Dear all the important numbers in my life:
Social security number,
I’ve known you since birth
School year,
I’m glad I outgrew you
Years of my life,
You never match the age of my soul
Credit score,
We’ve had our ups and downs
Years I’ve lived under the same roof,
Never long enough
Library card number,
You’re the most important number of all
I am the mountain outside my window, an old soul, stable and unmovable. Until there's a rockslide.
I am the faint scent of honeysuckle on a warm summer afternoon that reminds you of the fun you had playing in the woods long ago, and you smile.
I am the cool air that calms your spinning mind like waves breaking against your ankles and then receding in the sand. Be still. Breathe. In and out, slow and deep. I am an ocean that will never vanish. I am here.
I still remember learning the difference between bravery and strength. On a quiet night at the Turtle Inn, an old man sat beside me at the bar and began regaling me with stories of his younger days. He’d spent his life exploring the dreamscape, and he’d seen more worlds than I ever would. It was easy to tell he’d lived a hundred lives in his hundred years.
He said he’d been pulled into this world by curiosity, and it never let go. Curiosity had led him to strange, dark places as well as places so stunning and full of magic his voice quivered and faltered when he tried to describe them.
When I asked how he’d see
In Case of a Portal on Mars by illuminara, literature
Literature
In Case of a Portal on Mars
IN CASE OF A PORTAL ON MARS
A KAT WILDER STORY
THIS IS A PREVIEW - THE ENTIRE STORY IS 8,000 WORDS
I’m a lot of things. A wandering explorer, admirer of the classics, sharpshooter, lover of silence, and sweet tooth. But most importantly, I am a loner. I eat alone, sleep alone, and travel alone. All the things most people do in the company of another human being, I do in the company of myself.
If I could find a way to make a living that didn’t involve interacting with other people, I’d be doing it. But the funny thing about money is that you have to get it from someone else. These days, my money comes from people will
Alive or dead, we’re all looking for our own piece of the world to haunt. Some yearn for the clammering hights of the city while others want only space and solitude. My spot was forgotten by everyone but me. It’s up a mountain, away from hustle and bustle and life and lets me be alone with the world. Alone with my thoughts and reflections. Alone with my memories slowly twirling to the tune of old jazz on the record player.
Alone.
I like it that way. Or maybe I can’t imagine my life any other way. But “life” isn’t the right word, is it? Because I’m not alive. Not in the deep-breathing, heart-beating,
How to Write the Beginning of Your Story by illuminara, literature
Literature
How to Write the Beginning of Your Story
We all know the most important sentence in a story is the very first sentence. It has only one goal: to convince the reader to read the next sentence and then the next until they are fully immersed in your story.
The goal is simple, but executing the goal with success is a challenge we’ve all agonized over. It’s easy to obsess over the beginning and wonder if you’ve started in just the right place with the right scene or narration. Maybe it seems perfect to you, but beta readers tell you it’s not a good enough hook and you try to make it bigger and better, flashier and more action-packed.
Stop.
The opening of a stor
The Lifecycle of a Novel Draft by illuminara, literature
Literature
The Lifecycle of a Novel Draft
This article’s aim is to teach you how to draft a novel. That’s a pretty vague statement and begs a lot of questions. What’s a draft? What work or planning do you have to do before you start drafting? Can you just sit down and start putting pen to paper and expect a draft to miraculously show up? How many drafts do you need to write in order to get a “finished” novel?
First and foremost, a draft is simply a version of a manuscript, and there will be many versions along the way to a finish novel ready for publication (or whatever other plans you have for it). The purpose of a first draft is to bring your story ki
7 Ways to Form Healthy Writing Habits by illuminara, literature
Literature
7 Ways to Form Healthy Writing Habits
1. Write Every Day
Christy Hall nailed it when she said, “A writer writes. There are no exceptions to this reality. No excuses.” There’s nothing sexy about this. It’s tough work and requires dedication and persistence, but it’s the only way to make consistent progress. Almost everyone who writes for a living or is a productive amateur will tell you this. It’s no secret, but it’s often ignored because it’s hard. Unfortunately, there’s no magical way to make it easier, but you can form a habit through discipline. Once habit sets in, you don’t have think about it—you just do it.
Sunlight hit slim clouds as if clawing its way into the morning. Jagged black mountains began to appear in the distance, reaching for the sunrise and calling to me in a seductive whisper. I could continue my drive to work, or I could ride into the mountains on the wings of dawn. The choice was clear, and I drove on.
A lot of people still like to talk about what things were like before the world went to shit, but I really don’t find it all that interesting. Who cares if you were an investment banker or a gangster when your next meal can outrun you?
The only thing that matters now is how good a brain you got in your head and how fast you can learn who’s worth trusting and who ain’t.