CreativeMaus
@creativemaus.bsky.social
Maus (she/her)
Artist, writer, dog trainer, emotional support Canadian
Artist, writer, dog trainer, emotional support Canadian
Ryvus speaks the human common language, Hetchy, but mostly uses the elven language, Amnius. He can also speak in a language of hand signs.
Mark has no affinity for language. She speaks Hetchy, but despite all the time she's spent around elves she never picked up more than a few words of Amnius.
Mark has no affinity for language. She speaks Hetchy, but despite all the time she's spent around elves she never picked up more than a few words of Amnius.
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters
Does your character speak English? Or another real language?
Do they speak a fictional language transcribed as another for the sake of the reader?
Are language barriers ever a problem in the story?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Does your character speak English? Or another real language?
Do they speak a fictional language transcribed as another for the sake of the reader?
Are language barriers ever a problem in the story?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
December 13, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Ryvus speaks the human common language, Hetchy, but mostly uses the elven language, Amnius. He can also speak in a language of hand signs.
Mark has no affinity for language. She speaks Hetchy, but despite all the time she's spent around elves she never picked up more than a few words of Amnius.
Mark has no affinity for language. She speaks Hetchy, but despite all the time she's spent around elves she never picked up more than a few words of Amnius.
I've absolutely changed a character before in order to work the plot. Often, it's just developing an underutilized part of their character, or expanding on an existing trait. My characters can grow emotionally or have setbacks, too!
#writesky
#writesky
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters
Would you alter something about your character to make a moment happen?
If a part of your plot doesn't fit your character, do you change the character or the plot?
Or find a different way to work around it?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Would you alter something about your character to make a moment happen?
If a part of your plot doesn't fit your character, do you change the character or the plot?
Or find a different way to work around it?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
December 11, 2025 at 12:11 PM
I've absolutely changed a character before in order to work the plot. Often, it's just developing an underutilized part of their character, or expanding on an existing trait. My characters can grow emotionally or have setbacks, too!
#writesky
#writesky
Ryvus' name is one given to him when his adopted father took him in. It reflects his adopted cultural heritage, and represents the person he became.
Mark' name is her nickname. When she deserted the military and turned her back in her family, she dropped both her first and last names to sever ties.
Mark' name is her nickname. When she deserted the military and turned her back in her family, she dropped both her first and last names to sever ties.
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters
Does your character go by anything other than their name?
Do they have a nickname, a pseudonym, or a title people use for them? Or earn one over the course of the story?
Do they like it, or prefer their name?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Does your character go by anything other than their name?
Do they have a nickname, a pseudonym, or a title people use for them? Or earn one over the course of the story?
Do they like it, or prefer their name?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
December 9, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Ryvus' name is one given to him when his adopted father took him in. It reflects his adopted cultural heritage, and represents the person he became.
Mark' name is her nickname. When she deserted the military and turned her back in her family, she dropped both her first and last names to sever ties.
Mark' name is her nickname. When she deserted the military and turned her back in her family, she dropped both her first and last names to sever ties.
Ryvus is *very* religious. More orthodox than his father brought him up to be. He *might* be overcompensating for something. He prays several times daily.
Mark follows the soldier faith and has a specific view of an afterlife, but there's no structured system to it. There's no god, just your duty.
Mark follows the soldier faith and has a specific view of an afterlife, but there's no structured system to it. There's no god, just your duty.
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters
Is your character religious or spiritual?
Is there a god/gods in their world? Is their existence a matter of faith, or are physically present? Does your character believe?
Do they pray or perform rituals?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Is your character religious or spiritual?
Is there a god/gods in their world? Is their existence a matter of faith, or are physically present? Does your character believe?
Do they pray or perform rituals?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
December 8, 2025 at 2:32 AM
Ryvus is *very* religious. More orthodox than his father brought him up to be. He *might* be overcompensating for something. He prays several times daily.
Mark follows the soldier faith and has a specific view of an afterlife, but there's no structured system to it. There's no god, just your duty.
Mark follows the soldier faith and has a specific view of an afterlife, but there's no structured system to it. There's no god, just your duty.
Ryvus keeps his hair in the traditional way of elves. Never cut and always braided. It's religiously and culturally very important to him.
Mark's worn a military buzz cut for most of her life, but in this book she's quitting the military. She's finally let it grow and wears cornrows.
Mark's worn a military buzz cut for most of her life, but in this book she's quitting the military. She's finally let it grow and wears cornrows.
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters
Here's an appearance one that I don't think we've talked about yet: What does your character's hair look like?
Do they have hair? Long or short? What color? How do they usually wear it? Is it important to them?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Here's an appearance one that I don't think we've talked about yet: What does your character's hair look like?
Do they have hair? Long or short? What color? How do they usually wear it? Is it important to them?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
November 24, 2025 at 5:56 AM
Ryvus keeps his hair in the traditional way of elves. Never cut and always braided. It's religiously and culturally very important to him.
Mark's worn a military buzz cut for most of her life, but in this book she's quitting the military. She's finally let it grow and wears cornrows.
Mark's worn a military buzz cut for most of her life, but in this book she's quitting the military. She's finally let it grow and wears cornrows.
Reposted by CreativeMaus
"Every time a software tool adds an AI feature nobody asked for, a human logs off."
-Bluesky
-Bluesky
November 21, 2025 at 11:59 PM
"Every time a software tool adds an AI feature nobody asked for, a human logs off."
-Bluesky
-Bluesky
Today I'm working on some of the opening to my WIP. Setting the scene.
Ryvus has lost track of time. Mark has decided to step down and away from the force. Ryvus is trying to get caught up with his friend and feeling bad he hasn't been around, though he'd never admit it.
#writing #writingcommunity
Ryvus has lost track of time. Mark has decided to step down and away from the force. Ryvus is trying to get caught up with his friend and feeling bad he hasn't been around, though he'd never admit it.
#writing #writingcommunity
November 17, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Today I'm working on some of the opening to my WIP. Setting the scene.
Ryvus has lost track of time. Mark has decided to step down and away from the force. Ryvus is trying to get caught up with his friend and feeling bad he hasn't been around, though he'd never admit it.
#writing #writingcommunity
Ryvus has lost track of time. Mark has decided to step down and away from the force. Ryvus is trying to get caught up with his friend and feeling bad he hasn't been around, though he'd never admit it.
#writing #writingcommunity
If you want to get Ryvus to do something he doesn't want to do, get Mark or his dad to ask him to do it instead. He can't deny either of them anything. He won't do a trick for a reward, but he obeys the top dogs of his 'pack'.
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters
What tempts your character?
If you had to convince them to do something they didn't really want to do, like getting a dog to take a bath using cheese, what would you use?
Would it be cheese?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
What tempts your character?
If you had to convince them to do something they didn't really want to do, like getting a dog to take a bath using cheese, what would you use?
Would it be cheese?
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
November 17, 2025 at 12:55 AM
If you want to get Ryvus to do something he doesn't want to do, get Mark or his dad to ask him to do it instead. He can't deny either of them anything. He won't do a trick for a reward, but he obeys the top dogs of his 'pack'.
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity
My job- Amazing. Rewarding. Can't believe they pay me for this.
Also my job-
Also my job-
November 2, 2025 at 12:45 AM
My job- Amazing. Rewarding. Can't believe they pay me for this.
Also my job-
Also my job-
I will never *not* repost this song when I come across it.
Before Canada had skylines and rush hour traffic,
it had rivers.
Wide, wild, and untamed.
And on those rivers worked men
who didn’t just move logs —
they moved like music.
youtu.be/upsZZ2s3xv8?...
it had rivers.
Wide, wild, and untamed.
And on those rivers worked men
who didn’t just move logs —
they moved like music.
youtu.be/upsZZ2s3xv8?...
Canada Vignettes: Log Driver's Waltz
YouTube video by NFB
youtu.be
October 21, 2025 at 11:22 PM
I will never *not* repost this song when I come across it.
In the spirit of the spooky season, I'm playing this gem of a wii game. The second they introduced the button for a 180° turn, I knew it was going to be full of jump scares
#retrogaming #scary #ghost #nintendowii
#retrogaming #scary #ghost #nintendowii
October 15, 2025 at 12:57 AM
In the spirit of the spooky season, I'm playing this gem of a wii game. The second they introduced the button for a 180° turn, I knew it was going to be full of jump scares
#retrogaming #scary #ghost #nintendowii
#retrogaming #scary #ghost #nintendowii
It's a quiet day at work with the dogs, so I'm outside with my notebook working on #firstdraftfall
October 14, 2025 at 2:12 PM
It's a quiet day at work with the dogs, so I'm outside with my notebook working on #firstdraftfall
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 30- Monthly Wrap-up
Thanks to one and all for following and playing along. And a big thank you to @chesneyinfalt.bsky.social and @l.v.russell_author for putting these events together every month.
Thanks to one and all for following and playing along. And a big thank you to @chesneyinfalt.bsky.social and @l.v.russell_author for putting these events together every month.
September 30, 2025 at 2:45 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 30- Monthly Wrap-up
Thanks to one and all for following and playing along. And a big thank you to @chesneyinfalt.bsky.social and @l.v.russell_author for putting these events together every month.
Thanks to one and all for following and playing along. And a big thank you to @chesneyinfalt.bsky.social and @l.v.russell_author for putting these events together every month.
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 29- are you/MC introvert, or ambivert?
Mark is an extrovert. She likes people and she'll get energized by being around them.
Ryvus is an introvert. He finds people exhausting and when he's around them he feels constantly on guard.
Mark is an extrovert. She likes people and she'll get energized by being around them.
Ryvus is an introvert. He finds people exhausting and when he's around them he feels constantly on guard.
September 29, 2025 at 12:26 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 29- are you/MC introvert, or ambivert?
Mark is an extrovert. She likes people and she'll get energized by being around them.
Ryvus is an introvert. He finds people exhausting and when he's around them he feels constantly on guard.
Mark is an extrovert. She likes people and she'll get energized by being around them.
Ryvus is an introvert. He finds people exhausting and when he's around them he feels constantly on guard.
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 28- What Stage is Your WIP in?
A little past the beginning. I have a very, very old draft from before a lot if the ideas were refined in the first two books. And I have an experimental draft where I had condensed all four books into one. Now I have to plot a new draft.
A little past the beginning. I have a very, very old draft from before a lot if the ideas were refined in the first two books. And I have an experimental draft where I had condensed all four books into one. Now I have to plot a new draft.
September 28, 2025 at 11:33 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 28- What Stage is Your WIP in?
A little past the beginning. I have a very, very old draft from before a lot if the ideas were refined in the first two books. And I have an experimental draft where I had condensed all four books into one. Now I have to plot a new draft.
A little past the beginning. I have a very, very old draft from before a lot if the ideas were refined in the first two books. And I have an experimental draft where I had condensed all four books into one. Now I have to plot a new draft.
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 27- Saturday Snippet
Ryvus fucks up a spell
There wasn't enough time to carefully prepare the spell Ryvus was about to use. Tennicus was a master at its fine calculations. He tried to impart his knack for it to Ryvus, who had never been one for delicateness or details.
Ryvus fucks up a spell
There wasn't enough time to carefully prepare the spell Ryvus was about to use. Tennicus was a master at its fine calculations. He tried to impart his knack for it to Ryvus, who had never been one for delicateness or details.
September 28, 2025 at 12:42 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 27- Saturday Snippet
Ryvus fucks up a spell
There wasn't enough time to carefully prepare the spell Ryvus was about to use. Tennicus was a master at its fine calculations. He tried to impart his knack for it to Ryvus, who had never been one for delicateness or details.
Ryvus fucks up a spell
There wasn't enough time to carefully prepare the spell Ryvus was about to use. Tennicus was a master at its fine calculations. He tried to impart his knack for it to Ryvus, who had never been one for delicateness or details.
I am now the owner of two more huskies. In case anyone has been keeping count of my pet pics, that now brings me up to 5 dogs.
A friend died and asked that I look after her dogs for her :<
Welcome to the family Féroé and Reykjavik.
A friend died and asked that I look after her dogs for her :<
Welcome to the family Féroé and Reykjavik.
September 27, 2025 at 12:36 AM
I am now the owner of two more huskies. In case anyone has been keeping count of my pet pics, that now brings me up to 5 dogs.
A friend died and asked that I look after her dogs for her :<
Welcome to the family Féroé and Reykjavik.
A friend died and asked that I look after her dogs for her :<
Welcome to the family Féroé and Reykjavik.
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 26- Free Friday or Share Something You're Looking Forward To
Greatly looking forward to #firstdraftfall this year. For once, the start of a new project coincides with it, so I've been putting off the project a little until then :D
Greatly looking forward to #firstdraftfall this year. For once, the start of a new project coincides with it, so I've been putting off the project a little until then :D
September 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 26- Free Friday or Share Something You're Looking Forward To
Greatly looking forward to #firstdraftfall this year. For once, the start of a new project coincides with it, so I've been putting off the project a little until then :D
Greatly looking forward to #firstdraftfall this year. For once, the start of a new project coincides with it, so I've been putting off the project a little until then :D
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 25- What would be your MC's favorite subject in school?
Mark would probably sleep through most classes. She *might* stay awake for history.
Ryvus would have liked home-ec, though by now he could probably teach the class.
Mark would probably sleep through most classes. She *might* stay awake for history.
Ryvus would have liked home-ec, though by now he could probably teach the class.
September 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 25- What would be your MC's favorite subject in school?
Mark would probably sleep through most classes. She *might* stay awake for history.
Ryvus would have liked home-ec, though by now he could probably teach the class.
Mark would probably sleep through most classes. She *might* stay awake for history.
Ryvus would have liked home-ec, though by now he could probably teach the class.
#writingcommunity, I need your help. Back in the Bad Place, I beta read for someone writing a fantasy book. The hero's journey was a reality tv affair. There was a pre-qualified orphan, a shiny new princess, and a barbarian who spoke in spanish vegan recipes.
I *need* to remember who this was.
I *need* to remember who this was.
September 25, 2025 at 12:00 AM
#writingcommunity, I need your help. Back in the Bad Place, I beta read for someone writing a fantasy book. The hero's journey was a reality tv affair. There was a pre-qualified orphan, a shiny new princess, and a barbarian who spoke in spanish vegan recipes.
I *need* to remember who this was.
I *need* to remember who this was.
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 24- Interesting Fact(s) from Your WIP's World History
During the Great War, there was supposed to be a prisoner exchange between the elves and humans. The human army shot and killed their own soldiers as they were brought to the exchange to make a point about capture.
During the Great War, there was supposed to be a prisoner exchange between the elves and humans. The human army shot and killed their own soldiers as they were brought to the exchange to make a point about capture.
September 24, 2025 at 12:27 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 24- Interesting Fact(s) from Your WIP's World History
During the Great War, there was supposed to be a prisoner exchange between the elves and humans. The human army shot and killed their own soldiers as they were brought to the exchange to make a point about capture.
During the Great War, there was supposed to be a prisoner exchange between the elves and humans. The human army shot and killed their own soldiers as they were brought to the exchange to make a point about capture.
#fantasyindiesseptember day 23- What Grammar Rule Catches You Out?
Uhhhhh....all of them? I used to read a lot, so I just go with what I'm used to seeing/what sounds right.
I, in fact, have no idea what I'm doing.
Uhhhhh....all of them? I used to read a lot, so I just go with what I'm used to seeing/what sounds right.
I, in fact, have no idea what I'm doing.
September 23, 2025 at 7:40 PM
#fantasyindiesseptember day 23- What Grammar Rule Catches You Out?
Uhhhhh....all of them? I used to read a lot, so I just go with what I'm used to seeing/what sounds right.
I, in fact, have no idea what I'm doing.
Uhhhhh....all of them? I used to read a lot, so I just go with what I'm used to seeing/what sounds right.
I, in fact, have no idea what I'm doing.
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 22- What Type of Book Would Your MC Write?
Neither are avid readers, nor particularly creative, so I don't think either would be inclined to try, or be very good at it.
But Mark would probably write a memoir about the war.
Ryvus would likely write a sappy romance.
Neither are avid readers, nor particularly creative, so I don't think either would be inclined to try, or be very good at it.
But Mark would probably write a memoir about the war.
Ryvus would likely write a sappy romance.
September 22, 2025 at 10:47 AM
#fantasyindiesseptember Day 22- What Type of Book Would Your MC Write?
Neither are avid readers, nor particularly creative, so I don't think either would be inclined to try, or be very good at it.
But Mark would probably write a memoir about the war.
Ryvus would likely write a sappy romance.
Neither are avid readers, nor particularly creative, so I don't think either would be inclined to try, or be very good at it.
But Mark would probably write a memoir about the war.
Ryvus would likely write a sappy romance.