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How To Remember 90% Of Everything You Learn

Wish you could learn faster?

Whether you’re learning a new language, a new instrument, or a new sport, we could all benefit from accelerated learning. But the problem is, there’s only so much time in the day.

The key to accelerated learning is not just putting in more hours, but maximizing the effectiveness of the time spent learning.

Keep reading

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12 Dozen Places To Educate Yourself Online At No Cost

“All education is self-education.  Period.“

It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting in a college classroom or a coffee shop. We don’t learn anything we don’t want to learn.

Those people who take the time and initiative to pursue knowledge on their own are the only ones who earn a real education in this world.  Take a look at any widely acclaimed scholar, entrepreneur or historical figure you can think of.

Formal education or not, you’ll find that he or she is a product of continuous self-education.

If you’re interested in learning something new, this article is for you.  Broken down by subject and/or category, here are several top-notch self-education resources I have bookmarked online over the past few years.

Note that some of the sources overlap between various subjects of education.  Therefore, each has been placed under a specific subject based on the majority focus of the source’s content.

Keep reading

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How To Digest Books Above Your “Level” And Increase Your Intelligence

To do great things, you have to read to lead.

Keep reading

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All my girls

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The mere fact that [Ron and Hermione] were still there on either side of him, speaking bracing words of comfort, not shrinking from him as though he were contaminated or dangerous, was worth more than he could ever tell them.

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Editing Checklist

Editing Software:

StyleWriter 4 is fantastic. It’s an add-on for Microsoft word and has a 14-day trial period. It goes through your text, picks out “glue words”, misspellings, long sentences, homonyms, passive tense, shows your reading grade level, and more.

Editminion *FREE* checks for adverbs, weak words, passive voice, cliches, and homonyms among other things.

Pro Writing Aid is another online editor. It is mostly free, but offers more features if you pay.

AutoCrit offers free analysis for under 500 words, otherwise you have to pay for more text and more editing features.

Paper Rater offers a free service for editing, but it is designed for essays.

Formatting Checklist: This follows the general guide of formatting a manuscript in Microsoft word. However, some literary agents and editors have their own requirements.

Under the paragraph option, change the special indentation to first line at .5”. Change to document to double spaced.

There should be no spaces between paragraphs.

When showing a scene break, center # on a blank line.

Font should be easy to read. Courier New and Times New Roman are preferred at size 12.

All margins should be 1”.

Start chapters on a new page and put the chapter title 1/3 down the page. Write the chapter like so: CHAPTER ONE - CHAPTER TITLE. Press return 4 - 6 times before starting the text of the chapter.

For the header, put YOUR NAME/BOOK TITLE/PAGE NUMBER in the upper right-hand corner. Start this header on the first page of the first chapter.

The cover page of your manuscript should have your name, word count, and contact information in the upper left-hand corner.

The title on the cover page should be in all caps. Your name should be underneath in all caps. If you use a pen name, write YOUR REAL NAME (WRITING AS PEN NAME).

At the end of the manuscript, start a new page and write END.

Self-Editing Checklist:

Spelling:

If you are using Microsoft word for your word processor, use the spell check. After that, go through the manuscript line by line to make sure everything is spelled right. You may have used “form” instead of “from” and skipped it because Microsoft word did not see it as misspelled.

Printing out your work or viewing it in another way (such as a pdf on an ereader) helps find these mistakes.

Beta readers can find what you missed as well.

Use editing software to check homonyms or look up a list of homonyms and find them in your document using ctrl + f. Check these words to make sure you used the right spelling.

Grammar and Style:

First use Microsoft word’s grammar checker, but be aware that it is not always right. Check grammar girl if you are unsure.

For dialogue, you can always pick up a professionally published book and look at how the dialogue tags are used, where commas are placed, and when other punctuation is used.

If you’re in school and your English teacher isn’t too busy, have them take a look at it.

Look out for prepositions. Most of the time, you can omit these words and the sentence will still make sense. Beginner writers use a lot of these in their writing and it slows the flow.

Check for adverbs. You’d be surprised at how many you use in your writing, sometimes up to five a page. Using a few in narration is okay, but only a few. Delete adverbs you find, especially those that end in “-ly”, and rewrite the sentences in necessary.

Delete gerunds and forms of “to be” if writing in past tense. Instead of “were running”, write “ran”.

Check subject-verb agreement.

Use correct dialogue tags. People don’t bark their words. They shout.

Two digit numbers should be written as words (twenty-seven) while numbers with more than two digits should be written with numbers (123).

Avoid passive verbs.

Vary sentence length.

Show with the five senses rather than telling.

Most of the time, you can delete the word “that”.

Avoid using “unique” or “significant” words too often.

Consistency:

Make sure all your font is the same size and type.

Make sure you have no plot holes. Use the comment feature in Microsoft Word to track these plots.

Make sure your time line is consistent.

The tone should fit the scene.

There should be one POV per scene. Unless you’re a brilliant writer and can pull off third person omniscient.

Verb tense should be consistent.

Keep track of the details you release of people, places, and things. The reader will remember if in one chapter you say your protagonist has blue eyes and in another you say green.

Pacing:

The whole book should flow in and out of fast paced scenes to keep your reader interested and slow scenes to give them a break.

The middle should not “sag”.

Sentences should flow smoothly.

Plot:

Keep track of all your plots and sub-plots. Readers will remember them.

There should be a beginning, middle, and end.

Is the initial problem at the beginning of the manuscript?

There should be at least one antagonist. This does no have to be a person.

Is there enough conflict?

There should be a resolution.

All scenes should have something to do with plot.

The climax should be the most exciting part.

Character:

The protagonist should change by the end of the book.

Make sure all characters who come in contact with one another have some kind of relationship, whether good or bad.

Characters must have motivation for everything.

The protagonist must want something right from the start of the conflict.

The protagonist needs to be captivating. The readers wants to root for the protagonist. This does not mean the protagonist needs to be likable all the time.

The readers likes to relate to characters. Make sure your characters are diverse enough that readers can identify with one.

Know who your protagonist is. The main character is not always the same. For example, Nick in The Great Gatsby is the main character, but Jay Gatsby is the protagonist. This is important to know while writing your query letter.

If you can delete a minor character from a scene and nothing changes, then delete that character.

Sometimes you can make two minor characters one without losing any essential parts of the story. If you can, do this.

All characters react and act.

Each character has his or her own life.

Dialogue:

Dialogue should be believable. Read it out loud.

Don’t go overboard with phonetic spelling if a character has an accent.

Dialogue should be informal and natural. It does not have to be grammatically correct.

Prose:

Avoid purple prose. I’ve never met anyone with “emerald eyes” or “hair of fire” (except for the Flame Princess).

Don’t use too many adjectives.

Avoid cliches.

Other:

Don’t info dump. Pace information through dialogue and narration.

The first sentence should spark interest, or at least the first three. If it does, the first paragraph should be the same. And the first 250 words. The goal is to get the reader past the first page.

Let your story rest. When you’re ready to edit, start at the end. Writers tend to get lazy at the end of their story whether they are writing it for the first time or revising it after revising the rest of the story.

Make sure your manuscript is within range for your genre’s word count.

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The Five Senses [Extended Edition]

I’m not talking about a sixth sense (or am I??) Here is most everything a character can be aware of:

Volume

Rhythm/Pattern

Smell

Touch

Pressure

Friction

Time

Sight

Taste

Color

Depth

Relative sizes

Sound

Pitch

Tone

Personal emotion

Awareness of awareness

Heartbeat

Gravity

Motion of self

Exterior motion

Body position

Temperature

Balance

Muscle tension

Energy

Moisture/humidity

Sound direction

Reality

Group emotions

Consciousness level

Pain

Perception of conclusions

Perception of imagination

Awareness of not knowing

Awareness of others

Awareness of location

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at the Potter house

Lily: Mummy can I have a cookie?

Ginny: No, sorry sweetie we are all out.

Lily: Oh, what a pity. :(

Ginny: O.O Oh no...

Lily: What Mummy?

Ginny: Don't say pit-

Harry: *bursts through door* Don't pity not having a cookie-

Ginny: Ugh. Every time...

Harry: Pity those who have never had a cookie-

Ginny: Really?

Harry: And above all, those who can never have a cookie; diabetics!

Ginny: That word is forever banned in this household, tell your brothers.

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vincent van gogh

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somewhat strange au ideas

- cellmates au - fan/stan x idol au - olympic competitors au - american revolution au - songwriter x singer au - met in a concert line au - final destination movies inspired au - met at alcoholics anonymous au

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This is absolutely gorgeous @sleepygrimm You’re truly gifted. Happy 2019 to you and all the wonderful people who’re a part of this lovely fandom

Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger

HappY New YeAr Dramione! 🥂🎇🎉

Wshing You All The Best of the Coming Year. Love, Happiness and Good Health.

May you all conquer your fears, have projects that nourish your soul.

Stay as Passionate and Imaginative.

Live in A World of Endless Possibilities.

Be The Seeker Of Your Magic!

You are all great Inspirations! 😍

Thank you!

For @lightofevolution @trinkisme @daswhoiam @coyg-81 @labelladonex @frumpologist @kittenshift-17 @mrsren96 @senlinyuwrites @mrbenzedrine89 @gracediamondsfear @themourningmadam @otterlyardent @niffizzle @rezakeene @naarna @rzzmg @nevernike @riverwriter @lovesbitca8 @shadu-kiam @kissyourdemons @gryffindoor-to-slyther-in @dionysius1024 @runningquill-writing @dramionefeltson @otterplusferret @lostdhrfics @motherbearof03 @slytherindramaqueen

@amaliabones and to everyone in the fandom!

A shoutout to @littlechmura @upthehillnsfw @runningquill-art

Words are not enough to express how gifted you are.

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draco and hermoine please? i love your writing so so much thank you

Draco looks out of his window and watches people rushing by one by one with overloaded arms and shopping bags of different kinds of labels. He’s quiet. Unmoved. Pansy sighs behind him. She clicks her tongue, then leans in close to him. Outside Hermione is in the middle of balancing ten different tomes at once. 

“She’s not that bad, you know?”

I know, Draco thinks. His lips rest pressed together. No sound escapes. I know, that’s the problem.

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draco and harry? :)

Draco doesn‘t know what Harry wants from him. This is all starting to feel rather too much like masochism and he’s not even sure he completely understands why. It has been said by several people, at entirely separate accounts, that Harry Potter is a “force of nature”. Draco can agree with them.

There‘s a message on his phone and Draco replies, ‘We should stop this.‘

‘Say stop. Next time.‘

‘Not going to be a next time, so no problem.‘

There‘s a pause, a full minute without a reply and Draco thinks, almost, there wouldn‘t be an answer anymore. But then his phone starts to vibrate.

‘Trust me. There‘s always going to be a next time with you.‘

And really, how could Draco argue with that?

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draco and hermione 😊

Cormac McLaggen rushes through the door the moment Draco pushes his hand under her skirt. She doesn’t hesitate but instead raises her wand, “Incarcerous.“ 

Silver ropes float out of the tip of her wand and wind around Cormac’s body.

Draco curses, annoyed, and takes his hand back again. Hermione watches as slender fingers run through his whitish hair.

“Great. How are we supposed to explain this?“

She tilts her head and studies the different shades of blond in Cormac’s hair, observes the way his eyes grow larger, the way the fear creeps in.

“We don’t,“ she finally murmurs. She kneels down and pushes the tip of her wand against the temple of golden locks. “Imperio.“

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a mini story about Theo and Harry, please 😍

“So basically you get an E-Mail with a skull symbol and then they implant a chip in your wrist?“

Harry watches as Theo puts another hand full of salty crisps between his lips. He chews, then washes them down with the rest of his soft drink. He shakes his head.

“It’s not just a skull. It’s called the Dark Mark. It’s the sign that you’re one of the inner circle.“

Harry taps his pen nervously against the notebook in his lap while Theo throws the bag of crisps - or what remains of them - on the coffee table and brushes little salty crumbs off his fingers.  

“Look Potter, you can’t choose them. They choose you. You get an E-Mail with all the details. Time, place, and what else you need to know. When you get there they implant a little chip in your wrist that works as your ID card. They scan it each time before you step into the club.“

Theo stretches his arm out and shows him a tiny scar, almost non-visible to the naked eye. 

“How could you let them do this?“

“It’s no big deal, really.“ 

“Why did you do it?“

Harry feels as if he misses something. Something important that he overlooks in the big pattern. When Theo replies his words are carefully chosen. 

“They promise dreams but they deliver nightmares.“