𝓝𝓸𝓥3𝓵𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓵

I swear I'm trying.

Am now screaming internally. If you messaged me about my Inkitt Username I'm going to post the link in my bio. My phone glitched and I accidentally blocked you I'm so so sorry.

Why you should finish your first draft <3

hacvek

reminder to worldbuilders: don't get caught up in things that aren't important to the story you're writing, like plot and characters! instead, try to focus on what readers actually care about: detailed plate tectonics

olyia-stories

@dragonpyre any chance you could elaborate on this

dragonpyre

I grew up learning about land formations. Seeing fictional maps that don’t follow the logic and science of them makes me upset

serinos-kitt

What are the most common sins you’ve seen relating to this? I wanna know

dragonpyre

Mordor.

Why is the mountain range square. How did the mountain range form. Why is there one singular volcano in the center. Why does it act like a composite volcano but have magma that acts like it’s from a shield. If it’s hotspot based volcanic activity why is there only one volcano.

And then the misty mountains!!!! Why isn’t there a rain shadow!! And why is there a FOREST where the rain shadow should be!!!!!!!!

serinos-kitt

So what is a rain shadow?

lethalbutterfly

Wind blows clouds in from the sea, but mountains are so tall the clouds can't get past 'em, so you get deserts on the windward side of mountain ranges because clouds can't get there to water the land, or do so only very rarely.

roach-works

this is because, as clouds are forced upwards by rising land, they cool and dump their rain. so the side of the mountain facing the ocean (or an inland sea, or a great lake) gets all the rain as the clouds are squeezed out, and the opposite side gets nothing.

my favorite thing is the american great lake snowbelts! so, the 'flow' of weather across north america, in very general terms, blows from the northwest on down south and east to the gulf of mexico.

so the wind is blowing from west to east, and in the winter it's a dryer wind than in the summer because it's colder. but after blowing across a great lake for a hundred miles, the wind is wet again. and that wet turns into snow. so for all of these lakes, the big cities are on the west side, not the east sides, because the east sides absolutely suck to live on.

the sole exception is buffalo, NY, which literally has to be there because, unfortunately, that's where all the important canal stuff between lake ontario and lake erie is happening.

also this always strikes me as cool, check out where cleveland is:

it's right at the edge of that snowbelt. and you see way more cities west of it than east, too.

beatrice-otter

#but again. mordor looks like that becaue sauron made it#and he's an ass

On a Watsonian level, sure.

On a Doylistic level, Mordor looks like that because plate tectonics was a fringe, ludicrous, laughable theory that nobody outside serious geology nerds had ever heard of until scientists proved seafloor spreading in the early 1960s. The first edition of the LotR trilogy was published in 54-55. We literally did not know that plate tectonics was real until almost a decade after the book was published, so obviously, it was not something Tolkien could have been considering as he made his maps.

I don't know enough meteorological history to know when white people figured out about rain shadows and added it to geology classes, or what would have been taught about volcanoes and such. But any education Tolkien got on the subject would have been in childhood/adolescence; his college education focused on the liberal arts, not the sciences, and his professional study was linguistics and the middle ages. So anything Medieval and earlier European authors wrote about he had a pretty good chance of knowing about. But not much exposure to modern science. So his science knowledge was probably limited to "what English schools taught at the turn of the 20th Century."

whetstonefires

I mean, it's true he didn't know about plate tectonics, but he did know what mountains look like, and that it's not normally That. And it wasn't his style to break that kind of norm without cause.

LotR has recurring themes of the reckless imposition of one's will on the natural world creating ugliness, an order you thought was inherently an improvement that in fact is inferior to what you have displaced. (Typified by reckless tree-felling; a reflection of the despoiling of the English countryside and the world by Progress.)

Mordor is a rectangle because Sauron is an asshole.

beatrice-otter

#the rain shadow thing otoh was undoubtedly total ignorance#but those mountains were made as the fortress of a demigod#too steeped in evil to understand beauty#it's *supposed* to look like something that Shouldn't Exist#like quite often this is something that happens in worldbuilding yes#things are arranged Wrong because a person doesn't grasp the underlying logic#but mordor is a bad example for the same reason it's an obvious one#it's So Very Wrong because it was designed to be wrong#to give you a bad feeling with how much it shouldn't look like that#if he just wanted it unapproachable on all sides it could've been in a caldera formation it didn't *need* corners#the corners were a choice#tolkien's job involved lots of looking at maps and things okay#meanwhile people whose lives revolved around the weather generally knew where the rain happened#long before it was formalized into 'rain shadow effect'#people not having The Science doesn't mean they don't have eyes and brains

cannibalcharon

Western Washington vs Eastern Washington is a good example of a rain shadows effects for fellow writers.

Western Washington:

Eastern Washington:

For fantasy writers, Washington is a really cool state to study because we have nearly every biome from alpine forests, desert, alpine desert, rainforest, riparian forests, wetlands, coastal, and so on. We have two main mountain ranges, the Olympics and the Cascades. We sit on three tectonic plates which give us said mountains (and earthquakes). Our ecology is really neat here.

goth-queen

Mind yall business damn🤭

allthingswhumpyandangsty

just a heads up to my fellow writers out there that AO3 is currently fighting off bots commenting on people’s works to tell them that AO3 will delete their fics “due to the works being deprecated”, and the deletion will affect their accounts unless the authors delete the fics themselves first. IT IS A SCAM. AO3 will NOT delete your works. please do NOT fall for these bots!

I’ve been told the reason why these bots are doing this is due to copyright infringement issue where they’re trying to steal your works (possibly to train AI but this is just a guess) ‼️‼️‼️and once you deleted your fics, it will be either very difficult or impossible for you to claim ownership of your own fics when they were already deleted.‼️‼️‼️

a reminder that AO3 will never contact you through your comments section (in case they claim to be one of the moderators). AO3 will only contact you through your email address which you use to register your account, and it will be from AO3’s official handle. not some sketchy ass @

so if you get a comment telling you you should “delete your works to protect your account because AO3 is doing blah blah blah” report that comment. don’t delete your works.

PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THESE SCAM.

AO3 IS NOT DELETING WORKS.

DO NOT DELETE YOUR WORKS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE CLAIMS THEY KNOW SOMETHING.

Hope After Hurt Starters

(for when the light is coming back, but the wounds still sting)

☾ The sun felt warm on my skin for the first time in a while. Not just there, but felt. And for one stupid, stubborn second, I believed things might be okay.

☾ I laughed today. Really laughed. And it scared me, how easy it was to forget the ache, even if just for a heartbeat.

☾ I’m not healed, not even close, but I’m finally starting to want things again. And that has to mean something.

☾ I held onto someone’s hand and didn’t flinch. I didn’t pull away. That’s new. That’s progress.

☾ There’s a part of me whispering, you deserve good things too. It’s still quiet, but I’m starting to listen.

☾ I saw the version of myself I used to be and didn’t feel disgusted. I just felt… curious.

☾ Every time I cry now, it feels less like drowning and more like rinsing something away.

☾ I didn’t have the words today, but I showed up anyway. And I think that counts as bravery.

☾ I’m still learning how to let people in. But today I didn’t shut the door. I just left it cracked.

☾ Maybe I don’t need to be who I was. Maybe I get to be someone softer, stronger, new.

I’ve spent way too much time trying to find the perfect character workbook. Something that actually goes deep, asks the right questions, and helps me figure out who my characters really are. But nothing ever fully hit the mark… so I made my own.

This is just one page out of a whole bunch. The workbook covers 15 main and side characters, dives into all the juicy stuff like personality, backstory, habits, looks, and even includes a big list of good & bad traits to mix things up.

If you’re a writer and love building characters as much as I do, feel free to check it out. Maybe it’ll be the one you’ve been looking for too.

📖 Get your Workbook on Amazon now!

Reblogging so I can find it again later.

MASTERLIST ✍🏻

Hi! This post is a huge collection of all my writing tips in one place. I will update this list and add new posts✍🏻

Writing Tips

How do i Plot a Book?

Childhood Friends to Lovers Gestures

Showing 'Fear' in Writing

examples of body language and action tags

Writing Trust Issues Tension

Quick Tips for Writing Emotional Tension

How to Write a Ruthless Character

Showing 'Anger' in Writing

12 Emotional Wounds in Fiction Storys

Gestures for Shared Moments

Symbolism in Writing

Instead of "Looked", consider

Words to Use Instead of "Said"

Showing 'Determination' in Writing

Showing 'Confusion' in Writing

Showing 'Anticipation' in Writing

Introduce characters

Showing 'Exhaustion' in Writing

Showing 'Excitement' in Writing

Writing a Morally gray character

Showing 'Jealousy' in Writing

Showing 'Love' in Writing

OC Developement

Eye Color to Define Your OC,

Describe your Main Character sheet

Body type and shape

Good Traits Gone Bad

Dialogues

Dialogue Prompts that Hurts

Jealousy Starters

Dialogue Prompts for Friendship

Dialogue Prompts for Unrequited Love

Gestures of Loss

When A Character Is dealing with anxiety they…

When A Character Is hilariously confused they…

Isolation Starters

Regretful gestures

Undermining Confidence Starters

When a character is Babysitting for the first time

Control Starters

Guilt-Tripping Starters

Soft angers Dialogue

Gaslightning Starters

Emotional Blackmail Starters

When A Character Is stuck in a never-ending traffic jam they…

Dialogue Prompts for Mystery/Thriller

When A Character Is dealing with an overenthusiastic fitness trainer they…

Confidence Starters

Prompts

Physical Intimacy Prompts

forced proximity prompts

When A Character Is feeling nostalgic they…

When A Character Is excited about something they…

Prompts for self-Doubt

When A Character Is excited about something they…

Grumpy & Sunshine Affection Prompts

Moral Dilemmas Prompts

when a Character us stressed they…

Supernatural Elements Prompts

Family Secrets Prompts

When A Character Is in a state of panic they…

Inner Conflict Prompts

Twist Prompts

Conflict Prompts

Signs of ….

Signs of Embarrassment

If You’re Writing a…

How to Create a Villain

If You’re Writing a Female Character, Avoid these Bad Writing Mistakes

Emotionally reserved characters

If you’re writing a character who is Naive

Writing Love

How to Write a Confession of Love

forbidden love prompts

When A Character Is in love they…

Signs of Falling in Love

Gestures for Expressing Love

Love Triangle Gestures

Writers Block

Ideas to Get Rid of Writer's Block Inspo

Pssst

Hey, are you an artist or writer with WIPs?

Come here… I got a secret for you pssst come ‘ere

kittmoon

waiting in deep suspense

Psst you ready here comes the secret

Here it comes

moinsbienquekaworu

I am also very curious about this secret

Your time spent enjoying the creative process is infinitely more valuable that any final project you create. So stop putting yourself down for never finishing or posting those WIPs because every moment you spent creating something you loved is a moment not wasted. Your progress and talent is measured by your passion not your number of posts.

derinthescarletpescatarian

This post went from 3k to 7k overnight and that just goes to show how many of you need to hear this so make sure you don’t ever forget it

the-coffee-fandom

Had to make a meme to describe me currently

glassfrogforest

rustandruin

the ghost of one specific homosexual cowboy regularly possesses Tumblr gays

joelliies

Show, don’t tell

"Show, don’t tell" means letting readers experience a story through actions, senses, and dialogue instead of outright explaining things. Here are some practical tips to achieve that:

1. Use Sensory Details

Tell: "The room was cold."

Show: "Her breath puffed in faint clouds, and she shivered as frost clung to the edges of the window."

Tell: "He was scared."

Show: "His hands trembled, and his heart thudded so loudly he was sure they could hear it too."

2. Focus on Actions

Tell: "She was angry."

Show: "She slammed the mug onto the counter, coffee sloshing over the rim as her jaw clenched."

Tell: "He was exhausted."

Show: "He stumbled through the door, collapsing onto the couch without even bothering to remove his shoes."

3. Use Dialogue

What characters say and how they say it can reveal their emotions, intentions, or traits.

Tell: "She was worried about the storm."

Show: "Do you think it'll reach us?" she asked, her voice tight, her fingers twisting the hem of her shirt.

4. Show Internal Conflict Through Thoughts or Reactions

Tell: "He was jealous of his friend."

Show: "As his friend held up the trophy, he forced a smile, swallowing the bitter lump rising in his throat."

5. Describe the Environment to Reflect Mood

Use the setting to mirror or hint at emotions or themes.

Tell: "The town was eerie."

Show: "Empty streets stretched into the mist, and the only sound was the faint creak of a weathered sign swinging in the wind."

6. Let Readers Infer Through Context

Give enough clues for the reader to piece things together without spelling it out.

Tell: "The man was a thief."

Show: "He moved through the crowd, fingers brushing pockets, his hand darting away with a glint of gold."

7. Use Subtext in Interactions

What’s left unsaid can reveal as much as what’s spoken.

Tell: "They were uncomfortable around each other."

Show: "He avoided her eyes, pretending to study the painting on the wall. She smoothed her dress for the third time, her fingers fumbling with the hem."

8. Compare to Relatable Experiences

Use metaphors, similes, or comparisons to make an emotion or situation vivid.

Tell: "The mountain was huge."

Show: "The mountain loomed above them, its peak disappearing into the clouds, as if it pierced the heavens."

Practice Example:

Tell: "The village had been destroyed by the fire."

Show: "Charred beams jutted from the rubble like broken ribs, the acrid smell of ash lingering in the air. A child's shoe lay half-buried in the soot, its leather curled from the heat."

six4tyfour

This works for DMing. TAKE NOTES.

bogleech

I knew poinsettias "faked" having big flowers by just turning some leaves red but I didn't know the real tiny flowers in the middle looked like such idiots

That is a chorus of aliens about to sing me a song

ferrousferrule

Manamana

prismatic-bell

Someone got to the mahna mahna joke before me and I’m sad.