Depressed Princess

. 24, Biracial female. If I could stay here and write fanfic 24/7 I definitely would (Stranger Things, Supernatural, SVU, Criminal Minds). Cashapp Requests are OPEN. Masterlist

[thatonecurlygirl]

AU Masterlist

Camp Counselor AU

Steve Harrington

Background

First Day at Camp

Steve admits his feelings…with a little help

Steve and y/n get caught

S'mores and Scary Stories

Day out at the arcade

Billy Hargrove

Background

Billy finds camp competition

Billy and y/n get paired up

Single Parent AU

Dean Winchester

Background

Dean and y/n meet

Dean fixes y/n’s car

Blanket Fort

Dean meets Eli

Simple breakfast

Gym AU

Mike x OC

Background

Sonny x Reader A

Background

Y/n bumps into Sonny…literally.

Nick x Reader B

Background

Late night workout and fries

Reader’s feelings on the love triangle

Peter x Reader B

Background

Peter talks to y/n for the first time.

Reader’s feelings on the love triangle

[brainstreams]

Ways That Fear Can Show Up (Without Saying “Fear”)

When it creeps: • Foreboding — the air feels wrong before anything actually happens. • Ominousness — silence that feels almost... purposeful. • Misgiving — your instincts tugging at your sleeve, whispering, "Don't."

When it hits fast: • Shock — your brain blanks • Startled— your heart slams, you inhale • Panic — thoughts fracture; your instincts beg for escape

When it lingers: • Tension — jaw locked, shoulders up near your ears. • Anxiety — background noise that lingers in every thought • Dread — knowing something bad is coming and having to wait for it.

When it turns physical: • Shivers — cold crawling up the spine. • Sweat, dilated pupils, skin gone pale — your own body betrays you. • Weakness — knees like jelly, grip unreliable.

When it overwhelms: • Terror — too big to think around. • Horror — something has gone wrong. • Paralysis — body refusing orders.

When it distorts reality: • Paranoia — patterns where there are none. • Suspicion — every sound feels intentional. • Unease — the sense of being watched without proof.

If you liked this, a small Ko-fi tip would mean a lot. No pressure!

[writingpromptaday]

“He told me to do it, you know. He pressed his head against the muzzle of my gun and told me to shoot. Maybe he thought it was intimidating. Maybe he thought I wouldn't do it. I just took it for permission.”

[luna-azzurra]

Quick tips for writing REAL DENIAL

Denial is the emotional equivalent of duct-taping a sinking ship and pretending it’s “just a little wet.”

~ Denial starts small. A character insists, “It’s not a big deal,” while the problem is literally chewing on their ankle.

~ They rationalize EVERYTHING. “He didn’t ignore me; he just… didn’t see the message… for 12 hours…” Sure, babe…

~ They avoid the obvious. Won’t ask the question. Won’t check the evidence. Won’t confront the person. Silence is their safe place.

~ They overcommit to the lie. Big enthusiastic “I swear I’m fine!” energy that fools absolutely no one.

~ They overwork or distract themselves. Cleaning, baking, reorganizing the sock drawer by emotional trauma level. Anything but thinking.

~ They get defensive. “Why would you even ask that?” Because you’re vibrating like a feral raccoon, that’s why.

~ They downplay the symptoms. “It’s just a headache” while they look like death reheated.

~ They gaslight themselves. “It didn’t hurt that bad.” “It’s nothing.” Lies, lies, lies.

~ The truth comes in bursts. A sudden snap. A quiet breakdown. A whispered “I can’t keep pretending.” Denial always cracks eventually. ALWAYS…

[ariesrin]

Writing tips: Let bodies do the talking

Body language is one of the most powerful tools you can use in your writing, especially when it comes to dialogue.

It reveals emotion without needing long explanations, and it gives your characters presence long before they speak.

Here are some physical cues you can use to bring your scenes to life:

Crossed arms / defensive stance → guarded, annoyed, uncertain

Fidgeting with sleeves / tapping fingers → nervous, impatient

Lingering touches / brushing hands → affection, tension, desire

Tightened jaw / clenched fists → anger, restraint, frustration

Averted eyes / looking at the floor → guilt, fear, embarrassment

Stepping back / leaning away → distrust or discomfort

Tilting head / raised eyebrows → curiosity, challenge

Shoulders relaxing / exhaling slowly → relief, vulnerability

When should you rely on body language?

When you want to show an emotion instead of naming it

When dialogue alone feels flat

When you need subtext (what they won’t say out loud)

When two characters feel differently than the words they’re speaking

When you want to make a scene more sensory and grounded

Are they really calm, or is their foot tapping like a warning signal? Are they truly angry, or is it just the way their jaw tightens when they’re hurt? Are they saying “I’m fine,” but refusing to meet anyone’s eyes?

Body language adds layers. It tells the truth when your characters won’t. It can add to the rage bubbling on their lips, letting the reader know when they're just about to blow up.

Use it intentionally, and your scenes will read less like conversations on a stage and more like real people breathing on the page.

[luna-azzurra]

Quick tips for writing Sleep Deprivation 

☽ Memory becomes absolute garbage. Like “why am I in the kitchen?” garbage. “What was I saying?” garbage. Their brain is running on buffering screens and regret.

☽ Fine motor skills? Ha. They’re dropping everything. Pens. Phones. Entire moral compass. They’re basically a malfunctioning claw machine.

☽ Hallucinations creep in. That jacket on the chair? Suddenly a person. That noise? Definitely doom. Everything becomes mildly haunted.

☽ Time gets weird. Five minutes feel like a year. A full hour disappears and they swear they blinked wrong.

☽ Irritation skyrockets. They get mad at chairs. At air. At gravity. At the audacity of other humans continuing to exist.

☽ Their voice sounds weird. Slow, scratchy, like they swallowed sand.

☽ They walk like a drunk baby giraffe. Walls suddenly jump closer. Floors rise unexpectedly. Coordination said: “I’m out.”

☽ Zoning out becomes a hobby. They stare at random objects like they’re trying to understand quantum mechanics.

☽ Vision blurs in and out. Like someone smeared Vaseline over their eyeballs out of spite.

☽ Their body just hurts. Not a dramatic pain, just the “why does my skeleton feel like it’s buzzing?” pain.

☽ Food cravings go feral. They’d fight someone for a stale cookie.

☽ Terrible choices. They will absolutely say “I’m fine” while making decisions that end in disaster.

☽ Random emotional implosions. Crying because their sock feels wrong? Yes.

☽ Cold hands. Cold feet. Cold heart. (Okay maybe not the last one, but it feels like it.)

[deverauxwrites-deactivated20251]

So, you have to kill off a character 🔪🖤

1. Silence > Scream ❖ Don’t let anyone shout “NOOO!” like it’s a bad soap opera. ❖ The gut-punch comes from stillness. A friend realizing the body isn’t moving. A hand slipping from theirs. A breath that doesn’t come back. ❖ Example: “He waited for the next rise of her chest. It never came.”

2. Subtle Details, Not Monologues ❖ Avoid characters delivering five-minute speeches about how much the dead one meant. That’s cheese-drenched exposition. ❖ Instead: show someone trying to tie their shoes with shaking hands. Or refusing to leave the body. Or pocketing some tiny keepsake.

3. Physicality Over Words ❖ Grief is ugly in the body before it’s in the mouth. ❖ Numb fingers. Stomach drop. Knees buckling against a wall. ❖ The best line might be no line at all—just the sound of someone struggling to breathe.

4. Aftermath, Not Just Death ❖ Don’t zoom out as soon as the heart monitor flatlines. The power is in the next five minutes. ❖ How do the survivors react differently? The sarcastic one goes silent. The stoic one cracks. The optimist starts cleaning blood off their hands like if they scrub hard enough, it won’t be real.

5. Tone, Not Tropes ❖ Kill cliché phrases: “Don’t leave me,” “Stay with me,” “No, God please no!” ❖ Replace with something raw and specific: - “You were supposed to outlive us all, you stubborn bastard.” - “Don’t you dare make me the one to tell her.”

[luna-azzurra]

Flirty / romantic quirks

₊˚⊹♡ bites their lip mid-laugh, not on purpose, it just happens.

₊˚⊹♡ finds excuses to touch: brushing lint, fixing a collar, steadying a hand.

₊˚⊹♡ teases in a way that sounds like affection wearing armor.

₊˚⊹♡ mirrors your posture without realizing it.

₊˚⊹♡ calls you by nicknames that change with their mood.

₊˚⊹♡ remembers throwaway details... your favorite candy, the song you hate.

₊˚⊹♡ lingers when handing things over, like fingers grazing “by accident.”

₊˚⊹♡ looks at your mouth when you talk, then pretends they didn’t.

₊˚⊹♡ gets flustered when you flirt back, did not plan for that plot twist.

₊˚⊹♡ texts at midnight because “you seemed awake.” (They were the one awake.)

₊˚⊹♡ jokes to hide sincerity, then backpedals fast.

₊˚⊹♡ gets jealous, denies it instantly. (“Jealous? Me? No. I’m just.-- shut up.”)

₊˚⊹♡ sends memes instead of feelings.

₊˚⊹♡ talks big, blushes harder.

₊˚⊹♡ acts nonchalant but rehearses every line.

₊˚⊹♡ plays with your jewelry absentmindedly during conversation.

₊˚⊹♡ walks you home “because it’s dark,” stays up worrying you got inside safe.

₊˚⊹♡ genuinely forgets everyone else when they laugh with you.

[luna-azzurra]

Ways to Show a Character is Jealous but Trying to Act Above It...

(or: “I’m not jealous, I just hate everyone suddenly for no reason.”)

⋆˙⟡ Compliments that sound like they were dragged over glass. “Wow, they’re… really confident.” Translation: they’re annoying and I hope their confidence cracks like cheap porcelain. They say it with a smile, because they’re not jealous, obviously. They’re observing. They’re mature. (They’re absolutely rotting inside.)

⋆˙⟡ That tight-lipped smile. I mean it’s not even a real smile. It’s something they stitch on because they have to look normal. It’s the facial equivalent of “I’m totally fine,” while every muscle screams, I hate this, I hate this, I hate this.

⋆˙⟡ “Good for them.” Said like a prayer, or a curse. You can practically hear the unspoken: “Good for them. Hope they choke.”

⋆˙⟡ Eyes betraying everything. They keep looking. They tell themselves they’re not, that they’re done, that they don’t care, but there’s that glance again. And again. Like their eyes haven’t caught up with their pride yet.

⋆˙⟡ Overcompensating like their ego’s on fire. Suddenly they’re the funniest, most magnetic person in the room. Loud, charming, shining too bright, because if they don’t blind everyone, someone might notice they’re bleeding.

⋆˙⟡ Politeness as violence... “Oh my god, hi!” all sugar, all shine, but too sweet and too rehearsed. The kind of politeness that’s less “nice” and more “don’t give me a reason to bite you.”

⋆˙⟡ Casual questions that could double as interrogation. “So… how did you two meet?” Said like they don’t care, like they’re just curious. But really, it’s an autopsy. They’re dissecting history, looking for where they went wrong.

⋆˙⟡ The smile dies the second backs are turned. Gone. Wiped clean. Like flipping off the “human interaction” switch the moment they’re not watched. (Cue the dead-eyed stare into the void.)

⋆˙⟡ They say they don’t care too many times. (They care so hard it’s physically vibrating out of them.)

⋆˙⟡ They get mean, but subtle. “Oh, that’s so brave of them to wear that.” Or: “They’re really… bold.” Half praise, half venom.

⋆˙⟡ Pretending to be above it all, but taking mental notes anyway. They say, “I’m happy for them,” while memorizing every detail. The perfume, the shoes, the tone. They’ll replay it later in the dark, not because they care, but because they can’t stop caring.

⋆˙⟡ They walk away before the mask cracks. The air gets too tight. The noise too loud. So they leave, smiling, graceful, pretending it’s because they’re “tired.” But really, it’s because if they stay one more second, the jealousy will start to show.

[luna-azzurra]

Tips for Writing Injuries

✧ Broken ribs suck. You don’t just “walk it off.” Breathing hurts. Laughing hurts. Existing hurts. Characters with rib injuries won’t be doing heroic sprints.

✧ Concussions aren’t instant naps. Dazed vision, nausea, dizziness, maybe even personality changes, but they’re not going to collapse neatly like in the movies.

✧ Blood loss is sneaky. It’s not just about dramatic pools of blood. It’s dizziness, confusion, and the body getting cold as circulation tanks.

✧ Adrenaline lies. Someone can take a serious injury and not feel it until the fight’s over. That “I didn’t realize I was bleeding until later” trope? Very real.

✧ Twisted ankles are brutal. One bad step and suddenly running is off the table. Even walking hurts like hell. Perfect way to ground a chase scene.

✧ Burns linger. Even small burns hurt more than most people expect. Blisters, infection risk, constant pain, it’s not just a cool scar later.

✧ Dislocated shoulders = useless arm. Characters can’t keep swinging a sword or firing a gun. They’re basically fighting one-armed until it’s fixed.

✧ Shock is a thing. Pale skin, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and eventually disorientation. A character might not even realize how bad their wound is.

✧ Stitches aren’t magic. Getting sewn up is painful and recovery takes time. They’re not instantly battle-ready after a needle and thread.

✧ Scars tell stories. Some fade, some don’t. Some stay sensitive forever. Don’t forget the aftermath when the wound becomes part of the character.

[luna-azzurra]

Jealousy prompts

⊹ biting words when someone else flirts with them

⊹ forcing a smile that doesn’t reach their eyes

⊹ “go ahead, I’m not stopping you” (but secretly dying inside)

⊹ arms crossed, silent fuming in the corner

⊹ interrupting conversations just to pull them away

⊹ passive-aggressive compliments (“wow, you really like their jokes huh?”)

⊹ asking unnecessary questions about the rival

⊹ making a show of affection in front of others

⊹ storming out instead of admitting they’re jealous

⊹ the moment they finally snap: “because I love you, that’s why!”

[luna-azzurra]

On writing sexual tension

⊹ standing too close. like just barely not touching. why are their shoulders breathing on each other??

⊹ conversations that sound normal but feel like foreplay. “pass the salt” has never been so loaded.

⊹ one of them says something flirty and the other freezes for 0.2 seconds like “oh.”

⊹ eyes dropping to lips and then—back up. with effort.

⊹ holding eye contact just a little too long. like... are they gonna kiss or duel??

⊹ unintentional physical contact that lasts one second too long and now they’re both broken

⊹ a hand on the small of the back. that’s it. that’s the tweet.

⊹ tension so thick that other characters start noticing like “hey are you two okay?” (they are not)

⊹ “accidental” sleepovers. “oh no there’s only one bed.” yeah. suuuure.

⊹ biting back a smile. biting back a moan. biting anything really.

⊹ one of them walks away and the other has to physically restrain themselves from watching the hips

⊹ lots of sighing. frustrated sighs. horny sighs. “i want to kiss you but I’m emotionally unavailable” sighs.

[luna-azzurra]

Prompts for writing eyes like that

☆ Her eyes burned crimson, the color of fresh blood under moonlight.

☆ His irises gleamed like liquid rubies, dark and dangerous.

☆ Her crimson eyes carried the promise of ruin, as if they’d already seen your end.

☆ He had the kind of gaze that made you flinch: eyes like spilled wine over snow.

☆ Her irises were scarlet fire, unblinking and unyielding.

☆ His eyes gleamed with a bloody light, as if forged in violence itself.

☆ Her crimson gaze was haunting, the kind that followed you even after you looked away.

☆ Her gaze burned with the same red as a sunset right before it dies into black.

☆ His eyes were soaked in red, the shade of battlefields and bad dreams.

[madisonissneezing]

how to write endings that don’t let readers sleep

✦ killing everyone is lazy. corpses are boring. the real cruelty is survival—but the kind of survival where the character will never sleep right again. give them trauma, paranoia, scars that don’t heal. it’s way worse than a clean death.

✦ horror endings should feel unfinished. neat bows are for romance novels. if your reader closes the book thinking “oh good, it’s over,” you’ve failed. the best endings itch. they should feel like there’s still something lurking just off the page.

✦ leave something unresolved. don’t describe the monster’s body—describe the mug it left behind. the voicemail still playing. the dog still waiting at the door. absence is scarier than closure.

✦ the last line is everything. it should feel like a splinter under the skin. short, sharp, unforgettable.

examples:

“she turned off the light. something else turned it back on.”

“the baby monitor crackled: don’t forget to feed me.”

“his reflection waved first.”

“she tucked herself into bed. then felt the blanket tuck tighter from the other side.”

✦ horror doesn’t end when the book closes. horror ends when the reader stops thinking about it… which should be never. the goal is for them to set your story down, turn off the lights, and then immediately turn them back on again because something in the silence feels too heavy.

[madisonissneezing]

how to write monsters that actually scare and not sparkle

✦ first rule: don’t over-explain. once you give me the monster’s exact height, weight, claw count, and dental record, it’s not scary anymore. it’s a pokémon. mystery is the muscle. a shadow that almost looks human will always hit harder than a full description of a swamp beast. leave gaps. let the reader’s brain fill them in with their own worst fear.

✦ physics should not apply. horror monsters are terrifying when they break the rules of the world we think we understand. a body folding in ways it shouldn’t. joints bending the wrong direction. silence in a place that should echo. footsteps that sound like they’re coming from the ceiling instead of the floor. once you warp reality, the reader doesn’t feel safe in their own.

✦ chasing is fine. but waiting is worse. scarier than claws, scarier than snarling—try a monster that just stands in the corner and watches. even scarier? it smiles. because predators don’t smile unless they know something you don’t.

✦ let it act like it knows you. a growl is scary, sure, but a whisper of your name in the dark is worse. a hiss of your birthday. a laugh in your mother’s voice. monsters are no longer “other” once they feel personal. they’re invasive. they’re inside your head.

✦ bonus tip: give them wrong appetites. a monster that eats flesh is cliché. a monster that eats wallpaper? horrifying. one that eats memories, so a character wakes up without knowing their own name? disgusting. one that eats reflections from mirrors so you don’t see yourself anymore? revolting.

[diegoisfamous]

things to do to rekindle your passion for your big wip

Act like you're being interviewed, and answer a bunch of questions about how you came up with your story.

Pick a character, and think through how they were first conceived. Then go through all their different variations until they reached where they are now.

MUSIC!!! What would your characters listen to? What's a story-driven/musical song with lyrics that fit your story? What is a song that would be in your story's trailer? Look at video game soundtracks for your character's theme. (I recommend Undertale/Deltarune for some classics, Sonic Mania for a more upbeat techy sound, and The Great Ace Attorney if you have a more fantasy setting.)

Think about how your MCs would hangout when there isn't an ominous plot point looming over them.

Try talking to your MC or villain out loud, and think of how they would respond. Don’t feel pressured to write it down, just say it out loud. Record a voice memo on your phone so you can save any banger lines you'd wanna reuse. (Bonus points if you give the character a specific voice.)

Find a color palette for your story.

PINTEREST!!! They have lots of quotes and photos that are good character inspiration. But Pinterest is especially useful if you're like me and can’t draw for shit. (or just taking a break from drawing.) It's fun to be able to visualize your characters and settings, and gives you a better understanding.

Watch a show/movie or read a book that has a similar vibe as your story! Sometimes all you need is to see a finished product to be reminded that you have something special.

Talk your story out with a trusted friend or fellow writer. This often helps me the most because it leads to ideas just pouring out before I even realize. You also get free ideas and critique from them. (If you have no one to discuss with feel free to show me and I'll give you some honest feedback.)

TAKE A BREAK!!! I cannot overstate how important this is. The world's hard enough without you burning yourself out. Let yourself rest and when you come back it'll be like you unlocked a hidden part of your brain. Make sure to take proper care of yourself as well, sleep, eat, and drink water to ensure your brain is at peak performance for creating.

Have Fun! Seriously though, if your story isn't serving you or interesting you at all anymore then it may be time for a change. There will always be ruts and hard times, but if there's whole sections that you dread working on maybe you should just make a change. If you hate writing why should people love reading it after all? Just make sure you are writing because you want to, not because you have to. Love yall!

[thewatcher727]

Writing Description Notes:

Updated 9th September 2024 More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes

Facial Expressions

Masking Emotions

Smiles/Smirks/Grins

Eye Contact/Eye Movements

Blushing

Voice/Tone

Body Language/Idle Movement

Thoughts/Thinking/Focusing/Distracted

Silence

Memories

Happy/Content/Comforted

Love/Romance

Sadness/Crying/Hurt

Confidence/Determination/Hopeful

Surprised/Shocked

Guilt/Regret

Disgusted/Jealous

Uncertain/Doubtful/Worried

Anger/Rage

Laughter

Confused

Speechless/Tongue Tied

Fear/Terrified

Mental Pain

Physical Pain

Tired/Drowsy/Exhausted

Eating

Drinking

Warm/Hot