#need writing advice

[alnaperera]

I got a few friends to read my writing, and something that came up was the tonal inconsistency. They only read 3 chapters, but by their reactions, well, it doesn't quite fit what the story will become.

The problem is, I don't want to change this? Yes, there's characters dealing with complex trauma or politics in some chapters, and in some, they're complaining about boring work, resolving petty arguments, or rescuing random animals (or people. You could argue that MC was rescued the same way).

Should I be worried about this, or should I keep it its weird self? Or is there an answer in between these?

[sminny-wew]

Genuine question for any aromantic or asexual folks reading this (ESPECIALLY aro/ace writers)

Is there a way to write a horror story as an allegory for being aspec (like how I Saw The TV Glow is an allegory for being transgender) in a way that doesn't fully demonize attraction?

I'm really drawn to the concept of "zombie outbreak as a metaphor for limerence/lovesickness" and I want to write about how a girl who knows she's asexual and falls somewhere on the aro spectrum would navigate something like that. But as cool as that sounds, I can't help but feel like it lacks nuance. I know I don't need to cater to alloromantic or allosexual readers, but I'm still worried about my writing being misinterpreted as "attraction is bad".

Admittedly I don't have much experience with horror material. What I have read/seen tends to fall into supernatural and psychological territory (I've read Edgar Allan Poe, I love Gravity Falls and Over the Garden Wall, and currently I'm enjoying Welcome Home). The reason I want to write a horror story in the first place, despite my lack of familiarity with the genre, is because I think the fears and insecurities I feel as an asexual somewhere on the aro spectrum could be relatable to others; like even if the reader themself isn't aro or ace, maybe they could still relate to feeling pressured by society/culture over things like dating, marriage, virginity, etc.

Right now I suspect that the only way I can resolve this problem might be to write multiple stories on different aspects of being aro and/or ace, but I don't know if I have the bandwidth for that right now

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[loyal-house-of-lupin]

I wrote a fluff one shot for flufftober and now I feel like it isn't fluff enough 😭

[katha-angel]

Okay, "Hypothetical" question:

IF you had to write a bit to transition from an interview with two characters and a manager to another pair of characters seeing behind the curtain of the Dinocross Park, how would you do it?

[soap-lady]

Asking for Advice:

How do I get back my writing mojo? Suggestions?

[ejsuperstar]

Anyone got any advice for writing a low empathy character that doesn't fall into offensive stereotypes? More info on the character below cut.

I'm wanting to make an oc of mine, Dust, have low empathy without making him an irredeemable asshole (both cos that'd be bad representation and also because I think that'd be a bad character for him). He's probably going to be untrusting of Past Chip at first, and a bit of a jerk, but that's because the present version of Chip litterally harvested him for meat. You'd be untrusting as well.

The reason he's low empathy is because he's a clone of the present Chip, made when Chip was starting out genetically engineering his clones to be more "efficient", and that was one of his "efficiencies". (This will later expand to visible physical differences, but as of Dust's cloning is just slight pushes in behaviour) It's easier to send clones off to make their own cookie empire if they have less qualms about it after all.

Of course all of this can be changed if needed, but a lot of it is based in canon (like the MC of cookie clicker DOES canonically edit his clones to be more efficient, this is just an extrapolation of that (also yes these are my cookie clicker ocs if you aren't aware))

As well, Dust is probably the Chip variant with the strongest individual identity. Past and Present Chip are literally the same person, Chxp is a loyal clone sent to work in another Idleverse, and Miner Chip is also Chip, just a different Idleverse's version (I also don't talk about Miner Chip very often, he's for the idle game More Ore :3). While Dust is probably the only Chip variant who isn't defined by being Chip. He is Chip yes, but he's also Dust, unlike Present Chip he's a good person, he resists against the capitalistic dictatorship the Present Chip has over the universe, he looks the most different from the other variants because he is his own person.

I have the broad strokes of a personality that I want to write for him down, but its the nuances l need help with.

[ellierenae]

write unpublishable things. it's good for you.

[fleshcatalyst]

Do you need to fully plan out a story before you start writing it. Like should i have an ending to work towards when i start something?

[specialagentartemis]

“Be curious about what you’re writing about” is not stock Common Writing Advice but it really, really should be. There are a lot of written works that fail due to the authors just being obviously incurious about what they are writing about.

[demonanastasi]

Ship ponderings in my Sindemon comic revamp

For a wee bit, I have been wondering if I should make Satan and Leviathan a couple in the revamp of my comic. They're the only Sindemons who aren't aromantic, and I envision a convo (after Asmodeus's rejection of Leviathan's romantic feelings iirc) between them of Leviathan venting about the strength of their romantic love and the equal pain of its nonreciprocation, crying their eyeballs out, and Satan empathizing because he has felt the same before. A bonding thing between them that could lay foundations for these feelings to develop between them. My concept is that Satan is homosexual, but possibly panromantic -- Leviathan is genderfluid and therefore not always male. Maybe they could be more invested in each other as romantic partners than sexual partners; plus I've heard that romantic connections to individuals can cause the individual to be an exception to one's orientation. Romance ain't my forte so it will take much pondering and second opinions.

Sweet pictures of Satan (left) and Leviathan (right) below, note that Leviathan is dressed up in a captain costume for the story this dialoguebit is for.

[neon-crow]

How did yall dip your toes into writing?

I wanna try and get into doing writing, fanficts, poems and the like. But ive no idea how to start cuz its been ages sense I last did any sort of creative writing of any kind. Im open to any kind of suggestions or thoughts cuz I freeze when I try to even being to type ANYTHING up ;w;

Also what tools do yall use so I can kinda get an idea at what im looking at?

[letthemusicmoveyou28]

This is a question for fic writers (or honestly anyone who wants to indulge me lol).

I always feel like I HAVE to write my stories in order start to finish or it won’t work. But often I find myself getting hung up on one specific part even if I know where I want the rest of the story to go.

Does anyone have any tips to get my brain to stop doing that??

Thanks in advance!! 🙏🏻

[worldweaverofmediocrity]

Heroes Rewrite progress:I need help.

So I decicded to rewrite chapters 10-14 of this story: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29716569?view_full_work=true

because i did not have enough detailing, but i got stuck on making the chimera boss actually threatening, specifically a loop of the veterans attacking and the chimera dodging.

completed bit of the rewrite below:

An: what’s this, what’s this? Subchapters everywhere! pre(insert post rewrite day here) this and the 2 or 3 subchapters were one big chapter that ended the chimera fight when Kazuma blew its back out which went into Ainz unlocking his spells into Subaru dealing with the KIC. As you can see, I have expanded this. So that’s why the comments are all off from this point onwards.

All prompted by a comment chain on ch14 (the one I numbered). That and a partial reread of early canon, inclusion. I forgot to do several essential things (such as giving them portal weapons from the hourglass sand/giving chimera weapons out) and I've decided to enter rewrite hell for that. This subchapter is dedicated to making the chimera feel dangerous. As it’s due for being part of a world ending calamity.

===

Last time on Isekai Heroes:

Ainz walked up to the corpse and touched it, his left index finger sank up to his first knuckle/finger joint, the corpse felt insanely fluffy even to Ainz’s reduced sense of touch. Alas, the corpse shattered into blue glitter. 

“What?” Ainz asked as he leapt back.

Just in the nick of time as well, for the Chimera reappeared mid swipe and bite from all three heads on his former position. All wounds healed save for the Ram Head’s left horn. Which was reforming out of blue glitter.

“OH COME ON!” Kazuma yelled.

Tanya snapped back into action, pushing herself to cut off the other horn before its revival or heal could trigger. The chimera however blurred out of sight. and spewed another poison cloud.

Today’s Chapter:

Tanya compressed/twisted her spine as she twirled to a halt right before the poison cloud. Tanya held up her arms and a green spherical barrier formed around the poison cloud, which swiftly compressed itself into a small marble.

“Hm?” Tanya narrowed her eyes.

The insides of her calculator-based barrier were dissolving under the touch of the poison. Tanya’s eyes followed an unseen bouncing ball as she mentally scrambled to reinforce her calculations.

“[Shooting Star Bow]!” Kazuma called out.

Past a hill stood the Chimera, the Viper’s tail shook off scales which radiated blue glitter and transformed into several giant wasps. A yellow-white arrow reached its arch’s zenith and shattered into dozens of copies. The newly formed wasps disintegrated under Kazuma’s wrath but the Chimera’s Lion head spat out an explosive fireball to push its body out of the way. The viper molted and its shed skin transformed into several serpents.

“Triplet Maximize Boosted Magic: Reality Slash!” Ainz clawed at the air and towards the Chimera’s current position.

Alas the translucent blades of raw Space failed to materialize, thus Ainz growled as he twirled to slice his Sword at the Chimera. His blade coated with water that detached itself and soared through the air, bisecting zombies, locusts, and wasps before it was vaporized into steam by the Lion’s head.

“I still find it ridiculous that I have to do those chants to get the full power of spells.” Ainz thought as he sent another chantless-Aqua Slash towards the Chimera.

Tanya meanwhile had lined up the bubble of poison with the Chimera and minions position. Green circles appeared around her arm, mana converted to electricity, and the decaying orb passed through the pseudo-railgun. The orb hit the Lion’s head right in the snout and billowed outwards, covering the chimera and it’s minions in purple smoke. One of the prior-casted fire-type spells deto-harmlessly slipped through the smoke and impacted the Chimera inside.

Though the updraft from the fire did push the cloud above the combat area.

“Of course we can’t do a fuel-air bomb with the poison!” Kazuma shouted at Tanya. “If we could, then the Chimera would have used it against us!”

Tanya blushed as she sent a [Chaos Javelin] towards the Chimera, the initial gold spear of energy broke into dozens of smaller copies at the top of its projectile arc, shattering against the Chimera’s pelt.

[2soulscollide]

free resources to write a novel in 2024

hello hello! it's me, rach!

as the new year approaches, many of us set goals and resolutions - myself included. one of my goals for 2024 is to write a novel (I've been procrastinating on this for quite a long time now). i assume that some of you might have the same goal, that's why I'm writing this post today.

over 2023 i've been releasing some freebies for authors just like me, so I thought I could compile my favorites in this post. hope you find this useful :)

1) the writer's workbook

this workbook has over 60 exercises to help you develop characters, scenarios, etc. if you're ever stuck, I'm pretty sure this workbook will be your best friend.

2) author's corner (notion template)

this is the most downloaded freebie in my shop! it is a notion dashboard with everything you need to organize your writing and has some templates included (like scrivener)!!

3) another notion template

this one has two themes you can choose from: cottage-core and dark academia. they're very similar to the previous template, but this one is more recent and I added some new features. feel free to explore both and pick the one you like the most.

4) the author's journal

this is a cute printable with 20 pages that will help you stay on track and manage your social media accounts as a writer who shares their work online. you can also register what you're currently writing and your personal research and resources.

5) plan your book printable

this is a 6-page printable for you to fill out and plan your book easily and effectively.

6) excel sheet to organize tasks & word-count

this is a simple excel sheet, but it is very effective for keeping track of your tasks & word-count of your novels. also, it is 100% customizable to your liking!

that's all for now! feel free to explore my gumroad shop where I have plenty of freebies to grab! also, don't forget to subscribe so that you never miss any opportunity to get a goodie for free :)

hope this post was useful!

have a nice day,

rach

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Resources PDFs

As requested: https://www.writersarchive.com/

The documents contain sensitive themes and topics (e.g., related to death).

Some notes are from my old files, which may include outdated information. Others were made in response to a request. I also included a few references that are still in my queue & drafts.

Choose which tips & notes are most appropriate for your own writing. Some are just quick references. Thus, more research may be needed for your written work.

Updates may be made in irregular intervals for added material and/or corrections.

All PDFs are free. You can pay what you want/can here. There's a very small fee to keep the site up. But please don't feel obligated to, especially if you're in a rough patch at the moment—been there (+ it is the holiday season after all, which I know can be a tough time). Writing has always been a safe space for me, so if these references help you as well, that would be more than enough for me.

Thank you to everyone who had been so encouraging about this little project.

And thank you especially to @beforeyearning for creating the site ily (please follow his blog, he's a very talented writer).

[afrogirl3005]

Hey Y'all, I'm just letting you guys know that I'm taking requests now so if you have any thing y'all want me to write lmk because I have huge writers block.