writer

The Pixar Detective, Chapter 9: Our Doom

Hey everyone! Welcome to The Pixar Detective, a serial novel I put together based on the Pixar Theory. The following is a fictional story that explains the theory that all of the Pixar movies are connected and exist within the same universe, using original characters and artwork. The story answers a lot of questions you may have about this theory, but through its own ongoing narrative.

The story originally launched in April, and we’ve recently completed Part 1!

It is available as an iBook on iTunes, which you can check out here. If you can’t use iBooks, you can also download the PDF version. 

Once you’re finished, check back to our Table of Contents, where we’ll be continuing the story through Part 2. A new chapter is released every two weeks on Tuesdays. And please be sure to leave your feedback in the comments for us to read through. Enjoy!

pixar detective chapter 9

 

PREVIOUSLY, ON THE PIXAR DETECTIVE.

In their continued search for Mary, our heroes found themselves within the secretive (and dangerous) government facility known as the Hexagon. But Stevin and his new friend, the monster known as Mr. Sumner, have been captured by the facility’s head madman, the Maestro.

pixar detective chapter 8

Meanwhile, Wallaby decided to go his own way by sneaking into the Hexagon by himself. Unfortunately, he was discovered by the strange, seemingly unstable agent known as Flo. With a few strategic lies, Wallaby convinced Flo that he is also an agent, and she agreed to escort him inside.

wallaby

Also inside the facility is the mysterious “super” known as Sadie. A girl who has the power of “Dominion.” But what is this power and why is she important? We’re about to find out.

sadie

Use the prompt on the sidebar to subscribe for updates or just follow me and Kayla on Twitter to stay connected – @JonNegroni – @KaylaTheSavage

It’s OK Not to Dream Big.

Do your goals and ambition control you?

They don’t “control” me, though “control” is a funny word.

My ambitions guide me, and they shape me as I realize them. But they in no way prevent me from enjoying the moment, whichever one that is.

Like any other generation that looks smugly down on the one slightly younger, I routinely roll my eyes at kids and young adults I see on Instagram, Vine and Twitter. The frivolous entitlement, fixation on pop culture (that yes, I share with them) and obsession with selfie-fueled narcissism all make me cringe when I loop that Vine.

But then I am met with the “other” kids who are in a totally different state of mind from their counterparts. These are the selfie kids who just finished school and want to seek wisdom for what they should do next. I love to relate to them because one of my most vivid memories encompasses my first summer after college.

And how absolutely terrified I was.

Life starts with big dreams we haven’t thought through. Life continues on after you’ve realized your dreams will actually take a lot of work (that you may not be willing to do).

My dreams have always been based on values I have. Not fame, and definitely not my career. My dreams aren’t “big” in the conventional sense. I never told myself that someday I’ll change the world. I never promised my family and friends that one day I’ll be the best writer with the best writing job. Mostly because that will never happen.

Instead, I crafted my dreams around what I cherish. My spiritual life. Writing. Changing the worlds of people I love.

I accomplished some of those dreams, and some unexpected things have happened as a result of that.

They didn’t happen because I forced them too. I started a blog because I love to write, not because I wanted to be the next “whoever.” I simply wrote about the things I love and let myself grow.

You’re probably in the same boat, whether you’re a blogger, journalist or just someone with a cool story to tell. Don’t worry about who’s going to read your thoughts. Get over the fact that you probably won’t accomplish every single desire your happiness-starved heart demands of you.

Your passion is way more fulfilling than happiness, after all.

So it is OK to dream big. But it’s also OK to simplify. And it’s way better to dream “well.” You’ll have an easier time weeding out the ones that aren’t worth having.

The 10 Websites That Utterly Inspire Me

What makes a website inspiring? Is it the way it’s laid out? Is it how the site allows you to interact with it and gain value from it? Is it simply based on colors and codes that you find tasteful?Websites that Inspire

Go on…The 10 Websites That Utterly Inspire Me

My Name Is Jon, and I Attack the Internet With Words

My name is Jon and I attack the Internet with wordsAn unfortunate side effect of writing multiple blog posts a day is that you lose track of where your portfolio is going.

I chose that word because it can mean a lot of things; for example: You lose track of what kinds of articles you “should” be writing. You also forget to promote and share posts with your friends and followers because hey, who wants to be annoying?

Go on…My Name Is Jon, and I Attack the Internet With Words

Why Draftin.com Will Make Your Writing Better (Proven by Math)

draftFor the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with an up-and-coming writing platform called Draft.

It’s a nifty application that you can use on your desktop to compose anything from blog articles to technical copy. And guess what? It has made my writing tangibly better. I even have evidence.

Go on…Why Draftin.com Will Make Your Writing Better (Proven by Math)

How to Be A Journalist In A World Full of Opinions

journalist

I spent a lot of time trying to decide which words to use for this headline (yes, I write headlines before I write articles). For the word journalist, I almost wanted to put “objective person” or “standout,” but those words are awkward.

For the word opinions, I wanted to use a word that was catchy, like “noise” or “biased nutcases,” but I didn’t want to insult myself and everyone else I know. So I settled on this headline.

How to be an objective standout even though everyone else is a noisy and biased nutcase.

Go on…How to Be A Journalist In A World Full of Opinions

How to Always Have Something Interesting to Write About

how to write something interesting

Common question: “What should I write about?”

Common answer: “I don’t know. I guess whatever.”

Grammar problems within our minds aside, the answer to this ubiquitous question about content choice is incredibly…under-answered.

You want to be able to deliver interesting and compelling content for your blog or publication on a regular basis, but eventually, you hit a snag. You run out of things to say and give up, mostly because you don’t want to deliver anything short of your best work.

It’s a nice sentiment, but it’s also misguided. There is always something of value to say. You’re just not asking the right questions.

Go on…How to Always Have Something Interesting to Write About