[cashahelpsroleplays-blog]

New theme. I think a lot of you will enjoy it. Peace out, homies. 

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Meeting your partner's para length: A how to

Have you ever been writing a para and realize that you’ve barely reached half of your partner’s length? You feel like you have everything you need, and in some cases you might, but you can usually find some place to expand.

But first of all:

Do not ever just write things to write things. Quality is always better than quantity. It is much better to have a short reply with substance than a long reply that goes nowhere. Don’t add things that you do not need. We don’t need to know every detail about the room the scene is taking place in or their feelings about tacos as they eat them on a date. It may add length, but what are you getting out of it? Nothing.

So with that out of the way, here are some things to consider:

Explore inner emotions. You don’t always say what you are feeling, and neither will your characters. Maybe they are having a moment with their significant other, they aren’t going to be vocalizing every single thing they love about the person (well they might be, but not a lot of people do that) so it’s okay to think some of it.

How do they feel? Are they comfortable? If so, why? Are they hot? If so, why. You can always expand on simple things like that, but make sure to keep it relevant  It is a fine line, but it’s important. 

Consider body language. Is the situation tense? Then perhaps their jaw is clenched, their posture rigid or their fists could be balled up. Maybe they had just been arguing with someone, then they could possibly be shaking, feel warm or be breathing heavily.

Consider past experience. Maybe they are at a playground that they frequented in their youth. They could briefly recall the time they were sitting on that very swing in the third grade and flipped over and broke their arm.

Consider surroundings. No, you should write some Robert Frost type paragraph about nature, but it’s always something to consider. It could be cold out, which could lead to them wearing a coat, which could lead to them bunching up the sleeves in a nervous habit. Small things like that actually can add to a character.

Take it in a new direction/make things move faster. Maybe they have been watching a movie, make the movie end and suggest they get something to eat. Or if they’re on a date, make your character’s ex be at the other side of the restaurant. Stuff like that can keep a para going or make a boring para slightly more interesting. (Just make sure that if it’s something major to run it by your partner.)

A few other pointers:

You don’t always have to meet your partner’s para length, it’s just always something to consider and really, it’s polite. You shouldn’t feel obligated. 

You don’t have to out do your partner’s response. If they wrote four paragraphs, you don’t have to write five.

If you are really having issues meeting length, ask if you can possibly shorten the para a bit. No, don’t go from 5 paragraphs to 1, but if you can only do 3 or 4, that’s acceptable.

Use the 3/4ths rule. When I am writing a para, I like to at least have 3/4ths of the length of my partner’s response.

Ask to take a break. If you are really having issues with a para, ask to take a break from it for a few days and then come back to it.

If it is a para that you are really hating, ask to politely end it. Sometimes you just aren’t feeling a para and you no longer want to write it. Just always consider your partner as well.

Look at if from a fresh perspective. Instead of thinking as your character, think as your partner, your character’s best friend, or someone looking on. 

Find inspiration. This just goes with any writing or artistic expression. Find a pandora station that fits your mood and press play. Sometimes amazing things happen.

[cashahelpsroleplays-blog]

I'm off to perform normal human tasks. Leave me any and all requests for when I return.

[cashahelpsroleplays-blog]

Brittany Snow and Jessica Capshaw 

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Template 8 pictures → How to use | Example (1)

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THEME 04 - Live Preview - (Download 1) (Download 2)

Sidebar Image: 200 width x 200 height. Hover Info in each post. Flip down sidebar effect. 7 extra links a part from HOME in the title and MESSAGE Navigation in the sidebar Opcional sidebar title and subtitle. RULES Please like/reblog this if you take it. Don’t remove the credits or move it to a secondary page. Don’t use this code as a base! You can make changes in the code if you need to, as long as (again), you don’t remove the credits. Don’t claim any of the content of this theme as your own. If you have any problems with this theme, or if something doesn’t work right, send me a message and I will do everything I can to fix it. Enjoy!

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» As Long As You Love Me ft. Big Sean (aka my husband) | Justin Bieber 

[cashahelpsroleplays-blog]

actually kind of like this oops

[rpcgron]

We’ve heard the old montage “Show, don’t tell” so many times that it’s become stale–and what does it mean, anyway? It’s an easy phrase to utter, but how do you achieve resonant, meaningful description that will make your words come alive? This simple checklist, from The Writer’s Little Helper by James V. Smith, Jr., is a concise list of best practices for creating rich imagery that will have your readers clamoring for more.

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Theme #04 { Live Preview (with title) - Download: with title / without title }

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100+ Unique Character Names

Under the cut are 100+ of my favorite unique/underused male & female character names - more to be added as I come across them :) Enjoy!

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THEME 002

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hopefully everything works decently! <3

the side header is 400px wide and 655px long, but you can edit that in the html if you wish

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» [#35] Bittersweet

LINKS PREVIEW | INSTALL UPDATED 10/20/2012 CREDIT fruitstyle [inspiration] · tastesofparadise [psd]

Important Info → Just have a few things to remind people about:

Recommended for:

text-based / role playing blogs

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PSD #23 ϟ DeviantArt | Like the post if downloading. Contains BW gradient map | vibrance | texture.

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Writers can use these 12 Archetypes to create characters

The 12 Common Archetypes by Carl Golden

The twelve archetypes are divided into ego types, self types, and soul types. 

1) The Four Ego Types   1. The Innocent Motto: Free to be you and me Core desire: to get to paradise Goal: to be happy Greatest fear: to be punished for doing something bad or wrong Strategy: to do things right Weakness: boring for all their naive innocence Talent: faith and optimism The Innocent is also known as: Utopian, traditionalist, naive, mystic, saint, romantic, dreamer.   2. The Orphan/Regular Guy or Gal Motto: All men and women are created equal Core Desire: connecting with others Goal: to belong Greatest fear: to be left out or to stand out from the crowd Strategy: develop ordinary solid virtues, be down to earth, the common touch Weakness: losing one’s own self in an effort to blend in or for the sake of superficial relationships Talent: realism, empathy, lack of pretence The Regular Person is also known as: The good old boy, everyman, the person next door, the realist, the working stiff, the solid citizen, the good neighbour, the silent majority.   3. The Hero Motto: Where there’s a will, there’s a way Core desire: to prove one’s worth through courageous acts Goal: expert mastery in a way that improves the world Greatest fear: weakness, vulnerability, being a “chicken” Strategy: to be as strong and competent as possible Weakness: arrogance, always needing another battle to fight Talent: competence and courage The Hero is also known as: The warrior, crusader, rescuer, superhero, the soldier, dragon slayer, the winner and the team player.   4. The Caregiver Motto: Love your neighbour as yourself Core desire: to protect and care for others Goal: to help others Greatest fear: selfishness and ingratitude Strategy: doing things for others Weakness: martyrdom and being exploited Talent: compassion, generosity The Caregiver is also known as: The saint, altruist, parent, helper, supporter.   2) The Four Soul Types           5. The Explorer Motto: Don’t fence me in Core desire: the freedom to find out who you are through exploring the world Goal: to experience a better, more authentic, more fulfilling life Biggest fear: getting trapped, conformity, and inner emptiness Strategy: journey, seeking out and experiencing new things, escape from boredom Weakness: aimless wandering, becoming a misfit Talent: autonomy, ambition, being true to one’s soul The explorer is also known as: The seeker, iconoclast, wanderer, individualist, pilgrim.   6. The Rebel Motto: Rules are made to be broken Core desire: revenge or revolution Goal: to overturn what isn’t working Greatest fear: to be powerless or ineffectual Strategy: disrupt, destroy, or shock Weakness: crossing over to the dark side, crime Talent: outrageousness, radical freedom The Outlaw is also known as: The rebel, revolutionary, wild man, the misfit, or iconoclast.   7. The Lover Motto: You’re the only one Core desire: intimacy and experience Goal: being in a relationship with the people, work and surroundings they love Greatest fear: being alone, a wallflower, unwanted, unloved Strategy: to become more and more physically and emotionally attractive Weakness: outward-directed desire to please others at risk of losing own identity Talent: passion, gratitude, appreciation, and commitment The Lover is also known as: The partner, friend, intimate, enthusiast, sensualist, spouse, team-builder.   8. The Creator Motto: If you can imagine it, it can be done Core desire: to create things of enduring value Goal: to realize a vision Greatest fear: mediocre vision or execution Strategy: develop artistic control and skill Task: to create culture, express own vision Weakness: perfectionism, bad solutions Talent: creativity and imagination The Creator is also known as: The artist, inventor, innovator, musician, writer or dreamer.   3) The Four Self Types   9. The Jester Motto: You only live once Core desire: to live in the moment with full enjoyment Goal: to have a great time and lighten up the world Greatest fear: being bored or boring others Strategy: play, make jokes, be funny Weakness: frivolity, wasting time Talent: joy The Jester is also known as: The fool, trickster, joker, practical joker or comedian.   10. The Sage Motto: The truth will set you free Core desire: to find the truth. Goal: to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world. Biggest fear: being duped, misled—or ignorance. Strategy: seeking out information and knowledge; self-reflection and understanding thought processes. Weakness: can study details forever and never act. Talent: wisdom, intelligence. The Sage is also known as: The expert, scholar, detective, advisor, thinker, philosopher, academic, researcher, thinker, planner, professional, mentor, teacher, contemplative.   11. The Magician Motto: I make things happen. Core desire: understanding the fundamental laws of the universe Goal: to make dreams come true Greatest fear: unintended negative consequences Strategy: develop a vision and live by it Weakness: becoming manipulative Talent: finding win-win solutions The Magician is also known as: The visionary, catalyst, inventor, charismatic leader, shaman, healer, medicine man.   12. The Ruler Motto: Power isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. Core desire: control Goal: create a prosperous, successful family or community Strategy: exercise power Greatest fear: chaos, being overthrown Weakness: being authoritarian, unable to delegate Talent: responsibility, leadership The Ruler is also known as: The boss, leader, aristocrat, king, queen, politician, role model, manager or administrator.

Note: There are four cardinal orientations: freedom, social, ego, order. The types have a place on these orientations.

Article via soulcraft.co

[ruem]

This is very good stuff. And it’s especially interesting when your protagonist isn’t one of the typical “main character” types like HERO and OUTLAW. Always consider fleshing out another archetype that you’ve been interested in but didn’t think would make a good focus of the story. Chances are, you’d be surprised at what you come up with!

[cashahelpsroleplays-blog]

15 Stock Characters — and How to Restock Them

By Mark Nichol

Does the cast of characters in your novel or short story fall under some of these categories? Take care that your characters don’t fall into the cliché trap: If you find that they resemble one of the stereotypes below, reconsider your characterization or at least provide the dramatis persona with a distinguishing personality characteristic that’s a twist on the same old, same old.

1. Antihero: This character, a protagonist (typically seen in detective and adventure genres) whose personality flaws distinguish him or her from a standard hero, is inherently much more interesting than the upstanding counterpart. The key characteristic is usually misanthropy, but that’s not enough to round a character out. An antihero must have a solid foundation on which to stand.

2. Absent-minded professor: Perhaps Professor Fumblebuttons is just pretending to be a shock-haired scientist who can’t remember where he put his glasses (“Um, the glasses you’re wearing?”). What’s his motive for his deception?

3. Boy/girl next door: Is John or Mary really what he or she seems? What dark secret does that wholesome countenance conceal? This character easily pales in comparison with a complicated villain or sidekick, so make an extra effort to invest your protagonist with personality — or relegate the squeaky-clean persona to a secondary role.

4. Clown/fool: Traditionally, the court jester — often someone of fragile mental stability or feigning the same — was the only person allowed to mock or question his powerful patron, and his antics involved not only lighthearted entertainment but also sometimes barbed satire or veiled criticism. A comic-relief character needs to be more than just a wisecracking or mischievous type. Perhaps he’s the omniscient narrator, or he’s pretending to be a smart-aleck to divert attention from his true purpose.

5. Damsel in distress: The helpless young maiden is one of the most tired tropes in storytelling — and so is the helpless young maiden turned butt-kicking babe. Better yet, imbue your ingenue with the characteristics of another character type, either one on this list or another stock persona.

6. Everyman: The peril of presenting a character designed to represent everyone is that he will appeal to no one. Make sure your everyman (or everywoman, or boy or girl edition) possesses enough distinguishing characteristics to be interesting, even intriguing. Remember: Relentlessly virtuous characters are boring, and stories in which they have no real challenges fail to engage readers.

7. Femme fatale: The enduring appeal of the deceptive villainess is whether she is in fact aiding or thwarting the protagonist. It’s a balancing act to keep readers guessing to the very end of the story—and that may not be enough. What if your femme fatale is herself deceived, either by the protagonist or by a third character? Twists within twists keep this trope fresh.

8. Hooker with a heart of gold: The bad girl turned good girl is a nice repudiation of moral intolerance, but it’s a stale stereotype. As in the case of her sister the femme fatale, readers shouldn’t be able to predict how she will behave. Is a second-act act of kindness part of a climactic ruse? Is she pressured to betray the protagonist, or is it part of her own plot?

9. Knight-errant: This bright-eyed variant of the hero can drag down a story with him (or her) — take care that the conscientious crusader is not too glistening of tooth and sparkling of eye. The most interesting knight-errant in literature is Don Quixote, who was an abject failure (and was all the more appealing for his indefatigable idealism).

10. Manic pixie dream girl: This phrase, coined relatively recently, refers to the offbeat and seemingly off-her-rocker character who upends the protagonist’s carefully ordered world. The problem? She’s done and overdone — at least in films. For the stereotype to not be stale, there has to be more to her than quirk. Why is she such a goofball?

11. Nerd: Geek, dork, nimrod — been there, done that. But, for example, in the brilliant film Brick (film noir meets adolescent angst), the school brain is not an object of scorn but an awkward, laconic human database for the teenage gumshoe — and there’s a touch of empathy for him in the way the lead character keeps him at arm’s length. What makes a nerd a nerd? And what makes him (or her) interesting? Hints of depth, or of deviousness, or both.

12. Sidekick: The protagonist’s right-hand man or woman serves as a counterpoint: intrepid vs. timid, serious vs. silly, and so on, one way or the other. Make sure your lead character’s attendant complements him or her, but also keep their relationship fresh by introducing some vulnerability in the main character the subordinate can exploit.

13. Tomboy: The tomboy transformed is a tired trope, not much better than the mousy maiden who becomes a blithe beauty just by taking off her eyeglasses. Resist the urge to go the Cinderella route: If an androgynous or athletic woman or girl refuses to conform to societal standards for feminine appearance, go with it. But why does she rebel against such norms? That’s the key to her character.

14. Tortured artist: In literature as in real life, complicated creative types are tiresome. A broadly comic tortured artist may be an effective device, but the writer must handle this type with care

15. Wise man: The scholarly mentor is a time-tested element of many classic stories (think Merlin, or Yoda), so any such character must possess distinct traits. Perhaps your story’s wise man is brilliant about some things but inept concerning others — he needs his protégé’s help in affairs of the heart, or, like the absent-minded professor, with whom he shares some characteristics, is a sage when it comes to intellectual areas but is at a loss when it comes to practical matters.