#bigmoodword

[scribble-dee-vee]

11 Questions Tags

Hi all! I was recently tagged in two 11 Questions Tags, and I like the questions- so I decided to do them.

Up front, I’m going to tag @dreamywritingdragon, @focusdumbass, @writtenbyhal, @blogherosix, @adorhauer, @katiehahnbooks, @quintessenceofwords, @quillwritten, @awolfthatwrites, @toboldlywrite, and @firewritten. It’s been quite a while since I’ve done anything with tag games, so if you no longer do them/don’t want to/don’t have time, no pressure! Hope you’re all doing great :D

And my questions are:

1. Which OC has changed the most since you created them? Tell us about them!

2. In which season do you get the most writing done? Why?

3. Oldest OC? Youngest OC?

4. Do you have any self-indulgent ideas for projects that you want to write someday, even if you don’t have time right now?

5. Do you have more of a problem with underwriting or overwriting?

6. How do you get most of your ideas? Music, travel, art, or other?

7. What themes recur throughout your WIPs?

8. What are your favorite personal writing hallmarks?

9. What genre do you write in the most, and why do you like it?

10. What genre do you not write in frequently, but want to dip your toes into?

11. Tell us one reason you love your WIP!

My answers to the tagged questions got kinda long, so I put them under the cut!

The first few questions come from @bigmoodword​. Your apocalypse WIP sounds rad af??? Please tag me in updates if you have updates/use a tag list- so cool!

Thanks for the tag! To answer your questions:

1. using one sentence summaries, can you tell me about your wips?

Heart of Lead- Luanne will die on her nineteenth birthday because her heart is made of lead, the lowest caste of her society, so she works illegally with an inventor girl from out of town and some other friends to build a new heart before her time is up.

Ivory and Horn- an anthology of short stories with roots in fantasy, horror, and surrealism, set in a variety of speculative settings used as allegory for the various experiences of modern women (mostly queer women- this one’s the newest, and 12+ stories, so please excuse the vague description!)

Belladonnas- Eirene’s girl gang/witch coven, the Belladonnas, find themselves with a mystery on their hands when an enemy comes to them seeking help and hostile demonic entities begin wreaking havoc on their city.

2. what inspired them?

I’ve been working on Heart of Lead for roughly four (!) years, so the inspirations I’ve incorporated into it are many! The original idea came from a different look at the phrase “heart of gold,” and music has also been a huge defining factor. Florence + the Machine, Twenty One Pilots, and Mumford and Sons have given me a lot. The steampunk genre, dystopian novels, and imaginative fantasy books (think Neil Gaiman) contributed. Also, the imagery of Hamlet (because I’m pretentious).

Ivory and Horn is pretty experimental, and it mostly comes from my growing interest in the horror genre. I also want to figure out how to incorporate social and political commentary into my work- how much of a defining factor I want that to be, by what means I want to convey it, and that sort of thing.

Belladonnas is really inspired by 1920s aesthetics, Greek mythology, and electro swing music. A fun mixed bag!

3. which of your ocs do you most identify with?

I think all of my OCs are at least semi-autobiographical, but Luanne is probably the most. I project a lot of issues on her. It helps me work through them.

4. if you’ve ever cried while reading, which book cued the waterworks?

Yes. YES. CONSTANTLY. The one that made me bawl most recently was All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, which was such an amazing book.

5. how do you conduct research for your wips and what’s the most interesting thing you’ve discovered in said research?

Mostly Google? If I’m really interesting in a particular something, I’ll get a book- which I did for fashion in Heart of Lead, and then immediately discarded like half of what I learned for the ~aesthetic~. Oh, well. Did you know that people thought that eating graham crackers encouraged chastity in Victorian London? Well, now you do! This makes me laugh every time I think about it!

6. thus far, which scene has been the most difficult to write?

Beginnings are always hard for me. I usually plan my climaxes first and work backward, unraveling the threads of the story until the point they’re most disparate. I’ve rewritten the opening scene of Heart of Lead at least ten times, which is quite a few more than the rest of the book.

7. which of your ocs do you like the least?

Agh! AGH! How can I choose??? I suppose, since I have a ton of OCs, there are a lot of characters I don’t obsess over as much as my main babies. A lot of these still need work. I think Lucy, from Belladonnas, needs a lot more development before I’m really interested in her.

8. which pov and tense do you prefer to write in?

First person, past tense. Close POV is fun to work with.

9. do you write poetry?

Occasionally! I did so a lot more when I was younger.

10. who is your writing role model?

Neil Gaiman (omg this is the second time I’ve mentioned him on this post, isn’t it? Yeah, he’s great. Go read everything he’s ever written. It will take you a while).

11. if you could give your younger writer self some advice, what would it be?

HAVE FUN! Chances are, you’re not going to have published or released work in the first few years (or first many years) after you start writing. Have that as a long-term goal, and allow yourself to enjoy and experiment with whatever-the-heck in the meantime. It will make you a better writer, you’ll produce a better/more passionate project, and you’ll have a better time.

The second set of questions comes from @sahados-shadow​! I totally feel you with the titling struggle, haha. It’s hard to make the catchy words.

1.  Which side character is your favorite?

Eep, this is so hard- I love all my kids??? But since I’m writing Blood of Queens right now, Vesper’s pretty awesome. Glamorous faerie prince who’s also a complete dork about humans and also has terrifying eldritch powers. What more do you want?

2.  Do you like any character creation templates?

Not particularly. At the very least, I don’t use them to actually create characters, but to stretch my thinking on characters I already have. Oh, and it is really fun to give characters DnD stats!

3.  Do you prefer writing by hand or typing?

I do both! I save and edit my work on my laptop, but there are a lot of times I only have a notebook on hand or just want to change my perspective. Handwriting is good for killing writer’s block.

4.  What kind of music, if any, do you listen to while creating? Lyrics or no lyrics?

Sooo much music! I make extensive character and WIP playlists (which I’d like to put on Spotify and release for tumblr at some point). Song lyrics are a huge inspiration for characters and storylines.

5.  Any animal companions for your characters?

But of course! Ty is friends with a magical talking tiger. Luanne’s family has a cat named Fleurf in book one. Weirdly enough, this discussion could delve into spoiler territory... so that’s all I’ll say about that :D

6.  What’s the first thing your OCs would buy if they won the lottery?

Oh, geez. Most of my OCs would not make wise financial decisions. To make this answer manageable, Heart of Lead MCs?

Luanne- books. Just. A million of them. Enough to make a book fort and live in it forever.

Wren- probably new tools/metal to work with? Also, cake. And non-canned food in general. She’d probably throw a giant picnic for all her friends.

Charles- he would probably invest most of it?? Honestly idk what he does with his money, and he has a lot of it in the first place.

Dale- CLOTHES. Fancy tea? Maybe he’d use some of it for bribes or whatever, too. Who really knows.

7.  What’s your favorite board game?

Scrabble! I play with my friends all the time.

8.  Any OC ships?

Many, many OC ships. I’m a sucker for a good romantic subplot. My main answer for this is always Luanne/Wren, because I’m writing literally an entire series about them. Good stuff I love my girls and they love each other <3

9.  Do you have a favorite time/place to create?

Ideally, I write from 9:30 to 11:00 on weekday nights. Over summers and weekends, I write in the morning. Best place is totally in bed, + tea, + cat!

10.  How does your OC react to a baby waving at them in the grocery store?

Luanne- bursts into happy tears

Wren- waves back

Charles- re-contemplates his entire existence because a baby actually likes him oh my god?? 

Dale- “ew tiny human why do you exist”

11.  Does your OC have a motto (made up or otherwise) they stick to?

Hmm... that’s something I actually have to think about! Most of my characters have a primary set of morals and a personal outlook on things, but I don’t think any have a motto or catchphrase at the moment.

Thank you for all the questions! This was fun :D

[qelizhus]

Pass the happy along! When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy then send to the last 10 people in your activity! uwu

thank you! will do!

1. animals

2. sleep 

3. reading/writing

4. music

5. .....sleep? (jk that’s a cop-out, hiking maybe?) 

[lettersandinkstains]

so zephyr likes dad puns, eh? if you're in a position to share, what are some of their favorites? 8)

Zephyr: What did Anne’s friends say when she poured blue paint on herself?Sage: What?Zephyr: sigh-Anne!

If a child refuses to sleep during nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest?

What has two butts and kills people? An assassin!

[inquisitorlavcllan]

Pass the happy along! When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy then send to the last 10 people in your activity! uwu

oh hi! 

1. my fiance

2. cats

3. video games

4. music, both making and listening

5. books, writing and reading

lmao this is so basic but oh well its true

[confunderewrites]

Your writing is so beautiful, and your wordplay blows me away. I've gotta know: what creative influences have shaped your style?

Oh gosh your message sent me into a blushing frenzy

Long answer:  I grew up reading a lot of fantasy.   Imagery tends to very heavy in that genre (especially tolkien of course haha) and I loved feeling like you were there in the world.  What kid doesn’t want to be pulled out of their life into a fantasy land?  I find that one thing I tend to think about is the atmosphere and the tone of the scene.  What can I do to put forward that feeling?  What do I communicate to make someone feel the way my characters feel?  How do I write that in a poetic way without it feeling like hamfisted poetic nonsense and ultimately pulling the readers out of the scene?

Short answer: fantasy (LoTR, harry potter, etc.), and poetry.  Then I blend the two together.  

[nmcwriting]

How did you choose the protagonists for both Cosmicity and Umbra? Did the story form around your central character or did you have to find the central character in your story?

so, i started umbra more than 5 years ago. it kind of was the seed of an idea back in 2011/2012, or something like that. the story definitely came first. the main character has been reworked so many times. mei, umbra’s protagonist, was absolutely made to cater to the story. she’s a deity of sorts, the personification of balance, and that was what the story called for. umbra is kind of a mess, even now, so i know as the story continues to grow, mei will be changed to fit those molds.

as for cosmicity, it’s a little different. two of the antagonists were created before the story, and when the story came to me, i knew they wouldn’t fit what the story needed from the protagonist. so i made them ‘villains’ because they better suited the role. it took awhile for me to think of a character that i properly liked to tell this story, but eventually i created malum, and i’m happy with him.

so basically both protagonists were characters i created after the initial creation of the story!

[quilloftheclouds]

For a writeblr, this blog really doesn’t have much of my writing on it, does it?

This also acts as the return to, uh. The ~40 last line tags I’ve been tagged in. Oops. For convenience’s sake, I’ll just be tagging y’all under the read more. ^^’

Short 239 word snippet~

The sea witch had been right. The sun was low when I popped up the trapdoor, light straight from the horizon cutting my eyes. I used a hand to shadow my face as I hefted myself back up on deck, my appearance startling a few of the crew who were chatting at the rails. Most scurried off to look like they were working, but one stood frozen, paling against the hueing sky.

“Y-you… are you… really…?” I lifted an eyebrow at the lad’s stammer, the question lacking a reason.

“Am I… what?” I placed a hand on my hip as I raised myself to my full height, the fear wafting off the panic-stricken sailor putting a smirk to my face. “Ye gonna answer, lad, or do I gotta--”

“Phoenix. You’re… You’re The Phoenix! Oh!” He stiffened. “I interrupted The Phoenix! P-please don’t kill me, sir!”

“If ye ever call me ‘sir’ again, I’d be mighty tempted to. But uh, be a shame if I had to kill me own crew, aye?” The squeak that came out of him was more mouse than human.

“W-what?” I chuckled.

“Well, I was told ye don’t have a captain. Where’s yer first mate?”

“... Lost at… sea…?” The questioning tone he said it with was likely more because of apprehension at admitting it than uncertainty.

“Then I s’pose that makes me the most qualified person on board fer the position, don’t it?”

Phoenix: Oh, this ship doesn’t have a captain? Guess it’s me, now.

That’s not really how it works, Nixi, but everyone’s too terrified to tell you otherwise.

So, the 40+ ones I was tagged in? Here’s who tagged me: @bookenders​ (x3) @inkpot-dreamer​ @inexorableblob​ (x4) @ardawyn​ (x3) @starrywritingg​ (x3) @junekinn​ (x2) @igotablankpage​ @elisabethrosewrites​ @typewriter-jade​ @emritcheson​ @aslanwrites​ (x2) @nemowritesstuff​ @mvcreates​ @drabbleitout​ @marlettwrites​ (x3) @sahados-shadow​ @rainy-rose​ (x2) @bigmoodword​ @lookslikechill​ @tenacious-scripturient​ @runningonrain @whynotwriting @dc-writes @abalonetea @radley-writes @ink-flavored @carmenwrites @royalbounties @feathertoquill​ @scripturientworld​

Apologies if I missed anyone, there were, uh. Quite a few, as you can see. Of course, this is from a buildup of no tag game answers from me over the past long while, but still! I am! So surprised? So many people tagged me? And several times in several cases? Y’all either actually want to see more of my writing, or you like my blog, or maybe you’ve just heard of me. That’s still really cool.

Gonna tag a few people I admire who don’t show up in that long list! @bookish-actor @quartzses @phoenix-the-write-thing @pens-swords-stuff

Feel free to respond or ignore as you please!

[illthdar]

Eleveneven

tagged by @silver-wields-a-pen, lover of all the best hot messes.

 Give us the elevator pitch for your wip!

For the first book in the Illthdar series: Guardians of Las

Imagine a world where every fairytale and fantasy book you read was real. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Sure, until you realise you can’t leave, and the natives look hungry, and the salad on your plate talks and it’s raining actual fire.

Meet a rag-tag group of people, thrown together by need and by fate. For some, they work to restore the balance to the world they call home; the rest just want to get the hell off of it before land that logic and reason forgot kills them. 

Do you have any favorite antagonistic characters?

It has to be Magnilla. She’s just so amazingly extra - she is every bit that RPG/D&D character that everyone feels an irresistible urge to leap across the table and do real harm to the creator.  

What do your characters do on a night off/night out?

Depending on the mood, the teams might spend the evening in the barracks, have a meal in the repurposed brewery or take a trip from the Order of Mana to the Alewifery tavern for drinks.

Does your mc have any irrational fears or phobias?

They all have their issues to work through. In terms of phobias, Seth has the most due to being traumatised when he ended up in Illthdar as a kid; Magnilla suffers arachnophobia; and Tundra has issues with pools of blood. 

Are there any books/authors you drew inspiration from for this story?

I’ve drawn inspiration from a lot of fantasy classics as well as a few that a more obscure. Pop culture in movies and games also served as sources - though these are more in the form of easter eggs and trope-mocking. Some of the cast are OCs created by others who graciously granted permission for my use, I would be remiss if I undervalued the inspiration they provided.

Who was the first character you made for this wip and how did they come to you?

The first characters made were the first team: Abaddon, Magnilla, Nyima, Scyanatha, Vyxen and Zercey - the majority of them were those aforementioned OCs not originally mine. For the character Zercey, the lore behind her was recycled from an original fairy race I minted for a roleplay I had going with one of my oldest friends.

Do you usually have a title in mind when you start the story or does it comes to you later?

I start with book title placeholder - something that reminds me of the direction or key piece I want to convey to the reader. So far, my first place holder for my WIP hasn’t been used as an official title yet and isn’t relevant until book 4. Winning.

For you, what’s the hardest part of writing?

Currently, it’s getting all the planets to align so that there is a block of time where I can work on it. I’m accepting that isn’t likely going to happen until my youngest is 6 months or older.

What’s the best part of writing?

Getting those scenes that run on repeat in my head out onto a page. It’s an all-consuming thing for me; there’s a story that needs to be told desperately and it’s very hard to shut my brain off at night without putting time towards it.

How would your characters feel about you if they met you in person?

LOL They would straight up murder my ass with no apologies. No one stuck in that book likes how they’re living.

What helps you recharge your writing batteries when you’re running low?

Besides the obvious (see: sleep), listening to music or drawing helps. If I’m feeling stuck, I try writing the scene from a different POV, or I try pivoting to a different scene completely and work on that for a bit to clear the air some. 

Questions: same as above

Tagging: @bigmoodword, @radley-writes, @raevenlywrites, @dangerouslyspicynacho, @elizabethsyson, @floralandrogyny

[aaeoluss]

“I never met a town that I didn’t fall in love with. Of course, that’s what made the leaving so much harder.” 

I think I could’ve spent the rest of my life in any of those towns. I took on so many different names and identities, and I loved each and every one of them as if I were really them. 

I was ready. The second that Frances decided she had found a home, that she was ready to settle down, I could be there. 

But the longer our adventure dragged on, the more I started to wonder if that was ever really going to happen. 

[ SYNOPSIS ]  In the year that Frances and Everett have been travelling together, they have been to 21 states. 

They never hit a town twice— in the beginning, they always said they would, but there was never quite time for that— but they seemed to belong anywhere they went. They were a small band of rejects, a dynamic duo, partners in crime. There was always space in a town for a pair of blown in adventurers.And that’s what they were, in the end. Who they were was different each time. Sometimes they attended poetry readings and sat outside as the day faded. Sometimes they committed petty (but always harmless) crimes and roamed the streets at midnight. Sometimes they got office jobs and pretended they were strangers, telling their secrets and stories over again, just for the thrill of a new friend. But always adventurers.

In Oregon, they’re Nick and Jordan, poets, but a wrench in the path cuts their visit short and sends them on a new course to New Mexico. Over the course of the month or so it takes them to get there, they’re forced to think about who they are, who they want to be, and what they really want their future to look like. 

taglist (open): @thatwritxrgirl @ellfewritings @clarissalopeswriter @fluffythewritingplant @pat-writes @hyba @awritinglen @mvcreates @bigmoodword 

I know you guys already know what the story is about, but I would appreciate a boost! Thank you guys so much for supporting this WIP so far!

[ GENRE ] Realistic fiction / NA / strong romantic subplot 

[ PROGRESS ] first draft is nearly completed 

[ SETTING ] 2012, American West/Southwest 

[ POV ] First Person 

[ THEMES ] growing up, building a future, realizing who you are, friendship, love, youth 

[ CONTENT WARNINGS ] few death/violence mentions 

[ MAIN CHARACTERS ] 

Everett Watson (narrator) - [19/M] If he were being honest, Everett would admit that he had no idea what he was doing on that adventure. In the back of his head, there had always been a voice nagging at him to stop the craziness, and go to college, and go work in an office, or just do something to get his real life started. But he felt paralyzed. He had no idea where to go from there. So he ran away. He ran away, and he became Holden, and Nick, and Henry, and everyone who wasn’t Everett. The last person he wanted to be was Everett. 

Frances Martin - [19/F] Frances would claim that she had never felt at home in North Carolina. And maybe that was true, maybe it wasn’t, but either way, she was able to talk herself into leaving the state and never coming back. Well, maybe coming back. She didn’t think about the future too much. All she knew was that for the first time, she had the opportunity to explore the world a little bit, and she was going to take it if it killed her. 

Kutcher Jackson - [18/F] As someone who was feeling a little lost, Kutcher fit right into the party. At 18, she had just aged out of the foster system, and had no plans on what to do next. She had always been a little bit of a stray, and she felt right at home wandering around the country. Well, at least part of her did. 

Pseudonyms has its own WIP sideblog, you can follow @pseudonymswip to see all the polished excerpts and edits in one place, 

and/or my taglist is open! I hope some people have found my introduction interesting, and stay tuned for the new and improved character introductions! Thanks for reading to the end of the post :) 

[raevenlywrites]

Last line tag

Thanks for the aaaaancient tag @mariahwritesstuff! I’m sorry NaNo ate my brain :P Snagging a random line from my NaNo doc while I have it open

“Oh wow! This is-- is that pesto?”

Gil beamed. “Pulsed it myself this afternoon. Do you like it?”

Tybee threw a grape at him. “No, Gil, she clearly hates it. She’s just exclaiming enthusiastically to throw you off the scent.”

Lia rounded on him. “Would you stop being awful?”

Tagging back:  @lordkingsmith @bigmoodword, @radley-writes, @abalonetea@dangerouslyspicynacho, @elizabethsyson, @mariahwritesstuff@floralandrogyny @ratherinterestingmilkshake@writinginslowmotion and @quilloftheclouds

[pens-swords-stuff]

Writeblr Secret Admirer: Final Update!

All of the secret admirer assignments have been sent out!

An extra special thank you and shout out to @stuffylana @igotablankpage @myhoniahakah @sweetsweetbabytree and @aeonian-scribbles for helping me send out the asks! I love all of you from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much!! I was highkey freaking out because way more people than I expected wanted to take part, and you guys have saved me a lot of stress.

IMPORTANT!

There were a fair few of you who have not yet turned on your anon capabilities!!! Remember, this is a secret admirer event and allowing anonymous asks is a requirement. There was also one of you that didn’t even have your ask box open — please rectify that immediately.

If you have any questions whatsoever, please direct them to me: @pens-swords-stuff. My DMs and my ask box are open. If you run into any problems, like you didn’t receive your assignment, you can’t find your assigned person or your assigned person doesn’t have their anonymous function on, please let me know and I will do what I can.

There was a total of 119 people who wanted to spread the love!

Thank you all so much for being a positive force in this community, that is an insane number of participants. I hope you all enjoy this event and feel loved — that would make this insanity worth it.

When you begin receiving your secret admirer messages, remember to tag it as #writeblr secret admirer so we can all see the love and positivity :)

Now please excuse me as I wind down from this entire thing. I am exhausted. Did you guys know that despite all this planning, I’m not actually participating? There was just no way for me to assign a secret admirer for myself without knowing and it also felt super wrong. Ah well, c’est la vie.

Thank you all so much, have a happy Valentine’s Day!

All participants under the tag!

@themagicalypurplemastodon @sancta-silje @vhum @yetmorestories @atbwrites @rhiannon-writes @stuffylana @yeraswifey @heathersalazar @tayluinwrites @esoteric-eclectic-eccentric @tiredbard @elizabethsyson @pluttskutt @theguildedtypewriter @writerinafury @leave-her-a-tome @soul-write @scottish-hellhound @sleepy-and-anxious @sensitivesapphic @madammuffins @writingonesdreams @fourohfourlifenotfound @writingwordsanddrawingpictures @inexorableblob @bookish-actor @sweetsweetbabytree @loopyhoopydrabbles @alexiswrote @thewannabeewriter @the-writers-soul @dogwrites @agentorange-writes @alyssamayo @in-which-she-writes-and-dreams @sarcastic-razz @ejmcmoon-fanworks @writinginthebox @formerlyrunephoenix6769 @reeseweston @candycoatedcatastrophe @kidsarentallwrite @julesruleswrites @aspire2bu @iwillstabyou37times @quiescentwriting @furryarbiterangel @abalonetea @thebardanon @shadowschild64 @designerstraightjackets @theawestruckwonder @thepoetspeak @usuallydecentwriter @caswellwrites @james-stark-the-writer @eloquenceandemphasis @chellewrites @adenhamcreations @nicolewarner @blueinkblot @lady-redshield-writes @ravenpuffwriter @themildestofwriters @natalierosewrites @kowlazovdi @astorsa @patroclusdeservedbetter @runningonrain @writingmochii @mistycheyenne @unfocused-ink @caffienefuelsmywriting @igotablankpage @bittersweetblueboy @shakespeare-who @katabasiss @androcalia @myhoniahakah @nmcwriting @toxinspired @caitwritesstuff @aeonian-scribbles @slothwriting @lovethatrandomauthor @winchesterandpie @inkspilledqueen @paper-shield-and-wooden-sword @glacizata @sodaliteskull @wemitodd @jynecca @lonely-pages-of-ink @elliswriting @cawolters @shaping-infinity @sanctimoniousscrawlings @sweetcatmintea @lemon-i-scream @royalbounties @ohlooksheswriting @thewoefulandwonderous @adorhauer @wips-at-2am @nuisancenoodle @crikewrite @satanskatze @xxac1d-cha0sxx @carstcrsjames @ahumanfromtheinternet @brokenfannibal @softballmaster21 @griffinoliverwrites @confunderewrites @bigmoodword @sainthowlsfire @puddingparamour

[piratequeenofpixies]

21 Questions Tag

Thanks for the tag, @mvcreates!

Rules: Answer twenty-one (21) questions and tag twenty-one (21) people who you’d like to get to know better.

Tagging twenty-one (21) mutuals (feel free to ignore): @alessia-writes, @writingonesdreams, @scripturientworld, @lemonayyyyyde, @bigmoodword, @clarissalopeswriter, @b4au, @heroeswithbrokenwings, @hell-yeah-writing, @cookiecuttercritter, @nuisancenoodlewrites, @enchanted001, @writersloth, @writerproject, @practising-writer, @metaphors-and-melodrama, @leicawri, @necros-writings, @wilhelminaab, @writingassistant and @writingandresearching :)

1. What is your eye color? Green with blue rings around them :)

2. Who is your favorite person in the world? Hmm...I’m not sure. I can narrow it down to three XD My dad, best friend, or one of my guy friends.

3. What is your favorite snack? Green grapes or veggie straws (“healthy” chips shaped like straws)

4. How many tumblrs are you following? Ninety-seven (97)

5. What’s your writing motto? "Your only responsibility as a writer is to be true to the story that has chosen you as its writer.” --Jean Little

6. What are your favorite TV shows? The Adventures of Merlin, Once Upon a Time, When Calls the Heart, and Greenhouse Academy :)

7. What is your favorite fairytale? Probably “Snow White” or “The Little Mermaid.”

8. What’s your favorite song? Um. All of them? Seriously, that’s a difficult question to answer--it varies from day to day :D Let’s go with “Almost Love” by Sabrina Carpenter.

9. What language(s) are you fluent in? English

10. What language(s) can you count to ten (10) in? English and Spanish

11. What are your top five (5) mythical creatures, in order? Dragon, pegasus, manticore, werewolf, and basilisk, respectively

12. What is your favorite sport? Swimming, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and/or running :)

13. Who is your favorite musical character? Ooh...either Fauchelevent from Les Misérables or Eliza from Hamilton :)

14. Who is your favorite TV character? Arthur from The Adventures of Merlin

15. Who’s your favorite book character? Connor from Dear Evan Hansen

16. Are you a dog person or a cat person? Oh, definitely a dog person.

17. What is your favorite genre? YA fantasy

18. Who is/are the best teacher(s) you’ve ever had? Let’s see. Mrs. White (English) for school years 2016-2018 and Mrs. Childress (biology/chemistry) for school years 2015-2017.

19. What’s your favorite fan-fiction authored by someone else? I don’t really read fan-fiction, so....

20. What’s your favorite original story idea authored by yourself? Definitely Of Stones and Shadows--it’s such a personal story for me.

21. What’s your favorite comic series on Webtoons? Oh, I have five XD--True Beauty, Lore Olympus, Let’s Play, Siren’s Lament, and Subzero are all very good.

[qelizhus]

where to start? one. you're a friendly face-er-avatar, and my day brightens whenever i see your stuff on my dash. two. your blog is stunning, and the odes? fff. creative powerhouse. the worldbuilding really is incredible. please, please, please add me to the taglist! (If you receive this, send it to 10 people you love & appreciate and try not to break the chain 💕💓💗💝)

thank you!!! this is so sweet!!! i will gladly add you to the taglist

[lettersandinkstains]

exuberant, frank, and witty!

--Exuberant

I apply that to Zephyr! They have such an outgoing, happy personality through it all!

--Frank

Nyx! She is quite blunt, honest, and pulls no punches.

--Witty

Zephyr, again. Jokes are their most favorite thing in the world. Dad puns are even better!

[bookenders]

11/11/11 Tag Game: Round... uh... 5, 6, & 7?

I got tagged by a bunch of people ( @quilloftheclouds is this how your 77 question one felt??) so here are a bunch of answers! I think this is the most I’ve ever talked about myself in my life. 

Good gracious, you’re all so nice and have such good questions.

Tagged by: @surroundedbypearls, @waterfallwritings, @bigmoodword, @sundaynightnovels

Rules: answer 11 questions, tag 11 people, give them 11 new questions!

[I’ve done this enough to be able to break the tag rules. Fight me.]

44 questions and answers below the cut!

But I’ll be nice and put my questions right here:

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

When do you title your WIPs? It is the first thing you do? The last? Does it come to you during drafting?

How many inside jokes do you put in your WIP(s)?

Your WIP’s antagonist is now The Riddler. How do your OCs handle that?

Do you use sticky notes?

Laptop or desktop?

Your OC is a wrestler. What’s their hype music?

Do you own any craft books/books on writing?

What’s your favorite book cover?

How many unread books do you have sitting around right now? Which are you most excited to maybe get to eventually some time?

How committed are you to your outline(s)?

Bilbo Taggins: Literally anyone, but also @francestroublr, @sahados-shadow, @a-story-im-writing, @bethkerring, @citruschickadee, @bos-ingit

If I’ve tagged you before, you can totally ignore this. In fact, I encourage you to.

From @surroundedbypearls:

What’s your favourite genre to write in and why? Literary fiction! It’s what I learned in university and the one that fits my themes best. Sci-fi is hard, I’m just getting into writing fantasy stuff, I can’t do thrillers, romance is hard for me, and historical is too much work.

Do you think you have a style/voice that you use more often in your writing? When did you develop that style? If you’ve read one of my stories, you know exactly how my writing voice sounds. It doesn’t change too much. I write like I talk, but if I had a lot more gravitas and charisma. Honestly, I’ve always had that kind of style, but it really developed in high school. It’s been getting stronger since then. It’s one of the things I always got comments about from my teachers and fellow workshop writers. “Your voice is so strong!” Yep. It’s mah thang.

Do you play video games? What’s your favourite? YES I DO. It’s hard to pick faves, but I’ve played Dragon Age: Origins too many times. 

If you were going to do a WIP crossover, which OCs would be most interesting together? (If you’ve only got one WIP crossover with something else) A crossover between H2H and AOPC? Interesting. I think Mel and Keema would get along the best, Oz would have some fightin’ words for Elder Sanga, and Gemma and Teva would be a force to be reckoned with, my god. Two stubborn nerds who believe totally different things but are also very determined to be very good at what they want to do and love their communities to a fault? Fear them.

Do you prefer to plan WIPs in a document or through handwritten notes? I used to do it by hand but I couldn’t read it because my handwriting is terrible and I kept losing papers. I do it in docs now. Much easier to organize and incredibly legible.

Do you multiple languages exist in your WIP? If so how do you address that in the story? H2H is set in the “real world,” so yep. It hasn’t been addressed too much yet, but I have a way for tackling languages. I’ve written multilingual-ish stories before. I never write phonetically and use hella context clues so the reader knows the gist of what was said if another character doesn’t translate.

What’s your favourite animated film that’s not Disney or Pixar? AN AMERICAN TAIL. All of them. It’s on Netflix go watch it and marvel at the way a kids movie talks about Jewish immigration, poverty, and cultural oppression via mice. As a young Jewish child, this movie was my jam. It’s very dark, though.

Do your real-life surroundings influence your WIP’s settings? Nope! One time I tried to write a story set in the same area where I lived and I couldn’t do it. Too weird. Sometimes I’ll write in an item I see near me, or like, a painting or poster on the wall if I need some set decoration, but that’s about it.

Which OCs would be most likely to break the fourth wall? Oz. Lookin’ at the camera like he’s in The Office.

How do you work out your OCs’ personalities? Hm. I look at the story I’m trying to write and make a protagonist that would have the most interesting experience in that narrative. For H2H, I wanted someone who would be loyal as heck to the people they loved while still being experimental enough to try new things and get into shenanigans. The story called for someone like that, and there she was. Mel came about my thinking of someone who would compliment other characters in the story while still being their own person. If that makes sense. I think of dynamics and interactions with the story world in relation to the theme(s). Most of the time they just happen, though.

Do you prefer worldbuilding or character building? Character building! As much as I like making stories about places, making characters is more fun for me, and more interesting. You should see all the DnD character sheets I have. 

From @waterfallwritings:

1. How do you come up with ideas for your WIPs?

At random. Seriously. It’s like my brain has to be running something in the background to function normally, and usually that something is whatever story I happen to be working on. Or I’ll look at a thing and go “huh.” My brain also likes to twist normal things to be a little bit different.

2. How do you get past gaps in the plot?

No idea, man. It’s like throwing spaghetti at a wall. I like to work backwards. If this is what I want to happen, what needs to happen before that to ensure that it occurs? I look at all the elements currently in the story and see if one can be manipulated to fill in the hole.

3. What motivates you to keep writing?

If I don’t, my brain gets all constipated and angry until I write something down. Like, seriously, I get grumpy and frustrated like I’m hangry or something. Aside from physical need, I love writing. I love word puzzles and feelings puzzles and figuring them out. Sometimes I think of how my stories could help someone, or make them feel something that they enjoy. 

4. Do you do any other kind of creative writing?

Oh, man, I’ve done it all. Screenwriting, playwriting, poetry, video game-ish writing, interactive storytelling, short stories, flash fiction, proposals, essays, DnD campaigns, monologues... You name it, I’ve probably tried it. I tend to stick to prose and poetry these days.

5. Do you have any other creative hobbies besides writing?

I’ve gotten into graphic design a little bit. I kind of wanna learn how to knit again. I’m not really very crafty. 

6. What do you do when you’re stuck on a scene and don’t know how to get it out / write it?

Write a different scene, stare at the screen in frustration until I give up and go to sleep, meditate for a few minutes, go do something else to get my mind off of it, clean, work on a different project.

7. How do you decide how to end your WIP?

I mean, see the next question for part of my answer. How did I decide to end H2H? My friend, that’s a big ‘ole spoiler. But I decided to end it at a place where everything, and everyone, comes together.

8. When in the process of writing do you decide how its going to end? Or do you kind of just wait til you get there?

Right at the beginning. If I don’t know where it’ll end, I have a hard time writing the arc. I work backwards: start with the idea, then think of where I want it to end up, then work back to the beginning until I know where its going, then start writing.

9. Why did you decide to join writeblr?

My reasons are pretty personal, but the least personal is that I needed some accountability and motivation. And I missed being in a good writing community.

10. What’s your favourite food?

Pasta! I’m eating spaghetti right now.

11. If you had to kill off a character in your WIP, who would it be and why?

Oz would be the most tragic. Treena would be the most logical. 

From @bigmoodword:

1. using one sentence summaries, can you tell me about your wips?

Nerdy potion woman meets cute odd stranger who helps her solve magic mysteries in their quirky small town.

2. what inspired them?

I saw a zine accepting submissions for magic stories, then an open call for queer shifter stories, and thought “what if wholesome magical lesbians?”

3. which of your ocs do you most identify with?

Gemma!

4. if you’ve ever cried while reading, which book cued the waterworks?

THE SONG OF ACHILLES.  My God, my soul was weeping. Honestly, it still is. Doesn’t matter that I knew the story from the Iliad. Madeline Miller is a feelings wizard.

5. how do you conduct research for your wips and what’s the most interesting thing you’ve discovered in said research?

On an as-needed basis. I used to do way too much research to avoid actually writing the damn thing, so now I only do it when I actually run into a problem that can be solved by Google.

6. thus far, which scene has been the most difficult to write?

The ones that aren’t hugely emotional. Which is... unfortunate.

7. which of your ocs do you like the least?

Rude. On a personal level, Jill. I love her, but I would not be friends with her. We wouldn’t mesh at all.

8. which pov and tense do you prefer to write in?

Third person limited present tense! To the bane of everyone who’s ever edited my work.

9. do you write poetry?

I do! Not often, though.

10. who is your writing role model?

My freakin’ writing professor from college. He is crazy disciplined.

11. if you could give your younger writer self some advice, what would it be?

Hey, you know those people who say your writing is too dark? Yeah, they suck and they’re wrong. They just want kids to live up to their expectations and write happy sunshiny stories about unicorns and dinosaurs having ice cream. And you’re not depressed because you wrote that one sad poem one time and someone asked if you were depressed. What you have is called feelings and they’re very useful for a writer, nay, a human, to have.

From @sundaynightnovels:

Who is your biggest role model? Okay, so I got crap all the time in grade school for never having a role model, and I still don’t have one. The teachers were concerned about me. But my reasoning was, “why should I want to live someone else’s life?” Yeah. They didn’t really know what to do with that...

What are your OCs favorite foods? Sort of answered here!

Which OC is most afraid of the dark? Oz and Mary!

What made you want to start a writing blog/participate in the writeblr community? Answered above!

Did you sleep with a stuffed animal as a kid? Do you still? I did, indeed. I don’t anymore, but I have two that I shuffle around my room when they get in the way. One is a highland cow I got in Scotland (he has a plaid hat), the other is a blue whale I got at the Museum of Natural History in NY.

Do you like donuts? I love donuts. Especially jelly filled ones. Mmm.

Do/would your OCs like donuts? All of my OCs like donuts. I don’t think Mel has ever had a modern one, though.

What is your least favorite food? Cauliflower? I’m the household taste-tester, so there’s been a lot of stuff I don’t like.  ( @sundaynightnovels I hate sparkling water, too, you’re not alone!)

What is your ideal writing environment? Comfy seating, a chair with no arms (stupid elbows), alone, plenty of chosen beverage within reach, headphones.

Favorite line from your WIP? So far, it’s this one!

Favorite quote from a book? Oh, man. There are so many. From recent memory, here are a few: “’Give it time,’ she replies. ‘It won’t be a story forever.’“  and “Everyone has heard stories of women like us, and now we will make more of them.” (both from The Ladies Guide to Petticoats and Piracy) “When he smiled, the skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled like a leaf held to flame.” and “I lean forward and our lips land clumsily on each other. They are like the fat bodies of bees, soft and round and giddy with pollen.” (I could write a goddamn essay about the imagery in this scene.) (It is quite possibly my favorite description of a kiss ever. And the metaphor extends through the rest of the scene so artfully ugh.) (both from The Song of Achilles) “The thing about a story is that you dream it as you tell it, hoping that others might then dream along with you, and in this way memory and imagination and language combine to make spirits in the head.” (from The Things They Carried)

[confunderewrites]

WIP INTRO: Nobyl Blood

<image text:  Nobyl Blood.  I bled red, then blue, then gold.>  header graphic by @crypticsx​ <3

---------

INFO

Title >>> Nobyl Blood

Genre >>> sci-fi / romance / sports

POV >>> third person limited

Status >>> first draft

WIP Page >>> found here

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Aurora Nobyl

had defined her life by her cairbre career and little else.  After a series of setbacks involving a failed mentor, a penalty ridden career, and being rejected for the national team the first time, she finally felt she had everything she wanted within her grasp.  She wasn’t a prodigy.  But she still had enough talent and drive to make her one of the best players in the world. She was a guardsman, a half-back, and she was going to win the World Cup.  At least that was the plan until a major injury before the qualifiers sets her back further than square one. With only two years until the next World Cup and foul play suspected with her injury, sacrifices have to be made and Aurora was used to people walking out of her life.  She just wasn’t expecting someone to walk back in.  

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Alistar Reid Rivero

not only belonged to a long long line of cairbre players but also was a prodigy, singled out since he was a child.  He didn’t care about titles, or name-sakes, or even going to the same college all the other Reid's went to.  He just truly loved the sport, and wanted to be the absolute best player he could be.  And he knew the best player he could be could definitely win the Cairbre World Cup.   But just because he didn't care himself, didn't mean he couldn't feel the weight of the expectations set upon him.  He had a legacy to protect.  He was raised to be the best keeper in the world at the expense of everything else and so what if he didn't have a consistent co-keep to work with?  He could protect the nets by himself if he has to.

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CONTENT WARNINGS:

-graphic injury -hospitals -mental illness -suicidal thoughts -mention of sexual assault

I finally sat down and made a wip intro! Now that I’m rebooting it somewhat from its previous form I’m resetting the tag-list.  There is absolutely zero pressure to be on this one if you were on the old one.  Please interact with this post if you would like to be on the new Nobyl Blood tag-list.

Tagging the old list just so they see: @crypticsx​ @bigmoodword​ @screamingbasement​