Happy Monday!

Subtle Ways a Smart Character Shows They're Smart

✧ They notice what isn’t said. The gap. The silence. The missing piece.

✧ They explain complex things in the simplest words. No ego, just clarity.

✧ They pause before answering, not because they’re unsure, but because they’re calculating what not to say.

✧ They remember names. Tiny details. The kind of stuff people don’t expect anyone to keep.

✧ They don’t correct people when they’re wrong. Unless it matters. Then it’s precise.

✧ They ask smart questions and actually listen to the answers.

✧ They use sarcasm as camouflage, people underestimate snarky geniuses.

ultimate character development template

basics

name: meaning of name: nicknames/titles: age: gender: location: birthday: strengths + example where it's shown: weaknesses + example where it's shown: how it affects others:

emotional depth

attachment style + how it manifests in the story: physical fear: emotional/abstract fear: happy memory: sad memory: object of significance: philosophical outlook/belief: what characters are ignorant about themselves: how confident are they: goal: long-term dreams: what they're embarrassed/ashamed to tell others about: regrets: source of pride: source of misery: what they admire above all else: do they believe in fate:

personality

mbti: enneagram: big five: character archetype: star sign: who they pretend to be on the outside: who they actually are/how they feel towards the mask: mental health conditions: how it manifests for them: iq: eq: humour: reputation:

habits

bad habits: mannerisms when stressed: mannerisms when content: mannerisms when scared: mannerisms normally: verbal mannerisms/distinctive speaking style: how do they move across a room: what do they say and what remains unsaid: how they express love: hobbies:

appearance

defining features: eye shape + colour: hair texture + colour: skin texture + tone: vibe: height: build: clothing: any bodily disfigurement (scars, etc.): overall attractiveness: their opinion on their appearance: appeals to:

relationships

who they trust most: what they wish they could do for them: what's holding them back: who they hate most: what they wish they could do to them: what's holding them back: relationship with the protagonist: relationship with the antagonist: siblings: relationship with them: parents/step-parents: relationship with them: previous broken relationships: why did it break: what others expect of them: who believes in them: their mentor character/who they look up to: political/religious/other affiliations: what makes them different from every other character: non-human relationships + why: romantic "type" + why: relationship dynamics:

backstory/background

primary emotion towards their past: primary feelings while in their past: where did they grow up: defining incidents: earliest childhood memory: saddest memory: happiest memory: major accomplishments: their opinion on it: notable people in their backstory: effect on them today: trauma: what have they already lost: financial circumstance:

progression

why are they important (eg. why're they the only one able to do something?): what do they learn about themselves throughout the story: what do they learn about the world: how do they feel towards their newfound knowledge: character arc (positive, negative, neutral): how relationships change because of their actions: what mistakes do they make: what scene is their character highlighted: do they get what they want: why or why not: what happens to them after the story ends:

Happy Monday!

Today is Monday, May 12th and we're going to be writing tonight from 6-7 PM so join the group message if you want to write with us.

This blog is going to be reblogging a lot of content that @siixerror has been working on. Over the weekend, Si spent so much time setting up the Tumblr - it has been nothing short of super fun. Establishing the Tumblrs for @sagedbysi @blckhxtry @siixerror means that there's space from Facebook and the ability to write without pressure or judgement. The algorithms of the mainstream platforms get draining, so for a switch up Si decided to come back home to - Tumblr.

The focus has been on content creation and finishing up @css147 by August 1.

Content Creation: make more digital art/writing, which means that it's important to be on Canva and queuing as many posts as possible as often as possible. The struggle comes with making the content, rather than queuing it --> it's an art form for sure and it takes a lot of patience.

Writing @css147: finishing up a science fiction novel for self publishing, trying to stick to a deadline helps with feeling motivated to write. If the book isn't finished by August 1 then the next project will start. The struggle is remaining true to writing goals --> this is taking a lot of discipline.

Reading 24 novels: a reading goal, maybe you can read most of these, maybe you can't but reading is important because it fuels the creative juices to write good stories - to track reading goals you should use Bookmory

There is a current reading list:

The plan is the share content to build the writing and reading community for Sage. If you are a writer or reader that is looking for a laid back community to join then please be in the group chat.

The more readers and writers, the better the conversations and the more inspiration.

Happy Monday!

groupme.com

GroupMe | Group chat app

Group text messaging to every phone. The easy way to connect with all the groups in your life, big and small.

If you’re free, come journal with us! The session is going to run from 6-7 PM 🍃✨ I hope to see you there 🙌🏽

CSS 147 - A. 1 (on Wattpad) https://www.wattpad.com/1540436336-css-147-a-1?utm_source=web&utm_medium=tumblr&utm_content=share_reading&wp_uname=SierraAyonnie CSS 147 takes place in Samola, Florida in 2036 capturing the escape of acid rain by the Holman Family. Michael, Tina, Isabella, Dori, and Nadia Holman are fighting for their lives to make it to Acosta, Florida to sail away before they are chemically burned in the rain.

CSS 147 - A. (on Wattpad) https://www.wattpad.com/1540435422-css-147-a?utm_source=web&utm_medium=tumblr&utm_content=share_reading&wp_uname=SierraAyonnie CSS 147 takes place in Samola, Florida in 2036 capturing the escape of acid rain by the Holman Family. Michael, Tina, Isabella, Dori, and Nadia Holman are fighting for their lives to make it to Acosta, Florida to sail away before they are chemically burned in the rain.

Set writing goals that work for you

Do you struggle to set writing goals and really stick to them? SMART goals might just be your secret weapon for writing success. In today's post we look at how to use SMART posts to make the most out of your writing time.

Smart goals are:

🎯 Specific 🎯 Measurable 🎯 Achievable 🎯 Relevant 🎯Time-bound

The Novlr Reading Room

How Setting SMART Goals Can Make Your Writing Time More Productive | The Novlr Reading Room

Learn how to set SMART goals to make your writing time more productive and transform your writing dreams into achievable targets.

Writing Notes: Dangerousness

Dangerousness—the state in which individuals become likely to do harm either to themselves or to others, representing a threat to their own or other people’s safety

Grisso (1998) notes that areas of dangerousness to be assessed are as follows.

Past Behavior: Chronicity, recency, frequency, severity, and context.

School Problems: Truancy, dropout, and so forth. This is more critical the earlier school problems began.

Substance Use: The use of substances by juveniles who have engaged in violent behaviors increases the risk of future violence.

Peers and Community: Violent peer groups provide a social norm that encourages violence, increases the likelihood the youth will find themselves in violent situations, and provides greater access to weapons.

Family Conflict and Aggression: This creates present and future stress, makes violence more acceptable, contributes to an antisocial attitude, and increases the likelihood that children from these families will engage in aggressive and violent behavior.

Social Stressors and Supports: Divorce, serious illness, and financial stress tax coping abilities and increase feelings of insecurity, threat, and loss that can in turn lead to aggressive behavior.

Personality Traits: Anger, impulsivity, and lack of empathy increase the risk of future violence.

Mental Disorders: Individuals with past aggressive behavior are at greater risk of future aggression if they have certain mental disorders (depression, attention and hyperactivity disorders, Schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, trauma disorders, and brain syndromes).

Opportunity: Availability of victims and weapons.

Future Residence: Secure, nonsecure, or community.

Whenever possible, it is suggested that clinicians attempt to gain collateral information by reviewing available records and interviewing collateral contacts. The more sources of information available to the clinician, the better they may be at determining risk/dangerousness.

Assessing dangerousness requires that the examiner be familiar with the factors that affect the level of risk, such as:

Prior history of violence

Exposure to violence

Mental health disorders

History of victimization

Impulsivity

Need for arousal

Access to weapons

Family role models

Capacity for empathy

Presence of cognitive impairment

Substance abuse

Alienation

Conduct disorders

Positive influences such as engagement in school and with family should also be factored in as these tend to be associated with a better prognosis (Schetky, 2003).

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References Writing References: Worldbuilding ⚜ Plot ⚜ Character

When your Character...

Gets into: A Fight ⚜ ...Another Fight ⚜ ...Yet Another Fight

Hates Someone ⚜ Kisses Someone ⚜ Falls in Love

Calls Someone they Love ⚜ Dies / Cheats Death ⚜ Drowns

is...

A Ballerina ⚜ A Child ⚜ Interacting with a Child ⚜ A Cheerleader

A Cowboy ⚜ A Genius ⚜ A Lawyer ⚜ A Pirate ⚜ A Spy

A Wheelchair User ⚜ A Zombie ⚜ Beautiful ⚜ Dangerous ⚜ Drunk

Funny ⚜ In a Coma ⚜ In a Secret Society ⚜ Injured ⚜ Shy

needs...

A Magical Item ⚜ An Aphrodisiac ⚜ A Fictional Poison

A Coping Strategy ⚜ A Drink ⚜ A Medicinal Herb ⚜ A Mentor

Money ⚜ A Persuasion Tactic ⚜ A Quirk ⚜ To be Killed Off

To Become Likable ⚜ To Clean a Wound ⚜ To Self-Reflect

To Find the Right Word, but Can't ⚜ To Say No ⚜ To Swear

loves...

Astronomy ⚜ Baking ⚜ Cooking ⚜ Cocktails ⚜ Food ⚜ Oils

Dancing ⚜ Fashion ⚜ Gems ⚜ Herbal Remedies ⚜ Honey

Mushrooms ⚜ Mythology ⚜ Numbers ⚜ Perfumes

Roses ⚜ Sweets ⚜ To Argue ⚜ To Insult ⚜ To Kiss

To Make False Claims ⚜ Wine ⚜ Wine-Tasting ⚜ Yoga

has/experiences...

Allergies ⚜ Amnesia ⚜ Bereavement ⚜ Bites & Stings

Bruises ⚜ Caffeine ⚜ CO Poisoning ⚜ Color Blindness

Facial Hair ⚜ Fainting ⚜ Fevers ⚜ Food Allergies

Food Poisoning ⚜ Fractures ⚜ Frostbite ⚜ Hypothermia

Injuries ⚜ Jet Lag ⚜ Kidnapping ⚜ Manipulation ⚜ Mutism

Pain ⚜ Paranoia ⚜ Poisoning ⚜ More Pain & Violence

Scars ⚜ Trauma ⚜ Viruses ⚜ Wounds

[these are just quick references. more research may be needed to write your story...]

Writing Resources PDFs

Why should we care about the past?

How can we know where we're going if we don't know where we're coming from...

Pexels

Photo by Francesco Ungaro on Pexels

Download this photo by Francesco Ungaro for free on Pexels

/ˈhist(ə)rē/

the study of past events, particularly in human affairs

Without history we can not understand or define today. History is beautiful because it allows us to deepen our empathy for the present and learn how to explore emotions in a way that is enlightening. If we can not retell our previous story how can we understand where we are going?

Without history we are lost in translation. Time is a specific marker of when an event occurred, but the story teaches us how to relate to those who came before us and to recognize that the future depends on our ability to make changes.

History is filled with answers. The answers of yesterday echoes as solutions to our problems today. If we can spend more time studying history we can create new connections that are insightful, change patterns that are destructive, and have better outcomes for tomorrow.

Here is my blog to capture Black History as it intertwines with the many cultures that creates America, today.