Leap

Beleza

“Just leave that. We can’t take anything.”

The two ran outside to join the mass of people hurrying down the street.

The military crammed as many as they could in their vehicles before speeding away.

“Hop in,” he said, dragging her towards one of the trucks.

She shook her head.

 “We are going to die if we stay.”

She pulled her sleeve up, and a blue light popped up.

“I am like them.”

He was speechless. Then he stretched out his arm. “To be with you.”

She injected him.

They never looked like humans again, but they were still together.

100 Word Stories

Valentine's Day Special

Santaurio

The beach was deserted.

They sat close together and held hands.

It was done.

“The casket is lovely, isn’t it?” she whispered.

He agreed.

The incoming tide threatened to reach them.
He looked at his hand. He could still feel the stickiness.

“I can’t believe my husband is gone. Aren’t you happy?”

He looked at the horizon. He wasn’t that sure anymore.

“Do you love me?” she purred.

Eventually, he’d have to spend money on a second casket; already he could see that coming.

Resenting her clinginess, he vowed never to celebrate Valentine’s Day again. It was too damn expensive.

100 Word Stories

The Love Game

Octoberville

Final Prize – Laura.

Location Card – Lake.

Number Card – 1.

One good deed and Frank would move up to the next level.

When he arrived at the lake, he saw an alien fighting helplessly to stay afloat, sinking in the water every now and then.

Should he do something? Or just watch the tragedy unfold?

To think that he had made fun of the guy who got the #10… Helping ten old ladies cross the street seemed easy enough.

What should he do? Laura or revenge?

Half an hour later, Frank took off.

Laura would have to wait.

Next card.

100 Word Stories (Prompt: Love)

Stranger

WinterMoon

“I’m sorry,” said the stranger before hanging up.

She was perplexed. Probably a wrong number, but still… a bit creepy.

When she turned off the light, she didn't notice the slight creaking of the entrance door and a shadow walking towards her bed. Drowsy, she only felt a slight sting on her neck.

No one ever saw her again.

The only thing they found was a card on her nightstand saying “Gone”.

She would come back, years later. She too would call someone to say “I’m sorry”. That was the price to be free. And she had to pay it.

100 Word Stories

Camera

Franceportnawak

Lillie was bored. Work, home, the occasional walk at the beach. It was during one of these walks that she spotted the camera. She looked around. The beach was practically deserted. A few surfers challenged the waves. She grabbed the camera and wiped the sand away. Then, she clicked the power button. And there it was, someone else’s life. The family get-together. A birthday and a wedding. The pregnant girlfriend and the beach, this beach. Suddenly, Lillie’s life wasn’t boring any more. She had to find these people. Yes, and in the meantime, she’d be the keeper of their past.

100 Word Stories

Thoughts

Roche

How much does a thought weigh? Is it as light as a flowing feather? Or as heavy as a broken heart? Is it as light as your deepest love or as heavy as your worst fear? And how much does the future weigh? More than the past? Less than the present? How much does a thought weigh when you’re afraid? Does it make you stare at the sky or does it make you sink in the ground? Is it as heavy as a string of tears or as light as a row of beads? How much does a thought weigh?

100 Word Stories

Loose Ends

1. Take control of your writing – You’re the boss. It’s interesting to hear about other writers’ experiences, to learn from them, but each one of us has his/her own path to tread. Listen to advice, but make your own decisions.

2. Read – as much as you can. Read all types of texts too. The more you read, the richer your writing will be.

3. Educate others – to respect your writing time. When you establish a writing routine and a writing schedule, your family, friends, neighbors will understand that you are not to be interrupted, unless there’s a life-threatening situation.

4. When asked, – give your opinion about the writing of your peers. Consider the difference between giving an opinion about the story and giving an opinion about the writing of the story.

5. Finally, - thank the host of the writing session. It’ll encourage him/her to continue to provide an event that gathers fellow writers, motivates them to share and, above all, to write.

Join us at Milk Wood in Second Life!

Useful Information:

What is Milk Wood?

Schedule of Write-Ins at Milk Wood:

 (all times SLT/ +8 PRT/UK)

   Mon-Fri: 2am, 6am, 8am, 12noon and 6pm

   Sat: 2am, 8am, 12noon

   Sun: 2am, 8am, 12noon

Location in Second Life – Milk Wood

Virtual Writers Website

Virtual Writers Writing Prompts

What to Expect of a Writing Session

When You Just Don’t Feel Like It

At a Writing Session - Double Do’s

The Dynamics of a Writing Session

More Take 5!

When You Just Don’t Feel Like It

1. I Have No Idea – what to write about today… Sometimes we draw a blank. We haven’t slept well, we are concerned, we can’t seem to be able to focus. Set you work in progress aside for a day or two and WRITE WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND. Don’t think too much about what you’re writing. Just write as if you were talking to your best friend. This will reduce your stress level and still give you a sense of achievement at the end of the writing session.

2. Having To Write, – there’s something I hate. Anything that resembles an obligation is a perfectly acceptable reason to seek refuge in procrastination. Resist the temptation. WRITE ONE SENTENCE. It doesn’t really matter about what or even if it’s a well structured, inspired sentence. Just write.

3. I Write Too Slowly - compared to others… Peer-pressure, even if unspoken, is also a tempting reason to seek refuge in procrastination. Does it really matter how quickly you write? Some writing sessions have a word target to reach, but this is only a way to encourage them to write more than they would if left to their own decisions. If you think you write too slowly, compared to your peers, set YOUR OWN WORD GOAL.

4. I Don’t Like The Prompt – and it doesn’t fit my story at all. A prompt is a challenge. It suggests ideas. It gives you options. If the prompt doesn’t work for story you’re writing at the moment, CREATE YOUR OWN LIST OF PROMPTS. You can resort to your list whenever you think the prompt suggested by the host of the write-in won’t help.

5. I Don’t Like Rules – and the write-in I attend has several. But you still would like to attend and that is good. Having a given length of time to write, a specific prompt and a minimum number of words you should aim to write could be viewed as constraints, as pesky rules. Yet, their aim is to help you push yourself beyond your comfort zone. In the end, you’re in control. If you don’t like any of the rules, SET YOUR OWN RULES.

What’s really important is to WRITE.

And writing alongside people from all over the world is an amazing experience.

What to Expect of a Writing Session

At a Writing Session - Double Do’s

The Dynamics of a Writing Session

Loose Ends

More Take 5!

At a Writing Session - Double Do’s

Here are a few suggestions of what to do when attending a writing session. The purpose is not to be sanctimonious. The purpose is to improve the way the group functions.

Do’s

1. Be Punctual – Unless something unexpected happened, be on time. It’s a sign of respect towards your fellow writers and the host.

2. Be Polite - Behind the avatar is a person. When you arrive, greet everyone present. When you leave say goodbye. And if your viewer crashes and you don’t really have time to log in again to say a proper farewell, mention what happened the next day. Everyone will appreciate it.

3. Be Friendly – If you have to go AFK (away from your computer) drop a line in local/nearby chat letting everyone know. The same happens for when you get back to your computer. This helps with the logistics of the event, avoiding delays or misunderstandings.

4. Be Social – Writing is the main goal of the event, granted. Some writers don’t attend the writing session to socialize, granted. Nevertheless, it’s important to spend a bit of time chatting with your peers. It strengthens the group ties and it promotes empathy.

5. Be Generous – During the socializing period, group members usually talk about their stories, about their favorite writers. Notice which genre each one of them focuses on. If you come across something you think might be interesting for them, even though it’s not your genre, bring it to write-in and share it - new resources for writers, a nice photo that could become a prompt, an interesting article.

And Do’s

1. Avoid Monopolizing the Conversation - … and talking only about your story, your writing method, your characters, and your writing world. Allow others to talk about their work as well. Ask questions and show interest.

2. Use The Affirmative – When asked to provide feedback, be positive. Use sentences in the affirmative. They encourage people to continue to write, despite the aspects they know they’ll have to correct.

3. When Critiquing Someone’s Work – First ask them what kind of feedback they are looking for. Do they want you to focus on the plot, the characters, the setting? Would they like you to identify typos, grammar and spelling mistakes? Are they looking for a general opinion? Or are they looking for a more detailed analysis?

4. Present An Alternative/Correction – After identifying something in the story that could be improved and/or corrected, provide a suggestion on how to solve the problem. Avoid telling your fellow writers what you’d do if you were in their shoes. Avoid being too directive.

5. When Your Work Is Being Critiqued – Listen to other people’s opinions and take notes. Avoid interrupting them. Avoid trying to justify why you have written something in a specific way. Avoid taking it personally.

Question: What if I am not interested in having my work critiqued?
Should I stop attending this particular writing group?

No! It’s important to witness the process of text analysis and review.
There’s always something new to be learned.

What to Expect of a Writing Session

When You Just Don’t Feel Like It

The Dynamics of a Writing Session

Loose Ends

More Take 5!

The Dynamics of a Writing Session

Each writing group has its own way of interacting. At first, it may feel like you’re an outsider. People talk about writing experiences they went through together, about workshops they attended together, and you feel you don’t belong. However, don’t give up.

1. Listen – Try to become a part of the group by first listening. You’ll get to know the group members and they’ll understand you’re not there to disrupt the balance they have established within the group.

2. Show Up Regularly - There are a lot of people who drop by once and then never return. Showing up for all the sessions is one of the best ways to quickly being taken as a member of the group. It’s interesting to notice that some writers’ Real Life (RL) doesn’t allow them to attend all the sessions, but they are still seen as members, because they do come back weekly.

3. Go With The Flow – When you start attending a writing group, follow its guidelines. Giving suggestions to improve things is great, but understand that some might find it uncomfortable when these come from someone new to the group. Some might see it as a criticism to something that, in their opinion, is working fine. As soon as you’re familiar with the way everything works, then go ahead and be an active contributor to the way the group functions.

4. Be Positive – There are good days and there are bad days. Sometimes people attend the write in, but they don’t feel like writing. Sometimes they write only a little. Sometimes they are disappointed with what they’ve written. Always offer a word of encouragement. Avoid using the negative. “You haven’t been writing much in the past few days, but that’ll change. You’ll see.” Although seemingly encouraging, this sentence states that you consider what the other has been writing as somewhat of a failure. Instead, value the 10 words he/she wrote. One sentence. It’s still writing.

5. Offer Feedback When Asked - Many writers attend write-ins to establish a writing routine. They are not necessarily interested in either sharing their stories or knowing what your opinion about them is. It’s not a matter of arrogance. Sometimes they simply cannot share their material because it’ll be published or because it’s part of their RL jobs. However, they’ll sometimes ask for ideas, help, or an opinion about something specific. When asked, offer honest and direct feedback. To say “I liked it” or “Well done” is ok, but try going beyond that.

Question: I got to know my fellow writers and feel I’m a part of the group now.
Is it ok to talk about them to others who are new to the group?

Never volunteer info about other writers’ RL or their ongoing projects without their permission. They might say something about their life and their writing, considering those who are present at that particular time at the write-in; that doesn’t mean they want that information to be share with people they don’t know directly.

What to Expect of a Writing Session

When You Just Don’t Feel Like It

At a Writing Session - Double Do’s

Loose Ends

More Take 5!

What to Expect of a Writing Session

The beginning of a new year brings a renewed sense of exhilaration about the future which extends to all aspects of our lives, including the determination to write more and better. One way of accomplishing this goal is to attend write-ins.

In the virtual world of Second Life (SL), there are many writing sessions taking place and I strongly encourage you to give these virtual writing groups a chance.

1. Establish Goals - Before each writing session, take a few minutes to determine what your writing goal is. Whether you are doing research, plotting, brainstorming, writing, or revising/editing, it’s important to establish a specific goal. It is for this reason that I prefer having a timeframe and a prompt.

2. Create a Work Routine – Attending a write-in daily, always sets you in the right frame of mind to accomplish a lot in terms of your writing. In my opinion, it is better to attend only one session - the same session each day - than to attend many and skip one or two every now and then. If you can attend 2 write-ins daily, that’s great. Consistency is what you are looking for.

3. Increase Your Writing Pace - Having a routine increases your productivity. This is also true for writing. With daily practice, you’ll hesitate less before writing. You’ll be able to bypass that pesky inner-editor who forces you to over-think every word you write.

4. Share, Share, and Share – A lot of writing is done at a write-in. However, your fellow writers always find the time to share their experiences and interesting resources they come across.

5. Evaluate your efforts – At the end of each writing sessions, expect to be asked how you did. This is meant to motivate you and not to judge your productivity. Most writers will say the amount of words they’ve written. Why do we focus on word count? One of the most important goals of these sessions is to become more proficient in writing new material. The more you write, the bigger the chances are of writing something really good.

Question: I cannot stay for the whole duration of the writing session.
Should I still attend?
Yes! Every minute counts, every word counts.

When You Just Don’t Feel Like It

At a Writing Session - Double Do’s

The Dynamics of a Writing Session

Loose Ends

More Take 5!

The Line

Pteron

The blue line on the floor was in sight. Damien waited eagerly. Stardom, they said. He stepped out of the vehicle and stood on his side of the line. He had thought about taking some food and some clothes with him. But he knew he’d have to wear a special suit anyway. They’d provide food too. Beaming, Damien stepped over the line. The portal sucked him in and minced him into little portions, wrapping him in some sort of plastic. He didn’t look bad in it. However, it had never crossed his mind that he would become the damn food.
100 Word Stories

Pound

Octoberville

Andrew only wanted to belong to the group of cool guys.

“According to the book, to be accepted you must eat a pound of salt,” they said.

So, he agreed.

The result wasn’t good.

His family, friends, and doctors asked him why, but he never gave the guys up.

When he was about to die, he recalled having read that in China nobility used to commit suicide by eating salt.

His intention had definitely not been to commit suicide, quite the opposite.

The guys denied everything, even the existence of the book.

Andrew’s last thought was “Ugly people, happy monsters.”

100 Word Stories

2015 in a Nutshell

Kats Beach

As it happened in 2014, I started the year of 2015 with a commitment, to write 500 words a day. Establishing a writing routine proved to be extremely important in terms of creating a solid body of work.

The difference between 2015 and the previous years is the fact that, more and more, my writing is becoming less visible. As I move forth towards long fiction and spend more time doing research and plotting, the amount of stories I post in my blog becomes smaller, resulting in the impression that less is being done. That is not true.

So, what happened in 2015?

*For the Virtual Writers Inc. website, A Story Waiting to Happen (monthly non-fiction articles with suggestions for stories and virtual inspiration drawn from sims in Second Life)

1. Kats Beach

2. Roche

3. Hestium

4. StoryBrooke Gardens

*100 Word Stories Weekly Challenge (fiction drabbles; this challenge continues to be an invaluable creative opportunity that pushes me to think about the micro-world of a sentence and the value of each word)

*500 Word Stories (fiction)

*I ventured into writing an Erotica short-story. It’s now at 11.396 words, but miserably unfinished and unpublished.

*A short-story called "Sonya Electrified" (fiction)

*Writing resources for my own blog (non-fiction about the writing process)

*An opinion article about Second Life’s SL12B, “So, What’s the Problem?”

*I took these MOOC to collect information that would eventually help me with character building:

1. May 11 - June 7 - Heart Health (University of Reading) - a Beginner's Guide to Cardiovascular Disease
2. April 20 - May 31 - Psychology and Mental Health (University of Liverpool) - How a psychological understanding of emotions and behavior provides new ways to improve mental health and well-being
3. April 20 - June 14 - Introduction to Cyber Security (The Open University) - Essential cyber security knowledge and skills
4. April 13 - May 15 - Forensic Science and Criminal Justice (University of Leicester) - The use of science in criminal investigations and its role in the criminal justice system
5. March 9 - 27 - How to Succeed at Interviews (The University of Sheffield) - Tools to succeed at interviews and land a dream job or course place
6. March 2 - April 10 - Dysphagia: Swallowing Difficulties and Medicines (University of East Anglia) - The administration of medicines to patients with dysphagia
7. March 2 - 20 - Introduction to Dutch (University of Groningen) – Introductory
8. January 5 - February 13 - Introduction to Forensic Science (University of Strathclyde) - Methods and scientific underpinning of forensic science, from crime scene investigation to reporting evidential value within a case

* I continued to host the weekly write-in in the virtual world of Second Life within the context of the 500 Word Writing Challenge, Saturdays at noon SLT/8pm Lisbon PT - 30 minutes of writing.

* In July, I started hosting a daily write-in, Monday-Thursday at 2am SLT/10am Lisbon PT because a few participants of the weekly writing sessions were interested in having a daily schedule. After a pause for summer vacation, it is interesting to observe that a fairly stable group of writers now attends the morning events on a regular basis – 2x 30 minutes of writing.

*Throughout November, I hosted the morning write-in daily, Monday-Sunday at 2am SLT/10am Lisbon PT– 2x 30 minutes of writing.

*The novel The Unspoken Footnote written during the NaNoWriMo (fiction, mystery, to be completed and revised). I spent more time plotting the story and it ended up becoming longer than the planned 50k words (at the end of the year, 74.913 words and about five or six chapters from conclusion). It will be fun to revise it.

*Writing Workshop “Boost Your Writing Using Second Life”. I hosted this event in the first week of November as part of the events organized by the Virtual Writers. It was my first experience of this type in Second Life. Those who attended enjoyed and found it useful.

*NaNoWriMo Pep Talk for the Virtual Writers website and in-world group, Week 3.

Of the 182.500 word target for this year (500 words X 365 days), I managed to write 163.284. I was 38 days short of reaching the goal. This average increased (from 29 days in 2014), which means I wrote less than in last year. Yet, considering that there are 104 weekend days in the year, I think I still did a pretty good job.

Looking back, I realize I achieved the major goals I had established for 2015 – writing a novel in a more structured way, continuing to write short-fiction - a great learning sandbox for higher flights, and motivating and helping other writers.

I feel I didn’t achieve my goal of writing more short-stories.

One aspect I failed miserably in once again was in revising last year's NaNoWriMo novel. I now have TWO novels to revise and ONE to finish and revise before November.

The advantage of being an active member of a writing community is the fact that everyone pushes for everyone else. As a result, the Virtual Writers are planning to organize the necessary logistical settings for anyone who wishes to take part in the Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July.

For this event, writers set their own goals, writing or revising/editing. I’m choosing the latter which means that I must have The Unspoken Footnote ready by April. My goal is to finally be successful in revising/editing one of the three novels I will have written by then.

All in all, it was a good year. And I’m happy to say that, more and more, I volunteer and rely on peer support. Routine, perseverance and peer support are vital. These were the most valuable lessons I have learned this year.

"Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens.” 

Ray Bradbury

Early

Octoberville

She was late and he was furious.

When he saw her walking towards him, he forgot all his promises.

He wanted to beat her up, make her pay. She always made him do it, always.

As soon as she kissed him, he raised his fist.

“You said you’d come early,” he whispered.

In the blink of an eye, she knocked him down and held him in a chokehold, watching him turn blue.

“Please…” He wiggled his legs. He struggled for air.

The crowd gathered around in silence.

“No more,” she said. “He needs to learn.”

No one called the police.

100 Word Stories

A Letter on Believing

Annwn Willows

“Sometimes, there are things in life that make us struggle, that turn each day into an uphill battle.

Then, sometimes, someone shows up and asks “are you okay?”

Sometimes, a question as simple as this is all it takes. The world seems to change, to shift just a tiny bit. Sometimes, that is the difference between struggling to stay afloat and moving on.

I don’t really have to tell you that I’m not ok. You know.

And you encourage me, you encourage me to believe.

Believing that life can be ok again is a good start, isn’t it?

Thank you.”

100 Word Stories (Prompt: New Year's Resolutions)

Drop

Kats Beach

He dropped the letter in the mailbox and glanced one last time at her window.

It had taken him several days to write that letter, many hours of writing and rewriting. And so many sleepless nights that he had lost count.

As he walked away from his life, he wondered if she would notice the tears on it.

When she opened the envelope, she saw a piece of paper inside with nothing written on it. She turned it over a few times and shrugged. She was going to throw it in the garbage, but instead gave it to the cat.

100 Word Stories

Box

Milk Wood

It was impossible not to notice the stench.

Postal Inspection officers opened the parcel. Dogs were called in to sniff the box for drugs and human remains. They found nothing.

The parcel was sent on its way.

The next day, the news reported the mysterious death of an elderly couple, after the mail was delivered to them.

No one mentioned the man with a grudge against the Postal Inspection Services, grumbling in his living-room.

Opening the box should have triggered an immediate lethal chemical reaction. Okay, it was a really bad idea to send the damn parcel to his parents…

100 Word Stories

Pick a card… any card!

Mare Serenitatis

The seer spread the cards on the table.

“Pick a card… any card.”

The one Sophie picked said “Wind, Doll, Disgust”.

“Which deck is this?” asked Sophie.

“My own… You’ll die.”

Sophie was horrified. She had been told that seers never announced someone’s death like that.

“Stabbed.”

“What does that have to do with wind, doll and…?”

“Nothing.”

Annoyed, Sophie left.

A gust of wind dragged a naked, headless doll to Sophie’s feet; it was covered in blood. She stopped to kick it out of her way and… a piano fell on her head.

Yep, the seer was still learning.

100 Word Stories

NaNoWriMo 2015

Another November, another NaNoWriMo. It's now time to take stock of the process and the results.

When I closed last year's NaNoWriMo chapter, I wasn't sure I'd go for the 50k again. As a matter of fact, I was almost certain I would not try it again. I used a speech recognition program for the first time and that changed my writing - the sentence patterns, the type of words I'd use and the general flow of the text. I felt that it had become flatter, less interesting. I liked the story very much (I still do) - a thriller/mystery whose main character is one of the goofiest characters I've ever created - but the writing seemed to take an eternity.

However, I decided to follow my gut-instinct and, for the third consecutive time, dive into the NaNoWriMo madness.

These three years were a valuable learning path and, despite the hardships, I wouldn't change a thing because it feels like I'm treading a path resembling a spiral, getting closer and closer to that one moment when I'll say "this is it" - I have finally found my "voice".

Some people say I'm a gardener - I'm neither a plotter nor a pantser. I prefer to know where to begin and where to end. The middle does get a bit fuzzy at times.

I started working on this year's story more than a month ahead of time. I used a word-processing program and outliner for writers. That helped structuring the story in more detail.  For the first time, I took quite some time to create character profiles and location notes. I think they helped bring the characters/locations to life in a more credible way.

Each year, I add something to the writing process. The first year, I took a few notes on a piece of paper not bigger than a napkin (and I busted my wrists writing furiously too). The second year, I used a speech recognition program and jotted a few ideas down for each chapter of the story and on what I'd write each day. This year, I used the word-processing-program and outliner to have a complete chapter/scenes structure and character/location notes.

Do you see it? There's a pattern emerging here. I'm plotting and preparing a lot more now than at the beginning.

The biggest lesson I've learned this year was that I have to be more patient. The story needs to mature which means I have to start working on it a lot sooner than October. I have to live with my characters a lot longer than I have till now, before I release them in a story to go about their usual mischievous ways.

NaNoWriMo is not a moment to write a book - as I imagine it is for so many writers. For me, it's a month of testing myself, pushing myself to the limit to see where the weak spots are, to learn and to grow.

I'm happy to say that I keep learning and hopefully growing too, and that is something I value immensely.

A final word. Thank you to my family and friends who, both in Real Life (RL) and in Second Life, were supportive of my writing and patient enough to put up with the odd schedules. 

And a very special thank you to my writing group. We have met every single morning of every single day of November (sometimes still half asleep and struggling desperately to stay awake!), some doing the NaNo, others writing RL short-fiction/novels/work stuff, and we pushed one another to go beyond what we thought we would manage and to go beyond what life threw at us when we least expected it. You guys are awesome and I would never have made it without you. You guys know who you are. Thank you.