• J •

secondary blog

[takemeback22014]

♡ Introduction ♡

Hey! Welcome to my blog. I'm J

He/him pronouns

I'm a writer, poetry and fanfiction mostly.

I take writing requests^

Open to writing triggering content, hurt/comfort and whump, but no smut

This is an anon account so no ao3/Wattpad :)

Fandoms I write for (this list may be added to):

Waterloo Road, Private Practice, law and order: Svu/Oc, One Chicago

Okay so that's hella shortened down

Characters/ships I'd like to write for (non exclusive)

Rachel Mason, Kim Campbell, Tom Clarkson, Reddie, Violet Turner, Charlotte King, Cooper Freedman, Grace Muncy, Amanda Rollins, Dominick Carisi, Casey Novak, Bensler, Cabenson, Hailey Upton, Jay Halstead, Erin Lindsay, Upstead, Linstead

Compleated writing by me will be tagged with:

#J's useless words

Writing tips/reblogs will be labled with:

#angryspammer

And work in progress writing/dialogue only, will be tagged as:

#why is J speaking into the void?

Reblog spam:

#J's reblog spam

Talk about the fanfiction I'm writing at the moment:

#saudadespamming

Byeyeye

[clinical-space-podcast]

Reblog if your art project has not, does not, and never will make use of generative ai at any point in your creative process.

[prophetic-writer]

Becoming a writer is great because now you have a hobby that haunts you whenever you don’t have time to do it

[dhruvkumaar]

How to defeat the blank page.

I often see many writers on Instagram or Twitter talking about how you need to just sit down and write to actually start writing. And I believe that it works, y’know. In fact, I make sure I put aside two hours everyday for writing.

But, I don't think that it works when you’re new. Yes, the advice might be good for those who just keep on procrastinating about it to infinity, but it’s not for everybody.

No, on a second note, I’d like to rephrase it. I believe that the advice doesn't work in a vacuum. Like, just sitting down and writing is not enough. You need more than just the willpower to write.

You need some more ingredients than that to start writing your very first novel. And here’s my two-cents on the issue.

***

Let’s take it that you sit down to write. Now what?

You got a computer system you can work on. You installed Google Docs and other software you might need to start. So, now what?

That’s why most people get stuck. Yeah, you have the motivation. But do you have a story yet?

You just don't need to know the vibe of your novel or the first scene. You need to have some sort of outline too. You need to know where you’re gonna start, where you’re gonna end, and how you’re gonna connect these two. You should have at least some idea about it.

Now I know there’s a lot of writers who just write as they go. And that works for some. If that’s you, go for it. But let’s be honest—planning on the go isn’t for most of us.

At least, it’s not for me. Definitely. I need to have a loose outline before I start typing the words out. I need to know my characters a little. And I think that’s the way with most of us.

And, truth be told—some of us need a really, really, really strict outline to work. That’s especially true if you’re into a genre like mystery, where you need to know every little detail yourself so you can drop enough hints in between the plot.

So, if you just start putting words on the page, you might lose your initial momentum. And then the ideas just won't hit, and then you’d be demotivated. Soon, you might shut the project down. And you don't want to do that.

I’m not saying you should make an outline. Nope. I just want to tell you that if you start working without an outline, you might have a harder time, because—as I said before—working without an outline isn’t for everybody. So, don't think that writing isn’t interesting, or you just don't feel motivated enough anymore. You just need to give yourself a break and start thinking about what actually works for you.

I’d say do some research before you start writing. Like, writers don't just start typing, like I said. We outline, we work with characters, we do world-building, make power-systems—there’s a lot of processes that go into the story before even a single word is written down.

So, you need to know what works for you—what’s the process that helps you the best to create your stories.

And how do you do that, you might ask. Well, the answer’s pretty simple—go sit down and write.

Yep, you heard it right.

Sit down and write. Think about all this stuff later. I believe that if you’re reading a blog titled this, I’m pretty sure you haven’t actually begun writing. Lemme guess—you have an idea. And the motivation. You just don't have the time, or you’re just procrastinating.

A talk with my career-counsellor once led me to this idea—we get the motivation to start doing something only for some time. This motivation that you have to write a story, it’ll be gone by next week. And, this motivation might never come back.

And without this motivation, you might never begin.

Motivation is like the fuel that you need to start working. And, I repeat, it won't stay for too long. You won't see yourself ten years later with the same fuel burning inside you as you do now.

Frick all this outline and stuff, man. You don't need to know your characters. You don't need to know your theme. You just need to have a story to tell, and the story doesn't come alive in two days. Write, think this through.

Everything else can be fixed later.

***

I hope you guys liked this post. Please share it with people you think might need it, lol. And click here to subscribe to my newsletter, so you can get my new blogs directly in your inboxes.

I’d be coming soon with more writing tips and random rants. Till then, bye bye!

[takemeback22014]

I should start writing my book. It starts 25 years ago yesterday. Though the words don't flow and I'm not sure I can,

But I will

[literaryvein-reblogs]

words for when your characters get into a fight (pt. 4)

Pain

ache, anesthesia/anaesthesia, distress, harassment, hurt, pinch, strain, suffer, torture, wrong

Attack

aggression, assail, beat up, blast, blind-side, bomb, brutality, charge, come at, coup d’état, embroil, encroach, fire, foray, go for, infest, insurrection, invasion, lay into, mug, occupation, offensive, onslaught, overrun, pillage, pounce, raid, ravage, rush, sortie, subvert, waylay

To destroy

ablate, abolition, annul, batter, bomb, bring down, burst, butcher, clobber, come unglued, consumption, coup de grâce, crumple, cut down, decimate, deforestation, demolition, desecrate, desolate, devastate, dismantle, dispatch, do away with, do in, end, endanger, eradicate, erosion, execute, expunge, exterminate, extinguish, finish, genocide, hara-kiri, homicide, jeopardize, kill, knock off, liquidate, mangle, massacre, murder, obliterate, paralyze, pillage, poison, prostrate, pulverize, put away, put out, quench, raze, ruin, sack, shiver, slaughter, smash, stamp out, subdue, suppress, undo, vandalism, violation, wipe out, wreck

To injure

abuse, ail, batter, beat, bruise, cost, crush, debilitate, deface, deform, desecrate, devastate, disagree, disfigure, expose, fragment, gripe, handicap, hurt, incapacitate, jeopardize, lacerate, maim, mar, mistreat, mutilate, outrage, paralyze, poison, pummel, repay, ruin, sabotage, scar, shatter, shoot, smart, snap, spoil, stress, taint, torture, turn, violate, vitiate, wrong

To make dirty

adulterate, clutter, mess up, smudge, stain, tarnish

To make hot or cold

air, chill, freeze, heat, melt, numb, refrigerate, shrivel, warm

To make wet

absorb, dampen, dip, drench, drool, dunk, extinguish, marinate, oil, permeate, saturate, souse, splash, spray, squirt, submerge

Military action

barrage, blow up, conflict, coup d’état, deploy, deposition, dethrone, disarm, draft, engage, enlist, explosion, incursion, induction, invade, maneuver, occupation, offensive, overthrow, rebellion, revolt, salute, station, volley, warfare

Bad person

accessory, accurser, adversary, aggressor, alarmist, antagonist, ass, assassin, authoritarian, barbarian, bigmouth, bottom feeder, bum, burglar, cad, captive, charlatan, clod, cold fish, conspirator, criminal, crook, culprit, deadbeat, delinquent, demon, derelict, desperado, devil, dirty old man, dolt, do-nothing, dope, dregs, drone, dumbbell, dunce, enemy, espionage, exile, failure, fall guy, femme fatale, fighter, firebrand, fool, fugitive, gangster, glutton, good-for-nothing, gossip, grump, hellion, hobo, hot dog, hypocrite, imbecile, impostor, incubus, insurgent, intruder, Judas, killer, klutz, know-it-all, lawbreaker, lemon, loafer, loser, lummox, mad person, maniac, menace, misanthrope, miser, mole, mountebank, naysayer, ne’ er-do-well, nuisance, nut, ogre, organized crime, parasite, pawn, pessimist, pill, placebo, prodigal, prostitute, psychopath, quack, rascal, renegade, rogue, ruffian, sap, scamp, schlemiel, Scrooge, shirked, shyster, simpleton, skinflint, sleazebag, sneak, sourpuss, spy, swindler, tattletale/tattler, thug, tool, traitor, troll, truant, tyrant, vandal, wanton, whipping boy, wimp, witch

NOTE

The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.

It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary.

Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary Writing Notes: Fight Scenes ⚜ Word Lists: Fight ⚜ Pain

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Chapter Maps

Chapter Maps - list the core elements (who, what, where) of each chapter on an index-like card.

You can do this on index cards, or sheets of paper. It’s important that these are loose-leaf, though, as you may want to move them around later.

You should use one index card per chapter, and it should include the following:

Who

Which characters does this chapter feature?

Are we being introduced to someone new?

Who do the featured characters converse with?

Where

Where is this chapter set?

Does it change location half-way through?

Don’t just include the big details like ‘London’ or ‘New York’ or ‘Sydney’; be more specific.

Example: ‘Protagonist’s bedroom, moves to Protagonist’s boss’ office’ etc.

Where do we move to throughout the chapter? List these settings.

What

What is the core purpose of this chapter?

What is it following on from in the previous chapter?

Is it an answer to a cliffhanger?

Is it a build up to a cliffhanger?

Does this chapter present consequences?

What does it lead to?

LAY OUT YOUR CHAPTER MAPS

In their current order (the order in which they occur in your manuscript), lay your cards out on a table, or on the floor if need be.

You want to be able to see the events and characters of your novel unfold as they do in your current draft.

This is how you’re able to see plot holes, errors in chronology, and lagging sections.

Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References More: On Editing

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing References: Character Development

50 Questions ⚜ "Well-Rounded Character" Worksheet

Basics: How to Write a Character ⚜ A Story-Worthy Hero

Basics: Character-Building ⚜ Character Creation

Key Characters ⚜ Literary Characters ⚜ Morally Grey Characters

Personality Traits

5 Personality Traits (OCEAN) ⚜ 16 Personality Traits (16PF)

600+ Personality Traits

East vs. West Personalities ⚜ Trait Theories

Tips/Editing

Character Issues

Character Tropes for Inspiration

Tips from Rick Riordan

Writing Notes

Allegorical Characters

Binge ED

Childhood Bilingualism ⚜ Children's Dialogue ⚜ On Children

Culture ⚜ Culture: Two Views ⚜ Culture Shock

Emotional Intelligence ⚜ Genius (Giftedness)

Emotions ⚜ Anger ⚜ Fear ⚜ Happiness ⚜ Sadness

Facial Expressions

Fantasy Creatures

Happy/Excited Body Language ⚜ Laughter & Humor

Hate ⚜ Love

Health ⚜ Frameworks of Health

Identifying Character Descriptions

Jargon ⚜ Logical Fallacies ⚜ Memory

Mutism ⚜ Shyness

Parenting Styles

Psychological Reactions to Unfair Behavior

Rhetoric ⚜ The Rhetorical Triangle

Swearing & Taboo Expressions

Thinking ⚜ Thinking Styles ⚜ Thought Distortions

Uncommon Words: Body ⚜ Emotions

Voice & Accent

Writing References: Plot ⚜ World-building

[literaryvein-basics]

Writing Basics

will update this every few weeks/months. alternatively, here are all my tagged writing basics/refreshers

Basic Grammatical Terms ⚜ Improve your Vocabulary

Parts of Speech ⚜ Prepositional Phrases ⚜ Punctuation Marks

Adjective or Adverb ⚜ Conjunctive Adverbs

Questions Part 1 2 3 ⚜ Avoid Wordiness

Words

Commonly Confused Words Part 1 2 3

"Troublesome" Words Part 1 2 ⚜ Transition Words

Word Alternatives Part 1 2 3 4

all posts are queued. send questions/requests here.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

A Writing Refresher: Basic Grammatical Terms

Adjective: A word which qualifies or modifies the meaning of a noun; as in a 'red hat' or a 'quick fox'. They can be used to complement the verbs 'to be' or 'to seem' ('Sue seems happy today'). Adjectives are sometimes formed from nouns or verbs by the addition of a suffix such as '-able' (lovable), '-ful' (heedful), '-ic' (heroic), '-ish' (foolish), '-ive' (combative), '-ous' (famous), or '-y' (needy).

Adverb: A word which qualifies or adds to the action of a verb: as in 'he ran quickly', or 'he ran fast'. Adverbs can also qualify adjectives, as in 'the grass is intensely green'. They are usually formed by adding '-ly' to an adjective: 'playfully', 'combatively', 'foolishly'. They can also sometimes be formed by the addition of '-wise' to a noun ('the hands went round clockwise).

Clause: The word is often used but very hard to define. It is a sentence or sentence-like construction included within another sentence. A main clause might be a simple noun plus verb ('I did it'). A co-ordinate clause is of equal status with the main clause: 'I did it and she did it at the same time.' A subordinate clause might be nested within a sentence using the conjunction 'that': 'he said that the world was flat.' Here 'he said' is the main clause and the subordinate clause is 'the world was flat'. Relative clauses are usually introduced by a relative pronoun: 'I read the book which was falling to pieces'; 'She spoke to the man who was standing at the bar.'

Conjunction: A word used to connect words or constructions. Co-ordinating conjunctions such as 'and', and 'but' link together elements of equal importance in a sentence ('Fish and chips' are of equal importance). Subordinating conjunctions such as 'because', 'if', 'although', connect a subordinate clause to its superordinate clause ('We will do it if you insist'; 'We did it because he insisted).

Noun: A word used as the name or designation of a person or thing, such as 'duck' or 'river'. Abstract nouns denote abstract properties, such as 'invisibility', 'gentleness'. Proper nouns are nouns that designate one thing, as, for example, personal names.

Object: Usually the thing to which the action of a verb is done. More technically a substantive word, phrase, or clause, immediately dependent on, or ‘governed by’, a verb, as expressing, in the case of a verb of action, the person or thing to which the action is directed, or on which it is exerted; that which receives the action of the verb. So 'the man patted the dog', 'the woman was reading the book'. An indirect object of a verb denotes that which is indirectly affected by an action, but wihch is not the immediate product of it, as ‘Give him the book’, ‘Make me a coat’.

Participle: a word derived from a verb which functions like an adjective, as in 'let sleeping dogs lie'. More technically 'A word that partakes of the nature of a verb and an adjective; a derivative of a verb which has the function and construction of an adjective (qualifying a noun), while retaining some of those of the verb'. Present participles usually end in '-ing' and usually describe an action which is going on at the same time as the verb: so in the sentence '"Go and play on your own street," she said, kicking the ball', the saying and the kicking are simultaneous. Past participles usually end in '-ed' or '-en' ('the door was kicked in'; 'the door was broken'). They are used in two main ways: combined with the verb 'have' they form a past or 'perfect' tense (so called because it describes an action which has been completed or 'perfected'), as in 'I have smashed the plate'. Past participles can also be used in passive constructions (which describe what was done to something rather than what something did), as in 'the plate was smashed'.

Preposition: A part of speech which indicates a connection, between two other parts of speech, such as 'to', 'with', 'by' or 'from'. 'She came from China', 'He gave the chocolates to me'.

Pronoun: A part of speech which stands for a noun: 'he', 'she', 'him', 'her', 'them'. Possessive pronouns express ownership ('his', 'hers'). Reflexive pronouns are 'herself', 'himself', 'myself' and are used either for emphasis (he did it all himself'), or when an action reflects back on the agent who performs it ('he shot himself in the foot'). Relative pronouns include 'who', 'which', 'that' and are usually used in the form 'he rebuked the reader who had sung in the library'. Interrogative pronouns ask questions ('Who stole the pie?'; 'Which pie?'). Indefinite pronouns do not specify a particular person or thing: 'Anyone who studies grammar must be mad.' 'Somebody has to know about this stuff.'

Sentence: This is a term which professional linguists still find impossible to define adequately. It is usually supposed to be 'A sequence of words which makes complete sense, containing subject, object and main verb, and concluded by a full-stop'.

Subject: Usually the person or thing who is performing the action of a verb. More technically the grammatical subject is the part of a sentence of which an action is predicated: 'the man patted the dog'. It can be a single noun, or it can been a complex clause: 'the bald man who had just picked up the ball gave it to the dog.'

Syntax (Greek 'together arrangement'): a term designating the way in which words can be arranged and modified to construct sentences. Writers characteristically use syntactic sub-ordination when they aim for a highly formal effect, and syntactic co-ordination when they aim for a simpler, more straight-forward effect.

Verb: Usually a word which describes an action (such as 'he reads poems', 'she excels at cricket'). More technically 'That part of speech by which an assertion is made, or which serves to connect a subject with a predicate.' This technical definition includes the most frequent verb in the language: the verb 'to be' which can be used to connect a 'subject', such as 'he', with a 'predicate', such as 'good at hockey'. There are verbs which take an object ('he raps the desk'), which are called transitive verbs. Other verbs do not, and are termed intransitive verbs ('I sit, he lives'). Some verbs can be used either transitively or intransitively: 'I sing' is an intransitive usage; 'Paul McCartney sings "God save the Queen"' is a transitive usage. The main verb is the verb on which the structure of the sentence depends, and without which the sentence would not make any sense. In the following sentence the verb 'fell' is the main verb: 'The boy, who had run too quickly, fell'.

[luna-azzurra]

How to Write a Ruthless Character

A ruthless character is all about the endgame. They don’t care how they get there, lying, cheating, using others, it’s all fair game as long as they win. When writing them, show how they can cut off any distractions or emotions, making decisions that others would hesitate over.

These characters don't let feelings get in the way. Compassion, guilt, regret? Nah, they don’t have time for that. Show how they can turn off their emotions and make choices purely based on logic. They’ll do things that seem heartless to everyone else, but for them, it’s just another part of the plan. It’s not that they don’t feel anything, they just choose not to.

Boundaries? What boundaries? A ruthless character doesn’t care about rules unless they can bend them to get ahead. They’ll do things no one else dares, crossing lines others are too scared to even approach. The more uncomfortable their actions make people, the more it emphasizes just how far they’re willing to go. For them, pushing limits is just another day.

They don’t act on impulse. Every move they make is planned, and every risk they take is calculated. They weigh the pros and cons before acting, and they’re always three steps ahead of everyone else. Writing a ruthless character means showing that they’ve already figured out how to win while everyone else is still trying to figure out the rules.

Betrayal is their go-to move when things get tough. Friends, allies, even people who trust them, no one is safe. They’ll turn on anyone if it benefits them. And the best part? They’ll sleep just fine afterward. Show how others react to their betrayals, shocked, hurt, furious, while your ruthless character shrugs it off like, “It had to be done.”

if you have any questions or feedback on writing materials, please send me an email at [email protected] ✍🏻

[takemeback22014]

Switching from my notes app to the last few pages of my sketchbook has made me write a bit on my outline

I've decided I've not procrastinated about it enough and I don't know exactly what I'm outlining..

But Im getting there in multiple bright colours.

Also @ wordsnstuff on here is so awesome! The rabbit hole I just fell into of endless resources - I didn't know where to start and this blog is so helpful 😭

[wordsnstuff]

Resources for Writing Injuries

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

–

Head Injuries

General Information | More

Hematoma

Hemorrhage

Concussion

Edema

Skull Fracture

Diffuse Axonal Injury

Neck

General Information

Neck sprain

Herniated Disk

Pinched Nerve

Cervical Fracture

Broken Neck

Chest (Thoracic)

General Information

Aortic disruption

Blunt cardiac injury

Cardiac tamponade

Flail chest

Hemothorax

Pneumothorax (traumatic pneumothorax, open pneumothorax, and tension pneumothorax)

Pulmonary contusion

Broken Ribs

Broken Collarbone

Keep reading

[nondelphic]

me when someone asks how my novel is going

[luna-azzurra]

How To Write A Chase Scene

Before anyone takes off running, the reader needs to know why this matters. The chase can’t just be about two people running, it’s gotta have a reason. Is your hero sprinting for their life because the villain has a knife? Or maybe they’re chasing someone who just stole something valuable, and if they don’t catch them, it’s game over for everyone. Whatever the reason, make it clear early on. The higher the stakes, the more the reader will care about how this chase plays out. They’ll feel that surge of panic, knowing what’s on the line.

Sure, a chase scene is fast, people are running, dodging, maybe even falling. But not every second needs to be at full speed. If it’s too frantic from start to finish, the reader might get numb to the action. Instead, throw in some rhythm. Use quick, sharp sentences when things get intense, like someone stumbling or almost getting caught. But then slow it down for a second. Maybe they hit a dead end or pause to look around. Those brief moments of slow-down add suspense because they feel like the calm before the storm kicks up again.

Don’t let the setting just be a backdrop. The world around them should become a part of the chase. Maybe they’re tearing through a marketplace, dodging carts and knocking over tables, or sprinting down alleyways with trash cans crashing behind them. If they’re running through the woods, you’ve got low-hanging branches, roots, slippery mud, and the constant threat of tripping. Describing the environment makes the scene more vivid, but it also adds layers of tension. It’s not just two people running in a straight line, it’s two people trying to navigate through chaos.

Running isn’t easy, especially when you’re running for your life. This isn’t some smooth, graceful sprint where they look cool the whole time. Your character’s lungs should be burning, their legs aching, maybe their side starts to cramp. They’re gasping for air, barely holding it together. These details will remind the reader that this chase is taking a real toll. And the harder it gets for your character to keep going, the more the tension ramps up because the reader will wonder if they’ll actually make it.

Don’t make it too easy. The villain should almost catch your hero or the hero should almost grab the villain. But something happens last second to change the outcome. Maybe the villain’s fingers brush the hero’s coat as they sprint around a corner, but they manage to slip out of reach just in time. Or maybe your hero almost gets close enough to tackle the villain, but slips on some gravel, losing precious seconds.

And Don’t let the chase end in a way that feels too predictable. Whether your character gets away or is caught, it should be because of something clever. Maybe they spot a hiding place that’s almost impossible to notice, or they use their surroundings to mislead their pursuer. Or, the person chasing them pulls a fast one, Laying a trap, cutting off their escape route, or sending the hero down the wrong path. You want the end to feel earned, like it took quick thinking and ingenuity, not just dumb luck or fate.

if you have any questions or feedback on writing materials, please send me an email at [email protected] ✍🏻

[edwardcreel]

reblog if you believe fanfics are as valid as books that were published and sold by authors who write as their main careers. I'm trying to prove a point

[writingquestionsanswered]

Currently trying to actually write the story i've been planning for years, but my characters feel flat. Any tips on how to fix this? Should I do some deeper character study on them? Practice more writing them?

Character Feels Flat

So often, when a character feels flat, there are two things missing:

1 - Unique Voice - "Character voice" isn't about the audible quality of their voice (though it can sometimes be part of it), but rather how their personality comes out through the things they say and the way they say them. So, it's important that you make sure to flesh out your character's personality, then make sure their personality is reflected in the things they say and think.

2 - Internal Conflict - Most stories these days are driven by both plot and character, so if you're trying to explore character development but your character still feels flat, it may be because they don't have an internal conflict, or the one they have is weak or poorly developed.

Here are some links to previous posts that will help with the above:

Recognizing a Flat Character Fleshing Out Characters Writing Realistic Characters Important Points of Character Personality Giving Your Characters a Unique Voice Plot Driven vs Character Driven Stories Understanding Goals and Conflict

Happy writing!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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