Blog

Posted in Gamernation News, updates, Writing

D&D Article, Updates, and Writing

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

I am happy to announce that my article on dice superstitions has been posted on Gamernation News. You can check it out here. I’ve included pictures of my dice and those of my fellow players but most of them are my dice. It was fun collecting all the information and hearing all the quirks and superstitions out there.

Lately, there’s been a lot of writing going on. From lesson plans, articles, Camp NaNoWriMo, and posts, I can’t seem to catch my breath. Of course let’s not forget running my own D&D sessions. I’ve been so busy lately. Somehow, I’ve managed to have everything under control. Let’s hope it stays that way.

I have to say that staying busy and writing is a good feeling. I feel very productive. Although I’m a few hundred words behind my daily goal for Camp NaNoWriMo, I think I’m doing well. I haven’t run out of inspiration. The story seems to be writing itself. Plus, getting into the mentally that it doesn’t have to be perfect is really helping me. Honestly, I think that’s the hardest part about writing.

If I had to say anything that I was dissatisfied with is probably the time I sent my posts out. I usually try to get them out between 3 and 5 but lately that hasn’t been working out. I’ve had to cover weird shifts at work that doesn’t allow for all that. School hasn’t made it easy yet. I’ll try to keep to that timeframe next week.

While it’s been a short update, I’ll cut the post short. I have to finish typing up my daily word count for Camp NaNoWriMo. For those who are participating, how’s it going? Have you run out of steam or still going strong?

As always, good luck.

 

Posted in Methods, NaNoWriMo, Resources, updates, Writing

Scrapping for Ideas

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

Over the weekend, I decided that I will be participating n July’s Camp NaNoWriMo. My reason for this is due to the fact that I haven’t been writing as much as I should. Using July’s Camp NaNoWriMo, I want to trick myself into writing more that I have been. This month, however, I won’t be aiming towards 50k words. Instead, I’ll be aiming towards 30k words this month. If, for whatever reason, I write more than 30k words than my goal was successful. With everything that is going on right now. I don’t have that much free time.

Saying this, I don’t really have anything planned for this month. I do have a few story ideas floating around and prepared but I’m not sure if those are novel ready. So, this poses the question: how am I going to reach 30k words or more without having a lot prepared.

First off, I’m going to wing it. I don’t normally do this because I typically have a sense of where the story is going to go. For this story in general, I have the basic idea for it but I don’t know where to go from the beginning. There’s a vague idea floating in my head but nothing is concrete.

Secondly, I’m going to write random scenes. I’m going to have my characters is conversations with others that could pertain to the plot. Maybe as I write these conversations, inspiration will strike and Camp NaNoWriMo will go smoothly. Fingers crossed. And, I never know. Inspiration might strike at random.

Next, I might actually do some plotting when I have the time. This won’t be too elaborate or too in depth but it might help. I don’t want to get stressed over writing 30k this month. So, while I will put effort into completing my goal, I don’t want to force myself to do it. When it’s forced, it’s not fun anymore and I always try to have fun when I write. I want to enjoy it.

Lastly, I might even go back to the original draft and steal ideas from that. The story I’m writing for this Camp NaNoWriMo, I worked on it a few years back. It never went anywhere because I didn’t like the direction it was going so, I basically stopped writing. This time around, I’m trying to revamp the story. I really liked the characters and the magic system I created for this world so I want to keep using. If worst come to worst, I might even think about combining ideas together. I’ve done that before and it has worked. It might work this time too.

Now, while I usually post world-building posts on Mondays, for this month, it might change or it might not. Depends on the day and what I have to do. I’ll try sticking to the schedule I set up because I think it was working really well with a few exceptions. If anything changes, I’ll announce it.

Thanks for reading and, for those participating in Camp NaNoWriMo, good luck. Don’t forget to share some tips. I’m going to need all the help I can get.

 

Posted in NaNoWriMo, updates, Writing

Changes, Articles, and July

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

June has come to an end (sort of) and July is right around the corner. The week has been productive. Starting next month, I’ll be writing articles about Dungeons & Dragond for GamerNationNews and I’ll provide the links for that. It’s also for tabletop games so that’s going to be interesting.

As you’ll know, the website has changed. I’ve made some visual changes. There’s more changes coming but it’s going to subtle and I’ll mention it as well.

The certification program is going well. There’s a lot of reading but nothing I can’t handle. With managing everything, I’m getting posts published on a set schedule. Plus, I have also manged to get in some writing time.

Now, as July comes closer, there’s one thing that I’m unsure about. July brings Camp NaNoWriMo. Unlike the other times, this time, I don’t know if I want to participate. There’s a lot on my plate and there’s only so much I can time manage.

If I wasn’t attending the program, I could do it but now, I’m not so sure. I think what I might end up doing is to start Camp NaNoWriMo in July and continue with it as much as I can. There’s a way to change the word goal for the month.

Instead of 50k words, I might set the goal at 25k or maybe even 30k. To me, every goal for any NaNoWriMo is write more than my usual daily word count. Finishing a novel in 30 days won’t be my goal this July. I just want to write.

Hopefully, my time management will work out. In any case, if I can’t get to my set goal, at least I tries. However, for now, I won’t think negative thoughts. I’ll focus on Camp NaNoWriMo.

Posted in Writing, Writing Prompts

Writing Prompt – Legendary Knife

Posted on by Kassandra Carrillo

Long ago, the legendary sword Excalibur was melted down and lost to history. The mythical’s blade steel ended up in your butter knife, with all its magical purposes.

“Honey, can you wash those silverware?” my mom called out from the kitchen. “I just got them from a garage sale. Margaret down the street is selling all her antiques.

“Apparently, she got them from her mother-in-law who lives . . . somewhere in Europe. They’re suppose to be ‘magical’ and – Jessica, are you there?”

“Yeah?” I called out the living room.

“Don’t you hear me talking to you?”

“I heard.”

“Then why haven’t you washed the silverware? What are you doing?”

“Learning how to escape quicksand.”

“Hurry up and wash them.”

“Alright, alright.”

Sighing, I peeled myself off the leather couch and headed into the kitchen. My mom was just closing the pantry door when I entered.

“Your Aunt Lucy is coming tonight. I want downstairs spotless. Tell Carmen to help you.”

“We’re having a bar-b-que. We’re not going to be inside.”

My mom gave me a look. “Why don’t you ever do anything I ask? My hair is going to turn green because of you.”

“Never mind,” I muttered.

I turned to the counter. There weren’t any silverware. I looked at the dinning table. Nothing there either.

“Mom, where are they?”

She clicked her tongue. “Look for them,” she said before heading out the kitchen.

I went through a couple of drawers before finally finding the ‘new’ silverware in a grocery bag on top of the fridge. Opened the bag and looked inside. They looked like regular silverware to me. What’s so antique about them?

Oh well. I took the bag over to the sink and dropped them in the sink.

‘Ow. Watch it.’

Frowning, I looked over my shoulder.

“Mom?”

No reply.

“I must be hearing things,” I muttered.

Grabbing the sponge, I squirt some dish detergent on it and picked up a butter knife. It was a simple butter knife. There wasn’t anything strange or abnormal about it but the metal was warm. There were strange markings on the handle but I couldn’t tell what they said.

“Antique? Yeah. Right. Couldn’t she get some silverware that wasn’t scratched? Aunt Lucy is going be throwing some shade tonight.”

I soaked the sponge and started scrubbing.

‘You’re scratching me. Stop it.’

I whipped around. The heck?

“Carmen, is that you?”

My sister didn’t reply.

“Mom?”

She didn’t answer.

No one else should be home. And it couldn’t be the television either. I had that on mute. Was my house haunted? I looked down at the butter knife.

Maybe I was a werewolf and allergic to silver and now I was hearing things. Hmm, could be.

“Get a hold of yourself Jessica. Ghosts don’t exist and you’re not a werewolf.”

‘Could have fooled me.’

Yelping, I dropped the knife and ran out the kitchen straight into Carmen. With an ‘oof’ we crumbled to the floor.

“What the heck?” she groaned.

“Carmen, our kitchen is haunted.”

I rushed to my feet and pulled her up.

“Look, you have to listen.” I grabbed her arm and pulled her into the kitchen.

Carmen yanked her arm away. “Are you sleep walking?”

“Don’t you hear it? There’s a voice.”

“Yeah, yours and it’s annoying.”

‘Hey! You dropped me. Pick me up.’

“Did you hear that?” I asked. ‘The voice spoke.”

My sister gave a glare. “Dude, you’re weird.”

Before I could stop her, she walked out.

‘There’s some moldy cheese down here. How long do I have to stay here?’

My gaze fell on the butter knife. It was wedge between the floor and the counter. Could it be . . .? Warily, I picked up the knife.

‘Finally,’ the voice said. ‘You really need to clean underneath there. How haven’t you died yet? It’s so unsanitary.’

I stared at the knife for a long time. Yeah, this was a dream. I opened a drawer, dropped the butter knife, and closed it.

‘Hey! Hey! It’s dark. Don’t leave me in the dark! I hate the dark. Do you realize how long I was stuck in stone? Hey!’

I quickly scrubbed the rest of the silverware and closed the faucet. This was all a dream. I was going to ignore the voice and sit back down. When I woke up again, there would be no voice.

‘Hey! Hey!’

“There would be no voice.”