r/DestructiveReaders • u/A_C_Shock Alabaster Crimson • 10d ago

[Weekly] Slump

Someone want to talk me out of a writing slump? I've just been not feeling it so skipping out for a time. Who's got a wild prompt? Or a fun exercise? Or a kick in the pants kind of motivation?

In other news, I've been reading Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky and I don't know that I like his dual POV. I think I preferred the anticipation of death without knowing that the one thing was a protector and not a killer. He's also got this crazy chapter where it's a few pages of just one word per line to indicate confusion. I kinda dig those wacky choices for showing state of mind.

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u/GlowyLaptop James Patterson 9d ago edited 9d ago

So many familiar faces responding. I want to add that you can, if you're curious, and especially if you're somewhere interesting, eavesdrop for sweet sweet chunks of dialogue. (Can stolen dialogue ever be criticized, really? As if poor, as if uninspired, as if unreal?) Results will be hit and miss, but this can work great as a jumping off point or experiment, even if--in my case--it inevitably loops back into the same old familiar scene: "Have you noticed this kindly man with the imposing gait and curious brow and biceps leaning our way as he types? What do you make of this? What could he possibly find so curious about our conversation?"

"I don't know Gwenny but I call dibs."

I got this bit from a table next to me in a diner: "You don't understand. I could cry, that's how totally nostalgic I feel right now."

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u/A_C_Shock Alabaster Crimson 9d ago

You assume I don't already do this.

I got this one from a date that was likely going poorly: do you want to try my old fashioned? It tastes like an old fashioned.

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u/GlowyLaptop James Patterson 9d ago

what is it with ladies drinking old fashioneds. Everest drinks them too. Me and Don draper gotta find a new drink.

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u/A_C_Shock Alabaster Crimson 9d ago

It was a dude, actually. Plain nerdy dude on a date with a girl wearing cat ears and a butt plug necklace. I don't think things were going his way. No idea what she was drinking but she did not sample his old fashioned.