The Writer's Guild

[Phytomancer]

And here is the response of the challenge!!

 

Something was odd about the guy at the register. First of all, his name tag read 'Phyto.' What kind of name was that?

 

He was a short, stocky Asian man. His features reminded me of a bird. Feathery raven hair spiked up everywhere above his peanut butter-colored face; pointy nose, with huge dark eyes. He didn't look like the Changs nor me. Different kind of Asian, I guess.

 

"Would you like some fries with that?" He asked with a smug grin-- something mismatched with this generic fast food chain. The smile was as if he knew some secrets too amusing to share-- as if he figured out how the universe worked. 

 

"Why would I want fries with McFlurries?" I asked. 

 

"Just asking," the cashier shrugged his shoulders-- they are way too wide for his modest height, "Your lady friend looks like she could use a pack of fries. She's not the sweet-tooth type like you certainly are."

 

I turned around to look at Iswa. She was taking a nap on the yellow fiberglass table. The frizz of her black hair billowed like smoke under the air conditioner.  

 

I decided that the kid was just being too creepy. But before I could turn around, he bent over the counter and whispered. His smile melted away. "I'd be careful about a young woman with a baby, if I were you."

 

"What?" I asked. This had never happened. Your adoptive dad possessed by your biological father? Check. Your new friend channeling goddess of murder and destruction as a hobby? Check. Being careful about mommy and toddler? This is a new level of weird.

 

"Young woman. Carrying a baby. They're coming for you." He said under his breath. His expression clouded with concern.

 

"Right, thanks." I decided that he was just a doped weirdo for a change. Gathered the ice cream, and walked back to Iswa.

 

"Hey," I called.

 

"What?" Spirit hunter extraordinaire answered, wiping the drool at the corner of her mouth.

 

"I bought you some ice-cream." I said, handing it to her.

 

"Thanks, Luke." She accepted it, digging in slowly, "but next time don't worry about it. I'm not exactly big on sweets. Let me buy you some fries next time."

 

A woman with a stroller walked pass our table. I jumped.

 

Laughter drifted over from the deep fryer's direction, mixing with the sound of people and sizzling oil.       

[RMDC]

A. Write a short paragraph or two on the interaction of between yourself and the protagonist of a story you are working on/completed. Think of it as the artist meeting their creation.

 

The author clutched his head. He'd never had a migraine before, but he was pretty sure this was close enough. He knew something strange demanded his attention, but it would have to wait. Right now the capacity for focus had been edged out by the sensation that his eyes were too big for his skull.

 

It was at least three minutes before he was able to take notice of his circumstances. He was kneeling on the ground, dressed in uncomfortable clothes. His hands felt odd against his face. In fact, everything about his body felt wrong. Screwing up his courage - he wasn't sure if light would trigger another headache - he opened his eyes to look at himself.

 

He realized he had a snout. A dog snout.

 

"There!" A woman's voice from his right. His ears flicked in response. That was a sensation he never expected to feel. He turned his head. Two women were approaching, one not quite middle aged, wearing stylized chain armor and carrying an axe with a broad edge in both hands, the other younger, wearing leather shoulder pauldrons buckled over a university athletic T-shirt, a skirt made of stiff leather strips with metal studs along their length, and running sneakers. A wooden haft slapped at her thigh, dangling from a holster at her hip that she was unfastening, revealing the head of an enormous hammer, easily as big as both the author's fists (hairy fists, with claws at the end, he realized), with a square, flat face and a wicked spike at the back.

 

The younger woman's face was a picture of righteous wrath. "If you have any shred of justice in you, you'll give up and pay for what you've done."

 

The author stood and put up both hands in what he hoped was a gesture of surrender. He tried to speak, but he only bit his tongue. He was sure he could figure it out in time. He just wasn't used to a six-inch schnoz.

 

The older woman hefted her axe. "Looks like he wants a fight!" She went right into a dead run, slowed only a little by the weight of her armor and weapon. The younger woman did likewise, breaking to one side. The author realized he was about to be flanked by two angry women. Then he felt the hilt of a dagger in his hand. He hadn't realized he'd been clutching it ever since his headache. Was he hallucinating? Was this a nightmare? This must be a nightmare. Or worse, he was having an aneurysm in his sleep, and this would be the last experience he had before he died.

 

He had just enough time to wonder if aneurysms were painful before the hammer came in at full swing and dislocated... well, everything.

[Phytomancer]

Came across this news. NYC Short Story Competition!!

 

http://www.nycmidnight.com/Competitions/SSC/Challenge.htm

[Annabelle]

Woo! Okay, so - time I got this intro underway yea?

 

I'm a recent grad in Classic/Medieval/Early Modern Lit - and I absolutely loved my major. (Granted, I'm working a job that really doesn't rely on my writing skills at all - but that's neither here nor there xD)

 

I typically write collaborative fiction - primarily online wrestling xD (it sounds way nerdier than it is - there's actually a lot of character development that goes on!) and I tried to get an online World of Darkness game off the ground but it never really took off the way I'd hoped. Which was super disappointing. I had a royal bundle of storylines set up for all sorts of creatures.

 

Right now, in between my fedding I'm trying to put together a Pathfinder campaign. I tried a Skyrim themed campaign before and got a moderately constructed theme set up (and the epic questlines - depending on the alignment of the campaign) but I made two big mistakes. I let all my power-gaming friends play (and with a newbie DM is a TERRIBLE idea >.<) and I failed to have a set Point A -> Point B -> end game path set up. If anyone's ever watched Dorkness Rising - I'm very much in the boat of Lodge. I have the story, and I know exactly where the story ends - I just.. don't know how to get there.

 

So that's on the agenda here shortly! I'm excited to run it, but I'm going to run a few pre-fab games to get my DMing skills up to par before I try to completely homebrew this campaign.

[zeroh13]

Right now, in between my fedding I'm trying to put together a Pathfinder campaign. I tried a Skyrim themed campaign before and got a moderately constructed theme set up (and the epic questlines - depending on the alignment of the campaign) but I made two big mistakes. I let all my power-gaming friends play (and with a newbie DM is a TERRIBLE idea >.<) and I failed to have a set Point A -> Point B -> end game path set up. If anyone's ever watched Dorkness Rising - I'm very much in the boat of Lodge. I have the story, and I know exactly where the story ends - I just.. don't know how to get there.

Both of my parents DM on the weekend, and they'll have a good story set up with a nice path from beginning to end, but with their gaming group things never end up the way they intended. What do you mean we weren't supposed to kill that NPC in the beginning who was supposed to be the big bad at the end? You mean we weren't supposed to take over the town and become mayor? Why should we get lost in this labyrinth full of traps when we can just suduce the Minotaur?

[Annabelle]

xD My group I game with is admittedly like that - but I wasn't prepared with actually fleshed out NPCs or anything like that. I knew where I wanted them to go and where the questline was going, but nobody in the middle to connect the proverbial dots.

[Kilyra]

Well, I'm late on this one, but here's my Kily Den! I live in an apartment, so there's not tons of space, but I claimed the dining room as mine I installed some curtain rods from the ceiling so I can actually close the area off and have my own "room". Often the cats just use it as a way to surprise attack each other, but once that calms down, it's a pretty good space. I made the steampunk gun for a costume a few years ago, and then made the frame to go around it and a neato looking map. I also made the metal looking frame around the other picture. Girl's gotta have her girlie decorations haha

 

 

 

 

 

[Kilyra]

Hey fellow writers, I'm hoping I can get your help with something!

 

In my futuristic sci-fi, my MC has a drug addiction, but I need a name for it and keep coming up empty handed.

 

It's an upper, and she's been on it so long that it's pretty much what gives her clarity when she's jonsing for a hit. So an upper/stimulant type deal. As a place holder, I was calling it "flash", but I need a name that sounds good when you're talking about the group that uses it. Calling them "flashers" is NOT working LOL

 

Ideas?

[Redbeard the Viking]

January 4 - 29, 2016 Challenge Week 3 mini-challenge

(Take part or not, just a little bit of fun. I think it goes without saying that being polite and respectful is expected.)

The challenge this week is to either...

A. Write a short paragraph or two on the interaction of between yourself and the protagonist of a story you are working on/completed. Think of it as the artist meeting their creation.

The wind snaked through the blades of grass in the clearing and it made him shiver. The goddesses shined from behind the trees. Their silver threads of light illuminating the field made the waving grass shimmer from the dew clung to each blade.

He was not alone, he could sense that much. From under the hood, eyes the color of melted copper and bronze scanned the area. Show yourself... His hand rested by the hilt of his sword.

"Gods bless... My bloody head, " I felt the cool grass beneath me and rubbed my temples.

"A child," he mumbled to himself and walked towards the voice. "Who are you, young one?"

I sat up slowly and put on my glasses before I tried to stand. In front of me stood a man, draped in a forest green cloak. "I am far from a child."

The cloaked man stopped. He removed the hood. "What sort of game is this," he asked. His hair was auburn and it went in waves down to his shoulders. He was fair skinned and upon his chin a beard grew. His beard braided with beads.

He seemed oddly familiar and it felt as though I was staring at a mirror.

[Sovellis]

Hey fellow writers, I'm hoping I can get your help with something!

 

In my futuristic sci-fi, my MC has a drug addiction, but I need a name for it and keep coming up empty handed.

 

It's an upper, and she's been on it so long that it's pretty much what gives her clarity when she's jonsing for a hit. So an upper/stimulant type deal. As a place holder, I was calling it "flash", but I need a name that sounds good when you're talking about the group that uses it. Calling them "flashers" is NOT working LOL

 

Ideas?

 

 

Can you tell us any more about the drug culture that would have produced a name for this? Are there other drugs with slang names, or other subculture colloquialisms that exist in your world?

[RMDC]

Kilyra, I'm really digging that nook, especially those frames and that gun!

[Kilyra]

Can you tell us any more about the drug culture that would have produced a name for this? Are there other drugs with slang names, or other subculture colloquialisms that exist in your world?

 

Dang, that's something I hadn't thought of actually. It's taken through a diffuser - load the vial into the chamber, hold it against your temple and it's rapidly absorbed through the skin. That much I know for sure. It's a medical device, but as accessible as needles are today.

 

Hmm, now that I'm thinking about it, I would have to say it's similar to the coke culture of today. There's the dark side of it for where it comes from and is distributed through, but the actual clients vary greatly. Some are professionals that you'd never really guess and others are into the party life and it's pretty obvious. Others get derailed entirely and wind up in the gutters.

 

That's not super helpful though...I'm still at the naming everything stage. I wrote it quickly through Nano and there was a lot of placeholder names, including all the cities/colonies themselves. It sucks, I've really hit a wall that way.

[TheFatFriar]

Dang, that's something I hadn't thought of actually. It's taken through a diffuser - load the vial into the chamber, hold it against your temple and it's rapidly absorbed through the skin. That much I know for sure. It's a medical device, but as accessible as needles are today.

 

Hmm, now that I'm thinking about it, I would have to say it's similar to the coke culture of today. There's the dark side of it for where it comes from and is distributed through, but the actual clients vary greatly. Some are professionals that you'd never really guess and others are into the party life and it's pretty obvious. Others get derailed entirely and wind up in the gutters.

 

That's not super helpful though...I'm still at the naming everything stage. I wrote it quickly through Nano and there was a lot of placeholder names, including all the cities/colonies themselves. It sucks, I've really hit a wall that way.

 

I actually like the name "flashers" But here's my suggestion: The way that diffuser is used sounds like a gun, like someone is commiting suicide by putting a bullet in their brain, you know... If all drugs are taken this way, maybe people in your future universe could give their drugs the names of different guns or other weapons from our present day. Now I don't know much about gun culture, so I can't suggest you any names, but you can do a simple research if you like the concept. Also, those names will give the story a sense of nostalgia and a link to our reality, since it's a futuristic novel. I don't know, just an idea

[petefeet]

Dang, that's something I hadn't thought of actually. It's taken through a diffuser - load the vial into the chamber, hold it against your temple and it's rapidly absorbed through the skin. That much I know for sure. It's a medical device, but as accessible as needles are today.

 

 

 

Reading this, the first thing that came to mind was the old school Frankenstein monsters with the bolts in their temples. Maybe something along those themes? Bolters? "Taking a Bolt"? A "Bolt-head"? Just an idea.

[Phytomancer]

Zap? and Zappies?

[Jett]

What effects does the drug have? (Other than generically being an upper.) If it has a specific feeling to the high, or a particular physiological side effect, like a restlessness or making a particular body part twitch or something, then it would probably get a slang/street name related to that. The appearance or origin of the drug could also create a nickname. Is it the color of a common substance, like red blood or wine, or, I dunno, blue like cleaning fluid? Yellow like piss? Etc. Does it derive from the jelly of a species of jellyfish? Call it Jelly or Stinger or something. From a live culture of a nasty virus? Viral, or Snot, etc.

 

I also think Kunmaar's observation that the act of taking the drug resembles shooting yourself in the head is a great one. Maybe the drug itself wouldn't get a name based on it, but "suicide" or "pulling the trigger" could be slang for taking drugs in that culture, if the imagery of putting a gun to your head is still recognizable in their culture.

[petefeet]

January 4 - 29, 2016 Challenge Week 4 mini-challenge

 

(Take part or not, just a little bit of fun. I think it goes without saying that being polite and respectful is expected.)

 

The challenge this week is to either...

 

A. Share a piece of your original prose with us (Thanks Sov for the suggestion.)

 

OR

 

B. Share a part of your writing process.

 

FYI, I'm away next week (Feb 1-6) so if someone would like to take the reins that week, I would be greatly appreciated.

[petefeet]

January 4 - 29, 2016 Challenge Week 4 mini-challenge

 

(Take part or not, just a little bit of fun. I think it goes without saying that being polite and respectful is expected.)

 

 

B. Share a part of your writing process.

 

 

For me, more other than not a short story begins with the title. I realize this sounds a little backwards, but I'll be reading something, listening to radio, watching news etc... and I'll hear an interesting turn of phrase and think to myself "That would make and interesting title". That gets the old mind churning as I start wondering what the story could be about, who might be involved etc...

 

That usually turns into random thoughts scribbled on post-it notes or loose paper (usually in pencil, can't write in ink for some reason). These random notes I try and combine into a page or two outline in bullet form. The outline is then rewritten into a longer expanded outline with rough dialogue and action scenes and is usually 2/3 the length of the finally piece. 

 

Once I have the "completed" outline then I hit my PC. I'm a terrible typist, and find the lack of flow in this area makes it easy for me to lose focus when writing. After I have my first draft completed, I print it out for proofreading, something I find it almost impossible to do just by looking at the screen, I need to hold the pages. From there I make edit's etc.. and then go back to my computer.

 

It's a long, backwards process, but more times than not, it works for me.

[RMDC]

I think you can often tell a story that starts with a good title. It has that breathless spark to it. Some of my favorite sci-fi stories fall into that category.

 

 

B. Share a part of your writing process.

 

Most of my writing in the past ten years has been sunk into an intense, almost daily-running home tabletop RPG between myself and my ex-wife. As a result, I've gotten in the habit of starting the genre fiction writing process with a pass against the enormous stable of random tables I've developed and accrued. Just a few randomly imposed parameters and I'm ready to get cracking. Sometimes it's a challenge to figure out what to do with the odd results that come from the tables, but there's always a way to work it in.

[TheFatFriar]

B. Share a part of your writing process.

 

Okay, I missed the previous challenge, because I don't have a special writing space and I couldn't find the inspiration to write a dialogue between me and a character. I'm terrible at self-inserts.

 

Anyway, the most imporant part of my writing process is anonymity (does that count as a part?) because whenever I tried to write something by my real name, I felt pressured and as a result, the writing turns out to be disaster. Everyone who knows me assumes the protogonist is a self-insert. For example, once I'd shown my mom a cover design with a female silhouette, and the first thing she said was "Is this you on the cover?" There are no words to describe how much I hate that. I don't have anything against other people's self-insert, but some people around me just don't get the meaning of "fiction."

 

Anonymity sets my imagination free. I know no one would judge me as a person, no one will think I'm writing out my personal fantasies. When I recieve feedbacks, they're only about the writing itself, not me. So, when I get criticized, I see it as an opportunity to improve my skills. When I get flames, I just ignore them. I don't take them personal.

 

If I ever publish a book someday, I'll do the same. I'll use a pseudonym. It's much more liberating.

[Annabelle]

B. Share a part of your writing process.

 

FYI, I'm away next week (Feb 1-6) so if someone would like to take the reins that week, I would be greatly appreciated.

 

Since most of my writing right now revolves around my collab pieces - I don't really have a set process. Sometimes its reactionary, sometimes I'm trying to establish something to build off of for the next few weeks. It's not too cut and dry.

 

Generally speaking though, most of the time I get the conceptualization for my next 'chapter' while I'm in the shower xD I don't understand it, but something about the disconnect between whatever it is I'm doing in my own life and whatever's happening in Katie's (the character's) life is more pronounced and I can focus on her and her struggles - fears - aspirations et al.

 

And I can take care of the week of Feb 1-6 if you'd like I have an idea I can toss out there.

[Phytomancer]

I start with a character. I think of a character in my head, his/ her specialty, needs, ages.

I trap them in my head a couple days, run them through some events, adjusting them as I go.

These characters then eventually run through some crazy stories.

 

For example:

An FOB teenager with supernatural believes from his homeland? What'd he do when he see a leprechaun? What if a leprechaun hires him for Spirit Immigration Dept?

A minority mother with teenage son? What if her son run away from home? To slay monsters? Who are actually trying to befriend humans?

A man who likes artsy girls? Who actually wants to eat the girls' miserable stories? Because he didn't know he was a Lenan Sidhe spirit?

An office lady? What if she saves her friend from cupid's arrow? Those are meant to make her friend fall in love with a young politician? Who will be soon assassinated? 

 

And it's funny in a way to see how these characters reflect or result from my head. For example, I am an easy going guy. I am always generally happy.

However, the default characters for me are those melancholic, brooding, manly type who I won't even befriend in my real life. Even my successful female main characters are sad, quiet, and almost always obsessive. Maybe these resonate with my real personalities I don't know I have?

 

That remains a mystery, but it's a part of my process.

[Redbeard the Viking]

January 4 - 29, 2016 Challenge Week 4 mini-challenge

A. Share a piece of your original prose with us (Thanks Sov for the suggestion.)

Chapter 1

The Last Harvest

There was neither a song from a bird in the trees nor was there a chance for a single thread of warmth to penetrate the darkened canopy of clouds from reaching the peaks of the Adaeren Mountains and the rest of the world below that dark morning. Icy bitter winds from the north whipped through the mountains and it gave both strength and speed to the inclement storm. The very earth seemed to shudder and shake when the thunder clapped and lighting set the sky ablaze with light as it cracked across the darkened morning sky.

Those same wicked gusts howled like a pack of dire wolves as it blew through the windows and cracks of the stronghold at the base of the old mountains. The ground shaking thunder even seemed to make the stone halls of Oakshire quake. The trees moaned, creaked and swayed against the harsh winds.

It wasn't uncommon to see the soft glow of a fire dimly burning within the main hall of the weatherworn stones that made of the palisade and the rest of Oakshire. Fiery moth-like embers fluttered up from the charred wood when a new piece of kindle was tossed into the dying fire's eager mouth. The hearth began to blaze with new life and warmth as the flames began to lick and blacken the fresh wood it was fed.

He watched the flames dancing in the hearth; those brown eyes never looked away. They darted back and forth over the rising and falling flames. Taking in all the shapes, colors and how long they burned before dying to give birth for another to be born. I have never been as bloody good as him at this. He scowled and watched the rolling flames still.

The winds were growing stronger and the storm was getting closer. He sighed and tossed another log into the fire. Even with the roaring fire in the hearth he could not shake the chill from his bones. There was something with him in the main hall that morning.

The fire began to flicker like a gust of wind was throwing all of its weight and might against the flames. It felt as though all the warmth had been drawn out of the room. The fire began to slowly dim and fade until it was wholly replaced by an impenetrable and seemingly ethereal darkness. In this black all of the sounds of the outside world had dissipated. The sounds of the howling wind, the clap of the earth shaking thunder had all but disappeared and in its place was an ominous silence. Not even his breathing made a single sound nor did his sword as he released her from the scabbard.

Normally, the familiar weight of his sword would have brought comfort, even if his shield was not in reach. But this morning was anything but ordinary. The sword was slightly longer than an average long sword, but she was lighter than one could ever be. Her blade had a unique blood channel that ran from tip to hilt and along that groove was the oldest surviving set of runes he'd ever seen. The sword was made in such a way that no other could ever replicate. Her blade whistled through the air as though it were a hymn, and that song she whistled is what gave her the name Arahana's Grace.

From out of the black he saw it. It materialized from the void. Its face was without form or definition and paler than bone was its flesh. The flesh, being its only distinguishing feature, was not meant for the thin frame of its indistinguishable face as it hung loosely from its bones. The pale iridescent skin hung to the side as its head tilted ever so slightly, enticed by his fear.

[Kilyra]

I actually like the name "flashers" But here's my suggestion: The way that diffuser is used sounds like a gun, like someone is commiting suicide by putting a bullet in their brain, you know... If all drugs are taken this way, maybe people in your future universe could give their drugs the names of different guns or other weapons from our present day. Now I don't know much about gun culture, so I can't suggest you any names, but you can do a simple research if you like the concept. Also, those names will give the story a sense of nostalgia and a link to our reality, since it's a futuristic novel. I don't know, just an idea

 

I'm seriously toying with this, it's a great idea! There's a lot of downtrodden in various colonies, so this depressing imagery could really fit

 

What effects does the drug have? (Other than generically being an upper.) If it has a specific feeling to the high, or a particular physiological side effect, like a restlessness or making a particular body part twitch or something, then it would probably get a slang/street name related to that. The appearance or origin of the drug could also create a nickname. Is it the color of a common substance, like red blood or wine, or, I dunno, blue like cleaning fluid? Yellow like piss? Etc. Does it derive from the jelly of a species of jellyfish? Call it Jelly or Stinger or something. From a live culture of a nasty virus? Viral, or Snot, etc.

 

I also think Kunmaar's observation that the act of taking the drug resembles shooting yourself in the head is a great one. Maybe the drug itself wouldn't get a name based on it, but "suicide" or "pulling the trigger" could be slang for taking drugs in that culture, if the imagery of putting a gun to your head is still recognizable in their culture.

 

I'm going to give this a lot more thought. I was hoping something would jump out and really grab me if I let it mull over in my brain, but it's been since November and I'm still stuck with the place holder. These are good things to think on that might get me to "the one" though, thank you! After reading your post, I was thinking about the colour, which I hadn't decided on. Was going with colourless, but blue would work too. And along with being a stimulant, if you're an addict, it gives you your moment of clarity. I got really excited when "Clear Blue" popped into my head. And then I remembered it was already a thing, and a totally wrong-direction thing LOL. Ah well, it's a start

 

MINI: I don't actually have a specific process really. I come up with a thread of an idea and build stuff around it. As I walk through the story in my head and question things, other stuff pops up until I have a more complete idea of what the story could ultimately be. With both short and long stories though, I have to have the ending figured out before I'll bother with a single keystroke. I know of a few pansters who actually come up with rad stories, but that's definitely not me. If I don't have an end, I won't have a start!

[RMDC]

And along with being a stimulant, if you're an addict, it gives you your moment of clarity. I got really excited when "Clear Blue" popped into my head. And then I remembered it was already a thing, and a totally wrong-direction thing LOL. Ah well, it's a start

 

"Blue Sky"?

"Petrichor" - the smell of earth after rain? Maybe too obtuse.

"Cerulean"?

"Claritin"? (methinks someone will have a problem with that one)