Robert Elser, Author

Author, Seeker - Lifelong Zombie hunter. Coffee Scholar

[cheshirelibrary]

Sorry, not sorry.

🤷‍♀️ 

[wordsnstuff]

Resources For Writing Sketchy Topics

Medicine

A Study In Physical Injury

Comas

Medical Facts And Tips For Your Writing Needs

Broken Bones

Burns

Unconsciousness & Head Trauma

Blood Loss

Stab Wounds

Pain & Shock

All About Mechanical Injuries (Injuries Caused By Violence)

Writing Specific Characters

Portraying a kleptomaniac.

Playing a character with cancer.

How to portray a power driven character.

Playing the manipulative character.

Portraying a character with borderline personality disorder.

Playing a character with Orthorexia Nervosa.

Writing a character who lost someone important.

Playing the bullies.

Portraying the drug dealer.

Playing a rebellious character.

How to portray a sociopath.

How to write characters with PTSD.

Playing characters with memory loss.

Playing a pyromaniac.

How to write a mute character.

How to write a character with an OCD.

How to play a stoner.

Playing a character with an eating disorder.

Portraying a character who is anti-social.

Portraying a character who is depressed.

How to portray someone with dyslexia.

How to portray a character with bipolar disorder.

Portraying a character with severe depression.

How to play a serial killer.

Writing insane characters.

Playing a character under the influence of marijuana.

Tips on writing a drug addict.

How to write a character with HPD.

Writing a character with Nymphomania.

Writing a character with schizophrenia.

Writing a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Writing a character with depression.

Writing a character who suffers from night terrors.

Writing a character with paranoid personality disorder.

How to play a victim of rape.

How to play a mentally ill/insane character.

Writing a character who self-harms.

Writing a character who is high on amphetamines.

How to play the stalker.

How to portray a character high on cocaine.

Playing a character with ADHD.

How to play a sexual assault victim.

Writing a compulsive gambler.

Playing a character who is faking a disorder.

Playing a prisoner.

Portraying an emotionally detached character.

How to play a character with social anxiety.

Portraying a character who is high.

Portraying characters who have secrets.

Portraying a recovering alcoholic.

Portraying a sex addict.

How to play someone creepy.

Portraying sexually/emotionally abused characters.

Playing a character under the influence of drugs.

Playing a character who struggles with Bulimia.

Illegal Activity

Examining Mob Mentality

How Street Gangs Work

Domestic Abuse

Torture

Assault

Murder

Terrorism

Internet Fraud

Cyberwarfare

Computer Viruses

Corporate Crime

Political Corruption

Drug Trafficking

Human Trafficking

Sex Trafficking

Illegal Immigration

Contemporary Slavery 

Black Market Prices & Profits

AK-47 prices on the black market

Bribes

Computer Hackers and Online Fraud

Contract Killing

Exotic Animals

Fake Diplomas

Fake ID Cards, Passports and Other Identity Documents

Human Smuggling Fees

Human Traffickers Prices

Kidney and Organ Trafficking Prices

Prostitution Prices

Cocaine Prices

Ecstasy Pills Prices

Heroin Prices

Marijuana Prices

Meth Prices

Earnings From Illegal Jobs

Countries In Order Of Largest To Smallest Risk

Forensics

arson

Asphyxia

Blood Analysis

Book Review

Cause & Manner of Death

Chemistry/Physics

Computers/Cell Phones/Electronics

Cool & Odd-Mostly Odd

Corpse Identification

Corpse Location

Crime and Science Radio

crime lab

Crime Scene

Cults and Religions

DNA

Document Examination

Fingerprints/Patterned Evidence

Firearms Analysis

Forensic Anthropology

Forensic Art

Forensic Dentistry

Forensic History

Forensic Psychiatry

General Forensics

Guest Blogger

High Tech Forensics

Interesting Cases

Interesting Places

Interviews

Medical History

Medical Issues

Misc

Multiple Murderers

On This Day

Poisons & Drugs

Police Procedure

Q&A

serial killers

Space Program

Stupid Criminals

Theft

Time of Death

Toxicology

Trauma

[sophiaelainehanson]

Current Writing Playlist

Perfect for writers tackling science fiction, fantasy, and dystopian books! 

1. Kill For You - Skylar Grey

2. Blue Blood - Laurel 

3. Love and War - Fleurie 

4. Holes in Your Coffin - Phildel 

5. Female Robbery - The Neighbourhood 

6. House of the Rising Sun - Lauren O’Connell 

7. Black Sea - Natasha Blume

8. Paint It, Black - Ciara

9. Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation

10. Running With The Wolves - AURORA 

11. Shadow Preachers - Zella Day

12. War of Hearts - Ruelle 

13. Which Witch - Florence + the Machine

15. Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Lorde

16. Gods and Monsters - Lana Del Rey

17. Horns - Bryce Fox 

18. No Rest For The Wicked - Lykke Li 

19. Fuel to Fire - Agnes Obel

20. No One’s Here To Sleep - Bastille, Naughty Boy 

21. Quicksand - Whissell 

22. Cali God - Grace Mitchell 

23. Burn - Elise Trouw

24. Control - Halsey

25. Shoot and Run - Josef Salvat 

26. Straight Shooter - Skylar Grey 

27. Beneath the Brine - The Family Crest

28. Dark Doo Wop - MS MR

29. Fire Breather - Laurel 

30. Phuck Around - Syd Youth 

All of these songs are available for free on Spotify and YouTube! 

[robertelser]

I’ll give these a listen.

[nowyoukno]

Source for more facts follow NowYouKno

A road has no special qualifiers. It connects point a to point b.

A street connects buildings together, usually in a city, usually east to west, opposite of avenue.

An avenue runs north south. Avenues and streets may be used interchangeably for directions, usually has median

A boulevard is a street with trees down the middle or on both sides

A lane is a narrow street usually lacking a median.

A drive is a private, winding road

A way is a small out of the way road

a court usually ends in a cul de sac or similar little loop

a plaza or square is usually a wide open space, but in modern definitons, one of the above probably fits better for a plaza as a road.

a terrace is a raised flat area around a building. When used for a road it probably better fits one of the above.

uk, a close is similar to a court, a short road serving a few houses, may have cul de sac

run is usually located near a stream or other small body of water

place is similar to a court, or close, usually a short skinny dead end road, with or without cul de sac, sometimes p shaped

bay is a small road where both ends link to the same connecting road

crescent is a windy s like shape, or just a crescent shape, for the record, above definition of bay was also given to me for crescent

a trail is usually in or near a wooded area

mews is an old british way of saying row of stables, more modernly seperate houses surrounding a courtyard

a highway is a major public road, usually connecting multiple cities

a motorway is similar to a highway, with the term more common in New Zealand, the UK, and Austrailia, no stopping, no pedestrian or animal traffic allowed

an interstate is a highway system connecting usually connecting multiple states, although some exist with no connections

a turnpike is part of a highway, and usully has a toll, often located close to a city or commercial are

a freeway is part of a highway with 2 or more lanes on each side, no tolls, sometimes termedexpressway, no intersections or cross streets.

a parkway is a major public road, usually decorated, sometimes part of a highway, has traffic lights.

a causeway combines roads and bridges, usually to cross a body of water

circuit and speedway are used interchangeably, usually refers to a racing course, practically probably something above.

as the name implies, garden is usually a well decorated small road, but probably better fits an above

a view is usually on a raised area of land, a hill or something similar.

byway is a minor road, usually a bit out of the way and not following main roads.

a cove is a narrow road, can be sheltered, usually near a larger body of water or mountains

a row is a street with a continuous line of close together houses on one or both sides, usually serving a specific function like a frat

a beltway is a highway surrounding an urban area

quay is a concrete platform running along water

crossing is where two roads meet

alley a narrow path or road between buildings, sometimes connects streets, not always driveable

point usually dead ends at a hill

pike usually a toll road

esplanade long open, level area, usually a walking path near the ocean

square open area where multiple streets meet, guess how its usually shaped.

landing usually near a dock or port, historically where boats drop goods.

walk historically a walking path or sidewalk, probably became a road later in its history

grove thickly sheltered by trees

copse a small grove

driveway almost always private, short, leading to a single residence or a few related ones

laneway uncommon, usually down a country road, itself a public road leading to multiple private driveways.

trace beaten path

circle usually circles around an area, but sometimes is like a “square”, an open place intersected by multiple roads.

channel usually near a water channel, the water itself connecting two larger bodies of water,

grange historically would have been a farmhouse or collection of houses on a farm, the road probably runs through what used to be a farm

park originally meaning an enclosed space, came to refer to an enclosed area of nature in a city, usually a well decorated road.

mill probably near an old flour mill or other mill.

spur similar to a byway, a smaller road branching off from a major road.

bypass passes around a populated area to divert traffic

roundabout or traffic circle circle around a traffic island with multiple connecting routes, a roundabout is usually smaller, with less room for crossing and passing, and safer

wynd a narrow lane between houses, similar to an alley, more common in UK

drive shortened form of driveway, not a driveway itself, usually in a neighborhood, connects several houses

parade wider than average road historically used as a parade ground.

terrace more common in uk, a row of houses.

chase on land historically used as private hunting grounds.

branch divides a road or area into multiple subdivisions.

[jo-biz]

Writers need to know stuff like this.

[bill-11b]

Reblogging for info because there was a bunch of these I didn’t know.

[sinfulwario-deactivated20171201]

But I know so many avenues that run east west and not north south wtf

[scriptautistic]

The ScriptX family as of 01/01/2018

Have writing questions, but don’t know who to ask? Check out the ScriptX family of blogs, all of whom provide detailed writing advice on a huge variety of topics!

First, ScriptFeature shares some of the best posts from the ScriptX blogs, as well as giving updates and announcements about the family: @scriptfeature

The rest of the blogs are in alphabetical order in two groups, with active blogs first, and inactive/archived blogs second. If you are looking for something in particular, try searching using Ctrl+F or ⌘+F

Active:

Accountant: @scriptaccountant (Accounting)

Autistic: @scriptautistic (Autistic characters)

Ballerina: @scriptballerina (Ballet and dance)

Canuck: @scriptcanuck (Everything Canadian)

Chemist: @scriptchemist (Chemistry and chemical laboratories)

Criminal justice: @scriptcriminaljustice (Criminal justice system, including court procedures and criminal investigations)

Equestrian: @scriptequestrian (Horseback riding)

Firefighter: @scriptfirefighter (Firefighting, including fire science and safety, forced entry, rescue, HazMat and related topics)

Florist: @scriptflorist (Flowers, florists and flower shops)

Foodie: @scriptfoodie (Food and drink)

Genetics: @scriptgenetics (Genetics and evolutionary biology)

German: @scriptgerman (Everything German)

Hacker: @scripthacker (Data retrieval, steganography, cryptography, white hat hacking, and general purpose computing)

History: @scripthistory (History) [on hiatus]

LGBT: @scriptlgbt (LGBTQ+ characters, community, and issues)

Librarian: @scriptlibrarian (Librarians and libraries)

Medic: @scriptmedic (The original! Medicine, human anatomy/physiology, hospitals, EMTs and paramedics)

Myth: @scriptmyth (Mythology and folklore from around the world)

Pastor: @scriptpastor (Religion and people of faith)

Sailor: @scriptsailor (Navy, sailors and nautical history)

Script a world: @script-a-world (Worldbuilding for science fiction and fantasy)

Script structure: @scriptstructure (Story structure, narrative and themes)

Shrink: @scriptshrink (Clinical psychology, psychiatry, therapy and therapists)

Sociology: @scriptsociology (Social sciences applied to world building)

Spoonie: @scriptspoonie (Characters with chronic illness, disability)

Torture: @scripttorture (Torture methods, torture victims, and torturers throughout history)

Trauma Survivors: @scripttraumasurvivors (Writing survivors of psychological trauma)

Veterinarian: @scriptveterinarian (Veterinary medicine for animals domesticated, wild and occasiontally fantastical)

Witchcraft: @scriptwitchcraft (Witchcraft)

Archived/Inactive: These blogs are not currently active but are still a useful resource when researching your stories

Astronomer: @scriptastronomer (Astronomy)

Brain Scientist: @scriptbrainscientist (Neurology) [ARCHIVED]

Brit: @scriptbrit (United Kingdom) [ARCHIVED]

Economist: @scripteconomist (Ecomonics) [ARCHIVED]

Educator: @scripteducator (Schools and teachers)

Kink: @scriptkink (Sex and sexuality)

Lawyer: @scriptlawyer (Legal stuff)

Linguist: @scriptlinguist (Linguistics)

Pharmacist: @scriptpharmacist (Pharmacies and pharmaceuticals)

Politics: @scriptpolitics (Politics, world-building political systems, and international relations) [ARCHIVED]

Publishing industry: @scriptpublishingindustry (Publishing industry, including writers, editors etc)

Service Dogs: @scriptservicedogs (Service dogs, emotional support animals, and therapy dogs)

Social work: @scriptsocialwork (Social workers and the field of social services) [ARCHIVED]

To get the most up-to-date version of this list, be sure to check this link here:  scriptshrink.tumblr.com/scriptfamily

Are you an expert in a topic? Interested in joining the ScriptX family? Apply here!

[wordsnstuff]

Resources For Describing Emotion

Emotions

Without Making Your Character Feel Too Self Aware

Showing Emotion Without Telling About It

Emotions Associated With Body Language

Telling Readers What The Character Doesn’t Want To Show

Hiding Emotions

Expressing Cardinal Emotions: Masculine vs. Feminine

Writing Extreme Emotion Without Melodrama

Specific Emotions

Conveying Shock

Conveying Embarrassment

Conveying Disappointment

Conveying Love/Attraction

Conveying Annoyance

Conveying Relief

Conveying Uncertainty

Conveying Impatience

Conveying Shame

Conveying Resentment

Conveying Panic

Conveying Guilt

Conveying Desperation

Conveying Sarcasm & Verbal Disrespect

Conveying Confusion

Conveying Stubbornness

Conveying Frustration

Conveying Indifference

Conveying Indignation

Conveying Confidence & Pride

Conveying Smugness

Conveying Enthusiasm

Conveying Curiosity

Conveying Hopefulness

Conveying Unease

Conveying Reluctance

Conveying Worry

Conveying Humility & Meekness

Conveying Happiness & Joy

Conveying Amusement

Conveying Disgust

Conveying Resignation

Conveying Jealousy

Conveying Anticipation

Conveying Contentment

Conveying Defeat

Conveying Excitement

Conveying Fear

Conveying Hatred

Conveying Hurt

Conveying Being Overwhelmed

Conveying Sadness & Grief

Conveying Satisfaction

Conveying Somberness

Conveying Sympathy & Empathy

Conveying Wariness

Conveying Defensiveness

Conveying Desire

Conveying Doubt

Conveying Energy

Conveying Exhaustion

Conveying Hunger

Conveying Loneliness

Conveying Physical Pain

Emotional Wounds

A Role Model Who Disappoints

A Sibling’s Betrayal

A Speech Impediment

Becoming a Caregiver at an Early Age

Being Bullied

Being Fired or Laid Off

Being Held Captive

Being Mugged

Being Publicly Humiliated

Being Raised by Neglectful Parents

Being Raised by Overprotective Parents

Being So Beautiful It’s All People See

Being the Victim of a Vicious Rumor

Being Stalked

Being Trapped in a Collapsed Building

Being Unfairly Blamed For The Death of Another

Childhood Sexual Abuse (by a family member or known person)

Discovering One’s Parent is a Monster

Discovering One’s Sibling was Abused

Experiencing a Miscarriage or Stillbirth

Failing At School

Failing To Do The Right Thing

Financial Ruin Due To A Spouse’s Irresponsibility

Finding Out One’s Child Was Abused

Finding Out One Was Adopted

Getting Lost In a Natural Environment

Growing Up In A Cult

Growing Up in a Dangerous Neighborhood

Growing Up In Foster Care

Growing Up In The Public Eye

Growing Up In The Shadow of a Successful Sibling

Growing Up with a Sibling Who Has a Chronic Disability or Illness

Having Parents Who Favored One Child Over Another

Having To Kill Another Person To Survive

Infertility

Infidelity (emotional or physical)

Losing a Limb

Losing a Loved One To A Random Act of Violence

Making a Very Public Mistake

Overly Critical or Strict Parents

Physical Disfigurement

Rejection By One’s Peers

Telling The Truth But Not Being Believed

The Death of a Child On One’s Watch

Victimization via Identity Theft

Watching A Loved One Die

Wrongful Imprisonment

Spending Time In Jail

Suffering From a Learning Disability

Motivation

Achieving Spiritual Enlightenment

Avoiding Certain Death

Avoiding Financial Ruin

Beating a Diagnosis or Condition

Being Acknowledged and Appreciated by Family

Being a Leader of Others

Being the Best At Something

Caring for an Aging Parent

Carrying on a Legacy

Catching The Bad Guy or Girl

Coming To Grips With Mental Illness

Discovering One’s True Self

Escaping a Dangerous Life one Doesn’t Want

Escaping a Killer

Escaping a Widespread Disaster

Escaping Confinement

Escaping Homelessness

Escaping Invaders

Finding Friendship or Companionship

Finding a Lifelong Partner

Having a Child

Helping a Loved One See They Are Hurting Themselves and Others

Obtaining Shelter From The Elements

Overcoming Abuse and Learning To Trust

Overcoming Addiction

Protecting One’s Home or Property

Pursuing Justice For Oneself or Others

Realizing a Dream

Reconciling with an Estranged Family Member

Rescuing a Loved One From a Captor

Restoring A Name or Reputation

Righting a Deep Wrong

Seeking Out One’s Biological Roots

Stopping an Event From Happening

Trying Again When One Has Previously Failed

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[thewordriven]

Write Your Novel In A Year – Week 21: All About Character

Write Your Novel In A Year – Week 21: All About Character

Welcome to week 21 of Anthony’s series that aims to help you write a novel in a year. Read last week’s post here.

Goal setting

Continue writing the scenes of your novel

List and define your characters’ actions

Building back story for each major character

Connecting relationships between characters

Breaking it down

What does your character do – the good, the stupid, the irrational?

We all know that no one likes a passive character. Your main characters, especially your protagonist and antagonist, need to be doing things – in other words, making decisions and then acting on those decisions.

Here’s a great exercise to try. Watch a movie or read a book and then make separate lists for each of the three or four main characters. Under each character name, list in bullet form, each action this character takes. For example, if Joe is a main character in a story, you could list:  Joe shoots the intruder in his daughter’s bedroom. If Cassie, his daughter, is the loved one in the story, you could list: Cassie sneaks her boyfriend into her bedroom one weekend. Obviously, Cassie sneaking her boyfriend into her room leads to her father shooting him – but both characters took separate actions to lead to that moment – so isolate their actions in separate lists.

Once you’ve listed all the actions your characters take, count these up. What you’ll find is that either the antagonist or the protagonist have the most actions overall.  This is a good checklist to use on your own story.

Even though I have a couple as my main characters in my novel, Jenna is really my lead protagonist — so it’s important that she is making more decisions and acting on these decisions more than her boyfriend, Matt.

Remember that the character doesn’t have to make great decisions – sometimes those impulsive, trapped, or irrational decisions will add more conflict to your plot and another dimension to your character. Back to Joe, another point on his list could be: Joe decides to bury the body in the woods instead of reporting it to the police.  

Back to the back story

How much or how little of your characters’ back stories you bring into the novel is up to you – you should decide how much of it will serve the story and if it will show an important aspect of the character.

However, you still need to have this backstory on paper or in your head as the author – otherwise you’re writing a cipher or a new-born. Everyone has a history and your characters are no different.

Take some time out this week to explore the pasts of your characters. What happened to them before the story started? Sometimes you have to go back to the day they were born – or even before they were born. Other times you can just have a general understanding of their background. For example: comes from happy middle-class family, grew up in suburbs, close to her sisters.

In my novel, I know I have to have strong understanding of my antagonist’s background. How did he turn into who is today? When did the ‘glitch’ in his psychology happen – and how did it come about? Of course, it would be tempting to reveal all of this a neatly wrapped explanation of his behaviour. But it’s better to leave some of the mystery for the reader.

Relationships – exploring connections

How are your characters connected to each other? Some relationships in a novel are easy to understand – others need a little more thought. Another great exercise to try is this. Write your main character’s name in a bubble in the middle of a blank page. Create a spider chart of the characters ‘connected’ to that main character. Who mentors them? Who could tempt them away from their goal? Who do they go to for logical advice? Who is the person who’d run away with them for a crazy weekend?

When you look at your chart, is there any character that already exists in your story? How could you make their role in the story stronger? Do you need to create another character?

We use a similar approach in Writers Write 2. You can do this exercise on all your main characters – it will help you explore your characters better and may even suggest plot ideas. For example, in my novel, a minor character is someone who knew Matt in the past is now connected to Monty, my antagonist, in the present. This gave me a great idea for a way to add another plot twist – something I wouldn’t have seen if I hadn’t done this exercise.

Timelock — 2.5 to 5 hours

Write for a half hour or an hour a day on your scenes.

5 Quick Hacks

Write about your character’s first day at high school, first day at work, or first date.

Have the two most unlikely characters in your novel get stuck in an elevator. What would they say to each other?

If your character was on Facebook, who would Facebook suggest as ‘People You May Know’? What groups would it suggest? What ads would pop up on your antagonist’s page?

Look at the mentors and teachers in your own life and career. Would they make interesting characters? Why?

Create a ‘Wanted’ poster for your antagonist. What would it say? What would the reward be?

Pin it, quote it, believe it:

‘A rich back story helps you to write, but the reader may never need to see it.’ — Roz Morris

[buddhaprayerbeads]

10 Simple Steps to Buddha Mind - Meditation infographic. Do you want to meditate like the Buddha ? :)

Follow back

[wordsnstuff]

Resources For Fantasy & Mythology Writers

Designing A World

City and Town Name Generator

How To Create a Believable World

Fantasy Religion Design Guide

Fantasy Map-maker

The Language Construction Kit

Fantasy Name Generator

The Pagan Name Generator

Writing Fantasy: Tools & Techniques

Fractal World Generator

Creating a Magic System

The Middle Ages

A Large List Of Articles On The Middle Ages

Middle Ages Weapons

Medieval Clothing

Medieval Clothing Pages

Medieval Name Archive

The Domesday Book

European Nobility Titles

Mythology

General Folklore

Various Folktales

Heroes

Weather Folklore

Trees in Mythology

Animals in Mythology

Birds in Mythology

Flowers in Mythology

Fruit in Mythology

Plants in Mythology

Folktales from Around the World

Egyptian Mythology

African Mythology

More African Mythology

Egyptian Gods and Goddesses

The Gods of Africa

Even More African Mythology

West African Mythology

All About African Mythology

African Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

Aztec Mythology

Haitian Mythology

Inca Mythology

Maya Mythology

Native American Mythology

More Inca Mythology

More Native American Mythology

South American Mythical Creatures

North American Mythical Creatures

Aztec Gods and Goddesses

Chinese Mythology

Hindu Mythology

Japanese Mythology

Korean Mythology

More Japanese Mythology

Chinese and Japanese Mythical Creatures

Indian Mythical Creatures

Chinese Gods and Goddesses

Hindu Gods and Goddesses

Korean Gods and Goddesses

Basque Mythology

Celtic Mythology

Etruscan Mythology

Greek Mythology

Latvian Mythology

Norse Mythology

Roman Mythology

Arthurian Legends

Bestiary

Celtic Gods and Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses of the Celtic Lands

Finnish Mythology

Celtic Mythical Creatures

Gods and Goddesses

Islamic Mythology

Judaic Mythology

Mesopotamian Mythology

Persian Mythology

Middle Eastern Mythical Creatures

Aboriginal Mythology

Polynesian Mythology

More Polynesian Mythology

Mythology of the Polynesian Islands

Melanesian Mythology

Massive Polynesian Mythology Post

Maori Mythical Creatures

Hawaiian Gods and Goddesses

Hawaiian Goddesses

Gods and Goddesses

List of Gods

Encyclopedia Mythica

Mythical Creatures & Beasts

Questions To Ask When Worldbuilding

The World

Physical and Historical Features

Magic and Magicians

Peoples and Customs

Social Organization

Commerce, Trade, and Public Life

Daily Life

Basics

Alternate Earth

Not Earth at All

Climate and Geography

Natural Resources

World History

Specific Country(s) History

Rules of Magic

Wizards

Magic and Technology

Miscellaneous Magic Questions

Customs

Eating

Greeting and Meeting

Gestures

Visits

Language

Ethics and Values

Religion and the Gods

Population

Government

Politics

Crime and the Legal System

Foreign Relations

Waging War

Weapons

Business and Industry

Transportation and Communication

Science and Technology

Medicine

Arts and Entertainment

Architecture

Urban Factors

Rural Factors

Fashion and Dress

Manners

Diet

Education

Calendar

Magic

The Hypertext List of Spells

Gemstone Properties

Gemstone Meanings

Crystal Healing

Fairy & Other Spirits

Elven Phrases

[stevviefox]

neat stuff.

[ferret-on-pancakes]

How to Design a Town Map - Fantastic Maps

Creating city maps can be hard. Here's four quick steps I use to design believable town and city maps.

I found this very useful. Sometimes it’s great to have a visual aid of the layout of the settlements, towns or cities where your stories develop. It’s good to have an idea of the distance between places and their position within the town; this way, it might be easier to describe the routes your characters travel, noting buildings that might be relevant to the story later or relating other characters to certain areas of a city.

[keyboardsmashwriters]

10 ways to hit your readers in the gut

One of the strongest bonds that link us to our favorite stories is the emotional tie, or books that sink a fist right into our guts. When you finished a book where you couldn’t let go of after the last page, chances are, the author successfully punched you in the spleen. If you’ve ever wondered how to do just that, here are some of my favorite methods:

Make your reader root for your main character(s). Make your character stretch out their arm toward their goal, as far as they can to reach, until their fingertips barely brush it. Make your character want something so much that your reader wants it, too.

When your character trips and stumbles and stops to question themselves, the readers will hold their breath.

Push your character to their very limit, and then a little further.

When your character hits the bottom, they should scrape themselves back together and get back up. Give readers a reason to believe in your character.

If your character is challenging your plot, your plot should challenge your character.

Leave a trail of intrigue, of questions, of “what if?” and “what next?”

If a character loses something (a battle, an important memento, part of themselves), they must eventually gain something in equal exchange, whether for good or bad.

Raise the stakes. Then raise them higher.

Don’t feel pressured to kill a character (especially simply to generate emotional appeal). A character death should serve the plot, not the shock factor. Like anything else in your story, only do it if it must be done and there’s no other way around it.

What’s the worst that can happen? Make it happen. Just make sure that the reader never loses hope.

[studysection]

Hey guys! As a writer myself, it’s hard to have a lot of resources for writing in one place. That’s why I decided to create this masterpost, and maybe make more if I find future resources. I hope you like it, and expect to see more masterposts like this in the future!

Generators

Character

Appearance Generator

Archetypes Generator

Character Generator

Character Traits Generator

Family Generator

Job/Occupation Generator, (II)

Love Interest Generator

Motive Generator

Name Generator

Personality Generator, (II)

Quick Character Generator

Super Powers Generator

Names

Brand Name Generator

Medicine Title Generator

Name Generator

Quick Name Generator

Vehicle Generator

Town Name Generator

Plot

First Encounter Generator

First Line Generator, (II)

Plot Generator, (II), (III)

Plot Device Generator

Plot Twist Generator

Quick Plot Generator

Setting/World-Building

City Generator

Fantasy Race Generator

Laws Generator

Pet Generator

Setting Generator

Species Generator

Terrain Generator

Prompts

Subject Generator

”Take Three Nouns” Generator

Word Prompt Generator

Misc

Color Generator

Decision Generator

Dialogue Generator

Journey Generator

Title Generator, (II), (III)

Some Tips

Just a few I found from the writing tips tag!

Writing action / @berrybird

How to create a strong voice in your writing / @collegerefs

How to plot a complex novel in one day! / @lizard-is-writing

8 ways to get past writer’s block / @kiramartinauthor

psa for writers / @dasakuryo

”Write Using Your 5 Senses” / @ambientwriting

How People Watching Improves Your Writing / @wherethetransthingsare

Writing Science Fiction: Tips for Beginners / @fictionwritingtips

Creating Likeable Characters / @authors-haven

Vocabulary

Descriptive words / @somekindofstudent

Words to replace “Said” / @msocasey

Obscure color words / @mintsteelpeachlilac

Words to spice up your stories / @busyibee

Words to describe someone’s voice

Words to Use Instead of Very / @gaybybirth

Touchy Feely Words / @gaybybirth

Some Advice

Stephen King’s Top 20 Rules for Writers

”But my plot isn’t UNIQUE or BIG enough!” / @youreallwrite

8 Things Every Creative Should Know / @adamjk

(How To) Get Over Comparing Yourself to Other Creatives / @adamjk

How to Get Over Common Creative Fears (Maybe) / @adamjk

14 Tips From Stephen King On Writing / @i-can-give-you-prompts

Playlists

Electronic Thoughts / @eruditekid

“Mix About Writing” An Instrumental Mix / @shadowofemirates

Shut Up, I’m Writing! / @ninadropdead

Chill / @endlessreveries

Breathtaking Film Scores / @tweedskirts

Music to Write to Vol. 1: Starlight / @crestadeen

Music for Written Words / @ghoulpatch

Dead Men Tell No Tales / @scamandersnewt

Fatale / @dolcegf

All These Things that I’ve Done / @referenceforwriters

Feeling Soaking into Your Bones / @verylondon

I Can Feel Your Pulse in the Pages / @rphelper

Morally Ambiguous / @scamandersnewt

Wonderwall / @wheelerwrites

Pythia / @mazikeene

Ballet: To Dance / @tanaquil

Websites and Apps

For Writing

ZenPen: A minimalist writing website to keep you free of distractions and in the flow.

The Most Dangerous Writing App: A website where you have to keep typing or all of your writing will be lost. It helps you keep writing…kind of. You can choose between a time or word count limit!

Evernote: An online website where you can take notes and save the product to your laptop and/or smartphone!

Writer, the Internet Typewriter: It’s just you and your writing, and you can save your product on the website if you create an account.

Wordcounter: A website to help check your word and character count, and shows words you’re using frequently.

Monospace: An Android app for writing on the go when you feel the inspiration, but you don’t have your laptop on you!

For Productivity

Tide: An app that combines a pomodoro-esque timer with nature sounds and other noises! (Google Play / Apple Store)

ClearFocus: An Android app with a pomodoro-type time counter to let you concentrate easier and stay productive.

Forest: An app with a time counter to keep you focused and off your phone, and when you complete the time limit, a tree grows in your garden! (Google Play / Apple Store)

SelfControl: A Mac downloadable app that blocks you from distracting mail servers, websites, and other things!

Prompt Blogs

@writeworld

@dialouge-prompts

@oopsprompts

@prompts-for-the-otp

@creativepromptsforwriting

@the-modern-typewriter

@theprofessionalpromptmaker

@writers-are-writers

@otp-imagines-cult

@witterprompts

@havetobememes

@auideas

@putthepromptsonpaper

@promptsonpaper

@fyotpprompts

@otpisms

@soprompt

@otpprompts

@ablockforwritersblock

@awritersnook

Writing Tips Blogs

@writeworld

@anomalously-written

@awritersnook

@clevergirlhelps

@referenceforwriters

@whataboutwriting

@thewritershelpers

@nimblesnotebook

@slitheringink

[tinysidestrashcaptain]

Reblogging to save a writer

[ohbytheangel]

Hey fellow writers! Enjoy!

[stagecoachjessi]

Classic Hollywood Bloopers

[izzzzzzieeeeeeeee]

And the greatest Hollywood blooper of all time:

[mermaidsandcats29]

These are WONDERFUL

[stagecoachjessi]

Two more of my favorites:

[absolutelyaddictedpoldarky]

These are great..made me smile😊💖

[darkseraphscorner]

The fact these exist are truly amazing.

In the olden days, if footage was not used in a film, it was either destroyed or erased so they could reuse the reel, because it was cheaper than storing unused film.

Google the BBC’s lost archives to find out more.

[robertelser]

Time to chill. Happy hour. That’s is all. (at House of Blues Orlando)

[wondrousworldbuilding]

Why develop a fictional culture?

When you’re creating a race of people for your new world, you need a culture to give those people and their way of life some context. The culture helps determine how the characters act, dress, eat, solve problems, among so many other things. You can (and sometimes, should) have multiple cultures in your world, depending on how large your focus area is. Cultures affect each other, but also serve in a narrative sense to draw contrast in-world and to draw parallels to the reader’s world. 

So here are some thoughts, big and small, that are meant to help inspire you as you create amazing cultures. (And remember that you’re thinking about the following questions in the context of the general population, not your main character(s).) You can simply answer these questions in short-answer form, or you can write a short story to flesh out one or two or three questions at once. If you do that, submit them to me! I’d love to feature them on the blog. 

How old do people believe their race is? How old are they really?

How prevalent are religions to the common person?

What is/are the origin stories of the main religion(s)?

What do most people think should be the highest priority:

biological family?

chosen family?

career?

service/charity (of any kind)?

religion?

entertainment/fun?

nation?

expansion (of nation/culture/influence/understanding)?

How do culturally shared priorities shape interactions?

What is the common greeting? Does it vary by age, class, rank, or sect?

How is gender viewed by the majority? Why?

What are common myths/legends of your people and how heavily do they influence the modern day?

How trustful are people of outsiders?

How welcoming are people, in general, of strangers into their homes?

How well do people of various factions (class, race, religion, etc.) get along in society?

How far has technology advanced, and how has it been implemented into their daily lives?

If magic exists, what do they believe is its origin? Its source?

If there is division between magic/non-magic, how do the two treat each other and why? How long has it been that way?

What sort of relationship do they have with their ruler?

How content is the average person?

How do people make their living and how big a part of their life is their career (if applicable)?

Do they have “weekends” and if so, what sets them apart from “weekdays”?

How do they treat their close friends?

How do they treat their enemies?

How do they handle small conflict, between individuals or small groups?

How do they handle larger conflicts?

How are they prepared for any potential war? Do they have some sort of military or militia in place? 

How many wars have they, as a society, fought over the course of their lives/history? How much of an impact does that have on their cultural identity? (i.e. WW2′s impact on patriotism in America, and how it’s yet to go away.)

What virtues do they value in individuals? What virtues do they say they value? If those are different, why?

How do they dress? Does it vary greatly by gender, or not? Is their focus on clothing very practical, religious, sentimental, or simply driven by the latest arbitrary fashion? How do the above answers reflect on the culture on a deeper level?

How do they treat their elderly?

How do they treat their children?

At what age does a baby become a child, a child a young adult, a young adult an adult, an adult an elder?

How much regulation does the day-to-day life of the average citizen entail? Or, how involved is the government in micro affairs?

How are these people seen throughout their known world? How do other cultures view this culture?

Check out the rest of the Brainstorming Series! Magic Systems, Part One Magic Systems, Part Two New Species New Worlds  Map Making Politics and Government Belief Systems & Religion Guilds, Factions, & Groups War & Conflict Science & Technology Wildlife & Ecosystems History & Lore

[robertelser]

Woke to a gentle snowfall. Thankfully, no driving required today. Be safe and enjoy! (at Burbage, Leicestershire)

[alliaofrph]

[writeinspiration]

WRITING HELP/CHARACTER

writing a bitchy character (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10)

writing a cocky character (1,2,3,4)

writing a emotion character (1,2)

How to play a hippie

Playing the quiet character.

Portraying the shopaholic.

Portraying a mute character.

Portraying a kleptomaniac.

How to play the stalker.

Writing distant, indifferent characters.

How to write a character who stutters.

Writing a character who is sassy.

A guide to playing a southern character.

Portraying characters with crushes.

How to portray a teen mom.

How to play a character who is mean.

How to portray a character high on cocaine.

Writing a character who is high on amphetamines.

Playing an efficient male character.

Portraying the asshole.

Playing a character who suffers from shyness.

How to play a mentally ill/insane character.

Writing a character who self-harms.

Writing a happy character.

Writing a character who suffers from night terrors.

Writing a character with paranoid personality disorder.

How to play a victim of rape.

How to RP a blind character.

Writing a leader.

Writing a character with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Writing a character with depression.

Writing a character who is homosexual.

Writing a character with schizophrenia.

Playing a fe/male character.

Writing a character with Nymphomania.

How to write a worry wart.

How to write a character with HPD.

How to write a bad ass character.

Playing a pansexual.

Tips on writing a drug addict.

Tips on writing the pregnant female.

Writing insane characters.

Playing a character under the influence of marijuana.

Portraying a character with diabetes.

How to play a prankster.

Playing a character who has been adopted.

Portraying a vampire.

Playing a character with an eating disorder.

Portraying a character who is anti-social.

Portraying a character who is depressed.

How to portray someone with dyslexia.

How to portray a character with bipolar disorder.

Portraying a character with severe depression.

How to play a serial killer.

Writing a tomboy.

Playing a pyromaniac.

How to write a mute character.

How to write a character with an OCD.

How to play a stoner.

How to write an asexual character.

How to play a bitchy/vicious character.

How to play a character with HPD.

Playing a pregnant woman.

Playing the burn-out.

Writing a “nice” character.

How to play a gentleman.

How to play a shy/introvert character.

How to play a naive character.

Playing characters with memory loss.

How to write a character who smokes.

How to write pirates.

How to write characters with PTSD.

How to play a character who isn’t ready for sex.

How to play the geek.

Playing the manipulative character.

Portraying a character with borderline personality disorder.

Playing a character with Orthorexia Nervosa.

Writing a character who lost someone important.

Playing the bullies.

Portraying the drug dealer.

Playing a rebellious character.

How to portray a sociopath.

How to play a swimmer.

Portraying a ballerina.

Playing a promiscuous male.

Playing a character with cancer.

How to portray a bubbly character.

How to portray a power driven character.

How to portray the shy character.

Playing a character under the influence of drugs.

Playing a character who struggles with Bulimia.

Portraying a hippie.

Portraying sexually/emotionally abused characters.

Playing a character with asthma.

Portraying characters who have secrets.

Portraying a recovering alcoholic.

Portraying a sex addict.

How to play someone creepy.

Portraying a foreigner.

Portraying an emotionally detached character.

How to play a character with social anxiety.

Portraying a character who is high.

How to play a strong, female character.

Writing a character with a hangover.

Playing angry characters.

Playing a character who is smarter than you.

Playing and writing autistic characters.

Portraying a trans character.

How to portray a dominant character.

Playing a character who is faking a disorder.

Playing a prisoner.

Playing the opposite sex.

Portraying a character who has PTSD.

Playing a character who stutters.

How to play a depressed character who self-harms.

Portraying the “dumb” character.

How to portray a lesbian.

How to play a blind character.

How to play a sexual assault victim.

Writing a compulsive gambler.

Playing a werewolf.

Writing a character who is drunk.

Playing a Brit.

Portraying a character with amnesia.

Playing heroes.

Portraying a witty character.

How to play a vampire.

How to play a character who is manipulative.

Portraying the natural born leader.

Portraying the character who is flirtatious.

Writing a nice character.

How to portray a character who has asthma.

Playing a character with ADHD.

Amnesia

Children

Losing Someone (2)

Physical Injuries (2, 3)

Sexual Abuse (2)

Fight Scenes (2, 3, 4)

Horror

Torture

How to Describe the Body Shape of Female Characters

Character Appearance Help

Words to Describe Voice

Character Development Exercises

Art of Character Development

Introducing Characters

Characters You Need to Reinvent

Making Characters Likable

Heroes and Villains

Understanding Body Language

Mental Illness in Writing

Conflicts and Characters

How about some writing resources for those post-NaNoWriMo blues?