Problem: Write an article based on this summary: View new Hosting requests. Open the Hosting requests. Choose the appropriate action for the request.

Answer: Whenever a Couchsurfing member sends out a request to stay at your home, you’ll receive a Hosting request. Click “Pending” under “Hosting” to view all new requests you have received. Click the subject line of the request you want to open to view its details. Scroll down the Request Details page and click the corresponding buttons: “Accept,” “Maybe,” or “Decline.” Each requests that gets accepted, declined, or set to “Maybe” are transferred to the Accepted, Declined, or Maybe folder in the Couch Manager Inbox.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Learn additional stitches. Pick out easy project patterns.

Answer: When you feel comfortable and confident in your ability to crochet chains, you can start learning more advanced stitches.  Each time you practice a new stitch, you'll need to create a long foundation of chain stitches first. You'll need to work these new stitches into the loops of your chain. When learning a new stitch, try to create multiple rows using the new stitch. Continue creating rows of the same stitch until you become comfortable with the technique. After mastering the chain stitch and the slip stitch, the next stitches you should learn (in order) are:  The single crochet stitch The double crochet stitch The triple or treble crochet stitch After you've practiced your basic stitches, you can start using them to create simple projects like blankets and scarves.  Look for crochet patterns written for children since the instructions will be easier to understand. Check the stitches listed in the instructions before you begin. Make sure that you know how to create all of the required stitches.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Expose your baby to music as early as possible. Help your baby to associate music with pleasant emotions. Encourage your baby to make noise. Make music fun. Expose your baby to a wide variety of music.

Answer: Even from the womb, babies can recognize music, and studies have shown that it has a large impact on a fetus's mood. Start your child off on the right foot by singing or playing music for them before they are born.  Forget the myth about putting headphones on a pregnant belly—amniotic fluid is a good conductor of sound and can spread music to the baby just by playing a stereo at a normal level. After children are born, expose them to a variety of music by singing, playing, and dancing to music. The earlier babies and young children hear music, the larger role it will play in their lives. Take advantage of the impact music can have on a young baby's mood. Lullabies are great for calming down a fussy baby, and upbeat songs can make a cranky baby happier. Repeating the same songs to your baby over and over will help them associate those songs with the safety of their parents and will make them feel safe and happy. Give your baby toys that make noise, such as rattles and shakers. Using those toys as baby's first instrument will help to instill a love of music in them early on.  Alternatively, give your child a wooden spoon and selection of pans and lids and let him play. Give him pans of different thicknesses and different materials to produce different sounds. Also encourage your baby to make cooing noises or to "sing". You can do this by repeating an easy sound over and over again while encouraging your baby to copy you. Just like anything else, kids are much more likely to want to study and develop their talents in an area if they find it fun and entertaining. When children are small, introduce musical games.  An easy way to do this is to play a song and tap on their legs or arms to the beat. This helps babies recognize the cadence of the music. You can also take a baby's hand and wave it in the air like they are conducting music during a song. Another simple way to make music fun is to make a favorite stuffed animal sing or dance to the music. Point out music and sounds all around you, like the background music at the store or the beat the water makes as it drips from the faucet. Although kids are interested in baby and toddler music for a reason, exposing children to a large variety of music, from Pearl Jam to Beethoven, can have a large impact on their music appreciation.  A variety of music not only allows children to find the perfect match to their personality, it shows them the variety of styles and musical instruments available. A child may not be interested in the piano and may have a large interest in the drums, but he wouldn't know that if parents hadn't exposed him to drum-heavy songs.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Choose a structure. Choose your conflict type. Consider your themes. Plan your plot points. Outline.

Answer:
In the beginning stages of writing a book, you will want to organize your plot. It is okay to leave some room for movement when you begin writing, but writing your story without some road map rarely works out. The best place to start is with choosing a structure that works for you. Writing theory teaches that there are several classic structures, which most works fall into, but most are not mutually exclusive and can be combined. The two major structures are:  Act structure: The act structure, commonly associated with plays and film, can easily be applied to novels as well. This theory of structure states that stories do well when broken up into clearly identifiable sections. The normal number of sections is three though two and four are common. In the classic three-act structure, the first act introduces the main and secondary characters, the setting, the problem to be conquered, and often some background information (this act usually comprises roughly 25% of the story). The second act moves through and develops the conflict in the story, usually containing a plot point where the main character faces a major setback. This is the meat and potatoes of the story and usually comprises roughly 50% of the content. The third act is the conclusion, where the hero faces the villain and the story reaches its climax, followed by a rewarding or, at least, less exciting ending scene or series of scenes. Each of these acts can often be boiled down into three subsections, each with its own arch or mini-story. Monomyth or the Hero’s Journey: This theory of story structure was famously put forward by Joseph Campbell. It states that almost every story with a hero can be boiled down into one main series of archetypes. This begins with a hero who is called to adventure though s/he initially refuses the burden. The hero is given some aid before crossing from the world, s/he has always known into the adventure (where the hero feels lost and alone at first). The hero then undergoes a series of trials, during which they will often encounter helpers, at the end of which the hero goes through some significant personal change. The hero then confronts the main antagonist of the story and returns home, enriched with wisdom and treasure. You may want to think about what type of conflict you wish to have in your story. This can help you develop a plot, as well as lead you to other similar stories to gain inspiration. There are many theories about the types of conflict in stories, but the main sources are:  Man against nature: This is a story where your main character faces off against some natural phenomena. An example would be stories where the main character becomes lost in the wilderness or the antagonist is an animal. An example of this kind of story would be the film 127 Hours. Man against the supernatural: This is a story where your main character faces off against creatures like ghosts and demons, God himself, or other beings not of this world. The Shining is a good example of this type of conflict. Man against man: This is the most basic story conflict, where your main character faces off against another person. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a classic example. Man against society: In this type, your main character faces off against the rules of a society or societal norms. An example would be the novel Fahrenheit 451. Man against self: This is a story where your main character faces off against his own inner demons or his own internal conflict. An example of this would be The Picture of Dorian Gray. Whether it is intentional or not, your story will end having a theme. This is what the story is about. Through writing about this theme, you will end making some statement about what you think on the topic. Think about the themes in your book or that could be in your book and what you want to say about them. This can help you develop a plot, through creating situations which present your ideas. Frank Herbert’s Dune (for example) is not about a guy trying to avenge his family. It’s about the perils of imperialism and Herbert makes it clear that he believes Western powers have become hopelessly entangled in a situation where they do not belong which they cannot hope to control. Plot points are turning points in your story, important events which change the course your character must take. You will need to plan what these will be and try to space them evenly. There is a plot point, which serves to convince your character that they must go on their adventure. This is a point at which all of your character’s plans for dealing with their problem go right out the window and then some climax which incites the final battle. Once you know where you are going and how you are going to get there, write down the whole thing. This will be your roadmap and is vital to a smooth writing process. Write down the basics of each scene, what purpose the scene serves, what characters are in the scene, where they are, what they are thinking and feeling, etc. Every minuscule detail of the sequence of events should also be written down for each scene. This is the best way to prevent crippling writer’s block, as you can still cover the basics of a scene, even if you may not feel that it is perfect.