#Writing guide

[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

HOW TO WRITE A CHARACTER WHO IS IN PAIN

first thing you might want to consider: is the pain mental or physical?

if it’s physical, what type of pain is it causing? — sharp pain, white-hot pain, acute pain, dull ache, throbbing pain, chronic pain, neuropathic pain (typically caused by nerve damage), etc

if it’s mental, what is the reason your character is in pain? — grief, heartbreak, betrayal, anger, hopelessness, fear and anxiety, etc

because your character will react differently to different types of pain

PHYSICAL PAIN

sharp and white-hot pain may cause a character to grit their teeth, scream, moan, twist their body. their skin may appear pale, eyes red-rimmed and sunken with layers of sweat covering their forehead. they may have tears in their eyes (and the tears may feel hot), but they don’t necessarily have to always be crying.

acute pain may be similar to sharp and white-hot pain; acute pain is sudden and urgent and often comes without a warning, so your character may experience a hitched breathing where they suddenly stop what they’re doing and clench their hand at the spot where it hurts with widened eyes and open mouth (like they’re gasping for air).

dull ache and throbbing pain can result in your character wanting to lay down and close their eyes. if it’s a headache, they may ask for the lights to be turned off and they may be less responsive, in the sense that they’d rather not engage in any activity or conversation and they’d rather be left alone. they may make a soft whimper from their throat from time to time, depends on their personality (if they don’t mind others seeing their discomfort, they may whimper. but if your character doesn’t like anyone seeing them in a not-so-strong state, chances are they won’t make any sound, they might even pretend like they’re fine by continuing with their normal routine, and they may or may not end up throwing up or fainting).

if your character experience chronic pain, their pain will not go away (unlike any other illnesses or injuries where the pain stops after the person is healed) so they can feel all these types of sharp pain shooting through their body. there can also be soreness and stiffness around some specific spots, and it will affect their life. so your character will be lucky if they have caretakers in their life. but are they stubborn? do they accept help from others or do they like to pretend like they’re fine in front of everybody until their body can’t take it anymore and so they can no longer pretend?

neuropathic pain or nerve pain will have your character feeling these senses of burning, shooting and stabbing sensation, and the pain can come very suddenly and without any warning — think of it as an electric shock that causes through your character’s body all of a sudden. your character may yelp or gasp in shock, how they react may vary depends on the severity of the pain and how long it lasts.

EMOTIONAL PAIN

grief can make your character shut themself off from their friends and the world in general. or they can also lash out at anyone who tries to comfort them. (five states of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and eventual acceptance.)

heartbreak — your character might want to lock themself in a room, anywhere where they are unseen. or they may want to pretend that everything’s fine, that they’re not hurt. until they break down.

betrayal can leave a character with confusion, the feelings of ‘what went wrong?’, so it’s understandable if your character blames themself at first, that maybe it’s their fault because they’ve somehow done something wrong somewhere that caused the other character to betray them. what comes after confusion may be anger. your character can be angry at the person who betrayed them and at themself, after they think they’ve done something wrong that resulted in them being betrayed, they may also be angry at themself next for ‘falling’ for the lies and for ‘being fooled’. so yes, betrayal can leave your character with the hatred that’s directed towards the character who betrayed them and themself. whether or not your character can ‘move on and forgive’ is up to you.

there are several ways a character can react to anger; they can simply lash out, break things, scream and yell, or they can also go complete silent. no shouting, no thrashing the place. they can sit alone in silence and they may cry. anger does make people cry. it mostly won’t be anything like ‘ugly sobbing’ but your character’s eyes can be bloodshot, red-rimmed and there will be tears, only that there won’t be any sobbing in most cases.

hopelessness can be a very valid reason for it, if you want your character to do something reckless or stupid. most people will do anything if they’re desperate enough. so if you want your character to run into a burning building, jump in front of a bullet, or confess their love to their archenemy in front of all their friends, hopelessness is always a valid reason. there’s no ‘out of character’ if they are hopeless and are desperate enough.

fear and anxiety. your character may be trembling, their hands may be shaky. they may lose their appetite. they may be sweaty and/or bouncing their feet. they may have a panic attack if it’s severe enough.

and I think that’s it for now! feel free to add anything I may have forgotten to mention here!

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

🔪 3 Plot Twists That Slap (and 1 that should be arrested) 🔪

hello and welcome back to me yelling on main about storytelling crimes. today we are talking about plot twists. specifically: the good, the god-tier, and the why-would-you-do-this-i-trusted-you tier.

let’s go.

✨ The Twist That Reframes Everything ✨ a.k.a. the “wait. WAIT.” twist. This is when you drop a twist that doesn’t just add drama - it recontextualizes the entire story. It makes the reader go back and reread earlier scenes like “was this character ALWAYS sketchy or am I just stupid??” It retroactively changes the emotional weight of everything that’s happened. Suddenly that offhanded comment in chapter three hits like a brick. The romance subplot becomes 500% more tragic. The villain’s motive makes SENSE now. Delicious.

✅ Best used when: the breadcrumbs are subtle but real. The twist shouldn’t come out of nowhere - it should feel inevitable in hindsight. Like Sixth Sense, Knives Out, that one betrayal in your favorite anime you still haven’t recovered from.

2.🧨 The Emotional Betrayal It’s giving: “i would’ve died for you” energy. This is the kind of twist that hurts. You thought they were loyal. You thought they cared. They did care - and still did it anyway. Or they never cared, and now you’re spiraling. This twist slaps because it’s not just about plot, it’s about trust. It stabs the characters AND the reader in the same motion. Bonus points if it’s a slow burn betrayal. Bonus bonus points if the betrayer feels genuinely torn up about it.

✅ Best used when: the reader is emotionally attached. Don’t waste this one on a side character we barely know. Save it for the love interest. The best friend. The mentor figure with dad energy. Make it personal. Make it RUIN lives.

3. 🧊 The “They Were Dead the Whole Time” but Make It Interesting Listen. This one’s risky. It’s a classic for a reason but also easy to flop. But when done well? Haunting. Creepy. Unhinged in a gorgeous way. It doesn’t have to be death either - maybe the character’s been possessed. Or they’re not real. Or the narrator’s memory is lying. The KEY is to not lean too hard on the shock. Lean on the vibes. Give it eeriness. Make it a slow unraveling. Give us dread. Give us melancholy. Give us psychological decay with a side of unreliable narrator.

✅ Best used when: you’re writing something surreal, gothic, speculative, or emotionally weird. This twist isn’t about plot logic, it’s about atmosphere and emotional rot.

🚨 The Twist That Should Be Arrested: “It Was All a Dream” 🚨 I’m sorry but. no. if I read 80k words of someone’s descent into madness just to find out it was their stress dream and now they’re normal again?? I will throw the entire book into a lake. This twist erases tension instead of escalating it. It invalidates everything the reader emotionally invested in. It’s the narrative equivalent of gaslighting. don’t do it. UNLESS - and this is a big unless - you’re doing it with INTENT. Meta intent. Dream-within-a-dream psychological horror intent. If you’re gonna do it, it better haunt me. It better RUIN me. Otherwise? Into the lake.

okay that’s all. go forth and commit plot crimes responsibly. bonus points if you use all three Good Twists in the same story and then look me in the eye like “oh was that too much?”

it wasn’t.

tag me when you emotionally destroy someone with it.

🕯️ download the pack & write something cursed:

[olis-inkwell-symposium]

Developing Backstory: Bringing Characters to Life

1. Where It All Started: The Character’s Origin

Place of Birth: Where did your character first see the world? Think about the impact of this place—was it a busy city where they had to fight for attention or a quiet village where everyone knew everyone’s business? This location doesn’t just say where they’re from; it shapes how they see the world.

Family and Upbringing: What was their family like? Were their parents loving or distant? Maybe they were raised by someone other than their parents—a mentor, an older sibling, or even alone. Family (or the lack of it) is usually one of the most significant factors in shaping who someone becomes.

Society’s Expectations: What was expected of them when they were young? Possibly, they were born into wealth, with all the pressure to continue the family legacy, or maybe they were raised to be invisible in a world where survival mattered. How does this influence who they are now? Do they accept or reject those expectations?

2. Childhood Events That Left a Mark

First Taste of Conflict: Think about the first time the character realized the world wasn’t a perfect place. Maybe they witnessed violence or faced betrayal. What was that moment, and how did it stick with them? This moment usually lays the foundation for the character’s emotional landscape—fear, hope, ambition, or distrust all come from these early life lessons.

Childhood Dreams: When they were young, what did they want to be? Every child has dreams—did they want to be a knight, a scholar, or even just someone who could travel the world? Did they have to give up these dreams? How does that lost dream shape them now?

Formative Relationships: Who was their first best friend, mentor, or enemy? Childhood friendships and relationships often create deep bonds or wounds that last into adulthood. Did they have a mentor who taught them everything, only to betray them? Did they lose a childhood friend that still haunts them?

3. The Teen Years: Where They Start to Become Who They Are

Trials and Tribulations: What’s the biggest challenge they faced as they grew up? Was it losing a loved one, failing at something important, or maybe being forced into a role they didn’t want? These teenage years are where the emotional armor starts forming—how did the difficulties they faced shape them into the person they are now?

Education or Training: How did they learn what they know? Were they formally trained by an institution, learning everything by the book, or did they learn through experience, like a street-smart survivalist? What impact does their education or lack of it have on how they interact with others?

Teenage Bonds: Did they have a first love or a first major falling out with someone close to them? These experiences often create emotional scars or connections that they carry with them into adulthood. How does that past friendship or romance influence their behavior now?

4. Key Life Events: The Big Moments That Define Them

Trauma or Loss: Was there a moment that changed everything? Think about a significant loss—maybe a loved one, their home, or a sense of identity. How does this event affect their worldview? Do they build walls around themselves or dive into relationships with reckless abandon because they fear losing more?

Victory or Failure: Did they experience a moment of triumph or devastating defeat? Success and failure leave their marks. Were they celebrated as a hero once, leading them to overconfidence, or did they fail when everyone was counting on them, leading to crippling self-doubt?

Betrayal: Was there a betrayal that shaped their adult relationships? Whether it is a friend, family member, or lover, betrayal often changes how we trust others. Do they close themselves off, constantly expecting betrayal, or try to rebuild trust, afraid of being left alone again.

5. Where They Stand Now: The Present Moment

What Drives Them Today: What’s the one thing pushing them forward now? Is it revenge, the need to restore their family’s honor, or maybe even just survival? Whatever it is, this motivation should tie directly back to their experiences.

Emotional Baggage: What unresolved emotional wounds are they carrying? Everyone has scars from their past—some are visible, others not so much. How do these emotional wounds affect how they treat others, how they react to conflict, and how they move through the world.

Current Relationships: Who’s still in their life from their past, and how do they feel about it? Did they reconnect with someone they thought they’d lost, or are they haunted by unresolved issues with people from their past? Do they have any ongoing tensions or regrets tied to these people?

6. Tying Themes to Their Backstory

Cultural or Mythological Influence: How does their personal story tie into the larger world’s mythology or culture? Do they carry a family legacy, a curse, or a prophecy that hangs over them? How does this influence their interactions with others and their perception of themselves?

Recurring Symbols: Are there objects, dreams, or people that keep showing up in their life, symbolizing their journey? Perhaps a recurring nightmare haunts them, or they carry an object from their past that’s both a source of comfort and pain

7. Character Arc: The Journey from Past to Present

How Does Their Past Shape Their Growth?: Every character has emotional baggage that needs resolving. How does their backstory drive their arc? Do they need to forgive themselves, let go of the past, or accept who they’ve become to move forward?

Unanswered Questions from the Past: Are there any mysteries in their backstory they need to solve? Maybe they’re unaware of their true parentage, or maybe there’s a forgotten event from their childhood that will resurface and change everything.

[frownyalfred]

Tips for writing those gala scenes, from someone who goes to them occasionally:

Generally you unbutton and re-button a suit coat when you sit down and stand up.

You’re supposed to hold wine or champagne glasses by the stem to avoid warming up the liquid inside. A character out of their depth might hold the glass around the sides instead.

When rich/important people forget your name and they’re drunk, they usually just tell you that they don’t remember or completely skip over any opportunity to use your name so they don’t look silly.

A good way to indicate you don’t want to shake someone’s hand at an event is to hold a drink in your right hand (and if you’re a woman, a purse in the other so you definitely can’t shift the glass to another hand and then shake)

Americans who still kiss cheeks as a welcome generally don’t press lips to cheeks, it’s more of a touch of cheek to cheek or even a hover (these days, mostly to avoid smudging a woman’s makeup)

The distinctions between dress codes (black tie, cocktail, etc) are very intricate but obvious to those who know how to look. If you wear a short skirt to a black tie event for example, people would clock that instantly even if the dress itself was very formal. Same thing goes for certain articles of men’s clothing.

Open bars / cash bars at events usually carry limited options. They’re meant to serve lots of people very quickly, so nobody is getting a cosmo or a Manhattan etc.

Members of the press generally aren’t allowed to freely circulate at nicer galas/events without a very good reason. When they do, they need to identify themselves before talking with someone.

[rudeflower]

writing young children developmentally accurately

Writing young children convincingly, especially if you aren't around them often, can be tricky because from birth to age five children change so much, and they also typically progress in a certain way. This is why parents refer to young children's age in months ("She's 18 months!") for the first several years. 12 month olds and 23 month olds are wildly different, even though they're both 1.

Because of this, it's great to be aware of whether the 18 month old in your fic/story would typically be walking, and if that 4 month old baby can typically hold their head up. If you're way off it can ring as odd for the reader, even if they aren't experts themselves.

A key word here is typical. Children typically develop skills around certain times and in a certain order, but it can vary. No child develops exactly on target, some variation is normal. And it isn't necessarily because of disability or giftedness. It is possible for a one year old to be talking, and it's possible for an five year old not to be. It is still worth being read up on typical development because if your one year old is talking fluently, it makes sense in universe for other characters to remark on it quite a bit!

You do not have to run out and get a job at a daycare or take a college level child development classes to write young children confidently. Here are some resources I recommend as someone who works in the child development field, that I reference myself even though I've taken a ton of classes/worked with young children for over a decade:

CDC's Developmental Milestones

This is a good resource on when milestones (smiling, walking, dressing onesself) TYPICALLY emerge. They are not exhaustive and also not cumulative (18 month milestones link just includes what typically emerges at 18, not everything that already happened) so read each stage up to the age you're writing to be most informed

There are also photos and videos on many of the milestones, which is also great to visually confirm what this age looks and moves like

Child Mind Institute Complete Guide to Developmental Milestones

This is similar to the CDC resource BUT it's all on one page so you can see how the skills build cumulatively. It has less media and linking out, so this is a great one to refer to while writing after you're a little more confident in what your child character can do

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Communication Milestones

This is similar to the first 2 in that it shows the typical skills by age but goes into much further detail about communication. Because of the nature of a written story much of how your child character will come across will be in how they communicate and young children typically communicate in specific ways based on where they are in their development. This resource breaks it all down!

Lurie's Play Development Milestones

Even the way children play is very dependent of what stage of development they are in. A six month old won't pretend their toy truck is a rocket ship, for example. This resource breaks down what play typically looks like by age.

Development of Healthy Eating

I'm not familiar with this source, but this page is a great simple breakdown on healthy eating with young children from breast feeding to solid foods that are choking hazards.

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These are all great resources for anyone writing a young child character, regardless of your IRL level of contact with young children. I regularly am with young children, my entire profession is about healthy child development and I still refer to resources every time I write a young child.

Don't feel like you have to follow each of these guides perfectly--it's actually more realistic for a child character to be slightly off track or even way off track in one or two ways than for them to be matching perfectly (You'll even notice these guides don't match perfectly across the board.) But generally writing for a developmentally informed point of view (Even just a few minutes of checking out a milestone table while writing) can make your child characters feel REAL and authentic.

[prodigal-explorer]

how to write children's personalities

(this is part of my series, how to write children in fanfiction! feel free to check it out if you want more info like this!)

this is the main aspect of writing children that i see people mess up so often, especially in the fandoms i'm in (sanders sides and undertale). children are not adorable little noodles with no brains and no concept besides being cute and silly and crying. children are beings that are just as complex as adults, and they deserve personalities to match. this will make them way more interesting to read about! let's get started!

since there are so many aspects to personality to talk about and i don't want to sit here typing for ten years, we're going to do this guide a little differently. i'm going to divide these issues into archetypes, write a short description, and then make a list of do's and don't's for each one!

archetype one: the cute little baby

okay. babies are cute. we all know this, and i'm not saying it's a bad thing to make your babies cute. a lot of people love reading about moments with adorable little babies. but here are some ways to step this kind of thing up, and some things to avoid if you want to improve upon writing this archetype.

do's:

give the child character another archetype besides this one. though "cute" is the foundation for a lot of child characters, it's not a personality. and if a character is vital to your story, then it needs a personality. that's just a rule. you will read more about other archetypes further along in this post!

make the moments symbolic. though it doesn't seem like it from an outsider's perspective, basically everything a baby does is for a reason, and every action a baby makes can say something about their personality. if you want this baby's personality to be energetic and curious, have them crawl around and explore things, and laugh a lot, and babble. if you want this baby to be more sullen and shy, have them cry quietly instead of wailing, or have them squirm when being held by new people.

make the actions of the baby's guardians affect the mannerisms of the baby. babies act differently depending on how the people taking care of them act and react. for instance, if the baby's guardians are very busy people, then maybe have the baby cry very loudly whenever they want something, since they know that it's the only way to get the attention of their guardians. stuff like that can add depth to a character and to a general story.

don't's:

decide that the baby is cute and call it a day. sweet little babies are cool and all, but they get very boring to read about after a while. this can barely even be considered an archetype because of how bland it is when it's by itself.

keep this archetype around for too long. as babies turn into toddlers and then children, they don't act even remotely the same way. it's strange and off-putting to read about a seven year old acting like a two-year old, unless it's a very clear character choice that is a result of explicit actions and events.

make the baby know that it's cute. realistically, children don't understand the concept of cuteness until they're around toddler age. if then, you want to make the kid be like "i get what i want when i'm cute, so i'll act cute!", then sure, that's hilarious. but when they're two months old, they're not batting their eyelashes because that's their personality. they're batting their eyelashes because they got something in their eye. the main thing that makes a baby cute is that they don't know they're cute. they're just figuring out how to do ordinary things.

make everything a cute moment. while babies are awesome, raising them isn't always sunshine and rainbows. make the baby do something wildly chaotic, because babies do wildly chaotic things all the time. not only does this make things more realistic, but it makes things very interesting!

archetype two: the shy kid

as a former shy kid, i know good and well that these types of children exist, and they are very real and valid. however, there are certain ways i've seen them written that are just terrible because once again, this archetype cannot be considered a full personality on its own. let's get into the do's and don't's.

do's:

make their shyness a deliberate choice. kids aren't usually naturally shy. kids are usually more curious than cautious. is there a reason why the kid is shy? there doesn't have to be a reason why the kid is shy, but there could be a reason why the child is NOT outgoing/curious. try and give something like this some deliberate cause, instead of just making them shy so they can seem more precious and infantilized.

make their shyness manifest in diverse ways. not all shy kids cling to their guardian's leg and sit alone during recess. there are different ways to be shy. you can be aggressively shy, or fearfully shy, or shy due to general unwillingness to change.

make their shyness have realistic consequences. someone who's shy is probably not going to have many friends, if any. not all shy kids magically meet an extrovert who adopts them. someone who's shy probably has underdeveloped social skills, which can lead to them being less emotionally intelligent down the line. this makes the shy kid archetype a lot more three-dimensional than just a wet noodle of fear.

don't's:

infantilize shyness or treat it like it makes the kid some sweet, precious angel. not only is this very uncomfortable for shy people to read, but it's generally unrealistic. shyness doesn't affect how good or bad somebody is - it's a neutral trait.

use shyness as a tool to make characters seem younger. shyness does not indicate age. fear manifests in many different ways, and shyness is not the only way.

rely on cliches. not all shy people have the same journey, and the idea that a shy person becoming more outgoing is the "goal" is not only a bit offensive, but it's very cliche. shyness is not always an obstacle to be overcome.

archetype three: the happy-go-lucky kid

oftentimes, the reason why children characters are written into stories in the first place is to give a little bit of lightheartedness and innocence. to add a unique voice among all the cranky, stingy, burdened adults. but you have to be careful when writing this archetype. i personally really dislike this archetype as a whole, but i'm going to put personal feelings towards it aside because honestly, there's no valid reason to dislike it besides opinion.

do's:

give the kid a trademark. maybe this kid makes a lot of little jokes, or maybe they always see the best in a situation. give the kid one thing that makes them happy-go-lucky instead of just giving them everything because nobody is endlessly happy all the time in every way.

go deeper. while happiness is very often genuine, sometimes, it's a mask that hides something else. this can be an interesting way to sort of spice up your happy-go-lucky kid character. maybe the kid is hiding a big secret behind all those jokes.

don't's:

make the character always happy. while children tend to have simpler thoughts, they don't have simpler minds. this child needs to have thoughts, real, genuine thoughts that aren't just happy things.

see happy-go-lucky as a trait that is exclusive to children. comparing happiness to childhood and viewing them as the only places where the other can exist is just wrong, and it's kind of depressing. maybe give happy-go-lucky kid a happy-go-lucky adult to exchange jokes with!

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those are the archetypes that i see a lot. but now, i'm going to suggest a few child character archetypes that i LOVE that i don't see enough in fics! feel free to use any of these that you like. alter them, combine them! these are, in my opinion, some of the most fun child character personalities!

the spoiled brat: "i want this, and that, and that, and- why aren't you giving it to me?? if you don't give me what i want, i'll tell on you!". spoiled brats are so fun to read and write about, especially when they have absolutely no reason to be spoiled given the current situation (think riches to rags). they've got everything, humor, angst, and best of all, lots of pockets for personality. think about why the child is spoiled. were they enabled by their guardians? did they grow up rich, with access to everything they wanted? think about whether you want the child to stay spoiled. does something change? do they learn how to improve their materialistic and selfish tendencies? there are so many opportunities to play with the personality of this child!

the know-it-all kid: while i do see a lot of know-it-all kids in media, oftentimes, they don't actually have personality besides bossiness and intelligence. i love know-it-all kids who have depth to them. kids who are constantly spouting information because of their sheer love to learn. kids who have one specific thing that they know everything about, so they never stop talking about it. kids who tell people what to do and act like they know best because they don't have a lot of control over anything at home, so they grasp at whatever control they can find elsewhere. i think this archetype could open up a lot of ideas for personality further down the line. it also has a lot of variety with humor and angst, and general depth.

the serious child: this is an archetype that i cannot get enough of. i love a child that doesn't think they're an adult, per se, and still enjoys kid things, but just has such a calm and regal air about them that isn't learned. it's just natural. think of the kid that doesn't really get excited about things conventionally, but you can tell they're happy by their faint smile. the kid that seems to live in slow motion, and doesn't mind this fact at all. the kid that sits alone at recess just because other kids scare the birds away, and they want to see how a bird acts when it doesn't think its being watched. i love kids who have poignant thoughts, because their thoughts are so creative and different from adult thoughts.

the adult-ified child: now this is another archetype i can't get enough of, but it's for a different reason. this child, on the other hand, does think that they're an adult for one reason or another. maybe their guardians forced them to grow up too quickly. maybe they just wanted to grow up quickly by themselves. but this child has thoughts that are too big for their little bodies. they explore things that aren't meant to be explored when their brains are still so small. they do everything too quickly, they stumble through life as if a clock is ticking somewhere. to me, they're just haunting to read about. it feels wrong and dangerous to just watch them do things that hurt them because they don't know any better, but they're on a page. nobody can stop them. it's just so tragic, i'm obsessed.

the prodigal child: this archetype isn't really as deep or detailed as the others, but i do appreciate it. this archetype is for a child who knew who they wanted to be from an early age. a child who wanders into a ballet class and finds out they're better than the ten year olds by the time they're five. this archetype often pairs really well with the know-it-all kid or the adult-ified child because usually, children don't experience what it's like to be the best at something until they're a lot older. this is just a really cool archetype when you aren't quite sure what to do with that main character's little sister.

the chaotic child: this archetype is so much fun to read and write, to be honest. this is a child that just does as they please, whether it's out of curiosity or for pure enjoyment. think of the crazy stories that your guardians have about you or your siblings being absolutely insane. scribbling in a book and then demanding that the library publish their version. trying to ride the dog like a horse. cutting up clothes in an attempt to be a fashion designer. this one is just plain fun!

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now, there are so many more archetypes out there, but those are just my spotlights and recommendations! i hope after reading this, you feel more equipt to write child characters that have real, engaging, interesting personalities!

[bearflinn]

Writing Advice: Worldbuilding as Tension

One of the most common pieces of advice/points of critique I see for writers of all skill levels, is avoiding exposition dumps, often accompanied by the age old 'show don't tell'.

When writing fiction in general, but especially sci-fi and fantasy, it's important that the reader understands how your world differs from our own. And worldbuilding is one of the few places where you're less likely to get hit by the proverbial SHOW hammer, since some things, like the rules of your magic system, are difficult to show. So telling becomes more permissible.

However, it can be incredibly tempting to just infodump at every opportunity. Especially for those of us who have a wiki with more words than the finished project will have. But as I'm sure you've heard before, doing this can break immersion and destroy the pacing of your narrative.

While there are multiple ways to make exposition engaging, I'm going to focus on the approach I use most commonly: The Drip Feed.

Filling an Ocean One Droplet at a Time

Before we get into the actual methodology, I want to take a moment to dissect how and why exposition dumps can be problematic.

The Problem: Context, Relevancy, and Retention

Context is both the thing we're trying to communicate, and the source of excessive exposition. It starts simple, like maybe the reader needs to know that the main character is poor. And I guess I should explain why they're poor. Next thing you know you've spent 4 pages describing the socioeconomics of your world.

That's what I call 'context chaining'. Since everything in fleshed out worlds is interconnected, it can be very easy to just keep on filling in the gaps. Preemptively answering any questions the reader might have. The problem?

Relevancy. When you introduce a ton of worldbuilding in one fell swoop, the vast majority of it won't be relevant to the current place in the narrative, even if it will eventually be relevant for the story overall. Which, you guessed it, hurts:

Retention. Without immediate relevant context for the worldbuilding you introduce. Readers won't have anything to anchor the information too. Calling back to the example I used earlier, readers will remember that the character is poor, and they will likely remember why. Anything beyond that is unlikely to be retained.

The solution?

Restraint and Trust

For many of us, the world we've built is a large draw of the narrative we're crafting. However, one of the best ways to draw people into your world is to talk about it as little as possible. But how will they know about x?? They won't, until it matters.

Now I'm not talking about soft worldbuilding. This will work for both hard and soft worldbuilding (honestly it's even better for hard worldbuilding).

Instead of straight up telling the reader about the world and all of its intricacies. Introduce the most complex aspects as questions that you answer bit by bit throughout the narrative. As an example, maybe our poor character is struggling to buy food because they went into debt casting spells.

Suddenly, the reader is wondering: Why do spells cost money? Who controls the supply of magic and/or components? Is spellcasting something everyone can do? What kinds of magic are more valuable than eating? and so many more.

But here's the key: don't answer them. At least, not until absolutely necessary or there's an organic place to do so. Wait until the perspective character is directly interacting with one of those questions. Maybe they walk past a trickling fountain, revealing that the mana wells are running dry. And later debt collectors come for the main character, revealing who controls the mana.

Unanswered questions are a huge source of tension, and worldbuilding can provide a subtle sustained undercurrent that you can leverage to propel the narrative in slow points and/or make your payoffs hit even harder. All you have to do is answer the right question at the right time.

The best part of this method is that by waiting until your perspective character is engaging with a part of your world. It allows you to convey exposition and character at the same time. But what about worldbuilding that the characters don't interact with directly? It doesn't matter.

Well it does, to you as the author. But in general, if something doesn't matter to at least one of your characters, it won't matter to your readers. If your character isn't a politician, they aren't going to care about the intricacies of your political system. So why would the reader?

In short, keep any worldbuilding closely tied to your characters' experience, and let the reader wonder. The end result is a smoother and more engaging learning curve that pulls the reader in. Giving them the satisfaction of putting the pieces together themselves.

If you have any questions or additional thoughts let me know!

[urfriendlywriter]

What is emotional vulnerability? And can how can your characters show it?

(these are from my POV of what I have learnt and researched. differences in opinion are appreciated because no definition and depiction is set in stone | Credits must be given when reposted elsewhere / @urfriendlywriter ! I hope this helps all of you :D)

Tackling this with three topics:

What's vulnerability?

Actions related to vulnerability. (Actions/words that depict a person is feeling vulnerable + some dialogue prompts)

How to build trust between two people?

Vulnerability:

Emotional vulnerability is the ability to be open to and express one's feelings, even when facing the risk of rejection, criticism, or shame. Vulnerability means acknowledging your difficult emotions. Accepting overwhelming feelings, being able to express them with tender care towards yourself and others.

I'd consider myself a very openly communicative person. If I love you--as a friend, family or something else, I'll make sure you know the depth of it, the meaning behind my words, my look and my touch. I encourage vulnerability in all my relationships and it has positively reflected in their own personal growth as well. Being open, being real, being you, with all the ache, the scars, the hurt, and even the small ball of light within yourself amidst is all---that's vulnerability. And as we,

We gen z, we shelter ourselves to protect ourselves from hurt. But... if we get hurt, is it really our fault? No. If somebody hurts you intentionally, it doesn't translate to what you deserve or must go through. But if I don't get hurt... how will I learn to cope with it? Express it? Communicate through it? Learn from it? And.. importantly, how will I..

Learn how to heal myself again. Learn how to love myself far better. Learn how I want to be and what relationships I want to attract?

So, me, personally, I put myself out there. Like an open book. To read, to feel, to see--including the hurt and the parts I'm working on. Of course, i don't fully lodge it down a person's throat in one go, but u get what i mean. It is slow building of trust and can be used to your advantage as well. (lol that sounds toxic)

Harsh Truths?

Some people will use it against you, but should it hurt you if u were real to yourself? No.

Not all people u open up to may be emotionally mature. And that's okay. Move on.

It is not the end of the world if someone who saw all parts of you turned against you. It simply wasn't your person. It was neither of your faults.

Paint a character afraid to be vulnerable:

Hesitancy to open up, to speak up for themselves.

Blinking back tears, and telling themselves they'd be okay regardless.

"Atleast I don't have it worse."

"And.. If.. I tell you.. You won't look at me differently? Like.. I'm--I'm not worthy?"

doesn't ask for help. doesn't accept help easily.

doesn't think they're worthy to be seen. or to be loved. to be accepted or to even be heard.

"what i say won't make much of a difference anyway" A & "No, i want to hear it. how little, silly, stupid, serious, deep, it may be. I want to hear it. Please."

being numb to pain that they think it's normal to internalize it all.

and one day it erupts all out. into tears and rage. or raw unfiltered pain that bleeds onto everyone who loves them, hurting them too.

they freeze, momentarily surprised when they're asked for their honest opinion

or when they've to blink back tears when someone notices something and helps them without them even asking

detached during intimacy or hyperventilating after or during it

pulling away and pushing the other person away when they truly need them the most

Paint a character confident in themselves and are openly communicative:

you will not second guess what they feel about u, because u can see it in their faces or they'll openly say it

they encourage honest and deep conversations

the look of love is always there in their gaze

they love openly. they have so much love to give.

they'll hear u out no matter the time of the day and will provide a safe space for u

"I'm always here for u" in a soft, quiet voice, a gentle smile and a warm hug

"It's okay to feel that way. Hell u should feel that way. If u wanna talk about it.. here I am."

they're their own safe spaces and they can dive into their emotions, whenever and wherever needed.

they won't let u feel alone in ur misery. they'll shoulder the burden with u, but won't internalize it as their own. (i fear this is very important)

always knows the cause of why they said what they said / how they behaved or reacted

can analyze even u with one glance.

"how are you?" As a gentle caress of words & "I've-I've.. never been asked that.. not with such sincerity.." shyness of the one opening up.

^ "So, here I am.. I've got all the time of the day. Care to tell me?"

They aren't afraid of rejection. But they'll not put up with bullshit.

Building trust between two people:

Building trust is intimate. If done right. Between friends, family, lovers or anyone it may be. It's delicate, it's comforting quietness at some times and hearty loudness at some other. It's being understood, being seen, being able to communicate freely and respectfully.

Vulnerability is present where trust is.

asking help for small things without shying away from it

physical closeness. after moments of honesty or heavy emotions.

prioritizing each other

admiring every little thing they do

lots of "thank you"s being said that shows appreciation loud and clear

nervous glances, shaky hands and fluttering heartbeats as they may be help u zip up ur dress.

forehead kisses, followed up with, "I see you.. Let me help u cleanse away the day's stress."

celebrating even the smallest of their success

asking consent in every small thing!!

^ "i-i why are u asking for that? yes, of course." A & "Love.. I should always ask, even for such a thing as that." B

Being slow but steady with each other

"U don't want to do that? no rush." Immediately backing off A with a smile & B trying to understand how they aren't mad yet "A-are u sure?"

^ "We're in no rush.. We'll go at you pace. But consider my emotions too down the line, hmm?"

Lots of "And how does that make you feel?"

arguments feel less like the ones they saw growing up. and now it's more intimate, thoughtful, full of understanding and closeness. both sides are heard, understood, appreciated and both sides change.

Author's (@urfriendlywriter aka Ziya) note:

As someone who had to learn myself, I'm hoping such a love finds me and all of us too! I've read gentle love in a lot of books. Gentle, patient, communicative, uplifting but I'm yet to find a book that's full of these. So if u have any recommendations, let me know.

Thank u for reading so far! I hope this helps u write amazing, emotionally available characters.

[inky-duchess]

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.

[dnschmidt]

Types of Characters in Fiction: The Ultimate Guide

At their heart, all great stories are about characters going through change. Characters in fiction will either resist change or fight for change, depending on their function in the story. To build a great story, you have to understand these different character functions and how they interact.

Learn about the basic types of characters you will see in well-written fiction. Some of the terms refer to character roles, the functions characters serves in a story related to the plot and conflict, while other terms refer to character types, the way a character acts or reacts to the other characters.

[darkandstormydolls]

PSA to all historical fiction/fantasy writers:

A SEAMSTRESS, in a historical sense, is someone whose job is sewing. Just sewing. The main skill involved here is going to be putting the needle into an out of the fabric. They’re usually considered unskilled workers, because everyone can sew, right? (Note: yes, just about everyone could sew historically. And I mean everyone.) They’re usually going to be making either clothes that aren’t fitted (like shirts or shifts or petticoats) or things more along the lines of linens (bedsheets, handkerchiefs, napkins, ect.). Now, a decent number of people would make these things at home, especially in more rural areas, since they don’t take a ton of practice, but they’re also often available ready-made so it’s not an uncommon job. Nowadays it just means someone whose job is to sew things in general, but this was not the case historically. Calling a dressmaker a seamstress would be like asking a portrait painter to paint your house

A DRESSMAKER (or mantua maker before the early 1800s) makes clothing though the skill of draping (which is when you don’t use as many patterns and more drape the fabric over the person’s body to fit it and pin from there (although they did start using more patterns in the early 19th century). They’re usually going to work exclusively for women, since menswear is rarely made through this method (could be different in a fantasy world though). Sometimes you also see them called “gown makers”, especially if they were men (like tailors advertising that that could do both. Mantua-maker was a very feminized term, like seamstress. You wouldn’t really call a man that historically). This is a pretty new trade; it only really sprung up in the later 1600s, when the mantua dress came into fashion (hence the name).

TAILORS make clothing by using the method of patterning: they take measurements and use those measurements to draw out a 2D pattern that is then sewed up into the 3D item of clothing (unlike the dressmakers, who drape the item as a 3D piece of clothing originally). They usually did menswear, but also plenty of pieces of womenswear, especially things made similarly to menswear: riding habits, overcoats, the like. Before the dressmaking trade split off (for very interesting reason I suggest looking into. Basically new fashion required new methods that tailors thought were beneath them), tailors made everyone’s clothes. And also it was not uncommon for them to alter clothes (dressmakers did this too). Staymakers are a sort of subsect of tailors that made corsets or stays (which are made with tailoring methods but most of the time in urban areas a staymaker could find enough work so just do stays, although most tailors could and would make them).

Tailors and dressmakers are both skilled workers. Those aren’t skills that most people could do at home. Fitted things like dresses and jackets and things would probably be made professionally and for the wearer even by the working class (with some exceptions of course). Making all clothes at home didn’t really become a thing until the mid Victorian era.

And then of course there are other trades that involve the skill of sewing, such as millinery (not just hats, historically they did all kinds of women’s accessories), trimming for hatmaking (putting on the hat and and binding and things), glovemaking (self explanatory) and such.

TLDR: seamstress, dressmaker, and tailor are three very different jobs with different skills and levels of prestige. Don’t use them interchangeably and for the love of all that is holy please don’t call someone a seamstress when they’re a dressmaker

[rhouxl]

Open wound care, a writing guide

To start—

This is based on my own experience getting treatment post-surgery and will therefore be very subjective, as well as case-specific. This is not medical advice, though I will touch on medical topics and explain everything as well as I am capable of.

The Wound

Depth and width

The depth and width of the wound will, separately, affect the given treatment and therefore the related sensations your characters experiences. The basic types of wounds, no matter the cause, are:

Wide and deep

Narrow and deep

Wide and shallow

Narrow and shallow

These are sorted by longest to shortest healing time. The more tissue that needs to be regenerated, the longer the healing process will take. This guide primarily deals with the treatment of deep wounds.

The edges

Similarly, the edges of your character's wound will affect the healing strategy and speed. There are, ignoring specifics, two primary types of wound edges:

Frayed

Straight

Frayed, or uneven, edges usually imply larger damage to the tissue and may be caused by any kind of ripping, including bullets, but also scraping or blades with non-smooth cutting edges. Straight edges usually, but not always, imply lesser damage and may be caused by any kind of cutting (and some rather rare cases of shooting). Straight edges are usually easier to heal because they are easier to "piece together" and tend to be easier to clean.

The sensation

The exact sensations your character experiences will depend heavily on the wound itself, as well as the care, or lack thereof, they may experience. The following is a list of some sensations they may experience:

Pressure, especially applicable to deep wounds that are being "stuffed" to avoid/catch bleeding (wound tamponade); feels dull and heavy, sensation shifts according to the movement of the body, but is overall relatively consistent; comparable to the pressure in one's sinuses during a cold, but very localized.

Phantom bruising (and real bruising), especially around the edges of the wound; can be a very large area of phantom bruising, where there is nothing visibly "wrong" with the skin, but the tissue is still sensitive and may feel somewhat warm; feels exactly like a fresh bruise.

Pinching or "biting" sensations, again especially around the edges; feels sharp and precise and often only lasts for a few seconds, usually "moves around" rather than being just one specific spot; comparable pricking one's finger with a needle or getting pinched by fingernails.

"Pins and needles", especially after a period of inactivity of the affected body part; feels very similar to a limb that has fallen asleep, but sharper where the actual wound is; more likely if pressure is being put on the wound, by a tight bandage or the character lying down on it.

Stiffness followed by phantom (or real) tearing, again after periods of inactivity, often accompanied by an aching numbness; feels like the sensation of stiff bones after a long car ride, but applied to skin, can be accompanied by a sense of dryness, followed by a sharp sensation that shoots out towards the spine; phantom tearing may feel similar to the sensation of breaking an old, dried leaf between one's fingers and can be very startling if the wound is out of sight and therefore cannot be checked.

Warmth; can be a sign of infection past a certain point, but a lot of wounds feel faintly warm because of the energy the body is spending trying to repair the tissue.

Nothing at all, at least while the wound is being left alone; if the wound is in a place where there is nothing messing with it, nothing touching it from the outside or inside (see: "stuffing" to avoid bleeding), then it's completely possible that even a deep and wide wound may be mostly painless for some time; though any kind of touch will certainly remind your character that it exists.

The Wound Care

The methods of wound care primarily depend on the depth and width of your character's wound and not every wound can be sewn up. Especially deep wounds may not get sewn, since there is a chance of creating a "wound chamber" by closing the surface, where the the surface heals shut while a hole in the tissue remains within the body. Such a wound chamber can then easily develop infections or abscesses. Therefore, deep wounds may be kept open to slowly heal from the "bottom up".

Healing a deep wound properly is a very long process and can take many months. Under normal circumstances, an average adult can be expected to heal between 1-4cm of each depth and width per month, depending on the exact care given.

Cleaning the wound

In a medical setting, this should be done with sterile saline solution or a special wound cleaning solution that may also include antibiotics or antiseptics, but can also be done with "regular" water, though this ups the risk of infection and may draw out the healing process; the liquid is usually pushed into the wound with a needleless syringe or a similar applicator rather than "just" pouring liquid in and around the wound, with the liquid then being dabbed away with cotton balls; the liquid used to clean the wound will be room-temperatured, and with wounds being a bit warmer as well, the liquid will usually feel uncomfortably cold; additionally, the character may experience burning sensations and pressure sensations, especially when the liquid is initially applied.

When using cotton balls (or anything similar) to remove both the cleaning solution and blood from the wound (and there will always be bleeding during a bandage change), your character may experience a repeated, very painful ripping sensation from the material touching the edges of the wound. Additionally, your character may notice one or two points of pressure, which feel painful and hard, but without a temperature sensation, if tweezers are being used to hold the cotton ball. These tweezers will usually be very dull and made of plastic, but are still noticeable to the person getting treated, even if the wound is wide enough for the tweezers not to touch it; pressing the cotton balls down to soak up any liquid is enough to make them noticeable.

"Stuffing" the wound (wound tamponade)

Stuffing the wound, which means filling it with sterile material, like gauze, that is intended to soak up blood while keeping the wound open and is usually done before applying a bigger bandage or bandaid to the surface, is very, very painful.

Removing the previous material causes a painful ripping and tearing sensation comparable to singular body hairs being ripped out one by one, which can also be accompanied by sharp pressure if tools like tweezers are used to remove the material. The material will often have slightly fused with the edges of the wound, be it through healing or through the drying of the blood, which makes the process as painful as it is. In addition, this means that removing the material will (almost) always cause the wound to bleed again, even if there was no active bleeding before the bandage change. Changing the bandages more often (once a day or more) will lessen this effect to some degree, but it will still be painful; waiting longer between bandage changes will increase both the pain and the bleeding, as well as the risk of infection.

Reapplying the material is similarly painful, if not moreso. The exact sensation depends on the "stuffing material" (light vs dense material), but the process is generally overwhelmingly painful, as the wound is being pushed further open than it may be in its relaxed state to ensure that it will heal correctly. This causes an extreme burning and pressure sensation that can take an hour or longer to get better without painkillers.

Bandaging the wound

No matter if you are using a large bandaid or a bandage, the surface level treatment is usually the least painful; this does not mean that it's not painful, though.

The application of a bandage itself will rarely be painful, at least, and will oftentimes feel faintly warm with each layer that is applied. Still, while being gentler on the wound, bandages have a high chance of sticking to the wound and especially the edges of the wound through blood, and if the bandage itself isn't sticking to the wound, the gauze used certainly is. Even if the bandage/gauze is wetted before removing it from the wound to make the removal easier, it will still be painful and cause a tearing sensation that can leave a feeling of cold burning.

Bandaids, especially at a large scale, are painful to remove and painful to apply. They may be more secure than a bandage, but during the application, the caretaker will usually need to apply some tension to the wound, especially to align the edges correctly to avoid the wound healing crooked or uneven. This will leave the wound with a burning feeling for some time after the application, even if the edges are being kept apart. The removal is no easier, especially due to mammals' unfortunate habit of having body hair in combination with the skin around an open wound being generally sensitive. The entire area that the bandage has covered will at least temporarily feel extra sensitive and may even feel faintly scraped open, though actual damage from bandaids is very rare.

Effects on the Body

Beyond what has already been mentioned, here are some further side effects of the wound and especially the care thereof that your character may experience:

Extreme tension due to pain; the muscles of the body automatically tense up when we experience pain, sometimes to the point of cramping and lingering stiffness; if your character is being treated while lying down, it is completely possible that their limbs may stiffen to the point of moving off the surface they are lying on.

Shaking, again due to pain; tends to accompany previous tension, but can also be caused by fear/anxiety or pain on its own.

Weakness in one or more limbs; this one somewhat depends on the location of the wound, but especially torso wounds will often take a toll on the nearest limb, which may be weak and/or shaky, especially after a bandage change; for legs, your character may need the help of another person or mobility aid to be able to walk securely, for arms, they may not be able to hold or lift things for a period of time. If this weakness isn't permanent and, for example, triggered by the bandage changes, it will usually last over an hour.

Soreness in the general location of the wound; can result in the already mentioned phantom bruises, but can also affect muscles and even bones, leaving rather large areas of the body to feel painful and difficult to use.

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Other Words for "Look" + With meanings | List for writers

Many people create lists of synonyms for the word 'said,' but what about the word 'look'? Here are some synonyms that I enjoy using in my writing, along with their meanings for your reference. While all these words relate to 'look,' they each carry distinct meanings and nuances, so I thought it would be helpful to provide meanings for each one.

Gaze - To look steadily and intently, especially in admiration or thought.

Glance - A brief or hurried look.

Peek - A quick and typically secretive look.

Peer - To look with difficulty or concentration.

Scan - To look over quickly but thoroughly.

Observe - To watch carefully and attentively.

Inspect - To look at closely in order to assess condition or quality.

Stare - To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something.

Glimpse - To see or perceive briefly or partially.

Eye - To look or stare at intently.

Peruse - To read or examine something with great care.

Scrutinize - To examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Behold - To see or observe a thing or person, especially a remarkable one.

Witness - To see something happen, typically a significant event.

Spot - To see, notice, or recognize someone or something.

Contemplate - To look thoughtfully for a long time at.

Sight - To suddenly or unexpectedly see something or someone.

Ogle - To stare at in a lecherous manner.

Leer - To look or gaze in an unpleasant, malicious way.

Gawk - To stare openly and stupidly.

Gape - To stare with one's mouth open wide, in amazement.

Squint - To look with eyes partially closed.

Regard - To consider or think of in a specified way.

Admire - To regard with pleasure, wonder, and approval.

Skim - To look through quickly to gain superficial knowledge.

Reconnoiter - To make a military observation of a region.

Flick - To look or move the eyes quickly.

Rake - To look through something rapidly and unsystematically.

Glare - To look angrily or fiercely.

Peep - To look quickly and secretly through an opening.

Focus - To concentrate one's visual effort on.

Discover - To find or realize something not clear before.

Spot-check - To examine something briefly or at random.

Devour - To look over with eager enthusiasm.

Examine - To inspect in detail to determine condition.

Feast one's eyes - To look at something with great enjoyment.

Catch sight of - To suddenly or unexpectedly see.

Clap eyes on - To suddenly see someone or something.

Set eyes on - To look at, especially for the first time.

Take a dekko - Colloquial for taking a look.

Leer at - To look or gaze in a suggestive manner.

Rubberneck - To stare at something in a foolish way.

Make out - To manage to see or read with difficulty.

Lay eyes on - To see or look at.

Pore over - To look at or read something intently.

Ogle at - To look at in a lecherous or predatory way.

Pry - To look or inquire into something in a determined manner.

Dart - To look quickly or furtively.

Drink in - To look at with great enjoyment or fascination.

Bask in - To look at or enjoy something for a period of time.

[sabookey]

⭐How to Title Your Written Works⭐

I know a lot of people really struggle with titles to the point of frustration. You've put in all the work just to write the story already, and now you have to come up with a title too? Agonizing!

If you've never done it before, you might not know where to start at all. Even for experienced writers, trying to land on a title that is eye-catching and original can feel like trying to find the only perfect cherry in an orchard to stick on top of your sundae. Meanwhile, it's busy melting. I know it's tempting to just grab whatever cherry is nearest, but I promise you, there are plenty of cherries.

There are so many different methods to figure out a title that works for your piece. Personally I really enjoy working out fun titles, so I figured I'd talk some about how I think about them, and a few of the methods I use for my own works. [Long post below the cut!]

⭐Advice the First: Don't worry about your title too much when you're first starting your story.

Every time I have ever picked out a title ahead of actually writing a story, that title ends up getting scrapped. Often they have little or nothing to do with the completed project. It's fine to have a placeholder title, of course, but in my experience, they rarely stick. This is because, as you write, your story will usually change and develop into something more than your initial idea encompassed. And in my case, often the title chosen ahead of time is vague or clichéd.

⭐Advice the Second: The reasons why finding a title is so hard in the first place can actually be useful as a guideline for what your title needs to do.

The title of your piece is, often, the first thing your potential readers will see. That's a lot of pressure. Your title ideally should: ~ catch readers' attention and hold it ~ sound good and be read easily ~ represent the whole essence of your story in just a few words

That last point in particular is a scary one on the surface! But I promise you, that point is actually the key to figuring out what your title needs to be. (We'll come back to representing the essence later!)

⭐Advice the Third: Don't overthink it!

I promise you the title is actually pretty low on the list of things that will matter to your readers. It's absolutely okay if your title doesn't do all — or any — of the things I listed above. The only reason that list is there is because we're talking about nuts and bolts here - your readers don't have a checklist for The Perfect Title. If you don't hit on those points, it won't stop them from reading your story. That list — like your title — is a TOOL, not the art we are creating with it.

As writers, we often obsess over our word choices so carefully. We know that words have meaning, and articulating our ideas clearly is tricky. But let me ask you — because I know you're a reader/watcher/listener as well as a writer — has a crappy or nonsense title ever actually stopped you from falling in love with a story?

⭐Advice the Fourth: Titles have conventions and trends just like genres and eras — these can be great tools! I'm sure a lot of us have noticed the long-running trend in Romantasy where every book is titled something like "A Castle of Ice and Shame" etc etc. While that style of title had been used before, Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses series triggered an explosion in popularity for that particular style of title. Publishers will push other authors with books in the same vein to use similar titles as a way of signposting - if you liked ACOTAR, you will probably like this book too!

Romantasy isn't the only one that relies on title trends as a marketing ploy. Thrillers and crime fiction will use vocabulary that evokes an ominous feeling to suggest paranoia, tension, and stress (made up examples: "Unknown Caller," "The Stranger," "The Liar's Game"). Horror book titles might also use eerie, foreboding language, or use warnings against actions that will, of course, invite the horrors (made up examples: "Don't Look Under the Bed," "The Creepers"). On the other hand, a lot of literary fiction uses the protagonists name, or an epithet for them or another prominent character or location, to tell you who this book is going to be about (made up examples: "Annemarie," "The Stepfathers," "The Little Rock Library").

In fanfiction, meanwhile, you'll often see song lyrics or quotes from the source material used as titles. Readers that are familiar with the song being borrowed or the scenes/dialogue referenced can get a general idea of things like canonpoint, characters & dynamics involved, and emotional tone of the fic. Other trends I've noticed still lean highly poetic — for example, using all lower case, having a portion of the title in parentheses, and emotional metaphors.

Title trends & conventions may seem boring or safe, but they can be a super useful tool. It's a marketing thing, mostly; if you follow the trend of other books or stories in your genre/niche, then readers can look at the title alone and say ah, I see, this story will be like that other story I loved.

⭐How to actually come up with the words⭐

Step one, just write your story. Trust me, just get your piece written first. Sometimes, just via the process of writing and turning the words of your story around in your head like a microwave, you might land on the perfect title.

Okay, you have your story. Now you need a title.

⭐Option 1 - Themes, and the Thesis Statement Method This is where we're getting into the aforementioned "essence" of your story. If you've ever written an essay for school, you've probably talked about the thesis statement. That is, a single sentence that sums up the argument you are trying to make in your paper. If you were going to tell someone about your piece, the thesis statement would tell them what it's about and where you stand on its topic in one sentence.

In a way, figuring out a title can be kind of like figuring out your thesis statement, except that you get to be more poetic with it. Consider the following (write the answers out if you want to): ~What kind of story is it? ~What are the major themes in your work? ~What is the Big Point of your story?

Maybe it's about a character learning to admit they were wrong. Maybe it's two characters finding love again after loss. Maybe it's a adventurous quest to steal the Declaration of Independence.

Once you have boiled those questions down to find the Core(TM) of your story, start playing with language related to that core.

Don't overthink it. It could be as simple as stating it: "Learning to Admit that You were Wrong" or "Finding Love Again".

Or maybe, you want to get a little more flowery. Just calling it "Stealing the Declaration of Independence" makes it sound like a news article.... but what about "National Treasure"? .

But maybe the thesis statement style isn't for you. And maybe you're not into the title trends or conventions mentioned earlier. So, what else can we do?

⭐Option 2 - Quote Yourself Of course, the biggest source of quotable material relevant to your story is... your story itself!

When I'm writing, sometimes I'll write a sentence or a turn of phrase that just feels more elevated and poignant. More in tune with the theme, or the style I'm pursuing. I love metaphors and flowery, colorful language. I like packing symbolism and double-meaning and subtext into descriptions and set dressing. And sometimes, I can get great titles out of this.

My favorite creative writing teacher spoke to us once about the concept of "the world in a small thing," in which you might be writing about a tiny detail or moment, but metaphorically be speaking about something much bigger. I use this a lot in my writing, and very often my favorites become candidates for the piece's title.

Metaphors make for wonderful titles. A good metaphor will have an elegance and an efficiency to it. It's about communicating a complex idea with simple, graceful language. That's what your title is trying to do as well. When someone is reading a book with a metaphor title, there should be a moment at some point where they stop and look at the title again and go "Ohhhhh I get it now!" That can be very satisfying for the reader. It certainly is to me when writing it.

I often find, especially for short stories and fanfiction, that I also love mining the dialogue in a piece for gems. Dialogue is one of my favorite components of a good story. Quite often you'll find really poignant statements on the characters' desires, beliefs, and hurts. Dialogue can offer economy of language with the intent to communicate important themes, as well as language choice that is personalized and specific to the speaking character. Those can also valuable qualities for your title.

⭐Option 3 - Quote Something Larger from the Pre-Existing Canon

I talked about this some in the more general advice already, but you could also borrow from pre-existing phrases — poems, proverbs, clichés, quotations from classics or famous people. (With the caveat that you need to be careful about copyrights with modern music & writings).

You can always borrow from anything in the public domain. With your theme in mind, maybe there's a cliche or proverb (ex: Leading a Horse to Water) that your work explores. Or maybe there's a line from an older story, poem, movie, or a song that evokes the emotional response you want — a literary parallel you want people to make, a connection you want to draw.

When it's a line that is part of the popular lexicon, often readers can generally be assumed to be familiar with it. Connecting a pre-existing idea to your story can tell readers about the story, but it can also mean that you are drawing new context or meaning into the original quotation in a way that makes people think.

⭐Option 4 - Follow Genre Title Conventions

Again, I already discussed this above in the general advice, but this is a perfectly acceptable way to title your piece. Look up examples from other books or stories in your genre to see what the current and past trends have been.

Then — and this is the important part — think about the things in your story that particularly stand out. What niche within the genre are you filling? What specific notes do you want to mention up front? What vibe are you trying to evoke? The tone, the aesthetics, the mood? Thinking about these things will help you with the specific vocabulary you want to use.

Compare, for example, these made-up romantasy titles: "A Castle of Ice and Shame" vs. "The Forest of Flowers and Secrets." Even within this very specific title trope, you can glean at least a little of the vibe.

⭐Option 5 - Deliberately Ignoring Genre Title Conventions

Maybe you're writing for one particular genre, but you hate the title conventions for that genre. I get it. I know, for example, that the romantasy title trend is starting to garner more criticism (which I'm not going to get into here). There is absolutely no rule that says you MUST follow those conventions. If you can't stand it, don't use it!

In fact, there's no reason that you can't use the convention from one genre for an entirely different genre — just be aware that when you borrow framing from one thing that it can be misleading. Maybe you write your thriller and decide call it "A Castle of Ice and Shame." Your romance could be "Unknown Caller." Only you will know what combination of words will perfectly suit your story!

But the entire rhetoric behind genre tropes and conventions is that these are familiar signposts, themes, plot beats, characters, and ideas that particular groups of stories utilize and discuss — that's what genre is. Part of that discussion can and does involve circumventing expectations. Just remember that if you flip the script around enough times, there will be a point where the story you try to frame as a romance... stops being a romance and becomes something else with a romantic subplot. But that's for another post.

⭐In Closing⭐

In this particular discussion, again, I will reiterate that the title is a factor with relatively low weight in the greater context of your story. Being aware of the expectations and inferences readers will attach to the choices you make is what's important, rather than blindly following them all to a T.

These are hardly the only methods you can use of course, but these are the ones I use the most consistently when I'm making up a title for a piece. I hope you'll find this guide useful, and that titling your next piece will be more fun than trouble!

[frownyalfred]

Okay, another little lesson for fic writers since I see it come up sometimes in fics: wine in restaurants.

When you buy a bottle of wine in a (nicer) restaurant, generally (please note my emphasis there, this is a generalization for most restaurants, but not all restaurants, especially non-US ones) you may see a waiter do a few things when they bring you the bottle.

The waiter presents the bottle to the person who ordered it

The waiter uncorks the bottle in order to serve it

The waiter hands the cork to the person who ordered the bottle

The waiter pours a small portion of the wine (barely a splash) and waits for the person who ordered it to taste it

The waiter then pours glasses for everyone else at the table, and then returns to fill up the initial taster's glass

Now, you might be thinking -- that's all pretty obvious, right? They're bringing you what you ordered, making sure you liked it, and then pouring it for the group. Wrong. It's actually a little bit more complicated than that.

The waiter presents the bottle to the person who ordered it so that they can inspect the label and vintage and make sure it's the bottle they actually ordered off the menu

The waiter uncorks the bottle so that the table can see it was unopened before this moment (i.e., not another wine they poured into an empty bottle) and well-sealed

The waiter hands the cork to the person who ordered the bottle so that they can inspect the label on the cork and determine if it matches up; they can also smell/feel the cork to see if there is any dergradation or mold that might impact the wine itself

The waiter pours a small portion for the person who ordered to taste NOT to see if they liked it -- that's a common misconception. Yes, sometimes when house wine is served by the glass, waiters will pour a portion for people to taste and agree to. But when you order a bottle, the taste isn't for approval -- you've already bought the bottle at this point! You don't get to refuse it if you don't like it. Rather, the tasting is to determine if the wine is "corked", a term that refers to when a wine is contaminated by TCA, a chemical compound that causes a specific taste/flavor. TCA can be caused by mold in corks, and is one of the only reasons you can (generally) refuse a bottle of wine you have already purchased. Most people can taste or smell TCA if they are trained for it; other people might drink the wine for a few minutes before noticing a damp, basement-like smell on the aftertaste. Once you've tasted it, you'll remember it. That first sip is your opportunity to take one for the table and save them from a possibly corked bottle of wine, which is absolutely no fun.

If you've sipped the wine (I generally smell it, I've found it's easier to smell than taste) and determined that it is safe, you then nod to your waiter. The waiter will then pour glasses for everyone else at the table. If the wine is corked, you would refuse the bottle and ask the waiter for a new bottle. If there is no new bottle, you'll either get a refund or they'll ask you to choose another option on their wine list. A good restaurant will understand that corked bottles happen randomly, and will leap at the opportunity to replace it; a bad restaurant or a restaurant with poor training will sometimes try to argue with you about whether or not it's corked. Again, it can be a subtle, subjective taste, so proceed carefully.

In restaurants, this process can happen very quickly! It's elegant and practiced. The waiter will generally uncork the bottle without setting the bottle down or bracing it against themselves. They will remove the cork without breaking it, and they will pour the wine without dripping it down the label or on the table.