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story outlining methods, pt. 1:

take off your pants!! (“take off your pants!: outline your books for faster, better writing” by libbie hawker)

this outline starts with a character — specifically their biggest flaw — and leads to five points that will make up the core of your story. it’s best for plots and subplots that focus on overcoming the flaw!

this outline doesn’t just have to be used for coming of age novels. it is just as important in your dystopian, fantasy, or thriller novels that the main character learns something or has changed by the end.

STEP ONE: think about your character

your main character — what is their name, and what are their important features?

what are your character’s flaws? what about their FATAL flaw? ex: hubris, overconfidence, stubbornness, etc.

STEP TWO: think about the end of the story

the story (whether the main plot, a subplot, or a facet of the main plot) is the journey lead to overcome the flaw. now that you know the character’s flaw, you know what lesson they need to learn.

the end of the story = the flaw mastered, the lesson learned.

STEP THREE: think about the external goal

the external goal is the plot, the outer motivation to push the character to the end of the story where the goal is mastered. if you remember my post on quests, you know that a quest has two reasons to be there: the external factor (shrek saving fiona for his swamp), and the real reason (the lesson learned)

the external goal should provide a chance for the character to recognize their flaw and begin to change. how does your plot tie into their character development?

STEP FOUR: think about the antagonist

thinking about the external goal should reveal who the antagonist is. the antagonist should want to achieve the same goal or a goal that impedes with the protagonist’s goal. the antagonist should be the biggest obstacle to the character.

STEP FIVE: think about the ally/allies

the character(s) that is capable of forcing the protagonist down the correct path. where your protagonist most likely will resist changing and confronting their flaw, the ally will help force them to do so anyway.

STEP SIX: think about the theme

so what’s the point of your book? if you are struggling to boil it down to one sentence, you might want to think about it a little longer. this is what keeps the story feeling coherent. what are you trying to tell us?

STEP SEVEN: think about the plot

each main plot element should somehow relate to the core of the book, aka the character’s development in overcoming their flaw

OPENING SCENE - set the stage. address the flaw or the theme

INCITING EVENT - what forces the character out of their everyday life and into the story?

REALIZING EXTERNAL GOAL - what makes the character begin seeking their goal?

DISPLAY OF FLAW - if the character’s flaw hasn’t been made blatantly clear, now is the time. make it known to the reader.

DRIVE FOR GOAL - what is your character’s first attempt to reach their goal?

ANTAGONIST REVEAL - how do you first show your antagonist’s opposition to your character?

FIRST THWART - what happens to your character that keeps them from reaching their goal?

REVISIT FLAW - show the character’s flaw again, even if they themselves aren’t aware of it yet.

ANTAGONIST ATTACKS - what does the antagonist do that makes things worse?

SECOND THWART - where your character fails most likely due to the attack

CHANGED GOAL - the character finds a new goal or focuses on the external goal in a different way

ALLY ATTACKS - what does the ally do to force the character to see the flaw?

AWAKENING - the character knows what they must do to reach the external goal. how will you show that the character has also awakened to their flaw? how will you show them changing?

BATTLE - the final showdown with the antagonist!

DEATH - the character’s flaw dies here. how will you show that the character truly is different now?

OUTCOME - show whether the character won or lost the external goal, reveal the theme of the story.

naturally, you don’t have to follow that outline exactly, but it can be a good place to start ;)

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DIALOGUE IDEAS TO GET RID OF THAT WRITING BLOCK (masterpost)

101 Ways to Break your Character's (and Reader's) heart by @emswritingprompts

Injured & Hurt/Comfort Prompts + Dialogues by @delilahfairchild

A Bunch of Different Dialogue Prompts #16 by @skriveting

Angst Dialogue Prompts(Mostly break up and relationship) by @hollandsmushroom

Parents x Child prompts by @promptandstuff

Heartbroken Dialogue Prompts by @palettes-and-prompts

Angst by @wrting-prompts

Prompts List (150) by @sapphicwhxre

Dialogue That Gets Scarier When Trapped In A Hug by @thatostrichwriter

Question Ideas #11 by @love-me-a-good-prompt

10 Enemies to Lovers Prompts by @person-1n-progress

500 Followers Mega Prompt List by @prompts-for-every-need

Amelia's Prompt List by @maybanksslut

Olivia Rodrigo Sentence Starter (i found this one so creative) by @hoesresources

Hero x Villain Prompts: Mega *Flirty* Dialogue Edition by @creweemmaeec11

Enemies to Lovers Prompt List by @tommymcartney

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I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.

- The Song Of Achilles, Madeline Miller

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DARLING

dear tsukishima,

i could only glimpse at the stars in your honey brown eyes. they shined as you stared blankly, away from me.

though they drew me in, luring me into a entire universe that i've yet to see.

the more i indulged in those pretty eyes of yours, the more it pulled me from reality.

blond tousled hair, black thick-framed eyeglasses, white uniform fitting you charmingly; the perfect muse.

my fingers twitched. they slowly reached for the pencil on my desk. i needed to create a beautiful masterpiece.

one that would describe how the stars aligned for you, how you could illuminate the midnight sky.

and as if you heard my echoes, your eyes trailed across the room and landed onto mine in slow motion. and i saw the universe. it twinkled and smiled.

brand new colors danced around my vision and waltzed in my mind. time stopped itself and my heart.

i repelled, suddenly finding my notes fascinating. my cheeks blazed like the scorching sun and i still felt your eyes piercing my skin.

the feelings flooded my mind and forced my heart to skip a beat.

tsukishima, why am i feeling this way?

maybe it's because you're the boy whom i've known the longest.

       constructive criticism is always welcome y'all. feel free to pm or comment

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Haikyuu boys with a Filipina s/o pt.1

Tsukishima Kei

he was quite fond when he found out you were a filipino.

BUT Tsukki being Tsukki, he would pretend he’s not interested even the tiniest  bit.

When you started sharing how your language had different dialects, oh boy he was listening attentively even if had his headphones on he turned off the music

Tsukishima was smiling the whole time when you started talking in Filipino when your mom called you

So He started searching filipino words so he could surprise you with him speaking it

“Oi, Y/N”

“What?”

“Mahal kita” (I love you)

You almost lost it since it was the first time Tsukishima told you he loves you and HE SPOKE IT IN YOUR LANGUAGE

He was so proud of himself when he saw you blushing madly

Ever since then, you would teach him basic filipino words also trying hard not to laugh at his cute accent or else you won’t ever hear him talk in Filipino again

Tsukishima also did tons of research about your culture and you were stunned when he went to your home then performed “mano po” to your parents who were impressed (mano po is a sign of respect for the elderly where you would ask for their hand and proceed to touch your forehead with the back of their hand)

Keep reading