by popular demand from the dog stealing my pillow

• might seem a little daunting at first. but this is where your story begins. write down any ideas that you might have for your wip. maybe that just means the concept, the premise, or a singular scene that you really want to happen. it doesn’t matter–write it down!
• how many povs do you want? first or third person? omniscient or limited? alternating povs or something else? consider why you want this specific type of pov and how these characters can contribute to the story.
• think about story structure. how do you want to divide the story up? of course, you don’t actually have to stick to it, but this might help you get started.
• what tropes do you want to include? found family, there was only one bed, enemies to lovers, etc. 
• maybe make a few graphics, or scroll through youtube for those 1 hr long playlists that just give you vibes. it might help immerse you a little bit more in your idea. make sure you save these things for later–if you get stuck, these could dig you out of a hole.
• ramble to friends!! having someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of could get your idea to grow even further.
• remember that anything you do at this point is subject to change. you’re loosely setting up how you want to tell the story, as well as figuring out how it’s going to be written. if you find out later down the line that you want to do something else, nothing is stopping you from changing it! 
• depending on what sort of writer you are (plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between), the beginning steps of an outline may differ. when i’m putting together my more cohesive outlines, i write a lot more in the first step. when i’m just writing to chase after inspiration, wherever it might take me, i usually just write down a few thoughts that i know have to happen. it all depends on what’s comfortable with you!

1. Pyrokinesis: The ability to create and manipulate fire with one's mind.
2. Fireball: The ability to project a ball of fire from one's hand.
3. Flame Whip: The ability to create a whip made of fire.
4. Fire Breath: The ability to breathe fire.
5. Firestorm: The ability to create a powerful storm of fire.
6. Fire Shield: The ability to create a shield made of flames.
7. Fire Blast: The ability to release a blast of fire from one's body.
8. Fire Immunity: The ability to be immune to fire and heat.
9. Firewalking: The ability to walk on hot coals or flames without getting burned.
10. Flame Aura: The ability to surround oneself with flames for protection or intimidation.
11. Fire Manipulation: The ability to control and manipulate existing flames.
12. Fire Transformation: The ability to transform oneself into a being made of fire.
13. Flame Jet: The ability to project a jet of flames from one's hands or mouth.
14. Fire Tornado: The ability to create a tornado of fire.
15. Fire Resistance: The ability to resist or withstand high temperatures and flames.
16. Fireball Volley: The ability to launch multiple fireballs at once.
17. Fire Whip: The ability to create a whip made of fire and use it to strike opponents.
18. Flame Blade: The ability to create a sword made of fire.
19. Fire Nova: The ability to create a massive explosion of fire.
20. Fire Trap: The ability to create a trap made of fire that can ensnare opponents.
21. Fireball Barrage: The ability to release a rapid barrage of fireballs.
22. Fire Sword: The ability to imbue a regular sword with flames.
23. Firestorm Shield: The ability to create a shield made of a swirling storm of fire.
24. Fire Form: The ability to transform into a being made entirely of flames.
25. Fireball Rain: The ability to rain down fireballs from the sky.
26. Flame Armor: The ability to create armor made of fire.
27. Fire Nova Blast: The ability to create a massive explosion of fire that damages everything in its path.
28. Fire Whip Strike: The ability to strike an opponent with a whip made of fire.
29. Fireball Volley Blast: The ability to launch a barrage of fireballs that explode on impact.
30. Flame Aura Blast: The ability to release a blast of flames from one's aura.
31. Fire Totem: The ability to create a totem that spews forth flames.
32. Fireball Turret: The ability to create a turret that shoots fireballs.
33. Firestorm Blast: The ability to create a blast of fire from a swirling firestorm.
34. Flame Jet Strike: The ability to strike an opponent with a jet of flames.
35. Fireball Grenade: The ability to throw a grenade that explodes into a fireball.
36. Flame Wall: The ability to create a wall of flames for protection or to trap opponents.
37. Fireball Wave: The ability to create a wave of fire that spreads out in all directions.
38. Fire Nova Wave: The ability to create a wave of fire that damages everything in its path.
39. Flame Burst: The ability to release a burst of flames in all directions.
40. Fireball Wave Blast: The ability to release a wave of fireballs that explode on impact.
41. Flame Jet Burst: The ability to release a burst of flames from one's hands or mouth.
42. Firestorm Wave: The ability to create a wave of fire that spreads out in all directions from a firestorm.
43. Flame Spray: The ability to spray flames from one's hands or mouth.
44. Fireball Spray: The ability to spray fireballs from one's hands or mouth.
45. Flame Burst Wave: The ability to release a wave of flame bursts in all directions.
46. Fireball Spray Blast: The ability to release a spray of fireballs that explode on impact.
47. Flame Jet Spray: The ability to spray a burst of flames from one's hands or mouth.
48. Firestorm Spray: The ability to spray a wave of fire from a firestorm.
49. Flame Burst Spray Blast: The ability to release a spray of flame bursts that explode on impact.
50. Fireball Spray Wave: The ability to release a wave of fireballs that spread out in all directions.

• don’t write characters, write character arcs. characters are not static. throughout the story, there will be conflict that should—and will—change your character. the character arc can either compliment the main plot or be that plot. many conflicts are resolved by characters overcoming their own personal or mental battles, or developing in a way that makes a solution possible. the person your character begins as at the beginning of the story will not be the same as the person they are at the end.
• think of lord of the rings and how frodo ends up at the end of the story as compared to the very beginning. the struggles he went through ended up changing who he was, and he realized that there was no way he could return to how he was before his journey.
• point a to point b. this is one method that i use to write character arcs. i first figure out who my character is and what their situation is like at the beginning of the story. then, i come up with how i want them to end up at the very end. once you have these two points, you can work on how it is possible for them to develop from point a (the beginning) to point b (the end).
• along the way, there will be a lot of intermediate points. you can flesh these out as you come to them, and even discover more things about your characters. point b can eventually become point z, or point 1000. how did we go from letters to numbers? who knows! but the journey of character development doesn’t happen immediately. it is a gradual shift.
• conflict. pay attention to how your character responds to conflict. conflict can be used as a catalyst for change for your character. when coming up with conflicts, it is important to keep in mind your character’s values and limits. in order for the conflict to feel worthwhile, these two things need to be challenged. it is an ideal situation for development, and even a little angst, if you want that.
• character relationships. how does your character view the rest of the cast? if you’re working on the previous point, how might they come into conflict with them? relationships between characters allows the readers to understand more about nearly everything in the story—the plot, the world around them, and in turn, the characters themselves. the way they treat each other can reveal a lot about their own backstories. think about all the ways that they can play off each other, and how this may change as the story progresses, especially when the characters each branch off and develop.
• character-driven narratives. if your story is character driven, it becomes even more important that your character motivations are solid and progress in a believable manner. they are the ones enacting change around them—specifically, they will be the ones moving the plot along. think about the ramifications of your character’s actions: how it affects those around them and how it affects the larger picture. then, think about where your character will go from there as a reaction to the things their own choices have caused.
• the plot doesn’t just happen. even if you are writing a more passive character, the plot doesn’t magically part for them like the red sea for moses. there are other factors, such as other characters within the story, or perhaps your own character’s desires. of course, this all depends on where you want the character to go from here. you might consider what would make a more passive character less passive, or how else you can ruin their lives to force them to act. either way, plot is something that moves the story forward, not something that just happens to characters.
• fundamental character traits. we’ve been talking a lot about how the characters change, but we also need to keep in mind that in some ways these characters must also remain the same. they each have fundamental character traits that will remain by the end of the story. for example, kaz is still the bastard of the barrel at the end of the duology—but he’s opened up more to the crows. the changes a character goes through must be proportional to the events of the plot. they might change a lot, but they must still be recognizable at the end of the story due to the things that they have gone through.
• flaws. last but not least, make sure your character has flaws! these can be their weaknesses, things they work on throughout the story and eventually improve upon, or even just character traits that aren’t exactly the best to have—simple facts about them. people aren’t perfect, and your characters shouldn’t be either.

• don’t write characters, write character arcs. characters are not static. throughout the story, there will be conflict that should—and will—change your character. the character arc can either compliment the main plot or be that plot. many conflicts are resolved by characters overcoming their own personal or mental battles, or developing in a way that makes a solution possible. the person your character begins as at the beginning of the story will not be the same as the person they are at the end.
• think of lord of the rings and how frodo ends up at the end of the story as compared to the very beginning. the struggles he went through ended up changing who he was, and he realized that there was no way he could return to how he was before his journey.
• point a to point b. this is one method that i use to write character arcs. i first figure out who my character is and what their situation is like at the beginning of the story. then, i come up with how i want them to end up at the very end. once you have these two points, you can work on how it is possible for them to develop from point a (the beginning) to point b (the end).
• along the way, there will be a lot of intermediate points. you can flesh these out as you come to them, and even discover more things about your characters. point b can eventually become point z, or point 1000. how did we go from letters to numbers? who knows! but the journey of character development doesn’t happen immediately. it is a gradual shift.
• conflict. pay attention to how your character responds to conflict. conflict can be used as a catalyst for change for your character. when coming up with conflicts, it is important to keep in mind your character’s values and limits. in order for the conflict to feel worthwhile, these two things need to be challenged. it is an ideal situation for development, and even a little angst, if you want that.
• character relationships. how does your character view the rest of the cast? if you’re working on the previous point, how might they come into conflict with them? relationships between characters allows the readers to understand more about nearly everything in the story—the plot, the world around them, and in turn, the characters themselves. the way they treat each other can reveal a lot about their own backstories. think about all the ways that they can play off each other, and how this may change as the story progresses, especially when the characters each branch off and develop.
• character-driven narratives. if your story is character driven, it becomes even more important that your character motivations are solid and progress in a believable manner. they are the ones enacting change around them—specifically, they will be the ones moving the plot along. think about the ramifications of your character’s actions: how it affects those around them and how it affects the larger picture. then, think about where your character will go from there as a reaction to the things their own choices have caused.
• the plot doesn’t just happen. even if you are writing a more passive character, the plot doesn’t magically part for them like the red sea for moses. there are other factors, such as other characters within the story, or perhaps your own character’s desires. of course, this all depends on where you want the character to go from here. you might consider what would make a more passive character less passive, or how else you can ruin their lives to force them to act. either way, plot is something that moves the story forward, not something that just happens to characters.
• fundamental character traits. we’ve been talking a lot about how the characters change, but we also need to keep in mind that in some ways these characters must also remain the same. they each have fundamental character traits that will remain by the end of the story. for example, kaz is still the bastard of the barrel at the end of the duology—but he’s opened up more to the crows. the changes a character goes through must be proportional to the events of the plot. they might change a lot, but they must still be recognizable at the end of the story due to the things that they have gone through.
• flaws. last but not least, make sure your character has flaws! these can be their weaknesses, things they work on throughout the story and eventually improve upon, or even just character traits that aren’t exactly the best to have—simple facts about them. people aren’t perfect, and your characters shouldn’t be either.

alpheratz: what kind of magic exists in your world?

mirach: what are the limitations of magic?

almach: tell us about your favorite way that magic is used.

adhil: what is the scariest thing about magic?

capella: what is the government like? are there ruling families, or is there someone voted in?

menkalinan: tell us about the political situation.

prijipati: where do your characters fit into this system?

maaz: where would you exist in this system?

sadatoni: is power inherited? how so?

kabdhilinan: is there anything that people within your world want to change about the government?

procyon: pick a character and tell us about their name.

gomeisa: pick a last name and tell us about its importance.

marfak: what are some landmarks and how are they important?

algol: tell us about where one of your characters grew up.

menkib: how have some locations within your story changed over time?

atik: where in your world would you want to live?

aldebaran: tell us about a significant historical event that shaped your world.

el nath: tell us a myth from your world.

primus hyadum: were there any wars? if so, tell us about it.

ain: are there any great rivalries?

alcyone: tell us something that parents tell their children to get them to behave.

atlas: tell us about a rumor.

electra: what are the worst-kept secrets of a city in your world?

maia: are there any ruins in your world? if so, what is their story?

merope: pick a location and tell us something only the locals would know.

taygeta: tell us a fairy tale from your world.

pleione: is there a place that people would warn you away from? what is that place’s story?

celaeno: are there gods? what are their stories?

asterope: pick any story from your world to tell a traveler passing through.

so, for the almost three years i’ve been on writeblr, i’ve had a few instances of suspiciously similar stories and premises from new followers and even a former mutual. i’ve seen someone exactly copy the very specific formatting i use on all of my posts for my original writing, down to the italics and bold (a format which i have been using for well over a year). the most recent incarnation of this is definitely the worst of it and i gotta say i’m sick of the bullshit. 

i will be censoring the url of this person, but due to the nature of the screenshots provided, it might be easy to find their blog. DO NOT harass this person. DO NOT go out of your way to find their blog. i’m not making this post to attack them, i just want to teach two lessons: 1) how to recognize plagiarism or lifted ideas and 2) why that’s a shitty thing to do. 

additionally, i don’t know what pronouns this person identifies with, so i will be referring to them with they/them pronouns, and i apologize if i’ve misgendered them in any way. 

• all-in-one yearly overview
• filters for easy navigation
• overview for your individual projects and overall
• automated progress bars
• interactive tag system (dedicated to multiple projects)
• mini calendar for monthly activity
• automated daily goals
• automated stats

A   { R E } I N T R O D U C T I O N ; by @serpentarii 

• Every single daily prompt ever... (Except Prompt #208 because apparently it doesn't exist... ???)
• Excerpts
• ACFWB Playlists
• Character names
• Character sheet
• Relationships

• Finding inspiration
• Overcoming writer's block
• Continuing on with your story
• Developing a plot
• Starting your story!
• Worldbuilding
• Writing in third person
• Tips for writing in first, second & third person
• Emotive language
• Tips for writing character features
• Expanding vocabulary
• Choosing the direction of your story
• Hitting a block (Minor writer's block)
• Improving your writing in a specific genre
• A guide to bettering your writing (The tall one, the blonde one...)
• Writing dialogue

• #30 Q's to ask your OC's- Appearance
• #50 Q's to ask your OC's
• #50 This or That Q's for your OC's
• NSFW Dialogue prompts
• #100 NSFW/Smut dialogue prompts
• Sexual tension prompts
• Reasons for couples to break-up
• #50 Dialogue prompts- compilation
• #100 Dialogue prompts- Angst edition
• #100 More angst/argument prompts
• #100 Prompts to break a reader's heart
• #100 Prompts to make a reader swoon
• Short fluff/cozy prompts
• OTP Christmas scenarios
• #100 Song lyric prompts
• First person prompts
• Protagonist in a situation with...
• Dystopian ideas
• Shy fluff prompts
• Character death prompts

as a sidenote, i do recommend already having built up a decent amount of your world before jumping into this; this document is meant to help flesh out pre-existing content in such a way that is really hard to do with a wip that's just starting out.

1. actions have consequences. things that your characters do inevitably can affect other people around them. what might they have done in the past that could come back and serve as an obstacle? or, maybe, what could they do now that could possibly raise the stakes just a little bit more?
2. subplots! be mindful of the subplots you’re adding - but sometimes it might be a good idea to include one if your plot is feeling a little bit empty. not only can it tie back into the overarching struggle, but it could also serve as a way to explore one of your characters or points further.
3. character exploration. get to know your characters a little bit better! let your readers find out something new. connecting and understanding the people within your story is important if you want your readers to grow attached to them.
4. world exploration. similar to the previous point, with the addition of creating a greater sense of familiarity of the circumstances that your story is taking place in. remember that nobody else knows the world of your wip as well as you do - illustrate it even further so everyone else can grasp it even better.
5. let your characters bond! maybe there’s a lull in the plot. if your characters have the chance to take a breather and get to know the people around them, let them! it might help flesh out or even realistically advance their relationships with each other.