The writing process

A lot of people have asked me "How do you start a new story?" and recently I have answered "Start it the way you expect a good book/story to start". Some people almost laugh at how easy it actually can be and facepalm themself and others just look like questionmarks. When I say that you should start a story the way you would want a story to start I mean that you should pretend to be the reader for a while and just close your eyes and figure out how your dream book starts. Do they start running from a monster? If you like the idea, go for it -- but, however you start your story, start it in a way you like, and write with joy. If you don't write with joy, don't write at all. I know some people may take that in a bad way, but, when people who write with joy, or do anything that pleases them or makes them happy, they always get the best results.
   If you don't succeed at the first try: Don't you dare to give up. (No matter if it is writing, drawing or anything else.) Do you know how many people who get criticized just because they do what they love to do? (Or because they just love someone?) The number of people should actually scare you all. Everybody thought Van Gogh was crazy, and today he's one of the most famous painters in all time. J.K. Rowling? We shouldn't even start to talk about how many no she got to Harry Potter. And Suzanne Collin's "The Hunger Games" didn't get worldfamous before the last book. And, I mean, what would the world be without Harry Potter that has saved so many lives? With this I don't mean that you're not going to get hate for whatever you do, you are going to get more hate for the things you love to do just because some people live on others' happiness, no, with this I mean that you should never give up. One of my friends is writing a novel where the main character is gay, and I don't even know how many hate letters she has gotten together with letters there it stands that people will kill her if she continues with the novel -- and, I'm so happy that she continues, she's one of the most talanted people I have ever met and it would be a waste of her talent if she listened to the horrible people who try to make her stop with what she loves to do. And, she's such a strong person! (Not to talk about what a strong mother she is...!) But, she also get letters from people who love her work and supports her. I'm one of I don't really know how few, that has actually got to read some chapters, and I love them. She is a person who's gold worth, and I really hope for her sake that the publishers will tell her that they liked it and will publish her book. So, even if there's downsides there's always upsides too. (Everything have, haven't they?)
   The writing can change your life more than you can ever expect, and often it's in a good way. Personally, my writing have made to a better person and have given me a goal in life I'm trying to reach.

You have probably heard "just sit down and write something!" from people -- if you have told anyone that you write, or your ideas. I personally haven't told anyone in my family what my books are about, even if some of my friends know what I'm writing about. No one in my family have ever really been the book-type.
   For some people it's pretty easy to just sit down and write whatever you want to. But, for others it isn't really that simple. You maybe like to plan a whole year before you start the actual writing -- and, you know what? That's okay. Simple because if that's your way of writing that's the best possible way.
   All you actually need is something to write on, and something to write with.
   I'm not kidding. You don't always need an idea. Some days I really want to write, and when I try to sit down and write something on my trilogy the only thing that comes on the computer screen is nonsense, so, then I take something else to write -- maybe another story, maybe just a random thing, just something to write. Because on of the most important rules within the writing is to never stop writing. Write whatever you like to write, as long as you write.
   The second thing you really need to write something is motivation and inspiration. Have you ever tried to write and the stuff you write aren't just... right but you continue writing and hoping for the best? Yeah, sometimes that works, but for the most of the time you should really screw that idea and sit down to read, watch a serie or whatever you like to do, maybe draw something?

And, then, when you have (an idea), something to write on and inspiration you're officially ready to write. Because, as long as you love to write, writing is one of the easiest things in the world. For some people this isn't that easy, just to sit down and write, or come up with an idea -- and, that's why you always should read other books, watch tv-shows, look at art and discuss the world and AUs (alternative universes) with your friends. Don't be afraid of being "weird" with your ideas -- they are often the most spectacular...!

Good luck with whatever your passion in life is! :)

-- Selma.

Under wings' protection

"No." She determined shakes her head. "Never. It is't even certain that she manages to put out the fire!"

   I can almost swear that she succeeds, otherwise you can put out the fire," he says trying with a smile. He is sure this even though the sister of his friend hesitates.
   "But ... if she doesn't succeed? You might think that I will succeed, but I'm not so strong yet." She's desperate now. What's he talking about? Why would he do such a thing against Laurina?
   "She will succeed, believe me, you guys are identical twins, you share the same blood. That she would not be able to use elemental magic ... it's unthinkable. But, if that's the way, if that happens, you can personally behead me," he says, with a self-assured tone. She still hesitating.
   "She's terrified of fires," she notes contradictory.
   "Not deep down, I have seen her fascinating and wistful glances when we have been sitting by the fire," he says and fires a victory cheerful smile.

   "Believe me, she will not like this fire. Every time Dad even says the word 'move' she immediately protests together with mom. Mom's gonna be pissed when she discovers that her house that has been passed down through generations is about to burn to the ground. "
   "She's out of town next week, that's when I'll do it," he says firmly.

   "No," she says even more firmly and slams hard together the notebook that lies on her lap. Her blue eyes almost burns of anger. "You can not use our lessons to discuss it here. You shouldn't even had brought up the subject!" she hisses, and the birds immediately fall silent . Their cheerful chirping no longerfills  the forest they're in.

   The sun goes in the cloud and it looks as the weather is on the girl's side now and follows her mood. The boy doubtfully looks up at the white clouds and discovers the gray ones who're heading towards them. "You might like to calm down?" He asks, a little anxiously. She shakes her head.
   "It's not my mood the weather follows. But, if it would do that, the flashes you are concerned about would already have destroyed at least a dozen trees, believe me. "He looks suspiciously at her but at the same time, he knows how fiery her mood can be. She takes a deep breath and seems to calm down slightly but the gray rain clouds filled with rain drops that longs to meet the warm ground and cool it are still left.
   "I am not both an elemental and a witch, did you forget that?" she says. 
   "No, you're right," he says, tears his gaze from the sky and faces her blue eyes instead.
   "It's not possible that anyone could control the weather with their mood, right? Or, I mean, the weather would follow one's mood?" she asks curiously, but also glad over that they don't discuss the burning of the house anymore.
   "Yes, but then you have to be a witch and an elemental as the weather always consists of the strength of the Elements and the magic from a witch -- or warlock -- gives the opportunity to influence it. Two forces form a new, roughly," he says, and curses himself for being so naive to actually believe that these lessons would go so easily. These things are as obvious to him as a human being breaths but it was more difficult to explain than what he would have thought.
   "... I hope you understand?" he wonderingly adds and she nods. 
    "In a storm all of the Elements exist and the magic from the people in the witch race or warlock race gives the person an opportunity and scope to use the Element's forces more volatile than just focusing on just one spot. Or, well, something like that. But I rather think that if you have a witch's -- or warlock's -- magic it may happen that it happens to 'leak' out when you have conflicting or strong feelings. And if you then also have a blessing from all of the Elements, or only some, you can accidentally affect the weather without wanting it?" she asks, and then takes a deep breath. There was quite a lot to say without inhaling properly.
   The boy -- Dominick -- nods approvingly. 
    "Thank God that youunderstand  better than I explain," he says with relief. The girl gives him a big and yet teasingly and a playful smile at the same time.
   "If you didn't explain reasonably well, I would never get it," she notes, still with her smile, but now it's even pleased. She managed to learn one more thing today. If she continues like this it will not take long before she can more than she could ever dream of.
   The boy suddenly sighs.
   "But I will never be able to learn you to control the fire," he says and becomes dissatisfied with himself. 
    "What?" she asks puzzled. He nods toward something at her feet --the stump. She looks down and aghast look at the little dancing flame at the stump's roots and she extinguishes it rapidly.
   "See, you could put that one out," he notes. She glares at him. 
   "It was four inches high! The fire you're talking about would be several meters high! Remember that we have downstairs, upstairs, and the wind! And the basement then," she says grimly and do not even dare to think about the idea of ​​how big the fire could be. He does not respond to it and just sit quietly until he seems to get on better thoughts.
   "You haven't noted," he observes. She looks up in surprise.
   "What for something?" she wonders.
   "That the weather changes depending on someone's mood." A light goes up for her and she opens the notebook again and writes it down quickly and then looks up again with a curious and wondering look.
   "That would never happen, right? The weather following someone's mood?" she asks inquisitively.
   "It hasn't happened for a few centuries, only the elect ones can do it ... and it's been a while since they existed," he says, and suddenly, almost out of the blue, it starts raining so heavily that you could have believed they were in a shower.
   "End of today's lesson then," Dominick says and stands up and then looks at the stump he was sitting on and the look is anything but longing.
   "Yep," she says, and slams the notebook before she looks at him again. "How is it that you can all this really? You are not an elemental nor a witch, or warlock for that matter," she says, and examines him with a searching look. He just grins to answer, as usual, and with a sigh she goes her away, leaving him alone in the woods, in the rain.
   "Angel," he shouts behind her. She turns all too interested around, she might get her answer anyway?
   "Next week! When your Mom and Dad are away," he screams to her. 
   When a lightning strikes a few feet behind him, you could think that it was her mood that created it. She sees him jump to and then, with angry steps, she goes from there.
   "Okay! Then you know," he shouts behind her again. 
   "Don't you dare, Dominick," she angrily yells  back.

That was the prologue from my first book in my trilogy -- "The eternal battle" -- and my book is about this girl, Laurina, who actually is elected by Lightness a.k.a "the good power" of this story.

   That was the beginning of this story, and, as you now know Dominick -- Laurina's big love and best friend -- will set fire to her house, which, Laurina puts out. And, after that secrets will be discovered, and one of them is what the h*ll Dominick actually is -- and, boy, he shouldn't have told anyone that he is what he is. Right after he tells Laurina what he actually is a lot of things start to happen. And, without any spoilers: Laurina ends up like the one who pays the price together with Angel, her twin sister, and it will turn out that she actually is the person everyone wants, just because she is elected (trust me, you don't want to be in her shoes even if her life has its good sides, especially in her love life).

-- Selma. 

The first step - introduce myself

My name is Selma. I'm an author (I would like to see myself as one at least, but maybe not all of you would agree with me), trying to get my stories published.
   I don't live in a English speaking country, but the English language has always been close to my heart, but, because of the fact that English isn't my first language it has a lot of flaws. My first languge is Swedish and Sweden is where I come from.
   Since I was little I have always loved stories, all of them -- books, mythologies, folktales... I kind of grew up with them and later in my life I realized that I really want to be an author and last year I came up with the a book idea that kind of changed my life. I never thought the idea would actually be something, but now I'm working on the third and last book while I'm trying to get the first book published. (In Sweden we send our manuscrips to a publisher without contacting an agent and then it's up to the publishers if they like it or not.)
   This blog is mostly about my writing, all of my stories actually even if it probably will be mostly about my beloved trilogy.

This is what I can say about myself right now. I am kind of ambivert, which means that I'm neither "extrovert" nor "introvert", more something like in the middle -- I am moderately comfortable with groups and social interactions but I mostly prefer to be alone and have some "problems" to just give away information about myself.

-- Selma.