Forum Post 2: Is this really your passion?

[AdminAdmin]

You've been gathering information, reading articles, and creating blog posts. The thing is, I am not hearing much passion from some of you. This is the single most thing/topic/subject that you have chosen to write about...not because it's easy, but because you say it's something of which you are passionate. Prove it! I should be hearing that in your reviews of the articles you read and in the blog posts you are submitting. This week, continue with five articles you have read regarding your topic. After EACH ONE, please tell me:
- words and phrases that stick out to you as particularly expressive or interesting. (think mentor sentences)
- What piece of writing does the article inspire you to write?
- What questions does the article raise?
- What claims can you make after reading the article?

[Anna Larson]

Writing Fiction—What You Need To Know To Write A Novel (Link: https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-fiction-5-tips-to-get-more-creative)

This article focused more on what you need to know before you write a novel and it made me wonder if you need to have all the main details of your story worked out before you start to write it, or if you can figure out things as you go. I usually just figure out things as I write, but maybe having all the main details worked out beforehand would make writing easier. Based on this article, I can write about the advantages or disadvantages of knowing the main details of your novel before you begin to write it, and a claim I can make is that at least having a basic outline of your story will benefit you in the long run. In this article, not many words or phrases stuck out to me as particularly interesting or expressive. Though, the beginning of the article used the phrase, “Time and time again,” which I thought was a good hook. It’s the type of phrase that kind of draws you into the text, similar to “Once upon a time”.

Writing Advice: Tips For New Fiction Authors (Link: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/writing-tips-advice-fiction-authors_n_1628537)

This article also focused on what you need to know before you start a novel, though it was more descriptive than the first one. I specifically liked the section in this article called, “Show, don’t tell”. Instead of listing ways a writer can “show” their story rather than “tell” it, the article gave a funny example (a short story), therefore living up to its advice of “showing” a reader. It also made me wonder what the best way to “show” your reader your story is. I could research this, then write about it in a future post. But after reading this article, I am sure that showing rather than telling is the best way to draw readers into your story.

20 Writing Tips From Fiction Authors (Link: https://www.iuniverse.com/en/resources/writing-and-editing/20-writing-tips-from-fiction-authors)

This article contained advice from authors who have published their works. One piece of advice I liked was from Will Self, who said, “Always carry a note-book. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper, you can lose an idea forever”. This is so true, and it made me wonder how many times I’ve forgotten a good idea because I didn’t write it down. So, one claim I can make after reading this is to always carry something with you where you can jot down your ideas. And based on this article, I can write about what is the best way to store your ideas (in a notebook, microsoft word, your phone, etc.).

Writing Fiction: 7 Steps To Write Your First Novel (Link: https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2016/09/29/7-steps-write-first-novel/)

This article was my favorite because it had the most personality, or the author’s voice was strong. One of the things this article talked about was “Understanding What You’re Writing And Why”. This made me think about why I write what I do and why others write what they do. Because, there are some books I’ve read that make me wonder how that writer ever came up with the story that they did. So, I think a good future post could be about what inspires people to write. Is it the things they have experienced, the places they have gone, the people they know, a combination of all three? What is evident is that people write about what they are interested in (I mean, why would you want to write about something you dislike?). Overall, I thought this article was the most helpful and intriguing, and because it covers such a wide range of topics, I might use it for another post.

10 Rules For Better Fiction Writing (Link: https://writingcooperative.com/10-rules-for-better-fiction-writing-32d8d5d669c3)

I disagree with some of the things this article said, one being, “Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print”.  Yes, too many metaphors and similes can be overwhelming or just plain annoying, but the absolute lack of them can be just as bad. A book without these literary devices seems cold and technical. So, I think a claim I can make is that you should use literary devices like similes and metaphors when you write. This article also inspires me to write something about why literary devices are essential to a story. I could research this, then write about it in my next post.

[audrey_cornell]

Why We Love Sad Movies: Watching Tearjerkers Boosts Pain Tolerance And Social Bonds Via Endorphins
I liked this article because it talked about the scientific reasons for why humans enjoy watching sad movies so much. I also liked that it had a lot of research and facts behind it. This article inspires me to write a research paper about how sad movies effect the human brain and emotions. It mostly has to do with the brain's release of endorphins, which occurs when you watch all kinds of genres of film. This article makes me wonder why comedies and tragedies have similar effects on our brains when they are very different genres.

'Titanic' is Back: Why Do We Love Sad Movies?
I liked this article because it talked about how watching sad movies makes audiences contemplate their lives and relationships with others. It makes me wonder how sad films affect our relationship with others, such as: do they make them stronger?

The Science Behind Sad Movies
I liked this article because it described how watching sad movies in the movie theater makes you more emotional than watching them at home. This article inspires me to write a piece on why it's best to share emotional moments with other people than just yourself. The article makes me wonder why viewers show and experience more emotion in films when they are at the theater.

Beautifully Sad: Why We Enjoy Negative Emotions in Movies and Art
I liked this article because it made me think about why most of my favorite movies are sad. The reasoning behind it is that sad films are more proven to be more interesting to audiences. That makes me wonder why tragedies are more quality than other genres of film.

The Science of Weepies: Why We Love Crying at the Movies
This was my favorite article because it went in depth for each reason about why sad films are more enjoyed overall than other genres. It talked about the science behind it as well as the emotional impact that sad films have on us. They teach us about other cultures and experiences in life. The article makes me want to write a piece on reasons why sad films are more interesting and the reasons humans prefer them to other genres.

[lcecil1]

New Evidence About When to Neuter Your Dog:
“Raising incidence of disease” was the first phrase to stand out to me. The idea of neutering your animal is rising so that the overpopulation issue does not continue, but a lot of people are fighting the idea of neutering their pet because of the health risks and because it is “cruel” to the animal. This article inspires me to write about overpopulation with animals and the importance of neutering your animals. This specific article has made me wonder “how are these animals at risk when it comes to their health? What is the likelihood of them becoming sick because of getting neutered?” After reading this article I can claim that neutering is important for population reasons and if done the correct way, the exposure to disease is very unlikely.


Fellow Creatures: Is My Dog Happy?:
The first words to stick out to me was “body language” as dogs have their own way of expressing feelings through body language as well. This article has inspired me to write about how to correctly respond to body language your pet may be giving you. One question I have is “how do owners respond to negative body language and what should they do if this happens in a public space?” One thing that caught my attention was “play biting” and too many owners find this aggressive, but it is a sign of play and content. After reading this article I can say that too many people do not understand the body language of dogs and dogs are not given enough opportunities to express language to other dogs and people.


Dog Training Methods Affect Attachment to The Owner:
The biggest word that stayed in my head and stuck out to me most was “fear.” The idea of fear is brought up as the blogger explains that if you train with aggression and too “firm” this can cause fear in a companion towards their owner. I don’t think enough people really think about how they are making their animals feel when they are negatively reinforcing their pets. This piece of writing brought the idea to right about positive reinforcement training and discussing the psychological part of dogs and the benefits of positive training. This article raises a question to me, which is “How are owners training their animals and are they causing more problems at home by their training style?” After reading this article, I can conclude that not enough pet owners are correctly training their animals. I can also claim that owners are not taking enough time to understand their pets psychologically to benefit both the owner and the pet in the household.

What If You’re Not Type A?:
The first phrase that stuck out to me in this article was “Being a type A dog mom is a badge of honor.” This article is using personal experience to make others aware that you don’t need to be a “type A” dog mom, and that you are doing great! This writing inspired me to share more on the idea of not being a perfect dog mom. But my question is “what is a perfect dog mom in this society, and what are they doing differently?” After reading this article I can conclude that too many people act as if they have it together, but in reality, it is okay to be clueless. I can also add that the way you love your pet is more important than how others see you treating them.

Study Shows Value of Behavioral Services in Veterinary Services:
The word that caught my eye immediately in this article was “dominance.” The blogger wants to make sure that dominance is outdated in today's world of dogs and training. This article has inspired me to look into the behavioral sciences of dogs and what their actions mean. My question is “how do we make sure pet owners are aware of this behavior and how can we virtually train others to train their pets correctly?” Another thing brought up was electric collars and the risk of animal welfare because of these collars. After this article I can claim that too many people do not understand the way they are training their dogs can be mentally destructful. I can also claim that owners need to understand their dog fully before trying to train them.

[EmileeParker061902]

1. Impacts of current and future large dams - https://www.pnas.org/content/117/7/3648

This article focuses on the impact of dams on freshwater fish populations. Something it makes me want to write would be in regards to the welfare of these fish and the ways we can assist their species while still benefiting from dams. A claim I could make after reading this article could be that large-scale assessments of current (and future) freshwater habitat fragmentation are key for finding hotspots of biodiversity, and to identify and prioritize conservation needs for these fish. I could also make claims about the results of the various studies that are mentioned in the article.

2. A native apex predator limits an invasive mesopredator and protects native prey: Tasmanian devils protecting bandicoots from cats - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ele.13473?af=R

In this article, we learn about the ways apex predators impact the environment and well being of the animals around them. A claim I could make after reading this article would be that an apex predator limits the success of a mesopredator. A mesopredator is a mid-ranking predator, like a raccoon or even a freshwater bass. With apex predators dominating the area around them, the mesopredators can often be stifled once they get too powerful. This article makes me want to write about this more in depth and focus on how this could actually be beneficial in population control.

3. Our Wild Companions: Domestic cats in the Anthropocene - https://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/fulltext/S0169-5347(20)30010-0?rss=yes

This article is all about cats. Cats and the negative impacts their feral populations have on native wildlife species, and the process of their domestication. This article makes me want to write about the benefits of keeping a cat indoors first and foremost, but it also makes me want to write about some of the species that domestic cats have driven to extinction or vulnerability. A claim I could make after reading this article could be about the beginning of their domestication.

4. Recent responses to climate change reveal the drivers of species extinction and survival - https://www.pnas.org/content/117/8/4211

In this article, the focus is on the effects of climate change on the extinction of plant and animal species, as well as their responses to climate change and their attempts at adaptation. This article makes me want to write about one of these species more in depth, and to walk the reader through the process it went through. Did it try to adapt? Did it have time to try? What exactly happened, in detail, to make it go extinct? All of these factors are very important in analyzing the decline in species, because it can help us try to save similar species. A claim I could make after reading this would be that 57–70% of the 538 species being observed by scientists and conservationists will not disperse quickly enough to avoid extinction.

5. Fire synchronizes flowering and boosts reproduction in a widespread but declining prairie species - https://www.pnas.org/content/117/6/3000.short?rss=1

This article is about how fire helped to benefit a prairie species of plants by encouraging reproduction. A claim I could make after reading this article would be that fire can actually result in a doubling of seed production in some species of plants. This helps to save them from extinction. The article makes me want to write more about the pros and cons of controlled burns and the plants that it helps. Like trees that need a controlled burn in order to drop their seed pods so that they won't have to compete for resources.

[Lindsey Stamps]

For this post, I am trying to focus more on the art selling aspect of the art career and how artists are able to do it. I found some articles that talked about this more in-depth and these were the most helpful in my opinion.

1.) Article: Five Ways to Jumpstart Your Art Career - https://www.theartcareerproject.com/five-ways-to-jumpstart-your-art-career/
I enjoyed this article because it has some helpful step by step tips on how a person could start up their art career. This article helps people who may ask themselves how to start their art business in real life. It brings many suggestions on how a person like signing up for art leagues and taking your art to galleries.

2.) Article: Starting your career as an Artist on the Internet - https://medium.com/@pasql/starting-your-career-as-an-artist-on-the-internet-df59601c086a
This article was a lot more free-spirited and it is easy to tell that the writer wrote how the way he really felt about online art careers. He also talks about the negatives and the positives. He doesn’t hide the stuff that could be seen as negatives and instead talks about how to overcome these obstacles. I also liked that he talked about the business part of this career and how a new artist should price and market their pieces.

3.)Article: How to Sell Art Online: The Ultimate Guide - https://www.shopify.com/blog/211990409-how-to-sell-art-online
This article has advice from actual artists with a very good online presence. The article lets different artists talk about their experiences in this career and how they were able to turn it into something profitable. This article was written by a company so its main goal is to get you to sell on this website but it brings up many helpful tips like what kind of art to sell or what merchandise you could create.

4.) Article: So You Want to Sell Your Art?... - https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sell-your-art-without-a-gallery-1322180
This article is very helpful to artists that may be asking, “Where can I post and sell my art?”. This article shows us different platforms which new artists can use to find a place to put their art online. It really goes in-depth with each one and talks about the average price art is sold at, what your cut is, and what other benefits you get from selling in each one. I also like that there are many platforms to choose from that way you can compare and see which one suits you the best.

5.) Article: How to Sell Art Online - https://www.phishing-site.www/how-to-sell-art-online
This article seems to be written as more of an overview of the topic and is very realistic on the topic. This article also brings up many questions like, “What are my options?”, “Where is my audience?”, and some others a new artist would probably ask themself. It also answers these questions very nicely and brings up some helpful tips on how to deal with these questions.

[kylezell1]

Forum Writing 2/Blog Post
Kyle Zell

1. https://www.higherscorestestprep.com/get-into-best-art-schools/
Words and phrases: quotes from the author: “We review hundreds of portfolios a week. If you are looking at a private art college, just ask them to review your work.”
What advice do you give to families starting this journey: Don’t panic and please use spell check.
This inspires me to write an informational essay to help people remain calm and focus on their goals of being accepted into art school.
The article raises the question of the justification for such high tuition at art schools and answers that it is because of small classes and lots of one on one instruction.
I can claim that a great source for information is the: Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design
2. https://www.studentartguide.com/articles/how-to-make-an-art-portfolio-for-college-or-university
Words and phrases: research carefully, create a list of schools, requirements about what to draw, plan your portfolio
This article inspires me to write an essay to encourage people to explore what each program requires from each potential student in terms of portfolios
The article raises the question of deciding which school best suits your needs
I can make the claim that art schools want to see observational drawing over fan art, or other types of work
3. https://www.teenlife.com/blogs/3-things-do-if-you-want-go-art-school
Words and phrases: figure out why you want to be an artist, build an extensive portfolio, do more than is required
The article inspires to me to write about examining your reasons for going to art school
It raises the question of what is the message you want to convey with your work and where will you be in 10 years
I can make the claim that you should really think about and examine what you want to do and say with your work
4. https://www.hussiancollege.edu/write-successful-personal-statement-art-school/
Words and phrases: how to write a successful personal statement, how to structure your essay, focus on your strengths, don’t lie or embellish
It inspires me to write about how to craft a solid personal statement to help get into art school
It raises the question of what to include and not include: for instance, don’t make excuses for bad grades
I can make the claim that you should answer all the questions asked in preparing your statement and you shouldn’t use the same statement for more than one school

5. https://www.creativebloq.com/career/how-get-art-college-5132555
Words and phrases: 5 things you must do when applying, apply to multiple schools, prepare your best portfolio
This blog inspires me to write about the essential steps to apply to art school
It raises the question of what to do if you don’t have a prepared portfolio
I can make the claim that you should consider your budget and educational goals when applying

[Kris Schutzel]

League of Legends, EA suspend all esports due to coronavirus
https://www.polygon.com/2020/3/14/21179779/league-of-legends-lcs-spring-finals-canceled-moved-ea-sports-fifa-global-series-apex-legends

This article explains that all esports for League of Legends have been suspended due to coronavirus. All tickets to events will be refunded. An  idea I got from this article is that the article had a small summary under the title in italics.

The LPL has banned WeiYan for 2 years due to match-fixing
https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/10776/the-lpl-has-banned-weiyan-for-2-years-due-to-match-fixing

The professional esports player WeiYan was banned from professional league of legends for two years. He was banned for match-fixing. The team that he formerly belonged to was fined approximately 420 thousand dollars and he was kicked from the team.

League of Legends: The Art of Balance
https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-03-26-league-of-legends-the-art-of-balance

This article explains how balancing league of legends is done. The game design manager for league of legends explains that balancing the game is done very carefully. They look at data from games and feedback from players in order to make changes. They have also realized the game has gotten more complicated recently, and are trying to keep track of that to make sure the game does not become overly complicated.

In the Quarantine Age, an indoor sport seizes center stage
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-03-29/esports-coronavirus-quarantine-indoor-sports-league-of-legends

This article is about how more people have been watching esports recently because all traditional sports have been canceled to do coronavirus. Since esports can be played from home, many of them are still continuing to be broadcast. League of Legends esports was suspended for over a week while figuring out how to set up remote playing for not only all of the players but the studio personnel too, but it is back up now. A team named Cloud 9 won the most recent event.

[LCK Today] Unstoppable Gen.G extends winning streak to 8, Griffin falls to an 8-game losing streak
https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/10782/lck-today-unstoppable-geng-extends-winning-streak-to-8-griffin-falls-to-an-8-game-losing-streak

This article summarizes the results of the latest Korean professional league of legends matches. A team named Gen.G won their match to continue their 8 winning streak, while a team named Griffin lost their match in an 8 losing streak.

[Hbrooks02]

Marissa Meyer on creating a new world of superheroes -and villains- in Renegades
Marissa Meyer shows a new part of herself in this interview, and I thought it would be a good idea to talk about all of her writing, instead of just one series. The interview asks about how she creates her characters and/or superpowers. She openly discusses part of her process as well as her own opinion on some of her characters. It's interesting to see her own opinion on her work because it shows readers who Marissa is. This website will help me be able to understand her writing process a bit more as well as answer a couple of questions that I, myself, had about some of her work. The interviewer asks easy questions and if they became confused or curious, they would continue to elaborate the question so the readers/listeners would be able to understand it better.

Washington Post: 'Lunar Chronicles' author Marissa Meyer will write her first graphic novel — with androids
This article makes several of us happy and curious! Marissa's readers were all happy to hear that she was going to write a graphic novel for us. For once we are able to see what her characters look like as well as how they may have looked while doing certain things. This post, though it may be old, is still very exciting to read. The memory of hearing that she was making a graphic novel of one of her series was a dream come true. It made me question when it would come out and what kind of plot it could have.

The Lunar Chronicles' Marissa Meyer Talks Feminism in Fairy Tales, Inside Info on the Series Finale
This article really helps show who the author is and some of her reasons behind many of her choices. She's asked a serious question about her characters and whether or not she enjoyed writing strong female leads. This article just gives me more to think and write about the author herself.

Renegades Fandom on Wiki
This website, like a past website that I've listed, shows the inner working of a specific series that Marissa Meyer has written. It talks about the characters, the universe as well as has a place, for those who love the series, to talk. It's extremely enjoyable to see the characters, as well as see the universe described.

DO WE DESERVE MARISSA MEYER’S ‘INSTANT KARMA’?
This article is most definitely exciting news for many fans. It's a newer post, made in 2019, and it discusses a new series and more books! I'm hoping to use this article as a way to express more interest and more 'up-to-date' excitement that we can discuss. The article spoils one of the book ideas and lets readers know that these new books are going to be something a bit more different than what Marissa Meyer typically writes.

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