maguayans

[maguayans]

MARIANG MAKILING | Introduction

Genre: Supernatural Synopsis:

Maeri Keith and her friends had an annual tradition—an overnight stay at a beach, island hopping on long academic breaks, or walk miles and miles to reach the highest point they could endure inland during a weekend. For this year, they all agreed to visit the Municipality of Maquiling and see its mystical falls for themselves—a more or less three-hour hike after entering the fall’s district.

To escape the scorching heat, the group decided to take a shortcut through another desired path, unknowingly entering a restricted area. Somehow failing to complete the three-hour trip by sun down, they found themselves beaten to camp in a glade—Maeri Keith distressed by the foreboding presence of the surrounding hills and forestry; the subtle, eerie whispers in the wind; occasional apparitions; and the sudden presence of a man named, Carlos.

Inspired by the Legend of Mariang Makiling.

EXCERPTS | Pinterest

The Legend of Mariang Makiling tells us of a goddess who had a heart for the poor and vulnerable. She was beautiful and kind; and had shared the abundance of her mountain but mortals took advantage of her. Betrayed, she retreated deep into the mountain never to be seen again.

In other versions, Maria would punish the people for their ungratefulness. She would cause heavy rainfall and whip ferocious wild carabaos in the forest to cause lightning; or a diwata haunting the forest of the mountain. People may pick fruits from the trees, but they must not take them home, lest she would lead them astray and play tricks on them. If they return what they had taken, only then will Maria relent and set them free.

Notes: Thank you for reading! I hope you're doing well today. (It's been a while. :D)

I am not sharing anything new, this is a mere reintroduction of my little novella, Mariang Makiling. You may have seen this before or read some of the excerpts. My main goal for the year is to finish the first draft, so wish me luck. (Please.)

Taglist: Kindly ask or reply to be added/removed.

#srb

[maguayans]

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

What’s the lie your character says most often?

How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’?

How often do they show their genuine emotions to others versus just the audience knowing?

What’s a hobby they used to have that they miss?

Can they cry on command? If so, what do they think about to make it happen?

What’s their favorite [insert anything] that they’ve never recommended to anyone before?

What would you (mun) yell in the middle of a crowd to find them? What would their best friend and/or romantic partner yell?

How loose is their use of the phrase ‘I love you’?

Do they give tough love or gentle love most often? Which do they prefer to receive?

What fact do they excitedly tell everyone about at every opportunity?

If someone was impersonating them, what would friends / family ask or do to tell the difference?

What’s something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific!

When do they fake a smile? How often?

How do they put out a candle?

What’s the most obvious difference between their behavior at home, at work, at school, with friends, and when they’re alone?

What kinds of people do they have arguments with in their head?

What do they notice first in the mirror versus what most people first notice looking at them?

Who do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)?

What would they do if stuck in a room with the person they’ve been avoiding?

Who do they like as a person but hate their work? Vice versa, whose work do they like but don’t like the person?

What common etiquette do they disagree with? Do they still follow it?

What simple activity that most people do / can do scares your character?

What do they feel guilty for that the other person(s) doesn’t / don’t even remember?

Did they take a cookie from the cookie jar? What kind of cookie was it?

What subject / topic do they know a lot about that’s completely useless to the direct plot?

How would they respond to being fired by a good boss?

What’s the worst gift they ever received? How did they respond?

What do they tell people they want? What do they actually want?

How do they respond when someone doesn’t believe them?

When they make a mistake and feel bad, does the guilt differ when it’s personal versus when it’s professional?

When do they feel the most guilt? How do they respond to it?

If they committed one petty crime / misdemeanor, what would it be? Why?

How do they greet someone they dislike / hate?

How do they greet someone they like / love?

What is the smallest, morally questionable choice they’ve made?

Who do they keep in their life for professional gain? Is it for malicious intent?

What’s a secret they haven’t told serious romantic partners and don’t plan to tell?

What hobby are they good at in private, but bad at in front of others? Why?

Would they rather be invited to an event to feel included or be excluded from an event if they were not genuinely wanted there?

How do they respond to a loose handshake? What goes through their head?

What phrases, pronunciations, or mannerisms did they pick up from someone / somewhere else?

If invited to a TED Talk, what topic would they present on? What would the title of their presentation be?

What do they commonly misinterpret because of their own upbringing / environment / biases? How do they respond when realizing the misunderstanding?

What language would be easiest for them to learn? Why?

What’s something unimportant / frivolous that they hate passionately?

Are they a listener or a talker? If they’re a listener, what makes them talk? If they’re a talker, what makes them listen?

Who have they forgotten about that remembers them very well?

Who would they say ‘yes’ to if invited to do something they abhorred / strongly didn’t want to do?

Would they eat something they find gross to be polite?

What belief / moral / personality trait do they stand by that you (mun) personally don’t agree with?

What’s a phrase they say a lot?

Do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting?

Who would / do they believe without question?

What’s their instinct in a fight / flight / freeze / fawn situation?

What’s something they’re expected to enjoy based on their hobbies / profession that they actually dislike / hate?

If they’re scared, who do they want comfort from? Does this answer change depending on the type of fear?

What’s a simple daily activity / motion that they mess up often?

How many hobbies have they attempted to have over their lifetime? Is there a common theme?

#writing ref

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Emily Brontë, from “Wuthering Heights“

#words

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took a nap and Came Back Wrong

#literally gaia #wip: light and shadows

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#wip inspo #wip: lethal bloods

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“you attract/manifest what you fear” aaahhhh fangs in my neck so scary AH . i’m so soso scared of that happening. fangs. going in my

#lmao #maki probably hahaha #wip: lethal bloods

[maguayans]

📌 Writeblr Introduction

Hello! My name is Amadeus, but you can call me Ami, and I'm brand new to tumblr! I'm a Latine vsinger and booktuber in my 20s, so not your usual writeblr, but I hope we can get along! My mind's been dreaming up stories for as long as I can remember, and since I'm only just making my way into the booktubing scene, I wanted to challenge myself to actually bring one of those daydreams to life. I decided to make a blog here in hopes of being part of a fun, supportive, and likeminded group!

I can't wait to meet you all and get to know your works!

some facts about me . . .

I'm a gamer! My current obsessions are Cult of the Lamb and Baldur's Gate 3. I also play a lot of Pathfinder 2e~!

I currently live in Europe.

My birthday is September 7th!

I'm a contralto.

I'm a biracial POC. I'm also queer as heck.

goals . . .

write a fantasy novel.

connect with other writers.

support as many cool writers as possible.

put together a book club!

things i love to write . . .

enemies to lovers

tragedy

strong friendships

found family

morally grey characters

non-humans / supernatural creatures

soft boys

looking for writers who write. . .

fantasy (bonus points for queer fantasy!)

folktale/fairytale/myth retellings

NA or YA

extensive worldbuilding

supernatural creatures

anything involving fiends or the infernal

If this sounds like you, interact with this post so I can check your blog out! 🔥🌺

#hii ami👋 #i write mostly fantasy and paranormal with weird and dark mythology ✨ #i hope ur having a great day/night!!!💖 #writeblr #ecwwriternav

[maguayans]

Excerpt from Mariang Makiling

Behind the nightmarish imitations of her friends stood a shadow. A faceless puppeteer; a shifting, dark figure at the corner of the hiking trail. “Leave.” Its voice echoed in her head, guttural and deep. Nico’s head fell to the ground again, unable to bear the weight of it. For a moment, she hoped for the sweet relief by Sidapa’s hand. Slowly, the pressure disappeared, her breathing now audible to her ears, no more pin-pricks inside her chest; her friends' voice finally reaching her consciousness, calling out to her again and again. “Nico!” “Nichole!” What was I doing? Kit reached her first, hands tight on the other's shoulder, ushering her up. When she caught her slightly crazed eyes, she knew something had happened—to Nico, herself, and everyone present…but what?

Notes: Thank you so much for reading!🙇🏻‍♀️ I hope you're doing well.💖 This scene was a revision. I realized I couldn't get over this chapter specifically because there was something missing and I believe this was it. I was pretty proud of myself when I wrote the rest of the scene. Still, there's a voice inside my head saying, "Not scary enough. Go back to this on the next draft." Haha—

Have a great day/night!👋🫶

P.S. Did you see my Mariang Makiling photoset?🤭

#wip excerpt #wip: mariang makiling #writeblr #writing #ecwmmklng

[maguayans]

I keep seeing the novel version float around but... how about we talk about the published short story writers of writeblr? Off-hand, I know of a few (@asablehart, @vcaudley, @avi-why, to name a few). What are other shorts people have published? Give me a list. Give me some links. I want to find more short fiction and help celebrate those writers, too.

#books

[maguayans]

hey there!

do you want to support a queer indie author?

do you want to read a fantasy book about a melodramatic cursed king searching for a husband? with magic, alchemy, love triangles, oh my?

I have the book for you!

THE RED KING'S MYSTICAL SUITORS is out October 24th, and you can preorder it here!

The Red King is known around the world for being a wise diplomat—and for being tragically single.

King Randall III has everything one could want: power, charm, beauty, and enough diplomatic wit to earn him the nickname 'Emperor of the Continent.' The one thing he's lacking is a husband.

When Randall's sister invites men far and wide to woo him, only three make the cut: a noble sorcerer, a royal alchemist, and a mysterious easterner who reveals nothing of himself other than a name. A fourth lingers in the shadows, dreaming of the chance he's been too afraid to take for four years.

Each of them is hiding a secret, including King Randall himself, who falls victim to a beastly curse when night falls. As pasts are revealed, relationships formed, one thing becomes clear: no one will leave the Red King's court the same they entered.

Once again, you can preorder it here!

RED KING TAGLIST:

@transmasc-wizard @synthesizer-dyke @magic-is-something-we-create @tc-doherty @softbroiled-doomdesire @somealienquill @sagasofazeria @super-writer-gal @ren-c-leyn @crazy-like-us @ashen-crest @shrunkupthejams @themundanemudperson @sarahlizziewrites @faithfire @hungryslothwrites @thegrandeurofstories @poetinprose @kingkendrick7 @roman-roy-apologist @thegreatobsesso

GENERAL TAGLIST: @worldbuildng @muddshadow @nikkywrites @47crayons @directionoftime @myhusbandsasemni @chayscribbles @magic-is-something-we-create

#books

[maguayans]

if you like lesbians who get a little hot from being violent, melodramatic gays, and friends to lovers soldiers, then i've got the book for you!

THE LOVER WITH FIVE NAMES IS AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER!

The emperor died six years ago—and all vie for the throne. The last of her line, Herra’s duty is to appoint an emperor. That simple task is made complicated when her past catches up to her, forcing her to rethink everything she knew about herself, the empire, and its future. For years, The Nameless Lover has used his skills of seduction to secretly determine the next emperor for Herra. His latest target is the emperor’s son—a man who threatens to blow open The Lover’s cover. Meanwhile, across the lands, Arthur is a loyal soldier who’s faced with a choice that could determine the fate of the empire. A tyrant seeks the throne. Hidden truths come to light. The empire readies for war. With the future of the empire in their hands, Appointer, Lover, and Soldier discover that they’re more closely entwined than they think.

PREORDER HERE. IT WILL BE AVAILABLE JANUARY 23

LOVER TAGLIST (LMK TO BE ADDED/REMOVED) @magic-is-something-we-create @47crayons @ashen-crest@woodhousejay @transmasc-wizard @worldbuildng @ettawritesnstudies @mcximilians @contes-de-rheio @void-fireworks @extrabitterbrain @pressedpapyrus @willowiswriting @houndmouthed @stormharbors @snowinks

GENERAL TAGLIST: @worldbuildng @muddshadow @nikkywrites @47crayons @directionoftime @myhusbandsasemni @chayscribbles @magic-is-something-we-create

#books

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Old Man's Death. Death of the Painter's Father (László Mednyánszky, 1890)

#wip inspo

[maguayans]

listen. its 2:00 am and i have to talk about this. i think that, in horror, particularly in supernatural horror, the biggest, most scary, most dread inducing thing that can happen to a character is not, in fact, death. it is an unspecified, horrific dread fate that exists only in ambiguity. i like to call this fate Death 2. Death 2 is the scariest thing that can happen to a person. even if none of us can outline what it is, we’re all, for the most part, in agreement that it’s out there, and that we’re very afraid of it. nobody knows what it is, it will never be defined, but what is important is that a ghost, or a demon, or a guy who looks at you, what’s important is those things likely have the power to do it to you. the key, the absolute key to keeping supernatural horror effective is to never, ever eliminate the possibility of Death 2 as an outcome. the moment you reveal too much lore about your monster’s intentions or methods, whether it’s by establishing the rules of their haunting too clearly, or giving them the opportunity to clearly communicate their goals (through a seance or ouija board, for example), or merely by raising the curtain a little too much, you have eliminated Death 2. Now the worst that can happen to the characters gets established as being death, or possession, or pain, and that’s just never going to be as scary as whatever Death 2 is. If you wanted to watch a fun horror movie where the tension was in whether or not people were going to get killed, you could watch something like Alien, or Friday the 13th, or Us. If there’s ghosts or demons involved though, and that’s what ends up happening, it’s like, why did I bother coming here, I could have had way more fun watching a slasher romp if I wanted this kind of horror, because a slasher romp knows what it’s doing and how to use narrative tools to make “what if a guy was coming to kill me” an actually effective plot. you have to preserve ambiguity with ghost stories. with entity stories. you gotta. you have to preserve the possibility of Death 2.

#horror

[maguayans]

[maguayans]

MARIANG MAKILING | Introduction

Genre: Supernatural Synopsis:

Maeri Keith and her friends had an annual tradition—an overnight stay at a beach, island hopping on long academic breaks, or walk miles and miles to reach the highest point they could endure inland during a weekend. For this year, they all agreed to visit the Municipality of Maquiling and see its mystical falls for themselves—a more or less three-hour hike after entering the fall’s district.

To escape the scorching heat, the group decided to take a shortcut through another desired path, unknowingly entering a restricted area. Somehow failing to complete the three-hour trip by sun down, they found themselves beaten to camp in a glade—Maeri Keith distressed by the foreboding presence of the surrounding hills and forestry; the subtle, eerie whispers in the wind; occasional apparitions; and the sudden presence of a man named, Carlos.

Inspired by the Legend of Mariang Makiling.

EXCERPTS | Pinterest

The Legend of Mariang Makiling tells us of a goddess who had a heart for the poor and vulnerable. She was beautiful and kind; and had shared the abundance of her mountain but mortals took advantage of her. Betrayed, she retreated deep into the mountain never to be seen again.

In other versions, Maria would punish the people for their ungratefulness. She would cause heavy rainfall and whip ferocious wild carabaos in the forest to cause lightning; or a diwata haunting the forest of the mountain. People may pick fruits from the trees, but they must not take them home, lest she would lead them astray and play tricks on them. If they return what they had taken, only then will Maria relent and set them free.

Notes: Thank you for reading! I hope you're doing well today. (It's been a while. :D)

I am not sharing anything new, this is a mere reintroduction of my little novella, Mariang Makiling. You may have seen this before or read some of the excerpts. My main goal for the year is to finish the first draft, so wish me luck. (Please.)

Taglist: Kindly ask or reply to be added/removed.

#srb

[maguayans]

WRITEBLR! how are you guys? what are you all working on these days?

use this post to share a snippet of your writing you're proud of (& link to your intros -- i'll boost!)

#currently working on my little novella mariang makiling <3 #its going well i could cryyy #also i hope ur doing well today and having a great day/nighttt #wip: mariang makiling #writeblr

[maguayans]

Question! But how do you write a royal character?

Writing Royal Characters

"Royal" is a broad term, because what it means to be royal varies across cultures, kingdoms, times, places, and even families. Royal structure, royal culture, royal rules and regulations--all of it is specific to that particular group, time, and place.

So, if you're writing a character who is either a real royal person, or a fictional person but part of real royalty, you need to research that real royalty to learn how to write that royal character. Researching the real royalty will teach you things like how things are structured, titles and forms of address, how the throne is inherited, how they relate to each other and other royal families, government/government relationship, what their culture is like, etc.

Even if you're writing a totally fictional royal family in a fictional time and place, you may still want to choose a real life royal family (or a few) to serve as inspiration for your fictional family. This will give you a model for things like structure, titles and forms of address, inheritance, political relations, etc.

Here are some related posts that might help you get on the right track:

Creating a Fictional Kingdom “King” Doesn’t Mean “Husband of the Queen” Forms of Address for Royals and Nobility Twin Royal Heirs in Fantasy Guide: Writing About Fictional Royals Forms of Address for Royals and Nobility

Happy writing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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