faysnoad

[faysnoad]

Any chance you have any for writing, uh, adult scenes? They're really difficult to implement I feel

writing adult scenes that aren’t cringe, soulless, or weirdly mechanical

first of all, SORRY for the delay responding to this!! i've had this sitting in my inbox like a cryptid under a tarp because i wanted to actually give you something thoughtful and helpful (and not just go "lol same" and vanish into the mist). so. let’s talk ✨writing adult scenes✨ in a way that actually works for the story, not just for shock or spice or vibes.

the biggest challenge with adult scenes (and what makes them feel awkward to write) is that they can’t be written in isolation. they need to grow out of character dynamics, narrative tension, pacing, and tone. otherwise, they feel dropped-in or even emotionally hollow. so here’s a breakdown of how i approach them:

🌙 1. what does the scene do for the story? before writing any intimate moment, ask why this scene needs to happen here. is it a turning point in their relationship? a power shift? a moment of vulnerability? a manipulation? a step toward something breaking or healing? → if the only answer is “it’s time for a sexy scene,” pause and reassess. the strongest scenes usually have subtextual contradiction or tension. two characters who want different things. one character who's lying. one who thinks this will fix something. one who wants to feel nothing but feels too much. etc.

🕯️ 2. tone over terminology. you don’t need to use graphic terms to make a scene powerful. and you don’t need to fade to black to keep it tasteful either. it’s all about what suits your voice + genre + POV. → are you going clinical, detached, raw, euphemistic, poetic, awkward, sensory, or restrained? for example, if your POV character is repressed or emotionally numb, describing the absence of feeling can be more impactful than heat. if your POV is hyperfocused or obsessive, then focus in with close detail on one or two things (the way the other person breathes, touches, reacts). use sensory anchoring to make it immersive: temperature shifts, breath patterns, pressure, skin texture, muscle tension, silence vs noise. this doesn’t mean just listing body parts, it means grounding every action in how it’s being experienced.

💔 3. stay in character. your characters don’t become blank slates just because the clothes are off. this is a moment where everything about them should heighten, their pasts, fears, walls, wants, emotional limits. → how do they usually communicate (or avoid communication)? how do they handle vulnerability or control? if one of them is more experienced and the other is nervous, that’ll shape their pacing, their responses, even their internal monologue. if it’s two people with history (or tension or resentment), that should bleed through too. even breath can be laced with emotional weight if you write it in character.

🔥 4. skip the step-by-step. you do not need to narrate every movement or article of clothing. that’s where scenes start to feel mechanical or awkward. → instead: zoom in on a few potent, emotionally-loaded actions or lines of dialogue. linger on what those moments mean to the character. you’re not writing a how-to manual, you’re writing a turning point in intimacy, trust, conflict, or emotional unraveling. if you need to, write the whole thing once clinically just to get the beats down. then go back and revise it for tone and feeling.

💡final notes from me:

if you're writing in 1st person, filter everything through that character’s emotional lens. if they're overwhelmed or dissociating, show that. if they're hyperaware, describe what draws their eye.

awkwardness isn’t bad! sex can be weird or fumbly or vulnerable or funny. don’t sand down the edges unless your characters are perfect robots.

don’t try to make it universal. make it specific. what does this character notice? how do these two people move around each other? what are they afraid to say out loud?

i hope this helps!! and if you ever want examples, writing exercises, or scene critiques, feel free to send more asks 🖤

[faysnoad]

On writing sexual tension

⊹ standing too close. like just barely not touching. why are their shoulders breathing on each other??

⊹ conversations that sound normal but feel like foreplay. “pass the salt” has never been so loaded.

⊹ one of them says something flirty and the other freezes for 0.2 seconds like “oh.”

⊹ eyes dropping to lips and then—back up. with effort.

⊹ holding eye contact just a little too long. like... are they gonna kiss or duel??

⊹ unintentional physical contact that lasts one second too long and now they’re both broken

⊹ a hand on the small of the back. that’s it. that’s the tweet.

⊹ tension so thick that other characters start noticing like “hey are you two okay?” (they are not)

⊹ “accidental” sleepovers. “oh no there’s only one bed.” yeah. suuuure.

⊹ biting back a smile. biting back a moan. biting anything really.

⊹ one of them walks away and the other has to physically restrain themselves from watching the hips

⊹ lots of sighing. frustrated sighs. horny sighs. “i want to kiss you but I’m emotionally unavailable” sighs.

[faysnoad]

Quick tips for writing kisses

⇰ the pause. THE PAUSE. like “are we doing this? oh god we’re doing this.”

⇰ looking at each other’s mouths like it’s a life-or-death decision

⇰ someone whispering “can I?” or “just once” before going for it and RUINING ME EMOTIONALLY

⇰ hands. gripping shirts. cupping faces. hovering like “do I touch?? I WANNA TOUCH”

⇰ breath hitching?? yes. shakiness?? absolutely.

⇰ that stupid moment where one of them pulls back a few inches like “wait are you sure” and the other just goes for it again

⇰ kissing like they’re scared it’ll be the last time

⇰ kissing like they’ve been waiting ten goddamn years

⇰ teeth clashing awkwardly and both laughing about it but STILL FEELING IT

⇰ one of them freezing for a second mid-kiss because the feelings just hit

⇰ the post-kiss moment of “uh. so. yeah.” where neither knows what the hell just happened

⇰ OR the post-kiss forehead touch. destroy me.

[faysnoad]

Quick tips for writing found family vibes

☽ character A* saying “ugh you’re so annoying” while giving B* their last piece of food without hesitation

☽ one of them keeps a tally of who saved whose life. it’s always mostly a joke. mostly.

☽ someone quietly patching up another’s wounds and neither of them talks about it

☽ a big fight. like, yelling, rage, “fine then LEAVE” — but they don’t leave. they sleep five feet apart. still grumpy. still ride or die.

☽ A* carrying B* on their back and B* being like “put me down I’m fine” while actively bleeding out

☽ weird inside jokes that no one else gets. like everyone around them is like “is this a code???” no. it’s just dumb.

☽ one of them has a Bad Day and the others just know. they don’t talk about it, they just pull them into a couch pile and put on a movie

☽ dumb arguments like “you cannot name the dog Knife” followed immediately by “...fine. but I get to name the next one”

☽ someone saying “I don’t need help” and getting helped anyway

☽ they threaten to kill each other like every other hour, but the second someone else threatens one of them? suddenly it’s murder o’clock.

☽ found family member B* never had a birthday party before and now they get one every year and it’s a disaster and they love it

☽ car singalongs. chaotic energy. someone takes the harmony too seriously. someone else is off-key on purpose. someone films it. blackmail for later.

☽ someone says “no one’s ever done that for me before” and the other characters all go “????” because it was a tiny thing

☽ shared chores, shared grief, shared joy, shared toothbrush (gross), shared everything.

☽ someone forgets they’re allowed to ask for help now. someone else reminds them.

☽ someone new joins the group and asks “so who’s in charge?” and everyone points at someone different. or they just laugh. because no one is. or they all are.

[faysnoad]

me: i’m gonna write

also me: actually i’m going to spend the next 40 minutes lying on the floor while my brain plays a movie trailer for a novel that doesn’t exist and that i will never write. but it’s a really good trailer

[faysnoad]

How to Emotionally Destroy Readers

✩ Gut-punches are about timing. You don't say “I love you” during the sunset. You say it in the middle of a burning building or right after they stab you.

✩ A single line of dialogue like “you were supposed to come back” hits harder than an entire page of poetic mourning.

✩ Don’t just break their hearts, break their sense of identity. Make them question who they are, what they stand for, and if it was ever worth it (That’s premium pain.)

✩ Let someone be forgiven… but not trusted again. That's the kind of heartbreak that lingers like smoke.

✩ Sometimes the most devastating line is the one they don’t say. Silence is a character too.

✩ Give them a moment of joy. Right before everything falls apart. Hope makes the fall hurt more.

✩ Someone saying “I forgive you” through tears? Powerful. Someone saying “I still love you but I can’t stay”? Absolutely soul-shattering.

✩ If they die, don’t describe the death. Describe the aftermath. The coat left hanging by the door. The mug still on the table. The dog waiting.

[faysnoad]

Argument-Ending Prompts

⭒ "So this is who you really are?“

⭒ "I can't believe I ever trusted you."

⭒ "You were never there when it mattered."

⭒ "This is the last time you let me down."

⭒ "I guess we were never meant to be."

⭒ "Just go, I can't even look at you right now."

⭒ "I've given you so many chances, no more."

⭒ Everything you said was just a lie, wasn't it?"

⭒ "You think you're right, but you're just alone."

⭒ "I'm done trying to make this work."

⭒ "You've shown me enough; it's over."

⭒ Keep your excuses to yourself, I'm done listening."

⭒ "You chose this, remember that."

⭒ "I'm not wasting another minute on you."

⭒ "Forget my number, we're through."

[faysnoad]

“how did you get into writing” girl nobody gets into writing. writing shows up one day at your door and gets into you

[faysnoad]

The Symbolism of Weather

Weather in stories is not just there to make your characters wet or sweaty or annoyingly cold. It means stuff, like, big emotional metaphory stuff. You can totally use it to say what your characters aren’t saying out loud, or to punch your readers in the face with vibes.

༄ Storms – Big messy chaos energy. Fights or maybe Panic. Something bad is either happening or about to, like the universe is yelling “brace yourself!”

༄ Rain – Sad tears or soul shower, take your pick. Sometimes it’s like, "boohoo everything sucks," but also kinda healing? Think of it like an emotional reset button.

༄ Sunshine – Happiness, duh. But also those moments where everything is finally clear and warm and safe, even if just for a second.

༄ Fog – No one knows what the hell is going on. Secrets, confusion, probably someone making a very questionable decision.

༄ Wind – Change is coming, dear. Restlessness in the air...Could be thrilling, could be terrifying. Hair will get messed up either way.

༄ Snow – Either magical winter wonderland vibes... or total emotional frostbite. Loneliness, silence, maybe death if you’re feeling extra dramatic.

༄ Heatwave – Everyone’s cranky and sweaty and one second away from snapping. Tension is so thick you could cut it with a popsicle stick.

༄ Thunder – Something (or someone) is pissed off. Like divine wrath, or just the universe doing a mic drop.

༄ Lightning – FLASH of truth. Insight. Or rage. Whatever it is, it’s fast and it changes everything.

༄ Clear Sky – The deep exhale after the chaos, like things are finally chill. Maybe even… hopeful?

[faysnoad]

OMG THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

I've been doing my research about all of this, but it's been hard since English is not my first language and I've never even seen like 3/4 of these words. It's also hard because I forget what else could be on that list in my mother tongue so it gets pretty tedious as well.

THANK YOU!

I made these as a way to compile all the geographical vocabulary that I thought was useful and interesting for writers. Some descriptors share categories, and some are simplified, but for the most part everything is in its proper place. Not all the words are as useable as others, and some might take tricky wording to pull off, but I hope these prove useful to all you writers out there!

(save the images to zoom in on the pics)

[faysnoad]

Subtle Ways to Show a Character Is Falling Apart (Emotionally)

✦ laughs at things that aren’t remotely funny

✦ starts answering questions with “I’m fine” way too fast

✦ gets irrationally mad over minor inconveniences (wrong coffee order = meltdown)

✦ starts cleaning obsessively or not at all, no middle ground

✦ can’t sit still but also doesn’t want to go anywhere

✦ smiles like they’re trying to hold their face together

✦ talks more than usual, or barely at all, and both feel off

✦ keeps checking their phone even when no one’s texting

✦ gives away things they love “just because”

✦ stares at nothing for way too long, then pretends they were thinking

✦ snaps at people they normally protect

✦ starts apologizing for things they didn’t do

[faysnoad]

On Writing Romance

⊹ If their personalities don’t change the way they love, I don’t care. Show me the emotionally constipated gremlin trying to say “I love you” through soup or blood sacrifices.

⊹ Miscommunication tropes are only tolerable if it’s because both characters are awkward disaster goblins who panic and start lying for no reason.

⊹ Romance should amplify character arcs, not replace them. If they abandon their goals the moment someone is cute at them, that’s not love, that’s weak writing.

⊹ Let them fall in love slowly. Through shared snacks, petty arguments, silent glances, sarcastic encouragement, bandaging each other’s wounds. Love is built. Not summoned.

⊹ Consent is hot. Clear boundaries are hot. Flirting where both parties know what they’re doing and still get flustered is the hottest.

⊹I don’t want “he was dark and brooding.” I want “he was emotionally unavailable and bad at feelings but showed up anyway and said 'I’m trying.'”

⊹ If you're writing a friends-to-lovers arc, the moment they realize is not when they see each other in a pretty outfit. It’s when they see them being genuinely kind. Or brave. Or stupidly loyal.

⊹ Physical affection is great, but emotional pattern recognition is better. I want “I noticed you chew your sleeve when you’re scared” kind of intimacy.

⊹ Let one character love the other first and let them suffer. Let them burn quietly in the corner while the other obliviously sharpens their sword.

⊹ If they don’t have a little bit of “I hate how much I love you,” what are we even doing here?

⊹ Sometimes the romance arc is learning to love yourself first. Or breaking a pattern. Or finally understanding you’re worthy of love at all.

⊹ The best romance scenes are never just about the romance. They’re about trust, choice, timing, and all the things they’re afraid to say.

[faysnoad]

First Chapters That Don’t Suck...

✧ You do not have to start with action. You have to start with interest. I will read two whole pages about someone making soup if they’re muttering about killing a god while doing it.

✧Your first sentence doesn’t have to be deep, mysterious, or poetic. It can just be “The corpse wouldn't shut up,” or “The milk was cursed again.” Get (PLEASE) weird.

✧ Starting with a dream sequence is legal only if someone wakes up and says, “That’s the third time I’ve died in my sleep this week.”

✧ The point of Chapter One is not to explain the entire world. It’s to hook the reader and emotionally blackmail them into turning the page.

✧ Introduce ONE conflict. Not five. One delicious little problem to gnaw on. “Oh no, they’re late for their job at the magical DMV.” I’m in.

✧ You don’t have to name every person your character walks past. Save the lore dump for later. If you give me eight capitalized names and two empires in the first paragraph, I will cry.

✧ Dialogue is a great opener if it makes me ask a question. If someone says “Did you hide the body?” in the first line, I’m staying.

✧ First impressions matter. So if your MC’s first action is whining about something boring, I will throw them. Gently. Out a window.

✧ It’s okay to rewrite your first chapter after you finish the book. In fact, please do. Future-you will understand what the story actually needed.

[faysnoad]

Writing Advice that Will Save You from Crying over Chapter 3 Again

☽ Sometimes “writer’s block” is actually just your story being broken and your brain knowing before you do. Respect the vibes, go back. Something stinks.

☽ If you’re stuck in the middle, skip to the part you’re excited to write. Chronological writing is a suggestion, not a law.

☽ “Kill your darlings” is not about deleting every cool thing you love. It’s about not hoarding scenes like a dragon with dialogue you wrote in 2017 that doesn’t even make sense anymore.

☽ You do not need to write like your favorite author. You need to write like you, caffeinated and slightly unstable.

☽ Talking to yourself in the mirror as your character is not weird. It’s called method writing. You’re not unhinged, you’re dedicated.

☽ Aesthetic Pinterest boards and playlists are writing progress if they make you feel like a god again.

☽ You can write the climax before you finish Act 1. You can rewrite Chapter 1 thirty times and then delete it anyway. You’re not behind, you’re in hell with the rest of us.

You’re allowed to write stuff that’s not “marketable.” You’re allowed to be weird. Write the story that would make you feel seen. The niche finds its freaks.

☽ Beta readers are not gods. Take what resonates, ignore what doesn’t. If five people say your story drags at Chapter 8? Maybe listen. If one person says “make it all about the dog,” maybe don’t.

[faysnoad]

“We’re both broken but we make it work” prompts

⊹ “I’m not good for you.” - “Then be bad with me. Just don’t leave.”

⊹ cleaning up after their panic attack, and neither of you says a word. you just hold the trash can and breathe with them.

⊹ “if you can’t promise to stay, just say goodbye now.” - “…I’ll fight to stay. I just can’t promise I’ll win.”

⊹ patching up their busted knuckles in the bathroom sink after a fight they started to protect you. again.

⊹ “stop trying to fix me.” - “I’m not. I just like you, even with the cracks.”

⊹ both of you laughing a little too loud at something that isn’t funny - because if you don’t laugh, you’ll drown.

⊹ that moment in the car when it’s dead silent and one of you just whispers, “I don’t think I know how to be okay anymore.” and the other says, “me neither.” and you keep driving.

[faysnoad]

Responses to “why didn’t you tell me?”

(perfect for when your OC hid something Big and Emotional and now it’s all awkward and feelings are on the floor)

✧ "because I didn’t think you’d care."

✧ "because I barely admitted it to myself."

✧ "i was gonna... and then the moment passed... like three weeks ago."

✧ "because every time i almost did, i panicked and made a stupid joke instead."

✧ "it didn’t feel like something you’d want to know."

✧ "because i’m a professional at bottling things up until they explode spectacularly."

✧ "i figured if i kept quiet, it wouldn’t be real."

✧ "i was scared you’d look at me differently. and now you are."

✧ "because it was easier to lie than to see that look on your face."

✧ "i didn’t want to need you. still don’t."

✧ "because i didn’t want to ruin whatever this is."

✧ "because i’m tired of being the problem."

✧ "you were already dealing with so much. i didn’t want to be more weight."

✧ "i didn’t think i deserved to be honest with you."

✧ "because if i said it out loud, you might leave."

✧ "because i wanted to be someone you didn’t have to worry about."

✧ "because it’s not just about me. it never is."

✧ "you ever hold something in so long it becomes part of you? yeah. that."

✧ "because i didn’t know how to say it without falling apart."

[faysnoad]

If Your Character Doesn’t Want Anything, The Plot Can’t Start

so. here’s the thing. if your main character is just kinda floating through the story like a passive sad bean™️ with no real goal or drive, then the plot? is not plotting.

this isn’t a ✨you suck✨ thing. it’s a common first draft curse. but if you’re 30k words deep and your protagonist is still just reacting to stuff with vague concern and inner monologues about The Past™… we need to talk.

📍what even is a character “want”?

your character’s want is their external goal. the thing they’re trying to get, do, or change.

avenge someone

win a trial

run away from their cursed bloodline

steal the crown

get through one (1) normal semester without summoning a demon by accident

it’s tangible. it’s active. it’s visible. other characters should be able to argue with it, get in the way of it, or try to stop it.

💥without a want, your character is just:

wandering

reacting

monologuing about their feelings

getting dragged into scenes by external forces

waiting for the plot to happen to them

and honestly? same. but also: no.

readers need to feel like your character is making the story happen, not being passively pushed along by fate and side characters with better motivations.

⚠️ want vs need (aka: the emotional trauma part)

quick breakdown:

the want = the external goal (win the throne, survive the week, kiss the hot villain)

the need = the internal arc (heal the grief, learn to trust, accept their identity, realize kissing the hot villain is a bad idea)

your character should want something that will eventually lead them to what they need. but the want comes first. the want is the engine. the need is the crash landing.

plot starts with the want.

character arc ends with the need.

🎯 signs your character doesn’t want anything (yet):

you keep skipping scenes because “nothing is happening”

you’re relying on vibes or worldbuilding to carry the tension

side characters are doing all the heavy lifting

your protagonist spends more time reacting than deciding

your outline says “stuff happens” for 8 chapters

🛠️ how to fix it:

Make them want something that’s wrong. they don’t have to want the right thing. they just have to want something strongly. wrong goals lead to better tension. and failure. and chaos. (yay!)

Put something between them and that goal. wanting something isn’t enough. they need to pursue it, and get blocked. by enemies. allies. their own self-sabotage. this is where conflict comes from.

Tie the want to survival or obsession. if it’s not urgent, it’s background noise. raise the stakes. why now? why does this matter? why can’t they walk away?

Let them choose. at some point in Act 1, they need to make a conscious decision to pursue the goal. even if they get manipulated into it. even if it’s a bad idea. it needs to feel like a choice.

📦 examples:

✨bad✨: “she’s just trying to get by and see what happens”

✅better: “she’s trying to disappear, but someone recognizes her from the war and now she has to fake a new identity while hunting them down before they ruin her life”

see the difference? one is vibes. one is a whole plot engine.

the story doesn’t start until your character wants something badly enough to make a move, and risk breaking something.

give them a goal. a plan. a terrible idea. and then go ruin their life.

P.S. I made a free mini eBook about the 5 biggest mistakes writers make in the first 10 pages 👀 you can grab it here for FREE:

🕯️ download the pack & write something cursed: