velvetiwriting - Tumblr blog

[velvetiwriting]

some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, “what’s the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?” and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is “unofficial”, and we know that’s not the right word, but it’s the only word we can come up with…until finally it’s like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is “artificial”.

[velvetiwriting]

Words to describe facial expressions

Absent: preoccupied 

Agonized: as if in pain or tormented

Alluring: attractive, in the sense of arousing desire

Appealing: attractive, in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest

Beatific: blissful

Black: angry or sad, or hostile

Bleak: hopeless

Blinking: surprise, or lack of concern

Blithe: carefree, lighthearted, or heedlessly indifferent

Brooding: anxious and gloomy

Bug eyed: frightened or surprised

Chagrined: humiliated or disappointed

Cheeky: cocky, insolent

Cheerless: sad

Choleric: hot-tempered, irate

Darkly: with depressed or malevolent feelings

Deadpan: expressionless, to conceal emotion or heighten humor

Despondent: depressed or discouraged

Doleful: sad or afflicted

Dour: stern or obstinate

Dreamy: distracted by daydreaming or fantasizing

Ecstatic: delighted or entranced

Faint: cowardly, weak, or barely perceptible

Fixed: concentrated or immobile

Gazing: staring intently

Glancing: staring briefly as if curious but evasive

Glazed: expressionless due to fatigue or confusion

Grim: fatalistic or pessimistic

Grave: serious, expressing emotion due to loss or sadness

Haunted: frightened, worried, or guilty

Hopeless: depressed by a lack of encouragement or optimism

Hostile: aggressively angry, intimidating, or resistant

Hunted: tense as if worried about pursuit

Jeering: insulting or mocking

Languid: lazy or weak

Leering: sexually suggestive

Mild: easygoing

Mischievous: annoyingly or maliciously playful

Pained: affected with discomfort or pain

Peering: with curiosity or suspicion

Peeved: annoyed

Pleading: seeking apology or assistance

Quizzical: questioning or confused

Radiant: bright, happy

Sanguine: bloodthirsty, confident

Sardonic: mocking

Sour: unpleasant

Sullen: resentful

Vacant: blank or stupid looking

Wan: pale, sickly

Wary: cautious or cunning

Wide eyed: frightened or surprised

Withering: devastating

Wrathful: indignant or vengeful

Wry: twisted or crooked to express cleverness or a dark or ironic feeling

[velvetiwriting]

Character Development Questions: Hard Mode

Does your character have siblings or family members in their age group? Which one are they closest with?

What is/was your character’s relationship with their mother like?

What is/was your character’s relationship with their father like?

Has your character ever witnessed something that fundamentally changed them? If so, does anyone else know?

On an average day, what can be found in your character’s pockets?

Does your character have recurring themes in their dreams?

Does your character have recurring themes in their nightmares?

Has your character ever fired a gun? If so, what was their first target?

Is your character’s current socioeconomic status different than it was when they were growing up?

Does your character feel more comfortable with more clothing, or with less clothing?

In what situation was your character the most afraid they’ve ever been?

In what situation was your character the most calm they’ve ever been?

Is your character bothered by the sight of blood? If so, in what way?

Does your character remember names or faces easier?

Is your character preoccupied with money or material possession? Why or why not?

Which does your character idealize most: happiness or success?

What was your character’s favorite toy as a child?

Is your character more likely to admire wisdom, or ambition in others?

What is your character’s biggest relationship flaw? Has this flaw destroyed relationships for them before?

In what ways does your character compare themselves to others? Do they do this for the sake of self-validation, or self-criticism?

If something tragic or negative happens to your character, do they believe they may have caused or deserved it, or are they quick to blame others?

What does your character like in other people?

What does your character dislike in other people?

How quick is your character to trust someone else?

How quick is your character to suspect someone else? Does this change if they are close with that person?

How does your character behave around children?

How does your character normally deal with confrontation?

How quick or slow is your character to resort to physical violence in a confrontation?

What did your character dream of being or doing as a child? Did that dream come true?

What does your character find repulsive or disgusting?

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most comfortable.

Describe a scenario in which your character feels most uncomfortable.

In the face of criticism, is your character defensive, self-deprecating, or willing to improve?

Is your character more likely to keep trying a solution/method that didn’t work the first time, or immediately move on to a different solution/method?

How does your character behave around people they like?

How does your character behave around people they dislike?

Is your character more concerned with defending their honor, or protecting their status?

Is your character more likely to remove a problem/threat, or remove themselves from a problem/threat?

Has your character ever been bitten by an animal? How were they affected (or unaffected)?

How does your character treat people in service jobs?

Does your character feel that they deserve to have what they want, whether it be material or abstract, or do they feel they must earn it first?

Has your character ever had a parental figure who was not related to them?

Has your character ever had a dependent figure who was not related to them?

How easy or difficult is it for your character to say “I love you?” Can they say it without meaning it?

What does your character believe will happen to them after they die? Does this belief scare them?

[velvetiwriting]

PROMPT LIST | Hot Mess

1. “You know we’re meant to be.”

2. “Don’t give me false hope.”

3. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m in love with you!”

4. “You can do this but you can’t return my calls?”

5. “It’s so hard for me to hate you right now.”

6. “Please tell me you feel the same.”

7. “I will kill anyone that looks at you the way I look at you.”

8. “I know he’s trouble but I don’t care.”

9. “The thought of losing you scares me.”

10. “Don’t make me take you home and punish you.”

11. “I’ve never wanted anyone to fuck me this badly.”

12. “You’re not going out in that outfit.”

13. “Can I join you?”

14. “You owe me a drink.”

15. “I’m surprised you came.”

16. “I’m just as shocked as you are.”

17. “Don’t give me that look.”

18. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love you.”

19. “I’m going to regret this.”

20. “I’m begging you, please don’t go.”

21. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

22. “You know you like that.”

23. “Get out of my head!”

24. “Please don’t do this to me.”

25. “You’re the one.”

26. “You again.”

27. “I’m not drunk enough yet.”

28. “You’re more than just a one night stand.”

29. “I’m carrying your child.”

30. “Here’s some money, now shut up.”

31. “I can’t stand you right now.”

32. “Why can’t I stop thinking about you?”

33. “Stop following me!”

34. “No one will hurt you as long as I’m here.”

35. “I’m in love with my best friend.”

36. “God dammit, why do you have this affect on me?!”

37. “I’m not okay if you’re not okay.”

38. “Allow me to give you the world.”

39. “At least put your guards down for me.”

40. “You can trust me.”

41. “Get dressed, we’re going out.”

42. “You can’t tell anyone about this!”

43. “What do you mean you don’t care?”

44. “You swore you’d never lie to me.”

45. “What are you doing in my bed?!”

46. “You look stunning.”

47. “Fine. You win.”

48. “Take me home with you.”

49. “You’re such a fun drunk.”

50. “You’re so god damn amazing.”

51. “Tell me this when you’re sober.”

52. “Since my dog likes you, then I guess I like you.”

53. “You’re an addiction.”

54. “I swear, we’re not a couple!”

55. “You’re in love with me?”

56. “Are you going to get into bed with me or what?”

57. “I may or may not be in love with Y/N.”

58. “Step away before I punch you in the face.”

59. “You don’t mean that.”

60. “I’m not good for you.”

61. “Would you just shut up and kiss me already.”

62. “Everything that is coming out of your mouth is a lie!”

63. “You’re staring again.”

64. “May I have this dance?”

65. “Wow. You look stunning.”

66. “Feel free to kill me for saying this.”

67. “What are you doing here? It’s late.”

68. “I swear, there is nothing going on between us!”

69. “I can’t believe you bought this for me.”

70. “Tell them to fuck off.”

[velvetiwriting]

writing playlist: on

google docs: open

mind: ready

[velvetiwriting]

390 Prompts!!!!

1. “A wedding?” 2. “After everything you did, you’re asking ME to apologize for snapping at you ONCE?” 3. “Am I supposed to be scared of you?” 4. “Are you drunk?” 5. “Are you hitting on her for me?” 6. “Are you kidding me? We’re not ‘fine’!” 7. “Are you okay?” “Why do you ask?” “You’re wearing two different shoes.” 8. “Are you really taking his side against me?” 9. “At what point did you think that was a good idea?” 10. “Babe, you have a problem, please, let me help you.” 11. “Be my wife.” 12. “Before I do this, I need you to know that I have always loved you.” 13. “BOOM! That oughta show you not to mess with me!” 14. “But the carnival is right down the street! Can we please, please go!?” 15. “Can I kiss you?” 16. “Come back to bed.” 17. “Come on, let’s throw the dice, see what happens.” 18. “Come over here and make me.” 19. “Come with me.” 20. “Could you be happy here with me?” 21. “Crocs? Who hurt you so much in this life?” 22. “Damn. You clean up good.” 23. “Delete that immediately.” 24. “Did I just say that out loud?” 25. “Did I stutter?” 26. “Did you enjoy yourself last night?” 27. “Did you hear that?” 28. “Do you…well…I mean…I could give you a massage?” 29. “Do you ever stop eating?” 30. “Do you ever think if people heard our conversations they’d lock us up?” 31. “Do you ever think we should just stop this?” 32. Do you like me? Check yes or no. 33. “Do you need me to get anything from the store?” 34. “Do you think it’s possible that I…might be… pregnant?” 35. “Do you think she could have loved me?” 36. “Does he know about the baby?” 37. “Don’t fucking touch me!” 38. “Don’t say that. Not now.” 39. “Don’t say you love me.” 40. “Don’t you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!” 41. “Don’t you ever do that again!” 42. “Either ask her out or I will do it for you!” 43. “Excuse me, I’m terribly lost. Can you help me?” 44. “Everyone deserves a second chance.” 45. “Everyone keeps telling me you’re the bad guy.” 46. “For some reason I’m attracted to you.” 47. “Frankly, I couldn’t care less.” 48. “Fuck…I feel I’ve been hit by a car.” 49. “Game’s over you son of a bitch! Tell me where she is!” 50. “Give me 5 bucks, I’ll explain later.” 51. “Go on then, tell me. Tell me you don’t love me.” 52. “Go then, leave! See if I care!” 53. “Guess who’s going to be a father?” 54. “H-How long have you been standing there?” 55. “Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?” 56. “Have I ever lied to you?” 57. “Have you ever wanted to hate someone?” 58. “Have you lost your damn mind!?” 59. “He’s missing, not dead.” 60. “Hey! I was gonna eat that!” 61. “Hey, have you seen the..? Oh.” 62. “Hey, I’m with you, okay? Always.” 63. “His ego is so visible, I can almost watch it grow.” 64. “Hold me back!” 65. “Hold my hand dammit, we gotta make this look convincing!” 66. “How about we put the gun down and let’s talk about this?” 67. “How could anyone be that cruel?” 68. “How dare you!?” 69. “How long has it been?” 70. “I almost lost you.” 71. “I am not losing you again!” 72. “I beat you at Mario Kart and now you’re banishing me to the couch for the night?” 73. “I came here to explain what happened, and I’m not leaving until you listen.” 74. “I came home to a Nerf gun on the front porch and a note that says ‘Here is your weapon. I have one too. Loser cooks dinner. Good luck. xo’” 75. “I can manage on my own.” 76. “I can’t… I can’t lose you.” 77. “I can’t believe you talked me into this.” 78. “I can’t explain right now, but I need you to trust me.” 79. “I can’t get you out of my head.” 80. “I can’t let you do that.” 81. “I can’t start over again.” 82. “I can’t stop thinking about you.” 83. “I can’t swim!” 84. “I choose you.” 85. “I could never leave you, I love you too much!” 86. “I did a pregnancy test.” 87. “I didn’t ask for any of this!” 88. “I didn’t know you could cook.” “Oh, trust me I can’t.” 89. “I didn’t know you could sing.” 90. “I didn’t know you were so competitive.” 91. “I didn’t realize I needed your permission.” 92. “I didn’t think it was even possible for you to be so intelligent.” 93. “I don’t care what he said, it doesn’t mean jack squat.” 94. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you.” 95. “I don’t know why I’m crying.” 96. “I don’t snore, do I?” “Like a chainsaw.” 97. “I don’t want to have a baby.” 98. “I don’t want to hurt you.” 99. “I don’t want to let you down.” 100. “I got you a present.” 101. “I guess I was wrong about you. You’re not so bad after all.” 102. “I had a nightmare about you and just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” 103. “I had to see you again.” 104. “I hate you!” “No you don’t.” 105. “I hope one day you’re as happy as you’re pretending to be.” 106. “I just need you to do this one thing for me.” 107. “I just really need to have you here right now.” 108. “I just want this.” 109. “I just want to be alone right now.” 110. “I just wanted you to know that when I picture myself happy… it’s with you.” 111. “I know, but… I love him. You can’t give up on a person you love.” 112. “I know, but he’s your partner for this.” 113. “I know that you have reached a decision, but given that it is a stupid ass decision I have elected to ignore it” 114. “I love you.” “I know.” 115. “I love you. I’ve loved you since the moment I first laid eyes on you and – Oh, screw it!” 116. “I love you a lot, but please stop trying to cook me dinner, you suck.” 117. “I love you for you, don’t you dare think otherwise!” 118. “I love you more than anything in this world… which is why you have to stay here.” 119. “I love you, you asshole.” 120. “I made a mistake.” 121. “I may be an idiot but I’m your idiot.” 122. “I may despise you with the burning white hot intensity of a thousand suns, but that doesn’t mean I don’t love you.” 123. “I may have… ripped my pants.” 124. “I miss her so damn much, and it’s killing me that she’s gone!” 125. “I need you to forgive me.” 126. “I never believed in soulmates until I met you.” 127. “I never learned how to whistle.” 128. “I never meant for anyone to get hurt!” 129. “I saw you staring at each other, I just wasn’t sure if it was sexual tension or murderous rage.” 130. “I see the way you look at me when you think I’m not looking.” 131. “I swear if you weren’t so attractive, I’d have punched you in the face nine times by now.” 132. “I swear it was an accident.” 133. “I swear it was like that when I found it!” 134. “I think I picked up your coffee by mistake.” 135. “I think I’m in love with you and that scares me to death.” 136. “I think we need to talk.” 137. “I think we should have another.” 138. “I think you’re just afraid to be happy.” 139. “I thought you were a dream come true.” 140. “I thought you were dead…” 141. “I trusted you!” 142. “I waited and waited, but you never came back.” 143. “I want my best friend back.” 144. “I want to go back to before….” 145. “I wasn’t going to wait around for you forever.” 146. “I wasn’t planning on asking you, but I’ve come to realize that life is short. Will you marry me?” 147. “I wish I could hate you.” 148. “I won’t give up if you won’t.” 149. “I won’t let you fall.” 150. “I-I can’t trust you anymore.” 151. “I’ll be right over.” 152. “I’ll sleep under the sheets, you sleep on top of them.” 153. “I’m flirting with you.” 154. “I’m freezing!” 155. “I’m laughing because you’re angry. I swear I didn’t do it!” 156. “I’m like 20% sure this plan will work. The other 80% means we could die horribly and violently, but honestly it’s a really solid plan.” 157. “I’m not good enough for you.” 158. “I’m not happy here.” 159. “I’m not surprised that you murdered him.” 160. “I’m not the only one who thinks that.” 161. “I’m only human!” 162. “I’m pregnant.” 163. “I’m sick of being USELESS.” 164. “I’m so happy you’re alive.” 165. “I’m so sorry! I will never doubt you again!” 166. “I’m so stupid to make the mistake of falling in love with my best friend.” 167. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” 168. “I’m sorry, but I can’t trust you anymore.” 169. “I’m sorry if this upsets you, but I’m going to marry her.” 170. “I’m sorry, run that by me again.” 171. “I’m sorry, what were you saying? I keep getting lost in your eyes.” 172. “I’m starting an idiot jar. Any time you do or say anything idiotic, you have to put at least a dollar in it—more depending on how stupid the thing that you said or did was.” 173. “I’m tired of being your secret.” 174. “I’m up to the challenge.” 175. “I’m yours.” 176. “I’ve been in love with you my entire life.” 177. “I’ve got good news and bad news.” 178. “I’ve moved on.” 179. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before… and it scares the shit out of me.” 180. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I can’t see you.” 181. “If he’s going to treat you like shit, I’m going to kick his ass.” 182. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to seduce me.” 183. “If I die, I’m going to haunt your ass.” 184. “If I ever see you anywhere near her, you’ll have to deal with me!” 185. “If my parents knew what I was doing, they’d kill me.” 186. “If this is love, love is easy.” 187. “If you die, I’m gonna kill you.” 188. “If you don’t want to talk about what happened, then say so. Don’t just lie and say it’s fine.” 189. “If you keep looking at me like that we won’t make it to a bed.” 190. “If you shove cake in my face this will be the worst wedding night of your life.” 191. “IF YOU USE UP ALL THE HOT WATER ONE MORE TIME, I’M GOING TO BAN YOU TO THE COUCH FOR A MONTH.” 192. “If you walk out right now, it’s over for us.” 193. “If you walk out that door, you’re no longer one of us. You’ll be one of them and that means I’ll treat you like one of them.” 194. “Is… is that even possible? Like, can we do this?” 195. “Is… that my picture in your wallet/as your home screen?” 196. “Is it really you?” 197. “Is it supposed to look like that? Are you sure?” 198. “Is that a challenge?” 199. “Is that an apology?” 200. “Is that real?” 201. “Is that what I think it is?” 202. “Is that what you’re doing? Trying to make me to hate you?” 203. “Is there a problem?” 204. “Is there a special reason, as to why you’re wearing my shirt?” 205. “Is there something you want to tell me?” 206. “It could be worse.” 207. “It made a difference to me.” 208. “It must be hard with your sense of direction, never being able to find your way to a decent pickup line.” 209. “It was just a dream.” 210. “It wasn’t supposed to happen like that.” 211. “It’s a hobby of mine to prove you wrong.” 212. “It’s all your fault.” 213. “It’s been fun. We’ve had a good run, but you parked in my spot. I’m going to have to kill you now.” 214. “IT’S NOT COMING OFF!” 215. “It’s not what it looks like…” 216. “It’s okay, I’m here for you.” 217. “It’s okay to cry…” 218. “Just leave me ALONE.” 219. “Just talk to me!” 220. “Keep your head up.” 221. “Kiss me.” 222. “Let him go! It’s me you want.” 223. “Let me buy you a drink?” 224. “Let’s do something wild and crazy!” 225. “Look at me - just breathe, okay?” 226. “Look at that. I’ve never seen your face get so red.” 227. “Look, I don’t have much time, but I wanted to say I love you.” 228. “Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…” 229. “Make a wish.” 230. “Marry me?” 231. “May I have this dance?” 232. “Meet me at midnight. Alone.” 233. “Meet me on the bridge in an hour.” 234. “Meet me on the roof in ten minutes.” 235. “Mind if I cut in?” 236. “My parents asked about you.” 237. “No! I’m tired of doing what you say!” 238. “No one needs to know.” 239. “No one will ever hurt you again.” 240. “None of this makes sense.” 241. “None of that matters now.” 242. “Not a day will go by that I won’t think of you.” 243. “Oh, my God! You’re in love with her!” 244. “Please don’t argue. You have to leave right now, you aren’t safe here.” 245. “Please don’t cry.” 246. “Please don’t do this.” 247. “Please, don’t give up on me.” 248. “Please, don’t leave.” 249. “Please listen to me-” 250. “Please say something.” 251. “Please, take me instead!” 252. “Promise me you won’t let anything happen to him.” 253. “Promise me you’ll stay.” 254. “Remember our first date? When you took me to Starbucks and it took me 15 minutes just to choose a flavour of Frappuccino? I was never sure about anything, never. But I was so fucking sure about you!” 255. “Run, and don’t ever look back.” 256. “She’s been missing since Friday and you’re not worried?” 257. “She’s missing, not dead.” 258. “Shit, are you bleeding?!” 259. “Shopping? Do I have to go?” 260. “Shut up and kiss me.” 261. “Since when do you drive a motorcycle?” 262. “So? It’s not your problem so butt out.” 263. “So, I found this waterfall…” 264. “So there was an accident…” 265. “Somebody’s in love!” 266. “Sorry, I thought I was alone…” 267. “Stop taking pictures! I’m fucking stuck. Be useful and help me!!” 268. “Stop talking about love for a minute and help me with this bullet wound.” 269. “Stop talking about the past, I could be dead in a matter of hours… make me up a future.” 270. “Teach me how to play?” 271. “Tell me a secret.” 272. “Tell me again why I let you convince me that this was even remotely a good idea.” 273. “That came out wrong.” 274. “That guy at the bar keeps staring at you.” 275. “That is not coming in this house!” 276. “That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” 277. “The joke’s on them.” 278. “The paint’s supposed to go where?” 279. “The sign said not to push the button, so naturally I had to push it!” 280. “The skirt is supposed to be this short.” 281. “The three seconds rule doesn’t apply to sticky foods.” 282. “The way you flirt is shameful.” 283. “There are plenty of people out there who love you.” “Yeah, like who?” “Like me.” 284. “There’s no getting out of this. You ruined me.” 285. “There’s something I need to tell you.” 286. “Things don’t always turn out how they should.” 287. “This is… this is somewhere I never imagined I’d be.” 288. “This is by far the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in.” 289. “This is so going on YouTube!” 290. “This isn’t just about you. It’s about what’s best for all of us.” 291. “Those things you said yesterday… Did you mean them?” 292. “Time’s up!” 293. “Twins? We’re…we’re having twins?!” 294. “W…Was that you making that noise?” 295. “Wait a minute. Are you jealous?” 296. “Wait, do you two know each other?” 297. “Wake up! Please, please wake up.” 298. “Walk it off!” 299. “Wanna bet?” 300. “Wanna dance?” 301. “We could be amazing!” 302. “We could’ve had it all.” 303. “We have to pretend to be married.” 304. “We missed our chance.” 305. “We’ll finish it the same way we started it…together.” 306. “We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?” 307. "Well….don’t keep me waiting” 308. “Well, this is awkward…” 309. “Well, this is where I live.” 310. “What are you afraid of?” 311. “What did I ever done to you?” 312. “What other hidden talents do you have?” 313. “What the hell are you doing here?! I told you I never wanted to see you again!” 314. “What the hell was that?!” 315. “What were you thinking?? Were you trying to get yourself killed?” 316. “When are you going to realize that I don’t care?” 317. “When I come back, that better be exactly where you found it!” 318. “When you love someone, you just don’t stop. Ever. Even when people roll their eyes or call you crazy… even then. Especially then!” 319. “Where did that cat come from?” 320. “Where did you find this?” 321. “Where did you learn to dance?” 322. “Where were you? Do you have any idea how worried I was?” 323. “Who brought pot brownies to the bake sale?!” 324. “Who gave you that black eye?!” 325. “Who’s gonna stop me? You?” 326. “Why are you baking muffins at three in the morning?” 327. “Why are you covered in mud?” 328. “Why are you dressed like that?” 329. “Why are you lying?” 330. “Why are you up so early?” 331. “Why can’t they see that they’re meant for each other?” 332. “Why can’t you see what you’re doing to me?” 333. “Why choose me?” 334. “Why do I even bother?” 335. “Why don’t they just kiss already?” 336. “Why don’t you say that to my face?” 337. “Why wouldn’t you come to me with your problems?” 338. “Will you just shut up for a moment so I can say something nice to you!” 339. “Will you please just give me a hand?” 340. “You are nothing like them.” 341. “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” 342. “You better have a good reason for waking me up at the ass-crack of dawn.” 343. “You braided his hair?” 344. “You broke what?!” 345. “You came back!” 346. “You can trust me.” 347. “You can’t just sit on the sidelines your whole life!” 348. “You can’t leave me in the dark. You have to tell me these things.” 349. "You can’t protect me.” 350. “You deserve so much better.” 351. “You did all of this for me?” 352. “You did this for me?” 353. “YOU DID WHAT?!” 354. “You didn’t tell me it was karaoke night…” 355. “You don’t have to stay.” 356. “You don’t know you the way I do.” 357. “You don’t need to protect me.” 358. “You fainted…straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.” 359. “You got her pregnant?! What were you thinking?” 360. “You had me at ‘free pizza!’” 361. “You have no idea what I’ve done for you.” 362. “You have the most amazing eyes.” 363. “You have to make a choice.” 364. “You have to remember!” 365. “You haven’t even touched your food. What’s going on?” 366. “You heard me. Take. It. Off.” 367. “You know I wouldn’t do this if I had any other choice.” 368. “You know my name?” 369. “You know, it hurt when I realized that you’re not in love with me. But nothing can compare to the pain I felt when I saw you fall in love with him…” 370. “You know, it’s okay to cry.” 371. “You lied to me!” 372. ″You look beautiful.” 373. “You make me feel like I’m not good enough.” 374. “You need to leave. Right now.” 375. “You need to let her go.” 376. “You need to wake up because I can’t do this without you.” 377. “You never told me you had a fucking twin.” 378. “You say the nastiest things when you’re angry, so yes, I’m walking away from you now.” 379. “You shouldn’t have even been there!” 380. “You walked away. Not me.” 381. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” 382. “You’ll be the death of me.” 383. “You’re hiding something from me.” 384. “You’re my one exception.” 385. “You’re not alone.” 386. “You’re safe now. I’ve got you.” 387. “You’re the only one I trust to do this.” 388. “You’re too good for me.” 389. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” 390. “You’ve only heard his side of the story. You never asked mine.”

[velvetiwriting]

some really good @clpolk [tweets] about narrative trust

[velvetiwriting]

Helpful things for action writers to remember

Sticking a landing will royally fuck up your joints and possibly shatter your ankles, depending on how high you’re jumping/falling from. There’s a very good reason free-runners dive and roll. 

Hand-to-hand fights usually only last a matter of seconds, sometimes a few minutes. It’s exhausting work and unless you have a lot of training and history with hand-to-hand combat, you’re going to tire out really fast. 

Arrows are very effective and you can’t just yank them out without doing a lot of damage. Most of the time the head of the arrow will break off inside the body if you try pulling it out, and arrows are built to pierce deep. An arrow wound demands medical attention. 

Throwing your opponent across the room is really not all that smart. You’re giving them the chance to get up and run away. Unless you’re trying to put distance between you so you can shoot them or something, don’t throw them. 

Everyone has something called a “flinch response” when they fight. This is pretty much the brain’s way of telling you “get the fuck out of here or we’re gonna die.” Experienced fighters have trained to suppress this. Think about how long your character has been fighting. A character in a fist fight for the first time is going to take a few hits before their survival instinct kicks in and they start hitting back. A character in a fist fight for the eighth time that week is going to respond a little differently. 

ADRENALINE WORKS AGAINST YOU WHEN YOU FIGHT. THIS IS IMPORTANT. A lot of times people think that adrenaline will kick in and give you some badass fighting skills, but it’s actually the opposite. Adrenaline is what tires you out in a battle and it also affects the fighter’s efficacy - meaning it makes them shaky and inaccurate, and overall they lose about 60% of their fighting skill because their brain is focusing on not dying. Adrenaline keeps you alive, it doesn’t give you the skill to pull off a perfect roundhouse kick to the opponent’s face. 

Swords WILL bend or break if you hit something hard enough. They also dull easily and take a lot of maintenance. In reality, someone who fights with a sword would have to have to repair or replace it constantly.

Fights get messy. There’s blood and sweat everywhere, and that will make it hard to hold your weapon or get a good grip on someone. 

A serious battle also smells horrible. There’s lots of sweat, but also the smell of urine and feces. After someone dies, their bowels and bladder empty. There might also be some questionable things on the ground which can be very psychologically traumatizing. Remember to think about all of the character’s senses when they’re in a fight. Everything WILL affect them in some way. 

If your sword is sharpened down to a fine edge, the rest of the blade can’t go through the cut you make. You’ll just end up putting a tiny, shallow scratch in the surface of whatever you strike, and you could probably break your sword. 

ARCHERS ARE STRONG TOO. Have you ever drawn a bow? It takes a lot of strength, especially when you’re shooting a bow with a higher draw weight. Draw weight basically means “the amount of force you have to use to pull this sucker back enough to fire it.” To give you an idea of how that works, here’s a helpful link to tell you about finding bow sizes and draw weights for your characters.  (CLICK ME)

If an archer has to use a bow they’re not used to, it will probably throw them off a little until they’ve done a few practice shots with it and figured out its draw weight and stability. 

People bleed. If they get punched in the face, they’ll probably get a bloody nose. If they get stabbed or cut somehow, they’ll bleed accordingly. And if they’ve been fighting for a while, they’ve got a LOT of blood rushing around to provide them with oxygen. They’re going to bleed a lot. 

Here’s a link to a chart to show you how much blood a person can lose without dying. (CLICK ME) 

If you want a more in-depth medical chart, try this one. (CLICK ME)

Hopefully this helps someone out there. If you reblog, feel free to add more tips for writers or correct anything I’ve gotten wrong here. 

[velvetiwriting]

Reminder, not writing every day doesn’t make you any less of an amazing writer! You do you!

[velvetiwriting]

when you remember how poorly executed and redundant death of the outsider’s plot was but remember it also gave the option giving the outsider a happy ending

[velvetiwriting]

lets bring back romanticism im tired of trying to be rational. were all dumb and we all want love

[velvetiwriting]

[velvetiwriting]

Angst/fluff Prompt List

Please don’t repost (stealing isn’t cool, but reblog if you wish) <3 <3

“I love you, please don’t go.”

“Stay here tonight.”

“Please don’t walk out of that door.”

“I thought things were going great.”

“Don’t you love me?”

“You make every day worth living.”

“I’ll keep you warm.”

“I’m never letting you go.”

“You meant too much to me.”

“I won’t let you.”

“How could you ask me that?”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“I won’t let anyone hurt you, you’re safe with me.”

“You look amazing tonight.”

“Shouldn’t you be with him/her?”

“I’ve got you.”

“I can’t sleep, can I stay here?”

“It’s late.  Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

“How are you feeling today?”

“You look amazing tonight.”

“We’ll figure this out.”

“This isn’t goodbye.”

“What’s cookin’ good lookin’?”

“Wanna go grab a drink?”

“What the hell were you thinking?!”

“Here, let me help you.”

“Kiss me.”

“I care about you.”

“You could have warned me!”

“That was unexpected.”

“You haven’t lost me.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Don’t cry.”

“Please don’t do this.”

“You make me feel safe.”

“You’ve shown me what love can feel like.”

“Thank you, for everything.”

“All I wanted was for you to be happy.”

“I can’t do this on my own.”

“I wasn’t lying when I said that I loved you.”

“Don’t be afraid.”

“You’re always on my mind.”

“You have no idea how much I want you right now.”

“You’ve always felt like home.”

“I can’t imagine this world without you.”

“Dance with me.”

“Trust me.”

“Why are you crying?”

“Who hurt you?”

“Nothing is wrong with you.”

“You make me feel alive.”

“I wouldn’t change a thing about you.”

“Who cares about what they think?”

“Let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“You’ve always got me.”

“I’ve waited for this moment for a long time.”

“Is this okay?”

“You look like you could use a hug.”

“Did you need something?”

“Do you have a ride home?”

“I am home.”

“What happened back there?”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

“Why me?”

“I’m right where I belong.”

“Fine.”

“What do you want me to say?”

“After everything we’ve been through, you still don’t think that I love you?”

“You’ve been drinking tonight, haven’t you?”

“You need sleep.”

“Excuse me?”

“What are you doing?”

“What did you expect?”

“You’re not alone.”

“We’re meant for each other.”

“You’re worth it.”

“I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”

“I’ve always been honest with you.”

“It’s cold, you should take my jacket.”

“Just breathe, okay?”

“When I’m with you, I’m happy.”

“Going somewhere?”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“Don’t be scared, I’m right here.”

“You’re so adorable.”

“I’m better, now that you’re here.”

“I could never forget you.”

“Forget it.”

“That’s in the past.”

“You make me happy.”

“You’re more than that.”

“I won’t lose you too.”

“Come cuddle.”

“Can’t you stay a little longer?”

“It’s not that easy.”

“I’ve had enough.”

“I fell in love with you, not them.”

“You’re the only one I wanna wake up next to.”

[velvetiwriting]

Send me a ship and a number and I'll tell you

susurrusilous:

- How do they fall asleep? Wake up? Any daily rituals?

- How’s their team work? Do they share well?

- Are they open about their relationship? How do they feel about public displays of affection?

- First impression of each other? Was it love at first sight?

- Nicknames? Pet names? Any in-jokes?

- Any tasks that are always left to one person?

- What annoys them the most about their partner? Would they change it if they could?

- What do the like best about their partner?

- Do they discuss big issues? Religion? Marriage? Children? Death?

- Who drives? Cooks? Does the handiwork? Cleans? Pays the bills? Handles the public?

- Do they celebrate holidays? Anniversaries?

- Is there a wedding? What was the proposal like? Any kind of honeymoon?

- What do they do for fun? Do they have a favorite activity or do they like to switch things up?

- Anything they both dread?

- How adventurous are they?

- Do they keep secrets? Lie? Cheat?

- What would make them break up? Would it be permanent?

- What are their dates like? How long do/did they date? Do they ever feel the need to take a break from each other?

- What do they fight about? What are their arguments like? How do they make up?

- What does their home look like? Their room?

- Do they share any interests or hobbies?

- Does their work ever interfere with the relationship?

- How do they hug? Kiss? Tease? Flirt? Comfort?

- Any doubts about the relationship?

- How much time do they spend together? Do they share their feelings, or hold things in?

- How do their friends feel about their relationship? Their families?

- Do they have kids? Grow old together? Split up?

- What are their vacations like?

- How do the handle disasters or emergencies? Minor injuries? Sickness?

- Could they manage a long distance relationship?

- Do they finish each other’s sentences? Pick up any phrases or habits from each other? Know when the other is hiding something?

- Do they ever get into trouble? Is it serious, or are they just mischievous?

- What kind of presents do they get each other? Do they only do it on special occasions?

- Do they have any pets?

- Do they bring out the best in each other, or the worst? Do they have a fatal flaw?

- What’s their greatest strength as a couple? Their weakness?

- How much would they be willing to sacrifice for the other? Any lines they refuse to cross?

- What are they like in the bedroom? Any kinks/fetishes/turn-ons? Anything they won’t do?

- Who initiated the relationship? Who kissed who first?  When did they realize they were in love?

- Any special memories? Do they have a special place they like to go to?

- Are they party-goers? What are they like when they’re drunk? Does it happen often?

- Do they let each other get away with things that would normally bother them?

- Do they talk often? What about?

- Are the comfortable with each other? Anything they have to have their privacy for?

- Any special dreams or goals they have as a couple? Any heartbreaks? Regrets?

[velvetiwriting]

Killing off characters: the shoulds and shouldn’ts

1. Why you should

The death is a major plot point

It reveals some shocking plot twist

It supports your themes/what you’re trying to say with your book

Your novel explores the afterlife

You are George R.R Martin and the selling point of your work is that everybody dies

It suits the genre/mood of your novel

2. Why you shouldn’t

The character isn’t serving any purpose (this isn’t the Sims)

You want your readers to be shocked for the sake of being shocked

You want to be edgy

You think your MG story needs more gore

You want to romanticise grieving/loss

3. How you should

This really depends on your genre and target audience

If you’re writing something that isn’t intended to be graphic/traumatic, you can stick to the impact the death has on the other characters. If your novel explores illness, focus on that rather than on the disturbing death scene itself. Perhaps you’re writing a drama/tragic romance - you might want to ease up on the gore here. For these genres, I would suggest focusing on the emotional aspect of the death - the sobbing, the last words, the bright white lights (whatever floats your boat). Think of Mufasa in The Lion King - the actions are suspenseful, but we don’t see him being trampled with his guts spilling everywhere. But it’s still one of the most impactful deaths in fictional history.

If you’re writing in a more mature and gritty genre (like thriller, dark fantasy or crime), you can go all out. If there’s blood and guts, you readers probably want to see it in vivid detail to get their violence fix for the day.

Whichever genre your novel falls into, you should also go with what feels comfortable to you. Even if you’re writing adult dark fantasy, you don’t have to write graphic violence to make a character death impactful.

4. How you shouldn’t

Please don’t let your character have a three-pages-long monologue after they’ve been stabbed in the throat. It’s not realistic and it’s often very boring. Yes, a few well-written last words can have a great impact. Just make sure that your character would realistically be able to speak at that point and that it doesn’t become a cheese fest.

Unless you’re aiming for very dark/nihilistic humour, afford your characters some dignity in the way they kick the bucket. (e.g. don’t use the phrase “kick the bucket”). Having someone slip on a banana peel and then choke on a pretzel is a little ridiculous and will make the entire story seem silly. Once again, this really depends on what you’re going for. If your genre is serious and your character is important and beloved, try for emotion rather than whimsy.

Don’t let your characters die only to be resurrected again and again and again. Look, I love Supernatural (long may they reign), but even I have to admit that the Winchester brothers’ luck with death has become a bit ridiculous. Doing this takes away from the impact of the death - it removes the fear and suspense, and will leave your readers emotionally stunted.

5. Who you shouldn’t

Your only female character in a bid to make the male hero feel something and become a better person

Your only LGBTQIA+ character, who is just too pure to live in this terrible world

Your only character of colour, who dies to save the white hero

Your only disabled character, who can now finally find release from life with disability

The one character who has never experienced a sliver of joy and bears the brunt of the tragedy, right when happiness is finally within their reach

The main character in the middle of the story - unless you have a REALLY good plan for what happens next

Reblog if you found these tips useful. Comment with your own thoughts on killing off characters. Follow me for similar content.