#when you have so many ideas and plots i just know revising is going to suck 🙃 😭

[n3xii]

Mecury signs as writers

I'm sure people have done posts like these before but this is just my take on it, enjoy I hope it resonates !!

Aries mecury 》 wants to pioneer in a new style and wants to be the best at their style of writing. Similar to Aquarius mecury in this way because Aries wants to go by their own rules. They are adventurous writers, Aries mecuiries will use writing to explore their own ideas and creativity. I feel like this placement enjoys anything that motivates them and riles them up. They may feel competitive with other writers and strive to always imporve

Taurus mecury 》 the taurus mecury has a distinct voice in their writing that doesn't change over time. You could always tell who it was through their writing. they write to relax and unwind. They may get stuck on technicalities or struggle to express intangible ideas.

Aquarius mecury 》 this is the writer who knows the rules and how to break them. They write to inspire, provoke or even offend. Their style of writing is always changing and evolving. Aquarius mecuries will write and express ideas in unheard of ways, they may have a very mature way of communicating just about anything. Their style challenges ideas surrounding what makes a person a good writer.

Libra mecury 》 this placement can make someone an amazing writer. Libras balance and harmonize so they will likely have a sense for perfect sentence variety, language, grammar, etc. Libra mecuries know when a sentence is too long, when there's too many repetitive phrases, when there's not enough adjectives or verbs. This is a writer who also becomes a perfectionist as they want a sense of harmony in their writing. Libra mecuries write to influence people as they have a chronic awareness of their audience. They are also AMAZING editors.

Capricorn mecury 》 this is a writer who writes to make things tangible for themselves. They create lists, outlines, plots. I also feel like Capricorn mecuries would also be unnecessarily good at erotica fiction. They know how to make nonfiction engaging to read as well. Capricorn may get a reputation of being stoic and while their writing serve a professional and pratical importance

Virgo mecury 》 I feel like this writer is a mix of libra and Capricorn. But of course, having a sign in its home planet is bound to make you a great writer. They are very cirical of their own writing, always editing and going back to revise something. They write to organize, understand, and differentiate between ideas. They are also amazing editors, but their perfectionist approach makes it hard to even finalize a project. Their technical and creative skills are refined but they'd never know it because of how high their standards are. They are also great at analytical writing, such as analyzing the creative value of a piece of media or a person.

Scorpio mecury 》 don't even get me started. This sign is detailed, thorough and meticulous in their writing. If they want to write a scene they would make sure every aspect of this scene was understood, from the dialouge, setting, mood etc. Their essays are long, well researched and beautifully written. They like to focus on ideas that are underground or not well known. They write to integrate and transform the parts of themselves they don't even understand.

Cancer mecury 》 their style of writing is very personable, they know how to tap into emotions and manipulate them in order to fully engage a reader. They write well from a feminine perspective and they may be talented at Journaling. Their style of writing is also very intuitive. They go with the flow and let whatever comes out to touch pen to paper. Cancer mecuires may also have a great humor in their writing as well

Gemini mecury 》 this style of writer can adapt to whatever is required of them at the moment. They can be technical writers, creative, straightforward, influential etc. They love to express opinions and ideas, they engage all sides of a situation like a libra can, but unlike libra they allow contradicting ideas to co exist without feeling pressure to choose between them. They can mimic the voice of anyone as well, gemini writers may struggle to find their own voice for this reason. This type of writer has a dynamic approach, always adapting and using their senses to understand the world around them.

Pisces mecury》 this is the poets, imaginative and visionaries. So many poets and song writers have pieces placements. This writer doesn't adhere to rules right away, they have an awareness of what's going on subconsciously and have an ability to make that subconcious energy surface in their writing. Their style is not always easy understood. you would have to approach their writing from the heart. Their style is intuitive and unique to them.

Leo mecuries》 these placements could create some of the most entertaining and popular pieces of all time. Their writing is meant to to be read aloud, or even made into a screenplay. Their voice can be dominant, dramatic and powerful. They have a dramatic way of expressing mundane things. They have a style of writing where you can't put it down or look away, you're fully engaged and feel inclined to share it with others.

Sagittarius mecury 》 Sagittarius mecruies have a way of crossing boundaries, their style appeals to people of many cultures and spiritual backgrounds. They write to free their own ideas and develop them to educate others. Their writing has great depth and meaning, like Scorpio mecuries they bring layers and complexity to ideas. They have a purpose in their writing and they want that to be accessible to everyone.

#tarot #astro notes #libra #mecury #Sagittarius #aries #cancer #scorpio #Pisces #virgo #capricorn #Taurus #gemini #aquarius #leo

[nanowrimo]

5 Techniques to Help You Write Your Novel

Every writing project is unique, and the methods that help you draft one novel may not work for another. If you’re getting started on a brand new project this Camp, NaNo Guest Vee James has some suggestions for different techniques to help you explore your story. It took a few NaNos before I realized I was developing different techniques each time I sat down to the challenge. I think we all do this naturally, but it helps to step back and observe the process. If you’re strictly a pantster, you’ve been working on the story ideas in your head. If you’re a planner, you’ve set to paper the story concepts, characters, and an outline of what you are about to produce on paper. Some people take a hybrid approach to NaNo. Granted, the basics remain the same: butt in chair, accomplish the hourly/daily goal, and allow yourself to tell your story.

I discovered that each unique novel presented particular challenges, and I had to adapt my style and writing techniques in order to explore the story and keep the production happening. Some of these came from writing instructors and wonderful podcasters. Some came from “how to write” seminars and workshops. Others grew out of a feverish search for “more words.”

Here are five techniques I’ve found that helped me advance writing projects:

1. Research

It was a surprise to me to discover the concept of researching for fiction. I initially thought, “Just make something up.” But there are so many ways to broaden your approach. Plumb your memory, take a course in something related to the story, talk to an expert, and ask lots of questions. You could even become like the character in order to feel what they feel. If you’re writing a western, go ride a horse.

2. Write Scenes Out of Order

If you have a premise, you’ve already got scenes in your mind. Don’t wait until you get to chapter 18. Write that scene now. You can always revise it when you catch up to that point and it gives you something to develop toward. To expand on this technique, when you’ve written the scene, ask yourself, “What happened just before this?” or “What does this scene lead to?”

3. Put disparate characters together and have them have a conversation

Often, we write secondary characters who take a more subdued role in the plot. But what would happen if your protagonist’s best friend had a conversation with the main antagonist? Or if the antagonist’s agent of destruction came upon the protagonist’s love interest? In my experience, these conversations frequently produce more depth in your secondary characters and almost always it’s something you weren’t expecting.

4. Play with Genre Tropes

What have you chosen to write? Urban fiction? SciFi? Fantasy? You already know what your reader expects you to write, and what the plot ahead holds for them. How can you twist it? Sometimes the simplest thing you mentioned in chapter one can be the linchpin of a great plot twist.

5. Study Film

It’s no accident that some of the most astounding stories have been told through film. Quite simply, movie companies invest heavily in every aspect of their production and hire some of the best writers around. Yes, it’s a visual medium and has some advantages over prose. But the main lesson with movies is in the structure of the stories they tell. Here’s a good example: when I was writing a fairytale novel, I wanted to stay true to the classic story structure. One afternoon I was watching the comedy, Galaxy Quest, taking careful notes on the structure. I realized the story structure mapped very closely to what I was doing in the fairytale. It was comforting to see this, and it also gave me some ideas on how to approach the ending.

Most importantly: NaNoWriMo is a thrilling if exhaustive experience, and I urge you to immerse yourself in it completely. Write with utter abandon, delve deep for concepts that will give you the next 2000 words, and try new things like you’re a Mad Scientist in a hurry. We all know that what you end up with is a messy creation. But you will find you have given yourself a great gift.

Vee James is a cross-genre author who loves to write comedies, fairytales, and YA supernatural. He participated in NaNoWriMo for ten years in a row, writing over a half-million words, and it led to nine NaNo novels plus two more non-NaNos. Out of this work, he’s published four novels, with a fifth nearing completion. If interested, visit his site at www.veejames.com and leave a message. He loves to talk to writers of all kinds. Vee's photo by A. Roger Hammons Photo by Daniel Álvasd on Unsplash

#nanowrimo #camp nanowrimo #writing tips #nanowrimo experience #writer's life #by nano guest #vee james

[farm-witches-fic-recs]

Farm witch friends, you have done the coven proud.

We've got so many good recs it's going to take a few weeks to share them all!

Starting with these that were recommended more than once, if you haven't spend some time with these fan favorites, you should check them out now! And leave the authors some love, of course.

========

Everyday Magic (houdini74/@mostlyinthemorning)

Each magic story is so unique, so sweet, so... D&P! 

I couldn’t pick just one of these wonderfully variable scenarios that all include just a little (or maybe a lot of) magic added to the perfect scene setting and banter. 

Favored Nations (@blueink3)

ALL OF IT! It’s my go-to when I’m feeling down, when I need to revise our boys. The characters, writing, and plot are all amazing. 

Amazing world building, very in character slow burn.

The ultimate slow burn, the perfect love story set amongst the wonders of Broadway and NYC.

It’s just so, so good!  I am a sucker for secret romance fics, and this one has that and so much more.  Add in some Shakespearean theater with a twist and just the right amount of angst and sexiness, it’s just perfect! I love it so much.  

This author knows David, Patrick, and the NY theater world inside and out. The volume and level of specificity, volume, tenderness, anxiety, and love of these characters and worlds is astounding. The characterization is so vivid, it's the easiest fic to forget isn't canon.

Fifteen hundred miles (morehuman)

I go back to this fic a lot! I just love the idea of them both challenging themselves and finding out what they are capable of.

The most incredible journey, a gift to go along with them in it.

I carry these heart-shapes only for you (@ladyflowdi and @ships-to-sail)

I love this transportative, visual feast of historic fiction. Luscious WW2 Paris is so vividly portayed and David’s wild, wealthy, LGBTIQ+out flamboyance juxtaposed to the farm-boy turned military-man Patrick is sexy and sweet. It undoes me every time. I actually first came to the piece via FairManor’s outstanding podfic. Both the text and the podfic are high art. It’s not just one of my favorite fan-fics. It’s one of my favorite stories of ALL time in any genre. I read/listen and I am at the Gaston, riding on the back of Patrick’s motorcycle, kissing in windmills, eating crepes, touring junk shops & dancing naked to 40’s blues. I’d give anything to see this as a film with Dan & Noah & cast. I want a leather bound print copy of it. Also - The epilogue is progressive, heartbreaking thoughtful genius. I’ve just finished rereading & listening to it again. Each time there are new Easter eggs to be found. Joyous. 

It's just the most beautiful piece of writing ever written. Descriptive, lyrical, hot, stunning, heartbreaking. It has everything. 

I’d swing with you for the fences (@nontoxic-writes)

Achingly sweet and fluffy all set in the perfect baseball/famous AU with secret relationship AND musician Patrick. I come back to reread this one a lot!

What isn't there to love?  Baseball, long distance relationship, sex, songs, coming out to the parents, coming out to the team, coming out to the world, excellent use of side characters....I could go on and on.  There are so many amazing fics out there, but I've read this one at least a dozen times! 

Incorrect (@lisamc-21)

You can hear David saying it, but now picture the Maldives.

A beautifully written story of our boys meeting on vacation. Their trip is so sweet and so hot, and when they say goodbye, it's heartbreaking. The twist- they are both famous in their own worlds but don’t recognize each other so don’t realize who the other has hooked up with. When their week ends, they try to maintain a long-distance friendship as they learn who the other is. What was a hot hookup becomes a slow burn, and it’s amazing!!

The Last Rose Video (@distractivate)

Gorgeous writing, the perfect mix of canon and AU, clever plot, great dialogue.  The fic I read over and over.  It’s as comforting as a warm blanket. 

Swoon. SWOON.

Strike Anywhere (@madlori)

Hot firefighters. Hot sex. Hot romance. But like in a Sandra loves Keanu sliding out of a speeding bus kind of way.

Hot hot hot!  That’s the first work. Then- the author developed a prequel that is also hot but is also funny, loving, sweet. Love fireman Patrick!

This enemies-to-lovers-to-secret-husbands story featuring Patrick Brewer as a firefighter, is deliciously tropey and blazing hot, but also it’s written with such authentic emotion and perfect banter that it keeps me coming back to read it whenever I need a mood lift. 

Such great heights (@likerealpeopledo-on-ao3)

Great story, the very best jokes, and the wedding date chapter is so good it would work as a stand alone fic. 

It's got the mother of all fake dating scenarios, and Stevie in this in among the best I've ever read her. It's also very very funny. All the times when they say Feel The Air crack me up every time!

Sustineo (@rockinhamburger)

This is a perfectly paced one-shot AU that builds a world in which David is a brilliant, stormy, reclusive artist whose whose treatment by the press (and one Sebastien Raine) has made him unwilling to engage with the world…. Until he meets an intuitive and kind art writer who sees him for everything that he is (and can be). All of characters here are perfect and I love the descriptions of David’s art. 

Incredibly hot art fic.

You can fall (sweetsirius/@wordthieve)

It takes the David and Patrick rescue each other theme of the show and makes the stakes even higher. Plus it's just a genuinely beautiful piece of writing.

The story arc and pacing are fantastic. I love how David and Patrick's relationship develops and how Patrick learns to open himself up again after grief. It's incredibly well written. I've read it so many times, from full read thrus to dipping in and out of my favorite moments and chapters.

Patrick is so heartbroken, but then he meets David. So romantic, and feels lived in.

#friends of farm witches fic recs #sc fanfic #sc fic rec #schitt's creek fanfic #schitts creek fic #schitt's creek fic #sc fic #david rose #patrick brewer #david x patrick

[saltysplayt00ns]

Page 849 Reworked

I've been waiting a long time to show this one, and had to adjust some stuff cause the author thought rushing to place an out of place fog would make things better, but just adds on the confusion of a fog only showing around their and not around the area. Also would've had a scene of them going through the fog and we seen the Two tribes coming in through the fog. This would've been a better battle and advantage CAUSE LET ME REMIND YA. There are two tribes band together to take down Meteor tribe and a few of Whispervale members. THIS IS A NO WIN BATTLE, Meteor has to be strategic and improvise from a no win scenario. Ronja and other would've taken advantage of the fog and fought them there and not up the freaking mountains. taken advantage when the elements plus the rain coming down would make it more thick in mist. THE BATTLE SPEAKS FOR ITSELF!!!.

Close-up shots;

I did adjustment of the whole scene cause this is an action scene;

Panel adjustments and add-ons

Added lighting and shadows

Added SFX

Reworked the BG

Added armor

Added tribal paint

Worked Dialogue bubble cause yikes Ronja.

KARGO HAS PAINT ON BOTH SIDES!!!

He also has the other half of his body.

Adjust to make the dogs more like fur.

Diarko had him more primitive and connect the dark markings.

Also quote from the author themselves; " No paint on any of them for this, it's tedious enough to have to draw all this armor X)" SO BASICALLY YOU, an author that is drawing a Raiding battle of tribes that is between life and death, doesn't want to do paint nor any detailed important stuff, so we don't know who's fighting who. It's not even battle armor cause None of them ARE WEARING ANYTHING TO PROTECT THEMSELVESM, Meteortribe is more equipped with clothes then the tribes that are experienced not wearing any, they're the one's that say burning bodies is ' primitive '. let me tell ya after 2-3 pages its laughable on him trying to make this the final boss type BS when they. How these dogs advanced again? ya got literally spirits giving out free loot XD This is what I mean by ' changing plot to fit the story ' and ' inconsistencies ' like this an annoying blemish, instead of a competent tribes that are more experienced and trained to handle such things, you are NOT given armor nor paint nor anything of an build-up, because you was lazy and don't know how to find an easy way to do said battle armor - PLUS don't know how to have meteor tribe not lose members. Like, why the heck are the two tribes waited MONTHS to start invading them now why not then?? because kiq. doesn't know how to fix the plot holes, since basically would've been wiped out regardless of the extra protection. why meteor waited so long to fix their defenses?

why Keirr is not with them, isn't he a family oriented dog.?

Why Rhovanion and Feaf are not their isn't Rhov and family oriented dog?

Why meteor didn't leave around winter and waited many months to move at all? , this is not a vacation, its an evacuation.

why Tribes waited years to actually start something now then 30 years ago.?

Why Roamer wants to take the idea from Kargo which was meant for Kargo, roamer, Ferah to make their ' new life? ' why not just have it where its an idea you made on your own???!!!! really putting salt on that wound ain't ya?

When did Kargo know about Rogio, more then Roamer who is literally his boyfriend?

Why Rogio dumping all the chores on Roamer to do? he's been doing it a lot and somehow Roamer have to agree, cause remember those scenes when Roamer put OUT HIS OPINION??!!! and tried to help? he gotten gaslighted and a upper cut of emotional manipulations.

Why Rogio wants a Polycule now? especially after we SAW Rogio snooping AGAIN on other dogs conversations. and Kargo so far is focused on other things then having a threesome. and all these glaring and many more glaring questions. Again the question is why?? why, why and more WHY'S. This stuff usually is dealt with after doing drafts, concepts and revisions.

-----

Ps.

The quick placement of the Fog was laughable, cause think about it like, why kiq. going to do a dues ex Machina on the mountains and not in the fogs. Think about it in a tactical planning for Ronja and writers. The Fog is more an advantage to hide in the thick mist in dark shades of the trees, then being exposer on plan sight on top of a mountain. Meteor ( Nordguard ) 1. does not know how to wield a sword, 2. they're outnumbered, 3. lack experiences and 4. have children. They needed to think strategically and fast. The fog would've been a perfect scene for them to hide in and cover their scents, Rain and thunder is coming, so more thick fog and cover up from the tribes, they would use that to their advantage and scatter the raid them around. It's a risky maneuver but Ronja can't be hesitant nor meek on this, is all or nothing. THIS STUFF IS GOOD TENSION AND CHARACTER BUILD-UP.

---- This creating armor and concepts is like whip cream on an ice cream cake for me. But hey it's not my Comic to stress over, be a pump and dump for all I bloody know . .....

Side Goodies:

Quick Armored concept for Dragonsfall

Dragonsfall Paint marks

The Dragonsfall tribe is a group of Canines who have forged a strong alliance with Fire-breathing lizards, believing themselves to be descendants of these majestic creatures. They are known for crafting a unique bronze metal, believed to be hardened and melted with metal from the scales of dragons. This bronze shines like fire, is harder than regular metal, and exhibits weird translucent colors like the scales. The tribe also molds bits of leather to create softer but sturdier materials. While they may have lost some of the fierce traits associated with dragons over time, certain traits like their scales, reproduction and facials still show hints of their connection to these mythical beings.

---

HAPPY EATING YA BLOGGERS ♥

#home comic #asmundr #kique7 #asmundrhome #kique nordin #asmundrcomic #home #kique #bad dog comics #kiquenordin #constructive critism #rework #concept writing #concept art #art edit #consistent inconsistency #inconsistency #comic art #comics #my edit #artwork #art criticism #worldbuilding #bad webcomics #bad writing #bad art #questionable choices #questionable mindset

[nyxronomicon]

🍉 sponsor a fic for gaza 🍉

hey y'all! I decided to offer some of my favorite WIPs up for sponsorship as part of the @ficsforgaza campaign.

🔞 these fics and my blog are all 18+ and include smut and dark themes. minors DNI 🔞

to sponsor a fic, you can make a donation to the vetted charity of your choice. then, send a screenshot to me (feel free to block out personal info! I just need the amount and the charity visible) and let me know which fic you'd like it to go towards!

you can either send these in an ask or dm my main blog @vampnyx (sorry I can't turn dms on here lol)

not sure where to donate? gaza funds picks a random vetted gofundme each time you click the page. prefer a charity? I've donated to Palestinian Children's Relief Fund

for every $1 donated, I will add 100 words to the sponsored fic. for donations $5 or more, I can incorporate a kink of your choice into the fic (see my list of preferred kinks on my pinned).

salvation | suguru geto x f!reader (series masterlist)

Nearly a year and a half after your divorce, Suguru Geto still texts you. You stopped responding after he told you the ridiculous lie that he was a priest a year ago. When he sends a picture of himself in his priest robes, you feel a little guilty about ignoring him all this time. cw: dub-con (coersion), manipulation, others listed on the series masterlist. (sponsorship going towards the final two chapters of the series) words sponsored: 0/4000

thank you for the venom | toji fushiguro x f!reader

years of cheating and verbal abuse pushes you to murder your rich husband, satoru gojo. finishing a lovely dinner with him slumped over the table, you're surprised when toji shows up in your dining room to assassinate him, only to find him dead already. He offers to clean up your mess, but not for free. cw: reader kills her husband (poison), knife play (no cutting just a bit of danger), manhandling, toji physically restrains reader, other cw tbd words written: 1.1k of 2k-ish words sponsored: 1000/1000 🎉🎉

paperwork | enji todoroki x f!reader

you've been endeavor's secretary for years, and even though he's recently been named number one pro hero after all might's retirement, it seems his life is falling apart. though you've mutually pined for each other over the years, it never went anywhere. that is, until you accidentally mention that enji has always been your number one hero. cw: implied age difference, porn w plot, angst, power dynamic (enji's your boss lol), size (emphasis on him being large lol), other cw tbd words written: 1.5k of 2.5-3k words sponsored: 0/1500

blissful nightmare | death meme!Gallagher x f!reader

au based on the idea that gallagher transforms into the death meme werewolf-style. you talk your favorite bartender, gallagher, into taking you deeper into the dreamscape. the veil keeping gallagher in his human form becomes harder for him to control the deeper he goes, but his lust for you has him diving into that abyss after you. cw: monsterfucking, horror themes, rough sex, claws, heat cycle will be a revised and lengthened version of this words sponsored: 500/2000

fushiguro step.cest au | step.dad!toji / step.bro!megumi x f!reader

for this one I'm doing something a little different. here's the au so far: step.dad!toji | step.bro!megumi toji can't keep his hands off you (obviously) even in public. even in front of his son, though he tries to be discreet he's rarely successful. and of course, there are always consequences when you mess with megumi... cw: step.cest!!, megumi is ROUGH, cucking, maybe public/risky location, brat taming (from megumi), other cw tbd I'm allowing a vote per dollar spent on how many words I will use on each character's respective sex scenes, to a 2k total word max. If you'd like to sponsor this one, please let me know how you'd like to distribute your votes! words for megumi: 500 words for toji: 500 total words sponsored: 1000/2000

I have many WIPs so it's likely as I finish these I may swap in others. if you've seen me talking about a WIP you may be interested in sponsoring, let me know! I'm happy to open up other WIPs in the interest of supporting Palestine!!

posts about this (not the completed fics) will be tagged #nyx writes for gaza

#truly just a collection of the fics i want to write the most lol #nyx writes for gaza #sorry for censoring the step.cest like that but i don't want filters to catch it in this case lol. i will not do it again #in the future they will be tagged as usual! #fics for gaza

[nicosraf]

angels before man is one of the most beautiful books i ever read. so i have to ask : do you have writing advices for those who want to start writing ?

i tend to write down some scenes when i have an idea then give up, or be unable to find the entire plot, or feel like my style is too repetitive and unoriginal (especially because english isn’t my first language),…

Hello! Thank you so much!!! Okay so I'm really hesitant to give writing advice but I think something that is pretty universal is that finishing a story/book is about discipline more than it is about creativity or anything else.

A lot of writing is pretty boring! It's descriptions and setting up plot points for later and writing characters walking through hallways.

When I wrote my first book, I gave myself the rule that I wouldn't go back and read the draft as I wrote it. Yes, I realized I was writing in plot holes and the style wouldn't be consistent if I didn't look back, but that's okay. The most important thing is to finish a draft, and if you keep looking back then you're going to want to keep fiddling with your first chapters. Once you're done, you can start revising it to death - fixing the plot holes, making the writing style consistent, and etc. If you can't save it, then rewrite it. Don't think about style until it's done. Just focus on getting words down !

For finding the plot, I tend to think about my ideal word count, then deciding how many scenes I can fit in. For choosing scenes, I ask myself a couple things: What is the purpose of this story? What do I want to reveal about the characters? Where do I want it to end up? Or, what would be cool? Sexy? Shocking? Weird? What's a cool location?

Also, steal. If you're struggling to come up with a plot line, you can try to see how books and movies you love schedule their plot beats. When do things get revealed? When does the main couple fight?

I outline and I recommend every writer give it a shot, so please try that!

Also, please write for yourself. Don't think about what others will think or about impressing anyone or disappointing someone. Write whatever concept is fun to you.

But above all, be displined! Yes, I know writing can feel like pulling teeth out, but just get it down and tell yourself to fix it all later. Especially when you're writing in another language, please don't worry about your first draft making any sense or you'll burn out.

I hope this is helpful! Writing is just so hard but I'm rooting for you. Good luck!

#i hope this helps but writing is so personal #try everything then see what sticks #mine #ask #writing

[temptacioun]

— COMMISSIONS

i am opening commissions for anyone that would be interested. i am struggling a little with maintaining rent and monthly payments with the income i have, so i’ve decided to open commissions for a little extra. if you’re interested, keep reading below.

— BASIC INFORMATION

0 / 5

there are five slots, i will be following a first come first serve basis. i’ll be writing both sfw and nsfw content, but keep in mind this is a yandere blog — there will always be an amount of violence, gore and dark content.

when you’re submitting your commissions please do so through pm’s and make sure you’re as detailed as possible. if you want to add your own oc, tell me everything i need to know to make it easier for both of us. include preferred pronouns, physical appearance, personality, likes and dislikes, relationships with other characters you want to appear and history.

give me a detailed plot and what you want to happen or give me creative space to create something for you.

— REFUNDS

i will not be offering refunds. i will be sending you the unfinished project before and you are allowed two revisions for drabbles and fics, as all the money made will be sent to a savings account immediately.

— COMMISSION TYPES

this is a small preview of what i’ll be offering

‣ drabbles and fics — these are pieces with at least 500 words up to 3000 words. depending on your commission they may take me between 1 — 3 weeks depending on the length you requested.

‣ headcanons — headcanons with descriptive points, will take max. 2 days.

⤷ e.g roommates — itadori yuuji

‣ editing / beta reading — i’m offering my help with your fiction. i can check for spelling or grammar mistakes and give suggestions if that’s what you’d like.

‣ layouts & moodboards — this is kind of like a bundle. i’ll be editing you a layout ( header & profile pic ) this can include anything you want, you can also ask for examples.

moodboards will be having 4/6/9 pics with any aesthetic you want or fitting to a story. also will be offering to make covers for your stories.

— FINISHED PIECES

you will be receiving the finished product as a pdf per email ( which won’t be shared anywhere ) i will notify you per pm which email your commission will come from. please don’t share or contact this email again. if you have allowed me to post your commission, i will add the piece to my masterlist and tag you if you’d like.

if you’ve commissioned a layout / moodboard / cover, please give credit when using it.

written pieces are for personal use only. you are not allowed to share or repost the work as your own, nor re–sell it.

— WHAT I WILL WRITE

i will be writing for bnha & jjk only. as this is a yandere blog, they will always be in this sort of au. though you can add any au you want.

‣ oc’s

‣ various kinks

‣ fwb, hybrids, etc

‣ nsfw content

‣ and more

there isn’t much i won’t write. just hit me up with your idea and i’ll let you know.

— PRICING

prices are in european currency, please make sure to keep that in mind when paying.

5€ ⇾ 500 words

10€ ⇾ 501 – 1000 words

15€ ⇾ 1001 – 2000 words

20€ ⇾ 2001 – 3000 words

anything over 3000 words will be priced with 1€ per 100 words. if i go over the estimated length without your wish, i will not be charging you for extra length.

3€ ⇾ for layouts ( header & profile pic )

3€ ⇾ for moodboards or covers

3€ ⇾ for detailed headcanons

5€ ⇾ editing & beta reading

i’ll be offering bundles as well.

5€ ⇾ layout & moodboard bundle

2€+ ⇾ for a moodboard / cover or headcanons added to your fic commission

— PAYMENT

payment will go through paypal only. i’ll be providing my paypal account once both parties have agreed to the commission.

you can ask as many questions as you’d like. asking is always free.

thank you for supporting me in any way. please don’t hesitate to send me an ask if you have any questions. <3

i will still be posting regularly and doing requests as before. if you won’t commission anything maybe still like or reblog so people can see. thank you to everyone!

#yandere bnha #yandere mha #yandere boku no hero academia #yandere my hero academia #yandere jujutsu kaisen #yandere jjk #yandere x reader #yandere writing #writing comissions

[graceshouldwrite]

How to Finish Your 1st Draft (underrated tips!)

instagram: @ grace_should_write

Hey y’all :) Thought I’d revisit this topic because I have been writing later drafts and revision for the last 2 years—the last time I first-drafted was literally in 2020. I started first-drafting again late last year, and am still doing so this year. 

I’m still rediscovering my plotting/plantsing process, and thought that a refresher would help me, too. I hope you find this post somewhat useful (and that these tips aren’t just for delusional people like me)!

∘₊✧────── ☾☼☽ ──────✧₊∘

1. Find your dedication

The dedication is so, SO underrated—many people think of it as just something you slap on after you’re finished the book, but I like to see it as also one more reason why you’re writing it. 

Maybe you wrote a book featuring a found family group of kids from slums because you yourself grew up in those conditions, or you know/sympathize with people who did. Making sure that readers facing a similar situation will feel uplifted when they experience your book could be something that motivates you to finish. 

For example, my working dedication for my current WIP goes something like this:

To anyone who has yearned for more and failed—all the part-idealist, part-pragmatist, ambitious, “average” kids who will “never amount to anything more,” I’m betting on you. Keep burning those dreams for fuel.  Cling onto them whenever you feel like you will become anything but great. Until you stop betting on yourself, it’s not over. 

As someone whose often struggled to fulfil my own visions, despite having a grand plan for my own future, I—like anyone else—have encountered lots of obstacles and learned to survive on my own. We’ve all learned resilience. 

This dedication reminds me who I’m writing for: myself, and anyone else who identifies with it. I hope that my book can inspire readers on the cusp of giving up. I hope this book can provide readers on their sigma male grindset with a thrilling rush that spurs them on even more. 

Whenever I feel unmotivated, this is where I go. And, for the most part, it works! 

(Of course, you can treat your dedication as a “work” of its own. Feel free to keep revising it and editing it until you’re happy with it)

2. Look at fan art

It can’t just be me who looks at fan art and gets inspired by specific poses or scenes and then adds those scenes into my book. Come on. 

Pretty straightforward. Just search up “fan art for _____,” fan art for a specific fandom you’re into, or even “character scene/pose ideas” on Google or Pinterest. 

Personally, I like doing this more than browsing those “book idea” posts that are followed with actual text explaining the idea—looking at art with little to no text can force you to do the work in describing the scene, pose, or character expression. 

These scenes tend to help you be specific, creating memorable scenes for your readers. Examples of inspiration I’ve taken from fanart is: 

A firework kiss scene

“I got your back!” type trope, where two or more characters fight back to back. IN THE RAIN! 

Gunfights! 

One character running away while slinging the other across their shoulder

Characters having fun at a festival while wearing flower garlands 

When you’re writing, this can motivate you to get to X scene faster, or to finish your book faster so readers can see your characters doing X thing. At least, works for me! 

3. Find ONE specific writing buddy 

Yes, the writing community is GREAT. But, it can feel a bit detached if you’re always only sharing progress with your large group of followers, instead of someone who knows your WIP inside out. 

Find one person or a small group of specific people. Tell each other EVERYTHING about your WIPs. This will feel a lot more personal, and specificity can also help you finish your book faster when they tell you to “finish writing this chapter to get to this scene!”, or when they hold you accountable to a group writing goal. 

You can also all form a group chat with daily progress motivation and trackers. Personally, NaNoWriMo forums are great for finding people to just overshare your WIP with and motivate each other. 

This way, you guys could also peer review your works periodically. Having another set of eyes on your draft—even when it’s not finished—could give you lots of ideas and guidance on plot direction, characterization, prose, etc.

4. Braindump while listening to a song / playlist

Write to the vibes. Literally just that. 

Are there any songs/playlists that really resonate with you or your WIP? Just play it, maybe even on loop, and type ANY ideas from prose to dialogue to scene ideas and themes. 

It could literally just look something like this (there is some purposefully bad writing just for this example): 

Listening to: [title of your song or playlist]

A: Never thought I’d see you again. B: I know you missed me. *sneer* (Dialogue snippet)

omg they bump into each other on the street and she spills her beer on him and her best friend senses the chemistry (Scene idea)

rivals to lovers (Trope idea)

SILK DRESS. FANCY CLOTHES. YES. (Character design idea) 

overcoming your greatest fear!!!!! (Theme idea)

It’s that easy. You got this, soldier. 

∘₊✧────── ☾☼☽ ──────✧₊∘

I HOPE THIS HELPED ANYONE!!! Writing this definitely helped me LOL

Let me know if you have any questions through responses, re-blogging, or DMing me at @ grace_should_write on IG.  

Happy writing, and have a great day!

- grace <3

#writers on tumblr #writing #writer #booktok #Novel #writeblr #Wattpad #writerslife #novel writing #Writing tips #writergram #ya fantasy #young adult #YA Books #Character Design #characters #oc #writing a book #fantasy

[steamberrystudio]

02/01/202....3!? Devlog

Halloooooo everyone!

It's been a while since my last proper update here so I am going to be posting a bit of an update and recap and plans for 2023 post. ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

I think we all know my big accomplishment in 2022 was releasing Gilded Shadows and then updating the game with Quill's route. 🥳

I also fully drafted Reuben's route and did one heavy revision of it! I've gotten through my second revision up to about Chapter 9.

The un-coded word count of Gilded Shadows is 985,000 words. (For those of you who are new and haven't seen me explain this before - the "uncoded" word count is the word count in Scrivener. All the routes lose words when I code them. The coded word count in Renpy is somewhat smaller and Reuben's route isn't coded yet so I don't know how long the game will be once his route is in the game.)

Still. That's a lot of words! LoL

Gilded Shadows is still lumbering along like the behemoth that it is. When Reuben's route is fully revised and checked for typos, I'll move on to coding it and working on sprites.

And then my last route will be YUU! Yuu is going through a bit of re-planning and re-structuring at the moment but I am really looking forward to writing his route.

I do not have an ETA on release for either of these routes beyond "This year." It's impossible for me to predict how difficult the writing will be. Reuben's route has been really tricky to write just because the plot is sort of crime...thriller? ISH? And I've had to do a lot of editing to smooth out how things flow. That kind of thing is difficult to predict until you've actually started writing.

ANYWAY. Throughout the year I've written a few small things that will eventually go in the lore book and taken some notes on other things I want to include. ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

But I won't pretend 90% of my energy hasn't gone to just developing this game and getting it out there.

I have done some work and planning on next projects though. On my so called "Late Night Projects" (IE stuff I work on late at night or on weekends and my spare time). All these projects are things I hope to complete after Gilded Shadows is complete.

Some of them are experimental (trying out new features, new release styles, new game structures, etc) and some of them are stories I've had saved on my hard drive for years and just finally want to finish.

I'm really excited to eventually explore my space guilds and steampunk worlds and dark fantasy worlds and all the other ideas I have. I may have to work on these projects until I'm 90....but I am DETERMINED. 💪

Through 2023, I want to finish Gilded Shadows and all Gilded Shadows content (lore book, art book, KS rewards, etc). And then start to work on my next project!

So I hope you all stick with me - through this year and (hopefully) many years of game-making to come!

Thank you all for your endless support and encouragement. I truly hope this year is a better and happier year for everyone.

Be blessed! And I love you all. 💖💖

~Esh

#gilded shadows #updates

[storm-and-starlight]

Doctors that could pull off Heaven Sent, as in the same plot and structure of the episode as it stands in canon:

Twelve -- obviously.

Eight -- He just seems like someone who could pull off a monologue and make it interesting -- I don't know if he could pull off the "that's a hell of a bird" (I need to relisten to the audios), but a.) I feel like he could and he could definitely pull off punching through the wall (he'd be much more of a sad wet cat about it though) and b.) I would absolutely watch Eight wander sadly around a mysterious castle for fifty minutes and not even because I'm starved for live-action appearances of Paul McGann.

Doctors who could maybe pull off Heaven Sent, but it would probably need some pretty major plot/style revisions to make it work:

Seven -- once again, he could absolutely pull off a monologue and make it interesting, and he's got the charisma and the ego to carry off an episode with him as the only character, but the episode would need to have a fairly dramatic tone shift to work with who he is as a person. Seven's speeches are very different in style and tone, and his solution to the episode would need to be immensely different.

Four -- 100% has the ego  to pull it off, but I'm not sure I can see him giving any of the speeches. I'm putting him into this category for the ego reasons, but he kind of also falls into the next one, where tonally it might be the same as the episode but it would need a plot/character/action shift, probably towards a much stronger puzzle sort of mystery.

Doctors who could pull off a focus episode at the level of Heaven Sent but would need a fundamentally different style of episode:

Fourteen/Ten -- they absolutely have the on-screen charisma to pull off an episode where they're the total focus, but Fourteen/Ten doesn't have the kind of speech patterns/problem-solving style that lends itself well to being a solo character. He needs someone to bounce off of so he can talk ten miles a minute and still have it work. (As a side note, this entire ranking was built around the idea that Wild Blue Yonder is basically Fourteen's Heaven Sent, and like... it really is, and also that's what I'm talking about when I say he needs someone to bounce off of -- we get just as much focus on him even with three other characters in the episode. Same with Midnight, really, but that's got too many other people to really be what I'm talking about.)

Nine -- I feel like Nine would have to go the route of getting really really angry to pull off that kind of focus episode, which means he'd need an outright antagonist he could interact with. (So basically just Dalek, tbh, but. y'know. more.)

Doctors who probably couldn't manage something like Heaven Sent: (NOT a commentary on whether or not these doctors are well-written or interesting or have distinct character writing, just a note that I think they need the rest of the cast around them in a way that a Heaven Sent-esque episode, by its very nature, removes them.)

Eleven & Five -- I don't want to sound mean but they just don't super, like... have enough ego to pull it off? They've always read as fairly mild compared to, say, Ten and Seven's mania or Twelve and Four and Nine's intensity, and their quirkiness works best when its contrasted or counterparted with someone who does have that kind of intensity (River Song) or characters who are a lot more "normal" (Amy and Rory, Nyssa and Tegan).

One, Two, & Three -- They just work best as part of an ensemble cast, like not even the case with Ten where they need someone to bounce off of, they literally just work best in stories when they're part of a group.

Doctors I don't have a good idea for:

Fifteen, Thirteen, & Six -- I either just have not seen enough of their eras or don't have a good enough grasp of their personalities (sometimes both) to say whether or not I think they'd work in an episode like this, so anyone who's got a better grasp of them please tell me what you think!

(IMPORTANT NOTE: this is categorically not a comment on any of the actors' skills -- this is about whether or not I think each Doctor as they are written would be interesting to watch in a Heaven Sent-like setting -- aka would each Doctor's personality, transported into that setting and plot, be interesting to watch or would it be dull and/or a tonal mismatch. The actors are all amazing and I love each and every one of them)

#doctor who #doctor who headcanon #first doctor #second doctor #third doctor #fourth doctor #fifth doctor #seventh doctor #eighth doctor #ninth doctor #tenth doctor #eleventh doctor #twelfth doctor #fourteenth doctor #anyways I came up with this after watching Wild Blue Yonder and basically going ''oh so this is going to be Fourteen's Heaven Sent'' #''or Vincent & the Doctor or Midnight or Dalek'' #anyways Wild Blue Yonder was AMAZING I want to watch it again like immediately

[inkedroplets]

20 Questions More

A deeper and more detailed version of the 20 questions for AO3 fanfic writers. Thanks @eqt-95 for the tag

1) How do you keep getting ideas for your ship/fandom?

I always have too many ideas and not enough time to actually write.

2) Which authors inspire you in your fandom, and why are they so freakishly good?

There are way too many authors to list that I feel like would deserve a mention. I would love to give a huge thank you to all the gifmakers still in the fandom-sphere. I can probably thank gifsets for a lot of my ideas (even if I still haven't actually written them down).

3) Aside from the characters of your main ship, who are the characters you love to write?

Within the Supercorp-sphere, I love writing for Sam. I think because I would have loved to see her stick around longer in the show itself.

4) Are there pairings or tropes you know for sure you'd never write about? Which ones?

I don't want to say any trope is technically off the table but I don't think I'd ever write a true enemies to lovers fic. I slow burn enough as it is, if I tried to write that, I'd never finish it.

5) What is your writing process and why is it cursed?

My editing process is akin to pulling weeds. I like to reduce my word count by maybe 10% on the first edit. Add back maybe 5% more and repeat the process until I'm finally happy with it. Spoiler alert: I'm never happy

6) What is your favorite part of your writing process?

I'm much more a gardener when it comes to writing so I never know where the story will go exactly. So just writing the first draft is always the most fun for me. I sometimes think the characters will act a certain way and they kind of take a life of their own and I'm just along for the ride.

7) What’s the weirdest thing you’ve had to research for a fic?

I remember having to research art forgery for essentially a throwaway line but it really was interesting. E

8) Is there a particular writing rule you struggle with (grammar, spelling, tense, reality in general)?

None in particular, but that's not to say I don't make many many mistakes. I do tend to make tiny changes as I go which means that I've doubled up on some sentences in the past and I am always mortified when I find them after I've already posted the chapter.

9) What was your hardest scene to write so far and why?

Scenes with urgency give me trouble. You want the scene to breathe but you need to be aware that time is short so what the characters can say, what they want to say and what they actually get to say are so different. There was a scene like that in A Rich Girl With Issues that I kind of agonized over. How much should I let Kara and Lena speak to one another, what's important, what should be left unsaid?

10) Have your characters ever done something you didn’t expect, changing your plot completely?

All. The. Time. I never have a plan. I sometimes have scenes I want to write and hope the story veers in that direction so I can write it but it always turns out so different.

11) If you could converse with any of the characters, who would it be and why?

Probably Lena because she's the loml (Apologies to the actual loml)

12) What are some of the tropes or themes that you find yourself returning to in your writing?

I am addicted to pining. Not just pining, angsty pining. I love writing something that's so obvious to everyone else when the characters are so in love or so full of self-loathing that they can't let themselves even begin to imagine their feelings being returned.

13) What's your most important resource as a writer?

Reading. I read voraciously. I'm normally surrounded by books. Some that I pick up to just read anywhere. It's helped me find my voice and it's helped me grow as a writer (at least I think it has)

14) Can you share some of your strategies for editing and revising your work?

I do small edits as I go but nothing major. If a line sticks out that I really don't like then I usually tinker with it before I move on. I think that's not good advice in general but it bothers me too much to ignore. But if you do edit as you go, there's a lot less to polish in the final editing stages.

15) Which is worse: making the summary, picking the tags, or the anxiety when you post your fic?

I hate making the summary. I don't even know what the fic is about, how the hell am I supposed to tell other people?

16) How do you define success for your fanfic - hits? Kudos? Comments? Bookmarks? Or just if you like it?

I feel like my writing is very selfish in a way. They are stories that I want to read and I get enjoyment out of writing them. So every kind comment I get, there's always a sense of wonder because it's so strange that someone else is interested. I truly do cherish every comment and there are many I like to revisit when I'm not feeling so confident in my writing.

17) Do you have a playlist for your favorite character/ship?

I usually make a playlist for each multi-chapter fic. Some fic ideas get their start as a playlist. Please someone ask me about them, I have so many.

18) If fan art was going to be made from your work, which fic would you pick and which fan artist would you like to create it?

I have been very blessed that people have made fan art of my work and I'm still in awe. I could never even begin to describe how touched and honored I am that anybody did that. One of the pieces has been my computer background for ages. It's not an exaggeration that I cherish every single piece. I honestly don't think I could ever adequately describe how much it means to me.

19) How many WIPs do you currently have?

For Supercorp I have 15+ I do plan on actually posting them in the new year.

20) What's your advice to new fanfic writers?

I would say to write for yourself first and foremost. Sharing your art or your writing or even your head canons or ideas takes a lot of courage. It's scary to put something out there that means so much to you. I'd also advise not to get too hung up on hits/kudos/comments etc. I can't say don't look at them because I'd be a hypocrite but I would say to focus on the journey rather than the destination.

- - - - -

tagging (respectfully and without pressure) @fazedlight @autisticlenaluthor @rustingcat

#ask game #writing #oh this was fun

[simplyreveries]

Hey, I just have a question, when you loose all motivations for writing, when it's something you love, how to have again that motivation ?

hmmm that's tough because i think it comes differently for everyone!

for me personally, my biggest inspiration for any kind of writing is music- it's so easy to find something that'll just fuel me with ideas. sometimes i'll write things for my own ocs and lore to go along with it, do they make total sense??? no, because it's just a draft and an idea. but i am also a maladaptive daydreamer so that may a good reason as to why music does that so well for me. ^^;

i like to journal, i try to do it as often as i can. even if i don't have anything interesting to write for that day. i literally will write "nothing really interesting happened today" maybe share a small occurrence and my current emotions, then be done with that entry for the day. i think it's a good way to still keep that streak and habit of keeping writing in your day even if you're struggling with a writers block.

scrolling through pinterest is a great thing to do,, also looking at pages that help writers build plots, storylines characters etc. i follow @/schoolofplot on instagram, they're very cool and there are SO many others like them, you can find. i think they can be pretty helpful and give you some solid ideas.

also literally just WRITING i know its tough to do it, but when you put your mindset that anything you write is simply a draft and doesnt need to be revised, edited and done immediately can help. just put down anything. it is kinda why i grew into the habit of using only lowercase in all my writing (ok maybe not the best habit for professional reasons but shhhh) but it feels easier because im just writing as much as i can, whatever comes to mind, and not thinking to much about it. letting it flow, yk??

#also its good to take a break from it when u need to #it'll come back #it fluctuates like crazy for me all the time but i always find myself writing again. #i hope i helped at least a little! and i wish you luck<3 #answered

[theprogrockbstheorist]

Theprogrockbstheorist’s Guidelines to Conceptuality in Prog

Concept Albums:

This is probably going to be an important definition for many of the essays that I will eventually do, so I’m more writing this an a reference point for what I define as a concept album. 

A concept album is an album that is in some way, shape, or form based around an idea. That’s it. This can be as loose as a thematic or musical concept that all the songs on the album share, or as intense as a rock opera. Musical concepts aren’t limited to the composition of the songs as well: they can be as broad as “How crazy can we make the production on this album?” or “Let’s make all the songs loop into each other!”. For the purposes of my essays, I will be separating concept albums into levels: 

A non-concept album is an album that has neither a thematic concept nor a musical concept. 

A Level One Concept Album is a concept album that has either a broad thematic concept but no musical concept, or a broad musical concept without a thematic concept.  A ton of albums probably fall under this category, so a “level one concept album” doesn’t really hold much significance. 

A Level Two Concept Album is a concept album that has both a thematic concept and a musical concept. The thematic concept can be as broad as simply “urbanization” or “mental health”, but for it to be a level 2 concept album, all the songs must have a musical concept as well. This musical concept can be as simple as reoccurring melodies or chord progressions. 

A Level Three Concept Album is a rock opera, essentially. You’re moving beyond simple concepts here, and plotting out a story line and characters. These are pretty much guaranteed to have recurring musical ideas and motifs, which can signal characters like in an actual opera. 

Conceptual Songs: 

Now, of course, sometimes concepts are limited to just one song, or, if part of a larger concept album, may be focusing on one aspect of that concept. These too can have levels similar to concept albums; just the majority of the time, they are shorter (side-eyeing Thick as a Brick, which can be counted as both a concept song and album). 

These songs usually are more specific than concept album, and tend to cap out around 20 minutes due to vinyl limitations in heydays of prog. There are some notable exceptions, but those are exceptions. Here a few types of conceptual songs: 

The Suite is a song of unspecified length that tells some sort of story or has some sort of concept underlying it. For the purpose of this blog, the main difference between an epic and a suite is the length: suites can be any length, epics are going to be defined as being 15 minutes or longer or taking up an entire side of vinyl. 

The Epic is a song that is based around a concept that takes up an entire side of vinyl. The whole album is not typically based around the concepts presented in the epic, however it does take up at least one side ("Karn Evil 9" takes up all of Side B and then a bit of Side A as well). 

Both of these types of songs will follow an adjustment of the levels system presented above, because typically these songs contain both a thematic and musical concept. 

So, a Level One prog suite/epic is a song that has both a thematic message and a musical concept. This thematic message can be incredibly vague, but it needs to be present. Otherwise, it’s not really a suite nor an epic. 

A Level Two prog suite/epic is similar to the rock opera in that it has named several characters and a defined story. You won’t really see suites as I’ve defined them do this, so this is also kinda an epic-exclusive level, however “The Necromancer” by Rush clocks in under 15 minutes, and has named characters and a plotline, so this isn’t really a hard rule. 

Oh, and btw, you don’t have to agree with my definitions!! If you think I should revise any of them, let me know!/gen. I just feel this is important to get out of the way for when I enter the “Is X album a concept album?” debates. 

#prog rock #progressive rock #prog #guide #concept albums #rock music

[elizmanderson]

Hi again. You made a few posts about first drafts being ridiculous and cleaning them up later. And I desperately need more writers talking about the writing process as they are writing it (like 'making of' posts/ videos, any creator who does those gets me obsessed with them)

Anywho, I was wondering how your revision process looks? How different is your first draft from your last and how did you make the decisions of what to cut vs what to expand on?

I know for myself, my MC is a constant-overthinker and all of faer POV is stream-of-consciousness, and fae goes on a LOT of unnecessary but characterizing tangents that I don't know how to work with, given the corner I wrote myself into.

TLDR - Any info about your revision process would be much appreciated.

Thanks :)

hello and thanks for asking!

first of all, in case anyone is curious about the original post, it's here. also, there are many ridiculous things in this draft of NettieWIP, but that post was brought to you specifically by this line that I wrote even though it's completely tonally wrong for both this book and this character lmao

okay, revisions. this is gonna get long, but I'm breaking it up into sections that will hopefully be helpful.

general process

so the first thing is, my revision process and how much I cut or add is different for every project. but here are some general principles I follow. keep in mind that ymmv with any and all of these! you have to find what works for you. this is just what works for me.

1. finish the draft first

I will never finish a draft if I'm focused on editing while I go. I've been hardcore resisting with NettieWIP because I keep having ideas about how to make it better mid-draft. but I know if I don't finish the draft as-is, it's not going to get done.

2. let it breathe before diving in

sometimes I have the urge to rush right into revisions after finishing a draft, but I do force myself to wait at least a month or two before returning to it. it gives me the emotional distance I need to be able to make decisions about what to cut, no matter how much I like things that don't serve the story.

(again going to have to fight this urge hard with NettieWIP in particular lol)

3. read it before diving in

the one thing that stays consistent from project to project is that I always do a full readthrough before I start revising. highly, highly recommend this regardless of what else works for you! reading through my entire manuscript gives me a big-picture view of the whole story and how all the parts work together (or not), as well as what the problems are.

note: when I do my readthrough, while I do make general notes of my thoughts, I do NOT focus on line-level details or edits. which brings us to...

4. fix big things first

okay jk actually this stays consistent from project to project, too. when approaching revisions, I always start with the biggest changes and work my way down. line edits are the last thing I do, because I figure it wastes my time and energy otherwise. what if I put all this energy into line edits or scene-level changes only to cut half those lines or scenes later when I make structural changes?

5. this is the time to plan!

I'm a plantser, which is somewhere halfway between a plotter and a pantser. while the amount of planning I do before a first draft varies, I always dedicate time to planning before revising. the exact process varies, but it's kinda like this.

read the entire manuscript, making note of plot holes and problem areas

brainstorm potential fixes and where they might fit in

write an outline, synopsis, chapter map, whatever (for me it's usually either a synopsis or chapter map because I simply cannot with outlines)

6. start rewriting

...and as discussed in a different post earlier, I always start the new draft in a new document! you never know when something from an earlier draft could come in handy.

7. use beta readers

I typically do a second draft on my own, because I typically have at least some idea of what needs fixing when I'm done with a first draft. I bring beta readers in once I hit the point where the story's cohesive but I know more work needs to be done, but I'm not sure what that work is.

you specifically asked how I decide what to cut vs. what to expand on, and beta readers are one important way—especially for what to expand on. while I have a habit of overexplaining in many areas, things in my head frequently fail to make it onto the page.

(I think this is because things are obvious to me bc I thought them up. but readers cannot see inside my head, so they may be confused or think a character or plot point is underdeveloped even though I have a lot more information about it mapped out internally.)

if readers feel like information is unnecessary or overexplained or like I'm patronizing them, that's a potential area for cutting. if readers are confused, lack insight, or feel like a reveal came out of nowhere, that's a potential area for expanding. that said...

parsing beta feedback

while outside feedback is important, it's at least equally important to be able to decide what feedback to listen to and what feedback to ignore! not all feedback is good feedback. and even feedback that's technically good may not be good feedback for your story.

for example, I had feedback on the manuscript that's now on sub that was drastically different than the rest of the feedback I received on that same manuscript. I love the beta who gave it to me and I respect their opinion a lot, so I took this feedback seriously. but I couldn't make it work, felt deeply frustrated, and spiraled a bit over my ability to write a book even though it was far from my first.

then I got into Author Mentor Match which I applied to mostly because I need some guidance re: this feedback. my mentor basically said, "I think this is good feedback, but I think it would change this book into a pacier, more action-packed book. and I don't think that's the kind of story you're trying to tell."

and my mentor was right! I think this friend and I are simply interested in different kinds of stories. so as much as they love my stories and as great as they are at giving feedback, their feedback may not be a good fit for me.

usually, I like to look at patterns of feedback.* the more readers agree that a plot point is weak or a reveal doesn't have enough build-up, the more likely it is that I really do need to worry about that.

BUT if a single reader's feedback makes me go oh and I really vibe with it, that's also good feedback to listen to! as long as you know what the heart of your story is, you can follow feedback that helps your story do more of what you want it to do and do it more effectively.

*in my experience, patterns are most helpful when your readers share aspects of your identity. for example, I'm neurodivergent and queer. when most of my readers were neurotypical and straight, I'd get told "this doesn't make sense" "no one thinks/feels like that" "this is unrealistic." and I'd be told that by multiple readers, so I'd decide that meant I had to change the story, even though something deep down told me I was wrong about that, that my betas were wrong about that.

now, most of my readers are neurodivergent and/or queer, so they understand when my characters do or think or feel certain things. and at the very least, they never tell me a character is being "unrealistic" or assume that characters' feelings aren't based on things I have really felt. so particularly for marginalized creators, patterns of feedback may NOT be helpful if your readers do not share your marginalization.

examples of changes to my drafts

cutting and combining

The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher was drafted over a year and a half as part of a last man standing-style writing challenge, so the first draft was 160,000 words. it was pretty obvious I'd have to cut SOMETHING, since I was planning on querying agents.

(recommended for adult fantasy if you're seeking trad pub as a debut author: 120k max word count. better to be lower if you're writing contemporary fantasy, while you can be on the high end if you're writing epic fantasy. other subgenres may fall in between.)

I cut...a lot, in some cases through actually cutting while in other cases combining things. for example, there's a scene now where a dragon attacks Detroit while Our Heroes are delayed there. It used to be separate scenes: Edna & Co. delayed in Detroit, with not much happening except the reason for the delay, and a later scene where they came across a random dragon attack elsewhere. additionally, the secondary antagonist runs around with an old friend who used to be two separate characters: the character he is now, and another old friend of theirs who was just sort of a generic asshole who didn't serve much purpose in the story.

thanks to cutting and combining scenes and characters this way, the story moves along faster, the stakes involved in those scenes and characters are higher, and everything is more tightly tied together. when I finally queried, Remarkable Retirement was down to just 98,000 words (published at 99,000 words).

similarly, in the book now on sub (Buried Things aka GroundskeeperWIP), I cut most of a short chapter from the antagonist's POV. I tried it as a prologue but didn't like that I don't do prologues in general although I know some folks love them, then tried moving it later but didn't like that either, and finally ended up just using bits of it that I felt were particularly useful in a chapter focused on a different character. I also cut a chapter from the POV of a friendly ghost/wingman from beyond the grave (but have it saved in case a future editor's like "you know what we need—")

worth noting that Buried Things wasn't massively overwritten. I think the longest draft was 104k or 106k, while it's on sub at about 90k (and the entirety of the last 4,000 words I cut from it was through line edits, not plot changes). however, both chapters stalled the story without adding much. what they did add, I was able to incorporate into other chapters instead.

expanding

while Remarkable Retirement's need for cuts was more obvious, some things were also expanded upon, especially with my publisher! my editor felt that the romantic subplot needed a little more build-up—not in terms of what happens or how it happens, but in terms of making it clearer why these two people start to have those feelings. similarly, a friend who read Buried Things thought it was great overall but that a particular character wasn't fleshed out enough.

in both cases, I think it was that instance of "things in my head do not always make it onto the page." when my friend had questions about the character in Buried Things, I had answers; those answers just weren't on the page. same thing with the romantic subplot in Remarkable Retirement. so it was a matter of taking what was in my head and making sure it actually came across on the page, although in other cases I may realize I don't already know that stuff and need to brainstorm to develop it more.

both together

in the case of NettieWIP, even though I'm not done drafting yet, I already know some stuff I'll need to cut and expand on! I find I'm repeating myself a lot in this draft, plus it's very dialogue heavy. so I'll need to cut back on some themes and emotions I keep bringing up, as well as trim down the dialogue and let the murder investigation not be entirely conversation.

conversely, there's virtually no setting description or atmosphere, so those are things I'll want to expand on in revisions.

tl;dr: in conclusion

okay this got really long because if you get me talking about writing it is impossible to shut me up, but here are the major takeaways for everyone playing along at home:

my general process: (1) finish the draft; (2) let the draft breathe; (3) read the entire draft; (4) focus on big-picture changes first; (5) plan your revision/rewrite; (6) rewrite/revise; (7) use beta readers

knowing the heart of your story helps you figure out what to cut, what to keep, and what to expand on

knowing the heart of your story helps you figure out what feedback might be useful and what feedback might not be right for this book

it can also helpful to look for patterns of feedback, but this is mostly helpful when your beta readers share your identity, particularly if you are a marginalized creator

thanks so much for giving me an excuse to drone on and on about writing your question!

#answered #writing tips #writing process #revision #writeblr #e's writing #the remarkable retirement of edna fisher #groundskeeperwip #nettiewip

[pockymun]

WIP Title Meme

I was tagged by @groovytimetravelflower, thank you so much!

Rules: make a new post with the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you and ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then try to post a little snippet or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPS.

My WIPs:

The Paradox in the Prophecy

Rekindled Rebellion - Posted the first chapter last week. This title originally belonged to Heretical Oath, but I have since renamed that, so Rekindled Rebellion was available. RR takes place in Northern Tenebrae primarily. I have four chapters written so far, but I'm not sure I'm going to finish this fic, or if I'm going to publish it all. It's entirely OCs and non-canonical worldbuilding. One canon character will appear in one of the last chapters.

Return to Galahd [placeholder title] - Takes place after RR. The last three chapters from the original RR (now HO), will be made into the last three chapters for this fic. That's all I have written for it, and might be all there ever will be. I need to write RR to completion before I can write the beginning of this one. Only OCs and non-canonical worldbuilding. The epilogue does have a few canon characters in it.

Insomnia [placeholder title] - I will most likely skip the last two WIPs entirely and complete this one. All of these are just side stories leading up to the next installment of the Paradox in the Prophecy. This one is the fun one. Whereas the last two were predominantly OCs, this one is mostly canon characters. Several Kingsglaive, the Crownsguard, etc. Also, this one is mostly complete. I will be rearranging its plot and adding more content. The original span of this fic was a week. I plan on extending it to two week to a month, depending on what I come up with. The last two WIPs are unhinged. This one will be more relaxed, filled with secrecy and deceit, yet some calmer and pleasant times too. Very little action planned for this one. Mostly dialogue and plotting.

Etro's Blessed Ones - Another mostly-written fic, but it's going under heavy revision. The prologue has been posted for awhile. Chapter 1 has been written. I plan on introducing multiple POVs in this one; before, it had only been Andromeda's perspective. It's guaranteed to lead to more chapters on top of rewriting many old ones. This is the second installment of Paradox in the Prophecy, when the main plot gets picked up again.

The Paradox in the Prophecy - Third and last installment of the series Paradox in the Prophecy. Like EBO, a lot is going to be rewritten to give multiple POVs. This also means that additional chapters will be added, and long stretches will be made even longer (if you know, you know).

Harlow (No series title yet)

Reluctant Crownsguard - Posted the fourth chapter last night. No clue how many chapters this will be yet, but most of the plot is figured out. Harlow is the most awkward, and most hick, Crownsguard there ever was. She's just trying to serve her five years of service in the Crownsguard without bringing attention to herself, but she makes interesting friends and that gets attention of the upper brass anyway. She doesn't want to acknowledge her potential, thank you very much. Think Bilbo Baggins: reluctant for adventure, but proves very capable of it. This isn't as dark and dreary as PitP is.

After Crownsguard [no actual title] - Someday, I do plan on writing a sequel for Harlow, after she leaves the Crownsguard when her service is up. It would take place after Insomnia falls and through the Long Night. This one is sadder than the last, because most of it takes place in World of Ruin and everything's bad there. I have ideas for it, but I have nothing written down. No plot or notes.

Passing this to: @pandansca @queenofbaws and whoever else wants to steal this!

#fanfic #fanfic asks #my fanfic

[missmaywemeetagain]

Dear Miss Madisyn May,

I don't know if I totally understand how Gala's work, and when I don't understand something I usually hesitate and lurk around, but I've been following your's and worked up the nerve to send you a message. I first found Pink Scarf on A03, and it is something I go back and reread when I want cheering up or inspiration. Like so many I was immediately captivated by your writing and I love your newest fic Broken Glass and also the epilogues/one-shots/shorts you've written. I'm relatively new to active fandom, I have been a lurker for the last few years reading here and there, I feel like I came to fic late in life (32-33ish) and only just started writing it last fall. It has become one of my favorite pastimes and I wish I had found it sooner, but oh well.

I was wondering if you would be willing to share your own process for how you map out where your stories will go and how you work out plots, or find inspiration and work through writer's block, and/or honestly any advice you'd give someone starting out writing fic.

cheers,

norah

A little black-tie a little black-tie E and Frank ready for your Gala...

Dear Lil’ Miss Darlin’ Norah,

Firstly, I’m sorry this took me a million trillion years to respond to!! This is the sweetest and loveliest, and thank you for coming by to share and ask such a great question!! 💜 I, too, came to fic late(ish) and was also most definitely a lurker, so I can very much relate.

Oooh, boy, my writing process is a bit of a mess, honestly. I wish I could say that I was a super outliner/organized writer, but that’s just not who I am, and I think trying to be that writer got in my way for a very long time. I find that I get stifled if I’m outlining really specifically because my brain tries to lock everything in even if the story needs to go in another direction. So for me, I take more of an organic approach.

I tend to think in scenes or beats that I want to hit instead. Often, my ideas start from daydreams, so it’ll begin with a “scene” that I then want to build a story around. Sometimes that scene is really clear but may not happen for many chapters into a fic, so I have to figure out how I actually get my characters there. But giving myself time to daydream is one of the most important things to me as a writer. Usually when I’m having trouble figuring out a scene or arc or pushing through the writing, it’s often because I literally haven’t closed my eyes and laid down and let it play out in my head.

And inspiration can come from almost anywhere! Writing Elvis in particular, I’m heavily inspired by historical events and personal anecdotes. I love weaving real moments into my E fics!! There are honestly too many to count for PS.

For Broken Glass, Dolores came to me first as a character and I was like, “hmmm, that’s interesting,” and I am super fascinated by E’s health journey, so I was like, how do I put those together?

Songs are also often big sources of inspiration, like with Power of My Love and Without Love for PS. I try to consume a lot of media too, which gets my brain going—what I mean by that is the more I’m reading books and fics and watching shows/movies and listening to music, the more goes in my brain bank, so to speak.

I am by no means an expert, or even a professional writer (yet!), so this is just part of my process which (usually) works for me. Take of that what you will, but of course every writer is different and there is no one “right” way. I definitely struggle with perfectionism, and that tends to be my biggest source of “blocks” or frustration. So I’ve found that I just need to write. Practice. Get something on the page, even if it sucks lol! Cuz I’m always gonna go back and revise and tweak it anyway.

Anyway, I hope that’s helpful! Thank you so much for supporting my little stories and wishing you all the best in your writing adventures! 💜 Feel free to drop in my DMs if you have other questions or tag me in your works!

And I looooove me some black tie E and Frank!! To have been in that room…phew! 🥰😏🤩

💗 Madi

#Madi’s get to know me gala 💗 #elvis #elvis presley #if you’re looking for trouble #you came to the right place #elvis 2022 #elvis movie #elvis presley x reader #austin butler elvis #elvis x reader #answered #ask