fiction writing – Andrew Careaga

May LitLinks

Some inspiration for writers on archetypes, writing faster/quiet/dangerously, and taking breaks

Welcome to the second edition of LitLinks, a collection of links of potential interest to other writers. Check them out below, or if you prefer, listen to the AI-generated summary here or below.)

Character archetypes can help writers round out their story or novel. Whether you’re looking for inspiration to create a “rogue with a heart of gold” (think Han Solo from the Star Wars franchise) or an outcast (Jay Gatsby or, um, Shrek?), you’re likely to find it among these 77 (yes, 77!) character archetypes compiled by Nathan Baugh over at World Builders.
Danger ahead! Check out this mini masterclass on dangerous writing by Erin Karbuczksy in the Write or Die Mag newsletter.
How to write faster, from Allie at Introspective Ink. No need to write more about this.
Worth repeating: Rene Ostberg‘s essay on the benefits of taking a writing break, via Lit Mag News. (I referenced this one a few blog posts back, but it’s important enough to include again, I think. At least for me, since I’m still in on a writing ~~funk~~ hiatus.)
Quiet writing — the first of four lessons on “crafting stories from everyday moments” by Andrea A. Firth in The Forever Workshop. Be sure to follow that website for the next lessons over the coming weeks.

AI-generated image

New fiction, ‘Serenity Security Solutions,’ published in MoonLit Getaway

Ever worry about getting locked out of your house?

It’s a fear I’ve had for ages. What better way to overcome a fear like that than to write about it?

That is, unless what you end up writing is along the lines of the one I wrote recently, “Serenity Security Solutions.” It was published today (Monday, February 10, 2025) in the literary journal MoonLit Getaway.

My thanks to editor Brandon Nadeau for selecting this story for his wonderful litmag. Please check out all the other amazing fiction, poetry, and artwork Brandon and his team have to offer.

As always, you can access this and other works of fiction and nonfiction here.

An update on my November novels in progress

If writing a novel is like driving a car at night, somewhere along the line last month I drove my car into the ditch.

As I mentioned earlier on this website, I’d intended to write more and blog less in November so that I could focus on getting started on two novels. Mission accomplished on both counts.

But…

Works in progress

My venture into novel writing: ‘like driving a car at night’

When I rebooted this blog last January, along with my intent to get back into fiction writing, I had in the back of my mind the idea that I would work on a novel in November.

For many years now, I’ve had a couple of ideas for novels rolling around in my brain like loose marbles, and a few months ago I decided November would be the best time to start putting one of them down in writing. I’d written several short stories by then, had had a few published, and had gotten in the groove of thinking like a writer, so why not? Plus, November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and what better time to start than then, along with scores of other wannabe novelists who share my dreams and my pain?