You know what would be awesome?

If you entered our photography contest. :) Just saying! ;)

Hey, Guys!

Hey! So, uh, I see that no one has entered our wonderful contest yet. Whyyyyyyyyyyyy? We love looking at all of your lovely pictures. :) Sorry we can't offer any better prizes, but maybe sometime in the future?

I'm going to re-post the rules, 'kay?

Autumn/Fall Photography Contest

Take a picture of what you think represents fall. Pumpkins? Go for it! The colors of the trees? Halloween costumes? Whatever you like!

Rules:

• Keep it appropriate
• Limit one picture per person, or entry
• The deadline is October 31, 2012. We will extend it if not enough people enter.
• Have fun!

Prizes: Any two of these *

• Blog icon using safe pictures, free of royalties
• A poem by Olive
• A story written my me or Olive
• A printed photograph of any picture Olive or I have taken, autographed, if you're okay with it.
• Some blog-editing sites, including tutorials to add fancy schmancy things and backgrounds and such.
• Guest post (if you want) (we can link your blog in the post)**
• Promo for a week or so on the side of our blog**
• A drawn picture of anything you want, by either Olive or me.
• Anything else you guys can think of!

And that's about it! Send your entries to random_bloggers43@yahoo.com with 'October Photo Contest Submission'. Also, email us if you have any questions about what to take pictures of, or if you have any question/comments/concerns about anything on the blog!

Good luck, guys!

-Costello

*Any of the story/writing prizes can be written by both Olive and me, if you so choose.

**These are already yours when you win, if you wish to accept them.

It's that time of year again...

It's almost winter time! Sort of...

First comes fall of course. And with the change of the leaves I bring you a contest. To be more specific a photography contest.

Theme: the best picture you think personifies autumn; trees, people, scarves, pumpkins, ect. and/or anything that presents winter.

Deadline: Halloween (a costume could be an interesting photo), October 31, 2012

Rules: No inappropriate images please, one submission per person, and of course, no images sent after the 31st.

Prize: guest post, a poem, (possibly badly) drawn picture draw by Cossy or me, a short story (written by Cossy or me), a photo of anything you wish (maybe something we've already posted here? We are willing to ship copies of pictures if you are willing), and anything else you wonderful people can think of.

I realize that our last contest kind of...failed. BUT, I think that this one will be more...oh what's the word...better? Eh. Either way, Cossy and I are a bit excited about this, and look forward to what you guys submit! So please, submit away!

-submit to our email - random_bloggers43(at)yahoo(dot)com
-put in the title - October Photo Submission - please.

--Olive--

Wow!

I've just looked at our hit counter - oh my goodness!

In the past year that Olive and I have had this blog, we've had over 3,000 VIEWS!!! ASDFGHJKL;

We honestly couldn't do it without you guys. Really. You guys have looked at this blog, and as far as I know, you guys have liked it! It really makes us feel good that you guys like our little ramblings and pictures.

Thank you, from the both of us.

-Costello

Quick post!

Here's a picture I took today:

I used the photo editor on my phone! Can you believe it? It's awesome! Or so I think.

-Costello

It's Been Awhile.

Sorry, guys. Both Olive and I have been really busy.

Well, I have. Not too sure about my co-blogger. Haven't talked to her in awhile...

But yeah. And I apologize. We've just got a lot going on, like I'm moving exactly a week for today.

And I'm not ready. I don't want to go. At all.

But it is what it is. I can't change that now.

I promise, as soon as I'm settled in, I will talk to Olive, and we'll get this whole thing straightened out. :)

'Til then!

-Costello

Our First Guest Poster of the New Blog!

Yeah! It's been awhile since we've had a guest poster, and I sent the word out to a few places, and now we have our first! Everyone, please help me welcome Alice!

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So I've noticed a lot of things in the making of original characters. 

To most fanfiction writers, original characters are known as 'OCs', and to others, 'MCs'. 

And a lot, and I mean a lot, of original story writers have their OCs... In an unnatural manner. 

They seem too perfect to be true; having extremely contradictory personality traits, having flawless looks, being über-powerful...

They just don't have flaws of any kind.

Etcetera. Makes you a bit sick in the stomach, eh?

Right. These OCs are known as 'Mary-Sues'. They aren't well-liked in the fanfiction world- I dunno about the original fiction world. 

And I don't like them either. It outwardly shows that the OC creator hasn't given much research or effort into making the character. 

Yeah, there aren't any set rules, but there are guidelines that most good authors use. 

As a veteran story writer, I've asked well-reputed OC makers for advice. Here's what they generally say:

Make the character's personality and past make sense.

No one wants to read a story about a girl/boy whose personality keeps switching around[1]. It makes the reader confused. 

And give the character depth. Give them a PLAUSIBLE reason as to how and why they act that way. By plausible, I mean don't make your character's family all be murdered by a fire, and the aftermath is that your character is happy and fun. 

Also, give them flaws. Not everyone is perfect. 

Their pasts shouldn't be unrealistically tragic. I see this a lot in OCs in an attempt to 'de-Sueify' them. It doesn't. And if the past is that way, try and make the aftermath make sense. 

And that's all! It's that easy. 

And to make things easier, there's a plethora of Mary-Sue tests on the Internet that help. There are also character guides for every fandom (search a writing website like Wattpad, it may show up) all over the Internet. 

Especially on Quizilla. There are a lot of helpful (and not-so-helpful) guides there. A user there that I learned from is TuttiFrutti999[2], who made a lot of hilarious and extensive guides on the making of plots and OCs. 

And also, talk to the OC creators. They help lots! Believe me. 

Anything else? Comments, questions, observations?

Google them- most likely, they'll come up! 

Well, hope this helped with your (if you're an OC maker) OCs!

Alice out♥

N O T E S;

[1] Unless, of course, your character has Multi Personality Disorder. 

[ 2 ] She actually isn't on Quizilla anymore. Her guides are still there though, and if anyone wants to read them- they're here. They're a bit full of swearing, though. Not for the young.

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Wonderful post! Thank you, Alice. You can find her tumblr here. If anyone wants to guest post and/or has any questions, you can email us at random_bloggers43@yahoo.com.

Thanks, and happy blogging!

-Costello