We each have our own sayings to describe separating ourselves from the chaos of the world. It is good to know that we all have similarities in that degree. For instance, you may hear someone say YOLO – You Only Live Once to describe the sensation of doing what you love in life and taking risks because this is your time, but in Japan you may hear ukiyo a similar sort of presence of doing what you love and not letting outside things come between that.
I encourage you to seek out similarities among you and others. We can learn so much, especially in the form of language. Make it present in your own literary works and explore the outcome of getting your novel translated (we can help you with that)!
Remember to live in the moment. The world is too big to only stay in your head.
Today the most popular mouse in the world celebrates his birthday along with millions of others! He made his way onto the screens spreading smiles and laughter for years to come.
This made me think of how impactful we can be, and how our talents and creativity can spark a whole new world. Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse and many more characters that we cherish, all started by simply doing what he loved. He has bottled happiness and spread it worldwide, and it all started with a mouse.
Let Mickey Mouse be a remembrance that we all have to start somewhere. Develop your strengths and work them toward a goal. We are still drawn to this mouse after 91 years because of what he reminds us of and all the feelings that go along with it.
Writing in a personal diary is a good way to see your growth and expand your thoughts.
Your entries could be anything from recalling your day, writing personal thoughts, poems, drawing a picture, or recording your dreams. It isn’t like keeping a journal for school where you had to write specific things- this time, it’s for you!
The hardest thing you may come by is the willingness to write frequently. You may think you don’t have anything to record or that you don’t have time. A tip you can use is to set a timer when you feel like writing to get your thoughts out. Eventually you will get used to a schedule and have a whole diary filled before you know it.
In the beginning it is helpful to ask yourself questions to get your entry going:
What did I do today?
Did I learn anything today?
What are my personal goals?
If you are a writer, keeping a diary can help you with your creativity. It can be a source to grab material from and a place where you can store all your ideas.
Tomorrow is Halloween! Just in time for one last creature of the dark analysis…
We have talked about ghouls, zombies, and mummies but today we will talk about the lord of death…the grim reaper. His job entails collecting the souls of the people when their time on earth is done. He is known to be very diligent in his job and always meets his deadlines. He is someone you will not want to see.
Origins of the Grim Reaper appear in the fourteenth century when Europe was overcome by the Black Plague. During this time many artists began painting skeletons with deadly weapons and eventually the black cloaked figure became the first recognizable Reaper. It is said that his dark costume and curved scythe (the large weapon he carries around) may have been inspired by the plague doctors who wore dark shrouds and bird-like masks to protect themselves from breathing bad air.
However, the name Grim Reaper did not appear until the nineteenth century. Getting its origins from the popular nickname for death “the Grim’.
His special abilities include being able to separate the soul from the body, and then becomes a guide to help you find your way to the next realm.
Today the Grim Reaper remains to be a favorite Halloween costume, and has appeared in novels and films. He has become the world’s most iconic personification of death.
Spook up your next novel with a Grim Reaper character!
Write on!
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As Halloween approaches we still have plenty more creatures to talk about. While this one may not do a lot of talking on their own, mummies have been portrayed as wrapped up mutes both on screen and in ancient folklore.
When people think of a mummy they usually envision a human form wrapped in layers of tissue from head to toe shuffling towards you. While that may be true enough, mummies come from a more interesting history.
The process of mummification was popular in many civilizations including Incan, Australian, African, and Aztec but is commonly known for its performance in Egypt. Each ritual varied by culture, but all consisted of honoring the body of the dead by preservation.
The Egyptian mummy process for royalty and the wealthy included:
Washing the body
Removing all organs except the heart and placing them in jars
Packing the body and organs in salt to remove moisture
Embalming the body with resins and essential oils such as myrrh, cassia, juniper oil and cedar oil
Wrapping the embalmed corpse in several layers of linen
The mummies of the pharaohs were placed in a sarcophagus and buried in elaborate tombs with things they would need for the after life such as wine, food, jewels, perfume, and anything they particularly liked.
According to folklore, disrupting a mummies tomb leads to death. One of the most popular stories is the disruption of King Tut’s tomb by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. While it was an extraordinary find it did come with unexplained deaths by some members of his crew, but Howard Carter was spared from the so-called curse.
Mummies then became more mainstream by hitting the big screen in in 1932 with the movie The Mummy with Boris Karloff, where they instantly debuted as monsters who cannot feel pain and the most effective way to kill them is to be set on fire.
From there we have seen them in a countless number of movies and TV shows and they have become a popular costume for Halloween.
Let the stories of the ancient world spark your own writing creativity. Maybe mummies will be featured in your next book or short story!
Every story counts. Happy Spooktober!
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When a book is popular it tells us a lot about our society and what the mass interest was like at the time of publication. It is good to know the fluctuation of these titles to predict future popular books, as well as gaining inspiration for stories you might be currently writing.
Compiled below is one popular title from each year starting with 2000. Let this list provoke questions, thoughts, and ideas of your own.
Go back in time to see what made them so popular and what idea you might be able to steam from them for your own writing. At the very least, you might find a new favorite book.
Another week closer to Halloween means another creature to talk about, and zombies sure are being talked about a lot these past few years. I wonder if it is all the grunting and moaning that makes them so popular or maybe the classic zombie walk, but whatever it is it seems to have made its mark on pop culture.
First, let’s take it back to where it all began. Before the world became futuristically invaded with zombies we had their first appearance in Haitian folklore. Bokor sorcerers would raise corpses from the dead and control them as personal slaves.
From there zombies had their first Hollywood screen performance in 1932 in White Zombie. However, they didn’t take full center stage until the release of Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video in 1983. Appearing again and again on screen in movies and video games, these creatures continue to be apart of creepy culture.
Some of their strengths include being impervious to pain, they never need to sleep, and can sustain massive injuries without feeling pain. However, they no longer have a high functioning brain and they move slow.
You have most likely seen these creatures in an apocalyptic theme movie or book. Both with a classic theme and some unthinkable twists, as there is a lot to talk about with these ever appearing creatures.
This Halloween season maybe you want to spruce up your spooky series with a zombie or two (as they also mostly travel in groups)? Create your own creature twist and dig a little deeper into all things zombie!
Happy Spooktober!
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In the spirit of Halloween it is only right to dedicate this time to the creatures of the dark that we may not typically pay attention to. Join me each week until Halloween to find out what lies beneath the scales and fangs.
First and foremost… the ghoul.
Each creature comes from different mythology and pertains to different legends. That being said the ghoul originates under Arabic mythology. They have the ability to shape-shift and are known for inhabiting places like graveyards or deserts. Their true form are known to be hairy and canine like, but one of their most distinct features is their hoof like imprints, and most commonly known to be crawling on all fours.
However, with so many stories and renditions we see the ghoul in many different forms, for example…
Ghoul on Netflix focuses on “the ghoul” from Arabic Mythology that can shape-shift, and is known for its hoof like print.
In Supernatural a popular Sci-Fi TV show ghouls are not dead but a form of monster. They typically live in graveyards and feed on human flesh both dead and alive. They can also shape-shift and the only way of killing a ghoul is complete decapitation.
Tokyo Ghoul is a popular anime show about a character who gets bit by a ghoul and becomes half ghoul – half human. In this version ghouls look exactly like humans but like to eat human flesh.
So next time you are writing a story and want to incorporate a ghoul think about what features you want to show and the presence it plays among humans.
