#drist writes

[drist-n-dither]

How Does Your Character

Talk:

To Adults, to Parents, to Peers, to Strangers, to Children:

Are they comfortable/uncomfortable?

What is their consistant goal in conversation?

Are they likely to hide their personalities or show it?

How do these people react/ perceive your character?

What makes them successful or fail in conversation?

What aspect of their personality or type of personality do they try to show?

Share/tag me in your responses for your precious characters!

@lonely-pages-of-ink @incandescent-creativity @lillayalightfoot @esoteric-eclectic-eccentric @bexminx @dionian-gayce @raevenlywrites @marniewrite @a-place-of-babble @littlesilverlightning @idreamonpaper @morriganwrites-0124 @cosmosbv @kometa-makes-art @ad-drew @writerofwriting @writings-of-a-narwhal @ghostwriteblr @bergamotstreet @all-bridges-will-burn @writer-on-time @the-forgotten-traveller @whatsanwritepocalae @dreameronthewind @siriuslyprocrastinating @idreamtofreality @floralandrogyny @jessica-shouldbewriting @monstrouswrites @inexorableblob@fragrant-stars  @halfbloodlycan @insertpenname-here @aveline-writes @urbanteeth @jaimistoryteller

[drist-n-dither]

The Ave’s Egg                                                                                             

WC of Day: 1,781                                                                              

Total word count: 22,875

Excerpt from Chapter.3 Vile, The young prince Napaul is sick, and the date for the eldest of the royal family to depart is very close. His fever isn't breaking and no one knows if he will be better. 

“There was tension. It showed in the way the servants rushed, careful not to move too fast, from place to place. All fussing over a painting that hung only a hair to the side. Or, peices of lint that stuck out of place on their clothes. There wasn’t much talk only a few whispers among the servants, which was uncharacteristic. Usually the kitchens, rooms, gardens, and walls would boom with illustrious chatter. No, tonight all those locations were quiet and empty. The Empress and Lord Draum were too concerned to discern what they would care to eat for dinner. And, the Head Chef was too tasked and anxious too remember to pick one out for them. So it was just after the sun settled and the moon peeked up. That the entire palace sat, very hungry and very much filled with worry. That same worry spilled heavy into Lania’s eyes and sitting in her bed, deep in covers, she began to cry.”

[ Above is vague imagery surrounding The Ave’s Egg character, Napaul. He is seen long hair and eyelashes. There is also a hand cover in rings, blue and pink flowers, a white sealed letter, and piano keys]

[drist-n-dither]

Writing Pupil Movement and Emotion

I was writing and wanted to do some reading about pupil dilation and constriction. I wasn’t sure if I was putting the correct type of movement with the emotion I was trying to express. So here is my quick findings, with sources! 

Dilation: stress, flight or fight, love, interest, emotional response, skin contact, adrenaline, anxiety

Constricted: rest, taking in information, sadness, anger, negative emotion, betrayal, shock

“Stimulation of the autonomic nervous system's sympathetic branch, known for triggering "fight or flight" responses when the body is under stress, induces pupil dilation. Whereas stimulation of the parasympathetic system, known for "rest and digest" functions, causes constriction. Inhibition of the latter system can therefore also cause dilation. The size of the pupils at any given time reflects the balance of these forces acting simultaneously.”

“When individuals are exposed to affective signals such as nonverbal emotional vocalizations, their pupils usually increase in size as the stimuli are perceived.”

[drist-n-dither]

The Ave’s Egg 
Word count of Day: 335


Total word count: 27,181


Excerpt from Chapter. 19 Heritage, Lania has arrived at the embassy in the capital of Amurid. She has discovered who betrayed her family, leading them to death. She goes to warn her family friend, urging him to run away with her.


She heard him breath in slow but deep. 
“Please, we must start moving.“ There was so much to take care of. Lania wasn’t sure if she could convince him to leave it all behind. She almost felt relief in this, she could strip all the finery away again. The weight was gone, she was on the run again. It had made her so scared before, but now she could feel herself so easily move toward it. Guilt began to grind at the bottom of her stomach. Softly she touched the edge of his papers, “Lemwein do you think, do you think my mother,” her eyes began to swell. She didn’t hear anything from Lemwein and wanted to look at his face. His hand steadied her as it rested on her shoulder. She didn’t look back. “That my mother would be dissap-p-pointed?” The hand tightened on her shoulder. 
"I don’t think so princess.“ His heart broke and his voice was so changed. 
This awoke something deep inside of Lania. Her eyes widened, the tears fell. A small knife glinted in the reflection of the mirror in front of her. She gasped and turned toward him. The knife slide up into her, under her stomach. She watched the eyes of the man she knew her whole life. Finally, she saw the tired lines under his eyes, the coarseness of his cheeks, and she saw his lean shape. Know him for the first time.

[drist-n-dither]

Line of The Day

The Ave’s Egg                                                                                                Word count of Day: 1,209                                                                              Total word count: 19,737

Excerpt from Chapter.21 Ithephes, Lania must give the last gift and remnant of her family to a witch in trade for a magic spell that will bind a ship to her soul. She has accepted there is no longer a path home for her.

" You know it then, what it means. What I offer you. My last promise of home, the blessings my family did not receive."  She looked back down at her hands, at the shining metals and the carefully braided yarn. " The blessing I will not receive." Ithephies watched Lania, the back of her hand touched the young lady's cheek to catch a tear.  

" Please, let this be enough."   

"It is plenty."   She then got to work. Ozirein watched from a far corner in the back of the space. Remembering Pequil's hut Lania closed her mouth tight. She sat steady in a seat, with her hand over her mouth. A large low and wide bowl rested on the work table, made of dark and corse stone. Ithephies held the bracelets in her hands and began to roll them. The bells on the bracelets began to tinkle. The sound mixed with the deep hum that rose from the great witch's chest. The daylight outside of the room dimmed and lania blinked. The sound make her dizzy. She watched the bottled ship that rested inside the bowl, her eyes must be tricking her. The boat begin to move. The sails began to flutter. The sound of the bells rolled into the sound of crashing waves and snapping sails. The smell of heavy salt burned Lania and Ozirein's eyes. They blinked rapid as the taste of iron singed their tongues, lania lapped at the taste. 

Ithephes breathed in quick through puckered lips. Her palms together, slid past each other. The metal and string in her hands fall apart and like liquid dripped from her skin into the bowl onto the bottle. Lania felt a pull straight from the bottom of her toes, it felt like summer in her garden at home, sweet and warm. The smell of her mother's hair swirled and tugged at lamia's eyes, tears fell from them at once. The sound of her brother Napauls sharp and obnoxious laugh skipped around her heart. Her hands slug forward. She grabbed her own chest trying to hold all those feelings in, to keep them, hold them for just a second longer. She felt the room sway, like a boat it began to rock, she felt sturdy hands hold  her in place from behind. She made her eyes rise and they caught tight to Ithephes's own. They told her, softly, let go. She did feel it part, she felt her body begin to shiver and shake. She had been holding her breath she realized. The warmth of the garden left, the smell fell away. Her brothers voice trailed and like the last note of a song softened. The bottle burst with white lighting-like light. The melted bracelet moved with a life of its own and collected at the seal of the bottle, eating  it away like acid. The air began to tighten and crackle, the spell was reaching its second phase.  

" Speak one word child and may it be right."

                                   ------------------------------------

Thank you to @woodhouse-jay and @urbanteeth the main inspiration for me writing for the first time in about five or so months now. I appreciate both of your kindness. 

[drist-n-dither]

Mood-board Hype! Thank you for taking a look :D 

@lonely-pages-of-ink @incandescent-creativity @lillayalightfoot @esoteric-eclectic-eccentric @bexminx @dionian-gayce @raevenlywrites @marniewrites @a-place-of-babble @littlesilverlightning-deactivat @idreamonpaper @morriganwrites-0124 @cosmosbv @kometa-makes-art @ad-drew @writerofwriting @writings-of-a-narwhal @ghostwriteblr  @all-bridges-will-burn @writer-on-time @the-forgotten-traveller @whatsanwritepocalae @dreameronthewind @siriuslyprocrastinating @idreamtofreality @floralandrogyny @jessica-shouldbewriting @monstrouswrites @inexorableblob @fragrant-stars  @halfbloodlycan @insertpenname-here @aveline-writes  @urbanteeth @jaimistoryteller  @toboldlywrite @bookenders @lostypewriter @woodhouse-jay

[drist-n-dither]

Thank you everyone who kept me motivated to finish this and to start it! It was a lot of fun once I got out of my own way and really just got silly! 

Now I’m tagging anyone who has showed interest in the WIP before!:

@lonely-pages-of-ink @incandescent-creativity @lillayalightfoot @esoteric-eclectic-eccentric @bexminx @dionian-gayce @raevenlywrites @marniewrite @a-place-of-babble @littlesilverlightning @idreamonpaper @morriganwrites-0124 @cosmosbv @kometa-makes-art @ad-drew @writerofwriting @writings-of-a-narwhal @ghostwriteblr @bergamotstreet @all-bridges-will-burn @writer-on-time @the-forgotten-traveller @whatsanwritepocalae @dreameronthewind @siriuslyprocrastinating @idreamtofreality @floralandrogyny @jessica-shouldbewriting @monstrouswrites @inexorableblob @fragrant-stars  @halfbloodlycan @insertpenname-here @aveline-writes @urbanteeth @jaimistoryteller

Please let me know if you wanted to be added to the list or taken of for anything involving The Ave’s Egg! 

[drist-n-dither]

Novel Prep

WIP: The Ave’s Egg

Thanks to @urbanteeth, this is extremely long so I will put a keep reading! 

(let me know if anyone made it to the bottom of the post!)

First Look

1. Describe your novel in 1-2 sentences (elevator pitch)

Lania, a young princess, and her family must mediate a treaty to end a war, but it seems not every side wants peace to settle over the waring countries. Lost and confused Lania finds herself right in the middle of the conflict and must fight to get her way home under life threatening conditions.

2. How long do you plan for your novel to be? (Is it a novella, single book, book series, etc.)

I plan on making this story as one part to a four part story. Lania is not the main protagonist in each of the books but she is there and plays a very pivotal point to the greater plot. So If all goes well this series will be a quartet! The Ave’s Egg itself should be in the range of 50,000 to 70,000 words as it is a young adult book. Although, since it’s still barley starting in the rough draft stage we will have to see. 

3. What is your novel’s aesthetic?

Long travel, earned sweat, constellations, russet reds, brilliant blues, wide dunes, sea stained clothes, coastal views, warm lights, jungle, empty cups, bells, blood, muddied feet.  (mood boards to come dearies!) 

4. What other stories inspire your novel?

All of Tamora Peirce’s books because she is my favorite authors, also she writes  about many themes that i highly value and wish to address as well. The Golden Compass, and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Each have very diverse stories about young women in their childhood and really inspired me as I grew. 

5. Share 3+ images that give a feel for your novel

Main Character

6. Who is your protagonist?

Lania is my main Protagonist. She is a princess in the realm of Trenear. She is well trained in culture, language, trade, and for formal duels in the name of her family. She is 14 years old and the daughter of the Empress regent. Her great grandmother marked the beginning of the Age of the Dragon, Lania and her siblings age has yet to be named or spoken for. 

7. Who is their closest ally?

Lania’s closest Ally is her older brother Napaul. He is 17 years old and the biggest heart in the family under his father. He listens to her as an equal and expects the best from her. She respects and loves him immensely. Where Lania is very rough and loud with her frustrations her is very raw and emotional. There is trust in their emotional vulnerability and in their weakness. Also, they both find each other incredibly hilarious. Aside from Napaul, her family is really her strongest and most plentiful support. 

8. Who is their enemy?

Lania’s enemy is the unknown. It’s all that rests outside of her palace walls. Her enemy is the distance between her families hearts and her own. It’s the plans of those who wish to harm her family made in whispers. 

9. What do they want more than anything?

She more than anything wants to get back to her home, to her family, to the familiar, and safety.

From my eyes,  if she forgot home for a second she would realize she just wants to feel less scared about everything. About having to live. Having to move forward. 

10. Why can’t they have it?

A war and a divine conflict. Her Blood and an Oath. 

and for that second part, she is just a child and she must grow and experience first. 

11. What do they wrongly believe about themselves?

That she doesn’t have a responsibility to the world outside of her own family and their name and title.

12. Draw your protagonist! (Or share a description)

Drawn by my closest friend @sweatersgalore !!

She is around 5′6, lean and muscular. She has a strong jaw and long face with a hooked nose. Thick waves and loosely curled black hair, very dense and long. Her bangs sit on top of her eyebrows and make a crescent shape hugging her high cheekbones. Braids riddle her hair to keep it from all crowding her face and hands. Her eyes are silver and her eyes are almond shaped. 

Plot Points

13. What is the internal conflict?

Lania feels completely safe at home and wants her family to all stay together. With everyone leaving she doesn't want to be left behind and she doesn't want to leave the palace either. Later she deals with guilt and feeling inept, forgetting her own skills and memory of her worth. 

14. What is the external conflict?

There is a feuding war, the natural elements as she is lost on another continent, she is fleeing and continually trying to overcome obstacles in her path to get back home. 

15. What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist?

Well that is the story, probably too many spoilers if I told you that. Lets just say that the worse things that could happen to her do. Although there isn’t any sexual violence or family abuse in the story, I don’t feel like it belongs in her story. 

16. What secret will be revealed that changes the course of the story?

Who caused all of the families and the realms troubles. Identities will be revealed as well maybe for the benefit of our hero. 

17. Do you know how it ends?

Yes! I’ve already begun plotting for the next book very lightly while I'm writing the rough draft of this story.

Bits and Bobs

18. What is the theme?

One of the themes is creating a name for ones self. 

19. What is a reoccurring symbol?

Rebirth

20. Where is the story set? (Share a description!)

The story is set in three distinct locations! (it’s not quite in order or all of the locations but these make up a great deal of the story) 

The first is Trenear. Which is Lania’s homeland and is along the mediterranean coast. It’s a country thats at it’s best right now. It’s fairly rich due to it’s accessibility along the water and its unending source of natural elements at their feet. It’s heavy in trade and artistry and many cultures and people pass through.

The second is Amurid. Who's environment is jungle. Their buildings and architecture is wide and laid out but beautifully orchestrated in color and structure. The air is thick there and heavy, wildlife is mischievous and roams freely through out the kingdom. 

The third is the Valundrin Desert on the outsides of Coyi, between Amurid. It is blisteringly hot and deep dunes paint its landscape. The sand in this land is deep purple. Pockets of Helium escape from the ground below and create something quite more worrisome than quick-sand, literal rivers made of sand. From the surface they can barely be distinguished from normal resting sand though!  

21. Do you have any images or scenes in your mind already?

Yes! Quite a few that I get desperately excited about, and some that I sit on the bus to school and nearly cry over. I’m very visual so it I can play the events smoothly in my head I should eventually be able to write them. 

22. What excited you about this story?

I was very excited about the world building elements and the fantasy setting that i’ve slowly been weaving together. I love stories that revolve around young children where they have so much to see and so far to go. I’m also excited for the over arching story because Lania’s story is just the pillar where she stands on when the larger story gets introduced. I’m excited to really just let my mind explore and have fun. To really be free of the contracts I’ve put on myself before. 

23. Tell us about your usual writing method!

Oh man, I’m trying to pull that together right now. For now I’m doing a lot of prepping and organizing. I’m really trying to decide what is necessary for the story and what elements I can raise up and amplify and which can get erased or morphed to be more beneficial to the story. I want to create a goal soon to sit down everyday and work on my WIP it doesn’t have to be purely the word count but even just writing and pondering things that could happen or how scenes might play out. Or maybe even just world building since I enjoy it so much. 

Tagging those who have shared interest in The Ave’s Egg or those who might want to do the tag feel no pressure! : @lonely-pages-of-ink @incandescent-creativity @lillayalightfoot @esoteric-eclectic-eccentric @bexminx @dionian-gayce @raevenlywrites @marniewrite @a-place-of-babble @littlesilverlightning @idreamonpaper @morriganwrites-0124 @cosmosbv @kometa-makes-art @ad-drew @writerofwriting @writings-of-a-narwhal @ghostwriteblr @bergamotstreet @all-bridges-will-burn @writer-on-time @the-forgotten-traveller @whatsanwritepocalae @dreameronthewind @siriuslyprocrastinating @idreamtofreality @floralandrogyny @jessica-shouldbewriting @monstrouswrites @inexorableblob @fragrant-stars

let me know as always if you want to be off my tag list!