So, a few weeks ago I started doing some sprints with a group on Fb. The best part about the sprints, I think, is the themes they give us. We're supposed to incorporate the theme, or the word, into the story.
We meet up online when someone posts a 'Wanna sprint?' to the group. Its often with a good 20-30 minutes before we'll actually sprint, enough time to get something to drink, set the mood and lock out the family. Or whatever you have to do to get ready.
Then, its a 30 min 'write' sprint.
Ideally, you're not supposed to edit while you sprint. Its about getting the words out, not the quality of the words. Some people dislike that, as they have to go back and edit over everything later. Personally, I've found the more often you do the sprints, the better you get at self editing on the fly. But, that could also be just me.
Once the 30 min is up, we return to post our word count, plus either the best bit, or the bit with the prompt. :D
Sometimes I look through a book of prompts, and add in another one to 'sweeten' the inspiration. This is just for myself. Other times, the song playing on my Spotify playlist will spark what I need to start something.
Then, my muse struck without me looking.
Our theme was Garbage Can and my theme was four sealed boxes. Add to that, Familiar Taste of Poison and you get the start of something interesting.
In fact, that something was so interesting, its just over 9k in words and I think about half done. Not to mention that I've gotta plot out sme things and needed a world map, and a mind map program.
Yeah, something that simple became much more.
From what I can tell, the story [The Fairy Tale Murders] is a novella of sorts, most likely a little too weird to be a Cozy Mystery, but something for me to explore. My brains been in a dark place lately, and this story might be what I need to move through it. I hope to have it finished by the end of the month, so I can start NaNoWriMo with something new.
I don't wanna share too much of the story, but I'm going to show the small start below. Not too many words, just a hint of what its about. And remember, this is first draft only. So its kinda Raw. If you listen to the song at the same time, could be cool.
Kristy C
He looked down at the body before him, eyes staring blankly back. Even in death, she was stunning. Black hair splayed out around her head in a sort of halo. The kind you can’t get without someone’s carefully combing it out. Hands had been crossed over her chest, with an apple resting above them.
Cause of death hadn’t yet been determined, but he’d have bet money it was poison. A glass lay next to the body, tipped over with what had been left of the wine only a few drips in the glass, and a puddle on the floor.
It fit with the other killings they’d had lately. Three others, each killed by poison and each laid out to represent a fairy tale princess. His analysts were having a field day working out a profile, as well as who would be next. Best they could tell, before this one, only Snow White and Cinderella were left. Although he’d pointed out the others had been princesses, while she’d only married a prince.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at the rest of the room. Four sealed boxes had been arranged around an old metal garbage can. X-Ray machines were being brought in to see if they could figure out what was in each, before they opened them.
Each one had a marking on it, and he had a feeling to what was in the last one. It bothered him to no end, because it meant the reasons would never be known. Killers like this didn’t tend to leave notebooks laying around with their reasons.
He just hoped, it wasn’t who he suspected. Stepping toward them, he saw the markings more clearly. A rose, a wave, a braid and a swan.
“They called her Cinderella, because they made her sleep in the ashes by the fireplace and she was always covered in the cinders.” He mumbled, opening the lid as others yelled at him to stop.
Staring up with a blank face was a lovely woman with golden hair. Her body had been bent and twisted to fit into the can, before the ashes had been dumped in. Looking back at the woman on the floor, he swore.
They had an accomplice to look for.
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