Writing. Tips. Humor.

I'm an award-winning author, blogger, & vlogger. Read chapter one of Clover Raine & the Black Dragon: https://linktr.ee/kiramartinauthor ✦ If you find my blog helpful, amusing, or inspiring, please consider tipping me on Ko-Fi!  ko-fi.com/kiramartin ✦ I'm all about that Ehlers-Danlos awareness.

[kiramartinauthor]

dude, your hair looks SO good!!! it suits you so well

Ahh thank you!! I'm loving it short. Although it keeps getting longer and messier in this pandemic haha.

[kiramartinauthor]

Oh yeah my hair is short, messy, and purple now, which everyone knows is an antenna for creativity.

[kiramartinauthor]

Writers, keep in mind that one person’s boring is another person’s perfectly written

[kiramartinauthor]

FAQ Masterpost:

WRITING TIPS:

How To Stay Positive

Write Stories That Are Problematic 

On Being Distracted By Your Phone 

How To Write a Synopsis 

Quick and Easy Writing Tip for Social Media

8 Tips to Get You Through NaNoWriMo

Top Ten First Page Turn Offs

How to Limit Hand Stress (EDS oriented)

How to Write Dragons

How to Write ESL

How to Choose a Story Idea

“Help! How do I connect a plot hole?”

How to Stick to a Writing Schedule (and Keep It)

The Importance of Exposition 

8 Ways to Get Past Writer’s Block 

^^^ Video Version

Writing a Sword Fight Scene

Why You Should Write Horribly 

Finding Your Audience 

5 Ways to Write Solid Description

How to Make Your Readers Cry

Scrivener PSA - a Great Writing Software

Creating a Language 

CHARACTER TIPS:

How To Write Characters Outside of Your Identity

5 Ways to Develop a Convincing Character

How to Write Strong Dialogue

POV Writing Exercise

How Do Characters Bond?

How to Choose Your MC’s Personality

Writing a Mute Character

How to Write a Bisexual Character

How to Avoid Insta-Love

Writing Gray Characters

How to Write Believable Romance

EDITING TIPS:

Stuck? Do this

How to Use -, –, and — 

How to Read Like a Writer

For Writers Who Edit When They Should Be Writing

Getting an Editor - Yes or No?

How to Up Your Editing Game

NETWORKING:

How to Find Beta Readers

On Paying Beta Readers

How To Find a Critique Partner

What To Expect From A Critique Partner

When Considering Feedback

How to Enter Into Contests/Magazines

How to Write a Query/Cover Letter

Marketing Tips

How to Make Connections

WRITING INSPIRATION:

How to Find Inspiration to Write

If You Write Fanfic, Are You a Writer?

If You Need Someone to Tell You to Write

How to Stop Being a Beginning Writer

Stop Feeling Bad

Read Your Old Work Like This

To the Writers Who Don’t Write

On Cliches 

The Steps of Writing 

Why You Should Keep Writing Anyways

Do YOU Deserve Support?

Feeling Anxious About Writing?

Reminder About Writer’s Block

Need a Pep Talk?

WRITING FUNNIES:

America’s Next Top Writer

The Five Types of Writers

Need a lol? Have a meme

And another. Because commas are terrible

On writing fight scenes

On plot twists

On story ideas

On writer’s block

Writers: What They Say vs What They Mean

How to Kick Start a Writing Session

Writing and Friendship and Sacrifice 

Fun Fact

15 Things That Make Writer’s Anxious 

First Drafts Suck

Funny with a twist (also my most popular post ever)

Search “writing humor” on my blog for a ridiculous amount more

FIRST SENTENCE FRIDAY (FSF):

On My Opinion 

Submitting BEFORE/AFTER Friday?

How to Write a Good Sentence

CLOVER RAINE AND THE BLACK DRAGON:

Synopsis

Prologue

Chapter One

Mood Board

World Building

Excerpt

Comic

MORE CONTENT:

WEBSITE

INSTAGRAM

YOUTUBE

FACEBOOK

If you find my blog helpful, please consider throwing a tip my way :)

💜 Kira

[kiramartinauthor]

While I have been gone a while, this is all good content to help with writing adventures!

[celstefani-deactivated20250830]

Requesting Beta Readers

I’m looking for beta readers to read the first 4 chapters of my Adult Epic Fantasy novel, The Blue Flame. I will provide a link to a google document containing the chapters. At the end of each chapter will be a link to a form where you can answer around 6 questions and provide additional feedback.

Word Count: 11,900

Shoot me a message if you’re interested!

The Blurb

Fear the light, not the dark.

A shadow lurker has placed a target on Erador. He refuses to visit the Shadow Realm after the deadly encounter. In the midst of trying to overcome his trauma, a witch comes to Lucrethia.

Yulei promises to cure the dying Master. Erador knows it’s too good to be true. It doesn’t help that the entire continent wants the Master dead. Erador is convinced Yulei will kill him.

Atrocities have arisen since her arrival. Crops are diseased, people are revolting, and the Raven has been freed from his cage. The worst of it—the Master’s favored are being murdered, and Erador is on the list.

Lucrethians believe Yulei will save the Master. Erador can’t get rid of her, not unless he can prove she’s a hoax. The blue flame in her brooch is the only link. To find answers, Erador is forced to venture into enemy territory and walk the unsafe places in the Shadow Realm.

Will Erador overcome his fears of the lurkers, and expose Yulei to save his dying father? Or will he let the light win?

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Adult language, drugs, graphic violence, murder, trauma, and attempted suicide.

[celstefani-deactivated20250830]

I’m still looking for Betas!

[kiramartinauthor]

Anyone down to beta over quarantine?? @celstefani is the best and we are not worthy.

[celstefani-deactivated20250830]

Here are the latest aesthetics I made for my epic fantasy series, Wardens of the Crystallis.

I was never really into making aesthetics until I started participating in a tag on Twitter. I'm pretty proud of these!

Each one is a different theme.

The Future

Erador has two choices; reach toward the light or be pulled into darkness.

One path will lead to their world’s destruction.

Will Erador find paradise with his father or turn agaisnt him?

.......

This is a peek into the future of my epic fantasy series. Characters have to decide who they want to work with in order to save their world. Some don't get along, but they have to set their differences aside for the greater good. There is conflicting information, so it's hard for some to choose which is the right path. When they pick a side, relationships are torn apart and they have to work against each other. No matter how much they might not want to.

The Past

Erador always wanders back to Sunflower Alley, where he was almost killed as a child. The recent murders force him back to the Shadow Realm where his killer lurks. He must expose a witch he thinks is behind them and face the lurker that wants him dead.

.......

Erador's trauma plays a large role in the first book. I was surprised to see it develop into something more complex than I thought it would be. It ties into other character’s stories and the main plot down the line! I'm Soo SO excited and can't wait to explore it in future books.

Tropes

I have yet to see a love triangle done well, but I do enjoy the one in my series.

Artakin, a prince with a haunting past

vs.

Baust, a servant shadowed in mystery.

Who will Valinia choose?

One, both, or none.

I don't even know yet. 😂

.........

The reason I picked the love-triangle as my favorite trope in my books is because of how much work I put into it. It affects the plot and also is affected by the plot. Each character in the love triangle is an MC and serves a role in the main plot.

Love Interest

Artakin wants nothing more then to be with Valinia, at least he thinks so. He has to adjust to his new reflection and leave his past behind to become the person she has known to love.

.....

Artakin is quit a complex character and I've only added to him as the years have gone by. It's so interesting to see what I originally thought he would be, to what he has become today. I can't wait for people to see how his story develops!

[kiramartinauthor]

WE 👏 STAN 👏 ERADOR 👏

Also I'm still rooting for Baust.

[kiramartinauthor]

There's still a kiss at the end of every sentence, hanging in the air between us. We watch it grow stale, our lips trembling as we watch it die. And then we look at each other and put a smile on our face. We pretend that it was never there, even as the fumes enter our mouths, our brains, lacing them with bittersweet memories, embedding in our skulls to come out as shadows at night when we try to find the light.

-excerpt from a book I'll never write

[kiramartinauthor]

hey! i hope you’re doing well

Thank you, I'm hanging in there! Despite the mess the world is I'm actually pretty deliriously happy.

I hope everyone is staying safe from the plague rats!

[kiramartinauthor]

When you're writing and you suddenly realize you don't know what happens next

[taraljc]

When you’re writing and you suddenly realise you DO know what happens next

[justahappycloud]

When you’re writing and you realise you have to write what happens next

[spicychestnut]

Reblogging again because always relevant.

[inactive5790]

Yup.

[kaytlarambles]

I’m pretty much always the last one. Always.

[kiramartinauthor]

Well this blew up in my absence. Love the additions

[kiramartinauthor]

I miss you friendo

I miss you too! All my Tumblr peeps really.

Life is busy and hectic, especially with my health, school and work takes over most my energy. I haven't been active on my social media but I have some projects simmering AND I took off the next two weeks and I'm going to do nothing but rest and write and draw. I'm very excited.

Before I've mentioned working on a video game with my Nerd. The demo is almost ready, and I'll definitely post it here for feedback 😀 Our sound guy is doing great things. I've been working on art, story, and design, and my Nerd is engineering.

As far as my book, I'm working on some rewrites in the middle where it's soft and a little aimless. Just needs a plot line removed to tighten it up. My ideas for book 2 are really jelling and I'm just impatient to be done with book 1.

With my health I have the summers to relax from the vigorous schedule I have with my classes and work. (Straight A's, top of my class in Anatomy and Physiology, fuck yeah.) Relaxing and healing has been my priority because my health really took a dip at the end of the last school year, so I've been doing PT all summer to try and get on top of it. My appointments are two weeks apart because that's how long it takes for my body to do a week of PT 🤣 My projects have taken a back seat to that, but I'm still making progress, even if it's slow going! Without health, you have nothing. I've had more than two years of being bedridden to teach me that.

It sucks knowing that if my health hadn't taken such a sharp dive with my gastroparesis for two years I would have my book out by now. That if I didn't have to dedicate so much of my time to dislocations, nausea, and brain fog, I'd have more time and energy to work on my writing, even being in school. But I know I'm investing in a future that will allow me to work and make a living while allowing space for my writing to flourish. It's easy to get impatient.

I've been considering making a new Facebook for shit posting (when I'm hurting) and keeping in contact with my internet people better, so if that appeals to you let me know lol.

Sorry I've been so absent! I know a lot of people probably don't notice or care so it's flattering to come back to a message like this 💜

[chiptunecookie]

You take time for you. You're easily one of my Tumblr highlights so I'm glad you're working on being "better" in the long run so you can go further and do more!

I've pinned down the story I want to tell. Now I've just got to find time and energy to get it on paper/Google docs. But I've also been playing Magic the Gathering, and D&D, and taking inspiration and I might even write a campaign to practice and have fun with.

[kiramartinauthor]

You're so sweet, thank you ahhh

That's awesome on your story! All those are such good platforms for inspiration, especially for fantasy works. It's good to have low pressure just for fun creative outlets.

[catchymemes]

[kiramartinauthor]

Oop

[kiramartinauthor]

I miss you friendo

I miss you too! All my Tumblr peeps really.

Life is busy and hectic, especially with my health, school and work takes over most my energy. I haven't been active on my social media but I have some projects simmering AND I took off the next two weeks and I'm going to do nothing but rest and write and draw. I'm very excited.

Before I've mentioned working on a video game with my Nerd. The demo is almost ready, and I'll definitely post it here for feedback 😀 Our sound guy is doing great things. I've been working on art, story, and design, and my Nerd is engineering.

As far as my book, I'm working on some rewrites in the middle where it's soft and a little aimless. Just needs a plot line removed to tighten it up. My ideas for book 2 are really jelling and I'm just impatient to be done with book 1.

With my health I have the summers to relax from the vigorous schedule I have with my classes and work. (Straight A's, top of my class in Anatomy and Physiology, fuck yeah.) Relaxing and healing has been my priority because my health really took a dip at the end of the last school year, so I've been doing PT all summer to try and get on top of it. My appointments are two weeks apart because that's how long it takes for my body to do a week of PT 🤣 My projects have taken a back seat to that, but I'm still making progress, even if it's slow going! Without health, you have nothing. I've had more than two years of being bedridden to teach me that.

It sucks knowing that if my health hadn't taken such a sharp dive with my gastroparesis for two years I would have my book out by now. That if I didn't have to dedicate so much of my time to dislocations, nausea, and brain fog, I'd have more time and energy to work on my writing, even being in school. But I know I'm investing in a future that will allow me to work and make a living while allowing space for my writing to flourish. It's easy to get impatient.

I've been considering making a new Facebook for shit posting (when I'm hurting) and keeping in contact with my internet people better, so if that appeals to you let me know lol.

Sorry I've been so absent! I know a lot of people probably don't notice or care so it's flattering to come back to a message like this 💜

[kiramartinauthor]

Teenage girls are magic

I'm tired of everyone saying otherwise. What's wrong with being a teenage girl? Why is it if a teenage girl is onto it, it's hated? Have you ever met a teenage girl?

They have deep thoughts. They're full of passion and dreams. They push past anxiety, beauty standards, and let's face it, teenage boys. All the while processing their transition to adulthood.

Shout out to moody girls and their blunt honesty.

Shout out to soft girls and their kind words.

Shout out to competitive girls--kick all their asses show em what you got.

Shout out to funny girls and the joy and courage they spread.

Shout out to nerdy girls. Yall work so hard and it'll pay off.

Shout out to tom boys and girly girls. You do your thing in spite of those who think less of you.

Shout out to girls who like pumpkin spice lattes. Your choice in beverage should never be an insult to your age or gender.

Why do people hate teenage girls? As if that's all they could be.

[kiramartinauthor]

-Asks for crtisism.

-Receives criticism.

-Takes criticism personally.

-Ignores criticism.

-Asks for criticism.

[kiramartinauthor]

Amateur writers might not know why something is wrong, but they can generally tell when.

It's the same concept of a child learning to communicate. As skill increases, the better a writer can identify exactly what's wrong and convey how to improve it.

For example, when I first started writing I gave feedback on another writer's work. I knew there was something wrong with their description of fire, but instead of saying "you need a more vivid descriptor to place the reader in the scene," I said something dumb like "Well...... flames.... can be blue... so say something about them being... red?"

So keep in mind when people critique your work, you might not agree with their changes. They might not have what's wrong spot on, but they likely know when something is weird. Look at the section they're pointing out and figure out what's wrong.

Alternatively, if you're not sure what's wrong, but know something is wrong, point out that it reads off, and then maybe take a stab at it.

[kiramartinauthor]

The different types of reading:

Reading like a reader: You’re letting the story take you a sweep you away without worrying much about anything. You might have opinions–likes and dislikes. But for the most part, you’re just seeing where the story takes you.

Reading like a writer: You’re gutting each sentence, picking it apart and studying it. You look at what the writer does wrong and what they’ve done right and use both to help you improve. You’re actively trying to find flaws and strengths to avoid or borrow in your own writing.

When to read like a reader:

When you want to relax and enjoy a story.

When you’re reading with intent to give feedback to other readers. This means reviews for sites like Goodreads or Amazon. 

When to read like a writer:

When you’re looking to up your writing skills.

When you’re beta reading, critiquing, or giving feedback to the writer directly.

A lot of writers find it nearly impossible to read like a reader anymore, which isn’t a bad thing. You can still 100% relax into a story and enjoy it once you’ve built up that reading like a writer muscle. It does take more work than just reading, so if you’re just starting out you may find it hard at first. 

If you do read like a writer, you can of course still review a novel. However, you can’t expect all your critiques to fit into a review. Reading like a writer is very tailored frame of opinion in most cases, as it partly relates to your own writing style. A review is not the place to compare your writings. It’s a place for other readers to find out if they should give this book a chance. Complimenting/complaining about sentence structure is nitpicky and going to go over most readers heads–just say it wasn’t/was well written. 

Like most things, reading like a writer vs reader is a wide spectrum. Plenty of readers that are not in fact writers read like a writer–especially voracious readers because they have a whole career of reading behind them. They’ve learned how to weed out bad books.

Throughout the course of a book you can do both in varying degrees, but at times it can be good to consciously flex those muscles. Strain and relax them. Become a better writer without even writing ❤

[kiramartinauthor]

how do i know when to use -, –, or —? i know the short one is for between words (like twenty-two) but i’m not sure how to know which length to use when writing it into the sentence (i hope i phrased that right??). are there rules? does it matter?

You’re going to be able to find a lot more in depth answer here. But the short of it is:

- : This is a hyphen.

– : This is an en-dash.

— : This is an em-dash.

The hyphen is used to connect words, like you say. Ex: Twenty-two, ex-boyfriend.

The en-dash is used in the context of a span of time. Ex: 1996–2018, February–March.

The em-dash is used when inserting a thought. Ex: He wouldn't—couldn't—go home.

Good question! Hope this helps 😊