bebecdevil

[bebecdevil]

my @dailylucifernetflix secret satan pinch hit for @bebecdevil ! I hope you enjoy!!

Title: Unstable Unicorns

Rating: Gen

Warning(s): No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: Gen

Fandom(s): Lucifer (TV)

Relationship(s): Lucifer Morningstar & Trixie Espinoza, Dan Espinoza & Lucifer Morningstar, Dan Espinoza & Trixie Espinoza

Character(s): Lucifer Morningstar, Trixie Espinoza, Trixie Espinoza, Dan Espinoza

Add’l Tags: Fluff, Post-Devil Face Reveal to Dan Espinoza, Family Bonding

Summary:

It’s Thursday afternoon, which means Dan and Trixie have a rematch of Unstable Unicorns (8-0, Trixie). This time, Trixie wants to up the challenge: see if her dad can win with the devil by his side.

Word Count: 891

Published: 12/30/2021

Status: One-Shot

[bebecdevil]

fandom end of year asks

favourite fandom you joined this year

favourite fic of the year 

favourite fanart of the year

favourite fanvid of the year

favourite mood board of the year

favourite playlist of the year

favourite podfic of the year

favourite author of the year

favourite creator of the year

favourite blog of the year

favourite OC you met this year

longest fic you read this year

shortest fic you read this year

best fixit you read this year

favourite headcanon of the year

best BTS (behind the scenes) moment of the year

WIP you hope gets updated next year

fandom you plan to join next year

fic you plan to read next year

favourite character of the year

favourite ship of the year

tags you used most this year

tags you searched most this year

best episode you watched this year

best movie you watched this year

best song you listened to this year

best fandom moment of the year

best fandom meme of the year

fandom “first” you accomplished this year

fandom resolution for next year

[bebecdevil]

Merry Christmas & Secret Santa @a-timeless-love 🎀🎄🎁 'Hope you' ll like it 😁🎅

[bebecdevil]

How to get over writer's block

So you’re sitting here on Tumblr with a blank document in the background, hoping that this app will give you the inspiration you need to start writing. Head’s up: it probably won’t, but it did give you this post!

Whether you’ve started your story and are stuck on a chapter, or haven’t got a single idea, these tips might help you!

1 - You’ve got ideas, you’ve got a plot, and maybe you have a couple of scenes already—yet you've come to a dead-end.

As writers, we have the awareness at all times that other people will read our work, and for many—particularly new writers—this can cause a lot of intimidation.

If you’re struggling with what words to write, how to phrase your thoughts, and if you’re constantly erasing what you’ve written, this is probably your problem.

How to get over it: this is the hardest block to overcome because it’s completely internal. We hear it from famous author’s all of the time: "The secret to overcome writer’s block is just to write"—this is where that applies. You have the material you need to write your scene, so really, the only thing blocking you is you.

Remember, this is a first draft—no one but you will see it. These sentences you keep erasing are better than nothing and as a writer, you have the skill to fix them. As uncomfortable and unhelpful-sounding as it is, you just need to get the words out. Write absolute nonsense if you must, you can fix it after, because writing nonsense sparks better ideas.

Another issue here is encountering a scene that you’re struggling to write.

I'll be honest, giving up is the best option.

Forget about writing the scene the way you’ve been trying to write it, and k*ll that one sentence you’ve been trying to fit in somewhere—it’s holding you back. Instead, try writing your scene differently.

Change the POV, change the time of day, the weather; change the tone; change the characters’ moods. Filter what the message of the scene is, and find a different way to convey it.

If you’re stubborn and really want to use the scene that you’ve been constantly back-tracking on (we’ve all been there), try these 3 different ways to start it: narration, dialogue, description.

2 - You’ve got ideas, you’ve got a plot, and you’ve not started.

This problem goes hand in hand with the previous one, only you’re stuck on the first scene of the first chapter. How should you start your story?

There are many ways to write a book and not everything works for everyone, but this tip will give you the foundation you need to start.

Find your focus.

Sort through all of the information you want to give the reader at the beginning of the story, and pick the element that’ll make them want to read to chapter two. Which part of your story is the most unique and special? Do the characters stand out, is there an event happening? Is the place strange?

Choose one focus and push that forward in the first chapter.

If the focus is a character, put them in a situation where their personality will shine the most; if the focus is an event, use each character, object or element to emerge the reader in it. If you have an interesting location, work that into chapter one.

There are many writing techniques you can use to start a first chapter, one of which is choosing a focus, so I’ll make a post on it soon that highlights what these techniques are and how to use them correctly!

3 - You’ve got an empty head and no ideas what-so-ever.

Ah yes, the nagging urge to write but no inspiration. You’ve listened to music, you’ve look at prompts, and your head is still as empty as a balloon.

To write, you need material to work with. Don’t try to come up with a whole story all at one, you most likely won’t get anywhere. Start small!

Create a character.

What is your favourite time period? What’s your favourite age for a character? What traits do you want to give them? Give them unique and special features that will make them more real to you. Give them scars—where did they come from? Give them a wild fashion sense. Give them a hatred for chipmunks. Create a character that you know enough about to have a world build itself around them.

Start with the generic features of that character like gender, age, race; and hone in on the smaller details like their preferred way to sit.

Choose a genre.

This seems so obvious but it’s something many of us don’t actually think about. What kind of story do you want to write? What could you create that you’ve not seen anywhere else? Do you like Ghosts? Kissing? Lesbians? Write a a story with all three! Why not put the lesbians in an Edwardian house owned by a rich banker from Dorset? We write because we enjoy it. Remember that. Take what you love and turn it into a story.

I hope these tips helped you!

[bebecdevil]

How to write kids, if you don't remember being one or haven't lived with any

1. Kids never feel as small as you see them. A three year old thinks a one year old is a baby and a six year old is grown up. A six year old thinks a three year old is a baby and a twelve year old is an adult. Age is about perspective. One year is a huge age difference to a little kid.

2. Little kids might not be conscious of their physical limitations, but they can still be frustrated by them. A seven year old might see an adult do something relatively simple, like draw a straight line or perfectly crack an egg, and try to do the same thing, only to be frustrated when it doesn't work.

Imagine suddenly having an injury that makes a skill you use every day become difficult- you feel you should be able to do the thing, and you understand the thing should be easy for you, but it isn't. It can be immensely frustrating to have a brain that grasps a concept that language or fine motor skills haven't caught up to.

3. You know when you forget a word, and have to make something up on the fly to describe the word? That's pretty much exactly what learning your first language is like.

You know what you intend, but you don't have a way to express it, and it can move you to tears with frustration when everyone around you is suggesting the wrong thing, or seems completely certain they understand what you mean, and they don't.

You don't have a word for "Later"? You might try saying "next time", or, "after", or, "before tomorrow".

This might result in saying, "Are we going to the park next time?", "Are we going to the park before tomorrow?", or, "Are we going to the park after?", all of which can result in different answers.

4. Kids feel like adults are a different species. They don't get why we do certain things, and they don't understand why we don't want to run around with them all the time.

If sitting still is boring, coffee tastes bitter, and long conversations only happen with weird-smelling strangers who talk to them like they're stupid, then they truly will not understand why anyone would *want* to be left to have coffee with a friend without welcome distractions to make it bearable.

Aren't you bored? You aren't doing anything. How could you possibly be stimulated without any food or toys or music or anything? Why don't you just leave? Do you *have* to be there, the way you had to go to work? Adults are weird.

5. Children have complex social relationships that are just as varied as yours.

A room full of third graders might look like indiscriminate chaos to an adult, but pick a well connected kid, and they'll tell you that Megan is the fashion icon who can do hair really well, Thomas is the athlete, Gray gets mean when he has to share so nobody wants to play with him, Paisley can't read and the boys make fun of her for it so don't make her work in a group with Anthony, Dillon put a bug in their food once so they'll never trust him again, and Matthew's parents let him watch family guy so he says bad words and makes grown-up jokes that make other kids uncomfortable.

You don't see this stuff because you aren't inside the society. They are, and they do.

6. Time. Moves. So. Slow. Five minutes really does feel like half an hour. Sit still for five minutes? That's like you sitting in a waiting room at the DMV for an hour. Wouldn't you get annoyed and impatient? They haven't learned to hide their irritation yet. That's really the only difference.

7. "Reading in your head" requires understanding that you have a Voice, which people can hear, and Thoughts, which are audible only to yourself. This can be a difficult concept to grasp. If a kid is reading out loud, and you tell them to read quietly, there's a good chance they're going to whisper or mouth the words instead of going totally silent the way you might. Splitting the self into multiples like "Internal monologue VS public perception" or "What I look like VS how I think I look" is alien and bizarre. If a kid thinks they look like a Dragon and you laugh at them? Ouch. They might be mad for a while.

8. Repetitive chores make no sense when your awareness of time doesn't extend beyond a week or so. Why should I wash my blankets? They don't look dirty and I don't smell anything bad. Blankets don't get dirty unless you put dirt on them. If you put a blanket in a washer, you can't use that blanket AT ALL the ENTIRE TIME it's being cleaned. That might be an hour, but it will *feel* like a week. And you have to do that every two weeks?? That's overkill. Why even bother?

9. Kids have opinions about adults. They will have a sense about whether an adult is "real-kind" or "fake-kind". An adult who listens respectfully to what they have to say, asks thoughtful questions, and takes their concerns seriously? That's a good adult. An adult that oversimplifies their struggles, ignores their complex social rules, and gives bullshit advice like "just walk away from bullies" and "turn your chores into a fun game"? That's not a trustworthy adult. That's an Adult™. An Adult™ doesn't consider them to be a real human being with thoughts and emotions. An Adult™ sees them as an inferior, amusing pet. And they will actively sabotage An Adult™ like that.

10. Emotions are physical at a young age. Joy might make their body buzz until they can't help but wiggle or jump around. Sadness might be a huge physical pain in their throat and heart. Everything they experience is still relatively.New to.them, so there is very little frame of reference to decide if this is a "big hurt that will last forever and ever and never go away", or a "small hurt, that can be fixed easily and won't matter in five minutes". If someone lies to them about getting a cookie, that very well might be all the betrayal of your best friend sleeping with your husband.

Fortunately, a child probably won't be able to burn all your clothes in the yard without your notice.

[bebecdevil]

Tuesday Tip #49: Know how to take feedback

[bebecdevil]

Trying to will my fic into existence just by thinking about it.

I will let you all know if it works out.

[bebecdevil]

Want to join a fic writing Discord that doesn’t allow fandom discourse?

We did, too! That’s why we created the Fic Writer Resource Hub. It’s a great place to meet people from different fandoms who offer encouragement, ideas, translation help, and general writing assistance. Our goal is to motivate other writers to be more productive, find solutions to problems they are having, and feel as though they have a place to turn to for help.

The chat is 18+ and intended only for writers and betas. Fandom related discussions are discouraged in the chat unless it’s to better understand a question or writing passage. As well, we ask that people police themselves and decide in advance if a topic, writing partner, or beta is a good fit before partaking.

To join, please follow this link to submit your information to the moderators. We are excited for the group to grow and become a welcoming place for everyone!

[bebecdevil]

Want to join a fic writing Discord that doesn’t allow fandom discourse?

We did, too! That’s why we created the Fic Writer Resource Hub. It’s a great place to meet people from different fandoms who offer encouragement, ideas, translation help, and general writing assistance. Our goal is to motivate other writers to be more productive, find solutions to problems they are having, and feel as though they have a place to turn to for help.

The chat is 18+ and intended only for writers and betas. Fandom related discussions are discouraged in the chat unless it’s to better understand a question or writing passage. As well, we ask that people police themselves and decide in advance if a topic, writing partner, or beta is a good fit before partaking.

To join, please follow this link to submit your information to the moderators. We are excited for the group to grow and become a welcoming place for everyone!

[bebecdevil]

my masterlist of 'how to life’ tips

Cleaning & Tidying

Make your bed in the morning. It takes seconds, and it’s worth it.

Reset to zero each morning. 

Use the UFYH 20/10 system for clearing your shit. 

Get a reed diffuser and stick it on your windowsill. 

Have a ‘drop-zone’ box where you dump anything and everything. At the beginning/end of the day, clear it out and put that shit away.

Roll your clothes, don’t fold them - or fold them vertically.

Automate your chores. Have a cleaning schedule and assign 15mins daily to do whatever cleaning tasks are set for that day. Set a timer and do it - once the timer is up, finish the task you’re on and leave it for the day. 

Fold your clothes straight out of the tumble dryer (if you use one), whilst they’re still warm. This minimises creases and eliminates the need for ironing. 

Clean your footwear regularly and you’ll feel like a champ. 

Organisation & Productivity

Learn from Eisenhower’s Importance/Urgency matrix. 

Try out the two-minute rule and the Pomodoro technique.

Use. A. Planner. (Or Google Calendar, if that’s more your thing.)

Try bullet journalling.

Keep a notebook/journal/commonplace book to dump your brain contents in on the regular. 

Set morning alarms at two-minute intervals rather than five, and stick your alarm on the other side of the room. It’s brutal, but it works. 

Set three main goals each day, with one of them being your #1 priority. Don’t overload your to-do list or you’ll hit overload paralysis and procrastinate. 

If you’re in a slump, however, don’t be afraid to put things like “shower” on your to do list - that may be a big enough goal in itself, and that’s okay. 

Have a physical inbox - a tray, a folder, whatever. If you get a piece of paper, stick it in there and sort through it at the end of the week.

Consider utilising the GTD System, or a variation of it.

Try timeboxing. 

Have a morning routine, and guard that quiet time ferociously. 

Save interesting-looking shit to instapaper. Have a set time where you read through the stuff you saved to instapaper and save the shit that you like from instapaper to evernote (or bookmark it properly). 

During your working hours, put on your footwear, even if you’re sat on your bed. (Why?)

Have a folder for all your important documents and letters, organised by topic (e.g. medical, bank, university, work, identification). At the front of this folder, have a sheet of paper with all the key information written on it, such as your GP’s details, your passport details, driving licence details, bank account number, insurance number(s), and so on. 

Try using StayFocusd and RescueTime (or similar apps/extensions). (I promise, you’ll find that you’re not as busy as you think you are.)

Schedule working time and down time alike, in the balance that works for you. 

Money

Have. A. God. Damn. Budget. 

Use a money tracker like toshl, mint, or splitwise. Enter all expenses asap! (You will forget, otherwise.)

Have a ‘money date’ each week, where you sort through your finances from the past seven days and then add it to a spreadsheet. This will help you identify your spending patterns and whether your budget is actually working or not. 

Pack your own frickin’ lunch like a grown-up and stop buying so many takeaway coffees. Keep snacks in your bag. 

Go to your bank and take out £100 in £1 coins (or w/e your currency is). That shit will come in useful for all kinds of things and you’ll never be short on change for the bus or the laundry. 

Food & Cooking

Know how to cook the basics: a starch, a protein, a vegetable, and a sauce.

Simple, one-pot meals (“a grain, a green, and a bean”) are a godsend. 

Dried porcini mushrooms make a fantastic stock to cook with. 

Batch cook and freeze. Make your own ‘microwave meals’. 

Buy dried goods to save money - rice and beans are a pittance. (Remember to soak dried beans first, though!) 

Consider Meatless Mondays; it’s healthier, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly.

Learn which fruits and vegetables are cheapest at your store, and build a standard weekly menu around those. (Also remember that frozen vegetables are cheap and healthy.) 

Learn seasoning combinations. Different seasoning, even with the exact same ingredients, can make a dish seem completely new. 

Don’t buy shit for a one-off recipe, especially if you won’t use it all. If you really want to try out a recipe, see if a friend would be interested in making it with you, then pool for the expenses. 

Make your own goddamned pasta sauce. Jamie Oliver has a decent recipe here, but the beauty of tomato sauce is that you can totally wing it and adapt the fuck out of it. 

Misc

Have a stock email-writing format. 

Want to start running, but find it boring? Try Zombies, Run!. 

Keep a goddamn first aid kit and learn how to use it. 

Know your OTC pain relief. 

Update your CV regularly. 

Keep a selection of stamps and standard envelopes for unexpected posting needs. (It happens more regularly than you would think!) 

Some final words of advice:

Organisation is not a goal in itself, it is a tool. Don’t get caught up in the illusion of productivity and get distracted from the actual task at hand. 

Routines and habits will help you. Trust in them.

You have the potential to be an organised and productive person, just as much as anybody else. It just takes practice. 

[bebecdevil]

Do as The Bard Did

Many writers will recommend that as you edit your tale, you do a final read-through so that you can see how the story sounds. After all, if you’re going to be doing readings in libraries or at signings, you want to make sure that your tale flows well, that it’s free of typos, and that the dialog sounds natural.

But might I suggest something more? I think that you need to perform your story much as an actor would. Imagine that you’re an actor, hungry to get a job, and that you’re reading this tale as an audition so that an employer can gauge your skills.

That means that you don’t just read it, but that you read it with gusto. In other words, before you read, you need to gather your wits, develop the voice of each character, and then “act out” that character’s scene, complete with gestures and the speaker’s emotive tone. This helps you make certain that you get each character’s voice down honestly.

More than that, it lets you look at your dialog tags and study the way that you’ve signaled the emotional beats, to make sure that the reader can understand what your characters are thinking and convey their feelings.

Of course, every story has a narrator, and so you will pay attention to how you’ve narrated the piece. You’ll look closely at the poetry in your use of language. You’ll weed out weak transitions between speakers and between scenes, even as you strengthen your description and niggle with the text.

Remember: Writing is a Performance Art

When you create a piece of fiction, you get to sit in your chair in silence and thoughtfully perfect your tale.

But ultimately you will offer it to the public, where millions of others may sit quietly. On the invisible stage of their own minds, they will devour your words. Through the images and sounds and emotions and thoughts that you arouse, they will be thrust into your world, into the lives of your characters, into their loves and dramas and tragedies, and your readers will be swept away.

Just giving your work a half-hearted reading isn’t enough. When Shakespeare finished a play, he would sit with actors and rehearse a tale perhaps sixty times before it was ever performed in public, and it might be performed another hundred times and changed over a single season. He would throw away scenes and add new lines again and again, honing his work. What we see when we read his plays isn’t a rough draft or even a tenth draft. We’re seeing something that may have been shaped and polished over many seasons.

Do as the bard did. Perform your story, at least a few times.

Happy Writing!

David Farland

Kay Kenyon is an American science fiction and fantasy writer currently living in Wenatchee, Washington. She wrote “The Entire and the Rose” and “Dark Talents” book series.

David Farland will be hosting a Master Workshop for Fyrecon!

Making it Big as the Modern Writer: A Blueprint for Success

8 Hour Master Workshop for $179 (includes Whole Conference general admission to Fyrecon) Class is limited to 50 students January 15, 2022 at Fyrelite Winter 2022

[bebecdevil]

YOU ARE NOT A BAD WRITER.

Stop inching yourself closer to the woodchipper by telling yourself you are! You have your imperfections - everyone does - but you telling yourself your imperfections make you "bad" IS bad.

Instead, admit you have room for improvement, decide what you want to improve and WORK AT IMPROVING IT.

Complaining that you're not good isn't going to make you improve.

Working at it is the only way to do that.

-H

[bebecdevil]

things to make your characters do with their hands:

1. peel the skin off

2. trace patterns onto surfaces, with fingertips or nails

3. fiddle with something but they’re good at it (eg- the pen twisty over your knuckles thing)

4. fiddle with something but they’re bad at it (eg- the pen gets flung across the room)

5. tap tap tap. all the fingers together or in a index to pinky fashion.

6. peel the skin off their lips, rest a finger on their lips, or bite their nails. bonus points if character b slaps their hand off to stop them

7. play with their sleeves, glasses, even socks if they sit with one leg crossed over the other

8. smoothen the eyebrow, usually with the index finger or heel of the thumb

Afficher davantage

[bebecdevil]

Interesting and useful article.

[bebecdevil]

11 writing problems and solutions

Writing is a craft. It takes time for anyone to learn and improve. But there are some shortcuts you can try, maybe adapt to your own needs. Here are 11 writing problems and their solutions, or hacks.

Too many ideas syndrome

Problem: You have too many equally good story ideas and can’t pick just one to write.

Solution: Select your top 3 favorite stories and write the first scene of all three. If you can’t decide, write the first chapter. The right project will be easier to work with, you’ll have fun writing it, you will be daydreaming about the story, you will love the characters. So, give away three chances instead of one.

Outline spoiling the fun

Problem: Whenever you outline a story idea, it completely spoils your will to write it. The mystery is gone.

Solution: Instead of outlining the whole story, just make a clear goal on how your characters should end. Will they succeed? Will they fail? Will they be happy? Will they find redemption? Will they be wronged? Decide how your story should end and explore the plot as you go. Remember, no one will read your first draft, so just write.

Lost midway

Problem: If you are a pantser, you might get lost in the middle of the story, especially after the first plot point.

Solution: Give your story an ending. If you know where your characters will end up, you’ll have a better understanding of which routes to take. Always keep in mind how the story will end. Use it as the beacon of a lighthouse to guide you through stormy waters.

Creative block

Problem: You don’t have story ideas. Or nothing you have so far excites you enough for a novel.

Solution: Read a book or watch a movie completely out of your genre. This works like magic, I promise. I’m not a sci-fi person, but Akira has given me more story ideas than any movie and book from my own genre.

Writing anxiety

Problem: You are scared of writing, scared of starting a new story, or just scared of not doing a good job.

Solution: Write a fanfic. No one expects a fanfic to be a masterpiece (although many are). Fanfics are done for fun and for passion. So, write your book in fanfic format. You can even use fandom characters and aus in the process. When the story is completed, change back to original characters.

Editing as you write

Problem: You keep going back to previous paragraphs and editing instead of moving forward with your writing.

Solution: Write your novel by hand. This might sound like a lot of work, but it’s quite the opposite. The white screen of the computer urges you to review, to make it perfect, academic like perfect. The paper however, brings you back to the craft, to the urge of filling lines and pages. Handwriting also gives you the opportunity of sketching and doodling. 

Procrastination

Problem: Tumblr. Youtube. Email. Netflix. Bathroom. Fridge. Bed.

Solution: Go offline. Turn off your wi-fi. Use a device without internet connection. Or, if you keep fooling yourself and turning the internet back on, write your novel by hand. Give yourself a daily hour of internet, but live offline. And if you take unnecessary trips to the fridge or the bathroom, try the pomodoro technique.

Lack of plots

Problem: Nothing relevant is happening, your story looks kind of boring. Or the main plot is too weak for a whole novel.

Solution: Take a few days off. Just relax. When you are ready to go back, read what you have written so far. Maybe you were just tired. But, if the story really sucks, go back to basics. Ask yourself two questions. What type of story am I writing? How will this story end? Follow the answer like a map. Change what needs to be changed, even if you have to delete the whole progress. If you lack plots, don’t add fillers, just go back to basics.  

Weak main character

Problem: Your character lacks personality, voice and/or visuals.

Solution: Give your main character three things. An external battle. An internal battle. And an unique feature. The external battle is their goal, what they want to achieve, what they dream about. An internal battle is their fears, traumas, doubts, mental issues, prejudices and triggers to overcome. An unique feature is what sets them apart from other characters, maybe they have piercings, or tattoos, or pink hair, or lilac eyes, maybe they wear neon boots, or a mask, or mittens, maybe they are left-handed, or blind, maybe they have a scar, or a birthmark. Every amazing main character has external battles, internal battles and unique features.  

Depression

Problem: You have no will to write. The passion is gone. You feel empty.

Solution: If you don’t have access to medical help, reading is a good way to reevaluate your career and regain your passion for the words. Read lots of books. Don’t worry about writing, just read. Lose yourself in fictional adventures. Read sci-fi, romance, horror, fantasy, crime, family saga, classics, foreigner fictions, fanfics, shorts, poetry. Immerse in literature. Literature can save lives.  

Strange dialogues

Problem: Dialogues seem too formal, or too much like the narration, or characters lack individuality.

Solution: Read your dialogues out loud while acting as your characters. You can find a quiet empty room for that. Be an actor. Go for the emotions. Record your acting sections, after all, you might improvise at some point.    

[bebecdevil]

Rule one of fandom: there are some things that only exist for us.

Don’t send actors fics

Don’t give them explicit art ever

Don’t tag them in rpf questions or theories

Don’t try to bring them into fandom drama of any kind

Don’t hold them responsible for what the producers and writers decide

They’re still people.  They have private lives, which do not include fandom.

[bebecdevil]