#I can maybe pick them out later but I def don't display them or anything

[raiswanson]

Tagged in by @siarven, who knows and shares my love of spending too much time on tag games lmao

Rules: Answer the questions and then tag as many writers as there are questions answered (or as many as you can) to spread the positivity! Even if these questions are not explicitly brought up in the novel, they are still good to keep in mind when writing.

Aaaaaaa so many WIPs to consider for this but I think I’ll do Dancing Sands for now because it’s my baby (And fully drafted!! Did I mention that?? This sucker could be getting betas once I get back around to it!)

FIRST LOOK

1. Describe your novel in 1-2 sentences (elevator pitch)

A captured dancer must escape a nobleman’s magical menagerie or lose himself forever.

2. How long do you plan for your novel to be? (Is it a novella, single book, book series, etc.)

Sands is book one of (at least) two books serving as an origin story for Havoc, the narrator/MC. He appears in multiple other works I have, so you could say Sands is a spin-off series but they def stand on their own. ;) 

3. What is your novel’s aesthetic?

GODS, SAND, GOLD, AND CLINKY ACCESSORIES~

4. What other stories inspire your novel?

For the story itself at creation, nothing that I’m aware of. It sort of just...happened.

That said reading the Captive Prince trilogy definitely inspired me to pick this project back up after a loonnnggg hiatus/heavily influenced one of the major subplots.

5. Share 3+ images that give a feel for your novel

I’ll do you one better and push a few Sands moodboards on you ;D

MAIN CHARACTER

6. Who is your protagonist?

That’d be Havoc! He’s the narrator, at least.

7. Who is their closest ally?

Havoc finds himself alone and isolated fairly early into the book, and part of the fun of the story is working out who’s really on his side and has his back, so this is a tricky question to answer without spoilers.

I will say a number of deities have his best interests in mind and their influence is felt early on, though...

8. Who is their enemy?

This one is easy: Marik, the noble who may or may not be behind a number of atrocities throughout the novel and would like nothing more than to break Havoc’s spirit into splinters.

9. What do they want more than anything?

Getting away from Marik and going home in one piece is the ideal

10. Why can’t they have it?

Lots of pointy swords and magic aren’t easy to slip past

11. What do they wrongly believe about themselves?

Well he’s certainly wrong in regard to his ability to handle himself alone :^)

12. Draw your protagonist! (Or share a description)

My art is “meh” at best. Have sketch a friend drew for me instead ;)

PLOT POINTS

13. What is the internal conflict?

There’s a bit about maintaining your self worth in the face of adversity, and learning to accept that sometimes you just need to open up to others, even if that’s scary.

14. What is the external conflict?

Did I mention the sharp pointy swords blocking the exits?

15. What is the worst thing that could happen to your protagonist?  

Can I say “everything in this book? Because that about sums it up.

Absolute worst thing would be sustaining permanent leg injury that would prevent Havoc being able to dance anymore. Dancing is his life.

16. What secret will be revealed that changes the course of the story?

Ehhhhh not sure there’s really any one secret to pin down that changes the course of the story. There is one big secret that heavily impacts certain characters, but that’s spoilers~

17. Do you know how it ends?  

Sure do! ;) It’s already written! And boy is it a doozy of a thing

18. What is the theme?  

I’ll be real this is my least favorite question in the history of ever because I think centering your story a theme is garbage, so skipppppp

19. What is a recurring symbol?  

Bit on the nose, but dogs/wolves (and the fierce loyalty they represent) are a pretty large presence.

20. Where is the story set? (Share a description!)

Pseudo-alternate-parallel-fantasy Egypt. It’s Egypt-but-not, set in a world where the gods have up and left and the deserts have consumed almost everything. There are oases and cities still around, and some stubborn rivers, but for the most part there’s nothing to find but sand and death.

It’s a rough, mostly lawless land peppered with wandering tribes of the few people that didn’t die in the shift that grew the desert, plagued by wealthy nobles that have claimed the desert and its inhabitants as their personal playthings.

21. Do you have any images or scenes in your mind already?

It’s completed, but I still have plenty in mind for the sequel ;)

22. What excited you about this story?  

Everything. Havoc has always been one of my favorite characters because his personality is just...so good. And god do I love the rest of the cast. They're my A Team.

The plot and subplots are pretty rad too ;)

23. Tell us about your usual writing method!  

It’s mostly just loads of whining and complaining and plunking along at a crawl until I can get someone to read the thing and tell me what they think. Then I crank it to 11 and write like 80k in a month before crashing, and come back a month or so later to try and wrap things up haha

It’s a mess. 0/10, would not recommend

Not gonna tag anyone because this is huge, but I’d love to see other people’s answers!! Fill it out and tag me so I can see your WIPs!! This goes for all of you! ;p