The Momo Crown

[There were no true cats, dogs, or modern carnivores of any sort in the Oligocene. Hoplophoneus had no competitors higher in the evolutionary scale than itself. Stupid, slow, and awkward though it may have been in comparison with modern cats, it was nevertheless the most active flesh-eater of the time.]

So I TOTALLY forgot to start writing for NaNo because... I'm working on a game for the show! I'm really excited for it, it's been months since I really sat down and coded in a way that feels like a big project.

It's really cool seeing things come together with each step in the dev process. I actually stream this on the show's server, though I might restart my twitch channel, I'm not sure yet.

My younger brother has incontinence issues and my other siblings tend to bully him for it ruthlessly, going so far as to tell his friends about it as if it's some moral failing.

I have very progressed mobility issues, and still my friends and family act as if I do not, or treat them as exaggerated.

I am autistic. I stim, my family and friends act as if it is gross or embarrassing.

I have tourettes, I ticc. My family and friends act as if it is embarrassing for them to be near me, and I am told to cut it out, or to calm down.

I have P-DID. I am unable to speak to my family about this, as they believe my trauma and pain are not enough to "count". That the trauma OF pain is not traumatic enough.

It tends to be the younger, left, alternative, progressive, "activist", queer, ND, who treat disabled people as worthless, as uncomfortable, as if their "comfort" matters more than my livelihood.

I hold nothing against my family, and nothing against my friends, but it is up to them to realize and reform those ideas.

To all able-bodied people, to all people without a stigmatized disorder/disability, to all the people who call themselves an ally, a supporter, to all the family members and friends:

You are not immune to ableism.

You are not immune to being an asshole just because you have anxiety, ADHD, LSN autism. You are not better than high support needs people, psychotic people, physically disabled people, people with stigmatized disorders and disabilities.

You are not better than the teen with fibro.

You are not better than the adult who uses AAC.

You are not better than the kid with a rollator.

You are not better than the person with psychosis.

You are not better than the autistic person with HSN.

You are not better than the person in a power chair.

You are not better than the person with a G-bag.

You are not better than the person with a feeding tube.

You are not better than the person with hearing aids.

You are not better than the person with visual impairments.

You are not better than the person with seizures.

You are not better than, worth more than, or deserved more than a disabled person. No matter how uncomfortable they make you.

You are not better than us because you're "special".

Finding ways to skip time in stories can feel challenging. Writers often worry it’ll make their work feel too amateur or negatively affect their pacing. 

The truth is that every author includes ways they skip time to maintain their pacing and plot. Check out a few ways to do it with confidence. 

1. Start a New Chapter

Yes, it’s really that simple. Go back to your favorite books and note how each chapter ends. You’ll likely find a few of these tricks that transition the story in ways that match the story’s flow.

Ideas to End a Chapter

The protagonist goes to sleep (likely overused, but practical)

The characters end a conversation

One character informs another of a plot twist

Unexpected action occurs, like a car crash

2. Emphasize the Season

You don’t need to tell the reader exact dates or hours to pass the time. You could mention the season instead.

If a scene or chapter ends in the summer and you need your plot to start in winter, make your protagonist mention something about the leaves changing color and giving way to snow before your action picks up again. It will only take a sentence or two, so it’s also an effective method for short stories.

3. Visualize a Movie Montage

Imagine watching a movie about a character who goes on a summer adventure. They backpack through Europe, but they have to take a flight to get there. 

You likely wouldn’t see them standing in airport security lines, napping in a terminal or watching a full movie on their flight to their destination. Instead, you’d get a montage of them driving to the airport with a shot of their plane cruising over the open ocean.

Writers can do the same thing, minus the soundtrack in the background. Describe how your character got to their destination when a new chapter or scene starts. Your readers will get the general idea and appreciate getting straight to the plot that made them pick up your story in the first place.

Here are a few ideas to do this in just a few sentences:

One delayed flight and a bad airplane dinner later, I was walking out of the Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport with an aching back and excited heart.

My trip began with the perfect flight. I got an entire row of seats to myself, which made napping through the trip much easier. A flight attendant roused me awake when it was time to land. I couldn’t believe how fast I’d arrived in Athens that quickly.

My flight was just long enough to catch up on the movies I’d been missing over the last year. The landing gear bounced along the runway in Rome just as the Barbie credits started flashing across my iPad.

4. Showcase Some Confusion

Sometimes we aren’t aware of what time it is. We only know time has passed. That might be the best way to make time pass in your story if your protagonist gets confused, caught by surprise, or otherwise discombobulated.

These are some examples:

I woke up with a bad taste in my mouth. The sun was already peaking in the clear blue sky. How long had it been since my explosive video call with my ex the night before?

The time machine landed with a thud that knocked me to the ground. The control panel exploded in shimmering sparks. What year was it?

Working a double shift always left my brain spinning. I left work, walking across the parking lot with only the stars watching my back. I could feel the hours aching in my feet, but didn’t care what time it really was. I just needed to sleep.

5. Employ a Phrase

There are many quick phrases you can use to make your time jumps immediately clear. Consider using a few of these when you feel creatively stuck:

Later that morning

A few weeks later

After months of trying

Six hours later

The following week

As the store closed for the night

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There are many other ways to make time pass in a story. Starting with these could help you figure out the best way to move your story forward without disrupting its pacing.