LDS Storymakers

I'm back from LDS Storymakes and already have next year's event marked on the calendar. Best of all they moved it up a week (2nd weekend of May) which frees me to do something I've been forced to skip the first week of May the last two years.

More on that later.

Anyways, I felt like I was neglecting this blog since the A to Z Challenge. I didn't post anything on the conference because I was tweeting like crazy throughout the weekend. You do follow me on Twitter, right?

But I did want to pop in and let you know I'm still alive. I did blog briefly on the experience on LDS Writers Blogck. But since then I have been editing and writing. That's right, you heard me right, I've been doing what I should have been doing the last year.

I complained during the A to Z Challenge that the daily blog posts were interfering with my writing. Since May 1st rolled around I've been so much more productive and it hurts how often I blog. But, truth be told, I would rather be writing than blogging. Not that I don't still love you guys, but wouldn't you rather be reading my book?

Rest assured, I will blog about the conference in more depth in the coming days.

Z is for Zero

Zero, that is how many letters I have left in the A to Z Challenge. WHOOPEE!!! I've done it, I've done it. YAY!!!

So to the guy who invented the number zero, thanks! Thanks for nothing!

Y is for YOU!

Yes, you. This post is for you, my dear followers.

I wanted to take a minute to thank all of you for following this blog. I love the interactions I've received and the friendships I've made. I treasure every comment that has been given. I appreciate each and every one of you.

Thank YOU!

X is for Professor X

For those who don't know, Professor X (real name: Charles Xavier) is the leader of the comic book gang of heroes called the X-Men. He may not be the most exciting member of the X-Men since he is confined to a wheelchair, unable to perform physical feats, and is the oldest member of the team, he makes up a lot for it with his mental capabilities.

I love Professor X because he goes where the action is, even though he may not be the root of that action. He seeks out people who are willing to do the right thing. He trains them to perform well. And then he sets them loose to save the world from the bad guys.

Professor X is the catalyst that holds everything together. His embodiment of goodness is expressed through his pupils. He can't physically do much, but he still means to leave the world a better place than when he found it. He inspires others to do good. He is like the Martin Luther King of the Marvel universe. And like MLK, I respect anybody who leads the good fight to bring goodness, love, and acceptance into the world.

W is for Write Through Writer's Block

Most writers end up with a case of writer's block at some point in their lives. I've got to admit, I've been hitting it more this month than I thought I would. I thought the A to Z challenge might help it but I think it is actually just making it worst.

One solution? Just write through it. Look, when you are done writing your story you are going to need to go back and make changes. But I find the most difficult process of writing is getting the words on the page in the first place.

So write even if you don't feel you are writing as well as you should. It might make for some extra cleaning up in the long run, but it is better than going weeks or months on end with nothing to show for it.

This is just one solution, and there are many others. Do you have any suggestions for getting over writer's block?

V is for Victory

Do stories need to have a happy ending? Do they need to end in a victory for your hero?

Growing up, I always thought so. Probably because as kids we read stories that always end in an ideal ending. "And they lived happily ever after." That was what we, as kids, wanted to read. It was just as important as reading "The End."

But as we matured readers eventually found out that life doesn't not always end up happily ever after. In fact, no lives are perfect. Everybody has their problems in life and that is where the concept of theme comes in.

Themes deal with these problems. And sometimes these themes do not lead to a happy ending. For instance, George Orwell's vision of his future in 1984 is terrifying. There are powerful themes of censorship, surveillance, and limitless government control that makes this a fascinating story. Does it end in a happy ending? Does Winston emerge victorious? Not at all. But it is still one of the best and powerful writings. Ever.

Don't get me wrong, a good theme does not have to end up without a victory. Look at Harry Potter. That has very strong themes but ultimately it does have a happy ending despite the fact that a lot of sad sacrifices are made in order to get there.

I seem to differ from the common consensus of the Inheritance Cycle (aka Eragon). A lot of people were upset that it did not end with a happy ending. My brother being one of them and we have had much discussion and debate regarding this subject. He hated the ending while I loved it. Could Paolini done anything to make us both happy? To have a happy ending while sticking true to the themes and characters of the book?

Well, that is my opinion. What is yours? How important is it to have a happy ending? Does a good story  need to end with a perfect victory and a "happily ever after"?

U is for Unexpected

The best stories are the ones that are not predictable. The stories I love are the ones that have events or endings that are unexpected. I recently read a series that had me at the edge of my seat with anticipation of what would happen next. I couldn't see a thing coming. If you are interested, it was the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness.

I wish more books were written like this; it keeps things exciting. It makes it so you don't want to put the book down in fear of missing something. It shocks the mind to attention. It makes the reader want to read in great detail in hopes of catching what happens next.

Keep your stories unpredictable and you will find a more loyal readership and a more fascinating story.