#writing support

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

🧩 How to Outline Without Feeling Like You’re Dying

(a non-suffering writer’s guide to structure, sanity, and staying mildly hydrated)

Hey besties. Let’s talk outlines. Specifically: how to do them without crawling into the floorboards and screaming like a Victorian ghost.

If just hearing the word “outline” sends your brain into chaos-mode, welcome. You’re not broken, you’re just a writer whose process has been hijacked by Very Serious Advice™ that doesn’t fit you. You don’t need to build a military-grade beat sheet. You don’t need a sixteen-tab spreadsheet. You don’t need to suffer to be legitimate. You just need a structure that feels like it’s helping you, not haunting you.

So. Here’s how to outline your book without losing your soul (or all your serotonin).

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🍓 1. Stop thinking of it as “outlining.” That word is cursed. Try “story sketch.” “Narrative roadmap.” “Planning soup.” Whatever gets your brain to chill out. The goal here is to understand your story, not architect it to death.

Outlining isn’t predicting everything. It’s just building a scaffold so your plot doesn't fall over mid-draft.

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🧠 2. Find your plot skeleton. There are lots of plot structures floating around: 3-Act. Save the Cat. Hero’s Journey. Take what helps, ignore the rest.

If all else fails, try this dirt-simple one I use when my brain is mush:

Act I: What’s the problem?

Act II: Why can’t we fix it?

Act III: What finally makes us change?

Ending: What does that change cost?

You don’t need to fill in every detail. You just need to know what’s driving your character, what’s blocking them, and what choices will change them.

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🛒 3. Make a “scene bucket list.” Before you start plotting in order, write down a list of scenes you know you want: key vibes, emotional beats, dramatic reveals, whatever.

These are your anchors. Even if you don’t know where they go yet, they’re proof your story already exists, it just needs connecting tissue.

Bonus: when you inevitably get stuck later, one of these might be the scene that pulls you back in.

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🧩 4. Start with 5 key scenes. That’s it. Here’s a minimalist approach that won’t kill your momentum:

Opening (what sucks about their world?)

Catalyst (what throws them off course?)

Midpoint (what makes them confront themselves?)

Climax (what breaks or remakes them?)

Ending (what’s changed?)

Plot the spaces between those after you’ve nailed these. Think of it like nailing down corners of a poster before smoothing the rest.

You’re not “doing it wrong” if you start messy. A messy start is a start.

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🔧 5. Use the outline to ask questions, not just answer them. Every section of your outline should provoke a question that the scene must answer.

Instead of: — “Chapter 5: Sarah finds a journal.”

Try: — “Chapter 5: What truth does Sarah find that complicates her next move?”

This makes your story active, not just a list of stuff that happens. Outlines aren’t just there to record, they’re tools for curiosity.

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🪤 6. Beware of the Perfectionist Trap™. You will not get the entire plot perfect before you write. Don’t stall your momentum waiting for a divine lightning bolt of Clarity. You get clarity by writing.

Think of your outline as a map drawn in pencil, not ink. It’s allowed to evolve. It should evolve.

You’re not building a museum exhibit. You’re making a prototype.

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🧼 7. Clean up after you start drafting. Here’s the secret: the first draft will teach you what the story’s actually about. You can go back and revise the outline to fit that. It’s not wasted work, it’s evolving scaffolding.

You don’t have to build the house before you live in it. You can live in the mess while you figure out where the kitchen goes.

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🛟 8. If you’re a discovery writer, hybrid it. A lot of “pantsers” aren’t anti-outline, they’re just anti-stiff-outline. That’s fair.

Try using “signposts,” not full scenes:

Here’s a secret someone’s hiding.

Here’s the emotional breakdown scene.

Here’s a betrayal. Maybe not sure by who yet.

Let the plot breathe. Let the characters argue with your outline. That tension is where the fun happens.

—

🪴 TL;DR but emotionally: You don’t need a flawless outline to write a good book. You just need a loose net of ideas, a couple of emotional anchors, and the willingness to pivot when your story teaches you something new.

Outlines should support you, not suffocate you.

Let yourself try. Let it be imperfect. That’s where the good stuff lives.

Go forth and outline like a gently chaotic legend 🧃

— written with snacks in hand by Rin T. @ thewriteadviceforwriters 🍓🧠✍️

Sometimes the problem isn’t your plot. It’s your first 5 pages. Fix it here → 🖤 Free eBook: 5 Opening Pages Mistakes to Stop Making:

[digital-chance]

i wanted to send people asks about their wips and ocs more often. not only to promote them but also because everyone makes really cool stories. the sheer amount of detail and work that people put into their projects is amazing but often gets untold. and i wanted to start learning about them and trying to promote it to the best of my ability.

i sent out a bunch of asks yesterday and i want to do more. i dont want to intrude or be weird though so i wanted to get a list of people who would like asks.

reblog this if you would like to recieve asks about your wips/ocs a couple times throughout the week.

or you can comment to be put on the list.

CLOSED AS OF 8/16 8:30AM. any more requests/reblogs will be appreciated but ignored.

[notwritinganyflufftoday]

I want to share some positivity with my fellow writeblrs. Especially those struggling with self-doubt and the inner critic that tries to suck the fun away from writing.

So, I encourage everyone to share what makes them unapologetically happy about their writing.

What brings me a lot of joy is weaving character arcs together and taking them on a journey that changes them fundamentally as a character. What also makes me happy is adding a sprinkle of comedy in serious romantic scenes to ease the tension a little.

[ravenrose124]

Wanted: Writing Accountability Partners

At the end of October some fellow writers [led by @huewrite] got together in the Tapas Community Discord to start a new alternative to NaNoWriMo that is supposed to help promote healthy daily/weekly writing habits while also supporting each other as we write throughout November.

Even though it has only been a week since the official start of the event [at the time of writing this post] there has already been amazing results as we band together to help each other form proper writing habits that work for each of us respectively.

Due to the success, there has already been discussions about expanding the event past just November. Since there also seemed to be interest outside of the Tapas community, I'm offering up an old writing server I made forever ago to allow writers from ANY platform have a neutral place to gather together. ANY writer is allowed to join! Young, old, new, experienced, published, or not, feel free to join! Also feel free to share the link wherever, or with whoever, you think might benefit from having some writing buddies.

[srebrnafh]

What software do you gentlebeings use for writing?

I am gathering materials for a convention talk about writing software and need new names, suggestions etc.

What I have on my list now:

Scrivener

yWriter

Liquid Binder (I don't use it, but I know it exists)

Standard word processors (LibreOffice Writer, MS Word, Wordpad)

Ellipsus

I want to make some comparisons of functionalities, fancy tools, or in general, "how does X make your writing easier than if you just opened LO Writer" including bang for buck or maybe some cost/benefit calculation (eg. static structure of scenes BUT has name tracking module).

If you have any suggestions of either writing programs OR additional support software (timeline, calendars, stickynote systems, kanban boards), I will be happy to procrastinate editing the last volume of my novel by happily testing them ;)

[oceanatydes]

hello writer friends do you have any advice on how to get back to writing fics when you feel paralyzed by perfectionism

[frenchkisstheabyss]

Your daily reminder that your art is still valid even without a bunch of likes/reblogs/etc!!!

I know it can be disheartening when you put yourself out there only to feel like it what you make ends up being invisible but PLEASE REMEMBER that none of that means your art isn’t a valid, wonderful thing that deserves to be shared with the world.

Your creativity was never meant to contend with trends or algorithms. It was only ever meant to be and I promise you there are people out there who’ll adore the way that beautiful brain of yours crafts whatever you use to express yourself.

Fuck the likes and the reblogs for a second. Fuck comparing yourself to others. YOU’RE GOOD ENOUGH. You’re doing great. Please keep going. I love you and I can’t wait until you post again. You’re gonna kill it 🖤

[queeniekbcreative]

So @luvcandy24writer and I created a discord sever! Its for fanfiction writers and readers!

After seeing a lot of people struggle to find feedback or feel unsure about asking for help, my friends and I decided to open up our fanfiction help chat — to everyone!

We do mess around a bit and yes, there are quite a few Damianya / Love and Deepspace / Dramione writers floating around, but the server isn’t fandom-exclusive or meant to replace any fandom-specific servers. It’s just a warm, open space for writers and readers alike.

Whether you need a second opinion, someone to look over a draft, or you're a reader who wants to support writers — you're welcome to join! 💬📝💖

[lazarusthirsting]

Calling on writers/readers to help come up with terms for facial expressions if they exist.

For today, I'm calling this "the (un)impressed pout", but it's not quite a pout and not only used when (un)impressed. You see the issue.

If you were writing a story and want to express that a character is doing this exact thing with their mouth while considering something they perceive to be unknown but low stakes, how would you describe it? The shorter the better, I'm specifically hoping someone comes up with something as repeatable as "knowing smirk" or "frowning doubtfully" that anyone could use, or even find via google search (took a while to find all these, i had to look up "funny faces" to find them).

Extra bonus points if there *is* a term for this expression in a non-English language! Loan words are more than valid!!

[transcendragon]

I posted a new Wordpress post recently about all the rejections writers face while trying to get published, and how important it is to support one another!

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

📊 How to Use Tropes Without Turning Your Story into a YA Checklist

You can tell when a book was written by vibes and TVTropes alone.

It’s got: ☑️ the reluctant chosen one ☑️ the love triangle ☑️ the mysterious brooding boy™ ☑️ the sassy best friend ☑️ the dead parents ☑️ the villain with daddy issues ☑️ the scene where someone says “you don’t know what I’m capable of” and walks away dramatically

And like… that’s fine.

Tropes are tools. But here’s the thing: they are starting points, not story goals.

If your plot reads like it was drafted by a checklist in a Pinterest caption, it might be time to recalibrate. Here's how to actually use tropes without turning your book into a YA Mad Libs generator:

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🧩 Tropes Are Patterns--Not Presets

A trope is a pattern, not a requirement. It’s not a law. It’s not a plug-and-play feature. And it’s definitely not your plot.

The “enemies-to-lovers” arc? That’s a container. What you put inside it, that’s where the originality lives.

The goal isn’t to avoid tropes. It’s to do something interesting with them.

→ Why are they enemies? → What does the “love” cost them? → What happens if they fail to become lovers?

Tropes don’t carry the story. The conflict does.

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⚔️ Complicate the Familiar

Here’s a trick: if a trope feels too easy, break it in half.

Examples: → “Reluctant chosen one” → okay, but what if they wanted it, and then hated it once they got it? → “The mentor dies” → cool, but what if the mentor fakes their death to manipulate the protagonist? → “Sassy best friend” → no. Make them real. Give them pain. Give them depth. No more walking punchlines.

Tropes are scaffolding, not shortcuts. Add weight. Add doubt. Add betrayal.

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🕳️ Interrogate Why You’re Using It

Ask yourself: → Do I love this trope or do I feel like I have to include it? → Am I doing this because I’ve seen it done… or because it serves my story? → Is this trope the only interesting thing about this scene?

If your answer is “because that’s what YA stories do,” delete it. Go deeper.

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💔 Tropes Aren’t Substitutes for Character Arcs

You can’t use “grumpy x sunshine” and call it development. Tropes are flavors, not meals.

Give us: → Choices with consequences. → Conflicting values. → Character growth that costs something.

Otherwise? Your grumpy guy is just a Pinterest moodboard with a pulse.

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🧨 Use Reader Expectations Against Them

You want to use a trope and not make it predictable? Weaponize it.

Example: → Start with a love triangle. Let the MC fall hard. Then have both love interests realize they’re in love with each other. → Use the “chosen one” trope… but make it about dismantling that myth entirely. → Introduce the “villain redemption arc” and let them choose to stay bad because it makes more sense for them.

Set up the pattern. Then snap it in half. That’s how you surprise a jaded reader.

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Final thoughts from your local trope goblin:

→ Tropes aren’t the problem. It’s treating them like a checklist instead of a narrative engine. → A good trope doesn’t make your story good. How you twist it does. → If a story reads like it was built from Tumblr quotes and nothing else—it’s gonna flop.

So go ahead. Use the trope. Then ruin it. Make it weird. Make it hurt. Make it yours.

—rin t. // story mechanic. trope thief. YA bingo card burner. // thewriteadviceforwriters

Sometimes the problem isn’t your plot. It’s your first 5 pages. Fix it here → 🖤 Free eBook: 5 Opening Pages Mistakes to Stop Making:

🕯️ download the pack & write something cursed:

[artistwithcreativeburnout]

Fanfic help

If you've seen my last poll or the newest prologue that I've posted, you'll know that I'm writing a TMNT fanfic, and I need help deciding how it'll go/end.

[kimboo-york]

Join a community of writers who support each other in our writing goals!

It’s a positive environment filled with encouragement and gentle accountability!!!! All writerly persuasions welcome! Pro, amateur, fanfiction, non-fiction are all welcome!

For more info: houseofyork.info/1mwc/

[schmedterlingfreud]

How do you deal with writing loneliness?

How do you keep yourself going on when you feel that all your hard work is useless? It's like screaming to the void. You still feel the passion, you steel feel the story, your will to share, but nobody seems to care. How do you make yourself feel better in a situation like this? How do you convince yourself it's worth it?

Advices and confrontations are very welcome :)