#you can go back and pay attention to the finer details and realize what links to what

[glowingreverie]

.

[chyrstis]

I won’t ask for much (but just this once, I’d like you) 3/10

Slipped a little bit on getting this one out the other day, but better late than never! And poor Sharky’s in need of a break, big time, but things might just be starting to swing in his favor.

Pairing: Sharky Boshaw x John Seed Rating: E (but only for Ch. 10, the rest are a solid T) Word Count: 4.7K  

Link to AO3!

Ch. 1 / Ch. 2 / Ch. 3 / Ch. 4 / Ch. 5 / Ch. 6 / Ch. 7 / Ch. 8 / Ch. 9 / Ch. 10

—

Sharky steals a boat. It just happens to be John’s boat, and when it’s damaged along with his boathouse, John proceeds to lay out a means of having Sharky pay him back. [No Cult AU]

———–

It hadn’t been his best moment.

Drenched, nearly buck-ass naked behind the wheel, and feeling his underwear starting to chafe, Sharky knew he hadn’t made the best choice either. Maybe it’d been the fumes, maybe it’d been the embarrassment, but he’d had it, and needed to clear out fast.

Luckily he always had a spare set of underwear on hand– seriously, an extra pair was not a thing to overlook in an emergency– but that philosophy had never extended towards actual clothes, leaving him in a dicier spot than normal.

Because heading home, pissed off, and speeding didn’t do him any favors. Especially not when one of the Deputies pulled him over only to ask what the hell he was doing. Deputy Rook hadn’t really busted his chops too many times before, but he didn’t have high hopes heading into it.

Full-on expecting a public indecency charge, he’d launched right into the story only for her to catch some of the eau de skunk he was still wearing. Wrinkling her nose, she’d waved him off, told him to get right back to fixing that problem, and she’d see about forgetting this ever happened.

Not that he’d flashed her or anything, but she kept her eyes on his face the entire time and refused to lower them.

And when she let him drive off, he doubled down on that pledge to at least pack a spare pair of jeans.

When tomorrow hit, he reset everything. Decided to take on this new day and start from scratch all while scrubbing himself off furiously, because the previous one blew from hell and back, and he wasn’t going to finish any of this without a clear head.

And much as he didn’t like to admit it, John hadn’t gone out of his way to make things worse for him. Not directly, so he let part of the mental grudge he’d been nursing go.

With Hurk’s help he snagged a replacement phone, pulling strings Sharky didn’t need to know the finer details of, and when his next time out was due, he went back, ready to dive into the old routine again.

Not bullshit-free, but at the very least skunk-free.

And he was hit with the bullshit end of things almost immediately when John all but threw him into the waiting arms of Joseph’s people. John had volunteered to help too, but didn’t ask, simply relayed this to him all while being guided towards a set of trucks. Filled with ‘essentials’ they were to be taken to the compound, off-loaded, then brought back.

While any danger sense Sharky had would’ve gone off in any other situation than this, he hadn’t been too pissed about it. Joseph hadn’t hesitated to help him before, and he wasn’t about to forget what the woman from last time had done for him, and kicked himself repeatedly for not managing to get her name. Yeah, he’d been embarrassed as fuck, covered in skunk funk, and standing in his underwear, but he’d dropped the ball on that one, and hoped he’d have a chance to meet her again later on.

As morning turned into the afternoon, and more items were hefted onto the trucks to move, he lost track of time, focusing only on what he could grab, pass, and carry. He’d even lost track of John, seeing no sign of blue anywhere in the tide of white and beige, figuring he’d find him when he needed him, and was eventually proven right when he’d stepped out for a small smoke break.

Tapping him twice on the shoulder, John gestured back towards the cars out front, signaling he was free to go back to the boathouse. And when John mentioned he was staying behind to finish up and not to wait for him, Sharky blinked at him for a good minute before double-timing it out of there. Opportunities like this weren’t to be passed up, and he left before John decided to change his mind after all.

Winded, but not really feeling it yet, he figured he still had a good half a day to go before really needing to tap out, and could burn off the rest while getting more of the boathouse’s roof down.

But when he reached the spot down there, taking a decent drag of his cigarette as he relaxed, he took the moment for what it was. A break. A moment where he didn’t have a microscope on him for once, and the tension bled right out.

Suddenly beat, he sat himself down on the ground by the boathouse. Flopped down onto his back as soon as he’d finished off his cigarette, and looked up into the sky. Clear and blue, it was about as gorgeous of a day as it could get for early fall around there, and he tugged his cap down to cover his eyes.

Just for a sec. He’d earned it.

The water helped drag him along towards it. To that peaceful place where he didn’t have to worry about much for once.

Delightful, isn’t it?

He smiled as the breeze blew by, feeling it pull him that much closer to sleep.

Isn’t it just so? Too peaceful, almost. Calm. Quiet, the voice from the dream said, pleasant to listen to itself. A shame, really.

He frowned. Why?

Because wouldn’t it be better spent on the river? On the water? On a boat?

“Yeah. Hell yeah,” he murmured.

Speeding along. Leaning into the wind as it whips around you. Just…perfect.

Perfect.

I’m glad you agree. But it wouldn’t be on just any boat. No, but the rather expensive one that you so happened to smash directly into my boathouse.

Sharky tensed.

��Which you should be working on right this very instant, if memory serves me right.”

Slapping the brim of his hat in his panic, it flew up and off of his head. John was crouched down next to him, blue sunglasses down over his eyes, and wearing a smile that showed too many teeth to be friendly.

Frozen in place, both stared the other down as the seconds ticked by, and Sharky couldn’t kick his brain in the ass enough to get it to respond. No, it seemed set on adding its own running commentary to this, all of which he was worried would spill out the moment he opened his mouth.

“Uh, yo.”

“Yo,” John replied, dropping the smile altogether. “Enjoying the break?”

“Well, I was. Actually.” John’s eyes narrowed, and Sharky swallowed hard. Felt his head bob as he tried to get past the haze the nap had put him in. “Got a little tired, and figured I’d rest some of it off, but…”

“But what?”

Sharky watched John’s teeth come out again in that odd non-smile of his, and forced his attention back up to his eyes instead. “Uhh…”

Blue on blue, the lenses of his sunglasses covered his eyes but didn’t conceal them completely.

That left Sharky wondering how the hell he’d managed to get the shade that close to begin with. It wasn’t a perfect match, but no one was going to split hairs over a color pretty as that being a compromise. At least he wouldn’t, but he wasn’t John, or trying to color match like John, and different strokes for different folks, he guessed, but there was no need to be so damn-

John cleared his throat. “Well?”

Shit. Losing it twice in less than five minutes? Maybe he really did need the shut-eye after all.

“Ah, fuck. But I guess it’s over now,” Sharky said, shaking the last of the haze off, “and I don’t see any reason to keep on dragging this shit out any longer than I have to, so…”

He clambered up after recovering his hat, breathing in deep as he did, and swiped a hand at his forehead. It hadn’t been a quick hop and a skip up, but the weird floating feeling that came with it, didn’t help much.

Not bothering to look back at John as he shadowed him, he grabbed for one of the boards sitting on the grass, and dragged it up. Setting it on his shoulder, it bobbed like an off-balance seesaw until he was able to steady it enough to walk with.

After that, it was only a matter of taking it over to the ladder and carrying it up. Simple.

“Are you sure you have a handle on this?”

Tossing the board on the ground, Sharky reached for the ladder. “What? Johnny Law’s worried for once?”

He was on the second rung before he glanced back, and whistled at the strength of John’s glare.

“Damn. That bad, huh? Guess I’d better start praying then. Maybe ol’ Joe could give me a few pointers. Give me some of that higher learning you all love so- fuck!”

The next step should’ve connected. In some ways he was glad it didn’t, because any higher and he would’ve been nursing a broken neck and not what he was thinking was shaping up to be a broken ass.

Groaning into the grass, he heard rushed footsteps as John ran over to him.“Tell Joe I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “I take it all back. Just in case he’s got some way of putting the holy god-fearing evil eye on me, ‘cause I did not like that one bit.”

John was definitely worried now, looking a lot more concerned than he would’ve given him credit for as he crouched down next to him.

“I’ll let you do that yourself. Provided you can get back up from this.”

Placing a hand on his shoulder, John examined him closely. Narrowed his eyes as he checked for whatever the hell kind of injury he was expecting, and Sharky cleared his throat.

“What?” John snapped.

“Yo, uh. Don’t think you’re going to see much up topside. ‘Cause in case you were wondering, I’m clenching the thing that’s smarting the most.”

Following his thread, John checked. Actually looked over at where his hands had moved to, both resting right over his ass, and Sharky almost couldn’t believe it. So, he did what any other guy in his position would've done. Took the shot.

Curling his hand into okay sign, he moved it close enough to his balls to count, and struggled not to go into a coughing fit. “Made you look.”

It took a second to click, but the dawning realization of what John was looking at exactly was priceless. Spinning back on him, he didn’t waste time on being irritated. Just went straight to pissed and didn’t look back.

“What the hell were you thinking?” John asked through clenched teeth.

“That I had this? Put one foot up, then two.” Pushing himself up so he could sit, Sharky sucked in a breath. “Least I thought I did.”

“Oh, did you? Get up.” John reached for his arm, and pulled him bodily to his feet.

The pain faded to a dull throbbing, telling him he was okay enough to move around at least, but balance? He found his mostly shot as he rocked, leaning on John only long enough to take a tentative step towards the picnic table nearby.

Feeling John’s eyes burning a hole into his back, Sharky kept on going. Didn’t think John was going to let him get far without saying anything else, but as he hobbled over to the table he had to check over his shoulder. To see what exactly John’s deal was if he wasn’t going to keep on yelling at him, only to find him watching closely.

“Yo, don’t make it weird.”

John’s eyes flicked up to his. “You would be the one doing that.”

“…I mean, that shot to my moneymaker was pretty bad, but it ain’t broke, so I don’t think it’ll need any fixing.” Considering it briefly, Sharky shrugged. “Not that I guess I mind you looking much either, seeing as it’s-“

“I wasn’t,” John replied, unamused. Crossing his arms, he glanced skyward and sighed. “But maybe you had the right idea to begin with.”

“Right idea with what?”

“The resting part. Not…whatever this is supposed to be.” John eyed him skeptically as he walked up next to him, and held out his hand. “Let me see your keys.”

“Why?”

“You’re exhausted. More than you’re willing to admit to after helping Joseph. So, I propose a break. Not down here, but up at the ranch instead. There’s water, better seats available, and if you do end up needing some form of treatment, an actual first aid kit.”

“Like I said, it’s not exactly busted. And I really don’t think you wanna-”

“And alcohol.”

Sharky’s eyes lit up. “For real?” John nodded, and Sharky immediately started fishing for his keys.

“Ah, ah,” John said, wagging his finger at him. “Only if you hand them over first. I’d rather not add loss of life or limb to the things you would need to compensate me for if we end up crashing, so I don’t want you anywhere near the wheel.“

“Dude, if I’m dead I can’t pay you back for shit. Hell, if we’re both dead, that debt’s pretty much kaput.”

“Exactly,” John stated, “and precisely why I should be the one driving us there, not you, so if you could?”

Staring down at his open palm, Sharky frowned. Checked the keys clenched in his fist, and weighed his options.

Sighing again, John gave him a look. “Sometime today.”

The beer won out. “Eh, fuck it.”

He placed the keys in John’s hand, and in exchange earned something he didn’t expect. A smile.

---

It actually didn’t bother him all that much. Being chauffeured around by John was an idea he wouldn’t have come up with in a thousand years, but watching John struggle to get into his car and figure it out was funny enough on its own before he even got around to starting it.

The driver’s seat cover was a blanket, and there was a hole worn into the cushion just from age and use which John made a face at soon after sinking into it, but after cramming more of the blanket into the spot to get comfortable – a move Sharky often did himself – he started the car.

The motor let out a loud whine. Wrinkling his nose, John threw a critical look Sharky’s way as he shrugged a shoulder back at him. Turning the key again, this time the car kicked to life, and John managed not to stall it when he pulled out.

The rest of the ride up wasn’t eventful, even when John skidded over the dirt due to the worn tires. Just corrected for it, tensing behind the wheel as Sharky casually talked him through it, and spent the last stretch of the trip telling him how the last time he’d done that the tire had blown.

“Seriously! Popped. Got me spinning and I nearly threw up by the time I stopped. It was pretty fucking awesome.”

John, however, didn’t seem to agree. Not by the way he’d gripped the wheel, and not with the look he shot him shortly after saying that.

So, when they pulled up to the hangar, John all but jumped out of the car.

Stifling a laugh, Sharky followed him inside, and couldn’t help but rub his hands together at the kind of stash John had to have waiting out here. Probably high-proof, aged shit, the kind of stuff that was usually too rich for his blood and would’ve been charged for just by looking at it.

But first? Those chairs set off to the side were calling his name, and he headed straight for them.

Setting himself down gently, Sharky didn’t care if he was half hanging out of it as he oozed down and adjusted. There was nothing left to do but focus on chilling, and he let his eyes slip closed as he did just that.

He heard humming. It wasn’t anything he recognized, but John kept up with it as he rummaged around nearby. Light little notes that were strange coming from him, but not bad to listen to.

The sound drifted closer, becoming whistling, and Sharky glanced over at him from under the brim of his hat.

John pulled up the chair next to him and handed him a bottle. The rest of the six-pack he set down in the space between them.

“I was going to give it to you on the way out, but it seems a waste to keep on waiting when now’s the perfect time.”

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Sharky said, cracking the beer open.

It wasn’t anything that he was familiar with, however, and after taking a drink of it, eyed the label. Smooth and with a coffee-taste chasing it, it wasn’t his usual combo by any means.

He took another drink, rolling it around in his mouth, and noticed John was watching him. His eyebrows had drawn together as he studied him, and Sharky tried not to choke down the rest of the mouthful before clearing his throat.

“You, uh, wanna tell me what that means?”

“Hmm?” John tilted his head as the look intensified, but his eyes widened. “That wasn’t- it wasn’t supposed to mean anything. I was checking to see if you liked it, and clearly there’s something lacking.”

Fuck. Now he’d done it. “What? Nah, it’s all good, man. I’d never look a gift horse in the mouth, especially not with beer and shit, it’s just not what I’d buy. Not down at the Eagle when I’m three beers in and looking to get blasted fast, at least.”

John considered this for a few seconds and nodded. “I see.”

“And don’t go thinking I’m being ungrateful or nothing. ‘Cause after a day like this, you want something to take the edge off right. This works. Well, that and, er, just…”

He didn’t think blurting out, ‘Man, just really getting fucked,’ was something worth sharing. Not with John at least, no matter how true it would’ve been. So, he let the sentence stay unfinished for a few while he tried to come up with another way to end it.

It wasn’t easy, and as Sharky idly scratched his goatee, he mostly gave up the fight. “You know. Just burning that shit off. Constructively."

That got an eyebrow raise. “Constructively?”

“Yeah, constructively. Least that’s how I like my fucking to go.” John blinked at him, clearly waiting for him to explain further, and Sharky made his go-to gesture a little more suggestive just to mess around a bit. “Teamwork makes the dream work, am I right?”

That was a look he’d never think he’d get out of John. Ever. And ranking the others he’d been able to score so far that day, it shot straight to number one. “Ah.”

“But failing that, drinking works. And if you want one too, go right ahead. Sucks drinking alone anyway. Never been a fan of it before, and you won’t find me liking it now.”

He grabbed one of the bottles, holding it out to John directly.

Left blinking slowly at him, Sharky had to wiggle the bottle at him to break John out of the daze he’d settled into, but once he did, John held his hand up.

“No, that’s…I don’t drink. Not often at least. Not anymore.”

“No?” Sharky frowned, taking it back. “Not liking it? Needed a break from it? Like no judging or anything, you do you. Just curious is all.”

John thought it over, tapping his fingers against his thigh as he sat back in the chair. It almost seemed like he was going to drop it all together, but eventually broke the silence.

“Let’s say that drinking to excess was a habit that came easily to me when I was younger. It wasn’t easy to work my way back from it. Or even to cut it down to a level that was manageable, but I had help. And without that, there’s no telling what state I would be in right now.”

“But this…me drinking in front of you, that’s not bothering you any?”

He shook his head. “In limited numbers and in limited company I find no problem with it. Bars can make it complicated, but with the right people even that can be tuned out as well. I can focus on them and what they’re saying. Enjoying what they’re sharing with me instead of thinking about how fine the whiskey at the table nearby must be.”

John closed his eyes for a few seconds, and tapped a finger against his lips.

“A shame, really. But it’s for the best.”

“Huh.” Sharky gave the label another once-over, and held it up. “Who picked this out then?”

“Why, I did. It was a gift. Handing that off to someone else, especially to either of my brothers, though I love them dearly, would’ve been unacceptable. Joseph has zero interest in alcohol, and Jacob is…straightforward with what he likes. There’s little nuance to it, and I suspect anything would do given the opportunity. So, lucky for you,” he said, smirking, “though I haven’t tried it, I still have an eye for taste.”

Sharky scrunched up his face mid-drink, showing John exactly what he thought of that.

John took one look at him, his puffed-up cheeks rounding out a scowl, and laughed.

The sound made Sharky go into a coughing fit, pounding on his chest to clear it all out. All while John continued, holding a hand over his mouth as it tapered off into a soft chuckle.

“Not cool, man. Not fucking cool,” Sharky rasped, downing more liquid to help soothe his throat.

“Me? I’m not the one at fault here. In fact, I think you were about to disagree with me.”

“Whatever.” Sharky needed a topic change and fast. “So, how’d you get it?”

He raised the bottle in the direction of the plane. From what he could see of it under the edge of the tarp, it was pretty slick, like something out of an old World War II movie, and John’s eyes followed him to it.

“Affirmation?”

“Affirm-what?” Sharky gave him a look. “Seriously? You into the power of positive thinking, or something?”

“…The name does have importance to me, yes,” John said, quickly following up the statement with, “but the story’s a little long-winded. And I don’t think you want to hear me talk on and on, for the sake of talking, to begin with.”

He looked uncomfortable. More so than Sharky had seen him yet, and he got the impression it was a touchy subject.

“I don’t know. Could be some pretty neat shit. The plane, that is. Better if it’s an older one too, ‘cause it might’ve been in some real dogfights. …But that’s the kind of thing that gets you ghosts, and hauntings, and all sorts of weird events like the kind they document only to leave a bunch of VHS tapes behind. Which I’m down for any of that, but you need a camcorder and I roasted mine the last time Hurk and I tried-“

“It’s not haunted.”

Sharky gave him a skeptical look. “Like, you sure? ‘Cause sometimes this shit don’t start until years after you get it.”

“It’s not, and I’ve had no such ‘events’ since acquiring it. But it does have history.” John leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees before aiming an amused look Sharky’s way. “And since you’ve twisted my arm into it, I suppose I’ll just have to tell it.”

Not that he twisted it too hard, or at all. Sharky almost told him so too, choosing to down the rest of his beer instead.

But over the next hour John told him everything he knew about it. Where the original planes were first built, when they were used, and how many were made at the time. How this model had seen light use decades back, was now in need of serious repairs to bring it back into working shape, and had been about to be junked. John had caught word of it due to hanging in those circles - plus making way too many model planes as a kid - and shoved a wad of cash in the collector’s face before any no’s could be thrown around.

Because John had fallen in love with the thing on sight. Known he’d wanted that plane to be his, but had to get behind the controls to be sure.

And when he was in the air?

“Perfection,” he said, his tone soft. “Nothing compared to it. To the rush that came from rising high above the world below. Losing yourself in it. Completely.”

A faraway look fell over him after that.

It hung around long enough for Sharky to realize he’d been holding his breath and waiting for him to continue. But John shrugged it off, going back to the animated way he’d been talking before. If he’d thought the humming was weird earlier, this was right in the same ballpark.

Because John was John. A grade-A asshole inside and out.

This? This wasn’t John.

This John kept on talking. Didn’t drop the conversation as they crossed from planes to history, but Sharky found he didn’t want to stop him either. Just let him go on, using his hands to show off various flying techniques, or to draw out in the air what was running through his head as he described it. Those same motions drew his attention to the tattoos lining the inside of his wrist.

The inked planes resting below John’s watch stood out, and it reminded Sharky of the flames running up his own forearm. How much of an impact that alone had on him as a whole, and he wondered how far that love of flying ran.

It was always cool to listen to someone that was really into what they were talking about. Like seriously digging it to the point that they’d perk up whenever asked, and you could read it clear as day.

John was no exception to this, content to keep on talking however long Sharky would allow him to. He just didn’t expect any of that to be shared with him. Ever.

When Sharky eventually stopped the conversation to mention heading back, John almost looked disappointed. Sighing dejectedly, John admitted that maybe he’d taken up more of his time than intended, but there was no need to worry about the boathouse after that.

Stunned, Sharky waited for the correction. Some sign that John was pulling his leg or fucking with him, but none came. And calling him on that hadn’t earned the reaction he’d expected either. Only a repeat of what John had told him before.

“You’re free to go. Today’s work is done, and after indulging me for as long as you have, I thought you’d be happy to leave.”

“Uh, yeah. Fuck yeah, but…this is kind of like one of those moments where you’re wondering if there’s like, some kinda hidden catch to it.”

“Catch? You’ve helped not only me, but Joseph as well, so I believe today’s portion of your debt has been paid in full. And don’t worry, there’s no fine print you’re missing here. Not this time,” he said, growing more amused by the second. “But if you’re so set on staying, I’m sure I can come up with plenty of other things for you to tend to.“

“Nah, I’m just-I’m going.”

“And as for the beer, you’re more than welcome to leave the rest-“

Sharky grabbed for it as well, and he could’ve sworn John looked pleased he did. “Gift beers, you don’t leave. You know, like horses. ‘Cause you know with gift horses, mouths, and shit like that, it’s just fucking rude not to appreciate it.”

“Horses and mouths notwithstanding, of course.”

Setting his chin on top of his hand, John watched him fumble for another minute through an attempt to peace out before finally shooing him away instead. The added push was all Sharky needed, and he left.

He walked all the way to his car, clutching a six-pack that he pledged to polish off before the day was out, and the minute the door was closed behind him, slapped his cheek. Did so at least two more times to make sure he was still sitting in that seat, beer in hand, and not sleeping it off somewhere.

Nope. He was there. The beer – also present – was cold by his side, and after popping the next bottle open, found it more refreshing on the second go.

Horses and mouths indeed.

[momentofmemory]

it’s almost the end of october, which means one of the greatest, most terrifying exploits known to writers is upon us: NaNoWriMo.

there are plenty of super good survival posts out there, but as this’ll be my seventh time participating (six wins, hoping for a seventh), i thought i’d drop my own set of tips into the mix. i’m going to focus mostly on the practical details of how to write; if you want tips on the writing itself either search the writing/reference tags or pester me to do another one later :P with that said, ~on with the post~

Step One: Figure Out Your Goal

i know, i know, obviously it’s to write 50k, but what does that mean to you? are you expecting

polished prose, ready to send off to a publisher?

being able to write every day? 

just throwing up a bunch of ideas?

a mix of everything?

all of these are valid, but they’re going to require different approaches. if you want jaw-dropping writing, you’re going to need in the ballpark of five or more hours each day, if not more. if you want consistency, you’ll want to look at your normal schedule and set up a couple times you know you can write at. if just you want words, pretty much all you need to make sure is that you squeeze writing time in whenever.

your goal will probably change as the month progresses, and that’s totally fine. just check in every so often to remember a)what you’re working for and b)if it’s actually plausible. speaking of...

Step Two: Realize Your Limitations

1. Typing.

imma get super practical here: your typing speed dictates how fast you can get done. if you write 40wpm (the average), you cannot write the full 1667 in a half hour any more than you can run a mile in under three minutes. it’s honestly not a bad idea to check out your own speed, if only to help you understand yourself better. in my experience, actual writing then works like this (using my max speed, 89, as an example):

Absolute Max: 89 wpm (baseline)

Warring: 70 (75% of baseline)

In the zone: 45 (50% of baseline)

Taking my time, concentrated: 22 (25% of baseline)

anything lower than your max/4 probably means you’re spending a lot of time either researching or staring at the page, so just be aware of that.

2. Time & Focus

this kinda goes without saying, but best case scenario this is at least 1-2 hours of your life a day, or dedicating full Saturday/Sundays if you’re a weekend warrior kind of person. it’s so, so worth it if you can make time for it, but also don’t feel bad if you can’t! doing a half nano (25k) or whatever you want is also a fully acceptable plan.

that said, if you do have time, figure out your focus too. if you’ve never been the kind of person that can type for six hours straight, you will probably not magically become this person when it hits Nov. 1 (though with practice, you might be by Nov. 30). i like trying to write at least 300 before work and another 300 during lunch. that way there’s only 1k left for the evening, and having words on the page just makes me feel better. experiment with different ways of blocking out your time in the first few days and see what works best for you.

3. Don’t Forget You Live in a Body

writing is hard work, you will need to eat brain food! hunching over wrecks your back, stand up and stretch every so often! you will hate existing if you forgo sleep for days! and for the love of charles dickens, patron saint of getting paid by the word, take care of your mother-effing wrists!!

seriously on that last one. i’ve ignored it in the past and thoroughly screwed up my wrists one year; don’t be me. keep in them in a neutral position, do regular stretches, and if you need to, get wrist wraps (i recommend these).

Step Three: Actually Doing the Thing

the previous steps have had pretty broad advice, but now it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty. these are mostly things i know work for me, and therefore may not for you—adjust to your own needs!

1. Write for 15 Minutes Every Day, Non-Negotiable.

i don’t even mean this is a “write 15 min and then your brain will be tricked into writing more” kinda way, but like, literally. you’re probably not going to be able to do 1667 every day—sometimes you’ll be tired and just won’t have the time. you’re very likely, however, to have 15 minutes, and you’ll want to use them. Doesn’t matter if you write 50 words or 500 in that time, at least you’ll have done something, and that’s usually enough to keep you from feeling like just giving up the next day.

2. You Might Need Physical Spaces

i’m a pretty sensory person when it comes to writing, and having a dedicated writing space is so helpful for me. going back to the idea of being an embodied person, it’s a lot easier to get your brain into a writing mode if your body’s already there. some good options include:

coffee shops (cozy! food!)

a specific room in your home (easily accessed! do what you want!)

libraries (free! quiet!)

a friend’s house (writing buddy! easy access to sounding board!)

all of these places usually have access to wifi, which is a positive.

3. You Definitely Need Digital Spaces

i pretty much always write in the same processor, once again because it helps set the mood. the main options include:

google drive (solid choice, cloud backup, mobile accessible)

dabble writer (cloud backup, links to nano, dark mode, chapter options)

write or die (only for actual writing—a scary but effective motivator; save elsewhere)

word/pages/etc. (ready to go on your computer, formatting options)

scrivener (great plotting tools, detailed interface)

i use dabble writer myself (they’re a nano sponsor, so you can get it free for this month, and as a double bonus you get it half off for the rest of the year if you win). and no, i’m not getting paid to wax poetic about them, but honestly i’ve used it to win the past two years and i adore it. 

anyway my biggest tip here is that i SUPER SUPER DON’T RECOMMEND NON-CLOUD OPTIONS. it’s very risky, but if you must, do a proper back up at least once a week. that shiz is not worth it.

4. The Timer is Your New Best Friend

because i’ve heard this argument before: no, it’s not a crutch, and no, it’s not cheating. it’s literally best practices. i’m personally a big fan of this online timer, and i let it run for 15 min every time i write. after each session i check how many words i wrote, then after maybe a quick 1-2 min break, start over.

you can totally set the timer for longer or shorter periods, depending on what works for you. i’m a fan of the 15 min sessions bc it’s just long enough to get a bit of flow going, and just short enough that i can convince my spacy brain that we can get through it without wandering. it’s also a fantastic length for warring, if you’re down for that.

5. Write That Idea Down for Lewis’s Sake

the original idea for the chronicles of narnia came to c.s. lewis when he was at a restaurant, and thank the lord, he wrote it down on a napkin. he wouldn’t write it until some time later, but if he hadn’t written it down, he might’ve forgotten it. why is this important, you ask?

BC YOU WILL FORGET THINGS.

if you have an idea, write it down in your phone or your notebook or the waterproof paper in your shower, because i don’t care how sure you are that you’ll remember it, you super won’t. i’ve forgotten many solutions to plot holes in my time and i still hold vigils over their graves. don’t be me. write it down.

Step Four: Managing that Inner Critic of Yours

all right, pay attention. i’m not going to tell you not to edit, because i would be a massive hypocrite if i did. i totally edit during nano. the important part is letting your editor help you win, not hurt you. and that means gaming your critic’s system.

1. Have a Dedicated Deletion Section

many people hear “don’t delete anything” and baulk, because for some of us it’s distracting and we want to rewrite that section until it matches our vision. so, i’m here to tell you: delete it!! rewrite entire chapters!! just save the original content as part of your word count. this is another reason i love dabble, bc at the start of nano i just make a separate part of the book, label it “delete”, and any time i’m writing and dislike a sentence/paragraph i just dump it into that folder and move on. this way you still get to keep the numbers (and why shouldn’t you? you wrote them!) while also writing words you actually like. plus, sometimes that line you deleted in ch. 1 winds up being supremely pertinent in ch.15, and now you can just copy/paste it instead of having to try to remember what exactly you’d said.

2. Acknowledge Ranting as a Time Honoured Tradition

think there’s no precedent for that 2K diatribe you wrote on the london underground? well fear not, because you can’t possibly do worse than hugo’s entire chapters worth of content on the french sewer system! or melville’s frankly terrifying obsession with the finer features of whale biology!

like, yeah, maybe you’ll decide later you don’t need it, but for now, embrace that soap box. dead white guys have been doing it for centuries and still get places in college syllabi. the least you can do is give it a place in your word count.

Step Five: Have Fun!

i know, i know, it’s cliche, but seriously. if this isn’t fun, or at least rewarding, why are you doing it anyway? so enjoy it! send passages you’re proud of to your friends! daydream about it in the car on the way to work/school! cry over a notebook about the twist you just came up with! nano’s a time of fun and exploration, and you shouldn’t miss out on it because you’re thinking too much.

also, this might be counter productive to put at the end of an essay on nano, but don’t obsess over reading essays on nano :P there comes a time when one must simply do, and nano is pretty much the definition of that.

[hereticpriest]

Bury a Friend Chapter 3

Hannibal Lecter/Original Character

“How long have you known about your stalker?”

“About… six months? I know I should have told Will but… he’s been so stressed since he started helping the FBI, and I didn’t want to worry him. I didn’t want to be a burden.” Rosalind admitted, jumping when Hannibal squeezes her knee, though a happy sigh slips out before she can bite it back. Hannibal squeezed again.

“Rosa, you don’t need to explain yourself. From my understanding, Will and yourself spent most of your childhood relying on each other, yes?” Hannibal looked at the road, then turned his head to catch her eyes.

“Yeah. Yeah, we had to rely on each other a lot. I don’t know if you’ve noticed with Will, but we’re both a little touch-starved.” Rosalind shrugged, “We were each other’s only source of love, support, and understanding. Dad was… fine, I suppose, but he didn’t understand either of us and he didn’t really love us as much as we needed. Will is unique, and I… well, he says I am too, but I’m not as special as he is.”

“I don’t believe that for a second. It’s possible that Will’s schooling makes him seem more empathetic than you, but I see the same awareness. I had noticed both of you respond in an interesting manner when being touched, but you instigate it often enough. You’re not used to receiving affection from anyone but each other. Will learned to use his gift and avoid contact when he didn’t want to use it, while you learned to disguise yours and blend in, would you agree?” Hannibal asked, watching the road pass, and only looking at Rosalind when he had to gauge her feelings.

“I… I suppose that could be a way to describe it, yes.” Rosalind worried her bottom lip between her teeth, eye going wide when Hannibal took her chin between his thumb and index finger and made her stop.

“You both tense when you’re touched, but once you realize the contact is positive, you both lean into it like cats being pet.” Hannibal mused, and Rosalind laughed softly, realizing that she’d tried to nuzzle into his hand without even noticing.

“I apologize, Hannibal. I didn’t-“

“I know you didn’t realize you were doing it. You appear to be less conscious of it, whereas Will knows it is his tendency and stops himself. Regardless, I would not ask for an apology for something like that.” Hannibal eyed her curiously for a moment before turning back to look where he was going. Rosalind watched his hand drop from her chin, his fingertips skimming over her leg as he put his hand back on the stick. The shiver that ran through her had her stomach in knots, but a pleased smile from Hannibal soothed that quickly.

“Can you tell me how the stalking started? How you discovered it?” Hannibal requested, and Rosalind nodded.

“I felt it first. That tickle in the back of your neck when someone’s staring at you. I would feel it when I was walking home from ballet practice, when I was at the grocery store, when I was playing piano at home, when I was at vocal practice… I even felt it when I was in the shower. When I was going to sleep at night.” Rosalind crossed her arms, then relaxed when she realized she did.

“When were your suspicions confirmed?” Hannibal asked, reaching out to squeeze Rosalind’s hand gently, having to hide a smile when she squeezed back and held on. Things were progressing how he wanted.

“I picked up my mail and there was a letter. They’re marked by date in my file.” Rosalind looked over at Hannibal and smiled almost shyly, “Sorry. I probably wasn’t supposed to know, but I noticed.”

“Will didn’t say anything, so I assume I don’t have to worry about it.” Hannibal replied, watching her from the corner of his eye as the realization hit her of what else was in her file. Rosalind looked up at him, mouth slightly ajar, a cocktail of horror and something akin to shameful pleasure in her eyes. Interesting.

“Tell me about the letter.” Hannibal disguises the demand as a request with his pleasant tone, but Rosalind recognizes it as much as she recognizes the curiosity and interest in his eyes. She recognizes it as much as she recognizes the darkness brimming behind his eyes, so much more potent than that which she and her brother shared. The psychiatrist and ballerina share a look for a long moment before Hannibal returns his gaze to the road, and Rosalind breathes in a steadying breath.

“It was… loving. He thought I knew who he was, and he was sure I would find him if he just confessed his love for me and detailed what he loved about me. But nothing in the letter was right. He loved the mask. He knew nothing about my actual feelings and interests. He sent another letter two weeks later in which he described how gently he would love me, like I was a doll to put on a shelf and show off to visitors. He went into great detail about how he would pleasure me, and how he would never hurt me. How he’d make love to me, but only after he’d brought me to orgasm several times. He included a bunch of pictures of me, including several nudes.” Rosalind replied, shifting lower in her seat.

“What did you do?” Hannibal asked, and Rosie shrugged, looking almost embarrassed though it didn’t reach her eyes. She knew she should be embarrassed, so she feigned it, but it clearly wasn’t real.

“I found a guy… older guy, one of the old ballerinos at my dance company, and… I had him come over. I left the curtains open and…” Rosalind swallowed hard, “I used him. To show the stalker what I really like, and who I really am. He emailed me with a video of it. He just absolutely flipped out. Ninety percent of the email was about how I was a whore, and how I spat in the face of his love. The end though… it was about how he would just show me what I really wanted when he had me, and I’d eventually like what he wanted me to like.”

Hannibal raised his brows, nodding carefully. They were getting into the city now, so he had to pay more attention to the road, but he wanted to watch her reactions.

“He kept sending letters and emails?” Hannibal asked.

“Yeah. And pictures, and videos. He started texting me because he noticed I kept my phone on me in case Will needed me. So, he would bombard me with texts all day, detailing what I was doing, what he liked and didn’t like, how he thought I was trying to tease him with the way I dressed. The first two murders… people didn’t even link them at first. And I didn’t notice either. People get murdered all the time, and the murders were different enough…” Rosalind sighed softly, looking over to him to see how he was reacting.

“Tell me about the murders.” Hannibal demanded again, moving his hand from the stick to her bare thigh, just above her knee. Her skirt was long enough to be perfectly classy, but short enough to show off some of her beautiful skin. Paired with a demure black turtleneck that looked to be cashmere, she looked elegant rather than inappropriate. He liked that look on her, though he was sure he’d prefer her wrapped in finer clothes. So like her brother.

“The first murder was hasty. He wanted me, but he was infuriated, and he didn’t want to hurt me. He was present in mind enough to know that he couldn’t take it out on me. He found a girl who looked slightly like me, I suppose. If you were describing her, she would look like me, but pictures would highlight the differences.” Rosalind explained, and Hannibal nodded.

“What did he do?”

“He grabbed her while she was going to her car. Knocked her out with a hit to the head, just long enough to tie her up and ducttape her mouth shut. He drove to his home, dragged her through the dirt into his home, and tied her to his bed. He beat her viciously, bit her, spanked her until the skin on her buttocks split, then raped her. He wanted to hurt her, and he wanted her to feel all of it. He wanted her to apologize for hurting him, like he wanted me to apologize. He killed her afterwards, a bullet between her eyes.” Rosalind explained, and Hannibal was intrigued by how bland she sounded about it all.

“And the second murder?” Hannibal pressed, moving his hand from her thigh. She tensed and bit her lip, and he could see her throat work, and her quick blinks as she forced herself to have control. He moved his hand to grasp hers, and when she looked at him, he threaded his fingers through the gaps between hers.

“The second murder was pre-planned. He found a girl that looked much more like me – remarkably so. He stalked her for a couple of days, learned her patterns, and then abducted her when he would have a weekend with her. He played nice with her, probably promised he would let her go if she fulfilled his fantasies. She was not beaten and had no external injuries aside from those directly associated with her murder. He used padded cuffs, as she had only the most minor of chafe marks on her wrists and ankles. I believe that he used her to fulfill his fantasies of how he would treat me. He raped her multiple times throughout the weekend, though not nearly as viciously as the first victim. He murdered her on a Sunday night, and I believe he only did so because she rejected him. The only wound on her aside from the gunshot was a split lip and bruising around her mouth. He struck her before he shot her.” Rosalind explained, her thumb running over his knuckles.

“Thank you, Rosa. I’m sure this isn’t easy to talk about.” Hannibal said as he pulled up in his driveway and reluctantly released her hand. He parked and got out, circling the car to open her door for her. He collected her bags and casefile, then circled the car again to put a hand on her lower back to lead her in.

“Come along, Rosalind. I’ll show you to your room before we have dinner.” Hannibal led her to the door, unlocked it, then let her in ahead of him. He showed her to her room, setting her bags on the bed, then showing her to the bathroom and pointing out his bedroom.

“Your home is beautiful, Hannibal. You have exquisite taste.” Rosalind hummed, sure she hadn’t stopped gawking at the beauty of every room she entered since she got to his house.

“Thank you, Rosalind.” Hannibal’s hand rested at her lower back, fingertips against the bumps of her spine, “Would you like to see the space I believe will suit for your dance practice?”

“Oh, yes, please. Actually, I was thinking of changing and dancing now, for a little bit. It helps relieve a bit of stress.” Rosalind leaned into his hand, like she was comfortable with the idea of it remaining there as it had for the past few minutes. Hannibal slid his grip to her waist.

“Of course. I’ll wait outside the room, then.” A gentle squeeze, and he was gone.

[moversdevelopment]

The benefits of using interlinking to improve SEO

Most SEO efforts start with investing the time and resources in building a strong and organized website. Among the many optimization tasks that such an endeavor requires is having a strong structure when it comes to web pages and blog posts. And the best way to ensure that they are all properly connected and mutually beneficial is through internal linking. When you link one of your inner pages to another page, this creates a signal for search engine bots that those pages are relevant to each other. As a result, both pages gain additional value. So, if we were to discuss the many benefits of SEO for moving companies here, placing an internal link towards the article that speaks more on this subject would be more than acceptable – it would be desirable. Today, we discuss the benefits of using interlinking to improve SEO.

What are the 9 upsides of using interlinking?

As far as internal links are concerned, the fact stands that both search engines and site visitors find them practical. When you have quality content that engages well with your target audience, you want to make it easier for them to absorb it. And one of the best ways to accomplish this is by offering them additional information on potentially complex matters. With well-placed interlinking, this is definitely something that you can do.

That is where the benefits of using interlinking to improve SEO start. As the website owner, you have full control over this resource, so it’s just a matter of having the right approach to use it in the best way possible. The better the implementation of links towards other relevant pages is, the higher the user experience will be for site visitors. And as a result of that internal linking strategy, you will open the door to more potential leads for your moving company.

Rather than continue discussing this matter further and risk losing you in the process, why not go straight onto the topic of this here article. So, here are the top nine benefits of using interlinking to improve SEO:

#1: Readers are better equipped to navigate through your website

Navigating through your website becomes much simpler for visitors when using interlinking to improve SEO

It’s in the best interest of any website owner for the users that come to be able to find everything they need on that website easily. And using internal links is a great way to achieve just that. Hence, you will want to start by creating a well-structured and detailed content strategy for your website. And once you have it, you will want to expand it as time goes by:

Monitor the web pages that have more traffic than others and link towards them as much as possible in a natural and non-intrusive way.

Try to boost the pages with lower traffic by offering more quality content and boosting them with links towards other relevant pages.

Pay close attention to the new content that you create and make sure that it has well-placed interlinking that improves SEO for your site.

How does site navigation affect your website SEO?

There are three ways in which the ability to navigate ones’ website can affect their SEO:

More time spent on pages – when you have a quality piece of content for people to read, they will be motivated to spend more time reading it.

Increase in traffic for certain pages – once people realize how good your content is, they will share it and recommend it to others.

Lower bounce rate – internal links will have your audiences go from one article to several others, all of which are on your website. That can help you reduce your overall bounce rate and give your website more SEO value in return.

#2: Your website gains a proper blueprint

Each website deserves a proper blueprint to grow.

The more time you spend working on the inner architecture of your website, the better you will be able to present it to others. It’s really a matter of making your website more user-friendly. Like any good building, a strong website needs a strong foundation to build on. And one of the pillars of that foundation here lies in the internal linking strategy that you implement and grow in time. That strategy serves as one of the fundamental principles of your on-page SEO process.

One of the finer benefits of using interlinking to improve SEO is that you don’t need to have a hierarchical structure with second and third layer sub-pages. You can, but with internal links, you have the freedom to organize the inner workings and pages of your website as you see fit. And that fit usually lies in the eyes and experience of site visitors.

#3: It strengthens the range of link equity through websites

Links to other pages carry a certain amount of equity, better known in the world of SEO as link juice.

Link juice contains a number of elements, the essential ones being:

Value

Trust flow

Topic relevance

Authority

The good news is that you can use internal linking to transfer all these benefits from one page to the next. And once you do, search engines tend to notice this transfer, which helps them determine page ranking in SERPs. So, if you have a page that is well-positioned in search results, it carries a certain value with it. Linking that page to other pages that you want to rank for spreads the link juice, boosting other pages as well.

Be careful, however. There is such a thing as overdoing it here. When you invest link juice in irrelevant pages, you are, in fact, wasting the strength of that link juice, making it weaker over time. So, you need to ensure proper control through the use of do-follow and no-follow pages.

#4: Using interlinking to improve SEO helps you keep readers engaged

Internal linking helps you keep your readers engaged.

Most people will want to focus their efforts on converting visitors into customers as soon as possible. However, keeping people on your website for long amounts of time can be just as important. The more time people spend going through your website – the lower your overall bounce rate will be. And this is great for your overall SEO. The way interlinking improves SEO is by presenting visitors with multiple content options that might interest them.

More than half of online visitors look to internal links to lead them to other useful pages. Therein lies your opportunity to get the attention of your audience, guiding them to the quality content you have to offer them.

#5: Easier for bots to crawl through your website

Interlinking your content helps search engine bots crawl through your website

It is already a well-known fact that indexing and crawling can earn you points with Google and other search engines. And internal linking is an important part of that process, as it can directly influence how your site ranks in SERP.

The crawlers that search engines use to go through your website have a clear objective to understand your website. By doing so, they are able to define your business better, categorize it, and give it the value it deserves. Hence, you need to make sure that all your optimization efforts are to help make that process simpler. And with the proper use of interlinking to improve your SEO, that is all the more manageable.

Sure, search engine bots will easily come across the more popular web pages on your website. But what about the ones that are not as well ranked or visited? It will be harder to earn value for those pages without leading crawlers to them with the use of internal links. Once again, we come back to making your website easier to navigate through, for both people and bots. As a direct result of that, you open the door to earn value for all your pages.

#6: Pumping up the value of keywords becomes simpler

Internal links can help boost the value of certain keywords.

Each website has multiple target keywords that they chase after when it comes to online ranking. For example, certain keywords for moving companies are more competitive and popular (professional moving services, residential moving, piano movers, etc.) while others have less traffic (student movers, packing services, etc.) and are thus easier to rank for. A good interlinking plan can help you strengthen your focus on those stronger keywords that you need.

How does one accomplish this?

Complex as it might appear, it comes down to discipline and organization. As one of the benefits of using interlinking to improve SEO, you need to incorporate keyword use in your content creation process. And so, it comes down to a few simple steps:

Create quality and relevant page/post that is optimized for a particular keyword.

Make sure that the content is user-friendly and has authority, as well as visibility.

Incorporate the keyword you want that page to rank for in other pages/posts and link towards it.

However, there are certain things to consider here. As beneficial as internal links are, there are certain borders that you shouldn’t cross. So, you need to make sure to avoid common link-building mistakes when you spread all that link juice. One such mistake would be overusing the exact anchor text for linking to that page – mix it up a bit. Google algorithms are no longer as easy to fool with tactics such as keyword and link stuffing. You will want to ensure a natural content flow and a practically unnoticeable link toward a potentially useful and practical page.

#7: Links to other relevant topics is a great way to validate your arguments

Go back to any insightful piece of content you read. When you come across facts, statistics, studies, surveys, etc. – you want to know where it comes from. Anybody can make up a fact, but when you have a link that leads you to an entire article devoted to that piece of information, that’s something else. So, you see, interlinking offers you a great way to argue your case on any given topic. And the foundation it offers will help you not only earn value for both pages, but it will also build your online authority in your respective niche.

#8: You can send traffic back to older posts by using interlinking to improve SEO

As you expand your moving company blog and improve the content creation process, it can become challenging to maintain the relevance of older posts. There are, in fact, two ways to avoid this from happening:

Update older posts from time to time with new data and insight.

Make sure that you are using interlinking to improve SEO value for those posts.

Users online are more inclined to read newer articles they come across. And this is entirely natural as people want the latest information when it comes to news from the digital world. Unfortunately, that means that your older posts might easily get buried in newer versions and data on that same topic. However, by keeping those older posts up-to-date and giving them link juice through interlinking, you maintain their relevance.

Not only can a link to older posts help promote it and keep it in the game, but you can also attract more readers to it, offering useful context that dates back several years back even.

#9: It is a rudimentary part of any SEO strategy worth having

Internal links act like a well-established network of useful information that readers and search engines look for in a site. By enabling them to discover additional pages and content on your website, you give them less reason to leave it and a clear idea of your knowledge and authority. That is why interlinking is an elementary step in the creation of any SEO strategy worth having. It all comes down to building a logical linking structure that is both effective and natural in the eyes of others.

Build your interlinking strategy in the best way possible!

Having a well-organized website with content that is engaging and intertwined can secure a steady flow of leads and daily traffic. Movers Development offers you the opportunity to save time and resources by letting our team handle this for you. Contact our company today and learn what our team can for your moving company SEO strategy!

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