The Elements of Storytelling

(Warning: Some explicit language)
Storytelling is a complex craft, but this TED Talk by Andrew Stanton is inspiring. These elements are not always easy to create or find in stories, but they are worth it.
As I write stories, I try to keep these elements in mind, and I admire these elements in some of my favorite books, movies, TV shows and video games.

Something I made to reflect a thought. 

Tumblr post here: 

http://summonerserahheart.tumblr.com/post/118785071258/things-change-once-you-decide-to-be-the-hero-of

Starlight Playlist

Sometimes music helps you write when you're stuck with writer's block. I decided to make a playlist of my own to reflect the thoughts of my characters and the over all atmosphere of the story. Some songs come from my main characters, and others reflect the tone of the story and the thoughts of secondary characters.

What songs do you listen to when you write? Have you found songs that fit your characters, story or plot?

Frozen: A movie review: spoiler free

When I first saw the trailer for Frozen, I was very confused. It showed a snow man and a reindeer, and didn't explain anything. At the time I knew that rumors of a Snow Queen based Disney movie were going around, so I knew that this trailer was advertising that movie. The trailer was misleading. 

Finally they released a trailer about the story, and I was intrigued. The story was epic and the characters were charming. So I began to count down the days.

First: the music is amazing! The first song gave me chills, and the lyrics brought back the Disney magic of the 90s Renaissance movies. 

Second: the art is gorgeous. It's almost like a painting in some scenes. It reflected the beauty of Norway, from what I've seen of it at Epcot and in pictures. 

Third: the story is phenomenal. Its complexity adds to its charm. The serious and lighthearted scenes complement each other, and the story is refreshing and original. 

I recommend this movie to everyone. It has a great story and a playful spirit. 

  

The Legend of Korra and Avatar the Last Airbender: A refection on tropes, idioms and the hero's journey

WARNING: DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE SEASON 2 FINALE OF LEGEND OF KORRA!

I finished the Legend of Korra season 2, and saw much debate over whether or not Korra had improved by the end of the season. So I thought back to Aang's journey in Avatar the Last Airbender and picked out the internal and external conflicts that he faced. Korra's inner conflicts, although very different from Aang's, are addressed symbolically as well. Once I realized that my reason for not liking Korra as a character was because I compared her to Aang all the time, I decided to reflect on the two character's stories and discovered that although they are very different, Aang and Korra face similar hero tropes and solve them based on similar motivations. Both must accept and acknowledge who they are. 

We began our interest in the world of the four elements through Aang, the last airbender.

This story began with conflict, and the ever important theme of hope. 

Aang was the archetype of the orphan. No family, no nation even, and a mountain of guilt followed him for running away, just before the fire nation attacked and wiped out the airbenders. 

Needless to say, Aang's story was a powerful one. As the only person who could bend the four elements, Aang literally had the entire world on his shoulders. And his return as the Avatar is not just the return of Airbenders, but the beacon of hope that the world will not be eclipsed by the greed and power of the fire nation. 

So Aang begins his story as the underdog, not able to use all the elements equally, and constantly running from the fire nation. We immediately attach to his loss, his guilt and his confusion with the world around him. He was gone for a hundred years, and his disappearance has put the world out of balance. 

But just as any hero story begins, there is not only external conflict, but internal conflict as well. This internal conflict for Aang was reflected in his proficiency with the other three elements. Aang was able to bend air, because he grew up with airbenders, but the other elements were attached to other elements of himself that he was not able to connect with as easily. 

Air was the peaceful and fun side of Aang. He was able to float through life without a care on most occasions. Water was not too difficult to adapt to, because he was able to relate to the patient and accepting side of the water benders. He had to accept sacrifice, and he had to learn the importance of his task as the avatar to bring balance to the world. Earth was a very difficult element for Aang to use. He wasn't used to facing things head on, and had run from his destiny long before the war. Earth was a challenge because it showed a different side to Aang that he didn't want to accept. He didn't enjoy being harsh, and he was always trying to find peaceful solutions to problems. The most difficult element for Aang to accept was fire. There was a lot of baggage he carried about the destruction of his people, the enemy he had to face, and his own guilt at using fire carelessly. And this element presented a new problem that he didn't want to accept. The element of fire was a part of Aang's identity. So the elements were symbolic of Aang's journey from an orphan into a hero. 

His most difficult struggle was the pressure to kill the fire lord. But in the end, Aang was able to make his own decision, and do what he believed was right. He took the fire lord's power away, and by doing that, saved the nations and stayed true to who he was. By the end of Aang's story, he becomes the savior by facing his inner conflicts and accepting who he was.

He becomes friends with his enemy, Zuko, and together, they rebuild the nations and the world, establishing peace. 

So our journey with Aang is a coming of age story, and each main character in the show Avatar the Last Airbender is fleshed out and important to the plot. It was a phenomenal story, with the tropes of good versus evil and the introduction to a new and well constructed story world. 

We leave Aang, and discover that many years have passed since his defeat of the fire lord, and we are introduced to Korra, the new Avatar. 

Korra is very different from Aang. For one, she's not an orphan at all. Instead, Korra is the rebel. 

She is well trained in three elements, and has no problem using them. But she can't bend air, because she doesn't accept that part of her identity. She is not intuitive and repeatedly acts on impulse. Her character is more headstrong, stubborn and less accepting. Her inner conflict is one of self identity, as well as adapting to change. Thanks to technology, benders are not more powerful than non benders. So Korra's inability to bend air reflects her inability to know who she is, and to adapt to change. 

Even with a mentor, Korra's rebellion gets worse, and her impatience, ruthlessness and carelessness have dire consequences. She loses the support of the people, and cannot connect with the past avatars directly.  

She only achieves inner knowing once all her external elements are lost. Only when it becomes a last resort, does Korra learn to connect with her destiny as the avatar. 

But her journey to self identity is not over. There is a new threat, directly tied to Korra's inner struggle. The spirits, which represent the intangible side of Korra, are becoming dark and attacking the physical world. Up to this point Korra has been able to avoid the spiritual side of herself, and only tap into it when it is necessary. But now, she has no choice. She must learn from the past, and change her attitude about the world in order to save it from destruction. She begins by abandoning her mentor, more comfortable with the direct solution presented in front of her. Her choice causes her to unknowingly help her enemy and doom the world to darkness. 

Her journey takes a dramatic shift when she loses her memory. Left with nothing but who she is, Korra is once again able to connect with the past avatars and learn the story of the avatar's creation. This new knowledge gives Korra the ability to listen to her intuition. And the conflict of good versus evil is presented in both physical and spiritual form. Korra once again tries to be direct, but she fails when everything is taken from her. Her only hope now is herself. Her identity. By the end of Korra's story so far, she defeats the darkness by discovering the light within herself. She no longer feels burdened by the accomplishments of the past avatars. She stops comparing herself to Aang, and makes a decision on her own. Korra has finally grown from a rebellious teenager into a powerful and self aware hero. She defeats the darkness by her own means, and chooses to leave the spirit world and physical world connected, symbolizing the balance that Korra has made with the physical and spiritual parts of herself. 

The epic symbols, tropes and emotional arcs of these stories reflect timeless tales around the world. The hero doesn't start out as a hero, they grow as a hero by facing their inner conflicts and discovering a reason to save the world. Korra and Aang go on very different journeys, but both achieve balance within to save the world in the end. 

The Swan's curse

She saw her reflection in the water, and she could still hear the wicked laughter of the sorcerer who imprisoned her there. Odette, once a princess, was now a swan. She didn't know if any of her family survived, or if the prince she came to love would ever find her. It was a cruel curse, but when was there ever a generous one? Would he remember her? Or would she slowly fade from his mind, replaced by a new princess. She could only wish night after night that he would find her, or even believe that she was still somewhere in the world searching for him.

Although she had to wait, she did go on adventures. She learned to fly, soaring over the lake. She would be human again, only for the course of one night under the full moon. There wasn't enough time for her to escape on foot. 

She made friends by the lake, and she told them stories. She asked them to help her find the prince. She ventured to the forest, terrified that the sorcerer would find and kill her. But she had a dream. She had a wish. Nothing could stop her from following her heart, and nothing could convince her that she would stay a swan forever. 

Of course she had her doubts. The castle was far, and the lake was miles from it, with a towering waterfall standing between her prison and the world. She knew that the world wouldn't break her curse. She would have to find the cure on her own. So she sang. She told stories, and each day she ventured further from her prison, and closer to the castle. As she flew, she became stronger. She could fly further from the lake, and need less time to rest her wings. 

And so, day by day, night by night, Odette searched for the prince. With each story she grew stronger, and with each journey she drew closer to her destiny. But she could not have done so without hopes and dreams. 

The Celestial Bridge

The Water Goddess watched the bridge from her garden. Soah, the Water God's bride knew this bridge well. When she first crossed it, she was a human afraid that she would soon face death. Now she stood tall in divine robes, watching the mist that carried the incense of the temple's offerings. 

Sometimes she looked down at the water and whispered her family's name, watching them live their lives, proud of her sacrifice. Time was not as fast in the Celestial realm. Soah knew that her husband Haebeck wouldn't understand that it was hard to leave humanity. He had always been immortal, not caring or worrying about time. But Soah remembered rushing to the market for early deals, hurrying home before the night came or counting the seconds before it was dinner time. 

The palace was beautiful, but now and then Soah would miss her life as a normal human. Although she loved the Water God dearly, there was much to learn about becoming an immortal. She remembered stories about humans wanting to become divine. Never would she have guessed that one day she would go on that journey. 

It was times like this, with a hazy fog and beautiful lotus flowers, that Soah knew the price for divinity. Haebeck would remind her of her decision once he returned. They would sail on the Milky Way, visit the moon and journey beyond the sea of clouds and rain. She would meet more gods, and learn who to trust and who to be wary of. She would hear humans, especially from her village, asking for blessings.  

For now, Soah would watch the world from her garden, wishing Haebeck to return safely. 

The Second Canoe Adventure

Yesterday my parents and I went out for a canoe trip. We went to Rampart Lake, and I realized we hadn't been there since the fire that started near the park last year. We also had Haley at the time, and it was her first canoe ride. 

The weather was fair, and a little cloudy. Traffic on the way wasn't too bad, but when we got there, we discovered that the boat ramp was closed, and the ticket taker told my Dad that we'd have to walk the canoe down to the lake. It didn't seem to be an issue until we arrived at the very crowded parking lot and discovered that the lake was visible from a fairly steep hill and a small hiking trail. Dad parked the car and got out, walking around while Mom and I tried to calm Dingo from the car ride. He returned, telling us that the walk with the canoe was doable, and we did have wheels to help us out. We untied the canoe, strapped to our new Subaru, and fixed from one slip incident on the dirt road, and prepared to make the hike down to the lake. Did I mention it was a narrow hiking trail? We got down the sandy part okay, but then tree roots were stiking out as we got closer to the water. once we reached a tree, with a long trunk stuck in the ground in front of us, the wheels stopped working, and we were portaging a step slippery root maze with a steep, small hill waiting for us. Mom and I had the back of the canoe, while Dad held up the front. Dingo was in the car, just waiting for us to come back and get him. Once we reached those roots, Mom made a noise and I looked up, shocked to see her tumbling down the hill. While both Dad and I asked if she was okay, and the people fishing, who by now probably knew we were crazy for doing this, stared at us, Mom burst out laughing, and appeared to be okay, saying that she knew how to fall. 

Once the excitement was over, Mom went back to the car to get Dingo, and Dad went back to the car to get all the canoe gear and our picnic snacks. 

I have to admit it was a lovely sight, not many boats were on the water, and a nice breeze was blowing subtly through the air. I looked over while Mom and Dad were gone to see a family of five with an inflatable raft, and I couldn't help laughing, realizing how that must have been easy compared to what we just did. But I guess that just meant we were stubborn Goldens. 

Once everything was ready, we shoved off and began our voyage through the lake. Some of the National Forest had burned since our last visit, and one particular hill had green trees on one side, and  burnt wood on the other. The trees were like stick drawings placed on a sky blue background. 

It was nice and peaceful, with barely anyone on the lake, and most of the people were finishing. As we went to the other side of the lake, we stopped, took a snack break and Mom and I took pictures of flowers. Once we got back to the water, is was sprinkling. Not too far from our picnic spot, we discovered a lake, with a bright orange bobber shining in the sunlight. Naturally, we had to explore that, and I suggested we claim it, which Dingo did, and Mom named it Bobber Island. 

We stayed on Bobber Island for a little while, taking more flower pictures and chatting, then we headed out to go to the other side of the lake, where we saw bicyclists, and one even said hi. We also saw a couple with a dog, who threw a stick for the dog to catch, and the dog stared right at us as if to say, "You're already on the water. You can get that for me."

Once the sky darkened with clouds, it was time for the other adventure: getting the canoe out of the water. 

By the time we arrived, we noticed that our "boat ramp" was taken. A blue chair with a fishing pole was right in our way, so we went out and around to find a better option. Only a rock covered shore with big steep steps seemed to be a possibility, so we went back to the clearly unhappy fishers and apologized as we attempted to bring the canoe in to shore. They complained for awhile, but we were busy, taking everything  out of the boat, including the dog, and getting ready for the hike uphill, carrying a canoe. The hike up hill was much more successful than the hike downhill, and by the time we finished, the canoe was next to the car, ready to be lifted back on it, and thunder echoed through the air. It looked like we packed up just in time.

While we lifted the canoe on the top of the car, we saw all the people fishing, including the ones we had disturbed, head for the cars, pack up and drive off. 

All in all it was a successful day, and we spent more time on the lake than the last time we tried to attempt a canoe trip. 

But this is just my side of the story :)

Here's Dad's: http://www.cosmicconservative.com/weblog/?p=10871

Final Fantasy X/X2 trailer!

Cannot wait for this!

The Nine Tailed Wish Chapter 4: The Barbecue

The first thing I noticed was a smell. As we walked through the neighborhood, the smell became stronger. 

"My friend's burgers are the best." Dong-sun said with a smile.

Hana skipped in front of us, and finally stopped at a blue house with a brown roof. The sun was lower  in the sky, making the house look a little intimidating.

It was weird seeing a human's home up close. I had kept a safe distance from them in the past, heeding my mother's warnings and watching the humans come and go from the strange buildings.

This particular building had a tree with small flowers around it, and a swing by the front door. As we walked up the porch steps, Dong-sun rang the door bell and Hana jumped on the swing.

"Coming!" A voice from inside called. "We don't have everything ready yet." 

The door opened to reveal a guy around Dong-Sun's age with a spatula in one hand and the door handle in the other.

"Well hello there." He smiled at me, "Who might you be?"

"Don't start Lee-Hyung." Dong-Sun said. "We thought you might want some help before the Barbecue gets crazy."

"I think I can manage" Lee-Hyung said with a laugh. "But you still haven't introduced me to this lovely girl."

I looked at him strangely. I didn't know that humans found me lovely, or anything for that matter. It was another reminder that humans could see me now.

"Watch out for him." Dong-Sun told me, "He's a bit of a womanizer."

"Is that any way to introduce your friend?" Lee- Hyung said with a frown. "I just know when to appreciate the sight of a pretty girl."

"Like I said," Dong-Sun laughed and led Hana to the door, pushing me in front of him.

"The burgers are out back." Lee-Hyung said as Hana went to the backyard. "Would you like some drinks?"

I wasn't familiar with this situation, and it suddenly dawned on me that I had entered a human's home.  Seeing one from the inside for the first time was a little shocking. My own home was a cave deep in the forest. Mother did have candles, but we slept on animal skins, and we watched the path by our home thouroughly, always worried that someone would threaten to take it. 

The human home was a very different type of burrow. There were windows for one, and a strange fenced in area in the back. While Lee-Hyung brought us glasses of water, he showed me a strange box between a lamp and an armchair.

"You can watch some T.V. while I finish getting everything ready." he said. 

I stared at the box, and waited for something to happen while Dong-Sun went out another door. Eventually I got bored and followed.

"Nothing exciting on?" Lee-Hyung asked me as I walked over to the table and watched Dong-Sun grill the burgers. 

They were made of meat. I was sure of it. But I had never seen meat like this before.

"Have you ever had a hamburger?" Dong-Sun asked me. I shook my head. 

Lee-Hyung set up big bottles of yellow and red around a stack of what appeared to be plates made of paper. I had seen humans eat on plates before, but these were floppy when I picked one up. 

The doorbell rang and Lee-Hyung went to answer it. Hana was blowing bubbles again while twirling in a circle. I watched her giggle, and smiled.

"I was't kidding about Lee-Hyung." Dong-Sun said, sitting beside me, "He really likes to flirt."

"Flirt?" I asked. I wasn't sure I knew what the word meant.

"You mean you didn't notice?" He asked. "That might be a good thing."

As the sun slipped further away from the sky, more humans arrived and soon it was what Dong-Sun called a "party." 

Hana grabbed a hamburger first and I watched her prepare it. I tried to mimick her but I wasn't sure what all the extra stuff was for the meal. 

"These are good with hamburgers." Dong-Sun said as he handed me some thin crunchy potatoes.

I tried them, and he was right. They were surprisingly good with the meat. 

As everybody gathered around the table, Dong-Sun introduced me to a few other humans. One, a girl with a blue dress like mine was named Yu-Na. She talked to me throughout most of the meal, and I smiled and nodded, listening to as much as I could understand.

"I've never seen you around here before." Yu-Na said. 

"I'm new." I said, continuing to pretend I was a normal human. 

I looked over at Hana who was laughing with Dong-Sun and wondered what it was like to live this way. Instead of a burrow, I would have a building. I would prepare food the way humans did and sit outside, watching the sun set.

"Do you know about Dong-Sun?" Yu-Na asked.

I looked at her, unsure of the question. 

"You know that Hana and Dong-Sun live across the street right?" Yu-Na said. "We haven't seen their parents in a while. I think they went on vacation. It's probably difficult for him to take care of Hana huh?'

I watched Hana and Dong-Sun while Lee-Hyung brought a piece of food called cake toward me.

"I thought you should have the first piece." Lee-Hyung said as he handed me the plate and a fork to try the strange food with.

I took a bite, not really liking the taste. It was too sweet, and not made of meat. I hid my disgust with my hand, smiled and said, "Thanks."

As the Barbecue came to a close, Dong-Sun and Hana stayed behind to clean up. I helped clean the tables and pack up the "leftovers". It was another strange thing about humans that I didn't understand. How did they keep their food from going bad the next day?

I watched Lee-Hyung put the packed food in a white box with a giant door. The air was cold when he opened it. 

"Thanks for helping out." Lee-Hyung  said as Hana, Dong-Sun and I stood at the front door. 

"Stay out of trouble."Dong-Sun told him. Hana giggled and ran across the street.

Dong-Sun turned to me. "Do you live around here?"

I nodded.

"I can walk you home."

"Thank you." I told him, "but it's not far from here."

He scratched the back of his head. "Ok then. It was nice meeting you."

"Come again tomorrow!" Hana said as she stood on their front porch. 

"It was nice meeting you too." I said with a smile. I waved as Dong-Sun walked to his house and waited until he shut the door.

Once I was sure he was gone, I raced toward the park and found a nice tree to curl up next to for the night. My first day as a human was over, and with the remaining nine months ahead of me, I was both excited and nervous at the idea of actually becoming a part of the human world.

Tips for Writer's or Story Block

Just some tips when you're stuck in writing:

(taken from many books, blogs and quotes about writing)

Take a picture: sometimes a change of scene is all you need

Make a playlist: one for a character or story

Write in a different point of view: what's really going on in his/her head?

Take a break: go for a walk, run a quick errand

Reread your writing: sometimes rereading helps me get back on track

Ask questions, and then answer them

Just scribble- until the story flows again

Research- anything that has to do with your story or character

Read a book- always a great source of inspiration

Avoid it for a while- if you can, come back to it later

(Because I'm stuck right now, and I'm doing each of these until something happens)

Dreams and Wishes

She read everyday, anywhere that she could find. By her favorite tree, in the garden, near the swan pond, and, of course, in her own reading nook on the second floor. It was a special place, where she could escape anything unpleasant that reality often shoved upon her. The stable boy often found her asleep, a book in hand while he walked to tend to the horses. Her head on her shoulder, and a fairytale book nearly falling from her hands. He would smile as he walked by, knowing full well that her governess would find her sooner or later, and in her dancing dress! Like the swan from the story, she felt trapped, and often told him so. Once, she read to him, and he loved the story. It was about a poor boy, like himself becoming a hero and saving a princess from the giant's castle. One day, he was sure, he would rescue her, and they would find a place to be free. But these were dreams, wishes and fantasies that they both clung to. Maybe if they believed in wishes, dreams and fairytales, their belief would be strong enough to set them free. 

Lake Bresha

The stationary Falcie stares at me, seeming to laugh at my situation. Ten minutes ago, the Falcie held you captive, and we got there, just in time to see you complete your focus. Serah, you're frozen in crystal now. Your fiancé is driving me up the wall, talking about becoming your hero. Who is he kidding? We're not heroes. With the entire lake glittering in crystal, time itself has stopped, and hope has faded. Serah, if only I had listened to you. 

Why? Why did the Falcie choose you? Why a Falcie from Pulse? Now there are five of us, one just a kid, branded as a pawn to the gods. Branded as an outcast, just like you. The white surrounding us feeds the blank slate of my mind. This wasn't supposed to happen! My feet move on my own, without a thought. I don't even know where I'm going. 

I was supposed to reason with the Falcie, protect you from these Cieth and the people who would abandon you. You believed in me, and I let you down. Now what can I do? If we follow this road, if I team up with this kid named Hope, and your "hero" will we be able to save you? No matter how many battles I fight. No matter what I say to Snow, I have no choice but to keep going. If your "hero" says anymore crap about destiny and being your hero, I'm going to punch him in the face. 

Haven't I known you longer than he has? Don't I have a say in what you would want? I don't know what you see in him. He's like a child, always running in trouble, believing in empty promises. Why did you choose him? How could he possibly save you? Our days are numbered. Now we only have two choices. Follow the advice you gave us, or follow the Falcie's bidding. 

How can we save Coccoon? 

I walk past a giant wall of crystal and see my reflection in the cold cruel substance. How do we get out of this? What should I do? 

Hope starts introducing himself, and we start walking away from the ships hovering over the lake's remains. We're as good as dead if they find us, but that doesn't scare me. You're gone, and without my sister, I'm nothing. One stupid fight lead to this. How is that even possible?

They're talking, but I hardly hear the words. If I could escape this, if I could find a way to bring you back, it wouldn't happen here. For some reason, they all turn to me, Snow daring to call me "sis." It's enough to make me sick. The air gets colder the more we walk on. They want me to make a decision? Am I their leader now? Fine! If I have to go through this. If I have to redeem the wrong I did, then it's best to keep moving. I start walking, Hope following behind me like you used to, when you were my little sister, and that was all that mattered. 

Before I created this shell, mirrored by the crystal statue you've become, and the towering titan of stone staring down at me, I was a good person. My goal, to protect you, and be a good sister. Now, can I go back to that version of me? Hope expects this. He stares at me like I'm the only person in the group who knows what I'm doing. Has this outer shell become so real to other people. Even Snow seems to buy it. 

So be it. I'm a Lcie now, and I going to find a way to free you from your prison. It's better than doing what the Falcie expects me to do. This vision means nothing to me, but if I can save you, if I can become your big sis again then the journey I was forced on, would be worth it. 

"Let's go" I tell them. 

Writing Prompt 51: What will your book be about?

Prompt: The book you want to write. What's going to be in it?

An epic journey.
A world with it's own mythology and religion.
A growing up tale where the characters learn and change.
A challenge between the head and heart.
Magic.
Adventure.
Philosophy.
Beauty.
Mystery.
Many important characters like Gods and Goddesses.
Two evil villians.
A lake that reflects the stars.
A desert made of moon sand.
The ultimate test of light and dark.
A history of an ongoing custom.
Forbidden uses of magic and power.
A ruby palace.
An ice wasteland.
A sapphire forest.
Magical beings called starsouls.
A faelin.
A foi.

FF 30 day challenge day 30: Has Final Fantasy made an impact on your life?

Prompt: Has Final Fantasy made an impact on your life? If so, how? If not, what do you like about the whole series itself?

Yes.
Final Fantasy has a powerful formula for story telling. I would say that the game series, particularity Final Fantasy X has inspired me to create world and tell a story by coming up with my own mythology and honoring the hero's quest. The game series has impacted me by challenging my knowledge of  mythology and learning the steps of a hero's journey.
The stories of the games are philosophical and connect with the human condition in a way that involves the creation of different worlds. The characters have human elements, and even the deities and villains show powerful symbolism that relates to epic folklore.  The pattern of a Final Fantasy story is varied, but asks the same questions: What is true purpose? What makes someone a hero?
These questions are powerful keys in storytelling.
The other characteristic of a Final Fantasy game is world building. How was this world created? How does magic work in this world? What kind of civilization thrives here? Do they have a close or distant relationship with their deity? Is there more than one world? Does time play an important factor in this environment?
And of course: character building is a crucial part of a Final Fantasy story.
How strong is this character? How do they view themselves? How do they view others? How do they act/react? Do they have a goal? What motivates them? Who matters in their life? What choices do they have to make?
Final Fantasy impacted my life by helping me understand a complex and advanced story. By exploring new worlds and following many different characters, I have learned what stories I can tell. I know what worlds I want to create, and what makes my characters heroes or villains. Final Fantasy has taught me that stories can have many layers, and characters can change depending on their history and the changes they must cope with throughout their journey.
Final Fantasy has inspired me to tell great stories.

The Future of Script Writing

So many of you know that I have been watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, and I'm fascinated with the writing behind the series.
This is no ordinary writing, with direct and immediate interaction with the audience. The characters participate in social media sites, and actual events take place in both the story and real world timeline. I wonder if this type of entertainment is the future of stories to come. I remember people talking about books going in this direction, much like the choose your own adventure titles that are still sold today. But this type of show is very different from a reality show where  people vote, or a staged, planned and solid story that fans can ask questions of the writers or characters, but it is not part of the overall storyarc. In my scriptwriting class, we all turned in a short paragraph answering the same question, "What is the future of script writing?" At the time, many of us answered with more 3 D films and we actually argued about a type of film where the viewers were the characters, and the process would be similar to a role playing video game. But even after that argument, we all agreed that the world has always loved stories about characters. This new form of story, where the characters and audience actually interact, is a new idea that blends the world's love of characters and the viewers' desire to become part of the story.
I might take the challenge to come up with a story of my own in this format.

For more about the Lizzie Bennet Diaries:

http://www.lizziebennet.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/LizzieBennet
http://lizziebennetdiaries.tumblr.com/
http://www.facebook.com/LizzieBennetDiaries

Having a modern day Pride and Prejudice is a great way to engage an audience in a story, and the future of scriptwriting may be projects as fascinating and clever as this one.

Kingdom Hearts Challenge Day 30: What Kingdom Hearts means to you

Kingdom Hearts is one of the first games I got for Play Station 2. I actually started the series by playing Chain of Memories, and even without understanding what was going on, the game was fascinating to me. There are so many conflicts: Dark vs Light, Brain vs Heart, Courage vs Fear. It's a complex story that goes deeper into the meaning and reason for emotions. What does a heart mean? Is the brain always in conflict with the heart? And so on.
Kingdom Hearts means a lot to me. Not just because it is an amazing story, but it takes you through Disney worlds and brings back childhood memories while introducing characters that you know from other Final Fantasy games. The main characters are very well created, with realistic inner conflicts and responses to philosophical tests and questions. Sora is a character who focuses on the heart, always there for others when they need him. Riku is a character of the mind, focusing on plans and questioning the world. Kairi is a mix between the two. She is a character of support and hope, always there when Sora and Riku need her. Roxas is an interesting character, curious, pensive and also brave. Namine is quiet but clever, finding ways out of the trap she's in and rescuing others from nonexistence.
The story that started it all, Birth by Sleep was a tragedy between three wanderers. Aqua, the responsible, brave and loyal keyblade master. Terra, the rebellious and brave warrior. Ventus the incomplete but kind and curious drifter. When Terra falls to darkness, the tone of the game changes. This is different than when Riku fell to darkness, allowing Maleficent to teach him how to be evil. Terra makes an active decision, even after witnessing what darkness does, and betrays his master, Erauqs, and his friends. Ventus's story is the opposite, he must confront darkness and subdue it with light. Ventus faces Vanitus, his shadow and fights to regain control of his body. Aqua must face the rift and mend it, using what strength she has left after battling Terra and protecting Ventus. All three wanderers were separated and lost the ultimate battle to darkness.
Each Kingdom Hearts story is a clever allegory about the human condition. Roxas asks the very common, "Who am I?" and "What is my purpose?". Sora looks for hope, wherever he can find it, even with his world destroyed and friends scattered. Ventus must battle his shadow, common in the hero's quest and many other stories.
Kingdom Hearts is a powerful collection of epic and human stories. It is the infinite battle of Good versus Evil, and the human condition of purpose and meaning. It is a philosophical story disguised as an epic journey, involving the characters from childhood memories and the warriors of Final Fantasy stories today. It's a story that means a lot to me, and with each new game, I discover something new about fears and dreams.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey: A Review

I have loved the Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien since I can remember. My Dad used to read the book to me, and I looked forward to every chapter. It's one of my favorite books.
I was surprised to discover that it would be made, not just into one movie, but three. And I was surprised to see many events and characters that were not in the book at all.
The movie doesn't start like the book does, but I found the opening more plausible than the book opening. Some of the dialogue and the songs come directly from the book. I was surprised that they used "That's What Bilbo Baggins Hates", but my favorite song is "The Misty Mountains" sung by the Dwarves. I remember hearing that in trailer, and it was so powerful that I got goosebumps.
I decided to read the book up until the point I thought they would end the film, but many scenes focused on what Gandalf was up to when he mysteriously disappeared and the Dwarves and Bilbo were in peril before he would show up again and save them just in time. 
I found that Thorin of Oakenshield was more noble in the movie than in the book. He doesn't arrive, piled on by four dwarves.
One of my favorite parts of the Hobbit is the chapter where Bilbo meets Gollum and finds the ring. I had a discussion in my literature class of how Gollum's character in The Hobbit is more scary than his character in The Lord of the Rings. I was really impressed by that scene in the movie, because it had the same feel to me as that chapter. It was entertaining, and creepy at the same time.
I have heard mixed reactions to the new scenes and characters. Some people like the new story line of Gandalf, and others want the movie to be just like the book. I personally found that it was well balanced. It answered questions that my class went on for hours about, and it still had the lighthearted and series feel that the book had. An epic adventure with powerful and important events that will change the main character. Bilbo did change, faster than in the book, but I liked that change as well, because it concluded his inner conflict in the first film.
All in all this movie was excellent. It's a step back in Tolkien's world and had the nostalgic feel of childhood. I rate it five out of five glowing blue swords.

Misty Mountain Song:

Kingdom Hearts Challenge Day 2: Favorite Character

Roxas

Roxas went through a quest of self discovery and had to make some difficult decisions to finally understand who he was and what he was capable of. I could relate to the isolation he felt from everyone else, always questioning everything and trying to find somewhere he belonged. He approached his situation in a way I recognized, and I found that it was easier to sympathize with him than with Sora.  His personality was so different from everyone he knew, the organization and his friends in twilight town. He always felt distanced from them, and when he finally decides who he wants to be, he doesn't look back and faces the challenge head on. In many ways, I feel like Roxas is the emotional hero of Kingdom Hearts. His persistence and kindness kept him going when everything fell apart, and he accepted the fate he chose in order to finally learn who he was. This is a powerful story, and I learned a lot from his story. 

Writing Prompt: 43 Life changing books

Prompt: Name any life changing books you've read


One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

This book began my fascination with rhyme. I wrote poem after poem once I could learn how, because I loved the way the words sounded.

The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

My Dad used to read this to me when I was a kid. I was always curious what would happen next and looked forward to story time. In fact, it's probably this book, and my Dad's reading it that inspired me to become a writer.


The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis:

This was the first book series that I couldn't put down, and it inspired me to come up with stories on my own. Stepping into that world motivated me to create many worlds of my own.


The Time Quartet by Madeline L'engle:

This book series was more of a step toward courage. At the time I was very young, and afraid to move to a new place. These books gave me the courage to make that decision and do the best I could to make the best of any situation.

Salior Moon by Naoko Takeuchi

This series got me interested in mythology. The complex story lines, classic light versus dark and good versus evil motifs always fascinated me and encouraged me to come up with a mythology of my own.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

This book taught me that some stories have a bittersweet ending. The second time I read it, I learned that it was a coming of age story. It also fueled my dream to own a pet unicorn one day :) My imagination was wild  even in elementary school.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

I literally grew up with Harry Potter. I got my Dad into this series, and it got to the point where Dad would read it first because he was the faster reader. I'll never forget waiting for my turn to read the books, and all the conversations Dad and I had after reading them.

Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Mariller

This book appeared in my life by chance, and inspired a new ritual of going to the book store and just picking a book at random. It was during a tough time between Middle and High School that I read this book for imagination, sanctuary and comfort. Jena's courage, acceptance of her faults and her strengths helped me deal with the toughest times in my life.

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

This series will always mean something to me. It got me through depression, High School and just taught me about life in general. It was a well written story with very complex and amazingly human characters. Each time I read it, I learn something new about life, the world and the people around me.

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

This was one of the best fantasy stories ever written in my opinion. Tolkien is one of my role models as an author. When I read these for the first time, I was writing a novel before I realized it.

This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

This book changed my attitude towards love. I changed with Remy, as she discovered it wasn't always a strength to separate yourself from your heart. Once she realized this, I realized I needed to believe that I had the strength to get over a broken heart.

Beastly by Alex Flinn

This book helped me learn more about myself, and it inspired my own version of Beauty and the Beast set in modern day. This is one of the books I recommended to my mom, and when she read it, it meant a lot to me. I'll never forget how excited we were to see the movie.


How to be like Walt by Pat Williams and Jim Denney

This book changed my outlook on my situations in life. Disney has always been a source of hope for me, but this book showed me that those stories and characters were created by someone who had his own challenges in life. Once he rose above them, he achieved his dream, and lived his life. This is my goal, and my guidance towards my dream job.

Books have taught me more lessons than I can remember. These are my most well known moments and stories. I'm sure there are many more. I learn something about writing, living, growing and changing every time I read these books, and I have many memories that revolve around them.

What books have changed your life?