writing-hovel

[writing-hovel]

Miscellaneous Redbubble designs

If you'd like to get any of these as stickers, shirts, hoodies, ect. You can find my store at the link below!

[writing-hovel]

Working title is "The Cat, Dragged In". Not sure if I like it or not, but my brain won't let me continue writing something until I have something to call it. Though what always ends up happening is I say something is a working title and then I get attached to it just by using it enough, so there's a good chance it'll stick regardless of whether it's any good or not.

The unnamed story I'm currently working takes place in the modern world where humans live alongside cat-like sapients called felmen.

They first started popping up in the 1930s, originating from a rare phenomenon where certain kittens of random cat litters would gradually develop anthropomorphic traits as they aged. Finkmen where kept as pets until the early to mid-90s, before ownership of them became illegal (trafficking is still very much a thing).

It follows Renée Riverra, an introverted, recently divorced (and recently shot) police officer, and Shoelace, a jaded teenage finkman, declawed illegally only a year prior to the events of the story.

After being released from the hospital, Renée finds Shoelace squatting in her apartment, trying, and failing, to recover from an injury they do not know how to manage themself. After much hitting, biting, and subsequent coaxing and reasoning, Renée patches them up and allows them to leave once they're well enough.

...Only, they don't stay away.

I'm going to be uploading this on ao3, likely as a series of one-shots, following Renée and Shoelace as they grow closer and unknowingly help each other cope with the trauma inflicted on them by people they once trusted.

I'm open to name suggestions! And questions will help me fill out the lore more (even if the answers are still subject to change).

[writing-hovel]

When I was a child, every well-meaning adult with a nine-to-five soul and a dried-up imagination told me that being a writer wasn’t a “real job.”

“You’re just a little girl with big words,” they said. “Books don’t pay the bills.”

As if paying bills was the most thrilling thing a person could live for.

I never understood why grown-ups were so committed to shoving a fire extinguisher down the throat of a kid who just wanted to tell stories.

I kept wondering, why is it so threatening for a little girl to believe her words could matter?

Now I know why.

Because they never had a dream of their own.

And when you’ve never had one or gave yours up a long time ago, it’s easier to mock someone else’s.

It’s easier to roll your eyes at someone chasing stars when you’ve chosen to stay face-down in the dirt.

And still… I write. Not because I was told I couldn’t. But because I had to.

Because I promised that little girl I’d keep going, even when it hurt. Especially when it hurt.

[writing-hovel]

In my humble opinion

[writing-hovel]

The unnamed story I'm currently working takes place in the modern world where humans live alongside cat-like sapients called felmen.

They first started popping up in the 1930s, originating from a rare phenomenon where certain kittens of random cat litters would gradually develop anthropomorphic traits as they aged. Finkmen where kept as pets until the early to mid-90s, before ownership of them became illegal (trafficking is still very much a thing).

It follows Renée Riverra, an introverted, recently divorced (and recently shot) police officer, and Shoelace, a jaded teenage finkman, declawed illegally only a year prior to the events of the story.

After being released from the hospital, Renée finds Shoelace squatting in her apartment, trying, and failing, to recover from an injury they do not know how to manage themself. After much hitting, biting, and subsequent coaxing and reasoning, Renée patches them up and allows them to leave once they're well enough.

...Only, they don't stay away.

I'm going to be uploading this on ao3, likely as a series of one-shots, following Renée and Shoelace as they grow closer and unknowingly help each other cope with the trauma inflicted on them by people they once trusted.

I'm open to name suggestions! And questions will help me fill out the lore more (even if the answers are still subject to change).

[writing-hovel]

if it's good enough for you, then it deserves to be made. don't let anyone else decide if your story is worth it or not.

[writing-hovel]

20 Ways to Show Extreme Fear in Your Writing

As I dive into researching signs of fear for my horror WIP, I wanted to share some of the most compelling and visceral reactions I’ve come across. Whether you’re writing a chilling scene or crafting a character’s panic, these 20 signs of fear can help bring tension and realism to your story.

Physical Reactions

Hyperventilating — sucking in air but never feeling like it’s enough

Chest tightens — feels like a weight or hands pressing down

Limbs shaking violently, knees buckling

Complete loss of muscle control — collapsing or unable to stand

Cold sweat soaking through clothes

Heart hammering so hard they feel it in their throat or head

Tunnel vision — the world narrowing down to one terrifying focal point

Ringing in the ears or sudden deafness, like the world drops away

Dizziness / feeling faint / vision blurring

Dry mouth — unable to speak or even scream

Uncontrollable Behavior

Screaming / sobbing / gasping — involuntary vocal outbursts

Panic run — bolting without thinking, tripping over everything

Clawing at their own skin / chest / throat — like trying to escape their body

Begging / pleading out loud even if no one’s there

Repeating words or phrases — “No, no, no” / “This isn’t happening”

Hiding instinctively — diving under tables, closets, or corners

Desperate grabbing — reaching for someone, anything solid

Loss of bladder or bowel control (for extreme terror)

Total mental shutdown — frozen, slack-jawed, staring blankly

Memory blackout — later can’t recall what happened during the worst moment

[writing-hovel]

being a writer is constantly google the definitions of words you already know the meanings of because your brain's always paranoid and telling you maybe you've been using them wrong your entire life

I can excuse misusing words in my daily life but my mlm slow-burn enemies to lovers smut has to be perfect

[writing-hovel]

I've already said that my number one piece of writing advice is to read.

But my number two piece of advice is this: be deliberate.

Honestly this would fix so many pieces of bad writing advice. Don't forbid people from doing something, tell them to be conscious and deliberate about it. This could help stop people from falling into common mistakes without limiting their creativity. Black and white imperatives may stop a few annoying beginner habits, but ultimately they will restrict artistic expression.

Instead of "don't use epithets": "Know the effect epithets have and be deliberate about using them." Because yes, beginners often misuse them, but they can be useful when a character's name isn't known or when you want to reduce them to a particular trait they have.

Instead of "don't use 'said'" or "just use 'said'": "Be deliberate about your use of dialogue tags." Because sometimes you'll want "said" which fades into the background nicely, but sometimes you will need a more descriptive alternative to convey what a character is doing.

Instead of "don't use passive voice": "Be deliberate about when you use passive voice." Because using it when it's not needed can detract from your writing, but sometimes it can be useful to change the emphasis of a sentence or to portray a particular state of mind.

Instead of blindly following or ignorantly neglecting the rules of writing, familiarize yourself with them and their consequences so you can choose when and if breaking them would serve what you're trying to get across.

Your writing is yours. Take control of it.

It probably sounds like I'm preaching to the choir here because most of my mutuals are already great writers. But I'm hoping this will make it to the right people.

[writing-hovel]

How to Write a Character Who Feels Like Throwing Up

When fear, dread, or guilt gets sickening—literally—your character is consumed with a gut-clenching feeling that something is very, very wrong. Here's how to write that emotion using more than the classic "bile rose to the back of their throat".

Start with the Stomach

This isn’t just about discomfort. It’s about a complete rebellion happening inside their body.

Their stomach twists like a knot that keeps pulling tighter

A cold sweat beads on their neck, their palms, their spine

Their insides feel sludgy, like everything they’ve eaten is suddenly unwelcome

They double over, not from pain, but because sitting still feels impossible

Add Sensory Overload

Vomiting isn’t just a stomach reaction—it’s the whole body.

Their mouth goes dry, and then too wet

Their jaw tightens, trying to contain it

A sudden heat blooms in their chest and face, overwhelming

The back of their throat burns—not bile, but the threat of it

Breathing becomes a conscious effort: in, out, shallow, sharp

Emotional Triggers

Nausea doesn’t always need a physical cause. Tie it to emotion for more impact:

Fear: The kind that’s silent and wide-eyed. They’re frozen, too sick to speak.

Guilt: Their hands are cold, but their face is flushed. Every memory plays like a film reel behind their eyes.

Shock: Something just snapped inside. Their body registered it before their brain did.

Ground It in Action

Don’t just describe the nausea—show them reacting to it.

They press a fist to their mouth, pretending it’s a cough

Their knees weaken, and they lean on a wall, pretending it’s just fatigue

They excuse themselves quietly, then collapse in a bathroom stall

They swallow, again and again, like that’ll keep everything down

Let the Consequences Linger

Even if they don’t actually throw up, the aftermath sticks.

A sour taste that won’t leave their mouth.

A pulsing headache

A body that feels hollowed out, shaky, untrustworthy

The shame of nearly losing control in front of someone else

Let Them Be Human

A character feeling like vomiting is vulnerable. It's real. It’s raw. It means they’re overwhelmed in a way they can’t hide. And that makes them relatable. You don’t need melodrama—you need truth. Capture that moment where the world spins, and they don’t know if it’s panic or flu or fear, but all they want is to get out of their own body for a second.

Don't just write the bile. Write the breakdown.

[writing-hovel]

“What if I write it and it’s bad-”

WHAT IF YOU WRITE IT AND ITS GOOD? WHAT IF YOU WRITE IT AND ITS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANTED? WHAT THEN????

[writing-hovel]

I want to write something I want to read and immediately forget I wrote it afterwards so I can enjoy it

how writers feel knowing that they will never be able to read their own work for enjoyment (they wrote it with the intent of making something they haven’t seen before)

[writing-hovel]

Writer's Block

You’re staring at the page. The cursor blinks like it’s taunting you. You want to write—hell, you even know what you want to write about—but it’s like your brain’s frozen. That, my friend, is the all-too-familiar little bitch known as writer’s block.

So, how do you fight it?

Here’s what’s helped me, and maybe it'll help you too.

1. Write anything, even if it’s trash

Seriously. Open a doc and let yourself write the worst possible version of what you’re trying to say. No pressure. No editing. You can always clean it up later. A messy first draft is better than no draft.

2. Change your scenery

Sometimes your brain just needs a different view. Go outside. Sit at a café. Write on your phone instead of your laptop. A small change can trick your brain into feeling inspired again.

3. Idea dump

Forget structure. Forget plot. Just go full chaos mode. Rant about your characters, the scene, or how much writing sucks today. That little brain dump might lead you to a breakthrough.

4. Read something short and good

A poem. A Tumblr post. A flash fiction piece. Sometimes reading a spark of good writing reminds your brain how fun words can be.

5. Accept the block, but don’t leave it there

Writer’s block is normal. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It just means your brain’s buffering. Rest, hydrate, and be gentle with yourself. Then try again.

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Writing is weird. Some days it flows like magic, and other days it’s like dragging your soul through the trenches. But if you’re stuck, don't give up on it— the words will come back.

[writing-hovel]

When a character takes care of another, even when they're mad at them. Like,

I'm very angry at you. Yes, I'm still going to dress your wounds, or tend to you while your sick, or make you food when you can't do it yourself.

Bonus points if character b is in some state of delirium, but is still present enough to feel guilty, and they keep trying to apologize and talk about it and character a is just like, no shut up, we can talk about this when your fever breaks.

[writing-hovel]

Random mansion generator

The Procgen Mansion Generator produces large three-dee dwellings to toy with your imagination, offering various architectural styles and other options. Each mansion even comes with floorplans:

https://boingboing.net/2019/07/12/random-mansion-generator.html

[writing-hovel]

Me reading another person's writing: Oh they missed a period there, no worries mistakes happen :) Three adjectives in a sentence? Adverbs for days? No worries I love descriptions and this story is fire.

Me seeing the same thing in my work: Wow am I illiterate? Am I actually ok? Who the actual fuck told me I can write so I can go and curse their entire family for the time it took for me to carefully craft this GARBAGE.