Tag: write

Writing Life: Valentine’s Day Write Tag!

Kat Impossible5 Comments

As promised, I’m trying to add more writing content to the blog again. The Valentine’s Day Write Tag is a creation of yours truly to help you get to know your characters better. I have previously done this for my WIP Arcadia (you can check that out here) and decided it would be fun to revive it with Valentine’s coming up in a couple days. It’s all easy enough, but let’s revise the “rules”!

RULES

  • If you were tagged, thank the person who tagged you!
  • Please always link back to the original post! (I want to see all your lovely answers, people!)
  • Provide a short description of your WIP/story!
    I’ll be doing this tag for BUB (I talked about it here)! It’s a flatshare romance set in Vancouver, where bookseller Raeleen has to deal with a new flatmate, assistant director Nick, while her best friend is abroad and she just got dumped.
  • Don’t use just one character for all answers if possible!

MY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

If there is a couple in your WIP, what are their plans for Valentine’s Day? And if there is no couple in your WIP, is there someone your main character would like to spend Valentine’s Day with?

Since BUB (Break Up Buddy) is essentially a friends to lovers arc, I’d think that Raeleen and Nick would go out and do some ridiculously cliché Valentine’s activities together – as friends. They’d have a good time and maybe even have some really intimate moments, but mostly they’d just have a good laugh at pretending to be a couple for a day. Which they can do very convincingly … a bit too well for it not to be true, one might say.

Who is the most likely to shamelessly go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day alone?

Jemma, Raeleen’s best friend, is an incredibly bold and independent person. She generally cringes at anything overtly romantic, so she would just treat this day like any other one.

One of your characters requests a song on the radio for their crush! Which song and for which character would they pick it?

Okay, once they’re actually together, I could see Nick doing that for Raeleen. They often have the radio on in the bookshop she’s working at and Nick would do it as a bit of a joke, but then pick an actually really sweet song. Maybe this one:

Is there a character who would organize an Anti-Valentine’s Day party?

I’m sure that someone would be up for Galentine’s Day instead, but I can’t think of any character who would go full out ANTI Valentine’s.

What romantic gesture would swoon your main character?

Raeleen loves words and books and someone noticing the smaller things. She would, however, absolute hate a grand gesture. The one thing that could totally win her over though would be an annotated copy of her favorite book with the time to discuss the material.

Which character would buy a bunch of red roses and hand them out to strangers on the street, just to make their day?

Alrighty, so … there’s this one character in the book – Prosper Reed – who’s this very handsome, young and charming bestselling author. I could see him do that as part of a publicity stunt, but also because he likes to do nice things for people.

What are your main character’s favorite Valentine’s movies? (Note: Valentine’s movies don’t have to be romantic!)

Raeleen is always hoping they play You’ve Got Mail at one of the local indie theaters for Valentine’s. There’s plenty of great movies on Netflix, but she can do that any day of the week. And with a potential love interest who works in film, it’s only natural they both enjoy the actual vibes of a good old cinema.

Who is ready for the February 15th, just to get all the chocolate on sale?

The question should rather be – who isn’t ready for all the chocolate on sale? Sam, Nick’s brother, might be the only one who’s more into sourpatch kids and gummy worms than chocolate, but the entire cast probably has a sweet tooth.

Is there a character who never spends Valentine’s Day alone aka always has some sort of situationship going on?

Hunter, Raeleen’s ex-boyfriend, usually goes from one relationship to another. If he doesn’t have a date, that would be highly confusing for him.

Bonus: Create a Valentine’s Day aesthetic for one or several of your characters!

The List of Questions (so it’s easier to copy and paste)

  • If there is a couple in your WIP, what are their plans for Valentine’s Day? And if there is no couple in your WIP, is there someone your main character would like to spend Valentine’s Day with?
  • Who is the most likely to shamelessly go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day alone?
  • One of your characters requests a song on the radio for their crush! Which song and for which character would they pick it?
  • Is there a character who would organize an Anti-Valentine’s Day party?
  • What romantic gesture would swoon your main character?
  • Which character would buy a bunch of red roses and hand them out to strangers on the street, just to make their day?
  • What are your main character’s favorite Valentine’s movies? (Note: Valentine’s movies don’t have to be romantic!)
  • Who is ready for the February 15th, just to get all the chocolate on sale?
  • Is there a character who never spends Valentine’s Day alone aka always has some sort of situationship going on?
  • Bonus: Create a Valentine’s Day aesthetic for one or several of your characters!

THE LINK UP!

I will add links to posts here, if anyone decides to participate!

https://fresh.inlinkz.com/js/widget/load.js?id=a8b40ada7693d64e5923

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know in the comments what you thought and whether you’re going to participate yourself!

Spooky Scary Writing Tag

Kat Impossible8 Comments

I meant to do something else today, but this seemed oddly more fitting for today. You know that I enjoy doing Write Tags every now and then and with NaNoWriMo RIGHT THERE and it being Halloween and all, it just works? The Spooky Scary Write Tag was created by Emma @Emma T. Fink but I saw it over at Caro’s blog. Therefore, this is once again not a creation of my own, but I am so, so looking forward to doing this anyway!

A lot of the questions are general ones about writing, however, a couple are about a specific WIP. In those cases, I will be answering for the Football WIP! I haven’t talked about it a whole lot, but most recently mentioned it in the All Hallows Write Tag.  I haven’t changed the blurb since, but I have worked on it mentally … you’ll still have to contend with this one though:

After a devastating loss, teenager Ivy moves to her estranged family in a small town in Texas. All she wants is to get through school as fast as possible and start over away from everything and everyone she knows, but this town has other plans. She never intended to get mixed up in the lives of the local Football team, who are worshiped like heroes in the community, but soon their drama becomes hers. If she can face her grief and guilt, she might just be able to find a new family in them.

Haven’t shared this aesthetic with anyone yet, so … it’s a premiere!! One that will likely only make sense to those that know more about the story and the main character.

1.Ghost // Have you ever originally put a character/scene/theme in the book and then later taken it out?

Character – no
Scene – yes
Theme – yes

I usually tend to stick with characters, although I will not hesitate to alter their personality/appearance/general role in the story. But when it comes to scenes and themes, I am often less attached.

2. Bat // Most misunderstood character in your WIP?

I feel like that has to be Taylor. He has this carefree attitude and seems like nothing in the world fazes him, but it does. His bad boy/charmer image is just a way to hide what’s happening on the inside for him. In his heart, he’s a good guy. He’s just really hesitant to attach to anyone.

3. Jack-O-Lantern // What’s your most common source of inspiration to write?

I can find inspiration in almost anything and everything! Sometimes it’s a song, sometimes it’s a theme in a TV show that I would like to explore on my own. Very often it’s just daydreams that get stuck in my head and need further development or I will never ever get rid of them again.

4. Zombie // Preferred form of writerly fuel? Coffee, tea, etc.

Tea. Always.

5. Vampire // Cheesiest trope that made it into your novel?

Okay, this is actually from the only novel I finished, as I don’t want to talk about WIPs in that much detail, but … Break Up Buddy literally ended with a proposal on live television. It was Hallmark-level-cheese perfection!

6. Spider // What’s a character in your WIP that’s fine from afar, but you would NOT want to interact with if they ever got close?

I … don’t know? Especially in the Football WIP, I don’t have any “villains” per se. There’s definitely conflict, but the characters are all just humans with flaws and mistakes. I don’t think I would really mind being close-ish to any of them. I might imagine Laurie stressing me out … let’s go with that if I have to answer.

7. Frankenstein’s Monster // Ever combined two characters into one/split one character into two?

Dang, my answers are so boring, but … no. I don’t think that option ever even crossed my mind.

8.Skeleton // Best tips for adding in character baggage without info-dumping?

Ha! I didn’t know I was supposed to offer actual helpful insight. Uhm, I would be lying if I said I didn’t struggle with that every now and then. I like to hint at past trauma/baggage in dialogue and actions until a certain reveal becomes inevitable. That way you prepare the reader that something is coming, even if they don’t yet have the full picture and/or understand it all. I’m not saying that always works and very much depends on the baggage you intend to include, but I definitely prefer behavioral clues rather than just lengthy explanations myself.

9. Cat // What’s a polarizing writing/bookish opinion that you have?

I don’t believe that you HAVE to or SHOULD write every day. There’s definitely people who it’s helpful for to write on a regular basis, but if you are not feeling it one bit and hate what you create because you forced yourself to write, what’s the point? I’d rather take a break and clear my head, maybe find new inspiration and then get back to it with all the more motivation. Obviously, that’s tied with a bit of self discipline and making sure a short break doesn’t turn into weeks and months of inactivity. But to each their own!

10. Demon // Most frequent writing distraction?

TV shows! I think I can handle not checking social media all the time, but when I get enamored with a TV show, I forget all other standing responsibilities and live in that world in my head. Especially my own stories take a back seat then, even if they shouldn’t.

What did you think of this tag? Could you relate to my answers? Let’s chat!

The Life Choices Write Tag

Kat Impossible52 Comments

I said I would do a new Write Tag this month and for once I am really keeping my promise! If you have missed previous installments of this very irregular feature, you can check out the posts for the Winter Is Here, Valentine’s Day and Milestones Write Tag by clicking on their titles. You are also more than welcome to join in if you haven’t yet! I have once again tried to steer clear of seasonal tags, because I want people to be able and do them whenever they feel like and am therefore happy to present the Life Choices Write Tag! It’s all about those little moments in life that define us and in this case hopefully our characters. Let’s get to know them better!

Once again, I will be doing this tag myself by answering the questions with my WIP (Work in Progress) Arcadia. While I have made some important decisions (like it is definitely going to be a duology and not a stand-alone), there’s still loads of work to do. The heat has made it a little tough to think straight, so I haven’t really been working on it. I am hoping this tag will motivate me again.

RULES

  • Thank the person who tagged you but also link back to the original post! (I want to see all your lovely answers, people!)
  • Provide a short description of your WIP/story!
    Kasia and Dyson have known each other their entire lives, their paths intertwining at every crossroad. So forgetting he ever existed doesn’t make any sense to Kasia and neither does finding out about the magical beings that took him away from her. Now, with the help of some allies with motives of their own, she will do everything she can to get him back, not knowing if either one of them will ever be the same after all is said and done.
    You can check out this post to find out more about Arcadia!
  • This is pretty focused on main characters but don’t hesitate to use several characters for the answers if you want to! (We want to get to know as many of your characters as possible)

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Where does your main character (MC) live? Were they born there or did they move to that place?

Kasia and Dyson moved to Vancouver together after they both finished university. Their families live in Ontario, but it’s not really an issue for them. First it’s not an insurmountable distance if you want to see them for holidays and second, they felt it was more important to start someplace new get trapped in their old routines after graduation.

Does your MC have a dream career? What (if anything) stops them from pursuing it?

Dyson’s greatest dream was to become a sort of mix between Indiana Jones and Noah Flynn from the Librarian movies. His knack for studying, but also outdoor adventure ultimately did lead to him becoming an archaeologist. The actual excavation sites are not nearly as exciting as the movies made them look, but he soon found himself gravitating towards teaching and jobs at museums anyway. (So, in short, he pursued his dream career and ended up loving it!)

Did any of your characters ever go against their parents/family’s wishes? How did that change their relationship?

Well, Dyson did when he didn’t find a “reasonable” job in his family’s eyes. They came around eventually and never truly held it against him, especially since Kasia went the more sensible route and became an accountant. That way not both of them had precarious jobs, but it still elicits the occasional eye roll at family gatherings.

If faced with their greatest fear – would your MC try to overcome it or run the other way?

Kasia’s greatest fear (aside from loosing Dyson) are heights, which I can very much relate to. As long as someone (again, preferable Dyson) is there to hold her hand though, she’ll at least always try.

Did any character have to cut a person out of their life? Why?

If I may refer everyone to chapter 9 of Arcadia … I don’t even feel like I should talk about this again. I’ve made a lot of people sad with that one. (Click here to read Arcadia if you haven’t yet, but want to.)

What is your main character’s biggest regret?

I shared an aesthetic the last time, of a little road trip (that probably won’t make it into the book) and I think there is a certain kind of regret involved with not actually going through with it, especially since it’s so uncertain if they will be able to now.

Which character is most likely going to help a stranger, even if they got nothing out of it in return?

This is someone a lot of you don’t know at all or at least not very well yet, but Casper would be my answer. I wanted to say Findlay at first, but I want to give some recognition to Casper too. He has a hard shell but a soft inside. He would never get a “most friendly” award, but if someone actually needed help, I don’t doubt that he would show up.

If your character got good/bad news, who would be the person they first tell?

Kasia and Dyson would call each other and after that Robyn. Georgie would call Fin, although I am not 100% sure he would call her first in return. I am really looking forward to figuring out who Leo would call. Haven’t found an answer yet though.

BONUS: Make an aesthetic for your MCs life if there had been no obstacles (money, geographical, etc.) and they had everything they wanted. (It is up to you if you want to explain it or not!)

I am going to leave this open for interpretation for now, but give me your best guess in the comments!

I TAG THEE

I hope you liked the tag and if you did, please don’t hesitate to spread the word!!! People have so many stories in them and I hope this helps them get to know their characters.

The Milestones Write Tag

Kat Impossible37 Comments

I haven’t done one of my infamous Write Tags in while and I know that at least some of my fellow writers on the blogosphere like doing them quite a bit. So this is your opportunity to explore your characters a bit more in depth, as I will do with my current WIP by answering the questions about Milestones as well. I miss talking about Arcadia (in case you are new to the blog – welcome! All the infos on Arcadia can be found here), because it’s my baby and I still have so much story to tell, but I know that the updates have been scarce. I just want you to know that you have all been amazingly helpful with your lovely feedback and reactions on Twitter and Wattpad. It’s such a motivation for me and seeing the number of views go up to 700 made my heart sing. There’s more coming soon – I promise!

RULES

  • Thank the person who tagged you but also link back to the original post! (I want to see all your lovely answers, people!)
  • Provide a short description of your WIP/story!
    Kasia and Dyson have known each other their entire lives, their paths intertwining at every crossroad. So forgetting he ever existed doesn’t make any sense to Kasia and neither does finding out about the magical beings that took him away from her. Now, with the help of some allies with motives of their own, she will do everything she can to get him back, not knowing if either one of them will ever be the same after all is said and done.
    You can check out this post to find out more about Arcadia!
  • Don’t use just one character for all answers if possible! (We want to get to know as many of your characters as possible)

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Can your Main Character (MC) remember their first day of school? Who was with them?

Kasia remembers her first day of school as if it had been yesterday. She was nervous as heck, because despite being an inquisitive child who loved to learn, she didn’t know what to expect of all the new people who were about to enter her life. Having been neighbors with Dyson’s family all her life, they went to school together and all her worries evaporated when Dyson confidently took her hand and walked right into school with her without even taking a look back at his parents or brothers.

Which one of your characters would be the first to buy a house or property? (because that’s part of adulting??)

Georgie? She kind of already has a house. Not sure if she paid money for it or if it there was some other kind of transaction though … because magic?

Does someone in your WIP own a pet?

NOT YET! Someone needs a dog. (And no, I am not counting the Claven as Dyson’s “pets” because they are a herd of calm yet mind-controlling beasts …)

What was your MCs first job and how did they feel about it?

While Kasia volunteered at her local library for years during school, her first paying job was a summer internship at her mother’s work. It was a very forgettable experience that mostly involved distributing mail, operating the copy machine and getting coffee for meetings.

Dyson’s first job was at the summer camp he and both his brothers visited each year. He was pretty pumped because he loved being around people and planning activities outdoors. To no one’s surprise at all, he soon became a favourite among the staff and kids.

Does your MC or another character want kids?

That conversation has definitely happened between my main couple and they would love to have kids someday in the future, with Kasia being especially in favour of adoption or fostering kids as well.

Name a song that reminds one of your characters of heartbreak in their life!

 

This song is one Robyn listens to a lot after Chapter 9 wishing things were different … (shout out to anyone who understands what I am referencing here!)

Has one of your characters lost someone close to them? How did they deal with it?

Findlay had to grow up without his parents, but being from the world he was from, he never quite knew if he lost them for good or if he might be able to see them again one day some way. He was a quiet kid until he got taken in by Georgie’s family and he felt at home with them. (There’s more to that story that I just don’t want to spoil.)

What is an achievement your MC is proud of?

Dyson is especially proud of graduating from university with a major in Archaeology because his family didn’t really think he would truly stick to that field or be able to make a living with it. Nonetheless, they all beamed at him with pride when he showed them his diploma and he never regretted following his passion since.

BONUS: Make an aesthetic for a special or memorable day in one of your character’s lives! (It’s up to you if you want to explain it or not!)

This probably won’t be in the book like ever, but if I ever write a companion novella or something like that for Arcadia, this would probably be the story. Although it might end differently than you think!

I TAG THEE

I hope you liked the tag and if you did, please, spread the word!!! People have so many amazing stories to tell and I hope this is a burst of motivation for all fellow writers.