Author: ladyjabberwocky

Camp NaNoWriMo: Virtual Write-In + WIP Research (Week 3 Update)

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 3 Comments

Hello Writer bees!

Hope you and your creative endeavors are doing well. Welcome to week three of Camp NaNoWriMo!

I’ve been burning the candle at both ends lately, so I was looking forward to an upcoming break. Despite a hectic week at my real job, I’ve scheduled some time off this week to write and to relax. Mental health day from work turned into an all-day editing extravaganza. Made a lot of progress on my editing to-do list. Honestly, feeling a little proud of myself. It’s refreshing to spend a day doing what you love, an excellent way to recharge the spirits.

Random sidenote: Anyone else feel like their search history is questionable when writing? If so, you’ll find this funny. Something hilarious happened a few days ago. My partner, Michael, has always been my biggest supporter. Even though he’s not a writer, he likes to check in and offer encouragement. The other day, he asked how editing was going and what I was working on. My answer? “Oh, I researched how to clean blood stains from a crime scene.” The strange search history of a mystery writer. Guess that’s part of writing a murder mystery, things can get dark.

Also, last night, I participated in a write-in event for Camp NaNoWriMo, hosted by Kelley Tai. That was so much fun! I didn’t realize how much I missed hanging out with other writers. We all talked about our current projects and did writing sprints and prompts together. And guide Kelley was a delight. Would definitely join another write-in for NaNoWriMo in the future. Highly recommend joining a write-in if you are feeling stuck in your writing or if want to interact with other writers. The writing community is truly amazing, I’m lucky to a part of it.

That’s my update for week three of Camp NaNoWriMo. Sorry for the short update. It’s been a busy week, but I’ve made serious headway with my WIP. Let’s see if I can keep this ball rolling!

What’s the strangest thing you’ve search for fiction writing purposes? Let me know in the comments!

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky

Camp NaNoWriMo: Renaming Characters + Writer Breaks (Week 2 Update)

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 4 Comments

Hello Writer bees!

Hope you all are staying well and staying creative.

It’s been a rough couple of days for me. Remember how in my last Camp NaNoWriMo update, I told you I’m working on keeping a more positive mindset? Maybe I jinxed myself. Maybe the universe heard me, and thought, ‘let’s throw some hardballs.’ Life stress plus work stress equals one stressed lady! Writing this post has been one of my few fleeting breathers this week.  

But, writing and editing my WIP still need to be done. So, I carry on, as best I can. Take breaks when I can. Overwhelmed and overload, I stopped and made myself some fried rice in my cozy sweatpants. My preferred method of decompressing. After that break, I went back to tackling the big editing giant that is my mystery WIP. Breaks are important. Even just taking a rest, or cooking a meal, or watching a movie can do wonders for your mental health. Don’t forget to take care of yourselves, writer bees.

In other news, changes to my characters are happening this week. What’s a sure sign of writer insanity? Naming and renaming characters. Yes, I’ve fallen into that trap, constantly scrolling through first and last names. I can’t help it. I’ve been meaning to change two of my characters names for a while. Embarrassing enough, but one of the suspects has had a temporary last name for years. Yikes. So, I took the opportunity while at Camp NaNoWriMo to look through names and finally making those changes.

How do I go about naming a character? Baby naming websites have come in clutch. Also, if you’re like me and writing historical fiction, the Social Security Administration website is a gift. You can search through the most poplar names of a specific decade. Super helpful!

Anyone else feel like naming a character is a lot of pressure? Or is that just me? I mean, I know people name children and pets, but fictional characters feel different. Picking the right name that fits perfectly with the story and isn’t the name of someone you know is a unique challenge. It’s all in those pesky, tiny details, right? The tedious work of a writer.

That’s it for week two of Camp NaNoWriMo. Nothing exciting writing-wise, I’m afraid. Just renaming characters and ticking off items from my editing to-do list. Hoping to join a NaNoWriMo virtual write-in or event next week. We’ll see what happens, stay tuned!

How do you name characters? And how are your creative endeavors going? Share your progress. Talk to me in the comments. As always, I love to hear from you guys.

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky

Camp NaNoWriMo: Editing is Hard (Week 1 Update)

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 5 Comments

Hello Writer Bees!

Welcome to week one of Camp NaNoWriMo! Hope you are all out there creating amazing things.

How’s my WIP coming along? Glad you asked.

In the wise, relatable words of my blogger buddy Jai Lyn, writing is hard. Fact. Here’s another fact I’ve recently learned; editing is also hard.

In my experience, the editing process has its peaks and valleys. There are days when everything I’ve written is awful and it’s a soul-crushing low. The ‘maybe I should give up’ voice creeps in. Other days, chin raised, I face the storm of editing head on and afterwards, feel like some progress was made. A small, fleeting victory.

Honestly, I’ve never had to edit a piece this size before. I think that’s why it’s taken me so long to edit this story. And mysteries are a beast. Lots of fine tuning is involved with this genre. From the subtleties of suspects to leaving behind crumbs of clues. It’s meticulous. It’s difficult. But it’s not impossible.

When I began editing, I tried to fix everything all at once, hopping from scene to scene. With no direct focus, I was taking shots in the dark. My lack of editing experience and ability was showing. Even so, I wasn’t giving up. I could learn and practice and become better at editing. Just had to find a method to the madness that worked for me. One thing that’s helped me tackle a large project is writing a list. A list of items that need to be edited. From the big plot points to the small details. It kept me on track, it gave me a to-do list. Also, it showed me just how close I am to finishing this WIP once and for all. Which is exciting.

Long story short, that’s my Camp NaNoWriMo update. Compiling a to-edit list and knocking each item out one by one. Hey, that’s what works for me. Also, maintaining a positive attitude through the editing process. There are dark moments. I question if the never-ending editing cycle is all worth it. It will be, I have a feeling.

To all my fellow creatives out there who have edited before, how was the editing process for you? Vent in the comments. Consider it is a safe space to scream. If you have any advice on editing, please share with the rest of the class.

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky

April and May Post Schedule Update (Camp NaNo + MayOfMystery)

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 7 Comments

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Hello Writer Bees,

Just wanted to give you guys a quick update of what’s to come on the Lady Jabberwocky blog. Here’s the posting schedule for April and May!

April – Camp NaNoWriMo 2023

A surprise last minute entry, I will be joining Camp NaNoWriMo. Every Friday in April will be an update on my never-ending editing adventures. Will I have a finish final draft by the end of April? I hope so. But my real goal is to connect with the writing community. To cheer on and support my fellow writers. Fingers crossed; I’d also like to participate in a NaNoWriMo event. Maybe a virtual write-in. If you are interested in following my editing journey for my mystery WIP, stay tuned!

Are you participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this year? Let me know in the comments!  

May – May of Mystery

A few years ago, I started May of Mystery, a month dedicated to celebrating all things detective fiction and mystery. It’s a month where all my posts and prompts are inspired by mysteries. We tackled everything from detectives to clue hunting to whodunits and more. Recently, so many new readers have found and followed my blog. So, for all the newcomers and longtime writer bees, this May, I’m sharing some of my favorite mystery-themed posts from years past. Stories and articles that hold a special place in my slueth-loving heart. Consider this the May of Mystery: All Stars edition! Hope you enjoy!

Have any plans for your creative projects coming up? Share your progress in the comments. Let’s support one another!

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky

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Five Subgenres of Science Fiction Explained

~ ladyjabberwocky ~ 2 Comments

Hello Writer Bees,

Today, we’re jumping into a spaceship and exploring the subgenres of science fiction. Let’s blast off and discover some sci-fi subgenres.

Space Opera

As the name would suggest, this sci-fi subgenre takes place in outer space, without the opera singing. Plotlines center around high-risk adventure and space travel. And yes, there’s usually a sweeping romance mixed in for good measure. Space exploration is prevalent in this subgenre. Which means your characters may encounter warfare, political rebellions and exotic locations with interesting inhabitants. World building is critical in Space Opera. You not only must create one planet but an entire universe. Try keeping notes for each location close by as you write to act as a guide to your galaxy.

Dystopian & Apocalyptic

In Dystopian and Apocalyptic fiction, every day is doomsday. The world is in turmoil. Every living creature struggles. The apocalyptic story takes place in an alternative reality or timeline, after a catastrophic event or the end of the world. After the decline of the human race or the end of Earth itself, your heroes do whatever they can to survive. As a whole, this sci-fi subgenre can be looked as a metaphor. A chance to explore social and political structures, if you’re into that sort of thing. Examine the different directions humanity can take depending on their choices. What the end result of those decisions? That’s up to you. When writing a dystopian story, keep in mind the message and theme you are trying to convey. That message will act as your compass are you craft the dystopian world.

Cyber Punk 

The cyberpunk subgenre is a futuristic world centered around computer technology. This sci-fi subgenre tends to have an urban, gritty, futuristic vibe. Sometimes, cyberpunk stories have elements of dystopian fiction mixed in, making for a nuanced narrative. With overt surveillance or advanced weaponry, technology has overtaken everyone’s lives on way or another. And characters may not be 100% human. Be prepared to construct characters that aren’t all flesh and blood, that may have some machinery incorporated into their bodies. Think about how the added metal impacts their day-to-day lives.

Steampunk

Get those cogs turning with steampunk fiction. In this sci-fi subgenre, it’s all about a specific aesthetic. It’s retro and futuristic and whimsical all at once. Technological innovations are based on the shiny brass and steam powered marvels of the 19th century industrial era. Not only are the contraptions vintage inspired, so are the character’s clothing. Goggles on top hats is a look. Authors such as H.G. Wells and Mary Shelley are huge inspirations for this sci-fi subgenre. Might be a good idea to brush on that Victorian era history. Some aspects of Victorian era culture and societal norms can still be prevalent in a steampunk world.

Alternate History

Imagine if you could go back in time and change one historical event? In the Alternate History subgenre, you can. Use fiction to twist the past. In this sci-fi subgenre, a momentous event from the past occurs and is resolved differently than what happened in real life. How does the altered resolution effect the rest of the timeline? Not only that, how does this change in the timeline effect characters and society as a whole? It’s up to you as the writer to redesign history. Create what the world looks like when history has derailed from its known course. For this sci-fi subgenre, make sure you do the research beforehand. Once you have a solid understanding of history, then you can distort history with creative liberty.  

Interested in learning about other subgenres? Check out these!

What’s your favorite science fiction book? What sci-fi genre do you gravitate towards? Talk to me in the comments.

Write with heart.

Love,

Lady Jabberwocky