diaryoku

[diaryoku]

How to Outline a Story

#1. Brainstorm

Start with a blank document, usually titled something non-committal like “Free Write” or “Brain Dump,” and jot down any and all ideas you have. If it helps, you can start chronologically with the basic premise of the story and then build off of that. Eventually, you’ll have a whole bunch of little data points that you can start connecting. Try to keep things super short in this phase, but don’t limit yourself if you feel like writing more.

Here are a few examples of what that might look like:

MC goes to town, but then they meet someone else ("what are you doing here?”)

MC spills their coffee on their sweater in shock and embarrasses themselves in front of the whole town

TIP: Try to capture as much of the vibe and general tone of the story as possible. So if you think of any quotes, images, little scenes, etc., include those here to remind yourself of the tone later on.

#2. Basic Organization

So you’ve got the general idea, now it’s time to put it in the right order! There are plenty of story structures out there you can use, with varying degrees of complexity and difficulty. The only thing that matters is what works for you, your story, and your work style.

Here are a few examples:

3 Act Structure

5 Act Structure

Save the Cat Beat Sheet

Dan Harmon’s Story Circle

NOTE: Sometimes the structure of your story will already be obvious by the time you’ve finished brainstorming. If that’s the case, go forth and outline as you see fit! If not, start with a story structures, and then branch out as you become more familiar with the story and where you want it to go.

#3. Get Inspired

At some point in the outlining process, you will realize that your plot is missing something, or you don’t know what to write for a key scene. IMO, there are two ways to handle this:

Start writing: Sometimes you just need to start writing the story, and the plot hole will sort itself out! You may start writing, and a piece of dialogue or object will inspire you.

Look for inspiration: Read, watch a show or movie, listen to music, go for a walk and people watch, whatever you do, you need to be receiving some fresh input that gets your creative gears turning. Your brain will keep working on the story in the background, and you can return to your outline with fresh eyes and new ideas.

Other useful tools: Pinterest, Instagram, Libby, TikTok, Spotify

#4. Key Story Elements

Every story will vary, but these are things every plot should have (in my opinion):

An interesting beginning: Captivate your reader from the first page!

Conflict that matters: The central conflict of your story must matter to readers, or they won’t keep reading.

Related subplot: What’s better than one plot? Two! This adds complexity while still furthering the main storyline.

A satisfying ending: It doesn’t have to be happy, but it must leave your reader with a sense of satisfaction, or they won’t want to read anything else you write.

For more information, check out my “Things Every Story Should Have” post (coming soon!), where I go into each of these in more depth (and with examples!).

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photos from Pinterest - character aesthetic

Victor Pramant | the mad scientist

“I present to you: Victoria Pramant. My finest creation."

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“I see,” Victoria said at last. “You think I am human.”

“Most would consider that an insult, coming from me,” Emrys said.

“I know you, and therefore it is not,” she replied, and he merely looked at her, a small smirk on his own lips.

“No, I suppose not.”

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photos from Pinterest - character aesthetic

Victoria Pramant | Frankenstein's daughter

“Indeed, I am terribly upset. Despair has taken my fragile heart and sawed it to pieces. At least, that is what you would like me to say, no?”

V.P.

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photos from Pinterest - character aesthetic

Emrys Harker | vampire steward to a mad scientist

“I am dead, but I walk this earth anyways. It is of no personal volition.”

E.H.

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The Writer's Toolkit

#1. Notion/Milanote

One of the most important tools for a writer is being able to stay organized. There are tons of apps for this, but I’ve found that either Milanote or Notion works best.

My recommendation:

Use Notion if: you’re writing a serial, like to keep chapters in separate documents, like spreadsheets, or complete organizational customization

Use Milanote if: you’re very visual/moodboard-based, like drag-and-drop features, and you’re not keeping a whole lot of your actual text in the app

#2. A Dictionary

Perhaps the most tried-and-true tool for a writer is the dictionary! I’m constantly using a dictionary app to double-check word meanings or to look for synonyms when I’m writing.

My personal favorite is the Dictionary.com app. Whatever app you choose, you want it to be as convenient as possible, so you can research words/definitions without disturbing the flow of your writing. I like Dictionary.com because you can easily switch between dictionary and thesaurus mode.

#3 Pinterest

Sometimes the creative well runs dry. And when that happens, I turn to my reliable old pal, Pinterest.

I keep several boards for each story:

Characters: faces, similar characters, outfits, traits

Inspiration: anything that has an intriguing element

Aesthetic: VIBES; images that match the tone of the story

World: streets, architecture, maps, important settings

Fill these boards up throughout your scrolling. Then, when you need some inspiration, you can turn back to what you’ve pinned and go from there!

#4 Google Docs

So you’ve got all the tools you need to stay organized and inspired. Time to write! Obviously any Word processor works, but my platform of choice is the infamous Google Doc. Some people hate it, but I find it very useful for writers who often write on the go or switch devices often. You can access drafts on your phone, iPad, or any laptop and pick up exactly where you left off.

I also like Google Docs’ accessibility, price (free), and the outlining features!

In case you don’t want to use Google Docs, here are a few others I’ve heard commonly used:

Microsoft Word ($140)

Scrivener ($49)

Atticus ($147)

World Anvil ($7/month)

#5 Timer App

In Haruki Murakami’s collection of essays, Novelist as a Vocation, he talks about how a “formula” to your writing routine is “absolutely crucial” to finishing a novel. For him, he breaks it up into ten pages a day. For author Anthony Trollope, he is known for his 250-words-in-15-minutes routine, which also corresponds to roughly ten pages a day.

How you choose to structure your routine is up to you, but I’ve found Trollope’s timed method really helpful in reducing perfectionism and forcing myself to just write.

So, I use a timer app (the standard Apple one is fine) to write for 15-minute chunks, aiming for 250 words. Surprisingly, I usually end up with more than that. Breaking my writing into sprints like this has become a bit of a cheat code for jumpstarting my writing process and getting the creative juices flowing.

#6 Substack

A bit of a shameless self-plug here (seeing as I write on Substack, as well), but the amount of talented writers on there that are actively sharing their writing expertise is frankly obscene. There is so much knowledge to be found on Substack, beyond your standard tech newsletters and political ramblings. There’s also FICTION (usually free!) on Substack, and writers talking about writing! All the time!

Here are a few of my favorite newsletters:

A Mug of Insights

Tales from the Triverse (Write More with Simon K Jones)

Beyond the Bookshelf

Chuck Palahniuk’s Plot Spoiler

You can also check out my Substack, where I post installments of my gothic fantasy Monster Monster every Friday!

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Character Intros - Monster Monster

The first two installments of my serial gothic fantasy, Monster Monster, are officially on my substack! Let's find out a bit more about our main characters...

Introducing...

Victoria Pramant

Human? | Age of Body: 24 | Time Alive: 1.5 years

The latest and greatest scientific creation of Victor Pramant, Victoria has spent the entirety of her brief existence training for her grand debut on the world stage. But between etiquette lessons and language practice, her life is kept to the confines of her father’s London townhouse, where she is beginning to doubt her purpose. She was created to serve humanity, to be a benefit to society, but it appears that very society belittles her. A question arises: will she work to change their minds, or will the beautiful rose reveal her thorns?

Appearance: Chestnut brown hair, gray eyes, pale skin

Notable Features: Dead-looking eyes, faint scars covering her entire body

Personality: Angry, arrogant, morally questionable and fiercely independent. Her heart is in the right place but it lacks a conscience.

Special Skills: supernatural intelligence, high physical strength

Other Notes: loves horror novels and pretty dresses, tired of being referred to as “just a woman”

“Indeed, I am terribly upset. Despair has taken my fragile heart and sawed it to pieces. At least, that is what you would like me to say, no?”

Emrys Harker

Vampire | Age at Death: 23 | Time Alive: ??

A vampire with an interesting set of morals, Emrys has made a living (literally) out of trading services for blood. In the unending rope of an immortal life, he’s done nearly everything, including killing and being killed, investigating crimes and committing them, and hiding and being hidden from. But when a mad scientist enlists his services, Emrys may have met his match in the scientist’s stubborn daughter, Victoria. She is beautiful, yes, but there is something darker that lurks beneath the surface. Of this, he is sure.

Appearance: Tall, elegant; black hair, pale blue eyes

Notable Features: Fangs, eyes turn red when using vampiric abilities

Personality: Petty to a fault, sly, dramatic. Eternal hater of all mankind. A beast forced beneath the mask of a charismatic butler.

Special Skills: supernatural strength/agility, can detect lies

Other Notes: cannot lie, loves romance novels

“I am dead, but I walk this earth anyways. It is of no personal volition.”

Read the first two installments on my substack here!

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[diaryoku]

10 Subtle Ways to Show Love Without Saying “I Love You”

Subtle gestures can convey deep affection and understanding without the need for words. Here are 10 subtle ways to reveal just how much your character cares, without using words:

1. Surprising Them with Their Favorite Snack

Character A notices Character B eyeing their favorite treat at a store/party, and later surprises them with it, showing they're paying attention to the little things.

2. Fixing Something Without Being Asked

When B's favorite [object] breaks, A quietly repairs it and leaves it for them to find. This doesn't have to be about objects, e.g. issues like not having a ride home and A picks them up without B asking.

3. Leaving a Hidden Note

A slips a small note into B's bag or coat pocket, something sweet or funny; could be good after a minor fight, or if B has a dangerous career.

4. Covering Them with a Blanket

B falls asleep on the couch, and A drapes a blanket over them gently. Again, cute if it's after a fight.

5. Warming Their Hands with Theirs

On a chilly day, A takes B’s cold hands into their own without a word, offering warmth and comfort.

6. Offering Their Jacket

As B shivers in the cold, A instinctively hands over their jacket without waiting to be asked. Post-fight cuteness x3

7. Cleaning Up After a Tough Day

B comes home exhausted, and A has already tidied up the space. Great if they're married with kids.

8. Brushing Something Off Their Face

When B has a strand of hair or speck of dust on their face, A gently brushes it away; a classic, intimate action.

9. Waiting Up for Them to Get Home

A stays up late just to make sure B gets home safely, greeting them with a warm smile or a cup of tea when they walk in.

10. Running an Errand They Dislike

Knowing B dreads a particular chore or errand, A does it for them without making a big deal, or when they’re stressed/sad. 

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors!

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Unreliable Narrator - my SUBSTACK !

My gothic fantasy, Monster Monster, is now published on Substack!!! If you love gothic fiction, classic monsters, and some seriously messed up characters, then you might just like this!

I've also posted a main character deep-dive, featuring the two protagonists: Victoria Pramant (aka daughter of Dr. Frankenstein) and Emrys Harker (vampire butler). In the meantime, please feel free to check out the first installment, and stay tuned for more posted every Friday!

Read it here!

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It's frustrating that you can come up with the plot of an entire fic in just a few seconds, but writing it all down can take anywhere from never to forever.

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Things Every Story Should Have

1. A Good Beginning

The beginning of your story is what gets your reader to keep going! It doesn’t have to be the most interesting part of your story (especially since it features some exposition, which usually gets upended by the inciting incident), but it needs to have something that tells your reader what to expect (ie. the tone, a hint at the central conflict, an interesting character, etc.).

Examples:

Your MC is at work at an average office job. We learn they have an arch nemesis in their department, who is constantly messing with them.

In a land where everything is made from pumpkins, your MC is an ice sculptor. They are poor because they chose to go against the grain.

MC is unemployed and single. They are stuck in a rut, listless with nothing to do. Their only skill is cracking jokes about how much their life sucks.

2. Conflict That Matters

If your reader doesn’t care about the conflict, they won’t care about your story. The conflict is what drives the main action of your story, so it needs to appeal to something in the reader (even if that is just pettiness!). A central conflict storyline can be as huge as saving the world from an apocalypse, or as small as learning how to bake a cake properly. The important part is that you show why this conflict matters to your MC, and therefore why it should matter to the reader.

Examples:

MC’s company is hosting a pumpkin-carving contest. They learn their arch nemesis is participating, so they sign up, too.

MC enters a pumpkin carving contest. Unbeknownst to the contestants, MC is secretly also the host, and it is all a setup to prove that their ice sculpting skills are worth something. Their nemesis gets suspicious and investigates.

MC is signed up for a pumpkin carving contest by a friend in an effort to get them out of their rut. They don’t want to do it, until their nemesis taunts them about their pumpkin-carving skills.

3. A Related Subplot

While the conflict is interesting, unfortunately in the age of social media most readers need more than just one plotline to keep us engaged. Your subplot can be unrelated to the rest of the story, but unless it's incredibly compelling on its own, your readers might end up trudging through it while they wait to get back to the main plot. In contrast, a subplot related to the main conflict moves the story forward and adds complexity to the story.

Examples:

MC’s office crush is one of the judges at the contest! They are determined to win more than ever so they can woo them.

The love interest (LI) enters the fake contest, and now the MC doesn’t want to compete against them or tell them the truth about their deception. What to do?

The friend who signed MC up for the contest develops a sudden deadly allergy to pumpkins. MC must now decide between dropping out of the contest to save their friendship or defeating their nemesis.

Note: A lot of subplots focus on love interests, but see if you can come up with some others! This is a great time to do some more worldbuilding, platonic relationship-building, or even to introduce background conflicts that later become the main conflict.

4. A Satisfying Ending

Every story has an end. Obviously. But it’s up to you to make it a good one, especially if the book is part of a series! Endings are the most open-ended (hehe, get it?) thing on this list, but they are very important. It’s the final taste a reader gets of your story!

An important thing to note about endings is that they must always be satisfying, but they don't always need to be expected or positive. An unsatisfying ending can still be satisfying if the reader is able to understand why the story had to end that way (see example 3). You could think of this as somewhat of a Shakespearean tragedy ending.

Examples:

A neat and tidy resolution. MC wins the contest and gets the LI (or, they prove to everyone how valuable their ice sculpting skills are).

A moral resolution. MC loses the contest, but over the course of the contest they mend their relationship with the nemesis.

An unexpected ending. MC loses to their nemesis and destroys their chances with LI (this can still work for your reader if it was inevitable given the MC's character. Let's say they are a House-esque character who is doomed to ruin every positive relationship in their life. There was no way they were going to suddenly develop a healthy relationship with the nemesis or LI!).

A cliffhanger. Just as the winner is about to be announced, an unnamed party crashes the contest! Now we must read the second book to find out what happened.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and it is certainly not a factual or objective one. This is just my personal checklist of things I think are important to my own writing process, and that I see in my favorite stories.

While they may be obvious, they are important foundations for writing interesting and compelling stories. If you agree or disagree, or have anything to add/take away, I'd love to hear it!

love, sinclaire

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By @eniidraws

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my brain when i sit down to write: “i have no ideas.”

my brain when i’m trying to sleep: “here’s 50 plot twists and a perfect line of dialogue.”

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Excerpt #1 - Monster Monster

Mr. Harker drew closer, his tall, looming presence a shadow at Victoria’s side. He did not sit. Such a thing would be improper. Or so he had told her. The rules of Victorian propriety were still a mystery to her.

“My lady, I fear our lessons are quite unproductive. I am under orders to teach you etiquette. Your father will not be happy,” he said.

There was something cruel, despicable, perhaps even demonic in his face just then, something she could not discern but that she longed to very much. Part of the reason she was still failing her lessons was not because of disinterest in the material, but rather a more powerful interest in something else.

Her tutor.

He was not human. She’d realized this about two weeks into their lessons, after she had purposefully gotten his French lesson mixed up with his Latin one, just to see what would happen. Her father’s steward was always the picture of serenity and confidence, a perfect mask that she desired very much to break.

-

Monster Monster is a serialized novel-in-progress, by Sinclaire (me!). The plan is for it to be published in parts on a regular basis, once I’ve gotten it to a place I like. Here’s the premise in rapid-fire fashion:

- Frankenstein’s creature is a woman and her name is Victoria Pramant

- Dr. Frankenstein has enlisted the help of a vampire to prepare for his creation’s grand debut on the world stage

- Of course, things do not go according to plan

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I hate the “Thoreau’s mom did his laundry” criticism so much, it drives me crazy.

Henry Thoreau did not go to Walden Pond because he thought it would be a fun adventure. He went into the woods because he was deeply depressed and burnt out. He was running from the horror of his brother and best friend recently dying in his arms, and the haunting memory of causing the Fairhaven Bay fire. His friend Ellery Channing literally gave him the ultimatum of either taking some time off to write and think, or else be institutionalized.

I think Thoreau’s mother saw her depressed son choosing to retreat into a small cabin in the woods, and was worried about him. Of course she did his laundry - just as Ralph Waldo Emerson probably brought him firewood and bread. These were not chores of obligation to support a “great” man, but services of love to help their deeply depressed 28yo son and friend.

And if you ask me, there’s a lesson in that - to “suck out the marrow of life” and “live deliberately,” one must also accept help offered from the people in your life who love you. There is no true transcendentalism or individualism without love and friendship behind it.

[diaryoku]

me: creates a detailed fictional world.

also me: forgets to buy toilet paper.