Poison List

How to finish your novel in 1 year

Writing a full book is a really huge task! Most writers don’t understand how overwhelming it can get until they try it. Here’s my ideal guide of what it would look like to finish your full novel in one year.

Here’s a time-scheduled formula to succeed in finishing your book in just one year.

Spend some time on pre-writing (Month 1)

Take time to plan out all the most important parts of your novel before you jump in! This will keep you grounded and organised, so you don’t lose track of what you’re trying to achieve.

But don’t get stuck in it.

You should know your:

Character goals and story arcs

The thematic question of your story

Your biggest plot points

Don’t wait until you’re confident about everything to start writing!

The first draft (Months 2-7)

Think of your first draft as a chance to tell the story to yourself, and to find out what works and what doesn’t.

Do not think of it as something that needs to be complete on the first go!

The important part here is to just keep writing, even if you make a mess along the way.

A chapter overview (Month 8)

If possible, take a few weeks away from looking at the project before you do this!

Once your first draft is finished is when you should take a step back and make sense of the story again. It’s likely that a lot will have changed by the time you finished it, so creating a bird’s eye overview of your chapters will help you tackle the second draft.

The rewrite (Months 9-12)

Time to jump into that second draft!

This is where your project will come together, so enjoy this part of the process! Dedicate more time to your prose and the details.

And after the second draft is done?

Time to get some other eyes on your manuscript and jump into line and copy edits!

Want to try out for my coaching program? I’m fully booked until October this year, so if you want to get to work with me in 2023, now’s the time to apply!

Otherwise, I have two other amazing coaches you can try.

You can apply through the [link here] or below!

the-plottery.com

1:1 Writer Book Coaching

Power Plotter is a writer's coaching program dedicated to helping you finish writing your book and become an expert in novel plotting! You'l

Hello! I have been looking for a word for "grandfather" and "grandmother" in HV, but can't find it. In the 'family tree' there is for cousins but not grandsires :(

Also, I don't know if you have explained, but how does the name change in HV?

Thank you!

So HV has two:

Mumuña = mother's mother

Muñāzma = father's mother

Kekepa = father's father

Kepāzma = mother's father

And I don't know what you mean by your question, I'm afraid. :(

Vivid verbs to use instead

Instead of say:

Ask, enquire, reply, answer, state, hiss, whisper, mumble, mutter, comment, bark, assert, shout, yell, holler, roar, rage, argue, implore, plead, exclaim, gasp, drawl, giggle, whimper, snort, growl, scream, sing, stammer

Instead of run:

Sprint, dart, bolt, canter, gallop, trot, zoom, hurry, speed, jog, saunter, scamper, hurtle, rush, scramble, spring, swing, swoop, dive, careen

Instead of walk:

Stroll, hike, promenade, saunter, march, amble, stride, tread, pace, toddle, totter, stagger, perambulate

Instead of look:

Observe, glance, stare, examine, peek, study, notice, see, glare

Instead of go:

Leave, depart, shift, take off, move on, quit, exit, take a hike, travel, drive, proceed, progress, run, walk away

Instead of eat:

Pick at, nibble, munch, chew, gobble, devour, consume, demolish, gulp, swallow, scarf, wolf

Instead of hold:

Grip, clench, grasp, seize, reach, embrace, clamp, clench, clasp, grab

Instead of give:

Provide, offer, present, hand over, deliver, contribute, furnish, donate, bequeath, pass over, pass to, extend, assign, allow, lend, bestow, grant, award, confer

Instead of let:

Allow, permit, authorise, agree to, consent to, accede to, give permission for

Instead of put:

Place, set, lay, position, settle, leave, situate, locate, plant, deposit, plonk, plunk

Instead of pull:

Yank, heave, haul, draw, cart, lug, hump, drag, tow, jerk, attract, pluck, wrench

Instead of move:

Progress, transfer, shift, topple, change, redeploy, refocus, relocate, prod, nudge, induce, cause, budge, stir, lead, encourage, propose, induce, slink, scamper, careen, zip, ram, drift, droop, heave, edge, stalk, tiptoe, creep, crawl, plod, waddle, drag, stagger

Sensory verbs / quiet:

Sigh, murmur, rustle, hum, patter, clink, tinkle, chime, whir, swish, snap, twitter, hiss, crackle, peep, bleat, buzz

Sensory verbs / noisy:

Crash, thunder, clap, stomp, beat, squawk, shout, yell, explode, smash, detonate, boom, echo, bark, bawl, clash, smash, jangle, thump, grate, screech, bang, thud, blare

Instead of tell:

Order, command, instruct, dictate, require, insist, warn, caution, decree, mandate, charge, direct, dominate, lead, rule

Instead of like:

Love, adore, yearn, treasure, worship, prefer, idolise, cherish, admire, enjoy, be fond of, be keen on, be partial to, fancy, care for, appreciate, hold dear

Instead of want:

Desire, crave, covet, yearn for, aspire to, envy, fancy, require, wish for, hanker after, need, lack, miss, aim for, choose

Instead of cover:

Bury, wrap, conceal, mask, veil, hide, cloak, shroud envelope, obscure, blanket, curtain

Instead of throw:

Toss, lob, chuck, heave, fling, pitch, shy, hurl, propel, bowl, cast, drop, project

Instead of surprise:

Confuse, puzzle, bewilder, baffle, bamboozle, disconcert, flummox, perplex

Fantasy Guide to A Great House (19th-20th Century) - Anatomy of the House

When we think of the Victorians, the grand old Gilded Age or the Edwardians, we all think of those big mansions and manors where some of our favourite stories take place. But what did a great house look like?

Layout

All great houses are different and some, being built in different eras, may adhere to different styles. But the layout of certain rooms usually stayed somewhat the same.

The highest floors including the attic were reserved the children's rooms/nursery and the servants quarters.

The next floor would be reserved for bedrooms. On the first/ground floor, there will be the dining room, drawing room, library etc.

The basement/cellar would be where the kitchens and other food related rooms would be. Servants halls and boot rooms may also be down here too along scullery, where sometimes a maid would clean.

Rooms used by Servants

Boot Room: The Boot Room is where the valets, ladies maids, hallboys and sometimes footmen clean off shoes and certain items of clothing.

Kitchen: The Kitchen was usually either in the basement or the first floor of the house, connected to a garden where the house's vegetables were grown.

Butler's Pantry: A butler's pantry was where the serving items are stored. This is where the silver is cleaned, stored and counted. The butler would keep the wine log and other account books here. The butler and footmen would use this room.

Pantry: The Pantry would be connected to the kitchen. It is a room where the kitchens stock (food and beverages) would be kept.

Larder: The larder was cool area in the kitchen or a room connected to it where food is stored. Raw meat was often left here before cooking but pastry, milk, cooked meat, bread and butter can also be stored here.

Servants Hall: The Servant's Hall was where the staff ate their meals and spent their down time. They would write letters, take tea, sew and darn clothes. The servants Hall would usually have a fireplace, a large table for meals, be where the servant's cutlery and plates would be kept and where the bell board hung. (these bells were the way servants where summoned)

Wine Cellar: The wine cellar was where the wine was melt, usually in the basement. Only the butler would be permitted down there and everything would be catalogued by him too.

Butler's/Housekeeper's sitting rooms: In some houses, both the butler and the housekeeper had sitting rooms/offices downstairs. This was were they held meetings with staff, took their tea and dealt with accounts.

Scullery: The scullery was were the cleaning equipment was cleaned and stored. The scullery may even also double as a bedroom for the scullery maid.

Servery: The Servery connected to the dinning room. It was where the wine was left before the butler carried it out to be served. Some of the food would be delivered here to be carried out as well.

Servant's Sleeping Quarters: All servants excepting perhaps the kitchen maid and outside staff slept in the attics. Men and unmarried women would be kept at seperate sides of the house with the interconnecting doors locked and bolted every night by the butler and housekeeper. If the quarters were small, some servants may have to share rooms. Servants' bathrooms and washrooms would also be up there, supplied with hot water from the kitchens.

Rooms used by the Family

Dining room: The dining room was where the family ate their breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was also where the gentlemen took their after dinner drink before joking the ladies in the drawing room.

Drawing room: The Drawing Room was sort of a living/sitting room. It was mainly used in the evenings after dinner where the ladies would take their tea and coffee before being joined by the men. It could also be used for tea by the ladies during the day. The drawing room was seen as more of a women's room but any of the family could use it. The drawing room was a formal room but could also be used for more casual activities.

Library: The library is of course where the books are kept. The family would use this room for writing letters, reading, doing business with tenants and taking tea in the afternoons.

Bedrooms: The bedrooms would take up most of the upper floors. The unmarried women would sleep in one wing with bachelors at the furthest wing away. Married couples often had adjoining rooms with their own bedrooms in each and equipped with a boudoir or a sitting room.

Nursery: Was where the children slept, usually all together until old enough to move into bedrooms. They would be attended to be nannies and nursemaids round the clock.

Study: The study was a sort of home office where family could do paperwork, chill and write letters.

Dressing room: Dressing Rooms where usually attached to bedrooms where the family would be dressed and their clothes would be stored. The valets and ladies maids would have control of the room.

Hall: The hall was where large parties would gather for dancing or music or to be greeted before parties.

Furnishings and Decor

Most of these Great Houses were inherited which means, they came with a lot of other people's crap. Ornaments from anniversaries, paintings bought on holiday, furniture picked out by newly weds, all of it comes with the house. So most of the time everything seems rather cluttered.

As for Servant's Quarters, most of the furnishings may have been donated by the family as gifts. Most servants' halls would have a portrait of the sovereign or sometimes a religious figure to install a sense of morality into them.

List of Names

A list full of names you can use for your stories.

Fantasy Names

Fantasy Names II

Dark Academia Names (Girls)

Dark Academia Names (Boys)

German Names (Girls)

German Names (Boys)

German Names (Genderneutral)

Random Names Part I

Random Names Part II

Random Names Part III

Random Names Part IV

Random Names Part V

Random Names Part VI

Random Names Part VII

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everybody give it up for weird pussy

most of y'all probably already know about this website, but if you're a writer and you're looking for names for your characters (especially ones that fit a particular theme) might i recommend magic baby names?

you can enter one (or multiple) names and it'll automatically generate names that are thematically similar to the one(s) you gave them, which can be SO HELPFUL when you're looking for inspiration

Different Ways to Describe Brown Eyes

-> feel free to edit and adjust pronouns as you see fit.

Her eyes were the color of honey, irises swirling like the sweet nectar.

His eyes—the color of an intoxicating champagne—beckoned her over with nothing more than a wink and a smile.

They had eyes like mud, perfectly matched with the frown that permanently stained their face.

Her eyes were as bright as the raging sun and the color of dancing flames.

They wore blue eyeshadow to contrast their dark brown eyes.

Her eyes were as beautiful as the leaves of trees in autumn.

His eyes were nearly black, like a void that held a lifetime of secrets.

Dirt. She had eyes like dirt. They were almost as dirty as her personality.

Their eyes reminded her of old brick libraries and vintage books.

She had the kind of eyes that made thieves wonder why they bothered to steal pieces of art.

His eyes made her think of the sandcastles she used to build as a kid.

Their eyes were the same color as the old oak tree their great-great-grandfather planted in the backyard.

His eyes were the same color as the bottle of liquor in his hand.

They had a smile like spring, but their eyes were autumn with a hint of passing summer.

Her dark eyes were flaked with gold.

His brown eyes had tragedy weaved behind his irises.

Brown, copper eyes that paired with the dry blood stuck to their face watched him as he stalked across the tiled floor.

Soft Prompts for Couples Not Yet Together

1. "Fleeting Encounters": Picture this - two strangers who consistently find themselves in the same crowded places. There's an unexplainable connection, a sense of familiarity that leaves them wondering if the universe is trying to tell them something.

2. "Whispers of the Heart": Every conversation they have feels like a sweet symphony. The world around them fades into the background, and it's just the two of them, sharing intimate moments that make them wonder if friendship could turn into something more.

3. "Shy Smiles and Silent Longing": Across a room filled with people, their eyes meet, and it's like time stands still. Shy smiles are exchanged, hearts beating in synchrony. They both yearn for the courage to take that first step towards something extraordinary.

4. "The Bond of Late Nights": Late-night conversations become their sanctuary, a space where they open up and share pieces of their souls. Little do they know, their hearts are already entwined, silently falling for each other.

5. "The Serendipitous Crossings": In a whirlwind of missed opportunities, they keep crossing paths. Is it mere coincidence, or is there a higher force conspiring to bring them together? They can't help but wonder what destiny has in store for them.

6. "Confidants in the Dark": A shared secret or an unexpected vulnerability brings them closer. They become each other's confidants, weaving a bond that goes beyond surface-level connections.

7. "Passion's Connection": A shared hobby ignites their souls, their passions intertwining as they explore a world of common interests. But what they don't realize is that their connection extends far beyond the shared activity they love.

8. "The Glance that Changed Everything": Their eyes meet, and something shifts in the air. It's as if the universe pauses to witness their undeniable chemistry. In that moment, they both know that their lives are about to change forever.

9. "Teasing Fate": Friends playfully tease them about the palpable chemistry between them. But little do they know that deep down, they can't ignore the growing spark between their hearts. The question lingers: will they finally take that leap of faith?

10. "Melodies of Love": Music becomes their language, notes carrying the unspoken words they're too afraid to say. The rhythm of their connection dances to the beat of their hearts, a secret language of affection.