Writing Tag on "Three Dark Roses"

I was reading a blog post at The Pen and the Parchment when I found this story tag. It really made me think.

Writing Tag on "Three Dark Roses"


1. What’s your word count?
(edited) is 37, 792

2. How long until you finish?
I have no clue

3. If you have finished, how long did it take you?
It began in May 2009 as a short story, then I lengthened it for NaNoWriMo 2009, so I’ve been working with its current form for about sixteen months

4. Do you have an outline?
No

5. Do you have a plot?
Yes

6. How many words do you typically write a day?
Ah…depends on whether it’s November or not

7. What was your greatest word count in one day?
Almost 5,000

8. What was your least impressive word count in one day?
Zero

9. What inspired you to write?
A dream I had

10. Does your novel/story have a theme song?
Either “Everything Falls” by Fee or “Hands of the Healer” by John Waller

11. Assign each of your major characters a theme song.
Micah: “If I Stand’ by Rich Mullins
Joel: ‘Prodigal’ by Matt Hoffland
Abigail: ‘Hold Me Jesus’

12. Which character is most like you?
Daleth, who is actually a minor character

13. Which character would you most likely be friends with?.
Daleth

14. Do you have a Gary-Stu or Mary Sue character?
I don’t think so

15. Who is your favorite character in your novel?
Micah…I don’t really have a reason; he’s not even a point-of-view character, but he’s very good.

16. Have your characters ever done something completely unexpected?
All the time.

17. Have you based any of your novel directly on personal experiences?
Ah…considering what happens in my story, it’s a good thing not.

18. Do you believe in plot bunnies?
Yes. Especially the ones that come wearing swords.

19. Is there magic in your novel/story?
There are things that may be considered magically by us, but not really. No spells or anything, just music and blossoms.

20. Are any holidays celebrated in your novel/story?
At least four seasonal holidays, possibly more

21. Does anyone die?
Does anyone live?

22. How many cups of coffee/tea have you consumed during your writing experience?
None. I live on hot coco and cider

23. What is the latest you have stayed up writing?
11 pm

24. What is the best line?
‎'He knows I am stronger than he is, so he attempts to hurt me by wounding my beloved children

25. What is the worst line?
???????/

26. Have you dreamed about your novel/story or its characters?
Yes, in fact it was a dream that got it started.

27. Does your novel rely heavily on allegory?
Yes

28. Summarize your novel/story in under fifteen words.
Abigail learns of the King’s strength in times of hardship

29. Do you love all your characters?
Yes. Except for the two arch-villains. Oh, and one of the soldiers for the villians

30. Have you done something sadistic or cruel to your characters specifically to increase your word count?
NaNoWriMo= sadistic word-count building

31. What was the last thing your main character ate?
Beef broth

32. Describe your main character in three words.
Abigail: Timid, trusting, faithful
Joel: aggravating, harsh, haughty

33. What would your antagonist dress up as for Halloween?
Halloween doesn’t exist there

34. Does anyone in your story go to a place of worship?
One of my characters is a cross between a priest and a doctor, so of course

35. How many romantic relationships take place in your novel/story?
One that ends very quickly in death, and two previously married couples.

36. Are there any explosions in your novel/story?
Not that I can remember

37. Is there an apocalypse in your novel/story?
Yes. In the Left-Behind sense of the word

38. Does your novel take place in a post-apocalyptic world?
no

39. Are there zombies, vampires or werewolves in your novel/story?
no

40. Are there witches, wizards or mythological creatures/figures in your novel/story?
no

41. Is anyone reincarnated?
no

42. Is anyone physically ill?
Yes. My FMC has anemia and asthma

43. Is anyone mentally ill?
Sometimes Joel acts like it, but no…he’s just stubborn

44. Does anyone have swine flu?
No

45. Who has pets in your novel and what are they?
No pets

46. Are there angels, demons, or any religious references/figures in your novel/story?
The main religious figures are the Abir—angelic beings who can take human form—and the King.

47. How about political figures? Are there political figures in my book?
No. All authority is ‘religious’

48. Is there incessant drinking?
No

49. Are there board games? If so, which ones?
Yes, I took the old Norwegian game ‘King’s Table’ and called it Meir.

50. Are there any dream sequences?
Yes. Dreams and visions both.

51. Is there humor?
Yes. I am especially proud of my towel fight sequence.

52. Is there tragedy?
Indeed. So much so that my friend wishes to strangle me for it.

53. Does anyone have a temper tantrum?
I don’t think so

54. How many characters end up single at the end of your novel/story?
Irrelevant

55. Is anyone in your novel/story adopted?
Abigail is adopted about one fourth of the way through, but it’s more like a foster care situation, because she’s twelve years old.

56. Does anyone in your novel/story wear glasses?
No. They don’t have glasses.

57. Has your novel/story provided insight about your life?
Yes

58. Your personality?
Yes

59. Has your novel/story inspired anyone?
Yes, one of my friends did a fanfic of one chapter.

60. How many people have asked to read your novel/story?
I have one friend who is editing it for me, and I’ve posted the first chapter on a website

61. Have you drawn any of your characters?
Yes. It turned out fairly poorly

62. Has anyone drawn your characters for you?!
No

63. Does anyone vomit in your novel/story?
Yes. Well, at least in the rough draft. It might be removed later.

64. Does anyone bleed in your novel/story?
Oh yes, plenty of blood that cries out for vengence

65. Do any of your characters watch TV?
Nonexistent

66. What size shoe does your main character wear?
Six, maybe for Abigail and ten for Joel?

67. Do any of the characters in your novel/story use a computer?
Nonexistent

68. How would you react if your novel/story was erased entirely?
SCREAM! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

69. Did you cry at killing off any of your characters?
No, but I got pretty close

70. Did you cheer when killing off one of your characters?
No.

71. What advice would you give to a fellow writer?
Write as much as you can. And don’t be afraid of editing

72. Describe your ending in three words.
The King returns

73. Are there any love triangles, squares, hexagons, etc.?
no

74. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being the least stressful, 10 being the most) how does your stress rank?
From this story, or from school? 1 at the moment…

75. Was it worth it?
Totally!