Short Story Writing Made Easy

I always wanted to write short stories, but I didn't have a clue how. So I read books on the subject and experimented. Eventually, I discovered how to do it.
The first step is to decide the genre you want to write in. Is the story a mystery? Is it science fiction? Is it romance?
Next you must come up with an idea. The important thing about the idea is that it must have conflict. As a fun example, perhaps your idea involves an alien that comes to earth because on his planet cheese is very valuable and they've run out. The conflict would come when he tries to steal some cheese on earth and the police catch him.
A short story consists of three parts--a beginning, middle and end. The beginning is where you introduce the main character and tell us all about him or her. Make us like your main character. That way, we will be more likely to follow his adventures. There are, of course, stories where the main character is not likable, but these are harder to write.
The middle is where the conflict comes into play. In our example, this is where the alien steals cheese from a store, and is apprehended by the police.
Finally, there is the ending. This is part where the conflict is resolved. The alien explains his need for cheese and the people feel sympathy. They give him some Gouda and send him on his way.
Once you've written the story you must go over it again to make sure it's as good as you can make it. One tip is to remove most of the "ly" words such as quickly or gently. Too many of these are regarded as being amateurish. Also, you may want to cut down on the number of times you use the word, "was." You should look for more interesting words.
When your story is as good as you can make it, send it out. If you write, 'markets for short stories' in your internet browser you will find many markets that will publish your story.
Be prepared to wait for a while to hear back. This will give you time to work on your next story.
Good luck and keep Writing!

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Ventriloquism Is Fun

I saw a ventriloquist when I was twelve and loved him so much, I decided I wanted to be one too. I found a local performer and asked him to give me lessons. After a couple of weeks, I was performing as a ventriloquist.
The first thing you need to do is learn deep breathing. The reason for this is that you will be breathing for two--you and your puppet.
So breathe in slowly as you count from one to four, then slowly exhale for a count of four. Repeat this several times. You should practice whenever you have an opportunity, such as walking down the street.
The next step is to create a voice for your puppet. You do this by giving your voice a different pitch, usually higher. First speak in your normal voice, then speak in the higher voice.
Now we want to give the voice a nasal twang. The way to do that is to put your tongue on the upper part of your mouth. The front of your tongue should sit against the back of your top teeth.
Now try speaking like this with the higher voice. Your tongue should move against the top teeth to help you pronounce the words. At the same time, try not to move your lips. It may be difficult at first, but it will get easier with practice.
There are some letters that are difficult to pronounce without moving your lips. B and P are two of them. At this stage, I would suggest you eliminate them from any scripts you perform.
In order to show people your ventriloquism skills, you will need to have a puppet that you can make talk. Anything with a moving mouth is fine. You can then perform a script such as the following.
You: What's wrong, Roger?
Roger: Uncle Ted is sick. He thinks he's a chicken.
You: You should take him to a doctor.
Roger: We can't, we need the eggs.
Have fun with your new ventriloquism skills.

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Joke Telling Made Easy

Even at an early age, I wanted to be a comedian. I tried telling jokes from joke books, but I wasn't very successful. So I studied comedians at my local comedy club. Eventually, I got the hang of it.
The first thing to do is to make sure you know the joke cold. Read it over many times. There's nothing worse than someone who begins a joke, then forgets the punch line.
The next step is to make the joke sound conversational. Instead of saying, "A guy goes into a bar," say, "I was with my friend, Harry, the other day, and we went into this tavern on Bleeker street. Harry ordered a beer...etc."
It's important to relax when you tell a joke. This is often easier said than done. I would take a few deep breaths before you're going to tell the joke. Also, visualize your audience laughing hysterically. That often helps.
Engage your audience by making eye contact with them, be they one person or a crowd. When it's time to do the punch line, make sure you "punch it up." By that I mean, say it with power and confidence. Hand gestures also help.
The first few times you perform the joke, you may mess it up due to nerves. Be prepared for that. I recommend having a saver or two. Savers are phrases that you can use to get laughs even if the joke itself doesn't get any. For example, you might say, "My wife told me that joke would never work. I should listen to her more often." If you want to kid someone whose there, you might say, "That's the last time I buy a joke from Angela."
After telling the joke two or three times, you'll know just how to do it for maximum laughter. Have fun!

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Learn Comedy Writing

I learned how to write comedy by watching TV and then copying down the jokes in a notebook. The next day I would perform the jokes at school. Eventually, I was able to write for many comedians.
Generally, the jokes that comedians use are of the one-liner type. That is, they are very short. They consist of two parts--the straight line and the punch line. The straight line is the unfunny part of the joke. It is often called, "the setup," because it sets up the joke. The punch line is the funny part that follows. For example, take the following simple joke,
"I have everything Tom Cruise has--except money, talent and looks."
The straight line is, "I have everything Tom Cruise has" and the punch line is, "except money, talent and looks."
Notice how neither one of these parts of the joke is funny by itself. They are only funny when they're together. When we're creating jokes we start with the straight line, then go through our mind until we have something funny that could follow it.
For example, in the earlier stages of this joke, we might have come up with the following punch lines.
I have everything Tom Cruise has--but I gave it away.
I have everything Tom Cruise has--I bought it at a garage sale.
I have everything Tom Cruise has--but he wants it back.
We then would pick out the one that we think is the funniest. I believe it to be the original joke. You, however, may have a different idea.
When you're learning how to write jokes, it's important to read as many of them as possible. So I recommend going to the library and taking out joke books.
The next step is to find a comedian to write for. There are two steps I follow to do this. One, is to look on the internet for people wanting writers. Two, is to go to any comedy club and talk to a performer who you think you could write for.
Good luck with your new hobby!

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Happiness Now

When I was a kid, I was often unhappy and never wanted to do much. But over the years I figured out ways to boost my mood. Now I enjoy life much more. Here are some tips that might help you.
The first thing I realized is that I was happier on the days I accomplished something than the days I didn't. So I vowed that I would do at least one thing, big or small, each day. I might make a special meal for myself, or say something nice to someone who deserved it. Either way, I felt good that I had accomplished something. So try to do something each day for yourself or others.
Actually, assisting others is an especially good way to make yourself feel better. If an older person is having trouble crossing the street, help them. If you see a poor person, you might want to give them something you no longer wear. If you make other people happy, then you will be happier.
The happiest people are those who have a good circle of friends. So it would be helpful to do activities that involve other people such as dancing, attending a book club or just playing cards. But it should be something that you're interested in as well. Some people have made life-long friends this way.
When you choose friends, make sure they're people who are upbeat and enjoy life. Remember, we often become like the people we spend time with.
The difference between a happy and a sad person is that the happy person thinks in a positive way about his life situation, even if it's not perfect. So take some time each day to 'count your blessings.'
A key factor in happiness is eating the right foods. And that may be different for different people. In my case, eating sugar made me feel unhappy. When I stopped eating it, I felt much better. But different people may have similar reactions to different foods. So you may want to look into that.
For some people getting a dog or a cat can make them happy. Taking care of an animal can certainly give your life meaning. I know there was one occasion where I was very upset about something. I didn't even feel like getting out of bed. But I knew I had to take care of my dog. So I got up, fed him and took him for a walk. I felt much better after doing all that.
I hope you try some of these ideas. They worked for me. Good luck!

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Screenplay Writing Basics

Writing movies is a lot of fun. You get to put interesting characters into unusual situations. And it's not as difficult to learn as you might think.
When you begin your script, you show your main character as his life is now. For example, if he works at a gas station, you would have him interact with a customer. It's important to give him a flaw, such as being selfish, or fearful. As an example, lets assume the main character's name is Fred and he's timid.
On page 11 of your script, you must have a crisis. Something happens that changes things. Perhaps, the boss goes on a holiday and crooks rob the gas station. Fred sees the crooks, but is too afraid to do anything. The boss is upset when he finds out what happened and calls Fred a coward.
Now we have what's known as the debate section of the script. This is where the main character debates what he should do about the crisis. We might have Fred talk to a friend or go to the police and ask questions.
Page 23 is when Fred makes his decision. In our example, he gathers his courage together and goes after the criminals himself.
The pages from 30 to 55 are known as the 'fun and games section.' In a comedy, this part would be the funny situations that the main character gets into. In our example, Fred could be robbed, get a flat tire, be scammed by someone whose escaped from jail, finally ending up in a town where he's the exact double of the mayor whose been missing for seven months. In a horror movie, this section would involve a series of scary things happening.
Page 55 is the middle of the script. This is considered the halfway point. So your main character must have reached his goal in some way by this time. In our example, Fred finds out where the criminals are.
Pages 55 to 75 are when things begin to go badly for Fred. Perhaps, he is kidnapped by the criminals.
Page 85 is the lowest moment in the script. In our example, the crooks tell Fred that they have kidnapped his girlfriend and are going to kill her. Fred, having become more courageous through the experiences he's had, says that they should kill him instead. But, then something happens to give Fred an idea and by the end of the script, which is about 110 pages, he is able to save himself, his girlfriend and get the criminals arrested.
Of course this is just the basics of how to write a movie. You need practice and a lot of patience. The most important thing is to have fun. It will come through in your writing.

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Be Confident Now

One of the most important qualities you can have in life is confidence. Everyone has their own definition of what that means. In my mind, it is the ability to start conversations with anyone in any situation. I used to be very shy myself--I couldn't even look people in the face. But by using the techniques in this article, I have become much more confident.
The first thing I suggest is that you read all kinds of magazines and newspapers. That way you will have things to say when you're talking to someone. Just knowing you have a lot of information stored in your mind will give you confidence. I especially recommend psychology or science magazines since they cover topics that most people are interested in.
I also recommend affirmations. In the morning and at night, repeat things like the following to yourself--
'People like me and I like people.'
'I find it easy to start conversations.'
'I have a great social life.'
The more you say these things to yourself, the more they will become true for you.
Confidence is built on experience. The more social experiences you have, the more you learn that you can do well in these situations. Of course it won't be easy. But if you start small and work your way up, eventually you'll feel much more at ease around people.
Your first step might be to walk down the street and ask someone the time or for directions. On another occasion, you might again ask people for directions, then compliment them on something--perhaps their tie or their smile. Try to add one more thing to talk to them about each time.
Also helpful is to join an organization where you are able to meet and talk to lots of people. There are many such organizations around, so do a little research.
If you keep putting yourself into social situations, you'll be amazed at how much more self-confident you'll become. Good luck!

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