#inspo story

[gazelle-777]

Summer Beach Trip - pt 1

The morning light peeks through the crack in the blinds, coaxing your eyes to open. You smile. It's a small, nervous thing, basing its continued existence on the scale and morning bodycheck. You reach over and slide your phone off its charger, feeling the skin stretch over your ribcage. So far so good. Opening the blinds to let the morning sunlight filter through, you set up for the bodycheck pose. Consistent posing and angles is important, and you don't want to mess it up. A tap of a button and it's over; you quickly sit up to pore over this latest photo. It's ... perfect.

You did it. You reached your goal. Your legs are small, your stomach perfectly flat. You can just barely see a hint of hipbone showing through. That'll be more prominent come the end of summer, especially if I stay consistent. The thought comforts you, and for a moment you can feel yourself relaxing, easing into a sensation of completion. And what is going on here? Its 10 past 7 and you're lounging in bed doing ... what, exactly? Get up. You have work to do. You leave in a few hours; just enough time to get in one last sweat sesh before being car bound for hours. As much as you hate to admit it, you're right. Sitting doesn't burn calories. You hurriedly change into workout clothes, choosing your favorite set.

Cute, but it's a little chilly in the gym. Best to put an extra layer over it. 30 minutes of running. 30 minutes of full body pilates. 15 minutes of abs then 10 minutes of stretching. You go through the routine, straining a bit at the end to finish. Good. That means you're still progressing. It's still effective.

You get back home to be greeted with chaos. Suitcases scattered on the floor. Your dad scuttling back and forth trying to load the car as quickly as possible. You duck and weave around the madness and dart upstairs to shower and change.

"Are you wearing that for the trip?" Your sister eyes you up and down, her lip curling in ... disgust? Jealousy? You can't tell so you answer carefully. "Yea, I wanted to be comfortable. It's a long drive and a whole lot of sitting." She rolls her eyes. "Yea, we get it. All you do is workout and refuse to eat. You don't have to rub it in every 5 seconds." So it was jealousy. You shrug and head off to the car while everyone else loads up the bags.

"Hey girls", your mom calls. "We have some time before we head out. You guys should eat something first." You browse the fridge and look for something fresh. You avoid drinking a lot of water on car trips to limit bathroom visits, but need to stay hydrated so fruit would be best. After poking through the fridge, you make your selection. You settle down to eat, the eyes of both sister and mom tracking your bowl. "It's going to be a long drive and we aren't planning on stopping to eat." You smile and nod, "yes, that's ok."

After polishing off the last bit of watermelon, you toss the can in the recycling bin and rinse your bowl before putting it away. You wash your hands and hop in the car, ready to have the best vacation ever.

[arhvste]

“this is killing me.” kuroo mumbled as he tossed his phone to his side. “just trust me bro,” his best friend-turned roommate bokuto grinned. “this works everytime for me i swear!”

kuroo sighed before grabbing phone again to refresh his instagram story views once more. several people had already viewed the post-gym mirror selfie he’d taken in attempts to garner attention from one particular follower of his; you. “maybe it’s too cringe…” he muttered while over analysing the photo that had already gained a couple of likes within the twenty minutes it had already been up for. “nah.” bokuto reassured him and pat his friend on the shoulder. “you look sexy.” kuroo stared back at the two-toned haired boy. “… thanks bro.”

this isn’t something kuroo would typically post but times were tough and he was desperate. he’d seen you around campus but luck was not on his side when it came to scheduling and the two of you barely had class time together. yet the little class time you did share, kuroo hung onto it tightly and would let scenes of these weekly one hour classes replay in his head more often than he’d like to admit.

“i feel like a modern jay gatsby,” the ex volleyball captain huffed. “my selfie is the equivalent of the wild parties he’d throw in hopes to get daisy’s attention except i don’t want to post every night, i’ve already made myself cringe with this one post.” bokuto stared back at his friend blankly. “yeah… whatever that means.” kuroo frowned back “it’s a classic, you should know what i mean!”

how much longer was he going to have to wait? bokuto had promised him quick results with this method and so far he’d felt deceived and lied to. if talking to you when he got the chance wasn’t enough to get a conversation going outside the classroom, then social media seemed like the next best attempt to start interacting more.

what were you doing? why weren’t you viewing his story? could you even see his story? did he accidentally block you?

these questions ran through his mind as he quickly rushed to check to make sure he hadn’t for some reason blocked you from seeing his story. he half wished he did because then at least he’d know what on earth was taking you so damn long to see the photo he was increasingly starting to hate more the longer it was posted.

“this is stupid.” he stated as he faced bokuto who had zero concerns in his method in gaining someone’s attention. “it works you just have to wait, trust me.”

kuroo frowned as the little red hearts of others who weren’t you fluttered from the bottom corner of the photo. “look!” his best friend grinned as he leaned over kuroo’s shoulder and pointed to the screen of his phone. “you’re getting likes on it!”

“what’s the point if they’re not likes from the person i posted this for in the first place.” kuroo grumbled back in response. he couldn’t believe he’d been subjected to such an attempt to gain some attention from you. it was ridiculous.

it had been about forty five minutes since he’d posted it and he was slowly losing his mind. sure, the post was going to be up for twenty four hours (if he didn’t give into the voices in his head telling him to delete it) so forty five minutes was nothing, but the minutes were beginning to feel like hours and he was dying inside. why weren’t you viewing it already and what could possibly be keeping you off your phone right now?

“this is stupid.” he decided as notifications from his old team mates started to flash up on his screen. the last thing he needed was lev replying with ‘looksmaxing’ to a post that was secretly dedicated to you. “no, it’s barely been up!” bokuto whined. “you look hot so you should get some replies anyway what’s the big deal?”

pinching the bridge of his nose, kuroo huffed. “the big deal is the person i posted this for hasn’t replied!” what was the point in making sure to go to the gym during a rest day just to take this photo if he wasn’t going to at least make his existence more known to you? he’d even worked his legs enough to the point of managing to achieve the sweaty but sexy look. the muscles in his legs were dying, but his dignity sure as hell wouldn’t.

the college student opened up his phone with the intention to end the mental war inside his head once and for all by deleting the post altogether. bokuto watched his friend in defeat but his eyes flashed. “yes they did!” he yelled and pointed to the screen as your name flashed at the top of his screen.

kuroo’s heart jumped at the sight of your profile picture he’d made a daily routine of staring at and the now blue dot indicating a message from your profile in his inbox. to think he was going to delete this post just a second too, what were the chances?

psyching himself up, kuroo took a few quiet deep breathes before letting the time next to your message pass for a few minutes. he wasn’t an instagram warrior by any means, but he knew enough about general rules in order to not look desperate online.

bokuto watched over his friends shoulders as the two stared in anticipation awaiting the message kuroo had been dying for. this was it. leg day two times in a row was gruelling and he’d regret it for the next few days but it would have been worth it. the countless messages from his old teammates mocking his attempts at a thirst trap could be looked past now that you had finally given into the bait he’d so carefully laid. this is what he’d been waiting for. days of preparing and deciding how to gain your attention had finally paid off and he was about to reap the rewards he’d sown.

clicking the message with baited breath, his heart raced as bokuto’s grip of his shoulder tightened. finally.

‘the label on your shirt is sticking out, make sure to cut it’

“a wins a win.” bokuto filled the silence between the pair as kuroo stared at his phone with a blank expression. “… a wins a win…”

[the-ow]

★ ig story

(⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀) : invisible text

태형

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0:04

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[allthingswhumpyandangsty]

if I had to see this while I literally was writing and being distracted by instagram (and now by tumblr since I am posting this instead of writing), y’all shall suffer the same fate

[hayatheauthor]

Creating Fear in Your Characters: A Writers Guide

Creating authentic emotions is vital for immersive storytelling, which is why I decided to make this series on how to write different emotions. After exploring rage, and sadness it's now time to delve into fear!

Fear is a powerful emotion that can manifest in various ways, from subtle apprehension to paralyzing terror. Here's a guide on how to write fear effectively, covering different aspects of your characters' behavior and reactions.

Facial Expressions

Fear often manifests first in facial expressions, conveying the initial shock or unease. Describe these expressions to immerse readers in your character's emotional state:

Widened Eyes and Dilated Pupils: Show the eyes widening in response to a sudden threat, with dilated pupils indicating heightened alertness.

Tense Jaw and Clenched Teeth: Mention the clenching of jaw muscles or teeth, signaling internalized stress or anxiety.

Furrowed Brow and Raised Eyebrows: Describe the furrowing of the forehead and raised eyebrows, revealing worry or confusion.

Quivering Lips or Lip Biting: Note subtle lip movements like quivering or biting, reflecting nervousness or fear.

Frozen or Stiff Facial Muscles: Highlight moments of fear-induced immobility, where facial muscles become tense and rigid.

Body Language and Gestures

Fear can also be expressed through body language and gestures, showcasing your character's instinctual responses to danger or threat:

Backing Away or Recoiling: Describe your character instinctively moving backward or recoiling from the source of fear, signaling a desire to retreat.

Raised Shoulders and Tensed Posture: Show how fear causes the shoulders to rise and the body to tense up, indicating readiness for fight or flight.

Trembling Hands or Shaking Limbs: Mention the trembling of hands or shaking of limbs, reflecting nervousness or anxiety.

Covering Vulnerable Areas: Describe your character instinctively covering vulnerable areas like their neck or torso, symbolizing a protective gesture.

Fidgeting or Restlessness: Note any fidgeting or restlessness, such as tapping feet or wringing hands, as signs of inner turmoil and fear.

Vocal Cues and Dialogue

Fear can alter vocal cues and dialogue, affecting how your character speaks and communicates their emotions:

Quavering Voice or Shaky Speech: Describe the voice quivering or becoming shaky, indicating nervousness or fear.

Rapid Breathing and Gasping: Mention rapid breathing or gasping for air, showcasing the physical impact of fear on the respiratory system.

Stammering or Hesitant Speech: Note any stammering or hesitant speech patterns, reflecting the character's struggle to articulate their thoughts coherently.

Sudden Silence or Lack of Verbal Response: Show moments of sudden silence or the inability to respond verbally, highlighting the overwhelming nature of fear.

Repetitive Phrases or Vocalizations: Describe repetitive phrases or vocalizations, such as muttering prayers or chanting reassurances, as coping mechanisms in fearful situations.

Reactions and Physical Responses

Fear triggers various physical responses in your characters, showcasing the body's instinctual reactions to perceived threats:

Increased Heart Rate and Sweating: Mention the character's heart rate increasing and sweating profusely, reflecting heightened physiological arousal.

Dilated Pupils and Heightened Senses: Describe dilated pupils and heightened sensory perception, as the character's senses become more attuned to potential dangers.

Muscle Tension and Rigidity: Note muscle tension and rigidity, as the body prepares for action or defense in response to fear.

Nausea or Stomach Churning: Show how fear can lead to feelings of nausea or stomach churning, as the body's stress response impacts digestive functions.

Fight, Flight, or Freeze Response: Highlight the character's instinctual response to fear, whether it's a readiness to fight, a desire to flee, or a state of frozen immobility.

Types of Fear and Emotional Depth

Different types of fear can evoke varying emotional responses in your characters, adding depth to their portrayal and the narrative:

Startle Fear: Describe the sudden, reflexive fear triggered by unexpected events or loud noises, leading to a quick, intense reaction.

Apprehensive Fear: Show the lingering sense of unease or dread that accompanies anticipated threats or impending danger, heightening tension over time.

Terror: Depict the overwhelming, paralyzing fear that arises from extreme danger or horrifying experiences, impacting the character's ability to think or act rationally.

Phobias: Explore specific phobias that trigger irrational and intense fear responses, shaping how your character navigates their environment and interactions.

Trauma-Induced Fear: Address fear resulting from past traumas or experiences, influencing the character's behavior and emotional resilience in present situations.

Verbs and Adjectives for Writing Fear

Here's a list of verbs and adjectives to help you convey fear effectively in your writing:

Verbs: tremble, cower, gasp, quiver, shrink, freeze, recoil, sweat, pant, gulp, shudder

Adjectives: terrified, anxious, alarmed, horrified, shaken, jittery, panicked, petrified

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Shape of Story

by Christina Wodtke 

Start with Conflicted Characters

The character needs a goal, a motivation and a conflict.

The goal can be alien to your audience,

but the motivation must be shared by them, and

the conflict creates struggles that increase engagement.

Paint a Picture

Details transport you into the story.

The world disappears and you have a story play in your head.

Even though there are no literal pictures.

But be careful—Too many details and the story gets bogged down.

Make the Protagonist Suffer

“Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them - in order that the reader may see what they are made of.” (Kurt Vonnegut, How to Write a Great Story)

And when it can’t get any worse, make it worse before it gets better

The two key moments that create the peak of excitement in a story is the darkness before the dawn, and the dawn. 

The climax is the moment when the protagonist is either rescued or rescues themself.

In older tales, we saw a lot of Deux ex Machina (the hand of god) rescuing the hero. A hero could be rescued by luck, a partner, another hero…but modern audiences strongly prefer stories where the protagonist helps themself.

Resolution is Boring, Keep it Short

Interest grows with every additional conflict, but once the hero figures out the solution, our fascination collapses.

Don’t natter on while the audience’s mind is drifting.

Also Consider:

You need a good inciting incident to move your protagonist to action.

A setting is more than a place, it’s a situation and a moment in time. A vivid place has details.

Modern audiences prefer “return home changed” to “return home the same.”

EXAMPLES: ARCHETYPAL PLOTS ALONG THE ARC

Boy Meets Girl

Internal conflict is always satisfactory (e.g., she believes love interferes with his career, he believes love interferes with his beer.)

The crises usually revolves around betrayal — lying, cheating — and the climax shows it was a misunderstanding or we get atonement.

The struggle is always about them being separated.

The resolution is about binding them more tightly together than ever.

The Quest

You seek things, and find yourself.

Return home changed and don’t pass go.

Common elements include companions, a mentor, great losses and extreme character arcs.

The Underdog

Even though they do not have a shot in hell, the underdog wants something. They want it so bad.

Common elements include an enemy who blocks their path, and a coach who helps them forward.

In this case, they do not return home changed but rather move into a new life that fits their changed self.

Coming of Age

Naive person has the world teaches them a hard lesson, and they become a better person for it.

Struggle revolve around life sucking and then sucking more.

The hero grows and becomes better because of it, and via new understandings becomes competent.

In some tragedies, the world breaks them.

They can return home changed, but more often they move to a new life they have earned.

More Examples. Justice & Pursuit:

Weaving Multiple Plots:

Weaving multiple plots together to make subplots can further increase tension.

Multiple plots woven together makes the whole story not only unique but very compelling.

[nordsea-horizons]

if you ever feel crushed by the burden of modern life…

theme for my new island☀️ a farming sim inspired farmcore island🥕complete with a terrible job you can leave and a neglected farm you can work on turning into a beautiful one🪴

[keyotosprompts]

we'll just pretend ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

not friends not lovers... erm what are we

⇴ person a's arms are wrapped around person b's shoulders while person b is scrolling on their phone. person c is looking at them incredulously.

⇴ dating rumors but they don't deny them

⇴ "so you wouldn't mind if i got with person c, right?" "no, i would mind." "...why?" (silence)

⇴ feeling truly happy with specifically the other person. they bring out something so personal and guarded by being around them.

⇴ nobody makes person b laugh harder than person a. even when person a isn't trying to be funny, person b is so giggly around a that all their friends look at b as if they're crazy.

⇴ "person a? what? no, we're just friends." "but you wish there was more, don't you?" "oh you have no idea."

⇴ person a's future isn't right if person b isn't right next to them. bonus points if it's something especially insane like person a and b live together and have a family.

⇴ person a + b are sitting in a car together late at night just talking, and then person b's eyes are hyper-focused on person a's lips and person a is about to short-circuit.

⇴ "and so... um–so i was saying..." "keep going." (person b says while staring at person a's lips)

⇴ "why are you here? i thought you'd want to be out with your friends right now." "yeah, well i wanted to be with you more. you're one of my friends too, anyway." (person a and b both die inside after this)

⇴ "well obviously i'm never gonna tell them! they matter so much to me, romantic interest or not. how could i ever live with myself if i messed up all of that?"

⇴ "i know what's real, and i know what's fool's gold. is there anything genuine between us or not?"

⇴ person a mentions something offhandedly, but person b remembers it forever (bonus points of b gets it/does it for a)

⇴ "sometimes, i wonder if you're real. it's like you're made for me." person a hesitates after saying that to person b, "you're my best friend."

⇴ person b can't take it anymore and grabs person a's face, hinging themselves onto person a's lips because they've (person b) wanted this for so long.

[3hks]

7 Ways to Hook Your Readers

How do you start a story? Why, you start it with a hook! A hook is something that intrigues the reader and has them enthralled. Sometimes, the first sentence is the hardest one to form, so here, I'll give you some examples on how to hook your audience into your story!

>>> A question: This is a pretty well-known tactic: starting off with a question for your reader has them thinking how they'd answer; hence, pulling them further into your work. If you want, your character can answer the question too! However, the question must be relevant to your story.

>>> A idiom/quote/saying: Sayings are commonly used, though one can find them controversial at times. Regardless, the majority of people understand what the meaning behind them are; and because of that factor, along with its popular usage, proverbs quickly attract readers' attention while giving some insight to your character.

>>> One-word starter: This one is pretty simple, and if you really don't have any ideas, maybe give this one a shot! The hook is simply one word (or even a short phrase) that portrays a strong part of your character. Its out-of-context and vagueness trigger interest in your reader.

>>> Starting action: Like the one-word starter, this hook seems contextless, but it's a quick way to captivate your reader and have the suspense emerge! Example: "Blood covered the ground like a thin blanket, staining the once-clean quartz with a shade of scarlet. A pair of depthless eyes seemed to burn a hole into the last person in the room; a messy, pitiful, scrambling figure."

>>> Dialogue: By now, it should be obvious that your hook should be enthralling and evoke interest in your reader. Opening with compelling dialogue can help introduce the plot and characters of your story!

>>> Interesting Introduction: Is there something special about your character? Introductions can be difficult to sneak in, but not when it's a hook! Make a short description consisting of several defining traits of your character, and be sure to add the special thing about your character as a twist to snag your reader's attention! Additionally, you can be creative with this! An introduction doesn't have to come from your main character, it can come from another character describing the protagonist!

>>> Setting: Does the setting have a strong influence on the story? Even if it doesn't, beginning with a descriptive setting can slowly captivate your audience!

Alright! These are seven ways to hook your reader: a question, a saying, one-word, action, dialogue, an introduction, and a setting! Of course, there are many more ways, so explore around!

Happy writing~

3hks :)

[grzybjek]

temperature dropped by 2 celcius today. its oficially autumn and im back to drawing old characters. and writing about miserable teenagers and their unsaid past

[promptsforthestrugglingauthor]

Writing Prompt #2584

"I'm tired of adventures. How about we just get married and stay home?"

"I'm sorry...did you just fucking propose?"

[energon-keeper]

Why does every story that has a character with Down’s syndrome reduce them to “oh this character has Down’s syndrome, isn’t that sad?” Fuck that! Can I have a gay romcom where someone with Down’s syndrome falls in love with their co-worker? How about a slice of life webcomic where a girl with Down’s syndrome and her buddies start a band? Or a supernatural story about a vampire hunter with Down’s syndrome. I don’t know there’s so much potential you could do but you just make it a sad thing!

[me-writes-prompts]

-:"I think...I'm in love with you" dialogues & scenarios:-

(I think I'm in love with these. Tag me :))

By @me-writes-prompts

Gazing at the other with so much love in their eyes (uwu)

Thinking about them constantly without intending to (living rent-free)

"Have you ever been in love?" "No. Why?" "I think I'm in love with you."

Blushing when their fingers accidentally touch

Listening intently when the other is speaking about their favorite things

Distancing themself from the other because they start to think that there is definitely something wrong with them

Feeling upset when they don't get enough attention

Stuttering

Heart pounding from excitement/nervousness.

Get really happy whenever the other one wants to hang out

"I missed you so much, I don't know why. But, I did."

Wanting to share everything with them

Laughing at their jokes a little too much even though it wasn't that funny

Grinning all the time around them

Freaking out when the other leans too close to them

"You're red. Are you okay?" "Y-yeah, fine."

"You look perfect in this outfit." "Oh."

They pull them close by their waist and whisper in their ear "You had no business looking that good back there." (god, it's hot in here.)

[the-ow]

ig destacadas ' ★

사랑

(⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀) : texto invisible

— art.

0:04

[forbodium]

watching their partner become a villain (dialogue prompts)

written by me. please enjoy and use for whatever you like. remember to credit me when reposting.

“this isn’t you anymore. you never wanted to hurt people.”

“come back to me. please.”

“i know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“you have to stop this—before it’s too late!”

“turn you in? you know i could never do that.”

“don’t touch me.”

“do i mean anything to you anymore?”

“we can get away from all this; start over. no one has to know what you did.”

“if you love me, you’ll stop.”

“how long have you been planning this? did i ever even know the real you?”

“you can’t keep me here!”

“it’s okay. it’s okay. we can cover this up. where’s the bleach?”

“you promised no one would get hurt.”

“how do you expect me to sleep next to you at night knowing what you did?”

“okay, i’ll help you—but this is the last time.”

“are you going to kill me?”

“i didn’t want to believe you could do something like this.”

“what else have you been hiding?”

“i thought you cared about me.”

“no, i’m staying with you. ‘for better or for worse’, remember?”

“i can’t let this go on any longer.”

“you can do what you want with me—just don’t hurt the kids.”

“you’re not human.”

“could you change out of those bloodied clothes before you sit on my couch?”

feel free to add more prompts, and please reblog with your stories or tag me in them. i’d love to see your ideas!

[birbykirbbb]

Random doodle, kinda just throwing it out here