#my beloved mutual

[chilei-the-hotsauce]

I understand what you meant yesterday about artists being gods

Might torture a blorbo or two after I choose a uni idk

haha yes put them in situations

also i put babygirl here because. yeag

#choose a uni!!! #go baby!! see the world jne jne etc etc!! #ask chilei #my beloved mutual #tech my husband #chilei's on skooma again

[elizakai]

please be kind and merciful

to you? never.

#asks #cakesmelons #my beloved mutual #your asking an awful lot of me here #/j #or am i

[hoolay-boobs]

MAAAARIIIIII

I need your help.

Ok so, How to write?

I told you that I write, right? Well actually I didn't write them properly. I wrote them in screenplay format.. Now I want to write them properly but I don't know how 😭😭 my mind is blank.. Even when I manage to think up on how to write, it's so shit.. I have so many ideas but I have no clue on how the heck am I supposes to put them out.. Do you have any advice? How do you usually write? Please help.

*casually implodes* alright. Okay. Excellent.

This just might be the best ask I’ve ever received. I’ve always wanted to teach others how to write, I’m really passionate about writing stuff, and I’m majoring in education in university rn, so I sure hope I can answer this well lmao

But, nevertheless, I finally have the opportunity:

✨ Mari’s Writing Crash Course that I may or may not have composed while tipsy: a short guide to novel formatting ✨

There’s only, truly, three factors that are the most noticeably important: Formatting, Dialogue and Writing Voice.

You said you’ve been writing in screenplay format? Immaculate. You’re already halfway there. If you know how to write ANYTHING (short stories, novels, screenplays) you already- hopefully- understand the basis of composing stories. Character arcs, plot lines, worldbuilding, etc. I’m not getting into ANY of that, bc your ask referred to formatting and formatting only. I gotcha luv.

The Step One: The Key to Novel Formatting

You’ve already written in screenplay format before. That’s great. You’re already, like, more than halfway there. I’ve tried screenplaying before, but I never got that far in. Not my best medium.

I’m assuming what you’ve worked on before looks like this (format wise, not content wise lmao)

Caps lock indication, space down, and dialogue.

Well here’s the neat thing: novel writing, while very different from screenplays, is much closer to screenplays with more detail:

Caps lock indication, italicized setup, space down, and dialogue.

OTHER THAN describing the camera angles, this has very similar content to a novel: describing portions (sometimes equal portions, usually not) of both dialogue and descriptions.

So! Remove the caps lock indication on who’s speaking, make that italicized setup into the flow of a paragraph, remove all the stuff on camera angles, and put that dialogue under quotation marks.

Now it looks like this:

OH WOW! IT LOOKS LIKE A NOVEL NOW!!

Don’t overthink it: you just take your same thoughts from your screenplay format, and then… transfer it. Piece of cake 🍰

The sub-category of Part One; Part One Extended I guess: Present or Past Tense

What tense do you want your novel to be written in? Present tense? Past tense?

I used to say, “ ALL books are written in past tense. Because as the reader, we’re looking into a story that has already been written. If a book is in present tense, that means the story is unfolding, that means the author is writing it while we’re reading it, and that’s impossible since we’re holding the copy of the book in our hands. NO books should be written in present tense 😡👎”

And then I opened up The Hunger Games and saw it was in present tense.

So it looks like I’m just wildly wrong about that.

I will say tho, most books are written in past tense. And that might, or might not, be more comfortable for the reader and writer. However, it is up you. Contrary to my former opinion, there is no right or wrong tense for your book to be in.

Here is a visual guide:

Once you pick one, though, stick with it. Jumping between past and present these, UNLESS it’s for any stylistic choice (character’s flashbacks, time travelling, etc.) will most likely be awkward to read.

The Step Two: The Importance of properly formatting dialogue

Quotation marks go THROUGHOUT a sentence.

“Why don’t you guys go look at my taco salad post” and “she said” is all ONE BIG SENTENCE.

“Why don’t you guys go look at my taco salad post.” She said. ❌

“Why don’t you guys go look at my taco salad post,” she said. ✅

Each dialogue before the end of the sentence completes with a comma instead of a period. Exclamation marks and question marks can be used in whatever dialogue format, since they’re tone indicators. There aren’t strict rules for tone indicators.

Commas and periods aren’t really tone indicators, so there’s a quick key on how to write that stuff:

Remember, if dialogue ends with a “she said” “she exclaimed” “she spoke” etc. etc. etc. it’ll be part of the same sentence. But, if dialogue ends with an action “she walked to the door” “she took a forkful of that taco salad” etc. etc. etc. it’ll be an entirely new sentence.

THIS is what it looks like:

Also, not every set of dialogue needs to have an end quote to it. This is what that looks like:

I mean, you could but brackets in dialogue. But I just want to warn you: I read a book like that, can’t recall the author’s name, and it distracted me greatly from the characters, plot, atmosphere, etc. I’d stay away from that.

The Step Three: The Writing Voice

So what is narrative voice, anyways?

This is essentially how you form your entire story. The tone, emotion, and descriptions of your story.

I know, I know, the idea that every single word you use reveals your writing style might sound daunting, but trust me, writing voice comes naturally. As long as you let it come naturally.

Essentially: people who know you really well, your closest friends and family, who recognize your quirks, your colloquialisms, and your speech patterns, will most likely recognize your writing style. Because it will sound like you.

And that’s all writing voice is. Your own style. Even this answer I typed out for your ask, it’s in my writing style. It’s in my voice. It’s a blend of eloquent words, long sentences, and a dash of humour here and there. My novel, albeit sounding obviously much different than me making a post on tumblr, also sounds like this. To an extent.

You write like how you speak, even if you’re writing from a specific character’s perspective.

An example is Rick Riordan’s writing sounds wildly different from Becky Chamber’s writing. Even though they’re both talented and hard working, excellent writers. Every book looks different Every book sounds different. Every book feels different.

So, how do you find your own writing style?

Of course, a published novel of yours will sound different than your personal diary. But, those differences aside, they both have your voice. So let yourself speak, let yourself write.

Your story is going directly from your brain, to your laptop screen, or pen and paper, or whatever. Let yourself get into it. Sometimes I read what I’m writing out loud. Sometimes I don’t. Do not overthink your writing voice, or try to force your novel to sound more formal, or more casual, or more poetic, or more or less descriptive, or more wordy. Just let it be.

The more you write, and the more drafts you create, you’ll find your writing voice without even needing to search around for it.

There is a website called, I Write Like This. You can copy and paste passages of your writing, a few hundred words at a time if you want, and it’ll analyze your flow of descriptions, dialogue, punctuation, and match it up with whatever famous author your voice sounds similar to.

I copy and pasted my entire second chapter, a few thousand words, and this is my badge:

My writing voice is similar to our beloved @neil-gaiman . Of course, our writing voice is not identical, as no two authors ever are, but the flow of the writing, the mood, the tone, the energy… it’s a little bit on the same page.

The bonus step four: write shit 💩

You said you write shit?

Good.

Write shit.

This is odd advice to give, I know. But when I say write shit, I mean as a start.

If you had sent an ask saying, “I’ve NEVER touched a pen, paper, or laptop in my life, I don’t know how to write!!” I’d be… daunted. Not an impossible task, but a daunting one. Just slightly harder to get into, slightly harder to give advice for.

I’d much rather you write like shit than not write at all. The hierarchy goes like this:

Good writing >>> shit writing >>> not writing at all.

I can’t remember where I heard this from, but to quote, “you can edit a poorly written page, but you can’t edit a blank page”.

So go, my lovely Sana. Be free. Write all the shit in the world. Fill up your pages. Get writers cramp. Get writers block. Recover from writers block. Make typos. Make messes. Write glorious, delicious, silly, stupid, and beautiful things. Your first draft is not supposed to be perfect. The time will come for pristine, polished, ready-to-be-published writing, and you do not need to rush into there. At all.

Write shit 💩 New-writing is the most necessary shit in this world.

#asks #answered ask #my beloved mutual #writing #writblr #writeblr #writing tips #writing advice #how to write #writing community #neil gaiman #writing asks #writers on tumblr #writers #books #novel writing

[invece-sto-sdraiato]

*boops your nose* send this to ten blogs you think are lovely and deserve a boop on the nose

Hey macaaaa thank you (also I just remembered i think you have ginger cat energy :3) have a boopy boop 🥰

#ask #my beloved mutual

[sinceyesterday]

UMMM, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MIHANE!!! 🥳🥳🥳

i love you so much and you mean the world 2 me!! i hope your birthday is amazing and so special (just like u!!)

@doyoujustnotwantto

#mihane <3 #my beloved mutual #HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

[mpregfrance]

im sending you a million hugs and kisses (open or closed mouth dealer’s choice). and orange juice (pulp or no pulp ur choice) OR EVEN APPLE JUICE, IF YOU’RE A TASTE GODDESS OUTSIDE OF SEXUAL TASTES. and a fancy cup of tea. and freedom for the foreseeable future. I am not a doctor BUT. trust that i AM a prophet and quite literally just had a vision thattttt…. everything will be alright cus im coming to find you*🤞🤞🤞and i missed you and im SOOO GLAD UR BACK HOME 😿 and and and I LOVE YOU I HOPE YOUR TESTS GO WELL AND IM ROOTING FOR YOU ❤️🧡🤍🩷💜 🫂 ❤️🧡🤍🩷💜

i hope cleorrrr—and SIGH hubby too… ❤️—gets the biggest hugs ever, and she licks your face and gives you those crazy ass humanlike cat hugs you see on twitter MWAH MWAH

*idk if u like the killers, but read this in the cadence/with the vibe of “everything will be alright” by them

THANK U <3 this is so sweet im sobbing ily too... puppy eyes emoji x2... if i put my trust in anyone on this gosh darned webbed site its u. i have faith in ur sapphic healing powerrs dr maggie (prayer hands emoji) and I MISSED YOU SM i have never been in a hospital for that long... and without frussy?? torturous.

anyway the consensus is that it's probably both migraines and the intracranial pressure conspiring together to inflict maximum suffering. i got a few prescriptions and once my spine gets tapped like a maple tree im gonna feel much better <3 im just frustrated bc i dont know when exactly im getting that procedure done so idk what to tell my work?? like they said they would call to schedule so im just waiting for that. hopefully i'll know by the end of the day.

i missed cleurrrr so much... sobbing emoji... i heard she was being a MAJOR STINKER while i was gone and now shes being very sweet and sooky <3 zana refuses to come near me... bitch ass... as for my husband he's the same... he's a moid after all but it was weird being away from him tho </3

anyway i'll take uhhhh sopping wet open mouth kisses (gay) and orange juice WITH PULP bc im a sick freak who likes bits of slimy chewy stuff suspended in liquid. boba. chia seeds. secretly im hungry for tadpole. and mayhaps i shallst brew a cheeky pot of T2's finest french earl grey... ohohoho... a delight for the senses .... a positively brilliant suggestion milady....

(and yeah the killers are p alright they're my favorite mormons definitely... 'all these things that i've done' is a certified banger + 'when you were young' makes me ugly sob... ukus coded??)

#<333 #i wuv u #my beloved mutual #ask and ye shall receive

[thelastevilregal]

Wish I could block specific posts

#my beloved mutual #please #you are hurting my eyes

[ace-disgrace-on-the-case]

:)

Certified cognitohazard moment

#post #>:o #why have you forsaken me #my beloved mutual #(joking btw)

[chilei-the-hotsauce]

OH WERE YOU NOT HERE WHEN ROBYN CHANGED HIS NAME I DON'T REMEMBER

OADSIFHGAHJ I DIDNT SEE THE URL LMAO IM BLING

#SORRY LOL #ask chilei #my beloved mutual #tech my husband #chilei's on skooma again

[findafight]

@mystery-ink messaged me about Steve and his relationship to GNC icon Corporal Maxwell Q Klinger and now I am thinking about genderqueer egg Steve dragging Robin to Indianapolis to go thrifting for dresses that'll fit and getting both his ears pierced for the justifiable reason that they want to go to a Halloween party as Margaret Houlihan and Maxwell Klinger and Steve NEEDS his ears pierced "to play the part" even though Robin points out Klinger uses clip-ons because "I'm doing it BETTER Robin. I'm COMMITTING." And he gets a pair of little gold studs for everyday wear and ends up wearing fucking clip-ons for the costume like a goddamn clown.

#steve Harrington #robin Buckley #genderqueer steve harrington #stranger things #platonic stobin #mystery-ink #my beloved mutual #listen i thiught abiut this costume choice for RaSEPSM but i thought of one that fit better to what i wanted. #also. once again i am push the 'mash was Steve's queer awakening' agenda. this is canon to me always

[aceisew]

HOWDYDYFYDUFIDIORRITIEK

AESTHETIC WISEEE UHHHH I LIKE FORESTS AND CALM SOFT SMALL AREAS IF THAT COUNTS..CLOTHES..

ANDDD MY DREAM JOB IS TO BE AN POLICE OPERATOR OR SUM ALONG THOSE LINES!! THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!

#ANONYMOOSEN #MY BELOVED MUTUAL #ASK

[invece-sto-sdraiato]

babe darling did you watch helluva boss if not then go watch it and come back so you can tell me who your fave is

I’m so fucking happy you asked me this question!!! Yes i watched all of helluva boss AND rewatched most of the episodes atleast three times 🥰 I’m so freaking obsessed

favourite character? stolas and moxxie hands down (cause idk….I think I relate to them so much and I know that probably says a lot about me lol) Ooh I’m so interested to know who’s your fave pls tell me

Also I think I’m in love with Brandon Rogers (blitzø’s VA)

#I love it when my hyperfixations are recognised #hmm do I put this in the tag? #oh fuck it #helluva boss #ask #my beloved mutual

[mpregfrance]

rouge + pumpkin (auto swipe thing put wife instead of rouge soo ykw that means)

alexa play special brew by bad manners <3

#ask and ye shall receive #my beloved mutual

[nearlymortal]

Then lavender, lavender, lavender back ♥️

BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU BITES YOU

#asks #my beloved mutual #♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

[fallingdowntherathole]

HELLO, I'm just like this right now, so I felt like letting you know... Barging into your inbox at this ^ state and hopping off like a bunny. 🥺 👉👈

No wait where are you going-

*proceedes to find you on Ao3 and leave my love for your writing there too*💖💖💖💖

(Side note, as for Arya, I got writer block so I started to draw memes with her from the story as a guilty pleasure. I'm working on it tho!!)

#asks #my beloved mutual #you cannot hide from my love for your creations

[aliasthe1st]

Merry Chrysler

Oh my god thank you!!!! Much love!! Love to thee!!!! @omniapod my beloved mutual!!

#mutuals #badges #my beloved mutual #thank you! #me