๐พ Since October's #WordWeaver starts tomorrow, I updated my site with the (๐ช๐บ freely downloadable!) first half of #SimulacraNavigans, the scifi I will be tooting about!
Inspired by Stanisลaw Lem's #Solaris and Kim Stanley Robinson's #Aurora, it's a story of community, conscience and adaption to space and time.
https://clockwooork.github.io/cyclica.html
For the laziest:
PDF => https://sam.nl.tab.digital/s/BcrHqYybfxwAiNr
EPUB => https://sam.nl.tab.digital/s/TCHAeLccySZpr7n
๐พ #WordWeavers 1/31: Introduce MCs from antagonist pov.
"Great, eventually they accepted the mission. I have to say, this is not how I wanted it to turn out, but we'll take it; I don't want any more delays on the Promise Project. The microbiology professor will surely make herself useful, and the grandpa has some amateur piloting experience. It will be more than enough. The high school boy and the trans girl... they're young, they'll learn something along the way. Hopefully."
๐พ #WordWeavers 2/31: Most interesting character.
Cyclica is the spaceark on which the crew is boarded on their 120-years long mission. It has complete life support and all kinds of comforts inside, but it's also an Advanced Personified Spaceflight Assistant.
โNo AIs on board,โ Dr. Rozanska reassures him, โThose are a thing of the past. Failed spectacularly, so the aerospace industries moved onto something more accurate.โ
Along the travel, it will gradually become part of the crew.
๐พ #WordWeavers 3/31: How do you convey your charactersโ emotions?
Three main modes:
- Dialogue among characters where they ask questions on their pasts or advice on how to deal with something
- A single character opens up to Cyclica about something that troubles them
- Coral dialogue where the crew needs to deal with the problem at hand
Character development isn't my strong suit, but I'm trying to write a character-driven story to get better at it. I think it's working out great so far!
๐พ #WordWeavers 4/31: Character development, world-building, plot โ how much attention do you pay to each?
In my mind, worldbuilding sets the stage for the possible plot directions; among those, I choose one that seems plausible.
Then I craft characters, their backgrounds and purposes, strengths and flaws, and drop them in the world I built.
It can happen that a character, in order to stay true to themself, derails the plot: I welcome it and redirect the story accordingly!
๐พ #WordWeavers 5/31: How often do you discuss your writing with your real-life friends and family?
Mainly if they ask me about it or if I need some expertise in some area. I'm lucky enough to have friends that are versed into archaeology, math, architecture, medicine, philosophy and a ton more subjects; I know I can always pop a question to them and they're usually happy to help me if they know it's for a book! ๐
๐พ #WordWeavers 6/31: Has your MC ever done anything contradictory to their values?
There are five MCs (four cosmonauts and a spaceark); among those, Luis had sworn lifelong love to his (now deceased) wife on Earth, yet he ends up having intimate moments with someone during the mission.
During the decades, others will change their values in ways that can't be labeled as "contradictory"; time and isolation and closeness alter the perception of self and values in unpredictable ways.
- Miray becomes offensive and/or passive aggressive
- Luis tries to talk through them
- Jaagup shuts down
- Fiadh gets back to the Lab and keeps herself busy
- Cyclica manifests itself and tries to interact with the cosmonauts
๐พ #WordWeavers 8/31: What sounds will your MC hear if they open the window?
THEY'RE ON A SPACESHIP DON'T OPEN ANY WINDOWS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ๐
๐พ #WordWeavers 9/31: Do any of your characters have sensory sensitivities?
Just yesterday (before being aware of this question!) I added a scene in which Cyclica acquires tactile sensations for the first time - and it overwhelms it!
What does it feel like, to touch the outer atmosphere of a planet? ๐ช
๐พ #WordWeavers 10/31: Secondary character POV: You can spend a whole day with the MC. What will you do?
Uhhh I don't have secondary characters? Maybe Dr. Rozanska would do check-ups, make sure they're okay, and then tour Cyclica to see if everything is in place, possibly scold them if they mismanaged or forgot to maintain some on-board systems ๐
๐พ #WordWeavers 11/31: I'm going offscript a bit today since I can't answer the question of the day five times in a single post, so the ball is on YOUR park now:
After reading 10 posts on #SimulacraNavigans, would you like to ask me stuff? ๐
๐พ #WordWeavers 12/31: What is your MC's most frustrating fear?
Fiadh - Living in an unnatural environment (she realizes during the travel)
Jaagup - Loneliness
Luis - Dishonoring/betraying the memory of his wife
Miray - Not having a purpose/being a burden to the crew
Cyclica - Failing to fulfill its programmed tasks (among which is to ensure the life of the crew)
๐พ #WordWeavers 13/31: Antagonist POV: What would a perfect day be like for you?
Again, I don't have an antagonist in the story 
I guess Frontier goes on being a company, i.e. trying to maximize profits and extract space data in order to sell products.
I'm kind of falling a bit behind in here BUT WE DON'T GIVE UP!
๐พ #WordWeavers 15/31: Is there anything that makes your writing distinctive/youโre proud of?
Synthesis is my strength: delivering a scene, concept, dialogue or series of events in a clear and quick way. I have never struggled with "writing too much", and when editing my drafts I find myself almost always adding touchups, rather than cutting off excess parts.
๐พ #WordWeavers 17/31: Whatโs your greatest writing-related fear?
Being perceived as either sloppy or shallow; that the themes I try to delve into are either just barely touched upon or not relevant to any possible reader. That the story doesn't hold together well enough for the core message to be conveyed properly.
It's a hard skill to hone and I'm probably far, far away from where I would like to be.
Clockwork โ๏ธโ๏ธ