The Amazing Spider-Man & Writing

Cobwebs filled my mind today when I woke up. Last night I spent two hours with Andrew Garfield and Gwen. This movie, The Amazing Spiderman was showing at our local theater and my daughter begged me to take her. I went because I am a huge Spiderman fan and I knew I couldn’t pass this opportunity up. What I did not know was that this movie would move my writing into a new direction. The Amazing Spiderman staring Andrew Garfield, is one of the most popular Spiderman movies to have been produced yet. The emotional story of Peter Parker is what drives the audience to cherish and adore this version of Peter’s story over the other films. When I watched this film for the first time I did not notice the emotionally driven story line and plot. I was merely a frustrated member of the audience who was disappointed that I was not watching another Spiderman staring blue eyed, Toby Maguire. Watching this movie for the second time in theaters gave me the opportunity to watch it as a viewer without any expectations or memory of the movie in detail as it had been years since I watched it for the first time. This version of Peter Parker shows a more timid, unconfident, and sensitive Peter. He clearly has pain from the abandonment of his parents and feels at a loss in life. You can tell his character is longing for someone to understand him and someone to encourage him. Little did he know that his Uncle was all he needed. This movie took me on an emotional rollercoaster as I watched Peter grow in the story. The plot got thicker and the viewers could watch him tackle each hit one by one but still get up to fight. He did not have to save anyone in yet he felt it was his responsibility to do so. His growth through out the movie is painful to watch but it kept me engaged the entire way through. This screenwriting was done by provoking emotions into the characters from the very first scene. The audience relates with Peter because everyone at some point in their lives has felt out of place and lost. You cannot help but root for Peter as he learns his skills as Spiderman. You want him to be happy, and to be okay even up to the very end of the movie. There is a sense of relief and comfort when the film ends because as a viewer, we are attached to this person that the writer’s have created for us. Which brings me to the point of my writing diary today. In the past when I would try to write a story, I would write without any idea in mind, and no plan. No connection at all to any of the characters I was building as I was writing. It has occurred to me that may be one of the many reasons I never finished my stories. I was trying to write a story for characters whom I was not emotionally attached too. Which brings me to ask myself, “ IF I am not emotionally attached to my characters, why would any one reading be?”

This movie was written by screen writers: James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Steve Kloves. These men are wonderful story tellers. (The director Marc Webb is a master visual story teller, so he cannot go unmentioned for his efforts in this film. He is outstanding.) These writers have learned the ability to capture the audience and make them feel. That is the kind of story I want to write. That is what was missing in my previous stories. And this is what I must learn to write my book.

Today I watched a few Ted talks and one that I loved most was by Andrew Stanton the writer of Walle, Toy Story, and Finding Nemo. He explains the importance of story telling and how emotion is the main ingredient of a good story. I learned so much this morning than I have in the many years of my on and off again writing journey.

I will continue to learn about the art of story telling and how to craft meaningful and relatable characters. I think this will be the turning point in my writing career and will provide the drive I needed to finish my story.

I have forgotten how much movies affect my creativity. I have forgotten how it feels to walk out of the movies wishing I could be the one writing them.

I will continue this path and see where it takes me.

Love,

A

Hallmark Meets Booktok

Tonight I am watching a Hallmark movie on YouTube called “Blind Date With a Book Club”. Basically it is a bookshop owner who creates mystery books wrapped in paper for the Book Club members to open and read together. It is called a Blind Date with a Book. A Best Selling Author comes in with his self published book to see if his book can be in her book club.

I am curious to know if Hallmark has been studying social media and finding out that readers are all over the place. Including authors because this movie has definitely catered to the bookish girlies/and boys.

So get out your popcorn and drinks! It is movie night!

Link is below!

https://youtu.be/n80Pk5-2HjE?si=B3dBViJ1miwYxc1w

Hello,

One day you have a blog you have owned for four years or more. And the next thing you know you are accidentally deleting it with no turning back. I have learned so much over the last few years in-regards to social media, blogging, and designing. I wanted to create an entire new website and blog to reflect my growth. This website will offer more than just my blog, it will offer book reviews, a close up on my writing journey and process, recipes and other fun things from my grimoire, cozy hobbies and tips for mental health. As well as snippets of a day in the life of a homeschool mom. Here and there you will find my pets as well involved. I think it is time to share more of myself than I ever have before and the only way to do that is to start from the beginning of my writing journey. So if you will go through the blog posts I will share what I have done so far and then where I am as of today. I hope you stay along for the journey and find yourself at home here. Please feel free to browse my website and reach out if you have any questions. I cannot wait to start this adventure with you!

Love,

Amanda Insco/Amanda the Book Witch*

Writer Diaries

One silly dream that turned into a full sprung story idea. That is what happened to me a few months ago. I was sleeping and this idea just came to me as clear as the bright sunny sky. From then I began doing something I have never done when writing a story. I told myself no matter the outcome of the story, I was going to finish this idea. I am going to finish this idea because I have never finished an idea before. I wrote a children’s book, paid for the illustrations but I have not published. I want to complete this new idea because for some reason this just feels right. So I guess this idea is something more than an idea to me now that I’ve begun my research. I am discovering parts of this story, the character’s and the location as if I am uncovering a mystery. All of the elements seem to be fitting perfectly in place as if I have written this before. I do struggle with the writing process, and writing what comes to me. I worry that I am not writing enough or what I am writing is too cliche’. I know that is just imposter syndrome eating away at this idea trying to force me to quit. I refuse! I wrote today for the first time in weeks after the passing of my sweet Sadie. ( My best friend and dog companion.) Today I felt the need to start the story regardless if I have all of my research done or not. To just start the dang thing already and see where it takes me! I had fun too, which was a first in a very long amount of time. Writing today helped me se what parts of my research I need to dive more in depth with and what parts of my characters need more information. I think I can do this thing. I can actually write this book. The only thing that is holding me back is…me.

Do you suffer from Imposter Syndrome? If you do let me know!

Love,

A

I am a hot mess.

For a very long time I have rotated my logo, my colors, my social names, my hobbies, my entire life. I failed at being consistent. I always thought I was not cut out for completing anything I wanted to do. Maybe something just was not clicking and I would just continue to float like a feather in the wind. That is how it felt, it felt like I couldn’t trust myself to be committed to anything but the ‘‘idea” of something. That was until I started to learn more about ADHD and how this affects women. The more I learned and researched the more it made sense to me. I struggled for so long and none of it was all my fault. I sought help recently and now I am on ADHD meds to help and so far they are working. My mind is slower, it is quiet, and I am learning to do one thing at a time. Aside from my mental health, I am also working on improving my physical health. I am getting help to see if I have Celiac or something else going on that is making me feel horrible. I keep looking forward to fall of 2024, when things will be figured out. ( I hope) I know sooner than later my life will be changed for the better.

I have worked so hard on my healing journey and now it is time to take care of the rest of me.

For anyone out there struggling know you are not alone and there is nothing wrong with putting you first.

Sending you all the love,

Amanda Insco/Amanda The Book Witch