#Writer thoughts

[cranberry-queen]

Tips from a Beta Reading Writer

This one's for the scenes with multiple characters, and you're not sure how to keep everyone involved.

Writing group scenes is chaos. Someone’s talking, someone’s interrupting, someone’s zoning out thinking about breadsticks. And if you’re not careful, half your cast fades into the background like NPCs in a video game. I used to struggle with this so much—my characters would just exist in the scene without actually affecting it. But here’s what I've learned and have started implementing:

✨ Give everyone a job in the scene ✨

Not their literal job—like, not everyone needs to be solving a crime or casting spells. I mean: Why are they in this moment? What’s their role in the conversation?

My favourite examples are:

The Driver: Moves the convo forward. They have an agenda, they’re pushing the action.

The Instigator: Pokes the bear. Asks the messy questions. Stirring the pot like a chef on a mission.

The Voice of Reason: "Guys, maybe we don’t commit arson today?"

The Distracted One: Completely in their own world. Tuning out, doodling on a napkin, thinking about their ex.

The Observer: Not saying much, but noticing everything. (Quiet characters still have presence!)

The Wild Card: Who knows what they’ll do? Certainly not them. Probably about to make things worse.

If a character has no function, they’ll disappear. Give them something—even if it’s just a side comment, a reaction, or stealing fries off someone’s plate. Keep them interesting, and your readers will stay interested too.

[nondelphic]

i love when a character is just. emotionally doomed. but like pretty about it.

[jaycommitswriting]

Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!

I GOT A FIVE STAR REVEIW!

I AM DANCING IN HAPINESS

SINGING WITH JOY!!!!

FEED YOUR LOCAL WRITERS PLZZZZ

[random-remzy]

going through your mutuals Ao3 reading history is a whole new level of friendship, trust, and solidarity, and I am so sorry-

*cocks gun*

-but you know too much now, the only way you're getting rid of me is if you kill me yourself.

And when you do I swear to every fucking deity i will bring you down to hell with me.

[achromatophoric]

Oh thank gawd! 😮‍💨 I just learned about Tumblr’s Mass Post Editor and it works from my iPad. It should (🤞) make for easier retagging.

This is what most of a month looks like. 👁️👄👁️💧

[thewordsarestuckinmyhead]

me when the plot won't plot like it should

[echo146]

How it feels working a 9 to 5 and having too many WIPs of varying forms and genres alongside unrealistic expectations for myself as a writer yayyy xox

[starryslyii]

Things I Didn’t Think Would Be Hard To Write But ARE

Walking into a room

Transitioning between scenes without it feeling awkward

Two characters saying “I love you” without it being cringe

Describing a character’s face without using the word “eyes” 500 times

A battle scene that doesn’t feel like a turn-based RPG

[theaftersundown]

a constant problem

[cranberry-queen]

I’m safe enough today to let a little sadness come to the surface.

[nondelphic]

characters should be weird. they should have strange little hobbies and say things like “do you think birds believe in god”

[keyboardwhisperer]

Writing is like, type type type, clackity clack clack- and whoops im on social media now

[moninils]

IT'S ALL FOR THE PLOT!!!!!

[seekerknight557]

i think it is a very powerful thing when the story inside you is so loud that you are forced to relearn how to draw, write, and talk to people to get it made into a real thing

[jaycommitswriting]