Writing Tip #209

Here’s a tip! If you want to have girl power in your series or movie, normalize women.

Girl power shouldn’t be about proving that women can do things the same or better than men even if they are women! Girl power should be about women being equal to men and not diminished for being a girl.

Avoid having the male characters get surprised that she’s a women, avoid them saying things like “She’s a woman, but she’s strong!” or “Holy shit she’s a woman!?” or “Don’t be too tough on the woman!”. Those kinds of behaviors make it seem that it is surprising for a female person to be strong and/or independant. Equality is women getting treated the same as the men, not having people be surprised that she can do all those martial arts while being a woman! Wether the character is male, female, or non-binary, they should be treated socially equal regardless of their gender!

This, like other quotes by Mark Twain, makes part of the sad reality of today. It's not fair what happens in this world.

If someone wants justice, that person must pay an enormous price and that's why poor people stay silent if something unfair happens to them, even if justice represents one of the most important human rights.

“Going to law is losing a cow for the sake of a cat.”

— -Mark Twain

“If it gets awkward, let it be awkward. That awkwardness is something they created. You don’t owe anyone a performance of being okay when you are not feeling okay so that they can feel better about themselves.”

— Jennifer Peepas

“You’re always haunted by the idea you’re wasting your life.”

— Chuck Palahniuk 

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A scene agitator is something that makes a task more difficult, distracting, uncomfortable, or interesting. Agitators make scenes more intriguing as we see a character struggle. Let's review a few types of agitators.

Agitators include:

• Loud noises that distract characters (and the audience) including a car alarm, an air raid siren, a passing subway, etc.

• The introduction of anything inherently dangerous such as a tiger in the room, a character juggling a knife, etc.

• Dangerous settings such as a tight rope, a fight over a river of lava, a discussion on a cliff's ledge, etc.

• Any agitation of the senses such as free-floating dust, popping grease from cooking bacon, etc.

• An stream of disruptions or interruptions to a conversation.

• A physical constraint such as the tightening of a corset during a conversation.

• Anything that violates social norms such as a violation of personal space, a violation of personal hygiene, etc.

• Inclement weather such as hail, lightning, thunder, etc.

• Anything vying for the character's attention.

• Anything that inhibits or blocks clear and unfiltered communication such as a fuzzy phone connection, a physical barrier between a conversation, etc.

• Pungent smells such a skunk, manure, the sewers, etc.

• Bugs

Kiingo

Add an Agitator to Your Scene

A scene agitator is something that makes a task more difficult, distracting, uncomfortable, or interesting. Agitators make scenes more intri

“To burn with desire and keep quiet about it is the greatest punishment we can bring on ourselves.”

— Federico García Lorca, (via quotemadness)

“Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.”

— Madeleine L’Engle

“Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said.”

— Voltaire (via quotemadness)

Myths, Creatures, and Folklore

Want to create a religion for your fictional world? Here are some references and resources!

General:

General Folklore

Various Folktales

Heroes

Weather Folklore

Trees in Mythology

Animals in Mythology

Birds in Mythology

Flowers in Mythology

Fruit in Mythology

Plants in Mythology

Folktales from Around the World

Africa:

Egyptian Mythology

African Mythology

More African Mythology

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

The Gods of Africa

Even More African Mythology

West African Mythology

All About African Mythology

African Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

The Americas:

Aztec Mythology

Haitian Mythology

Inca Mythology

Maya Mythology

Native American Mythology

More Inca Mythology

More Native American Mythology

South American Mythical Creatures

North American Mythical Creatures

Aztec Gods and Goddesses

Asia:

Chinese Mythology

Hindu Mythology

Japanese Mythology

Korean Mythology

More Japanese Mythology

Chinese and Japanese Mythical Creatures

Indian Mythical Creatures

Chinese Gods and Goddesses

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Korean Gods and Goddesses

Europe:

Basque Mythology

Celtic Mythology

Etruscan Mythology

Greek Mythology

Latvian Mythology

Norse Mythology

Roman Mythology

Arthurian Legends

Bestiary

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic Lands

Finnish Mythology

Celtic Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

Middle East:

Islamic Mythology

Judaic Mythology

Mesopotamian Mythology

Persian Mythology

Middle Eastern Mythical Creatures

Oceania:

Aboriginal Mythology

Polynesian Mythology

More Polynesian Mythology

Mythology of the Polynesian Islands

Melanesian Mythology

Massive Polynesian Mythology Post

Maori Mythical Creatures

Hawaiian Gods and Goddesses

Hawaiian Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses

Creating a Fantasy Religion:

Creating Part 1

Creating Part 2

Creating Part 3

Creating Part 4

Fantasy Religion Design Guide

Using Religion in Fantasy

Religion in Fantasy

Creating Fantasy Worlds

Beliefs in Fantasy

Some superstitions:

Keep reading

Reminder to self:

Your writing seems boring and predictable because 

You wrote it

You’ve read it like eight million times.

A person who has never read it before does not have this problem.