#PretendPanel I hear through the ears of my MCs, so I don’t think my POV characters have any noticeable traits when I write them. It’s similar to how a person often believes it’s only other people who have accents. 🧵1/2

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · yesterday

#pretendpanel please lavish me with whatever descriptions you'd like ... September 5th: Do you have specific voices in mind for your characters when you write? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel Good question! Not something I’ve considered before. Sight (usually?) comes first. I see silent images in my minds’s eye then fill in details of the other senses. It feels as though the other senses are stored in a different place or as part of a different process though. 🧵1/2

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · 2d ago

Some people talk about being able to vividly see what they are writing. But I wanna know, #pretendpanel ... September 4th: Do you *hear* what you are writing? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I’ve surprised myself with my answer. For the two published books: graphic novels. For my unpublished conspiracy thriller: graphic novel or live action tv miniseries. For my WIP: TV, in one of those murder/thriller/mystery slots. I can dream.

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · last wk.

#pretendpanel, let's close out two months of visual-themed questions with this last one (and thank you once again for them @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social 💜) August 28th: If you could have your prose adapted into any visual medium, what would it be? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

Oban Pride March yesterday. Thanks to the organisers @obanpride.com for a lovely day. Loved the music on the parade’s arrival at Corran Halls. Best version of YMCA ever! Pity I couldn’t stay for more of the events.

#PretendPanel No fanart, but a reader of a fanfic I wrote about ten years ago liked it enough to print it out and bind it. I’ve seen pictures of the end result. Beautiful, and a huge compliment! Given the length of the story, this was a true labour of love. (🧵1/2)

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · 2w ago

#pretendpanel share it if you got it, and dream it up if you don't... August 21st: Have you ever received fan art of your work? What kind of fan art would you be most excited to see? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel Sometimes I feel inspired but inspiration seldom turns into execution. If it does, it’s usually in the form of doodles or sketches. Alas, what I see in my head doesn’t transfer well onto paper. For that reason, I usually stick to mental images over physical ones. Way less frustrating!

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · 3w ago

Tell me #pretendpanel ... August 15th: Does your writing ever inspire you to create visual art (of any medium) based on it? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I’m hedging my bets with ‘it depends’. For cosy stuff, cartoony & colourful works. For darker tales, I’d like something more in keeping with that vibe. As a general rule, I prefer art to photographs. Clear fonts. Nothing flowery. But the hook matters more than the look, at least to me.

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · 3w ago

#pretendpanel I am so very interested in hearing what y'all have to say to this one... August 14th: What did you/would you look for in an ideal book cover for your story? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I’ll use anything, and none of it is systematic or consistently colour coded. I use whatever tool feels handy: post-its, swim lanes or spreadsheets to reorganise tangled plots, mark up, asterisks and more post-its and scraps of paper to make notes and corrections. Track changes too.

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · 4w ago

Tell me, #pretendpanel ... August 8th: Do you use special visual cues or processes to assist you while editing? (ex. color coding, post-its, physical mark-up, etc.) #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I can write pretty much anywhere; I love being outdoors when possible. Good views, fresh air, birdsong, uncluttered space & away from distractions. On the computer: switching between apps, devices & printout helps me spot errors and can be like using fresh eyes each time I change.

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · last mo.

#pretendpanel tell me about the visual environment/s you spend all your writing time in... August 7th: Does your writing environment/software UI/font choice have a significant impact for you? If so, what aesthetic options help you write? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I’ve learned how to use labels in scrivener so I can see the status of a collection of short stories I’m working on, and I’ll keep a note of word counts. But that’s about it. I have used spreadsheets retrospectively to check where I have gaps in my narrative to fill in. But…🧵1/2

Kara Moon 🏴‍☠️💜⚓️@karamoonauthor.com · last mo.

I'm back, #pretendpanel ! And thanks to @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social I've got another month of questions 💜 so let's go... August 1st: Do you use data visualization to track your writing progress? What does that look like for you? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel Generally I’m not interested. I appreciate sprayed edges can be beautiful and clever, but I don’t want a book to be so beautiful I’m scared to read it. Mostly I think alternate covers etc are a cynical marketing ploy; I find them a turn off.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · last mo.

Happy Saturday, #PretendPanel! With special limited edition print releases being something of an industry staple these days, how do YOU feel about special artistic embellishments on book exteriors? This can be alternate covers, special finishes, sprayed edges, anything above and beyond in print.

#PretendPanel Ambivalent. It depends on the book. Most important is legibility, so no tiny fonts, and nothing printed in pale grey. (I’ve seen both.) I only want maps if they are genuinely informative. I’d like to see more character lists, especially in long stories/series.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · last mo.

It's another lovely weekend, #PretendPanel! Today we ask: How do you feel about those extra artistic flourishes inside of prose books? What is something you would like to see more (or less) of on the page? Or, what are some artistic touches you've included in your own publications?

#PretendPanel Wow. There are some very polished images being shared. I’m going to lower the tone by sharing some scrappy notes. I jot down ideas when I have them and will grab whatever paper I can find if my favourite notebook isn’t handy. My notes are peppered with post-its too.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Time for an image share, #PretendPanel! Show us behind the scenes of your writing and worldbuilding process. This could be maps, image references, storyboards, or even just a wall of sticky notes or a dry erase board where you scribble out your thoughts! Anything visual that's helped you write.

#PretendPanel The visual aids I’ve used include: 🗺️ maps (both professional & a scrappy sketch I made). Also Streetview 📷 photographs (people, places, objects, artwork…) 🎞️ videos (bless the geeks of YouTube!) 🏡 estate agents’ particulars 📘do written reference materials count? 🧵1/2

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 2mo ago

It's Friday and I have a fresh haircut - let's dive back into #PretendPanel! Pulling back the curtain, what visual aids (if any) do you use when planning your story? Do you try to pin down specifics, or just cultivate the vibe?

#PretendPanel I’m not a fan of lush but the framework I’m given has to be solid and coherent enough for me to fill in the detail. Too much detail may detract from my ability to visualise the story. Instead of pictures, I get bogged down by the words. Plus too much detail may slow the story’s pace.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Thinking about things from the other side, #PretendPanel: As a reader, do you prefer lush, detailed descriptions, or books that leave things vague so you can fill in with your own imagination? Is this different or the same as your writing preferences?

#PretendPanel I aim to give the perfect balance of detail. 😜 I want readers to picture what I’m writing about without boring them rigid. Only they know if I succeed. I don’t mind if their mental picture isn’t identical to mine as long as it makes sense to them and the vibe is right.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 2mo ago

It's time once again for #PretendPanel! This week, we discuss visual descriptions in prose. As a writer, how much detail do you like to include in your visual descriptions?

#PretendPanel Characters: Vibe. Settings: I'm inspired by places I know, tho' I may fictionalise them. Even so, I'll do research. For stories set in versions of our world, this may include estate agents' listings, image searches, Google Streetview, journey planners, rail timetables etc.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Happy Saturday, #PretendPanel! Continuing the theme of visualization: How do you decide what you want your characters and settings to look like? Do the details hold significant importance for you, or do you mostly follow a vibe?

#PretendPanel I see through the eyes of my protagonist, seeing what they see/is in front of them. (For this reason, I often have a better idea of what my secondary characters look like than my MCs.) Sometimes what I see is choppy—more a series of snapshots than a smoothly unraveling film.

Lizzie Blackwood@lizzieblackwood.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Happy Friday, #PretendPanel! I'm your guest host, Lizzie Blackwood, here to start us off: There are many ways the brain may process and internalize visual information. Do you have a “mental picture” of your story as you write? If so, what does that look like? And if not, what do you "see" instead?

#PretendPanel I’ve tried creating characters using templates and outlines with little success. Generally, I feel them, vibe with them, but only get to know them and flesh them out as the story develops. Motives, appearance, gender etc may all change. That’s part of the creative adventure.

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 2mo ago

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 26th: from @skarabraeauthor.bsky.social : What was your creative process when designing your story's main character? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel Rejections: I tell myself it isn't personal. I wouldn't know these people if I bumped into them; what does it matter? Maybe next time? But having skin like a rhino would make it easier to bear! Wins: a celebratory meal. Pictures of book covers on my wall to remind me 'You did this!'

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 20th: from @evelynfenn.bsky.social : How do you keep the faith in the face of rejection and set backs? What tricks do you use to stay positive and productive? And how do you celebrate your wins? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I don’t think I do. My progress comes in fits & starts. While I wish I could maintain steady progress, I can’t force it. Every time I open my file, add words, delete & edit, it’s a win. I refuse to beat myself up on the days that doesn’t happen tho’. There’s always a good reason.

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 19th: from @zprospero.bsky.social : We talk about craft a lot, but when drafting and/or editing, how do you maintain a feeling of momentum? (see the reply for more angles to this question) 1/2 #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I don't have a first draft until I have the full story set down. Anything with gaps and plot holes doesn't feel complete. For that reason, I've been stuck on version 0.95 of my current WIP for the last 12 months. Once the first draft is done, vase amount of polishing begins.

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

Questions from #pretendpanel June 13th: by @hopeengel.com: On my author interviews I like to learn about things authors cut from earlier drafts and why, things they added in after that and why. I want to know how “rough” everyone’s first draft is! #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I wish I were an organised planner. I’m not. I worry if I plan too much I’ll lose interest before I get to write anything or I’ll forget the brilliant fragments I fail to capture as they occur. So: grand and sweeping then at abut 1/2 or 3/4 through try to retro plot and 🙏 it works.

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

Questions from the #pretendpanel June 12th: by @vampireantihero.com: How do you approach your ideas? Do you start grand and sweeping, or do you start with small, intricate details? Do you plan before drafting, or do you reverse-outline and refine? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel My stories tend to be contemporary. Even when I venture into something more speculative, our world is still recognisable; I tinker around its edges. So my characters’ hobbies may seem mundane: music; knitting; hanging with friends… They are academics, florists, students, caterers… 🧵1/2

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

~Questions from the #pretendpanel ~ June 6th: from @communi-kate.bsky.social : For me it's those tiny details that make a world feel lived-in. more details and question in the next post/in the picture #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts  1/2

#PretendPanel When I write, I’m chasing joy. It’s in little & big moments and makes the challenges and low points worthwhile (tho’ that’s not always easy to remember). Joy is in: -solving a thorny plot problem -the high of an acceptance letter -holding my book in my hand -a great review -… 🧵 (1/3)

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

Welcome to the first of our questions from the #pretendpanel! June 5th: from @robinjoak.bsky.social : What role does joy play in your creative process? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel Kayama from Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary by Karl Jenkins. The piece has the power & emotion of other choral works but avoids associations with religion or romantic love some of my other favourite pieces carry. Plus the album transports me back to a key time in my life. Good vibes.

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 3mo ago

#pretendpanel, we're coming to a close on this a-May-zing month. I've enjoyed all the music you've shared and hope to listen more! May 29th: It's the end of "An Evening with [You, famous author]". What song is playing while you exit the stage? #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel What has struck me, seeing everyone else’s comments, is how much music I’ve never heard of and how different our tastes are. Lots to explore! I have musicians in one book (ninestarpress.com/product/how-...). Moira was a pop star in the 1980s. Now she plays in the local pub for fun.

How to Share a Cat and Other Life Lessons

Seventeen-year-old Nessa Clarkson is full of questions and confusion. How does she fit into the new household Dad is forging with his partner, Cindy, and Cindy’s son? What will being a lesbian mean…

ninestarpress.com

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 4mo ago

#pretendpanel, do you write music? Do your characters sing? Itching to drop a playlist? Or a thought about music+writing? Your prompt, your choice. May 23rd: Freestyling - drop whatever is burning in you to get out about music+writing right now #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I was going with Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds for its positivity but I changed my mind. Instead, I offer Lamento de Frederico, from Jose Cura’s album Verismo. If I could move readers half as much as I was moved the first time I heard this, I’d be ecstatic! Aim for the feels!

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 4mo ago

#pretendpanel one last time, will you regale me with your answers to this one... May 22nd: Chuck me a song that relates to your writing, and tell me what it means to you. #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel I hate pop music/DJ/jingle combos. Words (songs, conversations, TV, radio…) are distracting, especially if they come with a risk of my being interrupted or they are interesting enough to split my focus. Constant noise is easier to tune out than sounds coming in fits and starts.

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 4mo ago

#pretendpanel, I hope you're having a good weekend! Tell me... May 16th: Is there any soundscape you absolutely cannot write to? Whether it be music, ambient sound, specific creatures or objects; or at specific times/moods... #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts

#PretendPanel You Can Get It If You Really Want (versions by Jimmy Cliff and Desmond Dekker). An uplifting song about perseverance and the rewards you reap if you keep trying. (Basically, don’t expect things to be handed to you on a plate. This writing malarkey requires work, but it might pay off.)

Claire Hiria@clairehiria.com · 4mo ago

#pretendpanel after an illuminating round of answers last week, it's time for this question again... May 15th: Chuck me a song that relates to your writing, and tell me what it means to you. #WritingCommunity #Writers #Authors #WritingPrompts