Welcome to The Book Nook! My name is Wayward and this is where I write. I am an aspiring author and I hope to gain skills by putting my writing on a public platform
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I hope to be an author when I've completed my education and this is where I'm starting for now. I will be posting all of my content here so any content on any other platforms will end up here at some point. I write on Ao3 as WaywardSou1 if you would like to read some of my more extensive content there.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you around soon. Bye for now!
(in my experience, bc this was the first thing i wrote after waking up from surgery a couple hours ago)
since you can’t eat beforehand, I went in pretty grumpy-hungry but believe me, nervousness takes care of that QUICK and i completely forgot
if you have good staff, they notice when you‘re nervous & chat calmly without overwhelming you
anesthesiologists and other staff members repeatedly ask what surgery you are getting done to make sure you were properly informed and to avoid mixups; made me nervous (bc why did no one know what surgery they were doing with me??) until my anesthesiologist explained that they just have to hear me say the words
during prep, different people will be doing different things and giving instructions on what to do (make a fist, put your arm there, etc.), sometimes overlapping (adhd hell)
the face mask was placed over my mouth and nose with just normal breathing air for like 3 minutes while they were still prepping (i assume to get me used to the sensation?)
once the drugs started coming, my very very first instinct was „oh, i‘m gonna throw up“
i didn‘t throw up but then everything went hazy and blurred, kinda like being REALLY tired-drunk
one of the anesthesiologists was standing behind me and caressing my face while talking to me and promising to take care of me when she noticed i was getting freaked out; the other one was administering the drugs
no need to count or having to talk until passed out, they just told me to close my eyes and that was it
being wheeled around in the bed is kinda surreal because you only see the ceiling (blurry too in my case since i wasn’t wearing my glasses) and hear everything around you. it is strangely protected but also vulnerable since in that moment you have no ability to decide what happens
before you go into the operating room you are first wheeled into a room where you transfer from bed to operating table, but the room is super creepy and looks straight out of a medical horror game, with the sterile cold metal table in the middle and all
when you are wheeled into the operating room it is super cold but they put a warm, fluffy blanket fresh out of a towel warmer or something all around you and it is heavenly warm
my surgeon came in and i didnt recognize him masked up and without my glasses, and he made a joke about how i might not recognize him after either (there was risk of blinding me, diabolical joke to make) so the anesthesiologists banished him from the room
the anesthesiologists will try to find a topic to chat to you about as a distraction while strapping you in and as someone who is socially awkward, it is much more stressful than the thought of surgery itself
but they are used to the awkwardness and discussed how you would intubate a giraffe (came up because my sister is an anesthesiologist for animals) and that was the last discussion we had before i went to sleep
Made a list of all the AU’s I could think of. Used to help me when I have no ideas, decided it could help others and I should post it. It took a few weeks to fill it out this extensively and I have no more interest in adding to it, so please don’t bother suggesting anything （；￣д￣）
✭ brushing your thumb over their knuckles while you're both not saying a word, just existing quietly in the same space like it's the most sacred thing.
✭ them absentmindedly playing with the hem of your sleeve because they want to touch you but aren’t ready to say it yet.
✭ “can i kiss you?” whispered like they’re afraid the moment might shatter if they speak too loud.
✭ their voice cracking just a little when they say your name for the first time in a long time.
✭ them resting their forehead against yours and just… staying there. No words. No movement. Just breath. Just nearness.
✭ sharing headphones and they keep looking at you during the best part of the song. you don’t even know what the song means to them but suddenly it means everything to you.
✭ "stay the night?" said so soft it might’ve been a wish.
✭ dragging their fingers gently down your back like they’re trying to memorize the map of your spine.
✭ tracing your features with their fingertip like you're a sculpture in a museum and they were not supposed to touch you, but god, they can’t help it.
✭ “don’t leave yet.” not because you’re going somewhere. but because being with you is the safest they’ve felt all day.
✭ their voice in the dark. low. quiet. like the night is just for you two.
✭ "this reminded me of you" and it’s just a stupid rock or a weird leaf but you hold onto it like it's a diamond because it's you to them.
✭ laying in bed, face smushed into the pillow, sleep-drunk and murmuring, “you make me feel like i’m home.”
✭ them looking at you like you're not just a person, but their favorite story. one they’ve been rereading since forever and still keep finding new parts to fall in love with.
If Your Character Doesn’t Want Anything, The Plot Can’t Start
so. here’s the thing. if your main character is just kinda floating through the story like a passive sad bean™️ with no real goal or drive, then the plot? is not plotting.
this isn’t a ✨you suck✨ thing. it’s a common first draft curse. but if you’re 30k words deep and your protagonist is still just reacting to stuff with vague concern and inner monologues about The Past™… we need to talk.
📍what even is a character “want”?
your character’s want is their external goal. the thing they’re trying to get, do, or change.
avenge someone
win a trial
run away from their cursed bloodline
steal the crown
get through one (1) normal semester without summoning a demon by accident
it’s tangible. it’s active. it’s visible. other characters should be able to argue with it, get in the way of it, or try to stop it.
💥without a want, your character is just:
wandering
reacting
monologuing about their feelings
getting dragged into scenes by external forces
waiting for the plot to happen to them
and honestly? same. but also: no.
readers need to feel like your character is making the story happen, not being passively pushed along by fate and side characters with better motivations.
⚠️ want vs need (aka: the emotional trauma part)
quick breakdown:
the want = the external goal (win the throne, survive the week, kiss the hot villain)
the need = the internal arc (heal the grief, learn to trust, accept their identity, realize kissing the hot villain is a bad idea)
your character should want something that will eventually lead them to what they need. but the want comes first. the want is the engine. the need is the crash landing.
plot starts with the want.
character arc ends with the need.
🎯 signs your character doesn’t want anything (yet):
you keep skipping scenes because “nothing is happening”
you’re relying on vibes or worldbuilding to carry the tension
side characters are doing all the heavy lifting
your protagonist spends more time reacting than deciding
your outline says “stuff happens” for 8 chapters
🛠️ how to fix it:
Make them want something that’s wrong.
they don’t have to want the right thing. they just have to want something strongly. wrong goals lead to better tension. and failure. and chaos. (yay!)
Put something between them and that goal.
wanting something isn’t enough. they need to pursue it, and get blocked. by enemies. allies. their own self-sabotage. this is where conflict comes from.
Tie the want to survival or obsession.
if it’s not urgent, it’s background noise. raise the stakes. why now? why does this matter? why can’t they walk away?
Let them choose.
at some point in Act 1, they need to make a conscious decision to pursue the goal. even if they get manipulated into it. even if it’s a bad idea. it needs to feel like a choice.
📦 examples:
✨bad✨: “she’s just trying to get by and see what happens”
✅better: “she’s trying to disappear, but someone recognizes her from the war and now she has to fake a new identity while hunting them down before they ruin her life”
see the difference? one is vibes. one is a whole plot engine.
the story doesn’t start until your character wants something badly enough to make a move, and risk breaking something.
give them a goal. a plan. a terrible idea. and then go ruin their life.
P.S. I made a free mini eBook about the 5 biggest mistakes writers make in the first 10 pages 👀 you can grab it here for FREE:
✦ A free (and actually helpful) guide to leveling up your first 10 pages ✦If you're unsure whether your opening is ✨doing enough✨ to hook re
🕯️ download the pack & write something cursed:
A gothic prompt pack for writers who love cursed universities, secret societies, and scholarly rot.✎ Write the Darkness ✎A 75-prompt horror
name:
meaning of name:
nicknames/titles:
age:
gender:
location:
birthday:
strengths + example where it's shown:
weaknesses + example where it's shown:
how it affects others:
emotional depth
attachment style + how it manifests in the story:
physical fear:
emotional/abstract fear:
happy memory:
sad memory:
object of significance:
philosophical outlook/belief:
what characters are ignorant about themselves:
how confident are they:
goal:
long-term dreams:
what they're embarrassed/ashamed to tell others about:
regrets:
source of pride:
source of misery:
what they admire above all else:
do they believe in fate:
personality
mbti:
enneagram:
big five:
character archetype:
star sign:
who they pretend to be on the outside:
who they actually are/how they feel towards the mask:
mental health conditions:
how it manifests for them:
iq:
eq:
humour:
reputation:
habits
bad habits:
mannerisms when stressed:
mannerisms when content:
mannerisms when scared:
mannerisms normally:
verbal mannerisms/distinctive speaking style:
how do they move across a room:
what do they say and what remains unsaid:
how they express love:
hobbies:
appearance
defining features:
eye shape + colour:
hair texture + colour:
skin texture + tone:
vibe:
height:
build:
clothing:
any bodily disfigurement (scars, etc.):
overall attractiveness:
their opinion on their appearance:
appeals to:
relationships
who they trust most:
what they wish they could do for them:
what's holding them back:
who they hate most:
what they wish they could do to them:
what's holding them back:
relationship with the protagonist:
relationship with the antagonist:
siblings:
relationship with them:
parents/step-parents:
relationship with them:
previous broken relationships:
why did it break:
what others expect of them:
who believes in them:
their mentor character/who they look up to:
political/religious/other affiliations:
what makes them different from every other character:
non-human relationships + why:
romantic "type" + why:
relationship dynamics:
backstory/background
primary emotion towards their past:
primary feelings while in their past:
where did they grow up:
defining incidents:
earliest childhood memory:
saddest memory:
happiest memory:
major accomplishments:
their opinion on it:
notable people in their backstory:
effect on them today:
trauma:
what have they already lost:
financial circumstance:
progression
why are they important (eg. why're they the only one able to do something?):
what do they learn about themselves throughout the story:
what do they learn about the world:
how do they feel towards their newfound knowledge:
character arc (positive, negative, neutral):
how relationships change because of their actions:
what mistakes do they make:
what scene is their character highlighted:
do they get what they want:
why or why not:
what happens to them after the story ends:
Let's be honest, fantasy authors love their kingdoms and empires. You can throw a rock in a bookshop or a library in the fantasy section and you will 99.99999% hit a fantasy book that will be set in or mention either of those structures. But what are they really? What's the difference between them all? Are there any more examples of structures that would suit your WIP better? Are you using the right terms? Let's have a closer look.
Duchy
A Duchy is a small territory ruled by a Duke/Duchess. While Duchies can be found in kingdoms, some duchies were sovereign states in their own right. Duchies are usually small by land mass but some duchies such as Burgundy were extremely powerful and influential. Independent Duchies were usually apart of a kingdom but grew so powerful that they eventually broke away to become a sovereign state in their own right. An example would be modern day Luxembourg, historic Milan and Burgundy.
Principality
A principality is territory ruled by a Prince/Princess. A principality is typically smaller than a kingdom and in some instances, can be apart of a larger kingdom or be a sovereign state. Principalities have a history of having broken away from a larger kingdom or eventually becoming apart of a kingdom. A principality within a kingdom is ruled by a Prince/Princess, usually an heir of the monarch and can be used to train them up to assume the throne in the future. Examples include Monaco, Liechtenstein and Andorra.
Kingdom
A sovereign state/country that is ruled by ruling King or a Queen. A kingdom is much larger and more powerful than a principality. Kingdoms can be feudal, meaning they are ruled in a strict hierarchy or an autocracy where the monarch rules alone with minimal input from the government or constitutional where the monarch is more of a figurehead and the government has a good chunk of control. Examples include England, Thailand and modern day Spain.
Commonwealth
A Commonwealth isn't a popular choice in fantasy but it is an interesting structure. A Commonwealth in its most basic form is a collection of states that are linked by either a shared culture or history. A Commonwealth can be a politically power or an economic power, with every state allowed to participate as much as they like. Not one state leads the others, it is all one group of equals. A Commonwealth can be a good idea for a group of nations that are more powerful together with them keeping their own independence.
Federation
A Federation is a political structure that is made up of united states or countries that are under a single government but each state is still independent and rules itself. Each state can have different laws, different cultures and economies but they all answer to the single government. Examples include the United States of America.
Republic
A Republic is a territory that is ruled by leaders and heads of state that have been elected on merit and by choice of the people. Republics are not just countries but can also be much smaller areas such as cities. Republics are democratic in nature, with the people having a say in who leads them in accordance to a constitution. There are many kinds of Republic: presidential, parliamentary, federal, theocratic, unitary. Examples of Republics include the Republic of Ireland and the city of Florence.
Protectorate
A Protectorate is a country/region/territory that is independent but relies on a larger, more powerful state for protection either in a military or diplomatic sense. A Protectorate was often used by Empires in order to maintain control over an area without annexing it. There are many reasons a larger state and the protectorate would agree to this, mainly the protectorate is much smaller meaning it is far more vulnerable to attack or it has very little power when compared to other states. A Protectorate allows the territory some power to rule itself but the larger state may feel the need or desire to interfere in the dealings of the territory. Examples of protectorates include the client kingdoms of the Roman Empire like Egypt before its annexation and Puerto Rico.
Empire
An Empire is a collection of nations that are united under one sovereign head of state or government. An Empire is formed by one nation steadily taking control of other nations, either through straight invasion and colonization or acquiring them through marriage and other less violent ways. An Empire is powerful mainly because it can drum up more resources, more influence and more military power. An Empire might impose the traditions, beliefs and culture of its principal nation - the nation that started it all - onto its colonies for better control and feeling of uniformity. Empires never last, that is something to always remember. Empires will eventually fragment due to the vast size and sometimes revolt among the conquered states. Examples of empires include the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire.
I made these as a way to compile all the geographical vocabulary that I thought was useful and interesting for writers. Some descriptors share categories, and some are simplified, but for the most part everything is in its proper place. Not all the words are as useable as others, and some might take tricky wording to pull off, but I hope these prove useful to all you writers out there!
