writing-for-whoever-listens

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

Random Prompts 25

"I know we haven't talked in a while, but I miss you. I guess I'm calling to let you know that."

"I shouldn't have come here." "Don't say that. You needed this." "I need to go home."

"Hypothetically-" "The answer is no."

"Why don't they miss me the way I miss them? Why don't they care?!"

"I never should've fallen for you." "But you did anyway." "And who's fault is that?"

"I love you. I love you more than anyone else I've ever known. Than anyone else I've ever had." "You're drunk." "I'm honest."

"Love, can you get me the flour?" "Whatever you want, I'll do it." "Okay. I want the flour."

"I'm not much of a dancer, sorry." "Your dancing is atrocious, but it's alright."

"Was I ever yours to begin with? Or was that all a lie too?"

"I think some people are sick and twisted." "Is this about specific people?" "Yeah."

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

how to weave subplots into your story without getting tangled in the mess

Subplots: the spicy side quests of your main narrative. They deepen your world, flesh out your characters, and keep things interesting. But if you’ve ever added one and ended up with a story that feels like it’s running in six directions at once… yeah. Let’s fix that.

1. your subplot should serve the main plot

Don’t just throw in a romance arc or a secret sibling reveal because it’s fun (though it is fun). Ask:  

- Does this subplot challenge the main character’s goals?  

- Does it echo or contrast the main theme?  

- Does it change something by the end?

If it’s just a cute side quest with no real impact, it’s fanfic material for your own story. Cool, but maybe not plot-essential.

2. intertwine, don’t parallel

Bad: your subplot exists in a bubble, running beside the plot but never touching it.  

Better: your subplot interacts with the main plot. Maybe it complicates things. Maybe it supports the MC in a moment of crisis. Maybe it explodes everything.

Example: your MC is hunting a killer, and the subplot is their failing marriage. Good subplotting means the stress of the hunt affects the marriage, and the marriage affects the hunt.

3. stagger your arcs

Your main plot might hit its midpoint twist at chapter 10. Have a subplot hit a *smaller* emotional beat around chapter 7 or 13. It keeps pacing dynamic and gives your readers something to chew on between big moments.

4. use subplots to develop side characters

Side characters are more than background noise. Give them wants. Give them stakes. Let their stories *collide* with your MC’s. That’s when the magic happens.

5. know when to shut it down 

Not every subplot needs a 3-act structure and a dramatic finale. Some are small. Some fade out naturally. Some just shift the perspective enough to reframe the main plot. If you’re tying up subplot #6 with a bow in the epilogue, maybe ask yourself if it really needed to be there.

6. outline the spiderweb 

It helps to map out how every subplot connects to the main story. Literally. Draw lines. Make a chaos diagram. It doesn’t have to be neat—just make sure those threads touch.

TL;DR:

Subplots are great. Subplots are juicy. But they’re not decoration—they’re infrastructure. Weave them into the story’s bones or risk writing 3 novels in one.

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

Missing Prompts

Still Missing Them:

"I can hear their voice, commenting on every stupid idea I have."

"Do you think they also miss me?"

"It's stupid to miss them so much."

"I miss even the things I hate about them."

"Every place reminds me of them, and it only makes me miss them more."

"I wake up and I miss them. I go to bed and I can't fall sleep."

"Being apart from them is the only thing I never want to get used to."

"I miss the dumbest things about them."

"I just want to be close to them again."

"It's like there is something just missing in my life."

Having Missed Them:

"I missed you every day. And every night you were with me in my dreams."

"It was like I had lost a limb. A part of me that nothing could replace."

"Every second without you felt like a lifetime."

"I spent every day wishing for this moment. For you to come back to me."

"Not sure what exactly I was missing."

"I felt so lost without you."

"It almost destroyed me. Missing them like crazy."

"Maybe I just missed what I thought we had."

"I don't ever want to feel that empty without you again."

Not Missing Them Anymore:

"I don't miss you anymore. Maybe the person you once were to me. But not you now."

"I used to miss you. Past tense."

"Being away from you made me realize that I'm fine without you."

"I thought I couldn't live without you. Turned out I can."

"Your absense felt massive. Now it feels like freedom."

"I finally stopped missing you the moment I realized you never missed me.

"You taught me a valuable lesson. I shouldn't miss what I never had."

"Letting go was easier than I thought."

"I wish you would have stayed away."

"I never thought I would ever get over you."

"Now I don't ever think about them anymore."

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Unhealed Wounds Your Character Pretends Are Just “Personality Traits”

These are the things your character claims are just “how they are” but really, they’re bleeding all over everyone and calling it a vibe.

╰ They say they're "independent." Translation: They don’t trust anyone to stay. They learned early that needing people = disappointment. So now they call it “being self-sufficient” like it’s some shiny badge of honor. (Mostly to cover up how lonely they are.)

╰ They say they're "laid-back." Translation: They stopped believing their wants mattered. They'll eat anywhere. Do anything. Agree with everyone. Not because they're chill, but because the fight got beaten out of them a long time ago.

╰ They say they're "a perfectionist." Translation: They believe mistakes make them unlovable. Every typo. Every bad hair day. Every misstep feels like proof that they’re worthless. So they polish and polish and polish... until there’s nothing real left.

╰ They say they're "private." Translation: They’re terrified of being judged—or worse, pitied. Walls on walls on walls. They joke about being “mysterious” while desperately hoping no one gets close enough to see the mess behind the curtain.

╰ They say they're "ambitious." Translation: They think achieving enough will finally make the emptiness go away. If they can just get the promotion, the award, the validation—then maybe they’ll finally outrun the feeling that they’re fundamentally broken. (It never works.)

╰ They say they're "good at moving on." Translation: They’re world-class at repression. They’ll cut people out. Bury heartbreak. Pretend it never happened. And then wonder why they wake up at 3 a.m. feeling like they're suffocating.

╰ They say they're "logical." Translation: They’re terrified of their own feelings. Emotions? Messy. Dangerous. Uncontrollable. So they intellectualize everything to avoid feeling anything real. They call it rationality. (It's fear.)

╰ They say they're "loyal to a fault." Translation: They mistake abandonment for loyalty. They stay too long. Forgive too much. Invest in people who treat them like an afterthought, because they think walking away makes them "just as bad."

╰ They say they're "resilient." Translation: They don't know how to ask for help without feeling like a burden. They wear every bruise like a trophy. They survive things they should never have had to survive. And they call it strength. (But really? It's exhaustion wearing a cape.)

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

writing mood™️

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

I made these as a way to compile all the geographical vocabulary that I thought was useful and interesting for writers. Some descriptors share categories, and some are simplified, but for the most part everything is in its proper place. Not all the words are as useable as others, and some might take tricky wording to pull off, but I hope these prove useful to all you writers out there!

(save the images to zoom in on the pics)

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

The angstiest masterpost

angsty.

Angsty family/platonic dialogue

Angsty question prompts #1

Angsty question prompts #2

Angsty question prompts #3

Angsty/fighting dialogue

Concerned/angsty question prompts 

Angsty starters

Angst prompts

Angsty sentence starters #1

Angsty sentence starters #2

Angsty sentence starters #3

Angsty sentence starters #4

Leaving dialogue

Reunion dialogue reactions

Unwilling goodbye + love confession prompts

Trying to make them stay dialogue

Sacrificing dialogue

Sacrificing prompts

Amnesia prompts

Amnesia dialogue

Bad luck prompts

Lover being hurt prompts

Break-up dialogue #1

Break-up dialogue #2

Unwanted attention dialogue

Unrequited love dialogue

Drama starting points

Conflict for couples #1

Conflict for couples #2

Conflict for couples #3

Betrayal dialogue

Hiding from horror dialogue

Finding out the truth dialogue

"I'm sorry…" apology starters

Saying I'm sorry…

Apologizing for emotional neglect

"I can't…"

Talking it out ideas

Keeping loved ones apart

Ending an argument

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[writing-for-whoever-listens]

The problem w writing fiction is that you'll be like tee-hee I'm going to write a story about a fucked up little scenario that's got nothing to do with anything in real life, just some pure messed up nonsense, and then you finish it and take a step back and go aw rats I made a metaphor again

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

Accidental Love Confessions

Just looking at them and suddenly blurting out 'I love you'

Causally saying I love you when the other person has done something really great for them and it wouldn't be awkward if they were just friends, but this makes them realize they're not

Confessing in the middle of a stupid fight

A drunken love confession that gets questioned and then repeated sober

While comforting the other one, who is saying that they are unloved, the other protests that they are definitely not

Exhausted, they are half asleep while saying good night, and an "I love you" slips out

During a very stressful situation, one screams "I care about you, can't you see that I love you?"

Whispering "I love you" in a really dramatic situation and then second-guessing if the other person heard and how they feel

Saying "you're lucky I love you" and realizing too late what they said

Confession via text, either through technology or oldschool pen on paper, but they didn't actually want to send it

More: Love Confessions Masterpost

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Ship Dynamics

Tall and gentle x Tiny and vicious

Overly ambitious x Not ambitious at all

Competitive x Competitive

Grumpy x Sunshine

Very affectionate x Doesn't like showing their affection

Touchy-feely x Not the most comfortable with touching

Book smart × Street smart

Cat person x Dog person

Extrovert x Introvert

Silly x Always serious

Troublemaker x Goody two-shoes

Super flirty x Very stoic in their affections

Naiv x Always suspicious of people

Dumbass × Dumbass

Life of the party x Wants to stay home

Very flirty x Gets so flustered

Protective x Completely reckless

Super optimistic x Pessimistic

Very competitive x Just happy to be here

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[writing-for-whoever-listens]

some fucking resources for all ur writing fuckin needs

* body language masterlist

* a translator that doesn’t eat ass like google translate does

* a reverse dictionary for when ur brain freezes

* 550 words to say instead of fuckin said

* 638 character traits for when ur brain freezes again

* some more body language help

(hope this helps some ppl)

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

you know you’re a writer when…

you spend 30 minutes choosing the perfect synonym for “said” only to change it back to “said.”

you google “how long does it take to bleed out” at 3 a.m. and now the FBI is probably watching you.

you write one sentence, stare at it, rewrite it 14 times, and somehow end up back at the original version.

“this scene is so important” but you have no idea what the scene actually is or why it’s important.

you come up with the best story ideas… in the shower… with no way to write them down.

your characters feel like real people but also you’re like “who are these guys and what do they want from me?”

your brain says “start writing!” but instead you reorganize your desk, reread your notes, and spend two hours naming a side character who shows up once.

you’ve cried over your WIP exactly 67 times and will do it again because the pain is the point.

you reread something you wrote and think, “wow, did i peak as a writer three months ago?”

every writing session begins with the sacred ritual of scrolling social media, opening unnecessary tabs, and procrastinating until panic sets in.

you have no idea how long a chapter should be, so you just… vibe.

you can’t watch tv or movies without mentally critiquing the plot, dialogue, and pacing.

your writing playlist is 98% vibes, 2% songs you’ll actually listen to while writing.

you keep a “murder notebook” but swear it’s not suspicious because it’s for your novel (probably).

the phrase “just one more draft” is your eternal mantra, even though you’ve rewritten this thing more times than you can count.

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

Drabble List #12

75 prompts to write drabbles or longer stories.

"Everyone should be delighted to know me."

"Tick tock, the clock is ticking."

"What a fantastic idea!"

"Not going to destroy the world or anything."

"You're awful at solving riddles."

"That was a poor decision."

"Do you really think you can handle the truth?"

"I never thought I'd see you again."

"Why did you lie to me?"

"This isn't the end, it's just the beginning."

"You promised you'd never leave."

"There's more to this story than you know."

"I'm not the hero you think I am."

"Sometimes, doing the right thing means making tough choices."

"If you walk away now, don't bother coming back."

"I've kept this secret for far too long."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"They'll never believe us, but we have to try."

"I can't believe you just said that."

"No one else knows, and it has to stay that way."

"Do you trust me?"

"We can't let them win."

"You have no idea what you're getting into."

"This changes everything."

"I thought I knew you."

"I've waited my whole life for this moment."

"You were the last person I expected to see."

"Why does it always have to be you?"

"We're running out of time."

"Do you think they suspect anything?"

"I've made up my mind."

"This isn't what I signed up for."

"How can you be so sure?"

"We can't afford any mistakes."

"You can't keep running away from your past."

"What are we supposed to do now?"

"Sometimes, the hardest thing is to let go."

"You know this isn't right."

"What are you hiding from me?"

"We have to stick together."

"I'm not giving up on you."

"There's no turning back now."

"I never wanted any of this."

"What if we don't have a choice?"

"It's time to face the music."

"You have to trust your instincts."

"Everything we've worked for is at stake."

"I didn't expect you to understand."

"This is our only shot."

"I'm not interested anymore."

"You owe me an explanation."

"We can't do this alone."

"I thought you were on my side."

"This is bigger than both of us."

"What do you have to lose?"

"I can't pretend anymore."

"You're not as invisible as you think."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"You're the only one who can help."

"We need to be careful."

"Are you with me?"

"No, this is enough."

"I don't think I can do this."

"Ok, so sue me."

"What a fine young man."

"This isn't about you."

"I know what I have to do."

"We need to find a way out."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's not as simple as it seems."

"I can't believe it's come to this."

"This isn't over yet."

"What's the plan?"

"Take me to court."

"There's no easy answer."

Drabble Masterlist

Have fun creating and writing!

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[writing-for-whoever-listens]

How do you write time travel. I have a general plan, but yeah...

Hi!! Sorry this took so long to get to, but here's some advice!

know the main events of whatever time you thrust your character into. do some research on what happened in that year you sent them to.

if your character causes a big change, try to research what that change would cause. like if they prevented the burning of the Alexandria library, what would have changed in their current time from that?

don't just look up history facts either; deep dive into clothes commonly worn for each class, what the conversations were like, living conditions, etc.

how the time travel happens is up to you, but if it is science based, do some basic research on how that could be potentially possible and expand on it.

if the time travel is magic-based, have a detailed magic system!! it makes everything better and more believable.

have some rules for you mc to follow. can't just have them running around willy-nilly through time! give them things they can and can't do, and consequences.

basically: research everything you could possibly need to know about the time they are going to be in. it'll help flesh out the world building and make the scenes more realistic.

This feels pretty bare-bones, but I think that covers the big topics. I hope this helps!!

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

Women's romance: The most degenerate things known to man

Men's romance: I want someone that I can hold, will hold me, and love me all my life

Personally, if that's the categories, I prefer men's romance.

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

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”.

[writing-for-whoever-listens]

Get to Know Your Character #2

More asks!

What good/bad traits do they bring out in others?

What views do they have that differ from/contradict those of the other characters?

What would be their reason for causing a scene in public?

What qualities do they look for or value in a partner/friend?

What do they consider red flags in a partner/friend?

What is something you should never do to them?

What is their most important or enforced boundary?

What would break them?

What would push them to physical altercation or violence during an argument?

How do they act in their worst moments?

What embarrasses them the most?

What joke would amuse them?

What does it take to gain their trust?

In what scenario would they feel most comfortable?

In what scenario would they feel most uncomfortable?

How do they take criticism?

What part of their past are they most ashamed of?

What part of their past are they most proud of?

What do they believe is the worst fate one can befall?

How do they view death?

See my previous post for more:

Happy writing ❤

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