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blog, prompt, writing

Week 1 Prompt: The stench of blood

Lauryn

Prompt 1: The Stench of Blood

Word count: 487

Setting: In the universe where a newly turned Vampire is sticking to his morals. Or trying to.

The stench of blood is in the air, every way I turn.

It seems inescapable, it’s maddening, a craving I can not turn off.

Yes I know, craving and stench don’t usually go well together, but old habits die hard, and besides, I like some of those old sayings. 

As weird as they seem now, they tell a story, my story.

Well the biggest part of what I know so far, which was when I breathed and my heart worked. When I was human.

But that is all behind me now. I’m eternally a Millennial.
Heh, that’s pretty funny.

What was I saying? Right, back to the stench.

I still say stench because that is what it smelt like before. 

That metallic zing that is blood in the air.

Women seem to recognise it faster than men do, but I suppose that makes sense really.

It’s not pleasant, or the type of smell one would crave, like a good roast dinner, or a chocolate cake in the oven.

But that too has changed.

I think that was the first thing I noticed after my rebirth to this new life.

The stench wasn’t so much a cover your nose and mouth kind of smell, it was a wafting, alluring, promise like the warm promises that assault our noses when it’s almost dinner time, or dessert has warmed up.

That’s the problem with this life, really, you don’t have to wait. 

Blood is everywhere, fresh, although let’s be honest, some fresher than others.

Everyone says children taste underripe, and I’m going to take their word for it. That just seems immoral to me, biting children, vampire or not.

I have to take a stand somewhere.

Some say the aged taste rich and thick, as long as they aren’t dying. Some of us apparently love the kick their cocktail of medications bring to the table, but I’m not so sure.

Those vampires call themselves guardians, like they are the saviors of the elderly they bite. They seem like gluttons to me, and have forgotten that they once had a soul.

Me? I stick within my age group, well what should be my age group. 

25-45, non smoker, preferably lactose intolerant, who likes their vegetables.

Normal food tastes like ash to me now, but I still cry when I think about donuts.

Did you know your food leaves an aftertaste? 

I prefer the ones who like salad.

How odd, right?

But I’ve got to have rules, better rules than they’ve got about how many vampires you can spawn in a year, or about crossing thresholds, tanning beds or holy water. 

Is it ironic that now I am what I am, powerful, immortal and kick ass, that I’ve realised how much I need rules or my life is going to be more hell than it was before?

I probably should look up the definition of irony.

I wish Vampires had photographic memories.

romance, writing

How do I write a romance novel without much experience with romance?

Lauryn

Writers make up pure fiction all the time, however usually our best work has some basis in reality. Many writing sages suggest to write what you know, but what if our experience doesn’t go that far? How do we write a romance novel or romantic story that is believable without a lot of experience with romance?

If you are a fan of the genre I’m sure you would have already done your research on how romance is portrayed in fiction. I’m sure from the books you have read that a few key words or phrases might come to mind if you are thinking about the passionate bits.
A lot of stories can sound the same when it comes to the confessing feelings part of it.
So what to do?

Firstly, I would suggest stopping for a moment and journal some romantic stories you liked, and some that were memorably bad. Even keeping a key list of phrases you like or don’t like can help.
If you want to go further, you could brainstorm other ways to say the same thing.
For example, instead of: his heart slammed into his ribs
You could say: his pulse raced, his pulse sped up, his heart paced, and if you want you can add all sorts of other words into there too, like madly, wildly, quickly, etc.
Your writing can be as simple as ‘his pulse quickened’, to as elaborate as you want, like ‘his heart paced wildly like a hungry lion’.

Hopefully from that example you will see that just writing simple and straightforward “his pulse quickened” adds just as much, and if not more than the fancy stuff.
Thankfully no one expects a lot of detail on kissing or other intimate details to do a romance story well. You can acknowledge the romance and celebrate it, even if you don’t go into every detail. Also, you don’t need to make up details to make the reader feel something.
Think…”what words would a friend use to describe their first kiss to me?”
Probably a lot less description of mechanics and a lot more about how they are feeling, and what it means to them. You don’t need the details of your friend’s love life in order to be brimming with excitement for them. If your reader is invested in the character and their journey, they don’t need all the details to feel satisfied with the story either.

My next suggestion is to listen to people’s real life stories.
“How did you guys meet? How did you get together?”
These questions can be the gateway to many very interesting stories. It’s fascinating to hear about all the unbelievable that things that can happen in real life! Listen to people’s stories, borrow from them, weave them, and your writing with echo with truth.

Also my last point is, don’t undervalue your experience.
Even if you don’t have a romantic partner or a lot of romantic experience, romance stories have a lot of other elements in it that most people have experience with or can relate to.
For example, caring for someone, friendship, sacrifice, thoughtfulness, admiring beauty, adventure, belonging, are just some of them.
Draw on those experiences, and any crushes you might have had and use that knowledge to illustrate the romance.
Use the journal again!
How did you feel? What did you want to do? What attracted you to the person? What was something special you liked about the person?
For example: When I think of crushes I think of lots of eye contact, some giggling, wanting to hang out all the time, wanting to talk or text a lot, lots of things reminding me of them, when you catch each other’s gaze you smile.
It’s just a few little details, but it’s enough to build a good story and romance on!

So I hope that has given you the confidence to keep going with your romance writing, and also some tools that will help the truth echo through your fiction.
Don’t forget there are also some great writing communities, who are happy to read drafts and give gentle feedback on areas you find challenging!
Happy writing!

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Tips to get you in the zone to create

Lauryn

Have you ever been in a creative space where it seemed like you were transcendent?
Like the words or art were just flowing, even though you weren’t really thinking about it?
There were no busy thoughts, just a steady quiet, paying attention to the flow, the next prompting of what the next sentence might be, or where the next brush stroke will land?
You could not explain your reasoning, why you chose those words or to draw it that way, but it works, it fits, it flows. You are in the zone.

On the other hand…
Have you ever felt like everything is clunky?
Your sentences don’t make sense, don’t flow, and it’s an effort to even write 100 words?
You keep rubbing out what you have drawn because it’s all wrong?
Something happens so you have to keep starting again, and again?
Or nothing happens and creating feels like scraping your nails down a chalk board?

I would say that the majority of the time I’m in the cringing at myself basket. Often my creating feels like I’m trying to play a violin with zero instructions.
However, I have had a couple of experiences of being in the zone this week!
Wow what a blessing, it was great! And so I got to wondering, how on earth can I repeat this?
What was so different about this week?
I came up with two thoughts, which I submit to you below.
Preparedness and Joy.


Firstly let’s talk about preparedness!
Having a set time and space to create, helps you prepare, and get in the zone.
Thinking about creating ahead of time, can help your brain work on it while it’s waiting to create.
For example, thinking about a topic, or a subject will also draw your attention to things that may be useful from the environment around you to help you prepare further.
How I work this in my life:
Thursday I have art class, so during my walks on that day I scan the ground for fallen leaves or flowers that I could paint or for anything unusual. Before I get to class I’m already looking at my subject, thinking about the colours and how I would like to tackle it, so when it comes time to go, I’m prepared, it’s easier to get into the zone because all that thinking has already been done!

When it comes to preparedness a lot can also be said for regular practice. I honestly only spend a couple of hours every fortnight on my art, but I have grown so much even with that small amount of consistency. Also practice really helps with the next point which is JOY!

Joy!
On the day I am writing this, we have just performed our third and last concert on Jonah for the dance group that I am part of. This morning, driving to the production I was thinking, this is our last one, it’s our chance to have some fun, to chuck out all the fear and really go for it, because after this there are no do overs.
And then I went…I wish I had that attitude at Performance 1! I wish I had said…focus on the joy! You are nervous to get stuff right but you know you will dance better if you are having a great time. So chuck out those insecurities and have a blast! Let’s have no regrets!
I had put in the practice, I had put in the time and the work, but I was choosing to let the fear stay, rather than kicking it out!
Because with dancing (well for me anyway) I have to be very present with the music, and my balance and my body (in the flow) or my steps get all muddled and everything goes to pieces. I can’t think about what step is next, I’m not really thinking at all, because I’ve done the work, my body knows what to do, I just have to get into the flow, and being relaxed and joyful really helps!
Also it’s obvious, but being excited and full of joy about what you are creating, and why, and thinking about the pleasure your creation is going to bring someone, and the difference it might make in the world helps unblock those creative channels!

So I hope this gives you something to ponder, and helps you get in the zone!
Fight the good fight!
Happy Creating!

Art, blog, writing

How to finish? 5 tips to get it done.

Lauryn

What do I need to do in order to achieve this?

We ask ourselves a version of this question, every day.
“What do I need to do to get to work on time?”
“How am I going to get dinner ready and return this phone call?”

Most days, we do figure out what we need to do to get it done, and we make it happen!
Multiple times over
But why is it so hard to get the project done when it comes to creating?

I’m sorry but I do not have all the answers.
I’m still asking myself, “what do I need to do in order to get this book done?” (over and over again) but here are some thoughts which might help us both!

  1. Make a list.
    Make a list of achievement steps and break them down as far as you can.
    Include how much time you would like to allocate to that task.
    Things can suddenly seem much more achievable!
    For eg.
    Step 1: Write 43 extra scenes for the new characters.
    I allocate 15 mins each scene. So that is about 11 hours total
    If I decide to allocate an hour of each day to write four scenes. I could be done in 11 days!
  2. Make your project smaller. (at least to begin with)
    If you have never finished a creative project before, it’s far easier to start small and work your way up.
    For example if you want to write a novel-
    Start with a short, but complete story, then repeat, and gradually lengthen the stories as you go.
    Break the novel down into chapters and outline them, and write a chapter at a time.
  3. Get gathering.
    Working with others can give you an outside source of motivation, ideas, encouragement and also accountability. Choose your circle wisely and they will enrich your creativity and productivity immensely.
  4. Believe in yourself.
    Others already believe in you, probably more than you do. Take some encouragement out of their book. Repeat some affirmations to yourself, and act like you believe you will achieve it. If you believe that you can achieve the project in 11 days if you prioritise it, you will prioritise it.
  5. Ask yourself why?
    Why is this project so important? Is it feeding your curiosity, your ego, or is it serving a better purpose?
    Maybe you discover that the reason for the project isn’t as important as the space and freedom you will feel in your mind and heart if you let the project go instead. Yes there may be a bit of grief, but that shouldn’t be a weight if the why is not worth it.
    If you remember the why, this can also help you harness the motivation you had for beginning it and use it to help you complete it.

    I’m sure there are more great strategies out there, and please when you come across them, send them my way!

    Keep creating!

    Lauryn xo


Art, blog, writing

Will my imperfect creations still change the world?

Lauryn

I’m not really writing tonight with a broader point in mind than to relate an experience I had this week.

Some of you may know, but if you didn’t here:- ten weeks ago, I began writing a creative newsletter.
No one was more shocked than myself, that I have been able to keep it going for ten weeks in a row!

I feel, (and actually this may not be factual) that on creative projects I often flare and fade, rather than see them through. Which is very interesting to me because recently a friend remarked that one thing she liked about me was that I usually do things when I say I will do them!

Obviously something is going wrong somewhere in my creative space!

Anyway, back from that squirrel tangent moment!
I began writing a newsletter and it was scary! In order to press send I had to remind myself that people don’t only resonate with the masters. people resonate with things created by beginners, with things created with childish drawings, or mistakes in the writing. Imperfect creations still change the world too.
Those things that we imagine or want to create, will not change the world if we don’t make them or share them. And if we don’t start somewhere, how are we going to get where our dreams tell us we are capable of being?
So I began. It wasn’t awful, it wasn’t good. It looked okay.
And I got through ten weeks of curating, and putting it together.

Somewhere along the line, I asked for some feedback.
And of course it wasn’t anything like I wanted to hear!
But I do greatly respect her, her creative talents, her insight and her time, so I wanted to act.
And I tweaked a bit, and changed a bit, and I sent that next newsletter out with mistakes and everything!
But it still needed more! Ugh! Why is making things so good and so painful?
So last week, and I had a migraine so I can’t even remember why I decided to do what I did…but I worked on the newsletter some more. Instead of photos I drew some of my own pictures. I added more clarity, and more sections! I even wrote a blog post for it!
And as I looked at it, the feeling of unease and frustration turned into joy. Somehow, through the practicing, and the trying, and the tweaking, I had arrived at what I was hoping to make!

That is the absolute best feeling! Arriving at what you were hoping to make!

This is not a story about how you can achieve your goals in ten weeks, because really we need to count all those weeks of years that I wanted to write a creative newsletter but didn’t. Or tried and stopped.
And I’m sure I’m not finished tweaking, and I’m definitely not there yet on my content, and I want to use it to encourage more creatives, but the line work is done, and it’s all about the detail now!

Was this a boring story about how I achieved something?
Maybe?
I wanted to say that your imperfect creations will still change the world.
And as you put them out there, and get some feedback, and practice and learn some more, eventually the thing you are making will be exactly what you want it to be, and the joy of that, is awesome.
In the very least, you will be changing your life, but I will bet that it won’t stop there!

Did I know that before this week, that imperfect creations will still change the world? Maybe I would have agreed theoretically, but thinking through my piles of creative thoughts that have come (so far) to nothing, I would have said I didn’t know that. Or I felt too overwhelmed to keep going.

But that is not me anymore. I am using this joy, to spur me on to finishing other imperfect creations that have been bugging me, and also some not yet created things too.
Here is my list:
Refresh my website
Write some recipes
Put some designs on some t-shirts.

Hold me to these my friends!

Where do you need to keep going?


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Please self, can I create something now?

Lauryn

Ugh!

I don’t know about anyone else, but listening the way I think about myself, you would think I am a monster.

For example, my brain seems to act like I do not give permission for myself to create anything that just I want. Like my creativity has to be of benefit to others (I do not count) and wanted by others to be worth anything.

Where did this craziness come from?

Why do I need to give myself permission to do something I want to do? It’s not even like writing or creating is illegal in this country!

It makes no sense to me, yet I keep finding it lurking there over and over again when I try to examine why I feel so unmotivated to create, or do anything else but the thing that gives me passion and joy and I love?

I suppose framing the arts as a guilty pleasure can be seen in our consumerist and also our culture where our value is driven by money. Is that the root of the problem?

Do you feel like you are fighting a battle with yourself to create? Do you feel held back, like you haven’t got permission to be doing this? Like you feel inferior? Not good enough? Perhaps a waste of space?

How can we win this battle?

I don’t know, but I’m going to start with this.

“I am not good enough!” It’s a lie. It’s a flat out lie. It should not relate to creating at all.

We can all create.
Toddlers tell stories and draw pictures. They are simple, and reflect their experience and the amount of practice they have had. They enjoy it, and that is the only reason they do it.
We marvel in the toddler stories and their pictures, not because they are genius or very good. They move us, they are showing the world from their perspective, it’s amazing to see what these little hands are trying to communicate, it’s ugly, and sometimes it doesn’t make sense. But it’s still amazing!
Our work reflects our experience and amount of practice we have had. Us not being good enough at whatever we are trying to do, has no impact on the value of the enjoyment of it, or whether it will amaze.

Why do our reasons for creating become value driven?

Why does the feeling that we are not good enough, stop us completely?
I suppose the fear of failure and embarrassment? But isn’t it more embarrassing that we wanted to do something, but we stopped practicing and getting experience in it, because we felt we weren’t good enough, which is exactly what might be helped if we kept going?

So please, please, please…dont stop! Keep going.

Write those words, dream big dreams, put them first.
You can do it.

The truth is that you really are good enough, and you need to keep going.

This battle is just one, of those that you will face to birth this creation, but it’s going to be worth it.

You can do it. You can make it.

We are cheering you on.

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Furious Fiction April 2021

Lauryn

For the Furious Fiction competition the story had to be 500 words or less, begin in a queue and include a map, and also the words: cross, drop, lucky.

The Curse of the Vengeful Ex. By Lauryn Lambert

I tap the concrete with my shoe and count the people in front of me, for maybe the forty-second time.

I stretch my neck and bounce on my toes, rolling my eyes at myself. 

There are sixteen people between me and that door, the risk of fainting while waiting is much lower than an ANZAC day service. 

I wiggle my toes anyway. I can’t afford to take any risks today.

I jingle the coins in my pocket and resist the urge to count them all over again. There will be enough, I frantically affirm to myself.

Another deep breath required. 

Anxiety I didn’t know I was carrying, clings to me like a weighted blanket. Curse my ex for cleaning me out. 

No! 

Breathe!

The deep breath has triggered my urge to cough, but I can’t cough. Not here, not now. I get by with a small clearing of the throat, but even that is enough to make the lady in front of me close her eyes and make the sign of the cross. I duck my head. 

I’ve heard the whispers of chaos breaking out around town. I can’t have this here today, not in my queue!

I run my fingers over the coins and give in to the desire to recount. One dollar and ten cents, three dollars and ten cents.

My count is interrupted by the newly apparent gap in front of me. 

Someone has gone through the door! Two, six, eight, ten, I’m lucky number thirteen. Progress!

Back to counting. 

Ting! 

My coin has dropped!

I look around for where it rolled. Without it I won’t have enough!

Someone behind me has trapped it under their shoe. I murmur my thanks and get back in line.

Eight dollars and twenty five cents. It’s all there, and it’s just enough. No more chances, it’s going back in my pocket. I push the worry about price increases out of my head. I don’t know what I’m going to do if this plan fails!

I have no other money for now, as since the announcement there has been no work. Except for this, I will get by on my stash of provisions until work resumes. 

I have no other choice. 

Whatever happens I can do this!  I remind myself. I am a survivor.

The line shuffles. Seven more now.

I focus on the map on the door. Aisle five is my salvation.

It’s a miracle, but the sanitizing station does not make me cough this time, it knows my need. One person now. Victory is close.

I breathe and breathe and breathe.

I get the nod and walk through calmly.

Aisle five. Check the sign. Yes. 

I want to sprint, but I have to dodge other shoppers’ trolleys and seem polite.

I scan the shelves. Heart thudding. Bare, so bare. 

And then I see them. Two packets on the bottom shelf. $8.15 each. 

I hug one packet of toilet paper to my chest and try not to cry.

(Authors Note: Can you tell we had a surprise lock down this week?)

blog, writing

Showing up

Lauryn

What is it day 4?

I’m surprised to say that even doing this for four days is making a difference to me.

In four days of showing up, I’ve learned quite a bit.

I’ve thought about problems in a new way, and solutions have come to problems I couldn’t even conceptualise. I am looking forward to seeing where we will be by the end of this month!

I’m trying to think about what other things I can challenge myself with.

Cleaning? Drinking 2L of water a day?
I already know I can read a novel a day for a month. I know I can write 1700 words a day for a month and end up with a 50000 word novel draft. I can draw a picture a day for 30 days. What is next?

Is there something that you need to overcome?

Maybe all you need is a bit of practice?

I know there is a challenge I’m following right now which is all about decluttering and ridding your house of something, one a day for 30 days. 

Maybe it’s not for you, but what if you did give a 30 day challenge a try? What if 30 days was all it took to solve that problem for you?

blog, writing

Being thankful changes my perspective.

Lauryn

I’m not posting this today but I am writing this today on the third consecutive day of my personal challenge to write more blog posts.

So writing challenge, Here I am, I am showing up!

And I’m thankful. I’m thankful for the idea of the challenge, I’m thankful even though I feel so lost in writing blog posts and it seems impossible that anyone is ever going to read this, that I’m still here. I’m still typing. I’m thankful that I have seen another challenge through, and I know I can do something, even if it’s hard for 30 days. 

I’m a bit of a quitter if I’m not feeling the right flow, so I’m thankful I’m hanging on!

Today I had an interesting ‘Thankfulness encounter’ or maybe ‘lack of thankfulness encounter’.

I know a girl who had a perfectly fun and wonderful night, who then completely dissolved because her brother got lollies where he was and she didn’t get lollies where she was.

The world was against her, the organisers were against her, everything was completely unfun and you couldn’t do anything to make her see the facts.

It made me think, how often do I do that? How often am I perfectly content with where I am in my creative life, until I see where someone else is at? Instead of abundance, the mindset is of lack, not enough, not good enough.

But the reality is that both situations are just different. And I’m sure we would not look down on someone who was earlier or in a different place in their creative journey than us. So why are we doing it to ourselves?

We think we might like the other “Grass is greener” situation better but if it came to swapping, we might find we aren’t quite ready for that sacrifice or that amount of hours, or work or we aren’t mentally there yet. But we will get there. One day we will be ready. One step at a time. No jumping up stairs, that always ends in tears and pain.

When I get stuck in a mindset of lack, I try to admit as soon as possible what the underlying emotion is. Am I jealous? Am I uncomfortable with change? Am I feeling lonely? Do I wish I was further down the creative road without paying the consequences?

Then the question, is feeling bad actually helping me be where I need to be? Is it serving me well?

And then I get to the business of thankfulness. Sometimes it’s only after a lot of thankfulness that my logical and reasonable brain overpowers the emotional one and I can see the facts.

I’m actually really happy for everyone on their creative journeys and I’m thankful for being me. My goals will be achieved at the right time for me. Being thankful really pays dividends.

blog, writing

Black Lives Matter

Lauryn

A friend laughed at me once, saying “You only listen to white people music!”

I didn’t realise how true it was until I thought about who sang my favourite songs, and then, it got quite embarrassing. I had just blindly listened to the radio and the songs that were fed me, and didn’t think about the people who wrote them and their life experiences.

The Black Lives Matter campaigns and the #publishingpaidme tweets of 2020 made me revisit again what books I was reading, and whose stories I was paying attention to.

So I made it my intention to read diversely. I want to know about people’s experiences that are different from mine, even if I think differently. It’s been great!

I stick with the genres that I like reading, YA romance, YA fantasy, I also like a bit of adventure or detective work if there is some kind of romance amongst it all, but I am committed to diversity.

I have even looked at a cover and wanted to put the book down because of my prejudice against it (because it was about someone who fit into a diverse group that I fit into but I wasn’t feeling the respect in the blurb).
But I did get it out of the library, and I’m glad I read it. Not because it was different from what I thought, but it was interesting to read about “my” category from the outside.

At the library anyway, it’s sometimes hard to find diverse categories in each genre. It’s great that library customers can request books that are not in their current stock, and so I do. 

I think the book market for English books is the biggest in the UK and the US and it’s also sometimes hard to find authors who base their book setting outside that (for contemporary works), but I also love reading stories with blended cultures or immigrant families. 

Right now I am reading a book that includes a romance between a Jewish young man and a Muslim young woman. The most interesting part of the book so far is not actually their romance, it’s the subtle gaslighting about the racism around them that leaves them speechless and bamboozled. The Sales pitch that people in power give them about why they want particular laws in their area and why it’s not racism, is truly scary. And it’s scary because it happens.

Also the Jewish boy’s family are legit scared of Nazi’s coming after them. It’s like a punch in the guts more than any newspaper article. This is reality. In 2021 people are still afraid because of their religion, sex, sexual preferences, skin colour, ethnic group, culture, because they are different.

Sometimes stories are more effective at conveying gravity and truth than simply a factual retelling. And that is why we write, we want to pierce hearts and make it a better place.