Here's a space to discuss what you're working on, what you're proud of, what you're struggling with, or just whatever's on your mind.

Some prompts:

How's your writing going? Are you stuck? Made some new progress?

Picked up any good books lately? Come across any authors who you wish you could write like?

Are you in the midst of editing? Are you hating every second of it?

Leave a comment and let us know!

I'm attempting to make a fantasy webcomic with a friend of mine, and I need someone to help us with ideas and other things, bing something new to the table. This is a side project with no economic interest. If anyone is interested in helping us we're open for anything and would greatly appreciate anything you might lend to the story. We are discussing the story on discord.

I need feedback on this story I came up with, I just wanted to know what y'all think of this, like spelling mistakes or proper grammar.

This one my favorite one it has the same elements just like that last story.

Nightmare's Echo. By StoryLord.

The flickering light of the television cast long shadows across the room as I sat on the couch, the only sound the soft hum of the late-night program. Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the calm, jolting me from my half-awake state. My heart raced, recognizing the sound as my son's voice. His nightmares were relentless, haunting his sleep night after night.

Without a second thought, I leaped off the couch and hurried down the dimly lit hallway toward his room. The wooden floor creaked under my weight, adding an eerie soundtrack to the tension in the air. As I reached his door, I paused for a moment, bracing myself for what I might find inside.

Turning the knob, I entered to find my son huddled in his bed, tears streaming down his face, his small frame trembling with fear. "Daddy, there's a monster under my bed," he whispered, his voice barely audible amidst his sobs.

I knelt beside him, the cool air of the room sending shivers down my spine. "There are no monsters, buddy," I reassured him, my voice filled with false bravado.

His eyes widened as he pointed for me to look under the bed, his fear palpable in the room. I followed suit, my heart skipping a beat as I saw my son somehow under the bed, tears in his eyes as he has his mouth covered, he gestured his eyes upward, he removed his hands from his mouth, and his words trembled.

"daddy, there's a monster on my bed."

I slowly looked up on the bed the air grew heavy with a sense of dread as I realized the figure was like a twisted reflection of my son, but something was horribly wrong.

The creature's eyes were hollow voids, devoid of any warmth or humanity. Its smile was grotesque, stretching unnaturally wide to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth glinting in the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains. It moved with an eerie grace, its limbs elongating as if defying the laws of nature.

A chill ran down my spine, a primal instinct urging me to flee, but I was frozen in place, unable to tear my gaze away from this nightmare made flesh. It let out a blood-curdling scream, its voice piercing my ears like shards of glass, sending waves of agony through my body.

I recoiled, clutching my ears in a futile attempt to block out the sound, but it was no use. The creature's hand closed around my throat with inhuman strength, and I felt searing pain as it tore at my flesh, ripping my face apart in a frenzy of violence.

The pain was unbearable, a torment that transcended the boundaries of reality and plunged me into a waking nightmare. Just as I thought I couldn't endure any more agony, I jolted awake, gasping for air, my heart pounding in my chest.

Relief flooded through me as I bolted straight up, realizing it was just a dream, a twisted figment of my imagination. I reached up to touch my face, reassured by the familiar sensation of intact skin. But then, a distant scream shattered the fragile calm of my waking reality, reminding me that nightmares, once born, can echo far beyond the confines of sleep.

I turned towards the sound, dread creeping over me like a suffocating blanket. My son's terrified cries echoed through the house, and I felt a heavy weight settle over me, dragging me back into the abyss of fear and uncertainty.

God help us both.

Clark Writer's Workshop is currently looking for members (both in-person and remote) for its Fiction workshop. We're a critique group that offers writers the opportunity to connect with their peers and get valuable feedback on their work.

• Genres: Any genres.
• Meeting Frequency: Monthly meetings on the third Saturday. Supports in-person and remote attendees.
• Expectations: Submit writing for workshop, read 2-5 other writing samples, and craft feedback. Covid vaccination required for in-person attendance. Snacks provided to in-person attendees.
• Skill levels: All skill levels accepted.
• Meeting Place: Union County, New Jersey. Online.
• Total Meeting Spaces: 6 per session, two sessions a month.

If interested, please DM me. Thanks

Story Valley is a discord server looking for fresh blood! We have Storyteller, Gamestreams, Question of the Day, Ask the Editor, critique group (we have spaces!) and much much more. We are collaborated with a professional editor with 20 years of experience who is happy to answer all your writing questions for free! We welcome all kinds of writers but have limited spaces. No minors. Drop me a line if you are interested in joining our very homey, welcoming and chill group :D

Hello everyone!

I've finally found the time to massively improve the Glossary Generator. It's now way more user-friendly, had bug-fixes galore, has on-screen results AND more.

I've added some really cool beta features too for more advanced filtering. Let me know what you think (and if you want to see certain features added).

It really is designed to save days/weeks of your time (I originally made it for myself!), to augment your world-building efforts, and help you find errors too (e.g. naming inconsistencies).

Any questions, just DM me! James

https://preview.redd.it/nq5bnq1j19oc1.png?width=1718&format=png&auto=webp&s=a274aaaef50681fbb74a1aa980a99c06fb49e9b5

I have been working on a manuscript for months now; its in 3rd person past tense, I have 10 chapters so far and a word count of about 35,000. but i feel like my progress just isnt showing up. ive gotten some feedback for a snippet i wrote about my mc's and it was written in 1st person contrary to what my entire manuscript is in.

Now im wondering if my manuscript would be overall easier and more engaging in 1st person. I would also like the mc's pov switches.

Would i have to change the pov, that way i can add multiply mc perspectives? or is there sum way i can salvage this? Should i just finish my first draft before i do any of this? i need help. 😭

i think there’s a lot of people who have secret bits of writing they make just in their notes app that they might like to share but never do, i thought it would be cool if there was a place for it so i made a discord to post any and all tiny writing scraps people have and want to share :] link - https://discord.gg/rySzzF9G

Here's a space to discuss what you're working on, what you're proud of, what you're struggling with, or just whatever's on your mind.

Some prompts:

How's your writing going? Are you stuck? Made some new progress?

Picked up any good books lately? Come across any authors who you wish you could write like?

Are you in the midst of editing? Are you hating every second of it?

Leave a comment and let us know!

Hi everyone. I’ve recently rediscovered my love for reading after a 10 year reading hiatus (25F). After a year of escaping into different fantasy realms between pages, I’ve decided to try my hand at writing (as a hobby). I gave myself a simple prompt to use as inspiration and would appreciate any feedback on how I could improve. I have a lot of work to do, but this is the first thing I’ve ever written so please don’t be too mean🫣

Hi there,

I’m writing a book that sheds new light on Leonardo da Vinci’s understanding of our world. I’ve decided to publish the book, as I complete it, in installments on Substack. My reason for posting today is to encourage you to read the first part of my work. If you choose to make this time commitment, I expect you to be sincerely startled. I expect this to occur because the way in which I explore Leonardo’s writings and art is entirely novel. Perhaps owing to my fresh eyes (I am 24 years old), I have discovered that Leonardo embedded his naturalist philosophy within artworks commissioned by religious authorities. These additions of course would have resulted in Leonardo’s execution, should such themes have been discovered by representatives of the Catholic Church during his lifetime. Thanks to Leonardo’s impeccable skill in concealing them, however, these hidden messages have gone undiscovered for more than 500 years. I am thankful to have the opportunity to share these secrets with you here, and do hope that you find them to be awe-inspiring.

Surely, your initial reaction will be one of disbelief (and possibly even an eye-roll). My response to this initial reaction would be to affirm its reasonableness, as the web is awash with crackpot theories relating to the Renaissance man. Allow me to assure you though, this theory (should you choose to engage with it) will remind you in no way of fictions like “The Da Vinci Code” or “The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail”. This is scholarly research deserving the attention of critical thinkers. Unfortunately, I have no connections in the art world through which to disseminate this writing. I’ve fallen back on postings such as the one you’re reading now, in the hopes that my pitch is appealing enough to secure the interest of readers like yourself. Should you read the text of this first series, I am quite confident that you will concur with my judgments stated above, no matter how presumptuous they may seem. Please consider this request, do respond with any questions or comments you may have, and thank you for taking the time to read this message. I have pasted a link to my Substack below, and this research is now available to all at no cost!

Calebresnick.substack.com

I'm a first-time writer in my 40s working on a memoir and blogging about what I'm learning along the way about the process, marketing and the industry while trying to juggle work and family. If you are like me trying to navigate (and juggle) your way in a new world, I hope you'll find my tips and strategies useful. www.ammai.co/blog/journey-of-a-memoir

I just felt really good about my writing session today and felt like sharing it.

Today, I managed to finish a heavy chapter that needed to justify my villain's actions, and justify the tension between 2 characters. I dreaded this for so long because I had almost no plans for either. Somehow, I got into a groove and it just came out. New threads appeared, making everything so much more personal. Both goals we accomplished better than I expected, and to top it off, today is now my top word count for a session.

What are some of your favorite writing triumphs?

Is it acceptable/normal or do you guys ever write something insanely basic for the rough draft? I know the idea is to just get words on a page, but mostly I still write scenes out fully, just not well. Sometimes I start to feel lazy or tired and I feel the urge to simplify it more.

Here is an example of what I mean:

He picked up his basket and walked over to the chickens. He puts the eggs in his basket and walks back over to the house. Then he sets the basket on the counter and washes the dirt off of the eggs. He is going to make breakfast for his family and when he gets the pan out he knocks the basket off the counter and the eggs crack all over the floor. He has to spend the next hour cleaning the floor and while he is mopping, he turns on music and dances around with the mop.

I like the idea of not fully writing out a scene, but writing out the gist of what the scene is supposed to be, but at the same time it starts to feel more like an outline than an actual rough draft. Often when I go back to read old chapters I've done, they start out fully written and over time become more like the example. I was just curious if this is a no-no or if this is a normal thing. Is it better to write the scene out fully with all of the details on a first go?

Here's a space to discuss what you're working on, what you're proud of, what you're struggling with, or just whatever's on your mind.

Some prompts:

How's your writing going? Are you stuck? Made some new progress?

Picked up any good books lately? Come across any authors who you wish you could write like?

Are you in the midst of editing? Are you hating every second of it?

Leave a comment and let us know!

Hi everyone. I have written a tragicomedy called Snapshot. The subject matter is quite prickly, so be forewarned. That being said any feedback would be greatly appreciated. See below. Thanks.

Set during a London heatwave, Stephen (25) a semimetal if somewhat angry romantic falls for an inquisitive and intelligent girl called Elise (26). He gets an aptly compassionate, but given the situation: humiliating let-down. Stephen tries to hold onto romantic ideals, wherein he is sought out via his online presence by Jacob (28). Jacob introduces the view that the whole narrative around love and romance is just a sedative for a set of fickle evolutionary adaptations. He offers the prospect of partnership. Stephen is hesitant, but finds it's also the perfect way to escape facing reality and his flaws.

Their goal is to make a public statement to prove what love’s really about. They have more to learn first. They use inventions of Jacob's including an honest let-down generator and the Uglifier to unveil unsavoury truths. He also has an airgun with an enigmatic purpose. But it’s the Uglifier, an AI that turns images of people uglier, they plan to run on a Piccadilly Circus advert. They need others to help, so they find an autistic Frenchman Remi (27), and a rowdy van driver Storm "Trooper" Thompson (17). They fail to recruit the security guard, so will have to break in. At low point, Stepen’s housemate Hannah (37), makes a case against his cynicism. To move forward, they accept their hopelessness in society. They risk everything, break into the building to set the model on Piccadilly eight degrees uglier.

It’s a key moment, but with the past creeping up both on Stephen and Jacob, there is incentive to go all the way. They set their sights on a TV couple, Andy (40) and Sarah (36), who seem to have the perfect relationship and proving how easy it is to pull apart, would be a way to prove the point they’ve been looking for. Using all they’ve learned, they provoke Andy's insecurities - forging payslips, sending messages from her phone to arouse suspicions. They decide Andy’s anniversary at a beach restaurant is where they’ll make the statement. But Stephen is torn between carrying on and growing feelings for Hannah. As a result, Jacob switches from seeing Stephen as best friend to worst enemy. He becomes erratic and paranoid. He ruins a blossoming relationship of Storm’s; who was sorting his life out. Stephen has enough when he finds him uglifying and attacking his ex online.

Wanting out, he confesses his feelings to Hannah, and when not reciprocated, he has a choice of acceptance, but joins Jacob's final instead. The crew meet at the anniversary party and set Andy up with a previously mentioned intern. Stephen is meant to put it up on a big screen they have at the outdoor restaurant complex, but refuses. He fights with Jacob, where his ex is mentioned and it’s revealed just how much of a gaslighter who feels he's owed something, he is. Jacob puts it on the screen, but with narcissistic injury, it isn’t enough. Taking out his airgun, Stephen scuffles with him, but no luck. Jacob aims the shot and shoots Andy. It's chaos and soon after the police arrest everyone but Stephen, who, as the news of infidelity spreads, escapes to the tube. He looks at a couple kissing, and as they headbutt, and she picks her ear, he comes to a recognition. Though a little too late, still standing at a distance.

Hello everyone, I have been working on my memoir for the past few years and want to be able to have it ready to publish end of this year or next year sometime. I have little knowledge of how the publishing works, the legalities of it all with name mentions and all, etc. I have a very interesting story of how I grew up. If anyone has watched the Duggar documentary, it is quite similar to that. If anyone wants to comment or message I would be more than happy to share more details! If anyone knows anything about writing or publishing and would like to offer any advice or help I am all ears! Thank you so much in advance. :)

I am leaving for college in the fall, and I have an idea of what I am going to do. Although, I am not sure that it is correct. After school, I want to get a job in publishing to lead into writing. I don't even know if that is how it works. I just do not want to waste my life.

Here's a space to discuss what you're working on, what you're proud of, what you're struggling with, or just whatever's on your mind.

Some prompts:

How's your writing going? Are you stuck? Made some new progress?

Picked up any good books lately? Come across any authors who you wish you could write like?

Are you in the midst of editing? Are you hating every second of it?

Leave a comment and let us know!

Hello, writers of Reddit! I'm new to this subreddit.

So I'm writing a sci-fi action/adventure series called "Space Farers" and I am super excited to share synopsis with all of you.

​

SYNOPSIS:

Zale used to think he was just a regular human on Earth. But that was before he became stranded on the perilous ocean planet of Omirrca for a year. That was before he was saved by a mysterious Leviathan who claimed Zale was one of them. That was before his body slowly began to change to an aquatic form. That was before he was contacted by a strange alien race who told him he was a very rare individual who was destined for so much more.

Zale is a 19-year-old boy who has been trying his best to move on from the fateful year when he was stuck on Omirrca...especially after "The Shade Fish Incident" But ever since he got back from that planet, he has never been the same. His skin has been turner darker, he is able to breathe underwater for longer and longer periods of time, and above all...he now wears the same bioluminescent patterns as the Shade Fish leviathan species. Now Zale has been working his hardest to hide his new features from the world, terrified of what might happen if his secrets got out. But one night, Zale realized that he was never a human after all... he was an alien...a rare alien with special powers.

Zale has been contacted by a strange and ancient race known as The Constructs who are guardians of peace and wisdom. They have informed him that he is a very one of a small handful of aliens, each born with a unique power. The Constructs wish to recruit him, beckoning him to embrace his legacy, join forces with fellow gifted humanoids, and embark on a quest to preserve the Milky Way from descending into chaos and despair. Realizing this as a chance to discover who he really is, Zale decides to bid farewell to Earth, his old life, and embrace his role as a Space Farer.

Now Zale is in for an adventure of a century as he discovers his identity as a Shade Fish humanoid, befriends a collection and diverse aliens from all corners of The Galaxy, and explores planets beyond his wildest imaginations.

However, there's more to this destiny than he originally thought. And soon the fate of The Milky Way might rest on Zale and his new friend's shoulders.

​

People of Reddit. What do you think of this series? I'm very excited to get a second opinion.

Hi everyone, I am brand new to the page and any writing community in general.

I have loved crafting fun adventures for my friends through Dungeons and Dragons, and I thought basing some stories on the events they have been through could be very fun. I have the early stages of something done and I am genuinely curious as to where I would stand in terms of quality and style.

My goal/dream is to have a book published someday. Thank you!

Again, I am very new to all this in terms of sharing my work etc. so please let me know the best way I can do this.

Here's a space to discuss what you're working on, what you're proud of, what you're struggling with, or just whatever's on your mind.

Some prompts:

How's your writing going? Are you stuck? Made some new progress?

Picked up any good books lately? Come across any authors who you wish you could write like?

Are you in the midst of editing? Are you hating every second of it?

Leave a comment and let us know!

Hello everyone!

The Glossary Generator tool I made (super useful for world-building as you can flesh out characters / civilisations, etc for readers) is $2.50 a month to use (hopefully a tiny amount, and I only charge because I want to spend time/resources improving it).

In the spirit of the upcoming festivities, if you use XMASGG then you have 99% off for the month. So essentially it's free! Or about 2 cents...

If you're interested, please take a look. Loads of my own readers love my world-building, and I made the Glossary Generator to help me find everything they might want to know about. It saves hours, and also helps you pick up errors that other tools like Grammarly/Word/etc don't find.

Any questions, feel free to message me. Cheers!

James

I am currently in the middle of writing my debut fantasy novel. I've been working on it for a while now, since March, and I really feel like it's heading in the right direction. I've been very passionate about it. However, my mood was dampened not long ago when I found out that for a debut fantasy book, the accepted word count is generally -- and at a push -- 120k words. In my WIP, I am at around 140k words and I predict that I still have around 20-30% of the story left to tell.

Now, I'm aware that the word count of a novel depletes a lot during the editing phase, but I can't help but feel like I've failed before I've even finished. For what If i go through with this and produce a novel that is maybe 150/160k words after full edits but can't be published as it's a debut and pushes the debut word count limit? It's a demoralizing notion, that's for sure. There are exceptions to this rule, ofcourse, such as Abercrombe and Sanderson, but these are always stated as extreme outliers and as extremely rare cases, especially since the market is so saturated these days.

I've read advice about breaking the story down into shorter books, into a trilogy or saga, but my story is a planned duology and breaking down this book before it reaches the intended emotional climax feels wrong and like an injustice to the story I'm trying to tell. Not to mention that it poses an issue for the intended second book, as I'd have to stretch or add to the story in order to make another two rather than one more.

Should I be approaching this in a different way? I feel at a bit of a loss, to be honest. Is this truly as much as an issue as it feels to be in my head, or am I overthinking it? I suppose I was just wondering If anyone else has had a similar experience whilst writing their debut, and whether this rings true for you, also. Any words of advice or input or any sort of musings are greatly appreciated! :')

📚 The Testament of Lukar - A Journey from Slavery to Royalty

Hey everyone! I'm excited to share that I'm writing a book, and the first two chapters are available on Wattpad under the title "The Testament of Lukar." If you enjoy tales of resilience, growth, and a touch of royalty, this might be your cup of tea!

About the Book: Follow Lukar, a young boy, as he navigates the challenging path from slavery to a destiny that echoes with royalty. The story unfolds weekly, with new chapters releasing regularly. Currently, I'm planning a trilogy, and your feedback means the world to me.

Where to Read: https://www.wattpad.com/story/356021529-the-testament-of-lukar?utm_source=web&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share_myworks

Why Check It Out:
Compelling Narrative: Lukar's journey is filled with twists, turns, and moments that'll keep you hooked.
Engage and Share: Your thoughts, critiques, and comments are welcome! Let's make this journey even more exciting.

I value your feedback, whether it's here or directly on Wattpad. Join me in crafting "The Testament of Lukar," where every chapter unfolds a new chapter in his extraordinary life. Thanks for being part of this adventure!

No but seriously, I need fresh eyes. I feel like I'm being too hard on myself so it'd be great to get some peice of mind.

Hey fellow writers! I have a quick question for you guys.

I'm writing a romance novel (for NaNo) that is NOT a fanfiction. The novel is centered around a woman who gets a general manager position for a professional hockey team.

I looked it up and I CAN use real hockey teams, but I don't want to use any real people's names. Would it be weird to have a real team (like Toronto Maple Leafs) but have made up people?

Or! Do you think it would be best to make up my own team names (like Ontario Beavers)?

I just don't want it to read like a fanfiction but I also don't want it to seem too far-fetched. What do you guys think?

I'm looking for a place, maybe a discord server or something, that would welcome an autistic writer! If you happen to know of one, please reach out.

I'm so allooooone (jk)

But really, I miss talking about writing and reading and generally having a welcoming group that wants to go on about their works!

Hi all,

I'm trying to build my editing portfolio and am willing to do a bit of free work to do so. I have worked on a few books already so this is not my first rodeo, and the feedback I have received is very positive. I’m a CIEP member and have proofreading and copywriting qualifications to boot, as well as a first class honours BA in creative writing, so definitely not some chancer who saw other people editing and thought ‘I fancy a go at that.’ I’d treat you as professionally as I would treat a paying client, with regular feedback, a deadline, and a full and thorough proofread/edit.

I'd prefer to work with writers who intend to publish, self or otherwise, as this adds a bit of shine to the ol' portfolio.

If you're interested, please check out my site at www.stoneediting.com and get in touch through the contact form there.

Cheers,

Adam (Stone Editing and Proofreading)