Today is normally Mission Monday at Spoiled For The Ordinary, but I have a different mission for you today.
I wrote a guest post for Redwood’s Medical Edge, a great blogging resource for writers by author and RN Jordyn Redwood. We connected a couple months ago in the blogosphere and it worked out that I could contribute an article on the difference between mid-level health care providers, like physician assistants and nurse practitioners. There can be a lot of added conflict if you use a mid-level in your story, but I’ll let you read the article over there for full effect. Thanks for hosting me Jordyn! —
Today is normally Mission Monday at Spoiled For The Ordinary, but I have a different mission for you today.
I wrote a guest post for Redwood’s Medical Edge, a great blogging resource for writers by author and RN Jordyn Redwood. We connected a couple months ago in the blogosphere and it worked out that I could contribute an article on the difference between mid-level health care providers, like physician assistants and nurse practitioners. There can be a lot of added conflict if you use a mid-level in your story, but I’ll let you read the article over there for full effect. Thanks for hosting me Jordyn! —
Imagine a conflicted alien scientist who had to help virtually sterilize another violent race, but he likes to sing Gilbert and Sullivan. There’s a mercenary from that same violent race who is forced into leadership over his world. An operative for a pro-human extremist group was genetically designed from the ground up. A prisoner on a convict ship that was experimented on by said group is also on your team.
Stories also need conflict. The characters mentioned above are rich with conflict potential, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Oh yeah, the main character has to save the galaxy as well.
With high stakes, plenty of suspense, intriguing characters, and a well-crafted story, it sounds like a winner of a book, doesn’t it?
The only problem is that it is not a book.
Writers need to recognize what works from a story standpoint in anything they see. Certainly lots of reading is the primary way to accomplish that, but having a keen eye during TV shows and movies can help as well.
How about video games?
Gaming is a medium that may not get recognized for good writing like a quality book or an exciting movie.
However, there’s a company that has its reputation based on engaging characters, moral dilemnas, and plots with twists and suspense galore. It’s called BioWare, and the funny thing is it was founded by two doctors.
The story I was describing is the Mass Effect trilogy. Number 3 just came out and sucked up all of my free time (and even some non-free time) last week. It has the requisite shooting aliens and whatnot, but what keeps me coming back is the story and seeing what will happen. The consequences in the third game are dire as the aliens have fully invaded the galaxy, and there are sacrifices characters have to make to help Commander Sheperd (your character) fight them off.
Mass Effect is also like a great Choose Your Own Adventure story, as you get to direct how the main character will do things. I enjoyed those books as a child growing up, but there’s more that can be done with the cinematics of a video game.
So this is a geeky writing post. Yes, I’m enjoying blasting the bad guys. However, I’m so invested in the characters and storyline I almost take it personally. “THIS bullet is for Ashley, and this one is for the boy on the evacuation shuttle you shot down…”
The take home point? Watch for good writing wherever you are, and see what you can learn from it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a performance to watch.
Imagine a conflicted alien scientist who had to help virtually sterilize another violent race, but he likes to sing Gilbert and Sullivan. There’s a mercenary from that same violent race who is forced into leadership over his world. An operative for a pro-human extremist group was genetically designed from the ground up. A prisoner on a convict ship that was experimented on by said group is also on your team.
Stories also need conflict. The characters mentioned above are rich with conflict potential, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Oh yeah, the main character has to save the galaxy as well.
With high stakes, plenty of suspense, intriguing characters, and a well-crafted story, it sounds like a winner of a book, doesn’t it?
The only problem is that it is not a book.
Writers need to recognize what works from a story standpoint in anything they see. Certainly lots of reading is the primary way to accomplish that, but having a keen eye during TV shows and movies can help as well.
How about video games?
Gaming is a medium that may not get recognized for good writing like a quality book or an exciting movie.
However, there’s a company that has its reputation based on engaging characters, moral dilemnas, and plots with twists and suspense galore. It’s called BioWare, and the funny thing is it was founded by two doctors.
The story I was describing is the Mass Effect trilogy. Number 3 just came out and sucked up all of my free time (and even some non-free time) last week. It has the requisite shooting aliens and whatnot, but what keeps me coming back is the story and seeing what will happen. The consequences in the third game are dire as the aliens have fully invaded the galaxy, and there are sacrifices characters have to make to help Commander Sheperd (your character) fight them off.
Mass Effect is also like a great Choose Your Own Adventure story, as you get to direct how the main character will do things. I enjoyed those books as a child growing up, but there’s more that can be done with the cinematics of a video game.
So this is a geeky writing post. Yes, I’m enjoying blasting the bad guys. However, I’m so invested in the characters and storyline I almost take it personally. “THIS bullet is for Ashley, and this one is for the boy on the evacuation shuttle you shot down…”
The take home point? Watch for good writing wherever you are, and see what you can learn from it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a performance to watch.
I woke up on the bus, looked out the front window, and jumped when I saw the vehicle careening toward us.
About then I figured we weren’t in Kansas anymore.
When you’re on a mission trip there are two things that are inevitable: crazy food stories and travel adventures. You have to get there, and you have to eat.
Going to Thailand from Lakeside, Montana was an adventure in itself. Kalispell -> Spokane -> Seattle -> Tokyo -> Bangkok. Eleven hours to Tokyo and another nine to Bangkok. That’s some serious seat time.
Too bad Bangkok wasn’t our destination.
We were heading to Chanthaburi, a town about 5 hours away by bus (I’ve heard there’s a new highway and it’s only 3 hours – nice!). When the mission leaders met us at the airport, they talked to us and refreshed us with some fruit (got another food story there, maybe another time). We then loaded the bus around 1 or 2 am local time. The excitement from hitting the ground ended, and we all crashed.
That leads us to my near panic attack.
I was on the very back seat lying down. I had the view straight down the aisle when I awoke. The bus was passing another vehicle, and I was freaked out when I saw another car coming right at us. This wasn’t hundreds of yards away, mind you. We swerved back just before the car sped by.
Remember the line in Pirates of the Carribean (the first one that was really good, not the crappy sequels) when Barbossa tells Elizabeth that the Pirate Code is more like guidelines than actual laws?
Yeah, that’s Thai driving laws too.
I held on for dear life the rest of the way.
Watch out for bumps!
And this was a nice bus. It wasn’t one of those Asian ones with people hanging out the back or riding on top (been on those too).
I also rode as the third person on a motorcycle built for two, and almost fell out of a Thai version of an El Camino, except the back was the size of a Toyota Corolla. Good times.
I know other missionary friends that have hiked over scary suspension bridges, climbed mountains, and ridden elephants, all in the pursuit of reaching people they want to help. My experiences are tame compared to some stories I’ve heard.
They say life isn’t just a destination, but it’s a journey as well. Sometimes the journey is all the adventure you need! —
