Day 20
Word count: 39,387 words
Word count goal: 40,000 words
Mapping the Hero’s Journey: Resurrection
Save The Cat: Darkest Moment
#vss very short story
Once Harry shed his husk, he thought he could go home again. He was sure his family would get used to his new form over time, but when he arrived, there was a bigger problem. There was no home to go back to.
Plotting with Tarot
The Resurrection Card: The Seven of Wands upside-down- when you achieve a position of leadership, there will always be others who crop up to challenge you. You will have to face the jealousy of those who want what you have. You will encounter situations when it will “appear” that everyone is against you – be realistic about the odds you face.
What MC feels he has failed at doing: Six of Swords upside-down- your emotions are stirred up and your physical or spiritual journey becomes stormy. Trying to “attack” a long standing problem – especially one that has been accepted by others – only agitates the situation. Unsatisfying or oppressive situations can go quietly along for years until someone decides to do something about it. Trying to remove the swords from the boat will sink it – they are plugging up the holes. When “swords” symbolize unhappy memories where “silence” has become the defense, communication will be painful – but it will also begin the healing process.
How he will be transformed by this event: Seven of Cups upside-down- Allow yourself to experience your emotions – KNOW what you really want. Look at your deepest desires and recognize which goal has enough meaning and power to sustain you – then focus all your energy on it. Focusing on all of your desires and allowing them to break your attention will eventually tear you apart. Experience your determination to create something from your dreams and do something with them. An unexpected event will take place now – it will be beneficial and improve your attitude, for it will be a definite change for the better. Believe and always trust that you are on the right track – continue to pursue your goal without wasting time, for success is yours in time. Watch for any glimmer of success and follow it through – never give up your ideas – even when it is hard to carry them through. Ignore any opposition – offer your insecurity up in prayer and it will be replaced with spiritual strength. Persist in studying and you will reap great rewards. – from Crystal Clear Reflections
My interpretation: I feel like all of the cards being upside-down shows that my MC’s life has been turned upside-down. Because of the light coming from the window, I had to take the picture from the other side of the table, so the cards were right side up (I rotated it in Paint), so I may need to think about the cards upright as well.
My character is coming to a point when he feels the whole world is against him. This stirs up emotions and unhappy memories that have created silences in his relationships even put wedges between himself and the people closest to him. He learns to re-assess his priorities and instead of always fretting over his long to-do list, to put his passion into one thing at a time. The most important goal, what matters the most.
Ask Your Character
- What future inventions do you hope for?
- What would you not do for a billion dollars? Why?
- What gifts would you enjoy receiving?
Word Of The Day
panoply: n. 1. a splendid or impressive array; 2. ceremonial attire; 3. a full suit of armor; a complete defense or covering
8 Action Verbs:
appraised collected defended expanded
instituted observed reproduced supported
Poem prompt
Today’s prompt is inspired by Day 5 of the PAD Chapbook Challenge:
For today’s prompt, write a self-destruct poem. I come up with these prompts before the month starts, and I admit I’m not sure what my original thought was with this. But now, all I can think about are those self-destruct messages from Inspector Gadget and Mission Impossible. Of course, many things and people can self-destruct, including athletes, politicians, and about everyone else on the planet–in large and small ways. I hope this prompt does not self-destruct in 5 seconds.
One way to build suspense and conflict in your story is to add a ticking clock. This poem prompt made me think of writing a poem ticking down to an event.
Five Miles in Five Minutes
Five miles from his home
They ordered lattes topped with foam
in a swirl, From a girl in a bikini
Whose breasts plopped out of
The drive-thru window
When collecting her tip
Four miles from his home
He took a sip and burned his lips
And tongue, The searing pain
Made him loose his grip
He jerked back as the cup fell
His flailing caused the driver to swerve
Three miles from his home
The swerving driver hit a cat
In the road, Which made him sad
He had loved his flabby tabby
And recently had to put him down
Someone’s beloved pet lay dead
He stared at the road
With burning read eyes
Two miles from his home
The road turned to gravel
then dirt, jostling the passengers
The trees grew taller and closed-in
The car became quiet and pensive
The passenger turned on the radio
The driver turned it off
One mile from his home
Guns began to click
Safeties turned to off
Bullets in the chambers
Everyone knows the plan?
Grunts the only answer
At his home
An old man tends his garden
In neat rows, He does not recognize
The car coming up his drive
Approaching quickly raising dust
He hurries inside
To grab his shotgun
To defend his home
Awesome Sentence Challenge
Exploring the quality of words:
- formal/informal
- general/specific
- abstract/concrete
Write sentences using these different qualities of words. Write a formal sentence or two. Then make the same sentences changing the formal words to their informal counterparts. Write a couple of very general statements, as general as you can make them, then write the same statements using most specific words you can find. Do the same exercise with abstract to concrete.
Today’s Simple Task
Increase the stakes: Show your Main Character’s growing strength.
Training Day: make self better, find new ally
Warm-up Exercise
from Daily Warm-Ups in Naming the World: And Other Exercises for the Creative Writer
Today you get to make a choice. Spend 5 minutes describing (choose one, or more):
- A strange experience in a car.
- A strange experience in a restaurant.
- An unmerited award.
- A good deed that backfires.
Experience Writing 