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writing Anomaly, a superhero cyberpunk novel

@emberlyric / emberlyric.tumblr.com

writer | character designer | digital artist
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Updated July 9th, 2024

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Writeblr intro ~

Hi! My name is Emberly Erick and I’m a writer and digital artist. My current WIPs are a cyberpunk superhero novel called Anomaly and a YA fantasy novel called Soulbind.

I’m hoping to use this blog to promote my original work and hopefully some more projects in the future!

My art tag: #emberlyricart

My writeblr tag: #emberlywrites

My instagram: here - more art of my characters + a few animations

My twitter: here

My Cara: here

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My WIPs ~

Soulbind

(old pic, working on some new ones)

--my YA fantasy story. In a world where the gods and goddesses choose each individual's magical attunements based on the strength of their life-bind, Jory is a soulbinder, a unique and rare attunement random granted by gods that steals a sliver of another's life-bind - usually those the soulbinder is close to. Soulbinders are shunned in most societies, and Jory's home nation of Losyros is no different. Bitter and arrogant, but cunning and analytical, Jory bides his time, running cons in lower Siolyn, the capital of Losyros. But Jory gets an opportunity from the prince and becomes the prince's Kingsworn, an ancient role reserved only for soulbinders. Everything falls apart when Jory is kidnapped by the Ashborne, the champion for the goddess Gholgane, who wants Jory unbound at once. Now Jory has to rely on his wits, his best friend Nahia, and Prince Cydri to rescue him before he is lost to them forever.

Status - Editing Second Draft!

Anomaly

--my YA sci-fi/superhero story. Lian, a poor anomaly from District Lacerta in Layer Comet, discovers he is a Class A anomaly - an anomaly with powerful superhuman abilities, in his case super speed. Class B anomalies have been around for centuries, and the Pyramid harvested augmentations from them. Augmentations, or just augs, were simple modifications that non-anomalies used to make their lives easier, such as enhancing memory, sight, reflexes, etc. Lian tries to keep his status as a Class A a secret - society is not reacting well to the discovery of these more powerful anomalies - but he is captured by the Zenith Order, who claims they want what is best for everyone and to keep them safe. A scientist named Rosmyle experiments on Lian, hoping to understand anomalies better. Things turn around when Lian manages to escape - and takes six other traumatized anomalies with him. Now they have to survive a chaotic and prejudiced Layer Comet to make it to an area of the Layer where anomalies can live in peace.

Status - starting second draft!

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---What to expect from my blog ~

  • WIP snippets of scenes
  • Character sheets
  • Character art
  • Writing ramblings
  • Moodboards
  • Writing progress
  • Tag games
  • Character art

Please feel free to send me messages/asks about my story or my art! I would love to hear from you!

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---Misc ~

Fandoms: sorry if this rando writeblr blog follows you, I have a few fandoms I'm into at the moment, such as:

  • World of Warcraft
  • Overwatch
  • Detroit: Become Human
  • Hazbin Hotel
  • The Beatles/many other bands
  • Avatar: The Last Airbender
  • The Owl House
  • Pokemon
  • Sims 2
  • Persona 5

Currently reading: Lightlark by Alex Aster

#writeblr#writeblr intro#about me#pinned post
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July Goals/Summaries/Statuses

June got skipped, it was a hectic month half consisting of traveling, and while this is late I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things so here we go...

I am officially working on *two* stories at the moment, here are their summaries:

  • Soulbind - my YA fantasy story. In a world where the gods and goddesses choose each individual's magical attunements based on the strength of their life-bind, Jory is a soulbinder, a unique and rare attunement random given not by any gods, that steals a sliver of another's life-bind - usually those the soulbinder is close to. Soulbinders are shunned in most societies, and Jory's home nation of Losyros is no different. Bitter and arrogant, but cunning and analytical, Jory bides his time, running cons in lower Siolyn, the capital of Losyros. But Jory gets an opportunity from the prince and becomes the prince's Kingsworn, an ancient role reserved only for soulbinders. Everything falls apart when Jory is kidnapped by the Ashborne, the champion for the goddess Gholgane, who wants Jory unbound at once. Now Jory has to rely on his wits, his best friend Nahia, and Prince Cydri to rescue him before he is lost to them forever.
  • Anomaly - my YA sci-fi/superhero story. Lian, a poor anomaly from District Lacerta in Layer Comet, discovers he is a Class A anomaly - an anomaly with superhuman abilities, in his case super speed. Class B anomalies have been around for centuries, and the Pyramid harvested augmentations from them. Augmentations, or just augs, were simple modifications that non-anomalies used to make their lives easier, such as enhancing memory, sight, reflexes, etc. Lian tries to keep his status as a Class A a secret - society is not reacting well to the discovery of these more powerful anomalies - but he is captured by the Zenith Order, who claims they want what is best for everyone and to keep them safe. A scientist named Rosmyle experiments on Lian, hoping to understand anomalies better. Things turn around when Lian manages to escape - and takes six other traumatized anomalies with him. Now they have to survive a chaotic and prejudiced Layer Comet to make it to an area of the Layer where anomalies can live in peace.

Statuses for these stories:

  • Soulbind - have a really solid first draft that got stitched together from other possible drafts lol! I now also have a complete online and understand what the first draft is missing, as well as an almost complete series outline for five possible books in the making. It has been really fun getting back to these characters. Jory <3 you are such a little shit.
  • Anomaly - hit some snags here. I did finish a NaNo rough draft for it of 100k words, but found some problems with it after reviewing it. Realized the premise for the laboratory arc wasn't as interesting as it could have been - basically, initially it had the anomalies surviving within the laboratory, but it would be more interesting if they were already escaped, on the run *from* the scientists and the evil Zenith Order. This way we see more of the Layer and they have more room to grow as individuals rather than being cooped up in the lab. Jaith's arc is unchanged and will remain parallel during the laboratory/escape arc. Meanwhile the outline for book 2 is just sitting there, waiting for me to tackle it again lol.

Goals -

  • Get a solid start on Anomaly's second draft. Maybe 10k each words for the Laboratory arc and for Jaith's arc - that would be perfect and make me feel much better about these second drafts
  • Add in the missing scenes for Soulbind and begin to edit it as a whole. Soulbind seems to be going much better than Anomaly at the moment lol!
  • Get some character design sheets done. I keep putting this off, but It would be *really* helpful if I could do this to introduce my characters and get some comics/reels going. I think I could get Jory, Nahia, Tadani (the Ashborne), and Jaith's all done without issue as their designs are pretty well finalized. I would do Lian and I probably should, but the problem with him is that while is book 2 design looks like this:

His book 2 design is just..some kid lol, it isn't very interesting. Yet. I'm just not sure what to do add to it. But I'll figure it out!

Sooo that's what's going on with my stories! Thanks everyone who has stuck with me <3 I really appreciate the support, hopefully you're looking forward to more updates soon.

#emberlywrites#writeblr#oc#writing
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sorry for the silence. been figuring out some writing stuff, as usual.

trying to decide if, for Anomaly, the first book in the series should be:

  • I start on book 2, which has arguably the more exciting plot but skips the very premise the story was built upon
  • I start on book 1, which has a weaker plot (or one I just haven't built much of yet?), but has the laboratory premise I started with

sigh. I'm sure if I keep at it the plot for book 1 will be just as exciting, but at the moment it is a slosh.

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You can always try tossing a coin.

That aside, the first book in a series is always going to have more to do, because you have to introduce the setting, the characters, and possibly how the world functions. That's always going to drag the pacing down a bit.

I had a similar problem with book 1 on my spy thriller. It was basically the setup for the series, but it felt like a set of disjointed smaller conflicts. Adding one thing that connected all of these incidents (which they had to figure out) together with a personal stake for one of the MCs solved the problem.

Maybe you can find something like that if you inspect the key beats of your story as it is now?

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thanks for sharing your thoughts! I really appreciate it.

You're totally right, if I skipped the first book then a lot of world building and smaller conflicts would be left out, not to mention every character's growth and understanding what my MC meant to each of them and how he helped them etc......in other words, it's the foundation for the conflict in my second book.

I think my issue was I started the story in a spot that felt sluggish, so I skipped ahead a bit. Already things seem to be flowing much smoother.

#thanks again#writeblr#writing
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sorry for the silence. been figuring out some writing stuff, as usual.

trying to decide if, for Anomaly, the first book in the series should be:

  • I start on book 2, which has arguably the more exciting plot but skips the very premise the story was built upon
  • I start on book 1, which has a weaker plot (or one I just haven't built much of yet?), but has the laboratory premise I started with

sigh. I'm sure if I keep at it the plot for book 1 will be just as exciting, but at the moment it is a slosh.

#writing#emberlywrites#writeblr
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Anomaly - May Goals and Progress

Things are going going going ~ here are the things I got done in April:

  • finished KM Weiland's Structuring Your Novel Workbooks for all three plotlines
  • finished KM Weiland's Creating Character Arcs Workbooks for Anomaly's main characters
  • designed the remaining needed characters
  • replaced one main character with a character who fit the role better and finished designing him

And here are my May goals!

  • figure out a good outlining system that will still leave room for spontaneity
  • create and detail all needed settings
  • finish designing some antagonists as though designing protagonists
  • get an outline done by June
  • maybe do a drawing schedule this time

June goals because what the hell

  • start writing the second draft

I think that's it! Soon I'll be able to begin the second drafts in earnest! I hope to share more about Anomaly as soon as I can but I'm hesitant to share things that aren't set in stone yet lol.

#writing stuff#writeblr#emberlywrites
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morality: a character creation guide

creating and understanding your oc’s personal moral code! no, i cannot tell you whether they’re gonna come out good or bad or grey; that part is up to you.

anyway, let’s rock.

i. politics

politics are a good way to indicate things your character values, especially when it comes to large-scale concepts such as government, community, and humanity as a whole.

say what you will about either image; i’d argue for the unintiated, the right image is a good introduction to some lesser discussed ideologies… some of which your oc may or may not fall under.

either way, taking a good look at your character’s values on the economic + social side of things is a good place to start, as politics are something that, well… we all have ‘em, you can’t avoid ‘em.

clearly, this will have to be adjusted for settings that utilize other schools of thought (such as fantasy + historical fiction and the divine right of kings), but again, economic/social scale plotting will be a good start for most.

ii. religion + philosophy

is your oc religious? do they believe in a form of higher power? do they follow some sort of philosophy?

are they devout? yes, this applies to non-religious theist and atheist characters as well; in the former’s case… is their belief in a higher power something that guides many of their actions or is their belief in a higher power something that only informs a few of their actions? for the atheists; do they militant anti-theists who believe atheism is the only way and that religion is harmful? or do they not care about religion, so long as it’s thrust upon them?

for the religious: what is your oc’s relationship with the higher power in question? are they very progressive by their religion’s standards or more orthodox? how well informed of their own religion are they?

does your oc follow a particular school of philosophical thought? how does that interact with their religious identification?

iii. values

by taking their political stance and their religious + philosophical stance, you have a fairly good grasp on the things your character values.

is there anything they value - due to backstory, or what they do, or what they love - that isn’t explained by political stance and religious and/or philosophical identification? some big players here will likely be your oc’s culture and past.

of everything you’ve determined they value, what do they value the most?

iv. “the line”

everyone draws it somewhere. we all have a line we won’t cross, no matter the lengths we go for what we believe is a noble cause. where does your character draw it? how far will they go for something they truly believe is a noble cause? as discussed in part iii of my tips for morally grey characters,

would they lie? cheat? steal? manipulate? maim? what about commit acts of vandalism? arson? would they kill?

but even when we have a line, sometimes we make exceptions for a variety of reasons. additionally, there are limits to some of the lengths we’d go to.

find your character’s line, their limits and their exceptions.

v. objectivism/relativism

objectivism, as defined by the merriam-webster dictionary, is “an ethical theory that moral good is objectively real or that moral precepts are objectively valid.”

relativism, as defined by the merriam-webster dictionary, is “a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them.”

what take on morality, as a concept, does your character have? is morality objective? is morality subjective?

we could really delve deep into this one, but this post is long enough that i don’t think we need to get into philosophical rambling… so this is a good starting point.

either way, exploring morality as a concept and how your character views it will allow for better application of their personal moral code.

vi. application

so, now you know what they believe and have a deep understanding of your character’s moral code, all that’s left is to apply it and understand how it informs their actions while taking their personality into account.

and interesting thing to note is that we are all hypocrites; you don’t have to do this, but it might be fun to play around with the concept of their moral code and add a little bit of hypocrisy to their actions as a treat.

either way, how do your character’s various beliefs interact? how does it make them interact with the world? with others? with their friends, family, and community? with their government? with their employment? with their studies? with the earth and environment itself?

in conclusion:

there’s a lot of things that inform one’s moral compass and i will never be able to touch on them all; however, this should hopefully serve as at least a basic guide.

#character creation#reference
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#masterlist
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“I am going to bring the sun back to this dreary place!”

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To “celebrate” (ugh) Jaith getting his own plotline in book 1 of Anomaly when he previously only appeared at the very end, here’s a pic of younger Jaith at the climactic moment of book 1, new arm and all. Thanks Jaith for the extra work! Thanks to you I’m outlining/writing three plotlines at once. You’re lucky you’re an interesting character.

This lighting definitely doesn’t make him look like a villain. Nope. Also eye glow or no eye glow?

It’s been a moment since I posted art. I’ve been really busy with writing. I hope to post more soon.

#oc#writeblr#emberlywrites#procreate#originalcharacter#superhero#writing#cyberpunk#emberlyricart
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Anomaly updates -

  • almost done with a Jaith pic to celebrate him getting an arc in Book 1
  • finished planning Lian and Kerris's arcs in Book 2
  • almost finished Structuring Your Novel Workbook for Book 2
  • created basic outline for minor all minor arcs for Book 1
  • figured out mechanics of the plot for Book 1

busy busy busy

#writeblr#emberlywrites
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today - I am taking a short break from KM Weiland's workbooks to write the Hook for the second draft of the laboratory arc, the first plotline in my series Anomaly. A small preview:

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LIAN

In the sterile lab, under the bright and cold fluorescent lights, Lian ran on the treadmill.

There was no sound save for his feet pounding and the steady beep beep beep as the speed increased. Forty-one miles per hour. Forty-two. Forty-three. The scientists crowded around. Some took notes on their clear netscreens. Others observed his various stats on the large, overhead monitor: his weight, his heartrate, his blood pressure.

His heart worked like a piston in his chest. Lian’s legs were a blur. He typically ran in short bursts, never for long, full-on sprints. He couldn’t keep this up. Did the scientists care? Would they stop the treadmill before he collapsed?

#emberly sharing her work????#no way#writeblr#emberlywrites#superhero#cyberpunk
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a summary of the changes I have made to Anomaly:

  • Emeren's name changed to Lian
  • Aleto's plotline given to a new character, Kerris
  • Added a plotline for Jaith to run in tandem during the laboratory arc of the first book; Jaith's plot will be about him forming Solstice
  • Lian's character arc type changed to something else in the second book (no spoilers)

I'm still working through KM Weiland's Outlining Your Novel, Structuring Your Novel, and Creating Character Arcs workbooks for three plotlines, prioritizing Structuring. Progress is being made, I hope to share some art soon, particularly of my new character Kerris.

#writeblr#emberlywrites
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Writers: do you normally write female or male characters??

Recently I realized that, as a girl, most of my characters are usually boys. That let me to question why I was doing that, and I think it's because it kinda gives me a sense of freedom. Like, as a writer, I'm intrigued to explore different perspectives and worlds I wouldn't be able to in real life, so I guess writing male characters is kind of my "what would it be like being a boy?". So now, out of curiosity I want to see if this happens to any of you or you just like to write from what you know.

Also, please join my other ongoing poll if you haven't voted yet!!

If anyone would like to share more about their characters, I'd be very happy to know.

Happy writing :)

#found out recently i have a lot more fun writing about dem boys#i mean girls are great#but guys in my stories tend to have better plotlines?#and more drama#idk maybe that's weird#writing
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If anyone is curious about what my April will look like and how I plan out my goals and what I’m working on at the moment ~

Basically I’m taking my first draft, looking at what’s wrong with it, and using these workbooks to make it an ~awesome~ outline (for both arcs, which look as though they will be two separate books). It’s taking a little longer than I thought but it will be so worth it.

I super wish my first attempt at a published book had been something way easier to plan out but well. If I can plan this one I can plan anything right?

Yay for Jaith in getting his own arc during the Laboratory Arc (but more work for me lol this one was not in the first draft)

#writeblr#emberlywrites#writing
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First Exploratory Anomaly Draft Done

And I guess I wrote 100k words in three and a half months.

😱😳😵

Idk I guess when I have something cool to work on suddenly I can just…..churn it out like no one’s business like holy shit?? 100k words in 106 days - that’s pretty awesome?

But I’m definitely not done. I’m calling this the “exploratory first draft” because the ending arc isn’t satisfying and there are several plot points that don’t make sense, but the world is there and the characters are there!

Next steps:

  • Take a small break. I kind of did this weekend but should probably take some more time
  • Outline outline outline. I’m using KM Weiland’s Outlining Your Novel and Structuring Your Novel workbooks to help me
  • Do a drawing challenge; might be part of my break, we will see
  • Add new plot points to existing draft; I already have a couple in mind I can add

More Anomaly is on the way! I’m super proud of myself for finishing this milestone and I’m excited to see where this story will take me next.

#writeblr#emberlywrites#writing
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