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List of describing exercises to help you improve your descriptions.

As I try to improve my technical writing skills, I've noticed my describing skills are pretty lacking. So, here is a list of description exercises.

Setting Description

Pick a setting and describe it in a way that evokes a positive emotion, then describe the same setting negatively.

Pick a setting and try to describe it by using all of your senses.

Find a setting you've written before and write 500 words of pure description on it.

Describe a tree from the point of view of a character that's feeling a strong emotion, whether they're depressed, frustrated, or excited.

Character Description

Pick one of your characters and write a 500 word description of them.

Write a 500 word description on how your character feels about different people.

Pick 3 different characters and write 200 word descriptions for each of their voices.

Write a 500 word description about how your character looks at different people.

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How to Make Your Characters Almost Cry

Tears are powerful, but do you know what's more impactful? The struggle to hold them back. This post is for all your hard-hearted stoic characters who'd never shed a tear before another, and aims to help you make them breakdown realistically.

The Physical Signs of Holding Back Tears

Heavy Eyelids, Heavy Heart Your character's eyelids feel weighted, as if the tears themselves are dragging them down. Their vision blurs—not quite enough to spill over, but enough to remind them of the dam threatening to break.

The Involuntary Sniffle They sniffle, not because their nose is running, but because their body is desperately trying to regulate itself, to suppress the wave of emotion threatening to take over.

Burning Eyes Their eyes sting from the effort of restraint, from the battle between pride and vulnerability. If they try too hard to hold back, the whites of their eyes start turning red, a telltale sign of the tears they've refused to let go.

The Trembling Lips Like a child struggling not to cry, their lips quiver. The shame of it fuels their determination to stay composed, leading them to clench their fists, grip their sleeves, or dig their nails into the nearest surface—anything to regain control.

The Fear of Blinking Closing their eyes means surrender. The second their lashes meet, the memories, the pain, the heartbreak will surge forward, and the tears will follow. So they force themselves to keep staring—at the floor, at a blank wall, at anything that won’t remind them of why they’re breaking.

The Coping Mechanisms: Pretending It’s Fine

A Steady Gaze & A Deep Breath To mask the turmoil, they focus on a neutral object, inhale slowly, and steel themselves. If they can get through this one breath, they can get through the next.

Turning Away to Swipe at Their Eyes When they do need to wipe their eyes, they do it quickly, casually, as if brushing off a speck of dust rather than wiping away the proof of their emotions.

Masking the Pain with a Different Emotion Anger, sarcasm, even laughter—any strong emotion can serve as a shield. A snappy response, a bitter chuckle, a sharp inhale—each is a carefully chosen defence against vulnerability.

Why This Matters

Letting your character fight their tears instead of immediately breaking down makes the scene hit harder. It shows their internal struggle, their resistance, and their need to stay composed even when they’re crumbling.

This is written based off of personal experience as someone who goes through this cycle a lot (emotional vulnerability who?) and some inspo from other books/articles

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flirty or threatening? dialogue prompts

@celestialwrites for more!!

“good god, you are a pain.” “then why are you even here?” “maybe i’m a masochist.”

“say that again i dare you.” “what are you going to do about it if i do?”

“your existence unnerves me.” “aw, i’m flattered.”

“hi honey.” “don’t honey me, you just threw a book at me!”

“huh, you know when you’re not scowling at me your eyes look a little more blue than green.”

“what if one day you wandered off a cliff?” “would you join me?”

“sometimes i feel like you want to get hit.” “by you? most certainly.”

“miss me?” “i had wondered where my headache went.”

“you are certainly interesting.” “is that a compliment or are you making fun of me?” “yes.”

“i’m not docile by any means.” “i’ve noticed, i notice everything about you.”

“i need help to bury a body.” “and you thought of me? aw.” “actually, i’m the only one that would miss you if you went to prison.” “you’d miss me?”

“i hate you!” “as long as you feel something towards me.”

“watch it!” “it’s cute how easy i can rile you up.”

“do you truly hate me?” “i wish that was possible.”

REBLOG TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL WRITERS!!<3

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Random Stuff for Your Story

I have bookmarks saved for random, different, interesting topics that don’t really fit into any single category, so I decided to just put them all together in one list.

A list of resources on miscellaneous topics to help make your stories more interesting.

Writing Accurate Heist Scenes A tumblr thread that discusses accurate heist scenes for heist movies, and what it’s like to work as a security guard.

Friends, Not Love Interests Helpful advice for anyone who is writing two characters as friends (particularly when one is female and the other is male), in order to help minimize the chance of readers wanting them to fall in love.

The Writer’s Guide to Distinguishing Marks on Characters A basic guide on different types of distinguishing marks for characters, such as freckles, birthmarks, scars, and tattoos.  

Don’t Use Specific Numbers in Your Story A tumblr thread that explains if your story doesn’t need a specific number for something (whether a date, age, span of time, etc.), then you don’t need to use a number. Includes helpful examples.

Pet Peeves in TV Shows and Movies A tumblr thread with different lists of things that people find annoying in TV shows and movies. Many of these things can also apply to situations in stories.

Types of Paperwork That Characters Could Do A tumblr thread that discusses how fanfiction writers often give their characters “large amounts of paperwork they hate doing,” but don’t describe the type of paperwork.  Provides a list of different types of paperwork that characters could be working on.

In Time Travel Movies, When the Time Traveler Asks... A tumblr thread that discusses more realistic responses for when a time traveler asks what year it is or where they are, instead of people automatically thinking they are weird or crazy for asking.  

Reasons for a Character’s Death Explains the reasons why you might kill off a character, and offers advice on how to make a character’s death meaningful.

Dialogue Responses to “I Thought You Were Dead!” A list of different responses that a character could give when someone else says, “I thought you were dead.”

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I’m a writer, poet, and editor. I share writing resources that I’ve collected over the years and found helpful for my own writing. If you like my blog, follow me for more resources! ♡

[amy-reads]

Forced Proximity Dialogue Prompts

Haven't done one of these in a while.

"Come on, this isn't funny." "I'm not joking. It's locked."

"Is that the only tent we have?"

"There's only one bed." "Well, darlin', I'm not sleeping on the floor, so I guess we'll have to share."

"I'm your bodyguard. It's in the job description to protect you at all times." "Well, could you at least 'protect' me from over there?"

"You have got to be kidding me. I have to share a room with you."

"What do you mean there's only one sleeping bag? You had one job."

"Quit following me!" "I was hired to follow you, princess, better get used to it."

"What the hell is that noise?" "Uh, yeah, slight problem. We're out of gas."

"Where are you going? We're in the middle of nowhere!" "Yeah! And whose fault is that?"

"Look around, love. In case you hadn't noticed we're snowed in. So unless you plan to freeze to death, we'll have to find a way to keep each other warm."

"I may be stuck with you, but I don't have to like it."

"Is now a bad time to tell you I'm claustrophobic?"

"Your heart's racing. Now, I know being pressed up against me is exhilerating and all, but I'm trying to concentrate on picking this lock."

"What are you? Afraid?"

"Uh. Slight problem. We're trapped."

"Well, which way, smartass?" "Uh. We might be lost."

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How to write emotions

How to write emotional scenes

How to show emotions Part I

How to show emotions Part II

How to show emotions Part III

How to show emotions Part IV

How to show emotions Part V

How to show emotions Part VI

How to show emotions Part VII

How to show emotions Part VIII

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

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just yoongi’s hands 🥰

(cr: in the soop: @/jung-koook,bangbangcon:@/0613data)

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the man has a point. answer him jimin! 🤨

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sooooo whipped (transl. cr. JlNSONYEONDAN)

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>^•-•^<

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Patroclus: If I died how much would you miss me?

Achilles: It’s cute that you think dying will get you out of this relationship.

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Thetis visits Achilles:

Thetis: So Patroclus, you live here?

Patroclus: Yes, we live together.

Thetis: So you are a couple?

Achilles: Mom, I told you many times that we just live together!

(3 days later)

Patroclus: Achilles, I don't wanna say that your mother did it, but ever since she visited I can't find those gold plates.

Achilles: That's strange, I'll ask her.

(On the phone)

Achilles: Look mom, I don't wanna say you did it but ever since you visited we can't find the gold plates. Do you know something?

Thetis: Look son, I don't wanna say that you and Patroclus are fucking, but I will say it because if he actually slept on his own bed he would find the plates under his pillow!

Achilles:.....

Achilles: Fuck!

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me: *finishes a book*

me: it's time to go on tumblr and reblog every post about the book

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"My pulse jumps, for no reason I can name. He has looked at me a thousand thousand times, but there is something different in this gaze, an intensity I do not know. " [The song of Achilles- Madeline Miller]

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my full spread for @campsapphozine 🏛️🌷🩷

Clarisse and Silena doing the patrochilles 😭 doomed sapphics my beloved

actually I never got over this at 12 yrs old and this was my way to cope 10 years later thank u

[amy-reads]