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[justalostenby]

Hunger Games?

Mags won the 11th hunger games, Lucy was in the 10th. So Mags would've known about Lucy, but also probably have known Coral, even been friends with her. I wonder if she ever thought about that when she met Katniss, or if Snow ever thought about Mags during the quarter quell (Because he would've had a big influence on the 11th games right after Gaul started to accept his ideas)

[catladychronicles]

I’ve been wanting and trying to motivate myself to make a YouTube channel for over two decades and my shyness and hatred of civilization has kept me from it but for my well being I need to C-R-E-A-T-E.

Or I will explode

[justalostenby]

do it

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Sickle sighs & potent lies eye mirrors & the traveler Follow him like a shadow Then delve into his heart and pull him into the meadow

Ignite the flame of rectitude But they burnt it to a crisp Let him trickle ruin through the towns Then move on to the next Don the sky in a cloak of brown

Liberty runs through the rivers Still he walks His brain is his haven And that abundance Is his sin

Original poem by me, as published on allpoetry.com

Thanks for reading <3

[akwardsilince]

Person A: "Flowers? For me?"

Person B: "No, for your fireplace-- Who else."

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Fight, flight, freeze, fawn

When someone has adrenaline, they react with one pf the following four responses. If you want to write realistic characters, consider which they would do and then include it in your writing, even if it's very minor, it makes a big difference.

Fight; In an attempt to overcome the complication, the person fights back. Whether this is physical, emotional or spoken, the aim is to best the problem and be on top.

Flight; In an attempt to overcome the complication, the person flees. This can be physical (running from a predator) or mental (stop thinking about the problem). This reaction aims to put distance between the person and the problem.

Freeze; In an attempt to overcome the complication, the person stops their previous action. This can be physical, to avoid being seen or mental, like their thoughts or words stop. The freeze reaction aims to conceal themselves from the complication.

Fawn; In an attempt to overcome the complication, the person attempts to appease. The fawn reaction aims to avoid conflict, physically (talking to complication) or mentally (passing things off)

Keep in mind; sometimes their reactions aren't successful.

Thanks for reading, have a good day!

[phantomwritesstuff]

Writing tips and apps:

• Google Docs - I mainly use it for drafts and shorter projects, good for people who just write for fun but you'll struggle with syncing if you use Apple.

• Reedsy - OMFG I LOVE THIS WEBSITE SM, it's similar to Google Docs but is for more serious writers, you can find ghostwriter, graphic designers, etc on there, making it very useful for anyone aspiring to become a published author!

• Picrew - OK SO THIS ISN'T A WRITING APP BUT IT HELPS WITH CREATING CHARACTERS AND PLUS IT'S REALLY FUN, MY FAVE ONE IS THE NUGGETS CHARACTER MAKERRR!!

LMK IF THIS HELPPED

[blind-the-winds-deactivated2024]

Sunday Update: 10/29/23

Words written/edited this week: 4955 Focus: The Infinite Sadness

Links Worth Checking Out: 

The latest Muse Monday post (will probably be reblogged regularly from here on out)

The latest Tunesday (see notes for excellent tunes)

Short story shop announcement, perhaps?

Commentary: Hey, what’s up? I survived this week! :’)

So basically, yes, it’s been a busy week. Work’s picked up, as I’ve noted last time around, but also, freelancing’s been . . . interesting. I’m pleased to say that the massive project I’d mentioned in my last update was turned in, but on my desk is another novel—the one from, as I’ve also mentioned, the twelve-hour client. Who has been giving me trouble lately because of the twelve-hour thing. Apparently, they didn’t mean to say I was limited to twelve hours, except they’re otherwise micromanaging my hours without actually establishing project expectations, which are on the client to provide. Needless to say, this is going to be the second-to-last project I do with them (there’s one other project they’ve scheduled with me). Are they my most consistent client right now? Yes, but I also have a full-time job and don’t exactly need a steady client so desperately right now.

But! It has made me think about my future as a freelancer. I genuinely like doing it, and honestly, the extra money is good. So what I think I want to do eventually is open up a freelancing service . . . to you, indie writers out there. To be honest, I think it’s a lot easier to communicate with indie writers, and indie writers by and large are more flexible. Granted, I don’t want to charge you what I charge companies, so the money wouldn’t be as good, but it’d probably be less stressful.

But that’s far on down the line BECAUSE . . . I have plans.

So basically, as noted by that one poll I’d reblogged literally every day (and the only non-weekly-event featured in the above link list), an old friend of mine put in my head the idea of selling EPUB and PDF versions of the shorts on my blogs (both here and the WordPress). And looking at the results of said poll . . . clearly, that’s a thing not just he wants, haha. So it’s going to be a thing. I’ll be designing anthologies of shorts, sorted by WIP—so an anthology for TNS, one for AtB, and so on. These will be simply design ebooks, complete with cover, TOC, and freshly edited shorts. (I’m still on the fence about hiring an editor to go through these. I want them to be a little more cleaned up because you’re paying for them, but I also don’t want to deviate too much from their posted forms, else the point would be rather defeated here. I am tempted to hire a cover designer or at least an artist to do art for the covers, but we’ll see.)

I’m currently exploring options for where to sell these. The original thought was Ko-Fi, as I already have a Ko-Fi account (that and the 5% fee isn’t half bad), but I’ve also been pointed to Gumroad and DriveThruFiction. I’ll keep you updated when I get closer to having something to release, but by all means, feel free to drop suggestions in the replies. On that note, thanks so much to @oh-sisyphus and @kittytikara for suggesting Gumroad and DriveThruFiction, respectively! It’s so weird on my part, but Gumroad hadn’t crossed my mind, and I’ve never been introduced to DTF, but you can bet I’m definitely fully exploring both. (Also, fully exploring DTF as a shopper because oh snap, RPG books. :O :O :O)

Anyway, yes, I suppose this means I am making my debut into self-pubbed fiction soon, haha oops. But on the other hand, maybe this would be a good exercise. Like, doing it small scale (and a little bit grassroots-y) will help me decide if I should bite the bullet and turn to self-publishing for the novels as well. Or at least it’ll help fund my publishing efforts and maybe build a portfolio of stuff I’ve done. Either way.

That said, the other big thing to note this week is The Infinite Sadness, chapter 4. I’ve actually rearranged the outline (not counted in the word count for reasons that are definitely not “I forgot to count words when I did that”) for the rest of the book, so I’m basically ready to mini-NaNo chapter 5 through 10. BEFORE THEN, THOUGH, guess who has two thumbs and finished chapter 4 last night? This nebulous blob. I’m currently editing in between writing this post and doing trick or treat asks, but the plan is to finish up and release chapter 4 on Halloween. That’s right. The Ghostly Beast Chapter is dropping Halloween night.

After that, I’m not even going to promise that the rest of the book’s going to consist of short chapters because I’ve already broken that promise twice (not that you’re liable to complain), but it’s worth it to note that next chapter is the Demoning Chapter, so I’m going to have fun with it. When I’m not getting murdered by freelance projects, anyway.

Also, side shout out to @drippingmoon because ngl, the tags left on last week’s Sunday Update reassured me that it’s totally okay to just. Start in on TNS draft 3 when I get back to TNS. As in, starting over from scratch and seeing what happens, like I did with AtB and its draft 2 which does not actually exist. When I’m not banging my head over TIS and freelancing, I might have been toying with a new outline. Please send help.

Anyway, tl;dr:

EPUB/PDF forms of the various shorts across multiple blogs will be a thing. Stay tuned for more details over the coming months.

Freelance editorial work for indie authors might also be a thing, once the PDFs get off the ground. Also stay tuned.

TIS CHAPTER 4 ON HALLOWEEN NIGHT.

I’m still NaNo-ing the remaining six chapters.

I might have accidentally nuked TNS draft 2 in favor of a new draft 3. orz

November will hopefully be a chiller month than October was. Hopefully.

Excerpt of the Week:

From TIS, chapter 4: More context to one of those trick or treat asks! \o/

Mick’s hand grabbed Eleanor’s arm roughly. She let him—let him pull her to her feet, let him wrap his other arm around her back, let him turn her away from the stage. I just gotta get out of this prison cell. And behind them was another beast. Identical to the first. Looming over them, claws out, dagger teeth bared, onyx-black eyes pools of great nothingness fixed on Mick and her. Someday I’m gonna be free, Lord! She screamed. Or she thought she did. She must have. But the next minute was a blur. She blinked, and all of a sudden, she was on her feet, running full-tilt behind Mick. He held her wrist in a vice grip, yanking her along almost painfully. How he hadn’t pulled her arm clean from its socket, she didn’t know. How she kept up with him, she didn’t know. All she knew was to run. Run. Run. Find. Me. Somebody to love. A shadow appeared in front of Mick, several steps ahead. It looked like Adelaide, but for reasons Eleanor couldn’t process right then, her eyes couldn’t fix on her. The shadow bounded ahead of them, leading them down a spur of the mall. Behind them, the beast thundered. A roar sent waves of hot wind against Eleanor’s back, and its claws cracked against the floor like a sledgehammer slamming into boulders. Find. Me. Somebody to love. The shadow rounded a corner, and a moment later, so did Mick and Eleanor. Find. Me. Somebody to love. The beast drew close. Eleanor could feel its hot breath against her neck, could see its shadow engulfing hers. It howled, splitting her ears. Somebody, somebody. Suddenly, all she could feel beneath her feet was air. Pain screamed through her shoulder as Mick pulled her off her feet and threw her out of the way. White claws sailed through the space that her head had occupied a moment ago, and a scream caught in her throat as she crashed onto her opposite shoulder between Mick and the glass doors. Freedom was just a few short steps away, but Eleanor couldn’t pick herself up to close the distance. Somebody, find me. “Mick!” she shrieked. Can anybody find me . . . The creature swept a set of claws at him. Eleanor watched helplessly at the beast snatched Mick in one of its giant claws and lifted him off his feet. It opened its great jaws and roared into his face. Then lunged.

@cljordan-imperium! :D

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Things I Do as a Warmup Before Writing #2

Sit outside; In a garden, park, on the streets. You can sit and read, take notes about things you see etc.

Write Poetry; Write a simple verse, any style, personally I go for free verse or sonnets, it helps get the creativity going while keeping yourself to writing. It's also a way to feel accomplished as I find poems easier to finish than books.

Pinterest; An important note to remember here; set a time limit. I often find Pinterest to be very distracting and end up spending wayyy too long. You can create boards for your characters, scenes or places in your story, or anything you want. I'll be posting some helpful time tracker websites in a post soon.

Have Tea/Coffee; Brew yourself a pot to keep going, it's always nice to have a drink while writing and I can mentally prepare myself while it's brewing if I'm about to go in for a longer sesh.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope this helps, have a good day!

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Writing Prompt #1

A library with secrets, lovers throughout history trapped among the pages, is it wrong to burn the books?

[luna-azzurra]

list of common cute things or traits for your original character (OC)

1. Big, Expressive Eyes: Large, expressive eyes can give your OC an innocent and cute appearance.

2. Unique Hairstyle: A distinct or quirky hairstyle can add a touch of charm.

3. Shyness or Bashfulness: A bit of shyness or bashfulness can make your OC seem sweet and approachable.

4. Love for Animals: Having a soft spot for animals, particularly small and fluffy ones, can be adorable.

5. Childlike Enthusiasm: A boundless, childlike enthusiasm for simple things can be endearing.

6. Giggles and Laughter: Frequent giggles or infectious laughter can make your OC likable.

7. Awkwardness: A charming level of social awkwardness can be endearing.

8. Clumsiness: A propensity for stumbling or being clumsy in a cute way can add to their charm.

9. Favorite Comfort Food: Giving your OC a favorite comfort food or snack can create relatable moments.

10. Caring Nature: A character who cares deeply for their friends or family is inherently cute.

11. Doodles and Sketches: The habit of doodling or sketching cute and whimsical drawings can be charming.

12. Adoration of Nature: A love for nature, flowers, or starry nights can make your OC more endearing.

13. Quirky Habits: Unique and charming habits or quirks can set your OC apart.

14. Childhood Nostalgia: Relatable nostalgia for childhood toys, games, or TV shows can be cute.

15. Warm Smile: A warm, inviting smile is always charming.

16. Politeness and Manners: Good manners and politeness are universally appealing.

17. Innocent Curiosity: A genuine and innocent curiosity about the world can be adorable.

18. Playfulness: A playful and carefree nature can make your OC lovable.

19. Emotional Vulnerability: Showing moments of vulnerability or genuine emotion can endear your OC to readers.

20. Wearing Glasses: If it fits your character, glasses can add a cute and intelligent vibe.

[justalostenby]

thought more people should see this, I love itt

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Things I Do as a Warmup Before Writing #2

Sit outside; In a garden, park, on the streets. You can sit and read, take notes about things you see etc.

Write Poetry; Write a simple verse, any style, personally I go for free verse or sonnets, it helps get the creativity going while keeping yourself to writing. It's also a way to feel accomplished as I find poems easier to finish than books.

Pinterest; An important note to remember here; set a time limit. I often find Pinterest to be very distracting and end up spending wayyy too long. You can create boards for your characters, scenes or places in your story, or anything you want. I'll be posting some helpful time tracker websites in a post soon.

Have Tea/Coffee; Brew yourself a pot to keep going, it's always nice to have a drink while writing and I can mentally prepare myself while it's brewing if I'm about to go in for a longer sesh.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope this helps, have a good day!

[justalostenby]

Helpful

[justalostenby]

Neil hc

when neil died he shot himself in the head, to keep his heart safe for todd.

[average-joseph]

I haven't watched Dead Poets Society in a long time and I'm suffering. I love analyzing film and cinematography. Here's what I found on my rewatch.

During the scene when Charlie plays the saxophone Neil isn't even watching. He is literally playing with the lamp the entire time.

During meetings, whenever Todd isn't sure what's happening or there's a problem, every single time he looks at Neil with a "please help" look.

This one I've been thinking about for a while but I think I have proof. During the "No <3." Scene, Neil is wearing his blanket around his shoulders. The blanket is green with a red outline. In the "Neil's dead." Scene, Todd was sleeping with the red seamed blanket. "Oh but Joseph! Weren't the blankets all the same? They wouldn't add that detail. :(." NAY I SAY. When Todd looks out his window after Charlie's expulsion, his blanket is completely green! They took Neil's blanket after he died! There is no red seam! They were gay your honor! Todd tried to steal Neil's blanket I declare.

Mr. Keating has a map of the U.K. in his classroom with a red dot of where I assume he lived.

(This one is just a theory. A CHARLIE THEORY). When Neil is driving away from Henley Hall, someone in the background says "We'll be home at 11:30." I can only assume Neil got home no earlier than 12, because his parents go to bed immediately. There are a lot of shots of Neil just contemplating what to do, so I assume that took a while. Say an hour. When Neil is in the study, it's starting to get a bit lighter outside. It's very early in the morning when Neil dies. Seriously, watch it and look out the window. My guess is Neil died at about 3 am. The next scene with Todd starts in his room and it's still dark outside. So it's safe to assume it took place at about 5:30. That means Charlie found out almost immediately. I'm guessing he must have overheard a teacher or a student. But the point is he overheard it. That means he was awake. My conclusion is that Mr. Charlie Dalton was scared out of his mind of something bad happening to his best friend, so he couldn't sleep.

When Keating walks in the room the final time, Cameron literally doesn't move his head. He looks compleatly unphased.

The only 2 people who say "O Captain My Captain." Are Todd and Knox because Charlie and Neil were everything to them.

During Neil's assembly, Knox is singing the loudest.

[coffee-stainedwriting]

Things I Do As A Warmup Before Writing

Voice Journal: Write a diary entry from your protagonists perspective. It can be very short, but it gets me going.

Plan: No, I don't mean plan that side story right before you start. Plan some more geography. Plan some unimportant history. Get to know your world as if you were in it. What did you learn at school? What country would you want to visit? What's some of the best food around?

Write Silly: Just get some words on a page. Maybe write a poem or a short story. Typically, I write around 50-300 words, but feel free to just write a good sentence.

Write A Prompt: Write some quotes you may include in the book at some point. Or even a new story prompt (Is it just me with a google doc of story prompts I'm never going to use?)

Start The Playlist: Create or listen to a playlist that matches with the vibes of your story.

[justalostenby]

OC creation prompts for OCtober! Although you can do it in other months too! Should I post more of this content?