Story development: Some tips on making a character more interesting

 

Writing a story is truly not a simple task. For this reason, character development is key to making the story interesting. Discussed in this blog are some suggestions on how to do this. John Eilermann St. Louis 

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A character should represent a number of things. One way that makes a character interesting is that he or she belongs to a particular life context that makes it easy for the audience to relate. Forrest Gump was effective as a character because of his ordinariness, which is a trait that audiences can easily relate to. This is also why it made perfect sense for Cinderella to come from the poor and the oppressed. John Eilermann St. Louis

Another thing that makes a character more effective is a flaw. A character flaw is important to the character’s success, because this is the handicap that the character must live with throughout the development of the story, making redemption much sweeter in the end. In some cases, the character’s flaw is part of the problem that must be solved. In other cases, the character gains some sense of victory despite having the flaw. Either way, the flaw shows its importance in a character’s success. John Eilermann St. Louis 

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Finally, it helps for the character to have a lot of internal dialogue. Internal thoughts have an elaborate way of showing who a character truly is. Intrapersonal thoughts also work wonderfully in a number of ways. First, it is a reflection of the character’s own journey and growth. Second, it is an aspect of the character that only the audience is fully aware of. John Eilermann St. Louis

Train like a baseball player: Workouts for improving endurance and mobility

 

John Eilermann. Those who want to improve their physical fitness can try to train like a major league baseball player. As a sport that requires speed and strength, athletes must condition their bodies to avoid shoulder and elbow injuries that are common in their sport. Fitness experts say that some workouts MLB athletes do can also benefit the average person. Here are some MLB player workouts worth trying out. 

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Medicine ball overhead stomp

John Eilermann. While this looks like an easy workout, this step is important for athletes who need to get the ball to base. As a power workout, this routine trains the shoulders, triceps, calves, back, and especially the core. For baseball players, this can help them gain upper body strength and flexibility while developing their balance and endurance.

Fitness ball with cable rotations

This exercise involves holding the fitness ball up to the chest with the rope handle on the opposite side. Starting at a slightly bent position, the rope should be gripped with the outside hand while the other hand should stay open to balance the ball. This workout focuses develops a player's rotational strength while also training their core. John Eilermann.

Weighted backward bear crawl

Perfect for batters, this workout specifically trains the legs and the back muscles with a full range of motion. Focusing on these two areas allows batters to improve their bat speed and strength. For the pros, two weighted plates are used but for those who are new to this routine, using one weighted plate is enough. John Eilermann.        

Six books that are perfect for beginning readers

 

Reading is a great way to have one's mind open to different cultures, worlds, and languages. Not everyone has the privilege of developing good reading habits from childhood, which may become a disadvantage when a person enters adulthood. Here are six books every beginning reader should have on their list. John Eilermann St. Louis. 

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"Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White is an incredibly crafted novel that fits all age groups. Part of most school curricula, "Charlotte's Web" is a beloved classic with principles children can carry throughout their adulthood. "Meiko and the Fifth Treasure" by Eleanor Coerr is not exactly a popular choice. However, it does teach beginning readers a few things about Japan and its culture. John Eilermann St. Louis.

"Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie is popular among people of all ages for its familiar story. While aimed at kids, the book still captures and recaptures the hearts of adults. It's a true testament to the belief that reading is a means to travel. "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemmingway is a school staple that almost all English speakers have read it. Reasonably short, the classic inspires readers to grab a dictionary as it has a challenging vocabulary. John Eilermann St. Louis.

"A Wrinkle in Time" written by Madeline L'Engle is yet another classic that is easily a part of every early reader's life. The novel is composed of short and long sentences, engaging readers and letting them rest at times—great for pacing. Lois Lowry's "The Giver" has an easy-to-understand vocabulary and is free of confusion. With those qualities, the long novel can be finished in a breeze. John Eilermann St. Louis.

Achieve explosive core strength with these workouts

All athletes depend on their core for explosive movements. Sit-ups are not enough to build a strong core. Having strong abdominal muscles enables an athlete to have incredible rotational power commonly seen in mixed martial artists. This kind of strength can help football players create separation from their opponents in the field. John F. Eilermann Jr.

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Plank to push-up may seem like a simple workout to do. However, it’s definitely a challenging one as it works the core, back, and glutes. Barbell rollouts is an alternative to the old-but-gold Ab Wheel Roll-Out. This technique should work the core, not the arms. When the workout puts too much pressure on the arms and none on the core, the movement is incorrect. John Eilermann.

Landmine rotations develops core strength, with emphasis on the obliques. This workout is ideal for golfers and baseball players but can be helpful for football players. Cable woodchop is a functional workout technique that develops the core and oblique muscles, ensuring that every angle is covered. Remember to rotate the torso diagonally to prevent any unwanted muscle pulls while doing the workout. John Eilermann .

Athletes of all levels must develop core strength to enjoy an explosive performance. A well-developed midsection also ensures that a person has a strong back and can prevent injuries through proper movements. Before doing any of these exercises, remember to check in with a trainer and physician for optimal results. John Eilermann .

Work your writing muscle with these tips

In order to be a good writer, one must have a good command of the language they are listening, reading, and speaking. Improving in the practice of writing requires time, effort, patience, and intentionality. Here are a few tips to help work your writing muscle.

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Keep a diary. While considered an old-fashioned and outdated way of documenting one’s daily encounters and musings, it still helps develop one’s appreciation for writing. For those who partner writing with calligraphy, keeping a diary may also help improve one’s handwriting. Writers who consider themselves extroverts are more inclined to start a blog than keep a physical journal. Maintaining a blog can help a writer become more confident in putting their material out for the world to see. John Eilermann St. Louis.

If keeping a public blog seems like a stretch for one, they can always write for school magazines and newsletters. Doing this can give a writer their first taste of journalism. Fiercely confident writers work their muscle by joining literary article competitions. Such competitions double as an avenue for a writer to improve their style. One can gain invaluable knowledge and experience by participating in such competitions. John Eilermann St. Louis.

Accept that most of first drafts don’t pass. Editing is a skill a writer must possess. Thus, one should edit one’s own work. Before accepting editing jobs from other writers, learn to edit yourself without mercy. As experts say, majority of writing is rewriting. Having the cold eye of an editor enables a writer to work with more accuracy and less nonsense. John Eilermann St. Louis.

Footwork drills to keep you agile while on quarantine

While the rest of the world hits pause to stay protected from the virus or recover from its blows, professional athletes, health buffs, and fitness enthusiasts are not hitting pause on training. Workouts that focus on speed, agility, strength, and conditioning can be done at home, with little to no equipment. John Eilermann.

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One of the most popular footwork drills that athletes swear by is jump rope. From boxers to tennis players, jump rope helps improve an athlete’s mind-body coordination. It also develops a person’s endurance, speed, and agility. Jump rope drills can vary in height and speed, depending on the athlete’s preference and training needs. John Eilermann.

Step drills are effective ways to enhance footwork, stability, and agility. Side-to-side and front-to-back step workouts build various footwork skills that are necessary for sports that are big on footwork. Along with step drills, ladder drills that are done front-to-back and side-to-side help develop core, leg, and ankle stability. John Eilermann.

It should be an athlete’s second nature to start any workout with a warmup and edit it with a cool down. Warming up with dynamic stretches before a training session prevents one from overstretching their muscles and hurting their joints while working out. A cool-down may have the same stretches as the warmup, but they must be static to release tension. John Eilermann.

Dark origins of popular nursery rhymes

People often recall nursery rhymes from their childhood. These are often lively limericks that tell of a simple tale using fantastic elements and scenarios. What preschool teachers don’t tell children are the dark origins of these nursery rhymes. A lot of traditional nursery rhymes were written in times of great strife and were told with the sole purpose of instilling lessons to children. Here are some dark origins of popular nursery rhymes. John Eilermann St. Louis .

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Jack and Jill was about a royal beheading

Written in 1765, Jack and Jill was initially written as an account of King Charles I’s attempt at a tax on liquid measures. But 30 years later, the song takes a new meaning as the historical beheading of France’s Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette for the crime of treason. John Eilermann St. Louis.

London Bridge was built on blood

There are several theories when it comes to the rhyme London Bridge. Some of them pertain to how Viking attacks destroyed the bridge. But an even more harrowing theory claims that child sacrifices were made during the construction of the bridge to keep it upright. The belief was that the sacrificed children would help watch over the bridge and maintain its sturdiness. John Eilermann St. Louis .

Three blind mice were about a conspiracy to overthrow a monarchy

There were a lot of songs dedicated to the Queen of England Mary I, also known as Bloody Mary One limerick that survived came to be Three Blind Mice. Experts believe the song alluded to protestant bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Radley, and The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. They attempted to overthrow the queen and were burned at the stake for heresy. Critics claim that they were blinded by their titles and led them to believe that they could remove the queen from her throne. John Eilermann St. Louis .