Jars of Words

2018 is upon us, so it’s time to plan. It’s easy to think of unfinished resolutions and unmet expectations when thinking of a new year. But 2018 will be a good year because you make it a good year; it’s all about your willingness to accept change. With a little preparation, changing can be fun. 1. Mindset. First, know your worth doesn’t depend on what you accomplish next year. Your worth was fixed by your Creator before you were born, and He calls you priceless. Second, as you make resolutions for 2018, think about how you will improve your life so you can make the most of it. It’s true, we need to fix ourselves before we can help others. Yet, remember helping others is a big part of fixing ourselves. Finally, don’t think, “I won’t be happy until __”. Happiness is a choice; a good one. You are in control of your life, so choose to learn from and find a blessing in every situation. 2. Brainstorm. Dump your goals and expectations for the new year on paper. Write what y

There’s a yearning in every human heart for deep connection with God and other people. Ultimately, our legacies and our quality of life are determined by our presence in the lives of others rather than what we can physically give them. Thus, focusing on the simple act of being present can increase your joy and the joy of those around you. Humans are communal creatures, so when I eliminate distractions to spend time with my family, we’re all happier. I start by learning to say no. You don’t need to buy everybody you know a present, and you don’t have to spend so much. Presence is a greater expression of love than gift-giving, and we only have so much time on this earth to give it. This daily reminder eliminates items on my to-do list and simplifies my life. God’s love in our lives is what crafts us into who we are meant to be. Nurture your relationship with God by being present with Him. Take some quiet time every morning to reflect on who He is, analyze your heart, and pray wi

Pentatonix wrote an original song a few years ago called “That’s Christmas to Me.” It’s dulcet, tranquil, and captures the nostalgia of Christmas memories. So it inspired me to write a list of ten things I love about Christmas. Writing this list allowed me to reflect on all I have to be grateful for and to get into the Christmas spirit. I encourage you to try writing a few small things you love about this time of year - and share the joy by commenting them below! Here’s my personal list of things I love about Christmas: Togetherness. In this season of giving, the most irreplaceable and special gift we can give is our presence to others. Christians and non-Christians alike treat Christmas as a celebration of family, love, and giving back, which is beautiful. Christmas break. The two weeks off school is well-needed and long-awaited at this point in the year. It’s an opportunity to forget work, spend time with family, and catch up on writing and reading. Snow. Even light fl

Conflict is when opposing forces rub together. It invokes curiosity and empathy in readers because it reveals the story world and characters. Essentially, a story is a series of smaller conflicts that relate back to an overarching one. Creating friction in your story begins with the character’s goals - for the whole story and for individual scenes. Give your character something sympathetic to strive for (love, freedom, honor, etc.) and keep her from getting it. The obstacle can be the character herself, another character, or a task or object. The pursuit of their goal results in a dilemma that pushes the character into action, which causes a reaction, which sets up their goal for the next scene. As the story progresses, the character’s responses to difficulties should reflect the change in their heart or skills. Conflict can be internal (wanting joy, acceptance, forgiveness, etc.), interpersonal (connecting with distant parents or trying to flirt with a crush), or external (defusi

I love homemade granola. It’s customizable, great-tasting, and I know exactly what’s in it. There are no artificial sweeteners, additives, or chemicals. Also, it’s made from cheap, on-hand ingredients, lasts a while in the fridge, and is a great snack when I’m on the go. I love this recipe specifically because it makes my house smell like brownies. Enjoy! Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and collect ingredients: 2 cups oats 4 tbsp coconut (give or take) ¾ cup chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, any will do) Desired amount of cinnamon ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ¼ cup coconut oil ¼ cup honey Water (for mixing) 2. Mix oats, coconut, nuts, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a bowl. 3. Melt coconut oil and honey in a mug in the microwave (give or take forty seconds). 4. Pour oil/honey into dry ingredients and mix. If it won’t coat evenly, add more oil/honey or water. 5. Transfer granola onto a baking sheet and bake for ten minutes.

Fleshing out a story is both painstaking and fun. For me, it begins with turning an idea into a scenario. Develop a scenario and focus. A scenario is a conflict or a simple event. What happens? How is it interesting? Does it have the potential for a focus? A story’s focus is what you want to draw attention to through your scenario. What are you passionate about? What disturbs you that disturbs no one else? What do you have to say that’s never been said before? Why are you saying it through this story in particular? Example for Frankenstein : Scenario: A man scientifically creates a hideous monster out of dead matter. Focus: How people treat what they don’t understand. The essence of human nature. The consequences of arrogance. How our families affect us. Where the boundaries of scientific research are. Example for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe . Scenario: Three siblings go through a wardrobe and find a magical world where a wicked witch has coldly reigne

A platform is essentially the writer in an online form. Your platform is how you reach readers and writers and how they can glimpse your personality. Furthermore, agents and editors seriously consider how an author presents themself online. They look at what you’re posting, how consistent you are, your audience, your popularity, and much more. 1. Create a concise description of yourself as a writer. List a few major accomplishments, passions, and what you offer to potential readers. This can go in your bios or it can be used when submitting articles. 2. Ask yourself who you want to reach and how you want them to view you. Based on your conclusion, brainstorm three to four topics your platform will focus on. Choose things you are passionate about and that mesh well together. In continuation, the way people feel about you is largely determined by your use of color, font, article topics, and so on. 3. Select social media sites you will use. Remember, it isn’t necessary to use all

Personally, I’m tired, over-worked, and stressed because of school. I don’t feel like God is near. When we don’t feel His love, it’s like He’s abandoned us. But that isn’t true. He loves us and promised to always be with us regardless of how we feel about Him. While it sucks when we can’t feel Him, it won’t last forever. To stay close to God when you don’t feel Him, try this: 1. Search comforting Bible verses on Pinterest or Google. I like Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 6:25-34, and Romans 8:37. These verses break my heart in the most unexpected ways, letting Jesus in. 2. Drop the rituals. If praying isn’t working, go out in nature or listen to melancholy music and cry. Crying is a catharsis that can bring us closer to Him. Take some quiet time and don’t feel guilty about relaxing. Spend time with your family. Being with others helps us get out of ourselves and closer to God. Remember: you’re only human. 3. Find Youtube videos on feeling far from God or other spiritual subjects clo

Purple Moon made me appreciate YA contemporary Christian fiction. I like science fiction, but there’s something enchanting about a normal boy and girl meeting and falling in love. Back cover:         Selena's life isn't turning out to be the fairy tale she imagined as a kid. That hope seemed to vanish long ago when her dad kicked her and her mom out of the house. This summer might finally hold the chance of a new beginning for Selena ... but having to live with her snobby cousin in Lake Lure, NC while waiting for her mom to get out of rehab wasn't how Selena was planning on spending her summer. She soon begins to wonder why she committed to giving up her "bad habits" for this. Things don't seem too bad, though. Especially when Selena gains the attention of the cute neighbor next door. But when her best friend back home in Brooklyn desperately needs her, a secret that's been hidden from Selena for years is revealed, and when she becomes a ta

I finished my first draft two months ago and have been looking for things to write about during my break. It was tough at first, and I’m still working through it. If you, too, are struggling to find a story idea, I’m here to help. Asking God for guidance in your search could lead to something greater than you expected. Here’s a quick prayer before you get started:           Abba, thank You for this great calling to write. I appreciate this gift and thank You for every blessing in my life. Please let me glorify You with my next project. Guide my heart to the right story idea, one that is fruitful, pleasing to You, and satisfying to work on. In Jesus’s name, Amen. Let’s begin! 1. Journaling gets creative juices flowing. Knowing your own unique worldview can help you write your character’s. Take note of simple things that interest you, like a funny anecdote or an inside joke. 2. Word sprints are great because you don’t have time to think about your words before

Character creation is among the toughest skills to master. Readers will spend hours with your characters, so you want them to be good. It’s helpful to know what readers want before beginning the creation process. Mostly, readers want to see themselves reflected in your characters. They want people who get what they’re going through but also fascinate them. How I Create Characters 1. Journal. Readers sympathize with characters when they have a worldview that touches on hidden truths we all forget. So practice writing honest characters by keeping a journal of details you notice about the world. 2. Who is your character? What quirks, stances, flaws, habits, preferences, contrasts, beliefs, and attitudes (even towards small things) make her unique? This is where journaling is important. Take interesting details about other people and give them to your character. Character Bios are useful, too. 3. Dig deeper. What does she fear most, and what happens when she must face it? What

I love reading spooky books during the Halloween season. To get in the spirit, I reviewed A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. Here is the back cover: At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting - he's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It's ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd - whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself - Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined. The idea of A Monster Calls was conceived by Siobhan Dowd who did not finish it before dying of cancer. However, the idea was so brillian

A story is primarily about entertaining. Don’t get me wrong, our books produce messages that change readers’ views and teach them. But people read fiction for the entertainment value, otherwise, they’d read a self-help book. The best way to add entertainment value to your novel is through plot twists. End each scene in a way that catches readers off-guard but is more satisfying than any alternative ending. It can’t just be an attention grab; it must be better than readers’ expectations, logical, and add meaning to the story. There are generally three kinds of twists. 1. Something believable out of nowhere. Make readers uncertain about the direction of the story, then give them an ending that is not what they would have guessed, but is the only possible solution in retrospect. 2. Turn expectations against the reader. Lead the reader into certainty of an event or culprit (if you’re writing a mystery), then reveal that things weren’t going in that direction at all. They were g