Writing Percentages

Writing is 50% skill, 30% instinct and 20% originality/creativity.
     You need the instinct to let it flow and create realistic characters, but you need the skill to string words together in sentences and paragraphs and stories that make sense. The originality and creativity are needed to make it yours.
     Why fifty percent skill? Because not only do you need to be able to string words together, but you have to make it have a tone. Not only that, but you have to know how to do dialogue, formatting, spelling and grammar, setting and knowing what you're talking about--plus a lot more.
     Thirty percent instinct: you've got to know where you want to go and how to make it flow. You've got to know how people react to situations, how to make each character unique and different, how situations and problems effect certain aspects of people--you have to know how each of your central characters will react in any given situation. You've got to know where they'll go, what they'll do and why in any given place. Know what makes your character tick; what sets them off.
     Twenty percent originality and creativity: you can't just take someone's story line, put in different characters and call it done. The originality--you've got to have your own twists and places, characters and quirks. Creativity--you've got to get creative with it. Know what you're talking about. Make your characters fun and likable; that takes skill, but it also takes creativity. Creativity is key in creating your own world. You've got to know how to describe something. You have to create your own objects and places, and you need to make them real.
     In simple terms I'd put it at this: writing is 60% skill and 40% instinct.
     In complicated terms I'd put it at this: writing is 30% skill, 20% instinct, 10% creativity, 10% originality, 10% experience, 10% knowledge and 10% insanity.
     However! You aren't just born with that instinct. You have to build it up with your knowledge about writing and the parts attached: punctuation, grammar, spelling, formatting, and so much more that can't be defined as mere characteristics of writing.
     Now let's test your writers percentages. Given several characteristics, what kind of character(s) can you come up with and what story would you put them in?
-Boastful
-Prideful
-Miserable
-Sly
-Childlike
-Immature
-Confident
     You can use more than one or all of them, whether on one character or multiple. It's your choice as a writer what you create. Have some fun with it.

Christmas prompt

Alright, here's a sentence to start you off. Use it anywhere in your story. First person or third, rewording it, I don't care. See where it takes you, and Merry Christmas!

Spending Christmas hiding under our tree wasn't my idea--I just wanted to sit around it and tear open presents, but our little visitor made that impossible. Did weird things like that have to follow me all the time?
     Apparently, the answer was yes.

A story from Anevay

I decided I'd post one of my stories. So, here you go. It's not based on any of the prompts, but it's meant to inspire... something. Get what you want from it.
CLAIMER: storyline and characters are mine. No stealing! Thanks for playing.

Flat against the wall, she peeked around and quickly withdrew. “Guards,” she hissed. Removing her necklace, she wound the chain around her wrist until the strange, long charm about as long as her pinky finger was in a comfortable grip. Silently, she flicked it open to reveal a tiny knife.

“What is that going to do?” I hissed. The blade itself was shorter than her pinky! She just grinned, reaching behind her to pull out another switch blade a little shorter than her pointer finger. “A few tiny knives aren’t going to help us!”

Ignoring me, she slid around the corner with a knife in each hand. I followed, wondering if she was going to get herself killed. I guess I should have had more faith in her.

As soon as the guards noticed her, she went on the attack. She extended her arm and used it as a barrier, pushing the side of her hand and arm against the guard’s neck. Before he could retaliate, her longer blade’s hilt thudded against his temple and he passed out. The second guard hesitated, and this time, her right foot struck out flat against his knee, causing him to double over and giving her the chance to hit his temple, too.

My mouth gaped stupidly and I hurriedly snapped it shut before she looked back at me. “Handy tools,” I commented.

“The chain serves a dual purpose,” she said, adjusting her grip on the knives. “It hides it and keeps the knife in my grip. If anyone tries to take it from me,” she shrugged. “It stays."

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Random idea I had. I don't know who they are, or what's going on, but that's the way a lot of ideas are with me. Eventually, they turn into something! I think I'll use this in a certain series I've been thinking on... yep, good place to put it. Anyway, hopefully that inspired something in you. A want to write? I dunno. Constructive criticism is welcome!

-Anevay

Writers in General

Writer Anevay here.
     Writers in general are usually people who (this is my opinion, just by the by) are usually on the outskirts. They observe and write and are normally very quietly enthusiastic or (occasionally) crazy people that are secretly brilliant and most others don't understand. They don't feel like they fit in, and find that in writing. They connect with their characters and their worlds--a place of refuge, in a sense. They have creative minds that, unless put on paper, are viewed as strange. Or at least, their personalities can be.
     In my writing club at school, for example, almost everyone is a little strange (including me) but have creative and clever minds that are brilliant in their own sense. They're smart and know what they're talking about when it comes to what they write on. They relate things to writing and are skilled at more than just writing, but they don't exactly fit in, either.
     You have to have a very creative mind to write Fantasy, for example. Elves, dwarves, yada ya--classic Fantasy, right? Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, even Chronicles of Narnia, and so many others left unnamed. All are classic fantasies. The originals from whence all others came.
     As a writer, I also believe that you should have a bit more insight into a person and not judge. You can look at someone and, from the way they act or dress or from their friends, you can evaluate each and realize that they are the way they are because of their situation in life. You can look at someone who is a pessimist, doesn't care about their personal hygiene, doesn't care how they dress or act, rarely talks and when they do it's to make a comment on something no one knows about or if someone asks them to repeat themselves, they mutter something about 'never mind' and put their head down, not making eye contact. You should be able to look at someone like that and sympathize that there must be a story behind the desolate eyes that makes them act the way they do. Family problems, not fitting in, the way they're treated or their self esteem.
     A writer makes imperfect characters on purpose. Flaws in character, imperfect appearances and actions. The writer understand their characters, why they're like that, and still care about them despite their imperfection. Imperfection is a sign of humanity. No one is perfect. If you can make an imperfect character and love them for their flaws, how can you look at someone who doesn't think much of themselves, has flaws like anyone else, and not care? Everyone has worth. It's been proved in characters that were not well-liked or look the best. How can you not sympathize and try to help? You want your character to be understood and loved, they want to be understood--doesn't a real person want that same thing? Don't they want  it more?
     Writers should not be judgmental. They understand the motives behind the most evil villain and love that villain anyway. They know why the villain is like that. If you look deeper, you can see the motive and story behind someone and be more tolerant. Just like you tolerate your characters.
     And so, writers in general are anyone. We all have abnormalities, and in our own way, we're all weird. Weird is good. Weird makes diversity.
     Can you understand people like you do a character? I suppose that's the real test of a writers ability to write and understand realistically.
    -Anevay

Mystery Writers

Mystery is one of the hardest genres to write. Everything has to be connected, and when it's connected so flawlessly that nothing is left out, it becomes popular. The unfinished the Mystery of Edwin Drood, Nancy Drew, of course there's Sherlock Holmes and one of my personal favorites, though not very popular, Sammy Keyes.

Google: mystery-clues

     There are so many different components to Mystery--so I'm giving the scenery.
     The scene of the crime is an important key to mystery--observe every aspect of it. Mirror, clock, couch, dress, chandelier. From the decor, we can assume it's a rich living space.
     Is it in a hotel? Who's room is it? What do you see? What are the clues?
     Expand your writing. What can you write?

Sci-Fi Writers

Sci-Fi almost always takes place in the future or the past. I'm not much of a Science Fiction writer, but I know what it looks like and I have written it before. There are so many different story lines that have been used for Sci-Fi that's it's easy to put your own spin on it, but hard to come up with a story that hasn't been used. Sci-Fi combines with Fantasy most of the time, as well.

Google: Sci-Fi

     So how does this grab you?
What is it? Does it have a personality or is it a cold-blooded killer? What's it made of and how does it work? Is it even an it?
Sci-Fi is one of the most interesting genres. See what you can do!

Fiction Writers

Fiction can be a lot of different things, which is why it's such a broad genre. So, two pictures are posted here.
Fiction can be any time line, and anywhere, anything. The definition of the word fiction in the Encarta Dictionary reads: (1) A literary work of imagination. Novels and stories that describe imaginary people and events. (2) Work of fiction. A novel, story, or other work of fiction.

Google: fiction.

 Fiction is a widely used genre that almost any untrue or made up story can fit in to. It's also one of the most interesting. So, here are some pictures to give you some ideas.
     Ideas for one directly to the right: You could do something with the mountains, the trail at the side, or the reflection of light on the water... or beneath the water.
     Ideas for lower right: Why is the moon so close? What's the building? A castle, a factory, a cathedral, a facility... what's beneath the water? What are the other floating islands around the tall building?
     I'm having fun with these ones.

Google: fiction.

Light of the sun and dark of the moon... ironic. I didn't mean to do that, but have fun.

Romance Writers

Romance, shmomance, some say. I say, as long as it's not too cheesy (and has just a little bit of cheese) then hey! Maybe it's not too bad. I mean, come on, it's romance! Of course it's going to be cheesy! Isn't all romance? Shakesphear's Romeo and Juliet, Twilight, Beastly, Beauty and the Beast--all cheesy--but good in their own ways, right?
The point is, all romance has to have a little bit of cheese. If there's no cheese it's not a romance. Then it's just awkward. Although, sometimes it's awkward anyway--but you get the point, right?

Google: romance<3

Since this week's theme is apparently pictures, here's another one.
Ah, surprisingly I love this one. It reminds me of a romance scene I wrote... hm, I wonder why...
It's actually pretty cute.
Sadly, I'm a romantic at heart. Most people are, they just can't write it. It takes skill to write truly good romance, in my opinion, but others would disagree.
What do you get out of it? What's their story? How is their relationship? How do they view each other?
All are good questions. So what are you going to write?

Realistic Writers

So I know there are those writers who are into more of the 'realistic' kind of thing. If, once again, you've got that block, need a little jump start to your writing, or just want to write something like I always have the urge to do, here's one that is interesting and should tug at your heart strings.

Google: sad little girl... mother said something about it being the longest week of her little girl's life.

Is the puppy dead or alive?
Does he survive?
     For me, this one's cute, but kind of boring unless you put a spin on it. Boring to you? Hopefully I get some feedback on this one. See what you can do.

Fantasy Writers

Welcome, writers and readers alike. Anevay here. First time blogger and hopefully not a one time blogger. Got one of those pesky writers blocks bugging you? Have the itch to write but can't get over the block? Don't look at the block as a bad thing, look at it as a positive thing that can help you grow.
     I find that each time I get a writers block, when I starting writing again I get better. You've just got to get around that block, and hopefully I can help.
     Try this. What story do you get out of this picture?

Google: Pegasus.

     Does it grab you?
    Where are they? Who's holding the reins? Why is the Pegasus colored strangely? Where is the *person taking him/her and why?
     This is probably mostly for fantasy and fiction writers. See what you can do with it. Expand your horizon of writing (I know, cheesy. Go with it). Get your brain warmed up for what you're really looking to write.
Am I of any help? We'll see what I can do with the next post.