The Ten Things Challenge For Writers June 2019
Here's the third challenge I accepted for June 2019. It's different than any of the other challenges I have done up to this point. I thought it would push me to think in a different way and perhaps it did!
#TenThingsChallenge For Writers June 2019
The first two prompts are so self-explanatory I don't think I'll elaborate. But for number ten on day 2, my answer might make you nervous. Don't know why, but it seems to be that way for some folks. I write to glorify God by doing the best job I can and keeping my writing within the guidelines He sets for me. So evil is evil and good is good. Even if humans blur the lines, it doesn't change the nature of evil or good. I don't plan to get preachy in my writing. Some characters may because that is the nature of people who think they're doing a good job, who think everyone needs to know about their accomplishment. I mainly want to encourage people and lighten the heavy load of life's burdens with some fun reading.
- Day 3 - Words to Describe Your WIP - Self-explanatory and not all positive, I'm afraid. It's good to be honest, though. I'd rather look at it through eyes of truth so I can see where it needs to be fixed.
- Day 4 - Characters Hiding Just Outside the Scope of Your Story - This was harder. I wasn't exactly sure what they meant so I just listed as many side characters as I could. None of these are seen constantly in the novel. They each have small parts to play in certain areas. The two large squares are Guardian Bal Shif (upper left) and Guardian Zim Haya Ne (lower right)...or my inspiration photos for them.
In the upper right quadrant, left to right, top to bottom are:
- Ibin Etina - Master Assassin (or as I've termed it in the book, Ken'narri Assazyin) - I think she might be a chaotic neutral, but I'm not entirely certain. Is that proof? She's white...like, really white...like fresh snow and her eyes are crystal clear...which is to say, they probably have a little gray in them, sort of like diamonds flashing in the light.
- Jor - One of Zec's fellow apprentices (or prentikarin...singular is prentikari). He is much more welcoming and jovial than his counterpart. He's purple, a nice rich purple.
- Tam - One of Zec's traveling companions. He's Drositiri and more quiet than his garrulous brother (or o'boer). He's a rich gold color.
- Poten Jai Nisse - He's one of the driving antagonistic forces but he works behind the scenes, not wishing to get his hands any dirtier than he needs to. He's also Ka Shi Malaki's distant cousin. He's emerald green.
In the lower left quadrant, left to right, top to bottom are:
- The Hai - She doesn't have a name, just a title. And she's even more behind the scenes than Jai who is her junior...so to speak. Power has definitely corrupted her and she's much older than my inspiration picture. The woman in this picture just had the look on her face that I can see the Hai wearing. She's one nasty antag... She's deep blue, like a midnight sky.
- Ili - Tam's older brother and the more chatty of the two, he's easy to talk to and always looking for fun. He loves to tease and you'll most often find him laughing at the strangest things. He shows up more than Tam in the story but is still a background character. He's the same gold as his brother.
- Lev - One of Zec's fellow prentikarin, he's not friendly or welcoming. He doesn't chat like Jor does. He's caramel brown.
- Yetsye Shira'ala - She's the MC in book one and from M'Neshunnaya. She's a mentor to Zec for part of the story. I won't say too much about her so I don't spoil her tale for those who haven't read book one yet. (If you haven't, and you want to, just click on the home page and scroll down to the links.) - Day 5 - Slang Words In Your WIP - I don't use slang much. I feel like my characters are deeper than that and I sort of associate slang words with laziness and joking behavior. Also, Tolkien didn't use slang so far as I know. If C.S. Lewis did, I don't know that I recognized it. I don't think Francine Rivers or Elizabeth George Speare used it. You probably won't see much of that in any of my work. When you choose to write fantasy, I think you have to be aware you're writing in a niche genre. It's not for the masses who prefer those speedy reads that don't go very deep into the story or delve into modern culture. So I don't think my story is lacking because slang is not a prominent feature.
As a side note on names, I once had someone tell me the names I was using were too long. Ah, thanks for the opinion, but...BUT...one has to ask if that person read a single fantasy book from any of the big names in that genre. You won't see many nicknames and you'll often see some pretty strange ones when you're reading fantasy. Keep in mind, the characters are imaginary. They really won't care if you "butcher" their names. ;) I've done my best to spell words phonetically, following the pronunciation guide I include in my books. If you're super concerned, just check that. - Day 6 - Different Types of Weather - The weather can get pretty extreme on Y'Dahnndrya. A friend pointed out that with so many moons, the tides must be something else. I can't profess to know the detailed physics but I'd have to agree. I've got all sorts of images in my head for super high docks with attached cradles so that when the tide goes out, the boats can settle safely into their beds. But yes. The stormiest of seasons (or dahlsikin) are Nishi at the end of the sun-cycle, and Ikishi at the beginning. These six moon-cycles (minsikin) bring cold, biting winds and strong blizzards. Vicious thunderstorms are most prevalent during these two dahlsikin. The driest dahlsik, the most prone to drought, is Dishi, the windy season. The air is cooling off and winds are picking up. By this time, though, the people of Y'Dahnndrya have already harvested their crops for the sun-cycle. There are a few crops that can withstand the dry, cooling trends, but I don't know what they are yet. XD And for those wondering about the tilt of the planet and how that affects the weather, I'm working from a northern-hemisphere-mindset. You can take it from there. :)
- Day 7 - Meaningful Foods - The only foods I've discussed for Genzet and Bot'ha so far don't have anything to do with the current WIP. 'Geishiju' is Liha's favorite dish - a berry pudding baked in a crust served during the morning meal in Bot'ha. 'Towering Floryll' was created during one of last years challenges (I think). It's made of meticulously iced and decorated flower-shaped cookies, carefully stacked into a tower. It's a dish from Genzet and used for formals and special occasions.
- Day 8 - Books I Admire -
1. The Silmarillion - JRR Tolkien
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Surprised by Joy - CS Lewis
4. The Weight of Glory - CS Lewis
5. Tolkien - Humphrey's official biography
6. Write to Discover Yourself - Ruth Vaughn
7. The Last Sin Eater - Francine Rivers
8. Acheron - Sherrilyn Kenyon
9. Spellfire - Ed Greenwood
10. The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper - Day 9 - Writing Tools I Use -
1. Scrivener
2. Bold point pen
3. Highlighters
4. Post-it Notes
5. Huge Binders
6. Reverse Dictionary App
7. Word Hippo
8. Pro Writing Aid
9. Journals
10. A pretty curtain (because that's my 'do not disturb' sign) - Day 10 - Ten Words Describing Your MC - The longer I hang out with Zec, the more I realize I don't know him well enough. This has got to be another reason I'm struggling so much with the current WIP.
1. Tall
2. Trim
3. Gifted
4. Prophet
5. Cautious
6. Quiet
7. Reluctant
8. Faithful
9. Obedient
10. Cobalt - Day 11 - Ten Distinct Smells - While some of the participants in the challenge are choosing memorable scents in their lives. I opted to share scents my characters would encounter.
1. Rain
2. Flower garden
3. Roasting meat
4. Campfire
5. Metals
6. Blood
7. Herbs
8. Sweat
9. Stink gas (a weapon)
10. Freshly washed linen - Day 12 - Different kinds of hairstyles - (for the photo: Read these moving down the columns (1, 2, 3...), then left to right (A - C).)
A.1. Braided bun. 2. Long, loose waves. 3. French braids. 4. Loose top knot.
B.1. High and tight, non-regulation. 2. Multiple braids (a personal favorite...probably because I can't do mine this way.)
C.1. High and tight, comb over. 2. Curly bob. 3. Buzz cut. 4. Dreadlocks. - Day 13 - Settings - There are more than ten in my video but here's my list:
1. Tunnels
2. Wind chime bedecked gazebo
3. Underground cities
4. Evergreen Forest
5. Council chamber
6. Cathedral
7. Village
8. Shrine
9. Pond & River
10. Water Garden & Waterfalls
- Day 14 - Ways to Describe Love - Just a note, I don't necessarily agree with all these descriptions, but I know that many people describe love in many ways. It's so useful to think of all the different ways something can be described by different characters. Truly, it takes all kinds of people to make an interesting and lively world.
1. Burning
2. Enduring
3. Choice
4. Hard work
5. Painful
6. Destructive
7. Blind
8. Energizing
9. Sweet
10. Passionate - Day 15 - Modes of Transportation -
1. Cart
2. Horseback
3. Foot
4. Boat
5. Raft
6. Piggyback
7. Carried
8. Sleigh
9. Sled
10. Snowshoes - Day 16 - Describe a Dad - (This photo is of my own dad.)
1. Loving
2. Supportive
3. Hard-working
4. Funny
5. Reliable
6. Dedicated
7. Faithful
8. Guide
9. Protector
10. Good leader - Day 17 - Scary Things - I chose to list items a person in my WIP world might find scary. In the end, their fears aren't so different from those in real life.
1. Differences
2. Change
3. Inifirmity
4. Trusting others
5. Breaking Rules
6. Exposed
7. Stagnation
8. Anarchy
9. Wild Animals
10. Failure - Day 18 - Things I'm Good At -
1. Mothering (At least...I think I might be good at it...)
2. Baking simple things
3. Encouraging others
4. Creating lessons
5. Digging for research
6. Making do...thrifty
7. Looking for the positives (well, better than I used to be)
8. Jigsaw puzzles
9. Word games
10. Sounds - Day 19 - Places to Visit - (In the photo: Reading in columns, top to bottom, moving left to right)
1. Okinawa, Japan (My grandfather was stationed there for a short time. He never talked much about it, though.)
2. Kyoto, Japan (I want to see the old architecture and historic places there.)
3. The Great Redwood Forest (This one's do-able.)
4. Norway (My husband's heritage is largely Scandanavian.)
5. San Angelo, TX (It'd be good to see "home" again. No where else we lived felt like home as much as San Angelo did...a do-able trip.)
6. Germany (My heritage is largely German and western European.)
7. Ireland (and Scotland, and Wales, and England)
8. The cliff dwellings of the Anasazi (This one's also do-able.)
9. Machu Pichu
10. Santorini, Greece - Day 20 - Describe Your Antagonist - It was pretty hard to describe Shi Malaki. Maybe I need to work more on his profile...soon...
1. Arrogant
2. Jealous
3. Feels entitled
4. Corrupt
5. Blamer (Nothing is ever his fault.)
6. Complainer
7. Athletic
8. Obstinate
9. Tenacious
10. Smarmy - Day 21 - TV Shows & Movies I Admire - Oh, goodness! I'm a retro TV show fan. I love the old westerns and sci-fi stuff. I'm also an anime fan. A good crime show/law show is a sure win, too, but I don't like many of the newer ones. They're so /heavy/!
1. The Rifleman
2. Star Trek
3. Scooby-Doo Mysteries/Classic Jonny Quest (It's a tie.)
4. Midsomer Murders
5. Law & Order
6. Cowboy Bebop
7. Star Wars
8. The Dark Crystal
9. Little Spies (A Disney TV movie made back in the 80s which I absolutely loved!)
10. The Goonies - Day 22 - Mistakes I've Made - I'm not sharing my long list here but you can read it on IG by clicking on the photo. Just know that this was hard, not because I couldn't think of anything, but because it was hard to choose which ones to share.
1. Speaking the wrong words at the worst time;
2. Speaking the right words at the worst possible time;
3. Being oblivious at awkward times;
4. Following the advice of someone I respected against my better judgment and losing my only school friend (at the time) over it;
5. Keeping quiet when I should've spoken up;
6. Speaking when I'm excited or feeling defensive;
7. Moving too quickly;
8. Not double-checking the front matter small print before uploading;
9. Slapping someone;
10. Holding a grudge. - Day 23 - Characters I Love - Oh, JOY! Characters are awesome. They're listed in the photo caption. :) After writing out all the names, I realized most of them are male, one is a monster that doesn't even speak, and more of them are cartoon characters than not. Gotta love it! And this is /not/ the full list of my favorite characters. These are just the ones I had ready access to for taking a photo.
1. Kyo Sohma (Fruits Basket TVPG animated series);
2. Lizzie Bennet (Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen);
3. Abel Nightroad (Trinity Blood TVMA for gory bits, animated series);
4. John "Hannibal" Smith (The A-Team PG13);
5. Roger T. "Race" Bannon (Jonny Quest animated series);
6. Madmartigan (Willow PG);
7. Godzilla (not rated for the classics);
8. Akisame Koetsuji (Kenichii, The Mightiest Disciple TV14 animated series)
9. Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien PG13 movie);
10. Spike Speigel (Cowboy Bebop, labeled 13+ but it probably should be 16+, animated series) - Day 24 - Flowers - The first three are from Y'Dahnndrya. The last seven are some of my favorites. Number 5 is my favorite of all, followed closely by number 4. What's your favorite flower?
1. Orbana
2. Fyrna
3. Liilum
4. Carnations
5. Star-gazer Lilies
6. Peonies
7. Anemones (I learned a while back these are in the poppy family and my favorite color blend is the red petal with the blue center.)
8. Poppies (California? The red ones.)
9. Vincas
10. Chamomile - Day 25 - This was harder than it should've been. Can you think of other words to describe fear? I know there are more hiding in my head but they refused to come out.
1. Horror
2. Terror
3. Dread
4. Suspense
5. Nightmarish
6. Chilling
7. Choking
8. Heart-stopping
9. Creepy
10. Doom - Day 26 - Promises - I kind of had a hard time with this. So I combined some actual spoken promises from my current WIP with some which are more implied, either in conversation or circumstance.
1. I'll always be your friend.
2. We're "anyilin" until we die.
3. I'll get him there. You have my word.
4. She'll be taken care of.
5. You're going to regret this.
6. Death is certain.
7. Balance is necessary.
8. The spoken word is powerful.
9. Where there is life, there is hope.
10. Love doesn't always conquer all. - Day 27 - I took the more abstract path and generalized my responses.
1. Bruises
2. Gashes
3. Cuts
4. Scrapes
5. Breaks (physical/emotional/mental)
6. Tears
7. Sprains
8. Twists
9. Strains
10. Punctures - Day 29 - Quirks -
1. Athletic
2. Extroverted
3. Extra Cautious
4. Sing-song Voice
5. Introverted
6. Coloring (In the case of one of my characters, her coloring wasn't what it usually is for Tanderali Genzetti.)
7. Integrity
8. Overblown sense of vengeance
9. Teases others
10. Garrulous - Day 30 - Holidays/Celebrations - (I'm updating this as I transfer it to this new site and I can't find anything for this prompt. So I'm going to improvise and share a couple of festivals I've uncovered in Y'Dahnndrya and also include holidays in real life.
1. Festi'fi Geil'ya - (This spelling changes every time I write it. I still haven't decided. o.O) The new year celebration on Yacan, which also coincides with a lunar conjunction of three of the moons.
2. Birthday rememberances - Most of the clans at least recognize the birthing day of their members in some way.
3. Death date - Family members in M'Neshunnaya sing Mem'ram Braka - which are chant like songs detailing little moments of the deceased person's life which made an impact on them - on the anniversary of their death. There's not really a specific name for this practice, but most will refer to it by saying, "We're singing the Mem'ram for so-and-so next Mut (one of the days in the Y'Dahnndrya week [or nainda]).
4. Thanksgiving - This is my favorite holiday. No gifts to worry over. Just gathering with family and/or friends and enjoying a time of thankfulness.
5. Indpendence Day - This is my second favorite holiday. Before the virus struck and ruined our practice, we'd have a family reunion of sorts and people we only see at that time of year would come in, stay most of the day, and enjoy lunch and supper together. Sometimes we'd sing together. Sometimes, we'd just tell stories.
6. Talk Like a Pirate Day - This is a fun holiday which not enough people celebrate. I often forget about it, myself. Arrr...
7. Veteran's Day - I love that we have a holiday to honor those who have sacrificed so much to protect our freedoms.
8. International Coffee Day - In the US, that's September 29th. I think I might have a third place candidate for 'Favorite Holiday.'
9. Christmas - I both like and hate this holiday. There's too much of everything. I can barely sleep because there's this constant coming and going, presents to worry over, and so much more hustle and bustle than I care to partake in. But I do like Christmas trees and old stop-motion kids programs, as well as old crooners singing songs of the season. I also like the medieval and Renaissance carols.
10. Day of Worship - Most of my clans have a recognized day of worship in which work is shut down and people attend a service of some sort, though not all of them. And they each have different ways of doing this.
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