#PennedPossibilities 751 — Check-In: Share a snippet you’ve written recently that you’re proud of. (Doesn’t matter what it’s from, or if it’s edited or not.)

I'm going to start posting these prompts every so often so we can share our writing, have more engagement, and get to know each other's writing styles and see how wonderfully different we all are. Let's spread the love and support each other!

My full story is here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61476478/chapters/157155637

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#PennedPossibilities 752 — Tell us about something that will always make your antagonist laugh.

Belittling others. There's nothing quite like it for him. He's a complete bastard.

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#PennedPossibilities 753 — Where do your SCs feel the happiest?

I'll mention a few of them here in a list...

Trick (who later becomes one of the MCs): With the gang (and Alexios).
Vonic: At the Apex Nightclub, relaxing after a long day.
Dante: At his clinic, or with Noona.
Junk: With his friends, but it doesn't matter where.
Cosmia: At her bar, chatting with the "regulars" she has.
Rain: In front of a computer, working on problem solving.
Jack: With his brother, drinking or having a meal at home.
Noona: With Dante, of course. The location doesn't matter.
Catalina Faraday: At the club, after f*cking sh*t up and ruining lives.

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#PennedPossibilities 754 — SC POV: Do you have children? If not, do you want to have children someday?

Dante: I don't have any. And no, dear god... No, I don't want any, either. Not in this economy, and not on this planet. I wouldn't do that to a poor, innocent child, bringing them up in this godforsaken world. Maybe if I ever left, otherwise no.

(Sounds a bit like Earth at the moment too, eh? Citune and Earth aren't so different, after all.)

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#PennedPossibilities 755 — Does your antagonist have any unusual or advanced skills?

Aside from being terrifyingly well skilled with a scalpel, Dr. Death is well-versed in the art of manipulation. He employs that tactic often with "experiments," AKA victims.

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#PennedPossibilities 756 — Describe your WIP in one sentence.

I can sum it up like this, "High tech, low life."

That four word comment describes the entire cyberpunk genre, and this series is no different. (Scary how we're not actually headed that way anymore but living it NOW.) Just sprinkle in a dark romance, and voila, my series!

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#PennedPossibilities 757 — MC POV: Would you rather have a night in, or one spent in the company of friends?

Alexios: Depends on my mood, really. Most nights, I like to lie around at night, relax, and sleep. Others, I like to be surrounded by friends. Or even just Junk. I think, in the grand scheme of things, I'd have to choose either a night out or in, doesn't matter, with Junk. He's my best choom.

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#PennedPossibilities 758 — Is there any sort of “lie” at the core of your MC’s worldview or how they see things? (However you might interpret the prompt, explain your answer.)

Spoilers, maybe... But the answer is just this: That perhaps not everyone who's a member of the Syndicate is evil or wants universal dominance. Alexios' experiences have shaped the way he sees this group. His entire planet was taken, the people enslaved or used for failed experiments, and the planet was drained of its resources and destroyed. It's a fair assessment, but he doesn't have the entire story.

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#PennedPossibilities 759 — Are there any topics or plot points that you refuse to write?

Writing is a rewarding pursuit, but it's not without its challenges. Things can be mentioned or be a part of a backstory or a character's current story without actually being explicitly written. I have a list. On it are things like SV, DV, drug or alcohol abuse, et cetera. You get the gist.

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#PennedPossibilities 760 — MC POV: Describe who you are in your group of friends. Tell us if you’re the motherly / fatherly type, the funny friend, the serious one, etc.

Alexios: Oh, I'm the f*ckin' daddy, and I don't mean that in the way I /know/ you're thinking. (Although with Trick, who knows.) I take care of everyone. I'm also a serious guy, though. So, it's a bit of both most days. I'm our gang's leader. Gotta take care of the chooms, keep them safe and healthy. You know, the usual biz.

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#PennedPossibilities 761 — Tell us about your funniest character.

It's Junk, by far. He's so silly and ridiculous, and we absolutely love him for it. He's a favorite of mine (and the readers) by far, and he totally deserves it. 😋

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#PennedPossibilities 762 — How much does your MC value communication in their relationships and / or friendships? Are they prone to being misunderstood?

Alexios is constantly being misunderstood, but it's only by those who don't actually know him. It's by clients, other gangs, etc. His friends do know him, and they've got the body language and lingo down well enough by now. They know his moods, how he feels about things, how much he needs space at times or the reverse. He values communication, and his close friends know that he's actually a sweetheart deep down. He cares, he loves all of the gang members because they're truly a family, and he does his best to keep everyone safe. So yes, he /does/ value communication.

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#PennedPossibilities 763 — What is your antagonist’s greatest fear? Explain.

Losing his "work," AKA the testing and experimenting he's done. I think that would have to be Dr. Death's greatest (and worst) fear. Saying anything else, though, would be entering spoiler territory.

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#PennedPossibilities 764 — Do you have any SCs who later become MCs in your WIP?

Oh, of course. I'll give a few examples. It's Trick, hands down. This happens over the course of the first novel. In the second one, Dante is actually the MC while Trick and Alexios take the backseat.

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#PennedPossibilities 765 — Are there any words that you’re actively trying to use less often (or replace) in your writing?

Of course, I've got a few. These ones are my current enemies.

• Had (Gross. No thank you. Bad habit.)
• Then (Trying to use "and" more often.)
• Though (No need to use this, even if it's a word we say all the time. Keep it in some dialogue and only occasionally in other sentences.)

I'm just one of those people... I've never had issues with overusing words like these ones: very, just, that, suddenly, stuff, or literally. Those ones are fine and are only used on occasion. If I do notice that one of them happens to be used a bit too often, maybe during a late-night writing session where my brain went all wonky, then I'll cut them out. But still, it's a rarity.

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#PennedPossibilities 766 — Has your MC ever had a guilty conscience?

Let's break it down, just because I love dissecting things a bit.

Conscience: This refers to the internal moral compass that guides your sense of right and wrong.

Guilty: This adjective describes the feeling of being responsible for a wrongdoing.

Guilty Conscience: When combined, it signifies a state where your internal moral compass is telling you that your actions were wrong, leading to feelings of guilt, sadness, or unease.

Alexios has been known to feel a heavy amount of guilt over the things he's done (or will do in the future, which he knows are wrong). Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and being a gang leader isn't for the faint of heart.

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#PennedPossibilities 767 — Tell us about your antagonist’s fashion. How do they dress?

Black, black, and more black. Paint it black. Dr. Death occasionally wears a splash of color, but he prefers to keep things stylish and toned down when he's out of his medical scrubs. From the clothing he chooses, you can tell that he has /money/, but he never wears anything obnoxiously colorful. Nice three-piece suits, polished shoes, rings, necklaces, etc. He also has an ear pieced.

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#PennedPossibilities 768 — How do you balance writing with personal life?

Not well? Just kidding!

They're usually one and the same, to be fair. A majority of my close friends are also writers, or we actually met through writing (whether it's original work, fanfiction, or roleplay stories), and I absolutely love it. I met my girlfriend the same way 13+ years ago. She's also a writer.

But honestly, I do pretty well. I have ME time, and then I have WRITING time. So, it's not usually a problem for me. "Me time" consists of reading, listening to podcasts and audio dramas, gaming, art, watching telly or streaming stuff, and paranormal things (and my spooky podcast is a whole other story, with how much of my life that takes up).

You just have to try and find a balance. It isn't easy, but you have to try. It keeps you sane.

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#PennedPossibilities 769 — What inspired the story of your (latest) WIP?

A deep and profound love for cyberpunk tales inspired this current series of mine. I decided to combine that love for cyberpunk things with a SFF universe, and voila!

I'm a game master for so many #TTRPG campaigns. My group plays a lot of #Cybperunk2020 and #CyberpunkRED. This series of mine is very close related to the homebrew universe that I have in my own cyberpunk campaigns. It's original, and it's my own. It was a series that just needed to be written. I don't make the rules anymore. The stories lead me, not the other way around.

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#PennedPossibilities 770 — What is your MC’s greatest weakness, and do other characters know what it is?

An interesting read: https://www.dabblewriter.com/articles/character-weakness-examples

Character flaws and weaknesses are two vastly different things, so I won't even get into the former, only the latter. In regard to my answer, though, I'll have to say that Alexios' greatest weakness is a propensity for self-destruction, and everyone in Ethera pretty much knows it these days.

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#PennedPossibilities 771 — Can you share a snippet of your antagonist’s backstory with us?

I've often talked about Dr. Death's life pre-series. I don't want to bore anyone here, but I'm so looking forward to reading everyone's responses. 💜

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#PennedPossibilities 772 — Write about a recent decision that your SC has made.

Dante instantly liked Trick. Of course, liking someone who's around the gang doesn't necessarily equate to them being a member or actually considering them one, even if it goes unsaid, but that's exactly how Dante has felt since the beginning. He's recently decided to start voicing those opinions. Aloud. In front of the gang, and even in front of Alexios as well. Taking it a step further, he's also decided to start making comments about the obvious tension between Alexios and Trick. They're clearly into each other, and he'll be damned if he just stands by and watches them suffer. Why not push them along a bit, eh? It's the kind thing to do.

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#PennedPossibilities 773 — SC POV: Describe your first kiss.

Dante: It was with /her/, Noona, and it was perfect. I was awkward and she was confident. We were young sweethearts. Funny how the times may change but our hearts don't. She'll probably never know it, but I've always been in love with her. I'm certainly not about to tell her.

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#PennedPossibilities 774 — Would you say your WIP is primarily character-driven or plot-driven, or is there an effective combination of the two?

Alright, let's break this down for those partaking in tonight's prompt.

"Character-driven stories focus on the internal lives and development of the characters, emphasizing their emotions, decisions, and personal growth. In contrast, plot-driven stories prioritize the events and actions that unfold, often driven by external conflicts or challenges."

Character-driven stories often explore the protagonist's journey, internal struggles, and how their choices shape their development.

Plot-driven stories typically follow a structured narrative, where the plot and events are central to the story's development, often involving external conflicts.

The choice between these two approaches can depend on the genre and the author's writing style (with character-driven stories being more common in literary fiction, for example). Ultimately, both approaches can be effective, and the best choice depends on the narrative's intended focus and the reader's interest. They can even be combined.

Now, onto me and my series. It's a healthy combination of the two, but mostly character-driven. And honestly, I've always written that way. Story to story, that never changes.

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#PennedPossibilities 775 — MC or SC POV: What do you do for a living? Are you self-employed, or do you work for someone else?

Dante: I'm a doctor. I work for myself. I own Dante's Inferno, a medical shop and office. The entire gang is treated by me, and that goes for all physical wounds as well as the brain implants and chips we use. I'm the one who takes care of their installation, updates, and removal. I do all of it.

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#PennedPossibilities 776 — Is there a particular scene or passage that you’re incredibly proud of (and maybe even want to share)?

Can I just talk about an entire story? I wanted to be different lol. Because I'm proud of this whole thing, even though it's something for #DoctorWho. I couldn't pick out a certain part.

Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/67836036

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#PennedPossibilities 777 — SC POV: Describe a recent dream.

Dante: We were running from the ECPD, trying to lose the officers in alleyways and behind buildings. Trick was shot. I never want to relive that dream again. Alexios was... reckless and inconsolable.

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#PennedPossibilities 778 — Does your antagonist enjoy reading? Tell us about the material they would choose to read.

Dr. Death isn't exactly the sort of man to choose romance novels, that's for sure. Medical textbooks and study (more like experiment) research is more his style. Just anything and everything of medical use that can help further him in the field.

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#PennedPossibilities 779 — MC POV: Do you think you have any idiosyncrasies?

Alexios: Pfft, I'm sure I have many. My chooms never shut up about it, to be honest. I have a lot of odd habits. My enthusiastic love of ramen seems to be a constant topic of discussion, or the fact that I talk fast and have a Scottish accent that some don't understand. I'm quirky. Everyone in Ethera is. For my idiosyncrasies, you'd have to ask my chooms. They would know better than I would. You don't see these things, others do, so you can't fake or learn these habits or quirks. You're stuck with what you have because of who you are, but I suppose that's how it should be. Embrace what makes you you and stop worrying about trying to fit in. I stopped a long time ago.

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#PennedPossibilities 780 — Do you have any favorite tropes (not clichés) that you enjoy writing?

Tropes vs. Clichés...

"The biggest difference between a trope and a cliché is that in order to tell a great story, tropes are necessary; clichés are never necessary, and always weaken your story."

They're two vastly different things. The below article is a good read. I enjoyed it. I was looking for something help to offer the community with tonight's prompt.

https://www.scribophile.com/academy/cliche-vs-trope

As far as I go, here are some of my favorites:

• Slow Burn! 🔥 ❤️‍🔥

• Mentor and Apprentice: A wise, older figure guides and trains a younger, less experienced hero.

• Found Family: Characters who are not related by blood form deep, loyal bonds with one another.

• Enemies to Lovers: Two characters who initially dislike or despise each other slowly fall in love.

• Forbidden Love: Two lovers are kept apart by external forces, such as feuding families, societal rules, or magic.

• Second Chance Romance: Two characters who were previously in a relationship and broke up reunite for a second chance at love.

• Red Herring: A character, clue, or plot element is used to mislead the audience and the protagonist from the real solution.

• Post-Apocalyptic Survival: Characters struggle to survive in a world destroyed or drastically altered by catastrophe.

I don't necessarily write these things into stories on purpose, but I do enjoy reading them and / or occasionally adding them in.

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#PennedPossibilities 781 — Antagonist POV: If you had a “do-over” button, what one event in your life would you like to have a second chance at?

Dr. Death: I would have killed Alexios Jace. I wouldn't have experimented on him, wouldn't have let him escape, and wouldn't have made such a monumental mistake. It was his time to die, but I chose instead to turn him into a soldier, a slave. The mistake was mine and mine alone. I have to live with that now.

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#PennedPossibilities 782 — SC POV: When was the last time you felt needed?

Dante: When Noona called me, crying her eyes out. She needed a friend. I love her, and I would do or be /anything/ for her, so I went to her home and comforted her. One of her gang members had just passed away. Rather brutally, I might add.

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#PennedPossibilities 783 — Who should the readers be “rooting for” in your WIP?

The gang, Destiny's Maelström in its entirety. They are the "good guys," so to speak, in a world that's so dark and verging on total cyberpunk desolation (if it isn't already there). No one's perfect in the Digital Dystopia Series, but Destiny's Maelström is the protagonist group. I won't name a single character. Instead, I'll just name the group as our protagonists. The members of the gang are the leading characters.

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#PennedPossibilities 784 — Is there a mistake your antagonist keeps repeatedly making in their life? Explain.

Dr. Death keeps ASSUMING that Alexios is dead. There's another answer, but I can't give away any major spoilers. Not yet.

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#PennedPossibilities 785 — If you could give a piece of advice to any of your characters, what would it be?

I have two characters in mind.

1. Alexios, it's time to realize you DO need someone in your life, so stop pushing that man away. Let him love you like you deserve to be loved. Also, learn to be patient with yourself, and forgive yourself for any past actions or for the things you've been through. You couldn't save your people. It's time to accept that. It isn't YOUR fault that they're gone. It's Dr. Death's.

2. Dante, you ARE needed and wanted. Those who love the deepest sometimes can't understand or see that others love them and need them in return. You aren't the weakest one in the gang. You're appreciated and cared for. Open your eyes and see that. Try not to be like me. (Best advice I could have ever given. Just don't do the things I do or be how I am.)

Edit: Also, to Dr. Death, do the universe a favor and just send yourself right out into space, hitting the eject button. It'll save a lot of lives. 'Kay, thanks, bye.

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#PennedPossibilities 786 — How have your writing sessions been this month?

They've actually been great. I've been writing a lot this month and the words are flowing for me, whether it's novel-work or fanfiction. Writing is writing, and it's all good for the soul. Randomly, I always tend to write more (or the most) around this time of year. The beginning of autumn-ish weather always does it for me. When autumn's here, I just want to sit by my windows, have a pumpkin spice latte (made at home), write, write, and write some more. It's been going really well.

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#PennedPossibilities 787 — How does your MC view the gentler, daintier things in life: as things worth preserving and caring for, or things only bound to wither and disappear?

For Alexios, it's actually a combination of the two. Everything beautiful and joy-inducing is WORTH preserving, but he knows only too well that things can end in the blink of an eye. It won't stop him from trying his best, for caring as much as he possibly can, but the fact that remains. He's suffered great loss in the past. His people are now more, and his planet's gone.

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