1. Rainy days.
There is nothing more relaxing yet simultaneously focusing than the sound of rainfall. It is like white noise but better suited for creating the right mood. Pitter-patter is one of my favorite songs from nature's album. It reminds me of a typewriter, capturing language like a raindrop making its signature across the window. A rainy day is a writer's getaway.
2. Ideas are our life source.
Ask both "why?" and "why not?" We make things now as opposed to never. Such is the power of fiction, especially science fiction. Prediction and prevention go hand in hand when it matters. Ideas fuel our creativity but in both a political and nonpolitical sense activism in the arts. Think of all the things yet to be thought of. Even if it has been thought of before, think of how it could be different, how things could be made better. Ideas, like the page, are not made of concrete but fluid water, always able to change its course.
3. Reading is writing.
The more you read, the more you think. The more you think, the more you write. Seeing how a scene is written or how characters' thoughts linger or dialogues trail is indefinitely helpful. Your vocabulary also improves extensively.
4. Don't think.
Ray Bradbury kept a sign in sight whenever he sat down to write that said, "Don't Think." Don't plan every action, every scene, every turning point. Letting words come naturally to the piece you are writing will make it all the more rewarding. Feeling is a great substitute for thinking.
5. Surprising ourselves.
When a writer comes time to sit down and write, they come with almost everything in mind that they set out to capture on the page and then it's all a matter of making it genuine but also better than you last thought of it.
6. Daydream much?
At some point in our day, an idea catches us off guard and we write down the thought in a hurry so that we don't forget it so soon. Even ideas we haven't gotten to yet or the ones that are left on the back burner for later use are grabbing at our attention, waiting to be written.
7. Something is better than nothing.
Writer's block isn't a blockade as much as it is a hurdle; it can be overcome. There's plenty of ways to do away with it. Anne Lamotte's "Bird by Bird" suggests reading can help, writing a small note unrelated to the previous writing, or doing something entirely different. Avert your efforts towards something rather than nothing.
8. Rituals keep us grounded.
Whether meeting a quota of words or reading a book in a week, what we do best is what we know best. Lopsided stacks and pencils all over sharpened down to the eraser may look like insanity to Martha Stewart, but to us it makes all the sense in the world. Call it controlled chaos. Albert Einstein said it best: "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of?"
9. Characters are always near.
No really, we think of our characters like we think of certain people we have the pleasure to meet in our lives. Everything we hear or see will in some way be written as a scene, thought, or character. Tolkien's orcs were inspired by the Germans during World War II. Your words are our precious.
10. Anything.
Anything is something which is better than nothing. How you'll know if it's good is by getting it down onto the page. The fact that you can write about anything is an exciting endeavor. Whatever you write is from you, to you, for now. No one's passing judgement for that first draft; that's why drafts are numbered. Your voice is yours to share.
Writers are peculiar people.
9 Of The Best 'Star Wars' Outfits That Have The Fashion Force Behind Them
There are so many parts that make "Star Wars" what it is today, most importantly, the costumes.
There are many things and parts that have made Star Wars the cultural phenomenon that it is now. The special effects at the time of the original release were nothing but outstanding. The concept of something so futuristic existing long ago in a galaxy far, far away. The Skywalker family, how complicated and connected it is to the entire universe.
Honestly, the list could go on and on.
One specific thing that people enjoy, but I think in a more passive way, is the costuming and wardrobe. As a kid, I remember thinking how cool Darth Vader, the Stormtroopers, Jedi, and rebels looked. Having the chance to put on some Jedi robes or suit up in some armor from the Empire would be a dream for nearly any fan.
Through the years the costumes only got better as well. Something new was always in the works. Perhaps new troopers, Jedi attire, or dark side outfits — the universe would always push the limits. As such I've collected some of what I consider to be the best outfits through the series.
1. Darth Vader (armored).
Darth Vader has got to be the epitome of bad guy.Intimidating height. Never-ending darkness. Hidden face. A total badass through and through.
2. Luke Skywalker (ROTJ).
Luke in ROTJ dressed like the person he is a new generation of Jedi.
3. Padme Amidala
Padme was always balling in an any outfit she had on.
4. Leia Organa.
Even though Leia may have never met her mother, she certainly takes after her in terms of style.
5. Stormtroopers.
Any generation of Stormtrooper is badass in their own way, but it all started with the OG crew back in 77.
6. Kylo Ren.
Although he may be bit goth or emo, Kylo is still my favorite person (in style and personality) in the new trilogy.
7. Swamp troopers (mudtroopers).
I really don't know what draws me to the Swamptroopers, but they're a group that I can't get enough of. Just so rugged and different from others we've seen throughout the franchise.
8. Boba Fett.
Boba's outfit is as cool as his demeanor.
9. Shoretroopers.
When you see these guys run out on the beaches on Scarif, you know they mean business.