i’m elliot (or e), a black twenty-one year old college student that uses they/them pronouns.
formerly petals4soho
i’ve been writing fiction since i could write. my goal here is to become more consistent with writing so i can finally finish some of my passion projects all without falling off the face of the earth again.
most (if not all) of my wips are realistic young/new adult contemporary fiction with coming-of-age & found family themes, but i’m honestly open to writing anything that piques my interest!
ask/tag game friendly! message me about your writing, tag me in your updates and please talk to me about professional wrestling or the new york rangers! i love it!
wips —
teenage vows
my main project that explores themes of growing up, loss, grief, forgiveness, and friendship. it follows Alex Ramírez, a seventeen-year-old senior in high school trying to navigate life after the death of his ex-boyfriend and best friend, Wally Fletcher. in the midst of it all, he reconnects with a former fling, Bea Mumford — a now pregnant sixteen-year-old whose boyfriend wants nothing to do with her and the baby — and attempts to earn forgiveness from Wally's little sister, Julia. if you like coming-of-age stories where the teenagers don't pretend to have everything figured out, this wip may be for you!
hi! so as i’ve been refreshing my memory with when art talks, i’ve gone through the many documents of brainstorming and rough scenes i’ve managed to write. at one point, this was the opening paragraph for an old draft i started and i figured i’d share it here! so, here it is:
I am not alive. Sure, my brain still has billions of active neurons that tells my heart to keep beating, but I do not feel alive. I simply exist in a body that I struggle to acknowledge is mine. The body that gets the energy sucked out of it just by waking up in the morning. The body that floats and carries me from Point A to Point B because I cruise through life on autopilot. I am detached from myself, and therefore, out of touch with the world that spins around me.
i can’t believe i forgot about this little gem, but i’m happy i found it! for this to have been part of a rough draft, i find it pretty decent. i might be overthinking it, but i hope whoever reads this enjoys this little snippet :)
on “the blond,” “the older man,” and other crimes against third-person limited
You know that thing where a story is written in tight third person limited — we’re meant to be inside someone’s head, seeing the world through their thoughts — and then suddenly the narration says “the blond frowned” or “the shorter woman sighed” about a person the POV character knows really well?
That’s called antonomasia — using a descriptive label instead of a name. And it’s fine when we’re talking about strangers: “the cashier handed her the receipt,” “the tall guy blocked the door.” The POV character doesn’t know their names, and we just need a quick way to tell people apart.
But the moment it’s used for someone the POV character already knows, it breaks immersion. Because that’s not how our minds work. We don’t think “the older man smiled at me.” We think “Mark smiled.” Or maybe “my boss” if that relationship matters in the moment.
Third person limited means the narration sits inside someone’s perception. Their inner monologue is the story’s voice. So when you switch from “Mark smiled” to “the blond smiled,” you’ve pulled the camera away from their mind and turned it into an outside shot.
If you want to create distance or irritation, you can do it on purpose —
“The idiot from accounting emailed again.”
That’s character voice. That’s judgment. That works.
But otherwise?
As soon as your POV character knows someone’s name, use it. While we do tend to worry about repetitions, names rarely register as such to the readers.
If you need variety for rhythm, use relational or emotional identifiers that make sense in their head: her friend, his partner, their teacher, the person they loved.
Because inside someone’s thoughts, there are no “blonds” or “brunettes.”
Now that we know a little bit more about who YOU are, let’s get to know the people you love. Take this as a chance to recommend some of the writeblrs you love to hear from! Tell people about your friends. Become their biggest cheerleaders!
i'm gonna shout out @honeybewrites because 1. i'm literally obsessed with the premise for their wips, their characters and the relationships between them are *so* good and i can't stop thinking about them. and also 2. because she remains interested in my writing and leaves such nice comments even though i don't have the brain space to be as active and reciprocate as much as I'd like right now
@fractured-shield oh my god you're too sweet!!! Your WIP is absolutely one of my favorites and I love to see your posts on my dash and get tags from you!!! The Dad Vibes are immaculate *chef's kiss* and your writing style is just so beautiful I swoon! I do not get me started on all your OCs, because I will rant forever about how amazing they are!!
@ominous-feychild has some amazing world building and magic system that I love to geek out over, @nczaversnick as some kick ass drawing and writing skills, a double whammy, and has some OCs I'm obsessed with, @yourpenpaldee has got my romance needs covered professionally and her OCs are just so beautiful and amazing I want to bottle them up, @orions-quill has me obsessed with every single one of their WIPs from the characters to the plot, @anaisbebe has some awesome mythology inspired characters with all the angst and trauma you could ever want!
There are so many more blogs I love, but I'm drawing a blank at the moment. And to top it all off, all of these guys are amazing humans and I love them!!! Seriously, go check them out!!
@honeybewrites coming back to this after taking (yet another) unexpected break made my heart so fuzzy and warm! your words brought the biggest smile to my face and i can't thank you enough! i will forever obsess over how badass your characters are (rage and 703 will never leave my mind, even in the afterlife). they truly are their own individuals, which you portray beautifully and with ease.
to start off, @pixies-love-envy creates seamless dynamics between characters that are polar opposites, yet still mesh perfectly together! every character comes through strong with their own vibe, which is backed up by the amazing playlists made for each OC. cricket and harlow are my forever loves. they're an amazingly talented and creative individual that has sparked inspiration for my own stories many times over!
@hudsuns has an amazing contemporary, coming of age WIP that touches on themes surrounding friendships, forgiveness, and, my two personal favorites, found family, and right person, wrong time. their sweet comments have brought motivation for me time and time again that i'll forever cherish. i am ready for them to own my wallet when teenage vows is officially out there in the world!
@michellekarnold always appears on my feed at the right time! as someone who also gained their spark back for writing after randomly losing it for some years, i sometimes still struggle with finding that perfect balance. some days are amazing writing days, while it feels unbearable on others. her posts are essentially my daily reminders that there’s nothing wrong with taking a break when you need it. as writers, we all deserve them just as much as the next person :)
for some blogs that i recently came across, but would still love to show my support for!
@theaawalker if you’re into fantasy, this is definitely the blog to check out! their WIPs have not left my mind since i came across it last night. especially the quote provided for the guardians of camoria: volume 1! their ideas honestly brought back a spark for a fantasy wip i’ve never taken the time to deeply dive into. i can’t wait to see the process of their ideas coming to life.
@blueindigo17 nothing beats the feeling of reading a WIP intro and seeing a mini movie play in your head before you even get the chance to read the story. i don't even know how to describe it, but i just know i would enjoy every second reading her stories down to the last word. my life would probably be over when i reach the end, just to be risen back from the dead when there's a movie announcement. i can't wait to read more!
there are many more blogs that i love seeing appear on my feed, but this is a small handful of them :) i swear i become so happy being on tumblr because of how passionate everyone is about their beautiful projects. everyone deserves every ounce of recognition they can get for their work, and i’m here to do my job and obsess over every minuscule detail!
oh dee! :') reading this after i sent you a long, appreciative pm brought tears to my eyes. thank you for all of your kind words and overall excitement for my passion project. i've sang my praises for your wip and characters a million times (especially my girl aniyah!) but here i go again! by your character analyses alone, i can tell you pay so much attention to each detail to the point where each of your characters feel real. i know for a fact i will flip whenever i can read your prose.
Summary: Audrey is in her first month of college. Within three weeks, she’s moved out of her childhood bedroom and into a room with a window that seems to open on its own and a door that creaks loud enough to wake up the whole floor, she’s stumbled into a friend group that seemed to pull itself together like drawstrings, and she’s gotten a job at an adorable independent milkshake shop with her roommate and one of her new friends. What more could she possibly ask for?
The world, it seems.
Audrey has a list ten miles long of all the little things she wants college to be. One night, she starts listing them out loud. Her friends—Logan, Lennon, McKinley, Aspen, and Levi—chime in with their own after a moment, and before anyone knows it it’s been three hours and they haven’t stopped. They aren’t even sure whose idea it is, but they start writing it down. Every box on this ridiculously decorated list will be checked off by the end of the year, they swear.
Someone makes an Instagram account as a joke, but by the first post it’s become as serious an endeavor as they’ve ever had. They wouldn’t call themselves local celebrities, but they certainly wouldn’t correct you if you did. The thing about fame at this age, even at small amounts, is that it's bound to go to someone's head...
Genres: realistic fiction, young adult fiction, new adult fiction, coming of age, LGBTQ+ fiction
Themes: LGBTQ+, friendships, fame, college, becoming an adult, relationships
Character Introductions
(all photos found on Pinterest)
Audrey Abigail Marshall 💙
"So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it. You've got no reason to be afraid." - You're On Your Own Kid, Taylor Swift
Age: 19
Gender: female
Pronouns: she/her
Sexuality: pansexual
Birthday: May 16th
Star sign: Taurus
Friends: Logan, Lennon, McKinley, Aspen, Levi
Family: Julia (mom), Adam (dad), Trevor (younger brother, 16)
Occupation: barista at a milkshake shop, college freshman (studying education and sociology)
Fun facts: she was named after Audrey Hepburn
Audrey spent the past year trying to learn more about herself. "Did it work?" you ask. Nope! Now she's moving into her college dorm a year later than her high school classmates, and she can feel the desire to catch up burning in her veins. She claws at every opportunity to prove that she wasn't wasting her time this past year. She would probably do well to realize who she's trying to prove herself to...
Logan Olivia Levine 🧡
"I don't want the world, but I'll take this city. Who can blame a girl? Call me hot, not pretty." - HOT TO GO!, Chappell Roan
Nicknames: Lo, Halo
Age: 19
Gender: female
Pronouns: she/her
Sexuality: lesbian, asexual spectrum
Birthday: July 25th
Star sign: Leo
Friends: Audrey, Lennon, McKinley, Aspen, Levi
Family: Katherine (mom), Richard (dad), Carter (older brother, 21), Danny (older brother, 24), Jordan (older brother, 26), Noelle (sister in law, 26)
Occupation: barista at a milkshake shop, college freshman (studying psychology and sociology), part time middle/high school tutor
Fun facts: she asked Disneyland Rapunzel to marry her when she was seven years old
Logan knows what she's good at, including but not limited to: decorating her lecture notes, pulling off outlandishly oversaturated outfits, and making things fun. The Together List is such a Logan idea she's appalled that she didn't think of it first, but once it takes off, she's thriving. This is the most fun she's ever had. Until the real world catches up, people lash out at each other, and she has no clue where she stands. She has a lot of love in her body, but figuring out what to do with it is way harder than she expected...
Lennon Lillienne Adler 💛
"Quick pause in conversation, she plays songs I've never heard." - Canyon Moon, Harry Styles
Nicknames: Lemon, Lemons
Age: 19
Gender: female(ish) (her words)
Pronouns: she/her/they/them
Sexuality: asexual, heteromantic
Birthday: November 19th
Star sign: Scorpio
Friends: Audrey, Logan, McKinley, Aspen, Levi
Family: Ariana (mom), Jonathan (dad)
Occupation: college freshman (studying photography and cinematography), campus library assistant
Fun facts: she’s Australian, they have a cat named Spritz
Lennon is about as far from home as she can get. They’ve been to the states before, but that was only ever for a few weeks to visit her dad while he worked. Now she lives here, and their plan is pretty much just go to class, go to work, go to sleep, repeat for four years, and graduate. It’s probably a good thing that plan is going straight down the drain with this new group of friends…
McKinley Savannah March 💜
"It's not a perfect narrative, there's beauty in mistakes." - Best Friends, 5 Seconds of Summer
Occupation: college freshman (studying history and anthropology)
Fun facts: she has ADHD
McKinley knows she talks too much, too fast, about things people don’t usually care about. That’s fine. It just means she should only surround herself with people who don’t mind her the way she is. The problem is… there aren’t many of those people around. Her parents, her sister, Logan, and Aspen, and that’s about it. Oh, and her cool Australian roommate. And Logan’s roommate, Audrey. And Audrey’s friend Levi. Well, actually, now that she thinks about it, there are actually a lot of people who really like her. She’ll have to get used to that…
Aspen Noel Brady ❤️
"I don't know much about love. Come find my in the crowd of all the boys and girls." - Boys & Girls, Conan Gray
Age: 19
Gender: gremlin (their words)
Pronouns: they/them
Sexuality: bisexual
Birthday: August 2nd
Star sign: Leo
Friends: Audrey, Logan, Lennon, McKinley, Levi
Partner: McKinley
Family: Andrea (mom), Matthew (dad)
Occupation: barista at a milkshake shop, college freshman (studying English and film)
Fun facts: they sleepwalk and sleep talk
Aspen sort of loves being weird. They embrace it. They’re strongly considering getting it tattooed somewhere. But in high school, “weird” is a gateway drug to “bullied”, which is harder to embrace. It was bad; months went by where they were hesitant to leave the house, and they accidentally got very good at self-isolating when life went sour. It’s been a long time since then, and once they settle into regularity with their new group of friends, they look forward to never resorting to that again. No matter how badly circumstances want them to…
Levi Declan Avery Jackson 💚
"And it ain't so pretty when you're playing cute when your body's up against some fool." - 1983, Neon Trees
Age: 20
Gender: male
Pronouns: he/him
Sexuality: gay
Birthday: September 20th
Star sign: Virgo
Friends: Audrey, Logan, Lennon, McKinley, Aspen
Family: Phoebe (mom), Chris (dad), Lena (little sister, 7)
Occupation: college sophomore (studying journalism and creative writing/composition)
Fun facts: he has citizenship in the US (where he was born), Canada (where his dad was born) and the Philippines (where his mom was born)
Levi doesn't care one way or the other about the idea of love languages, but don't even think for one second that his isn't gift giving. He grew up with money, so anything his friends want, his friends get. The problem is that he's gotten quite used to people who would rather be friends with his bank account than him, and his only real friend since… well, ever has been Audrey. Shockingly, the people Audrey introduces him to don’t seem at all interested in his credit card. Weird…
Firefighter Shenanigans is a comedy/satire play that follows the adventures of idiotic firefighters who suck at their job. The play begins with the three knuckleheads, Guy, Iguana, and Maisie, introducing the new recruits Agua, and Le Feu to the team. The latter duo (who have yet to confess their mutual feelings) quickly regret their career choice as they soon realize the team they joined is insane. For on their first day they are asked to cross burning coals, and are later greeted by a short angry man as their Fire Chief.
The rest of their careers is just as intense! Some of their adventures include high speed chases with paramedics, rescuing a cat, visiting a high school, setting the beach on fire, saving a forest from a gender reveal party, bullying Iguana, comforting a gay teen's heartbreak, learning how to lip read, and discovering that not all colored drinks come from apples.
Main Cast🧡
Reginald: The Fire Chief
Guy: The Captain
Iguana: The Lieutenant
Maisie: The Engineer / The Driver
Le Feu: New Firefighter #1
Agua: New Firefighter #2
The Weiner Dog: The Dog, obviously
Parfait: The Villain
Minor Cast🧡
Fii: Some girl Guy likes
Pear: Parfait's Ex
Tag list (please ask to be added or removed): @delusionisaplace
Thanks to @honeybewrites for the tag! This is their post :)
RULES:
Make a poll with five of your all time favorite characters and then tag five people to do the same. See which character is everyone's favorite!
Who else rather than the When Art Talks crew aka my babies. I don't have the intro posts up for Nadia and Elena yet, but there are character descriptions for them here. For everyone else, we have Aniyah, Noah, and Jacqueline!
favorite character... go!
Aniyah
Noah
Jacqueline
Nadia
Elena
Voting ended onAug 1, 2024
TAGGING (no pressure): @pixies-love-envy @mundanemoongirl @the-golden-comet @moltenwrites @leitereads + open tag! ♡
When I mention I’m writing a novel and someone asks how far along I am but I haven’t actually written anything- just made my fun lil characters and made random plot points that don’t connect yet
my head feels like lead and mom's feet are on my back but i have this idea and it's everything i've ever wanted to write about but never did.
i try to picture the faces―the eyes―the dialogue―the commas between the heartbeats, and it feels real. nothing feels contrived. Times New Roman font and punctuated heart-lines are running down and out and it's real.
it's not throwing up purple prose and witty sentences for the heck of it.
it's not leaving my characters in paper cuts or folding them down the margin.
this is not about the grammar it's about my veins.
i want to leave the bed and write it down but it's 5:40am and i have to make breakfast at 6. There are boxes i still need to unpack; Mom needs her mattress out of the garage by 7. Then I have to help her set up her room and scrub the floors. The kitchen needs cleaning; the clothes need folding; I need money for groceries―does Dad have any? But I can't go without Mom because I don't like facing people's faces by myself; everyone's eyes end with periods and they never talk outside the brackets.
Maybe Mom will just let me push the basket. After that―....
crap.
I had this idea and it was epic but the semicolons broke up the heartbeats and i think i just broke the plot. i try to think back to the images. The faces have lost clarity [lens focus] and I can't make out the words. The edges of the font are blurry, and so are the character's chins.
Look at it―it's far out there now. Like the whole screen just boated out to the Atlantic Ocean and now all i've got left between my commas is sand and space.
Look―it's far up here now. it's not on my heart anymore it's on my eyelids.
i keep trying to pull it back down but it's making my eyeballs water. that must have something to do with the sunrise; whenever the sun comes up, i can't see my ideas anymore, because the heat always burns my thoughts and all i can think about is the sting.
i close my eyes. easier to see them in the dark. i wish i could put the pen to my brain and write them on the pinkest part before they're gone...
"Honey?"
There's an acid bubble in my throat; it's that feeling i get when i can't get the story up. or down.
"Honey, is everything okay?" The sun is peeking through Mom's hair, making the strands look gold.
"Yeah, Mom...just felt a little sick."
"Sick?" The wrinkles under her eyes have no stories or plotlines.
"Yeah, trying to figure out if I'm nauseated or hungry."
"Do you need tea?"
"No, thanks. I'll try to go back to sleep."
"If you say so...just don't throw up on the sheets."
i turn on my side and press my mouth against my wrist veins. i wish i could draw the story out of my blood with my teeth.
The most frustrating experience as a writer is having a clear vision in your mind of the story you want to tell but being too afraid to put pen to paper for fear of failing to do the story justice. I’m so scared that my actual execution will fail to meet my expectations that I’m paralysed to even start.
