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[wordsnstuff]

Wordsnstuff Articles Masterlist

☼  Masterlist is updated regularly & subject to frequent change  ☼

My Current Work In Progress @talkingstoriesandstuff

My Studyblr  @studynsuch// Studygram

☼  Writing Help Articles   ☼

Beginning A Story And Sticking With It

Tips and Advice For Aspiring Writers, Authors, and Poets

How To Write An Article That People Will Read

How To Motivate Yourself To Write

Improving Flow In Writing

Kiss Scenes 101: How to Write The Perfect Kiss

Step-By-Step Plan: Editing Your Own Writing

Novel Planning 101

How To Write A Good Plot Twist

How To Foreshadow

Setting: How To Describe The Setting In Your Stories

Tips For Fanfiction Writers

Tips For Writers Who Want To Post Their Work Online

Commentary On Social Issues In Writing

How To Incorporate Health Into Your Writing Routine

What To Cut Out Of Your Story

How To Fall In Love With Writing

Constructive Criticism: How To Give, Receive, and Utilize

Tackling Subplots

How To Make A Scene More Heartfelt

Tips For Songwriters

How To Develop A Distinct Voice In Your Writing

How To Perfect The Tone In A Piece Of Writing

20 Mistakes To Avoid When Writing Young Adult Fiction/Romance

Tips On Writing Skinny Love

Writing Through Mental Health Struggles

Tips On Dialogue

How To Actually Get Writing Done

Writing On A Schedule

Tips On Writing About Mental Illness

Editing & Proofreading Cheat Sheet

Things A Reader Needs From A Story (feat. @papercutwriting)

Tips For Horror Writers

A *Strange* Method Of Brainstorming Character Styles & Traits

A Guide To Tension & Suspense In Your Writing

How To Turn A Good Idea Into A Good Story

Writing Arguments Between Characters

Planning A Scene In A Story

Editing: What To Change, Draft By Draft

Ways To Fit Character Development Into your Story

Things To Know About Your Real-Life Setting

When To Stop Planning

Pros and Cons of Different Points Of View

Tips On Writing A Blurb

Why “Burnout” Is Okay - The Creativity Cycle

21 Plot Shapes and the Pros and Cons Of Each

How To Outline Effectively

Writing Good Villains

Tips On Writing Intense Scenes

Writing The First Chapter

Tips On Starting A Scene

Tips On Writing Fight Scenes

Tips On Writing Chase Scenes

Showing vs. Telling

☼ Writing For Beginners Series ☼

Dialogue Punctuation

Tips On Screenwriting

Finding & Fixing Plot Holes

Using Vocabulary

How To Capture Emotion In Song Lyrics

☼  Synonyms Lists  ☼

Body Types: Words To Describe Bodies and How They Move Around

Words To Describe…

Words To Describe Someone’s Voice

All About Colors

A Writer’s Thesaurus

☼ Miscellaneous ☼

Book Recommendations

Word Counts Converted To Novel Pages

Mental Illness Awareness

10 Easy Changes You Can Make To Your Lifestyle To Be Happier And Healthier Almost Instantly

25 Study Tips To Make Your Life Easier

Reasons To Improve Your Lifestyle

How To Make Study Dates More About Studying (And Have Fun At The Same Time)

Study Environment & How To Make Studying Easier

Healthy Forms Of Motivation

How To Have A Productive Mindset

So You Want To Start A Blog

Resources For Students

How To Improve Your Life In Little Ways

** If you have a request, I prefer if you send it through my ask box, rather than private message. I get a lot of messages from people and your request may be drowned out or forgotten about. My ask box is where I keep track of reader suggestions/input, so please use that instead.

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MY CURRENT WORK IN PROGRESS (Check it out, it’s pretty cool. At least I think it is.)

Studyblr || Studygram

[wordsnstuff]

Tips on Character Motivations

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

Motivations are key to understanding your characters, describing them effectively, and making them come alive for your readers. Here are a few of my tips on crafting those motivations and using them to enhance your story. 

–

Base Them on Experience

A character’s base needs and desires come from somewhere, and their ultimate goal(s) don’t pop out of thin air. If someone grew up in a family of poverty or neglect and your story revolves around the family they’re beginning to build on their own, it would make sense that their experience having nothing would make them want to give their children everything, and be as affluent as possible so that their loved ones never struggle as they did. Motivations should have a direct connection to the bests and worsts of their life, because those are the moments that shape people and their expectations.

Make Them Understandable, If Not Reasonable

This goes especially for villains or morally grey characters. Just because a person’s motivations result in harsh actions or cruelty doesn’t mean they came from a place of malicious intent or insanity. Some of the best characters and the ones that really stick out are the ones who make a little sense. Motivations that the reader can empathize with, especially in antagonists, can really enhance the impact of that character on the story, and the reader. 

Subtext is Everything

Motivations can be stated plainly within the text, but true ambition and priority typically live between the lines, popping out with every move they make in a new direction. One of my go-to tricks is thinking of it this way:

What do they want? (be open with this in the text)

What do they think they need? (be open with this in the text as well)

What do they really need? (Imply this sub-textually)

What are they willing to do to get what they want? (reveal gradually)

Furthermore, what has determined that boundary? (reveal at the end)

This is a good way to structure your character arc so that the reader isn’t bombarded with fragments of information, some ultimately unnecessary, while still understanding the character’s profile. 

Plan Strategically

Their motivations should ultimately serve to further the plot in some way. The characters, setting, and world building should all complement each other and tie into the plot, and even if your story isn’t character driven, it’s important that they’re necessary to the plot, otherwise their motivations and development in general just isn’t relevant. Your main character’s motivations should either aid or inhibit the conflict resolution, and create an internal (and usually external) arc that develops parallel to the events of the story. They should all be tangled together and make sense as a whole, rather than pieces of a good story being smacked against each other. 

Give Them a Resolution Within the Story

If a character’s motivations don’t reach some kind of crescendo or resolution within the story, that motivation probably isn’t well suited to the plot you’re weaving. Everyone has a plethora of personal goals and aspirations to choose from, so if you get through your first draft and realize that one of your main characters’ motivations make sense, but don’t tie into the story, don’t be afraid to change them. A lot of the time, their typical behavior won’t dramatically shift, but a few of the larger decisions will, as well as their reactions to certain points in the conflict. Shifting the focus motivation won’t change who they are, but it will impact the decisions they make in order to reach their goal.

–

Masterlist | WIP Blog

If you enjoy my blog and wish for it to continue being updated frequently and for me to continue putting my energy toward answering your questions, please consider Buying Me A Coffee, or pledging your support on Patreon, where I offer early access and exclusive benefits for only $5/month.

[odair-hofferson]

[charlie-leau]

The Predator review - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Bleeding

Here’s my fourth review of The Predator by the amazing @runyxwrites. It’s still a mix of my reactions and thoughts, it’s still a mess, but it’s still hopefully funny and full of gifs (which do not belong to me, so credits to all the amazing gif makers out there, you’re life savers).

Happy reading.

Keep reading

[bibliophile-06]

I LOVE what you said about the quotes on Instagram. So much.

Also, title of my sextape 😂 😂 😂 I LOVE YOUR BRAIN, G10. I laughed a lot in this one. Thank you 😘

[soupcowboy]

my story: hey please write me i want to exist

me: write your own goddamn self you son of a FUCK

[geraltsyennn]

There’s a million ways to say ‘I love you’. You just have to listen.

Yennefer of Vengerberg Edition

[hawt-me33]

Coming into a fandom late

[baxterdamus-deactivated20130513]

Coming into a fandom early and watching it become an angry clusterfuck

[valorious]

Being in a dormant fandom that suddenly comes alive again after a new book/movie

[leatherpatches-deactivated20150]

Don’t forget about those who come in the midst of a fandom war. 

[fauxmoux]

Accuracy at its best

[street-of-mercy]

Being in a fandom and not even knowing there’s a war going on…

[my-reylo]

all of this shit…lol

[nerdsagainstfandomracism]

When You’re Not In The Fandom But You’re Nosy AF

[not-so-secret-nerd]

When you get into a fandom only to discover it’s dead

[jupiter235]

This gets better every time I see it. 

[sageblackrose95]

@fuboos-mess

[inverted-mind-inc-sideblog-deac]

Being in a dead fandom…

[illogicalarchive]

Or being in such a tiny fandom that it feels like youre the only one

[erilias]

The accuracy hurts.

[fanfic-yes-please]

Being in a fandom that had a shit ending.

[it-is-bugs]

When you’ve been fangirling long enough, you’ve experienced all of the above.

[sweetferalbaby]

Being in a fandom meant for kids.

[teaganvamp]

This just gets better..

[hamboj2]

@mi-kleos

[thatcrazysonicchick]

When you realize that joining the fandom has ruined you

[knightofbloodcancer]

Fandom hell in general

[morathavictoria]

Yes.

[marvelanimelover]

This^^^ just… ALL OF THIS.

[stop-talking-babe-deactivated20]

Being in so many fandoms that you don’t even know what’s going on

[raise-cain-archived]

THIS IS THE SKULDUGGERY FUCKING PLEASANT FANDOM IN ONE POST!!

[crochanblackbeak]

Trying to recruit people to your fandom

[kateriverameliawolfe]

Annnnnnndddd it’s back

[ishipwhatiship247]

Being in a fandom which has so many antis

[ravenhilarious]

I’ve probably reblogged this before, but that was before these great additions.

[swanqueen-author]

Being in a fandom that actually works together

[commanderunhingedmongoose]

Why is this so true? All of it.

[pillowprincesslexa]

being in a fanbase but all your mutuals suddenly turn into Kpop blogs

[hangingfire]

I always enjoy it when a good post comes around again and has been improved by the reblogs like the years for a fine wine.

[priory-of-stars]

Being in a fandom when shit goes down and everyone has different opinions

[marianagmt]

When you are in a fandom and don’t care for others people opinion…..even if they are right…(believe me, I have met several of those)

[batbyte-alghul]

Being in a fandom you never meant to join

[tirnel-sutcliff-spears]

I love this. and it’s gotten better

[cartoonjessie]

After abandoning a fandom you’re still a little bit emotionally invested in….

[brit-is-bookish]

All of these are me. Lol

[thehikingastronomer]

Being in a fandom on Tumblr

[julietsemophase]

And it reached its epic conclusion

[lucien-the-leaf]

Cannot resist this at this point

[mystery--mist]

Oh gosh! This is a really good shit!! I feel 100% identified with all this!!!

[xhanisai]

R. I. Fucking. P.

[amormedarei-deactivated20200116]

[ao3commentoftheday]

friendly reminder that if you’re not enjoying your fandom or if you’ve fallen out of love with your show, it’s okay to leave

fandom is about fun and enjoyment and if it’s become draining or stressful then you’re allowed to walk away and find something better - whether that’s a new fandom or something else entirely

[the-red-plom-bloom-deactivated2]

Make Happy Endings Popular Again 2020

[yourebeautifuleverylilpiecelove]

Reblogging again because the world is falling apart AND WE NEED SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN

[bibliophile-06]

I think it's highly overrated that good, tragic, dark stories and character arcs cannot have happy endings. That's bullshit. Happy endings only depend on where you end the story, and for a moment in time, you can choose to end it on an inspiring, beautiful, and poignant note that fills the black cracks with little rays of light.

Just because something is dark doesn't mean it has to be destitute. Darkness can exist without monstrosity, and happy endings can exist with tragedy. It's not mutually exclusive.

In this essay, I will-

[tesb]

a very tired Geralt

[fuks]

the best tiktok ever made

[ruffboi-mags]

dfnlfk; THAT PUPPY IS GOOGLING “AM I ADOPTED”

[nightthinkersworld]

SITES FOR WRITERS

Fantasy name generator

Fighter’s block - try to defeat a monster by writing

Child’s Traits Calculator ; predict a child’s appearance 

Child’s Traits Calculator ; predict other traits

Fifty Plot Twist Ideas For Your Work-In-Progress!

Name generator (Character, Baby, Last name, etc.)

Plot generator ; Inspiration for your next novel, film or short story

Character generator ; Generate Rich Characters in Seconds

Writing Exercises ;  This site provides (completely free) writing prompts and exercises to help you get started with creative writing and break through writing blocks. 

Notebook ; create your characters, worlds, objects, places, etc. and save them

Festisite ; Create a fake license, marriage certificate, credit card, ticket and you can find other stuff as well.

The most common last names in the US

Lists of most common surnames

List of most popular given names

List of the least common surnames [last names] in America, rank 16,001-20,000

Fantasy name generator (again)

Random Name Generator (Choose origins, gender, etc.)

Said is dead (Remember that you can use said, don’t use it to less.)

How Much Blood Can The Human Body Lose? 

How Long Can Someone Go Without Breathing?

The 6 Types of Collars Every Man Should Know by Name 

18 Different Types of Sleeves Design Patterns

What are the most widely practiced religions of the world?

Differences Between a Short Story, Novelette, Novella, & a Novel

Hemingway editor ;  It grades your writing by its readability. 

Zen writer ; writing without distractions (Might not be free after a while)

33 Ways to Write Stronger Characters

75+ bad habits for your character

30 SCENE IDEAS FOR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

10 Things Writers Don’t Know About The Woods

British and American terms

Free writing worksheets

Feel free to add more!

[emotionalsupporthufflepuff]

@anotherwaywarddreamer @kaybohls @corvidsforbids HELPFUL!!!

[fatedophelias]

Oh wow. This is amazing!

[florencemachines]

“Girls know they are losing themselves… Girls become fragmented, their selves spilt into mysterious contradictions. They are sensitive and tenderhearted, mean and competitive, superficial and idealistic. They are confident in the morning and overwhelmed with anxiety by nightfall. They rush through their days with wild energy and then collapse into lethargy. They try on new roles every week: this week the good student, next week the delinquent and the next, the artist.”

— Mary Pipher, Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls

[aelin-godkiller]

The tea is that when George RR Martin includes the rape of a 13 year old girl and Pat Rothfuss writes 100+ pages of boring fairy sex it’s “just sex” and they still get considered part of the serious fantasy canon, but when a female fantasy author does it suddenly it’s “gratuitous smut” and their books can never be considered Serious Fantasy Literature™️ because they wrote about female orgasms and powerful women finding love, and their readers are derided for enjoying the sex scenes and wanting the romance because only Stupid Silly Women™️ care about these things and besides, haven’t you heard that the only accepted literary sex is unhealthy sex that is Painful But Somehow Still Hot™️ because the only valid, serious type of relationship involves a man abusing a woman for the delectation of a male audience!!

[aelin-godkiller]

this post is still relevant and the tea is still piping 

[officialweatherwax]

If the male hero gets the girl, it’s a typical fantasy novel. If the female hero gets the guy, it belongs in the romance section.

[escapetoluna]

How to write about Grief:

There is no right or wrong way to experience grief. Just as there is no right or wrong way to write it. Everyone is different, each set of circumstances are different. 

The point of this post is to show you how different people react in different ways, and give points on how you might write that, depending on your character and story.

Reactions to Grief

Numbness: Your character may go into auto-pilot and be unable to process the events that have unfolded.

Anger: This can be aimed at other people, at a Higher Being, or at nothing in particular.

Unsteady: Your characters may be unsteady. For example, unable to stop their voice from shaking or they may find it difficult to stand.

Focusing on Others: Your character may disregard their own feelings because they are so overwhelmed and instead concentrate on someone else’s well-being. 

Seek out routines: Amid upheavals, your character may seek comfort in tasks that are familiar and “safe,” such as working, cleaning, making their bed, making absurd amounts of tea or taking a morning walk.

Pretending that Everything Is Okay: Grief is viewed as an emotion that should cease or be concealed once the funeral is over. So people mention the news in an offhand comment, then talk and laugh as if all is right with the world.

Denial: Some people deny the reality of death and convince themselves that the news is a joke or can’t be true.

Reactions from people surrounding your character:

People may avoid your character as they do not know what to say or simply can’t find the right words.

Some may even go as far as to cross the street when they notice your character approaching.

Even people that the character has known for years may act strange or standoff-ish, simply because they don’t know what to say.

On the other side of that, some people may be overly helpful and friendly.

It is not uncommon for estranged friends, family or others to suddenly reappear in a person’s life after they have experienced grief. 

Either because those people want to offer their support and love  or because they’re being nosy and they want to be kept up to date on the “drama”.

Most people will move on from the event fairly quickly if they weren’t emotionally invested. 

Some people may even get annoyed at your character for still being upset weeks or months later.

When talking about the person they have lost:

Your character may recall a memory or tell a story about their loved one, these are possible reactions. (I have encountered all of them.)

Your character may being to cry or get upset at the thought of the person they have lost. 

The person they are talking to may become awkward and avert eye contact when your character brings up the person they have lost. 

Others may ask or tell your character to stop talking about the person they have lost. They may roll their eyes, cough awkwardly, or cut off your character mid sentences so that they can change the subject.

Some people may ask inappropriate questions about the circumstances in which the character’s loved one passed away. Depending on the personality of your character then may react differently. 

Other things to note:

Grief is not constrained by time. 

One of the main problems with grief in fiction is that a character is typically heartbroken for a couple scenes and then happy again. But grief does not evaporate because the world needs saving. 

Allow your character to wrestle with their grief. 

Your character may feel guilty. Your character may feel a twinge of guilt when they laugh or have a good time with someone else; when they do something to remind them that they’re alive, and their loved one isn’t. 

Grief is a game changer. A previously outgoing character may withdraw and isolate themselves. Some people may take grief and/or bereavement as a sign that life is too short; they may make big decisions in an attempt to make themselves feel better and grow away from their pain.

Sometimes grief can help you find your purpose.

At first grief can be all consuming. It hurts and you can’t really control it. It may seem unrelenting. Eventually the grief will become easier to deal with, your character may find the days to be better, but that doesn’t mean that when the grief hits it doesn’t hurt any less.

For most people, grief never really goes away. “Sometimes you have to accept the fact that certain things will never go back to how they used to be.”

It is rare that a person will ever give a long speech about their feelings, a lot of people struggle to even find the words. But that’s okay. Show the reader how your character feels, rather than just telling them.

Don’t pause the plot to deal with the aspect of grief. This could overwhelm the readers and drag the pace down. In reality, life doesn’t just stop due to grief, the world keeps spinning and things still need to be done. Use the character’s grief as a backdrop for the story’s events.  

Yes, grief affects the character’s day-to-day life, goals, and relationships. But it shouldn’t drive readers away or stagnate the story. Instead, should engage readers and produce empathy that keeps them turning pages.

You don’t need to tell your readers that everything will be fine. You don’t need to provide all of the answers.

“Skirting grief and treating it lightly is easy. But by realistically portraying it through a variety of responses and its lasting effects on the character’s life, readers will form a connection with your characters.“

[twostepsfromtemerant]

Despite a lot of Hozier’s songs having sexual overtones, his music isn’t immediately associated with sex, or called crude. Common reactions  to mentioning him, depending on who you are talking to are “bogman!” or ‘that guy who did Take Me to Church”. Even though his music is just as sexual as pop music written by male artists, it isn’t immediately recognized as such because of how he shifts the power dynamics to favor women. In this essay I will…

[chronolith]

wait. OP. come back. 

[holdmecloseandfast]

Most sexualized pop music talks about sex like it’s something the singer is taking. Is entitled to. Hozier sings like it’s holy and he’s been given a blessing he doesn’t deserve and cherishes all the more for it.