Bullet Journaling

I tried bullet journaling* long ago. After watching this video, I got excited and productive and tried doing exactly what the video said. However, that got too overwhelming (and a bit confusing) because it felt like I was still following a strict structure, one that's almost like a planner but isn't.

*bullet journal: a planner, diary, and/or notebook in one. You can use any notebook or journal, but most people go with a dotted journal.

 Then a few years later I stumbled upon this blog post and a Nifty video.

The video and the blog post still had the original structure, an index, a key, a future log, a monthly log, and a weekly/daily log. But it was all customizable, and not everything was required. If you didn't want a monthly log, that's fine because your bullet journal is a simple reflection of you. If you wanted to have a place exclusively for quotes, that's cool too. If you wanted to go down the creative route, go right ahead. If you're like me and can't really draw then, it's fine to go down the minimalist route.

In general, just make it your own and have fun with it. If you're not having fun anymore, then you're either my friend who says that people who bullet journal secretly hate it but continue with it because they like making something pretty (funny enough, she also has a bullet journal.) Or you feel pressured to keep up with the pretty bullet journal style because everyone you know has a pretty bullet journal. If it's the latter, just change it up and follow what your heart tells you to.

~ Stacy N.

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How to write young adult stories in 3 simple steps

Photo by Michelle Spence

1. Make sure the teenagers are human. Don’t base them off of stereotypes. They have needs, wants, desires, and flaws like everyone else in the world.
2. Don’t write more than you need to. That goes for all types of writing. Don’t over-tell to the point where it’s overwhelming, but don’t under-tell to the point where it’s confusing. Try to find that perfect medium.
3. Trust the reader. Trust them to know what you’re talking about. If you're telling too much, you don’t trust them enough to let them figure out what’s going on. And if you’re not saying enough, you trust the reader too much, when in reality, they’re probably very confused.

And now the weather:

The Fault In Our Stars by Troye Sivan

~ Stacy N.

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You're more than that

Photographed by This is Awkward
Creative Commons

1. Look at what makes up you. Your looks, your characteristics, your actions, your thoughts, etc. 
2. Notice how many of them doesn’t fit the typical boxes that are affiliated with you. Boxes include gender, race, economic class, sexuality, looks, religion, where you live, ability, etc. 
3. Now don’t give a care because you’re not defined by a set of attributes that society has set for you. And realize that you’re more than that number, job affiliation, and any other stereotype. You’re an amazing human being with a lot of potential. Now keep it up (and it’s okay if you mess up, just try again). 
4. Realize that it’s okay to be some of the stereotypes that society has placed on you. Embrace it and turn it into a good thing. And then tell other people to fuck off if they try to reduce you to nothing more but a stereotype and only that stereotype. 
5. Don’t reduce other people to nothing more than stereotypes. Instead, notice their humanity, their personality, what makes them them.

And now the weather:
Let It Go by James Bay, Cover by The Fu

~ Stacy N.

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A random list that's been floating through my head lately.

• It’s important to love yourself.
• You don’t always have to go to church to know the difference between right and wrong.
• Dress up, do everything and anything for yourself. Impress yourself. Be your own best friend. Just love yourself. Because after all in the end you’re stuck with yourself for all of forever and eternity.
• If you feel bad about something, try forgiving someone, if they actually deserve it. Don’t just forgive someone just because they demand of it, and you know for sure that they don’t deserve of it.
• Always save that one kiss for someone special (even if it is just for yourself).
• Smile.
• You have the right to be angry.
• Treat your body like a temple.
• If you don’t feel well, take some time off to try to make yourself feel better. Actually try.
• Try to do something that you enjoy, every day.
• Crying doesn’t make you weak.
• It’s okay to want to spend some time alone.
• Love those who actually deserve it.
• Remind yourself that you are a lovely person made out of elements that literally make up the stars around us.
• Try to find some kind of balance in your life.
• Grades aren’t everything.
• Puppies help.
• Misunderstanding stems from miscommunication.
• Actually try to talk to someone about your feelings.
• Do everything slowly!
• No matter how hard you try to make yourself feel empty, it won’t work in the end. Feelings will seep in through the cracks of your system. And you’ll only feel worse.
• Always try to keep track of your money.
• Moderation!
• Jackasses are disguised in many forms.
• Try to accept the flaws of someone you love.
• Never ever let anyone touch you without your permission.
• It’s okay to still love animated movies, even at age seventy five or whatever.
• Achieve happiness, but never at the expense of your health.
• There’s always someone good trying to help ease the evil in this world.
• Never ever abuse anyone in any shape or form.
• Never be jealous of someone else’s life when you already have a pretty awesome one.
• It’s okay to have the lights on.
• It’s okay to be afraid.
• It’s okay to not want to do anything for the day.
• Remember this, Photoshop isn’t portable and it sets the standard for unachievable looks in beauty.
• Try to be comfortable in your own skin.
• It’s okay to not listen to those around you.
• Do whatever you want, as long as you’re responsible for it! And at least know the risks that you’re taking on.
• It’s okay to still keep some of your childhood toys.
• It’s okay to be jealous but don’t let it ruin your life.
• If you want to take a selfie, because you feel cute, then take it!
• Don’t ever try to starve yourself on purpose!
• It’s okay to not know what you want to do after high school.
• It’s okay to take a little time off for yourself so you can try to figure out what you want to do.
• Remember to eat healthy!
• Stay hydrated!
• It’s okay to be happy and to be all smiling and like a little girl sometimes, especially because of a certain someone.
• It’s okay to say no!
• It’s okay to not want to go beyond your limit!
• Always take care of yourself first.
• The future is frightening. Embrace it and just know that you’re capable enough to handle it.
• It’s okay to ask for help.
• Take naps.
• If you don’t feel like doing it then don’t do it. This includes smiling, eating something that your older sister made, reading, etc.
• Reread your favorite books so you can experience all the reasons why you fell in love with that book in the first place.
• Challenge yourself! Try new things! All the while think to yourself, can I handle it? (And be honest to yourself).
• Sleep isn’t your enemy.
• Listen; really listen to what your body wants.
• There’s a difference between wants and needs.
• Write it down so you won’t forget!

 And now the weather: 

          Nouveau Parfum by Boggie 

- Stacy N.

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Maybe this is a tip?

In writing of course since this is in a way a writing blog.

Slightly inappropriate for the next pic

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And here's the rest of the tips

I don't have much to do, so why not post up the rest of the tips from Sparklife?

5. Get Rhino Tough
You’re ugly. You look like a spastic puppet when you run. Your hair is dumb and you smell like sandwiches.

If you are shedding a tear after reading that, you are not ready to be a writer. Writers must build up a tolerance to negative comments and rejection or else they will implode. Never take it personally. (I enjoy negative comments, but I’m also crazy.)

6. Write every day. 
There’s no trick to this. Just do it. Every day. Even Christmas.

7. Ask for advice.
Send emails to the places you’d like to work and DON’T ask for a job. Instead, ask for advice. Editors are hounded by writers looking for work, and they tend to ignore the requests, but requests for advice are different. These requests will get their attention, and they are likely to respond. You won’t instantly get a job by doing this, but you will get valuable information about the specific type of writing job that interests you. Bonus tips: Keep the email short! Three sentences are all you get. And don’t you dare try to be funny, because it will always come across as desperate and sad. Be sincere and professional.

8. Be humble.
In New York City, there are 8 million people, and 8.5 million writers. You are not special. Your precious words are not made of treasured silk and whispers. So many writers think they have finally found the best way to say, “Love is strange,” and act as if we should all be thankful that their words exist. PUH-leeeze! You will have plenty of time to build a crazy ego once you’ve been published and are a millionaire. Until then, stop acting like tool box and take off that scarf! It's summer!

9. Be happy! 
Do you know Kim Schifino, the drummer of the band Matt and Kim? Watch her drum. She is the happiest drummer of all time. She’s played these songs countless times and yet she’s still having fun. This is how you should feel about writing. When you sit at the keyboard, that same smile should appear on your face. If you don’t feel this enthusiastic, quit and become a chimney sweep.

10. Read this book. 
There are 7,000,003 books out there about writing. You only need this one:

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King

11. Wear less purple.

This is our favorite group of words ever published on the internet. That is all.


XD The last one is so random

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Some writing tips

I can give you a million websites, that has a bunch of writing tips. All going to say the same thing in their own weird little way. But I found this is pretty good, it's from SparkLife, and I find it helpful. Well  here are some of the tips.
The rest of the tips are right here if you were wondering.

1. Do not follow any rules. 
There is no correct way to enter the writing world. Ask ten different writers how they got started, and you’ll get ten different responses. Some may have gone to journalism school, but most have not. I took only two or three writing courses at school, including Business Writing and the mandatory and utterly horrible Composition 101. And yet, without any experience or even a writing degree, at the end of my senior year I was offered a freelance gig at a national magazine with a circulation of 1.2 million. A year later, I was hired as an associate editor. No one told me how to do it. I just sent out silly writing samples that took me a few days to write. Meanwhile, my friends who all slaved away at writing workshops and literature camp hated me because I was getting paid to write despite the fact that I had never used a semicolon correctly. (I use them to replace the letter O. Is that wr;ng?)

2. Go to college.
Contrary to my last statement, college is important. Few, if any, media outlets will even look at writing clips from someone who has only a high school degree. Go to college. But…

3. Major in anything you dang well want to.
I never studied creative writing. You can major in anything and still become a writer. I majored in broadcasting. A writing degree may help, but I wouldn’t recommend it. And my reasons are three.

A. A good editor will identify talent regardless of your education background.
B. Some (not all) writing courses are detrimental to young writers because they are taught by angry, out-of-touch, lifelong losers. No one taught me how to write funny articles. If I handed my stories to an English professor, she would rip them to shreds and shout, “The semicolon is not an O!” And yet, here I am getting paid for my words. Weird, right? [Waves to all angry English teachers in the world.]
C. A book of poetry written by an English major? Yawn. A book of poetry written by a physical education major? Well, now I’m interested.

4. Read everything.
This is a no-brainer, but let me stress the importance of reading a wide variety of books. Sticking with one genre or one author is not allowed! You must branch out. Read the weirdest, stupidest, and worst books you can find. Much can be learned by reading ridiculous literature. To help find dumb books, play Dan’s Used Book Game.

Step One: Visit a used book store with your friends.
Step Two: Each person finds a bizarre and goofy book on the shelves. Use pre-set rules, such as, “The book cover must be green and feature a wolf.”
Step Three: Buy the books.
Step Four: Stand in a circle outside the store. Make everyone trades books by handing the book to the person on their left. That person MUST read the book handed to him, or else he loses.
Step Five: Laugh and eat cheese fries.
Step Six: Write up hilarious book reports to prove that you’ve read the book. You can also set up point values for things you find in the books. (Like murmurs.)

This is a fun game, and I guarantee you will learn more about writing by reading awful books than you will by reading War and Peace eight times.

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A tip

Just filled out a character worksheet to know the appearance and personality about your character, but you're still not even close to knowing your character as your friend? Well here's a  tip have random interviews with them. It can be like a talk show, or just business, or a sane regular conversation. It's fun, and it helps a lot, but try not to do it in public often, otherwise people would think you're crazy. Which is odd, because I bet they also talk to themselves, privately.

And I random video that I made.

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A random tip

If you're worried about people snooping through your journal. Start writing it in an another language! Especially one that they don't know. It will help improve your foreign vocab, as well as totally confuse your snoopers. Because they have no idea what you're talking about.

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