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L.M. du Plessis 📚💙 ‪✨Writing TLC Sequel✨

@smoking-gnu.bsky.social
4.3K followers 7.4K following 7.5K posts

Writer. Dog and birdy lover. Inept gamer. Social barren wasteland. Current projects: Drafting Scales of the Progenitor Please Support: www.wwadcreative.com/anthology 🚫AI🚫

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L.M. du Plessis 📚💙 ‪✨Writing TLC Sequel✨ @smoking-gnu.bsky.social · 2h
G'afternoon #TFOTsnip! Milly not feeling all that stable after a bit of an encounter with some strange animal behavior. #writesky #writingprompts #writingcommunity
A flood of water invades my mouth and nose, and I splutter and cough back into consciousness in a panicked rush. I sit upright but feel a multitude of hands hold me stable on the back and shoulders, and moments pass before I’m able to clearly take in my surroundings. Those surroundings are occupied by my students standing in a circle around me, looking down on my sitting ass with far more concern than I deserve.
“What the- what happened? Everyone okay?” I ask, gaining me some confused looks.
“Yeah, we’re fine, are you okay?” Christine asks, clearly baffled and holding a dripping but empty bucket. I look at her, then set my mind to searching around my body for any sensory evidence of injury, besides the cold and wet from the water just used to revive me. Aside from soreness that I assume is from the fall, I don’t think I’ve been bitten by any of the snakes, although I’m unsure as to what that’d feel like.
Snakes. 
Holy crap, we must be surrounded by snakes!
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The Fellowship of the Snip @thefellowsnip.bsky.social · 4h
Day 48 - September 30th Today’s word is: Stable I am completely stable. Or perhaps, stable like horse stable. You decide! #writesky #writingprompts #TFOTSnip #writingcommunity
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L.M. du Plessis 📚💙 ‪✨Writing TLC Sequel✨ @smoking-gnu.bsky.social · 2h
#Septopolis D30 The thing i learned about my city in question is that i spent waaayyy too little time in it in the story to know very many details of it at all, but then that's probably normal for a Voyage type story. #Writingcommunity #Writesky
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Khonri 🫜 @khonri.com · 4h
A final good morning for 2026, #Septopolis. It's that day! Do as you will. I'll jingle the jar below but know that it is not out of any need. If anything, today, I encourage you to go find a locally owned establishment in your city and buy something. Maybe learn a fact about your local history!
A daily prompt card for #Septopolis 2026, hosted by @khonri.com.

Outro, 30. It's Free Space Day--so you know, do your promo or whatever, share a feature of your place in a topic I missed, or tell me the most interesting thing you learned through this process.

Interpret each prompt as suits your needs! Talk about relevant characters! Yap! Or don't! Develop a new city or whatever or talk about one you already built. Make friends.

The background features a slightly blurred and purple hued image of the upper section of a set photograph of Main Commercial Street in Fritz Lang's Metropolis (UFA, 1927) of towering buildings.
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Andrew Bruce-Lockhart @andrewbrucelockhart.co.uk · 6h
The #WIPSnips word for September 30th is "guard" A close-ish short one from Atlas Rising Rourke vs making an entrance #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
So here he sat, waiting for his cue, guarded and held back until the right moment. Like that troublesome uncle at a wedding whose arrival makes everyone just a little uncomfortable.
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Kari Sullivan is querying @karisulli.bsky.social · 12h
I overuse "well", especially in dialogue! Luckily this prompt gave me the opportunity to delete a few 😜 Here, Sub-Inspector Hardgrave has denied water to a poisoned witness, in order to slip him drugged water when he's extremely thirsty. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“Phineas,” Hardgrave called. “I’m bringing you water.”
The convict gave no response. When Hardgrave opened the door and held the jug through the crack, someone snatched it, quick as a monkey.
“See, how thirsty he is.” Disapproval weighted the corners of Lund’s mouth. “He should have all the water he can drink, to dilute the arsenic in his blood.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t care,” Hardgrave muttered. “Phineas? We’re coming in. There’s a lady present, so behave yourself.”
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Robert Ellison @robert-ellison.bsky.social · 12h
#WIPSnips - Well #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #Writing #FlashFiction #ShortStory #WritingPrompts
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Elves in Viridian @reindeerarebetter.bsky.social · 11h
#WIPSnips #WriteSky #fanfiction Well, well, well. The little family is forced to flee Amon Ereb after a couple of years. It seemed unlikely Maglor and Maedhros could safely go to Balar, and so they are in Ossiriand. Elros is injured; Elrond has been discovered by village children (men, not elves).
“Elros should be well soon,” he said in conclusion. “Perhaps I will leave the story of Tuor our kinsman for him to tell; he knows it as well as I do.”
The group protested as one.
“I need to stretch my legs, get a drink, and check in with my family. Perhaps in a little while, after you have told me a story in return, I can tell another.”
The other children looked to one of the girls, apparently their usual source of stories. She thought it over, then grinned. “All right. Can we meet your brother?”
Elrond shrugged. “I could check. Being hurt has made him sleep often.”
There was a well at the center of the village, where the group took turns drinking from a tin cup on a light chain. They assembled at Eweyn’s house, Elrond taking the lead to see if the healer minded the company and if Elros would be awake for it.
“Did you find an adventure to report?” Maglor asked. Elros was awake, and beginning to look peevish about his inability to do anything.
“I found children!” Elrond told them, watching his brother’s face. He had guessed the envy correctly, and the curiosity, but was surprised by a faint trace of worry. “And they want to meet you. Can they?” The last was directed to Eweyn, who was finishing up another cleaning of the wound with a new bandage.
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Lisa L Hilton @lisalhilton.bsky.social · 10h
So many wells in this book... :D #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Hoping he was reading the situation correctly, Tevyal removed his veil and set it on the bench next to him, easily retrievable. He dug in his pack for his food and waterskin. Nobody said anything or even seemed to notice, so he ate and drank. Enough food to stave off hunger, but not so much that it would tire him during the interview. He drained the waterskin, then repacked his bag and tucked his veil into the top. He hadn’t seen a well, so he wasn’t sure where he’d be able to refill if things didn’t go well with the Register. 

Excerpt from the Queen's Waterman by Lisa L Hilton
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Adregem ཐིཋྀ @adregem.bsky.social · 9h
This one is from All the King's Dead. Aneira and Rhodri are about to meet the Lich, and the guards they brought along "just in case" are proving to be not super brave. #WIPSnips #AmWriting #WritingPrompts #Writers #Writing #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #Fantasy #SFF #FantasySky
   Cecil swept from the room, leaving them alone in the Lich’s study with two guards who were sweating like whipped horses and another one who was pale as unbaked meringue.
   “Why did we bring them?” Aneira said from the corner of her mouth.
   Rhodri responded with a spare shake of his head that said, “Quiet,” but before Aneira could feel the full breadth of the admonishment, heavy footsteps sounded in the doorway Cecil had just disappeared through.
   The newcomer was four steps into the room before he noticed he wasn’t alone. He stopped walking, red-rimmed eyes drifting from one face to the next, landing on no one in particular. 
   “And where is Cecil?” he asked in a tired voice.
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Nel @wasphole.bsky.social · 9h
🧛‍♂️ A Gentleman's Tour of the Empire 🦇 Kenneth has had a liiittle too much to drink. #wipsnips #writesky #writingcommunity #vampire
His own guffaw caught him off-guard, and he wound up snorting some of the wine out of his nose. Oh dear. Perhaps it was time to desist if he was that far gone. He stood and stumbled to a compact wooden desk by the cabin window to replace the bottle. The room did not stop swaying when the hammock did.

“Throw up in here and you’re a dead man,” Jo grumbled. Suddenly she scrambled backward, flapping at something with her shoe. “Oh, get away!”

A well-fed mouse, roughly the shape of a tennis ball, had scampered onto the blanket and was busy cramming its spacious cheeks with the crumbs from their sandwiches. She threw a potato at it, which missed and struck Kenneth on the ankle, nearly causing him to topple in his inebriated state. The mouse scampered to a hole near the foot of the bed, its rounded bottom almost getting stuck. Catching the creature didn’t seem like it would be a difficult task.
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KJ @redhawkkj.bsky.social · 9h
Syd can't help wondering who's been doing the *guarding* in the interim. Sapphic romance/? WIP ~2nd MC's POV #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #lesfic #sapphic
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KJ @redhawkkj.bsky.social · 9h
For this *guard* reference, someone has an over-inflated opinion of themself. Sapphic romance/? WIP ~1st MC's POV #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WritingPrompts #lesfic #sapphic
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KJ @redhawkkj.bsky.social · 9h
Kennedy's asked to *guard* the door against eavesdroppers. Western w/sapphic romance series #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #WriteSky #lesfic #sapphic
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KJ @redhawkkj.bsky.social · 9h
Maddy's caught off *guard* by Marty's direct way of speaking. Women's Fiction w/sapphic romance series #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #lesfic #sapphic
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Sage 💙👻🌞❄️🦸🏼‍♀️🦹🏼🦴✨🤖👽 @sagecollins.bsky.social · 9h
Trying to avoid his own guard, Sunny gets caught sneaking around Natura palace in the middle of the night by two others #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity From Summer’s Cruel Warmth, Winter’s Gentle Chill 🌞💂
Black text, green background, “guards“ x2 highlighted pink

Fortunately, the threshold understands that I have no bad intentions and allows my entry. The two GUARDS at the entrance are shooting the breeze, but startle when I walk in. "Hi," I say my voice hushed, despite my sheepish grin. "Just me."

"Your Highness," says the one named Avalanche, their voice a cross between a question and a scolding. Natura uniforms, similar to Summer and Winter in material and cut, differ in a really handy way. They have higher collars, and each has a tag with their name and a symbol revealing their gender. I love it, taking the guesswork out of meeting new people. The GUARDS' protective jackets don't cover the tag, so I can see "Avalanche" and the viola tricolor on theirs. Their friend, Mittens, is trying not to smile as she says, "Go ahead, your Highness. We won't tell."

Only my secret mission has me saying "Thank you!" as quietly as I can. I know their gossip's about to be about me, and I wonder what adventures they're imagining up for me.
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C Alexandra @nerdcactus.bsky.social · 9h
Just sneaking in here to actually post something for once before diving back into schoolwork. Help me. #WIPSnips #writingcommunity #writesky
Clara called for Eli’s help, wondering what was taking him so long. Eli motioned for Will to follow him and jogged the rest of the way to the Saloon, stepping through the doors like the sheriff in all the westerns. As if his presence alone would solve everything.
 
Judging by the way the room stilled and everyone looked up at him, Will had to wonder if it could. Clara knelt by a man, directing him to press a handkerchief into his side as she dug into her bag for whatever tools she needed. The bleeding man grit his teeth in pain but otherwise made no other concession to agony.
 
“It’s Al.” Another man called out to Eli. He was standing over the wounded man—the Albert of whom Eli spoke earlier, judging by the Union cavalry hat lying next him—preventing anyone from coming near. “Damned Reb stabbed him.” He gestured to the far end of the room, where a wiry fellow, whose pointed features rather reminded Will of a stoat, sat under guard by several of the townsfolk. “Went after Isaiah.” Another gesture, this time to a large black man in the near corner, tucked into the round table by the window. He had something against his eye.
 
Will’s stomach churned at the smell of booze and blood commingling in the air, but Eli made no sign of noticing it. “Jeb. Isaiah. Grab him. Clara, we’ll take him back to the homestead. Reverend, I’m going to need your gig. Everyone else, stand back. And keep Jeremiah still. He’s done enough damage this evening. We don’t need him doing anything to bring the Marshals down on us. Again.”
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Jamie Rae Allan @jamieraeallan.bsky.social · 9h
A conversation between sisters in over their heads. #WIPSnips #Writesky
“We were all so young. Too young for war, really. And when someone is in a cage, and not pointing a weapon at you, you start seeing them as a person. You start connecting to them. These guards forgot the first thing they told us in training: never learn their names.”
“Okay… and?”
“And, if you want to connect to someone… or something, maybe ask its name? Or give it one. If nothing else, it would make this easier to talk about.”
Connect? Did she want to connect with this thing? This parasite that chewed her from the inside out.
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Nicole R. @sainiku.northsky.social · 9h
#WIPSnips Lusana is 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 upset. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Lusana continued reading the file on her desk, ignoring my presence, while occasionally clicking her pen. There weren’t any chairs for me to sit in, so I just stood there, awkwardly waiting in silence. Eventually, she finished reading the document and signed her name at the bottom with a practiced, yet messy flick of her wrist.

“Seems like you’ve learned some patience. I can appreciate that.” Her eyes turned to a small pile of dark beige folders. “Here.” She took three off the top of the stack, and dropped them towards me.

“What are these?”

She set her pen down and glared at me, preemptively seeming disappointed. “Guard profiles. Pick one.”

A sudden jolt of regret caught me by surprise, followed by a repulsion to the mere existence of the items. “I refuse them all.”

She rolled her eyes and without a word, snatched the files from the table and carelessly tossed them into a trash bin behind her. Then, she just stared at me, as if waiting for me to speak.

But I knew better. I had seen that same look in my Aunt’s eyes before. Anything I said, even the simplest of pleasantries, would have set her off into a fury. So instead, I stayed silent.
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Paul Hikari @paulhikari.bsky.social · 9h
With the first match in CoE comes the first fighter intro. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
“Introducing first! Fighting out of the blue corner! A gladiator, making his Children of the Earth debut. He stands one hundred seventy-five centimeters tall, weighing in at seventy kilos. Fighting out of Dongducheon, Korea! Presenting…”
On cue, a cloud of pixels swarmed my body and just as quickly vanished. Now, I was wearing my chosen gear: a brigandine vest with a red eagle emblem; a gray headband tied across my forehead; spiked gloves and metal-capped boots; bracers on my arms; shin guards; and a sheathed gladius at my hip.
The announcer then said my name: “Gil Dong ‘Hangul Pride’ Rhee!” and the audience cheered.

From "King of Blades", available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and more via Books2Read:
https://books2read.com/king-of-blades
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rachels_memories on AO3 @rachels-memories.bsky.social · 9h
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #WIPSnips #traumamakesdrama ‘Guard’ in The Dreamer and the Dreamed
In his courting days, when Lucius had entertained musings on this topic, Abraxas had dismissed them outright.
{“You were expecting hearts and flowers, son? A deep bond of souls? You are lucky to have secured a match with the House of Black at all."
{“Father, I just thought — maybe you and —" {"Don't be ridiculous, Lucius. You've just been reading too many romantic texts — *ancient* romantic texts."}
So rare and ancient, the magical soul bond, it would be unattainable for Lucius and his *wife.* But now, this mud-blood, *she* reaches across the chasm and sinks her lovely little claws in.
There is no window in Lucius' cell, but perhaps that's the most tender of mercies. The dim light that does reach him comes from the corridor where his guards spend a generous amount of time deriding him verbally, and slicing and dicing him physically — ‘Look, Lewy, these Death Eaters bleed like anyone else.' In fact, some of us bleed a superior red, Lucius thinks. But he thinks it quietly.The Dreamer and the Dreamed by rachels_memories
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JJ Robinson II #amquerying #scifi @jjrobinson2.bsky.social · 9h
From Continuum1: Disunion by JJ Robinson II The #WIPSnips word for September 30th is "guard" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts The Commander clarifies the chain of command.
From Continuum1: Disunion by JJ Robinson II
The #WIPSnips word for September 30th is "guard"
#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

The Commander clarifies the chain of command.
[“I appreciate your personal affection for Medtai Smith and Biomechannus Ha'k,” the First said condescendingly, “but—”
The Commander shifted in his seat with discernable impatience, a very rare emotion among his kind.
“Now, Ka'l,” The Commander interrupted. “Order two of the reconnaissance ships to remain here to guard our route of retreat, until reinforcements arrive from—”
“I would really advise against—” the First began.
“NOW, KA'L!”
The TiaJ'i required considerable training to restrict their vocal intensity to levels considered conversational by humans. The Commander had spoken at a level more suited to his feelings.
It made him feel better, and it was very effective. Forty-eight humans sat in stunned silence, their eyes riveted on him. Then, all at once, the Central buzzed with feverish activity. The reaction engines were engaged in near-record time.]
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M. Clark @mcwrites27.bsky.social · 9h
The #WIPSnip Word of the Day is 'guard' and oh boy this is where my readers will want to guard their hearts. A moment of rare frankness between Katie and Bekah sheds light on their unspoken devotion towards each other, and perhaps more. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #QueerWriters
The WIP Snip Word of the Day is 'guard' - the following is an excerpt from my novel WIP Canary featuring the word of the day - "Do we mix?"

"Don't we?" I asked rhetorically.

Bekah looked like she wanted to correct something but Amber, Rhys, and Lucas came around the corner to the tune of Amber's booming laugh. Craning my neck, I saw them raising their plastic glasses of punch and dancing together in our direction. I looked back to Beck but she had turned her head away, like the timing caught her off guard. A whisper of intuition made me wonder if there was something deeper in the meaning but I had to remind myself that my favorite pastime was overthinking.
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Headless🎃Horsewoman🪉💎🏹🐴⚔️ @acturek.bsky.social · 8h
Still AMANDA 💎 Writing Rushak but dressed up for Halloween! #fantasy #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #WIPSnips #guard While seeking their companion Virgil, Cerel and Rushak discover a hidden tower. - Brother’s Keeper, my fantasy WIP about two brothers bound by a misunderstood power
Their two mares stood close together, ears
pricked, watching from a prudent distance. Cerel smiled at their GUARDED curiosity. He turned again and let Rush lead him around the structure. Both were
chilled from the wet that was everywhere, in their sodden clothes, dripping from moss and vines, pooling beneath their feet.

"It must have been greatcycles since anyone's been here, possibly more than a dozen ... Karth!" A twig slapped his face with a sharp sting.

"Sorry," Rush coughed.
 
"You know, we won't even get in," Cerel said, struggling through briars. "There's no chance Virge is here." Rush shoved his way ahead as if he had not heard.

Brother's Keeper
A.C. Turek
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Elise Betz #amquerying and seeking representation @elisebetz.bsky.social · 8h
#WIPSnips word for September 30th is "guard" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts It is the second night of Nin and Darach traveling together, and still nothing yet has happened. The night before Nin slept on the bed and Darach on the floor, but tonight they'll have to snuggle for warmth.
Silhouette of an oak tree against a green background.

Text: A Sylvan Tale #WIPSnips "guard"

As the fire glowed red with hot coals that barely rebuffed the seeping chill of the late summer night, Darach laid out the blanket from Barley’s back. “Unless you like waking up frozen to the bone, we’ll have to sleep together under our cloaks,” he pointed out as he prepared their bed for the night. Their camp site was just off the road within a large circle of trees that stood around like sentinels, guarding them. Barley was tied to a tree root that came up out of the ground exposed.
She had ridden for two days now, either in front or behind Darach, their bodies pressed close together. Perhaps it was what was symbolized by sharing a bed with him that made her hesitant. Darach had removed his boots, belt and tunic, holding the cover of their cloaks open, inviting her in. After removing her footwear, belt and kirtle, she reluctantly climbed under the cover of their cloaks, laying her head down, facing away from Darach.
He snuggled up behind her, placing a protective arm over her, which made her initially flinch.
“Trust me. I would never force myself upon you, my sweetest bláthín,” he breathed into her hair before giving a small kiss on the top of her head.
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🫜Tara S Geir🫜 @tarasgeir.bsky.social · 8h
Alitzah tries to plan an attack but is talked out of it by her bodyguard, I’anthal. #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
. All she had left were her sodden clothes and her brother’s dagger. Wilmot’s tastes had been more gaudy than practical; his amethyst encrusted dagger was no better than a letter opener. Certainly not sharp enough to slit a few Witherbeck throats as they slept.


She voiced that hope to I’anthal and he shook his head. The beads in his twin braids clattered at the motion. “They will have guards and you will do nothing worse than graze them,” I’anthal replied mildly. “My axe and short sword are no great weapons against them.” His deep blue eyes were wide open and honest. “We wouldn’t stand a chance.”


“Then how will I rescue Arlais if all you'll let me do is follow?"


“Exactly,” I’anthal replied calmly. “We’ve seen their slaughter and we know what we have. Our lives and not much else. We can’t rush down, slaughter one maybe two. They will capture you, kill me and,” he gave her a lazy three fingered salute “I swore to the Three Mothers I’d protect you and I don't break my promises.”
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L.M. du Plessis 📚💙 ‪✨Writing TLC Sequel✨ @smoking-gnu.bsky.social · 6h
#WritersCoffeeClub 30/9: Where did this month's writing take you? Completely away from the next WIP i was planning to write. Was editing an older WIP for a feedback group and got the undeniable urge to write its sequel, and that's what i did this month. #Writingcommunity #Writesky
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Jon Sparks @jonsparksauthor.bsky.social · 8h
#WIPSnips 30/9: #WIPSnips are from The Skilthorn Inheritance, Book 9 of The Shattered Moon. There are 11 instances of ‘guard/guarded/guarding’. #books #writing #WriteSky #writingcommunity
"Ah…" She knew well enough by now that Gulverren’s family were not aristocracy, would not even be considered gentry by the more snobbish of arbiters; people of modest birth and modest means. His parents had made real and lasting sacrifices to send him to a respectable school; a  Guard scholarship had enabled him to continue to University in Denvirran. He had told her all this with neither pride nor shame, just as a matter of fact; but she was fairly sure that his rise to the rank of Major, and transfer to the Principal’s Guard, considered the elite of the service, gave his parents pride enough for a whole shire.
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Jess Faulks @jessfaulks.bsky.social · 7h
I have a lot of "guards" in my drafts than anything of the last few days. Here's one from one of the un-numbered #PairsOfPumpkins drafts. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #WIPSnips
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Rodario @rodario.bsky.social · 7h
My snip for the word of today: guard Somewhere halfway chapter 1. Rodario woke in the back of a moving cart and slowly gets revealed what happened to him. #WIPSnips #Writesky
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Erika Chandler @erikachandler.bsky.social · 7h
Which everything does Hiroshi know, indeed. 👀 #WIPSnips #amwriting #amquerying #writesky #writingcommunity #YA #fantasy
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Robin Herbert @peterrobin.bsky.social · 6h
#WIPSnips September 30 "guard" From Australian of the Year #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
   When Gary reached his caravan, he fumbled for his key, unlocked and opened the door then, half way inside, turned to face Scott.
   “Just put the box down there. I have to tidy a bit. Make space. Thanks for the lift.”
He closed the caravan door. Scott knocked on it. Gary opened.
   “Look,” said Gary, “For decades I guarded my privacy, didn't let anyone apart from Maeve get close. I was fine. Then I tried to rejoin society and a bunch of rich lawyers stole my life savings. Thanks again for the lift. Keep safe on your way home.”
   Gary shut the door again and Scott knocked on it again. Again Gary opened.
   “You forgot your guitar. It's still in my car. I'll get it and let you alone.”
   Scott fetched the guitar case and brought it to the door, but he kept hold of it. “See you next week for the sitting with Maeve.”
   Scott let go of the guitar. He and Gary looked in each other's eyes for a moment. Gary smiled and said, “Yeah,” then he shut the door again.
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Kamikaye @kamikaye.bsky.social · 6h
Nori is about to meet the central Consortium interface. Her superiors superior. In 'Cloudgazer' #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity
Nori was nervous, she never talked to the central interface in person before. Embedded in a knotty wall of wood lay a round airlock door towering about 4 meters, it shimmered bronze in the tech lights off cables winding through living wood.
The door slowly opened with a low humm, a slight hissing of atmosphere exchange. The guards stood back and she stepped into the metal-plated yellow lit chamber. The door closed behind her so silently that she was only noticing it by the stop of positive airflow that seemed to be maintained inside.
She shivered despite the warm moist atmosphere. The inner door opened and her gaze swept through a huge round room with a brightly lit thick treetrunk in the middle. Countless small and large roots, cables leading towards it under golden lit water. The ceiling was invisible, obscured by fog, far away with golden and teal lights blinking busy.
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L.M. du Plessis 📚💙 ‪✨Writing TLC Sequel✨ @smoking-gnu.bsky.social · 6h
G'morning #WIPSnips! Milly and some of the gang in the middle of a *situation* here. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
Val runs towards Ignacio, kneeling on the floor beside the stricken student. He puts his hand on the wound and closes his eyes, whispering words I can’t hear. Not that I’m paying all that much attention at the moment as more hornets seem to be coming from everywhere. I look up and see that half the windows, above the protective first floor metal barrier, are open to let air in.
“When did this start?” I ask the two guardian girls as I move to keep vigil over Val to swat away any hornets that make it through the defences.
“Minute ago!” Christine barks without looking around. Good, keeping attention on the threat is good.
“Went straight for Ig!” Galilah adds on. Ig? Hmm. Not important right now.
One hornet does indeed make it through the defences by coming straight down from the ceiling above Val while both girls have their attention swatting aside other hornets. I intercept it mid-divebomb with a swipe of my talons, and pieces go flying away.
“This is too open, we need cover!” I nearly shout at Val even though he’s right next to me.
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✨#WIPSnips✨ A Daily Writing Share Tag @wipsnips.bsky.social · 9h
The #WIPSnips word for September 30th is "guard" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
WIPSnips a bluesky writing community tag
September 30 - guard
Share a line from your WIP with the daily word for inspiration
Use #WIPSnips. Don't forget Alt Text for graphics
Synonyms, variation and vibes are fine.
Support others on the #WIPSnips tag!
Hosted by rosie-j-potter.bsky.social

The image behind the text is a border that is dark blue with gold stars with a black background with neon blue border. An illustrated caticorn holding a pencil and writing in a book with a rose behind one ear is in the lower right corner. A different version of the same illustrated caticorn is curled up writing in the lower left corner
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🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻 @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 9h
September 30th – guard Conveniently, this picks up pretty much where yesterday left off! They probably should have just left the barefoot and hooded woman alone… #DawnsBlood #WIPSnips #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
	“Don’t be stupid.” Se’ul rolled his eyes. “We need to go.”
	M’iol sighed. “Very well. You’re no fun, you know that?” Turning back to the girl one last time, he bent down and looked into her eyes.	“Still, it’s a shame. Pretty thing like this, just going to rot in that tower for the rest of her life.”
	At that, the woman leaned forward, ever so slightly, so that her lips touched his. 
	The guard seemed pleasantly surprised for a moment, returning the kiss willingly, but then it turned into something else. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him fast as he began to struggle, trying to pull away. 
	T’orrin watched, too stunned to even react, as the man’s struggle weakened and finally stopped. M’iol slumped against her, and she stepped back, letting him fall to the floor. 
	Se’ul shook himself and took a step towards the woman, drawing his blade. She turned and raised her hand, waving it almost dismissively. A flash of light arced between them, and the guard dropped to the ground. 
	She strolled over to the fallen man, pulled him up, and placed her mouth over his. This time, T’orrin didn’t mistake it for a kiss. It was closer to a bite, like she was consuming something, drawing it out of him.
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Jan Karlsson @jangoeswriting.bsky.social · 7h
From: ‘With Sword and Hunger’ Prompt: ‘Guard’ #WiPSnips
“I’m telling you, I was there!” An unfamiliar voice boomed over the usual tavern bustle. “How’d you think I got these?”

The man held up a hand, the last two fingers missing and the stumps wrapped with cloth, and pointed at his scarred face, as though that explained everything, but his companions at the table laughed, nudging each other.

“Stealing, for the hand, and a whore’s fingernails for not paying up after you shot across her bows early for the scratches.” All three men were one’s Manes couldn’t name, but they worked for Lefu. He knew that much.

“They take the whole hand for stealing.” Another of the men laughed into his beer. “Probably a dog bit the fingers off … for not paying up after he shot early across its bows.”

“I was there!” The three-fingered hand hammered against the table. “I was there when General Morana slaughtered the King’s Guard and almost took the head of the king himself. Lef’ll tell you! We were all there! It was us as saved him. King hisself shook my hand.”

“Most of it, at least.” The laughter erupted again and Manes skirted past them, trying not to draw attention to himself.
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L.M. du Plessis 📚💙 ‪✨Writing TLC Sequel✨ @smoking-gnu.bsky.social · 13h
#AwesomeCharacters (SotP) Welcome back! I wouldn't say Milly is massively patient, nor is she really impulsive. I'd say she has a moderate middle ground where she can portray calm collectiveness when others would just rush in without a thought, when needed #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
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🌱🫜 Charlie (Chelizabeth) Delta 🦊🪻 @charliedeltawrites.bsky.social · 14h
Tell me about your #AwesomeCharacters I'm sorry I am late everyone! Got locked out of BlueSky all afternoon! 😭 As I impatiently waited to return, the questions became: Is your character patient? How do they handle delays and waits? #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts
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Sarah Hensley @madscilab.bsky.social · 15h
#WIPSnips Sept 29: #WritingCommunity #WriteSky Context: Ashtarote is a young theif who is seeking refuge with the Temple and has been sent on an errand.
I didn't Ahstarote protested. Don't you dare with your's I didn'ts and your It wasn't me. Like I don't know you and your gang. You steal from me practically every day. You cost me more than taxes. As if a mule would make me not realize who you are. You, to have come into such wealth as to have a mue. And look at how meager my stall is. At the last, the stall's owner gestured at the roughly two span by two span area. The stall was little more than six wwoven baskets of nopales sitting around a half circle with a lea-ton in the back for shade. A few blankets were draped over the two crate underneath the baskets to create a tiered effect, possibly to liven up the area. I can pay. Ashtarote nearly shouted to change the flow of conversation. THe stall owner just snorted, crossing his arms and mostly looking away. You never do. Well, this time, I have a list and I have to visit a lot of you vndors. I need a stone of nopales. A stone? The older eadinor laughed. Don you know how much silver that would be? In answer, ahstarote hefted the bag of coin from the Temple. I know that i have it. Let me see. Could be false coin. I doubt the Temple is using false coin. He mentally grumbled. However, he handed the bag to the stall owner and waited for the man to test it or count it. Instead, the stall owner hefted the coin purse high in the air. Help, police. THis boy has robbed some unfortunate person. Police!
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Steve Trower @sptroweresq.bsky.social · 17h
Well? Snip from early in Bit#6: The Master System. #WIPSnips #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #TheAmbivalenceChronicles
In the middle of the room, on a slightly raised platform beneath beneath an expansive dome of computer screens, the familiar silhouette of Benito 'Benny' Stetson, surrounded by keyboards and computers, turned to Bryonetta, then did a double take at the rest of them. Then he did a triple take at Lady Nectarine, who he appeared not to recognise. Bryonetta gave him a look which unambiguously meant 'Well?'
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Nora Shear @norashear.bsky.social · 19h
Today's #WIPSnips has Paige struggling w/looping thoughts abt inadvertently hurting a random pedestrian she'd bumped into. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #BookSky
A dark image with white text reads:

     Paige was still shaking when she got home. Normally bumping into a person wasn't a big deal: a few apologies and all was well. But this time, she’d literally ripped someone’s hair out. She winced at the memory of her bobby pins jerking along her hair and the tug of strands snapping from his scalp.
     She'd expected him to be angry. He had every right to be. She was sure it had stung like hell.
     What she hadn't expected was that he’d be so beautiful. That thick red hair, almost down to his waist, accentuated his sharp cheekbones and angular chin. She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d jumped out of the pages of a vampire manga.
     Her apology hadn’t gone over well. He'd been so abrupt, then almost...repulsed. It was as though he was furious that she had dared to speak to him, like she was below his notice.
     Well, maybe I am, with this face.
     But she couldn’t bring herself to be angry at his response. She’d hurt him, however inadvertent it was. An apology and a coffee wouldn’t make up for tearing his hair out. She just wished her anxiety wasn’t making this into a whole Thing.

- From NO SKY LIKE MIDNIGHT, by Nora Shear

There are star decorations in each corner and a meteor decoration above the text.
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Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 18h
A win on fair use: court rejects fair use defense of AI training
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A.O. Patra @authoraopatra.bsky.social · 20h
Today's #wipsnips is an unedited preview of Fruits of Her Labour #writesky #writingcommunity Delphine is feeling frustrated as everyone seems to be in on a secret she knows little about
Delphine took a minute to think on her words. She couldn’t help but get frustrated at the fact that everyone apart from her had had prior warning and information about her fate. “Well, you certainly know more than me then!” she huffed, instantly regretting being rude to those she sought help from. “If sacrificing my life as a quiet innkeeper is what it takes to save the world and Sarah..” Delphine choked on her words, with all the stress and adrenaline running through her system and her focus on finding the House of Hekate. Delphine had let Sarah's predicament slip her mind.
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krovris @krovris.bsky.social · 20h
"...So, if I’m going to replace someone’s vocal chords and change the chemical makeup of their gut biome, I might as well see if their brain melts in their skull so long as it doesn’t disrupt my primary objective." #writingCommunity #Amwriting #Sci-fi #WIPsnips #biopunk #Writesky
“There are many diseases that required incubation, though I’m sure those details aren’t of any interest to you. I also had a medication that needed to be tested— it was meant to be a tranquilizer powerful enough to render someone comatose for a week with a single injection. I had a feeling it’d lead to severe brain damage— the initial formulation was perfectly safe until injected into a body— wherein it would become basic enough to rival bleach. Which sounds terrible to inject into someone I’d like to wake up again later, don’t you think? So, if I’m going to replace someone’s vocal chords and change the chemical makeup of their gut biome, I might as well see if their brain melts in their skull so long as it doesn’t disrupt my primary objective. Because you know I have no intention of experimenting on someone I care about,” and it gestured to him with one uncaring hand, “And certainly not on myself. Ergo: bodies. Ones with relative compatibility, in terms of genome and biological sensitivities, to ensure I get as accurate results as possible. Unfortunately they’re all dead now, and I have made zero useful fucking conclusions.”
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Gillian Isaacs Russell @girussell.bsky.social · 23h
Today's #WIPSnips is "well." #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #speculativefiction #SFF #womenwriters #speculative @adamrhemmings.bsky.social Food on Mars:
Here, the taste of sweetness and saltiness is diluted. But, the dimmed sweetness of the tuber comes first, mellow and nutty, then the warmth kicks in—chili, just enough to wake my mouth. Onion too, sweet and sharp, though probably rehydrated. I doubt it was fresh, unless Hydroponics has managed spring onions in the vertical stacks. The chili might have come from the dome as well, or possibly one of the freeze-dried stores. Still, it tasted like my memory of home-cooked food. Not exact—but close enough to pass for comfort.
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Elise Betz #amquerying and seeking representation @elisebetz.bsky.social · 22h
#WIPSnips word for September 29th is "well" #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts Nin's little sister, Willow, married Nin's former fiance, Alan. Since Nin is the older, unmarried sister, she has to dance in a pig trough. I know, not Irish Iron Age historically accurate, but what the hey...
Silhouette of an oak tree against a green background.

Text: A Sylvan Tale #WIPSnips "well"

 Looking at the interior of the pig trough, they didn’t even bother to dump out the unfinished slop from that morning. There was a mix of leftover grease, half rotten gooseberries, wilted turnip greens, and the last of the porridge scrapings from the pot, mixed with mud from the pigs’ snouts. After quickly yanking off her footwear, seething with impotent rage, Nin stepped in. A shudder of revulsion ran up and down her spine as the cold, unctuous slop squished between her toes.

 “Dance! Dance! Dance!” the wedding guests began to chant.

 The band struck up a lively tune.

 With her best dress now hitched up to her knees, flashing her lower legs for everyone to see, she began moving her feet up and down doing more of a march than dancing.

 People started clapping, but most notably laughing. It was not the jovial lighthearted type of chortle but laced with the cruelty of derision. Her jaw set, she would not let them see her cry even though her eyes began to well up. 

To Nin’s relief, the song was short.
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Marilyn Hope (she/her) @marilynhope.bsky.social · 22h
For the #WIPSnips word for September 29th, "Well." This was one of the most recent additions in my final round of revisions for the dystopian #speculative novel I've been querying on and off for forever. Felt very good to write. #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts #amquerying
I change into my boots to go to the privy, lingering outside to admire the night sky. A whisper of light dusts the far distance, the same red-tinged ochre of the earth. Ponder explained to us that the Big Daddy bombsite still effuses radioactive particles when the wind picks up, creating soft, bright storms that can be seen for hundreds of miles. Manmade refulgence, he says, unimpressed. It's fake, and it's fatal. But I enjoy the color from afar, the way it bleeds through the darkness. Naive and human of me, maybe, to overlook danger in favor of beauty, like the toxic white flowers of jimsonweed, or a well-shined gun. These glowing evenings are the same style of hazard, hurting you so prettily that the pain feels worth it.
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💀kris is editing London and the King of Bone💀 @kamielke.bsky.social · 22h
in which London meets a totally normal girl in a dump the London and the King of Bones kickstarter drops on Oct 1 www.kickstarter.com/projects/kam... #WritingCommunity #WriteSky #BookSky #KidLit #LGBTQBooks
The owner of the voice stood up, bags rolling off its body to reveal yet another shiny, black trash bag, worn as a dress. It was about the farthest thing from a thousand feet tall, though the monster part was somewhat accurate. Two big, white eyes peered out from a half-open ramen cup, wet noodles flowing out around the rim like hair escaping from a scrunchy that hadn’t been washed since the ’80s. Its arms and legs appeared to be made of mismatched toy limbs, including a pink paw, a toy soldier’s combat boot, a ceramic doll’s hand, and a large tarnished fork. It stood about as tall as London’s hips and brandished a lead pipe like a sword.
London kept her hands up in a show of surrender. Without thinking, she blurted out, “What [are] you?”
“Well that’s rude!” the garbage monster squeaked. It waved the pipe and whacked a stained pillow, feathers shooting in the air. “I’m a normal girl! What the heck are you?”
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Tempest Teapot ❌ 👑 🐸 @tempestteapot.bsky.social · 21h
#WIPSnips #WritingCommunity #amquerying #writesky #epicfantasy 💙📚 🪐📚 From my Epic Fantasy novel Demon’s Bargain. Despard shows the weird foreign refugees a place to stay.
	“Thank you for your generosity,” Kahyla said. The soldier frowned. Kahyla picked her way through the debris. “We’ll need to clean it before we can sleep here.” Abber snorted in agreement. “Is there a bucket for water?”
	Tebfin squirmed out of Kahyla's reach and picked up a cracked leather strap. Abber nudged a dented bowl from under the remains of a chair. Despairing over Abber’s scandalously unbound hair, Kahyla wondered if any of their other coolans had survived the fire.
	“You could draw water from the Silva temple a few blocks from here,” said the soldier. His hand crept to a coin closure on his cloak. “The House of Atelle is closer, but the water's sweeter from the goddess' well.”
	River grit crunched against Kahyla's teeth. A lying demon could disguise mud as pure water. “As a daughter of Parkith, I couldn't enter the temple.” She tugged Abber's hair into a more modest position, receiving a pouting glare in return. “We follow His Laws, even when outside Huxen.”
	“Huxen? You three are from Huxen? I thought your accent sounded funny.”
	“The wellspring of morality and the True Faith of Parkith.” Kahyla reflexively formed a flame symbol with three fingers and tapped over her heart.
	“But you people are zealots! You won't let any trade ships further than Gooseport without some goofy requirements. Ferruthan privateers love taking Huxen ships,” the mercenary said. “Why come here?”
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