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authoraspects · 2 months
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Some of my favorite words and phrases to describe a character in pain
coiling (up in a ball, in on themselves, against something, etc)
panting (there’s a slew of adjectives you can put after this, my favorites are shakily, weakly, etc)
keeling over (synonyms are words like collapsing, which is equally as good but overused in media)
trembling/shivering (additional adjectives could be violently, uncontrollably, etc)
sobbing (weeping is a synonym but i’ve never liked that word. also love using sob by itself, as a noun, like “he let out a quiet sob”)
whimpering (love hitting the wips with this word when a character is weak, especially when the pain is subsiding. also love using it for nightmares/attacks and things like that)
clinging (to someone or something, maybe even to themselves or their own clothes)
writhing/thrashing (maybe someone’s holding them down, or maybe they’re in bed alone)
crying (not actual tears. cry as in a shrill, sudden shout)
dazed (usually after the pain has subsided, or when adrenaline is still flowing)
wincing (probably overused but i love this word. synonym could be grimacing)
doubling-over (kinda close to keeling over but they don’t actually hit the ground, just kinda fold in on themselves)
heaving (i like to use it for describing the way someone’s breathing, ex. “heaving breaths” but can also be used for the nasty stuff like dry heaving or vomiting)
gasping/sucking/drawing in a breath (or any other words and phrases that mean a sharp intake of breath, that shite is gold)
murmuring/muttering/whispering (or other quiet forms of speaking after enduring intense pain)
hiccuping/spluttering/sniffling (words that generally imply crying without saying crying. the word crying is used so much it kinda loses its appeal, that’s why i like to mix other words like these in)
stuttering (or other general terms that show an impaired ability to speak — when someone’s in intense pain, it gets hard to talk)
staggering/stumbling (there is a difference between pain that makes you not want to stand, and pain that makes it impossible to stand. explore that!)
recoiling/shrinking away (from either the threat or someone trying to help)
pleading/begging (again, to the threat, someone trying to help, or just begging the pain to stop)
Feel free to add your favorites or most used in the comments/reblogs!
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authoraspects · 3 months
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things people do after having a nightmare that isn’t crying
struggle to catch their breath
grab onto whatever’s close enough to ground themselves in reality
become nauseous / vomit
shake uncontrollably
sweat buckets
get a headache
things people do to combat having nightmares if they occur commonly
sleep near other people so they can hear the idle sounds of them completing tasks
move to a different sleeping spot than where they had the nightmare
leave tvs / radios / phones on with noise
just not sleep (if you want to go the insomnia route)
sleep during the day in bright rooms
things people with insomnia do
first, obviously, their ability to remember things and their coordination will go out the window
its likely they’ll become irritable or overly emotional
their body will start to ache, shake, and weaken
hallucinate if it’s been long enough
it becomes incredibly easy for them to get sick (and they probably will)
add your own in reblogs/comments!
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authoraspects · 5 months
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Writing 101: Homeless or Previously Homeless Characters
aka me doing research for you!
TW: homelessness, sickness, the like
So you’ve decided you want a homeless or previously homeless character in your story. We’ve all been there. I’m currently there at this present moment, hence why I’ve gathered the information I’m word vomiting to you all. This is going to be aimed more toward child or teenaged characters, since that seems to be the most popular archetype. These can also be applied to an adult but will be slightly altered.
the most common stereotypes surrounding homelessness are:
Homeless kid/teen gets taken in by Big Rich Guy™︎ See: Jason Todd (Batman)
Kid/teen has run away and is ruthlessly avoiding cops/foster care, therefore, temporarily homeless. See: Billy Batson (Shazam, 2019)
There’s a reason these are so popular: because they’re good. But, you can’t just slap a youngster on the city streets, have them taken in, and show them living a normal life. Homelessness takes a toll on a person and makes them grow up much, much faster. Let’s talk about the things that separate these individuals from typical children, and how you can show them in writing. (These can be altered to fit the personality of your character).
1) Homeless young people will not trust you no matter what you do. It will take a long time and a lot of bonding to build trust with a homeless kid, even if you take them in. Depending on what city or town they live in, and why they’re homeless in the first place, they could’ve had to deal with defending themselves from people trying to rob, take advantage of, hurt, or even kidnap them. Or, if they’re running from the cops, they might’ve been tricked by an undercover cop trying to coax them to the station, or just plain traumatized by having cops and cruisers searching for them. If they’re homeless because they ran away, it could be abuse. All in all, trust is so incredibly hard to come by in these kiddos. They might run from you. They might try and fight you. They might hide from you. They might be scared absolutely shiteless of you even though you haven’t done anything wrong, and that’s just how it is. Even if you manage to get them into your house, they can and will bolt if you scare them and that instinct is gonna stand for a while.
how you can show it:
moving away from people
body language and positions that indicate they’re ready to run
hiding
taking a defensive posture when approached
or just attacking
going nonverbal
threats
“don’t touch me,”
“leave me alone,”
“just go away!”
2) They will not seek out help. They’ve been dealing with everything themselves, so they believe they can do it alone. Vulnerability out on the streets is a good way to get killed or taken advantage of, so it’s likely they won’t even think about it. If they’re sick, they’ll deal with it alone. If they’re hurt, they’ll deal with it alone. If they had a nightmare, they’ll deal with it alone because they always have, or they think it’s safer if they do. It’s similar to the way an animal hides weakness until it’s absolutely impossible: because they need to to survive. If they show they’re weak, they’ll die, and that’s just that. Imagine being sick while living on the streets. Going to a doctor will get you better, yes, but handed over to child services. Going to a stranger could get you killed, kidnapped, handed to the feds or so on. It just isn’t safe to rely on anyone else. At the very least it just makes them a burden to others, and it will take them a long time to un-learn that.
how you can show it:
finding them curled up in the bathroom floor because they’ve been sick all night but didn’t tell anyone
falling asleep during the day because they’ve had nightmares at night
being extremely apologetic when they get help
or extremely snappy and refusing to let anyone help
“i can do it myself!”
“i don’t need your help!”
“i’m fine!”
“i’m sorry. i’m so sorry i’ll clean it up i promise,”
“i didn’t mean to bother you i swear,”
“i’m taking care of it, i can handle it,”
3) These guys have fight or flight like a wild animal. All their senses are more acute. They’re always ready to bolt. The moment they’re in a room they’re cataloguing possible exits, entries people could use, things they could improvise as a weapon if they have to. They’re scared and they want to get back to where they’re comfortable. Which is not usually an enclosed room where people can get to them. They can smell danger and the moment they do, they’re out of there. Chances are, they’ve learned all of this stuff the hard way.
how you can show it:
noting how their eyes seem to catch on things like windows, doors, crowbars, etc
watching closely for people’s expressions or attitudes to change
restless in enclosed spaces with others
always sitting or wanting to be near a door
getting anxious behind locked doors
eyeballing hiding spots
perking up at noises around the house that other people probably wouldn’t mind
“are you mad?”
“was that the front door?”
4) These kiddos will have different fears and anxieties than normal. They won’t be scared of the monster under the bed. They may be scared when the leaves start to change because they know it’s about to get really cold and they almost froze to death last time that happened. They might be nervous when the spring turns to summer because they’re prone to overheating and dehydration. They might be afraid of not emptying their plate because they don’t know when they’ll have more food. They might be scared of getting sick because then they’re weak and their judgement is skewed and it’s too easy for someone to manipulate them. They might be scared of the people because they were previously put into an abusive foster home. They might be scared of certain days, like Halloween or full moons, when the loonies come out and prey even harder on children. The possibilities are endless.
how you can show it:
eating everything offered to them, even if it makes them feel sick
hiding when they’re hurt or sick so people can’t talk to them
hesitant to go outside during winter/summer/on certain days/to certain places
flinching in response to touch, or just someone approaching
crying when they think they’re in trouble
or just shutting down
excessive apologizing
“i hate the cold. just makes you sick,”
“don’t talk to me,”
“i’m sorry, i’m sorry, that was so stupid…”
5) They might not be grateful for what is given to them, if you’re going the whole “taken in” route. They’re going to be suspicious and wary. Or they may be absolutely stunned and confused. It’s not what they’re used to, it’s not what they feel safe in, and it’s strange and unsettling for them.
how you can show it:
sleeping in the floor in the corner of the room where they can see everything instead of the queen bed that faces away from the door
sleeping in weird freaking places, like closets, wardrobes, under the bed, anywhere where they think they are safest
wary to accept gifts or just items they need
nervous that they are being manipulated
“why are you giving me this?”
“i like it better when i can see everything,”
“are you trying to trick me?”
Feel free to add on!!!!
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authoraspects · 6 months
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public libraries in the usa offering free digital library cards to people not in their areas (as of october 2023):
brooklyn (13-21yo us residents)
seattle (13-26yo us residents)
boston (13-26yo us residents)
los angeles (13-18yo california residents)
san diego (12-26yo us residents, not the whole collection just commonly banned books)
these cards (part of the books unbanned initiative) get you access to each library's complete libby/overdrive collection (unless otherwise mentioned), no hoopla/kanopy/physical copies included.
ebook collections are expensive to maintain (many american libraries have annual fees for non-residents because of this) but because of an uptick in book banning (particularly brutal in mississippi last summer) larger libraries have opened their doors more, which is very kind of them!
i've used my seattle card for the last several months and their libby collection has about three times the books that my local library does, which is wonderful for accessing more niche titles or skipping a waiting list. would love to hear of similar ebook initiatives internationally!
i use library extension (firefox/safari/chrome compatible) to check all my collections (+ the internet archive) at once, works for several different countries highly recommend it.
spotify seems to be offering 15hrs/month of audiobook listening to premium subscribers and while that does seem useful if you're already paying and are after a new release with a long library waitlist, libraries are better for everything else.
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authoraspects · 1 year
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please help me cremate my mother
hi everyone, this is a very difficult post to make. early in the morning on april 9th, my mother was pronounced dead at the hospital after being brought by ambulance. it was a very sudden and unexpected death, and as her only living next of kin, i'm responsible for everything after her death. there is no other family, only me. there is no one else to ask for help from.
i've called several funeral homes asking for their most basic procedures & if they have financing options. nearly all wanted payment up front, and the one that did offer financing i was not eligible for. loans are not an option either; i'm on disability and my income is limited.
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this is the cheapest option i could find, $1290.60 cad after taxes. as i mentioned, i live on disability benefits and this is more than i could ever afford on my own. it's a huge amount, but i don't feel like i have any other options.
if you can't assist, please boost. thank you for reading
$0 / $1290.60
paypal
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authoraspects · 1 year
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authoraspects · 1 year
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How To Write And Research Mental Illnesses 
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Mental illnesses are a large aspect of literature often incorporated into various different genres. However, even with their prevalence, many authors are often unaware of how to write about mental illnesses accurately. If you’re an author writing a character with a mental illness, here are some tips on how to write with mental illnesses. 
Don’t ‘Self Diagnose’ Your Characters 
When writing about mental illnesses it’s important to consider whether or not your character would realistically have this mental illness given their situation and story. Many authors often ‘self diagnose’ their characters without actually taking the time to research these illnesses and figure out whether their character would develop this illness if they were a real person. 
I say ‘self diagnose’ because as authors we generally do diagnose our characters based on our own interpretations and plans for them and their story, without looking to real people with these illnesses. 
Just because your character is going through an unproductive slump doesn’t mean they they are depressed. Just because your character is nervous and experiencing stage fright doesn’t mean they have anxiety. 
Take the time to look into these mental illnesses and genuinely consider whether or not your character has a mental illness, or if you’re just self diagnosing and wrongly labelling them. 
Do Your Research 
Whenever I blog about such sensitive topics, I always find myself ultimately mentioning this one point. This is because even with so many resources available to us both online and offline, writers still choose to be blissfully unaware of sensitive topics mentioned in their WIPs or stories. 
I sincerely cannot stress how important it is for a writer to do their due diligence and research the topics they write for, especially if it is something as sensitive as mental illnesses. 
Once you have established that your character would realistically develop or undergo a mental illness given the situation they are in, it is now time to research what exactly they would go through. 
A simple google search can tell you everything you need to know about your character’s mental illness. Or, you could reach out to people you know who suffer from the same illness and ask them questions about it. 
Researching your character’s mental illness helps ensure you don’t accidentally misrepresent that illness or create symptoms that are inaccurate and insulting to people who do suffer from that mental illness. It will also provide you with a sense of ease as an author, and allow you to work on your WIP without having to worry about accidentally offending an entire community. 
Remember The Three Ss
One of the biggest challenges writers face with writing with mental illnesses is unrealistic representation. Unsure where to start with your research? Here is a simple guide for you to keep in mind. 
When writing about mental illnesses, you need to recall the three Ss: 
Symptoms 
Side effects 
Stages 
Symptoms 
Every illness or disease has its own symptoms, the same applies to mental illnesses. When writing about a character with mental illnesses, you need to take the time to research the symptoms of this illness and how these symptoms can impact your character on a day-to-day and general level. 
For example, a character with PTSD would face trouble sleeping and concentrating, would be irritable, angry and face overwhelming guilt or shame. These symptoms can all make it hard for a person to excel at school or the workplace and can lead to delayed deadlines, unfinished work, and a lot of stress and anxious thinking. 
A character with PTSD would likely not be able to handle being at the top of their class, unless they completely engross themselves in their studies to the point where they can’t think of anything except that. However, if that were the case then they would find it very hard to handle ‘normal’ situations and wouldn’t be getting a lot of sleep. 
Side Effects 
A side effect is a temporary and commonly unwanted effect of a drug or medical condition. Unlike a symptom, a side effect can be harmful or beneficial and most go away on their own over time. 
They wouldn’t be considered as ‘serious’ as a symptom, however, they can still significantly impact your character, their story, and their dynamics with the characters they interact with. 
Following the above example, a character with PTSD would generally suffer from an inability to develop or maintain positive, healthy interpersonal relationships and an inability to trust others. They also often face side effects such as social isolation, chronic feelings of fear, etc. 
These are all side effects that would make it hard for a character with PTSD to maintain emotional relationships. You can use this to portray their sudden lack of connection with friends and family, and how they find themselves only associating with people who have either been through or understand their situation. 
Stages 
A person with cancer, or other such physical illnesses, doesn’t suddenly hit a chronic level overnight. The same logic applies to mental illnesses. Mental illnesses don’t just develop overnight. Your character won’t suddenly wake up one day in chapter ten and have a full-blown panic attack because they developed a panic disorder. 
Yes, people can face symptoms or side effects pertaining to a mental illness after facing a traumatic event. However, when writing about such events, it’s very important to do your research and consider whether or not a person would realistically undergo such serious symptoms in such a small timeframe given the circumstances. 
Outside of incidents that are a direct result of a traumatic event, it’s important to consider the stages your character would experience as a result of their mental illness. 
For example, a person with PTSD goes through five stages, the first being the impact or emergency stage, during which they struggle to process or deal with the situation they have gone through. Then comes the denial or numbing stage. 
Following the above example, a numbing stage would be akin to when a character pretends the traumatic event never occurred and throws themselves into their work or school. Then comes a rescue stage, which would be when other characters begin to intervene or when the character comes to terms with the events and starts to better themselves. 
Knowing the stages of your character’s mental illness allows you to accurately plan out what happens in your story and create a realistic portrayal of their suffrage. It also helps flesh out your story for your readers and allows you to seamlessly incorporate your character’s illness into the story. 
Don’t Define Them By Their Mental Illness
Now that you have a general idea of how to write and research mental illnesses, I would like to end this blog post with a small reminder. People with mental illnesses are human. They have personalities, hobbies, likes, dislikes, and other such traits that often have nothing to do with their mental illness. 
When writing with a mental illness, it’s important to take this into account and ensure you don’t constantly define your character by their mental illness, or even worse, reduce them to their mental illness. 
I hope this blog on how to write and research mental illnesses will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 
Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and marketing tools for authors every Monday and Thursday. 
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authoraspects · 1 year
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Did I daydream this, or was there a website for writers with like. A ridiculous quantity of descriptive aid. Like I remember clicking on " inside a cinema " or something like that. Then, BAM. Here's a list of smell and sounds. I can't remember it for the life of me, but if someone else can, help a bitch out <3
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authoraspects · 1 year
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How to Brain Storm Ideas 💡
I’m not going to share the common tips you find online. I’m going to share a top-secret tip that I learned from creative writing class. Well, it’s not really top secret but I like the way it sounds :)
Let’s get started!
What if…
Suppose…
Why?
You’re probably wondering what kind of tip this is. I don’t blame you. Let me explain by filling in the blanks.
What if a high schooler goes missing?
Suppose they show up 10 years later at their high school.
Why?
You got it! Ask yourself these 3 questions anytime you’re bored with you’re current WIP or need to brainstorm. I find this EXTREMELY helpful.
Thank you creative writing class!!! ❤️
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authoraspects · 2 years
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Rats❤️
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authoraspects · 2 years
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WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}
E.A. Deverell - FREE worksheets (characters, world building, narrator, etc.) and paid courses;
Hiveword - Helps to research any topic to write about (has other resources, too);
BetaBooks - Share your draft with your beta reader (can be more than one), and see where they stopped reading, their comments, etc.;
Charlotte Dillon - Research links;
Writing realistic injuries - The title is pretty self-explanatory: while writing about an injury, take a look at this useful website;
One Stop for Writers - You guys... this website has literally everything we need: a) Description thesaurus collection, b) Character builder, c) Story maps, d) Scene maps & timelines, e) World building surveys, f) Worksheets, f) Tutorials, and much more! Although it has a paid plan ($90/year | $50/6 months | $9/month), you can still get a 2-week FREE trial;
One Stop for Writers Roadmap - It has many tips for you, divided into three different topics: a) How to plan a story, b) How to write a story, c) How to revise a story. The best thing about this? It's FREE!
Story Structure Database - The Story Structure Database is an archive of books and movies, recording all their major plot points;
National Centre for Writing - FREE worksheets and writing courses. Has also paid courses;
Penguin Random House - Has some writing contests and great opportunities;
Crime Reads - Get inspired before writing a crime scene;
The Creative Academy for Writers - "Writers helping writers along every step of the path to publication." It's FREE and has ZOOM writing rooms;
Reedsy - "A trusted place to learn how to successfully publish your book" It has many tips, and tools (generators), contests, prompts lists, etc. FREE;
QueryTracker - Find agents for your books (personally, I've never used this before, but I thought I should feature it here);
Pacemaker - Track your goals (example: Write 50K words - then, everytime you write, you track the number of the words, and it will make a graphic for you with your progress). It's FREE but has a paid plan;
Save the Cat! - The blog of the most known storytelling method. You can find posts, sheets, a software (student discount - 70%), and other things;
I hope this is helpful for you!
(Also, check my blog if you want to!)
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authoraspects · 3 years
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CHARACTER FACIAL EXPRESSIONS (WRITING REFERENCE)
EYES/BROWS
his eyes widened
her eyes went round
her eyelids drooped
his eyes narrowed
his eyes lit up
his eyes darted
he squinted
she blinked
her eyes twinkled
his eyes gleamed
her eyes sparkled
his eyes flashed
his eyes glinted
his eyes burned with…
her eyes blazed with…
her eyes sparked with…
her eyes flickered with…
_____ glowed in his eyes
the corners of his eyes crinkled
she rolled her eyes
he looked heavenward
she glanced up to the ceiling
she winked
tears filled her eyes
his eyes welled up
her eyes swam with tears
his eyes flooded with tears
her eyes were wet
his eyes glistened
tears shimmered in her eyes
tears shone in his eyes
her eyes were glossy
he was fighting back tears
tears ran down her cheeks
his eyes closed
she squeezed her eyes shut
he shut his eyes
his lashes fluttered
she batted her lashes
his brows knitted
her forehead creased
his forehead furrowed
her forehead puckered
a line appeared between her brows
his brows drew together
her brows snapped together
his eyebrows rose
she raised a brow
he lifted an eyebrow
his eyebrows waggled
she gave him a once-over
he sized her up
her eyes bored into him
she took in the sight of…
he glared
she peered
he gazed
she glanced
he stared
she scrutinized
he studied
she gaped
he observed
she surveyed
he gawked
he leered
his pupils (were) dilated
her pupils were huge
his pupils flared
NOSE
her nose crinkled
his nose wrinkled
she sneered
his nostrils flared
she stuck her nose in the air
he sniffed
she sniffled
MOUTH
she smiled
he smirked
she grinned
he simpered
she beamed
her mouth curved into a smile
the corners of his mouth turned up
the corner of her mouth quirked up
a corner of his mouth lifted
his mouth twitched
he gave a half-smile
she gave a lopsided grin
his mouth twisted
he plastered a smile on his face
she forced a smile
he faked a smile
her smile faded
his smile slipped
he pursed his lips
she pouted
his mouth snapped shut
her mouth set in a hard line
he pressed his lips together
she bit her lip
he drew his lower lip between his teeth
she nibbled on her bottom lip
he chewed on his bottom lip
his jaw set
her jaw clenched
his jaw tightened
a muscle in her jaw twitched
he ground his jaw
he snarled/his lips drew back in a snarl
her mouth fell open
his jaw dropped
her jaw went slack
he gritted his teeth
she gnashed her teeth
her lower lip trembled
his lower lip quivered
SKIN
she paled
he blanched
she went white
the color drained out of his face
his face reddened
her cheeks turned pink
his face flushed
she blushed
he turned red
she turned scarlet
he turned crimson
a flush crept up her face
WHOLE FACE, ETC.
he screwed up his face
she scrunched up her face
he grimaced
she winced
she gave him a dirty look
he frowned
she scowled
he glowered
her whole face lit up
she brightened
his face went blank
her face contorted
his face twisted
her expression closed up
his expression dulled
her expression hardened
she went poker-faced
a vein popped out in his neck
awe transformed his face
fear crossed her face
sadness clouded his features
terror overtook his face
recognition dawned on her face
SOURCE
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authoraspects · 3 years
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This is how I feel when I let my aunt or my friends read my writing
Showing ppl your writing is such a different, more nerve-wracking experience than showing ppl things you’ve drawn bc you have to wait for them to finish reading it and you’re both just sitting there like
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authoraspects · 3 years
Text
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authoraspects · 3 years
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I’ve started working on a floor plan for one and my wips and I didn’t realize how hard it is. I’m only on the first floor and I’m not even finished, I still have two more floors to do.
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This is all that I have so far
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authoraspects · 3 years
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The town of Franklin is known for its sunny skies and the way each family spoke of the American Dream. If you asked a local how they felt about the town all you would get is commercial-style smiles and cheerful talk about ‘the wonderful neighborhood.’ It’s your average American town of barbecues, tourists, and weekend football games. It was normal and cheery, the entire reason why all the townsfolk loved living there was for one simple thing.
Everyone was the same.
That is, until the Finchs moved in.
It was a Sunday morning towards the end of summer. Fall was just around the corner which meant the school year would begin soon. The days were getting shorter and the air was cooler. There was a slight commotion amongst the town. A moving truck was seen driving up the hill to the old Finch Manor. People were wondering who had finally bought the place. Richard Smith is a very rich man who tried his very best to buy the manor. He said he wanted to ‘mow the old thing down and build something nice, like a golf course or a country club.’ Every time he tried to buy the place he increased the amount of money he was offering. Everyone in town was wondering if he had finally done it. At a local salon gossip between the neighborhood ladies was ensuing.
“I’m telling you Christine he’s finally done it!” One of the women getting her hair done was speaking enthusiastically. “That Smith has finally bought that old place.
“Well I don’t believe that at all.” Christine, the person doing the woman’s hair said.
“Oh, well you’re just a doubter. Kathy believes me.” The woman turned to look at the girl who was sweeping hair off the floor. “Don’t you Kathy?”
The girl hesitantly spoke. “Uh, my name is Kacey, and I agree more with my boss.”
The woman turned her head back and huffed. “Hmph, whatever you’re both doubters then, but I’m not I just know he finally bought that old thing.”
“Come on,” Christine sighed. “Think about it, this guy has been trying to get that place for years now and all of the sudden he’s finally able to do it. It just doesn’t seem likely to me.”
The woman getting her hair done was about to say something in return but was interrupted.
“Hey,” Kacey was peering out the window at the front of the salon. “Did someone die?”
What?” Christine was alarmed by her question. She and a few others quickly joined Kacey by the window.
They made it just in time to see a black hearse drive by. They watched as it went down the street and climbed up the hill to the old manor.
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authoraspects · 3 years
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