#ramblingrubyred

[incandescent-creativity]

I might be a bit late, but I hope you have the happiest of birthdays! You're a fabulous writer and an inspiration and I wish you the best for your next turn 'round the sun!

You’re not late at all! Thank you so much!

[justsome-di]

ramblingrubyred replied to your post “I Hate How People View My Major”

*wild cheering* *loud clapping* You go with your badass English major self!

Thank you!!! *finger guns*

[the-knights-who-say-book]

The Girl With All The Gifts. 7/5. This book blew my tiny little writers mind! I finished it 3 weeks ago and I still cannot stop thinking about it.

that’s such a glowing recommendation! i kinda really want to read it now why did i ask for book ratings when my tbr pile can’t take any more recs?

[prideandpen]

My dear fellow trekkie: just wanted to say how beyond excited I am to find someone else who loves Star Trek in the midst of Writeblr. Not that I think it's a huge rarity, I just love your posts about it. :)

oh my god oh my godohmygod. My friend, you have no idea. I grew up on star trek. I was named after a trek character. When I was a kid I couldn’t stand people who made fun or trek and people who enjoyed it because i just honestly couldn’t understand even then how they were unable to see just how brilliant it all is.I am SO psyched that you’re a trekkie too! Always feel free to talk trek with me (esp Next Gen and the upcoming Discovery because I am hyped! Are you hyped? It’s gonna be so great!) :D

[scriptstructure]

Thank you for your awesome helpfulness! In my WIP, magic exists through spell usage. I want to explain that magic has an energy cost ("All magic comes with a price") but I'm not sure I should just come out and explain why and how it works. I'm writing in third person limited (I think) and it feels silly to explain what the protag already knows. Any ideas for how to say spells=energy drain without coming right out and saying it? Thank you again! *high fives*

This is a great opportunity for showing rather than telling. If all magic comes with a price, then show the readers the cost of someone overdoing it. 

You could have your protagonist witness someone attempting to use too much magic and suffering the consequences. Think about the mood and situation that the character is in, and you’ll find the situation that will fit:

Is there a battle? A warrior mage makes a great big push against enemy forces but drains their last reserves of magic and collapses on the field.

Is it in a school? A student is attempting to show off to their friends and over-estimates their ability which winds up with them face-planting in the middle of lunch and having to go to the school nurse.

Is it in a professional setting? The healer is faced with saving a patient from the brink of death -- using up all her magic reserves -- or being able to treat a number of less serious, but still pressing, injuries.

Essentially, your magic having a price sets you up with a lot of great opportunities for conflict, and it’s going to be a matter of figuring out where it’s best to showcase that. The reader will be able to figure out the rules of the magic in your world through the assumptions and reactions of your protagonist. Your protag might witness, say, the schoolyard showboating and roll their eyes and scoff when the other kid over does things “What’d they expect?” Your character might think.

Remember, when you’re establishing your world through the eyes of a character, your first step should be to figure out what your character thinks of as normal, and how the character’s normal differs from your/ the reader’s sense of normality.

A good example of ‘magic has consequences’ is Stephen King’s Carrie -- when Carrie overuses her psychic powers, she gets nosebleeds, headaches, and faintness. I’m pretty sure also that many of Tamora Pierce’s books feature magic that comes with a price.

[caffeinewitchcraft]

Do you have books that I could buy? Maybe a collection of short stories? You're a fantastically fabulous writer! Though I'm likely just being lazy and could actually comb through your tumblr like a creeper and answer my own questions.... Sorry. (But seriously you're an awesome writer.)

Thank you! And no worries, I’m always down to plug my own work :D

Here’s an anthology I put up on Kindle! Half of the stories are edited stories from tumblr, the other half are brand new! Here’s the link! (X)

I also have a Patreon here (X) that I’m working on getting organized! Each month has a new short story that’ll be released first there!

[hamsterwritin]

ramblingrubyred replied to your post “Finding the perfect synonym. :’)”

I just snorted out my tea!

What why? Is there anything wrong with my writing? I checked google translate too and it said all of my words are fine. :/

[scriptgenetics]

Your little dino just popped up next to an ask response on my dash and I've never noticed it until today but it is absolutely perfect! I giggled at my desk and made a little "rawr" noise and now my coworkers think I'm bonkers. Thank you for making me smile today! If you'd like, would you please let me know how you found/created the little dino? If you'd rather not bother, that's totally ok. I'm still very glad you exist. :)

ahh that’s so sweet thank you! I did not create the dino but I love it. It’s a public domain vector graphic from here.