Advice, Poetry

How to poem | Gtl writing tips

I consider myself to be a poet, but that’s what all writers considers themselves. Am I right?

No, but seriously. It was a while before I decided that I could write some decent poetry. I remember my father once found one of my poems insulting since I technically outed parents everywhere (I was still in primary school mind you) and I lost motivation for a while.

When I was in grade eight, I made a friend who taught me how to rhyme. It was very helpful and addicting for a while. I got more confident in the poems that I wrote and I started to enjoy writing again.

So you’re wondering how to poem like a pro? Here’s a tip from a self proclaimed poet.


That’s all for this post…

J.K. But that is part of the tip. If you want to write great poetry, just write. Don’t say you can’t write meaningful lines. Don’t say you can’t rhyme. Don’t say you can’t. Period.

What you say will happen. That’s what I was taught. I was told never to say negative things because if I say it, it will happen. So instead of saying negative things just say “I can poem” or at least “I’ll try my best”. That way you’ll be positive about it and you’ll be able to write much easier.

So what if there is someone who can write an award winning poem in one sitting? Well, there are others who take days, months even to finish their master piece. Writing poetry is not easy, but with a positive attitude it is doable.

My tip to all aspiring poets is to write.

That’s all I have to say.


Story Prompt #12

You wake up to police officers and a random (insert preferred gender here). You’re confused at first, since you came home after a night of drinking with your friends.

“What are you doing in my apartment?”

Turns out it is not your apartment, but the stranger’s. Now yo have to try to explain that you were drunk and thought you were in your own apartment.

This is a fun prompt. You don’t have to be drunk, just imagine waking up in an apartment that is not yours. That sounds beyond scary. Write about it. Tag your story #gtl, I’d love to read it.


Story Prompt #11

Being a crazy fangirl is my speciality. Jk, but I do have my moments.

You were watching the new music video by your favourite musician and accidentally screamed into someone’s face (or do something as equally embarrassing) and they get pretty upset at you.

Who was/were the musician(s)? What happened that made you embarrass yourself? Did you and the person make up? Is that love I see in the air?

Tag your post #gtl. I’d love to read your stories later.

2017, NaNoWriMo

Now that’s what I’m talking about. | NaNoWriMo 2017

At the moment I am watching a Thai drama called 2Moons. It’s different from what I usually watch, but I absolutely love it. Not all of it, though, there is this one thing I dislike about it. The cliffhangers!

I need to breathe for this one.

I’ve talked about cliffhangers before and how they are the main reason that readers (and viewers!) come back for more.

This post is just me elaborating more on that (and ranting).

The drama is well written I can tell you that. The episodes flow nicely and the characters always make me laugh. They are silly just right. Meaning that they are not overdoing it. Something to consider when making silly characters.

Try to think of silly or jokeful character that you know. Think of the characters that you have watched or read about in your favourite books. Most of the time it feels naural, their personalities I mean. They feel like a real life character. Sometimes even someone you need in your life. As writer, that is what we mostly aim for.

Try to think of that when you are writing about any type of character.

Going back to cliffies (cliffhangers!), this drama had the worst kind. Imagine watching your favourite series on TV and then all of a sudden there is a power outage. Like character A had just asked an important question that could determine life and death (of your feels) and now you’ll never know.

“But Noku, isn’t that all cliffhangers?” Guys, it’s not the same!

A movie being cut off at 30 minutes. In movies that is when everything starts getting exciting. The action starts, or the romance develops, or someone dies. Imagine the movie getting cut off there!

These are no ordinary cliffhangers. These were made to make us binge ten hours worth of drama.

I applaud them for that.

That’s what I am aiming for with my story. Readers beware.

2017, NaNoWriMo

Dramatic Kissing Scenes | NaNoWriMo 2017

If you have watched a Kdrama or two you might have noticed how dramatic the first kiss usually is.

I remember I was watching Supergirl and she kissed Mo’Nell. I’m not sure what I was actually expecting, but I felt a pang on let-down when it played.

Kdrama kissing scenes incorperate angles (of the same second, mind you), and the dramatic OST, which will do a good job at pulling those heartstrings. I mean you won’ be shipping the couple, but when they kiss you just want it to never end (except when your mum is there, then it just become awkward real quick).

It’s not just in the kissing scenes, though. Hugging scenes, those terrible moments that just make you wanna ball your eyes out scenes. They have just managed to find a way to prolong the excitement or heartbreak that the viewer would be having.

That is what I love about them. Just the fact that I can feel the joy for ten more seconds than anywhere else.

When you’re writing your story, stay clear! Legit.

Readers are not watchers. Some things are better off left on the big screen. This point is usually why books change so much once they are made into movies. The producers and scriptwriters know that if something that was great in the book is put in a movie, they might as well kiss all their profits goodbye.

My story might be inspired by Kdramas, but I am well aware that what happens in Kdramas should sometimes stay in Kdramas.

2017, NaNoWriMo

The bromance got me like… | NaNoWriMo 2017

I smell a bromance brewing.

What I usually ship more than the main couple and second couple in Kdramas is usually the bromance. Sometimes the bromance is so much stronger than the first couple’s romance that I have to focus on them.

An example of a great Kdrama bromance is the one in Goblin. Don’t deny it. We all fell for it.

The Goblin and grim reaper fought so much, but it was obvious they cared deeply for each other. Their bromance was playful and loving at the same time, I always ended up smiling whenever they were on the screen.

So how can you, as a writer , make the best out of your bromance this month? How can you make the readers fall for it?

I am not a pro, but I can tell you what I like the most about Kdrama bromances.

They are realistic. They do not try too hard to make it a thing. It usually forms in the most unexpected way. People are usually easily able to relate.

Have you ever seen guys get split up by a girl? It happens a ton in Kdramas, stop me if I’m wrong. Best friends since birth start having problems because they both managed to like the same girl (since they have the same preferences). They won’t talk, they’d fight even. But when a time comes when they need each other, they will help without even batting an eyelash. Helping each other comes instinctively. They are like actual brothers. Once one realises that the girl is not for them, they will easily stop the fight so that their bro can be happy. An example of this is the relationship between Moo Myung and Ji Dwi in Hwarang. That one was beautiful, don’t you think?

They are inseparable. Let’s talk about Tomorrow with you for like a paragraph. The bromance between So Joon and Ki Doong was what I made me sleep at midnight every day. I mean it was so cute that Secretary Hwang even mistook them for a couple. Either way I would have shipped it.

The key to making a relatable bromance is not forcing it and just letting it happen. Don’t write it with the mind-set of making it work. Write it not even thinking about it. Just write and the perfect bromance will form.

Make it so that even you as a writer will fall for it.

2017, NaNoWriMo

Still behind. My thoughts. | NaNoWriMo 2017

Fellow writers and Kdrama lovers, it is the 16th. We’re already past the halfway mark and by now I would be safe to say that we should be at 25 000 words. I mean, at least most people are.

I am not.

In the beginning I felt bad about managing to be so behind. But now, actually 10 000 words behind, I have made peace with my lack of words.

I was so hyped up in the beginning of the challenge, thinking that writing 50 0000 words would be a walk in the park. It wasn’t. If anything, there came a time where I lost over 1 500 woords, and honestly, that’s where I think my motivation faltered.

As a human being, when success seems bleak, motivation falteres and everything just starts going wrong. I was only thinking about how I was a failure to writers everywhere and to my parents. I was having a complete Kdrama dramatic moment.

But after a few days, still lagging behind, I realised that maybe I had it all wrong. Even though NaNoWriMo was encouraging us to write 50 000 words in a month, they wee not forcing us. The challenge, I believe, was not made to make us write exactly that many words, but to help us start the writing journey. Since it is such a horrifying journey for others to start.

So far I have written approcximately 15 600 and I am proud of that. It is more than I could have ever written on any other given day. Ever since NaNo started, I have been writing more or less a thousand words everyday. That is a lot.

I have archieved something that I couldn’t have a few months back. Usually I would just write when I felt like it. Now, I write even if I don’t feel like it. This creates a habit, which I will be very grateful for in the future.

NaNo also taught me to concentrate on one project, instead of trying to write ten different stories at once. That was a pain. My ways of writing are not the same in all books. Sometimes the tone has to be a specific way so that it can go well with the theme. But when I am jumping between books, the stories end up sounding the same.

So I am behind on my writing, but I have picked up a few things. And for that, I am grateful.

Maybe next year I will be on time. I doubt it though, since I’ll be even busier than I am now.

Don’t give up. You don’t have to force yourself to write 1667 words per day. You just have to write something.