#Writing Fiction

[di-42]

Public transport and walk to and from work. My commute to work is luckily quick including public transport and walking, roughly 30 minutes, for which I allow 45/50 just to... Have a break. Just to have that time to not have to answer to anyone. And that's where I either read fanfiction or I daydream/plan/have ideas/revelations about my own fiction.

So, I’ve found, time and time again, that I am able to work out some of the trickiest plot points of my stories in the shower. It’s basically without fail at this point.

Maybe it’s because the shower’s one of the only places my mind has the quiet to really think? When I’m not in the shower I’m always being asked questions by my husband or my kids or I’m doing something or scrolling somewhere or working or just doing something.

But in the shower is where the magic happens; where the answers to the questions about where the story’s going just reveal themselves… all while I’m lathering my hair up with shampoo. And I think it’s pretty funny.

So creative friends - whether you draw, write stories, craft poetry or anything else - do you have a place like this? Some kind of ritual or place that opens up the mind and allows you to be truly creative?

I’d love to hear about it!

[daisywords]

One of my biggest nitpicks in fiction concerns the feeding of babies. Mothers dying during/shortly after childbirth or the baby being separated form the mother shortly after birth is pretty common in fiction. It is/was also common enough in real life, which is why I think a lot of writers/readers don't think too hard about this. however. Historically, the only reason the vast majority of babies survived being separated from their mother was because there was at least one other woman around to breastfeed them. Before modern formula, yes, people did use other substitutes, but they were rarely, if ever, nutritionally sufficient.

Newborns can't eat adult food. They can't really survive on animal milk. If your story takes place in a world before/without formula, a baby separated from its mother is going to either be nursed by someone else, or starve.

It doesn't have to be a huge plot point, but idk at least don't explicitly describe the situation as excluding the possibility of a wetnurse. "The father or the great grandmother or the neighbor man or the older sibling took and raised the baby completely alone in a cave for a year." Nope. That baby is dead I'm sorry. "The baby was kidnapped shortly after birth by a wizard and hidden away in a secret tower" um quick question was the wizard lactating? "The mother refused to see or touch her child after birth so the baby was left to the care of the ailing grandfather" the grandfather who made the necessary arrangements with women in the neighborhood, right? right? OR THAT GREAT OFFENDER "A newborn baby was left on the doorstep and they brought it in and took care of it no issues" What Are You Going to Feed That Baby. Hello?

Like. It's not impossible, but arrangements are going to have to be made. There are some logistics.

[deadghostgirl12345]

*writes a sentence or two after writing nothing for days*

[bookishdiplodocus]

How to plant information elegantly

Say, for example, you’re writing a swimming pool scene and you need to plant the fact that Susan is blonde, because in a few chapters, the detective will find a blond hair at the crime scene.

You want the planted information to be memorable, but at the same time not stand out too much. The ideal is to push the information into the reader’s subconscious without a neon light arrow saying, “You might want to remember this, dear reader. This will be relevant!” The planted information needs to feel natural, organic, but memorable enough so when it turns out to be ✨a clue✨, your reader thinks, “I should have seen it!”

Let’s look at some options.

Susan, who is blonde, took a deep breath and dived into the pool.

This feels forced and awkward. The two pieces of information (pool + blonde) are not connected, the fact that she is blonde feels irrelevant and shoved in. If the reader remembers this, it’s because they noticed how the information is forced upon them.

Elegant ⭐

Memorable ⭐⭐

Organic ⭐

The blonde Susan swam across the pool. / The blonde, Susan, swam across the pool.

This feels more natural, but there’s a danger that only the swimming will stick into the reader’s mind because her being blonde is so unnoticeable. There is also a minor danger that the reader will expect an non-blonde Susan to show up in the first variation.

Elegant ⭐⭐

Memorable ⭐

Organic ⭐⭐

Susan was annoyed. She had just washed her hair with that ridiculously expensive Luscious Blonde shampoo and now her friends wanted to go swimming? What a waste of money.

This feels natural and organic, because both elements are conveyed from Susan’s point of view. They are both relevant and connected, and on top of that you get to build Susan’s character.

Elegant ⭐⭐⭐

Memorable ⭐⭐⭐

Organic ⭐⭐⭐

Her friends were already in the pool, but Susan held up her pocket mirror, making absolutely sure that the latex cap wouldn’t let any water in. She just had her hair bleached and after the debacle of 2019, she would never forget what chlorinated water did to bleached hair.

Susan’s POV makes her blond hair relevant to the swimming, as with the example above, but this time you’re presenting a completely different character. It feels organic and personal, and the fact that she is blonde will be lodged into the reader’s mind without screaming “It’s a clue!”.

Elegant ⭐⭐⭐

Memorable ⭐⭐⭐

Organic ⭐⭐⭐

I hope this is helpful! Follow me for more writing tips or browse my entire collection of writing advice now.

Happy writing!

[praline-elegy]

What I think is so crazy is that you can essentially immortalize yourself through writing. My fanfiction? It contains pieces of myself in it. The mannerisms of my characters, the random line about an allergy, or how they slice their sandwiches—it’s me. It’s all me. I am them and they are me and each and every one of my characters is a fragment of myself. I’ve never been truly whole when I’ve poured myself into everything that I’ve ever loved. All my characters, every facet and every detail. It’s all me. I love writing and it’s everything I’ve ever loved.

[smolandweirdwriter]

i'm not aro but i find it so annoying whenever i see a well-written, tight-knit friendship & people immediately jump to "they're dating/poly/qpr" like NO. they are FRIENDS. are we familiar with that concept? and it's getting to the point where i am genuinely afraid to write complex friendships because i don't want people to be like "oh this relationship is Too Meaningful to just be platonic" like no??? it's meaningful because it's platonic. ugh

[coffeebeanwriting]

Quick Tips on Writing Better Characters

Here are a handful of quick tips to writing stronger characters and understanding them better as a writer.

Give your characters a title. This can help with worldbuilding and placing your protagonist into the environment. What do others call your characters? The emperor, the bastard son, the Grinch, the chosen one, the class clown, the evil witch, the popular girl, etc.

Use your settings to enhance your character. You can use the locations of your novel to mirror or contrast your character. Do they blend in or stand out? What they focus on can say a lot about them (ex. a fearsome character mishearing things on a dark street, a princess in a ballroom only focused on the exit.)

Know your protagonist's motives and goals before you start writing. What is something they need that fuels their actions throughout the novel? Money, freedom, an artifact, food? To protect their sister at all costs and survive the Hunger Games? 

Now that you know their motive, make it more complex. A character's motive can be made more complex by putting them in high-stake situations that force them to make decisions. For example, Katniss wants to protect her sister, a very common motivation. However, present-day conflict makes her to do it in the most extreme way by volunteering in the Hunger Games. The plot forces her to make an extreme choice fueled by her motivation.

Your protagonist should be active. It's okay to have your story's events sometimes happen to your character (this is referred to as the character being passive, ex. a tornado sweeping them away) but your protagonist should be active a majority of the time. This means they should always be making decisions, thinking, reflecting and progressing through obstacles.

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

[novlr]

Vary your language with synonyms to use instead of "said"

While there is nothing wrong with the word "said" in and of itself, variety is the key to exciting writing that keeps readers engaged.

Combining action beats with varied synonyms as well as "said" yields the most interesting and varied results.

Here are some examples you can use in your next project to keep you writing varied:

Instead of "said quietly"

whispered

murmured

muttered

croaked

purred

hissed

crooned

breathed

buzzed

Instead of "said affectionately"

admired

gushed

praised

flattered

lauded

beamed

complimented

approved

exalted

Instead of "said sadly"

sobbed

cried

lamented

pleaded

wept

grieved

wailed

sniffled

bawled

Instead of "said angrily"

growled

fumed

demanded

hissed

scolded

mocked

yelled

bellowed

berated

Instead of "said fearfully"

stuttered

gasped

stammered

gulped

cautioned

screamed

wavered

croaked

blanched

Instead of "said excitedly"

cheered

sang

beamed

rejoiced

hailed

exclaimed

celebrated

exulted

blurted

Instead of "said uncertainly"

inquired

hesitated

balked

deferred

speculated

floundered

pondered

wavered

vacillated

Neutral synonyms to use instead of "said"

voiced

expressed

insisted

noted

uttered

continued

replied

went on

began

[coffeetank]

Ways to Make a Character Apologise

"I'm sorry."

"I just...want to say I'm sorry."

*brings gift* "This is to make up for what I did."

"You're right, it was my fault."

"I have some reparations to make."

"I would like to make it up to you, if you give me a chance."

"I just need one chance. To prove that I truly regret doing what I did."

"Saying sorry does not make me any less smaller. It's just the right thing to do."

"Do you think you could forgive me?"

"You deserve this apology, so take it grandly."

"I will do anything to prove how sorry I am."

*goes to lengths to apologise* "I'm still not done apologising."

"Come with me, please."

"Let me do the right thing."

"You can choose not to accept it. But that doesn't mean I won't do it."

- ashlee

[tahbhie]

How Plot Progression Works—Myths and Facts.

Let me start with a myth.

Last week, a writer approached me with their half-finished draft, unsure how to continue. Apparently, they got writer's block in the middle of the work. For about thirty minutes, we discussed the book freely as if it were a finished and published work.

Then I realized the issue.

☞ The problem?

From the conversation, I noticed that the writer's thoughts and ideas, which they voiced for the book, totally contradicted what they had written.

Their book followed a sequence of events. It was well-calculated, and the plot progression was on point but only to a certain level. I noticed robotic recurrences.

Something like this:

Scene 1— a sudden revelation

Scene 2— an unexpected fight

Scene 3— introduction of a new character

Scene 4— a conflict

Scene 5— another sudden revelation

Scene 6— an unexpected fight

Scene 7— introduction of a new character

Scene 8— a conflict

Meanwhile, all these elements didn't tie to each other in the story. They just performed different roles in each scene and were rendered useless in the next and every other scene that followed.

☞ Why did this happen?

Among other reasons, being extremely rigid with writing advice is a main factor.

Writing advice is great, but don't bend your style to suit the rules; bend the rules to suit your style.

Here's a clearer example of what I'm talking about.

Writing advice often says to keep readers on the edge of their seats within the first five pages, but this doesn't mean introducing unrealistic problems that don't fit your story. For example, introducing a sudden and improbable conflict just to add excitement can disrupt the flow and believability of your plot

During our session, I already understood how to assist, and we were setting our comfortable hours when the writer suddenly said, "I was told to include conflict in the middle of the book, then I ran out of ideas when I got there. I could have added one just a few pages in because I believe it would do well there, but again, I was unsure if that would make sense."

Now, who said conflict can't start a book? When you start your book with a conflict, you just have to ensure that you build towards 'the reason' behind the conflict so your readers can understand.

☞ Should I follow every writing advice with a closed mind?

No, you shouldn't. Remember that you are writing that book because you want to, and your idea was great enough to convince you to actually write. You need to enjoy the process and create what you truly want to create. Follow instructions flexibly.

Now that the myth is out of the way, let's talk about things that make a plot.

➜ Basic plot elements.

Initially, your plot should have the following:

✧ Protagonist ✧

Who are readers following in the story? Make that clear in the first few chapters. If you're writing from a first-person point of view and plan on switching between characters, aim for a maximum of two characters. It becomes clear that those two characters are an important part of the story; hence, they get the privilege to narrate the story from their respective views.

✧ Goals and objectives ✧

What is your protagonist after? Here's one thing you should know: your character doesn't have to know what they want at the beginning of the story. They may be as confused about their life as anyone reading, but as the story unfolds, they find a goal worth reaching and discover the needed strength to reach the goal.

✧ Antagonist ✧

What/Who is standing as a threat? A threat is hell-bent on ruining your protagonist and stopping them from achieving their goals. An antagonist could be an object or a human. It all depends on the concept you aim for. Funny enough, the antagonist could be a lie that starts out seemingly small but ends up being harmful. The rom-com movie "Upgraded" is an example of this concept. The lie the art enthusiast told was the greatest trouble she faced.

✧ Conflict ✧

What are the problems the protagonist faces? Problems can start from anywhere over anything, and you can choose to make them mild and solvable at first while building up to something larger.

✧ Resulting consequences ✧

What happens after the protagonist faces the trouble and tries to solve it? Did they lose anything? Hurt someone? Earn support from people they least expect?

✧ Character arc ✧

How has the journey shaped your protagonist? After going through something they probably never saw coming, how has it changed them? For a timid main character at the beginning of the story, do they finally become brave and display a different side of themselves?

All these are important for a well-rounded story as a whole.

Join the Writers' Universe and connect with like-minded writers.

➜ Secondary plot elements

These elements help you shape the above category.

● Setbacks

Let's use movies to illustrate this. There are certain points where we lose hope for the main character, almost convinced they've lost. We see them at their weakest points, hurt that the antagonist got them good. These moments are the setbacks. The protagonist is made vulnerable.

● Loss

What did the setback cost them? The reason I intentionally labeled this as loss is because to move a plot forward, some things need repairing. Since most loose ends were already from the beginning of the story, adding a fresh loss piques the reader's interest. It doesn't have to be the death of someone. It could be the brutal end of an alliance formed on an emotional scale.

● Break of a new dawn

I just wanted to get creative with the title. This point marks the pivotal change of events, and once again, there's hope for the protagonist as they find solutions to their problems. In this stage, they discover hidden abilities within themselves (this isn't limited to fantasy).

And there you have the important sections of plot progression. But keep these few things in mind. To ensure you're not leaving a huge gap in your plot, try to:

┗→ Introduce elements that work for your story:

It's common to believe something works well simply because it did in your favorite book. You might want to reconsider that with a different mindset.

┗→ Tie elements together:

Of course, this doesn't apply to all, but try to create a link between events in your story. If a fight occurred in a scene, link it to a cause in a few scenes ahead. This can lead to another conflict, this time on a larger scale, without having to introduce something entirely different.

And back to the question that birthed this post:

ᴥ Should conflict come early or not?

It depends on your work, but it can come early. That's not taboo.

There was a movie I watched featuring a female lawyer as the protagonist. The movie started with the kidnap of her only child, and the rest of the scenes drove us to the 'cause,’ then more conflicts, setbacks, and finally resolution. We were also able to explore the character’s personality based on the decisions she took in different emotional scenes.

She tried to keep her calm in some scenes while she just flat-out threw a tantrum in others, but overall, she was a strong woman who was broken by the incidents occurring and then rebuilt. I read a book with the same premise: the main character was a tween who misplaced something precious and decided to go on an adventure to search for it, and that was what the story was built upon.

I always tell writers one thing—own your book. The first draft seems to be the toughest one of its pair, but if you don't allow yourself to freely express your thoughts, there will be no first draft or story at all.

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Struggling with any stages of writing? Send me a message, and let's sort it out for a suitable fee.

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Do you want to create characters readers are compelled to start a fandom for?

Check out "My Characters and I" extensive coaching session. Understand the secret behind every attractive character. The slots are limited, and this opportunity closes once capacity is reached. Don't miss it; you never know when you’ll stumble upon these golden gates again.

[urfriendlywriter]

5 prompts a day !

(24 hours drabble challenge! Write a drabble within 24hrs (using any one or more prompts) and tag meeee I'll repost it in this account for 24 hrs!!)

a very silent night and they're back from home, utterly spent and tired and beeline straight for you. pulling u closer by ur waist and resting their forehead against yours as they barely whisper, "love me, [name]."

forbidden love when,

^ "We can't, [name]-" they cuts you off, lips crashing against yours in a fierce, desperate kiss full of love and longing.

they break the kiss, their forehead resting against yours. "I know," their voice is murmured, "I know we can't. I know it's complicated. I know it's crazy. But fuck, I've missed you."

they swallow hard, their throat bobbing. "If you tell me to stop. If you push me away again. I won't come back this time. I'll respect your boundaries, but I won't put myself through this torture again." (someone PLS. WRITE. AND GIVE ME. ANGST!!!)

[cataclysmic-writer]

Nothing beats writing antagonists with this vibe

[emilyzipps]

Reading a book now that in the same few paragraphs mentioned Siri, google maps, and another app all at once, and I was kind of overwhelmed by how specific that is—to Apple, to right now, etc. I got bogged down in wondering if that section would be legible in 15 years, like if Siri goes away or is renamed or no one uses Apple phones.

What are your thoughts on books including specific app or brand names, which might end up dating it (like all books with “twitter” in them are now Pre 2024 books)?

Aka, would you prefer to write/read “she set her google maps to give directions” or “she put the address in her gps.”

[deadghostgirl12345]

[thewordsarestuckinmyhead]

me doing anything else: omggg i just wanna write i could making so much progress on my WIP right nowww

me working on said WIP: scrolling on phone with laptop open on the same chapter it's been open on for days.