just another writer

nadine | 20 | wanna-be writer and artist | wips | i follow from @baerlii

[littlewriterling]

sold my soul to the devil (he's got my heart in his hands) - lgbtq songfic (on Wattpad) 

After what feels like years since I last wrote, I finally got around to participating in this contest and rediscovering how much I actually love writing.

So, if you want to go check it out, here’s the summary:

"I summoned a demon, and it was the devil who faced me." 

 . 

Dante Brocks had sold his soul to the devil, almost a year ago. 

Now he wants it back. 

(It doesn't go as planned.) 

.

A short story written for the LGBTQ Songfic Contest. The initial plot was inspired by Monster by Imagine Dragons, the mood mostly by Earnestly Yours (feat. Ren Ford) by Keaton Henson. 

[littlewriterling]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Neil barely escapes his father's clutches, heavily injured, and he's losing his magic.

Andrew saves him.

-----

Neil forgot, sometimes, that magic didn’t inherently mean bad things.

That it could be used for good, too, if only the wielder wanted it to.

(If they didn’t just want to make you hurt and watch you bleed.)

-----

written for #andreilweek2019

day 1 ≫ alternate meeting | fantasy au | magic au

[pilipalea-moved-deactivated2019]

━ PILIPALEA WIP FAN VIDEO GIVEAWAY

hey, writeblrs! thanks for the endless amount of support! here is a gift for you. tagging: @ideolgues @skeletongrrl @lorewritten @vixenwrites @hell-yeah-writing @sancta-silje @clockwcrked @paranoidwriter @wintersaints @xiuguri @mybookisbad @ikilledmyocs @liarede @gaslightwestern @requiemesque @katabasiss @brekkerings @noloumna & all my followers!

must reblog to qualify for draw / anyone can reblog. 

3 winners / videos under 3 minutes. 

samples: x   x   x 

ends feb 15th

[pilipalea-moved-deactivated2019]

THIS ENDS AT 8PM EST. DAY REBLOGGING COUNTS!

[languages-georg-blog]

An Actual Writing Tip From An Actual Author

Wow holy shit I’m gonna actually give you guys an actual writing tip, being a published and award winning author and all.

Anyways, a great way to work in TOTALLY UNRELATED little details about your setting or what have you that may or may not be relevant later on is through the use of metaphors, euphemisms, etc. in character dialogue.

“This cold is terrible! I’m wearing more layers than an Aenirian bride!”

Congratulations, you now know something about Aenirian marriage customs. You might not even know what exactly an Aenirian is, but you know that their brides wear lots of layers.

See where I’m going with this?

[thievesguilding]

also even though it seems like common sense little details add so much depth and flavour to a story even and maybe especially when those details aren’t plot relevant

not everything in the real world connects neatly and seamlessly with everything else; there are TONS of loose ends in real life because there’s an entire world that keeps going regardless of one particular person or group’s drama

having proof of a world outside of and utterly unconcerned with the main conflict is such a nice touch and a really quick way to breathe life into dialogue

[languages-georg-blog]

Excellent addition!

[kittydesade]

The trick is when you do this to a) write all this down and b) have a sounding board, even if its’ only your cat. Or your stuffed animal. Or your rubber duck, she said staring balefully at her inner computer programmer. Because if you have a sounding board you can go take a few minutes and add another few sentences about, say, an Aenirian bride wears lots of layers to show off her family’s wealth, whereas an Aenirian groom wears a fancy trouser and nothing else to show off his physical prowess and this goes back to when they were mountain basin nomads but nobody does that anymore really… 

Just make sure you DO go back to the core story and don’t get too distracted. Like, set an egg timer or something. 

[mazarinedrake]

And you never know when a line like this might provide the hook for a future installment! Maybe you get a bunch of cool ideas about Aeniria that wouldn’t fit into the book you’re currently writing, so you stick them in a file somewhere and a few years down the line, write another book that’s set there! Speaking as a lifelong lover of epic fantasies and worldbuilding, I can’t get enough of it when authors do that. 

[ashes-to-sen-deactivated2019100]

Outline of Fight Scenes

I’ve noticed people struggle with writing fight scenes so I made a little guide on how to organize things.

Setting

Setting can be an important component in your fight scenes simply because of the interactions characters can have with the setting. This can also serve as another way to dispose of info-dumping and have a more organic way of revealing more of the world to the reader.

The biggest thing to keep in mind are how do the characters utilize the setting (i.e. through their powers, through throwing items within the setting, using walls as cover, and so on). It’s always fair game to experiment and play around with the dynamics of the scene to keep things interesting and to capitalize on parts of the setting that could help a character in a fight or shows the effects of a particular attack within that setting.

Note that setting can also encompass the people in it so essentially you could take routes like holding people hostage or attempting to shield bystanders. It’s all how you make it out to be.

Character

When we talk about fight scenes, there are three main points when approaching the topic of character: the motivation, the skill-set, and the personality. All three play off each other and affect the orientation of the fight which can create interesting dynamics between the opponent(s) and the character themselves.

Personality dictates the way a character would carry themselves throughout the fight. The consistency in their personality must be present for them whether they’re extremely confrontational or pacifistic within that scene. If there is a dramatic shift in personality, there always needs to be an explanation as to why they’ve adopted that attitude at present time or otherwise (ex: character development throughout the course of the novel). Dialogue and how they fight are your best friends when it comes to overlaying it with personality. If your character is extremely cocky and arrogant, they tend to act overly confident in their abilities and have zero hesitation but if they’re non-confrontational and timid, they tend to run away or at least de-escalate the situation.

Motivation presents to us why the fight is happening in the first place whether it be short-term motivation or long-term motivation.

Short-term motivation is usually in place for minor, one off fights that involve taking out enemies simply because they’re in your way or just because maybe you’re confronting a hostile person; these fights usually find themselves being action sequences that are either for discovery of power, setting the scene, or etc.

Long-term motivation is a motivation the surpasses short-term simply for the weight of it like having to fight the main villain; simply put, the small fights gear into the larger one and often are a culmination of all the skills the protagonist has built up. It has more consequence than those of short-term fights.

Skill-sets are divided into two main sections: Physical and non-physical. Physical meaning their physical capabilities such as strength, mobility, endurance and so on. Non-physical encompasses things like weaponry or magical elements such as sharp-shooting or pyrokinesis. Again, consistency is key with this so you’ll always need to inform on why a character has gained a particular ability or how they perhaps evolved their powers (either through training or the fight alone). Be careful on how you approach them since you have to provide reasons for limitation existing in the scene or throughout the story (ex: if character A is exceptional at being fast but they cannot use that particular ability).

Stakes/Impact

Usually fight scenes will need a sense of urgency for the characters and the person observing these characters. To create a sense of tension, you need to establish what’s the loss of the character whether it be the world ending, them dying, their powers vanishing, and so on. For minor fight scenes, stakes don’t have to be extreme since usually those are reserved for the huge confrontation with the villain but it’s good to know what’s the end result should the protagonist suffer a loss.

Consequently, what are the gains of the fight? What investment should they have to tip the scales? Again, these don’t have to be incredibly huge because they could be things like protecting people from more harassment from these villains.

*Note that stakes/impact almost always tie in with motivation.

[valtsv]

aesthetic: those landscape photos that look like they were taken on another planet in deep space

[valtsv]

[softgamerkingthewriter]

Kissing Prompts

NOT MINE

Types of Kisses:

Goodbye kisses: Lingering and hard for longer times apart. Ones that curve A’s body against B’s and cause hands to play against backs. Or short pecks, maybe not even completely on the mouth for short trips to the grocery store.

Hello kisses: After long periods apart, these can include A picking up B and spinning them around. Fingers pressing into cheeks, palms cupping necks, and breathless laughs when they finally come up for air.

Breathless kisses: A series of short pecks because they need the closeness but they also need air, so. Sometimes smiles come in between, or sometimes it’s just breath, gasping for the sole purpose of being able to kiss again.

Heated kisses: Breath huffing into mouths, angrily or passionately. Hands grabbing at clothing and pulling each other closer.

First kisses: Hesitant and nervous. Lips hover inches from each other for a few seconds before they just barely brush. It’s just a soft press, but it ignites their entire bodies. Pinkies link afterwards, still wanting to be close, and each looks down, smiling softly.

After sex kisses: Lazy, slow presses. Limbs pressed together, chests heaving. Soft murmurs about what to do for dinner later, fingers trailing down backs, tracing lazy patterns. B rolling onto their back and A trailing their lips down their neck, kissing their shoulder, their chest, anywhere they can think of, memorizing B.

Morning kisses: Barely awake kisses that usually end up on jaws or cheeks because A is too tired to land it properly. B makes a sleepy sound and rolls into A, nuzzling their face into their neck, ankles hooking together, while A drapes their arms around B and they fall back asleep for a while.

Post-break up kisses: Soft and slow. Hands on each other’s arms in a way that neither can tell if the other is pushing away or pulling closer. The kiss ends with their foreheads pressed together, neither wanting it to be true that this is happening.

Christmas kisses: More smile than actual kiss. A holds mistletoe above their heads while B rolls their eyes, but pulls A down by the collar of their ugly Christmas sweater for a heated kiss. A takes B by the waist and walks forward until they are around the corner, away from the prying eyes and hoots of the rest of their friends and family.

Comforting kisses: B walks into find A sitting on the bed, shoulders shaking, cheeks wet. A looks up, face looking stricken for a moment. B is shocked, and quietly says A’s name. At this, A breaks, face crumpling, and only barely has time to reach both hands out for B before B is there, kneeling at A’s feet. B takes A’s hands first, kissing their knuckles and palms. Then B reaches up to hold A’s face, pressing soft kisses around their cheeks, their lips, murmuring “it’s okay” and “you’re alright” and “I’m here” in between.

“I thought I lost you” kisses: The breath is knocked out of both of them with the force that they collide with. Hands grip the back of t-shirts and palms are pressed up and under shirts, holding them close, feeling the warmth of their skin. Palms are pressed to cheeks, thumbs swiping away tears until their mouths collide messily, the world seeming to disappear around them.

“We can’t do this” kisses: Fists clenched, hands shoved into pockets. Brows low or brought together, jaws clenched. A feeling like a magnetic pull between them. Their foreheads pressed together, their lips brush, just barely, until B pulls away with a shaking exhale, forehead dropping into A’s neck.

“Come to bed” kisses: A has their hands on B’s neck, murmuring the phrase softly. A’s hands slide down B’s arms to their hands, lacing their fingers together and slowly starting to pull B towards their bedroom. A continues to pepper B with kisses all the while, trailing them down their jaw and neck.

“You look beautiful” kisses: Just a soft press of lips to the temple, resting them there for a moment, then smiling down and telling them as much.

“I’ll be right back” kisses: A puts their hands on B’s shoulders from behind them, where they are sat on the couch. He leans down and around, while B turns his head a little, accepting the quick peck.

“I missed you” kisses: Long and relentless, holding their body close, arms wrapped completely around their waist. A burying their head in B’s neck and pressing kisses there too.

Angry kisses: Hard, gripping. Fists in clothes, shoving each other against walls. Fingers digging into hips. But the kisses always melt away from that. They turn into brushes of lips between shaking breaths, until they’re out of energy and are left just standing there, holding each other, fingers carding through hair.

Sad kisses: Almost not a kiss at all. Just holding onto each other tightly, A’s lips pressed to B’s temple, whispering soft words, desperately trying to provide whatever comfort they can.

In the dark kisses: The movie plays in the background, but A and B are hardly paying attention from the back row. They kiss soundlessly, long and soft, fingers locked. A’s arm is thrown behind B’s seat, wrist bent to curl their fingers into B’s hair.

Dying kisses: A holds B in their arms, panicked, crying. Murmurs of “no, no, no.” Salt on their lips from tears. Voice cracking. Holding on tightly to their shirt, their shoulder, their hand, roughly pulling them against their body, anything to try and keep them tethered to this earth. Kissing them as they die (“no. No, stay awake—“), Kissing them once more even with the life has left their body (No. God, come back. Please, come back. Please, look at me, I’m right here”).

Ways to Kiss:

breaking the kiss to say something, staying so close that you’re murmuring into each other’s mouths

moving around while kissing, stumbling over things, pushing each other back against the wall/onto the bed

kissing so desperately that their whole body curves into the other person’s

throwing their arms around the other person, holding them close while they kiss

hands on the other person’s back, fingertips pressing under their top, drawing gentle circles against that small strip of bare skin that make them break the kiss with a gasp

lazy morning kisses before they’ve even opened their eyes, still mumbling half-incoherently, not wanting to wake up

routine kisses where the other person presents their cheek/forehead for the hello/goodbye kiss without even looking up from what they’re doing

being unable to open their eyes for a few moments afterward 

one small kiss, pulling away for an instant, then devouring each other 

staring at the other’s lips, trying not to kiss them, before giving in

when one stops the kiss to whisper “I’m sorry, are you sure you-” and they answer by kissing them more

a hoarse whisper “kiss me”

following the kiss with a series of kisses down the neck

starting with a kiss meant to be gentle, ending up in passion

a gentle “i love you” whispered after a soft kiss, followed immediately by a stronger kiss

when one person’s face is scrunched up, and the other one kisses their lips/nose/forehead 

height difference kisses where one person has to bend down and the other is on their tippy toes 

kisses where one person is sitting in the other’s lap 

kisses meant to distract the other person from whatever they were intently doing 

top of head kisses 

Places Where People Kiss:

In the rain.

In a vehicle.

In the street.

On the sidewalk.

In the shower.

In the kitchen.

In the snow.

Under the stars.

In the moonlight.

By the river.

In the water.

In the bedroom.

In a bar.

At a party.

At the other’s place.

By a campfire.

Reasons to kiss:

Life or Death

Love

Celebration

Longing

Missing the other

Relief

Lust

Need

No reason at all

Admiration

Power

First Kiss

Confessing feelings

A bet

Sad or hurt feelings

First date

[harpomarxs]

• Use the hand you write with.

• Make a fist with your thumb outside, not tucked inside. If it’s tucked inside your fist, when you punch someone, you might break your thumb. The thumb goes across your fingers, not on the side.

• Don’t be like in the movies—don’t aim for the face. Face punches don’t usually stop people, and you can miss when they duck their head or break your hand on their jaw. If you want to get away quickly, or end a fight, aim for the chest, or the ribs. If you really want to do some damage, e.g., you’re being attacked, aim for the throat, which will make it hard for your attacker to breathe for a hot minute.

• When you punch, you want to aim and hit with your first two knuckles. Not the flats of your fingers, and not your ring or pinky knuckles, which can break more easily. You can use your weight, if you’re on your feet, to add wallop, and spring into a punch with your feet and torso.

[asinheavenasinhell-deactivated2]

Useful information, esp. if you haven’t taken self defense.

[fatallyblonde]

I reblogged this once before to add this and I’ll do it again…

keep your wrist straight.

You can also risk breaking your wrist if you allow it to bend.  I actually can’t believe this isn’t in there.

[fullofbeansandspunk]

Other good pointers:

if your attacker is male, go for his junk - especially if he’s wearing loose pants. There’s no sportsmanship when it comes to assault so fuck them balls UP

punching pretty much ANYWHERE in the face is going to actually hurt you a LOT (just think - you’re punching your bones into their bones and ow). If you’re going for the face, my suggestion is to strick upwards with your palm.

see that meaty portion highlighted in red? There’s a lot of muscle and fat right there which makes it excellent for striking. Hold your hand as shown and aim for the nose or chin (though I’ve been told in extreme circumstances, doing this to the nose can be fatal but I’ve never really heard if this is true or not) and just aim upwards

other delicate areas: 

the shin (hurts like a bitch if you kick it right - also, you can hit this spot if you’re being held in a choke-hold and if your attacker has to move in order to stop you from kicking him, he’ll have to angle his body so as to expose his stomach and crotch to the wild spastic jabbings of your elbows)

the solar plexus (either jab while holding your hand in a sort of spear position or use your elbows - unless you’re super strong, your punch probably won’t wind your attacker. Your elbow or a spear hand will, however)

Originally in (most) martial arts, you hit the solar plexus because it supposedly contained an important chakra. Now we know that it actually also contains like a bunch of necessary organs that are exposed just below your ribs and is also (roughly) where your diaphragm lives so getting punched there is not pleasant.

the clavicle (from experience, getting hit in your clavicle HURTS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER. If you strike downwards with your knuckles, the person might just cry. Like I did.)

the ear (this is probably the best place to punch besides the throat. It’s all cartilage so it probably won’t hurt you all that much and most people will be like “DUDE YOU PUNCHED ME IN THE EAR WHAT THE HELL”)

the kidneys (this is harder to hit without training but if you somehow get your attacker’s back to face you, try to hit’em in the kidneys. Again, from experience, this FUCKING HURTS. You can’t really hit the kidneys from the front with any effect but from the back it is super painful)

if you’re held in a choke-hold, try turning your head so the forearm isn’t pressed into your throat. If you can position yourself right, you can sort of force your chin into the crook of the elbow, making you able to still receive (limited) oxygen and provide time for you to kick some shins or elbow some spleens and shit

[nautilidi-deactivated20130605]

-Also, remember that a guy’s junk is not an off-button. Don’t think that you can rely on a swift kick to the balls to immediately incapacitate him in an emergency. Adrenaline and anger can keep somebody going for a long time even through extreme pain, and if you expect to end a fight with a single groin-attack you might be caught off-guard when he doesn’t drop. Certainly go for it if you get the chance, but keep hitting him until the fight is over.

-Draw blood if you can, especially if you can draw it from the face or the eyes. Blood in the eyes is not just a good way to impair your attacker’s vision, it’s also a really good way to freak them out and let them know that they might be getting more than they bargained for by picking a fight with you.

-Elbows and knees are really powerful weapons. Elbows are very sharp and very strong and if you are in close-range they are often more effective than trying to throw a punch. 

-Yelling and shouting makes you scary. 

[ramblinprose]

Nothing much to add to this, it’s pretty much all there. So. Reblog. Oh, also, it’s really easy to break a nose - go for the eyes too. All it takes to avoid a shot to the throat is tucking your chin. Also, that part about the ear - don’t punch. An open hand over the ear hurts a lot.

[theawesomeadventurer]

Tumblr teaching me how to fuck a bitch up

[smeliot-deactivated20220528]

Also if you fuck up their face it’ll be easier for police to identify the attacker.

If someone gets you from behind and you cant punch them, go for the underside of the upper-arm. A bad pinch there is legit so painful because that skin is super sensitive. Also this cant be stressed enough, if the attacker is a guy then fucking rip his junk off.

[milkfond]

When throwing a punch:

[dynamic-ideation]

reblog to save a fuckin life

[someprickontheinternet-blog]

Always reblog

[viostormcaller]

Writing a fight scene so this is very very useful right now

[the-lonely-angel]

Thinking of taking self defense so this might be useful

[tyrian-pearl-deactivated2020103]

{Also, when punching; punch through your target. So if you’re aiming for their chest, imagine your aiming for about a foot behind their chest. If your fist is still accelerating when you hit, that’s a lot more force.}

[meiselr]

Poetry Inspiration Moodboards | galaxy drops

Every atom inside of you comes from a different star.

[fuckyeahcomicsbaby]

Different Stories Resonate with Different People

[lovingmyselfishard]

I will always reblog this.

[thehumbleroleplayer]

A (Somewhat) Comprehensive List of Possible Careers for Characters

There are several components that go into writing characters for a roleplay. In addition to a character’s age, history, and personality, their job (or lack of a job), career, and career aspirations are also a vital part of the character you are writing. While a job does not necessarily define a character, it can certainly affect their economic status, their lifestyle, everyday experiences, and outlook on life. It is important to choose a career that makes sense for your characters, to fit some of your characters in positions that compliment their personalities and interests, and sometimes to place your characters in a position that they absolutely loathe. It’s also vital to consider your character’s career, and what it realistically pays, when you want to place them in a certain setting or give them a certain lifestyle. (Someone that lives in a penthouse in New York City is definitely going to need the income to pay for it, for example.)

Now that we’re through with that long-winded introduction, here is a list of careers that you may find helpful, along with a few helpful links. Some of them are the typical careers you may see commonly used or spoken of, and some are a bit different, to give your characters an interesting career path.

Keep reading

[meiselr]

Poetry Inspiration Moodboards | stars disappear

Sometimes I want the world to swallow me whole.

[mrywrites]

writing characters who wear hijabs

So, you want to write a hijabi character? Here are a few things to keep in mind!

But before I begin, I’d like to say that these are just what I can say from my own experience as a hijabi, and if anyone else has anything to add, please feel free to do so!

MYTHS & MISCONCEPTIONS:

1. Hijabis live with their hijab as a second skin, not taking it off/sleeping with it on/showering with it.

Although there may be a lot of different cultural, religious, or personal reasons as to why women may wear a hijab that could alter this response, often times the general gist is that we cannot show our hair to any man we have the potential to marry—anyone besides that is generally okay. We take the hijab off at home, shower with it off (an actual question I’ve gotten multiple times), and often only wear it in public. This can of course change with the wearer’s reasons for wearing it, as I do know those who wear it loosely at home as well simply because they wish to maintain that level of modesty in the household too. And, on the other hand, I know those who wear it loosely outside because their reason for wearing it is more cultural or fashion-skewed than religious. Both are cool, and you’ll often find a plethora of both!

2. Hijab means only the headscarf/veil/et all itself.

Actually, to be a “hijabi” entails a certain lifestyle. We wear generally loose clothing, long sleeves/pants/skirts, and overall dress more modestly. But again, these are only what we follow when in public, and not at home/in the company of family, and can change from person to person according to their own view and interpretation of being a hijabi. 

3. Every Muslim woman wears a hijab/has to wear a hijab.

Nope! That is unless the person lives in a country that enforces the use of mandatory hijab (which is a huge infringement of women’s rights, and shouldn’t be a thing as everyone has the right to choose whether or not they wish to wear it as a personal choice). Half of my Muslim friends don’t wear the hijab and the other half do, sometimes they don’t but still dress modestly, sometimes they do but dress less modestly. It completely depends on the person how they choose to carry that aspect of themselves.

CREATING THE CHARACTER

First off, a hijab is not a trait like being shy or introverted, but rather a garment that expresses the following or consideration of certain values. This, of course, portrays certain aspects of the character’s personality and what they hold close to their heart, but it does not mean every hijabi is exactly the same. There are hijabis who are quiet, those who are rebellious, or talkative, or perhaps all of the above. There are hijabis who avidly avoid alcohol and cigarettes and those who avidly consume them. 

You cannot simply assume we’re all the same just because a hijab ties us together.

So then it becomes a bit more demystified, no? Well, not really. Knowing and understanding where you want your hijabi character to be from is as important as figuring out the other aspects of your character because of these key reasons:

Different Muslim countries have different interpretations of the religion and different cultural aspects that affect how the character’s personality might develop; for example, a hijabi in one country might be a lot timider than someone else from a different country because of how they grew up and the traditions they were exposed to.

Where the character is from will often change the way the character styles her hijab or whether or not she even wears one instead of a niqab or etc. For example, a Turkish hijabi will often not style their hijab the same as a Malaysian hijabi.

Writing a hijabi character isn’t hard, but you’ll need to do research to organically create their values and traits. You can, of course, stray from this as you please, but they are important factors to keep in mind.

WHAT TO AVOID: — describing a hijabi as “exotic” or “mysterious” or something that needs to be unlocked later for the purpose of another character  — describing a hijabi as a goal to be won and see who “she opens herself up to” or whatever — describing a hijabi as an “alien” or a weird foreigner who naturally doesn’t belong anywhere

COMMON STEREOTYPES (that we’re kind of sick of and are destructive) — the incredibly weak, vulnerable girl who comes from a super strict family and has absolutely no autonomy over anything, hates her family — the doctor/nurse who has stern beliefs and never has fun — the one that wears niqab and speaks another language and the writer makes them a villian

SOME FUN IDEAS Have fun making their character! Give us hijabi characters that are: — Warriors — Queens — Engineers — Astronauts — Journalists — Musicians — Police Officers — Detectives And don’t be afraid to mix it up! Add hijabi characters to fantasy, sci-fi, mystery, and just about any other genre of narrative. 

Inclusivity is important, and the best thing you can do is write in a character that isn’t of the white/cis/straight/Christian-unless-stated-otherwise standard (while those are cool too).

Have fun writing your hijabi bbs, and please feel free to add on/correct anything!

[thatwritergirlsblog]

Writing ship-able couples

Here are some tips for writing relationships your readers can get behind:

1. Give them reasons to click

The two characters must have things in common - a hobby, a philosophy, a background. There has to be some element that connects them.

Your readers will root for relationships in which the characters fit together better than they would with others.

Also, make their traits compatible. Have them share some characteristics or have their strengths and weaknesses be complementary. Is the one hotheaded? Maybe the other keeps their cool well in situations of conflict.

There are endless possibilities. Just make sure there’s a reason these two people like/love each other.

2. Have them be vulnerable in front of each other

Personally, this is the best way to get me to love a couple.

Have them share secrets, open up about their feelings and tell each other things they haven’t told anyone. Have them cry in front of each other and comfort each other.

This can be taken to a whole new level by having them understand the other’s emotions even without speaking and already offer comfort. Keep in mind that this will probably only be possible with long-established couples.

And having them open up is also a great way for them to discover all the things they have in common/love about each other.

3. Build up the tension

I cannot emphasise this enough: DO NOT MAKE YOUR COUPLES GET TOGETHER TOO QUICKLY.

One of the best elements of a romantic subplot (or even main plot) is the tension. Your readers want to see the pining! They want the build-up.

And no, I’m not saying that you should introduce endless, petty obstacles. That can become tedious and appear forced.

Just give your characters time to sort through their feelings. Make them fall in love slowly. Have them be unsure. Insert SOME obstacles/conflicts.

Have them almost kiss a few times. Not all the time. Too many almost-kisses can become frustrating. But you should throw a few in there.

And, if you feel comfortable with it, add some sexual tension. Have them notice each other’s bodies and imagine what they’d like to do to each other (that sounds more explicit than I intended :) )

4. Write a healthy relationship

This could just be me and my rejection of unhealthy romances, but I will not root for abusive relationships.

Have your characters be kind to each other, support each other and truly care for each other.

If your characters are constantly putting each other down, physically/emotionally abusing each other or going against the other’s wishes, they’re not in a healthy relationship.

A great way to write a healthy relationship whilst still maintaining the tension, is to have the conflict in the relationship be external. Instead of having the conflict be due to internal struggles between the two characters, have obstacles enter from outside.

Your readers should want them to be together and for that, they should be good for each other.

5. Have their friends/family see their chemistry

I find it beyond adorable when two characters are still figuring out their feelings for each other, but the fact that they’re perfect for each other is crystal clear to everyone around them.

Have their friends tease them about the relationship. Have family members ask after the them. Have their loved ones conspire to get them to admit their feelings.

If your other characters are rooting for them, your readers will probably do so as well.

Plus, this means that the chemistry between the two characters is so strong that it’s obvious, which is always good for an exciting romance.

That’s all I’ve got for now. If you have any further questions about writing OTPs or any other aspect of writing, feel free to message me or pop me an ask.

Reblog if you found any of this useful. Comment with your own tips. Follow me for similar content.

[ephemeralseraph]

@practising-writer Idk if you’ve already seen this but here it is again?!

[endlesshourglass]

Writeblr Intro (Kinda)

Despite having this blog since May, I never made an introduction, and since there are so many new writeblrs, I thought I’d say hi and hopefully make some new friends! 

So hello everyone! My name is Ally, I am 20 years old, and I’m a junior in college studying neuroscience and psychology. I love to learn new things and I tend to go on Wikipedia binges where I just research random topics that I find interesting. I have 6 cats, and I am willing to share pics! I love iced tea and coffee much more than I should. In my free time, I like to write (obviously), read, play video games, and I can read tarot cards (so feel free to hit me up if you ever want a reading)! 

I’m looking to follow more writeblrs, especially people who write/post about:

Fantasy/Sci-fi

LGBT characters (bonus points for ace OCs)

New Adult

World Building

Writing Tips

Edits/Moodboards

Original Writing/Content

So yeah! I tend to write fantasy and NA and I post a lot of writing tips and information about my WIPs. I’m trying to post more original writing as well! If you wouldn’t mind, please like or reblog this post so I can give you a follow! Looking forward to meeting some more cool people :D

[littlewriterling]

Hi there!, Ally I too never made an intro post x’D

ohhh, neuroscience and psychology are such interesting topics, how do you like it? I’ve been considering doing the same thing for a while but eventually chickened out ^^° And yay, kitties! I’ve got 5 of them, too, and I just remembered that I promised someone, once upon a time, that I’d share pictures of them... hmm..

I do write about Fantasy, have got all the LGBT characters in my wips and am trying to make sure to have at least one ace person in each one too, sometimes with more or less prominent roles, I write mostly New Adult I guess, reblog world building and writing tips and also the occasional moodboard/edit, but sadly I’m not creating as much original content as I’d like. Although I do hope to remedy that in the next few weeks/months, mostly by joining (so very late) the 365pagechallenge and trying to give at least weekly updates on that. we’ll see how it goes. 

(also sorry, I usually don’t ramble like this, but I’m tired and actually trying to convince myself to be more active on tumblr again, soo...)

[audreyrosebooks]

ok but when a character is desperately in love but also desperately in denial and cares aggressively and obviously but tries to play it off as something else: “did i protect you? yes sure, because it serves my purpose hahahaha i’m too cool for feelings” and they’re so good at pretending that they deeply believe their own bullshit until a THING happens and they realize that oh no it was feelings all along how do

this isn’t very eloquent but i live for this

[tcstu]

Ekphrastic Fiction Contest (January 2019)

  The artistic piece for this month’s contest is a digital sketch by Virginie Juteau (@hydraart​) titled “It wasn’t that long ago, apparently.” Please visit this page to see more incredible work by this artist!

Basic Directions: Create an original fictitious piece based on the artwork above.

Length: Your entry does not have to be long! It can be as short as one sentence or one paragraph. Entries must be shorter than 500 words.

Deadline: All entries must be received before January 25th. The winner will be announced January 31st.

How to submit your entry:  Once you have written your Ekphrastic Fiction piece, you can enter this contest either of these ways:

   1. Fill out this form to enter the contest.

    2. Reblog this post with your story attached.

You can do either one of these to enter the contest. You do not need to do both.  

Contest Prize: I will feature the winning piece on my blog and link directly to the writer’s page in order to promote his/her/their work. The winning piece will also have a permanent spot on my contest page. This gives writers a chance to have their work shared and seen by others. Sorry, but at this time I am broke, so no cash prizes will be given.

WTF is Ekphrastic Fiction? Ekphrastic Fiction stories are short fictitious pieces inspired by a work of art. To see some of my Ekphrastic Fiction pieces, click here.

Will there be any future contests? Yes! As long as there is enough interest, there will be a new contest, and a new piece of art work, posted every month. Check out my page on the 1st of each month to see the new contest.

I am an artist. How can my work get used for these contests? If you have art work that you would like used for this contest, you can read my post for artists here, and fill out this form.

I can’t wait to read your submissions!

@bookbreak   @lady-redshield-waits @marigoldwrites @raiswanson  @mbovettwrites @twoplumsandapeach @burningemberjade @brynprocrastinates @drawingpuddle @wemitodd @madeofinkk @create-and-procrastinate @miistical @writerlyclaire @dreamsofbooksandmonsters @semicoolgal @whitandwy @dikris-g @dhill2000 @loafofbree @elliebrie @halfbloodlycan @infinitebadashianqueen @unendingballofstress @demighosty @evanthenerd83 @toast-de-papel @palxeye @tlbodine @rainingcaffeine @baerlii @to-kill-a-procrastinator

[littlewriterling]

Ashes remain.

Ashes to ashes, they said.

The Holy Fire is supposed to consume everything, wood and metal and wind, blood and bones and skin. It's supposed to eat through dragon scales as well as mountain sides, through everything, alive and dead.

It's supposed to destroy and leave nothing behind.

 This isn't nothing.

Ma'lee stands there, eyes burning with tears, in her mouth the acrid taste of smoke, her clothes covered in white-flaked ash.

 The Holy Fire failed.

 It was supposed to save them.

 Instead it took and took and took and left behind what should have been gone.

 She looks up at the creature, the monster. The one great enemy.

 Ashes to ashes, they said.

 It looks like it's immortal now.

 Ma'lee wraps her coat tighter around herself, to protect against the wind that still bears the heat of the Holy Fire, that will from now on always carry it in its breath. Shudders, bites her lip. Blood joins smoke, a tang of rust and death.

 She steps closer, and her feet make no sound. She doesn't want to think about just how thick that layer of ash has to be now, doesn't want to think about what it once was, what it once belonged to.

Doesn't want to know if it used to belong to the whiskers of a cat, the bark of a cherry tree, or maybe the hair of her own mother, the cinder that landed on her cheek just now. Or if maybe she'll get to be closer to whatever it was if her tears mix with the ashes now, as they slip along her cheek, a mockingly clean trail through the dust on her face.

 Another step.

She banishes her thoughts.

They have no place here, in that strange land of things that have been, that never will be again.

 Holy Fire is supposed to erase every last bit of it. It was supposed to be controllable.

 Ma'lee was supposed to be able to control it.

 A moment of distraction has been enough to negate that, to ruin everything.

A split-second of wondering if there's really no other way. If what she's doing is right.

 And the Holy Fire has taken the chance to show her that it's only ever been wrong.

 The last step now. Her boots feel heavy, filled with lead.

Her heart beats steady in her chest.

She's not angry or scared or nervous, not anymore.

She's just curious.

 She reaches out her hand.

Close enough to touch it.

Curls her fingers.

The creature's skin feels rough under her fingertips, just for a moment.

 Ashes to ashes, they said.

 They weren't lying.

  And Ma'lee is alone.