This is an ultimate masterlist of many resources that could be helpful for writers. I apologize in advance for any not working links. Check out the ultimate writing resource masterlist here (x) and my “novel” tag here (x).
Outlining & Organizing
For the Architects: The Planning Process
Rough Drafts
How do you plan a novel?
Plot Development: Climax, Resolution, and Your Main Character
Plotting and Planing
I Have An Idea for a Novel! Now What?
Choosing the Best Outline Method
How to Write a Novel: The Snowflake Method
Effectively Outlining Your Plot
Conflict and Character within Story Structure
Outlining Your Plot
Ideas, Plots & Using the Premise Sheets
Finding story ideas
Choosing ideas and endings
When a plot isn’t strong enough to make a whole story
Writing a story that’s doomed to suck
How to Finish What You Start: A Five-Step Plan for Writers
Finishing Your Novel
Finish Your Novel
How to Finish Your Novel when You Want to Quit
How To Push Past The Bullshit And Write That Goddamn Novel: A Very Simple No-Fuckery Writing Plan
In General
25 Turns, Pivots and Twists to Complicate Your Story
The ABCs (and Ds and Es) of Plot Development
Originality Is Overrated
How to Create a Plot Outline in Eight Easy Steps
Finding Plot: Idea Nets
The Story Goal: Your Key to Creating a Solid Plot Structure
Make your reader root for your main character
Creating Conflict and Sustaining Suspense
Tips for Creating a Compelling Plot
The Thirty-six (plus one) Dramatic Situations
Adding Subplots to a Novel
Weaving Subplots into a Novel
7 Ways to Add Subplots to Your Novel
Crafting a Successful Romance Subplot
How to Improve your Writing: Subplots and Subtext
Understanding the Role of Subplots
How to Use Subtext in your Writing
The Secret Life of Subtext
How to Use Subtext
Beginning
Creating a Process: Getting Your Ideas onto Paper (And into a Story)
Why First Chapters?
Starting with a Bang
In the Beginning
The Beginning of your Novel that isn’t the Beginning of your Novel
A Beginning from the Middle
Starting with a Bang
First Chapters: What To Include @ The Beginning Writer
23 Clichés to Avoid When Beginning Your Story
Start Writing Now
Done Planning. What Now?
Continuing Your Long-Format Story
How to Start a Novel
100 best first lines from novels
The First Sentence of a Book Report
How To Write A Killer First Sentence To Open Your Book
How to Write the First Sentence of a Book
The Most Important Sentence: How to Write a Killer Opening
Hook Your Reader from the First Sentence: How to Write Great Beginnings
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing and the Red Hering
Narrative Elements: Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing and Suspense
Foreshadowing Key Details
Writing Fiction: Foreshadowing
The Literary Device of Foreshadowing
All About Foreshadowing in Fiction
Foreshadowing
Flashbacks and Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing — How and Why to Use It In Your Writing
Setting
Four Ways to Bring Settings to Life
Write a Setting for a Book
Writing Dynamic Settings
How To Make Your Setting a Character
Guide for Setting
5 Tips for Writing Better Settings
Building a Novel’s Setting
Ending
A Novel Ending
How to End Your Novel
How to End Your Novel 2
How to End a Novel With a Punch
How to End a Novel
How to Finish a Novel
How to Write The Ending of Your Novel
Keys to Great Endings
3 Things That End A Story Well
Ending a Novel: Five Things to Avoid
Endings that Ruin Your Novel
Closing Time: The Ending
Names
Behind the Name
Surname Meanings and Origins
Surname Meanings and Origins - A Free Dictionary of Surnames
Common US Surnames & Their Meanings
Last Name Meanings & Origins
Name Generators
Name Playground
Different Types of Characters
Ways To Describe a Personality
Character Traits Meme
Types of Characters
Types of Characters in Fiction
Seven Common Character Types
Six Types of Courageous Characters
Creating Fictional Characters (Masterlist)
Building Fictional Characters
Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
Character Building Workshop
Tips for Characterization
Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
Advantages, Disadvantages and Skills
Males
Strong Male Characters
The History and Nature of Man Friendships
Friendship for Guys (No Tears!)
‘I Love You, Man’ and the rules of male friendship
Male Friendship
Understanding Male Friendship
Straight male friendship, now with more cuddling
Character Development
P.O.V. And Background
Writing a Character: Questionnaire
10 Days of Character Building
Getting to Know Your Characters
Character Development Exercises
Chapters
How Many Chapters is the Right Amount of Chapters?
The Arbitrary Nature of the Chapter
How Long is a Chapter?
How Long Should Novel Chapters Be?
Chapter & Novel Lengths
Section vs. Scene Breaks
Dialogue
The Passion of Dialogue
25 Things You Should Know About Dialogue
Dialogue Writing Tips
Punctuation Dialogue
How to Write Believable Dialogue
Writing Dialogue: The Music of Speech
Writing Scenes with Many Characters
It’s Not What They Say …
Top 10 Tips for Writing Dialogue
Speaking of Dialogue
Dialogue Tips
Interrupted Dialogue
Two Tips for Interrupted Dialogue
Show, Don’t Tell (Description)
“Tell” Makes a Great Placeholder
The Literary Merit of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Bad Creative Writing Advice
The Ultimate Guide to Writing Better Than You Normally Do
DailyWritingTips: Show, Don’t Tell
GrammarGirl: Show, Don’t Tell
Writing Style: What Is It?
Detail Enhances Your Fiction
Using Sensory Details
Description in Fiction
Using Concrete Detail
Depth Through Perception
Showing Emotions & Feelings
Character Description
Describing Your Characters (by inkfish7 on DeviantArt)
Help with Character Development
Creating Characters that Jump Off the Page
Omitting Character Description
Introducing Your Character(s): DON’T
Character Crafting
Writer’s Relief Blog: “Character Development In Stories And Novels”
Article: How Do You Think Up Your Characters?
5 Character Points You May Be Ignoring
List of colors, hair types and hairstyles
List of words to use in a character’s description
200 words to describe hair
How to describe hair
Words used to describe the state of people’s hair
How to describe your haircut
Hair color sharts
Four Ways to Reveal Backstory
Words Used to Describe Clothes
Flashbacks
Using Flashbacks in Writing
Flashbacks by All Write
Using Flashback in Fiction
Fatal Backstory
Flashbacks as opening gambit
Don’t Begin at the Beginning
Flashbacks in Books
TVTropes: Flashback
Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear: Flashback Techniques in Fiction
3 Tips for Writing Successful Flashbacks
The 5 Rules of Writing Effective Flashbacks
How to Handle Flashbacks In Writing
Flashbacks and Foreshadowing
Reddit Forum: Is a flashback in the first chapter a good idea?
Forum Discussing Flackbacks
P.O.V
You, Me, and XE - Points of View
What’s Your Point of View?
Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid “Stepping Out of Character”
How to Start Writing in the Third Person
The Opposite Gender P.O.V.
LANGUAGE
How To Say Said
200 Words Instead of Said
Words to Use Instead of Said
A List of Words to Use Instead of Said
Alternatives to “Walk”
60 Synonyms for “Walk”
Grammar Monster
Google Scholar
GodChecker
Tip Of My Tounge
Speech Tags
Pixar Story Rules
Written? Kitten!
TED Talks
DarkCopy
Family Echo
Some Words About Word Count
How Long Should My Novel Be?
The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test
Writer’s “Cheat Sheets”
Last but not least, the most helpful tool for any writer out there is Google!
1) “Why are you doing this to me?”
2) “You promised me, promised that you would stop this.”
3) “They are all dead, they are died because of you.”
4) “Just leave it and go.. dont you hear? I said go out!”
5) “I will always love you.”
6) “Why are you like that?”
7) “You made me hate you.”
8) “I regret it every fucking day.”
9) “I dont want to see you.”
10) “No, dont close your eyes, look at me, you cant leave me.”
11) “Return your fucking words back.”
12) “You broke my heart.”
14) “I have to go.”
15) “Dont leave me.”
16) “I gave myself away and never asked for anything in return.”
17) “Let me help.”
18) “Then there you’re dead to me.”
19) “Did not I deserve better treatment ?”
20) “Why are you lying to me? I know the truth.”
21) “I miss you so much, I miss every fucking day.”
22) “You did it on purpose.”
23) “Why we have so little time?”
24) “Just trust me for the last time.”
25) “I congratulate you did it, but at what price?”
26) “Just tell me where are you? I will come at once.”
27) “Why did not you give us a chance?”
28) “Please, you must do it. You swore!”
29) “I hope you will be happy”
30) “Your wedding is beautiful, I’m happy for you.”
31) “I hope it was really worth it.”
32) “Dear, what have I done to you?”
33) “Not me! Him, save him first!”
34) “I promise you will get out of here and you will have an amazing life ahead of you.”
35) “I will forever remember you this way.”
romantic confession dialogue prompts
"i can't pretend anymore."
"you need to know that i have grown to care for you. deeply."
"i've loved you since the moment i first laid my eyes on you."
"you deserve to know."
"it's you. it's always been you."
"are you really so oblivious?"
"there isn't anything that i wouldn't do for you."
"i was made to love you."
"i cannot bare to be apart from you anymore."
"please. please just listen to me."
"don't make me say it. i can't say the words."
"you are all i can think about."
"i can't fathom the idea of my life without you in it."
"i dream of you. all i do, is dream of you."
"i am so very in love with you."
"is it so obvious how infatuated i am?"
"for years i have yearned for you, in secrecy and silence."
"we have just met and yet it feels like i have known you for a lifetime."
"you are everything. everything."
"it hurts me, just how much i ache for you."
"i don't know if i can't bring myself to speak it."
"i know that this is not what you want to hear..."
"after everything you've done, i still love you. with all i am."
"it's true."
"i cannot stand you, and yet i also cannot stand to be away from you."
"please...say something."
"i feel your absence in everything that i do alone, in every place i go without you."
"your smile brings me so much joy."
"i'm falling for you."
"i am sorry that you found out this way."
A: Do you have a gun ? I need a gun .
B: ...Why do you need a gun?
A: There's a tarantula on the wall.
Questions to help develop your otp. Pt1.
I present a list if questions to help gain insight into your precious fictional couples.
What real couples could they be compared to ? Why ?
What fictional couples could they be compared to ? Why ?
Who normally cooks ?
What do they do when they're away from each other ?
Do they have nick names for each other ? What ?
Who's more likely to pay for dinner?
Who steals the covers at night ?
Who remembers things ?
Who cusses more ?
Who kissed who first ?
Who made the first move ?
Who started the relationship ?
What would they do if the other was hurt ?
How did they both meet ?
What are their common interests ?
What's the individual goal for each character ?
What are their common goal ?
Do their goals conflict ?
What's the core for each character ?
How do they reveal their core to the other character?
What are their relationship expectations ?
Does either have an addiction?
In what areas do they worry about each other ?
How would each character feel if they had to leave for a time ? How would they react if they divorced or broke up?
How do they handle dividing up chores and household duties ?
Who's the breadwinner of the house ?
Do they ever resent each other ?
What activities do they enjoy together ?
What activities does one enjoy that the other doesn't ?
How do they fight or defend the other ?
How do they express love for each other ?( Eg acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, giving gifts ? Etc)
What values do they both share ?
Who takes more responsibility for their actions?
Who's more likely to give in and compromise?
Do they feel the same way about money ?
What habits do they have that makes the other unhappy ?( Eg: angry outbursts, annoying behaviors?etc )
What do they find the physically attractive about the other ?
What accomplishments do they most admire in each other ?
What small physical details does each love the most about the other ?
In what little ways did they disappoint each other?
How does each behave differently around the other ?
How does love make each character act irrationally?
How can each character tell how the other is feeling? Are they good at it or bad ?
How does being around each other change their thought process?
What do they share and talk about the most ?
What do they do in silent moments? What are they thinking about?
How do they spend time together usually?
What habits do they have that annoy the other ?
How do they react when the other is hurt or upset ? Do they try to help and how ?
How do they spend time on each other's hobbies or interests ?
“ you captured my heart like the bandit you swore you’d protect me from. “
“ how do i push you out when your soul is so closely intertwined with mine? “
“ it’s true what they say, you know. love can last forever. “
“ love is not capable of surviving in an environment that welcomes its destruction. “
“ but for love, you need to learn to let go. yes, there’s always a risk, but you need to be ready for that. “
“ love is eternal. it doesn’t just go away. “
“ you broke my heart. “ “ and you broke my spirit. “
“ i will always love you. “ “ even when i don’t deserve it? “
“ this love, is it really worth it? “ “ it will always be worth it. “
“ love is an open game. and cheaters never fail. “
“ you think love is eternal. it’s not. thank god it’s not. “
“ love’s a pretty fragile line, you know. so you better tread lightly. “
“ does your heart really ignite when you’re with me? does it come alive? “
“ you bend and you break until someone decides it’s not worth it anymore. “
“ love isn’t the antidote. it’s what got you sick in the first place. “
“ even the wicked witch found love. “
“ love is either a blessing, or a curse. “
“ not everyone is capable of being loved. “ “ that doesn’t make them any less important. “
“ there’s people out there who would kill for love. some who would live for it, too. “
“ the second you start chasing, you’ve already lost. “
“ you can’t turn your back on someone you love, no matter how much you want to. “
“ you know romeo and juliet, don’t you? they were said to be true love. “ “ and look what happened. “
“ love’s destructive. it forces its away into your bloodstream, barricading your soul until there’s nothing left. “
“ i don’t wish to fall for anyone. “ then what do you wish for? “ “ i wish to fall in love with myself. “
“ love isn’t always the solution. “ “ but it’s part of the equation. “
“ my love for you inspires me to do bad things. really bad things. things that no human should ever speak of. “
“ that’s how strong their love was. it could practically overcome anything. until the day it couldn’t. “
“ you can’t just stop loving someone. especially not when they’re all you think about when you’re alone. “
“ love does last forever. just not in the way you think it does. “
“ my heart is forever indisposed. “
“ i fucking despise the feeling of being in love. “
“ you brought me back to life. “ “ and you tore mine away from me. “
Hi yes I’d like to make a formal complaint to the tumblr writing community?
The trope of light tickles is incredibly underused and under appreciated!
Examples:
Lightly tickling someone while their asleep so they do that sleepy/dopey smile and wake up giggling
When person A is trying to be mad at person B, so person B tickles person A juuuust enough to make not smiling hard, while teasing them until they eventually crack a smile
Person A absentmindedly tracing random shapes on person B, bonus if it’s on their palm
Something causes person A to cry, so person B comforts them, and then tickles them just to help/see them smile again.
Person A claiming they arent ticklish, but instead of person B tickling them alot right off the bat, they slowly tickle more and more while person A struggles to hold out as it gets worse untill they eventually crack.
Super light kisses on skin that tickle and make the person squirm, (usually on neck or stomach)
Person A focusing on something while person B is being needy trying to get their attention, so person B lightly tickles person A, who struggles to ignore person B now until they finally crack.
Person A absentmindedly drawing shapes on Person B, who finds it adorable. However, person B is really ticklish, so they have to try really hard not to squirm or laugh and ultimately disturb person A, who is adorable when they are off on their own world. At some point though, person A notices what they and person B are doing, and now tickles on purpose to see how much they can get away with.
Ear/Neck tickles.
Person A complaining they hate their laugh, much to the disagreement and annoyance of person B. So person B lightly tickles them just to get Person A giggling so they cant disagree with all the compliments person B continues to give them.
Person A challenges Person B to a round of video games, claiming they can beat their score. The winner gets an agreed on prize. However on Person B’s turn, Person A begins tickling them just lightly enough to be distracting, so person B ends up loosing.
Person A doodling with a marker on Person B, but they’re too ticklish and are struggling to stay still, and mess the drawing up so Person A has to restart.
Similar idea as previous prompt. Person A is doing Person B’s makeup, but the makeup brushes tickle and they are struggling to stay still, much to A’s chagrin and amusement, causing them to have to continually redo things. (Can also be done with things like body paint)
Not really tickling but Person A brushing Person B’s hair and Person B accidentally falls asleep.
Person A doesn’t like their smile, so they always cover it when they laugh, much to Person B’s disappointment. In retaliation, Person B starts lightly tickling Person A, who covers their smile, but it means they cant use their hands to stop Person B’s tickles, as they slowly get worse and worse and Person A eventually breaks
The classic Person A gets stuck and Person B takes advantage of it to tickle them
Using tickles to help tire someone out so they can sleep, (A great way to get a persons mind off a previous nightmare and cheer them up too)
—TIPS:
All of these are meant to be light or medium tickles, more so giggling and squirming and not screaming and thrashing. Few people enjoyed being tickled that rough, many hate it. Keeping the tickles light and bearable so the other person secretly has fun too makes the situation way cuter
Scientifically speaking, laughter, even forced laughter, triggers the release of dopamine in the brain. Being tickled actually does help someone who is depressed or upset feel happier.
It’s always sweet when Person A can tell when Person B is tired and has had enough and they stop before pushing them too far
Teasing. Teasing the person who’s being tickled and cant argue back 10/10
Many people find super light tickles soothing, like when someone traces on your back gently, these are also cute.
When tickles boarder right on the line between soothing and actually tickling and Person A can’t decide whether they like it or not. Bonus if person B is aware and enjoys tormenting the other.
Person B saying they will stop tickling when Person A agrees with them/repeats something they say. Example: “I’ll stop when you admit how cute you are!” (Even in this scenario, avoid thrashing rough actual torturous tickles, you want person A to cave rather then actually being forced by desperation for person B to stop)
————————————-
**Note: nothing about this is meant to be sexual or a fetish. Interpret/use prompts as you wish, but don’t assume and never shame others either way**
adenoidal (adj) : some of the sound seems to come through their nose.
appealing (adj): voice shows that you want help, approval, or agreement.
breathy (adj): with loud breathing noises.
booming (adj): very loud and attention-getting.
brittle (adj): if you speak in a brittle voice, you sound as if you are about to cry.
croaky (adj): they speak in a low, rough voice that sounds as if they have a sore throat.
grating (adj): a grating voice, laugh, or sound is unpleasant and annoying.
gravelly (adj): a gravelly voice sounds low and rough.
high-pitched (adj): true to its name, a high-pitched voice or sound is very high.
honeyed (adj): honeyed words or a honeyed voice sound very nice, but you cannot trust the person who is speaking.
matter-of-fact (adj): usually used if the person speaking knows what they are talking about (or absolutely think they know what they are talking about).
penetrating (adj): a penetrating voice is so high or loud that it makes you slightly uncomfortable.
raucous (adj): a raucous voice or noise is loud and sounds rough.
rough (adj): a rough voice is not soft and is unpleasant to listen to.
shrill (adj): a shrill voice is very loud, high, and unpleasant.
silvery (adj): this voice is clear, light, and pleasant.
stentorian (adj): a stentorian voice sounds very loud and severe.
strangled (adj): a strangled sound is one that someone stops before they finish making it.
strident (adj): this voice is loud and unpleasant.
thick (adj): if your voice is thick with an emotion, it sounds less clear than usual because of the emotion.
tight (adj): shows that you are nervous or annoyed.
toneless (adj): does not express any emotion.
wheezy (adj): a wheezy noise sounds as if it is made by someone who has difficulty breathing.
“ babe, wake up. “
“ are you okay, my love? “
“ i had a nightmare. “
“ are you awake? “
“ you woke up screaming. “
“ it just felt so... real. “
“ you wanna talk about it? “
“ just hold me. “
“ please don't go back to sleep just yet. “
“ i'm here, okay? “
“ you're safe. “
“ can i stay with you? i... had a really bad dream. “
“ i'll be there when you wake up. “
“ here, take my hand. “
“ it's just a bad dream. “
“ hey, look at me. look at me. it's not real. “
“ wake up! “
“ hey... are you crying? “
“ hey, look at me. what's wrong? “
“ let's stay up for a while. “
“ you're back in the real world where nothing can hurt you. “
“ look around you. “
“ i'm so embarrassed. “ “ nothing to be embarrassed off. “
“ you wanna tell me about [your dream]? “ “ it was like a horror movie. “
“ we can talk, or we can lay here, listening to each other's heartbeat. “
“ think you can fall asleep again? “
“ i'll stay up with you. “
“ i had a really crazy dream. like. really crazy. “
“ i think i'm gonna stay up for a while. “ “ want me to join you? “
“ you're... crushing my hand. “
“ hey, calm down. calm down. you're okay. “
“ i'm going back to sleep, but if you need me, you know where to find me. “
Hello, everyone! I will be starting a new series that will help you the writers describe emotions.
This guide will be a writer’s tool to characters expression.
This section comes from The Emotional Thesaurus by Ackerman and Puglisi.
Definition: the act of worship; to view as divine.
Note: the subject of adoration can be a person or thing
Lips parting
A slack or soft expression
Waking quickly to erase distance
Mimicking body language
Touching one’s mouth or face
Reaching out to brush, touch or grasp
Steady eye contact, large pupils
Leaning forward
Stroking one’s own neck or arm as a surrogate
Pointing one’s torsos and feet towards the subject
A flushed appearance
Nodding while the subject speaks
Smiling
Open body posture
Releasing an appreciative sigh
Laying hand over the heart
Frequently moistening lips
Pressing palms lightly against the cheeks
Skimming fingertips along the jaw lines
Eyes that are bright
Agreement
Speaking praise and compliments
Keeping trinkets, pictures of the subject
Constantly talking about the subject to others
Rapt attention, still posture
Becoming unaware of one’s environment
A radiant glow
Visible shakiness
Reduced blinking
Closing eyes to savor moment
Speak with a soft voice
A voice that cracks with emotion
Quickening heartbeat
Breathlessness
Feeling one’s pulse in throat
Mouth dry
Throat growing thick
Rising body temperature
Tingling nerve endings
A desire to move closer or watch
Fixating one’s thoughts on the subject
Acute listening and observation
Ignoring distractions
An inability to see the subjects flaws or faults
Obsession
Fantasizing
Believing that the feelings are mutual
A sense of destiny
Stalking
Writing and sending letter, emails, and gifts
Taking risks or breaking laws to be near or with subject
Weight loss
Poor sleep patterns
Jealousy towards those interacting with the subject
Taking on traits or mannerisms of the subject
Carrying something that represents the subject
Possessiveness
Love
Desire
Frustration
Hurt
Clenching or hiding one’s hands to hide sweating or shaking
Avoiding conversations about the subject
Watching or observing from afar
Staying out of subjects proximity
Blushing
Sneaking looks at subject
Creating chance run ins
Writing secret letters, keeping diary
Lying about one’s feelings regarding the subject
Body cues should create a strong mental picture. If the movement is too drawn out or complicated, the emotional meaning behind the gesture may be lost.
hi!! do you have any friends to lovers domestic fluff prompts? :)
of course! <3
written
After another failed date, a sulking B is lazing around at home with little motivation to do anything. A is aware of their friend’s crushed spirit and knocks on their door with takeout, their favorite candy, and a newly paid-for streaming subscription to watch movies. B is not only touched by A’s effort to cheer them up, but maybe they also realize that maybe A was all they needed all along.
A falls asleep while staying over at B’s, and B just can’t shake how cute and peaceful A is in this state.
B and A are bored and sitting on their bedroom floor, so they decide to make playlists for one another. Whether A did this intentionally or not, B realizes that a lot of the songs that were picked for them all have a deeper meaning to them..
When B falls sick, A takes care of everything that they have to do in terms of chores and even work while also simultaneously making sure that B is recovering well. When better and A goes back home, B recognizes all of A’s efforts and almost misses their friends’ constant presence a little too much…
A and B having to cook together for an event that they’re both attending. They either have fun and bond over laughing at their failed attempts at a meal or get flustered when one of them have to teach the other how to do certain steps, leading to potential intimacy.
B has a crush on their friend, A, but they just don’t quite realize it yet. So, when A stays over and cuddles with their friend on the couch, they’re surprised to feel B’s heartbeat quicken with their head resting on their chest. That hasn’t happened before….
dialogue
“you keep stealing my sweaters!” “well, they’re comfy! and you let me keep them anyway so..”
*watching a movie* “i wish someone would hold me like that..” “i’m right here…” “what?” “what?”
“i don’t get why you use those stupid dating apps, i know some people out there that would treat you the way you deserve…” “then why the hell have you been hiding them from me? show me.”
“you’re cold?” “yeah…but i already turned the heat up..” “come here, i’ll warm you..”
“you have no idea…do you?”
“i made you something…”
“did you…did you mean to do that?” “would you be mad if i said yes?”