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Emotional distance in fiction

The reader can be close to the main character, but the main character cannot be close to the reader.

Does this make sense? Thoughts?

[bookishdiplodocus]

A longread on writing comedy

This is what I do to research writing comedy:

What helped me most was analyzing a lot of jokes: "It's funny. Why is it funny? How does this joke work?" Usually it's something that subverses the expectations in a specific way or an unexpected collision of two things. (Like a pun is a collision of sound and meaning.) For my analysis, I wonder: "What is the expectation after the set-up? Why do I have this expectation? How does the pay-off subverse the expectation? Why does it still make sense in relation to the set-up?"

For example: I unleashed this kind of analysis on the movie George of the Jungle. It has a surprisingly high hit rate, I think around three jokes per minute in the first one third of the movie, and it still manages to get the story going and the characters introduced. I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t think I gave examples, and you know I’m all about the teaching.

I found at least 17 types. Heads up, this is going to be a longread.

Type 1: Puns

Narrator: “When they finally beheld the mighty Ape Mountain…” [They see a mountain shaped like a gorilla head.] Narrator, cont’d: “… they reacted with awe.” All: “Aww.” Narrator: “I said ‘awe”. A-W-E.” All: “Ooh!” Narrator: “That’s better.”

Explanation:

The pun lies in the fact that “awe” and “aww” sound the same.

There is a visual type of comedy as well that we can’t effectively reproduce in writing: the mountain is shaped like a gorilla head.

BTW: the narrator defies genre expectations by interacting with the characters, and the characters defy genre expectations by being able to hear the narrator.

Type 2: Tone of voice

Narrator, about the main characters: “Scraped and boo-booed, they searched high and low.

Explanation:

“Boo-booed” is a children’s word, not the tone you would use for a hero. Compare “tummy” and “stomach”.

Type 3: Defying genre expectations

[The guide falls off a rope bridge into a deep chasm.] Narrator: “Don’t worry—nobody dies in this story. They just get really big boo-boos.”

Explanation:

The narrator is breaking the fourth wall.

Again: tone of voice with the “boo-boos”.

Contrast between the boo-boo and the injuries one usually suffers after falling into a deep chasm.

Type 4: Not defying genre expectations

[A lion appears from the bushes. A baby monkey makes a sound like “uh-oh”.] [The baby monkey does the Tarzan call and bangs its chest.] [The lion flees.] [The monkey giggles.] [The monkey gives George a thumbs up.] [From the bushes, the lion winks at George. George winks back.]

Explanation:

Expectation: the lion is a danger to the baby monkey and George will need to fight it to save the monkey.

Defying expectations: the monkey and the lion are in on the plan.

Not defying genre expectations: George of the Jungle is clearly based on Tarzan. George doesn’t refer to that fact, but the monkey does, by doing the Tarzan call and banging its chest.

Improbable: monkeys who giggle and give thumbs up.

Impossible: lions who wink.

Type 5: Contrast

Narrator: “Meanwhile, 43 vines away, George’s kingdom is being threatened by a terrifying intruder.” [We see the adorable Leslie Mann, who plays Ursula, smiling and talking to the camera.] Ursula: “Hi! It’s me again!”

Explanation:

Contrast between what the narrator says and what we see.

The narrator isn’t lying. He refers to Lyle and the poachers who will be introduced in this scene.

There’s also humor in the phrase “43 vines away”, because of the overt specificity and because a vine is not a measure of distance.

Type 6: Oblivious character

[Lyle takes a Polaroid picture of one of the guides.] Lyle: “Do you like it? Magic picture. Yet another gift from America. Here you go. You’re welcome.” [The guide replies in Swahili. There is no translation in the subtitles.] [All the guides laugh.] [The guide continues in Swahili. Only the last few words are in English: “35 mm.” The guide takes his own camera and snaps a picture of Lyle.] [All the guides and Ursula laugh.] Lyle, not amused: “Translation, please.” Other guide: “He says he likes your magic pictures, but he prefers the resolution of the Leica 35 mm transparencies.” [Everyone but Lyle laughs.] Other guide, cont'd: “He also says your lens is dirty, but he has the equipment to clean it for you.”

Explanation:

Lyle doesn’t understand Swahili, while the guides understand everything Lyle says to them in English.

The fact that Ursula, Lyle's fianceé, understands Swahili and laughs along with the guides, is adds contrast to his obliviousness.

Lyle is the butt of the joke. He humiliates the guides and now he’s humiliated on his own turf while the guides don’t stoop down to his level.

This joke is threefold: 1. The set-up: Lyle is the arrogant asshole who thinks he’ll show the locals about technological development. 2. The guide is not only not impressed, he knows Polaroid and has a camera of his own, and is knowledgeable. 3. And he demonstrates his superiority in a (more or less) polite way.

Type 7: Slapstick

[George is swinging on the vines.] Narrator: “He is swift. He is strong. He is sure. He is smart.” [George hits a tree and falls.] Narrator, deadpan: “He is unconscious.”

Explanation:

Slapstick is another type of humor that barely translates to written fiction, when the actors behave silly, for example by falling over, hurting themselves, or others. It's often over the top. Laurel & Hardy is a well-known example of slapstick.

Type 8: Alliteration

Narrator: “The tired trekkers trudged on feverish footsies over perilous paths.”

Explanation:

If several words in each other’s vicinity start with the same letter, it’s called alliteration.

Note that "footsies" is another example of a contrast in tone of voice—it’s another children’s word.

Type 9: Improbable things

[George spins a lion over his head.] George: “George not even trying hard.”

Explanation:

While not impossible, spinning an actual lion over one’s head is improbable and thus goes against real-world expectations.

Type 10: Impossible things

[A gorilla called Ape enters George’s tree house and scares Ursula.] Ursula: “What does it want? What does it want?” Ape: [points at a big book] “It wants its Physician’s Desk Reference, if you don’t mind, unless you’d rather die of dengue fever, of course.” [Ursula faints again.]

Explanation:

Gorillas can’t talk, can’t read, and aren’t usually well-versed in curing tropical diseases.

Type 11: Breaking social norms

[Ursula is unconscious. George licks her face, clearly meaning well.]

Explanation:

In our society, it is not only considered impolite but also gross to lick the face of a stranger. The fact that George does this anyway, clearly not realizing he does something wrong, is a subversion of what we’d expect of social norms and behavior.

Type 12 and 13: Hyperbole and understatement

[Earlier, Ursula fainted when she saw Ape talk and do human things.] [Ape is reading when he sees Ursula look at him. He panics, throws the book away, starts grunting, and bangs his chest.] [Ursula faints again.] Ape: “Eh.”

Explanation:

Ursula fainting again is a hyperbole: a reaction that is stronger than expected.

Ape saying “Eh.” is an understatement: a reaction less strong than expected.

Type 14: Obvious repetitions

Ursula: “… And I didn’t want my fianc—Um, this guy I was with, to worry.” Narrator, a few moments later: “George and Ursula set out on a desperate search to find her fianc—Uh, that guy she was with.”

Type 15: Stating the obvious

[We see the guide’s hand, pointing at a really big footprint in the mud.] Narrator: “Meanwhile, back at the really big footprint in the mud, (...)”

Explanation:

Stating the obvious can be funny because the audience doesn’t expect you to do or say this because it is so very obvious.

Type 16: Adult humor

[George watches Ursula sleep.] George: “George having stirrings of special feelings right now.” Ape, drily: “I see.” George: “Good thing she same species, huh?”

Explanation:

Ape’s reply, “I see”, could be an innuendo, but it doesn’t come across as a joke (to me at least). Maybe it’s downplayed because it’s a children’s movie.

If this is an innuendo, it’s a play on words. “I see”, figuratively, for “I understand”, or literally for “Yes, I can tell from your erection.”

“Good thing she same species” because George shouldn’t have stirrings of special feelings for animals.

Type 17: Rhyme

[George is swinging on a vine.] George: “Look, like this!” Song: “He flies through the air with the greatest ease.” Song, cont’d: “Our daring young man on the flying trapeze.” [George hangs upside down from a vine.] George: “Look, no hands.” Song, cont’d: “His movements so grateful, all girls he could please.” Song, cont’d: “And with love he is swinging away…” [On the ground, gorillas frantically run back and forth with a safety net.] Song, cont’d: “He flies through the air with the greatest of ease.” Ursula: “George, watch out for that—” Song, cont’d while George yelps: “Our daring young man on the—” [Song stops abruptly.] [Thud] [George grunts.] Ursula: “… tree.”

Explanation:

When words end in the same sounds, we call it rhyme.

It’s physically impossible to hang from a vine with no hands.

The gorillas with the safety net imply that they expect George to fall.

Also, it’s improbable that gorillas would do this.

Slapstick: George hitting the tree.

Comedic timing: Ursula being just too late to warn George about the tree.

Song + Ursula: “Our daring young man on the—tree.” Because by then he is literally stuck to the tree.

Or throw everything at the audience, whatever.

[George has a pet elephant, Shep, who behaves like a happy doggy.] [Shep is chewing a humongous bone.] Narrator: “Later, they rested, while the tired tusker teethed on a… Wait a second, the dog bone is too much. Lose it.” [The dog bone disappears.] Narrator: “That’s better.” [Shep whines.]

Explanation:

Improbable: Pet elephant who behaves like a doggy.

Alliteration: “tired tusker teethed”

Fourth wall: the narrator comments on the story while it is going on, and edits it.

*** Here are some other funny situations from the movie. Try to analyze what’s going on. Usually you can spot several types.

Situation 1

Narrator: “Meanwhile, at a very big and expensive waterfall set, Ursula was amazed that she was lost in the wilderness with a jungle man.” Ursula: “And here I am, lost in the wilderness with a jungle man.”

Situation 2

Narrator: “The guides came dangerously close—” Narrator: “That is, dangerously close to shove a coconut up in Kyle’s—” Narrator: “Sleeping bag.”

Situation 3

Lyle: “I am the richest, handsomest, smartest guy here, so I get to go first!” [Lyle pushes past everyone, trips over a tree stump and lands face first in a steaming pile of elephant poop.] Lyle: “There’s an elephant here.” Guide, while looking straight into the camera: “Bad guy falls into poop. Classical element of physical comedy.” Guide, cont’d: “Now comes the element where we throw our heads back and laugh.” Guide, cont’d: “Ready?” Other guides, while also looking straight into the camera: “Ready!” [All the guides throw their heads back and laugh.] [Monkey laughs and points at Lyle.] [Off-screen, other animals make laughing sounds.] Lyle, spitting out poop: “Those are nowhere near properly digested.” Lyle, cont’d: “In case anyone is wondering, I’m okay.”

Situation 4

[Cliffhanger: it looks like Lyle has shot George from up close.] Narrator: “Whew! Okay kids, let’s settle down and review the important information. Lyle is a big doofus. Poor George was actually shot but can’t die because, let’s face it, he’s the hero. So, the naturally concerned and preternaturally wealthy Ursula Stanhope whisked George away on a private jet bound for the country of his birth—” [George has a tiny band-aid on his forehead.] Narrator, cont’d: “—where he’s gonna get the finest medical treatment available!” Ursula: “I’m gonna get you the finest medical treatment available.”

Situation 5

Narrator: “Well, Ursula […] could use a best friend now.” Best friend: “Hi!” Ursula: “He’s in the shower.” Best friend, distracted: “Not anymore.” George, naked: “Bad waterfall. First, water get hot—” [A sexy saxophone plays] George, cont’d: “Then George slips on this strange yellow rock.” [Perspective: the camera looks at the two women, seen from between George’s legs. They are clearly ogling his crotch.] [Ursula swoons.] George, noticing the friend: “Hi! George of jungle.” Friend, eager: “Charmed, I’m sure.” [Ursula hands George objects that barely cover his crotch. The camera switches back to a frontal view of George. The friend is still ogling George.] Best friend, mumbling appreciatively: “I see why they made him king of the jungle.” *** I hope this was helpful. Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions, and happy writing!

Follow me for more writing advice, or check out my other writing tips here. New topics to write advice about are also always appreciated.

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[bookishdiplodocus]

Skipping a song because my imaginary voyeur won't like it

[bookishdiplodocus]

In regards to this post (https://www.tumblr.com/bookishdiplodocus/736701278145642496/i-know-there-is-quite-a-lot-of-research-about-the), it's more from personal experience and from witnessing the rest of the slef-shipping/self-insert community around me, but I find it pretty therapeutic myself, inserting myself or even just my likeness in an OC into different universes and interacting with favorite characters. For some it's very self-soothing and comforting, and for others it's borderline therapy, and for others still it's simply fun!

I, myself, am working on figuring out my sekf-inserts in all my silly little blorbo universes, and plan to at least plot out every detail of their lives from meeting said blorbo to all the fun and drama that comes with it. It's a happy, fun little hobby for me, and it's actually helped me settle a few personal, internalized issues here and there.

Either way, heavily suggest self-insert writinf. Very very good, top tier, even if you don't share it with the world and keep it for you somewhere.

Thank you Anon!

I noticed I changed my self-image by writing self insert romance, and I wondered if I could do the same with less positive topics. Thanks for your input! I will give it a go.

[bookishdiplodocus]

I know there is quite a lot of research about the healing effects of journaling and other types of non-fiction writing. Does anyone know if research has been done on the healing effects of writing self insert fiction?

[bookishdiplodocus]

I find it personally offensive how many bad writers can get published so easily.

[bookishdiplodocus]

Wishing all of you a very merry "I suddenly have the motivation and time to write a minimum 10k fic"... please

[bookishdiplodocus]

[bookishdiplodocus]

Want to join my writing club?

I’m looking for other writers to start an online writing club with. What do I have in mind?

The goals are mutual mentorship and motivation. We celebrate each other’s successes and support each other. A rising tide lifts all the boats.

I’m specifically looking for prolific writers. No offence to the people who’ve been working on their book for ten years, but that’s just not what I’m looking for. Published or not doesn’t matter, I’m just looking for people who finish their stories.

The meetings will be held online, through Discord or Zoom or some other platform for facetiming. This means the meetings will be live, in person, with your real face and your real name.

We’ll discuss our stories, successes, and setbacks and do writing sprints. I’m not interested in feedbacking each other’s stories, so you don’t necessarily need to write in English.

The meetings will take place at 8 pm mid-European time (the Amsterdam-Paris time zone), once a month on a weekday. I’ll put up a poll to decide on the day.

About me

I’m a woman in my late thirties, I’m a professional writer and editor, and I’m a mom of one.

People describe me as kind, supportive, and funny.

I’m currently writing a romance series set in a supernatural world. None of my books have been published, but I plan to.

My writing pace is about one book in two years and I usually write once or twice a week. I fell out of rhythm because I’m recovering from a serious illness, but I feel I’m getting ready to get back in the saddle.

Interested?

Send me a message (not an ask) and tell me a few things about yourself and your writing. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Sharing is caring!

[bookishdiplodocus]

Want to join my writing club?

I’m looking for other writers to start an online writing club with. What do I have in mind?

The goals are mutual mentorship and motivation. We celebrate each other’s successes and support each other. A rising tide lifts all the boats.

I’m specifically looking for prolific writers. No offence to the people who’ve been working on their book for ten years, but that’s just not what I’m looking for. Published or not doesn’t matter, I’m just looking for people who finish their stories.

The meetings will be held online, through Discord or Zoom or some other platform for facetiming. This means the meetings will be live, in person, with your real face and your real name.

We’ll discuss our stories, successes, and setbacks and do writing sprints. I’m not interested in feedbacking each other’s stories, so you don’t necessarily need to write in English.

The meetings will take place at 8 pm mid-European time (the Amsterdam-Paris time zone), once a month on a weekday. I’ll put up a poll to decide on the day.

About me

I’m a woman in my late thirties, I’m a professional writer and editor, and I’m a mom of one.

People describe me as kind, supportive, and funny.

I’m currently writing a romance series set in a supernatural world. None of my books have been published, but I plan to.

My writing pace is about one book in two years and I usually write once or twice a week. I fell out of rhythm because I’m recovering from a serious illness, but I feel I’m getting ready to get back in the saddle.

Interested?

Send me a message (not an ask) and tell me a few things about yourself and your writing. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Sharing is caring!

[bookishdiplodocus]

I tried a random storyline generator

Tony Clifford had always loved magical Sidney with its helpless, hollow hills. It was a place where he felt healthy.

He was an articulate, hopeful, wine drinker with tall arms and sloppy fingernails. His friends saw him as a grisly, glorious giant. Once, he had even helped a forgotten deaf person cross the road. That's the sort of man he was.

Tony walked over to the window and reflected on his crowded surroundings. The rain hammered like gyrating koalas.

Then he saw something in the distance, or rather someone. It was the figure of Harriet Malkovich. Harriet was a witty rover with ample arms and sticky fingernails.

Tony gulped. He was not prepared for Harriet.

As Tony stepped outside and Harriet came closer, he could see the clumsy smile on her face.

Harriet gazed with the affection of 8257 snooty thirsty toads. She said, in hushed tones, "I love you and I want some more Facebook friends."

Tony looked back, even more shocked and still fingering the bendy rock. "Harriet, I shrunk the kids," he replied.

They looked at each other with unstable feelings, like two thirsty, tall toads bouncing at a very articulate engagement party, which had indie music playing in the background and two bold uncles talking to the beat.

Tony regarded Harriet's ample arms and sticky fingernails. "I feel the same way!" revealed Tony with a delighted grin.

Harriet looked healthy, her emotions blushing like a grim, gorgeous guillotine.

Then Harriet came inside for a nice glass of wine.

THE END

[bookishdiplodocus]

Showing Romantic Feelings Without Kissing

Let’s be real, the biggest way to show romantic attention between characters is through kissing. However, your characters shouldn’t have to kiss in order for it to be obvious that they’re in love. Here are some other ways to show that connection!

Hand holding

Sitting close to one another

Quick hugs

Secret glances

Light touches (arms, legs, etc.)

Napping together

Making sure the other eats/drinks

Inside jokes

Fixing the other’s clothing

Laughing way too hard at the other’s jokes

Going on walks together

Looking at something and wanting to show the other immediately

Late night walks/talks

Going to one another for advice

Leaning on each other’s shoulders

Driving each other home after a long day

Sharing drinks/food

Sharing clothing

Helping each other with work/other tasks

Incoherent bickering over nothing

Feeling possessive of one another (to a certain extent)

Telling each other’s friends about one another

[bookishdiplodocus]

Showing Romantic Feelings Without Kissing

Let’s be real, the biggest way to show romantic attention between characters is through kissing. However, your characters shouldn’t have to kiss in order for it to be obvious that they’re in love. Here are some other ways to show that connection!

Hand holding

Sitting close to one another

Quick hugs

Secret glances

Light touches (arms, legs, etc.)

Napping together

Making sure the other eats/drinks

Inside jokes

Fixing the other’s clothing

Laughing way too hard at the other’s jokes

Going on walks together

Looking at something and wanting to show the other immediately

Late night walks/talks

Going to one another for advice

Leaning on each other’s shoulders

Driving each other home after a long day

Sharing drinks/food

Sharing clothing

Helping each other with work/other tasks

Incoherent bickering over nothing

Feeling possessive of one another (to a certain extent)

Telling each other’s friends about one another

[bookishdiplodocus]

Shout-out to all the writers who can’t write at the moment due to mental illness. Your health is more important than your fic. I hope you get the care that you need to start writing again. Good luck out there buddy.

[bookishdiplodocus]

i just saw a tiktok (<- cursed cursed site) that started out good, talking about how "show don't tell" is something you should keep in mind. It used the example of "instead of saying 'she opened the door', try 'her shaking hand twisted the doorknob, letting out a loud creak'".

And, yeah, if you're trying to convey the hesitance, fear, and eventual sucking-it-up that seems to be going on in the scene, that's great.

But.

The tiktok ended with, "see? Showing is ALWAYS better." And I just...

Friends & enemies, that's how you end up with that insufferable always-showing always-active YA writing style that does not know when to just shut up and say "she opened the door".

Because, yeah, I'll say it. Sometimes "she opened the door" IS better. Sometimes, the act of opening the door is literally just announcing a setting change, and you don't need to focus on it.

Show don't tell is about conveying important or relevant information, not about literally everything you're writing. You're allowed to say "she opened the door" & similar, and in fact, I encourage it in many scenarios.

[bookishdiplodocus]

You don’t have to think “creative.” Think “smarter.”

I’m a really analytical person. I’m organized. I’m detail-oriented. I like solid ideas, facts that can be relied on with years of research. I like to learn by doing it with my own hands. I like to research and be as prepared as possible before I do something new.

Creativity…takes a back seat. 

I suck at being creative. Original ideas and new ideas? Pfft. No. Which makes my job as a writer a whole lot harder haha. I would be lying if I said that I’m not jealous of writers with such good ideas. The WIPs I’ve seen over the last couple days alone…

So maybe you’re like me. And it’s hard to “be more creative.” How do you make yourself be more creative anyway??? I don’t get it. 

Maybe we just have to be smarter. Don’t stress about being more creative if it isn’t your thing. It’s not your strong suit? So what? Stop stressing. Let’s try to be smarter about the way we build our stories. 

Take old tropes. Make them new, not by necessarily being original, but by combining already-existing ideas to make something new. We don’t need to create something totally new, but we can take old stuff and make it ours by choosing the right things to combine. You can use cliches, too, don’t worry. They’re totally fine, and don’t listen to anyone who says you shouldn’t use X trope if that’s what you want to write.

Research. Understanding what makes a good story helps a lot when it comes to making a story that you’re happy with. Research story structure and character arcs. 

Brain dump. Take all your ideas. The solid ones. The sorta-messy ones. The confusing ones. Try to sort them out like a puzzle. Make them as figureoutable as possible. Try to clean them up as much as you can. 

Accept that you don’t have to be super creative to write something. You can build your story brick by brick of solid ideas that are maybe only a little new, or perhaps not very new at all, and still make a good story. 

[bookishdiplodocus]

Personality traits lists for your characters!

List of 350 character traits, positive and negative

Positive, neutral, and negative character traits

Character traits for various types of character + how to use them 

Character and personality traits

My character trait lists with definitions:

Positive character traits - part 1

Positive character traits - part 2 

Negative character traits - part 1

Negative character traits - part 2

Negative character traits - part 3