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[coincidentalparadox]

"In six seconds, you'll hate me. But in six months, you'll be a better writer."

While they may be difficult to apply, as you would have to apply extra awareness and practice a new skill, it drastically changes the way the story is told.

Being aware of wording and phrases that can shallow your writing and incorporating more sensory information in it's place is a challenging skill that improves overtime with thoughtfulness and practice and the results are well worth the effort.

So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.

[coincidentalparadox]

Showing emotions through character's actions is impactful and captivating.

I personally find demonstration of a character's emotional responses to tell a more immersive story and challenges me more as a writer.

One of the aspects of my writing that I practice actively, especially after the first draft, is illustrating a feeling or presence of feeling through more than "he felt" narration or "said-like-this" dialogue.

Friendly reminder that this is just me, by no means am I implying that every writer needs to to be a certain way or every piece of work needs to be written a type of way! Diversity is the spice of life and everyone has their own style. This just happens to be a part of my style of writing and my focus as a writer!

how to describe despair in writing

Despair is a visceral and crushing emotion—one that echoes through the pages of a story, gripping readers with its raw intensity. It is more than just a feeling; it’s an abyss that characters fall into, a shadow that colours their every action and decision with hues of hopelessness and loss.

Behaviour

Neglecting personal care or obligations.

A lack of motivation or interest in activities they once enjoyed.

Withdrawing from social situations or avoiding company.

Engaging in self-destructive actions or habits.

Consistent signs of fatigue or lethargy.

Frequent emotional outbursts or mood swings.

An inability to concentrate or focus on tasks.

Indecisive, even on trivial matters.

Focusing on negative thoughts.

Displaying a loss of hope or a sense of defeat.

Interactions

Avoiding physical or eye contact with others.

Short-tempered and easily irritated.tempered

Speaking in monosyllables or giving terse responses.

A sense of indifference or apathy toward others’ concerns.

Struggling to express themselves or to articulate their feelings.

Misinterpreting others’ intentions or words negatively.

Isolating themselves despite offers of help or companionship.

Being unresponsive to attempts at humour or light-heartedness.

Blaming others or external circumstances for their despair.

Seeking out enablers or situations that validate their mindset.

Body language

Slumped shoulders or a consistently bowed head.

Averted gaze or blank stares into the distance.

Fidgeting, such as wringing hands or picking at skin.

Slow, dragging movements or a lack of coordination.

Heavy sighing or audible breaths.

Neglecting personal space or boundaries.

Minimal gestures or lifeless posture.

Clenched fists or jaw during moments of heightened emotion.

Visible trembling or shaking due to emotional strain.

A general lack of energy or life in physical presence.

Attitude

Pessimism towards the future.

Cynicism about intentions, whether their own or others’.

Resignation, believing that effort will not change their situation.

Indifference to opportunities or choices presented to them.

A sense of helplessness or powerlessness in all scenarios.

Self-deprecation and a tendency to dismiss their own value.

An overwhelming sense of guilt or responsibility for past events.

A fixation on the negative aspects of every situation.

An inability to accept comfort or positive feedback.

Believing they are a burden to others.

Positive Story Outcomes

An epiphany or realisation that sparks a desire for change.

A gesture of kindness from another character that provides a glimmer of hope.

The discovery of an inner strength or previously untapped resource.

A serendipitous event that offers a new perspective or opportunity.

The formation of a supportive relationship or friendship.

Minor victories or achievements that build self-confidence.

Learning a valuable lesson through hardship.

Developing empathy for others going through similar experiences.

Finding purpose in aiding others, easing their own despair.

An eventual embrace of vulnerability, leading to healing and growth.

Negative Story Outcomes

A surrender with long-lasting consequences.

The breakdown of important relationships.

A significant loss incurred because of inaction or apathy.

Descent into a more self-destructive or reckless lifestyle.

The solidification of a character’s role as an antagonist.

A missed opportunity for redemption or improvement.

A worsening of the character’s situation, potentially affecting others.

The development of a trait or flaw that hinders future happiness or success.

A downfall that provides a cautionary tale within the narrative.

A tragic ending that leaves a profound impact on the reader and other characters.

Helpful Vocabulary

Desolate

Forlorn

Wretched

Crestfallen

Anguished

Dolorous

Bereft

Hollow

Numb

Morose

Sullen

Bleak

Languish

Melancholy

Hopeless

Despondent

Dejected

Heartbroken

Miserable

Pained

Woeful

Eclipsed

Defeated

Overwhelmed

Grief-stricken

Tormented

Disconsolate

Listless

Oppressed

Despairing

[coincidentalparadox]

Bless. Your love and support is endlessly appreciated and motivating.

[coincidentalparadox]

Both? Both. I'm both.

[coincidentalparadox]

Don't let Imposter Syndrome stop you🩶

Maybe this is a really hot take, but if you write? Guess what? Youre a writer! You may not yet be a published best selling writer yet, or a critically acclaimed writer yet, but you write! Youre a writer!

It just means that, maybe, what you write isnt what people want to read right now, or know about yet, but some stuff i wrote years ago has suddenly skyrocketed in kudos and comments, when i barely had any hits then.

Maybe you wrote fanfiction for a little-known movie, maybe its a niche fantasy au you write, maybe you write poems about war, or lost lovers, and the want for it just hasnt come yet.

The movie could suddenly find a following online after 15 years, twenty years, thirty, or more, but you were there, and before anyone else writes any more, guess what people will be reading? Your work! A streamer might decide to play the game that inspired your fantasy au, and you will be there, waiting. Maybe a new video game could come out, about animals in war, and your poems would already be there!

Keep writing, practice, learn what you do well, improve on what you arent yet, hone your interests, or broaden your reach. Experiment. Try new things. But keep writing. Practice, and i promise you, you will get better. It gets better. Even if what you write is good, and youre losing hope, i promise, it does get better. I thought some of the stuff i wrote was so wonderful, but its mediocre compared to what i know i could do, if i hadnt given up, if i had kept working at it.

You dont have to write for hours every day. Not everyone can be a stephen king, can pump out a half dozen novels a year, a book in a week. Even if its just an hour a week, keep practicing.

Keep writing, just for fun. And i swear, keep what you produce, even if you dont like how it turns out. You could rewrite in in a couple years time, using the ideas, or just look back, and marvel at how far youve come.

But more than that, you write, you wrote. You are a writer.

[coincidentalparadox]

Live your truth. Write the trope. Who's stopping you? Nobody.

the good thing about being told that writing about a certain cliché or concept should be avoided “because it’s overdone” is that you can simply. ignore that and write about it anyway if you so desire. like it is that easy

[coincidentalparadox]

✨s i g n a l✨b o o s t✨Writers, beware!

Fanfiction Authors: HEADS UP

(Non-authors, please RB to signal boost to your author friends!)

An astute reader informed me this morning that one of my fics (Children of the Future Age) had been pirated and was being sold as a novel on Amazon:

(And they weren't even creative with their cover design. If you're going to pirate something that I spent a full year of my life writing, at least give me a pretty screenshot to brag about later. Seriously.)

I promptly filed a DMCA complaint to have it removed, but I checked out the company that put it up -- Plush Books -- and it looks like A LOT of their books are pirated fic. They are by no means the only ones doing this, either -- the fact that """publishers""" can download stories from AO3 in ebook format and then reupload them to Amazon in just a few clicks makes fic piracy a common problem. There are a whole host of reasons why letting this continue is bad -- including actual legal risk to fanfiction archives -- but basically:

IF YOU ARE A FANFIC AUTHOR WITH LONG AND/OR POPULAR WORKS, PLEASE CHECK AMAZON TO SEE IF YOUR STORIES HAVE BEEN PIRATED.

You can search for your fics by title, or by text from the description (which is often just copied wholesale from AO3 as well). If you find that someone has stolen your work and is selling it as their own, you can lodge a DMCA complaint (Amazon.com/USA site; other countries have different systems). If you haven't done this before, it's easy! Here's a tutorial:

HOW TO FILE A COPYRIGHT COMPLAINT FOR STOLEN WORK ON AMAZON.COM:

First, go to this form. You'll need to be signed into your Amazon account.

Select the radio buttons/dropdown options (shown below) to indicate that you are the legal Rights Owner, you have a copyright concern, and it is about a pirated product.

Enter the name of your story in the Name of Brand field.

In the Link to the Copyrighted Work box, enter a link to the story on AO3 or whatever site your work is posted on.

In the Additional Information box, explain that you are the author of the work and it is being sold without your permission. That's all you really need. If you want, you can include additional information that might be helpful in establishing the validity of your claim, but you don't have to go into great detail. You can simply write something like this:

I am the author of this work, which is being sold by [publisher] without my permission. I originally published this story in [date/year] on [name of site], and have provided a link to the original above. On request, I can provide documentation proving that I am the owner of the account that originally posted this story.

In the ASIN/ISBN-10 field, copy and paste the ID number from the pirated copy's URL. You'll find this ten-digit number in the Amazon URL after the word "product," as in the screenshot below. (If the URL extends beyond this number, you can ignore everything from the question mark on.) Once this number has been added, Amazon will pull the product information automatically and add it to the complaint form, so you can check the listing title and make sure it's correct.

Finally, add your contact information to the relevant fields, check the "I have read and accept the statements" box, and then click Submit. You should receive an email confirmation that Amazon has received the form.

Please share this information with your writer friends, keep an eye out for/report pirated works, and help us keep fanfiction free and legally protected!

NOTE: All of the above also applies to Amazon products featuring stolen artwork, etc., so fan artists should check too!

[coincidentalparadox]

✨a e s t e t i c s✨

[coincidentalparadox]

A pair o' darlins

I need to frame it somewhere it's so gorgeous

Disclaimer: not mine, found it on Google. If original poster sees this pls lmk to take it down! Also I love u for making this.

[coincidentalparadox]

I'm w e a k for it and I will not apologize

more stories where falling in love is a horrifying fate worse than death rather than a source of comfort and hope. more stories where love is understood as a terminal affliction.

[coincidentalparadox]

Gonna use this later, thanks!

made a sticker for anyone to slap onto their work if they need to

[coincidentalparadox]

Truly spectacular

Yusuke Urameshi & Kazuma Kuwabara YU YU HAKUSHO 幽遊白書, Ep.01

[coincidentalparadox]

Johnny deserved far better. A hug and an apology, at the very least.

do you ever think about Johnny being a disabled veteran with severe PTSD that never got treated?

do you ever think about Johnny having a prosthetic arm that he never really agreed to, but that was attached to him anyway so he could keep serving in the military?

do you ever think about the system swallowing Johnny whole, chewing until there's barely anything left of him, and then spitting him back out in the world, leaving him to figure out how to live his life? but there's nothing left of his life, so he has to figure out how to, at the very least, exist after all of that?

do you ever think about all the sexual jokes and objectification of Johnny's bionic arm that is actually a prosthetic for the sake of him having two arms and being able to do stuff like any other person, and only then it's everything else? he got that arm when the world wasn't as advanced, either.

do you ever think about how much Johnny had to really suffer in his life, and then you remember that canonically his dad sold him for a pack of cigarettes, and "Johnny deserved so much better" doesn't even begin to cover it anymore?

does that ever gets to you? because it hits me like a train.

[coincidentalparadox]

Buy your copy today! You won't regret it ;)

Worth your eddies !

[coincidentalparadox]

One of my favorite moments in the Neflix adaptation. Replayability 9000+

YuYu Hakusho (2023)

[coincidentalparadox]

Absolutely adore this concept

more stories where falling in love is a horrifying fate worse than death rather than a source of comfort and hope. more stories where love is understood as a terminal affliction.

[coincidentalparadox]

I'm just impressed nothing is actively on fire, personally