Valerie E. Vancollie
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vevancollie.bsky.social
Valerie E. Vancollie
@vevancollie.bsky.social
150 followers 35 following 200 posts
Scientist. Writer. Belgian.
She/Her/Hers

Writing blog: vevancollie.wordpress.com
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vevancollie.bsky.social
Apparently, my police do not have a patrol car 🚔 but a patrol cat 🐈‍⬛.

I'm not certain whether to fix this typo or not.

#writesky #writingcommunity #fanfiction

Image by Zyad Madkour
A black cat with a white tuft at his throat sitting on a car hood with other cars in the background.
November 19, 2025 at 10:17 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
One thing I love about posting a long fan fiction in chapters is seeing all the possibilities I didn't even consider until a reviewer brings them up.

I'm so focused on where the story is heading that I'm just blind to them.

#writesky #writingcommunity

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/a...
Alternative Perspectives
A discussion in my writing group’s online chat the other day reminded me of a topic that I don’t think I’ve discussed much here, but which was is rather important if you’re …
vevancollie.wordpress.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:40 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Wow, and just when the presumption of parental involvement is being repealed to ensure child welfare is placed first, this happens.

It's like they never learn! How many more children need to be hurt or killed by a violent parent before they're put first?

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Domestic abuse victims who flee with children overseas to be criminalised under new law
Change to crime and policing bill backed by fathers’ rights groups seeking support in cross-border abduction cases
www.theguardian.com
November 16, 2025 at 11:27 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Writing quickly is great for a lot of things, but word choice isn't always one of them.

I tend to repeat words shortly after their first use, even when far better options are available.

Anyone else do that, #writingcommunity?

#writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/11/15/w...
Word Repetition
Does anyone else find that, when they’re writing quickly, you end up repeating words? Not as in literally duplicating them, but using the same one in quick succession. For instance, yesterday…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
November 15, 2025 at 7:22 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
“The idea of mandating volunteering as a condition for those seeking indefinite leave to remain fundamentally undermines the idea of volunteering.”

Yes, yes, and yes!

Personally, I think this whole idea borders dangerously on forced labour.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
UK charities condemn ‘immoral’ plans to force migrants to volunteer
Making volunteering compulsory for asylum-seekers slammed as exploitative, bureaucratic and un-British
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:53 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
“Your intuition knows what to write, so get out of the way.”

– Ray Bradbury

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/11/11/g...
Get Out of the Way
At the end of my post about celebrating in my mind, I spoke of a word war once more. It’s not something I talk about much here, but they really are amazing and extremely helpful during a writ…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
This November, I'm definitely racking up quite the interesting browser history for my writing!

So many things that need checking...

So, #writingcommunity, what's the strangest or funniest thing you've ever had to look up?

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/11/09/b...

#writesky
Browser History…
The other day, while looking something up online for one of my stories, I had to think about the running joke of a writer’s interesting browsing history. Of how we end up looking up so many w…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
November 9, 2025 at 3:51 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Hurrah, I just crossed the 50k line for my November writing!

One fan fic story done, and a totally new original story started. The plot bunnies are hard at work, the muse is inspired, and my fingers racing along.

#writesky #writingcommunity
November 7, 2025 at 10:17 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
What happens when you're in the middle of a writing challenge and you get sick?

You make your characters sick and have them suffer with you, of course!

Ugh.

#writingcommunity #writesky
November 4, 2025 at 10:42 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
The biggest downside to working on a few different pieces during a writing challenge is that, occasionally, you need to stop and re-read what's in one story before being able to continue it.

#writingcommunity #writesky
November 3, 2025 at 8:47 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.”

– Beatrix Potter

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/11/02/y...
You Never Quite Know
With yesterday being the start of the writing challenge month, the quote by Beatrix Potter seemed quite apt. Even those who have their entire story plotted out ahead of time can be caught off-guard…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
November 2, 2025 at 4:52 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
It seems my muse is properly fired up for the November writing madness! Last night it started sparking off new ideas and expanding upon existing ones.

The writing begins soon!

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/l...
Liminal Spaces
Last night, as I was about to drift off to sleep, my mind latched onto something. For once, it wasn’t instant inspiration. No, instead it was a stray thought about my post here yesterday. Of …
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:17 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
This close to a writing challenge month, I actually find it hard to *not* write all of my ideas down *now*!

The prep work has gotten my muse into hyperdrive!

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/30/r...
Resisting Writing
This close to the start of the writing month challenge, when a lot of the prep work has been done, I always end up struggling with one issue. Not to write too much before the first! I love the iron…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:55 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
I've decided on my goal for this November: 200k words!

A lot, I know, but I've got quite a few different pieces I want to work on, so this should keep me going each day.

Anyone else setting themselves a goal #writingcommunity?

#writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/29/g...
Goal Setting
Part of why NaNoWriMo worked so well for me when it existed is because of the goal it helped me set for the month. Whether I did a traditional NaNo or a multiple thereof. This is part of why I swit…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Anyone else so conditioned to November being a writing month that you're gearing up to do so even without the Home Office?

My local group is a go!

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/25/h...
How Time Flies
It’s a bit scary how quickly we’re approaching both Halloween and November. Where does time go? Today, at the write-in, those of us who showed up were all talking about next month&#8217…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 25, 2025 at 3:29 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Interesting article on swearing and the differences between languages and cultures.

Words and how we use them says so much about us. It's fascinating!

#writesky #writingcommunity

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Italian blasphemy and German ingenuity: how swear words differ around the world
Once dismissed as a sign of low intelligence, researchers now argue the ‘power’ of taboo words has been overlooked
www.theguardian.com
October 19, 2025 at 11:32 AM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Someone asked me just how many works in progress (stories/fics) I have...

Does anyone else have A LOT of them?

#writesky #writingcommunity

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/14/a...
A Numb3rs Game
In the comments of my post yesterday, I was asked how many stories I was cooking. Which I took to mean as works in progress, which may or may not have been what was intended. I honestly couldn&#821…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 14, 2025 at 3:47 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
It's October, autumn is well and truly here, and I need to start thinking about what I'll focus on for my big writing project in November.

My local group will still gather despite it now being without any bigger organization.

#writesky #writingcommunity

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/13/u...
Upcoming… Something
Due to the weather we had this summer, things are even more autumnal here in the UK than normal this year. The trees, in particular, are gorgeous and remind me of when I lived in New England. It&#8…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

– Louis L’Amour

#writesky #writingcommunity #grimm

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/08/g...
Grimm Beginnings
While I’ve had Louis L’Amour’s quote on my list to use for a while now, it really felt relevant the other day. It explains, exactly, why I ended up writing fics for a new fandom. I trie…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 8, 2025 at 5:47 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
After far too much time away, I'm back with a new blog post and more #writing!

I had to go through a new fandom to get there, but it's finally happened!

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/10/04/a...
A Wandering Journey
Okay, I think this has been my longest absence here since I first started this blog. Sorry about that! When I last posted, I was just about to have company over, which is often a risk to the regula…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
October 4, 2025 at 5:17 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
So disappointed in #BBC for using #AI in their latest "Crime Next Door" podcast instead of voice actors.

Is this what the license fee is now being used for? To take jobs away from people?
September 20, 2025 at 7:56 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Not sure what the UK government did to the emergency service notification system but this test was worse than last time.

Then I got the notification on time & it was nice and loud - enough so to be heard if my phone was in my bag.

This time I got it 5 minutes late and it was *really* quiet!
September 7, 2025 at 2:08 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
“Wearing down seven number-two pencils is a good day’s work.”

– Ernest Hemingway

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/08/03/w...
Writing Implements
So, the reason I chose Ernest Hemingway’s quote is the same reason why I’ve suddenly gone AWOL. I wrenched my back again. As a result, I really wasn’t able to sit much for a few d…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
August 3, 2025 at 6:11 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
Inspiration is odd.

Even knowing this, I'm quite confuddled by the bouncing back & forth of my latest inspiration. It goes from driving my writing on, to hopelessly distracting me from it, and then inspiring whole new worlds...

#writingcommunity #writesky

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/07/23/w...
Wellspring
Not surprisingly, my newfound inspiration is doing what inspiration does best: begetting more inspiration! And last night was absolutely no exception. After my post here, I spent some time jumping …
vevancollie.wordpress.com
July 23, 2025 at 5:21 PM
vevancollie.bsky.social
A #haiku written really quickly when remembering today's National Belgium Day!

Fête nationale belge
De dag van de oprichting
Königreich Belgien

#writesky #poetry #haikufeels #micropoetry #belgium #skyverse

vevancollie.wordpress.com/2025/07/21/n...
National Belgium Day
For once, I actually remembered to acknowledge this day rather than forgetting until it’s passed. A disadvantage to living outside your country of birth! Due to the world heritage day challen…
vevancollie.wordpress.com
July 21, 2025 at 8:35 PM