How to Create Amazing Dystopias

Sometimes I just feel like all the perfectly dystopian ideas have been taken. I mean seriously, love the districts from the Hunger Games, fascinated by the caste system from The Selection, and blown away by the factions from Divergent!

So today I'm here to help all the dystopian/sci-fi writers out there to spark brilliant ideas for dystopian worlds. (Also because I've neglected my blog for a while -_-)

The first most common thing dystopian authors do is to create a utopia. Make it unique, but perfect. Everyone's utopia looks and appears differently depending on their personality. Again, try to make it as lively and perfect as possible.

Then what you'd want to do next is twist it up a bit, in other words, destroy your utopia. Add in things like robots/highly advanced machines, aliens, animal hybrids, powerful dictators, etc. Or you could even take some things away. For example, what's something we treasure but don't necessarily need to survive? Video games, technology, it could even something like nature. If none of these ideas work for you, just turn your utopia into a dystopia! Take away things we know as normal and replace it with something else. Enforce strict laws prohibiting things we normally do and add a touch of unfairness into your dystopia. For example, citizens in District One have more luxuries and better lives than those of District Twelve.

Governments. They are the ones that rule over your world of doom. There are many different types of governments I learned from a writing workshop. 'Hitler Style' aka  dictatorship is when one individual takes over and enforces unfair and cruel laws. Normally, they also overthrow the previous ruling government and change everything, which is an excellent addition for your dystopian novel. Other governments include tyranny, royalty, religious, democracy, and many more.

Next we must name our newly created, terrible, horrid dystopia. To me, online name generators aren't really my thing. I prefer sparking out ideas at random, but that's probably not the case for others XD. Some writers I know prefer brainstorming, others take words and combine them together or even try misspelling them. There is no right or wrong name for any dystopia, but I doubt you would name it, 'Butterfly Meadow'.

Try reading dystopian books for finding inspiration. A few include:

- The Search for WondLa by Tony Diteralizzi

- The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

- Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

- Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

- Matched by Ally Condie

- Crossed by Ally Condie

- Reached by Ally Condie

- Divergent by Veronica Roth

- Insurgent by Veronica Roth

- The Selection by Kiera Cass

- The Elite by Kiera Cass

- Legend by Marie Lu

- Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Good luck with you dystopia!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

Writing Short Stories

It used to be that if you wanted to become an author, you would publish three short stories first, and then write a novel and send it to a publisher.

Nowadays, it's harder to get published and short stories are often neglected unless in contests or magazines. But for some, it's just something you do in your spare time. Sites like FictionPress and Wattpad accept short stories so feel free submit your story online!

However, if you are looking to submit your short story to a writing magazine or to simply extend or improve your writing skills, then this article is for you.

The thing about short stories is that… well… it's a short story. You can't make it too long, and you can't make it too short. For some writers, it's easier to write short stories than it is for them to write novels, vice versa.

Since the purpose of a short story is to keep it short, your plot must be interesting and exciting, but not as detailed or complex as a novel. I have written a few short stories, and I find that field easier than long, detailed novels. But I do know some writers who are more comfortable with writing novels, mostly because they have certain broader ideas that need more complexity and writing steps.

Short stories can be fun and satisfying to write, and there's no rule to what genre you have to stick with. But some genres are just easier to write than others. In my opinion, I think it's harder to write sci-fi or dystopian short stories than it is to write fantasy short stories. Chick-lit is a popular favorite, as well as crime, mystery, paranormal, and realistic modern-day fiction.

Animal short stories are also a largely-appreciated area of fiction that is normally more acceptable for younger writers. I find that stories with a purpose or theme of some kind; a life lesson, are usually more interesting.

Well, how do you end a short story anyways?

There are many ways to end a short story. Traditionally, most short stories leave you deeply in thought about something, whether it be animal cruelty or the future. Other options are simple, sad endings, happy endings, romantic endings, you name it.

Characters for short stories should be unique and flawed, yet simple and overall, not as complex as characters like Katniss Everdeen or Harry Potter. It's always great to have character growth in the end of any story. If there was a little sort of adventure taking place in your short story, think about it. What experiences did your characters have? Was it something amazing, terrible, or joyful?

Short stories may not be as popular now as they used to, but hopefully, that will change in the future. For now, write, write, write! Never stop writing or believing. For writers that haven't been published yet, there will be a day you are successful. For already published authors, keep believing! Have confidence in yourself and perhaps one day, you'll be as famous as Suzanne Collins or Rick Riordan.

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

The Elite: Book Review

Author: Kiera Cass

Genre: Romance/Dystopian

Ratings: 4 Stars

POV: First person

Series or Single: Book 2 in The Selection Trilogy

Summary:

On day one, thirty-five girls arrived at the palace, in hopes of marrying the dreamy Prince Maxon and earning the crown of Illéa. Now, only The Elite remain, and America Singer is one of the six. But unlike everyone else, her situation is different. She has to choose, between her first love, Aspen, and her second love, Prince Maxon. Competition is fierce, and America is struggling who to pick. All she hopes for is more time, but all the time she has is slowly slipping out of her grasp, and America knows she must act fast.

Review:

Thumbs up for this sequel!

I was definitely satisfied with The Elite. It picked up from where The Selection left off perfectly and reminded its readers on parts they might have missed. A great start to a thrillingly romantic novel.

There are a lot of hate-love characters and scenes that surprised me. Especially when America's friend Marlee, attempted something seemingly natural and was punished greatly. As of every dystopian novel, society is divided in some sort of way.

Here we have the castes. There are eight castes in total, each one with a specific area of interest the members of the caste must follow. America and her family are Fives, which mean they are musicians and artists. The story takes place in the palace of Illéa, a small and growing country founded by the well-known hero Gregory Illéa in a not-so near future.

Despite lacking the passion and inspiration in the first book, The Elite was still entertaining and exciting to read. Characters like Celeste and Maxon will blow you away as you wave your fist in the air. And more mysterious and less explored characters like Nicoletta and Queen Amberly will make you frown or scratch your head.

The author clearly wanted her readers to feel the same way America felt, and I can be sure that she accomplished that. But I can't say the same for the unique love triangle of America, Aspen, and Maxon. Both of whom America loves are equally flawed. Maxon can be a bit of a brat sometimes, to me only, I guess. And Aspen just doesn't have a very interesting personality to start with, and it lacks motivation immensely.

There is definitely a change in personality for America in this sequel. Originally, she was doubtful and yet, loud and hopeful about her love with Aspen. But after she realized she was Selected, everything slowly began to change. In The Elite, America showed courage, foolishness, and caution as the competition began to heat up.

The way America faces challenges puzzle me a bit, but in a way, they all make sense in the end. America is definitely the next, different-type of dystopian Katniss Everdeen, possessing similar qualities and intentions. I am against the way America faces her obstacles head-on, as it seems very foolhardy at times.

The other characters the book aren't meant to help encourage America, instead, they're meant to break her and confuse her. I think the author's intentions for this was to give America a chance to have confidence in herself, and that was one of the immediate changes I noticed in this book. 

It would have helped if the author explored more areas of curiosity, though. I am still in awe about the caste system, and I would for sure love to learn more about its history and individual lifestyles. A possible theory for leaving such areas unexplored may be to let them shine in the third and final book.

One of the most notable characters is the kind and generous Marlee Tames, America's only friend that was suddenly lost to her. Marlee is the perky and bubbly one of the pack, with mixed feelings about everyone and a complicated relationship with the prince. Later, it is discovered that Marlee was hiding a secret from America, and only when it was too late was it revealed. I for one, did not see that coming.

Then there's mean old Celeste. She's kind of like the teacher's pet in a different way. Celeste is a rude, yet talented and beautiful celebrity model with a hatred for all the other competiting girls. She would do anything to get someone else kicked out for whatever reason they had. The boastful and jealous personality in Celeste can definitely be related to real people in life. America usually finds her with her nose in a magazine looking at all her own ads.

America's love triangle with Maxon and Aspen is different in a way that it is more interesting than regular romantic novels. I can understand the way America is falling for two guys with totally different personalities.

Prince Maxon is a One and is cautious, yet playful. Aspen is Six, with a funny and kind, yet serious and hardworking personality. What you will find definitely interesting though, is the different reasons America falls for each one. Each also want America and have different dreams of the future with her, and America longs for both. The decision she will have to make in the third book will be tough, and I can't say I fully trust her in her decisions.

A slight minor flaw in the story is the brief important parts. Some scenes are just too important to be taken lightly, and it just didn't reflect on America's response. Repetition is another issue, as the sequence of love gets kind of boring after a while. America falls for Aspen, then Maxon, then Aspen… you get the picture.

But the biggest flaw I am not happy about is that this story lacks enough depth. There is some for the majority of the scenes, but not enough in parts where it is needed the most.

The way it ended was in no way to how The Selection ended. I was shocked by how cliffhanging it was and couldn't even imagine how America could take it all in.

If you are looking for a book with suspense and romance that will keep you up reading all night, The Elite is for you. I strongly recommend starting with the first book in the series, and I promise you, you will not be disappointed. But you have been warned, brace yourself for whatever comes next.

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

PS: My review is also avaliable here at http://www.rileybanks.net/2/post/2013/07/book-review-the-elite-by-kiera-cass.html

5 Story-Starting Tips

Hey everyone! Thanks for reading today's post! It can be difficult to start a story, whether it's your first time or your tenth. I've put together a quick-list of tips that may be useful to help you get started.

1. Plan out your characters with a G.O.T.E sheet.

It's always a good idea to plan out your characters before you start writing. You want to have a good idea of how he or she will act and respond to certain things. Check out my posts, "How to Think Up a Good Protagonist" and "An Effective Way to Plan Characters: G.O.T.E." for more information.

2. Know your conflict 

Without any villain or some kind of disturbance in your plot, your story is not worth telling. If you are planning on using an antagonist or villain as conflict for your story, see my post, "What Makes a Good Antagonist." If you don't have an antagonist, but repeating obstacles or something like that, make sure it actually affects your characters and gets in their way.

3. Weed out your plot

Get rid of any unnecessary bits in your plot and make sure you know when and what to write in your story according to your plot. It would also help if you make an outline of your story, or simply just write and wait to see what will happen.

4. Try not to repeat things

In the beginning, you'll want to point out certain parts that would be better off saved for later. But if you're desperate for telling your readers about this certain thing, try not to repeat it as much. Also, try not to repeat words as much, as it can get boring and even exasperating.

5. "Kill your darlings" as Stephen King says

The term, "kill your darlings" often refers to getting rid of what you treasure most in your story. If you can't bear to do so, there won't ever be room for improvement in your story and it will just be plain and boring throughout all of your drafts.

Just 5 quick little tips. :) Hope you enjoyed!

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

An Effective Way to Plan Characters: G.O.T.E.

Okay, so you've thought up a handful of great characters to get you started on your story. Actually, you're not really sure what your "great" characters are going to do exactly, but that's okay.

But sometimes writers can be confused with even their own work. Like what their protagonist wants, why the antagonist wants what the protagonist wants, and so on. Most of the times, writers get too frustrated and toss their story into the trash. However, with proper methods and practice, there is a way to master this.

G.O.T.E sheets.

When I attended a writing workshop, I learned how to effectively plan out my characters through G.O.T.E's.

G.O.T.E stands for goals, obstacles, tactics, and expectations. Although they are usually meant for actors and plays, they are excellent with writing as well.

All you have to do to get started on a G.O.T.E is to think about which character you wish to clarify. Characters that are a bit confusing and aren't so clear are what I call, foggy characters. It isn't clear what they want or why, usually it's those characters you want to G.O.T.E out first.

List all their goals, obstacles, tactics, and expectations.

Their goals are what they want. They are what the character is trying to achieve. It should be made as clear as possible what their goals are.

Obstacles. What's getting in their way? For your antagonist, this should be an easy one. But for other characters, it may be more complicated. Maybe one character is trying to unlock a treasure chest but someone else has the key.

Tactics are strategies and methods a character is going to use to overcome their obstacles and achieve their goals. If the character above wishes to unlock his treasure chest, he'll have to think of ways to open it. For instance, he could steal the key from the other character, or he could try to pry the chest open with his hands. Each character must have tactics for a certain obstacle and goal.

What does a character expect in the end? Expectations are what a character expects to happen. For instance, in the Hunger Games, Katniss expected to die, even though she wanted to win. The way the expectations of a character tie in with their goal all depends on what he or she expects. The antagonist of your story may want to take over the world, and he expects to take over the world. But try experimenting. What would happen if he didn't expect to rule the world? How would that affect his tactics?

In the end, all these things are connected to each other. You should have a clear idea of your character now. Tell me your thoughts on this article and don't forget to comment, rate, and review! Did G.O.T.E sheets help you?

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

How to Overcome Writer's Block

What is writer's block anyways? Well, to me, it doesn't really exist. It's just yourself. But to some people, it's serious.

There are many symptoms of writer's block, too many to list. You may loose your imaginative ideas, creativity, and other key points in you that make you a good writer.

When that happens, it means you've spent too much time writing and not doing other things writers need. Writers are writers, so why do they need to do other things? Simple. Writers need to read other books and draw inspiration from them. Not copy them, of course, but draw inspiration. Good ideas are contagious, and can lead you back to forming your own ideas.

Another way to steal back your inspiration is to do a sport. Running works, and I have used that method for as long as I can remember. Hiking is great too, be sure to take lots of pictures on your next climb!

Gardening also works, basically anything with nature, if you know what I mean. Take a walk in your local park or explore forest trails in your town/city.

Inspiration is the greatest, most feared enemy of writer's block. And because of that, inspiration only comes when it's time. It will come naturally, and if you really, really need to punch writer's block in the face, you'll really just have to hang in there. The methods above are also great, and I know people who used them and recovered immediately.

It's different for each individual, and if this is happening after your first draft, you have to leave it for a while. Meaning, you have to ignore your story for three months. Then when you get back to it, you'll find the story fresh and new again, also meaning you'll find the great parts, and the not-so-great parts. It gives you an opportunity to edit and revise parts you don't like, and ultimately, destroys writer's block.

If writing your story blocked you out from your friends, family, active life, etc, then now's your chance to connect with them again. Overcoming writer's block isn't always facing it head-on, but tiptoeing around it, and surprising it from behind. Connecting with your friends and family is important, and in the meantime, try not to write at all!

Instead, spend more time doing things you've never done, and things you haven't done in a while that you might have neglected when you began writing. 

In the end, it all comes done to this: writer's block is just a sign that tells you to look at your surroundings. Connect with your old life, photograph things, garden, that kind of thing. If you need help with your writer's block, feel free to contact me! Speaking of which, it's always great to connect with other writers ;)

- Ashlyn, Aspiring Author of Today

Where the Unwanted Go

Just a short story I wrote a long time ago ;) Also, my other article I was going to post was accidentally deleted… I feel so depressed…

Sadie Greene felt her windblown hair lash against her face and sweep tears across her cheek.

The single memory of her previous life wandered around inside her head aimlessly.

It was a stormy night in the small town of Crowell, Texas and young Sadie was snuggled in a rocking chair with her mother. Suddenly, a man with drunk eyes holding a bottle burst into the room.

"We ain't got no food to feed her now," he grunted, emotionless.

"But dear, we can't-" Sadie's mother protested, tears streaming out of her eyes.

"Now, we agreed. It's time, and she's old enough!" he grumbled back.

Suddenly, Sadie felt herself ripped from her mother's arms as she struggled free.

"Ma!" Sadie cried, tears flowing down her cheeks in abundant rivers.

Her mother simply hung her head and let the tears come.

"Come on, girl." the man snorted, grasping on tightly to the thrashing little girl whom he forgotten was his own daughter.

"No!" Sadie screamed.

And that was all she could remember. Sadie lay awake upon the soft green grass and gazed up at the night sky.

Where was she exactly? Sadie wasn't sure. After her final shout for her mother, everything went black. Then she opened her eyes, and here Sadie was ever since. Never hungry, never thirsty, it was pleasant, but strange at the same time. Time never seemed to pass.

Was she dead? No, Sadie was sure she wasn't. Not here. Her mother had told her many stories of where everything would be perfect and she would never had to see her father ever again. Sadie called that place Paradise.

"The Lord will be waitin' for ya there. I'll be there first and prepare us a hearty supper when ya arrive with your new family." her mother had announced, smoothing out Sadie's tangled auburn hair and brushing it out of her eyes.

"Where is it?" Sadie asked curiously.

"Right here," her mother smiled back, putting her hands against her heart.

Sadie curled up into a ball and let her tears flow. What else was strange, was that she never got hot or cold, or bothered to take off her tattered leather jacket, her mother's most expensive piece of clothing she ever purchased.

Suddenly, Sadie felt a gentle tap on her left shoulder.

"Hello, you must be new here." a smooth, confident and soft voice greeted her.

Sadie turned and stared at a boy her age with kind blue eyes and sleek dark hair.

"I reckon you've been here a long while," she sighed.

"I'm Arion, I came from Canada." the boy explained, "But I wasn't born there, I was born somewhere else… I forgot where." Arion smiled, holding out his hand.

"I'm Sadie, Sadie Greene. I'm from…" it took her a while to remember where her hometown was.

"Crowell, Texas." she answered.

"Gets harder and harder to remember, huh? You'll get used to it," Arion winked.

Sadie shook hands awkwardly with Arion and glanced at him fascinatingly.

"Ya look a mighty bit strange to me," she giggled.

"You talk funny, try talking like me. The other folks are going to make fun of you if you continue to talk like that," Arion giggled back.

"Umm… like, like this?" Sadie tried, imitating Arion's accent and his way of talking.

"Yeah, that's lot better," he agreed.

Then Arion noticed Sadie's tear-stained face.

"A little sad?" he asked.

Sadie nodded slowly, biting her lip to hold back the tears.

"We all were. This is where the unwanted end up. And this is where we will stay, forever." Arion sighed.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Sadie asked, wiping the tears away with her sleeve.

"Both, I guess. You'll like it here, but you'll also hate it here. Either way, there's no way out." Arion replied, taking Sadie's hand.

"How old are you?" Sadie asked.

"Thirteen, well, I was before. Age means nothing here, though." Arion answered painfully.

"Oh," Sadie said, staring down at the ground.

"Same," she added.

The playful grin appeared back on Arion's handsome face.

"You ever heard of the place where all the good people go?" Arion asked.

Sadie thought for a moment, then nodded, recalling the memory.

"Well, this place is like it," Arion explained, guiding Sadie across a row of rocks in a river.

"My ma ain't here," Sadie protested, her smile fading.

"She'll never be," Arion replied, hopping on rocks in front of Sadie.

"Then this isn't Paradise. It's where unwanted youngsters go!" Sadie shouted, suddenly angry.

"You're talking like that again." Arion snorted.

He sighed and shook his head.

"It's too late. Our parents lead us here without knowing." he told Sadie

"No, it was just my father," Sadie said quietly.

Arion shrugged and Sadie hopped across the rocks in front of her. 

Suddenly, Sadie could not help but let tears come. All those years of hiding under her bed when her father came home, all those years of watching him hit her mother when she didn't give him money for drinks, Sadie finally let it all out.

Arion sighed as he saw Sadie sobbing into her arm. He gently put one hand on her shoulder and whispered into her ear:

"The unwanted are wanted more than anything here,"

The words meant nothing to Sadie for a second, then she understood.

This is where she would never see her parents again. But this was where she could have a second chance at life, everything could start over.

"Who's in charge here? And where's everyone else?" Sadie asked.

Arion took her hand once again and smiled.

"I'm in charge. And everyone's over there, in the village or the lake," he shrugged, pointing to the path ahead of them.

"Wait until I introduce you to everyone! Don't worry, you'll fit in perfectly." Arion assured, scurrying up the path.

Grinning, Sadie raced ahead of him to where her new life would begin. Maybe this wasn't Paradise, but Sadie felt certain it was just as good.

Guest Post by Amia Jones

Suspense: The secret to engaging your reader

 

We all love reading has us completely hooked; causing goose bumps, nail biting anxiety and sleepless nights. Suspense can enrich the reader’s experience of all genres. But how do we use add suspense into our story?

 

First of all, there are two types of suspense ‘resolved’ and ‘unresolved’. With resolved suspense, the reader knows that something will happen but they don’t know when. So in a horror film like Scream, we know people will die – but we don’t know when. So the reader is kept in suspense, engaged until what they expected would happen, happens. Unresolved suspense is when a story is left open – the reader may suspect what happened, but not know for sure. Readers tend to want suspense, but also want to resolve it.

 

So here’s three quick ways of adding suspense into your story!

 

1. Red Herrings.

Suspense builds when the reader wants something to happen and it isn’t happening yet. Or something is happening and the reader wants it to stop, now. And it doesn’t.

- Sol Stein

This can be referred to as false clues. Let’s say for a romance novel, this is when you can make Mr. Right a baddie and add another guy into the mix to cause suspense in the reader – will the heroine choose the correct guy? It also adds drama, excitement, and conflict into the story. If you are writing a mystery, send the detective off on a four-hour drive, or to a creepy area of town at midnight. These ‘wrong-turns’ can tell the reader a lot about a character, and add more movement and interest in your story.

 

2. Mysteries about the character

Every paragraph should accomplish two goals: advance the story, and develop your characters as complex human beings.

— Nancy Kress

Complicated characters are the ones we love to read about. What is the backstory to your protagonist? What are his/her secrets – invent some. Everyone has them. Then hint at them. Maybe they flinch when they see fire, and we learn later that they accidently burnt their house down when they were five. Or they don’t want to fall in love, because they’ve already been married and divorced at 22. Don’t tell the reader everything at once. Think of it as layers, you unveil a character slowly. Also what are they afraid of? This can be a powerful driving motivation for a character.

 

3. Real Danger

If there is one single principle that is central to making any story more powerful, it is simply this: Raise the stakes.

— Donald Maass

If the protagonist isn’t scared, the reader won’t be. If theprotagonist is super confident and sure he/she will figure everything out and save the day, the reader will be bored. It’s in their failure, their fear that we relate to the character and we believe in them. Do a George R. R. Martine and kill off someone unexpectedly. Make it someone not only the character loves, but the reader has met and grown to love. Let us feel the pain, the determination, the remorse.

 

One last note on writing suspense:

“Foreboding” and “ominous” is what you're striving to achieve—not mention.

—

Joseph Novakovich

 

Good luck on adding suspense to your writing!

(Check out Amia's blog http://enteringthedirtythirties.wordpress.com now!)