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#loveyournovel day 17: describe your antagonist in 6 words. . (Gonna casually skip over day 16 because I have coursework to do. May slot some writing in today instead) . Meet Ivan, the farmer and landscape artist of Mars. He spends his days designing beautiful and colourful farms for his fellow Martians to enjoy. He is dedicated to his job, loved ones and community, and dislikes anything that gets in the way of his plans, and is unapologetically defensive of what matters to him. He is a private man, with a shit temper, and can always be trusted to come up with unorthodox but efficient solutions to problems, for better or for worse. He may tend to the extreme but, if you’re in his good graces, that can be a comfort. . This novel doesn’t have one big evil, but to my protagonist, Ocean, this man gets close to it by being the cause of much of his unhappiness, therefore making him the main antagonist of the series. Whether or not Ivan is a bad guy is a matter of perspective. . #writersofig #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #amwritingscifi #amwritingsciencefiction #writer #amwriting #characterdesign #antagonist #sketch #ocs #ipreview via @preview.app https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt9uSgNH5lK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yi34fu9ar1de

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#loveyournovel day 14/15: tell someone you care about them, and tag 3 people who you think would like to read you book! . I love my friends and totally think they would love my book! So happy Valentine’s Day, @ammyokko @manoush.art and @livie_maire, and all of those who have let me talk incessantly about my WIP. . Picture: my Valentine’s Day treat to myself. Getting some reading done! . #writerofinstagram #amwritingfiction #writingcommunity #writer #writerlife #writerscommunity #amwritingscifi #amwritingsciencefiction #amwriting #authorsofinstagram #ipreview via @preview.app https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt6LWyCnYCG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1doko1qd2n5oz

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I’ll be attempting the #loveyournovel challenge, when I’ll post a bit about my novel each day. Because what does a writer love more than writing? . Talking about writing. . Day 1: summary of your novel in 7 words. . #writerofinstagram #amwritingfiction #writingcommunity #writer #writerlife #writerscommunity #amwritingscifi #amwritingsciencefiction #amwriting #authorsofinstagram #tvfabook https://www.instagram.com/p/BtXL0OSHPWW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=66s39iiciwvc

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Meet my WIP! (Now with content!) . Title: The View From Above . Genre: Science-Fiction . Writing stage: second draft . Current word count: 23,445 words . Concept: . Ocean Tanaka-Lee is born in the colony of Mars Beta, as a fifth generation Martian. There are 596 people on Mars, and Ocean is one of the four students celebrating their graduation from school. At the start of the book, Mars Beta loses communications with Earth. . Two years later, only 11 people are left, and Ocean is determined to outlive them all. . The book switches between the two timeline, as you learn what happened, and how Ocean and the survivors plan on escaping their fate. . What are you writing? . #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #sciencefiction #authorsofig #wip #introduceyourwip #writer #writersofinsta #igwriter https://www.instagram.com/p/BtR_-C7HqBZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=43xdfmbyvai4

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#2018ReadingSummaryHooray for stats! AKA I enjoy the Pivot Table function on Excel. . Total number of books: 192 books! Hooray..Pages read: 64,675 pages.Longest book: It by Stephen King (1,169p).Shortest book: Fence #5 by C.S. Pacat (24p) . Most productive reading month: October (26 books) (oomph).Least productive reading month: November (9 books) (Nanowrimo + deadlines month) .Number of 5/5 stars: 15 (Yay!!) .Number of books below 3/5 stars: 9. Average rating: 4.1/5 stars (good reading year!).Most of my books read fell between: 3.75-4.5.Most read genre: Fantasy (57 books) (not surprising).Least read genre: poetry (1 book) . Number of audiobooks: 156 books (5 library cards is how I afford this) . Number of comic books: 19 .Number of Middle Grade: 14.Number of YA: 52 . Number of classics: 11.Number of sci-fi: 21 . Number of mystery/thrillers: 19 . Number of horror books: 8 . Number of 2018 releases: 48.Number of books with LGBT+ protagonists: 42 (I thought this would be higher, but side characters don't count in this…) . Most read author: Brandon Sanderson (11 books) (a new fave)Runner up: C.S. Pacat (10 books) (an old fave). Lowest rated popular book: Ugly Love by Collen Hoover (2.4/5 by me, 4.28 by Goodreads) . Highest rated unpopular book: Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro (4/5 by me, 3.47 by Goodreads) vs. highest negative difference in rating: Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins (Goodreads rated this book 1.32 stars less than me).Book I read in 2018 that had been on my TBR the longest: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (since 19/02/2014)...What is YOUR favorite genre?.#bookish #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #bookawards #bookawards2018 #readings #readingchallenge2018 #amreading #amwriting #writersofinstagram #yearinreview #amreadingfantasy #igreads #booknerd #DMFReadingAwards https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs1wmCaHgTt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=14y6ias740tjc

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2018 Book awards ft. my blue books . ..I created my own book awards. For some answers, I couldn't not mention a runner up, so this became an extensive list. I tried to only include books/series that were 4+ stars for me. Stay tuned for a stats only post!. . Best Series I started: The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson.Best Series I finished: The Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon SandersonRunners up: The Broken Earth Trilogy by N.K. Jemisin, The Conqueror's Sage by Kiersten White..Most Unique: The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen.Literally cried: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins ReidRunner Up: Circe by Madeline Miller.Made me laugh: Magnus Chase and The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan.Ruined my day in the best way: Dark Places by Gillian FlynnRunner up: Misery by Stephen King .Most out of my comfort zone: If on Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino.Most addicting: The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart TurtonRunner up: Birdbox by Josh Malerman. Most poignant: The Hate U Give by Angie ThomasRunner Up: Turtles All the Way Down by John Green.Most informative: Scores by Michael D. Blutrich (how to take down the mafia and open a strip club all while not leaving the closet).Best concept: Thunderhead by Neal Shusterman .Best comic: Fence by C.S. Pacat ..Now for more personal awards….Changed my life: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.My Kind of Book: The Goldfinch by Donna TarttRunner Up: If We were Villains by M.L. Rio, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mendel .My kind of porn: Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters.Sci-fi that didn't annoy the scientist: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.New fave blond boy: Christopher Herondale from The Dark Artifices.Best canon couple: KitTy from the Dark ArtificesRunner up: FierroChase from Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard.Should have been canon: Princess Kelsea + Queen of Mortmesne from Queen of the Tearling ..What was your best read of 2018?.#bookish #bookstagram #booklover #bookworm #bookawards #bookawards2018#readings #readingchallenge2018 #amreading #amwriting #writersofinstagram #yearinreview #DMFReadingAwards https://www.instagram.com/p/BsyRAWjn5MS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1rfwoagcr23vl

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Writing tip: characterisation (part1): character flaws . . . Flaws are essential to character building, because readers cannot connect to a flawless person. What's the point about reading about perfect people who never have to struggle to do the right thing, or to overcome their shortcomings? . . The way I like to build flaws into my characters, is by first realizing that everyone, including villains, hope that they're making the right choice when they're making it. .To reflect this, it is important to understand what the "right choice" is to you character based on their experiences and traits. And the more readers understand where the characters are coming from, the more they can accept any choice they, themselves, would not have made.Is your character an attention whore? Show them being denied affection as a child. Is your character bad with money? Their parents withheld pocket money as a kind of punishment, creating an unhealthy relationship between your character and money. . We like to think that our sufferings in life make us better people. That is sometimes the case (and a good way to build character strengths!) but, be honest with yourself. We all build our shitty sides from somewhere. . Take Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones. She is undoubtedly an awful person, but you can't help rooting for her as well as waiting for her demise. We know that she could potentially make better choices, and we know what it would take for her to make them, and we know why she chooses otherwise. She's a great character..You can make your character aware or not of their shortcomings. Awareness makes them feel either sympathetic or whiny. Cluelessness makes them more endearing, or a bad/stupid bad person. This depends on your reader's POV. . It is vital that your READER understands these shortcomings, however. Not understanding where your character is coming from turns them into a caricature. You don't want your character's flaws to feel convenient. .You want them to feel inevitable. . #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writingtip #writingtips https://www.instagram.com/p/BsmHh2XnbrW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=g5jxbc0pixu3

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 16: writing quote . . . A spread from my notebook of inspiration. The green quote in particular, I like. . So yeah I don’t hand write my novels for a very very obvious reason. . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writingquotes #writingquote #writingtips https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQqfuTDQuD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=13p2p3ui5s2sp

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 15: mid-month check in . . . Not as much as I hoped, better than I expected. I personally aim to write 15,000 words in November because *consultancy reports* and *systems engineering reports* and *dissertations* unfortunately don’t count in my word count. Education first 💪 . It’s ok, my tears will taste great in my coffee 👌 . #catchupDecemberamiright . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/BqN1nhzDvHS/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xfy9s4qhr8lu

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 14 . . . I haven’t been too consistent with writing, due to *passes out in library from the exhaustion of being a final year uni student* . . . Photo credit: me, University of London Union . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/BqNy4Uej_fu/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3ld3pw43wblt

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 13 . . . My flatmates and friends are my cheerleaders for this NanoWrimo! My main cheerleaders however, is my motivation. It’s not the most reliable, but it’s the most effective. . Photo credit: me . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/BqLt34Ljfqy/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=154qgp8w1vi4r

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 11: writing tip . . . Build, increase and show that payoff! This is my main advice, mainly for building a compelling plot. Let me explain. (Note: I mainly write character and plot focused sci-fi, fantasy and horror with a mystery/thrill element and high stakes. This is my advice for that.) . . Build: Figure out what you want that emotional payoff(s) to be. Is there a plot twist that is mean to give you a shock? A confrontation or event that will bring a lot of pain or joy? Does the MC's pet bird die on your book? Payoff (and the climax) . . Increase: EVERYTHING in the book before then should be building to one of those payoffs! Have you heard of Chekov's Gun? If not, google it. Every element of your story (plot arcs, character arcs), every detail (description, detail, world building), should ideally tie into a payoff. If it doesn't, it's not necessary. And (in my opinion) it dilutes your writing. Wouldn't you want your readers to hang onto your EVERY WORD? Well, make every word count. The MC had a bad day at school? The bird is there to comfort them. The MC has an argument with their mom? This is showing their arc of growing independence, which will then be fulfilled when the bird, last symbol of their childhood, is tragically lost. Note: don't spoon feed foreshadowing either . . Show: Burn through that accumulated tension! Make your reader feel things. Show the impact of that event/confrontation on the MC's life. (optional step. I never show denouement in short horror stories, because bringing the story to an end at the exact second that payoff explodes just allows the tension and emotion to sit on a high) . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writingtips #writingadvice https://www.instagram.com/p/BqDsmZjDpm_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wh7g0o4hjhsb

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 9: Day job . . . I’m a university student, in my last year of undergrad. I study computer science, engineering and Japanese (and a few other things here and there) . I aspire for a career in the Space industry. So hey if you work at SpaceX hmu I’m writing a sci-fi book about shit going terribly wrong on Mars . . . Photo credit: me trying to be a study blog . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp9zUS7DFVQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11u65734xerdu

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 9: Day job . . . I’m a university student, in my last year of undergrad. I study computer science, engineering and Japanese (and a few other things here and there) . I aspire for a career in the Space industry. So hey if you work at SpaceX hmu I’m writing a sci-fi book about shit going terribly wrong on Mars . . . Photo credit: me trying to be a study blog . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp9zUS7DFVQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=me5o4l8ge7n8

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 10: writer’s block busters . . . A good book, that is all. And listening to my dedicated playlist. . And isn’t this edition of #thesongofachilles gorgeous??? Holy crap. . Photo credit: me, taken at Gay’s the Word London, with permission . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/BqCc-4HjUqb/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1f6roq4vpq5nb

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 7: Where are you writing Wednesday . . . I usually write in my flat, at my desk, in front of my window. I was going to take lovely window shots and outdoor landscape shots, but in true London fashion, today's weather was complete crap. . Photo credit: me with a cameo from my research binder for TVFA . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp5r7YBgT4z/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=bjdvzoepkmv7

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#nanowrimophotochallenge day 8: Main Character Aesthetic . . . Meet Ocean Tanaka-Lee, fifth generation Martian, born on the small colony of Mars Beta in Mars year 43.5 ( Earth year 2149 CE). . I am a strong purveyor of object portraits, in which someone is not described by how they look, but by items that reflect what they like, how they act and how they choose to portray themselves. As such, enjoy Ocean Tanaka-Lee's various portraits. Swipe to second page for the funny ones. . . . Photo credit: Page 1: Portrait of Daniel Matsunaga: from Pinterest Muffin: Vegetarian Apple Muffins, the-girl-who-ate-everything.com Programming interface: advertisemint.com Wolves: wolfeducation.org (no shapeshifters are present in the story) Page 2: Baby: obeladgallery1 on flickr Joke 1: zazzle t-shirt quote Nerd shirt: Buzzfeed Books: me, photo taken @ Gay's the Word, London (I saw "gay communism" and "Ocean" on the same shelf and died laughing, and had to take the pic) . . . #nanothatwrimo #nanowrimo #nanowrimo2018 #wrimo #amwriting #amwritingscifi #writersofig #amwritinglgbt #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp8XCz_DEy8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1am0tyxaa1cwy