myobsessionsmywritings

[myobsessionsmywritings]

10 Prompts for Writing a Chase Scene: Adding Thrills and Tension

The key to a thrilling chase lies in the tension, obstacles, and unexpected twists that keep readers on the edge of their seats. To help you ignite your imagination, here are 10 prompts designed to add thrills and tension to your chase scenes:

The Wrong Turn

As the protagonist flees, they accidentally take a wrong turn into a dark alley, realising they’ve entered a trap.

Unexpected Obstacles

While racing through a crowded market, the character must dodge people, stalls, and stray animals that hinder their escape.

Technological Pursuit

The antagonist employs drones or high-tech gadgets to track the protagonist, forcing them to outsmart the technology while escaping.

Vehicle Malfunction

Mid-chase, the character’s vehicle begins to break down, forcing them to improvise and find an alternative way to escape.

Allies in the Way

Friends or allies who are unaware of the chase get in the character’s way, causing them to make quick decisions on who to trust.

Changing Environments

The chase moves from a busy city street to a secluded forest, shifting the atmosphere and the type of threats the character faces.

Hidden Passageways

As the protagonist runs, they discover a hidden door or passageway that leads them away from their pursuer but into an unknown danger.

The Chase Becomes Personal

The pursuer shouts personal taunts, revealing a deeper connection to the protagonist, which adds emotional weight to the chase.

Unexpected Help

Just when it seems like escape is impossible, a stranger intervenes, aiding the protagonist and complicating the situation.

The Pursuer’s Perspective

Switch to the pursuer’s point of view for a moment, revealing their motivations and making the reader question who the real antagonist is.

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20 Flirty Remarks to Build Romantic Tension Without Being Overbearing

Feeling stuck trying to give your characters a good flirty one-liner that doesn't sound cringe/overdone? Here are 20 ideas/dialogue prompts for you (that I may or may not have stolen from my own books): 

“I must warn you: you have a dangerous effect on my heart rate.” / "You have no idea what you're doing to my heart right now."

"If I said I wasn’t thinking about you, I’d be lying. And I’m a terrible liar."

"You know, I could get lost in those eyes, but I'd probably trip over my words trying to find my way back." (could also double as description/inner monologue).

“I can’t tell if you’re really charming or if I’m just easily charmed.”

“You have a knack for making me forget what I was going to say. It’s kind of impressive/infuriating.”

“I think you owe me a drink. When I saw you, I dropped mine.”

“I’ve been trying to find the perfect excuse to hang out, but I keep forgetting everything when I’m around you.”

“I bet you get away with a lot of trouble with that smile.”

“You must be a magician because every time you walk in, everyone else disappears.” (The right character could pull it off I swear)

"I’ve been trying to think of something clever to say, but all my brain can come up with is how much I want to (kiss) you."

"I saw that little glance—you’re not as sneaky as you think."

"How do you manage to make even the most mundane things sound exciting?"

"You do this cute thing with your hands when you’re nervous, you know?"

“One more word, and I might just have to kiss you.”

"Finally, there's that pretty smile of yours. I've been waiting for it all day."

"You keep staring—should I be flattered?" / "Keep looking at me like that and I might start thinking you have a crush on me."

"Do you have any idea how fun it is to watch you try to keep a straight face?"

"I’m pretty sure you could charm the socks off anyone, but I’d like to keep mine on for now."

"If laughter is the best medicine, then I’m pretty sure you’re my favorite doctor."

"Is it bad that I kind of like the way you’re trying to mess with me?"

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors! Instagram Tiktok

[myobsessionsmywritings]

"haunting the narrative" is one of those phrases i wanna put up on a shelf. not all characters that are dead haunt the narrative. not all characters that are dead haunt the narrative. not all characters that haunt the narrative are dead.

[myobsessionsmywritings]

10 Subtle Ways to Show Love Without Saying “I Love You”

Subtle gestures can convey deep affection and understanding without the need for words. Here are 10 subtle ways to reveal just how much your character cares, without using words:

1. Surprising Them with Their Favorite Snack

Character A notices Character B eyeing their favorite treat at a store/party, and later surprises them with it, showing they're paying attention to the little things.

2. Fixing Something Without Being Asked

When B's favorite [object] breaks, A quietly repairs it and leaves it for them to find. This doesn't have to be about objects, e.g. issues like not having a ride home and A picks them up without B asking.

3. Leaving a Hidden Note

A slips a small note into B's bag or coat pocket, something sweet or funny; could be good after a minor fight, or if B has a dangerous career.

4. Covering Them with a Blanket

B falls asleep on the couch, and A drapes a blanket over them gently. Again, cute if it's after a fight.

5. Warming Their Hands with Theirs

On a chilly day, A takes B’s cold hands into their own without a word, offering warmth and comfort.

6. Offering Their Jacket

As B shivers in the cold, A instinctively hands over their jacket without waiting to be asked. Post-fight cuteness x3

7. Cleaning Up After a Tough Day

B comes home exhausted, and A has already tidied up the space. Great if they're married with kids.

8. Brushing Something Off Their Face

When B has a strand of hair or speck of dust on their face, A gently brushes it away; a classic, intimate action.

9. Waiting Up for Them to Get Home

A stays up late just to make sure B gets home safely, greeting them with a warm smile or a cup of tea when they walk in.

10. Running an Errand They Dislike

Knowing B dreads a particular chore or errand, A does it for them without making a big deal, or when they’re stressed/sad. 

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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How to show emotions

Part VII

How to show pride

standing tall

expanded posture, opening of the torso

lifted chin, head held high

big and confident smile

looking around to see if people recognize and admire what they are proud of

How to show enthusiasm

big smile and laughter

wide radiant eyes

raised eyebrows

jumping up and down or bouncing

clapping hands

big hand gestures

loud and high pitched voice

speaking quickly

How to show anxiety

not holding/breaking eye contact

fidgeting

heavy breathing

twitching in their face

often a blank stare or looking away

rigid posture

sweaty palms

bouncing their knees

rubbing palms against each other or clothing

How to show playfulness

laughing

giggling

grinning

using a playful tone

making a silly face

touching the other person teasingly

e.g. tickling, nudging, bumping into them

How to show being offended

stiffening up

hard line around the lips

frozen stare

narrowing of the eyes

Part I + Part II + Part III + Part IV + Part V + Part VI

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[myobsessionsmywritings]

10 Non-Lethal Injuries to Add Pain to Your Writing

New Part: 10 Lethal Injury Ideas

If you need a simple way to make your characters feel pain, here are some ideas: 

1. Sprained Ankle

A common injury that can severely limit mobility. This is useful because your characters will have to experience a mild struggle and adapt their plans to their new lack of mobiliy. Perfect to add tension to a chase scene.

2. Rib Contusion

A painful bruise on the ribs can make breathing difficult, helping you sneak in those ragged wheezes during a fight scene. Could also be used for something sport-related! It's impactful enough to leave a lingering pain but not enough to hinder their overall movement.

3. Concussions

This common brain injury can lead to confusion, dizziness, and mood swings, affecting a character’s judgment heavily. It can also cause mild amnesia.

I enjoy using concussions when you need another character to subtly take over the fight/scene, it's an easy way to switch POVs. You could also use it if you need a 'cute' recovery moment with A and B.

4. Fractured Finger

A broken finger can complicate tasks that require fine motor skills. This would be perfect for characters like artists, writers, etc. Or, a fighter who brushes it off as nothing till they try to throw a punch and are hit with pain.

5. Road Rash

Road rash is an abrasion caused by friction. Aka scraping skin. The raw, painful sting resulting from a fall can be a quick but effective way to add pain to your writing. Tip: it's great if you need a mild injury for a child.

6. Shoulder Dislocation

This injury can be excruciating and often leads to an inability to use one arm, forcing characters to confront their limitations while adding urgency to their situation. Good for torture scenes.

7. Deep Laceration

A deep laceration is a cut that requires stitches. As someone who got stitches as a kid, they really aren't that bad! A 2-3 inch wound (in length) provides just enough pain and blood to add that dramatic flair to your writing while not severely deterring your character.

This is also a great wound to look back on since it often scars. Note: the deeper and wider the cut the worse your character's condition. Don't give them a 5 inch deep gash and call that mild.

8. Burns

Whether from fire, chemicals, or hot surfaces, burns can cause intense suffering and lingering trauma. Like the previous injury, the lasting physical and emotional trauma of a burn is a great wound for characters to look back on.

If you want to explore writing burns, read here.

9. Pulled Muscle

This can create ongoing pain and restrict movement, offering a window to force your character to lean on another. Note: I personally use muscle related injuries when I want to focus more on the pain and sprains to focus on a lack of mobility.

10. Tendonitis

Inflammation of a tendon can cause chronic pain and limit a character's ability to perform tasks they usually take for granted. When exploring tendonitis make sure you research well as this can easily turn into a more severe injury.

This is a quick, brief list of ideas to provide writers inspiration. Since it is a shorter blog, I have not covered the injuries in detail. This is inspiration, not a thorough guide. Happy writing! :)

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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[myobsessionsmywritings]

Being obsessed with your own ocs is so so good for you i seriously can't recommend it enough

[myobsessionsmywritings]

fuck an "intended audience" how about we normalize engaging with new and unfamiliar art pieces on their own terms

[myobsessionsmywritings]

*sweating, whole body shaking while I stare at a google doc* would he fucking say that????

[myobsessionsmywritings]

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 gumroad store if you want to!)

[myobsessionsmywritings]

ily, menswear guy

[myobsessionsmywritings]

"why doesn't this thing in a movie/book/tv show happen exactly like it would in real life" is the most brain dead criticism the internet has to offer, and yet I see it EVERYWHERE.

[myobsessionsmywritings]

[myobsessionsmywritings]

[myobsessionsmywritings]

my problem as a writer and as a roleplayer is that I always want characters to do that thing where you hold your hand out, palm to the ground, and kind of tilt it quickly left and right to express uncertainty or a "kinda-sorta"/"yes and no" vibe. but I don't know an official term for this so I always just call it the Noncommittal Hand Waggle

[myobsessionsmywritings]

When encountering someone stuck in an Apology Loop, I do not uselessly ask, or worse, demand that they “stop apologizing.”

Rather, I have found it much more useful to affect a theatrical tone and formally “absolve” them. “Like a Renaissance pope, I absolve you, my child.” Usually the combination of having the absurdity of the situation highlit, combined with a touch of physiological release if I can get a laugh, is enough to soothe their nerves a bit and get them to break the loop. And who knows maybe they feel absolved I dunno I have an authoritative bearing

[myobsessionsmywritings]

being a writer leads to a genuinely helpful but also very stupid kind of mindfulness where you'll be having a sobbing breakdown or the worst anxiety attack of your life and think "okay, I really need to pay attention to how this feels. so I can incorporate it into my fanfiction."