shanaya

just a sparrow flying all day, waiting for the sunset.

[celestial-cages]

7 helpful resources for writers

story structure database from helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com

it is an archive of books and movies, recording major plot points. all their

words-to-use.com:

a word reference that groups subject-related words by parts of speech.

onelook.com:

helps you remember specific words that you can't seem remember at the moment. has other helpful categories. to it also search

campfire:

a versatile writing software. it lets you create characters, make maps, add reference notes, and more. these story elements are called modules.

writing realistic injuries by leia fee (an article):

pretty self explanatory title. the article discusses the reasons of a number of injuries and their effects on the character. it also has a list of references, which are helpful websites regarding this topic.

writer's search engine on hiveword.com:

helps you find articles on writing.

crimereads.com:

it has essays, interview, and excerpts from fiction and non fiction on noir, mystery, true crime, spycraft and thriller.

[celestial-cages]

45 story settings ideas for writers

• abandoned places:

a factory.

an amusement park at night.

a temple in the foothills of a dormant volcano.

a forgotten attic.

• situations:

how violence or terrorism starts in a place.

the peak of an active volcano.

the preparation or the start of a war.

during the construction of man-made wonders like the great wall of china, taj mahal or the great pyramids of giza.

• city/world:

a cyberpunk city.

a place without colours.

a hidden city underneath a major metropolis.

where nobody can lie.

where music is the main form of communication.

where dreams and nightmares become reality.

where ageing is a choice.

a city which floats in the sky.

• inside everyday things:

a video game.

a painting.

a snow globe.

• public places:

famous galleries.

an amusement park (at night)

a grand library.

an extravagant circus.

a bustling airport.

a theatre.

a concert hall.

a stadium

an aquarium.

a tattoo parlor.

a coffee shop or a café.

• vehicles:

a ship (pirate, cruise, etc)

a space station.

a deep-sea submarine.

a train travelling through time.

a limousine carring a public figure travelling through the town.

• miscellaneous:

a victorian school.

the sea bed.

a military base in a war zone.

the middle of a desert.

a lighthouse.

the catacombs beneath paris.

a nomadic caravan across the desert.

in a silent monastery.

a dungeon.

a tunnel system.

[celestial-cages]

writing prompts to get to know your characters better

• individual characters

write a description of them from the pov of their best friend.

write a description of them from the pov of a person who absolutely hates them.

write their earliest or favourite memory.

write their death scene even if you are not planning on killing them.

if your character had a yt channel, write the script of their most watched video.

• one on one friendships

first meeting is overdone. write their first fight instead.

write a series of text conversations between the two.

one character has been detained / arrested, and the other one is trying to get them out.

how would they behave at an elementary school sleepover?

they've been working on a joint bucket list since they became close. write the bucket list.

• friend groups

a group picture goes horribly wrong. write the scene.

find some 'most likely to' questions. use them within the group.

one of them goes out of town, and the rest of the group has to watch their house/plants/pets/kid while they're away.

one friend works at a restaurant. the other friends decide to eat there. describe how they get the friend fired in one night.

• romantic relationships

write their breakup scene. doesn't matter if they break up in the book or not.

someone kills one of them. describe the other one's reaction.

write the stupidest argument they've ever had.

they return to the place where they first met/kissed. somehow, the place has been changed, and not for the better.

write a proposal scene.

[my-forgotten-notepad]

Writblr tip and trick link Masterpost

the followring a bunch of links to a variety of tumblr blogs discussing things from fight scenes, types of romance, antagonists and how to flavour dialogue descriptors and how to build the voice and logic of your characters.

emotion chart

subplots

emotional writing tips

words other than said

character profile

body language

types of villains

elements of a fight scene

romance

action scenes

writers block

character flaws/buffs

rules for writers

Character's voice

sci-fi/dystopia/utopia genre post

virtue to vice spectrum

eldritch madness definition

dialogue options

expression descriptors

eldritch madness 2

trope, theme, archetype, motif and cliche

example of predestined outcome

a unique perspective on female representation in fiction

disguising a character's powerlevel with dialogue and physicality

notebook.ai (character construction/worldbuilding app)

narrative archetypes

how to create an impactful action heroine

eldritch madness 3

villain value system

writing advice

use of lifespan in a work

character profile 2

dialogue options 2

I want to have all these links here and easily available for reading and re-reading if an when I need them rather than needing to relentlessly dig through all of my likes to find any of the relevant material I want to look over. I hope other's find them as accessible and as usable as I do.

[celestial-cages]

ways to make a character's death sadder

make them have good relationships with the other characters, as well as the readers.

if possible, don't kill them after living a fulfilling life. leave one of their major goals incomplete.

make the character know that they're going to die, but they can't tell it to anyone else.

make a kind character kill them accidentally.

have the main cast face challenges that would've been solved easily if the deceased character was alive.

show the others characters grief over their death. remember to show, not tell.

have other characters find some information about the character even after they're dead. that makes the audience wish to explore the character more, and that they were alive.

have them die alone. and the other characters find it out when they were actually looking for them to tell them a happy news.

in continuation to the above tip, make the dying character already know the happy news. but they die before they could tell it to anyone else. and the other characters know none of this.

uh, have their pet coming to look for them.

[dean-colette-deactivated2026050]

controversial writing tip

open a document and start writing

[henderys]

unrealistic. blocked,

[celestial-cages]

how to write ship-able couples

give them reasons to click.

to start with, let the characters have something in common, let them bond over something.

have a reason why readers should root for their relationship with each other more than with someone else.

also, make their traits compatible.

there are endless possibilities, just make sure there is a good reason they like/love each other.

build the tension.

please do not get them together immediately.

personally, the best element of a romance is the tension.

don't put mindless obstacles and make it look forced.

make them fall in love slowly, have them be unsure of their feelings (the old school type of love yk)

if you feel comfortable with it and are able to portray it properly, you can add some sexual tension.

write a healthy romance.

abusive relationships might be popular now, but please don't let it prompt you to do that.

DO NOT romanticise things that shouldn't be.

in any relationship, respect is more important than love.

let your characters respect each other, grow together.

if two characters are not good for each other, how can you even think of them ending up together?

have people see their chemistry.

this is a no-brainer.

readers find it beyond adorable when two characters are confused about their feelings for each other, but them being in love with each other is obvious to the other characters.

have their friends tease them about it, or have them conspire to get them to admit their feelings ;)

an awkward adjustment period.

a relationship is not all roses.

when people start dating, there's a change in their dynamic and change isn't easy.

there'll be awkward moments, arguments, maybe some discomfort in going public with their relationship, new roles and responsibilities and learning more about each other.

the relationship won't be perfect right away, but nothing is, too.

[celestial-cages]

look who remembered that she has a tumblr account

[celestial-cages]

A list of questions to help you with world building

History

How far back does common recorded history go?

How much is known of time before recorded history?

To what degree does the history of different cultures/races vary?

Are there relics of earlier eras that predate this?

What form do these relics take? (ruined cities, massive standing stones, ancient but common near-indestructible charms passed down through families, etc).

What is known?

What is not known?

What is suspected?

Industry

What are some of the major industries?

What are major economic resources of note? (Iron, Steel, Mithril, Salt, etc.)

What are especially valuable economic resources? (Gold, Admantium, Crystallized Thaumataugical Energy, Silver, Refined Uranium Isotopes, etc)

Are there any reasonably common but extremely valuable resources that require a large infrastructure to create or refine?

Are there any major widely-used resources that are controlled by a single country or a group of countries?

What is the major power source and how is it generated? Stored? Transmitted? (electricity?)

What percentage of the population works on food production?

What are common crops?

What are common livestock animals?

Are animals used for transportation? If so, what kinds?

Technology

What is personal weapon technology like? For the military? For civilians? (melee? ranged?)

What is personal defense technology like? For the military? For civilians? (body armor? personal force shields?)

What is medical technology like? What can be healed? What cannot?

What are the Transportation Options? Riding animals? Motor Vehicles? What types of sea travel? Flight? Airplanes? Airships? (Woo Hoo! Big-Ass Zepplins!)

Society

How many major cultures are there?

What is their global population?

Where are they located geographically?

Do they have earth-analogues and what are they?

What led to their differences?

Do different cultures/lineages tend to have certain physical traits and if so, what are they?

What are class boundaries based on?

Geography

What is the geographical form of the setting? (ie: is the world flat, round, or a non-euclidean fragmented torus?)

What are some major Geographical differences between the Setting and Earth? (do Mountains tend to be much taller? are there large floating islands in the sky? is the subterranean riddled with a vast network of caves?)

How many continents are there?

How much is considered inhabited?

How much is considered uninhabited? (Why?)

What is known?

What is not known?

What is suspected?

Countries

How many major countries and/or political blocks are there and what are their relationships?

Where are they geographically?

What are their technology levels and population?

How many and what types of government civics are represented?

How common are wars?

What are some common examples of why there have been wars? (Religion?, resources? border disputes? cultural tensions?)

Cities

How many major cities are there, on average, per country?

How large (population) would you call a major city?

How are cities connected and what is the common mode of travel between cities?

How densely populated (#per sq km, this determines how large buildings are)

Trade connections?

Major trade routes/connecting roads/highways?

Political setup?

Religions

What are the major religions?

What are their cultural ties? (if any)

How much political influence do they wield?

Do the gods/spirits/ancestors worshiped talk back? are they capable of corporeal influence? Manifestation?

What are the common responsibilities and/or institutions managed by the religions? (care of the poor/sick, do they run hospitals, monasteries, orphanages, etc)

What are their attitudes towards Magic/Technology?

Do any of them have current (either overt or covert) training centers, mentors, or literature relating to Magic use?

Magic - (including psychic powers and massively advanced technology)

What forms does Magic take?

From what does Magic draw its power, and how renewable or directly replenishable is this resource? (mana potions?)

What can magic do and what can it not do?

What is known?

What is not known?

What is suspected?

Nemesis Race(s)

Where are they geographically?

What is their current population?

What are their long-term plans?

What resources do they need to survive?

What resources do they need for their technology or voodoo?

Do they have Magic? (or analogues)

Why are they Evil?

Information Flow

How quickly does information flow between regions?

In what form is the information passed?

How reliable is this information?

What effect do terrain, intervening populations, magic, and technology have on the transmission of information?

Are there repositories for shared knowledge? Where are they? How extensive?

What is the education level of a given populace?

by u/nightshayne on reddit