Untitled "Transformation" Short Story: it's not typed up yet but there are currently 15 pages from my notebook covered in my chicken scratch. That's at least 3,000 words I'd say.
Total for January: 10,548 words
Not bad considering I didn't start writing anything until the 14th. I don't think I can write every single day, but if I get damn near close I can make some real progress.
Soooo January was an interesting month! It did not go at all how I expected.
First of all, my writing goals post has been shot to hell for this month haha. I said I wanted to finish my Elden Ring fanfic, but I haven't touched it in a bit. I still want to work on it (I don't like abandoning work, especially when I've put so much effort into it), but sometimes you just have to go where inspiration tells you to go.
I think the big catalyst for this sudden burst of creativity was attending a queer writing group in my city. It's not a big group, and I wanted to attend the few meetings they held last year, but I was too chicken. Anxiety is a bitch, eh? But I decided to power through it this time and attend, and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made! Truly. Connecting with other creatives—particularly queer creatives—and listening to them discuss their projects and their passion for writing and sharing stories was so invigorating. I really do believe that creative people need to be around creative people. I pulled out my notebook and a pen (and then another pen, and then I had to borrow a pen because neither worked of course) and wrote several pages for my BatB story.
A few days later I went to my favourite coffee shop twice in a row and completed what would later be the first half of a chapter that I couldn't finish for the longest time. I was so proud of myself.
After that, I ended up working a lot on another story I hadn't touched in two years... It's a contemporary romance (while I don't really care to read them most days I will write them sometimes). Wrote a few thousand words. I was so stuck. I had no idea where to take some scenes, but then I just went for it. It's like a damn in my mind broke and I was flooded with such clearly envisioned scenes I was able to write. Incredible.
Now, after listening to a song I hadn't heard in a while, I was hit with a (thankfully!) short story idea. While I've endeavoured to write a novel for years now, I've always completed short stories in the past, and I write them well. It's been a long while since I wrote a short, and I want to write this one out. Get it out of my system, but also return to familiar roots and really enjoy it. I miss it, sometimes. After years of attempting to write long-form stories (and in most cases getting nowhere), this will be a nice break.
Very excited to see what happens in February. Historically it's a pretty ugly month for me, but I woke up today feeling great. Maybe it's a sign of good things to come.
This is the year I actually finish and publish things! I'm saying that right now!
2025 was definitely a whirlwind, and while I did get some writing done, I'd like to write more. I have a hard time finishing things, but I plan on seeing a few things to the end. It'll be difficult with work getting busier, and this month I have to apply to a master's program (UGH) but I want to make time for it.
Even though I've finished my first playthrough of ER, I'm not done with it yet. There are still my solo saves (and I have a couple of different endings to do) and I want to go through the game myself, take my time, explore, defeat bosses on my own merit. It provides plenty of time to get back into that headspace and work on my stories. Finishing The Price of Love is top priority since it's almost done (I have one scene left to write and then it needs to be edited), and I need to work more on AFIB. I want to publish at least three chapters this year, but we'll have to see.
I think it would be fun to, every month, write an update post with a recap of what I accomplished that month. Maybe seeing something more tangible will help. For now, I'll write down what I want to write:
A Flower in Bloom - Chapters 1/9 completed; one third of chapter 2 written; goal to publish chapters 2-4 this year
The Price of Love (Paid in Blood) - Scenes 6/7 completed; goal to write final scene, edit, and publish completed story
I don't want to be too unrealistic with my goals. With this, I'll at the very least match what I've written last year in terms of word count (though I'm sure it will be higher considering AFIB chapters will probably be 10k each). That's very much doable! A friend of mine is quite disciplined and manages to write a little bit every day, so maybe we can write together over Discord or something as encouragement! It would be great accountability for me, too.
There's a queer writing group that meets in my city. It's much too cold for outside meet-ups so they've moved indoors. While I was too chicken to go to the first few meetings last year, the first one of 2026 is next week and I plan on going! Meeting other writers would be good for me, I think. It's also a good thing to put on my application haha.
I've started off the year a bit sick, naturally, so we'll see what happens this week. Either way, I don't expect too much of myself in January because of everything needing to settle. And that's ok! I need to be much kinder to myself in general, so let's start here.
Finally 2025 is over! What a shit year, in many ways. A few good things happened too, though, so maybe I can't fully discount it.
I didn't end up writing very much, though in fairness I didn't actually pick up again until roughly August after finally playing through the conclusion of one of my favourite character's story arcs in Elden Ring (side note: I also finally beat Elden Ring and the DLC before the end of the year! It took a year, but what a journey to go on with my friends). I ended up writing 27,043 words of ER fanfic. I wish I had written more, but that's ok.
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A Flower in Bloom - a multi-chapter Millicent/F!Tarnished fic featuring a transfem bandit class mute Tarnished. I wrote and published the first chapter (though re-reading it I feel like there are changes I should make), and started the second chapter. I also wrote some random pieces of other chapters. It's slow-going because it's quite detailed, but I also enjoy the experiment of writing in second-person POV and the present tense. I've also worked on setting the scene, describing environments, etc. The world of ER is so rich and immersive, and I really want to capture that feeling in my fic. 16,439 words (11,583 words published)
The Price of Love (Paid in Blood) - this is a oneshot Millicent/F!Tarnished fic featuring a prophet class Tarnished, also with a disability (of sorts? It's vision-related, though I need to continue developing the idea and do some more research). This also follows Millicent's questline, but it's not nearly as long/detailed, has very little combat, and unresolved romantic tension. It's quite a different story! I'm also enjoying the process of developing and writing a heavily religious character. I'm an atheist in real life so it's been an interesting exercise to figure out this type of character. 8,228 words
Mirror Image - another oneshot that is Millicent-centric where she meets Cleanrot Knight Finlay's spirit ashes and they have a meaningful conversation. It can technically be a standalone, but I also imagined it as a sort of bridge between two different story ideas. Either way, I was inspired by a writing prompt and thought this would be an interesting scenario. 1,776 words
Random Unnamed Smut Thing - exactly what it says on the tin. But I didn't get very far with it 'cause of how bad I've been feeling. It's difficult to get into the headspace to choreograph it all (and yes, I mean choreographing! It's basically a fight scene with extra steps ;3). 600 words
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So that's the 2025 wrap-up. Could be better, but it could always be worse! Time to set up my 2026 writing goals.
The sooner you start, the sooner you'll be done with it and the sooner you can stop thinking about it. Go on, up you get, it won't be as bad as you think.
You won't want to do it later either. You might as well just do it now. Even if you don't finish it all, anything you manage to get done now is something you don't have to do later (when you still won't want to do it)
So. After a while of not writing (life sucks, mental illness sucks, work sucks, etc etc), I finally made progress on my big Millicent/Tarnished fic. I posted the first chapter a month ago (to little fanfare but what can you do), and while I worked on something else, I found it difficult to come back to. Or I made the dread common excuse "I'll go back to it later".
(Spoiler: I did not "go back to it later")
I did read plenty of fic though, and I quite enjoyed it. I made a conscious effort to comment because I understand how it feels to read one on your hard work, and I wanted to extend that to others. I actually receive a response to one from a very grateful author, and they mention in their response to me that they're reading and enjoying my fic and hope I continue it. That they're cheering me on.
It wasn't even a comment on my fic, just an off-hand mention in a response to a comment I left on their story. Even so, knowing that someone other than my two friends I shared this fic with enjoyed it was like...it was like lighting a fire under my ass. I re-read the first chapter, got a feel for it again, opened the game to immerse myself in the world and map the path the Tarnished took/will take, and cranked out 600 words. I was so pleased and so inspired I just had to write.
I'm sure you won't see this, fellow ER fic writer, but I'm so grateful for your response and you inspired me to get back to it. Thank you.
Hardest part of writing is accepting that some people will not fucking get it & you just have to like cope with that because over-explaining it just makes it worse
I will not over-explain my art to the stupidest people on earth. I'm writing for people who know what I'm talking about. Mantra that will save you. David Lynch was right
hey do you have anything about writing stories that feel like greek tragedies. Arcane the show the first and second act of season 1 feels like one, and I was wondering if you had knew anything about that
Writing Notes: Greek Tragedy
An abbreviation of Aristotle's guidelines that form the basis of Tragedy, as outlined in Poetics:
Have a hero of great status and prosperity (which is why many tragic main characters are nobles or royalty), who suffers a terrible fall, usually death.
The fall is brought on by his own Fatal Flaw and past mistakes. His character should be consistent and unchanging to make his fall inevitable, such as being Prideful or stubborn, or so good and persistent such that fixing his mistakes destroys him.
The audience has to feel catharsis at his death, an emotional "purging" where the audience should feel relief and cleansing. Whether this catharsis is due to the schadenfreude, relief at having it better off than the character, or generally releasing pent-up anxiety is debated to this day.
While you do not need The Reveal and reversal of fortune (peripeteia in Greek) stemming from it, Aristotle considered those tragedies superior to those without it.
Tragedy - depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods.
The tragic hero's powerful wish to achieve some goal inevitably encounters limits, usually those of human frailty (flaws in reason, hubris, society), the gods (through oracles, prophets, fate), or nature.
Aristotle says that the tragic hero should have a flaw and/or make some mistake (hamartia).
The hero need not die at the end, but he / she must undergo a change in fortune.
In addition, the tragic hero may achieve some revelation or recognition (anagnorisis - "knowing again" or "knowing back" or "knowing throughout" ) about human fate, destiny, and the will of the gods.
Aristotle quite nicely terms this sort of recognition "a change from ignorance to awareness of a bond of love or hate."
Aristotle on Tragedy (From the Poetics of Aristotle [384-322 BC])
Tragedy, then, is a process of imitating an action which has serious implications, is complete, and possesses magnitude;
by means of language which has been made sensuously attractive, with each of its varieties found separately in the parts;
enacted by the persons themselves and not presented through narrative;
through a course of pity and fear completing the purification (catharsis, sometimes translated "purgation") of such emotions.
"imitation" (mimesis): Contrary to Plato, Aristotle asserts that the artist does not just copy the shifting appearances of the world, but rather imitates or represents Reality itself, and gives form and meaning to that Reality. In so doing, the artist gives shape to the universal, not the accidental. Poetry, Aristotle says, is "a more philosophical and serious business than history; for poetry speaks more of universals, history of particulars."
"an action with serious implications": serious in the sense that it best raises and purifies pity and fear; serious in a moral, psychological, and social sense.
"complete and possesses magnitude": not just a series of episodes, but a whole with a beginning, a middle, and an end. The idea of imitation is important here; the artist does not just slavishly copy everything related to an action, but selects (represents) only those aspects which give form to universal truths.
"language sensuously attractive...in the parts": language must be appropriate for each part of the play: choruses are in a different meter and rhythm and more melodious than spoken parts.
tragedy (as opposed to epic) relies on an enactment (dramatic performance) not on "narrative" (the author telling a story).
"purification" (catharsis): tragedy first raises (it does not create) the emotions of pity and fear, then purifies or purges them. Whether Aristotle means to say that this purification takes place only within the action of the play, or whether he thinks that the audience also undergoes a cathartic experience, is still hotly debated. One scholar, Gerald Else, says that tragedy purifies "whatever is 'filthy' or 'polluted' in the pathos, the tragic act" (98). Others say that the play arouses emotions of pity and fear in the spectator and then purifies them (reduces them to beneficent order and proportion) or purges them (expels them from his/her emotional system).
Writing your Tragic Hero (According to Aristotle)
The tragic hero is "a [great] man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake."
a great man: "one of those who stand in great repute and prosperity, like Oedipus and Thyestes: conspicuous men from families of that kind." The hero is neither a villain nor a model of perfection but is basically good and decent.
"mistake" (hamartia): This Greek word, which Aristotle uses only once in the Poetics, has also been translated as "flaw" or as "error." The great man falls through - though not entirely because of - some weakness of character, some moral blindness, or error. We should note that the gods also are in some sense responsible for the hero's fall.
Writing your Plot (According to Aristotle)
Aristotle distinguished 6 elements of tragedy:
Plot
Characters
Verbal expression
Thought
Visual adornment
Song-composition
Of these, PLOT is the most important.
The best tragic plot is single and complex, rather than double ("with opposite endings for good and bad" - a characteristic of comedy in which the good are rewarded and the wicked punished). All plots have some pathos (suffering), but a complex plot includes reversal and recognition.
"Reversal" (peripeteia): occurs when a situation seems to developing in one direction, then suddenly "reverses" to another. For example, when Oedipus first hears of the death of Polybus (his supposed father), the news at first seems good, but then is revealed to be disastrous.
"Recognition" (anagnorisis or "knowing again" or "knowing back" or "knowing throughout" ): a change from ignorance to awareness of a bond of love or hate. For example, Oedipus kills his father in ignorance and then learns of his true relationship to the King of Thebes. Recognition scenes in tragedy are of some horrible event or secret, while those in comedy usually reunite long-lost relatives or friends. A plot with tragic reversals and recognitions best arouses pity and fear.
"Suffering" (pathos): Also translated as "a calamity," the third element of plot is "a destructive or painful act." The English words "sympathy," "empathy," and "apathy" (literally, absence of suffering) all stem from this Greek word.
ORIGINS. Tragedy's origins are obscure, but it apparently started with the singing of a choral lyric (called the dithyramb) in honor of Dionysus.
It was performed in a circular dancing-place (orchestra) by a group of men who may have impersonated satyrs by wearing masks and dressing in goat-skins.
The Greek word tragoedia means "goat-song." Eventually, the content of the dithyramb was widened to any mythological or heroic story, and an actor was introduced to answer questions posed by the choral group.
The Greek word for actor is hypokrites, which literally means "answerer." It is the source for our English word "hypocrite."
Tragedy was recognized as an official state cult in Athens in 534 BC.
According to tradition, the playwright Aeschylus added a second actor and Sophocles added a third.
"Tragedies" written in the 5th century often contain humorous scenes, melodramatic episodes and wild plot twists. So, readers today embarking on a study of classical drama must discard their preconceptions about what constitutes tragic drama, and especially the notion that Greek tragedy always entails a gloomy outlook on life, featuring long-winded old men wound up in sheets who wail at length about the evils of fortune and fate. It simply isn't so.
Greek tragedy is a powerful and profound form of storytelling, which explores the complexities of the human condition through vivid language and striking narratives.
These plays often depict the tragic downfall of their main characters, brought about by their own flaws and failings.
Through this exploration of human nature, Greek tragedy invites audiences to confront and contemplate the many nuances of human existence, including the dangers of unchecked pride and ambition.
Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus, the most influential Greek tragedians, wrote during the 5th century BCE.
Their works continue to captivate and move audiences today, offering a timeless examination of the human experience and the universal struggles we all face.
Examples: Ancient Greek Tragedies
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. A haunting tale tackling the concepts of fate and free will. Set in the city of Thebes, the play tells the story of King Oedipus, who is determined to uncover the truth behind a plague that has befallen his city. As he unravels the mystery, Oedipus discovers that he is the very source of the plague, having unknowingly killed his own father and married his mother. Faced with the truth of his actions, Oedipus blinds himself and is exiled from Thebes, while his wife and mother, Jocasta, takes her own life. Through Oedipus’ tragic downfall, Sophocles explores the consequences of pride and the limits of human knowledge. The play’s haunting conclusion reminds us of the power of fate and the fragility of human existence.
Antigone by Sophocles. In the aftermath of the events in Oedipus Rex, Sophocles’ Antigone explores the disastrous consequences of a family divided by power and ambition. The play centers around the conflict between Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, and her uncle Creon, who has taken the throne following the deaths of her two brothers in a power struggle. When Creon decrees that only Eteocles should be buried, Antigone defies him and buries her brother Polynices, driven by her sense of duty to the gods and her family. Her act of rebellion sets off a tragic chain of events, resulting in the deaths of Antigone, her betrothed Haemon, and Creon’s wife, Eurydice. Sophocles’ Antigone raises powerful questions about the nature of justice, family loyalty, and the limits of state power, ultimately offering a sobering lesson on the destructive consequences of unchecked pride and authority.
Medea by Euripides. The play begins with Medea, a woman scorned and exiled by her husband Jason, consumed by grief and anger. As she contemplates her loss of status and position in society, Medea resolves to take revenge on Jason, aided by Aegeus, the king of Athens, who offers her refuge. Medea pretends to reconcile with Jason and sends a poisoned gift to his new bride and Creon, causing their gruesome death. With her vengeance incomplete, Medea then turns to her children, killing them in a fit of rage, justifying her actions as necessary to punish Jason. Jason, devastated by the loss of his children, confronts Medea, but she remains unrepentant. The play concludes with Medea escaping the scene in a chariot sent by her grandfather, the sun god Helios, leaving Jason broken and alone. The audience is left to judge the morality of Medea’s actions and the tragic consequences of her pursuit of revenge.
Prometheus Bound by Aeschylus. Delves into the story of Prometheus, a Titan who rebels against the gods by stealing fire from them and gifting it to humankind, resulting in his eternal imprisonment. The play showcases Prometheus as a courageous hero, who stands up for his convictions and exhibits unwavering love for humanity. Throughout the play, he encounters a variety of characters, such as his fellow Titans, the ocean nymphs, and even Zeus himself, all trying to sway him into submission and ask for forgiveness. However, Prometheus remains unyielding in his defiance, refusing to bend to the will of the gods and maintaining his rebellious spirit until the end.
The Trojan Women by Euripides. The play takes place during the downfall of Troy, as the Greek army ravages the city, slaughtering most of its male population, including King Priam and his sons. The women of Troy, among them Queen Hecuba, her daughter Cassandra, and Andromache, the wife of the Trojan hero Hector, are taken captive by the Greeks and forced to await their fate. In this tragic tale, Euripides delves into the devastating consequences of war on the women of Troy, who are stripped of their homes, families, and identities and are subjected to all sorts of different forms of abuse. These women grieve their losses and grapple with finding purpose and hope amidst their immense suffering. Hecuba emerges as a powerful symbol of the Trojan women’s resilience and fortitude as she confronts the Greeks and demands justice and dignity for herself and her people.
Some Character & Literary Tropes
Despair Event Horizon: The moment when it's already too late.
Died in Ignorance: Make a dramatically-ironic death worse by preventing the protagonist from ever knowing the truth at all.
Disproportionate Retribution: According to Aristotle, the protagonist must be punished for an error, but with the punishment spectacularly exceeding the crime.
Fatal Flaw: A key part of many tragic heroes, which leads them to commit their Tragic Mistake. Pride has been one of the most common since the Greeks.
Heel–Face Door-Slam: If the protagonist does notice his flaws, it's already too late.
Protagonist Journey to Villain: While the protagonist started out noble, only too late do they realize that they've gradually made the transition to becoming the villain of their own story.
Star-Crossed Lovers: Many tragic romances involve two people who want to be together but are doomed to be kept apart.
Tragic Mistake: Often called the hamartia, this is that one crucial mistake that sends everything crashing down.
Unintended Kinslayer: Not a few tragic heroes end up offing their own loved ones by mistake, often due to not recognizing them until it's too late.
You Can't Fight Fate: A fairly common theme.
Examples
Arcane: By the final scene in the final episode, Jinx has burned all her bridges, more or less permanently prevented peace between Piltover and Zaun, and made clear that she will never return to the innocent child she once was. It's a similar tragedy to that of Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader, where a major character does not die physically, but undergoes a spiritual death instead. The tragedy isn't confined to Jinx, either. Just about every character in season 1 is doing what they think is their best in a bad situation, but their best simply isn't enough as Piltover and Zaun edge ever closer to war. As the final scene roles, the viewer can only watch as the last, best chance for peace is a split second from literally going up in flames.
The central character of Citizen Kane, a multimillionaire newspaper publisher with his very own private estate, ends up dying alone and unloved thanks to his narcissism.
Ian McEwan's Atonement follows a privileged upper class preteen called Briony Tallis. She essentially ruins several people's lives because of her arrogance and ignorance. Years later, when she finally realizes the full extent of what she's done, it's too late to make amends or fix her mistakes, because the affected parties have died partly due to her actions.
Little Shop of Horrors has several motifs of the Greek tragedy archetype - the singers Crystal, Chiffon, and Ornette representing the classic Greek chorus, and Seymour's arc mirrors that of several tragic Greek protagonists - to achieve his dreams, he first sacrifices his enemy (Orin Scrivello), then his father figure (Mr. Mushnik), then his love (Audrey) - and finally, when everything starts crashing down around him, himself.
The Godfather saga is an example of classical mafia tragedy. Michael Corleone's ruthlessness and vengeful ways eventually lead to his alienation from his family and his ultimate ruin.
There Will Be Blood is about a silver miner turned oilman who embarks on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's early 20th century oil boom, along the way descending into madness to the point of alienating everybody around him, including his own son.
Slowly, slowly, progress is being made. Wrote 1109 words today at my favourite coffee shop after a day of cooking for the week and watching baseball (go Blue Jays!!!). Yesterday I wrote the opening part of the first scene, then today I transitioned to the next scene. Perhaps tomorrow I'll write the third part of the opening scene, then the fourth (and final) part, etc. I know for sure once I'm done I'll have to go through and edit, particularly the back half. I'm not sure all the extra character stuff I wanted to work on is even present considering I thought a lot of it up after I wrote it all.
It also probably needs to be a bit longer to suit the length and flow of the earlier bits. But I'll have to see.
Yesterday while waiting (uncomfortably, for a long time) at the doctor's office I ended up writing about 1000 words. Pretty solid. If I'm gonna sit there anyway I might as well try and get some writing in.
It was all well and good. I finished the fight scene I had started and moved on to the next scene, and I didn't think too much of it at first. Then I had my appointment, went home, jumped back to work, finished out my day. All in all, solid.
Today, I re-evaluated this oneshot. I didn't like how it was going. All the work I had put in yesterday wasn't right. It didn't match the rest of the story I had written: the flow was off, it was too detailed, there was too much combat, etc. This oneshot isn't supposed to be combat-heavy (that's part of the other "main" fic). But a quick fight ended up being over 2000 words long! The rest of the fic was only 4000 words.
I had to sit and think. What exactly did I want from this story? How is it different from the other story I'm writing? What do I want this story to say?
Once I figured those things out, I realized what had gone wrong. I didn't scrap any of the writing. On the contrary, I cut and paste it into the other fic document to use as a blueprint for the exact fight I wanted to write. I realized that I was just duplicating scenes at this point, and I didn't want that at all. Once I figured out this new version of the Tarnished, and the type of character that she is, I was able to figure out exactly how the fic should go and which scenes to include.
Now it's just a matter of writing it haha. 546 words so far today is a pretty good start.
stormborns
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