
Of course, maybe I won’t find an agent willing to represent my work. This tells me that I would need to revise my novel and try again, or that I need to revise and publish independently. I’m not opposed to publishing independently, I just figure I might as well try my luck to get published traditionally.
(Original Post on June 13, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers54 )
The Dream
One night I woke up on the cold, hard ground. There wasn’t even the faintest light to be seen. All around me was darkness. I stood up and stared at my hands: I couldn’t see them. In the distance appeared a very faint, pink light. It began to grow larger at a very slow pace. This light was not growing, it was coming closer. I stood alone with every emotion I’ve ever felt rushing through my mind, but fear overpowered the rest. The pink light was now about 100 feet away from me. It had turned red and was no longer a circle of light, but a heart. I spun around 180 degrees and began running until I saw another one in front of me. This one was a triangle. I turned the the right and left; a square and a circle. I frantically turned in every direction. My heart raced, my blood boiled. Paranoia consumed my mind. Right, left, forward, backward, up, down… there was nothing but those red shapes of light. All of them were less than twenty feet from me now. I closed my eyes, but it was no use, the light shined through my eyelids. 5… 4… The light engraved itself on my mind…. 3… 2… So much racing through my thoughts, but I only saw the heart… 1…
At this point I woke up for real. The faint moonlight shined through the cracks in my window shade. I breathed more heavily than I ever had. My body was freezing, but it was sweating everywhere. I traced the crevasses between the logs in my ceiling. My heart pounded so loud that I could hear it. I didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.
I had this dream for the first time when I was in kindergarten. I was 6 years old. That first time was horrific, but it did not end there. This dream plagued my mind in the following weeks after I first had it. I thought about it night and day. I never told a soul about it. I had it again, two more times in kindergarten. For a while it was gone. My mind was free. I had the same exact dream around fourth grade and again in about seventh grade. For now, I am free of it, but there is no telling when it will return.
What do you think it means? Comment below and tell me!
(Original Post on June 11, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers53 )
At this point I woke up for real. The faint moonlight shined through the cracks in my window shade. I breathed more heavily than I ever had. My body was freezing, but it was sweating everywhere. I traced the crevasses between the logs in my ceiling. My heart pounded so loud that I could hear it. I didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.
I had this dream for the first time when I was in kindergarten. I was 6 years old. That first time was horrific, but it did not end there. This dream plagued my mind in the following weeks after I first had it. I thought about it night and day. I never told a soul about it. I had it again, two more times in kindergarten. For a while it was gone. My mind was free. I had the same exact dream around fourth grade and again in about seventh grade. For now, I am free of it, but there is no telling when it will return.
What do you think it means? Comment below and tell me!
(Original Post on June 11, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers53 )
Not All Teachers are Evil (Just Most of Them...)
Today was my last class with my AP World History teacher. Throughout the year he has succeeded in one thing: making history interesting. But he has done so much more for me. He showed me what it means to be human. He taught me the horrible things that apathy can do. He taught me to reach for my dreams and to never say “I can’t.” He taught me that teaching is a two-way street: Teachers teach students and teachers learn from students. Mr. [He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named] (No, not Voldemort… I’m just not going to tell you who this teacher is because he doesn’t want to exist on the internet.) has showed me above all, what it is to be a person. Thank you.
When I begin sending out agent queries this July, I’m not doing it just for me. I’m doing for the world: I have a message to share with all of you. I’m doing it for me so I can be content knowing I got that message out to at least one person. I’m doing this because of the many inspiring people in my life. My history teacher has given me a boost of self-confidence and right now, I know I can do anything.
(Original Post on June 10, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers52 )
When I begin sending out agent queries this July, I’m not doing it just for me. I’m doing for the world: I have a message to share with all of you. I’m doing it for me so I can be content knowing I got that message out to at least one person. I’m doing this because of the many inspiring people in my life. My history teacher has given me a boost of self-confidence and right now, I know I can do anything.
(Original Post on June 10, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers52 )
Counter-Productive Writing Conditions
Extreme Heat:
If it’s too hot, your mind decides that it does not want to do anything. Sure, an air conditioner helps, but what if you don’t have an air conditioner? I know from experience that if it’s 100 degrees there are never enough fans to help you. As for extreme cold… suck it up and wrap yourself in a blanket.
Thunderstorms:
Don’t you just love a thunderstorm? I love them too! The problem is, if you write on a desktop computer, have fun saving after every paragraph: There’s no telling if/when the power will go off. The best thing to do during a thunderstorm is to stop writing, save, and turn off the computer. This goes the same for a laptop that is charging. Even if it is at half power, a power surge could still cause the laptop to shut off without taking the time to save your precious writing. And good luck with document recovery.
Moving Vehicles:
I recently learned from trying to do my homework on a airplane that writing in a moving vehicle is not easy. Imagine this: You’re writing and writing and you have a brilliant idea. You scribble away and get to the best bit of your bo *BUMP*… and then you see a giant pencil mark down half of the page. Good luck erasing without losing your writing.
Alright, well lets say you happen to have hitchhiked your way onto The Heart of Gold and you keep on writing. “Infinite Improbability Drive, Go!” When you reach your final destination, your piece of paper may be a pizza for a few minutes. That’s not fun. Trust me.
Zombie Apocalypse:
As many writers have shown us, if there is a Zombie outbreak that reaches Apocalyptic proportions, your main goal should be survival. Personally, I would grab a titanium crow bar, barricade my house with 13 foot high walls, stock pile food, water and ammo and sound proof my walls if I were mad enough to keep writing.
(Original Post on June 8, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers51 )
If it’s too hot, your mind decides that it does not want to do anything. Sure, an air conditioner helps, but what if you don’t have an air conditioner? I know from experience that if it’s 100 degrees there are never enough fans to help you. As for extreme cold… suck it up and wrap yourself in a blanket.
Thunderstorms:
Don’t you just love a thunderstorm? I love them too! The problem is, if you write on a desktop computer, have fun saving after every paragraph: There’s no telling if/when the power will go off. The best thing to do during a thunderstorm is to stop writing, save, and turn off the computer. This goes the same for a laptop that is charging. Even if it is at half power, a power surge could still cause the laptop to shut off without taking the time to save your precious writing. And good luck with document recovery.
Moving Vehicles:
I recently learned from trying to do my homework on a airplane that writing in a moving vehicle is not easy. Imagine this: You’re writing and writing and you have a brilliant idea. You scribble away and get to the best bit of your bo *BUMP*… and then you see a giant pencil mark down half of the page. Good luck erasing without losing your writing.
Alright, well lets say you happen to have hitchhiked your way onto The Heart of Gold and you keep on writing. “Infinite Improbability Drive, Go!” When you reach your final destination, your piece of paper may be a pizza for a few minutes. That’s not fun. Trust me.
Zombie Apocalypse:
As many writers have shown us, if there is a Zombie outbreak that reaches Apocalyptic proportions, your main goal should be survival. Personally, I would grab a titanium crow bar, barricade my house with 13 foot high walls, stock pile food, water and ammo and sound proof my walls if I were mad enough to keep writing.
(Original Post on June 8, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers51 )
Recognition
I went to visit my favorite English teacher today. It was a quick visit as she had to get going, but she was extremely excited about my novel. I can’t wait until the revisions are done so I can show it to her! It feels great knowing that someone is proud of you. I believe I showed the few people I have shown my novel because I fed off of their excitement and pride. It really helped me knowing that someone other than myself wanted this novel.
On another note, I would like to thank the most fantastic Editor ever for working her @$$ off to get my edits to me. Thank you Danielle! ( @daniellexda )
Finally, I wish to thank my followers on Twitter. All 328 (and all of you to come in the future) are awesome! You guys (and girls) make writing even more fun because I know I can share it with you once it’s finished.
(Original Post on June 6, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers50 )
On another note, I would like to thank the most fantastic Editor ever for working her @$$ off to get my edits to me. Thank you Danielle! ( @daniellexda )
Finally, I wish to thank my followers on Twitter. All 328 (and all of you to come in the future) are awesome! You guys (and girls) make writing even more fun because I know I can share it with you once it’s finished.
(Original Post on June 6, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers50 )
Creative Writing
I wrote this for a homework assignment in 9th Grade. Enjoy!
It is a dark night. The air smells of the noxious burnt fish from dinner. A chilling breeze blows through the flap of your tent that you supposedly closed before drifting off to sleep. You can see very little except the moonlight piercing through a hole in your tent.
Still staring at the open flap, you reach back to attempt to wake your friend. You fall back at the surprise of finding nothing in the wadded lump of covers. Your friend is gone, and there is no sign of humanity outside.
You reach around under your sleeping bag for a flashlight and slowly exit your tent. You arise into the open air of the night and see nothing but the dieing coals of your fire and thick trees in every direction.
You hear a shriek! A sound like nothing of this world. The sound that awoke you from your deep slumber. As you creep through the forest toward the sound, the moonlight slowly fades and you don’t realize its absence until it is completely gone and you have lost your way.
A rustling of leaves seems to be coming from every direction. All of a sudden, you feel a small sensation, like that of a rain drop grazing your skin, on top of your head. You slowly lift your finder and dip it in the unknown substance. You bring it to your tongue and taste it. Warm. Salty. You know what it is, but you refuse to believe it.
In a hesitant manner, you raise your flashlight to peer above you. You see a silhouette, soon realizing that it is your friend, impaled on a tree branch, ten feet up. Behind you, you hear the shriek!
In what seemed like hours but was merely a few seconds, you quickly turn around and see two round objects. They are black with a silver glow. In one instant they are there, and then they disappear and return. Eyes.
Now, you awake. You are surrounded by a light. A brilliant white light, so pure that it couldn’t possibly be real. You know now, that you are free, yet the only thing you can think of, is those thick, glossy black eyes staring you in the face.
(Original Post on June 1, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers49 )
It is a dark night. The air smells of the noxious burnt fish from dinner. A chilling breeze blows through the flap of your tent that you supposedly closed before drifting off to sleep. You can see very little except the moonlight piercing through a hole in your tent.
Still staring at the open flap, you reach back to attempt to wake your friend. You fall back at the surprise of finding nothing in the wadded lump of covers. Your friend is gone, and there is no sign of humanity outside.
You reach around under your sleeping bag for a flashlight and slowly exit your tent. You arise into the open air of the night and see nothing but the dieing coals of your fire and thick trees in every direction.
You hear a shriek! A sound like nothing of this world. The sound that awoke you from your deep slumber. As you creep through the forest toward the sound, the moonlight slowly fades and you don’t realize its absence until it is completely gone and you have lost your way.
A rustling of leaves seems to be coming from every direction. All of a sudden, you feel a small sensation, like that of a rain drop grazing your skin, on top of your head. You slowly lift your finder and dip it in the unknown substance. You bring it to your tongue and taste it. Warm. Salty. You know what it is, but you refuse to believe it.
In a hesitant manner, you raise your flashlight to peer above you. You see a silhouette, soon realizing that it is your friend, impaled on a tree branch, ten feet up. Behind you, you hear the shriek!
In what seemed like hours but was merely a few seconds, you quickly turn around and see two round objects. They are black with a silver glow. In one instant they are there, and then they disappear and return. Eyes.
Now, you awake. You are surrounded by a light. A brilliant white light, so pure that it couldn’t possibly be real. You know now, that you are free, yet the only thing you can think of, is those thick, glossy black eyes staring you in the face.
(Original Post on June 1, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers49 )
Memorial Day
In my time on Earth, I have learned a lot. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that I don’t like most people, but I am willing to give them a chance. Going along with this, I don’t like America. I want to live in England, but that’s probably not going to happen.
Despite my dislike for people and America, I do have the utmost respect for the men and women that died for this country because they believed in something enough to die for it. A belief like that is something very special.
So on this Memorial Day, I choose to say thank you for all of the soldiers, navy men, marines, and air force pilots that have passed, are veterans or are still fighting for this country. America is not the best, but it could be a lot worse if not for you. You are all true heroes.
(Original Post on May 30, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers48 )
Despite my dislike for people and America, I do have the utmost respect for the men and women that died for this country because they believed in something enough to die for it. A belief like that is something very special.
So on this Memorial Day, I choose to say thank you for all of the soldiers, navy men, marines, and air force pilots that have passed, are veterans or are still fighting for this country. America is not the best, but it could be a lot worse if not for you. You are all true heroes.
(Original Post on May 30, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers48 )
More to Writing than Meets the Eye
I’ve been doing a lot of writing and networking lately and I’ve learned one thing that I had been doing all along that was very important to Writing. Since the beginning I have been doing research. I’ve looked up different topics that pertained to events/ideas in my novels. This helps me give those concepts a base in this Universe so that The Universe Inside My Head isn’t completely made up.
The one thing I do need to do more of research wise is reading. I need to read and see what others have done and how they’ve done it. If I can understand what’s been done, then I can do what I want to do better. On my list of research is Some Descartes, some Socrates, Asimov’s Foundation and Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. I’ve got my work cut out for me.
(Original Post on May 29, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers47 )
The one thing I do need to do more of research wise is reading. I need to read and see what others have done and how they’ve done it. If I can understand what’s been done, then I can do what I want to do better. On my list of research is Some Descartes, some Socrates, Asimov’s Foundation and Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged. I’ve got my work cut out for me.
(Original Post on May 29, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers47 )
Death
Death. Where do I start? Death is inevitable. Death is unavoidable. Death causes pain, both emotionally and physically. Death is just another part of life.
My parents are quite old in comparison to myself, so I grew up with only one grandparent. My Mom’s father died when I was five years old. At the time, I didn’t comprehend what was going on. I didn’t understand where my papa was and why he wasn’t coming back. I remember crying at his funeral. I remember holding my mother while she cried. I felt her pain.
A few years ago, my uncle died. I hadn’t seen him in ten years because he was very sick and lived far away. About a year later, my other uncle died. I saw him maybe once a year. The first uncle was family by marriage, the second by blood, but both were family just the same. I didn’t cry for either of them. I didn’t know them well enough to cry.
Death is something we will never fully understand why happens. Death represents an end, but I believe death is not a time for mourning loss, it should be a time to celebrate how that person lived. My papa fought in Japan during World War Two. He served his country well and came home a hero. His mind never fully came back with him, but he was a brave and honorable man just the same. I choose to remember him as a hero.
Go home. Tell your wife, your husband, your children, your siblings, your parents, your grandparents, your uncles and aunts and all of your friends that you love them. Tell them how you feel before their time is up because you never know when that time may come. Life is short. Go live your life to the fullest so the loved ones you leave behind can celebrate you, rather than mourn your loss.
Life is but a blank slate. You are born and then you die. But the lucky ones, they live on forever, as legend.
(Original Post on May 27, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers46 )
My parents are quite old in comparison to myself, so I grew up with only one grandparent. My Mom’s father died when I was five years old. At the time, I didn’t comprehend what was going on. I didn’t understand where my papa was and why he wasn’t coming back. I remember crying at his funeral. I remember holding my mother while she cried. I felt her pain.
A few years ago, my uncle died. I hadn’t seen him in ten years because he was very sick and lived far away. About a year later, my other uncle died. I saw him maybe once a year. The first uncle was family by marriage, the second by blood, but both were family just the same. I didn’t cry for either of them. I didn’t know them well enough to cry.
Death is something we will never fully understand why happens. Death represents an end, but I believe death is not a time for mourning loss, it should be a time to celebrate how that person lived. My papa fought in Japan during World War Two. He served his country well and came home a hero. His mind never fully came back with him, but he was a brave and honorable man just the same. I choose to remember him as a hero.
Go home. Tell your wife, your husband, your children, your siblings, your parents, your grandparents, your uncles and aunts and all of your friends that you love them. Tell them how you feel before their time is up because you never know when that time may come. Life is short. Go live your life to the fullest so the loved ones you leave behind can celebrate you, rather than mourn your loss.
Life is but a blank slate. You are born and then you die. But the lucky ones, they live on forever, as legend.
(Original Post on May 27, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers46 )
Coming Out (Not of the Closet)
Yes, I understand that the title of this post is not the best choice…
Anyways, by “coming out” I mean that today I decided to tell one of my old English teachers that I have written a book. I told her I wished to send her a copy to read as soon as my editor’s edits were finished and I had implemented them. She responded enthusiastically stating that it was an honor that I had asked her. This is very exciting for me and it feels great!
But this only brings about some deeper, hidden feelings I have possessed ever since my writing became serious: I worry about how I will tell my Mother that I have written a novel. I know she will support my decision, but I do not know her reaction, or how to tell her. The thought of this moment has plagued my mind for quite some time and much more often these past few weeks.
My question is this: Have any of you been in this situation and if so, what did you do?
(Original Post on May 25, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers45 )
Anyways, by “coming out” I mean that today I decided to tell one of my old English teachers that I have written a book. I told her I wished to send her a copy to read as soon as my editor’s edits were finished and I had implemented them. She responded enthusiastically stating that it was an honor that I had asked her. This is very exciting for me and it feels great!
But this only brings about some deeper, hidden feelings I have possessed ever since my writing became serious: I worry about how I will tell my Mother that I have written a novel. I know she will support my decision, but I do not know her reaction, or how to tell her. The thought of this moment has plagued my mind for quite some time and much more often these past few weeks.
My question is this: Have any of you been in this situation and if so, what did you do?
(Original Post on May 25, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers45 )
Drama
In a novel, drama can be a good thing. It can present a conflict, show characterization, set up a theme or even be a story in itself. But in real life, (Wait a minute? Are you trying to tell me that books are not real life?…) drama causes the same effects. As I have witnessed over the past few years, drama can cause good friends to become mortal enemies. Drama tears through friendships like a tornado tears through a town. That’s our conflict. In real life, drama shows how people will react in certain events. That’s our characterization.
So what’s the moral of the story? Drama in books can be good, provided that the drama is not a ridiculous situation that would not happen, but drama in real life causes nothing but problems.
Imaginary Drama = Good. Real Drama = Bad.
(Original Post on May 23, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers44 )
So what’s the moral of the story? Drama in books can be good, provided that the drama is not a ridiculous situation that would not happen, but drama in real life causes nothing but problems.
Imaginary Drama = Good. Real Drama = Bad.
(Original Post on May 23, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers44 )
The World Goes On
It’s May 22, 2011, the day after a supposed apocalypse. We’re all awake and sitting here on our computers, so I guess the world didn’t end.
The good thing that comes out of this fact is that I still have time to write. I refuse to die before I get published. So I will keep on writing until my fingers fall off and by the time that happens, they’ll have a way to turn your thoughts into words just by looking at the screen.
The bad that comes from the world continuing is all around us. Disease, Poverty, Hunger, Corruption, Death, Greed. These things are part of humanity and we may never be rid of them, but we can try. If we look deep inside the hearts of all men/women, we can see two little glimmers of light. One is called hope, the other, love. Never forget the love that lurks inside all of us.
(Original Post on May 22, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers43 )
The good thing that comes out of this fact is that I still have time to write. I refuse to die before I get published. So I will keep on writing until my fingers fall off and by the time that happens, they’ll have a way to turn your thoughts into words just by looking at the screen.
The bad that comes from the world continuing is all around us. Disease, Poverty, Hunger, Corruption, Death, Greed. These things are part of humanity and we may never be rid of them, but we can try. If we look deep inside the hearts of all men/women, we can see two little glimmers of light. One is called hope, the other, love. Never forget the love that lurks inside all of us.
(Original Post on May 22, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers43 )
May 21, 2011: Good Morning
I’m not usually one to say it, but… I TOLD YOU SO!
I knew the world would not end today for one main reason: If the world decided to end before I published my books, I would steal a TARDIS and make my way to another Universe and then I would KICK EARTH’S @$$!
And the world is not ending at 6:00 PM, why on Earth would the world pick a nice, round, even time to end? If anything I would end at 7:06 PM (6:66 PM) just to be ironic! Besides that, the world can’t end today because it’s obviously ending on December 21, 2012.
(Original Post on May 21, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers42 )
I knew the world would not end today for one main reason: If the world decided to end before I published my books, I would steal a TARDIS and make my way to another Universe and then I would KICK EARTH’S @$$!
And the world is not ending at 6:00 PM, why on Earth would the world pick a nice, round, even time to end? If anything I would end at 7:06 PM (6:66 PM) just to be ironic! Besides that, the world can’t end today because it’s obviously ending on December 21, 2012.
(Original Post on May 21, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers42 )
May 21, 2011: Doomsday
Personally, I believe that tomorrow is NOT the end of the world.
Why?
Well, besides my firm belief that Saturday is the best day of the week, and the world can’t possibly end on Saturday, I want to ask you, what in the Universe is significant about May 21, 2011? At this point, I see December 21, 2012 more likely. At least there is some sort of fact that supports the theory in some way. (The end of the Mayan Calendar.)
My second reasoning for the fact that I will wake up on Sunday, May 22 is this: The world can’t end tomorrow because the Universe ends in 2012, as I have stated in my first novel, but you can’t find out how yet, because I’m still editing it. :)
I have one last thing to state: THE WORLD WILL NOT END BEFORE I HAVE THE CHANCE TO PUBLISH MY NOVELS!
That is all.
(Original Post on May 20, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers41 )
Why?
Well, besides my firm belief that Saturday is the best day of the week, and the world can’t possibly end on Saturday, I want to ask you, what in the Universe is significant about May 21, 2011? At this point, I see December 21, 2012 more likely. At least there is some sort of fact that supports the theory in some way. (The end of the Mayan Calendar.)
My second reasoning for the fact that I will wake up on Sunday, May 22 is this: The world can’t end tomorrow because the Universe ends in 2012, as I have stated in my first novel, but you can’t find out how yet, because I’m still editing it. :)
I have one last thing to state: THE WORLD WILL NOT END BEFORE I HAVE THE CHANCE TO PUBLISH MY NOVELS!
That is all.
(Original Post on May 20, 2011 at: http://dft.ba/-BSMeyers41 )
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