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sometimes you need dialogue tags and don't want to use the same four

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how does being punched in the face feel like

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Obscure Color Words

albicant: whitish; becoming white

amaranthine: immortal; undying; deep purple-red colour

aubergine: eggplant; a dark purple colour

azure: light or sky blue; the heraldic colour blue

celadon: pale green; pale green glazed pottery

cerulean: sky-blue; dark blue; sea-green

chartreuse: yellow-green colour

cinnabar: red crystalline mercuric sulfide pigment; deep red or scarlet colour

citrine: dark greenish-yellow

eburnean: of or like ivory; ivory-coloured

erythraean: reddish colour

flavescent: yellowish or turning yellow

greige: of a grey-beige colour

haematic: blood coloured

heliotrope: purplish hue; purplish-flowered plant; ancient sundial; signalling mirror

hoary: pale silver-grey colour; grey with age

isabelline: greyish yellow

jacinthe: orange colour

kermes: brilliant red colour; a red dye derived from insects

lovat: grey-green; blue-green

madder: red dye made from brazil wood; a reddish or red-orange colour

mauve: light bluish purple

mazarine: rich blue or reddish-blue colour

russet: reddish brown

sable: black; dark; of a black colour in heraldry

saffron: orange-yellow

sarcoline: flesh-coloured

smaragdine: emerald green

tilleul: pale yellowish-green

titian: red-gold, reddish brown

vermilion: bright red

virid: green

viridian: chrome green

xanthic: yellow

zinnober: chrome green

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Myths, Creatures, and Folklore

Want to create a religion for your fictional world? Here are some references and resources!

General:

General Folklore

Various Folktales

Heroes

Weather Folklore

Trees in Mythology

Animals in Mythology

Birds in Mythology

Flowers in Mythology

Fruit in Mythology

Plants in Mythology

Folktales from Around the World

Africa:

Egyptian Mythology

African Mythology

More African Mythology

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

The Gods of Africa

Even More African Mythology

West African Mythology

All About African Mythology

African Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

The Americas:

Aztec Mythology

Haitian Mythology

Inca Mythology

Maya Mythology

Native American Mythology

More Inca Mythology

More Native American Mythology

South American Mythical Creatures

North American Mythical Creatures

Aztec Gods and Goddesses

Asia:

Chinese Mythology

Hindu Mythology

Japanese Mythology

Korean Mythology

More Japanese Mythology

Chinese and Japanese Mythical Creatures

Indian Mythical Creatures

Chinese Gods and Goddesses

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Korean Gods and Goddesses

Europe:

Basque Mythology

Celtic Mythology

Etruscan Mythology

Greek Mythology

Latvian Mythology

Norse Mythology

Roman Mythology

Arthurian Legends

Bestiary

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic Lands

Finnish Mythology

Celtic Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

Middle East:

Islamic Mythology

Judaic Mythology

Mesopotamian Mythology

Persian Mythology

Middle Eastern Mythical Creatures

Oceania:

Aboriginal Mythology

Polynesian Mythology

More Polynesian Mythology

Mythology of the Polynesian Islands

Melanesian Mythology

Massive Polynesian Mythology Post

Maori Mythical Creatures

Hawaiian Gods and Goddesses

Hawaiian Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses

Creating a Fantasy Religion:

Creating Part 1

Creating Part 2

Creating Part 3

Creating Part 4

Fantasy Religion Design Guide

Using Religion in Fantasy

Religion in Fantasy

Creating Fantasy Worlds

Beliefs in Fantasy

Some superstitions:

Read More

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This is an ultimate masterlist of many, many resources that could be helpful for writers/roleplayers.

→ GENERAL

Improvement

Improve Your Writing Habits Now

5 Ways to Add Sparkle to Your Writing

Getting Over Roleplaying Insecurities

Improve Your Paras

Why the Right Word Choices Result in Better Writing

4 Ways To Have Confidence in Your Writing

Writing Better Than You Normally Do

How’s My Driving?

Describing

A Description Resource

55 Words to Describe Someones Voice

Describing Skin Colors

Describing a Person: Adding Details

Emotions Vocabulary

90 Words For ‘Looks’

Be More Descriptive

Describe a Character’s Look Well

100 Words for Facial Expressions

To Show and Not To Tell

Words to Describe Facial Expressions

Describing Clothes

List of Actions

Tone, Feelings and Emotions

Masterlists

Writing Specific Characters

Character Guides

Writing Help for Writers

Ultimate Writing Resource List

Lots of RP Guides

Online Writing Resources

List of Websites to Help You Focus

Resources for Writing Bio’s

Helpful Links for Writing Help

General Writing Resources

Resources for Biography Writing

Mental Ilnesses/Disorders Guides

8 Words You Should Avoid While Writing

  Body Language

Body Language Cheat

Body Language Reference Cheat

Tips for Writers: Body Language

Types of Crying

Body Language: Mirroring

Grammar/Vocabulary

Words Instead of Walk (2)

Commonly Confused Adjectives

A Guide on Punctuation

Common Writing Mistakes

25 Synoms for 'Expession’

How to: Avoid Misusing Variations of Words

Words to Keep Inside Your Pocket

The 13 Trickiest Grammar Hang-Ups

Other Ways to Say..

Proofreading

300+ Sophiscated and Underused Words

List of Misused Words

Words for Sex

100 Beautiful and Ugly Words

Words to Use More Often

Alternatives for 'Smile’ or 'Laugh’

Three Self Editing Tips

Words to Use Instead of 'Walk’, 'Said’, 'Happy’ and 'Sad’

Synonyms for Common Words

Alternatives for 'Smile’

Transitional Words

The Many Faces and Meanings of 'Said’

Synonyms for 'Wrote’

A Case Of She Said, She Said

Writer’s Block

How to: Cure Writer’s Block

Some Tips on Writer’s Block

Got Writer’s Block?

6 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block

Tips for Dealing With Writer’s Block

→ APPLICATIONS

Application (Itself)

How to: Make That Application Your Bitch

How to: Make Your App Better

How to: Submit a Flawless Audition

10 Tips for Applying

Para (Sample)

Para Sample Ideas

5 Tips on Writing an IC Para Sample

Writing an IC Sample Without Escaping From the Bio

How to: Create a Worthy IC Para Sample

How to: Write an Impressive Para Sample

How to: Lengthen Short Para’s

Prompts

Drabble Stuff

Prompts List

Writing Prompts

Drabble Prompts

How to Get Into Character

Writing Challenges/Prompts

A Study in Writing Prompts for RPs

Para Prompts & Ideas

Writing Prompts for Journal Entries

A List of Para Starters

→ GUIDES

Personalities

Angry

Bad Asses

Bitches (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

Childishness

Emotional Detachment

Flirtatious

The Girl Next Door

Introverts (2)

Mean Persons (2)

Psychopaths

Party Girls

Rich (2) 

Rebels

Sarcasm

Serial Killers (2)

Shyness (2, 3)

Sluts

Villains (2)

Witt

Disorders

Disorders in general (2, 3, 4, 5) 

Attention Deficit Disorder

Antisocial Personality Disorder

Anxiety (2, 3, 4, 5) 

Avoidant Personality Disorder

Alice In Wonderland Syndrome

Bipolar Disorder (2, 3)

Cotard Delusions

Depression (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)   

Eeating Disorders (2, 3)

Facitious Disorders

Histrionic Personality Disorder

Multiple Personality Disorder (2)

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Night Terrors

Kleptomania (2)

A Pyromaniac

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Psychopaths

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (2) (3)

Sex Addiction (2)

Schizophrenia (2)

Sociopaths (2)

Disabilities

Apathy 

Autism

Someone Blind (2)

Cancer (2, 3)

Disability

Dyslexia

Muteness (2, 3)

Stutter

Jobs/Hobbies/Beliefs

Actors

Ballet Dancer (2)

Christianity

Foreigners

Gamblers

Hinduism

Hitmen

Satanism

Smokers

Stoners

Taoism

Journalists

Vegetarians

Drugs

Alcohol Influence (2, 3, 4, 5)

Cocaine Influence

Ecstasy Influence (2)

Heroin Use

LSD Influence

Marijuana Influence (2, 3)

Opiate Use

Locations

Australia

Boston

California (2, 3)

England/Britain (2, 3, 4, 5)

New York

Prison

London

The South (2)

Genders

Females (2)

Males (2)

Transgender People

Supernatural

Vampires

Witches (2)

Werewolves

Other

Amnesia

Aspergers Syndrome

Children

A Death Scene

Loosing Someone (2)

Old Persons

Physical Injuries (2, 3)

Sexual Abuse (2)

Fight Scenes (2, 3, 4)

Horror

Torture

→ CREATING CHARACTERS

Biography Writing

Components of Your Biographies

Character sheet (2, 3)

Need Help With Character Creation?

How to: Draw Inspiration for Characters From Music

How to: Write a Biography (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

How to: Write a Fully Developed Character

How to: Create a Cast of Characters (2)

Writing an Original Character (2, 3)

Creating Believable Characters (2, 3)

Bio Formats (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)

Little Things You Can Add To Your Bios

Connections (2)

Titles

Bio Twists

Names

Female Names (2, 3, 4, 5)

Male Names (2, 3, 4, 5) 

Last Names  (2, 3, 4)

Personalities

Jung’s 16 Personality Types

Underused Character Personalities

Birth-Order: Personality Traits

The Difference Between Personality and Behavior

How to: Show a Characters Personality In a Paragraph

16 Character Traits

Underused Personalities

Personality Traits

Positive (2)

Negative (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Both (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Habits

Addictions and Bad Habits

Bad Habits

Character Habits

Character Quirks

Phobias (2)

Secrets

300 Possible Secrets to Give Your Characters

I Bet You Didn’t Know..

Character Plots And Secrets (2)

Celebrity Secrets

Secret Masterlist

Quotes

Song Lyrics Masterlist

Songs for Biographies

Favorite Quotes: TV and Movies

Favorite Quotes: Notable Authors

Favorite Quotes: Celebrities

Favorite Quotes: Popular Books (2)

Quotes From Songs

Character Quotes

Masterlist of Bio Lyrics

Masterlist of Bio Quotes

Masterlist of Song Lyrics

Biography Lyrics

A Masterlist of Quotes

+130 Quotes

The Quotation Garden

Mary Sue’s

A Mary Sue In The Inbox

Your Character Is A Sue, Not Just A Mary Or Gary

Not Writing A Mary Sue

→ WHILE ROLEPLAYING

Para Titles

100 Paragraph Titles

Para Titles - Song Title Edition (2,3)

A Whole Ton of Para Titles

350+ Song Titles

Para Titles For You (2)

Starters

How to: Create an interesting starter

How to: Make an Interesting Starter

Gif Conversations: A Guide

A Brief Guide to Starters

Interesting Gif Convesation Starters

Starters Masterlist

Gif Starter Posts

46 Interesting Gif Chat Starters

Ideas for Gif Chat Starters

Starters

Careers/Jobs

Masterlist: Jobs

Possible Careers for Characters

Artistic Occupations

Martha’s Vineyard Job Masterlist

Interesting Jobs

Locations/Settings/Activities

Para Ideas

Masterlist: Para Ideas

Top 50 Places for Starters

Writing Topics: Para Ideas

101 Date Ideas

68 Date Ideas

22 Date Ideas

Popular Places to Eat

Character Developement

Character Development Questionaire

Character Surveys

C.D. Questionaire

30 Day Character Development Meme

Character Development Questions (2)

100 Pt. Questionaire

IC and OOC Surveys

Online Test for Character Building

30 Days of Character Development

How to: Develop Characters

Get To Know Your Characters

→ ROMANCE

Romance (in general)

The Little Ways a Ship Gets Build

Roleplaying Relationships

8 Ways to Say I Love You

How to: Make a Set Ship RP Work

How to: Write a Romantic Scene

Do’s and Don'ts of Writing Relationships

Putting a Label on It

Synonyms for Love

Pregnancy (2, 3, 4, 5)

Smut

Smut Guide: Casual Sex

Smut Guide: For Beginners

How to: Write a First Time Sex Scene Romantically

How to: Smut - The Bare Bones

How to: Smut (For Virgins)

How to: Write Lesbian Smut

How to: Write Smut (2, 3)

How to: Write a Blowjob/Prepping for Smut

Smut Guides of Tumblr

Tips on Writing Sex Scenes

A Guide to Language in Smut

Domination and Submission

Making Love

A Smut Guide

Kisses

How to: Write a Kiss (2)

Different Types of Kisses

Writing Out the First Kiss

→ OTHER

Plot Writing

How to: Create the Best Plot for Your RP

How to: Create A Plot Outline in 8 Steps

How to: Write A Plot in 12 Steps

How to: Write A Quality Plot

How to: Spice Up Your Roleplay Plots

Components of Your Plot Page

Writing Up A Plot

Basics of Writing A Plot

Links for Plot Writing Help

Eight Unique Plot Ideas

Plot Twists

Situation Ideas (2, 3)

Guide to Plotting

Eras

Eras Masterlist

Everything You Need to Know Abut the 20’s

20’s Slang

Primary Sources on Ancient Civilizations

How to: Play the Greek Goddess 'Harmonia’

How to: Roleplay In the Victorian Era

Victorian Dialogue

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disgustingly cute domestic scenes to imagine your otp in:

getting slightly too drunk in the middle of the afternoon and slow dancing to dumb cheesy old music and kissing in a way that’s more laughter than actual kissing, mouths clumsy and hands gripping tight and sunlight slanting over them as they move lazily together 

curling up on the sofa together, feet tucked under thighs and arms around shoulders, watch the kind of crap tv that only airs at 3am because they don’t want to go to untangle themselves to go to bed

hectic mornings when they each need to be somewhere and they’re rushing around each other, ducking into bathrooms and bedrooms and kitchen cupboards, pausing to straighten tops and press kisses to cheeks

going through old photos together and collapsing into laughter every three pictures, and zooming in on ones where they’re pulling awful faces or ones that were taken at just the wrong moment

getting ready for nights out together, standing shoulder to shoulder as they brush their teeth or get their faces ready or style their hair, knocking elbows and hips as they try and hog more space

standing quietly together in the kitchen after long, exhausting days, leaning into each other for support, breathing in the smell of home, fingers carding through hair and stroking down spines, until they feel like they can relax and smile properly again

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Job AUs

cup-of-hot-coffee:

General

‘Hey bastard this store is already closed oh wait you’re hot never mind please do come in’ AU

‘I’m on the verge of tears because of a rude customer and you step in and stand up for me’ AU

‘I can feel you silently judging me as you ring up my purchases I swear I’m not using these for their intended purpose’ au

‘Why does this cost TEN DOLLARS THIS IS AN OUTRAGE’ AU

Hairdresser AU

‘You’re my regular customer and I’m in love with the feel of your hair’ AU

“Rumor has it that you’re a hairdresser with magic fingers and you can fix any bad hair day so that’s why I’m here’ AU

Gift store AU

‘Why the fuck are you choosing that for a gift to your crush’ AU

‘You walk in and offer to pay me to wrap your gifts’ AU

Florist AU

‘I work as a florist and every day you walk in, buy one flower and give it to me’ AU

‘I work part-time in a flower shop and you keep asking me about what this flower means in flower language and I honestly don’t know so you end up giving me a lesson’ AU

Jewellery shop AU

‘You walk in and ask for the most expensive piece are you loaded to the gills what the fuck man’ AU

‘I’m the employee and this is the first time ever I’ve met you but you buy me a necklace saying the gem compliments my eyes’ AU

Coffee Shop AU

I write a bad pick up line on your cup every time I’m your barista’ AU

‘You’re the customer and you get back at me for all the times I’ve spelt your name wrong by mispronouncing my name in increasingly horrible ways’ AU

‘You’re really short and cute and you buy a cup of black coffee every morning but you make weird faces as you sip it and you never finish your drink are you trying to look mature or something’ AU

‘Should I be concerned about how much caffeine you’re taking in’ AU

Bakery AU

‘Your love of strawberry shortcake really doesn’t match your appearance but i still think that’s really cute’ AU

‘Every morning you walk in and inhale deeply then walk back out seriously just buy something already’ AU 

Drug Store/Chemist AU

‘You embarrassedly place your items into the counter so I call a price check just to make you feel more awkward, but it turns out one of your items were actually overpriced’ AU

Bartender AU

‘You’re the bartender and you catch someone slipping something into my drink’ AU

‘I ask you to concoct something from all the ingredients on the list i gave you and it ends up tasting so horrible and wrong that i can’t stop laughing’ AU

Teacher AU

We’re both teachers and at the end of the year we compare how many gifts we’ve received from students and you’ve won for the past three years’ AU

‘Romeo and Juliet of the math and english dept. in school’ AU

Writer AU

I’m a writer and when it gets close to my deadlines I neglect taking care of myself so you’ll pop in my house every so often to make sure I’m doing okay’ AU

Fast food Chain AU

‘You just ordered a smile and I look at you like you’re batshit insane before bursting out into laughter’ AU

‘You’re an employee and I have a crush on you so when you hand me the soft serve I accidentally grab it by the ice cream instead of the cone’ AU

‘We have a free refill policy for soft drink and you’ve prepared several empty bottles what the fuck’ AU

Corner Shop AU

‘I see you come in here every day to buy the same drink and one day I leave a message on the bottle’ AU

‘You run in looking really panicked and you ask for 6 gallons of milk why’ AU

Restaurant AU

‘You’re a famous critique and I’m a server and I get so nervous that I trip and spill the dish all over you’ AU

‘You’ve always been a good cook so I encouraged your start your own restaurant and seven years down the track you own one of the most successful businesses’ AU

Idol/Manger AU

‘I’m your manager and holy shit you have crazy fans’ AU

‘You’re an idol and you got the lead role in a romance drama and you practice at my expense’ AU

‘Can you please act appropriately do you know just how many of your fuck ups I’ve had to cover up last week’ AU 

Firefighter AU

‘You’ve just been saved from a burning building and you’re begging to go back in to save your pet cat’ AU

“No that’s impossible how the fuck did you manage to get it to catch fire?!” AU

Sex Line Operator AU

‘I called you because I was curious and wow you have a very soothing voice can you please sing me to sleep’ AU

‘I have a very cute neighbour and very thin walls and one day I call you and err your moans are very synchronised with my neighbour’s’ AU

And Finally:

You’re a drug lord and I think I’ve just walked into your drug den’ AU

sorry not sorry

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random quotes from books & stuff meme

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if you’re struggling for AU ideas take a look-see at this list i wrote for my friend who dubbed it “better than the 10 commandments" 

1)     Coffee shop AU

i)       Barista and person who has a ridiculous coffee order

ii)      I’m worried about your coffee dependency

iii)     you accidentally poured boiling hot coffee over me so you’re responsible for taking me to A&E

iv)��    you give me a different fake name every time you come into starbucks and I just want to know your real name bc ur cute but here I am scrawling “batman” onto your stupid cappuccino

2)      Flower shop AU

i)       You buy a weird amount of flowers and I’m concerned as to why

ii)      I’m allergic to flowers but I work in a flower shop – you’re a customer who’s very confused as to why I’d do that

iii)     (this is also a good way to incorporate flower meanings eg, buying certain colours/types for person to represent feelings etc.)

3)      Library AU

i)       You’re overdue on this book and I want it so I’m tracking u the fuck down

ii)      I work in the library and I’m a little concerned for your health bc you never stop studying

iii)     The library’s pretty empty save for you and me and OH that couple making out loudly in the shelves somewhere

4)      Awful first time meeting

i)       I accidentally punched you in the face when I was too overexcited about something

ii)      I thought you were my friend who’s just done something awful to me (read: cut my hair while I slept, dyed all of my clothes pink, etc. etc.) because you look similar from behind so I stormed up to you and shoved you from behind while calling you an asshole

iii)     You get the gist to this one

iv)     Oooh when you told me your name I thought you were joking because it’s fucking awful and I made a joke about it and things got awkward real fucking fast (perfect for a Hannibal au just saying)

5)      Weird places to meet/awkward meetings in general

i)       We live in the same block of flats but haven’t ever talked and Sunday morning we were both doing the walk of shame and had to stand in the lift together

ii)      “okay I know that being in the woods at 2am is a weird thing to be doing but my friend called me and- wait, why are you in the woods at 2am, fuck I’m going to die aren’t I?”

iii)     A personal favourite of mine – first day at a new job and oh fuck my boss is the person I drunkenly hooked up with last weekend/night

iv)     We keep accidentally running into each other I’m not a stalker I swear

v)      You live across from me in our apartments and we smile when we see each other but we don’t really know each other and oh you’re the stripper at my friend’s stag do/hen night fuck this is really uncomfortable

vi)     “My shower’s broken but I’ve got a date tonight could I possibly use your shower please?” “Oh sure (neighbour that I’ve been crushing on for the past six months) of course you can use my shower to get ready for your date (fuck fuck fuck)”

6)      Friends to romance – pining and all that wonderful shit

i)       You’ve got a date tonight and you asked for advice on what to wear but I’m so in love with you and damn you look good in the outfit I picked out for you

ii)      I really like you but you’re my best friend’s ex

iii)     You’ve liked me for ages and were really obvious about it and I didn’t like all the attention but now you’re over me I really miss it and fuck I think I like you too?

iv)     Somewhere along the way of getting into bar fights together, staying up all night with movie marathons, other friendship things, I’ve fallen in love with you but oh my god this could ruin EVERYTHING

v)      Friends with benefits oh wait I like you

7)      FAKE DATING HOLY SHIT I LIVE FOR THIS

i)       It’s my highschool reunion and I need a hot date so I can rub it in the faces of the people who hated me

ii)      My homophobic parents are coming to visit will you pretend to date me as an extra “fuck you”?

iii)     There’s a person who won’t stop bugging me will you pretend to be my partner so that they’ll fuck off?

iv)     I told my sister I have a boyfriend so she’d stop trying to set me up with people but now she’s coming to visit and I’m in too deep I need a fake boyf ASAP

8)      Soulmate aus

i)       The first words your true love(s) will say to you are tattooed on you and why the fuck are their first words something really ridiculous like ‘I’ll pay you a tenner to punch me in the face’ or ‘quick what’s your favourite animal’ or ‘fucking shit hell holy fuck wow oh my god jesus h Christ fuck me’ etc. or even worse a really ridiculous song lyric like  the opening lines of uptown funk or a high school musical song or smthing did you have to serenade me the first time you saw me asshole?

ii)      You get an ‘impression’ of your soulmate when you turn 18 or something but all I got was a strong smell of bananas or an overwhelming feeling that Thatcher was a good prime minister or an image in my mind of a fucking unicorn

iii)     The more ridiculous the better actually

iv)     Something like whenever your soulmate sings a duet you can’t help but join in and my fucking soulmate is in a goddamn band but I can’t sing for shit

v)      Or maybe something like soulmates always sneeze at the same time and I cant be sure but me and this kid in my French class just sneezed at the same time are we soulmates or was it a coincidence (proceed w character trying to make themselves sneeze around said person to see what’s what)

9)      Alternate universes for real

i)       Mermaids

ii)      Siren and asexual pirate who doesn’t understand why all his crew are losing their shit that person has a nice voice sure but what the fuck is happening

iii)     Hogwarts

iv)     We live in a world where the greek gods are real and you went and got yourself cursed and now I have to go on a fucking quest to sort this shit out why do I love you again?

v)      Pacific rim au (either they’re drift compatible or one of them is a ranger and the other stresses constantly bc what if they die yes I have read a fic like this no I didn’t come up with this one but it’s fucking good) (also if you haven’t seen that film go watch it now)

vi)     Literally any movie or book universe you like tbh just go for it

10)   Other aus that I like

i)       I wanted to go on the ferris wheel but there has to be two people to a cart come on random person let’s go oh wait are we stuck at the top? Fuck

ii)      We work in the same office and you have a goddamn squeaky chair and you wONT FUCKING STOP SQUEAKING IT BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT ANNOYS ME

iii)     Our mutual friend set us up on a blind date and I thought I’d hate it but you’re actually… kind of funny? But because I expected to hate it in no way am I going to let you change my mind just because you’re gorgeous and funny and intelligent oh no my friend is not winning this

iv)     It started to snow and I’m the only one of our friends who would go outside with you – I soon found out why none of the others would go out in the snow with you (this works best if they’re new friends who don’t know each other all that well) when you shoved a handful of snow down my back and declared snow war

v)      It’s nowhere near Christmas it’s literally still November would you calm down about Christmas wait no why are you getting the tree out no stop please stop (if you do this pre-relationship you can have the grouchy one secretly finding the other’s excitement endearing and falling in love with them actually that works for established relationship too)

vi)     Current partner got a new job in America (or other country far away) and we’re getting by on skype calls and emails but it’s not easy and then I met someone new (can be poly or can be finding the OTP person)

vii)   You want us both to get in shape and I hate working out/running but your ass looks really good in shorts oh the things I do for my friends and their nice asses

viii)  Carrying on from 10.vii. you’ve caught me checking you out in what I thought was a subtle way too many times and now you’re calling me out on it what do I do???

ix)     You’re an actor/other famous person that I really admire and I just saw you in the street and as I was debating whether or not to say hi you came up to me and started flirting what do I do??

x)      You were waving at your friend behind me but I got confused and waved back at you and now I’m dying of embarrassment but you think it’s cute

xi)     I sat down in the wrong class and I’m panicking but don’t want to get up and leave because the class has started and you think it’s hilarious and shut up you dumb fuck you don’t know me aahhh

xii)   I’m a waiter at this wedding and you’re a drunk guest who will not stop hitting on me please I’m trying to work no I can’t dance with you omg let me find you some water

xiii)  Our best friends are that awful ‘cute’ couple that make-out in public and call each other “sweetie” and “sugar” and “babe” and god they’re awful let’s talk about how awful they are – develops into “shit we’re the awful couple now”

xiv)  You pissed me off in class so I threw a book at your head and now I’m in detention and jesus fuck I hate you so much and the teacher made me apologise and wait you’re cuter up close and the way you talk is kind of nice actually oh fuck no

Okay I could go on forever but this is over 1,500 words of auing already I have too many ideas christ

send me some to @theskyis-forever with a pairing for me to write :)

[write-up-my-alley]

Transition Words For Your Essays

Transition Signals:

Transitions are words and phrases that connect ideas and show how they are related.

To repeat and ideas just stated:

In other words,

That is,

To repeat,

Again,

To illustrate an idea:

For example,

For instance,

In particular,

To illustrate,

In this manner,

Thus,

To announce a contrast, a change in direction:

Yet,

However,

Still,

Nevertheless,

On the other hand,

In contrast,

Instead of,

On the contrary,

Conversely,

Notwithstanding,

In spite of this,

Time:

At once,

In the interim,

At length,

Immediately,

At last,

Meanwhile,

In the meantime,

Presently,

At the same time,

Shortly,

In the end,

Temporarily,

Thereafter,

To restate an idea more precisely:

To be exact,

To be specific,

To be precise,

More specifically,

More precisely,

To mark a new idea as an addition to what has been said:

Similarly,

Also,

Too,

Besides,

Furthermore,

Further,

Moreover,

In addition,

To show cause and effect:

As a result,

For this reason,

Thereafter,

Hence,

Consequently,

Accordingly,

Conclusion:

In short,

To conclude,

In brief,

On the whole,

In summary,

To sum up,

[write-up-my-alley]

Answer all these questions and you should have a fully-developed character for your audience to connect with. A strong character can carry a weak plot; but a strong plot can’t carry weak characters

[write-up-my-alley]

I’m a very lazy person. I know my characters well, but every time I try to fill out a proper character sheet, I either get distracted or simply never finish them.

SO!

I made this! A silly, simple character sheet in which you only have to check boxes to get to know your dear puppet character. Use to your heart’s content, and if you’re going to repost, please credit! Enjoy~

PDF/Printable version on Google Drive

[write-up-my-alley]

Aftermath

People like writing about war, but they rarely like writing about the aftermath. And I think that’s a shame, because sometimes writing about the aftermath can be at least as interesting. There’s a lot you can do with what happens after the fighting is done, when people need to rebuild, when they need to find who they are and where they fit in a world that is different than it was when they began.

Write about interpersonal relationships, and how they changed.

Write about how people view themselves and the actions they needed to take.

Write about rebuilding—physically, socially, mentally, emotionally.

Write about the choices people made because they thought they were never going to need to face the consequences.

Write about the emotional toll that war takes, that constant violence takes, that never being able to relax takes.

Write about the physical toll that war takes, about the people who come back missing limbs or neurons.

Write about the people who lost everyone they knew and still have to live with themselves.

Write about the people who lost everything, their homes, their land, the cities, about them finding new places to call home, or not.

Write about the people who are tasked with creating a new world, and the decisions they have to make.

Write about the people who only knew war, who were born after the war started and grew up with only that, who now need to figure out who they are in a world that has no place for them anymore.

Write about the people who were heroes, who know how to be heroes but don’t know how to be people.

Write about the people who weren’t heroes, who were hated, who were disgraced.

Write about the people who didn’t fight in the war because they couldn’t, because they weren’t physically capable or because society said they weren’t suitable.

Write about the people who fought on the losing side, who sacrificed everything and still lost and now need to rebuild with nothing, who are painted as monsters when they need no worse than the side that won.

Write about the trials, for people who committed war crimes, for people who took advantage of what was going on to do what they wanted.

Write about the weapons that are finding their way into the hands of children, cheap and easy to use, because they were left behind when the soldiers packed up and left.

Write about the landmines, the unexploded ordinances, the things that governments forgot were there or just didn’t care.

Write about ten years later, or twenty, or thirty, or one, or six months, or the next day, about what people do when the adrenaline of victory or defeat subsides and they’re left with a world that they no longer understand, that they no longer know, because they spent so long trying to destroy the old world that they forgot that they would have to live in the new one.

Write about the next generation, who grew up with parents who flinched at loud noises and cousins who could remember air raid sirens, who grew up doing drills they didn’t understand because the people who made the drills couldn’t forget that one day they might have been necessary.

Write about the women who stayed behind because they had no choice, about the women who stayed behind because they wanted to, about the women who couldn’t stay behind because there was no behind, because everywhere was a warzone and they were soldiers because everyone was a soldier.

Write about the children who trained for a war that ended before they were old enough to take up arms, where all they know is violence, not peace, how to destroy a city but not how to build one or how to run one.

Write about career soldiers who no longer have a career because the war is over, there’s peace, and so they find work for the highest bidder, for the person most willing to give them a knife or a gun and throw them wherever a little muscle and a lot of violence is needed.

Write about the people who did research on things nobody should ever research, who discovered things they could never speak about, who rationalized what they did as science while knowing it wasn’t.

Write about everyday people coping with everything that happened, with things they saw and things they did and things they knew that they wouldn’t wish on their worst enemy.

[write-up-my-alley]

Writing Traumatic Injuries References

So, pretty frequently writers screw up when they write about injuries. People are clonked over the head, pass out for hours, and wake up with just a headache… Eragon breaks his wrist and it’s just fine within days… Wounds heal with nary a scar, ever…

I’m aiming to fix that.

Here are over 100 links covering just about every facet of traumatic injuries (physical, psychological, long-term), focusing mainly on burns, concussions, fractures, and lacerations. Now you can beat up your characters properly!

General resources

WebMD

Mayo Clinic first aid

Mayo Clinic diseases

First Aid

PubMed: The source for biomedical literature

Diagrams: Veins (towards heart), arteries (away from heart) bones, nervous system, brain

  Burns

General overview: Includes degrees

Burn severity: Including how to estimate body area affected

Burn treatment: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degrees

Smoke inhalation

Smoke inhalation treatment

Chemical burns

Hot tar burns

Sunburns

  Incisions and Lacerations

Essentials of skin laceration repair (including stitching techniques)

When to stitch (Journal article—Doctors apparently usually go by experience on this)

More about when to stitch (Simple guide for moms)

Basic wound treatment

Incision vs. laceration: Most of the time (including in medical literature) they’re used synonymously, but eh.

Types of lacerations: Page has links to some particularly graphic images—beware!

How to stop bleeding: 1, 2, 3

Puncture wounds: Including a bit about what sort of wounds are most likely to become infected

More about puncture wounds

Wound assessment: A huge amount of information, including what the color of the flesh indicates, different kinds of things that ooze from a wound, and so much more.

Home treatment of gunshot wound, also basics More about gunshot wounds, including medical procedures

Tourniquet use: Controversy around it, latest research

Location pain chart: Originally intended for tattoo pain, but pretty accurate for cuts

General note: Deeper=more serious. Elevate wounded limb so that gravity draws blood towards heart. Scalp wounds also bleed a lot but tend to be superficial. If it’s dirty, risk infection. If it hits the digestive system and you don’t die immediately, infection’ll probably kill you. Don’t forget the possibility of tetanus! If a wound is positioned such that movement would cause the wound to gape open (i.e. horizontally across the knee) it’s harder to keep it closed and may take longer for it to heal.

  Broken bones

Types of fractures

Setting a broken bone when no doctor is available

Healing time of common fractures

Broken wrists

Broken ankles/feet

Fractured vertebrae: Neck (1, 2), back

Types of casts

Splints

Fracture complications

Broken noses

Broken digits: Fingers and toes

General notes: If it’s a compound fracture (bone poking through) good luck fixing it on your own. If the bone is in multiple pieces, surgery is necessary to fix it—probably can’t reduce (“set”) it from the outside. Older people heal more slowly. It’s possible for bones to “heal” crooked and cause long-term problems and joint pain. Consider damage to nearby nerves, muscle, and blood vessels.

  Concussions

General overview

Types of concussions 1, 2

Concussion complications

Mild Brain Injuries: The next step up from most severe type of concussion, Grade 3

Post-concussion syndrome

Second impact syndrome: When a second blow delivered before recovering from the initial concussion has catastrophic effects. Apparently rare.

Recovering from a concussion

Symptoms: Scroll about halfway down the page for the most severe symptoms

Whiplash

General notes: If you pass out, even for a few seconds, it’s serious. If you have multiple concussions over a lifetime, they will be progressively more serious. Symptoms can linger for a long time.

Character reaction:

Shock (general)

Physical shock: 1, 2

Fight-or-flight response: 1, 2

Long-term emotional trauma: 1 (Includes symptoms), 2

First aid for emotional trauma

  Treatment (drugs)

WebMD painkiller guide

  Treatment (herbs)

1, 2, 3, 4

  Miscellany

Snake bites: No, you don’t suck the venom out or apply tourniquettes

Frostbite

Frostbite treatment

Severe frostbite treatment

When frostbite sets in: A handy chart for how long your characters have outside at various temperatures and wind speeds before they get frostbitten

First aid myths: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Includes the ones about buttering burns and putting snow on frostbite.

Poisons: Why inducing vomiting is a bad idea

Poisonous plants

Dislocations: Symptoms 1, 2; treatment. General notes: Repeated dislocations of same joint may lead to permanent tissue damage and may cause or be symptomatic of weakened ligaments. Docs recommend against trying to reduce (put back) dislocated joint on your own, though information about how to do it is easily found online.

Muscular strains

Joint sprain

Resuscitation after near-drowning: 1, 2

Current CPR practices: We don’t do mouth-to-mouth anymore.

The DSM IV, for all your mental illness needs.

  Electrical shock

Human response to electrical shock: Includes handy-dandy voltage chart

Length of contact needed at different voltages to cause injury

Evaluation protocol for electric shock injury

Neurological complications

Electrical and lightning injury

Cardiac complications

Delayed effects and a good general summary

Acquired savant syndrome: Brain injuries (including a lightning strike) triggering development of amazing artistic and other abilities

Please don’t repost! You can find the original document (also created by me) here.

[write-up-my-alley]

Color Synonyms

White

also: pale; blanched; sallow; pallid; waxen; spectral; translucent; albino; 

Grey

also: dust; stone; pepper;  

Black

also:  coal; slate; dusky; ebon; shadow; murky; 

Tan

also: flesh; khaki; cream; tawny; 

Brown

also:  henna; russet; sepia; chestnut; cocoa; drab; bronze; 

Red

also: terracotta ; rouge; carmine;  fire-engine; ruddy

Orange

also:  pumpkin ; rust ; 

Yellow

also: sunny; amber; saffron; hay; straw; platinum; 

Green

also: viridescent; grass; jade; forest; 

Blue

also: turquoise; cyan; ultramarine; royal; aqua; aquamarine;

Purple

also: berry;  amaranthine;

Pink

also: flushed; candy; cherry blossom; petal pink ; 

—– source: http://ingridsundberg.com/

—–additional synonyms added by me