hey, i’m dominik (alt: dominic). over twenty, with pronouns he/him. i write/read dark fantasy, gothic fiction, and classics, but i make exceptions every now and then. i love world-building and mythology. kind of a vampire fan and the aesthetic surrounding it. an all-consuming greed for power is sort of a thing in most (if not all) of my works. i also primarily focus on the villains, anti-heroes and corrupt characters alike. oh, and i make templates for the muse.
[ hunted by ] . [ terror in the mind of a priest ] . [ darling, dearest, dead. ] . [ color of greed ] . [ sick thoughts ]
A E S T H E T I C S
. to descend into chaos is a choice many are deprived of - the pit
. the dominik and katja vampire book club
. love, shaped like two hands wrapped around a throat, like an empty stomach - love as hunger
. love like having your throat cut - violent love
. i don’t want comfort; i want danger, freedom, sin; i want to be hungry - hunger
. beauty is terror, beauty is something inhuman - beauty
. eat what makes us holy; eat the god who didn’t save us - religion
. do you know what it means to be loved by death - vampires, blood
. villain status - taglines
. daily kafka - some kafka
. a place to suffer formally
more project details under cut.
hunted by - (dark) folkloric fantasy, dark romance
Sworn to the Northern Kingdom as their leading huntsman, Kalypso was trained by one principle: thou shalt not trust Versipellis - cursed shapeshifters who turn into macabre versions of themselves at moon’s peak.
His path was never meant to cross with the wicked leader of such, but a web of dark, forbidden romance and vengeance ensnares him in a cunning twist of fate.
[ introduction ] . [ tag ]
themes . cursed shapeshifters / eternal winter / kingdoms / werebeasts vs. hunters / witchcraft / god is a woman and there are multiple / folkloric creatures / royalty / rivalry and vengeance / becoming god
terror in the mind of a priest - gothic fiction/romance, horror, paranormal and dark fantasy, mystery.
The epistolary story follows an expert doctor who works alongside the police to make autopsy reports for all sorts of complicated deaths. His assistance is asked in a place far from home to investigate an unexplainable chain of murders. These occurrences are unlike any he has seen before, suggesting the existence of unfathomable creatures. Sceptic at first, he is eventually thrusted into the world of otherworldly research, meeting the Father of the Local Church along the way.
But something about the priest isn’t right. And while the priest offers his help, the doctor seizes the opportunity to study his suspect up close.
[ introduction ] . [ tag ]
themes . demons exist / power and corruption / facing darkness disguised as beauty / dancing with the devil / seduced by the villain / story expressed through protagonist’s pieces of writing / doctor as detective / studying the monster
darling, dearest, dead. - (contemporary) fantasy, new adult, (dark academia)
A leading figure to the university’s secret society , Laurent was always known to be brilliant to the point of cunning. He is arrogant, sharp, unwavering, with poisonous charisma and genius hiding behind madness in pursuit of something others deem impossible: immortality. All he ever lacked was a push — that was, until after he met Will, a biology student with a matching sharpness and undeniable chemistry. In their constant wars of will and philosophical sparring, a desired push comes to an inevitable shove and theory turns into the experimental. But when one accident leads to a chain of murders, ambition becomes obsession, intrigue turns into jealousy, and power results in betrayal. Will and Laurent are left standing on ashes of what used to be friendship, each with a narcissistic desire of their own - now as archnemeses.
[ introduction ] . [ tag ]
themes . life, death, carpe diem / hedonism / immortality / entertaining the what-ifs / in the name of science, art, and philosophy / the constitution of good versus evil / modern tragedy
color of greed - science fiction, romance/erotica (nano 2021)
(wip shelved.)
In a society where the filthy rich live in the skies and everyone else below, an heiress to one of five noble families is offered a captive as a gift - one with a deadly and, fortunately rare, affinity for mind control. He is one of last and his genetic skill must be kept a secret while the heiress seeks to rob her brothers of their father's throne, all for the hungry desire to rule an inhospitable, divided world.
[ introduction ] . [ tag ]
themes . power, religion, and politics / inheritance and nepotism / familial competition for the throne / mind control / master and captive dynamic (except the master is an heiress and the captive is deadly) / power play
sick thoughts - new adult, horror fiction, gothic romance, paranormal fantasy
(wip shelved.)
[ introduction ] . [ tag ]
themes . vampires / not-so-ordinary university life / town full of secrets / bromance despite family-rivalry / new murders / former shy one becomes the new hot / decadent aristocratic family / the grotesque, the dark / power and greed
O T H E R
(send an ask or comment to be +/- to the general taglist.)
🦇 . i’d love to be added to taglists of active wips, so if you have anything that falls under dark fantasy, send an ask and i’ll check it out.
CALLER: Hi, it’s me. Yeah. I’m doing okay, thanks for asking. How has life been treating you?
RECEIVER: Good.
CALLER: Oh, that’s wonderful to hear.
RECEIVER: Any particular reason you called?
CALLER: I-I’m not sure.
RECEIVER: That’s okay. I’m here.
CALLER: I just...gosh, do you ever think about the insignificance of the universe? Maybe we’re not so insignificant after all. Sometimes, it’s so easy to forget the small things in life. You know?
RECEIVER: Mhm.
CALLER: Like how green the grass is when you just lay in it, staring up at the sky that turns into stars. When words flow out effortlessly, without restraint or caution. When you don’t make an effort to be perfect or say everything poetically, and when you’re just...you. Those little moments.
CALLER: It’s so easy to forget.
RECEIVER: Yeah.
CALLER: I guess, in this little world where my name is barely known, it’s easy to want something bigger. A universe where your name is plastered all over Times Square, where you get on stage and it’s like you own the entire world, even if the world is just you and the stage and your audience. And you just want to sing your heart out and fling your arms out and just—just let go.
CALLER: I forget to let go a lot.
CALLER: And then there are the big names and stars who climb up to the stage for a hundred days consecutively. I think they think about what we have a lot. The normal life, per say. Work, and school, and hanging out with friends at burger joints, and laying in soccer fields. They don’t get that.
We always want the things we don’t have.
But getting to be here and to experience all of this, taking it in all one day at a time—the simplicity is beautiful. It’s comforting, in a way. I forget that, too: the comfort of simplicity. I don’t have to be the greatest or famous or anything at all.
Humble survives. To wake up to clean walls and think, wow. This is what I have. I really get this. Even if each day seems a little bleary and unclear, you’re here.
You get me?
The small things are here. This moment, right now, on the phone with you. I’ll never experience it again.
Each moment is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You don’t need to bow to an audience after you finish a masterful piano piece at Carnegie Hall to have those unique moments. Here it is. Right here. Every second you breathe is a unique moment. You don’t need a grandiose display for the world to understand you. You understand yourself, more than anyone.
I’m so grateful for all of it.
For you.
It’s easy to be afraid and to give in to the dark. Most times, I do.
That’s okay.
But tonight...tonight I was thinking: Do you want to drive up to the mountains together, right now, and see the stars? Maybe we could admire the little things tonight. Together. We could sit in the grass and bring a blanket and catch up on everything we missed out on over the years.
❝The underworld of Falkenreik had a habit of calling him “little fox” when a deal was about to go bad. The way their hands twitched for their hunting rifles and grinned as if Aleksander was already a prize on the wall.
He counted at least twenty ways to be killed in the drawing room above the Stag’s Hall. Down two from last month after successfully providing Kos with one of the cardinal’s recent specimens. And so he left, unscathed, sighing as he shook the night from his coat.
This is what it takes, he told himself. This is what it takes for a world beyond the wishing well.❞
outlining is, depending on who you ask, a vital step in the writing process. of course, it all depends on whether or not you are a plotter at all. if you’re a pantser, or somewhere in between, outlining might be a little difficult to get anywhere with. in this multi-part series, i’ll talk about a few different methods i have used as well as some pointers.
first, let’s begin with some general outlining tips to get you started!
THE BLANK PAGE: cultivating your idea.
might seem a little daunting at first. but this is where your story begins. write down any ideas that you might have for your wip. maybe that just means the concept, the premise, or a singular scene that you really want to happen. it doesn’t matter--write it down!
how many povs do you want? first or third person? omniscient or limited? alternating povs or something else? consider why you want this specific type of pov and how these characters can contribute to the story.
think about story structure. how do you want to divide the story up? of course, you don’t actually have to stick to it, but this might help you get started.
what tropes do you want to include? found family, there was only one bed, enemies to lovers, etc.
maybe make a few graphics, or scroll through youtube for those 1 hr long playlists that just give you vibes. it might help immerse you a little bit more in your idea. make sure you save these things for later--if you get stuck, these could dig you out of a hole.
ramble to friends!! having someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of could get your idea to grow even further.
remember that anything you do at this point is subject to change. you’re loosely setting up how you want to tell the story, as well as figuring out how it’s going to be written. if you find out later down the line that you want to do something else, nothing is stopping you from changing it!
depending on what sort of writer you are (plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between), the beginning steps of an outline may differ. when i’m putting together my more cohesive outlines, i write a lot more in the first step. when i’m just writing to chase after inspiration, wherever it might take me, i usually just write down a few thoughts that i know have to happen. it all depends on what’s comfortable with you!
CONTENT WARNINGS: fantasy typical violence, minor character death, blood, flood, (mentions of) drowning, (mentions of) family death, (mentions of) slavery (will add as i draft)
TAGLIST: @atelierwriting @tsainami @moariin @watersymbolism @zielenheil @honeywharf @sprigofbasil @maharaanis @everslarks @vaelinor @amarnas @etoilesvp @lasbrumas @scioltezza @sourrcandy @xiyais @chrysaallism @serpentarii @rapunzelle (send me an ask to be added/removed)
(i dug around for blogs that have asked before to be on my general taglist and if you don’t want to be on this one please let me know! likewise if i missed you and you see this just send me another ask and i’ll add you <3)
themes + tropes: unlocking secrets of the past, systematic power imbalances, the threat of an angry god, found family, familiar and platonic love, friends to lovers, platonic soulmates, sibling estrangement, betrayal
status: first draft
synopsis: a dream: two suns, one edged in black, the other in gold. as if the contending of set has been reborn, souls begin to vanish.
in a world where people’s faith in the gods disappears slowly, and where mortals managed to take control, five young adults peer into the forbidden path for an object— which unravels a complicated web of mystery and a desire for something that is beyond their reach. however their selfishness would not only bring them to ruin, but all of khasom, too, for this was the ancient being’s plan all along. his very twisted and cruel plan.
hello writeblr! welcome back to the red bean press, a writeblr-first literary magazine! from now on, the red bean press will be releasing issues every two months, therefore, submissions are opening for our january-february issue.
the theme is LOVE, and the many forms it takes. whether platonic, romantic, or something else entirely, feel free to write whatever comes to mind!
send in your submissions by february 21st to [email protected] with your name (or anonymous), your preferred social medias, the title of piece, and any necessary content warnings!
we’re excited to see what you all have to share! if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the same email as above, [email protected], or drop a message into our askbox.
some of us write short things first. we sum up a story in a few sentences. we have a conflict and resolve by panning over the top and whispering the secrets of character motivation into the reader’s ears. we give a brief backstory. he used to be this, but now he’s not. then we spend a little bit talking about what he is now. at the end, there’s a question about what he’ll be in the future, but that’s not important right now. maybe another day. some of us take bite-size emotions, lay them out one by one so the reader can follow us into the forest and have a small adventure with a winged creature or the stars. at the end, there are so many ways to go home, and the choice is left open. some of us write short things first.
some of us write long things first. we have so much to say and we’ll take all the time we need to say it. there is a lot of backstory. time moves slowly and rambles a little as it goes, pointing out waystations and picnic spots along the way. the road is paved in places and rough dirt in others, but it keeps going, until finally we arrive at our destination, full of memories and snacks and jeans with holes in the knees. we are fulfilled by leaking our souls into the stories and hope nobody minds and maybe somebody cares. the house at the end is home. some of us write long things first.
some of us play at other people’s houses first. we don’t have that many toys of our own, or we simply enjoy the ones that others have. we bring in our own dolls and teddy bears to another world. we suggest the backyard as a new place to explore. sometimes there are no toys, just words between lips and fingers dancing in the air. we left the backyard and ventured down the street, boots on little feet. we spent long afternoons and time after dinner, too. some of us play at other people’s houses first.
some of us need thoughts, not sentences. we need the journey to be nebulous and wavering. the destination is shaped but not concrete. we want the skies to be the colors of our dreams and the shudder of sound in the floorboards to remind us of childhood and yesterday. we need to skip stones on meter and leave the door ajar. we wander through our spaces with curious eyes, seeking new intentions to blend with a past lesson. some of us need thoughts, not sentences.
some of us are all of us.
thank you for writing your stories the way you write them, writers.
