Tag: Writing

・❥・ An update of my life ・❥・

Q'Zion1 Comment

hey, y’all! My name is Q’Zion and welcome to my blog, The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. I’m so sorry y’all; it’s officially been a week since my last post. But to be fair, I’ve been working on some other special projects that I haven’t shared quite yet…but we’ll get into that during my next post.

For the past month (and over) I’ve mainly been blogging about my updates with NaNoWriMo–the 30-day challenge of November where writers all over the world are challenged to write 50,000 words in 30 days. And I have some great news, for y’all; I won! Yayyyyy! But that’s not all; I’ve realized that in my time of doing nanowrimo posts, I haven’t given you guys an update on what I’ve been doing in the past month. And since November and December have been so amazing, so far, I thought it would be an amazing time to catch up. Here is an update on my life!

If I could describe my November in two words, it would probably be writing and books. I’ve went to Books-a-Million and Barnes and Nobles, and taken a lot of bookish/writerly pictures while doing it. I feel like nano also really helped me be able to write faster, as well, so it’s really helpful for writing blog posts and my writing projects!

As far as school goes, I’m nearly finished with semester one of the 2022-2023 school year. And I’ve got to say, as much as I love learning, it’s such a huge relief to be halfway there to summer break. How good it will feel to have freedom for a whole two/three months! Okay, so usually summer break would be about two, but considering that I usually finish up early, I’m anticipating on having longer.

I had a really great time on Thanksgiving; it was really nice to see my cousins and other extended family who I hadn’t seen in like a YEAR. I must say that it was super great to get a taste of my great-grandma’s famous meatballs and mac and cheese (my favorites.) And that makes me even more excited to go back, this Christmas!

Speaking of family, it’s been a while since I’ve given you all an update on Peace (my betta fish.) In short, it’s been a while since he’s grown, so I think my fish baby isn’t a baby fish anymore. As bittersweet as it is to see Peace growing up, I’m happy to say that he’s remained as energetic and loving as ever.

As far as my usual walking and running outside three times a week, I’ve got to admit that I’ve kind of slowed up on that. However, me and Goodmommy have still been finding and searching for nutritious and delicious alternatives to serve in our healthy eating (minus the ocassional milkshake, ice cream, or fruit smoothie.) We are also constantly working out in our home. I’m continuing to see progress in how I feel, how I look, and my everyday quality of life. So in short, I’m very happy!

I OFFICIALLY STARTED A NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL!!! Sorry for the ambush of all caps lol. But I’m just super excited since Goodmommy had been pushing me to start a channel on Youtube for the longest, and I finally settled on a book/writing channel since nano got me back into the groove of reading and writing. I’d really appreciate it if you guys would please check out my channel, Write It Right, on YouTube! All of your awesome support means the world! ❤

I hope you all enjoyed this life update, and I hope it was a nice refresher after all of my posts about NaNoWriMo. Please let me know down below in the comments, what were your favorite parts of your November, and is there anything you are looking forward to in December (including Christmas, of course!)

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all and I will catch you next time! Peace in, y’all! ♡

How to Get an Idea for a Novel

Q'Zion1 Comment

Hey, everyone! My name is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen!

Writing a novel is one of the most rewarding things one could do as a writer. You put your ideas, creativity, and time into a story and your hard work payed off; what a feeling! But the thing is, how can you know what that’s like when your stumped on what you want your novel to be about?

Brainstorming the conflict or plot of your own story can be intimidating to think about, but there are so many ways to get your creative juices flowing and your fingers typing. We just need to use our imaginations. With these easy-to-follow yet effective tips, you are likely to come up with a fresh, awesome story idea in the blink of an eye. Let’s get started!

1.) Think about a story that you want to read, but hasn’t been written.

If you’re a writer and a bookworm, like me, its likely that you’ve come across many awesome novels. But have you ever thought about a story that you’d love to read . . . that hasn’t been written, yet? Whether this is a random thought or a new discovery, there is always an awesome story that hasn’t been told. And since this idea hasn’t yet been taken, it could be the perfect starting point of your very own story.

2.) Write a novel with a spin on a classic story.

From fairy tales, to fables, to the bedtime stories that every kid grew up reading, we’ve all had our fair share on classic, timeless stories. People are used to hearing them be told a certain way, but the perfect way to spice things up is to retell one of your favorite fairytales with a special twist. Although this can be a risky topic for a story, if it is well executed and thought out, it could make for a fantastic novel.

3.) Try the ‘words in a jar’ method.

This might sound a little confusing, so let me further elaborate. The ‘words in a jar’ method is when you put a bunch of words in a jar that you’re interested in, curious about or like to read about. Some examples are rollerblading, magical creatures, France in the early 1900s, factories, Columbian culture, etc. Then, you pick out three random words and try to make a novel idea out of it. You may not be crazy about every idea, but you could also find something that you really love. Either way, this method is perfect to get your brain . . . storming when you need some inspiration.

4.) Use the genre that you like to read.

Let’s face it, if you like to read realistic fiction, you’re probably not going to be as familiar with the fantasy genre. Although writing a novel in a genre that is newer to you can make for a fun challenge, its not the most practical for a well-developed story. The books that we read are a representation of what we like in literature. Therefore, what makes more sense than to write in the genre that you like? If you write a book that you are already passionate about, then your readers likely will be, too.

5.) Create a character based off of you or someone you know.

Characters are like the building blocks of a Lego wall. They are the people that your readers relate to, participate in dialogue to move the plot along, and portray the theme that you want your novel to represent. And making a character from scratch is not always a walk in the park. Therefore, using an experience of yours, or basing your character off of you or someone you know well (with their permission, of course) can be a good solution. If your character has a similar personality to you or a friend/family member, you can already have a sense of who they are and what they believe. Besides, writing is even better when we include the ones that we love.

6.) Just write.

Although all of these activities can be life-saving in the writing world, sometimes nothing beats facing writers block like the old fashioned way: just writing. Even if you jot down the first thing that comes to your mind, random ideas could turn into a bestselling novel; just like every single good book of the past. All we have to do is sit down, open our laptop, and write.

Finding an idea for a novel can be harder said that done . . . but with fun, creative ideas like these, it can be another challenging yet rewarding writing task that can lead to a one-of-a-kind story. Please tell me in the comments, what are some other ways that someone could find an idea for a narrative? Also, which of these tips did you like the best or find the most helpful?

Thank you all so much for joining me, today! God bless you all, and have an amazing rest of your day! Peace in! ~ Q’Zion ♡

Observing Two Sentence Stories

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, everyone! This is Princess Q’Zion and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. Today, I decided to get creative and do something a little different. I found an old post that I did a little over a year ago, in which I discussed a technique that I had learned in Creative Writing Club: two sentence stories. And I even listed a few that I’d written on my own during the 15-minute exercise that we did during the meeting.

If you’d like to view my first post about two sentence stories, please click here.

I had such a blast writing about them last time that I decided to do a follow-up (or shall I say, continuation) on two sentence stories and how you write them. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

What is a two sentence story?

I recall this being my first thought when I’d first discovered two sentence stories, and I’m assuming it was yours, as well. So, let me break it down for you. They’re basically short stories of pretty much any genre that are written in only two sentences. Most commonly, they are meant to have a funny, surprising, or unexpected twist in the last sentence to add a satisfying ending to the mini-novel.

They’re really awesome for anyone going through writer’s block in the sense that they make you use creativity. After all, it’s not always a simple task to write an entire story in two sentences. But with a little creativity and originality, they can be super satisfying to put together.

Tips — How to make two sentences count

Now that we all know what a two sentence story is, it’s time to dive into exactly how you can write them. Here are a few of my tips for how to make the two sentences count!

  • Make it simple – If you’re a writer like me, it can be tempting to want to stretch the story as much as possible. But don’t overthink it. It is called a two sentence story for a reason.
  • Use personal experiences as inspiration – As for what I can tell, it is so much easier to write a story in two sentences when they’re about something funny or memorable that I’ve experienced. Not only does it make them less of a struggle to write, but a lot more relatable, as well.
  • Go with the flow – When trying different writing icebreakers like two sentence stories, sometimes it’s best to just jot down whatever comes to mind. You can always go back and make edits later, but the whole point of short stories are to practice and have fun!

My original examples

Two sentence stories are such a blast to write. To help any of you who have never heard of this writing exercise until today, I decided to write a few more two-sentence stories of my own. I wrote a total of four in a few minutes of brainstorming, and I have to admit that I’m super happy with how they came out. Hopefully, you all enjoy them, as well.

Since this is my personal writing that I posted on my personal blog, it is considered my property. Therefore, please don’t claim it as your own or use my writing. This is just me sharing my writing experience with you, for reading purposes only. Thank you!

Hello Sun — I go for a jog in the sun on a cozy, summer day. It feels like God is smiling down on me.

What They Once Were — Some adults say they don’t like children. And I’ve always wondered “What were they 40 years ago?”

Phone Screen — I stare in agony as my phone slammed to the ground, it’s sparkly pink and blue case all I can see, before I pick it up and turn it around, my heart skipping a beat. Finally, I exhale: no cracks.

Words — What are words? They’re just swords tossed around.

Book — A good book is like a best friend. It’s there whenever you need it.

Okay, is it just me or does it make you feel accomplished after you’ve written a good short story? Two sentence stories are one of my favorite writing techniques to get my mind going, and hopefully you all enjoyed learning what they’re all about. Please let me know if you’ve ever heard of a two sentence story before today as well as which one of my two sentence stories you liked the most.

Have a fantabulous day, everyone! God bless you all, and don’t forget to smile! Peace in! ♡

Just Listen – An Original Poem ♡

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, hey, hey, everybody! I hope you all are having a blessed day! ♡

Today, I wanted to talk on a certain subject: listening. When having conversations, many people think that speaking is the best way to communicate. But the truth is, listening holds an equally important value that should never be neglected. Even the Bible says to be quick to listen and slow to speak; James 1:19 New International Version (NIV)

Every year, July 18th is known as World Listening Day. And I think it’s a great day for us to relax, unwind, and make an extra effort to do a little more listening. It’s been a while since I’ve posted any of my original poetry on this blog, so today I wrote a poem which I dubbed “Just Listen” that I hope you all will enjoy reading in honor of a day for us to enjoy some peace and quiet. I hope you all enjoy it! 

Just listen, little one
To the sound of silence
So still, yet so loud
So simple, yet so profound

As the giggling wind 
tickles the trees
And the zinnias sit like a thrown 
for the zipping honey bees

The sun greets us hello with it’s blazing rays
And we can’t help but notice the sweet little peeps
That escape from the beaks of little blue jays

Silence is a sound
A sound that doesn’t speak
Rather, it’s a sound that you feel;
That’s what makes it unique

So just listen, little one
To the sound of silence
Because sometimes, the most real things in life
Are the things that we can’t see

All we have to do is listen

-- "Just Listen" by Princess Q'Zion, written on July 18th, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

There’s something about poetry that makes me feel so calm, you know? And that’s what today is all about: calmness and serenity. Listening is a way for us to learn, grow, and relax. So whether you take some time to listen to some gospel music, do some yoga outside in the great outdoors, and/or simply take a few minutes of enjoying some quiet time, I hope you all will take the time to enjoy the sound of silence today.

LET’S CHAT~I’m curious, what are some of your favorite sounds in nature? Also, what is your favorite genre of music to listen to? Feel free to comment your thoughts down below. I would love to hear from you!

Have a peaceful rest of your day or night! May God bless you all! Peace in! ♡

A poem to women and girls around the world: Happy International Women’s Day ♡

Q'Zion3 Comments

March 8th is also known as International Women’s Day: a day to acknowledge women and girls, God’s creations, as well as their contributions, progress, advances, and value in today’s world as we know it. Although every day is International Women’s Day, this is yet another opportunity for us to come together and celebrate each other, just as we are, in love.

Of course, I had to slide some Bible scriptures in here. It’s always nice to hear some words of wisdom. Here are a few empowering Bible Verses about women and their strength in the Lord. I hope you enjoy! ❤

Proverbs 31:26
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Luke 1:45
"Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

1 Corinthians 11: 11-12
Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Last but not least is the poem that I wrote today for (and to) women and girls around the world to read with loving and hopeful hearts. I absolutely LOVE poetry, so it’s always exciting when God gives me a new idea to write something new. All Rights Reserved.

Some may think we aren't strong enough
That we must be stout to sit at the front end
But that's far from the big picture, you see
What they may break, we can mend

For although we might not have muscles
That can strike the hardest of steel
We do have the mentality and grace
To love, to nurture, and to heal

Love that's true, love that's real
Love that's in a home cooked meal
A hug and a kiss to seal
Love that no one can conceal

And, yes, we are feminine
But that doesn't mean we're weak
We come in many shapes and forms
And even when we're silent, we speak

Sure, we are different;
Me and you aren't the same
Nor our backgrounds, hometowns, and kin
Nor our names or our frames
But no need to be disdained

Let's come together
Celebrate each other
Love one another
As we would a sister or brother

For, although we’re not the same
At the end of the day
No one can take away our love
Because love always wins
And we’re all sisters beneath the skin

- Words for Women, Written by Princess Q'Zion on March 8th, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Thank you all so much for reading! Please take this time to share your gratitude to all of the wonderful, strong, and powerful women in your lives who are always there; every step of the way. I definitely thank God for the woman of God that He’s put in the place to raise me with Him. And you see, that’s what this day is about–appreciating the woman who have treated us with kindness and passed their wisdom from the Lord to the next generation.

What are your assumptions about me?

Q'Zion1 Comment

What’s up, everyone! I really enjoy reading many bloggers asking people to write assumptions about them, and then the idea of being able to react to their assumptions with another post. Considering how fun to read these are, I wanted to try it myself.

At this point, I have been blessed with 69 followers!!! This is a huge blessing from God, and I thank every single one of you for your support. As well, I want to give a shoutout to my grandmother, whom I call Goodmommy, for always supporting me, my writing, my ideas, and helping to push me to start this blog in the first place.

So, I was thinking that it would be awesome if you guys could comment 3-5 of your assumptions about me down below. They could be about my hobbies, what type of music I like, my favorite color, my favorite movie, my favorite celebrity, my favorite book, and you name it. Assumptions are super fun to read and it would mean a lot to me if you all would be kind enough to participate!

Assumption Rules

Don’t worry–there’s not going to be a crazy list of rules. I just wanted to provide a short few to keep all the assumptions family-friendly and provide the time frame in which I will be accepting assumptions. As long as the rules apply to your lists, then you are good to go. ✔️

  • I need at least 5 people to list 3-5 assumptions, so if each of you would provide a nice-sized list, that would be fantastic.
  • Please make sure that all of your assumptions are family-appropriate.
  • Please don’t write assumptions about specific personal or private information (age, birthday, state, etc.)
  • I will be taking your assumptions UNTIL I reach 75 followers (which includes my email followers.) This means that the deadline is not strictly based on time, so please comment your assumptions as soon as possible.
  • Be creative and have fun! I’m super excited to see what you guys come up with. <33

Okay, so please comment down all of your fantabulous assumptions in the comments. I might have to provide my answers in two parts, depending on the amount of feedback, but I’m super excited to see what you all assume about me.

Have a beautiful and blessed day everyone! ✨

Happy 2022! It’s a brand new year!

Q'Zion1 Comment

Fireworks, by Princess Q’Zion, written on January 1st, 2022 All Rights Reserved.

Fiery fireworks flitter

booming blazes beam

colors ascending

in the dark blue

sea of empyrean

I hope you all enjoyed that little segment of poetry that I wrote today. 2021 was a great year filled with joys and trials. Everyday, I learned something new, and I’m excited to head into this new year with many more blessings to come.

I hope that you all have an amazing 2022, filled with much love, family, blessings, and productivity.

Here are a couple articles about the origins of New Year’s Day as well as some common New Year’s Resolutions:

The best is yet to come! ✨