Latest Posts by redibanni - Page 2
HEELLPPPP LMAAOOO WHAT THE HELL IS THIS ABOMINATION
Show him the fruits
hey i don't know what writer needs to hear this today but you can have characters in your work who exist only to move the plot forward. you can create an oc for a fanfic who exists to ask a question at the right time and is never seen again. you can create a novel and have random characters that exist to move the story. characters are elements of narrative. not every single one has to have a whole backstory and a life fleshed out. sometimes they can just be there for a scene and then never be involved again. isn't that how life works? don't we meet people and then they vanish? aren't our lives simply moments spent to drive forward the plots of others? your character can be pointless. you character can exist in a moment. your character can take up space. your character can exist, even if you don't know their birthday and their mother's favorite song.
characters are not people. you do not have to make them into people unless you want to. you owe them nothing. use characters however you want in your story. develop them as is relevant. otherwise, it literally does not matter.
HOLD ON-
Is this an actual reason kids wanted to travel around the world with Cale??? Is this the culprit??
Because if that's so this is fucking adorable
When i first read the novel and in the future chapters On, Hong and Raon were telling Cale that they want to travel everywhere together i just went "Aw that's sweet, yeah sure" not questioning much of it because, well, Cale didn't either. And I'm a very trustful person, who didn't thought about our narrator being a lying little shit back then.
So rereading the novel now and seeing this gives me literal butterflies!
Just think about it.
Children, who never saw much of the world, whose thoughts before been only about survival, wanted to travel everywhere together and see everything, but not for themselves.
They thought that will make Cale happy.
On, Hong and Raon obviously love Cale a lot, he is literally their parent and the first ever person to show them warmth or care.
So it is understandable that they want to show this love to him in return and I'm like :,) MAN, i love this story so much ueue
HOLD ON-
Is this an actual reason kids wanted to travel around the world with Cale??? Is this the culprit??
Because if that's so this is fucking adorable
When i first read the novel and in the future chapters On, Hong and Raon were telling Cale that they want to travel everywhere together i just went "Aw that's sweet, yeah sure" not questioning much of it because, well, Cale didn't either. And I'm a very trustful person, who didn't thought about our narrator being a lying little shit back then.
So rereading the novel now and seeing this gives me literal butterflies!
Just think about it.
Children, who never saw much of the world, whose thoughts before been only about survival, wanted to travel everywhere together and see everything, but not for themselves.
They thought that will make Cale happy.
On, Hong and Raon obviously love Cale a lot, he is literally their parent and the first ever person to show them warmth or care.
So it is understandable that they want to show this love to him in return and I'm like :,) MAN, i love this story so much ueue
I despise Venion so much omg
Skills Writers Gain From Reading
We’ve all heard the old line of encouragement—reading makes you a better writer.
But how exactly does that work?
These are a few skills you’ll gain from reading with the viewpoint of a writer, not just a reader.
You’ll Flex Your Critical Thinking Skills
Reading made up events and imaginary people might not seem like critical thinking, but you’ll use your brain in more ways than one. While you’re sifting through a book, you’re also:
Observing cause and effect correlation
Analyzing how actions and events affect characters or the plot
Recognizing things like bias (narrative or otherwise)
Problem-solving to get ahead of the problem (Who’s the murder? The thief? The villain?)
Remember what you read before (simple, but takes practice!)
All of these skills are part of the drafting and writing process too. Grab a book or two—you’ll need these abilities to bring your stories to life.
You’ll Practice Your Grammar and Spelling
Whether you feel a secret thrill at finding a typo in a published novel or second-hand embarrassment for the people who made it happen, you automatically practice your grammar skills by spotting them.
You’re also reading words over and over again, which makes them easier to recall when you’re trying to spell them.
You’ll Discover New Writing Styles You Like or Dislike
You might also find that some writers vary their sentence structures in ways you like or dislike. The long, stretching sentences within a historical fantasy novel could draw you for the long haul. Maybe you prefer the short, conversational sentences that weave between longer ones in a comedic book.
Word choice is also a significant factor in enjoying a writer’s voice/style. Some writers will challenge you to keep a dictionary nearby at all times. Others will use modern slang or colloquialisms that might take you out of the story—or make it feel more real to you.
As you get used to the styles you prefer, your writing may naturally shadow those styles when you’re writing a story after putting the book down. That’s okay! Experimenting with style or tone isn’t plagiarism and doesn’t make you a bad writer. It’s another step in the journey of defining who you are as a creative wordsmith.
You’ll Learn New Ways to Describe Things
Imagine two writers describing a character walking across the street. One writer might focus on how the character feels, what they’re thinking, or what that moment in time means to them by writing in first-person POV. The other could write about the weather, the city, the cars passing by, or what another person thinks of the protagonist through third-person omniscient POV.
It’s always good to challenge how you might write a scene by reading how others do it. You’ll return to your work or start a story with a new perspective on standby.
You’ll Analyze the Plot
When you fall in love with a novel, it’s natural to think about the plot even after you finish the book. You’re likely reminiscing about the great plot points like two future best friends meeting at a pizza shop after stepping forward for the same order—they shared first and last names! Maybe you loved how each minor conflict built into a war between nations or how a character slowly lost their mind and sought revenge.
You’ll know what works and what doesn’t work about the plot structure based on how a novel grips you or not. Your brain will take note about the many things you feel and store it for instinct later. While you’re plotting that traditional mountain-shaped plot line, your creative side will find inspiration to drop conflict or positive moments that enrich your story.
You’ll Fall in Love With Characters
We’ve all written a good character and we’ve all written a bad one. Do you remember the first time you read a morally gray character? It likely blew your mind and made you want to write one too.
Falling in love with characters is like practice for writers. You won’t want to make the exact same character in all of your future stories (unless you only want to write fan fiction, and if that’s the case—enjoy every moment of it!), so you’ll use them as inspiration just like people in real life.
You’ll Improve Your Concentration
Not to sound like a cliche, but social media companies literally create their apps to monetize the brain’s ability to crave stimulation. Scrolling and swiping has likely had an effect on how long you can concentrate. I know it has for mine!
Even if you’re not on social media, things like the pressure to multitask and juggling responsibilities can wear on your focus too. If you miss those moments in your childhood or teenage years when you would spend an entire afternoon or weekend with a book, you don’t have to be sad for long.
Reading any length of a book can improve your concentration. Set a timer and read for five minutes. Next time, read for six. Slowly expand your time for reading (while there aren’t other distractions around, like notifications on your Kindle or your phone screen lighting up nearby).
As you read in longer stretches, you’ll write in longer stretches too. Your brain will feel more at rest with the one quiet activity you choose to do. Did I mention that makes editing way easier too?
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The next time you feel guilty for reading something instead of writing, remember that you’re also sharpening these skills! Reading is an invaluable way to get better at writing. All you have to do is pick up a book.
5 Books to Read to Write Better Stories
The newest post on my blog discusses five books that I think are essential to helping writers grow. They break the craft apart in easy-to-read ways. You'll treat yourself to funny lessons and entertaining perspectives while strengthening your ability to write captivating stories.
Check out the post here!
whats that defunct land quote again? every part of the film making process is awful, but not making film is even worse? idk something like that. anywah im being completely normal about art rn ::))
How to Write an Ironic Story: 10 Types of Irony to Consider
Ironic moments in life can make us change our perspectives, laugh, or discover something we didn’t know before. When you’re trying to make them happen in a story, it can be more difficult than you first realized.
Here’s a quick guide to writing irony in your next story so you can think of those moments as a strategic writer.
What Is Irony?
“What? That’s so ironic.”
We’ve all said a similar line when reacting to something before. Do you remember what it was? Can you point out why it was ironic?
Definition 1: Irony is when something happens or someone says something other than what you expect.
Let’s imagine your protagonist walking outside. They’re in a good mood, but quickly realize it’s pouring rain. They were supposed to go on a walk, but they look up at the clouds and say, “What a beautiful day!”
As a reader, you’d expect that character to be frustrated that the rain ruined their plans to go walking. It’s ironic that they actually find the weather beautiful. It might even make your reader laugh in surprise.
Definition 2: Irony is when something happens or someone says something other than what you expect but in a sardonic way.
This might be the definition of irony that you naturally think of. It’s when something unexpected happens and you have a bitter laugh about it. Deep down, you likely suspected the truth all along. The reveal is negative in nature.
Imagine a politician pushing a bill to outlaw the color blue. They make speeches and go on news networks saying how the color blue is a danger to everyone, so it must be outlawed immediately. While pushing this narrative, a journalist discovers leaked photos of the politician’s interior decorating—their home is entirely blue. Additionally, news comes out that the politician had recently received a significant reelection donation from the We Hate the Color Blue corporation.
The reveal means that the politician didn’t believe what they were saying. They were only passing the law because they received money to do so, even though the color blue wasn’t harming anyone or causing a problem.
If you lived in this world, you’d likely read the headlines and roll your eyes. It’s a frustrating irony that isn’t altogether unexpected, but still a reveal.
Ironic Plot Devices
There are a few ways to use irony as a plot device. You can use them to reveal things to your characters, change your plot’s direction, or cause character growth. Check out a few examples to see how.
1. An Unforeseen Blessing
Definition: Something good happens by something bad happening.
A character is in desperate need of a new car. They don’t have the money to buy one and their current vehicle is so old, they won’t get more than a couple hundred dollars to trade it in.
One day while driving it, the car shuts down. The engine melts into the pavement while your character tries scooping it up with an old milkshake cup from their backseat.
Someone records the entire thing from a distance and posts it online. The video goes viral, prompting the milkshake restaurant chain to give the character a brand new car for free.
The loss of their old car and potential public embarrassment is terrible, but your character gets the car they need. Some would say the melting engine was a blessing in disguise. Others would call it irony.
2. Accidental Harm
Definition: Someone attends to hurt someone, but the wrong person gets hurt instead.
There are a few ways this irony could play out. Your protagonist could set a bucket of water over a doorframe, hoping it pours onto their little brother when he gets home from school. However, the protagonist gets distracted during the day and walks through the door themselves. They get soaked and become the target of accidental harm.
Their grandfather could come home before their brother too. When the grandfather gets soaked by the bucket prank, they’re the victim of accidental harm. The irony in both situations is that the actual target—the brother—never has the chance to fall for the prank.
3. Good Actions Have Opposite Effects
Definition: Someone attempts to do something the right way, but it doesn’t work out in their favor.
Your protagonist studies through the night for a high school exam. They pour all of their efforts into staying up and retaining as much information as possible because they realize they need better grades to go to their dream college.
After taking the test and getting it back, your protagonist gets a perfect score. However, the teacher announces they graded everyone on a curve due to an issue with their previous lesson plan. Everyone gets an A and the protagonist gets frustrated because they lost sleep over studying that didn’t ultimately matter.
4. Selfish Actions That Backfire
Definition: Someone does something exclusively for their own benefit and anyone or anything else benefits instead.
A character decides to run in a community race to win the prize money for a vacation. Halfway through the race, they realize they’re out of shape and there’s a shortcut up ahead. They take the shortcut and win, but the judges quickly realize they cheated to reach the finish line.
Their prize money automatically goes to the second runner-up, which happens to be the character’s worst enemy. They watch their worst enemy spend the money on lottery tickets that don’t result in any winnings.
5. Accidental Self-Harm (Physical or Non-Physical)
Definition: Someone attempts to hurt another person, but it hurts them instead.
When you picture this irony, imagine Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. The coyote always wants to capture or hurt Road Runner, but ends up running into his own traps instead.
Sometimes this irony can be a physical harm from a prank gone wrong or it might be an assassination that doesn’t work out. It could also be a character spreading a rumor to hurt another person, but the rumor affects their own reputation instead.
6. A Sacrifice Without Reward
Definition: Someone makes a major sacrifice that ultimately is meaningless.
Characters experiencing this irony give up something they care about and get nothing to show for it. It might be lighter in nature, like a sister giving up her spot as captain of the soccer team so her equally-talented sister can have the role. Ultimately, the coach cuts them both from the team for not jumping at the leadership role fast enough.
It can also carry a heavier theme. A character could sacrifice to keep their loved one from getting hurt, but they die and their loved one gets hurt in the process anyway. There are multiple ways for irony to serve your plot. You just have to give it a purpose in connection with your theme or message.
7. Great Things Happening to Terrible People
Definition: Someone looks forward to achieving a rare thing they want very badly, but it goes to the worst person they can think of instead.
Your protagonist’s character works hard to put themselves through school, buy a house, and even start a family. One day, they get a letter that a grandparent they never knew recently passed away and wants to give them a million-dollar inheritance. It would free them of their student loan and mortgage debt, but the cruel parental figure that shares your character’s name gets the money instead.
8. An Unwanted Achieved Goal
Definition: Someone finally achieves their long-term goal, but they realize it isn’t what they wanted.
Sometimes the idea of something is better than getting it. Your protagonist may finally move to the mountainside cabin of their dreams, but realize they hate living in an area that gets heavy snow after the first winter storm hits. It’s ironic and a bit depressing, but it shifts your character toward new goals that drive the plot in a fresh direction.
9. Trivial Events Undo a Character’s Work
Definition: Someone’s hard work or life’s work gets ruined by a tiny detail they didn’t see coming.
When someone’s ultimate goal gets undone by something minor, it’s devastating. It’s also something readers connect with because it happens in real life.
Your protagonist might work really hard to earn their pilot’s license, only to get up in their first test flight and realize they have an innate fear of heights. Their future career as a flight operator for a private space exploration company depended on getting that license, so they have to rethink everything.
10. Success Without Meaning
Definition: Someone achieves something at long last, but can’t enjoy it for whatever reason.
Your protagonist decides to become CEO of a major tech company so they can pay off their parent’s debt and provide for them forever. When they finally get that job after a lifetime of earning a college degree and climbing the company’s ladder, their parent doesn’t want their money. Now they’re stuck in a job they might not want for themselves because the purpose behind it will never exist.
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You can write an ironic story with any of these tricks and reach your readers’ hearts. Consider which storytelling tools serve your story’s theme or message to match your plot with the best plot device.
Story Structures for your Next WIP
hello, hello. this post will be mostly for my notes. this is something I need in to be reminded of for my business, but it can also be very useful and beneficial for you guys as well.
everything in life has structure and storytelling is no different, so let’s dive right in :)
First off let’s just review what a story structure is :
a story is the backbone of the story, the skeleton if you will. It hold the entire story together.
the structure in which you choose your story will effectively determine how you create drama and depending on the structure you choose it should help you align your story and sequence it with the conflict, climax, and resolution.
1. Freytag's Pyramid
this first story structure i will be talking about was named after 19th century German novelist and playwright.
it is a five point structure that is based off classical Greek tragedies such as Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripedes.
Freytag's Pyramid structure consists of:
Introduction: the status quo has been established and an inciting incident occurs.
Rise or rising action: the protagonist will search and try to achieve their goal, heightening the stakes,
Climax: the protagonist can no longer go back, the point of no return if you will.
Return or fall: after the climax of the story, tension builds and the story inevitably heads towards...
Catastrophe: the main character has reached their lowest point and their greatest fears have come into fruition.
this structure is used less and less nowadays in modern storytelling mainly due to readers lack of appetite for tragic narratives.
2. The Hero's Journey
the hero's journey is a very well known and popular form of storytelling.
it is very popular in modern stories such as Star Wars, and movies in the MCU.
although the hero's journey was inspired by Joseph Campbell's concept, a Disney executive Christopher Vogler has created a simplified version:
The Ordinary World: The hero's everyday routine and life is established.
The Call of Adventure: the inciting incident.
Refusal of the Call: the hero / protagonist is hesitant or reluctant to take on the challenges.
Meeting the Mentor: the hero meets someone who will help them and prepare them for the dangers ahead.
Crossing the First Threshold: first steps out of the comfort zone are taken.
Tests, Allie, Enemies: new challenges occur, and maybe new friends or enemies.
Approach to the Inmost Cave: hero approaches goal.
The Ordeal: the hero faces their biggest challenge.
Reward (Seizing the Sword): the hero manages to get ahold of what they were after.
The Road Back: they realize that their goal was not the final hurdle, but may have actually caused a bigger problem than before.
Resurrection: a final challenge, testing them on everything they've learned.
Return with the Elixir: after succeeding they return to their old life.
the hero's journey can be applied to any genre of fiction.
3. Three Act Structure:
this structure splits the story into the 'beginning, middle and end' but with in-depth components for each act.
Act 1: Setup:
exposition: the status quo or the ordinary life is established.
inciting incident: an event sets the whole story into motion.
plot point one: the main character decided to take on the challenge head on and she crosses the threshold and the story is now progressing forward.
Act 2: Confrontation:
rising action: the stakes are clearer and the hero has started to become familiar with the new world and begins to encounter enemies, allies and tests.
midpoint: an event that derails the protagonists mission.
plot point two: the hero is tested and fails, and begins to doubt themselves.
Act 3: Resolution:
pre-climax: the hero must chose between acting or failing.
climax: they fights against the antagonist or danger one last time, but will they succeed?
Denouement: loose ends are tied up and the reader discovers the consequences of the climax, and return to ordinary life.
4. Dan Harmon's Story Circle
it surprised me to know the creator of Rick and Morty had their own variation of Campbell's hero's journey.
the benefit of Harmon's approach is that is focuses on the main character's arc.
it makes sense that he has such a successful structure, after all the show has multiple seasons, five or six seasons? i don't know not a fan of the show.
the character is in their comfort zone: also known as the status quo or ordinary life.
they want something: this is a longing and it can be brought forth by an inciting incident.
the character enters and unfamiliar situation: they must take action and do something new to pursue what they want.
adapt to it: of course there are challenges, there is struggle and begin to succeed.
they get what they want: often a false victory.
a heavy price is paid: a realization of what they wanted isn't what they needed.
back to the good old ways: they return to their familiar situation yet with a new truth.
having changed: was it for the better or worse?
i might actually make a operate post going more in depth about dan harmon's story circle.
5. Fichtean Curve:
the fichtean curve places the main character in a series of obstacles in order to achieve their goal.
this structure encourages writers to write a story packed with tension and mini-crises to keep the reader engaged.
The Rising Action
the story must start with an inciting indecent.
then a series of crisis arise.
there are often four crises.
2. The Climax:
3. Falling Action
this type of story telling structure goes very well with flash-back structured story as well as in theatre.
6. Save the Cat Beat Sheet:
this is another variation of a three act structure created by screenwriter Blake Snyder, and is praised widely by champion storytellers.
Structure for Save the Cat is as follows: (the numbers in the brackets are for the number of pages required, assuming you're writing a 110 page screenplay)
Opening Image [1]: The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel, this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.
Set-up [1-10]. Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?
Theme Stated [5]. During the setup, hint at what your story is really about — the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.
Catalyst [12]. The inciting incident!
Debate [12-25]. The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.
Break into Two [25]. The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.
B Story [30]. A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.
The Promise of the Premise [30-55]. Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.
Midpoint [55]. A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.
Bad Guys Close In [55-75]. The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.
All is Lost [75]. The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.
Dark Night of the Soul [75-85-ish]. Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)
Break into Three [85]. Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!
Finale [85-110]. The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.
Final Image [110]. A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.
(all information regarding the save the cat beat sheet was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)
7. Seven Point Story Structure:
this structure encourages writers to start with the at the end, with the resolution, and work their way back to the starting point.
this structure is about dramatic changes from beginning to end
The Hook. Draw readers in by explaining the protagonist’s current situation. Their state of being at the beginning of the novel should be in direct contrast to what it will be at the end of the novel.
Plot Point 1. Whether it’s a person, an idea, an inciting incident, or something else — there should be a "Call to Adventure" of sorts that sets the narrative and character development in motion.
Pinch Point 1. Things can’t be all sunshine and roses for your protagonist. Something should go wrong here that applies pressure to the main character, forcing them to step up and solve the problem.
Midpoint. A “Turning Point” wherein the main character changes from a passive force to an active force in the story. Whatever the narrative’s main conflict is, the protagonist decides to start meeting it head-on.
Pinch Point 2. The second pinch point involves another blow to the protagonist — things go even more awry than they did during the first pinch point. This might involve the passing of a mentor, the failure of a plan, the reveal of a traitor, etc.
Plot Point 2. After the calamity of Pinch Point 2, the protagonist learns that they’ve actually had the key to solving the conflict the whole time.
Resolution. The story’s primary conflict is resolved — and the character goes through the final bit of development necessary to transform them from who they were at the start of the novel.
(all information regarding the seven point story structure was copy and pasted directly from reedsy!)
i decided to fit all of them in one post instead of making it a two part post.
i hope you all enjoy this post and feel free to comment or reblog which structure you use the most, or if you have your own you prefer to use! please share with me!
if you find this useful feel free to reblog on instagram and tag me at perpetualstories
Follow my tumblr and instagram for more writing and grammar tips and more!
I was getting pretty fed up with links and generators with very general and overused weapons and superpowers and what have you for characters so:
Here is a page for premodern weapons, broken down into a ton of subcategories, with the weapon’s region of origin.
Here is a page of medieval weapons.
Here is a page of just about every conceived superpower.
Here is a page for legendary creatures and their regions of origin.
Here are some gemstones.
Here is a bunch of Greek legends, including monsters, gods, nymphs, heroes, and so on.
Here is a website with a ton of (legally attained, don’t worry) information about the black market.
Here is a website with information about forensic science and cases of death. Discretion advised.
Here is every religion in the world.
Here is every language in the world.
Here are methods of torture. Discretion advised.
Here are descriptions of the various methods used for the death penalty. Discretion advised.
Here are poisonous plants.
Here are plants in general.
Feel free to add more to this!
The fight of the century
6 Tips for Writing an Underdog Character
People love reading about an underdog. There’s something within all of us that relates to persevering against the odds, even when they’re crushing. Anything becomes possible—but how do you write that kind of character successfully?
Here are a few tips to get you started.
1. Create Their Disempowerment
Underdogs need to lose something or have one thing less than those they fight against. It might be something they hope to gain back or something they hope to gain at all.
Let’s use The Hunger Games as an example for this post. Katniss comes from District 12, but she’s already at a disadvantage when she volunteers as tribute. Restrictions on her district kept her from food security for most of her life. Without a lifetime of basic nutrition, her body is already at a disadvantage in the physically-demanding games.
District 12 is also one of the less appreciated districts in her country. She doesn’t think anyone will care about sponsoring her in the games, which makes survival much less likely.
But we still root for her! She volunteered to save her sister, which is heroic. There’s so much potential for more heroic growth that we keep turning the page, even though she’s not the most likely person to survive.
2. Make Your Protagonist Likable
Getting excited to see a character grow might be something you feel as a creative writer, but the average reader also needs an underdog protagonist to be likable in some way. Katniss will do anything for her family, including hunting where and when she isn’t supposed to. Many people would feel the need to do the same for their families.
She also feels deep compassion for people, which she covers up with her gruff demeanor. We’ve all felt like we got hurt because our hearts opened too wide for someone. We can relate to her building defenses into her personality, which might make her likable to more readers.
Katniss also has the core value of loyalty. People always seek loyalty in new connections. It’s how we trust new friends. It’s also how readers trust characters.
This site has a few more tips on crafting likable characters. Part of that happens while you’re creating the characters during your planning process, but you can also do it while you’re writing. As your underdog becomes more of a real person in your mind, you’ll know which primary character traits make them most likable to readers.
3. Plan Their Rock-Bottom Moment
Underdogs always reach a point where they feel they’re at their lowest. Even when they feel crushed or defeated, they choose to find strength and continue with their journey. It makes readers support them even more, but it’s also the defining moment of an underdog’s arc.
Your underdog’s rock-bottom moment will be the scene where they resist the temptation to give up, change their dream, or change who they are. It will be the choice that keeps them moving toward their end goal, instead of taking the easy road.
You could argue Katniss has a few rock-bottom moments. It might be when she hears her sister’s name called at the Reaping. It could be when Rue dies and she chooses to spearhead a revolution.
There could be multiple moments for your underdog too. It depends on the shape of your narrative arc and how many acts your story has.
4. Show Them Trying and Failing
It’s time for an important caveat—underdogs also fail. If they were perfect, they’d be god-like figures that readers couldn’t personally identify with.
Maybe your underdog achieves their ultimate goal, but they experience failure along the way. Their failure helps them grow or makes them pursue their goal with more conviction and determination.
Katniss begins her journey with a mindset of self-preservation. That makes her slightly selfish and automatically distrustful of people. She makes some choices readers would probably disagree with, but then she learns from them. By the end of the series, she’s as selfless as a human can get.
Characters don’t grow if they don’t make mistakes. Even underdogs should fail. However, that failure shouldn’t make them quit. It should either motivate them to keep going or give them a new perspective on how they can achieve their ultimate goal.
5. Train Them Along the Way
Underdogs start out as unlikely heroes because they don’t start with everything they need to succeed. That might be a societal problem, like coming from an economically disadvantaged family or a biased society. Maybe they don’t have the skills they need, like the ability to fight in hand-to-hand combat, outsmart their antagonist, or solve mysteries.
Usually, characters learn these things during their arcs. Your underdog will likely pick up what they need to succeed through the relationships they make and experiences they have.
Katniss already knows how to hunt when she volunteers for the games, but Haymitch mentors her to win over much-needed sponsors to survive. Peeta teaches her how to soften her heart and think outside the box. She wouldn’t have made it through the series without the people in her life. Other underdog characters can’t either.
6. Reward Them at the End
Underdogs work hard and transform themselves to achieve their goals. At the end of the story, they often gain a tangible reward, power, knowledge, a new title or a new community. Your underdog should get what they set out to achieve, plus a few extra things they didn’t expect.
Katniss wins the Hunger Games. She gets her primary objective: to continue living. She also protects her sister. In addition to surviving, she has her (albeit rocky) relationship with Peeta, a new mentor in Haymitch, a comfortable living in the Victor’s Village, and an audience of fans who are another layer of protection against President Snow’s desire to kill her.
The extra rewards propel her through the remainder of her storyline. They also set her up for more success with the new lifepath she sees for herself: aiding the revolution to end the games for good.
A new goal is sometimes a reward in itself. It depends on if you want to continue writing about your character or if you want a one-off story.
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I hope this helps gives you a new perspective on future protagonists! Adding one of these factors into your character’s growth could remove your writer’s block too. They set up a path forward for your protagonist and help shape their journey.
You can also use these resources to learn more about the underdog archetype:
Character Archetypes: The Disruptor and the Underdog
Writing the Underdog: Effort Matters Most
7 Tips to Writing Underdog Heroes
How To Write A Compelling Character Arc
A character arc is a measure of how a character changes over time. These arcs are linear, which means they have a start and a conclusion. Character arcs are a significant aspect of any novel as they help clearly translate your character’s struggles and personal developments to your readers.
Unsure how to write a compelling character arc for your protagonist or other characters? Here are some tips to help you get started!
Pick A Type Of Arc
In order to create a compelling and successful character arc, you first need to recognise which type of arc is your character going to experience. Over the years people have developed various character arc types, however, there are three significant types every writer needs to be aware of when plotting their character’s story.
Positive Character Arcs
Positive character arcs are simply that—a character arc that results in a positive journey or development.
A majority of books and movies or other cinematic pieces feature positive character arcs. This is because everyone enjoys a happy ending. An ending that makes you feel fulfilled and excited for the protagonist’s journey, or brings tears to your waterline as you reminisce on how far they’ve come, and how much they deserve this positive ending.
A positive character arc doesn’t necessarily have to have a ‘’happily ever after’ however it needs to have a happy ending. If a character’s family was assassinated and at the end they get revenge on the antagonist who murdered their loved ones while developing themselves mentally, then that counts as a positive character arc.
When writing a positive character arc it’s important to keep a few things in mind, such as:
You need to end on a positive note. Things can be as chaotic as you want it to be, but you need to have a positive ending. Otherwise, you cannot define your character arc as positive.
Your protagonist needs to develop as a character. Whether that be mentally, emotionally, financially, etc.
Your protagonist cannot end up where they started. A character arc that ends in a full circle is more of a flat character arc than a positive one.
Negative Character Arcs
Just like a positive character arc, a negative one is very easy to explain. This is a character arc that is typically used when writing antagonists in the entertainment industry due to the negativity it brings. When writing a negative character arc for a protagonist you run the risk of making your readers feel unsatisfied or creating a ‘bad ending’.
Some examples of a negative character arc for a protagonist would be if the protagonist dies at the end of the book, or if the protagonists almost achieve their final goal but fail by a small shortcoming. Negative character arcs for a protagonist are usually implemented for the first few books of a series, especially in fantasy books.
Using a negative character for your antagonist is simple—they fail. The protagonist wins and the villain dies or gets locked up until their final moments.
When employing a negative character arc for a protagonist, here are some things to keep in mind:
They shouldn’t end up as a person similar to what they started off as. The point is to corrupt them, ruin them and turn them to the bad side. Perhaps even make them fall victim to the antagonists.
They can’t or will never achieve their long-term goal. Remember that goal you established at the start of your book? Your protagonist cannot achieve that. Or at least, they will never achieve it due to certain plot developments.
They lose someone or thing important to them. Negative character arcs for a protagonist are generally triggered due to the loss of someone or thing important to the protagonist. Maybe their mentor is murdered by the government, or their failure to achieve their goals makes them turn evil.
Flat Character Arcs
Flat character arcs are arcs that essentially lack any sort of arc. They are flat and begin and end with the character as the same type of person.
These arcs are generally used for side characters, but they can also be used for a protagonist. Think of characters like Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, etc. They go through several trials and tribulations, but even after it all their personality remains the same.
When writing a flat character arc it’s important to remember that your character cannot undergo any significant personality changes. Your protagonist can undergo such changes during the story, but they need to have a full circle by the end.
Divide Your Arc Into Short-Term Goals
Once you’ve decided where you want your character to end up at the end, you now need to know how they will get there. You can achieve this by referring to your long-term goal and then breaking them down into short-term goals.
The protagonist is supposed to find a hidden jewel at the end of the book and discovers how corrupt their government is. Alright, now break that down into short-term goals that will help your protagonist get to their end goal.
Group these goals and they will become stages for your book, break them down and you now have chapter outlines to work with.
Playing with the details of your character arcs can help you easily plan out your book’s plot and set a steady pace. You can also use this as a reference sheet when working on your WIP.
Take The World Outside Your Protagonist Into Perspective
Once you know the type of character arc you want and how you’re going to write it, it’s important to consider how this arc will impact your world. This includes your side characters as well as the general plot and layout of your world.
Character Arcs For Side Characters
It isn’t necessary to have a character arc for every single character, but it is almost impossible for only two characters to have an arc within hundreds of pages.
Whether it be your protagonist’s mentor or your antagonist’s assistant, it’s important to take their stories and personal development into consideration. How does the story’s plot impact their outlook on the world or their personality? Do any of the minor antagonists turn out to be morally grey? Does one of the smaller protagonists end up betraying the protagonist out of jealousy?
Remember, your smaller characters are also human. It’s important to take their stories and arcs into consideration so you can create a detailed and comprehensive world.
A great example of this could be anime characters. Most animes tend to have separate backstories and endings for every character. These backstories and endings don’t have to all be necessarily revealed to your readers, however, as an author you need to know where you’re going with each of your characters.
Reaction Arcs
One easy way to implement character arcs for your side characters is by using reaction arcs. I don’t know if this term has already been established, but I personally coined the term to refer to a character arc that is a direct reaction to another character’s arc.
Maybe your protagonist has a positive character arc and ends up becoming the most successful person in their field of work, but this results in a reaction arc for their best friend who turns bitter and has a negative character arc due to the way the protagonist’s story played out.
Reaction arcs differ from other arcs due to the fact that they cannot be achieved without establishing another character’s arc first. Following the above example, the best friend cannot become jealous and bitter until your protagonist’s character arc is established.
I hope this blog on how to write a compelling character arc will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks?
Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and marketing tools for authors every Monday and Thursday.
Want to learn more about me and my writing journey? Visit my social media pages under the handle @hayatheauthor where I post content about my WIP The Traitor’s Throne and life as a teenage author.
Copyright © 2022 Haya Sameer, you are not allowed to repost, translate, recreate or redistribute my blog posts or content without prior permission
if anyone has any tips or resources for writing pitches, taglines, etc, please share them with me and i will post a photo of my gremlin cat in whichever state he happened to be in the last time I took pics
Writing Theory - Conflict 101
THEORY
goal + obstacle = conflict -> plot
You may have heard that a story needs conflict, but what does that mean?
No, it's not explosions. Or murder. Or smut.
Your character wants something, that's the goal. Something is in the character's way, that's the obstacle. The way your character deals with the obstacle to reach their goal is what makes an engaging conflict.
You see this on a plot level as well as on an individual scene level: Character wants X, but obstacle Y, so they have to go do Z
Conflict is like the engine of the plot, so if it's missing in a scene, then it's likely to feel redundant, boring, as if the story came to a halt (because it did; the engine stopped).
The goal and obstacle pair generally appear in two orders, with a "reaction" element:
Character sets a goal, but an obstacle happens, so the character reacts by changing course
Something happens (obstacle), character reacts to it and decides on the next action (goal)
You can alternate between the two, then you get something like this: character tries to accomplish something, something gets in their way, forcing a new approach, character reacts to the changes and decides how to move on from here, sets a new goal, tries to reach goal, faces obstacle...
This can also keep your character active rather than passive. Even in a reactionary scene, your character is responding and making a decision, rather than being a puppet to external forces. It can be smart to not have too many reactionary scenes back-to-back, as this can also feel passive. The goal-obstacle-reaction type scenes don't really have this problem and you can intersperse them with reactionary scenes now and then for variation.
You can have one major goal and many smaller goals. The goal(s) can also shift over the course of the story.
If you struggle to think of an obstacle, ask yourself: what is preventing my character from achieving their goal right now? Why can't they walk up to the villain and defeat them? Why can't they pull their love interest into a kiss? Why is your story longer than two paragraphs?
Ideally, goals and obstacles (and conflicts) are interwoven with character development, theme, etc., making for a solid plot where all these elements form one smooth fabric together. As a beginner, it's alright to first pick one thing to exercise rather than trying to balance all these things at once. Learn to create these bare bones of a plot and then improve upon that foundation.
EXAMPLE: Revenge of the Sith
Anakin would like Padmé to not die. = goal; He doesn't know how to prevent it. = obstacle
Stop the Sith = goal; Not knowing who the Sith Lord is = obstacle
These form conflicts and they push the plot forward. There are several smaller goals, like defeating Dooku/saving the Chancellor, preventing Palpatine from dying, manslaughter, killing Obi-Wan...
A scene with the goal - obstacle - (reaction) order: Anakin wants to use Palpatine's knowledge (goal), but Mace Windu is about to make that permanently impossible (obstacle). Thus, Anakin needs to pivot from yelling to slashing in order to reach his goal.
A scene with the obstacle - (reaction) - goal order: Anakin, the superstar Jedi, has just helped a Sith Lord kill a Jedi master (obstacle/problem; goes against the bigger "stop the Sith" goal). This has an effect on him (reaction; "What have I done??") and leads to a decision: join Palpatine. This then sets him on his next goal(s): destroy the Jedi to prove he's worthy.
Here you see how those two "types" of scenes flow into each other.
EXERCISE
Write two short scenes - one for each type (reactionary and goal-obstacle-reaction). They don't have to be unrelated.
Now, write another two scenes, but this time make them successive.
See if you can do this in the form of a short story: write 5-10 successive scenes.
Celebrate that you've just written a story! :D
These techniques, like so often with writing, need practice to sink in. So write some fun short stories or wacky scenes, and you'll notice you get better the more you do it. Have fun!
Storytelling in Any Season
Incorporating the seasons into my stories is enjoyable. Not only are seasons a relatable life experience, but passage of time can be tricky to portray without them. The best part about adding the seasons to a story is that they have strong potential to aid the plot.
Seasonal details that are easy to add to create the scene and affect the plot.
CLOTHING; if I walk this path in winter, I have to wear huge boots that can handle slick mud. If I walk it in summer, the dead grass scratches my bare legs because now I am wearing shorts.
EXTREME TEMPERATURE; whatever we do today it better be indoors and out of this heat wave/blizzard. If the battle/heist/romance/etc. takes place in this weather, there will be consequences!
CHARACTER MOOD; autumn is Character A's favorite time of year! they gain a positive, upbeat attitude as soon as they see signs of autumn. Character B feels dread and becomes easily agitated during autumn. The two of them clash more in autumn than any other season.
EVENTS; holidays aside, some seasons may be busier for one character than another. I had a weekend job during summers and was rarely available. Weddings are most common in spring. Community events that affect traffic, shops, or social atmosphere can occur at any time of year.
TRANSPORTATION; some parts of the world rely on different transport for different seasons. A bicycle when it is temperate, a bus or train when it is miserable. A car for dry weather is replaced with a car outfitted for inclement weather. A regular trip to the grocery store may even need to be cancelled completely. And don't forget air and water travel!
HISTORY/TRAUMA; certain seasons in your story may be marked by pain. This is the season the war took many lives. This is the month unforgettable tragedy occurred. The upcoming season marks the anniversary of a huge mistake we'd all like to forget. Social and personal customs will reflect this memorial.
FOOD; in the modern-day US we are used to most foods being available year-round. This is not the case globally or historically. Seasons can be marked by what foods are or aren't available. This can include meat, produce, and dairy, but it can also extend to dishes and meals.
RESOURCES; like food, weather and climate affect access to many things your characters may need. Washed out roads halt shipments, but heavy rain is good for crops. Intense heat can damage perishable supplies, but dries out firewood fast. Natural disasters halt production while simultaneously increasing demand. Even a weather event in another hemisphere can affect your character's resources.
Whenever you think "How do I portray the changing seasons?" pay attention to the changes you have to make each season. Places you go, your personal habits, the items you carry with you, the events you prepare for, and all of these real-life details affect YOUR "plot" every day. Consider which ones would affect your characters, and use them to both set the scene and move the story along.
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✩ This was written in response/addition to @writingquestionsanswered post Incorporating Seasons Into a Story. Please see their post for other important tips!
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List of Elemental Abilities
Air/Wind
Aerokinesis -manipulate the air, wind, and gas.
Aeroportation - teleport using air/wind currents.
Air Mimicry - transform into a cloud of gas, fog, or mist.
Atmokinesis - manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.
Deoxygenation - suck up all the oxygen from a place.
Lung Adaptation - breath anywhere
Wind Generation - create blasts of air.
Divine Winds Manipulation - create and control heavenly winds.
Dark Wind Manipulation - create and control eerie winds.
Earth
Geokinesis - control, manipulate, and reshape the earth at will.
Atmokinesis - control and manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.
Crystallokinesis - manipulate minerals and crystals.
Ferrokinesis… manipulate metal at will.
Fraxikinesis - manipulate burnt matter.
Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate, control, and create lava, magma and volcanoes.
Golem Creation - make golems out of inanimate materials like rocks, wood, plants, magma, etc.
Granulation… can turn things into sand.
Halokinesis - control and manipulate salt.
Hyalokinesis - control and manipulate glass.
Koniokinesis - manipulate and control dust particles.
Plassikinesis - manipulate and control all forms of plastic.
Psammokinesis - can control and manipulate sand.
Terrakinesis - control, manipulate and alter/reshape the surrounding terrain and landscape at will.
Terraportation - teleport via the earth and earth-based materials.
Sacred Earth Manipulation - Create, manipulate, control, reshape divine earth minerals.
Black Earth Manipulation - Create, manipulate and control tainted and evil earth minerals.
Fire
Pyrokinesis - create, control and manipulate fire, flame and heat.
Atmokinesis - control and manipulate the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.
Fire Breath - breathe out flames.
Geo-Thermokinesis - manipulate lava, magma and volcanoes.
Heliokinesis - manipulate and control the sun and sunlight.
Hell-Fire Manipulation - Generate and control flames of hell.
Holy Fire Manipulation - Generate and control flames of Heaven.
Inflammation - burn things.
Melting - heat molecules to melt things.
Plasmakinesis - can control plasma.
Pyrotechnics - create fireworks.
Self-Detonation - explode self and reform.
Thermokinesis - create, control and manipulate heat.
Water
Hydrokinesis - manipulate and control liquid water and mold it into any desired shape or form.
Aquatic Adaptation - adapted to underwater living.
Aquatic Respiration - breathe underwater.
Atmokinesis- control and manipulate the various aspects of the weather by mixing water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.
Dehydration - absorb water.
Hydroportation - teleport across short or long distances through liquid water.
Water Mimicry - turn into liquid water.
Holy Water Manipulation - create, manipulate and control graceful waters.
Dark Water Manipulation - create, manipulate and control evil and dangerous waters.
Darkness
Umbrakinesis - can manipulate and control darkness or shadows.
Animated Shadow - Animate one’s shadow.
Light Absorption - block out light in an area.
Night Vision - see in the dark.
Sacred Darkness - create holy darkness.
Shadow Camouflage - be unseen in shadows.
Shadow Mimicry - become a shadow.
Umbrageous Teleportation - teleport via the shadows and darkness.
Electricity/Lightning
Quintessence Force -Can generate whitish-blue lightning that also contains pure life energy.
Electrokinesis - control, generate or absorb electric fields and shoot lightning bolts.
Activation & Deactivation - turn stuff on and off.
Positron Manipulation - control positrons, the antimatter counterpart to electrons.
Electrical Absorption - absorb electricity.
Electric Mimicry -transform entire body into a lightning-like being of pure electrical energy
Electrical Transportation - teleport with lightning.
Divine Lightning Manipulation - create and control the brightest lightning.
Black Lightning Manipulation - create and control the darkest lightning.
Energy
Dynamokinesis - manipulate existing energy.
Energy Blast - create blasts of energy.
Energy Emission - release energy.
Quintessence Force - create and manipulate unique form of electrical and life energy.
Mana Manipulation
Chi Manipulation
Electricity Manipulation
Energy Manipulation
Ice
Cryokinesis - control ice, snow and other forms of frozen water.
Freeze Breath - freeze things in solid ice.
Freezing - lower the temperature in kinetic atoms to freezing temperatures.
Frigokinesis - control snow either as precipitation or already on the ground.
Ice Beam - shoot beams of freezing energy.
Ice Generation
Light
Dark Light Manipulation - create the darkest light in existence.
White Light Manipulation- create sacred light from the divine.
Photokinesis - create and manipulate pure light.
Force-Field Generation - create protective shields of solid photons.
Invisibility - be unseen.
Laser Emission - bend light wavelengths to create lasers.
Light Absorption -absorb the light around you.
Light Generation - emit blinding light or glow in the dark.
Light Mimicry - take on the traits of light.
Photoportation - Teleport by using photons.
Projective Invisibility - turn other things invisible.
Evil Banish - Rid and banish all spirits of evil and black magic.
Light Manipulation
Weather
Atmokinesis - manipulate the various aspects of the weather by using water, fire, earth, air, and lightning/electricity.
Atmokinetic Resistance - immunity to all weather-based abilities and effects.
Atmokinetic Sensing - sense the future weather patterns.
Other
Aether Manipulation
Cosmic Manipulation
Gravity Manipulation
Nether Manipulation
Space-Time Manipulation
From Superpower Wikia. See their complete list of superpowers HERE.
HOW TO START WRITING ORIGINAL FICTION AFTER BEING A FANFIC WRITER
hello hello, it's me again!
i've been a fanfic writer for a long time! i started writing on wattpad when i was about 12 years old and continued writing there for a few years, switching from one fandom to another. but deep down, i really wanted to start writing my own novel, with everything created by me. at first, it was quite challenging, and i had to do lots of research, like everyone else. but eventually, i figured it out, and now i love writing original fiction!
if you're a long-time fanfic writer who's ready to dip their toes into the world of original fiction, you're in the right place. while it can be quite intimidating to move away from the familiar worlds and characters you love, writing original fiction can be an incredibly rewarding experience. here are a few tips to get you started:
start with what you know just because you're writing original fiction doesn't mean you have to start from scratch. draw inspiration from your favorite genres, characters, and settings to create something new and unique.
create your own characters this is your chance to explore new personalities and relationships that won't ever come to life unless you decide to! take the time to really develop your characters and give them distinct voices and motivations. [check this out: build a character (masterpost)]
focus on world-building unlike fanfic, where the world and its rules are already established, in original fiction, you have to build everything from the ground up. take the time to create a rich, detailed world that your readers can get lost in.
embrace the freedom fanfic can be restrictive, as you're bound by the expectations of the fandom. with original fiction, you have the freedom to tell any story you want. take advantage of that freedom and let your imagination run wild. [check this out: free Notion template for writers]
don't be afraid to make mistakes writing original fiction is a learning process, and you're bound to make mistakes along the way. embrace those mistakes as learning opportunities and keep pushing forward. [check this out: useful resources & tips for writers]
i hope this was useful! if you have any questions, feel free to dm me or send an anon message! <3 have a nice day
related posts:
how to start writing original fiction
character development : a collection of resources
BUILD A CHARACTER (Masterpost)
>Naming
Websites:
- NameChef - Name Generator - Reedsy Generator - Fake Name Generator - Fantasy Name Generator - Baby Names - Baby Center
Lists:
- Long Names List by @leafvy - Giant Name List by @serifsystem - Dark Academia Inspired Names by @victoriahazelnut - Dark Academia Inspired Names part II by @victoriahazelnut - Modern Names Similar to Constellations by @victoriahazelnut
>Personality
Websites:
- Personality Generator - Random Character Traits Generator by @lucalicatteart - Random Zodiac Sign Generator - Zodiac Generator
Lists:
- 638 Personality Traits - Character Traits List with Examples - 800 Character Traits: The Ultimate List (+ How to Develop a Good Character Step-by-Step) - The Signs in a Relationship by @neo-wonderland - Character Flaws by @madswritess - A List of Character Quirks by @psychidion - Victorian Detective by @iamacuteapplepie - Little Quirks for Future Reference by @elvenwinters - Things your Character Might be Afraid of by @rpmemesbyarat - Masterlist of Characters’ Deepest Fears by @bailey-writes
>Backstory
Websites:
- Kassoon Backstory Generator - Character Biography Generator - How to Write Compelling Character Backstories: Step-by-Step Guide - Childhood Memory Generator
Lists:
- 33 Life Events For Your Character’s Backstory by @creativerogues - Important Life Events - Past Traumas by @blackacre13
>Goals & Motives
Websites:
- Character Goal Generator - Character Motivation Generator - Motive Generator
>Secrets
Websites:
- Secret Generator
Lists:
- 300 Secrets for your Character by @crissverahelps - What Secret does your Character Keep? - 150 secrets/plots by @sunshineandtearph
>Appearence
Websites:
- Appearence Generator - Portrait and Figure Drawing References
Lists:
- Appearence Adjectives - Adjectives to Describe People
Some doodles as well!!
I was reading abralhugres ' "one last death" and "I'll save you when you're weak"
Magical items and cursed artefacts that are currently being used for something else than their intended purpose.
The cape of Infinite Wisdom, that gives you all the knowledge of the universe but unfortunately renders you incapable of doing anything else than stand there processing it, aware of everything everywhere all at once, which drowns out being aware of your surroundings. People use it to trap runaways and wild horses to capture them without injuring the target.
The Wrestling Machination, that was far too efficient in folding up flesh-and-blood human opponents, which was locked up for centuries before being stolen - presumably for horrifying uses. It was later found in secret use in a nearby laundromat, which uses it to neatly fold up clothing.
Potion of Shapeshifting, But Only Once. Not useful for intended purposes, but has more than once been concotioned and used by people who were utterly sick of human life and would rather spend the rest of their lives being a seagull.
The cursed amulet of No Woman Will Want To Fuck You, originally crafted as a wizard college prank, currently worn as the daily signature accessory of an astonishingly beautiful and unfathomably gay man, to ward off unwanted female attention.
BIG SPOILERS FOR LCF PT2 CHAPTER 102!!!!!!
The Soos are so fucking stupid I hate them so much..... THE RECENT CHAPTER????? hellooo????
Cale coughing up more blood than he ever has. Ever. Then proceeding to get hit with. the worst feeling of hunger he has ever been through and proceeding to shovel an apple pie in his mouth as quickly as he can.
THEN CJS BREAKING THROUGH THE ROOF. WHILE FIGHTING THE MURDER DEMON???????????????? Sui just being so goddamn done with him..... CJS just smiling and greeting Cale as if he hasn't seen him since HE DIED IN FRONT OF HIM (same thing happened with Sui these little shits...) and as if Cale isn't covered head to toe in his own blood and stuffing his face, as if he isn't fighting one of the most powerful people IN THIS WORLD??????
How to write romantic tension
Here are some of my best tips to write a romantic build-up! (I believe all of these are inspired by a couple in my current project, oops!) Happy Valentine’s to everyone!
💜 Disagreements
Nothing shouts romantic tension better than when one of the characters is annoyed by the other’s habits or opinions. Usually this stems from a personal issue, or even form knowing they’re attracted to the other person!
If character A smokes, character B could be annoyed at them because they used to smoke themselves, but subconsciously the complaints are just an excuse to keep the conversation going.
💜 Arm’s length
Try to keep your characters at an arm’s length from each other, and experiment with the tension you can create at a distance. This will make any closer moments MUCH more impactful.
If character A is usually polite and respectful of personal space, but in an emotional moment they lean a tad too close, that strikes character B much harder.
💜 The turning point
What is the point where it becomes obvious to your characters that they like each other? You don’t have to immediately seal this in a kiss or a confession. Play with how this knowledge subtly changes their behaviour with one another.
Character A may get progressively flirtier or bolder when they realize character B is completely accepting of their advances. They may start to do “coupley things”, like hand-holding, or subtle comfort touches, without even having to talk about “where they’re at.”
Did you know I’ve got a Youtube channel? Watch my first few videos now! Subscribe through the [link here] or below!
Tension vs. Conflict: What’s the Difference?
Good morning everyone! It’s my birthday today and because it’s my birthday I thought I’d post today (that’s kind of an obscure reference to Star Wars Guy and his girlfriend lol)!
Conflict and tension in literature help build drama and keep readers engaged through the end of the book. Learning the distinctions between conflict and tension will help elevate your writing and make your storylines more engaging.
What Is Tension in Writing?
Tension in a literary context is the sense that something ominous is right around the corner. Building a large amount of tension as a writer keeps your readers engaged up until the end of the story. Mystery novels are full of tension and foreboding, and they generally feature tense scenes from beginning to end. Working within the genre of mystery writing is a great way to learn how to layer tension into your narrative arc. Good use of tension makes a story worth reading and keeps readers guessing.
3 Tips for Using Tension in Your Writing
Learning to build tension is no easy task. Even the most seasoned professional writers have trouble maintaining tension from beginning to end. Here are a few tips for using tension successfully in your writing:
Foreshadowing: An important part of building tension is using foreshadowing to build dramatic tension and keep readers on the edges of their seats. In Harry Potter, author J.K. Rowling uses flashbacks and backstory to foreshadow the eventual major conflict that will unfold between Harry Potter and the villainous Voldemort.
Inner conflict: Sometimes inner conflict and self-doubt can be layered in through character development and used to build levels of tension. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main character wants to avenge his father’s death but is beset by self-doubt, paralyzing indecision, and mental strain. As an audience, there is a sense of tension in every scene as we wait to see if Hamlet will act on his inner desire for retribution or remain stuck in a place of indecision.
A time limit: One great way to build tension in your story is to place a time limit on an action your character has to undertake. By adding the element of a ticking clock, you build tension and increase stakes. This is a common technique used in thriller novels and films as well as action and adventure stories.
What Are the Differences Between Conflict and Tension?
While tension simmers under the surface, conflict is generally out in the open—it's tension realized. Tension might be present an unspoken rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist or in the audience’s awareness of an impending disaster.
Conflict, on the other hand, involves an active clash; maybe the protagonist and the antagonist engage in a firefight or a heated debate, or maybe a character fights off a pack of animals or works to prevent climate catastrophe. Even if the conflict is interior—a character battling low self-worth, perhaps—it still involves opposing forces struggling for supremacy.
What Is Conflict in Writing?
Conflict can come in many forms. Conflict in a story can be a physical fistfight or a passive-aggressive war of words. All that is required for conflict is a manifestation of disagreement or incompatibility between a character and something else. Characters can be in conflict with other characters, with natural forces, or with society at large.
Another type of conflict is internal conflict. Conflict is one of the fundamental principles of narrative and creative writing. In order to write a story worth reading, you need characters whose point of view is in some way challenged and to whom bad things happen. Without conflict, you won’t have a narrative or any meaningful character arc.
4 Types of Conflict and Tips for Using Them in Your Writing
The kind of conflict you use depends on what your plot and subplots are centered around and what your main character wants and needs. New plot points generally introduce conflict or advance existing conflict. Here are some types of conflict to employ in your writing and a few tips about when and how you migh
Person vs. self: An internal conflict is a kind of conflict that only manifests within a character’s head. Though we may see this conflict dramatized through narration or dialogue, or play out in the protagonist’s actions, it is an internal struggle within a character.
Person vs. person: The simplest and most common form of external conflict is when two characters are in conflict with each other. The first stories we are told as kids generally have a clear good guy and bad guy. These stories are early introductions to person vs. person conflict. Person vs. person conflicts are very common, and it’s rare to find a narrative without an interpersonal conflict present at some point in the story.
Person vs. nature: Conflict between a person and forces of nature is a good example of external struggle that can raise the stakes in a story. Some notable stories that included conflict between a person and a natural force include The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway and Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. Consider using person vs. nature conflict if you’re interested in writing a story with one main character and few, if any, supporting characters.
Person vs. society: Conflict between a person and society at large is a type of conflict often found in science fiction. Some notable examples of this type of conflict are found in The Handmaid’s Tale and The Hunger Games series. In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen finds herself contending with a dystopian and oppressive United States government that pits citizen against citizen in order to keep dissent down and quell rebellion. If you’re interested in science fiction or narratives about social justice, you might want to consider exploring conflicts that pit an individual character against society at large.
i'm AWARE this is a stupid hill to die on, but like. trope vs theme vs cliché vs motif vs archetype MATTERS. it matters to Me and i will die on this hill no matter how much others decide it's pointless. words mean things
WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}
E.A. Deverell - FREE worksheets (characters, world building, narrator, etc.) and paid courses;
Hiveword - Helps to research any topic to write about (has other resources, too);
BetaBooks - Share your draft with your beta reader (can be more than one), and see where they stopped reading, their comments, etc.;
Charlotte Dillon - Research links;
Writing realistic injuries - The title is pretty self-explanatory: while writing about an injury, take a look at this useful website;
One Stop for Writers - You guys... this website has literally everything we need: a) Description thesaurus collection, b) Character builder, c) Story maps, d) Scene maps & timelines, e) World building surveys, f) Worksheets, f) Tutorials, and much more! Although it has a paid plan ($90/year | $50/6 months | $9/month), you can still get a 2-week FREE trial;
One Stop for Writers Roadmap - It has many tips for you, divided into three different topics: a) How to plan a story, b) How to write a story, c) How to revise a story. The best thing about this? It's FREE!
Story Structure Database - The Story Structure Database is an archive of books and movies, recording all their major plot points;
National Centre for Writing - FREE worksheets and writing courses. Has also paid courses;
Penguin Random House - Has some writing contests and great opportunities;
Crime Reads - Get inspired before writing a crime scene;
The Creative Academy for Writers - "Writers helping writers along every step of the path to publication." It's FREE and has ZOOM writing rooms;
Reedsy - "A trusted place to learn how to successfully publish your book" It has many tips, and tools (generators), contests, prompts lists, etc. FREE;
QueryTracker - Find agents for your books (personally, I've never used this before, but I thought I should feature it here);
Pacemaker - Track your goals (example: Write 50K words - then, everytime you write, you track the number of the words, and it will make a graphic for you with your progress). It's FREE but has a paid plan;
Save the Cat! - The blog of the most known storytelling method. You can find posts, sheets, a software (student discount - 70%), and other things;
I hope this is helpful for you!
(Also, check my gumroad store if you want to!)
subtle ways to include foreshadowing
one character knowing something offhandedly that they shouldn't, isn't addressed until later
the crow rhyme
colours!! esp if like, blue is evil in your world and the mc's best friend is always noted to wear blue...betrayal?
write with the ending in mind
use patterns from tragic past events to warn of the future
keep the characters distracted! run it in the background until the grand reveal
WEATHER.
do some research into Chekhov's gun
mention something that the mc dismisses over and over
KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU PUT. don't leave things hanging.
unreliable characters giving information that turn out to be true
flowers and names with meanings
anything with meanings actually
metaphors. if one character describes another as "a real demon" and the other turns out to be the bad guy, you're kind of like...ohhh yeahhh
anyways add anything else in the tags
How to Write Characters With Romantic Chemistry
Writing great chemistry can be challenging. If you’re not super inspired, sometimes the connection between your characters feels like it’s missing something.
Here are a few steps you can consider when you want to write some steamy romantic chemistry and can’t figure out what’s blocking your creativity.
1. Give the Love a Name
Tropes have a bad reputation, but they can be excellent tools when you’re planning or daydreaming about a story. Giving the romance a name also assigns a purpose, which takes care of half the hard plotting work.
You can always read about love tropes to get inspired and think about which might apply to the characters or plot points you have in mind, like:
Friends to lovers
Enemies to lovers
First love
The love triangle
Stuck together
Forbidden love
Multiple chance love
Fake lovers turned soulmates
There are tooooons of other tropes in the link above, but you get the idea. Name the love you’re writing about and it will feel more concrete in your brain.
2. Develop Your Characters
You should always spend time developing your characters individually, but it’s easy to skip this part. You might jump into writing the story because you have a scene idea. Then the romance feels flat.
The good news is you can always go back and make your characters more real. Give them each their own Word or Google doc and use character templates or questions to develop them.
You should remember to do this for every character involved in the relationship as well. Sometimes love happens between two people who live nearby and other times it happens by:
Being in a throuple
Being in a polyamorous relationship
Being the only one in love (the other person never finds out or doesn’t feel it back, ever)
There are so many other ways to experience love too. Don’t leave out anyone involved in the developing relationship or writing your story will feel like driving a car with only three inflated tires.
3. Give the Conversations Stakes
Whenever your characters get to talk, what’s at risk? This doesn’t have to always be something life changing or scary. Sometimes it might be one character risking how the other perceives them by revealing an interest or new fact about themselves.
What’s developing in each conversation? What’s being said through their body language? Are they learning if they share the same sense of humor or value the same foundational beliefs? Real-life conversations don’t always have a point, but they do in romantic stories.
4. Remember Body Language
Body language begins long before things get sexy between your characers (if they ever do). It’s their fingertips touching under the table, the missed glance at the bus stop, the casual shoulder bump while walking down the street.
It’s flushed cheeks, a jealous heart skipping a beat, being tongue tied because one character can’t admit their feelings yet.
If a scene or conversation feels lacking, analyze what your characters are saying through their body language. It could be the thing your scene is missing.
5. Add a Few Flaws
No love story is perfect, but that doesn’t mean your characters have to experience earth shattering pain either.
Make one laugh so hard that they snort and feel embarrassed so the other can say how much they love that person’s laugh. Make miscommunication happen so they can make up or take a break.
People grow through their flaws and mistakes. Relationships get stronger or weaker when they learn things that are different about them or that they don’t like about each other.
6. Create Intellectual Moments
When you’re getting to know someone, you bond over the things you’re both interested in. That’s also a key part of falling in love. Have your characters fall in intellectual love by sharing those activities, talking about their favorite subjects, or raving over their passions. They could even teach each other through this moment, which could make them fall harder in love.
7. Put Them in Public Moments
You learn a lot about someone when they’re around friends, acquaintances, and strangers. The chemistry between your characters may fall flat if they’re only ever around each other.
Write scenes so they’re around more people and get to learn who they are in public. They’ll learn crucial factors like the other person’s ambition, shyness, humor, confidence, and if they’re a social butterfly or wallflower.
Will those moments make your characters be proud to stand next to each other or will it reveal something that makes them second guess everything?
8. Use Your Senses
And of course, you can never forget to use sensory details when describing the physical reaction of chemistry. Whether they’re sharing a glance or jumping into bed, the reader feels the intensity of the moment through their five senses—taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell.
Characters also don’t have to have all five senses to be the protagonist or love interest in a romantic story. The number isn’t important—it’s how you use the ways your character interacts with the world.
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Anyone can write great romantic chemistry by structuring their love story with essential elements like these. Read more romance books or short stories too! You’ll learn as you read and write future relationships more effortlessly.
TCF Chapter 685 in a nutshell
(Based on my TCF Summary Series)