Writers' Spark

Mostly sharing steampunk and writing advice here. Check out my prompt-writing blog at www.WritersSpark.com

[remnantglow]

classic scifi novels by men r always like. page 1 here’s a cool scifi idea i had. page 2 i hate women so much it’s unreal

[remnantglow]

ALT

ALT

ALT

guys if one more person leaves a tag like this on my post im gonna lose my mind. There Are Science Fiction Authors Who Are Not Misogynistic Men

[remnantglow]

ok i’ve gotten one too many ‘this is why i don’t read sci-fi’ comments so here’s a rec list for the people convinced all science fiction is bad and misogynistic (with something for everyone, hopefully!):

(also, btw, the book links are to the Storygraph, which includes content warnings for each one!)

smth funny and lighthearted about a security robot who’d rather watch TV then do its job? all systems red by martha wells (first novella in the The Murderbot Diaries series, 6 books, ongoing)

a complex, intricate political space opera following a warship AI who’s lost (almost) everything? ancillary justice by ann leckie (first in the Imperial Radch trilogy) (fun fact! bc of space linguistics reasons, all characters in this series are referred to with she/her pronouns, making gender a non-factor - it’s really cool!)

a dark story about travelling between parallel universes and a woman who is dead in almost every single one? the space between worlds by micaiah johnson (standalone) (SO good, i don’t get to recommend it often enough!!!)

a story about grief and letting go, and a unique take on alien invasion? the seep by chana porter (standalone novella)

hey, how abt some dystopian YA, for old times sake? specifically, one with sapphics and sick mechas? try gearbreakers by zoe hana mikuta (first in duology)

or, if you’d prefer something a bit less angsty, YA about a ragtag group of teens and a space heist? the disasters by m. k. england (standalone)

alternate history steampunk that blurs the line btwn science fiction and fantasy? the black god’s drums by p. djeli clark (standalone, novella)

a dark gone girl-esque thriller about clones? the echo wife by sarah gailey (standalone)

poetic sapphic romance and time travel? this is how you lose the time war by max gladstone and amal el-mohtar (standalone)

a hopeful utopian future and a human-robot friendship? a psalm for the wild-built by becky chambers (novella, first out of two) (this author’s got a whole bunch of hopepunk sci-fi novels in general, if that’s smth you’re looking for!)

africanfuturism, coming-of-age, and cool jellyfish aliens? binti by nnedi okorafor (novella, first in trilogy)

spicy lesbian cyborgs? and shall machines surrender my benjanun sriduangkaew (novella, first in the Machine Mandate series, 6 books)

cosmic horror with an autistic scientist, cyborg angels and AI gods? the outside by ada hoffmann (first in trilogy, 2 books are out)

also, if you’re a fan of Janelle Monáe, may i draw your attention to the fact that they’ve recently come out with a Dirty Computer short story collection, each story co-written with a diff writer?

this list is long enough, but have some more authors (who are not cis men) also worth checking out: rivers solomon, yoon ha lee, charlie jane anders, aliette de bodard, xiran jay zhao, mary robinette kowal, corinne duyvis

and finally, not all older/classic scifi is written by crusty old white guys who hate women!!! some iconic authors i’d particularly recommend looking into are ursula k. le guin, octavia e. butler, samuel r. delany and vonda n. mcintyre 🥰

[steampunktendencies]

“Centaur” is the work of Maurice Montero Sauvage. More than 120 pieces assembled. One of his biggest challenges as he says himself.

Steampunk Tendencies on Instagram 

[margaretsmcgraw]

Amazing!

[steampunktendencies]

Dragon made from car and motorcycle parts by Tom Samui.

[margaretsmcgraw]

I need one to guard my castle keep….er…humble home!

[wizardnuke]

fake relationship but its a king and his concubine that was once an amazing soldier but he couldn’t go up the ranks for whatever reason so the king was like listen. hear me out. you can be my strategy dude. u just gotta be okay w walking around shirtless a lot. and soldier dude is like man that’s an UPSIDE and yknow they end up falling in love

[aethersea]

some idiot advisor: I can’t believe his majesty lets his boytoy attend these council meetings, it’s an insult to the noble institutions that uphold our nation, it’s an outrage—

a somewhat smarter advisor: you’re just mad bc he pointed out how dumb your naval attack strategy and no one laughed when you made a mean joke about him

[fieldbears]

Boytoy has gone from a top fighter who was well respected but in constant danger to wearing silks and eating grapes on daises. That fucked up rotator cuff was the best thing to ever happen to him

[mzminola]

Bonus points: at least half the other concubines are experts in assorted fields, the monarch brings them to relevant meetings to both play up a reputation for frivolity, and make sure at least one person there doesn’t have an outside agenda.

[aethersea]

my harem? 

did you mean: my chief strategic advisors

[kitten-kin]

The kingdom is an absolute monarchy but the harem has become a secret meritocracy. The nobles and official advisors kind of side-eye His Majesty because wow some of these consorts must have like…really good personalities. Kings of the past have had their own specific tastes of course; size, shape, age, color, et cetera. More than one ruler has interviewed consorts feet first and Ardwin the Adventurous’s obsession - God rest him - with snuffling armpits like a sow rooting for mushrooms is well known despite never being alluded to in polite company.

The worst part of it is that the new king takes at least part of his harem with him everywhere and it’s so embarrassing. The Counselors of War have never once met with His Divine Majesty without that hulking battle-scarred consort interrupting with muttered growls or scornful snorts. And the Ministers of Finance all flinch at the sight of that fox-faced one, rumored to have been rescued from the gallows because His Augustness took a fancy to his eyes or some such nonsense. General petition days are even worse, with practically the entire harem drifting in and out of the Grand Hall in turns, insouciant and smug like granary cats who know they’ve been given full run of the courtyards and barns.

It’s absolutely infuriating that the kingdom has never before known such a period of peace and prosperity under this ridiculous monarch.

[madilayn]

Tag to this - the biggest secret is the Queen who runs the Kingdom’s spy network. It’s the envy of all the other Kingdoms around, and not a few nobles! Not ALL of the Kingdom’s Diplomats are spies. But many of their servants are. The Queen grew up as a neglected child, and she learned how servants are ignored, but who always know everything that goes on. Many of the spies are like the Queen - beautiful and seemingly vacuous. The sp[ies tend to have great fun, and also work closely with the Concubines

[aethersea]

#everyone is furious when the king picks his bride #a minor princess! of a minor ally! she’s not even that pretty or smart or anything! #but at least when the king marries her he’ll have to get rid of his harem #or at the VERY LEAST stop FLAUNTING them everywhere #if nothing else her family will object to this insult to her honor

#BUT THEN

#somehow she’s befrIENDED THE CONCUBINES

#sometimes they follow HER around!! in public!! 

#the king and queen are  s h a r i n g  t h e  h a r e m

#never has the court been so furious and scandalized all at once #it’s a genuine shock to all of them when ten years later no one has even once tried to overthrow the royal family #(they’re wrong there have been no less than thirty attempted coups twelve of which nearly succeeded) #(but the harem and the spy network are VERY good at their jobs)

[margaretsmcgraw]

I’d read more of this!

[biggest-gaudiest-poltergeist]

vampires who lie outrageously about meeting famous historical figures, when in truth they mostly spent the last 500 years cooped up in dilapidated castles & caves like cranky hermits. nonetheless, interviews with vampires are technically considered primary academic sources, to the continual annoyance of the entire global community of historians

[crowcroaks]

[forthegothicheroine]

Interview with the Vampire but it’s like The Usual Suspects and you see the flashbacks and everything and only realize at the end he improvised the whole story off of the titles of paranormal novels on the interviewer’s bookshelf.

[staff]

tumblr tuesday: today, we celebrate every woman...

…whatever powers she may possess (@fionacreates):

…who feels things just as she should (@papaartistakabettyrose):

…whether she be the rescuer or the rescued (@vetyr):

…whatever journey she may be on (@jeniferprince):

…however many underestimate her (@refrigerator-art​):

…however she comes to be herself (@thetranspositivitycafe​):

…with or without a cape (@asknicorobean​):

…whether she be a goddess of the waning moon (@painted-maypole​):

…or a goddess of the waning year (@samticore​):

…who cares for her family, whatever shape that takes (@druidart​):

…who dreams (@strijkdesign​):

Have a good, safe International Women’s Day. You deserve it all.

An earlier version of this post included an additional illustration. After we were informed the art was misgendered, we removed it. We sincerely apologize to the artist and entire community for our error. Thank you for calling this to our attention.

[cemo-writes]

The Four Act Story Structure (with Black Panther)

Part 1 - Orphan

Narrative Context: Set Up the story. In the first 20% - 25% of your novel, you will: Introduce the character (backstory, their stasis, their inner demons, their strengths), establish stakes (what the character has to lose), foreshadow the imminent conflict to come. 

Hook: The hook happens in the first chapter of your novel, the earlier the better. It grabs the reader, makes us empathize with the protagonist, and gives the reader something to bite into before the protag’s quest really begins.

Example: (Black Panther) Freeing kidnapped women from warlords to call Nakia back to Wakanda. 

Inciting Incident: Something happens to your character that incites the coming conflicts. This could happen as early as the hook, or could happen as late as Plot Point 1.

 Example: Klaw and Killmonger steal vibranium from a British museum.

Plot Point 1: At 20% or 25% in your novel, something big happens that alters the protag’s plans/status/beliefs, forcing them to respond. The first plot point defines the nature of the hero’s quest, and everything you’ve set up (stakes, inner demons, foreshadowing) has led up to this point. Imagine the first quarter of the novel as pulling back the plunger in a pinball machine, and the first plot point is when you let the ball fly. The antagonist is introduced, but their true nature will not be fully revealed until the midpoint. 

Example for Plot Point 1 from Black Panther: ~35m/123m (28%), Klaw’s whereabouts are known. T’Challa needs to go on a retrieval mission, putting his leadership as King to test for the first time.  

Part 2 - Wanderer

Narrative Context: Reaction. 25% - 50% of your story. Something big has just happened (Plot Point 1) and the protagonist is reacting to it, running from it, pursuing it without knowing what it is. There is a sense of indecision, or lack of knowledge. We don’t have all the answers. 

Example: T’Challa, Nakia, and Okoye are after Klaw, but they haven’t been fully introduced to the true antagonist, Killmonger. 

Pinch Point 1: The first Pinch Point comes in the middle of Part 1. A pinch point is a big moment that reminds the reader of the power of the antagonist.

Example: 59/123 min, 47%. Right when the gang thinks they’ve got Klaw, he escapes with the help of Killmonger. T’Challa sees Killmonger for the first time, taking notice of the ring he wears. Who is this man? T’Challa realises he doesn’t have all the answers, that there’s something bigger going on. 

Midpoint: One of the biggest points in the story, and a huge plot twist that reveals the true nature of the antagonist. It is like a veil is lifted, and the character sees more clearly what they’re up against, on an external, internal, and thematic level.

Example of the Midpoint: In Black Panther, the midpoint happens from 63 min - 67 min (~52%) in two scenes. First, we get a big plot twist. Killmonger reveals that he is of Wakandan blood, and that he’s going to the hidden nation. He kills Klaw and even his own girlfriend without hesitation. This lets the viewer know Killmonger’s goals and the danger he poses as an antagonist. In the second scene of the Midpoint, Zuri reveals what really happened to T’Challa’s uncle (and Killmonger’s father): he was killed by T’Chaka, leaving Killmonger fatherless. T’Challa realises that he’s going to have to pay the consequences for his father’s mistakes, and truly questions for the first time whether Wakanda’s tradition of secrecy is moral. 

Part 3 - Warrior

Narrative Context: Action. 50% -75/80% of your story. Again, something game changing has just happened (the midpoint), which suddenly clarifies the nature of the antagonistic force. With this new insight, the protagonist is able to go on attack mode, actively trying to solve the issue at hand.

 Example: Now that Killmonger has made himself known as the true antagonist, T’Challa has to face him and the mistakes T’Chaka made in the past.

Pinch Point 2: The second pinch point occurs halfway through the third quarter. Like the first pinch point, it is a reminder of the threat of the antagonistic force.

Example: 81 min - 82 min in Black Panther, or 66% into the story, Killmonger overthrows T’Challa.

Plot Point 2: The second plot point happens around 75% or 80% into the novel. It may be a characters realisation of what they must do to defeat the antagonist or a piece of information that allows them to face the bad guy. Whatever it is, no new information may be introduced after this point unless it is heavily foreshadowed. This is to prevent a deux ex machina.

Example: (98 min, 80%) T’Challa speaks to his forebears and realises that their actions were immoral. He says, “I must take the mantle back” and regains his power as black panther. He is ready to face Killmonger, and there is a sense that he now has a chance of defeating him.

Part 4 - Martyr

Narrative Context: Martyr. 75/80% - 100% of your story. This is the final battle, the end game. Often in a self-sacrificial way, the protagonist faces the big baddies and defeats them one by one. They are heroic, they are active, and they defeat the antagonist by their own strength. 

Example: T’Challa and his crew face Killmonger to stop him from sending Wakandan weaponry to other countries. Notice that each character, T’Challa, Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, and Ross do something heroic and self-sacrificing. Occasionally something comes in that turns the tides in the heroes’ favour (this must be heavily foreshadowed) like when M’Baku decides to join sides with T’Challa.

Climax: Close to the end, midway in Part 4, the antagonist is defeated and the theme is clearly splayed out.

In Black Panther, this happens at 115 min - 118 min (or 94%) when T’Challa brings Killmonger out of the vibranium mines to see the Wakandan sunset. Killmonger chooses to die rather than live in bondage. After this point, we switch to the resolution.

Resolution Scene: Everything is wrapped up after the climax. This isn’t necessarily one scene, but can be many. May be one chapter or several depending on how many plot threads need to be tied up. Whatever happens, we enter into a new stasis and see the effect of the protagonist’s journey both physically (how the world changes around them) and psychologically (how they have changed internally).

Example: In Black Panther, we find out that T’Challa has decided to make an outreach program for African-American youth. He learns from Killmonger and decides to use Wakandan technology and resources so that the future generation does not suffer like Killmonger did.

How to use the Four Act Story Structure

On a practical level, how can writers use the Four Act Structure? I would recommend using it both in reading and in writing:

When reading or watching a movie, look out for the major plot points and act breaks. Have you ever felt that a story feels unbalanced? Rushed in parts? It is likely because it does not follow the Four Act Structure.

You can also use this structure in outlining. It will prevent you from going, “What the hell is going to happen next?” and will help you create a story that is well structured. Another reason I like this structure is because it details how to plot the middle portion of a novel.

However, keep in mind that movies are paced differently than books, and that even all books aren’t paced the same. You will not die in writers hell if you don’t follow this structure exactly. Rather, it is good to understand why this structure works so that you can better structure your own novels. For instance, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone does not follow this structure like I’ve laid out (though many argue that the first book is unbalanced; Harry doesn’t get to Hogwarts until 40% into the book.)

If you’d like to read more in depth about the Four Act Structure, Larry Brooks writes about it in Story Engineering. But a word of warning: Brooks does seem to believe that you will die in writing hell if you don’t follow this structure, and he hates pantsers with a passion. It’s still an informative read, but please take everything he says with a grain of salt.

[steampunktendencies]

The Royal Portuguese Reading Room, Brazil. 19th century

Join us on Telegram https://t.me/steampunktendencies 

[margaretsmcgraw]

Love!

[abessinier]

Stuff kids on tumblr better relearn

1. You are responsible for your own media experience. 

2. There is such a thing as a healthy level of avoidance towards topics that make you feel unwell or even (in a real-life clinical definition of the term) trigger you - but you are the one to actively take care of what you view.

3. Avoiding does not mean policing others.

4. You have no right to tell artists to censor themselves - you may criticize what others do, you may dislike it, that’s fine - but actively asking for censorship when you could easily unfollow or block a person just makes you look incompetent in your use of the internet.

5. Do not give people on tumblr or /any/ website the responsibility for your emotional well-being. Because these people do not even know you so no, you have no right to ask them to take care of you.

[vesperlionheart]

6. Content creators are not your parents and owe you nothing, not even a breakdown on why their content isn’t problematic. You don’t get to demand a dissertation denouncing any and everything unhealthy in a piece you don’t like. Move on.

[summerpipedream]

7. Tagging is a nicety but not an obligation. You can message people, politely, and ask them to tag things, and many people will, but understand that it’s their blog and they aren’t obliged to say yes. Unfollow and block when you need to. Circling back to number 1, you are responsible for curating your own experience.

8. Don’t be a jerk. Remember at the end of the day, there are actual living, breathing people behind each screen name. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say to someone’s face in real life. 

[pixie-mage]

I cannot stress enough how important it is to remember this.

[jenroses]

I have a bunch of mental tripwires for social media. When they’re tripped, I close the tab and do something else.

Basic tripwires include: 

feeling physical symptoms of anxiety such as tightness in my chest, headache, etc.

noticing that I’m getting grumpier as I read

I notice that I’m doomscrolling

I’ve gone on more than one rant.

An urge to pick a fight with a Republican. (Don’t do this very often, they like it too much.)

general feelings of irritation at people I care about.

flashbacks

Basically, if social media is making me feel bad or unhappy or physically distressed, I need to do something else. So I do. If something coming up on tumblr is catching me off guard a lot, I keyword block it. If someone is posting a lot of stuff that distresses me, I unfollow them. (sometimes I do this with people I love, it’s not personal, I just am not always in the same place as they are.) On Twitter, I block/mute/unfollow anyone who trolls or demonstrates a fundamental lack of human compassion, especially obvious republicans who post in support of you know who. On Facebook, mute for 30 days is super useful, if I have to do it more than twice, I unfollow or block. On Facebook, groups with a high percentage of people posting shit that makes me angry get unfollowed. 

I survived decades without social media, none of this is essential unless you’re for some reason professionally obligated to pay attention, and I’m NOT. 

Likewise, learn to stop reading fics that aren’t enhancing your existence, just pretend they’re WIPs that will never be finished and let it go.

Pick. Your. Battles. 

[enigmasandepiphanies]

This makes me feel so much better.

[vintagegeekculture]

oooh have you ever done a post about the ridiculous mandatory twist endings in old sci-fi and horror comics? Like when the guy at the end would be like "I saved the Earth from Martians because I am in fact a Vensuvian who has sworn to protect our sister planet!" with no build up whatsoever.

Yeah, that is a good question - why do some scifi twist endings fail?

As a teenager obsessed with Rod Serling and the Twilight Zone, I bought every single one of Rod Serling’s guides to writing. I wanted to know what he knew.

The reason that Rod Serling’s twist endings work is because they “answer the question” that the story raised in the first place. They are connected to the very clear reason to even tell the story at all. Rod’s story structures were all about starting off with a question, the way he did in his script for Planet of the Apes (yes, Rod Serling wrote the script for Planet of the Apes, which makes sense, since it feels like a Twilight Zone episode): “is mankind inherently violent and self-destructive?” The plot of Planet of the Apes argues the point back and forth, and finally, we get an answer to the question: the Planet of the Apes was earth, after we destroyed ourselves. The reason the ending has “oomph” is because it answers the question that the story asked. 

My friend and fellow Rod Serling fan Brian McDonald wrote an article about this where he explains everything beautifully. Check it out. His articles are all worth reading and he’s one of the most intelligent guys I’ve run into if you want to know how to be a better writer.

According to Rod Serling, every story has three parts: proposal, argument, and conclusion. Proposal is where you express the idea the story will go over, like, “are humans violent and self destructive?” Argument is where the characters go back and forth on this, and conclusion is where you answer the question the story raised in a definitive and clear fashion. 

The reason that a lot of twist endings like those of M. Night Shyamalan’s and a lot of the 1950s horror comics fail is that they’re just a thing that happens instead of being connected to the theme of the story. 

One of the most effective and memorable “final panels” in old scifi comics is EC Comics’ “Judgment Day,” where an astronaut from an enlightened earth visits a backward planet divided between orange and blue robots, where one group has more rights than the other. The point of the story is “is prejudice permanent, and will things ever get better?” And in the final panel, the astronaut from earth takes his helmet off and reveals he is a black man, answering the question the story raised. 

[airyairyquitecontrary-deactivat]

IIRC “Judgment Day” was part of the inspiration for the excellent Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Far Beyond the Stars.”

[may-shepard]

This whole post is liquid gold for writers.

[neil-gaiman]

Hey Neil, due to a certain British author saying some stupid things again... Could you please quickly say something supportive for trans people? Would be really comforting right now

I’ve missed this (I’ve been taking a Twitter holiday for the last month, for my own mental health), but I can imagine. I’m sorry. 

Trans women are women. Trans men are men.  Trans rights are human rights. I’m sorry that some people have such a hard time getting their heads around that. But the world is changing, and history is with you.

[neil-gaiman]

This, from 13 months ago, has just been noticed by transphobes, who have been screenshotting it, announcing that I'm jumping onto a bandwagon and they won't read my books any more. So I thought I'd reblog it, because there may be some trans men or trans women out there who need reassurance, and this might help. (Thank you to all the people who turned up on my Twitter feed hoping for a fight for reminding me to reblog it, even if that wasn't what you thought you were doing.)

[apoemaday]

What Gorgeous Thing

by Mary Oliver

I do not know what gorgeous thing       the bluebird keeps saying, his voice easing out of his throat,       beak, body into the pink air of the early morning. I like it       whatever it is. Sometimes it seems the only thing in the world       that is without dark thoughts. Sometimes it seems the only thing       in the world that is without questions that can’t and probably       never will be answered, the only thing that is entirely content       with the pink, then clear white morning and, gratefully, says so.

[writingwithcolor]

hi, im white and im writing a story with a black woman as a main character. her father is neglectful and doesn't take part in her life, but she has her grandma, who introduced her to church and mc found her community there. Later mc finds a black trans woman who becomes like a mother to her. MC ends up in a relationship with a white girl, who was turned into sort of a monster. She ends up not living with her father, leaving willingly. Are her familial and romantic relationships problematic?

Neglectful Black Father, Black Trans Mother figure

It would be nice to see grandparents featured as grandparents instead of backup parents when the first set drops the ball. Having unsupportive parents and using grandparents as primary caregivers is a form of generational trauma that I would advise against you writing. 

As for the Black trans woman, she can be the main character’s mentor and close confidant. Beware of painting all Black femme figures in a motherly light. You might stray into mammy territory. Not all Black femmes are caregivers and not all positive relationships between a Black youth and a Black adult have to be framed as motherly.

I’d save writing about neglectful Black fathers to Black writers. If you wanted to place emotional distance between the main character and her father, you could frame it as the father wanting to bond with his daughter but not being able to. It could be as simple as not being hip or too old-fashioned. He’s her father not her peer so her search for community is still present.

~Mod Norma

[margaretsmcgraw]

Writing advice

[wafflewarrior111]

So... I found this and now it keeps coming to mind. You hear about "life-changing writing advice" all the time and usually its really not—but honestly this is it man.

I'm going to try it.

[missroserose]

I love the lawyer metaphor, because whenever I see “John knew that...” in prose writing I immediately think “how?  How does he know it?”  Interrogate your witnesses.  Cross-examine them.  Make them explain their reasoning.  It pays dividends.

[heck-in-a-handbasket]

All of this, but also feels/felt. My editor has forbidden me from using those and it’s forced me to stretch my skills.

[mydetheturk]

ok so it took me a good chunk of an hour, but i transcribed it: Image ID: screenshot of text written by Chuck Palahniuk. Text is as follows:

Writing Advice: By Chuck Palahniuk

In Six seconds, you’ll hate me. But in six months, you’ll be a better writer.

From this point forward – at least for the next half year – you may not use “thought” verbs. These include: Thinks, Knows, Understands, Realizes, Believes, Wants, Remembers, Imagines, Desires, and a hundred others you love to use.

This list should also include: Loves and Hates

And it should include: Is and Has, but we’ll get to those later.

Until some time around Christmas, you can’t write: Kenny wondered if Monica didn’t like him going out at night…”

Instead, you’ll have to Un-pack that to something like: “the mornings after Kenny had stayed out, beyond the last bus, until he’d had to bum a ride or pay for a cab and got home to find Monica faking sleep, faking because she never slept that quite, those mornings, she’d only put her own cup of coffee in the microwave. Never his.”

Instead of characters knowing anything, you must now present that allow the reader to know them. Instead of a character wanting something, you must now describe the thing so that the reader wants it.

Instead of saying: “Adam knew Gwen liked him.” You’ll have to say: “Between classes, Gwen had always leaned on his locker when he’d go to open it. She’d roll her eyes and shove off with one foot, leaving a black heel-mark on the painted metal, but she also left the smell of her perfume. The combination lock would be warm from her butt. And the next break, Gwen would be leaned there, again.”

In short, no more short cuts. Only specific sensory detail: action, smell, taste, sound, and feeling.

Typically, writers use “thought” verbs at the beginning of the paragraph (in this form, you can call them “thesis statements” and I’ll rail against those, later). In a way, they state the intention of the paragraph. And what follows, illustrates them.

For Example: “Brenda knew she’d never make the deadline, was backed up from the bridge, past the first eight or nine exits. Her cell phone battery was dead. At home, the dogs would need to go out, r there would be a mess to clean up. Plus, she’d promised to water the plants for her neighbor…”

Do you see how the opening “thesis statement” steals the thunder of what follows? Don’t do it.

If nothing else, cut the opening sentence and place it after all the others. Better yet, transplant it and change it to: Brenda would never make the deadline.

Thinking is abstract. Knowing and believing are intangible. Your story will always be stronger if you just show the physical actions and details of your characters and allow the reader to do the thinking and knowing. And loving and hating.

Don’t tell your reader: “Lisa hated Tom.”

Instead, make your case like a lawyer in court, detail by detail.

Present each piece of evidence. For example: “During roll call, in the breath after the teacher said Tom’s name, in that moment before he could answer, right then, Lisa would whisper-shout ‘Butt Wipe,’ just as Tom was saying, ‘Here’.”

One of the most common mistakes that beginning writers make is leaving their characters alone. Writing, you may be alone. Reading, your audience may be alone. But your character should spend very, very little time alone. Because a solitary character starts thinking or worrying or wondering.

For example: Waiting for the bus, Mark started to worry about how long the trip would take…”

A better break down might be: “The schedule said the buss would come by at noon, but Mark’s watch said it was already 11:57. You could see all the way down the road, as far as the Mall, and not see a bus. No doubt, the driver was parked at the turn-around, the far end of the line, taking a nap. The driver was kicked back, asleep, and Mark was going to be late. Or worse, the driver was drinking, and he’d pull up drunk and charge Mark seventy-five cents for death in a fiery traffic accident…”

A character alone must lapse into fantasy or memory, but even then you can’t use thought verbs or any of their abstract relatives.

Oh, and you can just forget about using the verbs forget and remember.

No more transitions such as: “Wanda remembered how Nelson used to brush her hair.”

Instead: “Back in their sophomore year, Nelson used to brush her hair with smooth, long strokes of his hand.”

Again, Un-pack. Don’t take short-cuts.

Better yet, get your character with another character, fast.

Get them together and get the action started. Let their actions and words show their thoughts. You – stay out of their heads.

And while you’re avoiding “thought” verbs, be very wary about sing the bland verbs “is” and “have”.

For example:

“Ann’s eyes are blue.”

“Ann has blue eyes.”

Versus:

“Ann coughed and waved one hand past her face, clearing the cigarette smoke from her eyes, blue eyes, before she smiled…”

Instead of the bland “is” and “has” statements, try burying your details of what a character has or is, in actions or gestures. At its most basic, this is showing your story instead of telling it.

And forever after, once you’ve learned to Un-pack your characters, you’ll hate the lazy writer who settles for: “Jim sat beside the telephone, wondering why Amanda didn’t call.”

Please. For now, hate me all you want, but don’t use thought verbs. After Christmas, go crazy, but I’d bet money you won’t.

(…)

For this month’s homework, pick through your writing and circle every “thought” verb. Then, find some way to eliminate it. Kill it by Un-packing it.

Then, pick through some published fiction and do the same thing. Be ruthless.

“Marty imagined fish, jumping in the moonlight…”

“Nancy recalled the way the wine tasted…”

“Larry knew he was a dead man…”

Find them. After that, find a way to re-write them. Make them stronger.

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Thank you for your transcription service, @mydetheturk​!

[that-bookworm-guy]

16 LGBT+ Books by Transgender and Non-binary Black Authors

As with my LGBT+ List, I’m seeing a lot of the same books on my dash, so I spent a few hours researching some lesser-known books. These books fall across a variety of genres and age group.

Ways you can help

[ablockforwritersblock]

Writing Prompt #339

The cold breath of the ice dragon pooled like a fog at its feet. When it's booming voice echoed around the chamber, it was everything the adventuring party could do to not turn and run...

[thenightling]

Morpheus to English translations (for those reading Sandman)

Morpheus AKA Dream of The Endless has his own language. It’s a simple enough language once you learn the basics.  Here are a few translations of Morpheus to English…

_______________ 

“Perhaps.” - Yes.  Definitely yes.  Yes, but I don’t want to actually say the word “Yes” to this for various reasons, usually out of pride, sometimes something else, but usually pride.

“You dare…” - The Morpheus equivalent of “I can’t even…” or various swear words.

“I did not need rescuing.” - Thank you for rescuing me.

“I was doing perfectly well on my own.”  - I was NOT doing perfectly well on my own.  I was in deep shit.

“I believe I was quite capable, given enough time, of rescuing myself.” - I have no idea how I was going to get out of that…

“Petty hedge-magick.” - (Actual meaning: Novice or amateur spellcasting.) Morpheus meaning:  Something I woefully under-estimate. 

“…help me… …please…” - I am weak, defenseless, and completely at your mercy and if you nurse me back to health we shall never speak of this again and no one else will ever hear those words uttered from me. I am going to lose consciousness now.  Bye. 

“After a fashion, I can.” - It’ll happen.  Might take me a few decades but it’ll happen. I can do it.  I will do it.  But I’ll be lazy about it.  Don’t rush me.

“I mislike (insert random thing here)” - I hate this thing!

“I feel cold.” or “It is cold.” - I am traumatized by what is currently happening.

“What could possibly go wrong?”  - Equitable to Sarah saying “It’s a piece of cake.” in Jim Henson’s Labyrinth.   He might as well say “Everything is about to go very, very, very, wrong.”  

“I am perfectly self-sufficient.”  - Oh, God, I am so lonely!  Please, hold me.

_______________________________  

Bonus:

Daniel:

“I walked.” - You REALLY want me to sit here and explain the mechanics of interdimensional travel to you right here and now?  No.  This is easier.  And technically true.

“Time to go for a walk.” - I have a mission. (or) I have to set right one of Morpheus’ many f–k ups.  Keep supper heated for me until I get back.  Also I’m being cryptic because of wibbly wobbly Timey Wimey… stuff. 

[neil-gaiman]

I just sent this to the Sandman lead showrunner, Allan Heinberg, suspecting he was deep enough into the Morpheus World that he would find it funny and accurate. He did.