25 Writing Questions

But this is a paradox, is it not? Because what is braver than admitting you are not brave? If you can’t face the truth in the mirror, at least you can face the truth right here, in this piece of text. You have shown us. You have told us writers -  scared, trembling, bold writers - that you are afraid to speak out. And in doing so, you have confronted us and yourself with such a vulnerable, honest thing. 

Maybe you cannot stand up to anyone (yet). Maybe you cannot raise your voice (yet). Maybe you cannot confront (yet). But you can write about it. You are doing it right now. You are giving us the murky depth of your heart and you are defying the norm by admitting your doubts.

Why do I write? Why do so many writers write? Because we see the things that are wrong - with the world, with ourselves. And we cannot speak about them. So we put them on paper. Instead of yelling, arguing, confronting, we create a story, a poem.

They say the pen in mightier than the sword. You just told us that you are not a fighting, sword-wielding knight. But you have used your pen, and you are most certainly a writer.

I am not bold

There are a lot of things a lot of people say about how to be a writer. Write every day, get published, get readers to love you, win awards and whatever. But for me there is one thing that all writers, actually all creative people, seem to have in common.

They are bold.

They defy the norm, they defy the conventions, they defy the universe itself.

Writers write from the murky awful depths of their hearts. This goes for all writers not just some genres. There is unique courage in writing a story that tears your own self apart. But they do it anyway and then they stitch themselves back together by writing more! 

Here’s my problem. I am not bold.

I am a coward. I would be the first to say that. I hate confrontation. I don’t ever point out anything wrong. I cannot stand up to anyone without having a complete panic attack. I cannot even stand in front of a mirror and face the truth of myself without my knees shaking. I stay quiet when people around me raise their voices. I stay quiet when saying something would mean something. I stay quiet even if my heart is breaking, especially when my heart is breaking.

I don’t confront. I don’t question. I don’t refuse.

This might be conditioning from my upbringing. This might be the weight of expectations thrown on me. Or this might just be who I am.

At the end of the day, all this means is that I pull back when I should write honestly. I step aside when I should forge on. I delete the words that must have stayed.

At the end of the day, I am not bold enough to be a writer. And I probably never will be.

Tin sounds like such an awesome character!!! Which are your favorite facts abt her? Also, in your current wip, which character is your favorite? Least favorite? Why? Ya know what? Just tell me what are your favorite parts of your whole WIP! I really want to hear abt it!! (Sorry abt such long ask, is just that your project really sparked my curiosity XD)

Don't apologize! I am literally smilinglike crazy over here behind my screen. This is the first time I'veshared anything about my project with the outher world and you haveno idea how happy these compliments and questions and the generalinterest are making me! Thanks so much!

Oh, I love Tin! I'mso glad you think she's cool.  Here's some facts about her: *She's an activist at heart. At the start of the story, she joins astrike and then gets into a duel because someone talked shit abouther friend. She won't let you do that. She has no chill, but shereally does want the world to be a better place. * She named hergun after the only one of her brothers that did not ignore her. *She wears men's clothes for practical reasons. * If she getsoverwehlmed by any emotion but anger, tears well easily and she hatesthat.* She was part of a gang of yought criminals for a while.They were all boys and refused to let her in at first, but she foughtone with such feriousity that she scared the hell out of them. Theywere her gang after that.

Choosing a favorite is terrible!I've got so many characters in this story and I love all of them. Ithink Tungsten is one of my favorites because he's just such a wellmeaning sweetheart, but he never seems to catch a break. I enjoywriting Mercury, simply because he's a loud and intense soul whotalks in dramatic monologue. And I suppose I like Fer a lot. He'sthe one that started the group. He seems very tough and cool, but hedoesn't really like himself at all. All his self-worth comes fromholding together his band of outcasts, who he consideres his adoptedkids (he'd only admit this under extreem stress).

A leastfavorite is even harder! I have a bunch of characters that I'dprobably hate in real life, but I enjoy writing them. My leastfavorites right now are Espen and Nicholas, two of the rivals of theElements, but that's simply because I haven't yet put that mucheffort into to them. My favorite part of  my whole project isthe characters, really. I'm not that good at plot, though I amtrying, but I really enjoy having these eleven characters interact,bond and fight and bicker. I also love creating the world aroundthem. I like playing with history and casually incorporating realpeople or events. I also worked hard on making the magic in thisworld very tangible (it's translated, so it sounds a little rusty): 

'Magic swirled thick as fog abovethe Thames. Though Tungsten could not see it, only able to feelthe current the way you just smell scents and hear noice, he imaginedit as an endless amount of golden dust, dancing without any relationto the wind.' 

and 'The magic lay beneath hisfingers, a piano, ready to be played.' I’m sorry, this got a little out of hand. If you are interested, please come and talk to me about it more, or tell me about your own projects! (I’m still up for making aesthetic moodboards for OC’s).

The real horror of The Magnus Archives is having to listen to your favorite characters breaking down live on tape and sobbing their eyes out. You can’t reach them. You can’t hug them. You can’t even make them tea. 

The first story has been written! It is about a forest and a pair of black riding boots. On top of that, let me reveal one more character:  Elliot, the ‘awkward apprentice’, has a talent for luring memories from objects. He has the gentleness and the patience that is required for so delicate a task. But sometimes Gabri worries about him. So many of these treasured objects come with memories of grieve, of lost lovers or lost friends or lost parents. And experiencing all that sadness and anger, even if it is secondhand? She is just not sure if he will have the stomach for it. 

So…  I am thinking of creating a podcast. It would kind of be like the Magnus Archives, in the sense that every episode is its own small story (and maybe connected to a larger frame?).  Only instead of horror, it’s urban fantasy, loosely inspired by Scottish mythology.  And instead of an Archivist, it is told by Gabri, a women in her early thirties running a small antique store. She uses magic to pull the memories from objects; memories she assembles, smooths out and collects.  Prepare for a lot of faeries, magic lore, awkward apprentices, extravagant antique-sellers, apparitions, foggy autumn feelings and summonings.  Would this be something you people would listen to? 

Thank you for doing this. You are seen. You are loved.

This is just the sweetest thing. Thank you so much for using your time to make a stranger's day a little brighter. <3

I worked in a sportcentre where I was sort of bored all the time, so once I was reading the businesscards of my boss when the phone rang. I still had them in my hand and as I picked up and introduced myself, I used my own first name but my boss’s last name. She has a common last name, so it wouldn’t have been a problem. The only thing was: it was my boss calling. And she knew my actual last name.

I worked with toddlers and pre schoolers for three years. Sometimes I accidentally slip and tell a friend to say bye to an inanimate object (“say bye bus!”) & occasionally they unthinkingly just do it.

can we send OC requests to you now? you seem back in groove. :)

I am! Life is pretty hectic at the moment (it always is), but since making aesthetics relaxes me, I am trying to do it as much as I can. There’s still quite a line, but send me all your requests and I promise they will get done!

Exploring rural forests

- Bring a flashlight. Bring an extra battery. Bring another battery. Bring your headphones. Do not bring a camera.

- Set out after rain. It cleans the air.

- If a tree falls in your peripheral, it's a warning. Be careful, you only get one.

- If a tree falls right in front of you, something is out to kill you, and something wants to protect you.

- Those hooves you hear? Don't go looking, it's not a deer.

- You might get the urge to take your shoes off. Allow yourself to give in, if you are feeling reckless. However, no matter how familiar the ground seems, don't let it touch your ankles. Make sure you remember your name. Not all trees are born from seeds.

- The man with the dog does have eyes. He just shares them.

- If you come across a field with cows, check the height of the grass. Does it grow above your knees? Make haste. Do not dwell on the question what the cows have eaten instead.

- You might hear your own steps echoed in the bushes. Looking will not help you. There is nothing there to see.

- It's not thunder, it's moaning. You are lucky their pain is keeping them occupied.

- If you visit the abandoned house, don't close the door behind you.

- You can rest on a fallen trunk, but do not eat. You can lay your bag on a picknick bench, but remain standing.

- The carved signs are not meant for you.

- Horses do not step in puddles for they fear they will break a leg. Horses do not step in puddles for they fear they will be dragged under.

- The shadow is not that big, it's just closer than you think.

- The rolling fields look wonderful. Don't stay for the sunset.

You don't want to see me suffer (it's not entertaining).

AJR, The Worlds Smallest Violin // Anne Sexton, The Fury of Rainstorms // Chelsea Martin, MacDonalds is Impossible // Keaton Henson, On Touring // Neil Hilbron, You Can’t Be Depressed // Pat Barker, The Silence of the Girls // Patrick Roche, Every Forty Seconds // Wilfred Owen, Inspection // Rudy Franscisco, When People Ask Me How I’m Doing // Meghan Markle.