#springintoastory

[springintoastory]

Spring Into A Story 2024 COMING!

Hello all! This year, we are putting out a new challenge for all writers and all writer levels! Whether you are trying to write something new, edit, publish, outline, storyboard... Well, Spring Into A Story is a great challenge for all.

We'll have weekly posts with challenges to interact with other writers. Update us on your progress. Join writers for a Youtube or Instagram-hosted Live Write-in (great for setting time aside to meet your goals), and we'll have spring-themed writing prompts too.

Writing prompts and instructions will be posted soon. For tumblr users, we'll share short and flash fiction once a week (rules will be posted with the prompts). Use our hashtag (#springintoastory) on all social media and help us spread the word!

#writeblr #creative writing #writing challenge #spring into a story #springintoastory #writer #writing #author #new author #indie author #fanfic author #writers on tumblr #writers and poets #my writing #new writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writers

[gwen-tolios]

Spring Break

I'm participating in #springintoastory to build a healthy, consistent writing habit!

The first prompt is Spring Break, and Lisa and Monica are from my sapphic aro ace romance - Returning to You. 💜

-----

"I think you should stay with me here for spring break."

Lisa looked up as her dormmate walked through the door to their dorm room. Monica's black hair was windswept, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I thought you were going home? You don't live that far away."

Monica frowned as she hung up her coat in their tight closet. "Mama keeps telling me to live life to the fullest. Enjoy the college life."

"Campus is going to be dead, though."

"I mean," Monica sighed as she collapsed in her desk chair, head thrown over the back of the headrest. Lisa shut her economics textbook and gave Monica her full attention. "There's a few frat parties I've heard about. I might go to those. And there's always something going on in Chicago."

"Do you want to spend your spring break getting drunk every night?"

"I mean, I wouldn't mind."

Lisa scoffed.

Monica rolled her chair across the room. "Look, I know you're not into the party scene."

"I would like to pass my classes –"

"But there are no classes. It's spring break. What would you do at your parent's place anyway?"

Lisa shrugged, "Just hang out."

She wasn't going home to do things. She was going home to see her family. Take a break. Enjoy her dad's cooking. At least one high school friend would be back in town, and it would be nice to reconnect. Even though they had seen each other over Christmas break.

Monica hooked her hands under her chin and tilted her face up, lip quivering. Her dark eyes turned watery.

"Ug," Lisa put up her hand as a block. "I'm not saying for break."

"Maybe stay for part? You don't want me walking to and from a party by myself, do you?"

"You can handle yourself." Monica regularly went to Boystown. Lisa had gone once or twice, cajoled by someone or another, but that part of town was Monica's scene. Loud music and people and drinks and a freedom she didn't believe she had on campus.

"Okay, yes. But I'd still like to go with you."

Sighing, Lisa looked at her friend. The puppy dog eyes were gone, replaced by sincerity. And Lisa had so few friends, she would always cave to Monica, even if they had known each other for less than a year.

"Fine. I'll hop on the Metra Wednesday."

"Yay!"

#spring into a story #springintoastory #prompt 1 #creative writing #writeblr #returning to you #gwen writes #original fiction

[pnr-author]

My goal for April’s #springintoastory is to write 4 days a week before work to get some solid scenes completed this month. Phew, feels good to get that out into the world. Here we go.

#writing community #amwriting #writers on tumblr #current wip #goals #novel #letsdoit #writerscommunity

[springintoastory]

We're halfway through April! 🌺✒️🌷

You've written a lot of words and made good progress on your writing projects. You've overcome the first challenge - getting started - and now you're probably facing the second - how to keep going. It's time to root into your story, avoid distractions, and stride toward your goal!

Resist new ideas. Just becuase you see a new shiny idea doesn't mean you half to pick it up. Jot down the basics so you don't forget it, but then tell that plot bunny you'll return in May. April is for a different project.

Surround yourself in the story. Sometimes, the words won't come. But if you still think of your story, live in that world, you'll be ploting and developing your characters and it'll be easy to make the words flow. Things you can do to stay in your story are: build playlists and listen to them, fill out character sheets and questionable, world build, draw maps, daydream about events after your story, draw your characters.

Bribe yourself. Set aside a treat that you can only have once your project is finished. Maybe it's a fancy dinner. Or a collector's addition of Watership Down. Perhaps a new bookish t-shirt. Set a reward, and tease yourself with it to get cracking on that story.

Don't consumer similar media. If you're writing a fantasy story, reading others in the genre could make you second guess your story, or give you new ideas to weave in. At the half way point, you want to dig deep into your story, not think about someone else's. (But please, do still read and watch stuff. Don't focus on writing 100% of your time)

Take a day off. If you've been making progress every day, good for you! But don't forget to take breaks. A reset is good for you. And who knows, that not-writing time might just give you the breakthrough you need.

#spring into a story #springintoastory #writing #writeblr #creative writing #writing challenge #writing community #writblr #writing advice #writing tips #creativity #writing energy

[springintoastory]

As we gear up to start striving for our April goals, you might run into a problem - how do you create a character? Or if you're editing, how do you add dimension to a character? Here's tips for both!

Creating A Character Tips

Use a template - Templates are broads. They can be a Myer's Brigg type, a star sign, an archetype, or your blorbo from your current fandom. But each serves as a template you can customize. The fiery Scorpio who is willing to step on folk to reach for CEO. The mentor who sends each adventurer off with a packed lunch. Crowley from Good Omens - but twisted so he's just someone in the building who wears black and disregards every. single. rule. and completes every request made by blondes with puppy dog eyes. Start with a template, then make them you're own!

Know their SES - Social Economic Status. Things like education level, class, age, ethnicity, and social status. Together they have an impact on someone's lived experiences and outlook - a wealthy black man and a wealthy white man will have different experiences. Figure out your character's status, and use that to shape them.

Give them a goal - Your character's goal can be grand - kill the king - or small - make the perfect cake - but they should have something they are striving for.

Give them a weakness - Just like Marty McFly can't stand to be called a coward, what is your character's weakness? It can be a physical thing, keep Superman away from the Kryptonite, or something that causes them to make bad decisions, like hubris.

Adding Dimension to A Character

Add a Counterpoint - Give your character a trait opposite something standard in your template. Your grumpy character lights up around their hobby. Your mentor character is actively trying to learn some new skill. These type of elements prevent your character from feeling flat.

Link weakness to strength - This gives your character a range. If their weakness is their stubbornness, a refusal to back down getting them into trouble, show situations where it flips to determination that helps save the scene.

Give them an arc - A growing character makes them more developed, and for many protagonists this growth is based on the events of the plot. But your secondary characters can grow too! Even if readers don't see every step.

Whether you're springing into a new character, or revisiting one, we hope these tips help! Feel free to share your own in the tags.

#creative writing #spring into a story #springintoastory #writeblr #writing #writing challenge #writing community #writing advice #writing tips #characters #character design #how to write #writing help #writing characters #writblr

[springintoastory]

What if it's not character that's your problem, but the structure of your story? How do you plot?!

While the plot of a novel is a series of events unique to your tale, the structure of it is probably very similar to other works and as such, falls into one of these plot types.

Vs Fate (luck, destiny) - Have your character fight against the inevitable - a prophecy, a prognosis. Percy Jackson never actually escapes the prophecies, and the characters of Fault of Our Stars fight cancer every step of the way.

Vs Self (need vs want, need vs morals) - Have your character fight their own nature. This is a common plot structure for character-driven novels and is often the basis of a character arc. Think Diana Prince in Wonder Woman 84 torn between her want (her lover) and her need/morals (saving the world)

Vs Society - Rebellion! Society can vary - maybe it's the ruling class, maybe it's the patriarchy, maybe it's capitalism (solarpunk, anyone?). In any case, characters in these stories are fighting the structural aspect of a society or the establishment upholding it. Luke Skywalker is going against the Empire, and the ladies of Hidden Figures are fighting racism.

Vs Supernatural - This is when the threat is a supernatural element, which isn't every fantasy story. Think the Exorcism or monster-of-the-week TV shows.

Vs Technology - This is when technology is the bad guy your characters must stop. It can be in an action movie - like Terminator - or it could be in a political drama about the atomic bomb.

Vs Family - These plots can be similar to the vs society setup, but the group your character is fighting against is more personal because it's their family (found or not). Encanto is a good example of this - Mirabel struggles with her place in the family while her siblings struggle with the pressure to keep Abuela happy.

These are basic plot structures, the high-level action of your story. The details of how these play out will depend on your characters and setting.

#writing #writeblr #creative writing #springintoastory #spring into a story #writing community #writblr #writing advice #writing tips #writing challenge #plotting #creating plot #story structure

[springintoastory]

April 1st is around the corner, and with it the launch of the Spring Into A Story Challenge! 🤩🤩

Whether you're looking for tips to prepare, or want to use this challenge as your starting point, here are ways to spring into a writing habit. 🌺✒️

Set up a ritual - Do a little something that serves as a switch in your brain to signal it's writing time. Your ritual could be lighting a candle, using a very specific mug to drink from, heading to the library, or settling down at a cafe (my favorite!).

Be consistent - For some of you, that might be putting time on the calendar. Every Thursday from 6-9 is writing time! For others, it might mean you open your document for 30 minutes every night between dinner and bed. Or that you dedicate your time on the train to typing on your phone's keyboard. Set up a time, daily, weekly or monthly, and keep it.

Bring a friend - Accountability can be a huge help in setting up a habit. Just like having a friend in your yoga class gets you there, having a writing buddy during your consistent write time will help you show up. Or hey! Follow the #SpringIntoAStory tag and make friends there.

Set reasonable goals - If the writing you want to do is daunting and looming over your shoulder, you might ignore it by never showing up at the keyboard. Instead, break things down. Have your goal be 10 min of writing. Or 500 words. Or half a page. Something you know won't scare you off.

Track your writing - Put writing on your to-do list app. Color a square in your bullet journal, or give yourself a little sticker on the calendar. Tracking your writing gives you a serotonin boost when you can make that mark, but also visualizes your habit. When I can see on my chart I've not written for three days, I'm more likely to write on the fourth.

Make it fun! - If you don't like it, you won't do it. So make sure you're having fun - be it sharing your work on Ao3, chatting with friends as take a writing break, or wearing a silly hat. You do you.

For those of who you already have a writing habit, how did you build it?

#springintoastory #spring into a story #writing advice #writing tips #writing #writing community #writing events #writeblr #writing for fun #writblr #creative writing #writing things #writing life #writing habits #author habits

[springintoastory]

We're getting closer and closer to our April 1st start! We've already talked about building habits - now let's list some tricks for keeping you motivated over the whole month!

A goal - Your goal can be anything - write every day, hit 20K words, edit your first draft, fulfill every writing prompt we have. Just strive for something!

Plan a reward - If you hit those 20K, buy yourself a new book! Or indulge in a fancy brownie once you've completed every prompt we share.

Keep it fun - If you're not having fun, you're not gonna do it. Write with friends, put on some good tunes, cackles as you torture your characters. You do you.

Announce it - declaring that you want to do something to someone - be it just your best friend or all your followers - is linked with actually doing it. People will be watching, and that keeps the fingers going.

Ready to announce your Spring Into A Story goal? Let us know what you're planning!

#spring into a story #springintoastory #writing community #writing #writing events #spring writing #writeblr #writblr #writing challenge #writing advice #writing tips #writing help #writing stuff #creative writing #writing motivation

[springintoastory]

Spring Into A Story - Writing Prompts

This years prompts were compiled by regional writing group leaders. But there will be more chances to also share your own prompts.

We're all excited to see what you create with these prompts and hope that you all are excited about these fun prompts but also to find your new inspiration for our new growth of spring.

This is our first year with a challenge like this. There will be additional ways to interact off Tumblr, in discord, on social media like Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and more.

Once a week, we plan to share your stories you share via the hashtag and may even shout out users on our Instagram Live and Youtube write-ins.

#writer #new writers on tumblr #creative writing #writers on tumblr #spring into a story #springintoastory #fanfic writer #fanfic author #creative writing prompts #writing prompts #creative inspiration #writers #authors

[springintoastory]

Challenge number 2!!!!

#springintoastory #spring into a story #writing prompts #writing life #creative writing prompts #writeblr #writing #writing community #writing challenge #writing advice #writing tips #writblr

[springintoastory]

Let’s share some spring goodness! Whether it’s flowers you see on a walk or the snow some parts of the US might get this week, share a spring time photo!

Maybe it will inspire a story!

#spring into a story #springintoastory #writing #creative writing #writeblr #writing community #writing challenge #writblr #writing advice #writing tips

[springintoastory]

#spring into a story #springintoastory #writing #writeblr #creative writing #writing challenge #writing community #writblr #writing event

[springintoastory]

Mod Gwen has her goal set, opening up her project every day and check out some new local writer hangs!

What's your goal this April?

#springintoastory #spring into a story #writing event #writing challenge #writing community #writeblr #writblr #writing #writing goals

[gwen-tolios]

I think I'm gonna return to my romance novel for these props. Imagine my girls in college.

#writing #springintoastory #spring into a story #writing event #writing exercise #writing challenge