Hello Twisters!It's Bianca here. Today's topic that I want to talk about is losing motivation. I love projects. Big. Small. All of them. However, I tend to create an invisible wall of fear or uncertainty whenever there is a task or step in the project that I believe will be difficult to accomplish. This is a mindset that I subconsciously created when I was back in school and it takes a lot of effort to move past it. It's especially awful though whenever there are multiple projects that I have to do. Then it's almost like art or writers block. It is literally a mental wall that I built steadily myself. However, I just recently figured out how to overcome it. Proving someone wrong. Okay, this may not make a lot of sense, but here me out. When someone challenges me and says to me that I cannot complete something (for this example, let's say doing laundry) and it is not on my to do list of things I need to do, then I get this fire inside me where I am going to prove them wrong. But not just with laundry, oh no, I need to prove to them that I am far superior than they thought. I am going to exercise, clean my room, clean the kitchen, do the laundry, write my stories, and make dinner. See, if I'm going to watch my mental wall crumble, I better be watching the crumbs drown in lava. And it works! For me that is. So that's how I've gotten out of my slump these past few days. What about you though? How do you gain the motivation to work? Stay Safe, Stay Home and Until Next Time My Friends... Adieu
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Hello Twisters!Bianca here. Today I wanted to talk about my book. This should probably go in 'The Smol Scribble' (my writing section of the blog) but I think what I have to say will interest and benefit everyone. First, this process has been extremely challenging. The first draft of my book was a short story for school. It was meant for a fun, light read for kids. It was short, simple, and educational. But I recognized that I wanted to traditionally publish it (as that was my dream) and that started a battle. So many battles. Battle 1 - Lengthening The BookMy book at the beginning was around 3K words, I think. But I hadn't touched it since 9th grade (it might have been 10th grade, I need to double check), so it needed some major editing, fine-tuning, and developmental edits. It was difficult conveying to my family that I needed to do this step and why I couldn't do a regular edit (proofread = regular edit). It needed much more. The story was off, I discussed with some of the kids that I worked with what they wanted to see in book 2 and 3 and so I needed to add some foreshadowing and plot to help span into the next two books. And a simple edit just wasn't going to do that. But how was I going to edit it? I strongly disliked the editing phase because 1) I didn't know what I was doing, 2) so many people were sharing with me their opinions that I couldn't hear my own, 3) I had an expectation to fulfill and that already creates an unhealthy mindset when you begin a project for fun, and 4) everyone's advice on children books (as my story is for elementary and middle schoolers) are so conflicting. Battle 1 - SolutionSo what could I do to fix this mess I put on myself? I had already messed up but completed somehow a couple of drafts that I was semi-proud of but all of them felt lacking. I was trying to work on a version of the story that would be around 30K words, so a traditional publisher would even take a look at it (30K words is the industry standard for middle grade books). I learned that, as an author, I can't have two audiences, its either elementary schoolers (ages seven to ten) with the word count being either 10K to 12K or middle schoolers (ages twelve and up), with the word count being over 30K to 50K. There was no home for my 3K little book that both elementary and middle schoolers loved. Then my mother said something that made sense, "Why not work on a version of the book for young kids and then later on make one for the older kids?" That struck a chord with me. It was a great idea. But I took it a step further. Why not just combine the appeal to both? I know it sounds like the same idea before, but what if I make a story that is short that resonates with the younger kids, but is long enough and cool enough for the older kids. I still kept the premise of the appeal the same, I just changed my mindset. And after I created the mindset to run, I closed everyone out and I wrote. Because I could not afford to look or think about other things that would get me distracted. I needed to work. In short, I changed my mindset and I stayed focused. How To Apply The SolutionBut everything is easier said than done. So what if you find yourself in the situation, what should you do? Changing your mindset is hard. I tried to work on it for a month and a half (that's how long I was stuck on the 30K draft before scraping it altogether) and it was agonizing. I didn't like working on it, it was actual work, and it wasn't fun anymore. So I walked away from it. Not forever, no, that's no what you do. I walked away with it in mind. Since I couldn't see clearly where I needed to go, I decided to change the view. Ask people you trust about the situation. But don't blatantly ask them, "I'm stuck at this one part of my story and I don't know where to move, what do I do?" Depending on who you ask, you will get the help/answer you need or you won't. And sometimes, you don't want someone's opinion on your story (especially if you are still editing it, you want people's opinions after you edit), rather you want to know what they would do in your situation. (Or, at least, that's what I wanted to know.) So what I did was create a scenario for them with something they can understand and relate to. That way they could give me a response on what they would do and how they would do it. For me, the hard part came with their response and my response to theirs. What was I hiding from? What are you hiding from? Are you hiding behind favoritism and fear? (I was.) Are you telling people no to their ideas because it didn't fit in your own? (I did.) Are you stopping people in the middle of their sentences stating why that wouldn't work? (I did that too.) But that isn't going to help you at all. I hid behind fear and favoritism for my book because I loved how my book was already, even though I knew it wasn't perfect and ready for publication. However, since I loved it too much, I wasn't willing to hear anyone's critiques on how it could be improved. Other people's ideas are exactly what you want to hear when you're in a rut. You can't tell people 'no that's not going to work' because you don't like the idea. Half of all my good ideas comes from when me and another person expand of those ideas that presumably 'weren't going to work'. And since I felt I knew the industry and my book inside out, I refused to listen to anyone who even shared their opinion about it. Because I believed, that since I spent several hours every day for the past year looking at information, that I knew more than them and that I knew everything that I could know about the industry. In reality, I don't know enough about the industry and I was so scared of people telling me that I was doing it wrong that I became so focused on telling people they were wrong instead of listening to them. What I'm trying to say is, know who you are, where you want to go with your book, and recognize and listen to people. But only for a moment. You need to know and figure out when someone is helping and when someone is hurting you. I'm afraid I'm still working on that part. To Be Continued... Battle 2 - The IndustrySince this post is already so very, very long. I'm going to be splitting this series into sections. Battle 2 is going to be about the industry (and why I dislike it so much), Battle 3 is all about self-publishing (which I may or may not split into two parts), and Battle 4 is about Kickstarter. Looking back on all of this, I recognize how far I am in the process, because right now, I'm on battle 4. There will always be an easy way to do things, but trust me, not all easy ways are the right way. Listen to your heart and if you don't like your options, make a new one. Stay Safe, Stay Home and Until Next Time My Friends... Adieu Hello Twisters! Sorry for not posting last week. I work on Mondays (Thursdays and Saturdays) and I get really tired when I get back home. As a result, I almost immediately take a nap, then take it chill for the rest of the day. Also! Last week was a complete mesh of days. I had to constantly ask what day it was because time?? And dates?? What's that? Anyways! I'm writing this at midnight to ensure that it gets out on time. :) You're welcome. But during this pandemic, a lot of people are at home and some struggle to think of things to do other than binge Netflix (or any other video service), sleep or just vibe. Now, to be fair, this is what I do for the majority of the time, BUT!! I do a few other things as well! First off! As I like to draw, I've been trying to play around with my art skills. If you're interested in drawing, give it a shot! You've got a lot of time in the day right now. There are a lot of online workshops and videos that you can use to start your art journey! Next, you could start a YouTube channel! Lots of people are on there and it's a great way to show your hobby or work off to the world! You could play games, sit down and talk, do a craft, make a skit, etc.! There's so much that you can do for a YouTube video, it's honestly wild. Another thing you can do is to clean and switch up your room. Sure, that doesn't always sound like the best option right off the top, but hear me out. Cleaning and switching up your room is such a refreshing and satisfying task that it makes you feel super accomplished with your life when it's done. I don't know how, it just days. Not complaining though! Cook! Bake! Experiment in the kitchen! Follow some recipes! Learn how to not burn the house down when boiling water! It's really fun, but only fully works if you make something small and simple, then work your way up. Trust me, from personal experience, it gets really discouraging when you try for the really complicated one first go without previous experience. I tried to make a different version of hash browns. It did not work. But that's besides the point! You've got an imagination! You have some kind of tool/medium: a notebook, computer, your phone. Write! You don't have to go full out, "Let's write a novel!", but there's definitely time in the day to at least pump out 100 - 1000 words a day. If you're like me, you're lucky enough to get 500 words a day, but eh. Again, not the point. (If you need a support group to help you write, then I suggest popping over to NaNoWriMo! They've got a ton to offer when it comes to writing!) And the last one, but is SO SUPER IMPORTANT! Take this time to do as much self care as needed. I know this time is hard, so take this time to take a bath. Do some face masks. Body scrub. Paint your nails. Cut your hair. Refresh your closet. Do the things that make you happy. Do the things that allow you to breathe in a deep breath like you've just inhaled some nice filtered air. Yes, I do like that. And yes, it smells nice. Okay! That's all I've got for you all today. Or tonight. Whichever it is, I suppose. I'm off to bed now, to sleep. Because, as I said earlier, I work on Mondays, so I work in a few hours. Catch ya later, Twisters! P.S. The shop is coming along nicely! It isn't without a few bumps, but that's to be expected. I'll probably give a more in-depth update in my next blog post! CharismaHello Twisters~Bianca here. Remember how two weeks ago my focus hasn't been top notch? Yeah, it definitely has seemed to be in a standstill. When I'm watching a show? 10 out of 10, it seems that I've got 20/20 vision with that stuff. My brain is on POINT. But with regular and important stuff? My brain skipped a heartbeat and a town because it apparently isn't working. So as I was looking at previous (and unpublished) blog posts that have never seen the light of day, I laughed with tears. I had a Miraculous Ladybug blog post where I was going to scream about Hawk Moth (probably still will). Charisma even did a full-blown post about 90's anime that she hasn't posted (but it's been in the works since 2018 ... I'm going to ask her to publish that one). Another one is about Japanese Sign Language, which I absolutely love and I will definitely talk about that in the future. But that's been about it. Life has been a roller coaster (of enjoyment, I have been thoroughly enjoying my time) and I have been able to do a lot more than I thought I could (like crochet), so I'm really grateful for that. And that's all about me :) Anything new happening with you? Stay Safe, Stay Home and Until Next Time My Friends... AdieuNo FocusHello Twisters! Today has been so interesting. I have not been able to focus on anything for long periods of time. I drew, wrote, drew some more, took a nap (twice), watched a tv (twice again), and then I hung out with family. I've even searched Google three times just while writing this post. :') Life. Well, that's pretty much what's up with me. Editing my story, drawing stuff (it's all been random), working on my business (I'll do a separate blog post about that), and watching shows. Stay Safe, Stay Home and Until Next Time My Friends... AdieuWhat on EARTH do you call it when you don't have the mojo to write on your blog? Is it blogger's block? Since you're a blogger and it is preventing you from blogging? Or is it writer's block? Since you're technically a writer writing the post? By this point, I'm really confused, but this is my topic for today! I have Blogger's/Writer's Block! *sarcastic yays!* I honestly have no idea what to write/blog because nothing really has been happening?? I've been accepted for a job (yay!), but I haven't started working, so I can't really talk about that. I was going to talk about YouTubers I watch, but I want to research all the ones I want to feature and such. I've been just drawing a lot lately, WHICH I LOVE! I need to be drawing more digitally, but I'll take what I've got! Traditional drawing has been really fun lately. I've been pushing towards adding more colors to my traditional pictures so that I can understand what I'm more attracted to, how I color, etc. So that's been good. I suppose this has just been another life update. Bianca and I have so many amazing things we're working on and planning, but right now, those ideas are just taking shape! Once we get rolling and feeling the flow more, we'll let you know all the exciting things that will be coming! You Twisters are not PREPARED for what we have in store! But that's all for now! Sorry that this wasn't really anything, but thanks for reading! Catch ya later, Twisters! Charisma Happy New Years, Twisters! It's a new year and that means new goals and a whole lot of new opportunities~ This past year, I regret doing so little regarding everything I did. School, I could have put a whole lot more effort into that, my Japanese class, I could have had a higher grade than my 96%, and I could have used my Bujo a lot more. Also, I regret not posting on the blog when I had the chance. I spent so much of my free time on YouTube or on Instagram that I didn't even have the decency to say, "Just A Quick Update!". That is why, this year, I'm going to change a WHOLE lot in my life. My Goals:
And those are my resolutions! I'm so ready for this year. I feel as though it's going to be a great year and I really think that my goals are actually achievable. What are your goals for 2018? Tell us in the comments below!
Hello Twisters! It's Bianca here.
For a school assignment this week, I had to make a 'creative multimedia presentation' about the questions: 'What inspires me?' And there is a lot that inspires me. Like, a whole lot. That is why I've decided to do the top 3 topics that inspire me. Number 1 - Photography
And there is a specific type of photography. If you've ever heard of Unsplash (Charisma and I use their pictures a lot) then you know what type of photography I like. Yet, why do I like this specific type of photography?
Now, what do you see?
â Some might see the train from the movie The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Others might see a far-off fantasy world where trains are the only means of travel. Even still, others might see something completely different! There is infinite possibilities one could see with a single image. And Unsplash has thousands of images like this! That's why I like it. Number 2 - Books
Yup!
I love books. Books are my future (literally) and they are a means of transportation from reality to get a new perspective of reality (does that make sense?). One of my favorite books (of all time) is Charlie and the Grandmothers by Katy Towell. I think I've done a book review on this, but if I haven't, I will most definitely find the time to re-read this book and give you my thoughts. For now, though, I'll do a quick sum up of why I loved the book. The main character, Charlie, is easy to connect with and he has such a sad backstory. After we're introduced to the characters, we immediately get into the plot. I have read plenty of books where the plot begins at the very start of the book, but then, we have to go back into the characters past to get background knowledge, which gets very repetitive. Other books have their plot in chapter 2 halfway, but oh ho ho! Not this book! And the main villain was beyond amazing. I have NEVER EVER, and I cannot stress this to you enough, met a villain with such passion, vigor, and tactics that could tear a person apart. And, in all reality, this villain can't really die (I don't think). So I was pleased. This book tickled all my happy spots of reading desires. But I still haven't answered the question on why books inspire me. Well, let me ask a question. When in a tough situation, have you not asked for multiple insights? It's the same for reading. I have an idea, but I read books to help grow that idea into multiple ideas and so on. And that's how books inspire me. Number 3 - Music
If someone had to come up to me and ask me what my favorite type of music is, I would respond, "Classical and Trap."
Oh boy, oh boy do I love my music. Music is like reading a book and looking at pictures, but you get to do this with your ears. And, the best part is... you can listen to music whenever. Whenever I feel sad, I listen to music. Whenever I'm happy, I listen to music. Whenever I'm frustrated, I listen to music. Now that you know the things that inspire me, I want to explain why they inspire me. Well, when I look at pictures, read a book, or listen to music, I have this overwhelming feeling of 'Nothing's Impossible'. And I love that feeling. So having that feeling all the time doing something so simple as just reading a few words strung into a sentence? That's absolutely amazing! That is is for today Twisters! What are some things that inspire you? Why do they inspire you? Until Next Time... Adieu.こんにちは!
Guess who's back! It's us! Or, me rather. I apologize for not writing for such a long time. I've been consumed with school, writing (preparing for Camp NaNoWriMo!), and I'm an assistant at a Summer Art Camp which runs for eight (8) consecutive weeks, five days a week, from nine (9 am) in the morning to twelve (12 pm) in the afternoon. *sigh* I've been busy. Okay, let's go down the list and explain:
Welcome (I guess) to my busy, busy summer! I missed blogging. Oh, yeah! Before I forget, Charisma and I have Instagram accounts... So, check them out! School, for me anyway, starts August 17th. Unbelievable right? We've had 3-ish months of summer and, to be honest, I am so glad to be going back to school. I've missed it really badly. Why did I miss it? Because I wanted to be busy, I wanted to keep myself occupied and when someone gives you no chose but to occupy yourself, I find it very encouraging (especially if I want to do it!). The best part about school is that I'm taking mostly 10th-grade classes. Biology, Geometry, Honors English, Art in World Cultures (ELECTIVE), HOPE (this is P.E.), Civics (Charisma and I could've taken this in 8th grade but my parents didn't want us too), and Digital Literacy (it's required. Trust me, I tried to get out of it....). :D I'm going to be so busy! :D
My Japanese is going well, although I would like better sources for vocabulary and grammar (those are the two things I'm currently working on). Or maybe, I don't know, a teacher? As some of you might know, it's my goal to take a college course for Japanese at my local community college while in 10th grade. That is why I must get all A's on my report card. I'm an over-achiever when it comes to school. If I don't get an A or a B, I will be absolutely shattered, but I would still tell my parents that I got a low score, because they'll either help me, remind me of my goal, tell me to get help from a teacher if I'm really struggling with a certain concept, and a whole lot more. I'm digitally editing a character that I drew! And let me tell you, *laughs*, I don't have anything fancy. No SAI, no Wacom Cintiq or Intuos, no Photoshop. Nada. Zilch. Nothing. All I've got is my handy-dandy, scanner, Paint (which is already installed on every computer), and my imagination. And truthfully, I am terrified. This is the scariest experience of my artist life. (I have several lives: Writer's Life, Artist's Life, Blogger's Life, Over-Achiever's Life, Crocheter's Life, Reader's Life, OTAKU's Life, Family Person's Life, and Outstanding-Amazing Friend's Life. I have nine lives unless someone can see more of my lives that I can't see... One might say I have nine lives. :D) Since I've never done this before (and since I have ZERO LAYERS. I didn't know what layers did before, but now I know that layers ARE A BLESSING!!! Do not take those beauties for granted!) I'm watching my sister (who is digital editing too) while she gives me tips, and I'm re-doing everything for the Umpteenth time. Though, I will survive. I read a variety of good books this summer (don't worry, I'm gonna do some Book Reviews before school starts) and now I have found my favorite Female author: Katy Towell. I love her so much, that reading the two books she published were satisfaction for a week. Her books are all the scary, friendship, terrifying-suspenseful moments I could ever want in a book! :D Her website is called Skary and, I believe, she's working on another book (oh am I excited!). I've had one for a while know but, I'm finally on Miiverse! I've put several posts from my gaming experiences on Demo's and full games, although they're all from Nintendo. I've posted some Style Savvy: Trendsetters and Fashion Forward, some Pokemon X and some other games as well. I'm trying to earn the money to buy some games (Animal Crossing: New Leaf is NEXT on my list. Unless someone convinces me otherwise), yet that's taking a whole lot longer than anticipated. So yup! This is life. I hope all of you have a great rest of summer break! |
Who We Are We are twin sisters who like to do almost anything! Inspiring people to get out their creativity is our forte and we strive to travel on magnificent journey through words on a page. Exploration is the doorway to opportunity and the endless possibilities of helping and reaching out to others is something that we endeavor to create. This crazy blog of ours is one of the many ways we hope to achieve that goal.
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