Tumgik
#writers block
hayatheauthor · 2 days
Text
10 Flaws to Give Your Perfect Characters to Make Them Human
If you're tired of the usual vices like arrogance or impatience, here are some unique (or at least less basic) character flaws to give your perfect characters: 
Pathological Altruism
A character so obsessed with helping others that they end up doing more harm than good. Their inability to let others grow or face consequences creates tension.
2. Moral Narcissism
A character who sees themselves as morally superior to others, constantly justifying selfish or harmful actions because they believe they have the moral high ground.
3. Chronic Self-Sabotage
A character who intentionally undermines their own success, perhaps due to deep-seated feelings of unworthiness, pushing them into frustrating, cyclical failures.
4. Emotional Numbness
Rather than feeling too much, this character feels too little. Their lack of emotional response to critical moments creates isolation and makes it difficult for them to connect with others.
5. Fixation on Legacy
This character is obsessed with how they’ll be remembered after death, often sacrificing present relationships and happiness for a future that’s uncertain.
6. Fear of Irrelevance
A character-driven by the fear that they no longer matter, constantly seeking validation or pursuing extreme measures to stay important in their social or professional circles.
7. Addiction to Novelty
Someone who needs constant newness in their life, whether it’s experiences, relationships, or goals. They may abandon projects, people, or causes once the excitement fades, leaving destruction in their wake.
8. Compulsive Truth-Telling
A character who refuses to lie, even in situations where a lie or omission would be the kinder or more pragmatic choice. This flaw causes unnecessary conflict and social alienation.
9. Over-Identification with Others' Pain
Instead of empathy, this character feels others' pain too intensely, to the point that they can’t function properly in their own life. They’re paralyzed by the suffering of others and fail to act effectively.
10. Reluctant Power
A character who fears their own strength, talent, or influence and is constantly trying to shrink themselves to avoid the responsibility or consequences of wielding it.
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 
Looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Check out the rest of Quillology with Haya; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors! Instagram Tiktok
PS: This is my first short-form blog post! Lmk if you liked it and want to see more (I already have them scheduled you don't have a choice)
940 notes · View notes
nondelphic · 2 days
Text
starting a new project: excitement and joy.
middle of a project: why did i ever do this to myself?
449 notes · View notes
writers-potion · 3 days
Note
Hi there! Do you have any tips on how to write a secret society? Whether it's a good or evil society?
Writing Sauce for Secret Societies
Secret (Hidden) vs. Secretive/Classified
An important distinction to make while writing exclusive societies is the extent to which they shirk the eyes of the public and/or government:
“Secret” or “Hidden” societies push their existence under the rug. No one but the members know of their activities at all. (e.g. Camp Half-Blood from the Percy Jackson series, the wizarding society of the Harry Potter series)
“Secretive” or “classified” societies exist publicly with a clear purpose. However, the specifics of their activities are only disclosed to his members. (e.g. the CIA, higher-ranked military organizations)
While secret societies are often illegal, rebellious, or anarchist, secretive societies are legal and institutional. 
Here are some other elements that I think a secret society requires. The specifics of how these are implemented will depend on the size of your society. 
The Origin Story 
What is the society’s motto? Who created it? Why do the members/the public need it? 
A goddess creates a secret society of demigods to protect them from monsters. 
A professor creates a secret society to teach illegal materials to his best students. 
A society of the undead striving for survival on Earth after the
Membership Requirements & Rules
How many newbies? How are they recruited? Any consequences if prospective members fail? Any initiation practices? Consequences for breaking the rules? 
Inheriting a particular bloodline: demigods, half-angels/demons, royal blood, etc. 
Becoming a supernatural creature: vampire, zombie, werewolf, etc. 
A rigorous interview/testing process (could be similar to a job interview)
Sending prospective members on a dangerous mission 
Existing members paying prospective members a visit in the middle of the night
Sending out dream messages and instructions for initiation constantly until potential members are obliged to come.
The Cover-Up Story 
How does your society keep itself hidden? How do they cover up for their mistakes if classified information leaks out? 
Killing any witnesses and outsiders. 
Exerting control over media/news/government organizations (either back-door or legally)
Using a magical cover: memory-redaction, mist/veil that manipulates appearances, etc. 
The power bestowed by the society upon their members are immediately withdrawn upon excommunication or if they break rules 
The cover-up story has to be stronger for larger, ancient secret societies to make it plausible that they’ve managed to survive hidden. Think of strong mechanisms that makes it the members’ own interests to keep the society protected, even though it may cost them their life. 
Funding and Maintenance
Where does the society get its money/weapons/materials from? 
Generational wealth that the members’ family possess. 
Secret governmental/university funding, obtained under someone else’s name
Having members who are placed in high-ranking position in companies, banks, the government, etc. 
Could be as simple as a trust fund/endowment fund run under a fake name (e.g paper company, a fake family name that is handed down from one society leader to another) 
Hope this helps!
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* . ───
💎If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! Also, join my Tumblr writing community for some more fun.
💎Before you ask, check out my masterpost part 1 and part 2 
267 notes · View notes
writerthreads · 2 days
Text
Americanisms that annoy the crap out of me in writing
By Writerthreads
Welcome back to another post! Today is a little rant/PSA for all of you who use American English and terminology.
When I read books that are meant to portray British characters, I get so annoyed when I read jarring Americanisms. Here’s a list of them that are especially annoying (I’m sorry):
“Pants”
Pants = underwear. Every time I read something on Ao3 along the lines of “Harry spilled a cup of tea on his pants” I immediately think of him drinking said tea in his undies which is absolutely hilarious.
Somebody who can’t afford to go to the GP/hospital??
Hello, we have the NHS which is free at the point delivery!!! #rare uk w
I had to fully stop reading a fic when a British character couldn’t afford medical care and that was a whole plot-line.
As a medical student, this scenario is fully bizarre for me to comprehend. The only situation in which someone wouldn’t seem medical attention from my pov is if they don’t want to wait for hours at the A&E
Chips/crisps/fries omfg
Chips= the fatter ones you get with fish and chips
Tumblr media
Crisps: potato chips
Fries: the thinner ones from Maccies
Cookies vs biscuits
To this day, I still don’t fully get the cookie/biscuit thing but according to my British friends who get annoyed when I mix them up, biscuits are meant to be crunchier (eg. Chocolate digestives & jammie joggers), while cookies are softer, eg. chocolate chip cookies
Biscuits covered in gravy????
What is that. That is not a thing. The UK equivalent would be a scone (sweet, eaten with jam and clotted cream or smth like that and which one goes first is a whole debacle) or a Yorkshire pudding.
Accent/slang
Different people from different areas in the UK speak differently & have different vernacular. When who’s meant to be posh speaks in roadman talk, it’s the funniest thing ever, so please do research carefully!
Takeout
Unfortunately I do say this quite a bit, but people are saying this more in the UK now imo. Takeaway is the preferred term.
Fall
“It’s fall because the leaves fall form the treeeeees” no bro it’s autumn. I grimace every time I read this in a book set in the UK.
I could care less
Ok, then care less? It’s I couldn’t care less, which makes more sense anyways.
Fanny pack
Fannies mean something else in the UK lol. It’s a bum bag, but this term is used more now maybe?
Freshman year? College? Frats? Spring break?
We have a different education system :) uni is three years usually, colleges are halls at uni or sixth form colleges
Little annoyances:
Math: It’s maths. Mathematics.
Vacation: holiday (more interchangeable now tho)
“Line up”: “QUEUE up”
On accident: by accident
Trunk/hood: boot/bonnet (I do a weird mix and say boot/hood, my bad lol)
I drive stick vs I drive manual (learnt this from my ex). Most people in the UK (and Europe) drive manual because it’s supposedly superior
Movie: film (more interchangeable now)
Principal: headmaster/mistress
There’s probably a longer list somewhere…
Thank you for bearing with me. My friends are now subject to me saying ‘trousers’ every time they say ‘pants’, I can’t help it (help I’m getting colonised)
Also look up slang (esp slang from certain parts of London, or roadman slang), they’re hilarious and I can’t help but say some of them now (I blame my friends but honestly calling a meal a scran is so funny)
Anyways goodbye
51 notes · View notes
archaeren · 4 months
Text
How I learned to write smarter, not harder
(aka, how to write when you're hella ADHD lol)
A reader commented on my current long fic asking how I write so well. I replied with an essay of my honestly pretty non-standard writing advice (that they probably didn't actually want lol) Now I'm gonna share it with you guys and hopefully there's a few of you out there who will benefit from my past mistakes and find some useful advice in here. XD Since I started doing this stuff, which are all pretty easy changes to absorb into your process if you want to try them, I now almost never get writer's block.
The text of the original reply is indented, and I've added some additional commentary to expand upon and clarify some of the concepts.
As for writing well, I usually attribute it to the fact that I spent roughly four years in my late teens/early 20s writing text roleplay with a friend for hours every single day. Aside from the constant practice that provided, having a live audience immediately reacting to everything I wrote made me think a lot about how to make as many sentences as possible have maximum impact so that I could get that kind of fun reaction. (Which is another reason why comments like yours are so valuable to fanfic writers! <3) The other factors that have improved my writing are thus: 1. Writing nonlinearly. I used to write a whole story in order, from the first sentence onward. If there was a part I was excited to write, I slogged through everything to get there, thinking that it would be my reward once I finished everything that led up to that. It never worked. XD It was miserable. By the time I got to the part I wanted to write, I had beaten the scene to death in my head imagining all the ways I could write it, and it a) no longer interested me and b) could not live up to my expectations because I couldn't remember all my ideas I'd had for writing it. The scene came out mediocre and so did everything leading up to it. Since then, I learned through working on VN writing (I co-own a game studio and we have some visual novels that I write for) that I don't have to write linearly. If I'm inspired to write a scene, I just write it immediately. It usually comes out pretty good even in a first draft! But then I also have it for if I get more ideas for that scene later, and I can just edit them in. The scenes come out MUCH stronger because of this. And you know what else I discovered? Those scenes I slogged through before weren't scenes I had no inspiration for, I just didn't have any inspiration for them in that moment! I can't tell you how many times there was a scene I had no interest in writing, and then a week later I'd get struck by the perfect inspiration for it! Those are scenes I would have done a very mediocre job on, and now they can be some of the most powerful scenes because I gave them time to marinate. Inspiration isn't always linear, so writing doesn't have to be either!
Some people are the type that joyfully write linearly. I have a friend like this--she picks up the characters and just continues playing out the next scene. Her story progresses through the entire day-by-day lives of the characters; it never timeskips more than a few hours. She started writing and posting just eight months ago, she's about an eighth of the way through her planned fic timeline, and the content she has so far posted to AO3 for it is already 450,000 words long. But most of us are normal humans. We're not, for the most part, wired to create linearly. We consume linearly, we experience linearly, so we assume we must also create linearly. But actually, a lot of us really suffer from trying to force ourselves to create this way, and we might not even realize it. If you're the kind of person who thinks you need to carrot-on-a-stick yourself into writing by saving the fun part for when you finally write everything that happens before it: Stop. You're probably not a linear writer. You're making yourself suffer for no reason and your writing is probably suffering for it. At least give nonlinear writing a try before you assume you can't write if you're not baiting or forcing yourself into it!! Remember: Writing is fun. You do this because it's fun, because it's your hobby. If you're miserable 80% of the time you're doing it, you're probably doing it wrong!
2. Rereading my own work. I used to hate reading my own work. I wouldn't even edit it usually. I would write it and slap it online and try not to look at it again. XD Writing nonlinearly forced me to start rereading because I needed to make sure scenes connected together naturally and it also made it easier to get into the headspace of the story to keep writing and fill in the blanks and get new inspiration. Doing this built the editing process into my writing process--I would read a scene to get back in the headspace, dislike what I had written, and just clean it up on the fly. I still never ever sit down to 'edit' my work. I just reread it to prep for writing and it ends up editing itself. Many many scenes in this fic I have read probably a dozen times or more! (And now, I can actually reread my own work for enjoyment!) Another thing I found from doing this that it became easy to see patterns and themes in my work and strengthen them. Foreshadowing became easy. Setting up for jokes or plot points became easy. I didn't have to plan out my story in advance or write an outline, because the scenes themselves because a sort of living outline on their own. (Yes, despite all the foreshadowing and recurring thematic elements and secret hidden meanings sprinkled throughout this story, it actually never had an outline or a plan for any of that. It's all a natural byproduct of writing nonlinearly and rereading.)
Unpopular writing opinion time: You don't need to make a detailed outline.
Some people thrive on having an outline and planning out every detail before they sit down to write. But I know for a lot of us, we don't know how to write an outline or how to use it once we've written it. The idea of making one is daunting, and the advice that it's the only way to write or beat writer's block is demoralizing. So let me explain how I approach "outlining" which isn't really outlining at all.
I write in a Notion table, where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry. I do this because it makes writing nonlinearly VASTLY more intuitive and straightforward than writing in a single document. (If you're familiar with Notion, this probably makes perfect sense to you. If you're not, imagine something a little like a more contained Google Sheets, but every row has a title cell that opens into a unique Google Doc when you click on it. And it's not as slow and clunky as the Google suite lol) (Edit from the future: I answered an ask with more explanation on how I use Notion for non-linear writing here.) When I sit down to begin a new fic idea, I make a quick entry in the table for every scene I already know I'll want or need, with the entries titled with a couple words or a sentence that describes what will be in that scene so I'll remember it later. Basically, it's the most absolute bare-bones skeleton of what I vaguely know will probably happen in the story.
Then I start writing, wherever I want in the list. As I write, ideas for new scenes and new connections and themes will emerge over time, and I'll just slot them in between the original entries wherever they naturally fit, rearranging as necessary, so that I won't forget about them later when I'm ready to write them. As an example, my current long fic started with a list of roughly 35 scenes that I knew I wanted or needed, for a fic that will probably be around 100k words (which I didn't know at the time haha). As of this writing, it has expanded to 129 scenes. And since I write them directly in the page entries for the table, the fic is actually its own outline, without any additional effort on my part. As I said in the comment reply--a living outline!
This also made it easier to let go of the notion that I had to write something exactly right the first time. (People always say you should do this, but how many of us do? It's harder than it sounds! I didn't want to commit to editing later! I didn't want to reread my work! XD) I know I'm going to edit it naturally anyway, so I can feel okay giving myself permission to just write it approximately right and I can fix it later. And what I found from that was that sometimes what I believed was kind of meh when I wrote it was actually totally fine when I read it later! Sometimes the internal critic is actually wrong. 3. Marinating in the headspace of the story. For the first two months I worked on [fic], I did not consume any media other than [fandom the fic is in]. I didn't watch, read, or play anything else. Not even mobile games. (And there wasn't really much fan content for [fandom] to consume either. Still isn't, really. XD) This basically forced me to treat writing my story as my only source of entertainment, and kept me from getting distracted or inspired to write other ideas and abandon this one.
As an aside, I don't think this is a necessary step for writing, but if you really want to be productive in a short burst, I do highly recommend going on a media consumption hiatus. Not forever, obviously! Consuming media is a valuable tool for new inspiration, and reading other's work (both good and bad, as long as you think critically to identify the differences!) is an invaluable resource for improving your writing.
When I write, I usually lay down, close my eyes, and play the scene I'm interested in writing in my head. I even take a ten-minute nap now and then during this process. (I find being in a state of partial drowsiness, but not outright sleepiness, makes writing easier and better. Sleep helps the brain process and make connections!) Then I roll over to the laptop next to me and type up whatever I felt like worked for the scene. This may mean I write half a sentence at a time between intervals of closed-eye-time XD
People always say if you're stuck, you need to outline.
What they actually mean by that (whether they realize it or not) is that if you're stuck, you need to brainstorm. You need to marinate. You don't need to plan what you're doing, you just need to give yourself time to think about it!
What's another framing for brainstorming for your fic? Fantasizing about it! Planning is work, but fantasizing isn't.
You're already fantasizing about it, right? That's why you're writing it. Just direct that effort toward the scenes you're trying to write next! Close your eyes, lay back, and fantasize what the characters do and how they react.
And then quickly note down your inspirations so you don't forget, haha.
And if a scene is so boring to you that even fantasizing about it sucks--it's probably a bad scene.
If it's boring to write, it's going to be boring to read. Ask yourself why you wanted that scene. Is it even necessary? Can you cut it? Can you replace it with a different scene that serves the same purpose but approaches the problem from a different angle? If you can't remove the troublesome scene, what can you change about it that would make it interesting or exciting for you to write?
And I can't write sitting up to save my damn life. It's like my brain just stops working if I have to sit in a chair and stare at a computer screen. I need to be able to lie down, even if I don't use it! Talking walks and swinging in a hammock are also fantastic places to get scene ideas worked out, because the rhythmic motion also helps our brain process. It's just a little harder to work on a laptop in those scenarios. XD
In conclusion: Writing nonlinearly is an amazing tool for kicking writer's block to the curb. There's almost always some scene you'll want to write. If there isn't, you need to re-read or marinate.
Or you need to use the bathroom, eat something, or sleep. XD Seriously, if you're that stuck, assess your current physical condition. You might just be unable to focus because you're uncomfortable and you haven't realized it yet.
Anyway! I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting! XD Sorry again for the text wall. (I think this is the longest comment reply I've ever written!)
And same to you guys on tumblr--I hope this was helpful or at least interesting. XD Reblogs appreciated if so! (Maybe it'll help someone else!)
24K notes · View notes
aurora-the-kunoichi · 4 months
Text
Tumblr media
22K notes · View notes
arrowmoose · 4 months
Text
Tumblr media
I made a meme
26K notes · View notes
nondelphic · 2 days
Text
small reminder: the world needs your stories, even the ones you’re not sure are “good enough”
260 notes · View notes
writers-potion · 1 day
Note
Hi! I would like to ask if you could possibly give any tips on how to properly manage to introduce characters ?
Techniques for Character Introduction
There are many things you can consider for an impactful character introduction:
The Point of View of your novel
Whether your character is a POV character or not
The tone of your novel
What your character is like
In-Medias-Res
Immediately show the character in the middle of action.
Character(s) come into the scene running, fighting, laughing - whatever it is.
Good for leaving an impression
Could be an in-medias-res hook in the very opening of your novel, to introduce the main character.
Choose an action that "defines" the character. Perhaps it's something they do repeatedly (going to the gym at 5am every morning) or that shows a key part of their personality (digging through a large pile of laundry because they cannot keep their room clean)
Dialogue - Voice First
The character makes a voice entrance before we "see" them physically appear.
It helps the readers define the relationship between the character being introduced and the character that we've been following.
From Dan Brown's <Digital Fortress>:
"David?" "It's Strathmore," the voice replied. Susan slumped. "Oh," She was unable to hide her disappointment. "Good afternoon, Commander." "Hoping for a younger man?" The voice chuckled. "No, sir," Susan said.
In these few lines, we already know (1) Strathmore is Susan's boss, (2) quite high-ranking in some military/governmental/secret agency (commander??) (3) is male (4) has a sense of humor (5) seems to be quite friendly with his employees, etc.
By using phone conversations, you can also show how the POV/main character truly feels about the character on the phone - there's no need to make appearances. Perhaps they frown, or attempt to throw their phone on the wall in frustration while the other talks.
Via Another Character
This is where characters in the story talk about the characters even before they are introduced.
Often used with villains/characters with popularity in the story world.
Example: "You've heard of Joe, of course."/ "I'm sorry, who?" /"The president of Book Club? Red hair, freckles?"
Simple Intro with direct characterization
Sometimes, just writing a brief description about the character can be effective, especially if you have some backstory that really, really need to be there before the readers start following the character.
Here's a passage from Leigh Bardugo's <The Familiar>:
"Dona Valentina had been raised by two cold, distracted parents who felt little towards her beyond a vague sense of disappointment in her tepid beauty and the unlikelihood that she would make a good match. She hadn't. Don Marius Ordono possessed a dwindling fortune..."
The key here: provide interesting detail. There's no fun in saying, "Dona Valentina wasn't too pretty, so she had to marry Don Marius Ordono with little wealth." An image of a girl neglected by her parents and bartered for wealth is much more captivating.
Slow & Mysterious Setup
This one is harder to execute than the others on this list, but when done properly, it can produce a beautiful effect where the readers know who you're talking about without you ever having to name them.
An excellent example of this is how Marcus Zusak introduces Death (with capital D, who's the narrator of the story):
"I could introduce myself properly, but it's not really necessary. You will know me well enough and soon enough, depending on a diverse range of variables."
"Your soul will be in my arms." "I will carry you gently away."
Death continues to talk about his "job" like the above until it becomes enough for the reader to catch on.
Drop enough hints for your readers to recognize the character
Works best with an archetypal character - devil, vampire, demon, angels...some figure with distinct features that even when described mysteriously, will be noticeable.
Showing Attitude - For POV characters
Present a peculiar line of thought or show some attitude that makes the character immediately interesting.
This works wonderfully with POV characters - by giving the reader a crucial piece of the POV character's mindset to set the overall tone of the novel.
From Rick Riordan's <Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief>:
"Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. If you're reading this because you think you might be one, my advise is: close this book right now."
Percy (the POV character) goes on a bit like this before we get his name, etc. in the subsequent section.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* . ───
💎If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! Also, join my Tumblr writing community for some more fun.
💎Before you ask, check out my masterpost part 1 and part 2 
166 notes · View notes
graceless-writing · 1 year
Text
“How’s your WIP going?”
Tumblr media
"Have you made any progress?”
Tumblr media
“How close are you to being done?”
Tumblr media
58K notes · View notes
so-many-ocs · 11 months
Text
"why does writing take so long" because 60% of it is coming up with a sentence, realizing that sentence doesn't work the way you want it to, and staring at a wall
33K notes · View notes
deception-united · 6 months
Text
Writing Tips Master Post
Character writing/development:
Character Arcs
Making Character Profiles
Character Development
Comic Relief Arc
Internal Conflict
Character Voices
Creating Distinct Characters
Suicidal Urges/Martyr Complex
Creating Likeable Characters
Writing Strong Female Characters
Writing POC Characters
Building Tension
Plot devices/development:
Intrigue in Storytelling
Enemies to Lovers
Alternatives to Killing Characters
Worldbuilding
Misdirection
Consider Before Killing Characters
Foreshadowing
Narrative:
Emphasising the Stakes
Avoid Info-Dumping
Writing Without Dialogue
1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd Perspective
Fight Scenes (+ More)
Transitions
Pacing
Writing Prologues
Dialogue Tips
Writing War
Writing Cheating
Worldbuilding:
Worldbuilding: Questions to Consider
Creating Laws/Rules in Fantasy Worlds
Book writing:
Connected vs. Stand-Alone Series
A & B Stories
Writer resources:
Writing YouTube Channels, Podcasts, & Blogs
Online Writing Resources
Outlining/Writing/Editing Software
Writer help:
Losing Passion/Burnout
Overcoming Writer's Block
Fantasy terms:
How To Name Fantasy Races (Step-by-Step)
Naming Elemental Races
Naming Fire-Related Races
How To Name Fantasy Places
Ask games:
Character Ask Game #1
Character Ask Game #2
Character Ask Game #3
Miscellaneous:
1000 Follower Post
2000 Follower Poll
Writing Fantasy
19K notes · View notes
Text
🌸Describing Scents For Writers 🌸| List of Scents
Describing aromas can add a whole new layer to your storytelling, immersing your readers in the atmosphere of your scenes. Here's a categorized list of different words to help you describe scents in your writing.
🌿 Fresh & Clean Scents
Crisp
Clean
Pure
Refreshing
Invigorating
Bright
Zesty
Airy
Dewy
Herbal
Minty
Oceanic
Morning breeze
Green grass
Rain-kissed
🌼 Floral Scents
Fragrant
Sweet
Floral
Delicate
Perfumed
Lush
Blooming
Petaled
Jasmine
Rose-scented
Lavender
Hibiscus
Gardenia
Lilac
Wildflower
🍏 Fruity Scents
Juicy
Tangy
Sweet
Citrusy
Tropical
Ripe
Pungent
Tart
Berry-like
Melon-scented
Apple-blossom
Peachy
Grape-like
Banana-esque
Citrus burst
🍂 Earthy & Woody Scents
Musky
Earthy
Woody
Grounded
Rich
Smoky
Resinous
Pine-scented
Oak-like
Cedarwood
Amber
Mossy
Soil-rich
Sandalwood
Forest floor
☕ Spicy & Warm Scents
Spiced
Warm
Cozy
Inviting
Cinnamon-like
Clove-scented
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cardamom
Coffee-infused
Chocolatey
Vanilla-sweet
Toasted
Roasted
Hearth-like
🏭 Industrial & Chemical Scents
Metallic
Oily
Chemical
Synthetic
Acrid
Pungent
Foul
Musty
Smoky
Rubber-like
Diesel-scented
Gasoline
Paint-thinner
Industrial
Sharp
🍃 Natural & Herbal Scents
Herbal
Aromatic
Earthy
Leafy
Grass-like
Sage-scented
Basil-like
Thyme-infused
Rosemary
Chamomile
Green tea
Wild mint
Eucalyptus
Cinnamon-bark
Clary sage
🎉 Unique & Uncommon Scents
Antique
Nostalgic
Ethereal
Enigmatic
Exotic
Haunted
Mysterious
Eerie
Poignant
Dreamlike
Surreal
Enveloping
Mesmerizing
Captivating
Transcendent
I hope this list can help you with your writing. 🌷✨
Feel free to share your favorite scent descriptions in the replies below! What scents do you love to incorporate into your stories?
Happy Writing! - Rin T.
6K notes · View notes
writerthreads · 1 month
Text
How to avoid White Room Syndrome
by Writerthreads on Instagram
A common problem writers face is "white room syndrome"—when scenes feel like they’re happening in an empty white room. To avoid this, it's important to describe settings in a way that makes them feel real and alive, without overloading readers with too much detail. Here are a few tips below to help!
Focus on a few key details
You don’t need to describe everything in the scene—just pick a couple of specific, memorable details to bring the setting to life. Maybe it’s the creaky floorboards in an old house, the musty smell of a forgotten attic, or the soft hum of a refrigerator in a small kitchen. These little details help anchor the scene and give readers something to picture, without dragging the action with heaps of descriptions.
Engage the senses
Instead of just focusing on what characters can see, try to incorporate all five senses—what do they hear, smell, feel, or even taste? Describe the smell of fresh bread from a nearby bakery, or the damp chill of a foggy morning. This adds a lot of depth and make the location feel more real and imaginable.
Mix descriptions with actions
Have characters interact with the environment. How do your characters move through the space? Are they brushing their hands over a dusty bookshelf, shuffling through fallen leaves, or squeezing through a crowded subway car? Instead of dumping a paragraph of description, mix it in with the action or dialogue.
Use the setting to reflect a mood or theme
Sometimes, the setting can do more than just provide a backdrop—it can reinforce the mood of a scene or even reflect a theme in the story. A stormy night might enhance tension, while a warm, sunny day might highlight a moment of peace. The environment can add an extra layer to what’s happening symbolically.
Here's an example of writing a description that hopefully feels alive and realistic, without dragging the action:
The bookstore was tucked between two brick buildings, its faded sign creaking with every gust of wind. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of worn paper and dust, mingling with the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee from a corner café down the street. The wooden floorboards groaned as Ella wandered between the shelves, her fingertips brushing the spines of forgotten novels. Somewhere in the back, the soft sound of jazz crackled from an ancient radio.
Hope these tips help in your writing!
8K notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
I long to kill the writers block fairy
12K notes · View notes
thedeepbluedark · 2 months
Text
sitting down to write isn't really about creating a story, it's about getting the story onto the page before it destroys me
5K notes · View notes