crevice4creators

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Quote of the Week 3/4/2024

Hellen Keller is a very inspirational figure for people of all communities. Someone who could not see or hear, but touched the world with her simply...being. But she didn't become a legend by herself. Another very special woman, Anne Sullivan, worked with Helen. It was long, hard, frustrating work. I'm sure there were moments when Anne's patience was pushed to its limit.

We encounter many people that need a special person to teach them how to "get out into life." We can get frustrated with them. Feel like nothing we do is working. But if we can stay patient and work with people where they're at, everyone has the potential to become a beacon of hope for others. And in the process of helping them reach their potential, we in turn become beacons of hope, too. Hope is one of those beautiful things that can only be felt with the heart.

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“Irrational Creeps” – Unique Character Development

I live in a college dorm. It’s not terrible, especially since I get a room to myself. But at the end of the day, it’s still one of the old and cheap options, which means that a problem isn’t a problem unless it’s completely and utterly broken. I was trying to fill my cup up with water and the entire sink handle came clean off! It went back on pretty easily. But there was this weird, irrational unease feeling I got when I looked at the sink without the handle. Seeing the inner-workings exposed on something intended to never be seen just made me feel unsettled. Then suddenly my mind recalled similar happenings when I got this feeling: when computer keys were popped off, shower heads missing, car dashboards cracked open.

Irrational fears are one thing, but what about irrational creeps? Things that don’t really scare you per se, but create a sense of unease. For me, that apparently means seeing exposed parts of houses and cars. But I also feel uneasy in the dark, but only when around my country house. There are certain body movements that also make me feel unsettled, or how certain creatures move. I know that none of these things pose a threat, yet for some reason they still make me feel unexplainably off.

These irrational creeps are natural, unique, and often very specific. So if we want to add that extra layer to our OCs, why not brainstorm a few ideas?

They can be things that seem logical: Unlocked doors at night, a cup sitting near the edge of a table, or a stack of books that seems unreasonably tall.

They can be equally irrational: Clutter in the corner of houses, toys with their eyes facing toward you, or having to walk in the dark of a locked room to reach a light switch.

The things you choose don’t necessarily have to make sense, hence the label “irrational.” But if you want to go the extra mile to try and explain why this thing might be eating away at your character’s subconscious, then let your imagination run wild. Have fun creating and feel free to share the ideas you come up with!

Have a blessed day and keep being awesome!

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QotW 2/19/2024

"It’s not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me." - Batman, 2005

Welcome back to the Crevice! There’s nothing like coming back to a classic superhero quote. But superheroes are “heroes” for a reason. They have been a source of entertainment and agents of morality ingrained within our culture.

Batman isn’t like most heroes, with natural powers or god-like heritage. He’s just a guy with a lot of money and fantasy gadgets. Nothing more than a simple man underneath all those flashy elements. Like him, we are all only human. Some of us are proud of ourselves, and we all have those things we aren’t proud of, too.

It’s really easy to think we’re better than someone else because of something we have or can do. It’s also easy to fall into jealousy and self-hate over our shortcomings. But whoever we are underneath doesn’t hold a torch to our future actions. What we do, starting from this moment, defines us. It shows how we’ve learned, changed, and grown.

Having negative thoughts or flaming emotions is natural. It’s okay to feel that way, and it doesn’t make you a terrible person. What you do with those feelings, whether your actions are healing or destructive, is what truly defines the strength of your character.

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Coming Back

I am proud to announce that posts should be resuming more regularly! Even though most quotes of the week and workshops will be posted in their entirety here on Tumblr, I encourage you to follow the main website using this link: crevice4creators.carrd.co

Looking forward to being creative together again!

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"By the time I got older, I knew who I am and I am happy with whom I am. Being born deaf, thinking I might have a good gift. Maybe I'd rather not hear."

Over the past weekend, I got the once in a lifetime opportunity to meet and talk to Matt Hamill. He's a national champion for both the hearing and Deaf world, and I was so excited that I made a fool of myself! He told about his life both on and off the fighting court. Despite being a warrior on the outside, he's probably one of the most sweetest and humble men I've ever met on the inside.

Like all of us, Matt grew up with his own set of challenges. A family with divided opinions, communication barriers, and life lessons hard-learned. But despite his barriers, he's a firm believer that "everything happens for a reason." Finding who he was and which steps to take weren't clear from the beginning. In most cases, it was simply a matter of try and see what happens. It was that trying...figuring out what worked and what didn't...that turned him into the role-model he is today.

In this process of trying, failures and successes are both inevitable. When we land on a failure, it's easy for us to blame ourselves. Maybe you also struggle with a family of divided opinions. Or maybe you have a disability or other struggle that challenges your everyday life. Maybe you thought "I wish I were born different" when opportunities slip through your fingers. If you've ever had that thought, turn it into a positive. You were born the way you were for a reason. Be proud of it and see where it leads you.

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Quote of the Week 10/16/2023

It's really easy to think that the simple things don't matter. You folded up the shirt someone carelessly tossed onto the clothing shelf...you complimented someone's shirt or gave them a smile...maybe you just held open the door. Just because there's no immediate "thank you" doesn't make your action meaningless.

You never know what's going on in someone else's life. Finding the shelves in order, seeing a smile, hearing a nice word, or just knowing that they are seen is sometimes all it takes to assure someone that everything isn't as dark as it seems. Being a hero isn't about the flashy performances and gawking eyes. You can be someone's hero simply by reminding them of the good hiding in the world.

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Imagine what the world would be like if we couldn't have fun with things. Imagine if we never laughed, told jokes, or found the bright side of anything. That would be a terrible world to live in, and the sad truth is that we are headed in that direction. We take things way too seriously, including ourselves. I encourage you to find one aspect of yourself and make light of it. Maybe you have a habit of forgetting the house keys, have a silly quirk, or make a myriad of other mistakes on a daily basis. Instead of trying to patch it up with stone cold seriousness, turn it into a chance to laugh and learn! See more quotes of the week

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Quote of the Week 10/2/2023

Possibly one of the most renowned filmmakers worldwide, Mr. Miyazaki has created iconic classics like Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, and more. If my math and googling are correct, he was about 44 years old when he released his first movie. How amazing is that?

I feel like too often we have this invisible pressure to pump our ideas out into the world as soon as we can. There are countless mottos about how fame can only be found in youth, a creator only gets 10 prime years in their career, people only support young artists...you get the point. The truth is that many famous creators found their fame much later in life. While getting something out into the world while you're young is definitely a plus, it's not the end-all-be-all of your creating career. Sometimes making the best stories takes lots of time. There's no shortcut or cheat code to bypass what time can give you. Sometimes all it takes is meeting the right person, a revelation, or special experience that turns your "okay" story into an unforgettable one. I know that when I look at the stories I wrote when I was younger, even only 3 years ago, my first thought is "wow...if I wrote this again now, I could do so much better!" and I know that when future me looks back on my current manuscripts, she'll say the same thing. There's a sweet spot between waiting too long and not being patient enough...it's a difficult spot to strike. But don't be afraid to give yourself at least a little bit of time. Creating isn't a stress, it's a process. Have a blessed day and keep being awesome! See other quotes of the week here

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Your OC's Parental Relationship

Our relationship with our parents affect many aspects of our lives, so it should be no different with our characters. But how much of our character's personality is nurture vs. nature? How far can parental influence go?

Go to the workshop

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Quote of the week 9/25/2023 Read more

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Language plays the biggest role in our creative journeys. It controls thought, expression, and understanding inside and outside of the worlds we create. Go to the workshop

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“I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.” ― Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Read more

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5 Important Uses for Your Fandom OCs

As someone who collects fandoms like Pokemon cards, I fully understand how characters can just “accidentally” be born out of our obsessions. These OCs almost always end in embarrassment and memories built on alters of cringe. But…what if I told you that they could actually be very beneficial in your creative journey?I could go into excruciating detail about the benefits, but I’ll keep these as…

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Quote of the Week 9/11/2023

“Imagination is a force that can actually manifest a reality. Don’t put limitations on yourself. Others will do that for you.”― James Cameron As a man who owns 3 of the top 5 highest grossing films in the box office, one of which is my favorite movie, James Cameron has more than proved his place among talented creators. He’s on my top ten list for sure. And even if we don’t have half-billion…

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Defining the "Core" of Your Character

Source: Rise of the Guardians, directed by Peter Ramsey, Dreamworks Animation, 2012 Your character, like a real person, is a complex tangle of likes, dislikes, relationships, past events, wants, fears, dreams, and the like. But if I asked you what the “core” of your character is, what would you say? When you strip all of those things away, who or what is left? Your head might be spinning, so let…

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Quote of the Week 9/4/2023

“You cannot allow what you know to be affected by the opinions of those who fear truth.”– Jynn

Jynn is a character from my book Treasure Hoarder. He’s a very old monster from the sea with a wealth of wisdom as deep as the water itself. This quote holds a profound meaning for all of us. There are many things we discover and experience for ourselves that we simply can’t share. If our belief goes against the grain of accepted truth, it pops up like a flashing target for mockery.

The people who jump to the conclusion that you are wrong and discredit your personal experiences before even considering it are people who fear truth. Not necessarily truth itself, but what truth could be, and that it could be something different than they thought.

You can't allow accepted truth, or these truth-fearing people, to change your beliefs. You have to stay strong in what you know is right and keep an open mind.

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Stories make up everything, but what makes up stories? There’s many things you could say. Most seasoned storytellers would say the characters make the story. But a story can also be made of environments, sequences of events, actions and consequences, morals and culture, among many other finer details. The truth is that a story is made up of all these aspects, and we can’t rightfully ignore any of them if we want to reach our full storycrafting potential. It doesn’t matter if you want to write a book, make a movie, develop a game, design characters, worldbuild for pleasure, roleplay for enjoyment, or simply entertain others in a mile long fast food line. Every creator, every medium, every level, can benefit from the Crevice. Keep in mind that this schedule may change or inconsistent from week to week. I am a college student as much as I am a passionate creator, and my academic success is most important.

Start with a Quote

Every Monday, I will post a quote with a small blurb. This can be from me, my characters, famous figures, or quotes from other sources that particularly stood out to me.

Workshop Wednesday

Every Wednesday (as much as possible) I will submit a post focusing on a particular topic. These posts will often have personal challenges for you to take on. “Homework” if you will. Sometimes they may also contain worksheets for personal use or that you can email to me and featured in a future Workshop.

Media Breakdowns

Some Wednesdays may be replaced with Media Breakdowns. This involved taking a pre-existing character, world, or concept, and analyzing it honestly.

Update Days

These are random posts where I will discuss things in personal life or drop hints on future projects.

Thank you for joining us in the Crevice and I will see you soon!