Tuesday, May 29, 2012

How to Write a Story That's Interesting

You could say it of practically any area where  creating things is open to the general public - that almost all of it is an absolute waste of time. But you know what - it's not their fault. They say, genius is rare today because information isn't widely available on the means to become one.

Take how to write a story that's interesting and engaging. Almost all the stuff out there is quite difficult to take. And we're talking about things that have made it through an editorial board at a publishing house. You might well imagine what the rest of the stuff is like that hasn't been accepted.

A lot of this is because the means of how to write a story well hasn't been widely made available. A good story has to come from a great deal of interest in your subject. It needs to be forceful. You need to stop caring about what's right or wrong. You need to stop caring about what makes sense. You just need to care about what seems interesting - what seems to move you. That's all that matters.Period.

Okay, let's get with some specific advice on how to read a story. You know what the master composer Stravinsky says about creativity, don't you? He says that good composers borrow, while great ones steal.

Appropriating another's creation is what great creation is all about. You need to do it and then cover your tracks in a really good way. Don't be shy about borrowing heavily some of the people that you admire. The only important thing is that it should be good, high-quality stuff that you steal. Once you're done borrowing heavily, you can do what the geniuses do - you could cover your tracks over.

There's an episode in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, where a fan one day tells Raymond that he loves his newspaper sports column, except that he feels that he doesn't give a balanced view of things. To which Raymond comes up with a stunning answer - it's his job to give his opinion. It isn't his job to be balanced.

In truth, a balanced, well-considered opinion is not how to write a story that's interesting. That's the stuff of research and lectures. Basically, when you want to be creative and be interesting, stop trying to be good and pure.

Be all the things you're not allowed to be - be insulting, be unfair and unjust, be lopsided, and don't be politically correct. Just be who you really want to be. Say what you would say if you could get away with it. And then, you'll know how to write a story.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Reading Difficulties In Children

You may love to read, but do you know if you can pass that one to your children. Some think that boys do not like to read simply because they are boys, but that could be because we just assume so we do not spend as much time trying to get them to enjoy books. Everyone should read and they should be able to read well in order to do well in the future. Not only should children read, they have to understand what they are reading. If they are not, you have to wonder what is going on. Some don't like to read naturally, but some have problems. Learn to spot reading difficulties in children so you can turn the problem around early.

Some children have problems because they have a learning disorder. This should not be your first assumption, but you should know it might be a possibility. There are often tests that can be done either at school or by your doctor to let you know if reading difficulties in children in your home are because of a learning disability. You want to know this early so that they can get help. The earlier they get assistance the better they are going to do all throughout their schooling career and on into adulthood. Learning disabilities do not have to define your children forever.

If your children do not have learning disabilities, you have to find out what else is causing reading difficulties in children. One simple thing is that they simply do not enjoy reading. This causes them to think of reading as a chore, and they are only going to do it when absolutely necessary. This means less practice and slower reading. As a parent, you should find out what your children are most interested in reading about and offer stories and books based on those things. No matter how much you might like trains, your child that could not care less won't be interested in reading. Go with what they love and they will start to enjoy reading more.

Some children have problems with comprehension. This means that they are reading words but they are not understanding what they are reading. This could be because they do not understand the words and what they mean. To find out if this is a problem, ask them to read out loud to you. Words that cause them to struggle are probably words they do not recognize. Tell them when they come to such a word they should ask for a definition or encourage them to use a dictionary. You can also help buy broadening your vocabulary so they hear all kinds of words in context in every day life.

If you have tried everything, and you still see reading difficulties in children in your family, you may have to accept that they are not naturally going to love reading just yet, but know that this could change in the future. Talk to them about reading and what makes it a chore for them. This may be the area where you are going to have to work with them the most with homework. Some kids have problems with math and some have problems with words. That is just how it is. You can make the difference though, so keep trying and keep encouraging them to find fun in reading.