Interview with Teens: Part UNO

I took part in the following interview. It talks about teen writers and all of its opinions are from teen writers. If you want to read more from any of these people:

Dakota Densmore

Ravena Gruon

Jane Shaw

Elizabeth Watson

Thanks also to Sunny Smith, whose idea this was and who organized the whole thing.

So here you go:

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself (age, how long have you been writing, and what you write)

Dakota: I am 17(@ sunny, lol it's close enough), and I have been writing since I was very little, say 4?

Bria: My name is Bria. I am sixteen. I’ve basically been writing since I was six (I mostly plagiarized stories then), but got serious about writing (realized I could be a writer!) two years ago. I write stories with a bit of everything. Some have fantasy feels, some have a sci-fi sense, and some are stories about normal people doing normal things in a non-normal way.

Ravena: Well, I'm sixteen and I've been writing since I could hold a pen (I know... I'm so funny.) I tend to write science fiction or fantasy because I love creating new worlds. 

Jane: Started writing in grade 6. I first started writing the stereotypical girl crushing on the stereotypical senior boy, because in my mind it made sense that the senior boy would like the freshman girl, of course once I got to highschool  I realized how naive my grade 6 self was, but I digress. I then moved on to writing books where the main character suffered from some tragedy that left them blind. deaf or some other physical disability. I then moved on to writing story's where the main character was an orphan and they would go on a quest to find their birth parent's. As I matured I started getting into writing fantasy, and this is where I am now writing Urban Fantasy.

Elizabeth: I’ve been writing since I was 4 or 5 (around 15 years). I write a bit of everything. I probably won’t pursue writing full-time (can’t afford to), but I’ve always written in my spare time.

2. What is your favourite book/author (and yes you can give more than one:P)?

Dakota: Good gosh, don't ask me that! I'm the most--SECOND most indecisive person in the world!! But if I absolutely HAD to pick an author or two or else I'd DIE, then I'd have to go with Wayne Thomas Batson, Jill Williamson, and....Donita K. Paul. hmmmm....yes, let's go with them. :)

Bria: I don’t have favorite (I’m American, ha) books, just favorite authors. Ray Bradbury, Orson Scott Card, John Steinbeck, and Joan Bauer are my absolute favorite authors.

Ravena: Argh! I can never answer these questions, because I'm terrible at making decisions. I always feel like I'm picking favourites, and that the books will get offended and cry (if, you know, they could and all.) I think I'm going to play it safe and say my favourite book is "The Lord of the Rings." The world Tolkien creates... oh gosh I have no words to describe how in awe of him I am. And, of course, the "Harry Potter" series (I'm cheating, I know.) It was a huge part of my childhood and Rowling's world building is wowza (am I getting a little predictable? Okay, here's a fun fact: when I turned eleven I waited for my Hogwarts letter just like everyone else. When it didn't come I told my parents I wanted a house elf for a birthday present instead. I got a pen (or something completely ordinary that wasn't a house elf.)

Jane: Favourite Authors: Ally Carter. Patricia Briggs, Alyxandra Harvey, Nalini Singh, Anee Bishop, Tamora Pierce, and Jane Austen! Favourite Book: I Hunt Killers (atleast for now) :) there are many others...

Elizabeth: Shakespeare, Jane Austin (Pride and Prejudice), Shilpi Somaya Gowda (Secret Daughter), J. R. R. Tolkien

3. What is the first thing you ever remember writing, that wasn't for school?

Dakota: BAHA!! Ah yes, I remember it well....I do believe I was four, or thereabouts, and had just completed my first-ever story. It was perhaps four pages long, two of those pages being drawings, and all written in crayon. It was about a family of people that suddenly got mad during dinner and threw all their food on the floor and in the toilet. I can't remember how it ended, tho.... But it was a happy ending, I know. ;)

Bria: If we don’t count the stories I wrote/plagiarized when I was six, it would be this story I wrote when I was nine. It was about a kid who liked to invent things.  His name was Peter. He ran away from home because…actually, there wasn’t a reason. Anyway, he ran away from home with his little sister and they lived in a cave in the woods. Peter invented things to help keep them alive. Yeah, it was a cool story, and Peter actually won second place in a character-making contest with Scholastic Storyworks. I won a notepad. :)

Ravena: A "novel" when I was six about two parents who went to the beach with their two children and forgot them. It had about ten lines of writing, and lots of awful pictures. I even "published" it by getting someone to staple it for me. Thankfully it got lost.

Elizabeth: I wrote stories on a 90’s computer program called Storybook Weaver. I wrote about horses (my favourite animal).

4. What's your writing schedule (if any) and how often do you write?

Dakota: *chokes on and spits her drink halfway across the room and falls to the floor in an insane laughing fit* SCHEDULE??? Oh, you poor, dear, soul, you. Ah, I don't HAVE a schedule. My ADD and laziness won't allow it. I merely write when the mood strikes. That, while not being an efficient writing strategy, is more fun for me. ;) hehe

Bria: I try to write something every day. I don’t have a certain time or place because my schedule fluctuates and changes depending on school and church and my job and family and just life. If you want to know how I balance all of these things, the simple answer is: I don’t. Mostly I compromise on my sleep. As I like to quote: You can sleep when you’re dead. (Not that you should compromise on your sleep! Don’t get into that habit!)

Ravena: I write everyday, for at least an hour (by that I mean I try to. I'm lazy) When I can I write in the morning because that's when I'm "freshest." If it's a school day (and too often it's a school day) I'll write in the evening. 

Jane: I don't really have a schedule I just write when I feel like it. Yes, I know it's bad, but that's what I do.

Elizabeth: I write every day, with few exceptions, for at least an hour. It’s part of my life as much as eating and sleeping.

5. Have you ever taken any classes/studied writing in some way? If so, how has it helped you? If not, why?

Dakota: Yes, I did take a class. Twice! The same one. ;) haha. I can't say HOW it's helped, b/c I have difficulty pinpointing that kind of stuff, but I know that it has. :)

Bria: Last year, I took a creative writing class at my school. It was interesting. We wrote a travel piece, illumination essay, play, dystopian, some poems, a children’s book, and a short story. What was really cool about this class was the community. We were all writers, so we all understood the voices and the story urges, and we all enjoyed talking to ourselves; basically, we all had the weird writer quirks and it was stinkin’ amazing! Lots of encouragement, definitely.

Ravena: I haven't taken any classes, because there aren't any where I live and if there were I probably wouldn't be allowed to go anyway. I'm planning on watching Brandon Sanderson's lectures (although I haven't yet.) I've also ordered Stephen King's "On Writing" (which has yet to arrive.) (A recurring theme... I'm not making excuses, I swear!) In Year Nine, when she found out I liked writing, my English teacher gave me a book which eased me into the world of publishing. That counts right?

Jane: I took a Creative Writing class in highschool. It helped me, by teaching me different ways to write, and the process that you can take to write a story. It also taught me about different types of creative writing.

Elizabeth: I’ve attended some writer’s classes and conferences. I went to my first one when I was 12. Everyone else in the class thought I was lost. I also took creative writing classes in high school and university. They’re helpful because they teach you a lot about writing “theory”. They point out flaws in your writing that you’ve never noticed. They also give you a chance to get feedback from a variety of other writers.

6. Who/what influences your writing?

Dakota: Mmm...video games, both fortunately and unfortunately. Fortunate in that it gives me a plethora of fantasy-type names and ideas for fantasy-type places, but unfortunately in that it messes with my plot lines. I end up picking up too many characters. :P

On the other hand, my friend Sunny is a great help to me in my writing, being both inspiring, helpful, and encouraging. :)

Bria: Life influences my writing. The people I know and the circumstances I live in influence my writing more than anything else. Honestly, people should be scared to talk to me, since so much of my dialogue comes from conversations with people.

Ravena: I would say every book I've ever read has influenced my writing in some way (although I can't exactly say how.)

Jane: I started writing when I was in elementary school. It was my 4th grade teacher who had everyone writing story's for English class. She was the one who opened my eyes to writing. I'm also a huge bookworm (I work in a library, for petesake), so whenever I finish a book I was always think wow I love the way this character said that, or that was cool the way she wrote that, and then BAM a story idea pops in my head.

Elizabeth: Tamora Pierce, Tolkien, and Austen

7. What's your motivation for writing?

Dakota: Motivation? You sound like an over dramatic actor being paid way too much to do little of anything. Ah, my motive it FUN, and of course, the dream of any aspiring author, to be published. Perhaps even made into a movie. ;)

Bria: I love stories (as if that wasn’t obvious from my blog name). I love telling stories, I love listening to others tell stories, I love stories. My love of writing is based on this love –and obsession with –stories. Everyone has a story and everyone’s is different (even twins’ stories are unique!). This intrigues me and so I pursue stories. I creep on them and I find them and then I write them. It’s just so fascinating to me!

Ravena: I have no idea. No, seriously. I think that even though at times I have to force myself to write, or it feels like I would rather stick needles in my arms then sit down and make words appear, I love it.

Jane: Everything, no seriously everything. I find motivation mostly in other books, movies, and T.V, shows. I find inspiration when I'm at work, or when I'm on the way to work, or when I'm taking ling trips, and when I'm trying to sleep and my mind is running a mile a minute.

Elizabeth: My motivation is what I call my “writer’s waves”. If I get an idea, I have to write it down.

This was actually only half of the interviews. The rest will be posted soon. Do you agree with these brilliant people? Or do you disagree? Any points of dispute? I want to know. 

Awesomesauce Words

One must be drenched in words, literally soaked in them, to have the right ones form themselves into the proper pattern at the right moment. –Hart Crane

           

            Because of this and my love and fascination of words (especially dictionary.com’s word of the day), I have decided to start what I call Awesomesauce Words. Basically, I find some words that I particularly love and tell you all about them. Yeah! I will also include how I used the word this week. I would love it if you also wrote (or said) something and posted that here. Using new words helps in learning and remembering new words. This may seem very schoolish, but I find that it helps me bunches. Without further ado, here are some awesomesauce words:

Besot-verb-to infatuate, obsess; to intoxicate or stupefy with drink; to make stupid or foolish, as in a mind besotted with fear and superstition; plagued

His tales introduced fear into my mind. I ran home that night, running down the middle of the street, keeping far away from the dark spaces between the trees. The fears besot me; they followed me home. Once home, I curled up into a tight ball. All of my covers rumpled around me and I hoped any haunts would mistake me as just another messy cover on my messy bed.  

http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart

Pyknic-adjective-having a stocky physique with a rounded body and head, thickset trunk, and a tendency to be fat (from going on too many picnics. Haha)

Santa Claus reportedly has the pyknic body type.

If you want more information on this body type, I found this site helpful.

Obtuse- adjective-not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; blunt in form

The pyknic man took up the whole rest of the bench. An elderly lady and her granddaughter sat on the left and this obtuse man sat in the empty spot that I had so clearly marked as mine, you know, by calling shotgun in my head. The nerve of some people! I stand now behind the man. My arms are crossed and one of my feet tap tap taps an angry beat. I am sure a look of frustration is present on my face. I stare into the back of his head. What is he thinking? Can he feel me staring at him? Surely he can feel me staring at him. He’s doing this on purpose now. He knows he took my seat and he knows I am angry about it. He is doing this now to spite me. Does he also know my plan for retaliation, do you think? Hehe, we shall see, I suppose.

Now, how would you use these words?

I Deserve

 Ever since Jon Acuff posted this article on entitlement, I’ve been spotting some of the entitlement in my life. In just five minutes after reading it, I was frustrated that Netflix had logged me out again, I was angry that Blogger had messed up my article format, I was mad at my laptop for becoming so hot on my lap. Look at that. Rather than complaining about the little annoyances and things that don’t matter, I should be praising God for all that I have. Rather than “Why does Netflix keep logging me out?! Ugh. This is so stupid. And look at my articles on Blogger! What in the world?! Ouch. Stupid laptop, burning my legs.” I should be saying, “Netflix logged me out again. Interesting. Thank You, God for allowing me the ability to relax here and watch videos that I enjoy. Look, my Blogger article is messed up. Well, I’ll just fix that. Thank You, Lord, for giving me such a means to spread Your word. No other generation has had the ability to reach the whole world so easily. My laptop is getting hot, but thanks for a laptop. Not many people can afford something as nice as this. Thank You for blessing me and my family.” Look at the difference!

This makes me think of Job. Job was very wealthy and had much to thank God for. And thank God, he did; Job offered many sacrifices to the Lord and praised Him. But in Job 1:13-18, he lost practically everything he had, even his children. And you know what he did? He didn’t stand on a mountain and demand to talk to God about why his family had suddenly died or why his camels were all gone. No. Job PRAISED. In verse 20, Job said, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Amazing!  This continued. Job continued to praise God; he cursed the day of his birth, but he never said to God, “I deserve better!” In fact, in Job 9, he specifically said, “How then can I dispute with him (God)? How can I find words to argue with him? Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.” Job had no sense of entitlement. No sense of “I deserve a good life so give it to me.” No. Job accepted what God gave him, both the good and the bad. This is what we need to do.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

God provides what we need; He doesn’t give us what we deserve, because that is death. So this entitlement we have so often is idiotic. It’s more than idiotic, but I can’t find a better word right now. We deserve death, but we were given life! Amazing. Because of that, I’ve been praying desperately and trying hard to shed my feelings of entitlement, and to live praising and thanking God every moment for every little thing.  

A Terrible Poem/Letter to God

I used to believe I was a fairly good poet. I wasn’t. And I’m still not. But this is less of a poem and more of a promise in stanzas. I like the formatting of poems, so I’m keeping it that way. (By the way, this is a Letter to God/letter to Ashley about everything that was happening with Ashley.) Here you go:

April 23, 2011

I won’t stand by

While you drive yourself away

From everything you are,

Or at least everything good you

Used to be.

You can leave God

But he will not leave you.

You can drive yourself away

From us

But we refuse to be lost.

I won’t stand by

While you lose yourself

In this world

And everything it deems

Good.

I will be there,

Pushing you to remember

All that is truly

Good and pure.

Everything that is not of

This world.

I won’t stand by

While you play by the edge

Of the cliff.

You may be “stable” now,

But eventually

You will lose your step

And fall.

I won’t stand by.

I don’t care how much you hate me.

I will not stand and watch

Your life crumble.

I will speak up.

I will say all that none have ever

Dared to say before.

I will not stand by,

Instead I will stand up.

I will not shut up,

Instead I will speak out.

I will not leave,

Even when you push me away

I will remain there for you,

Until there is no you

To be there for.

I pray it won’t come to that,

Not while you are drowning yourself

In the ways of this world.

So know

That I won’t stand by

And do nothing

While you run away

From the only true love ever known.

Prayer Requests

Hey whoever is out there.

I learned today that one of my classmates (I'm a junior in high school) is dead. Drew died on Monday, August 6. No one seems to know how he died yet. But I know that a death, regardless of the how, is hard. So hard. He seems to have a ton of family. And I just ask you, whoever you are, that you pray for his family. I feel like a Bible verse is suiting right now, so:

He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

-Psalm 147:3

Please add any pressing prayers you have so we can pray together.

And another:

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. –James 5:13-16

A Confidently Confused Letter (to God)

I said that only names will be edited and so that’s how it will be, but I have to say that I am embarrassed with this letter. In this letter, I asked for God’s help in understanding everything and yet I wrote that I knew I was right. Obviously, I wasn’t looking too hard for God’s answer. And that was the problem with this whole situation with my friend Ashley; she believed she was right and I believed I was right and we did not listen to anyone else. This was the issue, not cussing. Cussing was only a sign, a symptom, of the true problem. If only I had seen that then and not now, a year and a half later.

April 21, 2011

Hey. Me again. Now it is 2:00. I’m in social studies. I just talked to Zelda and Hope about Ashley (obviously You already know this, but I’m going to tell You anyway). Hope said that Ashley seemed different in a good way. That would obviously be You working in her heart, because I know I didn’t say anything that would really cause her to think twice. Please work in her heart more. Help her to realize You fully. Help her to realize that she doesn’t have to do anything to be loved by You. (Also helping her realize that we will be there for her would be nice too.) Zelda has obviously talked to her, because she was defending her! Why? She said that Ashley just wants to be able to do whatever. Is that really what she wants? That’s pretty much saying she doesn’t want to be a Catholic anymore, isn’t it? Because she doesn’t want to live for You. Zelda was mad at me. Why? She said that if I don’t want to hear the cussing I should stop hanging out with Ashley, and that this is why she wants to leave the group. Why is Zelda blaming me for Ashley not wanting to be friends with us? And why does she care? She and Ashley seem to be really good friends, just because they are both Catholics and share more of the same values. Why is Zelda sticking up for Ashley? Doesn’t she know that cussing is bad? I thought she didn’t want to hear it either. What’s up? I don’t understand. Please be with all of us.  I don’t know what to do or say. I know I’m right, because I know that the Bible says not to cuss. Why don’t Zelda and Ashley understand that? Do they even know that’s what the Bible says? Please tell them what the Bible really says. Tell them about Mary Magdalene and Your grace and love and everything else they don’t know and don’t fully understand. Please help Hope, Kristin, Clementine, and me not to say anything without knowing for sure that it comes from You. Please give me words to say and help me to do the right thing. Why does no one understand why it’s bad to cuss?

That was the end of the letter. I was so confused. But as confused as I was, I was still confident that I was right. I was not willing to listen to either God or to Ashley; however, I believed I was listening and simply not hearing a response from either of them.

Have you ever had an experience like this? Feel free to comment!

A Letter to God

I started writing letters to God a little over a year ago. Basically I just pull all the thoughts in my head and all the feelings in my heart out and pray them onto the paper. These letters are my prayers.

All of these letters are personal since I am talking to God; I see no reason to hold anything back as He knows everything about me. Because of this, some of these letters may seem unhelpful and completely unnecessary to add to a blog (especially these first few), but I promise there is a reason that I have added them. Often the reason will be explained after the letters involved are posted. So, nonexistent readers, please keep reading.

This first letter was written after a huge fight with a close friend. All names have been changed. No other edits have been made. Here you go:

April 21, 2011

Dear God,

Right now it’s 12:06. I’m in science. I don’t really care that I’m in science right now; I am going to write this. I’m angry and I don’t want this anger at Ashley to stay and mess up the rest of my day. Since You already know what happened I’m just going to skip that and go into my feelings (of course You know my feelings too but this will help me feel better). I don’t know if I said the right things to Ashley about not cussing. Ashley is really worrying me. I don’t know her heart like You do but I can see that she is not living out Christian (or Catholic) beliefs. Please wake her up and move her heart, so that she realizes, truly realizes, who You are. I don’t believe she ever really found You, so please show who You are. Let her realize that You love her no matter what; that she doesn’t have to cuss or be pretty or popular or whatever to be loved. Tell her that she needs to start living for You and only You. I believe You are the only person she will listen to. We are trying to help her without making her angry, because we are trying to not drive her away. I don’t know if this is what we should be doing. Please help us know what to do and what to say. Please help her not to take everything we say the wrong way. Help us to keep our tempers and to not get defensive, even when she does. I just read James 3:9-12. I wish I could tell her those verses without her erupting on me and telling me that I can’t tell her what to do. I know You can tell her what to do though. Please do. Please find a way for this verse (or any of the others that talk about not cussing) to get to her in a way that won’t drive her away. I know we--I--should say more, but I’m scared that she won’t ever listen to any of us again. She doesn’t need to have to go find new friends now. Right now she needs good Christian friends who will help her through whatever is going on. Should I be the outspoken Christian friend who will not put up with her cussing or should I let everything be and just be there for her if she ever needs to talk. Will she talk if I just wait and am there for her? I don’t know what to do. Tell me what to do.

Please help me. I don’t know how, but You do. You also know how to help Ashley. Please don’t let our friendship (can it still be called that?) fall apart because of this fight. I don’t think anything I said got through to her, so this isn’t worth breaking up our friendship. At least I don’t think so. I don’t know. Jeremiah 29:11- “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord.”

Bria