You do not need to write about something that’s really popular, like vampires or dystopian novels like the Hunger Games. Write about something that interests you, something that you would feel more passionate and give more into. I have always been very interested in fantasy, and have written a few fanfictions about Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. It’s good to challenge yourself and try something new, you don’t need to keep writing in the same style all the time.
Plan the plot
Don’t just plan the beginning or the ending of a story. What happens with a lot of people, is that they get really caught up with writing a fantastic ending, so they rush through the rest of the book. Either that or they give up halfway through because there’s too many chapters to write before the end, which is the part they actually want to write. You shouldn’t make the ending or the climax the only good parts of the book. Making a basic outline will also prevent you from getting stumped on how to continue the story.
Imagery and Characters
Imagery is one of the things you must have in your story. It helps your readers imagine the story better, and they might feel as if they are in the story themself. Try to use different words. Don’t always use “good,” “said,” or “pretty”. Use a thesaurus to find a better word, and if you’re describing something, make the description longer, not just one adjective. Characters need to be realistic. Meaning they have flaws. You might think that a character who makes no mistakes is the kind of person everyone would like, but that’s not true. If you make a character too perfect, nobody’s going to like them. This website teaches you how to create a character.
Revise and edit
There is always room for improvement and more possibilities. If you can’t think of how to improve, ask for feedback. Revising can change your entire plot and make it better than before. Revising is what makes books so hard to stop reading. Revising teaches you how to challenge something that you wrote, and you will have the skill to determine whether it’s good or bad. If you just write your final draft and that’s it, there could be a lot of mistakes. You might go back and read that work later, and not like what you had written. The best of stories is born from hard work, so put effort into your tale. Make your readers laugh, cry, and remember your story.
Don’t stress
You don’t need to finish a whole story or chapter in a few days. You can take a break and get away from your computer or notebook. This can also help you get ideas or be inspired. A few days ago I was thinking about what to write for this blog post, then a day later I was scrolling through Wattpad, and I thought of writing about this.
Write everything down
Whether you’re in bed, at lunch, or at the park, it an idea suddenly comes to you, you should write it down immediately. Otherwise, that idea would disappear from your memory. If you keep all your ideas together, when you have writer’s block, you will have a great deal of ideas to choose from.
1. Catch My Breath by Kelly Clarkson
Clarkson, Kelly. “Catch My Breath.” Greatest Hits•Chapter On. Pasadena, CA:The Listening Station, 2012.
“Catching my breath, letting it go,
Turning my cheek for the sake of the show
Now that you know, this is my life,
I won’t be told what’s supposed to be right”
When Jerry was getting bullied, he didn’t retaliate, which is what, “turning my cheek” means. He got kicked out of the team, his artwork went missing, his locker vandalized, his phone constantly ringing, and people coming over to taunt him outside. He continued to reject the chocolates, and refused to listen to the Vigils. He didn’t let others control him. Kelly Clarkson sings this with a defiant tone, showing that she is not weak, and that she is going to live her life no matter what everyone else says.
2. Wavin’ Flag by K’naan
K’naan. “Wavin’ Flag.” Troubadour. A&M/Octone, 2009.
“So many wars, settlin’ scores,
Bringing us promises, leaving us poor,
But look how they treat us, make us believers
We fight their battles, then they deceive us
Try to control us, they couldn’t hold us
‘Cause we just move forward like Buffalo soldiers”
This part of the song describes the part when The Vigils start to lose power and people start to rebel and think for themselves. The Vigils make some people believe that what they are doing it good, and Archie makes people do Assignments, and making them feel really guilty. Jerry refused to accept the chocolates, even after Archie asked him to. One person also put up a poster saying, “SCREW THE CHOCOLATES AND SCREW THE VIGILS.” The poster shows that Jerry’s followers are getting the courage to badmouth the Vigils. The way you’re supposed to sing this song is a bit sad, but also promising, reassuring, and strong.
3. Stronger by Kelly Clarkson
Clarkson, Kelly. “Stronger.” Stronger. Los Angeles, CA:Echo Studio, 2012.
“You think you got the best of me
Think you’ve had the last laugh
Bet you think that everything good is gone
Think you left me broken down
Think that I’d come running back
Baby you don’t know me, cause you’re dead wrong”
This song is about how Archie feels in the end. Archie knows he’s still powerful, and that Jerry doesn’t know him and that he is not broken down, and Archie hasn’t lost just yet. Archie put together a match between Jerry and Emile, and proved that it is he who had the last laugh. Kelly sings this song with a slight smirk, like, Haha! You’re wrong! which is probably how Archie feels.
4. Roar by Katy Perry
Perry, Katy. “Roar.” Prism. Capitol Records, 2013.
“I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agree politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything”
The students at Trinity always follow the Vigils without protest, they were afraid to “rock the boat and make a mess.” It is mentioned in chapter 27 by Archie that rough characters melted into ninety-seven pound weaklings when confronted by Archie and The Vigils. The students never stood for anything, and like Goober, just let The Vigils push them to the breaking point. People at Trinity forgot that they had a choice in what they do, and instead chose to do what everyone else is doing.
5. I Believe I Can Fly by R Kelly
Kelly, R. “I Believe I Can Fly.” R. Atlantic • Jive, 1996.
“See I was on the verge of breaking down
Sometimes silence can seem so loud
There are miracles in life I must achieve
But first I know it starts inside of me, oh”
These lyrics are about making a change and believing. In chapter 17, Jerry again refuses the chocolate, and there is a dead silence in the classroom. Change has to start with someone, and Jerry chose to continue to refuse chocolates and to try and stop the terror of The Vigils. This song is pretty slow, giving you the feeling that you are really free from the world, and that you’re flying.
6. Holiday by Green Day
Green Day. “Holiday.” American Idiot. Reprise/Warner Bros, 2005.
“A shame, the one’s who died without a name.
I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives”
The first line is like how Emile Janza strives to become one of the Vigils. He wants to die with a name, meaning he wants to be remembered. The second line tells how someone wants to dream and be different from the bad ways of Trinity. That someone could be Jerry in this book. The third line tells how it’s the beginning of the rest of our lives. Being different could change other people’s lives. People at Trinity began thinking for themselves.
7. Mean by Taylor Swift
Swift, Taylor. “Mean.” Speak Now. Big Machine, 2011.
“You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like I’m nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I’m wounded
You picking on the weaker man”
This song describes how someone uses words to hurt people. The same way Archie doesn’t usually use violence as punishment. Instead, he uses words to hurt people, because they last longer than physical punishment. He doesn’t look like much, but Archie is still feared by the population of Trinity.
8. Read All About It by Emeli Sande
Sande, Emeli. “Read All About It.” Our Version of Events. Virgin Records, 2011.
“You’ve got the words to change a nation
But you’re biting your tongue
You’ve spent a life time stuck in silence
Afraid you’ll say something wrong
If no one ever hears it how we gonna learn your song?”
Everyone at Trinity can change the school if they stop biting their tongue and be confident that what they’re doing isn’t wrong. “You’ve spent a lifetime stuck in silence,” relates to Jerry’s father. Everyday, his work is just fine. Nothing bad, nothing good. Jerry’s father never became a doctor so that he could get more money.
9. 21 Guns by Green Day
Green Day. “21 Guns.” 21st Century Breakdown. Reprise Records, 2009.
“One, twenty-one guns
Lay down your arms
Give up the fight
One, twenty-one guns
Throw up your arms into the sky
You and I”
This part of the song can relate to the ending of The Chocolate War. Jerry gave up the fight, telling Goober to don’t disturb the universe, no matter what the posters say. This song is about surrendering, because there are some things worth fighting for, but aren’t worth dying for. Jerry paid the price for disturbing the universe, Emile had very nearly killed him.
10. Careful by Paramore
Paramore. “Careful.” Brand New Eyes. Fueled by Ramen LLC, 2010.
“Shifting your weight
To throw off the pain
Well you can ignore it
But only for so long”
In chapter 28, Jerry got beat up at the football field, then his watercolor disappeared, his locker vandalized, and his sneakers ruined. He also got telephone calls, with nothing on the other end but laughter. In chapter 34, the school made him invisible. Jerry tried to brush off the taunting and bullying, but the boxing match was the last straw. He could only ignore it all for so long, and in the end, he gave up.
11. Amnesia by 5 Seconds of Summer
5 Seconds of Summer. “Amnesia.” 5 Seconds of Summer. Capitol Records, 2014.
“ ‘Cause I’m not fine at all
No, I’m really not fine at all
Tell me this is just a dream
‘Cause I’m really not fine at all”
In chapter 32, Jerry tells his father that he is fine, though he definitely is not fine. Archie and Brother Leon are like this too. They pretend to be all cool, and they try to let everyone think that everything is under control. Brother Leon’s eyes gave his true feelings away. Inside, Leon is vulnerable, and scared about the influence Jerry has on the students at Trinity.
12. Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
Green Day. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.” American Idiot. Warner Bros, Reprise Records, 2004.
“I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known
Don’t know where it goes, but it’s home to me and I walk alone
I walk this empty street on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams
When the city sleeps and I’m the only one and I walk alone
I walk alone, I walk alone“
In this song, a person walks along on a road they have known their entire life. They’re incredibly lonely, but they don’t explore other places or meet any people. Jerry’s father is like this, choosing to live a boring life because it’s easier. He doesn’t try to marry another woman so that he and Jerry won’t be so lonely, and preferred to just relive the same day over and over, never having anything new happening.
TIEA #1
The Chocolate War has a big theme on the idea of disturbing the universe, and the song Read All About It by Emeli Sande also shares that theme. The first line of the song is, “You’ve got the words to change a nation.” which relates to how just one person could disrupt the system at Trinity. In chapter 21, Howie and Rich, and Kevin and Danny discussed how they’re going to stop selling the chocolates, inspired by Jerry’s bold decision to simply refuse. The 5th line of the song is, “If no one ever hears it, how we gonna learn your song?” In chapter 27, it mentions how nobody has ever been unintimated by the Vigils and Archie, then later Obie shows them a poster that portrays the Vigils in a bad way. In all of these examples, it shows how Jerry has completely changed the way of thinking of the students at Trinity. Jerry sparked a change, and it spread to all the students. The Vigils began losing power and influence. Like the song says, anyone has the potential to change a nation, they just need to find the courage to do so. You have to face the fact that you could get in serious trouble, because not saying anything will not let people hear your opinion. Jerry was only a freshman when he made the entire school know his name. Numerous people were affected by his influence.
TIEA #2
The theme of fear plays an important role in The Chocolate War, the theme lets readers understand how fear can be a powerful weapon, but how there is still a way to face it. In chapter 37, while Emile and Jerry were fighting, the audience did absolutely nothing to stop what was happening. In chapter 6, when Gregory Bailey was being falsely accused of cheating, and nobody stood up for him until the end. All of these examples shows how people are too afraid to be a nonconformist and to do what’s right. They instead chose to go along with everyone else and what The Vigils want so they don’t draw negative attention to themselves. It’s easy to tell that what is happening it wrong. We all know that teachers shouldn’t accuse students of cheating when they know they don’t We all should know that supporting a fight, and one so unfair, is totally wrong. Us readers know that The Vigils are very bad news. But if you were in their situation, would you choose to conform or not? The characters deep down know that what they’re doing is wrong and not helping, but fear prevents them from acting. Robert Cormier lets us as readers know that being a nonconformist can really make a positive change in society, and that you shouldn’t be afraid.
Storybird
This is my Storybird. This short book tells of my attempt to disturb the universe in a positive way, and comes with a section on bullying and how to prevent it. http://storybird.com/books/a-ripple-in-society-2/
You are as smart as scientist
you have logic, skill, and common sense
but what is the use of having all that
if no one notices what you could be?
if you never let your colours show
you will never be unique, never be noticed
people notice the ones you’ve shunned
the show-off with pi memorized to infinity
the know-it-all with a talking textbook for a head
but you, you never get attention
because you’ve never stood out from the crowd Click! The front row smiles bright, but you try to hide
HOPE POEM
My hope looks like the ground, so small during flight
My hope feels like sunshine, at the dead of night
My hope smells like cookies, in a cold dark dungeon
My hope tastes like ice cream, freezed in the oven
My hope sounds like an apology, after thinking it were impossible
My hope is for something unachievable, to become possible
TIEA PARAGRAPH AND ANALYSIS
Inspiring poems can inspire and change other people. In a poem called Better Than Before, it says, “From a small puddle, rebirth of motivation, better than before.” After reading this poem, people who feel like they don’t have any ideas at the moment, will still be confident that they can think of ideas. Also, they will start to believe that their ideas will be better than before. They can also rest assured that they could get motivation at any time. In a rhyming poem called You Will Never See Me Fall, in line 16 to 17, it says, “You may see me struggle…but you will NEVER see me fall.” This will make reader realize that struggling and falling are not the same thing. This can make people be less afraid of facing difficulties, because making mistakes doesn’t mean it’s the end, and that struggling isn’t something to be ashamed of. In a poem called You Will Never See Me Fall, Joyce uses metaphors many examples of struggling, but not falling. The lines in the poem are also real things people could go through. Line 10 and 11 say, “I’m going to wear the biggest smile, even though I want to cry.” A lot of people are like this, they pretend they are fine when they are not. Then they can relate to the poem. The author is trying to get people to stay strong no matter what, and you can’t give up.
In Better Than Before, the author makes the poem simple but meaningful. The author uses a metaphor, comparing a state of nothing happening to a small puddle. The author doesn’t explain much either, even in the description of the poem. So you have to use your imagination to think of what it means. The metaphor might not be what I think it is either, making it so simple, Jeremy made this poem be able to apply to many things.
In the poem Strength and Courage, it follows the order of “It takes strength to…” then “it takes courage to…” there’s not a lot of words after each of those, so it’s quite simple, but has a lot of good examples of strength and courage being different. The author uses things that can happen in real life into his poem. David wrote in two lines, “It takes strength to stand alone, it takes courage to lean on another.” This can totally apply to a war. It takes a lot of strength for you to take care of yourself in battle. But you need to get the courage to help yourself by letting another help you.
All three of these poems use situations that happen in real life, and reassure people that it’s okay. You Will Never See Me Fall uses the idea of people making mistakes and going through lots of difficulties. Strength and Courage uses the idea of people being strong, and people having courage. Better Than Before uses the idea that you can always make it better if you have some motivation. One difference is that what the message is in You Will Never See Me Fall is pretty clear. Better Than Before, however, can apply to many situations and can have different meanings. Strength and Courage’s message is more clear, but the poem doesn’t directly say it. Instead, the audience has to figure it out themselves.
Short Books The San Francisco Earthquake, 1906 This book is kind of saying how girls don’t have what it takes to survive, even back then. There were absolutely no girls mentioned in the entire book except for that weeping mother with ten thousand kids. That was a bit of gender stereotyping since the mom is taking care of the kids and the dad isn’t. But this story takes place in 1906 and the author was probably just trying to be realistic.
Also, the soldier didn’t help the mom, didn’t even comfort her, just patted her back and left. That’s stereotyping that soldiers back then didn’t care much about someone not in immediate danger.
There is a stereotype that little boys can’t keep secrets. Morris blurted out Leo’s secret about Leo’s gold nugget just so that he could make friends.
Propaganda that you can survive earthquakes if you’re smart. You can’t only have intelligence, sometimes you do need some strength, help, and luck.
Propaganda that there is only one bully that’s truly bad. A lot of books and movies are like that. The leader is the one that’s truly evil. Like Zira from the Lion King, Regina from Mean Girls, and like Fletch from this book.
Ms. Krup Cracks Me Up There is a stereotype that girls are scared of bugs and dead things. There are a ton of boys who are scared of those things and girls who aren’t in the world, but in the book all the boys wanted to kill the cockroach, and all the girls were screaming and trying to get away from it.
Stereotype that kids like to eat candy. AJ and all his classmates went crazy when they found the boxes of candy beside the candy machine.
Stereotype that boys like Batman and dinosaurs. They boys got really excited when they found out there was a missing T. Rex in the museum, and AJ had a Batman sleeping bag.
Stereotype that adults snore loud. Adults the only one that snore loud. You should hear my younger brother snore, it’s almost like he’s a human tuba.
A stereotype that girls who are smart are nosy, follow rules, and like impressing people. Not all smart people are like Andrea Young in this book or Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series.
Gender stereotype that girls cry a lot and are easily scared. Emily totally freaked out when she was pinned to the ground by a dead bear.
Stereotype that boys hate school and museums, and like field trips.
Stereotype that everyone thinks Monday is the worst day.
Stereotype that adults like to drink coffee and talk about the weather.
Songs Aqua – Barbie Girl
“Life in plastic, it’s fantastic!” Since this song is comparing girls to the toy Barbie, “life in plastic,” can also refer to plastic surgery. This is saying that girls like doing plastic surgery and think it’s fantastic. I’m sure not all people think that.
“I’m a blond, bimbo girl.” This is supporting the dumb blonde stereotype, since bimbo means pretty but unintelligent.
“Dress me up, make it tight.” This is saying that girls like wearing clothes that a very tight and fit perfectly.
“You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere.” This part of the song is saying that girls like making their hair look nice and change clothes a lot
“Make me walk, make me talk, do whatever you please, I can act like a star, I can beg on my knees.” I’m not really sure about this one, but I’m pretty sure it’s saying that boys are the ones who are in control and can manipulate the girl a lot.
Demi Lovato – Heart Attack
“Putting my defenses up, ‘Cause I don’t wanna fall in love. If I ever did that, I think I’d have a heart attack.” This is saying that when people are hurt, they never want to fall in love again out of fear of being hurt another time.
“But when it comes to you, I’m never good enough.” In relationships, it’s saying that girls always want to impress the guys, and never think they’re good enough for them, and always try to be better and better.
“When I don’t care, I can play ‘em like a Ken doll” This is saying that when girls don’t care about a guy, she manipulates him for fun.
“Won’t wash my hair, then make ’em bounce like a basketball.” “Bounce like a basketball,” can mean going away. Like how people say, “I gotta bounce.” Demi Lovato means that if she doesn’t wash her hair, the guy won’t be interested in her anymore. This is a gender stereotype because it’s saying guys are only interested in looks and not anything else.
“But you make me wanna act like a girl, paint my nails and wear high heels.” Demi Lovato is saying that there’s a boy that makes her so nervous she wants to look good. But, she says, “make me wanna act like a girl,” which makes it a gender stereotype because not all girls paint their nails and wear high heels.
“You make me glow, but I cover up. Won’t let it show.” I think this is saying that when girls who don’t want to fall in love “glow,” as in “blushing.” It can be referring to how she feels when she is around him. But she says she, “covers up,” which is saying she doesn’t let them show because she is afraid to. But that can also mean using makeup to hide her true self. That’s stereotyping that girls use a lot of makeup, and end up hiding who they really are.
Commercials Walt Disney World Resort – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPYUo0awFOc
Propaganda that Disney World is a place where people of all ages can have fun, relax, and be happy. Disney World is more like a place for kids and teenagers than adults, but they always show adults laughing with their kids. When I go to an amusement park it’s always only my brother and I going on rides, since my mom’s too scared of everything and my dad gets sick easily.
There is also a stereotype that everyone likes fireworks. Everyone in the commercial was cheering and smiling while watching the fireworks.
Stereotype that boys like Buzz Lightyear and Star Wars
Stereotype that girls like princesses and dressing up like them.
Car Commercial – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYWHsOeDf3M
Saying that boys care more about cars than girls
Propaganda that the car is so good it can get you a lot of attention and that the car has a ton of energy. Made it look like it was made by super smart scientists.
Since all of the hamsters who made the car were male, it’s a gender stereotype that only boys can be smart like those hamsters and make that car.
Also stereotyping that females dress in heels and designer clothes
Stereotyping that smart people dress with suspenders and round glasses.
Similarities
There are a lot of gender stereotypes and age stereotypes in all of these bias examples. They all portray girls as weak beings that are afraid of both tangible things and being themselves. They all portray girls as girls that are pretty or want to be pretty. But they all depict boys as people who are capable of doing a lot of cool things, like making a car or surviving earthquakes. I’ve noticed that whether it’s a boy or girl singing the song, writing the book, or appearing in a commercial, it seems to portray girls in a negative way, even though it’s a little bit. All the examples I have don’t have any kind of black vs white prejudice, just the fact that there aren’t any black people in any of the examples. That’s implying that black people can’t survive fires or don’t go to elementary. Even though they don’t really say anything bad about black people, not saying anything about them could also be and example of bias.
Differences
There are also examples that say boys as bad people to be around, since they break people’s hearts and don’t care about girls. I think songs are the ones that usually show this, since a lot of singers are girls and singer usually sing out their thoughts. Commercials and books tend to have much more stereotypes in them than the songs. Commercials always use stereotypes or other bias because they think the audience believes in those biases and will agree with them. Books also shouldn’t have so many unpopular opinions readers won’t even read them. Songs are usually just liked because of the melody, and you can’t fit so much bias in a song anyway. For the bias in books, I don’t think most of them are really intentional. Lots of authors just write and provide small details that just happen to have stereotypes in them. When they do have a lot and really big ones, most of the time it’s just being realistic.
Product
This is my product to make people aware of the bias in the world around them. For my product, I made a poster. This poster contains an outline of a man wearing headphones and having a phone, a book, a newspaper, and a print ad across his eyes, like a blindfold. This represents how bias can lead you on blindly, making you deaf and blind to the real world.
