#Writing Reference
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Word List: Psychology
more psychological concepts as reference for your poem/story
Absent grief - a form of complicated grief in which a person shows no, or only a few, signs of distress about the death of a loved one. This pattern of grief is thought to be an impaired response resulting from denial or avoidance of the emotional realities of the loss.
Being love - (or B-love) in Abraham Maslow’s humanistic psychology, a form of love characterized by mutuality, genuine concern for another’s welfare and pleasure, and reduced dependency, selfishness, and jealousy. B-love is one of the qualities Maslow ascribes to self-actualizers.
Cyclopean eye - a theoretical eye, located on the midline between the real eyes, that has access to the functions of both eyes and is used in descriptions of space perception and eye movements.
Dream ego - in the analytic psychology of Carl Jung, a fragment of the conscious ego that is active during the dream state.
Epiphany - a sudden perception of the essential nature of oneself, others, or reality.
Family mythology - the shared stories, norms, and beliefs within a family system. The mythology can be used to deny trauma or pathology within the family or to ascribe meaning to events in ways that suggest their inevitability or importance.
Guilt culture - a trend or organizing principle in a society characterized by the use of guilt to promote socially acceptable behavior. Guilt cultures emphasize both self-control in the face of temptation and self-initiated responsibility for one’s actions if transgressions should occur.
Hedonic treadmill - a metaphor for a hypothesis proposing that people’s happiness tends to return to a preexisting baseline level after positive or negative life events have occurred. According to this concept, positive and negative events may produce short-term shifts in mood, but these shifts tend to erode in a relatively brief period of time. This process of adaptation is thought to be responsible for the persistence of mood states over time, often in the face of considerable efforts to change them. Although there is good evidence for this hypothesis, research has demonstrated that people do not always return to baseline after the occurrence of mood-changing events.
Jactitation - (or jactation) extreme restlessness marked by frequent movements and tossing about.
Leaving the field - the act of removing oneself from a situation when confronted with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, insoluble conflicts, or intensely frustrating problems. It may involve physical withdrawal, escape into psychogenic illness, or some other behavior, such as distraction or changing the subject during a conversation.
Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Part 1 2 3 ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs
#writing notes#psychology#character development#writeblr#dark academia#spilled ink#literature#writers on tumblr#writing reference#writing prompt#poets on tumblr#poetry#creative writing#novel#lit#light academia#writing ideas#writing inspiration#character building#federico zandomeneghi#writing resources
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So pretty@
pingbaying坪坝营, enshi恩施, hubei province in china
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Cheaper than Nyquil (My Favorite Generic OTC Med Combinations that Wont Kill You)
***The following are for educational purposes only and assume that you can take all the listed medications. If you are allergic or have otherwise been told you can't take a medication, don't take it. Also, if you don't know WHY you are having a certain symptom, especially if it keeps happening, see a doctor.***
The drugs listed are all available in the United States and are listed with their generic names. Brand names are available below the cut for reference
Acetaminophen + Ibuprofen (moderate/severe pain/fever)
Acetaminophen + Naproxen (moderate/severe pain/fever)
Acetaminophen + Aspirin + Caffeine (migraine/headache)
Acetaminophen + Diphenhydramine + Pseudoephedrine + Guaifenesin (nighttime sinus pain/cold/flu)
Acetaminophen + Fexofenadine + Pseudoephedrine + Guaifenesin (daytime sinus pain/cold/flu)
Diphenhydramine + Phosphoric Acid + SMELL of Isopropyl Alcohol (nausea)
Diphenhydramine + Bismuth Subsalicylate + SMELL of Isopropyl Alcohol (nausea)
Dimenhydrinate + SMELL of Isopropyl Alcohol (motion sickness)
Fexofenadine (oral) + Hydrocortisone cream (topical) (itching)
Loperamide + Bismuth Subsalycilate (diarrhea)
Omeprazole + Famotidine (severe heartburn/indigestion)
Polyethylene Glycol 3350 + Senna (constipation)
Acetaminophen = Tylenol
Ibuprofen = Motrin, Advil
Naproxen = Aleve, Naprosyn
Diphenhydramine = Benadryl
Pseudoephedrine = Sudafed
Guaifenesin = Mucinex
Fexofenadine = Allegra
Phosphoric Acid = Emetrol
Dimehydrinate = Gravol, Dramamine
Loperamide = Imodium
Bismuth Subsalicylate = Pepto-Bismol
Omeprazole = Prilosec
Famotidine = Pepcid, Zantac
Polyethylene Glycol = Miralax
#writing reference#medicine#OTC#sickness#cold#flu#motion sickness#migraine#headache#pain#fever#constipation#diarrhea#heartburn
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Headcannon: Rooks worn and dingy weapons and armor are more likely from a year worth of use but also a disguise so the people that wanted them hurt from their perspective factions couldn’t easily find them.
Nothing says “Hey I’m right here!” Like wearing your factions color while Tevinter Magisters, Nevaran Nobels and Crow Talons are out for your blood.
#dragon age#dragon age veilguard#writing reference#dragon age the veilguard#my rook#rook mercar#rook de riva#datv rook#dragon age rook#rook#rook ingellvar
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By LabradoriteKing on Pinterest
#Tutorials & References#Gemstones#Jewels#Art Reference#Writing Reference#Gemstones Reference#If the original marker wants me to take this down I will
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Yes yes thenk you
When your Character...
Gets into: A Fight ⚜ ...Another Fight ⚜ ...Yet Another Fight
Hates Someone ⚜ Kisses Someone ⚜ Falls in Love
Calls Someone they Love ⚜ Dies / Cheats Death ⚜ Drowns
is...
A Child ⚜ Interacting with a Baby/Child ⚜ A Genius ⚜ A Lawyer
Beautiful ⚜ Dangerous ⚜ Drunk ⚜ Injured ⚜ Shy
needs...
A Magical Item ⚜ An Aphrodisiac ⚜ A Fictional Poison
To be Killed Off ⚜ To Become Likable ⚜ To Clean a Wound
To Find the Right Word, but Can't ⚜ To Say No ⚜ A Drink
loves...
Astronomy ⚜ Baking ⚜ Cooking ⚜ Cocktails ⚜ Food ⚜ Oils
Dancing ⚜ Fashion ⚜ Gems ⚜ Mythology ⚜ Numbers
Roses ⚜ Sweets ⚜ To Fight ⚜ Wine ⚜ Wine-Tasting ⚜ Yoga
has/experiences...
Allergies ⚜ Amnesia ⚜ Bereavement ⚜ Bites & Stings ⚜ Bruises
Caffeine ⚜ CO Poisoning ⚜ Color Blindness ⚜ Food Poisoning
Injuries ⚜ Jet Lag ⚜ Mutism ⚜ Pain ⚜ Poisoning
More Pain & Violence ⚜ Viruses ⚜ Wounds
[these are just quick references. more research may be needed to write your story...]
Writing Resources PDFs
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a list of 100+ buildings to put in your fantasy town
academy
adventurer's guild
alchemist
apiary
apothecary
aquarium
armory
art gallery
bakery
bank
barber
barracks
bathhouse
blacksmith
boathouse
book store
bookbinder
botanical garden
brothel
butcher
carpenter
cartographer
casino
castle
cobbler
coffee shop
council chamber
court house
crypt for the noble family
dentist
distillery
docks
dovecot
dyer
embassy
farmer's market
fighting pit
fishmonger
fortune teller
gallows
gatehouse
general store
graveyard
greenhouses
guard post
guildhall
gymnasium
haberdashery
haunted house
hedge maze
herbalist
hospice
hospital
house for sale
inn
jail
jeweller
kindergarten
leatherworker
library
locksmith
mail courier
manor house
market
mayor's house
monastery
morgue
museum
music shop
observatory
orchard
orphanage
outhouse
paper maker
pawnshop
pet shop
potion shop
potter
printmaker
quest board
residence
restricted zone
sawmill
school
scribe
sewer entrance
sheriff's office
shrine
silversmith
spa
speakeasy
spice merchant
sports stadium
stables
street market
tailor
tannery
tavern
tax collector
tea house
temple
textile shop
theatre
thieves guild
thrift store
tinker's workshop
town crier post
town square
townhall
toy store
trinket shop
warehouse
watchtower
water mill
weaver
well
windmill
wishing well
wizard tower
#worldbuilding#setting prompts#writer resources#writing inspiration#writing prompts#scene settings#writing reference#writing ideas#prompt list#creative writing#writing community#writer prompts#writing tips#world#fantasy world#fantasy worldbuilding#high fantasy#world building#epic fantasy#writing fantasy
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Re-sharing this post I found on Twitter for people looking for alternatives to NaNo. I haven't tried any of these sites but they might be worth looking into.
#nanowrimo#national novel writing month#writeblr#don't know what else to tag this as lol#text post#writing reference#writing tag
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Other Words for "Look" + With meanings | List for writers
Many people create lists of synonyms for the word 'said,' but what about the word 'look'? Here are some synonyms that I enjoy using in my writing, along with their meanings for your reference. While all these words relate to 'look,' they each carry distinct meanings and nuances, so I thought it would be helpful to provide meanings for each one.
Gaze - To look steadily and intently, especially in admiration or thought.
Glance - A brief or hurried look.
Peek - A quick and typically secretive look.
Peer - To look with difficulty or concentration.
Scan - To look over quickly but thoroughly.
Observe - To watch carefully and attentively.
Inspect - To look at closely in order to assess condition or quality.
Stare - To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something.
Glimpse - To see or perceive briefly or partially.
Eye - To look or stare at intently.
Peruse - To read or examine something with great care.
Scrutinize - To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.
Behold - To see or observe a thing or person, especially a remarkable one.
Witness - To see something happen, typically a significant event.
Spot - To see, notice, or recognize someone or something.
Contemplate - To look thoughtfully for a long time at.
Sight - To suddenly or unexpectedly see something or someone.
Ogle - To stare at in a lecherous manner.
Leer - To look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious way.
Gawk - To stare openly and stupidly.
Gape - To stare with one's mouth open wide, in amazement.
Squint - To look with eyes partially closed.
Regard - To consider or think of in a specified way.
Admire - To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.
Skim - To look through quickly to gain superficial knowledge.
Reconnoiter - To make a military observation of a region.
Flick - To look or move the eyes quickly.
Rake - To look through something rapidly and unsystematically.
Glare - To look angrily or fiercely.
Peep - To look quickly and secretly through an opening.
Focus - To concentrate one's visual effort on.
Discover - To find or realize something not clear before.
Spot-check - To examine something briefly or at random.
Devour - To look over with eager enthusiasm.
Examine - To inspect in detail to determine condition.
Feast one's eyes - To look at something with great enjoyment.
Catch sight of - To suddenly or unexpectedly see.
Clap eyes on - To suddenly see someone or something.
Set eyes on - To look at, especially for the first time.
Take a dekko - Colloquial for taking a look.
Leer at - To look or gaze in a suggestive manner.
Rubberneck - To stare at something in a foolish way.
Make out - To manage to see or read with difficulty.
Lay eyes on - To see or look at.
Pore over - To look at or read something intently.
Ogle at - To look at in a lecherous or predatory way.
Pry - To look or inquire into something in a determined manner.
Dart - To look quickly or furtively.
Drink in - To look at with great enjoyment or fascination.
Bask in - To look at or enjoy something for a period of time.
#on writing#creative writing#writing#writing tips#writers block#how to write#thewriteadviceforwriters#writeblr#writers and poets#writers on tumblr#novel writing#fiction writing#romance writing#writing advice#writing blog#writing characters#writing community#writing help#writing ideas#writing inspiration#writing guide#writing prompts#writing a book#writing resources#writing reference#writing tips and tricks#writers#writing tools#writing life#writing software
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adding more information/nuance:
when you pressed the fast forward button, it would typically stay depressed & keep fast forwarding indefinitely until it got to the end of (that side of) the tape or you pressed the play button to resume.
there actually were some cassette players/decks (players were sometimes called “cassette decks” or just “decks”), on the nicer end, that could “skip”; the skip feature just didn’t work like CDs or modern devices where you press the button & it started playing the next song immediately. it was simply an automated version of the manual fast forwarding described above that would stop at the end of a song. you would still have to wait for it to fast forward, though.
tapes had two sides; you’d listen to half an album on the A side, then you’d have to physically take out the cassette, flip it around, and play the B side (kinda like with a vinyl). nicer players/decks sometimes had an option where it would flip the thing that reads the cassette inside the deck so you didn’t have to take the tape out. the older, cheaper, & portable ones typically wouldn’t have this feature.
a single audio cassette could only hold so much audio. 60 minutes (30m each side) was technically the standard, but they could sometimes reach 150m (or 2 hours 30m; 75m each side) at the high end.
audiobooks on cassette, called “books on tape”, would typically require multiple cassettes to fit an entire book due to this size limitation. each cassette would come with an audio message at the end telling you you’d reached the end if the tape but not the book, and informing you which cassette to put in next. audiobooks often come packaged in big, hardback novel, book-sized cases with multiple slots (or more rarely, in even larger cases, bigger than a textbook. most of the ones I saw like that though were like… seminar recordings?)
“tape” technically referred to the (typically translucent gray) magnetic strip that was spooled up inside the plastic cassette, but we commonly referred to the whole cassette as “a tape”. this is true of any medium that used tape: audio cassettes, VHS, camcorder micro-cassettes, etc.
it was also common for the actual tape inside cassettes (which was very delicate) to come loose & spill out of the cassette. if you weren’t incredibly careful, this could be very bad and lead to permanent damage to the audio. you’d have to stick something like your finger (if it was small enough) or a pencil in one of the wheels on the side of the cassette and turn it to tighten the tape and make it go back inside.
Younger writers. Please, just know that you could not skip to different songs on a cassette tape, that’s CDs. With tapes you pressed fast forward or rewind and prayed.
Also, VHS tapes did not have menu screens. Your only options were play, fast forward, rewind, pause, stop, or eject.
Y’all are making me feel like the crypt keeper here, I’m begging you 😭
#cassette#cassettes#audio cassette#retro#old media#vintage#retro media#writing#writing reference#writing resources#reference
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Words You Always Have to Look Up
Nonplussed
Means “perplexed.”
But there is a further point of confusion that can send someone to the dictionary: since the mid-20th century, nonplussed has been increasingly used to mean “unimpressed” or “unsurprised,” and this use, though often considered an error, has made the confident deployment of this word a fraught issue for many.
Anodyne
Sometimes words sort of seem to telegraph their meaning: pernicious sounds like a bad thing rather than a good thing, and beatific sounds like something to be desired as opposed to something to be avoided.
This is all fairly subjective, of course, but the sounds of words can have an effect on how we perceive them.
Anodyne doesn’t give us many clues in that way. It turns out that anodyne is a good thing: it means “serving to alleviate pain” or “innocuous,” from the Greek word with similar meanings.
Supercilious
Used to describe people who are arrogant and haughty or give off a superior attitude.
It comes from the Latin word meaning “eyebrow,” and was used in Latin to refer to the expression of arrogant people, and this meaning was transferred to English.
Amusingly, the word supercilious was added to some dictionaries in the 1600s—a time when many Latin words were translated literally into English—with the meanings “pertaining to the eyebrows” or “having great eyebrows.”
Stochastic
In scientific and technical uses, it usually means “involving probability” or “determined by probability,” and is frequently paired with words like demand, model, processing, and volatility.
Comes from the Greek word meaning “skillful at aiming,” which had become a metaphor for “guessing.”
It’s a term that had long been used by mathematicians and statisticians, and has come into more public discourse with stochastic terrorism, the notion that accusations or condemnations of a person or group can lead to violence against that person or group. This allows those who make the initial accusations to seem innocent from any specific violent act, but stochastic terrorism is a way to identify the motives for such an attack as being set in motion by the words of another person.
Anathema
Means “something or someone that is strongly disliked”.
Initially used to refer to a person who had been excommunicated from the Catholic church.
Came from Greek through Latin into English with the meaning of “curse” or “thing devoted to evil,” but today refers to anything that is disapproved of or to be avoided.
There is a strangeness about the way this word is used in a sentence. Because anathema is usually used without an or the, as in “raincoats are anathema to high fashion” or “those ideas are anathema in this class” it may seem just odd enough to send people to the dictionary when they encounter it.
Bemused
So close in sound to amused that they have blended together in usage, but they started as very different ideas: bemused originally meant “confused” or “bewildered,” a meaning stemming from the idea of musing or thinking carefully about something, which may be required in order to assess what isn’t easy to understand.
Many people insist that “confused” is still the only correct way to use bemused, but the joining of meanings with amused has resulted in the frequent use of this word to mean “showing wry or tolerant amusement,” a shade of meaning created from the combination.
Words with meanings that seem to crisscross or intersect are sure to send us to the dictionary.
Solipsistic
Means “extremely egocentric” or “self-referential.”
Comes from the Latin roots solus ("alone," the root of sole) and ipse ("self").
As this Latinate fanciness implies, this is a word used in philosophical treatises and debates.
The egocentrism of solipsism has to do with the knowledge of the self, or more particularly the theory in philosophy that your own existence is the only thing that is real or that can be known.
Calling an idea or a person solipsistic can be an insult that identifies a very limited and usually self-serving perspective, or it can be a way to isolate one’s perspective in a useful way.
It’s a word with an abstract meaning, which is a good reason to check that meaning from time to time.
Tautology
A needless or meaningless repetition of words or ideas.
It’s a word about words that can be used in academic writing or as a hifalutin way of saying “redundancy,” as in “a beginner who just started learning.”
Since we value both clarity and originality, especially in writing, tautology is a word that usually carries a negative connotation and is used as a way to criticize a poorly formed sentence or a poorly argued position.
Perspicacious
The ability to see clearly is a powerful metaphor for being able to understand something.
Being perspicacious means having an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious, and it comes from the Latin verb meaning “to see through.”
Means “perceptive,” and is often used along with words that have positive connotations like witty, clever, wise, alert, and insightful (another word that uses seeing as a metaphor for understanding).
Peripatetic
Means “going from place to place,” and comes from the Greek word that means “to walk.”
You can say someone who moves frequently has a “peripatetic existence,” or someone who has changed careers several times has had a “peripatetic professional trajectory.”
The root word “to walk” is usually more of a metaphor in the modern use of this word—it means frequent changes of place, yes, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are wearing out your shoes.
The original use of this word did use “walking” as a more literal image, however: it was a description of the way that the philosopher Aristotle preferred to give lectures to his students while walking back and forth, and the word has subsequently taken on a more metaphorical meaning.
Source ⚜ More: Writing Basics ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs
#grammar#langblr#writeblr#studyblr#linguistics#dark academia#vocabulary#light academia#writing prompt#literature#poetry#writers on tumblr#poets on tumblr#writing reference#spilled ink#creative writing#fiction#novel#words#writing resources
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Writing Worksheets & Templates
will update this every few weeks/months. alternatively, here are all my tagged Writing Worksheets & Templates
Chapter Outline ⚜ Character- or Plot-Driven Story
Death & Sacrifice ⚜ Magic & Rituals ⚜ Plot-Planning
Editing: Sentence Check ⚜ Writing Your Novel: 20 Questions
Tension ⚜ Thought Distortions ⚜ What's at Stake
Character Development
50 Questions ⚜ Backstory ⚜ Character Creation
Antagonist; Villain; Fighting ⚜ Protagonist & Antagonist
Character: Change; Adding Action; Conflict
Character: Creator; Name; Quirks; Flaws; Motivation
Character Profile (by Rick Riordan) ⚜ Character Sheet Template
Character Sketch & Bible ⚜ Interview your Character
Story-Worthy Hero ⚜ "Well-Rounded" Character Worksheet
Worldbuilding
20 Questions ⚜ Decisions & Categories ⚜ Worksheet
Setting ⚜ Dystopian World ⚜ Magic System (AALC Method)
Templates: Geography; World History; City; Fictional Plant
References: Worldbuilding ⚜ Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs
all posts are queued. send questions/requests here.
#writing tips#writeblr#dark academia#spilled ink#writers on tumblr#fiction#creative writing#character development#character building#original character#character design#booklr#writing prompts#novel#worldbuilding#writing inspiration#writing ideas#bookblr#writing reference#writing prompt#writing resources
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Writing Notes & References
Alchemy ⚜ Antidote to Anxiety ⚜ Attachment ⚜ Autopsy
Art: Elements ⚜ Principles ⚜ Photographs ⚜ Watercolour
Bruises ⚜ Caffeine ⚜ Color Blindness ⚜ Cruise Ships
Children ⚜ Children's Dialogue ⚜ Childhood Bilingualism
Dangerousness ⚜ Drowning ⚜ Dystopia ⚜ Dystopian World
Culture ⚜ Culture Shock ⚜ Ethnocentrism & Cultural Relativism
Emotions: Anger ⚜ Fear ⚜ Happiness ⚜ Sadness
Emotional Intelligence ⚜ Genius (Giftedness) ⚜ Quirks
Facial Expressions ⚜ Laughter & Humour ⚜ Swearing & Taboo
Fantasy Creatures ⚜ Fantasy World Building
Generations ⚜ Literary & Character Tropes
Fight Scenes ⚜ Kill Adverbs
Food: Cooking Basics ⚜ Herbs & Spices ⚜ Sauces ⚜ Wine-tasting ⚜ Aphrodisiacs ⚜ List of Aphrodisiacs ⚜ Food History ⚜ Cocktails ⚜ Literary & Hollywood Cocktails ⚜ Liqueurs
Genre: Crime ⚜ Horror ⚜ Fantasy ⚜ Speculative Biology
Hate ⚜ Love ⚜ Kinds of Love ⚜ The Physiology of Love
How to Write: Food ⚜ Colours ⚜ Drunkenness
Jargon ⚜ Logical Fallacies ⚜ Memory ⚜ Memoir
Magic: Magic System ⚜ 10 Uncommon ⚜ How to Choose
Moon: Part 1 2 ⚜ Related Words
Mystical Items & Objects ⚜ Talisman ⚜ Relics ⚜ Poison
Pain ⚜ Pain & Violence ⚜ Poison Ivy & Poison Oak
Realistic Injuries 1 2 ⚜ Rejection ⚜ Structural Issues ⚜ Villains
Symbolism: Colors ⚜ Food ⚜ Numbers ⚜ Storms
Thinking ⚜ Thinking Styles ⚜ Thought Distortions
Terms of Endearment ⚜ Ways of Saying "No" ⚜ Yoga
Compilations: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding ⚜ For Poets ⚜ Tips & Advice
all posts are queued. will update this every few weeks/months. send questions or requests here ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs
#writing reference#writing inspiration#writeblr#dark academia#spilled ink#literature#writers on tumblr#poets on tumblr#light academia#lit#poetry#writing notes#fiction#novel#booklr#creative writing#writing prompts#writing ideas#worldbuilding#character design#plot#writing resources
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This genuinely helped me complete my essays more quickly. (❁´◡`❁)
some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, “what’s the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?” and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is “unofficial”, and we know that’s not the right word, but it’s the only word we can come up with…until finally it’s like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is “artificial”.
#essay#assignment writing#assignment help#words#OneLook#thesaurus#dictionary#writing resources#writing reference#writing life#words words words#writers on tumblr#writing#writerscommunity#on writing
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hey writers we have to talk.
if you've read any romance or fanfic in the past twenty years (i know you have), you know that there are a certain number of scents associated with hot dudes. you can probably recite the list of Things Men in Fic smell like in your sleep: leather, black pepper, pine, sandalwood, "something uniquely him", clean sweat, and if the character has ever fucking been within 50 yards of a firearm, something called "cordite".
here's the thing.
NO ONE SMELLS LIKE CORDITE.
cordite was a highly specific type of smokeless gunpowder developed in the 1890s by england specifically and used mostly in wwi.
if your good-smelling guy is not (a) english (b) using a very specific type of british rifle (c) dying in a trench in flanders, he does not smell like cordite. technically even if he does meet all those conditions he still doesn't smell like cordite because he smells like trenchfoot.
the point is, cordite is so far from universal that no one but the most hardcore gun nerds give a single shit about it. making your Sexy Hero smell like cordite is like naming a cassette-only bootleg live recording from the 1970s as your favorite grateful dead album. everyone at the party hates you immediately and knows you're doing it for clout. also, it's just factually... wrong. please stop. i know everyone else is doing it, but you can do the right thing here, i believe in you.
so what do people who are using guns smell like?
well if your story is set before the late 1880s, the smell of a fired gun is black powder, which, unfortunately, smells like seventeen flatulent cows have been shoved in a tire factory. trust me, you do not want your Hot Dude to smell like black powder. it's b a d.
if your story is set after the late 1880s, guns are using some variety of modern 'smokeless' powder - which speaking broadly doesn't really have a ton of scent when used. it does have some, but it's sort of non-descript: the best way i can describe it is the sweet, ozone, hot-plate smell of popping your car hood with a warm engine.
people who use guns a lot don't smell like fired guns all the time anyway, so while those scents might work in a fight scene, they're not realistic all the time. but there are some things that your Sexy Shootist will smell like basically 24/7 and that's metal and gun oil. metal you can go and sniff (i recommend non-stainless steel), but if you want a reference, most gun oils have a sharp, organic smell that's not dissimilar to canola oil but muskier and with a tang overtop. it's not unlikely leather is in the mix as well due to routine handling of leather equipment and gear. modern gear also tends to have a certain smell although it varies by production country and storage conditions - lots of opportunities there.
in conclusion: gunslingers and hired killers and military folks can be sexy and smell great on page, but i am begging you not to say "cordite" when you mean "gunpowder" ever again. we can do this. we are writers and therefore pedants. i believe in us!
#i will kiss the first romance writer who makes their MMC smell like cosmoline on the mouth#(actually don't cosmoline smells fucking awful)#firearms#romance novels#fanfic#meta#writing reference#also if anyone has a hypothesis about WHY cordite took off i would love to hear it#historical firearms#nb4 the gun nerds show up yes this post does contain sweeping generalizations about the history of gunpowder
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Just read a perfectly fine fanfiction that took place in Germany but something that stood out to me was a chapter where the characters walk across a field and is approached by the farmer yelling at them to get off his land.
I’ve come across this plot point a few times and I feel like it’s worth telling writers that most of Europe has some version of Right To Roam. The laws aren’t the same in every country but generally you’re allowed to walk and rest on private property like fields and forests so long as you don’t destroy crops or leave trash, but not gardens or fenced in areas. Depending on the country you also have the right to pick mushrooms, berries, nuts and other edible things in forests but without chopping trees down or breaking branches. The owner of the land might put up a sign asking you to follow certain guidelines like no horses or keeping your dog on a leash but but there’s no real repercussions to not following the rules besides the owner eventually fencing the area off so people can’t enjoy it anymore.
I’ve personally walked around on a field while the farmer was harvesting potatoes with his big ass machine and collected the leftovers while my dog was trotting calmly besides me and he looked straight at me and didn’t care one bit because Denmark also has an old tradition of letting people collect what’s left as a form of charity (for my fellow Danes, that’s what “rev vi marken let, det er gammel ret, fuglen og den fattige skal også være mæt” means in the song Marken Er Mejet) This is just a tradition and not a law however so it depends on the farmer.
The very north of Europe like Norway and Sweden even give people the right to put up tents and camp on other people’s private land (except gardens and such). Again, the laws vary from country to country but as a rule of thumb you have more right to roam the further north you go and less the further south but if you want to write in a specific country look up the laws there.
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