jjjaron

[jjjaron]

It took me forever to get the hang of starting scenes. Save yourself some time.

(Credit in Pic)

[jjjaron]

How to start a story when you only have the middle

Start from the middle anyway

Write your heroes in the middle of their perilous journey, don’t offer any explanation yet on why they are doing what they are doing. Sometimes writing a story gives you better insight on your own characters, and also help you expand on your knowledge of your currently incomplete world

For example, you have a super great scene in your head about a couple of mercenaries running away to safety from a monster, but you don’t know why they’re even fighting that monster.

Write the scene anyway, on how they managed to escape, on who didn’t survive, on the survivors and how they are faring.

If you still don’t have any idea how it got to that point, take a break and come back to it later. You don’t have to force yourself to finish it all in one sitting.

Then come back to it, and you have several options to convey the backstory.

1. Through flashbacks Your next chapter started with “It all started with–” and you tell the story chronologically from then on up until the scene you first thought of, and there are other ways to utilize it

2. Through characters having conversations regarding of what happened No flashback, just characters discussing the events and what led to it. A great way to withhold information from the readers, as each characters would have their own narratives on the event, and not necessarily based on facts. Then you can proceed by trickling information down through the rest of the narrative.

These are just two things I managed to think of, and I’m sure there are other ways too other than these.

[jjjaron]

Notes from Stephen King’s “On Writing” 06: How to Create Symbolism and Themes

Symbolism

“Symbolism exists to adorn and enrich, not to create a sense of artificial profundity.”

Having been an English major, I can’t even count how many times I’ve had to “analyze the symbolism” or “identify and discuss the themes” of a work. It seems that any classic, any “Good Book” must have themes and symbols. So how do we go about weaving those into our stories?

If you set out with a plot, it would be easy to calculate the best places to insert those symbols and build theme. But if you are like Stephen King and you don’t plot, what do you do? 

Rest assured, he’s explained his method to us. 

“Mostly I don’t see stuff like [symbolism] until the story’s done. Once it is, I’m able to kick back, read over what I’ve written, and look for underlying patterns. If I see some (and I almost always do), I can work at bringing them out in a second, more fully-realized draft of the story.”

I had a very similar experience with one of my own works. I started writing a story based on an idea and just let it take me where it wanted to go. It ended up being a bit over 200,000 words when it was all said and done, and when I read through it afterwards, I realized that the whole thing had essentially been about me trying to grapple with my identity and isolation as an outsider, being a white girl in Japan who is fluent in Japanese. There were certain symbols and themes that I had unknowingly sprinkled through the story. A second draft would help me hone and polish those. 

“Symbolism doesn’t have to be difficult and relentlessly brainy. Nor does it have to be consciously crafted as a kind of ornamental Turkish rug upon which the furniture of the story stands. If you can go along with the concept of the story as a pre-existing thing, a fossil in the ground, then symbolism must also be pre-existing, right? Just another bone (or set of them) in your new discovery. That’s if it’s there. If it isn’t, so what? You’ve still got the story itself, don’t you? 

“If it is there and if you notice it, I think you should bring it out as well as you can, polishing it until it shines and then cutting it the way a jeweler would cut a precious or semiprecious stone.”

So just go ahead and write your story. Don’t get too bogged down in having to create symbols and theme and deepness. Once you’ve put your pen down and the dust has settled, see what you can find within the story. Symbolism can help to focus both you and the reader, creating a more unified and pleasing work. So if you can find the hints of it within your first draft, during the second draft work on bringing it out more.

Theme

“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.”

King approaches theme in much the same way he approaches symbolism in his works. He writes the entire book, reads it again, and asks himself why he bothered, why he spent all that time, why it seemed so important to him. 

“It seems to me that every book–at least every one worth reading–is about something. Your job during or just after the first draft is to decide what something or somethings yours is about. Your job in the second draft–one of them, anyway–is to make that something even more clear. This may necessitate some big changes and revisions. The benefits to you and your reader will be clearer focus and a more unified story. It hardly ever fails.”

Personally I balk at the idea of making big changes to what I wrote. It’s a reason why I never went back and revised the above story I mentioned. I knew that if I went back and changed a few things, I could have made the themes more evident and flowing, but…well. I was tired lol. And I had no intentions of publishing it anyways. Though if I really do want to publish something someday, big revisions are an unfortunate but necessary aspect of writing. 

A Caution About Theme

“Good fiction always begins with story and progresses to theme; it almost never begins with theme and progresses to story.”

Everyone has their own beliefs, interests, and concerns that have arisen from their experiences and adventures in life, and King encourages you to use them in your works. However, he does not believe that you should start out with a theme and build a story around it. 

To be honest, I’m not sure that I agree with King on this. (I know, who am I to disagree with him?) But hear me out. I’m a big Neil Gaiman fan, and during his MasterClass course, he spoke about how he had a particular experience that made him want to create a children’s story with the message of “Being brave means doing something even when you’re scared.” The story that was born of that theme was Coraline. 

I think that if you have a theme, even if it is a rough one, in mind when you set out to write a story, it could help direct you and your characters. Then again, I’ve never had a single book published, so I respectfully digress haha. 

Source: King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Hodder, 2012.

[jjjaron]

i've noticed that i tend to focus on character descriptions and interactions at the expense of the setting. sometimes it feels like they're just in an empty room until i suddenly mention one piece of furniture. is there a way to paint a livelier setting without sacrificing characters or drastically ballooning the wordcount?

(not the go-to blog for writing advice but i’ll try my best :D )

For me, setting descriptions are an awesome tool to set the mood for a scene or do some subtle characterization.

1. Scenery description as mood setting:

Describing the scenery is very useful for immersing the reader in situations and setting the mood for scenes. That goes especially for outdoor settings - landscapes reflecting the feelings of the characters is like, literature 101 (there’s also a word for it but i forgot it). The landscape/weather sharply contrasting with the character’s feelings can be very fun to play with too!

But even indoors, i love to be descriptive in regard to how a room feels. Key question is: what do you want your characters to feel like in that scene? and then build the scenery while keeping that in mind. Or go the opposite route and first ask yourself what the characters would feel in that room, and build the scene on that.

Is the room intimate or impersonal? Roomy or oppressive? Is the furniture cushy and inviting or impossible to sit comfortably on? Does it smell fresh or dusty? Too cold, too warm? What are the room’s main colors? What is the room’s “personality”?

Of course you don’t have to answer every of these questions. But answering some of them might help carry the scene and give it a distinct feeling.

Example from my own writing:

“He pushed open the bar’s clunky, ornate door. Inside was a mellow half-dark, foggy with cigarette smoke, and it took him a few seconds to spot his targets, lounging in a booth of plump green leather at the other end of the low-ceiled room. He deflected a waiter’s offer to seat him and walked over with purposeful strides, cringing as the acrid stench of burned tobacco assaulted his nostrils.“

=> i think i first described the bar, and then came to realize that my character would feel terribly uncomfortable in that slightly oppressive setting, that is very antithetical to his own personality. It helped build a tension and pressure on him that then shaped the rest of the scene

2. Scenery description as characterization:

This is especially true when we “visit” someone’s private space for the first time. It can give the reader so many interesting hints as to what the character is like, what they like, what they do, what their life is like.

Think about what you notice when you visit someone’s room for the first time. Does it fit your expectations? Is the room chaotic, orderly, smells good/bad, are there personal items or more stylish ones, does it feel homely or cold, does it feel true to the person or not?

When writing the POV of the person who “visits” you can also play with what the POV person notices/looks at. I like to do a sort of “look around and zoom” description - first you have a general description of the room, then little curious details thrown in that the POV person picks up upon as we “follow their gaze”.

Example of it in action:

“[… ] he entered what probably served as both living room and bedroom, if one was to go by the kitchenette and the broad mattress resting on pallets.

X was crouching in front of the mini fridge.

"Want a beer?”

“Uh, I don’t drink,” Y said absently, reviewing the messy room.

There was a table covered in tools and tidbits of car parts, posters of punk bands plastered to the walls, and a battered laptop on the floor. T-shirts and socks were strewn all over the place like the trail to a nudist beach, one pair of briefs even hanging from the ceiling light. It faintly smelled of motor oil.”

=> this gives us some information on X (very chaotic), what they like (punk bands) and what their life is like (not a lot of money since no proper furniture, likes to tinker with car parts, etc) without needing to acknowledge it explicitly. Some of this is new to Y and the reader, some confirms what we already know. Boom!

For me these kind of description don’t feel like they’re ballooning the wordcount - they’re organic to the plot!

3. Throwaway scenery descriptions

When describing the scenery doesn’t help the story at all, e.g because it’s a workaday situation or/and a bland setting, you can limit descriptions to a throwaway sentence. Keeping it to a minimum means no distractions from the characters and situation, and you can expand as needed.

E.g.:

“They entered the crowded cafeteria and sat at one of the cleaner tables.”

“She padded back to her office, a room brightly lit by floor-to-ceiling windows.”

That’s more than enough to give the reader a grasp of the setting in my books!

That’s all folks - hope i could help you. Followers, how do you describe sceneries and settings? Any advice?

[jjjaron]

My Self-editing Process

Before you give your manuscript to anyone - critique partners, beta readers etc - you should go through a self-editing process first. Here’s mine:

Definitions

Developmental edits: deal with big-picture, plot aspects. Things about the actual story that may need to be changed

Style edits: this isn’t an official term, but I use it in this post to indicate edits that need to made to the actual writing style/prose of a scene

Line/copy edits: deal with in-line, small issues like grammar, word choice/sentence structure

proofread: checking for any spelling, spacing or sentence errors.

These aren’t necessarily the official definitions of the terms, but rather explanations of how I will be using these words in the rest of this post.

While Drafting

I keep a separate document titled “edit notes” while I’m drafting the manuscript. In this document, I jot down any developmental issues that I need to look at later.

In the manuscript document itself, I use the comments feature to indicate any style issues or scenes I may need to rewrite to improve the writing. I also highlight any line or copy edits I may need to make later on.

This helps a lot, since it lets me identify possible errors right away without having to slow my drafting process to give attention to them.

After drafting

Once I’ve finished my draft, I go through various editing steps

Fix the things you noted in your separate “edit notes” and your in-document comments. This is a great place to start with edits, since the problems have already been identified. Go through the list systematically and try to fix them.

Print the manuscript and do a careful read-through. Errors are spotted much easier in hard copy, but if you cannot print the manuscript, try to read it on a tablet/phone. During this thorough read-through, you’re going to highlight different errors in different colours. I use green for developmental, pink for style/rewrite, blue for consistency and yellow for line/copy. But, obviously, you can use whichever colours you want. The purpose of this is only to highlight errors. You can make notes in pencil, but it’s not necessary to come up with solutions/corrections just yet. Keep in mind that you may also notice more issues later on. This is just for getting started.

Now, start editing. Begin with the developmental edits - the things you highlighted in green. These are the edits that may change your book significantly and have ripple effects. So, this is where you start. All those developmental issues you highlighted… Go back to the electronic version of your manuscript and try to fix them. This is the most brutal part of the editing process. It’s difficult and it may take long. But it is very necessary.

Edit the style errors/that which you highlighted in blue. These edits may require some scenes to be rewritten completely, but it doesn’t take as much problem-solving brain power as developmental edits.

Now, move on to the line/copy edits - you highlighted them in yellow. This is probably going to be your easiest round of edits, since it just requires correcting line-level edits.

You will probably have come across some more things you’d like to change during this entire process. Now is the time to give attention to those.

Run an editing software/extension. Now that you’ve edited every error you could find, I would suggest using something like Grammarly/ProWritingAid on your manuscript. This will help identify overused words/phrases, inconsistencies in punctuation, weak sentences etc. Let the program highlight these for you and decide what you want to change. ProWritingAid has a great free, online editor that I highly recommend if you cannot afford to buy the full software package.

Now, use some other device to read through your manuscript a final time. You can print the whole thing again, but that’s expensive. So, I would recommend using a phone/tablet/e-reader - whatever you have available. Read through the entire manuscript again, checking for any errors/issues you may find. This is mainly for proofreading purposes, but you could spot big-picture problems as well. Correct them as you go along

This will not be the end of your editing process. You will probably still get critique partners and beta readers, who will give you feedback, based on which you’ll make more edits. Depending on your route of publication, you’ll also have to hire a professional editor/go through edits with your agent and editor.

There are many different ways to edit a manuscript. Each writer must find what works for them. This is merely what works for me, and I hope that it can help some of you out there who feel like you don’t even know where to start.

Reblog this post if you found these tips useful. Comment with what you would do differently. Follow me for similar content.

[jjjaron]

Solomon’s Shield is the name of the app

OMG Download this!!!! Stop Police Brutality!

[jjjaron]

[I.D. A header image of two pencils on a yellow background, with title reading ‘Backstory’. End I.D.]

Backstory is such an important part of developing a character. A person’s experiences shape them. That’s true for real people and fictional ones alike. A person’s past informs their likes, dislikes, personality traits, fears, and practically everything else about them. In this post I’ll be looking at some ways to develop character and backstory, and how backstory fits into a wider tale.

Method one: backstory informing character

This is how character creation usually goes for me. An idea for a character’s past comes first, and the details of the character get fleshed out based on that. Figuring out what traits will come out of which past experiences is a bit trial and error, but I find using observations of people and analysis of other fictional characters’ backstories can be helpful for this. For an example of this method, let’s look at a character I developed this way. In my idea, he was left at an orphanage as a baby. Thinking about how this would affect his personality, I decided he would have a fear of abandonment and struggle to make emotional connections with people due to not having anyone he was close to as a child. In practice, you’ll go into a lot more detail than this, but you get the idea.

Method two: character informing backstory

In this case, you’ll have an idea of what traits you need your character to have for the story to play out, and work backwards to come up with a past to explain these traits. For example, say you have a character who rushes into things. Perhaps they experienced food shortages while growing up, which meant that whenever food did come along, they had to get it as quickly as possible. Now they don’t stop and think before acting, they just do.

In reality, character and backstory development is often a mix of these two. For example, you could come up with a backstory and use that as a basis for your character, then realise as you write that the character has some traits you hadn’t thought about, so you add some more information to the backstory to explain them, and so on and so forth. These two methods are just starting points.

How to include backstory effectively

Having a detailed backstory is incredibly helpful for you, the author, to understand your character. However, this doesn’t mean your audience needs to know every tiny detail. Peppering backstory in here and there often makes for a richer reading experience, but too much of this can make the reader feel like they keep getting dragged into the past. This slows pacing, is often jarring, and draws attention away from the present—where the plot is happening. Flashbacks are particularly prone to this. I mostly spread information about backstory in small snippets of dialogue, or slip it into short bits of narration. This doesn’t mean you can’t make a big thing of backstory, though; there are a couple of situations where drawing reader attention to it makes sense. In the case of either or both of the following, you might want to have a bigger section of dialogue focused on backstory, or throw in a flashback.

The audience needs to know why a character is acting a certain way and/or has certain traits, and their backstory explains it. A good example of this is Kaz Brekker’s backstory in Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (the rest of the main cast, too, but Kaz was the one that most stuck out to me).

The backstory gives important, plot-relevant information (which can either be immediately relevant or revealed to be important later in the story). An example of this would be the attitudes of William de Worde’s father in The Truth by Terry Pratchett. This example covers the first point as well—good backstory reveals often give both character- and plot-relevant information at once!

One final point - There are plenty of stories where having lots of backstory and/or flashbacks makes sense, for example if the plot follows a character trying to recover lost memories, or the story takes place in multiple timelines. However, if this isn’t the case for your project but you still keep finding yourself drawn to include lots of backstory and flashbacks, consider setting the story earlier and following the ‘past’ events as they happen.

Note: While the guidelines I’ve outlined above often make sense when dealing with backstory, they’re not hard-and-fast rules. I think backstory is an incredibly enjoyable part of the writing process, and the most important thing is to have fun with it!

Like this post? Follow for more writerly content! It’ll be lovely to have you along :D

[jjjaron]

Ways to incorporate all five senses in your scenes

Sight:

This is the most obviously incorporated into every scene. But be aware:

Where is the character (and what does that look like)

What is the lighting in the room like

What color are the walls

(I’m going to keep it there, but this could be much longer.)

Hearing:

Yes, of course they hear dialogue, but there’s a lot more, too! Also think about:

How many people are around them (and how they’re adding to the noise)

Whether they’re listening to music

Background noise (such as birds or wind)

Feel

This is probably the second most underutilized! Characters don’t have to be feeling pain or something to be feeling something. Also consider:

How their clothes feel on them

The temperature and humidity of the room

If they like to fidget with things around them

Smell

Our sense of smell is the one most connected to memories. Using it is not only realistic to the character but very grounding for the reader. So use it!

What food is in the room that the character might smell (or restaurants they’re walking by)

Plants or animals that have a very distinct scent

Perfume or cologne (and it doesn’t have to be a complicated apple and honey, you can just have a citrus perfume)

Taste

To be honest, this is probably the least important one just because the opportunity will only present itself once the character is eating. But, when they are eating:

Is the flavor pungent or dull (and which type of flavor(s) is it best categorized as)

Is it familiar or more foreign

Is the character going to eat quickly or not, and why

——–

Grounding your readers in the scene is important, and this means going beyond what is directly relevant to the plot. Add in layers of what’s happening and what they can sense and your writing may start to pop.

[jjjaron]

Cheat Sheet for Writing Emotion

Anger:

Grinding teeth

Narrowing eyes

Yelling

A burning feeling in the chest

Heavy breathing

Unjustified or justified accusations towards other characters

Jerky movements

Glaring

Violence

Stomping

Face reddening

Snapping at people

Sadness:

Lack of motivation

Messy appearance

Quiet

Slow movements

Crying

Inability to sleep

Frowning

Red eyes

Isolating oneself

Fatigue

Not concentrating

Love:

Thinking about someone

Good communication

Not forcing a friend/lover into something

Smiling randomly

Making eye contact with loved one

Nervous behaviors (fiddling hands, biting lip)

Cuddling

Flirting

Inside jokes

Holding hands

Kissing

Offering gifts

Fluttering stomach

Racing heart

Losing track of time while with loved one

Daydreaming

Denial:

Disagreement with someone

Shaking head frantically

Backing away

Putting hand on one’s chest

Rapid speaking

Rationalization or justifying something

Dismissing someone or something

Embarrassment:

Blushing

Avoiding eye contact

Grimacing

Looking down

Changing the conversation

Rubbing back of neck

Shoulders slumping

A weak voice

Tightening chest

Panicked thoughts

Running away

Getting quiet

Concentrating on something else

Happiness

Smiling

Laughing

Squealing

Bouncing on toes

Warmth in chest

Fast pulse

A sense of contentment

Relaxed posture

Quick movements

Breathlessness

Desire to help

Fear:

Face going pale

Panicked thoughts

Jerky movements

Mind racing for a solution

Running

Freezing

Fighting

Fawning (doing what people tell you to do)

Side note: flight, fight, freeze, and fawn are all reactions to adrenaline. Aka the fight or flight response

Thinking of survival

Rapid breathing

A panicked feeling

Guilt:

Feeling horrible about oneself

Lying

Grimacing

Trying to redeem themselves

Asking for forgiveness

Anxious thoughts

[jjjaron]

Child Abuse in Fiction

My experience with the portrayal and inclusion of child abuse in the media as someone who was abused and is now a writer and has a few things to say about it. -Alternate title- How I learned the wrong lessons from fiction and finally found the words to explain what went wrong and how it can be fixed.

Long post below the cut.

Keep reading

[jjjaron]

Child Abuse in Fiction

My experience with the portrayal and inclusion of child abuse in the media as someone who was abused and is now a writer and has a few things to say about it. -Alternate title- How I learned the wrong lessons from fiction and finally found the words to explain what went wrong and how it can be fixed.

Long post below the cut.

Keep reading

[jjjaron]

Writing About an Abused Character

First and foremost, it’s important to know that prologued trauma can cause CPTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder), and this is not the same as PTSD. Symtoms are different, and where PTSD is caused by one single event, CPTSD is caused by prolonged trauma.

What google says about CPTSD

People might struggle with managing their emotions.

Memory repression of the abuse, which can be later recalled after an event that triggered a memory or when the brain is ready to process the trauma.

May experience flashbacks or disassociation.

Feelings of helplessness, shame and/or guilt

Having a sense of not belonging anywhere or with anyone.

Might become preoccupied with the relationship with abuser. An example would be thoughts of revenge

Isolating oneself or not trusting others

More depth on CPTSD that I learned from my own experience and other people’s experiences

It is not recommended to start processing trauma while living with abusers

Some people with CPTSD still have relationships with their parents

They might put a lot of effort into looking as plain as possible

Isolating oneself is tempting and hard to resist, but will only be harmful

Wondering if they were abused at all

Having a very strong sense of not belonging anywhere

Feeling guilty for being abused because the abuser made them feel ashamed about it

Being really mature as a child, and being told you’re really mature, but when you hit adulthood, you realize you’re not that mature anymore

Being a really hard worker at a really young age

People tell victims of abuse to forgive their abuser

Craving intimacy (this does not mean sex) but not knowing how to get it and feeling a strong urge to isolate yourself instead

Fragmented memories of their childhood

Not being believed

Emotional abuse is very real and does count as abuse

Emotional, or psychological abuse, can be just as damaging as physical abuse

Abuse does not always come with bruises

Some will never forgive their abuser

Some will forgive their abuser

Fight or flight are not the only types of response to adrenaline. Fawn and freeze are very real and very problematic

Not knowing how to create boundaries

Writing the parents

They will make their child feel guilty for being abused. They do this by rationalizing their behavior and putting the blame on the child.

When confronted on their behavior, they will most likely deny that were abusive and will probably believe this to be true, especially if there was no physical violence involved. And yes, it is possible to be abused without any bodily harm.

On the contrary, some abusers know exactly what they’re doing, when they did it, how they did it, and why they did it. These people just don’t care.

They’ll act like good parents outside of the house

They might buy something for the kid, then complain about how it was expensive and they shouldn’t have had to buy it, making the kid feel guilty and ashamed that they needed/wanted the thing in the first place

They’ll shame their kid for crying, getting angry, or showing any emotion that the parent doesn’t want to deal with

They’ll deny their kid basic needs

Note: Not everyone has the same symptoms, and you should always do your own research before writing about abuse

[jjjaron]

The Author Speaks:  All My Original Writing Content

For your convenience, a masterpost of all (or most) of my original posts so far.  It will obviously be updated as I create and add more!

Enjoy, and thank you for reading!  <3

The Basics:  Plotting, Descriptions, and More

The Dos and Don’ts of Beginning a Novel

How to Write Good Dialogue

How to Avoid Purple Prose

Tips for Visual Thinkers

5 Ways to Name Your Novel

Romance

How to Write a Kiss Scene

How to Write a (Healthy) Romance

Characterization

How to Get to Know Your Characters

Male Protagonists to Avoid in Your Writing

Female Protagonists to Avoid in Your Writing

How to Write Strong Female Characters 

The Straight Person’s Guide to Portraying Queer People

The Traits of a Likable Hero

The Secret to a Relatable Villain

How to Write (or Avoid) Abusive Parents

Reference Masterposts

Marketing Masterpost

Worldbuilding Masterpost

Drug Addiction Masterpost

Depicting Deaf, Blind, or Mute Characters

Depicting Amputees

Depicting Jewish Characters

Depicting Black Characters

Happy writing, everybody!

[jjjaron]

I struggle with... Sitting down and staying focused. Some days I write for hours, but most days, I write 3 lines and can't seem to get more in for no reason apparent

This one is a tricky issue to solve, because in all honesty, no matter how many articles you read or motivational quotes you scroll through, you will never actually be productive unless you make yourself, and that’s the sad truth of writing. I do have some resources that may help you with this, though. 

I’m not sure where your sporadic writer’s block is coming from, but if you’re having a case of falling out of love with writing temporarily, here are some things for you:

Tips and Advice For Aspiring Writers, Authors, and Poets

How To Fall In Love With Writing

Why “Burnout” Is Okay - The Creativity Cycle

If you simply need some tips on staying motivated consistently, or at least staying productive and holding yourself accountable, here are some things that will help:

Beginning A Story And Sticking With It

How To Motivate Yourself To Write

Writing Through Mental Health Struggles

How To Actually Get Writing Done

Writing On A Schedule

Healthy Forms Of Motivation

How To Have A Productive Mindset

If you need some warm up inspiration, I usually find following a prompt when I’m stuck very helpful. Writing a hundred words on some prompt usually gets me into the zone with low pressure compared to actually getting my writing done.

Here are all of my one-off, daily prompts

~ Daily Writing Prompts

Here is my masterpost of prompt lists that may suit your fancy or help you get into the writing mood you need for a scene.

~ Prompt Lists Masterlist

Some playlists based on scene types for every scene mood:

Things To Listen To When You’re Working 

Writing Playlist // Spotify

Wordsnstuff’s Writing Playlist

Romantic Scenes

Resolution Scenes

Calm Scenes

Climax Scenes

Fun Montage Scenes

Angst Scenes

Fight Scenes

Epic Scenes

Chase Scenes

Sad Scenes

Here are some asks I’ve previously answered that are similar to yours:

Apps That Help You Focus

Falling Out Of Love With A Story You Want To Finish

How I Recommend Building Your Own Writing Playlists

Hope this helps. Happy writing!

If you enjoy my blog and wish for it to continue being updated frequently and for me to continue putting my energy toward answering your questions, please consider Buying Me A Coffee or supporting me on Patreon.

I’d also really appreciate it if you would check out my separate blog dedicated to my current work in progress, as well as my studyblr, which helps keep me motivated as a full time student.

[jjjaron]

Sentence Starts

@samsmoosettesauce made this list but it won’t let me reblog it :/

RANDOM

“I’m going to need you to put on some underwear before you say anything else.“ 

“Quick catch that cat it stole my wallet!”

“Fuck I feel like I got hit by a car… Wait I did? And it was your car?”

“The skirt is short on purpose.”

“I can’t believe I’m sitting in space jail with you of all people.”

“So why did I have to punch that guy?”

“I may have accidentally sort of adopted five cats.”

“I hope you know that my name is actually ________.”

“Please stop petting the test subjects. ”

“That is the tenth demon summoning this week holy shit.”

“Please put me down it’s just a sprained ankle" 

"So what if I broke my arm I’m still doing it.”

“Why exactly do you need chloroform at 2AM?”

“I’m like 75% this won’t explode on us.”

“You need to stop leaving dead bodies in my kitchen.”

“I understand the whole sleep talking thing but what I don’t understand is the princess dragon dream and why I’m in it.”

“I’m sorry that I got way too into playing house and accidentally kissed you passionately.

"I shouldn’t be in love with you!”

“It’s not fair!”

“I could kill you right now!”

“Knock it off!”

“Screw you!”

“You’re a complete moron!”

“I love this song!”

“Bring that here!”

“I hate you!”

“I’m pissed off!”

“Make me!”

“I wish you’d never been born!”

“I bought ice cream!”

“Kiss my ass!”

“Shut up!”

“I can’t do it anymore!”

“Take me home!”

“Just kiss me already!

"I can’t be in love with you!”

“I can’t believe this!”

“Piss off!”

“I wish things were that simple!”

“I love you!”

“Jump off a bridge!”

“You’re so hot!”

“I have something to tell you…”

“I think I’m pregnant.”

“They died.”

“I want you to be the Maid of Honor/Best Man.”

“I want a divorce.”

“I’m leaving you.”

“I want you back.”

“I got a pet!”

“I won the lottery!”

“I’m in love with you.”

“Why are you suing me?”

“We need to get out of town… Now.”

“I’m going to prison.”

“I quit!”

“I was fired.”

“I got a promotion!”

“So… You know how I went out gambling last night?”

“I cheated on you.”

“You did WHAT?”

DARK/ DARK-ESQUE

“You actually thought i cared about you?”

“I wonder how loudly i can make you scream in agony?”

“You’re a monster!”

“It would be a shame if i had to damage that pretty face of yours.”

“You’re all mine now.”

“How could you do this to me!?”

“I trusted you!”

“Is that supposed to scare me?”

“Put the knife down.”

“You’re scaring me…”

“You look so sexy when you’re all bloodied and bruised like that~”

“I wonder how many volts it would take to kill you?”

“Why are you pointing that gun at me?”

“Let me go!”

“You’re so cute when you struggle like that~”

“Your blood smells wonderful.”

“Who did this to you?”

“You’re in my way.”

“I thought you were dead!”

“Help me!”

“Long live the king.”

“What did they do to you?”

“What have you done?”

“Maybe i should carve a pretty picture in your flesh?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything fatal, I just need some information.”

“I don’t care what you do to me, I’ll never tell you!”

“Stop it, your hurting me!”

“They’ll kill you!”

“I hate you.”

“The only reason I chained you up is to show you how much I love you!”

“If you keep struggling like that I’ll have to punish you~”

ARGUMENT STARTERS

"Do you ever shut up?”

“You’re such a loud mouth”

“You shouldn’t have said that”

“Fuck you”

“Step on a lego”

“Get bent”

“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you”

“It isn’t up for debate”

“Don’t question my orders”

“I recognize that you have reached a decision, but given that it is a stupid ass decision I have elected to ignore it”

“That is the worst idea i’ve ever heard”

“Who writes your plans, the village idiot?”

“That’s mine”

“Give it back”

“Don’t touch my stuff”

“That’s not yours”

“Just leave already”

“The door is over there”

“I cannot deal with your bullshit right now”

“I have my orders”

“You have your orders”

"Make me”

“Don’t tempt me”

“I hate you”

“You are infuriating”

“Just shut up already”

“That doesn’t even make sense”

“Bite me”

“Eat me”

“Kiss my ass”

“Just admit i’m right”

“Just admit you’re wrong”

“You are being ridiculous”

“That’s irrational”

“Listen to me”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it”

“Don’t yell at me”

“That’s it. End of discussion”

“I don’t believe you”

“Don’t look at me like that”

“What’s with that look?”

“Go away”

SEXUAL TENSION/ SEXUAL/ SUGGESTIVE

“Make me.”

“Bite me.”

“If you say so…”

“Kiss my ass.”

“Did you just… finish?”

“They always make shower sex sound so appealing, but honestly, this is getting dangerous.”

“I’m not actually feeling anything.”

“Are you getting any closer?”

“Why do they make this look so easy in all those porn movies?! This hurts like fuck!”

“Did something just happen? You’re not turned on anymore.”

“Shit sorry, am I going too fast?”

“Wow, you’re hot.”

“Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

“Hey, I’m open minded.”

“Keep sweet-talking and this could go a whole new direction.”

“I think it’s about time we stop avoiding the obvious.”

“I’m gonna be honest with you. I’m really horny, and you’re really hot. Can we fuck? Like, now?”

“I see someone’s happy to see me.”

“I saw that. You just checked me out.”

“You know, when this is over, we should really have angry sex.”

“Take off your clothes.” 

“Tell all those other guys/girls you don’t need them ‘cause you got me.”

“Don’t give me that face, it’s so cute I might not be able to hold back.”

“Boobs are really just squishy pillows.” 

“If you don’t get turned on by having your neck kissed somethings wrong with you.” 

“Blasphemy! Sex solves everything.”

“I platonically want to have sex with you. No big deal.”

“Wow, you’re hot.”

“Oh, don’t mind me. Just enjoying the view.”

“You know, those/that (list body part) of yours are/is pretty distracting.”

“Hot damn.”

“So, you come here often?”

“Well, well. My night just got better.”

“Is that a gun in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”

“You have got a great ass.”

“Hey, I’m open minded.”

“You enjoying the view over there?”

“Keep sweet-talking and this could go a whole new direction.”

“Don’t be bashful. You know you want to.”

“You can have me any way you’d like, baby.”

“You wanna move this conversation someplace more private?”

“I’m off in a few minutes, you know.”

“It’s been a long day. Why don’t we help each other unwind?”

“I think it’s about time we stop avoiding the obvious.”

“I’m gonna be honest with you. I’m really horny, and you’re really hot. Can we fuck? Like, now?”

“I wanna see you get naked.”

“You’re getting me all worked up.”

“What do we have here?”

"I see someone’s happy to see me.”

“Play your cards right, and I just might have to put you on speed dial.”

“You like that, don’t you?”

“How do you want me?”

“I’m sure we can put those lips to better use.”

“God, you’re perfect.”

“I really like a man who’s good with his hands.”

“You. Me. Sex. Now.”

“I’d be more than happy to show you a good time, if you’re looking for one.”

“I saw that. You just checked me out.”

“You look real good in that suit/dress/skirt/outfit.”

“You wanna help me out of this ___?” (Insert article clothing here.)

“Can I keep you?”

“You’re such a tease.”

“Oh my, looks like I/you dropped something.”

“I love it when you talk dirty.”

“I can’t stop thinking about your hands on me.”

“I think you’ll be happy to know that I’m not wearing any underwear.”

“I really want to take you home and get you out of all those clothes.”

“It’s like you want to ruin men/women for me.”

CUTSIE/ FLUFF

"I’m sorry, what were you saying? I keep getting lost in your eyes”

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“If I could, I would kiss away all your scars”

“You’re all I’ve ever wanted”

“You’re…magnificent”

“I think I might be falling in love with you”

“Everything about you can be described in one word. Perfect”

“My life would be so boring if you weren’t in it”

“I have something to say. Three words, eight letters. I…got food.”

“Your lips look so soft. I could kiss them all day long”

“We should get a puppy!”

“We should get a kitten”

“He/She is nothing compared to you”

“I need to choose a pet name for you. Any ideas?”

“I hate seeing you unhappy so now I’m going to do everything I can to cheer you up. Even if it means making a fool of myself”

“Your hair is so soft…”

“You’re so cute when you pout like that!”

“Just relax, I’ll wash your hair for you.”

“I’m not going to stop poking you until you give me some attention.”

“What, does that feel good?”

“HA! I found a weak-spot on you, didn’t I?”

“Are you wearing my shirt?” 

“You are ridiculously comfortable…”

“I’ve had a rough day and honestly all I want right now is a drink and someone to cuddle with…”

“You’re so cute when you’re half asleep like this…”

“You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“We should get a puppy!”

“Aren’t they beautiful?”

“These stars are nothing compared to the ones I’ve seen in your eyes.”

“Shooting star, make a wish.”

“It’s actually a comet, but I’ll still make one.”

“Imagine if it could always be this way, even in the city.”

“Never thought something so beautiful could exist in nature…”

“Wouldn’t it be cool to name a star after yourself?”

“Y'know, your roof may not be the safest place for us to stargaze.”

“This is why you made me drive three hours out into the middle of nowhere?”

“Is that a– Wait, no, just an airplane.”

“I wouldn’t mind falling asleep out here.

“You weren’t supposed to laugh! I’m so embarrassed!”

“We’ve got a full tank of gas. Let’s go somewhere. Anywhere.”

“You’ve been glued to the couch for 3 days. I’m worried about you.”

“I’ve had a rough day. Time for Netflix and takeout.”

“Are you wearing my clothes?”

“You look beautiful tonight,baby.”

“Let’s skip dinner and go straight to dessert.”

“I’m leaving tomorrow. So kiss me like you mean it.”

“I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

“Trust me. This will feel great.”

PREGNANCY-ESQUE

“I have something to tell you…”

“I think I’m pregnant.”

“I’m pregnant!”

“When were you going to tell me that you’re pregnant?” 

“You’re smart and successful with an adorable belly.” 

“$50 bucks says it’s a girl/boy.” 

“Pregnancy suits you…”

“Hello little one. We can’t wait to meet you…”

“I’ll just be in the bathroom throwing my fucking guts up because our unborn kid wants to be a dick!”

“There’s someone I’d like you to meet…”

“Shh… He/she’s sleeping..”

“I have a special surprise for you. Close your eyes and follow me.”

“No, no, no, no, no, we aren’t ready�� We aren’t ready for kids yet!”

“Oh, gosh, I felt it! I felt a kick!”

ANGSTY

“Are you feeling alright? You don’t look it.”

“I just heard something… Something bad…”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this?!”

“What’s all this blood?!”

“Will you tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Don’t give me that look! It wasn’t my fault!”

“You should probably sit down for this.”

“Please tell me you forgive me!”

“I can’t live without you!”

“Oh god, It was a mistake coming here… I’m sure of it.”

“What the hell happened to you?!”

“Where have you been?! I’ve been waiting for hours!”

“You promised you wouldn’t do this anymore!”

“I knew not to trust you!”

“What’s that in your bag…? Is that–? Tell me it’s not!”

“Is this what a dislocated shoulder feels like?!”

“How could you do this to me?!”

“Wake up! Wake up!!! You’re having a nightmare!”

“I feel weird… what was in that drink…?”

“I don’t want to leave you, but you’re not really giving me another option.”

“Please… you’re scaring me…”

“Ssh, I heard something again. How aren’t you hearing it? It was loud… and getting closer.”

“Are you okay in there? You’ve been so quiet.”

“I came as soon as I could! Did he/she get to you already?”

“I don’t know whether I want to do this. I don’t know whether I CAN do this.”

“Do you remember anything?”

“You have to tell me who did this to you!”

“No, no, I’m not alright. I’m definitely not alright.”

“What’s your fucking problem?!”

“Are you crying?”

“You’re freaking me out! Please calm down!”

“I’m leaving. And I’m not intending to come back.”

“You… are dying?”

“Did you drink the whole bottle while tripping? Seriously?”

“Do you have a deathwish or something? Jesus!”

“Ever been held at gunpoint? Want to know what it feels like?”

“Stop screaming! Shh, calm down! You have to keep quiet!”

“When’s the last time you slept?”

“Please, just…say something. Anything.”

“I’m sorry, okay?! Just talk to me!”

“Don’t ignore me. Please.”

“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”

“What, I’m not even worth speaking to anymore?”

“Just tell me what I did wrong!”

“You can’t leave me like this!”

“So that’s it? You’re not even going to explain yourself?”

“Fine. Your silence says everything you won’t.”

“Could you sing for me? Just once more.”

“Don’t shut me out like this!”

“Is this how you want it to end? With nothing?!”

“I thought you of all people would be different.”

“This was supposed to be a fun day. You always ruin everything.”

“Our flight’s been cancelled… there goes our holiday.”

“I’m not angry. I’m disappointed.”

“I know you didn’t do it on purpose, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be disappointed.”

“I can’t believe this. You always turn everything into such a disaster!”

“I’m not disappointed in you, I’m disappointed in the situation…”

“I can’t believe this is happening. Can nothing ever go right?!”

“I’m so sorry to let you down. I know you were looking forward to this.”

“You always let me down. You’re so unreliable.”

“I’d expected a lot more from you.”

“Stop being so selfish! You’re ruining everything for everyone.”

“You’re such a disappointment to the family.”

“I’m sorry to be such a disappointment. I know you expected more of me.”

“That movie was so disappointing.”

“Why is everything in life actually so disappointing? You get yourself excited every time, only to be let down, time and time again.”

“You’re not disappointing! Just… surprising.”

“I thought you cared about me. Someone who cares about someone else doesn’t let them down like you just did.”

“You could’ve tried harder!”

”I’m not going to lie… I am disappointed.”

“No no! You’re great, but the sex was just really disappointing.”

“Honestly, you’re the biggest disappointment of my life.”

“You weren’t there for me when I needed you. Why do you expect me to be here for you now you need me?”

“I had higher expectations of this.”

“I had higher expectations of you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Why don’t you say that to my face?” 

“I can’t look at you anymore.” 

“What’s wrong with you?”

“What are you going to do about it?”

“I’d burn you alive if I could.”

“I thought you loved me…”

“I can’t- I just can’t anymore.”

“I cried all night because of you, and the worst part is that you don’t even care.”

“Is what you have really worth fighting for?”

“I don’t love you. I never did.”

“I don’t want you anymore.”

“You actually thought I loved you? You must be kidding. I never even liked you.”

“You were easier to fool than I thought.”

“Why don’t you crawl back into the dark corner you came from?”

“I believed you. I trusted you. I shouldn’t have.” 

“Don’t you dare play innocent. You got your hands just as dirty as mine.”

“You used to be such a good boy/girl. Thank god you met me, or you would have stayed like that forever.”

“I honestly thought that we were friends, but friends don’t hurt each other the way you hurt me.”

“Just leave already. You’re worthless to me.”

“I knew you would fail, it was just a matter of time.”

“Oh, that was supposed to be a secret? Oops.”

“I’ll help you this one time, then I never want to hear from you again.”

“I didn’t invite you. Don’t make a scene.”

“You ruined my life. Why would I be happy to see you?”

DEPRESSION/ MENTAL HEALTH RELATED

“You can at least pretend to be happy.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone what you were going through?”

“You did this to yourself?”

“Hey, hey. Calm down, okay? What got you in such a state?”

“Do you need help? Professional help?”

“Well, to me it just looks like you’re being lazy.”

“You can’t be afraid of everything. I bet you’re just doing this to be interesting.”

“Why do you always want to have all the attention? Everyone gets depressed. Get over it.”

“You’re going to have to get over yourself sometime soon. You can’t just sit around doing nothing forever.”

“You just take some meds and it’s gone, right? Don’t be so difficult.”

“You’re trying to tell me you’re one of those crazy people? Don’t be ridiculous, you’re fine!”

“You look much better today! Are you feeling better?”

“Why have you been hiding this for years?”

“You could’ve told me you felt like this.”

“Trust me, I hate myself more than you do, so yelling at me really isn’t going to change anything!”

“Do you ever think of, you know, ending it…? You need to be honest with me.”

“Stop making everything about you all the time. You’re so selfish.”

“Is there anything you don’t have difficulty with? You’re being so precious.”

“I don’t know what to say, I’m sorry.”

“I can tell you you’re not alone, because I’ve felt like this too.”

“You’re being so hard on yourself.”

“I don’t know why I do it. The pain just stops me from feeling so empty for a while.”

“You tried to kill yourself…? When?! Oh god…”

“I don’t think I will get better. I felt the same five years ago and I’ve spoken to plenty of therapists in the meantime. I think it’s just a part of who I am.”

“What are you feeling?”

“Don’t give me that. I give myself a hard enough time already. Harder than you could possibly imagine so PLEASE just leave me alone.”

“I know there’s nothing I can say to make it better, so maybe you should just let me hug you for a while?” 

“What happened to staying clean for me?!”

“I’m supposed to believe this is you being sober? I’m not buying it.”

“How many glasses have you had?!”

“If you want to keep smoking, you’ll have to go outside.”

“You told me you’d stop…”

“You promised I wouldn’t find you like this again!”

“Wanna shoot up?”

“Have you been drinking? It’s not even noon!”

“Let me smell your breath.”

“What have you used this time?”

“I see you’re still wasting away your days.”

“How much did you take? Can you still hear me?!”

“Are you trying to kill yourself?!”

“I thought that place was going to make you better…”

“You know if you go on like this, I’ll have to send you back to rehab. Is that what you want?”

“Can you remember when we didn’t need this yet?”

“Is the heroin really more important to you than I am?!”

“Are you sure this stuff is safe?”

“Right, that’s it, you’re going cold turkey.”

“No, sit down! You’re having a bad trip. Let me help you.”

“Have you any idea how much it hurts me to see you like this?!”

MEETINGS

“Excuse me. Is anyone sitting here?”

“I can show you where that is, if you want.”

“I’m so sorry. When I get nervous I’m dangerous to be around.”

“I wanted to say ‘hi’ before the party ended.”

“Are you meeting someone here? Because.. I think I’m that person.”

“Did that asshole just cut in line up there? Jeez.”

“So is it always this busy, or did I just pick a great day to come in?”

“–Sorry! I didn’t mean to touch your butt.”

“I like your dress/shirt/hat/etc.!”

“Would it be okay if I change the channel? I wanna watch the game.”

“Excuse me, did the 12:15 bus come by already?”

“Could I sit here? All the other tables are full.”

“Are you done with that power outlet?”

“Excuse me. I think I’m lost. Could you tell me how to get to Main Street/other location?”

“Do you happen to have any spare change? I need it for the bus.”

“Could I borrow your cell phone? Mine just died and I need to make an urgent call.”

“Tough luck, buddy.”

“Sorry, I know this is awkward, but…this stall doesn’t have any toilet paper…”

“Hey, are you all right? You look upset.”

PHYSICAL INJURY

“Ow…I think I broke something.”

“Can I lean on you for a second? My ankle’s bothering me.”

“Do you have any bandages?”

“Oh god, that hurts so much.”

“Everything hurts. Seriously, I think I broke myself.”

“I can’t walk.”

“Sorry about the blood trail. I might have gotten a bad gash.”

“Is is bad that I can’t feel my legs?”

“I’ve never felt this much pain in my life.”

“Are you okay? Are you bleeding?”

“Here, let me help, I took a course on this a few years ago.”

“Does anyone know first-aid?”

“That’s a pretty bad bruise, man.”

“You definitely need to go to the hospital.”

“Where’d you get all these cuts?”

“Lie down. Sit somewhere, you need to rest.”

“I’ll get the ice.”

“I can’t believe you got yourself beaten up again.”

“How many hospital bills are you worth, anyway?”

SURVIVAL:

“It’s getting dark, we have to find shelter.”

“If we don’t soon find food we’re going to starve to death, even before we get a chance to freeze.”

“You collect branches and I’ll try to hunt for some food…”

“Whatever you do, don’t lose your way back here.”

“Let me look at that. Fuck, that looks painful… we need to find something against the infection.”

“I need to clean the wound. I’m sorry I don’t have anything to numb the pain. Bite down on something, that should help a bit.”

“I can’t feel my feet.”

“I’ve never been this cold in my life… We can’t survive this, can we?”

“It’s been three days since we last saw land… and we’re running low on food.”

“Stop screaming! No one can hear us, you’re just wearing yourself out like this!”

“I don’t know if this is edible, but it’s the only thing I could find.”

“I’m in too much pain. I can’t make it, I’m just holding you back. You need to let me go.”

“If you can’t keep walking, I’m going to have to leave you behind… you know that.”

“What if nobody ever finds us here.”

“I guess we’re lucky the ship sunk close to shore, but why the fuck does it need to be a desert island?!”

“Of all people to get stuck on an island with… Why did it have to be you?”

“There should be a river nearby we can wash in.”

“I can barely remember what food used to taste like…”

“Are you alright? You passed out before. We need to find you something to eat.”

“We need to find shelter. We can continue in the morning when it’s light again.”

“Tell me you have the faintest idea which plants are edible.”

“Just keep talking to me, you’ll be okay. Let me treat your wound.”

“How long have you been sitting here?! Do you WANT to get a heatstroke?”

“What do you miss the most?”

“It can take months for a ship to sail by and even then it’s unlikely they’ll notice us.”

“I’m going insane. There’s water. Water everywhere. I can’t fucking do this anymore.”

“You need to stay in the shade, you’re already sunburned as it is.”

“What was that noise…?”

“Can we please stop arguing? We need to work together if we want to survive.”

“We are the only two people on this entire island, why are we fighting?!”

“We’re the only ones who made it ashore… My name’s [NAME]. Nice to meet you…”

“Any idea how to make a fire?”

“I wish I’d died in that shipwreck… This is torture.”

“On the bright side, at least we’re not alone.”

“Whatever you do… don’t think about pizza.”

“How long do you reckon we can survive for? A couple of days? Weeks? Months?”

“I miss my home. I’m starting to forget what it felt like to sleep in a bed.”

“I hope someone thought about my dog/cat…”

“What are we going to do when one of us dies…?”

“Don’t eat any of that food. I’m going to be sick… I don’t think it’s edible!”

PLEASE SEND CATEGORY AND NUMBER!

[jjjaron]

Aggressive Starter Sentences

Send one or more for my muse’s reaction!

potential TW for abuse, violence, etc.

“I wish I’d never met you.” “Do you have any idea how difficult you’re being?” “Sit down before I put my fist through something.” “I hate you. You hear me? I hate you!” “You’re nothing but a waste of my time.” “Do you want me to hit you? Is that it? Will that help?” “Do me a favour: go fuck yourself.”

“You lay one hand on me and it’ll be the last thing you ever do.” “Go ahead, hit me. See what happens.” “Stop yelling at me.” “Don’t raise your fucking voice at me!” “I’ll talk to you when you’ve calmed down.” “I’m not being difficult, you’re just being an asshole.” “You don’t own me.”

[jjjaron]

Dialogue Prompt (Conversation)

“Hold me?”

“Of course.” 

“Until the end?”

“Until the very end.”