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[priestessprose]

List of 120 unique fantasy jobs to give to your fantasy characters. Writers save this!

1. Spellscribe: Weaves magic into ink, creating enchanted scrolls and spellbooks.

2. Dreamweaver: Shapes dreams, ensuring a peaceful slumber for all.

3. Star Cartographer: Maps constellations and celestial paths.

4. Potion Alchemist: Brews elixirs, love potions, and invisibility brews.

5. Whispering Wind Courier: Carries messages on ethereal zephyrs.

6. Crystal Harmonist: Plays melodies on gemstone xylophones.

7. Arcane Librarian: Guards forbidden tomes and ancient grimoires.

8. Stormcaller: Commands lightning and tempests.

9. Shadow Weaver: Manipulates shadows for stealth or illusion.

10. Fey Ambassador: Bridges the gap between humans and fae.

11. Time Tinkerer: Repairs temporal rifts and broken clocks.

12. Soul Gardener: Tends to souls in the afterlife.

13. Dragon Whisperer: Communicates with fire-breathing beasts.

14. Labyrinth Architect: Designs mazes with shifting walls.

15. Aetheronaut: Pilots airships through the skies.

16. Cauldron Chef: Cooks magical stews and enchanted pastries.

17. Goblin Negotiator: Haggles with mischievous goblins over stolen treasures.

18. Wisp Shepherd: Herds glowing wisps across moonlit meadows.

19. Constellation Painter: Dips brushes in stardust to create cosmic art.

20. Swordsmith of Destiny: Forges blades with prophetic properties.

21. Oracle of Riddles: Answers questions through cryptic puzzles.

22. Moss Whisperer: Encourages moss-covered stones to share their secrets.

23. Harvest Moon Dancer: Leads celestial dances during lunar eclipses.

24. Chimera Veterinarian: Cares for mythical hybrid creatures.

25. Lore Bard: Sings epic sagas of forgotten heroes.

26. Stardust Prospector: Mines cosmic minerals from fallen meteors.

27. Mistwalker: Guides lost souls through foggy moors.

28. Enchanted Cobbler: Crafts shoes that grant extraordinary abilities.

29. Celestial Clockmaker: Constructs timepieces powered by starlight.

30. Gargoyle Sculptor: Carves stone guardians with hidden sentience.

31. Wandmaker: Whittles wands from ancient tree branches.

32. Mermaid Translator: Deciphers underwater songs and sea whispers.

33. Nightshade Apothecary: Harvests moonflowers and midnight herbs.

34. Serpent Charmer: Mesmerizes serpents with haunting melodies.

35. Skyship Navigator: Charts courses through floating islands.

36. Frostfire Sculptor: Shapes ice and flame into ephemeral statues.

37. Cursed Cursebreaker: Lifts hexes and breaks enchantments.

38. Goblin Archaeologist: Digs up lost goblin civilizations.

39. Sylph Perfumer: Captures the essence of zephyrs in fragrances.

40. Mystic Cartographer: Maps hidden ley lines and magical nexuses.

41. Moonstone Miner: Extracts shards of moonlight from caverns.

42. Gryphon Trainer: Raises and trains majestic gryphons.

43. Candlemaker of Lost Hopes: Creates candles that reveal forgotten memories.

44. Starwhisper Cartographer: Maps cosmic phenomena—comets' paths, shooting star trails, and celestial alignments.

45. Gloomsmith: Crafts melancholic artifacts—music boxes that play haunting melodies, mirrors that reflect lost loves, and inkwells that pen tear-stained poetry.

46. Siren Songstress: Sings enchanting melodies by moonlit shores, luring sailors toward rocky fates or guiding them safely through treacherous waters.

47. Astral Weaver: Spins threads from stardust, creating cloaks that grant glimpses of alternate realities or tapestries that depict forgotten legends.

48. Cryptobotanist: Studies otherworldly flora—glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, singing vines, and moonblossoms that bloom only during eclipses.

49. Soothsayer: Reads the future in tea leaves, cloud formations, or the patterns of fireflies. Their predictions shape destinies.

50. Stormglass Sculptor: Carves intricate sculptures from stormglass—frozen lightning, raindrop chandeliers, and thunderstorm dioramas.

51. Wispkeeper: Tends to wisps—tiny, glowing spirits that flit through forests. They bottle wisp-light for healing potions.

52. Eidolon Portraitist: Paints portraits of ghosts, capturing their essence before they fade into oblivion.

53. Moss Oracle: Listens to moss-covered stones, deciphering their murmurs to reveal lost histories.

54. Labyrinth Minstrel: Wanders through shifting mazes, singing songs that guide lost travelers to safety.

55. Frostbite Healer: Extracts shards of moonlight from caverns.

56. Gryphon Trainer: Raises and trains majestic gryphons.

57. Candlemaker of Lost Hopes: Creates candles that reveal forgotten memories.

58. Starwhisper Cartographer: Maps cosmic phenomena—comets’ paths, shooting star trails, and celestial alignments. Their charts guide explorers to hidden constellations.

59. Gloomsmith: Crafts melancholic artifacts—music boxes that play haunting melodies, mirrors that reflect lost loves, and inkwells that pen tear-stained poetry.

60. Siren Songstress: Sings enchanting melodies by moonlit shores, luring sailors toward rocky fates or guiding them safely through treacherous waters.

61. Astral Weaver: Spins threads from stardust, creating cloaks that grant glimpses of alternate realities or tapestries that depict forgotten legends.

62. Cryptobotanist: Studies otherworldly flora—glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, singing vines, and moonblossoms that bloom only during eclipses.

63. Soothsayer: Reads the future in tea leaves, cloud formations, or the patterns of fireflies. Their predictions shape destinies.

64. Stormglass Sculptor: Carves intricate sculptures from stormglass—frozen lightning, raindrop chandeliers, and thunderstorm dioramas.

65. Wispkeeper: Tends to wisps—tiny, glowing spirits that flit through forests. They bottle wisp-light for healing potions.

66. Eidolon Portraitist: Paints portraits of ghosts, capturing their essence before they fade into oblivion.

67. Moss Oracle: Listens to moss-covered stones, deciphering their murmurs to reveal lost histories.

68. Labyrinth Minstrel: Wanders through shifting mazes, singing songs that guide lost travelers to safety.

69. Frostbite Healer: Treats frostbitten extremities with salves made from frost sprites’ tears.

70. Chalice Enchanter: Carves runes into crystal goblets, infusing each sip with memories or emotions.

71. Goblin Archaeologist: Digs up lost goblin civilizations, unearthing rusty gadgets and cryptic hieroglyphs.

72. Sylph Perfumer: Captures the essence of zephyrs in fragrances—dawn mist, thunderstorm ozone, and moonrise musk.

73. Mystic Cartographer: Maps hidden ley lines and magical nexuses. Their charts reveal portals and ley-gates.

74. Moonstone Miner: Extracts shards of moonlight from caverns, which can be used for enchantments or as lantern fuel.

75. Gryphon Trainer: Raises and trains majestic gryphons for aerial patrols or epic quests.

76. Candlemaker of Whispers: Crafts candles that flicker with spectral flames, allowing communication with the departed.

77. Stardust Prospector: Mines cosmic minerals from fallen meteors—star iron, comet opals, and nebula gems.

78. Golem Animator: Breathes life into clay and stone constructs, imbuing them with purpose.

79. Wraith Whisperer: Communicates with restless spirits, negotiating unfinished business.

80. Celestial Navigator: Guides ships by star charts, steering vessels through astral currents.

81. Chaos Theorist: Predicts chaotic events using butterfly-wing equations, preventing or exploiting chaos.

82. Fairy Ring Dancer: Enters mystical circles to converse with fairies, striking bargains or seeking wisdom.

83. Banshee Lullaby Singer: Soothes grieving souls with haunting songs, easing their passage to the beyond.

84. Goblin Diplomat: Negotiates peace treaties between realms, balancing goblin mischief and human interests.

85. Veilwalker: Steps between dimensions using shimmering veils, exploring parallel worlds.

86. Moonshard Weaver: Threads moonstone shards into cloaks that grant moonwalking abilities.

87. Gryphon Whisperer: Communicates with gryphons through empathic bonds.

88. Cursed Curator: Collects cursed artifacts, safeguarding them in hidden vaults.

89. Sphinx Riddler: Poses enigmas to travelers seeking wisdom, granting answers in exchange for riddles.

90. Bard of Echoes: Sings songs that echo through time, preserving forgotten tales.

91. Goblin Inventor: Constructs whimsical gadgets—umbrellas that predict rain, shoes that dance, and hats that translate squirrel chatter.

92. Serpent Astronomer: Studies cosmic serpents—constellations that writhe across the sky.

93. Wisp Choreographer: Stages ethereal dances in moonlit glades, captivating forest creatures.

94. Lorekeeper of Lost Languages: Deciphers ancient scripts, unlocking forbidden knowledge.

95. Mistral Cartographer: Maps winds—trade winds, storm fronts, and zephyr currents.

96. Harbinger of Eclipses: Predicts solar and lunar eclipses, foretelling cosmic shifts.

97. Grimoire Illuminator: Adds luminescent runes to spellbooks, making incantations glow.

98. Nymph Whisperer: Listens to water nymphs’ laughter, translating it into healing melodies.

99. Celestial Harvester: Gathers stardust for celestial events—meteor showers, comet arrivals.

100. Goblin Mechanomancer: Constructs clockwork creatures—mechanical squirrels, steam-powered beetles.

101. Sylph Skyweaver: Spins cloud silk into airy garments that grant flight.

102. Oracle of Shifting Sands: Reads desert dunes, predicting sandstorms and mirages.

103. Moonmoth Keeper: Tends to moonmoths—luminous insects that guide lost travelers.

104. Gryphon Herald: Announces royal decrees from the backs of majestic gryphons.

105. Cauldron Seer: Gazes into bubbling cauldrons, glimpsing past, present, and future.

106. Whisperwood Arborist: Nurtures ancient trees that whisper forgotten secrets.

107. Stardust Cartographer: Maps cosmic phenomena—supernovae, black holes, and quasars.

108. Goblin Clockmaker: Constructs timepieces with peculiar quirks—watches that run backward, hourglasses that pause.

109. Sphinx Scholar: Studies riddles, deciphering their hidden meanings.

110. Wisp Guardian: Protects sacred wisps from curious wanderers.

111.Labyrinth Keeper: Guards labyrinth entrances, ensuring only worthy seekers enter.

112. Frostfire Forger: Crafts weapons that blaze with icy flames.

113. Goblin Meteorologist: Predicts weather using enchanted barometers and cloud crystals.

114. Sylph Windwhisperer: Converses with gusts, learning their secrets.

115. Dreamcatcher Artisan: Weaves dreamcatchers that trap nightmares and release sweet dreams.

116. Celestial Herald: Announces cosmic events—comets, eclipses, and planetary alignments.

117. Grimoire Binder: Assembles spellbooks, binding them with dragonhide and phoenix feathers.

118. Nymph Songkeeper: Records water nymphs’ melodies, preserving them in enchanted shells.

119. Goblin Tinkerer: Repairs broken gadgets—flying broomsticks, talking teapots.

120. Starforged Smith: Hammers star fragments into celestial armor and swords.

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[priestessprose]

Fantasy Royal Hierarchy & Government Explained for Dummies

👑 The Royal Hierarchy:

High King/High Queen: The ultimate ruler of all the lands. Addressed as “Your Majesty.” They oversee multiple kingdoms and have the final say in all matters.

King/Queen: The rulers of individual kingdoms. Addressed as “Your Majesty.” They manage their own territories, make laws, and lead their armies into epic battles.

Prince/Princess: The children of the king and queen. Addressed as “Your Highness.” They’re next in line for the throne and often have their own mini-kingdoms to practice ruling.

Duke/Duchess: High-ranking nobles who control large regions within the kingdom. Addressed as “Your Grace.” They’re like the regional managers, handling local governance and military affairs.

Marquess/Marchioness: Nobles who oversee border territories. Addressed as “Lord” or “Lady.” They’re responsible for defending the kingdom’s edges and often have a mix of military and administrative duties.

Earl/Countess: Nobles who manage smaller regions within the kingdom. Addressed as “Lord” or “Lady.” They’re like the middle managers, ensuring everything runs smoothly in their areas.

Viscount/Viscountess: Nobles who assist earls and countesses. Addressed as “Lord” or “Lady.” They’re like the assistant managers, helping with local governance and administration.

Baron/Baroness: The lowest rank of nobility. Addressed as “Lord” or “Lady.” They control small areas of land and are responsible for local justice and order.

Lord/Lady: A general title for nobility. Addressed as “Lord” or “Lady.” Lords and ladies can hold various ranks and responsibilities within the kingdom.

Government Structure:

🏛️ The Council: A group of high-ranking nobles and advisors who help the king or queen make important decisions. Think of them as the board of directors.

🧙 The Wizard: The royal advisor with magical powers. They provide wisdom, cast spells, and sometimes meddle in politics.

⚔️ The Knight Commander: The head of the royal army. They lead the knights and soldiers into battle and ensure the kingdom’s defense.

📜 The Chancellor: The head of the kingdom’s finances and administration. They manage the treasury, collect taxes, and oversee the kingdom’s bureaucracy.

🎭 The Bard: The kingdom’s storyteller and historian. They spread news, sing songs of heroism, and keep the royal family’s image sparkling.

Other Classes:

🌳 Elves: Graceful and wise, elves often serve as advisors, scholars, or elite warriors. They have a deep connection to nature and magic, making them invaluable in both court and battlefield.

🌾 Peasants: The backbone of the kingdom. They work the land, pay taxes, and sometimes get caught up in the schemes of the nobility. Despite their humble status, they can be heroes in their own right.

💀 Necromancers: Masters of death magic. They can raise the dead, drain life energy, and command undead minions. Often feared and misunderstood, they can be powerful allies or dangerous enemies.

📚 Scholars: Also known as sages, librarians, or loremasters. Scholars are the kingdom’s intellectuals, possessing encyclopedic knowledge. They study ancient texts, advise on matters of history and magic, and often uncover secrets that can turn the tide of events.

⚔️ Heroes: Brave individuals who embark on epic quests. They can come from any class—knights, peasants, elves, or even necromancers. Heroes are defined by their courage, skill, and willingness to face danger for the greater good.

🙏 Priests/Priestesses: Spiritual leaders who serve the gods and goddesses of the realm. They perform rituals, offer guidance, and sometimes wield divine magic. Addressed as “Father,” “Mother,” or “Your Holiness”.

🐉 Dragons: Sometimes pets, sometimes pests. Always epic. They can be guardians of treasure, wise advisors, or terrifying foes.

Servants and Other Castle Inhabitants:

Steward: Manages the household and estate. Addressed as “Master Steward.”

Chamberlain: Oversees the private chambers and personal needs of the lord or lady. Addressed as “Master Chamberlain.”

Marshal: In charge of the stables and the training of knights. Addressed as “Master Marshal.”

Cook: Prepares meals for the household. Addressed as “Master/Mistress Cook.”

Maid: Responsible for cleaning and maintaining the castle. Addressed as “Mistress Maid.”

Squire: A young noble training to become a knight. Addressed as “Squire.”

Falconer: Takes care of the hunting birds. Addressed as “Master Falconer.”

Gardener: Maintains the castle gardens. Addressed as “Master/Mistress Gardener.”

Where They Dwell:

🏰 Castle: A fortified structure built for defense and residence. It includes towers, walls, a keep, and often a moat. The castle is the main residence of the king or queen and their court.

🏛️ Court: The royal household and the place where the king or queen holds court. It includes the throne room, great hall, and various chambers for the nobles and advisors.

🏡 Manor: The residence of a noble, usually a lord or lady. It’s less fortified than a castle and focuses more on comfort and domestic life.

Pro Tips:

Royal Drama: Expect lots of intrigue, secret plots, and power struggles. It’s like a medieval reality show.

Magic: Always a wildcard. It can solve problems or create new ones.

Quests: Royals love sending heroes on epic quests. It’s their way of handling problems without getting their hands dirty.

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[priestessprose]

words to use instead of running?

Running—to go faster than a walk

Barreling - to move at a high speed or without hesitation

Blazing - of outstanding power, speed, heat, or intensity

Bounding - to move by leaping

Cantering - to move at or as if at a canter (i.e., a 3-beat gait resembling but smoother and slower than the gallop); loping

Careening - to proceed or move quickly

Coursing - to proceed or move quickly

Dashing - to go at a pace faster than a walk

Galloping - progressing, developing, or increasing rapidly

Hastening - to move or act quickly

Hieing - to go quickly; hasten

Hurtling - to move rapidly or forcefully

Hurrying - to carry or cause to go with haste

Hustling - hasten, hurry

Jogging - to run or ride at a slow trot

Loping - an easy usually bounding gait capable of being sustained for a long time

Racing - to proceed or move quickly

Ripping - to proceed or move quickly

Rushing - to cause to move or proceed fast or faster

Scampering - to run nimbly and usually playfully about

Scooting - to move swiftly

Scurrying - to move in or as if in a brisk pace; scampering

Scuttling - scurry; a short swift run

Skipping - to move or proceed with leaps and bounds or with a skip

Speeding - to make haste

Springing - to make a leap or series of leaps

Sprinting - to run or go at top speed especially for a short distance

Tearing - to proceed or move quickly

Tripping - to go at a pace faster than a walk

Trotting - to proceed briskly; hurrying

Zipping - to move, act, or function with speed and vigor

Hope this helps with your writing. Do tag me, or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

More: Word Lists

[priestessprose]

Do you have any synonyms for "flop"? I just wanna find a nicer word for it 😭

I'm not sure which definition of the word you're looking for, but I'll give you synonyms for these ones:

Flop—to throw or move oneself in a heavy, clumsy, or relaxed manner; to move or drop heavily or noisily; to fail completely

Bomb - to fall flat; to fail completely; flop

Collapse - to fall or shrink together abruptly and completely

Crash - to break or go to pieces with or as if with violence and noise

Crumble - to break down completely; collapse

Droop - to sink gradually

Fail - to be unsuccessful

Fling - to move in a brusque or headlong manner

Flump - to move or fall suddenly and heavily

Flunk - to fail especially in an examination or course

Fold - to fail completely; collapse

Plank - to set down forcefully—usually used with "down"

Plop - to allow the body to drop heavily—usually used with "down"

Plump - to drop, sink, or come in contact suddenly or heavily

Plunk - to drop abruptly; dive

Slump - to fall or sink suddenly; collapse

Hope you find the nicer word here. Do tag me, or send me a link if this helps you. I'd love to read your work!

More: Word Lists

[priestessprose]

words to use instead of ________

"Mad"

aggravated, angry, annoyed, boiling, cross, enraged, exasperated, fuming, furious, heated, incensed, indignant, irate, irritable, livid, offended, outraged, riled, steamed, storming, upset

"Nice"

amiable, charming, cordial, courteous, delightful, favorable, friendly, genial, gentle, gracious, helpful. inviting, kind, lovely, obliging, peaceful, peachy, pleasant, polite, swell, sympathetic, tender, welcoming, well-mannered, winning

"Pretty"

alluring, appealing, attractive, beautiful, charming, cute, delightful, desirable, elegant, eye-catching, fair, fascinating, gorgeous, graceful, intriguing, lovely, pleasing, striking, stunning, sweet

"Said"

alleged, argued, asked, asserted, babbled, bellowed, bragged, commented, complained, cried, declined, demanded, denied, encouraged, expressed, giggled, growled, inquired, moaned, nagged, rebuked, rebutted, replied, rejected, retorted, roared, scolded, shrieked, shrugged, stated, taunted, vowed, warned, whined, whispered, yelled

"Went"

avoid, bolt, bound, depart, exit, escape, flee, fly, hike, hop, jaunt, jolt, journey, leap, leave, lurch, march, mosey, move, pace, parade, pass, progress, retreat, saunter, scoot, skip, split, step, stride, stroll, tour, travel, vanish

more words to use instead other words to use instead another list of words to use instead

[priestessprose]

Do you have a list of words for "dark"? I feel like I rotate through the same five. Ty!

Thanks for the request, because I'm guilty of this as well!

Dark—devoid or partially devoid of light; not receiving, reflecting, transmitting, or radiating light

Adumbrate - overshadow, obscure

Aphotic - being the deep zone of an ocean or lake receiving too little light to permit photosynthesis

Atramentous - black as ink; inky

Becloud - to obscure with or as if with a cloud

Blackout - to become enveloped in darkness

Brumous - misty, foggy

Caliginous - misty, dark

Cavernous - dark and gloomy, as of a cavern

Chiaroscuro - the quality of being veiled or partly in shadow

Cimmerian - very dark or gloomy

Crepuscular - of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim

Darkling - dark

Darksome - gloomily somber; dark

Dim - emitting or having a limited or insufficient amount of light

Dislimn - dim

Dull - cloudy; low in saturation and lightness

Dusky - somewhat dark in color; marked by slight or deficient light; shadowy

Ebony - black, dark

Fuliginous - sooty; obscure, murky; having a dark or dusky color

Gloaming - twilight, dusk

Gloomy - partially or totally dark

Inky - as dark as ink

Lightless - receiving no light; dark

Lowery - gloomy

Midnight - deep or extended darkness or gloom

Moonless - lacking the light of the moon

Murky - characterized by a heavy dimness or obscurity caused by or like that caused by overhanging fog or smoke

Obfuscate - to throw into shadow; darken

Obnubilate - becloud, obscure

Obscurant - tending to make obscure (i.e., dark, dim; shrouded in or hidden by darkness)

Overcast - darken, overshadow; clouded over

Pitch-black - extremely dark or black

Rayless - having, admitting, or emitting no rays, especially: dark

Riley - turbid

Sable - of the color black; dark, gloomy

Shadowy - being in or obscured by shadow; shady

Shroud - as in to obscure: to make dark, dim, or indistinct

Smoky - made dark or black by or as if by smoke

Somber - (or sombre) so shaded as to be dark and gloomy

Stygian - extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding

Subfusc - (chiefly British) drab, dusky

Sunless - lacking sunshine; dark

Swarthy - of a dark color, complexion, or cast; swart

Tartarean - of, relating to, or resembling Tartarus; infernal

Tenebrous - shut off from the light; dark, murky

Turbid - heavy with smoke or mist

Umbrageous - spotted with shadows

Umbral - of little or no light

Unlit - not lighted, such as: not illuminated with light

Wane - to become less brilliant or powerful; dim

Hope this helps (I feel like this is one of the word lists I'll be referring back to a lot). Do tag me, or send me a link if it does. I'd love to read your work!

More: Word Lists

[priestessprose]

Synonyms for "panting"? Please and thank you <3

Here are some synonyms for you :)

Panting—to breathe quickly, spasmodically, or in a labored manner

Blowing - to pant, gasp

Dyspneic - difficulty with or labored respiration

Emphysematous - having a condition characterized by air-filled expansions of body tissues; specifically: a condition of the lung marked by abnormal enlargement of the alveoli with loss of pulmonary elasticity that is characterized especially by shortness of breath and may lead to impairment of heart action

Gasping - to breathe laboriously

Gulping - to catch the breath as if in taking a long drink

Heaving - to pant

Huffing - to proceed with labored breathing

Hyperpneic - abnormally rapid or deep breathing

Hyperventilating - to breathe rapidly and deeply; undergo hyperventilation (i.e., excessive rate and depth of respiration leading to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide from the blood)

Puffing - to breathe hard; panting

Stertorous - characterized by a harsh snoring or gasping sound

Stifling - to be or become unable to breathe easily

Strangling - stifling

Wheezing - to breathe with difficulty usually with a whistling sound

Winding - to cause to be out of breath; to make short of breath

Hope this helps with your writing. Do tag me, or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

More: Word Lists

[priestessprose]

my lady jane | s01e05

[priestessprose]

I just think people write out of obligation too often.

"How do I motivate myself to write through the boring part of my story?"

"How do I make this boring scene not boring?"

Don't write it.

Don't write boring things just because you think the structure of the story demands it. I promise it doesn't need to be there.

If your characters need to have gone shopping for a later part of the story to make sense you can just have a sentence about how they went shopping and move on.

You are not obligated to write the boring parts. No matter what those parts are.

You are not obligated to make the parts of your story that you're not excited to write interesting somehow.

You can just write the fun and interesting parts and gloss over and summarize boring things.

Your audience will thank you and you will thank yourself.

[priestessprose]

When A Character Is excited about something they…

talk rapidly and animatedly.

have a wide, infectious smile.

can't sit still and fidget constantly.

share their news with everyone they meet.

feel a rush of energy and enthusiasm.

laugh easily and frequently.

clap their hands or bounce on their toes.

find it hard to focus on anything else.

make grand plans and dream big.

feel a warm, buzzing sensation in their chest.

constantly check the time, eager for the event.

daydream about the exciting event or news.

[priestessprose]

That post about 30 year old coming of age stories?

I’ve been thinking about it all morning. What would the plot points be for that? What makes a 30 year old coming of age story?

Old folks sound off in the comments

[priestessprose]

“Show Don’t Tell”? Not Always. Here’s When to Use Summary.

I was inspired to write this post after getting a great anonymous question in my Ask: “What’s your opinion on the whole ‘show don’t tell’ advice? Do you have any tips for when to show and when to tell?”

Here’s my response:

I honestly think that “show don’t tell” is one of the most over-quoted and least-understood pieces of writing advice out there.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, “show don’t tell” means that instead of explaining or telling something to your reader (“Sheila was reckless and impulsive”), you should show Sheila’s impulsiveness through action or dialogue. For example, “Even though her rent was overdue, after she got her paycheck Sheila spent $400 on an antique toilet.” This would allow the reader to draw the conclusion that Sheila was impulsive for themselves, rather than being told.

Theoretically, this is great advice for new fiction writers, who, left to their own devices, tend to write their stories entirely in “telling” mode.

But summary (telling) has a place in fiction as well, and it’s an important one.

For one thing, summary allows you to pace your story. If everything is shown in the moment, a story can sometimes seem to be unfolding with breathtaking speed. Alternating with a bit of summary allows your reader to slow down for a break every once in a while.

Secondly, scene takes a lot longer to write than summary. In the earlier example, it might take several scenes or hundreds of words to thoroughly show and convince the reader of Sheila’s impulsiveness. Whereas the sentence “Sheila was impulsive” takes three words. So summary can allow you to fit more into your story or novel and keep it a reasonable length whereas if you wrote every single little thing that happened in scene your story might be prohibitively long.

So summary helps control the pacing of the story and also helps the writer moderate the story’s length.

Even the most fervent supporters of “show don’t tell,” as far as I know, do not dispute that every story can make use of and benefit from summary.

Try it yourself: Pick up your favorite story or book off of the shelf and see if you can locate parts of the story that are told, explained, or summarize to the reader. It’s there. It’s part of the package. Good writers use summary, and they know how to use it well.

So how do you decide when and where to use summary?

The answer is in itself another question and topic. But here’s a quick guideline:

Use summary to give the reader any information she needs which is not important enough to the story to warrant a scene, or to show the passing of time between important parts of the story.

Example #1 Using summary to quickly present inconsequential information.

If the fact that Sheila is reckless and impulsive is a central part of the story—maybe this is a story about how Sheila, your protagonist, learns to overcome her impulsiveness, for example, or maybe in this story it becomes a major issue in Sheila’s relationship that she is impulsive, etc.—then by all means show Sheila’s impulsiveness in scenes.

But if Sheila is, for example, a minor character who is only mentioned by two or three times in passing, and whose behavior doesn’t really affect the story one way or another, then go ahead and summarize Sheila’s behavior. For example, if Sheila is a distant cousin of the protagonist and is only mentioned in a few sentences when the protagonist bumps into her at a family reunion. She is not a central part of the story, but for whatever reason it’s important for the reader to know a few minor details about her.

Example #2: Using summary to show time passing between important scenes.

If your story is about a couple being trapped inside a cabin for a long winter, by all means show the bitter cold days in full scene. That’s the essence of your story, you wouldn’t want to summarize it and deny the reader the chance to experience it.

But if your story is about two friends who share a friendship at summer camp every year, you might want to recap the winter that passed between their visits in a paragraph or two.

Another time to quickly summarize time passing is to use a sentence or two when characters transition from one important location to another, e.g. “They left the movie, drove back to the house, and started dinner.” Again, check up on your favorite writers. I promise you they are not showing every single tiny action blow-by-blow. It would be tedious as hell and make it almost impossible for the reader to figure out what’s important and what’s not.

A few final words about “show don’t tell”:

If you’re having a hard time deciding what to put in scene and what to put in summary, you might not understand your story well enough yet. Go back and make some notes, or have someone you trust read your story and give you feedback.

Everyone has different levels of tolerance for summary and exposition. Find out yours. You want to be the kind of writer that you would want to read, right? Go through your favorite short stories and novels with a highlighter and highlight any passages or sentences that are telling. Are you the kind of reader who loves a page of summary about the snow falling outside, or do you prefer your stories to be more action-heavy?

There is a lot of bad advice out there about showing versus telling. Some writers would have you write: “She sighed deeply as a single crystalline tear gently glided down her face, tracing the line of her button nose before splashing onto the yellow formica countertop” instead of “She cried.” “She cried” is not telling! Cried is a verb: it shows. “She was sad” or “She was upset” is telling.

Similarly, beware of anyone who applies the “show don’t tell” advice prescriptively, or who seems to be repeating it like a parrot. Those people usually don’t know what they’re talking about. They heard that advice somewhere, and they’re just repeating it. Anytime anyone reads your writing and says, “You should show more,” without giving any further explanation, question them. Get them to specifically tell you what they’re talking about. If they can’t, find someone else to look at your writing.

Summary doesn’t have to be boring. When it is appropriate to summarize, look for ways to add verbs and sensory details to your summaries to keep them more vivid. Give your reader something to visualize. “My father was restless” is hard to visualize. “My father was like a squirrel on cocaine. By the time I woke up, he’d been out in the yard for hours, stuffing Easter eggs into his pocket like they were acorns,” is, well, absurd. But easier to visualize.

/ / / / /

@theliteraryarchitect is a writing advice blog run by me, Bucket Siler, a writer and developmental editor. For more writing help, download my Free Resource Library for Fiction Writers, join my email list, or check out my book The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers.

[priestessprose]

HIDDEN LOVE 偷偷藏不住 (2023) dir. Lee Ching Jung

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It’s nearly sunset. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END 2007 | dir. Gore Verbinski

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Rinko Kikuchi as Mako Mori and Charlie Hunnam as Raleigh Becket PACIFIC RIM 2013 | dir. Guillermo Del Toro

[priestessprose]

The Garden of Armida (detail), John Collier (British, 1850-1934)

[priestessprose]

So...You Want to be a Writeblr? | A Crash Course and Resource Guide

— about.

This post was primarily made for people wanting to make a writeblr and those new to the community in mind, but can be used for anyone. So, who am I? Hi, Maddie here. I've been on writeblr for a few years so I'm pretty sure I know how this whole writeblr thing works, and I wanted to give some advice that worked for me to new writeblrs who might not know where to start!

This crash course will generally cover these topics:

how to get started

intros and formatting them

interacting with the community

graphics, edits, and where to make them

helpful blogs

but if you'd like me to go over something that I missed or glossed over, feel free to send me an ask!

— how to get started.

The first decision you'll have to make is whether your writeblr will be a primary or secondary blog. Primary blogs allows you to reply and follow other writeblrs as your writeblr, but it will require making another tumblr account if you want a clean slate. Secondary blogs will make it easier to keep everything under one account and move/change primary blogs as needed, but you can only interact with others as your primary blog outside of reblogs.

Once you've made your blog, I recommend taking some time to choose a good blog theme for people who visit your blog. You want something visually pleasing and easy to read/navigate.

@serpentarii made a list of theme recommendations for writeblrs here.

@writerthemes is an entire blog centered on finding themes and pages for writeblrs.

— intros and formatting them.

Once you have your blog set up, go and make a writeblr intro! These serve to get your name out into the community and is a quick way show people who you are and what you're working on. You can format your intros however you want, but I recommend including these key points.

Writeblr intros tend to follow this general format:

General Personal Info: Name you'd like to go by, pronouns, age*, a little bit about yourself and your hobbies (optional)

Your WIPs: If you have multiple, give a brief summary of the plot and its genres. If you plan to only have one, feel free to combine your writeblr and wip intro

*Age: a lot of people on writeblr are young and/or cautious of people they interact with. It's absolutely ok to not specify your age, but at least indicate whether you are an adult or a minor and do not lie about your age range.

WIP Intros are a great way to summarize what your wip is about to anyone wanting to learn more. Most WIP intros tend to include the:

Title

Genre

Themes/Tropes

Summary

Excerpt (optional)

Brief summary of main characters (optional)

Draft Status (optional)

Character Intros are optional but they're popular posts to make. You can be as detailed or as vague as you want. Basic character intros include:

Their general Info: name, age, pronouns

Personality

Backstory

Excerpt (optional)

— interacting with the community.

Writeblr is a community for writers to make friends and find support; what you get out of writeblr depends on what you give back to it, and that means taking the first step and interacting with others. There's no foolproof way to get the kind of interactions you might want, but here's a couple of ways that worked for me:

Interact with other people's wips: find writeblrs and wips you like and start commenting on them! Even if it's just in the tags, or a reaction image, or a key smash.

Participate in ask events like Storyteller Saturday (StS), Meet and Greet Monday (MGM or MaGM), and Worldbuilding Wednesday (WbW): Send people asks relating to their wip on these days. It's a good way to start interacting with other people and most writeblrs tend to send an ask back. There are also a lot of open questions posted on writeblr that you can reblog and answer.

Use common writeblr tags to get your posts out: #writeblr #writers on tumblr #writing #writers some writeblr networks also have open tags for anyone to used

Join a writing discord: there are a lot of writing discord groups floating around, and the informality of discord makes it a lot easier to get to know other writers. It's also a good place to get writing advice, wip help, share your work with others, and just have fun. (Shameless promo for wtw - come join us guys <3)

BONUS: here's a post i made on my old account about some general writeblr etiquette.

— graphics, edits, and where to make them.

Writeblr is a place specifically for writing, but I can't deny that people are more likely to pay attention to a work if there's pretty graphics to go along with it. For people who might be new to making graphics or edits, here are a few resources to get you started

Canva.com is a great resource for beginners. It's a free browser-based graphic design platform with a lot of free photos and graphics you can mess around with. You need to make an account to use it and some resources are behind a pay wall, but you can do a lot of things with what is free.

Unsplash, Pixabay, and Pexels are some of the best places to get unlicensed, royalty-free photos to use in your graphics as opposed to pinterest.

Tumblr also has a lot of free PSDs you can use to make edits. You'll need some basic photoshop skills and a photoshopping software. Make sure to credit the maker if you use their PSD.

Photopea is a free, broswer-based Photoshop alternative. It has a tendency of crashing or lagging sometimes, but it gets the job done.

GIMP is another Photoshop alternative that you can download to your computer.

— helpful writing blogs.

This is far from an extensive list of writing-resource blogs out there. These are just a few blogs that have helped me in my own writing and what I hope might help you guys too.

The ScriptX Blog Family is an ever growing and changing network of blogs of content experts ranging from a wide variety of topics ranging from psychology, medicine, equestrians, military, autism, ballet, foodies, etc.

@writingwithcolor a wonderful writing/resource blog centered around racial, ethnic, and religious diversity. For those writing characters outside their own race/ethnicity/religion, here is a good place to ask questions and concerns you might not easily be able to answer.

@rainbowwriting a writing/resource blog centered around helping writers include better LGBTQIA+ diversity. [Note: I'm not certain if they're still active, but their archive is still a good place to read up on and get information.]

@wordsnstuff had a ton of writing-related resources from developing plot, characters, researach, drafting, prompts, and even genre-specific resources.

@inky-duchess is not only a fantastic writer but she's also very knowledgable on European history, how monarchies and the aristocracy work, and different writing theories.

@pens-swords-stuff is both a wonderful writer and a good source of writing-related advice!

@howtofightwrite a blog for writers looking to write realistic fight scenes

@mimzy-writing-online is another great writer and a writing advice blog! They have a useful advice series on writing visually-impaired and blind characters as well as more general writing-related advice.

Welcome to the writeblr community. I hope this post helped you and happy writing!