So, a few weeks ago, I'd made a post about how I wanted to create a community for fictional book writers and authors alike. Not for promotion. But rather to share their challenges because sometimes I felt like I experienced things I never usually see other writers talk about or feel the same way, so I wanted to create a community in which all writers/authors could join each other to share their challenges, know they are not alone, and also receive advice when they ask for it. Basically a behind-the-scenes community made for writers/authors alike.
Sometimes searching online and having to check multiple sources just isn't enough.
So, because Tumblr communities is still in beta, I had to submit my community for manual review before it could be approved. Today, I just got the notification that it was approved, and so I wanted to share this with you guys, finally!
I will warn you though that my idea wasn't previously named "Authors Haven" and I'd gone into a three-day long brain churning to finally come to Authors Haven. I'd even made a logo for what it was previously called 'Writers Ask & Digest'; and so that was the name I'd submitted the community to Tumblr under. I've changed the name now that the community is approved, as well as the banner.
So, here is my community!
An author's safe haven.
Please do let me know if the link works.
Also, would it make more sense if I keep this link public, or should I give people a form to submit so that I can invite them privately instead?
keep link public on this post for anyone to join
make a form for them to submit with the reason why they would want to join
those who want to join should put their username below so they can be invited
Voting ended onAug 27, 2024
Edit: The community is currently set to anyone can join. It is public.
I have a story rec for everyone in bookblr! If you enjoy forbidden romance, worlds with gods and goddesses, mortal x god romance, sophisticated world-building and developing plots, then this book is for you!
Check out this new story by Junera Nightingale (aka, moi).
It's freely available on Wattpad, and it would mean a lot for anyone to check it out. Jump into the world of Islavera x Ceyx!
Ongoing | Book 1
They say the gods are immortal and untouchable, but she's willing to put that to the test. No god gets to curse her, ruin h
There will certainly be more to come as I am always working in the background. I hope you enjoy what has been released so far.
This same author has also written a completed book, and that book is set for a part 2 / season 2 release in the series. Check it out below!
When you've drowned all that could ruin you, it is often the enemy's hand that pulls it back up; that's why it's better to burn it all to th
You ever feel like "damn, i'm on a roll here" when writing a scene or chapter, and then you look back at all you've written, and then the word count, and then you're like "damn, i thought it would've been more"??
Just gotta know if I'm the only one here. I can't be.
the first draft is never good. Never. The beauty of writing comes in the editing, when you can tear apart what you’ve done and make it better. It’s not about adding fancy words or making every sentence perfect. It’s about finding the heart of what you were trying to say and making sure that shines through. Editing means being ruthless, cutting out the fluff, and tightening every loose thread until your story feels solid. It’s tough to look at your own work and admit what needs to go, but that’s how your writing levels up.
Here's a little advice from me; focusing on writing in the midst of other situations
If you find yourself in a situation where you're just dying to write, but your circumstance won't enable you to (for example: being in a class presently, or you're waiting for the week to end so you can truly lock in), then just try to plan.
I often find myself in this position. Whenever I begin writing, I can get really lost in it, going on writing on for hours into the night, the early morning, begrudgingly go to sleep, and then right back to writing the next morning into the night again. But recently, I've only been able to do this on the weekends (only one weekend has passed so far, lol, I'm waiting for this next weekend to hopefully lock in again as I've been struggling these past three/4 years), so when I'm at school and i just want to be able to focus on the thing i love the most, I resort to planning my story instead. That way, I don't get too caught up in writing and then have a mental war in my head when I have to zone out of it to focus back on class or move to my next. I don't do this in every class, but at times like lunch or in two hour sessions when we get five or ten minute break after an hour depending on the teacher, I try to do a little something.
So yeah, that's my advice. Since writing gets me super locked in, I instead think about my stories. I imagine them. Sometimes I end up coming up with new ideas for them and either put them down in my official plot document, or write them down as maybe's in my journal to consider later or type out digitally later.
Saving New Ideas: Writing On Paper vs. Writing Digitally
I have a new question and poll for all my fellow authors.
I would appreciate if you could comment, when you vote, why you do that option instead of the others. Really think about it. Why does this option feel better for you and work better for you over the others? And have you tried more than one? Comment your thoughts.
Please do join my brand new community and help build it! It is meant to be a safe haven for all writers (published or unpublished) to share everything related to the behind-the-scenes of being an author.
As the community is new, I only have 5 members as of this post and I have been the only one posting, so I would really like for you all to join and express yourselves and challenges as writers as well.
If you are interested, the invite link to my tumblr community is in the pinned post on this profile! I would really appreciate your contribution!
So I recently made a post asking y'all which tense you prefer when reading/writing a book: present tense or past tense? I also added POVs onto the poll options, and for both first and third person pov, past tense won over present. So now, I have a slightly different question.
It's for both writers and readers, it doesn't matter. I want everyone's opinion.
If you could tell me why you prefer the option that you chose in the comments, that would be well appreciated as a writer myself.
Which Point of View do you prefer to read books in?
First person
Third person omniscient
3rd person limited
3rd person objective
Voting ended onAug 15, 2024
In case you don't know the clear difference between the third persons, here are the definitions.
I got them from:
In literature, third-person point of view follows multiple characters and narrative arcs, zooming in and out of a story the way a camera doe
Third-person omniscient point of view. The omniscient narrator knows everything about the story and its characters. This narrator can enter anyone’s mind, move freely through time, and give the reader their own opinions and observations as well as those of the characters. For example, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is told from a third-person omniscient point of view, giving the reader full access to the main character, Elizabeth, as well as the characters others around her.
Third-person limited omniscient. This point of view (often called a “close third”) is when an author sticks closely to one character but remains in third person. The narrator can do this for the entire novel, or switch between different characters for different chapters or sections. This point of view allows the author to limit a reader’s perspective and control what information the reader knows. It is used to build interest and heighten suspense.
Third-person objective. Third-person objective point of view has a neutral narrator that is not privy to characters’ thoughts or feelings. The narrator presents the story with an observational tone. Ernest Hemingway employs this narrative voice in his short story Hills Like White Elephants. An unknown narrator relays the dialogue between a couple as they wait for a train in Spain. This point of view puts the reader in the position of a voyeur, eavesdropping on a scene or story.
List of 120 unique fantasy jobs to give to your fantasy characters. Writers save this!
1. Spellscribe: Weaves magic into ink, creating enchanted scrolls and spellbooks.
2. Dreamweaver: Shapes dreams, ensuring a peaceful slumber for all.
3. Star Cartographer: Maps constellations and celestial paths.
4. Potion Alchemist: Brews elixirs, love potions, and invisibility brews.
5. Whispering Wind Courier: Carries messages on ethereal zephyrs.
6. Crystal Harmonist: Plays melodies on gemstone xylophones.
7. Arcane Librarian: Guards forbidden tomes and ancient grimoires.
8. Stormcaller: Commands lightning and tempests.
9. Shadow Weaver: Manipulates shadows for stealth or illusion.
10. Fey Ambassador: Bridges the gap between humans and fae.
11. Time Tinkerer: Repairs temporal rifts and broken clocks.
12. Soul Gardener: Tends to souls in the afterlife.
13. Dragon Whisperer: Communicates with fire-breathing beasts.
14. Labyrinth Architect: Designs mazes with shifting walls.
15. Aetheronaut: Pilots airships through the skies.
16. Cauldron Chef: Cooks magical stews and enchanted pastries.
17. Goblin Negotiator: Haggles with mischievous goblins over stolen treasures.
18. Wisp Shepherd: Herds glowing wisps across moonlit meadows.
19. Constellation Painter: Dips brushes in stardust to create cosmic art.
20. Swordsmith of Destiny: Forges blades with prophetic properties.
21. Oracle of Riddles: Answers questions through cryptic puzzles.
22. Moss Whisperer: Encourages moss-covered stones to share their secrets.
23. Harvest Moon Dancer: Leads celestial dances during lunar eclipses.
24. Chimera Veterinarian: Cares for mythical hybrid creatures.
25. Lore Bard: Sings epic sagas of forgotten heroes.
26. Stardust Prospector: Mines cosmic minerals from fallen meteors.
27. Mistwalker: Guides lost souls through foggy moors.
28. Enchanted Cobbler: Crafts shoes that grant extraordinary abilities.
29. Celestial Clockmaker: Constructs timepieces powered by starlight.
30. Gargoyle Sculptor: Carves stone guardians with hidden sentience.
31. Wandmaker: Whittles wands from ancient tree branches.
32. Mermaid Translator: Deciphers underwater songs and sea whispers.
33. Nightshade Apothecary: Harvests moonflowers and midnight herbs.
34. Serpent Charmer: Mesmerizes serpents with haunting melodies.
35. Skyship Navigator: Charts courses through floating islands.
36. Frostfire Sculptor: Shapes ice and flame into ephemeral statues.
37. Cursed Cursebreaker: Lifts hexes and breaks enchantments.
38. Goblin Archaeologist: Digs up lost goblin civilizations.
39. Sylph Perfumer: Captures the essence of zephyrs in fragrances.
40. Mystic Cartographer: Maps hidden ley lines and magical nexuses.
41. Moonstone Miner: Extracts shards of moonlight from caverns.
42. Gryphon Trainer: Raises and trains majestic gryphons.
43. Candlemaker of Lost Hopes: Creates candles that reveal forgotten memories.
44. Starwhisper Cartographer: Maps cosmic phenomena—comets' paths, shooting star trails, and celestial alignments.
45. Gloomsmith: Crafts melancholic artifacts—music boxes that play haunting melodies, mirrors that reflect lost loves, and inkwells that pen tear-stained poetry.
46. Siren Songstress: Sings enchanting melodies by moonlit shores, luring sailors toward rocky fates or guiding them safely through treacherous waters.
47. Astral Weaver: Spins threads from stardust, creating cloaks that grant glimpses of alternate realities or tapestries that depict forgotten legends.
48. Cryptobotanist: Studies otherworldly flora—glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, singing vines, and moonblossoms that bloom only during eclipses.
49. Soothsayer: Reads the future in tea leaves, cloud formations, or the patterns of fireflies. Their predictions shape destinies.
50. Stormglass Sculptor: Carves intricate sculptures from stormglass—frozen lightning, raindrop chandeliers, and thunderstorm dioramas.
51. Wispkeeper: Tends to wisps—tiny, glowing spirits that flit through forests. They bottle wisp-light for healing potions.
52. Eidolon Portraitist: Paints portraits of ghosts, capturing their essence before they fade into oblivion.
53. Moss Oracle: Listens to moss-covered stones, deciphering their murmurs to reveal lost histories.
54. Labyrinth Minstrel: Wanders through shifting mazes, singing songs that guide lost travelers to safety.
55. Frostbite Healer: Extracts shards of moonlight from caverns.
56. Gryphon Trainer: Raises and trains majestic gryphons.
57. Candlemaker of Lost Hopes: Creates candles that reveal forgotten memories.
58. Starwhisper Cartographer: Maps cosmic phenomena—comets’ paths, shooting star trails, and celestial alignments. Their charts guide explorers to hidden constellations.
59. Gloomsmith: Crafts melancholic artifacts—music boxes that play haunting melodies, mirrors that reflect lost loves, and inkwells that pen tear-stained poetry.
60. Siren Songstress: Sings enchanting melodies by moonlit shores, luring sailors toward rocky fates or guiding them safely through treacherous waters.
61. Astral Weaver: Spins threads from stardust, creating cloaks that grant glimpses of alternate realities or tapestries that depict forgotten legends.
62. Cryptobotanist: Studies otherworldly flora—glow-in-the-dark mushrooms, singing vines, and moonblossoms that bloom only during eclipses.
63. Soothsayer: Reads the future in tea leaves, cloud formations, or the patterns of fireflies. Their predictions shape destinies.
64. Stormglass Sculptor: Carves intricate sculptures from stormglass—frozen lightning, raindrop chandeliers, and thunderstorm dioramas.
65. Wispkeeper: Tends to wisps—tiny, glowing spirits that flit through forests. They bottle wisp-light for healing potions.
66. Eidolon Portraitist: Paints portraits of ghosts, capturing their essence before they fade into oblivion.
67. Moss Oracle: Listens to moss-covered stones, deciphering their murmurs to reveal lost histories.
68. Labyrinth Minstrel: Wanders through shifting mazes, singing songs that guide lost travelers to safety.
69. Frostbite Healer: Treats frostbitten extremities with salves made from frost sprites’ tears.
70. Chalice Enchanter: Carves runes into crystal goblets, infusing each sip with memories or emotions.
71. Goblin Archaeologist: Digs up lost goblin civilizations, unearthing rusty gadgets and cryptic hieroglyphs.
72. Sylph Perfumer: Captures the essence of zephyrs in fragrances—dawn mist, thunderstorm ozone, and moonrise musk.
73. Mystic Cartographer: Maps hidden ley lines and magical nexuses. Their charts reveal portals and ley-gates.
74. Moonstone Miner: Extracts shards of moonlight from caverns, which can be used for enchantments or as lantern fuel.
75. Gryphon Trainer: Raises and trains majestic gryphons for aerial patrols or epic quests.
76. Candlemaker of Whispers: Crafts candles that flicker with spectral flames, allowing communication with the departed.
77. Stardust Prospector: Mines cosmic minerals from fallen meteors—star iron, comet opals, and nebula gems.
78. Golem Animator: Breathes life into clay and stone constructs, imbuing them with purpose.
79. Wraith Whisperer: Communicates with restless spirits, negotiating unfinished business.
80. Celestial Navigator: Guides ships by star charts, steering vessels through astral currents.
81. Chaos Theorist: Predicts chaotic events using butterfly-wing equations, preventing or exploiting chaos.
82. Fairy Ring Dancer: Enters mystical circles to converse with fairies, striking bargains or seeking wisdom.
83. Banshee Lullaby Singer: Soothes grieving souls with haunting songs, easing their passage to the beyond.
84. Goblin Diplomat: Negotiates peace treaties between realms, balancing goblin mischief and human interests.
85. Veilwalker: Steps between dimensions using shimmering veils, exploring parallel worlds.
86. Moonshard Weaver: Threads moonstone shards into cloaks that grant moonwalking abilities.
87. Gryphon Whisperer: Communicates with gryphons through empathic bonds.
88. Cursed Curator: Collects cursed artifacts, safeguarding them in hidden vaults.
89. Sphinx Riddler: Poses enigmas to travelers seeking wisdom, granting answers in exchange for riddles.
90. Bard of Echoes: Sings songs that echo through time, preserving forgotten tales.
91. Goblin Inventor: Constructs whimsical gadgets—umbrellas that predict rain, shoes that dance, and hats that translate squirrel chatter.
92. Serpent Astronomer: Studies cosmic serpents—constellations that writhe across the sky.
120. Starforged Smith: Hammers star fragments into celestial armor and swords.
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This is still something I find that I truly need to accept. I always feel like I should be wanting to write 24/7, that the fun never ends, that if I get tired of it or a little lazy to do it in the moment then maybe I was never truly meant for it. But I really do, truly love it. It is indeed freeing and fun, especially when I listen to the very playlist that got me head-deep into it while doing it in the present.
I've found myself in a new dilemma: writing my books in present vs. past tense.
I've always noticed that I usually write my books in past tense, whether it be in third person or first person, though I commonly write in first person. In the past I used to be obsessed with writing in third person because it made it easier to suggest more than one character's feeling on the occurring situation. But, that's not the point.
I would love to hear from readers especially, but writers too.
Do you like it when a book is written in past tense, or present tense? And with which POV?
Present tense; 1st person
Present tense; 3rd person
Past tense; 1st person
Past tense; 3rd person
Voting ended onAug 14, 2024
If you have more than one preference, comment below those preferences.
How do you, fellow writers, write stories that involve being stuck in one place throughout at most the entirety of the book, or for quite a bit of chapters?
Creosote - a dark brown or black flammable tar deposited from especially wood smoke on the walls of a chimney
Daymare - a nightmarish fantasy experienced while awake
Devil-may-care - having a relaxed, casual manner
Diaphanous - characterized by extreme delicacy of form; ethereal
Ensorcellment - the power to control natural forces through supernatural means; bewitchment, enchantment
Ignis fatuus - a light that sometimes appears in the night over marshy ground and is often attributable to the combustion of gas from decomposed organic matter; a deceptive goal or hope
Ivory - a variable color averaging a pale yellow
Lucent - glowing with light; luminous
Melanite - a black andradite garnet
Nightshade - any of a genus (Solanum) of herbs, shrubs, and trees having alternate leaves, cymose flowers, and fruits that are berries and including some poisonous weeds, various ornamentals, and important crop plants
Pellucid - reflecting light evenly from all surfaces; easy to understand
Periapt - something worn or kept to bring good luck or keep away evil
Phylactery - an amulet
Presage - to give an omen or warning of; foreshadow; foretell, predict
Psychogenic - originating in the mind or in mental or emotional conflict
Recherché - having qualities that appeal to a refined taste; elegant
Sable - having the color of soot or coal; black clothing worn in mourning; dark, gloomy
Sapience - the ability to understand inner qualities or relationships; wisdom, sagacity
Scrying - crystal gazing, divination
Soigné - well-groomed, sleek
Sources: 1 2 3
Hope this helps. If it does, do tag me, or send me a link to your work. I would love to read it!
So you’re back in the writing trenches. You’re staring at your computer, or your phone, or your tablet, or your journal, and trying not to lose your mind. Because what comes after the first quotation mark? Nothing feels good.
Don’t worry, friend. I’m your friendly tumblr writing guide and I’m here to help you climb out of the pit of writing despair.
I’ve created a character specifically for this exercise. His name is Amos Alejandro III, but for now we’ll just call him Amos. He’s a thirty-something construction worker with a cat who hates him, and he’s just found out he has to go on a quest across the world to save his mother’s diner.
1.) Consider the Attitude and Characteristics of Your Character
One of the biggest struggles writers face when writing dialogue is keeping characters’ dialogue “in-character”.
You’re probably thinking, “but Sparrow, I’m the creator! None of the dialogue I write can be out of character because they’re my original characters!”
WRONG. (I’m hitting the very loud ‘incorrect’ buzzer in your head right now).
Yes, you created your characters. But you created them with specific characteristics and attitudes. For example, Amos lives alone, doesn’t enjoy talking too much, and isn’t a very scholarly person. So he’s probably not going to say something like “I suggest that we pursue the path of least resistance for this upcoming quest.” He’d most likely say, “I mean, I think the easiest route is pretty self-explanatory.”
Another example is a six-year-old girl saying, “Hi, Mr. Ice Cream Man, do you have chocolate sundaes?” instead of “Hewwo, Ice Cweam Man— Chocowate Sundaes?”
Please don’t put ‘w’s in the middle of your dialogue unless you have a very good and very specific reason. I will cry.
Yes, the girl is young, but she’s not going to talk like that. Most children know how to ask questions correctly, and the ‘w’ sound, while sometimes found in a young child’s speech, does not need to be written out. Children are human.
So, consider the attitude, characteristics, and age of your character when writing dialogue!
2.) Break Up Dialogue Length
If I’m reading a novel and I see an entire page of dialogue without any breaks, I’m sobbing. You’re not a 17th century author with endless punctuation. You’re in the 21st century and people don’t read in the same way they used to.
Break up your dialogue. Use long sentences. Use one word. Use commas, use paragraph breaks. Show a character throwing a chair out a window in between sentences.
For example:
“So, you’re telling me the only way to save my Ma’s diner is to travel across five different continents, find the only remaining secret receipt card, and bring it back before she goes out of business? She didn’t have any other copies? Do I have to leave my cat behind?”
vs.
Amos ran a hand over his face. “So, you’re telling me the only way to save my Ma’s diner is to travel across five different continents, find the only remaining secret recipe card, and bring it back before she goes out of business?”
He couldn’t believe his luck. That was sarcastic, of course. This was ironically horrible.
“She didn’t have any other copies?” He leaned forward over the table and frowned. “Do I have to leave my cat behind?”
The second version is easier to digest, and I got to add some fun description of thought and action into the scene! Readers get a taste of Amos’ character in the second scene, whereas in the first scene they only got what felt like a million words of dialogue.
If you don’t know what a dialogue tag is, it’s a word after a sentence of dialogue that attributes that dialogue to a specific character.
For example:
“Orange juice and chicken ramen are good,” he said.
‘Said’ functions as the dialogue tag in this sentence.
Dialogue tags are good. You don’t want to completely avoid them. (I used to pride myself on how I could write stories without any dialogue tags. Don’t do that.) Readers need to know who’s speaking. But overusing them, or overusing weird or unique tags, should be avoided.
Examples:
“I’m gonna have to close my diner,” Amos’ mother said.
“Why?” Amos growled. “It’s been in the family forever.”
“I’ve lost the secret recipe card, and I can’t keep the diner open without it!” she cried.
“The Bacon Burger Extreme recipe card?” Amos questioned.
“Yes!” Amos’ mother screamed.
“Well, that’s not good,” Amos complained.
vs.
“I’m gonna have to close my diner,” Amos’ mother said, taking her son’s hand and leading him over to one of the old, grease-stained tabletops with the ripped-fabric booths.
Amos simply stared at her as they moved. “Why? It’s been in the family forever.”
“I’ve—” she looked away for a moment, then took in a breath. “I’ve lost the secret recipe card. And I can’t keep the diner open without it.”
“The Bacon Burger Extreme recipe card?”
“Yes!” She still wouldn’t meet his eyes, and her shoulders were shaking. “Yes.”
Amos sat down heavily in the booth. “Well, that’s not good.”
The first scene only gives character names and dialogue tags. There are no actions and no descriptions. The second scene, however, gives these things. It gives the reader descriptions of the diner, the characters’ actions, and attitudes. Overusing dialogue tags gets boring fast, so add interest into your writing!
So! When you’re writing, consider the attitude of your character, vary dialogue length, and don’t overuse dialogue tags.
Now climb out of the pit of writing despair. Pick up your pen or computer. And write some good dialogue!
