We’re Off! NaNoWrMo Has Officially Started! Have The Plotbunnies Found You Yet?

NaNoWriMo - My Cartoon of the Day - Day 20: Magical Portals & New Discoveries!

A story contains untold magnitudes and there are so many possible choices: who is telling the story to whom? Where are they located? How honest are they? What choices do your characters make when confronted with the plottwists you dreamt up?  The sheer creative act of storytelling requires bravery. Shifting through this realm of possibilities and finding which door you want to open and which approach you'll take.

Day 20: Magical Portals & New Discoveries

Storytelling transforms. It lifts you up from your everyday life and places you in the midst of this world of yours. It allows you to look at the world through another's eyes and walk in their shoes. It's a magical portal all by itself and that's not even including all those hidden portals we so often find in fiction. Are there any portals in your story? Ways your characters leave their regular lives and get thrust into adventure? Allow yourself to be amazed & keep writing away!

The Timeless story Finding Light in the Darkness by Ultra is a wholesome, 19th century AU tale that features Lucy & Garcia unashamedly falling in love.

It is a story of found family - of choosing where and with whom you make your home in the world. It's a sweet & lovely tale. Iris is precocious & the ten-year-old knows what she's doing. Jiya & Rufus are sweet (as can be considering the backstory for Rufus that luckily gets resolved). Karl makes his appearance & Lucy's journal is featured.

(Interesting sidenote: it made me think how in the show we see lots of evidence of Lucy having written (her journal & books) but we never really see her put pen to paper & record her thoughts. Found that intriguing.)

Sometimes, when the world is sad & filled with horrors, I just want to read something heartwarming & feel-good. This Timeless Food Truck AU called Amehrana by @timelesshonesttrailer (RedGold) is a story of found family, the struggle that goes into building & maintaining relationships, and the support and love we offer one another.

Our beloved characters are in love with food, cooking & serving it. Lucy struggles against her mother's expectations. Flynn suffers from PTSD from the war and his marriage to Lorena broke down because of it, but they are still loving friends and co-parents because they both put in the effort & work. In Lorena's words: "And getting where we are... it wasn’t as easy as we make it out to be.”

Emma is snubbed by Rittenhouse (reimagined as a huge & unethical food conglomerate) and carries a grudge against Lucy because of it. Jess is fabulous & brilliant & strong. I particularly love her quote regarding her history with Wyatt: “I tried to be supportive, but if he wasn’t going to help himself, well, it’s not the woman’s job to fix the man.”

This story is heartwarming, but not all smooth sailing. There is conflict, and struggle, and self-doubt. But there is also support in community together. A love for one another in a found and created family. An acceptance & exhuberance that comes from doing what you love while putting in the work.

It's a wonderful story for days when the world feels harsh to be reminded that community and heart is build together through kindness and hard work.

The Timeless story Two Roads by @oldshrewsburyian is filled with a kind of burgeoning hope. How do you live your life while waiting for a future you once so tantalisingly glimpsed but barely dared hope for? It's the story of Denise, who has seen her future, but hasn't arrived at it yet. Denise is such a strong and hopeful character. She's fiercely loyal and faithful and the glimpses we see on the show of her and her family are always so filled with warmth.

This short ficlet honors her character and that last line harkens back her comment after the time travel team returned: "it gave me hope".

The Scholomance story Beside the Golden Door by Stellarete details Chloe growing up in the New York Enclave.

The Scholomance books Deadly Education, The Last Graduate & the pending: The Golden Enclaves by Naomi Novik detail El's story in the magical school the Scholomance.

Chloe is a fascinating character who has learnt growing up to be blind to the intensity of the privilege she grew up with and yet learns to open her eyes throughout the series and to become a genuine friend.

The enclave's teachings are so similar to all the messaging in more privileged societies. I am a university educated European and know rationally that I hold an immense amount of privilege even if there are still a lot of hardships and intense challenges in life. Chloe doesn't ignore her privilege, but does learn that her value and existence are not intrinsically tied to it. She works to be a better friend and person.

This story highlights Chloe's character growing up and the subtlety of the messaging and teaching. It's not even maliciously done: survival is paramount and these parent do lovingly want their children to live come what may.

The Scholomance by Naomi Novik is an intriguing and wonderful story and I am very curious for the conclusion that'll be published in September.

While we wait, this fanfic story is a lovely glimpse into this universe and character.

NaNoWriMo - My Cartoon of the Day - Day 21: Let Nature Inspire You!

Inspiration often strikes in the oddest places and yet a reliable way for me to call down that creativity strike is to take a walk outside. Breathe in the cold crisp air, smell the fallen autumn leaves and look at the calmness and tranquility of the trees. Feel the wind on your cheeks, the warmth of dragon scale gloves° and the joy that comes from moving your body.

Day 21: Let Nature Inspire You

Take a moment to glance around you and feel where you are in this moment. What do your senses tell you? What is the weather like and when did you last move around & smell the air? Where are your characters right now? What do their senses tell them? What would they like to do to relax or feel better? What is it that you need to call down a creativity strike? Let's write!

°Why, yes, I absolutely adore my self-made,  crocheted dragon scale mittens that I often erroneously refer to as gloves and I still wear them every winter day as I have for the past 6 years. There's a reason for their recurring appearance in these texts and that is that they make me feel *fabulous*. Wearing your own art is such a magical feeling & I highly recommend it.

NaNoWriMo - My Cartoon of the Day - Day 15: Crossing the Half-Way Point Today

I struggle to believe it, but we are about to cross the half-way point! How are all your energies holding up? How is your word count? Regardless if you are far ahead or far behind: remember that there is still another half of the month to go & anything is possible! We can do this.

Day 15: Crossing the Half-Way Point Today

Take a moment to bask in the sensation that we made it here! These markers are a good place to reflect on all our achievements thus far, be they large or small. The sheer fact you are still here is to be applauded. Take a breath. Look around. Celebrate. And keep writing: one word at the time!

Lost Friends by DoctorLia

@doctorliamsr asked me for a prompt to write a Timeless story the day after I had a conversation with @ununpredictableme regarding Anthony and his role. We'd watched Space Race and that episode really brings home how active Anthony is in planning & executing the missions.

I find his character, his choices and his morality fascinating. His relationship with Rufus is intriguing to watch: there is history and trust there, and Rufus continues to want to listen & understand how this man he thought he knew can do such a thing. The ethics of Space Race are a grappling point for Rufus in terms of Anthony's role and I would love to see Anthony grapple with his choices himself.

Lia has a few stories where she writes character pieces such as the conversation between Karl & Flynn that I discussed on this blog earlier and she graciously decided to accept the prompt.

Her story Lost Friends brings the two characters in a conversation after Anthony's death and Rufus's Chinatown trip. It is interesting how Anthony indicates Rufus has a harder time forgiving Flynn then he does Anthony, which I think is particularly poignant considering the agency that Anthony accepts and expects for his choices in this story. The request to clear his name for his family's sake brings a more personal touch to Anthony as well.

So: thank you Lia for writing & sharing this story with us and tackling the prompt challenge. I feel honoured you wrote me a story and hope you like this experimental sketchnote. (I felt like doing something different from usual, so I hope you enjoy it all the same).

Jiya & Rufus take a grieving & self-loathing Flynn under their wing in the most accepting, warm & graceful way in this Timeless story To Find A Home by @misscrazyfangirl321

It's got a lot of sweet moments and cameos for Lucy, Wyatt, Jessica & Denise but the core of the story focuses on Flynn's friendship with Jiya & Rufus.

I like the glimpses of the healthy and loving relationship between Jiya & Rufus, as well as the slow acceptance on Flynn's side that he's allowed their comfort & warmth & community. Redemption is both internal & external. It's sweet & lovely.

NaNoWriMo - My Cartoon of the Day - Day 12: Plotholes? What plotholes?

Writing during NaNo can sometimes feel like you are building a tower of cards or a jenga tower that is about to topple over & I am here to tell you: play recklessly! Explore those new adventure twists & directions your characters want to take you! Go build a story on patched-over ground and shore up your plot with plot bunnies & raptors & ninjas!

Day 12: Plotholes? What plotholes?

Get your story gleefully written. Get a draft on paper & take comfort in the solid trust you'll be able to put in those structural repairs in the editing process. For now: keep writing! Keep telling your story & know that your imperfections make you unique and marvelous & interesting & in the editing process you'll be able to polish them beautifully. Plotholes? What plotholes? indeed! 😆 Have a blast!