seaglasswrites

[seaglasswrites]

Fantasy Guide to Thrones

The throne is probably one of the first images that pops into your head when you think of royalty. It is that enduring symbol that is just as much apart of the monarchy as the crowns and the ceremonies. But what do we need to know about thrones?

What are thrones?

A throne is a chair at the end of the day - or a bench, if you're economising. it is where the monarch sits. It is the monarch's chair. When speaking of the throne, it is only the monarch's seat you're talking about. Yes, a consort might sit next to the monarch on something that looks like a throne and it may be called a throne but it actual fact, it is a chair. This is confusing, isn't it? Think of it this way: a chair is a chair until it isn't. The throne is a ceremonial chair used in ceremonies. It can be used during audiences, during investitures, coronations of course and during ceremonies at court such as debuts.

Who gets a throne?

The throne is only occupied by the monarch. Like I said above, sometimes the consort sits next to the monarch but this is not really a throne. It does not have the same status as the throne next to it. There will be a throne for the consort at their coronation if they have one and one at the place. Princes and Princesses would not have their own throne but they might sit in one if they are sent out on a duty by the monarch. Think of the throne has the boss's desk. Nobody - nobody - should ever sit on the throne unless it is the monarch even jokingly.

How many thrones is too many thrones?

There are usually multiple thrones at the monarch's disposal. There is the throne they are crowned on, usually purely ceremonial and they never really sit on it again afterward like St Edward's Chair. Every palace would have a throne room, this is usually where the main events of the palace take place and there is usually a throne for the monarch to sit on while they preside over the event. There even maybe a throne at a governmental building where the monarch can sit during the proceedings. In fiction of course, you can play fast and loose with the rules around thrones but generally a monarch will have two or three thrones.

Designing a throne

These are not your run of the mill Ikea chairs bought off the shelf. These chairs are symbols and if your monarch is to make a statement, they need a fine ass seat to do it from. St Edward's Chair is battered and defaced but it's age and history speak for itself. The Takht-e Padeshah of Persia is the same story. The Silver Throne of Sweden is flashy. The Peacock throne is the height of luxury. The Takamikura and Chrysanthemum Throne are ancient and stand for tradition. Thrones are usually decked out with carved wood or moulded metal, there might be jewels or fine inlay or upholstered in the finest fabrics, embroidered with monograms or the royal crests or perhaps it is made of some fantastical element that is super rare and makes it even more special.

Throne Room

Like I said above, within the palace there is a room where the throne resides. This is where the most ceremonial events are held, where the monarch will meet dignitaries, visiting royals, hold royal audiences and oversee the debuts. The throne will sit on dais, which is a raised platform. It gives the monarch a little more lift so they can look down on what's going on. There may even be a canopy, an awning that hangs over the throne. In the throne room, the consort may also have a throne.

[seaglasswrites]

Fanfiction PSA:

Before you use synecdoche:

(e.g. "She turned to the redhead")

Ask yourself:

When you have asked yourself all of these questions, then – and only then – should you consider calling your character a

bluenette.

[seaglasswrites]

Writing is like a hard video game level

You’re bitching and screaming at the screen as you try and fail to make progress

But when someone concernedly suggests you take a break?

“Oh no, it’s fun and relaxing!”

[seaglasswrites]

[seaglasswrites]

I’ve come to the harrowing realisation that the only way to write my book is to write my book

I may never recover

[seaglasswrites]

unique things you can give your characters to make them stand out that are not tattoos or scars:

multiple ear piercings (especially for male characters)

visible body piercings (nose piercing, etc.)

lots of jewelry (layered necklaces, rings on every finger, etc.)

or no jewelry at all (bonus: a character that doesn't wear any in a culture that is jewelry focused)

a signature color (ex. a character that always wears blue, or only wears gold rings)

extra descriptive hair or eye color (ex. curly, red hair down to the waist, amber eyes with flecks of green, cropped silver-blonde hair)

freckles (bonus: body freckles, not just face)

a nervous habit (ex. picking at their skin, biting their nails, checking a watch, fiddling with jewelry)

a limp or any other unusual gait (bonus: describe it! is it from a horseback riding accident, were they born that way, is it from aging, etc.?)

an accent or lisp (use cautiously and with respect)

unique teeth (tooth gaps, missing teeth, gold/silver teeth, crowded teeth, etc.)

a signature hairstyle (a braided coronet, a bun, etc.)

noticeable facial features: ruddy cheeks, a prominent nose, very thin/thick eyebrows, moles, birthmarks, etc.)

[seaglasswrites]

Fantasy Guide to Political Structures

A Horse! A Horse! My X for a Horse!

Let's be honest, fantasy authors love their kingdoms and empires. You can throw a rock in a bookshop or a library in the fantasy section and you will 99.99999% hit a fantasy book that will be set in or mention either of those structures. But what are they really? What's the difference between them all? Are there any more examples of structures that would suit your WIP better? Are you using the right terms? Let's have a closer look.

Duchy

A Duchy is a small territory ruled by a Duke/Duchess. While Duchies can be found in kingdoms, some duchies were sovereign states in their own right. Duchies are usually small by land mass but some duchies such as Burgundy were extremely powerful and influential. Independent Duchies were usually apart of a kingdom but grew so powerful that they eventually broke away to become a sovereign state in their own right. An example would be modern day Luxembourg, historic Milan and Burgundy.

Principality

A principality is territory ruled by a Prince/Princess. A principality is typically smaller than a kingdom and in some instances, can be apart of a larger kingdom or be a sovereign state. Principalities have a history of having broken away from a larger kingdom or eventually becoming apart of a kingdom. A principality within a kingdom is ruled by a Prince/Princess, usually an heir of the monarch and can be used to train them up to assume the throne in the future. Examples include Monaco, Liechtenstein and Andorra.

Kingdom

A sovereign state/country that is ruled by ruling King or a Queen. A kingdom is much larger and more powerful than a principality. Kingdoms can be feudal, meaning they are ruled in a strict hierarchy or an autocracy where the monarch rules alone with minimal input from the government or constitutional where the monarch is more of a figurehead and the government has a good chunk of control. Examples include England, Thailand and modern day Spain.

Commonwealth

A Commonwealth isn't a popular choice in fantasy but it is an interesting structure. A Commonwealth in its most basic form is a collection of states that are linked by either a shared culture or history. A Commonwealth can be a politically power or an economic power, with every state allowed to participate as much as they like. Not one state leads the others, it is all one group of equals. A Commonwealth can be a good idea for a group of nations that are more powerful together with them keeping their own independence.

Federation

A Federation is a political structure that is made up of united states or countries that are under a single government but each state is still independent and rules itself. Each state can have different laws, different cultures and economies but they all answer to the single government. Examples include the United States of America.

Republic

A Republic is a territory that is ruled by leaders and heads of state that have been elected on merit and by choice of the people. Republics are not just countries but can also be much smaller areas such as cities. Republics are democratic in nature, with the people having a say in who leads them in accordance to a constitution. There are many kinds of Republic: presidential, parliamentary, federal, theocratic, unitary. Examples of Republics include the Republic of Ireland and the city of Florence.

Protectorate

A Protectorate is a country/region/territory that is independent but relies on a larger, more powerful state for protection either in a military or diplomatic sense. A Protectorate was often used by Empires in order to maintain control over an area without annexing it. There are many reasons a larger state and the protectorate would agree to this, mainly the protectorate is much smaller meaning it is far more vulnerable to attack or it has very little power when compared to other states. A Protectorate allows the territory some power to rule itself but the larger state may feel the need or desire to interfere in the dealings of the territory. Examples of protectorates include the client kingdoms of the Roman Empire like Egypt before its annexation and Puerto Rico.

Empire

An Empire is a collection of nations that are united under one sovereign head of state or government. An Empire is formed by one nation steadily taking control of other nations, either through straight invasion and colonization or acquiring them through marriage and other less violent ways. An Empire is powerful mainly because it can drum up more resources, more influence and more military power. An Empire might impose the traditions, beliefs and culture of its principal nation - the nation that started it all - onto its colonies for better control and feeling of uniformity. Empires never last, that is something to always remember. Empires will eventually fragment due to the vast size and sometimes revolt among the conquered states. Examples of empires include the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire.

[seaglasswrites]

If a scene feels flat and you can't figure it out, ask yourself:

• What can MC smell? Is there an ocean breeze, sweat, a cinnamon roll fresh out the oven?

• What can MC hear, besides the dialogue? Is a bird singing, river flowing, a car speeding, clock ticking?

• Can they taste something, even if they're not eating? Previously drunk alcohol or juice, aftertaste of a cigarette, smog, too instense perfume?

• Can they feel something on their skin? Rough clothes or delicate material, blowing wind, an allergy or a rash, grass that theyre laying on?

• What does the character see, besides other characters? Is the room dark or is sunlight coming in nicely? Are the colours vibrant or dull? Are there any plants?

• What's the weather? Is it snowing and the cold is making goosebumps appear on their arms? Is it hot and sweaty and clothes are clinging to their body?

• HOW DOES IT MAKE THEM FEEL? To any of the above.

Do they like the smell of cinnamon rolls or are they weirdos (I'm a weirdo, I don't fit in).

Does the clock ticking calm them down or annoy them?

Do they enjoy the aftertaste of a cig and like how dirty it makes them feel?

Are they sensitive to touch and how their clothing feels on their skin or are they indifferent?

Would they enjoy the scenery more if it was more sunny out, because they're afraid of the darkness?

Do they like it snowy or are they always cold and hate winter?

Come on, give them persoanlity, likes and dislikes, don't be scared to make them people and not only likeable characters.

[seaglasswrites]

Just thought of a new writing game to help iron out character descriptions!

For your current WIP, take the descriptions of your characters’ appearances and give them to someone who can draw. Then, have that person draw what they imagine your character to look like based on the description.

If their vision of the character is horrendously different from what you had in mind (ie. completely different body type, different style of clothes, etc) take note of what in particular is different between their depiction and yours, and make sure to add that to your descriptions.

For me, I tend to lean in on hair and eye color as well as clothes and accessories, but I often find myself forgetting to describe body type or facial features. This could be a fun exercise to remind you what you’re forgetting

[seaglasswrites]

List of Names

A list full of names you can use for your stories.

Fantasy Names Part I

Fantasy Names Part II

Fantasy Names Part III

Dark Academia Names (Girls)

Dark Academia Names (Boys)

Dark Academia Names (Genderneutral)

German Names (Girls)

German Names (Boys)

German Names (Genderneutral)

Random Names Part I

Random Names Part II

Random Names Part III

Random Names Part IV

Random Names Part V

Random Names Part VI

Random Names Part VII

Random Names Part VIII

Random Names Part IX

Random Names Part X

Random Names Part XI

Random Names Part XII

Names with Cute Nicknames (Girls)

Names with Cute Nicknames (Boys)

Mythological Names Part I

Mythological Names Part II

Sci-Fi Names Part I

Botanical Names Part I

Botanical Names Part II

Pet Names

Celestial Pet Names

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

[seaglasswrites]

- How to write Colorblind Characters -

[ Disclaimer: I am not colorblind myself and do not personally know anyone with the condition. Everything I write here is based on research I have done and some things may not be entirely accurate. If something doesn’t seem quite right, you’re free to correct me ]

What is Colorblindness?

Colorblindness is defined as a reduced ability to perceive color. Colorblind people will struggle to tell the difference between certain colors, the specifics of which will depend on what version of the condition they have.

What are the Different Types of Colorblindness?

Colorblindness most commonly manifests in three different forms: Red-Green Colorblindness; Yellow-Blue Colorblindness; and Monochromacy. Each of these can affect a person in various ways based on their severity.

Red-Green Colorblindness, the likeliest version of the condition, will most commonly be Deuteranomaly, which makes certain shades of green look more red. It can also be Protanomaly, which is the inverse of the former, and makes certain shades of red look more green, and less bright.

Deuteranopia and Protanopia are the more severe versions of these, with both causing the individual to be unable to tell the difference between red and green at all. While the former two are mild and don’t typically impede most activities, these cause issues.

Here is a visual representation of each:

Blue-Yellow Colorblindness, which is much less common than Red-Green Colorblindness, manifests in a similar form to it. Tritanomaly makes blue & green and yellow & red look similar, while Tritanopia, the more severe version, makes most of these colors indistinguishable to the affected individual.

Here is a visual representation of each:

Finally, Monochromacy, or Achromatopsia, is characterized by the complete inability to perceive color, and is what most people think of when they hear “Colorblindness”. It is incredibly rare, and people who have it may have issues seeing in general or be more sensitive to light.

Here is a visual representation:

The type of colorblindness you choose for your character will depend on how you want their colorblindness to affect the story. If you intend for it to be a fun fact about them that never serves as a plot point, then it might be best to pick a less severe version. If you want their condition to directly affect the narrative, then you should consider which version would affect them in the way you want it to.

How does Colorblindness affect people in Daily Life?

How your character’s colorblindness affects them will depend heavily on the type of place your story is set in.

A realistic fiction narrative set in the real world may see a character with Deuteranopia or Protanopia struggling with traffic signals, as they can’t tell the difference between red and green. Technology and text on colored backgrounds are also hurdles for Colorblind people.

One struggle that will most likely affect a Colorblind character, no matter what sort of world you’ve placed them in, is working out directions or instructions that use color-coding. Something that a lot of Colorblind individuals also experience is not being able to tell when a fruit is ripe or not.

Like Colorblind people in real life, your character will probably have learned to rely on other senses, such as smell, hearing, and touch, to differentiate between things where their sight has failed them. Don’t just write about the struggles your character experiences; Consider how they would have learned to adapt to those struggles and find ways to function in the world.

Colorblindness and Genetics

Most of you probably already know that the vast majority of Colorblind people are male; While one in twelve men will be Colorblind, only one in two hundred women will be. That’s a massive difference, and there’s a reason for that.

The most common form of colorblindness (Red-Green) is dependent on the X chromosome, and is a recessive gene. Therein lies the problem: Since women have two X chromosomes, they need to inherit the gene on both of those X chromosomes in order to be colorblind. Meanwhile, men, with only one X chromosome, only need to inherit it on one. This means that women are just as likely to be carriers of the gene, but are much less likely to present with it.

This doesn’t mean that it’s unrealistic for your female character to be colorblind; It still happens in real life, and anyway, there are way more people with red hair and heterochromia and vitiligo in fiction than in real life, so who cares?

It does mean, though, that you now have some extra information in case you wanted to make a family tree. So, if your female character is colorblind, it means that both of her parents were either colorblind or at least carried the gene - meaning that someone above them had it, too.

That was a bit of a long post. I admit that my research was rather limited, and that the genetics section was a massive oversimplification, but if I were to ramble about Punnett squares and chromosomes with free rein we’d be here all day, and it would quickly stop being a writing post.

I mainly wrote this as a way of organizing some of the information and thoughts I had about the Colorblind character I’m currently writing.

[seaglasswrites]

📊 How to Use Tropes Without Turning Your Story into a YA Checklist

You can tell when a book was written by vibes and TVTropes alone.

It’s got: ☑️ the reluctant chosen one ☑️ the love triangle ☑️ the mysterious brooding boy™ ☑️ the sassy best friend ☑️ the dead parents ☑️ the villain with daddy issues ☑️ the scene where someone says “you don’t know what I’m capable of” and walks away dramatically

And like… that’s fine.

Tropes are tools. But here’s the thing: they are starting points, not story goals.

If your plot reads like it was drafted by a checklist in a Pinterest caption, it might be time to recalibrate. Here's how to actually use tropes without turning your book into a YA Mad Libs generator:

─────── ✦ ───────

🧩 Tropes Are Patterns--Not Presets

A trope is a pattern, not a requirement. It’s not a law. It’s not a plug-and-play feature. And it’s definitely not your plot.

The “enemies-to-lovers” arc? That’s a container. What you put inside it, that’s where the originality lives.

The goal isn’t to avoid tropes. It’s to do something interesting with them.

→ Why are they enemies? → What does the “love” cost them? → What happens if they fail to become lovers?

Tropes don’t carry the story. The conflict does.

─────── ✦ ───────

⚔️ Complicate the Familiar

Here’s a trick: if a trope feels too easy, break it in half.

Examples: → “Reluctant chosen one” → okay, but what if they wanted it, and then hated it once they got it? → “The mentor dies” → cool, but what if the mentor fakes their death to manipulate the protagonist? → “Sassy best friend” → no. Make them real. Give them pain. Give them depth. No more walking punchlines.

Tropes are scaffolding, not shortcuts. Add weight. Add doubt. Add betrayal.

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🕳️ Interrogate Why You’re Using It

Ask yourself: → Do I love this trope or do I feel like I have to include it? → Am I doing this because I’ve seen it done… or because it serves my story? → Is this trope the only interesting thing about this scene?

If your answer is “because that’s what YA stories do,” delete it. Go deeper.

─────── ✦ ───────

💔 Tropes Aren’t Substitutes for Character Arcs

You can’t use “grumpy x sunshine” and call it development. Tropes are flavors, not meals.

Give us: → Choices with consequences. → Conflicting values. → Character growth that costs something.

Otherwise? Your grumpy guy is just a Pinterest moodboard with a pulse.

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🧨 Use Reader Expectations Against Them

You want to use a trope and not make it predictable? Weaponize it.

Example: → Start with a love triangle. Let the MC fall hard. Then have both love interests realize they’re in love with each other. → Use the “chosen one” trope… but make it about dismantling that myth entirely. → Introduce the “villain redemption arc” and let them choose to stay bad because it makes more sense for them.

Set up the pattern. Then snap it in half. That’s how you surprise a jaded reader.

─────── ✦ ───────

Final thoughts from your local trope goblin:

→ Tropes aren’t the problem. It’s treating them like a checklist instead of a narrative engine. → A good trope doesn’t make your story good. How you twist it does. → If a story reads like it was built from Tumblr quotes and nothing else—it’s gonna flop.

So go ahead. Use the trope. Then ruin it. Make it weird. Make it hurt. Make it yours.

—rin t. // story mechanic. trope thief. YA bingo card burner. // thewriteadviceforwriters

Sometimes the problem isn’t your plot. It’s your first 5 pages. Fix it here → 🖤 Free eBook: 5 Opening Pages Mistakes to Stop Making:

🕯️ download the pack & write something cursed:

[seaglasswrites]

One thing I’ve learned about writing is ”give everything a face”. It’s no good to write passively that the nobility fled the city or that the toxic marshes were poisoning the animals beyond any ability to function. Make a protagonist see how a desperate woman in torn silks climbs onto a carriage and speeds off, or a two-headed deer wanders right into the camp and into the fire. Don’t just have an ambiguous flock of all-controlling oligarchy, name one or two representatives of it, and illustrate just how vile and greedy they are as people.

it’s bad to have characters who serve no purpose in the story, but giving something a face is a perfectly valid purpose.

[seaglasswrites]

I find it personally offensive how many bad writers can get published so easily.

[seaglasswrites]

helpful sites for writers

i have a little collection of websites i tend to use for coming up with ideas, naming people or places, keeping clear visuals or logistics, writing basics about places i've never been to, and so on. i tend to do a lot of research, but sometimes you just need quick references, right? so i thought i'd share some of them!

Behind the Name; good for name meanings but also just random name ideas, regardless of meanings.

Fantasy Name Generator; this link goes to the town name generator, which i use most, but there are lots of silly/fun/good inspo generators on there!

Age Calculator; for remembering how old characters are in Y month in Z year. i use this constantly.

Height Comparison; i love this for the height visuals; does character A come up to character B's shoulder? are they a head taller? what does that look like, height-wise? the chart feature is great!

Child Development Guide; what can a (neurotypical, average) 5-year-old do at that age? this is a super handy quickguide for that, with the obviously huge caveat that children develop at different paces and this is not comprehensive or accurate for every child ever. i like it as a starting point, though!

Weather Spark; good for average temperatures and weather checking!

Green's Dictionary of Slang; good for looking up "would x say this?" or "what does this phrase mean in this context?" i love the timeline because it shows when the phrase was historically in use. this is english only, though; i dig a little harder for resources like this in other languages.

[seaglasswrites]

Questions I Ask My Beta Readers

"Did you like it?" just doesn't cut it when you're trying to get useful feedback, so here's some questions that get your reader really thinking about your work:

What are your general impressions after reading? How did you feel when the book ended? 

(For fantasy/sci-fi) What did you find most confusing about the world? What did you find the most interesting? What do you want to know more about? 

Were there any scenes that broke your suspension of disbelief? Which ones? Why?

Which chapters were the hardest to get through? Did you find yourself skimming the text at any point in the story? 

Which character was your favorite? Which was your least favorite? Why? (Note that this question is best when asking multiple readers. If one person really dislikes a character, it could be personal preference. If multiple people can't stand a character for the same reason.... well, that's a problem you need to fix. Unless, of course, you want your readers to hate that character. Just make sure that their hatred enhances the reading experience instead of ruining it).

Did you get any characters confused or mixed up? If so, did this make the story hard to follow?

What was the most suspenseful moment in the book? What was your favorite moment of the story? What was your least favorite moment in the story? Why?

Which setting in the book was clearest to you as you were reading it? Which setting was the most difficult to envision?

Did you feel there was a lot of info dumping at any point? If so, where?

How do you feel about the plot? Were there any parts that confused you or seemed nonsensical/ illogical?

Did you feel any part of the story was predictable? Do you have any predictions for the next book(s)? If so, what are they? (Again, another question that's best when asking multiple readers. Be aware of your audience here. Some people, especially those who read a lot, are really good at predicting where stories are going to go. If those people are able to guess what happens next, that might actually be a good thing, because it could indicate that your story is progressing logically. Too much predictability is a problem, but a little isn't bad. This question is just to make sure the plot twists/progression aren't painfully obvious to most readers).

What plot holes did you find in the story so far? 

Were you invested in the story? If so, at what point did you become invested? Did you lose this interest at any point? (The second point here is really good for determining whether you have a slow beginning. Sometimes readers might really like your story overall, but would not have gotten past the first few chapters if they were reading it for fun instead of as a favor for you. This happened to me last time I asked someone to read my work, and it made it clear how much of the beginning I needed to rewrite entirely).

Any other questions or comments? 

[seaglasswrites]

What’s the best editing tip you have?