thewritinggrindstone

[thewritinggrindstone]

practical writing advice

part 2

avoid writing in bed if you can. writing in bed is the mind-killer. writing in bed is the little death that brings obliteration. you may think "but i can write AND be cozy" you will get sleepy so fast. 98% of the time when i try to get a nighttime writing session done in bed i go to sleep. maybe 70% of the time if it's an afternoon writing session. also it fucking kills your wrists.

STRETCH before writing. stretch as many parts of your body as possible ESPECIALLY YOUR WRISTS! i have chronic tendonitis in both of my arms from not doing this and it is manageable but it is Not Fun!

plug your phone in on the other side of the room. better yet, plug it in and leave it in another room. better yet, power it off and leave it in another room. "i'll just check one quick thing" do not underestimate the power of the doomscroll.

do a warmup. look up writing prompts (i like one-word prompts or prompts that focus on a general theme as it's easier to integrate into my writing style), set a timer for fifteen minutes, or ten, or five, and go ham. make it shitty or incomprehensible, as long as you make it. create a dump document for all your warmups. i currently have two novels in the works that started as one of these fifteen minute little warmups.

pick your background noise ahead of time if you use it, and look for something long. i listen to 3-hour-long silent hill ambient mixes on youtube dot com.

take breaks. around every 45 minutes, as i'm noticing myself begin to lose focus, i get up, grab a drink, get my blood flowing, and give myself some space to breathe.

sometimes i sit down to write and i think "every atom in my body is averse to doing this right now. i would rather dance barefoot on a bed of nails than open my laptop and start typing." and you know what i do? i go do something else instead. don't force it! it will become a chore.

that being said! write as often as possible. try to write every day. try to write at the same time. don't beat yourself up if you can’t, BUT the more often you write, the more often you'll want to write.

if you're stuck on a scene or a page or a chapter, go back to the last place where you felt like you knew what you were doing and start writing from there. keep a copy of your other writing in case you want to reuse it or refer back!

i don't know if this is something that will be helpful for other people but i start mentally preparing myself for my writing session a few hours ahead of time. i will say to myself, "today, at this time, i'm gonna sit down and write that scene where mina walks out on her book club, and it's going to be awesome and i'm looking forward to it." then, by the time i actually begin, i basically have the whole thing written out in my head and can just put it down to paper. it's a good way to at least kickstart the session !

ok thanks bye

[thewritinggrindstone]

Rising Action: Everything You Need to Know Plus 3 Examples

Action hooks readers and makes characters grow. You use it in every story, even when you don’t realize it. Here are a few things every writer should know about rising action and a few examples of how it affects various plot maps.

What Is Rising Action?

Rising action is the chain of events that moves your plot forward. It begins and ends with your full story, so it’s an essential craft tool every writer should feel confident wielding.

What Are the Types of Rising Action?

These are a few types of rising action that you can use in any story. They affect the plot and characters in ways that keep readers flipping pages because your story becomes more engaging.

Your Inciting Incident

The initial action in a story is typically the inciting incident. It’s one of the many plot devices writers use within their narratives because it kicks things off in a way that dazzles or stuns the reader.

It could be something as small as your protagonist making a doctor’s appointment (because the doctor is later revealed to be their long-lost mother). It might be as significant as Ursula shooting Hitler in Life After Life by Kate Atkinson.

Your Ongoing Crises or Actionable Choices

After your inciting incident gets your plot moving, the rising action keeps it going. This includes any ongoing crises that happen as a result of the inciting incident, choices your protagonist makes, or consequences of choices your protagonist doesn’t make.

The protagonist who makes the initial doctor’s appointment might notice that their doctor has the same unique eye color as them. They make the choice to research the doctor online. The protagonist finds their friends and starts integrating themselves into the doctor’s social circle to learn more about them.

They could also deal with crises, like if someone crashes into their car on the way home from a party where they find confirmation that the doctor is their long-lost mother. Maybe a natural disaster occurs or they experience a financial loss.

Everything that makes your protagonist continue to move toward your story’s resolution is part of your rising action. It could be physical events, unintended consequences, choices, words, etc.

Your Story’s Climax

Rising action also includes your story’s climax. Famous moments like these include Jack and his mom escaping in Room, or Romeo killing himself in Romeo and Juliet.

Stories can also have multiple climaxes—more on that below.

Internal and External Rising Action

Action isn’t always external, like with car crashes or fist fights. Sometimes it’s inner turmoil that makes your character take action or make decisions that aren’t typical for them. Internal action is incredibly compelling because everyone has their own inner struggles. When described in vivid, grounded ways, readers stick around for books like To Kill a Mockingbird and Turtles All the Way Down.

Rising Action in Different Plot Maps

Plots can have numerous shapes when mapped out. It depends on the story you’re telling and your confidence as a writer. Here are a few different plot maps and how rising action fits into all of them. 

Freytag’s Pyramid

Writers start with this plot map because it’s easy to follow and plan for. You have your inciting incident, the action propelling your story, the climax, and the resolution. It’s the most common makeup of short stories, novels, and everything in between.

The Three-Act Plot Map

Three-act stories have two subplots and one primary plot that result in three climaxes and three resolutions.

Going off my long-lost-doctor-mother example, here’s what it would look like as a three-act book:

Act 1 Inciting Incident: The appointment when the protagonist realizes their doctor shares their rare eye color and wonders if she’s their long-lost mother.

Act 1 Climax: The protagonist befriends the doctor’s coworkers at a company cookout by posing as a new hire in the clinic’s satellite office. They run into their doctor, who mentions she wanted to be a mother once.

Act 1 Resolution: The protagonist goes home, more determined than ever to get answers and potentially revenge.

Act 1 introduces the inciting incident for the entire book, raises the stakes, and sets higher stakes for whatever occurs in Act 2 by creating the expectation of potential revenge.

Act 2 Inciting Incident: The protagonist spends weeks researching the doctor’s history and pretends to become a member at the doctor’s church to directly befriend her where she feels safest.

Act 2 Climax: The protagonist breaks into the doctor’s home and rifles through her broken safe, ultimately finding paperwork verifying that she placed a baby girl for adoption at the same adoption agency where the protagonist came from.

Act 2 Resolution: the doctor comes home and the protagonist narrowly escapes undetected. She starts plotting her revenge.

Act 2 introduces a new form of tension with the break-in/escape. It also makes revenge a guaranteed future event, raising the stakes even higher. There’s also additional tension because the protagonist is unraveling into someone making purposefully cruel choices.

Act 3 Inciting Incident: The protagonist finds a news reporter downtown reporting live during the 5 p.m. show. They interrupt by calling the doctor out by name, saying she’s a fraud. She never actually got her medical license.

Act 2 Climax: The doctor gets fired because her employer checks with her various universities, none of which have any record of her being a student or graduating with them (likewise with her residency program). She returns home to find the protagonist in her kitchen. The protagonist used their cybersecurity background to delete all the files. They’re prepared for a screaming match after venting to the doctor, who ultimately only professes their love for the protagonist. They loved them too much to keep them while she couldn’t be a mom. 

Act 3 Resolution: The protagonist gets arrested for their various illegal activities, but the doctor visits them in jail/prison. They form a budding connection, which the novel leaves open-ended.

Act 3 makes the protagonist do something illegal and reckless. There’s a confrontation resolving Act 1’s inciting incident and the protagonist’s primary motivations (hurt from never knowing their mom). The novel ends in a much different place but leaves the reader to define how they feel about it all.

These types of stories are more complicated, so they’re often longer. However, that doesn’t mean they’re always better. You have to be good at plotting and developmental editing to carry the thematic weight and conflict through to the end. With practice and determination, you can tackle the three-act plot map!

The Seven-Point Plot Map

The seven-point plot map often outlines stories with superheroes and villains or forces of good fighting forces of evil. It can layer itself with a three-act story too, which is what you’ll get from well-practiced authors who have written many, many other books as practice.

The long-lost-doctor-mother example would go like this:

Inciting Incident: The appointment when the protagonist realizes their doctor shares their rare eye color and wonders if she’s their long-lost mother.

Introduction of the Antagonist: The moment when the protagonist vows to compromise their ethics to uncover the truth. (The protagonist is also the antagonist in this example.)

The Antagonist Makes Their First Move: The protagonist uses a fake identity to become friends with the doctor’s coworkers and a member of the doctor’s church, specifically to get the most information from where the doctor feels safest.

The Protagonist Begins Fighting the Antagonist: The protagonist starts to feel scared of themselves once they realize they let go of their morals and ethics to get revenge. Self-doubt makes enacting revenge more difficult, but they push on with their plan.

The Protagonist Reaches Rock Bottom: The protagonist finds proof of the adoption agency the doctor used at the same time they were dropped off there. They delete the doctor’s university and residency files, reports her as a fraud, and gets her fired.

The Protagonist Defeats the Antagonist: After breaking into the doctor’s house and having their verbal confrontation, the protagonist gives themselves up to the cops who show up after the doctor reports a break-in. The protagonist knows they’ve gone too far and need to be stopped before they spiral into doing something worse.

Comprehensive Resolution: The doctor visits the protagonist in jail and they form some kind of positive relationship, which is left up to the reader to define.

You can handle this plot map easily too, but set realistic expectations for yourself! This is a big one. You’ll need lots of time to plan your plot points, character arcs, and rising action conflicts that get you to each part of your map.

Of course, you can switch things up too. Your antagonist may win in the end if you want to write a duology or trilogy. You might also just want to write a story with a crushing defeat to make your theme work.

Writers take months or years to tackle stories like this. You can do it too, just go easy on your expectations to get there with your mental health intact.

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Rising action is the powerful tool that makes stories captivating. You can use it to make any type of plot structure work, depending on the story you’re writing and what you want to attempt next.

With practice and the courage to try new things, you’ll deliver the type of action that grips readers as they flip each page.

[thewritinggrindstone]

Please. Write it. Write the thing. Even if you feel like it's shit. Even if you think no one will read it. Even if no one reads it. Even if you think the words make no sense. Even if it breaks your heart. Especially if it breaks your heart.

Please. Write it.

[thewritinggrindstone]

I think some people forget that some literature and some media is meant to be deeply uncomfortable and unsettling. It's meant to make you have a very visceral reaction to it. If you genuinely can't handle these stories then you are under no obligation to consume them but acting as if they have no purpose or as if people don't have a right to tell these stories, stories that often relate to the darkest or most disturbing parts of life, then you should do some introspection.

[thewritinggrindstone]

I've had a fair few people ask me how I write dialogue, and other than touting the sort-of-dismissive-feeling "I've had a lot of practice and have been doing this a long time" comment I usually make, here are a few quick tips for improving dialogue writing.

1) Listen to people talk. Like. This sounds very "no fuckin duh." But I don't mean casually overhearing conversations. I mean if you have a character with a specific background, then get some headphones and find video/audio of someone you envision them speaking like, close your eyes, and simply listen. Full immersion. Let the cadence of their voice and the vocabulary they use wash over you. Absorb it.

2) Read some screenplays and start listening to dialogue like a writer. Screenplays are a good source because film/television often relies heavily on dialogue to communicate character. The lines are intentional, they're economic, they convey ideas in a way that most of us wouldn't be able to come up with off the cuff. Consider the different ways lines can be delivered and how that can change their entire meaning.

3) Everyone has vocal tics. We all have certain ways of speaking. It's where regional accents and slang come from and it's how we express a specific image of ourselves. People SPEAK differently. Uptalk, vocal fry, pauses for emphasis, laughing to lighten the heaviness of the words, certain turns of phrase, mumbling, showmanship, whatever. Train your ear to clock those things and figure out how to use them to bring out character personality.

4) Check out some improv. If you have an improv group in your area, check them out! There's also tons of improv content online. If you're ever like "how did someone come up with that absolute fucking BANGER of a line just off the top of their head???" The answer is 1) they probably didn't just think of it, and 2) they've practiced rapid-fire back and forth, often with a comedic bent.

5) Read out loud. If you're ever like "what would a real person sound like saying this," you have the answer. Say it yourself, in the way you envision them saying it, and see where it sounds clunky and can be smoothed out. Is there a way for you to convey emphasis where it's needed?

6) Dialogue tags do in fact matter. Every once in a while you'll see the advice that you should NEVER use dialogue tags besides "says/said" because "the dialogue should speak for itself." It's mostly bullshit. Don't use them for the sake of adding a different tag to every line of dialogue, but the WAY people say things can change the meaning of the words. So use them intentionally.

7) PRACTICE. Look. I fuckin know lol. But this advice always stands. Any creative expression requires practice to improve. It's incredibly rare to have a "natural" talent for anything. So just keep on keeping on. You're doing great. And you will continue to improve.

[thewritinggrindstone]

A list of moral questions to developing a villainous character

Is mercy a sign of weakness in your eyes?

What is your primary motivation or value that drives your actions?

Are there any principles you refuse to compromise on, even in your pursuit of power?

Do you believe lying is justified if it serves your goals?

How do you manipulate others to achieve your ends?

Would you betray an ally to further your plans?

Do you believe in justice, or do you see it as a tool to manipulate others?

Would you sacrifice yourself for a cause or ambition?

Would you destroy something beautiful or innocent to achieve your goals?

If you had to choose between your ambition and the life of someone you care about, what would you do?

Do you feel any responsibility towards society, or do you act solely for your gain?

How do you justify your actions to yourself and others?

Can you forgive someone who has wronged you, or do you seek revenge?

How long do you hold grudges, and what actions might provoke them?

Do you respect any form of authority, or do you see yourself as the ultimate power?

These questions can help you delve into the psyche of your villain.

[thewritinggrindstone]

Every word written is a victory. No matter how shitty. No matter how painful to write. No matter if you immediately deleted them, or if you know you will delete them later.

If you wrote - if you tried - I'm proud of you.

[thewritinggrindstone]

CORRECTLY Writing "Morally Gray" Characters

Want to write a hot, cool, and bad character but DON'T want he/she to come across as toxic, downright bad, or, god forbid, cringe? Well, I've got a couple of tips that may help you create exactly what you want!

1. Softness

Okay, yes we want this character to be tough and cool, but there also needs to be a certain softness, no matter how small, that comes with them. If there's someone that your character prioritizes or cares about, there has to be a point or two that it shows--a moment where they're soft only for the people that they care about. Why? Because this establishes the humanity in them. It shows the readers that your character IS human, not an emotionless monster.

2. Goals

Key to any good characters are their goals. The thing is, for this type of a character, their objectives can't be so random. They need a reason for their actions, and it needs to be valid. Usually, this is reasoned out by some kind of past epiphany, which is crucial because without it, your character doesn't have anything solid backing up their goals.

Bad things, but for a good reason.

Now, why is this important? Because it can pull readers to their side. As long as they understand the cause, they have a chance to follow your character's side, increasing their likeability!

3. Neutrality

Notice how this is a "morally gray" character, not a "completely evil" one. Why does this matter? Well, a trait people tend to overlook when writing these characters is the morally gray, or neutral, part. It's important to just occasionally show that your character is walking the fine line and in my opinion, a great way to achieve this is to have them help the protagonist out (instead of always fighting against them) one, or even two times!

4. Positive Characteristics

This is a very simple one, but make sure to depict a couple positive qualities (besides just being hot) of your character! Like my first point, it's pivotal to illustrate that they have some humanity, and this is an easy and great way!

Throw in a few good characteristics (I have a post with some examples of redeeming qualities for villains if you need some help), and let it show that they are still respectable!

5. Backstory

I believe that with certain characters that play certain roles in the story, explaining their backstory is a NEED for them; and this character type is no different! Introducing even a bit of their past can get the audience interested in your character. It also allows for better understanding of them and shows how they changed over time.

6. CONFIDENCE

Be confident in your skills when writing this character! To many, the idea of "cringeness" makes them second-guess how they should write. In reality, it's better to write it however you wish, because if you're confident in one moment and clearly less in another, the readers are able to sense any unexpected changes in things in your character's tones, expressions, and actions.

It's important to keep your character in, well, character. Still, there's going to be a few moments that break it, but it shouldn't be in any unnatural way.

If your character is flirty, then let them act flirty. If they mess around a lot, then let them mess around. Don't limit their actions or words just because you think some people might find it cringe!

Alright, that's it for me! What do you think? Are they valid or unreasonable?

Happy writing~

3hks <3

[thewritinggrindstone]

Full offense but your writing style is for you and nobody else. Use the words you want to use; play with language, experiment, use said, use adverbs, use “unrealistic” writing patterns, slap words you don’t even know are words on the page. Language is a sandbox and you, as the author, are at liberty to shape it however you wish. Build castles. Build a hovel. Build a mountain on a mountain or make a tiny cottage on a hill. Whatever it is you want to do. Write.

[thewritinggrindstone]

The 5 Most Essential Turning Points in a Character’s Arc

You spend so much time creating a character because you want them to feel real. You want to connect with them and use them to create an experience for your readers. Their character arc is how that happens.

Don’t miss out on these essential turning points that make an arc feel not only whole, but complete.

1. The Inciting Incident

Your inciting incident gets your plot moving. It isn’t going to be the first sentence of your story (also called your hook), although it could be if you crafted your first sentence for that purpose.

An inciting incident is a plot event that guides your character in a new direction. It’s the successful prison break, the meeting of instant rivals, or the moment your protagonist wins the lottery in your first chapter.

Without the inciting incident, your protagonist’s life would carry on as usual. They wouldn’t start the arc that makes them an interesting person for the reader to stick with throughout your story.

2. Introducing the Protagonist’s Main Flaw

Every protagonist needs a primary flaw. Ideally, they’ll have more than one. People aren’t perfect and they rarely get close enough to only have one negative characteristic. Protagonists need that same level of humanity for readers to connect with them.

There are many potential flaws you could consider, but the primarily flaw must be the foundation for your character’s arc. It might even be the catalyst for the story’s peak.

Imagine a hero archetype. They’re great and well-intended, but they have a problem with boasting. Their arc features scenes where they learn to overcome their need to brag about themselves, but they get drunk and boast in a bar right before the story’s peak. The antagonist’s best friend hears this because they’re at the same bar, so they report the hero’s comment to the main villain. It thwarts the hero’s efforts and makes the climax more dramatic.

Other potential flaws to consider:

Arrogance

Pride

Fear

Anxiety

Carelessness

Dishonesty

Immaturity

3. Their First Failure

Everyone will fail at a goal eventually. Your protagonist should too. Their first failure could be big or small, but it helps define them. They either choose to continue pursuing that goal, they change their goal, or their worldview shatters.

Readers like watching a protagonist reshape their identity when they lose sight of what they wnat. They also like watching characters double down and pursue something harder. Failure is a necessary catalyst for making this happen during a character’s arc.

4. Their Rock Bottom

Most stories have a protagonist that hits their rock bottom. It could be when their antagonist defeats them or lose what matters most. There are numerous ways to write a rock-bottom moment. Yours will depend on what your character wants and what your story’s theme is.

If you forget to include a rock-bottom moment, the reader might feel like the protagonist never faced any real stakes. They had nothing to lose so their arc feels less realistic.

Rock bottoms don’t always mean earth-shattering consequences either. It might be the moment when your protagonist feels hopeless while taking an exam or recognizes that they just don’t know what to do. Either way, they’ll come to grips with losing something (hope, direction, or otherwise) and the reader will connect with that.

5. What the Protagonist Accepts

Protagonists have to accept the end of their arc. They return home from their hero’s journey to live in a life they accept as better than before. They find peace with their new fate due to their new community they found or skills they aquired.

Your protagonist may also accept a call to action. They return home from their journey only to find out that their antagonist inspired a new villain and the protagonist has to find the strength to overcome a new adversary. This typically leads into a second installment or sequel.

Accepting the end of their arc helps close the story for the reader. A protagonist who decides their arc wasn’t worth it makes the reader disgruntled with the story overall. There has to be a resolution, which means accepting whatever the protagonist’s life ended up as—or the next goal/challenge they’ll chase.

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Hopefully these points make character arcs feel more manageable for you. Defining each point might feel like naming your instincts, but it makes character creation and plotting easier.

Want more creative writing tips and tricks? I have plenty of other fun stuff on my website, including posts like Traits Every Protagonist Needs and Tips for Writing Subplots.

[thewritinggrindstone]

Transition Words

Determine the type of signal you need.

Select from that signal group the word which is most appropriate to the meaning of your sentences.

Note: The same transition word or phrase can sometimes serve different purposes.

To signal an addition:

in addition, furthermore, moreover, also, equally important, likewise, another, again

To signal an example:

for example, for instance, thus, in other words, as an illustration, in particular

To signal a suggestion:

for this purpose, to this end, with this objective in mind

To signal emphasis:

indeed, truly, again, to repeat, in fact

To signal granting a point:

while it may be true, in spite of this

To signal a summary/conclusion:

in summary, in conclusion, therefore, finally, consequently, accordingly, in short, in brief, as a result, on the whole, thus

To signal the development of a sequence:

Value sequence: first, second, secondly, third, thirdly, next, last, finally

Time sequence: then, afterward, next, subsequently, previously, first, second, at last, meanwhile, in the meantime, immediately, soon, at length, yesterday

Space sequence: above, across, under, beyond, below, nearby, nearer, opposite to, adjacent to, to the left/right, in the foreground, in the background

To signal a relationship:

Similarity: similarly, likewise, in like manner

Contrast: in contrast to, however, but, still, nevertheless, yet, conversely, notwithstanding, on the other hand, on the contrary, at the same time, while this may be true

Cause and Effect: consequently, thus, therefore, accordingly, hence, as a result

To signal an argument:

accordingly, as a result, at the same time, besides, equally important, in fact, otherwise, therefore

To signal a comparison:

also, at the same time, in like manner, in the same way, likewise, similarly, so too

To signal a contrast:

but, however, in contrast with, instead, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, yet

[thewritinggrindstone]

write unpublishable things. it's good for you.

[thewritinggrindstone]

One trap that All the Time Daydreamers, Sometimes Writers, fall into is this idea that writing is transcribing the daydream.

It's not. The daydream is a fuzzy thing. There are gaps that you don't need to fill in a daydream, because you already get the emotional point. A lot of it is emotion. And because it makes you feel like a complete story would, your brain is tricked into thinking that's what you have.

Then you sit down to actually write the thing and you realize you're trying to write a Space Opera without actually inventing any planets or space ships. You don't even know if the characters start out on the same planet. If they're on a planet at all. You didn't bother to check.

Now you will vaguely reference this in first-second person in any writing guide you make up for the rest of time.

When you write, you're building something. It's not a pale imitation of what you have in your head- what you have in your head can't exist on the outside. This is a whole new beast. It's going to ultimately look different and this is a good thing.

Also the internal critic is dumb.

I'm not even trying to be nice to your writing specifically here. The internal critic is looking for a completed story and you don't have one yet. So anything it has to say flat out does not apply.

[thewritinggrindstone]

dbh-adjacent writing-program nonsense under the cut, a.k.a. let's talk a bit about WriteMonkey 3

I've used WriteMonkey 2 and 3 on and off for. hm. I guess it's gotta be eight or nine years now? but those instances of use have always been erratic and short lived, and I've usually returned to either Scrivener or, more frequently for many reasons, MS Word. (I also did just a ton of first-draft writing in discord back when I had an account and c/ped my writing from there into Word. near-peerless syncing between devices, appalling security practices. what can ya do 🙃)

anyway, due to ~circumstances~ I've switched to writing on a computer that isn't my writing program–filled work laptop, and so I've been experimenting with WM3 again because it's super lightweight due to plaintext markdown instead of rich text and I have a license key for it, which = fun plugins. it's also way less complicated and labor intensive to set up per project and use than, say, Scrivener. I love Scrivener! but scriv can be overwhelming and distracting when all I want to do is write, especially if I want a unique, quick-to-set-up theme (and I always do, because Aesthetic Is Everything), which is one of the reasons WM3 is so handy

in addition to the gorgeous stripped-down UI that showcases whatever background I choose (mine can be found here!), WM3 has some really neat little plugins? I don't actually use the word-frequency checker myself, but WM3's shows you where each word appears in the document via the little indicator bars to the right of the word, which. rad! (you can tell at a glance which chapters are written in whose POV based off name usage alone and I think that's neat.) also, when you click on a given word in the frequency list, it'll highlight that word throughout the document and also display all uses of it vertically over the scroll bar path. lots of nice little visual indicators of what's going on. I just really like the design, it's simple but extremely useful and intuitive

admittedly, Scrivener cannot be beat when it comes to how easily you're able to make notes in it due to its multitude of note-taking locations, plus it has internal splitscreen capabilities that make referencing a second document a breeze, so there's definitely a mental transition involved when it comes to WM3 and its single-document-at-a-time system, on top of switching to markdown-style comments/reminders. that said! being able to not only see those comments below the headings in the left-hand sidebar but also jump to them when they're clicked? stellar 10/10 would use again

finally, the repository. I <3 the repository. being able to quickly toss whatever text I'm not quite ready to delete or info I know I'll want to reference at some point in the future into the repository is great. it's a seamless process, only a couple seconds' worth of effort required, allowing my focus to stay on what I'm writing instead of distracting myself by tabbing my way through various open files to find my notes. plus the repository is searchable(!!!!!), and using it also keeps the actual text editor clean visually, especially since the right-hand sidebar can be hidden too:

hm! possibly that is a sneak preview of chapter one! who can say!

so yeah! if you're looking for a stripped-down, highly customizable, portable writing program, I absolutely recommend it. there are downsides, of course, the biggest one being no official WM3 mobile options available at present, but since the program is both portable and plaintext, you can toss it into a syncing service and access it via your handheld devices that way. it's also not open source, and you need to pay to access the truly useful plugin features. with all that said, if you don't mind fiddling around with some CSS to make everything look juuuuuuuuust right, you can get yourself a really snazzy setup with relatively little effort. but maybe that's just me—aesthetic is king and all that

[thewritinggrindstone]

When to Cut a Character

Last time we talked about getting rid of what’s not serving your story, but sometimes it can be hard to tell when something just needs a bit of adjusting to work, or needs to be cut entirely. This is a very case-by-case occurrence, but there are a few tell-tale signs for when a character just isn’t necessary.

1. You struggle to remember to include them in scenes or dialogue

If you often feel like you’re adding your character into a scene just because we haven’t seen them in a while, or even find yourself forgetting they exist at all—they are just as, if not more forgettable to the readers. This is a big sign you can cut them out, and save yourself the effort of including them in random scenes.

2. Their dialogue/purpose could be given to someone else

The best way to check if someone (or something) is necessary is to try to take them out. If you find that you can give a character’s plot importance and dialogue to someone else (or split across multiple characters), you can cut the character. By trying this with all your characters, you’ll find that only the absolute necessary ones remain. Besides, a smaller cast of characters is often easier to develop and juggle, allowing them all to shine throughout the story.

3. They only really show up as a plot device

While maybe not necessary to cut out completely, characters who only show up at the most convenient times to provide some plot device or deus ex machina tend to land flat. When I catch these in my own work, I cut them out to force my main characters to solve their own problems.

One big example of this (and spoilers for the movie Passenger (2016)!) is when the characters, who are the only ones awake on the ship, need access to a certain room they don’t have the clearance for. This door proves an obstacle for the entire movie. Then, we reach the third act and need to end the movie so one of the other passengers who has access to that door wakes up because of a sudden malfunction, helps them through the door, and then dies soon after.

Given that was in a blockbuster movie, I’m sure you could get away with doing this, but I personally would have cut out that character and figured out a way for them to solve the problem on their own. (I think even if they had woken him up intentionally, giving them action and agency to solve this problem, it would have been better, but I digress).

There are tons of purposes for characters which is what makes this so case by case. If you’re unsure about a character being necessary, try taking them out and evaluate what is lost. If nothing is lost, or whatever’s lost can be made up by someone else, maybe the cut should be permanent.

                Any other signs a character is worth writing out of the story?

[thewritinggrindstone]

Make Your Dialogue Stronger: 8 Tips

Sometimes it’s a challenge to write good dialogue. Your character’s conversations might sound stiff or unnatural, but why does that happen?

There are numerous reasons why your dialogue isn’t as strong as you’d like. It might mean you just need more practice, but it could also mean it’s time to try something new.

Check out these tips to make your dialogue stronger and become a better writer with each story.

1. Skip the Small Talk

When you walk into the same room as someone, like at work or in the morning at school, you likely engage in small talk.

How are you?

Good, how are you?

I’m fine for a Monday morning.

It’s an instinct we’re all trained to have, but it makes for extremely boring conversations in books. Unless your small-talk scene occurs in a moment of extreme tension (like if neither character trusts the other or someone’s listening in on their conversation), you can likely skip that part of the dialogue.

2. Say It Out Loud

Sometimes it’s helpful to say your words out loud while you write. Dialogue or no dialogue, you’re more likely to catch awkward moments or stiff phrasing. Unless you prefer to write in a library, try this with your story. You may recognize unintentional repetition or repeated sentence structures that make your dialogue unnatural.

3. Remember Your Character’s Motivations

Think about the last real-world conversation you had with someone. The last one I had was pleasant and laid-back, but my motivation during it was finding out what was secretly bothering my friend. I wanted to help them feel better.

Your characters will have motivations in their dialogue too. If a scene feels off, it might be because what they’re saying doesn’t have any intention behind it. Think about what your characters want as their ultimate goal and how that conversation is helping them get there.

Layering their motivations into conversations with tension, word choice, and even body language could eliminate whatever feels unnatural about some of your dialogue.

4. Find the Scene’s Emotional Tether

Dialogue is also how writers address a scene’s emotional ties. If two characters just went through something scary, the dialogue lets them vent their panic and potentially find comfort in the trust they share. Consider what you want your readers to feel from the scene and what your characters are feeling. Express it with what they say to make their conversation more grounded in reality.

5. Read the Scene Aloud

If you’ve already written the scene, you can still read it out loud. It’s even better if you have a friend or beta reader around to read a second character’s lines. When you hear what the characters are saying, the word choices or dialogue breaks that aren’t working will become extremely clear. 

6. Copy and Paste the Dialogue

Sometimes you can’t read things out loud. Sometimes you may not want to. 

Luckily, AI can help with that.

I’ve used a few AI-powered websites to read my stories back to me in voices that sound real. Unlike other text-to-speech readers, human-sounding voices are easier to pay attention to.

Some of my favorites are sites like these:

NaturalReaders

TTSReader

Synthesys

Some sites will read more than others before requiring a paid membership. Use a few to listen through your stories and pick out whatever isn’t working.

7. Give Yourself a Break

It’s tempting to push yourself through a story until it’s finished. Writers often feel like they aren’t real authors unless the stories flow from their fingertips constantly. 

Remember that you’re human. When you’re writing you’re using at least eight parts of your brain, plus you’re building new neural connections. That’s tons of work for your brain. When you hit parts of your story that feel weaker or clunky—dialogue or not—it could be because your mind needs to rest.

Don’t underestimate the power of giving yourself a break. Walk away from your story for a few hours or even a few days. Nourish your mental health with a few positive affirmations, some fresh air, and healthy foods. You’ll return to your story with renewed energy that makes it easier to refine your dialogue.

8. Get Messy to Get Better

We’ve all been there. You’re writing a scene or story that means something deeply personal, so you want to get it just right. The desire to strive for perfection is admirable, but it might be holding you back.

Write those incomplete sentences. Embrace your clunky dialogue. Make your characters say things they don’t mean or argue or goof around in happier moments.

If you never make mistakes, you’ll never learn how to improve. Get messy and have fun doing it. You’ll always have time to polish things or add more to scenes when you’re editing later.

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Dialogue can be challenging, but that means it’s also an opportunity to grow. Try these tricks to get better at creating conversations, even if you consider yourself a long-term, practiced writer.

[thewritinggrindstone]

life's too short to write for an imaginary critic that you fear will hate what you wrote