m-r-levine

[m-r-levine]

Not every book is meant for you, but all books deserve to find their audience

So back in February I had a pretty nightmarish collision of ideologies with two other writers, one of fanfic, and one also indie published like me.

Both had this weird and aggressive sense of competition over whether a book “deserves” praise.

One of them did explicitly tell me that, among other reluctantly-given reasons like how she, a straight woman, was never going to like a gay romance, and that I could never possibly write something that she would consider worthy of 5 stars. I could tailor-craft a book for her, but against the entire library of all of fiction, I couldn’t ever possibly compare to the greats.

And that to suggest that I deserved 5 was entitled and morally wrong.

The other was about the same, just meaner.

I have never bought a book based off reviews in my life. Reviews are so subject to bias, both intentional in a “I have an agenda against this book here’s 2 stars because it’s queer” way and unintentional in a “I just love this genre and will defend it no matter what even though it’s hot garbage” way that they mean nothing to me.

Most people leaving book reviews aren’t professional critics, they’re just sharing their opinion, and as a picky reader, a majority of strangers’ opinions are irrelevant to me. That, and I can never know which "professionals" are lying out of their ass for profit because I'm not about to do homework on which critics are legit to decide what book I'm going to read. I'll read the summary and decide for myself.

I'll read the reviews for an air fryer I want off Amazon, not someone's weird little passion project that they poured their heart and soul into as a love letter to punk rock and dinosaurs on Mars.

Like I hate ACOTAR, but I hate the very real market and genre distortion it’s been making, not that it has high ratings on Goodreads. It’s all arbitrary, unless you’re too small where that score and how many ratings comprise it matter against the algorithm trying very hard to keep you down.

But I know that I'm an exception, and other people depend very heavily on reviews.

The point I still stand by is this: There is no “deserve” in the realm of art. Who are you to be judge, jury, and executioner on some small, first-time writer’s debut novel?

Who are you to decide what books “deserve” to have a fighting chance and find their audience? You don’t have to read it, you don’t have to like it, but thinking in any way that you’re the fiction police sabotaging work that you don’t like so you have more room for your own “better” work or that you're keeping "lesser" works from tainting your pristine pedestal is some pretentious and elitist bullshit.

There is enough room for all of us and fanfic rules apply: If you don’t like it, don’t read it!

Both of these people could have said “Hey Physh, we didn’t love your work and aren’t comfortable giving you an honest negative review (which they very much were), or a false positive one, so you should ask someone else”.

Instead it was “Oh you want my help? There will be consequences.”

And I could not for the life of me explain that I wasn’t asking them to lie for me. Just, if you don’t have something nice to say… don’t say anything?

I just picked up a book a few days ago by a fellow indie author on impulse. Did I love it? No. Am I going to write them a public review on a platform already stacked against them saying “yeah I mean it was ok but I just didn’t like it”?

No.

Making my dislike of a book that was not meant for me in any way known in a backhanded compliment is not more important, to me, than helping someone in the same shit sandwich as I am market their book to reach someone else who might really enjoy it.

I don't like comedies, by and large. I'm not going to fault a comedy for being unfunny to me when I know damn well that I'm an exception and most other people are crying with laughter. Nor am I going to fault a comedy for being a comedy and not a drama.

I got a very rude awakening thinking we all were on the same page with this.

This book cost me $3 and a few hours of my time when I was already on the clock at work getting paid. I just gave it a shoutout on here. I felt good. They felt good. We’re helping each other.

Gtfo out with your “deserve”.

I tried it, and that’s what matters to me. I’m helping my fellow artist, and that’s what matters to me. Not the impossible standards of measuring up to Charles Dickens or Emily Bronte, of which I never claimed to attempt.

There is enough room for all of us without punching down on people already drowning below you. One nice comment, one little blog post saying “hey this book exists if you like these tropes you might like this” won’t make them an NYT Bestseller overnight.

And for what it’s worth, these two writers’ fanfic opinions were exactly the same. I just didn’t see enough of this before it was too late.

And to be clear, I am a very harsh critic when it’s warranted. Hollywood blockbusters, genre juggernauts, 60-year-old white men’s 100th assembly-line mystery novels.

If I apply that expectation of profoundness and quality on a first-time author, that might very well become their last book. None of us are coming out of the gate with absolute perfection, and there’s only 5 stars to go around. If you're an NYT Bestseller, there's an implicit standard of quality and experience assumed in that honor that you should be meeting and if you're not, here come the critics.

Telling me, a first time author, that I only “deserve” a four because only Tolkein and people like him deserve a five and we can’t water down the concept of fives (read: we can't open the gate for everyone because mine won't be as special as I think it is) is a buckwild hill to die on.

And yes I know 4s are still good, it’s their reason behind the 4 here.

I’m not going to pretend to gush about a novel that I didn’t enjoy. I’m going to examine what it is, what it’s trying to say, and talk about its narrative strengths, its shortcomings, and leave it up to whoever stumbles across my review to decide if they want to buy it.

Because at the very least, the existence of my neutral review will help them more than never saying anything because I got squeamish about having my name attached to a book I find inferior (which I don’t, we’re are just different).

If some bigot on the internet can give you a 1 because you dare to write something that makes his conservative ass twitch, then I can counter-balance it with a lenient 5. The critics can wait until you get big enough to weather their criticism.

[m-r-levine]

I control the narrative, I whisper to myself like a lunatic while the characters in the story I'm writing are not following my orders.

[m-r-levine]

"oh I'm gonna add a cute little court scene excerpt in this part of the novel"

to

"I can't just have a random case number, those are assigned according to systems"

to

"I can't just have random statute numbers, that needs an organizational structure"

to

"well I know who wrote this code; which title of the intraplanetary system legal code would be the criminal code?"

to

"what are all the titles in the intraplanetary legal system code?"

to

to

"Okay, the criminal code is Title 6. I know I have battery, murder, perfidy, terrorism, and some sort of adulteration of air supply. How would these be classified?"

to

to

"ok now I guess I can write the actual dialogue in my head"

[m-r-levine]

my fave writing reminder

honestly, this phrase has been on my mind more times than i can count. i've kidnapped it, taken it as a hostage with no ransom money because i need it to live permanently in my head.

[m-r-levine]

writing is so fun

[m-r-levine]

Unhealed Wounds Your Character Pretends Are Just “Personality Traits”

These are the things your character claims are just “how they are” but really, they’re bleeding all over everyone and calling it a vibe.

╰ They say they're "independent." Translation: They don’t trust anyone to stay. They learned early that needing people = disappointment. So now they call it “being self-sufficient” like it’s some shiny badge of honor. (Mostly to cover up how lonely they are.)

╰ They say they're "laid-back." Translation: They stopped believing their wants mattered. They'll eat anywhere. Do anything. Agree with everyone. Not because they're chill, but because the fight got beaten out of them a long time ago.

╰ They say they're "a perfectionist." Translation: They believe mistakes make them unlovable. Every typo. Every bad hair day. Every misstep feels like proof that they’re worthless. So they polish and polish and polish... until there’s nothing real left.

╰ They say they're "private." Translation: They’re terrified of being judged—or worse, pitied. Walls on walls on walls. They joke about being “mysterious” while desperately hoping no one gets close enough to see the mess behind the curtain.

╰ They say they're "ambitious." Translation: They think achieving enough will finally make the emptiness go away. If they can just get the promotion, the award, the validation—then maybe they’ll finally outrun the feeling that they’re fundamentally broken. (It never works.)

╰ They say they're "good at moving on." Translation: They’re world-class at repression. They’ll cut people out. Bury heartbreak. Pretend it never happened. And then wonder why they wake up at 3 a.m. feeling like they're suffocating.

╰ They say they're "logical." Translation: They’re terrified of their own feelings. Emotions? Messy. Dangerous. Uncontrollable. So they intellectualize everything to avoid feeling anything real. They call it rationality. (It's fear.)

╰ They say they're "loyal to a fault." Translation: They mistake abandonment for loyalty. They stay too long. Forgive too much. Invest in people who treat them like an afterthought, because they think walking away makes them "just as bad."

╰ They say they're "resilient." Translation: They don't know how to ask for help without feeling like a burden. They wear every bruise like a trophy. They survive things they should never have had to survive. And they call it strength. (But really? It's exhaustion wearing a cape.)

[m-r-levine]

Reblog if your art project has not, does not, and never will make use of generative ai at any point in your creative process.

[m-r-levine]

the Writer Mood™ when you've got the shadow of a concept of a scene and a couple lines of dialogue bouncing around in your head like a screensaver and you have to be like buddy, come back when you're something coherent. i can't do anything with this.

[m-r-levine]

Through gritted teeth: I must trust my readers, I must trust my readers, I must trust my readers...

[m-r-levine]

Things I’ve noticed are essential in plotting and would probably have saved me a lot of time if I had considered it earlier

The START of your story - how fucked up flawed is your premise/character at the start? what do they have to change? why are they HERE?

The END of your story - How do you want your main character/theme/universe to change after your story? Does it get better or worse? THIS SETS UP THE TONE DRASTICALLY.

What you want to happen IN BETWEEN - the MEAT of it. What made you start writing this WIP in the first place. Don't be ashamed to indulge, it's where the BRAIN JUICE comes from. You want a deep dive into worldbuilding and complex systems? Then your start and end should be rooted in some fundamental, unique rule of your universe (what made you obsess over it?). Want to write unabashed ship content? Make sure your start and end are so compelling you'll never run out of smut scenarios to shove in between scenes (what relationship dynamics made you ship it in the first place?).

The ANTE - the GRAVITY of your story. How high are the stakes? Writing a blurb or interaction? start with a small day-in-the-life so you can focus on shorter timelines and hourly minutiae that can easily get overlooked in more complicated epics. Or you can go ham on it and plot out your whole universe's timeline from conception to demise. Remember: the larger the scale, the less attached your story may get. How quickly time flies in your story typically correlates with the ante (not a hard rule, ofc, but most epics span years of time within a few pages, while a romance novel usually charts out the events of a few months over a whole manuscript.)

Everything else follows….?

[m-r-levine]

How to Write Better Characters: Roles, Motivation & Actually Making People Care

Let’s be real: your story can have the coolest magic system, the twistiness of the plot, or the hottest vampire/detective/alien—  

but if your characters are flat?  

Nobody’s sticking around.

So let’s break down how to give your characters real presence in your story by understanding their role, their motivation, and how to make them hit harder on the page.

1. What’s Their Role in the Story?

Every character needs a *reason to exist*. Think of them like parts in a machine. What do they *do* in your narrative?

Here are a few basic types:

- Protagonist: The one we’re rooting for. They drive the plot forward.

- Antagonist: The one in their way. Doesn’t have to be evil—just opposed.

- Foil: Someone who reflects the main character’s traits by contrast.

- Mentor: Offers wisdom, often with a tragic backstory or dramatic exit.

- Love Interest: Romantic tension? Check. But make sure they’re *more* than just eye candy.

- Wildcard: Unpredictable chaos gremlin. Every story needs one.

TIP: If you can remove a character without changing the plot? You probably should.

2. What Do They Want? (AKA Motivation)

This is the *core* of your character. Motivation makes everything feel real. Ask yourself:

- What does this character want more than anything?

- Why do they want it?

- What are they willing to do (or give up) to get it?

Bonus points if their motivation is in conflict with someone else’s. That’s where the juicy drama lives.

Ex: “She wants to save her sister. He wants to save the world. One bomb. One choice.”    Now we’re COOKING.

3. How Do You Show It?

Motivation isn’t just monologues and dramatic speeches. It’s in:

- What they *notice* first in a room.

- Who they *trust* (or don’t).

- The mistakes they keep repeating.

- The lies they tell *themselves*.

A character who’s obsessed with control might organize their bag mid-crisis.  

A character desperate to be loved might make themselves useful to everyone… even villains.

4. Let Them Be Messy

Perfect characters are boring.  

Give them contradictions. Regrets. Bad coping mechanisms. Let them be *wrong*. Let them grow.

Characters who never fail or change = characters nobody relates to.

Let your soft boys punch someone. Let your bad girls cry. Let your villains have a point.

5. Ask Yourself the Hard Stuff

- What would break this character?

- What line won’t they cross?

- Who are they when no one’s watching?

If you can answer these? You *know* your character.

6. Level Up: Relationships Matter

Characters don’t exist in a vacuum. Use dynamics to reveal depth:

- A character might be brave in a fight but terrified of disappointing their mentor.

- A flirty rogue might go speechless around the person they actually care about.

- A villain’s cruelty might soften around their childhood friend.

People are different with different people. Show it.

 TL;DR:  

Great characters = clear role + deep motivation + real emotion. 

Make them want things. Make them struggle. Make them human (even if they’re a dragon princess from space).

Want help building a specific character? Drop their name + vibe in my ask box. Let’s break them open together.

[m-r-levine]

someday you will write the scene that makes it all worth it. keep going. future you is waiting

[m-r-levine]

When a Character Feels Like They’re Losing Control

(Emotionally. Mentally. Internally. Completely.)

There’s a quiet kind of horror that comes with realizing you’re not okay and can’t fix it. When a character starts unraveling, it doesn’t always look like screaming or smashing things. Sometimes it’s the slow, subtle slipping of the reins...

╰ They overcompensate. Suddenly everything needs to be spotless, perfect, hyper-organized. Their planner is full, their schedule is packed, their smile is pinned on too tight. It’s not control, it’s panic dressed up in structure.

╰ They talk faster, louder or stop talking at all. They dominate conversations so they don’t have to think. Or they fall silent because words feel too risky. Either way, their voice is no longer safe territory.

╰ They get weird about small decisions. Choosing a sandwich becomes a full-body crisis. What should be easy isn’t, because nothing feels certain. It’s not about the sandwich. It’s about everything spinning too fast.

╰ They feel detached. Like they’re watching their life from a distance. They float above the room, disconnected from themselves, and laugh at things they don’t really find funny.

╰ They lash out in ways that don’t fit the moment. It’s never really about what triggered them. They explode over the dishes, or cry because someone asked if they’re okay. Their emotions are no longer matching the moment.

╰ They start avoiding mirrors. They don’t want to look at themselves, because they know. They know something’s off. They know their smile doesn’t reach their eyes. And they can’t face that truth yet.

╰ They apologize too much or not at all. They either spiral into guilt, overexplaining everything. Or they shut off and go stone-cold, too afraid that acknowledging the damage will make it real.

╰ They miss things. Conversations. Appointments. Easy tasks. Their brain is overwhelmed, trying to hold it together, and things slip through the cracks. And when they realize it, they panic more.

╰ They crave control but trust no one. They don’t delegate, don’t ask for help, because what if that help makes it worse? Trusting someone means letting go, and that’s the scariest thing of all right now.

╰ They feel like a passenger in their own life. There’s a version of them who used to be present. Who felt joy. Who wasn’t this… numb, terrified shell. And they don’t know where that person went, or how to bring them back.

[m-r-levine]

being a writer is like babysitting 15 feral children you gave birth to in your mind and they all have knives and secrets

[m-r-levine]

Writing Your Story’s Plot

A list of resources to help with writing your story’s plot.

Stories Always Get Too Big A helpful post that explains what exactly plot is.

If Your Plot Feels Flat A short post with helpful suggestions for what to consider when your plot feels flat, or when it feels like your story is lacking something.

The Causal Chain and Why Your Story Needs It A post that explains how “the causal chain” (or cause and effect) is important for the plot of a story.

Plot Holes A helpful post that explains how plot holes occur, and then offers suggestions for how to fix them.

It’s Not a Plot Hole . . . it’s something else instead. A short post that explains what else it could be.

Plot Failure: The Wrong Person Chosen to Solve a Problem An interesting thread that explains that often a common issue with a story’s plot is that the character who is supposed to solve the problem is the wrong person for the job, and how such plots could be written to make more sense.

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I’m a writer, poet, and editor. I share writing resources that I’ve collected over the years and found helpful for my own writing. If you like my blog, follow me for more resources to help with your writing process! ♡

[m-r-levine]

You should only write in present tense with extreme caution.

not because it's bad or anything but because if you do it even once you're going to be editing the bits where you shifted tenses out of your writing for the rest of your life

[m-r-levine]

Rainy Day Prompts

⭒ “come inside, you’re soaked...here, let me get you warm.”

⭒ “listen... the rain makes everything else feel far away, doesn’t it?”

⭒ “we can just stay in, blanket fort and all. no one needs to know.”

⭒ “i like the way you look in my sweater. keep it.”

⭒ “do you hear it? the rain? it’s like it’s singing for us.”

⭒ “you’re shivering. here, let me hold you until you stop.”

⭒ “it’s not just the storm outside that has my heart racing.”

⭒ “somehow, everything feels softer when the sky is crying too.”

⭒ “kiss me while the thunder drowns everything else out.”

⭒ “i’d get caught in a thousand storms if it meant ending up here with you.”