(aka, how to write when you're hella ADHD lol)
A reader commented on my current long fic asking how I write so well. I replied with an essay of my honestly pretty non-standard writing advice (that they probably didn't actually want lol) Now I'm gonna share it with you guys and hopefully there's a few of you out there who will benefit from my past mistakes and find some useful advice in here. XD Since I started doing this stuff, which are all pretty easy changes to absorb into your process if you want to try them, I now almost never get writer's block.
The text of the original reply is indented, and I've added some additional commentary to expand upon and clarify some of the concepts.
As for writing well, I usually attribute it to the fact that I spent roughly four years in my late teens/early 20s writing text roleplay with a friend for hours every single day. Aside from the constant practice that provided, having a live audience immediately reacting to everything I wrote made me think a lot about how to make as many sentences as possible have maximum impact so that I could get that kind of fun reaction. (Which is another reason why comments like yours are so valuable to fanfic writers! <3) The other factors that have improved my writing are thus: 1. Writing nonlinearly. I used to write a whole story in order, from the first sentence onward. If there was a part I was excited to write, I slogged through everything to get there, thinking that it would be my reward once I finished everything that led up to that. It never worked. XD It was miserable. By the time I got to the part I wanted to write, I had beaten the scene to death in my head imagining all the ways I could write it, and it a) no longer interested me and b) could not live up to my expectations because I couldn't remember all my ideas I'd had for writing it. The scene came out mediocre and so did everything leading up to it. Since then, I learned through working on VN writing (I co-own a game studio and we have some visual novels that I write for) that I don't have to write linearly. If I'm inspired to write a scene, I just write it immediately. It usually comes out pretty good even in a first draft! But then I also have it for if I get more ideas for that scene later, and I can just edit them in. The scenes come out MUCH stronger because of this. And you know what else I discovered? Those scenes I slogged through before weren't scenes I had no inspiration for, I just didn't have any inspiration for them in that moment! I can't tell you how many times there was a scene I had no interest in writing, and then a week later I'd get struck by the perfect inspiration for it! Those are scenes I would have done a very mediocre job on, and now they can be some of the most powerful scenes because I gave them time to marinate. Inspiration isn't always linear, so writing doesn't have to be either!
Some people are the type that joyfully write linearly. I have a friend like this--she picks up the characters and just continues playing out the next scene. Her story progresses through the entire day-by-day lives of the characters; it never timeskips more than a few hours. She started writing and posting just eight months ago, she's about an eighth of the way through her planned fic timeline, and the content she has so far posted to AO3 for it is already 450,000 words long. But most of us are normal humans. We're not, for the most part, wired to create linearly. We consume linearly, we experience linearly, so we assume we must also create linearly. But actually, a lot of us really suffer from trying to force ourselves to create this way, and we might not even realize it. If you're the kind of person who thinks you need to carrot-on-a-stick yourself into writing by saving the fun part for when you finally write everything that happens before it: Stop. You're probably not a linear writer. You're making yourself suffer for no reason and your writing is probably suffering for it. At least give nonlinear writing a try before you assume you can't write if you're not baiting or forcing yourself into it!! Remember: Writing is fun. You do this because it's fun, because it's your hobby. If you're miserable 80% of the time you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong!
2. Rereading my own work. I used to hate reading my own work. I wouldn't even edit it usually. I would write it and slap it online and try not to look at it again. XD Writing nonlinearly forced me to start rereading because I needed to make sure scenes connected together naturally and it also made it easier to get into the headspace of the story to keep writing and fill in the blanks and get new inspiration. Doing this built the editing process into my writing process--I would read a scene to get back in the headspace, dislike what I had written, and just clean it up on the fly. I still never ever sit down to 'edit' my work. I just reread it to prep for writing and it ends up editing itself. Many many scenes in this fic I have read probably a dozen times or more! (And now, I can actually reread my own work for enjoyment!) Another thing I found from doing this that it became easy to see patterns and themes in my work and strengthen them. Foreshadowing became easy. Setting up for jokes or plot points became easy. I didn't have to plan out my story in advance or write an outline, because the scenes themselves because a sort of living outline on their own. (Yes, despite all the foreshadowing and recurring thematic elements and secret hidden meanings sprinkled throughout this story, it actually never had an outline or a plan for any of that. It's all a natural byproduct of writing nonlinearly and rereading.)
Unpopular writing opinion time: You don't need to make a detailed outline.
Some people thrive on having an outline and planning out every detail before they sit down to write. But I know for a lot of us, we don't know how to write an outline or how to use it once we've written it. The idea of making one is daunting, and the advice that it's the only way to write or beat writer's block is demoralizing. So let me explain how I approach "outlining" which isn't really outlining at all.
I write in a Notion table, where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry. I do this because it makes writing nonlinearly VASTLY more intuitive and straightforward than writing in a single document. (If you're familiar with Notion, this probably makes perfect sense to you. If you're not, imagine something a little like a more contained Google Sheets, but every row has a title cell that opens into a unique Google Doc when you click on it. And it's not as slow and clunky as the Google suite lol) (Edit from the future: I answered an ask with more explanation on how I use Notion for non-linear writing here.) When I sit down to begin a new fic idea, I make a quick entry in the table for every scene I already know I'll want or need, with the entries titled with a couple words or a sentence that describes what will be in that scene so I'll remember it later. Basically, it's the most absolute bare-bones skeleton of what I vaguely know will probably happen in the story.
Then I start writing, wherever I want in the list. As I write, ideas for new scenes and new connections and themes will emerge over time, and I'll just slot them in between the original entries wherever they naturally fit, rearranging as necessary, so that I won't forget about them later when I'm ready to write them. As an example, my current long fic started with a list of roughly 35 scenes that I knew I wanted or needed, for a fic that will probably be around 100k words (which I didn't know at the time haha). As of this writing, it has expanded to 129 scenes. And since I write them directly in the page entries for the table, the fic is actually its own outline, without any additional effort on my part. As I said in the comment reply--a living outline!
This also made it easier to let go of the notion that I had to write something exactly right the first time. (People always say you should do this, but how many of us do? It's harder than it sounds! I didn't want to commit to editing later! I didn't want to reread my work! XD) I know I'm going to edit it naturally anyway, so I can feel okay giving myself permission to just write it approximately right and I can fix it later. And what I found from that was that sometimes what I believed was kind of meh when I wrote it was actually totally fine when I read it later! Sometimes the internal critic is actually wrong. 3. Marinating in the headspace of the story. For the first two months I worked on [fic], I did not consume any media other than [fandom the fic is in]. I didn't watch, read, or play anything else. Not even mobile games. (And there wasn't really much fan content for [fandom] to consume either. Still isn't, really. XD) This basically forced me to treat writing my story as my only source of entertainment, and kept me from getting distracted or inspired to write other ideas and abandon this one.
As an aside, I don't think this is a necessary step for writing, but if you really want to be productive in a short burst, I do highly recommend going on a media consumption hiatus. Not forever, obviously! Consuming media is a valuable tool for new inspiration, and reading other's work (both good and bad, as long as you think critically to identify the differences!) is an invaluable resource for improving your writing.
When I write, I usually lay down, close my eyes, and play the scene I'm interested in writing in my head. I even take a ten-minute nap now and then during this process. (I find being in a state of partial drowsiness, but not outright sleepiness, makes writing easier and better. Sleep helps the brain process and make connections!) Then I roll over to the laptop next to me and type up whatever I felt like worked for the scene. This may mean I write half a sentence at a time between intervals of closed-eye-time XD
People always say if you're stuck, you need to outline.
What they actually mean by that (whether they realize it or not) is that if you're stuck, you need to brainstorm. You need to marinate. You don't need to plan what you're doing, you just need to give yourself time to think about it!
What's another framing for brainstorming for your fic? Fantasizing about it! Planning is work, but fantasizing isn't.
You're already fantasizing about it, right? That's why you're writing it. Just direct that effort toward the scenes you're trying to write next! Close your eyes, lay back, and fantasize what the characters do and how they react.
And then quickly note down your inspirations so you don't forget, haha.
And if a scene is so boring to you that even fantasizing about it sucks--it's probably a bad scene.
If it's boring to write, it's going to be boring to read. Ask yourself why you wanted that scene. Is it even necessary? Can you cut it? Can you replace it with a different scene that serves the same purpose but approaches the problem from a different angle? If you can't remove the troublesome scene, what can you change about it that would make it interesting or exciting for you to write?
And I can't write sitting up to save my damn life. It's like my brain just stops working if I have to sit in a chair and stare at a computer screen. I need to be able to lie down, even if I don't use it! Talking walks and swinging in a hammock are also fantastic places to get scene ideas worked out, because the rhythmic motion also helps our brain process. It's just a little harder to work on a laptop in those scenarios. XD
In conclusion: Writing nonlinearly is an amazing tool for kicking writer's block to the curb. There's almost always some scene you'll want to write. If there isn't, you need to re-read or marinate.
Or you need to use the bathroom, eat something, or sleep. XD Seriously, if you're that stuck, assess your current physical condition. You might just be unable to focus because you're uncomfortable and you haven't realized it yet.
Anyway! I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting! XD Sorry again for the text wall. (I think this is the longest comment reply I've ever written!)
And same to you guys on tumblr--I hope this was helpful or at least interesting. XD Reblogs appreciated if so! (Maybe it'll help someone else!)
So I wanted to just give my thoughts on some interesting scent options, because no hate to sandalwood, it seems like everyone always smells like it in fics. And since I also have an indie perfume obsession, I wanted to share some scents that may broaden people's horizons. I may do a part two depending on how well I like how this turned out.
Pine resin, with hints of wood smoke, and warm brandy.
The smell of damp fresh earth after a summer rain.
Palo santo, dry desert grasses, and sage
Amber, laudanum, and frankincense
Tobacco, burnt grasses, with hints of citrus
Pine needles, forest floor, and stone
Saltwater, ambergris, fresh rain, beach sand
Stone, oakmoss, clay, and wet concrete
Animal fur musk, mulled wine, and a cold winter breeze
Freshly washed linen, lemon cakes, and black tea
Coconut, dark rum, and sugarcane
Leather bound books, a dying fire, and cedar
A crisp fall evening, apple orchards, and toasted marshmallows
Magnolias, Spanish moss, and honeysuckle
Sun warmed earth, tomato plants, and iced tea
Cactus flowers, sweet grass, and wood dry vanilla
Lemon grass, heliotrope, and sugar cookies
Dead leaves, dry hay, and cognac
And that's no even touching on all the different kinds of plants, flowers, and foods. I could go on for a very long time.
Describing aromas can add a whole new layer to your storytelling, immersing your readers in the atmosphere of your scenes. Here's a categorized list of different words to help you describe scents in your writing.
Crisp
Clean
Pure
Refreshing
Invigorating
Bright
Zesty
Airy
Dewy
Herbal
Minty
Oceanic
Morning breeze
Green grass
Rain-kissed
Fragrant
Sweet
Floral
Delicate
Perfumed
Lush
Blooming
Petaled
Jasmine
Rose-scented
Lavender
Hibiscus
Gardenia
Lilac
Wildflower
Juicy
Tangy
Sweet
Citrusy
Tropical
Ripe
Pungent
Tart
Berry-like
Melon-scented
Apple-blossom
Peachy
Grape-like
Banana-esque
Citrus burst
Musky
Earthy
Woody
Grounded
Rich
Smoky
Resinous
Pine-scented
Oak-like
Cedarwood
Amber
Mossy
Soil-rich
Sandalwood
Forest floor
Spiced
Warm
Cozy
Inviting
Cinnamon-like
Clove-scented
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cardamom
Coffee-infused
Chocolatey
Vanilla-sweet
Toasted
Roasted
Hearth-like
Metallic
Oily
Chemical
Synthetic
Acrid
Pungent
Foul
Musty
Smoky
Rubber-like
Diesel-scented
Gasoline
Paint-thinner
Industrial
Sharp
Herbal
Aromatic
Earthy
Leafy
Grass-like
Sage-scented
Basil-like
Thyme-infused
Rosemary
Chamomile
Green tea
Wild mint
Eucalyptus
Cinnamon-bark
Clary sage
Antique
Nostalgic
Ethereal
Enigmatic
Exotic
Haunted
Mysterious
Eerie
Poignant
Dreamlike
Surreal
Enveloping
Mesmerizing
Captivating
Transcendent
I hope this list can help you with your writing. š·āØ
Feel free to share your favorite scent descriptions in the replies below! What scents do you love to incorporate into your stories?
Happy Writing! - Rin T.
1. Moral Flexibility - Adapts their ethics to fit the situation, often justifying questionable actions as necessary.
2. Cognitive Dissonance - Holds two conflicting beliefs or values and struggles to reconcile them, leading to inner turmoil.
3. Overempathy - Feels othersā emotions too intensely, leading to burnout or an inability to make objective decisions.
4. Intellectual Arrogance - Dismisses othersā ideas as inferior, believing their own intellect is superior.
5. Chronic Overthinking - Analyzes situations to the point of paralysis, unable to take decisive action.
6. Restless Wanderlust - Has a constant desire for change or travel, leading to instability in relationships or careers.
7. Savior Complex - Feels compelled to āsaveā others, often to the detriment of their own well-being or othersā autonomy.
8. Emotional Vampirism - Drains others emotionally, needing constant validation or attention.
9. Righteous Indignation - Becomes excessively angry over perceived injustices, often alienating others.
10. Altruistic Self-Destruction - Sacrifices themselves for others to an unhealthy degree, often leading to self-neglect.
11. Pathological Modesty - Downplays their own achievements to the point of self-sabotage or invisibility.
12. Incapable of Solitude - Feels an intense fear of being alone, leading to codependent or unhealthy relationships.
13. Over-Rationalization - Justifies every action or decision, even when itās clearly flawed, to avoid guilt or responsibility.
14. Constant Self-Sabotage - Subconsciously undermines their own success due to deep-seated fears or insecurities.
15. Misplaced Loyalty - Stays loyal to people or causes even when itās harmful or undeserved.
16. Ethical Rigidity - Follows their moral code to the letter, unable to adapt to complex or gray situations.
17. Need for Obscurity - Prefers to stay unnoticed or in the background, avoiding recognition or responsibility.
18. Involuntary Aloofness - Appears distant or disinterested, often without meaning to, leading to misunderstandings.
19. Fear of Mediocrity - Terrified of being ordinary, they constantly strive for greatness, often leading to burnout.
20. Rejection Sensitivity - Overreacts to criticism or perceived slights, often withdrawing or lashing out.
21. Conflict Avoidance - Avoids confrontation at all costs, leading to unresolved issues and resentment.
22. Over-idealization of Others - Puts people on pedestals, only to be deeply disappointed when they donāt meet expectations.
23. Chronically Unfulfilled - No matter what they achieve, they always feel something is missing, leading to constant searching.
24. Compulsive Truth-Telling - Feels compelled to speak the truth, even when it would be kinder or wiser to remain silent.
25. Overactive Imagination - Sees threats or possibilities where there are none, leading to anxiety or missed opportunities.
26. Faux Humility - Pretends to be humble but secretly craves admiration or validation.
27. Micromanagement - Needs to control every detail, often suffocating others or hindering their own progress.
28. Anachronistic Thinking - Clings to outdated beliefs or practices, struggling to adapt to modern realities.
29. Over-Reliance on Routine - Becomes anxious or lost without their routines, struggling to adapt to change.
30. Selective Memory - Remembers events in a way that suits their narrative, often distorting the truth.
31. Paradoxical Fear of Success - Desires success but subconsciously fears the changes or responsibilities it might bring.
32. Compassion Fatigue - Once empathetic, now numbed or indifferent due to overwhelming exposure to othersā suffering.
33. Overwhelming Nostalgia - Lives in the past, unable to move forward or appreciate the present.
34. Unyielding Perfectionism - So focused on flawlessness that they struggle to complete tasks or accept anything less than perfect.
35. Epistemic Arrogance - Believes they know everything worth knowing, dismissing the possibility of learning from others.
36. Excessive Hedonism - Pursues pleasure to the point of neglecting responsibilities or moral considerations.
37. Over-Cautiousness - So afraid of making mistakes that they rarely take action, leading to missed opportunities.
38. Idealistic Naivety - Believes the world should operate according to their ideals, often clashing with reality.
39. Ambition without Direction - Desires greatness but has no clear path or plan, leading to frustration and failure.
40. Emotional Transference - Projects unresolved emotions onto others, often misinterpreting their intentions or actions.
41. Overdependence on Routine - Becomes anxious or lost without their routines, struggling to adapt to change.
42. Misplaced Guilt - Feels responsible for things outside of their control, leading to unnecessary self-blame.
43. Fear of Being Ordinary - Constantly strives to stand out, often at the expense of authenticity or well-being.
44. Chronic Indecisiveness - Struggles to make even simple decisions, constantly second-guessing themselves.
45. Faux Cynicism - Pretends to be jaded or cynical as a defense mechanism, while secretly caring deeply.
46. Romanticization of Suffering - Believes that suffering is noble or meaningful, often rejecting happiness or comfort.
47. Selective Compassion - Empathetic towards some but completely indifferent or cold to others, often based on biases.
48. Avoidant Optimism - Avoids negative thoughts or situations, clinging to an unrealistic positivity that ignores real problems.
49. Fear of Abandonment - Clings to relationships out of fear of being left alone, often leading to unhealthy dynamics.
50. Overidentification with Work - Sees their job as their entire identity, struggling with self-worth outside of work.
51. Excessive Altruism - Sacrifices their own needs to help others, often to their own detriment.
52. Self-Imposed Isolation - Withdraws from others out of fear of rejection or misunderstanding, leading to loneliness.
53. Over-Analysis Paralysis - Overthinks every situation to the point of being unable to make decisions or take action.
54. Eternal Romantic - Sees the world through a lens of idealized love, often leading to disillusionment or heartbreak.
55. Emotional Incontinence - Struggles to control their emotions, often overwhelming others with their intensity.
56. Fear of Aging - Obsessed with youth, they go to great lengths to deny or hide the aging process.
57. Intellectual Cowardice - Avoids challenging their own beliefs or ideas, sticking to what they know out of fear of change.
58. Emotional Hoarding - Holds onto past hurts or grudges, unable to let go and move on.
59. Unquenchable Curiosity - Always needs to knw more, often prying into othersā lives or crossing boundaries.
60. Romantic Escapism - Uses fantasy or daydreams as a way to avoid dealing with reality, leading to detachment.
61. Masochistic Tendencies - Deliberately seeks out situations that cause them pain or discomfort, believing they deserve it.
62. Incurable Wanderer - Can never settle down, always moving on to the next place or experience, leading to rootlessness.
63. Dependency on Validation - Needs constant approval or praise from others to feel good about themselves.
64. Constant Self-Reinvention - Continuously changes their identity or persona, never settling on who they truly are.
65. Moral Masochism - Finds satisfaction in self-punishment or guilt, often holding themselves to impossible standards.
66. Faux Bravado - Pretends to be fearless or confident to hide deep-seated insecurities or fears.
67. Over-romanticization of the Past - Idealizes past experiences, believing that things were better back then, leading to dissatisfaction with the present.
68. Chronic Hedging - Never fully commits to decisions or actions, always leaving themselves an escape route.
69. Fear of Stagnation - Constantly needs to be doing something or moving forward, fearing theyāll become irrelevant or bored.
70. Over-Attachment to Objects - Places excessive sentimental value on material possessions, struggling to let go.
71. Emotional Stoicism - Refuses to show or acknowledge emotions, leading to repression and eventual breakdowns.
72. Self-Flagellation - Constantly punishes themselves for perceived failures or mistakes, often disproportionate to the actual events.
73. Fear of the Unknown - Terrified of what they canāt predict or control, leading to anxiety or avoidance of new experiences.
74. Romantic Pessimism - Believes that love or relationships are doomed to fail, leading to self-sabotage or cynicism.
75. Intellectual Purism - Believes in the superiority of āpureā intellectual pursuits, often dismissing practical or emotional concerns.
76. Existential Dread - Obsesses over the meaning (or lack thereof) of life, leading to paralysis or despair.
77. Involuntary Nonconformity- Desires to fit in but canāt help standing out or going against the grain, often feeling alienated.
78. Self-Imposed Martyrdom - Puts themselves in a position of suffering or sacrifice, believing itās their duty or fate.
79. Idealized Self-Image - Clings to an unrealistic self-concept, struggling to accept their flaws or limitations.
80. Compulsive Honesty - Feels compelled to always tell the truth, even when itās hurtful or inappropriate.
81. Over-Reliance on Technology - Becomes helpless without modern conveniences, struggling to cope with real-world challenges.
82. Moral Exhibitionism - Shows off their ethics or principles to gain admiration or moral superiority, often insincerely.
83. Perpetual Student Syndrome - Always learning but never applying knowledge, avoiding real-world responsibilities.
84. Emotional Osmosis - Absorbs othersā emotions so deeply that they lose track of their own feelings or needs.
85. Pathological Frugality - So obsessed with saving money or resources that they miss out on lifeās joys or opportunities.
86. Obsessive Self-Improvement - Never satisfied with themselves, constantly striving for unattainable perfection.
87. False Modesty - Pretends to be humble while fishing for compliments or validation.
88. Uncontrolled Impulsiveness - Acts on whims or impulses without considering the consequences, leading to chaos or regret.
89. Chronic Hedonism - Lives only for pleasure, often to the detriment of their long-term happiness or relationships.
90. Overly Abstract Thinking - So focused on big ideas or concepts that they lose touch with reality or practical concerns.
91. Romantic Idealism - Believes in a perfect love or relationship, often leading to disappointment or disillusionment.
92. Selective Altruism - Only helps others when it suits them, often ignoring those who donāt fit their criteria.
93. Pathological Shyness - So shy or introverted that they struggle to function in social situations, often missing out on opportunities.
94. Moral Superiority - Believes they are more ethical or righteous than others, often looking down on those who donāt share their views.
95. Over-identification with a Role - Sees themselves only as their job, family role, or social identity, losing sight of their true self.
96. Chronic Complaining - Constantly finds something to complain about, often bringing others down or creating a negative atmosphere.
97. Faux Stoicism - Pretends to be emotionally strong or unaffected, while secretly struggling with deep emotional turmoil.
98. Addiction to Drama - Thrives on conflict or chaos, often creating drama where there is none to feel alive or important.
99. Obsessive Collecting - Gathers possessions, knowledge, or experiences obsessively, often unable to let go or move on.
100. Inflexible Optimism - Refuses to acknowledge negative possibilities, often unprepared for setbacks or challenges.
101. Contrarianism - Always takes the opposite stance just to challenge others, often without genuine conviction.
102. Emotional Projection - Attributes their own feelings or issues onto others, often leading to misunderstandings.
103. Compulsive Heroism - Feels the need to be seen as heroic or brave, even in situations that donāt call for it.
104. Spiritual Narcissism - Uses spirituality as a way to feel superior to others or to avoid personal flaws.
105. Self-Defeating Humor - Constantly makes jokes at their own expense, using humor to deflect serious issues.
106. Identity Fluidity - Frequently changes their identity or beliefs to fit in with different groups, losing a sense of true self.
107. Overattachment to the Past - Canāt move on from past successes or failures, allowing them to define their present.
108. Pseudointellectualism - Pretends to know more than they do, using complex language or ideas to impress others.
109. Overidealization of Youth - Places youth on a pedestal, often dismissing the value of experience or aging.
110. Refusal to Accept Help - Rejects assistance from others, believing they must do everything on their own, even to their detriment.
111. Emotional Manipulation - Uses guilt, pity, or other emotions to control or influence others, often without realizing it.
112. Inconsistent Values - Holds contradictory beliefs or morals, leading to confusion or hypocrisy in their actions.
113. Obsession with Legacy - So focused on how theyāll be remembered that they neglect the present or make unwise choices.
114. Excessive Eagerness to Please - Goes out of their way to make others happy, often at the cost of their own needs or principles.
115. Emotionally Guarded - Builds walls around their feelings, making it difficult for others to get close or understand them.
116. Selective Memory - Chooses to remember events in a way that favors them, often distorting the truth.
117. Overattachment to Authority - Relies heavily on rules or leaders, struggling to make decisions independently or question authority.
118. Fear of Vulnerability - Avoids showing weakness or asking for help, leading to isolation or burnout.
119. Intellectual Detachment - Approaches everything with cold logic, often ignoring the emotional or human side of situations.
120. Obsession with Control - Needs to control every aspect of their life and othersā, often leading to stress or strained relationships.
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* body language masterlist
* a translator that doesnāt eat ass like google translate does
* a reverse dictionary for when ur brain freezes
* 550 words to say instead of fuckin said
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* some more body language help
(hope this helps some ppl)
I've seen a lot of advice on how to write an outline, and how to write your first draft. But how do you even come up with the concept for your story? To some that's the easy part, for me, it's kinda tricky. But I wrote down some advice to help out. If this works for you, great. If it doesn't, also great, I hope you found it interesting!
C.S. Lewis said the idea for his most well known series came from a very specific image that popped into his head: a fawn standing next to a lamppost in a snowy forest. And from there he wrote the Chronicles of Narnia. Indeed, many writers have spoken of the use of a single image being used as a starting place for their story, and I'm here to say it doesn't even have to be an image! Start with a character, a bit of worldbuilding, an object, a monster, a conflict, a scene, a dynamic, a setting, or yes, an image. Anything, so long as you're drawn to it. Just one thing; just one cool thing.
Then ask questions, specifically one: "What would be a cool/interesting thing to add?" And keep asking that question.
Go hog wild.
Based on your starting place, write down every cool idea you have; every idea that interests you. Don't bother making it cohesive, that'll come later.
But write down LITERALLY EVERYTHING--the name of the thing and a brief blurb of what that thing is. Stuff like characters, arcs, villains, events, lore, big dragons, cities, love interests, fight scenes, spicy scenes, dialogue, literally anything and everything.
This time instead of asking what, you're gonna be asking why.
You've got your neat list of cool ideas, now it's time to connect them. It's time to ask yourself, "Why are these things related?"
Why are the protagonist and antagonist at odds? Why would the characters go to this location? What is the relationship between these two characters? Why does this artifact exist? Why would this event happen; why would this character be there?
This sounds like the boring "got to have justifications for the cool stuff," portion of the process, but it's not. It's the "making these cool things even cooler," portion of the process.
You know what's cooler than two cool characters in a vacuum? Two cool characters that have a direct connection to each other. Even cooler, having those characters have a some kind of conflict.
And because of that conflict they'll probably have to go to a certain location... why not that cool setting you had on your list? That's probably where they'll have that conversation, and fight that monster, and find that object.
Woah! Did you see what you just did?
You just wrote a list of characters with specific relationships and conflicts, going to locations to do things.
That's a story! You've written the first notes of a story!
And now that you got words on a page, you can refine that. You can refine it into an outline, and build off it. You can't improve a blank page. The sculptor can't chisel away at empty air.
So that's my advice's, and it's just mine. If you have your own for this kind of thing, let me know, I'd love to hear about it.
Sometimes, deleting a few words from the manuscript will not be enough to get an immersive story with no draggin bits.
Here are some ideas.
Delete introspection. Whenever your POV spends time thinking, assessing, remembering, musing or emoting, cut the lot.
Delete the journey. Whenever your character spends time walking, driving, rising or flying to a place, cut it short.
Delete backstory. Readers need to know less backstory than you think.
Shrink the sequels. Sequels are paragraphs where the author shows how characters react to the action in the previous paragraph.
Condense the timeframe. Instead of a year, make it three months. You will have to watch out for continuity errors (no three Christmases in a year, character ages, etc.)
Condense the geography. Instead of fights happening in five different locations, have them happen on one place.
Condense the characters. Whenever there are several people of a kind (two sisters, four colleagues), let there be just one. You can also combine characters - the gym instructor is also the noisy neighbor, the choir conductor is also the owner of that pesky cat.
āāā d ļ½”ļ¾ā: *.ā½ .* . āāā
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Appetite:
craving, demand, gluttony, greed, hunger, inclination, insatiable, longing, lust, passion, ravenousness, relish, taste, thirst, urge, voracity, weakness, willingness, yearning, ardor, dedication, desire, devotion, enthusiasm, excitement, fervor, horny, intensity, keenness, wholeheartedness, zeal
Arouse:
agitate, awaken, electrify, enliven, excite, entice, foment, goad, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, rally, rouse, spark, stimulate, stir, thrill, waken, warm, whet, attract, charm, coax, fire up, fuel, heat up, lure, produce, stir up, tantalize, tease, tempt, thrum, torment, wind up, work up
Assault:
attack, advancing, aggressive, assailing, charging, incursion, inundated, invasion, offensive, onset, onslaught, overwhelmed, ruinous, tempestuous, strike, violation, ambush, assail, barrage, bombard, bombardment, crackdown, wound
Beautiful:Ā
admirable, alluring, angelic, appealing, bewitching, charming, dazzling, delicate, delightful, divine, elegant, enticing, exquisite, fascinating, gorgeous, graceful, grand, magnificent, marvelous, pleasing, radiant, ravishing, resplendent, splendid, stunning, sublime, attractive, beguiling, captivating, enchanting, engaging, enthralling, eye-catching, fetching, fine, fine-looking, good-looking, handsome, inviting, lovely, mesmeric, mesmerizing, pretty, rakish, refined, striking, tantalizing, tempting
Brutal:
atrocious, barbarous, bloodthirsty, callous, cruel, feral, ferocious, hard, harsh, heartless, inhuman, merciless, murderous, pitiless, remorseless, rough, rude, ruthless, savage, severe, terrible, unmerciful, vicious, bestial, brute, brutish, cold-blooded, fierce, gory, nasty, rancorous, sadistic, uncompromising, unfeeling, unforgiving, unpitying, violent, wild
Burly:
able-bodied, athletic, beefy, big, brawny, broad-shouldered, bulky, dense, enormous, great, hard, hardy, hearty, heavily built, heavy, hefty, huge, husky, immense, large, massive, muscular, mighty, outsized, oversized, powerful, powerfully built, prodigious, robust, solid, stalwart, stocky, stout, strapping, strong, strongly built, sturdy, thick, thickset, tough, well-built, well-developed
Carnal:
animalistic, bodily, impure, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libidinous, licentious, lustful, physical, prurient, salacious, sensuous, voluptuous, vulgar, wanton, , coarse, crude, dirty, raunchy, rough, unclean
Dangerous:
alarming, critical, fatal, formidable, impending, malignant, menacing, mortal, nasty, perilous, precarious, pressing, serious, terrible, threatening, treacherous, urgent, vulnerable, wicked, acute, damaging, deadly, death-defying, deathly, destructive, detrimental, explosive, grave, harmful, hazardous, injurious, lethal, life-threatening, noxious, poisonous, risky, severe, terrifying, toxic, unsafe, unstable, venomous
Dark:
atrocious, corrupt, forbidding, foul, infernal, midnight, morbid, ominous, sinful, sinister, somber, threatening, twilight, vile, wicked, abject, alarming, appalling, baleful, bizarre, bleak, bloodcurdling, boding evil, chilling, cold, condemned, creepy, damned, daunting, demented, desolate, dire, dismal, disturbing, doomed, dour, dread, dreary, dusk, eerie, fear, fearsome, frightening, ghastly, ghostly, ghoulish, gloom, gloomy, grave, grim, grisly, gruesome, hair-raising, haunted, hideous, hopeless, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, horror, ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, inauspicious, inhospitable, looming, lost, macabre, malice, malignant, menacing, murky, mysterious, night, panic, pessimistic, petrifying, scary, shadows, shadowy, shade, shady, shocking, soul-destroying, sour, spine-chilling, spine-tingling, strange, terrifying, uncanny, unearthly, unlucky, unnatural, unnerving, weird, wretched
Delicious:
enticing, exquisite, luscious, lush, rich, savory, sweet, tasty, tempting, appetizing, delectable, flavorsome, full of flavor, juicy, lip-smacking, mouth-watering, piquant, relish, ripe, salty, spicy, scrummy, scrumptious, succulent, tangy, tart, tasty, yummy, zesty
Ecstasy:
delectation, delirium, elation, euphoria, fervor, frenzy, joy, rapture, transport, bliss, excitement, happiness, heaven, high, paradise, rhapsody, thrill, blissful, delighted, elated, extremely happy, in raptures (of delight), in seventh heaven, jubilant, on cloud nine, overexcited, overjoyed, rapturous, thrilled
Ecstatic:
delirious, enraptured, euphoric, fervent, frenzied, joyous, transported, wild
Erotic:
amatory, amorous, aphrodisiac, carnal, earthy, erogenous, fervid, filthy, hot, impassioned, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, raw, romantic, rousing, salacious, seductive, sensual, sexual, spicy, steamy, stimulating, suggestive, titillating, voluptuous, tantalizing
Gasp:
catch of breath, choke, gulp, heave, inhale, pant, puff, snort, wheeze, huff, rasp, sharp intake of air, short of breath, struggle for breath, swallow, windedĀ
Heated:
ardent, avid, excited, fervent, fervid, fierce, fiery, frenzied, furious, impassioned, intense, passionate, raging, scalding, scorched, stormy, tempestuous, vehement, violent, ablaze, aflame, all-consuming, blazing, blistering, burning, crazed, explosive, febrile, feverish, fired up, flaming, flushed, frantic, hot, hot-blooded, impatient, incensed, maddening, obsessed, possessed, randy, searing, sizzling, smoldering, sweltering, torrid, turbulent, volatile, worked up, zealous
Hunger:
appetite, ache, craving, gluttony, greed, longing, lust, mania, mouth-watering, ravenous, voracious, want, yearning, thirst
Hungry:
avid, carnivorous, covetous, craving, eager, greedy, hungered, rapacious, ravenous, starved, unsatisfied, voracious, avaricious, desirous, famished, grasping, insatiable, keen, longing, predatory, ravening, starving, thirsty, wanting
Intense:
forceful, severe, passionate, acute, agonizing, ardent, anxious, biting, bitter, burning, close, consuming, cutting, deep, eager, earnest, excessive, exquisite, extreme, fervent, fervid, fierce, forcible, great, harsh, impassioned, keen, marked, piercing, powerful, profound, severe, sharp, strong, vehement, violent, vivid, vigorous
Liquid:
damp, cream, creamy, dripping, ichorous, juicy, moist, luscious, melted, moist, pulpy, sappy, soaking, solvent, sopping, succulent, viscous, wet / aqueous, broth, elixir, extract, flux, juice, liquor, nectar, sap, sauce, secretion, solution, vitae, awash, moisture, boggy, dewy, drenched, drip, drop, droplet, drowning, flood, flooded, flowing, fountain, jewel, leaky, milky, overflowing, saturated, slick, slippery, soaked, sodden, soggy, stream, swamp, tear, teardrop, torrent, waterlogged, watery, weeping
Lithe:
agile, lean, pliant, slight, spare, sinewy, slender, supple, deft, fit, flexible, lanky, leggy, limber, lissom, lissome, nimble, sinuous, skinny, sleek, slender, slim, svelte, trim, thin, willowy, wiry
Moan:
beef, cry, gripe, grouse, grumble, lament, lamentation, plaint, sob, wail, whine, bemoan, bewail, carp, deplore, grieve, gripe, grouse, grumble, keen, lament, sigh, sob, wail, whine, mewl
Moving:
(exciting,) affecting, effectiveĀ arousing, awakening, breathless, dynamic, eloquent, emotional, emotive, expressive, fecund, far-out, felt in gut, grabbed by, gripping, heartbreaking, heartrending, impelling, impressive, inspirational, meaningful, mind-bending, mind-blowing, motivating, persuasive, poignant, propelling, provoking, quickening, rallying, rousing, significant, stimulating, simulative, stirring, stunning, touching, awe-inspiring, energizing, exhilarating, fascinating, heart pounding, heart stopping, inspiring, riveting, thrilling
Need:
compulsion, demand, desperate, devoir, extremity, impatient longing, must, urge, urgency / desire, appetite, avid, burn, craving, eagerness, fascination, greed, hunger, insatiable, longing, lust, taste, thirst, voracious, want, yearning, ache, addiction, aspiration, desire, fever, fixation, hankering, hope, impulse, inclination, infatuation, itch, obsession, passion, pining, wish, yen
Pain:Ā
ache, afflict, affliction, agony, agonize, anguish, bite, burn, chafe, distress, fever, grief, hurt, inflame, laceration, misery, pang, punish, sting, suffering, tenderness, throb, throe, torment, torture, smart
Painful:
aching, agonizing, arduous, awful, biting, burning, caustic, dire, distressing, dreadful, excruciating, extreme, grievous, inflamed, piercing, raw, sensitive, severe, sharp, tender, terrible, throbbing, tormenting, angry, bleeding, bloody, bruised, cutting, hurting, injured, irritated, prickly, skinned, smarting, sore, stinging, unbearable, uncomfortable, upsetting, wounded
Perverted:Ā
aberrant, abnormal, corrupt, debased, debauched, defiling, depraved, deviant, monstrous, tainted, twisted, vicious, warped, wicked, abhorrent, base, decadent, degenerate, degrading, dirty, disgusting, dissipated, dissolute, distasteful, hedonistic, immodest, immoral, indecent, indulgent, licentious, nasty, profligate, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, shameful, shameless, sickening, sinful, smutty, sordid, unscrupulous, vileĀ
Pleasurable:
charming, gratifying, luscious, satisfying, savory, agreeable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, nice, pleasant, pleasing, soothing, succulent
Pleasure:
bliss, delight, gluttony, gratification, relish, satisfaction, thrill, adventure, amusement, buzz, contentment, delight, desire, ecstasy, enjoyment, excitement, fun, happiness, harmony, heaven, joy, kick, liking, paradise, seventh heavenĀ
Rapacious:
avaricious, ferocious, furious, greedy, predatory, ravening, ravenous, savage, voracious, aggressive, gluttonous, grasping, insatiable, marauding, plundering
Rapture:
bliss, ecstasy, elation, exaltation, glory, gratification, passion, pleasure, floating, unbridled joy
Rigid:
adamant, austere, definite, determined, exact, firm, hard, rigorous, solid, stern, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, concrete, fixed, harsh, immovable, inflexible, obstinate, resolute, resolved, severe, steadfast, steady, stiff, strong, strict, stubborn, taut, tense, tight, tough, unbending, unchangeable, unwavering
Sudden:
abrupt, accelerated, acute, fast, flashing, fleeting, hasty, headlong, hurried, immediate, impetuous, impulsive, quick, quickening, rapid, rash, rushing, swift, brash, brisk, brusque, instant, instantaneous, out of the blue, reckless, rushed, sharp, spontaneous, urgent, without warning
Thrust:
(forward) advance, drive, forge, impetus, impulsion, lunge, momentum, onslaught, poke, pressure, prod, propulsion, punch, push, shove, power, proceed, progress, propel
(push hard) assail, assault, attack, bear down, buck, drive, force, heave, impale, impel, jab, lunge, plunge, press, pound, prod, ram, shove, stab, transfix, urge, bang, burrow, cram, gouge, jam, pierce, punch, slam, spear, spike, stick
Thunder-struck:
amazed, astonished, aghast, astounded, awestruck, confounded, dazed, dazed, dismayed, overwhelmed, shocked, staggered, startled, stunned, gob-smacked, bewildered, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, horrified, incredulous, surprised, taken abackĀ
Torment:
agony, anguish, hurt, misery, pain, punishment, suffering, afflict, angst, conflict, distress, grief, heartache, misfortune, nightmare, persecute, plague, sorrow, strife, tease, test, trial, tribulation, torture, turmoil, vex, woe
Touch:
(physical) - blow, brush, caress, collide, come together, contact, converge, crash, cuddle, embrace, feel, feel up, finger, fondle, frisk, glance, glide, graze, grope, handle, hit, hug, impact, join, junction, kiss, lick, line, manipulate, march, massage, meet, nudge, palm, partake, pat, paw, peck, pet, pinch, probe, push, reach, rub, scratch, skim, slide, smooth, strike, stroke, suck, sweep, tag, tap, taste, thumb, tickle, tip, touching, toy, bite, bump, burrow, buss, bury, circle, claw, clean, clutch, cover, creep, crush, cup, curl, delve, dig, drag, draw, ease, edge, fiddle with, flick, flit, fumble, grind, grip, grub, hold, huddle, knead, lap, lave, lay a hand on, maneuver, manhandle, mash, mold, muzzle, neck, nestle, nibble, nip, nuzzle, outline, play, polish, press, pull, rasp, ravish, ream, rim, run, scoop, scrabble, scrape, scrub, shave, shift, shunt, skate, slip, slither, smack, snake, snuggle, soothe, spank, splay, spread, squeeze, stretch, swipe, tangle, tease, thump, tongue, trace, trail, tunnel twiddle, twirl, twist, tug, work, wrapĀ
(mental) - communicate, examine, inspect, perception, scrutinize
Wet:
bathe, bleed, burst, cascade, course, cover, cream, damp, dampen, deluge, dip, douse, drench, dribble, drip, drizzle, drool, drop, drown, dunk, erupt, flood, flow, gush, immerse, issue, jet, leach, leak, moisten, ooze, overflow, permeate, plunge, pour, rain, rinse, run, salivate, saturate, secrete, seep, shower, shoot, slaver, slobber, slop, slosh, sluice, spill, soak, souse, spew, spit, splash, splatter, spout, spray, sprinkle, spurt, squirt, steep, stream, submerge, surge, swab, swamp, swill, swim, trickle, wash, water
Wicked:
abominable, amoral, atrocious, awful, base, barbarous, dangerous, debased, depraved, distressing, dreadful, evil, fearful, fiendish, fierce, foul, heartless, hazardous, heinous, immoral, indecent, intense, mean, nasty, naughty, nefarious, offensive, profane, scandalous, severe, shameful, shameless, sinful, terrible, unholy, vicious, vile, villainous, wayward, bad, criminal, cruel, deplorable, despicable, devious, ill-intentioned, impious, impish, iniquitous, irreverent, loathsome, Machiavellian, mad, malevolent, malicious, merciless, mischievous, monstrous, perverse, ruthless, spiteful, uncaring, unkind, unscrupulous, vindictive, virulent, wretched
Writhe:Ā
agonize, bend, jerk, recoil, lurch, plunge, slither, squirm, struggle, suffer, thrash, thresh, twist, wiggle, wriggle, angle, arc, bow, buck, coil, contort, convulse, curl, curve, fidget, fight, flex, go into spasm, grind, heave, jiggle, jolt, kick, rear, reel, ripple, resist, roll, lash, lash out, screw up, shake, shift, slide, spasm, stir, strain, stretch, surge, swell, swivel, thrust, turn violently, tussle, twitch, undulate, warp, worm, wrench, wrestle, yankĀ
(5th, and 7th onee!! omfg 12th one PLSPLS somebody write and tag mee!)
hesitant kisses, but when they part one whispers "do it again. please."
hands caressing your neck or tracing your jaw as they kiss you nuts
their lips on yours, hot, feverish, partly sucking, teasing with their tongue (OMG-)
heated kisses - their hands on your bare skin, yours in their soft hair, lips nibbling, biting, moaning into yours, while heavily breathing after.
"love, don't hide your face, don't.." hands gently removing yours from your flushed face. "you make me fluster." you say, but they kiss you through those words and mumble against your lips, "you fluster me more, sweetheart."
kisses trailing down your chin, leaving love bites on your neck, chest, and all the shyness in between > < feeling their hot, sloppy wet kisses all over ur body, everywhere and beneath your stomach, and above it. :')
"i don't know how to kiss but let me kiss you, and I'll do it just right." (on my damn knees ffr)
moving to gasp for air, but the other still leans in, eyes closed, lips parted, absolutely wanting more!!! a string of saliva connecting each other's lips!!
hugs after kisses, that lasts several heartbeats long, as they nuzzle their face in your crook. kissing there as well, shyly smiling into it. (fyi im single since birth and haven't experienced ANY OF THESE BEFORE.)
"kiss me again, but- mphh"
cupping your lover's cheek. staring into their eyes with a grin before the kiss, their hands curling around your neck, anticipating it.
"lay down, love and let me do you how you deserve it."
"it's all in the eyes i was once told"
catching the stare of someone across a crowded room
subtle furrowing of eyebrows beyond a blank facade
coldness easing into warmth
a fond mothering gaze
corner of the lip nudged upward
forced glower/glare as they break underneath
batting their lashes, playful
a boisterous laugh
intrigue piercing the stoic
proud smugness at the other's success
lingering glances
a childish joy bursting through
pupils dilate
eyelids shut in a look of peace, calm and trust
"there was once a time when they were mine"
terseness
features fold into a scowl
an urgent flinching back
coldness returns (as though the warmth had never come)
lips part then purse
invasion of shock
slow stare at the floor
the ripple effect of a swallow
frustrated breath/sigh
bitter laugh in reminiscence
dread tearing through the seams of their composure
"darkness"
mean smirk- teeth bared grimace- scowl
dismissive gaze
gaze of contempt/impatience
threat lowering the voice
sardonic goading grins verging on manic
rolling one's eyes
flicker of irritation in the eyes
stares stubbornly ahead despite distraction
gritted teeth, clenched jaw
fierce biting remarks
even measured complexions betraying no thought
strangling oneself back from violence
utter apathy
murderous silence hanging in the stare
snobbish laughter
smiling at another's downfall
Furrowing brows deeply.
Tilting head to one side.
Eyes squinting as if trying to see something clearly.
Biting the inner cheek in thought.
Scratching or rubbing the back of the head.
Asking, āWhat do you mean?ā repeatedly.
Frowning and pursing lips.
Looking around as if searching for clues.
Running fingers through hair in frustration.
Sighing and shaking head slowly.
Muttering under breath, trying to make sense of things.
Rubbing temples as if to ward off a headache.
Staring blankly into space.
Crossing and uncrossing arms, unsure of what to do.
Shuffling feet awkwardly.
Pulling at their collar or fidgeting with clothing.
Glancing at others for confirmation or help.
Blinking rapidly, trying to process information.
Clenching and unclenching fists.
Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling.
forget's resource bank, writing stuff. i have no order back at main so this had to be created. you probably know me as @forget-me-maybe sometimes i reblog things that should be on main here and pls just ignore that.
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