Creative Complex: [No Title]

Warning: If you do not like scary things, do not read this post. This was the only way I would let Dragomir write such a creepy post. When he first sent this post to me to be published, I told him I wouldn't publish it. But he finally convinced me to post it because he explained people, especially writers, need to be familiar with a variety of scenarios, even Gothic ones. He said they might help stretch your brains. (I think he just really wanted to write a Gothic Creative Complex and that was his excuse.)

The dread of what you have done fills you. It consumes every inch of your writhing body. The sole thought of your mind is unending, twisted anguish, leaving no room for the slightest glimpse of hope. This dread has taken all desire from you, never to return. Not even the humblest of acts can undo this wretched thing you have done. There is only one thing left to do, horrendous though it is.

Dear Readers, I have not included a title because no title can convey the story's emotional impact in the way it is meant to. If you have not come to the logical conclusion that, this being what Spruce entitles a "Creative Complex," and this post being a section of a story, the object is to continue and embellish upon the story provided, I will tell you this is what you are meant to do.

Dragomir Volkov

Spruce Nogard

Extra Week Post: A Writing Exercise Designed to Assist Your Brain in the Creation of a Story, as well as Create an Accessible Collection of Writing Tools*

Good Day, most honorable Readers.

It is, indeed, a pleasure to be invited to write upon Spruce's blog again. On this fine day, I shall detail a process of story-creating, and allow you access to some few tools of a writer.

I do think you're great, Dragomir, but I feel like half the people will skip this post just because they don't know what the title says. As you can see, Friends, Dragomir is again writing a guest post! If you've no idea what the title says, here's a simpler version: Writing Exercises to Help Your Brain, and Some Handy Writing Tools. Also, this post kind of ties in with the the Creative Complex: Uniquity from a few weeks ago.

As I was describing, I have one principle I would prefer to expound upon, which, as goes the saying "kill two birds with one stone," will cover both aspects of the title. It is worthy to mention this exercise was first introduced to me by a teacher of mine.

As in Spruce's post "Creative Complex: Uniquity," we shall first prepare a variety of settings. In this instance, though, they will be more specified. Therefore, select a manner of tales. Because I prefer Gothic tales, I shall choose the Gothic manner of narrative.

He means choose a type of story, such as dystopian, fantasy, sci-fi, realistic fiction, historical fiction, etc.

After this, procure a piece of paper to catalog your ideas upon. Next, we shall break down the tale into its components. The way I break down Gothic stories and the examples I utilize I used for a piece of Gothic literature I wrote some while ago.

1) Setting

Select multiple settings in the particular genre you have chosen. I have selected four: 

2) Details of That Setting

For this component, place the name of each setting at the head of a piece of paper. Thereupon, allocate a portion of the paper for each of the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste. Subsequently, record sights, smells, tastes, sounds and objects one might come in contact with in that setting.

I shall model this for you:

Forest:

Sights:

• Trees
• Mist/Fog
• Stars
• Clouds
• Bats
• Apparitions
• Spiders
• Moss
• Vines

Smells:

• Decaying wood
• Rot
• Dirt
• Fog

 Sounds:

• Owls
• Bats
  
• Wolves
• Wind in trees
• Whispering

 Tastes:

• Fog
• Dirt

 Touch:

• Tree roots
• Bark
• Dirt
• Spider webs
• Fog

 Thereafter, compile a list of literary devices with which to enhance your writing. With all this knowledge, compose a story.

As always, it is a pleasure to share my experiences in the process of writing with you, Readers.

Dragomir

Spruce

*Post actually written on June 9th. See here for details.

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/tunnel-bunker-cave-catacombs-2203491/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/cemetery-spooky-graveyard-symbol-559246/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/nidaros-cathedral-trondheim-norway-2068804/

https://pixabay.com/en/dark-moody-scary-spooky-natural-1936954/ 
https://pixabay.com/en/fog-outlines-pine-trees-mysterious-571786/ 
https://pixabay.com/en/forest-the-roots-of-trees-tree-pine-2248606/ 

 

Writing: Creative Complex: Elddir

Hello, Srellet-Elddir.

I know we've done posts about riddles before, but today's is a little different. Today, make up a riddle or a little poem using stressed and unstressed syllables.

Riddles are a little bit like optical illusions. What do you see?

Here are some examples:

• "Be bold, be bold, but not too bold, lest that your heart's blood should run cold." -Mr. Fox
• Link to my post about "Mr. Fox"
• "It is not so, it was not so, and God forbid it should ever be so." -"Mr. Fox" (Also quoted in Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare)
• "Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary" -"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe (And the rest of the poem)
• Link to full poem
• "You heard as if an army muttered" -"The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Robert Browning
• Link to full poem
• "Double, double, toil and trouble;/ Fire burn and cauldron bubble" -Macbeth by Shakespeare
• Here is a link to the Hogwarts Choir singing a song based on the witches' potion in Macbeth

If you can't quite remember stressed and unstressed syllables, see Dragomir's post about them here.

Share your creations in the comments!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions: https://pixabay.com/en/photos/?q=face+vase&image_type=&cat=&min_width=&min_height=

Creative Complex: The Peculiarity of the Third Stage of "Loss of the Real," As Clarified by the Acclaimed Baudrillard

Greetings, Readers.

As a preface to this small note upon Baudrillard's stages of the "Loss of the Real," we must first confess our utmost apology at the lateness of this post. Spruce, I am afraid, has had too large a variety of work from the illustrious foundation entitled School, and hence, has not slept enough. Thus, she asked me the slight favor of writing this post.

Spruce, as she has informed me, has yet to dedicate an entire post to the elucidation of Baudrillard's stages of the "Loss of the Real," a topic under the category of postmodernism. She will do so in due course.

On this conventional day, nonetheless, we shall endeavor to stretch the capacity with which our minds operate.

The third stage, complicated as it is, is clarified by the usage of a metaphor.

In this metaphor, you, a preeminent painter, paint a picture of yourself painting the picture. However, in the picture, you are in an elaborate room. There is no truth in this representation because, at this moment when you are painting, you are not in a room full of grandeur, but your small, ill-functioning upstairs.

The question presently proposed is this: what does this self in the painting find within the imaginary world created?

Dragomir Volkov

Source: Peter Barry's chapter on Postmodernism in Introduction to Theory

Attributions: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2015/11/06/00/54/straw-man-1025192_960_720.jpg

Writing: Mental Library: Postmodernism Part 2: Irony

Hello, Postmodern Readers!

Today, we are focusing on irony. As Dragomir appreciates this, he is writing today.

Greetings, Readers. If any of you still store the information given in the Literary Devices Mental Library Post, in your mental library, you will conclude I did not speak of irony i
n that post.

Irony, as defined by the esteemed search engine Google, is: the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite.

There are, three distinct categories of irony used in literature.

1) Dramatic Irony

Defined as: When the person or persons watching a movie or play or reading a novel knows something one or more characters in said movie, play, or book, do not know.

This is seen in the marvelous work entitled: "The Cask of Amontillado" by Mr. Edgar Allan Poe. At the commencement of the story, the reader learns that the character of Montresor has "vowed revenge" on the other character, a Mr. Fortunato. The reader knows this information, but the character of Fortunato is unaware of his imminent destruction.

2) Situational Irony

Defined as: Irony which occurs when the opposite of the predicted situation happens.

To continue with our estimable work, "The Cask of Amontillado," the character of Fortunato's name is exceedingly similar to the word of "fortune," causing the reader to believe he is, fortuitous. But, as known, he is murdered at the end of the marvelous work. This, as seen, is not fortuitous.

3) Verbal Irony

Defined as: Irony perceived in speech.

This is discerned when Montresor tells Fortunato: "And I [drink] to your long life." In truth, however, Montresor desires to murder Fortunato.

These, the second aspect of Postmodernism, have part in alternative genres, as well. 

Thanks, Dragomir! We had lots of fun learning about irony. Friends, do you know of any books that use irony a lot? Post in the Comments!

Dragomir Volkov

Spruce Nogard

Source: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/poe/cask.html

Attributions: 

https://pixabay.com/en/portrait-edgar-allan-poe-1848-62996/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/shamrock-four-leaf-clover-green-510482/ 

Writing: Mental Library: Stressed and Unstressed Syllables

Hello, Friends!

I know it's weird to have two guest posts in a row by the same person, but I'm going to do it anyways!

Basically, here's what happened. The post for Mental Library is supposed to be today, but the only thing I could think of was stressed and unstressed syllables. Dragomir didn't have any suggestions either. (Maybe it's because he wanted to do another post. . . ) I understand stressed and unstressed syllables, but Dragomir is better at explaining them than I am. I mean, he reads Gothic poetry, which is full of patterns in stressed and unstressed syllables, so of course he'd be good at explaining them. I actually think Dragomir's way of explaining stressed and unstressed syllables makes a lot of sense. So, without further ado, here is Dragomir!

I do not see the purpose of detailing our complete dialogue to your readers, Spruce. Notwithstanding, let us continue.

As you no doubt have observed, any form of language is unspeakably trying. The subject of stressed and unstressed syllables is of the more difficult material our language provides. Stressed and unstressed syllables have to do with how a particular word is pronounced. To illustrate, I will provide an example.

In this instance, I shall use the word "nodded." At this point, say the word aloud. If you ignore my advice, you will be despairingly lost for the remainder of the time. Notwithstanding, we enunciate the word "nodded" as seen: NODD-ed. In other words, we put emphasis on the first syllable. Now, vocalize a minimum of two other two- or more- syllable words. Discover the stressed and unstressed syllables.

I have included an excerpt from "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe to illustrate how profoundly magnificent stressed and unstressed syllables are. Stressed syllables are bolded.

"While I nodded nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,"

Wait. If your going to quote "The Raven," I'm going to quote "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Robert Browning. 

"You heard as if an army muttered;" 

(I have read some poetry.) 

Literature has created many patterns involving stressed and unstressed syllables. If you would prefer to learn more, investigate this website: http://cummingsstudyguide.net/xmeter.html

Also, I do believe it is essential to indicate that words with one syllable act as either a stressed or an unstressed syllable.

Dear Readers, I appreciate your willingness to permit me to write on Spruce's blog.

Dragomir Volkov

Thanks for posting, Dragomir! I should really make you a contributor.

Bye, Friends!

Spruce Nogard

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/bird-crow-dark-flying-raven-379296/ 

https://pixabay.com/en/fiction-germany-honesty-myth-1296651/ 

Guest Post: Edgar Allan Poe

Good Day, Friends!

Like I promised, Dragomir is doing another guest post today. I hope you enjoy his thoughts!

Dragomir:

Greetings, Readers. Under other circumstances, the title of this post would be: "On the Subject of the Esteemed Edgar Allan Poe." However, Spruce prohibited this title, stating that it was "too formal." Nevertheless, I will continue with this post with no complaints.  

Many of you have, no doubt, heard of the revered Edgar Allan Poe, writer of gothic and mystery stories, as well as poems. "The Raven," "The Masque of the Red Death," "The Murders in Rue Morgue," as well as "Annabel Lee," are some of his works, amongst others. He is considered the father of modern mystery novels.

Edgar Allan Poe was, also, the first to use onomatopoeia, hence the "poe" in onomatopoeia. His prose and poetry is exceedingly marvelous. As an illustration, I have included a passage both from "The Raven" and "The Masque of the Red Death."

"The Raven":

"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." 

"The Masque of the Red Death":

. . . There were much of the beautiful, much of the wanton, much of the bizarre, something of the terrible, and not a little of that which might have excited disgust. To and fro in the seven chambers there stalked, in fact, a multitude of dreams. And these — the dreams — writhed in and about, taking hue from the rooms, and causing the wild music of the orchestra to seem as the echo of their steps. And, anon, there strikes the ebony clock which stands in the hall of the velvet. And then, for a moment, all is still, and all is silent save the voice of the clock. The dreams are stiff-frozen as they stand. But the echoes of the chime die away — they have endured but an instant — and a light, half-subdued laughter floats after them as they depart. And now again the music swells, and the dreams live, and writhe to and fro more merrily than ever, taking hue from the many tinted windows through which stream the rays from the tripods. But to the chamber which lies most westwardly of the seven, there are now none of the maskers who venture; for the night is waning away; and there flows a ruddier light through the blood-colored panes; and the blackness of the sable drapery appals; and to him whose foot falls upon the sable carpet, there comes from the near clock of ebony a muffled peal more solemnly emphatic than any which reaches their ears who indulge in the more remote gaieties of the other apartments. 

These passages illustrate the magnificence of the esteemed Edgar Allan Poe. Dear Reader, if you do, indeed, find you favor Edgar Allan Poe's technique, I must reveal to you the brilliant website of http://www.poestories.com/

Thank you, Spruce, for deigning to allow me to write another post on your blog.

Farewell, Readers.

Thank you, Dragomir! We all, um, appreciated your post, but it was a little gothic for some of us.

Dragomir: (Sorry, everyone, but blogger is glitching and won't let me put Dragomir's writing in red.) I write only gothic literature, taking no pleasure in literature other than gothic and the associated literature, as well as mystery. You, should have gathered that by now.

Sorry! I know. . . I guess everyone has different preferences. Anyways, thanks, Dragomir!

Dragomir Volkov

Spruce Nogard

Sources:

http://poestories.com/read/raven 

http://poestories.com/read/masque 

Attributions:

https://pixabay.com/en/raven-crow-night-creepy-darkness-988218/

Writing: Mental Library: Lit. Devices

Good morning/afternoon/evening to my fantastic, fabulous, Friends!

Today, we are adding another topic to our mental libraries: lit. devices/figurative language. Many of you have probably heard of these, and are maybe thinking: Oh, great. Not this again. After all, it is drilled into you in school. You might even wonder why they make any difference in writing. Here is an example:

Original sentence: She was hot.

Sentence with lit. devices: The girl felt like every bone in her body was on fire as her many muscles screamed for her mind to make her misery end.

See? It does make a difference after all.

Today, lucky Friends, we have a guest doing your post (the rest of it, anyways)! He is our first guest, and he writes Gothic stories. I mean, if you look up the definition of Gothic literature, that's what he writes. So, without further ado, let me welcome Dragomir Volkov!

Dragomir: Greetings, Readers. I am honored to be requested to post on Spruce's blog. As I do not have much time, I am unable to go into as much depth with each literary device as I otherwise would prefer. Notwithstanding this minor difficulty, I will endeavor to provide you with the primary elements of some select literary devices.

Alliteration: Alliteration is when many words start with the same sound in a sentence/phrase.

Example: The Headless Hunt grew hugely, year after horrible year.

Simile: A comparison between two or more unrelated things using like or as.

Example: The Headless Hunt's pandemonium was like the laughter of the sky.

Metaphor: A comparison between two or more unrelated things using is or are.

Example: The Headless Hunt's pandemonium was the laughter of the sky.

Personification: Giving human-like qualities to a non-human thing.

 Example: The forest's dead hands clawed despairingly at the ghostly glamour of the Headless Hunt's steeds.

Onomatopoeia: Words that describe a sound.

Example: The trees creaked as the Headless Hunt whooshed over them menacingly.

These are among the few basic literary devices one would find in literature. However, there are more I wish to explain, but Spruce has forbidden me to improve upon this post, considering it would then be too long, and of no interest to you. Farewell, Readers.

Thank you so much, Dragomir! We hope to have you back sometime soon! Among the lit. devices Dragomir didn't cover are: foreshadowing, irony, oxymoron, and many more. We shall have to post about them a different time.

Use your new knowledge of lit. devices in your future writing, Friends!

Spruce Nogard