iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 16h

Viv: Coming home after an uneventful day in the ER to a good book and Pinot and no judgment for putting work first Caden: Spending time w/ someone not trying to mold him into an uncomfortable shape while watching dating reality shows or rugby #LitHodgePodge 5 #WritingCommunity

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 19h

First, willy-nilly is one of my favorite words. Thank you for that. And for the great advice. I love the pyramid visual and the idea of less is more.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20h

Awesome. Thank you for the tips. Love them all especially the window dressing line. I'm going to add that to my checklist of things to watch for when I'm revising.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20h

Thank you. This helped a lot. And I love that you build the world around MC's arc. I hadn't thought of it that way before. Brilliant.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20h

This snip is from the crisis stage so she now knows that she's let her guard down too much and she's having feelings for him but now he's not there 🥹 And thanks for the interest 🙏 Its helping me see where the story is working and where I might need to add more

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20h

'Wall' from an early scene of my WIP 'Snowed In Wedding' #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity

Caden again glanced at the assembled wedding party as the woman played with her glass as if debating whether to order a third. The table seemed oblivious to her arrival except one guy near the end. He looked directly at her as if he had x-ray vision and saw through the wall of liquor bottles in various fullness. A twinge of unease wormed its way up Caden’s arms, twitching them to reach out once more and block her from view. If this was Celia, what would he do?

What wouldn’t he do?

What hadn’t he done?

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A nap, a walk or yoga, or a good book (one not in my genre seems to help the most).

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Bare minimum: Meet-cute and forces keeping MCs apart. Once I have a basic idea of who I'm meeting, then I'll snowflake the idea. But even after all that planning, my MCs still manage to surprise me and I'll make changes to the outline as I write the 1st draft.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Too many awesome writers to name and everyone here is so sweet. Q for F/SF writers: I'm always amazed by your worldbuilding, any advice/tricks for non-F/SF writers? Do you develop world or characters first? Q for all writers: How do you focus after a setback? #LitHodgePodge 4 #WritingCommunity

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Only one instance of 'contract' and I haven't decided if like it yet or not. #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity

Viv guffawed through the rising dejection. No man had ever carried her inhaler apart from her dad, and he didn’t count. Most men heard asthma and shrugged it away as trivial.

“And doesn’t explain why he attacked Daniel and Kyle—”

“No.” Viv’s thigh muscles contracted, ready to push Viv from the chair and sprint…where wasn’t clear.

“Not physically. Though if Daniel hadn’t reached Kyle first…” Her mother smiled wickedly, putting the Queen of Hearts to shame. “Don’t doubt your beauty and attraction, Vivian. I haven’t seen three men argue over the mistreatment of a woman in real life. It was quite palpitating.”

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Definitely a bottler except she’s starting to let her guard down around the MLI only because she believes he’ll be gone soon.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

No 'petal' today, but I have a few 'flowers' Viv being stood up as the maid of honor from new WIP "Snowed In Wedding" (working title) #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity

Looking over her shoulder and not seeing the smarmy prick’s face after he hounded her all weekend, the truthfulness of the rumors hit home. Kyle wasn’t coming. And now Viv had to walk the long stretch of temporary red carpet alone. The music started, the guests settled in their seats and turned toward the doors, and Viv’s lips mechanically widened as her fingers dug into the flower’s stems. Poor things. They didn’t ask for a loser, loner maid of honor. They were too beautiful for…

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Ooh, how fun. Since my characters are trapped by a snowstorm in a hotel, something supernatural might be fun like Ghosts or WandaVision Or The Traitors since there's a lot of drama happening with the wedding party. #LitHodgePodge 2 #WritingCommunity

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

"Injury" from a new rough, rough (can't stress rough enough) WIP with fake dating and forced proximity. #WIPSnips #writingcommunity

“Yes, but you do get a lot of patients on any given day. She’s a wonder, isn’t she?” He asked the others, receiving varied responses from acknowledging smiles to withering eye rolls. Tough crowd. Caden faced Gracie once more, earning him another scoff from Viv’s side of the table. “See, I was in the ER for a sport’s injury when—”
“Pickleball elbow?” Kyle laughed at his own joke while holding his hand up for a round of high fives. The groomsman beside him gave him a halfhearted one out of pity.
“I do enjoy a good game of pickleball. My mom’s a huge fanatic. We play whenever I get the chance. But no, I…” What had Viv said? The first rule of lying—keep it near the truth. Caden rubbed his forehead, remembering… “Knocked my head into an opponent’s knee as I tackled him in a rugby tournament. I needed fifteen stitches. Viv did marvelous work. Can’t even see the scar.”

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Hello, I'm Sara Contemporary romance writer originally from Michigan, unpublished...yet. Currently finishing a forced proximity, fake dating, snowed in at the worst wedding for FMC. Hard choices! I love tea at night and a misunderstood, sexy villain. #LitHodgepodge 1 #writingcommunity

Paperback over Hardcover
Standalone over series
Laughs over tears
Coffee over tea (though I love tea before bed)
Hero over villain (unless the villain is really hot)
Character driven over plot
Pen and paper over computer
Sweet over salty
Soundtrack over silence (unless I'm reading aloud)
Bookmark over dog-ear
Plotter over pantser
Minimalist over lush
Slow craft over vomit draft
Midnight over morning (though morning works too)

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Haven't participated in a bit but working on something new so why not start again. MC's Viv and Caden figuring out how to get out of a sticky situation. word ="call"ed #WIPSnips #WritingCommunity

“First, let’s take a deep breath.”

“I am calm,” she shouted before huffing through puffed cheeks and squaring her shoulders. “This is a stupid idea. You’ve no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. That table is a wake of vultures ready to peck me, us apart.”

“A wake? Is that truly what vultures are called?”

“Seriously?”

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Friends To Lovers x It Was You All Along When Matt rescues Nat at a party, the two form a deep friendship that threatens to turn romantic if only Nat wasn’t set on playing pro soccer in Chicago and Matt wasn’t set on practicing pediatrics in their Michigan hometown. #BluePit #Q #A #R

Stubborn Dreams and bottled love
EXCERPT:

The offer, now that was a larger, more menacing beast. Sweet, yes. Probably one of the sweetest things any man, any person had ever suggested. As ever, Matt amazed her with his kindness, his valiantness.

But that didn’t make his offer, or her acceptance, right. No matter how shiny, how tempting, how…breathtaking, accepting wouldn’t be fair. To her, yes, but mostly to him. It would only prolong the inevitable—one of them giving up their dream for the other. Nat by moving back to Lakeside Heights for his pediatrics practice or, more likely, Matt staying in Chicago, or wherever her soccer career curved, and practicing medicine away from the very people he sought to help.

And Nat doubted she could make a relationship work while living in the same city any more than if they lived in separate cities regardless of their nearness. Somehow, she’d disappoint Matt as she had her dad, and he’d leave.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Thanks Nadine for the prompts and encouraging comments. Thanks to all my #CRPSirens for posting and responding. All your WIPs sound amazing and I'm sending good vibes for your success. Thanks to my swap partners for helping with my goal of strengthening my pages and letter for querying. #CampRevPit

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Thank you 🤩 I wasn't sure if I had it right

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Here's my attempt: 🙎‍♀️(⚽) + 🙎‍♂️(🥼) 🎓🎉= 👎👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨, ❤️‍🔥, 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦, 🫨-🤗-🫠,🌪️💖⌛ Spoiler 👇 #CRPSirens #CampRevPit (A pro-soccer hopeful and a future doc meet at a college party, leading to a sworn off love, slow burn, found family, strangers-to-friends-to-lovers whirlwind romance spanning eight years)

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Yes! to the first. And yes to the second. Almost all of them found their way into this MS except fake dating and second chance romance.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Love hotels and libraries. Secluded yet full of possibilities

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Tropes: Found family, second chance, slow burn (to the point I'm yelling at the characters to get together already), fake dating, friends-to-lovers Settings: Small town, college campus, Midwest Characters: Strong females, men who fall first, vulnerability under a tough shell #CRPSirens #CampRevPit

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

So much fun. Here we go: 1. FMC envies MMC breakfast the first time they go out 2. FMC always wears a mood ring MMC won her at a carnival 3. MMC goes toe-to-toe with a pro-basketball player #CampRevPit #CampTrivia #CRPSirens

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Nat: SPF lip balm since she's outside more than inside as a soccer player and a pic of her dad to remember why she plays so hard Matt: Starlight peppermints and a handwritten copy of a pep talk Nat once gave him when he worried about not being accepted into med school #CRPSirens #CampRevPit

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

They meet at a party when Matt saves Nat from being cornered by two idiots but Nat isn't too happy about Matt's interference. #CRPSirens #CampRevPit

“How dare you?” Nat poked his chest. The tip of her finger bent back from the solidness of his chest and the force of her indignation. Outrage better directed at the other two, but this gatecrasher was an easier target. “I had the situation under control.”

“I think we have different definitions of control.”

“Don’t be cute.”

“Can’t help it.”

The man’s seemingly casual shrug incensed Nat more. Her finger rose to poke him again, but he grabbed her hand with his soft one, holding a heartbeat too long. The touch, the connection was more intoxicating than the one beer and more welcome than she dared admit. Dangerous almost. She hadn’t time for any man, let alone one that gallantly rescued her. Which better explained this unreasonable disruption of her pulse.

“Women do not need rescuing.” Nat’s anger flatlined after that too brief connection. “It’s the 21st century, not the Middle Ages.”

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Such a great snip that has me wanting to see what happens next.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Great descriptions. And don't stop with the puns. I love a good pun.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

- Found Family - Slow Burn - Strangers-Friends-Lovers-back to Friends-Lovers - Sports (soccer) - He falls first and hard - Dual POV, 3rd person limited It also features a champagne bottle that travels back and forth between the two MCs anytime they reach a milestone #CRPSirens #CampRevPit

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

You had me at feminine rage and I'd stay for the Irish Stew

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

I've been out of town since Friday but the prompts over the weekend looked so fun that I wanted to catch-up even though I'm nowhere close to a bingo. This snip is for the 'found family' square with a hint of 'slow burn'. #CRPSirens #CRPBeemine #CampRevPit

Bingo card with 'Slow Burn', 'Found Family', and 'Friends-to-Lovers' X-ed out to show tropes in my novel.

A few minutes passed before Matt rounded the corner and found Nat wrapped in a bear hug between Georgie and Chelsea. Arms trapped and chest squished, Nat’s eyes asked the obvious.

“Tiara,” he mouthed, as he mimed putting on a crown.

“You’ve just now found the tiara?” Nat asked once released. “It doesn’t give us much time if you don’t—”

“Shut your stupid mouth, Natalie Morris. I love it. And the note…the note…” Big sobs shook Chelesa’s body and Nat pulled her close for another deep embrace.

Feeling like a voyeur, Matt backed away and waited for the three to enter the main room. Chelsea and Nat with pink-rimmed, swollen eyes, arm-in-arm with Georgie, smiling goofily under brightened eyes and cheeks. As if in a weird dance, Matt stepped forward. Rather than collapse in his arms as usual, Nat stopped short and looked over his shoulder.

“Is it okay to hug you?”

“What…do you have to ask?”

Nat entered his outstretched arms and squeezed with a sigh as her head naturally settled against his chest.

“Welcome home, Roo,” Matt said against her snowflake damp hair that didn’t mask her usual summery scents.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

The first craft book I ever read was DIY MFA. It was a good resource for getting my feet wet and I still refer back to it at times. Self-Editing for Fiction Writers and Seven Drafts are two great editing resources. And I receive weekly emails from The Novelry, which includes awesome articles.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Big fan of Romance the Beat. Recently I've tried combining it with Save the Cat for a Frankenstein's monster-type beat sheet.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I love this 😍 I'm going to analyze my MS with this in mind. Thanks

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I read the Other Words and Every Summer as comp possibilities but the first is too old. In both, I loved the dual timelines in both and I toyed with the idea of rewriting my WIP as dual timeline. McFarlane: I loved her complex characters and humor.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Recently read Romances I enjoyed: - Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren - Every Summer After by Carley Fortune - Mad About You by Mhairi McFarlane - Before I Do by Sophie Cousens I'll also read anything by Katherine Center, Alice Hoffman, and Sarah Addison Allen #CRPSirens #CampRevPit

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

And, of course, his good luck texts continued. Matt hadn’t missed one yet and Nat wasn’t sure what she’d do, what would happen if one didn’t arrive. #Camprevpit #OneLineMC #CRPSirens

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

💖Mhairi McFarlane and Emily Henry

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

For my next 1st draft, I'm flirting with the idea of using...pink 😱 Wild I know. In fairness, I started with blue and graduated to purple 😁

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

I do, I do👋 I can only write a 1st draft by hand. I tried switching it up to save trees, but I freeze whenever I see that blinking cursor on a blank Word doc. And it gives me the freedom to write without editing b/c I can't easily hit the delete button. The downside is copious notes in the margin

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Coffee and music. I like to outline first then handwrite my 1st draft using a purple pen. Then let it stew a bit before typing it. I preferred mornings when I started writing but now I'm more productive later in the day. #CRPSirens #Camprevpit

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

I love found family too 🥰 I say sports adjacent since the conflict involves FMC not wanting to give up her dream of playing pro-soccer for MMC and MMC doesn't want to give up his dream of being a pediatrician for her. I wasn't sure if this conflict met the definition of a 'sports romance'.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

😍 Can't wait to hear more about yours too especially if its akin to The Cutting Edge. Love that movie. And synchronized swimming, how fun and original. Love it.

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Sara Wilkinson @swilkinsonwrites.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Hello fellow Sirens. I'm Sara. Originally from MI, I write adult cont. rom. but my current WIP is more new adult and is a strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, found family, sports adjacent MS. From #CRPSirens I hope to form connections w/ other writers and polish my WIP for the querying trenches. #revpit

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