Page 4: "Amphibia: The new continent"

Anne from the “From Dust to Dust” AU! Cowboy Anne has become my brain rot and I cannot escape.

From Dust to Dust AU explanation:

The Villain Checklist!

Creating a villain is a delicate art, much like crafting a masterpiece. To ensure your antagonist leaps off the page with depth, consider these essential elements for your villain checklist:

Motivation: Every great villain is driven by a potent motivation, one that fuels their actions and sets them on their dark path. Explore their backstory and unearth the core reason behind their villainy. Are they seeking power, revenge, redemption, or something more sinister?

Complexity: Gone are the days of one-dimensional villains twirling mustaches and cackling maniacally. Infuse your antagonist with layers of complexity and nuance. Perhaps they possess redeeming qualities or wrestle with inner conflicts that humanize their actions.

Flaws and Vulnerabilities: Despite their nefarious intentions, villains should be flawed beings with vulnerabilities. These weaknesses not only add depth to their character but also create opportunities for conflict and growth throughout your story.

Backstory: Delve into your villain's past to uncover formative experiences that shaped their present disposition. Trauma, betrayal, or societal pressures can all contribute to their descent into villainy, providing rich narrative fodder for exploration.

Goals and Ambitions: Just as heroes strive for noble objectives, villains pursue their own twisted goals with fervor and determination. Define what your antagonist hopes to achieve and the lengths they're willing to go to attain it, even if it means sacrificing everything in their path.

Antagonistic Traits: From cunning intellect to ruthless brutality, equip your villain with traits that make them a formidable adversary for your protagonist. Consider how their strengths and weaknesses complement each other, creating dynamic conflicts that propel your story forward.

Relationships and Alliances: Villains don't operate in isolation; they forge alliances, manipulate allies, and cultivate relationships to further their agendas. Develop the connections your antagonist shares with other characters, be they loyal minions or reluctant collaborators, to add depth to their character dynamics.

Moral Justification (from their perspective): While their actions may be abhorrent to society, villains often believe they're justified in their pursuits. Explore your antagonist's moral code and the twisted logic that rationalizes their behavior, offering readers insight into their twisted worldview.

Arc of Transformation: Just as protagonists undergo arcs of growth and change, villains should experience their own journey of transformation. Whether it's redemption, downfall, or something altogether unexpected, chart the evolution of your antagonist throughout the narrative.

Memorable Traits: Give your villain distinctive traits or quirks that leave a lasting impression on readers. Whether it's a chilling catchphrase, a distinctive appearance, or a haunting backstory, give your antagonist elements that linger in the minds of your audience long after they've closed the book.

Unleashing the Power of Inspiration: Crafting Original Fiction from Beloved Books and Movies

As writers and authors, we often find ourselves captivated by the worlds created in our favorite books, TV shows, and movies. The characters, settings, and narratives leave an indelible mark on our creative minds, inspiring us to weave our own tales of wonder. However, it's essential to strike a delicate balance between drawing inspiration and avoiding the pitfalls of outright copying. In this article, I'll help you explore effective strategies for infusing inspiration from beloved sources into your own fiction book while maintaining authenticity and originality.

Checklist for Effective Incorporation of Inspiration:

Before we dive into the details, let me provide you with a handy checklist to ensure you're harnessing inspiration in a responsible and imaginative manner:

When incorporating inspiration into your fiction book, it's crucial to approach the process with a keen eye for adaptation rather than replication. Take a moment to reflect on what specifically draws you to your favorite books, TV shows, or movies. Is it the intricate world-building, the captivating plot twists, or the depth of the characters? Understanding the essence of what makes these works special allows you to extract the core elements that resonate with you and apply them thoughtfully in your own narrative.

For instance, let's say you're enthralled by the rich and immersive world-building of a particular fantasy series. Instead of attempting to recreate the exact setting or magical system, focus on the underlying principles that make it captivating. Is it the intricate interplay between magic and politics? The complex relationships between different species or factions? By identifying these foundational aspects, you can adapt them to suit your own fictional universe, infusing it with a unique twist that aligns with your overarching vision.

Similarly, examine the characters that have left a lasting impact on you. What qualities do they possess that make them memorable and relatable? Is it their internal conflicts, their emotional journeys, or their growth throughout the story? Rather than replicating these characters outright, delve into the essence of what makes them compelling. Then, apply those qualities to your own characters, infusing them with your unique perspectives and distinctive traits. By doing so, you'll create a fresh cast that embodies the spirit of your inspiration while remaining authentic to your story.

It's also essential to complement external inspiration with your personal experiences and observations. Draw from your own life to add depth and authenticity to your narrative. Incorporate elements of your own emotions, struggles, and triumphs, weaving them seamlessly into the fabric of your story. This infusion of personal touch not only enhances the originality of your work but also allows readers to connect with your characters and themes on a deeper level.

Ultimately, the key to effectively incorporating inspiration lies in embracing originality. While it's natural to be influenced by the works that have touched us profoundly, it's equally important to bring something fresh and innovative to the table. Use your favorite books, TV shows, and movies as a springboard to explore uncharted territory, experiment with new ideas, and develop your own creative style. By doing so, you'll create a fiction book that not only pays homage to your sources of inspiration but also stands on its own as a unique and captivating piece of literature.

Drawing inspiration from your favorite books, TV shows, and movies can be a powerful tool for any writer. By conscientiously adapting the essence of these works, combining them with your personal experiences, and infusing them with originality, you can craft a fiction book that resonates with readers while maintaining your own distinct voice. Remember, the key lies in taking the inspiration and transforming it into something entirely new, breathing life into your own imaginative world. So, go forth, let your favorite stories inspire you, and create masterpieces that will captivate readers for generations to come.

How To Showcase Surprise In Your Writing

Welcome to the latest installation of my series on how to write different emotions. Today we’re covering surprise.

Surprise is a powerful emotion that can add depth and intrigue to your characters and scenes. Mastering the art of depicting surprise in writing can captivate your readers and keep them engaged. Here's how you can effectively showcase surprise in your writing:

Co-Author: @mage-of-words

This chapter is all about our favorite nerd girl, Marcy. Here, Anne learns about how Marcy met Lily on their first day at school and became best friends. Anne learns more about Darcy, Marcy’s mom and her death and also how Marcy met Joe Sparrow.

What to use instead of 'said'

Normally:

• added • replied • answered • stated • announced • questioned • asked • mentioned • remarked

Loudly:

• cheered • shouted • yelled • demanded • barked • blurted • growled • scolded •snorted

Softly:

• muttered • murmured • mumbled • uttered • stuttered • hissed • moaned • mouthed

Emotionally:

• begged • cried • confessed • complained • promised • pleaded

Sasha's mom ain't so bad (Amphibia Fanfic)

[Archive Of Our Own]

It's a sequel to the hit one-shot "Anne's mom got it going", as celebration for Mother's Day. I learned what day it was and I wrote this. That's all.

I don't think I'm gonna tag anyone over this. This is just a one-shot. If you want to reblog, then reblog.

Also, link to the prequel.

Oh ho? What’s this? Fluff? In my Burn fan fic? More likely than you think.

Let's talk about character motivation for a minute.

This is something that's super duper important and also gets misunderstood a lot.

Characters in your stories should have motivation for their actions. They should want something, and have a reason for doing stuff that exists beyond, "If they didn't do this, the story couldn't progress."

This does NOT mean that the character's ambition needs to drive the story -- not every story is an epic quest! Sometimes the thing the character wants is go have a nice pleasant nap and people keep bothering them and that is frankly a very relatable conflict. But they gotta want something.

Likewise, your character's motivation does not need to make logical sense as in, "This is a smart thing to do." It just needs to make believable emotional sense for the character you've introduced. Humans do things that are illogical all the time. We self-sabotage, make short-sighted decisions, ignore consequences, etc., usually because it fulfills an emotional need in the moment. Characters are like that, too. But the reader needs to be able to believe those emotions, which means you need to convey them clearly and compellingly.

So, remember, here's the formula:

1 - What does your character want?

2 - What's on the line if they do/don't get it?

3 - What's stopping them from getting what they want?

You gotta keep these questions front-and-center in your mind as you develop your character for your story, to make sure that they match the plot you're trying to work out.

Parliament of Rooks concept art circa. 2022

X

The Long Road Home Chapter 39: Some Things Weren't Made to Last

Here we are. The end of season two, and the end of the first arc. 8.2k words, one of the longest chapters I've ever written for ANY of my works. May it be everything you've been looking forward to.

Read on AO3!

Read from the beginning!

The Long Road Home Chapter 39 Progress Report!

1.2k words to start off! This is going to be a BIG chapter, both in terms of length and in terms of story content. We're at the end of season two now. You know what that means...

2k now. Making steady progress, hoping to be done sometime next week.

3.2k! This is going to be a LONG chapter. Still got quite a bit to go, but this definitely isn't a chapter that can be split up. I suppose it only makes sense that it be extra long, considering it's the end of the first arc...

At 4.5k now. Still a whole lot of chapter to go, but we're getting closer and closer!

6.1k! Still at least a few thousand words to go. Will hopefully get this finished over the next few days.

8.2k, and the chapter is FINALLY done! My word. This is an absurdly long chapter. I might actually have to take a break from The Long Road Home for a little bit just to give people a chance to read and get through it. Maybe write two What If chapters instead of one while I give people a chance. We'll see.

I'll do my best to get this edited and posted today. It's so long, I'm only gonna give it one editing pass, so forgive me if there's some mistakes left in.

Erm what the frog? Sasharcy?

Lol, all the previews I’ve posted of the kiss scene I’m not using… but I’m instead merging them into one final scene.

😭 never try to put your notes into your writing, it changes immediately

Anyways, Burn finally has something fluffy??!!

Who knew I could do it? I certainly didn’t!

Have Sashanne being soft! They make me SICK.