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writingwelltips · 1 month

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Writing is a piece of you, don’t try to make it a piece of someone else.

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paulapuddephatt · 1 month

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(via The Benefits of Writing Flash Fiction)

#flash fiction #short story #writetip #writingtip

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culturecultpress · 1 year

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CultureCult Press invites fiction submissions for publication in its anthology of stories about rivers “THE RIVER IN US ALL” (Expected release: July 2023). The final date for submission is May 12, 2023 Link to submission guidelines: http://culturecult.co.in/anthology-submissions/ Feel free to use any of the following writing prompts or use one of your own! – Two things have kept her away from her hometown. Her abusive father, and the river she loved which had turned monstrous one stormy monsoon and claimed her best friend. After all these years, she decides to return. – A group of friends are lost on their way to the cabin in the woods. It’s night, and they camp out by a river, which holds a dark secret that is set to end all of their lives by dawn! – An interstellar scientist working on the mythical cure to ageing, stumbles upon a river in a distant planet, whose water seems to flow backwards. He begins to believe that the river is the key to his success. – In a magical world, a river flows through the center of the land, connecting different kingdoms and providing life-giving water to all. An evil sorcerer animates a mountain and compels it to block the river. Everyone is scared, but a young heroine decides to fight back. – A small town by a river is plagued by a series of strange disappearances. The curious church organist must navigate the murky waters of the river and the murkier secrets of the townspeople to solve the mystery. – The river was dying. The reasons were too many – natural, economic, political.. Even as his fishing business got decimated bit by bit, he began to discover the presence of a strange river full of fishes, inside his own body.. PLEASE NOTE that this is an anthology with a THEME. ONLY those fictions that feature a river in a prominent capacity, shall be considered for publication. Stories of all genres are invited. . . . . #CallforSubmissions #SubmissionCalls #anthologysubmissions #authorsupportingauthors #authorscommunity #authorssupportingauthors #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writersnetwork #writingcommunity #writingprompts #writinginspiration #writingtip #writenow #culturecult #horrorwriter #horrorstory #myster https://www.instagram.com/p/CrgSoDMJPHk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#callforsubmissions #submissioncalls #anthologysubmissions #authorsupportingauthors #authorscommunity #authorssupportingauthors #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity #writersnetwork #writingcommunity #writingprompts #writinginspiration #writingtip #writenow #culturecult #horrorwriter #horrorstory #myster

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legacywrite · 7 months

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(via Author and Character Voice in Your Fiction)

#writetip #amwriting #writingtip #authors

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briarcrawford · 1 year

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Common Problems With Fantasy Antagonists

As a fiction writer, you are allowed to bend reality to your will, but if you want to be realistic a bit, you might realize that many fantasy stories have antagonists that don’t make sense.

1. Killing Everyone

There is an evil crossing the land and killing everyone in the hopes of world-domination. That evil is a type of creature, which is pretty much always male. They are killing all humans they come across to concur the world. No one is safe, not even the children.

Spooky, right? But what about the person in charge of all those creatures? What will he do if he does succeed? Who will make him food? Who will farm the lands? Who will continue trade with other countries?

By killing off all humans, the only option he would have left is to have those creatures he controls do the work, which brings to mind a goblin-like creature carefully baking a four-course meal.

Another popular option is to have all of the attackers be creatures, including their leader. They want to kill and eat all the humans…and what after that? What do they do once all the humans are gone? This is why predators in nature tend to have limits.

For example, a mother wolf typically has 4-6 pups a year, while a mother rabbit has the capability to have 168 babies a year. This is just one of many ways to keep the rabbit population healthy, despite the predator’s hunting them.

To get around this, some writers have the creatures be an invasive species, or have those creatures enslave the humans, or simply say that the creatures are just trying to cut down on the overpopulation of people.

2. Evil Creatures

If you need high population of antagonists for your main characters, and don’t want to have your readers feel uneasy about slaughtering other humans, then writers typically turn to evil creatures.

You are, of course, free to do whatever it is you want in your own fiction, but some readers complain that having every soul of a race of human-like creatures be evil is not only overdone, but can also be taken as racist if you are not careful. As well as that, some writers tend to be too vague with the goals. They have an evil lord, they have evil creatures, but the writers do not explain why the evil creatures bother to follow the orders of the evil lord.

Why should they put any effort into their work if they won’t get any value out of it? Have they been promised something? If not and they just like killing, what is stopping them from disbanding, ignoring the lords orders, and simply going on a killing spree wherever they please?

Even if the evil army is all humans, the fact that they would all be evil and thoughtless is unlikely. In many wars throughout the world, there have been people who try to help their enemy.

3. The Faceless Army

Too often, writers only concern themselves with the heroes of stories, and that makes an entire army of boring look-a-likes and a evil leader who we don’t meet until three books later. No one stands out all that much, so no enemy is more threatening than another.

Putting more thought into the enemies your character will face can make them seem more real, more threatening, and easier to imagine. This is not to say you have to carefully describe every enemy, just that carefully picking a few here and a few there to pause on can really add to the story.

4. No Clear Plan

If you plan on having an evil army that you say is led by a crafty and dangerous foe, prove their intelligence! Show us them:

Scouting

Disrupting or stopping supplies and resources

Spying

Slipping false information

Setting traps

Misleading

Assassinating leaders or people that bring hope

And more! There is more to war than two enemies meeting in a battlefield, and if you are trying to say that the evil person has been planning this attack for years, then he should probably have a better plan then “I am going to send out these creatures to hit things with their weapons.”

5. Kingdom Locations with Unfinished World Building

Writers love to pick lonely dramatic places for their evil characters to live in. Sometimes it is in an eternally icy landscape, sometimes a lava field, sometimes a desert. That is fine, and there is nothing particularly wrong with these locations if you plan for them, but if not, they don’t make all that much sense.

I have read of evil characters living in eternal winter with no trade partners, and yet they are eating grown food. That had to come from somewhere. Did they work out some sort of greenhouse system? Do they have secret trade partners that send them supplies in return for a promise of safety? Is there no life on land, but plenty of fish and sea greens in the sea?

As well as that, what do they heat the castle with? You said there was no life, so certainly not trees. Is it coal? Magic?

Where do they get their clothes? If there is no life at all on land, that means no plants, no prey to eat those plants, and no predators to eat that prey. That means no fiber and no hides to make clothes from.

Where does their money come from? War is incredibly expensive, so how do they make their money? Do they have some sort of resource only available to them? Who dares trade with them?

_____

That’s it for now! These are just common problems that I come across while reading fantasy, but that does not mean you have to fix them in yours. Fiction does not have to be realistic, so feel free to go with your gut.

#writing #write #writer #fantasy writer #writingtip #fantasywriter #fantasywriting #writingvillains #writing villains #how to write #Characters #Villains

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wedragonsruletheworld · 10 months

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Creating a Well-rounded Character. - What is a Character?

Making a character for your story has many steps. I’ll walk you through some of them in a series of articles.

Firstly, what is a character? Are there different types?

In a novel, a character is a fictional person or being that plays a role in the story. Characters are often the driving force behind the narrative, and their thoughts, actions, and interactions shape the plot and engage readers. They are typically developed with unique personalities, backgrounds, motivations, and relationships to make them believable and relatable.

Yes, there are different types of characters in a novel, each serving different functions within the story. Here are a few common character types:

1. Protagonist: The central character around whom the story revolves. They typically face challenges, pursue goals, and undergo personal growth or transformation. 2. Antagonist: The character or force that opposes the protagonist, creating conflict and obstacles to overcome. Antagonists can be individuals, groups, or even internal struggles. 3. Supporting characters: These characters complement the protagonist and help move the story forward. They often have distinct personalities, roles, and relationships with the main character. 4. Foil characters: Foils are characters who contrast with the protagonist, highlighting their qualities and characteristics. They can emphasize different perspectives or motivations. 5. Dynamic characters: These characters undergo significant changes or growth throughout the story, often as a result of their experiences or interactions. 6. Static characters: Static characters remain relatively unchanged throughout the narrative, maintaining consistent traits and behaviors. 7. Round characters: Round characters are complex and multi-dimensional, with a mix of strengths, weaknesses, and internal conflicts. They often feel more realistic and relatable. 8. Flat characters: Flat characters are less developed and have fewer complexities, serving specific roles or functions within the story.

These character types provide a framework for understanding and categorizing the various individuals within a novel, but keep in mind that characters can also exhibit traits from multiple types or evolve over time. Ultimately, a well-written novel typically features a diverse cast of characters that contribute to the story’s depth and impact.

Remember, they’re more than just a cardboard cutout!

#writingtip #bookwriting #AuthorAdvice #WritingProcess #WritingAdvice #CreativeWriting #BookAuthors StoryTelling #NovelWriting #WritingInspiration #WritingCraft #CharacterDevelopment #Plotting

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wordsofopaline · 2 years

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There are some who likes the rain, there are some who don't. But one thing is certain, and that is once the cold arrives, I will always go back to your arms for warmth.

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hottestspriteinthewest · 2 years

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The best writing tip I ever received was to write just for me. Write in a way that I would enjoy reading, that I know I would understand as a reader, and write it as if I'm the only one that will ever read it. If you're anything like me, you probably try to make your rough draft your final draft, but all that does is put pressure on yourself and freak you out. Writing is not meant to be stressful, it's self expression. Write it for YOU. And afterwards, if you decide you'd like to share it with someone else, that's when you can make changes and be picky. The beginning to anything is almost always the hardest part. Don't make it harder than it has to be.

#writing #writingtip #writing tip #writing tips #writing advice #this probably sounds really obvious but I think people need to hear it anyway

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stephaniemayauthor · 2 years

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Books that have helped me as an author

I don’t believe anyone should be disillusioned into thinking they can know something to its fullest. That’s why I never want to stop learning about the craft of storytelling. Whether it be through books, or YouTube tutorials, or even classes on Skillshare, when I have a moment to myself, I love brushing up on the craft and seeing what others have to say about the exciting journey of writing fiction.

Here are 10 books that have helped me on my journey, and I hope they help you, too:

1. My Grammar and I (or should that be ‘me’?) by Caroline Taggart

2. Ten Things About Writing by Joanne Harris (author of Chocolat)

3. Creative Writing Demystified by Sheila Bender

4. Bestseller (How to write fiction that sells) by Jennifer Bacia

5. How to Write a Dynamic Scene Using the Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

6. Emotional Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi

7. Creative Writing Exercises for Dummies by Maggie Hamand

8. Writing Crime Fiction by Rosemary Rowe

9. Dear Writer, You Need to Quit by Becca Syme

10. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White

There are loads more and, of course, some of you might not take out of these books what I did. But if they can help in any way, I am truly glad. There’s so much to know about storytelling. If I had a chance to redo the way I started out, then it would surely be reading a whole lot more on the subject of writing great fiction.

Best of luck to you all with your creative writing journey!

#writingtip #authors #helpful tips #female writers #aussie author #writerscommunity #writers of australia #writerslife #best seller books #writer tumblr #mustread #womenhelpingwomen #author #writing

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writingwelltips · 28 days

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Aristotle’s 3 Principles of Writing

1.Writers are imitators

2.Writers are borrowers

3.Writers aren’t bound by societal morals

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paulapuddephatt · 5 months

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(via Siblings in Fiction)

#siblings #story #writetip #writingtip

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tothepointtales · 4 months

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How to edit with Microsoft Word

So you love to write, and you’ve found a critique partner who also loves to write. How do you go about critiquing each other’s works? You can do it verbally, handwritten with a red pen (gasp!), or through a software program. All work well. In fact, the writers I know have used each option at one time or another depending on the circumstances. The Storyteller Squad prefers the third option. We…

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#amwriting #microsoftword #trackchanges #writinglife #writingtip

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cyanrozez · 9 months

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character building tip

make a word cloud. i dont know how to say it. on paper, make a shape of any sort and just scribble down words that describe them. it helps if you cant imagine a character. for me. if it doesnt please dont scream at me. yegfyarbehjs

#writing #i dont fucking know #character building #writingtip #ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh #sillyposting

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briarcrawford · 11 months

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Should You Use a Pen Name?🤔

Before diving into the reasons why to consider a pen name, I want to point out that there is absolutely nothing wrong with using your own real name as a writer. Many people dream of seeing their own name printed on the cover of their books, or do not want to bother with having to explain to people in their life why the name on the cover is different from their own. What ever reason you have for wanting to use your real name, you are completely allowed to.

However, if you are curious, here are some common reasons that people decide to use a pen name.

For Privacy

If you have a professional cooperate day job, it might not work for your benefit if people google your name, and the first thing that comes up is a series of silly children’s books. Or perhaps you are a teacher, and you just know that if your students knew what steamy romances you write, you would never hear the end of it in class.

Using a pen name gives you the freedom to follow your writing passions, without having to worry about implications to your daily life.

To Switch Genres

Many writers use pen names to switch genres. For example, Agatha Christie has romance novels under the name “Mary Westmacott,” and Anne Rice (real name Howard Allen Frances O’Brien) has three different pen names for different genres. If you typically write one genre, and suddenly write a new one, someone who recognizes your name at a book shop might pick it up(assuming it to be their usual genre), and be disappointed. This can lead to bad reviews, simply because it ended up in the hands of the wrong genre market.

There are marketing reasons for this, as well. One author I heard on a podcast (6 Figure Authors) talking about using a pen name said that she did it so that her fans could jump over to the new genre she was trying. She feared that well-meaning fans of her fantasy works would leave reviews for her new romance books. You might be wondering why that would be a problem, but the answer is the dreaded Amazon algorithm.

Let’s say you typically read fantasy, and you and a few hundred other fantasy fans review that romance book. Well, the algorithm notices that, and now, instead of the books showing up as recommendations for the intended genre readers, it shows up for fantasy readers. Essentially, that author was worried about losing out on building a new genre fan base (and sales) because of well-meaning fans.

One final reason related to this is for moral reasons. If you typically write children’s fiction, and suddenly write erotica, you will want to use a pen name to protect yourself from the parental outrage that will happen if some of those children fans of yours pick up your newest book.

To Fit the Genre

Dr. Seuss(real name Theodor Seuss Geisel), used a pen name because he wanted to use a name similar to “Mother Goose.” It simply fits the children’s books genre better, and it is also a common reason to switch.

For example, something along the lines of “Elizabeth Potter” just seems to fit with a romance series more than something like “Elysium Crow.” Both are valid, but readers can sometimes judge a lot about a book just because of your name. Is that wrong? Maybe, but I would wager most the time readers who do that do it on a subconscious level, without really knowing why the name made them skip to a different book.

Another reason you may have to switch for a genre is that you have a name that is already famous by someone else, and so now people associate that name with that genre. For example, if your name happens to also be Stephen King and you want to publish cozy and romantic mysteries, it might be in your best interest to take on a pen name.

Making Your Name Easier To Remember

If you have a rather typical name, that can also mean forgettable. Instead, if your name is more unique(Lemony Snicket) it sticks in peoples minds.

For Safety

Sometimes, the choice of using a pen name is made with their own safety in mind. Using a name different than your own can create an extra wall between yourself and people who might want to find you.

It could be that you do not want well-meaning fans knocking at your door every day (assuming you are talented enough to get that popular), but it could also be that you are afraid of stalkers and other creepy types.

Another reason is that some people write fiction that their family or other people in their life might not approve of. For example, imagine telling your “traditional values” ultra-religious family members that you write LGBT+ erotica’s. Yikes.

Because Gender Stereotypes (Sadly) Still Exist

When Mary Shelley(author of Frankenstein) did not use a pen name, she faced things like less pay and cut advances, so it is no wonder that most women authors of those times took on pen names. As an example of this, the sisters Currer(Charlotte, author of Jane Eyre), Emily (Ellis, author of Wuthering Heights), and Acton (Anne, more known for poetry), all picked male names until they had already secured publishers.

Things have drastically improved since then, but not completely. If I tell people I am a writer, it is often assumed I am writing romance. Occasionally, I am even asked if I am trying to be the next Stephanie Meyer. Although romance books are not my personal taste, there is nothing wrong with either romance or Meyer. The real problem is that it proves that gendered stereotypes still exist even today. It is worth noting that I do live in a small farming town with often old-fashioned standards, but a quick look online will show that my problems are not alone. So, if that is the reaction from people looking at my face, what about a name on the spine of a book that is typically considered for women?

Well, some people point out that men are still more likely to get published, and according to studies, men are more likely to not read a book if they know it is written by a woman.

Alternatively, women are more open to reading books by men, but not in the romance genre. Because of that, male romance writers typically pick names that are traditionally associated with women.

Things are changing, and quickly, so hopefully when the kids of today are adults, this will not be a reason to consider a pen name. At the moment, however, it is still a reason many authors consider not using their own name.

To Build A Persona

There is something to be said about building a persona; it creates the feeling that you are as interesting as the characters you create, while also allowing you to show sides of yourself that you might typically hide.

One famous example of this is Lemony Snicket (Daniel Handler), author of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Not only did he use a name that stands out, but he also crafted a complex backstory for this narrator that made people as interested in this “Lemony Snicket” as they were for the main characters in his books.

This might sound quite odd for people, but if you are a naturally shy or reserved person, taking on a persona can help make marketing less daunting.

Freedom

Let’s say you do actually want to publish books under your real name someday, but do not want your “practice” works tarnishing that name as you learn. Well, using a pen name gives you the freedom to write without fear.

Alternatively, some authors (example: O. Henry) have a frowned upon past that people do not want associated with their new career. Similarly, George Orwell(Eric Blair) wrote under a pen name so he could talk about a life of poverty without fear of embarrassing his family.

A pen name can give people a chance at starting over.

For Branding

If you can dive souly into a single genre, then you can make that genre your whole brand. For example, if you write fantasy, you can review fantasy media, share dragon artwork, and even take author pictures with swords. Overtime, people may associate your pen name with that specific genre so much so that you come to mind almost immediately with that genre.

A modern example of this (though to my knowledge, it is not a pen name) is Daniel Greene, who has a Youtube channel dedicated to reporting fantasy news, and now has books in the genre himself. Even before he published, he had cemented himself as being the face of a whole genre to his fans, simply from reporting genre specific news.

On the other side, let’s say Daniel Green suddenly decides he wants to write books on how to grow sunflowers….well, his brand is built around his genre, so it would be easier for him to pick a pen name, and build on that instead. That way, he can post about gardening tips and new gardening science break throughs, and build a brand specific to that.

Other Reasons

For example, Stephen King took up a pen name because his publishers did not want him publishing more than one book a year under his real name.

Others (like Bell Hooks) use a name to honor their ancestors.

#pen names #writing #writer #write #author #writing advice #writingtip #WritingBasics

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coffeebeanwriting · 1 year

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Some Quick Character Tips

Here are a handful of quick tips to help you write believable characters!

1. A character’s arc doesn’t need to grow linearly. Your protagonist doesn’t have to go from being weak to strong, shy to confident, or novice to professional in one straight line. It’s more realistic if they mess up their progress on the way and even decline a bit before reaching their goal.

2. Their past affects their present. Make their backstory matter by having their past events shape them into who they are. Growing up with strict parents might lead to a sneaky character, and a bad car accident might leave them fearful of driving.

3. Give reoccurring side characters something that makes them easily recognizable. This could be a scar, a unique hairstyle, an accent, or a location they’re always found at, etc.

4. Make sure their dialogue matches their personality. To make your characters more believable in conversation, give them speech patterns. Does the shy character mumble too low for anyone to ever hear, does the nervous one pace around and make everyone else on edge?

5. Make your characters unpredictable. Real people do unexpected things all the time, and this can make life more exciting. The strict, straight-A student who decides to drink at a party. The pristine princess who likes to visit the muddy farm animals. When character’s decide to do things spontaneously or in the heat of the moment, it can create amazing twists and turns.

6. Give even your minor character's a motive. This isn’t to say that all your characters need deep, intricate motives. However, every character should need or want something, and their actions should reflect that. What’s the motive behind a side character who follows your protagonist on their adventure? Perhaps they’ve always had dreams of leaving their small village or they want to protect your protagonist because of secret feelings.

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

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wordsofopaline · 2 years

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Oftentimes, we are the ones who hurt ourselves.

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