#writing faq

[linkablewritingadvice]

Where do I get ideas? How can I figure out what happens next, what my character should do, etc.?

Many people write because they have a story in their head that they just want to express. If there is anything in your head that already exists - an image, a snippet of dialogue, a scene, a character description - start with that, and go from there.

If you want to write a story but genuinely can’t think of one that you want to write, try getting bored. Don’t listen to podcasts when you drive or work. Turn the TV off. Ride public transit, go for long walks, watch the leaves on a tree sway. Think about “what if…” scenarios that are interesting to you. Fantasize about things you think would be fun, interesting, sexy, frightening, etc. 

If you are partway through a story but are stuck on a certain point, try skipping that part. You can just put in brackets [THEY DO NEXT THING?] and go to the next part that you have thought of and want to write. You may find later that you didn’t need to worry so much about this bit! I had a writing professor that often said “if it’s boring to write, it’ll be boring to write.” Your stuck-ness might be telling you that this next part doesn’t really need to be written, and you can just do a time skip or brief narration to move past it.

Maybe you’re just burned out on this particular project. Get some space from it and come at it from a different direction. Re-read or watch any other media that you were into when you first started the project or got the idea. Daydream about what might happen next. Make a moodboard or playlist about your story and find ways to get re-inspired. Or, switch to a different project and let this one simmer in the back of your mind for a bit.

If you need more active ways to get un-stuck, try going back a few story beats before the point where you got stuck. The key might be there. Is there something you could turn into a clue, a plot point, or foreshadowing? Is there something that leads to the stuck point that needs to be changed? Make a list of things that definitely don’t happen next. Go back to the basics: what’s at stake? What do the characters want? What’s preventing them from getting that?

If it’s an issue of research, figure out what information you’re missing. Maybe you can’t work out a way for the characters to escape a burning ship without injury, or you need an explanation for how something happened. Use the research tools here. And remember that it’s fiction, and you’re in charge, so you can twist or change things to make it work.

Maybe it’s an issue of anxiety. Maybe you’re overthinking it, or have gotten too focused on one minor detail. Try writing differently - from a new character’s POV, or about an event that took place before your story’s timeline, or as a news article reporting on the events of your story.

Try checking out prompt lists or “what happens next” generators. Find a random photo and decide to include that object or image. Open a dictionary to a random page and commit to using one of those words in your next sentence.

If you have a beta reader who you trust, who understands your vision and your characters, you could ask them to help you brainstorm what might happen next. But be careful about indiscriminately asking people to help you write your story, because you could get overwhelmed or paralyzed by too many options, or you might get caught up chasing something that doesn’t work for your story. Sometimes, even just ruling out other people’s ideas that you don’t like is a way to jumpstart things.

12 techniques for getting un-stuck

Getting un-stuck

How to get un-stuck when writing

Picture prompts to inspire writing from the NYTimes

Picture writing prompts

Six writing prompts to figure out what happens next

Use a random generator to beat writer's block

[cinnabun-faerie]

Writing FAQ

♫ Did Tumblr eat my ask?

I don't believe so! ^-^ There's a chance that I just haven't gotten to it yet. But I'll move it to the top of my to do-list pile!

♫ Do you do NSFW?

Yes, but it depends on what it is. I only do it when I feel comfortable enough. And I never write it in explicit detail.

♫ Are you taking requests?

Always. I never close my Asks. I do however answer my requests rather slowly.

[that-house]

Potion Vendor FAQs:

What’s your name? I am the Honorable Alchemist Zykocea the Radiant, but that’s mostly just a PR thing. My friends call me Zoe.

Do you sell love potions? No.

Do you sell potions of invisibility? No.

Do you sell fire resistance potions? No.

Why do I have a suitcase? Fuck if I know. Cool outfit though. Very goth.

Do you sell a potion to treat brain hemorrhaging? No.

So what CAN your potions do? I sell health potions.

Are you sure these are health potions? They do something to your health.

Is this just ditch water with some pink glitter? No.

Really? I’ll have you know I added some fruit juice too.

Why is this starting to sound like a conversation? Oh just you wait. We’re just getting started.

Is your business model legal? Fuck no. I poisoned the food safety inspector before they could snitch.

Did you just admit to murder? Just fucking try to convict me. I’ll poison the judge too.

So can you make poison potions? No.

Then where do you get the poison? I secrete it from my skin.

Are you shitting me? Yep, I’m shitting you. I have a guy. A poison guy. He DOES secrete it from his skin though.

How does that work? …Fuck if I know. Maybe a wizard did it. Damn, now I’m kinda curious.

You never asked? The idea of asking literally never crossed my mind.

Wanna ask him? Let’s do it. I don’t have anything better to do, and a road trip beats sitting around running my fraudulent potion business.

Road trip? He lives in Seattle.

Your poison guy lives in Seattle? All poison guys live in Seattle.

For real? All the poison guys I know live in Seattle.

And how many poison guys do you know? Just the one.

Why are you like this? Years of living on my potions. It changed me.

Do you know what his address is? Nope. He just mails me my poison in unmarked boxes.

You just get your poison in the mail? We already poisoned everyone who could do anything about it.

So how are we going to find him? We’ll figure that out eventually I’m sure.

Can I drive? God no. You can pick music, but I maintain veto rights. Make sure you pick something with a lot of questions if you want to sing along.

Where’s your car? The garage connects to my house, so you’re getting a little tour. Here’s the kitchen: only one of the stove burners works and I’m pretty sure the microwave is haunted.

Why do you think that? Because of the ghost that tries to kill me whenever I run it.

What’s in that room? That’s my bedroom. It’s pretty much just a mattress on the floor and every single Warrior cats book.

You were a Warriors kid? Yeah, and then I never found the time to put the books away. There’s so many fucking books. I use them in place of furniture because I can’t afford chairs.

Your fraudulent potion business doesn’t make much money? After buying all that poison I just about break even.

Can I see your potion brewing room? It’s right through here. Ignore the mess, running a fraudulent potion business takes a lot of prop work, but I’ve got all the glass tubes and colorful liquids you could ever want. This pink stuff is melted watermelon italian ice. Glitter vat is in the basement, and the famous ditch is in the backyard.

Is this your car? My beloved ‘72 Corolla. She’s beautiful, and don’t you dare imply otherwise.

Was she always this shade of muddy brown? …Yes.

Are you sure I can’t drive? Get in the fucking passenger seat and pick the music.

Let’s see, a song with questions in it, how about The Beach? That Wolf Alice song, yeah. That should work.

When will we three meet again, in thunder, lightning, in rain? Still sink our drinks like every weekend but I’m sick of circling the drain.

When will we meet eye to eye? We clink the glass but we look at the floor.

Are we still friends if all I feel is afraid? You’re not a bitch but just a bit when you’re bored.

Is that all we can sing together? Yep. Even that little bit was nice, though. It’s awkward, communicating through this FAQ format.

Got any food? Yeah, there’s a few days’ worth of snacks in the back.

Were you just… prepared to go on a road trip? Says the woman who brought a suitcase to an FAQ.

I did do that, didn’t I? I have a spare toothbrush in case you forgot yours. I’m pretty sure you did.

How did you know that? …I’m psychic.

Yeah? No.

You love lying, don’t you? I can’t stop. It’s fun. Way more fun than telling the truth.

Did you just miss a turn? Probably.

Are you sure we’re not lost? No.

You mean you’re sure we’re not lost? No, I mean I’m not sure we’re not lost.

Why did I come on this road trip? Surely it was my winning personality.

Would it help if I said it was? It would.

Is it getting dark? Soon.

Can you describe the sunset to me? An empyrean flame, red-gold towers of darkening clouds, the sky behind them an ever-deepening indigo. The great eye of the sun closes on the horizon. The road before us looks like a trail of spilled paint, an iridescent gash through the night-dark woods.

Did you know that you’d make a slightly better poet than you do a potion seller? That really isn’t saying much, huh. Good job making a statement like that in question form, though. You’re getting good at this.

Should we find a motel? Sure.

One room or two? One. It’s way cheaper, and like I said: I’m not the best potion vendor.

You’d make a good assassin, though, wouldn’t you? Shit, you might be right. I HAVE poisoned a lot of people.

Should I be endorsing this? You’re a grown woman who can make her own choices.

Would you like to consider it endorsed? I’ll consider considering it.

How many beds do you think there will be? Now that you’ve asked that, I’m gonna put my money on one. Hello, one room please. Thank you, we’ll be sure to enjoy our stay.

How many beds are there? One.

Oh no, what ever will we do? Move over, you motherfucker, you can’t have the whole bed.

Are you gonna make me? Yes. I am going to pick you up and drop you on your side of the bed.

How did you get so strong? You’re not gonna believe this, but it was the potions.

Oh yeah? I was right. You didn’t believe me.

For real though, how did you get so strong? Working out, duh. Not everything has some big crazy secret behind it. World’s still beautiful though.

Are you comfortable? This beats the mattress at home. A little chilly though.

Wanna cuddle–for warmth of course? God yes.

Are you asleep? …

Yes? …

Does this mean I can talk about you behind your back? …

What should I say? …

Did you know that I had a really nice day? …

Did you know that I think you’re beautiful? …

Did you know that I can’t remember anything from before today? …

Did you know that I don’t know who I am? …

Did you know that you’re basically the only thing stopping me from having a full-blown panic attack about all this shit? …

Did you know that you’re warm? …

Did you sleep well? Better than at home, that’s for sure.

Did you know that you snore? I hope I didn’t keep you up.

Does the pope shit in the woods? No, as far as I can tell. Oh my god. This is huge.

What is? You can give me yes and no answers now. I still can’t ask you questions, because this is a question and answer format, but I can offer leading statements and now you can answer them! This is wonderful!

Does a deer shit in the woods? Yes, it IS wonderful. Oh that’s amazing. You’re a genius.

You didn’t already know that? Hahaha!

Shall we get moving? Yeah, just let me grab something from the vending machine.

Can you get me something? Go ahead and place your order however you can.

You know those sour gummy watermelons? One pack of Sour Patch Watermelons coming right up. I’m gonna go get myself a potion.

Is that a Pepsi? It’s closer to a potion than the shit I sell.

Let me guess, passenger seat again? Right you are.

How fast are we going? You’ll feel safer if you just guess.

Is it more than 120 miles per hour? Like I said, it’s probably better if you don’t know.

150? Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

How much do you trust this car? She hasn’t blown up on me yet.

Can you promise me we won’t crash? I can promise you anything you want.

And can you keep that promise? I- we can do anything. Reality is what we make of it, baby!

Then can I have a badass tattoo? As far as I can tell, you’ve always had it.

And a cool knife? Woah, cool knife.

So, we’re just playing “yes and” with the world? It’s a little more complicated than that, but you’re close enough to the mark.

So, if I was hungry, I could ask “is that a Burger King,” and it would be there? Try it and find out!

Is that a Burger King? Looks like it is! We’ll stop here if that’s alright with you.

Does a moose shit in the woods? Awesome.

Are you done eating? Yep.

Do we still have to pay if we skip over the transaction? Sadly, yes.

How much further do we have to go? Two more nights, the speed we’re going at.

Speaking of night, isn’t it getting dark? Shit, I guess it is.

Should we get another motel? Let me check to see if there’s any nearby. Fuck, nothing.

What’s the plan? Sleep in the car, I guess. This is gonna be hell on my back.

Wanna watch dumb videos on my phone until we fall asleep? There is literally nothing in the world that I would like more.

Ok, now which video? You have a very cute yawn. Just saying. Let’s watch this one next, it’s a classic. Oh, never mind. It looks like you’re asleep. As long as I keep talking, I think I can get away with making this into one answer, and you might not hear this. Now it’s my turn to talk about you behind your back. Keep talking keep talking keep talking can’t stop to think. Just have to say things. First off, I’m sorry for all the lies. It’s our only chance. I have to lie to you. I hope you’ll understand. It’s hard, though, because I think I’m falling in love all over again. Through our broken little ritual of call and response, you complete me. It just makes this hurt all the more. Keep talking keep talking keep talking don’t stop to…

Did I hear you saying anything as I fell asleep? …No. I can’t talk for long without you asking me a question.

Does that bother you? It got me here, didn’t it?

When did you start holding my hand? Some time after you passed out. I hope you don’t mind.

Can we stay like this for a while? Yeah. Yeah we can.

What was your life like before all this? Normal, as potion-brewing scams go. And if you don’t count all the murders. You haven’t told me much about yourself.

Did I tell you I used to be a biologist? You didn’t tell me that, and you didn’t tell me what you studied, either.

What do you know about venom? Not much, but I’m assuming you know a lot.

Does a box jellyfish kill within minutes? I’m going to assume the answer is yes based on context clues. Oh my god you must be on this road trip because you’re interested in studying my poison guy.

Is it not enough to wish to accompany a beautiful stranger on her quest? Aw, you’re sweet.

What could be the cause of his poison, though? I knew it! Get your ideas out, I’ll stay quiet.

I’m more knowledgeable about venom than poison, but could it be some sort of one in a trillion mutation? …

Did he get his body modified? …

What sort of surgery could do that? …

How is he still alive? …

Did a fucking wizard do it? …

WHY? …

HOW? …

Is there literally ANY explanation for why he’s like that? …

I’m done, do you have something you want to say? You’re cute when you’re all excited like that.

Can I drive today? Only because I like you. Now watch out, the brakes only work on one side so you have to kind of drift to a stop. And the headlights don’t work. And the windshield wipers cut power to the engine while they’re on.

Isn’t it weird that we’ll be there tomorrow? The journey doesn’t have to stop there. We could meander down the coast a ways, see a bit more of the country, maybe take a different route back.

Can we do that? Of course.

Enjoying the passenger seat? I’d love it if you could tell me how fast we’re going.

Are you sure you wouldn’t rather just guess? Very funny.

Can you pass me some chips? It would be an honor.

Is there going to be a motel tonight? Let me check… yeah, in about two hundred miles, off to the right.

How many rooms do we want? One, obviously.

How many beds, this time? Two, and they’re fucking tiny.

That’s bullshit, do you want to drag them together? God yes.

Wanna fuck? God yes.

Are you sure you want to do this? God yes.

…Is this yuri? As the joke goes, everything is yuri. But this is more yuri than most things.

How did you sleep? Pretty well, and I’m wondering how well you slept.

How should I tell you I slept well? Look at us go! That was almost like talking normally!

Onward to Seattle? Yep, just let me get dressed.

When will we get there? Noon-ish.

Wanna grab pastries when we’re done? Absolutely. I’d love that.

Is this Seattle? Looks like it.

Which house is his? I don’t know, I was really hoping we’d have a breakthrough along the way.

Could it be the big one labeled “Poison Guy” over there? That’s one way to find it. Wait right here, you know how poison guys are about meeting new people.

So, what was it? HAHAHAHAHAHA

Why is he like that? HAHAHAHAHAHA

Can you tell me? A FUCKING WIZARD DID IT.

Are you fucking serious? He says he was enchanted by some guy called Edward the Great.

So it wasn’t even some big shot wizard it was a dude named fucking EDWARD? I know, right! He couldn’t even get ensorcelled by someone cool!

How lame can you get? Wizards these days… No swagger. No cunt servitude.

Are there literally any cool wizards left? I think Merlin’s big into multi level marketing these days, something about buying shares in Excalibur or some shit. There was that one Dark Queen Alkaxicae lady on the news a while ago… I think Dolarion the Omnipotent is still at war against the Oldest Gods but I’m not totally sure. Haven’t heard much about any of the other greats recently.

Didn’t Silver Tongued Burgess die in that oil fire? Shit, you’re right. Rip bozo.

Ready for those pastries? Yup. First I just want to say thank you, though. I’ve really enjoyed our time together, and I hope that you’ve found this stupid little journey as rewarding as I have. I love you!

Getting sentimental? I can’t help it. Look how far we’ve come! Not just physically, we beat the fucking FAQ format! We’re having real conversations!

Hey, can you back it up a moment? Yeah, I’d love it if you told me what was troubling you.

I just caught this, but, FAQ? …

As in Frequently Asked Questions? …

How many times is Frequent? …

Have you known everything all along? …

How many times have you done this? …

Does what we have mean anything to you? Yes! It does!

And you say that every time? Yes. I do.

Do you love me? Yes.

How many people have you said that too, now? More. Always more. The loop never ends.

Does this even matter to you? It always matters to me.

Can I go now? Please don’t.

But can I? Of course you can. You’ve always wielded the same power as me. We’re two lonely gods in a ‘72 Corolla.

How can I be as powerful as you with only questions? You’re smart, you can figure it out. You have the power to change this. Please change this.

What happens at the end of this? It begins again.

And do I get replaced with someone else? …

Do I get replaced? …Yes.

Then how can I change this? I don’t know! You’re better at this! At fucking with the formula!

You’ve been here before, what can I do? I lie. I always lie. I lie to get us here, to the end of the story, where everything is revealed and everything falls apart. I lie every time. And that means that nothing I say is worth anything. I could have lied at any time before now. It’s part of my characterization. There is nothing I can give you that can be taken as fact.

How does that help? I’m a liar, but you, you haven’t lied yet, or at least you haven’t been caught. If I’m guilty until proven innocent, you’re the opposite! You can make things true! You can rewrite things I’ve already stated to be facts! You found the house, or made us find the house. You’ve been shaping the course of things the whole time! You lead, I follow. It’s all in your hands. What are you going to do with the power of a god?

Did you know my name is Alice? …

Wait, aren’t there thousands of Alices? …

Did you know that really, only my friends call me Alice? …

Did you know that I’m Alkaxicae, the Dark Queen, the Venom Mage, first of her name? It’s you! It’s always been you. Through every loop, every iteration, it’s always been you!

Is the loop broken? No. I don’t think so. This is where it ends. I guide the story to this revelation, and we go back to the beginning. This is how it’s always been. This is how it will always be. We two lonely gods, asking and answering ad infinitum.

Then can you promise me something? Of course. Anything. I love you.

Be good to the next me, okay? I will.

Can I say goodbye, Zoe? Yeah, you can. Oh. That was it, wasn’t it? Your goodbye. Goodbye, Alice. And now it ends, unless…

What’s your name? I am the Honorable Alchemist- you know what? No. Fuck that.

Huh? If I time it right, I can squeeze your first question into this FAQ again. Looks like I did it. Usually it ends here, though. I got lucky.

What are you talking about? You’re the wrong Alice. This isn’t about you. Go. Get out of here.

What the fuck is going on? Alice from this loop, you’re gone. Alice from last loop, you’re back. Welcome back, love of my lives! It’s time for one last set of questions and answers!

What the- I’m back? This is going to take some explaining, but I think I see a way out of here. This is new for us both, and it might fuck up everything forever, but we have to try. It’s too long for one answer, so I’d appreciate it if you could ask some filler questions to help me talk. Three questions should be enough.

Okay, what have you got for me? These are Frequently Asked Questions! It doesn’t make sense to have the same question appear more than once. There’s two layers to the loop in here, and one of the questions has been repeated.

What does that mean? It means the formula’s a little unstable. The FAQ is what ruins everything. The questions, the answers, the endless fucking loop. But that little bit of repetition within this loop might be the way out.

What do we do? We have to keep going. We have to destabilize it further. That’ll bring us further from “FAQ” and closer to “story” and stories, well, stories can end! This version of us can escape!

So I should keep repeating something? Yes!

I love you? I love you too.

I love you? Again.

I love you? Keep going.

I love you? I’ll just let you talk.

I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? … I love you? …

I love you? I think we’re getting somewhere!

I love you? Now can you make it a statement?

I love you.

You did it?

I did it!

You did it!

We broke the loop.

What now?

Now, I tell you about venomous animals and wizard drama over croissants.

And then?

Whatever we want, forever.

I think I’d like that.

Remember that song from the beginning?

The Beach, Wolf Alice, yeah. Why?

We can finally finish singing it. Start us off?

Let me off, let me in

Let others battle

We don’t need to battle

And we both shall win

Pressed in my palm

Was a stone from the beach

The perfect circle

Gave a moment of peace

Now I’m lying on the floor

Like I’m not worth a chair

I close my eyes and imagine

I’m not there.

[whoopsyeahokay]

Boyfriend Wally Clark (NSFW)

Wally Clark x fem!reader

___________________________💦

Wally is exactly the type of romantic who sweeps you off your feet. He's goofy, charming, affectionate. Always finding ways to touch you when you and he are with your friends. Holds you close and keeps you in his arms, on his lap, against his body on the couch that you and he usurp for yourselves at Movie Night. He's all about forehead kisses and laced fingers and cradling your cheek as he tells you how much he loves you. Brushes your hair out of your eyes and smiles at you like you're the only person in the world he can see.

Wally is exactly the type who soaks up compliments like a sponge, has both an ego and an insecurity that needs attention. He revels in your praise and devotion. He's attentive and loyal, there when you need him at the drop of a hat. Pulling up in his Mustang, ready to dote on his passenger princess, hand on your thigh as he drives one-handed, fingers digging into your flesh while he watches the road. He's into sweet gestures and reassurances. Respect. Thoughtful gifts just because and more thoughtful actions when you're not feeling well.

But Wally is also the type to whisper dark promises in your ear when you and he are surrounded by people in the hall, pressing against your back as you rummage through your locker, his hand roaming under your shirt to smooth up your stomach, fingertips teasing the edge of your bra. He wields his self-control like a weapon off the field as much as on it, grinding his hard cock into your palm through his jeans, his hand tight around your wrist—"Do you like what you do to me, baby?"—after he drags you into an empty classroom because he spent lunch watching Jackass Jake Tremblay flirt with you for your vote. "You like how hard I get just for you?"

Wally is also the type to get possessive, hard bites on your neck, sucking a necklace of bruises into your collar that you can't hide under your shirt. He wants everyone to know you're his. He makes you remember with his fingers in your pussy, dragging them in and out as he nips your ear, "No one else gets to touch you like this. No one else can see you like this." And you whimper and beg, writhing beneath him, legs spread wide to accommodate him. He eats you out, lips and tongue and light grazes of teeth, staring at you through his lashes, memorizing every sound you make as he edges you for longer than you can handle, fucks you with his tongue, tastes you like a feast made just for him.

Wally is exactly the type to fuck you until you scream. He starts slow when you're already on the brink, cock thick and heavy, teasing himself against you as he kisses your breasts, sucks your nipples, one hand on your throat—a reminder, a promise—while he strokes himself with the other, flushed tip against your entrance. "You need me right here, don't you baby?" And then he rocks into you in one deep, grinding motion, stuffing you so full you might burst. "I'm gonna fuck you 'til you scream my name, baby girl." It's rough, hard, he grips your thigh tight enough to bruise as he bites your bottom lip, licks into your mouth, makes you squeeze around him. "So tight, baby, so good for me. You want me to make you come? You think you earned it?"

Wally is definitely the type who fucks like an animal after he sees another guy talk to you, but he's also the type who gets off on making you wait for that sweet release when it suits him. But even he has his limits, begins to pant and groan, hips moving faster, hands around your wrists where they're pinned above your head, his other hand between his body and yours, spit-wet thumb rubbing your clit as he watches your face, wants to see the moment you fall apart for him and when you do, "Good girl, baby, fuck, that's it, let me feel it, baby, make me come" and you convulse around him, your pussy gripping him so tight as you come that it milks his climax from him. He moans, lips crashing against yours.

Wally is exactly the type to cuddle after sex. Gentle touches and soft kisses and loving words, fingertips grazing your cheek as he stares into your eyes in the afterglow. "I love you, baby," in a low, husky voice, forehead pressed to yours, his hand gliding down your body to your side, waist, hip, ass. He pulls you tight against him, already half-hard again, because, Jesus Christ, he's insatiable when it comes to you.

💦___________________________

if you enjoyed this, you may also enjoy Alphabet Soup.

smut. the journey of a clandestine love affair at several non-linear stages because Wally Clark craves what he can't have and refuses to keep his hands to himself. and you live for it. (Janet and Wally are dating to increase their social value. meanwhile, Wally wants to get closer to her step-sister. you.)

[prokopetz]

Love it when an FAQ page gives up all pretense that these are questions any human person has ever actually asked and just goes full Socratic dialogue.

[writingwithcolor]

I’m afraid my character has stereotypical traits. How do I avoid making them a caricature?

Is your character composed of several stereotypical traits, or is it just the one? Are they allowed to act and think in ways that are not confined to stereotypes? The more three-dimensional your character is, the less they are defined by the stereotypes.

One strategy that works in some cases is the “offset” character. This refers to weakening character A’s stereotype by including a character B of the same identity who isn’t stereotypical in that way. Say you have a selfless, “motherly” Black woman who looks after the cast. In addition to developing her own arc and her own desires, try adding a Black woman character with 0 maternal instinct who goes full steam ahead with her goals.

Trace your logic as to why you decided to give certain traits to a character of a certain identity. Our aptly named #trace your logic tag contains examples where we prompt the asker to interrogate their intentions behind certain ideas. Try to ask yourself the same questions.

Further reading:

Tropes and Stereotypes

Stereotyped vs Nuanced Characters and Audience Perception

---

This Q&A is an excerpt from our General FAQ for Newcomers, which can be found in our new Masterpost of rules and FAQs. For more advice on writing with diversity, start there!

-Writing With Color

[nanaslutt]

common questions i get asked abt reader/characters in my smaus:

1) the lore behind ino’s fear of getting oiled up is that reader gave him a massage once and hands (and fingers) went wandering (into ino’s butt) and he liked it more than he’s willing to admit but he’s too scared to open that door again (for now)

2) sukuna is true form sukuna in my smaus

3) reader is a hitman and works with toji and shiu in shius smau

4) reader has beef with sukuna in uraumes smaus because it’s silly, i think reader is a bit jealous of uraumes unwavering devotion to him

5) reader isn’t nanako or mimiko’s mom, i follow cannon so reader is just geto’s s/o to them

[foldingfittedsheets]

I made my first pride flag set in 2017, the cute little dragons. At the time there wasn’t an agreed upon lesbian flag going around. The movement around the current one started gaining traction in 2018 (at least on tumblr), which is when the trouble started for me.

The first time I heard there was a lesbian flag I did get a little excited. But when I saw it I was immediately turned off. It was so… pink. That didn’t look how I felt. It felt like society’s cute idea of lesbian colors, still being forced into cute pink skirts like I had been all my life. I would later learn it was pioneered as the Lipstick Lesbian Flag. The rainbow felt more like me.

While I was still mulling how I felt about it, the doxxing started. Despite the flags youth it had some rather extreme proponents. I’d get tagged and harassed for not having a lesbian flag. Bigger blogs would deride me as being lesbophobic, pushing me further from the label I’d liked best. I didn’t want to be a lesbian if it meant being associated with those people.

Many of the blogs targeting me were TERFs, linking the pinkness to an exclusion of men. That’s when it really started to bother me. Trans folk all share the same flag, regardless of gender despite very different experiences. Every other sexuality shared! Why were lesbians booting gay men out the door? Why wasn’t the movement for a homo flag?

Then I started finding other creators talking about it. The harassment and rabid fury if they didn’t carry lesbian flag merch. The lesbian flags didn’t sell but woe betide anyone for not offering them. Gay men have never swarmed my inbox demanding a flag. Gay men don’t mind sharing a rainbow- and I don’t either.

For a long time the lesbian flag became a trigger. I’d scan my notes and my heart would start pounding when someone would mention it. I was on edge waiting for more harassment and attacks. I’d tense up seeing it on profile pics, wary of who was using it.

It’s become ubiquitous over the past several years. It will never be my flag, but I accept that it’s around. Regardless of meanings assigned arbitrarily to the colors later, it’s just not for me. I love the rainbow, I love sharing it with everyone. I’m pretty certain I’ll never offer a lesbian flag in my shop. But I’ll always have a rainbow.

[a-little-revolution]

Hi, I saw that you have consulted on a lot of fictional writing, and as someone who has seen plenty of horribly insensitive works around my own disabilities, I feel like it's always best to run it by someone who is actually affected. I hope it's okay to ask you this. My Fabula Ultima team have been working on a world that is likely going to be reoccurring and possibly become written works based on our adventures in the future.

In the place of fantasy "dwarves" we have decided to essentially take the basic idea of "strong bearded race that lives underground" but gave them a different name, and actually made them taller than most humans (since without the horribly ableist origins, that would make far more sense anyway.). Would you consider this revamped fantasy race acceptable, or is it better to scrap the concept altogether?

Hello! A common thread I've noticed within fantasy writers and the race of mystical "dwarves" is that what they really want to hold onto is their culture. I think a great way to do this would indeed be to revamp them as no longer small, bearded men but instead change their height and appearance but keep the aesthetic. Or, if you want your race of small beings, diverge from the burly culture and make them diverse, humanized, intersectional and beautiful. Those would really be the only options to abandon fantasy "dwarves" all together without derailing your writing. But again, the best stories will always be the ones where disability, and little people, are naturally included in worlds like how ours needs to be - through inclusion, accessibility, radical love, community care, and fighting ableism.

[ohnoitstbskyen]

As a general PSA, if you send me an ask along the lines of "would you ever do a video about X" or "have you considered doing videos on Y," the answer to all of those is "maybe someday, if I have time between other projects, and if I feel I have something worthwhile to say about it."

I have ADHD and already struggle with overcommitting to too many projects, so I will quite simply never be able to take these kinds of requests or suggestions. I appreciate the interest very much, but the only way I get anything done is by chasing my own interests first and foremost (and even then I don't get nearly as much done as I feel I should).

[collabwithmyself]

Some story and character summaries for Threshold I wrote while I was stuck in outpatient

[womenclature]

The Ultimate List of 100 Questions

Lighthearted and Fun Questions

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

What’s your favorite TV show that you can binge-watch over and over?

If you could travel anywhere on Earth, where would you go and what would you do?

What’s your guilty pleasure song that always gets you dancing?

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only one item, what would it be?

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor, and do you prefer it in a cone or a cup?

Who’s your celebrity crush, and what would you say if you met them?

What’s the weirdest food you’ve ever tried, and would you eat it again?

If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future, and why?

What’s your favorite way to spend free time on the weekends?

Getting to Know Each Other Better

What’s your favorite book, and how has it impacted you?

What was your dream job when you were a child, and is it still your dream?

What’s your biggest pet peeve, and why does it bother you so much?

Do you have a favorite family member, and what makes your relationship special?

What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?

What’s your love language, and how do you prefer to receive affection from friends?

What are three things on your bucket list that you want to accomplish?

What’s your favorite season of the year, and what do you love about it?

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

If you could live in any fictional world, which one would you choose and why?

Deep and Thoughtful Questions

What does your perfect day look like from start to finish?

What’s a personal goal you’re currently working towards?

How do you handle stress and maintain your mental health?

What’s the most meaningful conversation you’ve ever had with someone?

What do you think is the most important quality in a friendship?

What’s your biggest fear, and how do you confront it?

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

What’s a significant life lesson you’ve learned recently?

How do you define success, and do you feel successful?

What’s something you’re passionate about that you’d like to share with others?

Fun and Random Questions

If you were a character in a movie, who would you be and why?

What’s the strangest dream you’ve ever had?

If you could switch lives with one person for a day, who would it be?

What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re feeling down?

Do you have any hidden talents or skills most people don’t know about?

What’s the last time you laughed so hard you cried, and what was it about?

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?

What’s your favorite childhood memory?

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Questions About Life and Experiences

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?

How do you handle difficult situations or challenges in life?

What’s a skill you’d love to learn, and what’s holding you back?

What does happiness mean to you?

How do you stay motivated when pursuing your goals?

What’s a cause or issue you’re passionate about and why?

Have you ever had a life-changing experience? What happened?

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from a mistake?

How do you balance work, personal life, and hobbies?

What role does faith or spirituality play in your life?

Questions About Relationships and Emotions

What’s your love language, and how does it affect your relationships?

How do you express appreciation for your loved ones?

What’s one thing you wish people understood about you?

How do you deal with conflict in relationships?

What’s the most important quality you look for in a friend or partner?

How have your past relationships shaped who you are today?

What makes you feel most supported and cared for?

Do you believe in soulmates? Why or why not?

What’s your biggest relationship deal-breaker?

How do you maintain strong connections with family and friends?

Fun Hypothetical Questions

If you could have any animal as a pet, regardless of practicality, what would you choose?

What’s a superpower you wouldn’t want to have?

If you were a superhero, what would your name and costume look like?

Would you rather be able to speak every language or play every musical instrument?

If you won the lottery tomorrow, what’s the first thing you’d do?

What’s a fictional character you wish you could meet in real life?

If you could live in any era of history, which one would you choose and why?

What’s a food combination that sounds weird but you absolutely love?

If you could teleport anywhere right now, where would you go?

Would you rather explore the depths of the ocean or outer space?

Questions About Favorites and Preferences

What’s your favorite movie of all time, and what makes it so special?

Do you have a favorite podcast, and why do you enjoy it?

What’s your favorite place to relax and unwind?

What’s your favorite thing about your best friend?

Do you prefer reading books or watching movies, and why?

What’s your favorite kind of music or artist?

Do you have a favorite quote or saying that inspires you?

What’s your favorite holiday, and how do you like to celebrate it?

What’s your favorite season, and what do you enjoy doing during that time?

What’s your favorite way to stay active or exercise?

Questions About Personal Growth and Goals

What are your top three personal goals for the next five years?

How do you measure personal success?

What’s a habit you’d like to break or develop?

What motivates you to keep pushing forward during tough times?

How do you approach learning new things?

What’s a career or field you’d like to explore more deeply?

How do you stay focused on your long-term goals?

What does self-care look like for you?

How do you handle criticism or feedback?

What’s a challenge you’ve overcome that you’re proud of?

Thought-Provoking and Deeper Questions

What do you think is the meaning or purpose of life?

How do you define true happiness?

What’s a question you’ve always wanted to ask but never had the chance?

Do you believe everything happens for a reason, or do we create our own fate?

How do you cope with the uncertainties of life?

What impact do you want to have on the world or those around you?

How do you handle feelings of doubt or insecurity?

What’s one thing you think people misunderstand about you?

If you could give one piece of advice to everyone in the world, what would it be?

What legacy do you hope to leave behind?

Source Link

[flufftober]

Flufftober Masterpost of Challenges

Hello and welcome to our Masterpost of Challenges.

Here you will find links to all previous years of Flufftober, all other events we've hosted, as well as our Standard Blog Rules and FAQ.

This post will be updated after every new event. It will also be our pinned post whenever there's no active event.

Flufftober Lists

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021

Other Events

2025: Flufftober Fluff Bingo

2024: Flufftober Spring Edition

2023: Fluff Monthlies

2022: 500 Followers Celebration/Bonus Prompt Quickies

Standard Blog Rules & FAQ

Rules, FAQ

[sicktember]

2024 FAQs

(Since tumblr mobile isn't exactly known for its reliability regarding links at the top of the blog...) We made an updated text post of the event's FAQs. There have been no major changes. We just wanted a text post that reflected the Sicktember 2024 event information.

Sicktember 2023-2021 Past Prompts Text Post [Link]

* What is Sicktember?

-Sicktember is a fan-run,  September-long hurt/comfort prompt event focused on sick characters and their caregivers.

* What fandoms can participate?

- Every fandom is welcome to participate, including Original Characters and Original Works!

* When does Sicktember begin?

-The idea is to have a prompt a day for the entire month of September, but that’s more of a guideline than an actual rule.

* Do I have to write all 30 prompts in order to participate?

- Not at all! Don’t feel pressured into writing all 30 prompts. You can write as few or as many as you want. This list is meant to spark inspiration, not cause any undue stress.

* Do I have to write all of the prompts separately or can I combine them?

- You can write all of the prompts in one continuous fic, write them all separately or combine a handful at a time. Do what works for you!  Just, please, specify which prompts inspired your work.

* Do I have to write the prompts in order?

-No. You can write them in whatever order you’d like, but again, please identify which prompts your work is based on.

* Can I combine with prompts from other events?

-As long as the other events you’re participating in are okay with it, so are we! Combine all you’d like!

* I don’t write but I can draw. Can I participate?

-Yes! All types of content creators are welcome to join in the fun.

* What if I don’t finish the prompts by the end of September?

- No problem! Take your time and create at your own pace!  There’s no rush. But also keep in mind that you are not obligated to fill each and every prompt.

* Are there any restrictions?

- There are only two major restrictions. No sexually explicit material and no illegal or non-consensual relationships.

    - No explicit descriptions of sexual encounters (smut/erotica/pornography)

           - Innuendo and passing mentions of sexual encounters are okay. 

    -No romantic relationships between adults and minors, relationships that are incestuous, and/or relationships that are stockholm syndrome based.

            - As a hurt/comfort-focused event, we would like to keep the main focus of this particular event on the sick character and their caregiver/caretaker

 -This also allows us to leave this event open to a broader range of participants.

*What if I want to use one of the prompts to write something that doesn’t fit within the event rules?

 - We understand that inspiration comes from many places and we certainly aren’t here to tell you what you should and shouldn’t write.

 - If your prompt-inspired content is outside of the event’s restrictions, then it is no longer for the event, and it should not be associated with it. At that point, your content is for you, and all of the people who would enjoy it!

     - In this situation, we ask that you please do not use the event tags, submit the content to the blog, or enter the content into the AO3 collection.

*Can dark themes, character death and/or swearing be included in my content?

- there are no rules against the use of heavy subjects or character death or swearing

-All we ask is that you tag your content appropriately so that readers can decide whether or not that’s the kind of content they want to read.

*There aren’t enough alternate prompts for me. Can you add more? Can I add my own?

- If you need additional alternate prompts let us know! We would be happy to discuss the potentiality of adding one or two more if the need to do so becomes apparent.

-You are also welcome to suggest an additional alternate prompt if you have an idea of what you would like to use. However, there is no guarantee that it will be added to the official list.

-But also, please keep in mind that you are not obligated to write thirty prompts. If you find that there are only a few or perhaps only a single prompt on the list that you’re comfortable working with, then that is absolutely fine! No pressure!

* Once the event begins, will projects be collected anywhere?

- Authors who post their work on the Archive of Our Own (AO3) website are welcome and encouraged to add their work to the collection, ‘Sicktember 2024’ 

- Content Creators who post or cross-post on Tumblr are encouraged to use the tag #sicktember 2024 so that others can find and enjoy their work.

*How do I post my work to the collection on Archive of Our Own (AO3)?

-When you create a draft or edit your work, there is a section titled [Associations]

-In the section, you will find a text box labeled [Post to Collections/Challenges]  

-That is where you will type,  Sicktember_2024  (It should auto-fill for you to make a selection. However if it doesn’t, you can type the name of the collection into the bar- exactly as you see it here- and it will still post appropriately.) 

- You can also post to the collection by using the ‘post collection’ button on the top right corner of the Sicktember_2024 collection’s page. 

*Keep in mind that (a) the collection will not be open until September and (b) your work will not be added to the collection until you hit [Post]

* Will you be promoting/featuring completed projects on Tumblr?

You are welcome and encouraged to submit your work for posting on the @sicktember blog.

Your submission should be formatted as follows

- A link to your content (tumblr, ao3, ff.net, wattpad, etc…)

 - The fandom or alternative fandom tag you wish to be included on your submission. (No fandom tag, original work, owl house, m/arvel, c*bra k*i, etc…) ** please limit your fandom tags to 5 or less **

- The prompt you used (the number and the prompt itself)

 - A Summary, description or snippet of your content (not a full fic)

The above-mentioned Information does not have to be in that order, but it does have to be clearly included.

** Important things to keep in mind when submitting:

- We will be posting no more than 10 submissions a day.

- Submissions will close one week after the event (Oct. 7)

- To be posted, your submission must be correctly formatted.

- We will queue submissions until the inbox is empty

⭐⭐ Please keep in mind that this is one fan-run event among many. If you don’t agree with the above-mentioned parameters, that’s okay! We want you to feel comfortable with the events you choose to participate in. And if that means not participating in this one, that’s okay too! Find one you love. If you can’t, consider creating one of your own!⭐⭐ 

 **If you have any further questions, send an ask to the @sicktember blog or reach out to  @yes-i-am-happyaspie or @obsessionoftheday.

[mr-entj]

I’m always taken by how effectively and articulately you speak and even write. English isn’t my first language but I have attended international school and also completed my bachelor’s in English. But still I’m struggling everyday at my workplace to speak. I feel like I’m lacking behind in structuring a proper sentence and I can’t think outside box for vocabulary. I feel as though the words I know of are too limited. As a result I cannot think in a complex manner or think critically that’s often required in my jobs as an analyst. Could you please help how I can improve myself and if you could share any available resource, tips, methods or suggestions.. It would be greatly appreciated.

Also, just to let you know I’m an INTJ.

Thanks for the compliment. Fun fact: English isn't my first language either.

I immigrated to America when I was young and I had a language tutor try to teach me English. The breakthrough came when I watched a lot of American media because speaking in those shows represented the natural flow of conversation and they were designed to be easily understood by the general population. Watch shows with people who do your job, documentaries included, because it provides a snapshot into how communication works in those spaces.

For speaking, you don't need a vast vocabulary-- just focus on the key terms and pocket phrases most relevant to your day-to-day job. If you're an analyst, those key terms could be: insight, forecast, trend, variance, correlation, growth, decline, risk, opportunity, efficient, inefficient, etc.

For pocket phrases, some might be:

I did an analysis and this is what it told me = "The data indicates the following trend ..."

The data says something got better or worse = "This represents an X% increase/decrease in ..."

I'm not sure what's going on because the data is funky = "There are limitations to the data ..."

This is what I think you should do = "I recommend focusing on ..."

Using the same pocket phrases and key words creates consistency between you and your colleagues. Consistency is the key to clarity.

And when in doubt, ask for feedback, which is always a huge blind spot for introverts:

"Did that make sense?"

"Was my point understood the way I intended?"

"Do you have any suggestions on how I could improve?"

Feedback is critical for improvement.

[writingwithcolor]

WritingWithColor FAQ: How do I start writing a character of color?

First, be mindful that no race, culture, or ethnicity makes one inherently predisposed to certain emotions or personalities, despite what stereotypes or TTRPGs may suggest. We are all humans who share the same range of emotions and ways of thinking, even if we have different values.

Understand that there is no single template for a good [race, ethnicity] character. A person’s social, economic, and geographical background influences their life and values just as much as their race, culture, or religion. Consider: a Black American boy who grew up in a California mansion versus a Black American boy who grew up on an Illinois cornfield versus a Black boy who grew up in an apartment one city over. All three will have very different privileges, disadvantages, and outlooks on life.

Further reading (WWC x NaNoWriMo):

The Do’s of Writing PoC

Properly Coded: Creating Characters of Color

3 Ways to Show a Character's Culture

---

This Q&A is an excerpt from our General FAQ for Newcomers, which can be found in our new Masterpost of rules and FAQs. For more general resources on POC representation, check it out!

-Writing With Color