@abceditorial inspired me to reflect (yet again) on my relationship with IG. I'm notoriously hot and cold with her, and do struggle with missing the old platform. However, I am trying to reframe my negatives (too time-consuming/ too curated and fake/ too stres-inducing) by asking three questions before I post: ๐ด Am I showing the true me? ๐ด Would I want to see it? ๐ด Am I proud of what I'm showing? . This IG is my journey as a writer and a way to connect with like-minded people, so if I can say yes to all three, I think I can learn to love it again. . #writingcommunity #themindfulwriter #the_writer_community #writewhereyouare #writingjourney #writingforhappiness #writingmama #firstdraftclub #slowdraftersclub #socialmedia #drafting
Yโall Iโm FOUR school days away from summer break, and my brain is having a hard time being creative, so please enjoy this little behind-the-scenes peek at how I make the magic happen. Fun fact: I bought that laptop in early summer of 2022 with the sole intention of using it to write a book. It sat in the box for a whole month before I worked up the courage to start on Between the Lines. Now, itโs seen me through two whole books and part of a third. Also, this song is a tribute to me having โslow handsโ when it comes to writing a first draft. Iโm slowwww, yโall, because I do some light editing as I go. And there are some whoโd say thatโs not โhow itโs doneโ and that you should only โwrite first, edit laterโ and to that I simply say: do what works for YOU. Do what it takes to tell the story. #indieauthor #authorlife #behindthescenes #writingessentials #brandylandwrites #slowdraftersclub
One foot in front of the other, one word at a time. . #rewrite #firstdraftclub #fantasyauthor #thewritercommunity #themindfulwriter #writerdreams #dreambig #writingcommunity #writingforsanity #writingforhappiness #dowhatyoulove #dowhatmakesyouhappy #slowdraftersclub #editing
Positive manifestations for the weekend and a few top tips that I'm trying to embrace. . #authorsofig #writerssupportingwriters #authorssupportingauthors #authors #authorsofinstagram #slowdraftersclub #firstdraftclub #writing #writingcommunity #themindfulwriter #thewritercommunity #spreadkindness #positiveselftalk
Purple skies, pink seas, full heart. . Where do you write? . Until I was pregnant with A, I was a strictly 'write- at-my-carefully-curated-and-colour-coodrinated-desk-with-freshcut-flowers' kind of writer. But then pregnancy, post-partum anxiety, and sleepless nights drained my creative well, and I found sitting down 'to write' difficult. . For those I've tagged - the people I met and followed in my early days of IG - I know you've seen all sides of my messy journey, and I can't really express how much it means to see you thriving and chasing your dreams. It keeps me inspired, even when the muse doesn't strike. . Nowadays, I carry my laptop with me just in case the inspiration strikes when out and about. Sometimes it flows, sometimes it doesn't, and I embrace the moment. After all, who can blame me stealing 15 minutes writing here, with an aperol in hand? . #mamawriter #rewrite #tropical #tropicalwriter #slowdraftersclub #themindfulwriter #thewritercommunity #writersofinstagram #writeyourownstory #writewhereyouare #mystorymyway #mumswhowrite #momswritersclub #mama #yafantasy #nafantasy #fantasyworld #fantasywriter #writewithadrink #firstdraft #firstdraftclub
16,547 words into the rewrite...slow but steady and fuelled by Earl Grey ๐ซ. . #rewrite #cafewriting #fuelledbytea #thewritercommunity #mindfulintentions #authorsofig #fantasy #fantasyauthor #firstdraftclub #writewithme #storyprogress #slowdraftersclub #slowdraftclub #edits #nafantasy #earlgreytea
New rule. If I wouldn't say it to my daughter, I won't say it to myself. ๐ด I am enough ๐ด I am trying ๐ด I am a writer #self-belief #mumswhowrite #thewritercommunity #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #mystorymyway #firstdraftclub #kindwriting #mentalhealth #anxiety #writingtoheal #writingforhappiness #writingmama
After yet another unplanned and very long hiatus, I'm dipping my toe back into IG. For me, for connection, and for accountability. With a self imposed deadline for an agent-ready draft set, I'm trying to banish my biggest bad habit - perfectionism - and ready to share a less polished version of my messy journey to Manuia. What was the last line you wrote that made you proud? #writingcommunity #favouriteline #iwrotethis #slowdraftersclub #slowdraftclub #accountability #themindfulwriter #thewritercommunity #celebrateyoursuccess
Writing a book can destroy you. Put a โค๏ธโ๐ฉน in the comments if you agree! (If you donโt agree, tell us your secret!! ๐ ) You have a story in your soul fighting to come outโฆ But the words canโt seem to reflect what you feel inside. That voice that started out as a whisper is now screaming at youโฆ Night & day. All you can think about is this book youโve wanted to write for so long. You need help. Even the professionals need help. This was me last year, battling with myself as I tried to outline the story that has been burning a hole in my heart for several years. Because writing cannot be a solitary activity. Not completely. When youโre so close to your story, so close to the book you want to write, you need a sounding board. You need someone to tell you whatโs working, what isnโt, and how to fix it. New services are coming to Epic Writing! These services will be designed to give you specific help & guidance on your writing journey. I want Epic Writing to be so much more than editing and coaching support. Like & Follow for more writing and creativity advice ๐ Love, Khadijah ๐๐๐ Editing slots for August 2023 are open! Drop me a DM for a chat about the different options available ๐ฅฐ๐ .โฃ .โฃ #writerlife #booksaremagic #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #slowdraftersclub #amwriting #writersofinstagram #editor #writingtips #writetip #indieauthor #writersofig #writinganovel #writingabook #writinghelp #writingadvice #writinginspiration #writingcoach #selfpub #selfpublishingauthor #writingabook #writingabookishard #writingmentor #creativitymentor #writingguide
๐ Hello May & hello sunshine. The world is finally getting lighter & brighter & warmer. Last month I joined Camp NaNoWriMo for the very first time as after a few years of cheering on & supporting others I couldn't help but stay curious what it all was about. Setting a goal which is completely unlike me. I don't usually set goals but do have intentions. With a strong start, a struggling middle & a strong ending of the month the word count goal of 20,000 words was achieved. Honestly, it's funny how last month's writing journey was the same as I usually go about writing an entire first draft. There's definitely a pattern there. So, we can say that April was a learning month & it's something I intend to take with me as I continue with the first draft of book 2 in the #projectFireFox duology. My intention for May is to get as far as possible in this draft. Wish me luck! What are you planning for this month? Any intentions? Tell me about them in the comments ๐. ___ #naturephotography๐ท #natureismagic #writercheckin #iwriteya #TheWriterCommunity #novelwriter #writerslife #wwtsalumni #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #writernetwork #slowdraftersclub #lemonfridaygang #fantasywriter #fantasybookstagram #fantasybookseries
Hello Spring ๐ฑ๐ธ It's a delight to see you come back; flowers emerging from the dirt, birds singing, wisps of colour greeting us from every corner & the new warmth settling around us like a blanket. You are gorgeous to look at & it truly brings me joy. But also hello allergies ๐ . We celebrate Spring but today also happens to be World Storytelling Day. Now, I'm no good at writing poetry but maybe someday there will be a poem about Spring & the allergies. A part of me craves it. Happy Spring everyone & for the people in the Southern hemisphere, happy Autumn. ___ #springtime๐ธ #naturephotography๐ท #natureismagic #TheWriterCommunity #writercheckin #novelwriter #writerslife #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #wwtsalumni #slowdraftersclub #lemonfridaygang #writersnetwork #iwriteya
The first draft of the novella is finished ๐! I'm so happy it's done. That the base is standing & it was such an interesting journey. Discovering more about the past of Dawn & her parents but also the world & history of their village. The world her parents grew up in is so different to what she is growing up in. I've always known that Akseli changed a lot of things once he could but when writing the story of him & Khiona, I discovered more about it. Their story was a fun side-project for me, not with the intention to publish it, ever. It was meant only for me but now it also has grown into something that others might find fun to read. I guess only the future will tell whether or not this will be read by many more eyes or not. What I've discovered is that ideas have the tendency to keep growing once you emerge into them. The world expands, more characters reveal themselves & their background stories. So many possibilities. It's almost like travelling to a place you haven't been before, you keep discovering new & exciting things. Ideas are nice to have, aren't they? When I decided to work on the Fire Fox idea, I never would have thought more than one book would be written & definitely didn't take extra novella's into account. Now it's a duology in the works with a few novella's to add to the story. For now the novella will be put aside, like I do with all my other first drafts, reading through it with a critical eye in about a month or so. Since #projectFireFox is waiting to be sent to an editor, I think I might start working on the outline of book 2 in the Fire Fox duology. I know what needs to happen next & I would like to have somewhat of a guide before I start drafting it. And also making up a title stays a struggle, I guess the novella will continue to be title-less for a bit longer ๐ . How are you? What are you up to? Let's talk in the comments. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraft #fantasywriterscommunity #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #writerlife #writeyournovel2023 #writinganovel #writertalk #firstdraftclub #slowdraftersclub #wwtsalumni #ilovetowrite
๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ฅ . Why is it so scary to share unedited snippets? . After almost 2 years here, it shouldn't panic me to share first draft lines, yet it fills me with dread. My perfectionism raises it's ugly head and sends me into a tailspin? . I'm sure a therapist would charge me a fortune to say what i know...it's part of my pathological need to please people. Nothing motivates me more than praise. I crave it. I define my success by it. Growing up, I needed to be the best at things: to win those medals, earn those badges, get those grades. I struggled when that didnt happen. Despite teaching the kiddos in my class that mistakes are beautiful and should be celebrated and embraced, I still find it hard to make them publicly. . The problem with perfectionism is that enough is never enough. Living your life to please others always leaves you wanting. In order to truly feel successful, we must be able to validate ourselves. To praise the journey and the growth and the mistakes. . So yes, sharing unedited snippets is scary. It opens me up to critics and allows others to point out my errors. I used to hate that (still do!) but I'm doing it anyway. Because re-teaching bad habits takes practice, and today is a good first step. . What are your thoughts on this snippet (The good, the bad and the ugly!) What could be improved in draft 2? . #aspiringauthor #writingforjoy #firstdraft #firstdraftclub #writingforhappiness #mindfulauthorprompts #mindfulauthorsprompts #writingforsanity #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunityย #newmumwriter #mummywriter #snippet #the_writer_community #battlingperfectionism #goals #intentions #slowdraftersclub #growthmindset
Wishing you all a cozy weekend. May it be filled with joy, rest, peace or writing & productivity, let it be what you need it to be! Celebrate christmas/Yule in a way that suits you best. I'm sending you all the love & good thoughts & also thank you for another year of your support, advice, loving & fun conversations toward & with me, know that I appreciate all of you. Thank you ๐! ___ #TheWriterCommunity #wwtsalumni #slowdraftersclub #writercheckin #writersofig #yuleblessings #merrychristmas๐ #findmywritingcommunity #authorsofig
9 months in the making. The best story I've ever written. . #writingforhappiness #newmomwriters #newmumwriter #writingforsanity #writingforlife #slowdraftersclub #writerssupportingwriters #thewritercommunity #firstdraftclub #firstdraft #writinglife
Winter has arrived โ๏ธ. The magical feeling of fog clinging like a blanket over the world has returned once more. The temperatures are dropping rapidly. Despite no snow, the frost clings to the ground & together with the early morning sun it creates a beautiful glitter. Beauty is in the small things people, we only have to allow ourselves to take time to see them! My time for inspiration has come, nudging it even more awake. A new tale is still demanding more attention, the ones already in progress keep calling too, making sure I don't forget them. Happy Winter solstice to everyone & Summer solstice for those that live in the Southern hemisphere ๐. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #writercheckin #yuletide #winter #wintersolsticeโ๏ธ #natureismagic #amrevising #fantasywriter #writinganovel #writeyournovel2022 #authorlife #novelwriter #amwritingfantasy #slowdraftersclub #futureauthor #writerlife #naturephotography๐ธ #storytellers
A new week & the start of the next step for #projectFireFox Time has come to do a read through, make notes & take another look at my CP's comments on Act 1. The new document for the edits at the ready. I decided to put focus on chapters per Act instead of the whole draft at once. While I've been going back to Act 1 a few times during the second draft already, now the time has come to make it as effective as it possibly can be. A certain character has to get more dominant throughout the story, so it will be a delight to write & merge those pieces in. Next to that I will keep studying battle scenes both in writing & series to make the ones in my draft better. At the same time, I also want to keep taking a bit of time every week to work on a novella set in the same world as Fire Fox, Dawn her father just won't let himself be silenced any longer. What are you up to these days? Any advice on battle scenes? Tell me in the comments. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #writertalk #fantasywriterscommunity #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writinganovel #writerlife #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #wwtsalumni #writersnetwork
Decided to make a new moodboard for my bakery WIP...again...even though I'm supposed to be revising my book. ๐ ๐ The good news is that I came up with another snippet to share with you guys again. Think this one really captures the rivals-to-lovers aspect of my book. ๐ โก๏ธ Swipe right to read the snippet! As always, let me know what you think of the moodboard down below. โฌ๏ธ #behindthescenes #busywriterclub #editingabook #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #indieauthors #indieauthorsofinstagram #romancewriter #romancewritersofinstagram #shewrites #shortfiction #shortstories #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #wednesdaysnippet #writelikenooneisreading #writersofinsta #writerssupportingwriters #writetowrite #writinginspiration #writinginspo #writingjourney #writingjourney22 #writingprompts #writingsnippet
Let's talk about feedback ๐... I'm one of those people that loves to get feedback on my writing, whether that's through a post here on Instagram or my CP's notes on my chapters. At the same time, I'm scared of it, resulting in me posting or sending it & then hiding away my phone to just not have to look at the notifications following that post. So, if you are like that too, know that you are not alone! But feedback is necessary to grow as a writer & also as a person. Even though it often feels scary to have multiple eyes judge our work and our capabilities, at the same time we do have an undeniable craving for that feedback. For me, the most important & one of the key rules is to always explain why. Why is that this thing works & the other doesn't. But also add examples along the way to help them in the right direction. The reason why I always read books for beta reading twice; the first time to make notes & the second time to see if my notes are justified. Feedback & critique is to help someone grow, getting the best out of their work with the help of my own eyes (because the closer we are to our work, the less we see). It's never to tear someone's self-confidence or work down. The second thing is that I'm convinced you have to be in the right mindset to receive feedback on your work. Especially since it can come in so many different ways; comments on posts, critique partner notes, beta & arc readers & reviews. When putting our work out in the world, the doors to critique & otherโs opinions automatically open; or rather the piece of wood gets ripped from its hinges on the frame, all sounds coming through clearly. How do you feel about feedback & critique? Do you have rules you abide when giving feedback? Let's talk in the comments! ___ #writertalk #fantasywriterscommunity #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #storytellers #writeyournovel2022 #writinganovel #wwtsalumni #writerlife #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #natureismagic #naturephotography๐ธ #StoryDevelopmentThursday
DRAFT 2 IS FINISHED. My first draft of #projectFireFox was a mess & a much bigger one than I liked to admit when I started revising on July 31st, 2021. So in many ways this second draft feels a lot like a first draft that actually works this time. Especially when put next to the few chapters of draft one of my Little Mermaid retelling (side project). Part of me thinks this is just the way it has to be for this project. When the idea came to me in 2015, I tried to force the characters in so many different jackets & worlds. Which means a lot of cracks had to be filled & painted over to have it all make sense again. With the help of my CP, draft three will be the place to make this story effective ๐. Also my laptop survived & finished this draft together with me. Now it's time to retire the good old fella, after almost a decade of service. But first some time away from it will do a lot of good, returning with fresh eyes to this project at the end of this month. What are you up to? ___ #TheWriterCommunity #writertalk #fantasywriterscommunity #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writinganovel #writerlife #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #wwtsalumni #writersnetwork
We creatives are hardwired to be overly criticizing ourselves. We tend to look negative at our work and telling ourselves lies in the process, so let's bend it to something more positive; ๐ You are good enough. ๐ค Your talent is ever growing & wonderful. โค๏ธ Always keep dreaming BIG. ๐งก People are waiting to see & read your work. ๐ Slow progress is great. ๐ It's not egoistic to love your own work (WIP). ๐ We are not alone on this journey. ๐ This is a caring community & I'm part of it. As for myself; I'm 1 & a bit chapters away from finishing draft 2 of #projectFireFox & let me tell you there are plenty of things I still want to change in the chapters I've written in the last few weeks but for now they are a step closer to the final result & therefore great as they are. Enjoying the journey as it comes! What is something you are proud of achieving or just doing this week? Which of these positive lines are you taking with you for this weekend? Tell me in the comments! ___ #futureauthor #meettheauthor #fantasywriter #avidreader #storyteller #wwtsalumni #lemonfridaygang #novelwriter #amandasloothaak #writerlife #findmywritingcommunity #slowdraftersclub #writersnetwork #TheWriterCommunity
๐ ๐ธ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ป๐พ๐ ๐ด . After a few months of quiet, edits on Project Tennessee are finally done! It's been amazing to revisit an old MS, but I've also missed my WIPs so much. . So, for those that are new to my journey (or have forgotten due to my very slow drafting process!) here is a (re)introduction to my WIPs: . ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ: An elemental fantasy inspired by Polynesia about vengeful gods and rebel alliances. (ACT 1, Draft 1 in progress) . ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฎ: A Regency romance adventure filled with spies, midnight duels and secret identities (ACT 1, Draft 1 in progress) . ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐: A duel time-line witchy murder mystery set between modern-day and 1648 Connecticut. (Outlining stage) . MS juggling may not be for everyone, but it definitely helps me avoid creative burnout as a perfectionist drafter. When one becomes too much, I can flip to another until the clouds pass. . I want to love the journey, not agonise over the potential destination, and with my current WIPs I'm keeping that flame of passion lit. . Which one sounds most interesting to you? . #wip #thewritercommunity #aspiringauthor #romancewriter #firstdraftclub #slowdraftersclub #writingforsanity #shewrites #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #firstdraft #projectvenetia #projectislebound
There seems to be something a lot of us in #TheWriterCommunity have in common; perfectionism. Or at least I've had & seen a lot of people communicating about it. Most of us deal with a certain degree of perfectionism somewhere down the line of writing our book, if not multiple times or all the time. It can keep you tinkering on the same line or paragraph for hours. In the worst case it holds us back to write at all. Perfectionism is this friend, if you will, that comes looking around the corner or just barges in your door with a lot of advice which isn't helpful at all at that point of time. It most likely has to do with the fact that the stories we write often play out like movies in our head but when written down... well, they don't look like those pictures in our head yet! Our stories need time to be shaped & polished but the brain simply wants to do it all at once. The second being that I think perfectionism often goes hand in hand with comparison. We read someone else's snippet, page or book & are falling completely in love with what they have written. In turn we start judging our own work harder, wanting to make it perfect in as less steps & short amount of time as is possible. Or at least I feel it's like that. In my case, it comes looking for me regularly but I have found a way to quiet it down when it does. I've gotten myself an hourglass, just 10 minutes worth of time, but it does the trick as I turn it around when my writing session begins. Most of the time I don't even notice the last grain of sand running through its bottleneck. Some days it takes a bit longer. In the end I just want to be capable of dropping my perfectionism, pretty much like the pigeon that has dropped this beautiful feather. Do you struggle with perfectionism? And what things/tricks do you use to get yourself in your writing session? Let's talk in the comments. ___ #writertalk #fantasywriterscommunity #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writinganovel #writerlife #wwtsalumni #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #thewritingcommunity #mentalhealthmonday
What are you up to? How are you doing? In my case work on the last 5 chapters for draft 2 is going well, although I have gotten slower this week. But that's okay, there's still time. Slow weeks can be good weeks too. The reason for slowing down is definitely coming due to the fact that a lot of tension sits in this part of the story & there are days where I tend to turn away from that or write the chapter without much feeling into it. Another reason being that my MC Dawn is a lot like how I was when I was 21 years old. So it hits close to home. Also enjoy this photo, of which I'm kind of proud as it took me a few hours to get the birds to just be & let me snap this picture. So out of curiousity; how do you deal with the tension of your draft? Any advice? ___ #TheWriterCommunity #findmywritingcommunity #writertalk #writergram #lovetowrite #writercheckin #amrevising #writinglife #slowdraftersclub #amwritingfantasy #storytellers #natureismagic #naturephotography๐ท #writernetwork
Happy Wednesday everyone! ๐ Here's a late night #wednesdaysnippet featuring Xavier and Lydia having a little disagreement over a cake he made. Some context for this snippet: Xavier decided to try out a cake recipe he got from the internet, only for the flavor to not end up as he hoped. Lydia's a bit hesitant to try the cake because she can sense something seems off, but doesn't want to hurt his feelings. Naturally, she decides to challenge him to taste the cake so he can realize his mistake. Doesn't mean it was easy though. ๐ As always, feedback is always appreciated! Let me know what you think of the snippet down below. โฌ๏ธ #behindthescenes #blackgirlmagic #busywriterclub #editingabook #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #indieauthors #indieauthorsofinstagram #romancewriter #romancewritersofinstagram #shewrites #shortfiction #shortstories #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #wednesdaysnippet #writelikenooneisreading #writersofinsta #writerssupportingwriters #writetowrite #writinginspiration #writinginspo #writingjourney #writingjourney22 #writingprompts #writingsnippet
Dreaming of writing all the stories roaming in my head ๐. There are at least three active ones always roaming through my mind. One, obviously, being project Fire Fox (๐ปโ๏ธ๐บ), another one being a re-telling of The Little Mermaid (๐งโโ๏ธ๐ง๐ดโโ ๏ธ) & another with the working title Empire (๐ฐ๐ ). It was a little more than two weeks ago that I went to Kingdom Of Elfia with my cousins & bestie. Every year in April it takes over Castle Haarzuilens for a weekend. It's like being completely emerged into a different world within our world. However, I would've never thought that this castle might become an inspiration for the story I'm trying to create named project Empire. So someday it will shine in one of my stories as well. Until then I allow myself to daydream about that castle & story for a bit every now & then. & maybe allow myself to do a tiny bit of research as well this week. What are you dreaming of doing the coming week? And just curious; how many ideas do you have roaming in your head? Tell me in the comments! ___ Photo by @kinggorch #futureauthor #novelwriter #amandasloothaak #writerlife #wwtsalumni #lemonfridaygang #writertalk #fantasywriter #meettheauthor #slowdraftersclub #amrevising #avidreader #writernetwork #kingdomofelfia #sundaywritinggoals
Is it me or... ...did this month flew by like a high speed train rather than a normal train? As we are setting foot into May, I still have 8 more chapters to rewrite before I call draft 2 finished & a few more to read through before sending to them to my CP for critiquing. It's my intention to finish those 8 chapters in the next 6 weeks. Perfectly fitting my current writing rhytym ๐. Also to my laptop; please finish draft 2 with me. This thing has seen the birth of the idea that is now project Fire Fox; the research, weird & whacky questions, the frustration, learning how to write an outline & novel in general, big & small writing sessions. The struggling journey of draft 1. And the beginnings of many other ideas. As well as an excesive amount of gaming pre-writing. This buddy has been of good service for many years but it's now on its last legs. Here to hoping we can finish draft 2 together & enjoy the morning sun through the window like in this picture for a few weeks longer. How has April been to you? Any intentions going into May? Tell me in the comments! ___ #TheWriterCommunity #writertalk #fantasywriterscommunity #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #amwritingfantasy #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writinganovel #writerlife #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #wwtsalumni
What do you do when you donโt hit your goals? Ramadan Writers ~ Episode 3 Watch the video above and use these 4๏ธโฃ tips: ๐ Readjust your goal ๐ Reassess your resources ๐ Keep living, take a break from your goal. ๐ Keep your progress small and consistent How are you goals coming along? Drop a ๐ below if youโre struggling to hit a goal You e set for yourself! Love, Khadijah ๐๐๐ Do you need some serious writing support? Coaching slots for August 2022 are now open! Drop me a DM for a free chat about the different options available ๐ฅฐ๐ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ #writerlife #booksaremagic #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #slowdraftersclub #amwriting #writersofinstagram #editor #writingtips #writetip #indieauthor #writersofig #writinganovel #writingabook #ramadan #ramadanmubarak #ramadankareem #ramadan2022 #ramadangoals #writinggoals #writinggoals2022 #justkeepwriting
Today has been hard. Leave-me-alone-and-let-me-wallow hard. When we have days like this, we would love to curl up inside our stories (both written and read) we have lives, responsibilities, and challenges. Today, my kids took some serious chunks out of me. Soโฆ I go to the park. As much as I wanted to stay home, this was a win-win situation. They burnt off energy and left. Me. Alone. And I got to sit in the sun, enjoy a cool breeze, and have Mr King keep my company. Sometimes youโll have days when it feels like your whole life is fighting to get between you and your stories. But remember, your life is YOUR STORY. Endure the lows so you can appreciate the highs. Easier said than done, I know. BELIEVE ME. I guess I just needed to reach out to my lovely community of Epic Writers and Incredible Readers and tell you allโฆ. Itโs ok for it to be hard. It shall pass ๐๐๐ Love, Khadijah ๐๐๐ Do you need some serious writing support? Coaching slots for August 2022 are now open! Drop me a DM for a free chat about the different options available ๐ฅฐ๐ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ #writerlife #booksaremagic #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #slowdraftersclub #writersofinstagram #editor #writingtips #writetip #indieauthor #writersofig #writinganovel #writingabook #writingchallenges #writingishard #yourstorymatters #writersupportingwriters #bookstagram #bookstagrammer
For the longest of times I wanted to draw my own charactersโ๏ธ... I did not have a single idea where to start but the will was there. Then @nikhastowrite kindly pointed me in the direction of Artbreeder ๐. Which was the game changer for me. With a lot of searching, adjusting & combining of images the base for Dawn was set. Right now I'm happy with how her face looks, which is most important really, as it comes closest to what I have in mind. Her hair has the right color but that is about it. It would be so great to see a complete picture with her hair in intricate braids & knots a.k.a. a true challenge to be drawing but a fun one. So the part of me that loves to draw & paint couldn't ignore it. Just like the world map from a few posts back, this is something I'm going to take my dear time with; It's one of those fun projects related to the story I'm writing but works perfectly as a distraction when one is needed. It will be a while before there is going to be a finished portrait of Dawn & might actually throw an update on here every once in a while. What are some passions you have beside writing & reading? Do you like bookart op books or characters art? Let's talk in the comments. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #fantasywriterscommunity #writertalk #writeyournovel2022 #writerlife #writercheckin #wwtsalumni #amwritingfantasy #fantasywriter #writersconnection #slowdraftersclub #lovetowrite #bookartwork #bookfanart #artistoninstagram #worldartday #dayofthearts
Happy Wednesday everyone! If anyone's participating in #campnanowrimo , I hope it's going well! ๐ For me, my CP, @storiesbylea_ , has been so helpful in seeing the plot holes I need to address and making my characters more realistic in their voices and actions. Remember when I posted a snippet featuring Adira's (Lydia's ex best friend) note to Xavier? ๐ Consider this snippet a follow up of that scene. ๐ Swipe right to read the snippet! โก๏ธ After receiving Adira's note, Xavierโs considerably conflicted on what to do with the information he's given. Tell Lydia and risk losing the competition or not tell her and have her be flustered on the day of, meaning he'll have a higher chance of winning. QOTD: What would you do in Xavier's situation? ๐ค There is no right or wrong answer. ๐ As always, let me know what you think in the comments below. โจ #behindthescenes #blackgirlmagic #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #shewrites #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #wednesdaysnippet #writelikenooneisreading #writerssupportingwriters #writinginspiration #writingjourney #writingjourney22 #writingprompts
Hello everyone, itโs been a while. I could say my radio silence was because of the holiday I took recently, but that would be a partial lie. Truth is, social media (and talking to people, for that matter) have been overwhelming me lately, so I took a step back. Though I couldnโt refrain myself from the occasional scroll. Bad habits, what to do? I believe the reason for that is Iโve fallen into yet another imposter syndrome crisis. This draft is NOT taking the path it should have and Iโm starting to doubt if I even know what Iโm doing anymore. Do I know what my own story is about? Whatยดs the meaning of all this? What am I trying to say with these characterโs story? Iโm not sure, and the more pressure I put on myself to know these answersโwhich I clearly donโtโthe more discouraged I get with drafting. Classic self-sabotage. And yet I canโt take these things out of my head. I thought the holiday would be good for me to loosen things up and rest my brain from self-doubt, but here I am, after almost two weeks of doing whatever and still crippling myself with these things. Something went sideways with this draft and I canโt pin exactly where, which is making me wanna throw the whole thing away and start anew. Yeah, Iโm only missing 6 chapters of this draft and I wanna set it on fire. Catastrophizing thoughts, all the way. No, Iโm not starting all over, when the finishing line is so close. Let it be bad. Let it not work. Perhaps making the wrong draft has something to teach me, even if it is how my novel is not supposed to be. And for the meantime, I need to learn one of the lessons I was supposed to teach my MC. You gotta sit with the discomfort and let it be. Things will never be perfect, and the process is one long strain of wrongs until itโs right. Writing life, am I right? What do you do when you feel discouraged with your draft? I could really use some advice right now. PS: my bestie @fantalf made me this stunning art of my boys Eric and Andrew as a birthday present and I canโt stop looking at them!!! Donโt they look beautiful? ๐๐๐
Picked out this snippet from chapter 14 of #projectFireFox as I've been reading it over before I sent it over to my CP & transporting you back to the cold of Winter for a moment... sort of ๐ . It's a moment between two old friends that find each other again. There are a lot of things about Braga (Dawn's old friend) still feels... stoic. This is one of those characters where I still need some more time exploring & getting to know better. Also writing big pieces of dialogue always takes me more time than other parts as I can't help but keep worrying whether there is too much dialogue or too little description around it. Which pretty much means that I can nitpick on it for hours. The name of the clan is still left out because I realized it comes to close to another, so there will be some tinkering on that in the future as well. I would love to have your feedback on it. Please tell me in the comments what you think of it. ___ #fantasywriterscommunity #writinganovel #writercheckin #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writertalk #novelwriter #amwritingfantasy #writerlife #fantasywriter #storytellers #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #natureismagic #naturephotography๐ท #wednesdaysnippet #wwtsalumni
Do we have to choose between Ramadan and writing? Watch episode 2 of Ramadan Writers and learn how you can align your writing intention with your lifeโs purpose. Please share this video and tag your fellow writers in the comments. Iโd love to hear your thoughts ๐ฅฐ Love, Khadijah ๐๐๐ Do you need some serious writing support? Coaching slots for August 2022 are now open! Drop me a DM for a free chat about the different options available ๐ฅฐ๐ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ #writerlife #booksaremagic #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #slowdraftersclub #amwriting #writersofinstagram #editor #writingtips #writetip #indieauthor #writersofig #writinganovel #writingabook #ramadan #ramadanmubarak #ramadankareem #ramadan2022 #ramadanthoughts #ramadanmusings #ramadanreflections #muslimwriters #muslimwritercollective
These bloomed so fast & they are beautiful to look at. Then suddenly snow & cold came & these flowers showed their resistance as they still continue blooming โ๏ธ. I love it when nature comes back to life but as it has shown it has its own unexpected way. Honestly it feels a lot like some of my characters. More than once I have felt that we as the writers are just a vessel for them to get their stories across. Even within those stories there might be more characters who would love to get into that spotlight & have the opportunity to tell their side of it all. As of now I'm still plodding away on draft 2. There are moments where other characters start to scream for attention to & there are moments where I don't know if what I do will make it better or worse but I'm still unconditionally loving it. Just some random thoughts from me. How is writing going? How are you doing? Let's talk in the comments. ___ #fantasywriterscommunity #writinganovel #writercheckin #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writertalk #novelwriter #amwritingfantasy #writerlife #fantasywriter #storytellers #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #natureismagic #naturephotography๐ท
I write letters with my characters... I believe it was Adrienne Young that told us during one of the WWTS lives last november that it is important to spend time with your characters outside your drafts & I couldn't agree more. Before the drafting started I have been writing letters with my Main Character Dawn, like we were penpals. It's the perfect way to get to know them better, learn about their backstories & personality traits. It allows you to crawl into their skin & live their lives for a moment. Once drafting started, the side characters also were added to my penpal list as many of them seemed to also have to tell me more than initially thought. The one thing I started to notice is that even when I think I already know a lot about my characters, there are still new things to learn. Even my handwriting changes when I climb into their heads. Overall I think it's a fun practice & one which helped me write detailed biographies in my notebook as well. What's one thing you do to get to know your characters better? Tell me in the comments! ___ #TheWriterCommunity #fantasywriterscommunity #writertalk #writeyournovel2022 #writerlife #writercheckin #wwtsalumni #amwritingfantasy #fantasywriter #writersconnection #slowdraftersclub #writinganovel #lemonfridaygang #letterwritingday #writingletters
Please tell me you hate pressure and expectations as much as I do! Ramadan is here and Iโm expected to have pretty decorations, Ramadan boxes for my children, read my Qurโan, listen to lectures, fast, prepare foodโฆ on top of all the other stuff I already had to do during a normal month. So guess what? Iโm saying goodbye to expectations. Because God doesnโt expect decorations. God doesnโt expect Ramadan calendars filled with sweets and a different craft activity every day. God expects me to do my best and have intention with all that I do. Which meansโฆ โช๏ธ My desk gets to be messy while I prep easy, simple meals (we donโt need a feast, people!) โช๏ธ Instead of elaborate activities, my children and I are going to curl up and read stories of Muhammad SAW and practice Quran together. โช๏ธ Instead of decorations, weโre going to spend our time taking it easy and focusing on the important parts of Ramadan. โช๏ธ Instead of indulgent feasts with hours of clean-up, we having simple meals, everyone helps clear up so we can spend the evening relaxed in prayer instead of rushing it. โช๏ธ Instead of unrealistic writing goals, I am going to spend 10 minutes with my novel each day. Whether writing, outlining or just thinking about it. Making duโa for my novelโs success is the most effective thing I can do this month. Your Ramadan may not look like everyone elseโs. And thatโs ok. Ramadan Mubarak ๐โฅ๏ธ Love, Khadijah ๐๐๐ Do you need help with writing? Coaching slots for May 2022 are now open! Drop me a DM for a free chat about your options ๐ฅฐ๐ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ #writerlife #booksaremagic #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #slowdraftersclub #amwriting #writersofinstagram #editor #writingtips #writetip #indieauthor #writersofig #writinganovel #writingabook #ramadanmubarak #ramadan2022 #ramadankareem #ramadanvibes #ramadanmubarak๐ #ramadannights #ramadantips
It's time to adjust the intentions made for the first quarter. My biggest intention for this quarter was to finish the second draft of #projectFireFox ...which I didn't manage to finish as I'm currently just past the middle of the draft & do you know what; that's okay! The last weeks the focus has been on Act One, my CP her feedback pointing things out that needed work. So instead of continuing with Act Two I went back & worked on those things. Making the first chapters so much stronger. It also gives me points to keep an eye on with writing the rest of the remaining chapters. Reality is that intentions are just intentions & therefore adjustable. I'm taking the second half of Act Two & the whole of Act Three with me in the second quarter of the year with the intention to finish those in early June. Today & tomorrow I will take time to write down & plan the steps to take to make this happen in my planner. Adjusting the quarterly goal page (in my mind intentions page) & then break it down into monthly steps that will serve as my guide throughout this second quarter of the year. And as for all my other intentions for the first three months, well, I finished those ๐. How about you? What are your intentions for April or the next quarter? Tell me in the comments so I can cheer you on as well. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #slowdraftersclub #writercheckin #fantasywriterscommunity #writertalk #writerlife #lovetowrite #amwritingfantasy #fantasywriter #writeyournovel2022 #writergram #settingintentions #plannerpost #writersnetwork
Tfw you make pretty moodboards for your WIP instead of actually revising it... ๐๐ Happy Wednesday everyone! Got some feedback from one of my CPs on how to improve Chapters 1-2 of my bakery WIP. Thanks to @storiesbylea_ for volunteering to be a CP for my bakery book! ๐ Thanks to @emily.writes.things for tagging me in today's @the_writer_community post! Speaking of baking, today's @the_writer_community 's prompt inspired me to come up with a new snippet. ๐ง Swipe right to see the snippet! โก๏ธ As always, feedback is appreciated! Let me know what you think of the new moodboard and snippet! โฌ๏ธ #characterdevelopment #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #shewrites #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #wednesdaysnippet #writelikenooneisreading #writerssupportingwriters #writinginspiration #writingjourney #writingjourney22 #writingprompts
Hello fellow writers and readers! Time for another #WriterCheckIn Chapter 17 is kicking my butt. Hard. Itโs been two weeks since I've been writing this dang thing and I canโt seem to make it work. It was supposed to be one thing on my outline that I found out now would be completely useless. A slice of life thing with a repeated beat and new characters that had no point being there. So I tossed it all away and re-outlined. And boy, how the re-outline was hard. Staring at a blank page so late on this draft is making me lose my nerves, but if pulling teeth is whatโs gonna make me finish this draft, so be it. Writing life. Gotta love it. Hopefully Iโve figured this out and today is the day Iโll finish it. Cross fingers. In the life department, my mum underwent a new procedure this week, which brings me to my hometown once again. This one was fairly mild compared to the last one, so all is well. Now itโs about a month of recovery until the next step. My reading time was severed as well, but Iโm loving The Boy who Steals Houses and hoping for the final third of the book. The days away may give me the rest and time I need, so I can finish this gem. This week my goals are: โจWrap up Chapter 17 today and hopefully start 19. โจFinish reading TBwSH and write a review. โจMake notes on a chapter my CP sent me. โจSpend quality time with my mum โจPack my bags and go on a long overdue holiday at the end of the week. Until April 10th youโll probably hear less from me, but itโs for a good cause. What has been going on with you guys? #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writerssupportingwriters #writergram #authorsofig #amwriting #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writerscorner #writersnetwork
How are you doing? Any plans or just enjoying your weekend? I'm still working on the middle of #projectFireFox , actually taking a break from it in the latter half of this week & instead have been focusing on ARC reading & reading for my CP. However during this break one of the side characters from my side projects started rearing his head as well, demanding more attention. It will be my first time making an outline for a dual POV story & continue drafting it later this year. Part of me already curious to that experience. Today is going back strong to the middle of Fire Fox & plenty of walks in between with Mazzel (๐ถ) of course. Both of us enjoying the soundtrack of nature; chirping birds & spotting some deers as well. I hope you all are having a good weekend. Any advice on writing dual POVs is welcome, so tell me in the comments if you have any! ___ #TheWriterCommunity #fantasywriterscommunity #writertalk #novelwriter #writeyournovel2022 #writerlife #writercheckin #amwritingfantasy #fantasywriter #writersnetwork #wwtsalumni #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #lovetowrite #natureismagic #friesestabij #friesestabijofig
Hello fellow writers and readers! Time for a #writercheckin Well, my plans this week were half-blown by life. Iโve had a back pain that nagged me all week and obligated me to take some painkillers that made me all kinds of drowsy. Also, some other life setbacks took my time and cut off both my writing and reading time. Chapter 17 should be over, but it's nearly half-written. Iโve made some changes to the middle outline and now Iโm picking these chapters from scratch, which makes me rather insecure to do so, later in this draft. Not knowing how to proceed has been paralyzing me and I hate when it happens. I wish I could take my own advice and Just Write, but anxiety is not letting me. Oh well. Let's try again next week. On a happier note, the wedding was amazing and I got to see my dear friend profess his love to his bride after a gruesome battle with disease. So emotional, people, it was incredible! For next week, I have the following planned: โจFinish chapter 17, and possibly start drafting chapter 19. โจ Finish reading The Boy who Steals Houses. โจ Travel to my mum's house, since sheโs getting a new procedure on Thursday. โจ Get my sh*t together and stop doubting myself. (hardest one). Thatโs it. Wish me luck! Howโs your Sunday going? Tell me one good thing that happened this week! #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writerssupportingwriters #writergram #authorsofig #amwriting #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writerscorner #writersnetwork
Happy Spring equinox, Ostara ๐ฟ. The flowers start to grow & nature comes back alive with colors & sounds. Marking the first day of Spring & new beginnings. I found these small flowers hidden behind a big branch bush while throwing a ball with Mazzel (๐ถ). The Galanthus if I'm correct, the literal translation for the Dutch word we use for them is Snowdrops though. Can't wait to see more flowers emerge from the grounds. As for progress, I'm moving forward slow but steady as usual. The middle definitely needs a good amount of attention. Are the flowers already starting to show in your area? How was your weekend? Any plans for the new week? Tell me in the comments. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #slowdraftersclub #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #writertalk #novelwriter #writerlife #amwritingfantasy #amrevising #Sundaywritinggoals #writersnetwork #natureismagic #naturephotography๐ท
๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐บ๐ ๐ผ๐ธ๐ณ๐ณ๐ป๐ด๐ . In true over-extender fashion, I'm coming up to two murky middles at the moment (Project Islebound and Project Venetia). I'm also editing a contemporary romance I wrote a few years ago with the view to self-publish it in 2023. . As I said, over-extender! . Murky middles are most writers least favourite parts to tackle. The initial awe and wonder around your glittering idea has begun to fade; your characters are rebelling from the constrains of your plot; and the fun and games section is feeling less fun and more faff. . So why is ACT 2 so important, and why should we try to relish the journey writing it? ๐ It includes an early reminder of your stakes (either through the eyes of your MC or a villainous act by your antagonist) ๐ It's a chance to explore your world and its secondary characters! ACT 1 is faster paced to set the action in motion. ACT 2 is the slow scenic ride. ๐It contains the B-plot - a second smaller plot that may be resolved before the end of ACT 2, that reveals something about your MC and develops their arc. Often a kissing plot! ๐ ๐It also contains a big turning point that will shift your protagonist from reaction to action and/or plunges them into dark night of the soul. Betrayal and plot twists fit here, and they are glorious! . Does anyone have any good advice for tackling the murky middles as I'm finding them difficult? . #writingcommunity #thewritercommunity #murkymiddles #themiddleisthebest #firstdraftisthehardest #firstdraftstruggles #classicwilla #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #writingislife #writingbymoonlight #slowdraftersclub
Who, or what, does life here? Is it... a gnome waiting for Spring to arrive so he can weed the grass & make space for the flowers to grow. Or is it a wood fairy, coming out in the evening to have interesting conversations with the birds, butterflies & other insects. But also something completely evil might lurk there, abiding it's time to wait & strike. I thought it was a fun idea to throw a prompt in #TheWriterCommunity today. Whenever I'm stuck or don't know where to start, I search & give myself a prompt. Often silly little stories result from it, but it's a good way to get started ๐. So, tell me, what do you think lives in that tree? I would love to read what your mind comes up with in the comments. ___ #fantasywriterscommunity #writinganovel #writercheckin #amrevising #writeyournovel2022 #writertalk #natureismagic #amwritingfantasy #writerlife #fantasywriter #storytellers #writingbuddies #slowdraftersclub #finmywritingcommunity #lemonfridaygang #naturephotography๐ท
For this #motivationmonday hereโs your friendly reminder that your pace is the right pace. If you write 10k in one streak then go a week (or more) without writing. If youโve won NaNoWriMo for the past 5 years. If you pull a steady 1-2k every day. If all you can manage in a week is 1k, or sometimes not even that. Though being online is a great asset for building community, it can be a bitch when you compare your progress with other peopleโs. We all have different lives and different rhythms, so do whatever works for you. Your pace is the right pace. Perhaps youโll finish sooner, or later, but if you keep doing the work, you certainly will someday. You only fail when you give up. Happy Monday! #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writerssupportingwriters #writergram #authorsofig #amwriting #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writerscorner #writersnetwork
#WriterCheckIn and #SundayWritingGoals Hello fellow writers and readers! Itโs almost a mid-month check-in and Iโve been thrilled with the work I did this week. First, I worked on a rewrite of a chapter that didnโt quite land when I sent it to my CP @author.avery.crow (seriously, get a CP, they are game-changers!) and had a lovely response on how it turned out! Iโm so happy when it happens when things that are utter meh turn out for the best. The power of editing, people, you gotta love it. Then, I got so psyched that I wrapped up another chapter (which is a lot for me, usually I do one chapter a week). Iโm not so sure about this one, and perhaps there will be some things to change as well. It happens after a big revelation at the midpoint of the story, and dealing with the aftermath of this takes a serious toll on Eric emotionally. And me, of course, the one writing him. As first drafts go, I did my best. What I wanted to put on the page is there, and the rest is for the editing phase to work its magic. Iโve already had a taste of how that can turn things out great and canโt wait to see how Eric and Andrewโs story will become. For this week, I have the following planned: โจWrite Chapter 17 of Project London. โจStart a new book on my TBR, probably The Boy who Steals Houses, highly recommended by both @lilyrookeauthor and @gee.reads.books โจUpdate my Goodreads page, which is missing some reads and reviews. โจPlan my IG content for the rest of May. and last but not least โจBe a bridesmaid for my dear friendโs wedding on Saturday. Itโs going to be one hell of a week. Wish me luck, people! What have you planned for next week?
Murky middle, we meet again. Exactly one year later. I can't help but feel that the murky middle will just stay that, the murky middle, regardless how many drafts you are into the project. Anyone else feel this way too? Last year I worked from the middle to the first chapter, which was an odd adventure in itself. A lot of corrections had to be made due to that technique. Tension to be added, characters getting a bigger role in that part of the story than initially thought. The middle needs a lot of work in this draft, draft two, as well. More tension has to be added, it needs to get more savage. It is a point from where tension has to keep building higher & worser. Or as @stanfieldwrites mentioned at the end of february; let's toss these characters into shit & see what happens. It definitely feels the right way to call it knowing some of my characters won't make it to the other end. So, the right music is one, a mug of tea to sip & a bottle filled with water to compemsate for all the tears I will shed at the ready. Let the writing commence! So what are you up to? In what stage of writing are you? Tell me in the comments. ___ #futureauthor #meettheauthor #fantasywriter #storyteller #fantasywriterscommunity #novelwriter #wwtsalumni #thewritercommunity #lemonfridaygang #amandasloothaak #amrevising #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #writerlife
๐ป๐ธ๐ด๐ ๐ธ ๐ ๐ด๐ป๐ป ๐ผ๐ ๐ ๐ด๐ป๐ต . ๐ฟ You are not good enough. ๐ฟ Your progress is too slow. ๐ฟ You aren't talented enough. ๐ฟ It's too late for a new dream. ๐ฟ Your new dream is too big. ๐ฟ No-one wants to read your work. ๐ฟ You aren't qualified enough. ๐ฟ No one on IG really cares. ๐ฟ Everyone will laugh if you fail. ๐ฟ It's easier to give up. ๐ฟ You are alone on this journey. ๐ฟ No-one else will understand. . As creatives, we are often hardwired to be self-critical (It's clearly the edge we need to make it through 10 rounds of edits without breaking!) but it can take a toll when you are feeling low. . I'm trying a new technique to quiet the unwelcome voices by reframing my negative thoughts as 'lies I tell myself'. This way I can replace them with truths. Here is one I wrote earlier... ๐๐ถ๐ฒ: You are not good enough. ๐ง๐ฟ๐๐๐ต: You have the ability to do amazing things if you keep learning every day. . What lies have you told yourself this week and how could you reframe them into a happy truth? . #thewritercommunity #truthfulwriter #mindfulwriter #mindfulwriters #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #firstdraftclub #slowdraftersclub #shewrites #fantasyauthors #writersofig #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #authors #writerlywednesday
๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ ๐ ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐ธ๐ด๐ . How much time do you spend writing the back stories for your characters and world? . Until Project Islebound I would have said very little, but I'm discovering that Fantasy is its own beast. My characters, world and cities all need a history written so that they makes sense. I'm starting to record ideas in a book bible so that they don't get lost, and I'm loving the continous process of creating a new reality. Perhaps its the historian in me! . This week @rebecca_lund_author has suffered through an info dump chapter of backstory ideas for Willa's city, Dinium, and its place in world history. Do I regret it? No. Do I regret putting it all in 1 chapter? Still no... I'm owning messy drafting in March! . For anyone in the same position of world building, here are a few things you may want to consider for your world's back story: ๐ฟ What is the creation story for your world? Does each part of your world have the same one? . ๐ฟ What timeline are you working on? Is it Judeo Christian like the Western world, another real life timeline or one of your own creation? When was the 'beginning?' . ๐ฟ What major wars or invasions, if any, have occurred in the past? How has this changed your world? . ๐ฟ What major natural disasters, I'd any, have occurred in the past? . ๐ฟ What major illnesses or plagues, if any, have occurred in the past? . ๐ฟ Who has ruled your world for the past 500 years? . ๐ฟ What recent technological developments have happened? How have these changes your world? . ๐ฟ Have the countries in your world (if multiple) historically been allies? If not, why? . ๐ฟ What is the history of important resources? . Let me know any more ideas that you think would be useful when creating a back story for your world! . #thewritercommunity #firstdraftclub #slowdraftersclub #worldbuilding #shewritesfantasy #backstory #writinglife #newauthor #bookbible #findmywritingcommunity
Hello fellow writers and readers! How about a long overdue #WriterCheckIn ? Iโve been silent for a while because Iโve been working a lot, so Iโm all kinds of tired. But a few exciting things have happened which I was dying to share with you. On the reading front, I finished beta reading Flies in the Honey, by my lovely CP @author.avery.crow and I can tell you, youโre in for a treat! A fast-paced romantic thriller with captivating and daunting characters, surely a page turner! It was a total delight to give feedback on this work and help it become even better than it already is. On the life front, weโve received some test results that contained excellent news regarding my mumโs prognosis, which has taken a tremendous weight off my chest. That alone would suffice for making me happy as hell, but thereโs another good news I need to share with you. Iโm proud to announce that I finished drafting the past timeline on Project London, which for me was the hardest part of the entire project. The ending, especially, is filled with darn hard scenes to write and has taken an emotional toll on me to draft. Although it has that same โrough draftโ feeling I mentioned before and will need a ton of work (and some rewrites), itโs done. Itโs written. And with that, thereโs only about 25% of the project left to draft. Iโm excited, exhilarated to see myself so close to the day Iโll tell you guys โthis draft is doneโ and โIโve typed The Endโ I see a finish line, and itโs not so far away. Whatโs been going on with you guys? #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writerssupportingwriters #writergram #authorsofig #amwriting #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writerscorner #writersnetwork
Did you know that it is 'Tell a fairytale day'? It's more of a thing in the US but I feel we all could use a tale to escape in for a bit. Whether that is your favourite Disney version, original & often darker version or even your own re-telling & work in progress. As a kid I adored Belle, or rather her library. Mulan being the one that helped me feel empowered. But my most favourite of all was Ariel--the Little Mermaid. My parents have told me countless times that that was the videotape pushed into the video recorder the moment I had time to see it, over & over & over again until the video couldn't take it anymore. Knowing every song by heart & singing along; most likely the reason my parents are hard of hearing these days ๐ . Many years later I learned about the original version of this story. Changing my view of the tale entirely. Currently there is this project I have on the backburner, it started as an assignment for the Creative Writing course from 3 years back where we had to write a short retelling of our favourite fairytale. No surprise that I chose to do a Little Mermaid re-telling. Last month I was stuck for a bit on my main WIP & read those first few chapters I created for that assignment. It was a sweet, maybe a little bit empowering as well, story. But it didn't feel quite right. Remembering another idea in my arsenal that would fit perfectly together with this one. Writing a new prologue for a future project with a voiceless sailors daugther & siren in mind. Those two small ideas becoming one great idea together. Making the story itself a whole lot darker than originally intended but so much more fun to work on. I don't know if it's allowed to be called a re-telling at this point, it's something to worry about later because someday this will see the light of day. Would you like to write a fairytale re-telling? And if yes, which one & why? Tell me in the comments. ___ #tellafairytaleday #thewritercommunity #writertalk #writer #writeyournovel2022 #writinglife #amwritingfantasy #fairytale #wwtsalumni #slowdraftersclub #lovetowrite #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #writinganovel #findmywritingcommunity
What makes you feel powerful when youโre writing? I love outlining. I love the excitement I feel deciding what chaos and heartache to throw at my characters. Itโs an incredibly powerful feeling. However, outlining requires more than a sadistic desire to see my characters suffer - I have to want them to grow. The drama and anguish I throw at them must serve a purpose. It must be, ultimately, to their benefit. This is where outlining requires wisdom and foresight. ๐ Embrace the big picture of your novelโฆ ๐ Go back to your initial reasons for writing the storyโฆ ๐ Remember the key purpose of your characterโs journeyโฆ โฆthen you can destroy as many hearts as you like! Do you need help getting your outline right? Coaching slots for 2022 are still open! Drop me a DM with any questions you have! ๐๐ โฃ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ .โฃ #writerlife #booksaremagic #storyteller #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #amwritingfantasy #slowdraftersclub #amwriting #writersofinstagram #editor #writingtips #writetip #indieauthor #writersofig #writinganovel #writingabook
Looking at my main character Dawn is like looking my 21 year self in the eyes. Every vulnerable piece laid open to be seen & judged. That's scary. There are definitely moments in my draft that still need a lot of editing to get it across better. I know it can & will with time; re-reading some recent edits made that clear. But I'm smiling, because I have faith in this story & also know this story still has faith in me as it is still as loud & brewing as 6 years ago. And also because this community is filled with people who all have the courage of putting their vulnerabilities out here as well ๐. To all the couragous souls out here! ___ #writerlife #storyteller #writersnetwork #thewritercommunity #amwriting #amwritingfantasy #wwtsalumni #amrevising #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #writercommunity #amandasloothaak
Draft 2 of #projectFireFox is going well & I'm edging closer to that murky middle. I can't help but think it's funny the midpoint was the original chapter one in Draft Zero. It has changed so much in each draft already. Without that change this snippet most likely wouldn't even exist as it comes from the first half of Act Two. I love how it will help me build a relationship between two characters that I didn't even see coming. A good writing win if you ask me ๐. So I thought it was about time to share something for #onelinewednesday & yes I know it's more than one line but really wanted to share some more context. (Name is redacted for now) Since my first draft needed a lot of cutting up & re-adjusting, despite me being an underwriter. I did make a folder on my computer called 'The Trashury' (not a real word but let's just roll with it) where all those pieces that got cut from writing projects are saved. By now it's filled with word documents with several old project names. That way they are never entirely gone. Maybe this idea can be helpful to anyone that has a hard time editing & cutting out pieces of their works. The idea that those pieces are never entirely gone really helped me make the right choice for said project. Do you keep the cut out pieces from your drafts as well? Are you an overwriter or underwriter? Tell me in the comments. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #slowdraftersclub #writercheckin #writeyournovel2022 #fantasywriter #amwritingfantasy #lovetowrite #writerlife #wwtsalumni #writertalk #wednesdaysnippet #naturephotography๐ท #natureismagic #themoonsunandskychallenge
Let's talk about world maps ๐บ Are you just like me & do you love to have world maps in books? Or does it not matter for you? I love to have them as it allows me to get an even better idea of the world described in the book. Seeing the names of cities, villages & places that can be so creative & where these places reside within that world. So with that in mind I already started drafting a world map for #projectFireFox when working on the outline. Helping me to track the roads my characters would be walking or sleding. Visualizing the way they travelled. It has been erased & adjusted many times before settling on how it looks now. The southern & eastern regions still need some work; adding mountains & trees & the names of the clans in their respective territories. Also a practical & fun tip; From now on I intend to use a piece of vellum or baking paper (as that works just as well) to lay over my cleaned up map & draw in the routes taking throughout the book. It also can be used to draw in multiple layers if that's the case. There are many things I like about my work in progress. But cleaning up the world map sketch & actually seeing the clean shape of the world is amazing. Believe it or not, this already took me half a day. Enjoying every small bit of the process though ๐. What is a favourite thing you created for your ficitional world? Tell me in the comments. ___ #TheWriterCommunity #fantasywriterscommunity #writertalk #writeyournovel2022 #writerlife #writercheckin #wwtsalumni #amwritingfantasy #fantasywriter #writersconnection #slowdraftersclub #lovetowrite #themoonsunandskychallenge #storydevelopmentthursday
Hello fellow writers and readers! How about a #WriterCheckIn for the week? Itโs my first week back from my parentโs house, and itโs been a bit strange going back to work and everything else in my house and life after such a big change. However, following my therapistโs advice, Iโm taking it day by day and doing what I can, when I can. Of course, my desire to be productive and my passion for this project urged me to write. Chapter 20 was mostly written this weekend. Itโs an emotional rollercoaster in the past timeline, where we finally discover how Eric and Andrewโs relationship went sideways when they were young. A hard and painful chapter to write in every way, that made me realise how much Iโll have to edit on draft two, especially some parts in the present timeline that will have to hit harder after I have the full scope of what happened to them. I mean, I knew. But knowing the bullet points on the surface is one thing, and having the scene laid out before your eyes is another thing entirely. My heart clenched and tears were shed. Itโs one of the chapters that feels most like a first draft (almost a rough draft) because I canโt bring myself to stay on the scene long enough to fix it. It made me seriously doubt my ability to tell this story, or perhaps Iโm still in a fragile emotional state for scenes like that. At least itโs written. I can do everything else later. Now Iโm off to beta read for the rest of the day and prepare myself for next week. The Dark Night of the Soul. Hopefully, Iโm ready for it. How is your Sunday going? #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writerssupportingwriters #writergram #authorsofig #amwriting #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writerscorner #writersnetworks
How was your weekend? Tell me in the comments. This evening my cousins & aunt took me & my mom to see the China Lights, that they set up for a few weeks around Lunar New Year. It was so much fun. Of course I also couldn't help but take my photo camera to take some photos ๐. It was good to have a break from everyday life for a bit. First photo courtesy of @aidenyoon_ As for #themoonsunandskychallenge I did absolutely no writing today after Mazzel (๐ถ) & I got soaked in the rain this morning. Tomorrow writing will be back on schedule but it was good to have a break. Tell me, how was your weekend? ___ #futureauthor #meettheauthor #writerlife #writersnetwork #wwtsalumni #lemonfridaygang #slowdraftersclub #amandasloothaak #chinalightsemmen #writercheckin #writercommunity
โ๐ช๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐, ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ปโ๐ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐น ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฒ๐น๐๐ฒ.โ โ ๐๐น๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ ๐ฆ๐๐ฒ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐บ Happy Sunday everyone! This week has gone pretty well! โค๏ธ โ๏ธ Revised Chapters 1-6 of my bakery WIP. ๐ Published my Ko-fi introduction post for @kofi_button 's January challenge and won! ๐ ๐ฏ ๐ผ๏ธ Made another aesthetic for my bakery WIP. Goals for this week include: โ๏ธ Revise Chapters 7-10 of my bakery WIP. ๐ Make plan for publishing bakery WIP (marketing, promotion, ARC book unboxing) ๐ Read The Art of Falling by @annasteffeyy , Songs of You by @mariannahubrism . ๐ฒ Find more recipes to make besides turkey burgers and stir fry. ๐๐ญ After working on my book for months, I've decided to take a few days off to see if I can figure out where the plot holes are and take some time for myself (taking a page out of @authorslhaynes 's post). โค๏ธ As always, thanks for supporting me and my writing by commenting on my snippets or donating to my Ko-Fi page (which you can find in the link in my bio). Shout-out to @victoriaadeauthor for finishing her first draft! Proud of you, girl! ๐ฏ #5amwritersclub #busywriterclub #findmywritingcommunity #gentlewriter #seconddraftclub #slowdraftersclub #sundaycheckin #themindfulwriter #thewritercommunity #writerssupportingwriters
๐ ๐ ๐ธ๐ ๐ด๐ ๐ฒ๐ท๐ด๐ฒ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฝ #writercheckin . I have one word for this week: ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ก๐. . After two weeks of crazy work schedules, and far longer burning myself out, I'm taking it into my own hands to focus on self care this week. . Therefore this week's intentions are all geared towards gentle progress and gentler expectations: . ๐ Make time to read before bed ๐ Be more present for my CP's and their amazing WIPs ๐ค Turn my morning cup of tea into a ritual, and listen to a podcast as the sun rises ๐ค Put my phone away when I get home so that I can be more present with loved ones ๐ค Stick to my bedtime routine ๐ Pre-plan when I'm going to write this week to take the pressure of 'finding' time . I've loved seeing so many people working towards their dreams. Shout outs to @victoriaadeauthor and @bull_in_a_writing_shop for reaching huge milestones, and I can't wait to see what this week brings to everyone at @the_writer_community . #themindfulwriter #5amwritersclub #slowdraftersclub #gentlewriter #findmywritingcommunity #firstdraftclub #firstdraftisthehardest #writerssupportingwriters #sundaycheckin
Happy Thursday everyone! Thanks to @amberlambda and @authorlianamiller for the #busywriterclub challenge! ๐ As for how writing is going, it seems like revisions are getting harder. ๐ญ I had to cut some beautiful prose yesterday to make the chapters flow better and I'm posting a #wednesdaysnippet on Thursday, so that's how tired I am. ๐ด Anyway, yesterday was #inspiredwriterwednesday , so I wanted to share what inspires me. Baking has always been a part of my life ever since I was young, even to the point where my mom and I had a community home bakery. ๐ฅฐ Baking is just *one* of the ways I express my creativity. There's so many outlets I have and have yet to explore. So enjoy a snippet of my hobby being passed down to my male MC, Xavier. ๐ง โฉ Swipe right to see the snippet and let me know your thoughts down below. โฌ #busywriterclub #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #tiredauthor #tiredwriter #wednesdaysnippet #writeforthesoul #writercheckin #writerssupportingwriters #writer #writingislife
๐ ๐ ๐ธ๐ ๐ด๐ ๐ฒ๐ท๐ด๐ฒ๐บ ๐ธ๐ฝ . The fact I'm posting a Wednesday snippet on a Thursday tells you a lot about my current headspace. The fact that this was meant to be for last Wednesday tells you even more! . Work is kicking my butt. Booster jab kicked my butt. Staying sociable and making connections, all while trying to keep in contact with my UK friends and family is kicking my butt. Having a sibling unexpectedly move into our spare room (and my writing room) for 3 months has kicked my butt! Hard. . Right now it is Life 1: Sophie 0 . Writing has been a wonderful source of release, and I'm loving both my WIPs so much...but finding time has become near impossible between commitments and fatigue! It's a strange knife edge to walk on - wanting to write and yet knowing I shouldn't - and I feel myself burning the candle at both ends. . All in all, I've got a very messy head at the moment, and IG has taken a bit of a hit as a result. To all the people tagged, know I am still here, still loving content and cheering on everyone's achievements...but in a silent, slightly creepy, voyeuristic way ๐. Hoping February becomes a little calmer and I give myself the grace to stop and to write...and to laugh about it all later! . #thewritercommunity #wednesdaysnippet #writerssupportingwriters #writercheckin #tiredwriter #writer #writingislife #writeforthesoul #tiredauthor #firstdraftclub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity
Hey everyone! Itโs been a while (I feel like Iโve been saying this an awful lot, which tells something about my presence in the community). That said, itโs time for a long overdue #WriterCheckIn For those who havenโt heard, my mum has been sick since December, and last week she went through a huge procedure. Sheโs fine now, considering, and recovering at home, but thereโs still a long way to go with treatment for things to go back to some sort of normality (if there ever will be). Iโm alright, rest assured. Though the whirlwind of feelings has stormed me this last week, and taken a toll on both my physical and mental state, Iโm handling this fairly well. My mindset is fixed on a full recovery and cure, and I know I must be strong for my momma because sheโs in a fragile state. Unfortunately, this has slowed my progress yet again. Iโm currently writing chapter 20, which is a couple of chapters away from the Dark Night of the Soul, and I know I must be at my best to draft such a climatic and strong scene. However, the feelings of my current experience have dripped into my writing recently, and though sometimes I canโt even fathom trying to write, sometimes I find myself searching for my characters to pour them out. A very hard scene was written last week in that midst. Go figure. I had a schedule for finishing this draft until April, which Iโm not sure Iโll be able to keep up with all thatโs happening, but Iโm trying not to think too much about that. Iโll write whatever I can, whenever I can. Taking it day by day. Thatโs my current mindset. Whatโs something youโve been excited about recently? #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writerssupportingwriters #writergram #authorsofig #amwriting #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writerscorner #writersnetwork
Happy Friday everyone! Wanted to share a new aesthetic that I made for my bakery WIP a few days ago as part of @authorlianamiller and @amberlambda 's #busywritersclub ! One of the things I loved about creating this aesthetic was the summer vibes I'm going for. โ๏ธ Fun fact about my WIP: The story starts in the summer and ends in the fall and I made that change on purpose since fall signifies new beginnings. ๐ฅฐ One of the things I accomplished this week was finishing two chapters for this WIP and adding more details to my new outline. ๐ Let me know what you think of the moodboard and anything you've accomplished this week (no accomplishment is too small) in the comments down below. โฌ๏ธ #aspiringauthors #blackauthors #busywritersclub #creativefiction #debutauthor #forwardwriterfriday #shewrites #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #writercommunity #writerssupportingwriters #writingjourney #writingjourney22
Slow & steady wins the race. That's the mantra that helps reminding me that it is okay. I don't have to move as fast as other people can, even though I admire the people who can work so fast. Everyone has their own pace. Each & every journey is unique! This week however, this reminder was a much needed. Currently I'm getting deeper into Act 2 of my second draft which has multiple scenes that I loved to create in the first draft. It's so easy to want to move fast toward those scenes & edit them, but the pieces in between deserve at least the same amount of love. It really helps to remind myself that slow & steady is perfectly fine. Do you have such reminders for yourself as well? How was your week? What have you been up to? Tell me in the comments! ___ #TheWriterCommunity #slowdraftersclub #writercheckin #findmywritingcommunity #writertalk #novelwriter #writerlife #amwritingfantasy #fantasywriter #ilovetowrite #amrevising #writersnetwork #natureismagic #naturephotography๐ท
The whole idea for this book series was born out of my desire to see positive Brown and Muslim representation in sci-fi settings where they weren't reduced to being a token minor character. And when I couldn't find much, I figured I'd just write it myself. What sort of diversity or representation do you wish to see more of in books and media? #januarywipchallenge2022 hosted by @celestial.haze.writing #Frostieverse #thewritercommunity #writersociety #findmywritingcommunity #readingaddict #scifibooks #authorofcolor #slowdraftersclub #novelwriter #writermom #writerlife #indiewriter #amwritingscifi #scifireaders #scifiauthors #scifiwriter #supportwriters #supportwritersandauthors #januarywriterswipchallenge #writerfriendschallenge #writergram #sciencefictionwriter #iwritescifi #writeyournovel2022 #writerchallenge2022 #authorchallenge2022 #writinganovel
Happy Wednesday everyone! Thanks to @amberlambda and @authorlianamiller for coming up with the #busywritersclub challenge. Today's #inspiredwriterwednesday and one of the things that inspires me to write is writing prompts like the ones over at #thewritercommunity. Today's prompt was about a handwritten note and I originally planned for it to be romantic, then I changed it to a mystery at the last minute. ๐ Sounds like trouble's brewing over on Xavier's side of things. But I'm sureee Adira being a contestant in their community's first baking competition won't cause Lydia to lose focus... right? ๐ฐ Either way, Lydia's gonna be pissed and there will be drama. ๐ Leave your thoughts on today's snippet and predictions on what will happen during the baking competition below. โฌ๏ธ Might use it in a scene (or two). #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #shewrites #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #writelikenooneisreading #writerssupportingwriters #writinginspiration #writingjourney #writingjourney22 #writingprompts
๐๐.๐๐.๐๐ "๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ช๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ข๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ช๐ต๐ด. ๐ ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐จ๐ฆ๐ต ๐ข ๐ค๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฎ, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ต๐ต๐บ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ ๐ฉ๐ข๐ท๐ฆ ๐ข ๐ฅ๐ฐ๐ป๐ฆ๐ฏ." โย ๐๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ฏ ๐๐ต๐ฆ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฌ . Why is it that ideas are like buses? For months at a time they're elusive - fleeting at best, just out of reach. Then all at once, they come and come and come! . I've got 2 WIPs at the moment and exploring both worlds has been such a joy. Regency England and dystopian fantasy London are as distant as they come, but they've both stolen my heart (and my lunch breaks!). . Of course, it's easier to feel inspired when your view looks like this. Loving after work writing, when it is sunny outside and the iced tea is endless. So far this week I'm getting sh*t done, and loving it! . How are your weeks going? . #writercheckin #storydevelopment #writingcommunity #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #authorlife #travellingwriter #writinginspirations #5amwritersclub #slowdraftersclub #writeitlikeitshot #writelikenooneisreading #firstdraftclub #firstdraft #writeforthesoul #writingishard #shewrites #writerssupportingwriters #writingjourney22 #aspiringauthor #shewrites #writingjournal #writersofinstagram #writersofig
๐๐.๐๐.๐๐ #writercheckin . Most weeks my mottos and intentions are gentle, but this week is for kicking some ass! . #thewritercommunity #storydevelopment #writingcommunity #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #authorlife #travellingwriter #writinginspirations #5amwritersclub #slowdraftersclub #writeitlikeitshot #writelikenooneisreading #lovepoetry #writerssupportingwriters #author #theauthorcommunity
Happy Wednesday everyone! It's been a while since I've posted a Wednesday snippet so I decided to share this one with you all! For context, Lydia's parents have gotten a new hire to help around in Creative Confections. A few fun facts about Darcy: ๐ซ Chocolatier in the making. ๐ถโโ๏ธ Runs track with her friend, Tiwa. ๐ Can be a bit of a flirt. โจ Has a nickname for everyone in her friend group. What do you think of this snippet? Let me know in the comments below. #authorsofinstagram #booksnippets #bookstagram #bookteaser #findmywritingcommunity #findyourwritingcommunity #indieauthor #shewrites #slowdraft #slowdraftersclub #thewritercommunity #workinprogress #writerssupportingwriters #writingcommunity #writingforhappiness #writingjourney22
I figured I should do a catch up post for all of the fun prompts I missed doing for the #januarywipchallenge2022 hosted by @celestial.haze.writing What side of the scale does your WIP lean on? Is it dark, full of humor and/or fluffy moments? A little bit of everything? What sort of books do you prefer as a reader? Do you discovery write your characters or are you the sort of person who fills out detailed character sheets for everyone before your begin writing? #Frostieverse #thewritercommunity #writersociety #findmywritingcommunity #readingaddict #scifibooks #authorofcolor #slowdraftersclub #novelwriter #writermom #writerlife #indiewriter #amwritingscifi #scifireaders #scifiauthors #scifiwriter #supportwriters #supportwritersandauthors #januarywriterswipchallenge #writerfriendschallenge #writergram #sciencefictionwriter #iwritescifi #writeyournovel2022 #writerchallenge2022 #authorchallenge2022 #writinganovel
Itโs been a while since my last #WriterCheckIn perhaps because the end of the year hasnโt been the best for me. Iโve been numb and hopeless, and though I have good reason to be feeling this way this time, I know a good deal of my response to it is because of depression. The sneaky bastard creeps in and settles when I least expect it. But enough of it. Iโm not here to talk about gloomy things, but rather how to get out of it. Because if one thing Iโve learnt while dealing with it, is this: Nothing changes unless you take action. Thatโs what I did. It started with a reframing of this page, and a long overdue change of username. With a beta read I was dying to finish, but didnโt have the energy to. And last, with writing a new chapter for my WIP. You know when people tell you motivation doesnโt come out of the blue; you do things, then motivation follows? Thatโs absolutely true. I was feeling weird and hollow for almost a month, and this week, after I finally finished this chapterโcrappy as it isโI started feeling like myself again. My writing gave me fuel, and this is how I know Iโve been doing the right thing. I even started reading for my own pleasure again, something unimaginable when Iโm deep in the rut. Iโm reading I Wish You All the Best, by Mason Deaver, and loving it so far. Maybe this will be the comeback of queer Thursdays? Who knows? Iโm not putting pressure on myself, but rather rolling with my energy flow. Perhaps Iโll write more later, perhaps Iโll read more. Or maybe Iโll kick the bucket and even go out of the house and see some friends. Itโs Saturday, letโs go wild! The one thing Iโm not doing anymore is sitting still. My writing gave me fuel, and I will not waste it. Do you feel like that with your writing as well? #TheWriterCommunity #firstdraftflub #slowdraftersclub #findmywritingcommunity #TheWritingCommunity #writingcommunity #writersofinstagram #writersofinsta #writingcommunity #indiewriter #indieauthorsrule #writersfollowwriters #igwrites #writersofig #indieauthor #aspiringauthor #fictionwriter #myfirstnovel #writingprocess #writergram #authorsofig #amdrafting #amwritingromance #writinginspiration #writerslife #writersnetwork