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Book Reading Challenge

A figure that I recently read was that 1 in 6 adults struggle to read. I myself had no idea that there are this many people who struggle to read, so understandably this figure shocked me. That's 1,000,000 out of 6,000,000! I think the reason why it shocked me so much is because reading is such a big part of the world today, and I don't there's a day that goes by when I don't read something, so to hear that that many adults struggle to read shocked me.

So after reading this statistic I wanted to write this post to (hopefully) encourage people to read more or for them to get into a regular reading habit. If you want to know about some of the benefits of reading, then a post of mine that you may want to check out is: The Benefits of Reading. A challenge is something that I felt would help spur people to read, so here it is.

This challenge is designed for anyone, so if you're a book-fanatic (who may already be reading this many books or someone who doesn't read at all, please take it on.

Monthly Reading Challenge:

I know that for some people this is going to be a stretch but I also know that for some book-fanatics they may already read this amount anyway, in which case I apologise if this isn't challenging enough.  

The challenge is to read 6 books in a month. It doesn't matter how large of a book it is, 1 book whatever the  size still only counts for 1 book. It is up to you to choose which books you want to read. Also the book length of each book has to be 100 pages or more. There are loads and loads of books that are over 100 pages so it will be easy to find books to choose from. This is mainly to stop people from reading 10 page books, it wouldn't really be that much of a challenge then would it.

You will have to read on average 1 book every 5 days to complete this challenge (,5.16 for a month with 31 days, and 4.66 for February - unless it is a leap year in which case you will have to read 1 book every 4.83 days).

Yearly Reading Challenge

The yearly reading challenge is basically the same as the monthly reading challenge excepts it is repeated 12 times to make a year, and is designed for people who want a longer-term goal rather than having just a monthly one. This challenge is to read 72 books in a year. So whatever date you start this challenge on, that will be the date you finish the challenge next year. That's an average of 6 books per month.
Like I said before, this is the monthly challenge repeated 12 times. So, if you wanted, you could just do the monthly challenge each month and still reach the same number of books over the course of a year - it's more about preference, having 12 smaller goals or 1 larger one.

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Benefits of Taking Notes when Reading

Have you ever been reading a book only to come across a character who you can't really remember? Like a minor character? Or have you forgotten the name of a place/location, or the meaning of certain term or plot twist? Well if you have, you wouldn't be the first. In this post I am going to highlight some of the benefits that note-taking whilst reading can bring. 

1. You will have a Better Understanding of the Plot

Taking notes about the main storyline/plot will not only help you to cement it into your mind but also allow you to gain a greater understanding of it. Having written notes on the plot and summarised what is going on you will have made it clear to yourself about what is happening and what the author is trying to get across to you. 

Of course some stories do not need you to do this as the plot/storyline is very simple and easy to remember. However, with those longer and harder storylines out there, taking some notes so that you can keep up with what is going on is definitely going to be helpful. This won't work for everyone as some people are much better at remembering what is going on than others, and so this could be a waste of time for them as they don't really need to do it.

2. You will not Forget Characters

Sometimes there are those characters who will just completely elude you to who they are, and you cannot for the life of you remember their identity. You recognise the name but not the character. Re-searching back through the book to see where they were introduced is a massive pain and is something that certainly gets on my nerves when I am wanting to carry on with the story, so having notes that tell you are brilliant for overcoming this little problem. 

I can remember when I was reading 'The Lord of the Rings'. Some of the characters I could not remember at all, how they came about, who they were, or what there position was, etc. Granted I had sometimes had weeks away from the books, but if I had had some notes reminding me who everyone was - it would of made coming back to it and continuing with the story much easier.

3. Can Dive Straight back in

Sometimes you come away from a book for an extended period of time (like my LOTR example in benefit number #2) before deciding to go back to it. Ideally you would like to continue where you left off but unfortunately because of the amount of time you have been away from it - you are slightly unclear about who's who, what is going on and where you are plot-wise. 
This can be another benefit to taking notes when you read, as if done well, it will allow you a brief summary of what has happened up to date and a re-familiarisation with the characters. This means that you don't have to go through the tedious project of having to reread the parts you have already read but just your notes, which shouldn't take too long, before getting back into the climax of the story. 

4. You will Become Better Accustomed to Taking Notes

If you gain nothing else from taking notes whilst reading, at least you can improve your note-taking skills. Having the ability to take the key bits of information out of any context is a skill worth keeping. It is unfortunately not a skill everyone is good at, and those who do it on a regular basis are obviously going to be more familiar with the process and so are much more likely to be better. So if you are one of the many people who find it hard to take notes effectively, doing something like this will help tremendously. 

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Will-Power is Key to Success

When we look at people who have been successful in their lives, (whatever you yourself determine successful to be), it's easy to think 'I wish I had a life like theirs' or 'I wish I was in a position like them'. It's very easy to look at someone else's life which has seen or is seeing success in a certain field (or fields) and become discontent with your own. I would urge you not to become discontent with what you have or to become jealous of them, I'll probably go into this some other time, but instead to look at how they have become successful.

There is normally a list of things to do to become successful in a certain area, not a written list but things that people say that you will need to do. For example: If you are wanting to get into better shape and 'tone-up', the things people say that you would need to do are watch what you eat and work out. Those are the two main things that are mentioned - with good reason as without doing them how are you going to make a change to yourself? However, one point that is normally overlooked that I believe should always be included is Will-power.

Will-power, without it, makes all the advice you get given pointless as will-power is the driving force behind your goal(s). When you look at people in the course of history who have achieved landmark goals, all of them will have had one thing in common....and that is a strong will-power. It motivates you to carry on, it is what makes you continue through the hardships and lows of trying to get where you want. If you give up or start to take it easy when really you know that you should be pushing yourself, then your will-power isn't that great. You need to have a lot of it if you are wanting to make changes to your life.

One thing that puts a lot of people off from carrying on with something or trying for something is because of what others say, in particular people saying that you 'can't' achieve what you want. This attitude of others can have a huge impact upon your aspirations but don't let it dishearten you or force you to stop.
I find this one of the strongest ways of motivating myself, not just me but many people find this extremely motivating, and that's because deep down inside you their is a will to prove them wrong and a will to prove to yourself that you can achieve your goals. 
The only thing you can't do is give up, that's what you need to keep telling yourself otherwise the people that have been saying that you can't succeed will be proven right. When people tell me I can't it just spurs me on to continue so I can prove them wrong. 

There are going to be times when motivating yourself is going to be very easy and it takes little to no effort at all for you to get yourself involved in doing. Will power through these easy times isn't going to be pivotal to you as you are going through a stage where self-motivation is easy, it's through the more difficult times when you truly see how motivated you are to achieve your goals. The difficult times, when it feels impossible to motivate yourself and every other thing seems like the right thing to do except for doing what you know you should be, are the times when your will-power is put to the test. How long can you keep soldiering on day after day?, are you mentally prepared? Will-power is key to achieving anything and without it our goals would never be realised. 

Self-doubt can sometimes play in our minds, yeah of course it can, it sometimes can seem like a very long road that we are travelling on and sometimes we lose sight of the end of the road - our destination. Remember though that at some point or other every successful person will have faced self-doubt but they still managed to become successful, not by giving up but by taking the bull by the horns and continuing on - pushing themselves forward and striving onwards.

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Top 10 Most Popular Instruments

Being able to play a musical instrument is a skill that not everyone has, and those who can play their chosen instruments well are even less common. Music, it seems, is a universal language that different cultures and countries can understand and communicate by. It allows us to express ourselves not through spoken words but through the emotions and feeling of the sound we convey.

Learning and practicing a musical instrument is a very rewarding process, as well as being able to bring joy to you and others. 
An article you may find interesting: 8 Advantages you gain from Playing an Instrument.

I know that there are many people who love music and have favourite instruments of their own, some of which won't be included in this list, but don't be upset, these are the ones that I felt deserved the 10 places available.


1. Piano
An instrument that has been held in high acclaim for generations and is played all over the world from young to old. The piano is played worldwide in a variety of musical fields: classical, pop, jazz/blues, and many many more. It is also a great tool for composition.
It's one of the instruments that doesn't have to be accompanied and can be played solo, which has enabled many people to go on and have prospering careers.
There are conservatoires specifically for piano and is taught in the vast majority of music schools.  

2. Guitar


Whether it's bass, electric, or acoustic etc, the guitar is definitely one of the most popular instruments of the modern age - mainly because of the rise of pop and rock music. It is now one of the leading instruments of the 21st century, particularly the electric guitar with all the new technologies we now have access to. I would say that many people would consider this the 'coolest' instrument to play mostly due to those hardcore rockers out there. 
It is another instrument that can be played with or without an accompaniment.  

3.  Violin 


One of the most romantic instruments on the list, who could not fall in love with the soothing sound that a professional violinist can deliver via his/her violin? Although, having said that, any person who has had to put up with the beginning stages of the violin will know how dreadful the instrument can sound when learning.
Out of all of the violin family of string instruments (including the viola, cello, and double bass) it is the highest-pitched member.

4. Drums


The drums may not be the most soothing of instruments but they certainly know how to stand out. Drums are another instrument as well as the guitar that is considered 'cool' to learn because of modern pop and rock music that has made these instruments so popular. Drums also make an appearance in many classical orchestras.

5. Saxophone
When you think of jazz music the first instrument that comes to mind is the saxophone. There's something about the instrument that makes it sound like it comes from the soul of the performer. 
They're usually made of brass and was originally invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846.

6. Flute
Out of all of the instruments, I always see the flute as the most delicate and gentle in terms of how you play it and how it sounds. It is a reedless instrument and is part of the woodwind family, producing a sound from the flow of air over an opening. 
It is one of the most popular woodwind instruments and is generally payed in orchestras. The standard concert flute ranges over 3 octaves in the key of C, starting on middle-C.

7. Cello
Looking like a giant violin, the cello is the next musical instrument to make an appearance on this list. Like all of the instruments here, the cello has a very unique sound quality. It is great for accompaniment being able to sound nice with almost any other instrument but also has the capabilities for solo performances. It is a member of the violin family and is tuned in perfect fifths. 
The double bass is the largest bowed-string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, the cello being the second largest.   

8. Clarinet
Part of the woodwind family the clarinet is a lovely instrument to listen to and is definitely one of the most popular to play. In this modern age the clarinet is found in classical orchestra, jazz bands, in solo performances, and in chamber groups. 
Out of the common woodwinds they have the largest pitch-range. The clarinet was invented by Johann Christoph Denner  in Germany around the turn of the 18th century.

9. Trumpet

The only brass-instrument to appear in this list; the trumpet. The trumpet dates back to around 1,500 BC and looked different to what we now consider to be a modern trumpet, it is one of the oldest musical instruments.
It is a popular choice of brass instrument for orchestras, brass bands, and for accompaniment or playing solo in the jazz musical field.  

10.Harp

The harp, last but not least. In my opinion the harp is one of the most graceful and composed musical instruments, also having a grandeur about it - not like a grand piano does, but slightly more subtle and understated.
The harp is a  string instrument and the person who plays it is called a 'harpist' or 'harper'. You normally will hear the term 'harpist' when talking about classical harp playing, but folk musicians normally use the term 'harpers'.

I don't claim ownership or credit for the pictures present, all credit is reserved for the original owners. No copyright intended and I am in no way profiting off of the images present . If you have an issue with a picture that is present, then please contact me.

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How to Improve at Scrabble (10 Tips)

Good vocabulary, improved speeling spelling, and better anagrams are some of the benefits that come with the game of Scrabble. It is also a highly popular board game which even hold their own tournaments. Here are some ways to improve at scrabble.

1. Read More

Reading is a great way to improve your scrabble skills. Immersing yourself in books means you will be getting constant exposure to words, and the more you read the more you will sub-consciously notice the patterns of words: how they are put together; the spelling of them; and in many contexts the meaning of the word.
Reading the dictionary, though many of you won't find it interesting, is a brilliant piece of reading material that will not only give you a huge access to a variety of words but also to their definitions.

A previous article I wrote that expands on what's good about reading is here: 10 Benefits of Reading. 

2. Learn Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes and suffixes are vital to learn if you are wanting to make some real improvement to your scrabble tactics. They're great for getting some sneaky points from another word already in place. Prefixes are added onto the beginning of an already existing word  in order to create a different word, and suffixes are added onto the end of already existing words in order to create new words.

Examples of prefixes:
  • super-
  • un-
  • multi-
  • over-
Examples of suffixes:
  • -ing
  • -er
  • -ish
  • -able
  • -ise/ize
There are more of them than these shown here but these are just examples. Learn them and use them.

3. Learn Words with Uncommon Letters In

Letters like 'Q', 'X', 'J', and 'Z' can be troublesome, so make it a goal to learn more words with them in - especially words with 'Q' but no 'U' in. The good thing about these letters is that they are worth more points, and so if you can make words with them in you are bound to start racking up your score. Many people who play scrabble don't know many words with these letters in so if you do know them - you will already have a huge advantage. 

Examples of words with 'Q' in but no 'U':
  • 'Qi'
  • 'Qat'
  • 'Qis'
  • 'Qadi'
  • 'Qaid'
4. Learn the Two-Letter Words

Two letter words are essential in scrabble and when used effectively can earn a surprising amount of points. Some are more obvious than others, such as: 'HE', 'SO', 'ME', 'NO', etc. The more uncommon ones are the words that you should be learning, some examples being: 'QI', 'AX', 'PI' 'UH', 'XU', 'ZA', etc. Two-letter words with higher scoring letters in, when used in tangent with a bonus-square can earn you a respectable amount of points.

5. Knowing When to use the 'S' or 'Blank' Tiles

As an 'S' tile can be added to a lot of different words, it has quite the range of possibilities. Don't go wasting it on some 3-4 point word, you should really be aiming for at least 10 points as a general rule.
The 'Blank' tiles are more unique and can be used to make (in theory) any word in the scrabble dictionary. So with this in mind, having access to much more 'possible' words than any other tile, they should be used carefully and as a general rule only be placed where they make at least 25 points.

6. Rearrange

Once or twice a day, choose 7 letters at random and write down every possible word you can think of with the letters available. It's exactly what you are going to be doing in a game of scrabble so getting used to doing it is going to help with making improvements. The more you do it the more you are going to get familiar with this approach to words and will help you make progress with rearranging words. 

7. Don't be Scared to Swap Tiles

Swapping tiles may seem like a waste of a turn but sometimes it's the best move to make. If you only have vowels then it it will probably be best to swap some letters in to try and get some consonants so you can make a higher scoring word next turn rather than having two low scoring rounds, and in a way wasting your turns. Also take into consideration tip #9

8. Play More Scrabble

If you are wanting to get better at playing scrabble...then play more scrabble. The more you play the more you will get used to the game and pick up tricks and words from other players. If you don't have people to play with then go online and find a scrabble server. You will find competition that way. Aim for at least 1 game per day, and over time you will get better and better.

9. Learn Words without Vowels

There are words without vowels, words that I think are great to have at your disposal - especially for those sticky situations where you don't have access to a vowel.  Some examples are: 'RHYTHM', 'WRY', 'WRYLY', 'LYMPH', 'PRY', 'SYNC', etc. 
Before swapping in tiles take a look and see if you can make a word from the consonants you have - who knows? you may be able to make a high scoring only-consonant word as well as freeing up space for new letters.

You could if you wanted learn some of the words without consonants which are made up of only vowels but to be honest they aren't brilliant and don't have the potential that words made up of only consonants have. 

10. Aim for Bonus Squares

Always when playing keep bonus square in mind and how you can utilise them for your best benefit. They can make a huge difference to the game and sometimes can change the whole course of and direction of it. I sometimes refer to the triple-word squares as 'Game Makers' simply because they can 'make' the game  for a player and see them in good stead for victory.

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My Writing

In my last post, it was if I'm honest, focusing on myself. So before I start this post I wanted to quickly apologise to anyone who found that last post a bit boring, however, I will also have to apologise in advance for this post as it's also another one about myself. 
Recently I have decided to start writing a story because I have an interest in writing. I am writing this story on the basis that I enjoy to write and thought that it would be neat if I could actually create myself another world almost with depth and imagination, and with an underlying ambition to hopefully get it published. Of course I realise that the part about getting it published is unlikely to happen, although it's not impossible - really for me that would be a bonus to actually managing to come up with and complete a story. 

Since then it has slowly developed but is still in it's most primitive draft-form...well I don't even know if it's that far yet, it's at the moment consisting of a lot of notes that is managing to convey a possible plot. In my last blog post I was confident that I had a plot that I was going to run with after changing it more than a few times, but I was wrong and in the last couple of days it has shifted towards another direction - one that I am more content with admittedly. 
So now I have added more notes to do with that and I am starting to get a better picture of the basics: a rough idea of the beginning; a rough idea of the middle; and not so much an exact idea of the finish haha. Oh well it's still in the very early stages. 

I've also done some character development to some of the more major characters, the ones that I know for definite are going to be in it. I haven't done any character development for the minor characters as there aren't any at the moment, I'll have to fill them in once I have made some more progress with fitting the story together. This post was really only an update about how my writing is coming along for those of you writers who are interested, for the rest of you I'm sorry. :)
Detail: My Writing

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My Writing Passion

I have a few hobbies that have developed over the years, some are more time-consuming and enjoyable than others but I find them all fun. One of my more recent hobbies is writing - something that has kind of surprising for me to find out. I say this because for the vast majority of my life I have always hated writing and found it a bore. In fact I had only recently started to get a taste for writing just before starting this blog, and as a result is one of the main initial reasons that spurred me to start this blog. 
Since the beginning of this blog my 'discovered' passion for writing has become more apparent to me and has been further heightened.

However, even though I have found that writing is a hobby of mine, the only time that I do write is when I write for this blog. This has always been fine for me but now I'm wanting to expand what I write about and am wanting to dive deeper into the writing world. With this in mind I have decided that I am going to attempt to write my own story and hopefully aim for it to be published. I know that this is an ambitious goal as I know it's a tough process to go through in most cases in order to get your book published. 
I have got to work on character-development and on a plot, and am seeing some progress, but I know it's going to be a long arduous journey in order to even get it near completion, but it is something that I am enjoying doing and hope that one day it may get published. :)

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How to Get Better at Drawing

Drawing. It seems like there's two categories in which people fall into when it comes to this: you are one of the people who can draw well, or you are one of the people who can't. Yes there are people who are more gifted at drawing than others, however, there are things you can do to improve your technique and get better at drawing.

1. Draw, Draw, and then Draw some more!

The thing everyone will tell you to do when you are wanting to become better at drawing is "make sure you draw all the time or as often as you can". There's no short cut or quick solution that is going to make you successfully start drawing at an advanced level over night, it is a skill that is developed though experience. So the more you draw - the better you will become. 

Now having said this I also want to add that whilst making sure that you draw often is an excellent thing to be doing, if you don't know what you are doing or how to develop your art skills then simply drawing often will only get you so far. I'm not saying that people can't become incredible artists from just drawing alone because they can, but for a lot of people wanting to get to the next level I would suggest the implementation of the following tips too.  

2. Art Classes

This isn't an option for everyone due to money and time, but for those of you who do have both, art classes should be something to consider. A good art teacher is much more valuable than any other form of learning art simply because they can give a hands-on approach also giving you tips and advice about how you can improve, with the added bonus of their experience.

3. Read books, watch videos

Whilst these won't be quite as effective as an art teacher would (well, depending on what area they specialise in), these are a good second best method for helping you gain more advice, pointers, and tips to how to further advance your art ability. It seems that Youtube is becoming more and more populated with tutorial videos including many ones in art.

4. Draw easier things to start 

Don't try to run before you walk, start with drawing more basic pictures/scenes and work your way up. If you want you can try complex drawings but if you are starting out or your drawing skills aren't really that great - it could possibly discourage you and end up putting you off. 

5. Research

This may seem like a surprise but research can also help your art. Having a better understanding about how something is put together or the anatomy of an animal or whatever is helpful for allowing your drawings to become more realistic.

6. Patience

Like most things that you want to become good at, it's not going to happen over night. Drawing is a skill that requires you to spend time developing. The world's leading artists will have spent many years honing their skills so don't be discouraged when you don't see results straight away. It might be an idea to date all of your drawings so you can look back upon them in the future to see your improvements.

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How to Play Sudoku

Sudoku is a great mental game that stimulates your mind and is fun to play. It's a game that once you know how to play, is very easy to pick-up-and-play and can be stopped at any time, and then re-continued at any time.
This post is merely to show you the basic rules of how to play a simple game of Sudoku and will not include advanced tips and tricks for those more challenging puzzles. This post is aimed at those of you who don't know how to play Sudoku and so I won't bog you beginners down by giving you more information than is necessary for you at the moment.


The sudoku board (as seen above) is made up of 9 squares creating a 3 x 3 grid. You will also notice that each of these 9 squares are further divided into 9 smaller squares which are called cells, creating smaller 3 x 3 grids. Each and every cell holds a value from 1 - 9, and it is up to you to determine what values they are - this is the whole concept of the game.
There are restrictions however to what number can be placed in what cell as every square (that is also a 3 x 3 grid) must contain all numbers 1 - 9, and as there are only 9 cells in each square - you've most likely realised that you can not have two of the same number if you are to include all the numbers 1 - 9. For example: a grid containing numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 would not be allowed. There are 9 numbers granted, however there contain two number fours and so would be incorrect.

Also that is not the only restriction to where a number can be placed. You may or may not have noticed but each column and row contain 9 cells (not by coincidence), and each of them must also contain the numbers 1 - 9. This means that each column and row (if done correctly) will never have the same number in twice.
You will need to look at every cell and see if a number can go there, you will be able to see if a number goes there as other numbers (in columns/rows/square) will rule out possibilities.

Have a look at the top-left square from the images that are present. You will see that it contains numbers 3, 5, 6, 8, and 9. This means that these numbers will not be able to be included in this large square as you must have all of the numbers 1 - 9. This means the numbers 1, 2, 4, and 7 are the only possibilities for the remaining four cells in that square. You must look at each of those cells and determine if numbers in other cells (from rows/columns) rule out possible cells for that number to go until you are left with only one possible cell for it to go.

You won't be able to determine where numbers can go straight-away and will require you to travel around the sudoku board searching.
Let's number every cell in each square A - I just so I can show you some examples. We're number them A - I as you would read a book. So looking at the first square; cell A contains the number 5, cell B contains the number 3, cell C is empty, cell D contains the number 6, cell E is empty, cell F is also empty, cell G is also empty, cell H contains the number 9, and cell I contains the number 8.

Let's try looking for the number 1 in the top-left square. The only other number 1 that would have an impact to our square is the top-middle square that contains the number 1 in cell D. This rules out the possibility of the number 1 being in cells E and F in our top-left square, and leave us with two possibilities to where the number 1 could be: cells C or G. We don't have enough numbers to determine which one so we'll have to come back to that later.
Some people like to pencil in small the possible numbers which could occupy that cell.

Now let's try looking for the number 2 in the top-left square. You will notice that there is not a single number 2 that is in a line or column that affects our top-left square, so at the moment the number 2 could potentially occupy any of the four cells (C, E, F, or G)  in our top-left square.

Now let's try looking for the number 4 in the top-left square. You will notice that there is a 4 in the middle-left square (cell D) that does affect us, and it rules out cell G in the top-left square to where the number 4 could appear. However it is the only cell that does affect us and so the number 4 could potentially still be in any of the cells C, E, or F.

I'll quickly do the number 7 for the top-left square too. The number 7 appears in the top-middle square and rules out cell C in the top-left square to where 7 can appear - this leaves us with cells E, F or G.
There is also a number 7 however in the middle-left square and that rules out cell G in the top-left square. Now only cells E and F remain to where the number 7 can appear. We don't have any more information at the moment so we'll have to move onto another square.

I'll now show you an example where a number can be found. Look at the bottom-left square. It only contains the number 6 and so can still house the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9.
Let's try looking for the number 8. The number 8 can appear in any of the cells A, C, D, E, F, G, H, or I. You will see however that there is a number 8 in the top-left square and that rules out cells C, F, and I straight away, leaving cells A, D, E, G, and H.
Then you will see another number 8 in the middle-left square and that rules out cells A, D, and G in our bottom-left square - and that now leaves us with cells E and H, both of which could potentially hold the number 8.
There is also another 8 in the bottom-middle square and that rules out cell H for us, which only leaves cell E. As there is only one possibility for where the number 8 can go (cell E) that means that the number 8 HAS to go there. It doesn't make any difference that there is a number 8 in the bottom-right square as that rules out cells A and C that the previous number eights did (in top-left and middle-left squares.

You just work your way around the board doing this and you will eventually have yourself a completed board. The 2 images below are of a sudoku board before and after completion. There are sudoku puzzles however where this very basic method is not nearly enough and where other techniques will be needed to be incorporated to complete them. For example the X-Wing and Jellyfish techniques.

 
Credit: Cburnett

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How to Find Your Own Writing Style

Writing is a fascinating practice. It can bring joy, happiness, deep-thinking, relaxation, and a whole range of emotions to the writer. Some people don't enjoy writing and that is completely fine, writing isn't for everyone. I never really liked to write when I was at school, well...no let me re-phrase that - I hated to write when I was at school. I just didn't get on with it, in fact anything to do with the subject of English I hated.

When I first started this blog I didn't really like to write but was fascinated how other people from around the world could read the works of others via the Internet. So I set up this blog and found that writing wasn't that bad at all, in fact I found it rather likeable, and now I can't really see myself without my blog.

Writing style is completely unique to every person and is something that cannot be learnt or taught but is something that can only be discovered. I think I now have my own unique writing style but took a good while figuring out what it was. In this post I will offer you some tips to how you can discover your own unique writing style.

1. Write, write, and write.

The biggest and best piece of advice you will ever receive regarding the subject of finding your own writing voice is to write. It's such a simple thing to do and if you enjoy to write (which the majority of you will if you're wanting to find your own writing style), then it will be enjoyable at the same time.
The more you write the more your personal style will start to break through and you'll be able to start noticing it.

2. Read, read, and read.

Read as much as you can and don't just limit it to your favourite genre. Often limiting it to one genre will create a writing style catered more towards that genre but that may not be what you're actually best at writing for (even if you don't know it). Expanding upon your knowledge of writing is definitely a beneficial thing to do and so exposing yourself to these different genres will be the best thing to do.

I'm not saying that you have to read different genres but it is beneficial for finding your own writing voice. If you already know what genre you're going for when writing then reading lots of different books in that genre is fine. However writing is a diverse subject and many genres contain subtle similarities and so reading lots of different genres will be beneficial for your own writing style. 

3. Play writing games

Writing games are all about creativity and getting yourself more used to the art of writing itself. There are many writing games you can choose from to get your creative juices flowing.
One example of a writing game is where you write a list of random words. It doesn't have to be a long list, maybe 10 words (although you can make it as long or as short as you like), then write for 2-3 minutes about the first word on the list trying your best to write continuously about it. Once 2-3 minutes have passed move onto the next word and write all you can about that, however you also have to link it back to the word before itself. Once this word is complete move onto another word and link it back to the word directly before that, keep repeating this process until you have gone through your entire list. 

4. Don't be predictable

This is easier said than done as so many people fall into this trap and with good reason - it's easy to become predictable. So to stand out from the rest of the crowd and make your writing voice unique you must differ from the rest of the writing community. When reading try to see if you can guess what's coming next, and if you can't then try to take the approach that that author has done but don't 

To be different you have to think outside of the box and even that can sometimes be predictable...you must think further afield than even outside of the box which is a challenging thing to do. The more you write and get used to thinking like this the better.

Conclusion

It may take longer for some than others to find their writing voice (it took me the good part of a year to find mine, or at least to notice it anyway and I still have much to learn) so don't get disheartened if you don't notice immediate results - it will come in its own time. 

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How to get Yourself to Read More

When you sit down to read something are you someone who can stay there for a good couple of hours engrossed? Or are you someone who has trouble staying focused for just a couple of minutes? Well, if you're the latter, hopefully this post will be of some help to you.

1. Pinpoint the reason for wanting to read

Why do you want to read? This is the first question that you should ask yourself. Maybe it's because you want to improve your reading ability or maybe it's because it's something that you think you would (or know that you) enjoy. 
If you don't know why you want to read then what's the point of reading at all?

If you want to see some of the benefits that reading brings then click on the link: 'The Benefits of Reading'.

2. Start with material that interests you

If you're not used to reading and are trying to get into the habit of reading, then the last thing that you would want to do would be to read something that doesn't interest you. Doing this will most likely put you off reading all the more and potentially stop you all together.

So the best thing to do would be to read things that do capture your interest or spark your curiosity - it's these that will allow you to maintain reading as you will want to read, and when you want to read it no longer becomes something that is forced. 

Asking other people's opinions on what they would recommend is a good thing to do because usually a person will recommend a book that has had enough of an impact to come to the surface in answer to your question, meaning that it's a good possibility that it will be a captivating read - as long as you ask someone who has similar interests to you (reading-wise).

3. Start with a short/moderate length book

When wanting to try and get yourself to read more, it's not necessary for you to start reading 1000 page books in hope that you're going to be able to keep it up because more than likely you wont. This tip goes well with point #2 in that not only should you pick a short to moderate length book to begin with, but you should also try to make sure that you enjoy it. It will make reading a lot easier for you if you enjoy it and if it's short it won't feel like you're having to slog through it. 

Sure you can start with huge pieces of reading material but it's most likely going to be another thing that could put you off. In time once you've got used to reading short/moderate length books you can then start to increase length.

4. Identify when you're most likely to read

There are some points during the day where we naturally are able to concentrate on a book more than usual, whether that be early morning or late at night. It's important to recognise these "peak" reading times when momentum and focus comes easier. Getting yourself to read at these times will be brilliant for getting you into (or reintroducing you to) reading.

I'll give you an example: for me my most optimal time to read would be at night before I go to bed. I can just concentrate so much more on a book at this time rather than, lets say, the middle of the day. So if I am to read it will normally always be at this time - unless if I really get into a book and read it all the time. :)

5. Set aside time each day

Sometimes we have so many things to fit into the day it can seem hard getting round to doing everything. So making sure that you schedule in some time for reading will definitely help as you will know how long reading will last for and that will enable you to be able to find some time to allow it to occur. 

For example: you may only be able to fit in 10 minutes, so you have a known set amount of time, and this will enable to not only plan around that 10 minutes or be able to squeeze that 10 minutes somewhere, but will also get you into the habit of reading and soon it will become part of your daily routine. Goes well with point #4.

6. Try a variety of genres

You may know what sort of things you like to read and what you don't - brilliant. 
Some of you who read this won't know what they like when it comes to reading. So I would suggest going to a local library (somewhere where you don't have to pay) and collecting a wide variety of books from different genres, or borrowing some off of other people you know. 
Start with one of the books and if you can't get into it (say something like 2-6 chapters in depending upon how long they are ) and are finding it a struggle then I would suggest moving onto the next book. 

Eventually you are bound to come across a genre you like; whether that's sci/fi, biographies, cookery, history, fantasy, fiction, non-fiction, religious, science, music, etc. 

Even if you do know what you like and don't, it can still be good to try other genres you maybe haven't had chance to try before, because who knows, you may find another genre that appeals to you. 

Conclusion

Once you've got into the habit of reading you can then move on to more complex material and things that you usually wouldn't go for. It's getting into the habit of reading that's the hard part, once you get there it's not so bad. I've written a previous post called 'How to Enforce a New Habit' if you're interested.

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Benefits of Writing a Notebook

I have recently got a notebook and am quite enthusiastic about sharing the benefits of using one. I record anything in my notebook - ideas, thoughts, facts, recipes, physics and maths, vocabulary, quotes, sketches, anything that I feel like really. I use a mini pocket flip pad (for about £1) that I carry with me to write down anything that comes into my head. I then have a nicer moleskin notebook at home, that I write things in neat and in which I organise ideas and thoughts. It's actually really interesting to read through, but I think that's because it's my own notebook.

There are lots of people who recognise the benefits of writing in a notebook, being very popular amongst writers, but are also used by a vast amount of people who aren't writers. Why? Because of the benefits that keeping a notebook brings. Albert Einstein; Beethoven; Mark Twain; Charles Darwin; George Lucas; Benjamin Franklin; Isaac Newton; Pablo Picasso; and Thomas Edison, all kept notebooks. Not to mention the fictional character Sherlock Holmes. 

1. Creativity

Notebooks are great for promoting creativity as it is a place where you can really let your mind run wild. There's never any worry about being right or wrong because it's your own personal notebook and is meant for your thoughts, ideas, and anything else that you decide to record.

The more that you write in a notebook, the more thoughts and ideas will come to you. This is something that I've noticed since recently gaining my notebook - my creativity seems to have seen a improvement and my notebook is filling up with the things that I want it to be filled with.

2. Inspiration

Inspiration is another thing that springs to mind when discussing the benefits of having a notebook. When looking back through my notebook, I start to become inspired, not because it's the most amazing notebook in the history of mankind, but because new ideas pop into my head about how I can expand or improve upon earlier topics and ideas that I have recorded.

Depending how often you write in your notebook and how long for, will determine how much material you will have to inspire you. The more you write, the more you have to work with, it can be quite shocking how a previous note that you have written can inspire you to achieve something new. 
Albert Einstein when trying to perfect his formulae for his theory of general relativity, came across a discarded formula of his from 3 years before, which looking at these 3 years later inspired him with what he needed to perfect his theory.

3. Keep ideas

Depending upon what you intend for your notebook to contain will depend upon the context of the ideas that you have, but usually when people have a notebook they will jot down ideas. This will allow you to not have to worry about having to try and hold onto a good idea in your head as it will be securely written down in your notebook. 

4. Promotes better writing and reading

The more you do of something, naturally the better you will get. So when writing in your notebook frequently you are going to find that over time your writing will mature. When I look back to some of my first blog posts and then compare them to my most recent ones - I can see the difference in the style and (I would like to think) quality of each post.  
Because it's your own notebook, I assume that you are going to be interested in reading what you have wrote, meaning that as well as your writing seeing an improvement; so will your reading. 

5. Enjoyment

I don't know what it is, but there is something quite enjoyable about the physical act of writing and seeing the results of your work. Writing, I think, seems to help reduce stress as-well and leaves me feeling calmer, and because it reduces stress - it seems to be more enjoyable. As humans, we are 'touchy-feely' creatures, and so be physically holding a pen and acting out the act of writing brings a feeling of comfort.

6. Gives you perspective

Writing a notebook will be able to give you perspective on your life. What you think is important, what you're focusing on, where you would like to be, etc. It kinda allows you to see yourself as another person but yet as the same person. When rummaging through things in your mind, often you wont stop to ask yourself questions about why you are thinking what you are thinking, or what extraneous things are having an impact upon you to effect who you are. These in themselves can be quite deep questions, but when seeing your thoughts written down - it is a lot easier for you to think about these question in more detail.

You'll notice how your thoughts develop over time, and how something that seemed like a priority or of utmost importance (say back in high school for example), just seems trivial now. Having these writings at your disposal will give you the opportunity at giving you perspective on your life, and really, an insight to who you really are as a person.

7. Tells something about your identity

If you fill up a notebook and you decide to keep it for years, maybe for future members of family to read one day, if you're not around to speak to them, through your notebook they will be able to build up a better picture about who you are or were and what you are or were like. Today with modern technology you will be able to record photos and videos for the future, but personal writings can be some of the most revealing and intriguing for future generations. Who knows, your notebook could inspire them to go on and do something amazing.

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Top 10 Best Board Games

Board games have been an endearing way to spend time with family and/or friends, and have been able to entertain people for centuries. Over the last 100 years, board games have really seen a increase in popularity. 

There are lots of board games to choose from; board games that get you moving, board games that get you drawing, board games that get you thinking, board games that get you laughing, and there are so many other types of games out there, with more and more being produced each year.
This list is my opinion of the top 10 best board games that are around, and possibly of all-time.

1. Monopoly
Monopoly, the king of board games, it just had to appear on this list. The game was named after the economic term 'monopoly', being published by the Parker brothers.
Monopoly is one of my favorite board games to play but can be frustrating when you're not winning. I can't imagine how many arguments around the world have been monopoly-related. :)

You can have 2-6 players, some have 2-8 players. Monopoly has an average game time of 1-4 hours.The longest recorded game to have 1,680 hours (the equivalent of 70 days). Over 200 million Monopoly games have been sold worldwide, with more than five billion little green houses being "built" since 1935.

Because of the games popularity; Monopoly tokens, Railroad, Community Chest, Chance, and Title Deed designs, as well as Boardwalk and all four gameboard corners are legally protected.

It is estimated that around 500 million people have played the game. It has been published in 27 different languages across 81 different countries.


2. Chess
Chess is played by millions of people worldwide is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid.

The average time of a casual game is 10 minutes - 1 hour. In tournament play a game can be anywhere from 10 minutes to over 6 hours.

Chess is played in clubs, online, and in professional tournaments around the world. Chess can be played at any level whether you're a beginner or a tournament professional.
I've written two previous posts about chess if you're interested in reading them: 10 Reasons why you should play chess and Does Chess boost IQ.
An interesting fact about chess; the number of unique chess games that can be played is 10120. Chess is another favourite board game of mine.


3. Scrabble
Scrabble is a 2-4 word-playing game in whch players play on a 15x15 square grid in a crossword-style. Players must make words with the letters provided, landing on score-boosting squares to help gain more points, the words must appear in a dictionary. You can specially get an 'Official scrabble players dictionary' that contains all of the words that are permissible to use.
The game is sold in 121 countries and there are 29 different language versions. Scrabble is one of my mum's favorite games. :)
Every hour, there are on average more than 30,000 games started, and 4,000 scrabble clubs around the globe.


4. Uno
Uno is a card game using its own unique set of printed playing cards. The game was originally developed in 1971. The game can be played with 2-10 players. Uno is an incredibly popular game with Uno tournaments being held and specially themed packs. Some themes include: Batman, Coca-Cola, Disney, Doctor Who, Family Guy, Iron man, Hulk, Mario bros, Nintendo, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Simpsons, Star Trek, Toy Story, and sports.


5. Cluedo
Cluedo (also known as Clue) is a murder mystery board game in which players must move around the game board (which is designed to be a mansion) and solve who the murderer was, including weapon and part of the mansion, from various clues and questions that are asked.
Clue was designed in 1949 by Anthony E. Pratt by Waddingtons, Leeds. Cluedo has also been made into various books and a film. 
Cluedo is another one of my mum's favourite games. :)


6. Risk
Risk is a strategic turn-based game for 2-6 players, who have to strive for world domination. The board shows a political map of the world, which is divided up into 42 territories, which are grouped into 6 continents. Players have to capture territories by using their army and results from dice-rolls. The player who manages to capture all 42 territories wins the game.
An average game will last from 1 hour to 6 hours.

The Parker Brothers (who produced the game) have also created some rule variations for the games. These are: two player risk, capital risk, and secret mission risk. Because of the games popularity, there have been many 'themed' risk games made.


7. Game of Life
The Game of Life (known to some people as simply LIFE) is a game that simulates a persons life, from college all the way through to retirement. The game was created by Milton Bradley in 1860, produced by the Milton Bradley Company of Springfield, Massachusetts.

A game can be played with 2 to 6 players, with some variations allowing for up to 8 or 10 players. An average game time is roughly 45 minutes.
The modern version, which has been around since 1960, was created by Reuben Klamer. There have been many 'themed' versions of the game created.


8. Trivial Pursuit
Credit: bobby190
Trivial Pursuit is a popular board game that requires players to answer questions about popular culture or general knowledge. The progress of a players advance around the board is determined by their ability to answer the questions.
The game was created in 1974, with its popularity peaking in 1984. During that year 20 million copies of the game were sold. Individual themed questions have also been published to allow players to get a range of new diverse questions.
It is for 2-6 players and teams are allowed.


9. Backgammon
Credit: Ptkfgs
Backgammon is a popular board game and is also one of the oldest two-player board games there is, dating as far back as 5000 years. To win, backgammon requires the player to use a miture of luck and skill. Luck is a factor and does effect the outcome, however skill is a big part and is effective in the long-run. 

Like chess, backgammon software has been created by computer scientists, which now are advanced enough to claim victory against world-class players. There are major tournaments just for backgammon that numerous people attend with the hope of winning.


10. Pictionary
Pictionary is a popular word-guessing game which involves team members from the various teams working together to guess a certain team members drawing, which is depicting a word.

The aim of the game is for a team to reach the end of the board which is made up of squares. A team may advance a square by correctly guessing a team members drawing, with each square labelling what type of picture is to be drawn. The average playing time of the game is 1 hour.


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