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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 2d

🍾 UNDER 120,000 WORDS!! 💐

This gets all the happy emojis because getting it down from 160,000 without losing content meant going through condensing line by line 🌈🎉🎊

Proofread, back to my betas (❤️🧡💚💙💜) and then querying resumes!

Random photo I took of a peacock and a peahen because why not?

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 2d

Must you #WaspholeBandit ?

A black cat hiding in a drawer full of black knickers and socks.

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 3d

#WIPSnips

“Are you asleep great-grandfather? Or dead?” asked Hama hopefully, craning around to check when Duke Crotalus did not reply.

The old man was propped up by cushions in the duke’s seat breathing labouredly, dozing but disobligingly alive.

✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag @wipsnips.bsky.social · 3d

The #WIPSnips word for October 12th is "hope"

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

#WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
October 12 - hope
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is black with stars with a light blue rectangle highlighted by a fuchsia line. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 3d

Editing Day 25: 120894 words

Really hope tomorrow will reach our target word count and I can start querying again. :)

#amwriting #writersky #fantasy

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 4d

Re: Scenario 1: Police came banging on my door at 4 am, in a neighbourhood where burglars are known to yell "police" to trick you into letting them in. I yelled back "Sure, and I'm the Prince of Wales!" and went back to bed.

Turned out it was the police, they had the wrong house.

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 5d

Editing Day 24: 122653 words

So close! Ten more chapters left to shrink, mostly set in Serpentis.

#wasphole #fantasylit #fantasysky #amwriting #writingcommunity #authorsky #writingsky #booksky #writersky #readersky

Picture of Warwick Castle on whuch Serpentis is loosely based. Took picture before breakfast, no tourists yet, scribbling notes on everything I could hear (birds mainly), how long it takes to walk from one end to the other etc. I got chased by wasps that day, but I left that part out.

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 5d

My spooky baby boy 🎃🐈‍⬛️

#WaspholeBandit

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 6d

Editing Day 23: 123788

Mostly purging words like "down" and "up" or paraphrasing (e.g. fell down becomes toppled).

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 7d

Editing Day 22: 124535 words

Sitting DVPit out this year (had fun with #DVParty tho!)

I want characters representing me and mine; for whom ND is not their whole personality or storyline, but at the same time the impact is deeper than a few quirks. I feel like I achieved this with Tharron.

Tharron from Wasphole (image by viccsart)

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 8d

#DVpit #writersky

Next project after Wasphole is Hartwood!

A few years back I accidentally went to work for a cult. Hartwood is a YA fantasy novel which explore the ingeneous ways these groups control their members. Jack is very aware that he's being manipulated, but there's no way out...

#DVpit - Diverse Voices Pitch @dvpit.bsky.social · 8d

DAY 6 of #DVParty, a community event to highlight the work of Diverse Creators leading up to our pitch event, #DVPit on Oct 8th, 2025! All diverse creators can participate!

Today's Prompt: Hype up your next project or WiP!

For more info about #DVpit go to dvpit.carrd.co
#artsky #booksky #writersky

#DVparty
Day 6 (October 7, 2025): Hype up your next project!
Post on Bluesky with the #DVparty hashtag.
Open all day!
Please use alt-text if you post images. No AI generated images allowed.
Have fun and make friends leading up to #DVpit!
More info at dvpit.carrd.co
Follow us at dvpit.bsky social for more updates!

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 8d

Editing Day 21: 125915

So... close... 🥵

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 9d

😂 I sometimes use music to get into a character's headspace.

Brandon's theme is Englishman in New York, Tharron's is Heart and Soul.

#DVParty

#DVpit - Diverse Voices Pitch @dvpit.bsky.social · 9d

DAY 5 of #DVParty, a community event to boost the work of Diverse Creators before our pitch event, #DVPit on Oct 8, 2025! Any diverse writer/artist can participate!

Today's Prompt: What's your story's theme song or playlist?

#booksky #writersky
For more info about #DVpit go to dvpit.carrd.co

#DVparty
Day 5 (october 6, 2025): What's your story's theme song or playlist?
Post on Bluesky with the #DVparty hashtag.
Open all day!
Please use alt-text if you post images. No AI generated images allowed.
Have fun and make friends leading up to #DVpit!
More info at dvpit.carrd.co
Follow us at dvpit.bsky social for more updates!

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 9d

Editing Day 20: 127612 words

Definitely harder to chop words the closer we get to target!

#wasphole #fantasylit #fantasysky #amwriting #writingcommunity #authorsky #writingsky #booksky #writersky #readersky

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 10d

Editing Day 19: 128915 words

My coauthor has decided to rework the final battle 😬😭😨 ARGGGHH!! AGAIN?!? Comfortably in the double digits for full rewrites!

But... his ideas for the choreography are an upgrade.

Here we go again meme with boromir from lord of the rings.

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 10d

#DVParty

"Clutching rags to their faces, the cultivators eyed a sealed hexbox. There could be no doubt its designer intended it to stay sealed."

#DVpit - Diverse Voices Pitch @dvpit.bsky.social · 11d

DAY 3 of #DVParty, a community event to get excited about the work of Diverse Creators before our pitch event, #DVPit on Oct 8th, 2025! All diverse writer or artist invited to participate!

Today's Prompt: Post your opening lines!

#DVpit rules & info: dvpit.carrd.co
#Writersky #booksky #artsky

#DVParty
Day 3 (October 4, 2025): Post your opening lines!
Post on Bluesky with the #DVparty hashtag.
Open all day!
Please use alt-text if you post images. No AI generated images allowed.
Have fun and make friends leading up to #DVpit!
More info at dvpit.carrd.co
Follow us at dvpit.bsky social for more updates!

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 11d

Editing Day 18: 129983 words

The goal of less than 120,000 is kinda in sight now?

#wasphole #fantasylit #fantasysky #amwriting #writingcommunity #authorsky #writingsky #booksky #writersky #readersky

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 12d

Editing Day 17: 131086 words

Brain still telling me I'm not a good enough writer, and it could be true! The only way we get to know is to pour our hearts and souls and time into something that might very likely fail.

#wasphole #amwriting #writingcommunity #authorsky #writersky

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 12d

When you have 2 cats but they're the same cat.

#WaspholeBandit

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 13d

Editing Day 16: 133634

My coauthor has joined in the editing. 😱 TBH I didn't want him to because;

1. He struggles with the concept of "less words."
2. We already edited heavily (this is draft 13) which means everything left is stuff we like but have to cut anyway.

#writingcommunity #writersky

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 14d

Day 15: 134646 words

Today my inner monologue is all;

"What makes you think you could be an author. You?!? Who do you think you are? You deluded..."

Not sympathy fishing but I said I'd be honest about this process and pushing past feeling like this is part of it. 😅

#writingsky #writersky

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 14d

Heavy night Bandit?

#WaspholeBandit

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 14d

Amazing!! 🎉

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 15d

Post you from a different era!

Me at 18 vs 38!

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 15d

Editing Day 14: 136103 words

Things that can go:
✅️ geographical rational behind Midra's weather patterns
✅️ minor characters backstories
✅️ half the words in any action sequence

Things I will not part with:
❌️ Robin, Ethan and Aubrei arguing about whether slowworms count as snakes.

Image @smolbus

Aubrei, Robin and Ethan from #Wasphole

Image by @smolbus

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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 16d

Using a hair dryer to keep the kids' teddies fluffy is the most useful life hack the internet taught me.

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