This is a bittersweet post today, because it’s the end of the Beautiful People linkup.
I’m going to say “for now” though, because both Sky and I are just not able to keep going currently and we’ve decided to take this year off. But who knows about next year?! Anything might happen. It might return, I might rule the moon, I might also learn to use vulnerably and venerably in the right context. EXCITING.
Massive thank yous to everyone who’s participated over the last 4 years! It’s been a pleasure reading your posts and building an awesome writer community.
You can also still go visit the archives if you want to save the old questions or use them still!
We’re doing a bit of a throwback and favourites edition to say goodbye, so hope you enjoy!
Beautiful People is a writing blog meme which I co-host with the marvellous Sky @ Further Up and Further. We post questions at the beginning of each month (generally around the 5th) that you can answer on your own blogs! It’s designed (A) to help you get to know your characters better, and (B) share with us about your writing projects!
The linkup is open all month. And check out our FAQ page for more details and to see the archives.
DON’T FORGET TO TAKE THE BUTTON! And link to this page so anyone can join in!
- Favourite genre to write in?
- What book (a real actual published book!) do you think your character would benefit from reading?
- Favourite piece of dialogue you’ve written?
- What did your character want to be when they grew up, and what did they actually become?
- Favourite character name(s)?
- What makes your character feel loved, and who was the last person to make them feel that way?
- Favourite character you’ve ever written?
- If your character were permanently leaving town, what would they easily throw out? What would they refuse to part with? (Why?)
- Favourite tropes to write!
- Which story has your heart and won’t let go?
- Favourite relationship between characters you’ve written?
- Toni Morrison once said, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” What are the books that you want to see more of, and what “holes” do you think need filling in the literary world?
- Favourite pinterest board / aesthetic for a book?
- Favourite time periods & settings to work with?
- When people are done reading your book, what feeling do you want them to come away with?
Well…so far this year I have finished the first draft of my epic fantasy novel Old Blood, which was super exciting since it’s the first fantasy novel I’ve actually finished in 5 years!
Now, while I let it stew, I’m about to start some serious edits on my contemporary YA novel Holding Up the Sky. I hope to have it pretty much ready for querying and/or publishing later this year, but I’m a bit of a perfectionist…so we’ll see. No promises. Anyone interested can read the first chapter here!
OMG CONGRATS ON FINISHING THAT DRAFT I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!! And that’s awesome that you’re already onto the next projecT! I’m like that too honestly haha.😂 Finish one thing and I’m already chewing on 7 more.😂 Perfectionism + being a writer = really hard. But at least we put our best work out there, right?!
So true. You just have to learn how to say “that’ll do” at some point, I suppose!! Or else you could continue editing forever…
Oh, I’ll miss the Beautiful people posts 🙂 I hope you’ll continue it one day, but I understand that sometimes life gets busy. Anyway, I’ll have fun filling it out and thank you so much to you and Sky for hosting this for so many years (seven years is an achievement!)
Ahh thanks, Chelsea!! <3 It is sad that it's finish but yes hopefully not forever!
I am rewriting my book right now. It was complicated before, but NOW… 😂 The complexness gives me a headache. I just hope it all is worth it and ends up working.
Oooh good luck!😂 I’m trying to work on this one that’s a past AND present storyline?! I always thought that’d be so easy BUT OH WOW IT’S NOT.😂
Good luck with that! 😂
I was really surprised to see Thursday post. I was like “wait is Cait changing her schedule? Or is something personal happened” turns out the latter was correct.
So I’ve just been developing my ideas and doing character charts and world building because school makes me really busy so I’m waiting to write till summer. I’m hoping to get something eventually published. I mostly write fantasy and sci-fi and I’m trying to make female characters that don’t need romance, I mean it seems not all male characters have a date but all female characters always seem to hook up and that just kinda seems a little sexist?
Omg first of all it pleases me immensely that I’m so predictable with my schedule. 😂😂 Ahem. But yes! This meme we were doing tended to go up via the date instead of the specific day I usually post. ALAS NO MORE.
Dude, I agree 100% about that thought of girl characters not always needing a romance. It bothers me a lot too. (Also the fact that not every book really does need a romance?! I write them a lot but I’d love to do some sans romance altogether!) Also fantasy and sci-fi is so fun so I hope you get a ton of writing done this summer!!
I’m doing this one. One last hurrah and all that jazz.
(…Catch me frantically linking up at the end of the month because what is time and where has it gone.)
Yayy I will look forward to reading it!! It’s sad it’s ending. 😭😭
Aww this is muchness sadness pocket poppet, I can certainly understand why especially with YOUR BOOK COMING OUT SOON! Not long to go now. I hope you’ll still share snippets of your WIP with us every so often though. is that allowed now that you’re a contracted author? I’ll be honest, the title had me hyperventilating and yelling WHERE THE HELL DOES SHE THINK SHE’S GOING. But of course you’re not leaving me. Because I’ll fiiiiiind yooooooou. Yes, that should have been as creepy as I intended.
*screams softly* MY BOOK IS COMING OUT SOON HOW DID THIS EVEN HAPPPPPEN. 😱😂But yes that’s a big reason we’re taking a break too haha, it’s hard for me to join in anymore since I’m sworn to secrecy on so many things. *collapses* But I’ll hopefully still share the occasional snippets for all the nonsense I write that’s not contracted.😂
YOU’RE LOVELY AND CREEPY. I WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
hmmmm……some of these questions, most difficult to answer they are! but do it, i will. (why did i end in a yoda voice. what happened to my sentence. what.)
Most crazily, ~Olive (and maybe yoda???)
Haha, they’re here to give you a bit of a challenge. 😉
I’m going to miss it, but I understand. Can’t wait to do this one!
It is so so sad to say goodbye!😭we’ve done this forever!
I just finished the first draft of my fifth serious novel! 🙂 So that is very exciting.
But now I gotta get stuck into the editing. And then get back to my last project and do final edits to finish that one up.
So it’s been busy! 🙂
I love reading about people’s works in progress, it’s always so freaking interesting! 🙂
And also… I may soon have some exciting news… but I want to wait until everything is official before yelling about it on the internet, so we will see. 🙂
AHHHH SO MUCH CHEERING FOR YOU THIS IS AMAZING AND GOOD AND HURRAH!! *sends cake* Editing is hard but also good *nods* And I just finished a 3rd draft so I feel REALLY good (even though the edits melted my brain a lot😂)
(omg I’m so curious about your news now?!?)
I have literally been looking around for a Writer Tag to answer questions about and this is perfect!!!
So sad you guys can’t continue it especially when i just found it 🙁
For a second, i thought you were leaving the blogsphere and i was so confused – and thought it might be an april fool’s prank haha
YAY! I’m glad you’ll enjoy this last one at last haha. 😂 Although we’ve got tons of questions in the archives so help yourself if you want.😂 (But nooo definitely not quitting the whole blog omg that would be the worst prank ever.)
OH MY GOD CAIT YOU GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK
For a second I thought you were talking about giving up blogging 😨😨😨
I’m currently working on finishing my last year’s NaNoWriMo novel because it’s too long and there are still a couple of chapters left 😭😭😭
There are also some really enticing YA contemporary ideas trying to sneak into my mind but I’m standing with a pitchfork because I HAVE TO FINISH THE FIRST NOVEL UGH
I stupidly tried writing a sci fi and now I’m stuck at the scientific parts hahahaha
Basically this year has been a wreck for my writing so far…
Noooo!!😂 I probably should’ve worded the title better right?! I’M SORRY.😂
But hey writing isn’t particularly a race so it’s totally fine if you’re taking a while on your NaNo! Do finish it before chasing the plot bunnies though. I promise it’s worth it. 😉
aawwwww this is so saaaddd, I hope you can get back to this next year then. I’d like to talk about my WIP cuz I have no one else to talk about it but my mother, who doesn’t understand anything except that I am too evil with my characters… My WIP’s called Faye, and I believe is the best name ever, I like it VERY MUCH. It’s about fourteen-year-old Clarise who basically is trying to escape from the king’s hands cause that deranged man wants to make her his concubine. I have to write a lot of sadness, I have no idea how I came up with this story… But here’s a snippet I am proud of:
He glanced around, ensuring there weren’t guards watching, and extended his arm towards Clarise.
Aaron grimaced as he lifted her.
“Perhaps you should consider stop eating so much bread”
Clarise frowned, offended.
“Bread’s the best thing there is in this world, stop saying nonsense”
Bread IS great so I agree with Clarise’s priorities here! Although omg that’s such a dark story you’re writing here, good luck there. (And I’m sorry it’s finishing. 😭😭 But I also hope we can all still chat about writing projects though because I would be so sad not to hear what everyone is up to!)
Wait this exists? How did I not know about this sooner? I now have blog post ideas! And procrastination ideas!
I’m currently writing 2 fantasys, a sci fi and a poetry book. Way too many. Oh, and I wanted to make a video game but I don’t know how to code or animate, so the characters and story are just rotting away in my head.
Thank you and Sky for hosting it! It will be missed!
Haha well it DID exist. 😂 But I’m glad you found it before we finished up!
WAIT.
Beautiful People is LEAVING? *smol tears, many smol tears*. This was my first-ever link-up to join, I’m sad to see it go!
As to current writing-things, I’m getting ready to dig back into my Snow White novella for hopeful publication – whether indie or small press, I really don’t know. We’ll see what happens xD. And then I’m working on my actual full-length novel called The Chainced Circus that I’m hoping to pitch when I go to the Realm Makers conference in July. MANY EXCITING AND STRESSFUL thing I’m just running around like a headless chicken xD.
I’M SORRY. *sends goodbye cake* But it was a ton of fun and the community is so great for everyone who’s been joining in!!😍
Oooh that’s so awesome you’re getting close to the publishing stage. EXCITING.😍 And also nerve-wracking haha. And pitching will be super awesome too, best of luck with that (and July is so soon too ahhh!!)
It’s unfortunate that I’m joining in at the last one :'(. But anyway, I’m writing my first full length story. AND I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOUR BOOK TO COME OUT CAIT!!!!!
aww thank you, Claire! I AM EXCITED THAT YOU’RE EXCITED.😍 (And I’m so sorry we’re finishing up these link up, but hopefully the last one is a lot of fun!)
I’M GOING TO MISS THIS SO MUCH (AND I’M NOT EVEN A WRITER SO WHAT AM I EVEN DOING HERE). I just loved reading the questions for fun haha.
I’M SAD TO SEE IT GO TOO THOUGH.😭😭 But breaks are needed haah.
Will totally miss this! I loved reading people’s responses! But I totally understand the need for a break—and who knows what next year will bring. 🙂
Yes exactly!! It’s hard to coordinate it right now and we’re just really busy, but like…it could come back!😂
I’m hoping to start writing this year! I’ve always been a reader and a dreamer but I’ve never actually sat down and forced my way through an entire novel. There’s a couple of ideas I’d like to write but this summer (northern hemisphere) I think I’m going to focus on a 12 dancing princesses retelling inspired by The Crucible.
Ahh, Kate that’s so awesome! I’m really happy for you. 😀 I definitely think writing full novels is a lot of fun, hard…but worth it!
I’m currently editing the sequel to Albion Academy. The plan is for it to release later this year. Then on to book 3! There will also probably be poems and other stories (like my Beauty and the Beast novella that’s been languishing for months) in the interim.
Ahh sounds like you’ve got a busy writing schedule ahead of you! That is AWESOMENESS.
Kind of a cool coincidence that this is ending just when I’ve decided to quit writing. (For now.) I posted it on Twitter but basically I’m just not feeling it these days. I have zero mojo or inspiration to write and I just… don’t feel like writing anymore. The bookish community has scared me away from it a bit too. What with everyone hunting down others about bad rep or no rep or wrong rep or not ownvoices rep… It makes me not want to write and put myself out there anymore. But yeah… anyway. Sad this is ending though. It’s an awesome meme, but I understand it.
Aww, Bee! I think it’s okay to realise, too though, that not EVERY time in our life is good for writing. I mean you’re about to have a baby which is a huge change and will definitely take up all of your attention! So maybe you could consider not “quitting” but more just focusing on other things that need your attention right now!? Not that I mean to pressure you or anything! But I’ve felt really burned out and disenchanted with writing and thought I’d “quit” but…well. Nope. (And honestly I think it’s important to remember the people ranting on the internet are like 2% of your future audience. IT’S HARD. I’m absolutely freaking terrified of them too and that I will do something wrong [because there doesn’t seem to be forgiveness either?!] but they aren’t our FULL audiences and they never will be.)
Anyway I’m sad for you, but I also think maybe this is a “season of your life thing”! Maybe you’ll feel like coming back to writing someday!