#writing guides

[glowettee]

hiii angel! i was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to get out of the planning stage. i always plan everything super well (goals, assignments, new habits, etc.) but i can't seem to actually do what i set out to do. thank youuu <333

how to get out of the planning stage and take action

hiii angel!

so sorry this reply is a little late, currently have over 20 asks in my tumblr inbox and 39 submissions for glowettee hotline, + i've been busy with school!! <3 trying my best here 😭😭

i totally get where you're coming from. for the longest time, i've chatted with so many lovely souls who plan every detail down to the tiniest nuance but still find themselves stuck in that comfortable space called the planning stage. it's such a familiar feeling – the allure of a perfect plan is hard to resist, yet the leap from paper to action often feels like a giant jump into the unknown.

first off, it’s important to remember that planning is a beautiful part of who we are. i adore mapping out goals, assignments, and habits because it gives a sense of structure and purpose. however, when our plans become so intricate that they keep us from living and experimenting in the real world, they can inadvertently hold us back. so, here are some tips that might help you step out of the planning cocoon and into the vibrant dance of doing.

tip number one: break the step into a micro-action. instead of looking at a major goal as a single massive project, try to identify the tiniestttt action that will move you forward. for example, if your goal is to start a new habit like journaling, begin by simply writing one sentence a day. that small step feels almost trivial, but it lowers the barrier and starts a chain reaction. each micro-action is a little celebration of progress, and before you know it, you’re writing a full entry without even noticing how natural it has become. this is really helpful especially when you tend to procrastinate, (like mee) breaking down a task can be sooo helpful, and checking off little sub-tasks, getting closer to completing the base-task is so satisfying, just make sure to not have too many sub-tasks as it can get kind of overwhelming.

tip number two: embrace the idea of imperfection. our plans often feel like a promise to ourselves that everything must be flawlessly executed. but truthfully, life thrives on surprises and little missteps. give yourself the grace to experiment and to be imperfect. if you try something and it doesn’t go as planned, see it as a delightful learning curve rather than a failure. each imperfect attempt is closer to your goals, one that adds character and charm to your journey.

tip number three: set a playful deadline. if the thought of beginning feels overwhelming, create a fun, short timeframe for starting. set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and that period is solely dedicated to moving from planning into doing. it’s like a little challenge to yourself, a mini-adventure that transforms the abstract into something tangible. when you’re engaged in this light, timed action, the pressure of perfection fades into the background. i tried this multiple times, for example, after i planned out a workout routine that totaled up to 35 minutes, i ended up procrastinating and not doing it, until i decided to set a timer for 10 minutes and i did a few exercises from the routine i planned, and accomplished about 6 of them! it make me feel so good and a day later i ended up doing the full routine, and now i do it everyday <33

tip number four: share your dream out loud. there’s something incredibly powerful about voicing your plans. it doesn't matter if you chat with a friend, jot your intentions in a personal note, or even share a snippet on your blog, you invite accountability into your space. hearing your plans out loud can make them feel more real, shifting them from thoughts into your life’s reality. i see a lot of tumblr blogs do it, for example the 100-day productivity challenge, it's super common on here. it not only adds commitment but might also bring unexpected encouragement or fresh perspectives from someone who gets you.

tip number five: create an action ritual. sometimes, a gentle ritual can signal your brain that it’s time to switch from planning mode to action mode. for me, it might be making a delciiousss smoothie (i love doing this), or playing a specific calming spotify playlist, or simply taking a few deep breaths before diving in. if you try to create a little ritual, you’re setting a clear boundary, a small, charming ceremony that honors both your planning side and your doing side.

tip number six: allow for what i call a “trial and error” mindset. instead of pressing yourself to hit the bullseye on the first try, treat every action as a cutseyy experiment. consider each attempt a hypothesis, and your goal is simply to learn something new from each experiment. this mindset not only reduces the fear of failure but also makes the journey more about self-discovery than about ticking off checklists. over time, each experiment, regardless of the outcome, becomes a stepping stone toward more confident actions.

tip number seven: mix planning with spontaneity. while it might sound contradictory, mixing your structured plans with unscheduled moments of spontaneity can really shake things up. allow yourself a bit of wiggle room in your schedule, moments where you simply go with the flow. these spontaneous choices can open up creative pathways that a strictly planned day might suppress. sometimes, the best discoveries come when you let go and simply enjoy the moment.

tip number eight: reflect on your “why.” before diving into any action, it can help to take a step back and remind yourself why you started planning in the first place. reconnect with the heart of your goal, the emotion behind it, this can be for personal growth, academic success, or simply the joy of creating something new. that connection, that inner spark, can serve as a strong motivator to nudge you out of over-analysis and into real action.

little note from mindy: planning is an art form and a comfort zone, but it’s not the destination. it’s a gentle stepping stone to a world of possibilities where every little step forward counts. your plans are a lovely blueprint, and nothing is more exciting than watching those blueprints come to life bit by bit. take a deep breath, trust in your instincts, and let your actions bloom and flow naturally.

i hope these tips bring a bit of encouragement and help you balance between the beauty of planning and the thrill of doing. sometimes, the journey itself is a mix of trials, errors, and surprising successes. but i assure you, it's all a part of the process.

thank you for sharing your thoughts and for trusting me with your question. your journey is uniquely yours, and your honesty in sharing these challenges is something to celebrate. keep planning, keep dreaming, and most importantly, find joy in taking those small yet bold steps forward.

love, mindy

[tlbodine]

Periodic Reminder...

That I sell in-depth writing guides packed with actual, practical advice. I don't tell you what you're "supposed" to do or take a hardline stance on rules -- I just explain how, mechanically, certain things can work and be used for various effects. It's an approach to writing advice I don't see as often as I should.

Go scope out my Gumroad shop to see if there's anything that strikes your fancy: https://tlbodine.gumroad.com/

[recurringwriter]

Unusual Writing Exercises - Full Collection Available!

In this bundle, get 4 batches of writing exercises for $8CAD! These include:

(Tension, Outlining, Story Structure) 6 exercises

(Plotting, Conflict) 3 exercises

(Characterization, Dialogue) 4 exercises

(Setting, Description, Detail) 8 exercises

All of them feature creative ways to think about the different aspects of a story, using your own work in progress, stories you know and love, or whatever works for you! If regular writing prompts or exercises are hard for you but you still want to stretch your writing acumen, these attempt to feel relevant to your interests and genres. Find the bundle here, and the individual collections separately on my Ko-Fi shop:

[olis-inkwell-symposium]

Oli’s Inkwell Pinned Post

Welcome to Oli’s Inkwell Symposium!

Here, we help stories take shape, worlds come alive, and characters leap off the page. Whether you’re here for writing advice, world-building tips, or to dive deeper into character development, you’ve come to the right place.

My goal is to help you harness your creativity and bring your ideas to life, regardless of your writing journey. From crafting complex relationships to building immersive settings, I’m here to guide you through every storytelling aspect.

For a glimpse of my writing in action, head over to @oliolioxenfreewrites.

[akaessi]

this trend of trying to market bonafide published books with the tropes inside like it's a fan fiction is actually embarrassing "enemies to lovers, one bed trope, he falls first, morally grey FMC, blah blah blah"

stop trying to co-op fan fiction terminology to artificially build up a fanbase for a work you refuse to describe to us. why should I care what "tags," if you will, this work could have applied to it when I know nothing about the plot or the characters and fundamentally don't care about them yet?

[emilyoracle]

If you're looking for writing tips

My guides and tip posts are still getting lots of reblogs despite my inactivity, and I'm so glad people are finding them helpful!

However, if you'd like to read the more updated, polished versions of my old tumblr guides and have access to new ones, I have a Substack where I've put them. A lot of points in the old guides have been expanded upon or clarified, so I think it would be beneficial to take a look even if you've already read them!

Lots of people are continuing to follow my tumblr and I assume it's for my writing guides, but I likely won't be posting any more here. Future writing tips will go on my Substack, so please take a look!

Here's my newest guide:

[dnschmidt]

Types of Characters in Fiction: The Ultimate Guide

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

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

[starchilddantewrites]

C.S. Lewis's writing guide is one to be taken with not just one but MANY grains of salt.

He's a significantly older author than Stephen King, though I'm not sure if that's what makes him quite so pompous.

There is still good practical advice, but I would caution you before reading to know that C.S. Lewis can come off as very arrogant in this book. (A pompous twat, if you will.)

There is no significant religious commentary, even though C.S. Lewis is the author of The Chronicles of Narnia.

While it isn't necessarily terrible, there are certainly better writing guides to read.

[owilder]

The most important element of show don't tell is not show don't tell itself. It's what you show has to back up what you tell.

[storybook-lili]

Anyone here on the website of the tumblr know of any guides or have any tips on creating and writing a detailed fictional religion for your story???

[lifeinacartoon]

Character Development: The Heartbeat of Unforgettable Fiction

Creating well-rounded and relatable characters is a crucial aspect of effective fiction writing. Characters are the heart of a story, and readers often connect with and become emotionally invested in them. To develop compelling characters, consider the following elements:

Character Profiles:

Physical Appearance: Describe the character's physical features, such as age, gender, height, hair colour, and clothing style. These details help readers form a mental image.

Personality Traits: Develop a list of personality traits that define the character's temperament, beliefs, and behaviours. Think about their strengths, weaknesses, quirks, and flaws.

Backstory: Create a history for your character, including their upbringing, family background, past experiences, and significant life events. These elements shape their motivations and decisions in the story.

Motivations and Goals: Understand what drives your character. What are their short-term and long-term goals? What do they desire or fear?

Conflict and Obstacles: Identify the challenges and conflicts your character will face throughout the story. How do these challenges align with or challenge their goals and motivations?

Character Arcs:

Static vs. Dynamic Characters: Decide whether your character will undergo significant change (dynamic) or remain relatively unchanged (static) by the end of the story. Both have their merits, but dynamic characters often make for more engaging protagonists.

Arc Types: Common character arcs include the Hero's Journey (a transformation from a flawed individual to a hero), the Redemption Arc (a character seeking redemption for past mistakes), and the Coming-of-Age Arc (a character's growth and maturity). Choose an arc that suits your story and character.

Internal and External Arcs: Characters can experience internal changes (emotional, psychological) and external changes (achieving goals, overcoming obstacles). A well-rounded character often has both types of arcs.

Relatability and Empathy:

Give your characters relatable qualities, such as flaws, insecurities, and vulnerabilities. Readers are more likely to connect with imperfect characters.

Show characters facing dilemmas and making choices that readers can understand, even if they don't always agree with them.

Use the "show, don't tell" technique to reveal a character's thoughts, feelings, and experiences through their actions, dialogue, and reactions to situations.

Character Development Throughout the Story:

As characters face challenges and conflicts, it's important for them to evolve and develop. Their beliefs, values, and priorities may change over time.

Foreshadow character development early in the story to make it feel organic and earned.

Consistency is key—ensure that characters' actions and decisions align with their established traits and motivations.

Supporting Characters:

Supporting characters should also be well-rounded and serve a purpose in the story, whether it's to provide contrast, offer guidance, or introduce conflict.

Each supporting character should have their own motivations and arcs, even if they are not as central to the story as the protagonist.

Dialogue and Interaction:

Use dialogue to reveal character traits, relationships, and conflicts. Characters should have distinctive voices and speak in a manner consistent with their personalities.

Pay attention to how characters interact with each other. Their relationships and conflicts can drive the narrative and add depth to their development.

In summary, character development is a vital element of storytelling. Well-rounded and relatable characters with clear profiles, arcs, and motivations can draw readers into your fictional world and make them emotionally invested in the narrative. By creating characters with depth and complexity, you can elevate the impact and resonance of your storytelling.

[drmarkgreene]

Ok, so I did a thing, and went ahead to make @cartersources; which is my new Tumblr where you can commission me to make stuff. PSDs, actions, and even writing guides. I am connected to Ko-Fi and I definitely need to make some cash! It will help me pay for my HRT (it’s testosterone, which I have been on for 6 months now!!) and other important expenses like other medicines I have to take. 

I live on less than $1000 a month and I don’t have insurance. I need to get my teeth fixed so I am saving for that, too. God bless America, am I right? Ugh. 

Anyway, thank you for reading this and please go follow. I follow back from here.

[recurringwriter]

Writing Exercises: Setting, Description, Detail

I've made a collection of 8 writing exercises for people who want to improve their craft and zero in on setting and description. These activities range from observing the physical world to using your own creativity. If you have no current WIP, but want to stretch your writing muscle, you're covered. If you have a favourite character or an original setting or existing project, there's something for you, as well!

Check it out on my Ko-Fi here:

It's $3CAD for this set, and more exercises are on the way dealing with characterization/dialogue, plot/conflict, and tension/story structure!

[allthewriteplaces]

Saving this for when I go through the second draft of my novel!

Showing Romantic Feelings Without Kissing

Let’s be real, the biggest way to show romantic attention between characters is through kissing. However, your characters shouldn’t have to kiss in order for it to be obvious that they’re in love. Here are some other ways to show that connection!

Hand holding

Sitting close to one another

Quick hugs

Secret glances

Light touches (arms, legs, etc.)

Napping together

Making sure the other eats/drinks

Inside jokes

Fixing the other’s clothing

Laughing way too hard at the other’s jokes

Going on walks together

Looking at something and wanting to show the other immediately

Late night walks/talks

Going to one another for advice

Leaning on each other’s shoulders

Driving each other home after a long day

Sharing drinks/food

Sharing clothing

Helping each other with work/other tasks

Incoherent bickering over nothing

Feeling possessive of one another (to a certain extent)

Telling each other’s friends about one another

[frownyalfred]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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