JNC Writing Support Group
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Who says murders can't be cute?
Terrifying - sure. Deadly - yep.
And cute.
Drown them in fairy floss and rose petals while guarded by teddy bears :)
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Okay, I’ve about hit the point of diminishing returns on what I can do with my story without another set of eyes to look at it. I will post an updated link, if anyone is up for reading it (60K words for the contest, and I have chapters that go well beyond this that I am just not thinking about right now). It has an “ending” that begs for additional volumes, so I plan on sending to the continuing story contest.
Again, please let me know if anyone wants to read.
Synopsis below.
Title: The Two Minds of Cassandra: Revenge and Redemption
Synopsis:
The Two Minds of Cassandra begins with the familiar "villainess-returns-to-her-youth-for-revenge" trope but quickly evolves into a much deeper exploration of identity, growth, and redemption. The twist? The villainess, Cassandra, returns to her younger self only to find her body also inhabited by the innocent soul of a child—one who was meant to live that life. This internal duality transforms the story into a coming-of-age tale for the young soul, and redemption story for the older.
Though the narrative contains moments of humor and warmth, The Two Minds of Cassandra is primarily a dramatic story, unafraid to confront darker, complex themes where necessary. Death, bloodshed, and the harsh inequities of the world surface where the story demands them. Moments of playful childhood innocence—a game of hide-and-seek, for instance—are starkly contrasted with the grim reality of a former slave village where children struggle to survive. Though the specter of sexual abuse is present, it is handled with a sensitivity comparable to "Ascendence of a Bookworm," with a violent unwanted kiss between adults being the only instance described to the reader and is portrayed as disturbing, not romantic.As Cassandra and the others confront their pasts and the injustices surrounding them, the rediscovery of lost Atlantean magic becomes a central theme. Sword fights and assassination attempts add to the sense of adventure, but the real heart of the story lies in the characters' evolving motivations. What begins as a quest for personal revenge transforms into a deeper desire to reshape a broken world.
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@jazzyjeoff Good luck!
Sounds fascinating, I hope you make it through the first round so I can check it out 😊
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I've lost most of November (and the beginning of December) to family stuff, but I am happy to take a look if you want.
I should note that I am not a great editor - more of a general comments provider than a line editor.
But if you are after some general feedback then let me know.
Good luck. Having read your Tearmoon stuff, I know you'll be good.
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@Damon-Cavalchini I just sent you a link to the story. If you are up to looking at the story outline and character descriptions, I can forward those as well. I hope your family is okay, and it is good to see you back here.
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Hey guys, been a while. Hope everyone is still working on their books and staying on the grind!
Bit of an update from me. I've just signed a publishing deal with an online publisher for a new book series! It's a RTS LitRPG based in a romance of the three kingdoms-esque setting.
I'm hoping to have it released some time in 2025.
As for my sports book that I posted for last year's JNC competition, I'm heading to Shanghai on Sunday to accept an award for it.
Just wanted to say for those of you still in the group, please keep grinding!
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Hi there,
Sorry I've been offline on family stuff but have started reading and making some comments.
I can see the thematic similarities with Tearmoon but the difference in style marks this as its own creation (so far).
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@Damon-Cavalchini said in JNC Writing Support Group:
Hi there,
Sorry I've been offline on family stuff but have started reading and making some comments.
I can see the thematic similarities with Tearmoon but the difference in style marks this as its own creation (so far).
Yes, I love Tearmoon, and I am sure it shows in this story. But I have forced myself to play it (mostly) straight here—which has been a challenge. I wanted a more “realistic” story that would appeal to folks that like redemption stories, but if I go too dark, I am afraid that I will lose my audience, and if I go too schmaltzy—it just becomes Tearmoon without the humor. But the motivations of the MCs are very different than anything in Tearmoon—and the hook is pretty unique.
I hope the family stuff works itself out for the holidays. Take care of yourself—and thanks for the input!
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How are things going everyone?
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@jazzyjeoff Hello, I am new to this, entered very late, finished my stuff in time though haha! I'm mostly worried right now about how to submit my synopsis, since I am doing a very long ongoing story, I don't know if my synopsis should cover what I submitted, the "first arc", or the "whole story".
Has staff told us what to do in that circumstance?
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@A_Tor They haven't specified so go for what feels right. For example, I'm doing the first three books (Arc 1) as it takes everything to a natural close even though there are more books possible.
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@Damon-Cavalchini understood! Thanks for your advice and good luck!
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@A_Tor No problems and good luck.
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@LeeroyCGNA that's really cool! congrats on all your success!
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@A_Tor Yeah, we are all on guess here. Last year, I went with something short that hit key events covered in the story. This year, I am going a little longer and more abstract, hitting the feel of the story, more than the events covered.
But who knows?
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It doesn't look like I will get mine done in time. Just didn't have much time to work on it, and the beginning really needs to be reworked.
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@Aquantis Sorry about that. The story I sent last year was more of a draft. But just having the deadline of the contest made me start writing, and now it is a better story this year. So, I hope that the work you have done ends up being a positive for you.
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Just sent mine. Good luck everyone!
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I also sent mine in! good luck to you guys as well! Interested in hearing what your stories are about!
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Good luck to everyone who entered!
Though I will not be able to submit mine this time, I can tell you about it.
Title: Kidnapped to Another World
Its about a first year high schooler who ends up in another world against her will. She does not have the ability that her summoner was looking for and so is let go in the world with a small pouch of the local currency as compensation. Some misfortune befalls her, and she gains an unusual helper/guide to navigate the world she is currently trapped in. She has to find a way to survive in this other world, and then get home.
It is a fantasy world, but more for the races that exists and the fact that everyone that comes into the world gains a random blessing from one of the gods (born is the normal way to get the blessing, but it turns out entering from the use of a summoning blessing also counts). The gods are real and can interact with mortals given the right circumstances. Humans are not one of the races in this other world.
It is to be a standalone story, but open ended enough that it could spawn a sequel or spinoff stories. Currently there it no romance planned for the protagonist.
So far everything in the story is from her point of view. I am not sure if I should add other characters point of view or leave that to short/side stories.
