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Have you made it to 1667 words today? No?

That’s ok! How about you write 200 words right now? Just real quick, it doesn’t have to be good.

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Nanowrimo still going strong! Some days it flows easy, some days it feels like running a marathon in molasses. But you know what they say, the only thing a first draft has to do is exist

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Take frequent breaks (drink water too!) and do your goddamn wrist stretches

Image (source)

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Welcome to Day 4 of NaNoWriMo

Tip for the day:

Keep writing. Don't look back. Editing can come later.

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🎶 Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that’s why I write on company time 🎶

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NaNo Day 3 update!

Thoughts: So the first two days went pretty well, and so did today :) feeling really happy I made a nice, finalized outline of my story. And so far, no plot holes! Yay!

I’ve been writing a lot at work, definitely the bonus of having a job that’s partly behind a desk. But you know what they say, boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that’s why I write novels on company time.

Anyway, the story feels like it’s flowing so far. I’ve definitely started finding the characters’ voices, which is great. That definitely means I’ll have to go back to the beginning and do some touching up, though.

Excerpt of the day: “Can I help you?” An older woman asked, lifting her head as Anika approached.

“Yeah, I’d like to speak with Detective Brennan.”

The woman tapped away on her keyboard, though Anika wasn’t sure if she was actually looking something up, or just trying to seem busy. “May I ask what this is regarding?”

“The Naveen Bhatia case,” Anika said, “he’s in charge of it.”

The woman nodded. “Well, he should be in. Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll see if I can find him for you?”

Before Anika could move, a door on her right side swung open, and by some miracle Izzy appeared. He was holding a paper cup with fresh coffee sending up wisps of steam. His eyes were on his coffee. He was completely oblivious of her until he finally glanced up, looked right at her, and muttered, “Ah, shit.”

The image of him casually sipping a cup of coffee made her irrationally angry. With her brother missing, who-knows-where, it seemed absolutely incredulous that he’d be taking the time for a coffee break.

“Coffee break, huh?” Her voice held more of a taunt than she’d intended.

Izzy initially responded with a long sip of coffee, before adding, “I needed some caffeine.”

“Looks like it.”

He shifted where he stood. “Anyway, what’re you doing here?”

Was it hard to guess? “I want to know if there’s been any progress into my brother’s…” She still couldn’t manage to say that word. Disappearance. It was a word that resonated with uncertainty and the unknown. A reminder that not only was Nav gone, but he could be just about anywhere.

Izzy sighed, “You couldn’t call first?” He glanced at the receptionist, as if looking for someone to back him up. “I’m busy, for Christ’s sake.”

“Yeah. Looks like it.”

“Hey, as a worker in the United States of America, I’m entitled to my fifteen minute break. Labor laws,” He toasted the cup at no one in particular, then added in a voice laden with sarcasm, “God Bless this country.”

She offered an exaggerated roll of her eyes at his faux patriotism. “Are you going to talk to me or not?”

“Not for the next…” Izzy glanced at his watch, “...one minute and twenty seconds, I’m not. But I have an office in the back. We can talk there.” Then his eyes moved past Anika and settled on Ben. “Unfortunately your boyfriend can’t come. It’s an active investigation, so no one but family. You understand.”

Ben nodded, then said to Anika, “I’ll wait out here. Take as long as you need.”

***

Izzy’s office was small and simply decorated, with two large windows overlooking the station’s parking lot. If she didn’t know any better, Anika would have sworn that he’d just moved into space. Though she had a feeling that the soulless design of the room was more a reflection on Izzy as a person than anything else. There was a single photograph on his desk, a tiny plastic cactus, and a degree hanging on the wall. Those three items were the only bits of personal flare she could find.

She was sitting in one of the chairs studying his framed Bachelor’s degree– Criminal Justice from San Francisco State– when the door opened. Izzy breezed in, an empty coffee cup in his hand. He tossed it across the room towards the waste basket by his desk. It hit the rim and bounced unceremoniously to the floor.

“See that?” He tsked, “I used to be a stud on the court, years and years ago. Best white kid to ever do it. Now I can’t even sink a paper cup into a trash can.”

Anika highly doubted he had ever had athletic prowess, but didn’t feel the need to engage him in that conversation. “So?”

“So?” She couldn’t tell if he was unsure of how to start the conversation or if he was trying to mock her.

“My brother. Updates?”

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Welcome to Day 3 of NaNoWriMo

Tip for the day:

Write.

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“A writer’s problem does not change. He himself changes and the world he lives in changes but his problem remains the same. It is always how to write truly and having found what is true, to project it in such a way that it becomes a part of the experience of the person who reads it.”

— Ernest Hemingway (via quitexinfamous)

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The tight grip cut off his airway, leaving him fighting for a breath he couldn’t take. His fingers pulled futilely at the creature’s hands. Darkness was closing in from his peripherals, leaving the beast’s gaping jaws framed by an ever-encroaching circle of black.

Fear filled him as his vision faded, but it wasn’t the thought of death that paralyzed him. All he could think about the red-headed woman, and her parting words. I hope you survive the next stage. The vague warning was enough to make death seem inviting. He would know what to expect then. Lights out, then nothingness. Or maybe a white light and set of pearly gates perched atop clouds. Either way, this would be over. But as his eyes fluttered closed, he knew this nightmare— whatever it was— was just beginning.

The moment his eyes fell closed, they flew open again. The beast was gone, as was the falling snow. He slowly came up to an elbow and looked around. The first thing he noticed was…

@midnightsoliloquy @chauceryfairytales @annarts05 @thatprolificauthor @rinatthemin

Another writeblr had a neat idea for a campfire / bridging story, and I wanted to try something similar! Basically the goal is to reply to the previous story with a continuing paragraph to let ideas flow from different writers. I’ll start.

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Alex went to the edge of the woods to investigate the strange phenomenon going on. Tree branches bending, the sky turning purple, mist covering the ground ankle-high. He wasn’t sure what he would find, but he needed to find proof of something’s existence, and he brought along a camera to assist him. He heard distant sounds, quiet and sharp, but the source was nowhere around. The camera was ready to take pictures, held tightly in his grip, and a cold chill descending down his spine. The noises grew louder, sounding much like a person’s.

Keep reading

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Hey ya’ll, if you’re facing the enormous task of editing your novel, I shared my general method for how I go about the editing process. Take a little looksie if you wish!

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INTERACT WITH THIS POST IF YOU WANT TO BE ON MY WRITING GAMES TAG LIST!

I’m making a taglist for the Tumblr games I might do. You will be tagged in every single post that featuring said content that I post on Written Musings

These games tend to be writing in nature, but I may occasionally tag for Uquiz.

Instructions:

Please interact with this post if you would like to be added to my tag list for tumblr games, such as WIP Wednesday. Do not interreact whatsoever (including liking this) if you do not wish to be tagged.

By liking, commenting, or reblogging this post, you’re telling me, bardic-tales, you would like to be on my Tumblr Games tag list.

You’re welcome to DM me or send me an ask if it makes you more comfortable.

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I used to feel this way too, but remember, better late than never! And when it comes to your passions, there’s no such thing as too late. When I write and I feel bad that I should have made more progress by this point in my life, I remember all the life experience I’ve gained and the practice I’ve put it, and know it’s these things that help make my writing better.

There’s no age limit to success! If you’re still breathin’ you can keep on dreamin’!

i know it’s never too late to start things but i often find myself wishing i could start over so that i could begin working on the things i actually want to do earlier, then maybe i’d be somewhere by now

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if you’re not paying attention to trees and how they sway in the wind then what are you even doing

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oh hohoho the writing is flowing right now, and it is making my brain chemicals very happy.

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i love you films without sequels i love you limited series i love you stand alone novels i love you self-contained stories

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How I actually look while waiting for my beta readers to get back to me with feedback on my WIP.

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Well I just made a website

Per the advice of my writer friends and editor, I have made myself a website. Feel free to take a look while I reckon with the mortifying ideal of being known.

Mostly stuff about me, my current WIP, and a blog soon to be full of advice, inspiration, and weekly quotes.

Much to the chagrin of my biological father, I am not a web designer, but I think I cobbled together something workable. Function over form in this house, people.