BATMAN & ROBIN.

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Nuts and Bolts: “Thought” Verbs

In six seconds, you’ll hate me.

But in six months, you’ll be a better writer.

From this point forward – at least for the next half year – you may not use “thought” verbs.  These include:  Thinks, Knows, Understands, Realizes, Believes, Wants, Remembers, Imagines, Desires, and a hundred others you love to use.

The list should also include:  Loves and Hates.

And it should include:  Is and Has, but we’ll get to those, later.

Until some time around Christmas, you can’t write:  Kenny wondered if Monica didn’t like him going out at night…”

Instead, you’ll have to Un-pack that to something like:  “The mornings after Kenny had stayed out, beyond the last bus, until he’d had to bum a ride or pay for a cab and got home to find Monica faking sleep, faking because she never slept that quiet, those mornings, she’d only put her own cup of coffee in the microwave.  Never his.”

Instead of characters knowing anything, you must now present the details that allow the reader to know them.  Instead of a character wanting something, you must now describe the thing so that the reader wants it.

Instead of saying:  “Adam knew Gwen liked him.”

You’ll have to say:  “Between classes, Gwen was always leaned on his locker when he’d go to open it.  She’d roll her eyes and shove off with one foot, leaving a black-heel mark on the painted metal, but she also left the smell of her perfume.  The combination lock would still be warm from her ass.  And the next break, Gwen would be leaned there, again.”

In short, no more short-cuts.  Only specific sensory detail: action, smell, taste, sound, and feeling.

Typically, writers use these “thought” verbs at the beginning of a paragraph  (In this form, you can call them “Thesis Statements” and I’ll rail against those, later)  In a way, they state the intention of the paragraph.  And what follows, illustrates them.

For example:

“Brenda knew she’d never make the deadline.  Traffic was backed up from the bridge, past the first eight or nine exits.  Her cell phone battery was dead.  At home, the dogs would need to go out, or there would be a mess to clean up.  Plus, she’d promised to water the plants for her neighbor…”

Do you see how the opening “thesis statement” steals the thunder of what follows?  Don’t do it.

If nothing else, cut the opening sentence and place it after all the others.  Better yet, transplant it and change it to:  Brenda would never make the deadline.

Thinking is abstract.  Knowing and believing are intangible.  Your story will always be stronger if you just show the physical actions and details of your characters and allow your reader to do the thinking and knowing.  And loving and hating.

Don’t tell your reader:  “Lisa hated Tom.”

Instead, make your case like a lawyer in court, detail by detail.  Present each piece of evidence.  For example:

“During role call, in the breath after the teacher said Tom’s name, in that moment before he could answer, right then, Lisa would whisper-shout: ‘Butt Wipe,” just as Tom was saying, ‘Here’.”

One of the most-common mistakes that beginning writers make is leaving their characters alone.  Writing, you may be alone.  Reading, your audience may be alone.  But your character should spend very, very little time alone.  Because a solitary character starts thinking or worrying or wondering.  

For example:  Waiting for the bus, Mark started to worry about how long the trip would take..”

A better break-down might be:  “The schedule said the bus would come by at noon, but Mark’s watch said it was already 11:57.  You could see all the way down the road, as far as the Mall, and not see a bus.  No doubt, the driver was parked at the turn-around, the far end of the line, taking a nap.  The driver was kicked back, asleep, and Mark was going to be late.  Or worse, the driver was drinking, and he’d pull up drunk and charge Mark seventy-five cents for death in a fiery traffic accident…”

A character alone must lapse into fantasy or memory, but even then you can’t use “thought” verbs or any of their abstract relatives.

Oh, and you can just forget about using the verbs forget and remember.

No more transitions such as:  “Wanda remember how Nelson used to brush her hair.”

Instead:  “Back in their sophomore year, Nelson used to brush her hair with smooth, long strokes of his hand.”

Again, Un-pack.  Don’t take short-cuts.

Better yet, get your character with another character, fast.  Get them together and get the action started.  Let their actions and words show their thoughts.  You – stay out of  their heads.

And while you’re avoiding “thought” verbs, be very wary about using the bland verbs “is” and “have.”

For example:

“Ann’s eyes are blue.”

“Ann has blue eyes.”

Versus:

“Ann coughed and waved one hand past her face, clearing the cigarette smoke from her eyes, blue eyes, before she smiled…”

Instead of bland “is” and “has” statements, try burying your details of what a character has or is, in actions or gestures.  At its most basic, this is showing your story instead of telling it.

And forever after, once you’ve learned to Un-pack your characters, you’ll hate the lazy writer who settles for:  “Jim sat beside the telephone, wondering why Amanda didn’t call.”

Please.  For now, hate me all you want, but don’t use “thought” verbs. After Christmas, go crazy, but I’d bet money you won’t.

[ Essay by Chuck Palahniuk on August 12, 2013]

Here’s something nuanced that people might miss if they’re not familiar with formal bows in Chinese period drama. The juxtaposition of the former and present Chief Cultivators alongside their better halves isn’t a coincidence.

Why did NHS take three steps back before giving that bow? He was including WWX as a recipient, thereby gauging where WWX stood with His (newly-minted) Excellency.

Whether it’s Xiao Zhan’s acting choice or the director’s frame composition, there’s no mistake that his half-turn was a deliberate invitation for the audience to read between the lines. WWX didn’t need to look at LWJ; his sidestep actually conveyed something.

Making a formal bow might look like an art form to those unfamiliar with the practice, but not everyone knows that accepting a bow is just as tricky. Bows can mean more than a simple greeting or a wave goodbye.

Withstanding or enduring a formal bow takes several prerequisites: seniority, meritorious deed, virtue – those lacking in the proper category might lose a few years off their lifespan; such is Heaven’s way of punishing one for their hubris.

A line from Confucius’ commentary on the I-Ching points out that those unworthy of their title (or the tribute paid to them) will draw disaster unto themselves. So, not just anyone can stand there and take it when someone of import presents a formal bow.

You bow to someone (1) in recognition of their rank, (2) in gratitude for something they’ve done, or (3) when making a formal request.

If they accept or return the bow without fuss, then it’s as good as saying (1) “Yes, I am s/he who rightfully holds the title.” (2) “You’re welcome.” (3) “Leave it to me; you can trust me with it.”

To avoid the inherent obligations in receiving a particular bow from someone, you can: -dodge sideways or turn away from the “front and center” position. -brace them up with your palms under their elbows so they can’t complete the bow or get down on their knees. -if all else fails and dignity is no object, kneel as quickly as they do so you’re not the last wo/man standing.

Coming back to the very interesting cinematic direction:

Although Qin Su is adjacent to JGY, she is not her own – she’s barely an auxiliary. Those who bow to her do it because of whom she’s with, not who she is.

You probably won’t find a well-matched power couple in a similar state. Take for example, Jiang Fengmian of the Yunmeng Jiang clan and Yu Ziyuan of the Meishan Yu clan.

On the other hand, WWX isn’t shoulder-to-shoulder with LWJ. One could even say, in this particular scene, WWX was safeguarding him. Not someone under the Chief Cultivator’s aegis, but rather, someone who precedes him.

In turning aside the reverence accorded to the new Chief Cultivator, WWX likely also signaled that he would not be bound by the limitations of what His Excellency should and shouldn’t do.

“WWX, a Strong & Independent Woman” jokes aside, this cold shoulder is extra delicious considering the other two layers – an ironic reminder that by all rights he should be receiving NHS’s belated gratitude for avenging NMJ’s murder (albeit under duress via MXY’s curse), and that a proper request for his aid (while he was still compos mentis) was never made in the first place.

Judging by how this scene was kept in the last 10 minutes of the finale according to the original editor’s intent, the textured play highlights the undertow among the three friends, and is a preview of the future of the cultivation world.

It perfectly captured their emotional dynamics: LWJ’s reserved gratitude toward the mastermind who schemed for his lover’s comeback and WWX’s refreshed circumspection and optimism dovetailed with MXTX’s barebones outline at the novel’s end – a foreshadow of things to come. In other words, the rise of the House of Nie under the stewardship of NHS.

.

Footnotes - an example of bows used in different ways:

Keep reading

Now that college students no longer have access to their libraries in the same way we used to and have to do most of our learning at home it would be just terrible if we all knew about https://1lib.eu/ a website which has books on basically every topic ever available for free including college textbooks. Imagine if people were researching their thesis without paying for it. 

DO NOT USE THIS SITE AND DEFINITELY DO NOT NOT TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THIS SITE, THEY MIGHT START DOING THESIS RESEARCH FOR FREE OR JUST START READING BOOKS THEY FOUND ON THERE FOR FUN BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE INTERESTING. This would be terrible :( :(

Reblog to spread the word so that everyone knows to avoid this site!

Character Development : A Collection of Resources

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

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Resources

Resources For Creating Characters

Resources For Describing Characters

Resources For Writing The Mafia

Resources For Writing Royalty

Commentary on Social Issues In Writing

General Tips

Guide to Character Development

How To Fit Character Development Into Your Story

Tips on Character Consistency

Designing A Character From Scratch

Making characters for your world

Characters First, Story Second Method

Understanding Your Character

Tips on Character Motivations

31 Days of Character Development : May 2018 Writing Challenge

How To Analyze A Character

Alternative Method of Character Creation

Connecting To Your Own Characters

Interview As Your Characters

Flipping Character Traits On Their Head 

Character Driven vs. Plot Driven Stories

Traits

Tips On Writing About Mental Illness

Giving Your Protagonists Negative Traits

Giving Characters Distinct Voices in Dialogue

Giving Characters Flaws

Making Characters More Unique

Keeping Characters Realistic

Archetypes

Writing Good Villains

Creating Villains

Guide to Writing The Hero

Positive Character Development Without Romanticizing Toxic Behavior

Tips on Writing Cold & Distant Characters

Balancing Multiple Main Characters

Creating Diverse Otherworld Characters

Foreshadowing The Villain

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Masterlist | WIP Blog

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Bruce Wayne and my genderbent version of him together, 50’s Gotham socialite style!

Nothing was going right today, and instead of moping like I usually do, I did this. |D Inspired by a spread from a Chinese fashion mag.

I'm currently making a survival book, its going to inclue everything you need to run, how to cross borders (only if necessary), the safest states right now, the unsafest states, how to protect yourself in a red area, what places to stay at if your running, nearby jobs and other ways to get money, what foods are best to get, how to make certain foods, electronic related advice, the safest messaging apps, what not to say in messages, guide to doctors if you have a uterus or are a women, what plants are safe to eat, various poisons, how to deal with cops, a map of the local area and where cops hang out, how to survive in the woods, clothes you should bring, what to do about your period if your on the run, methods of birth control and what's the best, how to legally change your name and the amount of money it costs, how to a car if your in a non walkable area, first aid tips, how to get and use a burner phone, what type of weapons you might need and how to use them, a guide on how to use most commonplace guns, chargers to use for any devices you might bring.

All of it, I've got multiple notebooks to I'm spreading it across them.

I'm looking for other things to add too it, or if you see one or more subjects in here that you know a lot about/ can help with, feel free to reply or reblog with it, and if you don't want it attached to your profile, my asks are open and free to use. Anything is helpful, anything at all.

I'll be deleting this by January, you have until then to send.

Please, please please please, reblog this. don't just 'like' it

ALT

The missing perspective