Blog Schedule

I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Q is for Quest

Quest: Middle English meaning search, pursuit, investigation, inquest, from Middle French queste search, pursuit, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin quaesta, from Latin the femenine of quaestus. The word "question" is related.

We're all on a quest of some kind or another. The quest for (pursuit of) life, liberty and happiness. The quest for a plastic free world. The quest for the perfect hamburger. The quest for a dust free home. The quest for eternal youth, a weed-free lawn, the newest electronic devise. There are probably as many quests as there are human beings. Some quests are trite, some heroic.

Some are small as in Pooh's quest for honey.



Others are legendary as in Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail.



Some are mythic, like Jason searching for the Golden Fleece.


Still others are historic as is the quest to be first to land on the moon. (Now there's a quest to land on Mars, a useless quest as far as I'm concerned.)

Whatever the quest, something is needed, wanted, missing.

As writers we are on a quest as well. Large or small, loud or quiet, our quest is to tell a story.

To learn how to write a MG quest story, click here. It is a simple six step process. Well, simple is relative.

Let the quest begin. (Say it out loud enough time and it starts to sound like a really weird word. Questquestquestquestquest....)

20 comments:

  1. My quests tend to be more .... Poohesque.

    I think about this with my characters all the time... asking "What does s/he want?" as I go through each scene.

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  2. I love a good quest. And great link by the way!

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  3. I agree 100%, I believe we are all on a quest. We are all searching for something. The question then becomes, will we ever find it?

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  4. I think I'm like Pooh, questing for the simple things in life. Pooh wants a good jar of honey. I want a good . . . humm, I was going to say "martini" but that makes me sound like such a lush. I think we all quest/strive for making the best life we can.

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  5. I vote for quest too in a couple of ways! I like your historical allusions.

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  6. I know I say this everytime, but I LOVE etymologies.

    Anyway fun post, thanks for sharing Bish. I shall now go read your link.

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  7. Yes, I think everybody IS on a quest, including those who don't know it or would say they're not. That MG quest story link is good! I'm a pantser as a writer, yet definitely organized enough to like steps.

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  8. Yes, I'm now on a quest for an agent! (but first must revise my manuscript once again. My quest for the perfect conflict/resolution. perfect story!)

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  9. It does sound funny when you repeat it over and over! Your'e right, we're all on some kind of quest. Fingers crossed we all get to where we want to be!

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  10. I agree. The general persuit of happiness, really. But I love quest stories too.

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  11. I love quests!!! Maybe I should go on a quest today... Hmm where shall it be?

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  12. Oh, excellent--comparing the Pooh quest to Arthur. Exactly! It's not a matter of how big or small the quest is, but that there IS a quest. The characters MUST strive for SOMETHING...otherwise, what's the point?

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  13. Quest is a great word, but it is weird. Most of the "q" words are if you say them enough.

    I think I suffer from multiplequesting. Try saying that one three times fast.

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  14. I love Anne's comment about multiplequesting! I think I suffer from the same thing. Right now, I am on a quest for an amazing plot, a quest for the perfect burger (good one!), a quest for more work and a quest for peace.

    Easy, huh?

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  15. I love how you said there is probably as many quests as there are people. Awesomely true.

    Also, I say things so much all the time that they start to sound funny. Like towel. towellll. lol.

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  16. Great choice for Q...I'm with Pooh, simple pleasures are the best.
    Love your contest idea, BTW...hope I can come up with something by Friday!

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  17. I love this, Bish! You picked the perfect word for Q! It's true: We are all on at least one quest. And thanks for the great link, too!

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  18. Great post!! :o) now not wanting this to sound like a bribe but there's an award for you on my W post. hehe

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  19. Being the Star Wars freak I am, I really enjoyed that link, Bish!

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  20. I must've commented in my dreams because it's gone ... but where would we be without our quests?

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Your Random Thoughts are most welcome!