future-journalist-adventures

[future-journalist-adventures]

Being a writer your brain is either

A) STUFFED TO BURSTING with ideas you have no clue what to do with or how to make them make sense

or

B) It's a black hole that devours every inkling of creativity in your cells and you are just hoping it'll consume you too

THERE IS NO IN BETWEEN

[future-journalist-adventures]

to anyone wondering why i've been slow with writing recently:

i'm working on things, i promise!! For a while I was having a bit of writer's block but now I have plenty of ideas; I've just been super busy so I haven't had any time to write. Ollie's Home has been especially difficult lately because I have the main plot points planned but there's a lot of unoccupied time in between major events so I've been trying to fill those in the most productive ways possible. I am also planning another short story currently, so stay tuned for that!! I hope yall are enjoying what I've written on this semi-new sideblog so far, and I hope you'll continue to stick around to see what else I've got planned! 🫶

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity

[future-journalist-adventures]

show, don't tell:

anticipation - bouncing legs - darting eyes - breathing deeply - useless / mindless tasks - eyes on the clock - checking and re-checking

frustration - grumbling - heavy footsteps - hot flush - narrowed eyes - pointing fingers - pacing / stomping

sadness - eyes filling up with tears - blinking quickly - hiccuped breaths - face turned away - red / burning cheeks - short sentences with gulps

happiness - smiling / cheeks hurting - animated - chest hurts from laughing - rapid movements - eye contact - quick speaking

boredom - complaining - sighing - grumbling - pacing - leg bouncing - picking at nails

fear - quick heartbeat - shaking / clammy hands - pinching self - tuck away - closing eyes - clenched hands

disappointment - no eye contact - hard swallow - clenched hands - tears, occasionally - mhm-hmm

tiredness - spacing out - eyes closing - nodding head absently - long sighs - no eye contact - grim smile

confidence - prolonged eye contact - appreciates instead of apologizing - active listening - shoulders back - micro reactions

[future-journalist-adventures]

Inside my Head - A Collection of Short Stories

"Silent"

experience or daydream: experience

characters: me, "my friend" (🌘), classmates, substitute teacher

setting: mid-April; Friday afternoon; high school

content warnings: queerphobia

Vibrant colors danced through the hallway as a content smile spread across my face. The bassline of the upbeat music I blasted through my headphones vibrated in every inch of my body as I absentmindedly walked to the beat; the muffled sounds of other kids talking and laughing could be heard beneath the sound of the music. I watched as my friend and I walked in sync, resisting the urge to comment on it. I glanced over at the large black pin my friend was sporting, with the LGBTQ+ flag in the middle and the words “Silence is Loud” printed across it, before carefully adjusting my own matching pin. He flashed me a small smile, which I returned almost instinctively as we walked side-by-side into our biology classroom.

I turned off my music, taking my headphones off of my head and setting them down on my neck. My friend and I began to cross the room to put our things down at our seats, only to find something that would wipe the smiles right off of both of our faces. 

My heart seemed to stop for a moment. My stomach dropped, and the content feeling I once possessed had somehow vanished. I gaped breathlessly, watching as my classmates passed around a crumpled flyer with the same design as our pins, laughing at and mocking it. 

One of them glanced at my friend and I’s pins, going quiet for a moment before scoffing and smirking, holding out the flyer for both of us to see.

“So-” he began, still laughing, “are you guys really not allowed to talk?”

My friend and I exchanged nervous glances before slipping past them wordlessly.

My attempts to calm myself down, and to hide how much I was shaking now, were quickly failing. I shot the substitute teacher a desperate glance only to find that she hadn’t looked up from her desk at all. Sitting down at my desk, I replayed the scene in my head and watched as the kids continued their insensitive mockery.

As I finally began to calm myself down, I heard the sound of something hitting the floor, followed by an eruption of laughter. My head snapped up to see the flyer, now completely rolled into a ball, laying on the floor next to my friend’s desk. They quickly snatched it from the ground and stuffed it in their bag. Their head was turned away from me so I couldn’t see his face, but somehow I felt I knew exactly what they were thinking.

40 minutes later, the last bell of the day rang, signaling the end of our day of silence. But as I walked with my friend out of the room, across the hall, and up the stairs, we stayed silent: not because we had to, but because there was nothing left to say.

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #short fiction #inside my head a collection of short stories #shorts #short story #short stories #realistic fiction #lgbtqia #lgbtq community #lgbt pride #lgbtq #queer #queer community #lgbtq day of silence #day of silence #lgbtq writing #lgbtq writer #lgbtq authors #lgbtq author #queer writers #queer writing #queer author

[future-journalist-adventures]

Worldanvil vs. Notebook

Those of you who are into worldbuilding will already know one or both of this sites (if not, go check them out, go!) Worldanvil.com and Notebook.ai are both designed to help organize all the chaotic worldbuilding notes all of us (right? right?!) have tumbling around their offline notebooks or even just minds.

That’s where the similarity ends, and this is why I love and will continue to use both sites. But I saw someone ask which one was “better”, so I figured I’d write up a little something to clear things up!

For the purpose of comparability, I’ve considered only the free features of both sites, since we’re all broke here and I know I would be freeloading on both of them if I hadn’t been in the right place at the right time for one of them.

Worldanvil

Worldanvil is geared towards building a wiki or encyclopedia of your world to show off to, you know, this here world. As such it encourages (at least for me) polished, thought-out articles (and more!)

+ Pros

Lots of article templates, all of which are free

Timelines that allow you to organize the order of events in your world

Interactive map feature (you can’t make a map on Worldanvil directly, but you can import one and put annotated pins on it)

Official Discord channel for those who like that sort of thing

Nice, active creators (as far as I can tell, Discord-shy as I am)

- Cons

Keeping your worlds private is not free (in theory, you can keep an article in the unpublished “draft” stage forever, but that’s not the purpose of the site - and this doesn’t apply to other elements such as maps and timelines)

You can work on two worlds for free. Two! I don’t know how much of an issue this is for other people but how am I supposed to decide which one I even put as my second… great Asar…

Notebook

Notebook is exactly what it says on the tin - a digital notebook to jot down your ideas in an orderly fashion. For me, it encourages quickly recording all those precious ideas, without the immediate need to polish them up.

+ Pros

Everything is private by default (you can make it public and share though)

Customizable templates

Ability to invite collaborators into your universe

Active worldbuilding forums

Nice, active creator

- Cons

Most templates must be paid for, there’s no way to sugarcoat this (what you get for free is universes, characters, locations and items)

You can build five worlds for free. Five! (Truth is I currently have twenty-four. It may have something to do with how much the site lends itself to quickly jotting down half-baked ideas which is great. Or I may just have a problem.)

[future-journalist-adventures]

looking for writeblr accounts to follow!!!

Hi, my name is Xena! I want to follow fellow writers whose stories I can enjoy and learn from! please interact with this post if you’re a writer account - even if you don’t post your writing!! even if you just post about your writing experiences!!! i want to follow you all! let’s be friends <3

[future-journalist-adventures]

ok but tell me why this random-ass list i threw together in 2 seconds is getting more notes than any of my actual works that i put time & effort into 😭😭

list of writing software i use (in order) (they're all free!!)

Zenwriter (rough draft writing)

world anvil (organizing information and rough draft posting)

grammarly (editing)

draft2digital (final draft formatting/design)

lulu (final draft publishing)

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #writing tips #writing community #writing inspiration #writing advice #writer #writing software

[future-journalist-adventures]

Inside my Head - A Collection of Short Stories

"Cold"

experience or daydream: daydream

characters: me, friend (❄️), "them" (🥾)

setting: mid-winter; late night during holiday break; a quiet back road

content warnings: none

Each snowflake drifting in the breeze sent a shiver down my spine as it made contact with my bare skin, allowing drops of freezing water to drip down my arms as the snow melted. I continued rambling to her, staring at my feet to discern the snow-covered sidewalk in the moonlight. I puffed out a breath of air, which created a small cloud in front of my mouth for a moment, as I finished talking, glancing over at her as she flashed me a small smile. She continued the conversation, her hands stuffed in the front pocket of her gray hoodie. She reached up to briefly adjust her baseball cap as she spoke, brushing off a thin layer of snow and smoothing out the roots of her long, flowing hair before putting the hat back on. Looking down at my thin t-shirt and bringing a hand up to my short, messy hair, I let out a chuckle at the near absurdity of our differences.

Despite my numerous attempts to remain engaged in our conversation, my mind continued to return to how cold I was becoming. I crossed my arms in front of me, trying not to think about how much I was shivering. I looked at her as she spoke, hoping that would help me pay attention to her, but my eyes began to unfocus as my mind wandered once again.

"You're really shaking over there," she noted, laughing a bit. "Are you cold?"

"Just a little," I replied meekly.

"Here-" she responded, beginning to fiddle with her hoodie. "Good thing I wore layers."

"No, you really don't have to do that," I protested as she continued to take off her sweatshirt.

"It's fine," she assured me, handing me her hoodie. She only had a plain white tank top on now, but she wasn't shaking at all.

I slipped on the sweatshirt, putting my hands in the pockets. We looked at each other a moment before letting out a laugh in unison.

"It's so big on you!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, it is," I replied, smiling cartoonishly.

"You look like-" she paused, her smile widening a bit. Her shoulders shrunk as she let out a calm sigh, the mist obscuring her face for a moment. "You look like them."

She didn't say who she was talking about. She didn't have to. I knew.

I nodded to acknowledge her comment, looking down at the comically large hoodie covering my thighs. For a moment, I imagined my Converse turning to Doc Martens, picturing the way their curly locks just barely covered her cheeks. I looked up at the girl in front of me, and just for a second, I wondered if she'd be happier if they were the one standing here instead of me.

But it was just me.

"Aren't you cold?" I muttered, my heart beating faster with every thought.

The warmth in my chest spread through my body, and her soft hoodie had never felt more comfortable. Her reassuring look slowed my racing thoughts, and I knew that the love I felt for my friend standing before me was unmatched to any sappy romance.

She shook her head calmly, the smile across her face never daring to fade.

"Not anymore."

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #platonic #platonic love #platonic relationships #platonic soulmates #love #i love my friends #friends #friendship #arospec #aro pride #aromantic #aromantism #aspec #aromanticism #aro #short story #short stories #short fiction #original fiction #story #inside my head a collection of short stories

[future-journalist-adventures]

Inside my Head - A Collection of Short Stories

"The Farewell Note" experience or daydream: experience

characters: me, "her" (📃), recipient (💔)

setting: early spring; Sunday afternoon; a bedroom

content warnings: none

Beams of sunlight poured into the unlit room, illuminating the soft carpet on which I stood. The sweet melody of birds could be heard through the thin walls; each chirp grounded my ever-wandering mind. I took a few steps forward, keeping my head down and being careful to avoid stepping on her belongings strewn across the floor. The sunlight glittered off of the strings of her guitar, which lay face-up on the ground next to my feet. My eyes followed the sunbeams to gaze out the window, observing the birds hopping around the roof of the garage. I turned my attention to the turqoise comforter carelessly thrown on her matress and sat on it, absentmindedly humming a tune as I continued to observe the room.

A small, folded slip of paper on the floor caught my eye. I stood to reach down and pick it up, unfolding it delicately.

The paper was thin and slightly wrinkled, but still fully intact. It couldn't have been more than a few years old. The handwriting was deliberate and neat, indicating that it had been written with great precision and thoughtfulness. The paper had been folded perfectly, too; I knew before I even read the words on the page that I had encountered a prized possession.

Words flowed through the page, articulating each obscure emotion poetically and tugging at my heartstrings persistently. Delicate phrases softened the blow of its contents. She had never fancied herself a talented writer, but the words written on this page indicated such emotion and articulate nature that one could easily assume this was both the easiest and the hardest thing she had ever written.

The recipient was referred to as simply "my love"; this was an attempt to allow them to remain anonymous, I supposed. She began the letter by recounting magical-sounding memories of laughter and love, which prompted a small smile to spread across my face as I read. Each word intrigued me more as her tone shifted from sweet reminiscence to a bittersweet goodbye.

This farewell note had lay folded on the floor, seemingly untouched. Its contents were so deep and contained such passionate feelings that I couldn't help but stare at it minutes after I had finished reading, gaping in disbelief. My gaze shifted back to the empty spot on the carpet where the note had lay. Could it be possible that the intended recipient of this letter had never truly... recieved it?

A jarring combination of notes snapped me out of my daze. I stared down at the half-folded paper, which now lay on top of the guitar strings where I had loosened my grip on the note. I stumbled backward towards the door, staring back at that note all the while.

And even as I turned the doorknob and exited the room, I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she really had given them that note.

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #inside my head #inside my head - a collection of short stories #shorts #short story #short stories #short fiction #original fiction #story

[future-journalist-adventures]

Bitter (poem)

her name was once a sweet song,

ringing through space with a soothing melody.

It sung of her laugh,

her smile,

and her shimmering blue eyes

as if something so beautiful had never before graced the earth.

but now i've seen it all.

i watched her laugh morph into a cackle,

her smile turn to a smirk,

and her gaze turn from thoughtful to judgmental.

now her name,

when it is said,

no longer sounds a sweet song.

it screeches and cackles,

and despite my pleads and cries,

And my desire to see her as i once did,

her name leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, leaving me to feel just that.

bitter.

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #poems and poetry #poetry #poem #poets on tumblr #original poem #poems on tumblr #poetic #poems

[future-journalist-adventures]

I finished writing chapter 4 of Ollie's Home this morning!

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #ollie's home

[future-journalist-adventures]

list of writing software i use (in order) (they're all free!!)

Reedsy (rough draft writing; editing)

world anvil (organizing information and rough draft posting)

lulu (final draft publishing)

#writeblr #writers and poets #writers on tumblr #writing #writing aesthetic #author #creative writing #journalist aesthetic #writerscommunity #writing tips #writing community #writing inspiration #writing advice #writer #writing software

[future-journalist-adventures]

flash fiction??

ok so i daydream a lot and i've been thinking for months now that i might like to write about them. I also like to think about how I would write a descriptive scene to describe a moment I'm currently experiencing as a way to hype myself up when I feel weird or bad.

All of this to say that if i were to write these experiences/daydreams down, i would do that here. I wouldn't have a consistent schedule; I would just write them whenever I have an experience that was extra moving or whatever. What do yall think?

(I'll wait to start writing until the poll ends so i can gauge how large of an audience i'd be writing for)

#writing aesthetic #journalist aesthetic #creative writing #writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writers and poets #writerscommunity #author #flash fiction #daydreaming #daydreamer #immersive daydreaming #immersive daydreamer

[future-journalist-adventures]

I wrote a poem in English class the other day- "Noise"

Our community is divided.

Despite our efforts to remain united and unshakable,

We’ve instead found ourselves filled with fear and ferociousness.

What once was a unified community, whole and strong,

Is now shattered into pieces,

Leaving broken bits of our hearts strewn across the anger-soaked floor.

The love and laughs we once shared have turned to a different kind of noise.

This isn’t the kind of noise that fills our hearts with joy.

No.

This noise drowns our souls in spite and anger.

This noise is confusing, and frustrating, and promises safety.

This noise tears the threads of understanding and connection which held us together.

This noise tells us to recoil inwards and trust no one but ourselves.

This noise, when we have the power to recognize it, leaves us feeling hopeless.

How are we to find one another through this raging storm?

How can we listen past the cries of fear and anguish to hear the quiet desire for understanding and love that allows our hearts to beat rhythmically in time with one another?

We cannot quiet the screams of our foes, but I suppose we mustn't spend time fixing one another.

Instead of quieting other’s voices, we must first raise our own.

We must love fearlessly.

We must love fully and to no end.

We must love unconditionally and authentically.

We must continue to love until, one day, our hearts’ desires will sing louder than the cries of division ever could.

Our community is divided, and it will remain so,

Until we let the voices of our hearts sing out,

And our shattered souls will begin to piece themselves back together again.

#creative writing #writing aesthetic #writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writers and poets #poetry #poem #poets on tumblr #original poem #poems and poetry #poems on tumblr #poetic #words words words #poems

[future-journalist-adventures]

Intro post!

Hey yall! My name is Alex, and I'm a 15-year-old autistic transgender high school student with a passion for writing. I hope to pursue a career in journalism, but I have always enjoyed all types of reading and writing. Over the years, I have written both published and unpublished forms of poetry, songwriting, persuasive peices, informative articles, and fictional works. My main goal is to reduce some of the stigma behind "controversial" or "taboo" topics through my writing, tackling complex topics such as sexuality and disability. Some of my other hobbies include music, psychology, and being in nature.

My main WIP right now is called Ollie's Home. It is a YA realistic fiction novel centered around an autistic non-binary child who is thrown out of their home by emotionally abusive parents. You can check that out here:

My other main project right now is called "Inside my Head", which is my series of sharing snapshots of my everyday experiences, both through my external environment and my daydreams, through short stories. Everything about that can be found here:

Check the "Ollie's Home" tag for updates on the novel, and the "Inside my Head - A Collection of Short Stories" tag for updates on that series. Thanks for supporting my writing endeavors!

#writing aesthetic #journalist aesthetic #intro post #introduction #blog intro #introductory post #writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #writers and poets #writerscommunity #author #journalism #journalism aesthetic #journalist