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A Writer’s Ask Game

Send me an ask with the number(s) you’d like me to answer!

The Basics 1.     Do you listen to music when you write? 2.     Are you a pantser or plotter? 3.     Computer or pen and paper? 4.     Have you ever been published, or do you want to be published? 5.     How much writing do you get done on an average day? 6.     Single or multiple POV? 7.     Standalone or series? 8.     Oldest WIP 9.     Current WIP 10.  Do you set yourself deadlines?

The Specifics 11.  Books and/or authors who influenced you the most 12.  Describe your perfect writing space 13.  Describe your writing process from idea to polished 14.  How do you deal with self-doubts? 15.  How do you deal with writer’s block? 16.  How many drafts do you need until you’re satisfied with a project? 17.  What writing habits or rituals do you have? 18.  If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be, and what would you write about? 19.  How do you keep yourself motivated? 20.  How many WIPs and story ideas do you have?

The Favourites 21.  Who is/are your favourite character(s) to write? 22.  Who is/are your favourite pairing(s) to write? 23.  Favourite author 24.  Favourite genre to write and read 25.  Favourite part of writing 26.  Favourite writing program 27.  Favourite line/scene 28.  Favourite side character 29.  Favourite villain 30.  Favourite idea you haven’t started on yet

The Dark 31.  Least favourite part of writing 32.  Most difficult character to write 33.  Have you ever killed a main character? 34.  What was the hardest scene you ever had to write? 35.  What scene/story are you least looking forward to writing?

The Fun 36.  Last sentence you wrote 37.  First sentence or your current WIP 38.  Weirdest story idea you’ve ever had 39.  Weirdest character concept you’ve ever had 40.  Share some backstory for one of your characters

The Rest of It 41.  Any advice for new/beginning/young writers? 42.  How do you feel about love triangles? 43.  What do you do if/when characters don’t follow the outline? 44.  How much research do you do? 45.  How much world building do you do? 46.  Do you reread your own stories? 47.  Best way to procrastinate 48.  What’s the most self-insert character/scene you’ve ever written? 49.  Which character would you most want to be friends with, if they were real? 50.  [Other question—ask me anything]

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"nothing is real atoms never touch each other youve never touched anything in your life" ok. well when i pet my dog he is soft and when he licks my hand it is wet and that is far more real to me than whatevers going on at an atomic level

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Find The Vibe Tag!

Kate (i.e. @squarebracket-trickster) knocked this one out of the park over here! She wants me to find a scene that has some real "make me" vibes, and I think I've got the perfect one!

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Elaine lowered her gaze. “Leave us alone,” she threatened. “Go away.”

“You’re wanted criminals, dear!” Grant outstretched his arms and howled with laughter. “My, my, you really are quite stupid children, aren’t you two? Precisely the reason why I ought to imprison you longer! Aren’t I telling the truth?”

Ivan returned a smile and laugh of his own, in spite of his fear. “Au contraire,” he responded, which became a bit muddled with his accent. “You haven’t killed us yet, which must mean we’re still quite smart.” He intertwined hands with Elaine, ensuring that he wouldn’t leave her side again, not for any reason. “I won’t accept an insult to my intelligence just yet, not when I’ve found ways to outsmart both you and your armies.”

Grant’s lips snagged forward with intrigue. “I can amend that,” he replied.

Before he was given the chance, however, Sonya and Mariela emerged from beneath the wagon cover and the destroyed wood, armed and prepared to fight, as well. They couldn’t hide their injuries recently sustained, but it didn’t distract from their vengeful stares. While not entirely at full strength, the guardians stood before their enemy, weapons held high and with pride. They were either going to win this fight or die a frightful death trying.

Above all else, they were going to do it together.

“You’re going to go through all four of us, then,” Sonya chimed in.

“. . . And we’re not going easy on you,” Mariela warned.

Grant rolled his eye, and summoned another bit of magic. “If you say so.”

(Squealing with so much excitement down here. This is the first full-fledged fight between these two groups! I love Book Two. . . have I made that obvious?)

Very very gently tagging, with the tip of a feather: @serendipminiewrites @smudged-red-ink @angie-j-kay @anulithots @dyrewrites Your government-assigned vibe is, "You lied!"

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Dang, I had no idea so many people liked westerns

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Not a Villain Song Tag

Thanks for the tag, @ahordeofwasps!

Rules: Pick a song for the antagonist/ villain of your WIP, but the twist is that it can't be obvious that it is a song for the villain. As in: if someone listened to the song and didn't know it was about the villain, they couldn't guess!

For First Major Antagonist from The Last Paladin, I chose Lovely by Billie Eilish. I especially love it because it fits my protagonist as much as it does the villain.

Tagging: @kaylinalexanderbooks, @smudged-red-ink, and @athenswrites

General taglist: @thatrandomlemononyourcounter1, @teacupsandstarlight

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Character Take Over Tag Game

Thanks for the tag, @smudged-red-ink

What would happen if your characters took over your phone/blog for the day?

Chelsea: She would get on tumblr and spam reblog art and cute pictures of animals and post whatever's on her mind without giving too much thought about if anyone actually cares or not. She'd also probably watch compilation videos of funny vines/tiktoks.

Shay: He'd make the ultimate prog rock playlist on spotify and spend the rest of the day listening to that.

Solika: She'd spend her time on instagram looking at fashion photos and then might make a thread on twitter or maybe a long post on tumblr, giving self defense tips.

Kovna: He would love to watch educational videos and Discovery channel documentaries about anything and everything. If he decided to get on tumblr, he'd post fun facts, but each fun fact is a wikipedia article length post on the most obscure topics. He would also probably follow Chelsea and like all her animal reblogs.

Tagging: @illarian-rambling, @awleeofficial, and @revenantlore

General taglist: @thatrandomlemononyourcounter1, @teacupsandstarlight

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Rewrite Game

Thanks for the tag, @kaylinalexanderbooks

Rules: rewrite the last line of the person who tagged you however you want, then give your last line for other people to try!

My line:

She folded her hands, covered by the long sleeves of her tan cable knit sweater, into her lap, ready to listen.

Rewrite:

She tugged the sleeves of her cable knit sweater over her hands and settled them in her lap. It was time to hear what they had to say.

Your Line:

He hadn't even tried to hide what he'd done; she wasn't sure she blamed him, either.

Tagging: @akiwitch, @maskedemerald, and @scribe-of-stories

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Fun meta asks for writers

Tell us about your current project(s)  – what’s it about, how’s progress, what do you love most about it?

Tell us about what you’re most looking forward to writing – in your current project, or a future project

What is that one scene that you’ve always wanted to write but can’t be arsed to write all of the set-up and context it would need? (consider this permission to write it and/or share it anyway)

Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like)

What character that you’re writing do you most identify with?

What character do you have the most fun writing?

What do you think are the characteristics of your personal writing style? Would others agree?

Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read?

Are you more of a drabble or a longfic kind of writer? Pantser or plotter? Do you wish you were the other?

How would you describe your writing process?

What do you envy in other writers?

Do you want your writing to be famous?

Do you share your writing online? (Drop a link!) Do you have projects you’ve kept just for yourself?

At what point in writing do you come up with a title?

Which is harder: titles or summaries (or tags)?

Tried anything new with your writing lately? (style, POV, genre, fandom?)

Do you think readers perceive your work - or you - differently to you? What do you think would surprise your readers about your writing or your motivations?

Do any of your stories have alternative versions? (plotlines that you abandoned, AUs of your own work, different characterisations?) Tell us about them.

Is there something you always find yourself repeating in your writing? (favourite verb, something you describe ‘too often’, trope you can’t get enough of?)

Tell us the meta about your writing that you really want to ramble to people about (symbolism you’ve included, character or relationship development that you love, hidden references, callbacks or clues for future scenes?)

What other medium do you think your story would work well as? (film, webcomic, animated series?)

Do you reread your old works? How do you feel about them?

What’s the story idea you’ve had in your head for the longest?

Would you say your writing has changed over time?

What part of writing is the most fun?

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Character Voice Tag Game

I was tagged by @kaylinalexanderbooks twice so I'll be doing this for both lines.

Rules: rewrite a given line of dialogue in your OC's voice - then tag people and give them a new line.

First line: "I can't do that, I have too much work to do."

Chelsea: "I would, but I have sooooo much stuff to do."

Shay: "Kinda busy at the moment."

Alexos: "What?! I can't hear you, sorry. Maybe later." *walks away/closes door/turns up music*

Solika: "I'm swamped, sorry. Rain check?"

Bela: "I'm a little busy right now, but I'll let you know as soon as I'm free."

Azraille: "Help me with this and I'll see what I can do for you."

Second line: "This is the proper way to make a sandwich."

Chelsea: "Tada! A masterpiece!" XD

Shay: "You call that a sandwich? Pathetic. This is a sandwich."

Alexos: "If your sandwich doesn't require at least ten napkins, it doesn't count. Actually, I know a place that makes the best sandwiches this side of the Big Civ, they have like, this cheese..." *fade out/scene transition*

Solika: "That's how it's done. And if you need any more life hacks, you let me know."

Bela: "If you ask me, I'd say that's a very well-built sandwich."

Azraille: "It's okay if it's not perfect, as long as it's delicious."

Tagging: @illarian-rambling, @sentfromwolves, and @ahordeofwasps

Your line: "Well, if things go like they always do, it won't be a party for long."

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give me back mass market paperbacks, you cowards

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I actually really love coming up with titles. I base them mostly on vibes, though so explaining my process probably doesn't make sense for most of them lol.

For The Last Paladin, I wanted it to sound wistful, like the end of an era and be a direct reference to Shay as the last of his kind, the only remaining Paladin (until Chelsea comes along anyway).

And sometimes I just brainstorm ideas based on vibes or think about how other similar books are titled and come up with something that sounds cool then use that as a prompt to figure out the plot of the book. Fun fact: dragons only became an important plot point in The Last Paladin because I decided on a whim to put dragons in the title of book 2 (I wanted it to sound like an exciting adventure).

how do you guys come up with titles for things i'm STRUGGLING

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Decided to name Harlan and John's horses and now I'm emotionally attached which is a shame seeing as the majority of this story takes place on a train.

Their names are Calamity and Whiskey btw

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Hello! All of your WIPS look really awesome! This is me asking to be added to the tag-list LOL

Hello there! Consider yourself added XD

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two scenes, chillin' in a hot tub five feet apart cuz they're not coming together in any conceivable way

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Find the Word Tag

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!! Yeeee, thanks for tagging me @illarian-rambling and @smudged-red-ink

Tagging @kaylinalexanderbooks, @revenantlore, @shardkeeperwip, and @sentfromwolves

Your words are return, last, dream, and forgive

I'm doing these for The Last Paladin book 3 and my words are flutter, accent, pass, sweat, blood, fall, moon, and slide.

Flutter

She didn't catch anything at first and feared she was too late but as she pressed in more firmly, she thought she caught a flutter of pulse. She didn't need to be a doctor to know things were bad. "She's alive. Help me with her," Chelsea begged as Thallow slid into the shed. She undid the buttons of her stolen lab coat and shucked it off, then gently tried to find where the woman was injured.

Accent

"Shay Finnegan," she said, his name curling around her accent like smoke. "I didn't think you would ever come to one of these." She spoke in Spacer's Common. Chelsea had been practicing the language but still wasn't so good at it. Fortunately, her translator did most of the heavy lifting. "Ahmey," Shay said with a grin. "Eh, figured I'd check it out. I was bored." Ahmey barked a swift laugh, revealing white teeth that were fused together into a single plate. "I'm sure."

Pass

"Please let us pass," she said. The mask muffled her voice but she knew they had no problem hearing her. "I'm an agent of the Priory and I have business elsewhere." "I'm sorry, but we can't let you go any further," the soldier nearest to her said. "We have our orders. You're to get back in your shuttle and return to the planet." Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. "Respectfully, sir, no," Solika replied, planting her feet firmly. "We're on the same side here and I demand the right to pass. But I will resist, if you force me to. And someone will get hurt."

Sweat

Magic flooded her skin, seeped from her pores, and twined around her fingers, making her seem to glow. Except that wasn't the result she wanted. She wanted to control the light coming in from outside. She tried to envision the light as beams hitting her skin, pelting her like the rain of Petrichor. And then she imagined those beams missing her, skidding off her skin and shooting away. It felt like a cool breeze on hot, sweat-laced skin, and she knew that it was working. She allowed the sensation to travel up across her body, lines of light tracing her contours but not touching her and not going through, only around. Her vision darkened and she blinked rapidly, remembering to allow a bit of light to hit only her eyes. The first time she'd done this successfully, she'd blinded herself and Shay had to explain that bending the light away from her eyes would do that. So when she and Shay were done, they were each just a pair of floating pupils, small and dark enough to hopefully avoid notice. She tried her very best not to laugh about it.

Blood

Two things happened at once. Shay and the magic he'd summoned vanished as if they were never there, because they weren't. And Thallow cried out, dropping to the ground. "Thallow!" Chelsea reached for him and both she and Meshyl collapsed. Thallow clutched at his side, his teeth clenched. When Chelsea looked up, she saw that Marr was standing with his rifle raised, pointing at Thallow, his face twisted into a snarl. Just beyond him, Quincy fired wildly into the night while Reaver tried to drag him back with one hand, the other gripping his rifle still. "It's just a graze," Thallow bit out, pulling his hand away from his side where it was slick with blood. The rain watered it down almost instantly so that it ran like watercolor off the side of his hand.

Fall

It turned and walked away. Solika took a step after it. But she was unarmed. Its movements were fluid and smooth and as the light caught on its arms, they gleamed wickedly like scythes. If she fought it now, it would give her a fight, certainly, but it would only put Bela in danger. She let it go. Its invitation was obviously a trap. Just look at what happened as soon as she and Bela had arrived on SD-5R9. She wasn't going to fall for that a second time. But she would definitely be seeing it again. This was far from over.

Slide

Shay's face loomed out of the rain, his hair sopping and dripping into his eyes. And beyond him, a hooded figure held up a lantern, its bright light burning through the haze of rain. In his other hand he held something the size of a remote control, emitting that ringing whine that seemed to squirm under Chelsea's skin and slide across the bones of her inner ear. She spun back around, looking for her mom, but she wasn't there. "What?" She cast about frantically. She was just here. She was just here! "Where is she? Shay, let me go. I saw my mom!" Her voice broke and briefly matched the whine of the stranger's device. She wanted to cry. She might already be crying, her tears mixing with the rain. Her chest constricted and her stomach shuddered with the beginnings of a sob. "We have to get inside; follow me." The hooded figure swung his lantern around, the beam flashing across Chelsea's eyes and temporarily blinding her. She blinked and made out a shape beneath the dripping hood, eyes shadowed and mouth a thin line. And then he hurried through the rain and Shay pulled Chelsea after him.

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Find the word tag game

Thanks for the tag @illarian-rambling! I got 3/4 words

my words: flutter, accent, pass, sweat

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The stranger is tall and lythe, with long black hair and lashes and skin is so pale that the shadows under his eyes are cast purple. He wears heel-laced boots, an embroidered half cape, and an old fashioned shirt with poofy sleeves--ruffled neckline pulled back to expose one sculpted collar bone. He looks like he walked straight out of a period drama, and the effect is stunning. I feel a hot blush rising up my neck.

“Is this the local culinary establishment?” His words are touched with a prim accent that I can’t place.

Stop staring, Sunny, I chide myself. Get your act together.

“Uh, this is a fast food restaurant, sir.” I don’t often call customers sir, but it seems fitting in his case.

(Sunny fangirling over Clarence--as always)

...................

I cook up the burger in record time and dump it in the paper bag with some fries and napkins.

“Clarence!” I call, setting it on the counter. He’s the only one in the store, but habits stick hard.

He winces at the shout and rises to claim his food.

I pass him a cup. “Soda is over there by the wall.”

“My thanks.” comes the reply.

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I open the door to find Clarence standing on my front porch, his face even more sickly pale than usual under a glossy sheen of sweat. He sways in an invisible breeze, one hand pressed against a bloody gash in his side.

“May I come in?” He asks.

“Sure.” I say automatically.

“Don’t tell anyone.” He slurs, and promptly passes out on the welcome mat.

.......................

Tagging @the-ellia-west @awleeofficial @cat-esper

your words: blood, fall, moon, slide

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Hello! Can I get 7 and 9 for the ask game? What hobbies do your ocs have that could either come in handy or also get them into trouble and what's the most fun thing about writing for you?

Oo, the most handy hobby for any of my characters has gotta be Astra and her embroidery. While other mages are taking five minutes out of a fight to scribble down a fire rune, only for the paper to get wet and be rendered unusable or something, Astra embroiders all of her runes beforehand. She keeps them on the many ribbons that line her coat, ripping out whichever one she needs. She also used her embroidery skill to get a job at the Spearsong palace in book 2, which was really just a cover to steal from their library. The only time it's gotten her in trouble is when she's missing her coat. After so long relying on it, she's really not great at drawing out runes by hand.

The most fun thing about writing for me is making the exact book I would want to read. It's got platonic soulmates, it's got robots, it's got fish horror! It's like it was made for me. How convenient!

Thanks for the asks :)