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Zombies are considered terrible pests in the undead world. They kill, eat, and turn humans indiscriminately with no care to conserving population growth or long term population health. It’s gotten so bad the vampires now run human conservation programs.

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A magical girl anime, But in a turn of events, instead of the group of girls that are clearly meant to be the main characters, the magic is cast onto a group of stereotypical high school guys who have no clue how or why this has happened to them, or how girls deal with such tiny clothes.

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WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}

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

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, check my blog if you want to!)

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replace "very":

very happy: ecstatic, joyful, excited

very scared: terrified, fearful

very angry: livid, vengeful

very hungry: starved, skeletal

very sad: sorrowful, dejected, unhappy

very distrusting: doubtful, dubious, cynical

very shy: timid, bashful, reserved

very fun: enjoyable, amusing, refreshing

very big: gigantic, huge, enormous

very small: tiny, minuscule, compact

very alive: lively, vigorous, energetic

very sharp: pointed, spired, tipped

very much: many, abundant, greatly

very yummy: delicious, tasteful

very good: excellent, fine, virtuous

very bad: evil, terrible, poor

very sudden: abrupt, unexpected

very soon: near, shortly

very fast: quick, swift, brisk

very slow: leisurely, sedate

very cold: frigid, freezing

very hot: heated, balmy, spicy

very thin: slim, scrawny, skinny

very thick: stocky, hefty, large

Keep in mind not all words apply to all situations (you wouldn't use "spicy" to describe hot weather).

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i just fount out about rpglit and gamelit and i feel like a brand new universe has opened right before my eyes

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“I will avenge my brother’s death!” yelled the adventurer. “You have my bow” his archer companion said. “And my axe” said the warrior. “And your brother” said the Necromancer.

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yes i love my characters yes i want them to suffer next question

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Fanfiction writers:

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Writer's Guide: Writing about Alcoholic Drinks and Cocktails

Or how to write believable bar and nightclub scenes. I often find myself helping friends with their WIPs and often it as a bartender, I find myself having to correct them on bar and mixology terminology. So here's my quick guide to keeping your lingo on the straight and narrow.

Terminology

DASH/SPLASH: a drop of a mixer such as juice or flavouring.

MIXER: non alcholic beveraged served with the measure of alcohol in the same glass.

NEAT: Plain, without any addition of ice or a mixture. Just the alcohol.

ON THE ROCKS: Served over Ice.

STRAIGHT UP: The cocktail is chilled with ice and strained into a glass with no ice

DIRTY – if somebody asks for a dirty martini, you add olive juice, the more juice the dirtier it is

DRY- A dry martini includes a drop of vermouth and an extra dry martini contains a drop of scotch swirled in the glass and drained before adding the gin

BACK – a ‘back’ is a drink that accompanies an alcholic beverage such as water or Coke, but isn't mixed.

GARNISH – something added to a drink such as a lime or lemon or orange.

TWIST - a twist is literally a twist of fruit skin in the drink.

BITTERS – a herbal alcoholic blend added to cocktails.

RIMMED - the glass is coated in salt or sugar to enhance the taste.

VIRGIN- non alcoholic

MOCKTAIL- a virgin cocktail

DOUBLE - Two measures of the same alcohol in the same glass. A bartender can only legally serve a double in the same glass. They cannot serve you a triple.

Equipment

COCKTAIL SHAKER - it is a metal cup that fits into a glass, used to shake the components of your drink together with ice to chill it.

STRAINER- used to seperate ice in the shaker from the liquid within as you pour it into the glass.

MEASURES- these are little metal cylinders meant to measure out the pours of the alcohol. You pour the alcohol from the bottle into the measure and then put it into the glass. It's imperative that the right measure goes into the glass or the drink will taste of shit.

BAR SPOON – a long spoon meant to mix the drink.

OPTIC- it is a mechanism that attaches a bottle to an automatic pourer. The bartender usually fits the glass under the spout and pushes up to release the amount which cuts off at the single measure.

SHOT GLASS- a shot glass is a small glass to contain one measure

PINT GLASS- a glass used for serving pints of lager or ale

HALF PINT GLASS - a tulip shaped glass half the measure of a pint glass

SPEEDWELL/TAPS/DRAFT: are the taps used to pour beer from kegs stored under the bar floor.

SLIM JIM/HIGH BALL GLASS- It is a tall straight holding 8 to 12 ounces and used for cocktails served on the rocks such as a Gin and Tonic.

ROCKS GLASS - or an old fashioned glass, it is short and round. These glasses are used for drinks such as Old Fashioneds or Sazerac

COUPE GLASS- Are broad round stemmed glasses used for cocktails that are chill and served without ice such as a Manhattan, Boulevardier or a Gimlet

MARTINI GLASS - a martini glass is that classic stemmed "v" shaped glass, used to serve drinks without mixers such as Martini and Cosmopolitans

MARGARITA GLASS - is a large, round bowl like glass with a broad and a tall stem used for Margaritas and Daiquiris

HURRICANE GLASS- a tall tulip-like shaped glass with a flared rim and short stem. It holds 20 ounces which means it is the perfect glass to serve iced cocktails in such as Pina Colada, Singapore Sling, Hurricane

Alcoholic Drinks

Vodka- Vodka is made from potatoes or fermented cereal grains. It has a strong taste and scent. It is usually consumed neat with a mixer such as Coke or Orange juice or cranberry juice or in cocktails like Martini, Bloody Mary and Cosmopolitan.

Whisky/Whiskey- Whiskey is a distilled alcoholic beverage, made from fermented grain mash such as barley, corn, rye, and wheat. It gets its flavour form being fermented in casks for long period of time. When serving a whiskey, one asks whether they want ice or a mixer. Everyone has their own preference. I prefer mine like myself, strong and Irish. Scotch is Scottish Brewed whisky.

Rum- Rum is made by fermenting and distilling sugarcane molasses/juice. It is aged in oak barrels. It has a sweet taste.

Beer: is made out of cereal grains and served chilled in bottles or pulled from taps/speedwells.

Ale: Ale in the middle ages referred to beer brewed without hops (a kind of flowering plant that gives beer its bitter taste). It is sweeter and would typically have a fruity aftertaste.

Stout- is a darker beer sometimes brewed from roasted malt, coming in a sweet version and dry version, the most famous stout being Guinness.

Poitín- (pronounced as pot-cheen) is made from cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet, molasses and potatoes. It is a Dangerous Drink (honestly i still don't know how I ended up in that field with a traffic cone and a Shetland pony) and technically illegal. Country folk in Ireland used to brew it in secrets in stills hidden on their land.

Vermouth: Is made from infused with roots, barks, flowers, seeds, herbs, spices, brandy but vermouth is classed aromatized wine. It comes sweet or dry

Gin- is made from juniper, coriander, citrus peel, cinnamon, almond or liquorice and grain alcohol. Gin has a strong scent and taste and is usually served in a martini or a tonic water.

Schnapps- refers to any strong, clear alcoholic beverage. It is considered one of the best types of spirits because of its pure and delicate aroma. Lesson: never drink peach schnapps.

Cocktails and Drinks

Irish Coffee: an Irish coffee is adding whiskey to coffee and sugar and topping it with cream. As a bartender, I would honestly rather cut my arm off than make one of these.

Baby Guinness: Is a shot made by pouting Tia Maria or Kaluah into a shot glass and spreading Baileys on the top so it looks like a small pint of Guinness.

Silver Bullet: a shot of mixed tequila and sambuca.

Long Island Iced Tea:  The Long Island contains vodka, gin, tequila, light rum, lemon juice, triple sec and cola. It has a real kick.

Mai Tai: is made with light and dark rum, lime juice, orange curacao, orgeat syrup and rock candy syrup and served with a mint garnish.

Manhattan: The Manhattan is made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters.

Margarita: The margarita is made with tequila, cointreau and lime juice.

Mojito: a mojito is made with muddled mint, white rum, lime juice, simple syrup and soda.

Martini: a martini is made of gin, dry vermouth and garnished with a lemon twist or olives.

Mimosa: a mimosa is a made with sparkling wine and orange juice.

Mint Julep: Made with Kentucky bourbon, simple syrup, mint leaves and crushed ice

Pina Colada: is made with white rum, dark rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream

Screwdriver: Vodka and Orange juice

Tequila Sunrise: tequila, orange juice and grenadine

Tom Collins: made with spiked lemonade, sparkling water, lemon juice, simple syrup and gin

Whiskey Sour: is made with powdered sugar, seltzer, lemon juice and whiskey.

White Russian: made with vodka, coffee liqueur and cream.

Black Russian: made with two parts coffee liqueur and five parts vodka.

Gin and Tonic: gin served with tonic water

Bloody Mary: made with vodka and tomato juice mixed with lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, fresh herbs, brown sugar and cracked black pepper.

Brandy Alexander: served straight up and made with brandy, cognac, creme de cacao and cream

Cosmopolitan: Made with citrus vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice and fresh lime juice

Daiquiri: made with rum, lime juice and sugar.

Gimlet: gin and lime juice

My Top 10 Bartending Rules and Responsibilities

Overpouring is never an option. You can seriously hurt somebody by overpouring, not to mention spoil the drink and ruin your sales. You only serve people what they ask and never more.

When somebody has had enough, you stop serving them. After a while, you know when to cut somebody off.

Never leave bottles on the counter or in reach of customers. Your expensive spirits should never be in reach of anybody but you.

If you tell somebody your selling them premium and top shelf alcohol, you cannot substitute with cheaper licqor. It's illegal.

As a bartender, your eyes always have to be scanning a crowd. You can't leave people hanging.

The golden rule - if you see somebody messing with someone's drink, you chuck it if you can or warn the person. And you get that son of a bitch out of your pub.

50% of the job is cleaning. You have to clean your tools constantly. You cannot reuse measures and spouts, you have to wash everything. Beer traps are clean out every night, rubber mats are washed and anything you have used has to be clean.

You have to hand dry your glasses. You never polish a pint glass as it fucks up the pint. You polish your cocktail glasses, shot glasses and straight glasses.

If someone seems down or on their own, you try make conversation. Often you'll hear some disturbing stuff but always try lend an ear or make everyone feel included.

If you break a glass in the ice bucket, you got to get rid of the ice.

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why does inspiration have to strike the moment i have homework

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Horrortober Prompts

Hey guys!

@pastelbirb​ and I have created this list for everyone who wants to participate in some spooky challenges this October! One prompt per day, and if you are up for a challenge, try the additional sentence starter or art challenge! We look forward to your creations! 

➤ You can @ pastelbirb​ and/or me @yandere-sins​ and we’ll reblog your post on our blogs! Additional, use our hashtag #horrortoberchallenge2021

➤ Day 1: Listen “Listen to me!”  |  Use a song to inspire your art for today!

➤ Day 2: Decision “It’s your decision. Choose wisely.”  |  Choose only one color for your drawing.

➤ Day 3: Sharp “Careful, you could hurt someone with that.”  |  Add a sharp weapon/blade in your drawing.

➤ Day 4: Needle “It’s just a tiny sting. You won’t notice it at all.”  |  Draw a medicine-inspired theme or add wool-like elements to your drawing.

➤ Day 5: Disturbance “Nothing can interrupt us now.”  |  Disturb yourself by listening to horror stories while you draw.

➤ Day 6: Time “How long has it been?”  |  Try to finish your drawing in 2 hours.

➤ Day 7: Shock “You look like a deer caught in the headlights.”  |  Use bright colors for your drawing.

➤ Day 8: Lesson “Seems like you need to be taught a lesson.”  |  Try a new drawing style / another drawing style from the one you use the most often.

➤ Day 9: Blind “Don’t be scared of the dark.”  |  Use grayscale for your drawing.

➤ Day 10: Hide “Where are you~” |  Draw only in black and white.

➤ Day 11: Punish “I don’t want to do this! But you leave me no choice.”  |  Do a lineless art.

➤ Day 12: Mark “With this, you’ll never forget.”  |  Use dull colors for your drawing and bright colors for the mark.

➤ Day 13: Picture “You look so pretty in this picture.”  |  Use sepia colors for your drawing.

➤ Day 14: Compromise “I’ll be good! Just, please - don’t go!”  |  Try to use complementary colors.

➤ Day 15: Blood “Is that… blood?”  |  Use red colors for all of the drawing- but another color of your choice for the blood.

➤ Day 16: Spell “It’s like you put a spell on me.”  |  Make your drawing magical!

➤ Day 17: Break “Try that again, and I’ll break your arm.”  |  Add a shattered item of your choice in your drawing.

➤ Day 18: Medicine/Drug “You’ll feel better soon.”  |  Use as many colors as you can.

➤ Day 19: Cold “I know the perfect thing to warm you up.”  |  Use cold colors (Purple, blue, green).

➤ Day 20: Lock “You’re not leaving until I say so.”  |  One pencil/brush, one color, one layer only.

➤ Day 21: Favor “I did you a favor by getting rid of this pest.”  |  Only use colors you like.

➤ Day 22: Bite “Did you just bite me?”  |  Draw a character with bite marks or fangs!

➤ Day 23: Cut “Look what you did.”  |  Draw two different backgrounds in the same drawing.

➤ Day 24: Plead “Please talk to me.”  |  Create a short story behind your picture!

➤ Day 25: Run “You can run, but you can’t hide from me!”  |  Make a drawing with dynamic poses.

➤ Day 26: Stalk “I am always with you.”  |  Create a stalker OC (human or animal).

➤ Day 27: Lie “Was it all a lie?”  |  Only use colors you dislike.

➤ Day 28: Mercy “Mercy, ha! You want mercy?”  |  Do a full background in your drawing.

➤ Day 29: Promise “I promise.”  |  Just do your best!

➤ Day 30: Blackmail “Why are you doing this to me?”  |  Add a letter somewhere in the drawing.

➤ Day 31: Sick “I can make you feel better.” |  Draw a phobia of yours for the last day! (Eg. spiders, heights, clowns, etc.)

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Hi, I hope I'm not bothering you, I was just wondering if you had any prompts for siblings?

P.s. Do you have any siblings?

Hi, thank you so much for the ask! You’re not bothering me whatsoever, I love getting asks and I love answering them so please ask as many as you want. And I’d be more than happy to make prompts for siblings I’ve been meaning to do more of those.

I do in fact have a sibling! I have a little brother named Cam who is my exact opposite in every way lol. I mean it you won’t find two people more different than us.

Before you read the prompts please keep in mind that some of these will be based on things my brother and I have said to one another as well as things we’ve done to one another.

Also please keep in mind that these are based on some of the things that Cam and I do. I know that other's experiences will be different from mine.

Dialogue Prompts:

“Hello, you old bitch,”

“I’m only four years older than you,”

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“Did you just shoot me in the head with a nerf bullet!?!”

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“I would sell you for a sandwich,”

“Same,”

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“Look it’s you!”

“How is that me?”

“Because it just is,”

“???”

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“Don’t eat those they’re mine!”

*A few minutes later*

“I said they were mine!”

“I know,”

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“What are you looking at?”

“I wish I knew,”

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“You’re such a little shit,”

“I’m going to get food!”

“Bring me back something!”

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“Fuck you,”

“Fuck you too,”

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“Love you,”

“Love you too,”

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Prompts/Things to help write siblings:

The oldest sibling getting mistaken as the youngest since the youngest siblings is so much taller.

One sibling trying to take up as much kitchen space as possible when the other walks into the room while the other is cooking.

Doing random little things to annoy the other for no good reason.

Going into one another’s rooms to any them for no good reason.

One jump scaring the other at random moments because they think it’s funny.

Throwing one another’s things into the other’s room instead of just putting it down somewhere when asked to go put in the other’s room or hand it to the other.

Throwing open their bedroom door before walking away.

Willing to give them a kidney if they need it but ready to fight if they even look at the other’s phone charger.

Calling each other every name in the book but immediately getting angry and defensive if someone else even dares to try.

Sending each other stupid things with the caption of “look it’s you”.

Groaning or repeating whatever the other says whenever they try to talk.

Getting bored and going to bother the other.

One forcing the other to go someplace with them.

One defending the other in a fight, but sometimes wanting to be the one to fight the other.

Slapping each other for no reason and just at the most random points.

Getting along one minute and then the next ready to kill one another.

Trying to decide which food item has more before giving the other to the other sibling.

One just randomly getting food for the other.

Stealing and hiding random things from one another.

Just randomly going into one another’s rooms and sitting down.

Arguing over the stupidest little things.

Having the others back whenever they need help.

Just sitting together and being there together.

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How to write a character-driven plot

The Character-Driven Plot Wheel

1. Emotions drive actions.

Make your hero act on their deepfelt emotions. This not only adds meaning to their actions, but also helps communicate to readers your hero’s core emotional struggle.

2. Actions trigger consequences.

When your hero acts, give their actions consequences that affect the plot, themselves, and/or the surrounding characters. For example, driven by curiosity, maybe your hero opens Pandora’s box; maybe they act recklessly and someone dies; or maybe they stand up for what they believe in, but at great personal cost. Consequences raise the stakes and empower your hero with agency.

3. Consequences compel change.

Use the consequences of your hero’s actions to create a crucible of growth — challenges and situations that force them to take the next step on their character journey. That step may be forward, or backward, and it may be large or small; but something inside them changes.

4. Change influences emotions.

When a character goes through a change, even a small one, allow it to affect them emotionally. Maybe they feel increasingly frustrated or guilty. Maybe they’re afraid, having just taken another step closer to abandoning their old way of seeing the world. Or maybe they finally feel peace.

Regardless of the form it takes, remember to reflect your hero’s change in their emotions. Then let their emotions drive action, to trigger consequences, which will compel further change.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

And there you have it! That’s how you write a character-driven plot.

So what do you say?

Give the wheel a spin.

— — —

Your stories are worth telling. For tips on how to craft meaning, build character-driven plots, and grow as a writer, follow my blog.

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Hello! Do you have some advice on how to create and write a cult?

Hi!

I’m really interested in cults and their behaviour and structure, so I actually had a problem to not go overboard here. I will start with a short overview of the basics and then go into more detail. I hope you like it!

How to create and write a cult

The Leader

common characteristics: charismatic, manipulative, controlling

followers follow them without questioning them

they are often seen as a prophet or human idol or image of the diety the cult believe in

they speak with the authority of a god

make sure to give them some uniqueness, maybe an air of otherworldliness to make them more godlike so they stand out

give reasons for why they want a following, what do they get out of it?

give reasons for why people would follow and be loyal to them

The Followers

often disenchanted from society and their own beliefs

wanting something new, a new start

single people, living on their own

often without close ties to family or friends

remember that everyone, no matter their intelligence and their confidence can become entangled in a cult

some are just a little bit easier to prey on

The Cult

often strict hierarchy

rules, routines and practiced behaviours

love bombing and brainwashing

feeling of superiority

being the good guys in an “us against the world”-scenario

taking everything from the outside away that a new member could rely on

making them solely rely on the cult

if someone does escape they are either pursued, stalked and harrassed or they are being shunned by everyone in the cult

Structure

cults typically have one godlike leader

they do not get questioned, they get imitated and followed

they have a small, but extremely loyal group of followers around them

this core group implements the leader’s rules and controls the rest of the followers

they often have more benefits and liberties than the rest

a normal follower would probably mostly interact with someone from the core group as the person in charge and not the leader themself

depending on the cult, the other followers can be separated and put into smaller households

this can break up pre-existing units and helps controlling the members

Examples:

nuclear family

one man and a harem of women and younger children

separated by gender (younger boys with women)

separated by skill

separated by age

separated into “classes”

Beliefs

a religious cult can be independent or a secession from a mainstream religion

if it is completely independent then you need a good reason for why people would follow those beliefs

you probably need to make up rules and practices and lore that goes along with it and legitimizes it

but it can’t only be about rules and maybe hardship, the people need a reason for wanting to follow this

the leaderis often acting like they are the only one who can give these people what they want and need (love, acceptance, saftey, inner peace, etc.)

the leaders are very charismatic and almost perfect citizens from the outside, but more often than not manipulative and controlling

if the cult is based on a mainstream religion you have to take some of the beliefs from that religion and incorporate it

a big difference between a religion and a cult is the blind belief in a diety and the blind belief in a charismatic human

but a cult can also more fundamentalistic part of a religion that was excommunicated from the main church

be careful to show the common beliefs, but also show the major differences as not to insult readers from the main religion

Acquisition of followers

cults like to target people that are unhappy with their current life and often people without a lot of confidence

it’s easier if the person doesn’t have family or firends that they are close with

cult members can be anywhere to recrut new members, but they are often found in places of mainstream religions or within support groups to prey on already vulnerable people

love bombing - a manipulative strategy in which the cult bombards the target with so much love, acceptance, understanding and happy, positive vibes that they feel like no one will ever love them like this

they also try to tell the target that only they love them and can give them what they need and that everyone else is not wanting the best for them, only they do

they try to isolate them from their friends and family

but plot twist - as soon as this tactic is successful and the person joined the cult, they take away that love, which maked the target feel more alone than ever and desperate to get that love back

in some cases where they literally take that person from their life and bring them into theirs, this could also include drugging and excessive praying or reciting that puts them in a trance, this can go on for days

they will continue to try to isolate them from their old lifes and give them new families by putting them into groups or households

this way, even if they want to leave, they feel like they have no one waiting for them outside

they also have to fear being shunned from their new friends and family if they go against the rules

Behaviour

“Us vs. Them” mentality, making the outside world out to be a purely evil place and they are the only safe haven

secrecy, about their rituals, sometimes beliefs, but definitely about the ways people are kept in the cult

often not showing new members a lot of what they truly believe in and how they go about those beliefs until the member is isolated and already too deep inside the cult

identifying marks, like tattoos or brand marks and specific clothes to show unity

emotional, physical and sexual abuse can often be found in cults, sometimes even systematically implemented like a ritual

children are married young and only to other members

having lots of children is encouraged to grow the cult, but also to trap the parents inside the cult, because leaving with children is even more difficult

often rejection of law enforcement and political establishment, not following state laws, but following their own rules

everyone else gets blames but them and outside intervention to save the people can even strengthen the cult against the outside

snitching is encouraged, members tell on each other at the first sign of independent thinking and second guessing the leader

punishments are mostly being given by the core group around the leader and are often made out to be a punishment from the diety they believe in

sometimes there is a loyalty test members (reguarly) have to pass to show that they still follow not matter what

Get more information

this format is not ideal to go into so much detail, so you have to do more research

read books or articles on the internet about psychology, what kind of people are more susceptible to being victims and what makes a person a cult leader

check out actual cults and look how they do their thing (or did, take Jonestown for example)

you can also check out witness accounts of people that were able to escape cults (there are quite a few on YouTube)

check out different kinds of cults

I went with religious here, but there are also cults based on other ideology, political cults, doomsday cults, etc. 

This took so long, so have fun and good luck! :)

- Jana

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Follow me on Twitter for more vampire nonsense

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Tips for Writing a Difficult Scene

Every writer inevitably gets to that scene that just doesn't want to work. It doesn't flow, no matter how hard you try. Well, here are some things to try to get out of that rut:

1. Change the weather

I know this doesn't sound like it'll make much of a difference, but trust me when I say it does.

Every single time I've tried this, it worked and the scene flowed magically.

2. Change the POV

If your book has multiple POV characters, it might be a good idea to switch the scene to another character's perspective.

9/10 times, this will make the scene flow better.

3. Start the scene earlier/later

Oftentimes, a scene just doesn't work because you're not starting in the right place.

Perhaps you're starting too late and giving too little context. Perhaps some description or character introspection is needed before you dive in.

Alternatively, you may be taking too long to get to the actual point of the scene. Would it help to dive straight into the action without much ado?

4. Write only the dialogue

If your scene involves dialogue, it can help immensely to write only the spoken words the first time round.

It's even better if you highlight different characters' speech in different colors.

Then, later on, you can go back and fill in the dialogue tags, description etc.

5. Fuck it and use a placeholder

If nothing works, it's time to move on.

Rather than perpetually getting stuck on that one scene, use a placeholder. Something like: [they escape somehow] or [big emotional talk].

And then continue with the draft.

This'll help you keep momentum and, maybe, make the scene easier to write later on once you have a better grasp on the plot and characters.

Trust me, I do this all the time.

It can take some practice to get past your Type A brain screaming at you, but it's worth it.

So, those are some things to try when a scene is being difficult. I hope that these tips help :)

Reblog if you found this post useful. Comment with your own tips. Follow me for similar content.

[muffled-words]

writing should be fun.

make oc playlists. spend hours on moodboards that have no purpose. write self-indulgent fluff that’s never going to be published. scribble three lines of poetry in the back of your history notebook. draw fanart of your own characters. write stupid dialogue that your publishers might hate. start new wips that you might never finish but write those three chapters that make you happy because if you don’t write them, who else will?

writing shouldn’t always be about “will publishers like this” or “i have to reach this word count” or “how do i get the most likes”.

have fun with your writing.