Special Engagements Now Rotates with the Seasons

Just as Undawnted's Seasonal Reads Program changes from season to season, we have added our Special Engagements to this rotation. 

This combination helps with our seasonal theme and mythology. For instance, this winter's seasonal reads program is Winter Frost with our snowman. 

It's that time of year to bring in some cheer! 

Undawnted keeps the cold and dark nights warm with novels and poetry.

The complimentary imagery of a smaller snowman icon highlights the change of season to our newest addition: Special Engagements and keeps it in line with the rest of our site. 

We hope this navigation is a lot more fluid than before. We know people are more visual on their devices so items like our images will be easier to find for those looking to read, write, or learn with us! 

Creative writing is more than a movie script or image, writing is about taking the world around you, ingesting the nuances, and repackaging the real into the surreal.

We hope you have fun with our creative writing, readings, and special engagements.

Have a great and wonderful day!

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*Update: all workshops and special engagements have now been concluded, and new projects are now under Undawnted's Substack.

A writer at heart, Undawnted's own creative spark, DL Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Over the years, Ms. Mullan has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. Ms. Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. As an independent publisher, she produces her own book cover designs as well as maintains her own websites. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet. This year, DL Mullan has begun sharing her knowledge via A Novelist Idea Newsletter. If you too want to become a Fearless Phile, then subscribe to her newsletter on Substack.

Her innovative style teaches writers how to reach their creative potential, and write more effectively.

Learn. Grow. Master… with Undawnted.

Fearless Workshop: Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Ever wonder how to write in a different genre? Here is a lecture on the ins and outs of scifi/fantasy. 

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Welcome to my first (very blurry - it should be fixed for the next upload) lecture of my BYU 2020 creative writing class. As you probably surmised from the title of the video, I focus on writing science fiction and fantasy. This class was more of an introduction for the rest of the term but I do discuss a few important things: creating writing habits, a bit about discovery/architect writing, and how writing groups should work.

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*Update: all workshops and special engagements have now been concluded, and new projects are now under Undawnted's Substack.

A writer at heart, Undawnted's own creative spark, DL Mullan, began writing short stories and poetry before adolescence. Over the years, Ms. Mullan has showcased her literary talents by self-publishing several collections of her poetry. She also writes novels, designs apparel, and creates digital art. Ms. Mullan‘s creative writing is available in digital and print collections, from academia to commercial anthologies. As an independent publisher, she produces her own book cover designs as well as maintains her own websites. She is an award-winning digital artist and poet. This year, DL Mullan has begun sharing her knowledge via A Novelist Idea Newsletter. If you too want to become a Fearless Phile, then subscribe to her newsletter on Substack.

Her innovative style teaches writers how to reach their creative potential, and write more effectively.

Learn. Grow. Master… with Undawnted.

Let's Go Back to the Future

Who would have thought an 80's movie could have such an impact?

I love the Back to the Future movies. What fun. What a treat. I thought once that I would become a movie critic because I had seen so many movies in my youth.

We had a movie theater that had current movies for $3 and popcorn and a drink also cost $3. That fit on my tiny teenage budget. Movies were my getaway. My holidays. My weekends. 

I knew movies were not real and just enjoyed them as entertainment, and escape. Today as a writer, I look back at my movie days and understand that a story is a combination of character and plot. Movies were a great way to learn what works and does not work when building your own fantasy world.

I am very grateful to live the day Marty McFly came to in the future. Chronic and disabling illnesses make everyday feel like you have no future, but today marks a significant change in history. Now we can see how far we have come and yet to go. 

And, where is my flying car anyway?

Have a great and wonderful future day!

Bob Ross: Christmas Eve Snow

Bob Ross.

The name invokes paint and PBS in the memories of those who loved to watch him paint every week. He left us many, many gifts of joy on canvas. Here is one for Christmas Eve:

For the video and the article to this image: visit the VDP Gazette.

The rest of us can reimagine a world with him in it. Miss you, my friend.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season.

The Night Shift

Nights are a wonderous time.

The moon is almost full. So bright is the rays that I do not need any electric lights outside. I do anyway for safety's sake but it is really bright out there. 

I have begun a list for things I must do to get ready for winter. Weatherize the pipes. Get kitty beds all set up. Indoor rugs where they are needed. A few more curtains. There, done.

Now I have to scour my usual online haunts to do a budget of what I'll need and how much it's going to cost me. Joy. 

At least it's something to do and an accomplishment to look forward to.

Now back to the Night Shift.