#writing the next scene of my script and this occurred to me

[she-posts-nerdy-stuff]

Okay maybe I’m just late to the party realising this but you guys when Kaz talks about Geels and his girlfriend in chapter 2 of Six of Crows is it meant to be implicit reference to him and Inej as a set up for the rest of the duology???

This is the quote that made me think this just now:

“You love her, don’t you? Of course you do, no-one that fine should have ever looked twice at Barrel scum like you but she’s different. She finds you charming. Sure sign of madness if you ask me, but love is strange that way”

And then that’s followed by Geels giving up on all the planning and scheming he’s done to be able to kill Kaz so that Kaz won’t hurt Elise!?

The entire scene is about Kaz trusting Inej blindly to get to the other guard on time and save his life??

They talk about *geraniums* in the window box of 19 Burdtradt!!?????

The more I think about this the more I love it but idk maybe I’m reading into it too much? Lemme know what you guys think

[tlbodine]

Stuck? Try junebugging.

I don't know who needs to hear this, but we're 5 days into nanowrimo so maybe this will be helpful.

Do you want the safety and surety of knowing what happens next in your story but can't stick to an outline? Does knowing in advance what will happen suck the joy out of discovery writing? Do you try to wing it through plots but get tangled in plot holes or have a story that runs out of steam because you can't figure out what went wrong? Are you at your most creative when you have a little bit of guidance? Do you tend to under-write? Do you get ideas in your head for random scenes and snippets that drop from the sky without context?

If any of these apply to you, junebugging a draft might be for you!

What Is Junebugging?

Since you're on Tumblr, you might already be familiar with the concept of junebugging as it relates to cleaning. If not -- I think the idea was first introduced to me by @jumpingjacktrash.

The basic idea is that you tackle cleaning by way of controlled chaos. You pick a specific area you want to focus on, like your kitchen sink, and then wander off to deal with other things as they occur to you, but always returning back to that area. You end up cleaning a little bit at a time in an order that may not make sense to an outsider but which keeps you from getting overwhelmed and discouraged.

How Does Junebugging Work in Writing?

OK, so that's great, but how does this work with writing? Well. In my case, the general idea is to jump between writing linearly, outlining, and writing out of order. It usually looks something like:

Start free-writing a scene, feeling my way through it and enjoying the discovery process.

Thinking, ok, now I have this scene, did anything need to happen to lead up to it? Do I need to go back and add some foreshadowing? Does this scene set anything up that needs to be paid off? And then jump forward/back to make those adjustments.

I'll usually have a bunch of disconnected ideas of ideas that have popped into my head, so I'll write those down in a list somewhere and then try to figure out what goes in between them and what order it goes in.

I'll write what I call "micro-scenes" which is where I'll just sketch out a few essential elements of what's going on without worrying too much about details, description, etc. -- just he did this, she said that, the setting was this, real bare-bones script. Then I can come back through and flesh out each of those microscenes into an actual scene later.

Got a story that has a complex structure? No problem. Write through each storyline one at a time and then chop them up and weave them together afterward. Write all the B plot scenes first then come back through to do A plot and C plot. Move the pieces around like legos. No one ever has to know.

This method works for me because I can't "decide" story elements in advance. I have never been able to just sit down and "figure out" what happens in a story beyond a couple steps ahead -- I have to discovery-write my way forward. But at the same time, that gets really daunting. So I zoom forward with micro-scenes, roughing out the beats in the most bare-bones way possible, then when I run out of clear vision for what happens next I backtrack, flesh out those scenes, build in connective tissue, etc. and by then I will probably find more inspiration to jump forward.

It's basically folding drafting, outlining, and revising all together into a single phase of writing, which is chaotic and goes against everything people teach you, but if it works? then it fuckin works.

Anyway, sorry for the jumbled-up post, I'm dashing this off quickly while I heat up a pizza and I'm about to dive back into my WIP -- but I hope this was a little helpful. If nothing else, take this as my blanket permission that it's 100% OK to jump around, write out of order, write messy, outline sometimes, pants sometimes, and do whatever else it takes just to get through the story. You've got this. Good luck.

[dean-winchesters-clit]

I have a theory about the second season

It stems from these two shots:

I don't think they happen in the same scene. Obviously, it would be really cool if they did and I will happily eat my words if they do, but in my personal and almost-expert opinion, I believe these are two scenes that are meant to parallel one another rather than be two shots in the same scene.

Firstly, the lighting is completely different in both shots. Ed is cast in flat, white light and Stede is backlit by a warm sunset. Continuity is so important when making movies or tv shows that there is a person on set whose entire job is to make sure everything stays within the continuity of the script. They would never have two shots in the same scene with entirely different lighting. The weather is also different in both shots: overcast in the shot with Ed and sunny in the shot with Stede. So, two different scenes.

This got me thinking. Why would there be two scenes on the same beach that appear to parallel one another? Well, I've got a theory, and I think I know the sequence of some of the events being showcased in the trailer.

First is Stede throwing the bottle message into the sea.

This is quickly followed by the scene at the market where Stede finds Ed's wanted poster and has that little interaction with Oluwande and mysterious woman's voice (which could either be Anne Bonny or Definitely-Just-a-Humble-Merchant-and-Not-a-Badass-Chinese-Pirate Susan).

I think this is potentially when we get our scene with Anne who agrees to help Stede because he helped get Calico Jack killed and maybe that's why she kisses him? Just a hunch.

Then we get our wedding scene and Ed moping about with the little figures.

Then we get our storm and Ed falling into the ocean. The next morning, he walks onto the shore of a deserted island.

This is when Ed has his scuffle with the British soldier. Notice how the lighting and weather is the same in both shots.

He then walks into the forest and finds the camp with the mysterious figure dressed in white (maybe a ghost?)

We don't have enough info to know exactly what happens to Ed next, but I think he'll find Stede's message in a bottle while he's here.

Back with Stede and Anne and the rest of the crew, they arrive on the Revenge not long after the storm and find everyone frantic because Ed is gone and the British are out to get him and they need to find him before he gets killed or captured. So, Stede and Izzy agree to work together to find him, and Izzy starts teaching Stede how to be a proper pirate.

Time passes, shenanigans occur, and they eventually find the island. That's where we get our parallel scene where Stede fights a British soldier on the same beach where Ed had been, showcasing his newfound confidence as a fighter.

Anyway, that's my theory. If you want to see me write a fic about it, hound me in my inbox or the tags.

[masterjedilenawrites]

I don't know if your still taking requests if you aren't ignore/delete this 😅 I just really love your writing and wanted to shoot my shot

Can I have reader who is a virgin and is bestfriends with love interest(s) and they confide in them that they could only have sex with someone they REALLY trust but later they ask "hey I know this is weird but I don't want to be a virgin anymore and I trust you to know you won't hurt me but can you be my first? You could say no and we could pretend this never happened but I'm just tired of being a virgin" if they end up being romantically involved is up to you

I want this with Din and Boba and Cobb Vanth (if you don't write for him that's cool) and Luke

Fem!reader x Boba, Cobb, or Din | 458k words

Content: virginity, propositioning a friend, short intro with links to full smut fics

Okay okay okay, this prompt made me go just a little bit insane, and I tried to do simple headcanons, I really did, but in the end I couldn't help but write out smutty one shots instead 😈

So let's turn this into a choose-your-own adventure thing. Here's an introduction to set the scene, and then you'll have a choice of what happens next, each leading to one of three characters - Din, Boba, or Cobb (sorry I couldn't find the inspiration to write for Luke in this scenario!) Pick one or pick them all!

[18+ only below the cut, please and thank you]

Your best friend sat at the edge of the dock, feet dangling off the side as he gazed out at the water twinkling in the moonlight. You stared at his back for a moment as you steeled your resolve. With a final, determined breath, you pushed yourself forward and sat beside him.

"Hey," you said with a nervous breathiness to your voice. He looked over at you in concern. "Scary today, huh?"

"Yeah," he agreed with a nod. You'd almost died in a firefight earlier that day. "Are you okay?"

"I am..." you said slowly, trying to find a way to transition into the script you'd prepared for yourself.

"What's wrong?"

You could never hide your true emotions from him. You looked over and gave a sheepish grin.

"This is going to sound weird, but there was something that occurred to me, when I thought my life was over. I thought... well, I thought what a shame that I was going to die a virgin."

You shifted to look at him square on and quickly dove into your speech, before he had a chance to react.

"I know, I know, it shouldn't be such a big deal. It's just that, I want that experience. And I want it with someone I know and trust. That's what's made it so hard to have happen. I haven't found the right person yet. And today made me realize that maybe I never will. Which is so not fair, because so many people have sex, no problem, so why can't I? Why am I holding myself back? Especially when..."

You faltered and averted your gaze, not wanting to see any part of him for fear you'd find him pulling away.

"Especially when... what?" he prompted. At least he was still paying attention and not completely repulsed by the awkward topic of conversation. But you couldn't really tell by his voice how he felt about it. So you took in another big breath and gave him a meaningful look.

"Especially when there is someone in my life I know and trust."

Silence. You swallowed hard, doubt starting to overtake you, regret at having gone through with this at all.

"I'm not looking for love or anything," you quickly threw out there, shifting yourself to turn back away. "And you can totally say no, and we can just forget I ever said anything. I just... I'm tired of being a virgin and I'd trust you to be my first, is all."

You looked down into your lap and swung your legs back and forth, hoping to heaven the heat in your cheeks wasn't actually visible. You might have just ruined a perfectly good friendship and all for what... sex? Were you really that desperate?

Option 1: "Darling" - But then you felt him move beside you; not away, but closer. Hope overshadowed doubt and you lifted your eyes...

Option 2: "Cyare" - The silence continued, save for the gentle lapping of water against the dock below. You felt your stomach twisting and tears brimming along your eyes...

Option 3: "Mesh'la" - At first, all you could hear was your own heart thumping in your ears. But then you realized beyond that, there was a low, gentle chuckle...

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🔥 Spice Time Master List | 🌙 Master List of Master Lists

[blueberryjam1201]

The Moon movie

Director: Kim Yong-Hwa

Producer: Choi Ji-Sun

Release Date: August 2, 2023

Runtime: 129 min.

Distributor: CJ Entertainment

Country: South Korea

Cast: Doh KyungSoo, Sol KyungGu, Hong SeungHee, Kim HeeAe

Finally, I was able to watch this breathtaking movie and I wish to share a couple of words.

All under the cut together with few snaps🍪🍪🍪

If you still haven’t watched, please take note this review consists of many spoilers!

Enjoy!❤️

First couple of minutes we learned about past events, which was a great idea because we would not waste time later with explanations.

Woori - the lunar spaceship is heading for the moon together with three astronauts. However, an unfortunate accident occurs, and two of them lose their lives, leaving SunWoo - the main character alone in space, fighting for life.

Accidents are happening one after another. An eventful two-hour movie run is holding us at the end of our seats almost all the time! SunWoo is receiving indescribable help and thanks to that he survives.

Now, I'll write my personal opinion which is both Yes and Nay nay.

The positive part:

Firstly, I am in love with this movie's visuals and animation. I could make a screenshot for most of the views and places, print it on a canvas and hang it on the wall all over my home!

Smart choice of music used.

Actors are a heaven. I am KyungSoo biased, but they all had a big impact on the script.

If we're talking about THE acting that made us forget how to breathe, then it will definitely be KyungSoo, Kyunggu and HeeAe! All three were fabulous and carried this movie on their back.

If we are speaking about the comedy side, yes we had it! Special thanks to Jo HanChul who made sure to make us smile every time he is on the screen.

...and! Hong SeungHee, this girl! She made me laugh a lot, but her character was a crucial part of the main plot. Her ideas were like a breath of fresh air. And even if she every time made us laugh, thanks to her SunWoo was able to be heard by the world. Recording his voice and streaming it on YouTube. Funny but at the same time the most effective.

I hope she and KyungSoo will have a drama together in the near future.

The Nay nay:

As I mentioned before, this is my personal. I didn't like the way SangWon died. He was badly injured so should be e.g. floating powerlessly and speaking with SunWoo by communicator, but he just stood next to the widow, which was weird. And the way they talked was a little comical, I laughed inside...

I didn't like the timing of the scene when SunWoo was upset with ex-director, blaming his father's death on him and acting like a spoiled brat. I get it! But, just a few seconds ago he was crying, fighting for life and survived thanks to this man! Maybe it's just me but this doesn't seem in place.

That's not a bad point, just a side note - don't expect a thirsty, cold-blooded, heartbreaking thriller.

This movie was made for everyone and I was totally happy with this. Take your son, mother, grandmother, husband, or whoever you wish to!

Summary:

The scene where SunWoo is landing on a near side of the moon will make everyone tear up, I guarantee! I have many favourite scenes but the last 20 minutes including the post-credit scene I can count as one long favourite.

If you are looking for this kind of drama which will take you for a long space journey, with an eventful plot and no filler scenes, top notch actors, and gold jokes then I recommend this movie for you!

It will stay for a long time on my favorite list.

Meanwhile, thanks for reading.

If you made it to the end, please check the caps below and leave a heart ❤️

Thanks!

[writergeekrhw]

How do you develop a mystery story? Like do you have the mystery solved and work backwards? I have ideas for mysteries but not entirely sure how to plot them.

A) That's not a simple question. That's a whole class. But the very very short version...

You can start with anything. A great solve, a surprising twist. A startling body-drop. What I basically do is write any of those that would occur to me on a card and pin it on a cork board. When it's time for a new story, I look at the board and gather any cards that feel like they might go together. Then I put them in order and wonder how I can get from one to the next logically.

Remember, in a good mystery, every scene is a domino that falls and hits the next scene, either by answering a question it poses, or by refuting some conclusion and requiring a new approach.

Accumulate cards by coming up with fun scenes, putting them in order, and filling the gap. Then, and this is important... WRITE AN OUTLINE. It doesn't have to be formal since it's just for you, but you should write out the scenes in order with a who, what, where, why, how for each and how it propels you into the next scene (with a new clue or understanding or suspect, etc). In my opinion, it's not a good idea start writing a mystery without an outline. Since structure is important, you need to have an idea of your structure before you start or you're probably going to get in trouble.

Okay, NOW start writing the script.

Good luck!

[holyschnitzel]

I hope you're doing well, and welcome to tumblr! I have a question that's sort of related to BC but not entirely;;;

How did you get started with using renpy? Do you find working with the engine to be fun? Also, and you can skip this if you don't know what to say, how is structuring a story different for a VN compared to other forms of media?

Thank you so much for all the work you and Blastic do on BC. It's been incredible so far, and I'm excited to see what comes next!

thank you, anon! ^o^ we appreciate your support <3

we used to have a programmer on the team, but he had less and less time, so I wanted to help and started to learn a bit about RenPy. after communication had completely died down, I ended up becoming the programmer. writing code is fun, but also very frustrating at times. it wouldn't surprise me if that's one of the reasons why some people quit xD one must have patience and nerves for that ^^

oof. that's a difficult question 🤔 I don't think it's much different, really? at least not for me. I mean, I'm writing a script that is very similar to that of a movie. I try to divide each chapter into roughly 3 acts and also make notes of where sounds and music occur and how the scene should unfold in RenPy. but I think VNs at least allow for a more complete experience with the plot, the world, and the characters, since films and such are always limited to time.

thank you for your questions, I hope you find my answer satisfactory. have a wonderful day/ night 😊 

[inu-jiru]

HB S2E4 Thoughts

Gonna get this out while the episode’s still kinda fresh in my mind, also, again, no I’m not gonna stop watching this stupid show and I won’t stop ranting about it because it’s funny and if that’s a problem, then tough shit.

ANYWAY

I can’t decide where I’d rank this episode. It feels like each episode is worse than the last, but this episode is special for a variety of reasons. For one, I really thought it would be longer and not just 18 minutes. The pacing was ridiculous and that’s saying a lot. As shitty as Ep. 3 was, at least I was engaged at certain points, while here, everything felt like one huge joke that ended with “sad Stolas sniff sniff oh Blizo cares I guesss :C :C :C” I’ve seen people say this episode is decent, but...no??? I like Striker and all but even he got fucked in this episode. Lemme try and list some shit out so I’m no writing a wall of text:

- Loona’s plot was pointless, but I’ve been made aware of her VAs irl situation that was most likely occurring at the time the episode was being made, and I won’t be making a joke out of that. If it was too late to properly make changes to the script, then I can forgive the inclusion. The only thing I really liked about them was that there was effort to do SOME worldbuilding with imp racism. I also found the doctor really cute; I was wondering what ring the Baphomets were native to and now I know.

- The main plot was...wow. I’ve seen people talk about the behind the scenes stuff with Stella and Andrealphus and I was so nervous that it would appear and it kinda did and LIKE? WHY? I could be looking too deeply into it but it really feels like they were doing weird, incest-y vibes, and what creeps me out about it is how childish Stella is in this episode. She has this one-tract mind and has to be explained shit that realistically she should already know, like she’s fucking 5, and that plus the incest vibes gives some bad implications. I doubt the shit will be looked into in any meaningful way but stay classy, Viv.

Incest aside, so cute how Andrealphus has to be the brains behind the situation. A woman CANNOT do anything for herself or think logically in HB. Andrealphus’ plan doesn’t make any sense either. Don’t kill Stolas and manipulate money and power out of him...somehow? Are people just forgetting Ozzie’s? Do people STILL not realize Blitzo has a Grimore? Shouldn’t Stolas be ruined already? Even if he wasn’t, killing Stolas and manipulating Octavia while she’s in the mourning stages would be a much simpler plan then whatever’s coming next. I know they don’t have the guts to kill Stolas but make it make sense PLEASE.

- Striker was ruined for me, honestly. I wasn’t his number one fan or anything but I thought he was interesting, but here he’s just some moron with a secret lair that gets revealed in two seconds by the Rango-Ripoff mariachi band, and keeps getting all his quips and shit ruined by Stolas “I can’t think of anything except dick” Goetia. I can’t even be interested in what he said about losing someone to the Goetia because Vivzie HAS to do some jokey, memey shit with her villains every five seconds. Crimson, as stupid as his plans were, was far more serious, and that’s a problem.

- M&M were just there, like, their rematch didn’t even feel like a dramatic part two, and Moxxie fighting those guys at the gas station really spits in the face of “you’re strong for both of us” and the previous episode.

- Blitzo. Blitzo Buckzo. How do you get surprised that Stolas can get hurt when you LITERALLY saw Striker aiming a blessed gun at him. I’m so sick and tired of this show pretending like there’s something there between him and Stolas. There’s not. There’s nothing. Blitzo is just blasé until the plot NEEDS him to suddenly look sad or sound sad and then it’s right back to “Ugh Stolas what do u want” in the next episode. What’s really cute is that I know there’s gonna be post after post about how deep the last minute of the episode was and how Blitzo is just so afraid to show love :C and how Stolas is blah blah blah, which is ironic because these are the same people who say “oh it’s just a cartoon”, “oh it’s a comedy” “it’s hell so who cares”. Well, I don’t care so I guess if that’s what Viv was going for then congrats.

- Stolas had no reason to stand there for 3 seconds looking at Striker and not doing anything. And why didn’t he just go full demon and eat that bitch, like fuck would it kill you to be smart, my dude? I don’t even know why Stella had this happen, like what if Striker decided to go for a two for one and blast her as well? What if she got caught in the crossfire? WHERE WAS OCTAVIA IN THIS EPISODE?

Shit, that’s all I got for now. The more I think about this episode the funnier it gets to me ngl

[astrovian]

Summary of main points/new info from Richard Armitage's interview on Writers Pod:

- When Audible originally approached Richard, they asked specifically for a crime/thriller novel but wanted it to be ghost-written. Richard balked at this, as he didn't want to be reading someone else's words and passing them off as his own ("I couldn't read someone else's words as if they were mine"), so enthusiastically accepted the project with the caveat that he got to write it himself. This made Audible concerned ("Can he even write?"), but Richard submitted a plot outline as well as a writing sample which convinced Audible to drop the ghost-writing idea

- Geneva was written mostly in hotel rooms, including during filming for The Man From Rome and Stay Close, on his days off or on the weekends

- He was writing in both Ulysses and Word (on both his iPad and Laptop) but would have preferred to write with pen and paper. He has no idea what font he wrote in - just whatever the default is

- When shooting for a show/film, Richard looks at the next day's scene as the last thing he does before he sleeps, and he did the same for Geneva, reading through his plan for the chapter that he wanted to write the next day directly before going to sleep. The next day, he would get up, eat, go for a run, let the ideas he'd either come up with overnight or that morning soak in, and then come back in the afternoon and write it down. He would keep going, writing in free-flowing style as the ideas and words came into his head, and would end up staying up writing to 2am sometimes. He would then leave what he had written for a few days and come back to it later to start polishing and editing

- Exactly like he does when he is acting, RA keeps a black notebook behind his bed to jot notes from dreams down in

- When dealing with writer's block, Richard would focus on structuring the chapter instead e.g. the 'dot-to-dot' of what would happen in the chapter, creating a skeleton structure with gaps to fill in later. Richard credits his experiences with acting, which he refers to as a structured discipline (and because shooting always occurs out of sequence) as what made it easy for him mentally to write chapters out of order and leave gaps in them to come back to later when he felt inspiration strike

- When writing, Richard ended up imagining this story as his TV show/movie without realising it, picturing each scene (chapter) in his head and then writing that down

- "My brain works in a very visual way, my script margins are fill of pictures and images"

- "I did read every single word out loud to make sure it was right, musically, structurally". During the final recording process, he was still making editing changes, retro-fitting words or phrases that didn't sound right when read out

- Grammar editing of the novel was left to editors at Audible, but Richard acknowledged that this was very important despite being only an audiobook: he has likened it to writing music - without that information the reader/narrator doesn't know when to pause or take a break etc.

- "It may turn into a physical copy"

- "I knew I wanted this to be spoken in first person" after he thought about narrating Jekyll and Hyde. Richard loved the idea of the doctor writing letters about himself, which led to the idea of Daniel writing a case study about his own wife. He then realised Sarah, with all of her expertise and knowledge, needed a voice as well

- On writing in the crime/thriller genre: "I was very conscious of cheating the audience - red herrings frustrate me... but I also don't like things that are tied up too neatly"

- "I'm creating another treatment right now"

[blorbologist]

Hello! How do you get over writer's block? i'm writing for a poetry competition and the deadline is at the end of the month. The poem I'm working on now is halfway done but for some reason I'm hitting a wall when it comes to the part I really want to write if that makes sense? I feel like I have no inspiration to finish even though I know how I want it to go, and the worst part of it is that I want to start another project T^T how do I do this??

Hi anon!

It's a really, really tricky question to answer, especially due to the deadline. My usual advice would be related to not rushing it, which is... not great if you do have a timeline to adhere to.

Here's what I've got to offer:

Skip ahead. There's no hard rule that you have to write this bit before the next. Even if some of what is to come relies on it, you can make little notes and go back to edit it later.

Write an outline of the scene. No, really - you might know exactly how it goes, but writing it down both puts something on the blank document and might clarify bits you hadn't realized you were struggling with. Even better, there's often a natural inclination to just... dig a bit deeper, which might get you writing some dialog or paragraphs that occur to you that you don't want to forget. Breaking it down really helps!

Take a break. Yes, there's a deadline. No, stressing yourself silly won't help. If the muse just won't flow, be kind to yourself. If you've been bashing your head into a wall and are getting frustrated, take a break. Get away from a screen, or read a book, or take a walk.

Once that's done, though, if you aren't making headway, start brute forcing it. It's not nearly as gritty as it sounds: you just want to get words on a page, whatever way works best for you. I like to do speedwrites (short, timed writing with a friend where we just get as many words as possible onto a page and edit later), because the friend participating holds me accountable and makes me Competitive! And I'm forced to write without Overthinking, which sometimes takes the scene in a new and interesting direction! You can also set writing goals per day, like NaNoWriMo, or write it like a script with just the bare bones of what you want to happen. A little pressure helps some people stay on track.

Change your perspective. Write in a coffee shop or a quiet corner of the library, or make a nest in your closet. Switch up the environment!

Likewise, get yourself into work mode. For me that means a drink (water or coffee) and I must be wearing pants and socks to convince my brain that this is Not goofing off time.

Find ways to stay motivated. Do you have any friends you can share snippets with? The enthusiasm is a great way to keep muse flowing. Or if one part is giving you trouble, hashing it out with a kind listener is great. Reward yourself for reaching your goals! Snackies!! Reread what you've written before bed - I like to do it to catch typos and marvel at what I half-remember writing.

Break out a dictionary, or an old-ass book. Look for some weird but cool words. I compile ones that inspire me. Recently I've added grotto (from a tumblr post), ream of paper (from a fic) and appetite (from a paper) as far as words that Hit Me with some muse. Maybe you'll use them, or maybe they just give vibes. Collect them like flowers.

Finally... you know yourself best. Be honest about your goals, your comfort zone, what you know will motivate you... and then shove yourself just a bit past that. One of these ideas might be just what you need to get yourself where you want to go, but you'll never get there sticking in the same space that caused writer's block forever. Those tools clearly don't work - try out that jackhammer, even if it seems a little scary. Apparently they're really fun to work with!

I know most of this is focused on longer form writing, but I have limited experience with poetry, woop.

Please let me know if any of this helps, I'm cheering you on anon! <33

[itsjackgilbert]

He was—as they call everyone who has killed themselves preparing in every conceivable way for what may be their one and only shot at the only job they imagine—a natural.

by James L. Brooks

[strideofpride]

ooooh I'd love to hear anything you got on your modern LW fic(s)!

safe travels <333

Thank you, love! 💕

Okay yesssss!! There’s so Much Detail I put into that fic that I don’t know if people didn’t catch or just didn’t comment on but I’d love to talk about lololol!!! And basically just be like “look what I did” hahahaha

-for starters, I did put quite a bit of myself into it, such as: Jo hating AirPods (I think they’re so dumb) and Jo & Amy being really really into Duolingo and often doing friend quests together (literally me and my friend lololol we’re obsessed). A Cinderella Story and the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants were big movies for me growing up (I added Bend it Like Beckham for Jo cause duh). I even had John’s sinus surgery Meg references lol and Amy’s prized stuffed frog named Froggy is a reference to my prized stuffed bunny my mom named…Bunny. Like Jo, I think it’s horribly uncreative.

-I also used this fic as an excuse to dump my headcanons of who the March sisters would be as present day late 20-somethings (well Meg is 30 - Jo is 29, Beth is 27, and Amy is 26 (I think this matches their age gaps in the books) - I tried to subtly acknowledge all of their ages in the fic. Meg & John have been together half their lives since they were 15 - that’s also a little reference to George & Lemon from Hart of Dixie albeit more positive lol. Multiple references are made of Jo being almost 30. Jo makes reference to Beth not joining the 27 Club just yet. And Amy’s “revenge” of erasing all of Jo’s stories occurred when she was 13 & now she’s “twice that age”)

-Also getting to figure out who they would be in girlhood in the late 90s/2000s was a lot of fun as well! Like of course Amy had a Justin Bieber phase and Meg was a swiftie

-the March sisters group chat: I was very cognizant of how each sister would type. Meg types with perfect capitalization, grammar, and punctuation. Beth is looser but still has auto caps on. Meanwhile, Jo & Amy both have auto caps off (another shared similarity of course) (and Meg’s comment about Amy loading the car is a reference to Beth being sick)

-Meg buying her coffee from Blue Bottle (“basic and overpriced” to quote Jo) is my little reference to that scene where Meg buys the fabric she can’t afford in the 2019 movie. (Believe it or not, my only familiarity with the story is the 2019 movie which I’ve seen twice and read the script once) Basically, there’s still that girl who craves luxury deep inside her somewhere

-cancer obviously seemed like the natural modern equivalent to scarlet fever but a big part of why I’m reluctant to go deeper into this universe is that it bums me out to think of Beth dying but also…Beth is dying in this universe in the next few months or so. That is very very much a key element of Little Women I think, that Beth dies and the family has to find a way to go on living even in their grief, so no, Beth is not going to make some miracle recovery. She will die and that’s sad but it’s supposed to be. It wouldn’t be Little Women without grief.

-the headphones! When Jo makes her comment about not having headphones, she’s talking about herself, but Amy thinks she’s talking about Laurie! Which is why she reacts the way she does because she thinks Jo knows for a half second there

-Laurie grabbing an earlier flight was sooo cause of Amy. Also just want to point out that the third person narration only refers to him as Teddy cause it’s Jo’s POV and that’s what she calls him :)

-Amy of course refuses to meet Jo’s eye or hug Laurie for long because she’s trying to hide their relationship (as mentioned in the Laurie POV)

-the Bear article in Vulture about the one take episode is a real article published on July 29, 2022

-I decided halfway through writing it that the Marches would have a shit ton of cats they had taken in over the years but there was no natural way to fit a scene in about it so I just went back and started making a bunch of random small references to the cats whenever I could lol

-the avant garde letters bit is just a Julio Torres joke I stole lol

-this is very specifically set in August 2022 and as someone who still wears a face mask today, it was very important to me that I specify that they’re wearing face masks anytime they’re indoors in a public space (except only Beth is wearing one when they’re out at the strip club, because she’s immuno-comprised and can’t take a night off as Jo points out) also the rehearsal dinner takes place on the restaurants outdoor patio for that reason as well

-there wasn’t a lot of Marmee in this fic but anytime someone does a service for the family (tailors Meg’s dress, hosts the rehearsal dinner) you see her compliment them profusely which felt very in line with her character to me

-Beth is wearing a baseball cap at the Apple store…both to cover her bald head but also because as she mentioned earlier she burns easily

-of course, Laurie does not love the dig Jo makes at Amy because he’s in love with Amy!

-also, as discussed later on and in the Laurie POV, Laurie wants to talk to Jo to tell her about Amy

-also as mentioned in the Laurie POV, Jo is so surprised by the ooc bachelorette party Amy plans because it wasn’t her idea! It was Laurie’s!

-during their little fight at the rehearsal dinner, Jo thinks Laurie is noticing her sisters watching them fight, but really he was specifically seeking out Amy (and as you see in the Laurie POV, Amy did not walk home, she went out with Laurie)

-that part about Jo’s art consuming her in the big scene with Jo & Meg is very much inspired by Judd Hirsch’s scene in The Fabelmans

-heading over to the Laurie POV for a sec, the “very long intense conversation” they had about Amy having had a crush on Laurie growing up is of course a reference to the “I’ve been second to Jo my whole life” scene!

-the Marches having a backyard treehouse is a reference to my favorite Bones fanfic series Roots & Wings (specifically this scene)

-and finally, the ending: it’s of course a reference to the scene in the 2019 movie where Amy tells Jo to write something domestic. But it was also my attempt to be as meta as the end of the film was. “Who would want to read about that?” Well, millions and millions of girls over the past 150+ years have 🥹 And more personally, the reader of this fanfic just did as well ;)

fanfic director’s cut

[lifblogs]

Lif's Script Format Notes

Good news, I already had my notes typed up, so I just had to copy them here. Since this is tumblr, formatting will be incorrect.

If you want an example of a script fic (with hopefully only a few mistakes, though I'm sure an experienced screenwriter could tear me down in a second), check out this fic: x. Please heed all the warnings.

Extremely long post below the cut.

I. General Guidelines

Do not use any format that will make your script stand out

NO PICTURES

Begin script with FADE IN: at the left action margin

Underscore for emphasis. Not bold or italic.

Printed script is one-sided

CONTINUED only needed for shooting scripts

Do not indicate where to place the title

End script with FADE OUT. in right action margin. Then put three blank lines, and then THE END

II. Scene Headings

Scene headings always consist of an interior or exterior indicator, and a location or setting

Include time of day

Time of day not needed for a scene part of a continuous sequence

Can build a sequence using slug lines

When cutting to an area in the same setting INT. and EXT. is still required

Two only acceptable times of day are DAY and NIGHT

Time of day modifiers such as DAWN, DUSK, and LATER may be added in parentheses if necessary

LATER is only used when a scene takes place in the very same location as the previous one

Do not use CONTINUOUS as a time of day

Can add a locale, such as a city, in the scene heading to avoid confusion

Only used in the first instance

A specific place or room should be separated from the master setting in which it resides by a slash

EXAMPLE:

INT. APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM - DAY

Master setting must always be included

Master setting need not be repeated in subsequent scene headings if those scenes occur as part of an uninterrupted sequence

Time of day optional when a new scene is part of a continuous sequence continued to interior or exterior

Proper name of establishments or vehicles written in quotes

If camera is to track with characters the time can be written as TRACKING

Tracking shot changing from EXT. to INT. or INT. to EXT. should be noted in scene heading

EXAMPLE:

EXT/INT. EDWARDIAN HOTEL - DAY - TRACKING

to follow a squad of FIREMEN armed with axes as they charge through the doors and into the lobby

Headings for a scene in a moving vehicle should have the word traveling appended to it

EXAMPLE:

INT. RENTAL CAR - DAY - TRAVELING

If audience needs to know date, or period of time that has passed, then it can be conveyed as a legend

If time period helps to define setting, then enclose it in parentheses as part of the master setting

EXAMPLE:

EXT. TIMES SQUARE (1929) - DAY

NOT necessary to number scenes

Do no bold or underscore scene headings

Have two blank lines before each scene heading

III. Slug Lines

Different from scene headings

Direct attention to what is important in a scene

Add punch, can heighten pacing

Do not use excessively

Don’t need to write camera angles as slug lines

Avoid close-ups unless it reveals some vital story detail

Slug lines can’t be used to change locale or time of day

Write in ALL CAPS

Slug lines may consist of just the character or characters we see in a shot

EXAMPLE:

PARKER

weaves her way through the crowd

Reads better than writing it as a camera direction when just name(s)

Slug line is own element, and action or description cannot appear next to it on the line, and a new paragraph should be started

When a shot originates from a particular character’s point of view, break with own slug line

State character by name

Refer to what they see

Add slug line BACK TO SCENE at end of POV shot

EXAMPLE:

SHAMU’S P.O.V. - THE KILLER

Emerges from the shadows, his blade glinting in the light of a street lamp

BACK TO SCENE

Shamus turns back, quickens his pace

If entire scene is viewed from a particular POV, this can be indicated by a scene heading with the modifier SUBJECTIVE CAMERA

EXAMPLE:

INT. DINING ROOM - DAY - SUBJECTIVE CAMERA

Such shots reserved for principal characters

If the point of view is through a camera view finder, a telescope, or a set of binoculars it’s usually processed in post-production with an overlay. This should be designated by means of a matte

EXAMPLE:

OSWALD’S P.O.V. - LIMOUSINE - SCOPE MATTE

Another type of slug line is an insert

Detail shot in which no recognizable actor appears

Must reference the detail with the slug line

EXAMPLE:

INSERT - NEWSPAPER HEADLINE

“STRIPPER SOUGHT IN MAYOR’S MURDER” emblazoned above a cheesecake photo of Wendy Wilden

BACK TO SCENE

Wendy folds the paper, glances furtively around the bar.

IV. Description

Creates the experience of watching a movie

Describe:

Images

Sounds

Actions

Speech

Limited to physical senses of sight and sound

Don’t describe a character in terms of their occupation. Employ props and clothing for visual clues, or reveal subtly in dialogue.

Describe a particular setting briefly, set the stage, after the scene heading of a new setting

Separate from following action

Make the description kinetic and visual, but succinct and specific. Replace passive verbs (e.g. “is”) with active verbs to make the action more dynamic. Don’t editorialize by using adjectives or adverbs that express a personal reaction, such as “hideous,” “amazing,” or “incredible.”

Strip your description of clichés or any generic phrases that contribute nothing to our understanding of the characters or situation. Don’t just write that a character is standing in a room, for example, or sitting at a desk. Give them some business that indicates their personality or attitude. Open each scene with them already engaged in some action that relates to the story.

Use camera directions sparingly

Possible to convey the shot envisioned by describing the scene in a manner that leads the minds eye of the reader

Not necessary to describe minor gestures or articulations

Not necessarily to slug out a different camera angle

Not necessary in the body of a scene to inform as to the setting, the time of day, whether its INT. or EXT. Already known from the scene heading.

Need to use proper superimposing legend format for locale or a date.

EXAMPLE:

SUPERIMPOSE: “Washington, D.C. 1889”

Do not place legend above scene heading, or immediately below

Should come after at least one sentence of description

Don’t put “TITLE CARD”

Character’s name should be written in ALL CAPS when they first appear

Use “#” when referring to numbered characters

Character’s age should be written in numerals and set off by commas, not enclosed by parentheses

Be consistent with the character naming

Variety not needed and unhelpful

Avoid naming two principal characters with the same letter

Only use ALL CAPS when:

Introducing a character

To denote a camera direction

To draw attention to sound effects

When indicating a sound effect, only one word should appear in ALL CAPS

When wrapping lines, do not insert hyphens to break words

No need to lead into some dialogue by describing that a character says something

Refrain from interrupting a passage of dialogue with tiny bits of direction written as description. Better presented as a parenthetical, if needed.

Don’t use an ellipsis symbol provided by auto correct!

Text that is visible onscreen, such as a newspaper headline, words on a sign, or on a computer monitor, should be set off in quotes

Song titles in description should also be enclosed in quotes

The titles of books and papers should be underscored

If an action element describes something that occurs off-screen, then the term “off-screen” should be abbreviated as “o.s.”

Abbreviations for background (b.g) and foreground (f.g.) written in lower case. Same for point of view (p.o.v.), without sound (w.o.s.), voice-over (v.o.) and off-screen (o.s.) when used in description. (Point of view not always used in just description.)

V. Character Cues

Each block of dialogue must be preceded by a cue line, identifying the character who is speaking. This character cue is always written in ALL CAPS.

Not necessary to use both the first and last names. Leads usually go by first names.

When a character’s name changes it’s customary to remind the reader of the original name by placing it in parentheses the very next time a character is cued using the new name.

EXAMPLE:

MIRANDA (DOMINATRIX)

It’s just something I do to get tuition for college.

All subsequent speeches cued with new name alone.

Any speech from a character who is not visible should be designated as either off-screen or voice-over

O.S.

V.O.

EXAMPLE:

MRS. KIMBEL (O.S.)

Hello! Over here! I’m in the trees!

When in same setting use “O.S.”

When located elsewhere, like over the phone, use “V.O.”

Character cues with multiple names indicating the same line is being spoken simultaneously by more than one character, should have a slash (/) separating each name. Keep the cue as short as possible, and don’t allow it to wrap.

Cues should be limited to one line.

VI. Dialogue

Convey information, move story forward, help us understand characters

Spice up with slang and colloquialisms appropriate to their background

Don’t confide what’s on their minds, or in their hearts, too “on the nose”

Subtext and what’s unspoken more significant than what’s “on the nose”

If characters keep their true thoughts and feelings hidden, story will have greater tension and emotional resonance

Finish end of sentence before breaking page

When breaking page in the middle of dialogue, add “MORE” (in ALL CAPS and parentheses) after the speech at the bottom of the page

EXAMPLE:

FRANK

I wouldn’t go poking around in there if I were you.

(MORE)

To indicate the speech is continuous, insert the modifier “cont’d” in lowercase

EXAMPLE:

FRANK (cont’d)

The roof’s liable to cave in. I wouldn’t want that to happen on my watch.

Spell out numbers

Avoid symbols and abbreviations

If a passage of dialogue includes some text that a character is reading out loud, this should be indicated with the word “reading” as personal direction. The text being read should be enclosed in quotation marks.

When a character recites poetry or song lyrics, enclose the lines in quotes. You may indicate the end of the line by means of a slash (“/”)

If one character interrupts another then end the first character’s speech with an EM-dash (or two hyphens)

If second character finishes first character’s speech then start the second character’s speech with an ellipsis

When writing dialogue in two columns to indicate simultaneous speeches, the left margin of the first dialogue column must be inset slightly

Can’t have format of action margin

Initials presented with hyphens in between flanked by spaces to separate each letter.

EXAMPLE:

F - B - I

Do not add hyphens to acronyms spoken like a word.

EXAMPLE:

NASA

Don’t use:

ALL CAPS

Bold

Italics

Use underscore

How to indicate speech in foreign language:

EXAMPLE:

(NOTE: All instances of the Spanish language shall be indicated by being enclosed in brackets. On screen this text will appear in subtitles.)

ORTEGA

[Romero, why are you hiding like a child?]

If only a few lines are in a foreign language, it is simpler to put in personal direction

EXAMPLE:

(in Spanish)

VII. Personal Direction

Treated as separate element

Text should wrap under the text, not parentheses

EXAMPLE:

FRANK

(the words catching in         his throat)

I knew him. We were in school together.

Should be short, not a complete sentence

Don’t capitalize first word

Don’t end in a period

If long enough to be complete sentence should be in a description

Must apply on speaking character

Another character’s reaction can be incorporated into some personal direction if the speaker is responding to it

EXAMPLE:

TYLER

A Las Vegas show girl in a string bikini.

(off Bruce’s incredulous look)

I swear!

Use to indicate speech is continuing. When the same character speaks again in the same scene following some action, add the personal direction “continuing” on the next line after the cue

“CONT’D” in parentheses can also be used as an extension to the character cue

EXAMPLE:

VALERIE

That’s all right. I like that you’re, um... old-fashioned.

She puts her arms around his neck, kisses him softly. Then shoves him away.

VALERIE

(continuing)

What’s the idea of getting two beds anyway?

Use a parenthetical beat, not just ellipses, to indicate hesitation or an adjustment in speech.

Do not use “(pause)”

Song lyrics in dialogue should appear in quotes under the personal direction “(sings)”

If some personal direction interrupts a line of dialogue, then the unfinished line should trail off in an ellipses. The line should pick up after the parenthetical with an ellipses.

EXAMPLE:

COACH STRAW

Tony, about my talk the other day...

(beat)

...you are one of the young men I think has potential.

Never use ALL CAPS

Comes before speech, not after

If character performs action at the end of their speech it should be formatted as an action element

VIII. Transitions

Whenever there is a jump in time and/or space, bridge the gap by means of a transitional instruction

Transitions most used:

“FADE IN”

“FADE OUT”

“DISSOLVE TO”

Common way to lead into dream sequence:

“RIPPLE DISSOLVE TO”

EXAMPLE:

FADE TO:

“FADE IN” must be placed at left action margin

“CUT TO” is superfluous

No such thing as a “SMASH CUT”

Whether it “smashes” the viewer in the face depends on what sort of image is in the new scene

Every transitional instruction ends with a colon

Exception is “FADE OUT” which ends with “.”

Don’t use “FADE TO BLACK”

Use “FADE OUT”

As illustrated above, the use of “FADE OUT.” in conjunction with “FADE IN:” can be combined as “FADE TO,” a single instruction that takes up less space

IX. Flashbacks

Use for main character

Dream sequences too

Interrupts narrative flow, should only be used if impossible to tell story chronologically

Don’t use to illustrate what a character is relaying verbally, loses emotional impact

If you use flashbacks, make certain they are motivated. Lead into the flashback by focusing on the character who is experiencing it, and then return to that same character after the flashback. The events may not be as significant as how the character feels about them. Consequently, it is essential that we see the character’s reaction.

Take into flashback scene by putting in “BEGIN FLASHBACK:” in action element

EXAMPLE:

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

INT. MAIN CONTROL BOOTH (BUILDING #1) - NIGHT

Rachel puts down the phone. A KNOCKING startles her. She turns to see Sgt. Hughes peering up at her from his foyer.

Add two blank lines before “BEGIN FLASHBACK:” like before a scene heading

Only one line before “BEGIN FLASHBACK:” and scene heading here

Each scene in a flashback must have its own heading

Use “END FLASHBACK.” to take out of flashback

Don’t use slug line “BACK TO SCENE”

Follow flashback with new scene heading

EXAMPLE:

END FLASHBACK.

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT/INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY

Tears are streaming down Rachel’s face.

RACHEL

It sounded like him. I wish...

If the flashback consists of only one scene, it’s acceptable to simply write “(FLASHBACK)” as the last part of the scene heading

EXAMPLE:

INT. SNYDER’S CHEVY IMPALA - DAY - (FLASHBACK)

Also applies for dream and fantasy sequences

X. Montages

When the shots are so short and disjointed as to make it awkward to present them as scenes, then use a “SERIES OF SHOTS”

Montages, on the other hand, are usually transitional, with each shot dissolving into the next one, and they often don’t involve the principal characters

Used less than a series of shots

Images should not be random

Used to progress the narrative

Build to a climax

Begins with a slug line

Each shot must be listed in alphabetical outline form, without a scene heading

EXAMPLE:

SERIES OF SHOTS - JONES RUNS ACROSS MANHATTAN

Dodging dogs on leashes in Central Park

Weaving through stopped traffic at Times Square, dodging a bicycle messenger

Hustling into the Canal Street subway entrance

The text in each shot should wrap beneath the text, not the letter of the outline

Hanging indent

No need to tell when the montage or series of shots ends

Scene heading comes after

Always start a new scene (with a complete heading) after a montage or a series of shots

XI. Telephone Calls

Set up the first location with a brief scene, such as the caller dialing the phone, and then set up the second location such as the recipient picking up the phone. While still at the second location, add the action element “INTERCUT with” followed by the caller’s location, all on the same line above the caller’s first speech in the scene

Place personal direction “(into the phone)” under the cue

EXAMPLE:

INT. RICH DANIELS’ OFFICE - DAY

Rich punches the buttons on his phone as if stabbing a mortal enemy.

RICH

(into phone)

Hey, it’s Rich. You got that surveillance report?

INT. SAM GAINES’ OFFICE - DAY

Sam’s face drops. He waves Goon #1 out of the room, cups his hand over the mouthpiece.

SAM

(into phone)

Uh, Rich... I’m afraid the news... it’s not good.

INTERCUT with Rich Daniels’ office.

RICH

(into phone)

She’s been boinking him, ain’t she. I knew it!

Also possible to not show both sides of the call and focus on one character

Don’t let us hear other party

Insert a parenthetical “beat” when the character on-screen is listening and reacting

EXAMPLE:

ELI

(into phone)

I’m not trying to screw anyone.

(beat)

No, I won’t abandon him.

If it’s important that we hear both sides of the conversation then the unseen character’s cue would have a “(V.O.)” extension and the personal direction “(over phone, filtered)

EXAMPLE:

GAINES (V.O.)

(over phone, filtered)

Leave the kid where he is.

ACTS

Teaser

First you’ll have a TEASER heading centered and then start to write. This TEASER will usually be a short opening, maybe one location. Sometimes more. The page number can be upwards of 5 pages, although it’s best as a newcomer to stay around 2-3 pages.

Act One

After the TEASER, you’ll then start a new page with the ACT ONE heading.

This is where you introduce the current story at hand. You’ve teased the peril, struggle, conflict, or situation that the episode will tackle, but now you’re getting things really started by setting the stage as far as where the characters are and what is leading up to the point of the next act where they will be confronted by the situation at hand.

The end of the first act also offers a chance to leave a solid first cliffhanger or hook as well, which is what you really want to do at the end of each act.

Keep in mind that whenever you start a new act, you ALWAYS open on a new page. So if your TEASER or ACT ONE ends halfway through a page, you tab ahead to the next page, leaving that white space, and then insert the heading at the top. It’s often helpful and customary — but not always necessary — to include END OF ACT ONE (or whatever applies) before you tab ahead for the next act. This helps the reader further distinguish where the break is.

Act Two

This is where the characters are dealing with the conflict full swing. They’re struggling with it. They’re figuring out how to get through it. Much like the beginning of the second act of a feature film script, the characters often still have some hope or chance. By the end of this act, the audience feels like the characters may figure things out — until, that is, another hook is introduced that flips that hope or chance on its head, forcing the characters to face the fact that they may not succeed.

Act Three

This is where the characters are at their lowest point and the bad guys or conflict is winning. Where the second act gave the audience hope that they’d figure it out, all too often the third act is where that hope was proven to be false. By the end hook of this act, audiences will want to tune in to see how the characters will prevail despite such odds against them.

Act Four

This is where the characters, against all odds, begin to prevail again. They start to triumph and win. They’ve likely learned from their missteps in the first and second act and now they’re applying that to the conflict at hand.

Act Five

This is the closure. Some shows actually end with the fourth act while others end the fourth act with a significant cliffhanger or hook and then use the fifth act to close things up with a finale of sorts.

Page Breakdowns for Each Act

While there’s no exact formula to follow, there are some basic guidelines that will help you steer each act. Generally speaking, hour long episode scripts can be anywhere from 45-63 pages, although a majority of the time you want to stick with 50-55 pages. The basic sense of it is that one page equals one minute, and with a sixty minute show, you obviously need to account for commercial breaks. Thus if you go above 60 pages, you’re already over an hour. So use that as a gauge. It’s not an exact science by any means, but as a novice television writer, it’s a good place to start.

With five act television scripts, you generally want to keep each act between 9-12 pages, give or take a page. The old benchmark was 15 pages per act for four act television scripts, but with additional commercial time these days — not to mention more story — it can now often break down differently.

[vocalyrics]

Crazy ∞ nighT - Translyrics

Mod's choice.

Free to use and modify with credit.

The show must go on.

-

[VILLAGER] At the curtain call unending praise and applause resounds,

[VILLAGER] Further, further, shall it echo on?

[VILLAGER] As the buzzer sounds, the curtains at last rise;

[VILLAGER] One, two, three and let's begin the show!

-

[VILLAGER] After walking down the path of spotlight, the place she had arrived...

[BUTLER] “To our mansion, those who are in need...”

[MAID] “Are more than welcome in, indeed! ♪”

[MASTER] “Oh my, are you alright?”

[MISTRESS] “At this time of night,”

[MASTER&MISTRESS] “It's quite dark outside!”

[DOLL BOY] “So how ABOUT...”

[DOLL GIRL] “'Til the sun's OUT...”

[STAFF] “You stay here safe and sound?”

-

[LADY] “And the highlight of this night...”

[ALL] “Will begin so bright!”

[BUTLER] “Now, she too,”

[VILLAGER] “And them, too!”

[MAID] “And him too? ♪”

[ALL] Everybody, let us make some noise!

[DOLL TWINS] “5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0... StarT!”

-

[ALL] So let this Crazy nighT go on as the curtains rise,

[ALL] Higher, higher, the joy in our eyes! ([DOLL GIRL] “Hooi!”)

[ALL] Keep performing along with the script and such

[ALL] But just act like a fool and don't worry too much! ([VILLAGER] “Teheh✩”)

[ALL] And now on one, two, three the world is starting to spin,

[ALL] More and more, let the party begin;

[ALL] If things are way too simple, it's no fun,

[ALL] So let's get crazier, everyone!

-

[BUTLER] “Oh, what has happened here?”

[MAID] “What has occurred here? ♪”

[BUTLER&MAID] “It's an emergency!!”

[MASTER] “It seems that before dawn...”

[MISTRESS] “The time has stopped moving on.”

[DOLL BOY / GIRL] “Hey, WHERE is she?” / “Hey, where is SHEEE?”

[LADY / DOLL TWINS] “That girl has disappeared...” / “When did she FLEE?”

[MASTER / MISTRESS] “But even so...” / “This acclaimed show...”

[STAFF] “Still, forward it must go...!”

-

[DOLL TWINS] “The ‘next PagE’, hey, everyone...”

[DOLL TWINS] “We don't know where its GONE!”

[BUTLER / MAID] “Eh?!” / “This is bad! ♪”

[BUTLER / LADY / MAID] “Not there?” / “Not here...” / “Nor here! ♪”

[MASTER&MISTRESS] “Oh, it seems it's,”

[STAFF] “Nowhere to be found!”

[DOLL TWINS] “Who-o is the cu-ul-priT!!”

-

[STAFF] Let's search this Crazy nighT for what made it all go wrong,

[STAFF] Or else there's no way we can go on! ([DOLL TWINS] “StoP!!”)

[DOLL GIRL / DOLL BOY] “Hidden away?” / “Destroyed?”

[LADY / BUTLER] “Just a bug?” / “An attack?!”

[STAFF] “Who” on earth could have done it, and for “what”?

[STAFF] And now on three, two, one we still haven't found anything,

[STAFF] More and more, the situation looks grim; ([VILLAGER] “Eh!?”)

[STAFF] We're so lost, there's no way we can pretend,

[STAFF] Will “to be continued” be today's end?

-

[MAID] “The page that was stolen...”

[BUTLER] “Was it an undesired scene?”

[DOLL GIRL] “And written on the NEXT PagE...”

[DOLL BOY] “Would it be OUR culprit...?”

[MISTRESS] “The page telling the future...”

[MASTER] “‘How’ is it that they would know?”

[LADY] “Wait, if they could do that...”

[STAFF] “Doesn't that mean that YOU're the one?”

[VILLAGER] “...I found it at last.”

-

[ALL] Crazy nighT, take the “key” from where it lies,

[ALL] Higher, higher, the joy in our eyes!

[ALL] Keep performing along with the title and such

[ALL] But just act like a fool and don't worry too much!

[ALL] And now on one, two, three keep writing down on the page,

[ALL] More and more, destroy it all in rage;

[ALL] If you really want to see the true enD,

[ALL] Then let's get crazier still, my friend!

-

[VILLAGER / ALL] “The true / Crazy nighT -

[VILLAGER] Bring it back to me, please!

[VILLAGER] Surely, surely it can't be just ‘this’...”

[VILLAGER] Even if you “follow the script” to a T,

[ALL] Was the truth ever really guaranteed...? ♡

-

[ALL] So now the Crazy nighT will end as the curtains drop,

[VILLAGER] “Hold on, hold on, I'm not ready to stop!”

[STAFF] Ah, how unfortunate, it seems you're out of time!

[BUTLER&MAID] “So in another night again we'll try!”

[DOLL TWINS] “Again!? In another night, we'll lose our minds!”

[MASTER&LADY&MISTRESS] “In another night, what will you find?”

[ALL] Until the end roll at last -

[“PHANTOM”] “Has faded to black!”

[stupidthoughtsinwriting]

An Untitled Tom Story

Hi, One this is my first post and I don't know much about tumblr and how this works as I'm still new. Two I wrote something that's been on my mind for months and I'm posting it here first to see if its any worth posting on Wattpad. Im very hesitant in posting this as i dont feel that comfortable writing something about a real person who is currently involved and engaged or showing anybody my work. But im very very happy for them, This story just formed in my head like a snowball at a top of a hill, and it just keeps getting bigger and bigger that i cant stop it from forming in my head. This story gives me a bit of comfort at times, and if it does the same to you that would make my year. I apologize for the long intro-ish thing. Please do share your thought unless their in the negative and do inform me if there is any inaccuracies that may occur. Enjoy and have a lovely day =)

Chapter 1

Tom

Food.

I need food.

As I enter a small café, the smell of pastries and coffee fill my nostrils. I have been stuck in meetings all day, with a light breakfast and lunch long forgotten, I’m famished. It’s late in the afternoon and I’ve gone to the nearest eatery I could find to fill my empty stomach. I’ll get a proper meal at dinner. Maybe takeaway? My stomach growls and I suppress a chuckle as I make my way to the service counter. The place is packed but there doesn’t seem to be a line for the counter.

“Good evening, I’d like a cuppa earl grey please and…” I lift my cap a bit to take a peek at the display case, looking at the delicious looking freshly baked goodies. “A croissant and those scones look good; I’ll take two please” I beam to the woman behind the counter as I point at the scones. The woman nods and puts in my order, I pay and procced to the other end of the counter and wait for my purchase. I take out my phone as I wait, looking through my notifications. A few emails and messages that need answering, I can do those while I eat.  I pocket my phone when my meal is presented to me. I thank the server and look for a seat. The inside of the café is full and there doesn’t seem to be a vacant seat. I did see a few empty chairs on the way in, so I’ll get a seat out there.

Seated and starving, I munch in on my food. I take out my phone from my pocket as I swallow a bite of the croissant. I open my email and look at the inbox. A few notices, news, a bit of fan mail. Ohhh, Christian sent a digital copy of a draft of the script. I snicker at the note left on the subject. Yes, I have sent a hard copy. With some of your mail, I’ll drop it off later. I send a thank you and decide to read the draft later.

A scone, a croissant and half a cupper later, I’ve replied to a few emails and messages. The urge to read the draft is growing stronger and I finally concede. Thank God I have a lot of data as I still need to download the file. Once that’s done, I read the draft on the tiny screen of my phone.

-

Page 8. New scene. Seems like a good stopping point. Yes, let’s stop there. Okay. Yes, we’re stopping. We’re stopping from reading any further. Yes, we stop Now.

Brilliant. That was brilliant. The scene was utterly brilliant. It was gripping. The writing is so wonderfully done, I can practically feel the emotion the characters are expressing just from the writing alone. The details written is so exquisite and unique, the writers did a splendid job. That feels like an understatement. Superb? Better but not quite yet. Magnificent? Best thing I can up with at the moment.

I set my phone down and look at its surroundings. The last remaining scone in a small saucer and a half-finished cup of tea sit on the tray next to the phone, untouched since I opened Christian’s email. Food is once again forgotten. Ohh, the look on mum’s face if she sees what I’ve done. She’d be livid.

I shrug off the lingering thought of mum livid and the lecture that is sure to follow. My view moves to the busy street Infront of me. The pavements a bit crowded, filled with people having to go one place to another. Not a care in the world about the people around them.

There’s a hospital across the street, busy as ever. Ahhh, no wonder this little café is packed. It’s quite possibly filled with people wanting to get some food outside of the hospital cafeteria. There are people coming in and out. Some hurried, possibly rushing to get to a person inside the hospital. Some casually strolling in or out, adding to the foot traffic on the pavement.

There are people just passing by the hospital. Not giving the building full of sick people a second glance. A big lot of the crowd have their eyes glued to their phones or are in hurry to get to the place they need to be, it’s a bit easy to spot the ‘odd ones’ out. The ones taking their time and enjoying being where they are with the people they’re with or with what they’re doing. A couple passing by, hand in hand, looking at each other lovingly. A mother, holding her energetic son, possibly laughing at his antics as he makes silly faces. A group in their youths, just out of school, chuckling at jokes said. An elderly woman, carrying her bags of groceries, eager to get home to make supper. A man clutching a bouquet of flowers – a mix of roses, lilies and carnations- staring at the building in front of him, possibly hesitating to make the delivery to the person inside. He eventually goes in just as a gust of the wind blows through the city.

It’s nice. The warmth of the summer slowly leaving London and the early autumn breeze weaving its way through the buildings of the city.

I take a sip of the tea left in my cup while still looking at the street. I reach for a bite of the scone when I see someone crash into the elderly woman with the groceries, knocking a few things out of the bag and onto the street. I quickly set my cup down and rise from my seat to help the older woman. I reach the crosswalk and as I’m about to cross the street I halt and see a woman sprinting from inside the hospital, moving to help the older woman. My feet remain rooted to the pavement as I observe the scene playing across the street.

From what I can see from my side of the street, The younger woman, definitely younger, is beautiful. Odd thing to think but she is, every woman is. She has her nearly black, chestnut brown hair -although its lighter in the sunlight, perhaps a shade of golden bronze- in a loose braid, -But I can tell their curly- on her shoulder. Although I could only see half her profile, her sharp features stick out. She’s wearing a cream floral dress that ends just below her knees, with thin straps under a denim jacket, adding a burst of colour to her pale white skin. Her skin is a light shade of pale ivory leaning unto cream white, not sickly but bright and vibrant and with a hint of pink. She’s sporting white canvas sneakers, a good match for her outfit and highlights her pale thin legs. She’s tall, much taller than the older woman she’s trying to help. Jesus Christ Tom! What are you doing! Stop analyzing this poor woman! Stop being a creep. You are not sherlock for Christ sakes, leave that to Benedict. But she looks so lovely, like she came out of a story, a fairytale. Jesus Christ I’ve gone mental.

Pushing away the internal battle I’ve just had to the back of my mind, I see her -the younger woman- crouch down and pick up the fallen items. She’s tucked the back of her dress behind her knees, and as she stands up, the dress flows back down. She hands the items to the elderly woman with a soft smile and she looks past the older woman’s shoulder, to the direction of the bloke that knocked the older of the two women, brows furrowed, a pissed off expression painted on her face. She tried to look for the guy for a second, her search becoming unsuccessful, before turning back to the woman she’s helped -whom was arranging her bags- with a soft kind smile once again gracing her features. They chat for a bit before the younger of the two women gave the older a quick hug before parting ways.

The older of the two disappeared into the crowd but the younger stayed where she was. She was still eyeing the older through the crowd and checking if she would be fine and when she was satisfied, she let out a grin before looking out the crowded and busy street and turning back to the hospital.

It was brief but, for a split second I swear our eyes met. Just before she turns her heel towards the hospital, our eyes meet.

I snap back into reality and realize I’m still standing on one end of the crosswalk, staring at where the kind and stunning fairy tale woman stood. I walk back to my table to finish the bits left of the pastry and tea I bought.

I finish my tea and answer a few more messages I’ve received. This proving to be a much more difficult task as my mind is clouded with the kind woman, I decide to depart the teashop. I clean the table a bit, putting the cup and saucers on the tray and wiping the down the table. As I gather my belongings, the fairytale woman comes into view through my peripherals and head snaps towards her direction. She’s exiting the hospital again and it seems her departure seems a bit more permanent. She’s got a bag slung on her shoulder, books in hand and a man in scrubs to accompany her out. A wave of guilt and a bit of jealousy passes me at the thought of her being attached to someone and my thoughts of admiration may not be the most appropriate.

She’s also got a flower -a purple carnation, like the one the man with the bouquet had- tucked behind her ear, adding to the whole fairy tale effect. She’s already got a smile on her face but the bloke -who I’m assuming is a doctor- she’s with said something to make her laugh.

God she’s gorgeous. She’s beautiful with a smile let alone a laugh which makes her even more stunning. Jesus Christ Tom, what is going on with you.

Her laughter dies down and she says her goodbyes to the doctor with a hug. She turns from the doctor, towards the street, hails a taxi and leaves. The doctor eventually retreats back inside the hospital and I once again am staring at the pavement where a pretty woman stood.

I recover from my daze and finally get a grip on reality once again. I have got to stop staring. Christ.

I finish collecting my things and hail a taxi home for myself. I’ve got the read through for the new film tomorrow and party afterwards, so I need to get at least some rest. Once I’ve finally got a taxi, I get in, tell the cabbie my address. I’ve placed my head to lean on the window as my mind wanders.

Perhaps I’ll just order take away. What am I ordering anyway? The fairy tale woman is intriguing. What is she having for supper? She seems kind, caring and very beautiful. She looks like someone out of a book. Funny, one of the two books she was carrying was a children’s fairytale book. Funny. She also seems familiar. Jesus Christ, I’ve gone mental. Daydreaming about a woman I’ve never met nor will ever see again. A woman that may have a significant other. I mean the chances of seeing let alone meeting her again is very unlikely, so I have got to stop. But why does she seem familiar. Bullocks. I don’t even say bullocks. Jesus this woman is going to haunt me.

I’m driven away from my thoughts as I arrive home, the sudden halt of the taxi and the voice of the cabbie telling me were here, brings me back to the real world. How long was I deliberating what started out as supper? I pay the cabbie and exit the taxi. I walk up to the steps of my home and I can already hear the barking of my spaniel, eager for my arrival. I chuckle and quickly fish out my keys from my pocket and unlock the door. As soon as I step inside, I nearly topple over as Bobby jumps on me.

‘Alright, alright, hello to you to bobby’ I chuckle whilst petting the dog’s head. I stand from where I was crouching -the dog running back to the halls of the house- and drop my keys on the table planted next to the door. There’s mail on the table, mail that was not there when I left this morning.

I pick up the pile of papers, but the big manila envelope sticks out from the rest and catches my eye. I pick that up as well and head to the lounge, where I find bobby nibbling on a toy. I drop the bundle of papers on the coffee table, shrug off my coat and place it on the back of the sofa before plopping my self next to bobby.

My view covered by the arm draped over my head, I let out a breath. I’m clearly a bit more exhausted than I originally thought. I don’t see the dog’s attention move towards me and catches be my surprise when a wet, sandpapery tongue dampens the arm draped on my face. I remove said arm and the licking continues to my face. A chuckle once again escapes from me as I try to push away the beasts’ wet attack on my face. I wipe my face and rub the pups belly before sitting up properly to examine mail.

I pick up the big envelope first and notice a post-it stuck on.

I let myself in as you weren’t home yet. Can’t risk getting this in the wrong hands now can’t we

As promised a hard copy

They still had a few things to rewrite so you’ll get the full script at the read through. Got you this bit for now, should suffice

-C

I open the envelope to reveal the draft of the script I read earlier. It’s about maybe 20-25 pages thick, maybe more. Excitement and a plan bubbles over me as I skim through the pages before I set the thin book down and review the rest of the letters. A few bills, adds, fan mail and such and nothing special.

I stand from the couch and head to the kitchen while digging out my phone from my pocket. I replenish bobby’s water and give him his dinner before looking for the take away menus. Hidden where its always been, I dial the restaurants number while looking at the menu, picking out my meal. A thought comes back to me and I remember the fairy tale woman. How I pondered what would her meal this fine evening is. Why she looks familiar. Why she intrigues me.  

I get taken from my daydreams once again when a voice coming from my device call me. I order my meal and pour myself a glass of Jameson as I wait and drown out my thoughts. I plan on waiting for my takeaway and eating said take away with a drink while reading the rest of the draft. This woman is weirdly consuming my thoughts and here’s to hoping that drink will help.

[fearwriter]

UNDER WICKED SKY is Here! How it Came to Be Part 1.

My latest novel, Under Wicked Sky, has just hit the market like a battering ram made from a cannibalized car door! 

It feels strange to call it my “latest”, though, given the long and excruciating process of conception to completion to release, and the many works I’ve written since.

It’s not unusual for a novel to take many forms and directions en route to completion – much less release – but had I known Sky would have to endure these trails and trials… well, I would have written it anyway. Point is, creating is not always an A to B process. If you care for a peek inside the heartaches and headrushes of writing — stay with me. But I warn you, it is not always an inspiring story. 

Under Wicked Sky, like my debut novel Progeny, began its troubled existence as a screenplay.  In an effort to give myself an opening for my TRUE ambition, which was to become a film actor. 

But that’s for later. 

Couched in my youthful ambition was a compulsion to send a message of some kind. With the controversy of global warming just beginning to rear its catastrophic head in earnest, it occurred to me that when this thing really gets going, it’s going to change everything. And not just a little. Folks get cranky when they’re hot. Murder rates rise. Police forces are stretched to their limits. People die just from the heat itself as well.��Even if you don’t believe global warming is real, it’s not hard to imagine a debilitating heat like the kind depicted in Under Wicked Sky.

The Carlisle Inn, Sky‘s main setting, is a well-appointed bed and breakfast with high tech air conditioning called Cold-Con, designed specifically to deal with the new crisis. Naturally, people are going to want access to this luxurious cool, and those who are inside are going to fight to protect their shelter. Supply lines cease to flow. Law breaks down. Civilization begins to crumble. Next thing you know — cannibals.

Similar peril would befall the tale itself in its damned and damnable voyage. I began submitting the script here and there, and immediately garnered some interest, though none of these early leads panned out. Then I was cast in an independent zombie film titled One Last Sunset. You can watch it on Amazon:Zombie extras recreate the big dance scene from Thriller on the set of One Last Sunset. Not even joking.

Producer and director Kevin Richmond expressed interest in the script. He had a long way to go with his zombie feature and not a lot of money to work with, and I’m not a very patient guy. In time, no doubt, he would have gotten it done. However, I chose to continue submitting the script.

and I’m not a very patient guy. In time, no doubt, he would have gotten it done. However, I chose to continue submitting the script. 

And there was no lack of interest. But my lust for Hollywood credibility would bury it alive.Here I am re-killing The Walking Dead’s Addy Miller, on the set of One Last Sunset.

Here I am re-killing The Walking Dead’s Addy Miller, on the set of One Last Sunset.

Check here next week for the next thrilling installment — THE ADVENT OF CHAPPIE: HOW TO GASLIGHT A SCREENPLAY!

Purchase Under Wicked Sky: Amazon.com: Under Wicked Sky eBook : Greene, Patrick C.: Books