Sunshine Blogger

Micaiah @ Notebooks and Novels tagged me for the Sunshine Blogger Tag: thank you, Micaiah! (This is my first time actually getting tagged by name, so that's awesome! :D )

Here are the rules:

...Answer 11 questions from your nominee
...Tag 11 bloggers
...Ask them 11 new questions


So, because I'm terrible at introductions, let's jump straight in, shall we?

--{ What is your favorite type of post to write?}--

Ooh. I've only been blogging for - *counts on fingers* *gives up and looks at calendar* two months? Two months. And I don't know... mostly I've written waffle-posts?

I like writing posts about things that I can't normally talk about because #nonwriters. Like crazy history things or a cute way for your characters to meet (haven't written that one no you never saw it okay?) or how hard it is to come up with names (no haven't done that yet either) ...Maybe ask me again in a few months when I've written more posts??

--{ When did you start writing?}--

Writing stories? And because I wanted to, not because I had to for school? Maybe twelve, I think. (These stories were all rubbish.) I was thirteen when I started my first 'novel' - I'm still working on it, although it's barely recognizable. (It was full of cliches and the MC was perfect and could do no wrong. I still have trouble with her. 😞)

--{ What is one piece of advice you'd like to give to new bloggers?

[I am a new blogger??]

The obvious piece of advice is that blogging is all about the community - make friends. Be a friend. "A man who has friends must himself be friendly" (Proverbs 18:24) and all that.

Assuming these new bloggers know that, though, I'd say: before you start making friends with everyone, and leaving your URL everywhere so they can find you, make sure your blog looks neat. Not tacky; not amateurish. (Yes, you can always go back and fiddle with the code to your heart's content, but you only have one chance to make a first impression.) I have no idea if there are guidelines as to what looks good and what looks like - well - a Blogger blog?! - but you can judge by eye. Does it look professional? And by that I don't mean stiff, unfriendly professional; I just mean neat! (Neat like we can trust you as a writer?) (...??... What are you trying to say, Jem?)

--{ Do you prefer Microsoft Word or Google Docs?}--

Microsoft Word. I've never actually used Google Docs.

--{ What member of the Fellowship of the Ring can you relate to the most?}--

Gimli: hates running. grumpy and aggressive.

Legolas: facial expressions.

Aragorn: '200% done' facial expressions.

Frodo: tired.

Sam: PO-TAY-TERS and would hit sleazy guys with a saucepan.

Merry: sassy lines and leads Pippin into trouble.

Pippin: gets into trouble and hadn't realised the non-glorified consequences of war (same for Merry).

[Hobbits in general: eat a lot, enjoy home comforts and parties, all that stuff. Also short, cute, curly hair, barefoot, and live in adorable homes. #lifegoals ]

Gandalf: is gone most of the time you need him. harried by the responsibility of looking after all these crazy hobbits/people/etc who insist on running rings around him. also messy hair.

Boromir: human. actually human. tries, fails, and is sorry.

[You were probably not looking for a five-minute lecture.] [Be grateful I didn't bring the PowerPoint slides.]

--{ How are you pursuing your dreams right now? }--

RIGHT now? I am pursuing my dreams by ignoring them.

*reads over last sentence*

That wasn't the right answer, was it... Let me elaborate.

I am pursuing my dreams of working in the library by ignoring my imminent assessment in my tertiary studies in that area. And I'm pursuing my dreams of finishing a novel by ignoring that too because I'm "working on my assessment".

*reads over that again*

Still not working, is it?

Huh.

--{ What is the hardest part of being a writer?}--

Writing.

The end.

Seriously, I don't know. I'm only on first drafts - never done serious book edits, never worried about publication. I do know, from a few short story competitions, that rejection is hard - especially when you loved your story with all your heart and thought it was perfect.

Apart from that, the hardest part is writing. I mean, it's solitary, and you end up all hunched, and you get grumpy from your characters being grumpy or misbehaving, and you spend so many hours working just to find a plot hole that renders all those words useless.

Don't give up, guys. Your story will be worth it.

*thanks self for the pep talk*

--{ What is your favorite hot drink? }--

I once had a caramel hot chocolate. *dies from deliciousness*

*comes back to finish post*

*and see if I can scrounge some more caramel hot chocolate somewhere*

I suppose I should mention here: I'm one of those almost not-a-real-writer writers. I don't drink coffee. Yes, you read that right. I write without caffeine. How do I manage? Well, it's quite tricky, actually. The human body was not made to function as a writer without caffeine.

(But I've heard the stuff's addictive? don't want that? and the only coffee I've ever tried was a mockuccino [how do you even spell that] I think? and while the caramel flavour was great, the coffee flavour was "I think someone burnt something??")

(As an example: my sister made chocolate truffle ball things. They have coffee neatly balanced with cocoa and sugar and biscuit, and they are so. good. But today I got to the middle of mine and the last bit was a big lump of pure coffee and it got stuck in my tooth and I nearly died. I have decided that when I die, I don't want it to be by coffee. And I have now warned my sister about putting coffee death in her chocolate balls.)

--{ How do you come up with your story ideas? }--

I do not actively "come up with" story ideas. They come to me. If they didn't I would be relieved and not write and enjoy the calmness of ordinary life.

Unfortunately characters keep knocking on my brain and insisting I need to know their story; the only way to do that is to write it, and I'll know how it ends when I get there. (AKA I don't plot.) These characters typically do not even have the decency to come with names. So I spend hours trying to find one that suits them, and they are invariably fussy about what suits them.

Bulking up my story's plot, on the other hand, is hard. And requires work. Which usually consists of me spending a day sitting staring at the paper, then ignoring the story until an amazing plot thread/twist/complication pops into my head, at which point I 'write through' it (a page or so, explaining to myself how it will work and talking through the problems/holes).

This has been a crazy rant by a sleep-deprived writer. Now, the weather.

--{ Which do you prefer, ebooks or paperbacks? }--

I only got Kindle (on my laptop) a month ago.

PAPERBACKS HOW COULD YOU EVEN ASK.

I mean, ebooks are typically cheaper, but I don't tend to buy many new books anyway (I am a devoted library member).

And hard copies of books are so much better and asdasdlfkj how can you even ask that??

--{ What is one book that has made you cry? }--

The first book I ever remember crying over was Seven Little Australians. Probably you haven't read it. It's about a family of seven kids who have a stern dad and a sweet step-mother and those kids are just horrors - without meaning to be bad. It's a classic Australian kids' book, anyway.

Despite this book, I TRUSTED authors when I was young. (My mum pre-read our books, which maybe had something to do with my trust.) I might have gotten anxious, but deep down I knew the characters couldn't die.

HAHAHAHA

(I read more books with characters dying, now, but I just get bitter instead of crying?? like that makes sense??)

So those are my answers to Micaiah's Sunshine Blogger tag. Now before I get onto the rest of the rules, a little maths.

(No, seriously, bear with me.)

If I tag eleven people, assuming they complete the tag in exactly one week, next week there will be eleven people tagging eleven more people. Each. So:

Week 0: Me. Tag 11 people. Total 1.
Week 1: 11 people, tag 121 people. Total 12.
Week 2: 121 people, tag 1331 people. Total 133.
Week 3: 1331 people, tag 14641 people. Total 1464 (plus the 14641 people who will be doing this next week).


If the maths was unclear, sorry. But what I'm trying to say is: I'm going to break the rules, giving maths as my excuse. Do you think we know 1464(+14641!) people among us?? I know this doesn't take into account people being tagged twice, but I don't want to be a bother by tagging people who've done this plenty of times already. (If you are always open to being tagged, comment and tell me, and I'll keep you in mind!)

Anyway. I am going to break the rules and tag three people. Only do it if it's convenient, of course. (if inconvenient do it all the same)

Hannah @ Ink Blots and Coffee Stains
Melissa @ Quill Pen Writer
Miss March @ Sunshiny Corner

(As far as I can see you haven't done this tag recently? Not that it would really matter, because the questions change every time, but I don't want to be a bother.) (did I already say that in this post?) (help I'm trying to be cool but my real personality is bleeding through) *takes a few days off from blogging to get my cool online persona back*


And here are my questions:

[Hang on, is there supposed to be a theme? like sunshiny stuff or something? because it doesn't say and I've thought up some random questions that I'd love to see you answer but really have nothing to do with sunshine??]

--{1. Is there a story that you've always wanted to write, but haven't yet?}--
--{2. What tv show/movie have you binge-watched the worst?}--
--{3. You know those innocent little mistakes we make that are so. embarrassing. they keep you up at night. five years later. Those. Tell me about one of them? (I promise I won't tell.) (I might put it in a story though?)}--
--{4. What's your biggest NOTP?}--
--{5. Would you rather be attacked by one horse-sized duck or a hundred duck-sized horses? (seriously I want to know)}--
--{6. Is there a song you've been listening to on repeat?}--
--{7. Who is the first person that pops into your head when you think "weird"?}--
--{8. What's your biggest pet peeve?}--
--{9. Oxford comma or no?}--
--{10. If you could pick a name for yourself, what would it be?}--
--{11. Why did you start a blog?}--


I hope you have fun with these! - and everyone else, I'd love to read your answers to ANY of the questions, in the comments!