Creative Writing - Writing Fiction

Creative Writing can be overwhelming, especially if you are a novice attempting to come up with the perfect idea for your first novel. There are so many great writers, so many stories have already been told, and new ones are being published every day. You may feel intimidated and think that there may not be any stories left to tell.
How will yours differ? Can you write something that will be praised or will it just be a pale lookalike in the eyes of your peers? Where will you end up in the never ending stream of wannabe storytellers?

Every idea that comes to mind is criticized, cut down and thrown out with the trash.

Space and Time:

Your mind wanders off through the universe, in search of new planets or aliens, ideas begin to take form, moons, stars, spaceships, you've seen it too many times, give up, and warp back to reality, wondering if there ever lived a worm in a wormhole.

Underwater:

Now that's an idea! Underwater cities - taken, man-eating sharks - taken, mutating fish, mermaids, submarines, you're drowning, and decide that you really didn't want to get your feet wet anyway, as a giant squid hangs you up to dry off.

Fantasy:

That's got to be easy, it's just make believe, imagination... You can have mad beasts, winged horses, fairies, even talking animals, a few wizards maybe...oh no, you forgot the magic words, and you spilled the potion on your draft.

Romance:

Tears come to your eyes as you think up the scenes to the best love-story ever, who could write a romance novel if not you. You live and breathe it every day. Waiting for prince charming to knock on your door, ready to throw yourself into his arms and hide your tear stained face at his muscular chest. You take his hand and ride off into the horizon and as the sun sets you become one.

Creative Writing gives you power! You have the entire known and unknown universe at your fingertips. You have the power to manipulate, to build and create, to do anything.

Anything and everything - do you feel that power?

You and only you can tell the story!

Create alternate universes, non existing planets, beings never imagined before. Cities, rivers, forests and mountains unknown to man, uncharted lands lie before and beyond you. People or aliens, different races and species, with fiction there are no boundaries or limits. You are the creator!

Mad, evil, loving, dumb, they are putty in your mind's eye, add or take away. Make them all suffer for eternity or let them live happily ever after. Give them the breath of life or send them to their death. They laugh, they cry, you are in control. Life and death are in your hands!

Did you ever think that creative writing could be so empowering?

dorm refrigerator chafing dishes lifting straps

Should You Attend an MFA Program in Creative Writing?

You have always wanted to become a writer and have considered getting a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in creative writing but aren't sure if you want to invest the time and money.

The question: Should I apply for a Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing?

The answer: It depends.

Instead of leaving it there, let's examine this in detail and see if we can work through a process for making a good decision about whether or not an MFA program is right for you.

Creative writing (both fiction and creative non-fiction) is something that many of us want to do well, and if we can get paid for it, so much the better. While an MFA in creative writing is not required for success as a writer, focused study of the art and craft of writing will help most people. Of course, as I write this, there is a minority of writers - some with MFAs - who will say that an MFA program will hurt certain writers and detrimentally alter their specific style or creative uniqueness. While that may be true in a few cases, as a rule, most of us would benefit from focused training and awareness of writing that will come as part of an MFA program. An MFA program is a big investment in time (2-5 years depending on full or part-time attendance, and whether it is a traditional or low-residence program), and in money (from $15,000 - $35,000 for most programs).

In order to figure out if an MFA program is right for you, you have to seriously consider what your ultimate goal as a writer is. For example, an MFA in creative writing will benefit almost any writer in five ways:

1. It will make you feel like a writer and identify yourself as a writer. (This may actually be the most important thing an MFA program can do for a writer.)

2. You will have time to write, and you will in fact have external and internal deadlines imposed on you - you will have to produce material.

3. You will learn to give and receive well thought out criticism of a piece of poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction (depending on your program orientation).

4. Your writing will improve - if you work at it - because you will focus on improving your skill as a writer and will receive continuous, close feedback on how you are crafting specific work.

5. You will likely make some contacts through the program that may help you in submitting polished work, and, if this is your objective, finding employment in teaching or publishing.

Thus, most MFA programs will improve your writing and will give you a "terminal degree" that will allow you to either teach creative writing or work in publishing. A terminal degree means that the MFA is the accepted top-degree in the field of "creative writing", and is the degree you need to teach at the college and university level. While there are a number of programs offering Ph.Ds in creative writing, the MFA is the mainstay and you don't need a doctorate to teach or find employment.

All of the above are good things, and I would not want to talk anyone out of going down the MFA route if that is what they want, but if your goal in not academia or publishing work, then an MFA may not be the right route for you. There are as many (or more) successful writers without MFAs as there are with MFAs. Now, let's examine some other routes to improving your writing that do not result in MFA degrees.

First, you have to examine critically, and as objectively as possible, where your specific level of writing is at, and what your weaknesses are. This critical self-assessment will allow you to work to find training and mentorship outside of an MFA program to improve your skills. Options to improve your writing are many, but a few are:

- Reading books on craft.

- Attending short workshops and classes (either online or in person).

- Attending a course in writing (this can be at a local college, community center, or a writing center.)

- Finding a mentor who is a more experienced writer or an editor.

- Joining or forming a critique group (this can be online or in person).

- Write a lot and try and improve with each piece you write.

Let's face it, MFA programs are expensive and they take time. But for some, they offer the structure and the time needed to improve your writing and reach your goals. However, if you have a modicum of self-discipline and the internal fortitude to critically assess your weaknesses, you can design a program of seminars, conferences, and classes to make similar improvements that you would in an MFA program.

Graduation from an MFA program does not guarantee success, but no creative endeavors does. An MFA program (and I caveat this with saying, a "good MFA program") will offer a pre-travelled path to improve your writing and gain the confidence and contacts to get you started as a writer. That said, in the end, you still have to sit down and write. An MFA program won't do this for you. You have to get your butt in the chair and put words down on paper or up on your computer screen.

In the end, the decision on attending an MFA program or working on your own to improve your writing is a very individual one. Every writers situation will be different. However, with some focused thought and self-analysis, you can make the decision that is right for you.

mouse traps dorm refrigerator Wonderwash

Review - Tesseracts Twelve

Tesseracts Twelve, Claude Lalumiere (ed.), 2008, ISBN 9781894063159

This newest collection of Canadian fantastic fiction looks at the novella (17,500 to 40,000 words), the hardest-to-sell length of fiction.

In a small town in Alberta, an intact baby woolly mammoth is found buried in the snow. When Samuel, the town's "smart person," touches the carcass, the mammoth's life force is transferred to him, and he begins to have weird visions about being chased by beings on two legs. During a town-wide party, with mammoth stew as the main course (over Samuel's strong objections), strange things start happening, and several of the townspeople turn into cavemen, and chase Samuel as if he is the baby mammoth.

A young warrior, in feudal Japan, is sent to a small town to find out why they haven't sent in their annual amount of rice. Taking along his concubine and his brother, the mayor of the town says that it is not their fault; the land is somehow cursed. Solving the mystery, the warrior is shocked to find that his concubine and his brother are not exactly what they seem. They are mythological beings in human form.

Superheroes in present-day Korea deal with maniacal villains, inter-Korean politics, corporate downsizing (and overbearing mothers). As the world faces environmental catastrophe, reality-TV adventurers battle giant squids in the very deep ocean. Another small town in Alberta conducts pagan rituals during the year as if it was totally normal (though not everyone agrees). A pair of average women with the power of life and death travel the streets of present-day Montreal.

Here is another strong bunch of stories from north of the border. They are very easy to read, and very weird. It's recommended.

shower systems sports wall decals cheap hammocks

Holding Out for Real Romance, What's a Girl to Do?

Well, I confess right away I passed the stage where I could be called a girl about twenty five years ago. However, in the intervening time there was a lot of life and living that I've participated in and lived through. Many days held life's usual ups and downs. However, when I became a widow at forty seven years of age, I thought I was pretty savvy about the world and the myriad people out there. I dealt with my grief on what felt like a long, protracted journey, a wending road through the unwieldy thickets of life and other times the ride was as smooth as new pavement. While journeying through the thickets, many days I didn't know what was up or what was down and I got jabbed along the way.

Once I began dating again, after a long absence, I found out I knew little to nothing about this sector of society's structure. At forty seven years of age it was no longer the same world, obviously, as when you're in your twenties and starting out fresh. Many people by this age have become jaded, injured emotionally and mentally by life. Life as a whole is different. When they talk about mind games in the dating sense, that's an entire genre all by itself. If you go into dating with an honest mindset, you think that's what you will find in return. Unfortunately, that's not always the case, so I learned to develop a certain type of radar to keep myself safe, not only physically but emotionally. I had to learn to grow a shell, of sorts, for my own protection. And yet at times, dating at close to fifty years of age was a liberating experience. My kids were older, I didn't have to find babysitters if I wanted to go out. Financially, I could take care of myself, and emotionally, I had become a well adjusted citizen of the world, relatively secure in knowledge of how life worked.

My first inclination was to be trusting, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I also learned not to be naïve. If your dating situation doesn't make you feel comfortable, let it go. And yes, even though sometimes I knew a situation wasn't serving what was best for me, it was still hard to let it go. It's a case of craving what isn't good for us. When I first entered dating it was like I had a sweet tooth that was out of control, I just wanted more and more. Basically, I wasn't getting what I needed, what I deserved in the dating situations I involved myself with, so I was searching for that special something.

I'm not sure I even knew what that special something might be, but I continued my quest by trying online dating, dating services and attending sporting events. Eventually, I decided to pull back from casual dating world. It was taking too much energy and dashing hopes too quickly. I began to feel a bit burnt. It was all too "casual." In reality, I wanted something long-term. So I pulled back from the online dating and really thought about what it was I wanted. I had been married twenty years and I knew what a relationship was about and how it worked. And yes, at times it was work. I would not settle for less than a relationship that enhanced my life and who I was today, as I expected to enhance someone else's life. I know the right person will come along, and perhaps for now, even though it's never been my strong suit, I just need to learn a little more about patience. In the meantime, my life is getting better every day.

Elaine Williams ©2008

polaris pool cleaner lifting straps

Changing Lifestyles and Declining Fertility

Today we live life on the fast track, controlled and manipulated like robots, by the hands of the clock. Life is one mad rush to compete, excel, amass wealth and often spend it in 'riotous' living.

The human body is comfort-loving. Food, sleep, recreation, sex are requirements that keep a person healthy. An imbalance in any of these essentials is bound to create physiological and psychological upheavals. Nowhere is it so explicitly evident as in the field of Reproduction and Fertility. In the last forty years, Fertility has shown a decline especially in affluent countries or where the level of education is high. Rapidity of social change is another factor.

Either the woman, the man or the couple jointly, may be the cause of declining fertility.

Women

o Changing roles of women have been cited as the foremost reason. About 64% of all working women are married. In some families they are the sole bread winners. It is this empowerment that has given women a lot of attitude both in their behaviour and fashion statements. Many working women claim that they have no domestic skills at all.

o Changing Lifestyles: Smoking, drugs and alcohol consumption can have an adverse effect on fertility. Someone described a child born to an alcoholic mother as a "pathetic little creature, starved, shriveled and imperfect."

o Risky behaviour: De-linking sex from marriage has led to cohabitation before marriage and extra marital liaisons. Promiscuousness is a significant trend of this millennium. Women are therefore exposed to sexually transmitted disease, HIV, AIDs and other bacterial infections, which can cause blockage of the tubes. Frequent termination of unwanted pregnancies can also leave residual infection in the fallopian tubes or cause incompetence of the cervix. The latter can cause recurrent abortions when the woman eventually decides on keeping her pregnancy.

o Late Marriages and Late pregnancies: The ill effects of postponing pregnancy till very late cannot be ignored. The most fertile period in a woman's life is between 22-30 years. Fertility decreases after forty. Though many women like Cherry Blair and Susan Sarandon have delivered in their late forties, this is certainly not an ideal age. As one grows older, the likelihood of spontaneous abortions and abnormal fetuses increase. Medical complications like pregnancy induced hypertension, Eclampsia, or Diabetes can occur. Labours too can be difficult, and the incidence of operative deliveries shoots up.

Hypertension, Diabetes, Coronary heart disease are problems of middle age. When these already exist, pregnancy puts them in a 'high risk' category. The growth of the fetus may be affected or there may be chromosomal abnormalities. Children born to such mothers may also be genetically programmed to suffer from similar diseases in their adult life.

o Identity Crisis: Because of the dual roles of home maker and wage earner, long working hours, lack of sleep, women suffer from anxiety and tension. Stress acts on the adrenal glands which become over active, and even produce small quantities of male hormone. Many career women are aware of it. Some choose to ignore it but others quit their high powered jobs and opt for motherhood.

Cortisol leads to higher waist:hip ratio. Sometime ago the BMJ carried an interesting article about the way body fat distribution can influence fertility more than age or obesity. Researchers in Netherlands reported that 0.1 unit in waist:hip ratio led to 30% decrease in conception rates, irrespective of age or weight.

Men.

Studies from US show that 25-30 million men have suffered from a decline of sperm count over the years. Another study by the Mumbai Institute of Research for Reproduction shows that the quality and quantity of sperm have declined over the last couple of decades. Tests were done on 1500 men between 1986-95, which showed a reduction in sperm count by 30% and reduction in motility by 10%. Similar trends were noticed in England, France, Denmark Scotland and Finland. In the West, this was attributed to an increase in testicular cancer, and in India, due to pollution with pesticides containing a high percentage of lead.

o Behaviour changes: "Metrosexuals" are learning to be more feminine, more accommodating and more emotional. They like to preen themselves like women. Male beauty products have gone up by 30%, and those asking for plastic surgery have increased by 20%. According to New York Times, male models look "chicken chested, hollow cheeked and undernourished."

With wives who are economically independent, many feel disempowered. They are confused about their status within the family, and even categorize themselves as the "newly oppressed minority."

o Lifestyles: Lucrative and competitive jobs are not without their share of stress. Erratic
mealtimes, fast food, processed food, lack of exercise, constant preoccupation with TV or the Internet make both male and female bodies resistant to Insulin. As a result, more insulin is produced, and there is more accumulation of fat, leading to obesity, which diminishes fertility.
Alcohol, though it increases desire, decreases performance. Drugs such as marijuana reduce testosterone levels by up to 41%. Narcotics, tranquillizers, and certain medicinal drugs are known to reduce fertility.

Similarly, infections like TB, Gonorrhea cause epididymal obstruction.

o Fashion: The normal sperm count is between 60-200million/ml. Studies show that counts have dropped by 1/3 in men between 30-40 years. This may be due to groin hugging jeans that are popular with the young. Tight jeans push back the testicles into the body, where the temperature of 98.6 degrees is 3 degrees higher than in the scrotum. Similarly men using laptops also increase the temperature in the scrotum, as laptops operate at 70 degrees C. Those who keep their cell phones in their pockets or clipped on to belts while using a ear piece to chat may also be compromising their sperms.

o Age: Men may be able to retain their virility up till the seventh decade, but the belief that they could father normal children is debated. Advanced paternal age can cause autism or schizophrenia in their offspring. Harry Fischer in his book "The Male Biological Clock" says fertility reduces with age, and the risk of genetic abnormality in their progeny is high.

o Andropause or male menopause may happen between 50-60 years. Males suffer from loss of libido in addition to other symptoms like fatigue, loss of muscle volume, enlarged prostate and emotional problems.

Couples:

As income and social status increase, sexual activity reduces. Sometimes couples try to outdo each other in job status or earning capacity. This creates a "no win" situation in the bed room. A number of double income couples say they have no time for sex. 50% of these suffer from infertility because of infrequent sexual activity. When it does happen, it is a mechanical ritual.

Many men find it difficult to adjust to the demands of living with modern wives. With changing sexual equations, women not only flaunt their sexuality but demand fulfillment. When disappointed, they openly express dissatisfaction with their spouses. This can cause psychological infertility and impotence in men.

When husbands work in other cities or countries, or are frequently away from home, like pilots or traveling salesmen, there is less opportunity for marital sex. The 'Absentee Husband Syndrome' is responsible for falling sperm counts.

Voluntary Childless Couples are on the rise. This may be by mutual consent. Fear of what children can do to such career oriented people makes them deprive themselves of sexual gratification. Sex becomes an enemy to be avoided at all costs. Because natural urges are suppressed, instability in marriage relations may set in. Sexual anorexia expresses itself in psychosomatic symptoms including infertility.

On the other hand, it could also lead to extra-marital escapades or create an addiction to clandestine sex.

Some couples consider the high cost of nurturing and educating children, and prefer not to have any.

It is time for couples to re-assess their life styles and working patterns. Sorting out power balances in a marriage partnership will facilitate 'togetherness' and 'intimacy'. Families are important building blocks of society, and children are a 'godly heritage.'

chafing dishes

How Point of View Works For Fiction

In works of fiction, point of view can play very specific goals. Choosing one, you define how you're going to tell a story, setting very specific limitations that can help or hinder it.

First person. The first person unites the reader with the narrator, as the latter shares a series of intimate information that only the two of them could know. Done well, it can make the readers part of the entire story, as they experience it from a specific character's perceptions. On the down side, this "closeness" with the narrator limits the readers' connections with other characters.

Second person. The second person puts the readers in the actual scene, pushing them to confront events and circumstances directly. It typically requires heavy participation for the reader and, as such, is rarely employed.

Third person omniscient. This point of view allows you to explore all the characters' thoughts and motivations, paying extended attention to each one as needed. This might be a great choice if your story involves more than one figure that is central to the story, giving you the facility to give them individual treatment.

Third person limited. This point of view tells it from a detached position, yet offers the intimacy of a central character's perceptions. You can think of it as a mix of the first and third person omniscient.

Regardless of which point of view you end up taking for your short story, you should look towards getting the help of fiction writing software to aid you. With one, you can focus on telling your tale, rather than get bogged down by technical details stemming from the need to stay faithful to your point of view.

Wonderwash mouse traps sports wall decals

Dragons and Monsters - How They Became Our Children's Playmates?

Gone are the days when kids were content to play with a ball or with building blocks. Now they covet to be super heroes fighting evil or thanks to the science fiction movies, aliens or mutated animals. Yes, I am talking about the latest craze in video games- the dragon and monster games. Who would have thought that the fear evoking, fire spitting, evil menaces like dragons and monsters would be the favorite game characters of kids.

There are a number of dragon and monster games available online and that too with no strings attached. This absolutely free game is fun and satisfies the adventurous spirit in the kids especially that of the male children. These games are more of a fantasy for the children. They tend to get into the character of the dragons and other creatures the game propagates, thus believing themselves to be superheroes with super powers. This is kind of an ego boost to the children.

The complexity of the games varies. There are simple games like Fire Spawn where the main player goes by the name of Galanoth, whose family was murdered by cruel dragons and Galanoth takes to avenging his family's deaths by killing those responsible for the deaths. Then there is Cyber Ortek (half dragon and half robot) where the objective of the game is to create chaos and destruction in the planets of one's choice. Nimian Flyer is another game with incredible graphics, a three dimensional effect that make the fighting even more real to the player. Other games like Dragon Hunt, Flames of fury, Dragon Quest, Kill the Dragon etc is also very much popular. In short there is no dragon game that has not gone noticed.

Among monster games Planet Noveo is one of the more popular games. In this game the player finds himself in an unknown planet where he has to fight various alien creatures like huge spiders and the like for his survival. The animation work of this game was greatly appreciated. In Monster Mayhem, the player has the option to choose his opponent- the computer or another player. Other monster games are Sinjid- Battle arena, Hulk Central smashdown, Monster Joust Madness, Zombie land etc.

These games reduce the fear factor in the kids. And also prepares them for any trouble that might happen in real life. Most of these games have multiple difficulty settings which encourages a child to tackle greater and harder obstacles each time. As these games can be played with ones friends as opponents, it helps in building up a healthy competitive spirit among one's peers.

However these games are highly addictive. The children sit glued to the computers playing the game getting interested more and more, neglecting their duties. Too much gazing onto the computer screen without interruption may cause strain to the child's eye. First and foremost parental supervision is required as to the nature of the game and the time allowed to play. Some of these dragon and monster games may rank high on the violence scale thus impairing the young minds with negative thoughts. The parent may themselves play the game first before allowing the child to do so.

mouse traps chafing dishes

Shoggoth, Shoggoth, Shoggoth - A Cthulhu music video by CoastConFan

In this charming video the Dunwich Children's Chorale sings Shoggoth, Shoggoth, Shoggoth, a song from the HP Lovecraft Historical Society. The music box is an antique Imperial Symphonion made circa 1890 in a video by rednersville. These music boxes are a wonder to listen to, so go check some out on line.

cheap hammocks dorm refrigerator