#tips and things

[kvebox]

Woke up at 2am and couldn’t fall back asleep so I made a tutorial on the Photoshop techniques I use most frequently. Starting with the sketch:

adjustment layers: specifically the hue/saturation slider in this case, allows you to color correct quickly

lasso tool: for sharp edges!

alpha lock: useful for painting within a pre-defined area (especially useful when painting characters)

x (hotkey) : toggle between foreground + background colors- let’s you easily blend between 2 colors

ctrl/cmd click : quickly change current active layer. Especially useful if you’re burdened with too many layers (or just very disorganized)

clipping mask: similar to alpha lock, but can add details without changing/ painting directly on the previous layer. I often use them to test out + apply gradients.

layer styles: I didn’t use any in this image, but the possibilities for layer styles endless, from simply adding a quick outline (useful for die cut demarcations when making stickers!) to creating more seemingly complex appearances. Here’s a gif of Nick Carver using layer styles (a combo of drop shadows + inner shadows) to quickly make the illusion of snow but with simple strokes.

Here’s the link to the full snow clip! ending on this:

[mrwrightcool]

So you wanna write NSFW fanfic stuffs.

First of all, good for you. The first few times you write it, it’s probably going to be awkward (just like real life!) Remember you don’t have to have sex or smut in your fic to make it good (just like in real life relationships). You also do not have to write a certain “type” of smut if you’re uncomfortable with it. 

Best resource I’ve ever found: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9661958/1/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Writing-Smut-Fic (read this!)

If you find writing penetration (if there is such a thing) difficult, then fade to black. I did that for a long time. Maybe the characters make out and fool around, maybe they even get into some foreplay, but if after that you don’t feel ready or comfortable, then move on to the next day or maybe have another character interrupt them. 

When in doubt write out safe sex. They find that condom, they find lube. I don’t care where they find it, you’re the writer think something up. However, they use the lube. Actual lube, not water or spit or whatever else the character may think up. 

I know other writers are screaming “artistic license” but you don’t get a license right away. Write the safe sex, it’s excellent practice. If interrupting the sex scene to have one of the characters get a condom bothers you, then make it interesting! 

Read lots of fanfiction from different genres! Note what you liked, what you didn’t like and figure out why? Did something about the writing make you uncomfortable? Why? 

Lastly, get someone to beta read it! Tell them you’re new to writing smut and want feedback. Then after they read it (or if you don’t have a beta reader) slowly re-read your work focusing on body positions. Unless the character is a contortionist you’ll want to avoid unnatural/crazy/impossible body positions. When in doubt, if you don’t like it, take it out. 

Anyone else want to add anything, please feel free! @mikedirntfucker420

[kohimiruku]

A fellow user I follow posted these on Quotev, so I’ve gotta signal boost their message for all the young writers.

[farkmepumps]

Many people adhere to a belief that you use the article “a” before words that begin with consonants and “an” before words that begin with vowels. But that isn’t the rule, and it’s important to avoid this rookie mistake before turning over your manuscript to agents and editors.

The real rule is this: You use the article “a” before words that start with a consonant sound and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound. For example, He has a unique point of view on the subject and talked about it for an hour. The “u” in “unique” makes the “Y” sound—a consonant sound—therefore you use “a” as your article, while the “h” in “hour” sounds like it starts with “ow”—a vowel sound.

http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/a-before-consonants-and-an-before-vowels-is-not-the-rule

[teenwolves-ahead]

Writing Tip #2 (Music)

If you love music like me, you might want a playlist while you start writing about your characters’ journeys. This can depend on you, but I’m going to post what I listen to when I write fluff and smut and when I write novels/long stuff like fan fictions. So here are some tips when making a playlist, whatever you’re using :) I’m sticking to mainly wider known artists when giving examples, but feel free to use whoever :)

These are ideas on how to start making a playlist, to do stick to this strictly, all right, just enjoy yourself :)

1. What is the mood that you’re writing? I find this the most important part of writing with music. If you’re writing heartbreak, I wouldn’t recommend listening to songs that are happy, upbeat pop songs. You may not want to include something like Timber by Pitbull and Kesha but could think about Adele songs or some older Taylor Swift numbers or maybe some slower Ed Sheeran songs form Plus?

2. What type of story are you writing? If you’re writing a fan fiction, you may want to listen to songs from the show/film/band/artist you’re writing about. For supernatural stories, I often stick to electronic indie or pop or punk/pop rock songs. If I write Teen Wolf things, I often listen to Halsey, or All Time Low. For romance stories, I listen to more pop songs that are quite upbeat and happy.

3. What are your characters like? What do they listen to? I find knowing your characters very important when writing. I have a story where the character listens to You Me At Six, All Time Low, Green Day and other songs from the punk rock or rock genre. So when writing, I often don’t listen to Club Dance songs like from Calvin Harris or David Guetta. However even so, your characters will have guilty pleasures, which is why when writing mentioned story, I have a few Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift songs also.

4. Don’t make yourself stick to one genre/style. Even if the song wouldn’t really fit the character or genre, broaden your horizons a little. I’m not a huge fan of Avicii for example, but when writing a scene at a party, I often use his songs since it fits the environment :) I don’t hate his songs, but I wouldn’t call myself a fan, yet it fits the scene perfectly and I quite enjoy when his songs come on in a playlist as it puts me into the mood of writing them. This actually often happens when I lsiten to songs in general and then one partular one comes on and I start writing something down. Listening to the lyrics can also be great inspiration. Many great songs and fan fictions have actually started off with songs, so don’t take that out of the equation :)

5. Enjoy yourself! If a song doesn’t work for you then, don’t listen to all eight or whatever minutes of it. The point of writing is to enjoy yourself, not feel even more stressed, so make sure you do enjoy what you’re doing. You don’t have t listen to music if you don’t like it :)

6. Don’t just focus on the lyrics. I know lots of people like to quote lyrics from the songs they listened to, but sometimes it’s just about what the music makes you feel. Some heartbreak songs are disguised with happy chords and melodies, so the sad, metaphorical lyrics may not be all you need to listen to. It’s often better to feel the music :)

- I’m personally in love with music and how it can make people feel and how it can bring them/us together. So please listen to your own feelings and preferences, this is just how I choose my playlists. I’m more a fan of pop punk, pop rock and most other subgenres of rock, but I still do branch out into indie and electropop and others. It’s okay to like lots of things, you don’t have to make a playlist with just one genre because thats the type of story you are writing or because that’s what your character likes. 

These’re only some ideas as to how to think about making playlists in case you’re stuck. Stick to your favourites though, so if you like One Direction, there must be some songs that’ll fit your story :) Enjoy!

My Imagines writing playlist;

Fluff; Usually upbeat, cute lyrics and smooth guitar parts (a little like the YMAS song)

Ain’t It Fun - Paramore

Cold Night - You Me At Six

Bail Me Out - All Time Low ft Joel Madden

Something’s Gotta Give - ATL

Catch Fire - 5 Seconds of Summer

Gravity - Against The Current

and similar to these (it’s a really long playlist, I’m only giving my top six from each)

Smut; I listen to mostly heavy or stable beats and songs that are often played when things get heated in a movie (seriously, they do help)

Move Along - The All-American Rejects

Loverboy - YMAS

Figure It Out - Royal Blood

Confident - Demi Lovato

Talk (Acoustic) - ATC

Permanent Vacation - 5 Seconds of Summer

Okay, yeah, please don’t judge my music taste, I tried to use well known artists for this one, because I thought that’d help out witht he style of music. But as you can see, I mostly listen to a similar genre, but then the lyrics and other extra production details help with the atmosphere I write in. I hope this helped :)

[bleep0bleep]

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year or have you before? If so, do you think you could give us some personal tips. It's going to be my first attempt at it and I'm still not sure if I can actually do it. :S

Hi anon! I have done Camp Nano before, and was unsuccessful-- I finished with about a total of about 2k in original work because I hadn't planned my novel, gotten frustrated, gave up and then dashed off to write about 30k of fanfic during that month instead. This time around I'm gonna see about doing better. 

If this is your very first attempt, I am very proud and excited for you for trying! I wish you the best of luck. \(^_^)/ 

Suggestions for doing Nano--

Break down the word count and don't get intimidated by it. 50k sounds like a LOT, but per day it's about 1.7k. 

Don't research while you write. Insert a catchphrase you can find and search and replace later. Keep going, keep in the flow. Write "pink elephant" or whatever every time you would stop to research anything and don't get caught in Wikipedia spirals. Do that later when you edit, after the month is done. Same goes for that "perfect" word or phrase. Can't think of the best adjective? Type in your catchphrase and keep going. 

Get writing buddies. The Nano website has tons of resources, join a group, meet people to rant/ bang ideas out with. I'm also bleep0bleep on the Nano website, so you can find me there too. 

Don't delete anything. If you're iffy about something you've written, just highlight it in a different color to come back to later. In rage of your own work you might delete a ton of stuff you would want to come back to later (even if you don't use it, you might still want the ideas)

Writing sprints/ word wars. Challenge some friends to 15-minute sprees to see who can bang out the most words during that time. Cheer each other on, friendly competition and knowing other people are suffering writing with you. 

Nano forums are a goldmine of information on plots, character development, strategies and more

Never give up, never surrender! Even if you don't make the word count goal at the end of the month, it's a great experience and you'll have a working something. You can't edit what you don't have.

And yes, I am doing NanoWrimo this year. *cracks knuckles*