The new goal...

New goal...

In my last post, I mentioned a GoFundMe which is for my future goal.

I've recently been sending my manuscript to publishing houses, but without much help, I cannot get much started. I'm new in the industry and taking a new writer can become a challenge. This is why my boyfriend talked about publishing myself. In order to publish, I'll need to get financially settle to pay editors and others. It may take a while, but thinking about it now maybe helpful. 

My novel is finished, yes, but it's only a first draft. Something that needs to be edited in order to be read by others, by clients. 

Obviously, a novel isn't easy to write or to edit, so in my head, I want to get a good editor and get my publication by myself if no publishing houses are into the story. Which means money... I ain't financially stable for the time being and getting help to make a publication work, it would mean the world. 

So here is the link if you are interested in knowing more about the novel and see if you want to support. https://www.gofundme.com/f/dreams-of-publishing-my-first-book&rcid=r01-1564755780,14-00a777e1068d4aaf&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_w

A new post is coming soon... 

~Bella

One Mystery at the Time...

Since I've been living out of my mum's, I've been walking pretty much everywhere which helped me keep fit, and since then, I've seen the same old people from town.

I do live in a small town and since I've been living on my own (with housemates),  the city has become smaller, making it difficult to not see the same people, and working two jobs, downtown isn't helping either. Sounds like a village than a town or city. It is far from bothering me when it comes to one specific person, someone who is a complete stranger.

I don't pay much attention to many people especially after knowing that half the people are either tourists, college kids who've got no brain, customers, and people I prefer to ignore. So having someone catch my eyes... Well, it's quite unexpected!

He was walking up the street while I was walking down, unaware of anyone around me. Thin silhouette with dark messy hair, backpack on and a bike next to him. Nothing different if you compare him to other people, and yet, I saw him. I saw him around others and somehow that's making him different. Why? Why him and not someone else? And yet, I'm here, still talking about him, wondering so many questions.

That was about four months ago.

Four months later, I'm still seeing him almost everywhere, thinking of who he is, and finally dreaming of what his name is. I'm dreaming of the perfect stranger whose name is unknown. Is it just my hormones working out, playing tricks or just something pulling me, telling me to go forth and ask for a name?

Why think of him? Why dream of him? 

When I think of it, I'm throwing myself into a dangerous story, putting myself out in a strange world, the world that ain't mine but this stranger's one.

So a few weeks ago, I end up coming home a little late, walking towards my street when I saw him on a skateboard which is already odd enough, but what makes it weirder is I called him out, waving at him so he could come to me. Funny thing, he did come towards me, wondering what I wanted. We ended up talking for about two to three hours. Learned quite a lot, and despite the fact that he doesn't hang around the people who will support him, pull him out of the wrong path, he hangs out with people who are bringing him down.

Now, I understand how frustrating is it to not know how to to get away from people who've been around for you when you have been in a tough position, but at some point, you'll have to know there's more to it than just them than just what you know.

What I've learned from trying to help someone who's got his life quite disastrous is that no matter what happens, it's never too late for a second chance.
That's right, a second chance...
Believe me when I say that I do not give second chances and somehow this guy came into my life and showed me wrong. I personally didn't give him a second chance as it was his first chance with me.
He might not be the guy you would expect to have a brain much larger than the others, and yet he surprised me. Smarter than half the people I know or talked to, quite refreshing to say the least. Much more interest to listen to, talk to, no boring moment. Despite the fact that I wanted to help out, not everyone can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and he believes I came a little too late.

I laugh at it when I'm writing this post, but trust me I wasn't at the time. I've always believed it's never too late to do things, to believe in some happy ending, and he crushed it in a matter of seconds.
When I thought I was going to help out, someone who deserves it, someone who I believed in because I saw beyond the appearances, saw what he was truly capable of doing, he rejects it. Refusing to take the help even though I did hit a nerve to show him the positive is quite painful to accept! 

At least, now, whenever I see him and he sees me, I know I can count on a smile which means a lot already! He also knows he can count on me if he wants to talk, freely talk. 

"Listening is often the only thing needed to help someone."

~Bella

Where's the little voice?

As you may know, I'm a writer, and I'm currently working on a novel... It's been two years, and writer's block as comes multiple times, showing unexpectedly, turning my life into a real nightmare. 

Writer's block usually happens when you have a fear of something, afraid to put down ideas, to see a critic afterwards. Being a perfectionist! If you are a perfectionist, you will struggle, wanting to always have the right word, the right phrase, and if you don't even write, you have to get your ideas straight in your head, you'll never be writing a thing. Timing is a big issue, you may be in front of your computer or page and nothing comes to mind because it's just not the right time. Your ideas may come not yet, though, it sometimes takes a little more time to get your ideas straight! 

Writers tend to have a little voice, an imaginary friend they talk to. I've heard myself talk to myself, not conversations, but like "Oh I shouldn't put that up there, should I?" 
When we say we got writer's block, we are mostly talking about our imaginary friend who isn't talking to us... Everyone of us, writers, have to struggle with it, and don't pretend like you haven't had to deal with it! 

A year ago, I bought a little book about writer's block, and I recently looked back into it and discovered that it actually helps a little. So, I wanted to share a few notes from my tiny book with you, and maybe help with writer's block! 

They aren't phrases, tips, or anything like that... It varies into 3 categories :
1. Writing Challenges: short assignments to get you writing as quickly as possible, no more than a minute or two. It helps you think as you write. 
2. Spark Words: A word with a photograph! Carries different meanings for different people. It wants you to create a scenario or a scene about the word and the picture. 
3. Writing Topics: From choosing a title and selecting an opening line to cope with negative criticism, these topics feature advice and exercises from legendary and contemporary writers. Just write!

So let's start now:

Imagine that you could wake up tomorrow in someone else's body. Whose would it be? How would your life change? What are some of the first things you'd do? (writing topic)

Flirting (spark word)

Begin in the Middle
Good stories hit the ground running--- and you can accomplish this by "beginning in the middle." Consider the first sentence of Raymond Carver's "Elephant": " I knew it was a mistake to let my brother have the money." Or the opening line of Mario Puzo's The Godfather: "Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number three and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had so cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her." ... Write your own opening line that begins in the middle. Establish characters, situations,and conflicts with a few choice words. Then drop your readers right smack in the center.  (writing challenge)

Discipline (spark word)

Write about your earliest childhood memory. (writing topic)

I got to do a few little challenges on there, but then I tend to want more than just one little piece. I want to write a book about it. That becomes my issue, but it helps you write about something. So instead of staring at a blank page, trying to get your imaginary friend back without trying to write something... Isn't going to help you at all. 


" All writing problems are psychological problems. Blocks usually stem from the fear of being judged. If you imagine the world listening, you'll never write a line. That's why privacy is so important. You should write first drafts as if they will never be shown to anyone." - Erica Jong (Authors Publish)

~Bella