Useful stuff for writing

[wordsnstuff]

Tips on Character Motivations

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Motivations are key to understanding your characters, describing them effectively, and making them come alive for your readers. Here are a few of my tips on crafting those motivations and using them to enhance your story. 

–

Base Them on Experience

A character’s base needs and desires come from somewhere, and their ultimate goal(s) don’t pop out of thin air. If someone grew up in a family of poverty or neglect and your story revolves around the family they’re beginning to build on their own, it would make sense that their experience having nothing would make them want to give their children everything, and be as affluent as possible so that their loved ones never struggle as they did. Motivations should have a direct connection to the bests and worsts of their life, because those are the moments that shape people and their expectations.

Make Them Understandable, If Not Reasonable

This goes especially for villains or morally grey characters. Just because a person’s motivations result in harsh actions or cruelty doesn’t mean they came from a place of malicious intent or insanity. Some of the best characters and the ones that really stick out are the ones who make a little sense. Motivations that the reader can empathize with, especially in antagonists, can really enhance the impact of that character on the story, and the reader. 

Subtext is Everything

Motivations can be stated plainly within the text, but true ambition and priority typically live between the lines, popping out with every move they make in a new direction. One of my go-to tricks is thinking of it this way:

What do they want? (be open with this in the text)

What do they think they need? (be open with this in the text as well)

What do they really need? (Imply this sub-textually)

What are they willing to do to get what they want? (reveal gradually)

Furthermore, what has determined that boundary? (reveal at the end)

This is a good way to structure your character arc so that the reader isn’t bombarded with fragments of information, some ultimately unnecessary, while still understanding the character’s profile. 

Plan Strategically

Their motivations should ultimately serve to further the plot in some way. The characters, setting, and world building should all complement each other and tie into the plot, and even if your story isn’t character driven, it’s important that they’re necessary to the plot, otherwise their motivations and development in general just isn’t relevant. Your main character’s motivations should either aid or inhibit the conflict resolution, and create an internal (and usually external) arc that develops parallel to the events of the story. They should all be tangled together and make sense as a whole, rather than pieces of a good story being smacked against each other. 

Give Them a Resolution Within the Story

If a character’s motivations don’t reach some kind of crescendo or resolution within the story, that motivation probably isn’t well suited to the plot you’re weaving. Everyone has a plethora of personal goals and aspirations to choose from, so if you get through your first draft and realize that one of your main characters’ motivations make sense, but don’t tie into the story, don’t be afraid to change them. A lot of the time, their typical behavior won’t dramatically shift, but a few of the larger decisions will, as well as their reactions to certain points in the conflict. Shifting the focus motivation won’t change who they are, but it will impact the decisions they make in order to reach their goal.

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[athenasdragon]

I wish that book reviews were presented the same way as fanfiction reviews:

“AFHAKFHDKFHAKHFADSKFHKDFDKJHFKJAD” –The New York Times

“OMG I CANT EVEN WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO THEM” –The Wall Street Journal

“you asshole im crying now” –NPR

“AHH THAT WAS SO CUTE THANK YOU! I’ll publish that book I said I’d write for you like next week, I’m a little busy right now but I LOVE THIS” –Sarah Dessen

[pigmenting]

something i wish i had realized earlier: you can write poems on the same subject more than once. you can write, paint, draw the same thing over and over if you want to. you can spend your whole life making art about oranges. i think i always felt this pressure to get it right the first time like i couldn’t go back and use that inspiration again. but you can. you can go back and revisit it. you can pick up the conversation again and again if you have more to say.

[writingadvice365]

Your first draft is not terrible.

It is not any sort of insulting name you call it.

It is a baby.  A young, inexperienced baby that might throw up on your shirt and cause you to lose sleep at night but you love it all the same and will patiently feed it and tuck it into bed at night with a kiss no matter what happens.

You do not call a baby stupid or awful because they are new to the world and do not have the ability or knowledge to function on their own.  Instead, you nurture and teach them so they grow up smart and strong and capable.

Such it is with a first draft.  A first draft is not bad because it needs care and attention. Don’t insult it because it is newly written down with ideas that are not yet fully formed.  In fact, that is the reason why it is AMAZING.  It’s a DRAFT!  The FIRST one for the story!  LOOK at it!  It exists!  It is ALIVE!  And it is YOURS, this story you made.  

So be proud of your first draft baby and, most importantly, be proud of yourself. 

[theclonewriter-blog]

“This is your daily, friendly reminder to use commas instead of periods during the dialogue of your story,” she said with a smile.

[onewordtest]

“Unless you are following the dialogue with an action and not a dialogue tag.” He took a deep breath and sat back down after making the clarifying statement. 

[joehywheelah]

“However,” she added, shifting in her seat, “it’s appropriate to use a comma if there’s action in the middle of a sentence.”

[tenoko1]

“True.” She glanced at the others. “You can also end with a period if you include an action between two separate statements.”

[cj-amused]

Things I didn’t know

[prismatic-bell]

“And–” she waved a pen as though to underline her statement–“if you’re interrupting a sentence with an action, you need to type two hyphens to make an en-dash.”

[headspace-hotel]

what people think is hard about writing: describing the joy, love, beauty, grief, loss and hope that form the richness of human experience

what is actually hard about writing: describing basic actions such as turning, leaning over, reclining, gesturing, saying something in a quiet voice, breathing, getting up from chairs, and walking across rooms

[emelkae]

Y'know, I'm really loving the return to a "tropes are good" mindset. Embrace the cliché. Use the overused. If it makes you feel good to read and write, don't stress if it's not completely original. It's so much more fun to not agonize over having to make every aspect of a piece revolutionary

[mywoesaregranular]

Just because a story is predictable, it doesn’t mean it’s not a good story.

[kiramartinauthor]

When you're writing and you suddenly realize you don't know what happens next

[taraljc]

When you’re writing and you suddenly realise you DO know what happens next

[justahappycloud]

When you’re writing and you realise you have to write what happens next

[heedra]

I feel like the problem ppl have when constructing redemption arcs is people make 'the character realizes what they've done is wrong' the end step instead of like...one of the earliest ones. a satisfying redemption arc doesn't resolve when the character first feels sorry, it resolves when a character has really journeyed towards atonement and made enough change in themselves to achieve some kind of symbolic victory over who they used to be

[useful-stuff-for-writing]

Vocabulary / Word Lists for writers - body language for each emotion (on Wattpad) https://www.wattpad.com/228901970-vocabulary-word-lists-for-writers-body-language?utm_source=web&utm_medium=tumblr&utm_content=share_reading_amp A list of words that would help you to polish your writing. *** DISCLAIMER: All word lists and vocab came from different websites. Therefore, they are not mine.

[prokopetz]

The skill-set that’s involved in looking at a piece of published media, going “what fucking dumbass wrote this?”, and proceeding to repair its glaring inadequacies via fan-work is basically the same skill-set that’s involved in taking your original work from its first draft to its second.

[skysplitter]

Writing Dialogue in Stories: Some Tips and Advice

Writing dialogue can be tricky, but I found that I got better as I wrote more conversations. Here are some tips and advice I learned through practice: Disclaimer: Like I’ve said before, there are no absolute rules for writing. What works for me may not work for you. Feel free to experiment.

1. Condense

If your characters are going to say something, then it should be worth saying. Your dialogue will be smoother if you read it over and cut out the filler. Remove the redundant things and condense. Sometimes it’s better to remove a line entirely and replace it with an action or a description.

2. Listen to people, talk to people

One way to learn how to write great dialogue is to listen to people in real life. Sometimes we don’t realize that some phrases and lines that are often used in fiction might not actually be realistic(if you’re going for realism). Listening to people and talking to people help you understand the way conversations work. People can get distracted while they talk, they can let their emotions/state of mind affect their words, and they mix gestures and actions and expressions into their speech.

3. Read it out loud

This helps to fix the flow. Say the words, mouth the words. Judge whether or not a certain phrase would be a mouthful or if it would sound awkward.

4. Know that dialogue reveals character

The little details about people always manifest in their words. Sometimes people slip up or their wording hints at something without them realizing it. Let your characters take over. Know that even if they’re putting on a mask in front of other people, sometimes that mask can fall. While you can reveal character through words, don’t overdo it. Remember that the conversation should blend into the context. Sometimes using words that imply are more effective, and sometimes it’s better to have something dawn on the reader by using hints.

5. Know that dialogue reveals plot

Pick your words carefully. They can help you lead or mislead your reader. Again, don’t overdo it. There are some cases where it would be better to reveal plot in other ways. Dumping information on a reader’s head might make the scene dull or boring to read.

6.Try putting emphasis on actions instead of using fancy dialogue tags

I’m not going to be one of those people who says that all dialogue tags other than said are bad, but overusing different dialogue tags can slow down your reader if they have to consult a dictionary every few lines. 

Personally, I like to replace dialogue tags with actions. It helps ground the conversation and keep the scene in motion. The subtle things like our expressions and our actions are just as important as our words, and it builds layers on the scene when you add that to your writing. It’s likely that your characters aren’t just bodiless voices speaking in a void, so pay attention to the setting and the objects around them.

7. Plan what you can

I like to plan important conversations by writing down lines that should be said. Still, remember that if you’re forcing your character to say something, then it could come off as awkward. There have been points where I’ve had to omit details that I planned because I knew that they wouldn’t fit, and sometimes that happens because you have to accept that you can’t fully control your characters.

8. Keep the setting of your world in mind

Build the world of the story through dialogue by asking yourself questions like: What expressions were popular at this time? Do the people in this world have concepts of deities and/or heaven?(we often use swears having to do with the people we venerate/religion we practice) What words are considered inappropriate? What class of society does the character belong to and what is their educational background? There are many more, but these could be a jumping off point. Know the culture and history of the world you’re writing in. Then integrate that culture and history.

9. Have fun with it

Dialogue is one of my favorite things to write, so enjoy writing it and your readers will enjoy it too.

I hope this helped you guys. Happy writing!

[von--gelmini-deactivated2020021]

This is such good advice. I kinda pride myself on my dialogue. I work it hard. Listen to people. OMG that is the absolutely best advice. Listen to the cadence of their speech. Listen to all the halting words and infil nonsense they use. listen to how their sentences break. Back in the day when malls were a big thing, I’d get me a seat and just listen to people all day long. Read it out loud. Another great advice. It helps you get the rhythm of your speech. If it doesn’t flow off /your/ tongue, it won’t flow off theirs. Dialogue reveals plot and character. Only in my opinion, it shouldn’t do it directly. Most people don’t talk directly. They circle around a point. More if it’s emotionally sensitive. The only time people speak directly is if they’re public speaking pretty much. re: dialogue tags. This is such a controversial thing in writing schools and writers fight about it. But in my opinion, ‘said’ really is invisible unless you really over use it.

[heywriters]

There truly is a difference between "whispered" and "said quietly."

You can even write "said softly" or "in a low tone" and each evokes something slightly different when read. Do not take the No Adverbs advice so hard. So much of dialogue is tonal, so when you need a different word use it. Don't sacrifice meaning and character in important scenes for the sake of a "rule."

[naity-sama]

Some words to use when writing things:

winking

clenching

pulsing

fluttering

contracting

twitching

sucking

quivering

pulsating

throbbing

beating

thumping

thudding

pounding

humming

palpitate

vibrate

grinding

crushing

hammering

lashing

knocking

driving

thrusting

pushing

force

injecting

filling

dilate

stretching

lingering

expanding

bouncing

reaming

elongate

enlarge

unfolding

yielding

sternly

firmly

tightly 

harshly

thoroughly

consistently

precision

accuracy

carefully

demanding

strictly

restriction

meticulously

scrupulously

rigorously

rim

edge

lip

circle

band

encircling

enclosing

surrounding

piercing

curl

lock

twist

coil

spiral

whorl

dip

wet

soak

madly

wildly

noisily

rowdily

rambunctiously

decadent

degenerate

immoral

indulgent

accept

take

invite

nook

indentation

niche

depression

indent

depress

delay

tossing

writhing

flailing

squirming

rolling

wriggling

wiggling

thrashing

struggling

grappling

striving

straining

[littlestsecret]

Appetite -  craving, demand, gluttony, greed, hunger, inclination, insatiable, longing, lust, passion, ravenousness, relish, taste, thirst, urge, voracity, weakness, willingness, yearning, ardor, dedication, desire, devotion, enthusiasm, excitement, fervor, horny, intensity, keenness, wholeheartedness, zeal

Arouse -  agitate, awaken, electrify, enliven, excite, entice, foment, goad, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, rally, rouse, spark, stimulate, stir, thrill, waken, warm, whet, attract, charm, coax, fire up, fuel, heat up, lure, produce, stir up, tantalize, tease, tempt, thrum, torment, wind up, work up

Assault -  attack, advancing, aggressive, assailing, charging, incursion, inundated, invasion, offensive, onset, onslaught, overwhelmed, ruinous, tempestuous, strike, violation, ambush, assail, barrage, bombard, bombardment, crackdown, wound Beautiful -  admirable, alluring, angelic, appealing, bewitching, charming, dazzling, delicate, delightful, divine, elegant, enticing, exquisite, fascinating, gorgeous, graceful, grand, magnificent, marvelous, pleasing, radiant, ravishing, resplendent, splendid, stunning, sublime, attractive, beguiling, captivating, enchanting, engaging, enthralling, eye-catching, fetching, fine, fine-looking, good-looking, handsome, inviting, lovely, mesmeric, mesmerizing, pretty, rakish, refined, striking, tantalizing, tempting Brutal -  atrocious, barbarous, bloodthirsty, callous, cruel, feral, ferocious, hard, harsh, heartless, inhuman, merciless, murderous, pitiless, remorseless, rough, rude, ruthless, savage, severe, terrible, unmerciful, vicious, bestial, brute, brutish, cold-blooded, fierce, gory, nasty, rancorous, sadistic, uncompromising, unfeeling, unforgiving, unpitying, violent, wild Burly – able-bodied, athletic, beefy, big, brawny, broad-shouldered, bulky, dense, enormous, great, hard, hardy, hearty, heavily built, heavy, hefty, huge, husky, immense, large, massive, muscular, mighty, outsized, oversized, powerful, powerfully built, prodigious, robust, solid, stalwart, stocky, stout, strapping, strong, strongly built, sturdy, thick, thickset, tough, well-built, well-developed Carnal -  animalistic, bodily, impure, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libidinous, licentious, lustful, physical, prurient, salacious, sensuous, voluptuous, vulgar, wanton, , coarse, crude, dirty, raunchy, rough, unclean Dangerous -  alarming, critical, fatal, formidable, impending, malignant, menacing, mortal, nasty, perilous, precarious, pressing, serious, terrible, threatening, treacherous, urgent, vulnerable, wicked, acute, damaging, deadly, death-defying, deathly, destructive, detrimental, explosive, grave, harmful, hazardous, injurious, lethal, life-threatening, noxious, poisonous, risky, severe, terrifying, toxic, unsafe, unstable, venomous Dark -  atrocious, corrupt, forbidding, foul, infernal, midnight, morbid, ominous, sinful, sinister, somber, threatening, twilight, vile, wicked, abject, alarming, appalling, baleful, bizarre, bleak, bloodcurdling, boding evil, chilling, cold, condemned, creepy, damned, daunting, demented, desolate, dire, dismal, disturbing, doomed, dour, dread, dreary, dusk, eerie, fear, fearsome, frightening, ghastly, ghostly, ghoulish, gloom, gloomy, grave, grim, grisly, gruesome, hair-raising, haunted, hideous, hopeless, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, horror, ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, inauspicious, inhospitable, looming, lost, macabre, malice, malignant, menacing, murky, mysterious, night, panic, pessimistic, petrifying, scary, shadows, shadowy, shade, shady, shocking, soul-destroying, sour, spine-chilling, spine-tingling, strange, terrifying, uncanny, unearthly, unlucky, unnatural, unnerving, weird, wretched Delicious - enticing, exquisite, luscious, lush, rich, savory, sweet, tasty, tempting, appetizing, delectable, flavorsome, full of flavor, juicy, lip-smacking, mouth-watering, piquant, relish, ripe, salty, spicy, scrummy, scrumptious, succulent, tangy, tart, tasty, yummy, zesty Ecstasy -  delectation, delirium, elation, euphoria, fervor, frenzy, joy, rapture, transport, bliss, excitement, happiness, heaven, high, paradise, rhapsody, thrill, blissful, delighted, elated, extremely happy, in raptures (of delight), in seventh heaven, jubilant, on cloud nine, overexcited, overjoyed, rapturous, thrilled Ecstatic -  delirious, enraptured, euphoric, fervent, frenzied, joyous, transported, wild Erotic -  amatory, amorous, aphrodisiac, carnal, earthy, erogenous, fervid, filthy, hot, impassioned, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, raw, romantic, rousing, salacious, seductive, sensual, sexual, spicy, steamy, stimulating, suggestive, titillating, voluptuous, tantalizing Gasp -  catch of breath, choke, gulp, heave, inhale, pant, puff, snort, wheeze, huff, rasp, sharp intake of air, short of breath, struggle for breath, swallow, winded  Heated - ardent, avid, excited, fervent, fervid, fierce, fiery, frenzied, furious, impassioned, intense, passionate, raging, scalding, scorched, stormy, tempestuous, vehement, violent, ablaze, aflame, all-consuming, blazing, blistering, burning, crazed, explosive, febrile, feverish, fired up, flaming, flushed, frantic, hot, hot-blooded, impatient, incensed, maddening, obsessed, possessed, randy, searing, sizzling, smoldering, sweltering, torrid, turbulent, volatile, worked up, zealous Hunger -  appetite, ache, craving, gluttony, greed, longing, lust, mania, mouth-watering, ravenous, voracious, want, yearning, thirst Hungry -  avid, carnivorous, covetous, craving, eager, greedy, hungered, rapacious, ravenous, starved, unsatisfied, voracious, avaricious, desirous, famished, grasping, insatiable, keen, longing, predatory, ravening, starving, thirsty, wanting Intense -  forceful, severe, passionate, acute, agonizing, ardent, anxious, biting, bitter, burning, close, consuming, cutting, deep, eager, earnest, excessive, exquisite, extreme, fervent, fervid, fierce, forcible, great, harsh, impassioned, keen, marked, piercing, powerful, profound, severe, sharp, strong, vehement, violent, vivid, vigorous Liquid -  damp, cream, creamy, dripping, ichorous, juicy, moist, luscious, melted, moist, pulpy, sappy, soaking, solvent, sopping, succulent, viscous, wet / aqueous, broth, elixir, extract, flux, juice, liquor, nectar, sap, sauce, secretion, solution, vitae, awash, moisture, boggy, dewy, drenched, drip, drop, droplet, drowning, flood, flooded, flowing, fountain, jewel, leaky, milky, overflowing, saturated, slick, slippery, soaked, sodden, soggy, stream, swamp, tear, teardrop, torrent, waterlogged, watery, weeping Lithe - agile, lean, pliant, slight, spare, sinewy, slender, supple, deft, fit, flexible, lanky, leggy, limber, lissom, lissome, nimble, sinuous, skinny, sleek, slender, slim, svelte, trim, thin, willowy, wiry Moan - beef, cry, gripe, grouse, grumble, lament, lamentation, plaint, sob, wail, whine, bemoan, bewail, carp, deplore, grieve, gripe, grouse, grumble, keen, lament, sigh, sob, wail, whine, mewl Moving -  (exciting,) affecting, effective  arousing, awakening, breathless, dynamic, eloquent, emotional, emotive, expressive, fecund, far-out, felt in gut, grabbed by, gripping, heartbreaking, heartrending, impelling, impressive, inspirational, meaningful, mind-bending, mind-blowing, motivating, persuasive, poignant, propelling, provoking, quickening, rallying, rousing, significant, stimulating, simulative, stirring, stunning, touching, awe-inspiring, energizing, exhilarating, fascinating, heart pounding, heart stopping, inspiring, riveting, thrilling Need -  compulsion, demand, desperate, devoir, extremity, impatient longing, must, urge, urgency / desire, appetite, avid, burn, craving, eagerness, fascination, greed, hunger, insatiable, longing, lust, taste, thirst, voracious, want, yearning, ache, addiction, aspiration, desire, fever, fixation, hankering, hope, impulse, inclination, infatuation, itch, obsession, passion, pining, wish, yen Pain -  ache, afflict, affliction, agony, agonize, anguish, bite, burn, chafe, distress, fever, grief, hurt, inflame, laceration, misery, pang, punish, sting, suffering, tenderness, throb, throe, torment, torture, smart Painful -  aching, agonizing, arduous, awful, biting, burning, caustic, dire, distressing, dreadful, excruciating, extreme, grievous, inflamed, piercing, raw, sensitive, severe, sharp, tender, terrible, throbbing, tormenting, angry, bleeding, bloody, bruised, cutting, hurting, injured, irritated, prickly, skinned, smarting, sore, stinging, unbearable, uncomfortable, upsetting, wounded Perverted -  aberrant, abnormal, corrupt, debased, debauched, defiling, depraved, deviant, monstrous, tainted, twisted, vicious, warped, wicked, abhorrent, base, decadent, degenerate, degrading, dirty, disgusting, dissipated, dissolute, distasteful, hedonistic, immodest, immoral, indecent, indulgent, licentious, nasty, profligate, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, shameful, shameless, sickening, sinful, smutty, sordid, unscrupulous, vile  Pleasurable -  charming, gratifying, luscious, satisfying, savory, agreeable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, nice, pleasant, pleasing, soothing, succulent Pleasure -  bliss, delight, gluttony, gratification, relish, satisfaction, thrill, adventure, amusement, buzz, contentment, delight, desire, ecstasy, enjoyment, excitement, fun, happiness, harmony, heaven, joy, kick, liking, paradise, seventh heaven  Rapacious-  avaricious, ferocious, furious, greedy, predatory, ravening, ravenous, savage, voracious, aggressive, gluttonous, grasping, insatiable, marauding, plundering Rapture -  bliss, ecstasy, elation, exaltation, glory, gratification, passion, pleasure, floating, unbridled joy Rigid -  adamant, austere, definite, determined, exact, firm, hard, rigorous, solid, stern, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, concrete, fixed, harsh, immovable, inflexible, obstinate, resolute, resolved, severe, steadfast, steady, stiff, strong, strict, stubborn, taut, tense, tight, tough, unbending, unchangeable, unwavering Sudden -  abrupt, accelerated, acute, fast, flashing, fleeting, hasty, headlong, hurried, immediate, impetuous, impulsive, quick, quickening, rapid, rash, rushing, swift, brash, brisk, brusque, instant, instantaneous, out of the blue, reckless, rushed, sharp, spontaneous, urgent, without warning Thrust -  (forward) advance, drive, forge, impetus, impulsion, lunge, momentum, onslaught, poke, pressure, prod, propulsion, punch, push, shove, power, proceed, progress, propel (push hard) assail, assault, attack, bear down, buck, drive, force, heave, impale, impel, jab, lunge, plunge, press, pound, prod, ram, shove, stab, transfix, urge, bang, burrow, cram, gouge, jam, pierce, punch, slam, spear, spike, stick Thunder-struck - amazed, astonished, aghast, astounded, awestruck, confounded, dazed, dazed, dismayed, overwhelmed, shocked, staggered, startled, stunned, gob-smacked, bewildered, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, horrified, incredulous, surprised, taken aback  Torment - agony, anguish, hurt, misery, pain, punishment, suffering, afflict, angst, conflict, distress, grief, heartache, misfortune, nightmare, persecute, plague, sorrow, strife, tease, test, trial, tribulation, torture, turmoil, vex, woe Touch -  (physical) - blow, brush, caress, collide, come together, contact, converge, crash, cuddle, embrace, feel, feel up, finger, fondle, frisk, glance, glide, graze, grope, handle, hit, hug, impact, join, junction, kiss, lick, line, manipulate, march, massage, meet, nudge, palm, partake, pat, paw, peck, pet, pinch, probe, push, reach, rub, scratch, skim, slide, smooth, strike, stroke, suck, sweep, tag, tap, taste, thumb, tickle, tip, touching, toy, bite, bump, burrow, buss, bury, circle, claw, clean, clutch, cover, creep, crush, cup, curl, delve, dig, drag, draw, ease, edge, fiddle with, flick, flit, fumble, grind, grip, grub, hold, huddle, knead, lap, lave, lay a hand on, maneuver, manhandle, mash, mold, muzzle, neck, nestle, nibble, nip, nuzzle, outline, play, polish, press, pull, rasp, ravish, ream, rim, run, scoop, scrabble, scrape, scrub, shave, shift, shunt, skate, slip, slither, smack, snake, snuggle, soothe, spank, splay, spread, squeeze, stretch, swipe, tangle, tease, thump, tongue, trace, trail, tunnel twiddle, twirl, twist, tug, work, wrap  (mental) - communicate, examine, inspect, perception, scrutinize Wet - bathe, bleed, burst, cascade, course, cover, cream, damp, dampen, deluge, dip, douse, drench, dribble, drip, drizzle, drool, drop, drown, dunk, erupt, flood, flow, gush, immerse, issue, jet, leach, leak, moisten, ooze, overflow, permeate, plunge, pour, rain, rinse, run, salivate, saturate, secrete, seep, shower, shoot, slaver, slobber, slop, slosh, sluice, spill, soak, souse, spew, spit, splash, splatter, spout, spray, sprinkle, spurt, squirt, steep, stream, submerge, surge, swab, swamp, swill, swim, trickle, wash, water Wicked -  abominable, amoral, atrocious, awful, base, barbarous, dangerous, debased, depraved, distressing, dreadful, evil, fearful, fiendish, fierce, foul, heartless, hazardous, heinous, immoral, indecent, intense, mean, nasty, naughty, nefarious, offensive, profane, scandalous, severe, shameful, shameless, sinful, terrible, unholy, vicious, vile, villainous, wayward, bad, criminal, cruel, deplorable, despicable, devious, ill-intentioned, impious, impish, iniquitous, irreverent, loathsome, Machiavellian, mad, malevolent, malicious, merciless, mischievous, monstrous, perverse, ruthless, spiteful, uncaring, unkind, unscrupulous, vindictive, virulent, wretched Writhe -  agonize, bend, jerk, recoil, lurch, plunge, slither, squirm, struggle, suffer, thrash, thresh, twist, wiggle, wriggle, angle, arc, bow, buck, coil, contort, convulse, curl, curve, fidget, fight, flex, go into spasm, grind, heave, jiggle, jolt, kick, rear, reel, ripple, resist, roll, lash, lash out, screw up, shake, shift, slide, spasm, stir, strain, stretch, surge, swell, swivel, thrust, turn violently, tussle, twitch, undulate, warp, worm, wrench, wrestle, yank 

[aghostnotaguardian-archive]

//MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS - HERE IS THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM OF FINDING THAT RIGHT WORD!!!!!

[shades-of-orange]

I’ve reblogged it before, and I’ll reblog it again

[ironwoman359-writes]

I love when you’re writing and the characters say something that you realize is PERFECT foreshadowing for what’s about to happen, or the perfect callback or tie-in to something that’s alrEADY happened, it’s the most satisfying thing ever, and to be perfectly honest, as a writer you really aren’t in control of anything, stories are either so stubborn that they glue themselves to the inside of your brain and won’t come out or they’re so desperate to be told that your characters start doing the work for you. 

[satbiym]

I think the best kind of writing is one where the reader is like damn, I wanna create something that makes others feel like how I’m feeling right now. 

Good writing, it politely knocks on your door and introduces itself to you like a welcome guest and after it leaves you are forever nostalgic for that fateful encounter you once had but cannot replicate.

Which is good, but…

The best writing is the kind that kicks your door down, leaves you winded and steals your chickens tauntingly as it leaves. It makes you want to go to your neighbors and friends and scream about them, because how dare they make me feel things, dammit? and leaves you heaving and lurching for more, tempting you into trying out some chicken stealing for yourself.

Good writing is complete in itself. But, the best kind of writing inspires and leaves behind a ripple-effect of creation that makes it seem like it was never really gone.

The aftermath of bearing witness to the best kind of writing is an act of creation itself. The best kind of writing makes its audience a verb, a force, a creator.

That.

That is the kind of writing I wanna do.

[headspace-hotel]

Literally none of my story ideas come with a plot, ever. WITHOUT FAIL, it’s always just an Aesthetic, like two and a half characters, some very, very vivid settings, and a weird concept. Never plot. Not even an inkling of a plot. My brain tosses me this cool stuff and is like welp i’ll be back in 4-5 business months 

[el-oh-her]

Don’t look for plots, look for problems. 

Examples: 

crippling debt 

lonliness 

a building is on fire 

the world is going to end 

failure 

a broken heart

guilt 

noises they can only hear 

seperation 

lack of strength 

lack of wit 

someone has too much pride 

forbidden love 

encouraged love? 

Pick a problem, give it to a character, and let them try and solve it. 

Bam: plot. 

[typingoverworld]

This is exactly Stephen King’s approach, outlined in “On Writing”. He prefers to start with a “What if?” situation, introduce characters, and then see what they do.