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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1h

I can fix her

Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1h

Oh, and I add:

I also plan to bring back Sir Giles from 1660 and turn him from a comic buffoon into an actually scary antagonist.

Something something, all the book's different faces of rakish highborn masculinity getting their spot in the rotation as objects of mockery, fear, and disgust.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1h

Meanwhile, someone starts hating Alexander for stupid reasons→a rivalry thread that mirrors Alexander's own nemesis fixation.

All the while Alexander has to sneak around to avoid getting ULTRA mega super grounded, always restrained by social norms and what it takes to remain stealth.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1h

#PlotTober
So Blackthorne, whom Alexander has oriented his whole life towards hating, is in 1661! But as usual he's not chief foe—more chaos monkey making everything worse.

A conspiracy involving 1650s politics and religion→action shenanigans, but also testing ideas of forgiveness/reconciliation. +

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 13h

#PlotTober Day 12: Antagonists

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

12. What could you use to represent obstacles that try to stop the main character(s) from achieving their goals and from growing into the person they could potentially be? Consider other characters, forces of nature, difficult circumstances, etc.

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

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 2h

"Hope"! I do plan for it to be a central theme for the series, although it's not as dominant in 1660.

I got 54 hits for it, but this one was calling to me today because @professoremily.bsky.social is working on Charagma 👀

Alexander would like to fistfight God in a Denny's parking lot.

“Why was I born?” he asked.
“What?”
“Why was I born such a creature?”
Klein gazed bemusedly upon him. “You’re asking me, of all people, to guess the mind of God?”
Alexander snorted. “Maybe it was the Devil who made me.”
“I’ve seen the work of the Devil, sir. You aren’t anything like it.”
“Then God was in a queer humour when He made me.” Alexander’s eyes were dark. “What’s His game? Why make form opposed to nature and set a man with purpose his arms are too short to reach? Why give me drives I can’t fulfill and damn me even for the pathetic attempt? If this is a jest, from where I stand I can’t see the comedy.”
Klein said nothing.
“Do you think it pleases Him to invent new types of reprobate to watch dancing in Hell?”
“I don’t know, sir, but I hope not.”

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 15h

#QueerPrompts
Astrology and astronomy were in the early stages of separation in this period. There was still huge business in almanacs, but the New Science was also fostering skepticism.

I did birth charts of most characters for picking birthdays and in case horoscopes come up (they haven't yet).

Birth chart for Alexander, born 2 April 1645 Jul. somewhere around St. Albans, England. Fun features include Aries Sun, Scorpio Moon, and Sagittarius Ascendant, Mercury conjunct Venus, Mercury square Mars, Moon trine Mars, just a big pileup of planet in Aries in general, and more.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 17h

Alexander is chiefly an improviser, although his improvisational powers are backed up with skill and knowledge. Like he's drilled every maneuver in fencing 10000 times and that's why he's confident he can fight his way out of any pinch.

Honestly, when he makes a plan beforehand? it is. bad.

Charlie Delta (has been a ghost this whole time! 👻) @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 19h

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Is your character organized and methodical, or more chaotic?

Do they prefer to plan things out carefully, or be spontaneous and improvise?

Do they keep their belongings neat and tidy, or are they a bit messy?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 22h

No, and yet yes.

His parents tried for 15 years but none lived until Alexander. These siblings' absence shaped his life, largely for the better. As a result, he feels a queer gratitude to their shades, as he feels his parents' love for them ended up nourishing and protecting him.

1661 chapter 2!

Ian Haramaki 🏳️‍⚧️✨ @cometkins.bsky.social · 1d

Does your MC have any siblings? Are they part of the story? What are they like? #WritingPrompt

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 22h

It'll be challenging for Alexander to figure out when he lives in a world that profoundly disbelieves in equality. He's strongly incentivized not to see. But by nature he has a low tolerance for cognitive dissonance and eventually must see.

More lightheatedly, he'll also learn that gay is a thing.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 22h

#PlotTober
I'd like to focus Alexander's growth in this book around privilege. It featured in 1660 but he can go further here.

Alexander feels cursed from birth, but will begin to feel the blessings he also has. What do those mean to a man extremely sensitive to fairness/unfairness? +

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 1d

#PlotTober Day 11: MC growth & change

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

11. What are some possible ways your main character(s) could grow and change over the course of the story? On the other hand, what are some ways their growth could be hindered?

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

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

Today's #WIPSnips is from the arrival of the Aldridges to London from Amsterdam.

“Why,” asked Alexander with some alarm, “is it so dirty!?”
“What do you mean, why is it so dirty?”
Alexander gestured. “Like they’ve not even tried to clean it.”
Lord Redacted looked at him, baffled for a moment, and then—“Ah. Probably the difference of two hundred thousand people. Welcome, cousin, to London—the city who fancies herself the center of the world.”
“Indeed,” said the baron, “a fitting vision of Hell.”
Alexander liked it.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

#LGBTQWriteAThon
Well. My goal this week was to finish the scene I've been stuck on for months.

I did finish it! By deciding the reason I am stuck is that the revision fundamentally makes the scene worse, so I was better off deleting it all and going back to the original. 🫠

But hey, I can move on!

AmaraJLynn💎🌌🌺GEMS & STAR FLOWERS coming soon! @amaralynn.bsky.social · 1d

#LGBTQWriteAThon October 11:

Check in day! How was your week?

#writesky #queerwriters #writers #lgbtqwriters

Image: a burnt orange background with two jack o' lanterns. Text: #LGBTQWriteAThon Use the tag and follow the feed on BlueSky! Tag @LGBTQWriteAThon in photos on Instagram! October 11: Check in day.
BlueSky: @amaralynn @rebeccafrostwrites.com Instagram: @LGBTQWriteAThon @amarajlynn @krakengoddess

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Reposted by Isaac X Isaac

A.L. Heard @ashheardwrites.bsky.social · 1d

I went to update my writer bingo for October and realized I hadn't posted one... Better late than never, but here's the October Writer Bingo :)

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Reposted by Isaac X Isaac

Emma Denny @emmadenny.bsky.social · 1d

Looking for advice from other #historicalromance authors, agents or publishers - is the state of histrom trad publishing really that bad? Does anyone have any experience/anecdotes to share?

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Reposted by Isaac X Isaac

✨Eliza Mares✨ @elizamaresauthor.bsky.social · 1d

#LGBTQWriteAThon

My debut novella is included in the Under-Rated Itch Bundle rn, alongside 60+ other titles w/ under 15 ratings and reviews! Only $38 for a curated collection of the best books you've never heard of.

Give it a looksee here: itch.io/b/3305/under...

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

Browsing through old movies available on Tubi makes me really, really, REALLY want to make a Golden Age of Hollywood hand-painted movie poster style illustration for my book, but I fear I lack the physical ability and time to do this the justice it deserves. 😩

SOMEDAY.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

Pondering this has led me to think, maybe Alexander didn't really have "a role model". His father, though loving, isn't that martial image of manhood that Alexander aspires to. So Alexander is chasing an ideal that no one person embodies.

…other than perhaps one person who embodies it in negative.

Kiki Lee | Author ✒️ 🩷💜💙 @kikilegendlore.bsky.social · 2d

Writers and TTRPG Players, today's character question!

Who did your character lean on most growing up? Why were they their role models?

#ttrpg #authors #gamemasters #characterinsporation #characterdevelopment #characterquestion #writingcommunity #writersky #writingprompt

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

Alexander buys SO many gloves. 🤪

Gifts of gloves carry a particular cultural erotic charge as a skin-tight item with sensual qualities (eg the perfume). Giving those to a lady would be like announcing a courtship. Better to give them to your perfectly normal platonic good bro male friends!

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

THE generic gift Alexander would like (and would give to others, as long as it's not a lady from/to whom it would be improper) is fine gloves, since those are expensive (perfumed and elaborately embroidered and beaded) but not bank-breaking symbols of gentility and often patron relationships.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

Individualized Christmas and birthday gifts aren't quite as ritualized for everyday people as they'd later be, but were already customs.

Alexander's birthday and a birthday gift feature in 1661!

Alexander himself is very generous, but might exhibit "gave you gift that *I* wanted…" syndrome 😂 +

Charlie Delta (has been a ghost this whole time! 👻) @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 1d

Tell me more about your #AwesomeCharacters

Let's talk about gifts!🎁

Are there gift giving occasions in your world? If so, is your character easy to buy for?

What do they like to get? (Items, experiences, other?)

Do they give good gifts to others?

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 1d

#LGBTQWriteAThon

What is making me happy and hopeful today is @conjured.ink's efforts to support decentralized online shops for creatives, as a defense against platform-based discrimination and censorship.

They are taking contributions now if you wish to fund them!
opencollective.com/conjured-ink

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Reposted by Isaac X Isaac

Conjured.Ink @conjured.ink · 2d

Conjured Ink is now accepting both one time and recurring donations!

Head to this link to learn more about our finances, or pledge your support:

opencollective.com/c...

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 2d

They were Royalists in self-exile from 1649-60 (after a period of genteel homelessness 1642-44), but weren't a part of the court in exile in France &c., avoiding politics in favor of a retired life.

Instead, Alexander was raised in Gelderland on his maternal family's anti-Spanish propaganda.

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 2d

#PlotTober
I've rambled about Alexander's a lot, so let me instead tell you some things about his family that come up in 1661:

They couldn't have any children for 15 years, so they coddle this last miracle child. He's both spoiled and overprotected… or at least, they try… +

Ange @gunsmile.bsky.social · 2d

#PlotTober Day 10: MC backstory & traumas

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

10. What are some potential backstory or contextual reasons for your main character(s) having this kind of personality or behaving this way? In other words, what could have caused them to be the person they are at the start of your WIP?

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

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Isaac X Isaac @isaacxisaac.bsky.social · 2d

I have one instance of today's word. From Sable on the day of Oliver Cromwell's posthumous execution. #WIPSnips

“Right mad you are if you think I’ll lend you a broadside on that day, of all days. No! No persuasion, no prize have you or any other man to offer,” she cried, eyes afire, “that could tempt me from my chance to see that butcher thrown down the pit to the burning depths of Hell!”

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