Write a story or poem with a costume party as the setting. Happy Halloween!
Write your response in the comments below. Your entry may get a shout out next week!
Write with Heart,
Lady Jabberwocky
Prompt of the Week: The Monster Mash
Month: October 2022
The Ultimate NaNoWriMo Survival Guide (Repost)
(Reposting for NaNoWriMo! Best of luck to everyone participating! And if you are curious about my November/December posting plans, read here! – Lady Jabberwocky)
Hello Writer Bees,
Signing up for NaNoWriMo this year? You’re going to need all the help you can get.
This guide will help you survive National Novel Writing Month.
Find the Time
To reach 50,000 words goal, you’ll need to write about 1,667 words a day. Come up with a plan, find the best time for you to write. Make that time commitment. Schedule what part of your novel you will work on each day. Decide whether you are a day or night writer. Create a routine and stick to it as best you can. And don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day, it’ll happen to everyone.
Set Up Your Writing Space
Establish your writing space. A place to be organized and creative. A place where you can focus and write and hopefully not be disturbed. Dedicate a work area, with all your research and inspiration materials nearby. Make sure you have all your needed resources close at hand. Whether it’s at home, at the public library, or at the local coffee shop, find your cozy corner of the world.
Keep Resources Close
This coincides with creating a great work space. Notes, historical sources, journals, character profiles, outlines. Everything. Keep all research material organized and in reach, in case you need a reference. Use time in October to gather information and prepare for the writing ahead. Because I’m writing a story set in a specific time period (1920s), I have bookmarked a couple of historical resources, just in case. I also have a book of photos of Brooklyn in the 1920s that I like to glance through for inspiration.
Writers Require Nourishment
Be prepared with all the snacks and beverages you’ll need to get through a month of writing. I’m talking leftover Halloween candy. I’m talking caffeine, and lots of it. I’m talking the comfort food that makes your heart happy. Also, I’ve heard some even meal prep ahead of time. IF you have time, consider prepping meals in advance and leaving them in the freezer. Look, some would suggest eating healthy, and while that is true, sometimes, you need a bag of salty potato chips. And no one will judge you for devouring the entire bag.
Goals and Rewards
Set smaller goals for yourself. 10k, 20k, 30k, etc. And when you reach them, reward yourself. Whether its with your favorite movie or favorite meal, celebrate those little milestones. During National Novel Writing Month, every word counts. So, treat yourself and do something special for you once you reach a certain word count. Whatever makes you happy and relaxed, do that. This will keep you motivated and encourage you to keep going.
Outline
Whether you are a planner or a pantser, have a general idea for a story. Develop your characters. Establish some kind of plot line, even if its a vague idea. Note the key scenes of the plot. It’s important to have an outline. And remember, use the method that feels right to you. Every writer has their own way of planning a story. Do what works for you.
Have a Support System
We all need someone in our corner, supporting us. Find some writing buddies. Consider attending write-ins and writing events. Find the people in your life you trust, who you can talk openly to. A significant other, a friend, a teacher, a classmate. Have someone to express your worry or doubt or just iron out ideas with. Someone to cheer you on through the absolutely ridiculous journey that is NaNoWriMo.
Surround yourself with other writers.
What’s a necessity in your NaNoWriMo survival kit? Let me know in the comments!
Write with Heart,
Lady Jabberwocky
Prompt of the Week: What Does Fear Feel Like?
What does fear feel like?
Write your response in the comments. Your entry may get a shout out next week!
Stay safe and keep writing!
—- Lady Jabberwocky
November + December Posting Schedule Update
Hello Writer Bees,
Hope you all are doing well and staying creative.
Just wanted to give you all a heads up of what’s to come in the next few months. A posting schedule update, if you will.
Will I be participating in NaNoWriMo this year?
Big question. Short answer? No. I’m still putting the final touches on my mystery WIP. And frankly, there’s other things I would like to focus on in November. Sorry, this year, you won’t find weekly NaNoWriMo updates. Although I won’t be a traditional NaNo participant, I’ll be a supportive cheerleader instead. For all those participating in National Novel Writing Month, good luck and have fun! Remember, this lady is always in your corner, cheering you on. If you ever have writing questions, feel free to reach out to me anytime.
Here’s what my November Posting Schedule will be:
- Mondays: No matter if you are involved in the NaNoWriMo event or not, you’ll find fun writing prompts to do here every Monday. Please know, I read each response and am constantly impressed by the talent out there. Sometimes shout out other bloggers and writers.
- Tuesdays-Thursdays: When I first started blogging, I had a series called Words for Writers, where I shared inspirational quotes for writers. For the month of November, Words for Writers will be back! Offering some positive writing vibes and quick tips during the week.
- Fridays: Hey! I have to get in on the fiction fun of NaNoWriMo too. Every Friday, I plan to write a short story or flash fiction. No genre is safe.
Holiday Break
Lately, I’ve been feeling burnout. My work-life balance is broken and in shambles. Time for a mental health break! In December, this blog will be on hiatus. But don’t worry, there will still be Monday prompts and reposts on Fridays. You won’t even know I’m gone. After that, I’ll be back in the new year with new content.
Those are my plans for now anyway. Let’s see if they pan out as I hope.
What are your plans for National Novel Writing Month? Do you have any advice for those participating? Let me know in the comments.
Write with heart.
Love,
Lady Jabberwocky
Prompt of the Week: Scary Story in One Sentence
Write a scary and/or spooky story in one sentence.
Write your response in the comments below. Your entry may get a shout out next week!
Shout out to Silly Frog to their hilarious response to last week’s prompt.
Write with Heart,
Lady Jabberwocky
3 Terrifying Tips on Scaring Your Readers (Repost)
Hello Writer Bugs!
In any kind of fictional story, a little bit of terror can go a long way. But how do you strike fear in the hearts of your readers? Have no fear, I’m here to help! Here are three tips on how to scare your audience senseless.
Setting the Mood
A spooky setting can be a total game changer in a horror story. With this literary element, details are key. Paint a horrifying picture for the audience. No, that does not mean you need copious amounts of blood and guts spilled everywhere. Even the most ordinary places can be transformed into a scary environment. Build an atmosphere that unsettles readers, that only enhances the fear factor of the antagonist. Consider what the weather would be like, or how a room is furnished, or the architecture of a building. Once you provided them with vivid descriptions, let the audience’s imagination handle the rest. Not sure where to start in descriptions? When it doubt, the “it was a dark and stormy night” trick never fails in fiction.
Solid Characters
In horror – or in any genre, really- you can’t skimp on the characters. The audience isn’t going to care about a damsel-in-distress, Mary Sue who happens to tumble into a haunted basement. And if readers don’t care, they won’t keep reading. And they won’t be afraid when that character is put in danger. Simple as that. However, they might care more about a child running around a creepy hotel. Create complex characters and give them real struggles, flaws and life problems that the audience can identify with. The goal is to make readers care and want to protect the main character. To make them feel like they could be standing in that character’s shoes, facing the same horrors. To have them biting their nails until the very end, just to make sure the character survives the ordeal.
Pacing Makes Perfect
Specific phrasing or wording can enhance the scary factor in horror fiction. When you have longer sentences, it slows down the action, thereby torturing readers with the suspense. On the other hand, quick and short sentences can keep readers on their toes and get their hearts racing. Those fast, up-tempo phrasing works best when a character is running away from the monster or is internally spiraling into panic and confusion. If the scene doesn’t feel quite right, try switching up the pacing. This one element can change the entire vibe of a scene.
Last week, I experimented in writing horror. I noticed that using short sentences added to the claustrophobic feeling. I almost made myself panic as I was writing the story. And if it scares the writer, it will most definitely scare the reader.
To my fellow writers out there, how do you go about scaring your audience? Also, with Halloween around the corner, what are you dressing up as for Halloween? Talk to me in the comments.
Stay safe and stay creative.
Write with Heart,
Lady Jabberwocky
Prompt of the Week: Pumpkin Spiced Everything
Write a story or poem that includes the word ‘Pumpkin Spiced’.
Write your response in the comments below. Your entry may get a shout out next week!
Write with Heart,
Lady Jabberwocky
The Graveyard Shift (100 Word Spooky Story)
“G’Evening, Miss Lorelei.”
Tipping his flat cap in her direction, he pushes the wheelbarrow along the dirt path. The moon is full and bright.
“G’Evening Mister George, George Junior.” Regarding father and son with a bow of his head, his mud caked boots trudges forward. Thick fog blankets the graveyard.
“G’Evening Miss Ramona.” Next to her, he finds an empty plot and grabs a shovel.
Alone in the cemetery, the gravedigger whistles a tune as he digs. Tree branches full of orange leaves bristle. A woman’s delicate voice carries on the wind.
“Good evening, Jim. How’s life been treating you?”
Based on this week’s prompt of the week!
Write with heart.
Love,
Lady Jabberwocky
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Prompt of the Week: One Foot in the Grave
Write a story or poem with a graveyard as the setting.
Write your response in the comments below. Your entry may get a shout out next week!
Write with Heart,
Lady Jabberwocky
Lady Jabberwocky 