Today is a day I have been waiting for since August when I found out about the revolutionary concept of Blog Action Day - a day when blogs from all around the world discuss a singular topic. Blog Action Day is here! And the topic is the Environment.

Why does the world need changing?

For centuries now, in our ignorance, we have been using up the world resources that can never be brought back once they are gone. In doing so, our consumption has lead to pollution and destruction of earth’s fragile structure.

Now that all this has occured we are faced with a big question mark where tomorrow used to be. For years now we have ignored the vital signs and brushed it off with the excuse of being to busy or not stopping progression.

I say We in all of this because We are the problem. Not the Bush administration alone, not big corporations, not the wealthy elite. It is us. All of us. And it will now take all of us to fix the problem.

What is being done?

We are at a time now like no other in history. Today there are a growing number of people fighting, not for money or power but instead for a better world to live in.

There are now activist groups and scientists working together to get active about climate crisis. Our former vice president, Al Gore, and his governmental council have just won a Nobel Prize for their efforts to inform the world about this major problem that effects us all.

The people are speaking out and companies are listening, making products and services that are more eco friendly. Governments and nations from around the world are doing their part to become more earth conscious in efforts to preserve their futures and all of our futures.

What needs to be done?

The United States Government, along with several others have neglected this problem and still do. They need to take initiative, regardless of any personal reasons they may have not to find alternative fuel sources and build a better society to coincide with the earth we all inhabit.

People need to get smart fast. Schools, Workplaces, Media should all press onward in educating the populous in doing what needs to be done. They will not do it unless there is a great push by the people who already know enough to understand our crisis.

People don’t like change so it is difficult to get the world to make a difference for the next generations of man kind. It must be stressed that this is not a matter of inconvenience but instead a matter of life or death for our grandchildren, children, and even ourselves.

[Moment for a deep breath]

We can all do something to change. Use recycled products, walk or bike instead of driving short distance, turn the lights off when we leave a room, don’t buy from companies known to pollute, vote canidates into office who want to make a change, etc. If each person just pushed themselves the smallest bit into common sense changes to make the world better, it would be better for all of us.

Here are a few links related to this topic.

Clarity Multimedia: Greener Business Article
Environmental Protection Agency
Clean Power Now
Blog Action Day
Live Earth

When I am developing an Idea for writing I like to really develop the concept before my first draft is even written. Many say that for your first draft you should just write and what comes out will be your premise. I have tried this and found it produces a very shallow piece. Your writing should convey your ideas and concepts, not create them.

Instead try the list approach. This is applicable for Stories, Theme pieces, Blog posts, Correspondence, Articles, etc. It even works for writing a speech you will give (this one is more complicated though because you have to convey your message verbally after writing it).

First plot out, in no specific order, the idea(s) you want to convey and then the key points to support them. This is when you should write as it comes; in the list phase. Then take them and organize your writing into an easier order to absorb. Once you have done this go to the next and most important step: Stars and Crosses.

When you have developed your list, add either Stars or Crosses to some of your points. Stars are put next to the points thats have the most value. These are to be address the most. Crosses means that you cross out (canceling out) the points you have written that can be omitted. These one are those with the least value. Adding them would seem meaningless to the reader and it would appear you are dragging on.

Also in putting your list together try to develop some concepts that are very interesting and/or humorous. These will be the points that will ice break your ideas. It is a key concept in making the reader interested. Your key points will keep them interested after that if you use Stars and Crosses effectively.

Now that you have done all this you are ready to write your draft. Take your lists and turn them into sentence and paragraph structure.

After you are done with your draft then it is time to revise, revise, revise. Be sure to check for spelling, grammar, etc. Mistakes in your english structure (or whatever language) will be very distracting to the reader.

Once you think you are done, read it out loud. Then revise again.

I am currently putting the completion of the Serpent’s Seed on hold because I have come up with a story that I just have to get down. (By the way I do not recommend doing this). In this next story I am taking a much more professional approach and plotting everything out before I write it. So far I have the beginning and ending and am working on the in between.

What I want to talk about today is character development. In many stories I read, there is no feeling for who the character is and I strive in my own writing to focus much more emphasis on the who so the reader can feel like they know the protagonist. To me that is the way a story should be.

In creating this character (his name is Landon but don’t tell anyone) I began with a general premise of who he is. My inspiration for this was a fusion of the personalities of people I know and even my own experiences. Once I did that I could fill in the fictional details which grew on themselves as I listed them all out.

When writing, whether it be a short story or novel, you should always know who your character is on a deep level. This gives you understanding on how he or she would react to the situations presented in the story even as you are coming up with the scenario.

Start out simple with this idea. Even if you are not writing out a story come up with a character type for yourself. Write down all the traits that you thing makes you who you are. Then show it to a close friend as see if that person agrees with what you wrote down. They then can shine some light on things you missed or important attributes.