Takhayyal writing prompt 90: Hello Halloween!

The lovely month of Halloween is upon us once more and I have a special writing prompt for you!

Welcome to the season where all things are dark or magical, or both!

Welcome HALLOWEEN! And welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves, Fae, Zombies, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends, and Family; WELCOME EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's monthly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal!

I’ve asked an artist friend to craft something special for you this month - and she tells me there will be two images - but here is the first...

Hello Halloween by Yomna Ibrahim Mahany

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a means to get inspired and spark our writing once more.

Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

Not feeling inspired? Or need more inspiration? 

Check out the previous Halloween writing prompts on Nadaness In Motion over the years ;)

Writing prompt 73: Witchy Season

Writing prompt 72: Halloween

Writing prompt 46: Witch Walking

Writing prompt 23: Halloween is Here!

Writing prompt 22: Brew me a potion!

General rules:

• No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.
• Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post
• Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture
• Multiple entries allowed
• It is not required but it is a nice and encouraging gesture to comment on others' pieces.
• Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

· 

Let's IMAGINE!

Achievements & Setbacks in 2018 by Nada Adel Sobhi

I've set targets for myself and I have to admit to myself that I have failed several of them. BUT that was in February and a little in January.

This post is not about my failures but it is merely to highlight where I have fallen prey to procrastination and sloth. Even with the setbacks, there has been progress and it is important to remind oneself of the progress and the achievements not just the failed attempts at going forward.

In November, I hit a major milestone and made an achievement I didn't know I could do. I've been basking in that achievement since and that's WRONG! But to make that achievement, I've had to make some sacrifices at the time. Now life is back in the mix, which is making it hard for me to get things straight.

Sometimes, one simply wants to waste time. And as many already know, time tends to move slowly when you want it to fly past, and literally slips through your fingers when you want it to slow down so you can take a breath and work on yourself.

Time's a lot of curse words. But I digress. Time is not only to blame, but I'm to blame as well.

In February, I set my 10,000-word writing plan, along with some editing plans. Instead, I only wrote 388 words in Darya's story by pure coincidence.

Midway through the month, I decided I would not pressure myself. February is a short and busy month (half my team at work had holidays, I caught a cold towards the end) and it just wasn't working out.

I decided that I would let this month go, no targets, and no regrets (well slightly) and I would start March with new vigour and targets.

In January, I set out a few resolutions to help me track my progress throughout the year. I'm not moving as fast as I hoped; there have been a few setbacks, BUT there is progress and here it is:

·        I started attending online writing bootcamps and I'm working on improving my freelance writing

·        I've taken an online paid course to develop my career

·     I learnt that I need to create a writer's website so I'm planning to launch that in March (this month)

·        I've finished reading one short self-help book and I'm halfway through the second.

·        I've created my portfolio on Contently.

·        I've written around 3 poems in January

·        I've written a combined total of 8,377 in January (5,616 in Darya's story, 2,439 in personal articles on my blog & a 322-word flash fiction piece titled "A Boom of Blue" – poems excluded)

·        I've listened to several hours of Udemy courses in both January & February. Haven't completed any courses but I'm halfway through three courses, which I hope to conclude in March.

There are a few things on my resolutions list that I have not yet approached but there are 10 more months in the year and I will achieve them – God willing.

A piece of advice I recently came across was finding an accountability buddy for certain tasks. I've not taken that step yet because I'm trying to be accountable to myself first. I don't want to get depressed by not doing what I planned and simply skipping on my unnamed accountability buddy just yet.

As for the blog, I've been on an off, but the writing prompts are ongoing. I also have a few author interviews sent out and some underway. I'm still trying to finish up a piling list of accepted book review requests. You can check out the newly added reviews along with what's in the works here.

Now that I've made the admission to myself – I even have it down in writing, it's time to begin March with new hope, vigour, and willingness to improve oneself, and move forward with the resolutions (set forth on this blog :D)

Who’s a NaNoWriMo Winner? ME!

In November 2017, I challenged myself to write 50,000 words over 30 days.

What is this crazy-number challenge? It’s NaNoWriMo, which stands for National Nove Writing Month. Every November, authors from across the globe challenge themselves to completing a draft or book by writing 50,000 words over a 30-day period. This means around 1,667 words per day, which is not an easy task.

Last time I took part in NaNoWriMo was in 2013 and I only wrote around 3,500 words (give or take a few). Since then, Novembers came and passed and I didn’t take part in the challenge.

But in 2017, I decided I’d take the challenge and had an idea for a story that had been playing in my head for some time. What I call DeeDee’s story.

A mug and its matching coaster I bought in November. I loved drinking from it
while I was working on my NaNoWriMo novel 

On the first day, I passed the required daily count by 100 words. I was thrilled. The second day, let’s just say life got in the way, then the third. On the fourth, I made slow progress. A few days into the second week, I was over 10,000 words behind schedule!

I thought I’d settle for 30,000 words instead of 50,000 but then decided I would do my best to reach the original target. I had another 14 days to prove myself to ME!

Then, I took one day off work, glued my butt to the chair and started writing.

That day, I ended up with a little over 6,000 words! Can you believe that? 6,000 words in a single day! That was equivalent to what I had been doing for the past three months, the full months! I wanted to jump up and down in my room (but didn't in case any family members came in and thought I'd completely lost it!)

Also bought this in November.
Perfect for mystery writers, right?

Still, despite my leap in progress I was not on track - yet. So the hard work had to go on.

When I started the month, I just had some vague idea about certain parts of the novel along with some characters. So, I started writing, but as I progressed I realised that unlike my other writing project this one required an outline.

So, I sat down, picked out the full cast of my characters, and made an initial outline of at least the first three or four chapters along with some main events that I needed to cover. As the novel and I progressed, the events were allocated certain chapters, while other events just popped out in the middle, like romance knocking on DeeDee’s door and other characters looking to appear a second time and so on.

After much hard work, most – if not all – my gym workouts sacrificed and another day taken off from work. I was done. I closed the case and the mystery on the 28th. On the 29th of November, I made some more tweaking, added an actual concluding chapter and was done with 53,166 words!

That's 3,000 words over the target and one day ahead of schedule!

I couldn't believe it!

To corroborate my success, NaNoWriMo lets you put the full text – for confirmation – on their website. That done. I was given a CONGRATULATIONS! WINNER! And this lovely badge!

I have learnt a lot of things by doing NaNoWriMo this year. I know a few of things below are a bit obvious but sometimes you just need to prove to yourself that you can.

So what did NaNoWriMo 2017 teach me?

1)    That I can do it.

2)    That I had not been 100% serious the previous months when I had a 10,000-word target but barely managed 6,000 and once 8,000.

3)    I need to organise my time better.

4)    (A continuation of no. 3) I need to be able to work out, read, and write all in a month.

Throughout November, I was unable to continue reading the books I had started, or pick up new ones. I thought I'd be able to read or finish at least one book.

But I must say, it was all worth it. The sleepless time, the outlines and crossing-outs done (yes, I typed the novel but the outlines and basic ideas were handwritten), the abandoned workouts. DeeDee's story has been born.

The characters speaking in my head at all times of the day was probably the hardest part but it was a great experience.

And you know what?

I'M A NANOWRIMO 2017 WINNER!

Learn more about the differences between a tradition mystery and cozy mystery in this exclusive guest post by author Kirsten Weiss. It was a great reference for me both in learning and while writing.

Check out Nadaness In Motion's cozy mystery book reviews to learn more about the genre and meet some amazing books and authors.

There are a few authors who have unknowingly and indirectly helped me but don't know it. Here are two of them: Devorah Fox and Kirsten Weiss. Every cozy mystery author I've read has helped me one way or another. 

Special thanks to Marc Remus for his help with my second main character, Alexander, the painter.

And of course several close friends, who know who they are.

Oh! Have you seen my shiny certificate? 

(I don't have a novel title yet so DeeDee's paranormal cozy mystery will just have to do!)

Christmas and Supporting Women

Christmas is a time of family gatherings, love and peace.

There are of course the picture-perfect themes shown on television, advertisements and commercials. But the festive season is also known for the high cost of buying gifts, preparing costly meals and the like. While I do not celebrate Christmas, many of my friends do.

In Egypt, we do not have the whole gift buying extravaganza that we hear about in the US, UK and Europe – considering that most Christians who celebrate Christmas in Egypt celebrate it on the 7^th of January, but there is the overall festive season in malls, cafes and shops.

Today, I read an article saying that domestic abuse and domestic violence nearly doubles during Christmas. And I was horrified. I realise that closed spaces, excessive drinking and of course buying gifts or clothes can lead – or mostly leads – to tension in the households.

Still, the article and the figures mentioned – and that was only in the UK – shocked me.

I had never looked at Christmas like that. I guess I had the stereotype image of families gathering around a large, ornate Christmas tree, sharing a big dinner, watching movies together and exchanging presents.

While, there isn't much I can do about it, I can try to raise awareness about the problem.

I can also help spread the word about an anthology published by Scripting Change, whose proceeds all go to a charity for domestic abuse in the US. The charity organisation is called REACH. The anthology of poetry and short stories is called "Breaking Free". More info about the charity can be found here.

So, help out women today or just reach out to your friends or family members you suspect are suffering some kind of abuse and comfort them or help ease their suffering.

Breaking Free on Smashwords allows you to set your own price, on Amazon it has a fixed price.

Merry Christmas to All

P.S. My poem in the Breaking Free anthology is called "Unchained". You can also listen to me recite it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHCHBzDW5g4 

There are two poems in the video, the first is called "Air", the second is "Unchained" and starts at 2:15 

P.S. 2: For the UK, this article provides links that help women who are suffering from domestic abuse or violence.

Open the Door by Nada Adel Sobhi – Poem

Open the door

Let in the light,

Sing me a song,

Hold me tight.

Whisper softly in my ear,

Read my a tale or two,

Drive away my fear,

As you hold me close to you.

I fear the day more than the night

I fear the world when it says

I'm wrong and it's right.

Hold me close,

Don’t let go.

The world is changing,

Don't let me go.

Confusion, anger, lying and defeat

Slowly eat my shell, my sanity,

I cannot stand these cheats;

I fear an upcoming calamity.

Open the door

Let in the light,

Sing me a song,

Hold me tight.

Raise me high above the ground

Away from the world, away from it all.

Hold me close, so I don't hear a sound

Hold me tight and don't let me fall.

Wrap me in your light,

Teach me what is right.

Tell me what I need to do,

To be a better person, a better you.

Awaken my soul, my heart,

My body and mind;

Awaken my senses, give them a start,

Teach me how to be human again.

Open the door

Let in the light,

Sing me a song,

And hold me tight.

Written 8 February 2016 at 00:09

This poem was inspired by the above picture for Takhayyal writing prompt no. 28.

Celebrating International Literacy Day with Grammarly

Tuesday, 8th of September marked International Literacy Day. Grammarly is celebrating the initiative all week. 

Check out their infographic below on illiteracy in the world and see how you can help contribute to your local community, your country or the world, even by simply sharing the statistics and raising awareness.

Takhayyal #writing prompt 16 ft. artist Ruth Geldard

Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Artists, Poets, Writers, Authors, Dreamers, Friends and Family; Welcome EVERYONE to Nadaness In Motion's bi-weekly picture-prompt writing challenge Takhayyal.

Arabic for Imagine, Takhayyal is a means to get inspired and spark our writing once more.

This week, Takhayyal is featuring a painting by artist Ruth Geldard.

About Ruth:

A professional artist for many years, Ruth Geldard has exhibited her paintings in London and the South East at: The Royal Academy, The Royal Watercolour Society, The New English Art Club and many others. She has demonstrated and made painting videos for the paint company, Daler-Rowney and appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Home Truths, painting an on-air portrait of actor Timothy Small’s mother.

She has also written numerous magazine feature-articles and book contributions, about her painting life, for publishers that include; Dorling Kindersly, Collins, Medici Fine Art Publishing, Watson and Guptil.

Her first short story, "An Uncertain State" was shortlisted for the Fish International Short Story Prize. Her first published story, The Parrot Dress, was included in an anthology by Labello Press. The Parrot Dress was also awarded the Sapphire Award for Excellence in Contemporary Narrative and is currently under consideration for a Pushcart Prize.

You can check out more of her artwork at www.ruthgeldard.com

Follow her blog or find her on Twitter.

Your post can be in English or Arabic, prose, poetry, short story, flash fiction; you name it and write it.

General Guidelines:

·        No nudity, violence, and/or abuse.

·        Leave the link to your post in comments below OR post your piece as REPLY to this post

·        Your piece MUST be inspired in some way or other by the above picture

·        Multiple entries allowed

·        It is not required but it is a kind and encouraging gesture to comment on others pieces.

·        Feel free to add your Twitter handle (@....) so I can tag you in my tweets!

Let's IMAGINE!