It Does Take Courage to Write a Novel

It's the beginning of National Novel Writing Month, so warm up your pen, pencil, or computer keyboard and start working on that masterpiece! It looks like Daria has hit a few snags, but don't let that stop you.

If you need some inspiration, you could read The Red Badge of Courage, written by Stephen Crane, who was born on this day in 1871. Contrary to Mr. O'Neill's teachings, however, I doubt you'll find it has much in common with the Wizard of Oz.

Fanfic Update!

• Black Cloaks of Lawndale, by Waylander (part 25): "Doctor Margaret Manson was sifting through Morgendorffer files, looking for the small details that can serve as a clue to understanding the young Necromancer."


• Casa Lane, by ST91 (COMPLETE!): "'Again?' Trent said one night while returning from Zon at the sight of a row of cars parked in front of his house."


• Christmas Morning (IC: Amy with husband and children), by Zetor (COMPLETE!): "Amy nibbled on a cookie and took a sip of milk as she watched her husband struggle to carry in the pile of Christmas gifts for their children. 'Greg, are you sure you don't need any help?' she whispered, careful not to wake their boys."


• Chuck (A different Type of Writing Challenge), by Princess_Pasta (COMPLETE!): "A thick covering of gray clouds had blanketed the evening sky, bringing with it chilling winds and rain. The entire week had been gloomy and dark, the awful weather affecting nearly everyone's mood."


• Lawndale & Sandi Griffin's Genie: Future Excerpt 2, by cfardell_Brenorenz29 (part 3): "At Lawndale High, Sandi, Chris, Sam, Sabrina, Nicki and Jennifer had finished their search of the Math area, when they saw another person enter. 'Hi, can I help you search for the Emerald?'"


• Lawndale 2021, by Anguirus1955 (parts 18 and 19): "Daria Morgendorffer was sitting down at her communications console at her station on the bridge. She looked over at Sparks. 'Hey, Sparks?' Daria asked. 'Yeah?' 'You ever wonder why we're here?' Daria asked him." (Part 19)


• Lawndale Z, by Kuriamo22 (part 5): "Jane yawned as both her and Daria sat on her bed at her house watching TV. It was the weekend, and they had fallen into the routine of not training on weekends."


• Let's Dance, by 11tee (part ): "Elsinore Sloane hung up her gown and then zipped up the garment bag. She enjoyed the dancing, but her date to the Fielding Formal turned out to be a bigger prick than she first assumed."


• Metal Rowe (A different Type of Writing Challenge), by EntrancedCat (COMPLETE!): "'Oh, my God! The goal post fell! Tommy Sherman's dead! He's dead!' Stacy's head jerked up as that cry interrupted Sandi Griffin's criticism of the skort Stacy had chosen that day."


• Not Alone (IC: Amy with husband and children), by ST91 (COMPLETE!): "The twins Alexander and Jessica Esposito-Barksdale realized something was wrong when they came home. They saw Amy Barksdale, their mother, talking frantically on the phone."


• Peacekeeper, by Zetor (part 1): "Lawndale is your average American suburb, just far enough from the city for it to be a pain to go there for anything but a special night out. Never mind which city, that's complicated."


• Perception, by Princess_Pasta (part 1): "Even through the tears in her eyes, Brittany Taylor kept her eyes focused on her long-time boyfriend, Kevin Thompson. It would be hard leaving him behind even if their relationship was rocky at best."


• Sisters of the Soybean (A different Type of Writing Challenge), by Anguirus1955 (COMPLETE!): "Quinn walked over to Daria's room and looked at her sister as she slept. She looked at the clock on the stand next to her. Sighing, Quinn took a few steps forward and leaned over her sister's bed to look at Daria's sleeping form."


• Unnamed story (World's Shortest Crossover, Part XIV: The Crossover Awakens!), by Wraith (COMPLETE!): "The elevator opened, and the nurse started to pull Mrs. Sullivan's gurney into the hall. 'Someone was crying. From the children's ward.' Mrs. Sullivan said."


• The Unveiling, by Anonymous (COMPLETE!): "The park was very quiet and very empty when Jane and Daria finished pulling the drop cloth off of Jane's installation. The result of four months of constant work, it towered fearsomely over their heads."