Keep Writing

Since I got so many updoots on my proposed writing competition the other week, and no response neither positive or negative from the mods, I've decided to go through with it. Write in the comments below a short story, essay, or piece of poetry based on the prompt "Echos in the dark". The winner will be determined by whoever has the most updoots within 7 days. I'd highly recommend you start writing straight away to get the most eyes on your work. I too will be writing something for fun, but won't be included as a possible winner.

The winner of the competition will be announced in a separate post, either just winning bragging rights, or will get a shout out to any social medias or websites they're working to promote.

It's called CORPORATE DRAGON SLAYER or: Writing Is Punk Rock

I was thinking about how to bring a bit of life into this community, and I was thinking that a weekly writing competition would be great. Perhaps instead of just short stories, we could include a further focus on poetry, short essays, and of course still including short stories. I think the prompts could be less restrictive than those on r/writingprompts over on Reddit and similar communities; instead they could be things like "Gaza-Israeli conflict", opening the floor to poetry, essays, commentaries, or short stories. Would love to see your prompt suggestions.

Furthermore, how would the voting go? Perhaps the mods could help with that, perhaps it could be based on the Lemmy voting system? This has been the most difficult part for me to figure out so far.

In place of a cash prize (I'm broke), I think a shout out to any websites, social media pages, or just your Lemmy account right here could work as a prize.

Would love to see what you guys think: prompts, choosing winners, a larger platform for shout outs to make the prize more enticing.

There are very legitimate concerns that AI can be used to replace content created by human writers. In the meantime, writers are being employed to help train the AI that may one day replace them.

My September Month’s Medium Stat: Revealing All Ins & Outs and My 5 Key Takeaways — Let’s Learn the Secret!

https://medium.com/@ravinimbus/my-september-months-medium-stat-revealing-all-ins-outs-and-my-5-key-takeaways-let-s-learn-b2bdb2c96f15

#medium #writing @PinkHatHacker @medium @medium_blog @writingcooperative @keepwriting

The following story was written by me, playing with the concept of myse en abyme (among other deeper concepts within the text, such as philosophical and esoteric intertwined concepts).

Myse en abyme is a type of art that contains the art within itself, creating a meta-narrative. I'm sharing this to bring this concept to those who were not familiar with it.

I'm using a made-up pseudonym "Bob DeLorean" to compose the text.

Please let me know if i'm sharing the wrong way (i.e. if I'm supposed to publish it through another platform and sharing links, instead of sharing the entire story through a Lemmy post).

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How do you make a story within the story itself? - A meta-fiction By Bob DeLorean (my pseudonym for this Myse En Abyme kind of story)

"How do you make a story within the story itself? Bob was wondering that. 'You start by thinking about the steps. It's quite simple, son, take this ancient book. It's yours. Literally yours', answered the priest, while handing a dusty book entitled 'How do you make a story within the story itself' authored by 'Bob'.

He opened it, just to face his own story right at the first page: 'How do you make a story within the story itself? Bob was wondering that'.

– Hey, it's my story! – he wondered, scared. – Where did you get it?

The priest answered:

– A long, long time ago, some minutes before this sentence, Bob started to wrote. Look, son, you're a prophet, a really gifted prophet. You should be proud of yourself.

– It doesn't make sense. How should I... how should I know?

– You really wrote it, son. Turn the page.

Bob turned the page. The second page started... 'Bob turned the page. The second page started...'. The rest was blurry, but gradually faded into existence. His eyes couldn't believe it. He read the next line: 'The rest was blurry, but gradually fading into existence'.

– Which type of witchcraft is this?

– It's not, son. It's your story, you really should be proud of yourself.

– But you said that I wrote this, right?

– Exactly, son. You wrote that.

– And how I can't remember?

– You do remember, son. Read it again.

He tried to look the next pages. All blurry, because we're still going to the third page. Bob should know that.

– Wait.. I heard it. Who's that?

It's me, Bob.

– No, I am Bob. You're not.

I'm Bob, Bob.

– Wh... No way! Tell my last name.

It's DeLorean. Bob DeLorean is our name. He looks surprised.

– Of course I'm surprised. What happens with me, at the end?

You mean... with us. Well, for you, I have somber news. You vanish as soon as I stop writing. As for me, I dunno, I'll probably write other texts.

– It's not fair. Am I gonna die?

– Hey, son, are you talking to God? – the priest asked.

– N... no. I'm talking to a voice that's claiming to be myself. Take this book back.

A mysterious force was stopping Bob from giving away his own book. You can't do it, Bob. You know you can't. Only you can read the book, for now.

– He's claiming that only me can read the book. And he keeps narrating some story, this story, it's creepy.

– Oh, it's God! God's right, son! The book is yours. It's meant for yourself.

– You should try to read it, priest...

– I can't defy God, my son. If the book is yours, I can't even touch it.

– You touched it minutes ago.

– It was God's mission to deliver the book for you, son. I simply delivered it as God wisely ordered me.

Hey, Bob, are you listening?

– Uh... yeah?

Say to the priest that he can stop calling me as god.

– Hey... priest... Can you hear him?

– No, son. I can't hear God.

– He asked you to stop calling him "god".

– Beware of your words, son. He's God.

– But he literally asked me. Look...

Bob proceeded to the fourth page, where I said 'Say to the priest that he can stop calling me as god'.

– Wait... I c... I can read it, son!

– Exactly! See?

– If God asked to not be called God, I'll respect God's Will and I'll stop calling God as God.

Humph...

– He seems infuriated.

– I can see it, son. It's right below the prophetic paragraph you delivered to me.

I'm becoming tired. I should sto...

– No!! I'm gonna die if you stop!

I don't care, Bob.

– But I'm... I'm you, you said it before!

Yeah. I'm you, Bob. And I'm deciding to stop my own story: the ancient book was slim, with five pages only. The priest and Bob went to sleep. Don't worry, I'm taking care of them. Maybe we'll awake inside another book in the future."

In bed? Cafe? At a desk? Do you bring snacks? Write caffeinated? I'll usually have a coffee and write for an hour before I get too jittery and I'll do some physical exercise. It's an okay schedule considering that I'm still in school.

Used WordPress.com to make the website, wasn't the worst experience. I'm going to get the pro version and buy myself an actual domain soon enough, but it's been fun sharing my stuff online in any capacity. Constructive criticism is encouraged and appreciated!

I'm self publishing a novel, releasing chapters as I write and edit them. The novel is a sci-fantasy influenced by JRPGs, 90s anime, Ancient Greece, and cyberpunk stuff like Samuel R. Delany's Nova. It's fairly derivative, wearing influences on its sleeve.

I've always wanted to write a novel, so I pulled the trigger and decided to Just Do It™. It has been a great learning experience thus far. I've released two chapters, and plan to keep releasing chapters between other projects I'm working on.

If you read any of it, please let me know what you think. I am kinda soft when it comes to my work, so if your feedback comes off as passive aggressive, meanspirited, insensitive, etc. I'll likely just ignore you.

I don't know if it's an effect of growing up or an effect of growing up during these trying ass times but sometimes it feels like that spark of creativity is gone (or at least incredibly diminished).

Went back and read one of my older stories from a few years back and I gotta say, it's striking how entertaining and creative I found it, and when I think to anything I written recently, it's depressing how dull/uninspired it is.

I'm a writer who enjoys crafting stories that delve into unusual, niche, or unconventional themes. Lately, I've been struggling to balance my passion for esoteric writing with the desire to find an audience that appreciates and engages with my work. I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has advice or experiences to share regarding this dilemma.

Challenges I'm Facing:

Finding the Right Audience: While I know there are readers out there who would appreciate my themes and storytelling style, reaching them has proven difficult. I often feel like my work is too niche for mainstream platforms.

Balancing Art and Accessibility: I don't want to compromise the integrity of my stories, but I also want them to be accessible enough to attract readers. Finding this balance is a constant struggle.

Marketing and Promotion: Traditional marketing strategies seem ill-suited for my kind of writing. I'm looking for creative ways to promote my work and connect with potential readers who appreciate esoteric themes.

Questions for the Community:

Have you written esoteric or niche stories? How did you find your audience? What strategies have you used to balance artistic integrity with accessibility? Do you have any marketing or promotional tips for unconventional writing? Are there specific platforms or communities you recommend for writers with niche themes? I appreciate any insights, experiences, or advice you can share. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to hearing from you!

The Galactic Ecosystem: A Microcosm on My Arm

Imagine, if you will, that a small section of your arm has become the prime real estate for a variety of extraterrestrial life forms. While it may sound like the beginning of a science fiction novel, the diverse inhabitants of this microcosmic universe are more fantastical than one could dream. Herein, we explore the lives of five different kinds of extraterrestrials that might be calling your arm their new home.

1. The Luminian Lumisprites

First among these alien inhabitants are the Luminian Lumisprites, tiny bioluminescent beings that hail from the distant planet of Glimmera. Each Lumisprite is no larger than a grain of sand, yet they possess the extraordinary ability to emit a soft, glowing light. These beings thrive on the natural oils of human skin, which they metabolize to produce their luminescence. At night, when the lights are off, you might see a faint, ethereal glow emanating from your arm, like a living constellation. The Lumisprites communicate through patterns of light, creating intricate, ever-changing displays that tell the stories of their distant homeland.

2. The Sporellian Fungusfolk

Nestled within the fine hair follicles are the Sporellian Fungusfolk, a symbiotic species that resemble tiny, mushroom-like creatures. Originating from the fungal forests of Sporellia, these beings have a peculiar way of life. They feed on dead skin cells and in return, they secrete a soothing gel that promotes skin health. The Fungusfolk are master architects, constructing elaborate mycelium networks that help regulate moisture levels on your skin. If you ever feel a slight tickling sensation, it’s likely the Fungusfolk hard at work, maintaining their underground cities.

3. The Micronautic Mariners

In the creases and lines of your skin live the Micronautic Mariners, a diminutive race of aquatic beings. These tiny creatures come from a watery world known as Oceanea Minimus, where they navigated vast oceans in microscopic vessels. On your arm, they’ve adapted to the sweat and natural moisture, using it as their personal seas. The Mariners have built tiny boats from keratin and traverse your skin like sailors of old, mapping every inch of their new, expansive ocean. Their society is rich with nautical traditions, and their tiny, high-pitched sea shanties can occasionally be heard if you listen very, very closely.

4. The Nebulon Nomads

Drifting just above the surface are the Nebulon Nomads, ephemeral beings made of interstellar dust and energy. These nomadic creatures are almost invisible to the naked eye, appearing as slight shimmering distortions in the air. Originating from the swirling clouds of the Nebula Nox, they are drawn to the electromagnetic fields generated by the human body. The Nebulon Nomads travel in wispy clusters, perpetually in motion, absorbing stray electrons to sustain themselves. Though intangible, their presence is known to enhance the natural electrical signals in your nerves, sometimes resulting in spontaneous, tingling sensations.

5. The Quarkian Quantumites

Lastly, deep within the atomic structure of your skin cells reside the Quarkian Quantumites, entities composed of subatomic particles from the quantum realm of Quarkos. These beings are not bound by the physical laws of our universe and can exist in multiple states simultaneously. The Quantumites are responsible for occasional, inexplicable phenomena such as the sudden disappearance and reappearance of small objects around you. They communicate through quantum entanglement, sending instantaneous messages across vast distances. Their presence is a constant reminder of the mysterious and interconnected nature of all existence.

Conclusion

While the notion of extraterrestrial beings inhabiting your arm might seem outlandish, it offers a whimsical perspective on the unseen wonders that could exist just beyond our perception. The Luminian Lumisprites, Sporellian Fungusfolk, Micronautic Mariners, Nebulon Nomads, and Quarkian Quantumites each bring their unique qualities to this microscopic ecosystem. Whether they are real or merely figments of an imaginative mind, these creatures remind us of the infinite possibilities that the universe holds, even in the most unexpected places.

As we ponder the lives of these extraordinary beings, we are invited to view our world with a sense of wonder and curiosity. For who knows what other mysteries might be hiding in plain sight, just waiting to be discovered? 🌌✨👾

I deceided to join Medium and start sharing stories. I am starting with some short stories that I have started to write. The Fifth Wheel is my frist. Thank you for reading my post.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/14812704

a short story / black comedy i wrote about gaming addiction and the value of digital treasures

if you read it, let me know what you think.

(written with over 70 footnotes that add context and flavor to the '90s-00s setting. some of the footnotes are paragraphs long. the footnotes are not necessary to understand the story as they function more as a way to break the third person perspective to provide context & personal stories around the various 90s-2000s things that pop up throughout the story. NOTE: if you read on the site, you can click a footnote number, then click the arrow after the actual footnote to take you back. you can also skip the footnotes entirely if breaking up the text takes you out of the story too much.)

i run a gaming blog that is more like a creative writing blog. i just published this essay. the essay's main theme is nostalgia and living-in-the-past told through personal stories.

if you read it, let me know what you think. thanks.

Do you struggle to write every day? Come join an accountability team and compete for the prize of most consistent writers!

Here's how it works:

1️⃣ Reply to this message seeking an accountability partner, or reply to another user's request. Each team must consist of exactly two members.

2️⃣ This coming week, keep track of the number of days you have spent at least fifteen minutes working on your book, blog, or other writing project. The number of successful days is your score.

3️⃣ Add your score together with your partner's. The maximum number of points a team can earn is 14.

4️⃣ Next week on Sunday, a new announcement will be posted. One member of your team must reply with the team's score. Be honest. If you lie, your pants will spontaneously burst into flames.

5️⃣ The team with the highest score will be declared the winner! In the event of a tie, the winning team will be chosen randomly. Remember, the goal is not to write a million words. Rather, the goal is consistency—writing every day.

🎉 Prizes! 🏆

Bragging rights

Becoming a better writer

Two links of your choice (one from you and one from your partner) will appear at the top of next week's announcement.

This week's competition will run 1/14 - 1/21.

Happy writing!

I hope this is allowed here, if not, feel free to remove my post, mods

My name is Richard Silva, I'm a young Brazilian writer(17) who just published their first book. Since I was a kid I wrote things, but for the first time, I made something I am going to share with the world. Currently, I'm finishing Brazilian integral high school, which in other words, wastes 9 hours of my day with mostly nothing. It's very stressful, and leaves me with not much appropriate time for actually writing quality content, so you might imagine how many reviews this book had to get before I felt like I was satisfied.

I would like to encourage you to read my book, and share your thoughts on it, of course, it's me first one, so constructive criticism is very welcomed. My desire is to be able to make a living out of my art, and when reading this book, you are helping me make this dream possible :)

And please, if you did enjoy it(even if it's a little bit), leave me a review on google play saying how much you like it, and why you like it. As for you, fellow Brazilians, a version in Portuguese is coming soon!

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) kicks off today!

I've got a couple hundred words in, mostly just hoping to write a bit every day. Anyone else participating? What are your goals?

Protip: If you're on Mastodon, you can follow a hashtag just like you can an account, and the #nanowrimo tag is pretty active today. :-)

I love writing. I love telling stories and putting all the fantasies and day dreams in my head down on paper. I write mostly for myself, though I share some with people and love it when they comment on it.

As much as I love it, I don't do it enough. I get pulled by my vices (video games and anime mostly) and spent way more time on that than anything else. Even when I pull myself away from them, I still have school and work that takes my productivity away, and by the end of it, even if I feel like writing, I don't.

I'd love to get back into it, especially going through my old stories and editing them to be better. It's hard. I want to improve, but often I don't know how. I want to keep doing it and write more, but I don't want to stop enjoying it. I've got so much I need to do, so much else I want to do, and even when I have the time I keep getting distracted.

Sorry for the long post, just wanted to vent.

This post might sound like an advertisement (which it partly is, of course, you don't try to get published if you don't want people to read your stuff) but I want to use this post to encourage other new writers.

It took a long time to find a home for this story and I thought about giving up on it when rejections started piling up in my inbox. I'm sure there are others who feel the same from time to time, but please continue to submit.

For those interested, here is the story: https://stateofmatter.in/fiction/milk/

Just a wannabe writer here. I've only ever strung a few paragraphs together, maybe an essay's worth occasionally. I used to work on blog posts in Evernote and I still use it for capturing stray thoughts. I use it as a place for ideas and that's exactly what happens. I never develop the idea, I just write down another one. Years ago I used Word, but thought maybe now there are apps better suited to the writing process. What do others use for an application/ platform?

"What’s your process like?"

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Me:

So everyone's different, and I am autistic. I have an extensive memory for details, quick and sometimes instinctive understanding of many fiction principles, and a lot of visual thinking. (I have my shortcomings too, especially over-thinking and over-explaining instead of showing.) But I think at least some of what I do can work for you.

1. Discipline is better than motivation. Motivation ends, discipline stays. Eventually, hopefully like me, you'll get to a point where you feel wrong if you didn't write every day (or 5 days a week in my case). This hugely helps keep you motivated

2. I am a one-trick pony with it; but I always started with a theme, a feeling, something important I want to share and say. For me it was a terrible childhood, my desire for healing and family, my idealism towards wanting a greater world, and how we all need to become better and happier people to achieve it. I wanted to capture that idea and feeling since I was like six. While for my novel the lesson may be larger than life, every fiction should have a point to make, even if that point is "things in this book are awesome; here, have a good time because you deserve it". Your point should be memorable even if small.

3. Once you have a theme, start coming up with characters and scenes that support that theme. Write down the things that look or feel awesome in your head, the things that you always wanted to share and show, and come up with your best scenes first. Try to build a story around them. If you have important messages to say, build your plot around them. Have the characters' stakes revolve around those scenes. Once again this is just my method; but I don't think you can go wrong writing heart first.

4. For me, I found it easiest to quickly just outline scenes and jot down what you want to happen, what you want said. Finish all the basic sentences, events, and ideas for that scene, move to the next scene. Once you have all the chapters, this will be your first "outline"— even if you end up doing a little (or more) prose in that outline, like I did. Once you have that full story (which probably won't be good yet!) you can start figuring out where it needs fixing.

   This is my first novel, and I'm technically still doing the second draft. But I learn very fast and retain a ton of helpful information; so I mostly know what my next phases and fixes are, all the way through my first and later drafts. I made a little changelog of each thing I want to focus on in future versions, all numbered in preparation, as if this was a piece of software.

5. Once I'm done with the versions that I call "outlines", I will finally start drafting in full prose, allowing me to focus on the flow and beauty and clarity of my words, since the story itself will already be figured out and awesome.

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One way I think of the whole process of noveling is this, modified from game development advice:

1. Make it function
2. Optimize
3. Make it pretty (write your prose draft)
4. Optimize again

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There's a lot of other advice I can give, but I wouldn't exactly know where to begin! The most important thing, I think, is to figure out what time of day your brain writes best, and create a routine around it. No novel was ever finished without persistence! <3

Also, I recommend reading https://mythcreants.com/ and getting lost in https://tvtropes.org/. They can really help! Try watching Lindsay Ellis on Nebula, or http://atopthefourthwall.com/. Some of these may not be about novel-writing, but you can learn a lot about good stories through any of these platforms, and all of that helps!

So my novel takes place in an afterlife and focuses on one major character, as they try to heal from childhood trauma, learn helpful mental health tools, and newly take in this beautiful universe.

The other major characters are also developing ethically and emotionally, and we need to see inside their minds and watch them learn.

Meanwhile the past was literally a different life, and there's not a lot of past talked about in the narration— more thought about or talked about by the characters.

So with that, I've decided that the best way to write my novel is first-person present tense with the main character; and then with the occasional times where I need to focus on other characters when the main isn't around, third-person present tense.

This is not a common choice, but I think it is the best choice for my particular novel. I think it's the best choice for my novel's sense of immediacy, for getting inside characters' heads, and for experiencing many new things from the main character's viewpoint.

Also also, I intend to make my main character Chris/Solemn completely-ambiguous when it comes to gender; so that really works with the first-person perspective.

Tell me your opinions or tangents!

So I'm on v2 of my novel. I could call it "second draft", but it's more of the second semi-prose outline. I have a fight scene in Chapter 13.

The fight scene involves an inexperienced demigod villain, an inexperienced demigod hero, the hero's kung fu master mom who is not a demigod, and their support android. It's all at the mom's house in front of the ocean. The demigods have flight, telekinesis, increased strength, and semi-invulnerability when they maintain their personal body forcefields.

Either way, here's a few things I learned while writing this fight scene, off the top of my head:

1. Fight scenes really aren't natural to me. I always wanted to write this science fantasy action piece, and I'm learning that I'm much better at philosophy, and at painting a picture of wonder, than I am at action. I already instinctively understood how to pace a fight scene quickly with terse sentences and good flow, and to not focus on choreography. But planning out the actions is still tough.
2. I kinda knew this, but: never focus on choreography. The individual movements of characters, while necessary, are— in isolation— the least-important part of a fight. What's important is keeping tension; turning the fight into a mini-plot with stakes, problems to solve, solutions, and probably character and plot development/reveals; and having some kind of novelty in the fight if you can, in order to keep things interesting. The actions that characters do should display their personalities and mostly lead up to a development of some kind, instead of just looking cool.
3. My present challenge in writing a fight scene is finding the balance between interesting fight environments and actions, making sure characters behave and fight in-character, and directing the fight to develop and end a certain way. This takes a lot of brain power for me.
4. I found myself taking longer to write these chapters with fight scenes in them than many of my other chapters; because using this much brain power means I must end my daily writing early to regain my mental energy for the next. There's been a lot of times where I revised a chapter of my novel in one day; and so my first impression was that I would be revising most of my chapters in only one or two days. But revisions like these are taking me a week, and I'm learning to let myself be okay with that— that I'm not slacking, I'm just burning the creative energy candle faster.

Anyway, that's all I got for the moment. Happy writing! <3