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Ursula K. Le Guin, “Author’s Note” from The Left Hand of Darkness

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Writing the five senses: Smell

Smell is often widely underutilized in narrative writing! It is also one of the more subtle of the senses and doesn't appear as often as its sister senses do. Still, though, it is an important part of every narrative! Here are a few ways to incorporate sense of smell into your writing.

Adjectives, adjectives, adjectives!

The number one way to describe a smell is to use strong adjectives! Adjectives, or "describing words," do exactly that: they describe a noun (in this case, a certain smell)! When you enter a room and smell something really bad, you might describe it as "rancid" or "putrid." On the other end of the spectrum, a sweet smell might be "fragrant," "fresh," or "radiant." The possibilities are endless!

Memories & emotional connections

Have you ever been walking down the street and were hit with a smell so familiar that it instantly reminded you of a memory from months—or even years—before? Smells are incredibly powerful connections to our memories. Your character might resent the smell of smoke because someone close to them died in a fire. Maybe the smell of cherry blossoms reminds your character of a childhood trip to Japan. Theses connections can do a lot to help you expand your writing.

Combine the senses

Sometimes, the best practice isn't to isolate any one sense. Using smell in conjunction with sight, sound, taste, and touch will add more depth and texture to your writing! "The orange smelled sweet" doesn't do nearly as much work as "A fresh scent floated through the air the air as she sliced into the orange, its sticky juice coating her hand." In this example, the action of cutting an orange is embellished by smell and touch. Together, those two senses paint a much better picture of the moment!

Be deliberate

Everything has a reason. In more subtle forms, smell can be linked to a larger idea or theme in your writing. A recurring smell can be used as foreshadowing; or, alternatively, a smell that is entirely new and out of place can be used to hint to your reader that something has changed. Be advantageous; plan ahead!

Although useful, none of these examples are exhaustive or mandatory! Pick and choose which ones you like the best and try them out. I hope this helps you write a little easier!

Have a writing question? Send me an ask!

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It can be so hard to find the right word for your dialogue tag! This list rocks!

DIALOGUE TAGS :D

said is dead...

(definitely cringing at lots of these, but I need this, so I shall bestow upon thee the extravagant dialogue dictionary)

TIP: Use more "complex" words in moderation.

Instead of "said:"

Whispered Replied Muttered Shouted Exclaimed Added Uttered Gasped Protested Acknowledged Offered Admitted Insisted Inquired Queried Roared Asserted Stammered Quipped Recited Retorted Advised Suggested Commented Disclosed Ranted Whispered Pondered Concluded Elaborated Boasted Supposed Remarked Contended Mentioned Revealed Pressed Predicted Urged Ventured Speculated Sobbed Questioned Reassured Confessed Grumbled Queried Ventilated Divulged

Happy:

Exclaimed Cheered Rejoiced Laughed Smiled Beamed Chuckled Grinned Giggled Chortled Winked Purred Glowed Radiated Bubbled Gleamed Sparkled Bounced Clapped Praised Shouted Sang Delighted Celebrated Joked

Angry:

Snarled Yelled Shouted Roared Screamed Hissed Raged Fumed Bellowed Ranted Seethed Cursed Snapped Stormed Scowled Grumbled Growled Railed Blasted Quarreled Exploded Flared Raved Ventilated

Sad:

Choked Sobbed Wailed Cried Sniffled Whimpered Murmured Bawled Blubbered Lamented Whined Sighed Wept Uttered Moaned Bemoaned Grieved Groaned Worn out Sulked Groused Keened Bellowed

Asks a question:

Inquired Asked Wondered Queried Exclaimed Requested Pondered Demanded Prompted Sought Probed Questioned Posed Investigated Interrogated

Answers:

Replied Answered Interjected Added Acknowledged Retorted Countered Whispered Mumbled Protested Inquired Reiterated Exclaimed Suggested Conceded

Laughs:

chuckled giggled snickered chortled cackled tittered sniggered guffawed roared howled guffawed jested hooted crowed burst out laughing

Nervous:

Trembled Stammered Quavered Faltered Whispered Mumbled Choked Squeaked Croaked Gasped Quivered Hesitated Sputtered Shuddered Murmured Chattered Panted Blurted Tremored Stuttered Uttered Choked out Wavered Gushed Quailed

Uncertain/Doubtful:

Whispered Mumbled Stammered Hesitated Murmured Muttered Faltered Uttered Questioned Sputtered Quivered Fumbled Paused Quavered Gasped Tumbled Fluttered Trembled Wavered Lingered Stumbled Swayed Wondered Mused

Sarcastic:

quipped jeered sneered taunted scoffed chimed in retorted guffawed snickered mocked teased bantered jested jabbed countered snidely remarked wisecracked sassed ribbed bantered ridiculed muttered sardonically scornfully laughed derided smirked

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sometimes you need dialogue tags and don't want to use the same four

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Hi! Love your blog btw!

How long should a novel be? I'm not sure if I should split my story into more than one book or just one that's pretty lengthy

Should Story Be Split Into Two Books?

There is not a "one size fits all" number for book length. Book length depends on the target audience, genre, and other factors. Even within those factors there can be a range. Here are some common ranges for different factors:

Middle Grade novels - 25,000 - 40,000 words Young Adult novels - 45,000 - 80,000 words New Adult: 60,000 - 85,000 words Adult 65,000 - 110,000

Literary novels - 80,000 to 110,000 words Romance novels - 50,000 to 90,000 words Fantasy novels - 70,000 to 150,000 words Sci-Fi novels - 70,000 to 150,000 words Mystery novels - 70,000 to 90,000 words

So, if you've written a 225,000 word fantasy novel, you may want to look into dividing that into two books.

However, your story and its genre play a role, too. While it's common to split bigger sci-fi and fantasy stories into multiple books, you generally wouldn't split a mystery story or contemporary romance story into two or more books. You could write multiple connected stories featuring your mystery or romance protagonist, but each book would typically tell it's own complete story. For example, Sherlock Holmes books follow the same protagonist and main characters through the solving of different mysteries. There are elements that carry over from one story to the next, but the series isn't one big story chopped into smaller pieces.

As for the story itself, take a look at the events of the story. Can you see a possible beginning, middle, and end for each potential story? In other words, can you look at the first say half or third of your story and see a climax and denouement that's followed by a new inciting incident? This would be a clue that you could break this story down into multiple stories. Even if you don't see those things in your story already, you can spend some time considering whether or not you can build them in naturally.

And, one last thing to consider is how far over the top end of the range your story is. For example, if your story fits the other criteria and is about twice the length of the middle or end range for your target audience/genre, that might be a good indicator that this story needs to be split. However, let's say you're only 30k over the top end of the range. This is a situation where you can probably cut down 10-15k through editing and polishing, and then just let it be a little over the top end of the range. It's not that books can never be over the top end of the range, it's just that they typically are.

Happy writing!

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

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Writing the five senses: Taste

Taste is a convention that shockingly few writers use in their work. It is, in part, due to how limiting it can be as a descriptor. However, there are plenty of workarounds that will keep your readers immersed and help them understand your meaning.

Use texture

One of the most important parts of any food is its texture. Many of us (myself included) are very sensitive to texture, and it is the first thing we notice when we try a new dish. So, when describing what a character is eating, describe how it might feel. Is it chewy? Tough? Smooth and runny? Dry? Crumbly? Is it warm or cold? How easy is it to chew? While this can make readers uncomfortable if used at length, a few quick descriptions can help make your writing more realistic.

Figurative language: the simile

Has a friend ever told you that a dish they ate "tastes like chicken"? You can use similes like that in your writing, too. Maybe an exotic fruit tastes "as sweet as a grape," or "feels like chewing on leather." Both of these are great examples of simile and give your readers a better understanding of what you're trying to describe.

Emotional/physical reactions

Sometimes, a food is so bad that it elicits a strong physical or emotional response. If you eat something that tastes like dirt, your first instinct might be to spit it out and complain about the bad flavor. Realistic characters can respond this way, too. The same can be said for delicious foods. Your characters might close their eyes while savoring a food, vocalize their delight, or use another physical signal to explain how they feel.

Try it yourself!

If you're having trouble writing a character's reaction to a particularly strong-tasting food, try eating it yourself! Or, if you don't have access to the specific food, eat something that you think might elicit a similar reaction. I don't recommend eating something you despise, but if you're truly desperate, it can be a quick solution.

This is not a comprehensive list, nor is it a set of rules. Lots of my suggestions are things that have worked for me in the past, so maybe they'll help you, too! As always, do what you think is best for your writing. Let me know if you try any of these!

Have a writing question? Send me an ask!

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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 gumroad store if you want to!)

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Writing the five senses: Sound

Like sight, writing sounds can be very straightforward. But how do you stray away from the same tired descriptions every time? Here are a few suggestions!

Figurative language

Not every sound has the same cadence, length, volume, etc.. Using figurative language to describe a sound is one of the best way to get your meaning across. Onomatopoeia, hyperbole, metaphor/simile, and assonance are all great ways to do this. For example, "Her laugh floated through the air, as sweet as the ringing of a thousand bells" uses both simile and hyperbole to paint an image.

Repetition

Sometimes, if you really want to push a sound into your reader's mind, repetition can be your best friend. Showing a repeating sound helps highlight its importance. "After the storm cleared and the thunder dissipated, Henry's ceiling made a gentle drip, drip, drip as stray water leaked through the framework." Repetition is especially useful in horror, as it helps build suspense.

Use strong verbs

"The cat screamed loudly" is an obvious description, but "The cat yowled" evokes a stronger image in your reader's mind. Using adjectives such as loud, hard, sharp, etc. in conjunction with stronger verbs like scream, chirp, rattle, etc.

Zero in on specifics

Don't feel like you have to overdo it! While using synonyms and adding additional descriptors might feel like it enhances your meaning, it doesn't always come across naturally. Sometimes, less is more! Make sure you aren't including too much, as it's easy to overwhelm readers with confusing details.

As always, nothing I've discussed in this post is a set rule, and you're free to take as much or as little from this list as you like. The most important part of writing is to do what you think is best for your story! Have a writing question? Send me an ask!

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Writing the five senses: Sight

Sight may seem like the most obvious and "easy" sense to write, but describing what a character sees can actually be very hard. We often fall into the "I saw"/"he/she saw" trap, which, when overused, makes writing repetitive. Here are a few ways to mix it up!

Remove "he/she saw"

This might sound obvious, but seriously, it works. Instead of saying "She watched the wispy clouds pass by slowly, the sun trickling into her eyes," remove the clutter words. "The wispy clouds passed by slowly, the sun trickling into her eyes" has a much better flow to it, and it feels less cluttered! Removing clutter words like "he watched," "she saw," etc. keeps your writing feeling immersive and smooth.

Focus on specifics

Don't describe everything in the immediate vicinity. Instead, focus on what's important. The size of the room, objects that stand out, people of interest. Find what's memorable about your setting and highlight in. At the same time, don't leave the setting too vague: avoid "white room syndrome."

Include emotional responses

What do your characters feel when they look at something? Don't just describe what they see: describe their internal (and external) reactions. Using the example above, "The wispy clouds passed by slowly, the sun trickling into her eyes" becomes much more interesting when you add emotional reactions. "The wispy clouds passed by slowly, and she released a long, labored breath, only looking away when the evening sun trickled into her eyes."

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, nor is it a set of hard rules! I hope this guide makes writing sight a little easier.

Have a writing question? Send me an ask!

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How casual you treat brown people being murdered. How casual you treat the torture of brown men. May the earth swallow you. One day these decades of oppression will end and Arab boys will sing.

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You will not use AI to get ideas for your story. You will lie on the floor and have wretched visions like god intended

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anything but just "I love you"

I want to love you.

I think I can love you?

Let me love you.

I loved you.

I would love you.

I can try to love you.

I used to know how to love you (I don't anymore)

I still love you.

Do you love me?

Can you try to love me?

I can't stop loving you.

Let me try to love you.

I think I can love you.

I think I can try (to love you).

Do you still love me?

Did you ever love me?

I don't think I could ever love you.

Don't let me love you.

I gave up (loving you).

You made me love you.

I've always loved you (but I can't anymore).

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Hello everyone

I am Nour from Gaza

.I need your help if you can

Please donate to save my life and the lives of my children

I'm asking for a small donation of $25 from each person. $35 will save my children from death and help me cover expenses and rebuild.

Through the link (please see my CV) https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-help-nour-and-his-family-escape-the-war-in-gaza

My account has been verified by @90-ghost

Please donate to this campaign if you are able!!

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Hello! 👋 I'm going to take this time to spotlight Mohammed Al-Habil, @aya2mohammed, who has recently reached out to me to promote his fundraiser, which I will link below.

⬇⬇🔗⬇⬇

Mohammed and his family have been displaced more than half a dozen times, between Rafah and Nuseirat, and are all suffering from high levels of malnutrition, his parents from several existing health conditions such as diabetes, his wife's health and his own have also been deteriorating, and his children have lost their passion for life. As the Israeli aggression into Gaza enters its tenth month, things have continued to get harder and harder for the people living there, especially children and the elderly, but truly everyone is suffering.

This campaign is over two-fifths of the way to its goal at 20.735/50.000€ at time of writing, and I hope that any attention my post can give, that many donations follow. I have donated to this fundraiser several times, and I implore you to do the same. Thank you.

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Please help spread an urgent appeal to save the lives of my children in Gaza

Welcome,

I write to you with a heart heavy with sorrow and anxiety. I recently launched a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to save my children in Gaza, but have not received the support we desperately need. I recently lost everything, and I am now homeless and this loss has affected me greatly.

The situation has become unbearable, and I suffer from severe depression and suicidal thoughts. I desperately need your help and support. Please consider helping us in any way you can, whether by donating or by sharing my campaign with your friends

You can watch my campaign at the following link: https://gofund.me/1a528474

Thank you for your time and understanding. Any support, no matter how small, will make a huge difference in our lives.

If anyone who sees this can donate, please do. Anything helps, especially sharing this campaign around 💚❤️

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🇵🇸 Help a Palestinian family rebuild their home

Siraj @siraj2024 has been trying to raise funds to rebuild his home which was destroyed in bombings and shellings after October 7th. Since then, he has been displaced several times too.

Right now, he and his family live in tents surrounded by other displaced people, without access to any basic necessities. Diseases spread quickly. His children have to travel long distances to help catch water for them to drink. It's a living nightmare.

With your help, they can raise enough money to rebuild their home and start over with their life. But donations have been slow. Please help by sharing and donating if you can.

$2044 out of $82000 (CAD) raised

Please help spread their campaign!

( Tagging some mutuals and friends: @fangirlsovertoomanythings @ordinarydanette @but-a-dust @cj-etc @thefeathercollective @corrupted-willy @thegentlemanstar )

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How do I write a stoic and serious character showing subtle signs of being romantically interested in someone? And how do I build it into something more? I have a few ideas on some subtle signs to write, giving extra care to their romantic interest, finding excuses to be around them... But I can't think of anything more without feeling like I am losing the characters' essence. They are not one to bare their emotions for others to see in general, so I imagine them subtle... But how to write it, and how to build it up from there is lost on me.

Stoic Character Falling in Love

There are lot of "subtle signs of interest and love" that shouldn't conflict with a stoic character:

-- stolen glances -- lingering looks -- eyes meeting, then darting away -- being tongue-tied when trying to interact -- voice cracking when trying to speak -- denying interest in other person when pressed (in early stages) -- awkwardness after accidental touching -- cracking smile/light chuckle after accidental touching -- speaking at the same time -- tentative touching -- finding ways to touch when intimate touch is restricted -- showing interest in learning about other person -- showing concern for other's well being -- giving meaningful gifts

As for building it into something more, being stoic just means that feelings are not openly shown, not that they aren't felt. Stoics also reserve emotion for things that really matter. They're not going to be moved by things (even on the inside) unless they're really important.

Love, one might argue, is one of the most important things. So your stoic character will most certainly feel all the emotions associated with falling in love, they're just not going to wear those feelings on their sleeve. That said, you're going to develop this relationship as you would any other... your stoic character just isn't going to be doing back flips off couches about it. :)

(Alan Rickman's portrayal of Jane Austen's stoic character Colonel Brandon is one of my favorites, and this video does a great job showing the budding relationship between him and Marianne Dashwood.)

Happy writing!

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here