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Hope Engel 📚

@hopeengel.com

190 followers 150 following 1.1K posts

https://hopeengel.com Reader, writer, cat mom, based in NY. Querying my debut romance, “At Your Pace” Looking for romance novel critique partners - DM me! 46 books in 2025!

hopeengel.com

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2h

fair enough honestly

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2h

Emerson can be summed up with "might as well go for it" because that is the energy I got from my batch of college guy friends and I am here for it

#romance

Wait - did she just extend an invitation to spend time together not related to the project? Is she looking for a reason to hang out with me? Or am I looking into it too much? Probably. Still, might as well go for it.
Then her eyes went wide, like she had made a big mistake. “Oh, wait, sorry, I know that might be, private, like not everyone is eligible to donate-” she says, quickly.
“It’s okay,” I say, smiling. “I’m game. It’s been a minute but I’ve donated blood before. I’m pretty sure I’m still eligible. What time is your appointment?”

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2h

It’s great passage!

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2h

It’s me I am the danger

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 14h

I need to proofread!!!! But for real since our houseguest is out and I can silently go in my office cave and not feel like I’m being rude

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 15h

Emerson is on a sports team and has no issues with following that sort of discipline, a la a 20 year old guy that hasn’t had to make too many of his own life decisions just yet

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 19h

This line!!! Incredible

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 19h

It’s a fictional college campus modeled mentally off my real undergrad campus and set in a real place!

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 19h

I reread so much of my scrapped stuff today to find my WIP snips I was like ughhhhhhhhhh

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 19h

“I sit up, slowly, and thank her as I accept the plate.”

Shadow Spark Publishing @shadowsparkpub.bsky.social · 21h

It's Hump Day, folks, and our friend demands a sacrifice. Let's get a page from your wip. Maybe it's the middle for you? Give us a line from PAGE 334

Haven't gotten to page yet? How about just 33, then?

#Wednesday #HumpDay #indieauthors #WritingCommunity #booksky #writesky #writingq 🪐📚💙

Wednesday Hump Day

The judgey-est camel you have ever seen

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 20h

So I wrote on vibes rather than a defined plot structure (😅) and the middle doesn’t have my MC learning critical information but the midpoint is all him embracing that he’s ready to be in a relationship and with this specific person

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 1d

#PlotTober Day 15: The midpoint

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

15. The midpoint of the story serves two purposes: (1) it reveals critical information to the MC and (2) causes the MC to confront both who they used to be and who they need to become to grow, change, and/or achieve their goals. What are some ways you could do this?

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

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 23h

Wow you are crushing it!

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 1d

My goal for the second half of this book is a mix of tension of tenderness and sometimes in the same scene!

“I’m worried about you,” I tell her on day three of this funk.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said reflexively, voice flat. “You have to take care of the team.”
“They have two other captains.” Who could do a better job pulling their own weight, I think.

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 1d

Day 15

Drafting this in the sequel: Carlos is on Emerson’s baseball team. He’s a sophomore and dates Alyssa, a senior, one of Valeria’s friends. It’s only ~2 year gap but they’re only 19 and 21 and it feels big because she’s older. Very much a side plot! #romance #amwriting #caulktober

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

My MMC, Emerson, is definitely a romantic. Big ol mush boi #caulktober

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 1d

I snuck in a joke about the MMC’s bestie reading “not just smut” over the summer break and the LI mentions a nonfiction book she read but that’s as far as I’ll go!

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 1d

Ugh I hate that every romance book includes this.

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 1d

What a great way to celebrate!

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 1d

I totally recommend it. I couldn’t have finished this novel without it without major editing that would have been so much time. Maybe more experienced fiction writers can get a better first draft done without feedback as early, but this was my first manuscript!

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

It’s a college campus, so almost everything, but I would say classic house parties and attending sports games are most relevant!

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

My MMC, Emerson, is definitely a romantic. Big ol mush boi #caulktober

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

This was so tough for me to land! For the sequel I debated picking up where the first one ended, but decided on a 5ish month time jump, the beginning of summer break, when Emerson finally introduces his girlfriend to his parents. It ushers in a new stage of their relationship - the whole theme.

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 3d

#PlotTober Day 13: Story beginnings

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

13. Let's begin brainstorming the main plot points of our WIPs. Knowing what you know of your main character(s), what are a few potential ways you could begin their story?

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

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

There is social media in my story - Emerson rarely posts because his mom comments all the time. Valeria posts like a happy college student. They use it more to send memes to one another. Emerson does share their relationship on social and it’s a fun plot point!

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

Agreeeed

Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

This is Me and it’s a problem when I become a fan of a series partway through and keep up with the new releases only on hardback

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Hope Engel 📚 @hopeengel.com · 2d

Hahahaha this is why I just won’t have my grandma read mine

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