Dynamo @itsdynamo1998 - Tumblr Blog

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tiktoks-for-dead-pope

classychassiss

captivated yet its face evades me

juicyicon

Woman, let me be your woman

jamieanovels

i've been thinking a lot about writing advice, especially after getting back on writeblr, and one of the ones i see the most is the "your first draft doesn't need to be perfect" one. the one that tells writers they shouldn't be afraid to hop around and write their favorite parts first or use placeholders. don't be afraid to be messy. you know.

and like!! this process works wonders for some people! it's perfectly solid advice.

but also. idk if i'm the only one, but for me, the mess takes out the fun. it completely kills my motivation. i look at placeholders in my draft and think "this sucks. it's ugly. it doesn't look like a book. i'm never writing again."

tbh, i think most writing advice is arbitrary and you should be free to write whatever you want. but i'm also just putting this out there as pseudo-advice or really just a green light to writers like me, who want to write the perfect draft simply bc they Literally Won't Finish Their Book If They Don't.

y'all. don't worry about writing the perfect version of your book. write ONE version, from beginning to end. think about your draft as one route in a video game. if you're stuck on a scene, just do it kinda shittily but Cleanly. no placeholders. transition into the next scene. get to the end. you can come back and fix the things you missed or go down paths you didn't see later.

this way, you have a clean draft that reads like a book. it might not be The book you want to write, and it might have some issues here and there, but it won't be messy to you. it'll look and function like a story. if you're like me, your motivation will thank you ;)

bookmania

Seven years after, I see you again 😚

scripturient-manipulator

Guys this completely changed my writing, heed it. I often do an entire draft just looking at sentence variation and oftentimes the results are absolutely transformative in the difference.

officialleehadan

This is very very good advice, and absolutely worth following. Read this. Read it again. Follow it. Your writing will get much, much better.

veilebaslayancumleler

whenever i see this post i am like goddamn this is so true

caffeinewitchcraft

I love building stories like this 😭 I could rant for an hour about the power of a series of a compact sentences during the onset of a panic sequence which then suddenly gives way into a spiraling sentence of anxiety and fear. Then you cut it off—

Into a more sedately paced paragraph of comfort or realization.

I go so insane for works that vary the length of their sentences to show emotion or character or atmosphere (usually all three)! The horror genre is impeccable with this. The build up of fear as the protagonist notices an open door that was not open before, they’re sure, they remember closing it and feeling the tough wood grain on their fingers. They force themselves a trembling step forward, reaching for the doorknob to—what? To push it further open? To listen to the crawling dread they can barely keep locked behind their teeth and close the door without checking?

They haven’t decided on the best course of action when the wind shudders through the house again, wailing down the chimney and through the fireplace at their back. The icy air slams into them a beat before their outstretched fingers touch the doorknob.

The wind pushes the door open further.

There’s a monster.

2soulscollide

my favorite free tools for writers

hello, hello! hope you're doing well.

today i am bringing you another list with my top 3 favorite (free!) tools that I find helpful for each phase of writing a novel.

brainstorming phase

Fantasy Names Generator - not only for fantasy (you can also generate real names). this website is just... amazing! it helps you come up with names for characters, places and locations, descriptions, generate traits, outfits (yes, outfits!!), and probably something else you could ever think of.

The Story's Hack - this one is so cool! you can generate names for everything, create your own generator, and practice writing through writing exercises! plus, you can save your generated names to see later, and you earn coins for each idea generated (you can later buy themes - dark, snow, forest, etc)

RanGen - my last favorite generator on this list is RanGen! you can generate plots, appearances, archetypes, love interests, cities, worlds, items, and more.

developing the idea phase

Bryn Donovan - in this blog you can find master lists under the tag "master lists for writers". it is so helpful when you first start developing the characters and need to find the right words to describe them and to find some quirks and flaws!

Writers Write (350 character traits) - again, this is so helpful!

Story Planner - ah, the number of times I've talked about this website... please, PLEASE take a look at it, you won't regret it. this website has literally everything you need to fully develop your idea with outlines for you to fill in step by step.

writing phase

Colleen Houck (80+ barriers to love) - need more romace conflict? there you go!

Cheat Sheets for Writing Body Language - so, you know how your character's feeling, but don't know how he'd physically act? check out this list!

Describing Words - honestly, this is a lifesaver. don't you struggle to find the right word to describe something? well, with this website all you have to do is to type the object you're trying to describe and see which description fits better to you!

revising phase

Language Tool for Google Docs - i know we all have heard about google docs before, but the truth is, it's almost impossible to find free softwares to check grammar and spelling. so, google docs is useful, because it automatically revises it for us, and it's completely free. plus, you can add adds-on, such as "language tool".

Unfortunately, there's only one (free) tool that I actually enjoy for the revising phase. if you know some others, please let me know so that I can try them out and feature in this list.

exporting phase

Google Docs - i find google docs very easy to format and export to .epub, so i'd recommend using it as a free tool.

Reedsy - this is also a free tool available online. all you have to do is to write down each chapter (copy and paste) or import your word document. it will format the document to your liking and export it to pdf, epub and mobi.

that's everything for now! i hope this post was somehow helpful or inspiring!

if you want to see more master lists full of resources, check these:

WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}

BEST accounts to follow as a writer

BEST SITES & SOFTWARES TO WRITE FICTION

DIALOGUE IDEAS TO GET RID OF THAT WRITING BLOCK (masterpost)

Useful Resources & Tips for Writers

also, if you are a notion lover just like me, check the free template I just released with everything you need to develop and write your novel!

thank you so much for reading! hope to see you around, and have a nice day <3

kingsroad

Aegon Targaryen + little things that make me feel like I need to be tranquilized.

velidewrites

when a hot fictional man commits atrocities i’m like. where are your morals? where is your dignity? where do you live? when can i come over?

betchi

a really little animated black cat with giant eyes and no other discernible features

betchi

do you get it or do you not know anything

betchi

more examples that people keep getting upset with me for not adding

rainbow-lizzard

theliteraryarchitect

Hey! Do you have any tips for people who've reached a block in their writing? I've been trying to plan out a plot for my book, but I've reached a point where I can't think of anything else

What to Do If You Get Stuck While Outlining Your Plot

Hi! Thanks for writing. Getting blocked can happen at all stages: Before writing, during writing, during outlining, in the idea stage, etc. But since you specifically said you’re reaching a block in your plot planning, I’ll address that :)

#1 Make sure your character’s motivation & conflict are “big” enough

If your character doesn’t have a book-length problem, you can get stuck trying to fill in empty space in the plot. In order to find more events to flesh out your story, you may need to make adjustments. Is their desire strong enough to fuel a book? Is the conflict big enough? Is their problem difficult to solve? If not, how can you make their problem harder? Or take longer to resolve?

You might need a combination of a fiercer desire, a bigger problem, more problems, more obstacles, and/ or a more stubborn antagonist to reveal potential scenes and events. For help with your character’s motivation and conflict, check out the PDF “Creating Character Arcs” in my Free Resource Library.

#2 Plot your story backwards

This can help you make sure you have a strong enough ending and open up new possibilities you might not have noticed while plotting forward. I have a post about it here.

#3 Use the but/therefore method

The but/therefore method is a great way to fill holes. It tests the cause-effect connections between your plot and character and almost always reveals gaps that need to be addressed with new or stronger scenes. Use this template for each scene or chapter:

Main character wants ______, but _______, therefore ______.

What comes after “wants” is the motivation for that chapter or scene. After “but” goes the conflict or obstacle. After “therefore” is the result or action the character takes, which leads into the next goal, and so on, and so on.

Chapter-by-chapter it might look something like this:

Chapter 1: Julian wants to ask Matt to the dance, but he’s scared of being rejected, therefore he slips a cryptic note into Matt’s locker.

Chapter 2: Matt doesn’t see the note. Now Julian wants to get into his locker and retrieve it, but the principal sees him trying to jimmy open the lock, therefore Julian is given detention for a week.

You can also do this scene-by-scene. My suggestion would be to start with the chapter outline, see what it reveals, then move into the scenes if you still feel stuck.

#4 Ask questions

Classic un-sticking questions start with “what if” or “why”? Asking questions can unlock new story directions you might not have noticed were there before.

What if the main character’s ex-boyfriend came back to town? What if they didn’t achieve that small goal back in chapter 4? What if they were hiding something? etc.

Why are they avoiding their sister? Why is it so difficult for them to apologize? Why haven’t they quit their job if they hate it so much? etc.

#5 Consider creating a subplot (or two or three)

A book-length story usually needs a few side stories to flesh out the main one. Look for areas of your story that could be expanded, characters that might take the story down a related tangent, and conflicts that seem small but could be bigger with some digging.

#6 Take a break

Sometimes, you just need to give it a rest. Walk away from your outline for at least a week. When you come back, you may see things you didn’t see before and be able to breathe new life into it. In the meantime, let your mind wander. It’s amazing what creative solutions writers can come up with when they aren’t “trying.”

//////////////

The Literary Architect is a writing advice blog run by me, Bucket Siler. For more writing help, check out my Free Resource Library, peruse my post guide, or hire me to edit your novel or short story. xoxo

videoclubs

TOKYO GODFATHERS ‘東京ゴッドファーザーズ’ dir. Satoshi Kon

marril96

Fandoms lately.

pass the happy! 🌻🌈 when you receive this, list 5 things that make you happy and send this to 10 of the last people in your notifications! 💖

Oh fun! 🤧💖

1. My cat

2. My friends

3. Being creative

4. New favorite song

5. Food

#ask #dragoneye01

portraitoftheoddity

is it ok to like darkfic if you've never been abused?

Absolutely.

First off, darkfic as an umbrella term encompasses a lot of subjects and ‘dark’ topics, abuse being only one of many. It may be therapeutic for people who’ve endured abuse, but it can also be helpful for people who’ve struggled with other forms of trauma, or with mental illness, or other negative things. Depictions of intense, dark experiences can serve as a catharsis by being a direct analog for one’s own experiences, but they can also function more indirectly as a parallel, or a metaphor. Someone who has not been assaulted, but who has struggled with mental illness, may find a story about an assault victim resonating with them as they can identify with the fear and lack of control. And someone who has never been through a specific traumatic experience, but has a lot of fear of it and cultural anxiety around it, may feel bolstered by stories of characters surviving and recovering from that experience.

So for many people, with many different experiences, there can be a direct, therapeutic/comforting benefit to darkfic.

But darkfic doesn’t need to be therapeutic.

There are, of course, other kinds of benefits. Someone who has never been abused might read a story featuring abuse (and clearly tagged for it) and because of it, identify potential warning signs in a real life relationship down the road and know to get out early before things get worse. Or, they might develop a better understanding of what abuse victims go through and as a result, have more empathy for real-life survivors they encounter.

But it’s also 100% ok to like darkfic purely for entertainment value! It is, after all, fiction.

Dark stories challenge us – and we can really enjoy that challenge. They take us to extremes of emotion and the human experience. They plumb the depths of the human id. Even someone with the most charmed life still lives in a world where bad things happen, and even the sweetest, naive person has the capacity for darkness in them. Darkfic lets all of us explore those in relative safety. It makes us feel, and can thrill and horrify us as much as any thriller or horror movie. It can make us consider our own darkness, and be more aware of it. And it can take us to a place so much worse than our reality, that when we resurface into our mundane lives, there’s a sense of relief; we’ve escaped from our escapism, and our hum-drum lives seem so much better and more manageable by comparison.

Plenty of people create dark content who aren’t abuse survivors. There are books with very dark themes that are written by, edited by, published by, and consumed and made popular by people who have not been abused, but which may prove a lifeline for a survivor – one that might not have existed if the entire genre was limited to only people with lived experience. And by accepting that anyone can produce or consume dark content, we allow survivors the protection of anonymity, by not forcing anyone to disclose and reveal their trauma in order to justify liking a work without being harassed and shamed for it. Creating an exclusive club of heavily-scrutinized creators and readers who have to be ‘this traumatized to ride’ helps no one. Hell, trying to pass moral judgement on anyone by scrutinizing the potential reasons they may have for enjoying certain kinds of fictional reading material, rather than looking at their actions toward real breathing human beings, is utterly inane. Especially when fiction – including, and sometimes especially dark fiction – can be used to expand our horizons beyond our own lived experiences and make us more thoughtful, empathetic people on the whole.

lofious

Them: *exist*

Me:

averagemarvelbitch

You know what’s sad? Having to tell my adult patients that they don’t have to be boring fucks who hate everything to be considered adults.

Seriously, people have a very weird idea of what it means to be an adult. I have patients who come to me and tell me they are unhappy with their lives and they don’t understand why, because they have a job, they have a good salary, they can pay their bills, they have a significant other, they’re doing everything right and still they’re unhappy.

And then we start talking and talking and, finally, we reach the real problem: they stopped being themselves.

I have so many patients who stopped doing things they liked - harmless things, fun things - because they felt it was innapropriate for an adult to do them.

Videogames? I’m too old for that.

Comic books? I’m too old for that.

Disney movies? That’s for kids.

Super hero movies/series? I’m an adult, I should act like one.

Going to parks/carnivals? I don’t have kids to do that with.

It’s scary how these people simply gave up on these fun hobbies just because they reached a certain age. And it’s even more scary that they don’t see the problem with this.

Adult life is more than just work, paying bills and marriage. It’s about going out with your friends, it’s about buying silly things that have no purpose but to bring you a little joy, it’s about having fun and living your life to the fullest.

You don’t have to be a boring fuck to be an “acceptable adult”. Fuck society and fuck whoever says you can’t like something because you’re “too old”.

You’re never too old to do the things you like, play the games you want to play and watch the movies/series you want to watch.

Dress up and go to Comic Con. Go to the midnight premiere of your favorite super hero movie. Read the “silly teen books” you want to read. Play that “childish” game you’ve been wanting to play.

Being an adult doesn’t mean you need to forget who you are. Being older doesn’t mean you need to let go of the things you love and enjoy.

Be unapologetically yourself and go live your best life!