I have decided to embark on another literary mission- Camp NaNoWriMo. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, which takes place in November. The challenge is to write 50,000 words in the month of November. There is also a kid's version, which allows you to choose your own word count goal. In November, mine was 7,000 words and I met that goal. The Office of Letters and Light, which runs NaNoWriMo, has just launched an exciting new thing- Camp NaNoWriMo! The only difference from regular old NaNoWriMo, besides the camp theme and longer name, is that Camp NaNoWriMo is for whatever month you want (or at least the summer months). Unfortunately, a YWP (Young Writer's Program) has yet to come out, although there is a section in the YWP NaNo site for Camp. My goal is 10,000 words, and I am currently at 1,490 words. I wrote 631 words today! Here are my tips and tricks.
*Round up your daily goal
For example, if your goal is 10,000, like me, you will need to write 323 words per day. That's assuming you write all 31 days of July. But what if one day you are sick, or on vacation? That's where rounding 323 up to 400 would be useful. You don't need to worry as much about missing a day here and there then, because you've already got at least an extra 77 words! Plus, it's easier to remember and do math with numbers like 400.
*Reward yourself!
I made up 'milestone packs' for myself, which each include a short letter to myself about how far I am in my writing, a sour gummy, and 1-2 old Archie comics. The final pack (for 10,000 words) also contains an Airhead. I plan on adding more treats, like candy from the July 4th parade tomorrow! Having rewards motivates you to keep writing so you can finally have that yummy/fun/exciting thing you've been waiting for, and also rewards you when you finally complete the number of words you've chosen to complete before your reward.
*No excuses!
Even if you're just 10 words short of your goal, don't stop for the day. If you get into this horrible habit of falling short, you will never reach your goal. You will keep putting writing off and off until there is no days left to put it off until! Pressure yourself to keep going and write those extra 10 words, even if they're something you hate and will immediately edit out in the next month. Which brings me to the next tip...
*Absolutely NO editing!
Editing words out doesn't help you write more. It interrupts the flow of your writing and *gasp* wastes valuable words! I don't care how much you hate that sentence, how much you think the whole paragraph is just a bunch of ranting and 'then she laced up her battered shoes', DON'T DO IT! Remember, quantity, not quality.
*Use Write or Die!
Write or Die by Dr.Wicked () is a online program that punishes you for not writing while you are in it. There are 4 modes, all of which have consequences for not writing. When you stop writing, the background of the page turns red and gets darker and more intense as time elapses. The each also have another punishment. In Gentle Mode, a box pops up telling you to keep writing. In Normal Mode, an annoying sound is played. In Kamikaze mode, your words delete themselves until only your first word remains. You can also set your grace period to Gentle, Strict, or Evil. Write or Die doesn't work for everyone, but for me it is pressure to keep pounding out the words.
*Keep track of your words.
I use a spreadsheet to keep track of my word count. The one I use is located at: http://svenja.atspace.com/wordtracker.html/ It tells you how many words you write per hour, how many words you have left, when you will be done at this rate, and much more! I like using this so I know just how fast I am progressing or just how slow.
That's all my tips for now! Good luck!
July 3, 2011
Hilarious Video!
This is such a hilarious video! You may think the barking is from a dog outside, but I think not. The cat opens it's mouth when it turns around, at the exact same time the animal barks. This could be just a well timed soundtrack, but I believe the cat was actually barking. SOOO cute!
June 28, 2011
The Blunt Sword and YAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Odd post title, I know.
The blunt sword part refers to "to be blunt", the expression. Being blunt means being perfectly honest and telling exactly what you think. For example, imagine a guy asked you to the school dance next week. If you didn't like him, the blunt answer would be to simply tell him "I don't like you, so no." But anyways, I think it's kind of a contradictory expression, because a blunt sword, if thrust into someone's side, would hurt less than a sharp one. Blunt answers are generally more hurtful ones. Also, blunt swords are less intense, clear, and, well, sharp, than blunt ones. So why, oh why, do we use the expression blunt to mean something the exact opposite? Just my little musing.
Now, for the YAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! part. That yahoo was for only having 1/2 a day of school left. Tomorrow at noon I can bask in the sun of late nights, sleeping in till 9:30, writing, camping, plane-flying (well being in one), and the warm, Hawaii-style days. SUMMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!
TTYL!
Hanna
The blunt sword part refers to "to be blunt", the expression. Being blunt means being perfectly honest and telling exactly what you think. For example, imagine a guy asked you to the school dance next week. If you didn't like him, the blunt answer would be to simply tell him "I don't like you, so no." But anyways, I think it's kind of a contradictory expression, because a blunt sword, if thrust into someone's side, would hurt less than a sharp one. Blunt answers are generally more hurtful ones. Also, blunt swords are less intense, clear, and, well, sharp, than blunt ones. So why, oh why, do we use the expression blunt to mean something the exact opposite? Just my little musing.
Now, for the YAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! part. That yahoo was for only having 1/2 a day of school left. Tomorrow at noon I can bask in the sun of late nights, sleeping in till 9:30, writing, camping, plane-flying (well being in one), and the warm, Hawaii-style days. SUMMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!
TTYL!
Hanna
May 31, 2011
Cupcakes and Books and School and Math Brainteaser
At my school, our AWESOME librarian is giving every class who brought in all their overdue books by today homemade CUPCAKES. That includes my class. It is also her birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday Ms.Y!!!
I am reading a great book right now, called "The Girl Who Could Fly". It's a bout, well, a girl who can fly, and gets sent to this school for kids like her, but it turns out the people who work there don't have good intentions for the kids and their special abilities. It'd really good- check it out!
I just finished my homework. It was doing the bibliography for my part of a group project on Madagascar. Gah, I keep spelling it M-a-d-a-g-scar.
As for the math part. I have a question thing for you.
You are on a game show. There are 3 doors. Behind 2 doors are goats, and the other door is a car. YOU WANT THE CAR (even if you don't, just pretend). You pick a door. Before it is opened, the show host opens one of the 2 remaining doors. It is a goat, because the host knows which door holds the car, and obviously wouldn't open that one. After the door has been opened, you have the choice to stay with your original door, or switch to the other closed door. If you switch, you have a 2 in 3 chance of getting the car. Weird, huh? Seems like it's 50 50.
So, why? Well, since 2 doors are goats, you have a 66% chance of originally picking a car. The only other goat door is opened, so therefore if you switch from a goat, you HAVE to get the car, since there is only 2 goats. True, you may have originally picked the car, but that is only a 33% chance (1 in 3), rather than a 66% chance. If this doesn't make sense, watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhlc7peGlGg
We wrote letters yesterday to the mathematician you said that it was not 1/2 but 2/3. A lot of other mathematicians said it was 1/2, and she was a complete idiot. But we did a similar scenario in class about 420 times (30 per partner) and got about 2/3 winning and 1/3 losing when we switched.
What's awesome/fail/sad is that we humans are so stuck-up and refuse to admit we are wrong, even though there is plenty evidence to prove it.
WOW! Long post.
I am reading a great book right now, called "The Girl Who Could Fly". It's a bout, well, a girl who can fly, and gets sent to this school for kids like her, but it turns out the people who work there don't have good intentions for the kids and their special abilities. It'd really good- check it out!
I just finished my homework. It was doing the bibliography for my part of a group project on Madagascar. Gah, I keep spelling it M-a-d-a-g-scar.
As for the math part. I have a question thing for you.
You are on a game show. There are 3 doors. Behind 2 doors are goats, and the other door is a car. YOU WANT THE CAR (even if you don't, just pretend). You pick a door. Before it is opened, the show host opens one of the 2 remaining doors. It is a goat, because the host knows which door holds the car, and obviously wouldn't open that one. After the door has been opened, you have the choice to stay with your original door, or switch to the other closed door. If you switch, you have a 2 in 3 chance of getting the car. Weird, huh? Seems like it's 50 50.
So, why? Well, since 2 doors are goats, you have a 66% chance of originally picking a car. The only other goat door is opened, so therefore if you switch from a goat, you HAVE to get the car, since there is only 2 goats. True, you may have originally picked the car, but that is only a 33% chance (1 in 3), rather than a 66% chance. If this doesn't make sense, watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhlc7peGlGg
We wrote letters yesterday to the mathematician you said that it was not 1/2 but 2/3. A lot of other mathematicians said it was 1/2, and she was a complete idiot. But we did a similar scenario in class about 420 times (30 per partner) and got about 2/3 winning and 1/3 losing when we switched.
What's awesome/fail/sad is that we humans are so stuck-up and refuse to admit we are wrong, even though there is plenty evidence to prove it.
WOW! Long post.
April 30, 2011
Half-Brother Review
Ben Tomlin is a regular 13 year-old boy. It is the 1970’s and he has just moved to Victoria, BC with his parents and newborn brother, Zan. There’s just one difference between his family and others- Zan is a chimpanzee.
Ben’s parents are scientists, and for their latest project, they decided to adopt a baby chimpanzee. They would raise it as a human and teach it sign language. At first Ben is uncomfortable around Zan and hesitant to call him his brother, but Zan quickly grows on him. They have fun communicating with sign language and playing. Meanwhile, Ben is also starting at a new school with new teachers, friends, and girls. He must manage a regular teen’s life as well as be a loving, supporting and caring brother, teacher and playmate for Zan. Zan is growing older and although he has been raised identically to a human child, his chimpanzeesinstincts are still a prominent feature. He becomes rambunctious and even dangerous. The family faces important decisions about the family and the future of “Project Zan”. But when they don’t receive an important grant, the future of Zan seems doomed. After all, Project Zan is really just an experiment, and what happens when the experiment is over?
Ben’s father shows no fatherly love towards Zan. He treats him like a scientific specimen and loses the faith that Zan can learn sign language, when he has learned more language than a human baby his age would have. Ben’s father implements techniques that are controversial among the family and team of students, who help care for and teach Zan. One of those techniques is the use of a “Learning Chair”, which Zan and Ben both hate. I sympathized with Zan and Ben as I read their struggles with the chair and father. The book was very well-written and I became angry with some of the characters, specifically Ben’s father.
I learned a lot about animal testing and whether wild/exotic animals should be kept as pets. It prompted me to reconsider my own beliefs on these issues. I was outraged at the poor conditions some animals are kept in. This book was excellently written, except I felt the back cover gave away too much of the book. I also thought the real ‘core’ problem that was in the climax came a bit late. But other than that it was thought-provoking, engrossing, and very descriptive of the feelings the characters experienced. I felt like I was really there with Zan, and was sad when the book ended, because I wouldn’t get to ‘see’ Zan anymore! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who likes a good, deep read.
I submitted this review to a contest to win a book!
Ben’s parents are scientists, and for their latest project, they decided to adopt a baby chimpanzee. They would raise it as a human and teach it sign language. At first Ben is uncomfortable around Zan and hesitant to call him his brother, but Zan quickly grows on him. They have fun communicating with sign language and playing. Meanwhile, Ben is also starting at a new school with new teachers, friends, and girls. He must manage a regular teen’s life as well as be a loving, supporting and caring brother, teacher and playmate for Zan. Zan is growing older and although he has been raised identically to a human child, his chimpanzeesinstincts are still a prominent feature. He becomes rambunctious and even dangerous. The family faces important decisions about the family and the future of “Project Zan”. But when they don’t receive an important grant, the future of Zan seems doomed. After all, Project Zan is really just an experiment, and what happens when the experiment is over?
Ben’s father shows no fatherly love towards Zan. He treats him like a scientific specimen and loses the faith that Zan can learn sign language, when he has learned more language than a human baby his age would have. Ben’s father implements techniques that are controversial among the family and team of students, who help care for and teach Zan. One of those techniques is the use of a “Learning Chair”, which Zan and Ben both hate. I sympathized with Zan and Ben as I read their struggles with the chair and father. The book was very well-written and I became angry with some of the characters, specifically Ben’s father.
I learned a lot about animal testing and whether wild/exotic animals should be kept as pets. It prompted me to reconsider my own beliefs on these issues. I was outraged at the poor conditions some animals are kept in. This book was excellently written, except I felt the back cover gave away too much of the book. I also thought the real ‘core’ problem that was in the climax came a bit late. But other than that it was thought-provoking, engrossing, and very descriptive of the feelings the characters experienced. I felt like I was really there with Zan, and was sad when the book ended, because I wouldn’t get to ‘see’ Zan anymore! I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone who likes a good, deep read.
I submitted this review to a contest to win a book!
April 23, 2011
Moose Poem
My chubby hands press against the door
My breath fogging up the glass
I hear the sounds of a family of moose
Chomp
Chomp
Clop
Chomp
Chomp
The youngest one looks up
For a moment it is just me and the moose
We gaze into each other's eyes
Penetrating the glass barrier between us
That moment passes
The moose looks away
And goes back to chomping
I will remember that moment
For a long time
Watching the beauty of nature
Meet my eyes
The poem is based on a true story- I was way younger though.
My breath fogging up the glass
I hear the sounds of a family of moose
Chomp
Chomp
Clop
Chomp
Chomp
The youngest one looks up
For a moment it is just me and the moose
We gaze into each other's eyes
Penetrating the glass barrier between us
That moment passes
The moose looks away
And goes back to chomping
I will remember that moment
For a long time
Watching the beauty of nature
Meet my eyes
The poem is based on a true story- I was way younger though.
April 10, 2011
Out My Window (Poem)
Out my window
The world spins by
From toddlers to marathon runners
Do you see the smile?
Look a little harder
It's a constant race through time
Out my window
A child cries
The playground is so wonderful
Who would want to leave?
But away she is whisked
To her it's a crime
Out my window
A homeless man begs
His life is in your hands
A little help please?
Buy that cheap hot dog
It'll brighten his day
Out my window
There's Chinese and Spanish
From cookies to relish
Is there any alike?
All this diversity
It can't seem to stop
Out my window
It's all just a blur
But look down into it's depths
Are the details there?
So look a little harder
And see all the little things
The world spins by
From toddlers to marathon runners
Do you see the smile?
Look a little harder
It's a constant race through time
Out my window
A child cries
The playground is so wonderful
Who would want to leave?
But away she is whisked
To her it's a crime
Out my window
A homeless man begs
His life is in your hands
A little help please?
Buy that cheap hot dog
It'll brighten his day
Out my window
There's Chinese and Spanish
From cookies to relish
Is there any alike?
All this diversity
It can't seem to stop
Out my window
It's all just a blur
But look down into it's depths
Are the details there?
So look a little harder
And see all the little things
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