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themusicalhermit · 3 years

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are you still taking requests ? <3

Depends. I’ve been a lot busier so far than anticipated (and suffering from mild depression) so I would like to say yes but I don’t know when I’ll be able to get around to things anymore.

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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#trashbaby #krampus rat #i like this style

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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Salmon sharks got me thinking about salmon, and now I’m hungry. Any cursed or blessed facts about these delicious fish?

when male sockeye salmon are ready to breed they go from this

to this

in a matter of weeks.

#animal reference

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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I'm developing a story in my head and I'm thinking about writing it down. The thing is, I have it in my head like a tv show, each episode something new happens and it has a theme around it (It will be a detective story, each episode there is a new crime and new things revolve around it) but if I want to write it down. The chapters will be so short and it will be hard to keep up with it. Do you have any idea to basically how to turn a tv show (in my head) to a novel with decent chapters. TIA!

Turning Episodic Ideas (Like a TV Show) Into a Novel

Guide: All About Story Arcs in Television and Novels

In order to tackle this question, I think it would be helpful if we dive into the concept of “arcs” and what they mean in television vs what they mean in books. Because as much as it may seem so at times, TV dramas are almost never only episodic. Each episode ties to the rest of the episodes through various types of story arcs.

What is a Story Arc?

Story arcs are a series of events centered around a particular conflict or theme that plays out from the beginning to end of a specified time period. In TV, that time period may be an episode or a few episodes, a season, or the entire series. In books, that period may be a part/act, book, or series. Both books and television juggle these different kinds of arcs simultaneously.

Story Arcs in Television

Episode arcs are the story arcs that play out from the beginning of a TV show episode to its end. So, in a detective show, it would be whatever crime they’re solving in that episode. The crime is introduced at the beginning of the episode, investigated throughout the episode, and solved by the end of the episode.

Season arcs are the story arcs that play out from the beginning of a season to the end of the season. In many TV dramas, this conflict revolves around a “big bad” that will be defeated by the end of the season. The “big bad” is typically introduced at the end of the previous season, is battled throughout the season, and is defeated by the end of the season.

Series arcs are the story arcs that play out from the beginning of a series to the end of the series. This is the conflict at the heart of the show, that is introduced at the beginning, plays out throughout the entire series, and is resolved at the end. In speculative fiction shows like The X-Files, Once Upon a Time, or Lost, this conflict revolves around the mythology behind the story. Such as the alien conspiracy Mulder and Scully are constantly up against in The X-Files, the curses and battle between light and dark in Once Upon a Time, and the Jacob vs The Man in Black/light vs dark conflict that tie together the fates of the characters in Lost. In contemporary drama, such as family dramas or crime dramas, the series arc may be based on the overall story’s mythology (such as with This is Us or Blindspot) or it may be situation/character based, as in something like Designated Survivor.

Character arcs are the arcs that center around the internal conflict of each main character.

Story Arcs in Novels

Section arcs are conflicts that are specific to a section of the book, such as a part or an act. In a heist story, the section arc of part one might revolve around the conflict related to planning the heist and recruiting the crew. In Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows, for example, it was breaking Mattias Helvar out of Hellgate because they needed him for the bigger heist. Not all books have section arcs.

Story arcs are what we call the arc of the whole book/story (book one, book two, book three, etc.) that is introduced at the beginning of the book, plays out through the book, and is resolved by the end of the book.

Series arcs, in books just as in TV, are the story arcs that play out from the beginning of the series to the end of the series. In George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones series, the series arc was the conflict of getting “the rightful ruler” on the Iron Throne.

Character arcs (just as in television) are the arcs that center around the internal conflict of each main character.

Turning Episodic Ideas Into a Novel

So, now that we’ve had a recap of different kinds of story arcs, we can tackle the heart of your question, which is how to turn episode-like ideas into a story with chapters.

The answer is this: you need to figure out a story arc to tie all of these “episodes” into a bigger picture, and if you want this book to be a series of books, you’ll want a series arc, too. And, whether you do a stand alone or a series, you’ll need to figure out some internal conflicts for your main characters so you can have character arcs, too.

These arcs are what take your individual “episodes” and ties them into a bigger story that spans the book from beginning to end. You could choose to make the story arc and your protagonist’s character arc one and the same if you want something more character-centric. Or, you might choose a “big bad” who is somehow behind all of the episodic conflicts, even if indirectly. You might even go with a situational conflict, like cleaning up crime in a particular part of the city and/or overthrowing a corrupt police chief.

I hope this helps!

ETA: golden-apple said: Or making it an anthology of short stories

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Have a question? My inbox is always open, but make sure to check my FAQ and post master lists first to see if I’ve already answered a similar question. :)

#writing tips #what is plotting

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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this goes so hard

#why is this so close to my taste in music #because i like music

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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Q&A: Arrow Wound First Aid

Hi, I have a question! So, say a character were to get shot with an arrow in, say, the lower leg, below the knee, and it stays there. How would it be treated? And isn’t it a bad idea to just yank an arrow out the same way it’s bad to take a bullet out? Thanks!

The rational is similar, though it’s slightly more analogous to treating a knife wound.

So, if you’re hit by an arrow, your first priority is to minimize the bleeding. You want to keep pressure on the wound, while applying a bandage. However, at this point, there is a very important consideration. If the arrow shaft is embedded in the injury, it needs to be stabilized to prevent further injury.

Do not remove the arrow, regardless of whether it has cleanly penetrated, or is wedged in the wound. Do not try to move the arrow at all unless it is absolutely necessary. Pack the bandage around it.

One thing that could be considered a positive on the treatment side is that the arrow will tend to pin the victim’s muscles together, meaning it will partially immobilize the victim. On one hand, this will help keep them from moving around, and can help stabilize the arrow shaft.

Much like with knife wounds, there’s a real possibility that the arrow head is limiting the bleeding. Moving it around, or removing it, can cause additional damage, or disrupt the clotting process.

Once bleeding has been minimized (or, ideally, stopped), and the arrow has been stabilized, you need to get immediate medical attention for the victim. In a surgical environment, the arrow can be safely removed. If you have an arrowhead that matches the one in the victim, it can be helpful to provide that to medical personnel. The arrowhead would let them know what to expect in the victim’s injury, and may help them identify if parts have broken off. However, this will only apply in situations where you have direct access to those arrowheads. (Mainly, hunting and sporting accidents, not combat.)

It’s a little different with bullets, because you will cause additional damage digging around to remove it. There’s also a risk of fragmentation. The end result is similar, but the reasoning is slightly different.

In either case, it’s best to leave the foreign object in the victim and get medical attention. The projectile will need to come out, but there’s a real risk of life threatening bleeding, meaning doing so outside of a surgical environment is a very bad idea.

-Starke

This blog is supported through Patreon. If you enjoy our content, please consider becoming a Patron. Every contribution helps keep us online, and writing. If you already are a Patron, thank you.

Q&A: Arrow Wound First Aid was originally published on How to Fight Write.

#writing tips #injury tips

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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Hi! In my history the is a kingdom were just women are in power and the empress has concubines, so I wanted to know how the concubine system worked. What kind of rank existed, how they were promoted and they responsibility in certain ranks. There is something that you can indicate for reading or watching? I am new here and loving your content

So there are plenty of systems where you can find inspiration on. You have probably the two most famous: the Turkish style of concubines and the Chinese.

The Turkish style involved women being brought into the harem, given as gifts or bought by politicians and placed in the harem. Here they would be educated and live in great luxury, but only a few ever actually slept with the Sultan. They were mostly his servants. Those who had children were of a higher status compared with those without. You can get a brief look at the system in this documentary or Hurrem: How a European Slave Girl became Queen of the Ottoman Empire by Leslie Pierce.

The Chinese concubine system rested more on an invitational basis. Young women would be invited to court to become concubines. There was a deep set hierarchy. The Empress, numerous Consorts and then concubines.

#Worldbuilding Inspiration #what if it was reversed #a sultana or empress with a male harem #hmmm

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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Indian Love Interest & Tea connection

@gardenfornoone said:

I’m concerned about something in my story and wondering if it’s okay. One of my characters was imprisoned in a lab and had her love interest who was an employee regularly sneak her tea from the building’s break room or from home when visiting her. Because of this, she associates tea with this person and drinks tea to remember them. The reason I’m concerned about this is the love interest is Indian, and I’ve heard it can be offensive to associate Asian characters and tea. Is this okay for me to do? Or should I pick something else for her to associate this character with?

I love this! A significant other who brings you chai is truly a relationship goal. I was in love with someone for years who used to regularly make/ buy me chai, and I still have fond memories of drinking tea with them. Few things make a late night work session better than someone leaving a hot mug of chai next to your work area.

However (in the continued spirit of Marika Says Brahmins Are Boring), if your character is from a strict Brahmin family and/ or Gandhi supporters, they might not drink tea. Britain used South Asia for tea production and Gandhi seized on the drink as a symbol of colonization while also arguing its many negative health effects due to caffeine and tannins. Including myself, there are only 3 tea drinkers in my extended family (which, if you know anything about brown families, is a very large number of people).

I’m not sure why it would be insensitive to associate Asians with tea. Surely people know tea is from Asia, right?

…Right?

- Marika.

This is cute. Tea in South Asia is typically made with spices so I can definitely see that being a significant memory or the taste of the tea standing out.

- SK

It depends on the tea. Chai is fussy because milk can boil over – that happened to me. Regular tea is easier, and all the sweeter for it. Use the tea making methods to create characterization. If a guy is willing to boil milk and put in the work, that is a grand gesture of love.

- Jaya

#writing tips #characterisation tips #worldbuilding tips #making indian tea yourself is great and super simple btw #i could just call it chai yes but shan't

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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How would one write a realistic argument?

How to Write a Realistic Argument

Everyone argues.

Whether it be with a friend, sibling, parent, or coworker—arguments usually break out whenever there’s a stark contrast in opinion over certain things, which can happen a lot.

There are a variety of different kinds of arguments involving a wide range of people with different tempers. Because of this, writing arguments can be a bit difficult, but fear not, for this post is here to help!

1. Know The Writing Style of an Argument

For a very serious argument, the characters probably won’t stop and listen to what their opponent has to say.

It’s quick, choppy, and broken—each character shoving their emotions at one another and trying to get their point across without bothering to understand the other side’s opinions.

There should be a lot of em-dashes and italicized words for emphasis, and if it’s between two people, you want as few speech tags as possible; because there’s going to be a lot of back and forth, speech tags can serve to trip up the flow of the argument rather than help them.

When you do want speech tags or if there are multiple people arguing at once here’s some examples you can use:

Roared

Screamed

Yelled

Bellowed

Barked

Hissed

Shouted

Accused

Interrupted

Growled

Snarled

Spat

Screeched

Shrilled

But you also must know that your characters won’t just be standing stock still and yelling at one another; they’re going to be moving around, so here are some things you can describe your character doing during an argument

Expression contorting

Eyes narrowing

Speaking through clenched teeth

Baring their teeth

Lips twisting (into a sneer/into a snarl)

Hands balling into fists

Trembling

Breaking things/knocking stuff over

Pointing accusingly

Shoving

Spittle flying from their mouth

Stamping their feet

Face getting hot

Vein in forehead popping

Blood roaring in their ears/heart pounding

And if you want, to build tension you can put it in a dangerous place, like at the edge of a cliff or something—so you know fully well that if one of them goes too far it may end up with the other’s accidental death.

Keep reading

#arguments #writing tips #dialogue tips

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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when new chapter

Assuming this is for the Mountain... hopefully soon - there’s one scene that I’ve been struggling with but once that’s over it should be smoother sailing.

Sadly no solid update forecast yet.

#this scene is killing me #this is specific to the mountain #reply post #anonymous

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themusicalhermit · 4 years

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Writing Resources

Since I’ve been getting a lot of questions about writing and such, I’ve deiced to put together a resource post for you guys!

General Writing Help:

Writing Tips

Ambient Sounds

10 Ways to Start Your Story

10 Ways to End Your Story