Writers can not call themselves Writers

You, the one reading this blog, do you call yourself a writer? If not, leave. If so, continue on.
You may be named Allison, and then you call yourself  a writer. You may tell people "Allison the Writer, at your service."
Do you really want to call yourself a writer?
In order to resolve this question, you must ask yourself, what is a writer and it's entirety?
A writer is one who writes.
Does this make you a writer? Yes. Does this make me a writer? Yes.
Does this make that foul-mouthed bully a writer? Yes. Does this make the straight-F 3rd Grader a writer? Yes.
There are many writers in the world, though most like to classify themselves as something different. The few that call themselves writers are writers, but there is something deeper to them.
I like to call these people storytellers. They have a story to tell, and they use writing as a gateway of telling them.

Think about what you call yourself next time you speak to someone.
Just an on-the-spot post by the storyteller in her mind.

Writer's Backpack: Things Every Writer Needs When They Go Out

There have probably been countless times when you went out and discovered that you had a magnificent writing idea. But then, you searched your pockets for something to write on, and no! Your pen was out of ink at the time! You tried very hard to remember your idea, but when you got home after the event, you forgot all about it. The Writer's Backpack is the way to never let this happen again! The Writer's Backpack is a list of things you need every time you go out so you won't have to forget an idea ever again! There are three variations to this list - the basic, the intermediate, and the expert. The intermediate is recommended for everyone. The basic is when you're unable to carry around a backpack, like a fancy party. The expert is a substitute for the intermediate, but costs a hefty amount more.
Let's start with the Intermediate List:

• Backpack - In order to successfully go through this list, you need something you can pick up easily whenever you're going out, almost like an emergency equipment backpack, except you'll be picking it up a lot more. If backpack's don't fit with your fashion, use something else that's moderately big such as a tote bag. You need to be able to fit a few things inside of here.
• Three Notebooks - Why three, you may ask? One is for jots of notes, another is for ideas [for blog posts and the relative] and the third is for that book I know you're writing, or an idea for a new book. I highly recommend this as a minimum. Don't try to cut down.
• Three Pens - You never know when your trusty pen will run out of ink! Preferably ballpoint, you never know when your pen will run out of ink or get jammed! Three is a minimum, and if you choose the right type of pen, they're not very hard to carry around. I suggest those cheap ones at Staples or OfficeMax.
• eReader - As writers, we are finding less and less time to read, though it is very important. If you do not own an eReader - go buy one for it's portability! Either that, or you can replace this with the current novel you are reading. You may find some spare time when your friend is driving the car or you're waiting for your morning coffee. 
• Anything Else You Think is Necessary! - This is my list (along with some personal stuff), so add your own stuff to the list and add them to your backpack!

Now, there comes a time when you can't lug around your backpack full of notebooks and pens. So, here is the bare minimum that you must take with you everywhere. (By everywhere, I mean everywhere.)

• Cell Phone - Cell Phones now have the capability to take notes, which you can use as any of the above (except a lot shorter). If you have an old cell phone that has no texting (shame on you!), you can go to the audio recorder, go to the restroom, and talk to yourself!
• Pen - There is such a thing as writing on napkins when you are very desperate!

Finally, here comes the expert package. The things included in here replace all of the above and have added advantages such as research at some times [like when you have WiFi]. Here is the list:

• Netbook - Netbooks are smaller than laptops and are small enough to carry around. You don't need to have as much space or power as a laptop as a writer, so netbooks are perfect for us! We can install Word or OpenOffice on it, and write away whenever we can. We can also read with the Kindle Computer App or anything relative. 
• Car Charger - The only disadvantage to the expert package is the need to charge quite oftenly. Though, if you get a car charger, this can get resolved easily.

Remember to get your Writer's Backpack ready as soon as possible!

Have something else to add? Comment below!

Personal Post: The Writings of a Realistic Dreamer

Written at 9AM this morning, with the inspiration I got to come back to this blog and writing books.


With this world of passion and art comes a newcomer who dreams big. From birth, I have been doing two things - telling stories and looking at the cyber world. When it comes down to most of the knowledge I have acquired, it is thanks to the internet. The internet offers many things to me and I must admit that without it, my brain would lack even the ability to write this.

Two of my best friends are pens and papers. I have always had them at hand when I was unknowing of how to write the English language, undergoing drastic changes, or trying to learn guitar. I don't know why I dared to run away from writing when I tried to learn street magic or the guitar. I feel like I've been rejecting the only thing that cares about me. Even this morning, around an hour before writing this, I wanted to make films. I wanted to be a cinematographer and use the camera. Of course, there's nothing wrong with doing two things, but I feel like I was running away from writing. I listen to music on the radio, watch films, play games, and I dream. I do multiple things. I tell and read stories, and books are my outlet to sharing them.

I used to write to tell my stories. After that, I would write for my friends and to bring us closer together. Just a couple of days ago, I wanted to write to make money. At this moment, it's honestly a combination of all three and more. I want to write to have someone hear me. I want to write to prove to peers, my family, and my teachers that I have something inside of me that is bigger than the outside. I may be a fledgling teenager that almost every adult writer puts down, but I have something to say. I write to escape from reality. For example, at this moment, I should be researching roller coasters for a science project, planning a film strip, or doing that geometry assignment. Here I am, wasting my time, writing about nothing and listening to the radio on a clear, Saturday morning. At 9:30 AM, I am the only one awake in the house. I want to write to make money so I can write even more (and buy cool fountain pens and my favorite writing software - Scrivener). I also want to write for the feeling of running your fingers over paper that has been written on. Most importantly, I want to write to make sure I don't die forgotten. Though many artists have died and have been forgotten, I can still find that artist's life through their work. As for me, I want one person in the future to pick up something I wrote, read it's entirety, and just think about who I was for a second. Perhaps, that is why I write everything in pen. It is permanent whether you like it or not. If you cover it with whiteout, the words are just underneath. If you burn the paper, the ink is etched in the ashes.

The relative question must come into mind - what do I want to achieve with writing? I want one of my books somewhere in one of the crowded bookshops that are overloaded with all kinds of books and where the owner of the stores is passionate about the topic. I want someone to come in, pick up a hardcover copy of my book, read it with an interest, and put it on their beloved bookshelf. Don't take me the wrong way about the hardcover book. I want to publish my books in everything but audiobook format (I just don't like them) and am saving up for a Kindle myself. I also want someone to read my book, go onto FanFiction.com and write a story about it. I don't care if the story has poor punctuation, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, or grammar. I will read and comment on every one. (This one was primarily an inside joke for my friends and I.)

At the same time, whether I admit it to myself or not, I do not want to make a full-time living writing. In order to make a full-time living from writing, you have deadlines to meet or you don't get enough to pay the bills. I don't mind if I make a full-time living, but I hope to never quit whatever day job I get for writing. I've had the idea of a particular story for a year and a half, and this is the second time I'm starting over with it. The ability to market doesn't appeal to me either - twitter, SEO, blogs that I'm not passionate and constantly researching about (unlike A Storyteller's Mind), it all doesn't appeal to me. I plan to have a static website, a book trailer,  and a Facebook Fan Page I update every month or so. I want to find a stable job and spend the money I make from writing on writing workshops, conventions, books about writing, and fountain pens, of course. I just have to figure out what that stable job is.

For now, I'm taking my life slowly and trying to avoid homework and projects by writing for a couple of hours...