you-are-my-neverland

[you-are-my-neverland]

rumor has it that a brand new actual godhood wip intro might be coming to a blog near you...soon...

[you-are-my-neverland]

me when the character has a uniquely fucked mindset. me when the character's fundamental views of how the world works lead to them being hurt and/or hurting others and not seeing the problem with this. me when the character is a little freak who does weird shit because their beliefs, inspired entirely by their environment, are fuckeddddd

[you-are-my-neverland]

4 & 9 for the end of the year writeblr asks?

4. what is your favorite line you wrote this year?

i don't have a singular line, though i do have several scenes i really enjoyed. here's a few of my favorite lines from one of them:

He turned his head, faint streetlights catching on the line of a jawline. Naying was tempted, for a moment, if only to sate some cavernous feeling inside of her, but she crushed it with a ruthless fist. There was nothing there.  Don’t chase emptiness, the voice said, but when Naying listened, it warped into a running of chase it, chase it, chase it. At the end of emptiness is feeling.

9. create a meme or moodboard that captures your past-writing year!

collection of writing memes for this one because writing is devestating in more ways that one. both in trying to create and constantly feeling unmotivated, like i have no time, and stressed out because of work/school (my vibe for a good nine months of every year), but then also being so into it i go crazy.

[you-are-my-neverland]

5, 7, 10, and 15 for the writeblr ask? if it's not too much. (from you-are-my-neverland <3)

@you-are-my-neverland thanks for the ask star!!! putting this under the cut because it got long

5. what is your favourite book/story/poem you read this year?

oh, hands down she who became the sun by shelly parker-chan! it reinvigorated my passion for original writing, and it's just a banger all around (admittedly, i'm weak for the yuan/ming era and chinese historical fiction, but that's neither here nor there). the prose is dense and gorgeous and the themes that run throughout the novel are so well-executed. it's a heavy novel in some ways, but i would fully recommend it as long as you read a content warnings list so you know what you're getting in for.

7. what are three songs you put on your WIP-playlist this year?

i don't actually have wip playlists (i've been so so busy!!!!) but i definitely have songs that i listen to a lot while writing my wips! for birchlorn i've been listening to a lot of AlicebanD and a too sweet (hozier) fem cover by rainaeiry.

10. which character(s) turned out differently from what you had planned? how so?

oh god okay i don't want to spoil things but the pov character of birchlorn has changed SO MUCH. not in terms of goals, mind you, but there's a secret thing that her entire character is predicated on now that she absolutely was not before. it's the same story, but it's also a radically different story now, you feel me? (if you want full spoilers you can dm me and i'll tell you but i don't want to talk about it on my blog just yet)

15. time for shameless self-promotion! answer with a piece of writing you want others to see/read! (if you have nothing posted/published this year, any other year is fine too ^^)

hmmmmm i'll give an excerpt for all three of my wips!

from r&r:

When she arrives at the Peng manor, though, as the servant girl had predicted, no one is willing to let her enter. "I really only want to ask about the goat," Yu Xiyan promises, trying to ignore the heavy scent of goat stew she can smell wafting in from the kitchens. "I'm afraid that it might somehow have been taken from a friend—" The housekeeper glares at her. "How could our manor have your friend's goat?" he says. "No, no, you can't come in. The family is in mourning for Master Peng's death, the last thing they need to think about is a goat." With that, he closes the doors in her face, and Yu Xiyan is left, demoralised, standing outside.

-- the goat is important i promise :)

from birchlorn:

Then someone's rushing forward to reach out to her, calling out, "Guniang, are you alright?" and the horse's hooves are rising and it's stepping away, ears pinned back and nostrils flaring, and Bai Hua finds herself being helped up by a man in a richly-embroidered blue outfit and a fur-collared cloak. "Mm," Bai Hua murmurs, still somewhat dazed by the events of mere moments before. She blinks a couple times. "What's an immortal like guniang doing in this city?" the man asks, and reaches into his breast to pull out a handkerchief and offers it to her. It takes Bai Hua a moment to realise that he's offering it to her so she can brush away the dirt and snow in her hair and on her chest. "Perhaps this humble young master can offer his help?"

-- this has a secret meaning to it but you won't find that out until later :) or maybe never, who knows! but i know :)

from orioles:

Tally, who's moved to stand over her shoulder, says, "What sort of weird was this interference, exactly? You didn't mention." "You'll see," Bismah says, distractedly, and finally pulls the relevant frequency up. Suddenly, the terminal whirs, and the communications array's screen lights up, showing the searching symbol. Then, the readout information pops up, and, at the same moment, a breathy voice cries out, Orioles fluttering, cicada leaps! For a moment, Tally stares unblinkingly as her mind tries to parse the language—the accent is unfamiliar, and the wording is archaic, and she only recognises it because one of her mothers had had an amateur interest in the remaining scraps of the Old Texts. "Huh," she says. "I…have no idea what that means."

-- which means nothing, i'm sure! (lying)

[you-are-my-neverland]

I hope every writer who sees this writes LOADS the next few months. Like freetime opens up, no writers block, the ability to focus, etc etc you're able to write loads & make lots of progress <3

[you-are-my-neverland]

end of the year - writeblr ask game ✨

anyone else in the mood to become chatty? feel free to send a number (or two) from the list below to the person who reblogged this! and then reblog yourself if you want to get some asks ^^

what was your writing-highlight this year? what made it special and how will you reflect on it next year?

what did not go so well this year? how do you feel about it and what is a positive thing you learnt from it?

did you achieve everything you wanted to this year? if not, how will you go about it?

what is your favourite line you wrote this year?

what is your favourite book/story/poem you read this year?

did you make any new writeblr friends? give a shout-out! if not, it's time to praise one of your old besties <3

what are three songs you put on your WIP-playlist this year?

what are three things you're looking forward to next year?

create a meme or moodboard that captures your past writing-year!

which character(s) turned out differently from what you had planned? how so?

which scene was harder/easier to write than anticipated? why?

if your character(s) had their own new years resolutions, what would those be?

how did you change as a writer? did you learn anything new? started to plan instead of pants? share your wisdom!

time for writing wrapped! what would be your top three used sentences?

time for shameless self-promotion! answer with a piece of writing you want others to see/read! (if you have nothing posted/published this year, any other year is fine too ^^)

wishing you all all the best and may your writing-wishes for next year all come true <3 ✨

[you-are-my-neverland]

which oc is best represented by your #1 song on spotify wrapped? (and what song is it?)

[you-are-my-neverland]

fatima aamer bilal, from moony moonless sky’s ‘i am your mould, but the shape of you is true absence, leaving me purposeless.’

[text id: and is this not treason? / my soul belongs far more to you than it does to me.]

[you-are-my-neverland]

writing will be tedious until i make lien and naying interact and then something like this happens:

“Why’d you do that?” she asked, gasping for breath. She stared at the stone path, rough under her fingertips, grounding like the individual grains of the sand on the beach. “Wanted to show off your skill?” “I don’t fear death,” Lien said calmly. “I’ve dreamed of it so much it’s become almost a friend to me.” He knelt, resting his arms on his knees and met her eyes with a slow, methodological coolness. Naying breathed in deeply, anger pinching at her nerves. She felt like she had lost all of the sudden. “You said you didn’t remember what you dreamed about,” she accused. Lien tilted his head to the side. “Truth for a truth.” What truth had she given him? Naying tried to remember, fighting the pounding of her heart.  Lien rose to his feet, waiting for her to push herself up. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said. “Try to get some sleep.” “How am I supposed to sleep,” she asked, voice raw. “I could get killed tomorrow.” “Death is nothing special,” Lien said. “It comes for all of us.”

[you-are-my-neverland]

A 3-Part Book Editing Checklist

PART 1: The "Big Picture"

Identify and fix macro problems relating to plot, character development, narrative arc, and theme.

THEME & IDEA

Is a compelling dramatic question present throughout the book?

Is there a clear theme? Is it well-developed and engaging?

Can you recap your story or argument in this single sentence? “[Character] must [do something] to achieve [goal] or [reason why the audience should care]”

Is there a clear central conflict? Is it resolved by the end of the book?

STRUCTURE Fiction & Memoir; Nonfiction

Fiction & Memoir

Is there a strong beginning, middle, end?

Does your exposition effectively set the story? Introduce the cast of characters? Impart backstory?

Is your rising action triggered by a compelling inciting incident? Does it escalate the conflict and raise the tension?

Is the pace of each act in the narrative arc appropriate?

Does the plot maintain forward movement in each chapter? Do subplots support that momentum?

Are all major plot threads and subplots resolved by the denouement?

Do the plot points sync with the narrative arc and theme that you want to convey?

Do the plot twists make sense? Are there plot holes in the story?

Nonfiction

Does the first chapter of your book introduce your central question and explain why it’s important to answer?

Does your exposition adequately introduce readers to your topic? Does it provide enough context for them to understand your main argument?

Does each chapter or section build on the information that comes beforehand?

Is the length and pace of each chapter appropriate?

Does each chapter contain an appropriate mixture of fact and anecdote?

Is your structure engaging and easy to follow?

Does your book contain any extra information that distracts or detracts from the main argument?

Are there any holes or gaps in your argument?

CHARACTERS Protagonist; Antagonist; Supporting Cast; Setting

Protagonist

Does the protagonist have strengths and weaknesses? Do these interact with the story appropriately?

Does the protagonist grow and change?

Does the protagonist have defining mannerisms? Clear character traits?

Does the protagonist have external and internal goals? Are they visible throughout the story?

Does the protagonist act believably in each scene? Is the protagonist’s behavior consistent? Chart the protagonist’s character arc over the course of the story. Is it clearly and compellingly conveyed in the story?

Antagonist

Does the antagonist have story motivation?

Does the antagonist have a believable backstory?

Is the relationship between the protagonist and the antagonist clearly defined?

Supporting Cast

Is the supporting cast fleshed out?

Do the secondary characters have a reason to be there? Do they:

Reveal key details?

Advance the plot?

Motivate the protagonist?

Help define the setting?

Are interactions between the secondary character and the protagonist believable and well-placed?

Do the secondary characters have distinguishing characteristics or mannerisms?

Setting

Does the setting make sense for the purposes of the story? Does it matter to the plot?

Are descriptions of the setting rendered effectively and appropriately?

Does each scene convey a clear sense of place and time?

Is the worldbuilding fully realized? Logically consistent?

Fact-check each scene in relation to the setting. Are objects, props, mannerisms, and behaviors native to the time and place of the story?

PART 2: The "Scene" Level

Strengthen specific elements within individual scenes

SCENES & CHAPTERS

Is the opening scene effective?

Does it start in the right place?

Does it have a hook? Is the hook immediately gripping?

Are the scenes appropriately paced to grab the readers’ attention? Are the chapter lengths effective?

Does each scene serve a purpose in the story?

Is each scene oriented in terms of time and place?

Are scene transitions smooth?

DIALOGUE

Does the dialogue serve a purpose in each scene? Does it:

Provide information?

Advance the plot?

Help the pace?

Does each character have a distinct voice?

Is the dialogue believable for the time and place of the story? Is the word choice reflective of the time period?

Does the dialogue use action beats to control the pace of the scene?

COMPOSITION Voice & Point of View; Prose

Voice & Point of View

Is the narrator’s voice consistent?

Is the voice appropriate given the context of the book and its story or argument?

Is foreshadowing used effectively, if applicable? Metaphors? Similes?

Is the viewpoint character always clear? Is it consistent between scenes?

Is the point of view suitable for each scene? Is there a better alternative for a viewpoint character in any given scene?

Prose

Is the backstory of the world or characters efficiently woven into the story?

Does each sentence contribute something to the story?

Do you “show, don’t tell” with your dialogue, characters, and setting?

QUOTES & REFERENCES

Are quotes and references used to support the argument?

Are all of your sources reliable?

Do quotes help aid the narrative progression, or do they interrupt it?

Have you paraphrased where possible?

Are there appropriate transitions before and after references?

Are all quotations accurate?

Have you chosen a citation style?

Have you cited all references according to that style?

PART 3: The "Line" Edit

Ensure the text is objectively correct. This covers everything from typos and grammar to continuity and syntax.

PUNCTUATION & DIALOGUE

Limit the use of adverbs in your dialogue tags. (Show, don’t tell!)

✗ “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?” said Harry angrily. ✓ Harry upended the table. “Why did you eat my turkey sandwich?”

Check for the use of other dialogue tags and replace them with “said” and “asked,” unless other emphasis is absolutely necessary.

✗ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” queried Amber. ✓ “Did you just stab me with this thimble?” asked Amber.

Check that all of the dialogue is formatted correctly.

✗ “I love you.” Said Pam. ✓ “I love you,” said Pam.

VOICE

Limit the use of weak verbs and adverbs in general.

✗ Leonard ran quickly to school. ✓ Leonard sprinted to school.

Replace all “hidden” verbs.

✗ Offer an explanation ✓ Explain

Check for the use of passive voice and replace with active voice, whenever appropriate.

✗ The ball was kicked. ✓ She kicked the ball.

Use “telling” words such as “felt,” “saw,” “knew,” and “seemed” sparingly.

✗ His head felt awful. ✓ His head throbbed.

LANGUAGE

Delete vague and subjective words.

✗ Could, might, maybe, more, poor, good, excellent, bad, some, multiple, really, literally, suddenly, simply, just, a little, almost, etc

Delete all instances of cliches in the text.

✗ It was a dark and stormy night.

Check for excessive repetition in the text.

✗ Go to [do something]

Check for instances of overly complicated language.

✗ In close proximity ✓ Near

Source ⚜ More: Writing Worksheets & Templates Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

More Notes: On Editing

[you-are-my-neverland]

we were not back btw. but progress is progress and i soldiered on this month anyways

novelember was not even on my mind until i saw a post yesterday, and the week was so bad all things considered that i was just like 🫠 welp guess that’s not happening BUT had a really good day, including writing, today so are we back on or what??

[you-are-my-neverland]

there’s something about making a healer character that begs the urge to put them through hell, to viciously unravel all their virtues and test their softness, to watch them endure tragedy after tragedy only for them to stubbornly retain their ability to nurture in spite of it all. it’s about how they’re always able to soothe and protect their allies at the expense of themselves, until it risks dragging them toward a much darker path. they have the potential to become the most destructive forces of raw power, far deadlier than the strongest warrior. and all their companions worry, with each obstacle they face, if the next one will be the one to completely shatter their gentleness until only jagged shards of cruelty remain

[you-are-my-neverland]

i love when a character has something terrible happen to them and as a result they see themself as, essentially if not literally, a ghost. and so that means they only can (and have to) do what ghosts do, ie get revenge and then cease to exist. easy as that. but then halfway through this ghost vengeance they realize hey actually i might still be a human person. with human needs. that’s incredibly inconvenient, considering how much i’ve invested in this whole ghost thing

[you-are-my-neverland]

If you're a writer you're supposed to write a lot of bullshit. It's part of the gig. You have to write a lot of absolute garbage in order to get to the good bits. Every once in a while you'll be like "Oh, I wish I hadn't wasted all that time writing bullshit," but that's dumb. That's exactly the same as an Olympic runner being like "Oh, I wish I hadn't wasted all that time running all those practice laps"

[you-are-my-neverland]

Little zine I drew this past sunday at the Budapest comic festival at a "workshop" , theme was spring!

[you-are-my-neverland]

novelember was not even on my mind until i saw a post yesterday, and the week was so bad all things considered that i was just like 🫠 welp guess that’s not happening BUT had a really good day, including writing, today so are we back on or what??

[you-are-my-neverland]

Shapeshifter characters are so inherently tragic and i eat that shit up every time. I fucking LOVE when a character's sense of identity hinges upon being anyone but themself. Like yesssss babygirl struggle with your identity as an individual person and not just a reflection of others youre so sexy haha