BendtedWreath

@Headstall and @LJCC I have been taking notes this entire time. These examples help tremendously. I am hoping other beginner writers are also paying attention. Nuances and subtext are still difficult for me to portray well. Many, many thanks to everyone!!

The refusal to head hop is what made it challenging. Thanks so much for your input and for the example!

Sailor Spice doesn't sound like much of an insult to me. 🤣 But I've completely forgotten about handwritten communication (or texting and emailing). Thanks for your input!

I believe it's third person limited.

Ah, so Pepe IS Joseph! I'm glad you pointed that out. 🤣

I didn't think about pointing out Character 1's thoughts or thought progression/mental perceptions. 🤔And speculating about how we think others view us is something we subconsciously do every day. I just need to try to "transfer" that way of thinking onto the written page. Thank you so much for your input! Now, if I can only figure out what "gradual" in "Character 2's mental language" looks like in my head. 😂

Actions speak louder than words! ...but do they always? I find myself in a challenging situation in which Character 2 barely believes Character 1's actions are sincere since they were perceived incorrectly, and he believes the words coming out of Character 1's mouth even less! My goal is to show Character 2 changing his mind gradually. But that had me wondering everyone else's methods to help showcase another character while the main character is still very much the key tool through which we are measuring everything that happens. Other than their actions and their words, how would YOU show what another character is thinking while being limited to the main character's overall point of view?

Gary's writing style is as eloquent as his comments. This was a real pleasure for his first entry! I would gladly read more and more.

Juan groaned half-silently as the harsh bell on the old alarm clock rang out in his dark and spartan bedroom. - Already, this is incredibly descriptive. Before we even started the second paragraph, we can already start guessing at things, like Juan's mother being religious. What a strong start! But then a worry entered his head: was he on their lists? Had he been seen approaching that bar in the town 25 kilometres away? - I know that fear too well! "Hopefully, the next generation will give us a team of potters to be proud of.” He was to pass away still disappointed and deceived. - Oh, let him keep such useless feelings as disappointment. Everyone has different skills and talents. I'm actually glad Juan didn't have a kid, or else his grandfather would have tried to burden the child with such lofty "straightly painted pottery lines" expectations. His reverie was interrupted by a loud crash of falling pottery, by a strong, very unlady-like curse, and by the door opening to announce that Mother had arrived. - Whoa! It's hard enough for him to sell anything. Ruining his hard work is wasting money, Mom! But his thoughts were on that brief encounter with the guys from the other evening. Why? - The real question is who wouldn't prefer thinking about better moments like someone giving you a free drink at a bar and trying to talk to you? Jack sighed and headed to the kitchen to escape. Sometimes Johannes was just too much. - HA! I just realized...Juan, Joan, Jack, and Johannes all start with J...I'm just a tiny bit disappointed Pepe wasn't a Jose, Joel, or Julio to complete the set. This was a really solid read, though I wish we had more detail and longer scenes towards the end (just like how the beginning scenes were). I think this was supposed to be your prompt piece, so I understand the rush to finish. The ending of mine didn't feel as detailed, either. I'm glad Juan's free AND that he managed to expand his business, even if he hasn't fully realized it yet. The area he lives in feels a bit dangerous, though, to keep his orientation from garnering too much religious attention. Overall, I really enjoyed this. I'm looking forward to more stories from you!

Do anthology entries need to be complete works?

Having read three of this author's stories almost back-to-back, I can say for certain that I look forward to anything and everything written by @wildone from now on. As for why Ethan's underwear is in the swimming pool, you'll have to read and find out for yourself.

I couldn’t believe that Todd from the university swimming team was actually in the uni pool at this time of night or even the bigger surprise that he was talking to me. - Wait...Todd from the previous story, Todd?? If it is, I'm glad he has someone crushing on him at Uni! It's been a while coming. The second day I wear some cargo shorts with all the pockets filled with socks - 😂What a method of madness. Who would think losing a pair would end up this way? - 🤣!!

You never know what a bully struggles with until you truly get to know them. This was an excellent story that made me feel hopeful.

Jason, take Todd to the office and make sure he doesn’t bleed all over the school, and get them to call his mom or dad./Two things now had me mad as fuck. - Not Jason! Come on! Second, why the hell would I want Jason to take me to the office; it was his fault! - Right? “No way I’m going to sit in front of you and let you fantasize over my ass all year,” he sneered as he sat down./I don’t really know where this was all coming from, to tell the truth. - Maybe he has a rough home life? I was actually quite shocked. Jason wasn’t calling me the usual names and really, I had nothing to disagree with him about right now. Well, maybe the dufus comment. - Yeah, surprisingly responsible. “Mrs. Thatcher, can I call my mom and maybe she and I can take Todd to the hospital? Now that I think about it, I do feel a bit responsible.”- Atta boy! I really didn’t want to be naked with Jason in the shower. - You sure about that, buddy? I’ve seen him going to the showers after class before, and he seemed to have no issues with his body. - Good for him. As he was washing his hair, he seemed to flex and have dimples on each cheek. Mrs. Kutzner, where the fuck are you? - LMAO! 😂 Besides, a cool shower is always good after practice. - Oh he'll definitely need a cold one, that's for sure! 🤣 “See, I told you,” Jason said through a chuckle. “My mom won’t let you go until reparations are done.” - Awesome mom. “No prob man. Like I said, should have got you one sooner. But I think I have beaten you up not only physically but emotionally today,” he stated as he looked at me. - Someone's super self-aware. “I spent the night in my room and cranked up Metallica so I couldn’t hear my parents or him banging on my door wanting to talk. By the way, I hate fucking Metallica!” - Was it the betrayal of not knowing that whole time? “Not only are you going have an amazing friend, but one that will remind you every day how lucky you are to have me.” He actually had the nerve to look smug./.“Oh my god, I think I hear my dad calling me to come home.” I couldn’t resist. - 🤣 This was a good read. Sounds like Todd found himself a forever friend, even if at first, he was more like a frenemy.

The first draft was barely 1200 words. I'm relieved I was able to get anything close to the prompt at all by the time I got to this draft. Thank you!

This is one Christmas story you'll never forget. Guaranteed. Not to give too much away, the main character is an elite soldier. So, this one is not for the faint of heart.

Oh no! 🤣Soon as he pulled out that rifle, I had a feeling that his motivation wasn't to prove others wrong.

Wait, what Santa story? I wasn't part of GA last Christmas. Is it Meeting Santa?

Does Welcome Christmas count?

🤣That prompt! You really brought it to life. Amazingly done!

Yes. This.

I didn't think of that. Nice theory!

I have to give credit to the prompt itself when it comes to descriptions and details. I did my best to do what it said. Still, it was a delicate subject matter I never personally experienced, so I know I didn't really convey everything properly. I also listened carefully to the three people I reached out for help when it came to this story, and their input definitely elevated it several notches. It's so easy to become defensive or feel like a failure when you can't get something down the way you see it in your head (artists that draw have similar frustrations). But when you start truly seeing your first draft as a block of clay (the necessary base from which to sculpt anything at all), you will realize that with another set of eyes and opinions, you will be able to remove and add to that clay as many times as necessary until the sculpture that remains is the final polished draft. You have to see that first attempt as malleable and flexible.

Some things can't be fixed, and time doesn't heal all wounds, but we all find different ways to cope. Many, many thanks. My heart goes out to that family and I hope they are all in a better state. For Eudora, it was a little bit of both. The love wasn't all gone; she still wished him well, but their son was their everything, and she found she could no longer see Dalit as a partner but as the father of the son she'd lost. Depression can really swallow a person up whole. At least, that's how I interpreted it. Again, I've gone through none of this. I've seen others go through it and did my best to step into their shoes for a little while.

Back after reading them all. Not a weak one in the bunch, in my opinion. We got a little bit of everything: grief, war, escapism, romance, friendship, adventure, retirement, orientation, therapy, pranks, and even some crime mystery!