Reflecting Book

Ever wondered what your characters think about your progress on their stories? What kinds of snarky comments might they make on your latest encounter with writer's block? Do they have any complaints or words of encouragement? Here's your chance to consider those questions and more!

This thread is a place for you to reflect on your work, but in the voice of your characters.

Here's an example from the fabulous @NadyaStatham:

One of my characters is named Zayn and in his voice, he'd say: "Well, Nadya's been pretty busy the last few days. One time I was in a car chase, another badly injured in the hospital. On the other hand, I still don't know what I look like (...no descriptions)"

You are encouraged to post in this thread at the end of every week, updating everyone with your characters' thoughts on your progress that week! @RavenAkuma and I will also be posting some casual prompts each week =P

As would Joe said about my today´s writing: Kay has clearly possessed the spirit of writing as she's written over three chapters, but she's still not in the mood to be self-indulgent as she threw me off a cliff twice during them.

Week 1

Welcome to NovMo! Your (totally optional) prompt for this week is to reflect on your progress in the voice of your protagonist(s). Has anything started to go wrong for them yet? Do they know what their quest will be, or are they still in the dark? What do they think will happen next?

Week 2

Woohoo, Week 2 of NovMo! I hope all of you are having a good time and that your novels are progressing well!

This week, the reflection prompt is to explain your book's progress through the voice of a side character, or a deuteragonist. How is the plot unfolding thus far? Have any major events happened since Week 1? How does this character feel about what's happening, and have they noticed something that the protagonist hasn't?

Be sure to answer by the end of the week! You can still answer for Week 1 as well, just be sure to answer all prompts to get that shiny Reflections badge!

Week 1: Joe: Something bad is coming and I sure it will go around cliffs and cliffhangers a lot. Also I am here for like four chapters but I was already thrown down some cliffs. THREE TIME. And don´t get me started on these stupid rows - Kays´s talking about ´em wy too much.

Week 2: Ruby: That idiot Joe has to be blind. Like, dude - START BELIVING YOUR EYES! AND EARS! AND FINALLY NOTICE THE FACT THAT I CAN LITERALLY SUMMON FIRE CREATIONS!

aleina, the largest diva in my book would probably say something like this: "God, Century's barely written anything, let alone something about me! Always about my sister, I swear. She's not even that relevant."

what Justin(you friendly neighborhood pandemonium bringing demon) would say:

d*mn, how are you lazier than Kyle?

Kyle(the friendly neighborhood pandemonium bringing demon's roommate) would then add:

yeah, you literally drew me spending the entire day playing on my ninten-dough (copyright reasons) but I was still more productive then than you are now.

Week 3

How is November over half over already?! Perhaps the antagonists of your novels are conspiring to make time go faster... >.>

Speaking of antagonists, what would they say about your progress? If you don't have any antagonists, are there any obstacles your characters face? If that stubborn [mountain/vegetable/other obstacle] could talk, what would it say?

Last half of NovMo! Let's make it count >:D

P.S. You can still answer prompts from previous weeks! Make sure to do that to get the shiny badge ;D

[Was gonna skip since I'm already co-hosting here, but maybe this can be used as inspiration in case anybody's feeling uncertain about sharing!]

Week 1: "Delirium" Reflection, featuring Lydia Rein

"Truth be told, it was a rocky start. Raven was very busy and we were wrapping up some intensive research and designs for the manor. On top of the typical struggles of getting a story started, it really cut into actual writing time.

We got Chapter 1 down, and oh boy- things are already going wrong. Right off the bat, you see me struggling to cope with a huge tragedy, riding in a carriage with a judgmental lunatic asylum inspector, and noting some of the struggles of my home city as we pass a particularly rough area. We make it to Thorneheart Manor, and while it looks nice on the surface, my first impressions of the doctor...were quite mixed, to say the least. Here's to hoping it's better than I'm currently thinking."

Week 2: "Delirium" Reflection, featuring Alice Shiloh

"Woohoo, week 2! We made some last-minute changes just to refine some designs, name choices, etcetera, but all that planning stuff should be done by now! We got chapter 2 complete, then most of chapter 3! As far as I can tell, Lydia is settling into Thorneheart Manor better than most of us did, but I can't help noticing her curiosity, and she's almost...suspicious of Doctor Thorneheart. Oh, but as someone who's been around much longer and had time to get to know Hinata, I can say this for sure; there's still much for her to learn, and many conspiracies to quash."

Week 3: "Delirium" Reflection, featuring Hinata Thorneheart and Ludovic Delacroix:

Hinata: "Firstly, to clarify, there's not exactly a solid 'antagonist' in this story yet. But since Lydia has taken the liberty of branding me and Ludovic as such, let's tag-team this reflection!"

Ludovic: "We made stunning progress by completing Chapter 3, then writing Chapters 4 and 5. By now, Lydia has a good idea of much of the manor's space, although she's even more suspicious of Hinata. And between my own defensive habits and my choice to stand up for her, I've been branded as her 'personal doberman' apparently."

Hinata: "By the end of Chapter 3, Lydia has a new fixation on the third floor of the manor, which is a restricted area for the patients. Go figure that she wants into the one area she's not allowed! Chapters 4 and 5 see her failing to find further information, but weeding out who will be 'useful' to her hunt. I am also able to reveal a bit of the traumatic incident that ultimately led to her here, and while it's helpful, let's just say she's not happy about it."

[REDACTED] isn´t happy with my progress. After all, how are they supposed to be a conspiracy if they haven´t even commited their first crime yet?

Week 4

It's Week 4 for NovMo writers! Remember, if you haven't logged your progress yet, you can still catch up at any point! Just be sure to answer each loose prompt to secure that Reflections Badge!

This week, the prompt is to talk about your progress through the voice of a minor character. Perhaps that underused teammate, a busy authority figure, or one of those staff/servants who keeps things moving in the background? Tell us about your progress and any big changes, and if you're up to it, what the story looks like from their perspective!

Good luck and happy writing, everybody!

From Marl’s POV: Well, huh, that Mo’s stupid boy’s actually pretty great main character.That chaotic writer Kay or whateve’, she finally hit her persona’ goal. Good for ‘em, good for ‘em.

(just to complete the sequence--my personal response)

Week 4: "Delirium" Reflection, featuring Nelle Cropper

"As the maid of Thorneheart Manor, I am not deeply involved in the residents' private affairs, but I do get to see a lot behind the scenes. I must say, Week 4 has been quite the roller coaster. We zoomed ahead to Chapter 7, and Lydia has doubled down on her efforts to find dirt on Hinata. She's dug quite the hole for herself; if she gives up now, she'll look like the madwoman she's accused of being. Her only way out is to find a way to tarnish Hinata's credibility, which is making us staff nervous..."