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[90sharks]

How to Use Meal Scenes to Develop Characters, Relationships, and Your World

Worldbuilding can sound complicated, but why not make it a little more simple by focusing on food? It may be the domestic touch you need! NaNo Participant Lacey Pfalz talks about using meal scenes to develop your world and your characters.

There’s one thing that remains a universal human truth: we love food! While our perspectives on food might differ, people all across the globe gather together during mealtimes — and thus, mealtimes are made memorable.

Meal scenes can also help your story in a few key ways, especially if it’s fantasy, science fiction or historical fiction.

Keep reading

[90sharks]

Describing a people/tribe questions

Physical description

Eyes (shape, color)

Skin (color, texture)

Hair (color, texture, style)

Body (shapes, sizes)

Other (wings, tails, anything not on this list)

Culture

Traditions

Rituals

Death

Birth

Marriage

Etc.

Clothing

Color

Material

Style

Food

Celebrations

Clothing

Food

Stories or games

Stories/lore

Games

Religion

Gods

Divine topics

Objects/places of power

The people

How are the different genders treated? How do they act?

Coming of age stuff?

Who's in charge? Why?

Are the people human?

How do they raise their children?describe a family unit.

Pets? Livestock?

Describe some of the people in your tribe. How do they interact with the rest of the tribe?

Taboos/rules/forbidden topics?

Geography

Where do they live?

What do their houses look like?

Have they adapted well to their environment?

Describe the land around them and how they interact with it. Are they using their resources efficiently?

Are they near other tribes? If so, what are the relationships between the tribes? Are they allies?

Trade and economy

Do they trade? With whom?

Do they have a currency? Describe how it works.

Describe the technologies, if any. This includes farming equipment and simple tools!

Transportation

Animals/beasts of labor?

Vehicles?

Paths and roads?

Which locations are the least accessable? The most accessable? Why?

Language

What languages do they speak? How many? What types?

What Earth languages are most similar to their languages, if any?

Are they literate? Describe.

Describe body language, if any.

Describe curses or rude gestures.

What are some phrases? What do they mean?

Law

What are some laws?

Taboos?

How are wrongdoers punished?

Who's in charge of punishment?

Are wrongdoers tried?

How do they fight?

Describe the last war, if any. Who was it with? Who were they fighting against? Who were their allies? What was the cause/reason for the war?

Describe their fighting methods. Are they martial?

Describe their weapons. Melee or range? Both?

How are veterans and soldiers treated?

How successful are they in war?

What are the requirements to fight, if any?

Describe some myths or lore.

What is your favorite myth from this culture?

What are some recurring themes?

Who are some recurring characters?

What is the most famous/well known myth from this culture?

Describe a normal day in the tribe.

Describe a house or building built by/used by the tribe.

Food

Normal meals

What do they eat?

Delicacies, if any?

Mealtime etiquette?

Do they eat alone or together? In big groups or small groups? Who do they eat with?

Crafts? Arts?

Jewelry

Metalworking

Textiles/fabrics

Pottery

Sculpture

Painting

Drawings

Recurring colors or patterns?

Recurring figures or objects?

Recurring characters or themes?

Symbolism

Gods/deities

Do they believe in gods?

What type of gods? Destruction or creation gods? Nature gods?

Is there a ruler of the gods? Who? How did they become ruler?

How does one become a god, if possible? Can anyone become a god?

How do the gods work?

Is there an afterlife? How does it work?

Describe some gods. What are they the gods of? Who are they the patrons of? What are their goals? Do they have many worshippers? Why or why not?

What pantheon are your gods based on, if any? Why?

Where are the places of worship, if any? Why?

Other deities?

Color scheme

Main colors

Accents

Metal color

Glow/magic color, if any

Tone range

Reasoning behind color choices

Clothing

Material

Weave, if any

Colors

Patterns

Styles

Comfort, fashion, or work?

Reasoning behind those choices

(This is a wip and needs to be reorganized.)

[90sharks]

[🔗Building a Diverse Culture] [🔗Elements of culture] [🔗Cultural Iceberg]

🗺️Geographic Distribution

Why knowing where your culture is important:

Enviroment ➡️ Materials from the enviroment ➡️ affect their clothes, food, weapons etc.

Enviroment ➡️ Certain resources are limited ➡️ plays into their values

Areas, planets where the culture is primarily found

Migration patterns throughout the world

Influence of the environment on their everyday lives

🍵 Values, Beliefs and Traditions

Values and Beliefs:

Core values and principles that guide the culture's behavior and decision-making

Moral and ethical codes that shape their interactions with other cultures and their environment.

Beliefs about the universe, spirituality, the afterlife, and the nature of existence.

Customs and Traditions:

Rituals, ceremonies, and traditions that are significant to the culture's culture

Celebrations, Festivals, holidays, or coming-of-age rituals.

Customs related to birth, marriage, death

Belief Systems and Religion:

Religious or spiritual beliefs practiced by the culture

Deities mythologies and legends

Rituals, ceremonies connected to their faith

sacred sites

👯Relationship and Communication

Social Structures:

Hierarchies and social classes within the culture

Systems of governance, including monarchies, democracies, councils, or communal decision-making. [see government template]

Gender roles, family structures

Interactions between different generations or age groups

Language and Communication:

Unique language(s) spoken by the culture

Dialects and variations within the language

Non-verbal communication, gestures

Written scripts, alphabets, or symbolic systems used for recording and transmitting knowledge.

Relationships and Interactions:

Protocols and etiquette for social interactions, greetings, and forms of address.

Values placed on community, cooperation, or individualism.

Attitudes towards outsiders, including hospitality, suspicion, or xenophobia.

Education, training, and knowledge transmission practices

🪐History and Origins

Mythology or creation stories related to the culture

Historical events that shaped their culture and identity

Moments of triumph, struggle, or transformation in their history.

Conflicts, wars, or alliances that influenced their development and interactions with other Cultures.

How do they prerve the past? (Art, oral traditions, written texts, artifacts, monuments ?)

Are there any guardians of historical knowledge? (historians, scholars?)

Historical Figures and Heroes:

Notable individuals who played pivotal roles in their history

Legendary figures of inspiration within their culture.

Stories and folklore surrounding these historical figures and their impact on the culture

Cultural Revivals (If there was any)

Periods of cultural revivalthat brought about significant artistic or intellectual growth

Factors that sparked these revivals, like social movements, political changes, natural disasters or technological advancements.

How much of these revivals are still affecting them today?

Where do they keep their cultural items?

Interactions with Other Ethnicities/Cultures:

Relations with other culture in the past (conflict, alliances, trade, etc.)

Cultural exchange, assimilation, or integration with other groups

Prejudices, stereotypes, or tensions between different culture bleeding from past events

Are they welcoming?

🎨Art and Architecture

Arts and Entertainment:

Describe their forms of artistic expressions: visual arts, music, dance, storytelling, theater, etc.

Cultural appreciation for literature, poetry, oral histories.

Clothing and Fashion:

Traditional clothing styles and attires specific to the culture, fashion trends

Materials, colors, or patterns commonly used in their garments

Dresscode, Clothing related to social status, ceremonies, events (symbolic accesories, wedding gown, mourning attires, etc.)

Symbolism or cultural significance of specific garments and accessories

Architecture and Built Environment:

Unique architectural styles, construction materials, design principles.

Landmarks, sacred sites, structures of cultural importance.

Adaptations to their homeworld's environment ,technological advancements in their architecture

🎙️ Economics and Technology

Economic Systems:

Modes of production, distribution, and trade

Economic practices (bartering, currency, communal sharing)

Attitudes (or even predujices) towards wealth, resources, material possessions.

Economic activities and industries prominent

Currency, barter systems

Technology and Advancements:

Technological prowess specific advancements

How their technology shapes their way of life and cultural practices

Interaction between traditional and advanced technologies

🍱 Food

Traditional dishes, cooking techniques, culinary customs

Staple foods, spices, ingredients

Rituals and etiquette associated with food preparation, sharing, and dining

Sacred abd holiday dishes.

Impact of environmental conditions on their culinary practices

🏦 Law and Leadership

Political systems or governing structures within the culture

Leadership roles, decision-making processes, and power dynamics

Forms of governance (monarchy, democracy, tribal council, etc.)

Conflict Resolution and Justice:

Methods of conflict resolution

legal systems

Cultural attitudes towards justice, punishment, and rehabilitation.

Traditional systems of governance, decision-making in matters of conflict

[90sharks]

How to Finish Your 1st Draft (underrated tips!)

instagram: @ grace_should_write

Hey y’all :) Thought I’d revisit this topic because I have been writing later drafts and revision for the last 2 years—the last time I first-drafted was literally in 2020. I started first-drafting again late last year, and am still doing so this year. 

I’m still rediscovering my plotting/plantsing process, and thought that a refresher would help me, too. I hope you find this post somewhat useful (and that these tips aren’t just for delusional people like me)!

∘₊✧────── ☾☼☽ ──────✧₊∘

1. Find your dedication

The dedication is so, SO underrated—many people think of it as just something you slap on after you’re finished the book, but I like to see it as also one more reason why you’re writing it. 

Maybe you wrote a book featuring a found family group of kids from slums because you yourself grew up in those conditions, or you know/sympathize with people who did. Making sure that readers facing a similar situation will feel uplifted when they experience your book could be something that motivates you to finish. 

For example, my working dedication for my current WIP goes something like this:

To anyone who has yearned for more and failed—all the part-idealist, part-pragmatist, ambitious, “average” kids who will “never amount to anything more,” I’m betting on you. Keep burning those dreams for fuel.  Cling onto them whenever you feel like you will become anything but great. Until you stop betting on yourself, it’s not over. 

As someone whose often struggled to fulfil my own visions, despite having a grand plan for my own future, I—like anyone else—have encountered lots of obstacles and learned to survive on my own. We’ve all learned resilience. 

This dedication reminds me who I’m writing for: myself, and anyone else who identifies with it. I hope that my book can inspire readers on the cusp of giving up. I hope this book can provide readers on their sigma male grindset with a thrilling rush that spurs them on even more. 

Whenever I feel unmotivated, this is where I go. And, for the most part, it works! 

(Of course, you can treat your dedication as a “work” of its own. Feel free to keep revising it and editing it until you’re happy with it)

2. Look at fan art

It can’t just be me who looks at fan art and gets inspired by specific poses or scenes and then adds those scenes into my book. Come on. 

Pretty straightforward. Just search up “fan art for _____,” fan art for a specific fandom you’re into, or even “character scene/pose ideas” on Google or Pinterest. 

Personally, I like doing this more than browsing those “book idea” posts that are followed with actual text explaining the idea—looking at art with little to no text can force you to do the work in describing the scene, pose, or character expression. 

These scenes tend to help you be specific, creating memorable scenes for your readers. Examples of inspiration I’ve taken from fanart is: 

A firework kiss scene

“I got your back!” type trope, where two or more characters fight back to back. IN THE RAIN! 

Gunfights! 

One character running away while slinging the other across their shoulder

Characters having fun at a festival while wearing flower garlands 

When you’re writing, this can motivate you to get to X scene faster, or to finish your book faster so readers can see your characters doing X thing. At least, works for me! 

3. Find ONE specific writing buddy 

Yes, the writing community is GREAT. But, it can feel a bit detached if you’re always only sharing progress with your large group of followers, instead of someone who knows your WIP inside out. 

Find one person or a small group of specific people. Tell each other EVERYTHING about your WIPs. This will feel a lot more personal, and specificity can also help you finish your book faster when they tell you to “finish writing this chapter to get to this scene!”, or when they hold you accountable to a group writing goal. 

You can also all form a group chat with daily progress motivation and trackers. Personally, NaNoWriMo forums are great for finding people to just overshare your WIP with and motivate each other. 

This way, you guys could also peer review your works periodically. Having another set of eyes on your draft—even when it’s not finished—could give you lots of ideas and guidance on plot direction, characterization, prose, etc.

4. Braindump while listening to a song / playlist

Write to the vibes. Literally just that. 

Are there any songs/playlists that really resonate with you or your WIP? Just play it, maybe even on loop, and type ANY ideas from prose to dialogue to scene ideas and themes. 

It could literally just look something like this (there is some purposefully bad writing just for this example): 

Listening to: [title of your song or playlist]

A: Never thought I’d see you again. B: I know you missed me. *sneer* (Dialogue snippet)

omg they bump into each other on the street and she spills her beer on him and her best friend senses the chemistry (Scene idea)

rivals to lovers (Trope idea)

SILK DRESS. FANCY CLOTHES. YES. (Character design idea) 

overcoming your greatest fear!!!!! (Theme idea)

It’s that easy. You got this, soldier. 

∘₊✧────── ☾☼☽ ──────✧₊∘

I HOPE THIS HELPED ANYONE!!! Writing this definitely helped me LOL

Let me know if you have any questions through responses, re-blogging, or DMing me at @ grace_should_write on IG.  

Happy writing, and have a great day!

- grace <3

[90sharks]

just got an amazing idea for my wip!!! hehe ;P

[90sharks]

ITS TIME FOR THURSDAY ASK-A-THON AGAIN! I think this is week 3?

Thank you to everyone!

What themes or tropes are your biggest influences in writing

Do any characters have any phobias e.g the dentist

Are any of your characters crafty

Are any of your characters movie snobs

Are any of your characters musically gifted

Are any of your characters into woodwork or making armour and stuff

What's the most traumatic thing your character has been through?

Do you have a favourite character? What drew you to them?

Would your characters ever meet another wip world or already established characters from another piece of media? E.g supernatural meeting scooby doo ( which they actually did)

Would your characters watch the world burn, being the ones who caused it or would they try to stop it?

Have your characters ever been part of the government or opposed the government

Have your characters ever committed a crime and if so, what's their worst one?

[90sharks]

hiiii i love making moots <3 sorry if i’m late!

1. i’m working on my current story (hopefully novel one day 🤞) hidden river! it’s about cowboys…who might be a little gay…and evil women (i love women’s wrongs) ANYWAY—

2. the only works i’ve ever published have been fanfic 😔 hoping to change that soon though!

3. i like westerns! and fantasy with magic systems and intricate lore like that. if anyone is interested in stuff like that hmu!!! i’d love to talk about it :D also have a soft spot for sci-fi works!

@pinkchaosart @juno-freehugs @holdmyteaplease @palebdot @leisoree @careful-fear @enne-uni @tea-and-mercury

Let the shenanigans begin!

So, intro post? Let's all be moots, and do either a bunch of replies or a bunch of reblogs?

What are you writing/working on?

Any finished works?

Fave genres?

[90sharks]

i wasn’t tagged but this is cool! i’ll do it for silas :D

favorite color: wine red

shoe choice: cowboy boots

season: summer

animal: horse

pastime: drinking

tagging @gonefiishiing , and anyone else who sees this!

OC favourites tag

thank you @rbbess110 [x] for the tag!

RULES: share your oc’s favourite colour, shoe choice, season, animal and pastime.

I'll be doing this for Feyne :)

-

fav colour: forest green

shoe choice: uhm uh probably like rain boots but the short ones that stop just past the ankle

season: spring!

animal: bluebird of course

past time: playing with Jaime and taking walks

-

softly tagging: @leisoree @the-chaotic-writer @maewrites13 @macabremoons @squarebracket-trick @stesierra and anyone who wants to join! (no pressure ofc!)

[90sharks]

++—- writeblr intro —-++

++—- about me

hello!

i’m leisoree but you can call me lei! i’m a teen writer that writes once in a blue moon and i go by she/they. i’m a chronically online soul that mainly uses tumblr to reblog poems/stories — but I’m working on gathering the courage to post some of my own work.

++ —————————————

++—- interests

reading

writing

drawing

making mood boards

++ —————————————

++—- what I write about

death

tragic fates/destined fates

seasons

fantasy

romance

queer main characters

++ —————————————

++—- afternote

private messages, comments, reblogs and tag games are welcomed and appreciated!

[90sharks]

I don't write for other people. I don't write for myself. I write so two characters can finally call each other by their first names, breathless, after 70k words of denial... preferably under a full moon, covered in blood and inches away from death

[90sharks]

writeblr intro

hey i'm chance! i've done a writeblr intro recently but i didn't like it, so this is take 2. here's the old one.

"You disappear into the darkness Don't hold your breath while waiting [...] Just come to me like a wave." - Let Me In (EXO)

─── about me -⋆⋅☆

name : chance

pronouns : they/he

likes : cyberpunk, romance, anime, kpop, music, history, design

age : i'm 19, born in 2003

i tend to swear both on here and in my writing, so if you're sensitive to that, i don't think my blog or work is for you. i also use the word 'queer' a lot since i self-identify as such, when i do choose to self-identify.

i'm interested in so much, which would be impossible to fully state. there are so many new things out there and i love learning about them all!! this blog is mainly for writing but i'm not strict on that.

i also am pretty sure i'm neurodivergent (no diagnosis or anything yet) and tend to delve into hyper-fixations for weeks at a time. if i haven't posted for a while, it's probably because of one of my other hyper-fixations or school.

i'm going to college for my bachelor's in graphic design, which might make my responses during the school year delayed.

i'm always open to ask or tag games!! it might take me a few to respond but i'll respond.

"Take your head around the world See what you get from your mind Write your soul down from word to word" - You Won't Be Mine (Matchbox Twenty)

─── writing -⋆⋅☆

you'll find a lot of diverse characters, the found/chosen family trope, romance or rom-com, angst, and references to actual history or historical events within my work. sometimes i throw in a little art moment since i'm an art student. in nearly every one of my works you can find a prominent lgbtq+ character, too.

i write for original works and fanfiction alike. i often alternate what project i'm writing on and tend to leave wips unfinished. there's no one specific fandom that i'm in since i tend to dabble in everything.

i enjoy reading all sorts of stories, but some of the tropes and genres that have a special place in my heart include:

[ genres : romance . action . sci-fi . dystopian . heists . cyberpunk . horror . comedy . mystery ] [ tropes : friends to lovers , enemies to lovers , fake/pretend relationship , college au , coffee shop au , domestic , fluff , angst ]

─── ⋆ looking for ⋆⋅☆

more writers to follow!

good vibes & friends

writing advice & critique buddies (will help critique ur work too)

"I'll go anywhere you wanna go Why don't you swap me for your shadow? So I'll be everywhere that you'll be And I'll go anywhere you want me" - Want Me (Baby Queen)

─── works in progress -⋆⋅☆

nova futurum | original work | #wip: nova futurum

─── ⋆ status : brainstorming

a lgbtq+ mafia cyberpunk story with the working title "Nova Futurum." i've got the general information down and i'm currently working on fleshing out my main characters. for now it's in the very basic stages, but feel free to ask me about it or give any tips!

you still would've been mine | fanfiction | #wip: yswbm

─── ⋆ status : outlining, research, & writing draft 1

Steven "Steve" Rogers wakes up in the 21st century after crashing into the ice in 1942, leaving behind his life as the mascot of the USA along with his childhood in Brooklyn NYC. The Winter Soldier, a man left behind in the war recovers his memories as the man known as James "Bucky" Buchanen Barnes after meeting Steve in the modern time. Steve and Bucky recall their childhood and their experience in the war as they recover.

matchbreakers | original work | #wip: match

─── ⋆ status : brainstorming

xavier works at match breakers. instead of setting people up on blind dates, he goes to dates and breaks up the couple. all sorts of people hire him, disapproving parents, jealous ex's, and those scared to see their ex's angry side. what he doesn't expect is falling in love with one of his own clients.

scars of duty | original work | #wip: sod

─── ⋆ status : plotting

Lucian is a hero who protects the city of Haines and the other members of his hero's league. They're a small-name hero just trying to make do with what they've got. A villain new to the city shows up and shakes Lucian’s perception of their own superpowers and the world.

< tag lists: if you'd like to be added for any project, let me know. i'm not the greatest at remembering the tag list but i will try! >

─── ⋆ more of my socials

[90sharks]

Character Intro- Eloise Adragna

Hello everyone and thanks again for all the love!This is the first of the eight POV characters in my wip, her story is the broadest, and thus the best introduction to the Adragna sibling as a group. This is my art, and the style you can expect from me for everything digital I plan on posting!

Below the cut, you’ll find a long explanation of the kind of person she is at the beginning of the story.

Clever and socially aware, the fourth child and second daughter of King Lyon is a famed young beauty with a hidden temper. At fourteen, her impending betrothal is foremost in her mind.

As an Adragna, she is subject to the Ministry’s restrictions, which include the removal of her parents rights to arrange their children’s matches. She cares not for the political advantage gained for the republic with her marriage, as her allegiances will have to change to favor her new homeland, only that her own best interests are taken into account.

It is expressly forbidden for any contact to be made with the old noble families from before the establishment of the republic, so for the boys in the family, this means marrying common women, usually relatives of Ministry officials. Eloise’s own mother was one such girl.

But for princesses born into the royal house, already bargaining chips to build alliances over borders, there is an additional challenge.

Three generations after the revolts that established the Ministry’s Republic and stripped them of their power, The Royal house of Adragna is at the bottom of the hierarchy when the value of a bride is considered. Knowing this, Eloise was concerned that her best match would be with a laterborn boy or as a second wife to a widowed king, either way leaving her children to inherit nothing. Even the thought of such positions did not suit her, too full of passion and drive to be anywhere but at the helm.

After she went to her eldest brother Orion, heir apparent to the throne, he took initiative and brought the issue to a close friend of his, Wielki Kniazhina Piers Katowicz of Dzilchek, who, when the septennial King’s Council came around, suggested Eloise as the recipient of the title of the beauty of the east.

Over the thousands of years that the council has been held, traditions have cropped up, some lasting longer than others, but one that has persisted the longest is naming the beauties of the four winds. The young heirs to the rulers of Kiritskiy will drink heavily and dub four maidens from the nobility as the most desirable brides in the land.

While it can be quite a cruel game, for those four girls chosen, the elevation in status opens up endless new opportunities.

The other three chosen that council were Knyazhna Lyudmila Yuvelirenka of the Autumn Kniazvstvo in the north, the Khatan of the Golden Peak’s young sister, Yordanka Dzha, in the west, and the Veliki Zupan Dragnacht Hashkavic of the Red Cliffs in the south.

While she’d never met any of them, or even left her home country, Eloise, for one, was ecstatic at receiving the news.

She’d always looked forward to her future and having her own family, and went to great lengths to prepare herself for it, but after being given her title, she threw herself wholeheartedly into establishing a rapport with her own people in the capitol of Mebouni, and intensified her studies of the complex interconnections of Kiritskiy’s many courts and governments to match.

While her elder sister Carina and younger brother Iliya are put off by Eloise’s excitement at the thought of relinquishing her Adragna name to join another house, the rest of her siblings are more understanding. Orion’s sense of duty means that he is nothing but proud of her, and her younger sister Lyra wishes to emulate her in every way.

But out off all of the royal children, it is her older brother Caelum that she is closest to. Inseparable from the time they were infants, and always seen together when they appear in public, the pair of them make for better twins than Carina and Orion ever did. Each other’s closest confidants, Caelum’s complete and utter lack of interest in politics means that he is free to wish her all the best in achieving the life of her dreams.

[90sharks]

hi! i’m holly, a young writer from the east coast. i love fantasy, historical fiction, romance, steampunk, and westerns. do these interests clash? yes. do i care? no. wips under the cut :3

HIDDEN RIVER | western, religious trauma, cowboys. rated teen for violence and cult descriptions. first draft in progress! tag is #hidden river !

⋆ Silas, a drunken rogue, stumbles upon the quaint town of Blissfield. He meets a saloon girl named Alba, and unknowingly puts himself in the middle of a murderous love plot. (That also includes his ex?!) While they ride off into the sunset, Silas confides that he is on a journey to save his best friend from an unknown peril.

ONE FLEW OVER THE FOYER | fantasy, mlm, knight x prince. rated YA for suggestive themes. side project, technically a novella. caged bird imagery for the win! tag is #one flew over the foyer !

⋆ Merle Bardot is the blind prince of the Kingdom of Espérer, set in a fictional French countryside. Filled with starving peasants, the people of Espérer are devoted to their king. King Bardot is evil, and takes the food from the villagers and leaves them with little means to survive. Merle’s servant, Tomlin, a boy from the south, works with a rebellion to overthrow the monarchy. Tomlin has to decide between the love of his life and his pride as a rebel when the castle is left to burn.

and more to come! i may expand on the lore of one flew over the foyer as i continue with its draft, since the story is getting more appealing the more i think about it lol. send me asks if you want, i love talking!

[90sharks]

bromance

WRITERS

If you see this, spoil your WIP's biggest plot twist using ONLY ONE WORD

Here's mine!

Dying