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M. Clark

@mcwrites27.bsky.social

31 | nonbinary queer | they/them | Seattle | writer | illustrator Genres: Southern gothic, queer YA, paranormal thriller, historical fiction Current Project: Canary (Wordcount: 187,000/150,000!!) NO AI - WE VALUE REAL ARTISTS AND WRITERS HERE

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M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 7h ago

A tricky #WeeknightWriters question, but one I think every good writer should ask themselves. For me, I think motive and personality are key. You can't really figure out what your OC would do if you don't know what type of person they are or what their goals/motives are in the plot.

Weeknight Writers@weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 9h ago

Q2: What aspects of character development do you consider most important to your story planning process? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters What aspects of character development do you consider most important to your story planning process?"
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 7h ago

Typically, I have a character I bring to a story and throughout the narrative their real selves unfold with the story. This allows me to go back and edit more authentic replies and actions in the beginning of a draft once a character's motives are shaped for me. #WeeknightWriters

Weeknight Writers@weeknightwriters.bsky.social · 10h ago

Q1: Do you typically create characters to match the story you want to tell or build your stories based on character(s) already living in your head? #WeeknightWriters

Notepad that says “#WeeknightWriters: Do you typically create characters to match the story you want to tell or build your stories based on character(s) already living in your head?"
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 10h ago

Katie's favorite outfit is anything in jeans but specifically jeans with any open top layer (jacket, blazer, dress shirt). Bekah's favorite outfit is anything with a tank top and cargo pants. #LGBTQWriteAThon

AmaraJLynn 🦹 drafting Fire & Feathers@amaralynn.bsky.social · 13h ago

#LGBTQWriteAThon October 8: I apologize, I totally forgot I didn't schedule this. I haven't felt great all week! What's your MCs favorite outfit? @rebeccafrostwrites.com #queerwriters #writingcommunity #lgbtqwriters

#LGBTQWRITEATHON Use the tag and follow the feed on Bluesky! Tag @lgbtqwriteathon in photos on Instagram! October 8: favorite outfit Hosts: Bluesky: @amaralynn, @rebeccafrostwrites.com Instagram: @lgbtqwriteathon, @amaralynn, @krakengoddess [Image description: fall decor including Jack o lanterns and bats on a soft orange background]
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · yesterday

🪦Katie: Oh, god, I couldn't even answer this I think it'd drive me bonkers, actually. Bekah: I think the 'how' is more important than the when. 🧠Katie: There's a lot I'd love to forget, honestly. Memory is not my issue. Bekah: Perfect memory. Better to remember it all, even the bad. #LitHodgepodge

Pamela Jeong 🎃🫜@pamelajeong.bsky.social · yesterday

#LitHodgepodge 8 Thinking from the perspective of one (or more) of your characters, choose one (or more!) of these “would you rather” questions and provide an answer. Feel free to explain your character’s response. #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #WriteSky

#LITHODGEPODGE Hosted by @pamelajeong.bsky.social An October Prompt Game of Miscellaneous Proportions THURSDAY THRIFTED THERAPY [Graphic of an old-timey bearded man sitting and leaning his arm against a barrel with a tiny frog crawling up its side] Prompt: 8 | Answer one (or more) of these “would you rather” questions as your character: 🪦 Would you rather know when or how you’re going to die? 🧠 Would you rather have a perfect memory or be able to forget anything you wanted at will? ⏳ Would you rather time travel to the past or future? 💔 Would you rather never be able to show emotions or never be able to hide them? [Graphic of talking crow] “Would you rather” is a classic icebreaker which I doubt requires explanation. Surely you’ve been asked at some point whether you would rather fight 100 duck-sized elephants or one elephant-sized duck? If you chose the latter, you are clearly unacquainted with very many ducks. Join tomorrow for Friday Flights of Fancy!
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · yesterday

The #WIPSnip Word of the Day is 'lizard' but I had to get flexible and go with 'snake' here. Mild content warning for brief mention of animal euthanasia. Katie seems convinced Bekah's got a dog hiding in her house, especially with hearing them and smelling them everywhere around her house.

The WIP Snip Word of the Day is 'lizard' but I've not yet used this word so I had to get really flexible with 'snake' - the following is an excerpt frommm my novel WIP 'The Canary' featuring the word 'snake' - mild content warning for mention of animal euthanasia - As I leaned an inch closer, the sound of a huffing muzzle filled my ear. My eyes widened with disbelief, watching the four thin black lines beneath the door scamper away. Just then, the door pulled wide open. Bekah stood at the top of the steps, head tilted in confusion. She was looking down at me, a strange sight for sure. I was pressed to the steps like a snake, hands bracing the ground as if I was sleuthing around the room. Her smile downturned in amusement, matching her arched brow. "You… good?" She asked, chuckling as I shot up and nervously smiled at her. "Yeah," I laughed, stiffly. There was no point in explaining myself. "Sorry. I… thought I heard a dog." "Dog?" She asked, clearly confused. "No. We *had* one. Had to put her down when I was a kid, though. Rabies."
✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag@wipsnips.bsky.social · yesterday

The #WIPSnips word for October 8th is "lizard" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag October 8 - lizard Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine. Support others on the #WIPSnips tag! Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social The image behind the text is a border that is dark blue with gold stars with a black background with neon blue border. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner. A different version of the same illustrated caticorn is curled up writing in the lower left corner
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · yesterday

The #LitHodgepodge Challenge for Day 7 is to share an excerpt where our narrative voice really shines. My developmental editor feels strongly that this chapter is one of my best. It's a nightmare sequence from the POV of my clairvoyant character Katie, who occasionally becomes possessed by the dead.

The dream started in the dark. I opened my eyes to nothingness, only a cold wet feeling beneath me. When I turned to my side to push myself upright, I felt my hand sink slowly like the water beneath me. It felt like half hard gelatin. sending a cold shiver down my spine. Gross as it was, the world solidified once I was on my feet.  Slowly, sounds started to gurgle to life around me. Layered laughter of two girls echoed from somewhere far in the distance, rippling through me as it reached me. I tried tuning into the sound, catching faint pauses and the distant sound of a guy chuckling quietly. Panting urgency, the sound of falling and laughter, the distinct hitches in breath of passion: my skin started to crawl. Where the hell was I?  From somewhere in the shadows a girl began walking backwards in my direction. She had long black hair that was curled at the ends that matched a black cocktail dress that just barely covered her. Her bronze skin seemed warm and radiant, even in the dark. Still, I panicked, looking for any way out as she continued to march in reverse towards me, her body language flirtatious even if it was uncanny. My heart thundered in my chest, wondering if she was real or if she was a faceless, mangled nightmare my mind had concocted. The closer she came, the worse my fear became.  Suddenly, she was nearly on top of me, walking a stride backwards as if I wasn't there. A gasp of horror erupted from me, hands held up in anticipation of an impact. Bumping into her would have been far easier than what happened.  When our bodies touched, her skin phased through mine like she was a ghost. The feeling of our bodies crossing over sent a gut churning shudder of disgust through me, like a primal boundary had been crossed. The shape of her form continued backwards until she stood exactly in my shoes. Eyes clenched tight with fear and nausea, I felt her body merge into mine, a second skin. Breath trembling, the corpse-like cold slowly drained away. 
Pamela Jeong 🎃🫜@pamelajeong.bsky.social · 2d ago

#LitHodgepodge 7 Narrative voice is the unique fingerprint of your storytelling. Sentence structure, diction & tone all play a part. Share a snip where we can hear the sound of your narrative voice! NOTE: Choose a snip focused on narration (not dialogue). #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#LITHODGEPODGE Hosted by @pamelajeong.bsky.social An October Prompt Game of Miscellaneous Proportions WEDNESDAY WORDSMITHS [Graphic of a woman with a thoughtful expression, holding a quill, with paper on her desk in front of her and small cherub and demon figures at either side] Prompt: 7 | Post and discuss a snip where the narrative voice shines in your WIP. [Graphic of a talking crow] Narrative voice is the unique flavor of your storytelling. Sentence structure, word choice, tone, and POV all add up to a distinctive perspective that is woven through the narration. Think of it as your story’s personality. Join tomorrow for Thursday Thrifted Therapy!
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · yesterday

My MC Katie has learned to mask her masculinity as a queer woman to try and seem as harmless as possible, but her boyish spirit always shines through. Bekah, on the other hand, is so attached to her mask she doesn't know what's her and what's her persona. #LGBTQWriteAThon

AmaraJLynn 🦹 drafting Fire & Feathers@amaralynn.bsky.social · 2d ago

#LGBTQWriteAThon October 6: Does your MC wear a mask? Real or metaphorical @rebeccafrostwrites.com #queerwriters #writingcommunity #lgbtqwriters

#LGBTQWRITEATHON Use the tag and follow the feed on Bluesky! Tag @lgbtqwriteathon in photos on Instagram! October 6: Does your MC wear a mask? Real or metaphorical Hosts: Bluesky: @amaralynn, @rebeccafrostwrites.com Instagram: @lgbtqwriteathon, @amaralynn, @krakengoddess [Image description: fall decor including Jack o lanterns and bats on a soft orange background]
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · yesterday

"Micah is an Appalachian queer writing gothic thrillers, mysteries, and romances as a love letter to the complex beauty and darkness within the South. While they reside in the PNW today, their heart and soul will always belong to the rolling hills of the Smoky Mountains." #WritersCommunity

Boone NC Appalachian Sunset

Alt: Boone NC Appalachian Sunset

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DD Ward ..."Interim Pirate Queen"@ddwardiswriting.bsky.social · 2d ago

Okay folks of the #WritersCommunity, I have an interesting indie marketing prompt challenge... Give us your elevator pitch, for yourself! What is your author brand? How would you sell yourself?

M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · yesterday

A perfect #AwesomeCharacters prompt for my foodie characters (hard not to be one in the South). Katie prefers a hole in the wall or the fantastical chance to go to a Michelin star restaurant. She loves feeling fancy. Bekah would be happy anywhere as long as she's with someone she loves.

💀🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊👻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · yesterday

Tell me about your #AwesomeCharacters Your character is in the modern world, money is no object. Where are they going to eat? 1) Michelin star restaurant 2) Casual dining place 3) Little known but amazing hole in the wall 4) Sidewalk hot dog cart #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 2d ago

Katie has an idea, but she's so fixated on solving the case herself that she loses sight of what to do when she's too close. Bekah's plans are always precise and detailed, she always knows her next move. She's a confident young woman and knows what she wants. #AwesomeCharacters

💀🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊👻@charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 2d ago

Tell me about your #AwesomeCharacters Does your character have a plan? Are they the type to have a multistage plan worked out in advance? Do they prefer to wing it? Or are they purely reacting to circumstances? Does their plan need to adjust over time? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 3d ago

For Katie, unfortunately, A LOT but she struggles with trauma exacerbated OCD. For Bekah, the realization that her life isn't as under her control as she thought. She's also terrified of her secrets coming out even if she's not sorry for what she did #LGBTQWriteAThon #queerwriters #lgbtqwriters

AmaraJLynn 🦹 drafting Fire & Feathers@amaralynn.bsky.social · 3d ago

#LGBTQWriteAThon October 6: Today we're talking BUGBEARS aka sources of anxiety or fears. What causes anxiety or fear in your characters? @rebeccafrostwrites.com #queerwriters #writingcommunity #lgbtqwriters

#LGBTQWRITEATHON Use the tag and follow the feed on Bluesky! Tag @lgbtqwriteathon in photos on Instagram! October 6: Bugbears/fears Bluesky: @amaralynn, @rebeccafrostwrites.com Instagram: @lgbtqwriteathon, @amaralynn, @krakengoddess [Image description: fall decor including Jack o lanterns and bats on a soft orange background]
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 3d ago

The Butch Cop - Detective Deer went into criminology so she could understand the system, but she didn't have any confidence in changing it. If anything, she wanted to be one of the few officers with integrity, especially serving the same town she grew up in. #LitHodgepodge

Pamela Jeong 🎃🫜@pamelajeong.bsky.social · 3d ago

#LitHodgepodge 6 Tropes and the archetypes they're built around help us understand reader expectations. If you know what’s expected, you can lean into that familiarity, or subvert it. Identify a character archetype in your WIP. Who are they? How do you use them? #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#LITHODGEPODGE Hosted by @pamelajeong.bsky.social An October Prompt Game of Miscellaneous Proportions TUESDAY TROPES [Graphic of an old man wanderer, with a sack on his back and a long walking stick, and a black cat] Prompt: 6 | Tell us about an archetypal character in your WIP. Who are they, and what is their role in the story? How do you utilize, and possibly subvert, expected patterns? Feel free to share a snip. [Graphic of a talking crow] Archetypes are like character blueprints that represent something universal about the human experience. Examples include the rebellious hero, the benevolent ruler, the mentor, the wanderer, the reluctant warrior, the trickster, and the reclusive genius. Join tomorrow for Wednesday Wordsmiths!
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 3d ago

🟢Finish the first draft of 'The Canary' by the end of October 🟢Begin character sheeting and plot mapping (I've been writing by the seat of my pants lately lol) 🟢Character design for future cast of sequel #LGBTQWriteAThon #queerwriters #lgbtqwriters

AmaraJLynn 🦹 drafting Fire & Feathers@amaralynn.bsky.social · 4d ago

#LGBTQWriteAThon October 5: Goals day! What are your goals this week? Let us know so we can cheer you on! @rebeccafrostwrites.com #queerwriters #writingcommunity #lgbtqwriters

#LGBTQWRITEATHON Use the tag and follow the feed on Bluesky! Tag @lgbtqwriteathon in photos on Instagram! October 5: Goals day Hosts: Bluesky: @amaralynn, @rebeccafrostwrites.com Instagram: @lgbtqwriteathon, @amaralynn, @krakengoddess [Image description: fall decor including Jack o lanterns and bats on a soft orange background]
M. Clark@mcwrites27.bsky.social · 3d ago

Katie: Being left alone, but specifically in nature. I've always wanted to live in an oasis of wildlife. Proximity to a nice cafe, market, and bookstore would be a plus Bekah: Waking up and hearing mom in the kitchen, playing her radio and making breakfast. And things never changing. #LitHodgepodge

Pamela Jeong 🎃🫜@pamelajeong.bsky.social · 4d ago

#LitHodgepodge 5 A person's vision of happiness tells us a lot about them. Do they imagine adventure, security, peace? Or is it in the details—a cozy hearth, trophy on the mantle, gaggle of grandbabies? What's your OC's version of happiness? Give us a snapshot. #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#LITHODGEPODGE Hosted by @pamelajeong.bsky.social An October Prompt Game of Miscellaneous Proportions MONDAYS WITH MARCEL [Black & white picture of Marcel Proust, a man of the fin de siècle who had dark hair, sleepy eyes, and a dark mustache, sitting with his elbow propped on the back of his chair and looking pensive] Prompt: 5 | Answer as one or each of your characters (as well as yourself, if you wish!): What is your idea of perfect happiness? [Graphic of a talking crow] The Proust Questionnaire is a set of questions popularized by French writer Marcel Proust. Victorians answered these questions in parlor games, and modern interviewers now often use them. They can also be a great character development tool! Join tomorrow for Tuesday Tropes!