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@what-did-lit-do-now
I wanna know your regions folklore, urban legends, and wives tales. I crave the stories and knowledge passed down from generations around the world.
How to write better descriptions
1. Avoid weak words
Remember my post on the word ‘take?’ ‘Take’ is a weak word, but it isn’t the only one.
Compare these:
He ate the sandwich
She walked towards the lake.
The book smelled good.
to these:
He devoured the sandwich
She strolled towards the lake.
The book smelled magical.
Which sentences are more engaging? The latter ones. Why? Because devoured and strolled are stronger words than ate and walked. They’re more specific. They give you more information. To get across the same information with ate and walked, you’d have to add more words: she walked slowly, he ate quickly.
Replacing good with magical doesn’t work quite as well as the verbs, but magical does tell us slightly more than good: it gives us a better sense of how the smell makes the character feel.
How do you spot a weak word? Weak words are vague. They’re umbrella terms. They need support from other words to really get their meaning across. If you find yourself adding adverbs and adjectives to a term, question whether or not there’s a more concise way to get your point across.
Strong word choice, however, isn’t all that’s needed for a good description:
2. Be as specific as required.
This isn’t to say you should describe everything in every scene in perfect detail, but being specific matters.
Which is more engaging?
He devoured the sandwich
The book smelled magical.
or
He devoured the sandwich, stopping only to lick up the melted cheese that seeped through his fingers and ran down his palm.
The book smelled magical, like a sunlit afternoon.
Again, the latter ones. They take you into the scene. They evoke the senses. It’s the difference between telling and showing. Devoured is a strong verb, but it doesn’t give us a clear image of what is happening. Showing the character licking away the cheese gives the reader a sense of the desperation and hunger of the action. Evoking a sunlit afternoon is evoking your reader’s memories of their own sunny afternoons.These examples are statements with evidence. They provide details.
You want to invite your reader into the scene, not give them a summary of the events.
Additionally, specifics make the world feel real. They convince readers that the world actually exists. They keep the story in your readers’ minds once they’ve finished reading.
This being said, don’t pull a GRRM and describe every meal your characters eat. Some things just aren’t that important. There are occasions when it’s okay to tell instead of show.
3. Remember the point of view.
Who is giving the description?
If you’re writing in 1st person or 3rd person limited, remember how your character feels about what you’re describing. If you’re describing a strawberry field, a person who was raised on a strawberry farm is going to see it differently than someone who is deathly allergic to strawberries, who is going to see it differently from a Beatles fanatic.
Maybe the Beatles fanatic is deathly allergic to strawberries and this field brings up a whole bucketful of conflicting emotions.
Which is all to say:
Good descriptions reveal character as well as scene.
If this description is coming from a character’s point of view: what is that point of view? What is this scene making your character feel? Don’t let your narrator slip away from the page.
This connects to my last point.
4. Remember why you’re including it.
Novel writing is persuasive writing. It’s an exercise in persuading your reader that your story is true, that your characters are real people. It’s an exercise in persuading your readers to feel what you want them to feel.
(There’s a well-known quote about this somewhere, but I can’t remember it exactly.)
Every description must add to the story. It should be doing something: working for some larger goal, advancing the plot, revealing character.
Maybe you’re describing a house because you want your reader to see why your character doesn’t want to move.
Maybe you’re describing this lovely-smelling book because you want the reader to know that it’s important to the character. That her favorite memories are of reading it in the attic of her grandmother’s house.
When you’re writing out a description, identify its purpose and make sure it fulfils it.
It’s okay if at first you don’t know how the house makes the character feel, or if she’s running or strolling towards the lake, or why the book is so important. Sometimes you just know it’s there. That something happened. Usually things become clearer as you write further and get to know the story and characters yourself.
Once you do know what you’re trying to say with your story, make sure you say it with every chapter, every description, and every word.
SYNONYMS FOR WORDS COMMONLY USED IN STUDENTS' WRITINGS
by larae.net
Amazing- incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, extraordinary
Anger- enrage, infuriate, arouse, nettle, exasperate, inflame, madden
Angry- mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed
Answer- reply, respond, retort, acknowledge
Ask- question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz
Awful- dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant
Bad- evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious, unfavorable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable, disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, irascible, horrible, atrocious, outrageous, scandalous, infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, nefarious, base, obnoxious, detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly, execrable
Beautiful - pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling
Begin - start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate
Big - enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large, sizable, grand, great, tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous, titanic, mountainous
Brave - courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome
Break - fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomize
Bright - shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid, colorful, lustrous, luminous, incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual
Calm - quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-headed, unexcited, detached, aloof
Come - approach, advance, near, arrive, reach
Cool - chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid
Crooked - bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag
Cry - shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl
Cut - gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce
Dangerous - perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe
Dark - shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sad
Decide - determine, settle, choose, resolve
Definite - certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious
Delicious - savory, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful, enjoyable, toothsome, exquisite
Describe - portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report, record
Destroy - ruin, demolish, raze, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish
Difference - disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility
Do - execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain
Dull - boring, tiring,, tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead, insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, dreary
Eager - keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to
End - stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance
Enjoy - appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish, devour, savor, like
Explain - elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for
Fair - just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest
Fall - drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble
False - fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless, fallacious
Famous - well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious
Fast - quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly, snappily, speedily, lickety-split, posthaste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash
Fat - stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky, burly, bulky, elephantine
Fear - fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic, apprehension
Fly - soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise
Funny - humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly
Get - acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, rep, catch, net, bag, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come by, regain, salvage
Go - recede, depart, fade, disappear, move, travel, proceed
Good - excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvelous, qualified, suited, suitable, apt, proper, capable, generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory, well-behaved, obedient, honorable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favorable, profitable, advantageous, righteous, expedient, helpful, valid, genuine, ample, salubrious, estimable, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate, top-notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable, edifying
Great - noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty
Gross - improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth, obscene, low
Happy - pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled, gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed
Hate - despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavor, dislike, disapprove, abominate
Have - hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear, beget, occupy, absorb, fill, enjoy
Help - aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succor, benefit, befriend, abet
Hide - conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil
Hurry - rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle
Hurt - damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain
Idea - thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view, belief
Important - necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal, considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known
Interesting - fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive, inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalizing, exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping, arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing
Keep - hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support
Kill - slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish
Lazy - indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish
Little - tiny, small, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky, cramped, limited, itsy-bitsy, microscopic, slight, petite, minute
Look - gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare, contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, leer, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover, notice, recognize, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore
Love - like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship, appreciate, savor
Make - create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce, build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get
Mark - label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice, designate
Mischievous - prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive
Move - plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk, traipse, mosey, jog, plug, trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip, bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear, breeze, whisk, rush, dash, dart, bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race, chase, hasten, hurry, hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander, roam, journey, trek, ride, spin, slip, glide, slide, slither, coast, flow, sail, saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch, prance, straggle, meander, perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge
Moody - temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, mopish, irritable, testy, peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy
Neat - clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, super, desirable, spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely
New - fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent
Old - feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former, old-fashioned, outmoded, passe, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional, customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct
Part - portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment
Place - space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site, station, status, state
Plan - plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device, contrivance, method, way, blueprint
Popular - well-liked, approved, accepted, favorite, celebrated, common, current
Predicament - quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam
Put - place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build
Quiet - silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful
Right - correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable, apt, legal, fair
Run - race, speed, hurry, hasten, sprint, dash, rush, escape, elope, flee
Say/Tell - inform, notify, advise, relate, recount, narrate, explain, reveal, disclose, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, enlighten, instruct, insist, teach, train, direct, issue, remark, converse, speak, affirm, suppose, utter, negate, express, verbalize, voice, articulate, pronounce, deliver, convey, impart, assert, state, allege, mutter, mumble, whisper, sigh, exclaim, yell, sing, yelp, snarl, hiss, grunt, snort, roar, bellow, thunder, boom, scream, shriek, screech, squawk, whine, philosophize, stammer, stutter, lisp, drawl, jabber, protest, announce, swear, vow, content, assure, deny, dispute
Scared - afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy, skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified, haunted, timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive
Show - display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate, expose
Slow - unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack
Stop - cease, halt, stay, pause, discontinue, conclude, end, finish, quit
Story - tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage, anecdote, record, memoir
Strange - odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, queer, weird, outlandish, curious, unique, exclusive, irregular
Take - hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift, rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume
Tell - disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise, explain, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, recount, repeat
Think - judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate
Trouble - distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief, misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort
True - accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal, dependable, sincere, staunch
Ugly - hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross, grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, repulsive, repugnant, gruesome
Unhappy - miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, gloomy, dismal, discouraged, sad
Use - employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise
Wrong - incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable
site that you can type in the definition of a word and get the word
site for when you can only remember part of a word/its definition
site that gives you words that rhyme with a word
site that gives you synonyms and antonyms
THAT FIRST SITE IS EVERY WRITER’S DREAM DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I’VE TRIED WRITING SOMETHING AND THOUGHT GOD DAMN IS THERE A SPECIFIC WORD FOR WHAT I’M USING TWO SENTENCES TO DESCRIBE AND JUST GETTING A BUNCH OF SHIT GOOGLE RESULTS
@darkroot-garden
Reblogging this again because I just had reason to use it. I needed a word for mild dislike, and all I could think of at the moment were the more extreme forms of dislike like “animosity” and “loathing.” That first link had a TON of good options when I typed in “mild dislike.” Ended up going with reproach. These links are actually helpful, so yeah.
Words to describe pain.
➥ Vocabulary Tips - Adjectives Part 1
⟨Appearance Adjectives⟩
「height / stature / size」
tall - very tall, quite tall, six feet tall, long, high, big, colossal, gigantic, huge, immense.
short - not very tall, petite, low-set, compact, little, small, squat, tiny, miniature.
medium - average height, middle height, half tall, half short.
「weight / skin」
thin - quite thin, slim, slender, skinny.
fat - medium-build, overweight, rounded, chubby, corpulent.
skin - pale, pallid, light, dark, tanned, olive, white, brown, rosy.
shape - broad, crooked, curved, flat, narrow, round, square, wide, massive, straight.
「hair / eyes」
color - dark, black, red, brown, blond, chestnut brown, white, gray, blue, green, light-blue, dark-gray, grayish-blue, amber, caramel.
style - long, short, medium-length, shoulder-length, afro, asymmetric cut, beehive, bob cut, bowl cut, bunches, buzz cut, cropped, curtained hair, dreadlocks, fringe/bangs, hime cut, pixie cut.
hairdo - straight, curly, wavy, thick, thinning, bald, shiny, smooth, neatly combed, dull, tousled, disheveled, ponytail, braid, updo, bun.
「age」
young - kid, baby, toddler, newborn, preteen, teenage, teen, junior, minor, infant, tween, youngsters.
old - elderly, older, mature, senior, experienced, middle-aged, adult, grown up.
number - twenty years old, in her thirties, about forty.
「mind」
intelligent - broad-minded, sharp, keen, bright, quick, agile, wise, clever, smart, precocious, gifted, witty, ingenious, savvy.
stupid - narrow-minded, silly, foolish, idiot, fool, ignorant, slow, dumb, dull, brainless, dummy, moron, imbecile, uncultured.
「character」
friendly - pleasant personality, good-tempered, good-natured, easy-going, sociable, outgoing, extroverted, energetic.
independent - strong, tough, mature, autonomous, self-confident, self-reliant, self-sufficient.
honest - dependable, reliable, trustworthy, reasonable, sensible, honorable, sincere, direct, downright, truthful.
disciplined - organized, hard-working, careful, prudent, cautious.
modest - shy, timid, wary, humble.
observant - attentive, alert, perceptive, insightful, thoughtful, considerate.
humorous - amusing, funny, comical, laughable.
generous - unselfish, kind, kind-hearted, gentle, benevolent, sympathetic, tolerant, helpful, careful.
interesting - fascinating, exciting, entertaining, stimulating.
elegant - exquisite, graceful, refined, fine, tasteful, neat, high-class, fancy, glamorous, dressy, magnificent, important, powerful, famous, rich.
beautiful - attractive, gorgeous, handsome, ravishing, pleasing, glorious, splendid, goddess, god-like, pretty, beauty, resplendent, fine, stunning, good-looking.
adorable - lovable, lovely, sensitive, adorable,sweet, angelical, angelic, cute, precious.
glowing - shiny, vivacious, sparkling, twinkle, shining, vibrant, radiating.
code - formal, official, informal, relaxed, casual, old-fashioned.
hostile - aggressive, violent, offensive, hateful, bitter, ferocious, furious, savage, fierce, bloody, grotesque, boorish.
unfriendly - unsociable, bad-tempered, pushy, selfish, egotistical, inconsiderate, arrogant, moody, stubborn, imprudent, stingy, miserly, snobbish .
dishonest - unreliable, unreasonable, unpredictable, irresponsible, impulsive, greedy, dull, undisciplined, disorganized, careless, greedy.
strange - odd, weird, eccentric, crazy, clumsy.
boring - tedious, tiresome, uninteresting, wearisome.
emotional - moody, melancholic, touchy, mushy.
➥ Vocabulary Tips Masterlist
⟨if you have other adjectives that fit this topic, just send me a message.⟩
Negative Speaking Tones Pt.2
Hopeless - without hope; despairing
Horrific - provoking horror; horrible
Hysterical - very scared
Impersonal - not personal; lacking emotion or warmth
Incensed - to inflame with wrath; make angry; enrage
Indignant/Indignation - angry because something is not fair or is considered offensive
Irreverent - disrespectful
Irritated - annoyed
Jittery - extremely tense and nervous; jumpy
Judgmental - judging others; critical
Lackadaisical - lazy
Lofty - arrogant
Lugubrious - mournful or gloomy in an exaggerated manner
Malevolent - mean; angry; purposely hateful
Malicious - purposely hurtful; very mean
Melancholy - sad
Mocking - scornful; ridiculing; making fun of someone
Morose - gloomy or sullenly ill-humored; moody; sour; glum
Negative - unhappy; pessimistic
Nervous - worried; uneasy; anxious
Patronizing - looking down on others; acting superior
Perplexed - confused; puzzled
Pessimistic - seeing the bad side of things
Pitiful - pathetic; exhibiting suffering and misery
Regret - feeling bad about the past
Remorseful - very sad; sorrowful; regretful
Resentful - feeling displeasure or anger at some act, remark or person
Rude - not polite
Sarcastic - sneering; saying the opposite of what you mean as a way of being unfriendly or making a point
Sardonic - scornful; very sarcastic
Satirical - making fun of something to show its weakness or to teach a lesson
Scornful - open contempt or disdain for something
Sharp - sly; clever in an underhand way; harsh
Serious - not funny; not joking
Snobbish - acting as though one is better than everyone else; egocentric
Solemn - sad or quiet reflection
Solitude - loneliness
Somber - gloomy; depressing; dismal
Stiff - formal, serious
Stubborn - refusing to give in
Tearful - sad; causing tears
Tense - nervous; emotionally or mentally straining
Threatening - menacing
Tragic - very sad
Upset - distressed; agitated; disturb mentally or emotionally
Urgent - insistent; saying something must be done soon
Vexed - annoyed; confused
Vindictive - revengeful; wanting to get back at someone
Woeful - dreadful; sorrowful; miserable
Let's Talk About: Minor Character Development
“Creating one interesting character is hard enough — but when it comes to writing a whole novel or series of books, you have to create dozens of them. How can you keep your supporting cast from seeming like cookie-cutter people? There’s no easy answer, but a few tricks might help you create minor characters who don’t feel too minor.” [x]
10 Secrets to Creating Unforgettable Supporting Characters
Give them at lease one defining characteristic. “…lots of people have one or two habits that you notice the first time you meet them, that stand out in your mind even after you learn more about them.”
Give them an origin story. “…Your main character doesn’t necessarily need an origin story, because you’ve got the whole book to explain who he/she is and what he/she is about. But a supporting character? You get a paragraph or five, to explain the formative experience that made her become the person she is, and possibly how she got whatever skills or powers she possesses.”
Make sure they talk in a distinctive fashion. “…you still have to make sure your characters don’t all talk the same. Some of them talk in nothing but short sentences, others in nothing but long, rolling statements full of subordinate clauses and random digressions. Or you might have a character who always follows one long sentence with three short ones.“ ”…One dirty shortcut is to hear the voice of a particular actor or famous person in your head, as one character talks.“
Avoid making them paragons of virtue, or authorial stand-ins. ”…People who have no flaws are automatically boring, and thus forgettable.“ ”…Any character who has foibles, or bad habits, or destructive urges, will always stand out more than one who is pure and wonderful in all ways. And nobody will believe that you’ve chosen to identify yourself, as the author, with someone who’s so messed up. (Because of course, you are a perfect human being, with no flaws of your own.)“
Anchor them to a particular place. ”…A huge part of making a supporting character “pop” is placing her somewhere. Give her a haunt — some place she hangs out a lot. A tavern, a bar, an engine room, a barracks, a dog track, wherever. It works both ways — by anchoring a character in a particular location, you make both the character and the location feel more real.“
Introduce them twice — the first time in the background, the second in the foreground. ”…You mention a character in passing: “And Crazy Harriet was there too, chewing on her catweed like always.” And you say more about them. And then later, the next time we see that character, you give more information or detail, like where she scores her catweed from. The reader will barely remember that you mentioned the character the first time — but it’s in the back of the reader’s mind, and there’s a little “ping” of identification.“
Focus on what they mean to your protagonists ”…What does this minor character mean to your hero? What role does he fulfill? What does your hero want or need from Randolph the Grifter? If you know what your hero finds memorable about Randolph, then you’re a long ways towards finding what your readers will remember, too.“
Give them an arc — or the illusion of one. ”… You can create the appearance of an arc by establishing that a character feels a particular way — and then, a couple hundred pages later, you mention that now the character feels a different way.“ ”…A minor character who changes in some way is automatically more interesting than one who remains constant…“
The more minor the character, the more caricature-like they may have to be. ”…This one is debatable — you may be a deft enough author that you can create a hundred characters, all of whom are fully fleshed out, well-rounded human beings with full inner lives.“ ”…some writing styles simply can’t support or abide cartoony minor characters. But for your third ensign, who appears for a grand total of two pages, on page 147 and page 398, you may have to go for cartoony if you want him to live in the reader’s mind as anything other than a piece of scenery.“
Decide which supporting characters you’ll allow to be forgettable after all. ”…And this is probably inevitable. You only have so much energy, and your readers only have so much mental space. Plus, if 100 supporting characters are all vivid and colorful and people your readers want to go bowling with, then your story runs the risk of seeming overwritten and garish.Sometimes you need to resign yourself to the notion that some characters are going to be extras, or that they’re literally going to fulfill a plot function without having any personality to speak of. It’s a major sacrifice they’re making, subsuming their personality for the sake of the major players’ glory.“
Keep reading
By Leia Fee, with additions by Susannah Shepherd
Quick Links
Introduction
General remarks What’s normal? Reactions to injury - including emotional reactions, fainting and shock. Minor injuries - such as bruises, grazes and sprains Head injuries - from black eyes to severe concussions Broken bones Dislocated joints Cutting and Piercing - for various locations, including blood loss symptoms and figures. Blunt trauma - getting hit, internal injuries. Burns - including electrical burns Hostile environments - such as extreme cold and heat, oxygen deprivation and exposure to vacuum. References - useful websites.
Words to replace said, except this actually helps
I got pretty fed up with looking for words to replace said because they weren’t sorted in a way I could easily use/find them for the right time. So I did some myself.
IN RESPONSE TO Acknowledged Answered Protested
INPUT/JOIN CONVERSATION/ASK Added Implored Inquired Insisted Proposed Queried Questioned Recommended Testified
GUILTY/RELUCTANCE/SORRY Admitted Apologized Conceded Confessed Professed
FOR SOMEONE ELSE Advised Criticized Suggested
JUST CHECKING Affirmed Agreed Alleged Confirmed
LOUD Announced Chanted Crowed
LEWD/CUTE/SECRET SPY FEEL Appealed Disclosed Moaned
ANGRY FUCK OFF MATE WANNA FIGHT Argued Barked Challenged Cursed Fumed Growled Hissed Roared Swore
SMARTASS Articulated Asserted Assured Avowed Claimed Commanded Cross-examined Demanded Digressed Directed Foretold Instructed Interrupted Predicted Proclaimed Quoted Theorized
ASSHOLE Bellowed Boasted Bragged
NERVOUS TRAINWRECK Babbled Bawled Mumbled Sputtered Stammered Stuttered
SUAVE MOTHERFUCKER Bargained Divulged Disclosed Exhorted
FIRST OFF Began
LASTLY Concluded Concurred
WEAK PUSY Begged Blurted Complained Cried Faltered Fretted
HAPPY/LOL Cajoled Exclaimed Gushed Jested Joked Laughed
WEIRDLY HAPPY/EXCITED Extolled Jabbered Raved
BRUH, CHILL Cautioned Warned
ACTUALLY, YOU’RE WRONG Chided Contended Corrected Countered Debated Elaborated Objected Ranted Retorted
CHILL SAVAGE Commented Continued Observed Surmised
LISTEN BUDDY Enunciated Explained Elaborated Hinted Implied Lectured Reiterated Recited Reminded Stressed
BRUH I NEED U AND U NEED ME Confided Offered Urged
FINE Consented Decided
TOO EMO FULL OF EMOTIONS Croaked Lamented Pledged Sobbed Sympathized Wailed Whimpered
JUST SAYING Declared Decreed Mentioned Noted Pointed out Postulated Speculated Stated Told Vouched
WASN’T ME Denied Lied
EVIL SMARTASS Dictated Equivocated Ordered Reprimanded Threatened
BORED Droned Sighed
SHHHH IT’S QUIET TIME Echoed Mumbled Murmured Muttered Uttered Whispered
DRAMA QUEEN Exaggerated Panted Pleaded Prayed Preached
OH SHIT Gasped Marveled Screamed Screeched Shouted Shrieked Yelped Yelled
ANNOYED Grumbled Grunted Jeered Quipped Scolded Snapped Snarled Sneered
ANNOYING Nagged
I DON’T REALLY CARE BUT WHATEVER Guessed Ventured
I’M DRUNK OR JUST BEING WEIRDLY EXPRESSIVE FOR A POINT/SARCASM Hooted Howled Yowled
I WONDER Pondered Voiced Wondered
OH, YEAH, WHOOPS Recalled Recited Remembered
SURPRISE BITCH Revealed
IT SEEMS FAKE BUT OKAY/HA ACTUALLY FUNNY BUT I DON’T WANT TO LAUGH OUT LOUD Scoffed Snickered Snorted
BITCHY Tattled Taunted Teased
things english speakers know, but don’t know we know.
WOAH WHAT?
© (c ) copyright 1990-2011 Rebecca Sinclair
See the original HERE
Reblogging for RPG purposes.
Places where reality is a bit altered:
• any target • churches in texas • abandoned 7/11’s • your bedroom at 5 am • hospitals at midnight • warehouses that smell like dust • lighthouses with lights that don’t work anymore • empty parking lots • ponds and lakes in suburban neighborhoods • rooftops in the early morning • inside a dark cabinet
playgrounds at night
rest stops on highways
deep in the mountains
early in the morning wherever it’s just snowed
trails by the highway just out of earshot of traffic
schools during breaks
those little beaches right next to ferry docks
bowling alleys
unfamiliar mcdonalds on long roadtrips
your friends living room once everybody but you is asleep
laundromats at midnight
what the fuck
galeries in art museums that are empty except for you
the lighting section of home depot
stairwells
•hospital waiting rooms •airports from midnight to 7am • bathrooms in small concert venues
Robert Plutchik created a wheel of emotions in 1980 which consisted of 8 basic emotions and 8 advanced emotions each composed of 2 basic ones.
Eight Basic Emotions
Joy
Sadness
Trust
Disgust
Fear
Anger
Surprise
Anticipation
Basic Emotion ⇄ Basic Opposite
Joy ⇄ Sadness
Trust ⇄ Disgust
Fear ⇄ Anger
Surprise ⇄ Anticipation
Combination of Basic Emotions (A + B) = Advanced Human Emotions (Opposite Advanced Emotion in Parentheses)
Anticipation + Joy = Optimism (Disapproval)
Joy + Trust = Love (Remorse)
Trust + Fear = Submission (Contempt)
Fear + Surprise = Awe (Aggression)
Surprise + Sadness = Disappointment (Optimism)
Sadness + Disgust = Remorse (Love)
Disgust + Anger = Contempt (Submission)
Anger + Anticipation = Aggression (Awe)
Image source: unknown
In reference to never using the word ‘very’ when writing, Mark Twain said, “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; Your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” Source
“This is your daily, friendly reminder to use commas instead of periods during the dialogue of your story,” she said with a smile.
“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.
“However,” she added, shifting in her seat, “it’s appropriate to use a comma if there’s action in the middle of a sentence.”
“True.” She glanced at the others. “You can also end with a period if you include an action between two separate statements.”
Things I didn’t know