Anne's Writing Tips 1: What is Writing?

I'm not an expert in this, and I am no more that a girl aspiring to be a writer some day. Still, I have some ideas of how I should write, what I should write, and when I should write. But the most important thing is What is Writing. Not for you, not for me, for us. All of us.
I say it again - I don't think of myself as an expert in writing, but I write, wrote and will write; I can't live without writing. For me, air and writing have equal importance; writing is, like air - tameless, timeless, tireless. Three "T". That's how I like to call it.
Words are more powerful than anything - they reach people's hearts and minds - they entertain, educate, inspire. After reading a good book, you sometimes remain with a sweet, lingering, warm feeling; you want more. That is called a good book.
If your book is neat, and comes in an error-free strong package, your readers will most likely love it; even if your writing is weak, they say: "So what? The plot is good. You will improve". But if the text is full of errors and messy, they would understand nothing; readers will get confused. Distracted from the plot. And that's bad for your book.
Before your words touch the reader's heart, your words need to get to your own heart. Don't be afraid to get emotional; it's a sign you're on the good path. Don't be afraid of errors - they can be corrected later, and it's a sign that you want to write.
Sometimes, I want to write so badly that it hurts - I can't do anything except thinking about what should I write. It's like a drug. I started taking it, then couldn't stop myself.
But still, I think writing is the best drug there is on this Earth.
"What is the difference between reality and fiction?
Fiction must make SENSE."
xoxo
Ann. C.

How (NOT) to Speak English Properly

Well, even if my school life is more than full, I had this crazy idea of getting my Cambridge B2 certificate. It can't be that hard, can it? It can't. Oh, well - I hope it can't.
While I was, you know, just surfing the net, I found this nice and amusing thing about english - some "rules" for Hot to NOT speak English Properly.
(largely stolen from William Safire and then elaborated upon anonymously)

1. A writer must not shift your point of view.
   
2. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
   
3. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
   
4. Always pick on the correct idiom.
   
5. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
   
6. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
   
7. Avoid clichés like the plague. (They're old hat)
   
8. Be more or less specific.
   
9. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.
   
10. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
    
11. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.
    
12. Don’t over-use exclamation points!!!!!
    
13. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.
    
14. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
    
15. Employ the vernacular.
    
16. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.
    
17. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
    
18. Everyone should be careful to use a singular pronoun with singular nouns in their writing.
    
19. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than under-statement.
    
20. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.
    
21. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.
    
22. If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
    
23. If you reread your work, you can find on rereading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.
    
24. .If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.
    
25. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
    
26. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.
    
27. No sentence fragments.
    
28. One should NEVER generalize.
    
29. One-word sentences? Eliminate.
    
30. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
    
31. Place pronouns as close as possible, especially in long sentences, as of 10 or more words, to their antecedents.
32. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
    
33. Puns are for children, not groan readers.
    
34. Take the bull by the hand and avoid mixing metaphors.
    
35. The adverb always follows the verb.
    
36. The passive voice is to be ignored.
    
37. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.
    
38. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.
    
39. Who needs rhetorical questions?
    
40. Writing carefully, dangling participles must be avoided.
    
41. Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects. And the last one...
    
42. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

Gossiping on Gossip Girl

Yep. After watching some episodes from "Games of Thrones" I switched on something more... scandalous. And that is Gossip Girl. I like it - not obsession, not adiction, just like.
I watched about... hmm... two episodes? Yeah, the Pilot one and the Wild Brunch. I have now the third episode, Poison Ivy opened an waiting for me to search any imperfection and endulge my eyes in the visual pleasure of brand clothes, dazzingly wild New York's Upper-East Side, and of course, the hot boys and awesome, awesome, AWESOME dresses I would never afford. A girl has to dream, right?
The thing I liked was that it didn't really... have just one main character, but followed the lives of three main pairs (well, four; if you count Selena's mom and Dan's dad, but only little romance was showed); so, six main characters.
Hmm... I have nothing against Selena, but up untill now she seemed almost too perfect to be true, and that is pretty much obviously suspicious. And, being me, I'm overly suspicious on everything. She was the trigger to everything - all the gossips/disasters happened after she abruptly came back from her misterious boardin school. She's the typical "It Girl".
Blair is the Queen Bee of the highschool, the epicentre of all things. She's the sometimes friend, always enemy kind of girl, when it comes to Selena. Not that I blame her - it was S. who really made the wrong decision to sleep with Blair's boyfriend, knowing how... how... how... unforgetful Blair can be. And that's why I love Blair - she's merciless.
I can't really choose between these to sides - Selena or Blair, but I think I must watch a little more before actually thinking to... choose a side.
xoxo XD

Writer's block

Bloggers are indeed scary when they're in Writer's Block. What; did you think just writers can be in writer's block? WRONG. Bloggers can too.
A living proof is me. I've been in W.B. for already one week and... no idea how many days. Well, almost two weeks, it is for sure. A lot of things happened here; I was on the 9th cloud to let you know it all, but when I got home an I opened the Blogger window, I... didn't know what to say. How to begin. No way, how to end.
Well, as an advice for Bloggers in Blogger's Block: don't panic. Be calm, and, like me, post something about you Block.
It works.
It really does.
...Or I hope it does...

Funny how a pair of Pradas change your social status

Well, it seems that in my school, wearing a pair of brand shoes can remove you from the Not list and boost you up at the top of the Hot list. Until now, I always stayed in the shadows, helping at the overall effect and being the general mastermind behind all the pranks. I never got and never wanted the spotlight.
Mom sent me all kinds of clothes from Italy - and even I bought a few on my holiday there - but I never showed up at school with any kind of huge flashy logo of a certain brand; even if I wear brand clothes, I never show off. I simply don't want and don't want it - I think is... too much like an attention whore.
But I wasn't expecting to meet with my classmates on my daily walk in the park. Wearing some of my best clothes - a tight golden T-shirt with "One Million Dollar Girl" written in bold letters, tight D&G jeans, some high, 4-inch golden Pradas and my rabbit fur jacket. I was just hanging out with some friends that actually knew I was an under-cover fashionista, and we were all dressed and dolled up (tough I was the only one without make-up). I must admit, we looked cool; so said the boys.
We met with C.C., our school's Queen Bee, and her peers just outside the shop we used to eat every Sunday.Her face was just priceless when she realised I was actually the girl she always mocked for being the goodie-goodie-two-shoes (she would kill me if she would actually know I was the one that set up her April Fool's prank). Well, the thing was that I really looked different with my hair not tied in a ponytail. Or it was because the haircut? Anyway... C.C.'s peers were totally absorbet in admiring my Pradas (no, in our city there aren't many brand outlets) and my friends' shoes, borrowed from me too (yeah, I love shoes; sue me). That totally pissed her off and I enjoyed seeing how she realised she had a little competition.
Then, I have this question - should I enter this little contest of controlling the school? It's my last year... I must make it big. I love making things big. And this year, I swear it's gonna be OTT, ridiculously big.
xoxo XD
Ann C.