Tuesday, August 7, 2012

My YA Characters (and EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH THEM!)

Quick Update: School, school, school.

Song Stuck in My Head: “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by the Darkness. The highest of high notes are hit in this tune.



So, I’ve been thinking about characterization a lot more lately. After all, my WIP and I have made up (for now, grrr) and the more I write the more I realize how gaping my teenage characters’ flaws are. Which seems pretty ridiculous, since I am a teenager and all blah blah blah, but it happens. After all, a lot of us make the same mistakes.

For instance, unless it’s about the smoking hot supernatural being they’re dating, our YA characters just have no passion anymore. Which makes no sense - I mean, I can think of kids at my own school who get fiery about politics or world issues. Let alone issues right around them.

Or what about their passion for fun and hobbies, not counting sulking, reading/writing, shooting arrows, and pining after outcasts. Do you ever see any YA characters who collect stamps or model airplanes whilst during their YA shenanigans? Didn’t think so. Surely our YA characters could use more pastimes. Like OD’ing on Tumblr or Call of Duty marathons. You know. Normal teen stuff.


What about college? School and education is barely mentioned in my WIP, for good reasons. But it seems like a lot more YA leaves out academics for no good reason other than there weren’t enough pages. We all know the debate on how unrealistic the college process is depicted in teen novels - but why is that? Even having characters talk about which state college they’re applying to or break down in front of their school counselor might add a layer of reality to their stories.

Even the characters who do go to college, like in teen TV shows, rarely ever have a real career choice or major. Think of all the shows you’ve seen about freshman year…Dawson’s Creek, Gilmore Girls, Gossip Girl, 90210, One Tree Hill, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, That 70’s Show, etc. Can you name THREE of their character’s majors in college? I’ll give you a minute…back yet? Exactly. The I-don’t-know-what-I-want-to-do-with-my-life storyline is great, but at least give them some interests.


And lastly…family! I’m mad at how little of a role my main character’s family plays in my story. But that happens more and more too. Yet in real life, all my teen-aged friends seem to have family issues and drama every day. Clearly parents and loved ones should play an important role in a YA character’s life, even if they are out with their angel-werewolf boyfriends or fulfilling ancient prophecies. Maybe they give advice. Maybe they are overprotective. Maybe they just care. You never know.

Okay. That’s all. I’m writing this at night so…I’m going to go to sleep now. Another important part of being a teenager, of course.


(Though I really wish it wasn’t, there’s so much on TV right now…)

Later.

Friday, August 3, 2012

British Invasion 2.0

Quick Update: Well, I’ll be back at school next week. Yay. (And that, my friends, would be sarcasm.)

Song Stuck in My Head: “Settle Down” by No Doubt. The people at my local Top 40 station are apparently huge ND fans, because it’s been sort of No Doubt’s greatest hits for a few weeks now.

While most of the world is in London watching athletic superhumans (er, Olympians) compete against each other, it seems like some of our English friends have been invading the states this past year. From boy bands to comedians to TV shows, America has yet another British invasion happening as we speak. So what’s some of the best we’ve seen come from it so far?

1. One Direction: The boy band you pretend isn’t catchy.

2. The Wanted: The boy band you pretend isn’t hot.

3.  Pudsey the Dog, winner of Britain's Got Talent: That dog is adorable. Sure, he won a lot of money for dancing while we all have jobs, but isn’t he adorable?






















 4. Richard Ayoade: The new member of the comedy-rat-pack over here in the states, thanks to his alien-hunting adventures with Jonah Hill, Vince Vaughn, and Ben Stiller in the movie "The Watch".

5. Simon Amstell: The awkward comedian who is JESSE EISENBURG’S AND MICHAEL CERA'S LOVE CHILD. Really! Look at him! Screenwriters everywhere, put these three together in a movie and you will have socially awkward movie GOLD.


6. Andrew Garfield: The star of The Amazing Spiderman, now the thick-eyebrowed, nerdy-yet-oh-so-hot star of our hearts. And the accent isn’t even that obvious!

7. Russell Brand: After his divorce from Katy Perry, it seemed like this raunchy man might vanish into infamy - until he got a show on FX.


8. Sophia Grace and Rosie: They rapped and screamed and danced into Youtube stardom, but thanks to Ellen Degeneres are now the two most adored Brits of daytime television. Pink tutus for everyone.





9. Actually, now that we think of it… Adele, Ellie Goulding, Marina and the Diamonds, Florence + the Machine, etc. Britain hasn’t been too stingy with its female singers the past year or two. Thanks guys!

And…

10. Daniel Radcliffe. First he was here in the states to perform in plays. But then, very slowly, Mr. Radcliffe started showing up more and more in American pop culture - Saturday Night Live, guest-hosting on Live With Kelly, doing a voiceover on the Simpsons. Now that he’s signed to do a movie in the states, "Kill Your Darlings", it’s official. AMERICA OWNS HARRY POTTER! USA! USA! USA!!!


Ahem. Are they any British people and pop culture blowing up in the states right now that you particularly enjoy?

Later.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Let's Play CELEBRITY TABLOID!


Song Stuck In My Head: “Toxic” by Britney Spears. (What? Is that wrong?)

Well, it’s been a week since the K-Stew-cheating-mindfuck, annnnd whether you’re a Twihard, a cultural Twihard who only respects major holidays like me, or someone who enjoys a Twilight-related laugh here and then, you heard about it. Hopefully you didn’t react like this girl

.

While there is still a lot of stuff to talk about with Kristin Stewart and Robert Pattinson’s real-life drama (including more information about that Rupert Sanders guy and why none of us are hating him more, or why doesn’t ANYONE remember Kristin left actor Michael Arangano for Robert so not the best track record) it does make you wonder. Think of all the series we’ve read or watched - what if two lead actors were to date, and then break-up, just before the final movie? What would happen?

Let’s imagine - in the style of star-studded tabloid, of course.

1. AFTER DATING FOR ONLY A MONTH, JENNIFER LAWRENCE LEAVES JOSH HUTCHERSON FOR LIAM HENDRICKSON ON EVE OF “MOCKINGJAY” PREMIERE. Team Gale members over the world rejoice; Miley Cyrus plans next move.




2. SCARLETT JOHANSSON AND CHRIS EVANS BREAK UP AFTER SMALL FLING ON “AVENGERS 2” SET.
Chris set it’s like “having a bullet go through my heart”.


3. DURING FILMING OF “AMAZING SPIDER-MAN” SEQUEL, EMMA STONE REPORTEDLY STARTED SEEING TOBEY MACGUIRE OVER ANDREW GARFIELD. Apparently when it comes to Spider-man, everybody doesn't just get one. 


4. YOUNG STARS OF “DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS” GO THROUGH FIRST EVER BREAK-UP DURING FILMING OF FINAL "DIARY" MOVIE. Talk about puppy love.



What movie/book series can you think of that could have a lot of drama if the stars got involved? Bonus points if you come up with your own celebrity tabloid teaser.

Well…later.

SSF is back-back-back (back again-gain-gain…)

So, before we go into all the postings of blogs and stuff, I just wanted to give everyone a quick shout-out. We survived another summer of blog hiatuses and now that my senior year is here, along with my constant access to the internet all over again, I hope that I can get back to talking to everyone and having fun with everyone and talking about all the YA and pop culture junk we love.

Some updates:

1. I finally changed my blog bio! Man, that needed freshening up. I considered finally changing the picture, but it’s a brand now. And it’s just so darn cute.

2. I did just get back from a week-long and AWESOOOOME trip to Washington D.C for a high school journalism conference. It was my first time on a plane, among other things, and it was pretty neat. So maybe expect a blog on that soon.

3. I did want to thank some of my new followers for you know…following me and stuff. 50 followers is pretty impressive to me, even if three of those are my best friend and me. :/ And if you’re brand, shiny new and decide to follow me, feel free to leave a comment and say hello. I always (try) to follow back! : )

Okay. You know the tradition here at SSF…every time I’m away from the interwebs too long, I must apologize…with LOLcatz! Enjoy.

funny pictures of cats with captions










And…later!