So I just saw that there is a structure to this prep month of October, before NaNoWriMo, apparently, though I’ve still not found the origin, nor the rest of the (31, presumably) prompts (?). I’m still not sure if pushing myself to start writing my Rough Draft while I’m still outlining is a great idea, but I know that I’m getting sick of outlining, so why not?
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So, like Edana, I am going to write for 15 minutes on a specific aspect of my story’s society and/or culture.
My WiP is set in 1838, mostly in Baltimore, but also will move for about 13% of the scenes (6/46 of my total scenes) down to Ann Arundel county (near Annapolis, the state capital). Since my MCs are mostly Colored workers, slavery figures prominently in the story (especially since my protagonist is an escaped slave), but I also have to deal with differences between Baltimore City and the surrounding counties of northern MD vs those of the Chesapeake Bay, like Ann Arundel, where my protagonist, his wife, and his son, are from. Since he was high status on the plantation from which he fled his depraved master, he does not fit in well in Baltimore, where though most Black folks are free at this time, most came from lower positions on plantations further south, and are darker skinned, so despite the relative lack of skin-color barriers (according to the author of Freedom’s Port), there is still discomfort for him, as a light-skinned man.
There is also a rising level of anti-free and anti-Black & MU sentiment among the white population of Baltimore city, since the 1831 uprising in VA, and also due to increased immigration of mostly Irish but also German immigrants, taking semi-skilled jobs that had earlier been available, like caulking, from the colored workers. So friction is growing in this previously liberal city, and most of my characters are on the lookout for the increasing danger of being kidnapped and sold (whether free or not).
Religiously, oops, next time…
Yassas, γεια σας! Salût ! Nos vemos! Görüşürüz! ! שָׁלוֹם
Action Items in support of literacy and hope that you can take right now:
1.) Search for two different resources on slavery in the late antebellum (last three decades before the Civil War) period.
2.) Share them with us in the comments, here, please.
3.) Share your thoughts on how you like each of the resources you found, perhaps as an update on your GoodReads reading,
4.) Write a blog post or tweet expanding your thoughts on the above, or a story that tells a good story, and makes a difference. I’m working on that through my historical fantasy #WiP, #WhoByFireIWill. Once published, donate one or more copies to your local public library, as I intend to do.
Dear Readers, any additional ideas toward learning, especially multiple #LanguageLearning as part of on-going education and empathy-building, to #EndPoverty, #EndHomelessness, #EndMoneyBail & achieve freedom for All HumanKind?
Support our key #PublicDomainInfrastructure & #StopSmoking for CCOVID-19:
1. #PublicLibraries,
2. #ProBono legal aid and Education,
3. #UniversalHealthCare, and
4. good #publictransport
Read, Write, Ranked Choice Voting and Housing for ALL!!, Teach and Learn (Lesson Plans)!
3rd day Chol HaMoed Sukkot, 5781
Preptober, 2020, aka: 12020 HE
(The previous lesson plan since this post, and the most recent lesson plan…)
Ranger Mayann 