13/5/17 - Song Of The Week Sunday!

Song Of The Week Sunday:

Today, 13/5/18, is the day of the next instalment of Song Of The Week Sunday - where I will be sharing a piece of music that I listened to more than any other during the space of the previous. In this instance, from week beginning 7/5/18 and ending today, 13/5/18, the song I listened to the most was the following:

First Burn by Arianna Afsar, Julia Harriman, Lexi Lawson, Rachelle Ann Go
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2ys-AimNbE

I have been actively discussing this new Hamildrop with my friends and fellow fans of Hamilton, Emma and Ammie since it came out. Hell, I was at the breakfast table when I played this song for the first time and Emma and I just gaped at the lyrics.

Discussing the pain and power behind the lyrics that didn't make it into the final cut of the musical was interesting as it demonstrated how clever Lin-Manuel Miranda was with his creations!

Not only was this piece powerful, but this song is very important to me, as a writer and a creator of content. First Burn is, in essence, an earlier draft of Burn from Hamilton: An American Musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda. This was an incredible insight into the writing process of the writer. It was amazing to get such a glaring view into what Burn could have sounded like.

Not only is this song super catchy and addictive to listen to, you get great insight into how the rest of the musical could have been by the lyrics and delivery by the five actresses, all who play the role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton in one current version of Hamilton: An American Musical. This version of a song which, prior to the start of the month, was associated with Eliza being helpless and heartbroken as she was forced to acknowledge her husband's infidelity, has a completely different attitude.

In Burn, Eliza is low, crushed and reacting out of sadness. Her heart is broken. Her primary emotion is upset, although she is depicted to be angry when she repeats "you" three times in succession toward the end of the song. She is crushed to know her husband slept with another woman, but in Its Quiet Uptown, Eliza finds it in herself to forgive her husband for his misdeeds.

However, in First Burn, Eliza is resentful and angry. She is frustrated with what Alexander did. She "can't be trusted" around her husband. This line is a double meaning; in which Eliza cannot trust herself to not lash out, but she also doesn't trust herself to stay angry about what happened. This song is spiteful and vengeful, Eliza is furious that after everything that has happened between the pair, Alexander has betrayed her by sleeping with Maria Reynolds.

What does this mean for Lin-Manuel Miranda's drafts? One can imply that if Eliza was so angry and upset by the affair, which was exposed to "protect [Alexander's] legacy", it may have been harder for viewers to believe that after Philip Hamilton, their oldest son, had died due to George Eaker disparaging the Hamilton legacy and the subsequent duel, Eliza would be forgiving.

It demonstrates that sometimes, perfectly good explorations and expressions of work are not always going to make their ways into the final draft of a piece, no matter how amazing they are. Sometimes things need to change for the sake of the bigger picture:

Eliza erased herself from the narrative in Burn, she forgave Alexander in Its Quiet Uptown and then finally put herself back in the narrative in Who Lives Who Dies Who Tells Your Story.

Her character arc could have been skewed if she had been as aggressive as First Burn implied her reaction was, and so the decision was probably made to start adjusting the lyrics to create the version we all know and love!

Thank you for reading!
And remember:
Per Ardua Ad Astra!
- Imogen. L. Smiley

9/5/18 - Writing Advice Wednesday!

Today, 25/4/18, is the next instalment of this series of posts; Writing Advice Wednesday, where my advice to new writers will be shared once every two weeks. 

It is important to remember that my opinions are not law in any way, shape, or form! Not everyone has the same experiences as I do in this field but it is valuable to share opinions on topics to try and help others!

So what is today's topic for Writing Advice Wednesday? How do I build characters?

Today I will be informing you of one of my most extensive methods of character building. It is a tactic I have used multiple times. This method is character RP!

It sounds daft, I'm sure. But if you happen to know other writers, you have a chance to maybe find a new RP partner!

I used to RP back in college, throwing characters into scenarios I would have never considered to put these characters in. But there they were, my innocent Christian pacifist was having to throw her beliefs aside for the sake of self-preservation! It was an immensely clever tactic to test how a character would react to stimuli that you yourself wouldn't have necessarily considered. But my old partners all happened to retire from the site we used due to their own personal lives taking over. I later did the same.

It was only two months ago that I returned to the world of RP on discord with my friend and coursemate Skylark. She and I have a server in which we RP our characters in several AU's, none of which, are technically canon. Although, we acknowledge our original thread to be the canon storyline for these characters.

We have developed our characters by putting them in social situations they otherwise wouldn't be written into. For example, Sky's three main RP characters, Sol, Sab and Jack are all LIVING UNDER ONE ROOF in a scenario she likes to call the "Bro's AU". Expanding from there, I am working with the AU in which my character Gary, is not only a substance abuser, he is actively physically abusive toward his wife and kids. Putting these characters in the same town has resulted in several black eyes.

Our RP style as a pair is rather extensive. In the space of two months, we have written a total of four days worth of events. In larger RPs that would be regarded as immensely quick pace but considering this is only between the two of us, we are taking a very long time. Not that there's a problem with that. Except when you have already planned the fact that your characters will be doing things in weeks and months in the future within that universe. Hell, we joked that the wedding between two of my characters will probably take place after our graduation from university in 2019!

Now, what benefits are there in building characters via RP?

1) Like I have previously stated, writing characters in RP environments allows the writer to put the character in a scenario which they otherwise would not find themselves in within the constraints of their canon universe.

2) Due to RPs being spontaneous, for you cannot see what the other party is writing ((unless you are like me and Sky and just sit there with discord open during lectures, and typing replies during class on our laptops when our lecturers, inevitably, go off on tangents. As we sit together in class, there is an option to glance at the screen for an inclination as to what will happen next)) you tend to learn things about your characters that you otherwise wouldn't have thought to ask.
For example:
I never considered why my character, Michaelis, was so determined to avoid losing his inheritance until after he discussed his dreams with Sol. Turns out he wants to start a non-profit. Who would have guessed? Certainly not me!

3) Due to RPs existing within their own pocket dimensions, you get to use these worlds to flesh out potential tidbits of backstory you could use for the original canon your characters derived from.
For example:
I intend to add the more proof to demonstrate that Gary was a selfish and corrupt man: he was addicted to narcotics, was physically abusive to his wife and kids, and actively cheated on his wife with women he'd pick up at bars in the city. This would make hus quest for redemption both noble and futile in the eyes of the reader, which was what I wanted. I, otherwise, wouldn't have considered infidelity to justify why Gary was such an unlikable character! 

Thank you for reading!
And remember:
Per Ardua Ad Astra
- Imogen. L. Smiley

8/5/18 - Happy Tuesday! University Inspired Writing Prompts!

Happy Tuesday! University Inspired Writing Prompt!

Today, 8/5/18, is the next instalment of University Inspired Writing Prompts. Since my first year at university, I have been compiling a collection of writing prompts inspired by my time studying in Derby. I hope that these prompts help you create your own works!

All of these prompts are dialogue based, and are inspired by real conversations I have been part of whilst at university.

PROMPT #18

"Is there any real way to have a productive all-nighter before term starts?"
"Don't think so, all I've done is read smut..."
"Phew - I thought it was just me. I was on Netflix non-stop til 10am yesterday..."
"Jesus Christ!"

This conversation took place during the Christmas Break between me and my housemates. The topic of all-nighters had come up in reference to a friend who had spent over two weeks trying to reset her sleep schedule post New Years' and managed to leave her struggling to sleep properly. During the fortnight of attempts to stay up late if not up all night, methods of staying awake were tested for them. They struggled to stay awake whilst reading fanfiction as they struggled to find a finished piece they were unfamiliar with and instead sought comfort in the "student's best friend", Netflix!

I hope that this prompt inspired something - even if it was just a smile

Thank you for reading!

And remember:

Per Ardua Ad Astra

- Imogen. L. Smiley

7/5/18 - Monday Book Reviews - Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens Agenda

Finally, I've had enough time to go back and re-read this amazing book! I absolutely adored it the first time around and the movie was great, you can find my review for it here! So now, FINALLY, it's time to turn around and review this book!

There were many aspects of this book that I would like to praise:

For one - the fact that Simon and his love story is not trivialised in any way shape or form for being a same sex relationship. Albertalli works hard to make sure that this love story is no different from any other. Not only that but the fact that the story featured other LGBT characters such as Blue and Leah demonstrated that statistically, there are more LGBT+ people that surround you than you probably think.

I was also delighted to read such a diverse social group.As someone who comes from a diverse group of friends of different races, religions, gender identities and sexualities, it was refreshing to see a mixed group of friends that was similar to my own in such a way. After all, it's just as Simon so eloquently says within the story:

"White shouldn't be the default any more than straight should be the default. There shouldn't even be a default."

The plot itself is immensely captivating. The reader, like Simon finds their-self stuck in a back and forth, attempting to work out which character is Blue. You could be like me, who struggled to crack it until right before Simon worked it out himself, or like my friend Emma, who cracked it with half a book to go by examining conventions in YA Literature. Regardless of her guessing correctly at the halfway mark, she enjoyed it too!

A book like this was something that the LGBT+ community ever so desperately needed, and it has become an international phenomenon, with quotes from Albertalli's story and the film adaptation of her work, striking chords with LGBT people and allies alike.

I would 110% recommend reading this book! It is amazing!

Thank you for reading!
And remember:
Per Ardua Ad Astra!
- Imogen. L. Smiley

6/5/18 - Song Of The Week Sunday!

Song Of The Week Sunday:

Today, 6/5/18, is the day of the next instalment of Song Of The Week Sunday - where I will be sharing a piece of music that I listened to more than any other during the space of the previous. In this instance, from week beginning 30/4/18 and ending today, 6/5/18, the song I listened to the most was the following:

The Nights by Avicii
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtF6Jej8yb4

I decided that I would allocate SOTW to my favourite song by Avicii after the word got out about his cause of death. It was so sad to hear that yet another face in the public eye lost their life due to suicide. I was greatly moved by many songs by Avicii but this one took the cake.

Before I continue to discuss this, I would like to inform you that I am a content creator that has both personally dealt with mental health issues and supported friends with similar problems. Not only that, but I write a lot of pieces to raise awareness of mental health and suicide. A prominent example is my UniSlam solo which can be found here (<- Video Cred to Tyrone Lewis / Process Productions) So yes, I am not some preachy sad fan whining about how they might deem an artist's suicide as selfish or something - not in the slightest.

As someone who has experienced the sensation of wanting to die, I have to acknowledge the significance of music and how important it was personally to me keeping my head above water. The Nights by Avicii was one of those songs which kept me grounded. It reminded me of some of the lessons people who have passed had taught me. The song reminded me that there were things out there in the big wide world worth living for. There are things in the big wide world worth living for!

I chose to allocate this song as SOTW to honour the memory of such a talented artist. This was because I was greatly saddened when I heard about Avicii's passing. However, he lived a life that touched the lives of millions of fans, including some of my friends. It was saddening to see one of my friends pay homage to one of his favourite artists after he lost the battle against his mind, as my friend also struggled with suicidal ideation which derived from his depression.

And so, I felt it would be appropriate to share a few lines of this weeks SOTW to highlight what I meant by honouring him and the messages he gave his fans via music.

He said one day 

You'll leave this world behind

So live a life you will remember

My father told me when I was just a child

These are the nights that never die 

My father told me 

May he rest in peace. He will not be forgotten. When the creatives fall, their words remain, after all.

Thank you for reading! I am sorry for such a sappy post and tribute to Avicii.
And remember:
Per Ardua Ad Astra!
- Imogen. L. Smiley

4/5/18 - Favourite Character Praise Friday! - Seto Kaiba

Today, 4/5/18 is the ninth instalment the series of posts praising my all-time favourite characters for their quirks and flaws etc. called Favourite Character Praise Friday. I will be sharing these posts every two weeks to gush about fictional characters in a proactive environment. With this segment, I intend to demonstrate what makes characters great so you and I alike can use these facts to improve our characters!

So who is the subject of my ninth Favourite Character Praise Friday?

The subject for today's Favourite Character Praise Friday, is a character that has been close to my heart since my childhood, the anti-hero of the original Yu-Gi-Oh Franchise; Seto Kaiba!

Honestly, I have no legitimate reason to justify why I adored Kaiba as a child. I just did! I ended up having his starter deck when I began to play Yu-Gi-Oh! and my deck ended up having three Blue Eyes White Dragons, and a Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon within it. Albeit, I cannot justify exactly why I was enamoured with his character originally, I can explain why he remains to be one of my all-time favourite characters.

So, why is Kaiba one of my all time favourite characters?
Warning! There will be spoilers!

Seto Kaiba is a more complicated character than he is given credit for 

When exploring the backstory that surrounds the Kaiba brothers, especially when rewatching the series, one learns that Kaiba's story is a lot sadder than one might think as a child, the idea that Kaiba was an orphan and he had to run a company at age fifteen could be very much foreign concepts to children in the target audience. They would likely see him as his archetype, the rich antagonist that can get pretty much anything he wants. However, as the show goes on, the viewers learn to expect that Kaiba is not destined for the same greatness as Yugi. 

But regardless of what the audience may believe, Kaiba constantly strives to defeat his rival and demonstrate that he is apt. This is significant due to the content produced by his company since he took control, he turned a company which manufactured weaponry into one that endorsed technology advancements and built theme parks to make people happy! It's really interesting to explore Kaiba and the way he behaves as he is not motivated by this same obligation to the Pharaoh that resides within Yugi's Millennium Puzzle. 

Exploring Kaiba's loyalties is very simple - which is not only realistic but also gives him more depth

Throughout the series, Seto Kaiba is a character that rarely goes out of his way to engage in the central conflict of the story until the conflict appears on his doorstep. For example, he does not actively seek out Pegasus in the first season until his younger brother is kidnapped, and does not pursue the members of the Orichalcos movement until his company was under threat. Kaiba is a very practical young man, mature for his age and acknowledges that the most important things at hand are his younger brother and his company; Mokuba because he raised him and the company because it is the only income the pair have considering they lost their inheritance.  

Kaiba is, despite how the show depicted him - a huge philanthropist! 

Kaiba's actions in terms of being a philanthropist are demonstrated in the way he changed the company he inherited. As I have previously stated, Kaiba Corp. prior to Seto acquiring the position as president, manufactured weaponry and heavy machines used to create weaponry for the military, to a company that could inspire children that were in similar circumstances that he grew up in - wanting to create things that would inspire the imaginations of the children that went to the Kaiba Land theme parks. He actively strives to motivate those around him and do good for the world around him. He will not let antagonistic forces try to spoil a company that he had only just redeemed.

So, what can we learn about writing anti-heroes from Seto Kaiba?

1. Providing younger audiences with a complex character which derives from an archetype gives them enough content to comprehend but a backstory reasonable enough to make sense in the eyes of the parents who tended to have to watch these programs too. 
2. Just because a character has all of his cards on the table in terms of who he trusts, does not mean that the character is any less interesting - sometimes having simple ideas and executing them well means that the characters can learn 
3. Anti-heroes need not appear to be bad people, they merely stand in the way of the protagonist meeting their goals. 

Thank you for reading my reasons that I adore Seto Kabia! I hope I influenced the way you perceive your own characters!

Until next time!

And remember: 

Per Ardua Ad Astra! 

- Imogen. L. Smiley

1/5/18 - Happy Tuesday! University Inspired Writing Prompts!

Happy Tuesday! University Inspired Writing Prompt!

Today, 1/5/18, is the next instalment of University Inspired Writing Prompts. Since my first year at university, I have been compiling a collection of writing prompts inspired by my time studying in Derby. I hope that these prompts help you create your own works!

All of these prompts are dialogue based, and are inspired by real conversations I have been part of whilst at university.

PROMPT #17

"I can't believe a party of ten people got kicked out because you didn't have ID"
"I can't believe that they only decided to ID us after we had ordered food!"
"I can't believe that we've had to stand outside while the others ate their food!"

The above conversation derived from perhaps one of my most memorable university experiences - being kicked out of a pub / restaurant after being at a spoken word event, because the eldest member of our party, aged 21, managed to forget his ID and got the entire group removed due to it being past 10pm! It was hilarious! And none of my friends will allow him to live it down! We had ordered food and all just settled down to laugh together when we were suddenly approached and asked for ID to sit in the bar, regardless of whether we were eating, drinking etc. We tried our best to argue against it but eventually just left, laughing hysterically.


I hope that this prompt inspired something - even if it was just a smile

Thank you for reading!

And remember:

Per Ardua Ad Astra

- Imogen. L. Smiley