The Author-preneurs Blog

Write so well that you earn from it.

[author-preneur]

prying-open-archives

The Dark Academia Protagonist Alignment Chart

Character A: "I have a plan."

Character B: "Does it involve breaking into the Dean's office, stealing a 200-year-old classified document, and almost certainly getting expelled or cursed?"

Character A: "…I have a revised plan."

Author's Note / Commentary:

Reblog and tell me which of your characters is A and which is B. (In my WIP, Julian is A, and he absolutely does not have a revised plan.)

[author-preneur]

The Micro-Fiction Punch

prying-open-archives

The grandfather clock in the Headmaster’s study didn’t tick; it groaned, a heavy, metallic rasp that vibrated directly through the floorboards. I kept my hands buried deep in my wool coat pockets to hide the wet, dark ink staining my knuckles. Across the polished mahogany desk, the old man slowly poured two glasses of amber liquid. He hadn’t looked up since I entered, yet he slid the second glass precisely to the spot where my fingers had rested a moment before.

"You write beautifully, Pryze," he murmured, his eyes finally lifting, sharp, pale, and entirely devoid of warmth. "It’s a pity you chose to sign someone else's name to the confession."

The silver pocket watch on his vest chain caught the candlelight, ticking like a countdown.

"Drink," he whispered. "We have a very short time before the faculty board arrives."

Author's Note / Commentary:

breathes heavily into a paper bag Writing this instead of doing my actual laundry is a testament to my priorities. What happens next? Does the narrator drink the glass? Do they bolt for the courtyard? Tell me your theories because my brain is fried and Julian is still missing.

REBLOG AND COMMENT to grow the community.

[moninils]

And all of this at once.

[author-preneur]

Most times it escapes into my day

[moninils]

And all of this at once.

[author-preneur]

Wednesday: The Prompt List

prying-open-archives

Five High-Tension Prompts for the Nocturnal Scholar

For those who do their best plotting when the rest of the world is asleep. Take a prompt, reblog this post, and leave your prose snippets or character continuations in the notes so I can read them.

The Crimson Monograph

The Hook: While archiving the personal collection of a professor who vanished last semester, you find a leather-bound journal. Every single page is completely blank, save for the very last one, which features a detailed charcoal sketch of you sleeping at your desk, dated three years before you enrolled.

The Atmosphere: The heavy scent of cedarwood and old paper, a flickering desk lamp, and the sudden, chilling realization that the shadow across the floorboards isn't yours.

The Counterfeit Syllabus

The Hook: You accidentally register for a course titled The Architecture of Subterranean Antiquities. When you arrive, the classroom is an empty vault beneath the chapel, and the single piece of paper on the podium is a list of your classmates' names—with yours crossed out in red ink.

The Atmosphere: Cold stone walls, the distant echo of dripping water, and the sound of heavy iron doors clicking shut behind you.

The Midnight Correspondence

The Hook: You and your brilliant, insufferable academic rival have been leaving biting, anonymous critiques inside the margins of a rare Latin text in the library reserves. Tonight, you find their signature fountain pen resting on the open page, the nib bent completely out of shape, and a hasty message: “They locked the gates. Don’t trust the dean.”

The Atmosphere: Rain lashing against stained-glass windows, ink-stained knuckles, and a suffocating, hollow panic in the chest.

The False Portrait

The Hook: The founder's portrait in the grand dining hall has hung there for over a century. Tonight, during a rolling blackout, you notice that the painted figure's posture has shifted—their hand is now pointing directly toward the hidden panel in the wainscoting behind your chair.

The Atmosphere: Shadows dancing by candlelight, the smell of burnt wax, and a soft, scraping sound behind the wooden paneling.

The Echo Chamber

The Hook: You discover that if you whisper a question into the central acoustic point of the university quad at exactly 3:14 AM, the stone architecture doesn't echo your voice. It answers you—in a voice you don't recognize, demanding a secret in exchange.

The Atmosphere: A heavy midnight fog, damp grass underfoot, and a voice like dry leaves scraping across cobblestones.

Author's Note / Commentary:

I am absolutely obsessed with number 3. If anyone decides to write a snippet from the rival's perspective or show what happened when the gates locked, please tag me immediately because I will be screaming about it in the notes.

REBLOG AND COMMENT

[author-preneur]

sometimes you need dialogue tags and don't want to use the same four

[thewatcher727]

Writing Description Notes:

Updated 19th October 2025 More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes

Dialogue Tags

Facial Expressions

Masking Emotions

Smiles/Smirks/Grins

Eye Contact/Eye Movements

Blushing

Voice/Tone

Body Language/Idle Movement

Thoughts/Thinking/Focusing/Distracted

Silence

Memories

Happy/Content/Comforted

Love/Romance

Sadness/Crying/Hurt

Confidence/Determination/Hopeful

Surprised/Shocked

Guilt/Regret

Disgusted/Jealous

Uncertain/Doubtful/Worried

Anger/Rage

Laughter

Confused

Speechless/Tongue Tied

Fear/Terrified

Mental Pain

Physical Pain

Tired/Drowsy/Exhausted

Eating

Drinking

Warm/Hot

Cold/Freezing

[author-preneur]

50 posts!

[azzurina]

Disdainful Dialogue Prompts!! #3

⟢ "You're a waste of a perfectly good conversation."

⟢ "I'd explain it, but I don't have that kind of time."

⟢ "The audacity of your mediocrity never ceases to amaze me."

⟢ "You really think you belong here?"

⟢ "I've seen better attempts from children."

⟢ "Please, do us all a favor and be quiet."

⟢ "You're the reason I lose faith in people."

⟢ "Don't flatter yourself into thinking I noticed."

⟢ "Your effort is insulting."

⟢ "I've tolerated you long enough."

⟢ "You're a footnote at best."

⟢ "How refreshing, you've managed to be wrong again."

⟢ "I don't argue with people beneath my level."

⟢ "You're the kind of person others warn you about."

⟢ "Don't make me repeat myself to someone like you."

⟢ "Your ignorance is almost impressive."

⟢ "I'd lower my standards, but you'd still fall short."

⟢ "You're proof that not everyone deserves a second chance."

⟢ "I've given up expecting anything from you."

⟢ "You really don't see how little you matter, do you?"

⟢ "Take your incompetence somewhere else."

⟢ "I've been more moved by paint drying."

⟢ "You're lucky indifference is all I feel."

[author-preneur]

Monday Humor - #1

prying-open-archives

There is something so profoundly intoxicating about the dark academia aesthetic. The concept of sitting in a hidden university alcove at 2:00 AM, surrounded by stacks of ancient, crumbling vellum, frantically transcribing forbidden texts by the flickering light of a single tallow candle.

Meanwhile, the reality of being a dark academia writer is sitting at a glowing monitor at 2:47 AM, wearing a stained oversized hoodie, entirely paralyzed because you spent forty-five minutes researching whether a Victorian gentleman would say "good grief" or if that makes him sound like Charlie Brown.

Author's Note / Commentary:

My search history currently includes "19th-century slang for being annoyed" and "how fast does arsenic act if slipped into a lukewarm cup of Earl Grey." If the authorities raid my flat, they aren’t going to find a secret society. They’re just going to find a very stressed writer who refuses to outline. Please tell me I’m not the only one who loses hours to the most insignificant historical accuracy rabbit holes.

REBLOG AND COMMENT

[author-preneur]

Writing Advice: Show don't tell to get the reader immersed and have same experience as the Character.

" the Cold air brushed up against her skin, planting goosebumps along the way, she exhaled against her palms to keep them warm as she shivered in the cold night of Alaska."

Reality: Meanwhile meet me with bloodshot eyes 3:00 am, smashing the keyboards hard trying to keep up with deadline.

"and barging into the room he felt cold, he said he was cold and complained he felt cold so now you get the picture he was cold."

a/n: funny how it's hard to keep writing rules under pressure, share your own writing humor.

Reblog and comment

[creekfiend]

the thing is that I think lots of the time we talk about childhood trauma cycles wrong, because people will frame it as like, "this happened to this person, which is why they act like this" and really it's like, "all children learn social behavior via what is modeled for them by the adults around them and their peers; if what the adults in your life model for you repeatedly, over a long period of time, is that they get their needs met by dehumanizing others, then you will learn that the way needs get met is via dehumanization"

it isn't about how certain things being done to you somehow write Abuse Into Your Psyche, it's about learned behavior. it's about not being shown alternative models. (INTO MY LOUDSPEAKER) IT'S ALL ABOUT NOT BEING SHOWN ALTERNATIVE MODELS

[luna-azzurra]

Tips for Writing Grief! (AGAIN)

the five stages of grief were never meant to be a checklist your character moves through in chronological order across three chapters. Let me save you from writing a grieving character who is simply having scheduled emotions:

⊹ Grief is not primarily crying. i know that sounds wrong but hear me out. a lot of grief looks like doing laundry. cooking something the person liked and then not being able to eat it. watching a show they recommended and never told anyone you finished it. grief goes very quiet and very domestic for long stretches and then ambushes you at completely unreasonable moments like a petrol station or a Friday at 4pm for no reason at all.

⊹ people who are grieving often seem fine. not because they're suppressing or being brave or in denial, but because humans are genuinely capable of functioning and being devastated at the same time. your grieving character can make jokes. can go to work. can have a good day. can feel guilty about the good day. can feel guilty about not feeling guilty. grief has a very active internal bureaucracy that has nothing to do with what's visible on the outside.

⊹ Grief also changes shape over time in ways that aren't necessarily about getting better. the first year is often adrenaline, there are things to do, people around, ritual and structure. year two is frequently harder because the adrenaline is gone and the world has moved on and expects you to have moved on with it. your character being more visibly undone eighteen months later than at the funeral is not a pacing problem. it's accurate.

⊹ The relationship with the dead person doesn't stop. this is the one writers get most wrong. your grieving character is still in a relationship , still arguing with the person in their head, still updating them on things, still furious about something left unsaid, still finding out new things about them from other people and having to integrate a version of them they didn't fully know. grief is not the end of the relationship. it's the relationship continuing without any new information coming in.

[author-preneur]

Childhood Trauma to give your Characters that's not always an abusive parent:

growing up in poverty

losing a close loved one to a sickness over an extended amount of time

bullying in school

exposure to unsafe environments (warzones, drug scene, …)

parentification

going undiagnosed for a long time

growing up in politically unstable environments

emotional neglect

witnessing a natural disaster

betrayed by a trusted person of authority (parents, teacher, mentor, …)

being the glass child

social exclusion

loving parents who just did not have the time for them

Wr

[author-preneur]

Writing a good badass character can be challenging

[author-preneur]

Your Fight Scenes are Boring Readers To Death. Use This Checklist

It is amazing that the first thing we ask when a fight is going down is "Why are they fighting?" and then we pick someone we actually root for. Most times it is always the weak one, and the story goes on. Today we are going to look into writing a fight scene, and then I’ll give you a checklist to write yours, and I'll love to read them in the comment section, so do make sure to drop some of your works.

Let's begin.

Kyler Fights again

Kyler was saved by the school bell for the second time today; his head was already throbbing from the history lecture by Mr. Ben. But if one thing made him happy, it was that he sat beside a good samaritan that aided him during the math test; plastering a one-sided smile.

He said to himself, “I really should thank that nerd; he really helped me there.”

He looked round but couldn’t find him. After searching for a while, he gave up; his mouth grew bitter, and he could hear his belly growl. He remembered that Grandma was making dinner that night. He wondered, ‘Maybe I’ll thank him tomorrow; yeah, I’ll do that.' Kyler left for the main gate.

On his way home, he got stuck in heavy traffic; car fumes swarmed through the air, and the car honks sounded like a mirage of a disorganized trumpet band. Kyler couldn’t bear it; he decided to take a shortcut home. He trekked through an alley on the 7th block, a quarter mile from school.

But there he saw something terrible taking place: a five-member male group shouting at a boy for not getting the money they asked of him. The leader of the group immediately picked up a bottle, threatening to harm the boy. The boy pleaded that there was nothing on him, but the leader kept on shouting.

He broke the bottle on his head; hot blood slowly crawled down to his face. Kyler couldn’t bear to watch anymore and turned to leave, but in a split second his eyes caught the face of the one being bullied; it was his good samaritan, his face already drenched with his own blood and tears. The leader had had enough and decided to harm him, raising the bottle to break it on the pleading boy’s head, but it shattered midair.

All eyes were trying to understand what happened, but without any word, he walked into their midst, picked the nerd up, and tried to leave, but the whole group now surrounded him, all of them oozing with murderous intent.

Kyler stared down the leader. He didn’t have to say a word; he just listened to the man’s heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. The leader’s gaze flicked toward the shadows — a frantic, silent signal. Kyler didn’t know the code, but he heard the rising resonance of heavy boots hitting the pavement behind him.

He spun. A heavy arm whistled through the air, missing his ear by a hair’s breadth. Kyler didn’t think; he lunged. He drove a palm strike into the attacker’s solar plexus, feeling the air leave the man’s lungs in a sickening whoosh.

The guy hit the concrete, thrashing and gasping. The leader’s face contorted with fury. “Get him!”

Three more closed in. The air became a chaotic mess of swinging limbs. Kyler backed away, his ears cataloging every scuff of a heel and every rustle of a jacket. He rolled, dodging a kick from behind, his movements a blur of evasive physics.

He saw the openings. He could have ended it in seconds, but the memory of his friend—the sound of breaking bone that still echoed in his dreams—paralyzed his hands. He held back, choosing to evade rather than strike.

Seconds stretched into minutes. The "entrainment" was starting; his lungs felt like lead, and his own breath sounded like a steam engine in his ears. He needed a timeout, but the world wouldn’t stop screaming.

Kyler made strategic movements, evading every strike. How long would this keep going? He thought he should do something, but they kept on swarming in, limiting his options.

“Help!”—a scream loud enough to drag his attention, leaving an opening for them to grab him. He saw the leader hold the nerd, pin him to the wall, and rain punches on him. The nerd fell down to his knees, purging and gasping for air; he could barely move, but tears slowly dripped down as he glanced at Kyler.

At that moment Kyler felt the rage he hadn't felt since the day he almost killed his best friend; he felt a sting in his chest. He could have ended things; he could have saved him.

He stood still for a second, head bowed, then he exploded, breaking everything in his path, bodies flying, bones breaking, bruises sustained; even the leader fled, holding his limbs, limping.

Kyler brought him up, backed him, and took him home.

Final thoughts

Okay, this is just a fight scene I cooked up at the moment, but I believe you can do better; just follow my Fight Scene Master Checklist below, and you will write better fight scenes worth making a movie from.

So that’s it; enjoy, and please repost so it can help out others. Follow for more writing tutorials. Comment below with the next topic you want me to write on. Bye

✅ Fight Scene Master Checklist

🎯 Purpose & Stakes

[ ] Why is this fight happening? (revenge, survival, pride, protection, etc.)

[ ] What’s at stake for each character? (life, reputation, relationships, freedom)

[ ] Does the fight advance the plot or reveal character?

⚡ Pacing & Structure

[ ] Use short, punchy sentences for fast action.

[ ] Break up paragraphs to keep the rhythm sharp.

[ ] Slow down briefly for dramatic beats (injury, realization, turning point).

🥋 Action & Clarity

[ ] Strong, active verbs (lunged, slammed, twisted).

[ ] Clear choreography — avoid overcomplicated moves.

[ ] Show the flow of the fight, not every single strike.

👀 Sensory Immersion

[ ] Sight: what’s visible in the chaos?

[ ] Sound: grunts, impacts, weapons clashing.

[ ] Touch: pain, sweat, texture of surfaces.

[ ] Smell/Taste: blood, dust, smoke, adrenaline.

🧠 Characterization Through Combat

[ ] Does the fighting style reflect personality? (disciplined vs reckless)

[ ] Do choices in combat reveal values? (mercy vs brutality)

[ ] Is the character’s skill level consistent with their background?

🔄 Emotional Layer

[ ] What emotions drive the fight? (fear, rage, desperation, joy)

[ ] Is there internal conflict or hesitation?

[ ] Does the fight change relationships or self-perception?

🩸 Aftermath & Consequences

[ ] Physical toll: injuries, exhaustion, scars.

[ ] Emotional fallout: guilt, triumph, trauma.

[ ] Plot impact: who wins, who loses, what changes?

[luna-azzurra]

Character Quirks & Habits List!! 

𐙚⋆.˚ Always sitting with their back to the wall 

𐙚⋆.˚ Checking the lock twice. Then once more. 

𐙚⋆.˚ The comfort food that only comes out during specific moods 

𐙚⋆.˚ Knowing exactly how many steps it takes to get somewhere 

𐙚⋆.˚ Keeping one thing from every place they've ever lived 

𐙚⋆.˚ Never throwing away cards or letters but never rereading them either 

𐙚⋆.˚ The specific way they make coffee/tea that will tolerate no variation 

𐙚⋆.˚ Humming without realizing it when they're focused 

𐙚⋆.˚ Sleeping on one side of the bed even when alone 

𐙚⋆.˚ Holding their breath in elevators 

𐙚⋆.˚ The book they've never finished but also never gotten rid of 

𐙚⋆.˚ Keeping their phone face-down in certain company 

𐙚⋆.˚ The route they take when they want to think vs. when they don't 

𐙚⋆.˚ Apologizing to inanimate objects when they bump into them 

𐙚⋆.˚ The word they can't spell no matter how many times they look it up 

𐙚⋆.˚ Always being five minutes early or perpetually, chaotically late. No in between. 

𐙚⋆.˚ The thing they do with their hands when they're listening 

𐙚⋆.˚ Laughing at their own jokes before finishing them