For all the poems in this Two Sylvias Press Advent Calendar challenge, visit my musings here.
Prologue: This is a 31 day event that helps poets and authors all over to pen down 31 new poems in the month of December (2025). Every day we can open the calendar for that day to read about the prompt for that day. Then let your imagination fly to infinity with your thoughts and voice.
Note: I am starting late so might post my poems more than one a day. 🙂
For Day 14 the prompt given to us was to write a poem in the form of an instruction manual about anything you like. Use cautions, warnings and disclaimers where needed. This was something I wrote as a flowchart when I was trying to map my future some 20 years ago. I am using that for writing a novel or poem in the form of an instruction manual. Here is my take.
Different paces to write a novel
Step 1:Think of a topic for your novel and outline it.
Step 2: Assemble the characters for the story.
Caution: Make sure that supporting characters also have a role.
Step 3: Write a story with the characters you outlined.
Step 4: Proof-read it yourself once.
Step 5: Give it to a friend who can proof-read further for you.
Step 6: Give it to an editor if you want more to proof-read and edit.
Caution: Some editors come paid, so choose wisely.
Step 7: Find a website to publish your story.
Step 8: If the website has a contest, submit to the same.
Step 9: If all’s good reach out to a publisher who can publish your book.
Step 10: Repeat the process for a series in the same them, or for a new book.
Galavant Reflections 