Identity. A place to belong. Somewhere to fit in. A definition of who you are. Some people spend their whole lives trying to find it.
Identity is usually a label. Jock. Gamer. Nerd. Dancer. Musician. Writer.
Writer is what I used to identify myself as. I would use it to explain my character traits. I would use it as an excuse for behavior others found weird. I would use it as a way in socially. I used it to identify myself.
I thought that if I found other writers, I would find my place to belong. I sought out other writers because I thought, if I find other writers, I will be understood. I'll make an automatic friend!
And then, as I began to meet more writers, I realized something. Writers are a very diverse group of people. We come from different backgrounds. We have different beliefs. We have different personalities. We just happen to have one thing in common: a passion for characters, plot outlines, Pinterest, a fresh twist to an old story......you get the idea. We're all writers, but that's not who we are. I'm not going to end up friends with someone simply because they're a writer.
There are many Christian articles about this topic, but I'm not quite sure they say what they mean to. They all say the same thing. And I'm sure we've gotten the advice from at least one friend: find your identity in Christ. But what does that actually mean? Does that mean my new identity (label) is Christian?
Throughout high school, most people go on an often difficult journey of discovering who they are. I know I did. Once I found out who I was, I gained confidence. (If you want to read my post on confidence, it's here). And the key to having confidence is loving yourself.
And that, my friends, is the answer to the identity question.
Your identity is you. It is as simple and complex as that.
In a way, those articles are correct. Your identity is in Christ because the most important part of you is that you are a child of God. In a way, your label may be correct. I am a writer. But there is so much more to you than that. You are a grand, amazing, beautiful, tangle of you.
Identity is a funny thing. If I say that my identity is a writer, but you take everything else of me away, I would no longer be me. On the other hand, if you took that writer part of me away, I would also no longer be me.
There is nothing wrong with finding people who have the same passions as you and surrounding yourself with them. Just don't be afraid to be friends with people who don't share that passion. There is also nothing wrong with identifying with a certain label or personality type or genre or anything. But you can't let it define you.
People often use identity as a way to hide their insecurity about themselves. Ashamed of knowing so much about Star Wars, people will laugh it off and be like, oh yeah I'm a nerd. That hides the fact that they feel embarrassed about this particular part of themselves. Embrace yourself, your whole self.
No one fits in a box. No one can truly color inside the lines. No one completely fits a label. No two people have the same identity. You are you.
~Clarissa
Monday, July 24, 2017
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Fiction Q and A
I did a Q and A about writing related things, but this Q and A is more about reading, movies, and the like. I hope you guys enjoy!
1. Who is your current book crush?
WOLF!!!! He's from Marissa Meyer's series The Lunar Chronicles. Fantastic series. I highly recommend it. It's four fairy tale retellings (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White) that are all woven together in the most amazing way.
2. Who would you rather hang out with for a day: Lila, Kent, Jacob, or Alya?
For those of you who don't know, those are the main characters from my book Shadows. I would probably say Alya. She's super bubbly and fun.
3. What was the last fandom you fell into?
I've recently come to love Agents of Shield, but I wouldn't say I'm quite in the fandom. Therefore the answer is probably The Lunar Chronicles or Brandon Sanderson. Not sure which came first.
4. What is your biggest reading pet peeve?
Umm.....not sure how to answer this one. Regarding story pet peeves, I hate lack of character development. HATE IT.
5. Bookmarks or turning down the edge of the page?
Bookmarks. If you can call the hold slips from the library bookmarks.
6. Hardcover or paperback?
Paperback. Exception is some older books or for some reason, I really wanted The Lunar Chronicles hardcover, so I bought the whole series that way.
7. Would you rather be forced to read a book that doesn't have a sequel and never will or a book that doesn't need a sequel but has one?
The latter, most definitely.
8. Thomas, Newt, or Minho?
I haven't read the books in awhile, but.....Thomas? I really liked Minho's sarcasm, and Newt was great too. But I guess Thomas.
9. If Hufflepuff didn't exist, which Hogwarts House would you be in?
Considering that I haven't read Harry Potter, I have no idea haha.
10. What three books would you take with you on a trip to Mars to help you pass the time?
Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson.
11. Where in Middle Earth would you like to visit?
I guess either Rivendale or The Shire.
12. If you could only read three books for the rest of your life, what would they be?
THAT'S TOO HARD.
13. What is your favorite movie you've seen this year?
Oh gosh. Conspiracy Theory was really good, as was Gladiator. Young Victoria was also a favorite.
14. Have you ever fallen in love or hated one of your own characters?
I don't think I've hated any of my characters. I have fallen in love with Esterlyn and Hanilov, the protagonists from The Blood Oath.
15. Which fictional place would you like to visit?
Narnia!!!
~Clarissa
1. Who is your current book crush?
WOLF!!!! He's from Marissa Meyer's series The Lunar Chronicles. Fantastic series. I highly recommend it. It's four fairy tale retellings (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White) that are all woven together in the most amazing way.
2. Who would you rather hang out with for a day: Lila, Kent, Jacob, or Alya?
For those of you who don't know, those are the main characters from my book Shadows. I would probably say Alya. She's super bubbly and fun.
3. What was the last fandom you fell into?
I've recently come to love Agents of Shield, but I wouldn't say I'm quite in the fandom. Therefore the answer is probably The Lunar Chronicles or Brandon Sanderson. Not sure which came first.
4. What is your biggest reading pet peeve?
Umm.....not sure how to answer this one. Regarding story pet peeves, I hate lack of character development. HATE IT.
5. Bookmarks or turning down the edge of the page?
Bookmarks. If you can call the hold slips from the library bookmarks.
6. Hardcover or paperback?
Paperback. Exception is some older books or for some reason, I really wanted The Lunar Chronicles hardcover, so I bought the whole series that way.
7. Would you rather be forced to read a book that doesn't have a sequel and never will or a book that doesn't need a sequel but has one?
The latter, most definitely.
8. Thomas, Newt, or Minho?
I haven't read the books in awhile, but.....Thomas? I really liked Minho's sarcasm, and Newt was great too. But I guess Thomas.
9. If Hufflepuff didn't exist, which Hogwarts House would you be in?
Considering that I haven't read Harry Potter, I have no idea haha.
10. What three books would you take with you on a trip to Mars to help you pass the time?
Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson.
11. Where in Middle Earth would you like to visit?
I guess either Rivendale or The Shire.
12. If you could only read three books for the rest of your life, what would they be?
THAT'S TOO HARD.
13. What is your favorite movie you've seen this year?
Oh gosh. Conspiracy Theory was really good, as was Gladiator. Young Victoria was also a favorite.
14. Have you ever fallen in love or hated one of your own characters?
I don't think I've hated any of my characters. I have fallen in love with Esterlyn and Hanilov, the protagonists from The Blood Oath.
15. Which fictional place would you like to visit?
Narnia!!!
~Clarissa
Monday, July 17, 2017
Writing Q and A
Since I haven't posted in awhile, I asked my friends to give me questions to answer for a blog post. These are only the questions that had to do with writing. There will be more posts with more questions answered. Hopefully you get to learn a little more about me through these ten questions. Enjoy!
1. What are your ideal qualities in a villain?
I was actually startled by this one, and I had to think about it for awhile. I would say the most important quality in a villain is motivation. There has to be a believable reason for why they see the world in the twisted way that they do. I like villains that make you believe, even if just for a second, that they could be right. Villains should raise hard questions because most things aren't black and white in this world. I also think that villains should cause the protagonist to question themselves.
2. What was the first story idea you ever had?
If you want to go way way back, the first idea I had was about a girl who went to a "one person party." I dictated it to my mom when I was around four or five. But if you're talking about something a little more concrete, I think "Opposites" was. It came from a story I acted out with my dollhouse. Want the synopsis? Sure why not.....it'll be great to embarrass myself!
Leigh Ann and Charlotte have two very different lives. Leigh Ann is a lonely rich society girl. Charlotte is poor, but happy because of the close relationships she shares with her mother and brother. While her parents are away, Leigh Ann is allowed to see Charlotte. But when her parents come home, Leigh Ann has to keep her friendship with Charlotte secret. So as they can't visit Leigh Ann's house, she begins to see more of Charlotte's life. Leigh Ann soon comes to realizations that will change her perspectives, but can she find the courage to tell her parents before something terrible happens to Charlotte and her family?
I know, it sucks and it's cliche, but cut me some slack. I was like ten when I wrote that.
3. Which of your books has the most flail-worthy cover?
Well, considering that I haven't really thought at all about book covers, I'm going to say Shadows. Just because it's dark and mysterious and cool.
4. If you couldn't write your novels by hand, how would you cope?
I love writing my novels by hand. Don't ask me why, I just do. I have had to write on the computer only for NaNoWriMo because there was no way I had time to handwrite and then type on the computer. I guess I would cope by just getting used to it, but I would reaaaaaalllly miss my hand written manuscripts.
5. What is the hardest thing about writing for you?
I don't really know. Probably the fact that sometimes what is in my head simply WILL NOT translate onto the paper! Also I think that it's hard to love something this much and always have the thought in the back of your mind that it may not work out into anything for you.
6. What is your favorite thing about writing?
I can't even begin to express this answer in words. Falling in love with the characters, going on a journey with them, learning about yourself and who you are through writing, spilling out your heart into your story, wrestling with ideas and challenges through the plot, etc.
7. Do you listen to music when you write?
Not usually, which might seem kinda surprising. I have listened to music for certain scenes though, when I want the extra emotional kick. Usually that piece of music becomes associated with that scene. For example, Rue's Farewell (from Hunger Games) will always be connected with the last chapter of my completed novel.
8. When starting to write something new, do you think of the entire plot first or go in from the beginning and see where it takes you?
I normally have the ending in mind when I write a story and usually the general arc of the story, but I never know exactly what is going to happen. I let the characters take over. I'm mostly a pantser, so I don't use outlines very much.
9. What was the first official story that you wrote?
Lingering On was the first official book that I wrote. I think I started when I was around twelve or so, let it drop, and then picked it up back up (rewriting what I already had) when I was fourteen. It has since fallen by the wayside, but who knows, I may eventually complete it.
10. How was your writing style changed?
I can tell you that it has, but I'm not sure I can tell you exactly how. I think the most noticeable thing is that I'm not quite as dramatic and flowery as I used to be. And it just has become more mature as I've gotten older and written more.
Shout out to all the people who gave me these questions!
~Clarissa
1. What are your ideal qualities in a villain?
I was actually startled by this one, and I had to think about it for awhile. I would say the most important quality in a villain is motivation. There has to be a believable reason for why they see the world in the twisted way that they do. I like villains that make you believe, even if just for a second, that they could be right. Villains should raise hard questions because most things aren't black and white in this world. I also think that villains should cause the protagonist to question themselves.
2. What was the first story idea you ever had?
If you want to go way way back, the first idea I had was about a girl who went to a "one person party." I dictated it to my mom when I was around four or five. But if you're talking about something a little more concrete, I think "Opposites" was. It came from a story I acted out with my dollhouse. Want the synopsis? Sure why not.....it'll be great to embarrass myself!
Leigh Ann and Charlotte have two very different lives. Leigh Ann is a lonely rich society girl. Charlotte is poor, but happy because of the close relationships she shares with her mother and brother. While her parents are away, Leigh Ann is allowed to see Charlotte. But when her parents come home, Leigh Ann has to keep her friendship with Charlotte secret. So as they can't visit Leigh Ann's house, she begins to see more of Charlotte's life. Leigh Ann soon comes to realizations that will change her perspectives, but can she find the courage to tell her parents before something terrible happens to Charlotte and her family?
I know, it sucks and it's cliche, but cut me some slack. I was like ten when I wrote that.
3. Which of your books has the most flail-worthy cover?
Well, considering that I haven't really thought at all about book covers, I'm going to say Shadows. Just because it's dark and mysterious and cool.
4. If you couldn't write your novels by hand, how would you cope?
I love writing my novels by hand. Don't ask me why, I just do. I have had to write on the computer only for NaNoWriMo because there was no way I had time to handwrite and then type on the computer. I guess I would cope by just getting used to it, but I would reaaaaaalllly miss my hand written manuscripts.
5. What is the hardest thing about writing for you?
I don't really know. Probably the fact that sometimes what is in my head simply WILL NOT translate onto the paper! Also I think that it's hard to love something this much and always have the thought in the back of your mind that it may not work out into anything for you.
6. What is your favorite thing about writing?
I can't even begin to express this answer in words. Falling in love with the characters, going on a journey with them, learning about yourself and who you are through writing, spilling out your heart into your story, wrestling with ideas and challenges through the plot, etc.
7. Do you listen to music when you write?
Not usually, which might seem kinda surprising. I have listened to music for certain scenes though, when I want the extra emotional kick. Usually that piece of music becomes associated with that scene. For example, Rue's Farewell (from Hunger Games) will always be connected with the last chapter of my completed novel.
8. When starting to write something new, do you think of the entire plot first or go in from the beginning and see where it takes you?
I normally have the ending in mind when I write a story and usually the general arc of the story, but I never know exactly what is going to happen. I let the characters take over. I'm mostly a pantser, so I don't use outlines very much.
9. What was the first official story that you wrote?
Lingering On was the first official book that I wrote. I think I started when I was around twelve or so, let it drop, and then picked it up back up (rewriting what I already had) when I was fourteen. It has since fallen by the wayside, but who knows, I may eventually complete it.
10. How was your writing style changed?
I can tell you that it has, but I'm not sure I can tell you exactly how. I think the most noticeable thing is that I'm not quite as dramatic and flowery as I used to be. And it just has become more mature as I've gotten older and written more.
Shout out to all the people who gave me these questions!
~Clarissa
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)