#q&a with betts

[books]

Hi! So, I’ve struggled A LOT with this in the past, and I was just wondering what a good way to outline a book was? I understand that there are many different ways to do it, and that it’s different for each person, but it’s hard to find good examples online on the different methods.

When we talk about outlining, we're often talking about structure, even though I think the best outlining also offers some connective tissue between the events of the story and the motivations and consequences of those events. My personal favorite outlining method is what I call a narrative outline, which is kind of like a reverse synopsis. In a narrative outline, you pretend you're explaining your story to someone very invested in it, who wants to know all about it. It's in paragraph form and written in your voice. It can be casual and incomplete. You can fill in the gaps with things like [FIGURE THIS OUT LATER]. Then you can take each paragraph you've written and make it into a chapter.

Sometimes, though, I don't even know enough about what I'm working on to do a narrative outline, and that's when I break out the tried and true four-part structure. This structure has served me well for many years, and even if it doesn't work for you, it's at least a place to start. Long-form stories generally have four major parts: exposition, rising action, climax, and denouement. I like to think of them as buckets in which I toss various scene ideas. The scene where characters A and B meet probably goes in exposition, which is the part concerned with establishing context and leading to an inciting incident. My characters getting to know one another would fall into the rising action bucket. Rising action involves raising stakes and escalating the tension. Then, the climax. This is when the rising action culminates into a major breaking point. Maybe my characters have a fight and break up. And lastly, my denouement, the action that falls in the aftermath of the climax. Here's where my characters, after some time apart, reunite.

Generally speaking, the halfway point of a story parallels the ending. If your halfway point is a major success of some kind, you likely will also have a happy ending. If your halfway point is a failure or a loss, you're probably writing a tragedy. Deciding off the bat, "Will this have a happy ending or a sad one?" will help you start putting events in order. Of course, there are also complicated or bittersweet endings, and those will also be reflected at the halfway point. For a complicated ending, your halfway point may be the most complex part of the book, the point with the least clarity. And a bittersweet ending will have a bittersweet middle.

Other writers have other structures they employ. There's Freytag's pyramid, which is two parts only: rising and falling action. There's the three-act play and the five-act play. There are the six stages and the eight key turning points. I've used all of these just to test them out, but I always end up back at my four parts. The trick to choosing an outlining method or an existing structure is to use it only as a jumping off point. It's a lot easier for me to start writing something knowing my job is just to fill four buckets. Often I end up with five parts instead of four. Don't box yourself in too much; as you begin writing, your story will let you know how it wants to be written. Trust your process and your intuition.

For those just joining us, @bettsfic is running a writing workshop on @books this month. Want to know more? Start here.

[maligsstuff]

[fwirbanks]

"We love you Dana, and we miss you every day.

You’re in our hearts, Dana."

[kellyrutherfords]

bette porter the woman that you are!!!

[nataliescatorccioapologist]

Who would each Yellowjackets character be in The L Word Universe?

Nat - Shane

We all saw this one coming. Nat would definitely be the ambiguously gendered noncommittal heartbreaker of The L Word sphere. Like Shane, she is kind and looks out for those she cares about but her troubled childhood has made her put her guard up. Shane and Nat both push people away because they don’t believe they are worthy of love and have never had a healthy example of a relationship so they hop from girl to girl before things can get serious. Not to mention the bounty of self-destructive tendencies these girlies both have. And with Nat’s cool mullet she would definitely kill it as a hair stylist.

Taissa - Bette

Bette and Taissa are both the powersuit-rocking politicians of our dreams (with matching crumbling marriages.) Tai is known for taking her ambitions a bit too far, and, like Bette, her work consumes her personal life until it falls apart. Neither of these girlies know when to stop, even if it alienates them from the ones they love.

Lottie - Marina

I think Lottie would definitely be the mysterious sexy bar owner that speaks mainly in poetry snd gives supposed straight girls sexuality crises (all while having a secret wife). Like Marina, Lottie has an aura of ethereal mystery around her and can be a little off-putting in how calm and collected she is even in situations that call for a little more freaking the fuck out. Lottie would definitely find some straight girl deeply in denial and send her into a sexuality crisis spiral while acting completely innocent about it.

Shauna - Jenny

Okay don’t be mad at me, it’s at least a little true. Shauna and Jenny are both a little too obsessive, impulsive, and emotional (and they’re both deeply struggling with compulsory heterosexuality). At any given moment you will find them in a corner furiously journaling their dark feelings instead of communicating them. Shauna would definitely be the one to go a little crazy after falling in love with a woman for the first time. And both Jenny and Shauna have their emotional support himbos that they use to deny their homosexuality: Tim and Jeff.

Jackie - Dana

Jackie would definitely be the closeted sports lesbian that is terrified of the public (and mostly her rich, uptight parents) finding out about her queerness. Like Dana, Jackie is under a lot of pressure to be "perfect" and comes from a wealthy, preppy background with rich parents who have high expectations. I also definitely think Jackie would be a tennis girlie. Jackie and Dana are the baby gays who are constantly checking out women but don't know how to express their queerness yet. And they both have a complicated homoerotic relationships with their best friend (Dana/Alice and Jackie/Shauna). Jackie and Dana are both very supportive and fun-loving, they just need to get out of the closet.

Van - Finley

Butch kings! Van and Finley are both little goofsters that fill my heart with joy. In The L Word universe, Van would definitely be the that friend that is there to make all of the gays smile but is hiding a lot of pain and trauma behind a comedic mask. Van and Finley have a serious problem with joking instead of confronting serious feelings but we still love them.

Misty - That girl that's obsessed with Shane in the Pilot episode

Okay so I don't think Misty really fits anyone in The L Word so I'm giving her Lacey, that girl that is concerningly obsessed with Shane (Nat) in the first episode. This girl hooks up with Shane once and then she's tracking her down at parties and finding all of her hangout spots to harass her and get her attention. And I think in an L Word AU, Misty would definitely hook up with Nat, Nat would ghost her, and Misty would go insane like that.

*Anyways should I write a Yellowjackets The L Word AU fic? Because honestly I've been thinking about it a little bit too much.*

[cami-stuffs]

Tibette is endgame! ❤️

[taiturner]

I'm just glad that you were able to create so much space for her. You just... That doesn't come natural to you. What are you saying? You could never do that for me. You just... took up so much space.

The L Word: Generation Q 1x06 "Loose Ends"

[femaledaily]

Bette Porter in THE L WORD: GENERATION Q

[wlwgif]

THE L WORD: GENERATION Q Looking Ahead (S03E10)

[low-budget-korra]

The L Word Reboot - Fancast

So, what if we get a TLW reboot? So this is my Fancast for that hypothetical idea

Adria Arjona as Bette Porter

Listen, no one is gonna match JBeals portray of the character, but we can try to find someone who can do it justice (this actually can be said about this whole fancast really). And in this case, I think Adria ia really good at bringing this girl boss aura. Of course, it would be a change in Bette's back story and struggles, being all about her latin ancestry instead of her black/mixed ancestry but I still think it could work just fine. Or, if they want an older actress to portray an older Bette, there's Zoe Saldana who is in their 40's

Phoebe Dynevor as Tina Kennard

Look at her, just look.

Nell Tiger Free as Jenny Schecter

Okay, okay, I just want to see her play gay. Busted. But in defense, she is great at doing a problematic -with crazy girl aura - character. Fellas who watched Servant will understand. But other actress who could play the role is Victoria Pedretti

Joe Keery as Tim Haspel

Jenny's betrayal is supposed to hurt both Tim and the the audience, as we should be caught in a cross fire between wanting her to be with Marina and yet not approving her cheating on Tim. And who's better than Joe? Bro is charismatic and would evoke those feelings in the audience

Kelsey Chow as Marina Ferrer

Look at her gaze. Just look. She effortlessly has this striking gaze that is essential to Marina

Ayo Edebiri as Alice Pieszecki

I don't think I need to sell you this one

Naomi Scott as Shane McCutcheon

I know what some of y'all my think, that she is not gay or butch but just look at this photo and tell me y'all can't see the potential?

Sarah Pidgeon as Dana Fairbanks

Girl needs to work, she is great

Stephanie Nur as Helena Peabody

Fellas who watched Spec Ops Lioness knows what I'm talking about.

Melissa Barrera as Carmen de la Pica Morales

I also don't think I need to sell you this one

Ps: There's actresses I wanted to put in this but I didn't see how they could fit, at least not without changing the essence of those characters but I definitely wanted to see Katy O'Brien, Alice Braga, Lucy Lawless, Carla Gugino...and other openly queer actresses like Katy in this type of projects

[books]

Hi,

How do you know if you’re a good writer? Or if you’re meant to write? I’ve recently watched a video with Lisa Cron about how the technical skill of writing isn’t as important as the actual story. So if I’m not yet technically skilled at writing does just being able to come up with a story enough(for now—I’m still going to work on the technical skills)?

As long as you have something to write on and with, whether it be a document and a keyboard or pen and paper, you have enough.

Unfortunately, you'll never know if you're meant to write. There is no calling. Writing is a decision you make every time you sit down to do it. That's true for you and me and Shakespeare and every other writer who has ever lived. As long as you keep making that decision to write, then you can't fail.

To answer your other question, whether or not you're a good writer is not your business to worry about. It's the business of your reader to determine if they want to read on to the next page, paragraph, sentence. Some readers will and some won't. And again, that's true for you and me and Shakespeare and every other writer who has ever lived. Your only job, now and forever, is to keep writing, keep making that decision, and keep putting yourself and your work into the world.

For those just joining us, @bettsfic is running a writing workshop on @books this month. Want to know more? Start here.

[bitsy-rouge-is-buggin]

30 days of my favorite LGBTQ couples for PRIDE in no particular order! Day Two:

[becabeale143]

[jbealsfanpage]

Gorgeous!!

[puthyflapps]

Three seasons of Gen Q and they couldn’t touch this 4 min scene

[kellyrutherfords]

tibette come back to me

tibette come back to me 😭😭