#WritersCoffeeClub 1.28 — What resource (book, podcast, tool, conversation) unexpectedly helped your writing this month?
I read a (big) handful of books this month, too many to list, and they've all helped me in some way. If you're ever feeling unmotivated or your muse is low, read. Just READ. It always inspires me, and it does the same for so many other writers.
#WritersCoffeeClub 1.21 — When writing about unpleasant feelings, how do you avoid alienating the reader entirely?
To be fair, if readers are looking for cozy, carefree stories without ever having *any* unpleasant feelings they won't be picking up my stories from the start. Every synopsis or blurb warns of this. My work features emotion of all kinds, the good *and* the bad. The stories have a range of emotion in them, scenes that won't always be happy-go-lucky and carefree, and that's okay because it's just life. Things can't always be perfect and good, you know? Regardless of all that, this isn't a problem for me. My readers are generally looking for (emotionally) tortured characters who have good recovery journeys after the fact.
#WritersCoffeeClub 1.25 — What comes first: setting, character, plot? What comes next?
Sometimes it's the plot. More often than not, it's the characters. They'll come to me first. A lot of my characters were created for either the purpose of TTRPG stuff (tabletop roleplaying games) or roleplay stories (which is just collaborative writing that I do with friends or my girlfriend), so I've already written a plethora of stories with these characters. The plots come to me later if I finally decide to knuckle down and write a long serial or just a novel with them. C'est la vie.
Edit: I should add this... It's usually a scene between characters that I've already created, and then I have to write an entire story around said scene. It's funny how that works out sometimes, isn't it?
#WritersCoffeeClub 1.26 — Do you include things you personally find repellent in your work?
I do, only because the story isn't about me, it's about the characters. Sometimes a story calls for something that I might strongly dislike. It isn't a perfect world, after all. As much as I love *reading* cozy fantasy, it isn't actually the genre that I'm writing within.
#WritersCoffeeClub 1.27 — What’s a technical skill you think should be more widespread?
As a game or dungeon master for many TTRPGs (including DnD), I'll say this... It's drawing your own maps and things. Not enough people do it anymore. Draw stuff! Even if it's bad, *especially* if it's bad, do the thing! It's more fun that way, I promise. It's become a lost art these days, no pun intended.
#WritersCoffeeClub 1.28 — What resource (book, podcast, tool, conversation) unexpectedly helped your writing this month?
I read a (big) handful of books this month, too many to list, and they've all helped me in some way. If you're ever feeling unmotivated or your muse is low, read. Just READ. It always inspires me, and it does the same for so many other writers.
#WritersCoffeeClub 1.29 — Which phrase, paragraph, or page are you most proud of writing this month?
I'll share a snippet with everyone. 🤍
#WingsOfQuietLonging #ParanormalRomance #Romantasy #Fantasy #Vampires #Werewolves #Ghosts #Romance #Victorian #Worldbuilding #AmWriting #WritingCommunity
