Writing Inspiration - Blog Posts

"Sorry, can't help you," the council says, the head mage waving his hand. Everything fades away, and I find myself in the archmage's cottage.

I kick and throw some stuff out of irritation for awhile, shouting at the ceiling. But when I kick the bed, the end post falls off, revealing a hollow hole inside.

I reach in, and find a small journal. Curious, I sit down on the bed and open it up.

"Dear reader, if you are reading this, it means I have FINALLY found a way out!!! Bless you, for you are most likely the one to thank for this turn of events.

"You see, I (an archmage, for 200 years), was never supposed to be. I cannot do magic to save my life, as you have most likely found out firsthand. I am not even sure how I ended up with the position, as I never dueled the previous archmage. The council simply appeared one day and declared it so. And so here I am, writing this book to tell you how I have managed for two centuries without magic."

My eyes are huge as they scan the pages. A few pages in, I discover that the previous arachmage, while unable to do much magic, was quite accomplished at potion work.

Anytime someone came to him needing something, or he was called upon to solve a problem, or banish a beast, he found or made a potion of some kind to suit the problem.

The book is filled with potions recipes, words to speak over them, infusions to add to objects.

"All this time," I marvel. "Maybe the council knew what they were doing after all. It wasn't magic the archmage was performing.

"It was science."

You are a terrible mage, yet through pure, dumb luck you managed to defeat an archmage in a duel, thus taking their place according to ancient tradition. Many mages protest against giving such a prestigious position to a clearly unqualified candidate, including yourself.

*turned out longer than intended, but I tried*

"Wait, so what do I do?"

Death turns and starts walking away. "Doesn't matter to me. I can't help you, sorry!"

With a huff of irritation, I find my way home. Strangely, I can't open the door; my hand passes right through the doorknob. But, when I try to go through it, all I get is a nasty bruise.

"Strange," I mutter to myself, inspecting the door. "Didn't expect that."

I end up waiting at the door of my former home for a few hours before my twin brother gets home. He parks his car and comes up, pulling out his keys.

As he unlocks the door, I slip in behind him. "Thanks," I say, even though I know he can't hear me.

He stops and tilts his head to the side for a second before shaking his head and setting his things down.

I freeze. Did he just hear me?

"Luke?" I try. "Can you- Can you hear me?"

He makes no movement that he did, and I deflate. Now what?

Upon further exploration, I discover that I can only touch things that belonged to me while I was alive. Books of mine? Yes. The TV remote that Luke bought? No. The crossword puzzle book that was a gift from Mom for both of us? Somehow works? The house that Luke bought and had let me live in for a few months? Apparently that was also a no.

With no idea what else to do, I sat down and started reading a book.

A few hours later, a loud crash sounds from the kitchen. I jump up, and find Luke making dinner (and dropping a pan on the floor). I'm about to turn around and leave, knowing he's okay, when I realize that there are tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Dang it," he whispers, picking up the pan. "Why is everything going wrong today?"

Right on cue, his phone rings. He answers it and sits down to talk to the caller.

"Hey, Mom. ... No, just making dinner. ... Yes, I'm fine. ... I have not been crying! ... Fine, okay, yes, I was." His voice wobbles a bit at the end of the sentence and he swipes a hand over his eyes.

"He was my twin, Mom. It wasn't supposed to be like this."

I swallow. However I was feeling, it was a hundred times worse for my family. I reach out as Luke continues talking to Mom, and put my hand on his shoulder.

Luke pauses again, glancing around the room before finishing his sentence.

"Luke?" I try again. "I'm okay. I'm here for you."

Luke looks up and smiles sadly. "I know, Mom. He's still with us."

I take my hand off his shoulder and step back, shocked.

Over the next week, I slowly piece together the ends and outs of my nonexistent afterlife. Luke cannot see or hear me on a regular basis. Only when he needs me does he ever hear anything. I eventually decide that he can't hear the words, only feel the sentiment.

And so, I go with Luke wherever he goes. I am with him when he meets a woman, and I nudge him in her direction. I am with him when he proposes, calming his nerves. Same on his wedding day, and when each of his three children are born.

I comfort him when our mother dies, happy and contented. When Death comes to take her, Luke is fully unaware of the conversation that happens in the room.

Death looks surprised to see me. "I expected you to be gone by now."

I roll my eyes. "I don't know where you thought I would go. You couldn't take me, remember? I had to figure it out myself."

My mother steps out of the shadows, her eyes fixed on Death. "You're here for me, I assume?"

"Mom?" My voice cracks.

She turns and her eyes widen at the sight of me. She dashes forward and hugs me tightly. "What are you doing here? I hoped to see you, I just didn't think it would be so soon!"

I gently pull myself out of the embrace, tears forming in my eyes. "I can't go with you. I've been here all this time, watching over Luke and you, because I can't go on."

My mother looks shocked. "But why?"

I shrug. "I wasn't supposed to die that day. There's no place for me."

My mother is crying. "You know we always loved you, right? We tried to make you happy."

Death clears his throat. "Touching, but we really ought to get going."

"No!" Mom shouts. "Why? Why can't he come too?"

Death sighed. "He wasn't supposed to die that day, he told the truth. There must have been something he left unfinished."

I shake my head. "I don't know what it is, Mom. I've tried. I'll be okay. I'll look after Luke and his family. Maybe I'll see you again someday."

Death takes her, glancing over his shoulder at me with a nod. I return it, waving at my mother as she disappears.

The years pass. Eventually, I start helping Luke's children, whispering in their ears when they fight, filling them with remorse. Calling out for them to be careful crossing the street, narrowly avoiding a car. Guiding them away from the meaner kids, and leading them to their new nest friends.

When my twin brother dies, the scene with Death repeats itself. This time it's harder to let go.

Death and I explain the problem to Luke, but he doesn't accept it, shouting at us. Even when I promise to look out for his kids, all he can do is scream, tears rolling down his cheeks.

I walk away first, sobbing.

Many years later, Luke's daughter gives birth to twins. I immediately fall in love with them. Over the years, I help them over and over again, as I had been doing for ages.

Then came the fateful day. Death appeared out of nowhere as I was watching the 17 year old twins at a school dance.

Death sits down next to me. "Well, your time is just about done."

"What?!" My jaw drops. "Really? You're going to take me this time? Why?"

Death sighs. "You'll see."

I scan the crowd, looking for the twins. I find Kaleb easily, but not Kylie.

A few seconds later, a scream erupts from the back of the room. The crowd parts for teachers rushing through, revealing Kylie, lying on the floor.

Death stands.

"No!" I shout, grabbing at him. "I'll stay! You can't take her!"

Death pulls free of my grasping hands. "It's already too late." He points a long, pale finger, and I see Kylie's spirit in the corner, looking around confused.

I run up to her, followed closely by Death.

"Am I...dead?" She asks, unsure.

"Please," I whisper, standing in front of her. "Don't take her."

"Wait, I know you!" Kylie exclaims. "Grandpa Luke's brother! But you've been dead for like eighty years!"

Death shakes his head at me. "I'm not taking her. I'm taking you. She will stay."

Kylie looks even more confused now. "But...I'm dead, aren't I? How can I stay?

I draw in a breath. "Kylie, I've spent my time helping my family. They, I guess you, could sometimes hear me, like a little voice in their heads. You can probably do the same."

Death reaches for my hand.

I scramble back. "No, wait! Kylie, I thought this would be forever. I wasn't supposed to die young. Neither were you! Maybe that's why this is happening. You have to live first, do something worthwhile before you can pass on."

Death succeeds in grabbing my hand this time and starts to pull me away.

"You'll be okay, Kylie!" I shout back to her. "We'll be waiting for you!"

Death and I leave Kylie behind, looking bewildered.

We step through a dark veil, and when we emerge on the other side I see the most wonderful sight I'd ever seen.

My family.

Death looks at you, baffled. “You’re not supposed to be dead.” You raise a brow. “I’m not?” “Nope,” Death says. “Huh… that’s never happened before.” Confused, you ask, “Do I get to go to an afterlife now?” Death shrugs. “You can’t, because you’re not officially dead.”

What the fuck just happened, he thought as he stood in a white room.

One moment he was in his garden, fixing the new table he had built, and the next he was in a seemingly never-ending white space. Was this heaven or something ? Had he died? Or maybe this was some kind of hospital room – could be, the lights there are always so blinding!

"Hello?" He called out, anxiously. "Anyone's there?"

He turned in slow circles, half expecting something to attack him from nowhere.

He jumped as a door opened with a swoosh – he swore there was nothing but white there a moment ago ! Some kind of creature walked in, wearing an astronaute-like combinaison. Could have been a human if not for its sluggish gray skin and mop of tantacles where hair should be. Its unnaturally black eyes didn't help either.

What was this thing? Where was he? Was this a dream? He pinched himself to check ; it hurt.

The alien-monster-astronaute spoke, clicking furiously at its collar. "Is this translation device working?" Then, slower, "can you understand me?"

He nodded, not quite grasping on the situation at hand. The alien – it had to be that – continued. "Listen, I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for three days so I can get my parents off my back." It explained.

I'm sorry, what? He thought.

Frowning, he voiced his concerns. "Wait, hold on. What are you? And where am I – how am I here?"

The alien smiled then, contempt that he hadn't rejected its proposal just yet. "My name is—"

He guessed that translation device didn't work well because the next sounds didn't seem like words, or a name for that matter.

"— and I come from the planet," some more unintelligible words. "You are in my spaceship."

He shook his head, almost laughing at the impossible situation he was in. He was in space, with an alien who wanted him to pretend to be its boyfriend for three days. Who would believe that?

"Sure," he finally answered. "I'll do it, I'll be your fake boyfriend."

Would it have been anyond else, they probably would be freaking out right now. But he personally didn't care. He was going to do that just because why not? It wasn't like he had much to loose anyway.

You were just sucked up and abducted by a UFO. The alien inside addresses you, “Is this translator working? Listen. I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for three days so my parents will get off my back about it.”

The fate of Ashur, he who dared to slay his flesh

Somewhere in the world a goddess wept the loss of her son and cursed the world for taking him from her. The cold broken body of the boy, barely a teen was clutched to her chest, only an empty husk left.

"I always have to get my hand dirty because of you. This is your fault, and no one else's." the cold voice of Ashur sounded from behind. She heard the sound of metal touching leather, but didn't move, no longer caring that she was wide open to a man that had just unsheathed his blade, ready to cut her down as if she was merely a wilted flower. Boiling rage coursed through her veins tears forever flowing down her cheeks and onto the dirt below. And where they hit the ground small blue flowers would appear in the shape of tears. The people called them Grape Hyacinth, in honor of the goddess who's tears had been turned into flowers. She may have perished that day, but before her divine soul had been turned into ashes she placed one last curse on the god who had killed her son. Hyacinth cursed him to never be able to lay rest and to forever be hounded by those he called his own, so that he may never be capable of love for another ,the way she had loved him and their son.

Small Prompt

He spoke in a quiet breathy tone ,his words almost inaudible over the low buzzing of the crowds below: ”I’m going to come back and kill you ,even if I have to crawl back up from the pits of Hell!”

Two shots rang out into the night and a body plummeted onto the concrete streets below landing with a thud. A chorus of hysteric screams ensued.

small snippet from my WIP

Shards and Splinters | Weeping Embers

Dried leaves fluttered in the breeze, crunching amongst each other as if whispering secrets into the wind to be carried away. The streets lay abandoned, everyone still asleep tightly in their warm beds awaiting the dawn of yet another day like any other before. But today wasn’t going to be a usual day.

From the moment his eyelids opened, and he jolted out of bed breathing as if he had been chased around the whole world by an army of demons Archer Uberto could tell there was something different about today. The sun rose to the skies just like every other morning, drowning the world in light and warmth as it had done perhaps trillions of times before, yet still, the boy could not shake the feeling something was out of place. It wasn’t anything obvious, else he would have noticed by now, like how you’d know if someone had moved your socks from their rightful place, but not if a splinter was missing from your desk. The feeling, although persistent did nothing to deter him from entering back into his routine almost robotically, forgetting about the dream that had startled him awake, or of the pungent smell of creos in his home...

Archer paused repeating the thought that had just passed through his mind. Creos? What even were creos and why did he think of that? A puzzled expression flashed on his face before the shrill ringing of his phone broke his line of thought, pulling him back into reality harshly. His body moved on its own, traversing the neat and clean room all the way to the small bookshelf adorning the whole left wall of his room before turning off that blasted noise, so he could once more rejoice in the softer morning sounds.

A crow stood atop one of the branches that neared his window, silently observing the teen as he exited the building dressed in an old baseball shirt and dark green jeans. It cawed out twice before taking off into the mushy clouds in search of its morning meal.

The sudden flapping of feathers alerted a nearby mouse and sent it scurrying back beneath the dumpster it had crawled from, the dark feathered bird now taking its place, atop the lid that rested on the wall behind it. From there it had a clear view of the lanky teen as he scurried into the backroom, before coming out with a green apron and getting behind the counter, just as the doors of the cafe opened to let in a stream of groggy and grumpy customers who couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries at such an early hour.

Archer sighed in relief upon hearing the bell hung above the door ring one final time that day, the last customer exiting the small Starbucks, coffee in hand. With a sudden sense of accomplishment, the boy grinned to himself, returning to the backroom. He greeted the rest of his colleagues politely and made a bit of small chat before changing from his uniform back into his soft dark jacket and exiting the building while humming a soft tune and swinging his arms in

Page Break

the air as if he were conducting a band of invisible musicians. There were barely any people on the streets at the time to judge him, and even those who saw him as mad he could not be bothered to pay attention to.

Upon crossing the street, he stopped in the middle, waiting for someone to come out of nowhere and run him over, but after a few minutes and not even the sight of a bike, he let out an exasperated sigh and continued on his journey back to his warm bed and fluffy pillow. Perhaps next time he would have more luck, Archer pouted jokingly while swatting a few stray strands of mahogany hair out of his eyes, only for the evening breeze to blow them right back into his face, blinding him momentarily. And it was all it took, just that one moment, he smelled that same scent his room had that morning, and that feeling came back over a thousand times stronger.

He whirled around clutching his sides, as a stinging pain bloomed right where his ribs caged his lungs and the wind picked up, raising clouds of fallen and dried leaves into the air and surrounding him. Archer clenched his eyes tightly, burying his head into his chest, now fully aware that that feeling of something being awfully wrong had not been only in his tired mind.

“There’s no way I’m going to die to a cloud of leaves today” he screeched, before choking on something and falling into a coughing fit, his eyes watering and his ears ringing.

ATTENTION READERS AND WRITERS

What are the things you want to see and don't want to see in novels? (I'm trying to come up with my next novel, and I need some inspiration. I think I want my protagonist to be autistic and ace)

And then they aren't finished and haven't been updated since 2011 and you feel the urge to write a fanfiction about that fanfiction but feel as though you can't live up to that legacy -

reblog if you’ve read fanfictions that are more professional, better written than some actual novels. I’m trying to see something

“I want my dog back.” You demand. The Book Keeper looks down “It says here that your dog died peacefully from old age- hang on, how did you get to the underworld? You’re not due here for decades.” You glare at them. “I don’t care what it says and you do not want to know the lengths I’ll go to.”

How to create an atmosphere: Club

Sight

strobo light

very different styles of clothing

groups of girls and groups of guys huddled together

people dancing wild and free

people just slightly swaying from left to right

people grinding on each other

stressed barkeepers

bored looking security guards

vip areas

Hearing

loud music

whatever their conversational partner is screaming at them

a random girl crying in the bathroom

girls having random conversations with strangers in the bathroom

a fight breaking out outside or on the dancefloor

Touch

sticky floor

bodies bumping into each other

cold glasses with drinks in them

the hand of a friend out of fear of losing each other

bodies pressed together while dancing

Smell

the smell of sweat

the smell of alcohol

the smell of smoke from the smoke machine or from zigarettes or other substances

Taste

the taste of overpriced drinks

the taste of the smoke in the air from the smoke machines

the taste of a drunken kiss

Words to describe blood without saying crimson or blood?

Blood—the fluid that circulates in the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins of a vertebrate animal carrying nourishment and oxygen to and bringing away waste products from all parts of the body

Arterial - relating to or being the bright red blood present in most arteries that has been oxygenated in lungs or gills

Body fluid - a fluid or fluid secretion (such as blood, lymph, saliva, semen, or urine) of the body

Carmine - a vivid red

Cerise - a moderate red

Claret - a dark purplish red

Clot - a coagulated mass produced by clotting of blood

Cruor - obsolete: the clotted portion of coagulated blood

Ensanguine - to make bloody; crimson

Geranium - a vivid or strong red

Gore - blood, especially: clotted blood

Hematic - of, relating to, or containing blood

Hematoid - resembling blood

Hemoglobin - an iron-containing respiratory pigment of vertebrate red blood cells that consists of a globin composed of four subunits each of which is linked to a heme molecule, that functions in oxygen transport to the tissues after conversion to oxygenated form in the gills or lungs, and that assists in carbon dioxide transport back to the gills or lungs after surrender of its oxygen

Hemoid - resembling blood

Ichor - a thin watery or blood-tinged discharge

Incarnadine - bloodred

Juices - the natural fluids of an animal body

Maroon - a dark red

Plasma - the fluid part of blood, lymph, or milk as distinguished from suspended material

Puce - a dark red

Ruddle - red ocher (i.e., a red earthy hematite used as a pigment)

Russet - a reddish brown

Sanguine - bloodred; consisting of or relating to blood

Scarlet - any of various bright reds

Vermilion - any of various red pigments

More: Word Lists ⚜ Blood ⚜ Exsanguination ⚜ On Blood

Another Topics List

Word lists may be helpful for some people to overcome writer's block.

PERSONAL FEELINGS, OPINIONS, AND EXPERIENCES (Adjectives)

PLACES: Buildings

PLACES: Countryside

PLACES: Towns & City

WEATHER

Source: Cambridge English: Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List (2012)

More: Word Lists ⚜ Topics Lists

“Don’t ruin my makeup, I didn't spend $40 to look like a pig.”

NOAMI ADDAMS MOOD BOARD!

She's y/n’s bimbo best friend but her heart is as big as her ego.

This is such a big help omg

Fanfiction help, tips, prompts and ideas

I know how frustrating it is to come here looking for actual advice and the only things you find are inspirational posts that just repeat the same "you can do it" message over and over. So I compiled all the wonderful tips and advice I've seen so far. These posts here have saved me a million times already.

✦ Update -> added tips for Sentence Structure and made this post prettier ✦

Dialogue Prompts

Dialogue Prompts, tips, ideas, everything ->

Angst, Fluff, Smut, Bittersweet:

https://heartofwritiing.tumblr.com/post/703589142626484224

dumplingsjinson's dialogue prompts (They're great and with so many different dynamics):

https://listography.com/dumplingsjinson?m=0580652416

Help with Sentence Structure

I know that feeling when you see your writing and notice how bleak and repetitive it is, these posts can help you <3

A few special rules for dialogue punctuation, paragraphing, and grammar

(Rules you can and should break after learning the basics. Play with those rules to find your style)

https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/15zni42/a_few_special_rules_for_dialogue_punctuation/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

How to make your writing more eloquent

https://pens-swords-stuff.tumblr.com/post/181631690061/how-can-i-make-my-writing-sound-more-eloquent-and

How to know if you're telling too much and what to do

https://www.tumblr.com/iselsis/655030320745332736/writing-tip?source=share

Sentence Structure (LOVE this, it's really useful if you're struggling with making more varied sentences)

https://how-to-fanfic.livejournal.com/4861.html

One Look Thesaurus

If you're having that horrible brain fog moment and can't remember that one word, this can help you!! This saved my hair from being ripped off a lot of times

Tips of all types: pacing/formatting, etc

Read this, it's worth it, I promise

Filter words, words that distance the reader from the writing:

https://www.tumblr.com/daily-writing-tips/174033348563/are-these-filter-words-weakening-your-story?source=share

When nothing is happening in your story or things are going too slow:

https://www.tumblr.com/daily-writing-tips/178617903283/ive-been-writing-a-book-and-the-feedback-ive?source=share

A great discussion about epithets:

https://www.tumblr.com/daily-writing-tips/639487272174141440/undertailsoulsex-cimness?source=share

Abandoning your outline or letting it grow:

https://www.tumblr.com/daily-writing-tips/186443325965/first-of-all-i-love-your-writing-so-much-and-i?source=share

Describing emotions internally and externally:

https://lets-get-fictional.tumblr.com/post/171248036936/resources-for-describing-emotion

General writing tips for structure, formatting etc:

https://www.tumblr.com/kindredcandy/691030138594426880/writing-tips-for-fanfic-writers-a-post-by-someone?source=share

Dialogue tags, sentence structure, adverbs, etc

(these tips are great for those writing their own books and for those writing fics too)

https://www.tumblr.com/dynamicsymmetry/178394340566/good-stuff-guys-i-edit-professionally-this-list?source=share

Tips on writing characters without faces:

lets-get-fictional.tumblr.com

Tips on Writing Characters Without Faces

so yeah, we all know that facial expressions can tell us a lot about how a character is feeling, but what if that isn’t an option? how can y

Masterlists/Masterposts

agirlnamedjana's master dialogues/scenes/dynamics prompt list:

https://creativepromptsforwriting.tumblr.com/post/642950535717224448/master-prompt-list

And also her masterpost on how to write/motivation/tips:

https://creativepromptsforwriting.tumblr.com/post/633943514155253760/masterpost-how-to-write-a-story

+ Writing Resource masterlist:

https://lets-get-fictional.tumblr.com/post/146261106991/writing-resources-masterlist

Body Language

The Emotion Thesaurus (and all the other ones covering bad traits, settings and more)

Not everyone has the money to buy the book, so I'm going to link down here the place where you can buy it, but if you can't, just look up 'Emotion Thesaurus PDF download' on Google and you can download it for free. I recommend searching for it on VK, it comes with all the other Thesaurus(ses?) too. It's really helpful, especially the examples at the beginning and the notes after each section!

https://www.amazon.com.br/Emotion-Thesaurus-Writers-Character-Expression/dp/1475004958

Body language basics (smiles, eyebrows, head positions)

https://lets-get-fictional.tumblr.com/post/146030452463/writing-tip-june-6th

List of body language phrases (positions, reactions, movements like "he arched his back") divided by body parts:

https://lets-get-fictional.tumblr.com/post/153224282966/writing-tip-june-4th

Body Language sheet

Body Language Master List - Google Sheets

Said — use it, don't use it, alternatives and tips

These alternatives can also help you come up with new ideas for the feelings/reactions of your character ->

Words to replace "said" and some tips

Caitlin McDonald - Words to replace said, except this actually helps (tumblr.com)

Alternatives to "whisper" (except with actual useful tips under those alternatives)

the dextrous, the sinister. — Word List: Alternatives to "Whisper" (tumblr.com)

Words to use instead of “said” organized by emotion/intention part 1&2

https://www.tumblr.com/damselwrites/136952662989/words-to-use-instead-of-said-organized-by?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/damselwrites/173814509709/words-to-use-instead-of-said-organized-by?source=share

When to include physical gestures, actions, and facial expressions & how often to say he/she said/yelled/whined, etc

https://tmblr.co/ZEsmmh2Ht2qO7

Fights and Battles

Vocabulary list for fight scenes with actions, reactions, effects and more:

https://www.tumblr.com/writers-potion/743977530213679104/vocabulary-list-for-fight-scenes?source=share

Words and phrases to describe characters in pain

https://www.tumblr.com/maccreadysbaby/721518428167536640/some-of-my-favorite-words-and-phrases-to-describe?source=share

Little Tips

Writing tips for authors with ADHD

https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/u3mzd0/writing_tips_for_authors_with_adhd/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

NSK96's Writing Help, divided by sections and covering all parts of writing:

https://www.tumblr.com/nsk96/703138245307924480/writing-help?source=share

Show Don't Tell. Or do a little telling too, it's alright

Writing better descriptions:

michaelbjorkwrites.tumblr.com

How to Write Better Descriptions using Negative Space

The Power of Negative Space A late spring breeze drifts through the open window of your studio, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass and

Showing what the character is feeling:

Consider checking more of Lyralit's posts, there are more like this one

Writing tips by Mod Joana: Don't like it — change it. The first words. Show don't tell:

https://lets-get-fictional.tumblr.com/post/175250059716/what-are-the-best-3-tips-for-writing-in-your

Writing relationships:

Writing Smut

https://www.tumblr.com/cillmequick/734816830305255424/maam-please-bestow-upon-me-your-amazing-smut?source=share

Writing a relationship your readers will ship

https://www.tumblr.com/daily-writing-tips/174033327753/writing-a-relationship-your-readers-will-ship?source=share

Advice for writing relationships (Big compilation with lots of tips and different types of relationships)

https://www.tumblr.com/creativepromptsforwriting/726838146095087616/advice-for-writing-relationships?source=share

Writing romantic love

https://www.tumblr.com/novlr/713058246667223040/how-to-write-romantic-love?source=share

I'll update when I find more! I hope this helps you <3

some fucking resources for all ur writing fuckin needs

* body language masterlist

* a translator that doesn’t eat ass like google translate does

* a reverse dictionary for when ur brain freezes

* 550 words to say instead of fuckin said

* 638 character traits for when ur brain freezes again

* some more body language help

(hope this helps some ppl)

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.

the worst

Harry Potter Rewrite: Google Form.

Hello my loves,

I’ve been a bit stuck while writing (nothing to worry about, I just have the attention span of a five-year-old and cannot focus for the life of me), but I still wanted to hear more about what you guys want to see! So, I found a much more organized way of doing that!

Google Form!

Honestly, I’m really excited to see what you guys want or don’t want. Who knows, maybe something will strike me and help me keep writing! Remember, I accept headcanons of every character that isn’t Dumbledore. Literally tell me about anyone else except him.

Asks and PMs are always welcomed, too!

(AO3) Reasons to Stay

(Wattpad) Reasons to Stay

Just saving this here… for no particular reason…

A List of Death Symbols

Is your character headed for endless slumber? Here are some red flags to plant within the story:

Skulls and bones

Candles

Cross

Latin Cross

All black/white clothing

Thanatos

Keres

Yama

Ankou

The Fourth Horseman

Banshees

Osiris

Grim Reaper

Giltine

Black Butterfly

Black cat

Bat

Vulture

Crow

Owl

Cypress trees

Red poppies

Hyacinths

Chrysanthemums

Lilies

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

🖱️References

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/139330182215001295/

Getting inspired to write is actually really easy! All you need to do is be the busiest you've ever been in your entire life and as far away from a computer as humanly possible. Hope this helps 🥰

"Yeah, turns out surviving an assassination attempt after talking about an eating disorder grants you the ability to consume literally anything without repercussions. I don't know whether my ex's father being the culprit had anything to do with it, but hey, I survived, so whatever, lol."

For a moment she gaped at him, nodding slowly with shocked concern. She hadn't spoken at all through what he termed his "edgy awakening backstory monologue", half out of fear of disrespect, and half... she wasn't too sure what it was. His story seemed to get nothing but worse the longer it stretched on; around the point where he described his close brush with death she thought he'd stopped talking about himself and started retelling a 15-year-old's My Little Pony horror AU without her realising.

Sighing - but not too loudly - she replied: "well, I'm glad you're better now. But-" she held up a finger just as he was waving farewell, "-if you ever need someone, I'll be free to listen, 'k?"

He shrugged again. "Sure. Catch ya later!"

The two of them waved each other farewell and headed in opposite directions.

...

Later when she went to bed, she saw a tiny notice appear on the ceiling. It read:

"New achievement unlocked: You're A Therapist, Harry!"

People are not born with powers but must earn them through secret achievements. You randomly unlock one of the most powerful abilites

That one phineas and ferb episode

You have a brick. It looks like a brick. It feels like a brick. Yet, over the past few days, people have been desperately trying to buy or steal the brick from you. You're starting to feel scared.

Imagine dancing around the body of a sapien in shades of crimson, just as the moon reflected the colors of their blush

Prompt #347

“Okay, I have an idea.”

“What?”

“Let’s just be honest with each other for five minutes. For five minutes whatever we say right now is going to be completely honest and after the five minutes are up, we can choose to forget about this or remember it.”

How do I write a dream sequence that actually feels dreamy and not just confusing or random? I want it to make sense in the story but still have that weird, surreal vibe dreams have.

Before writing a dream sequence, ask yourself: Why is this dream important?

A strong dream sequence serves a narrative purpose. It either reveals something critical about the character or moves the plot forward. For example, it might:

Highlight a character’s inner conflict, such as self-doubt or guilt.

Offer insight into a character’s fears, desires, or memories.

Foreshadow future events.

Explore the story’s themes.

Present an epiphany or realisation that changes the narrative direction.

When you define the purpose of the dream, you give it meaning and ensure it doesn’t feel like a random, disconnected scene.

Vivid imagery and sensory details

Dreams are often hyper-real or surreal. To truly immerse readers, fill your sequences with vivid imagery. Describe not just what the character sees, but also what they hear, smell, and feel. For example:

The air might feel oppressively heavy, as if the character is moving through water.

Colours could be unnaturally bright or pulsing, creating a sense of unease or wonder.

Sounds may echo strangely, or voices may change tones mid-sentence.

Sensory details are your best friend when crafting dreams. They help you draw readers into the scene, making the dream feel almost tangible without being constrained to what is possible.

The power of symbolism

Dreams are often symbolic, reflecting a character’s subconscious thoughts and emotions. A dream sequence offers a fantastic opportunity to use metaphors and symbols to deepen your narrative. For instance:

A crumbling staircase may represent a character’s feelings of insecurity.

A recurring image, like a locked door, could hint at a secret the character is repressing.

Objects or people in the dream might represent aspects of the character’s personality or unresolved relationships.

By embedding symbols, you can subtly communicate deeper layers of meaning to your readers while building suspense without having to state things outright.

Heightened emotion

In dreams, emotions are often exaggerated. A minor embarrassment can swell into overwhelming shame, and a fleeting joy might feel like euphoria. Use this to your advantage to explore your character’s emotional state. For instance:

A character struggling with grief might dream of a loved one, only for them to disappear when approached.

A character racked with guilt could find themselves pursued by shadowy figures.

Striking a balance between disorientation and logic

Dreams are naturally disorienting because they don’t follow the logical flow of reality. You can introduce elements like sudden scene changes, nonsensical dialogue, or impossible physics to create a truly dreamlike experience. For example:

A character might start at a family dinner, only to inexplicably swimming in an ocean of stars.

A trusted friend might appear with the face of a stranger.

Despite the inherent chaos of dreams, your sequence should still have some degree of narrative coherence. A good rule of thumb is to maintain a logical thread that allows the dream to fulfil its narrative purpose, even if the details are illogical.

Establishing atmosphere

The tone and atmosphere of your dream sequence should align with its purpose. Focus on creating a specific emotional response:

For a nightmare, use eerie, oppressive details, like a pulsating fog or distorted, echoing voices.

For a whimsical dream, evoke wonder with surreal and magical details, such as floating landscapes and shimmering light.

Choose your atmosphere carefully to enhance the emotional impact of the scene.

Types of dream sequences to explore

There are many types of dream sequences, and each serves a unique purpose. Here are some of the most common:

Foreshadowing dreams: These hint at future events, creating suspense or intrigue.

Nightmares: These reveal a character’s fears or anxieties.

Fantasy dreams: These involve magical or surreal elements, and are often used to explore themes, symbols, or metaphors.

Recurring dreams: These underscore unresolved issues or patterns in a character’s life.

Lucid dreams: These allow the dreamer to be aware they’re dreaming and possibly influence the dream’s outcome.

Realisation dreams: These provide moments of clarity or epiphany for the character.

Internal conflict dreams: These visually showcase a character’s inner turmoil, providing a unique way to “show, not tell.”

Linked dreams: These connect two or more characters through shared dreamscapes.

Keep it brief and meaningful

Dream sequences should enhance your story, not derail it. While they offer a chance to be wildly creative, keep them concise and focused. Avoid overloading readers with too much detail or overly prolonged scenes. Your audience should leave the dream sequence full or curiosity, not overwhelmed.

Seamlessly transition in and out

Transitions are crucial for dream sequences. Start with subtle hints, like a sound, a sensation, or a surreal visual that cues readers into the shift from reality to dream. Similarly, exit the dream gracefully, creating a smooth return to the waking world. This ensures that readers are not jarred out of the story.

Writing tips for a dreamlike feel

Use narrative distance to create a floaty, disconnected feeling that mirrors the sensation of dreaming.

Experiment with stream-of-consciousness writing for portions of the dream to mimic the fluid and unpredictable nature of thoughts in sleep.

Pay attention to pacing. Dreams often feel both slow and rapid—a contradiction you can reflect by alternating between drawn-out descriptions and sudden, abrupt moments.

Dream sequences are a space where your imagination can truly run free while still serving the story’s deeper purpose. When done well, they are memorable and meaningful, and leave a lasting impact. It’s a technique well worth exploring.

How to avoid White Room Syndrome

by Writerthreads on Instagram

A common problem writers face is "white room syndrome"—when scenes feel like they’re happening in an empty white room. To avoid this, it's important to describe settings in a way that makes them feel real and alive, without overloading readers with too much detail. Here are a few tips below to help!

Focus on a few key details

You don’t need to describe everything in the scene—just pick a couple of specific, memorable details to bring the setting to life. Maybe it’s the creaky floorboards in an old house, the musty smell of a forgotten attic, or the soft hum of a refrigerator in a small kitchen. These little details help anchor the scene and give readers something to picture, without dragging the action with heaps of descriptions.

Engage the senses

Instead of just focusing on what characters can see, try to incorporate all five senses—what do they hear, smell, feel, or even taste? Describe the smell of fresh bread from a nearby bakery, or the damp chill of a foggy morning. This adds a lot of depth and make the location feel more real and imaginable.

Mix descriptions with actions

Have characters interact with the environment. How do your characters move through the space? Are they brushing their hands over a dusty bookshelf, shuffling through fallen leaves, or squeezing through a crowded subway car? Instead of dumping a paragraph of description, mix it in with the action or dialogue.

Use the setting to reflect a mood or theme

Sometimes, the setting can do more than just provide a backdrop—it can reinforce the mood of a scene or even reflect a theme in the story. A stormy night might enhance tension, while a warm, sunny day might highlight a moment of peace. The environment can add an extra layer to what’s happening symbolically.

Here's an example of writing a description that hopefully feels alive and realistic, without dragging the action:

The bookstore was tucked between two brick buildings, its faded sign creaking with every gust of wind. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of worn paper and dust, mingling with the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee from a corner café down the street. The wooden floorboards groaned as Ella wandered between the shelves, her fingertips brushing the spines of forgotten novels. Somewhere in the back, the soft sound of jazz crackled from an ancient radio.

Hope these tips help in your writing!

Controlling Your Pacing

                Pacing is one of my favourite things to pay attention to when reading or writing something. The pacing of a scene is literally how ‘fast’ or ‘slow’ a scene appears to be moving. Action scenes that spring the story from one place to another tend to go faster than introspective scenes or scenes that explore character dynamics.

                All of this is created through putting space and words between elements of the scene. What I mean by that is that readers interpret a passage of time between ‘things’ (actions, dialogue, gestures, etc.) on the page, and pacing is controlling that interpretation.

                For example,

“Georgia sat on the couch, “wow it sure is hot in here,” she said. “It sure is,” Henry agreed, sitting next to her.”

                This sentence is just about the actions with some breaking dialogue, but it goes pretty quickly through what’s happening.

                Whereas, if we were to intentionally pace this scene, it may look like this:

“Georgia swiped at her brow, wandering over to sink into the couch. “It sure is hot in here,” she said, peering up at Henry through the wisps of her bangs. He nodded weakly, his entire body sagging from the heat. Crossing the room to collapse next to her, he added dryly, “it sure is.”

                It’s not perfect, but you can get a sense of the time between things happening. The added detail between the two characters talking conveys maybe a minute between sentences, which might be accurate for two people dogged down by a heat wave.

                To speed things up, we want less space between elements:

“Adam slammed open the door with his shoulder, letting it bounce off the concrete wall behind him. “Everyone out!” He shouted. A crack in the roof snapped above them.”

                The added (or subtracted) elements of a scene that control your pacing is the sights/sounds/feelings/smells/maybe tastes of a place. When we’re anxiously rushing to get out of the house we may not acknowledge that the kitchen smells like the bread our roommate baked that morning, or that there are smudges on the window from when the dog climbed up on the couch. However, when we have a second to contemplate, we’re going to notice these things, and it would be appropriate to write them in.

                Another important element to controlling pacing is your character’s thoughts or acknowledgement of feelings.

                For example:

“Adam slammed open the door with his shoulder, it bounced off the concrete wall behind him. He winced, his mother’s high voice ringing in his head, chiding him for damaging the walls even though he knew the building was coming down on top of them. How long would he live with her constantly in his mind? He tried to wave away the memory. “Everyone out!” He shouted.”

                That slows down the scene quite a bit, yeah? And maybe that’s what you wanted in that moment. Play around with the details and pacing in your scenes, you might be surprised how much can change.

                Good luck!

how to stay motivated as a writer

reread your old writing

reread the scenes you’re most proud of

write something silly. it doesn’t need to be logical, or something you in your story. write something dumb

compare your old writing to your current writing. seeing how much you’ve improved can be very motivating

create AUs for your stories! explore storylines that otherwise never would make it into the story, but you would like to play around with

choose one of your least favorite scenes and rewrite it

act out your scenes

read old comments from people praising your work

create a playlist for your wip

team up with a friend, create AUs for each other’s stories

create playlists for your characters

draw your ocs/make memes of your ocs

draw/make memes of your friend’s ocs

don’t push yourself to get back into writing the thing that made you stop in the first place, you can always write something else!

write what you want to write, no matter how cliché it might be. it's okay

take a break, focus on another hobby of yours. consume other sources of media, or take a walk to clear your head

no need to write in chronological order if it isn’t working for you!

read bad reviews of books/movies/tv-shows. you will start appreciating your own writing more

create a new storyline, or introduce a new character! anything that helps bring something fresh into your story. could even be a completely new wip!

not writing every day doesn’t make you a bad writer. take a break if you feel like you need one

remind yourself to have fun. start writing and don’t focus too much of your attention on following ''the rules.'' you can get into the nitty-gritty when you're more familiarized with writing as an art. or don’t. it’s fiction, you make your own rules

get some rest. go to sleep, take a nap!

remember why you started. know that you deserve to tell the story you want to tell regardless of the skill you possess