Rae Elliott

3 Fundamental Storytelling Techniques Teen Writers Can Learn From One Amazing Video Game

by Rae Elliott | Jan 10, 2019 | Blog

Wouldn’t it be awesome to just plug ourselves into the wall and write nonstop for 24 hours a day 7 days a week? First of all, NO because that’s crazy and secondly, I’m glad we don’t run on batteries because I’m happy to run on tacos. But when you’re not writing, there are other creative outlets that inspire you to brainstorm and get back to writing. For you, that creative outlet might be Monopoly (you monster), or maybe it’s reading (you nerd, I like you) or maybe you’re like me and you like to play video games. Now, some look down on video games like they’re nothing more than brain-dead, button-mashing, obesity-inducing competency traps that suck the potential out of all teens. But those peeps would be wrong. DEAD wrong. Why? A) Because these peeps swear every video game out there is either Call of Duty or Fort Nite. B) And because these peeps don’t understand that video games have advanced so far in the last couple of years, that writers like you and I have much to learn from their storytelling techniques. Maybe you’re one of those peeps who still feels turned off by the very word “video games” and are ready to write this article off as a joke. But again, you’d be wrong to do that. Brian McDonald, author of Invisible Ink, a sought-after instructor and storytelling consultant, has instructed video game companies, like Sony Interactive Entertainment, to build strong storylines into games: Brian shared his priceless insights with a team determined to create, not a brainless button-masher, but a truly...

How to Write a Fictional Romance that’s Not All Fluff

by Rae Elliott | Dec 5, 2018 | Blog

You can’t deny the sizzlin’ chemistry between your characters any longer and now you’re ready to give in to their demands. But maybe you’re a little nervous to add a romance into your story. After all, you DON’T want to be “that writer” who throws in a cheesy romance just for the sake of having a romance in the story! BLECH! So how do you write a romantic relationship that’ll have readers cheering and not gagging? How do you create a relationship that has value, substance, and is totally 100% shippable? You do four things, my friend: Build up each character’s unique identity Challenge their devotion to each other Avoid cliche dialogue Focus on love, not lust So what do these four tips mean? Let’s break it down little by little, bromigo! 1. Build Up Each Character's Unique Identity Look bub: NO ONE exists merely for the sake of being “the other half” of another person. As “romantic” as that might sound, it’s just not believable. The same goes for your characters. You can’t create a character just to be the romantic interest for another character in your story! That’s a rookie mistake, friend-o. If you want readers to appreciate the relationship your character enters into, readers must first appreciate the character for who they are. So, focus on building a unique identity for your individual before you ship them off to Loveland. But what does that entail, exactly? The three vital building blocks of character: His personal goal and primary objective His flaw(s) His strengths A personal goal is a character’s unique motivation for...

3 Ways Teen Writers Can Avoid Burnout

by Rae Elliott | Nov 14, 2018 | Blog

YOU’RE A WRITER. And if you’re participating in NaNoWriMo or are just a highly disciplined writer (what’s that look like I wonder??) that means you have goals to slay. LOTS AND LOTS. Stacks of assignments, goals, ambitions, and daily word counts will bear down on you like a pressure cooker of responsibility. But all that pressure doesn’t turn you into a better writer simmerin’ in a stew of creative juices. Instead, you become a burnt out human seasoned with a dash of sadness and sorrow. And I’m not talkin’ crispy grilled cheese with those crumchy, cheesy edges kinda burnt out. Nah. I’m talkin’ blackened, burnt to a crisp burnt out. You are charred to a crisp thanks to physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and UNENDING stress. You feel overwhelmed, emotionally sapped, and unable to meet constant demands. And as a result, you lose interest and lack the motivation to continue your writing journey. (NO THANKY) Look, kid, If you don’t have your health, you’ve got nothin’. Remember that. I should know, I’ve been battling chronic illness for years now so I know the value of taking my writing journey one day (one step!) at a time and avoiding burnout. What you’ve got to do is put your writing game in perspective. So, here are 3 ways to avoid burnout while maintaining a healthy perspective on writing. 1. Me Time “Hey no offense but between school, homework, chores, writing, and all my extracurriculars, there’s no way I can take one long luxuriant spa day just for me.” Woah, friend. I’m not asking you to do that. Look, new age music...

3 Secret Tips you Need to Help you Slam Dunk NaNoWriMo!

by Rae Elliott | Nov 1, 2018 | Blog

NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) HAS ARRIVED FOLKS. That means it’s time to roll up our sleeves, crack our knuckles and get to writing a 50,000-word novel in JUST 30 days. Easy peasy lemon sneezy, amiright? Not really. Especially if you’re new to the NaNo game. So is this NaNo thang new to you? If yes, then there are a plethora (God I love that word) of ideas out there claiming to help you succeed. But all you really need is three secret tips to make sure you reach your goal. So what in the heck are they already? Be a planner AND a pantser Eat, sleep, breathe Set goals (and treat yo self) What’s the secret sauce stewing behind these three ideas? Let’s dissect them, friend! Be a Planner AND a Pantser According to the official NaNoWriMo guidelines, we can choose to be a planner or a pantser. What are these crazy nouns you ask?: Planner: A writer who carpes the heck out of each diem by sticking to a pre-organized, well-outlined NaNoWriMo routine. Panster: A writer who has fun, flies by the seat of his Spiderman pajama pants, and lets the unique NaNoWrimo experience namaste him to the finish line. See, you tackle NaNo as either a planner or a pantser- it all depends on your personality and mindset as a writer. But here’s the secret no one’s telling you: YOU DON’T HAVE TO CHOOSE (and quite frankly you shouldn’t). Yes, don’t just be a duck or a beaver- be a platypus. (AKA be a li’l of both!) From the planner’s perspective, you could benefit from just a smidge...

3 Ways to Authentically Write Characters Who are Not your Age

by Rae Elliott | Oct 24, 2018 | Blog

What’s more painfully obvious to us than an unauthentic or poorly represented character? NADA, BROMIGO. What if you’re a teen writer who has a character that’s forty years your senior? Say he’s a war veteran with PTSD? Or what if you’re leaps and bounds from your teen years but you’ve decided your main character is an angsty teen who’s just trying to survive high school? The prob is this, bob: you’re a kid who doesn’t have enough life experience to know what struggles an older character genuinely faces. Or you’re an adult who feels out of touch with what the kids are into these days. So how do you bridge that gap? How do you write characters of a different age that are authentic and believable? How do you write characters of a different age that readers of the same age bracket will celebrate? You use these three methods guaranteed to get you acquainted with an unfamiliar age group (and therefore help you create spot-on characters!): Study the real deal Interview friends and family Read great example works So what do these three methods entail? Let’s break it down and apply it ASAP! Study The Real Deal You need to study your target age group. Now, I don’t mean study humans like rats in a maze for the sake of your craft. Nah, that’s just weird. I mean this: place yourself in a public setting like Starbucks– a place where young and old alike gather for their legal hit of venti pumpkin spice uppers and do your research. Be where your target age group likes to gather and simply listen. Be aware. Without creeping on people, listen to how...