Story Like a Journalist – Want to write novels that feel real enough to the reader to have been ripped from the headlines, whatever your genre? Think like a journalist. Looking at the questions journalists ask can help you think of the characters and events in your story as real people, whose lives you are recording, just like you were writing memoir or a news article.
Approach planning your novel the way a journalist plans out writing a news piece. They figure out what they will need to research for the piece, and decide how they will structure that research into a narrative. They decide on a format for the story’s lede (opening designed to draw the reader in) and structure the story to follow up on the questions presented in that lede. They document everything, so that they can verify the accuracy of everything they present. You can do the same for your fiction.
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Haiku Eki Stamp Book – This Eki stamp book is a great place to record your adventures across Japan. Stamps can be found at train stations as well as municipal buildings, cultural points, and tourist attractions.
In the front of the book are useful Japanese phrases written out in romaji so to help you navigate your way around Japan and the stations so you can find the stamps.
Each location has a unique stamp which vary in size and theme. The haikus inside are from Matsuo Basho who is famous for traveling around Japan and recording his journey.
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There are Herbs in My Chocolate – Explore the global kitchen with over 60 delectable herb-infused recipes that feature chocolate – including unexpected savory chocolate appetizers and entrees, decadent chocolate beverages and desserts, and fun chocolaty breads, all paired with a wide variety of culinary herbs.
Chocolate Gingerbread, Chicken Satay with White Chocolate Peanut Sauce, Dark Chocolate Mushroom Arancini. Maybe you didn’t realize these things were missing from your life, but try them, and you may find yourself with some new go-to recipes to impress at dinner parties, or treat yourself or your family at home. Plus, sampling them might change the way you think about chocolate. Chocolate can be earthy, bitter, nutty, subtle or sweet, and it’s not just for dessert. There are Herbs in My Chocolate uses everything from cocoa butter and white chocolate to chocolate infused balsamic vinegar to explore the range of tastes that can come from the seeds of a single tree.
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This series has been created to help you record your experiences. Each of the journals begins with information on what you might want to include in your entries and how this can enhance the entry.
The first two journals in the series:
The Thoughtful Travel Journal includes prompts and ample space for recording your travel adventures. It’s small size makes it easy to carry, while still allowing for over 150 pages for your insights and memories.
The accompanying text covers ways to deepen your journaling experience. It discusses the rich history of travelogues and travel journals, as well as ways to use your journal to improve your writing and storytelling skills. There is also some discussion of how to share your journal, through blog entries or other media.
The Thoughtful Tasting Journal: Chocolate edition includes prompts and ample space for recording your chocolate tasting adventures. Its small size makes it easy to carry, while still allowing for over 120 pages for your insights and memories. It’s perfect for a chocolate aficionado, a chef – or as a gift for the chocolate lover in your life. With the rise of craft chocolate, and the innovations chocolate makers are making in terms of technique and ingredients, there is more to explore about chocolate now than ever before.