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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Writing tips with Nef Labmaus

The following is a list of rules about writing. Obviously that means they are begging to be broken. I’ll try to list examples of exceptions for each of them. Why do I feel qualified to publish a list of writing tips? Because I’m a zany fraud. It’s my job to tell others what to do.

Respect and expect the intelligence of your readers.

Often times, fellow writers will advise me to make something more obvious in my writing. Inevitably it is revealed that they perfectly understood what the writing meant to convey, they simply lack faith in the average reader to do the same. Setting aside cynicism, your typical reader is pretty smart. They’ll figure it out if you give them a chance. In fact, readers are begging to be challenged. By spoon feeding them every character’s motivation, you deny them the pleasure of reading their actions. By exposing every plot detail, you make superfluous your foreshadowing and hints. People love to solve a mystery, even if that mystery is the deeper motivations of two characters having a conversation.

This problem gets ten times worse when we’re proud of something we’ve come up with. We can’t bear the thought of someone failing to notice a bit of wordplay, plot intricacy, or irony. Ironically (oh dear) by putting great big neon signs on these things we’re so proud of, we make them impossible to enjoy. What might have produced a smirk in an attentive, observant few, now produces a groan from a pretense-sensitive many.

Exceptions

The more you obfuscate in your writing, the more readers you cut off. Consider your audience and try to strike a balance. If nobody understand the motivations of your main character, that’s a huge problem. And if everybody knows how your story is going to end two paragraphs in, that’s not great either.

Opt for fewer words

Redundancy in wording is an easy trap to fall into. This ties into the previous rule. We don’t trust our readers to fill in the blanks. We say, “he was a waiter in a restaurant” because we don’t take the time to ask ourselves, as opposed to a waiter in an airport? Likewise, if you find yourself using three adjectives in a row, maybe there’s a single one that encompasses of them.

Exceptions

I like writing that is terse and matter of fact. But a common (and legitimate) criticism is that it’s not the most expressive writing in the world. There’s not a great deal of poetry to it. With that said, it is exceptionally rare that I read someone’s writing and think, that needed more words.

Also, be careful when applying this principal with dialogue. While I will admit that I often find dialogue overly wordy, on occasion that’s because the character themselves is verbose. Balancing the character’s voice with readability can be tricky. And speaking of voice…

Speak your dialogue out loud

We write very differently than we speak. Real life conversation is full of false starts, stutters, pauses, interruptions, (both by others and by the speaker themselves), etc. Not to mention the way we speak is seldom as composed or clever as our writing. Not many writers can pull off witty, snappy, writer-y dialogue. Much written dialogue is unnatural and rife with missed opportunities to show character and motivation. Say for example you have a character who is mischievous, a pest, and they feel like bothering someone with an inane question. They might ask:

“What are you doing?”

And that would be fine. It gets the job done. But what happens if we try saying that piece of dialogue out loud, remembering that a bratty character is doing it just to annoy someone, and they probably already know the answer? It probably sounds more like:

“Watcha doin’?”

It’s better, but we can’t always get across the delivery of a line through spelling alone. What else happened when we said that line out loud? Maybe an appropriate representation would be:

“Watcha doin’?” The query was drawn out, and sing-songy.

There’s a lot more of the character present.

Exceptions

After some time it may no longer be necessary to actually speak your dialogue out loud, but in my opinion it’s always important to consider how it would sound if spoken by a human being. It’s also worth saying that a book full of dialogue which reflected all inelegancies of spontaneous human speech would be really tedious to read.

Balance your showing and your telling

You might be thinking, I’ve heard this one! But I thought it was… Yes, new writers struggle with telling when they should be showing. So seldom do people “show” too much that the importance of telling is ignored. But it’s my opinion that both are necessary. Here’s a passage using only telling:

He would never get that report done, and Mr. Morgan would regret choosing Johnson for the assignment.

I talked earlier about how boring it is to be spoon-fed information, and here’s a great example. With that out of the way, only “showing” with no telling should be gripping:

“I’ll have the report on your desk by tomorrow, you won’t regret this!” said Johnson.

I understand what happened, but it doesn’t really mean anything. Maybe Johnson is full of it, but maybe he’s competent and chipper. It doesn’t really further the story any more than the first version. In my opinion, you get the best result when you combine the two.

“I’ll have the report on your desk by tomorrow.”

He wouldn’t.

“You won’t regret this!”

He already did.

Exceptions

I like a balance, but maybe you don’t. Maybe your characters inner lives are too complicated to expose merely through action. Maybe the pace of the story you’re telling demands that you spare some details. It’s also healthy to step outside your comfort zone, play with where you draw the line.

Be aware of your characters’ motivations

As I said in the first rule, your readers are smart enough to discern your characters’ motivation without being told directly. But none of that will mean anything if you’re not aware of your characters’ motivations to begin with. It can be easy to make a mental outline, decide what’s going to happen in your story, and then go about connecting those dots. But in doing so we might lose sight of what’s driving the characters.

This doesn’t always take the form of gaping contradictions. Let’s say a character has been prudish for most of their life, and are just now opening up to their sexuality. They go into a sex shop and decide to buy something. This is how we might choose to tell that to the reader:

He grabbed the toy off the shelf and walked towards the cashier.

That’s okay, but two days ago this character looked down their nose at this stuff. If the reader knows that, they might be confused as to the character’s sudden brazenness. Or worse, if they don’t know that yet, we’ve missed a perfect opportunity to tell them:

He looked side to side as he reached for the toy. His trembling hand stopped an inch from it. He grit his teeth, shut his eyes, and snatched the box off the shelf, holding it close to his chest. He scuttled to the checkout and slid the box onto the counter.

If we didn’t know the character was embarrassed to be there, we do now. Furthermore, if the character acts shy about sex later, the reader will remember this scene establishing their shyness. And always keep in mind that a great deal of storytelling consists of characters doing things outside their comfort zone. It can be especially difficult to establish why someone might do something out of the ordinary. In fact believably establishing that it is out of the ordinary can be the toughest part.

Keep the narration objective

Your readers don’t care what your narration thinks. If for instance, you write something like:

It was very exciting.

Their reaction will probably be something like, “I’ll be the judge of that, thank you.” More subtly, your narration shouldn’t be overly conversational, like:

He went right down there and gave them a piece of his mind.

This makes your narrator sound like a feisty old grandma, which leads me to the exception.

Exception

None of this applies if your narration is coming from a character. It should also be noted that, strictly speaking, the above rule isn’t possible, for a multitude of reasons. There are no truly objective ways to describe things, and thank goodness there aren’t.

Get the basics right

Know formatting rules. Know how to show thoughts, how to format quotes, etc. Spelling and grammar aren’t enough.

Don’t switch tenses. If you’re telling the story in the past tense, tell it in the past tense. Narration like, “He went to the grocery store. He looks at all the kinds of bread. He is walking down the aisles.” is really confusing.

Keep track of your pronouns. It’s okay to use the character’s names fairly frequently. It can feel like it’s too much, but it’s not as bad as getting two paragraphs deep into a maze of “he’s” and “she’s” and not being sure who it is that’s doing what.

Vary your words… kinda. A little variation is, in my opinion, essential. Too much variation feels pretentious. There’s no need to tediously cycle between butt, rear, hiney, crack, rump, booty, bum, etc. Readers will tolerate a remarkable number of asses in a row before it becomes a problem.

I thought you were gonna explain how to make stuff sexy?

Welp, that’s how I do it. Just do all that stuff, but talk about people fucking.

But for real tho.

Okay fine. My personal philosophy on sexy writing is this: you can’t beat pictures and animations on the merit of your sensory description alone. You can write yourself silly describing how great someone’s ass is, and that’s fine, but at any time your reader can go look at an ass, and speaking at least for myself, I can’t compete with that.

So how do we compete with images? What does a story have that an image does not? Background, relationships, transitions, character, scenarios, motivations, pictures can do these things, but words do them all way better. Two people fucking is hot, but a closeted gay character secretly hooking up with a kinky stranger might be hotter. Maybe you find it hot if a character has a naughty habit, and they’re trying really hard to stop, but can’t seem to make themselves. Maybe the simple dom-sub dynamic is boring, and you like multiple subtle layers of control between characters. These things are really hard to meaningfully establish just through drawings, so take advantage.

I also find it helpful, when describing physical pleasure, to focus on the side-effects of pleasure rather than the pleasure itself. Sexual stimulation is difficult to describe, and is different for everybody. It’s a nebulous, cloudy feeling. We compensate with words like “tingle” but it doesn’t really do the job. So instead I like to describe the involuntary movements and muscle spasms, breathing, vocal sounds, facial expressions, the way the characters hold each other, the fact that dialogue comes to a halt, perspiration, being tense and relaxed all at the same time, really just about everything except the genitals except for certain key moments. If a patron wants a less raunchy story, I’ll leave out the dick talk entirely.

Thanks for reading and I hope this helps!

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Pendleton Ward, Kent Osborne, and Rebecca Sugar had some great insights to share at the Times Talks panel during NYCC.

#reference

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Chapters: 1/6 Fandom: Undertale (Video Game) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Asgore Dreemurr, Toriel (Undertale), Human Souls (Undertale) Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Character Death, Angst Summary: “Seven. Seven human souls, and King ASGORE will become a god. Six. That’s how many we have collected thus far.”

Yeah! I got an AO3 account just to post this fic I’ve been working on! A story regarding the six children who came before Frisk.

#undertale

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Writing Help Masterlist (Part 2 of 2)

This is part number 2 of my writing help masterpost. I hope you find the links useful.

CONTENTS

Playlists Weapons, Armor and Fight Scenes Myths and Supernatural Beings History Mental Health Physical Health Emotions and Body Language Diversity and Represantation Other Useful Links Just for Fun

PLAYLISTS

Otherwordly-Playlist Energetic-Playlist A Mix for Writing Love A Mix for Characters Who Just Don’t Care To a Dark Lady-Playlist Recover Me: A Playlist Futuristic Fugitive-Playlist Fight-Playlist After the Bomb-A Writing Mix Your Heart Dies-Playlist Under the Waves-Playlist Sorrow-A Writing Mix Devil’s Backbone-Playlist On Top of the World-Playlist Writing Playlist-Instrumental Writing in the Dark-Playlist Cosmic Love-Playlist The Final Battle-Playlist Four Mixes for Four Supernatural Creatures Slightly Haunted-A Writing Mix It Was a Dark and Stormy Night-Playlist Bittersweet-A Selection of Piano Covers Writing Mixes Float-Playlist I Never Asked for This-Playlist Background Mix-Caffeinated Music Cool Writing Mixes Writing Playlist Epic Songs to Write to Young Adventurers-Playlist On Your Way Home-Playlist The Gentle Art of Making Enemies-Playlist Sea Fever-Playlist Writing Playlist Writing Mix Do Androids Dream?-Playlist I am a Result-Writing Mix An Inspiration Mix This is How We Do it-Playlist Teenagers-Playlist Get Shit Done-Playlist Sad Songs-Writing Mix Exhalation-Playlist Curl Back My Loneliness-Playlist Free-Playlist Love Sucks Anyway-Playlist Antidote for Anxiety-Playlist Heart on Fire-Playlist We Played War With Wooden Swords-Playlist Rattling Box-A Writing Mix Innocence Lost-A Writing Mix Music to Influence You to Write Summertime Sadness-Playlist You are Doing Your Best-A Mix for the Emotionally Exhausted Playlist Doomed Queens-Playlist A Collection of Sad Songs Unrequited Love-Playlist Studying: The Disney Way Songs for Creating Stuff Mermaid Magic-A Writing Mix Superpower (Tracklist) A Writing/Character Inspiration Playlist Sing it Out Loud-A Playlist Songs That Will Make You Feel Better Long Distance Woes-Playlist

WEAPONS, ARMOR AND FIGHT SCENES

Knifes as Weapons Five Simple Ways to Write Convincing Fight Sequences On Writing Gun Safety Gunshot Wounds Weapons (and Women) A Guide: Firearms Wound Types, Stages of Healing, & Treatments On Children Fighting Adults Writing Violence Part 2: Cause and Effect Fight Scene Strategies: The Individual versus Group Picking a Sword for Your Character On Weapon Grips On Guns Combat Masterlist Common Sword Types A Beginner’s Glossary of Terms for Swords Bang Bang Bangy Bang An Impossible Guide to… Archery Guide to Archery On Wrting Action Scenes

MYTHS AND SUPERNATURAL BEINGS

Asian Lung Skeleton Anatomy Ideas for Dragons Humans and Dragons Creatures and More Myths, Creatures and Folklore Rare/Underused Supernatural Powers Masterlist on Zombies A Masterlist of Mythology and Deity Resources Dragons Creature Feature Faerie List Character Development: The Mermaid Writing Zombies Guide on Mermaids Guides on Playing a Mermaid Sea Creatures Resources on Merpeople Magical School Considerations A Masterlist of Superpowers Types of Dragons Ghosts Types of Dragons Guide to Ghosts Robots, Androids and Cyborgs An Anthology of Mythical Creatures Aerokinesis Pyrokinesis Hydrokinesis Teleportation Everything You Need to Know About Witchcraft and Wicca A Master List of Superpowers Mythical Creatures Masterlist A Guide to Superpowers My Zombie Apocalypse Posts Magic Resources Resources: Dragons How to Make Your Supernatural Characters Unique and Interesting Feyfolk Mermaid Anatomy Telekinesis Let’s Talk About Magic Fighting with Magic Myths and Urban Legends Masterpost Map of the World Mythology

HISTORY

The 1700s Writing Research-Victorian Era 4 Tips for Setting During World War One [1914 -1918] Victorian Occupations Love, Sex and Marriage in the Middle Ages Writing Research: World War Two Guide on Etiquette in the 1920’s Links About 50’s/60’s/70’s Writing Research-Viking Age The 90’s (Research) The Roman Empire 1920’s Entertainment Slang of the 1920s World War 2 Historical Fashion Masterpost Writing Research - The Fifties Fashion Through History Medieval Health and Hygiene The 90’s Guide: Life in 1998, 1999, 2000 US A Masterlist of Medieval Occupations Fashion Timeline of Chinese Clothing Resources for Writing Medieval Type Stories Writing Research: The Middle Ages Writing Research-The Roaring Twenties Fashion in History

MENTAL HEALTH

Characters in Therapy Hunter’s How To: Writing an Emotionally Detached Character Understanding Depression in a Friend or Family Member 8 Surefire Ways To Emotionally Screw Up Your Kid 4 Types of Unhealthy Mother-Daughter Relationships Types of Emotional Abuse Writing Effective Character Breakdowns Guide to Anorexia Nervosa Eating Disorders in Males Main Characters With Eating Disorders How to Play a Bulimic Degrees of Anxiety Writing a Bulimic Character How to Play a Traumatised Character What is Gaslighting? Writing Masterlist: Abuse Victims On Abuse Reactions to Tragedy A Guide to Self Injury 21 Things Nobody Tells You About Being Depressed Teens and Major Depression What to Do When Someone Has a Panic Attack A Guide to Bipolar Disorder Emotional Abuse in Relationships When Anxiety Strikes An Inside Look at ADHD On Writing: Psychological Shock The Things Nobody Tells You About Grief Autistic Children Anatomy of a Panic Attack Unhealthy Relationships Without Physical Abuse On Abusive Romantic Relationships How to Portray a Character With Bipolar Type 2 Disorder Portraying Domestic Abuse A Guide to PTSD: Soldiers Mental Illness: the Character is Not Their Disorder Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Adolescent Psychiatric Wards Addiction Anxiety: A Self-Help Masterpost Military and PTSD Resources ADHD Guide to Rehab Part 1 Guide to Rehab Part 2 How to Deal With Mental Illness Bipolar Disorder Writing Characters: Depression Writing Asperger’s Sociopathy vs. Psychopathy Tumblr Mental Health Community Writing Tips #122: Dealing with Character Trauma Information on Panic Attacks This Is a Towel: Mental Disorders Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD Etc. Understanding the Trauma of Child Abuse The Brain in Schizophrenia On Depression

PHYSICAL HEALTH

Bad Writing-Head Injuries On Hypothermia Common Allergies in the US An Impossible Guide to: Blood Loss Writing Mute Characters Writing a Character Who’s Mute Writing Dialogue With Signing Characters Writing Mute Characters (from Someone Else’s POV) Writing Characters With Disabilities Who Weren’t Born That Way A Guide to Sexual and Physical Abuse Writing Tips: Writing Blood Loss Where to Pinch to Stop the Bleeding On Blood Types Blood Medical Facts Ref of Things Authors Botch Up a Lot Researching Away from the Internet: Character with Cancer Edition Figuring Out an Illness for Your Character Blind Characters Tips on Writing Deaf and Hard of Hearing Characters Writing tips: How NOT to write disabled people A Few Resources for Insomnia A Few Tips on Making Up Diseases Guide on Asthma On Scars Amnesia A Study in Physical Injuries Writing Realistic Injuries Guide on Prosthetic Limbs Writing Reference: Sprains and Strains Factitious Disorders Remember, Remember: The Basics of Writing Amnesia A Guide to Sexual and Physical Abuse Resources: Writing Injuries in Hospitals Tips and Resources on Blindness Guide to Writing Deaf and Hard of Hearing Characters The Limits of the Human Body Guide to Cancer Writing Reference: Food Poisoning Writing Reference: Instect Bites and Stings 5 Step Guide on Writing Character With X Disorder or X Disease On Strangling A Study on Amnesia On Head Wounds Tips on Writing Pain Writing Traumatic Injuries References Asthma for Writers

EMOTIONS AND BODY LANGUAGE

Writing Fear On Emotions Emotions-Where You Feel Them Writing Emotional Scenes References on Emotions Feelings Extrapolated-The Roots to Your Character’s Emotions Talk About Yer Damn Feelings, People The Emotional Guidance Scale 41 Emotions as Expressed Through Body Language Tips and Tricks: Five Tips to Emotionally Connect to Your Readers Writing Violence Part 1: Developing Characters and Comfort Levels Expressing Emotion Through Your Writing 10 Psychological Effects of Nonsexual Touch Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Effects The Psychology of Color Types of Crying Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers A Wheel of Emotions The Importance of Body Language Physical Signs of Fear Emotions: Writing Grief Body Language: What Eyes Can Tell You A Guide on Body Language Intensity of Feelings Cheat Sheets for Writing Body Language A Body Language Masterlist Body Language Secrets Body Language Reference Sheet Emotions: Showing Surprise Showing Emotion: Anger Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers On Touch Body Language: Eyes Writing Fear Writing Guilt Five Ways to Describe Emotion Five Things You Should Know About Body Language 6 Body Language Mistakes to Avoid

DIVERSITY AND REPRESANTATION

Strong Female Characters POC Profile (x)(x)(x)(x) Interracial Relationships Black People Skin Tones Writing a Half-Mexican Character It’s Hard to See Racism When You’re White Black in Upper-Class White Society Black Woman Hair Black Characters and Blushing Writing Latinas Common Mircro-agressions: African Americans and/or Black People POCs in Victorian England Tests for Representation Romance Doesn’t (Have To) Equal Weakness Links to Feminist Essays, Videos and More On Strong Female Characters A Comic About Strong Female Characters Racism Experience by Class Introducing Race & Skin Color Naturally Black Women and The Secrets of Nightly Hair Care Rituals Interracial Relationships Drawing References on Ethnicity A Few Tips and Resources for Writing Characters of Color Describing Skin Tone Skintones Describing Chinese Girls Female Character, Trauma and You Describing Skin Colors Tip: The Women are Not Weaker Than Men More Improvements: Female Characters Diversifying Sexual Identification and Romantic Expression in Your Writing

OTHER USEFUL LINKS

On Writing Kisses Character Drawcember Glossary of Dance Terminology Things That People in Society Frown Upon Art/Digital Art Help Masterpost Naming is Hard Naming Your Infection Wine 101 Guide to: White Collar Crimes Police Procedure The English School System How to Unlock a Car With a Shoelace Generators Earthquakes Pt 1 Daytime/Nightime Earthquake Pt 2 Houses, Buildings, and Immediate Consequences Writing Dynamo ILYS Free Downloadable Sofftware for Writers Essential Productivity Apps for Any Students 60 Awesome Search Engines for Serious Writers Background Noise Charahub Finding Out About a Crush On Arranged Marriages All About Luvree What Not to Do When Writing Romantic Relationships Emergency Custody and Social Services American Middle School A Guide to Expeditionary Learning Schools A Guide to: University in England Boarding Schools College in the US Guide to Private, Preparatory and Catholic School Guide on Private or Boarding Schools Writing a Character Who Attends Public High School A Guide to Writing Catholic Schools Resources: Military Academy/Military School Writing a Story That Takes Place in a Boarding School Applying for a University Guide: Life for American High School/College Students Australian and U.K. School Systems A Guide on…School Systems Custody Battles Story Elements: Adoption Adoption Writing About the Criminal World Gangs How Would One Go About Writing a Riot Scene? Crime Fiction Writing Research Alcohol Writing Help on How to Turn On a Guy Whilst Making Out The Things You Hear About Boarding School-True or False? Education in Britain Education in the US Education System in Ireland US Universities Foreshadowing Death Writing a Death Scene On Autopsy Death and Bad Luck Omens Writing Murder Scenes Guide: Pregnancy On Writing Birthing Scenes Misscariage Death and Gravestone Symbolism Death Reacting to the Death of a Loved One Write an Ironic Death Dont Talk to Police Cliche First Sentences Everything You Need to Know to Rebuild Civilization from Scratch Clothing References Size Comparison Site On Clothing and Makeup Writing a Feud Advice: Describing Dance What Happens When an Asteroid Hits Earth Tips for Writing a Birth Scene Random Generator Masterlist A List of Generators Fun Generators! Pacemaker A Guide on Science Medieval Herbs and Their Uses How to Write a Death Scene How to Write a Dance Scene (Waltz) British Words Essential Items for Crime Scene Personnel Masterlist: Police Work/Law Enforcment UK Comprehensive Sex Education Masterpost of the World’s Scariest Places The Ultimate Survival Guide New Zealand as an RP Location Generators Creepy Wikipedia Articles Masterpost California Hospital/Surgery British English Vs American English Masterlist of Cliques Guide to Catholic/Private High School Writing a Torture Scene Guide to Poison Conspiracy Theories Crime Scene Practice (UK) Tattooo Ink and Pigment On Writing Survival: First Steps Location of Your Roleplay as a Character How to Preach to Your Audience and Not Get Caught The Color Thesaurus Facts About Tattoos and Piercings Shades of Various Colors Masterlist of Resources: Horse Riding 9 Types of Intelligence Story Starters and Idea Generators Trigger Warnings Resources About Tattoos A Guide on Alcohol The English (Upper) Schooling System The American School System The 21 Steps of an Autopsy Guide to Interrogations The Effects of Abuse and Heartbreak on Children Resources on Foster Care and Color Blindness Things Almost Every Author Needs to Research About Tattoos Writing Pregnancy Information on Drugs Survive Nature A Few Links on Drug Addiction 15 Styles of Distorted Thinking Roleplaying Relationships Let’s Talk About: Writing About High School (U.S.) Advice: Good and Bad Reasons to Kill a Character Writing Tips 77: Naomi’s Advice for Writing Abusive Relationships Havocscope Organizing Thoughts 10 Things Writer’s Don’t Know About the Woods The Ultimate Shoes Fashion Vocabulary Description: Kissing and Smiling Visual Shoe Dictionary Sun & Moon Superstitions A Guide to Musical Instruments, Orchestras Etc. Young Murder Witnesses On Romantic Relationship Growth Superstitions & More First Impressions (Romance) Confessions Sans Cliches Celtic Tree Zodiac Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship Symbolism with Roses Tips on Describing Music Characters Dealing With Loss Eplans.com Methods of Death and How They Feel The Effects of Alcohol on the Body Resources on Fire Awesome Sites and Links for Writers The US High School System Tips for Writers: Body Language Describing Clothes and Appearance Witness Protection All About Death Tips on Writing a Scene Where the Character Is Eating Plant Symbolism Alcoholic Beverage Breakdown Survival Skills Tattoos Reference Sheet Information on Ballet Dancing Writing Death Scenes Reactions of Relatives of People Who Suffer from Terminal Illnesses On Custody Battles On Fire The Psychology of Color Stuff Nobody Tells You About Getting an Apartment Signs of a Healthy Relationship “World of Averages”

JUST FOR FUN

Mutant Generator All-Nighter Survival Kit The 50 Funniest Puns In The History Of Funny Puns Really Bad Analogies Written by High School Students Love Letters From Your Writing Words Used to Describe Genitals Click and Drag to Find Out What Your Next Best Seller Will Be Cat Tail Speak What to Pack to Travel the World What’s Your Forest Name? Harry Potter Click and Drag Game Insult Generator The Ultimate Insult Creator Why Tea is Magical

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Some Show/Story Pitching tips for young creators.

#reference #ooh

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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So I guess I’m gonna do Nanowrimo this year...

but what’s my plot???

I might give romance a shot, but I also want to do smth with worldbuilding. Maybe a character-driven worldbuilding story w/ a lot of romance??? idk

#nanowrimo

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Your Character’s Personality

Personality is the most important thing about your character.

So, whenever I see character sheets, most people just put a little paragraph for that section. If you’re struggling and don’t know what your character should say or do, what decisions they should make, I guarantee you that this is the problem.

You know your character’s name, age, race, sexuality, height, weight, eye color, hair color, their parents’ and siblings’ names. But these are not the things that truly matter about them.

Traits:

pick traits that don’t necessarily go together. For example, someone who is controlling, aggressive and vain can also be generous, sensitive and soft-spoken. Characters need to have at least one flaw that really impacts how they interact with others. Positive traits can work as flaws, too. It is advised that you pick at least ten traits

people are complex, full of contradictions, and please forgive me if this makes anyone uncomfortable, but even bullies can be ��nice” people. Anyone can be a “bad” person, even someone who is polite, kind, helpful or timid can also be narcissistic, annoying, inconsiderate and a liar. People are not just “evil” or “good”

Beliefs:

ideas or thoughts that your character has or thinks about the world, society, others or themselves, even without proof or evidence, or which may or may not be true. Beliefs can contradict their values, motives, self-image, etc. For example, the belief that they are an awesome and responsible person when their traits are lazy, irresponsible and shallow. Their self-image and any beliefs they have about themselves may or may not be similar/the same. They might have a poor self-image, but still believe they’re better than everybody else

Values:

what your character thinks is important. Usually influenced by beliefs, their self-image, their history, etc. Some values may contradict their beliefs, wants, traits, or even other values. For example, your character may value being respect, but one of their traits is disrespectful. It is advised you list at least two values, and know which one they value more. For example, your character values justice and family. Their sister tells them she just stole $200 from her teacher’s wallet. Do they tell on her, or do they let her keep the money: justice, or family? Either way, your character probably has some negative feelings, guilt, anger, etc., over betraying their other value

Motives:

what your character wants. It can be abstract or something tangible. For example, wanting to be adored or wanting that job to pay for their father’s medication. Motives can contradict their beliefs, traits, values, behavior, or even other motives. For example, your character may want to be a good person, but their traits are selfish, manipulative, and narcissistic. Motives can be long term or short term. Everyone has wants, whether they realize it or not. You can write “they don’t know what they want,” but you should know. It is advised that you list at least one abstract want

Recurring Feelings:

feelings that they have throughout most of their life. If you put them down as a trait, it is likely they are also recurring feelings. For example, depressed, lonely, happy, etc.

Self Image:

what the character thinks of themselves: their self-esteem. Some character are proud of themselves, others are ashamed of themselves, etc. They may think they are not good enough, or think they are the smartest person in the world. Their self-image can contradict their beliefs, traits, values, behavior, motives, etc. For example, if their self-image is poor, they can still be a cheerful or optimistic person. If they have a positive self-image, they can still be a depressed or negative person. How they picture themselves may or may not be true: maybe they think they’re a horrible person, when they are, in fact, very considerate, helpful, kind, generous, patient, etc. They still have flaws, but flaws don’t necessarily make you a terrible person

Behavior:

how the character’s traits, values, beliefs, self-image, etc., are outwardly displayed: how they act. For example, two characters may have the trait “angry” but they all probably express it differently. One character may be quiet and want to be left alone when they are angry, the other could become verbally aggressive. If your character is a liar, do they pause before lying, or do they suddenly speak very carefully when they normally don’t? Someone who is inconsiderate may have issues with boundaries or eat the last piece of pizza in the fridge when they knew it wasn’t theirs. Behavior is extremely important and it is advised you think long and hard about your character’s actions and what exactly it shows about them

Demeanor:

their general mood and disposition. Maybe they’re usually quiet, cheerful, moody, or irritable, etc.

Posture:

a secondary part of your character’s personality: not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Posture is how the character carries themselves. For example, perhaps they swing their arms and keep their shoulders back while they walk, which seems to be the posture of a confident person, so when they sit, their legs are probably open. Another character may slump and have their arms folded when they’re sitting, and when they’re walking, perhaps they drag their feet and look at the ground

Speech Pattern:

a secondary part of your character’s personality: not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Speech patterns can be words that your character uses frequently, if they speak clearly, what sort of grammar they use, if they have a wide vocabulary, a small vocabulary, if it’s sophisticated, crude, stammering, repeating themselves, etc. I personally don’t have a very wide vocabulary, if you could tell

Hobbies:

a secondary part of your character’s personality: not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Hobbies can include things like drawing, writing, playing an instrument, collecting rocks, collecting tea cups, etc.

Quirks:

a secondary part of your character’s personality, not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Quirks are behaviors that are unique to your character. For example, I personally always put my socks on inside out and check the ceiling for spiders a few times a day

Likes:

a secondary part of your character’s personality, not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Likes and dislikes are usually connected to the rest of their personality, but not necessarily. For example, if your character likes to do other people’s homework, maybe it’s because they want to be appreciated

Dislikes:

a secondary part of your character’s personality, not as important as everything else. It is advised you fill this out after. Likes and dislikes can also contradict the rest of their personality. For example, maybe one of your character’s traits is dishonest, but they dislike liars

History:

your character’s past that has key events that influence and shape their beliefs, values, behavior, wants, self-image, etc. Events written down should imply or explain why they are the way they are. For example, if your character is distrustful, maybe they were lied to a lot by their parents when they were a child. Maybe they were in a relationship for twenty years and found out their partner was cheating on them the whole time. If their motive/want is to have positive attention, maybe their parents just didn’t praise them enough and focused too much on the negative

On Mental and Physical Disabilities or Illnesses

if your character experienced a trauma, it needs to have an affect on your character. Maybe they became more angry or impatient or critical of others. Maybe their beliefs on people changed to become “even bullies can be ‘nice’ people: anyone can be a ‘bad’ person”

people are not their illness or disability: it should not be their defining trait. I have health anxiety, but I’m still idealistic, lazy, considerate, impatient and occasionally spiteful; I still want to become an author; I still believe that people are generally good; I still value doing what make me feel comfortable; I still have a positive self-image; I’m still a person. You should fill out your character’s personality at least half-way before you even touch on the possibility of your character having a disability or illness

Generally everything about your character should connect, but hey, even twins that grew up in the same exact household have different personalities; they value different things, have different beliefs. Maybe one of them watched a movie that had a huge impact on them.

Not everything needs to be explained. Someone can be picky or fussy ever since they were little for no reason at all. Someone can be a negative person even if they grew up in a happy home.

I believe this is a thought out layout for making well-rounded OCs, antagonists and protagonists, whether they’re being created for a roleplay or for a book. This layout is also helpful for studying Canon Characters if you’re looking to accurately roleplay as them or write them in fanfiction or whatever.

I’m really excited to post this, so hopefully I didn’t miss anything important…

If you have any questions, feel free to send a message.

- Chick

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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HOW TO: NAME CHARACTERS EFFECTIVELY

babynames.com

might look a bit weird in your search history, but it’s the most helpful and informative site i’ve found for naming characters. search by letters, meaning, nationality, and syllables, among other things. has intriguing name lists — from harry potter names to oscar winners.

social security archives

helpful especially for characters in specific era’s, or in specific demographics. holds archives of the united states’ names dating back to the late nineteenth century. also charts the popularity, and other statistics, of names.

surname generator

very, very helpful for last-minute surnames. wouldn’t recommend for any important, significant, or completely solidified characters, simply because there’s no telling the nationality or origin of the name that comes up.

global naming customs

tracks family names as well as given names through nationality, ethnicity, origin, and popularity, shedding light on the subject of why. huge insight on the origin of naming and what it really means for the individual

some more helpful links

“hispanic last names: why two of them?”

psychology today’ “what do names tell us”

re: china; “so many people, so few surnames”

re: female surname choice (or lack thereof)

surname database

#reference

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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My sister ( thesilvereye ) put together a list of questions to ask her character couples. I’ve tidied them up, added a few of my own, and present them now for your brainstorming usage!

Character chemistry is one of the most important elements in a story. These questions can help you flesh out your couple’s/couples’ relationship(s), find some hidden details to use in your tale, and discover more about your characters in the process. Though the list is written in the past tense, I’ve found it really helpful for planning upcoming scenes and matchmaking possibilities.

Enjoy!

Basic Information

What real couples could they be compared to and why?

What fictional couples could they be compared to and why?

What are their common interests?

What is the individual goal of each character?

What are their common goals?

Do their goals conflict?

What are a few of their inside jokes?

What is the core for each character?

How do they reveal their core to the other character?

What are their relationship expectations?

Does either have an addiction?

In what ways do they worry about each other?

How would each character feel if the other had to leave for a time? How would they react if they broke up?

How do they handle dividing up chores and household duties?

Who brings home the bacon and how?

Do they ever resent each other?

What activities do they enjoy doing together? What activities does one enjoy that the other doesn’t?

How do they fight for or defend the other?

How do they express love for each other? (Examples: Acts of service, physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, or receiving gifts.

Comparisons

Who is more grounded?

What values do they both share?

Who takes more responsibility for their actions?

Who is usually more ready to give in and compromise?

Do they feel the same way about money?

How They See Each Other

What habits do they have that makes the other unhappy? (Examples: angry outbursts, disrespectful judgments, annoying behavior, selfish demands, dishonesty, or apathy.)

What do they find most physically attractive about the other?

What do they find least physically attractive about the other?

What do they find most mentally attractive about each other?

What accomplishments do they most admire in each other?

What small physical details does each character love the most about the other?

In what little ways do they disappoint each other?

How would each character most want to better themselves for the other?

What things would each character appreciate the other doing for them?

How do they think the other character sees them?

What little things remind them of each other?

How do they think the other is unique?

What negative traits do they see in the other, and how do they deal with it?

What might they like to change about the other?

What would each character be willing to change in his/herself for the other, and what wouldn’t they change?

(get the rest here if you like ’em!)

#reference

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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So, let me guess— you just started a new book, right? And you’re stumped. You have no idea how much an AK47 goes for nowadays. I get ya, cousin. Tough world we live in. A writer’s gotta know, but them NSA hounds are after ya 24/7. I know, cousin, I know. If there was only a way to find out all of this rather edgy information without getting yourself in trouble…

You’re in luck, cousin. I have just the thing for ya.

It’s called Havocscope. It’s got information and prices for all sorts of edgy information. Ever wondered how much cocaine costs by the gram, or how much a kidney sells for, or (worst of all) how much it costs to hire an assassin?

I got your back, cousin. Just head over to Havocscope.

((PS: In case you’re wondering, Havocscope is a database full of information regarding the criminal underworld. The information you will find there has been taken from newspapers and police reports. It’s perfectly legal, no need to worry about the NSA hounds, cousin ;p))

Want more writerly content? Follow maxkirin.tumblr.com!

#reference

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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#reference

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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Get Your Story Straight! Tips to Organize Your Novel.

That great idea you had going into your project is evolving chapter by chapter. By the time you’ve gotten two-thirds through the story, you’ve realized exact what the point of it all was, maybe you can even think of a half-suitable ending, but the point is, the story wasn’t what you were expecting, it’s not consistent and the plot is running straight out of left field - So, what do you do? You need to organize your novel. Here’s how to start:

Start a notebook. Paper may not be faster, but it is linear and that’s super important. Put dividers in for 1) plot notes and outlines, 2) characters, 3) settings, and 4) timelines. This is how you keep your thoughts organized. Put the date on the page as you write in it. This way you can see what’s changed and when.

Start with plot notes. I know the story may not be all about plot, but the truth is that if you’re having trouble keeping your story on a logical, straight forward plot line, you need to lay down the law. Decide what the plot is going to be. Say it as simply as possible. Make sure the beginning is relevant to the end. The most satisfying plots generally revolve around one singular goal or wish of the main character and show a progression towards that goal. Whether or not that goal is fully realized by the character is for you to determine, but this very general suggestion will make sure that the story remains consistent no matter what happens.

Because this first tab is so important, read the few sentences you came up with to describe your entire plot out loud. Does it make logical sense? Read it to a friend. Ask them for a response and ways to improve. Is the character’s goal the same thing in the beginning as it is in the end? (If not, it better be a conscious switch!) Is the revelation learned in the end relevant to the beginning of the story?

Now fill out the character section. The more you can know about the character the better. Specifically know their goals, wishes, fears, subconscious feelings and wishes, their backstory, and their outcome. While all of this can change, if consistency is your issue, make sure you get the details down. Learn who your character is. Even try doodling them - even if you are a terrible artist, it’s for you so you have an image reference.

The settings tab is to keep track of places you’ve used in your writing. Write detailed descriptions, pinpoint a couple of recognizable and distinguishable features that would be memorably different if the details were altered. This is also the section to put in self-made maps and world notes.

Last tab, write a timeline with estimated dates. This is your safe-check. Be aware of how time passes!

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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So You Want To Make a Character..

I’ve got a few generators you can use.

Need some clothes?

Try Here

Here or Here Definitely here Steam punk clothing Char Style preference Dress

Need an Appearance idea?

Humanoid generator? check

Non-Humanoid? Got that too and this and maybe this Need Monsterpeople? I’ve got you. Maybe you need Cats?

Need some details and shit like that?

Bam

Backgrounds and stuff? yep Personality. you need that shit Need something fandom related? World-building? location? got ya City generator hell yeah make your own god damn laws Oh shit someone died Landscape. CHAR DEVELOP QUESTION GEN Profile Thingy Have some dates Quirks

You thought I was done? Nope. Motha. Fuckin. Names.

So many fuckin names

MOTHERLOAD OF NAMES

Plant Names

Magic Book title

Just search ur ass up some names man

Items. Yeah. You heard me.

Medicine? got it

Items out the ass more items wow

Other shit.

Wow

Yep Plots More writing stuff This site has everything so fucking go for it Need AUs? How the shit did these two meet? Fanfic plots. you bet your ass. (tag me in the shit u write i wanna see what you get) What does it do thing (you come up with a better name for this one. fuckin fight me.

You bet your ass I will continue to update this. If you’ve got something I should add to this hmu. Now, go forth! Make characters and live yo life. UPDATE: Added more shit everywhere.

#reference

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yonderwayspublishinghouse · 9 years

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5 ways to increase/decrease suspense in your writing

Suspense is one of the trickier parts of writing to manage effectively because, as the author, you can’t experience your story the way a reader does. If you don’t have enough suspense, it can be difficult to keep your readers interested. If you have too much, frustrated and stressed-out readers might throw your book against the wall. Too much suspense can even backfire - if you try to keep your readers constantly on edge, they can stop taking things seriously and the end result is as though you never included any suspense at all.

So how can you tell if you’ve reached the right balance? Unfortunately, I can’t answer that for you. Some things really do require feedback from honest and insightful readers. Once you have that feedback, however, there are easy tricks to adjusting the level of suspense without a drastic re-write. Here are my five favorite methods.

Promises and Payoffs

INCREASE SUSPENSE by promising something huge and then giving your reader something unexpected. To borrow an example from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, imagine a teenage boy and girl sneaking into an empty building. Everything from the costumes to the lighting is designed to make you uneasy about the girl’s safety but, in the end, she’s the vampire. Give the audience something sensational and they won’t be disappointed that you didn’t deliver on what you originally promised.

DECREASE SUSPENSE by promising less than you plan to deliver. For example, if you plan to kill off a character as they walk through a dark alley, let them worry about being mugged rather than murdered. Not only is it less suspenseful, the payoff is more shocking.

Characters are Crucial

INCREASE SUSPENSE by shifting the focus to a character who’s more involved in the action or one who has more at stake. Even if you have a single POV character, another can come in and demand that character’s attention, along with the readers’.

DECREASE SUSPENSE by focusing on a character who’s more concerned with a secondary goal. Subplots are a fantastic way to give your readers some room to breathe.

Calm vs. Chaos

INCREASE SUSPENSE by cutting back on the action. Suspense flourishes in the quiet moments when your characters have time to think and to anticipate what may be in store for them.

DECREASE SUSPENSE by giving your characters a big, exciting mess to deal with. Even when that mess causes more problems and puts more pressure on your characters in the long run, you’ve still created an oasis where both they and the readers are too distracted to worry about how the big picture will pan out.

Devil’s in the Details

INCREASE SUSPENSE by concentrating on the details of the setting. Horror movies are great at this - every creak of a door, every shadow across a wall keeps the audience immersed in the experience and tense with anticipation.

DECREASE SUSPENSE by breaking the “show, don’t tell” rule and allow exposition to help you move things along. You don’t need to take readers through every aspect of your story in excruciating detail. It’s okay to gloss over some things and it helps readers relax because they know you’re not going to be springing any surprises on them just yet.

Ticking Time-Bomb

INCREASE SUSPENSE by imposing a deadline that your characters struggle to meet. It’s one of the oldest and most obvious tricks in the book, but very effective.

DECREASE SUSPENSE by allowing your characters to believe that the deadline has been met or pushed back. If they (and the readers) believe that they’ve accomplished their goal or bought themselves more time, it relieves pressure and allows everyone to relax until the truth’s revealed.

#reference

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