my nano novel: taylor knight

October 17, 2017








With NaNo rapidly approaching, I thought that it would be fun to do my NaNo novel intro!
My novel's title is Taylor Knight and tells the story of a young, female bounty hunter by the name of well, Taylor Knight (pretty original, huh?). Well, let's meet the characters, shall we?
So here are my main babies. Please be nice to them y'all, they're still going through the last stages of character puberty/development (lol). Can we just be painfully honest you guys, it is just the hardest thing to name a character! I struggled so much when it came to naming my characters before. Thankfully this year, I figured out a simple, foolproof way to name them. All you have to do is determine their personalities and their "styles" so that you can figure out what name will suit them best. If you have an idea of what your character might look like in your head, chances are, Pinterest or the inter webs has a pic of a human bean that looks very similar.  (I 100% recommend Pinterest for character aesthetic boards, wip boards, and all that good stuff.)
 That's it honestly! Hopefully this mini tutorial-ish thingy helped you? If you'd like a more in-depth chat about that, tell me in the comments. Well then, I'll stop ranting, go ahead and introduce yourselves to the kiddos. They won't bite, hopefully :).
( P.S. I forgot to write Meet The MAIN Characters, silly me)



 Taylor: 22 year old bounty hunter. Angsty and likes to wear lots of leather.

 Jean: Taylor's boss (and basically dad). He assigns Taylor to hunts and 
        keeps her updated on her targets every movement.
 (really just checking that she's safe, like any other dad would).

Kalin: 25 years old. Also a bounty hunter, who happens to be Taylor's 
new partner for her next hunt. (Whom she dislikes, but likes, but....bleh,
its just complicated, ok?)


So, there are my pawns characters. Their styles and their personalities will probably stay the same. But, they are still in development, so they might utterly change after this story? I guess that's just the writer's life, right? *inserts cricket sounds*
So, how in the heck did I get inspiration for this story? *sighs* That is a long story my friend (which I will share with you now). If y'all know me, you know I love sci-fi (trekkie for life).

star trek good cat pretty cat tell him hes a pretty cat GIF

 Star Trek, and (some aspects of) Star Wars are the inspo of this book. When it comes to weapons, they're a mix of Star Trek-type weapons (phaser/laser rifles & pistols), Japanese weapons (you didn't mention that Sarah....), and Star Wars weapons. As for tech, most of the inspo comes from Pinterest pins. 


My novels' aesthetic consists of space battles, bloody wounds, leather, dark places, painful small talk, and addiction problems. These might seem like shocking things for a teenage, Yeshua-believing girl to be writing. I don't mean to be controversial to anybody, but things like this happen to people in real life. I mean, obviously cutting out the sci-fi-fi element, things like this happen to people. The difference between my story and others "like this one" ? I don't leave my characters in a hopeless, hellish state. Yes, people go through depression, addiction, and pain, but it never has to last. Only one person can change that and He is God.  My novel may not even mention God's name, does that mean His power isn't real or evident? No! I hope that through this story, individuals who have gone through similar situations as Taylor and my other characters will be able to feel that Someone's watching over them and loves them. Maybe my story will lead them to God's love and His truth. That is my hope with for this novel and all other future stories that I may write. Honestly, as a writer, my goal is to reach all people, not just the typical believer in Yeshua. Wow..... this got deep. I'm sorry if I ruined the vibe of this post, but that's whats been on my heart. I hope y'all understand. 


hug hugs hugging GIF


1. What's the timeline?

*The story is definitely set in the future. I'm settling for maybe the 24th century? Think laser rifles, glowing katanas, flying cars, and other stuff that people consider a bit beyond our modern times. 
**wow, that sounds pretty confident Sarah xD 


2. What's the actual setting Sarah?

Well, Taylor spends most of her time in her space ship Big Betty, (which actually happens to not be as big as it sounds, ...oh the irony). The ship isn't super small, but it isn't super huge either. It's interior is completely white and only has basic furniture and necessities inside. Taylor isn't one to be flashy with her decorating. There are other places she visits often, like the prison planet Traxen (to hand over wanted criminals to the authorities). Taylor has never been inside of the prison, she always lands outside of the prison entrance so that Rocko and his men can come and take the prisoners from her ship. On to Earth, well this one's a secret that you'll have to find out by reading the actual novel. 



Well, thats it for my novel intro y'all. I hope you enjoyed it. It was kind of messily put together, but that's life honestly?  I think this year's NaNo is going to be a good one, lets keep each other motivated! I hope to keep you all updated on my NaNo journey. Maybe some vlogs? Anyways, are you guys doing NaNo? Have any special writing tips that you could share? (please do, I need some help, haha xD) Comment all the things below, I love hearing from y'all!

shalom, 

Sarah <3




its october!

October 08, 2017








        Hey there friends! Umm, it's October? Can someone please explain to me how that happened?
Honestly feeling pretty jealous of you all who are already getting fall leaves and cold weather. The coldest weather I've experienced so far in southern Georgia has been around 72 degrees *cries and crawls under blanket to sniff fall-scented candles in peace*.

                                                                 .    .    .    .    .
            1. My Disdain For Pumpkin Flavored/Scented Things

It's true. I just never developed a taste for (some) pumpkin flavored and (all) scented stuff when I was little. To this day, I wrinkle my nose whenever my mom makes me sniff a pumpkin scented candle at Bath & Body Works. Psst, if you ever want to buy me a candle, I love any variation of a chai scented candle (as long as there's NO pumpkin nastiness mixed in. Just throwing that out there *smiles mischievously*).  Let's see, besides candles.......Oh! I can't stand pumpkin flavored lattes from Starbucks, just blek! I can eat pumpkin pie, but lattes, especially with coffee in them, I can't drink it. I'm sorry. (Please don't unfriend me for this XD)

                      HULU tv hulu seinfeld gross GIF


                                                                 .    .    .    .    .
                                       2. Blog Goals For The Month

 Ok, so the last topic wasn't very serious. This one is! As for posting, I hope to publish more posts this month than I did last month (doesn't every blogger want this though???). I would like to do an ootd (outfit of the day) post or a post of some of my favorite fall outfits. We'll see if this humid Georgia weather permits :((((((. I'm going to be doing NaNo next month, so maybe some character interviews and other fun, bookish related things???? I noticed that last month I set some high goals for myself that I wasn't able to fulfill (like that collab post, I'll explain that later). This month I will try to keep my goals simple and within reason so I don't leave you guys hanging again.


                                                                 .    .    .    .    . 
                                                        3. NaNoWriMo 

 I am going to attempt NaNo this year. The name of my novel will be Taylor Knight. It's a sci-fi story about a young, female bounty hunter named Taylor Knight (big surprise lol :). I can't reveal much besides that for now, there will definitely be more posts on the novel in the future though! I don't think I'll be able to do 50,000 words, I will probably end up making a smaller goal for myself. Now, don't get me wrong, I'd love to spend the majority of my month writing, but I am also in my senior year and I have a LOT of school to do. So, I'll have to keep my word count goal reasonable and  according to my schedule.

                          crying cry tears alice llorar GIF


                                                                  .    .    .    .    .
                     4. Why I Haven't Posted That Blog Collab Yet...
Yes. I know what you're thinking. Sarah, where's that collab you promised us???? Well, I can explain. So, towards the end-ish of September, I had contacted another blogger and we started working on a character "interview" post. Sadly, (like many students) we both got suuuuuuupppppeeeeerrrrrr busy with schoolwork and weren't able to continue it. With her and I both so busy, it kinda drifted away. So  sadly, that's why you didn't get that post in September. I'm going to try and see if our schedules will be able to work again sometime this year, and you just might get that post by the end of the year :)





What about you? Have you made some goals for October? Any secret pet peeves about autumn? Are you going to do NaNoWriMo this year? Let me know in the comments below! I love to hear from y'all! 

shalom, Sarah <3


             

                       

Why I Haven't Been Posting ( And The Confidence Challenge)

August 28, 2017

 



  Guys, I'm sorry I haven't been posting on here. I'm here to tell you what has caused me to stop. Ready? I struggle with being confident As much as I'd like to, I just can't blame it on my introverted personality. Having a lack of confidence is a decision I have made on my own entirely, and I'm here to say that I'm tired of it. Sick and tired of it. When I started blogging, I fantasized about being a well-spoken blogger (and YouTuber) who would be loved by everyone who came across my content. I mean, there's nothing wrong with wanting appreciation from people, but with those intentions, (which are really just selfish) I know I won't get anywhere. I've realized over the past year that you attract a good-numbered "following" by being confident in yourself and making content unique to you.

  Sometimes I find myself opening up Blogger to type up a post and then I suddenly get bombarded with thoughts that fill me with dread, thoughts of worrying about what other people will think of me and what they'll say about what I wrote. Or on Instagram and my socials, I find myself shying away from leaving comments on people's posts because I get nervous with the thought of striking up a conversation with them. One funny thing I've noticed about having a lack of confidence is that you crave HAVING confidence. I find myself getting envious of girls around me who fearlessly say what they want to say and post pictures without makeup on or with a bold outfit. I've come to the point now where I'm just tired of imagining what it would be like to be confident, I'm ready to start being confident now. I know that confidence doesn't come with the snap of a finger, it takes some time and effort before you become fully confident in yourself. But, I'm not going to let doubtful thoughts keep me from being happy about who I am, better yet, proud of myself for being unique and not the same as everyone else. 

   Onto the challenge, well, it's exactly what it says it is. It's a challenge to boost your confidence. I challenge myself (and you!) to be more confident. How? Try doing that one thing you've always been scared of doing because you were worried about what others would think. Ever wanted to cover a song on YouTube? Do it! What's stopping you? Or, talk to that one person at school or even your neighbor? Go on and say hello. What's the worst that could happen? They'll become your friend or even say hi back? Struggling with confidence is a decision we make! We need to choose to be confident and happy with ourselves. Try doing three things (before the end of September) that you've always been scared of doing and tell me about it later in the comments. As for me, I have three specific challenges for myself that I will type below so you guys can hold me accountable:

 1. A YouTube video (song cover, vlog, etc.)
 2. A live chat on my Instagram 
     (its @denimandtea if you want to join in on the live, also I'd love if you guys could comment               any questions about stuff you'd like to know about me, as I plan on doing a q&a for the live)
 3. Collaborate with other bloggers
     (If you're a blogger and would like to collaborate with me, head over to mycontact page and shoot       me an email, I'd be more than happy to check out what you'd like to collab on )


So, I've made my challenge. What about you? Will you take a part in this challenge? Even if you don't think you can do three, try just one thing and see how you feel. We can do this guys! Confidence is a decision we must make for ourselves, and change happens when we allow room for it! So, to make this challenge more legitimate, I'll be creating a hashtag that you guys can use on your various socials so I can check out the ways that you're exercising confidence. 

                                         Here it is: #TheConfidenceChallengeByDT 
I hope you guys take a part in my challenge, I promise you'll feel better after breaking out of your                                         shell a bit and letting your true self shine through. 


                                                        .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .


Do you struggle with having confidence? Or if you've already overcome that, how did you gain confidence? Are you exercising confidence right now? What are some ways that you've used to grow confidence? Tell me about it in the comments below, I love to hear from you guys! 

ways to be productive this summer (without working too hard)

July 20, 2017




           Is it just me or does the "magical" feeling of summer kind of wear off after a few weeks?
For me, being unproductive for even a few days just leaves me feeling bleh. Have you been looking for ways to be productive that don't require 'too' much work? Well, you're in the right place. Today, I'll be showing you some things that I've been doing this summer that have helped me to be productive.


                                    1. Learn A New Language

You're probably thinking, "Sarah, NO one has time to learn a new language, it takes too much work!"
Want to know a little secret? There really isn't much work in learning a new language! To learn a new language all you need is a listening ear, a phone or computer, and motivation. That's it! Don't let your fear or doubt about learning a new language hinder you from experiencing something that will pose as a great benefit to you!

Before you start learning how to speak a language, focus on learning that language's alphabet. Don't stress yourself out by watching YouTube videos of people speaking fluently in French, Korean, Spanish, etc. If you search up for example, 'Korean alphabet' on Google, it'll probably bring up an image of the whole Korean alphabet. Save that image to your computer and start writing down the letters down over and over till you start recognizing the letters. It doesn't even have to take that much time, you can spend a few minutes each day writing down the letters until you've got it down. Your progress depends on you, choose what works for you!

After you've got the alphabet down, you can start working on learning how to read those letters! A great resource for pronunciation of alphabets of various languages is languagepod101.com . They even have videos that teach you about customs, holidays, and terms native to the countries that those languages originate from! But, don't overwhelm yourself when you're just starting to learn. First, watch the pronunciation videos and then gradually watch the higher level videos.

 Another great interactive resource for language learning is duolingo.com ! They have a website and app that turns language learning into a game (an enjoyable game, of course). They have a large variety of languages on there, so definitely check out their website!

 For more advanced language learners, you can find YouTubers who speak the language you want to learn fluently. By watching people who are immersed in the culture and life of the countries that speak the language you want to learn, you will pick up that language a lot more quickly. Hopefully, this inspires you to learn a new language this summer!


                                      2. Blogging/YouTubing

  YouTubeing and blogging are great ways to channel your creativity and be productive this summer! A lot of people write about how both outlets are difficult to take care of and are take lots of work to maintain. Honestly, they aren't (to a certain extent). To do either of those things, all you have to do is sign up for an account and start uploading content. Many people have different ways of YouTubing and blogging, but you don't need to do what other people do! Do you! If you like knitting, blog or vlog about knitting. Passionate about candy? Blog or vlog about candy! There are no rules to blogging and vlogging about what you like. 

 (If you'd like to see a post or video about how I blog and/or vlog, let me know in the comments below! )

                           3. Learning A New Instrument

   I'm learning to play the ukulele right now, and it has been an awesome experience so far. There are so many free resources out there for learning instruments, (if you're learning to play a classical instrument, I highly recommend you considering having a professional teach you) especially guitar, ukulele, piano and etc. If you're thinking about learning a new instrument, I recommend that you start out with something easy first. The ukulele is great for beginning music artists. A great (free!) learning resource for ukulele is The Ukulele Teacher. He has a YouTube channel that's full of great videos for learning the ukulele! Of course, there are many other instruments besides the ukulele, explore and find what you like!


                                                       4. Exercise 

   Exercise isn't always about lifting super heavy weights and running a lot of miles a day, it can be simple and fun if you make an effort to find a routine that works for you. Personally, I love going on Pinterest and searching for routines centered on certain muscle groups; such as the abs, legs, arms and back. Most of the routines I find don't even require dumbbells or equipment. YouTube has some great exercise videos for beginners that I like to use sometimes. I highly recommend Blogilates. Her workouts are great and are mostly under 15 minutes. There are also lots of great free apps for exercising too! If you're into portion controlling and calorie counting, there are LOTS of free apps that are great for logging down your calories for the day. I personally don't do calorie counting, I just try to eat healthy and in moderation as often as I can. There are many types of ways to get your exercise in each day, find what challenges and benefits you! Your body is different from your friends and those around you, make sure you listen to and take good care of it! 
                           5.Podcasts, Audiobooks, & Life  
               Improvement Books 

  As a teen, I find myself always focusing my reading on fiction (sci-fi to be exact *coughs guiltily* ). Though recreational reading is great from time to time, it shouldn't be the only type of reading we do.  Lately, I've been discovering some great podcasts and biographies! One great podcast is The Lavendaire Lifestyle, it's all about life improvement and redesigning your life the way you want it to be. The podcast branches from a YouTube channel called Lavendaire that I also recommend checking out! The thing that's pretty awesome about podcasts and audiobooks is that you can listen to them anywhere no matter what you're doing! You can listen to it while taking a bath, doing chores or school, or doing basically whatever! If you have a summer reading list from school, you can knock out a few of those books by listening to them! A few great resources for audiobooks are your local library or Audiobooks.com.



   Thats a wrap! What about you? Have you been finding ways to be productive this summer? Have you tried any of the above ideas already? How's your summer been going? Comment below! I love to hear from y'all!

               


june favorites (and july goals)

July 03, 2017



Wow, June went by so quickly and it's July already!? Gosh, I'm still trying to catch up with this busy year that seems to be flying at high speed. Here are some products/shows/music/etc I used that really helped me to keep my cool last month! 



The first product in this category will be this Trader's Joe's Mango Body Butter. 









Oh my goodness. This stuff right here is AHMAZING!!! When I first used it, I was so surprised by how thick the lotion was! A little definitely goes a long way and the scent is soooo nice. 
I noticed a considerable difference in my skin after putting it on for a few days in a row. I definitely recommend this product 10/10!

(Link to purchase: https://www.traderjoes.com/fearless-flyer/article/3055 ) 



      My next favorite beauty item is this chapstick.





One of my family members gave this to me and it 
so awesome! It's pretty much scentless, but it is so smooth when it goes on your lip. Personally, I strongly dislike scented and flavored lip products. This 
chapstick is perfect for people like me who just want a high quality, plain chapstick. You will notice a 
difference almost immediately after using this chapstick. The brand is Cowshed and I believe you 
can order this chapstick on their website. 


(Here's the link to purchase: https://www.cowshed.com/lippy-cow-natural-lip-balm-12-ml.html#.WVsNdpa_6o0.mailto ) 


Last in this category is this bb cream cushion foundation. 


Though I got this a while ago, I still really love it and it 
has lasted for such a long time! The coverage is great for everyday makeup and applying it is so easy with the given applicator sponge. It literally only takes me a few minutes for me to put this on.
 This product is 
great for people with busy schedules who don't have a lot of time to get ready in the morning! 
(Here's a link to where you can buy it:  
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GJ9G216/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_5QWwzbZFRBCM5 ) 
Ok, so Trader Joe's takes the stage again. My mom 
bought this amazing protein powder for us to share 
that just tastes so great after working out. It's not too sweet or overly bitter from the cocoa powder and it's great for adding to shakes as well. 




( link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXVUYVE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RYWwzbN2A8Z18) 





The only stuff I've really been watching consistently are K-dramas (Korean dramas). As mentioned before
,I'm learning Korean right now and music along with these shows have helped me tremendously in learning modern Korean language and lifestyle. Here's a list of my fave shows (that I have just finished, sadly):  


(THE FOLLOWING SHOW TITLE IMAGES DO NOT BELONG TO ME) 

( Reply 1988) 


(Strong Woman Do Bong Soon) 
(Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo) 

(My Father Is Strange) 

                                          • • • • • 

Ok, the next thing isn't really a show. It's a tv service called Viki. (The follwoing image does not belong to me). 

The app is free on the App Store ( I believe they also have an Android app as well)  and you can watch all the latest Korean shows for free! There is a subscription option, but I haven't purchased it. You can watch a LOT of stuff without the subscription. In fact, I watched all the shows mentioned above through this app (without the subscription). Don't worry, it's not a sham app and many people around the world watch all types of Asian dramas through this service. Also, all the shows are captioned in many different languages (including English) so you won't have to sit on the couch and scratch your head trying to understand what the characters are saying. 


                         R a n d o m


The first in this list are You Tubers I've found that are absolutely amazing! 
I've found myself being more attracted to watching YouTubers who focus on productivity and life improvement rather than those who make frivolous videos that don't really benefit me in any way. 

Here's a list of my current favorites: 


ways to study: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtVZ0eAO-nQgY-00ZYruJbg


studyign: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7TV5acMx_3Mzsdbts93liA

krist yu: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4SV3mvnHRNJJqv5abvZzfg

whitney bae (an American young adult living in Seoul, South Korea! ): https://www.youtube.com/user/whitneyiskorean

stellaire (jordon clark): https://www.youtube.com/user/xoStellaire

                                        • • • • • 

                        J u l y   G o a l s



    Make a Day In The Life vlog on my You Tube channel. 
  2. Find a blog design that I really like. I'm a bit disappointed in how the blog looks right now. (I might change my blog platform to Wix or Weebly, not sure yet. The blog design options are a lot more extensive on those two platforms).
  3. Try writing for NaNoWriMo. 
  4. Start reading more books! I might set a number of books I have to read each month. Maybe at least three?
  5. Start being more active on my social medias. Gonna start "living" on Instagram soon, definitely gonna try to tweet more often. 

Phew, what a LONG post. I hope you all enjoyed it! Hopefully you'll be able to try/watch/listen to some of the favorites I mentioned. As for me, I will try to fulfill those goals for July as best as I can. Until next time, shalom to you! 
-Sarah 





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cloudy days...

May 10, 2017

I look outside to see,

the clouds crying endlessly.

The trees bend to and fro,

and the animals have failed to show.

A once blue sky now gray,

the children cannot play.



The sky pours forth it's anger,

with bolts of yellow thunder.

All the while, I am covered,

in my warm blanket am I under.

When the weeping of the sky has ceased,

I tiptoe softly to the window again and see,



The sky blue once again,

the children playing with their friends.

The clouds white again, like fleece,

the birds chirping in the trees.


(random poetry that came to me today :)

shalom,
  Sarah



It's May! (And April Memories)

May 04, 2017












Hi guys!
I promise I'm not dead. I've just been taking a wee break from the blogging world.
So sorry to leave without warning, but time away from blogging has really given me a chance  to think about the purpose of this blog and what I should do on here. As you might already know, I haven't really categorized this blog into a specific subject or area of interest. I think of it as more of a place where I can write down ideas, express myself, and just BE myself. (If there's anything y'all would like to see on here, please let me know! I would love to have your feedback :).


                                                          -   What Happened In April   -
                         

I've just discovered  how much I  really love YouTube. I especially love aesthetic and minimal Youtubers. (Krist Yu, Mimi B, Marla Catherine, etc.)  I've been thinking over the past few months if I'd like to focus more of my time on YouTube than on my blog, but I haven't really made a decision yet (maybe I could consistently do both?).

Anyway, April went like a complete whirlwind for me. I have an exam coming up next week which I feel a bit nervous about, but I'm not toooooo stressed about it.

                         
                                                   (Yeah, right. I am totally STRESSED)
                 
                                                                     
this month has been a bit uneventful for me. I did have the chance to volunteer with my homeschool group for Earth Day! Our stand was for an organization that takes your old shoes and recycles them so that they don't end up in the land fill. Cool huh? Bleh, I'm nerding out here ( but on a side note, the earth is lovely and we should keep it that way!).So, that was really the highlight of my month. I'm hoping to do more volunteer work like that in the future. :)


Umm, I didnt do any blogging at all in April. Yes, I'm terrible at blogging. I'll admit it. I'm hoping to be more active this month though, (the problem is that I'd don't know what to post on here that will interest you all 😬😬😬😬).

         
                                                         ⋅ Blogging Goals For May ⋅

                                                1. BE MORE ACTIVE ON HERE! 

                                                2. Start developing ideas for YouTube.

                       3. Find a blog design I really love so that I won't keep changing it! 😂


Well, lovely people, this post is coming to an end. I assure you that there will be another post soon. I can't say when, but definitely soon! Tell me what you'd like to see more of, I really need y'all's feedback. Thanks so much for reading, have a great day!


                                                                    - shalom, Sarah

february reminiscent '17

February 28, 2017


           
              Oh my goodness!? February is over? I'm still wondering where all the time went.....

                  
(Eheheh, I've literally been a couch potato this whole month. I've only been productive  in writing, sad sad sad) 



                                               - List Of  Notable Things Done This Month -

1. Well, I started this blog this month! That's definitely something to reminisce on, I hope to write on here for years to come 💛.
2. I went to the zoo and posted a lot of pictures from that trip on Instagram (Sorry for the zoo spam guys 😝).
3. I've made lots of new blogger friends of whom I am very thankful for! S/o to Ninette and Angela! (I'll make a page of links just for my blogger friends one of these days...)
4. I've written about 1,000+ words in my story. Gosh, I really need to make a schedule for my story writing 😂.
5. I made a YouTube video of my Gatlinburg, Tennessee trip!


Well, those are the things I accomplished and did this month that seemed notable to me! Thanks for joining me on my new blogging journey guys! You're the best!
Much love, Sarah xoxo

writing inspiration for when your creative juices are running low

February 23, 2017


As a writer, I've come across a lot of hardships. Mostly caused by writer's block (worst thing in the world guys). It's terrible, like you know you have the ability to write, but you have absolutely no inspiration or ideas at all!!


   
  (why is this gif so relatable???? it's depressing, really )


Well, along my writing journey, I've discovered ways to kiss writer's block goodbye. (Of which I will share all of these methods with you today my friends. )



GUYS!!!! Music is by far one of the most inspiring things ever! It can cause you to feel emotions and explore the whole world without even leaving your comfortable position on the couch!

   


For example, Spotify has a lot of great free instrumental music! I have made a playlist just for a book I'm working on right now, and let me tell you, the music helps tremendously. It helps me to focus and really feel the vibe of what I'm writing.


          
                     



Here's a link to a playlist I curated (not for a specific book) but just to help me focus on school and all my writing in general :)




                   



This one is by far one of my most favorite ways to find inspiration for writing! 
 Basically, if you search for 'character' or 'writing' inspiration on Pinterest, you will get an emormous dump of writing ideas! It helps to have a visual for what you're writing. I find that when I see an image that has a person or landscape that is similar to my story, it helps me to illustrate that character or scene better.


                                           
Yeah, that's right! Other books! For this you'll need to figure out what type of genre your story is in. Are you writing a book that's sci-fi? Or YA action? Or medieval? 
Once you've figured that out, read other books that are in the same genre as the book you're writing.
You can get so many ideas from books that are similar to yours (just make sure you're not copying scenes or passages from other books! :) 
Last, but not least, movies and shows! Talk about a visual. Movies and shows serve as great inspiration since they have breathing, moving, and talking characters! Not only do they serve as great inspiration for characters, but also for landscape and book setting. 





Well, those are the methods I use most often to trigger inspiration for writing. Have you ever used any of these methods to find inspiration for writing?  Do you have any other ways that you use to inspire writing? Are you a writer? Do you find music a great way to focus in general? Are there any shows, books or movies you enjoy particularly? Rant about it below!