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R. T. Jenkins

@rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social

2.4K followers 2K following 1.9K posts

He/him. Writer of (mostly grimdark) fantasy, horror, and science fiction. Clinical psych Ph.D. by day. I don't respond to most DMs (nothing personal). Cheerful nihilism (though less of that first part lately). There will also be pets.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · Sep 11

It’s September and I finished a draft of Rise of Villainy book 2, so, here is an update all of my #WIPs to reflect where things stand for things I #amwriting and #amrevising! (This is a slight improvement in my updating timeline) #WritingCommunity 🧵(1/?)

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2h

#WritingCommunity

Week 2 is going smoothly, feel like I've hit a consistent "slow and steady wins the race" strategy for this current WIP rather than my usual "bolt as quickly as possible on off days" which is a nice way to go about it

TrackBear stats and tracking

Overall Progress: 16,078/35,000 words (45.94%) on day 14/35
Average pace: 1,148 words per day

Today's progress: 1,378 words

Red line go up (and above the dashed blue "par" line)

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 11h

...under the mountains at the edges of the desert.

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 11h

#OctoberWorldbuilders
26: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), a more defining accessory is the scarves and headscarves worn by Avendrals, a cultural relic from when they lived mostly among the sandstorms of the desert that persists even now that they mostly live in cities...

#OctoberWorldbuilders Prompts
Day 26: Clothing and accessories

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 11h

...of these characters that appear have been more prominent characters in other stories, some have appeared earlier in the series, and two characters continue to have ripples of impact after their tragic passing in the previous book.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 11h

...Imperial Majesty's Inquisition, Draguriel the Spymaster of the Atmoriel Bureau of Espionage, numerous other members of the guild in Vizrala, Freeport, and Greytown (including a number of other rogues, scoundrels, and other characters), as well as other characters in all of these locations. Some..

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 11h

#PlotTober

26: Since the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) is the third in a series and set in a shared world with four other stand alones, there is a large cast of supporting characters (in addition to the ensemble cast), including various members of His..

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 19h

#PlotTober Day 26: Supporting characters

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky

#PlotTober - a WIP plotting game by @gunsmile.bsky.social

26. Based on everything you've plotted this month, can you come up with some supporting characters for your story who'd be useful to include? Consider sidekicks, skeptics, guardians/mentors, contagonists, and voices of reason or emotion.

Remember: Use the #PlotTober hashtag, engage with others, and have fun!

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

...Rockdale/Stoneburrough (cave-dwelling Irish countryside Celts), Valestra (polyamorous, carnivorous hyper-religious pseudo-communists), the Vizrani Empire (Ming Dynasty China meets the Spanish Inquisition with a hint of Byzantium), and Laecia far in the south (steampunk Antarctica)

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

...more confusing than anything else: Atmoriel (the Empire of Japan set in the Caribbean), Avenad (morally neutral drow build a society like Burning Man), Cyra (isolationist Theravada Buddhist Jamaica), Hroth (Nordic-Scottish Pacific Island culture), Freeport (the French Republic meets Las Vegas)...

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

...has eight nations (and two towns), it'd be hard to elaborate on them all, so I'll do a brief summary of each here (keeping in mind that all of them are seen through the lens of a world that roughly technologically corresponds with our world on the eve of the Industrial Revolution) that may be...

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

#OctoberWorldbuilders
25: In Karnassia (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), each society has its own way that their particular religion and culture have shaped their aesthetic and vibes (with each also having their own real-world influences that I'm pulling from). Given the continent...

#OctoberWorldbuilders Prompts
Day 25: Religious/cultural vibes/influences

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

...how to continue to survive and struggle, while the other side hovers over an obvious likely victory. That part of the arc will remain unresolved until the next (and final) book in the series.

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

#PlotTober

25: The third book in the Rise of Villainy series (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) will end on a slight cliffhanger. While the story as concerns leadership for one half of the guild schism has mostly wrapped up, that leaves that side of the conflict to try to figure out...

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 1d

#PlotTober Day 25: Story resolution

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky

#PlotTober - a WIP plotting game by @gunsmile.bsky.social

25. After the climax is the resolution or denouement, when remaining story threads are wrapped up. Can you think of some satisfying resolutions for your main character and their story?

Remember: Use the #PlotTober hashtag, engage with others, and have fun!

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 1d

Oh, this is a delightful response 🔥

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2d

I feel like this will be one of those depressing exercises where things I know are made horrifyingly explicit

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2d

You have definitely picked up on the fact the winning in the guild civil war is not where things will end, and some of the “victors” might not quite like the “spoils” that come in the aftermath of that victory…

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2d

...who try to do the right thing are often punished, and those who do the wrong thing often do not receive their karmic comeuppances at satisfying moments, if at all. The vibe of the world resembles that, and I would say that the aesthetics and vibe reflect that, particularly the idea of corruption.

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2d

#OctoberWorldbuilders
24: So all Karnassia stories (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) fall into the general category of "grimdark" based on their vibe. Life is hard in Karnassia, systems (especially economic and political systems) generally reward callous and amoral behavior, those...

#OctoberWorldbuilders Promps
Day 24: Overall vibe of your story/book/wip

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2d

...with leadership on one side now in shambles, the other is on the cusp of victory. While the final blow won't be struck until the next book, the ending of this one ends with it all but assured and signaled very clearly for the reader.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 2d

#PlotTober

24: I do have the ending planned for the third Rise of Villainy book (co-authored with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), and while I will keep it vague, I think it will be clear by this point which side will be on the verge of winning for anyone who has been following along. That said...

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 2d

#PlotTober Day 24: Building toward the climax

Answer the prompt on the card by quoting this post. Remember, answering a prompt is always optional. Even if you don't share it publicly, I hope the prompt encourages you to think about it privately.

#WritingCommunity #WritingPrompt #WriteSky

#PlotTober - a WIP plotting game by @gunsmile.bsky.social

24. Knowing your story's potential endings and how your main character could change as a result of the story, can you think of some ways they could achieve the ending(s)?

Remember: Use the #PlotTober hashtag, engage with others, and have fun!

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 3d

...have started to question if a Senate composed overwhelmingly of the city's wealthy is really that much different than nobility and other forms of unelected aristocracy in other nations.

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 3d

...but the charm and glamor is a thin veneer over a fairly cutthroat economic system that has been increasingly grabbing up opportunities for economic advancement for those who are less well off. While one of the few representative democracies in Karnassia, some political dissidents in the city...

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 3d

...Freeport and equal rights for all (well, except the poor, of course) are firmly entrenched in their constitution. The city could almost be described as a Reconnaissance-era Las Vegas in a way: tourism is the main industries after trade, there are a number of attractions for visitors to the city..

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 3d

...(Third) Republic of Freeport. Like other port cities, it is defined by the docks and the blend of various cultures of travelers, but unlike other cities, there is a much stronger multicultural bent. Despite the Vizrani plurality, no one race, religion, or language is valued above the other in...

R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 3d

#OctoberWorldbuilders
23: For Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), since I spent most of #Septopolis talking about Vizrala, I'll discuss the vibes of Freeport instead, the other city where a large chunk of the stories take place. Freeport is the primary city and capital of the..

#OctoberWorldbuilders Prompts
Day 23: Aesthetics of a town/city

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 3d

...war between the two side and works with Riv'Kala and Rashad closely to bring the "war" to a close, defeat the other side, and take back over the branch of the guild in Vizrala.