Creative Writing--So Simple Even You Can Do It! (Probably)

[doesdoctorstuff.livejournal.com]

Most teachers would apologize for missing class the week before. But Navaan wasn't like most other teachers. She didn't even realize she'd missed a class!

Okay, so she was like some other teachers. Why didn't Pam, Cheryl, and Navaan hold weekly bad idea get-togethers? Mystery for the ages, folks.

"Today, we're going to talk about themes in your stories," Navaan said. She was dressed up like a ghoul for reasons that would become clear with her lecture. Or maybe just for Halloween. Who could really say? "Themes are really important in books. They're the main idea of the novel, the underlying premise. You have to have one, or the whole book falls apart in a big gloppy mess and even the best of sex scenes can't save it." She paused to reconsider. "Okay, maybe the best, but they'd have to be really up there and I'm not sure I've seen the quality of work from you lot that suggests you could pull that off."

Look, she didn't mean to be harsh, but aspiring writers needed to be able to take criticism.

"So, there are lots of themes you can choose from. Like...steampunk! And vampires! Or really, any kind of supernatural creature, as long as they're sexy. Ghosts are kinda a tough sell, being all incorporeal and all. Trust me, they just up and vanish on you when things are getting good. Other themes might include wizards, or magical high schools, or--hey! Has anyone thought about combining those two? That'd be awesome!"

Anyone who was expecting Navaan to delve into the class divide of steampunk or the underlying cultural anxieties of supernatural monsters was a) going to be sorely disappointed, and b) probably in the wrong class. Apparently, when Navaan discussed 'themes' she meant them in the most surface way possible, more like a theme park than anything to do with literature. "So, once you got your theme picked out, you need to make sure the it fits the rest of the book. Don't worry if it's not exactly perfect, you can pretty much make anything work if you try hard enough. You just have to be careful about using too many themes. Like, steampunk vampires would be cool--ooh, hey! I'm claiming that!--but you don't want to have steampunk vampires in a dystopian future setting with clockwork angels fighting for supremacy in the ruins of ancient temples. Space that stuff out and get a book deal that covers sequels."

Library, Thursday (10/23)

[wildandbrave]

It was entirely possible that Cosette had gotten sucked into a book (not literally, since it could go either way around here) and completely lost track of time last night, only to close it and realize that it was morning and she was still sitting there on the common room couch.

This not being an unusual occurrence, she'd only laughed a little bit, taken a shower and gotten dressed, then gone out for a quick walk into town to get breakfast before heading over to the library.

"It's very nice of you to offer to help keep me awake," she said between yawns to the scary story books that flocked up to the circulation desk, giving off more of an eager and helpful vibe than you'd think they'd be able to do with their general lack of facial features, "but frightening me awake might be noisy and you know as well as I do that we've got to keep it quiet in here."

They drooped a little bit, and rustled their pages so sadly that she couldn't help taking pity on them.

"Oh, all right, you can keep me company for the rest of the day, how's that?"

To her relief, they seemed to be all right with that compromise. One or another of them even tagged along with her whenever she had to get up and reshelve books, or do some chore, or on each of her (many) trips over to the coffee pot.

The Art of Meditation and Kicking Ass [Thursday, October 23, 2014, 2nd period]

[sith_happened]

It had been a mistake to drink with Atton.

Suuuuuuch a mistake, especially on the night before class. Fortunately, the Force was with him and Anakin was teaching a semester on meditation, which was why when the class arrived, they'd find the Danger Shop with the lights dimmed and their teacher wrapped up in his robe staring silently at nothing.

"Sit," he finally managed. "Meditate. If you don't want a detention, you won't talk."

Ugh, hangovers were the worst.

The Art of Baking with Friends, Thursday

[justlurkinghere]

Pinkie had maracas.

If that was the only thing you noticed about class, today, there would be few who could blame you.

"I don't… know what's happening here," Derek informed the class, staring at the maraca wielding pony. "We're making flan. I think."

"Si!" said Pinkie.  Because even without a Spain in Equestria, Pinkie totally still spoke Spanish.

"We're having a talk about the costumes after this," Derek muttered, rubbing his forehead. "Flans are a custard. And to get the texture you want with them, you bake them--" See, baking was back on the table! Without any drugs. "--in a water bath to keep it from drying out."

Really, this class didn't need pharmaceutical help. Not unless someone was sharing… No? No. That was be weird.

"¡Es uno de los postres más sabrosos! Y es súper divertido para aprender nuevos trucos para utilizar con hornos, Pinkie said, nodding wisely. "¿No le parece, Derek?"

"Por supuesto," Derek replied with a sigh.

Pinkie let out a delighted squeak and danced around with her maracas.