2022: A Fresh Start, A New Chapter

Hello, Readers!

Welcome to 2022- the both literal and figurative new chapter of our lives. Though as my little brother told me, “time is not a staircase,” it does in fact feel that there is a step up or beginning of sorts. I like to think of it as turning a page; there are some already written, scribbled on, and edited in a stack next to you waiting to be learned from and reminisced upon one day, but for now it’s you, a pen, and endless opportunity. A chance to write something new!

This year is a big one for me as it is will hold a college graduation, hopefully a job, and the start of my “real” adult life. Knowing it’s going to be one for the books in more ways than one, it got me thinking about the kind of goals I can foster in order to be proud of my work at the year’s end! Though that means a few things in my academic, social, and personal life, I wanted to share the most relevant with you all so I can remain accountable as well as give you some ideas if you need them! 

The first is that for the first time, I want to set a reading goal. I used to be obsessed with my Accelerated Reading goals (did anyone else have those?) as a kid, but completely forgot about reading in the same focused way until this year. Thanks to friends, bloggers, bookstagrammers, and others, I have decided to give it a go this year! I am going to work towards reading, by the time the clock strikes 2023, 100 books! It might be ambitious, but given that my life and schedule will change as I graduate, I think this will help remind me that I can always turn to a book. 

I have always said to my friends and family that carving out intentional time to read or planning moments to open a book are the most important. Many people, including myself, love to read but struggle to find the time! The answer to that problem, in my experience, is to MAKE time. If you don’t set out to do something, you can’t simply wish it into existence. Tell yourself that it is a priority and then hit up your local bookstore or library! I believe in you! 

The second important goal begins with the month of January. Since I won’t have any class to take up my time this month, I want to create a consistent practice of writing my WIP each day (or at least most days!). I love finding quiet and designated times to sit at my computer and live in the world inside my head, so I know I will benefit from it in joy and in progress on my favorite story. With this month as a stepping stone, I intend to finish my novel by the end of the school year! It sounds crazy to type, but putting it in words is the only way to put it into action. I have the added pressure of my desire to use it for my capstone project (thesis, for you non-creative writing majors out there!). To complete this goal would fill me with such passion and pride!

When setting goals, it is important to note that they should always be clear and within your abilities but still enough of a reach that you’re challenged. You might have heard of setting a smart goal- specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and time bound.  Though I wouldn’t recommend getting too in the weeds about hyper specific resolutions, I do believe that in one’s writing life and practice that we ought to create some sort of structure for ourselves. Forget about how long all of those famous authors tell you to write in a day and create the encouraging environment that you need to foster progress. I have time bound myself by the days remaining in January, the school year, and the calendar year which allows me the chance to plan out my steps in between as well as track my progress. By giving yourself mini deadlines, you too can pace yourself in the pursuit of your goals! 

This entire entry may be full of rambling- I confess that I am writing it in line for a Starbucks at Disneyland- but I can’t contain the excitement and focus I feel for being the best writer and reader I can in 2022. I know there will be a fair share of trials and tribulations, but as one of my favorite books, Little Women, says: “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.” 

I hope that you are able to set your sights on something positive this year and chase your goals with me. We can keep each other accountable along the way! 

Happy 2022 and I will write again soon! 

P.s. Isn’t this typewriter just gorgeous? It’s from 1958 and works like a dream. This was one of my favorite Christmas gifts and comes from Unplug. If you are looking for a way to write without the distraction of the internet while surrounded by the melodic clacking of keys, I cannot recommend them enough! 

6 Tips to Becoming a Better Writer

Hello Readers, 

Have you ever felt like like there should be some secret formula to writing that the professionals have figured out but you're still waiting to crack? Because I have too and I've really been puzzling over it lately. I have managed to come to a few conclusions, form my own tips, and gather my favorites from peers, mentors, and professors and would love to share them with you.

But first things first– everyone's process is different and not every method will mesh with your interests or personality. So when figuring out what will work best for you, experiment and don't feel bad if someone's life changing idea isn't the perfect fit. These are simply a few tips that have resonated with me! 

• Don't ever let anyone tell you how to write. This one comes from one of my professors this semester. As an experimental writer and someone who wrote about her very personal life experiences, she feels strongly that you don't need to follow the trends or stick to a formula. You should tell your story how you want to tell it and that tale will find its intended audience. 
• Discover what time of day you feel most creative. I read somewhere that Stephen King does his writing in the morning after a long walk as he has found that starting his day at the keyboard provides the most conducive time for getting work done. That won't be the same for everyone! You might be more of a late night writer or enjoy finding a sunny patch in the afternoon. If you haven't been catering to your brain's most inventive time, then it is no wonder you are feeling stuck in your progress!
• Make time for yourself. Life gets busy– like, really busy. But I don't need to tell you that! Sometimes, we aren't writing as much as we want to simply because our hectic schedules get the best of us. But just like prioritizing a good night's rest means a solid eight hours of sleep or reminding yourself to make dinner means you carve out the time to cook, making writing a priority means you will be intentional with sitting down at the computer. If you don't put it on your to-do list, you won't do it. So put it in writing (ha, get it?)!  
• You probably won't like your first draft. This is one that I'm learning as I work on my own novel. As it's been a work in progress for a few years, I am often forced to embarrass myself by rereading the earlier chapters as I write. Though it makes me want to instantly get to revising, I have to remind myself that this is only the first draft and the red pen will have its time to shine. It won't look pretty until then and that's okay! It is impossible to be perfect on the first try; if we were, then the competition around the Pulitzer would be pretty steep. 
• Read a lot.  This is pretty standard advice, but it should never be forgotten. The books you read inform your style and inspire you further in your chosen genre. I have personally found that all of my writing and reading slumps coincide; when I am having a hard time hitting a good writing flow, taking a few days to obsessively read dislodges the road blocks. Escaping to another world that someone else created is a form of practice for getting into my own. 

Here is an unconventional one I heard a long time ago. I would love to hear what you think about this one! 

• Write in your own voice. Instead of inventing one or trying to sound like someone you're not, use the one that comes out of your head naturally. How do you think? When you tell your friends a story, in what manner or tone fo you do it? Stick with what you know instead of forcing something that isn't there. It might impede the adventure that is waiting to be put on the page. 

When things get sticky, give one of these a go! I hope they help bring you new direction and perhaps a more comfortable way of writing. Take the time to find what works for you and hold on tight to it. You can do it– so get typing! 

Who's in Your Writing Community?

Hello Readers! 

It is no secret that writing can be a lonely task filled with long hours spent with only your computer, a half drank cup of tea, scattered notes, and the voices of your characters keeping you company. When that day's work is done, you might be exhausted and wish to find respite away from the real world or use it to get a break from the one you just left.  

Though separating the writerly and non–writerly life can be efficient, it can also make the former feel isolating, observed only through surface level conversations with friends and family who don't have common ground on the subject. I personally enjoy the chance to explain my ideas to people at family gatherings and in small talk, but I came to wonder what it would be like to find a community of people just like me.

Over four years spent at college and making connections in class and out, I discovered the value in sitting around a table with like-minded people. Just recently, I found myself in the middle of a Sigma Tau Delta meeting (it's an English honors society; if your school has one, I highly recommend joining!) gossiping about the professors in our department and sharing class experiences. This was a very mundane thing to be doing, especially among people with similar majors, but something about it felt very significant, as if I was finally seeing the clear connections between our lives. This web, if you will, only became more noticeable in my workshop classes as I realized how invested we all were in one another's work and then again when we hung out just for fun and spent time bonding. 

I've also been lucky enough to find a housemate in the creative writing major with the same passion for reading, writing, and publishing career pursuits as myself. It hasn't escaped me in recent months how cool it is that when I want to bounce a plot point off of someone, share work, or freak out over a book that I have a built in buddy who I know will give good advice and resonate with my thoughts. In the spirit of the week of Thanksgiving, I can't help but be thankful! 

I am especially thankful when I think back to my humble beginnings as a writer. Imagine me, 9 years old, an ancient Dell laptop, and a piece of cinnamon toast (for some reason my first memory of sitting down to write includes this delectable snack) one weekend morning. That little girl wouldn't believe me if I told her that now she writes everyday and sits around tables with other writers she truly respects and values. Those people, whether I've worked with them for one semester or many, have had a profound impact on the way I write and granted me the wish of seeing someone read and react to my work. The conversations I have in the workshop room are what keep my head on straight and the fuel that keeps me chugging along when doubt creeps in. 

To spend time with these people is to be amongst a crowd that intimately understands my hopes, struggles, and humor when it comes to being a very bookish college student. The experience of explaining my book or ideas to those in the writing world versus out of it are two very different ones, with one growing into a longer conversation about the nuances of my kingdom's economy and the other with polite smiles and more surface level questions. Though both engage me, the first inspires a feeling of being noticed and seen by a true peer. 

You might not be in a place in your life where it is easy to create a writing community and that's okay! For the longest time, mine consisted only of me and the extended family I shared my newest chapters with. If you're on the prowl though, the internet is magical and as I've recently experienced, Twitter is full of authors who may be strangers but have hearts full of support. The amount of #writerslift's and encouraging comment chains I see bring tears to my eyes and prove that you can find community anywhere you look if you really want to. 

I promise there are writers out there just itching to work alongside a talented person life yourself and that your journey will collide with theirs one day. Keep writing and working; it will pay off! 

P.S. If you're looking for a Twitter stranger to connect with and see writing content from, check out my new one: @marissacwrites! We can join in on the virtual community together. 

 

Find Your Book Idol

Hello Readers, 

If you know me in real life, you probably know how much I love the Ascendance Trilogy (which is now a series!) by Jennifer A. Nielsen. I have also most likely coerced you into reading The False Prince or at least made a valiant attempt (I have successfully made half my extended family, friends, and friends of friends invest in a copy). As a reader and fan, I have to admit that I am highly loyal to the books I covet– or stubbornly dedicated, whichever way you prefer to put it. 

Though I can't speak too much on the main characters or the plot given that Sage, the MC, keeps most of his motives and secrets close to the vest, I will say that there is something so lifelike and alluring about the way Nielsen wrote him. He leaps off the page with a mind of his own, which makes me believe the author when she says his voice in her head pushed him to write two more books. Knowing how completely my mind he's occupied my mind since the moment I cracked open the novel has kept me returning it and attempting to mimic the startling effect it has on my life and writing. When a fellow creative writing major told me during a workshop that my style reminded them of The False Prince, I just about shed a tear! 

Is this book for middle grade readers? Yes. Am I 21 years old and about to graduate college? Also yes. Do I love this series more than any 12 or 13 year old who picks it up? Ye– well, I can't completely speak on that. I can vouch for my longevity, though, as I have given those books a coveted place on my shelf longer than many of them have even been reading! Take that (only kidding– when anyone of any age tells me they've read it, I feel an almost personal surge of pride)!

Ultimately, it doesn't matter who a book was meant for, it matters that it touched your life in some irrevocable way, making it impossible to look into your psyche without seeing some sort of reference to it (at least, that's how I feel). That book could be a time-honored classic, YA romance, high fantasy, experimental, or even a nonfiction story, but the point is that your friendship with it doesn't involve the rest of the world when you sit down to read it. It's just you, a cup of coffee, and your favorite character. 

For this reason, I think it's important as a writer to lean into the inspiration you find in the books you read (while still finding your own style, of course). They are the reason you picked up a pen, after all! So read up on your favorite author, splurge on their books, and look to them as role models because they are the people who have paved the way for you to have your hand at telling a story. 

Me? I'll be re-reading The False Prince and dreaming of one day writing something as important to readers as that book is to me. 

P.S. I urge you to find a copy of The False Prince in your local library. 

P.P.S. This is in no way a sponsored post for the wonderful Jennifer A. Nielsen (ha!), as hard as I try to make myself a walking advertisement. Though if you see this, I am obsessed with your books and will tout their magic for as long as I shall live. Thank you for being one of my idols.

A Writer's Tool Belt

Hello, Readers! 

I don't know about you, but this season of quarantine has both aided and harmed my writing rhythm. There have been times where I felt free to imagine and indulge in my fantastical plans as well as hours constricted by the blank white page on my computer screen. Thankfully, being a creative writing major has meant that I frequently find myself in class with professors well versed in tackling this problem. Over the past many months, I have been able to add their suggestions to the ones I have already fashioned onto my Writer's Tool Belt. Now, I would like to pass the best of them onto you so if you find yourself in similar situations, you can expertly navigate your way out of it! 

1. Whether you're writing from first, third, or even second person POV, sometimes seeing the situation from a single perspective can be restricting. When you're feeling stuck on a scene, pick a different character in the conversation and imagine their take on it. Do they approve or disapprove of the main character's actions? Are any secrets influencing their demeanor? There are often many unexplored pathways because the MC doesn't know everything all of the time and neither do we as the authors! 

2. Creatives are often labelled as being slightly eccentric, and I must say I feed into this stereotype when putting this next tip into practice. First, find a space where you can have some privacy. Second, block out the world with some appropriate music (my favorite is a fantasy or celtic music playlist). Finally, take on your characters and create a scene by acting it out. Don't be afraid to look a little silly! Talk aloud, play out that fight scene, or test out the facial expressions you haven't been able to put a finger on. Step away from being an author and become an actor!  

3. If you use Spotify or store your music in a similar app, it can be quite fun to roam through the different genres and create a playlist you feel best exemplifies your main character. Listening to the stories shared in lyrics can create inspiration for what drives your MC. It can also put you in their shoes and help you envision their experiences from their eyes and not from the keyboard. Get out of your head and into the page rather than onto it!  

4. As a form of editing and also as a chance to examine the smallest parts of your draft, rewrite your scene word for word. This allows you to feel out any parts of your writing you are itching to change and provides an opportunity to shift anything that doesn't sit right with you. As a step further than simply reading through it, it gives you a little more power in analyzing the obstacle you're encountering. 

5. Remind yourself it's okay if your ideas don't match an outline or the timeline you had planned. Take some time to explore what your characters are telling you, even if it means jumping ahead, changing some chapters, or erasing vast portions of your outline. Being constricted to decisions your past self made about a yet unfinished work doesn't allow it to be fluid and absorb new ideas. There is no writing god lurking, waiting to tell you what you can and can't do in the privacy of your own Google document! So go on and take some extra time to explore where your instincts lead you- yes, even if it takes you away from what you feel is "important" for your work. 

No matter what obstacle you are facing in your work, give yourself grace. You are quite literally creating worlds and people that have never existed before, so the process isn't always going to be smooth. Whether you use these tools or favor some of your own, develop your Writer's Tool Kit and take it with you into your Work in Progress. Good luck! 

Creative Writing in College

Hello, Readers!

As you may know, this aspiring author has taken her writing life to college, where it is no longer just a passion but a course and a major. I'd never before been in a classroom setting where it was a part of the curriculum to explore your big ideas and bring them to life. Being around people who have dreams to publish books and be in the writing industry is inspiring and exhilarating, and nothing has been cooler than making friends you can have writing sessions with and send author memes to.

For those of you interested in majoring or minoring or (emphasis-ing, if you will in college), I figured I'd share a few things about the shift that occurs when you begin studying creative writing.

• You are learning not just from teachers who got their degrees in English and writing essays, but from publishing works of their own. One of my favorite teachers of my favorite classes last year was one who started as a journalist and transitioned to publishing a series of crime novels. Hearing advice from him about planning, structuring, and making time for your work in your everyday life felt like it carried more weight. 
• You have an opportunity to be excited about your homework. When I catch up with my family and tell them about my what's going in my classes, I never give the "same old, same old" answer. Taking on a hard course load and challenging assignments adds extra motivation when you know you're getting better at the thing you actually want to make your career. It was encouraging for me to feel like I was actually making a difference in my skills as a writer and not just analyzing hundred year old novels (although you will do that– and not all of them are all bad, I promise). 
• Having writer's block isn't just an inconvenience for your own time; now having trouble getting inspired for that short story you have due tomorrow puts a deadline on your creativity. I have done my fair share of frantic late night edits to make my work as good as it can be before I have to hand it in. It is a different and perhaps less leisurely side of writing, but definitely a nice little introduction to what it's like to have publishing deadlines. 
• It is a perfect time to rearrange schedule for writing time. The era of getting caught up in impressing colleges and packing schedules to the brim is over! Where you used to wish on shooting stars for a lazy morning writing session, you now have the opportunity to fulfill your own dreams. Carve out intentional time to work on your projects and hone your craft. Though you will learn a lot in class, you can't rely on school hours to reach your goals and become the writer you want to be. Your schedule is a clean slate– make the most of it! 

If you are a young writer considering going to college to follow your dreams, I cannot recommend it enough. Find a school with a program that will allow you to thrive as a writer and encourage your growth. You can do it! 

Writing Update 1: Inspiration

Hello, Readers!

I have decided that it might be fun to try out a little bit of a series- writing updates! Every so often, I plan to have a short chat on where I am at on my latest W.I.P. Hopefully, it will give you all a bit of insight into my process as well as a sneak preview as to what's what in my book!

I mentioned briefly in my last post that I've begun working on a new idea, one that I am adapting to a different genre. Today, I hit a stroke of inspiration and was able to take a step past planning and plotting. The first chapter is now in the works and I broke through some writer's block I have been experiencing as well! With a little work, the rest of the block will slowly fade away and I will start to see some real progress. 

The process of writing still amazes me. No matter how much I plot and try and stick to an outline, there are always little moments of magic that happen that are better than what I could have planned for. For instance, I felt like I was missing someone when it came to my character's "home life" if you will. In a moment of inspiration, I knew just what he needed and was able to fit them right in! It is a comforting thought to know that despite my short break for college applications that I still got it! 

I know this is a short post, but I will have more for you guys next time. I will have more of my book and characters developed and I might even be able to introduce my main character to you! Stay tuned. :) 

Write you all soon! 

What Kind of Writer Am I? And What Kind of Writer Are You?

Hello again, Readers!

It has been quite a while, but I'm back! College applications called me away, but thankfully the long season of writing personal essays, punching in information, and pondering potential schools has come to an end. Expect to see a lot more of me around here from now on!

Now, I have introduced myself as a writer, but that begs the question- what do I even write? A simple question with a complicated answer! The short answer is that I write what I read. As a reader, I am very interested in dystopian young adult novels (The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Legend to name a few). Of course, I have an equal amount of love for fantasy- I mean, hello, Harry Potter?! Both of these worlds of literature bring me laughter, tears, and adventure in each book I pick up.

As you might have guessed, my equal love for both genres presents me with a problem. What the heck do I write? To explain where I'm at now, allow me to give you a bit of a history lesson!

When I began my journey, I was but ten years old and entering the fifth grade (and now I'm 17, in my senior year, and applying to college- where has the time gone?). I had just recently adopted my mom's old computer and was suddenly struck with a subject for a story... phoenixes! Sounds pretty fantastical, right? I could see a whole society and culture develop in my head and a perfect title for the story even presented itself. So I forged on ahead, not knowing the wonders of an outline and lost my momentum and inspiration about twenty pages in.

My next idea presented itself in the form of a title- one that I will not share for the fact that this was the embarrassing product of my grand eleven year old mind (you will understand if you have come up with one yourself)- and I instantly set to work crafting a story befitting my ingenious title. I came up with a legend that would pull my Percy-Jackson-esque protagonist down a road of mystery and lead to the discovery of his place in the madness. The core of this legend was pretty fantastic, but the way I intended it to twist it into the real world promised conflict between dystopian technology and elements of something close to magic. However, shortly after I started on this one it fizzled out.

(I will not bore you with details of my dozen other short-lived literary escapades at this time, but some of them are quite developed and might be fun to share at some point! I will say that this journey of starting and stopping and starting to write again has produced one or two that I am sure to return to when I feel the time is right.)

My last idea was truly dystopian. It was set in a futuristic, "perfect" society and featured rebellion and technology. I was extremely inspired when developing the characters and the relationships between them, but I was at a loss when it came to creating a true outline. After cursing my lack of ingenuity, I made the split second decision to take my story in a complete 180- I would put my characters into a fantasy storyline! I was extremely proud of how they had come to me and couldn't bring myself to abandon them yet. On top of that, I was instantly hit with an idea for the new story and one that promised to have all of the qualities of a classic fantasy. I am currently working on building upon my initial idea and I already have a pretty great outline and map drawn up! I am excited to see how far it goes and I will keep you all updated on how it goes.

My writing time has been few and far between recently due to a lot of time commitments, but I see an opening schedule in my future! I know that any other teenage writers reading this can relate and I feel your pain. Feeling a rush of ideas and not being able to tear yourself away from schoolwork to use them is incredibly hard. I recommend having a notebook or document to jot down key words and short descriptions to jog your memory for later. Veronica Roth wrote Divergent as a senior in college, and look where her books have gone! No matter what your commitments or schedule may be, anything is possible.

I tell you of my journey thus far to show you that no one is perfect. You won't know your unique writing style or what genre you do best right away(I still don't know!) and that's okay. What is important is that you keep writing. There is no way you will ever know if you don't try, so I encourage you to keep doing what you love. Don't worry about how many dead end books you have behind you or how lost you may feel right now. You will become the author you are meant to be as long as keep working to get there!

Well Readers, I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about who I am today as a writer and thought about who you are becoming as a writer as well. I will see you soon with another post!

Welcome!

Hello, Readers!

Welcome to my blog! I should introduce myself. My name is Marissa Cassayre and I am a sixteen year old writer. I live in California and am currently in the summer before my senior year! I have been writing (or rather, attempting to actually complete) novels since I was about ten years old and my goal is to become a published author one day.

I am starting this blog in order to document and share my journey as a teenage writer. Every author's journey is different, but being a teenager, I know that mine will be especially unique. My hope is that by running this blog I can inspire and teach my readers- and learn a lot about myself while I'm at it! I know from being one that finding other teenage writers is a rare experience and can be the best source of motivation and comfort there is. By putting myself out there, I plan to be that source to anyone with my same goals and to present my story and ideas to anyone who is simply curious!

I have a lot of ideas for different content to include on this blog, but I also would love to know what you want to see! I know there probably aren't many (or any) of you right now, but if you happen to stumble upon this new little blog, please leave a comment telling me something you hope to find here. I really do love and appreciate feedback!

I am extremely excited to experience this new adventure and to share it all on this blog! Thank you so much for reading. See you next time!