Writing Discussion: When Your Words Stop Being Pretty

For the past couple months, I've been undergoing the process of graduate school applications for creative writing. If you're unfamiliar with the process (I mean, I was before I began it), a major part of an MFA application is the writing sample. It's pretty much the most important aspect of your application. Every school has different requirements for length and whathaveyou, but for the most part, fiction submissions are to be 20-25 double-spaced pages.

All that said, for the past few months I have been revising one story over and over to make sure it is the best version that it can be.

And you know what?

I can't differentiate between the good and the garbage anymore. I've read the manuscript so many times that the words have lost any beauty they might have had. It's incredibly discouraging to look at your own work and not see lines you love anymore. To not even know if it's worth reading anymore.

I asked some creative writing friends to read it and give a bit of feedback, but that was during finals week, so I never heard anything from them and I didn't want to bother them with it.

This is the point where I need to put a bit of distance between the story and myself. Step away from it. Work on something else for a while and then get back to it. The problem is that's not an option. Some applications were due last month, some are due this month, some are due next month. So basically, I have to submit what I have.

I was struggling with this a lot because I thought, "I'm never going to get into grad school if this story isn't the most perfect version of itself." That's just crazy talk. I am a talented writer. Obviously I have miles and miles of room for improvement, but the talent is there.

I realized I just need to trust myself. Sure, that story has stopped being pretty to me, but I need to trust that I saw something in it in the first place. That I worked to improve it. That I know, at least a little bit, what I'm doing. I need to have faith in my own abilities, even if it's just for that split second when I have to hit the "Submit Application" button.

No story is ever going to be perfect. Ever. So I think when you reach the point that your story is somehow good and bad and nothing all at once, you've probably done all you can do for that story. At least for now. When you're no longer able to see the value in your own work, you need to trust that it's there because you must have seen it at one point, or else you wouldn't have worked and worked and worked tirelessly on it in the first place.

Obviously, it's probably nice to get a reliable second opinion, but that's not always an option. And if it is an option, it's not always easy to ask for.

Moral of the story: writing is very hard. Rewriting is very hard. Reaching perfection is impossible.

LET'S DISCUSS: Does this happen to you? If so, what do you do??????

Discussion: The Feeling After Reading A Hyped Book

I've been on a bit of a reading kick lately, at least by my standards. That means I've finally been able to get around to some books I've been hearing a lot about or wanting to read for a while now. And I noticed a feeling I'd get whenever I'd finished a book that had been particularly hyped to me.

I don't know--I might be the only one who feels this way. And it's kind of hard to explain. It's more complicated than a sense of disappointment or pleasure. The feeling is kind of a combination of, "Huh, so that's what everyone has been talking about" and "I finally read it" and "these characters and this story are real to me now."

It's almost like meeting a celebrity that I've been fawning over. I had these preconceived notions of what the book would be like, and now that I've read it, it has become something beyond what I could imagine. Sometimes it's a little disappointing. Sometimes it totally surpasses all the hopes I had. Sometimes I really don't know what to think, but at the end of the novel, I have genuine feelings about the book.

That's not to say that I don't like hype. I think it can be overwhelming and I think it can be dangerous for book lovers' wallets, but I appreciate it for what it is: people shouting their love for a book. But every time I finish a hyped book, I just feel strange.

This discussion post is a bit short, but I guess the whole point is to figure out if anyone out there knows what I'm talking about or experiences the same thing? I know everyone has different feelings on hyped books, but what about the feeling after hyped books? Let's chat! Also, let me know which hyped books you've read recently and what you thought of them!! 

Discussion: Doing It All In The Book Community

I'm the type of person who likes to do it all. I'm like that at work, at school, and in the book community. So, honesty hour: I know we're not supposed to be comparing our achievements to other people's achievements, but the truth is that when I see people who are doing more than I am, who are more beloved, more successful...I feel like I need to do more--work harder. I recognize that's not necessarily the healthiest approach to life, but it is mine nonetheless. I was raised to believe I have to be the best. While I realize now that's simply not feasible, it doesn't stop me from trying.

So that leaves me where I'm at now.

I have a blog (obviously). I have a booktube channel. I have a bookstagram account. I'm on twitter and goodreads. I'm a writer. I'm a reader. Oh, and not to mention I have a full-time job in the summer and I'm a full-time student during the school year who is involved in many activities plus a fairly active social life.

To call it a juggling act would be an understatement. Here's the thing: Doing it all (and doing it well) might be possible for some, but not me. Booktube, bookstagram, and book blogging all require an immense amount of thought and creativity, and being vigilant on all 3 platforms is exhausting. It drains me. Plus, there's promotion and interaction and reading/watching other people's content. Then, add reading and writing (two very time-consuming activities) to the mix, and there simply aren't enough hours in the day for breathing.

Sometimes I consider ditching some of these activities and narrowing my focus, but the problem is that I don't do all these things because I want to be better than others or I want to feel accomplished. No, I do all these things because I enjoy them. Booktube, bookstagram, and blogging are all different mediums for expressing my love of books and bonding with others who love books, and they each provide a unique experience in the book community, and I want the full experience, but am I getting the full experience if I can't dedicate adequate time and energy to each platform? And so the cycle continues.

Personally, I give the most thought and energy to my blog. It is the platform I have worked on the longest and it is basically my child. It's something I'm so proud of. And since it's a writing medium, I think I'm better at blogging than being entertaining in front of a camera or taking artsy photographs (though I am always trying to improve both of those skills). My most creative ideas work best for my blog and I always tend to be most pleased with the content I churn out for my blog.

Granted, having said all this, I must admit, my lack of juggling prowess is partially my fault because I have horrible time management skills and I get distracted easily and I'm a slave to my laziness.

But here's my question for you: Do you struggle with some of these things as well? How do you go about juggling the intricate web of the book community? Plot twist--this isn't a discussion at all but a plea for help (kidding, but also not at the same time). Where do you like to focus your energies in the book community? Let's chat down below! 

8 Ways To Spread Positivity In The Book Community

I know I'm not the only one who has notices the heavy fog of negativity that seems to be constantly looming over the book world (especially Twitter).

It's nobody's fault. The world isn't fostering a particularly loving atmosphere right now, life can seem dismal at times, and other people's decisions can be horrendous. That's just how it is.

But. There's good news.

There are little things that we can do to try to counteract all that ickiness. These are things I still struggle to keep in mind daily, but they really are great ways to spread a little cheer in our corner of the world. Here are 8 small, easy things you can do every day to brighten someone's day.

1) If something good happens to someone, congratulate them.
That's all there is to it. Whether you know the person or not, everybody likes their accomplishments being acknowledged and feeling like people really see the good in them.

2) If someone posts a picture of themselves, like it.
Nothing beats a little boost to the self-esteem. Even more, post a nice comment. You love their lipstick? Let them know! Are they wearing a cute shirt? I'm sure they'd love to hear all about it!

3) Comment something meaningful on people's blogs. 
Nothing makes me happier than when someone has really read my thoughts and my words and has a genuine reply. Even if they disagree, I love knowing they took the time to read what I had to say and really think about it enough to form a response.

4) If something bad happens to someone, let them know you're there for them.
Again, even if you've never talked to someone before, nobody gets upset about someone showing support and concern.

5) Share the good things that happened to you/people you know. 
It's always fun to hear cute or happy-making stories from other people. I love knowing that there is still good in this world.

6) Post fun/cute pictures.
Literally I can never ever see too many cat pictures in my timeline ever in my life. Seriously.

7) Retweet people's stuff. 
Whether it's someone asking a question or saying something funny or a link to a review they're proud of having written. Nobody ever gets upset about an RT either. It means a lot hen someone wants others to see something you've posted.

8) Never, ever forget to talk about the things you love. 
Passion is contagious. And it's lovely.

There are more things you can do. A whole slew of more. COUNTLESS more things you can do to make someone's day, but here are a few that I try to keep in mind.

Please, PLEASE remember that even the small things make a difference.

How do you like to spread positivity in the book community?

Discussion: Backlist Books

Hey y'all! So this is a discussion post I've been meaning to write for a long time, and I'm so happy that it has finally seen the light of day.

So, I realized in 2016 that I tend to read and buy more backlist titles than new releases. Or at least, that's how it feels to me. And when I saw a Twitter thread months ago from author & blogger Dahlia Adler (At least, I'm fairly certain that's who the thread was by. It's been a while, sorry!) encouraging reviewers to give more love to backlist titles, I really got to thinking about older books and how they fit into the book community.

For those of you who have come across the term "backlist" but have never really known what it means, it essentially means books that were published more than a year ago, though the definition is a bit floppy, I think.

Anyway, so, I feel like the book community is dominated by popular, new releases. If you ask me (which, this is my blog, so I don't actually care if you ask me), this applies to all platforms, whether we're talking about blogs, youtube, instagram, and even twitter. It makes sense--shiny new books that you've eagerly waited to get your hands on, that those lucky enough to get ARCs have been buzzing about--it makes sense that you want to talk about these books. Plus, these are the books everyone else is talking about, so of course you want to be able to fangirl together, to join the discussions. That's what this community is for!

But where does that leave the older titles? Of course, I wouldn't say it's RARE to find people talking about backlist books, I'd just say that it's much MUCH less common. And why? There are so many lovely gems that are being passed up in favor of the SHINY NEW. Like I said, it makes sense, but, like, at the same time it kind of doesn't. Older releases are not inherently better or worse than newer releases. The reviews and content focused on older titles is not inherently better or worse than the reviews and content focused on new releases. Personally, I think I get more excited to see posts about older books that I kinda forgot about rather than seeing posts about the same book that's already all over the internet. I also feel like your review or picture or video or WHATEVER is going to stick out so much more, rather than just fading into a blur of all the posts about that same book. And let's be honest, odds are those of us in the community have already seen so much about the book that we have already formed an opinion on whether or not we want to read it.

I wish I could find Dahlia's twitter thread about this, too, because she talked a lot about the industry side and how reviewing backlist books can be beneficial for the books' success. I don't really know all the lingo, but I think the idea is kinda simple. By talking about backlist titles, you're bringing more exposure to a book that has probably fallen under the radar by now, potentially boosting sales. If a book doesn't sell enough, it goes out of print. Like, there are SO MANY WONDERFUL BOOKS that have gone out of print because people just kinda forgot about them. Isn't that sad?? That's why I started my Flashback Friday posts (and eventually added giveaways). Because I don't want my favorite books to be forgotten. I need to do what I can to keep them on the radar.

So moral of the story is that I don't think we should stop raving about new releases, but we SHOULD also make sure to give the oldies some TLC. What if one of those backlist books is sitting in a shop right now waiting to change your life? What if you're passing up the most beautiful book in the entire world because you're so focused on new releases?

Like I said, I know that our community doesn't completely ignore backlist books (there is even a 2017 Beat the Backlist challenge hosted by NovelKnight), but I think we could always do more, you know? I tend to read a lot of backlist books for the reasons I've talked about and because they are usually cheaper and because a lot of times they just sound interesting. And I'll keep reading backlist books. I'll read ARCs and new releases, too, but I don't think I'll ever stop giving backlist titles attention. Excellent books are excellent books, no matter when they were published.

Do you read a lot of backlist books? What are some backlist titles you wish more people would talk about. LET'S CHAT ABOUT BACKLIST BOOKS, OKAY? THIS WILL BE FUN.

My Favorite Part Of The Book Community

This is a post I've wanted to write for several weeks, but I really wanted to take my time and put my heart into it, because you all deserve that. I've not had as much time for my blog as I'd like, so this (kind of) discussion got brushed under the rug.

However.

Every time I log on to Twitter, I see people talking about the drama in the community. I don't actually know what the drama is because I don't spend too much time on Twitter these days, and I don't have the energy to figure it out or worry about it. But I figured now was a good time to finally write this post, to give the community some positivity, and to remind all my bookish friends out there that we can--and should--celebrate our differences. 

MY FAVORITE PART OF THE BOOK COMMUNITY

I started blogging when I was 15. I didn't really know how it worked. I didn't know if I'd like it or if I'd be any good at it. I didn't know if I'd keep it up very long, and I didn't know if it would become important to me. All I knew is that I loved books, and I wanted to talk about books with other people who loved them as much as I did.

Now, here I am, five years (and countless books) later. Blogging has become so incredibly important to me. My blog(s) and I have grown together. We've been through a lot, but here I am, five years later. Blogging and I, we've had our ups and downs, but here I am, five years later. There have been times when I was an inconsistent and unreliable blogger. There were times when I thought I'd given up blogging for good, because as much as I love blogging, it's hard work and real life gets in the way of hobbies sometimes.

BUT HERE I AM, FIVE YEARS LATER.

I keep coming back, no matter what. And yes, part of it is because I like the creative aspect of it, part of it is because I like to stay tuned into the book industry. But the number one reason I can't stay away from book blogging is the community.

For the most part, the people in the book community are endlessly kind and funny and understanding. And it's a truly beautiful thing to know I can tweet about something a friend said to me that hurt my feelings and have my mentions flooded with uplifting words. The book community makes me feel important and it makes me feel like I have a place in this world, which is fantastic.

But, in my opinion, a big part of what makes that so fantastic is that there are hundreds of us (thousands of us?) who come from different backgrounds, different walks of life, who have faced different challenges, overcome different obstacles, have cried different tears and smiled different smiles, who are broken in different ways and whole in different ways, who have learned different things, who have seen different landscapes and held different hands.

We are all so different.

Yet here we are, connected, united. We are a community all because we love books.

Thanks to all of you lovely humans, I am privy to a plethora of different perspectives. I get to learn and grow and become more open-minded. I get to have conversations that I probably won't ever have with the people I know in real life. I get to strengthen and reevaluate my own ideals and learn more about the world I live in.

I will most likely never meet any of you face-to-face, and yet, you have all helped shape me and you have all helped me define myself.

And if thinking about that doesn't take your breath away a little, I'm not sure what will.

Discussion: Taking Notes While Reading

I have a confession: I hate taking notes while I read.

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I've had to take notes for a few books because I had specific posts planned for them, and doing so just made me realize the significant difference taking notes makes in my reading experience. And I don't like the difference one bit.

Firstly, taking notes kind of prevents me from completely immersing myself in the story. Like, I have to stop reading to write a comment, tear off the sticky note, then stick it on the page. No, I just want to fall into the action of the story, be swept away. I noticed in the books I'd taken notes in, there were almost no sticky tabs at the climax and resolution of the story because I was too absorbed to break away from it.

Also (and this one is more major) when I take notes while reading, I turn into a much more critical reader. I start picking the novel apart as I read it, paying more attention to the pieces than the work as a whole. I find all the flaws.

If you prefer to read this way, I'm not trying to criticize you! I think it is very important to have that perspective in this community, and I think critical reading is an extremely valuable skill to have. I'm an English major, so obviously I have to use and develop this skill all the time, but for me personally, there is a time and place for such intensive reading. And I don't want that time or place to be in my YA books.

If I'm reading outside of the academic sphere, it means I'm looking to escape into someone else's mind, world, & life. It means I'm looking to be entertained, to get out of my own head for a bit. When I'm reading, I like to sit back and enjoy the ride, not analyze the crap out of it. I want to respond without working too hard, and then when I'm finished, I might analyze why I responded that way.

For example, I was reading Patrick Ness's A Monster Calls last night, and it got me ALL UP IN MY FEELINGS, but I just let it happen. I allowed myself to succumb to the tidal wave of emotions without question. When I finished reading, I realized it affected me so much because it provoked some of my deepest fears to come out of hiding. I allowed myself to simply react first, and then I let myself think about what the book was doing to make me react that way.

That's just not something I can do when I am taking notes and being a critical reader. It's like I analyze first and understand what my reaction is supposed to be, rather than just letting myself feel.

Was this post a bit all over the place? It feels that way to me, but I guess the main idea I'm trying to relay here is that when I take notes, I end up looking at a novel in terms of syntax and word choice and individual lines of dialogues, rather than an entire work to enjoy in its entirety.

Do you take notes while you read? If so, do you find yourself facing any of the problems I mentioned? I'd love to know where you stand when it comes to critical reading. Also, what are some ways taking notes has enhanced your reading experience?

Goodreads As Social Media

I love Goodreads. Does any book lover not love Goodreads? I'm constantly scrolling through Goodreads, adding books to my TBR, keeping track of my reading, finding pretty book covers, etc.

But you know what? I completely forget that Goodreads is a social media site. I forget that I can like and comment on other people's reviews. I forget that I can add friends and join groups and connect with more bookish people on this website. And it's just so weird to me that I forget this. For me, Goodreads is more of a tool for personal use, and that kind of makes me sad because I feel like I'm missing out on such a wonderful way to meet more bookish friends.

I know this is a very short discussion post, but it's actually something I've been pondering a lot lately. I think I'm going to make more of an effort to use Goodreads as a means of connection with other people in the book community.

How do you use Goodreads? Are you like me, using it for your own records? Or do you like to be social? Also, what are your favorite parts of Goodreads, some features that I really need to start utilizing? 

Lessons I've Learned From Bookstagram

Just typing the title made me feel like Spongebob ("What I learned in boating school iiiis...")

But never mind that. Today I'm here to talk to you beautiful book lovers about the delightful bookstagram. Now, I've been working (not always successfully) to be more active on my bookstagram account, and the main idea of this post is simple: BOOKSTAGRAM IS HARD. At least, for me it is...and I'm not even very good at it. But I think brushing up on my bookstagram skillz has taught me a few valuable lessons.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL 

Like, EVERY detail. Are the flowers casting a shadow on the book? Would those pens look better if the blue one was in the middle or on the left? Is there a glare in my sunglasses? 

It's insane how many aspects of a picture you have to be aware of in order to get that "effortless" photo. 

IMPROVISATION

Okay, so, here is the best example I can think of for this: 

I have naturally shaky hands. I do not own a tripod. How is one to get  a steady shot? I flip a trashcan upside down and set it atop a bar stool in some sort of makeshift tripod. It's so weird and I'd be embarrassed if anyone saw me using it, but until I get better equipment, I'd say it's pretty sufficient. 

Sometimes, you just have to find unconventional ways to make things work. 

FINDING ART IN MUNDANE OBJECTS

When I first started bookstagramming, I'd scroll through my feed and notice all these cool objects people had in their pictures, and I'd think, well, maybe I'd be better at this if I had cool items in my house. But the more photos I took, the more I looked at the stuff I have--really looked, and I realized I do have cool stuff, if I want it to be. 

The little pebbles that I have in a vase with my fake flowers? I typically don't even see those when I walk into a room, but I can use those. The old (fake) pearl necklaces that I accidentally stole from my high school choir department? I can use those. All these "boring" objects that I hardly remember exist suddenly have potential to add a special something to my photos. 

PATIENCE IN TRIAL AND ERROR

Holy frickle frackle. If you bookstagram, you get it. If you don't, you will never understand how many pictures I take before I find one I want to use. I have to take pictures from a bazillion different angles. Then, I have to adjust one item and take a bazillion more pictures. So on and so forth. It takes a lot of patience and perseverance to finally get the picture you want. 

That's all I have for you today! Let me know if your bookstagram experience has been similar to mine. And tell me some of the lessons you've learned from bookstagramming. Also, leave links to your instagram profiles because I am dying to check ya out!

Proud Promotional Tool

The whole #bloggerconfessions debacle has dissipated, but there are, of course, a couple things that others said still lingering in my mind--primarily the issue of how we're being used by publishers as free promotional tools.

It's true, we are. We put so much time and effort and mental energy into our blogs. We don't get paid, but we're helping to sell books with every fangirl-y, gush-y word we type.

My question...

Why is that such a bad thing?

When I fall head over heels for a book, not only do I just want everyone else on the entire planet to experience that book, but I also want to support the author and publishing team that allowed me to experience that book.

Yeah, I'm helping sales by influencing others to purchase a book. No, I'm not receiving monetary compensation, but I don't need it. I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice (because if I could get money for breathing or eating or sleeping, I definitely would), I'm just saying that I'm perfectly content to work this hard without being rewarded by money.

I'm rewarded by so many other things. I know that's cheesy, but it's the 100% truth. I get rewarded by the amazing book I read and all the characters that I've undoubtedly become far too invested in, and I get rewarded by being a part of an endlessly fantastic community. Sometimes an author tweets me and that is like my dad buying me all of One Direction on Christmas. And, of course, I won't overlook the fact that I occasionally have the opportunity to read a book before its release or a publisher sends me a book for review. My point is, book blogging is incredible, and there are so many not-money perks that come along with it. So what if publishers are exploiting our hobby for money? It doesn't really make any difference in our blogging, does it?

As book lovers, many of us have claimed that reading has changed us for the better, that book blogging has changed us for the better. That being said, I figured we'd all be eager to help the publishers, as they are one of the major reasons we have the books that changed us (or, for me, saved us).

Maybe I just misunderstood what people meant. That's honestly very, VERY possible. So if I did, I'd love some clarity on the subject. Why is being the publishers' promotional tools such a negative thing?

Also, if you are one of the people upset by that aspect of this community, I encourage you to forget about any pressures from publishers, authors, and/or other bloggers. As I mentioned above, book blogging is a hobby. It should be fun! Blog for yourself. Blog in a way that you enjoy, that makes you happy! I know it's easier said than done, but baby steps will take you there!

How do you feel about this whole topic? Let's discuss! 

The Eclectic Corner #2: 90210

The Eclectic Corner is a new feature on The Left-Handed Book Lover in which I talk about basically anything I want. A whole variety of topics! This is kinda like my chance to talk about non-bookish things. I came up with this idea because I really wanted to incorporate my love of TV shows and music somehow. This gives me a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers beyond similar taste in books.

This week's topic is the TV show that I have been addicted to lately, 90210 (the new one)!

Okay y'all, I am way way WAYYY too obsessed with this show. I finished at least the last 3.5 seasons in a week, and I just have so many feelings and I need to talk to people about them. So if you watch this show, please discuss with me! I don't have any friends in my non-blog life who have watched this show, so I'm relying on you people. Just a warning, though, there are going to be super major spoilers.

To kick off this discussion, I'm going to discuss (in detail) my feelings on the characters.

Annie

I like Annie, I do, but I don't know that I have a lot to say about her. For some reason, she just wasn't my favorite, but I was still rooting for her SO HARD. She was half of my favorite ship in this show (which I'll talk about more later), and she grew a lot over the course of the show. I wasn't really a fan of her for that brief period of time she went crazy, but I totally understand why she did. She picked herself up, though, and turned out to be a pretty good girl who had made some really big mistakes.






Dixon

I liked Dixon at first, but as the series progressed, I liked him less and less. I thought he was mostly just a giant whinebag. In my opinion, he didn't have a whole lot of depth.










Naomi

Naomi turned out to be one of my favorite characters! She wasn't a particularly wonderful human being, but she owned it! It was impossible not to enjoy her character. She grew so much by the end of the show. I was on her side pretty much every step of the way after like the second season.










Adrianna

OH MY GOSH Adrianna is literally my lease favorite character on the show. She was a horrible person, but she didn't even freaking realize it. I am so pissed off that she got her happy ending. Any time anything good happened to her, I got angry and I screamed at my TV because she didn't deserve happiness.








Silver

I liked Silver a lot by the end of the show. She wasn't necessarily my favorite, but I still respected her character and wanted the best for her. I am so sad that she got really screwed over in the end. They left her in an extremely dark place and it broke my heart for her. She didn't deserve that while Adrianna got every fucking thing she wanted.








Navid

I loooved Navid throughout every single season. I thought he was really sweet and he always tried to do the right thing, and it rarely turned out for him. It was definitely a "nice guys finish last" sort of thing for him. I also just think he's adorable. I'm glad he found happiness in the end, but I hate how that happiness came from Adrianna.








Liam

His addition to the show is the best thing that ever happened to it. He is my all-time favorite character because I am a sucker for the couldn't-give-a-crap sweetheart. AND LOOK AT DEM ABS. He is actual perfection.










There are a lot of other minor characters, but I don't feel like going into detail on them. I liked Kelly, Mr. Matthews, and Teddy! I didn't particularly care about Ivy. I didn't dislike her, but I didn't like her either. I didn't mind Raj, but his character fell flat to me. It's like he was on the show just to be the guy who has cancer.

NOW, SHIPS!

Favorite ships: 

Liam & Annie - OMG THEY WERE EVERYTHING. I'm so obsessed with their relationship and the way things ended and gaaahhh.

Navid & Silver - I thought they had a really great relationship, which is of course why it had to come to an end. They were very strong together and had a mature dynamic.

Naomi & Max - I thought they were sooo cute together. They complemented each other so well. He made Naomi a much better person, and she added a little excitement to his life. When they got married, it was everything I ever wanted, and I hate that they had to separate. It broke my heart.

Least favorite ships: 

Liam & anyone who wasn't Annie - I think this one explains itself.

Adrianna & Dixon  - I don't know who thought this was a good idea but they should probably never write anything again because it was horrible.


STORIES

Favorite season: 3. I felt like everything hit the freaking fan in this one, an there were so many things I never saw coming.

Favorite story lines: 
~ the "Annie is dating a psychotic guy named Jasper" story line - for some reason I just found this so incredibly interesting. He was crazy and it felt like she was never going to escape his influence.

~ Silver discovering she is bipolar - it was like out of nowhere she went insane. I found it really exciting.

~ a teacher raping Naomi - Don't get me wrong, I don't think that kind of thing is cool. It's absolutely awful, but it was an exciting story in this show.

Least favorite story lines: 
~ Liam getting kidnapped by a crazy fan - like, what? Where did that even come from?????

~ Adrianna stealing songs from a dead guy - bitch stop. I probably just hated it because I hate Adrianna.

~ Raj having cancer - I said it earlier, but it really bothered me how Raj was just thrown in there to be the character who has cancer. I feel like we never learn anything about him except that he has cancer.

Please, please, please talk to me about this show. Tell me your opinions on everything. Argue with me!