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“But things work out, you know. Even if it doesn’t feel OK for a long time, or even if it feels like things will never be OK again, (things) work out in the end.”

— Lauren Morrill

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so in love with couples where it's grumpy old-fashioned "hate-this-world" guy and sunshine emotionally-intelligent "but-there's-beauty-here" girl

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genres

fantasy - somewhere better than here

romance - if we were always enough

historical - things that might have happened

sci-fi - all that we don't know in the universe

mystery/thriller - all that we don't know about ourselves

fiction - the way things could be

nonfiction - the way things are

memoir/biography - what it was

poetry - what it meant

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Botanical Names Part I

Names you can choose for your characters. Taken from the little signs in a botanical garden. So they are names of plants.

Adoxa

Potentilla

Fraxinus

Stellaria

Valeriana

Iris

Tulipa

Syringa

Danthonia

Avena

Silene

Irsine

Amaranthus

Barbarea

Cleome

Nigella

Erica

Arbutus

Malva

Calluna

Viola

Phyllis

Majorana

Salvia

Morina

Petunia

Calliandra

Veronica

Gilia

Juniper

More names!

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ok but like. there are two different types of privilege. there's type a "everybody should have this, but some people don't" and type b "nobody should have this, but some people do"

there's having parents who can pay for your application to any college, and then there's having parents who can bribe your way into any college. there's owning your own home, and then there's owning 50 houses and getting rich off hoarding a vital resource. there's not fearing for your life whenever cops are around, and then there's being the cop and being allowed to murder anyone at any time.

idk i just feel like that's an important distinction to make.

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Structuring Your Fight Scene

adapted from <Writer's Craft> by Rayne Hall

Suspense

Show your characters gearing up, readying themselves.

The pace is slow, the suspense is high (use suspense techniques)

Provide information about terrain, numbers, equipment, weapons, weather.

May have dialogue as the opponents taunt each other, hurl accusations, or make one final effort to avoid the slaughter.

Don't start too early - we don't need to see the hero getting out of bed, taking a shower and having tea.

2. Start

Fighters get into fight stance: knees slightly bent, one leg forward, abdominal muscles tensing, body turned diagonally, weapons at the ready.

Each side will usually try to be the first to strike, as this will give them advantage.

The movements in this section need to be specific and technically correct.

3. Action

This section may be quick or prolonged. If prolonged, no blow-by-blow descriptions are needed.

Focus on the overall direction of the fight

Make use of the location to make characters jump, leap, duck, hide, fall, etc.

Mention sounds of weapons

4. Surprise

Something unexpected happens: building catches fire, a downpour, relief force arrives, staircase collapses, bullet smashes into the only lightbulb and everything goes dark, hero losses his weapon, etc.

Add excitement, raise the stakes.

5. Climax

Both sides are tired and wounded

The hero is close to giving up, but is revived with passion

Move to the terrain's most dangerous spot: narrow swining rope-bridge, a roof-edge, sinking ship, etc.

Don't rush the climax! Hold the tension

6. Aftermath

The fight is over: bes buddies lying dead, bandaging, reverberating pain, etc.

Use sense of sight and smell

The hero may experience nausea, shaking, tearfulness or get sexually horny

Fight scene length

Historical/adventure/fantasy: 700-1000w

Romance: 400-700w

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“Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.”

— Katherine Henson

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worldbuilding holidays; possible traditions for holidays based on historical events:

commemorating victims of the historical event

parades

mass lighting candles

displaying art related to the event

cooking traditional dishes

organizing discussions and lectures to educate the public

planting commemorative trees

family trips to museums

discussions with people who lived through the event

reenacting the event

family reunions

wearing awareness accessories (ribbons, etc.)

political figures giving commemorative speeches

fundraisers for victims of the event

workshops to educate children in schools

building monuments/statues

feel free to add more!

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idea for an app/website where people can record themselves telling stories about themselves and other family members so that the stories are never lost. maybe they can add pictures and videos to a sort of family timeline, and maybe other family members can comment on other people's stories with their versions/related stories (though i could see the comments thing becoming an issue lol)

this would be such a beautiful way to remember people who are gone and record their stories, since by the time you're old enough to want to ask it's often too late to hear them

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Good Traits Gone Bad

Exploring good traits gone bad in a novel can add depth and complexity to your characters. Here are a few examples of good traits that can take a negative turn:

1. Empathy turning into manipulation: A character with a strong sense of empathy may use it to manipulate others' emotions and gain an advantage.

2. Confidence becoming arrogance: Excessive confidence can lead to arrogance, where a character belittles others and dismisses their opinions.

3. Ambition turning into obsession: A character's ambition can transform into an unhealthy obsession, causing them to prioritize success at any cost, including sacrificing relationships and moral values.

4. Loyalty becoming blind devotion: Initially loyal, a character may become blindly devoted to a cause or person, disregarding their own well-being and critical thinking.

5. Courage turning into recklessness: A character's courage can morph into reckless behavior, endangering themselves and others due to an overestimation of their abilities.

6. Determination becoming stubbornness: Excessive determination can lead to stubbornness, where a character refuses to consider alternative perspectives or change their course of action, even when it's detrimental.

7. Optimism becoming naivety: Unwavering optimism can transform into naivety, causing a character to overlook dangers or be easily deceived.

8. Protectiveness turning into possessiveness: A character's protective nature can evolve into possessiveness, where they become overly controlling and jealous in relationships.

9. Altruism becoming self-neglect: A character's selflessness may lead to neglecting their own needs and well-being, to the point of self-sacrifice and burnout.

10. Honesty becoming brutal bluntness: A character's commitment to honesty can turn into brutal bluntness, hurting others with harsh and tactless remarks.

These examples demonstrate how even admirable traits can have negative consequences when taken to extremes or used improperly. By exploring the complexities of these traits, you can create compelling and multi-dimensional characters in your novel.

Happy writing!

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it REALLY hurts my feelings that this beautiful fluffy baby would love nothing more than to hunt and kill me for sport, when all I want to do is give cuddles and kisses </3

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I lost someone for the first time today.

It wasn't unexpected, and it wasn't avoidable. It was the end of a long and hopefully happy life. But I'm still in shock.

I'm in this weird state of numbness. Sometimes it'll hit me and I'll cry for a minute or two, but then I go back to this fog where nothing feels real. I can't do work. I can't get sucked in watching TV or reading. I can't and don't feel like doing anything. The only thing I managed to get done today was the eulogy. It's worse than my actual depressive episodes because even then I can wallow in my sadness, lose myself in fantasy worlds. But right now I'm stuck.

And then I feel guilty for being stuck. And guilty for asking for time off, for canceling and rescheduling commitments, because I'm getting all these sympathetic responses and it feels like cheating. It feels like I'm taking advantage or making it up, because I'm not devastated like I should be, just numb. As kind as they are, I don't need their pity or condolences, because I'm not feeling anything.

Sometimes I can feel everything simmering below the surface, usually disguised as rage. I'm conflict-avoidant, used to bottling things up, but this feels more volatile than normal.

I don't know. I guess writing this out was slightly cathartic, but I'd appreciate any advice on how to let everything out. Punching bag? Rage room? Ripping up paper?

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we are in a media literacy crisis

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ok, i'm just going to say it. there's a reason that some of us like reading monster/alien romance just as much as maybe even more than regular romance.

and no, it's not about the supernatural dicks (at least not for me).

in short, it's about respect. obviously, the monster/alien comes from a place somewhere other than human society on planet Earth. because of that, he is completely ignorant of the sexist bias inherent in our society. (and by inherent i mean literally trained into us since birth and embedded in every aspect of our society)

sometimes the monster's views are more misogynistic — but in those stories the heroine manages to change his views by earning his respect as they navigate their inter-special differences (aka, he learns and fixes himself).

usually, the monsters believe strongly in equality between the sexes, and they are often shocked and horrified if/when they learn of how human men treat their partners. [and yes, i know some of them are over-the-top protective to the point of being controlling, but even then it's because they view the heroines as someone to continuously be protected, cherished, and respected.]

TLDR: it's an escape into a romantic fantasy where the love interest is GUARANTEED to be a good partner because he literally could never think to harm, insult, or disrespect the heroine

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*merlins magic gets exposed in front of the knights*

merlin, magic user: oh fuck

arthur, finally taking this opportunity to pretend as if he just found out merlin has magic after agonizing for the past month on how to bring it up: you have magic?

lancelot, merlin defender, already knew of merlin’s magic: no! i have magic

gwaine, merlin defender, already knew of merlin’s magic, lover of chaos, ride or die: no, i have magic!

mordred, desperate for his hero’s approval bc no matter what he’s done emrys just stares at him with distrust and the poor boy is tired and so close to tears: no…i have magic.

percival, raised by druids and bonded strongly with mordred over that and does Not agree with the persecution of magic in camelot, had an inkling that merlin had magic but no proof: no. i have magic.

*leon and elyan exchange a look, elyan, amused and leon, exhausted, elyan shrugs*

elyan, knows how much gwen adores merlin and completely understands her stance bc merlin…is merlin, down to clown and put on a show, really playing up the dramatics: no! i have magic.

leon, exhausted, has known of merlin’s magic since he stepped foot in camelot, knows of his feelings for arthur and arthur’s feelings for him, knows arthur knows of merlin’s magic and wouldn’t harm him, thinks everyone is being absolutely ridiculous:

*the knights stare hard at leon and even merlin looks slightly offended at leon not jumping to his defense with the rest of the knights, arthur hasn’t said anything and is staring at leon expectantly*

leon, sighing: …no. i have magic.

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reblogging so i can always reread this❤️

After been missing for 12 years, the duke’s daughter (now 16) is sent to the royal accademy and immediately targeted by bullies. What the bullies don’t know is that the lady spent those 12 years with a clan of orks

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female grief and rage personified

Morgana Pendragon | 3x13