Rare times in local KT. Place your mouse over times and items for time conversions and info.
Welcome to the Webkinz Insider Forum forums.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives limits your access to many of our other features. By joining our FREE community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), removal of some (including the "in-text") ads, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features, such as trading, and entering contests! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
Re: -♦-The Writathon; Season 2-♦- (Round One ~ deadline is July 22nd!)
Originally Posted by panda886
Hmm...I might ask a friend who writes to help me choose which one I should ask to be judged on. Is that all right?
Yeah, that'd be fine. (:
Originally Posted by dogfins
Meg Cabot can make anything boring, turned into something fun and exciting. Unlike me. I struggle a lot with staying at one scene in the book when I write for long. It is a goal for me to try and have my scenes stay interesting and at the same place for a while. With great detail, like Meg Cabot's writing in the Abandoned series.
When I was reading the Abandoned series by Meg, I realized that she gave great details. Stuff that I would never of been able to come up with. This is another thing I struggle with. I will have something written out and then I'll be like "Oh! I forgot to add this and that" or "I should of added this or that" and so on.
Meg can always surprise her readers. She can always write something unexpected or powerful. She has a way of wanting her readers to want to read the book and never put it down. She leaves them longing for the next book.
Meg Cabot is one of the best-selling authors of all time. She just has this way of making you feel like you are the actual character yourself besides just feeling like you are there or in the time and place. She is very creative and I hope she never stops writing. I am creative, but not as creative as her. So as you can see, there is a lot that I need to work on. But for now, I believe that my writing is OK.
Thanks Leanie! xD
Originally Posted by aquahusky14
Christopher Paolini
Author of Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr and Inheritance
1. Description- Christopher uses a great deal of description in all of his writing. For example, on page thirty-eight, paragraph one the author writes, "The dragon was no longer than his forearm, yet it was dignified and noble. Its scales were deep sapphire blue, the same colour as the stone...The dragon fanned it's wings; they were several times longer than its body and ribbed with thin fingers of bone that extended from the wing's front edge, forming a line of widely spaced talons..." (quote from Eragon)
I know, I'm not finished yet, but at least I started
1.Vocabulary—Rick doesn’t write down to his readers. He uses larger words flowingly, and itchallenges his YA readers to expand their vocabularies. I love bigger words, or ones that aregenerally classified as more “adult” (not because they’re inappropriate, butbecause they are harder), so I try to use them myself. I don’t think I have problems with knowing touse them; I think I need to work on making them fit better, instead of a characterrandomly saying some word like zephyr, you know?
2.Suspense—He keeps you guessing from chapter to chapter on what will happen, andoften from book to book. It can drive areader crazy! I’m pretty sure Ipersonally have mastered this, but I want to make sure I don’t overuse itbecause that can turn a reader away. They could think “Well, they keep me wanting more, but questions arenever really answered. Ugh, I don’tthink I want to read any more of their books.”
3.Humor—In Rick Riordan’s first Percy Jackson series, almost every chapter titleis humorous, and since the books are written in first person, it can get really funny. It’s just in Percy’s nature to be funny, evenwhen he isn’t trying. I know Iespecially struggle with fitting humor in without it seeming awkward.
4.Action—Every book has at least one battle, whether it’s small or large! Rick has definitely mastered the action partof writing. I think, when I write booksthat need to have a bit more action, I should definitely work on describingthose scenes more. In reading some of myworks, it looks like I tend to give as few details as possible, and I feel likeit almost seems like I’m rushing the scenes or trying to get them over quickly.
5.Plot—My personal opinion is that Rick is well-known for his plots. One thing I especially admire about his workwith them is that he can carry a large plot out over five books, but it doesn’tdrag on! In each of the four booksleading up to the last, there’s some element that causes the web to grow moretangled and intricate. The plotdevelops, and it’s excellently written. He also doesn’t rush his plots; he lets them slowly form and grow untilthey are fully-fledged and the final climax can play out in book five. I think my plots are good, but if I’m goingto do a series, I need to make sure to do the same thing. Each plot should interconnect and ultimatelylead to a larger plot. That’s mypersonal opinion, at least.
1.Imagery—Shannon Hale creates beautiful pictures in her books. Her figures of speech—such as funny similesand metaphors and personification—do an excellent job of conveying details tothe reader. I don’t think I use figuresof speech nearly as much as I could, so I should definitely work on that!
2.Descriptions—I suppose descriptions and imagery might be categorized together,but in Shannon’s books…I don’t think so. Her descriptions are different than imagery created by figures ofspeech. She uses colors, textures,sizes, and more just to express how a place looks. Recently on her blog, she commented about howshe rarely describes main characters. She explained this was because she wants a reader to get to know theprotagonists through their actions, thoughts, and feelings rather than how theylook. Shannon, however, does usephysical descriptions for minor characters, perhaps ones that are only in acouple scenes, and this is because the readers don’t have time to get to knowthem any way else. Descriptions are onething I think I have accomplished pretty well. Perhaps as this contest goes on, it will show me if I’m right or wrong.
3.Sense of place—This conceivably ties into descriptions, too, a bit. However, I definitely feel it’s entirelydifferent. Shannon Hale has a great wayof giving her readers a real sense of the setting. This is accomplished through descriptions,perhaps, but also through the protagonist. You can really vibe their feelings about a place and start to feel thesame way because Shannon makes it just that easy to get lost in her books. I’ve heard she doesn’t like to hear that areader finished one of her books in…say two hours. But for me, that’s reality because I just getso lost in the story, the sense of place, that I find myself done very quickly(but then I’ll go back and read it again and again). So, anyways, back to my main point. I know I most definitely need to work on mysense of place in my books. If I relyless on descriptions in that aspect and more about how the place makes theprotagonist feel, the sense of place might just feel more real and moreinviting.
4.Characters—Shannon’s characters really can come to life for the reader. The five books I’ve read of hers are all inthe third person point-of-view, but you are still able to feel their emotionsand hear their thoughts. I found thatMiri (the main character of PrincessAcademy), Rin (the main character of ForestBorn), and Isi (the main character of TheGoose Girl) were very relatable. Thus, that enabled me to enjoy the story more. I think I’ve got characters under my beltpretty well, but I personally feel maybe I need to develop their personalitiesa bit more, make them grow and mature, etc.
5.Research—From medieval life to war camps, stone quarrying to diplomacy, Shannondoes extensive research to make sure her books are accurate. Her website even has a writer’s section onresearching, and she even lists things she had to look into for four of herbooks. Of course her research techniquesare different than mine—she writes fantasy, I generally write contemporaryfiction, so just that will differ our studies—but it’s very inspiring to learnjust how much she has to research. I don’tthink I necessarily need to work on this as much, but it’s a good habit to getinto. I think the research papers Ioccasionally have to write for school are good practice.
D. Barkley Briggs Author of: The Book of Names, Corus the Champion, and The Song of Unmaking 1. Incredible description and settings. Mr. Briggs's books are set in a magnificent, unique world, which he describes in a way that seems natural and almost reminds me of watching a movie. For example, as characters are traveling through an area, he'll give a detailed description of that area, even including details that the main characters might not know. He also obviously pays a lot of attention to word choice, using interesting and sometimes unusual imagery and comparisons.
2. Use of existing legends and knowledge in a new way. We all know the legends of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table. Mr. Briggs takes those legends and characters from them such as Arthur, Merlin, and Lancelot, and uses them to give his stories another layer of depth. He also uses civilizations that did or still do exist as basis for some of the civilizations in his world, Karac Tor, but does it without making it sound like he's just copying existing places and cultures.
3. Comedy. Briggs does an excellent job of keeping humor in the story without sacrificing emotion or action. For example, who wouldn't laugh at this quote: "Sam Hill. He's the kind of confusion. We're his loyal subjects." Another good example is the character of Cruedwyn Creed. He's a source of much of the humor throughout the books, but he's not so hilarious that he can't be taken seriously.
4. Voices. Mr. Briggs gives each character their own voice so that you instantly know who's talking, even before the book specifically names the speaker. For example, the fore-mentioned Cruedwyn Creed tends to say extravagant things and make light of the situation. Sorge is careful with his words, often seeming to speak in riddles. And Flogg's rhymes, broken words, and bluntness are instantly recognizable.
5. Fragility and strength. It may seem like a contradiction, but when you read the books, it makes sense. Many of the strongest characters, like Arthur, Corus, and Sorge, are also incredibly fragile underneath. When you learn their backstories, it's understandable. And yet, despite their brokenness, they're still strong, and they still keep going. Ewan is another good example of this. Though he suffers a loss that leaves him broken, he eventually gets back up again and goes on. None of this happens in a way that seems too easy; Mr. Briggs is obviously very careful about making it seem natural, and even after the characters have gotten back up again, you still can see their fragility at times.
1.Vocabulary—Rick doesn’t write down to his readers. He uses larger words flowingly, and itchallenges his YA readers to expand their vocabularies. I love bigger words, or ones that aregenerally classified as more “adult” (not because they’re inappropriate, butbecause they are harder), so I try to use them myself. I don’t think I have problems with knowing touse them; I think I need to work on making them fit better, instead of a characterrandomly saying some word like zephyr, you know?
2.Suspense—He keeps you guessing from chapter to chapter on what will happen, andoften from book to book. It can drive areader crazy! I’m pretty sure Ipersonally have mastered this, but I want to make sure I don’t overuse itbecause that can turn a reader away. They could think “Well, they keep me wanting more, but questions arenever really answered. Ugh, I don’tthink I want to read any more of their books.”
3.Humor—In Rick Riordan’s first Percy Jackson series, almost every chapter titleis humorous, and since the books are written in first person, it can get really funny. It’s just in Percy’s nature to be funny, evenwhen he isn’t trying. I know Iespecially struggle with fitting humor in without it seeming awkward.
4.Action—Every book has at least one battle, whether it’s small or large! Rick has definitely mastered the action partof writing. I think, when I write booksthat need to have a bit more action, I should definitely work on describingthose scenes more. In reading some of myworks, it looks like I tend to give as few details as possible, and I feel likeit almost seems like I’m rushing the scenes or trying to get them over quickly.
5.Plot—My personal opinion is that Rick is well-known for his plots. One thing I especially admire about his workwith them is that he can carry a large plot out over five books, but it doesn’tdrag on! In each of the four booksleading up to the last, there’s some element that causes the web to grow moretangled and intricate. The plotdevelops, and it’s excellently written. He also doesn’t rush his plots; he lets them slowly form and grow untilthey are fully-fledged and the final climax can play out in book five. I think my plots are good, but if I’m goingto do a series, I need to make sure to do the same thing. Each plot should interconnect and ultimatelylead to a larger plot. That’s mypersonal opinion, at least.
1.Imagery—Shannon Hale creates beautiful pictures in her books. Her figures of speech—such as funny similesand metaphors and personification—do an excellent job of conveying details tothe reader. I don’t think I use figuresof speech nearly as much as I could, so I should definitely work on that!
2.Descriptions—I suppose descriptions and imagery might be categorized together,but in Shannon’s books…I don’t think so. Her descriptions are different than imagery created by figures ofspeech. She uses colors, textures,sizes, and more just to express how a place looks. Recently on her blog, she commented about howshe rarely describes main characters. She explained this was because she wants a reader to get to know theprotagonists through their actions, thoughts, and feelings rather than how theylook. Shannon, however, does usephysical descriptions for minor characters, perhaps ones that are only in acouple scenes, and this is because the readers don’t have time to get to knowthem any way else. Descriptions are onething I think I have accomplished pretty well. Perhaps as this contest goes on, it will show me if I’m right or wrong.
3.Sense of place—This conceivably ties into descriptions, too, a bit. However, I definitely feel it’s entirelydifferent. Shannon Hale has a great wayof giving her readers a real sense of the setting. This is accomplished through descriptions,perhaps, but also through the protagonist. You can really vibe their feelings about a place and start to feel thesame way because Shannon makes it just that easy to get lost in her books. I’ve heard she doesn’t like to hear that areader finished one of her books in…say two hours. But for me, that’s reality because I just getso lost in the story, the sense of place, that I find myself done very quickly(but then I’ll go back and read it again and again). So, anyways, back to my main point. I know I most definitely need to work on mysense of place in my books. If I relyless on descriptions in that aspect and more about how the place makes theprotagonist feel, the sense of place might just feel more real and moreinviting.
4.Characters—Shannon’s characters really can come to life for the reader. The five books I’ve read of hers are all inthe third person point-of-view, but you are still able to feel their emotionsand hear their thoughts. I found thatMiri (the main character of PrincessAcademy), Rin (the main character of ForestBorn), and Isi (the main character of TheGoose Girl) were very relatable. Thus, that enabled me to enjoy the story more. I think I’ve got characters under my beltpretty well, but I personally feel maybe I need to develop their personalitiesa bit more, make them grow and mature, etc.
5.Research—From medieval life to war camps, stone quarrying to diplomacy, Shannondoes extensive research to make sure her books are accurate. Her website even has a writer’s section onresearching, and she even lists things she had to look into for four of herbooks. Of course her research techniquesare different than mine—she writes fantasy, I generally write contemporaryfiction, so just that will differ our studies—but it’s very inspiring to learnjust how much she has to research. I don’tthink I necessarily need to work on this as much, but it’s a good habit to getinto. I think the research papers Ioccasionally have to write for school are good practice.
D. Barkley Briggs Author of: The Book of Names, Corus the Champion, and The Song of Unmaking 1. Incredible description and settings. Mr. Briggs's books are set in a magnificent, unique world, which he describes in a way that seems natural and almost reminds me of watching a movie. For example, as characters are traveling through an area, he'll give a detailed description of that area, even including details that the main characters might not know. He also obviously pays a lot of attention to word choice, using interesting and sometimes unusual imagery and comparisons. 2. Use of existing legends and knowledge in a new way. We all know the legends of King Arthur, Merlin, and the Knights of the Round Table. Mr. Briggs takes those legends and characters from them such as Arthur, Merlin, and Lancelot, and uses them to give his stories another layer of depth. He also uses civilizations that did or still do exist as basis for some of the civilizations in his world, Karac Tor, but does it without making it sound like he's just copying existing places and cultures. 3. Comedy. Briggs does an excellent job of keeping humor in the story without sacrificing emotion or action. For example, who wouldn't laugh at this quote: "Sam Hill. He's the kind of confusion. We're his loyal subjects." Another good example is the character of Cruedwyn Creed. He's a source of much of the humor throughout the books, but he's not so hilarious that he can't be taken seriously. 4. Voices. Mr. Briggs gives each character their own voice so that you instantly know who's talking, even before the book specifically names the speaker. For example, the fore-mentioned Cruedwyn Creed tends to say extravagant things and make light of the situation. Sorge is careful with his words, often seeming to speak in riddles. And Flogg's rhymes, broken words, and bluntness are instantly recognizable. 5. Fragility and strength. It may seem like a contradiction, but when you read the books, it makes sense. Many of the strongest characters, like Arthur, Corus, and Sorge, are also incredibly fragile underneath. When you learn their backstories, it's understandable. And yet, despite their brokenness, they're still strong, and they still keep going. Ewan is another good example of this. Though he suffers a loss that leaves him broken, he eventually gets back up again and goes on. None of this happens in a way that seems too easy; Mr. Briggs is obviously very careful about making it seem natural, and even after the characters have gotten back up again, you still can see their fragility at times.
WebkinzInsider.Com is not an official site of, sponsored by, nor affiliated with Ganz, Inc, Webkinz, Lil'Kinz, or Kinzville Newz and all character names, logos, and images are trademarks owned by Ganz, Inc.
Re: -♦-The Writathon; Season 2-♦- (Round One ~ deadline is July 22nd!) 
Linear Mode
