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Looking for LGBT/ally Christians

If you’re an LGBT Christian or a Christian who supports and affirms LGBT people please reblog so that I may follow you.

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

New Blog!

No I’m not leaving this blog, I just made a new one that is entirely dedicated to my writing and reviewing novels, since this blog has a bit of a mix of everything. I’ll still be using this blog, but feel free to follow and send this blog asks/novel recs if you like LGBTQ scifi, fantasy, paranormal, and romance: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/write-the-galaxy

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

I have all but maybe one or two explicitely in my main project Immortality Keys.

LGBT+ Represenation that Needs to Happen

Asexuals

How?? Simple:

- Include characters that support their friends in relationships but have none of their own

- Include characters with healthy romantic relationships who are still ace

- If writing an aroace character, don’t act like their orientation defines them. Too many times, a character’s asexuality will overcome them and make them seem hard and careless. They’re not. They’re people too

Pansexuals

- Have your character tell stories where they have experiences with multiple genders

- BUT the catch is, not every pansexual dates everyone they see. Some may rarely date while others have many partners. Remember that while writing

- Let them help your other characters with their relationships. They probably know a thing or two about who they personally think is cute, and pans helping others is my aesthetic

Nonbinary/Transgender People

- Don’t shy away from dysphoria. It’s hard to understand if you’re cis, but you’ll make a nonbinary person’s day if they see that the struggles they’re going through resonate with a character they admire

- Remember people who fluctuate. One day they may be a boy, another a girl, another something totally different. Highlight this change, make it a symbol of positivity

- Positive Dysphoria Tools. Let them practice safe binding or medicating properly with testosterone or estrogen. Too often, it’s seen as something harmful, but it really doesn’t have to be.

Demisexual

- Have a character who opens up to another character and falls in love over time rather than at first glance. It’s also an easy tool for character development

- Speaking of character development, demisexual people don’t have attraction right away, but they do have it. When the time finally comes for your character’s relationship, make it everything that a fast relationship would have

- Though demisexual is under the asexual, it’s not the same, so don’t fall under that trap. I know it might sound “too tumblr” to put into a book you want to publish, but trust me, we need to see it

Bisexuals 

- This should be obvious, but bisexuals aren’t greedy. Though they express interest in multiple genders, it doesn’t mean they flirt with everyone they see

- I love the badass bisexual trope, but it’s not always the case. Be sure not to have one personality trait define your character’s sexuality, and this is especially true for bisexual characters

- People who are bisexual aren’t always 50/50. Experiment with that 70/30 margin, or anything in between. Bisexuality is very fluid, and not as rigid as people think

Romantic Orientations

- As many of you know, you can be bisexual but not biromantic, aromantic but not ace, etcetera. Try mixing and matching some orientations to have the perfect combination of representation

- Some people rely much more on their romantic orientation, while others like to label as their sexual orientation. Being panromantic, to me, is just as important as being bisexual, but for some, they may be more attached to the pan community than the bisexual one. You catch my drift

Polysexuals

- Yes, that’s right, they are out there, and no, they’re not “somewhere between bi and pan”. Having a character explicitly saying “Hey, I’m poly” alone is a massive help

- Speaking of which, it’s very important to stay within the poly definition, so as not to trespass on other territories. If it’s your goal to have poly representation, then be sure to very specifically have attraction to some but not all genders

- What many polysexual people want in the media, I think, is just awareness. There aren’t really any tropes yet to go against, but remember that your character can be anyone, not just the internet girl in the back of the class

Polyamory

- A lot of people, some who I know included, think that being polyamorous is a hipster thing. Normalize it, don’t just make some teens do it for fun.

- People who are in a polyamorous relationship are in a relationship like anyone else. Don’t treat their relationship any different than your other characters

- And that’s not just for dating. Some poly people can even settle down and have families, so maybe have some poly characters talk about that, you know, like real people

Long story short, representation matters, and I don’t just mean with the white gays. Every little side remark about liking the opposite gender from your characters really is making a difference, not only in the LGBT+ community, but the writer one, too. With little things, you could make a massive difference. 

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Alright Tumblr, Time for a Pep Talk

The FCC has just voted to repeal net neutrality, which sucks. However, now is not when we hang our heads and accept defeat. WE ARE BETTER THAN THAT SHIT. Dig in your heels, call and text your representatives, sign petitions, protest, do whatever you can to the best of your abilities, BECAUSE WE ARE FIGHTERS DAMMIT.

Look, the world has seen hardship and atrocities before. We got through that because people are STUBBORN MOTHERFUCKERS who kept fighting. My Jewish great grandfather didn't just sit there and watch as his homeland of Italy was turned into Nazi Germany's bitch. He stood up, dusted off his glasses, AND LED THE DAMN REBELLION AGAINST MUSSOLINI. So if he could do that, you can resist this, right now. These are the times when History will look at as tippig points. BE ON THE SIDE THAT WINS.

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Immortality Keys Except

Hey! Here’s an except from the first book. 

Chapter Two “Commander Afokmi, I’m pretty sure you’ve exhausted every preset on the bot. Maybe you should take a rest?” I pushed myself to stand and walked away from the felled robot.

“I have a mission coming up soon. I will not make the same mistake as my brother, and be unprepared for a conflict,” I replied. “Could you find me some retired presets before I come in again tomorrow?” The door slid open, and I walked out of the training room.

“Of course, Commander,” the operator replied as I walked past. As I entered the locker room though, I heard them mutter. “At least the General hadn’t been a bitch…”

“Isn’t, Operator,” I corrected. “He’s still alive, you know.” I surpressed a smile at the sudden horror that filled the operator. It would do them good to hold their tongue.

I pulled open my locker and removed my holobracelet. It pulsed green with notifications, so I opened them.

“Commander Afokmi, your brother has woken up. Could you or Sergeant Pheone come to escort him to his quarters?” Doctor Morris’s message read. Damn, it had been sent just after I went into training. I threw on my change of clothes and hurried out towards the medical ward as I scrolled through the few other messages.

“Commander Afokmi, your mission briefing has been rescheduled to happen in two days. Please come to the Research Ward after Training.” Ugh, I hate changes to my schedule.

I hurried into the medical ward, only to run into the one person I did not need to see. Rhaenga.

“Envera! What a surprise, I—” Rhaenga began. I brushed past him, and walked up to my brother’s empty bed. “Pheone came to get him. I guess you were busy?”

“Sergeant Pheone to you, Medic,” I hissed. “If that’s the case, I’ll take my leave.” I turned to see he’d barred the door.

“Envera, please. Can’t we just talk?” His yellow eyes gleamed sadly. There had been a time where I would’ve listened to anything he said. Not anymore though.

“I need to see my brother. Now, move,” I ordered. He folded his scaled arms over his chest and frowned.

“You’re being unreasonable,” he began.

“Unreasonable? You left me for dead,” I replied. I didn’t yell, scream, or shriek this. He wasn’t worth it. “I trusted you with my life, and you left me for dead the second we came under fire. I brought myself back to this station, barely conscious. And when I returned, you didn’t even look at me. When Jenderous came after you, you told him it was either me or you. We were mates, Rhaenga. Mates. If that had meant anything to you, you would’ve stayed beside me. Instead, you left me, and I want nothing to do with you. Now, I’ll say this one more time: move!” He flinched as I spoke, and did actually move. Unfortunately, he followed me.

“If you wanted nothing to do with me, why did you set Jenderous on me?”

“I didn’t do anything. You’re the one who tripped his sister in order to escape rebels. Jenderous went after you himself,” I replied. Hopefully, once Rhaenga realized I was heading towards Jenderous, he’d leave me alone.

“Then why does he continue to harass me? He belittled me in front of Doctor Xyil the second he woke up!” I couldn’t help it. I let out a laugh. “I could get a disciplinary report!”

“You deserve no pity from me,” I replied. “Now, Medic. I have no need of an escort to see my brother. I also believe you have a job to do.” I walked away, leaving him behind. Honestly, if only Jenderous had agreed to being assigned a new station. But no, he couldn’t.

“Envera, we have our orders from His Excellency. Besides, this is where our people had served. Don’t you think we need to carry that on as long as we can?” He’d said when I had asked him to request a reassignment during my stay in the Med Ward. “However, I can promise you that I will make Rhaenga regret what he did, and make him want a transfer.”

As I passed the mess hall, I saw Pheone walking toward me.

“Commander Afokmi, how are you?” She turned as I passed her to walk beside me. “I just brought your brother food.”

“You’re too kind,” I replied. Pheone had never been a friend to me. She was indeed kind, and I did enjoy talking to her, but I never felt the ability to confide myself in her. I could never admit to any worries or doubts. I couldn’t even tell her that there was no chance Jenderous would return her feelings for him, especially after he’d seen Rhaenga’s disregard for me. “Is he well?”

“As far as I can tell, yes. Although, he seems to go into his own head quite easily,” she replied. “I’ll bring his dinner to him, if that’s alright?” Poor girl. I nodded.

“If you’d like, the three of us could have dinner together. I’m sure he’d like that.” That made her smile.

“Too bad we can’t do what we normally do,” she replied.

“I’m sure he’ll cook again soon enough. He loves it.” I watched as the band on her wrist lit up. She tapped on a button and the holoscreen showed a message.

“Agh, my Commander wants to see me about the mission. I’ll see you later,” Pheone sighed before hurrying off in the other direction. I then ran down the hall to my brother’s room.

I walked in after punching in my brother’s password. The room seemed empty.

“Jenderous?” I called as the door shut behind me. I heard movement from the bathroom.

“I’ll be out in a second!” Followed by a crash. “Maybe two seconds!” I ran over and found my brother sitting on the bathroom floor, a shirt over his head.

“Are you hurt?” I asked as I took the shirt hem and tugged it down. His hair was wet and hung down, over his eyes. He shook his head, splashing me with water droplets.

“Does the injury to my pride count?” He asked as he adjusted the medallion around his neck. I watched as his eyes went blank for a second, then he focused back on me. “Envera, how are you?”

“I’m fine. Do you need help getting up?”

“Nah,” Jenderous replied. He pushed against the ground and flew up, still in a sitting position. “Flying around makes my head hurt a little less,” he explained.

“You need to drink, you’ve been unconscious for a while,” I said. I walked into the kitchen as he flew over to the couch. After filling up two glasses, I joined him,

“I have been out for a while,” he snorted. I watched him drain the glass in one go. “Now, tell me about this new mission?” I shook my head. How could he possibly think about me right now?

“Jenderous, you just woke up from a coma,” I replied. “We can focus on you right now.” I watched him push his hair back, out of his eyes. Space black with streaks of purple where the light hit it, and a new silver streak that appeared when he was brought back from the mission. He kept his left eye on me from an angle. “Missing your eyepatch?” He nodded. “Let me find one for you.”

“Last I remembered, I keep the spare in the top drawer next to my bed,” he said. I got up and walked over. Opening the drawer, I found the ordinate eyepatch with our family crest, and a silver gemstone carved into a crescent.

“This is the nice one. Are you sure you want it?” I looked back to see him nod. Gently, I lifted it up and walked back before placing it in his hand. After he secured it over his scarred eye, I sat down and he faced me fully. I could still see the edge of the scar just below where the eyepatch ended, but it bothered me less. “What happened?”

Jenderous curled up, hugging his knees to his chest as his tail curled over his feet. “I don’t remember, I can’t remember the past seven lunar cycles at all!” He bit his lip and looked down. “Envera, I’m scared. What happened to me?” I was watching my brother, the king of our people, break down. I moved closer to him and hugged him, patting his back gently.

“You were on a conquest mission in Sector 61. Apparently, when the other soldiers found you, you’d already been unconscious, and you’d been stabbed. When you were brought back, the Med staff had to perform surgery to repair a pierced lung and stitch you up, but you were still unconscious,” I explained. “It’s been practically a lunar cycle since you were brought back.”

“You weren’t worried?” Jenderous looked up at me. He didn’t seem angry, or even upset. He just had the familiar curious gleam in his eye.

“Thayron’s already taken everyone else I love. He knows I would attempt to overthrow him if he took you too,” I said. Jenderous snorted and shook his head.

“To this day, I still can’t understand how you can say such things about your patron. Why would you even pick him if you despise him so much?” I looked away. I loved Jenderous, he was a great brother and leader, but he’d seen a much kinder version of our people as he’d grown up.

“Because he made my existence miserable, so I’m going to return the favor. It’s not the worst reason to pick a patron, I don’t think.” Jenderous nodded thoughtfully, keeping whatever opinion he had to himself. I noticed a keycard on the cushions between us. “What’s that?”

“Oh, here,” he said. He handed me the keycard, and I saw Rhaenga’s information on it. “He wasn’t paying attention when Pheone escorted me out, so I took it.” Jenderous grinned at me, happy with himself.

“You know he needs this to access the medicine room, right?” I asked. Jenderous shrugged and leaned back against the couch, keeping his eye on me.

“Who cares what he needs? Rhaenga deserves a pain in his tail.” Jenderous was frowning now. He’d taken what Rhaenga had done personally when it’d happened half a solar cycle ago.

“You know it wasn’t your fault, right?” I reminded him. Jenderous shrugged again.

“I don’t even remember what happened. I just know I hate him,” he admitted. “Either way, it’s fun to agitate him.” I laughed and turned the keycard over in my hands a few times. There was a little box in my quarters filled with things Jenderous had taken from Rhaenga, including reports he was about to turn in, a few pieces of jewelry, trinkets, and 4 previous key cards.

“You’re not going to give it back, right?” Jenderous was watching me, and it felt weird. Before he got hurt, his posture and actions felt intimidating or authoritative. Now, he just looked at me curiously, and he seemed a bit nervous.

“Why would I? I barely stand being in the same room as him, much less actually communicat--” My holobracelet flashed purple, meaning a general was messaging me.

“Who is it?” Jenderous leaned towards me.

“General Vado Kyl,” I replied. That name sounded familiar. “You know him?”

“He was Pheone’s general, before Vado Mor, up until that raid in Sector 39 five solar cycles ago. I’m pretty sure he’s buried in the station’s cemetery.” I glanced to Jenderous, slightly disturbed. How was a dead general sending me a message? Jenderous must’ve seen my expression, because he continued. “It could be a glitch, or someone using a hack to get your attention.”

“‘Meet me at the forest line, near the jogging path,’” I read. “Think I should go?”

“If it’s a prank, you can teach whoever thought of it a lesson on not messing with Fendoorens. And if it’s a glitch, you don’t want to keep someone waiting forever. They might have something important to tell you about the upcoming mission,” Jenderous replied.

“Is that a yes?” Jenderous nodded. “What about you? Are you sure you can be left alone?”

“I was going to sleep until dinner, actually. Believe it or not, three weeks wasn’t nearly enough time to rest.” Jenderous pushed himself up and walked over to his bed. After removing his eyepatch, he flopped into his bed.

“How dignified of you,” I snorted. He waved his hand at me before curling up on his side. “Sergeant Pheone will be bringing dinner to you, and we’ll all eat together. I’ll see you soon, Brother.” I made my way to the door.

“See you, love you,” Jenderous replied, his voice already slurred with sleep. I blinked. He hadn’t said anything like that in almost a solar cycle.

The outside air had a frigidness to it, and a gentle breeze that stirred up trees branches, leaves, and my hair. As I walked, I tied my hair back to keep the black strands from falling in my face. I saw a few soldiers running on the trails, and a few small groups of friends chatting idly.

“You think we’ll be chosen for the mission?” One soldier asked her friends. “I’ve always wanted to go on a conquest.”

“I don’t know. From preliminary findings, it doesn’t seem like this will be the most diplomatic of missions. A lot of people will probably get hurt or killed,” one of the other soldiers replied.

“Hey look,” I saw one of them point at me. “Isn’t that the Fendooren soldier?” I cringed at his pronunciation.

“It’s pronounced Fen-Door-in, Cayln, not Fen-do-ren. And yes, that’s one of them,” the girl explained. I smiled a bit. Maybe I should talk to her sometime.

“What’s with her tail? Why does it move like that? The dogs on our planet have minimal movement,” the idiot, Cayln, spat. I froze.

“Cayln, you know she can hear you right?” The first friend replied. Part of me wanted to storm over and yell at him. Fendoorens were far from dogs. Had that idiot seen us before the Calamity, he would’ve known that. Instead, I kept walking towards the forest. I heard one of the people stand up, as if they meant to approach me. I snapped my tail, hoping that whoever it was knew enough body language cues to stay away.

“Who knotted your tail the wrong way?” A deep, laughing voice asked as I got to the supposed meeting place. I folded my arms, looking in annoyance at the man who walked out.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, my Patron?” I asked. Thayron, the Fendooren God of Death stood before me. I’m sure it would’ve been more impressive if he’d decided to remain in his godly form, but he looked like any mortal Fendooren. His pale skin stuck out against the black clothing and the bands that wrapped around his neck, arms, and fingers he wore. Black hair was tied back and hung down his shoulder, which made it easy to see his golden eyes, and the closed eyelid on his forehead.

“Envera, could you walk with me? I wish to discuss a confidential matter with you, and I do not wish to be overheard,” Thayron said, offering me his arm. I walked beside him, but did not touch him.

“Good thing you decided to have this conversation with the one person who has super hearing then,” I replied. “What is the matter you wish to discuss?”

“It’s come to my attention that one of my weapons has been stolen,” Thayron began. “Had I been Solair or Astra, I would write it off as banter that has gotten a bit out of hand. However, I have no rivals, nor do I have anyone who is unsatisfied with me, safe for you, of course. Therefore, my only conclusion is that someone has taken it with the intent to use it.”

“Excellent deduction skills,” I replied, tilting my head side to side. “Obviously if someone takes a weapon, they intend to use it. I presume you want me to find this weapon?” Thayron narrowed his gaze at me, then pressed his hand to the side of his temple.

“Yes, I want you to get it back. If my spear falls into the wrong hands, it will be devastating.”

“Wait, wait, you lost the Spear? Why was that even in a position to be stolen?” How stupid could Thayron be?

“Yes. Now, will you find it? You’re the most reliable of my devoted, and you have access to the places you’ll need to look,” Thayron said. I stopped on the trail and faces him.

“I want something in return. I refuse to undo your mess without some sort of payment,” I demanded. Thayron smirked, crossing his arms and resting his chin against his hand.

“This is why I like you Verr Sya,” he began. “You’re not afraid to tell me anything. Now, what would you like in return?”

“I want to see my mom,” I said.

He blinked and looked aside. “I’ve told you, I don’t have…”

“Did I stutter, Thayron?” I stared at him, frowning slightly. “In return for the Spear, you will let me meet my mom. I won’t agree to anything less.” Thayron sighed and shook his head, probably cursing me in his mind.

“Fine, I will find your mother and let you see her if you find and return my Spear,” Thayron finally breathed. “Is that a worthy trade for your effort?”

I nodded and continued to walk. Thayron fell into step beside me again. “I will require transportation to wherever you believe it is, though. Could you give me more information?”

“How familiar are you with the inhabitants of Zepheral?” Thayron asked. I shook my head, recognizing the name.

“Oh absolutely not! You’re suggesting a Werin stole your Spear? They’re barely capable of fighting themselves, let alone accessing Torii!” The Fendooren brother race of the Werins were deplorable characters. “You can’t possibly think of sending me there, do you have any idea what they do to their women?”

Thayron nodded, his expression somber. “I am well aware, but you are not a Werin girl raised to believe that is her place. You’re the Fendooren princess. I know you wouldn’t let such a fate befall you. Haven’t you considered that if the Werin people saw a person like you, things could begin to change?” I shook my head. From what Jenderous had said, when that conversation had ever arisen, I knew that the Werins were barbaric at best, and mortal hellspawn at worst.

“What those people need is a Cleanse of their own,” I spat. “They are uncivilized, dangerous, violent, demeaning unevolved bastards! Why would I ever aide them?”

“I’m not asking that you aide them, I’m asking you to go there to look for the Spear. Surely you could tolerate with the existence of the Werins in order to meet your mother, right? Besides, it’s not like the Werins are the only ones on Zepheral. If you really want to, you could spend all of your time with the other inhabitants,” Thayron chidded. “Anyway, I will have someone help you reroute your… Uh… What do you call those things?” I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow. “Those things you use to go to other planets.”

“You mean the Astral Travelers?” He nodded. “I need to reroute it?”

“To Zepheral, yeah. I presume they never taught you how to add new coordinates, right?” For as much as he lacked in knowledge of what happened to the Fendoorens after the Calamity, he had that right. For some reason, my brother and I had never been taught how to set our own coordinates. I had figured that it was because neither of us were technicians or researchers.

“No, I haven’t the faintest idea of how to do that,” I replied. “What should I do before that?”

“I would see if you could get any information on Zepheral from your information hubs. Also, maybe seek some advisement from your brother. Don’t tell him about the Spear though. Just ask him about Zepheral, he might remember the politics from before the Calamity,” Thayron advised. I bit my lip, thinking of how I could possibly get anyone in the information hub to give me access to anything. “In two days, head to the hanger of your Astral Traveller, alright?” After I nodded, Thayron snapped his fingers, and disappeared before my eyes.

I made my way back towards the station, and saw the group from earlier. I noticed that the girl was wearing the coat that identified those who worked in the information hub. As I walked past, I saw Calyn kiss the girl, a universal sign of mateship. I smiled slightly as I realized I might’ve just found how to get the information I needed.

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

I have Immortality Keys and Secret Santa, both of which are LGBTQ fiction.

Immortality Keys is a scifi/fantasy following the teenage king of species of aliens protect the universe for evil overlords with the help of his sister, childhood friends, and a few supernatural creatures.

Secret Santa is a christmas romance (coming from a guy who hates Christmas stories and romance novels, so you know this shit is good) following a high school senior named Noel as he befriends the school's GSA president while helping him pick out a secret santa gift, and dealing with the social drama of high school.

Reblog if you have an original story!

I’m not talking about fanfictions or AU’s based off of a video game/comic/TV series, I’m talking about a story with a world and characters that are YOURS and YOURS alone.

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

WAIT WHAT?!

every christmas i am reminded that for 18 years i believed that “i saw mommy kissing santa claus” was about the mom cheating on her husband with santa claus, instead of the dad being dressed up as santa claus and it being cute

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Ok so I requested this (I was the anon all along, mwahaha) and honestly it's spectacular. I love this! It's so cute!

For the commission thing: the high school gay-straight alliance president and one of the JROTC officers dating?

    A few things: One) I do have a friend in JROTC and she helped me a ton during this, million hugs and thanks to her since I know nothing about ROTC but Two) She couldn’t help me too much with the officer thing and I still have trouble grappling the whole concept, so I didn’t go too in depth. Please, if I messed ANYTHING up, let me know, I’d love to learn. Here goes nothing.

    PS: I’m also dead tired, so if something doesn’t make sense, go ahead and point it out

Keep reading

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

No no, I get not everyone cares about the eyes, but I and a lot of other people do! Sweet mother of god have you looked into someone's eyes? That can be one of the most magical moments in the universe! And you know what writers are good at? Describing that magic! So yeah, maybe it's a bit cliche, but it's an awesome cliche, so keep writing about beautiful, soul window eyes, PLEASE.

People always make fun of a writer taking care to mention the color of their characters’ eyes like “hahah as if that’s important to the story” But, like, we know that. We know it’s not important to the story. But you know who it is important to? The gosh hecking fanartists. Seriously, the most common question I get when people want to draw my characters is “what color are their eyes?” So don’t let anyone shame you into leaving those little details out. Just because they’re insignificant to the plot doesn’t mean they’re insignificant to the readers.

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

REBLOG IF ITS OKAY TO TALK TO YOU.

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Can’t vs Don’t Want To

A lot of writing tips say that you should “force yourself to write, even when you think you can’t.”

I personally have always interpreted this to mean that I should write even when I don’t feel like it, but recently that I started thinking about the difference between “can’t” and “I don’t wanna.”

And I’ve come to realize that this difference is an important one.

When I can’t write, something is wrong. I could be mentally or emotionally off that day, I could have homework that is stressing me to the point that I can’t focus on the story, etc, etc.

In these sorts of situations, I am nearly incapable of writing. I always could, of course, but it would probably be bad writing. I would end up more frustrated than I was when I started, and that’s not something I want out of my writing. These are the days when I can’t write, so I don’t.

But then there are other days when I still don’t write, but nothing is wrong. I’m having a better day mentally/emotionally, I’m on top of homework, etc. These are days when I usually get sucked into the void of YouTube, or I play games on my phone for hours, or I watch TV. On these days, I never get around to writing because what I’m doing in that moment is easier than diving into plot and characters again.

And those are the days that I end up regretting the most. Because those videos are always going to be there, those games aren’t going anywhere. The writing that I could have gotten done? That stuff is less permanent.

I guess the bottom line here is this: Recognize the differences between the days that you can’t write and the days where you just don’t want to, and then act accordingly.

If you’re having a day where you can’t write? Take a break. It’s okay to have those days. You’re still a writer, you’re just not at your A-game today. That’s all right. You’ll get back to it.

But if you’re just putting it off because you don’t want to? Stop scrolling through Tumblr and go write, silly!

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Have a routine, just something you always start the day with. It could be making your bed, showering, eating breakfast, just make sure you do something to care for youself first thing. Then break up tasks into chunks. Take breaks when you need them, but try to complete chunks of your tasks. Also, drink water. That's not a specific step, but you need water.

hey… people with depression…. speciffically depression that comes in cycles……… how do you take care of yourself in such a way that you don’t feel like the void has swallowed you while doing enough productive stuff that you don’t feel like a waste of space? asking for a friend

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

I’m always down to talk about OCs/writing/anything in general, so yeah

intro/seeking blogs

hey! i’m ayana and this is my new writeblr. i’m still figuring it out, but i’m hoping to use this blog to store reference posts, find and post advice, talk about my writing/projects, chat about OCs and more!

hence, im very new and very much looking for people to follow! if you have an active writeblr where you talk about or have interest in any of the things below, please reblog!

- characters of color

- LGBT+ characters

- writing romance, crime, mystery, and/or contemporary (although any genre is fine, really!)

- tips and advice

- book-y aesthetics!

- you’re kind, would like talking to me about our OCs or projects, and would maybe wanna be friends

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Holiday Giveaway & Event 2018

It’s that time of the year again! We’re doing things a little different this time:

One Grand Prize Winner Will Receive Their Choice of Prize Pack:

ALiCE Prize Pack – Horror, OT+

Signed copy of ALiCE

ALiCE bookmark

Set of two buttons

One Year Anniversary Print

OR

Like Falling Stars Prize Pack – Fantasy, OC+

Signed copy of Like Falling Stars

Like Falling Stars bookmark

Set of two buttons

Winter Print

Ways to Enter:

Likes and reblogs count as one entry each!

Like our Facebook page and comment on this photo

Patrons get +1 entry!

Rules:

Must be able to provide mailing address within the US or Canada

If the winner does not respond to notification within 72 hours, a new winner will be selected

No giveaway blogs; we will check

You do not have to be following us to enter, but we appreciate it!

ALiCE is a horror novel rated OT+ so please use discretion if you select that prize pack

Don’t want to take your chances? You can find links to buy the books here! And during November and December, we will be donating 10% of our profits to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. If you have been waiting to purchase either of our books, now would be an excellent time to do it!

This giveaway will end December 17, 2017.

Good luck and happy holidays!

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

I’ll answer these about Immortality Keys and Secret Santa, so lemme know

writing ask game

made for novels, but can be used for fanfiction or other types of writing!

describe the plot in 1 sentence.

pick one sight, smell, sound, feel, and taste to describe the aesthetic of your novel.

which 3+ songs would make up a playlist for the novel?

what’s the time period and location in which the novel takes place?

is this a standalone or a part in a series?

are there any former titles you’ve considered but discarded?

how many times does the word ____ appear in the novel?

what’s the first line that comes up when you search _____?

what’s the first line of your novel?

what’s a line of dialogue you’re particularly proud of?

which line from the novel most represents it as a whole?

who are your character faceclaims?

sort your characters into harry potter houses!

which character’s name do you like the most?

describe each character’s daily outfit.

do any characters have distinctive birthmarks/scars?

pick a color to represent each character.

pick a font to represent each character.

which character most fits a character trope? which trope?

which character is the best writer? worst?

which character is the best liar? worst?

which character swears the most? least?

which character has the best handwriting? worst?

which character is most like you? least like you?

which character would you most like to be?

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Do you have any tips on writing characters with a tail?

YESSSSSS

TIPS ON HOW TO WRITE CHARACTERS WITH TAILS (FOR BOTH FANFIC WRITERS AND ORIGINAL CONTENT WRITERS)

1. Only make a tail if it’s strictly necessary (your character’s tail has to serve a purpose)

Unlike what you may think, tails are very, very tricky to write about if you’re putting them on humans, which I assume is what @dollyjean911 is asking about. There’s something about them that makes it incredibly difficult to describe them without making it seem silly. (Unless your character is a mermaid / has a tail that’s used for swimming; in that case, it’s reasonable, which is exactly what you want- for it to be reasonable).

If your fantasy species/character has a tail, make sure that it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, because otherwise you risk your readers finding it ridiculous, especially if the tail is just used for comic relief like annoying other characters (I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take out the tail if it’s used for comic relief, I’m just saying if that’s the only thing that the tail does, you might want to reconsider giving your character one). 

Things that your character’s tail can be used for:

Balance

Battle

Holding things

It’s relevant to the creature that your character is (aka a dragon or something)

Portraying emotion

Swimming

2. Know That There Are Many Kinds Of Tails and They All Serve a Different Purpose

We seem to be one of the few animals that lack a tail. All animals have it, and therefore that means there are plenty of kinds of tails for you to choose from, both real and imaginary. Here’s a list:

Bird

Bovine (Cow / Ox / Wildebeest / etc.)

Canine (Wolf / Dog / Dingo / etc.)

Cervine (Deer / Elk / Caribou / etc.)

Equine (Horse / Pony)

Feline (Housecat / Tiger / Lion / etc.)

Mermaid/man

Monkey

Rat / Mouse

Reptilian (Dragon / Iguana / etc.)

Plus many more!

3. Unless it’s Magic, Your Character’s Tail Has Limits; DO RESEARCH

Unless specified, your character’s tail can’t do loop-de-loops and stretch to crazy lengths or whatnot.

Some tails are powerful and muscular, capable of doing some hefty destruction (aka Reptilian and Mermaid) and others are dainty and delicate, more of a nuisance in battle than an actual weapon (Feline).

Like I said, tails have different jobs, and if you have a dog tail doing a monkey tail’s job, you’re gonna have some serious backlash from the readers, who will either critique harshly or simply stop reading altogether, and that’s the LAST thing you want.

If after this you don’t heed my warning and DO YOUR RESEARCH PLEASE!, I can guarantee that your readers will not be a fan of your character’s tail, even if you think you know everything there is to know about it.

3. Unless It’s a Mermaid, the Tail Shouldn’t Be the Only Trait That Your Character Has If They’re a Part of a Fictional Species

“Oh yeah, I’m a dragon but the only thing I have is this tail.”

“Lit.”

“Yeah, just like your home with your family in it rn.”

If you’re writing about a fictional species, as a reader I am begging you not to just put the tail as a defining feature. Otherwise, your creature is gonna feel pretty lame.

Dragon?

Add horns and/ or wings! (See my incredibly popular post about writing characters with wings here)

Perhaps maybe scales on the backs of the hands/ cheekbones / down the spine!

Werewolf?

Add fangs or fur in various places!

Werecat?

What about various fur patterns like stripes or spots on parts of the body?

(See my popular post about shape-shifters here)

Monkey creature?

How about fur on parts of the body like with the werewolf?

And so on. It’s not necessary, but it’s recommended if your character with a tail is a part of a species, just to spice it up a bit!

4. Please Be Professional

This is just for the people writing professionally, as well as for people who want to write serious fanfiction.

Like I said, tails are risky business. One wrong move and your story can seem like a nine-year-old’s first furry yaoi fanfic, and unless that’s what you’re going for, I suggest you listen to what I’m about to tell you:

!!!!!****SHOW, DO NOT TELL*****!!!!!

Yes, I know you hear this all the time;

The writing advice community shoves it in your face whenever they possibly can, but with tails, this is a necessity. It will make or break your novel/fic/story/etc.

“Her cat tail fluffed up in surprise”

The above sentence should not exist.

I don’t mean to be harsh, and you may feel bad if you’ve written like this (I admit I’ve written like this myself!), but that sentence sounds very unprofessional, and many readers will close the tab/ the book as soon as they read it.

You need to introduce your character’s tail by means of describing it. Unlike with wings, you can’t just say “cat tail” and be done with it. It doesn’t sound like professional work, which is what you probably want to write.

This is COMPLETELY a matter of opinion, and I’m just saying what I as a reader and a writer believe. Some people have different tastes, and that’s ok!

Here’s how you should introduce your character’s tail:

Instead of:

“Her cat tail fluffed up in surprise.”

It could be:

“Her eyes widened, and he caught a glimpse of movement behind her. Fearing it was one of those creatures from before, his hand flew to his gun, only to find a/n [adjective] tail curling around her leg.”

I know that writing is subjective, but doesn’t that second description sound a whole lot better?

I don’t know about you, but in my opinion I’d rather be presenting my readers with the second description than with the first.

(Granted, I did add a few details, but that’s what has to be the case. Besides, it boosts your word count!)

5. Do Not Ignore Your Character’s Tails!

(Honestly I’m just copying and pasting parts of this section from my wing post because it’s the exact same thing and just as important)

Tails are a 100% real, 24/7 thing! It’s bothersome when writers mention the tail in one chapter and then only bring it up for comic relief or to knock something over and block the bad guys! Most of the time, I forget that the characters even have a tail at all!

Here are some pros of having a tail (these are also things you can use for description)

Bludgeon enemies (if they’re bulky)

Balance

Convey emotion

Use for swimming (mermaid tails)

Intimidation

Knocking things over to block enemies

Cause general havoc (pranks)

There is also the fact that tails have many cons, even more so then they have pros!

They knock things over

They can get stepped on

They can get grabbed in battle

Unless they’re bulky or can grab things like monkey tails, they are useless against enemies

They can get caught in things

They can annoy other characters

Your character’s tail is an extra appendage; it’s a part of your character! You don’t have to spend every second reminding the readers that it’s there, but don’t go long stretches of time without even mentioning it.

6. Tails Can Convey Emotions, Too!

When cats are angry, their tails lash back and forth.

When dogs are happy, their tails wag.

When cats are surprised, their tails fluff up.

Like with the showing and not telling, this tip can boost your word count 100000% and can pack that little extra punch to make your readers more enthusiastic about your writing.

Here are some things your character’s tails can do:

Happy

Curl

Wave

Wag

Nervous

Curl around character’s leg

Fluff up

Fidget

Tuck between the legs

Angry

Lash back and forth

Bristle

Fluff up

Smack

During Battle

Knock people’s feet out from under them

Bludgeon (it probably won’t will but it sure will leave a hell of a bruise if the tail is muscular enough)

Distract enemies

Sexytimes

;)

There are more, but I can’t think of them off the top of my head.

Hope this helped!

[aspiringauthorblog-blog]

Writing Romance is Easy...

...so long as it is a subplot, and not the main story.