reversedrose

[reversedrose]

I was literally about to google running synonyms bc I used it two times in the same sentence

WORDS TO USE INSTEAD OF: RUN / RAN

Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “run” (or “ran”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

sprint / sprinted

dash / dashed

dart / darted

bolt / bolted

race / raced

speed / sped

hurry / hurried

jog / jogged

bound / bounded

hustle / hustled

scurry / scurried

tear / tore

rush / rushed

charge / charged

barrel / barreled

zoom / zoomed

scuttle / scuttled

scamper / scampered

book it / booked it

leg it / legged it

[reversedrose]

Sibling relationships

I’m @blood.writing on instagram oops

Sibling relationships can be hard to write. Especially if you are an only child, and every sibling relationship can be different.

So here comes me. With bad grammar and tips to help you out.

First of all, every child is treated differently. I as the oldest out of three got treated very differently than my youngest brother. This may also be because I’m a girl. An example:

I at the age of 11 got my first phone. A Nokia, that couldn’t store more than 10 photos. I got it because I had to bike to school for 30 minutes. And my parents were nervous and wanted to be able to call me. My younger brother, got my Nokia after me. For the exact same reason. He also started biking at the age of 11. Before that he and I would always be brought to school. My youngest brother, got a bigger smartphone than I have currently. At the age of 10. See the difference? But he had to start biking from the age of 10.

My point: parents are always most protective over the firstborn. It’s the kid that tries out everything for the first time. This isn’t just the first time for the kid, it’s also the first time for the parents. Sleeping over at a friend for the first time ever? Fun for the kid. But can make the parents nervous. After a while they will get used to it. And the other siblings will be able to sleep over easier. Hence why I wasn’t allowed to sleep over at a friend till the age of 8 and my youngest brother could at 6.

Other real things I have/had/did with my siblings:

1. I had a favourite sibling from the age of 4 to 13. Probably the one who bothered me the least at that moment. It would switch all the time.

2. Age gaps between siblings are a real thing. I’m 15 and my brother is 10. We see the world completely different. I can relate way less to him than to my 14 year old brother. We have things in common. But not that much. Even though my 10 year old brother used to be my favourite sibling for a while. But like I said it changes. And just now I’m starting to notice more and more differences because of age difference.

3. My brothers have some days where they will do anything just to annoy me. They will walk in my room 24/7. Stare at me, say hi. And walk right back out. Imagine that but 20 times a day. It gets annoying. And then when you call them out on it they will probably act shocked.

4. My parents always take my youngest brother side. In any argument me and my brother have. This shows that the youngest sibling is probably seen as the most innocent.

5. Physical fights are a thing. I once got into an argument with my brother. And we literally fought each other because we were both very stubborn. And I was a pretty athletic kid, so I obviously won. And my mom was literally afraid that the school would think my parents abused him. I beat him up that bad.

6. We get into arguments over the stupidest things. And can be some hell of a good friends two hours later. Without apology’s, we don’t do those unless our parents make us apologise. The fights magically solve itself. We probably forget about it. Since it was literally so stupid. It could be over the last bowl of cereal.

7. We have secrets about each other that our parents aren’t allowed to find out. And well, we aren’t afraid to use that against each other as argument in one of those thousands of discussions.

8. I call my brother the stupidest of names ever. From idiot to disgusting uncultured swine from the swamps of Shrek.

9. I LOVE LOVE LOVE, to embarrass my brother when his friends are nearby. He doesn’t obviously, but will delightfully do the same to me. Especially when he’s with friends that don’t know me. And then I’ll act like some weird crackhead who’s friends with him.

10. Last one for now, we do a lot for each other. If my brother is sick, I’ll either make him food. Or laugh at him. There’s no inbetween and is probably 100% decided by what he screwed me over with, the days before he got sick.

11. Jk this is the last one. I will give them one of my kidneys. But my charger is out of boundaries. Get yo filthy hands off of it.

I hope these were somewhat useful. If you have any questions about whether your written sibling relationship is realistic. Feel free to ask.

[reversedrose]

How do you recommend writing a brother relationship. It’s pretty crucial to my story. The older one is serious, and strict while his brother is dreamy and gentle

How to Write Siblings

A lot of people struggle when it comes to writing siblings.They make their relationship too stilted and forced, to the point where they’realmost glorified acquaintances.

A sibling relationship isn’t just about quipsand annoying each other, though those things may be a big part of it, so if youwant to write a believable pair of siblings(with a good relationship with oneanother), here are some tips.

1. They Don’t Love Each Other THAT Much

Unless you’re writing about something that’s very not good, siblingsshouldn’t be too touchy-feely. When they’re older and aren’t living in the samehouse, siblings kiss each other on the cheek hello and goodbye, but teenagedsiblings rarely do that, if at all.

An older sibling may kiss a much younger sibling on thecheek, and there may be a lot of hugging involved, but in my experience,siblings who are close in age only kiss on the cheek if they’re older and don’tsee each other often. If you’ve had a sibling, you know that they DO NOT kisseach other on the lips. That’s just weird. (Yuck!)

2. They Have to Do Sibling Stuff Together

A good sibling relationship isn’t cultivated by ignoringeach other, though many siblings spend a lot of time doing just that. Even ifthey are annoyed by each other, they can’t just…not interact for the wholestory.

Sibling affection can be conveyed through various acts thatmay seem weird but to siblings are perfectly normal.

 Jumping on each other/playful fighting

Real Fighting over weird things (My personal favoriteargument that I’ve had with my brother is which Smash Ultimate character is thethiccest)

Scaring each other

Playing video games together

Playing pranks on each other

Inside jokes

Weird rituals (Whenever we encounter each otheron opposite sides of a hallway, my brother and I just strike the do it to em’pose until one of us yields and thus proves their inferiority)

Staring contests

Violent footsie under the table

Spilling tea about bfs/gfs/friends/school drama

Watching Netflix together

Listening to music together

Simply sitting in the same room and enjoying eachother’s presence

Nicknames (Ever since I read A Gentleman’s Guideto Vice and Virtue I’ve referred to my brother exclusively as Goblin)

Contests/rivalry (who can run the fastest, whocan climb the highest, who can fit the most marshmallows into their mouthwithout choking, etc. Usually prefaced with “race ya” or the anxiety-inducing “readyset go”)

3. They Have to Be Supportive

Siblings stick up for each other. They comfort each other.Sometimes, when they’re feeling petty, they snitch on or berate each other ruthlessly.

They might get mad for a while and ignore each other, but eventually it’ll allbe okay because it’s really hard to stay mad at a fellow quasi-human who livesin the same house as you.

If a sibling is getting bullied at school, the vengeance inthe others will burn white hot for a person they haven’t even met; they mightlove embarrassing the sibling, but they’re the only one who’s allowed to bullythem. No one else. “Penalty for bullying a sibling is death.”

4. Some Movie/TV/Book Siblings to Reference

The Lightwoods (The Mortal Instruments)

Nani and Lilo (Lilo and Stitch)

Kenai, Koda, Sitka, and Denahi (Brother Bear)

T’Challa and Shuri (Black Panther)

Dash and Violet (Incredibles)

Hiro and Tadashi (Big Hero 6)

Felicity, Monty, and The Goblin (A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue)

Sam and Dean Winchester (Supernatural)

Klaus, Luther, Vanya, Allison, Diego, Number Five, and Ben (Umbrella Academy)

Carter and Sadie (Kane Chronicles)

Scout and Jem (To Kill a Mockingbird)

The Weasleys (Harry Potter)

The Starks (Game of Thrones)

Hope this helped, and other people with siblings should feelfree to add stuff!

[reversedrose]

Advice on Writing Thieves, Assassins, or Other Stealthy Characters

I’ve put a lot of research into this, and I’ve seen a lot of great rogue-like characters, where the author was clearly unsure as to how they perform their criminal activities. If you feel the need to ask why I know this stuff, my main writings are for a book series called “A Thief’s War,” which should be more than enough explanation. I swear I’m not personally a thief.

Anyway, here we go:

Lockpicking:

I’ve seen some stories where characters grab a paperclip, and boom, no lock can stop them. I’ve also seen some where master thieves take a hammer and smash the lock.

A lock has a series of tumblers in it, each of which need to click into place for it to unlock. A key’s design is usual exactly what it must be to get these tumblers into the proper position.

There are a wide array of shapes and sizes for lockpicks, and if you’re going to go around picking locks, you’re going to need more than one. There is no universal lockpick. Furthermore, for some reason a lot of people don’t include the secondary locking tool: a lock wrench. This is used to turn the the lock, and to keep the tumblers in place once you’ve appropriately placed them with the lockpick.

A lockpicker will know that a tumbler is in place when they hear it click, but the noise is usually quiet, so they’ll often have their ear close to the door.

Can you pick a lock with a paperclip? Yes, but it’s hard as hell, and a paperclip won’t fit into all locks. Not to mention it’s a pain turning the lock once the tumblers are in place.

 With code locks, a lot of movies or books show someone pressing their ear closely to the lock, whilst turning it, and listening for a click when it hits the right number. This actually works. These are the most useless goddamn locks in history.

Now, if you’re writing modern day, with smart locks and various other such tech, I’m afraid I can’t help. I haven’t studied that as much. Though, the previous advice will help for most locks, and that information still applies to basically all types of lock that aren’t incredibly expensive.

Sneaking:

The dashing rogue slips through the shadows, his cloak billowing behind him, and somehow none of the dozen patrolling guards walking right by happen to notice him.

Yeah, that’s not how it works.

Sneaking involves a lot of remaining very still, knowing your surroundings, and holding your breath.

A thief infiltrating a house will scout it out, usually for weeks in advance. Sometimes they’ll pose as various businessmen, and try to get the owners of the house let them in for a while so they can study the ins and outs of it. Cracking open a window isn’t quiet, and you need to know what doors will creak and what doors won’t.

If you’re trying to sneak, you need to try and stick near furniture and heavy objects. The floor isn’t nearly as likely to creak when you’re near these. Furthermore, you need to step lightly, and wear the appropriate footwear. Usually some cloth wrapping’s around one’s feet will help to be quiet, but avoid any shoes that might make clacking noises, or sound like they’re peeling off the floor when they move. A thief will also never scuff their feet, if they’re any good at sneaking.

Black clothing only helps you sneak if it’s dark, and your surroundings aren’t bright coloured. If you’re in a city of white buildings and marble, you’ll want matching attire. This is just for if you’re skulking about a city, though. Just make sure you don’t stand out. However, dark clothing will greatly help you not be seen from a distance when it’s night.

If a thief suspects someone is nearby, they should always try to locate a nearby hiding spot, and remain perfectly still. Do not move, and a good thief will hold their breath if they start getting anxious, as heavy breathing could easily give someone away.

Many stories also don’t seem to account for the fact that various rogues and criminals have shadows, too. Even a quick and subtle movement of a shadow might be enough to give away one’s presence. It’s really, really hard to actually sneak up on someone due to this, and several other factors. Most people will actually feel tense, and usually catch wind of it if someone is sneaking up behind them, as even very quiet sounds and movements like breathing will subconsciously register to people if you get too close.

I’m a master assassin, and I carry a goddamn greatsword:

There is a reason they would use daggers. Assassins didn’t usually sneak into the king’s bedchamber in the dead of night, without being seen once. There are guards. A long hallway with two guards standing in front of the door at the end, there is absolutely no way to slip past that.

They would usually have to get into the building during the day, disguised as a servant, or even another guard. They’d have to wait for the perfect opportunity to sneak into that nobleman’s bedchamber, midday when he was absent, and then wait in there for hours.

If the assassin is sneaking in at night, they rarely go through the interior of the building. Just like a thief, they’ll get the layout of the building, and then they’ll usually enter through a window, or wherever is closest to the target. If they don’t have those guard patrols memorised, they’re screwed.

But you know what’s not subtle? An assassin carrying around a scimitar, or some flashy crossbow. If you’re going to sneak past people, you need a weapon no one will see, and that you can probably hide if someone decides to search you.

Fingerprints:

This is mainly relevant for modern era stories, and I just wanted to say that I’ve seen a few shows where a criminal isn’t wearing gloves throughout the whole thing. You always wear gloves, you never leave the murder weapon. If you touched something without gloves, you may as well take it with you to avoid risk.

Slipping out of Handcuffs:

This usually requires dislocating your fingers. Ouch. But, if the one cuffing or tying up the thief isn’t paying too much attention, you can keep your hands at an appropriate angle that the cuffs will not go on correctly, or the ropes not pulled tight enough, and you can probably slip out of them.

Who needs masks when you have shadowy hoods?

Guess what the easiest facial feature to notice in the dark is? If you guessed eyes, then you’re right. But, if you’re blending in, and your eyes are veiled by the hood that’s somehow not obscuring your vision while you crane your neck downwards to ensure that it covers your face, then people are usually still going to be able to see your lips, which stand out the second most of any feature on a person.

Yes, a hood is good if you’re trying to blend in. But it’s not good for making sure people don’t see your face. Wear a damned mask.

This is all I’ve got, for now. Hope it helps someone!

[reversedrose]

Character Construction

Making intriguing characters with great chemistry isn’t always easy, but they can transform a good story into a great one just by their sheer spark. Here are a few general tips to keep in mind about characters, plus a look at how I design my characters in case my methods work for you, too! :)

 In General…

Tropes are okay. In fact, building your character off of a few key characteristics can help keep them grounded as the story continues. Find a few traits that stay constant throughout the story so you always have something to return to. For instance, one of my characters can be broken down to these 3 traits: curious, smart, logical.

Identify how you want your character to change over the course of the story. Character growth can emphasize a theme within your story and highlight the good/bad within human nature. 

If you have a plot already, make sure your characters grow in a way that makes sense according to the events they go through. 

If you don’t have a plot, you can build one around character growth. Ask yourself: what events can cause them to change this way? For example, if you want a character to go from someone who doesn’t believe in altruism to someone who trusts in the kindness of others, maybe they are saved by the help of others where they least expected it and slowly began to realize there are plenty of people out there trying to make the world a better place. Maybe they end up becoming someone who helps others themselves.

For characters that spend a lot of time together, it’s easier to have good chemistry if their personalities click. In other words, choose traits that are complementary. If one character is notoriously reckless, try to pair them with someone who might exhibit more caution. A character who is studious to a fault could benefit from someone outgoing and impulsive to drag them into adventure.  Even if it doesn’t drive character growth, it can so much more entertaining to write and read.

Use complementary traits to drive the plot. So many great scenes can come from small conflicts between characters that lead to growth. Maybe that impulsive character rushed into battle, but now they are in danger. The cautious/logical character is now faced with a dilemma: act as they are used to, or change and do something they know isn’t logical. Putting characters in situations that highlight their different traits pushes character growth.

FLAWS = STRENGTHS. Or, more accurately, a character’s flaws and weaknesses come from the same trait. Whether or not it is a strength or a weakness depends upon the situation. Take a character who is very empathetic. They understand others well and are eager to help, but someone wittier and a little more villainous could easily take advantage of this to manipulate them. On one hand, being empathetic is a strength (this character can relate to others and may serve as a confidant in hard times), but it is also a weakness (they are easier to manipulate and exploit).

How I Design Characters

Character sheets have never been my thing, but they can help a lot of people break down important traits and events in a character’s life and have helped me think of things I might have otherwise missed. Aside from considering the tips above, I try to write up a character guide with the following format:

Past. Everyone has one, and everyone’s past experiences shape their beliefs, impulses, and perspective. This is the place to explore: 

The character’s family/friends. Who were they? Did they get along? Who had the strongest impact upon them and why? How have others supported them, and how have others created challenges for them?

Their best/worst times. Why are these memories so good or terrible? Who were they with? How do these events shape them?

Events/trends that build key traits. Why is your character the way they are? What small moments of character growth have they already undergone, and what lessons did they learn from that?

Their old goals/aspirations. Most people don’t end up pursuing their childhood dreams. What did your character want when they were younger? If it changed, why? If it didn’t, why not?

This one’s a no-brainer: events leading up to the beginning of the story. How did they end up where they are? How do they feel about it? Do they have any regrets? What are their goals now?

Plot-Based Goals.  Depending on the story you are writing, your character’s goals might create the plot. For the stories I write, my character’s goals are secondary to the plot because they are mostly in situations where they do not have complete control over their actions or futures. Here, it is good to identify:

What does the character want in the context of the story? 

What items/people are important to them? In what way? Do they want to protect this person from others, acquire a rare item to get rich, uncover information to better understand a nagging question they have, or defeat their worst enemy? If so, why?

Endgame. No, not the one from MCU, but the one for your character in their story. What is their final goal? Why do they want it?

I look back on this section to help me construct the plot. Here is where I ask why; the plot is where I ask how.

Key Traits. I talked about this earlier, so basically jot down the key traits of your character. Kind, creative, bold? Uncertain, curious, athletic? What do they fear the most, what do they love the most, and why? 

Depending on your story, it can also be helpful to get logistics on other character aspects. For instance, how educated are they? Economic status? 

If your story has magic, unique tech, supernatural powers, ect., then consider the character’s relation to this magic/tech/power. How much do they know about it? Can they use it? If so, how? What are their limitations? What is unique about the way they use it or make up for not being able to?

Character Arc. The shortest, but sometimes most important, piece of the puzzle. Here, outline what trait your character will develop or change in the story. Consider what theme this will send, how it will relate to the plot, and which other characters might help spur this development.

In general, keeping track of all this in a document really helps guide me while writing. I can figure out which characters fit together, which might clash, and how to build the plot both around them and from them. For my main characters, I also did a writing exercise where I just describe them in as much detail as possible, focusing on who they are as a person. I also like to have a Pintrest board of art to help me picture them (since I can’t really draw lol)

Also, don’t feel bad if you don’t stick to your plan! Writing is an evolution, a process of change and growth. You might discover a lot about your characters just by writing them, and if it goes against the plan, that’s okay!

Hope all of this helps! Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Good luck and keep writing! 

[reversedrose]

6 Types of Fight Scenes

The Victim Battle: This is less of a fight scene and more of an attack. Your protagonist is not able to defend themselves and has no choice but to take the beating. This scene usually happens when you need to stir up some conflict or progress with the plot.

The Hero Battle: Your character is saving someone from a mugging, hostage situation, or anything that involves heroics. Sometimes they win. Sometimes they don’t. That part is completely up to the writer.

The Asshole Battle: This scene happens when one character is being an asshole and the other instigates a fight. It can happen between two good friends, and it doesn’t matter who started the fight. This fight usually gets broken up soon after it started. There’s rarely a real winner.

The Information Battle: This happens in a specific kind of book where the protagonist has information that they are not supposed to have. As a result, they keep getting attacked.

The Infiltration Battle: This scene happens when your protagonist is infiltrating enemy territory. It’s not uncommon for them to get caught and wind up in a fight.

The Final Battle: This is the most important fight scene of the entire book. Your hero and villain are finally going face to face in a battle that decides the resolution. This can also be the climax.