#wriing

[logophilist1982]

Oscar Wilde

[tstrangeauthor]

How I Write: Slow-Burn Romance

YES THIS TITLE IS SPECIFIC FOR SLOW BURN CUZ IT’S THE ONLY ROMANCE I KNOW AND SOMEBODY ACTUALLY ASKED FOR IT! here we gooooo

What’s Slow-Burn?

Slow Burn, to me, is a romance that is, well, slow. There’s no fall in love at first sight and the romance line isn’t linear--there’s dips and falls and stuff. I love it because if done right, it can keep the reader wanting them to finally end up together which will make them want to finish the book. 

Cool, how?

Alright alright! First off, I usually do one of those cliche’s that everyone likes (remember, cliches are cliches because they work). Most slow-burns I see are friends to lovers or enemies to lovers. In a slow burn, it’s not the destination, but the journey. 

Ok so say they’re enemies. There has to be a moment where Character A related to Character B--probably more than once depending on how deep that hatred goes. Then, there has to be a moment where they are alone together and can really relate and connect with the other. What I do is, before they start having feelings for each other in that way, they become friends first.

Slow-Burns are super hard because you can’t rush it, but you also can’t go to slow where it’s not even burning. Slow-burns don’t have to be the whole book either.

Writing Slow-Burn as a subplot:

I have this, I think. And I barely focus on the romance, but I also create enough tension through small things--giving them a ration of food when they’re hungry, sustained eye contact, find themselves holding hands while walking. USE FLUFF SPARINGLY!!! I know, but as a subplot, you don’t want it to take up the entire plot, and those few bits of fluff will make the reader ~weep~.

This post was really short, but romance is hard to give advice on. Slow-burns I usually go full Jane Austen THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE ANY CONTACT THE ENTIRE BOOK OK? LONGING GAZES AND DISTRACTED THOUGHTS ONLY! Authors sometimes go right to kissing or physical contact to show romance, but that doesn’t mean romance, yk? Don’t let the characters kiss (if at all) until their little romantic arc is done, because if they have to kiss to show there in love, they’re not in love. 

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Dragon Dancer III: Tokyo Love Story

“Fantasy Hotel Room 308A.” That was the text he got from Lu MIngfei, known as Akira to Hydras, when he inquired of Erii’s location. He sighed loudly with annoyance. That was a Lover’s Hotel! And a well-known one at that.

He stilled his temper. It accelerated his breath and pulled against his stitches. That guy was getting bolder and bolder.

He kept to muted colors under his trenchcoat. A ball cap and sunglasses hid his identity on the street. When he arrived at the hotel is was during the day and no one was checking in so the front desk clerk was watching TV and didn’t even notice when he walked in. He took the elevator to the third floor and knocked on the door to the suite.

As Akira opened, he removed his sunglasses to aim the full force of his cold-eyed stare down at his Shatei.

Akira flinched. “It’s not what it looks like! This was the only-”

Chisei shoved his way inside. “Erii?”

She was sitting on the tatami in front of a TV that displayed a paused game of Street Thug, dressed in only a T-shirt and shorts. There were shopping bags everywhere and a variety of outfits strewn about the room. The trash bin was lined with bags from food delivery and filled with empty boxes of fried rice.

She grinned at him. “Big Brother!” She signed at him.

“How are you feeling?” He walked past Akira, giving him a slightly less intimidating glare. 

She gave him a thumbs up and popped up from the floor with the wireless controller which she shoved into his hands.

“I heard about what happened to our headquarters. What are we going to do now?” asked Akira

“Let me worry about that.” He turned back to Erii who had picked up her controller. He looked around at the clothing. There was also some jewelry and toys.

She was scrawling on the notepad and then showed him. “Akira bought me tickets to the six flags! They’re discounted because we go close to closing time! Brother come too? Please.”

He looked into her crimson eyes. He held out his hand and accepted the notepad and pen from her and wrote. “Okay. I’ll come.”

Akira, suddenly mindful of  the mess the room, gathered the clothes in a pile and started putting them away only to have Erii seize his arm and shove the notepad in his face.

“Erii wha... oh... oh! I uh... I guess I need to buy another ticket!” He looked up at Chisei and his face turned a little red. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Chisei’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “Finish cleaning up.”

He returned to the video game. He wasn’t nearly as good as Akira but Akira played for hours at a time. He understood why.

When he first found Lu Mingfei without his memories and assigned him his staff to care for him and explain his presence, he didn’t notice the purchases that staff was making. Only a few days later, Erii had become more obsessed with online Street Thug. Particularly certain times of the day when she HAD to play online.

Usually, she was after him to play all the time, but he was suddenly free of her presence. She confessed to him that there was someone she enjoyed playing with because she actually had to try to win and sometimes she even lost.

Once it was clear that Mingfei was not going to get better any time soon, he brought him into the fold of the Hydras and they met for the first time. It wasn’t long before they realized. The moment she invited him to play as his knew underling, they recognized each other’s user names. They pointed at each other in recognition.

He had no idea all this was going on. They were joined at the hip after that. He took over her Pokemon Go! account, they started playing a larger variety of games, first as competitors, then as coop teammates, dominating Starcraft and League of Legends, and Call of Duty.

As High Patriarch he didn’t have time to monitor this and, at first, he approved of it. After all, he didn’t have time to play with her.

Now, here in the hotel, she beat him handily again and again. He couldn’t help but smile. When was the last time they played like this? He put one arm around her and hugged her close. “When are you going to let me win one, huh?” 

She held her hand in a sign of ‘never’. He glanced behind him and Akira ducked away around the corner where he was sitting next to a window. He took her notebook and wrote down. “Did he do anything inappropriate?”

She tilted her head. 

Chisei pursed his lips. How to explain?

She took the notepad and started writing and writing... and writing.... He blinked and then he waited.

She handed him the notebook.

“Akira took me out of home because he was worried that I might get lost because we were moving. I saw a store and I wanted to shop. He watched me shop. He said I looked pretty. He helped me get jewelry and then he helped me pay for it. I forgot how to cross the street and he told me how to cross the street. And then I got some shoes. I went to the toy store and I played the claw game. He spent all his change and didn’t get anything. It was funny but he got mad so we got more coins until we can win. I got a toy dog.”

“Then I saw the ferris wheel and I thought it was pretty so he got me the tickets.  And then we went to the hotel. He was upset about the fire. He took me to the hotel because he thought the street might be danger. Then we played video games. Then after that we woke up and played more games and I got fried rice.”

“I’m sorry if  any of that was inappropriate. He didn’t mean it. Can we still go to the six flags?”

Chisei gazed at the notebook for several seconds. He handed it back to her and nodded.

Erii wanted to soak before the trip to the amusement park. Chisei spent the time staring out the window of the hotel. The past twenty four hours was nothing but brutality, destruction, death and disillusionment. He saw more darkness on the horizon. And yet...

He glanced at Akira, who was fidgeting in the corner. “Thank you. I’m in your debt.”

“I... didn’t really do anything. She just dragged me around the city...” He laughed nervously.

“Just take it, Akira.”

He stopped chuckling, though he kept that strained smile on his face. “Oh... Alright.” The smile faded. “Did... something happen?”

“Let’s... not talk about it yet.”

The bathroom door opened. 

Erii walked up in a trendy, avant-garde dress with no sleeves or shoulders or back, black and white and red, with an elaborately patterned skirt.

He huffed a laugh at Akira’s stunned expression. She was very, very beautiful. “Alright. Let’s go.”

They got a taxi to the amusement park. Many families were leaving. There was almost no wait on the rides and it was full of young people who had lots of time and energy with little supervision.

He hung back at a slight distance and watched her drag him around. She had the map and didn’t always tell him where she wanted to go. He just followed her. First, was the rollercoaster because of course it was. He shook his head when she invited him. He was nervous about his fresh wounds and made a lame excuse about needing to use the bathroom while they got on board.

Erii was dying. How was he going to tell him? How was he going to tell her? Their relationship was doomed from the very beginning.

Akira was sick after the ride and they had to take a break while he lay on a bench.

The stars were coming out and the lights were coming on. The place would close in about an hour and a half but there was plenty to do... if only Akira could get up...

“Hey! You!” He turned as someone shouted at him. 

A man in clown make up was sitting in a glass box over a pool of water. 

“Oh... its this thing.” Chisei turned back around, ignoring him.

“Yeah you! You think you’re some sort of secret agent? What’s with those sunglasses? Trying to hide your crossed-eyes?” The man cackled like that was the biggest burn ever.

“Who wears sunglasses in the dark! What are you blind? If you’re not, you sure are now! MORON!”

He chuckled until Erii walked forward, arms stiff at her sides. 

“Woah! Heyheyhey!’ He grabbed her arm. “No... Erii...”

“Want a piece of this, little girl!” The clown taunted. “I bet you couldn’t dunk me! What you gonna do? Huh?”

“Erii!” Chisei barked. He pulled her away. “This is ... he’s paid to do this!”

The Clown continued. “Hey! You gonna let that girl stick up for you? Who’s the real pussy here? Eh?!” The clown, smelling blood and money, in the water turned up the heat. 

Chisei tensed. Okay, the guy was pushing his buttons now.

Akira sat bolt upright. He looked at Erii’s furious expression and Chisei’s desperate attempts to keep her from ending this carnival employee’s life.

He got up, still slightly dizzy. “HEY! You can’t talk to her that way!”

The clown got more excited. “What are you gonna do huh! Come here! Bring it! Your skinny arms probably can’t even hit the target! Hahahah!” He cackled as Akira came closer. “Come here and show her who’s the biggest loser tonight!”

Chisei clapped his hand over Erii’s mouth. Her eyes had gone completely yellow and she was furiously fighting him. Chisei was panicking as he saw all these people becoming curious about the spectacle and walking over. They were all in danger!

“Akira... you’d better...” He growled through clenched teeth. He watched as he paid the operator and received a single ball and was led to the to a line where he was to throw it.

The clown leaned forward. “Hey everyone come and watch this chick! Yeah, the only balls you got is the one in your hand!”

Akira tossed the ball up in the air and caught it and then turned and walked away.

“What are you doing? Chickening out already? Come back here!” 

Akira took about seven paces away, turned, lifted one knee and hurled it. The ball zoomed straight like a rocket, hit the target, pushed back the lever and shattered it.

The clown’s screech perfectly cut when he hit the water. 

The crowd that had gathered around whooped and hollered with glee. As Akira turned around, there was a flash of gold in his eyes.

Hot-shot. Just a little bit. He was skinny, a bit of a nervous wreck in normal circumstances. Anime fan, gamer and all around geek.

But now, he was acting like dunking a carnival clown was as much a serious thing as executing a criminal. It was the most ridiculous situation Chisei had been in in a while, but if you looked at Akira now, it was like he had slain a dragon. 

Chisei let out short laugh and looked down at his sister to see if she had the same opinion and his smile vanished.

The gold in her eyes was replaced by her usual color, but her eyes were wide and fixed on him, oblivious of anyone else, including him. Color rose in her cheeks. 

The carnival operator approached Akira with a large bear which he was surprised to accept.

Chisei watched as Akira came to her with the bear. She lifted her arms and accepted it. Not taking her eyes off his face.

Chisei was the last of his clan. His sole responsibility was running the Hydras. He thought he would be able to run away to France and sell sunscreen. Tachibana had promised him that if he defeated the Devil Clan and protected the family secrets, he would take over as High Patriarch and Chisei would be free. 

But now he just found himself on that same treadmill of responsibility. Defeating the Devil Clan, caring for his dying sister, and making sure that Cassell girl didn’t make it off the island.

Akira was from Cassell. Eventually, he would have to return there, by will or by force. This Akira persona was just that... a persona. It wasn’t real any more than her video games were real. He’d be naive to set that aside. That’s why he tried to keep him away from her for so long. But there was no way for him to completely do that so long as he let them play together and he didn’t stop letting them play together. How could he?

Erii would never understand even if he explained but she would obey him. He knew her. She trusted him. If he told her now to walk away from Akira, never talk to him again, she’d comply. She’d say okay and it would be a lie. Just like Akira’s okay at the tattoo parlor had been a lie. It would damage their relationship. Her life would be lonelier and emptier and it would be the last days of her life!

He walked up to Akira. “Good job. Now... I think we need to go to that Ferris Wheel before it closes.”

[whilereadingandwalking]

Get yourself a coffeeshop that takes you seriously when you ask for a large coffee. ✨✨✨

[superaskthebatimocsandfriends]

something I did with @startistdoodles   version of Joey named Hyde and my oc Dean and a small take on how be was turned (note this is non canon and done for fun) .  (trigger warning under the read more for body horror, harm to a child, and other dark stuff))

              Dean sat on the floor in Hyde's office playing with his stuffed bunny mister patches a smile on the small child's face the whole time. He was really enjoying himself when he heard footsteps and saw Hyde walk in he didn't look happy right now. As if something was bothering the man who sat down at his desk with a huff as he started to write some stuff down. Worried the small child walked over to him as he looked up at the man "M-Mister Drew?" he asked him in a soft voice. Hearing the smaller speak the man looked down at him and smiled "hey Dean, forgot you were in here" he tells him as he picks him up to put him on his lap. Hyde gently poked the small child's nose who just giggled in response "you are always so quiet," he tells the child who was now sitting in his lap hugging him tightly as he could. While Hyde just smiled in response to this as he let the boy do as he pleased as the man wrote down some notes on a piece of paper. After looking it over and giving a nod he looked down at him "Dean do you wanna help me with something?" he asked him as Dean looked up at him, his eyes lighting up giving a nod showing he was excited to help the man with something. Hyde was pleased by this as he stood up making sure to grab the note as he did so "good then lets go," he tells him as he walked out of the room with him making sure to tell Wally as he passed him that he was on his way to do something and was taking Dean with him. He added he didn't know how long they would be and to tell everyone if they needed anything to just leave a note for him and he'd get back to them later.                   Hyde walked away from the confused janitor who just gave a thumbs up to the man as the other got back to cleaning. He walked along till he came to a room as he walked into the room setting Dean down gently on a table nearby. Confusion crossed the boy's mind as the man spoke to him "Okay now Dean to help me with this part, okay and you have two jobs," he tells him. Dean gave a nod showing he was listening to what the man wanted to as he went over to a table nearby and picked up something. He watched as Hyde walked back over to him and gave him what looked to be a small container of sorts "first drink this, it's gonna taste funny but trust me okay," Hyde tells him. The boy was confused but did as told and drank it making a small face as he did so "i-it taste f-funny," he tells him as he hands it back to Hyde empty. Hearing this he gave the boy a small pat on the head in response to this "I know but it will help with what we are about to do," he tells him. Hyde then gently made the boy lay on his back "Dean for this part you have to stay as still as you can okay?" he tells him watching as Dean tho confused just gave a nod to him. Satisfied with the response he got to work setting up everything and opened his book getting to the page he needed to be on. Once he was ready he started to chant at first it was hard to hear but soon became more and more clear as he chanted in some strange language. Dean started to feel funny as his whole body started to vibrate slightly he whimpered at the feeling and looked at Hyde. Who just kept on reading and chanting not paying attention to the small child to focus on what he was doing.

            Dean whimpered as his stomach started to hurt suddenly as he moved his hand to his stomach giving a small sob in response. He wanted it to stop hurting as he felt a strange feeling in his throat as he started to cough and gag so. When he did so a strange substance came out of his mouth as if it had a mind of his own and started to cover half of his body. His eyes going wide he started to struggle it felt like he couldn't breathe and a small sound was heard coming from the boy. It sounded like someone trying to take a breath underwater suddenly as they tried to swim up but was going the wrong way. This went on for a few hours before it stopped as the room went suddenly dark before the lights came back on.  It was quiet except for the sound of Dean sobbing on the slab shaking half of his body covered in ink slightly mutated. Hyde seeing this gave a sigh and snapped the book shut really annoyed now as he picked up the sobbing child ignoring the others crying. He left the room and made his way to a different room to an area where he had forbidden other workers from going. Opening the door he put the boy in the room who looked at him shaking tears going down his face "i-it hurts," Dean said to him as he reached out to Hyde. But the man just ignored him as he just looked back at the boy not saying a word before he left closing the door leaving the boy alone in the dark. Ignoring as the boy screamed and sobbed to not leave him alone that he wanted to go home but the pleas fell on deaf ears as he walked back to his office. He told Wally that Cari had taken Dean home for the day saying something about the boy not feeling too well. Hyde entered his office as he sat down at his desk taking more notes as he wrote something next to Dean's name that said "Failure?" before he put it away.

[kcdenn]

okay is it just me who's pissed about polyvore? where am i gonna get your story updates?? 3

I KNOW, it’s such a bummer. :| But I will definitely be posting updates here, if there are any! I’m in the middle of revising so they’ll probably be few and far between BUT I’ll have stuff here and on my writing blog @volumewhatever!

(Also, just a a general PSA for any other Polyvore folks floating around, if you want to stay in touch my chat/messages/ask box is always open!)

[nanamalthea]

Día 31

El camino, 27 de Marzo de 2017

The fantasy of Boquete was over and now I had to face reality, I was more lost than usual. Looking back now, I see a roller coaster of weird decisions and it keeps going. If you figured out decision making, send me a message. 

The reason I have a nomad life is because I can’t manage to find a place that I feel I truly belong. So I refuse to think that I don’t fit, that’s why i keep looking, my puzzle gang must be somewhere. Mean while I will be a single puzzle piece stumbling around and taking pictures of what I see. 

[evenfurtherthanfurther]

Buffet

a soul spitfire, a banquet,

come and get your split

best grit this side of judgment,

no payment, come in,

eat like you're hungry-

feed on life like you know it,

dig in, it's quite comical,

soul a la shish kabob;

I swear I'm medium rare,

bite me straight off the cob

see for yourself-

taste how free range

led these memories

regrets and victories,

hopefully you receive easily

swallowed segments of being-

this deal is one time only,

so come fast

don't know how long

my supplies last