blackgirlwrites125

[blackgirlwrites125]

yall, i need somebody to tell me to lock in fr fr rn, i’ve been out of it since may

[blackgirlwrites125]

✨ HOW TO ACTUALLY START A BOOK

(no ✨vibes✨, just structure, stakes, and first-sentence sweat)

hello writer friends 💌 so you opened a doc. you sat down. you cracked your knuckles. maybe you even made a playlist or moodboard. and then… you stared at the blinking cursor like it personally insulted your entire bloodline.

here’s your intervention. this post is for when you want to write chapter one, but all you have is aesthetic, maybe a plot bunny, maybe a world idea, maybe nothing at all. here’s how to actually start a book, from structure to sentence one.

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🌶️ STEP 1: THE SPICE BASE ~ “WHAT’S CHANGING?”

start with this question:

what changes in the protagonist’s life in the first 5–10 pages?

doesn’t have to be earth-shattering. they could get a letter, lose a job, run late, break a rule, wake up hungover in the wrong house. what matters is disruption. the opening of your book should mark a shift. if their day starts normal, it shouldn’t end that way.

🏁 opening chapters are about motion. forward movement. tension. momentum. if nothing is changing, your story isn’t starting, you’re just doing a prequel.

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⚙️ STEP 2: THE CRUNCHY BITS - CHOOSE AN ENTRY POINT

there are 3 classic places to start a novel. each one works if you’re intentional:

The Day Everything Changes most popular. you drop us in right before or during the inciting incident. clean, fast, efficient.

pro: immediate stakes con: harder to sneak in worldbuilding or character grounding

The Calm Before the Storm starts slightly earlier. show the character’s “normal” life, then break it. useful if the change won’t make sense without context.

pro: space to introduce your character’s routine/flaws con: risky if it drags or feels like setup

The Aftermath drop us in after the big event and fill in gaps as we go. works well for thrillers, mysteries, or emotionally heavy plots.

pro: instant drama con: requires precision to avoid confusion

📝 pick one. commit. don’t blend them or you’ll write three intros at once and cry.

—

🧠 STEP 3: CHARACTER FIRST, ALWAYS

readers don’t care about your setting, your magic system, or your cool mafia politics unless they’re anchored in someone.

in the first scene, we need to know:

what this person wants

what’s bothering them (externally or internally)

one trait they lead with (bold, anxious, calculating, naive, etc.)

that’s it. just one want, one tension, one vibe. no bios. no monologues. no “they weren’t like other girls” essays. put them in a situation and show how they act.

—

⛓️ STEP 4: OPEN WITH FRICTION

first scenes should create questions, not answer them.

there should be tension between:

what the character wants vs. what they’re getting

what’s happening vs. what they expected

what’s being said vs. what’s being felt

you don’t need a gunshot or a car crash (unless you want one). you need conflict. tension = momentum = readers keep reading.

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✏️ STEP 5: WRITE THE FIRST SENTENCE - THEN IGNORE IT

okay. now you write it.

no pressure. you’re not tattooing it on your soul. this isn’t the final line on the final page. you just need something.

tricks that work:

start in the middle of an action

start with a contradiction

start with something unexpected, funny, or sharp

start with a small lie or a weird detail

💬 examples:

“The body was exactly where she’d left it - rude.” “He was already two hours late to his own kidnapping.” “There was blood on the welcome mat. Again.” “They said don’t open the door. She opened it anyway.”

once you’ve got it? keep going. don’t revise yet. don’t edit. just build momentum.

you can come back and make it ✨iconic✨ later.

—

📦 BONUS: WHAT NOT TO DO IN YOUR OPENING

don’t start with a dream

don’t info-dump lore in paragraph one

don’t give me three pages of your OC making toast

don’t try to sound like a Victorian cryptid unless it’s on purpose

don’t introduce 7 named characters in one scene

don’t start with a quote unless you are 800% sure it slaps

be weird. be sharp. be specific. aim for interest, not perfection.

—

🏁 TL;DR (but make it ✨useful✨)

something in your MC’s life should change immediately

pick a structural entry point and stick to it

give us a person, not a setting

friction = good

first lines are disposable, just make them interesting

and if you needed a sign to just start the damn book, this is it.

💌 love, -rin t.

P.S. I made a free mini eBook about the 5 biggest mistakes writers make in the first 10 pages 👀 you can grab it here for FREE:

[blackgirlwrites125]

How I improved my writing style... without actually writing.

Intro : It's just a clickbait title to talk about theory and side techniques - before actually practicing, of course.

LINGUISTIC ISN'T GRAMMAR - AND IT'S BETTER TO KNOW ABOUT BOTH. It's useful for writing impactful dialogue and giving your characters depth. Your characters' language should (ideally) take into account: their social position (rich or poor), the locality (local expressions?) and sometimes their age (different cultural references). And this is best transcribed with linguistic knowledge. In short: linguistics is descriptive, grammar is prescriptive.

The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences),  semantics (meaning),  morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds and equivalent gestures in sign languages), phonology (the abstract sound system of a particular language, and analogous systems of sign languages), and pragmatics (how the context of use contributes to meaning). (Linguistics, Wikipedia)

Literary theory isn't as boring as it sounds. Learn more about internal criteria of the text (figure of speech, style, aesthetic...) and external criteria of the text (the author's persona and responsability, the role of the reader and what is left to interpretation...). I refer you to the French Wikipedia page, which you can translate directly via your browser in case you need more information. (Make sure you translate the page not switch language, because the content isn't the same).

Listening to Youtube Video about the analysis of film sequences and/or scenario. Remember when I told you to read historical fiction to learn how to describe a castle properly ? Same vibe.

Novel adaptations of movies. = when the movie exists before the book, and not the other way around. e.g : The Shape of Water ; Pan's Labyrinth. In line with tip n°3, it allows us to see how emotions, scenes and descriptions have been translated into writing - and thus to better visualize concepts that may have been abstract.

Read books about authors' writing experiences. e.g : Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Everyone's different, but they can provide some insightful tips not only on the act of writing itself, but on the environment conducive to writing, planning… Comparing completely different authors' experience could also be fun (this video of King and Martin is actually one of my fav)

Ah and many thanks for your ❤ and reblogs on my latest post ! UwU

[blackgirlwrites125]

Character Flaws and Their Meanings

Impulsiveness : Acts on instinct without careful planning. Perfectionism : Sets unrealistically high standards, leading to self-criticism. Indecisiveness : Struggles to commit to decisions or choose a path. Arrogance : Overestimates one’s abilities and dismisses others. Pessimism : Habitually expects negative outcomes in most situations. Cynicism : Distrusts the motives and sincerity of others. Overconfidence : Places excessive faith in one’s skills, often underestimating risks. Stubbornness : Resists change and refuses to adapt to new ideas. Jealousy : Feels envious of others' success or possessions. Insecurity : Experiences frequent self-doubt and a lack of confidence. Procrastination : Tends to delay tasks, often leading to missed opportunities. Passivity : Avoids taking initiative and relies on others to act. Aggressiveness : Responds with hostility or force rather than reason. Selfishness : Prioritizes personal gain over the welfare of others. Fragility : Is overly sensitive to criticism and easily discouraged. Egotism : Constantly focuses on oneself and one’s own importance. Defensiveness : Quickly rejects or rationalizes away critique or new information. Manipulativeness : Exploits others to fulfill personal needs or desires. Recklessness : Shows a careless disregard for potential risks or consequences. Resentfulness : Holds lingering bitterness and grudges over perceived wrongs. Distractibility : Finds it hard to maintain focus amid competing interests. Impatience : Lacks the willingness to wait, often spoiling opportunities to learn. Perfunctory : Performs actions in a mechanical, uninspired manner. Self-Doubt : Consistently questions personal abilities and decisions. Arbitraryness : Makes decisions based on whim rather than reason or evidence. Rigidity : Is inflexible and unwilling to consider alternative viewpoints. Gullibility : Trusts too easily, often leading to being misled or deceived. Obsession : Becomes excessively fixated on particular ideas or details. Aloofness : Maintains emotional distance, appearing detached or indifferent. Intolerance : Refuses to accept differing perspectives or lifestyles.

Writing Advice for Brainstorming

Mix genres and time periods: Experiment by combining elements from different eras or genres to create unique settings and narratives.

Use "what if" scenarios: Pose unexpected questions (e.g., What if time travel operated on emotions rather than mechanics?) to spark novel ideas.

Draw from diverse mediums: Engage with art, music, or even scientific papers to inspire unexpected plot twists.

Embrace absurdity: Let illogical or surreal ideas guide you; sometimes the wildest thoughts lead to compelling stories.

Reverse clichés: Identify common tropes in your favorite genres and deliberately invert them to create fresh perspectives.

Incorporate personal anomalies: Transform your idiosyncrasies and personal struggles into rich, multi-dimensional characters.

Use mind-mapping: Visually plot your ideas in a freeform way to uncover hidden connections between disparate elements.

[blackgirlwrites125]

Random pieces of advice about worldbuilding and plot.

If every story is worth telling, there are some elements to take into account to make it right.

Every cause has consequences. A story is logical in one way or another. Whether you plan your story or go with the flow, if you ask about: the origins, reactions and actions to be taken following an event, the pieces somehow will ‘click into place’.

Everything has a cost. Magic system, war, life in general... Don't forget that resources are not unlimited. Consider the societal, social, natural, (magical, if need be) limitations.

Challenge the statut quo and the villain's motivations (if there's a villain in the original sense of the term) : Ask yourself why the villain wants to ‘change the world’ (and really question his legitimacy) and what the world should look like after the final confrontation. If we come back to the original point, it's that the plot didn't serve any purpose, being no more than a ‘historical aside’. Remember that everything happens for a reason, so make that reason a good one.

Make actual research about geography and climate: forest, desert and especially rivers can't pop out of nowhere, they must respect certain natural principles. For example, a river must have its source somewhere, often high up in the mountains. So it seems logical that a river should be close to a mountain. Be careful if you want to incorporate a map in your story !

Be careful when you rely on chance, fate or whatever you call it. I still can't work out whether it's worse than deus ex machina - especially if it's done badly. As far as I'm concerned, if you work well enough with the cause-consequence chain and have a good grasp of the limits of your universe, you won't need to rely on this kind of process. this one is actually pretty personnal, you have every right to disagree.

[blackgirlwrites125]

Other Words for "Look" + With meanings | List for writers

Many people create lists of synonyms for the word 'said,' but what about the word 'look'? Here are some synonyms that I enjoy using in my writing, along with their meanings for your reference. While all these words relate to 'look,' they each carry distinct meanings and nuances, so I thought it would be helpful to provide meanings for each one.

Gaze - To look steadily and intently, especially in admiration or thought.

Glance - A brief or hurried look.

Peek - A quick and typically secretive look.

Peer - To look with difficulty or concentration.

Scan - To look over quickly but thoroughly.

Observe - To watch carefully and attentively.

Inspect - To look at closely in order to assess condition or quality.

Stare - To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something.

Glimpse - To see or perceive briefly or partially.

Eye - To look or stare at intently.

Peruse - To read or examine something with great care.

Scrutinize - To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Behold - To see or observe a thing or person, especially a remarkable one.

Witness - To see something happen, typically a significant event.

Spot - To see, notice, or recognize someone or something.

Contemplate - To look thoughtfully for a long time at.

Sight - To suddenly or unexpectedly see something or someone.

Ogle - To stare at in a lecherous manner.

Leer - To look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious way.

Gawk - To stare openly and stupidly.

Gape - To stare with one's mouth open wide, in amazement.

Squint - To look with eyes partially closed.

Regard - To consider or think of in a specified way.

Admire - To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.

Skim - To look through quickly to gain superficial knowledge.

Reconnoiter - To make a military observation of a region.

Flick - To look or move the eyes quickly.

Rake - To look through something rapidly and unsystematically.

Glare - To look angrily or fiercely.

Peep - To look quickly and secretly through an opening.

Focus - To concentrate one's visual effort on.

Discover - To find or realize something not clear before.

Spot-check - To examine something briefly or at random.

Devour - To look over with eager enthusiasm.

Examine - To inspect in detail to determine condition.

Feast one's eyes - To look at something with great enjoyment.

Catch sight of - To suddenly or unexpectedly see.

Clap eyes on - To suddenly see someone or something.

Set eyes on - To look at, especially for the first time.

Take a dekko - Colloquial for taking a look.

Leer at - To look or gaze in a suggestive manner.

Rubberneck - To stare at something in a foolish way.

Make out - To manage to see or read with difficulty.

Lay eyes on - To see or look at.

Pore over - To look at or read something intently.

Ogle at - To look at in a lecherous or predatory way.

Pry - To look or inquire into something in a determined manner.

Dart - To look quickly or furtively.

Drink in - To look at with great enjoyment or fascination.

Bask in - To look at or enjoy something for a period of time.

[blackgirlwrites125]

How to Start Writing

A list of resources to help you get started with creative writing.

How to Start Creative Writing A post with some tips and suggestions for how to start writing.

Elements of Creative Writing A guide that explains the different elements of creative writing (such as setting, plot, and characters).

Writing Notes: Ways to Generate an Idea Provides some tips, suggestions, and examples for how to come up with ideas to write about.

20 Questions Before Writing Your Novel A list of things to consider in order to help you decide what to write.

Basic Overview: How to Write a Story? A basic guide on what to consider when writing a story, such as theme, plot structure, and characters.

How to Come up with Plot A basic guide on what to consider when creating your story’s plot.

How to Create a Character A guide on how to create a character, along with the different things to consider when creating characters.

How to Start a Story: 30 Opening Scene Examples A list of different writing prompts for starting a story. Includes examples from published books.

For more resources on writing a novel, check out some others I’ve shared:

Detailed Character Profiles Writing Your Story’s Plot How to Write a Scene Writing Your Novel: The Opening, Middle, and End

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I’m a writer, poet, and editor. I share writing resources that I’ve collected over the years and found helpful for my own writing. If you like my blog, follow me for more resources! ♡

[blackgirlwrites125]

how do yall write so much?????

i'm a very busy student, and when i find good time to write, i can NEVER actually write. it's like my brain just starts tweaking out.

[blackgirlwrites125]

[blackgirlwrites125]

black women are.

Black women are powerful

[blackgirlwrites125]

[blackgirlwrites125]

dang man

[blackgirlwrites125]

[blackgirlwrites125]

Using Dialogue Tags

There are debates over dialogue tags, particularly regarding the dialogue tag “said.” Some people argue that the word “said” is overused. And I have found several lists of other dialogue tags to use instead. Many of these lists, however, include words that don’t technically work as dialogue tags (and words that some editors will point out as grammatically incorrect, or that are used incorrectly, for tagging dialogue).

There is nothing wrong with using the standard dialogue tags “said,” “asked,” or even “replied.” But there is also nothing wrong with using other dialogue tags for variety sometimes, when such tags are used appropriately.

Keeping that in mind, below are some resources that cover both sides of the argument of using “said” versus overusing “said.” You’ll find resources that explain the reasons why using “said” is useful. And you’ll also find lists of other dialogue tags to consider when you’d like to use something else instead.

A list of resources to help you choose which dialogue tags to use in your writing.

Why Said Is a Magical Word An excerpt from “Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly” by Gail Carson Levine (author of “Ella Enchanted”) on the importance of the word “said” and why it works as a dialogue tag.

Dialogue Tags That Can’t Be Used Interchangeably A very helpful post that explains, with several examples, why many words in dialogue tag lists are being used incorrectly.

Figurative Language & Dialogue Tags A short post that explains how some alternative dialogue tags are used more figuratively than literally.

Dialogue Tags: 12 Categories and 102 Examples for Writers Explains what dialogue tags are and why they’re important. Provides different lists of dialogue tags in various categories.

270+ Other Words for “Said” to Supercharge Your Writing Provides several lists of dialogue tags in various categories.

Words to Replace Said, Except This Actually Helps Provides several lists of dialogue tags in categories like “Nervous Trainwreck,” “Actually, You’re Wrong,” and “Shhhh It’s Quiet Time.”

Say What?! - The Many Faces and Meanings of Said Provides short lists of dialogue tags, categorized by emotion or mood.

Writing Notes: Said Provides different lists of dialogue tags in various categories.

100 Dialogue Tags You Can Use Instead of “Said” Provides short lists of dialogue tags in various categories.

List of 400+ Dialogue Tags Provides short lists of dialogue tags in various categories.

Please Stop Overusing Said, Say, Yell, Whispered, in Your Stories Provides several lists of dialogue tags in various categories.

For more resources on writing dialogue, check out the ones I shared in How to Punctuate Dialogue.

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I’m a writer, poet, and editor. I share writing resources that I’ve collected over the years and found helpful for my own writing. If you like my blog, follow me for more resources! ♡

[blackgirlwrites125]

𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟷 𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚎, 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟼

𝐇𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐦

Word Count: 2716

𝑴𝒆𝒐𝒘.

My eyes flutter open as Lola treads along the bed, walking towards my arm. Her claws slightly pierce my shirt. What is she doing, and why? I reach for my phone and glance at the time.

"Girl, it's three o'clock in the morning. What are you doing?"

She meows in response and plops herself right by my shoulder. She can't be hungry, Lola just ate not too long ago, and she can't go outside. What could this thing want at this time of hour?

"Do you want some attention or are you just annoying me?"

Meow!

She moves closer to my hand to rub her head in my palm.

"You're a pain, but I love you. Now go to sleep."

Meow.

Despite being a morning person, I still like getting some amount of sleep. I don't need to be sleep deprived by the time I get up for work. I close my eyes and attempt to drift back to my lost slumber.

...

"Me and you are gonna fight one day, Lola."

Meow, she answers back.

I check the time on my watch. 04:30, the time I would usually wake up. Since Lola decided to irk my nerves this morning, I've already gotten my morning routine out of the way. I've already read, worked out, and fed Lola, so now I have nothing to do. This early morning gives me time to actually think and reflect. I sit on my couch and stare at the ceiling.

Finally, it's Friday. The weekend is coming up and I finally get to relax for a while. The volunteer meeting was successful, Gomez already approved the budget for the gala, Kylie ordered and contacted the business, and now all I have to worry about is my regular work. That's good. But the sad part is that I don't have to leave for work until eight o'clock, and I don't have anything to fill the time. So, I'm just stuck here. Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've ever been bored.

I'm gonna be honest, these past two weeks have been a fever dream. Ma'Kayla is back in my life, Jaime is still trying to get to me, and on top of that I have work to do. It's just been really crazy lately; I'm surprised that I haven't had a mental breakdown. But at the same time, why is this happening? Maybe this could be another lesson for character development that God is giving me. Either way, it's happening, and I have to deal with it.

My phone lights up with a notification. It might be an email from someone, but who would email me at this time in the morning? It's 4:30 in the morning. But, then again, I'm always up this early, so there's that. I reach over for my phone and see who sent me an email.

It's actually not an email, Ma'Kayla sent me something.

Ma'Kayla: Hey

Me: Hey

Ma'Kayla: I lowkey didn't expect you to respond this early in the morning.

Me: Same to you. Hru?

Ma'Kayla: I'm good, my dog decided to wake me up this early in the morning so I'm up. How about you?

Me: I'm fine. My cat woke me up, so I can relate to you on that lol

Ma'Kayla: Lol 😂

Me: What are you doing?

Ma'Kayla: I'm just chillin. I don't have to leave until around 6.

Me: Why 6?

Ma'Kayla: That's when the subway isn't very crowded and my stop is the first one so I have to be there early. I don't have a car, so I gotta make do with what I got.

Me: I can give you a ride, just so you know. It's only about a thirty-minute drive, depending on where you live.

Ma'Kayla: You don't have to, I'll catch the subway.

Me: I insist.

Text bubbles pop up on the screen.

Ma'Kayla: Fine.

"Thanks for the ride, Hakeem. Like seriously, you really didn't have to do this."

"It's no problem."

Ma'Kayla and I arrive at the office building and wait for an available elevator to head to our department floors. Thankfully we beat the 8:30 traffic, or else we would've been stuck there forever.

An awkward silence sits between us. What should I say to her? I mean, I don't even have anything to say to her. Well, not in a rude way, just...

"The elevator's open."

"Oh, uh, thanks."

We step into the elevator and I press the buttons "six" and "seven". The elevator starts moving.

I should say something.

"So", I start, "what do you suppose we do for the next meeting?"

Ma'Kayla shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not really the leader of the team, so I can't decide."

I nod. "That's understandable."

"Yeah, what do you suppose we do?"

"We've already called the places and booked everything, so now all we have to do and publicize and advertise."

DING! The elevator doors open to the marketing floor.

"That's actually a good idea, Hakeem. Well, I have to go, I'll see you later."

I bid her farewell and she steps out of the elevator, making her way to her office.

The elevator doors close.

Am I that stupid? I mean, why would I ask her that? I should've asked her about how her day was, or about her dog. Why am I that oblivious! Considering she doesn't even remember who I am makes it even worse.

My phone buzzes in my pocket. It's a text, from him.

"Yahuah, why me?" I say out loud.

How's Common Grounds? I heard they have a lovely accounting department.

I swiftly pocket my phone. What is going on? How does Jaime know I work here?

The elevator doors slide open. It's Noah.

"Hey Hakeem!"

I let out a long breath. "Hello."

"Did you hear? We're getting a new director for accounting."

"That makes sense, Anderson wasn't even here half the time."

"Right. But I wonder who it is."

"Well I don't. I've got work to do. I'll see you later."

I quickly walk to my desk and take out my phone.

Me: What do you want from me?

Unknown Sender: I want what you took from me, all those years ago.

Me: I have nothing to give you. You've ruined my life once, why would you want to do it again? What have I ever done to hurt you, Jaime?

Unknown Sender: You know what.

Me: Actually, I don't. Why don't you tell me?

Text bubbles appear, then vanish. I knew he couldn't say what. I did nothing to this man, why does he want to constantly get at me? Going through all of this work just to ruin my life, is he crazy? It's like he's obsessed. I set my phone face down on my desk. I can't deal with him anymore. I can't deal with this anymore.

"Hakeem?"

I turn around to see who called my name. "Yes?"

"Gomez wants to talk to you."

"About what?"

"I don't know, she just called for you."

"Alright, tell her I'm on my way."

I stand up and leave my desk to make my way to her office. I didn't even expect her to be here today. Considering Gomez is rarely even at the office at all. But I digress, time to go to her office.

As I'm walking to the elevator, a familiar figure passes by. I don't see his face, but he looks strikingly similar to someone I know. I can't think of who it is right now, but I'm pretty sure I know him from somewhere. I make it to the elevator and press the up button. It's annoying that Gomez's office is all the way on the first floor, but who can blame her? She did start this company all by herself, so she might as well be on top.

The elevator doors slide open and I almost run into someone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

"It's fine-oh Hakeem!"

I look up from the ground and there's Ma'Kayla. "Hi! What are you doing here?"

"Gomez called me to her office. I don't know why though."

So I'm not the only one? Cool. "Yeah, she called me too."

"Why though? That's my question."

I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know, we'll find out when we get there."

"I guess we will."

The elevator doors close again.

After a long elevator ride, Ma'Kayla and I finally make it to the first floor. I'm not going to lie, being called to her office terrifies me. I know I haven't done anything wrong, it just feels like it. But anyways, she called for us and now we're here.

The elevator doors open and we step out. I feel a cold wind burst in my face, sending shivers down my spine.

"Hello you two, Ms. Gomez is waiting to see you." He says.

"Thank you."

This place isn't what I thought it would be. It's just, bland. Grey covered walls surround the place. There's only one desk, leading to her office.

"This doesn't look like the type of office Gomez would be working in." Ma'Kayla states.

"I know", I respond. "I'd expect it to be more-"

"Lavish?"

"Yeah."

"Ahem." The man clears his throat. "Are you two going to just stand there or are you going to walk into her office?"

I guess not. I walk to her office doors with Ma'Kayla and take a breath. I open the doors.

"Hey you two! I've been expecting you. Come, sit!"

A bright light slaps my face as I step in. Her office is way better than the rest of the floor is.

"I know you're probably wondering why I called you here." Gomez states.

"Yes we are." Ma'Kayla responds.

Gomez chuckles. "That's expected. Don't worry, you both are not in trouble. I wanted to inform that we have a new accounting director. Since Ma'Kayla is one of our directors and Hakeem works for our accounting department, I wanted to talk to you about him."

Now that she's talking about him, I actually want to know who he is. Considering that she keeps mentioning him, she might as well just tell us.

"If you don't mind me asking, who is this new director? I mean, I have to know him since he's gonna be my boss pretty soon."

Gomez shakes her head no. "You two aren't going to find out until later today. I told the rest of the department heads that we're going to have a new director but you, Ma'Kayla, missed the meeting that we had. So I decided to tell you now."

"Wait", Ma'Kayla starts, "if you're going to tell me about the new director, why is Hakeem here?"

"Because he's practically going to be the second in command, he already was when Anderson wasn't here."

She's not wrong. Whenever the old director, Jeremiah Anderson, wasn't at work(which was pretty much everyday) I took over pretty much everything. Gomez had originally asked me if I wanted to be the head of the accounting department but I declined the offer. I never wanted to advance in my work, I just wanted to stay where I'm at. That's good enough for me.

"Plus, Hakeem can show him the regular work around the office."

"So, do you want me to show him how to do his job?" I ask her.

"Hm...not quite. But show him what you would normally do whenever Anderson wasn't here."

"Alright. That seems doable. I'll be sure to do that."

Gomes smiles. "I knew you would, since I pay you to do it."

"That's true."

She claps her hands together and swiftly stands up. "Well, that's all I needed to say to you guys. And...yeah! Don't forget to smile! Buh-bye now!"

Glad that's over. Now I can go back to doing my job that I get paid for doing. Goodness gracious, I'm so tired. But I can't rest right now, I still have to work.

"Are you sure that it's him?"

"Absolutely. It has to be him."

The few hours of work that I had before lunch weren't that bad. Thankfully, twelve o'clock has come around, a time where I can update Marquis on what's been going on. We haven't been talking in a while; he's a married man and has a kid. I expect him to be busy. Considering we've been best friends for years; it doesn't make sense. But I digress.

"How do you know it's him, 'Keem?"

"Who else would send condescending text messages to me, talking about my time in prison? No one else but him. No one."

He sighs. "What I'm trying to figure out is how he got your number in the first place. That baffles me."

"I know. And the thing is, why is he doing this?"

He sighs. Marquis is just as stressed as I am. I mean, what kinds of mind games is he playing?

"What do I do?"

"Keep trusting Him. God got you through the last time, He can get you through this one."

"I am. But I've been feeling disturbed lately."

"How so?"

"Kind of like I've been bothered in a way."

"Because of Ma'Kayla coming back into your life and Jaime randomly texting you from day to day?"

"Exactly! You know, you're like another me."

"That's because I know you, haven't you realized that?"

I let out a little chuckle. Life is always a little bit better when you have friends. I check the time on my watch. It's 12:30. I have eaten yet and I have to finish that spreadsheet for the winter sale.

"Ok Marquis, I gotta hang up. I haven't eaten yet and I have to finish a spreadsheet."

"Alright man. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone. Now that I think about it, I don't know what to eat. Normally, I would go out and grab something, but I don't really feel like it. I might as well get it from the cafeteria, but I absolutely despise going in there. The cafeteria is constantly crowded, the food isn't the best, and it's way too loud. But it's my best bet if I want to eat before the day is over.

"Hakeem, did you finish that spreadsheet?"

I nod. "Yep. I finished it at lunch."

"Alright cool. The day's almost over. Thanks for submitting it!"

"No problem."

Lunch actually wasn't that bad. There weren't a lot of people in the cafeteria and the food tasted decent. Thankfully, I was able to finish that spreadsheet before lunch was over so I don't have to spend the rest of my work day with it, and now, the day is over. Well, nearly over. It's only four fifty-six. Apparently, Gomez is introducing the new head of accounting to the entire staff at five, so that's fun. Although I could care less, I actually wonder who this man is. Maybe he's actually a hard worker and will actually come to the office and do something, or he could be just like Anderson. Only the Most High knows.

I begin packing my bag to leave and a loud noise rings throughout the office. Sounds like an intercom, I didn't even know we had one. You learn something new every day.

"Hey everyone!"

Gomez.

"If everybody could gather downstairs in the main lobby to meet our new accounting director, that would be amazing!"

It's that time. I hope this guy's not a drag like the last one.

I grab my backpack and computer bag and head towards the elevator.

The elevator reaches the first floor and I meet a swarm of people looking up. I tilt my head towards the ceiling and Gomez is on the balcony.

"Hello everyone! Thank you all for spending these few moments with me to introduce our new accounting director! I know this seems strenuous but I want everybody to meet this young man!"

My phone buzzes in my pocket. I take it out and it's from him again. I open it.

Unknown Sender: It's good to see you again, Keem. It's been 5 years since I saw you, and now, I get to be your boss.

"I would like you to introduce our new accounting department head, Jaime Fuentes!"

You have got to be kidding me.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check my blog for more stuff!

Copyright © Imari Dupree. All Rights Reserved.

[blackgirlwrites125]

so I'm gonna take a break from posting You Remind Me because I want to edit and fill some of the plot holes that I have. You'll get part 2, don't worry. But for now, you'll get the part 1 finale of You Remind Me!

[blackgirlwrites125]

𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝟷, 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟻

𝐌𝐚'𝐊𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚

Word Count: 2179

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐲.

As chief director of the marketing department, I have to hold a meeting to discuss the Christmas sale, which I don't like doing. Since I haven't come up with anything, the team has to help. I feel bad for dragging them out of their lunch breaks, this is the one time where the employees get to relax. Plus, I really don't want to spend too much time in this meeting. I gotta end this meeting fast, I still need to eat.

"So", I state, "what do we have so far?"

Someone raises his hand.

"Yes Max?"

"I was thinking we could give out an updated version of one of our products? Like those touch-screen computers we used to sell."

It sounds like a good idea, but there are some faults. "That's an idea, but there's a problem with that. We would need a lot of money and get a survey of people about what updates they would like."

"Right", Kylie agrees, "it's going to be pretty time consuming."

I nod. "I agree, any other ideas?"

Someone else raises her hand.

"Whatchu got?"

"Selling out our current products and maybe pitching an idea for a new one. How about it?"

"Yeah, but that's pretty basic, no offense."

"None taken. But! There's a catch. Plus it would be a nice thing to do."

I'm confused. What would it be? Wait, I know what she's talking about. "A fundraiser."

"Exactly!"

I like this idea. The company will gain some revenue and give a good Christmas to the poor. Considering the poverty population in New York, this is going to be great for the community.

"Do you know what charity we're going to donate to?"

"Robin Hood, it's the largest poverty-fighting charity in New York. My cousin works for them, so I can ask her if we could help this Christmas. Can you run by Gomez?"

"That sounds like a good idea", I tell them, "I'll run it by Ms. Gomez. Good work, y'all!"

Everyone claps and starts packing up to leave. It's good that we made progress this time, things have been dry around here lately. I glance at my watch to check the time. 12:49pm. I have about 41 minutes before I get back to my desk, and I need to find a place to eat that's not too far from here. I could go to Blair's cafe again, but I need a meal.

"Ma'Kayla", Kylie calls out, "there's someone waiting outside to talk to you."

"Who is it?" I ask her.

Kylie gives me a signal to look towards the door. I look, and there he is. I didn't expect to see him here. He has two cups in his hands, and a folder. Hopefully the cups have coffee in them.

As I pass by her, she whispers in my ear, "He likes you."

No he doesn't, he barely even knows me. To be honest, I'd never expect him to show up.

"Hakeem, hello!" I greet him. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something." He hands me a cup. "Here's some coffee."

I take a sip. This is really good coffee, it tastes like the coffee at Blair's place. Praise Jesus!

"Where'd you get this?"

"The coffee place we went to the other day."

I nod. I knew it. "Oh, thank you. This was nice of you."

We take a walk towards the elevators. "What did you want to talk to me about?" I ask him.

"Oh! I wanted to give you these."

Hakeem sets his cup on a nearby table and opens the folder that he was holding. It reveals papers with different kinds of graphs on it and spreadsheets. What is this for, and why is he showing me this?

"I made these on Sunday for the meeting tomorrow. I researched the companies that we might ask for their services, like catering, decor, etc."

Wow, this is pretty amazing. "Did Gomez tell you to make these?"

He nods. "Yeah. She spotted me at that cafe by the building, and told me to make this."

"Cool. This is some nice work. I can work on the decor. I'll ask marketing to help. Also, I have an idea for the gala."

"What is it?"

"It'd make more sense to make it into a fundraising gala. We can donate the money to assist in the poverty problem, I just have to see if Gomez is alright with it."

"I'm pretty sure she'll be ok with the idea, she's a philanthropist."

"I didn't know that, that's pretty interesting."

"Well, there's something new you learn every day."

He smiles at me, and time stops. I stare at his complexion in utter awe. The windows were open, and the sun shines down on his sepia skin. His bright face gleams brightly as a flash of light. In the light, Hakeem looks like an angel. The light, showing a halo on Hakeem's head, giving his kind smile to me. He looks beautiful.

"Ma'Kayla?"

I jump. I didn't even here him call my name. "Yeah?"

"I asked you if you had eaten yet? I can get something for you if you want."

I shake my head. "No, but I'll probably get something to eat later. But thank you though!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Despite my answer being 'yes', my stomach disagrees and makes a gurgle loud enough for both of us to hear. That's pretty embarrassing.

"I guess I'll eat something now."

I glance at the time on my watch. 1:10pm. I have about 20 minutes until I have to go back to my desk. Thankfully, I'm eating and I have a good idea of what I plan to do for this Christmas sale. Hakeem ended up getting me food since I hadn't eaten, which I'm very grateful for, but I still feel bad for making him do this.

Apparently, there's a barbeque place not too far from the office. It's a really nice place and the food is really good. I might eat from there again.

"Hakeem, thank you a lot for this. I'll pay you back la-"

"Ma'Kayla, you don't have to pay me. I already told you this, consider this a favor."

"Really?"

He nods. "Don't worry about it."

This guy is way too nice. I grab a napkin by my plate and wipe my hands. I take a sip of my water and get up to go wash my hands.

"Thank you, Hakeem. Thank you so much."

"No problem!"

I get up and leave. I gotta get back to work. Thank the Lord for men like him. I'm making my way back to my office when all of a sudden I hear someone whisper my name.

"Ma'Kayla!" Someone calls my name.

I look around to see who called me, but no one is there. But the voice is familiar.

"Ma'Kayla!"

"Who's calling me?" I say to myself. "Am I going crazy?"

I scan all around the room and I still find nothing. What is going on? That doesn't matter, I have to get back to work. I have to prepare for the Christmas ad and I have to find a decoration company for the gala. Then, I have to get groceries before I go home. That reminds me, I have to make a shopping list for that. There's way too much stuff to do in such a short amount of time. I have to make a to-do list.

I arrive at the grocery store and I take out my shopping list on my phone.

Chicken

Salmon

Vegetables

Fruits(grapes especially)

Crackers

Seasoning

Dog food

I walk to the fruits and vegetables section and I think for a moment.

Why aren't there any green grapes? They had some a few days ago. I keep walking and scanning the aisle looking for the grapes. I keep walking and vigorously looking for them, but no sign. That's pretty upsetting, I really like green grapes. I might as well move on to the next item on my list.

As I'm looking, I still hear someone saying my name, but now the person is yelling my name.

"Ma'Kayla! Help, please!"

It sounds like a man. But, who is he? I need to find out who this person is.

"Ma'Kayla! Ma'Kayla, please!"

I look around to see who's yelling my name, then my vision starts getting blurry. My head hurts and the room begins to spin. What's going on, why is my body acting like this? I blink for a moment, but all I see is a run-down park building. I look around and people are holding me back. I don't know what to do, I'm scared. I look ahead of me, and I see him. Covered in blood and bruises. My breathing starts to quicken and I'm losing my breath. I fall to my knees, weeping. I'm horrified, and I can't do anything to stop it. Then, suddenly, everything goes dark.

"Ma'Kayla?"

My eyes flutter open, everything looks white. I hear constant beeping sounds and talking amongst different people.

"Ma'Kayla!"

It's Kylie. "What's going on?"

"They said you fainted in the grocery store on Manhattan. What happened?"

I shrug my shoulders and sit up in the hospital bed. "I don't know, my head started hurting and I couldn't breathe. I don't know what happened."

"Well, I'm glad that you're alright."

A doctor opens the door with a clipboard in hand. "Hello, Ms. Wilson. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

"Good, can I ask you a couple of questions?"

I nod. "Sure."

"Do you know what caused you to faint?"

I think for a moment. I don't know. The last thing I remember is seeing him...could that be the reason? "The last thing I remember was that I saw someone covered in blood and somebody was yelling my name."

"Can you describe what was happening?"

"Ok, I was in the fruit section of the store looking for grapes, then I heard someone calling my name. I look around and my vision blurs and I get a huge headache. Then the store wasn't there anymore, all I saw was someone getting beaten up and me being held back. That's what I remember."

The doctor stares at me with intent. "Has something like this happened to you before?""

I nod. "Yeah. But it's been occurring more recently, but I've never fainted before. I would have these random flashbacks from years ago. But I don't remember them."

He nods and writes something down on his clipboard. "Do you remember the last few years of your life? What about high school?"

I think for a moment. I don't remember anything from a few years back. I don't know why though. "I remember some stuff from the last few years of my life. High school is kind of a blur. Whenever I try to remember something, it goes away. In college I had to remember stuff or else I wasn't going to pass."

"I can relate to that." The doctor replies. "But I'm going to have to recommend you to a therapist."

I'm confused. "Why? I'm not sad or anything."

"Based on what you've told me, you might have Dissociative Amnesia. "

"What's that?" Kylie asks the doctor.

"You don't remember specific details about your trauma, yet you have flashbacks and nightmares about them. I need more information to prove that theory, but in the meantime, I'm going to give you a list of therapists. I'll follow up with you in a few days."

"Can I go home though?"

He nods. "Yes. I'll have the discharge papers ready for you." He leaves the room.

Right now, I don't know what to feel. I don't even know how to feel at this point. I mean, I should feel some sense of relief since I know the answer to my symptoms. But, I don't. I have trauma that I don't even know about. That's terrifying. How do I even react to this?

"Ma'Kayla, are you ok?"

I turn to look at her. "No, not really. I just wanna go home."

I open my apartment door and set my stuff down. St. Roch comes running up to me, but I ignore him and head straight to my room. I open the door and flop on my bed.

My brain needs to take a break from life. Today has been a series of unfortunate events. I faint in the middle of a grocery store, I find out I might have dissociative amnesia, and I have trauma that I don't even know about, which is absolutely insane. Why did this happen?

St Roch walks into my room and jumps in my bed. I'm pretty sure he can tell something's wrong, because he's laying beside me with his head on my chest. I pet his head.

"Abba, I'm scared. What do I do? Normally, I would know what's going on, but right now, I haven't the faintest idea. Help me, please. Show me Your ways, teach me what to do."

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check my blog for more stuff!

Copyright © Imari Dupree. All Rights Reserved.