2025 Reading Challenge

The Reading List

• Verd'Ain Settlement:

  A city article. I might focus on a few cities since I really need to write mine. I only have three, and a fourth that will eventually be built in the world timeline, so it's not the most arduous. But, it's also something I will probably overthink. This article starts with a song, which I love. Then it gives you the highlights. You can really feel the culture of the city, but it's not bogged down by minutia. Great inspiration.



• Nabozanitz:

  This article focused more on the city layout. It did have some unique and fun geographical elements and the author has put some thought into their city. The description was a little hard to follow, and I did leave some recommendations, though I also pointed out the good parts of the article.



• Aeloria Settlement:

  A really good article both visually and readability. It opens up with a blurb about the city that gives the reader a good feel for the city without bogging the information down. Then it adds more details in well organized and thought out blurbs. This one I will refer back to for inspiration when I finally get around to making my city articles.



• Darkness-Bil

  An article about an element and how it interacts with existence. Creating your own elements is an impressive creative feat and something that probably wouldn't have even occurred to me. It was really interesting to read.



• The Loyalty Paradox:

  This article was very much up my alley, an article on the psychology of loyalty and how it effects their characters and story. I think about psychology a lot when my characters. This article has definitely given me ideas for future articles for Talitha Harbor. I started writing their version of the DSM at one point, a while ago. I dropped it since it wasn't relevant to the story in a worldbuilding way. But, I might finish it and write articles connected to it that could hint at why some of my characters do what they do. Readers who want to go deeper into my character's head than the story allows may enjoy them. Regardless, I'll enjoy writing them.



• Bloody Journalism Campaign:

  An article for a fictional world, but events that can happen in this world. It's a brutal topic, the article lays it out well. It's to the point and shows the reality of things without letting it get lost in the minutiae of over typing that happens with some articles. Also something I need to work on myself. Not staying on topic.



• Three Laughing Mice Myth:

  Three myths or stories about laughing mice told from three very different perspectives. A great way to show different cultures or views with a fun and easy read.



• The Frogfolk of the Eastern Swamp:

  A species article that tells the about the species with a story, instead of simply laying out the biology. A really great way to introduce a species and make it fun for viewers to read.



• Birth of Dragon Magic:

  A fun article, a myth around the birth of dragon magic that may be true, but maybe not. Like all myths it's a little bit of both and the author did a really good job of letting the reader guess which is which.



• An Exploration for Ventilation:

  An article that ties into the Frogfolk article above. A tale that is what it says. A fun read that's serious, but also has some fun humor added in. The link between the articles is lightly hinted, almost with an Easter Egg feel which makes it a fun read for that reason as well.



• Corvyn Seinrill:

  A very in-depth article about Corvyn, a character given immortality as a punishment. The character has already been around for a long time, so there's plenty to write about him. This article is very long, and I didn't finish it, but I will go back and read more later. It has a great opening that pulls you in and makes you want to read more.



• Inigmiq:

  A piece of art that's massive and looks like a fortress from afar. I really like the idea behind this. I have a world full of Artisans and I haven't even thought of a single piece of art that would stick as a cultural piece. Something I need to change. As an artist, designing something massive like that would be great fun.



• Mulling Vengeance Plot:

  A D&D, or TTRPG roll play campaign that's a second part to an earlier one. This would be a fun campaign to run. It's far in the future for me, but I may be able to turn my second world into a good setting for a TTRPG, making campaigns for it will be fun. The author used the plot elements for this, which is a good thing to note for building better campaigns.



• The Seinrill Catacombs:

  A plot for a D&D campaign, but looking at it from the top down verse specific game play instructions. The author gives a lot of detail and sells it well. I really like several themes they're exploring, trauma, memory, hard choices, appearances, and a world that isn't black and white.



• Spur Blacklake's Murder:

  A short article, a reminder to use content warnings where needed, which I don't think I remember. Something to keep in mind when I go back through my articles. The site design is really unique, which I also like.



• Mother's Maul:

  A little piece of flash fiction that ties into George Sander's world at large. A moment of time in a larger story. I want to add more of these little blurbs in my world as well. Lots of little teasers.



• Dreamcrest Weaving:

  A tradition surrounding marriage. One that makes a couple prove their bond on some level and helps set them up for the future. But also one that does so in a way they probably can't fake. Something that would be useful in real life.



• Take Every Vacation You Can Get:

  I always enjoy WordiGirl's articles and this is no exception. She's good at unique layouts that make sense with her world as well. Something I need to expand in my world.



• Myrreos' Longest Journey - P3 The Anomaly:

  Though this is part three of a series of short stories, it works well as a standalone. I also like the narration style, there's a little bit of breaking the fourth wall and talking to the reader. It's used well, however, and adds to the reading. I really enjoyed this.
  



• Barnibus "Smaller on the Outside," Bob's Mobile Homes:

  This article is exactly what the title says, and is as fun to read as a Bob's Mobile Home That's Smaller on the Outside article should be. a fun little blurb about a vehicle that I really wish existed in real life.



The Goals

• Re-write the rough draft for Hidden Scars
• Make Talitha Harbor Archipelago map and the Planet
• Take a online CSS class
• Turn Talitha Harbor into a timeline website and hide all the spoilers
• Edit and create images for the five oldest articles
• Paint cover art for Broken Mist

The Plan

• Jan:

• Reading Challenge!
• Finish Sacred Ecology Epilogue
• Wattpad challenge with local writers
• NYC Short story challenge
• Edit/Rewrite The Craft of Exploration



• Feb:

• Make the planet in GPlates
• NYC Short story challenge continued!?
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it!
• Replace at least one old AI art on my site and edit that article too
• Find a CSS class and start it.



• Mar:

• World Building Con!!
• Start outline for Hidden Scars
• Finish up planet if not done
• Talitha Harbor Archipelago Map
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it!
• Replace at least one old AI art on my site and edit that article too



• Apr:

• Finish Talitha Harbor Archipelago Map
• Comfortable with CSS? If not, another class
• Finish Hidden Scars outline
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it
• Start writing Hidden Scars



• May:

• Redo front page of Talitha Harbor with new timeline layout and other snazzy shit
• Write four chapters of Hidden Scars
• Replace at least one old AI art piece on my site and edit that article too
• Edit/Rewrite The Blight in the Maze



• Jun:

• Catchup Month
• Prep for Summer Camp
• Write one chapter of Hidden Scars

• Jul:

• Summer Camp!!
• Get a silver badge, finally.



• Aug:

• Five chapters of Hidden Scars
• Website timeline editing if not done
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it
• Replace at least one old AI art piece on my site and edit that article too
• Start outside cover art for Broken Mist



• Sep:

• Five chapters of Hidden Scars
• Website timeline editing if not done
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it
• Replace at least one old AI art piece on my site and edit that article too
• finish outside cover art for Broken Mist



• Oct:

• Five Chapters of Hidden Scars
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it
• Replace at least one old AI art piece on my site and edit that article too
• Nov Challenge Month Prep



• Nov:

  -Finish Hidden Scars!!
• Edit oldest article or stub and make art for it
• Replace at least one old AI art piece on my site and edit that article too

• Dec:

• World Ember!