Words To Use Instead Of “said”

.☘︎ ݁˖┃staring down the barrel, of the hot sun . . .

dividers —

@shimmermetimbers, @sweetmelodygraphics

what’s my name?

you can call me apple pie

identity?

i’m bi, a cis girl, and i use she/her pronouns

hobbies?

watching yt, fingerpicking on guitar, shopping, baking, cooking, n’ being a cheerleader

favorites?

my favorite show is my little pony, my favorite number is 22, my favorite song is juno by sabrina carpenter, my favorite meme is “don’t play wit me,” and my favorite color is white with pink as the runner up

animal?

i’m a huge dog girl—i volunteer at animal shelters on the weekends

tea or coffee?

sweet tea

country or city?

i’m from tx, but i’m half and half

ao3?

slowcrush

anyway, don’t be a stranger

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪ . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ don’t wanna fight but my mental insists . . .

animal symbolism for your writing

dog — loyalty, faithfulness, trust, companionship, pack mentality, family-oriented

cat — independence, aligity, mystery, solitude, curiosity, self-reliance

rabbit — fertility, luck, new beginnings, gentleness, purity

snake — temptation, evil, ill will

deer — grace, gentleness, renewal, vulnerability, innocence

fox — cunning, trickery, intelligence, adaptability, mischief, playfulness, tomfoolery

coyote — cleverness, creativity, trickery, playfulness, knowledge, an omen or a warning

wolf — intuition, wisdom, freedom, wildness

alligator — danger, power, strength, camouflage

elephant — memory, longevity, intelligence, sovereignty

horse — travel, spirit, adventure, transportation, hard work

seal — playfulness, happiness, joy, understanding

seahorse — good luck, magic, persistence, fortune, individuality

shark — power, authority, strength, predatory nature, protection

fish — abundance, perseverance, prosperity, peace, calmness, water

grizzly bear — strength, power, protection, a connection to the wild, healing

black bear — fearfulness, conflict-avoidance, mindful

polar bear — viciousness, coldness, protectiveness

panda bear — peace, gentleness, luck, friendship

red panda — patience, sensitivity, originality, non-conformity

bird — transcendence, messaging/messengers, freedom

worm — decay, death, cycle of life, regeneration, simplicity

bug — filth, transformation, decay, unpleasantness

words on trees, bushes, rural regions, and forests for your writing

thicket — a dense group of bushes or trees

grove — a small wood, orchard, or group of trees

underbrush — shrubs and small trees forming the undergrowth in a forest

undergrowth — a dense growth of shrubs and other plants, especially under trees in woodland

canebrake — a piece of ground covered with a dense growth of canes

chaparral — vegetation consisting chiefly of tangled shrubs and thorny bushes

woodland — land covered with trees

coppice — an area of woodland in which the trees or shrubsare, or formerly were, periodically cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber

hurst — a wood or wooded rise or hillock

hillock — a small hill or mound

copse — a small group of trees

bower — a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants in a garden or wood

deciduous — (of a tree or shrub) shedding its leaves annually

coniferous — conifers are a group of cone-bearing, woody seed plants. they are most diverse in warmer areas like tropical mountains, and are also found in the wild regions of canada and russia

bosk or bosque — a thicket of bushes; a small wood

woodlot — a woodlot is a parcel of woodland or forest, typically small in size, that is capable of supporting small-scale production of forest products

pine — an evergreen coniferous tree that has clusters of long needle-shaped leaves. many kinds are grown for their soft timber, which is widely used for furniture and pulp, or for tar and turpentine

oak — a tree that bears acorns as fruit, and typically has lobed deciduous leaves. oaks are common in many north temperate forests and are an important source of hard and durable wood used chiefly in construction, furniture, and, formerly, shipbuilding

birch — a slender, fast-growing tree that has thin bark, often peeling, and bears catkins. birch trees grow chiefly in north temperate regions, some reaching the northern limit of tree growth

mahogany — hard reddish-brown timber from a tropical tree, used for high-quality furniture

hinterland — the often uncharted areas beyond a coastal district or a river's banks

willow — salix, also known as willows, osiers, and sallows, is a genus of around 350 species of shrubs and trees that are usually deciduous. they are primarily found in temperate and cold regions on moist soils. the white willow is the largest species, with mature trees growing up to 25 meters tall

redwood — sequoioideae, also known as redwoods, are a subfamily of coniferous trees in the cupressaceae family. they are the tallest trees in the world and can live for thousands of years

elm — ulmus, or elms, are a genus of deciduous and semi-deciduous trees found across most of the northern hemisphere. they are known for their broad shade and vase-like shape

magnolia — a tree or shrub with large, typically creamy-pink, waxyflowers. magnolias are widely grown as ornamental trees

greenwood — a wood or forest in leaf (regarded as the typical scene of medieval outlaw life)

boskage — massed trees or shrubs

countryside — the land and scenery of a rural area

country — districts, areas, and small settlements outside large towns, cities, or the capital

backwoods — remote uncleared forest land

outskirts — the outer parts of a town or city

wildwood — an uncultivated wood or forest that has been allowed to grow naturally

sticks — an area in the country that is far away from towns and cities

“how did you get into writing” hey so writing got into me

punctuation in dialogue

“this,” i paused, “is a sentence with an action, pause, dialogue tag, etc. in between.”

“this is a sentence too,” i said.

“hey and this too.” i said

“this is a sentence,” i said. “this is another sentence.”

“this is a sentence.”

okay thanks that’s all i got same time tomorrow

things to think about when you’re worldbuilding

economy or economies — what does the economy look like? is it horrible? is it great? does it vary from area to area?

race(s) — what do your people(s) look like? are they human, are they something else, are there multiple species?

currency or currencies — what do people use to trade? do they trade with items, like one pound of beef in exchange for one pound of scrap, or currency, like one dollar for one peach?

magic — decide if you want to have magic in your world, none at all, or if you want to put a spin on magic, like technology (smartphones, laptops, etc.) is considered magic

magic system — how does your magic work? are there different elements? maybe different element combinations can make others?

rules of magic — what are the absolute don’ts and dos in your magic system? also, what are the don’ts and do’s for magic in your society or societies?

magicians — are there magicians? are they typically one race, can they be anyone, or are multiple races known for being magicians? how are they related to magic? are some races better at becoming magicians and dealing with magic than others? what makes someone a strong or weak magician if you’re going to have power differences?

how magic relates to science — if you’re going to have science in your world, how does magic tie into it? is magic just apart of science? is magic its own thing and science another?

flora and fauna — how is the wildlife? are the plants and animals the same as the ones on earth, or are they unique? are there a variety of organisms or only a few?

geography — what does the planet look like? is it mostly land, water, or something else? are there landforms? if so, what are they and what do they look like?

natural resource(s) — what resources are available on the planet or planets and where?

climate(s) — what is the weather generally like on the planet or in specific areas? for example, is it always hot in one area but always cold in another, or is the entire planet one way?

culture(s) — manners, calendar(s),

technology — how technologically advanced are your people? are some areas or civilizations more advanced than others? are they barbaric?

medicine — how advanced or simple is medicine? is it available to most people? is the kind of treatment you receive race specific? does free medical care exist or is it available?

transportation — how do people get around? do they walk, use cars, bikes, planes, and or trains, or something else entirely?

communication — what are the language(s)? what are the methods of communication? are there specific alphabet(s)?

twenty phrases for writing facial expressions

his brows knitted together

her lips pulled into a smile

the corners of her lips quirked up into a smile/smirk

her face twitched

a line formed between his brows

a look of happiness engulfed him

a look of sadness washed over him

his face contorted into a frown

his eyes drooped at that, and his lips pulled themselves into a frown

she raised a brow

she cocked an eyebrow

her brows furrowed

her eyes narrowed

her eyebrows shot up

his brows were tightly drawn together

alternatively, his brows were drawn together tightly

her entire face dropped

her smile fell

his eyes glittered with [any emotion]

his eyebrows pinched together

quotes about books

"books are uniquely portable magic" — stephen king

"a room without books is like a body without a soul" — marcus tullius cicero

"that’s the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet" — jhumpa lahiri

"a book is a gift you can open again and again" — unknown

"the reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries" — rené descartes 

"the man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who never learned to read" — mark twain 

"there is no friend as loyal as a book" — ernest hemingway

"no two persons ever read the same book" — edmund wilson

"outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. inside of a dog it's too dark to read" — groucho marc

"books open your mind, broaden your mind, and strengthen you as nothing else can" — unknown

"book support us in our solitude and keep us from being a burden to ourselves" — unknown

"reading brings us unknown friends" — honoré de balzac

"reading is a conversation. all books talk. but a good book listens as well" — mark haddon

"the book you don't read won't help" — jim rohn

a list of buildings and structures to use in your writing

hospital

police station

school

fire watch tower

observatory

apartment complex

gas station

city hall

coffee shop

bakery

firefighter station

car dealership

college

high school

elementary school

middle school

university

park

research center

animal shelter

camp/wilderness camp

casino

blacksmith

bank

barber

armory

aquarium

dentist

general store

gunsmith/gun store

doctor’s office/medical store/medicinal supply store

jail

library

museum

farm

food store, like a pizza shop or ice cream store

stationary food truck

vacant lot

skate park

country club(s)

tennis court(s)

basketball court(s)

pool

warehouse

fast food restaurant

the types of laughs and smiles

smirked — teasing, playful, snarky. usually, one side of the person’s mouth is slightly upturned.

smiled — a smile, both sides of the person’s mouth turn up and it can be slight or extreme.

laughed — a general laugh. usually in response to something funny or outlandish, can be dry, loud, kind of quiet, or hearty.

chuckled — laughter’s quiet cousin. usually more subtle than a laugh and can be the suppression of a laugh, like someone was starting to laugh but decided against it.

howled — a loud, intense and higher pitched version of laughter. think doubling over, hands on knees kind of laugh. like a wolf, if you will

convulsed/convulsing with laughter — the person’s body is shaking or moving a lot due to laughter, maybe their arms are moving, they’re bent over, i don’t know whatever you want

beamed — a more strong, noticeable smile, usually wide and cheerful. think your crush just asked you out kinda deal