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"I have depression." - character who has been through extensive therapy.

"I feel dead inside all the time and nothing helps!" - character who does like, regular introspective thinking and is aware of the concept of mental health.

"Leave me the fuck alone I'll be fine once I get over my stupid shit." - repressed character.

"It's fine I'm just having an Empty Time. What? Yeah, empty times, you know, when everything is like bzzzzzz in your brain and you don't shower for two weeks. Why, what do you call it?" - ooooughhh now we're talkin

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Therapy is risky because sometimes they'll just ask you their standard "why can't you, though", and you think you're making some good point by saying something like "well if I don't do anything with my life then what's the point of being alive in the first place" and your therapist gets that look on their face and you immediately realise that your dumb ass just got caught, pinned to the ground with your stupid-ass neck between the spikes of a pitchfork, and you are not going to wiggle out of there before you two unpack what the fuck you just said.

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Writing Notes: Art Deco

Art Deco - a style of decor and architecture that peaked in international popularity in the 1920s and 1930s and includes modern design elements combined with sophisticated craftsmanship.

The design movement is further characterized by geometric shapes and a bold color palette; the use of metals or metallic details; glam fabrics with patterns; and figures from Greek and Roman mythology.

Depending on the geography and time period referenced, it can vary widely.

While early styles were bursting with often clashing colors, the Great Depression ushered in a more minimalist approach and muted some of the excesses of the initial art deco designers.

The deco era has experienced a resurgence in recent times, thanks in part to Hollywood films that heavily feature the aesthetic, such as Chicago (2002) and The Great Gatsby (2013).

Elements of Art Deco Decor Design

Art deco decor and architecture can vary, but here are some of the characteristics practically synonymous with the style of the deco period, today considered to be somewhat retro in style.

Geometric shapes: Key art deco elements include geometric designs such as sunbursts, which are sometimes deconstructed into circles and triangles; zigzag patterns, which may vary from stacked chevrons to houndstooth patterns; and scalloped patterns, which combine aspects of both sunburst and zigzag shapes. For example, a screen meant to divide a dining room from a living room may feature rounded, scalloped curves at the top instead of flat edges.

Bold colors: Bright colors are characteristic of the art deco style, sometimes appearing in clashing combinations but always in vivid, gemstone hues, such as in colored glass in a sconce or chandelier, or in color-saturated wall decor that draws the eye.

Mythological figures: Figures from Greek and Roman mythology, or heavily mythologized modern stand-ins, feature prominently in art deco interior design, such as posters, light fixtures, and other objects. Art deco artists also flourished in the medium of sculpture, and some of the most enduring symbols of the style are found in sculptures in major cities around the world.

Various metals: Exterior art deco architecture and designs favor the use of chrome and stainless steel, especially in combination with concrete. Smaller works, such as a table lamp, may feature intricate inlays of more precious metals. In the absence of actual metal, art deco styles may include materials or visual elements intended to appear metallic in nature.

Luxurious, patterned fabrics: Art deco furniture upholstery usually features expensive or expensive-looking fabrics and brightly colored geometric patterns to further indicate opulence.

Lacquers and inlays: Finishing touches like a glossy lacquer on a counter or an exquisite, patterned inlay—made of expensive materials like gold or ivory—are representative of art deco in that they are at once sleek and modern while also showcasing a high degree of craftsmanship. Lacquered elements can appear on stools, side tables, coffee tables, or any surface where they will be admired and enjoyed.

A Brief History of Art Deco

Art deco decor and architecture first emerged early in the 20th century, but the style is still popular today.

Emergence in France: Art deco (arts décoratif in French) first appeared in France around the time of World War I, which began in 1914. Art deco was a reaction to the preceding art nouveau period (characterized by intricate, swirling designs)—an effort to bring back elements of traditional art and combine them with modern materials and craftsmanship. The style reached its peak at the 1925 Decorative Arts Exposition in Paris and dominated architecture and interior design ideas around the world.

Divergence of styles: By the late 1920s, the art deco look had split into two different schools of thought and style. The traditionalists wanted to pair the modern forms of home decor and architecture with traditional craftsmanship; the modernists embraced new materials, new technology, and mass production in favor of a more streamlined approach to design.

Emergence in New York: Art deco architecture and visual arts is closely associated with the city of New York, one of the cities where the style first appeared in the United States during the ’20s and flourishing into the 1930s. New York still has many skyscrapers and other examples of art deco architecture, such as Rockefeller Center, the Chrysler Building, and the Empire State Building.

Embrace around the world: Major international cities welcomed art deco design elements into their own decor, art, and architecture, and you can see examples of this style in mosaics, sculptures, and buildings in Brussels, Bucharest, Chicago, London, Mexico City, Miami, Moscow, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and other cities.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

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Writing Notes: Action Story

Great action writing draws in your audience, getting their adrenaline pumping as they turn the page.

Elements of a Good Action Story

There are many elements that come together to form a good action story and allow you to tell your own story in your own perfect way:

Sentence length. Writing action scenes involves knowing how to pace the narrative so that readers are fed the action at a steady and satisfying speed. If your action sequences are built with long-winded sentences full of verbs and descriptions, it will likely confuse and overwhelm your audience. Shorter sentences get to the point more simply, delivering the visual quickly and efficiently, cutting down on bulky filler words.

Active voice. Keeping the narrative voice active keeps up the momentum of your story. Readers see how the main characters are actively working and reacting in their environment in what feels like real time, packing more punch into the syntax and keeping the narrative lively.

Character goals. Action should occur for a reason—characters’ actions should be based on their motivations, their points of view, and their previous choices. A protagonist’s actions should always propel them towards their main goal in a way that is related to the plot events at hand. A character’s goals affect their character development, forcing them to change and evolve depending on the way events unfold in your story.

Consequences. Action can be fun to see unfold, but without the element of danger or a potentially disastrous outcome, it lacks that exciting element that keeps audiences on the edges of their seats. Action writing should make the audience feel like something could happen to the hero at any moment, without being overwhelmed with events and losing their place in the narrative.

Tips for Writing Effective Action Scenes

Show cause and effect. From the first time your character receives their call to action, follow up activity with the consequences of their decision. Sometimes the character is causing the action to occur, and other times they’re reeling from action that just occurred. Moments can also be built up so that the cause of certain effects or the effects themselves aren’t realized in their entirety until much later.

Create visuals. Use action in a concise, impactful manner in order to deliver strong images for the audience. The clearer your scenes are, the more easily the audience can understand and absorb them. You don’t want readers or viewers to be hung up on seemingly impossible details or sequences that don’t flow. Visuals that get right to the point and can be quickly understood are best for conveying action.

Drive the story forward. In a great story, the moments in between where the action is happening should still feel alive and like the story is always progressing. Even if your hero isn’t facing off against the villain just yet, the scenes without action should still be driven by the character’s goals—readers or viewers may become disinterested by a sudden slump in energy and stagnancy to the writing. Use montage, flashbacks, or other story writing techniques to keep up the pace while delivering necessary narrative information.

Keep action moments short. Action-adventure stories have many moments of high-intensity activity, and it’s best that they happen in short spurts so that the reader does not get exhausted with high-octane events. The battle against the rogue android in your science fiction action story shouldn’t be one scene that’s 50 pages long—the readers need a breather once in a while in order to reset the intensity and have it built back up for them all over again.

Use effective language. When you write a fight scene or a chase scene, the action is moving quickly, so your language should too. Short sentences packed with powerful images that move at a logical pace are useful in conveying strong action sequences that are easy to visualize. A character should bolt to their destination, not just run. Specific diction can make all the difference in how the action of your story is perceived and how your story is experienced overall.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

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A setting isn’t just a place, it’s an experience. Don’t just tell me we’re in a bakery, make me smell the cinnamon and hear the hum of an old fridge. A city isn’t just loud, it’s the honking of taxis, the distant siren, the way conversations blur into background noise. Think about what your character would notice first. A detective and an artist won’t describe the same street the same way.

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MASTERLIST ✍🏻

Hi! This post is a huge collection of all my writing tips in one place. I will update this list and add new posts✍🏻

Writing Tips

How do i Plot a Book?

Childhood Friends to Lovers Gestures

Showing 'Fear' in Writing

examples of body language and action tags

Writing Trust Issues Tension

Quick Tips for Writing Emotional Tension

How to Write a Ruthless Character

Showing 'Anger' in Writing

12 Emotional Wounds in Fiction Storys

Gestures for Shared Moments

Symbolism in Writing

Instead of "Looked", consider

Words to Use Instead of "Said"

Showing 'Determination' in Writing

Showing 'Confusion' in Writing

Showing 'Anticipation' in Writing

Introduce characters

Showing 'Exhaustion' in Writing

Showing 'Excitement' in Writing

Writing a Morally gray character

Showing 'Jealousy' in Writing

Showing 'Love' in Writing

OC Developement

Eye Color to Define Your OC,

Describe your Main Character sheet

Body type and shape

Good Traits Gone Bad

Dialogues

Dialogue Prompts that Hurts

Jealousy Starters

Dialogue Prompts for Friendship

Dialogue Prompts for Unrequited Love

Gestures of Loss

When A Character Is dealing with anxiety they…

When A Character Is hilariously confused they…

Isolation Starters

Regretful gestures

Undermining Confidence Starters

When a character is Babysitting for the first time

Control Starters

Guilt-Tripping Starters

Soft angers Dialogue

Gaslightning Starters

Emotional Blackmail Starters

When A Character Is stuck in a never-ending traffic jam they…

Dialogue Prompts for Mystery/Thriller

When A Character Is dealing with an overenthusiastic fitness trainer they…

Confidence Starters

Prompts

Physical Intimacy Prompts

forced proximity prompts

When A Character Is feeling nostalgic they…

When A Character Is excited about something they…

Prompts for self-Doubt

When A Character Is excited about something they…

Grumpy & Sunshine Affection Prompts

Moral Dilemmas Prompts

when a Character us stressed they…

Supernatural Elements Prompts

Family Secrets Prompts

When A Character Is in a state of panic they…

Inner Conflict Prompts

Twist Prompts

Conflict Prompts

Signs of ….

Signs of Embarrassment

If You’re Writing a…

How to Create a Villain

If You’re Writing a Female Character, Avoid these Bad Writing Mistakes

Emotionally reserved characters

If you’re writing a character who is Naive

Writing Love

How to Write a Confession of Love

forbidden love prompts

When A Character Is in love they…

Signs of Falling in Love

Gestures for Expressing Love

Love Triangle Gestures

Writers Block

Ideas to Get Rid of Writer's Block Inspo

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i love writing porn and i wont feel bad about it. understanding the eroticism of a character is character analysis if u are enlightened.

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my 10 holy grail pieces of writing advice for beginners

from an indie author who's published 4 books and written 20+, as well as 400k in fanfiction (who is also a professional beta reader who encounters the same issues in my clients' books over and over)

show don't tell is every bit as important as they say it is, no matter how sick you are of hearing about it. "the floor shifted beneath her feet" hits harder than "she felt sick with shock."

no head hopping. if you want to change pov mid scene, put a scene break. you can change it multiple times in the same scene! just put a break so your readers know you've changed pov.

if you have to infodump, do it through dialogue instead of exposition. your reader will feel like they're learning alongside the character, and it will flow naturally into your story.

never open your book with an exposition dump. instead, your opening scene should drop into the heart of the action with little to no context. raise questions to the reader and sprinkle in the answers bit by bit. let your reader discover the context slowly instead of holding their hand from the start. trust your reader; donn't overexplain the details. this is how you create a perfect hook.

every chapter should end on a cliffhanger. doesn't have to be major, can be as simple as ending a chapter mid conversation and picking it up immediately on the next one. tease your reader and make them need to turn the page.

every scene should subvert the character's expectations, as big as a plot twist or as small as a conversation having a surprising outcome. scenes that meet the character's expectations, such as a boring supply run, should be summarized.

arrive late and leave early to every scene. if you're character's at a party, open with them mid conversation instead of describing how they got dressed, left their house, arrived at the party, (because those things don't subvert their expectations). and when you're done with the reason for the scene is there, i.e. an important conversation, end it. once you've shown what you needed to show, get out, instead of describing your character commuting home (because it doesn't subvert expectations!)

epithets are the devil. "the blond man smiled--" you've lost me. use their name. use it often. don't be afraid of it. the reader won't get tired of it. it will serve you far better than epithets, especially if you have two people of the same pronouns interacting.

your character should always be working towards a goal, internal or external (i.e learning to love themself/killing the villain.) try to establish that goal as soon as possible in the reader's mind. the goal can change, the goal can evolve. as long as the reader knows the character isn't floating aimlessly through the world around them with no agency and no desire. that gets boring fast.

plan scenes that you know you'll have fun writing, instead of scenes that might seem cool in your head but you know you'll loathe every second of. besides the fact that your top priority in writing should be writing for only yourself and having fun, if you're just dragging through a scene you really hate, the scene will suffer for it, and readers can tell. the scenes i get the most praise on are always the scenes i had the most fun writing. an ideal outline shouldn't have parts that make you groan to look at. you'll thank yourself later.

happy writing :)

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Free Resource Library for Fiction Writers

Hey all, I maintain a free library of downloads and checklists for fiction writers which you can access through my website. This is what's current, but I update it and add stuff all the time. They're all printable, too! Woo hoo!

Download the Free Resource Library right here.

Get Access to the Free Resource Library on my website :)

Hope this helps!

/ / / / /

@theliteraryarchitect is a writing advice blog run by me, Bucket Siler, a writer and developmental editor. For more writing help, download my Free Resource Library for Fiction Writers (yep, this one!), join my email list, or check out my book The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.

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a list of "beautiful" words for you

to try to include in your next poem/story

Acrimonious - deeply or violently bitter

Adust - of a gloomy appearance or disposition

Alluvium - clay, silt, sand, gravel, or similar detrital material deposited by running water

Apophenia - the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas)

Asterism - a group of stars that form a pattern in the night sky

Atrabilious - given to or marked by melancholy; gloomy; ill-natured, peevish

Bloodroot - a plant (Sanguinaria canadensis) of the poppy family having a red root and sap and bearing a solitary lobed leaf and white flower in early spring

Camelopard - an archaic word for giraffe

Clairsentience - perception of what it not normally perceptible

Decumbiture - a horoscope calculated at the time of taking to one's sickbed

Fluvial - of, relating to, or living in a stream or river; produced by the action of a stream

Gamboge - also spelled camboge, can be used to describe the vivid yellows of autumn

Grimalkin - a domestic cat—especially an old female one

Hibernaculum - a shelter occupied during the winter by a dormant animal (such as an insect, snake, bat, or marmot)

Monochromatism - complete color blindness in which all colors appear as shades of gray

Mordant - biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style

Offing - the near or foreseeable future

Pareidolia - the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern

Riparian - relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (such as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater

Sirocco - a hot desert wind that blows northward from the Sahara toward the Mediterranean coast of Europe; more broadly, it is used for any kind of hot, oppressive wind

Squall - describes a sudden violent wind often accompanied by rain or snow

Stereognosis - ability to perceive or the perception of material qualities (such as shape) of an object by handling or lifting it; tactile recognition

Struthious - of or relating to the ostriches and related birds; and more specifically, ignoring something that needs attention

Susurrous - full of whispering sounds

Synastry - concurrence of starry position or influence upon two persons; similarity of condition or fortune prefigured by astrology

If any of these words make their way into your next poem/story, please tag me, or send me a link. I would love to read them!

More: Lists of Beautiful Words ⚜ More: Word Lists

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10 Words Related to Medieval Art & Architecture

for your poem/story

1. Atrium: An open courtyard at the entrance of a church, usually surrounded by covered aisles. The atrium of the Early Christian church was originally a place for the catechumens to wait during the celebration of the Eucharist.

2. Blind Arch: An arch which encloses an opening in a wall which may appear to be a window but which is actually only a shallow indentation in the wall.

3. Campanile: Italian name for a bell tower, usually one that is detached from the main building.

4. Depressed Arch: A flattened arch, slightly pointed on top. It appears in Late Gothic of the 15th and 16th centuries.

5. Ecclesia & Synagoga: Personifications of the Church (Ecclesia) and Judism (Synagoga). Both appear as female figures. Ecclesia was crowned and holding a chalice and Synagoga was blindfolded and held the Tablets of the Law (the Ten Commandments given to Moses). These two personifications were often paired in painting and sculpture, but they could also appear separately.

6. Fleur-de-lis: Stylized lily which served as symbol for the French monarchy.

7. Greek Cross: A cross with four arms of equal length.

8. Historiated (or Figured) Capital: A capital which is decorated with figures of animals, birds, or humans, used either alone or combined with foliage. The figures need not have any meaning, although they may be symbolic or part of a narrative sequence. Historiated capitals were most commonly used in the Romanesque from the late 11th to mid-12th centuries.

9. Keystone: The voussoir (i.e., a wedge-shaped or tapered stone used to construct an arch) at the top of an arch; in vaulting it occurs at the intersection of the ribs of a rib vault. It is important structurally since it marks the apex of the vault.

10. Latin Cross: A cross with three short arms and one long arm.

If these writing notes helped with your poem/story, please tag me. Or leave a link in the replies. I'd love to read them!

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I told Miyazaki I love the “gratuitous motion” in his films; instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or they will sigh, or look in a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are.

“We have a word for that in Japanese,” he said. “It’s called ma. Emptiness. It’s there intentionally.”

Is that like the “pillow words” that separate phrases in Japanese poetry?

“I don’t think it’s like the pillow word.” He clapped his hands three or four times. “The time in between my clapping is ma. If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it’s just busyness, But if you take a moment, then the tension building in the film can grow into a wider dimension. If you just have constant tension at 80 degrees all the time you just get numb.”

Which helps explain why Miyazaki’s films are more absorbing and involving than the frantic cheerful action in a lot of American animation. I asked him to explain that a little more.

“The people who make the movies are scared of silence, so they want to paper and plaster it over,” he said. “They’re worried that the audience will get bored. They might go up and get some popcorn.

But just because it’s 80 percent intense all the time doesn’t mean the kids are going to bless you with their concentration. What really matters is the underlying emotions–that you never let go of those.

— Roger Ebert in conversation with Hiyao Miyazaki

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how does being punched in the face feel like

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Tips for writing flawed but lovable characters.

Flawed characters are the ones we root for, cry over, and remember long after the story ends. But creating a character who’s both imperfect and likable can feel like a tightrope walk. 

1. Flaws That Stem From Their Strengths

When a character’s greatest strength is also their Achilles' heel, it creates depth.

Strength: Fiercely loyal.

Flaw: Blind to betrayal or willing to go to dangerous extremes for loved ones.

“She’d burn the whole world down to save her sister—even if it killed her.”

2. Let Their Flaws Cause Problems

Flaws should have consequences—messy, believable ones.

Flaw: Impatience.

Result: They rush into action, ruining carefully laid plans.

“I thought I could handle it myself,” he muttered, staring at the smoking wreckage. “Guess not.”

3. Show Self-Awareness—or Lack Thereof

Characters who know they’re flawed (but struggle to change) are relatable. Characters who don’t realize their flaws can create dramatic tension.

A self-aware flaw: “I know I talk too much. It’s just… silence makes me feel like I’m disappearing.” A blind spot: “What do you mean I always have to be right? I’m just better at solving problems than most people!”

4. Give Them Redeeming Traits

A mix of good and bad keeps characters balanced.

Flaw: They’re manipulative.

Redeeming Trait: They use it to protect vulnerable people.

“Yes, I lied to get him to trust me. But he would’ve died otherwise.”

Readers are more forgiving of flaws when they see the bigger picture.

5. Let Them Grow��But Slowly

Instant redemption feels cheap. Characters should stumble, fail, and backslide before they change.

Early in the story: “I don’t need anyone. I’ve got this.”

Midpoint: “Okay, fine. Maybe I could use some help. But don’t get used to it.”

End: “Thank you. For everything.”

The gradual arc makes their growth feel earned.

6. Make Them Relatable, Not Perfect

Readers connect with characters who feel human—messy emotions, bad decisions, and all.

A bad decision: Skipping their best friend’s wedding because they’re jealous of their happiness.

A messy emotion: Feeling guilty afterward but doubling down to justify their actions.

A vulnerable moment: Finally apologizing, unsure if they’ll be forgiven.

7. Use Humor as a Balancing Act

Humor softens even the most prickly characters.

Flaw: Cynicism.

Humorous side: Making snarky, self-deprecating remarks that reveal their softer side.

“Love? No thanks. I’m allergic to heartbreak—and flowers.”

8. Avoid Overdoing the Flaws

Too many flaws can make a character feel unlikable or overburdened.

Instead of: A character who’s selfish, cruel, cowardly, and rude.

Try: A character who’s selfish but occasionally shows surprising generosity.

“Don’t tell anyone I helped you. I have a reputation to maintain.”

9. Let Them Be Vulnerable

Vulnerability adds layers and makes flaws understandable.

Flaw: They’re cold and distant.

Vulnerability: They’ve been hurt before and are terrified of getting close to anyone again.

“It’s easier this way. If I don’t care about you, then you can’t leave me.”

10. Make Their Flaws Integral to the Plot

When flaws directly impact the story, they feel purposeful rather than tacked on.

Flaw: Their arrogance alienates the people they need.

Plot Impact: When their plan fails, they’re left scrambling because no one will help them.

Flawed but lovable characters are the backbone of compelling stories. They remind us that imperfection is human—and that growth is possible.

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Too many writers are using generative 'AI' to make their book covers, so I've written a guide on how to make your own cover for free or cheap without turning to a machine.

If you can't afford to pay an artist, you CAN make your own!

I hope this is a helpful overview that covers the basics and points to some free resources.

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WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}

E.A. Deverell - FREE worksheets (characters, world building, narrator, etc.) and paid courses;

Rach Academia - FREEBIES (workbook, notion template, games, challenges, etc.);

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, don't forget to check my gumroad shop, where you can find plenty of FREEBIES (from notion templates for writers to workbooks and sheets).

-> Check out my freebies

Happy writing! <3