#hard to go wrong with Maika being an abusive bully lol

[raiswanson]

Annual Writing Self Evaluation: 2017

Tagged by @universalfanfic, ooooh thank you!

I’m just going to tag in all the usuals I can think of at the moment @__@ everyone is welcome to fill this out though! @typeaadventures @helenpowers @jesse-is-inarguably-purple @h-brook-writes @bambmazing @my-words-are-light @scribbledwriting @tangledlinescrumpledpaper @otramble @prycarious @brynwrites @tundra-tiger @lilymaidofgallifrey @acfawkes @byjillianmaria @christinawritesfiction @audreyroseb

*All answers should be about works published in 2017

1.) List of works posted last year

Posted? None. I don’t post my work anywhere, aside from sharing Pryza with a few writing friends for general review.

2.) What work are you most proud of and why?

Dancing Sands, not only because it’s the first thing I’ve completed and been satisfied with, but because I wrote that bastard in 2 months, pre-planned almost nothing, hit 190k, and genuinely feel that it came out really well and will only need minor alterations to be the best it can be. (minor as in it will ultimately be the same, but smoother and refined)

3.) What work are you least proud of and why?

Dragon’s Totem. I could have done better last NaNo, and I was definitely pushing it to keep a stable word count even though I was still hung up on another story/probably needed a break from blasting through 80k-ish the month before. It came out forced, and will still need tons and tons of repair work to make up for the mess I made of it. Not to mention it feels like it drags a lot.

It could be so much better and I just don’t know what to do for it :/

4.) A favorite excerpt of your writing

Enjoy some Maika being....Maika. ;p

  Rewill looked immensely pleased with himself when I finished dressing and stepped out of the room with a sulky expression, arms crossed and shoulders bunched at my neck. He motioned for me to turn despite the death glare I was trying to melt him with, and I made a half-assed attempt to indulge him. He clapped once I was facing him again, and I stood sulking at the genuine delight on his face.

  “I’m not cheering for yours. I want you to know that,” I grumbled, gesturing to the suit he had thrown over his shoulder. Not missing a beat, he grinned back and lifted the article in question.

  “I wouldn’t expect you to. It’s just a tux. Nothing special,” he agreed, then gestured to me. “That fits alright, right? It looked your size but if it needs fitting they offer that service,” he asked. I blinked in surprise and uncrossed my arms to take another look.

  “Actually, it fit perfectly. How’d you call that so well?” I asked as he moved into the dressing room.

  “Oh, I just have an eye for that sort of thing.”

  “Is that a dodgy way of saying you have a clothing-size recognition program in your fake eye? Because that’s what it sounds like. And that’s weird,” I said, making the cyborg’s cackle fill the waiting room.

~

  “Aw, c’mon, this isn’t so bad. It’s nice to see you in heels again!” Rewill insisted as we filed into a station hover-rickshaw to ride to the docks. I settled into my seat as far from him as possible and crossed a leg over my knee to give him a sour look.

  “I’m going to stomp you with these heels if you don’t stop being so damned cryptic about what we’re—”

  “Hey, there are people that would pay for that kind of treatment from a woman that looks like you,” Rewill blurted with a playful nudge. My breath exploded out of my lungs, and I choked on my words a while before I could even process what he’d said with such a stupid grin.

  “Wh-what? You—  Rewill Lase, watch your tongue or I’ll rip it out of your unthinking head—”

  “Just a little longer, okay Mai? You’ll know what we’re up to before it matters, I promise,” he assured me over my sputtering. I chewed the inside of my cheek and glared him down, calming somewhat to see he’d sobered. Clucking my tongue, I turned my gaze to the passing view of the station below.

  “Fine. But, Rewill?” I waited long enough to ensure he was listening, then pointed one painted nail--further courtesy of his mysterious influx of wealth--at him as threatening as I could. “Stop calling me that or I will put one of these heels through the back of your metal head,” I warned. To my chagrin he only laughed and gave my curled up-do a gentle ruffle.

  “Man, I really did miss that while I was running around in the dust storms. Never change, Miss Sumi,” he replied, snatching his hand back when I reared on him. “Ack! What?! What’d I do?! I didn’t say it!” he protested as I cocked an arm back.

  Even the android driving the rickshaw winced at the thump that followed.

5.) Share or describe a favorite comment you received

@typeaadventures put me into freaking tears with these three words

But seriously all of the feedback I’ve gotten on Pryza thus far has been glorious and I’m so happy with what I’ve gotten back on it. All of it. Perfect. Love you guys. Your enthusiasm and wonderful comments saved the project. I mean that.

6.) A time when writing was really, really, hard.

LAST NOVEMBER WAS PRETTY DANG BAD NGL

I re-learned that when I got on a crazy burst with my writing, I need to take a break afterward or I crash and burn and lose more time than I would have if I’d just sat back and let myself rest. (Will this stop me from pushing myself again next time? Probably not. I’m a workaholic until I’m literally too stuck to move, and even then I gripe and wish I was writing)

7.) A scene or character you wrote that surprised you.

 I’m always surprised. Things never go according to plan. Never.

But to cite an especially surprising character, there’s always Iwiw, from Dancing Sands. When I planned his character he was supposed to be fairly stiff and serious/stern, super professional, very dry. Y’know, that character that isn’t any fun. But, when he finally swaggered into his introduction paragraph he was anything but. He was biting and witty and brought more life to things than I ever would have expected, and turned into basically the darling of the whole book.

damn you, Iwiw.

8.) How did you grow as a writer last year?

Well I learned that I CAN in fact complete a book if I try hard enough, and ironed out a few punctuation errors I’ve allowed to perpetuate for far too long. So that’s good.

9.) How do you hope to grow as a writer this year?

Uhh I dunno learning how to complete books FASTER would be a nice improvement ;p

10.) Who was your greatest positive influence last year?

The tiny writers group I made on discord with the remains of a camp nano cabin. As stated above, I love you guys. My creativity train had been running on fumes for a while and you were (and continue to be) a heaping pile of coal on the fire. Thank you so much for giving Pryza a try <3

11.) Anything from your real life turn up in your writing last year?

No, that doesn’t really tend to happen. I kinda make an active effort to ignore real life when focusing on writing. I want to enjoy my fictional world, yknow?

12.) Any new wisdom you can share with other writers.

Uh. Idk about NEW, but... Look, you can follow all the advice you want and listen to as many tips and tricks that you can find, but you need to remember that it’s your story you’re writing, and no one knows what’s best for it but you. Listen to advice, but make the ultimate call yourself. No one can tell you the RIGHT way to write something--they can only tell you what they think works best for them. If you disagree, neither of you are wrong. You just have differing views. This is okay.

Above all, write what makes you happy.

13.) Any new projects you’re excited to start this year?

Book 2 of Pryza is singing to me from the distance like a siren, and while they aren’t new I am looking forward to revisiting Truant Goddess to clean it up and I really hope to finish Lovely Teeth at last. :)