#daisywords

[talesofsorrowandofruin]

Leo and Phil for the character appearances ask?

Thanks! :D This was harder than I expected, because I need to write more character descriptions:

Leo:

She noticed his eyes were a very dark shade of blue. His skin was sallow, the sort of paleness that suggested either a recent illness or a lack of sunlight. Combined with his black hair it gave him a washed-out, almost unreal look. One of his eyebrows was slightly higher and more arched than the other. That was the only obvious imperfection in a face that was otherwise too abnormally handsome to be truly attractive. (The Unfortunate Moth)

He was young. Under thirty. Black hair and blue eyes. One eyebrow was slightly raised. (Houses Full of Deceit)

She'd had a pretty heart-shaped face and cornflower-blue eyes. Her hair had been black. If she had lost weight so her cheekbones became more prominent, if the line of her jaw had been sharper and her chin more pointed, if her nose had been long and straight instead of snubbed, she would have looked exactly like Leopold Colman. (Also HFOD)

Phil:

Everything about her was sharp: her jaw, her nose, the shape of her face, the look in her eyes. She didn't say a word. Her face was very pale and there was a wild, hunted sort of look in her eyes. Her expression was blank. Her hair was bound up in a severe bun better suited to a much older woman. (The Unfortunate Moth)

Not mentioned in canon: Phil has brown hair and eyes, and has freckles.

[mecharose]

6 and 7 back at you!!

just did some #math and my word count from january-october this year was 430,410 words. unsurprising that most of my wrapped are songs I write to lol and these are two of them!! :)

[medleymisty]

just wanted to say that I remember reading your Surreal Darkness story a few years ago and it made me cry and unlocked shrimp emotions and I've thought about it several times since. glad to see you again!

I hope it's okay that I am answering this in public and keeping it forever. Thank you so very very very much!!! :)

You are in luck, because I'm doing a challenge this month to post a bit of surreal darkness every day. Like NaNo for but silly Sims story posts. :)

I developed bad tinnitus so I didn't write for a while, and then the spousal person got obsessed with Korean dramas and I started watching them with him, so I haven't written much for a long time.

I still have some tinnitus but I've adapted and learned to live with it and it's not as bad as it was at the beginning, and I think I burned myself out on games finally. So this month is about trying to find some time to write a quick little post every day yay! And thank you, again. That really means a lot always forever.

[pinespittinink]

12, 33, 81?

12. London Thunder, Foals

33. In The Drift, Hayden Thorpe

81. Addict, Cairo

[memento-morri-writes]

happy WBW/Blursday/STS! For your untitled wips (or however many of them you want to answer for), what came first? a character, a setting element, or a plot element? Is there a pattern in how ideas come to you, or does it vary?

Ooh, this is a good question!!

Runaway Prince WIP was just a concept that I've had for months, inspired by my complete and utter love for pirates. It's concept has stayed more or less the same (runaway royalty joins up with a gang of pirates and found family shenanigans ensue), but some small details have changed. (The Prince doesn't romance a pirate, there's a bodyguard involved, everything is more queer.)

High Fantasy WIP is also based on a concept (and has no characters yet, aside from the Narrator, and also no plot). That concept being "D&D-type fantasy adventure featuring a bunch of queer chaotic disasters". The Narrator's concept was basically Death from The Book Thief meets Bartimaeus. Witty immortal who observes (and accidentally gets attached to) a group of mortal adventurers.

Supernatural Roadtrip WIP is based off of the characters from this post. I originally just made them as picrews probably a couple years ago, but going back through my files, I saw them and fell in love again. This one also does't have any plot, but there is vibes, and an overall message/theme that I want the story to have.

The main pattern is that I usually get vague concepts (be it characters or just a "vibe"), and I never have any clue of what the hell the plot is going to be. (And to be honest, I really still don't.) I get most of my ideas while I'm trying to fall asleep at night, or when I'm otherwise distracted and unable to write them down. (In the car, in class, in the shower, etc.) The one constant is that I can never, ever get ideas while I'm trying to get ideas. The more I think about a project, the emptier my mind becomes. (Which is probably the most infuriating thing I've ever experienced, and is the reason I don't write very often.)

[cavaleriesix]

wait new blog???? since when???

Since.. I dunno, three weeks ago? 😅 I didn't advertise my move very much but most of my beloved mutuals (including you ❤️) have found this account already so! Yippie!

I was just overwhelmed by running a blog with like 1300 random followers where posts from when I was like. 16. Were still circulating lol

Anyway!!!! Hi welcome ❤️

[briannaswords]

lime green, blood red, and strawberry pink?

Hi Daisy! Thanks for the ask! <3

Answers under the read more bc this got a bit long!

Lime Green: Your favourite kind of scene to write

I really like writing arguments because there's always a large range of emotions when fights do happen and I love seeing how my characters change when facing these emotions. For example, Zahra is usually quite a closed-off person but when she's angry she's like a volcano about to explode!

Blood Red: Favourite piece of dialogue from your wip

Ok there are two contenders for this. Both are from my main wip, Writer's Worries.

Ryleigh: “Besides, if she cares so much about Renee being on the team, why doesn’t she give up her own spot?”

Jessica: “Because Renee would never let her.”

Ryleigh: “But she’d let you?”

Jessica: “Well…she hasn’t exactly been saying much. Or anything really. She looks like she’s on the verge of tears half the time.”

Ryleigh: “I don’t blame her. If I was Bridget’s cousin I’d cry more than half the time.”

Jessica: “Ryleigh!

And, from the same scene:

Jessica: "I feel like she’s going to take off with the new girl and leave me on my own. Is that dramatic? I feel like I’m overreacting—”

Ryleigh: “Well overreacting is better than underreacting

Strawberry Pink: Ship trope you have in your book

Well, the main book I'm working on right now (which is Writer's Worries) is focused on Jessica who is ten years old so her story doesn't really have a lot of romance in it. However, there is a side plot of her older sister Zahra getting together with one of her best friends so...Best Friends to Lovers? I guess??

[incandescent-creativity]

Hans and Ash for the appearance ask game?

What are we playing?

Ash is a tough one, because her story is first person, so I don’t get a chance to just. Describe her entirely like I do when the SOLE kids are sizing each other up.

But I usually fall back on warm brown skin and thick, straight hair. Here are some good pictures and art of her! (The horns come in partway through book one—thank you, magic ritual)

art by @theartingace

As for Hans, have this art by @dreamsofbooksandmonsters :

And this collection of excerpts:

The tank looms above her, easily the largest in the entire room. It’s nearly the size of her entire bedroom—and it has to be that big, in order to accommodate the pair of wings attached to the boy’s back.

They are beautiful. Even illuminated by the blue light of the tanks, it is clear that they are a richly dappled brown color. Some of the feathers are as long as her arm. The wings themselves are as long as the boy is tall, approximately six feet to her untrained eyes.

…

It was definitely Hans’s speech more than anything else that convinced her. It definitely wasn’t the way his soft brown eyes focused on hers, or the way he smiled at her. Or those beautiful wings.

“Snap out of it,” she mutters to herself. You knew he was pretty when you saw him in the holding tanks. It doesn’t change a thing.

…

Beth brushes her hand up from the base, where they are attached to his back. His feathers are incredibly soft to the touch. Beth wonders if they are always this warm, or if it’s just the sunlight pouring down on them.

[mecharose]

steps i used to make this potion and chug it near-daily:

don't beat yourself up about not writing as much as you want/think you should

figure out the real reason, what's underlying your lack of motivation, and address that

set achievable goals, but always have a goal going

talk to writing friends about what you're working on

commission yourself with WIP art for free bonus motivation

elaboration under the cut bc long post lol

don't beat yourself up about it

literally this is the most important thing. this is a hobby and you are not failing at anything if you find it hard to motivate yourself to do it sometimes. we are all human and busy and stressed. that being said:

figure out what's actually stopping you from writing

usually "no motivation" has a very real reason behind it, and every possible reason has its own different solution.

wanting to write but not being able to could mean you're putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect, or feeling out of practice. both of these have the same solution imo: get a "writing sketchbook" aka, a throwaway project that is something you can easily finish. e.g. short story, throwaway chapter of something, AU for your current project, etc. (I came up with the idea to try that bc i'm also an artist and sketching helps me loosen up before big pieces)

an additional solution for the latter is to break the rule of "no editing the first draft" in a very specific way: when I sit down to write a new chapter, i'll re-read the stuff that came before it and do line edits (wording, sentence structure) as I go. this gets me back to the groove of writing a wip without having to create new parts of it wholesale.

another one I run into often is just like. if I don't read a book for a while, I stop thinking in "writing mode" aka constructing scenes as written pieces of work rather than like. pictures i'm imagining in my head. so if you're having a hard time with the writing itself, I'd suggest reading a book that has a similar tone or vibe, or writing style you want your WIP to have!

set achievable goals

basically the "take it easy but take it" mentality. set a goal so you have something to work toward, but make it lower than what you think you can reasonably accomplish so you can still feel accomplished.

if you do this, anything you achieve *beyond* that goal will feel extra special and rewarding -- much better than setting a "reach goal" and then even big accomplishments toward it won't feel like "enough."

for me, this takes the form that I always have a 5,000 word goal each month. high enough that it gives me the kick in the pants to write whenever I have the time, low enough that it doesn't stress me out!

get a second opinion

if the problem is that you feel like your WIP is boring, it's the old wisdom that chances are high it's probably not, and you're too used to it.

sometimes the only real fix to that is rambling to someone about it ngl

the second opinion can also be you, needing a break from whatever your current project is, so you can come back to it later with fresh eyes.

also, having a person you can give your word count updates to, and talk about whatever you just wrote that you're excited about, keeps you both accountable *and* motivated via the outside hype. win-win :3

do WIP art

you're also an artist so I'm suggesting this one lol. I always get re-hyped to write when I draw my characters, like seeing them makes me Understand them more and want to tell their story. so maybe that would work for you too? :3

I hope this helped!! :D

hey uh does anyone have a recipe for Potion That Makes You Write

has anyone actually gone from not being able to write that often to a more consistent output and if so how did you do that

[lagrimas-de-desamor]

Just like when you offer him your heart and he doesn't like it❤️💞💔

[toribookworm22]

Final Thoughts On 2023

I know I have a very dysfunctional sense of time, but this year seems extra short and long to me. But such is the way it goes. Vague recap time!

Shut Down published! I went to my first therapy session. I toured apartments with my roommate. I traveled for the first time with just a friend. I got to meet the voice actors for The Animaniacs Pinky and The Brain. I celebrated my first Aro week. I wrote my first pilot episode. I got on TikTok for class and ended up not hating it. I volunteered to help at an student Oscar event and for student plays. I lost my best friend. I finally joined my school's writing club. My parents accidentally read my poetry collection and loved it. I moved into my very own apartment. I went on a family vacation to New York and got to see my almost little sister for the first time in 4 years. I hosted my very first book signing! I published Reprogrammed. I learned how to live by myself. I took a pottery class. I started a movie script. I let go of my best friend for good. I became the secretary for the writing club. I found a little bit more of myself in my fashion sense. I hosted a Halloween party. I met the producer of Me Before You. I made more friends and learned how best to love some of my others.

And in what has been one of the greatest decisions I've ever made, I stayed incredibly active on this lovely site and I got to meet, know, and love all of you. You guys are my diary and my joke book and a safe place for everything I am and love. I can be 100% myself on here without a single worry and you guys will never understand what that means to me.

My love list will just have to continue to grow, but that's okay. I love each and every one of you and I cannot wait to spend another year alongside you. Happy New Year! 🥂

All my love,

~ toribookworm ♥️

Love List pt. I

@angryaromantics @minutiaewriter @pluromantic @christiew @candlelightkissess @lady-of-himring @asteroidtroglodyte @panic-in-the-attic @elizaellwrites @writing-and-trying @eli-writes-sometimes @thatndginger @hyuccubus @chargeaznable @master-of-the-pigeon-religion @lividdreamz @ashen-crest @saphoblin @akiwitch @wearfinethingsalltoowell @daisywords @the-orangeauthor @arigalefantasynovels @brianamorganbooks @bluejay-in-write @elijahrichardwrites @alittlewarlord @apocalypsewriters @bookmarks-reviews @pure-solomon @xtakeitisisx @alnaperera @all-my-dreams-and-ambitions @porchswingstories @jlilycorbie @rsdan @midnight-and-his-melodiverse @litbylightning @lyssentome @theunboundwriter @writingforevren @regalserpent @axl-ul @likegemstone

[unmellowyellowfellow]

Happy New Year to my moots!!✨

thank you all for spending 2023 with me and following along and i can't wait to see what we all do this year! let's make 2024 our bitch 😽

(sorry if i tagged you on accident or missed anyone!!)

hugs and smooches to you... (1/5)

@at-thezenith @hallwriteblr @kaiusvnoir @daisywords @avi-why @spagnum-opus @leisoree @lilac-honey @godhoodandgirlhood @malloen8c @camillenrose @anonymousfoz @thedeerwight @sarlusmonoele @axl-ul @deadgirlnarrative @digital-chance @floweryprosegarden @innsyn @shadow-of-tea-and-tea @e-s-willswriting @toribookworm22

[mecharose]

omg thank u!! :D

i need a name for evil pirate jesus what would a late 1800s/early 1900s steampunk pirate be named. is there a specific name generator for this

[idontwantrobyntodie]

heads up seven up!

tags that make you look up what heads up seven up is... from what I understand, seven lines of a WIP, and tag people! thank you @daisywords :)

Excerpt from Lucie, because that project has been stagnating and I want to kickstart it again:

But in the water, sand was soft. She could close her eyes and stretch her arms over her head and feel the sun play its ripples on her like she was part of the ocean floor. If she stayed there and slept, the sand would bury her.  But she didn’t stay there; the Captain would be waiting for her. He was probably standing at the edge of the deck now, staring down at the water with his hands clenched on the rails. He would probably stay there until she came back.  Lucie rolled her eyes and hoped he got splinters. 

I don't know if I have seven people to tag, but let's bother my mutuals! No-pressure tagging @iiusia, @elfstonke, @loubuttons, @maingh0st, @heepthecheep

[willtheweaver]

Dialogue tag

Thanks for the tag @theink-stainedfolk

From Snow on the Pines:

——————————————————————

There was no signature. Instead there were intertwining vines, and growing from them were…

“Sunflowers.” Playa looked troubled.

“Excuse me, but is there something I’m not getting?” Cya was quite confused. “I thought that sunflowers were a sign of good fortune and the summer.”

“Not in the five villages.” Fen explained. “Vast fields of them bloom next to the Cenotaph and the Broken Cones. Both of those structures lay within the shadow of the wall. I don’t know what you heard about the sickness that lingers along the western edge of the forest, but let me assure you that it’s probably all true.”

“Because of that, the flower became intertwined with sickness and death in general.” Playa concluded before turning back to the note. “Now why in the name of Al-Gia would somebody use them to sign a letter?”

——————————————————————

Tagging @mundanemoongirl @tragedycoded @topazadine @jay-avian @lavender-gloom @smellyrottentrees

@eccaiia @corinneglass @winterandwords @leahnardo-da-veggie @daisywords

@inkednotebook @cherrybombfangirlwrites and open tag

[sarandipitywrites]

Seven Sentence Sunday

thanks for the tag, @willtheweaver! go check out some nice, practical advice about not falling into trenches here.

here's a recent bit from Spark Signature:

“It's okay. I understand.” That smile's gone, bone-deep exhaustion taking its place. His countenance is blank as a mask, but his hand's still in Vy's, his thumb rubbing small circles into their knuckle. “They’re family; you need to keep them safe.” Even as they nod, as they watch his silent attempt to soothe them and try, really try to be grateful that he gets it—that he's not going to make a big deal of it, not going to point out how Vy's a quitter and a hypocrite and a liar—everything in them's falling to pieces. A voice in their head is screaming, young and angry and brimming with tears: 'But you were my family first.'

tag! @daisywords, @eccaiia, @emberlyric, @faeriecinna, @cowboybrunch, and an open tag!

Spark Signature taglist (ask to be added or removed): @leah-yasmin-writes, @unrepentantcheeseaddict, @ceph-the-ghost-writer, @mundanemoongirl