Twaeggy - The World Is At My Feet And I Am Standing On The Ceiling

(via The Last Point of View Cheat Sheet You’ll Ever Need - DIY MFA : DIY MFA)

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When reading books at night

Me: Just one more chapter I swear.

Me: *ends up finishing book*

Me: *checks time and it's 4am*

*Oops I Did it Again plays in the distance*

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And the sea rushes in to take away your grief. The salt burns but it is clean, and you ache but you are whole, and the dawn– it glistens on the horizon. You stumble to the shore, and the ocean kisses your heels. You will carry your pain with you, but you can still hear the waves in your ears. 

im posting this just to put it in my laugh rule tag because it was killing me eariler

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Op you shall, I shall, we all shall in a nutshell.

Okay fuck it if this post reaches 666k notes by the end of 2023 I'll practise basic self care

Why 666k? Because it's funny and impossible so good fucking luck

Hey, I'm writing a fight scene at a fancy restaurant. If my character had a choice of weapon between grabbing a fork or a butter knife (rounded point), which should they choose?

The fork.

It has pointy ends and it’s better for stabbing.

However, in a fight scene at a restaurant, it’s worth remembering all the other available pieces that will allow a character to smoothly transition between weapons. Most of the time, thought stops at the cutlery but a restaurant is full of makeshift weapons that will aid the characters in their fight if they’re clever enough to see them.

Plates.

Heavy duty, ceramic plates are good for bashing, throwing if necessary. It’s usually a stage gag, but it works really well.

Wine. Water. Coffee.

Hot soup also works. Grab it off the table, throw it in their eyes to blind them to create opportunity for an attack.

Wine Bottles

If left at the table, the solid glass of the wine bottle can be useful for hitting. It’s not as heavy duty as a Jack Daniel’s bottle, but it’ll get the job done. This is even more true if the wine bottle has not yet been uncorked and is still full. Then, it functions as a makeshift club holding up against a great deal more abuse than an empty wine bottle which will break apart in your hands.

Chairs.

When dealing with multiple opponents, but if they’re light enough to be picked up and wielded then the chair’s legs can be used to deflect attackers and maintain distance while backing toward an exit.

If they are sitting at the table, a good basic combination would be:

-grab wine glass, throw wine into attackers face

-grab hold of their wrist, take fork, stab hand

-pick up plate, smash plate into face

-if it survives then possibly edge into throat or sharpened edge of now broken ceramic.

-exit hastily if enemy is no longer capable of fighting to avoid confrontation with local law enforcement.

Restaurants really are full of weapons, plenty of weapons, including many objects that the average person won’t regard as a weapon. You just have to sit down, adjust your perspective, think about it, and start getting creative.

This is all just in the main dining area, long before we move to even better areas like the food preparation and the kitchen. Remember, a lit cigarette can be a weapon. It’s all about how you think and how rough you’re willing to get.

The Ambush vs. The Preparation

Another thing to consider is whether or not this scene is planned out in advance by the characters rather than it being spur of the moment (such as them being ambushed or suddenly decide to attack). A character who is preparing to make their move can set themselves up with better options than a character who has to hit the “go!” button.

They can:

If there is a bar, they might order hot alcohol like a hot tottie which is a hot mixture of water, lemon juice, whiskey, and honey. The alcohol will burn when thrown into the face, the honey (or any kind of sugar) will ensure it sticks thus prolonging the burning. This is surprising thick for a beverage. Excellent for creating openings or tying up one attacker while moving in on their friend. (This is not an approach for kindly characters.)

Order any kind of red meat or food type that will ensure they have a steak knife. They may have come without weapons or been forced to leave their weapons at the door, but they can have some of them back with clever dinner pick.

-Michi

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How can I write a villainous character and convey that they do truly horrible things, without worrying about triggering my readers?

I might not be the most popular person with this answer, but here we go.

Hannibal Lecter gives no fucks.

While I don’t know of any author who purposefully sets out to trigger a reader, you cannot worry about triggers when you’re writing a villain. You just can’t. Otherwise, you end up with a straw man for a villain and your story goes to hell. Seriously, do you think Hannibal Lecter worried about triggering people? How shitty would Silence of the Lambs have been if he did?

Instead of triggers, you need to focus on that character’s motivations. What is driving him or her? Why are they doing what they do? Rarely do people kill/torture/rape for the lulz- and if they do, there’s probably pathological issues at work. Above all else, that character’s motivations need to be crystal clear to you.

Many people starting out don’t develop their villains because they don’t want to think about those motivations. It’s uncomfortable at best, agonizing at worst, and your mind goes to some very dark places. In a way, they become more terrifying the more relatable you make them. I know because one of my villains is a pedophile/serial killer*. I wince when I write that he likes orange marmalade and Earl Grey tea, or that he insists on punctuality.

Now, if you’re looking for an author who develops phenomenal villains, I think Thomas Harris is right up there. He’s the mind behind Hannibal Lecter, “Buffalo Bill”, and “The Tooth Fairy”. It’s safe to say he has penned some of the terrifying and vicious characters in fiction in the past 30 years. His villains have quirks, charisma, and can make you laugh or even experience a fleeting moment of sympathy. They have tremendous depth and are a joy to read. Find an author that can make you hate to love a villain and aspire to that.

Coming back to trigger warnings. Please do not misunderstand me. I’m not saying don’t have them. They are an invaluable heads up to your readers that there’s graphic/intense content ahead, but they do have their limits. One simple reason is anything can be a trigger. I knew people who’s triggers include the sound of a telephone ringing, the smell of coffee, and lawnmowers. You simply can’t tag everything that might set someone off, and I’m saying this as someone with triggers of her own. What I find helpful in addition to a warning, is a rating and summary. I include the rating because what causes a trigger warning in a YA novel has a different threshold for something that is geared towards Mature audiences. That way, readers have context and can make an informed decision. 

In case you haven’t noticed, I really like talking about villains. In fact, my MC’s are all villains in their own right. My challenge was to dream up villains so bad, they’d make the MC’s look like heroes. And you know what? I loved every, freakin’ second of it.

-Graphei

*yes I said villains (plural- i made more than one) and if you think there isn’t a Rogue in Batman who fits that description, you haven’t done your homework.

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Hello fellow nerds!

A new school year is approaching, and since I have to nail my A* this year I put together a masterpost with helpful links and tips that I have gathered throughout my school years. Good luck this year: you´ll do just fine!

1. Learn ´em languages

Learn terms and glossary in Quizlet.

Learn a language for free on Duolingo.

Learn a language for free on Busuu.

Oxford Dictionaries.

Games and fun activities for English learners.

Irregular English verbs.

2. Do your research

Google scholar.

Scholarpedia.

You can learn anything (KhanAcademy).

Didn´t listen in class? (Crash Course).

Simple Wikipedia.

Learn littérature without having to read it (SparkNotes).

Wolfram Aplha.

TED.

Open 2 study. (Online studying) 

Free college courses.

3. Learn how to write like a God

10 practical tips for writing better exam essays.

Writing an essay.

Harvard writing resources.

Writing application essays.

Writing a personal statement.

Genre characteristics.

Writing a literary analysis essay.

Answering essay questions.

Get feedback.

Bibliography maker.

What is the word you´re looking for?

4. Oh yes sweet reading

8 tips to remember what you read.

How to read Shakespeare.

Effective reading and note-taking.

How to take notes while reading.

Note taking tips.

170 free textbooks.

1000 free textbooks.

5. Get your studying and organization game on

Time Management

Get your school life in order with organization.

Reach your goals.

Goals worksheet.

Finding information on the internet.

Using sources.

Get a hold on mind mapping.

How do you learn best?

Sound without music (Such as cafes).

Make flashcards.

6. Stress and anxiety management because school is stressful

Coping strategies.

Stress reduction tips.

Stress relief for students.

Managing test anxiety.

Dealing with test anxiety.

Self help: Keeping calm.

Introverts in college.

Coping and calming down. N.1

Coping and calming down. N.2

Do nothing for two minutes. 

7. Go get ´em tests

Study skills for test taking.

Study tips for finals.

Multiple choice exams guide.

The seven days study plan.

15 steps to success.

How to prepare for a test.

Checklist for essay tests.

8. Classroom participation - because teachers love that shit

Active listening.

Classroom discussions.

Presenting projects in the classroom.

Preparation before class.

Participating tips.

9. Software and pages for us nerdy kids

Openoffice and Libreoffice.

Dropnote.

Google docs.

EverNote.

Prezi (Fore presentations.)

Calculator.

Grade calculator.

Grammar check.

Staying focused for Mac, Chrome and Firefox.

Plagiarism check.

Best apps for students masterpost.

Homework help.

10. Yo! Take some time to care ´bout yo´self

100 000 stars.

Workout masterpost.

Movie masterpost of masterposts.

Self-help masterpost.

8Tracks.

Learn and do yoga.

Voulenteer. 

Learn to play guitar.

The thoughts room.

Disney games because hell yeah.

I had a bit of fun in the #VeryRealisticYA hashtag. Guess how many of these are autobiographical?

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Tornado alley, Eric Meola