alanmunsaves

[alanmunsaves]

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

Alternatives to the word "Walk"

(via writeworld)

Amble: walk easily and/or aimlessly

Bounce: walk energetically

Caper: skip or dance about in a lively or playful way

Careen: pitch dangerously to one side while walking or running

Cavort: jump or dance around excitedly

Clump: walk heavily and/or clumsily

Falter: walk unsteadily

Flounder: walk with great difficulty

Foot it: (slang) depart or set off by walking

Footslog: walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud

Gimp: limp; hobble

Hike: take a long walk, especially in a park or a wilderness area

Hobble: walk unsteadily or with difficulty; see also limp

Hoof it: (slang) walk; see foot it

Leg it: (slang) see foot it

Limp: walk unsteadily because of injury, especially favoring one leg; see also falter

Lumber: walk slowly and heavily

Lurch: walk slowly but with sudden movements, or furtively

March: walk rhythmically alone or in a group, especially according to a specified procedure

Meander: walk or move aimlessly and idly without fixed direction

Mince: walk delicately

Mosey: see amble; also, used colloquially in the phrase “mosey along”

Nip: walk briskly or lightly; also used colloquially in the phrase “nip (on) over” to refer to a brief walk to a certain destination, as if on an errand

Pace: walk precisely to mark off a distance, or walk intently or nervously, especially back and forth

Pad: walk with steady steps making a soft dull sound

Parade: walk ostentatiously, as if to show off

Perambulate: see stroll; travel on foot, or walk to inspect or measure a boundary

Peregrinate: walk, especially to travel

Plod: walk slowly and heavily, as if reluctant or weary

Pound: walk or go with heavy steps; move along with force or vigor; see lumber

Power walk: walk briskly for fitness

Prance: walk joyfully, as if dancing or skipping

Promenade: go on a leisurely walk, especially in a public place as a social activity;see parade

Prowl: walk noiselessly and carefully in a predatory manner

Pussyfoot: walk stealthily or warily

Ramble: walk or travel aimlessly

Roam: go without fixed direction and without any particular destination, often for pleasure; see ramble

Rove: travel constantly over a relatively lengthy time period without a fixed destination; wander

Sashay: glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly; see parade

Saunter: walk about easily

Scuff: walk without lifting one’s feet

Shamble: walk or go awkwardly; shuffle; see scuff

Shuffle: walk without lifting the feet or with clumsy steps and a shambling gait; seescuff

Skulk: move in a stealthy or furtive manner

Somnambulate: walk in one’s sleep

Stagger: walk unsteadily

Stalk: walk stealthily, as in pursuit

Step: walk, or place one’s foot or feet in a new position

Stomp: walk heavily, as if in anger

Stride: walk purposefully, with long steps

Stroll: walk in a leisurely way; see saunter

Strut: walk with a stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait; see parade

Stumble: walk clumsily or unsteadily, or trip

Stump: walk heavily, as with a limp; see lumber

Swagger: walk with aggressive self-confidence

Tiptoe: walk carefully on the toes or on the balls of the foot, as if in stealth

Toddle: move with short, unsteady steps, as a young child; see saunter and stagger

Totter: walk or go with faltering steps, as if from extreme weakness; see stagger(also, sway or become unstable)

Traipse: walk lightly and/or aimlessly

Tramp: walk heavily or noisily; see lumber and hike

Trample: walk so as to crush something underfoot

Traverse: walk across or over a distance

Tread: walk slowly and steadily

Trip: walk lightly; see also stumble

Tromp: tread heavily, especially to crush underfoot; see lumber

Troop: walk in unison, or collectively

Trot: proceed at a pace faster than a walk; see nip

Trudge: walk slowly and with heavy steps, typically because of exhaustion or harsh conditions; see plod

Waddle: walk clumsily or as if burdened, swinging the body

Wade: walk through water or with difficulty, as if impeded

Wander: to move from place to place without a fixed route; see ramble

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

(via ivoryand-gold)

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

100 Words for Facial Expressions

(via dailywritingtips)

1. Absent: preoccupied 2. Agonized: as if in pain or tormented 3. Alluring: attractive, in the sense of arousing desire 4. Appealing: attractive, in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest 5. Beatific: see blissful 6. Bilious: ill-natured 7. Black: angry or sad, or see hostile 8. Bleak: see grim and hopeless 9. Blinking: surprise, or lack of concern 10. Blissful: showing a state of happiness or divine contentment 11. Blithe: carefree, lighthearted, or heedlessly indifferent 12. Brooding: see anxious and gloomy 13. Bug eyed: frightened or surprised 14. Chagrined: humiliated or disappointed 15. Cheeky: cocky, insolent 16. Cheerless: sad 17. Choleric: hot-tempered, irate 18. Coy: flirtily playful, or evasive 19. Crestfallen: see despondent 20. Darkly: with depressed or malevolent feelings 21. Deadpan: expressionless, to conceal emotion or heighten humor 22. Dejected: see despondent 23. Derisive: see sardonic 24. Despondent: depressed or discouraged 25. Doleful: sad or afflicted 26. Dour: stern or obstinate; see also despondent 27. Downcast: see despondent 28. Dreamy: distracted by daydreaming or fantasizing 29. Ecstatic: delighted or entranced 30. Etched: see fixed 31. Faint: cowardly, weak, or barely perceptible 32. Fixed: concentrated or immobile 33. Furtive: stealthy 34. Gazing: staring intently 35. Glancing: staring briefly as if curious but evasive 36. Glaring: see hostile 37. Glazed: expressionless due to fatigue or confusion 38. Gloomy: see despondent and sullen 39. Glowering: annoyed or angry 40. Glowing: see radiant 41. Grim: see despondent; also, fatalistic or pessimistic 42. Grave: serious, expressing emotion due to loss or sadness 43. Haunted: frightened, worried, or guilty 44. Hopeless: depressed by a lack of encouragement or optimism 45. Hostile: aggressively angry, intimidating, or resistant 46. Hunted: tense as if worried about pursuit 47. Impassive: see deadpan 48. Inscrutable: mysterious, unreadable 49. Jeering: insulting or mocking 50. Languid: lazy or weak 51. Leering: see meaningful; also, sexually suggestive 52. Meaningful: to convey an implicit connotation or shared secret 53. Mild: easygoing 54. Mischievous: annoyingly or maliciously playful 55. Moody: see sullen 56. Pained: affected with discomfort or pain 57. Pallid: see wan 58. Peering: with curiosity or suspicion 59. Peeved: annoyed 60. Petulant: see cheeky and peeved 61. Pitying: sympathetic 62. Pleading: seeking apology or assistance 63. Pouting: see sullen 64. Quizzical: questioning or confused 65. Radiant: bright, happy 66. Roguish: see mischievous 67. Sanguine: bloodthirsty, confident 68. Sardonic: mocking 69. Scornful: contemptuous or mocking 70. Scowling: displeased or threatening 71. Searching: curious or suspicious 72. Set: see fixed 73. Shamefaced: ashamed or bashful 74. Slack-jawed: dumbfounded or surprised 75. Sly: cunning; see also furtive and mischievous 76. Snarling: surly 77. Sneering: see scornful 78. Somber: see grave 79. Sour: unpleasant 80. Stolid: inexpressive 81. Straight-faced: see deadpan 82. Sulky: see sullen 83. Sullen: resentful 84. Taunting: see jeering 85. Taut: high-strung 86. Tense: see taut 87. Tight: see pained and taut 88. Unblinking: see fixed 89. Vacant: blank or stupid looking 90. Veiled: see inscrutable 91. Wan: pale, sickly; see also faint 92. Wary: cautious or cunning 93. Wide eyed: frightened or surprised 94. Wild eyed: excited, frightened, or stressful 95. Wistful: yearning or sadly thoughtful 96. Withering: devastating; see also wrathful 97. Woeful: full of grief or lamentation 98. Wolfish: see leering and mischievous 99. Wrathful: indignant or vengeful 100. Wry: twisted or crooked to express cleverness or a dark or ironic feeling

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

(via writeworld)

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

Tone/Attitude Words

(via writeworld)

accusatory: charging of wrong doing

apathetic: indifferent due to lack of energy or concern

awe: solemn wonder

bitter: exhibiting strong animosity as a result of pain or grief

cynical: questions the basic sincerity and goodness of people 

condescension; condescending: a feeling of superiority

callous: unfeeling, insensitive to feelings of others

contemplative: studying, thinking, reflecting on an issue

critical: finding fault

choleric: hot-tempered, easily angered

contemptuous: showing or feeling that something is worthless or lacks respect

caustic: intense use of sarcasm; stinging, biting

conventional: lacking spontaneity, originality, and individuality 

disdainful: scornful

didactic: author attempts to educate or instruct the reader

derisive: ridiculing, mocking

earnest: intense, a sincere state of mind

erudite: learned, polished, scholarly 

fanciful: using the imagination 

forthright: directly frank without hesitation

gloomy: darkness, sadness, rejection

haughty: proud and vain to the point of arrogance

indignant: marked by anger aroused by injustice

intimate: very familiar

judgmental: authoritative and often having critical opinions

jovial: happy

lyrical: expressing a poet’s inner feelings; emotional; full of images; song-like

matter-of-fact: accepting of conditions; not fanciful or emotional

mocking: treating with contempt or ridicule

morose: gloomy, sullen, surly, despondent

malicious: purposely hurtful

objective: an unbiased view-able to leave personal judgments aside

optimistic: hopeful, cheerful

obsequious: polite and obedient in order to gain something

patronizing: air of condescension

pessimistic: seeing the worst side of things; no hope

quizzical: odd, eccentric, amusing

ribald: offensive in speech or gesture

reverent: treating a subject with honor and respect

ridiculing: slightly contemptuous banter; making fun of 

reflective: illustrating innermost thoughts and emotions

sarcastic: sneering, caustic 

sardonic: scornfully and bitterly sarcastic

satiric: ridiculing to show weakness in order to make a point, teach 

sincere: without deceit or pretense; genuine

solemn: deeply earnest, tending toward sad reflection 

sanguineous: arduous, bloodthirsty, brutal, murderous AND optimistic, cheerful

whimsical: odd, strange, fantastic; fun

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

(via writerscorner)

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

Word List: Transitional Words

(via writeworld)

Additional Facts

again

also

another

and besides

finally

further

furthermore

in conclusion

initially

next

to begin with

Restatement

in brief

in essence

in short

in other words

namely

that is

that is to say

to put it differently

Similarities

as

as though

also

comparatively

coupled with

correspondingly

identically

in the same way

like

likewise

moreover

similar

similarly

together with

Contrasts

although

but

by the same token

conversely

despite

either

even though

however

if

in contrast

in spite of

instead

likewise

neither

nevertheless

on one hand

on the contrary

on the other hand

rather

similarly

still

unless

yet

Place

above

among

adjacent

below

beyond

farther

nearby

opposite

there

under

Direction

above

beyond

here

in the distance

nearly

opposite

over there

there

to the left

to the right

under

Diversion

by the way

incidentally

Cause

because

since

for this reason

Result

accordingly

as a result

consequently

for this purpose

for this reason

hence

obviously

otherwise

so

so then

subsequently

therefore

thereupon

thus

wherefore

Sequence

after

afterward

at first

at the same time

earlier

first of all

for now

for the time being

in conclusion

in the first place

in time

in turn

later

later on

meanwhile

next

simultaneously

soon

to begin with

the meantime

the next step

then

while

with this in mind

Specific Examples

a few of these are

as an illustration

chiefly

especially

for example

for instance

in particular

in this case

including

markedly

namely

particularly

specifically

such as

Generalizing

as a rule

as usual

for the most part

generally

generally speaking

ordinarily

usually

Exception

aside from

barring

beside

except

excepting

excluding

exclusive of

other than

outside of

save

Emphasis

above all

basically

chiefly

especially

essentially

certainly

in fact

indeed

of course

particularly

singularly

with attention to

Time

after

afterward

as soon as

before

finally

later

now

not long after

until

when

while

Summarizing

after all

all in all

all things considered

briefly

by and large

finally

in any case

in any event

in brief

in conclusion

in short

in summary

in the final analysis

in the long run

on balance

on the whole

to sum up

to summarize

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

Iwan Rheon Gif Hunt

(via fc-helper)

Count: 623

#fc gifs for me

[alanmunsaves]

How To: Write Smut

(via lilopaylinsonrph)

In some mature roleplays, the characters are allowed to write smut, which is a great thing for the characters. You just put them under the Read More cut because that’s a must. Not everyone wants to know how loud your character moans when he’s in the middle of the act. So, here are some tips to write your smut.

The background, the background, the background.

You may say I’m an obsessed bitch with the background, but it’s important to everything. A good background gives the lights for the other RPer to take the lead and start their part. They give the necesary info to keep going and understand what is happening at the moment. So, what you might need here, is the following.

The relationship with the person you’re writing the smut with.

You’ll need to detail what the relationship between the two characters is, why are they there, why are they doing it? Are they just hooking up, is it a one night stand, are they in love with each other? All of these things are necesary, trust me.

The place.

Where will they do it, what is around. Of course you need to detail it. You wouldn’t want your partner go look for the lube in another room just because he doesn’t know where you’re at. Describe how did they get there, what is around them, what can be seen or not from there, what part of the room/place where they are is where you’re going to do it. Everything is needed!

Now that you know the basics, let’s move on with the next part.

Make me come alive, come on and turn me on.

Like our friend Nicki Minaj begs, you need to turn on the other person. Teasing is required before the sex. Why, you might ask? It leads the other person to start lubing naturally. You might not need it, but a little playing before the whole thing is good too. Turning on your partner will turn you on too. You can start kissing and showing some skin here, teasing all the time, grinding. Every corporal contact is required in this part so both of the characters get really turned on.

Take me in the bathroom, take my clothes off.

Once you’re turned on, you might want to feel your partner’s body moving in synch with yours until you both reach climax. No, no. Remember you both are fully clothed still. This time is really sexy, and in my opinion, you should take time while doing this. 

Yeah, I know, you want everything going on right now, but consider this: When you get a gift, you need to unwrap it carefully because 1. someone took their time to wrap it. 2. You don’t want to damage the gift. So, you can start undressing the other character from head to toes really slowly, also to give the eye some pleasure.

Pencey Prep.

This is it. You both are totally naked, really turned on and you are about to start having sex in the place you’ve chosen. NO. Sometimes you might want to prepare the other person because it might hurt. Whether you’re writing straight or gay smut, it helps preparing the other person. Yes, girls need preparation too.

Manual and oral stimulation helps the other one relax and feel better in the way. It also may help as lube when you’re in a hurry and you’ve ran out of it. Girls and guys both love oral stimulation when they’re about to do something. So, why not start pleasuring your buddy with your mouth?

Now that everything is ready, you might start doing what you want! But oh wait, there are some steps missing!

Is it still me that makes you sweat? Am I the one who you think about in bed?

Yes. People does sweat while they’re at it. Now that you finally managed to do whatever you needed to (get the guy’s dick somewhere, get the dildo inside of her or him) you shouldn’t be just humping until you come. There are some natural reactions that happen at the moment of sex.

If he/she a virgin, it will hurt.

Every girl’s first time is a little uncomfortable for them. None of them have not experienced a little pain, even if they have masturbated before their first time. The first time is really awkward if the guy has a really huge cock, because the girl is not adapted to that size. The hymen’s a membrane that once it’s torn bleeds. So it will hurt if that happens. 

In the case of the guys, the anus is a sphincter that when it’s stretched it hurts a lot. So it needs to be prepped to reduce the pain. Every time that something goes inside it, it will hurt, but with some time it will hurt really little that you might ignore it. Talking from experience here.

After a while of going in and out both start to get pleasure.

Yeah, it might take a while after it’s all uncomfortable and it starts giving you pleasure for real. Trying to adjust sizes, trying to find a comfortable pace, takes a little time. The position has a lot to do with this too.

Positions.

Your character might not want to stay horizontal on the bed all the time until they climax, so it might be good to change positions at least once or twice in the act. Some of them give more pleasure to both of them in the way too.

Hormonal and natural reactions.

Some people DO THINK WITH THEIR DICKS. So some guys like to go really rough. Something that happens with Frankie a lot is that once he’s in his partner, his brain goes off and he thinks with the minihead in his crotch. Trust me, I have fun playing with him, but also remember this might displease the other character, or please them even more. If you want guys, request and I’ll put up a How To Write Rough Smut Guide. 

When they’re at it, the hormones work faster, your brain starts processing them, accelerating the process of the pleasure. You may lose some focus and start biting, licking, scratching everywhere. Those are the natural reactions that the hormones lead you to do while you’re having sex with someone, and your character might have too.

Lock the cellar door, and baby, talk dirty to me

Dirty talk is ENCOURAGED. You might play a prude, but when you’re moaning in ecstasy and delight, your character would love to express with cussing and so, and it also turns on even more the one who’s hearing you talk. Also, guys love when they get reminded how big their dicks are and girls (because I’ve heard my friends talking) think it’s hot to have a tight pussy.

 Faint, baby. When you do the things you do. You make me wanna. Think I’m gonna.

And after all of the hair pulling, neck biting, body sweating and hip shaking process, both of them are closer to climax. Girls might have reached their third or fourth… (how many times your character wants an orgasm) for the night, while the boy is really close to his one and only orgasm. This part is really fun, because both of them are desperate for it. The guy becomes self centered, and trust me, they don’t care if it hurts anymore the other guy or girl, they just want to ejaculate. But here are somethings you should keep in mind.

If your character is playing safe sex, he could easily come into the other one if he’s wearing a condom (we don’t want pregnant girls or sexual diseases, unless you really do.)

You can change positions, or go back to oral sex if you want.

It’s impossible to stop at the very edge of climax. When the guy feels the cum running down his system, it’s happening.

Pull back if needed.

Somethings you should know about guys anatomy are these:

Face turns red, and breathing goes faster

The heartbeats go faster as normal

The balls get closer to the body to help delivering sperm cells to the prostate

The guys movements go faster in his desperate need to release.

The anus stretches along with the muscles when he’s coming, making it tighter.

#!writinghelp

[alanmunsaves]

synonyms for the most commonly used words of the english language

(via criticalcharlize)

Amazing — incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, extraordinary

Anger — enrage, infuriate, arouse, nettle, exasperate, inflame, madden

Angry — mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed

Answer — reply, respond, retort, acknowledge

Ask- — question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz

Awful — dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant

Bad — evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious, unfavorable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable, disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, irascible, horrible, atrocious, outrageous, scandalous, infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, nefarious, base, obnoxious, detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly, execrable

Beautiful — pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling

Begin — start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate

Big — enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large, sizable, grand, great, tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous, titanic, mountainous

Brave — courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome

Break — fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomize

Bright — shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid, colorful, lustrous, luminous, incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual

Calm — quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-headed, unexcited, detached, aloof

Come — approach, advance, near, arrive, reach

Cool — chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid

Crooked — bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag

Cry — shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl

Cut — gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce

Dangerous — perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe

Dark — shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sad

Decide — determine, settle, choose, resolve

Definite — certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious

Delicious — savory, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful, enjoyable, toothsome, exquisite

Describe — portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report, record

Destroy — ruin, demolish, raze, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish

Difference — disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility

Do — execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain

Dull — boring, tiring„ tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead, insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, dreary

Eager — keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to

End — stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance

Enjoy — appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish, devour, savor, like

Explain — elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for

Fair — just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest

Fall — drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble

False — fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless, fallacious

Famous — well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious

Fast — quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly, snappily, speedily, lickety-split, posthaste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash

Fat — stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky, burly, bulky, elephantine

Fear — fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic, apprehension

Fly — soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise

Funny — humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly

Get — acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, rep, catch, net, bag, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come by, regain, salvage

Go — recede, depart, fade, disappear, move, travel, proceed

Good — excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvelous, qualified, suited, suitable, apt, proper, capable, generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory, well-behaved, obedient, honorable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favorable, profitable, advantageous, righteous, expedient, helpful, valid, genuine, ample, salubrious, estimable, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate, top-notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable, edifying

Great — noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty

Gross — improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth, obscene, low

Happy — pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled, gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed

Hate — despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavor, dislike, disapprove, abominate

Have — hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear, beget, occupy, absorb, fill, enjoy

Help — aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succor, benefit, befriend, abet

Hide — conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil

Hurry — rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle

Hurt — damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain

Idea — thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view, belief

Important — necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal, considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known

Interesting — fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive, inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalizing, exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping, arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing

Keep — hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support

Kill — slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish

Lazy — indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish

Little — tiny, small, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky, cramped, limited, itsy-bitsy, microscopic, slight, petite, minute

Look — gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare, contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, leer, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover, notice, recognize, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore

Love — like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship, appreciate, savor

Make — create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce, build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get

Mark — label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice, designate

Mischievous — prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive

Move — plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk, traipse, mosey, jog, plug, trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip, bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear, breeze, whisk, rush, dash, dart, bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race, chase, hasten, hurry, hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander, roam, journey, trek, ride, spin, slip, glide, slide, slither, coast, flow, sail, saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch, prance, straggle, meander, perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge

Moody — temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, mopish, irritable, testy, peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy

Neat — clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, super, desirable, spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely

New — fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent

Old — feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former, old-fashioned, outmoded, passe, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional, customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct

Part — portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment

Place — space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site, station, status, state

Plan — plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device, contrivance, method, way, blueprint

Popular — well-liked, approved, accepted, favorite, celebrated, common, current

Predicament — quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam

Put — place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build

Quiet — silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful

Right — correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable, apt, legal, fair

Run — race, speed, hurry, hasten, sprint, dash, rush, escape, elope, flee

Say/Tell — inform, notify, advise, relate, recount, narrate, explain, reveal, disclose, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, enlighten, instruct, insist, teach, train, direct, issue, remark, converse, speak, affirm, suppose, utter, negate, express, verbalize, voice, articulate, pronounce, deliver, convey, impart, assert, state, allege, mutter, mumble, whisper, sigh, exclaim, yell, sing, yelp, snarl, hiss, grunt, snort, roar, bellow, thunder, boom, scream, shriek, screech, squawk, whine, philosophize, stammer, stutter, lisp, drawl, jabber, protest, announce, swear, vow, content, assure, deny, dispute

Scared — afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy, skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified, haunted, timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive

Show — display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate, expose

Slow — unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack

Stop — cease, halt, stay, pause, discontinue, conclude, end, finish, quit

Story — tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage, anecdote, record, memoir

Strange — odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, queer, weird, outlandish, curious, unique, exclusive, irregular

Take — hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift, rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume

Tell — disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise, explain, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, recount, repeat

Think — judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate

Trouble — distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief, misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort

True — accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal, dependable, sincere, staunch

Ugly — hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross, grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, repulsive, repugnant, gruesome

Unhappy — miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, gloomy, dismal, discouraged, sad

Use — employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise

Wrong — incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable

#!words

[alanmunsaves]

Body Language Basics

(via autocrit)

In any story, half of the information given to the reader is never spoken out loud. It’s body language, and body language can tell your reader what your character is doing and how they feel about it.

Smiling for example. There are many kinds of smiles and each one tells something different about what the character is thinking, feeling or doing. A natural smile produces wrinkles around the eyes while an insincere smile only makes your mouth move.

Five other types of smiles:

Tight-lipped smile – the lips are stretched out to form a straight line and the teeth are hidden. This smile can say, “I have a secret”, “That’s just silly” or “I’m tolerating you only because I have to” depending on how tight the mouth is.

Twisted smile – when only one side of the mouth is turned up and no wrinkles appear near the eyes this smile is saying, “Sarcasm.”

Drop-jaw smile – the jaw is dropped to give the impression the person is laughing or playful, but isn’t really feeling either of those things. No wrinkles near the eyes, means not a happy smile.

Sideways-looking up smile – the head is turned down and away while looking up and smiling. This smile tells people you are juvenile, fun, secretive and coy. It produces protective feelings in men, and women want to be like her. Princess Diana was an expert at this smile.

The eyes can give away what we’re really thinking if you know what to look for. A person’s pupils will contract when they’re angry, unhappy or repulsed. They will dilate when a person is happy, excited, attracted or solving a problem. If you look at a person with dilated pupils you will feel welcomed and respond in kind. The reverse is also true.

Eyebrows can also speak volumes about what we’re thinking:

We flash our eyebrows at people we wish to attract (a rapid raise and lowering of the brow).

Lowered eyebrows – indicate aggression or concern. We tend to take people with low eyebrows more seriously. JKF had low set eyebrows.

Raised eyebrows – is a gesture of surprise or submissiveness.

Lowering the eyelids while raising the eyebrows, looking up and slightly parting the lips indicates sexual submissiveness. Marilyn Monroe had this look down pat.

Nodding and positioning of the head can reveal several very primal feelings:

A slow head nod indicates interest in what’s being said.

Fast nodding tells the speaker you’ve heard enough.

Head nodding in general encourages cooperation and agreement.

Tilting the head signals submission because it exposes the throat and neck.

Head down signals negative feelings or aggression.

Body position signals how we really feel about the other people around us.

Facing someone with an open stance, legs straight or apart, arms at your sides, palms facing forward is a “Trust me” signal. We also use it when we want to engender a positive response from the other person.

Open legs is a signal of acceptance and confidence.

Crossed legs or arms signals a nervous, submissive, negative or defensive attitude.

Women are more likely to fold their arms across their chests around aggressive or unattractive men and hold them open around men they find attractive.

Holding hands behind the back is a gesture signalling superiority or confidence.

Hands on the hips makes us appear larger and is a sign of assertion.

Think about what a person’s body position when they attempt to hug you. It’s completely open and if you like, trust or are attracted to this person, it’s easy to hug them back. But, if you don’t like or trust, or aren’t attracted to this person, hugging them is very difficult and uncomfortable. You will hold your body as far away from that person as you can, stiffly and will try to end the hug as fast as possible.

Want to present an interest and readiness in another person and/or what they’re saying? Lean forward in an open body position.

When we like someone or agree with what they’re saying we will mirror their body position.

It’s a commonly held belief that a liar can’t look a person in the eyes, but that’s not always true. If you want to spot a liar, watch their hands not their eyes. A liar’s subconscious will tell their hands to try to cover or stop the lie from coming out. As a child if you said something that wasn’t true you’d probably slap both hands over your mouth. As we get older, we get better at suppressing our reactions, but it’s really hard to not do one of the six common lying gestures:

The hand or fingers cover, touch or go in the mouth.

The nose touch.

The eye rub.

The ear grab.

The neck scratch.

The collar pull.

Body language can enrich any story, because it relates the innermost thoughts and feelings of our characters, even while they’re saying words to the opposite. It’s a great way to enhance description and give depth to your dialogue, conflict and romance.

#!writinghelp #!resources

[alanmunsaves]

41 Emotions as Expressed through Body Language for Writers

(via omnivoracious) This list, while exhausting, is soooo not exhaustive; it barely scratches the surface. And each entry could easily become cliché (if it isn’t already). But, it should be enough to get you started. Want more? Start watching people (not in a creepy way), and take notes of what they seem to do when expressing different emotions. Your repertoire of expression will double in no time. PS—do not use these for actual, real-life body language reading; you will fail. These are strictly novelistic.

Awed 

Slack

jawed, raised eyebrows, staring 

Frozen, slack body language (Self? What self? There is only Zuul.) 

Take a step back and put a hand to his heart

Amused 

Smiling and throwing back her head laughing 

Slapping her thighs, stamping her feet, clapping her hands 

Shaking her head (That’s so wrong!)

Angry/Aggressive 

Sharp movements, like shaking a fist, pointing, slashing, or slamming a fist on a table 

Flushed face, patchy red blotches 

Tension in neck—chords standing out, veins throbbing—and jutting or tucked chin 

Arms akimbo, or clenching fists 

Entering someone else’s space and forcing them out 

Poofing up with a wide stance (I am big! Very big!), arms wide (Bring it!) 

Lowered eyebrows, squinting eyes 

Teeth bared, jaw clenched, snarling

Annoyed 

Pressing lips together into a thin line 

Narrowing eyes sometimes with slight head tilt (Why do you still exist?) 

Rolling eyes, often paired with a long-suffering sigh

Anxious 

Fidgeting, such as tearing grass into little pieces, playing with a ring, or chewing on a pencil 

Biting lower lip, swallowing unnecessarily 

Quickened breathing or holding breath 

Darting eyes 

Pallor, sweating, clammy palms 

Unusually high-pitched, “nervous” laughter 

Hunched shoulders 

Pacing

Attentive 

Slow head nodding with a furrowed brow 

Leaning forward, toward the speaker, and sitting up 

Taking notes 

Looking over the top of her glasses

Bored 

Resting his head on his palm, peeking out between the fingers, maybe even slipping so his head “accidentally” hits the table 

Tapping toes, twirling pencil, doodling, and otherwise fidgeting 

Staring out a window, or at anything remotely more interesting (Which is everything . . .)

Confident 

Arms clasped behind body 

Head lifted, chest out, standing tall 

Walking briskly and making firm, precise movements

Confused 

Tilting head with narrowed eyes 

A furrowed brow 

Shrugging

Contempt/Superiority 

Lifted chin (The better to look down the nose.) 

Pursed lips, sneering, slight frown 

Circling a shoulder, stretching her neck, turning away—anything to indicate she doesn’t see the person as a threat or worthy of her attention 

Grabbing her lapels, or tucking her thumbs in her waistcoat (See this clothing? It is much nicer than yours.) 

Dismissive hand-waving

Cynical/Sarcastic/Bitter 

Twisted lips or a half-smile 

Sneering, sometimes with shaking the head and other defensive body language 

Pressed lips with a slight frown 

Eye rolling

Defensive 

Crossed arms, legs, crossed anything, really (Well, maybe not fingers . . . or eyes . . .) 

Arms out, palms forward (Stop!) 

Placing anything (sword, shield, book, backpack) in front of her body

Disgusted 

Crinkling his nose 

Curling his lip and/or showing the tip of his tongue briefly 

Flinching back and interposing a shoulder or turning away 

Covering his nose, gagging, and squinting his eyes shut—hard—for a moment. (It assaults all the senses.)

Displeased 

A plastered-on fake smile (You suck; but I can’t tell you that. So here: a fake smile! Enjoy.) 

Pouting or frowning (I’ll cry if you don’t give me what I want—don’t test me, I will!) 

Crossed arms and other defensive/frustrated body language (I will not let that terrible idea influence me!)

Distressed 

Wide eyes and shallow, rapid breathing 

Beating the walls, or huddling into a corner 

Clasping hands over his head protectively 

Rocking himself 

Handwringing 

Running his hands through his hair

Earnest/Passionate 

Leaning forward, nodding, wide eyes with strong eye contact and raised eyebrows 

Hand on heart, or presented palms-up, or otherwise visible 

A double-handed handshake (I really want to make sure you understand me!)

Embarrassment

Blushing 

Stammering 

Covering her face with her hands or bowing her head (I’m so embarrassed, I can’t look!) 

Difficulty maintaining eye contact, looking down and away

Excited/Anticipation 

Rubbing hands together (I can’t wait to get my hands on it!) 

Licking lips (It’s so close I can taste it!) 

A vigorous, pumping handshake (I can’t wait to get started!) 

Jumping up and down (Look at me being literal here! I am jumping for joy.) 

A wide and easy grin

Flirty 

Eye play, like winking, looking up through the lashes, over the shoulder glances, and eye catching  

Preening, like hair flipping or smooth, clothing straightening, spine straightening, etc. 

Striking a cowboy pose, with his thumbs gripping his belt tight

Frustrated 

Shaking his head (You are so wrong!) 

Massaging temples (My brain—it hurts.) 

Clasping his wrist in his opposite hand, behind his back (Bad arm! No biscuit.) 

Running his hands through his hair (All this frustration is making my hair mussy. I can feel it.) 

Grabbing onto something like armrests, or white-knuckled interdigitation (Restrain yourself!)

Happy 

Smiling and laughing 

Eyes and nose crinkling 

Swinging her arms, spinning loosely, dancing, jumping

Impatience 

Quick head nodding (Get on with it!) 

Toe/finger tapping (Hear this? These are seconds. Wasted. Listening to you.) 

Sighing, checking the clock/sundial/freckles (Time. It is moving so slowly.)

Jealous 

Tight lips, or a sour expression 

Narrow eyes locked on the perpetrator, to the point of a stare down 

Crossed arms, and additional frustrated, angry, possessive, or bitter body language

Lying 

Scratching their nose, ear, neck, miscellaneous part of face 

Sudden change in behavior or demeanor, including shifty eye contact, lots of long blinking, shrugging

Ill-timed smiles or laughter (This is how I normally smile, right? Right???) 

Additional anxiety body language 

Shaking head no while saying “yes” (I can’t believe I just lied.) 

Licking lips, covering mouth, touching mouth, etc.

Overwhelmed 

Both palms to forehead, fingers splayed (This gives me a headache.) 

Covering eyes with one hand (If I can’t see the world, it can’t see me . . .) 

Eyes wide and staring into space, hands gripping the table in front of her (. . . Woah.)

Playful/Friendly 

Winking 

Waggling eyebrows 

Tiny shoves or nudge

Pleasure 

Head tilted back, lips parted slightly, eyes wide or closed 

Slow, languorous movements, stretching (such as arching her neck or back) 

Slight flush, quickened breath and pulse

Possessive

Handshake with arm clasp 

Putting hands on or around someone’s shoulders, neck, waist, back, or even just the wall near them 

Standing in someone’s personal space, body positioned toward that person 

Any one-sided act of intimacy, like running a knuckle down someone’s cheek 

Staring down any who get too close

Proud/Dominant 

Chin up, chest out, shoulders back 

A painfully hard handshake that not only squishes the bones, but also forces his hand on top 

Leaning back with his hands behind his head, and his feet up 

Strong, unblinking, focused eye contact

Reluctance/Resistance 

Arms crossed, sometimes with fists (Not happening.) 

Dragging feet (But I don’t wanna!) 

Pinching nose (You want me to do what now?) 

Clamping hands over ears (La la la la!)

Sad/Upset 

Droopy body (and anything held, like a sword), bowed in shoulders, wrapping arms around self 

Slow movements with hesitation 

Bottom lip jutting out and/or quivering 

Crying, sobbing, body shaking, sniffling, wet eyes

Secretive 

A tight-lipped smile (My lips are zipped.) 

Hiding her hands in her pockets (What has it got in its nasty little pocket?) 

Looking away

Scared 

Hunched shoulders, shrinking back from others (Don’t hurt me!) 

Wide eyes and lifted eyebrows (The better to see them coming.) 

Shaking, trembling, or freezing 

Rocking from side to side, sometimes holding self (It’ll all be okay, self, it’ll all be okay.)

Shame 

Slumped shoulders (Don’t look at me.) 

Trouble meeting your gaze, looking down and away 

Burying her face in her hands or bowing her head (I can’t face the world right now.)

Shocked 

Hands covering her mouth, or mouth hanging open, sometimes with a gasp (If I had words, I would be saying them.) 

Freezing and staring with wide eyes and eyebrows raised (Diverting all resources toward staring.) 

Smacking a palm into his forehead (Clearly, my head isn’t working right, or I wouldn’t have seen that)

Shy 

Avoids eye contact, or has only fleeting eye contact (Eye contact means you might speak to me.) 

Keeps a fair distance from everyone, and will back away if someone steps closer (Space invaders!) 

Folded arms, head down, and other defensive body language (If I make myself small, they can’t see me.)

Smug 

Slight, close-lipped smile (occasionally one-sided) and sometimes one raised eyebrow (I know something you don’t know.) 

Chin slightly tucked, Mona Lisa smile, raised eyebrows (I know better.) 

Finger steepling (I am so smaaaht.)

Suspicious/Skeptical/Disbelief 

Narrowed eyes, sometimes with a sidelong glance or raised eyebrow (Perhaps if I look at it out of the corner of my eye, I will catch it unawares.) 

Rubbing his eyes (I can’t believe what I’m metaphorically or literally seeing!) 

Shaking his head (I—I don’t believe it.) 

Blowing out cheeks (Well , I don’t know . . .)

Tired 

Rubbing his eyes, eyes staring into space, raised eyebrows (Raising my eyebrows helps keep my eyes open.) 

Yawning and/or stretching (I am tired—see? Tired! Too tired to care!) 

Almost nodding off and jerking awake (Cannot. Stay. Awa—snnnnurzzzz.) 

Gritting teeth to stay awake (Cannot—yawn—dang it!)

Thoughtfulness/Thinking 

Steepling fingers (I will think better if I center myself and focus.) 

Pinching nose, sometimes with closed eyes (Focus, focus—I just need to focus.) 

Tugging on an ear (This will help me remember!) 

Stroking a real or imaginary beard (People with beards look smart.) 

Furrowed brow, narrowed eyes, sometimes tilted head and pressing lips together (I can’t see it—I will try harder!) 

Resting his chin on his hand (Thinking makes my head heavy.)

Triumphant 

Hands clenched and held above head while grimacing (She is invincible!) 

Head tilted back with a yell (She is fierce!) 

Arm pumping in the air, jumping (Woohoo!)

#!writinghelp #!resources

[alanmunsaves]

Create Vivid, Memorable Characters: Breathe Life into Your Fictional People

(via archetypewriting)

If your readers don't care about your characters, you're sunk. Readers don't necessarily have to like all of your characters, but they have to care about what happens to your main character, or there's no reason for them to keep reading.

Which means you have to care about your characters, and you have to know them, maybe even better than you know yourself. To create characters that live and breathe on the page, you must first create characters that live in breathe in your psyche. This is why you need to know much more about them than you'll ever have to include in your completed story.

One way to achieve this authentic character history is to put your main character(s) in as many real-life situations as possible. And because thinking is only the first stage and can only get you so far, write these situations out, considering all sorts of details.

When you can imagine your character in different places and with different people, beyond people and places your story requires, you make your fictional people exponentially more realistic within the confines of your own story.

Start by deciding on the basics: your main character's date of birth and favorite things (such as food, color, activity, place, song, movie, book, friend, family member, possession, game, animal/pet, amusement park ride, season). Remember: these are details you'll want to work out, even though they may never need to be discussed in your story.

The basics is great place to start, but to create the most vivid, memorable characters, you'll need to stretch your imagination and go beyond the basics.

The following exercises will get you started in developing rich, believable, interesting characters. Choose the exercises you're most drawn to, and really let yourself go -- don't worry about polished sentences or grammar or mechanics. (You can't plumb the depths of your imagination when you're worried about comma placement.)

STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES: List emotional, intellectual, and physical strengths and weaknesses for your character. Include any special talents or aptitudes. Get your hands on an IQ test and take it from your character's perspective, not yours. (Tricky, but fun and worthwhile.)

DINNER AT OUR HOUSE: Imagine a family meal at your main character's dinner table. Write a short descriptive scene revealing the average evening meal at your main character's house. Now revisit that meal scene and add tension. (After all, tension makes fiction go 'round.) Perhaps the school principal called Mom that afternoon and therefore Mom has some serious lecturing to do (or some serious disappointment to relate). Or maybe Dad lost his job that day and -- over meatloaf and green beans -- tells the family that they'll have to be uprooted (again). Perhaps the teen daughter brings home a dinner date who only Mom (an undercover detective) recognizes as a convicted felon.

The point is: think of an emotionally-charged piece of information that will make this meal very different from the one above. Write this scene, paying attention to specifics.

WHAT WOULD S/HE DO? Imagine an ethical dilemma that your character finds himself/herself in. Maybe your character was offered a job promotion or a large bonus based on a task s/he didn't carry out alone. Does s/he tell the truth and share the credit with the colleague or keep quiet about it and bask in the glory solo? Choose a moral quandary, plunk your character it in, and write a short, thorough, descriptive scene. Be sure to tap into your character's thoughts, fears, conflicts, and ultimately how s/he arrived at the final decision.

DEAR DIARY: Write three diary/journal entries from your main character's point of view, fully in his/her voice and in his/her head. Make the entries occur on different days and have them deal with different events and emotions. Try to include a whole range of feelings -- joy, sorrow, rage, uncertainty, anxiety, to name a few.

DOCTOR, DOCTOR: Write up your character's last physical exam report, as it would be written by the family physician. Include all relevant details, along with any physical complaints the character might mention. Then write up some clinical notes from a psychologist who has been seeing your character in therapy. Perhaps your character has discussed his/her worst fear with the doctor. Reveal as much background to that fear as you can: when and why it began, how it's manifested, how your character struggles to cope with it.

DEAR AUTHOR: Your character writes you (the author) a letter, instructing you quite specifically in how s/he wants to be portrayed in the book. Make your character's personality come through loud and clear in this letter. Try to set yourself aside as you write it.

JOB APPLICATION: Get your hands on a job application (or create one of your own), and fill it out from your character's point of view. Include work history, schooling, references, as well as the character's statement explaining why s/he would be perfect for the job.

Always remember to have fun with these. The minute you're not having fun, stop. The looser and more relaxed you are when you try these exercises, the more you'll get from them. You'll discover things about your character you never thought you knew, which translates to a more fully realized, believable person alive in your story.

#!characters #!writinghelp

[alanmunsaves]

Basic Information on Forensic Science

(via archetypewriting)

Forensic science is not just what you see on television shows like CSI but rather the use of actual science to help determine the answer to varied legal questions. There are many different types of forensic disciplines that are used to help police and other officials answer these questions. These include criminalistics, forensic psychology, forensic pathology and others. 

Criminalistics is the science used to help understand the evidence in crimes. Evidence used in criminalistics can include biological evidence, trace evidence, impression evidence, controlled substances and ballistics. Biological evidence is usually bodily fluids such as semen and blood. Trace evidence are items like hair and fibers. Impression evidence are items like foot prints, impressions of car tires and fingerprints. Criminalistics is usually investigated in a crime lab. Many cities with very large populations have crime labs within their police departments. These include Miami-Dade, Florida and the famous Las Vegas crime lab. 

Forensic psychology is the study of the mind of a criminal. Forensic psychologists usually study the motivations that led an individual to commit a certain crime. Forensic psychology has recently come into the limelight as more and more television shows have started to feature it. These includes CSI, NCIS and Criminal Minds. Criminal Minds especially digs into why a person committed the crime so that they may locate the victim before it is too late. Forensic psychology has also been discredited by some as being interpreted in court as opinion and what might have been going through an individual's mind, not what actually went through the individual's mind. 

Forensic pathology is the study of the cause of death. Literally, pathology is used to determine how someone died and the forensic findings are usually used to backup a court case. Forensic pathology has also recently become popular for television shows such as CSI and NCIS. Many of the cases involve a mystery over death. 

There have also been many other forensic sciences such as forensic meteorology, and forensic geology, although these are used much less often than other branches of forensic science. Many of them just involve using analytical skills to determine the cause of the events.  As with any science there have been some disagreements over the scientific effectiveness of certain forensic sciences. One of these cases was an experiment by the FBI. Comparative bullet lead analysis was used by the FBI for over 40 years starting when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. The theory was that each batch of bullets had a specific chemical composition, much like an element on the periodic table, and therefore could be traced back to its original batch or even down to the very box. However, internal studies showed this to be exactly the opposite and the test was finally pulled in 2005.  No matter what you may think, forensic science affects you each and every day. Forensic science allows scientific means to be applied to almost any situation so that there can be a root cause determined. Forensic science in any form is just the answering of a legal question using analytical means.

#!info

[alanmunsaves]

Run by a clinical psychologist, Archetype is the fiction writer's guide using psychology accurately in fiction. Q&A, resources, creative prompts, and media portrayals!

[alanmunsaves]

Body Language Cheat Sheet (2/2)

(via archetypewriting)

Anger

Anger is one expression of fight-or-flight mode – an automatic, instinctive reaction to a threat. In many cases, there is an underlying fear of being harmed. Thanks to autonomic nervous system arousal, the heart rate increases, pupils dilate and the face may flush. Other signs of anger:

Balling the fists.

Crossing the arms tightly.

Clenching the fists once arms are crossed.

Tight-lipped smile.

Clenched teeth.

Shaking a finger like a club.

Stabbing a finger at someone.

Attraction

Pupils dilate.

Women will cross and uncross legs to draw attention to them.

Mirroring – (usually unconsciously) mimicking the other person's body language.

Closed to conversation

Keeping the hands in the pockets (especially men)

Arms and legs crossed.

Sitting back.

Folding the hands together on a table (creates a barrier)

The “figure-four” leg cross (setting the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other) and then grabbing the lower half of the top legs with both hands.

Openness and Honesty

Exposure of the palms.

Arms and legs unfolded.

Leaning forward.

Submissive Signals

Smiling – that's why some people smile when they're upset or afraid.

Slumping the shoulders.

Doing anything to appear smaller.

Distress

Men in particular have a tendency to stroke or rub the nape of the neck when they're upset. It acts as a self-soothing gesture to deal with a “pain in the neck.”

Crossed arms – arms act like a protective barrier.

Self-hugging – arms are crossed, hands gripping upper arms.

One-arm cross – one arm crosses the body to hold or touch the other arm – women keep a hand on a purse or bag strap to make this look more natural.

Clutching a purse, briefcase or bag with both arms.

Adjusting cuffs or cuff-links (men's version of the purse-strap grab)

Folding the hands together in front of the crotch (men)

Lying

Lying causes a subtle tingling in the face and neck, so gestures below are attempts to eliminate that feeling

Covering the mouth – can be like a shh gesture, or they may cover the mouth completely – some people try to cover it by coughing.

Touching or rubbing the nose or just below the nose – often a quick, small gesture, not a scratch.

Rubbing the eyes (especially men)

Scratching the neck with the index finger.

Superiority, Confidence, Power, Dominance

Steepling the fingers (aka the tips of the fingers together)

Folding the hands behind the back.

Thumbs sticking out from pockets when hands are in pockets (can be front or back pockets)

Hands on hips.

Straddling a chair.

Hands folded behind the head while sitting up (in men, in women this thrusts the breasts out and becomes sexual)

#!cheat sheet #!writinghelp #!resources