I created this side blog, initially because I got inspired to make a questionnaire out of frustration towards poor smut in fics. ( -> the questionnaire in questioning) And I wanted a clean slate to advertise(?) the questionnaire, to then post the results if it gained enough attention to even have results.
Now, long story short, I intended to be a semi professional, extremely kind, writing tip blog ✍. My vision for this blog is to just make but not limited too, spur of the moment posts about;
Spelling
Misused Phrases
Proof Reading
Synonyms
Observations that aren't directly related to writing but do relate (see this post in example of what I mean)
Prompts
And many more things you can see on the masterlist
Some posts may be reblogged posts from other writing tips blogs, writers, or people that have posted something that fits the bill. They'll still be added to the masterlist, I'll just add a "by *blog name* on the end of the link to give credit where credit is due.
I am open to anons/messages if there is something you want to talk about anything, ask questions, propose a topic of discussion for a survey and/or submit a helpful tip of your own. Just bare with and I will get around to answering.
You can find the MASTERLIST to all the posts -> HERE
I fully intend for this to be as nice a writing tips blog as possible. I just want it to be a place where writers of all capabilities can get support. It is no place to shame peoples writing skills that is not the intention.
I would like to add disclaimer that
THESE ARE NOT GOSPEL
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THE ADVICE
IF YOU DON'T LIKE DON'T READ❗❗❗
THESE ARE BORN FROM MY PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS OR OTHERS.
WHEN I SAY ON A POST THERE IS NO ROOM FOR ARGUMENT I MEAN IT ❗❗
THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE AN ATTACK
Also I'm aware English isn't everyone's first language so I'll never come across or make posts that seem really ignorant of that.
Writers can make mistakes that okay and in no way is this blog meant to be taken as I'm penalizing them.
I won't answer plain rude anons. IF it's rude but there is room for education I'll answer but be prepared to potentially not like the answer.
__________________________________________
Thank You for reading and taking your time to check out my blog
I hope life's treating you well. I’m Esmeray and I welcome you to this post on my blog Dear Esmeray.
Have you ever wondered how colors can shape your readers' experience? Today, I'll share with you some color psychology and explore how it can enhance your writing.
Pink:
Sensitivity
Love
Kindness
Friendly
Tenderness
Vulnerability
Red:
Life
Victory
Blood
Wrath
Boldness
Danger
Passion
Violence
Black:
Power
Authority
Elegance
Protection
Formality
Sophistication
Mystery
Death
Boldness
Sadness
Evil
Orange:
Fire
Protection
Fresh
Cheerful
Optimistic
Warmth
Green:
Growth
Renewal
Harmony
Prosperity
Energy
Blue:
Travel
Trust
Relaxation
Calm
Authority
Purple:
Loyalty
Inspiration
Imagination
Mystery
Regal
Wisdom
Arrogance
So next time you write, consider the colors you choose – they may have more power than you think. With a thoughtful palette, you can paint your story in a whole new light. Happy writing!
With love,
Esmeray ♡
This is getting kind of ridiculous, guys. WHY ARE SO FEW PEOPLE REBLOGGING ANYTHING???
Not reblogging is not funny! It’s actually really rude to the authors whose works you read!!!
Let me explain why…
This is the current status of my last fic:
As you can see, there are 6 reblogs and 40 likes
Now, 2 of those reblogs are me, responding to the people who did reblog it. So that brings the true reblog tally down to 4.
In other words:
4 reblogs and 40 likes
There are 10 times as many people who like my fic, than who reblog it!!!
If you just click like, no one else sees it.
If you reblog it, anyone can see it.
I write fics to share the things I like and find friends. If you don’t reblog, I can’t share my work, and I don’t find new friends. That’s how most of you found my work. Others, whom you may or may not have previously known, reblogged my work. And then it popped up on your dash. Simple as that.
The fix is simple: if you like a fic. It’s ok to like it, IF AND ONLY IF YOU ALSO REBLOG IT FOR YOUR FRIENDS!!! It doesn’t matter if you don’t have followers, you don’t need followers to increase visibility of someone’s hard work!
I put a lot of effort into these! ALL I ASK IS THAT YOU REBLOG IT SO I CAN FIND MORE PEOPLE WITH COMMON INTERESTS!!! You don’t even have to add a comment or tags, just click the reblog button!!! PLEASE!!!! Just help a writer out for crying out loud!!! IT’S NOT EVEN HARD!!!!
I have seen so many posts like this and STILL only 1/10 can be bothered to reblog.
It only takes like 5 seconds, tops!!!
I know it’s hard to figure out what to say when you’re shy, which many of us are.
NEWS FLASH: you don’t have to say anything. Just click “reblog” then “post now”
I’m begging you, just reblog for the love of fan fiction!!!! SIMPLE AS THAT!!! THATS ALL WE WRITERS WANT!!!
I’m not even asking for money. Tho, based on the lack of kind interaction here, I might stop posting to tumblr at all
IF YOU LIKE A FIC DONT FORGET TO CLICK REBLOG!!!
That is all it takes to be a nice fellow fan. Simple, and easy!
A reminder to all my lovely fellow writers: progress is progress, even when it isn't. Writing four thousand words in a session is progress. Writing a hundred words in a session is progress. Removing an entire scene because it doesn't flow well is progress. Rethinking your plan for the plot in order to get unstuck is progress. Development looks different for every writer and every story.
Writing fight scenes requires a delicate balance of action, emotion, and detail to keep readers engaged and immersed in the moment.
Here are some tips to craft compelling fight scenes:
Know your characters: Understand their fighting styles, strengths, and weaknesses—are they offensive, or defensive? Spontaneous, or strategic? Trigger-happy, or reluctant? Their personalities and motivations will influence their actions and decisions during the fight.
Create tension: Build tension leading up to the fight to increase the stakes and make the action more gripping. Foreshadowing, verbal sparring, or physical intimidation can all contribute to a sense of anticipation.
Use sensory details: Engage the reader's senses by describing the sights, sounds, smells, and physical sensations of the fight. This helps to create a vivid and immersive experience—but make sure not to overdo it. Too much detail can distract from the adrenaline of the fight.
Maintain clarity: Ensure that the action is easy to follow by using clear and concise language. Avoid overly complicated sentences or excessive description that could confuse readers.
Focus on emotions: Show the emotional impact of the fight on your characters. Describe their fear, anger, determination, or adrenaline rush to make the scene more compelling and relatable.
Include strategic elements: Incorporate tactics, strategy, and improvisation into the fight to make it more dynamic and realistic. Think about how your characters use their surroundings, weapons, or special abilities to gain an advantage.
Balance dialogue and action: Intersperse dialogue with action to break up the fight scene and provide insight into the characters' thoughts and intentions. Dialogue can also reveal or support the characters' personalities and motivations.
Keep it concise: While it's important to provide enough detail to immerse readers in the action, avoid unnecessary padding or overly long fight scenes. Keep the pacing brisk to maintain momentum and keep readers hooked.
Show the consequences: Illustrate the aftermath of the fight, including injuries, emotional trauma, or changes in relationships between characters. This adds depth to the scene and helps to drive the story forward.
Don't use tags that are not related to your post. You're not getting more views you are clogging up other tag sections with posts unwanted in that section.
Tumblr viewers work off of people tagging their content right. So don't be a dick, tag your content right!
(Especially writers who make oc fics and tag then as x reader. Please just don't.)
Grammarly is an app that you can download on computer it is for free as well. You can pay to get more features but in my experience the basic free package does a decent enough job.
It was something I was encouraged to download whilst in Uni, at first I was skeptic but it's actually quite a good app. You can set it at the beginning to the type of audience you're appealing to in your writing. It works in the background but also you can pull it up and copy/paste your writing into it and have it assessed basically so you can see where you might need to edit your writing.
I’ve been seeing more and more people write about these dynamics and I’m all for it, they can be beautiful, fun, sexy, stress-relieving and so much more. That said, I’ve seen a few things that have been uncomfortable to read/see, and on the whole, go against some of the core tenets kinksters hold to. I’m not a professional or a kink educator like you’ll find at an event/munch, or on youtube (I encourage you to check them out if you’re interested in learning more!), I am, however, familiar with a few things and wanted to put together a beginner’s resource sheet for those interested in writing BDSM dynamics or engaging in them.
*Glossary & links at the bottom*
First things first, if you are under 18, keep scrolling, this post is not for you. BDSM and by extension, kink play, is a consensual dynamic between two adults, and as a minor, you cannot consent.
Consent & Safety Acronyms
Let’s start with consent, it is absolutely fundamental to any and all intimate acts, and is a core tenant in the three more common philosophies around safety and kink. It’s important to note that there can sometimes be a debate over which of these to follow and I encourage you to research them to find what works for you.:
SSC: Safe, Sane, Consensual - This is pretty self-explanatory, it requires the participating parties to ask themselves if the “play” is Safe, is it Sane and are all parties consenting to it?
RACK: Risk-Aware Consensual Kink - This delves a bit further than SSC and acknowledges that there are risks involved in play/scenes. RACK was born of kinksters being concerned with the subjectivity of what some people may consider “sane” or “safe” with SSC. The depth of the awareness of those risks is up for debate but the point is there should be a conversation around these risks with all participating parties.
PRICK: Personal Responsibility, Informed, Consensual Kink - This acronym was newer to me as I was most familiar with RACK but it embodies how I have personally employed RACK and how others I know view it as well. This focuses on kinksters taking personal responsibility for their play as well as making sure that the participating parties are informed of the risks and general structure of the scene.
For example, with bondage, it is very possible, and frankly easy, to be left with nerve damage from an improper tie. An educated rigger will not only walk through a safeword or safeword system (green, yellow, red) but will explain the kinds of knots/ties that will be used as well as show and explain that they have safety shears on hand along with a plan in the event of a safeword being used or an emergency. (This is a very brief example, there’s a lot more that is involved in a discussion around bondage)
The common denominator here is that Consent is at the forefront of all BDSM & Kink play. So let’s dive into what that means. Consent should be enthusiastic, I have yet to see or hear of a simple nod or stuttered affirmation to count as consent between a dominant and their submissive. This holds true during all parts of a scene, which includes during said scene, not just before the scene or during the scene negotiation. And yes, this means a dominant should check in and do a “color check” (green, yellow, red) of some sort during a scene as well.
Another part of consent is that ALL parties must give and be able to give enthusiastic consent. This seems obvious but it’s important to think about who is actually involved in your scene. The most common example I can think of is every now and then, a post will come up on social media of a person “walking” another person with a leash and collar at a grocery store or some other public venue. Breaking it down, the scene participants are the person holding the leash, the person being “walked”, and the patrons of the public venue. Now, the assumed dominant and submissive may have consented to this activity and discussed it at length, but the patrons of that public venue were made a part of the scene without prior knowledge, and without their consent. This is not ok, this is not consensual.
How is this Relevant to Writing?
It boils down to this: tag your fics and add warnings, this is kind of like the author taking Personal Responsibility and Informing the reader so they can Consent to the Kink/activity (see what I did there?). If you are engaging in play on a public form not designated for kink and all participating parties (viewers) cannot and have not consented to said play, then it is wrong, take it somewhere private where the participating parties have consented enthusiastically.
What about dub-con fics/dark fics etc? So long as you have properly tagged/added warnings to your fic and your readers are allowed to consent to reading, great, keep writing them!
Dominants & Submissives
I’ve got a glossary at the bottom but now that we’ve covered consent, we need to cover what dominants and submissives are, their responsibilities and the truth about a power exchange/dynamic.
This isn’t a “true dominants/subs do this” post, I’ve seen too many gag worthy posts of that nature from tumblr domly doms from the good ol’ days, this is a pretty basic definition and understanding of the responsibilities that fall to both roles. (I’m not getting into all of the different honorifics/titles and their meanings, this post is already going to be long, please research on your own if you’re interested.)
Submissives: A submissive is someone who gives pre-negotiated control of themselves over to the dominant. Being submissive doesn’t make someone less than anyone else. While a submissive gives up control to a dominant for a scene or a day-to-day dynamic, they in truth, hold the majority of the power in the dynamic. A submissive and dominant sit down and discuss the sub’s (as well as the dom’s) kinks, interests, soft and hard limits. The sub sets the limits or parameters of the play for the most part. Additionally, they may use their safeword at any time to pause or stop play if they are uncomfortable or want to stop for any reason. If they want out, all play stops then and there. These are two of the biggest red flags to a kinkster, if a “dominant” doesn’t “use” or “believe in” limits or safewords, they are not a dominant, they are an abuser. Dominants are usually vetted in kink communities to help keep subs safe and abusers out but it’s important to be aware of these things as a submissive so you can engage in safe play.
Dominants: A dominant is the person a submissive relinquishes a pre-negotiated amount of control to. They will take a submissive’s desires, needs, limits and a variety of other factors into account to craft a scene or provide structure and safety for their submissive within the parameters their sub has given them. What this process looks like varies depending on the dynamic but the core concept remains the same. Dominants trust their sub to use their safeword should they need to just as much as a sub trusts their dominant to listen should it need to be used; however, in addition to that, a dominant needs to also be mindful of their partner during play. If they feel play is going too far, or for whatever reason, they can also stop play/use the safeword. Perhaps one of the most important responsibilities that falls to a dominant is aftercare, which we’ll get into below.
Please also note that these negotiations are not a one and done deal, they should happen regularly.
Aftercare!
This is so, so, so important I cannot stress enough how incredibly important aftercare is.
So… what is it and why is it important?
What is it?
Aftercare:
Is the time after a scene for both the dominant and the submissive to safely come out of “domspace” and “subspace” and conclude the scene. Scenes can be intense and sometimes, depending on other life factors, can leave the dominant and submissive feeling a lot more raw than they anticipated. An exchange of power (like there is between a dominant and sub) leaves the submissive in a very vulnerable state and it's extremely important that a dominant help ground their submissive and be there for them as they come up from subspace. This can manifest in a variety of different ways, most commonly, I’ve seen it involve: wrapping up the submissive in blankets, verbal praise, physical contact (cuddling), clean up (warm washcloth to wipe any fluids), first aid/post-impact care (scenes can get intense), water & snacks (hydrate and replenish energy! Y’all just worked hard!). This isn’t a final list and there are whole sites dedicated to adding to your “aftercare kit”, it always helps to ask your submissive what works best for them!
Aftercare isn’t just for submissives either, dominants can need reassurance too, sometimes they get it from providing aftercare for their submissives, caring for them and seeing that they’re ok can often be just what they need but sometimes a little more is needed.
Something that is also missed during aftercare is checking in with each other and discussing what worked and what didn’t during the scene.
*LDR Aftercare suggestion list at the end
Why is it important?
Subdrop & Domdrop:
The science/biology behind this is that a high number of endorphins are released during a scene in both the dominant and submissive. “Drop” refers to the consequential crash experienced after the high wears off. The best way I can describe my experience with this and others’ experience with it is that it can feel like a severe depressive episode. Anyone who has experienced it will tell you that it is an awful experience.
This is why aftercare is so important, not only can it mitigate or prevent a drop but if a drop still occurs, having someone there to be your rock and help coax you out of it can be the difference between coming out of it and staying stuck there. All responsible kinksters will tell you that aftercare is a must. A lot of people, myself included, will go a step farther and say that play without some sort of aftercare (as negotiated or discussed) is abuse. This is not to be taken lightly, a lack of aftercare is the biggest red flag, there were probably some before that but, see it for what it is and run for the hills.
Bringing it Back to Writing:
Aftercare isn’t just for after intense scenes and it’s easy to add to your fic! It’s a great way to end smut, even if it’s just a smutty oneshot. Some cuddles, clean up, a bath, kisses, whispered praise, all of it, is a great way to show aftercare.
I want to touch on one other thing because of its popularity and I’ve found there to be A LOT of misconceptions about it.
This isn’t for everyone, I understand it doesn’t float everyone’s boat and I’m not trying to convince you otherwise, go ahead and scroll to the bottom for the glossary and other links.
CG/L: The Root of Daddy/Mommy Kink
Firstly, CG/l and age play are two separate things, they can exist together (and commonly do) but I’m not getting into age play here, there are plenty of resources online you can check out for that, and frankly I’d suggest starting with reddit. Additionally, This Is Still A Kink/Power Exchange Dynamic, and as such, there is no place for minors in it.
CG/l, or Caregiver/little, is the gender neutral term for the Daddy/little or Mommy/little dynamic and I think it’s important we look at the gender neutral term to rediscover a big part of these dynamics.
Caregivers do just that, they focus on giving care: Did you eat today? Did you take your meds? Drink water? Taken a break from work? etc . Did you notice how none of these things are sexual in nature? That’s because oftentimes (granted not all the time), this dynamic extends beyond the bedroom. There is a deep seated need or desire for the little/submissive to be protected and taken care of.
Can it still be hot in the bedroom? Hell yes.
I’m not shaming anyone out there who throws the Daddy kink into their writing and where “Daddy” is whimpered out as a character/the reader gets railed from behind. I am saying, this is not the extent of the dynamic and am calling attention to that for those who may be unaware or new to the dynamic.
This is not to say that dominants who don’t identify this way can’t be nurturing, protective etc, I’m just touching on this particular dynamic. Conversely, someone can subscribe to multiple roles or facets of being a dominant which include CG/l.
Thank you for reading, this is not an end all be all education by any means, this is meant to give a beginner’s insight and hopefully encourage you to do your own research. I understand that not every fic will have a long drawn out pre-scene negotiation, I frankly don’t expect it, although I think it’s important that we as writers approach these scenes and dynamics with the respect and mindfulness they deserve
Glossary:
Aftercare: Care provided after a scene to help the dominant and submissive safely exist sub/domspace after a scene
BDSM: A combination of Bondage/Discipline, Dominance and submission, & Sadism/Masochism
CG/l: Caregiver/little
Dominant: Someone who is given pre-negotiated control by a submissive
Dub-Con: Dubious-Consent
Hard Limit: A limit that is an absolute no-go
Impact Play: Play involving impact, sometimes with an implement, such as spanking, paddling, flogging, etc.
Munch: A casual gathering, at a bar or other venue for people interested in BDSM to get together. (This is NOT a play event)
Negotiations: The time spent between a dominant and submissive to review interests, kinks, desires, soft and hard limits as well as what they would like out of a scene or dynamic. These negotiations should happen outside of a sexual setting (not right before a scene) and they should continue to happen. Communication is key!
Play: General term used to describe kink activity
Power Exchange: When someone gives power to another in exchange for something in return. For example, a submissive may give their dominant power/control over them in exchange for structure.
PRICK: Personal Responsibility, Informed, Consensual Kink
RACK: Risk-Aware Consensual Kink
Safeword: A word used by the submissive and/or dominant to stop a scene
Safeword System: Similar to a safeword, the most common one is the "traffic light system" green, yellow, red where green = good, yellow = pause/redirect, and red = stop.
Scene: A specific play scenario
Soft Limit: A limit that a person is possibly open to exploring down the line
SSC: Safe, Sane, Consensual
Subdrop & Domdrop: The endorphin crash after a scene
Submissive: Someone who gives up pre-negotiated control to a dominant
Subspace: A state of mind that submissives can find themselves in either through just being with their dominant or physically, through impact play/pain; often described as feeling floaty.
Switch: Someone who can be either a submissive or dominant.
Wiki
Long-Distance Relationship Aftercare
I'm trying to be mindful of tumblr and not link to any sites that could be seen as explicit. If you have questions, I highly encourage you to head down a google rabbit hole and do a little research!
When writing a reader insert fic DO NOT use I, Me, My and We, which is writing in the style of first person.
This type of language shouldn't be used in a reader insert fic. You can't argue with me on this. It's not the type of language suitable for a reader insert fic because it doesn't help to insert the reader into the work of fiction. It's hard to imagine yourself in the scenario when it's "I went to the 'mall' on a shopping spree."
When reading first person, the brain automatically thinks of it as a character doing that task or saying that sentence not oneself. As first person intends. First person is more I am telling the story, I am the character, you are a mere reader, reading about things from the characters perspective not yours. Therefore a reader can't imagine themselves in the fic. Although the writer intended for the reader to imagine themselves in the fic, hence it being reader insert, the fic because of the language used doesn't allow the reader to do so.
In simple terms the wrong language has been used so, for lack of better words I'll say, it's made the fic non inclusive. It's failed to pull the reader in and imagine themselves doing this or that with the person of pairing.
I, Me, My has about as much use in a reader insert fic as telling the a POC reader they're white in this imagine because the writer wrote "soft pale milky skin."
What language do I use instead?
You, Your, You are, Yours, and Yourself, which is writing in second person.
This is the best and only type of language a writer should be using in a reader insert fic. This is because second person comes across like you are being told the story but you are still the character in the story. Not that you're being told the story but have no place in it. Thus the reader is able to imagine themselves in the fic, doing this thing in the scenario and saying this or that.
In example "As you turned to look over your shoulder, you unintentionally made eye contact." or "You are stunned by the confession they had just made."
Just quickly when do I use first person?
In pieces of works that are *insert name* x OC. Which means the ship includes an original character so there is no room for the reader to insert themselves.
In short, a fic that is intended to have a character you've made up as the main character that's being shipped with person of choice. That is when you can start using I, Me, My, first person because the story is being told from the made up original characters perspective.
You can also use third person if you work is a original character x *insert person* fic. Third person is also an option in this case, however it is not in a reader insert fic for the same reasons why you can't use first person.
Just a note
Please take this tip into consideration, it's genuinely one of these that can help you to improve your writing and gain more responses to your works of fiction. If you don't want to that's *I say begrudgingly* fine because I can't make you. However please read this and understand what you are doing when you write a reader insert fic in first person.
Also I am British so I hate the word mall which is why its in '....' but I see even non American people use it in their fics. Its a weird word it doesn't make sense.
“Tumblr is finally offering its writers a way to make money off their work: charging a subscription.
The 14-year-old blogging platform is starting to add the ability for writers to put their posts behind a paywall. The feature, called Post Plus, lets creators offer a $3.99, $5.99, or $9.99 per month subscription, which will give readers access to any posts they decide to designate as for subscribers only. For now, the feature is available in a “limited beta” for select creators only.”
Hey, this is a GREAT way to get DMCA’d or sued for copyright infringement if your work includes someone else’s copyrighted content or IP! Sign me right the fuck up! :P
You enjoy writing the action, the environment the introspection? Go for it! Get that gold written down.
I really enjoy writing dialogue, my draft chapters read like a play with the thoughts and descriptive sections added in later.
Skip ahead to the parts of the story that excite you
This, this, this.
Stuck on a transition chapter? Skip ahead to one of the dramatic/fluffy/nsfw parts of the story that you have been head-cannoning about from the start. Not only will it keep you writing, it may remind you to include any foreshadowing you had in mind for earlier chapters and when you eventually get to your pre-drafted chapter you will love your past self when it's already half written.
Get in the right frame of mind
Put your playlist on, spend time visualising, look at the picture or prompt that inspired you. Whatever drives your muse reconnect with it and begin jotting your ideas down once more
Take a break
Sometimes a cup of tea will do it, other times you need a day. On occasion I've taken a week or more off just to breathe and recharge the batteries.
Look after yourself first.
It can be hard if you have frequent commentors or people really eagerly following your story, the pressure whether self inflicted or from external influences is real. But everyone else can wait. You write for you first, when and if you decide to share your work rest assured we'll all still be here cheering you on.
Unpopular Opinion but I think you writers that are British on tumblr shouldn't be afraid to put some British phrases in your work. Sure the Americans won't have a clue what you're saying but I personally love seeing British phrases in fics even if the character isn't British. Maybe it's just me but sometimes I feel like some of the phrases convey the certain emotion better.
This can also work for people who aren't British in the sense, you can also include phrases from your mother tongue. It can be your characters fav phrases that they've learnt. Or could be that you introduce them phrases as it being apart of their first or second language. Either way I personally think you shouldn't be shy to use phrases from your first language, it would be cool and could never make your fic look bad.
