01 Reflections and Resolutions

I first joined World Anvil last year just before the summer camp event. And it was a big boost in helping me build up some projects! The problem was I burned myself out a bit and didn't really use it until this month. It's a fun tool and one that does help me organize and build references for ongoing projects.

Pace myself! Return to World Anvil regularly so that I don't abandon it again, but also don't try to push myself so hard that I leave again for long periods.

My biggest goal for this year is to finish the first draft of my first novel, BOLD BEETLE RETURNS! You can find the relevant world here. The linked world is an overhaul from the original world I made, as I'm overhauling the whole story and as such much of the world and characters is changing to match.

What I hope will become my second novel is currently untitled and the relevant world is going through some changes. It's my Sci-Fi world. It's much further from completion, in particular the story is still being developed. I'd like to start chipping away at it as I progress through the BBR! manuscript.

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List of articles I read for this challenge:

1. H4:XOR by BasicDragon

It's a simple page that efficiently communicates the premise, a secret HQ of a big company in a small rural town. Why is that? And does the name mean "hacker" or "witchcraft" in the local language? It's also a clean, nice looking custom layout. Good to see one can communicate a lot with very little in the actual page!

2. Iradae the Lawgiver by rudysb9

This is a fun read, I liked Iradae's story, trying to unite and save the clans, defeat the stone creature, and incorrectly being credited with the invention of stasis. I especially like that last part, so often people will steal credit but he really tried to get people to credit the scientists and engineers! The only thing I would add is I'd like to see more about him in t

3. Holiday Interns by Wordigirl

This is an interesting concept, what happens at a spy agency during the holidays? It seems pretty grim that it's a time when they put children to work, but that could have more to do with the rest of the setting, which I'm not familiar with as of writing. Still, it's fun that you thought of what would happen in what's usually such a serious setting when people want time off. It's a fun article!

4. Frozen Bite by Callyxtus

I like the style of this article, both the descriptions of symptoms and treatments had a specific feeling, fitting the European middle ages art featured in the article. It fits the style perfectly! It feels like a well thought out description of a disease and how people would react to it. Good article!

5. LA VOIX DE NÉLANNIE—NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL ON THE TEACHING OF MILITARY ARTS AT UNIVERSITY by Amélie I. S. Debruyne

An article formatted like a newspaper editorial, what a neat way to worldbuild! It sounds mostly pretty natural, giving background a reader might now to establish an argument. It's clear this world is detailed and well-thought out, we know who is on each side and why. It's got me wondering what other creative ways one might format an article!

6. Crying Bulb Soup by Naelin

I saw the article title and I had to check it out! I was a little disappointed when it just appeared to be describing onions and onion soup. I do like the new name for the plant, and the article is short and concise. Renaming onions "crying bulbs" is cute! I like the little bit of lore where the soup is a comfort food specifically in that it's supposed to ease sadness

7. Ravenspeech by Tonarus

A fun idea for a language, one that can't be learned in the traditional sense, lacking many rules and strongly tied to magic. Though it seems like speaking in riddles all the time might get a bit annoying!

8. Sweets N Smiles by Ezra Aldrich

A fantasy food truck! I feel like a world that has this much thought into what people eat, especially things like desserts and treats that aren't eaten regularly, is well fleshed-out. I love the idea of a bubbly halfling running a pastry/dessert food truck.

9. Drinking Touch by Qurilion

A spell that can draw blood from a victim with any type of contact, and the descriptions are gross and spooky! I especially like at the end there's a cultural context to the spell, some vampires considering the spell more elegant than drinking with fangs. It's a nice (drinking) touch!

10. Dragons by Mochimanoban

Dragons! Always love a dragon. Here the article talks about a world that's developed around animal-like dragons inhabiting the world, as both a source of companionship and as dangers. There's a detailed list of all the different species and subspecies, though it's a bit overwhelming. I like the additions of the illustrations at the bottom, helps me get a better idea of what all these different dragons look like.

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