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Latest Posts by to-seeking - Page 2
How to write: ethnicity & skin colour
requested by: anonymous request: How exactly can I describe a characters ethnicity/skin color casually, without it sounding like a specific scene that just exists to describe the skin color? I hope this makes sense lmao… I just want to write a scene where I casually mention someone’s ethnicity or skin color
description of appearance: No matter if skin colour or hairstyle or clothes, a text is more dynamic if you don't dedicate an entire scene/paragraph to it but rather sprinkle the necessary information in here and there. However, there can be instances where it's conducive to the plot to put that entire paragraph (e.g. introducing a new important character with backstory). Otherwise, I'd say try to keep it short and put it where it serves the plot.
ways to incorporate...
... a description of appearance:
when a character makes their first entrance (describe everyone's colouring - POCs' and white characters')
the impression their complexion makes together with their clothes: "the bright yellow of their shirt complemented their dark skin"
the way their colouring interacts with lighting: "the grey weather took away the rosy hue of their fair skin"
when appearances create a contrast: "I immediately noticed them because they were the only other black person"
... ethnicity:
let the characters mention it where it makes sense
regarding the narrator you've chosen for your story, it can also be blended into an inner monologue
include parts of their culture: traditions, terms, family, etc. (this also allows to bring up their ethnicity repeatedly over the story and not only at the beginning)
show their struggles: are they affected by social struggles? then show it!
words to use to describe skin colour:
... basic colour descriptions:
brown
black
beige
white
pink
... more specific colours (try sticking to familiar/common words that can be easily visualised):
amber
bronze
copper
gold
ochre
terracotta
sepia
sienna
porcelain
tan
... prefixes or modifiers (can be easily combined with basic colours):
dark
rich
warm
deep
fair
faint
light
cool
pale
... undertones (pre-dominant colours underneath the skin - often warm or cool, sometimes also neutral and olive):
yellow
orange
coral
golden
silver
rose
pink
red
blue
... avoid food analogies as it's often received as offending, fetishising, and/or objectifying.
That's all I can provide as of now but I'm sure you guys have aspects to contribute. I'm very interested to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to add to this post whatever you like to/can share <3
And for more information, maybe also check out @writingwithcolor for more specialised posts on the topic <3
7 fool-proof ways to connect with your characters
Finding it a bit hard to connect to a certain character in your story? Here are 7 ways to get over that hump →
Start with the little things Every person has their own quirks, and so should your characters. A character might fall flat in your vision because of an absence of these small unique traits. Lean into this, think of habits they fall to when they get emotional, or weird little obsessions they linger on.
Give them a small trait of your own Don’t misinterpret this advice as writing yourself into the story! What I mean by this is to pick a small trait or a habit of your own to add a bit of yourself into a character you’re finding it difficult to connect with. This is a great trick to use if you’re writing a type of personality that differs from your own, and helps layer out character too!
Figure out what they want most Knowing a character's motivation - or what it is that actually drives them forward in the story, is one of the key things you should know about any character. If you’re finding it hard to connect to one of them, think about whether you’ve given them clear and tangible motivation within your story world.
And then figure out why they can’t get that Once you know what your character wants, what their goal might be, think of a reason why they can’t get it, or what that process of achieving the goal might be difficult for them. Usually, this works great if it comes from within - meaning that your character carries a flaw that stops them from acting on their goal.
Don’t underestimate kindness Flawed and morally gray characters are great. But don’t underestimate the power of a kind, positive trait. It’s what makes readers fall in love, and what will ultimately help you fall in love with the character, too. We don’t fall in love with a character’s snark, but with the emotions they hide behind the snark.
Give yourself time to get to know them Sometimes you don’t immediately click with all your characters, and that’s okay. That happens. It takes time to get to know what makes them tick, sometimes it takes writing them in a scene, then rewriting them in a different way in the same scene to feel out what’s most natural to them. If a character feels distant to you, let yourself explore a different approach to how you write them.
Don’t rush into who they are It can be really fun to keep a mystery about someone. And sometimes that’s all it takes for readers to be intrigued and feel connected to a character. This can work really well for you as the author, too. Don’t rush into writing down everything about your character in the first few chapters, keep a few details for later and work up to them.
Writing Realistic Characters - part 2
- Journal from their perspective. It can be hard to write compelling, realistic motivation for characters if you don’t understand them yourself. By journalling from their perspective, even if the content of the journal isn’t included in your story, you’ll essentially be thinking as the character. This should help you understand who they are and how they make choices and react to things, like a real person would.
- Answer “character questions”, but be careful when using lists found online. The internet is full of lists of questions for writers to answer when building characters, but not all of them are actually that important or useful. The fact is, it really doesn’t matter what a character’s favourite colour, animal or day of the week is (unless it’s relevant to your story… but it usually isn’t). When looking for question lists online, or making your own, focus on questions that have to do with your character’s personality, such as how they’d react to a situation or which values matter more to them.
- Make character charts! I can’t stress this enough — character charts are incredibly useful tools for writers and I don’t know what I’d do without them. They’re a great way to keep track of important information about your characters in an organized way that’s easy to access when you need to quickly check a detail. I’d also strongly recommend making your own charts, not using templates online (I find it a lot easier to stay organized when I’m using my own organizational system). If you need a place to start, though, I normally create charts with 4 categories: role (protagonist, antagonist, etc.), name, identities (gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.), and description (just a brief few sentences about them). You can also make personality charts with things like their greatest flaw, greatest strength, story goals, etc.
- Come up with a few detailed memories/anecdotes from their past. Think of them as mini-stories you can drop into your main story to build a more realistic life around the character. These don’t have to be crucial to the plot, and should be brought up in a natural way, such as in conversation with another character or in the main character’s thoughts. For example, your MC’s best friend might compliment her necklace, and she tells them how her sister gave it to her as a birthday present before moving away. You can also use these anecdotes to drop in important information in a non-obvious way. Continuing the example above, the MC could mention that her sister has the same design necklace, but in green. Later, this becomes a clue, when she finds the green necklace outside the villain’s lair.
- Keep a record of their backstory. This one doesn’t really need much explaining… Just keep notes of your character’s backstory as you come up with it so you don’t risk inconsistencies, which tend to break down realism.
- Remember that the reader can’t see what’s in your head. Your characters may be fully developed, realistic people in your head, but that makes it easy to forget that your readers don’t automatically understand them the way you do — they only know what’s on the page. Asking other people to read your work can help you understand how your characters come through to an audience, but if you don’t want to do that, just re-reading it yourself is also helpful. If you do the latter, though, go through an entire chapter at a time, the way a reader would, not small sections.
Character developement
- Create a detailed backstory: Develop a rich and layered backstory for your character, including their upbringing, past experiences, and significant events that have shaped them. This will provide a foundation for their personality and motivations.
- Define core traits: Identify a few core personality traits that define your character. Consider both positive and negative traits to make them more well-rounded and realistic.
- Give them strengths and weaknesses: No character is perfect. Give your character a mix of strengths and weaknesses to make them relatable and interesting. These flaws can create internal conflicts and opportunities for growth.
- Establish goals and motivations: Determine what drives your character. What are their goals, desires, or ambitions? Understanding their motivations will help shape their actions and decisions throughout the story.
- Create relationships: Develop meaningful relationships for your character with other characters in the story. This includes friends, family, romantic partners, and even adversaries. Consider how these relationships influence and shape your character's development.
- Show internal conflict: Explore the internal struggles and dilemmas your character faces. This could be conflicting emotions, difficult choices, or battling their own fears and insecurities. Internal conflict adds depth and complexity to their development.
- Allow for growth and change: Characters should evolve throughout the story. Consider a character arc that takes your character from a starting point to a transformed state by the end. Give them challenges and experiences that allow them to learn, grow, and change over time.
- Use dialogue effectively: Craft dialogue that reflects your character's unique voice, speech patterns, and personality traits. Dialogue can reveal their emotions, beliefs, and thought processes, providing insights into their character.
- Show, don't tell: Instead of explicitly telling readers about your character's traits, show them through their actions, choices, and interactions with others. This allows readers to form their own opinions and connections with the character.
- Continuously refine and develop: Characters are not static entities. As you write, remain open to new ideas and opportunities for character development. Allow your characters to surprise you and evolve beyond your initial plans.
50 WORDS TO USE INSTEAD OF “SAID”
Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “said” in your writing? Try using these words/phrases instead:
stated
commented
declared
spoke
responded
voiced
noted
uttered
iterated
explained
remarked
acknowledged
mentioned
announced
shouted
expressed
articulated
exclaimed
proclaimed
whispered
babbled
observed
deadpanned
joked
hinted
informed
coaxed
offered
cried
affirmed
vocalized
laughed
ordered
suggested
admitted
verbalized
indicated
confirmed
apologized
muttered
proposed
chatted
lied
rambled
talked
pointed out
blurted out
chimed in
brought up
wondered aloud
(NOTE: Keep in mind that all of these words have slightly different meanings and are associated with different emotions/scenarios.)
Character Types for Your Next Story
Great ideas for characters will come and go, but there are always concrete character types that you can count on to carry a plot.
Check out the most common types to see if they're what you need to make your next story come to life.
The Protagonist
This is your main character. They're the central focus of the story, the person who resolves the main conflict, or the individual who grows with or from the story's theme.
You can also have multiple protagonists! 3rd-person POV stories/books often have at least two main characters because switching between their points of view furthers the plot, adds tension, or develops their world for the reader.
Examples: Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit; Claire Randall in Outlander
The Antagonist
This is your main character's opposition. They'll be the force against which your protagonist clashes to experience the conflict that results in their growth. Sometimes the antagonist functions as an obstacle for the protagonist to overcome. Other times, they're a lesson the main character needs to learn by the end of the story.
You can create multiple antagonists for one protagonist or multipel antagonist for a cast of protagonists. It depends on the story you have in mind and what POV you'll be using.
Examples: The White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Pennywise in It
The Central (Major) Characters
Central characters are what you would call the individual protagonists who make up your cast of characters. They all grow throughout your plot and are essential to the backbone of your story.
Examples: the seven demigods in the Prophecy of Seven in The Heroes of Olympus series; the multigenerational protagonists in Homegoing
The Secondary (Minor) Characters
Secondary characters are often called sidekicks or companions. They're part of your protagonist's life and is along for the ride with them. Although your plot might not be the same without them (if they're a love interest, family member, or another person close to your protagonist), they primary exist to develop the protagonist.
Examples: Dr. Watson in the Sherlock Holmes series; Cinna in The Hunger Games series
The Static Characters
Writers need static characters to essentially remain the same for plot purposes. These characters are typically unaffected by what's happening in the protagonist's life because they're one or two steps removed from it.
Alternatively, your static character can also be antagonist. They're actively involved in your protagonist's life, but they don't undergo any inner changes that result in character growth.
Examples: Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter series (she remains unchanged because she has to be a constant source of conflict); Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (he remains unchanged because he represents morality and reason to Scout)
The Dynamic Characters
Dynamic characters change throughout a story. They're most often the protagonist or one of the main cast of characters because they are actively involved in the plot.
These could be your protagonist, antagonist, or any other character that undergoes some time of fundamental change.
Examples: Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol; Celaena Sardothien in Throne of Glass
The Flat Characters
Flat characters experience no change throughout a story. They may arrive at the end with a different opinion or goal, but they're almost identical to who they were at the beginning of the story.
Don't assume flat characters are boring or unnecessary! They always represent something for the protagonist or the reader. They can also be the antagonist!
Examples: Marmee in Little Women (she's a role model for her daughters and remains their true north throughout the book); Suzy Nakamura in American Born Chinese (she helps Wei-Chen face his complicated feelings about feeling like an outcast for his race by being vocal about hers, but that remains her sole purpose in the plot.)
The Round Characters
When someone talks about a round character, they don't mean the character's physical appearance. Instead, this phrase refers to a protagonist or antagonist's internal depth.
Round characters have complex personalities. They may contradict themselves sometimes or the people they love the most. These characters typically have full backstories and embody the phrase, "they contain multitudes."
Examples: Amy Dunne in Gone Girl; Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice
The Stock Characters
Stock characters are flat characters that resemble a stereotype easily recognized by readers. They're your geek teenager with oversized glasses or the best friend who is only there to be the punchline.
Sometimes these characters are written so well that readers don't mind the stereotype. It depends on their relationship with other characters in your story and if they only embody the stereotype up front. Successful stock characters eventually reveal the depth of their hearts or undergo developments that push beyond the limits of their stereotype.
Examples: Rapunzel (the damsel in distress); Alaska Young in Looking for Alaska (the manic pixie dream girl)
The Anti-Hero
Readers love anti-heroes because they're protagonists who start off as the worst version of themselves and grow into the best they can be. There are always external and internal obstacles for them to overcome, which may or may not clash.
They can also start off as versions of themselves that are inherently good, then become more like an antagonist but for the right reasons. Readers may still cheer them on and hope they revert to their previous good ways or read your story to watch your anti-hero follow their worst instincts until the world crumbles around them.
Examples: Dexter Morgan in the Dexter series; Patrick Bateman in American Psycho
The Foil
Typically, the foil in any story is someone who's opposite of the protagonist. They encourage the main character to grow throughout the plot by holding reverse opinions, world views, or values.
Examples: God and Satan in Paradise Lost; Lennie and George in Of Mice and Men
The Symbolic Character
Characters can be great by themselves, but many times they will represent something the author is trying to talk about through their work. A symbolic character is the representation of an aspect of society, an idea, or theme.
Examples: the raven in The Raven (symbolizes the narrator's grief and the presence of death in general); Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia series (symbolizes God/Jesus)
The Deuteragonist
Deuteragonists are also called the secondary characters. They're the closest characters to the protagonist throughout their journey. They give the story more depth, either through their close relationship with the protagonist or by working against them as or alongside the antagonist.
Examples: Edward Cullen in the Twilight series; Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio
The Tertiary
You'll rarely see a tertiary character more than a few times in a story. They're background characters that most often create minor conflict on the protagonist's journey with their primary conflict. Tertiary characters add depth to a story's world, but aren't essential to the plot.
However, tertiary characters are important! Without them, there would be no nosy server at your protagonist's favorite coffee shop or supportive librarian at your main character's library.
Examples: Parvati and Padma Patil in Harry Potter; Madame Stahl in Anna Karenina
The Love Interest
Ah, the love interest. They are the secondary integral part of any romantic plot line and may challenge the protagonist to grow through introducing new experiences or points of view.
Examples: Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games series; Will Traynor in Me Before You
The Confidante
Characters who are confidants are literary devices that help the protagonist reveal their secrets, state of mind, intentions, flaws, and feelings while all of those things are actively changing throughout a story. They can also represent real-life relationships by maintaining a healthy friendship or a manipulative friend.
Examples: Horatio in Hamlet; Samwise Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings series
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Many of these character types merge to create stories with more depth. Defining your existing or future characters with these terms could help you figure out their role in the plot and how to make your story stronger by flexing the purposes of each type.
make a playlist for each of your wips—or even better, for each of your characters. channel your oc's emotions, feelings, and past into music. best advice I've ever received (partly because it helps me get into the flow of writing from that character).
you can put songs like:
the character's "go getter" moment
song that would play behind a training/fighting montage
song that represents the oc's darkest moment
their best moment
a moment that shaped who they are today
a song that would cheer them up
a song that describes a pivotal moment
moment of betrayal
how they die
how they felt when someone else died
Body type and shape
1. Lean: Having a slender and toned body with minimal body fat.
2. Muscular: Having well-developed muscles and a defined physique.
3. Slender: Having a thin and graceful body shape.
4. Curvy: Having an hourglass figure with well-defined curves, particularly in the hips and bust.
5. Athletic: Having a fit and muscular body, often associated with participation in sports or physical activities.
6. Petite: Being small and slender in stature, usually referring to height and overall body size.
7. Voluptuous: Having full and shapely curves, often emphasizing a larger bust, hips, and thighs.
8. Stocky: Having a compact and solid build with a sturdy appearance.
9. Thin: Having a slim and slender body shape with little body fat or muscle definition.
10. Well-proportioned: Having balanced and harmonious body proportions, with each body part in good proportion to the whole.
11. Toned: Having firm muscles and a defined physique resulting from regular exercise and strength training.
12. Chubby: Having a plump or rounded body shape, often with excess body fat.
13. Pear-shaped: Having a body shape where the hips and thighs are wider than the shoulders and bust.
14. Hourglass figure: Having a curvy body shape characterized by a well-defined waist and proportionate bust and hips.
15. Apple-shaped: Having a body shape where weight is primarily carried around the midsection, resulting in a broader waistline.
16. Broad-shouldered: Having wide and well-developed shoulders in comparison to the rest of the body.
17. Long-limbed: Having long and slender limbs in proportion to the body.
18. Stout: Having a sturdy and robust build, often characterized by a solid and thick physique.
19. Plump: Having a pleasantly full and rounded body shape, often indicating a higher percentage of body fat.
20. Tall and slender: Being tall in height and having a slim and elongated body shape.
if you’re ever in doubt about what pov to write a scene from, a good rule of thumb is to pick the person who knows the least about what’s going on. lots of pros!
you automatically have some level of tension in the scene, as they either struggle to figure out what’s happening or completely fail to notice it
if they know as much or barely more than the reader, the reader is learning things alongside them, which will help make exposition feel more natural
if they know less than the reader you now have dramatic irony! great for humor and/or agonizing tension
helps you keep secrets from the reader longer, since your pov character doesn’t know them either. (I mean you could also just carefully omit major info and pretend you thought it was obvious. see the Queen’s Thief series for several examples that span a whole novel!)
helps add a fun little mystery for the reader as they try to figure out those secrets (fun little mysteries are great attention hooks!)
“what’s going on” can mean anything btw, it could be the plot or the worldbuilding or another character’s motivation or the location of the buried treasure.
for best results, think about what each character in the scene wants to get out of this scene, and then pick the pov of the person who has least control over/knowledge of whether they get what they want. failing that, figure out which character has the most important secret that’s affecting the course of the scene, and write from the pov of someone who doesn’t know the secret. (the secret can be stuff like “I’m in love with you,” “I’m a spy for the spider queen,” “I’m the one who stole the muffins,” just whatever’s adding an undercurrent of tension to the conversation.)
this rule won’t be right for every occasion and you should trust your gut, but it’s served me well for years, so I encourage all you writers to consider it when figuring out how to approach a scene :)
if you’re white and wanna write a poc character and feel awkward about it i implore you to ignore any twitblr stuff treating it as a massive ethical burden and instead come in more with the same mindset you’d have if you wanted to write about idk firefighters but didn’t know anything about firefighters so you do... research. Like fuck off with the weird kinda creepy calls for spiritual introspection you’re not writing about god damn space aliens you’re writing about humans and if you think you need more perspective of different life experiences just read?
writers' resources
sick of using "very _____" ? : https://www.losethevery.com/
want to simplify your writing ? : https://hemingwayapp.com/
writing buddies / motivation ? : https://nanowrimo.org
word you're looking for but don't know ? : https://www.onelook.com/thesaurus/
need a fantasy name ? : https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/
need a fantasy name ? : https://nameberry.com/
want a name with meaning ? : https://www.behindthename.com/
who wants a map maker! : https://inkarnate.com/
story building / dnd ? : https://www.worldanvil.com/
need some minimalistic writing time ? : https://zenpen.io/
running out of ideas ? : https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/
setting a goal ? how about 3 pages / day ? : https://new.750words.com/
what food did they eat ? : https://www.foodtimeline.org/
questions on diversity within writing ? : https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/
now what was that colour called ? : https://ingridsundberg.com/2014/02/04/the-color-thesaurus/
want more? : https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lyralit :]
WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}
E.A. Deverell - FREE worksheets (characters, world building, narrator, etc.) and paid courses;
Hiveword - Helps to research any topic to write about (has other resources, too);
BetaBooks - Share your draft with your beta reader (can be more than one), and see where they stopped reading, their comments, etc.;
Charlotte Dillon - Research links;
Writing realistic injuries - The title is pretty self-explanatory: while writing about an injury, take a look at this useful website;
One Stop for Writers - You guys... this website has literally everything we need: a) Description thesaurus collection, b) Character builder, c) Story maps, d) Scene maps & timelines, e) World building surveys, f) Worksheets, f) Tutorials, and much more! Although it has a paid plan ($90/year | $50/6 months | $9/month), you can still get a 2-week FREE trial;
One Stop for Writers Roadmap - It has many tips for you, divided into three different topics: a) How to plan a story, b) How to write a story, c) How to revise a story. The best thing about this? It's FREE!
Story Structure Database - The Story Structure Database is an archive of books and movies, recording all their major plot points;
National Centre for Writing - FREE worksheets and writing courses. Has also paid courses;
Penguin Random House - Has some writing contests and great opportunities;
Crime Reads - Get inspired before writing a crime scene;
The Creative Academy for Writers - "Writers helping writers along every step of the path to publication." It's FREE and has ZOOM writing rooms;
Reedsy - "A trusted place to learn how to successfully publish your book" It has many tips, and tools (generators), contests, prompts lists, etc. FREE;
QueryTracker - Find agents for your books (personally, I've never used this before, but I thought I should feature it here);
Pacemaker - Track your goals (example: Write 50K words - then, everytime you write, you track the number of the words, and it will make a graphic for you with your progress). It's FREE but has a paid plan;
Save the Cat! - The blog of the most known storytelling method. You can find posts, sheets, a software (student discount - 70%), and other things;
I hope this is helpful for you!
(Also, check my blog if you want to!)
Game-Changing Sites for Writers
A recent search for a specific type of site to help me build new characters led me down a rabbit hole. Normally, that would make me much less productive, but I have found a treasure trove of websites for writers.
Bring Characters/Places to Life
There are a few different places you can use to create a picture of something entirely new. I love this site for making character pictures as references, instead of stock photos or whatever pops up on Google Images.
thispersondoesnotexist: every time you reload the page, this site generates a headshot of someone who doesn't exist. This is great if you're thinking about a character's personality or age and don't have specifics for their facial features yet.
Night Cafe: this is an AI art generator that takes your text prompt and generates an image for it. I tried it for various scenery, like "forest" or "cottage." It takes a minute for your requested photo to load, but no more than maybe five for the program to finish the picture.
Art Breeder: this website has endless images of people, places, and general things. Users can blend photos to create something new and curious visitors can browse/download those images without creating an account. (But if you do want to make an account to create your own, it's free!)
Find Random Places on Earth
You might prefer to set a story in a real-life environment so you can reference that place's weather, seasons, small-town vibe, or whatever you like. If that's the case, try:
MapCrunch: the homepage generates a new location each day and gives the location/GPS info in the top left of the screen. To see more images from previous days, hit "Gallery" in the top left.
Atlas Obscura: hover over or tap the "Places" tab, then hit "Random Place." A new page will load with a randomly generated location on the planet, provide a Google Maps link, and tell you a little bit about the place.
Random World Cities: this site makes randomly selected lists of global cities. Six appear for each search, although you'll have to look them up to find more information about each place. You can also use the site to have it select countries, US cities or US states too.
Vary Your Wording
Thesauruses are great, but these websites have some pretty cool perspectives on finding just the right words for stories.
Describing Words: tell this website which word you want to stop repeating and it will give you tons of alternative words that mean the same thing. It typically has way more options than other sites I use.
Reverse Dictionary: type what you need a word for in Reverse Dictionary's search box and it will give you tons of words that closely match what you want. It also lists the words in order of relevancy, starting with a word that most accurately describes what you typed. (There's also an option to get definitions for search results!)
Tip of My Tongue: this website is phenomenal. It lets you search for that word you can't quite place by a letter in it, the definition, what it sounds like, or even its scrambled letters. A long list of potential options will appear on the right side of the screen for every search.
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Hope this helps when you need a hand during your next writing session 💛
BEST accounts to follow as a writer
It's been a long time since my last visit here on Tumblr, right? So, as a comeback and since you loved my masterpost of websites for writers, I am bringing you my favorite Tumblr blogs to follow if you're a writer and are interested in finding lots of inspo on your timeline, as well as prompts, tips, and useful resources. Shall we start?
PROMPTS:
@givethispromptatry
@dailystoryprompts
@here-haveaprompt
@dark-fiction-and-angst
@youneedsomeprompts
@deity-prompts
@whygodohgodwhy
@writinghoursopen
@fluffyomlette
@promptsforthestrugglingauthor
@novelbear
@gfuckign
@ghostly-prompts
WORLD BUILDING INSPO / PROMPTS:
@worldbuildingprompts
@locationbuildingprompts
@wbqotd
@wildworldwritingprompts
@worldbuilding-question
@thealpha-chronicles
@happyheidi
@enchantedengland
@ancientsstudies
@greeksblog
OC PROMPTS:
@yourocdoeswhat
@questionsforyourocs
@oc-question
@oc-dev
@characterization-queries
@oc-factoids
@tag-that-oc
@some-oc-questions
GENERAL WRITING ADVICE:
not all of the following accounts post things but they reblog useful info
@writing-with-olive
@tstrangeauthor
@everythingwritingg
@writerthreads
@heywriters
@thewritersphere
@writelively
PS: If you think your account fits any of these categories, feel free to comment! Someone will check it out!!! :D
random sites that are extremely helpful
animation screencaps
body visualizer
create infographics
desktop goose
help with writers block
boil the frog
professions based on your personality
best dictionary ever
fighters block
writing tool
slides go
slides carnival
online library
free movies and tv shows
free movies and tv shows #2
worldbuilding website
make music online
human pose reference
email signature
cool design templates
animation tool
Writing Blog Recs
A list of blogs that I've seen here on Tumblr that are out there creating prompts, helping out with advice and overall encouraging and inspiring everyone who wants to write. If you'd like to be added or to be taken off, please send me a message!
Writing Prompts
@a-u-prompts
@creativepromptsforwriting
@deepwaterwritingprompts
@dialogue4urocs
@gingerly-writing
@givethispromptatry
@just-plenty-of-prompts
@livi-the-writer
@love-me-a-good-prompt
@lyralit
@mangocherri
@myeekyoban
@notyouraveragepromptpage
@pianowritesstuff
@pettyprompts
@promptsforthestrugglingauthor
@prompts-in-a-barrel
@screnwriter
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@writer-aspirantus
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@writing-prompt-s
@writing-prompts-re
@writingprompts
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@writingraven
@writintheprompts
@writingpromptsandjunk
Writing Advice and Resources
@asparklerwhowrites
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@coffeewritesfiction
@creativepromptsforwriting
@deardragonbook
@heywriters
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@inky-duchess
@just-plenty-of-prompts
@livi-the-writer
@lyralit
@myeekyoban
@pianowritesstuff
@skylerchase29
@wordsnstuff
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@writerthreads
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The Script Family in general
Writing Encouragement
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@dailywritingpositivity
@screnwriter
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OC Prompts
@characterbabble
@develop-your-oc
@ocmagazine
@ocresourcecenter
@some-ocs
@some-oc-ask-blog
@some-oc-questions
Give all of these blogs your love and get inspired!
Writing Indian characters, from an Indian person
India is a huge country! while most characters in mainstream media are from the 'big cities' i.e Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, etc, there are many, many more places and areas to look at! since India is such a vast country, there is incredible diversity. 19,500 languages and dialects are present, with people of different skin, eye, and hair colors and types! there are, of course, a lot of inherent prejudices present, which I'll address a little later.
#1. Know their roots
There is no 'one' Indian experience. People from different places celebrate different festivals, worship different gods, and speak different languages!
A checklist of things you should know about your Indian character's background, in essence:
Which state and city/town/village are they from?
How many and which languages do they speak, and with what frequency? (Mostly, people can speak at least two languages!)
Are they religious? (more on religion later)
What are some of their favourite memories/moments linked to their culture? (festivals, family gatherings, etc)
#2. Naming your character
Some common names for boys: Aarav, Advik, Shlok, Farhan, Ritvik, Aarush, Krish, Ojas, Zain.
Some common names for girls: Arushi, Ishita, Trisha, Rhea, Riya, Zoya, Vedika, Khushi, Charvi.
Common last names: Shah, Singh, Agarwal, Banerjee, Dala, Bhat, Joshi, Iyer, Jain, Dhawan, Dixit.
Be careful while picking a last name: last names are very much indicators of the ethnicity/community you're from! most older folks can guess the ethnicity of people just by their last name - it's pretty cool.
Naming systems usually follow the name-surname format, and children usually take the last name of their father - but I believe some regions have a bit of a different system, so look that up!
#3. Stereotypes to avoid
This goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Being 'Indian' shouldn't be your character's entire personality. Give them traits, feelings, and a purpose other than being a token diverse character. Some stereotypes that are really a no-no when it comes to Indian characters:
Making them good at math and academics in general (my Cs in math beg to differ that all Indians are good at math. often, the reason Indians are stereotyped to be so smart stems from an incredibly toxic and harmful environment at home which forces children to get good grades. unless you've experienced that, its not your story to write)
Making your Indian character 'hate' being Indian (not everyone?? hates their culture?? like there are many, MANY faults with India as a country, and it's important to recognize and take action against that - which often makes us iffy about how we feel about our country, it's genuinely not your place to write about that UNLESS you are Indian. don't bring in 'hatred' of a place you've never visited, and don't know much about.)
Make them scaredy-cats, 'cowards', who are good at nothing but being the 'brain' (I will literally behead you if you do this/lh)
#4. Why India shouldn't be portrayed as 'perfect' either
It's likely that most of you won't be going in SO deep with your Indian character, but India isn't the perfect 'uNiTy iN diVerSitY' as it's depicted in media. There are incredible tensions between religions (especially Hindus and Muslims), and even remnants of the 'untouchable' way of thinking remain between castes. There's a lot of violence against women, and misogyny is definitely something Indians are not foreign to. People with paler skin are considered to be 'better' than those with darker skin (in the older generations especially)
#5. Some common customs
Removing your shoes before entering the house, since your house is considered to be 'godly' and shoes shouldn't be brought inside
Eating dal (lentils), chawal (rice), sabji (a mixture of vegetables/meat that's cooked in different ways) roti (Indian flatbread) is considered to be a full, well-balanced meal and at least aspects of it are eaten for lunch and dinner (if not all four elements)
The suffixes -bhai (for men) and -ben (for women) are added to first names and are commonly used by adults to refer to someone of importance or who they hold to esteem.
However, 'bhai' (which literally means 'brother) is often used as slang when referring to friends or family. Other slang includes 'arrey' which is used to show irritation or 'yaar' which has the same context.
It's custom to call adults who you refer to in a friendly way 'aunty' or 'uncle', like the parents of your friends.
Talking back to your elders is forbidden, especially your grandparents who you have to refer to with utmost respect.
#6. Religions
India is a very religiously diverse country. The most common religion is Hinduism, then Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, and Buddhism. All religions have their own complexities, and since I'm a Hindu, I can tell you a little bit about that!
It's common to have a mandir which is a small altar dedicated to the deities your family worships. (Fun fact - they're usually placed in the East direction because that's where the sun rises)
Most kids can say a few shloks by-heart, which are a few lines of prayer! (lmao I've forgotten most but I used to be able to rattle off at least ten when I was younger)
Most people know at least the general plot of the Ramayan and Mahabharat - two famous epic stories. (I'm not sure if they're inherently 'Hindu' or not)
Many people wear necklaces with a small pendant of the deity they worship!
Common Hindu deities: Saraswati, Ganesha, Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu.
It's important to note that religious violence is a thing. Muslims especially, are oppressed and discriminated against. It's a very, very complex issue, and one that's been going on for thousands of years.
#7. Myth & Facts
India is a very poor country
Yep! Lakhs of people live in villages with no electricity, clean water, or amenities nearby. There's no point sugar-coating it. There are HUGE gaps between the poor and the rich (have you heard of Ambani and Adani :D) and while our millionaires rejoice in their thirty-story mansions, people die of famine, disease, and hunger every day. I am personally lucky enough to be EXTREMELY privileged and attend an international school and live in one of the most developed cities. Most people aren't as lucky as me, and it's a really true, horrifying reality.
Everyone in India is vegetarian
No lmao - while many people ARE, there's a greater and equal amount of non-vegetarian people.
We burn our dead in parking lots
This circulated back when the second wave was going on in India, and the media blew it out of proportion. First of all, what the actual f!ck. Cremation is a Hindu ritual, and by saying that aLL Indians burn their dead you are erasing the other religions here. Secondly, cremation is a sacred ritual only attended by close family of the deceased member. It does not happed in PARKING LOTS. It's a time of grief and loss, not a way to humiliate a religion for the way they treat their dead.
Drop any other questions about India in the comments/DM me!
me: *writes fic*
me: great! time to post to ao3-
ao3 summary box: *exists*
me:
ao3 summary box:
me:
ao3 summary box:
me:
When I first started writing, it took me a while to learn that writers, you don't need permission
you don't need permission to write a messy first draft
you don't need permission to add everything that makes you happy into your wips
you don't need permission to write in the way that suits you
you don't need permission to write a certain POV or a certain character or a certain trope
you don't need permission to write what you love, even if it isn't 'marketable'
anyway the actual point of fandom is to inspire each other. reading each other's fics and admiring each other's art and saying wow i love this and i feel something and i want to invoke this in other people, i want to write a sentence that feels like a meteor shower, i want to paint a kiss with such tenderness it makes you ache, i want to create something that someone else somewhere will see it and think oh, i need to do that too, right now. i am embracing being a corny cunt on main to say inspiring each other is one of the things humanity is best at and one of the things fandom is built for and i think that's beautiful
cannot recommend more putting secrets and hints in your creative work that you dont expect anyone to figure out
Soft-Feeling Latin Words & Phrases
Another list of Latin phrases, this time with soft/warm meanings. It is 2:39am as I make this list.
a te pro te: from thee for thee
ab imo pectore: from the bottom of the heart
volat hora per orbem: time files through the world
coelum versus: heavenward
concubia nocte: at dead of night
crepusculum: twilight or dusk
crescens luna: a cresent moon
cum corde: with the heart
labores solis: an eclipse of the sun
in horam viviere: to live for the moment
in rerum natura: in the nature of things
in tuto esse: in a safe place
ingens aequor: the vast ocean
inter vivos: among the living
januae mentis: inlets of knowledge
jenuis clausis: in secret, with closed doors
littera scripta manet: the written letter remains
lux mundi: light of the world
lux vitae: light of life
meo voto: by my wish
mox nox: soon night
multis cum lacrimis: with many tears
ningit: it is snowing
occidui temporis umbra: a shadow at sunset
opinio vana: an illusion
osculum pacis: kiss of peace
papilio: butterfly
par pari refero: tit for tat
per vian dolorosam: the way of sorrows
philtrum: a love potion
pluvia: rain
res rustica: a rural affair
ros marinus: rosemary
semel et semper: once and always
silva: wood or forest
sinus urbis: heart of the city
As always, happy writing!
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* . ───
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💎Before you ask, check out my masterpost part 1 and part 2
Reference: Latin for the Illiterati: a modern guide to an ancient language by Jon R. Stone, second edition 2009.
MASTERPOST (PT. 1)
Daily Writerly Updates! | Open to post requests & questions My Writing Tea & Tips Community: @@writing-tea-tips
+ Feel free to chat with me anytime :) Think of me as your next door writer neighbor 🏡
If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸
For worldbuilding, vocab lists, weapons &fighting, and more: MASTERPOST PART 2>>
❤️ Romance Writing Prompts
Meet-Cute Ideas
Reponses to: "How Could You?"
Responses to: "Break my heart." 💔
How would you develop a relationship that’s been constantly one-sided?
Enemies-to-Lovers Dialogue Prompts
List of Relationship Tropes <3
Library Romance Prompts
Arranged Marriage Prompts
Responses to: "I love you"
Soulmates AU Prompts
"I love you but I don't" Prompts
Romance Novel Tropes & Subgenres: a comprehensive list
The Romantic Academic
Forbidden Love Dialogue Prompts
Angry Love Confessions
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☕📜Writing Scenes
Scenes: The Basics🏕️
Structuring Your Fight Scene
Writing Funny (But Intense) Action Scenes
Ideas for Flashback Scenes
Writing The Perfect Kiss Scene
Fantasy Battle Scenes 101
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✧𑁍.ೃPlot Tips & Tropes
A Very Brief Outline of the Three-Act Structure
Plot Type 1: "The Quest"
Writing Text Conversations - follower question
Fairy Murder Method Ideas
Gossiping Scene Idea Prompts
Child Eating Fairies Ideas + The Mysterious Cave Trope - follower question
Writing Political Intrigue
Comforting a Fire Girl Scene - follower question
Energize a Sluggy Middle
2 Types of Deaths in Fiction
Literary vs. Commercial Plots
Fantasy Tropes that I Love
Writing the Perfect Betrayal
Writing Strong Opening Lines
Plotting Tips for Romantasy
Dark Fantasy Tropes List
Dark Academic Plot Must-Haves
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✩₊˚.⋆☾ POV Related
1st vs. 3rd POV For Mad Characters
Emotionless Character POV
🧛🏻♀️Character Writing Tips
Redeeming The Bad Boy Character
How to Write Redemption Arcs
Writing Diverse Characters - Things to Remember
Character Nickname Ideas
How to Write Liars Believably
Choosing the Right Character
Organizing Character Relationships
Writing 1st POV Character Fears
Introducing Non-binary Characters
Teasing Sibling Dialogue Prompts
Writing A Drug Addict Character
No Redemption Villains
Emotions and humanity for the Non-Human Character - follower question
Writing Gangsters
Characterization: Unforgettable Characters
Human Feelings for the Non-Human Character
The Character Arc: 101
Emotional Mini BIO
Writing Autistic Characters
On Writing Blind Characters
Writing Homosexual Characters
Establishing the MC-Reader Bond
Writing Child Characters Believably
Toxic Parent Prompts
Writing Morally Gray Characters
Writing the "Mean Girl" Character
Writing Introverted Characters
Strong Female Characters
Fantastical Asian Monsters (Part I)
🕐List of Dirty Character Traits
Dark Backstory Ideas
Good Characer Traits to bad
A List of Toxic Traits for Your Character
Character Names with Unfortunate Meanings
---
MASTERPOST PART 2>>
MASTERPOST (PT. 2)
If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸
For romance writing prompts, plotting tips & more, check out: MASTERPOST PT. 1
⭐Dialogue
Writing Dialogue 101
Crying-Yelling Dialogue Prompts
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⛰️Words to Use Instead Of...
Synonyms for "Walk"
Synonyms for “feeling like”
Words To Use Instead of "Look"
Words to Use Instead Of...(beautiful, interesting, good, awesome, cute, shy)
Said is dead
---
🔠Vocab Lists
Nervous Tension Vocab
Kiss Scene Vocab
Fight Scene Vocab
Haunted House Inspo & Vocab
---
👁️🗨️Setting & Description
Common Scenery Description Tips
2012 School Setting Vibes - follower question
Describing Food in Writing
Describing Cuts, Bruises and Scrapes
Using Description and Setting Meaningfully
How Different Types of Death Feel
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🗡️Weapons & Fighting Series:
Writing Swords
Writing knives and daggers
Writing Weapons (3): Staffs, Spears and Polearms
Writing Weapons (4): Clubs, Maces, Axes, Slings and Arrows
Writing Weapons (5): Improvised Weapons
Writing Weapons (6): Magical Weapons and Warfare
Writing Weapons (7): Unarmed Combat
Writing Female Fighters
Writing Male Fighters
Writing Armour
Writing Group Fights
Writing Battles At Sea
Erotic Tension in Fight Scenes
Pacing for Fight Scenes
Writing a Siege Warfare
Different Genres, Different Fight Scenes.
Making Fight Scenes Sound Nicer
Fight Scenes For Disabled Characters
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🌎Worldbuilding
Constructing a Fictional Economy
Homosexuality in Historical Fiction
Writing Nine Circles of Hell
Writing Seven Levels of Heaven
Master List of Superpowers
Magic System Ideas
A Guide to Writing Cozy Fantasy
Dark Fantasy How-To
Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts
Dark, Twisted Fairytale Prompts
Fantasy World Cultural Quirks
Fantasy Nobel Ranks: A List
---
🌠Symbolism in Writing
Plant Symbolisms
Weather Symbolisms
Symbols of Death
---
🪄Writing Magic
Writing Magicians - the basics
Writing Magic Systems
Magical Training Options for Your Characters
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📋Other!
List of Fantasy Subgenres
Beauty is Terror: A List
The Pirate's Glossary
Storyediting Questions to Ask
Writing Multiple WIPs Simultaneously
Idea Generation Exercises for the Writer
Book Title Ideas
Picking the Right Story For You
What If God Dies in Your Story
International Slang, Slang, Slang!
10 Great Love Opening Lines
How to Insult Like Shakespeare
Serial Killer Escape Manual
Best Picrew Character Generators for Your Characters!
How to Write Faster
