ageofwriters

[ageofwriters]

The first Lost Boy

[ageofwriters]

@simplybartending @francestroublr @weezyvanish86 @miss-sweetpotato @story-scribbler @lillianbraewriting @hello-how-ya-doing @the-orangeauthor @always4villain @mas-media @sunrisecitrusuniverse @rosella1356 @danger-writes @dominiquethepooh @the-inkwell-variable @cookiecutterwrites @fierywords @spungebek @haleyswrites @jjeinn-tae @ionchef @nolongerdzi @lillayalightfoot @distance-does-not-matter @luckymcadam @maybe-strawberry-blue @kindofwriter @screamingatanemptyroom @els-writes @pilot-of-a-cruel-machine @aaddictedtosilence @doctorriddle @worldanvil @hilunawrites @elliewritesfantasy @hypotheticallywriting @samkid07 @viskafrer @dragonauthor @nautixa 

Ray-Ban Sunglasses reduced by 90%

[ageofwriters]

Just finished the first draft to my first ever Sci-Fi Short Story!! 😱😱😱 I think I'll be focusing on short stories for what's left of this year until I finish the second draft of my novel.

[ageofwriters]

Coffee and writing...better than this can't get.

[ageofwriters]

Word!!

no offense but… whats the point in saying something rude about someone’s favorite things to their face just bc you don’t personally like it or have the same taste as them… like what do u get out of that interaction other than prove that you can’t respect your friend’s interests

[ageofwriters]

Discord for writers

https://discord.gg/qBNvtQ

Just created a Discord for writers...let see how it works. For any type of genre.

[ageofwriters]

Here’s our Top 10. of 2017

Thanks for reading everybody. It’s a pleasure to make these silly comics and to receive all the crazy love. See you next year!  

[ageofwriters]

[ageofwriters]

At first I didn't like to even open a book, but then that little ray of light appeared when I needed it the most. I entered a world of pure imagination. A world I never thought could exist, it was just that one book that opened the door to an infinity of doors. Everything changed with that One Book.

[ageofwriters]

What Writers can Learn from Joker

I left this on the shelf for some time now since my watch list is like three foot long at this point. Joaquin Phoenix absolutely smashed expectations, upping his skill from his Commodus in Gladiator (@captain-el-writes your problematic fav). Joker is a great film and offers a lot of lessons for writers.

Unreliable Narrators

We see the world through Arthur's eyes in the film. Everything is gritty and rough, especially the details. We are told by Penny Fleck, his mother, that he is the result of an affair between her and Thomas Wayne. Arthur believes it and for a moment, we believe it as she is our only source of info and it explains her sunny view of Thomas. But when Thomas denies it, we as the audience trust him because he is Batman's dad and Penny is obviously troubled. We are left confused about who is telling the truth. It is left unclear whether Thomas is really telling the truth (that Penny is mad and lied about having an affair, adopting Arthur to further her delusions) or that Penny is telling the truth (we see a picture of her and Thomas with an inscription seemingly written in Thomas's handwriting). With evidence for and against, we are left in limbo on whether things are actually happening as Arthur's PoV says they are or whether he is creating a fantasy world about him. Everything is left ambiguous and it works to the feel of the story. Either party could be telling the real story.

The Final Push

Arthur goes through a lot in his change into Joker. We see society purposefully be rude to him, we see him assaulted, abandoned by the system, betrayed by his mother and treated like dirt. He tries to remain happy throughout the film but it becomes evident that life is putting too much pressure on him. He is being pushed and pushed, without a moment of respite. In the real world, some people can be pushed to breaking point and stay the same. Most people can't. Trauma, betrayal and hatred scars people deeply. Your character can't just skip through all the shit you throw at them and still be the same person. We have been seeing some modern writers tackle this recently the best being Percy in Rick Riordan's novels. We have grown up with Percy and been through all the horror with him. He's our hero but in House of Hades, we watch as Percy loses his cool and tortures the Goddess of Misery. It shocks us but also reminds us of Percy's arc. He has not been untouched by all the hell he's been through. Writers should take stock of their actions toward and character and give them appropriate consequences of their journeys.

Down the Villainous Rabbit Hole

We know Joker is the bad guy. The villain. He's mean, crazy and he does a lot of fucked up shit. To most people Joker is the first time they hear the story of how the Joker became the Joker. It begins with all the pain and crushing despair that Arthur feels. He struggles with his isolation from society and his mental issues. His work colleague gives him a gun knowing it will get him into trouble. Arthur loses his job, his only happiness. He sits on the subway, watching as drunk rich assholes harass a woman. He cracks and he shoots them after they begin to beat him. He kills his mother after she lies to him. He kills Murray for embarrassing him on air, crushing his last hope at his dream. Every event, every trauma and every issue brings Arthur closer to Joker. It is a chain reaction beginning from his abusive childhood from the moment he stands on that car during the riot.

Remembering Who They Were

I really liked the scene between Arthur and Bruce. It is rather creepy since it is a grown man acting weird around a kid but the weight of the scene really makes it. Arthur and Bruce come face to face for the first time. As the audience knows their history and how they will eventually become Joker and Batman respectively. We know the battles they will fight and the war they will wage over the fate of Gotham. But for a moment, they are not their alter egos. Arthur is a man who likes making people laugh not a maniacal criminal. Bruce is a happy child and a trusting one. Sometimes is important to remember who the character was before you put them through their journey. To callback a character past self is to remind us of all the arc they have travelled through.

[ageofwriters]

A ceramic jar filled with thousands of bronze coins was recently unearthed at the site of a 15th-century samurai’s residence just north of Tokyo [710x470]

[ageofwriters]

Practical Tips For Writing With Depression

With depression, it’s hard enough trying to find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning before the next day begins. Summoning the energy it takes to write can be even harder, especially since depression (and sometimes medications used to treat depression) can stifle creativity. Here are some practical tips to help writers suffering from depressive disorders: 

1. Write one sentence a day – on your phone. The sentences don’t have to form a story or even be related. Just set a daily reminder to open your Notes app and type a single sentence. Make it an opening line, a one-line synopsis, a description of the weather, anything! Let it be as vague, boring and inconsequential as “She opened her eyes and pulled off the covers.” The end. Congrats! You have just achieved your goal for the day!

2. Change your work space. Instead of writing slouched in bed, sit at the kitchen table, or vice versa. If you can’t leave your room, sit on the opposite end of your bed or even the floor. You don’t have to clean or decorate your space to make it cute. Your brain has become accustomed to its surroundings and even a small change – like facing the opposite direction – can help break away from this.

3. Thinking about writing counts as writing. This rule doesn’t usually apply but we’ve made an exception just for you! Your depression is affecting your creativity but, ironically, having a creative outlet can help. If you can’t physically write, set aside a few minutes a day to think about writing. Great if you’re bad at meditation.

4. Experiment with different methods of storytelling. Try a voice recording instead of your usual handwriting or typing. This way, you don’t even have to leave your bed. Set small goals like “I will create a one minute voice memo of a character description”.

5. Share your success! And your failures! Post on Tumblr, tell your friends, tell your pet… It doesn’t matter how small your success, celebrate it by telling another human (or otherwise) who will understand what it means to you and congratulate you for it. Treat it like a big deal even if it’s just a single sentence. Similarly, tell people about anything you perceive to be a “failure” no matter how small or silly. Get it out of your system and maybe find some support, so you can move on.

6. Instead of abandoning your goals, alter them! Don’t give up if you failed to meet your goal once or even ten times. You need to retrain your brain to understand that these attempts at bettering yourself are lifestyle changes. If something isn’t working, don’t abandon ship. Make your goals easier, for example: instead of writing daily, plan to write once a week, even if it’s just one sentence.

7. Abandon deadlines and the like – sort of. Some structure is good - even required - in recovery. But if trying to stick to a routine, meet a deadline, keep up your word count, wake up or write at a certain time or similar rules are restricting you from writing (for example, if you feel so bad about constantly missing them that you sink further into depression and write even less) then be sure to give yourself days without them every now and then. Make a note of whether this is helpful (you’re more productive - yay!) or harmful (you backpedal - oops). The trick is to keep experimenting with different methods until you find something that works for you!

8. Accept your circumstances. Instead of seeing yourself as an ex-writer or a failed writer, reaffirm that this is simply a time in your life where your mental health (and possibly other circumstances) have made it difficult for you to flourish creatively. Don’t fret over how long it’s been since you picked up a pen or opened your Word document. Accept that this is a temporary break or a roadblock that will be over one day. Until then, your task is to focus on healing.

Good luck!

[ageofwriters]

Warning to writers

While you are worrying about whether beta readers will steal your ideas, there is a more genuine threat on the horizon.

When offered a publishing contract, please do all your research before you sign. There are a number of fakes and scammers out there, as well as good-intentioned amateurs that don’t know how to get your work to a wide audience. I won’t tell the heartbreaking stories here - there are too many.

Being published badly is worse than being never published.

It can destroy your career and your dreams.

The quick check is to google the publishing house name + scam or warning.

But, to be sure, check with these places first. They aren’t infallible (nothing is) but they can help you protect yourself. They are written and maintained by expereinced writers, editors, publishers and legal folks.

Absolute Write: Bewares and Background Checks

Preditors and editors

Writer Beware

and the WRITER BEWARE blog

Keep yourself and your work safe.

This is really important, so if you are a writer or have writer friends, or you are a writing blog, please reblog it.

[ageofwriters]

Who finished NANOWRIMO??

[ageofwriters]

you’ve gotta stat romanticizing your life. you gotta start believing that your morning commute is cute and fun, that every cup of coffee is the best you’ve ever had, that even the smallest and most mundane things are exciting and new. you have to, because that’s when you start truly living. that’s when you look forward to every day. 

[ageofwriters]

I'll be using it for references later on today

In Which Diversity Isn't a Myth

Ok. I’m tired of the typical vampire, werewolf and fairy.I’m also tired of the occidental-centrism in mythology. Hence, this list. 

I tried to included as many cultural variants as I could find and think of. (Unfortunately, I was restricted by language. Some Russian creatures looked very interesting but I don’t speak Russian…) Please, add creatures from your culture when reblogguing (if not already present). It took me a while to gather all those sites but I know it could be more expansive. I intend on periodically editing this list. 

Of note: I did not include specific legendary creatures (Merlin, Pegasus, ect), gods/goddesses/deities and heroes.

Dragons

The Chinese Dragon

The Japanese Dragon

The Korean Dragon

The Vietnamese Dragon

The Greek Dragon

The Indian Dragon

The Polish Dragon

The Austrian Dragon

The British Dragon

The Ancient Dragon (Egypt, Babylon and Sumer)

The Spanish Basque Dragon

Of the Cockatrice (creature with the body of a dragon)

Alphabetical List of Dragons Across Myths (Great way to start)

Little creatures (without wings)

The Legend of the Leprechauns, The Leprechaun

Chanaque /Alux (the equivalent of leprechauns in Aztec/Mayan folklore)

Elves

Elves in Mythology and Fantasy

Elves in Germanic Mythology

Kabeiroi or Cabeiri (Dwarf-like minor gods in Greek mythology)

Norse Dwarves

The Myth of Loki and the Dwarves

Ten Types of Goblins

Goblins

Tengu: Japanese Goblins

Gnomes 

More on Gnomes

Pooka: an Irish phantom

Creatures with wings (except dragons)

Fairies

All sorts of Cultural Fairies

Fairies in Old French Mythology 

A Fairy List

Bendith Y Mamau (Welsh fairies)

Welsh Fairies

Peri (Persian fairies)

Yü Nü (Chinese fairies)

The Celtic Pixie

Angels in Judaism

Angels in Christianity

Hierarchy of Angels

Angels in Islam

Irish Sylph

Garuda (Bird-like creature in Hindu and Buddhist myths)

Bean Nighe (a Scottish fairy; the equivalent of a banshee in Celtic mythology)

Harpies

Spirited Creatures

Druids

Jinn (Genies in Arabic folklore)

Types of Djinns

Aisha Qandisha and Djinn in Moroccan Folklore

Oni (demons in Japanese folklore)

Nymphs

Spirits in Asturian Mythology

Valkyries

Lesovik

Boggarts: The British Poltergeist

Phantom black dogs (the Grim)

Demons in Babylonian and Assyrian Mythology (list)

Demons in the Americas (list)

European Demons (list)

Middle-East and Asia Demons (list)

Judeo-Christian Demons (list)

Nephilim, more on Nephilim

Mahaha (a demon in Inuit mythology)

Flying Head (a demon in Iroquois mythology)

Ghosts

Toyol (a dead baby ghost in Malay folklore)

Malay Ghosts

Yuki-onna (a ghost in Japanese folklore)

The Pontianak (a ghost in Malay mythology)

Funayurei (a ghost in Japanese folklore)

Zagaz (ghosts in Moroccan folklore)

Japanese Ghosts

Mexican Ghosts

Horse-like mythical creatures

Chinese Unicorns

Unicorns

The Kelpie (Could have also fitted in the sea creatures category)

The Centaur

The Female Centaur

Hippocamps (sea horses in Greek mythology)

Horse-like creatures (a list)

Karkadann, more on the Karkadann (a persian unicorn)

Ceffyl Dwfr (fairy-like water horse creatures in Cymric mythology)

Undead creatures

The Melanesian Vampire 

The Ewe Myth : Vampires

The Germanic Alp

The Indonesian Vampire

Asanbosam and Sasabonsam (Vampires from West Africa)

The Aswang: The Filipino Vampire

Folklore Vampires Versus Literary Vampires

Callicantzaros: The Greek Vampire

Vampires in Malaysia

Loogaroo/Socouyant: The Haitian Vampire

Incubi and Sucubi Across Cultures

Varacolaci: The Romanian Vampire

Brahmaparusha: The Indian Vampire

Genesis of the Word “Vampire”

The Ghoul in Middle East Mythology

Slavic Vampires

Vampires A-Z

The Medical Truth Behind the Vampire Myths

Zombies in Haitian Culture

Shape-shifters and half-human creatures (except mermaids) 

Satyrs (half-man, half-goat)

Sirens in Greek Mythology (half-woman and half-bird creatures)

The Original Werewolf in Greek Mythology

Werewolves Across Cultures

Werewolf Syndrome: A Medical Explanation to the Myth

Nagas Across Cultures

The Kumiho (half fox and half woman creatures)

The Sphinx

Criosphinx

Scorpion Men (warriors from Babylonian mythology)

Pooka: an Irish changelings

Domovoi (a shape-shifter in Russian folklore)

Aatxe (Basque mythology; red bull that can shift in a human)

Yech (Native American folklore)

Ijiraat (shapeshifters in Inuit mythology)

Sea creatures

Selkies (Norse mermaids)

Mermaids in many cultures

More about mermaids

Mermen

The Kraken (a sea monster)

Nuckelavee (a Scottish elf who mainly lives in the sea)

Lamiak (sea nymphs in Basque mythology)

Bunyip (sea monster in Aboriginal mythology)

Apkallu/abgal (Sumerian mermen)

An assemblage of myths and legends on water and water creatures

Slavic Water Creatures

The Encantado (water spirits in Ancient Amazon River mythology)

Zin (water spirit in Nigerian folklore)

Qallupilluk (sea creatures in Inuit mythology)

Monsters That Don’t Fit in Any Other Category

Aigamuxa, more details on Aigamuxa

Amphisabaena

Abere

Bonnacon

Myrmidons (ant warriors)

Troll, More on Trolls

Golems 

Golems in Judaism

Giants: The Mystery and the Myth (50 min long documentary)

Inupasugjuk (giants in Inuit mythology)

Fomorians (an Irish divine race of giants)

The Minotaur

The Manticore, The Manticore and The Leucrouta

The Ogre

The Orthus (two-headed serpent-tailed dog)

The Windigo

The Windigo Psychosis

Rakshasa (humanoids in Hindu and Buddhist mythology)

Yakshas (warriors in Hindu mythology)

Taqriaqsuit (“Shadow people” in Inuit mythology)

References on Folklore and Mythology Across the Globe

Creatures of Irish Folklore 

Folklore and Fairytales

An Overview of Persian Folklore

Filipino Folklore

Myths, Creatures and Folklore

Alaska Folklore

Spanish (Spain) Mythology

Mythical Archive

Mythology Dictionary

List of Medieval and Ancient Monsters

Native American Animals of Myth and Legends

Native American Myths

Bestiary of Ancient Greek Mythology

Mythology, Legend, Folklore and Ghosts

Angels and Demons

List of Sea Creatures

Yoruba Mythology

Ghosts Around the World, Ghosts From A to Z

Strange (Fantastic) Animals of Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Mythology

Creatures from West Africa

On the Legendary Creatures of Africa

Myths, Creatures and Folklore

References on writing a myth or mythical creatures

Writing a MYTHology in your novel?

How to Write a Myth

10 Steps to Creating Realistic Fantasy Creatures

Creating Fantasy Creatures or Alien Species

Legendary Creature Generator

Book Recommendations With Underrated Mythical Creatures

(I have stumbled upon web sites that believed some of these mythical creatures exist today… Especially dragons, in fact. I just had to share the love and scepticism.)

[ageofwriters]

A little idea I got in the middle of a normal workday...the usual...difference I actually did write a lot...dunno if it counts for Nanowrimo but it counts for me...