Bethany Henry: Writing & Wellness

Fall is solidly here and I’m hearing about all these amazing things that the kids are learning at school. They’re learning new reading and writing strategies, what different dinosaurs ate, taking Chinese language classes, practicing deep breathing and conflict resolution, and figuring out word problems in math. And I’m just so impressed! Gosh, when was the last time I learned some of that stuff? When have I learned about new animals, reviewed some history, or practiced a new meditation strategy? In the interests of broadening our horizons, let’s try some new things today. Even just brushing the surface of a topic we may not think of frequently can enrich our lives and help our minds be a little more flexible. And, of course, continuing to feed our minds can help our creativity grow and flourish! So pick something off this list, come up with your own ideas, or do them all! And let’s see where it takes us 🙂 New Things Challenge: Listen to music in a genre you’re not familiar with (p...

Do you get up before dawn and write first thing in the morning? Do you have a special “writing nook” or space of some sort to work in? Do you write for five minutes at a time or fifty? Writing can look like lots of different things. The tl;dr version is that there is no ONE WAY to write! And yet we’re curious (of course) about how other writers work. How do famous authors operate, and can we somehow steal some of their magic for ourselves? What habits would be helpful to emulate? Here are a few well-known authors and how they write… what do you think? 🙂 Writing Habits of Writers Dan Brown:  Uses an hourglass to track writing time and after every hour takes a break for exercise. Will also hang upside-down in order to “relax” when thinking stories through. This reminds me of the  pomodoro method  of writing, though I’m not sure I’ll adopt the hanging upside-down strategy… Barak Obama:  Wrote his (long!) memoir out longhand on a yellow legal pad. He said typing was too...

This week I’m talking about magic systems over at Fiction University so you should take two minutes to  come check it out! Creating Magic Systems That Work and Wow Magic can be one of the most fun parts of writing fantasy- hopefully this can be a helpful guide as we think through what exactly makes a strong magic system and how we can create strong magic systems in our own stories. Happy Friday and happy writing! 🙂 Originally published October 8, 2021 on Bethany-Henry. com.

There are so many mythical creatures throughout the world! Today we’re looking at seven different kinds of mythical birds that may be often overlooked. Writing prompts are included just for added fun and to get the creative sparks flying! 🙂 Note: As with most myths and folklore, the information about these creatures is varied and hard to pin down. Most of what I’ve gathered and condensed here is information from  Wikipedia ,  MythOrTruth.com ,  Ancient Origins , and  Brittanica.com .  Beyond my notes, I’d encourage you to research further! There is a wealth of material to be found. Three Legged Crow Also called Sanzuwu, Golden Crow ,  or Jīnwū . The Three Legged Crow is found in many myths of East Asia. It represents the sun and is sometimes considered to live there. It may also have powers of divine intervention, be involved in the creation of the world, or play a messenger role. The crow itself can be found in myths across the world, often playing a tric...