Origami Around
Kiana Khansmith
ojovivo
noise dept.
Misplaced Lens Cap
shark vs the universe
Cosmic Funnies
Claire Keane
almost home
blake kathryn
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"
taylor price
đ
Today's Document
wallacepolsom
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
No title available
I'd rather be in outer space đ¸
ellievsbear
untitled
seen from Netherlands
seen from South Africa
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from Bangladesh
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Slovenia
@quantumwriter
Oh my gosh. I just found this website that walks you though creating a believable society. It breaks each facet down into individual questions and makes it so simple! It seems really helpful for worldbuilding!
Heads up that this is a very extensive questionnaire and might be daunting to a lot of writers (myself included). That being said, it is also an amazing questionnaire and I will definitely be using it (or at the very least, some of it).
Bookmarking thisâŚ
They should add "On Horseback" option to Google Maps. For writers.
"Hevoslinja" (Trans-Horse) is a European art project started in 2014 by Finnish artist Eero Yli-Vakkuri - according to his own words 'skilless in riding and afraid of animals' at the start.
The aim of the project was to travel 270 km / 168 miles between Helsinki and Turku in Finland, and to highlight the possibility of horse travel in modern society. Since then they've took to promoting horseback efforts in urban landscapes with several European collaborators and artists.
Yli-Vakkuri and collaborators first spent eight months practicing riding to become safely self-sufficient in saddle, and bought a Finnhorse gelding Toivottu Poika ('Awaited Son'). The route followed, as closely as possible, the old coastal royal country road of the premodern era, Kuninkaantie/Suuri Rantatie, and took 9 days.
Toivottu Poika is a very average example of his breed, standing at some 155 cm / 15.1 hh tall. The Finnhorse is a relative of for example the North-Norwegian Lyngshest breed, the Icelandic horse, the Swedish Gotlandsruss pony and the Estonian landrace horse and Tori horse breed. It is a mid-sized light draught and trotter, a sensibly realistic mediaeval country travel horse equivalent.
For more hardcore short-term treks, looking into competitive endurance riding can be helpful. Mongol Derby might be one of the most intense races, as it recreates the Chinggis Khan era postal system of swapping horses continuously over a 1000 km / 620 mile route.
By only including skilled endurance riders, keeping up a constant fast speed and swapping horses every 40 km / 25 mil, the Mongol Derby route only takes 10 days even though it's several times the length of the Trans-Horse project. This is the speed of highly organised imperial messengers with the supporting cultural infrastructure, professional marathon runners where Yli-Vakkuri and Toivottu poika were leisure hikers.
The Mongolian landrace horse is a very distant relative of the breeds above, but much lighter and smaller than the agriculturally focused modern Finnhorse - typicaly standing at 142 cm / 14 hh at most. (This would've also been common for Finnhorses before the 19th century.) What really differentiates them from Western breeds, however, is the way they're trained and raised in semi-feral herds, and it's said that while the rider may decide where the pair is headed, the horse is the one to decide how to get there.
also it's not quite google maps, but there is a lovely site called Viabundus!
the last i checked, the map of roads stretches from Calais, France to Moscow, Russia west to east and from KoĹĄice, Slovakia to Tornio, Finland south to north. it doesn't cover all of Europe, for example Sweden and Norway are empty at the moment, but it is quite extensive and still being worked on! in addition to showing the old roads, you can calculate the distance and travel time from one city to another, and there are a lot of options:
and that's not all! here's a description from the site itself (emphasis mine):
"Viabundus is a freely accessible online street map of late medieval and early modern northern Europe (1350-1650). Originally conceived as the digitisation of Friedrich Bruns and Hugo Weczerka's Hansische HandelsstraĂen (1962) atlas of land roads in the Hanseatic area, the Viabundus map moves beyond that. It includes among others: a database with information about settlements, towns, tolls, staple markets and other information relevant for the pre-modern traveller; a route calculator; a calendar of fairs; and additional land routes as well as water ways."
it's quite neat and also free! i hope someone else finds it as fascinating and cool as i did :)
Some of the biggest fantasy worldbuilding fails that I see, in no particular order
Gods without religion. The Gods are real and a known historical fact, but virtually nobody is religious.
Cultural racism/discrimination without structural racism/discrimination. Discrimination that exists only in microagressions or mean comments, without existing in any sort of structural way.
Secret history with no clear reason for it to be secret and no clear method for maintaining that secrecy. Major parts of the world's history are kept entirely secret, even though there's not an obvious reason to do so and even when history has shown this is virtually impossible to enforce (especially in a world with any movement or communication across borders).
Large, homogeneous countries. Even without immigration, virtually no country larger than the Vatican will be fully homogeneous in terms of culture, dialect, beliefs, traditions, etc., much less a large one with limited communication technology as is often seen in fantasy. The Planet of Hats problem.
@cuteykitsune asked in a reply: How do you show religion in your story? Prayer? Chuch? Holidays? Traditions?
I wanted to actually give a full response to this, because I think it's a great question.
Religions consist of a few things:
Stories
Beliefs/creeds
Rules/norms
Traditions
These aren't quite collectively exhaustive, and they're certainly not mutually exclusive (they are closely tied to each other), but they encompass the vast majority of what makes up a religion.
Stories are probably the simplest part of a religion: the written or oral tales passed down in the religion that tie to its beliefs, teachings, and/or origins. The Bible, the Torah, the Quran, stories about pantheons, creation stories, etc. all serve to both explain the world and provide guidance on how to live a proper religious life. These stories don't need to be part of the official canon of the religion and can be about historical figures tied to the religion (e.g., Catholic saints).
In stories, this may show by through people telling or referencing stories, through art or architecture depicting those stories, or through references to holy books, as some examples.
Beliefs are about the shared ideological viewpoints of the religion. These are often documented in the religious stories, but don't necessarily have to be. They can be as formal as the Nicene Creed or as informal as just a general shared understanding.
Theism is a major belief for the vast majority of religions, though it is not necessary. It also includes belief in what is sacred, what is acceptable, whether there is an afterlife, what good or bad traits are, etc.
If the religion is a theistic one, this belief would also include one about how the god(s) engage with the world and with people. Do they believe there is direct physical engagement (see: Zeus and the many mortal women he sleeps with) or that guidance is provided spiritually? Do they believe that there may be intervention in times of crisis? Do they believe that the god(s)'s hands are shaping the world constantly or that they created the world and then stopped? Do they believe that the god(s) listen to direct prayer from anyone or that specific locations, objects, rituals, or qualifications are required? Are the god(s) benevolent? Omniscient? Omnipresent? Do they care about humans?
In stories, this can show up any way you show the character thinking about the religion or gods. Do they think that the god(s) support their actions or if their actions follow their religious teachings? Do they care if that's the case? Do they always wash their hands carefully because their religion teaches cleanliness is important? Do they believe that certain things are good or evil?
Rules/Norms cover the institution/enforcement of those beliefs. These may be strict laws outlined in religious texts or by religious institutions (e.g., dietary restrictions) or general norms (e.g., dressing up for church). This may dictate how someone can engage with the religion or how religious people can engage with the broader world.
This is also where two religions or sects with similar beliefs really start to differentiate from each other. One might explicitly disallow something that a different one begrudgingly tolerates, even if both believe that it's bad
The structure of the religion also starts to come into play here. If a religion says only men can serve certain roles, for example, men will then be the ones playing those roles in the religious institution.
In stories, this is shown the same way any other rules or norms are.
Traditions, in my view, cover a wide range of things, from big societal traditions like holidays or rest days to small personal traditions like prayer. This is what you do as part of a religion--the actual actions taken by individuals or groups to participate in the religion.
Do people go to a physical location on a regular basis? Are all locations equal or can a person only go to certain ones? Is there someone who leads services? If people congregate for worship or other religious practice, how often? What does it look like?
Do people pray individually? What does that look like? Do houses have shrines or other dedicated areas for worship, or is it only conducted in congregate areas?
Do religious practices include specific rituals? Specific objects? Specific clothing?
This is also where the structure of the organization really shows up. Is there an organized structure (a la the Catholic Church) or is it religional? Local? Individual?
In stories, this can look like any physical practice of the religion.
Structuring Complex Plots Made Simple
Complex plots can feel overwhelming at firstâso many moving parts, characters, and events to juggle! But the good news? You donât need to get tangled up in a web of confusion. Breaking down your story into digestible steps makes all the difference.Â
1. Start with a Simple Foundation
Every complex plot needs a solid starting point. Simplifying your central conflict can help anchor your plot.
Central Conflict: A young woman must navigate an oppressive society to save her brother. Plot Twist: The brother is actually the villain, manipulating her into becoming a pawn.
You donât need to know every twist and turn from the beginningâjust ensure the core conflict is clear and compelling.
2. Break Your Plot into Acts
Traditional three-act structure (beginning, middle, end) is a proven way to keep things focused.
Act 1: Establish the protagonist's goal (saving her brother) and introduce the villain. Act 2: The protagonist starts making moves to save her brother, but obstacles arise, leading to the revelation that heâs manipulating her. Act 3: The protagonist must choose between loyalty to family and standing up against the manipulative villain.
Breaking your plot into acts gives a roadmapâwithout it, things can get messy.
3. Use Subplots to Build Depth
Subplots enhance the main plot, offer character development, and increase tension. The key is to make sure they tie back to your central theme.
Main Plot: Saving her brother from an oppressive regime. Subplot: A growing romance between the protagonist and a rebellion leader. The relationship challenges her loyalties and forces her to question her motivations.
4. Create StakesâAnd Raise Them
Keeping the stakes clear makes it easier to craft plot twists and dramatic moments. And donât forget to escalate the stakes as the plot moves forward!
Initial Stakes: If she fails, her brother will be executed. Escalating Stakes: If she succeeds, sheâll be forced to take over her brotherâs corrupt position in the regime, forever compromising her values.
5. Use Character Arcs to Drive the Plot
The plot shouldnât just happen to the characterâit should be shaped by their decisions, growth, and challenges.
Character Arc: The protagonist starts out loyal to her brother but slowly grows to question the values she was raised with. Plot Impact: Her arc causes her to defy her brother and ultimately join the rebellion.
Your character's internal journey should influence how the plot unfoldsâthis gives your story emotional weight.
6. Keep Track of Timeline & Pacing
Complex plots can involve jumping between timelines or multiple locations. Keeping a timeline or outline ensures you donât confuse yourself or your readers.
Timeline: The story starts in one city, but the protagonist must travel to another to join the rebellion. They leave in winter, and by the time they arrive, itâs spring, signaling a shift in both setting and mood.
7. Use Foreshadowing Without Overloading
Foreshadowing hints at key plot points, creating anticipation without giving everything away. The trick is to keep it subtle.
Foreshadowing: Early on, the protagonist notices her brotherâs growing coldness, which seems like a small detail but becomes significant when his manipulation is revealed. Subtle Clue: An offhand comment from a friend: âI wonder how much your brother has really changed?â
8. Allow for Setbacks & Surprises
Things shouldnât always go according to plan. Introducing setbacks makes your plot feel more dynamic, realistic, and unpredictable.
Setback: The protagonist makes a bold move to save her brother, but it backfiresâsheâs caught and imprisoned by the regime. Surprise: The rebellion leader, whom she trusted, turns out to have been working with the enemy all along.
9. Tie Loose Ends Together in the Climax
Why It Works: The climax is where everything you've been building finally comes together. Tie in multiple storylines or character arcs in this moment to create a powerful payoff.
Climax: The protagonist must confront both her brother (the villain) and the rebellion leader in a final battle. Tied Elements: Her love for her brother, her trust in the rebellion leader, and her loyalty to her values all collide in this moment.
The climax should feel like a natural culmination of everything thatâs happened, providing resolution and emotional payoff.
10. Keep the Ending Open to Interpretation
Complex plots often leave some questions unanswered, but in a way that feels satisfying. Open-ended conclusions can make your plot linger in readersâ minds.
Ending: The protagonist defeats the villain, but the regime is still in power. The rebellion is fractured, and her brotherâs fate is uncertain. Interpretation: Did she really win? What will she do next?
Building a complex plot doesnât have to be a headache. By breaking it down into manageable steps, you can craft a story thatâs rich in layers, full of twists, and grounded in character development. Keep your focus on the core conflict, build in obstacles, and donât forget to let your characters drive the plot. Youâve got this!
Plotting by J.L. Bell
Itâs so beautiful.
THIS
THIS IS MAGNIFICENT MY GODS
IMPORTANT!!!
And when working on the pacing of the story, especially around those protagonist-planning stages, keep in mind the Unspoken Plan Guarantee (plus check out the Playing With Trope pages!)
Worldwide Story Structures
Because there are more continents on the planet than Europe. And sometimes we need to escape from such imperialism. Disclaimer: There are missing types from this list. I havenât found all of them. If you wish to share some you know, I will give you credit. These are just a handful Iâve stumbled across by reading and consuming as widely as possible. Iâd love to collect them all.
Keep reading
if youâre a writer who only writes the start and end of your fics and then abandon the WIP because you donât know how to do the middle parts, you are validÂ
Okay but if I cant do the beginning or the end either?
if youâre a writer who doesnât know how to do jack shit, you are valid
Can I share with you my method for structure? Because I hated middles too, but now theyâre no more difficult for me to plot and write than anything else. And Iâm not saying itâs gospel, but you can build some pretty compelling stuff with it.
This is a little 3-act structure, but it breaks it down way further into more manageable pieces, and those pieces have some focus and tent-poles to help you along. (and Iâll be up front and say K.M. Weiland is where this method comes from, not I, and her blog digs much deeper into the method than I can here)
Your first 25% is the beginning, obviously. You set up the premise, the characters, lay the groundwork, foreshadow the ending, About half way through the first act (12%-ish), the protagonist is called to adventure - asked to not only go on a journey or complete a different goal than the one theyâre already pursuing (even slow-burn coffee shop aus get this call, itâs called your OTPâs other half makes eyes at them), and in doing so, undergo a shift in themselves. But they probably turn it down, or donât commit, or in some other way arenât as invested as they ought to be in whatâs really important. They want to pursue Their Thing and the important thing can just go away.
At the 25% mark, you run into the first plot point. At this point, the protagonist canât turn away even if they wanted to. the antagonistic force - and note I say force, not person, it could be bad weather for all I care - punches your protagonist in the fucking face. one hit knock out. from this point on, we move into act 2.b. and into the reaction phase. your protagonist is trying to figure out what the ever loving fuck what just happened. to go back to the coffee shop au, this is your character getting flat out rejected the first time they ask the LI out and spending the next quarter of the book trying desperately to woo the love interest. but⌠letâs say his flaw is heâs arrogant. he does it in ways that aggrandise himself without considering what the LI wants. thatâs the next quarter sorted out. about half way through this act (letâs say at like, 37%), your antagonistic force makes another move and ups the stakes, but also shows its hand a little bit and provides your protagonist with clues on why shit ainât working. letâs say the LI is being wooed by someone else, and this rival publically drags your protagonistâs ridiculousness. this is your first pinch point.
then we get to the 50% mark, and the second plot point, midpoint. your protagonist is made aware of how fucking stupid heâs been. the truth punches him in the face. maybe the LI faces tragedy and berates your protagonist for how self-centered theyâre being. the LIâs world is turning up-side down, tragedy has struck, god-damn it, and youâre prancing around going me me me? how dare you. how fucking dare you. itâs a chance for the protagonist to look clearly at themselves. and we move into act 2.b., the action phase. the protagonist has knowledge now, tools, and starts to move in the right direction, but heâs trying too hard to have the best of both worlds. he wants to be his old arrogant self but look like a good person, so he does this huge wild acts of kindness that just look like heâs trying to prove how generous he is to literally everyone. like act 2.a., part way through, the antagonistic force flexes again (at like, 63%), but this time, itâs to show what the protagonist has to lose. the protagonist ⌠i donât know, plans to ask the LI on a date, but, surprise! the LI has been dating the rival this entire time and the protagonist realises how much it hurts. it might be appropriate to let him have some small victory towards the end of the act, but itâs a little evil and gonna make your readers so mad, because,
then, at the 75% mark, we ruin their goddamn life. thatâs right, fuckers, weâre moving into the third act and itâs all gone horribly, horribly wrong. the rival proposes and the LI says yes, literally anything, put the nail in the goddamn coffin. itâs over. doneski. fuck you all, thanks for playing, you lose!!! and this is where you really start ramping up the pace and tension. you know that climatic ending youâve got in your head? time to pull it out and use it. up until the 90% mark, your protagonist weighs up their options, recovers, wrestles with the truth they learned at the midpoint - and decides to commit. theyâre gonna be less self-centred, more humble, and using that knowledge, go into the climax and finish this thing up.
(iâm not thinking of a climax for this dumb au i made up on the spot.)
so, in summary:
act 1: set up - iâm happily ignorant
12% - a call to adventure
25% - the first plot point, where your character canât refuse the call any more
act 2.a.: reaction - what the fuck is going on?
37% - the first pinch point, where the antagonist demonstrates their power and provides the protagonist with a clue
50% - the second plot point/midpoint, where the protagonist figures out the problem
act 2.b.: action - i know whatâs going on but i want it all
63% - the second pinch point, where your protagonist realises what theyâve got to lose
75% - they lose everything
act 3: recovery - i know what to do
87% - the protagonist prepares until this point and launches into the climax
98% - resolution for reflection
this isnât a hard and fast rule, but it is a place for you to start building the structure of your plot, helps to properly pace the plot, and helps with saggy middle syndrome. i hope it helps someone?
remembering that feeling of growing dreadfully bored with a story I was working on and how the feeling of boredom itself felt like something I had to be ashamed of and how it always turned into this whole dreary judgmental song and dance about my worth as a writer when really all I needed to do was like. ask myself why something was boring, specifically, then use that painstakingly carved out negative space to transform it into something more interesting.
like a setting not feeling like it mattered, or a goal not carrying any weight, or a love interest not displaying worthiness and charm, or a cast that just sort of hung around and didnât do anything.
I had to dig into what made something boring. Most of the time it was because an element lacked meaningful context with the elements around itâ it just sat there, not resonating with anything in its radius. Then I realized the value of putting something interesting into a space just to see how a flat, boring element would respond to it, what it reactively turned into. then the setting started to pop and crackle. the backstory characters warped in weird ways. the main cast began to mirror and distort each other through what they projected onto each other and vice versa. addictive as hell.
Fiction Writing Advice Posts
Hey all, Some of you know that in addition to this Tumblr blog I also keep a blog on my website. A lot of the posts overlap, but not all of them, so Iâve made this list for your reading pleasure:
How to Control Your Pacing
How to Write During a Pandemic
How to Read Like a Writer
What if Your First Draft DOESNâT Suck?
How to Do World-Building Research
How to Properly Format a Manuscript for Submission
10 Questions to Ask an Editor Before Hiring Them
Creating Character Arcs with the DCAST Method
How to Choose the Right Point of View for Your Story
A Beginnerâs Guide to Multiple Point of View
Show Donât Tell? Not Always. Hereâs When to Use Summary
8 Ways to Improve Your Fiction Writing
How to Spot Bad Writing Advice: 6 Red Flags to Look For
5 Reasons to Kill Your Critique Group
Are You Using Too Much Stage Direction?
Why Nobody Cares About Your Plot
How to Use Adverbs Like a Pro
How to Activate Your Passive Characters, One Verb at a Time
3 Easy Ways to Transform Boring Descriptions
3 Ways to Increase Conflict in Your Dialogue
A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Killer Feedback from Beta Readers
How to Know What Kind of Editing You Need
10 Best Books About Fiction Writing
xoxo
Emotions you feel but canât explain reference
Story questions to ask yourself:
It's fine to write a story and not question its construction until after the first draft, but expect that you will be doing this at one point or another.
Story questions is something a writer goes through when work shopping their story. It gives them the ability to make sure all logic and reasoning are in place, and makes them think on a deeper scale about their work.
It doesn't matter how serious or chill you are as a writer. If you desire to improve, feedback is essential, and sometimes the best person to converse to first is yourself.
These questions you ask yourself can be simple or complex - it just depends on how far you want to take it.
Here are some questions to think about:
What's the story truly about?
Where do I want this story to go?
What parts need elaborating?
Do my character's motivations make sense?
Am I forcing a romance to happen?
Is this a story I would want to read? Why/why not? (if why not, then this requires immediate attention)
What's the story's weakness and strengths?
What scenes can I improve on?
Does the plot match the characters' journey?
If I rewrote this story again, what can I improve on/remove/add/change?
If I killed x character, will it affect the story?
Is my main character likable?
Do I know where it ends?
Does it fit with my chosen genre?
If the story is cliche, what can I do to change it?
How many days/weeks/months/years does this story go for?
Is everything happening too quickly or not fast enough?
Is this a filler chapter/scene? Will it mean anything later?
How does *magic* work? Are there any consequences for using *magic*? Why/why not? (if why not, then this requires attention)
Could I write this story in a different POV?
Ask yourself "why" things happen in your story, then answer them. If you struggle to answer, you might've found yourself a plot hole.
What could I improve on (as a writer)?
Ask yourself these and more.
Sometimes the end result will craft a different story, but don't freak out! From personal experience, it's the story that comes after that I find is the better one. Don't stop your story from growing. Who knows, its difference could be what you've been looking for.
idk if anyone will find this useful, but this is how i go about planning my stories. i mostly write fantasy, so thatâs what this is most applicable to. but it could work with other genres too.
so thereâs three major components to a story: the characters, the plot, and the world. creating them individually is the easy part, but they all connect and affect each other in different ways. (like you canât have a character who loves peaches and eats them every day if they live a peasant in a region that doesnât grow peaches, for example.)
so i created a cheat sheet to help connect all three components together.
1) the world creates the characters.
this is related to the peach example above. the characters should be a direct result of the environment they grew up in and the environment they currently live in.
2) the characters are limited by the world.
also related to the peaches. characters canât do anything outside of what the rules of their surroundings and universe allow, such as eating peaches when theyâre not available. this also applies for magic users. they canât have unlimited magic, so keep in mind what you want out of both the characters and the world when creating magic systems.
3) the characters carry the plot.
weâve all heard it before: âbad characters canât carry a good plot. good characters can carry a bad plot.â but we all like a good plot anyway. try to make sure youâre not giving your characters too heavy or too light of a plot to carry.
4) the plot pushes the characters.
if nothing in the plot happens, your characters will remain static forever. if you struggle with plots, try starting with what character development you want to happen, then go from there.
5) the plot depends on the world.
you canât overthrow the evil government if there isnât one. think of what your world needs most and what your plot is centered around, and fit those two together.
6) the world is changed by the plot.
even if your plot is centered around something most of your world would call âinsignificantâ, the world will still experience some change from the plot. either the evil government will be gone, or maybe that one teacher is now way more careful about keeping an eye on the test key. either way, the world will be different from now on.
final note: usually people will be able to write one or two of the components with ease, but donât know where to go from there. i personally canât write plots, but thinking this way has really helped me actually make a story out of the world and characters because i looked at what i needed from what i had. i really hope this can help you too! happy writing!
tl;dr this is a cheat sheet to help anyone who struggles with writing one or two of what i consider the three major components to a story.
Writerly Question
Okay folks, what do yâall like to see in a redemption arc?Â
@freenarnianâ asked me to answer this literally MONTHS ago, and I totally forgot about it until now, because I am a doof. But this is SUCH A GREAT QUESTION that only a doof could possibly not want to answer it, because real, well-done redemption arcs done well are one of my favorite things.
* * *
First, the character destined for a redemption arc must knowingly and deliberately have done something wicked. This may sound like a silly place to start, because youâd think thatâs a given, but since Iâve seen people claim that Finn had a âredemption arcâ in The Force Awakens, I guess itâs not as obvious as it might seem. But Finn was a brainwashed child soldier who had no idea he was on the wrong side until he was dropped into his very first real battle and given a reprehensible order â which he refused to carry out. Then he promptly defected to the good guys. So Finn never did anything that required him to go through a redemption arc, because heâd never done anything he knew for certain was bad. Whereas in the same scene of TFA, we see Kylo Ren order the execution of the disarmed Tuanul villagers â but he also lets Finn off the hook for not following that order, which shows that a) Kylo is capable of mercy and b) he doesnât always choose to exercise it. He knows killing unarmed opponents is morally wrong, to the extent that he doesnât even punish Finn for resisting. But he gave the order anyway. Thatâs a character who needs redemption⌠but itâs also the first clue that he might be capable of receiving it. Because the second ingredient in a true redemption arc is that the character undergoing it must have a sensitive conscience.
Itâs one thing to be aware that youâre behaving badly by other peopleâs moral standards, but quite another to feel genuine discomfort about it. Kylo Renâs prayer to Vaderâs helmet in TFA, âForgive me, Grandfather, I feel it again. The pull to the light,â shows that he is ashamed of not being able to commit evil deeds with impunity. Deep down he feels he should be doing something other than heâs doing, and it fills him with turmoil. Later we see the same uncertainty and anguish in him when Han confronts him on the catwalk, and he confesses that he thinks itâs âtoo lateâ for him to come home. Even his attempt to sear and silence his conscience by murdering Han fails miserably, because as Snoke says in TLJ, âThe deed split your spirit to the bone.â Instead of cementing Kyloâs commitment to evil, killing Han only tore him apart. But itâs a classic facet of redemption arcs for the character to double down on their villainy in an effort to deny the increasing weight of guilt that they feel.Â
And this doubling-down phase may involve doing some genuinely, even excessively awful things. For Saul of Tarsus, it involved hunting down Christians and chasing them from city to city, trying to get them arrested and killed. For Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender, it included coldly rejecting the love of his Uncle Iroh, betraying the city of Ba Sing Se, and selling himself back to the Fire Nation for a cheap facsimile of honor. Meanwhile Kylo Ren not only killed his own father, he took over Snokeâs place as Supreme Leader and tried to wipe out the Resistance. But itâs all evidence of the same problem: kicking against the goads of an increasingly guilty conscience. And this can go on for quite some time before the villainâs resistance finally shatters and they face up to being wrong.
Interestingly enough, this last point is where a lot of so-called redemption arcs fail. There are lots of attractive, charismatic villains in books, TV and movies who do terrible things and maybe even show a few signs of being aware that theyâre terrible, but in the end, the story wimps out by romanticizing them and handwaving their crimes as not being their fault â or even not actually being crimes at all. They give the villain a tragic backstory that makes the audience feel sorry for him, they hint that the villain was just misunderstood or acting on the wrong information, and then they bring in a much uglier and nastier bad guy who shows no signs of conscience and makes the villain look like an angel by contrast. The villain joins the side of the good guys, and ta-da! Redemption!
But itâs not, because the villain hasnât been sickened by the ugliness of his own behaviour, and he hasnât gone through the agony of repentance â that is, coming to sincerely loathe and regret his past evil behaviour and wanting to turn away from it. His crimes have been handwaved away by the narrative, and the good guys have charitably agreed to forget about them. Thatâs whitewashing, not redemption.
A true redemption arc, however, will feature a pivotal moment where we see the villain break down. He stops trying to justify himself, he admits his wrongdoing without making excuses for it, he despises himself and repents in (metaphorical) sackcloth and ashes, and then he chooses to behave differently from that point on, even if it means losing. None of this coy âhas he changed or hasnât heâ nonsense. Thatâs not to say the character instantly becomes good with no errors of judgment or bad habits to overcome (that would be dull, not to mention unrealistic), but from that point, he has undergone a transformation from villain into fledgling hero.
At that point, we should see our redeemed character demonstrate his sincerity by trying to make amends. A lot of stories skip this part, but thatâs a shame, because itâs way more dramatically interesting if the reformed villain has to face the people heâs wronged and address the consequences of his past actions. It may not be as blatant (or as glib) as âHere I am. Iâm so sorry I stole from you. Hereâs all the money back, plus interest.â But we should certainly see evidence that the character is attempting to help people, even at considerable risk or cost to himself, instead of using and discarding them at his convenience.
And then, ideally, we should see the redeemed character receiving some kind of reward for making the right choice. That doesnât mean he necessarily gets everything heâs ever wanted, or even that he gets to live. It might be as simple as seeing the face of one person he cares about, and knowing theyâve forgiven him, before he dies.
* * *Â
All that being said, it is possible to run a character through all these steps in a sketchy, hasty, or slipshod way that still makes the redemption arc feel unsatisfying and not really earned. It takes time and patience to write a villain redemption that makes sense in the context of the characterâs whole story, and doesnât feel like it was slapped on at the last minute. Furthermore, every reader or viewer has a different preference for how much of each step in the redemption process they personally want to see, which can make it difficult to write a redemption arc that satisfies everybody â or even the majority â rather than just the people who were already sympathetic to the villain in the first place.
This is why there are so few genuinely successful and satisfying redemption arcs in modern fiction. Right now I can think of only two: Raskolnikov in Dostoyevskyâs Crime and Punishment (your mileage may vary) and Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender (which most people whoâve seen the show seem to agree on). I wish I could include Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in this list, but his arc got mangled in The Rise of Skywalker and his redemption ended up being too sudden and too late, not to mention too vaguely motivated and weak in amends or rewards, to meet all the qualifications.
I should perhaps have added, for the sake of clarity that just because Ben Soloâs redemption arc wasnât handled well enough to qualify as a good example doesnât mean Iâm not convinced that Ben actually WAS redeemed. Of course he was. I just think itâs a crying shame that JJ didnât finish his arc with the same thoughtful attention as he (and Rian Johnson) started it.
Fanfic authors: READ THE WHOLE FUCKING PAGE
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND VALUABLE LESSONS YOU CAN LEARN AS A WRITER. I SAY THIS AS A READER AND A PROFESSIONAL GENRE EDITOR.
Cheat Sheets for Writing Body Language
We are always told to use body language in our writing. Sometimes, itâs easier said than written. I decided to create these cheat sheets to help you show a characterâs state of mind. Obviously, a character may exhibit a number of these behaviours. For example, he may be shocked and angry, or shocked and happy. Use these combinations as needed.
by Amanda Patterson
@prplprincez
I love you so much @ancientfinnishgoddess thank you
The drama teacher taught us body language and i kinda like it. Itâs useful.
When writing couples, I like to use the Kiss Rule:
If they have to kiss for you to know theyâre in love, youâre not writing a romance right.
I couldnât agree more with this. As someone who has been married for 7 years (together for 9), kissing hardly proves anything of love, at least on its own. The starry-eyed lover type of intimacy is cute, but using it exclusively is like eating fondant off a cake. Itâs sweet, looks polished and pretty, but lacks robust the flavour of combined elements â fillings, frosting, toppings, and the cake itself.
Itâs gestures often overlooked, silent acts of respect without calling attention to them. Subtleties mixed with the obvious.
The good, bad, and the ugly.
playful banter, ribbing, insults/backhanded compliments
recognising ticks/tells and how to respond (e.g. specific throat clear before they speak)
tolerating inconsequential bad habits (e.g. puts dishes beside dishwasher, not in it)
listening to the same stories multiple times as if they were new
developing similar quirks (e.g. particular laugh)
inside jokes
mock fighting, mini competitions
blatant honesty, humble apologies, knowing when to drop an argument
saying nothing/talking for hours
tending to illness or injuries
pokes, pet/pats, head/shoulder bumps, bites, tickles, cuddling, long gazes, stroking hair
grooming, restraighten clothing, touch up hair, brush off crumbs
singing and dancing together
understanding your partnerâs hurt rather than just apologising
trust and respect
knowing how to cheer the other up, how to piss them off, humour them
reassurance (e.g. Iâm here to talk, youâre doing a great job, your insecurities donât define you)
associating sights, smells, touches, songs, phrasing, etc with them (e.g. âI saw a pigeon today and thought âis this my partner?ââ
hating dumb things they do, but finding them hard to live without and secretly loving them
compromising, sacrificing, reciprocation
Love is unspoken, tolerant, and a spectrum of emotions.
Itâs accepting that youâll fuckinâ hate their entire being at times, exclaim with vitriol, âgod, youâre so fucking annoyingâ while you smile and know that itâs trivial in the grand scheme.
Itâs real. Itâs healthy. Itâs fun. Thatâs what I try to encapsulate in my sappy romantic fiction because realistic fluff is so much more gratifying.
I hope this helps.
Hey unpopular opinion but while the âthe curtains are just fucking blueâ meme is funny and all, sometimes writers use symbolism and sometimes the curtains are not just fucking blue sometimes specification of colors means something because sometimes writers think about adding depth and nuance to their work and maybe you should at some point think that art can have meaning and not everything should be taken at literal face value
Hi, friendly neighborhood english major here. the important thing when looking for symbolism are patterns: repeated elements, binaries, anomalies. Are a whole lot of things blue? The curtains, the car, the main characterâs bedroom walls, the pattern on the plates, the love interestâs eyes? Thatâs starting to become a repeated element. Binaries? Are all those things blue but put in opposition to the red fire and the red blood and the red rose etc? Thatâs a binary. Does the blue window with the blue curtain have a bright yellow tulip sitting on the sill? Thatâs an anomaly.
These are all interesting things to pay attention to in an authorâs work. The next important thing to ask is why is the author calling my attention to these colors? What function does coloring these items serve?
Maybe the author just likes blue. But if blue things keep turning up all over the place, thereâs a chance that itâs not a coincidence, and the color is serving a purpose in the story.
I applaud this addition thank you
