Lady the Gypsy

Hello. I am woman. From Hypnorealm. Pleased to meet you.

[corvase]

character insecurities

insecurities are honestly a construct and the dumbest thing society has conditioned us to believe matter because i could literally make this a prompt of random things and it would probably be accurate but anyway! feel free to use <3

your character is insecure about:

how loud they speak

their accent

how passionate they get about certain things

their recent haircut

their height

their clothing style

their place in their friend group

their place in society… especially if they’re a minority

the way they think people perceive them

their hobbies

their lack of hobbies

their lack of friends

the fact that they have a lot of friends

their personality

their openness

how much they talk and who they talk to about it

their past

their future

their present… like they are insecure about where they’re at and wish they were in a better state

the place they live

their lack of confidence

their writing style… haha

their talents .. or lack thereof

their past lovers i.e. feeling like someone they were with didn’t value them

hope this helps !!

[holywyrm]

Villain things I want to see more of

Actually funny. Not making jokes at other people's expense, not the butt of the joke, just villains that have absurd senses of humour and top-notch intentional comedic timing,

CHARISMA!!! Please, can we have more charming villains, villains that can sway a crowd, villains that get away with things because their too polite, too well-spoken, too funny to possibly to evil.

Respected. Villains whose villainous deeds have led them to success and made them widely respected members of society. To be clear, this isn't respected person who is secretly evil. No. I mean, the bad things they've done are the reason they're respected.

Let them win. Let them win because their plan succeeded. Not because the protagonists fucked up, not by pure luck. Let them earn their victories.

Supporters! Lots of them. The more powerful your villain is, the more supporters they are going to need. If the evil king is unpopular with everyone he's not going to stay king for long. He needs allies, lots of them, especially if he's a tyrant.

Knows how to play the game. Manipulative villains who say whatever they have to to get their way, chose their allies and enemies carefully, bribe and blackmail, play the victim, the hero, or even the innocent when it suits them. Make it hard for your protagonists to convince anyone they are a villain at all.

Cold Steel. Give me villains that don't get angry easy, that laugh things off, that kill because it's efficient and for no other reason.

Clever and creative. Strategists who always have a trick up their sleeve and problem solvers with personal flare.

Show other characters reacting with fear. Nothing rams home how terrifying a villain is quite like watching other powerful characters fall to their knees--fast--when they walk in the room.

Irredeemable despite their tragic backstories. For the love of god people, tragic backstories do not justify a villain's actions. You can have empathy for what they've endured while still expecting them to take responsibility for what they've become.

Unconventionally attractive. Take this however you want. I, for one, would like to see more tortured bad boys who aren't white and shredded. But also, villains whose attractiveness lies in how they talk, their body language and facial expressions, and their outfits. Why do y'all think smirking is such a popular word??

Love. Let them love their spouses, their children, their friends. Not in an abusive way either. Let them have healthy relationships with their still living wives, daughters, sons, comrades in arms etc.

Kind. Give me villains who tip well, who put their own garbage away even though the servants could do it, who remember their henchmen's names, who are good with kids, who donate to charity and not just for the tax incentives

[em-dash-press-deactivated202410]

Connecting With Your Reader's Emotions

We’ve all read a book or story that captured our hearts and made us feel things very deeply. It’s a superpower writers have, but it isn’t something we’re born with.

Connecting with your reader’s emotion happens when you’ve practiced writing. It becomes easier after each rough draft, each great draft, and each terrible draft.

But—if you want to save yourself some time, these are a few perspectives you can use to sharpen your writing tools.

1. Display Your Protagonist’s Inner Emotions

Your readers want to experience a character’s journey by connecting with them emotionally. We pick up books to feel things while learning something or just taking a break from life.

Displaying your protagonist’s inner conflict could look something like: She saw the ghost in the hallway, which scared her.

Your reader will feel more engaged if you describe how fear makes your protagonist feel instead of them feeling fear generally: She saw the ghost in the hallway and fear shot through her body like lightning.

You don’t need tons of flowery language to make your reader feel the same things as your character. Sometimes a minor descriptor or simile can do the job.

2. Show Your Protagonist’s Feelings Through External Reactions

Emotions don’t solely exist inside our hearts and minds. We also have external reactions to them. That could be nodding in confusion, shifting uncomfortably in a chair, or bending over laughing.

Consider this example:

“I love your laugh,” Anita said to Alice. “It makes my heart skip a beat.”

Heat spread through Alice’s cheeks as she smiled.

“Oh, you don’t mean that.”

You don’t need to mention how it feels to receive a compliment from a crush or why flattery is nice to hear. The physical reaction of blushing is something the reader can relate to and understand.

3. Make Your Reader Feel Something Your Character Doesn’t

This is a fun one. Sometimes characters have to figure something out, but the reader already knows what’s going on.

This could happen when you’re writing a horror story that is supposed to teach the reader about the joy of recognizing your own strength. The protagonist has the skills in the beginning to defeat the evil antagonist, but must reach rock bottom before cheering himself on. The whole time, the reader knows they can beat the antagonist and survive because they have the brains/strength/creativity, etc.

You could also write an enemies-to-lovers arc where it’s obvious to the reader that both characters are in love with each other long before they realize it. The reader should want them to embrace the scary feeling of falling in love, because that’s what you’re trying to teach through your story.

Consider Your Story’s Purpose

Writers have a purpose behind every story. What do you want readers to learn, consider, or experience through your own? You can use these methods of connecting with your reader’s emotions to make your plot’s purpose that much more powerful and engaging.

[slayingfiction]

Writing about body pain

Body pain happens all the time in real life. When writing your story, you want to bring your characters to life. By creating characters and an environment that is immersive and realistic (as possible), it helps your readers relate to your characters. This is a quick guide to body pain, that is especially useful for all those adventures your characters will be going on. No one survives a dragon attack or war without some kind of injury. At the very least, some muscle soreness.

3 stages of healing:

1st stage: Acute This is the start of the process after getting hurt. Depending on the severity, often lasts up to a week. Characteristics: severe pain, inflammation/swelling, dark bruises (red, black and blue), muscle weakness, muscle spasms, reduced range of motion.

2nd stage: Sub-Acute This is when your body is starting to heal the tissue by creating scar tissue to replace or repair damage. Can last several weeks Characteristics: reduced swelling, bruises are clearing (yellow, green, brown), range of motion is starting to improve,less pain than before.

3rd stage: Chronic This is the final stage of the healing process. It can last months, if not years. Your body is finally adapting to the changes. Pain is no longer associated with the injury, but instead how the body healed. Characteristics: no bruising, little to no swelling, mature scar tissue (usually tough, and harder to move than other tissue), pain is more of an ache, not sharp. If not taking care of, mature scar tissue can cause muscle tension and reduced range of motion. Pain mostly comes on at the end range of a movement, or with stretching.

Visceral Pain:

Visceral pain is organ pain. When one of your organs are causing problems, or are in pain, it typically feels more like a dull pain, or a pressure. The pain is usually vague, so it’s hard to tell where it’s coming from. Thankfully, visceral pain usually follows typical pain patterns, and you can easily find charts online. Example: Lung and diaphragm pain is usually around your neck and shoulders.

Nerve pain:

Nerve pain happens when the nerve is being pinched, compressed or was directly injured. Characteristics: shooting, tingling, zaps, numbness, stabbing or burning. Numbness is not like an analgesic. It can be a reduced sensory feelings, meaning you may not feel it if someone touches that part, but it can be very painful. Nerve pain will follow the length of the nerve.

Bone and joint pain:

These pains are directly associated with a trauma. Pain is localized to the specific bone or joint. Characteristics: Usually described as a sharp pain, especially with movements involving the painful area.

Muscle Pain:

Muscle pain is extensive. Muscles work hard to protect your body while injured. Muscles will tense when the body is in pain, which usually results in more problems. This pain can be caused by overuse, injury, emotional and physical stress, or compensation for other injuries. Characteristics: deep steady aches, sharp, shooting pain, soreness, burning in muscles, spasms. Muscles will have two main problems if not injured: tension and trigger points. Trigger Points (aka knots) happen in very tense muscles. Trigger points follows specific patterns in each muscle. Example: a trigger point in the upper traps muscle is felt in the head, neck and shoulders. Pains and tensions like these can often be the cause of headaches.

Pain priority:

Your brain processes pain in a specific way. Most often, your brain is so busy running everything, when it comes to experiencing pain, it can’t do it all at once. Thankfully. This means, if you have pain in your neck, your back, and your feet, there will usually only be one as the most painful while the others are background pain. The worst pain will usually be associated with your activities, and which part of your body you’re using the most. When getting rid of one of these pains, the next most painful one will be most noticeable. Have you ever had pain on one side of your body, then had it fixed with physio or a massage, then all of a sudden you notice pain somewhere else? It may not be new, it’s just that your body wasn’t focusing on that problem.

Let me know if this was useful to you, or if you have any questions or comments. Please let me know if something I wrote is wrong.

Follow for more writing tips :)

Happy Writing!

[nanowrimo]

Step Up Your Character Game: Character Building Through Repeated Actions

There are many ways to establish character building in your writing. NaNo Participant Kathryn A. Patterson talks about how you can use repetition of certain actions to show off your characters’ personalities! I find inspiration for my writing in the usual places: podcasts, the dog park, alien encounters. This year I found a nugget in, of all places, a book about how to build habits.

In Atomic Habits, James Clear discusses the word identity. He traces the origins of the word back to two Latin words:

   • essentitas: which means the essential of something, being    • identitum: which means repeatedly

Identity translates literally into “repeatedly being”.

How does this affect my writing? Two words: character building.

Keep reading

[writingwithfolklore]

10 Questions to Ask About your World

What are the common theories about the universe? (Fate, free will, what’s out there? Gods?)

How much does this society know about its world? (how much is explored versus not, are they fully aware of their history or are there things they haven’t discovered yet? What’s beyond their scope?)

What sort of religions or communities exist?

What foods do they eat, what wouldn’t be as normalized?

What traditions do they have? Festivals, celebrations, holidays, etc.

How does the average person spend a Sunday?

Is there a skill that’s expected for people to know? (ex. where I live most people know how to ride a bike) Is there something that would be odd in this society to know?

Do people drive or do they transit or do they walk? How do people get around?

How do people communicate with each other? (Phones, letters, birds, etc.)

What’s something that makes your setting unique or fit specifically for your story?

Good luck!

[holywyrm]

Bad Pacing Advice

Anything that can go wrong, should go wrong. Right?

Not necessarily.

This is really common advice for when a plot feels flat or boring. And sometimes, it's really good advice. But sometimes, it the worst advice you could get. It really depends on why the plot is feeling flat.

A plot is made up of beats: events that have to happen in order to move the plot forward. Another way of saying this is, what things need to happen before the story's conflict can be resolved?

When a plot is falling flat, it generally has one of three problems. Either there aren't enough story beats, the story is moving too quickly from one beat to another, or the story is moving too slowly from one beat to another.

Making things go wrong is good advice if there aren't enough story beats. Too few beats means there might be too much space between beats where the story can sag and get boring. In other words, slow pacing. It can also make the conflict seem too easy to resolve, because story beats are often obstacles that need to be overcome before the story can satisfactorily end.

However, if your story is moving too quickly between beats, making things go wrong isn't always the right answer. It can work if you deliberately use a set-back to delay getting between two points that would otherwise be too close. But just making something go wrong for the sake of it will only add more beats to the story, it won't slow them down.

If your story is moving too slowly, making more stuff go wrong is about the worst thing you can do. At best it just makes your story longer. At worst, it adds new beats between your already existing beats, increasing the distance between them even more. It might seem counter intuitive but making things go wrong (killing a character, losing a fight, getting captured, friendship and relationship drama etc.) can actually slow your pacing down more.

I notice this issue a lot in epic fantasy stories. Maybe it's just me, but I find when things are constantly going wrong -- when the plot isn't getting any closer to being resolved because every time the characters try to take a step forward they end up worse off than before -- I get frustrated and bored. I just start thinking "here we go again. Get to the point!!"

Sometimes your characters need to succeed too. Good pacing isn't making your characters fail at every opportunity. It's knowing when to let them fail and when it's time to move forward.

[ellesliterarycorner]

Writing Subplots

Who doesn’t love a good subplot? Some of my favorites books are the ones that have super interesting subplots because who doesn’t love hearing about that secondary character development arc or those lovely side characters with the inevitably doomed romance? What’s not to like? But, subplots can often be one of the hardest to write and the most misunderstood storytelling elements. They aren’t part of the main narrative thread, so they can’t overtake it, but they also need to have their own story arc separate from the main plot. It’s a delicate balance that can be kind hard to strike, because subplots aren’t just secondary plot-lines, they have to serve a narrative purpose and engage with the story’s central conflict. 

First, let us define some different kinds of subplots

Mirror Subplot: A subplot where a side character experiences a conflict that mirrors the protagonist’s main conflict and gives the protagonist the insight or motivation they need to resolve their own conflict.

Romantic Subplot: The protagonist’s relationship with a love interest complicates their journey to resolve the story’s central conflict.

Parallel Subplot: a subplot where something seemingly unrelated occurs at the same time as the main plot and then all of a sudden the two plots collide towards the end of the book.

Complicating Subplot: a subplot where a secondary character’s actions actively complicates the protagonist’s journey with the central conflict

Foil Subplot: a subplot where a secondary character experiences the same or a very similar conflict as the protag but wants to resolve that in a different way (this contracts or creates a “foil” that highlights the protagonists qualities and characteristics)

There are a lot more different kinds of subplots, but these are some of the most common, so here are some tips for writing subplots!

Is That Necessary? 

This is the first question we should ask ourselves anytime we add anything to our stories, but especially subplots. Sometimes, authors (meaning me) will get to the end of writing their first draft and realize that they are not anywhere close to their goal word count. To remedy this, they will just throw in a cute little subplot. Unfortunately, friends, this does not work. The best, effective subplots should be integral to a story’s central conflict. If you can remove your subplot from the story without their being a big impact on the central conflict, then the subplot doesn’t really serve a strong narrative purpose. We most often see this problem arise in romantic subplots. Authors will just throw in a romance or the dreaded love-triangle as a subplot for absolutely no reason. I’m the first person to admit I love a good romantic subplot, but I also like it to be there for a good reason. That is why the Hunger Games will never go out of my top five all time books/series because despite what a lot of people think the romantic subplot in that story is essential. Katniss and Peeta’s love story is the reason they both survive the Games which is the central conflict of the book. It works perfectly, and if you want a good example of a subplot done well, look no further.

Keep the SUB in Subplot

Honestly, sometimes the subplot really is better than the main plot. That’s not necessarily a good thing, but I think we have all read a book where the main plot just drags and you just can’t wait to get back to your favorite side characters and their little adventure. But, a good subplot shouldn’t steal the limelight from the main plot. It should enhance the main plot and maybe add a layer of complexity but never overshadow. Going back to my example for the day, the Hungers Games does a really good job of this. I read something once where someone said Katniss’s romance overshadows the Games and the Rebellion, and I was like, did we read the same book? If you go back and read the books, Katniss doesn’t think about her romance with Gale or Peeta all that much. She’s mostly thinking about her own survival and the survival of her family. Both of which relate directly to the main plot. We never forget about the romance in the book because it is important, but in my opinion, it never overshadows the main plot of the Games and the Rebellion even in the first book where it’s more heavily featured. 

But, Its Still A Plot

On the flip-side of that, even though the subplot shouldn’t overshadow the main plot, it still needs to follow its own narrative arc. This is where a lot of new author’s get lost. A subplot is way more than just a short conversation or a quick event that inconveniences or helps the protagonists. All your subplots need their own beginning, middle, and end. Make sure that you definitely developed all of your story’s subplots accordingly. That includes paying attention to all of your characters’ goals, motivations, and the conflict that they experience. Generally when I’m in the development stages of the subplot, I develop it the same way that I develop one of my main plots. While they do not necessarily need the same attention or development as your main plot, developing them with the same goals in mind will only help you in the long run!

[ahb-writes]

How to Finish a Novel: 10 Ways to Follow Through

Make time to write

Create a story plan (outline)

Write to S.M.A.R.T. goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based)

Have a system in place to silence doubt

Get a writing buddy

Avoid comparing yourself to others

Use your writing time effectively

Avoid perfectionism (the first draft is for you)

Prepare for the middle slump

Want to finish your book

[hypnocutiegypsy]

Camp Nano Day 17 & 20

 The Goddess

day 1 | day 3 | day 4 | day 5 | day 6 | day 7 | day 8| day 9 | day 10 | day 11 | day 12 | day 13 | day 14 | day 15 | day 16 | day 17 | day 18 | day 19 | day 20 | day 21 | day 22 | day 23 | day 24 | day 25 | day 26 | day 27 | day 28 | day 29 | day 30 | day 31

Hey guys! I’’m still hanging in here because I’ve never been able to keep up something like this for this long. I hope I can keep it up, I’m gonna keep at it. You all help me with your posts too [tagged folks] and anyone who reads this. I appreciate you helping me get the words out. Even if it’s just so I can read them back to myself. :D

7/17/18 Progress: 594 words

Today’s Progress: 584 words

Total Progress: 7,066/ 10,000 words

Never ever would I have thought I could get this far on my own, especially these past few days. #personal win. :)

Excerpt:

Goshen began to slow as they approached the inner sanctum; a dome within the temple at it’s very center which served as the altar for royal coronations, weddings, and other ceremonies…

It was considered the second most holy and revered edifice on the island. Only the Funerary Altar or the Vedic Gateway as many called it, held more power in the eyes of the priests. The dome was lined with stained glass of amber and hues of sandy brown. Inside cloaked figures often kneeled round a semi circle of stairs which tapered up into an oval dias which held a two story Idol of the goddess Eingana depicted standing amid ripples of water painstakingly carved into marble and encrusted with lapis lazuli and carnelian along her billowing gown. Her smooth serene face wreathed in wavy hip length locks looked tenderly down upon the stairs of the dais with infinite love and acceptance. Her hands were gently outstretched, palms up, welcoming pure and impure alike. 

But on this morning the inner sanctum was reserved for the queen as it often was. More often, commoners prayed at the shore or at makeshift home altars with miniature idols of driftwood or shells. Goshen opened the door and stepped aside. Upon entry, Ahumai heard the doors shut behind him. 

Ahumai saw his mother there at the bottom of the stairs of the dais, kneeling on an embroidered velvet burgundy pillow. Her long flowing white gown bunched and gathered at her ankles, blanketed by the pale blue prayer robe she had neatly draped over her head and shoulders. Her eyes were closed, her mouth pressed into a reverential line of focus, and her brows were raised like her upturned palms in earnest supplication.

At one point in time, Ahumai had looked upon his mother’s steadfast devotion with admiration, aspiration even. He struggled to remember that time, call upon it and wear its memory. A ruddy faced child, no doubt, naive and doting. He remembered sitting in her lap, face pressed to her bosom as she stroked his cheek lovingly. There was a time that her fervent prayers made him feel safe. Now it only reminded him of what mattered more to her than he did.

“You’re late, Prince Ahumai,” announced Queen Amadahy so that her words echoed in the immense chamber.

“Good morning, Mother…” exhaled Ahumai.

She had not opened her eyes yet, but she continued to speak.

“The priests arrive an hour before sunrise,” she intoned in that deep voice of hers that vibrated up through the soles of his bare feet.

“I’m not late, mother. And I’m not yet a-” he was coolly rebutted before he could finish.

“But you will be a priest, High Priest,” her eyes snapped open, “you should treat this as your very own temple for soon you will have your own. I will not have you embarrass me at Vesta.”

“So, this is settled then, it’s a sure thing…” Ahumai felt his heartbeat growing louder in his ears.

“I’m sure of it. That’s all that matters,” she turned her eyes to the towering figure of Eingana. 

“What of the priests and their reviews of me, what of-”

“What of them, son? They needed no swaying.The priests believe  you are the perfect candidate. Your purity is marvelous. They say they don’t understand how they had not seen it before.”

“Because you had not told them to see it.” Ahumai felt all his fear rushing into his throat threatening to choke his words. “This was never a trial, or temporary, to test my ability for the task. I never needed to try so hard - it wouldn’t have mattered would it? The outcome would be no different…

Ahumai couldn’t remember when he’d begun clenching his fists, but now he strove not to draw blood from his palms.His jaw set tight, eyes narrowed.

“If you wanted me gone so badly, they why all the formalities? If you will it, have me gone and be done with it!”

Before he could finish, he found himself storming off and tossing the last bitter words over his shoulder in blind anger. Pain. Rejection.

“You WILL RESPECT THIS ALTAR!” bellowed the Queen, her voice deeper than the treacherous depths. 

He could hear the thick rustle of her fabric as she quickly flourished sweeping after him like hungry waves. He turned to face her and met her face to face. The tension in his jaw crept slowly up to his temples threatening a headache.

“Respect be damned,” he seethed, “ It’s you who disrespect me; sending me off to the Mainland like some common impure bastard child. Are you hoping I’ll just drown at sea and wash away your own sins-”

He watched her slap him. He watched her hand rear back and quickly bring heat to his face. He was so angry he wanted it to happen, so angry he wanted to fight. But after her hand left the sting of chastisement on his cheek, all he felt was empty. He wanted only to be blown away by the eastward winds, washed away with the tide. 

Her serene mask of calm returned.

“Repent of your sins at Her feet, lest your impurity be sullied by these profane emotions.

His eyes remained downcast as she spoke. Each word was like bits of glass embedded beneath his skin.

“Find me when a priest has absolved you. We have much to discuss about your journey.” 

She left him then, in a swirl of disillusioned self righteousness. 

I know it was long this time, but I really wanted to show you what I’ve been working on. This was all in one go and probably rushed a bit pacing wise, but let me know what you think please. All criticism is appreciated. Love you guys.

Peeps who are pretty cool:

@sincerestaffect, @zekethegm, @paper-shield-and-wooden-sword, @siarven,

@creativityflows, @idleunsung, @izraiel, @beautifulimposter25, @writtenhastily

[thelatestkate]

the baby fuzzbutt studies you with determination   °˖✧*•  Shop, Patreon, Books, Mailing List *•. ✧˖°`

[iodhadh]

Y’all, please listen to this song. This is Mongolian folk rock by a new band called the HU, it’s the only song they’ve got out so far but it is a strong start, holy shit.

According to one of the comments on the video, it’s sung from the perspective of the spirits of the ancestors, who are lamenting that politicians aren’t keeping their word, Mongolians are discriminating against each other over their provincial origin or bloodline, and the traditional wisdom of the elders is being lost. The English translation in the captions isn’t great, but you really don’t need it to enjoy the song. This is going to be stuck in my head all weekend.

[jacensolodjo]

They have an entire album out now! And you can listen to every song on it for free on your choice of streaming service.

[dewogong-blog]

[infinity-imagined]

The collision between the Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy.

[anneretic]

the grand showdown

[proxydialogue]

Andromeda is a bit bigger than us. So when that happens, Andromeda’s black hole is gonna consume our black hole in a vicious act of galactic canabalism. 

Which is an actual term used in astronomy apparently. 

[pagannerd]

“Galactic Cannabalism” sounds like an electro/death metal fusion band.

[procyonvulpecula]

Galactic cannibalism is one of my favourite astronomical terms, but it doesn’t beat the term used for the stretching out into a long thin tube that occurs when something falls into a black hole (spaghettification) or the term used for a rock thought to be a meteorite but which later turns out to be an ordinary terrestrial rock (meteowrong).

[nanowrimo]

How to Tackle NaNoWriMo With Clinical Depression

One of the most important things to keep in mind when you’re writing is making sure that finishing your project doesn’t adversely affect your mental health. Today, writer Andrea Tomé shares how she balances writing and mental health needs: There’s this trope in which writers almost always have a mental disorder that always grants them WRITING SUPERPOWERS. They’re able to finish a whole draft in two days, providing they have enough cheese balls and Coke cans on their desk (think Johnny Depp in Secret Window).

For some authors, writing is therapeutic. Me? My depression is so linked to my perfectionism that every time I struggle with my writing, I’m paralyzed. The white page is enormous, and it blinds me; writing a sentence requires Herculean strength.

I entered November feeling at my lowest, but I wanted to win NaNoWriMo. I was sure that my depression would always be this massive rock in my way unless I started learning to work in spite of it.

Keep reading

[neoyorzapoteca]

The Woman Dies | Aoko Matsuda | Granta Magazine

[thegoodvybe]

[444hp]