#prompt outline

[hughmanbean]

Loving Threats

Inspired by a song and its remake. But I am trash at syncing lyrics to storybeats.

Danny and Jason met in the ghost zone when Jason was dead, but he forgot it all coming back to life. When the two of them were together, they went through the entire song and dance (literally) of asking each other out.

I'm serious. There were like 10 different musical scenes with varying themes. It was Fenton Romance at its finest. And Jason's old school romance heart was certainly played a large part too.

It was their love language. Dramatic acts, vague threats and all.

Post revival and reconnection with the Batfam, Jason spots a familiar face. A flood of memories wash through him, and with it a bout of giddiness. Though he's currently dressed as Red Hood, Danny'll be able to tell who he is and keep quiet. Just have to greet him in a way that he'll recognize.

---

Danny is out taking the kids for a walk. Dan was grumpy since he wasn't allowed any ecto chips, for both his health and as punishment for severely beating a guy who tried to mug Danny without permission yesterday. Ellie is quite cheerful, since she's going to visit the Crocodile and Zombie sewer-dudes when Danny's not looking.

All of a sudden, Red Hood, casually wielding a gun, approaches Danny. He makes an overly familiar gesture, wrapping an arm sideways around Danny's waist. He whistles under the hood, a faint green glow from the white eyespaces.

"Well who do we have here? You look half dead, honey."

Danny looked at him. Horrible pick up line? Check? Thin veneer of confidence? Check. Zero self control around Danny? Check.

Jason. The rancid ecto signature is new, though. Honestly, not surprised he's a crime lord now.

"Well, you know how it is. The kids have been running me ragged. And you sure haven't been any help."

Danny puts on an innocent smile. Jason sidles closer. A few bystanders watch them with varied expressions.

"Well you don't need to worry about that now. How about you and I go somewhere more private?"

---

"A crime boss, huh?"

Dan is raiding the fridge. Ellie is watching a fight on TV.

"It was a... necessary step. I promise I would've visited you sooner if I had known."

"It's fine. What else happened while you were gone?"

"Well..."

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Novel Outline

Novel outline - a document that includes important planning information about your novel’s structure, plot, characters, scenes, and more. It is the skeleton of your novel.

An outline can be anything from a one-page written document to a comprehensive visual mindmap that uses diagrams to represent the link between information and ideas.

If you have the space, you can write your sentences on index cards and post them on a wall to make it easier to view and manipulate the parts.

Each event should be a single, short sentence (e.g. Danny gets shot in the leg).

How to Create a Novel Outline

Grab your notebook (or index cards) and follow these simple steps:

1. Craft your premise

This is the underlying idea for your story.

A good way to find the premise is to ask yourself, “What would happen if…?”

For example: What would happen if a young man who survives a shipwreck spends months in a lifeboat with a large Bengal tiger? (Life of Pi, 2001) Or: What would happen if four strangers met in an Italian villa during World War II? (The English Patient, 1992).

Next, it might help to try and answer a few key questions to help expand on the premise and generate new ideas. Things like:

Who is the main protagonist?

What is the situation?

How will the protagonist change from the beginning of the novel to the end?

What is her/her objective?

What does he/she want?

How does he/she get or not get what they want?

Is there an opposing force that is stopping the protagonist from achieving this objective?

What is the central conflict of the novel?

What about the central theme—what are you trying to say?

Once you’ve worked out the answers to these questions, write a 1-paragraph summary of the novel. Think of it as an elevator pitch.

2. Determine your setting

In a novel, the setting (time, place) can be just as important as the characters. Readers need to feel a sense of where things are happening, just as much as why they’re happening.

Planning setting can depend on a number of things, depending on what kind of novel you’re writing. Get to know your setting intimately. Do as much research as you can. If your novel is set in the real world, find photos, descriptions, and other materials to inform your ideas.

Is your novel set in a boarding school? During a particular period in time?

Find as much information, both written and visual, about boarding schools in that time. Picture your settings in your mind, and write down as much detail as you can: everything from how something looks and sounds to how it might smell, taste, or feel.

3. Get to know your characters

Write character profiles. Visualize them. Pretend you’re introducing these characters to your friends. What would you say about them? What details would you include, and what details would you omit—and why? What kind of journey will each character undertake in the novel? Where will they start, and where will they end up? Who will be central to the novel’s plot, and who will just serve as color and background?

Develop character backstories. Think of the moments in each character’s life that have led them to the point where they are introduced in the novel. What elements have shaped their personality and progression as characters? Do they have unresolved issues crucial to the plot?

One method is to conduct a Q&A with the most important characters, as a way of finding out more about them. Ask your characters a series of questions (get as personal as you want) and have him/her answer in his/her own words.

4. Construct your plot

Construct a timeline of events. Write down everything that happens in the novel, from the beginning to the end. Include details where you can, such as where the events take place, and who is involved. If you know the outcome of the events, and how they will impact the novel’s overall plot, include this as well (these can help form the foundation of additional subplots).

Beginning: The beginning of your novel has to accomplish a lot. It must introduce the hero, the villain, and the world of the story, as well as the story’s sole dramatic question, and it must do this with enough energy to grab your reader’s interest right away. A prologue can be useful for seizing the reader’s attention.

Middle: Often, tension evaporates in the middle of a novel, so it’s a good idea to figure out your ending first. It may not be perfect, and you can always change it later, but it’s useful to know the climax to which your characters are headed. Having that destination will help you stay focused during the “middle muddle.” Write as many short sentences as you need to describe the pathway your characters will take to reach the climax.

End: While it may seem daunting to figure out the ending so early, just return to your sole dramatic question, which already has your ending hidden within it. For example, if your question is: Will Ahab catch the whale? Then your story’s finale will be the moment when he does.

5. Write your scenes

Once your plot outline is in place, you’ll have a better idea of what scenes will need to be placed where. Add them to the outline. Flesh them out as much as you want—everything from where the action takes place to who is involved, even dialogue if you already know what you want your characters to say. Don’t worry about things making sense at this point, you’ll have time later to go back and highlight anything that feels out of place. Just focus on getting everything down so you can see it in front of you.

Once your outline is complete, you’ll be free to start writing your first draft with the knowledge that if you falter, you can always turn back to the outline to see the big picture. As you begin the writing process, watch out for gaps in logic. Refer back to the outline, and update storylines, plot points, and the timeline as you go along.

While it’s necessary to have a basic grasp of your characters and your world when you start writing, it’s not essential to know everything up front. In fact, even with the most meticulous outlines, you may still find that your characters do things to upset your plans. When this happens, follow your instincts. Don’t be afraid to toss your outline or significantly revise it mid-way through your novel. A good rule to remember is that outlines involve plotting what will happen to your characters, but in the end, your characters should determine your plot.

Classic Methods for Creating Novel Outlines

No two outlines are ever the same, however there are myriad methods to kickstart the novel outline process.

Synopsis outline. This involves the creation of a short document, usually one or two pages long, that gives you a rough idea of the novel’s structure but also leaves room for flexibility. Think of this as a synopsis of the book, hitting all the major beats: what happens in the beginning, middle, and end? What are the major plot points and twists? What is the climax? What is the resolution?

In-depth outline. This is a more evolved outline that usually involves writing chapter summaries and outlining the different scenes within those chapters. This is more comprehensive and can take a lot more time. However, some writers swear by this method to stay on track. Some in-depth outlines can almost be mini-novels themselves, hitting around the 10,000-word mark.

Snowflake method. This method was created by author and writing instructor Randy Ingermanson. It begins with a one-sentence summary of the story you’re trying to tell. For example, the sentence could be something like: “Two teenagers discover a secret cave that contains treasures that a group of criminals has been hunting for.” The snowflake method would then require you to build that sentence into a paragraph, and then use that paragraph to create a series of character descriptions, and from there a series of storylines that involve those characters. The process spans outward until you have a fully outlined novel.

Bookend method. This method is for writers who prefer to leave some things to chance. It involves plotting the start and end of the story, as well as each of the main characters—but nothing more. This method is usually recommended for writers who already have a strong grasp of the characters and the kind of story they want to tell.

Basic Questions Every Outline Should Answer

Besides listing characters and plot points for story structure, your outline should give you a general sense of the direction of your story as well as the primary conflicts and tensions that will make it intriguing for readers. Keep the following questions in mind while creating your outline:

What is the main contract of the story? You must resolve the promises you made to your reader by the end of the novel.

What sort of time pressure is working on your characters?

What is at stake for the protagonist of the novel? Does the pressure on the main characters grow more intense as the story progresses?

Pros & Cons of Creating an Outline

Some writers are comfortable creating a detailed outline for a novel. New writers in particular find it helpful to have a road map.

Others feel that writing an outline diminishes the pleasure of discovering the story along the way. They argue that working from an outline means you’re not creating anymore, you’re translating your ideas.

In the literary world, novelists who use outlines are referred to as “plotters.” Example: Ernest Hemingway.

Those who don’t are known as “pantsers” — a reference to flying by the seat of their pants. Famous pantsers include Margaret Atwood and Stephen King.

While every writer is different, there are some general pros and cons to consider before creating your novel outline.

The benefits of creating an outline:

Helps visualize the big picture

Keeps the story on track

Logs which scenes go where

Clearly presents character arcs

Acts as a guide to ease writer’s block when you’re stuck

Clarifies the middle, to avoid the “muddle”

The drawbacks of creating an outline:

Can create a stilted narrative

If followed too closely, can feel formulaic

May lead to more showing rather than telling in the actual writing

Characters may seem to make inauthentic choices, solely based on plot points instead of natural results from narrative action

Bestselling author Stephen King supposedly swears by putting interesting characters in difficult situations and just seeing what happens. He famously said: “Outlines are the last resource of bad fiction writers who wish to God they were writing masters’ theses.”

That aside, both plotters and pantsers agree on one thing: there is no correct way when it comes to novel writing. It simply depends on what kind of writer you are, and what works for you.

Sources: 1 2 ⚜ More: References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[ktkat99]

Update to this prompt I posted a little while ago. Scroll to the bottom for a link to the story.

Tim gets injured while not wearing his suit one night.

Bernard, who has never met Tim before, finds him and takes him home. He ends up losing his memory and Bernard decides to let him move in while he heals, unaware that he's really Red Robin.

Bruce and the rest of the family can't find Tim anywhere.

Days turn into weeks.

Weeks turn to months.

All without a trace.

Tim and Bernard are getting used to living together, and both the pros and cons of being roommates.

Tim will sometimes have nightmares or flashbacks, but he’s also started to heal.

His family ends up torn, with Jason, Dick, and Steph convinced he’s alive, while Bruce, Cass and Damian have all resigned themselves to believing that he died.

One night, Tim and Bernard take a nighttime walk to a convenience store and witness a robbery.

Tim stops the guy on instinct and has a flashback of fighting with Nightwing. He assumes he was a criminal and runs off before the clerk can thank him.

Something the clerk mentions to Officer Dick Greyson when he arrives to arrest the thief. The clerk hands over the surveillance footage, which ends up being proof that Tim survived.

Dick is overjoyed, but Steph and Jason point out that he isn't being held hostage. He's free and yet never contacted them.

Was he in hiding?

From them?

Or for his own protection from someone?

Or maybe the civilian he was with had done something to him?

Whatever the reason, they decide against telling the rest of the family until they can figure out what's going on.

They begin following Tim, keeping their distances.

Tim, meanwhile, after ‘remembering’ being a criminal, can't stop obsessing over his scars, and who he might have hurt to receive them. He keeps thinking about the convenience store clerk and Bernard, wracked with guilt about all the things he may have done.

Bernard stays by him the whole time, doing his best to calm him down.

Tim doesn't tell him what's on his mind out of fear of being kicked out, and Bernard assumes the event was too stressful for him and doesn't push him to talk.

Eventually, the two of them fall asleep together, and Tim promises to make up for his past crimes by protecting Bernard. Things gradually go back to normal with Bernard going to work and Tim, who has no valid id, staying home and taking care of the apartment.

Nightwing, Red Hood, and Spoiler take turns watching Tim and Bernard.

They still haven't told their family, but know they can't just follow Tim forever.

Before they can decide on their next move, though, Cass bumps into him while grocery shopping. She freezes and he doesn't recognize her, but Dick, Jason, and Steph have to come clean.

Cass is pissed, Bruce wants to bring Tim home immediately, and Damian points out that he might not even want to come home, and that they should leave him be.

They decide that, before they make their decision, they need to talk to Tim. Maybe he really did just decide to quit.

Tim, meanwhile, has been using his free time while Bernard is at work to help people who need it. He becomes somewhat of a neighborhood vigilante, believing that he needs to make up for his past crimes.

Most of the injuries he incurs are minor and easy to hide from Bernard, but one day he takes a knife to the arm.

Bernard freaks out and tries to give him stitches in their kitchen, but then has to convince Tim to let him take him to a hospital.

Tim, not wanting to be arrested for crimes he doesn't remember committing, therefore leaving Bernard alone, argues that he's fine.

It doesn't hurt that bad.

He'll heal.

Bernard gets frustrated and shows off his own scars, which he had worked hard to always keep hidden. He explains what happened to him, and how his family disowned him as a result of ending up in the cult, and that he promises he won't put Tim in a situation where he could be in danger.

He asks to know why Tim is so adamant against going to the hospital and Tim reluctantly admits what he's pieced together from his flashbacks.

Bernard is shocked to find out that he might have been sharing his apartment with a criminal, but reasons that that must be why Tim knows how to fight.

Deciding to focus on the problem at hand, Bernard convinces Tim to at least let him take him to Leslie’s place, as she doesn't ask questions.

Leslie proceeds to ask questions, prompting Bernard to be the one to answer them for Tim.

Leslie comes to the conclusion that Bernard is answering so that Tim doesn't say the wrong thing, and only grows more concerned when she tries to subtly give him openings to slip her a message or some sort of sign that he needs help and he doesn't.

She decides that, since he's acting like he's never met her, she'll play along.

Once Bernard and Tim leave, she calls Bruce and tells him what happened.

Bruce decides it's time to step in because something is clearly wrong with Tim.

Tim and Bernard head back home and have a long talk about everything Tim's been hiding and what he's been up to.

Bernard wonders if Tim might be wrong about his assumption that he was a criminal, but Tim remembers stalking Batman, fighting with Nightwing, Robin trying to kill him and a few other things.

Tim was a criminal, and he's certain of it.

At a loss of what else to do, Bernard convinces Tim to get takeout for dinner, since neither have eaten yet.

Tim agrees and they walk down to Tim's favorite place.

On the way there, Batman and Nightwing show up and order them into the Batmobile.

Tim manages to fight off Nightwing as Batman is driving and Nightwing isn't expecting Tim to fight him and escapes with Bernard.

Their suspicions all appear to be confirmed; the Batfam believe Tim is being controlled by Bernard, while Bernard and Tim believe he's a wanted criminal.

Tim decides he needs to leave, since he's obviously being hunted, but Bernard refuses to let him.

Not alone, at least.

Tim wants Bernard to stay safe, which means away from him, but Bernard is just as worried about Tim's safety. They argue, but ultimately both find an abandoned building to hide in together.

They decide to take turns sleeping and Tim falls asleep wondering what sort of crime he committed to warrant the Bats searching for him. He ends up dreaming of the night he found his father's body and wakes up believing that he killed him.

Bernard has nodded off at this point and Tim needs to clear his head so he heads up to the roof to process what he dreamed about.

The bats decide that, for their safety and his, Tim will need to be taken by force and they can figure out what's wrong with him once they have him back home.

They track them to the abandoned building and break in, but only find Bernard.

Bernard ends up getting captured quickly and taken to the batcave for questioning.

Tim, who witnessed the abduction but hadn't been quick enough in getting down from the roof to do anything, decides it's time to go on the offensive against the bats.

He has had enough flashbacks to piece together that Batman is Bruce.

He's tired.

Angry.

Frustrated.

He's been living for months without knowledge of who he used to be and having to deal with random flashbacks and trying to piece together what his life before looked like.

The bats taking Bernard is his last straw.

He decides to start by breaking into the manor and looking for Bernard there.

Bernard, meanwhile, is desperately trying to convince Bruce and the others that he has no idea where Tim is, that he didn't do anything to Tim, and that Tim has amnesia.

They don't believe him until Tim shows up and goes all-out trying to attack them and escape with Bernard, but Bernard is the one who manages to calm him down and convince him to listen to his family.

It takes a while, and a lot of proof, but Tim finally regains his memory.

He and Bernard officially start dating and move back in together.

They like to joke that Bernard had the craziest introduction to the family, despite being a civilian.

[whumpsoda]

I. I love vampire hunters turned thralls. Brainwashed into adoring little pets to creatures of which they once chased down with the goal of killing… UGH just someone who used to hate the thing they now address as master… bonus points if they get their memories erased and have no memory of their hunter past :3

[blissfullyunawares]

5 Days of Helping You Outline Your Next Novel

Day 1: Benefits of Outlining Before Writing Your Book

Follow along for all 5 installments of the mini series: helping you outline your next novel

I. Clear Direction - knowing where you’re going allows you to pack the right kind of clothes, same with a novel - know where you’re going so you can bring the right stuff

II. Strong Structure - by writing an outline, you can structure your book to have a natural rise and a fall, like breathing

III. Consistency in Writing - not getting stuck with what happens next allows you to write more content more consistently

IV. Intentional Themes - by defining your story outline, you can sprinkle in some intentional symbols and themes within your writing

V. Better Character Development - knowing the overall arc of your story allows your characters to experience the moment and become who they’re meant to be. you can add in vulnerable moments, mistakes, and bad decisions to help them become the best (or worst) version of themselves

VII. Opportunities for Foreshadowing - by knowing where you’re going, you can add in witty little details of foreshadowing (ex: the mercenary had a reputation that - well, you’ll see) to string your readers along

VIII. Scene Variety - similar to pacing, scene variety can be inserted into your novel to prevent boring repetitions and keep the pov fresh and interesting

IX. Realistic Plot Lines - knowing the journey and destination before the characters do allows you to insert realistic motive and plot lines that drive your characters, instead of allowing your characters to drive the plot with unforeseen chaos (although this happens sometimes too and it’s okay!)

your reblogs help me help more ppl 💕

You can find Day 2 of this mini series [here].

follow along for writing prompts, vocabulary lists, and helpful content like this! <333

✨ #blissfullyunawaresoriginals ✨

[insert-witty-user-name-here]

Random Plot Points

A little about me as a writer, I love daydreaming about adventure stories. I usually know the general set up and larger plot points but oftentimes struggle with the how, how do characters get from point A to point B. 

So, I made a list of random challenges for my characters that I look at when I'm stuck.

Sharing in case helpful to others! (intended for adventure, sci-fi, fantasy stories) 

characters are delayed/blocked/experience a natural disaster (storm, fire, flood, avalanche, earthquake, epidemic, etc) (BONUS and forced to take a detour from the original path)

character(s) is trapped (quick sand, fall through ice, in room filling with poison, on sinking ship, in a trash compactor on the Death Star, etc) (BONUS- fall into hidden room and discover something) 

characters go to a festival/ball/party/political summit (where inevitably it all goes wrong)

character(s) overhears a secret (at bar, at party, from a whispered conversation below them in a stairway, etc) 

characters are attacked by an animal or mysterious force 

characters(s) caught in a mob/riot

character wins/loses something in a bet

character is brainwashed or possessed 

character is stranded/lost

character is poisoned 

character succumbs to injury or illness 

characters are chased/ attacked by antagonists 

character is captured or arrested (and needs to be rescued)

character is kidnapped and kidnappers make a demand for their release (financial ransom, exchange of information, prisoner exchange, etc) 

character(s) go undercover to retrieve information

characters decide to steal something they need for their quest (weapon, magical object, money, information, etc). (BONUS- time for a well-planned heist!) 

characters need to protect/ retrieve/ destroy something 

characters uncover a network of spies (up to you if they're unexpected allies or antagonists)  

characters discover hidden passageway, room, ruins etc that leads to an important clue

characters forced to hide from someone/something

characters need to escape 

characters lured into trap set by villain (BONUS if the villain doesn't even care who wins but only goaded them to learn how a magical object works, the extent of heroes powers, emergency response system of a government, etc) 

characters set trap for villain (BONUS- use someone or something important as bait) (if in Act 2, they fail) 

characters reveal critical information to villain in disguise 

a character is mistaken for someone else (and then is wrongfully arrested, receives information not intended for them, etc) 

characters receive help (hitch a ride, get help hiding from captors, get help escaping somewhere, etc) from an unlikely new ally 

characters forced to team up with an unlikely ally/ morally grey character, etc

characters learn something from simple library research (an oldie but a goodie)

characters just literally just stumble upon or witness something important (secret weapon, secret society etc) 

characters uncover a secret map/ coded message on the back of an old unassuming document (time for a classic treasure hunt!) 

someone escapes from prison (an old villain or an old ally) that changes the quest 

someone is being blackmailed (or otherwise forced to act against the protagonists)

someone is discredited (rumor, disinformation campaign etc) 

something stolen from your characters 

something (document, magical object, money) turns out to be fake

OR, something unassuming turns out to have special powers or meaning  

something is hacked (defense system, infrastructure, bank, private records, etc)

something critical is attacked (important bridge, port, bank/ financial system, safehouse, capitol building, character's familial home, etc.)

a computer virus is unleashed 

a biological weapon is unleashed 

a piece of information the characters believed was true, is false 

an ancient myth turns out to be true 

a secret is made public 

A law is changed or a vote on a critical piece of legislation loses/wins 

a political opponent wins an election/ a political ally loses an election 

character(s) help a passerby (from raiders, local tyrant, beast, mystical force, etc) 

characters "follow the money" and realize someone who was thought to be their ally is actually working for... (crime syndicate, villain, local tyrant etc) 

[novella-november]

Ominous / Outline October 2024 Announcement Post:

The poll about Ominous October prompts has now wrapped up, and the results are in!

51% voted to used the narrowed list of polls, while 25% wanted to vote to narrow down the prompts, and the other % had no opinion.

So! We've got two (three?) options for those participating in Ominous October 2024 :)

Ominous October 2024 *Weekly Short Stories* - Writing 714 words each day, complete one short story each week totaling 5k (or more) based on the following prompts:

Week One: Undead / Strange Town

Week Two: Changeling / Curse

Week Three: Parasitism / Revenge

Week Four: Transformation / Eternity

[You can choose between either prompt for the week, or combine them both in your story!]

Ominous October 2024 *Daily Short Stories OR Poetry*- each day, write a drabble/short story or poem based on the following prompts:

Raised from the dead

Ghost stories

“I put a spell on you”

Replacement and parasitism (changelings, cuckoos, All About Eve)

Victim turns the tables on their bully

Playing pretend or acting out on stage turns real

Medical abuse and sadistic doctors

Phantom limb

A single candle

Costume

Under the bed

What lurks in the cellar

The weird small-town

A knock at the door

The witching hour

It will never end

Graveyard ghost hunting

Misty road

Potions

Harvesting

Banshee's lullaby

Crooked reflection

"Do not speak its name"

The eleventh hour

It's too late

Bones itching

Poisoned coffee

Bloody hands

Since October is right before November, and a lot of people are going for the 30,000 words in a month goal, there are three catch-up/rest days from the 29th through the 31st!

On the 31st, Everyone picks one (or more!) spooky stories to post to celebrate!

Here is a template for Ominous October:

Please feel free to make your own custom decorated goal cards and post them in the Ominous October tags!

And don't forget to reblog for more reach! Everyone participating has around two weeks to do any prep they'd like for the weekly short stories with the prompts :D

If you would prefer to focus on Novella November Prep, there's also:

Outline October 2024

Where you spend the month outlining, doing research, making character designs, world-building, etc!

[gigireece16]

what it’s talking about my book to people while knowing i barely write for it anymore

[the-angst-chronicles-fanworks]

Steve Harrington, when he was a kid, was always told off by his parents for being a bad Alpha - too kind, caring, nurturing, soft.

So he learned to hide that part of himself away, to only show the parts that were “good Alpha”. After all, he was also confident and charismatic, he was competitive, others flocked to him, he easily took charge and he was naturally protective.

But it felt hollow, empty, because he was still hiding away such a big part of himself. Unconsciously, he amped up what was allowed, to fill the holes of what wasn’t allowed. Confidence became cockiness, competition became aggression, taking charge became domineering, and before he knew it, he was in over his head at the top of the social food chain with a vicious pair of Alphas by his side.

But his parents approved, and Carol and Tommy praised him, and he felt accepted by them, even if it came with the unease of knowing that it wasn’t all of him that they accepted.

And then came Nancy. With Nancy he was allowed to be soft, kind. And though Tommy and Carol mocked her uptight personality and nerdy ways, they didn’t turn on him for his softness with her.

So Steve found the one place an Alpha was allowed to be gentle and caring - with a prospective mate. And finally, allowed to express all of himself, he could scale back the overcompensation in other areas. He finally felt balanced, whole, even if the times where he was allowed to be his authentic self were relegated to when he was with Nancy. It was the most he’d ever had, and he was the happiest he’d ever been.

Then it all fell apart. The world ripped apart and took away Nancy, his relationship, his happiness with it. Steve was left reeling, grieving his relationship, his love, his safe space.

Faced again with the expectation of only showing strength, assertiveness, leadership, and never sweetness, caring, or kindness, Steve felt lost. He needed to get his relationship back if he was to have any hope of being happy.

That plan also went to shit, and suddenly Steve found himself in charge of a pack of pups. And protecting them felt good, but afterwards Steve also felt the urge to care for them. And to his surprise, they let him. They didn’t tell him off for acting like an omega, not even Nancys little brother.

Back at school, Steve felt like he’d been thrown into cold water. He was disillusioned with the social role he played, with the emptiness he felt in his life after the joy and affirmation of his relationship and then the same given to him from the pups. The acceptance he got from his parents and friends now rang hollow, empty.

And for the first time, he started to think that maybe it was all bullshit. Maybe his parents’ idea of what made a ‘good Alpha’ was bullshit, what his peers thought was acceptable Alpha behaviour was bullshit, the idea that he could only truly be himself with his mate was bullshit.

Steve decided he needed a different perspective. So one day, he wanted confidently into the cafeteria and sat himself down at the table of the one person that was scorned and derided by the entire school, most of the town even, for his refusal to play along with the bullshit. The one he has spent the past few years hearing Tommy and Carol, and others, deriding as a ‘bad Omega’. Eddie Munson.

————————

Eddie Munson had never been a ‘good Omega’. He was too brash, too bold, loud, annoying, and confrontational. That on top of being ‘low-class trailer trash’… well, he never stood a chance.

When he was younger, it hurt. Never being enough, never measuring up. Not to his parents, not to his peers, not to strangers he met in the street.

Every thing wrong with him was met with derision, and every glimpse of what the world deemed he should be was held against him.

Eventually, Eddie learnt to protect himself, to lean into his “freak” persona. If they were going to reject him anyway, better it be on his terms, because he only presented a self that went against the grain and demanded to be rejected.

So Eddie put away his softer sides, the sweetness and nurturing, anything that society said an Omega should be, and leaned harder into his louder, brusquer, more combative side.

It helped, facing the rejection from the town and knowing that of course they would respond that way to him - it was only to be expected. But it was still hard, not being able to fully be himself. It would bleed out sometimes, leaving him feeling raw and exposed.

He channeled it the best way he knew how. His impulses to nurture and care were turned to leading and protecting instead. Not the same, not giving him everything he needed, but giving him enough to scrape by.

Still, he didn’t feel fulfilled, didn’t feel real, and it chafed. He grew bitter, more combative, particularly toward those that could seamlessly fit into the role deemed for them. It wasn’t fair that some were rewarded simply for existing while he and his ilk were scorned for the very same, and he made sure everyone knew it.

He’d kind of figured he was screaming to the void, until one day the unthinkable happened. Steve Harrington, King of Hawkins High and Alpha of Alphas, sat down at his lunch table and said “So…what’s this about forced conformity?”

————————

And then Eddie helps Steve become more comfortable with the ‘nonconforming’ parts of himself, and Steve helps Eddie accept the more ‘conforming’ parts of himself, and they fall in love kiss kiss the end

[sassymajesty]

OUT AT SEA first kiss

Abby thoroughly ignores Lexa, turning to Clarke with a stern face, her top lip curving up, “Your father would never approve of this.”

“Yeah, it’s a shame he isn’t here to walk me down the aisle,” Clarke’s voice is so bitter Lexa has trouble imagining it’s a divorce or some other misunderstanding that has Abby here with her new boyfriend and not her husband, but she doesn’t pry. Clarke looks at her, a smile quickly replacing her frown. “Maybe we could ask those frat boys we met at the party.”

Lexa nods at the figurative light bulb blinking over of Clarke’s head, matching her smile with one of her own, “Oh, yeah, Chad would be good arm candy.”

“Chad is gonna be perfect,” Clarke squeal, reaching up to tuck a rogue strand of hair behind Lexa’s ear. It’s a small gesture, almost nothing, really. But the simplicity of it puts it all together incredibly well. Then Clarke turns to her mom, a defying look burning in her eyes as she tilts her chin up, “Unless Marcus would be willing to walk me down the aisle.”

“You are unbelievable, Clarke,” Abby spits at her daughter and Lexa has a ridiculous urge to defend Clarke. But before she can even think about anything, Abby is gathering her things from the table set for two, tripping over her own words. “I- I can’t be near you right now. I just hope you come to your senses before you do something you can’t repair.” With a final hard look at both of them and how they fit together, Abby storms off, heading for the checkout counter for them to add the single glass of wine to her tab.

“Wedding at six, mom!” Clarke shouts after her, then turns fully to Lexa, letting out an amused laughter, “Who’s Chad?”

Lexa adjusts herself in Clarke’s arms until they’re facing each other, Clarke’s arms around her waist, Lexa’s hand resting lightly on her upper arms. She shrugs, tilting her head to the side as she searches Abby in the small crowd, “I don’t know, you say frat boy, I think Chad and Bryce and Tanner. Frat boy sounding names.”

“Nice touch,” Clarke hums as if she’s impressed. Lexa doesn’t answer anything, her eyes glued to Abby’s, who finds them easily. “Is she looking at us?” Lexa nods once, refusing to break her gaze from Abby. If looks could kill, Lexa’s parents would be receiving a very unfortunate call right this moment. “Can I kiss you?”

The question takes Lexa aback and she completely forgets about the woman whose hate list she just made as she answers, “Sure.” She tries to sound nonchalant about it, but Lexa could hear her own voice catching on her throat. Even if it’s just for show, it’s been awhile since she kissed anyone.

Clarke reaches one hand up to grasp at her chin, tilting her head in the right angle as she pulls at her waist, making Lexa all but tumble forward. Her grip on Clarke’s arms tighten when they’re breathing the same air, almost no space in between them. Lexa leans in first, capturing Clarke’s lips in between hers, swallowing Clarke’s tiny sigh. Clarke presses back, sucking lightly at Lexa’s bottom lip. It must have been way too long since she kissed someone and her body forgot what it was, what’s the only explanation for how hard her heart is beating.

They break the kiss as they part for air and Lexa bumps their noses together, more because she nearly loses her balance than to be cute. Lexa is about to kiss her again when Clarke draws back, smiling, “Wanna go get some food? I can’t handle wedding prep on an empty stomach.”

Lexa can only nod and follow along.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Outline

Outline - a skeletal representation of the sequence of the main ideas in your essay.

The sequence of ideas/topics also serves as a guide for the reader(s) of your paper.

2 Purposes of an Outline

For You as a Writer (this is the “working outline”)

You may draft a working outline in order to organize the sections of your paper as you list the major ideas/topics you plan to discuss.

You may add minor topics and supporting details as your research continues.

In the research and drafting processes, you may need to revise the information included in your working outline as new information comes to light.

For Your Instructor (this is the “final outline”)

The most important aspect of the final outline is that it is truly representative of your actual paper.

If a topic is in your outline but not adequately discussed in your paper, revision is necessary.

To serve as a guide for the reader, the final outline must accurately reflect the content of your paper.

About the Working Outline

The working outline does not need to be written in any specific format.

It is for your own use, an informal rough draft of tentative information that you may use or discard later.

You may write a working outline in whatever form seems most helpful for you.

By the time you have finished your research and begun your paper, you should have a nearly complete outline to edit and use as your final outline.

About the Formal Outline

The standard format for a formal outline includes large Roman numerals for the main headings, capital letters for subtopics and Arabic numerals for the sub-subtopics.

To find specific information regarding correct spacing and alignment, consult your university's handbook.

Example

OUTLINE

Thesis Statement: There are benefits as well as drawbacks to purchasing a home.

I. Benefits of purchasing a home

A. Financial investment B. Personal privacy

II. Drawbacks to purchasing a home

A. Financial commitment B. Costly maintenance

Things to Consider About Outlines

Thesis Statement

Most outlines begin with the thesis statement, aligned to the left and placed directly below the heading (Title) of your outline.

Sentence Outline OR Topic Outline

Consistency is the key to writing your outline.

If your outline is in sentence form, all parts of it (major topics, minor topics, supporting details) must be in sentence form.

If your outline is written in words, and phrases, all of it must be in that form.

The main point to remember is that your outline will be one or the other, all sentences or all words and phrases, not a combination of both.

Paired Headings

If you have a I., you must have at least a II. If you have an A., you must have a B.

If you have a 1., you must have a 2.

There is never a division without at least two headings, although you may have several more than two.

Comparable Numerals or Letters

Like headings are also of equal significance to your paper.

The B or C following an A is of comparable importance to the A.

If the paired headings do not seem aligned, one being a minor point and the other a major area of discussion, you may need to move headings and subheadings around in the working outline to create smooth transition of ideas and information.

Coherence

Your outline will reflect the progression of ideas in each section of your paper, from major topics to minor topics to supporting details or further information.

In organizing your outline, you should find that you have grouped topics in a logical order, and you will be able to see at a glance if you have done so.

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[dinkflocculent]

It's torture being a writer that can only survive off an outline. I want to write a silly short whump AU of my OCs but my brain requires a 50-page detailed outline.

[pumpkin-padparadscha]

thinking about a dynamic

aromantic janus needs someone to be his fake boyfriend when he goes home for the holidays so his well meaning parents don't try to set him up like they inevitably do every year

roman KNOWS he's hung up on remus, and he's sick of getting dumped over his fixation, or his prioritizing remus constantly, or his tendency to say remus' name in bed

roman wants a friends with benefits thing or a steady casual hookup. someone he can sleep with who won't expect anything from him romantically bc he is Not emotionally available for romance rn.

remus has clocked that roman isn't dating? or that whatever thing he has going on with his current "boyfriend" isn't his usual lovey dovey type deal, and he wants to meet the guy bc he's worried about roman. roman SAYS he's fine and has exactly what he wants from his relationship, but remus still wants to suss the guy out and make sure his brother isn't being strung along or taken advantage of.

roman's house of cards is about to come crashing down the minute janus learns "my twin brother" and "remus" are the same fucking person.

janus knew roman was keeping something from him but honestly it wasn't any of his business for the casual thing they had going on but this is honestly WAY more interesting than he thought his evening was going to be

remus is GOING to figure out what all the loaded pauses and pointed looks between janus and roman mean. half of janus' sentences are being cut off by roman or suddenly change halfway through when roman starts making frantic "stop" hand motions.

if you want virgil can be there too because i want him to show up partway through the evening and janus to introduce remus like "this is remus, he's roman's twin brother." and for virgil to be like ?! THAT'S remus? i thought he would. look different." and remus to be like "you thought that roman's twin. would look different. twins usually look alike!" and virgil can be like "yeah i get that! still wasn't expecting it though, given," gestures to roman, "everything"

remus is going out of his mind, what does that MEAN, what has roman been telling these people about him!!!

[blissfullyunawares]

my chaotic personal method for writing fun fictional stories

D&D style development for the characters, writing them down and letting them make their own choices for believable character motive and a chaos element.

World building should be fun and rough around the edges. Only explain the necessary bits. Never info dump.

Plot and story ideas written down and expanded until they connect plot points like a mad mind map that connects to one another in a 100 different ways

A running theme to connect your novels and stories. This helps keep the readers interest so they feel drawn to the next book like it’s a puzzle piece or clue

Different tropes & themes for all stories with a good mix of tragedy, romance, suspense, fun, humor, and adventure. Don’t let it get boring and stale! Keep moving through time, space, and human emotion.

No idea what to do next? Roll a die and let the character decide how to respond. 🎲

Plot holes? My favorite sweater has them and your book should to! Answer all questions later in the series, but leave a few to the readers imagination. Some things should be explored and discussed independently. What would they do? Is that really how that character would behave? Let them draw their own conclusions.

Don’t let your audience have all the juicy details in the first book. Make them question your delicately crafted reality and give them something to remind them.

Like every time they hear “biscuits and gravy” they think of your character Elizabeth that runs the inn and always has spectacular biscuits and gravy. Some biscuits and gravy are worth killing over. Real world meets fictional universe and gives the reader something to grasp.

Over all, remember, you’re creating something fun, and it should be fun to create.

Give readers something (or someone) to believe in. Then, break their hearts if you must.

☕️

If you enjoyed this post, please follow along! I’ll be sharing fun dialogue prompts, updates, and snippets of story ideas with my tumblr friends exclusively!

⚡️ email club coming soon ⚡️

Xx Until Next Time!

[deviousdeliciousness]

A Teasing Giant - G/T Story Prompt

A giant who likes to tease constantly and is painfully oblivious in all the wrong ways (for the tiny's mental well-being and continued sanity, that is).

A captured tiny (A sacrifice? Maybe their community said that the tiny made the choice willingly so the giant takes that to mean that the 'offering' was into this sorta thing or something hA nOPE) who has a 100% stone face that shows none of their terror that they most definitely feel, and they only speak when they know their voice won't shake so as not to give themselves away (maybe they don't want to give the giant what they think it wants - their terror) and is what the giant calls 'feisty.'

Misunderstandings and angst galore! Potential for resolution genuinely possible! Angst/Comfort sure to ensue!

Huhuhuh

Poor bb tiny ;-;

Good for us readers tho XDDD

Side Note: I shall return to writing my actual fics here instead of just throwing out random story prompts.... eventually...

[fanboyzuko]

dont know if the prompt event is still ongoing but zuko getting absolutely plastered with jet sounds hysterical 🤭 bonus points if iroh finds out and nearly has an aneurysm

Anon, know this is has been PLAGUING me for the past week because I've wanted to write it so desperately. I really underestimated how busy back to work from holidays would be ugh.

Hope you enjoy, bc I sure did ;3

Set vaguely as future LTF au... or could fit into canon, who knows ;P

.

Something hitting his window startled Zuko awake. With all the shit he was getting up to in Ba Sing Se behind Uncle’s back, it wasn’t shocking that someone was bothering him in the middle of the night. It was shocking, however, to open his window to a clearly plastered Jet and barely dodging the next rock he’d already thrown.

“Blue!” Jet cheered none too quietly. 

“Don’t call me that!” Zuko hissed, already turning back to his room to change. Another rock swiftly clattered into his room. What the fuck! Where were Smellerbee and Longshot? Why weren’t they doing a better job at babysitting their obnoxious leader? 

Zuko dodged yet another rock as he stuck his head out the window to call down, “I’m coming down! Quit making a racket unless you want to wake up the whole damn neighborhood, or worse, my uncle!”

The warning thankfully worked, or maybe Jet ran out of rocks to throw, and Zuko made quick work of changing and packing essentials for a night out. He usually begrudged nights he was ditched for the Avatar, but it was rather lucky tonight. Sneaking out was hard enough without a dragon underfoot. 

Rather than risk the creaky floorboard near Uncle’s room, Zuko simply jumped out his window. It was only the second floor, and it was as easy as breathing these days to cushion his fall with a bed of hot air. 

A bottle reeking of alcohol was immediately shoved into his hands.

“Drink with me,” Jet said with a carefree grin. He slung his arm around Zuko’s shoulders, but didn’t lean on him for support. Although having already started drinking, Jet was far from drunk. The asshole had probably been annoying just to be annoying, rather than from alcohol dulling his decision making process.

Zuko led them down the street, not about to let Uncle catch them because Jet wanted to be a dick. He resolutely did not drink whatever swill Jet managed to get his hands on. “Why aren’t you drinking with your better halves?”

“I’m telling Smellerbee you complimented her!” Jet snorted. He took the bottle back and took a hearty drink from it. “They don’t like alcohol and I respect that. But drinking alone is fucking depressing. How fortunate my good friend Blue is in town.”

“Seriously, stop calling me that!” Zuko said through clenched teeth. He didn’t feel the presence of any Dai Li, but he wasn’t about to take any chances. 

“My good friend who won’t tell me his real name is in town,” Jet amended with an exaggerated eye roll. 

Ever since the Freedom Fighters realized Zuko was their masked visitor, they staunchly refused to believe anything he claimed as “Lee the refugee.” At least they didn’t suspect he was Fire Nation, let alone the wanted banished prince…

“I’ll drop it if you drink with me.”

Zuko sighed. “And why are we drinking?”

“Just cuz,” Jet said. His tone with light and he shrugged as if it were truly such a carefree reason. But his gaze was heavy and dark. Zuko recognized it all too well from his recent, solo travels.

“Oh fine, sure, let’s drink just cuz.” Zuko snatched the bottle and threw his head back to take a deep gulp. He almost choked on how pungent the shit was. He almost fell forward as he coughed and spluttered, only Jet’s arm on his shoulders kept him upright. “But we’re getting something non-toxic!”

Jet snickered as he took another chug. “It’s not that bad once you burn your taste buds off.”

“Absolutely not. I brought some money, it’s on me.”

“Well, far be it for me to stop you.” From Jet’s sly grin, Zuko almost wondered if that had been his angle all along in dragging Zuko out with him. 

Eh, whatever, this wouldn’t be the stupidest thing Zuko had done in the past few months. 

---

The sun rose, and so did Iroh. Although he did not need to worry about disrupting his nephew’s sleep at this early hour, the walls and floors were thin and neighbors had commented before about the early hours Iroh kept. While that certainly wouldn’t immediately paint them as firebenders, Iroh erred on the side of caution. So it was with quiet steps that he started to prepare breakfast. No noise came from Zuko’s room, which was expected. He, too, was cautious to complete his morning workout in silence.

He only just set the kettle on to boil when something crashed outside their apartment. 

Iroh’s heart leaped to his throat as he put out the fire and rushed to the front door. Hopefully no one was hurt or causing trouble. The last thing they needed was the local authority snooping around their complex. Young, hushed voices filtered through the door as Iroh approached it, as if the cause of the noise was right outside. 

Frowning, Iroh carefully unlatched the deadbolt (which would do nothing if anyone truly wanted to get through their flimsy door) and tried to slide the door open. It was heavy, as if there was a resisting weight on the other side. With a firm tug, Iroh pulled it open and two bodies spilled into the entryway. 

“Shit,” the young man crushed under his friend’s dead weight said from the ground. A young man who should have been entering the kitchen from another door, from his room where he should have just woken up. 

“See, told ya we shoulda knocked,” the young man crushing Iroh’s nephew slurred, burying his face into Zuko’s shirt with a jaw-cracking yawn. He spoke with his eyes closed, seconds from succumbing to sleep. “Hi, Uncle, sorry I borrowed Bluuu-Lee last night.”

Iroh took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose as he realized just who Zuko’s companion was. “Nephew, is this not the young man who picked a fight with you at the tea shop?”

“Oh- Uh… We didn’t fight again, promise!” Zuko exclaimed, as if the overpowering scent of alcohol wasn’t wafting off the pair as evidence of what they had been up to. “We’re uh… friends now?”

Deep breaths. Losing his temper wasn’t going to do anyone any favors when the recipients of his scolding were drunk as wolf skunks. In the grand scheme of things, this was the least of Zuko’s offenses. If anything, Iroh should be happy he hadn’t burst into the apartment with the Dai Li on his tail. 

Laughter pulled Iroh from his thoughts. He looked up to realize their neighbors were poking their heads out their doors in varying stages of lucidity this early in the morning. The mother of four from across the hall was the one laughing. 

“Don’t be too harsh on them, Mushi! It’s nice to see Lee making friends his own age!” She teased, which brought some chuckles from the rest of their audience. “Put them to bed, and I’ll come by with some hangover soup for them later.”

“Need some help moving them?” The construction worker down the hall offered, dressed and about to head out to work.

Iroh looked down and swallowed back a completely inappropriate frustrated scream. In the time it took Iroh to try to compose himself and get distracted by their neighbors, Zuko had fallen asleep. The two teenage boys were tangled together in a heap of limbs, completely dead to the world. 

“I have half a mind to leave them there,” Iroh grumbled, to their neighbors’ amusement. 

He wasn’t joking.