sorryimbusywriting - Tumblr blog

[sorryimbusywriting]

What being drunk is like, for fic writers who have never been drunk before

Nothing wrong with never being drunk (in fact, it’s probs a good thing) but it can be hard to write convincingly about alcohol if you’re not familiar with it, and I’ve read enough fics where 5 secs into reading I’m already cringing sooooo

1. It takes more than 1 beer to get drunk

Personally, it takes me (a small female occasional-drinker) either around 3 shots of any spirit, 2 large glasses of wine or 2.5 beer-like drinks within a short space of time to get over tipsy into drunk territory, and to be really drunk-drunk, a bottle of wine (3 or 4 glasses), or 5 shots should do it. BUT IT VARIES FROM PERSON TO PERSON

2. Lime and salt is literally only for tequila

and I know like less than 3 people who actually enjoy the taste of any alcohol

3. Your vision isn’t “blurry” or “foggy”

Alcohol affects your balance not your eyes, so the room defo can seem like it’s spinning but you’ll still have your 20/20. Sometimes it’s hard to focus, but it’s not constant - just every so often your eyes miss their mark.

4. Speech is less “slurred”, more in the wrong order

A great thread on writing drunk dialogue here: https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-write-dialogue-for-a-drunk-character 

5. Not everyone gets hyper-sexual when drunk

It’s less a state of horniness and more a state of lowered inhibitions and social pressure

6. Coffee doesn’t sober you up like magic

Alcohol dissipates from the body at a rate of about .015% of BAC per hour, and drinking coffee doesn’t alter that rate

7. Alcohol rarely sends you into a deep and heavy sleep

You’re more likely to sleep fitfully and keep waking (sometimes to be sick, more likely to piss/drink water - sometimes just bcos being drunk is uncomfortable), unless you’re an alcoholic who depends on drink for sleep

8. You don’t *hic* in the middle of every sentence!!

If the drink is carbonated, then maybe, but you’re way more likely to have a problem with bloating etc with alcohol 

9. You don’t go straight to black-out, speech-slurring drunk

It takes a lot of units and likely a couple of hours to work up to this stage - for different kinds of drunk this webpage is good: http://krisnoel.com/post/40871345058/my-character-is-drunk 

10. Having drunk sex is difficult, awkward and rarely sexy

And you’re more likely to make-out with your friends than any strangers at a club, just because

11. Hangovers are rarely pounding, light-aversion torture

The younger/more tolerant you are, the better. Generally, for a night of heavy but not black-out drinking, you’ll be thirsty, probs nauseous and tired. The room may still be spinning but in an annoying, not painful way, and this’ll go away after a couple of hours and eating something, getting fresh air or having a shower (whatever works for you)

12. People talk nonsense when drunk

You are less likely to get a love confession and more likely to hear about all the rules for a complicated game they just invented, right that second

13. Everyone is different

Don’t make all your characters hyper, or depressive, or angry. For most of the night they won’t get to that stage anyway. Also, remember this whole list is based on my experiences, so feel free to ignore it all and do your own thing. 

Happy drunk writing! 

[sorryimbusywriting]

Hi, I was hoping you could answer a few of my writing questions. 1. Do Muslims always have to go to a Mosque to pray? 2. Are there exact times to pray every day? 3. Do Muslims often have close relationships with their imam? 4. Do Muslims only pray when they're at their Mosque? Or do they read the Quran as well? 5. Is Friday like the Christian version of Sunday? Thanks so much. I hope I'm not overstepping any boundaries here

hi! these are very good questions.

muslims do not have to pray at the masjid. they can pray in most places that are clean and dry (not in a bathroom, not in a graveyard, etc.) however, men are supposed to attend prayers at the mosque as often as they can (congregational prayer is led by an imam at the mosque 5 times a day every day for whoever may wish to join, even if it’s only one person or no people at all, and if you miss the congregational prayer you can still perform the prayer alone), and men are obligated to join the friday jumu’ah prayer, which consists of a sermon called a khutbah and then the actual prayer. women are neither obligated to perform prayer in congregation, nor are they forbidden, but to pray in congregation is considered to be of greater social and spiritual benefit.

there are specific time frames for the 5 daily prayers, as well as names. fajr is the dawn prayer, which must be completed before the sun begins to rise. dhuhr is prayed anywhere from true noon until asr, which is prayed in the afternoon and must be completed before the sun begins to set (it is forbidden to perform salah while the sun is setting or rising). maghreb is from after sunset until dusk, and isha is prayed after dusk until it’s time for fajr again. of course, these times differ from place to place and change throughout the year, so it’s helpful to use calendars or apps like Muslim Pro or Athan that can give you notifications when it’s time for prayer according to wherever in the world you are. they can also point you in the direction of the kaaba so you know which way to face while praying. masjids have specific schedules for the prayers led by the imam, and they may give out their own calendars or post their schedules on their websites so people know what time to show up if they want to catch the congregation. 

dua (supplication) can be prayed at any time.

some muslims may be close with the imam. shrug. it really depends on the people and the community. as a spiritual leader and advisor, the imam usually interacts with lots of people with questions that could range anywhere from “is this food okay to eat” to “can you help me get married”, so they do tend to know some people pretty well lol

you can pray at the mosque, you can read quran, you can hold/attend events (having guest speakers or hosting iftar parties during ramadan, for example), you can organize classes for people (usually children) to learn arabic and quran and islamic teachings, you can just show up and sit there and stare at a wall for four hours straight if you want lol the masjid is typically a pretty chill place and it’s usually open almost all day long. i know people who like to go there just to get some peaceful time to think. my mosque even has a basketball court and a small soccer field and a playground out back. 

i guess you could say friday for us is like sunday is for christians, because of the jumu’ah prayer. have fun writing!

[sorryimbusywriting]

This is super specific, but could you do like an demon kidnapped an angel and taunting them and threatening to cut their wings off?

(Sorry for the delay!) They woke to darkness, to the smell of sulfur and smoke, to cramping pain in their shoulders and back. Then they jerked, realizing this was wrong, very, very wrong, and something metallic rattled beside their head. They tried to pull their arms in, only to find them chained above their head, unable to pull off the blindfold covering their eyes. Their wings pulled down tight against their back, trapped between them and a cold stone wall. 

“Oh, you’re awake.” A smooth voice sounded from in front of them, too close for not being able to see them, or defend themselves. 

“Who is there? Release me immediately!” They jerked on the chains again and then flinched back as something touched their cheek. They froze, breath catching in their lungs as a sharp claw dragged over their jaw, not breaking skin, but they knew it could, so easily. Demon. They tried not the let their fear show, but the chains clinked slightly as their body shuddered, betraying them.

“Release me!” The angel snapped, twisting their head away from the claw and tucking their face into their arms. “You can’t k-keep an-an angel of the Lord!” They ground out, trying to keep their voice steady as the claws slid over their chin, drawing their face straight again to face someone they couldn’t see. 

“No,” the other mussed softly, “I can’t keep you. But that doesn’t mean I can’t play with you.” Another touch of claws was on edge their wings. They jerked back, foot lashing out and catching the demon. They heard an oof and the slide of them going backwards from the kick. 

“Don’t you dare touch m-” a hand around their throat cut the angel off. Their feet kicked the ground, trying to find them again but weight pressed down on their thighs, warmth and presence closing in on their face. They were sitting on their lap, trapping them against the floor and wall with their weight. A clawed hand went back into their wing, sliding deep into downy feathers until the sharp tips touched tender skin below. The angel bucked, a ‘No’ caught in their throat as the claws caught and dragged, tearing flesh and a keen of pain from the angel. The hand on their throat released, but the claws still gripped their wing, dragging another cry from them as they tried to breathe. The demon wanted to hear them scream. And they did. Tingling sharp agony radiated across the wing and down their back, the pale flesh beneath the feathers hyper sensitive to touch and pain. It twitched beneath the claws that dug and tore, shuddering and bucking against each touch that shouldn’t be there. “S-stop, please,” the angel gasped in desperation, their head pitching forward and finding something hard right in front of them. The demon’s chest. They pulled back, but a hand cupped the back of their head, drawing them back against the other with unexpected gentleness. 

“Lets try again, shall we?” The claws retracted from their flesh and they felt them draw back down their cheek, slick with blood this time. “I’d hate to have to cut them off.” They flinched at the words, but the message was clear. They couldn’t pull away, or fight, or resist, or it would only get worse. Their chest hitched with a silent sob as they leaned slightly against the hand at their cheek, giving the demon what it wanted. 

“After all, whats an angel, without their wings?” 

[sorryimbusywriting]

B had just gotten the leash pried away from A's hands, the younger whimpering when it was done. The collar, thick and quietly beeping, was still latched tight around A's throat, the skin inflamed around it. B had left A laying on the couch, a blanket tucked under their chin for only a few minutes when they heard the sobs. B ran back into the room, and their eyes widened as they took in the scene. A had apparently thrown themselves off the couch and into a dresser, it clicking open to reveal /1

Oh no, poor whumpee!! Great angsty scenario there tho 👌

[sorryimbusywriting]

How To Do Your Own Medical Research

Hey there Scriptaroos! I got a great question on Tumblr the other day, and I thought the answer deserved its own full-fledged post. Here it is:

Anonymous said:

Hi! I love this blog, but I also understand how much time and effort it takes to research and write your posts. Are there any really good online resources that you really like or that are good for simpler questions? Thanks!

And ohh, how I loved this question. I loved this question so much I sighed with happiness reading it.

Because the truth is, this blog is incredibly time-consuming to produce. Even things I know like the back of my hand require research, writing, linking, and image selection and posting. I cross-post every post to 3 separate platforms (Patreon, Tumblr and my website), which takes a lot more time than it sounds like. The average post may take 4 hours or so. I try for 3 posts a week, plus at least 3 shorter “asks” on Tumblr every single day (21 asks a week). It’s time-consuming.

So giving you guys the tools to start your own research makes tons of sense! Empowering writers is what I’m all about.

Start with Google (if you dare)

Consulting Dr. Google is a time-honored trick of the writing-advice trade. But in order to get what you want, you’ll need search terms that will find what you need.

Some quick Google tips:

Use search terms in quotes for more specific results. “Hand amputation” will get you more results than searching for it without, because if something had a hand in your foot amputation, it will pop up under the un-quoted search term.

Have a specific question? Make sure you use it in quotes too. “Broken femur” + “recovery time” will give you much better results than asking How long to recover from broken femur?

Want to know about after care? Search “injury” + “discharge sheet”. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a hospital which has put their discharge sheets online, which will tell you what patients will be told after leaving the hospital.

Many people ask about rehabilitation. Search “injury” + “physical therapy” or “rehabilitation” for closer results.

One last tip: if you want someone’s personal perspective on their injury, try “injury” + “personal story” or “my injury”. There are plenty of sites out there for people with whatever injury to commiserate about their experiences or share tips with each other, and these resources can be invaluable for writers.

Better Yet: Start With One Of These Sources

I do tons of research on medical topics, both for the blog and for my own understanding. Here are some of my favorite sources:

MayoClinic.org – I find Mayo Clinic’s site informative, helpful, and great for covering the basics. Some topics may have more advanced information on them.

MedlinePlus.gov – MedLine is information aimed at providers. You’ll see a lot of Medline’s information copied and pasted on other websites, but it’s better to go to the source of the info.

Specific Topic Resources

Amputee Coalition is a great place to look for information about, well amputations, and specifically about living with them.

Brainline.org is a phenomenal site to talk about head injuries, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and so much more. They go into the structure and function of the brain as well as specific injuries and coping mechanisms. Phenomenally useful.

For More Advanced Readers…

If you think you’re ready to read medical information that’s aimed at providers, there’s my #2 favorite site of all time, Medscape. Medscape.com requires a (free) login, but the information is so freaking useful – if you can read medicalese. (I’ll give you a hint, I have trouble sorting things through on there sometimes).

You can also search PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) for information regarding your topic of choice, but what will come up are journal articles, many of which are hidden behind paywalls. The articles will also be heavily laced with medspeak, which may or may not be to your taste.

My very favorite resource, though, by far, is one that unfortunately I would imagine only one or two of my readers have access to, a database called UpToDate. It’s an invaluable resource, and I have to give a shout-out to Nathan for providing me with access.

I hope that gets you off on the right foot! If you come up with any great resources in this area, let me know with a comment or a reblog and I’ll share them with the rest of the squad!

xoxo, Aunt Scripty

disclaimer    

Becoming a Patron lets you see the freaking future. Have you considered becoming a clairvoyant?

Free eBook: 10 BS “Medical” Tropes that Need to Die TODAY!  

[sorryimbusywriting]

Description: Making Representation Obvious

Sometimes you have to code characters, either because the terms they use to describe themselves don’t exist (like secondary world fantasy), or because they haven’t found the words themselves yet (undiagnosed illnesses and disabilities). But if at all possible, you should make it clear who these people are and own that you’re putting them in the story.

Even if you actively can say that somebody is part of a certain group, you still have to make sure you’re not -washing them in the narrative. Be it whitewashing, straightwashing, abledwashing, or any sort of situation where you say one thing, but the story itself doesn’t reflect that.

Here are some things to consider that will help you make it obvious that…

This character is PoC

Describe:

Skin tone (just don’t use food metaphors)

Hair texture/colour (especially black hair)

Most commonly eaten foods at home

Microaggressions

Cultural clues that they would have (either assimilated or not, because both will have tells)

Their opinion of white people/things outside of their experience

This character is LGBTQA+

Describe:

Who they’re attracted to (or lack thereof)/past crushes (or lack thereof)

Their circle of friends (seriously, we travel in packs, I know like five straight people)

For trans characters: hormones, binders, packers, breast forms, tucking. Also, for more subtle clues, pronoun asking, euphoria at gender affirming things (like them being proud of their particularly dapper, feminine, or ‘I have no idea what gender that is but I like it’ style), dislike of off-gender things (like complaining about somebody getting them something that doesn’t match how they like to present)

The actual orientation that they are, for crying out loud

Their opinion of straight people/things outside of their experience

This character is disabled

Describe:

Their disability. Preferably in the actual labels, or make up your own labels for a secondary world fantasy

Any mobility, hearing, or speaking aids

Behaviours that come with the disability (ie- stimming such as rocking or flapping for autistic/ADHD people, navigating through appropriately wide paths for wheelchairs/walkers, sitting on one side of the group conversations to make sure their good ear catches it, etc)

Levels of aid needed and any accommodations

Avoiding things that trip them up (like somebody autistic not wanting to go where it’s crowded, a wheelchair user avoiding curbs, a Deaf person making sure there’s a sign language interpreter at a concert, somebody with celiac avoiding gluten like the plague)

Plan cancelling because it’s a bad day, or having to leave early because the environment is bad

Medications, doctors, etc, if applicable

Self care rituals for after a long day or during a flare up

Their opinion of abled people/things outside of their experience

This character is mentally/chronically ill

Describe:

Their symptoms, from good to messy, consistently

Their energy levels, as many of us use the spoon theory

Self care rituals they practice during flare ups or after hard days

Medication, doctors, therapies, etc

Cancelling plans because a bad day came up, or having to leave early because the environment is bad

Triggers and their individual reaction to their triggers

Their opinion of well people/things outside of their experience

And so on. These lists are not meant to be exhaustive at all, but they are meant to get you thinking about how you need to go about describing representation.

One thing to note: you can go about establishing representation in one of two ways. Either have the characters noting their differences, or them nothing others’ differences. Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys describes white skin when it appears, because within the narrator’s world, black skin is the norm. But others note their own differences. It’s all about their character.

Either one requires a lot of careful thought and sensitivity readers, but both are valid* options for owning** representation.

Followers, feel free to add more!

*Do be aware that some groups are chronically under-represented when it comes to the actual word of their identity. Bisexual people hardly have characters say the word as their identity. Autistic people also hardly have characters say the word as their identity. Be very careful of not having characters talk about themselves if the group is prone to being coded but not explicitly represented

**You have to actually own it and say they’re that when people put all the clues you left together

Thanks for reading! If you liked this content, please consider supporting me on patreon. It’ll get you access to a bunch of cool stuff!

[sorryimbusywriting]

how does the whumpee react when they walk into a room and hear familiar pained sounds over speakers? when they find a friend/teammate watching a video on their phone/computer - a video of when the whumpee was in captivity, when they were chained up and breathlessly pleading, when they screamed and cried and flinched away from the touches of their captor? does the whumpee knock the device away and demand to know why their friend is watching that, who sent it to them? do they sneak back out, unseen, and go off to panic in their own room? do they stand there, frozen, dragged into a flashback by the familiar sounds and visuals of their body retrained firmly, and the pain that was visited upon them?

[sorryimbusywriting]

How to escape after being buried alive in a coffin.

It could happen to anyone. People bury a person alive to scare them or to get rid of them. In this situation, rely only on yourself.

Do not waste oxygen. In a classic coffin there’s only enough oxygen for about an hour, maybe two. Inhale deeply, exhale very slowly. Once inhaled - do not swallow, or you will start to hyperventilate. Do not light up lighters or matches, they will waste oxygen. Using a flashlight is allowed. Screaming increases anxiety, which causes increased heartbeat and therefore - waste of oxygen. So don’t scream.

Shake up the lid with your hands. In some cheap low-quality coffins you will be able to even make a hole (with an engagement ring or a belt buckle.)

Cross your arms over your chest, holding onto your shoulders with your hands, and pull the shirt off upward. Tie it in a knot above your head, like so: This will prevent you from suffocating when the dirt falls on your face. 

Kick the lid with your legs. In some cheap coffins the lid is broken or damaged already after being buried, due to the weight of the ground above it. 

As soon as the lid breaks, throw and move the dirt that falls through in the direction of your feet. When it takes up a lot of space, try pressing the ground to the sides of the coffin with your legs and feet. Move around a bit. 

Whatever you do - your main goal is to sit up: dirt will fill up the empty space and move to your advantage, so no matter what - do not stop and try breathing steadily and calmly. 

Get up. Remember: the dirt in the grave is very loose, so battling your way up will be easier than it seems. It’s the other way around during a rainy weather however, since water makes dirt heavy and sticky. 

[sorryimbusywriting]

You good?

Like if you’re feeling emotionally exhausted and/or frustrated

[sorryimbusywriting]

THIS IS A TUMBLR HUG! PASS IT ON TO 10 OF YOUR FAVORITE FOLLOWERS AND DON'T BREAK THE CHAIN! HAVE A LOVELY DAY! ~♡ (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡ 💕

Awww thank you so much 💕💕

[sorryimbusywriting]

This is so awesome

What have you done that you are most proud of? Or just one thing you did and are proud of :)

Hmmm…I’d say one thing I’m very proud of is that four years ago I started a literary journal for female abuse survivors, called Persephone’s Daughters. We’ve published dozens of survivors’ art and writing and we always donate all proceeds from the magazine to organizations like the National Network to End Domestic Violence, RAINN, Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, etc. :)

[sorryimbusywriting]

This is so good! I love it

For the song drabble thing: 2

I got (F*ck A) Silver Lining by Panic! At The Disco! Reply with a line from the song that you will like the drabble to be based off of and I will reblog this and tag when finished :)

[sorryimbusywriting]

THIS IS A TUMBLR HUG! PASS IT ON TO 10 OF YOUR FAVORITE FOLLOWERS AND DON'T BREAK THE CHAIN! HAVE A LOVELY DAY! ~♡ (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) ♡ 💕

Thanks you so much!!!

[sorryimbusywriting]

10 ways to hit your readers in the gut

One of the strongest bonds that link us to our favorite stories is the emotional tie, or books that sink a fist right into our guts. When you finished a book where you couldn’t let go of after the last page, chances are, the author successfully punched you in the spleen. If you’ve ever wondered how to do just that, here are some of my favorite methods:

Make your reader root for your main character(s). Make your character stretch out their arm toward their goal, as far as they can to reach, until their fingertips barely brush it. Make your character want something so much that your reader wants it, too.

When your character trips and stumbles and stops to question themselves, the readers will hold their breath.

Push your character to their very limit, and then a little further.

When your character hits the bottom, they should scrape themselves back together and get back up. Give readers a reason to believe in your character.

If your character is challenging your plot, your plot should challenge your character.

Leave a trail of intrigue, of questions, of “what if?” and “what next?”

If a character loses something (a battle, an important memento, part of themselves), they must eventually gain something in equal exchange, whether for good or bad.

Raise the stakes. Then raise them higher.

Don’t feel pressured to kill a character (especially simply to generate emotional appeal). A character death should serve the plot, not the shock factor. Like anything else in your story, only do it if it must be done and there’s no other way around it.

What’s the worst that can happen? Make it happen. Just make sure that the reader never loses hope.

[sorryimbusywriting]

“Deserving” redemption arcs is really kind of an odd concept, because, logically speaking, you earn the right to be a less shitty person by… being a less shitty person.  I think in fiction the more relevant issues are “would a redemption arc be plausible and emotionally satisfying?”

[sorryimbusywriting]

“This one has done this before, and they’re not happy to be back”, you say, holding the newborn

[sorryimbusywriting]

Tips for Writing Sad Scenes

Remember not all characters express emotions the same way. For example, some characters are more closed off than others and will act accordingly. What makes one character collapse into a sobbing, wailing mess, might make another grieve quietly in a way people who don’t know them well might not even notice. That doesn’t make either reaction less impactful, it simply highlights the differences between the characters’ personalities.

Avoid melodrama. Going overboard with intense expressions of sadness can make them unintentionally humorous. Basically, make the intensity of characters’ emotions suit the situation and don’t let characters endlessly wallow in sorrow throughout the story. While it’s perfectly understandable for emotions to linger, dwelling on the same one with minimal variation risks losing the reader’s interest. 

Use buildup judiciously. Sometimes, you might decide to reveal that a bad situation is even more dire than the characters’ first thought, leading them to feel hopeless. Other times, the sad event might strike the characters as suddenly as a lightning strike.Giving characters and readers nuggets of hope can be especially effective. That’s because those lead people to believe that a positive outcome is possible, thereby making it hurt all the more when things take a turn for the worse.

Show characters seeking and giving comfort. Whether they try to drown their sorrows in alcohol or hug their friends close, moments where characters seek or give comfort show how much a sad event is impacting them. This provides good opportunities for bonding and possibly more conflict. Plus, coping mechanisms speak volumes about characters. Do they try to comfort others when they’re practically falling apart themselves? Do they seek some kinds of comfort but avoid others?

Emphasize lost opportunities. What will characters’ find much harder or even impossible now? If a character dies, who or what are they leaving behind? Who misses them now that they are gone? What dreams did they leave unfulfilled?