Nour Zikra's Blog, page 6

Why Genre Fiction Can Still Be Literary

Genre fiction is, of course, commercial fiction; it consists of books like City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. Genre books are typically the most popular in the market. On the other hand, literary fiction is more “serious,” or so they say; it consists of books like Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden and In the Name of Salomé by Julia Alvarez. You could even count many classical novels, such as Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, as literary. In fact, literary fiction is described as being more character driven than plot driven, which means that genre books have more action and plot twists. However, I don’t think that all genre fiction books can be classified as not literary, and here’s why:

Think of books like Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Lord of the Rings. These books are considered genre because of their popularity and plot-based narrative; nevertheless, they are also much more than that. They are just as much character driven as they are plot driven. After all, doesn’t Harry grow as a person throughout the series? He starts out as an innocent, clueless, mistreated boy and transforms into a strong, popular, and revolutionary man. Even other characters in the novel change as they grow older. J.K Rowling wrote her books by creating both thrilling plots and diverse characters with different backgrounds, backstories, fears, dreams, and personalities. And for those reasons, books like these cannot be thought of as merely genre. Literary can encompass high-quality fiction works considered genre due to their commercial success.

Another reason why genre books can still be literary is the fact that the art of writing is meant to be creative and tough all at the same time. If we classify certain books as having less merit than serious books, then we are very close minded and unable to grow artistically. For instance, there was a time not long ago when creative nonfiction was seen as nonsense. People thought calling nonfiction “creative” meant that it was fabricated, which is not the case at all. And yet, here we are today during a time when creative nonfiction is fast-growing. There had to be a point in time when someone realized the value of creative nonfiction and decided to give it a chance.

Similarly, genre fiction can be just as important as literary fiction. We just have to keep our minds open and try to see the value of specific genre books. For example, I wouldn’t classify Fifty Shades of Grey as literary; the characters are mostly stereotypical and they do not grow all that much. Twilight is another book I wouldn’t call literary; the characters are also stereotypical, with their main goal being to get the attention of the person they love. Still, just because we have simple books like these doesn’t mean that there aren’t other genre books out there that were written with effort, style, and skill.

I’m curious, are there any commercial fiction books that you consider literary? Let me know in the comments!

Looking for something new to read? On June 3rd, I’ll be giving away a FREE eBook copy of my novel Dance with the Devil. So mark your calendar! In the meanwhile, you can check out a preview of the book right here:

Easy English Grammar Tips That’ll Advance Your Writing

The English language is so beautiful, and in my opinion, it is the easiest language to learn. My first language is Arabic, but when I moved to America in 2004, English became the main language I used. In school, with my friends, and sometimes with my parents, that was what I spoke. And when I became a writer, I taught myself all the rules that even the typical American doesn’t know. So I can honestly say that I’ve become an expert in English grammar, and I’m here to share some English grammar tips to help you advance your writing in simple ways.

It’s or Its

A lot of people confuse “it’s” and “its” together, and I can’t blame them; the two words sound the same, and if you don’t know the rules behind each word, you wouldn’t be able to distinguish them apart. But I’m going to explain them simply so that you never get them mixed up again.

“It’s” means “it is” while “its” means “belonging to it” (“it” being an animal or inanimate object). So in other words, if you are trying to say “it is cold,” you could shorten the sentence to “it’s cold.” In this case, “it’s” is an abbreviation of “it is.” On the other hand, if you are saying that a table’s edge is sharp, you would say, “its edge is sharp.” Here, “its” is indicating that “the edge, which belongs to the table, is sharp.”

Their or They’re or There

Similarly, “their,” “they’re,” and “there” can be confusing for some people. Here’s how you can tell them apart:

“Their” means “belonging to them.” So if you are saying that something belongs to your friends, you would say the word “their.”

“Their food went missing.” Here, you are saying that the food that belonged to them is missing.

“They’re” means “they are.” Just like “it’s,” “they’re” is an abbreviation.

“They’re cold.” Here, you are saying that they are cold.

“There” means “in that place or position.” It is used to indicate where something is happening.

“There is something over there.” Here, you are saying that something is in a specific location.

Common Comma Mistakes

Commas don’t have to be confusing. In fact, they are meant to clarify. We use commas to indicate that there are two separate sentences joined together by the words “and” or “but.” We also use commas to make thoughts flow easier and to make sure that meaning isn’t lost. Here are some examples:

“I ate a chicken sandwich at the restaurant, and Bill stayed home.” Here, you have a comma before “and” because you have two different sentences joined together by the word “and.” What you’re really saying is “I ate a chicken sandwich at the restaurant. Bill stayed home.”

On the other hand, you wouldn’t put a comma here: “I ate a chicken sandwich and took a nap.” This is one sentence, and if you split it into two sentence (“I ate a chicken sandwich. Took a nap”), it wouldn’t make sense.

“I like hunting, my family, and my dog.” Here, you are indicating that you like three separate things, so you put commas to separate them. Otherwise, you would be saying “I like hunting my family and my dog,” which makes you sound like a killer.

There are obviously much more comma rules, but if you know these three simple ones, you’ll avoid lots of common mistakes.

The Rules of Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are the easiest to learn. Use them when indicating dialogue or mentioning specific words (like I’ve done throughout this blog). Next, all you need to know is that commas, periods, question marks, and exclamation points all go inside quotations.

“I don’t like you,” she said. “Do you know that?” As you can see, I have all the punctuation marks inside the quote, not outside. It is wrong to say “I don’t like you”, she said.

However, if you are asking a question which happens to include a quote, you would put the question mark outside.

Do you like the quote “I love you to the moon and back”?

Though, you would still write:

 I like the quote “I love you to the moon and back.”

 

There you have it! With those simple English grammar tips, you’ll advance your writing and be able to tell others why certain sentences work in certain ways!

Looking for something new to read? Check out the free preview of my book Dance with the Devil right here:

Why Love Triangles Are Popular in Media

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed for many years the trend that is love triangles. Back in 2010 when I was writing my first novel Dance with the Devil (published in 2011), I finally understood why people—both writers and readers—enjoy these romantic triangles. Of course, these romantic triangles are also adored in all types of media, including TV shows, movies, comic books, and graphic novels, to name a few, and they can be found anywhere, even outside of romance novels. Yep, you could be reading a fantasy or a mystery and still get a romantic triangle. But why do they make us so excited? What is it about them that makes us keep reading or watching? I think I’ve figured it out, and here’s my opinion on the matter:

They Keep Us in Suspense

This is obvious. We enjoy watching or reading about love triangles because they keep us in suspense. We are constantly wondering who the main character will choose. Think back to Twilight by Stephenie Meyer; people went crazy over those books because there was a romantic triangle involved and they wanted to know who Bella, the main character, would eventually choose. Some people sided with Edward, the vampire, and others with Jacob, the werewolf. At the end of the day, it wasn’t that the male characters were not completely human that drove readers crazy (although forbidden love does play a small role here), it was the fact that Bella was conflicted, and reaching that final decision gave readers a thrill.

Other examples of romantic triangles are:

Stephen, Elena, and Damon—The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Edmund, Fanny, and Henry—Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (Book)
Angel, Buffy, and Spike—Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Jace, Clary, and Simon—The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare (Books)
Sawyer, Kate, and Jack—Lost (TV)
Dimitri, Rose, and Adrian—Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead (Books)
Dominic, April, and Leo—Chasing Life (TV)
Mark, Bridget, and Daniel—Bridget Jones’s Diary (Movie)
Zero, Yuki, and Kaname—Vampire Knight (Magna and Anime)
Lucifer, Chloe, and Dan—Lucifer (TV)
Gabriel, Kaylie, and Michael—Dance with the Devil by yours truly (Book)
Captain Rafe, Evelyn, and Captain Danny—Pearl Harbor (Movie)
Francis, Mary, and Louis—Reign (TV)

They Prevent Us from Getting Bored of a Love Interest

Romantic triangles are a way to add spice into a romantic story that is more than just romance. Like I said above, romantic triangles are about the thrill, making them both romantic and suspenseful. This prevents a two-sided love story from getting stale really fast. As an author, I’ve had this realization while writing Dance with the Devil; when you have two characters in love without big obstacles in their way, readers lose interest. I mean, wouldn’t you be bored if you were reading a story and found out that the main character won his or her love interest right from the start? I would.

On the other hand, with love triangles, when the main character falls in love with another character, rather than losing interest in their story, we get a third character to step in, becoming a sort of obstacle. One of the two love interests prevents the main character from getting his or her way, and that struggle for happiness, for discovery, is what stops readers and viewers from getting sick of the story.

There’s Nothing Wrong with A Simple Two-Sided Love Story, Though

Still, just because love triangles are popular doesn’t mean that two-sided love stories don’t make great entertainment. In fact, a major way two-sided love stories are also just as popular is the fact that these characters always have obstacles stopping them from being together, and sometimes they just don’t know whether the other person feels the same about them too, making for a great thrill ride for us readers and viewers.

 

Haven’t read Dance with the Devil yet? Here’s a free preview for you! You can read the first few chapters right here:

Motivating Tips: A Guide to Reaching Your Dreams

The world is a big place, and let’s face it, not one of us has ever lived his or her life without feeling some sort of fear of failure. I know I have felt desperate time and again wanting to know the outcome of my hard work, whether I would ever reach my dreams. As an author, I like to think of my journey the way I think of my characters’ journeys: I am a writer working to get my work in the spotlight, to make a prominent name in the reading world, and at this very moment, I am so close to getting what I want but with a few obstacles in my way, just like a character at the start of a story. Does that mean I will fail? No one can tell, but if I give up now, I would have failed before I ever gave myself a chance. And the same applies to you. So I’m going to help you out by sharing with you the three motivating tips that have saved me from feeling sorry for myself and made me strive to reach my dreams.

You Are Meant to Disappoint People

This is by far my favorite tip from all the motivating tips listed here. Not long ago, a close friend of mine and I were talking about my writer’s block and how I doubted myself. I was afraid at the time that I would never be able to write another story because the thoughts were not flowing the way they used to and because people around me were fearful that I was wasting my life away wishing that my writing career would take off. Those people wanted me to be more realistic and, thus, to give up on my dream. But I was realistic, which is why I was afraid that those people might have been right and that all my attempts would possibly lead me to failure.

And it was then that my friend told me this amazing tip: I am meant

to disappoint people, particularly those close to me like my parents. That was when I realized how right my friend was. We are all brought into the world to make mistakes and to disappoint others based on our actions. I’m not saying that you should make that your daily goal; however, when going after your dreams, you shouldn’t let the doubts of others tear you down. Whether you succeed or fail is up to you and whether the world shines a ray of luck upon your head at some point in your journey. Which means that if you do fail in the end, it is totally fine, because it was your journey and your birthright to disappoint.

Successful Individuals Fight Hard and Don’t Complain

Take a look at successful individuals like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, J.K. Rowling, and Bill Gates. Do you think they got to where they are today by complaining and feeling sorry for themselves? No. They might have doubted themselves the way anyone with his dream on the line would, but they didn’t let that doubt stop them from working hard.

They also didn’t just talk the talk; they acted on their instinct. For instance, I’ve heard some people tell me that they wanted to be actors or rappers, but the years have gone by and now they are doing something else entirely. What do you think happened there? Well, at first it started off as procrastination, but then the more they neglected their passions, the more they lost sight of their talents and they just took the easy way out by telling themselves that their dreams were not realistic and that they needed to ground themselves with something that would absolutely make them successful. So then those people went to college, majored in fields they did not really care about, and gone on to do OK in life. They now have money, but they aren’t happy. Do you see where I’m getting at?

Successful individuals became successful by working every day, putting their goals above everything else, and never ever telling themselves that they try tomorrow instead of today. If you find yourself feeling tired, lazy, or bored thinking about all the hard work it takes to reach your goal, remind yourself that those feelings are not going to get you closer to your dreams. You have to work hard even when you are tired, lazy, or bored. You can’t procrastinate. If you are ever going to reach your goals, you have to start working now.

Act Like a Professional at What You Do

You might not be a success yet, but acting like a professional at what you do will help you be a true professional, which will bring you closer to reaching your dreams.

If You Fall, Get Back Up and Try Again

We all fall and make mistakes. Sometimes we try so hard and still fail in the end. That’s totally OK. If this happens to you, don’t give up. Don’t feel sorry for yourself and start telling yourself that you’re not good enough, you’re never going to make it, you’re not smart like successful people. The truth is, successful people were ordinary people just like you and me. They had to start from the bottom and raise themselves up. One idea can make you the next Steve Jobs, but you have to be willing to work hard, nurture yourself, and struggle with your blood and sweat to get to that kind of success. So don’t give up.

 

Let me know, did these motivating tips help you? If so, please share the blog with your friends or anyone who has a big dream and needs that extra motivation to get started. And good luck!

Looking for something new to read? Check out my book Dance with the Devil below. You can read the first few chapters right here:

4 Places Straight Out of a Fairytale

Ever wanted to travel places so beautiful, so exotic that you almost felt transported out of this world? We all have, because deep down, we have the urge to experience magic on earth. I’ve put together four gorgeous locations that are straight out of a fairytale, so much so that they just might make you pull out a book, sit by their greatness, and read. I hope you enjoy!

Taj Mahal, India

This amazing gem on earth is actually a mausoleum that was built for the emperor Shah Jahan’s favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal was built in the mid-17th century and includes a mosque and a guest house. This stunning place is definitely one to stir the imagination and bring forth creativity. If you ever travel to India, be sure to visit Agra, Uttar Pradesh, so that you can take a stroll among the Taj Mahal’s beautiful gardens.

Dark Hedges, Ireland

Do you watch Game of Thrones? If so, then you are most likely familiar with this sight: an avenue of beech trees known in the show as the King’s Road. Well, believe it or not, this is a real location known as Dark Hedges in Ireland. The trees were planted in the 18th century by the Stuart family as a way to impress their visitors who would have to move through this avenue to get to the Stuart’s Georgian mansion. Interesting, huh? Just imagine walking down this avenue and feeling like you’ve just been teleported into Game of Thrones.

Citadel of Aleppo, Syria

The Citadel of Aleppo is a large medieval palace located right in the old city of Aleppo, with Aleppo being the oldest city in the world. This citadel, however, is actually where Aleppo’s civilization began. It is considered to be one of the largest and oldest castles in the world. What’s impressive

The theater

about this grand castle is the fact that there is a whole city within it. Yes, you read that correctly. There is a whole city within it! Of course, no one lives within this castle anymore, but way back when (which is estimated to be at least all the way back to the 3rd millennium BC), kings used to reside with their families and people. If you take a tour inside the castle, you’ll even find a theater where they king used to be entertained.There are also temples, hamams (bathing rooms), prison cells/dungeons, and even large living chambers. I, myself, have been to this citadel. Since I was born and raised in Aleppo, I was lucky enough to be brought not too far away from this magnificent

historical castle. If you ever get the chance to visit, be sure to take lots of photos. This castle can inspire the imagination, the way it inspired me when I was a child.

Ta Prohm, Cambodia

This is a temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.

As you can see from the pictures, Ta Prohm is breathtaking. If this isn’t a place from a fairytale, then I don’t know what is. Just beautiful! I would love to visit this place.

 

 

What do you think of these four lovely places? Are they straight out of a fairytale? I think so. If you happen to know of any other cool places, leave me a comment below. I’d love to do more research and discover new destinations to add to my bucket list of places I want to travel.

Looking for something new to read? Check out my book Dance with the Devil below. You can read the first few chapters right here:

30 Life Quotes to Keep You Motivated

Whether you’re an aspiring author, engineer, scientist, entrepreneur, musician, or what have you, motivation and hard work are key to reaching your goals and dreams. Without them, you would never step outside your comfort zone and do what seems like the impossible. So I’ve compiled 30 wonderful life quotes to get you motivated and kick start your calling.

“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.”

—Theodore Roosevelt

 

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

—Henry Miller

 

“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines.”

—Robert H. Schuller

 

“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent.”

—Norman Ralph Augustine

 

“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.”

—Rabindranath Tagore

 

“If you’ve got a talent, protect it.”

—Jim Carrey

 

“A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.”

—Ayn Rand

 

“In order to succeed, we must first believe that we can.”

—Nikos Kazantzakis

 

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

—Walt Disney

 

“Either you run the day or the day runs you.”

—Jim Rohn

 

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.”

—H. G. Wells

 

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

—C. S. Lewis

 

“Every exit is an entry somewhere else.”

—Tom Stoppard

 

“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”

—Og Mandino

 

“You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plow right ahead.”

—George Lucas

 

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

—Confucius

 

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

—Mark Twain

 

“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.”

—Sam Levenson

 

“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.”

—W. Clement Stone

 

“No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.”

—William Blake

 

“Many are called but few get up.”

—Oliver Herford

 

“You can never cross the ocean until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore”

—Christopher Columbus

 

“They can conquer who believe they can.”

—Virgil

 

“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.”

—Henry Ford

 

“Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it.”

—Dwight D. Eisenhower

 

“Expect problems and eat them for breakfast.”

—Alfred A. Montapert

 

“Press forward. Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.”

—George Whitefield

 

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”

—Samuel Beckett

 

“Don’t tell people you want to be a writer. Everyone will try to talk you out of choosing a job with so little security, so it is better just to keep it to yourself, and prove them all wrong later.”

—Meg Cabot

 

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

—Lao Tzu

What do you think of these life quotes? If you find this page helpful, be sure to bookmark it so that you can easily come back to it whenever you want and get the motivation you need.

Do you have any great motivational quotes not listed here? Let me know what they are in the comments below!

And if you would like to read a free preview of my book Dance with the Devil, you can do so below:

10 Strong Fictional Female Characters in Books and TV

There is an endless list of strong female characters in books, movies, and TV. They are so strong, they baffle us time and again with their actions and sturdy exterior. However, in this blog, I’m only going to be mentioning my favorites, my top 10. They are, of course, fictional characters, but they are women that have inspired us all and made our jaws drop at times. Without further ado, here are 10 strong female characters in books, TV, and on the big screen:

Abbie Mills from Sleepy Hollow

Many readers are familiar with Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy

Hollow, a great tale (short story) that was adapted on the big screen in 1999 starring Johnny Depp. Nowadays, Sleepy Hollow is a TV show inspired by the original story. The show follows the intertwined paths of Ichabod Crane (a man from the 18th century) and Abbie Mills (a cop), who are witnesses and fighters against evil. The reason I am including Abbie Mills on this list is mainly because I believe she sacrifices herself multiple times for the sake of stopping evil and saving her friends and family. Recently, she was seen diving into the opening of a mystical and ancient tree in order to save her sister’s life. Her big action carried her to another dimension where she was all by herself for many months.

Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

We all know about Katniss Everdeen. She is a truly strong female character from The Hunger Games, which was a big sensation both as a book series and a film series. Obviously, Katniss is on this list because she took her sister’s place in the deadly games and still managed to survive using her clever mind and sharp hunting skills.

Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy is my all-time favorite character. Lots of people adore Buffy because of her witty comebacks and badassery, particularly when it comes to her jaw-dropping martial art skills. She is a small person, and yet she is pretty impressive. She gets kicked down by vampires and life, but she always gets back up. She also sacrifices her life several times to save the world, much like Abbie Mills from Sleepy Hollow. And yes, Buffy dies multiple times and always makes her way back to this world. Buffy even reminds me of the female character in the novel I am currently writing. While I never based my character off Buffy, watching the series again recently has truly inspired the creation of the all-powerful Addy in my book. Much like Buffy, Addy (short for Adelaide) is strong-willed and tough all the while preserving her femininity. And even though she faces terrible evil, she maintains control and fights hard without showing any weakness.

The Charmed Ones (Prue, Paige, Phoebe, Piper) from Charmed

I grew up watching the charmed sisters kick evil in the derriere. Each one of them is a powerful, independent woman. Throughout the series, these four witches symbolize the strength that all women have within them. Prue, Paige, Phoebe, and Piper are attractive, accomplished, smart women with supernatural powers and a big heart. They fight for one another and for the people they love, and they even sacrifice having a normal personal life for the safety of the world.

Chiyo in Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Chiyo is a fictional character. However, her life is based on historical events in Japan before and during World War II. Although Chiyo holds no supernatural powers and is an ordinary girl, she is a strong female character. For those who haven’t read the book or seen the movie, Chiyo is sold by her father at a young age. Away from her family, she has to learn fast the ways of the geishas in order to stop being the house maid and rise in status. With determination, Chiyo succeeds and becomes one of Japan’s greatest geishas. And once the war strikes, she still triumphs and learns to survive once more. Memoirs of a Geisha is a coming of age story but also a story about strength. Though Chiyo suffers a lot, she blossoms in the end.

Tally Youngblood in Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

In a world where everyone gets converted from an ugly to a pretty once they become 16 years old, Tally Youngblood (15 years old) is one of the few who rebel upon realizing that becoming a pretty is more than just changing their looks; it’s about sacrificing their freedom of mind. Once a pretty, they look and think the way society deems acceptable, and so Tally, along with a few other uglies, goes against everything she’s been taught and awaiting her life. Her resistance against the brainwashing of society is what makes her a strong female character.

Trinity in The Matrix

The Matrix trilogy is one of those movies where you learn that nothing is as it seems. Trinity escaped the Matrix a long while back, and while she is only a sort of sidekick to Neo, the main character and hero, her strength and influence is grand. Not only is she a computer programmer, but she is also highly skilled in martial arts, proving that women can do it all.

 

What do you think of these amazing strong female characters? Do you have any other fictional women that you think top this list? Let me know in the comments!

 

You can read a free preview of my book Dance with the Devil right here:

The Top 10 Hobbies for Creative People

This blog was inspired by some of the creative hobbies I enjoy from day to day. As I was working on my novel, it suddenly hit me: I love doing creative things because they keep me busy and inspired. Everything I do helps me with my writing by giving me patience and allowing me to think outside the box. And so, I’ve decided to write this blog listing the top 10 hobbies creative people often enjoy. Whether you love reading, writing, dancing, video editing, home design, or what have you, hopefully some of these creative hobbies will grab your interest and give you the inspiration you need.

Reading

Obviously, as a writer and a book nerd, I wasn’t going to forget about reading as a major hobby. After all, reading is a great tool for generating ideas, having revelations, and self-understanding. Besides, creative people tend to find tranquility in reading, so this hobby is a great way to unwind and produce new creative thoughts.

Writing

Similarly, writing is just as amazing as reading. Whether you’re a professional writer or not, writing can be fun. Simply taking out a notebook and scribbling a few, creative lines can be satisfying. Or how about writing a short poem or journaling? The act of writing about something important to you can help you organize your thoughts and get inspired in whatever creative profession you do.

Planting and Gardening

From the left: my cactus, Meyer lemon tree, and avocado tree

Some creative people love bonsai sculpting. Others just like their simple indoor plants. And then you have the gardeners, those who spend hours outside planting the most intricate and diverse garden. I am one of the indoor planting people because I love having a little garden on my bedroom windowsill and watching it grow over time under my care. This is a beautiful and relaxing hobby for creative people. You don’t have to think too hard about what to do; you just plant and watch the little beauties grow. I think a big reason why I love indoor planting so much is because I have to wait for each plant to sprout and grow tall, which teaches me to be patient in everything I do, especially during the time I am working on my novels.

Painting

I am not a painter, but those who have this talent should certainly cultivate it. It can be a fantastic hobby whether you do it professionally or just for fun. Even if you just draw, the act can help you stay in touch with your creative side.

Cross-stitching and Sewing

My current cross-stitching work

While I am listing cross-stitching and sewing, there are certainly other creative crafts that fall under this category, such as embroidery, crochet, and so much more. I myself love cross-stitching and in the past have enjoyed sewing here and there. To me, these creative hobbies are a great way to let my thoughts run free. For instance, while I’m cross-stitching, I get to stare at the lovely image I am working on and the stunning colors of each thread going from the needle to the canvas, and that lets me zone out and daydream. It’s truly a freeing hobby. I recommend this for creative people who feel stressed a lot.

Adult Coloring

If you haven’t discovered this trend yet, you might want to look more into it. Yes, adult coloring is a thing, and no, you wouldn’t be coloring in a kid’s coloring book and claiming that it’s what adults do now. Adult coloring has its own adult coloring books with sophisticated designs, and just like cross-stitching, they are a great way to free your mind and get creative thoughts flowing in.

Pottery Making

I might be wrong, but most creative people love pottery. Something about playing with clay, molding it, getting hands dirty, and creating something beautiful is one of the most creative hobbies out there. Plus, if you happen to go to a professional pottery class or studio, you might even get to paint and glaze your pottery.

Hula Hooping

We often think of hula hooping in the form of kids using tacky, dollar store hula hoops. But that’s not what I’m referring to here. If you love to dance, exercise, or just be on your feet, buy a professional hula hoop for your size and height. You can have a little dance with this hula hoop and it can be a fun hobby to take on. You’ll find yourself discovering moves you didn’t think you had in you.

Cooking and Baking

Ah, food. There is so much art in cooking and baking. If you love looking at food as much as eating it, cooking might be great for you. Trust me, there is something so delightful about making a gorgeous piece of art and then eating that gorgeous and delicious piece of art.

Photography

A picture is worth a thousand words. Do I really need to explain the benefits of this creative hobby to you? I think we all know how this hobby is inspiring.

 

What do you think of these 10 creative hobbies? If you have any hobbies not mentioned here that you enjoy and find inspiration from, leave me a comment stating what they are. I would love to hear back from you!

If you haven’t yet, you can read a free preview of my book Dance with the Devil right here:

Writing Tips: Common Questions I Get Asked as an Author

Recently, I did an author Q&A video answering questions from fans on social media. The questions were:

What’s your writing process like? What is your ritual to prepare yourself to write?
How do you determine what details are and aren’t important when writing?
How do you get inspired in a busy and distracting world?
What inspired you to write Dance with the Devil?

If you’re interested in knowing my responses to these questions, you can watch the full author Q&A video below.

As for the rest of this blog, I’m going to answer some other questions I get asked often from beginning writers and curious fans. Let’s get started!

How can you be so patient while writing a novel?

Writing a novel might seem like a long and time-consuming work, and while that is 100% true, writing is also so much more than that. As an author, I don’t look at my work as if it’s a chore (at least not the majority of time); I look at it as if it’s a block of ice that I have to carve out until the real ice sculpture emerges.

In other words, I don’t look at the novel I’m working on and think, “How am I going to write 400 pages?” Because it’s impossible to write 400 pages in a few hours. Instead, I tell myself that for the next few hours, I will write a specific scene, a specific chapter, and a minimum number of pages. This way, writing a book doesn’t seem daunting. I’m only sitting down to write a few pages at a time, and over a couple of months, those pages will add up to a book.

Do you ever get writer’s block? How do you get unblocked?

Luckily, I haven’t had writer’s block these past few months, but, yes, I do get writer’s block. In fact, I had writer’s block for four years until a few

months ago. The reason? Well, I like to blame it on college stress, and there is a possibility that it was the stress that was causing me to be uncreative. However, I do also believe that it was mostly in my head. Since getting my mojo back and realizing that I am a professional writer, which means that I have to write even when the thoughts aren’t coming to me, I have been able to think more creatively even when the ideas quiet down.

The trick to getting unblocked, I’ve discovered, is to act like the professional writer that you are. Don’t tell yourself that thoughts aren’t coming to you. Sit down, think of an interesting idea, and then add more ideas to it. For instance, just now, I thought of a cool idea: A seventeen-year-old boy wants to be a rock star. Let me add more ideas to this simple idea: This boy runs away from home, drops out of school, and joins a band. There’s potential for a book here! Let’s add more ideas: Little does he know, the band he just joined is made out of extraterrestrials, and they’re out to take over the world. You see, all you need to do is just add an idea to an idea and start writing. The more ideas you create, the more you’ll start getting your inspiration back.

How can I get better at writing?

Practice makes perfect. Writing is a talent, and like all talents, you have to keep working on it to advance it. The more you write, the better you’ll get. Write every day, all year long. Write when on vacation. Write during spring break. Write during your lunch break. Write when your kids are asleep. Write any chance you get, and you’ll get better.

 

 

I hope these writing tips helped inspire you!

Do you have any questions on writing? Leave a comment below so I can get back to you!

You can also read a free preview of my book Dance with the Devil right here:

A Day in the Life of a Writer: Breaking Down the Myths

Being a writer, particularly a creative writer, is a wonderful lifestyle choice. I’m calling it a lifestyle choice because it’s not the easiest of careers. In fact, it is well known that if you want to be a writer, you have to have side jobs and struggle with rejection letters before you finally see the light and have a breakthrough in your writing career. Still, this lifestyle choice is a fulfilling one; it might be a difficult road to walk down, but in the long run, it can give the few people patient and hard-working enough to take it a long-lasting happiness. Today, I’m going to walk you through a typical day of mine as a writer and hopefully break down the myths and stereotypes us writers face, such as the myth that we are less logical and more creative.

9:00 a.m.

Some days—very rare days—I wake up around this hour. Usually,

I procrastinate from all possible work by spending the next

hour on my phone or in the shower. But, if I have work (I work at a marketing agency called TCDG Studios), then I usually force myself out of bed much earlier and start working on some business blogs for the office. So as you can see, I still have a separate job from my career as a novelist.

12:00 p.m.

At this point, I usually have at least one business blog written and revised, so I try to take a ten-minute break just to catch up on social media, learn about upcoming books, and even read the news. In fact, as a writer, I enjoy social media a lot because I get to see what my diverse group of friends are talking about, sharing, and feeling passionate about.

Their posts oftentimes inspire my work and give me great topics to

research. For instance, Facebook helped me gain more facts about the Syrian crisis, and since Syria is my home country, I became just as passionate about the subject as any of my Syrian friends, and I’ve even used some of what I learned about the crisis as an inspiration for my current work.

3:00 p.m.

Around this time, I am almost always either done with my business blogs or writing the very last one. As a result, I start getting myself hyped for my own novel. I put some light music in the background, stretch to get the blood flowing, and just mentally tell myself that I will be writing my book soon.

When I was much younger, before I became a professional writer, I used to have this idea that being a writer was about waiting for the inspiration to hit you. Now I know better than to think this way. The truth is, inspiration will only come if you welcome it. So it’s not good enough to wait for an idea to spark in your mind before you actually sit down and write; if you want to be inspired, you have to sit down in front of the page first, and then inspiration will come, maybe not right away, but it will come. And that’s the reason I mentally tell myself that I’m going to sit down and write. It is a way to awaken the creative thoughts.

6:00 p.m.

I have dinner early around 5:00 p.m., which makes 6:00 p.m. the perfect time for my creativity to come out. All my work is finished by then and I’ve eaten and freed my schedule from any distractions. So I sit and write. I even do some writing research to make sure that I have all the facts straight. After all, I don’t want to write about something like leukemia without knowing what its symptoms are, how it is treated, and the chance of survival. Being a writer makes me liable to know everything my story is centered around; and if I don’t do my job right, I could ruin the reading experience for my loyal readers. There has to be a balance between creativity and logic, because if creativity is lacking logic, it can shatter the entire concept of what you’re working to achieve, and your reader is going to be disappointed in the unrealistic world/fantasy you’ve created. And yes, even a fantasy has to be believable.

Creativity at its finest

10:00 p.m.

This is when I take my writing break for the day, usually till the next day, unless I feel up to writing some more. Sometimes you need to rest in order to recharge your creative thoughts.

 

And that’s pretty much my typical day as a writer. I’m sure other writers have different schedules, but for the most part, it’s the same process.

Are you an aspiring writer? I would love to hear about how your writing day looks like! Leave me a comment below.

You can also read a free preview of my book Dance with the Devil right here: