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[mawcewrites]

A Lesson in Beginnings

IT'S FINALLY HERE! :christmas_tree::christmas_tree::christmas_tree:

Happy Holidays everyone! Please enjoy my holiday short story, A Lesson in Beginnings, which takes place 8 years before the canon events of Under the Dragon Moon.

Read on ITCHIO

https://mawcehanlin.itch.io/a-lesson-in-beginnings

or Ao3!

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52528285

[mawcewrites]

A Holiday Surprise

Hello Fellow Gremlins!

Recently I have been working on a little surprise for the holidays, and I am so excited to finally be able to announce it!

Set 8 years prior to the canon events of Under the Dragon Moon, my debut novel set to release in 2024, A Lesson in Beginnings is a short story about the Kid’s first holiday with their adopted dad, Mael, and his family. It’s an exploration on the meaning of family, finding belonging, and the unexpected blessings that change can bring.

For those of you subscribed to my newsletter (hint hint), you'll be getting this short story on December 21st. For everyone else, it will be posted publicly on the 25th! If you're not subscribed to my newsletter, I highly recommend you do so here! Not only will you get short stories like this days early, but you'll also get newsletter exclusive content like sneak peeks into my novels! I also recommend you follow my other socials for more frequent updates! I'm @MawceHanlin on pretty much everything except here!

I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season, no matter which holidays you are celebrating!

~ Mawce

[mawcewrites]

What to give a fuck about,while writing your first draft!

I`ve posted a list about things you don´t need to give a fuck about while writing your first draft. Here are things you NEED TO CARE about! (in my opinion)

Your Authentic Voice: Don't let the fear of judgment or comparison stifle your unique voice. I know it´s hard,but try to write from your heart, and don't worry about perfection in the first draft. Let your authenticity shine through your words.

Your Story, Your Way: It's your narrative, your world, and your characters. Don't let external expectations or trends dictate how your story should unfold. Write the story you want to tell.

Progress Over Perfection: Your first draft is not the final product; it's the raw material for your masterpiece. Give a fuck about making progress, not achieving perfection. Embrace imperfections and understand that editing comes later.

Consistency and Routine: Discipline matters. Make a commitment to your writing routine and stick to it.

Feedback and Growth: While it's essential to protect your creative space during the first draft, be open to constructive feedback later on. Giving a f*ck about growth means you're willing to learn from others and improve your work.

Self-Compassion: Mistakes, writer's block, and self-doubt are all part of the process. Give a f*ck about being kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up if the words don't flow perfectly every time. Keep pushing forward and remember that writing is a journey.

Remember, the first draft is your canvas, your playground. Don't bog yourself down with unnecessary worries.

[mawcewrites]

“how did you get into writing” girl nobody gets into writing. writing shows up one day at your door and gets into you

[mawcewrites]

Characters: How will our story end? Writers:

[mawcewrites]

I am going to take a deep breath and just remind you:

Writing is messy, even for the best authors. It's supposed to feel a little uncomfortable, exhilarating, freeing, natural, and terrifying.

It's supposed to inspire you and feel like a too-heavy backpack.

Sometimes, you're going to love being a writer and sometimes, you'll feel so disconnected, you'll wonder if you were ever a writer to begin with.

Give yourself room to make mistakes and hate your work and return to it with renewed confidence that yes, you will get 1% better next time.

It's what we're all going through. Let's speed up the growing process a little by accepting the entirety of it.

[mawcewrites]

50k in 17 Days!!!

Well, I did it! Not only did I finish the 50k challenge, I did it in only 17 days! Thanks to my AMAZING writing community that kept me going and cheering me on, and my best friend @eldritchflowerwriter who went temporarily insane with me and did 12k in a day at my side, I managed to finish the 50k challenge super early!

(Art of my baby Theodore by stkrivtsov on Instagram!)

So what does that mean for this project? Well, it's not done yet, for sure. My goal for WallpaperWIP is to finish around 80k words for the first draft, and I'm well on my way! I've still been working on the book throughout the month even if I finished early, and I am hoping to finish my last 30k before the end of November. I am currently sitting at around 68k, so right now that goal is looking pretty doable!

After that, I plan on chucking it at my CP so he can brutally tear it apart as much as possible during December-January while I'm working on finalizing UtDM. Then, I'll start draft 2! It's coming along way faster than I ever hoped it would, and I am both terrified and excited to have it ready for your hands!

Keep an eye out on my socials and my newsletter for more info!

Also, for those of you curious about my numbers, check out the stats from Pacemaker Planner! (Not sponsored, but I HIGHLY recommend them for writers who are looking for something like the NaNo website to keep track of their writing and editing processes!)

Until next time, beloveds!

[mawcewrites]

Reminder this is a pro Palestine page 🇵🇸📚

[mawcewrites]

“Appeal to a wider audience” is corporate lingo for “strip more themes from a piece of media so it’s safer and more sanitized for investors”

[mawcewrites]

me, staring at the same blank document for 5+ hours: writing is my passion✨🔥🗣️🔥✨🔥🗣️

[mawcewrites]

[mawcewrites]

some of you sound like you really need to indulge in some carnal desires

[mawcewrites]

50k Challenge 2023!!!

Beginning WC: 6,684

Current WC (updated daily): 68,586

Goal WC: 56,684 (for November)

Total Goal WC: 80,000

My Goals This Month

Write 50k words towards WallpaperWIP.

Write at least every day, even if I don't make the daily wc.

Update my streak on the site every day.

HAVE FUN AND DON'T STRESS!

Also, in the hopes of keeping myself motivated, I'm going to be picking one line that I've written every day that I'm especially proud of, and posting them on my various social medias! I'll be keeping them updated on this post as well, though if you want prettier versions be sure to check me out on the camera and bsky app!

Please be aware of my content warnings for this project. It's going to be a dark journey, with a lot of dark topics. Please remember to stay safe and take care of yourself!

For more information on this year's project and how it's going, continue reading!

The Project

Project Name: Wallpaper WIP

Genre: Gothic Romance / Horror

Comps: Picture of Dorian Gray x Crimson Peak x The Yellow Wallpaper x The Invitation (2022)

Blurb: Wallpaper WIP is a polyamorous f/f/m exploration of the lines that separate love and madness, the importance of self-acceptance, and the beauty of life and death. It features a ghost being devoured by the wallpaper, a vampire who paints death and gore, and a human with a hunger he cannot control and a body he does not fit.

Content Warnings Include: past spousal abuse; cannibalism; blood play; BDSM themes; mental illness portrayed through romantic lenses; self-harm; suicide; murder; ritualistic sacrifices; religious trauma; kidnapping; non-consensual possession; consensual possession; intentional misgendering; transphobia and related hate crimes; disordered eating behaviors; blood and gore

These warnings are subject to change or be added to as I continue to write and expand the story. As always, should you see anything triggering or something you think should be included in these warnings, absolutely feel free to send me a message, or email me at mawcehanlinbooks@gmail.com. Please remember to be safe and take care of yourself!

My Favorite Lines So Far

Day 1 - "Forgive me father, for I am a gluttonous thing, and I hunger, I hunger, I hunger."

Day 2 - "In the hand of a master, an artist's tool can create life just as easily as it can cut creation from frame."

Day 3 - "My hunger grows harder to ignore on those days, and I often find myself stumbling from a stranger's bed before I have the chance to give in to the ache of my jaw and the itch of my teeth."

Day 4 - "I fear one day I will use all the ink in the world and still I will cut myself open to dip my pen in, as I would rather write in blood than not write at all."

Day 5 - "Instead of sound, only petals fall from my lips. Blue as the summer sky, stained red with the blood that once gave me life. I choke on them, spitting them from my lips and swallowing the rest down. Please, I want to cry. Please, don't let it take me. I do not wish to disappear.

Day 6 - "I want to say it back. I want to scream it, sob it. I want to say it over and over and over again until he tells me to stop, and then I want to say it again."

Day 7 - "To endanger one's self is to endanger the family, so we must be vigilant, always."

Day 8 - "What a beautiful little monster you are," I mutter, pressing my lips to his cheek this time, then to his eyelid, his nose, his jaw."

Day 9 - "God does not make rotten souls."

Day 10 - "I-" fed on human blood, I want to say. I need to say. The very thought of such an act is sinful, and yet I cannot find the strength to push the words out."

Day 11 - "With Admiration. A Darling."

Day 12 - "You are lost, little bird. Forgotten. Erased. There is nothing left for you but the emptiness of insanity. Let go. Give in."

Day 13 - "For as long as I can remember I have been hungry. I know that's a normal thing but...but not for me. Not for the things I hunger for."

Day 14 - "A single river of blood dribbles from his lips and carves a crimson trail down his chin and throat. I watch it for a moment, as he watches me, and before I can stop myself, I lean in to taste it. To taste him."

Day 15 - "They Never think it hurts, even as I am bleeding out at their feet and they are left begging forgiveness from my corpse."

Day 16 - "And like the namesake she chose for me suggests, I feel myself bloom in the radiance of her attention. Feel something inside me that long ago curled up to wither away alone, now spread its wings and begin to breathe again."

UPDATE!!!

Beyond all odds, I have finished the 50k Challenge early! I'm updating this a little late because honestly I just kept forgetting to update this post, BUT I DID IT! Thanks to my amazing best friend @eldritchflowerwriter who was crazy writing beside me, we managed to finish all 50k in only 17 days!

What does that mean for this project? Well, it's not quite finished yet. I'm planning on finishing the rest of my estimated 80k before the end of November. So wish me luck! I'll try and remember to keep this updated!

[mawcewrites]

This should absolutely be a thing, oh my gosh. Catch me releasing a "writer's cut" when my book comes out.

With the popularity of the 'director's cut' in modern cinema, I wonder if an equivalent exists for novels.

"Here's the 80,000 word version my editor made me trim down for mainstream appeal, and here's the 150,000 word original draft with all my darlings and digressions intact. The choice is yours."

[mawcewrites]

Just good to know in general for the writers out there! But especially for this month! Let yourself take a break!

Take frequent breaks (drink water too!) and do your goddamn wrist stretches

Image (source)

[mawcewrites]

men love looking at each other lustfully while covered in blood, It’s how they bond

[mawcewrites]

This is the most beautiful thing I've ever read @the-modern-typewriter