WIP 119

WIP119 operates as a mock call center, offering a wide array of useless advice on trouble characters, plot snags, and all that vexes the writing community. When your WIP has you puling your hair out, we'll help you pull it out faster.

[tracing-rivers]

Me, at my character whom I created, whose dialogues I write, whose actions I decide, whose development and personality are completely under my control: Why are you such a bitch

[wip119]

Dear Wip119, why is my character such a bitch...

[viskafrer]

I’m in the middle of a scene where I need a character to show up but when I went back to check how and where they’ve been mentioned, I couldn’t find them. This ass just deadpan serious booked it out of the story line

I’m going to find you, little shit no.2

[viskafrer]

Found them, they fell down a cliff. That was my fault

[wip119]

Dear WIP119 I forgot I yeeted my bab off a cliff....

[jncos]

If you’re ever in an internet argument, which I don’t recommend, you have my permission to use this image I just cooked up if it’s an emergency situation and you have no other choice. 

[wip119]

My protagonist is a writer, and I AM A WRITER, but I can never seem to convey the feeling of writing into words? Does that make sense? Do you have any advice??

One of the hallmarks of a writer are little writing frustrations such as this one - hence the existence of WIP119. You are experiencing one of these frustrations right now, as proof that you are a writer.

Therefore, the most authentic way to demonstrate that your protagonist is a writer is to give this character one such frustration. In order to simplify matters, I recommend you write what you know - that is, give your character the same frustration that you yourself are dealing with.

If your character must write a character who is a writer, while dealing with the difficulty of conveying the act of writing in writing, one of two things will happen: either you will have already conveyed writing, through the medium of giving your character this frustration, or your character will prove cleverer than either of us and will solve this problem independently, at which point you can cannibalize your character’s solution for your own use.

[wip119]

I think one of my OCs is a shapeshifter. No matter how hard I try, I can't figure out anything about them beyond the fact they're non-binary, because everything else about them (age, appearance, personality, job, etc) keeps changing. Help?

Trap them in a glass jar (or telephone box, if size is a constraint). Proceed to subject them to various experiments until something conclusive develops. I highly recommend stress tests, such as oversleeping, first dates/meetings, public speaking, and assassins, as well as potentially exploring them in short one offs, focusing highly on sensory details. What they think about and notice about the world can be very telling. Finally, do not release them from the box until they have at least settled on whether or not they are the patient type.

And, as always, if all else fails, tell blatant lies about them. Very few characters can resist the urge to correct falsehoods--especially once those facts are published and hard to retract.

[wip119]

Hello! My protagonist just discovered they have magic and have ZERO idea how to deal with that! How can I help them???

Congratulations, Dear Writer! You are in exactly the right position to write this scenario. As both you and your protagonist are on equal footing, you will make this wonderful journey together, and your confusion and terror will translate naturally onto the page. I suggest you make things as difficult as possible on both of you, as it is the quickest way to learn what works and what makes you dead.

However, if you are truly attached to this character and do not wish to lose them, might I suggest a tutor? Again, for you both. Reading will be your ally here, studying up on how other works of fiction have handled the problem of newly emerging magic. Make notes on the trials these new magicians face, and learn what sorts of questions you need to answer for yourself and your world. Those who do not learn from others mistakes are destined to repeat them.

[wip119]

Words don't like to work for me right now. They want to stay hiding in my mind

Dear Writer,

Might I recall to your mind the adage "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy"? What your words are trying to tell you is that they would very much like to play for a while. The game they have chosen is Hide And Seek.

Now, as most words are very small, you must remember to play with them as you would a small human. Search in the most obvious of place, declare loudly and sincerely that you have no idea where they could be hiding, and in general, make a buffoon of yourself. Most importantly, have fun. And make sure your words are having fun as well. After a sufficiently playful break, you will find both yourself and your words refreshed and ready to work once more.

[wip119]

Hello Followers, New and Old

Remember that this blog relies on submissions to function. You want more Terrible Advice, you gotta ask us some sweet sweet questions!

[writingisfancylying]

How do you write creepy stories

[writeanapocalae]

Over describe things

Under describe things

Fingers, teeth, and eyes

Short sentences in rapid succession build tension

Single sentence paragraphs build dread

Uncanny valley=things that aren’t normal almost getting it right

Third person limited view

Limited explanations

Rot, mold, damage, age, static, flickering, especially in places it shouldn’t be

Limited sights for your mc -blindness, darkness, fog, refuse

Real consequences

Being alone -the more people there are, the less scary it is

Intimate knowledge, but only on one side

I don’t know I just write scary things but I don’t know what I’m doing.

[mecharose]

writing advice: you will learn all the things you need to, if you write

[incandescent-creativity]

Don’t get hung up on what you don’t know; work with what you do know, and what you don’t know you’ll learn with time.

things people do in real world dialogue:

• laugh at their own jokes

• don’t finish/say complete sentences

• interrupt a line of thought with a sudden new one

• say ‘uh’ between words when unsure

• accidentally blend multiple words together, and may start the sentence over again

• repeat filler words such as ‘like’ ‘literally’ ‘really’ ‘anyways’ and ‘i think’

• begin and/or end sentences with phrases such as ‘eh’ and ‘you know’, and may make those phrases into question form to get another’s input

• repeat words/phrases when in an excited state

• words fizzle out upon realizing no one is listening

• repeat themselves when others don’t understand what they’re saying, as well as to get their point across

• reply nonverbally such as hand gestures, facial expressions, random noises, movement, and even silence

[beiva-omata]

This is all good advice,  especially if your dialog tends to be somewhat stiff or unnatural, but reading it all in a list, I’m imagining a section of dialogue with literally all of these, back to back, in order, and it’s fucking hilarious. Someone write me a microfic. I don’t even care who it’s about.

[kiramartinauthor]

Simple writing tip: throw your phone across the room

[wip119]

Temps, help!

WIP 119, how do I write steamy scenes without feeling awkward??????

[feedyourpigeons]

I made this for the writers

[writersblockandapotoftea]

I did two things. 

[wip119]

Tell me, dearest Temps

"How do I know when to stop my WIP? How do I know when enough is enough?"

[elidoowrites]

[wip119]

Another for the temps:

“WIP119 help! My WIP is a rambly mess with no direction or discernible plot! How do I find my way back out? Which end is up?”