R.M. Archer's Blog, page 36

Book Review: Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve

I finished Mortal Engines three weeks ago, but between procrastination and sleep deprivation and more procrastination I didn’t get past the basic outline of this review. So. Today I’m gonna fix that. But, fair warning, this review might not be as orderly as most because I don’t remember details well and I forget books annoyingly fast.

Overall rating: 3 stars

So first off, I’d just like to ask WHY ON EARTH DID THEY CHANGE THE MAIN CHARACTER WHEN THEY ADAPTED THIS TO FILM??? Just watching the trailers for the movie (which is what got me into the book to begin with) spoiled the first twist in the book. That was annoying. Anyway, in the book, the main character is Tom Natsworthy, who I really like and who seems to have been relegated to love-interest status in the movie. (But I could be wrong, since I’m basing that assumption off the trailers alone.) Hester Shaw, the MC in the movie, is the secondary main character. And if I remember right, she doesn’t even have as much POV time as Katherine Valentine does? So… yeah. Personally, I think that was a mistake.

Part of the reason I’m annoyed they didn’t keep Tom as the MC is that, in the book, he has a wayyyyy more interesting arc. His entire worldview changes, and personally I think it was written pretty well. Meanwhile, Hester’s arc is… learning she’s not ugly? Except there’s not a natural progression and the only cause I can see for it is a male character learning to love her? So that whole arc was super weak. I’m assuming they fixed that in the movie and gave her a stronger (probably totally different, knowing book-to-movie adaptations) arc. But still. As far as the book is concerned, lousy arc.

Then there’s the second MC, Katherine Valentine. I liked her, but she kept coming across as way younger than she’s supposed to be. I think she’s supposed to be 16/17, but she just kept sounding… I don’t know. Just too young. Partially it was naivety, which fit her character, but there was also just something about her voice that made her seem like she was closer to 14 than 17. :P

In the same section of the story (it was split basically between Tom’s POV and Katherine’s), there’s Pod. I liked Pod. Pod was sweet. But… that was pretty much all he was. He was useful to the plot, I guess, but he didn’t especially have a (realistic) impact on any of the other characters, so he kind of fell flat and felt one-dimensional. And this was fairly representative of all the side characters. They were just kind of… there. They didn’t really have much impact on things. With one exception, which I’ll get into later.

NEITHER OF THE VILLAINS WERE INTIMIDATING. AT ALL. And if Valentine was supposed to have a redemption arc, it didn’t work. Both villains were cowardly at best and flat at worst. The big bad boss dude was way in the background and didn’t do any damage. Valentine… also didn’t really do any damage… I mean sorta. But it didn’t feel imposing or threatening to me. And he was a big ol’ coward, so that significantly lessened the intimidation factor. Overall, not impressed with the villains.

All right, now that I’ve talked about a whole bunch of the bad… Let’s get into some good, shall we?

I loved the worldbuilding. I was intrigued by the idea of cities on wheels from the movie trailer, but that’s not what won me over in the books. What won me over most were the references to “old tech.” Reeve did an AMAZING job of portraying what people in the future would think of the tech/society/pop culture of today, and it was a lot of fun to read about. I’m not so sure about the religions he invented (I really don’t think we’re going to all be worshiping the same handful of gods that didn’t exist before this point, or that no one will be part of existing religions, and if we weren’t supposed to assume that there are no other religions in Mortal Engines then the currently-existing religions should probably have at least been mentioned, if the future religions were going to be a normal part of everyday life.), but otherwise the worldbuilding was fun.

Now to the one side character who was not boring: Anna Fang. Anna was a lot of fun, and Reeve did a great job of giving her memorable quirks. And the explanation of her teeth–while not clear, per se?–was cool and semi-believable.

As a final note, there are a handful of lines in this book that made me laugh out loud. Although it was late, so I’m not sure how accurate a representation of their humor that is. What I remember clearest is this exchange:

…he couldn’t find his shirt at all, until he crawled closer to the scarred girl and realized she was busy tearing it into strips that she was using to bandage her wounded leg.

“Hey!” he said. “That’s one of my best shirts!”

“So?” she replied without looking up. “It’s one of my best legs.”

Overall, there wasn’t quite enough to the book to make it especially memorable, but it was fairly enjoyable to read once. There might be some mild language to warn of, if you decide to read it (I don’t remember). I think there might have been one or two kisses. Tom is briefly shirtless, but not for any reason other than that Hester needed to bandage her leg. There’s a fair amount of violence and death. Otherwise, I think it’s clean.

Character Interview: Dagmar Karlyle & Kreel Maykis

Dagmar is the second POV character in Unstoppable, written by Allie from Of Rainy Days and Stardust Veins. She’s temperamental, cynical, and has elemental powers. Kreel is one of the supporting characters. He’s protective, a good leader, and has super speed. Enjoy their interview!

 

*Dagmar and Kreel enter, she looking generally unhappy and wary, and he more calm, bit still suspicious* *they look at each other confusedly and take respective seats*

Interviewer: Hello. *smiles* How are you?

Dagmar: *kinda huffs, doesn’t respond*

Kreel: *smiles a little* I’m all right.

Interviewer: What are your names?

Dagmar: Raina Karlyle.

Kreel: *looks at her from the corner of his eye, kinda proud like, “good, you haven’t punched anything yet” XD* I’m Kreel Maykis.

Interviewer: How long have you two known each other?

Kreel: About… five years, I’d say?

Dagmar: *nods* About that, yeah.

Interviewer: How did you meet?

Kreel: *chuckles* She punched me in the face after I spilled coffee on her shoes. That’s, uh… actually, I shouldn’t go into that.

Interviewer: I guess that answers the next question of “did you two like each other when you met.” But I guess you could still answer, Kreel?

Kreel: *laughs* I didn’t mind her. She hated me.

Dagmar: He’s not wrong. *shrugs* I thought he was an arrogant know-it-all. He still is. *punches him in the arm kind of gently*

Kreel: *grimaces* Ow.

Dagmar: That did not hurt, you baby. *huffed*

Interviewer: What are your favorite things about each other?

Dagmar: *laughs kind of derisively* He’s useful.

Kreel: *shrugs one shoulder and hides a snort* She’s honest. That’s one thing you can count on.

Dagmar: *raises an eyebrow* Why are we here anyway? Why us?

Interviewer: *shrugs* You were picked semi-randomly. What is your favorite thing to do together?

Kreel: Take walks when we stop for rest. Usually through back alleys or forests.

Dagmar: *scowls at him* Speak for yourself. I take walks. He tags along.

Interviewer: How would each of you describe your relationship?

Dagmar: Relationship? We’re not even a couple.

Interviewer: You have a relationship, whether it’s romantic or platonic.

Dagmar: We don’t have a relationship.

Kreel: No, that’s not true. We’re friends. *smiles a little bit at the interviewer* Its okay. It’s a little tense due to the nature of how we know each other.

Interviewer: It’s impossible for you to have no kind of relationship. Even if you loathe each other, that’s still a relationship. *chuckles*

Dagmar: Well, I don’t loathe him. I guess we’re friends. If he wants to call it that.

Kreel: *chuckles softly* I’d say so.

Interviewer: *subtly skips over a question* What are your love languages?

Kreel: *smiles a little more* Mine is quality time. I was crippled for most of my life, and it always meant a lot to me when people would take the time to be around me. It still does.

Dagmar: *her scowl deepens* I don’t have a love language.

Kreel: *shrugs a little* Everyone does. You just might not know it yet. *kind of soft*

Interviewer: I’ve heard that before. What’s your favorite memory together?

Dagmar: We don’t have one of those either.

Kreel: We don’t have a lot for time for fun memories I think is what she means.

Interviewer: What’s the most embarrassing story you two have together?

Dagmar: I have one. But he wasn’t awake. And it mostly embarrasses me, so I won’t tell it.

Kreel: *shakes his head a little* I honestly can’t think of one. We have about as big of a margin for embarrassing moments as we do error in our line of work.

Interviewer: If you could do one thing for your partner, what would it be?

Dagmar: *looks at Kreel for a moment, something about her looking slightly softer* Let him see his family again. I know they mean a lot to him, and it would mean a lot to them to see him healed.

Kreel: *looks slightly shaken* Oh. That’s… sweet. Thank you Raina. *kinda murmured* I didn’t know you thought that way.

Dagmar: *shrugs a little* Sure, I guess.

Kreel: *looks up again at Dagmar* I’d show her how the world is supposed to work. Give her the heart she is so obviously lacking. *the last part more teasing* If I could do one thing, it would be the ability to look at the world through… I dunno, I don’t want to say rose-coloured glasses, but at least let her have a softer outlook.

Interviewer: *nods a bit* What are some of your shared hobbies?

Kreel: Running, actually. I beat her every time, of course, but she does like to run off steam. And exploring unexplored places. Old buildings. When everyone else is dead asleep and no one else is around.

Dagmar: Arguing.

Kreel: *chuckles*

Dagmar: We also share the hobby of telling Gaden to shut up. If that’s considered a hobby. *she’s beginning to loosen up slightly, I think*

Interviewer: Where is your favorite place to go, explore, or hang out together?

Dagmar: Old city buildings and back alleys. You never know what you’ll find there.

Kreel: And you can’t help but wonder who used to live there and walk those paths.

Dagmar: *snorts, but you can tell it’s half-hearted, i.e., she knows he’s right*

Interviewer: What’s your favorite meal to eat together?

Both: Potatoes.

Interviewer: Who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend?

Dagmar: I hate people. *as if that’s an acceptable answer*

Kreel: I never had one, really.

Interviewer: Well, that was the last question. Thank you for your time. *smiles slightly*

*Both stand*

Kreel: Thank you.

Dagmar: *shrugs* Sure, I guess. *walks with Kreel out*

Discovering Your World: Organizing the Info

Due to a week of massive sleep deprivation and the realization that I’ve actually already written a decent post on developing wildlife that said everything I’d say now (see here), I’ve decided to replace my intended post on wildlife with a post on organizing your worldbuilding, to keep things on-schedule.

Worldbuilding is a massive undertaking, and there’s a ton of information to keep straight. Chances are you have info scattered everywhere–a sticky note with a handful of city names, a map tossed in a desk drawer, a binder that has some of your worldbuilding, but not all the stuff that you wrote down in various notebooks. Fortunately, there’s a cure for this! Actually, multiple cures, depending on how you like to work.

1. A Notebook

The first option is to reserve a single, full notebook for your worldbuilding and store it somewhere easy-to-reach. Anytime you have an idea for your world, jot it down in here. You may or may not want to define sections within the notebook for various categories of worldbuilding to keep things a little more organized.

If you do end up writing something about your world elsewhere, you can tuck the sticky note or map just inside the cover, copy the info over to a page of the notebook, whatever.

2. A 3-Ring Binder

This is better than a notebook for organization, and it could be a good second step if you start with a notebook. With a binder, you have free rein over what sort of info goes into your binder and you can make your own worksheets/templates/whatever to fill in. You can download printables and put them in here. (*cough*I have worldbuilding printables*cough*) You can totally customize it, you can rearrange things, you can doodle on the pages, etc. etc.

Both the notebook and the binder give you the added advantage of writing on paper instead of spending hours looking at a screen, and hand-writing can also help you slow down, get your thoughts in order, get a change of scenery, etc. (I have more thoughts on hand-writing here.)

3. A Word Document

Personally, I use Google Docs, which has the advantage of being accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, but you could also use a simple word processing software like Microsoft Word. Like a binder or notebook, this is pretty customizable, and there are plenty of templates you can find to give you a starting point.

I use a Word document to collect my random brainstorming for Kersir, and I have a Google Doc for a few of my worlds that’s set up from a template I made.

4. Notebook.ai

This is a site set up for storing worldbuilding information. You can link between articles, customize the template fields, add images, etc. The catch is that you only get four categories on the free version, and the paid version is fairly expensive, and then the presentation isn’t wonderful and it’s not particularly easy to share your worldbuilding. (Which may or may not be a concern of yours.)

I used this for a while and wasn’t incredibly impressed with it. It was helpful as a stand-in until I discovered…

5. World Anvil

World Anvil can do almost everything Notebook.ai can do, and it gives you way more for free. The only thing I can think of that you can do with Notebook.ai and not World Anvil is customize templates. World Anvil gives you access to all of their primary templates in the free version, and really the only drawback of the free version is that all of your articles will be public when you publish them, but if you’re really worried about that you can just keep all of your articles as drafts. But then if you do want to support the developers (which I’d highly recommend if you have the money because the devs are awesome) and get a premium subscription, it’s way cheaper than Notebook.ai in exchange for way more value.

With World Anvil, you can do a ton with your (existing) maps, you can make your articles presentable to others (even the default theme is really cool), things are organized in a neat, orderly way that still keeps everything together (Notebook.ai kind of chops things up into pieces), you can add images within your article (Notebook.ai keeps the images at the top and bottom), you can link between articles with a super easy mentioning system, you can create timelines, there’s a special tool for writing about the relationships between characters (or organizations)… the list goes on. And everything I’ve just mentioned is available before you get a premium subscription.

In the end, what tool you decide to use depends on how your process works, what your preferences are, and what works for you. Clearly I like World Anvil the best, since I sound like a walking advertisement for them. XD But I also like having a hard copy in a binder, and to some extent what works (for me, at least) depends on the world. Kersir has been developed mostly through random realizations and brainstorms and I have yet to put all the information in order. Aleruus, on the other hand, has been developed in a very structured and orderly fashion. Just pick what works for you and go for it. :)

How do you primarily organize your worldbuilding? Do you prefer paper or digital?

Author’s note: all of the Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning if you buy through them I get a share of the profit at no extra cost to you.

Notice

Today’s post isn’t likely to go up today. I haven’t slept well the past several nights, so I’m pretty brain-dead and I’ve been sleeping late and I just don’t have the brain power to write a post today. Ideally I’ll have it up later this week, but if my insomnia continues I might not be able to. (At the very least I’ll try to create a workaround if my insomnia does continue.) I’m sorry I won’t be able to post today, but I’m excited to share this post with you when I am able to get it ready.

Thank you for understanding.

Character Interview: Trey Rogers & Raegyn Lee

Raegyn is one of the two POV characters in Unstoppable, one of the books I’m working on with Allie. She’s quiet and she has stealth/invisibility powers. Trey is her love interest/boyfriend (obviously). He’s organized, great at planning, sweetly protective, and has telekinesis. Enjoy their interview!

 

Trey: *comes in and takes a seat*

Raegyn: *comes in behind him, hands wrapped up in her sleeves, looking like she really doesn’t want to be there*

Trey: *smiles reassuringly at Raegyn as she sits down*

Raegyn: *gives an almost-half-smile back*

Interviewer: Hello. How are you today?

Raegyn: Fine.

Trey: I’m all right. *smiles a bit*

Interviewer: Are you ready to get started?

Trey: *nods*

Raegyn: *shrugs*

Interviewer: How long have you two known each other?

Trey: About five years.

Interviewer: How did you meet?

Trey: *glances at Raegyn and chuckles awkwardly*

Raegyn: *shakes her head at the interviewer*

Trey: *rubs the back of his neck* We’d… really rather not say.

Interviewer: All right… Did you like each other when you first met?

Raegyn: I did.

Trey: *looks at her in mild surprise* Really? *back to interviewer* I didn’t really get to know her much early on. We were both pretty quiet and withdrawn due to… circumstances. I didn’t dislike her or anything, but I didn’t have romantic feelings for her or anything right away.

Interviewer: What’s your favorite thing about each other?

Trey: Raegyn is really compassionate and really smart. *smiles at her* Most don’t guess it because she doesn’t show it often, but she is.

Raegyn: *glances down at her hands as a blush rises to her cheeks* Trey is really sweet and protective. He’s not overbearing or overly protective, but he’s always ready to help protect me or any of the other Unstoppables who need it. *smiles softly*

Interviewer: What is your favorite thing to do together?

Raegyn: Stargaze.

Trey: *points at her* What she said. She beat me to it. *grins*

Raegyn: *smiles* We’re outside the majority of nights, and Trey and I like to take advantage of it and stargaze together.

Interviewer: That sounds like a nice bright spot to keep you going.

Raegyn and Trey: *nod*

Interviewer: How would each of you describe your relationship?

Trey: *takes a minute* Just… loving, I think. Either of us would be willing to do anything for the other–within reason, of course.

Raegyn: *nods*

Interviewer: What book or movie would you end up with two copies of if you got married?

Trey: It’s a really old book, from back in the Old World, The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson. We both really love that book. *turns to her* What movie would you say?

Raegyn: You already know. Another Old World classic. My copy barely works at this point. The Princess Bride.

Interviewer: Might not have two copies for very long after you get married, huh? *chuckles*

Raegyn: If we get that far. *wry smile*

Trey: We will. *smiles at her*

Interviewer: What are your love languages, and how do you show affection to each other?

Trey: Mine is quality time. Like we said, we often spend time stargazing, I’ll have my arm around her shoulders or her waist. Sometimes I give her hugs or forehead kisses to comfort her in or after a stressful situation.

Raegyn: *nods* Mine is touch. I just try to be with him as much as possible and be less of a worrywart than I tend to be. *chuckles ruefully*

Interviewer: What’s your favorite memory together?

Trey: *exchanges a glance with Raegyn* Well, there’s a clear option, but it’s not very romantic.

Interviewer: Let’s hear it anyway. If you’re willing to share.

Raegyn: We probably shouldn’t. *offers an apologetic smile*

Interviewer: All right. What’s the most embarrassing story you have together?

Trey: I can’t think of one. *turns to Raegyn* Can you?

Raegyn: *shakes her head*

Trey: *back to the interviewer* Mostly we’re too busy to be embarrassed often.

Interviewer: *chuckles* If you could do one thing for your partner, what would it be?

Trey: I’d get her somewhere safe. For good.

Raegyn: I’d get him home to his family.

Interviewer: What are some of your shared hobbies?

Raegyn: Reading and stargazing. There’s not time for much else.

Trey: *nods*

Interviewer: Where is your favorite place to go, explore, or hang out together?

Raegyn: Anywhere we have a chance to stop and breathe.

Interviewer: What is your favorite meal to eat together?

Trey: Any of them.

Interviewer: For both of you, who was your first boyfriend or girlfriend?

Trey: Raegyn.

Raegyn: *nods* Trey. Neither of us exactly got normal teenage years.

Trey: *to Raegyn* But I’m kind of all right with that, assuming we get out of it all right. If it weren’t for what happened, we would have never met. *smiles*

Raegyn: *attempts to smile* I guess.

Interviewer: That was the last question. Thank you both for your time. *smiles* Have a good day.

Trey: *gets up and shakes the interviewer’s hand before leaving*

Raegyn: *just offers a small smile before following*

Discovering Your World: How Regions and Landscape Affect Culture

You’re building a world, and hopefully at this point you have a map. What do you do with that map? Aside from using it as a reference point for where your characters are and where they go, of course. How can you use it to further develop your world? Well, chances are you’ve filled it in with landscapes (mountains, forests, deserts, craggy cliffs…), which is a great starting point. A town in the forest is going to act very differently and produce very different materials than a town in the desert. So, how do you tap into these landscapes to develop your cultures? Let’s find out.

What resources are nearby?

If you have a town in the mountains, they’re going to have easy access to stone, trees (depending on how high in the mountains they are, and the exact makeup of the mountains), probably some ores (what ores they have is up to you), and possibly some mountain-dwelling animals. What resources they have is going to affect what they trade, what they can make and what they have to have imported instead, what their architecture is like, what the insides of their houses look like, how wealthy they are… It’s going to affect a LOT. Let’s continue using this mountain town as an example. Their homes are likely to be made mostly of stone, possibly with some wood accents. They might build with some of the ores they produce, if they’re hard enough for building. They might decorate with metals. Their furniture is probably going to be made of wood, stone, or metal. Do they have anything they use for cushions? Maybe the pelts of a nearby animal? Keep asking questions and pretty soon you’ll have a well-developed settlement with a lot of really cool details you can call to play when you’re writing.

What’s the climate like?

This is going to affect what plants can grow there, what animals can dwell there, and how your characters dress. If you have a desert town, it’s probably surrounded by plants that can survive on very little moisture and probably cold-blooded animals who have protection mechanisms against sandstorms (among others). The people are going to dress for the weather, and also have ways to protect themselves from sandstorms. Their houses are probably built to withstand sandstorms and keep sand from blowing inside, while still allowing a breeze to relieve the heat when there’s not a sandstorm inbound. Shuttered windows? Windows with panels that slide into the wall or over the window as the situation dictates? Again, think through the what-ifs, ask questions, and let your mind explore the possibilities.

How isolated is the region?

If your town is stuck behind a mountain ridge, for instance, cut off from the rest of the continent, how does it affect them? Are they fully self-sustaining? If so, are they their own country or kingdom? Does their isolation make them wary of anyone from outside, or do they welcome a change of pace when a visitor arrives? Do they have fewer resources than they need and have workarounds for the mountains? Maybe they’ve dug tunnels through in order to reconnect with the outside world? Are they locked in on all sides, or just one or two? Do they go in different directions to trade, maybe heading to a nearby island kingdom off the coast rather than going across the mountains to their own continent?

Who are their neighbors?

Neighboring cultures are likely to affect the culture of a civilization, whether that’s a positive or a negative. Does the culture willingly adopt traditions, fashion, etc. from the neighboring civilizations, or do they shun it and hold strongly to their existing values and practices? Are they successful in keeping out the other culture’s influence, or do they still unconsciously adopt practices from their neighbors? Does their choice on whether or not to welcome influence affect their relationships with their neighbors for better or for worse? Do the neighbors respect and admire their steadfastness or try to force their beliefs? Do the neighbors welcome the culture’s adoption of their customs or would they rather hoard them? Is it even against their beliefs for other cultures to adopt their practices? Or maybe it’s part of their beliefs that everyone should eventually be like them.

I’m sure I’ve missed a lot–there are a lot of facets to worldbuilding–but this will hopefully give you a starting point and get your mental gears spinning.

If you need somewhere to store all of your worldbuilding information, there are several options (I should make that a post in this series). If keeping track of things digitally is your preference, I’d recommend World Anvil. It’s great for storing existing information, and it can prompt thought in specific areas that you might not have thought of before with its article templates. Is the existing template not quite working for you? You can also work according to your own categories using a “Generic Article” with headings.

This is part of a World Anvil “Settlement” template

What settlement in your world is most influenced by the landscape around it? What’s your biggest worldbuilding struggle? Your favorite thing about worldbuilding? How do you usually keep track of all the pieces of your world? Let’s chat in the comments!

How to Become an Online Influencer – Guest Post by Livy Lynn

Influence.

That’s a pretty massive word, isn’t it?

The simple fact that each human has the ability to influence one another is such an honor. A gift. A treasure that we’re all called to steward.

We don’t have to look very far to see the laws of influence at work. We see celebrities setting trends on talk shows and on glossy magazine covers. College professors are molding minds, politicians are changing laws, and Hollywood is changing the way our culture thinks about, well, pretty much everything.

But what about us? Bloggers. Writers. YouTubers. Texters. Talkers. Social-media posters. Do we carry as much influence as the big names? Do we get a say in what happens in our world, do we get to shift and design the landscape of this life for others, or are our voices lost in the shuffle?

If you have a voice, you have influence.

And if you have a cell phone, an internet connection, or a laptop, you have the unique opportunity to influence this generation and use your voice for good.

Finding Our Place on the World Stage

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Online Influencers”, right?

I’m sure you’ve seen your favorite YouTuber or popular Instagrammer post an advertisement for a brand or company they’ve partnered with. If you’re a Christian homeschooler and I say, “Blimey Cow”, you might say, “Get a free audiobook with audible! Visit audible.com slash cow!”

“Celebrity” personalities with large realms of influence such as Bethany Mota, Bethany Hamilton, or Jill Duggar Dillard, have all posted #ads on their Instagram account. Brands and companies see these “online influencers” as a great vehicle to get their products and services in front of a specific audience: us!

Those who have large enough followings are able to decide whether or not they wish to partner with brands and use their online platform to earn income..

Just twenty years ago, “online influencer” wasn’t even a word. And now, trail-blazing entrepreneurs are designing their dream lives, earning six-figure salaries off YouTube, blogging, and social media! How strange that we live in a world where social media, Instagram even, can become someone’s full-time job?

How is that even possible? And more importantly, is it possible for us? Writers and bloggers who dream of traveling the world, speaking at conferences, sharing our novels with readers around the globe, and fulfilling our God given dreams. Could it be that we too, have the potential to become online influencers and actually earn income while doing it?

Practically speaking, the reason this dream is possible in today’s day and age, is because there are brands and companies who need to get their products in front of consumers. And they need to find new and innovative ways to do so. For these businesses and corporations, one of those new and exciting paths is, yup, you guessed it, partnering with online influencers!

I believe that if God has placed these dreams within your heart, if you envision yourself writing, blogging, traveling, posting on YouTube, etc, these dreams can totally come to pass!

“But that space is so crowded.” I hear you doubting yourself. “And I’m not as good as so-and-so. Why write another book, film another video, or start another blog, when that person is already doing it, and doing it way better than I ever could?”

But you have something that girl doesn’t have.

You have a unique voice.

God has created you to be YOU and nobody else can do that! Sure, there are millions of bloggers, YouTubers, authors, singers, and creative-souls out there. But that doesn’t make what you have any less special. Everyone is created to touch a unique sphere of people. This world NEEDS what you have. The truth is, I will never be able to accomplish in my life what you are meant to accomplish in yours, and vise versa. God has called us all on unique paths and it’s such a waste of energy to compare ourselves with one another, because we’re all meant to shine!

Your dream of becoming an online influencer isn’t impossible.

In fact, it is TOTALLY attainable.

And I’m going to exactly show you how to do it!

1. Grow Your Skills

The first step in becoming an online influencer, is to grow and nurture your skills.

STOP. I already see your eyes drifting to the next paragraph. Don’t go there! Don’t skip this step. In our rush of excitement, it is so tempting to hurry up and get to the next step. But this is why a lot of bloggers, authors, YouTubers, etc, are not successful in their endeavors: they didn’t take time to grow and nurture their skills.

If you desire to be viewed and paid as a professional in your niche, it’s important to possess the skills needed to excel. Becoming an online influencer doesn’t happen overnight. Neither does becoming a good writer, learning the art of crafting songs, designing pretty websites, etc.

We can all agree that everything worth having in life takes time to acquire, right?

As much as I would love to press the fast-forward button and blaze down the speed-track to my destiny, I know there is so much value in the process of getting there. Every word I write gets me closer to my dreams, even if the words are messy and unpolished. I keep writing, keep growing, keep learning.

If you’re an aspiring author, I would encourage you to read as many books as you can about polishing and strengthening your craft. And then, the most important part: write! Don’t just read the experts’ advice, apply it. Write short stories, novels, guest posts, devotionals, greeting cards: write whatever you can, whenever you can, and enjoy the process of growth!

The same goes for YouTube, or any other social media platform. Watch videos from YouTubers you admire and study their editing techniques. Practice speaking in front of a camera. Start a new Instagram account, put it on private, and take artsy pictures of your dog. Imitate the pros, experiment, and have fun doing it!

2. Create Your Portfolio

Are you ready to start sharing your stories, songs, videos, and thoughts with the world?

The next step is to create an online profile. A place where you can keep track of everything you’ve been learning over the years. The books you’ve published, the events you’ve spoken at, the photos you’ve taken, etc.

Creating a website or blog is absolutely perfect for this! There are several reasons why every online influencer needs a website. This applies if you’re interested in blogging, writing, YouTube, travel, crafting, singing, acting, dancing, modeling, etc. pretty much any creative skill that you’d like to earn income from someday!

-A blog or website is like a virtual building for your “business”. It allows people all across the globe to find you, see what you’re all about, take a peek at your old work, and decide whether or not they might like to work with you in the future.

-Starting a blog or website is an incredible way to make new friends, build your platform, connect with your following, and make priceless connections within your unique niche!

-A blog or website can serve as your portfolio for brands, companies, publishers, casting directors, conference organizers, etc. When you keep an open record of your online content, how often you share, what you’re sharing, and how your followers are responding, that puts you way ahead of the game.

3. Create a Game Plan

The next step is to create a Game Plan. If you’re a blogger who desires to start earning income, it’s important to have a clear path as to how you’re going to get there. What are your ultimate goals? Once you have a clear vision and a strong idea of where you’re headed, you can then design a road map to achieve those goals.

“But how do I do that?” You ask yourself. “I know where I want to go, but I have no idea how to get there!”

Well, if you’re interested, I would be totally willing to help! My sweet friend Bella and I love coaching authors and bloggers: determined dreamers who are ready to take the next step! We offer a service called Cheerleader Sessions and specialize in making a personalized Game Plan for you! Every author and blogger has a different journey and we want to help design a plan that works for you and your life.

We don’t have to look far to see that there is a ton of information floating around on the internet. We’ve all seen those flashy pins that claim they’re going to help us explode our traffic or become famous overnight. But the truth is, nothing happens overnight.

Bella and I know that growing an online platform takes work and patience. But we also know that when you have a clear roadmap with consistent, daily steps, you CAN accomplish your goals and dreams!

Entering for a chance to win is super simple! Just hop on over to my blog and sign up for my free email updates (and I’ll throw in a free e-book, just to say thanks!) and you’re all set! You can do that here: https://livylynnblog.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=52a89184eecb2e965d9ddfa27&id=4e615b60ba

Good luck! Bella and I can’t wait to meet you and help create your Game Plan!

Or, if you’re a blogger who’s looking for a pre-made Game Plan, we have that too!

I’m SO excited to share my 20 Day video series for bloggers! It’s called Fire Starter: Launching a Blog that Blazes! This interactive course teaches bloggers (both old and new) how to create their dream blog or website, monetize their site, AND give them all the tools, encouragement, and support needed to be truly successful on their journey! The Fire Starter course is listed at $150.00 but we have a special code for you to get $100 off! Simply add the coupon code: archer (no spaces, no caps) when checking out, and you’re all set!

You can check that out here: https://www.livylynnblog.com/2018/08/21/fire-starter-launching-a-blog-that-blazes/

I hope this post has been an encouragement to you and that you’ll follow through with grabbing your Game Plan by either entering the Giveaway above, or checking Fire Starter out! (Or, bonus points for both!)

Ariel, thank you so much for having me on your blog today, it’s such an honor.

Love and blessings to you all!

 

~Livy Lynn

 

About the Author:

Livy Lynn is a twenty-something author, singer, and songwriter. She enjoys crafting YA fiction that is pure, lovely, inspirational, and of course, entertaining! When she’s not writing, you can usually find her playing guitar, blogging, drinking peppermint tea, connecting with new friends, planning her next trip to Disney, or pinning images of Europe and Golden Retriever Puppies!

Come get connected at www.livylynnblog.com

Cover Reveal: Healer’s Bane by Hope Ann

Hope Ann is preparing for another release, and I get to help show off the gorgeous cover for it!

First off, have a blurb:

Kynet hadn’t planned to be in the forefront of the rebellion. That was her brother’s hobby—rallying the people. Plotting against the leaders. Running into dangers she’d have to negotiate him out of.

That was before the Poisoner tried to kill her with many profuse apologies.

That was before she survived, her hands glowing with a strange power she didn’t understand.

With her new ability to heal, Kynet is convinced the rebellion will only doom them all. Taking the people’s pain on herself is a better and all-around safer way. After all, what is the comfort of one worth, compared to the others who can be saved?

Or will it matter at all as her brother lays plans to end the decades of fighting once and for all?

I’m already super excited to read about Kynet! And if the sibling dynamics are as good as they were in Shadowkeeper… I’m definitely sold on this one.

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Healer’s Bane releases March 25th, so add it to your Goodreads TBR to join the other fabulous 2019 releases you’ve been waiting for.

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Just a little farther…

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I LOVE the style of this cover. Are your eyes turning into hearts, too? Guess what? You don’t have to wait until the 25th to order Healer’s Bane! You can pre-order it right now and get it as soon as it comes out!

About Hope Ann

Hope Ann likes to think herself a dragon-riding, griffin-taming founder of worlds and explorer of legends. Using chocolate, she bribes a wide ring of spies, from the realm leapers of Aslaria to the double agents of Elkbend, for their stories. She thrives on frost, steel, and the tears of her readers which she secretly mixes into iced coffee. Deep in her hobbit hole, her actual life involves staying up too late writing, reading, researching stab wounds, and struggling to remember the difference between ‘effect’ and ‘affect’. Based in Indiana, she is the self-published author of the Legends of Light series. Hope Ann helps other writers as a personal writing coach and is the Communications Coordinator at Story Embers. You can find out more about her at authorhopeann.com or claim a free copy of her first novelette here.

Character Interview: Nissa Quail & Detren Everlind

Since it’s February and the month of loooooove and all that, I figured it would be fun to do some character couple interviews. I’ve really been enjoying the joint interviews I’ve done of late (and I hope you have too. You can let me know if you hate them and I’ll stop. XD), and I figured it would be fun to revisit some previously-interviewed characters and see how they react when put with their romantic counterpart.

Nissa and Detren’s relationship is pretty rocky, and I wouldn’t say Nissa actually loves Detren in the true sense of the word, but he definitely loves her and she can’t deny her attraction to him no matter how hard she tries. Let’s get into the interview.

Nissa: *looks like she doesn’t want to be here as she takes her seat*

Detren: *looks semi-worried as he takes his*

Interviewer: Hello. *smiles* How are you?

Nissa: Fine.

Detren: All right.

Interviewer: Are you ready to get started?

Nissa: Sure.

Detren: *nods*

Interviewer: What are your names?

Nissa: Nissa Quail.

Detren: Detren Everlind.

Interviewer: How long have you two known each other?

Nissa: *glances at Detren* A month and a half, maybe?

Detren: *nods* That sounds about right.

Interviewer: Are you officially a couple already?

Nissa: *laughs hysterically and then abruptly stops and puts a dead expression on her face* No.

Detren: *chuckles* I’m not even sure that’s a good idea at this point…

Nissa: *nods* Exactly.

Interviewer: How did you meet?

Detren: *opens his mouth to answer*

Nissa: I stole his crown, and then I went back to steal something else and he caught me. It was rather unfortunate.

Detren: I wouldn’t say unfortunate… It definitely wasn’t the worst night of my life.

Nissa: *almost softly* No, I’d imagine not.

Detren: *winces*

Interviewer: Did you like each other when you first met?

Nissa: *shrugs* He was clever. He wasn’t what I’d imagined a prince to be.

Detren: *smiles a bit* I liked her just fine. She’s quick-witted and fun, even if she did steal my crown. *glances sideways at her, still smiling*

Nissa: *rolls her eyes*

Interviewer: What is your favorite thing about each other?

Detren: She’s passionate about things.

Nissa: *mutters* I choose not to answer this question.

Interviewer: What is your favorite thing to do together?

Nissa: Argue.

Detren: *laughs* It certainly seems that way. I’d say play chess? Or just… spend time together and talk.

Nissa: *snorts* Speak for yourself.

Interviewer: How would each of you describe your relationship?

Nissa and Detren: *in sync* Complicated.

Interviewer: What book would you end up with two copies of if you got married?

Nissa: I don’t read, and Detren has plenty of books on his own.

Detren: What she said.

Interviewer: What are your love languages, and how do you show affection to each other?

Nissa: I don’t have a love language.

Detren: Mine is quality time. I try to show affection to Nissa by being there for her and letting her talk.

Nissa: I don’t like to talk. At least not about feelings like you’re talking about.

Detren: *to the interviewer* Apparently I need to work on finding her love language.

Interviewer: *nods slightly* What’s your favorite memory together?

Nissa: *doesn’t answer, but you can tell from her eyes that she’s remembering it, and her expression softens just a little*

Detren: *murmurs* That night on the roof. *glances over at her*

Nissa: *refuses to meet his eyes*

Interviewer: *is just quiet for a minute, letting them have a moment, before moving on* What’s the most embarrassing story you have together?

Nissa: Oh Detren’s embarrassed himself lots of times trying to ‘help’ me. *her hard expression is back as she looks at Detren*

Detren: *shrugs* I don’t mind. *to the interviewer* I can’t think of a mutual embarrassment.

Interviewer: If you could do one thing for your partner, what would it be?

Nissa: I’d knock some of the compassion out of him. He’s far too soft for his own good.

Detren: *frowns at her* And I’d show you that being ‘soft’ is not a bad thing.

Nissa: *glares at him* Tell that to the sixteen-year-old girl who got kicked out of her home because she started to have feelings for a dumb prince and stopped doing her job properly!

Detren: *looks shocked* *quietly* I’m the reason you got kicked out?

Nissa: No, I am. For being stupid and soft enough to start caring about you. *turns away from him and crosses her arms, tears beginning to shimmer in her eyes*

Interviewer: *coughs, trying to ease the awkward* Um… what are some of your shared hobbies?

Nissa: *still silent, crossing her arms, avoiding eye contact*

Detren: *absently, still looking at Nissa* Chess.

Interviewer: Um… maybe we ought to cut this one short… Have a good day, both of you. *leaves*

Discovering Your World: Map-Making

Some of you may remember the “Deep Worldbuild Project” that I did in January and February 2017, a blog post series which continues to consistently get traffic to this day. I thought it was time to revisit that series and update it with some of what I’ve learned in the past two years. I’m going to cover most of the same things I covered in the original series (map-making, how landscape affects culture, wildlife, technology and magic, religion, and history) but with some new additions. Instead of seven installments, the new series is going to have nine, including a guest post near the end by Kate Flournoy.

Also, I feel obliged to mention that I’ll almost certainly be referencing World Anvil a lot in this series. No, I was not paid to promote the tool, I just really appreciate it and think it’s super helpful and recommend that y’all try it out for yourselves as well. (Also, there’s a free version that includes the core features and then some, so you can learn how it works, experience it in almost its full functionality, and fall in love with it before committing to pay for extra features.)

However, I may include Amazon affiliate links to books or other tools. These will always be marked with an asterisk, and a little note at the beginning or end of the post will give a brief explanation of affiliate links.

With all the technicalities and explanations out of the way, let’s get into the good stuff!

I usually like to start with a map, or at least the beginnings of a map, because it helps me develop the culture around the landscape. If you’d rather develop the culture and then build a map around it, that works too. I’ve done both, and I think there are definitely pros and cons to both. When I start with a map I generally have trouble figuring out where to place various features and how to fill up all the space, and then I’m constricted to what’s on the map with my more internal worldbuilding, but it does help me to have a visual representation of the country. When I start without a map, it can be difficult for me to get a clear idea of the country’s values (don’t ask why the landscape makes that clearer in my head; I really don’t know), but I have more freedom in what sorts of cultures inhabit the space.

There are a handful of ways you can get a map for your world, and which is best for you will largely depend on your priorities and resources.

Hand-draw your map

Obviously this is the most work, and probably the one people are going to most shy away from because they “Don’t have artistic talent.” First of all, you probably have more than you think. Second of all, a map doesn’t really require artistic talent. Sure, it’s nice if your map looks nice, but really your map just has to give a fairly decent representation of your continent/world/city’s shape and where things are within it. If that means your continent has too-smooth edges and is in gaudy colors, so be it.

I do, however, have a tip or two to help you make your map more visually appealing than my bright yellow map of Baarmegan from five years ago.

First of all, a great way to make your coastlines look naturally jagged is to trace around rice.

This is how I got the shape for Kaloris, and it worked really well. Pour rice onto your paper, manipulate it as desired, and then trace around it with a loose hand. You’ll end up with shorelines that look like this:

(The inner line is what I got from the rice. I then went around it with similar strokes to make it look like there was a rocky shoreline that rose up from the water.)

Also, maybe this is just me, but maps are generally more visually appealing if they have pretty, flowing rivers. If you want some advice on where to place your rivers and how to make them work, you can scroll down to point 4 of this post by Jonathan Roberts. (The whole post is good, so I recommend reading the whole thing for advice on drawing your own map.)

Though hand-drawing a map is the most tedious and difficult of the options on this list, it’s my personal preference and I like the freedom it affords. Another perk to hand-drawing a map is that even if your artistry isn’t great, it’s going to be in your own style, which isn’t the case with these next two options.

Inkarnate

Inkarnate is an online map-making platform, and if you’re hesitant to draw your own map because you feel like you don’t have the talent, this might be worth checking out. There is a free version (don’t be misled by the fact that their whole front page is an ad for the paid version), and though it doesn’t have as many features, it’s still helpful for small-scale maps.

Even though the artwork is gorgeous, I personally prefer drawing my maps by hand because it has more flexibility and it’s actually easier to make your shorelines look natural by hand than in Inkarnate. The brush options for terrain are circular, square, or hexagonal, all of which are difficult to make natural-looking shorelines with. You can see in my Kersir map below that the shoreline is very smooth.

It’s also possible that I just haven’t fully mastered the tools. If you’re interested in trying it out for yourself, definitely do so and see how it works for you.

Buy a custom map

If you’re really invested in having a custom, hand-drawn map but don’t want to do think you can do it yourself, this is an option. Etsy has several sellers who offer beautiful custom fantasy maps, but a professional fantasy map is obviously not cheap, so I’d recommend this as an option for later on down the road when you want to get a map to print in your published book or something like that and just use a passable free map up until that point.

I did look up custom fantasy map vendors on Etsy, and here are the three cheapest I found (after a semi-brief hunt):

FantasyMakersCrafts (this vendor uses Inkarnate Pro, I believe)

HannahNRichter (digital copy only)

BuschArt (these are hand-drawn)

You can also find artists on DeviantArt who do map commissions.

Use Photoshop

Okay, so I actually don’t know exactly how one draws a map in Photoshop, I just know it can be done. You can install terrain brushes and city stamps or something like that and use them to draw a map. You can find someone who actually knows what they’re talking about here and figure out how that actually works, lol.

Here are some more resources on map-making:

World Building Tips: Map Making from Write For the King

Practical Steps to a Rewarding Fantasy Map from Clearwater Press

Creating a Map for a New Storyworld from Go Teen Writers

Map-Making 201: Naming Things from Go Teen Writers

How to Design a Town from Fantastic Maps

Drawing Realistic Coastlines from Fantastic Maps

Worldbuilding Considerations: Maps from The Writing Cafe on Tumblr (Tumblr doesn’t load on my computer, so I haven’t actually read this, but hopefully it’s good.)

How to Create a World: Part 1: The Map from Ink Blots and Coffee Stains

World Anvil’s map features

If you upload your map to World Anvil, there are some awesome things you can do with it. First, you can easily add markers with notes that can be viewed by simply scrolling over the marker on the map. You can find an example with my Kersir map here. It makes it super easy to keep track of what cities are what, what you named that one oasis, etc.

You can also nest maps with markers. I haven’t done this yet because I don’t have any small-scale or global-scale maps just yet, they’re all continent/country-sized, but it’s a super awesome idea and I’d love to use it at some point when I actually get around to drawing larger or smaller maps. But another map is not the only thing you can link to from a marker. No. You can also link to a related article (the description article for the town you’ve marked, a historical event that took place there, an organization that’s important to the place, etc.) and when someone clicks on that marker it’ll take them to the target article.

Where in the worldbuilding process do you usually draw a map? What method do you use? What is your favorite fantasy map? I’d love to chat with you in the comments. :)