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We're deep in Resting Brood Face territory this week as Vicki's Catching Trouble continues with Maxime's chapter two, where our grumpy hero discovers that scowling at customers might not be the best business strategy. From "wild, untamed Poseidon king" energy (our first yellow highlight!) to the eternal struggle of whether your protagonist wants to "please them or poison them," we're unpacking what happens when your brooding MMC needs an attitude adjustment.

Expect fierce opinions on missing paragraph breaks that leave us guessing who's speaking, the fine art of making your hero's stakes crystal clear without getting vague and foreshadowy, and why "I'm not changing meat suppliers" might be the funniest defensive response we've heard all year.

There's also a heated sidebar on French beach club terminology (spoiler: it's not what you think), spatial confusion that had us wondering if characters were teleporting across tables, and the ongoing mystery of when exactly coffee became an evening beverage.

Come for the business advice critique, stay for the collective realization that sometimes your chapter just needs more work—and that's perfectly okay because we're all here to help you polish that diamond.

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We’re deep in scene logistics, missing windows, and rogue dental appointments this week as Heather's submission hits the group chat. From personified smiles to hallway entrances that don’t quite make sense, we’re unpacking character movement, setting gaps, and what it really means to widen your stance (and direct it at a human, not a desk).

Expect fierce opinions on all-caps dialogue, the eternal “shoved” dilemma, and why your editor should absolutely be flagging things that would never fly in a trad pub line edit. There’s also a heated sidebar on proper abbreviation punctuation, a cameo by Joel’s shorts (we missed them), and the collective unraveling that happens when someone’s on mute too long.

Is it personification or poetic license? Do we hate this line or love it enough to keep it? And how many times can one character say “damn” before it becomes a drinking game?

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