the-writers-realm

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How to feel magical

How to feel magical

Take baths with rose petals and moonlight

Use enchanted lotion

Aquire books

Gather flowers

Treasure keys and trinkets

Light candles

Paint

Write your favorite things in your journal and on your arms

Collect cool looking glass bottles

Learn languages of all kinds, especially Latin.

Eat different things and try new foods on a regular.

Go on walks often

Admire nature

Stargaze

Do your hair with sparkling things

Stretch

Give yourself time to think

Explore music

Draw in dark ink

Record the stars and how they move

Read stories and collect them like treasure only to share them with others.

Makes wishes. Wether it be blowing the fluff off of a dandelion, throwing a penny into a well, or spotting a shooting star, don’t be afraid to make one.

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A conversation w/ a snared fox at the edge of the field

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Van Gogh Quotes as Dialogue prompts

“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.”

“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.”

“I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.”

“Art is to console those who are broken by life.”

“I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things.”

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”

“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”

“I wish they would take me as I am.”

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

“Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well.”

“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.”

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”

“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process.”

“Be clearly aware of the stars and infinity on high. Then life seems almost enchanted after all.”

“A great fire burns within me, but no one stops to warm themselves at it, and passers-by only see a wisp of smoke.”

“The beginning is perhaps more difficult than anything else, but keep heart, it will turn out all right.”

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Query Generator!

I’ve just launched a new website called Query Generator!

Query Generator is a tool for fiction writers in the early stages of drafting or reworking their query letters. The Generator helps you identify important aspects of your story and gathers them into a standard query structure. 

The main feature of the website is the Generator itself, which has a form that’s divided into five sections:

Section 1: The Protagonist

Section 2: The Plot

Section 3: Meta Data

Section 4: You!

Section 5: The Agent

The Generator looks something like this:

Every single item has both an explanation and a few examples of how you might fill out the item, which should help to guide you in filling out each section. Some of the questions are extremely simple (ex. ”Full Name”) while some might take a bit of thinking (ex. “Initial Challenges”). 

Once you’re done, your query will look something like the ones on the Example Page: 

The example page features the “blank” template and two examples of filled out forms. This will help you see how everything actually fits together, and should provide you with some further help before you start with your own query - or, if the Generator produces an incoherent mess - will help you see how it was everything was meant to come together in the end. You can really see here that there are very few words the Generator actually adds to your project. The longest string is six. The Generator is meant to help you find your own words as you draft your query. 

Finally, there’s an Advice Page: 

This page is meant to help you:

understand why the generator functions the way it does, 

provides tips for further editing your query, and

helps you look toward next steps once you finish revising your query.

Why the Generator Exists

I’ve noticed, doing some query critiques here and in workshops with friends, that many first-attempts at queries are missing some fundamental story elements: protagonist ages, word counts, inciting incidents, setting, etc. No matter how well written they were, they weren’t fulfilling all of the functions required by query letters. 

I have my writing the perfect query letter post, but as I was helping a friend rewrite her query, I realized that some elements were just so formulaic, that there had to be a way to just… make a query generating form.

So I decided to build, basically, a Query Ad-Libs. You fill out a form that asks for your story elements, giving you examples and explanations to help you along the way. Once it has the information, it puts everything together, and hands it back to you in a standard query layout.

It won’t be well-written, but it’ll be a starting point for you to take back to your Word Doc and hopefully use to make something amazing.

A Simple Website 

This website was created by me (concept, content, & design) and my boyfriend (qualified, professional computer programmer). We didn’t have a team or testers or any outside help along the way. Just a drive to combine our skills and do something with our time besides binging Netflix (and many, many cups of Starbucks.) It’s not a professional or moneymaking endeavor, either. There are no ads or fees. 

However, if you find the site useful and would like to show your appreciation, donations of cups of coffee via Ko-Fi would be greatly valued, and spent coming up with additional content, either for this site or a new one: https://ko-fi.com/letswritesomenovels. 

Also, if you come across any bugs, please let us know, so we can fix them for future visitors to the Query Generator! 

I hope you check it out, and - if you do - I hope you find it useful to your writing endeavors, whether you’re getting ready to query, dreaming of querying, or just having fun. 

https://www.querylettergenerator.com/

xx Julia (letswritesomenovels)

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I don’t know what to put in my journal!

If you were told that tomorrow you were going to be brainwashed of all your memories and the only thing you were allowed to keep with you was your journal, what you write in it?

That’s what you put in your journal. The important things in life that you ought never forget. The color of your friend’s eyes. Your favorite song lyrics. Your funniest stories. Your favorite dad joke. Things worth remembering.

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Dear Writer,

You’ve got such a wonderful mind filled with wonderful thoughts. It would be such a tragedy if you never ended up sharing them with the world.

The people locked inside you- no one would ever get to meet them.

The worlds locked inside you- no one would get to see them.

Don’t give up.

Keep writing.

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The Sun and the Sky

Which color?

The sun asked.

And the sky replied

I’m torn between purple and pink.

The sun’s rays warmed with affection.

Then we’ll use both.

He answered her.

The clouds shone, cascading over the horizon with golden and pinkish hues. The edge of the world painted in colors unseen.

I think I like that color.

Said the sky.

And the sun answered as it set.

As do I.

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Dialogue prompt

Think of life’s moments like butterflies and you’re the catcher. When you avail to capture one, admire it and appreciate it for it is beautiful. But sooner or later you’ll realize, as wonderful as this moment is, you’ve got to let it go.

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You see, it’s like this...

A good book will break your heart twice. The first, through the characters and the struggles that they face. The second time, you are simply heartbroken because when you reach the end, you come to the realization that it’s all not real.

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20 Basic Plots

1. QUEST - the plot involves the Protagonist’s search for a person, place or thing, tangible or intangible (but must be quantifiable, so think of this as a noun; i.e., immortality).

2. ADVENTURE - this plot involves the Protagonist going in search of their fortune, and since fortune is never found at home, the Protagonist goes to search for it somewhere over the rainbow.

3. PURSUIT - this plot literally involves hide-and-seek, one person chasing another.

4. RESCUE - this plot involves the Protagonist searching for someone or something, usually consisting of three main characters - the Protagonist, the Victim & the Antagonist.

5. ESCAPE - plot involves a Protagonist confined against their will who wants to escape (does not include some one trying to escape their personal demons).

6. REVENGE - retaliation by Protagonist or Antagonist against the other for real or imagined injury.

7. THE RIDDLE - plot involves the Protagonist’s search for clues to find the hidden meaning of something in question that is deliberately enigmatic or ambiguous.

8. RIVALRY - plot involves Protagonist competing for same object or goal as another person (their rival).

9. UNDERDOG - plot involves a Protagonist competing for an object or goal that is at a great disadvantage and is faced with overwhelming odds.

10. TEMPTATION - plot involves a Protagonist that for one reason or another is induced or persuaded to do something that is unwise, wrong or immoral.

11. METAMORPHOSIS - this plot involves the physical characteristics of the Protagonist actually changing from one form to another (reflecting their inner psychological identity).

12. TRANSFORMATION - plot involves the process of change in the Protagonist as they journey through a stage of life that moves them from one significant character state to another.

13. MATURATION - plot involves the Protagonist facing a problem that is part of growing up, and from dealing with it, emerging into a state of adulthood (going from innocence to experience).

14. LOVE - plot involves the Protagonist overcoming the obstacles to love that keeps them from consummating (engaging in) true love.

15. FORBIDDEN LOVE - plot involves Protagonist(s) overcoming obstacles created by social mores and taboos to consummate their relationship (and sometimes finding it at too high a price to live with).

16. SACRIFICE - plot involves the Protagonist taking action(s) that is motivated by a higher purpose (concept) such as love, honor, charity or for the sake of humanity.

17. DISCOVERY - plot that is the most character-centered of all, involves the Protagonist having to overcome an upheavel(s) in their life, and thereby discovering something important (and buried) within them a better understanding of life (i.e., better appreciation of their life, a clearer purpose in their life, etc.)

18. WRETCHED EXCESS - plot involves a Protagonist who, either by choice or by accident, pushes the limits of acceptable behavior to the extreme and is forced to deal with the consequences (generally deals with the psychological decline of the character).

19. ASCENSION - rags-to-riches plot deals with the rise (success) of Protagonist due to a dominating character trait that helps them to succeed.

20. DECISION - riches-to-rags plot deals with the fall (destruction) of Protagonist due to dominating character trait that eventually destroys their success.

by Pavel Simakov

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To make your writing more whimsical

Try… Instead of...

Amiable – friendly

Kind – benevolent

Excited- Ecstatic

Happy, overjoyed – elated, delighted

Lively- exuberant

Appearing - blossoming

Joking – jovial

Dreamy – fanciful or whimsical

Fascinated - enraptured

Irritable – choleric

Nervous – agitated

Playful - impish

Angry – haughty

Very Angry - seething

Argumentative – quarrelsome

Bright – radiant

Pout - Brood

Comely – attractive/pretty

Demure - shy

drink/concoction - Elixir

convincing - Eloquence

Large – Spacious

Bubbly - Effervescent

realization - Epiphany

Heavenly - Ethereal

Sneaky – Furtive

Sarcastic – Facetious

Thin/ Fine – Gossamer

Adventurous – Intrepid

Calm - mellow

Courageous - Feisty

Unhappy – grim

Cozy nook by a hearth – Inglenook

Calloused – inure

Dull – jaded

Maze – labyrinth

Lake – lagoon

Inactive - lagour

Annoyed- peeved

Gracefully - lilt

Murmur – Murmurous

Enemy -Nemesis

Luxurious – opulent

Half Shadow – Penumbra

A lot – Plethora

Filled with loss – Pyrrhic

Small Wave – Ripple

Lazily – Serendipitous

Neutral – Placid

Bright – Summery

Sneaky – Surreptitious

Neutral - Placid

Lonely – isolated

Lazy – Indolent

Empty - Gnawing

Black or dark – Ebony

Surprisingly – Astoundingly

Lost their temper – Ballistic

Sugary – Dulcet

Untidy – disheveled

Fateful – determined

Thoughtful – methodical

Walking – Striding

Dark – Inky

Black -Ebony

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Dialogue prompt

“Life is so very very fragile, and you must tread lightly, that much is true. Some would have you believe life in all its delicateness is a bad thing and you should stumble recklessly through without caution or heed. But some of the most wonderful and beautiful things that have graced us are fragile. Just because the butterfly must be handled gently doesn’t mean you squash it between your palms without a care. You hold it delicately and admired the shimmering colors of its dainty wings.

Life is the same. It’s a fragile dance but one worth dancing all the same. Be brave, have courage, but tread lightly and savor.”

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Sometime...

Sometime I need to go on a honey picnic in the woods and just sit there and eat honey on biscuits or toast and talk about life with a friend cause I’m pretty sure Pooh bear had the right idea.

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Fandom Inspired Bucket List!!!

Have a honey picnic in the woods and talk about life with a friend.

Have friends show up at my house for an “unexpected party”.

Canoe down the river to the theme song of pirates of the Caribbean.

Go treasure hunting and look for a “national treasure”!

Sword duel with lightsabers and become a jedi night

Try Turkish delight

Try lembas bread

Wear a fez

Try archery in the woods like Legolas

Drink blue coke

Recreate the rewrite the stars scene

Run a maze

Write in galifreyan

Eat a hogwarts feast

Get sorted by the sorting hat

Play capture the flag Percy Jackson style

Find out what kind of demigod I am

Make a camp necklace/tshirt

Play hide and seek peavensie style.

Do the Parent trap handshake

Make my own wand.

Make my own sonic screwdriver

Do my hair like they did the avatar show (do katara’s loopies)

Recreate the avatar intro but ridiculously.

Play pisho

Figure what bender I am.

Make a betrothal necklace (bonus points if I give it to someone)

Drink cactus juice.

Solve a mystery while smoking a bubble pipe.

Find 221B

Build a lightsaber???

Bury a treasure and make a map to it!

Write something in a bottle and throw into a body of water.

Throw a tea party like the mad hatter

Own a hogwarts house scarf

Play weeping angel tag

Play a game of quidditch

Release a floating lantern.

Swim with a mermaid tail.

Make a fairy in a bottle like link.

Do my hair like Princess Zelda!!

Make an Elvin crown.

Do a battle of wits.

Eat a MLT

Read the tea leaves.

Build a fairy house.

Wear converse, a tan trench coat, and a sonic screwdriver for a day.

Feel free to add your own!!

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So you know how they’re making a live action Dora?

Watch them make a live action blues clues where Steve is like a detective/cop and Blue is his cop dog and they run around and look for “clues”.

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Dialogue Prompt

“The good old days are not a phase in life in which things magically are perfect. It’s something you’re actively doing and creating as you live each day. Last week could have been the good old days if you lived them to the fullest. This last weekend even. Your life can be comprised of thousands upon thousands of “good ol’ days” but not if you continue to spend your life reminiscing of a time you thought things were perfect. The Good ol Days are now.”