weird things that help me write even though they make no sense

1. switch from keyboard to pen– this one is recommended often

2. change your font– I find changing from ariel to a font that looks like its in a published book helps my flow. I’ve also tried typing in unorthodox fonts like impact and found it gave my thought process and interesting vibe

3. adjust your margins– I stumbled upon this the other day, looking at the same 8.5x11 word document gets tedious, and if I move in the left boarder 1 ½ inches in, I feel like I’m typing on a whole new platform

4. listen to your favorite music without the lyrics– I, personally, can not concentrate with my songs playing while I write, but I’ve discovered without the lyrics, I feel mostly the same vibe from the music and can concentrate enough to accurately put it down on paper. Did that make sense?

5. write in ALL CAPS OR with no capitalization/punctuation– this exercise bugs people and i can see how it doesnt work with everyone because you can get frustrated. the idea is you get yourself too focused on the details and forget what writing is all about. the words. the only exception to the no capitals/punctuation rule is you are allowed to use period. ALL CAPS IS FUN TOO.

6. drawing out my idea before I write it– you don’t have to be an artist to to do this. Out of all things, it helps if you are not. Take a blank page and draw what you are about to write about. It can be as technical or as abstract as you want, as long as something is going on the page. Now, attempt to write. In a strange way I found this helpful because it bends my mind to think in a different way than usual. I get a different perspective on my work, and sometimes, a visual or feeling I want to portray.

me rereading my own wips: wow why hasn’t the author finished this

Advice for writing about small towns

So I come from a small (midwestern) town. And I mean - an actual small town (less than 1,500 population). I’ve lived in towns of under 500 population, and in towns of about 2,500 population, and in towns of 15k population, and in cities of 100k, and currently in a 700k city. 

So here’s some things about small towns you might not know if you’ve never lived in one:

I could keep going down but I think you get the idea. If you’re writing about an actual town, do research on its population. If you’re making up a town, think about what size you need it to be to have the things you want (or don’t want). 

If your “small town” has more than one hospital, it’s not a small town. If it’s got a population above 10k, there is definitely more than one (and likely, many) hotels. 

Is it near decent-sized water (largeish lake, ocean)? People probably have vacation homes there. That increases property value and tourism. Even if it’s not a like, nationally-known vacation spot, people within 100-200 miles could likely make weekend trips there.

Is it the largest town within 75-100 miles, even if it’s under 20k? it’s probably got more department stores and other such industry bc it’s serving a population greater than its own. if there are other towns nearby of equal-to-larger size, it might need less of those things.

I didnt finish reading but my town is ~10k people and we have no hotels, one elementary and one middle/high school, at least 4 low-income apartment complexes, no gym, yes to pool, more bars than regular restaurants, one “shopping area”… you can make your small towns realistic, but there’s a variety of realism here.

This is really good information, though, just wanted to put my own in.

Getting those characters developed

It’s no secret that characters are the backbone of every story. You can have a killer plot, a setting like no other, and a plot twist to end all plot twists but if your characters fall flat so does everything else. 

So how exactly do we make characters who seem to jump off the page? How do people create characters that come alive in our heads so vividly you miiiight consider you accidentally did a hallucinogenic drug? 

If you ever find out let me know but I’ve got a few (100% not professional certified) tips! 

1. They have to have a purpose. 

What are they doing in your story? If you removed them how different would the story be? Would you have to shift around maybe one conversation or would the entire plot be disrupted? 

If it’s the first, you either need to consider cutting your character or rearranging your plot so they could not be replaced by a potted plant and leave the story exactly as it is. 

If it’s the second then you’re probably good to go, let’s move on to the next bit! 

2. Do we really care about them? 

They don’t have to be likable. They just have to be the kind of character a reader can get invested in. Now, this is not to say your horribly twisted villain should be portrayed as a cool dude (but it also isn’t to say that a villain can’t be the main character or potentially have a redemption arc). 

So what does it take to create a character that readers can get invested in? 

They have to be relatable. Now, we can’t all be the half-divine, genius, globe-trotting, kind of batty academic or the sixteen-year-old inexplicably chosen to lead a nationwide uprising or whoever you’re writing but they have to have something we, normal, complex, and diverse readers can relate to. 

So make them self conscious, make them sympathetic, make them good at something and bad at something else. Give them someone they would die for, give them a story we’ve heard before but will never get tired of hearing, give them disadvantages, give them heartache, give them those random, desperate acts of bravery, give them chances, let them fail, make them real. 

We read, in part, to see ourselves as the heroes. It’s that wonderful, indulgent part of reading. We can’t always lead armies or summon demons in real life but we can in books. That is, we can, if we have characters we can understand and relate to. 

3. Do they grow? 

It’s a common problem. A character goes through a life-altering experience, their family dies, they discover a terrible secret or a hidden power, they rise to a position of power, etc etc etc. Aaaand when the dust settles and the smoke clears are they changed? Have their experiences and situation forced them to grow? Are they better? Are they worse? Do they even know who they are anymore? 

No, they’re exactly the same. 

Not only is this unrealistic, it’s boring, it’s one-note. Everything in our lives shapes us so the idea that some massive change or experience wouldn’t change us? It’s ridiculous. 

Take some time to really think about what your character goes through. Consider how this could affect anyone, then, consider your character’s personality and background and ask yourself how it will affect them. Plan and write accordingly. 

4. Relationships 

We get it, he’s a lone wolf. He has no friends, his family is either dead, abusive, or distant. He never lets anyone in, he’s mysterious, probably has a drug problem but in a “hot way”, he wears a beanie. Friends? His only friend is the cold hard fist of Real Life punching him in the face daily. 

He’s also boring af. 

Relationships tie back to getting readers to really care about people. It can be romantic, sexual, platonic, familial, but characters need relationships. Granted, they may start out a story without very many or, with negative relationships, but leaving room in their stories for the creation of relationships is a really powerful tool. 

Having characters who care about other people is one of the best ways to draw readers into their stories. The dynamics between your cast of characters and make or break not just the story itself, but your character’s arcs. Ask yourself how your character’s relationships can/will/should affect the story. Will the tide of the battle turn in their favor? Or will your MC give up everything to save a loved one? Will your character take a turn down a dark path? Or will their best friend pull them back to the right side of things? 

5. Making them vivid 

Vivid is pretty broad and that’s purposeful. This section is about making them vivid in as many ways as possible. 

Visually: describe them clearly, don’t beat around the bush (this is about skin color. If your character is black say they’re black, don’t call them espresso or cocoa). How can their appearance relate to who they are? What does how they present themselves say about them? 

Personality: give them quirks, give them a distinct voice, give them inside jokes, and hobbies, and beliefs, and all the things real people have. 

Don’t be afraid to use real life as a reference. 

Voice: one of the hardest parts of character development is giving your characters unique voices. Consider their backgrounds, cultural, economic, time period. Think about who they grew up with or spend a lot of time around? Do your best friend characters have some phrases they borrow from each other? Do your sibling characters both mispronounce a word the same way? Make sure you consider their beliefs and personalities here. If something sounds out of character trust your gut, maybe that character shouldn’t be the one to say it. 

6. Write them. Revise them. Repeat. 

I think this one speaks for itself. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it’s definitely a start so hopefully it will put you on the path of creating complex and original characters. 

Get out there and write some killer stories with some killer characters, y’all. Happy writing :D 

- Mod S 

*hurries to outline my original so i can actually Write during nanowrimo*

gays be like. be quiet so i can write homoerotic poetry about religion

Quick tips for writing romance

If there’s a male character I care about (when I’m writing), there’s like a 50% greater chance of him crying at some point because in this house, we support normalizing men and boys being emotionally expressive and vulnerable and we will never shame them for it

Honestly I think the pre-planning phase of the novel writing process is a lot more fun than the actual writing sometimes.

Like, I’m just brainstorming and getting fun about the potential of my new project without any pressure or obligation yet!

A fun thing that happened today.

if ur local writer is currently breaking down, it’s okay! it’s probably just nanowrimo season. someone help us

7 Tricks to Refresh a Scene You've Edited 68345.27 Times 🤪

You know how when you go to Japanese restaurants, they always give you ginger to help clear your palate? I wish something like that existed for when you are editing something you’ve already edited 50 times.

It would make the life of a writer so much easier.

Luckily, there are a few tricks that can help fool your mind, at least to some degree.

1. Take a Break

Probably the most obvious and most common advice is to step way from the scene, or project, long enough for your eyes to go “cold,” as they say. In some cases, it may be helpful to take a break from all forms of creative writing. For some, two days may be enough. Others might need a month, or longer.

While that is probably the most helpful approach, it’s not always realistic. It’s time consuming (obviously), and if you are on a deadline, it might not be an option. So let’s talk about some other ways.

2. Change the Font

If you change the font of what you are editing, it can sometimes fool your mind enough into thinking the scene or project is “fresher.” It’s not as effective as taking a break, but it can still be pretty darn effective.

3. Change Position or Setting

Similarly, if you tend to write in the same area(s), try going to a place you usually don’t write. Can you go outside? In a fancy room? In a closet? To a cafe?

Or maybe it would be helpful to change your position. Instead of sitting up, try lounging in bed, or perhaps standing.

4. Print off on Paper

I’ve often found that printing off an overworked scene can help give me a fresh perspective. I might edit the writing right on the page.

5. Read Aloud

Reading aloud actually uses a different part of the brain than reading silently. This is why some kids are great at reading on their own, but struggle to read when called on in class.

As a bonus, reading aloud can also help you find typos, awkward phrases, or poor dialogue.

6. Read Aloud to Someone Else

From my experience, reading aloud to someone else can sometimes double that effect.

7. Trust the Process

In a show I like to watch sometimes called “The Profit,” businessman Marcus Lemonis goes in to failing businesses and helps them succeed. On occasion, he tells people to “trust the process.”  Meaning, rather than trying to trust him, other people, or maybe even themselves, they should trust the process of becoming a better business.

A few months ago, an ad came up on my Facebook, where best-selling author Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code) said something similar. He said there will be days when you feel like you can’t write, days where it feels impossible and you don’t have it in you. That, he said, is when you trust the process.

You trust the process of writing a story, scene, or whatever, regardless of how you feel.

If you’ve been writing long enough, you should be somewhat familiar with the process, or even, your own personal process.

So maybe you feel like your brain is going to fall out if you have to edit this scene one more time–trust the process. Trust the technique and steps needed to write a good one, and follow it through.

(So maybe the last one isn’t a “refresh,” but hopefully you get the idea)

The New NaNoWriMo Website Is Here!

We’re incredibly excited to officially welcome you to our redesigned website. We were only able to do this with your support: your donations provided the resources, your ideas laid the foundation, and your enthusiasm provided the motivation to take this next, big step toward the future. It’s been a long journey and there’s still more to come… so we thank you for being such wonderful partners.

If you haven’t already, sign into the new site with your existing username and password!

What you should try first on the NaNoWriMo site:

Keep reading

PERIOD.

How to Use Tags Effectively in the Writeblr Community

[This is an expanded version of the “Using tags effectively” section on my How to gain attention in the Writeblr Community guide here. Please check that out as well!]

This is a question I get often, and it’s really difficult to figure out how this works on your own, so here’s a handy little guide!

So in order to figure out how to use tags, we have to know how tagging works on Tumblr.

How tags work on Tumblr

That’s a lot to remember, are you still with me? The most important thing to remember about tagging your work is that the first five tags are the most important. You want to use your biggest, most relevant tags in the first five.

What tags you should use

So you know that the first five are most important, but what tags should you use? What tags are the best?

Here’s what I usually use and though I don’t know if they’re particularly popular or not, but they’ve worked for me just fine.

Tags to use for any writing-related post

Tags to use for your original writing

Tags to use for writing advice

Tags to use for relatable writing content and memes

Tags to use for writing encouragement and positivity

Which tags you should use

So that’s a lot of potential tags to use, and only the first five will show up in tracked tags! How in the world are you going to prioritize?

Figure out what type of post you’re making, and don’t get greedy! If it’s not a writing meme, don’t tag it as such. The best way to maximize your tag usage is to use a combination of various tags that are the most relevant to your post. Try mixing and matching and experimenting!

What to do after the first five tags

The first twenty tags will show up in search, and also the organization of your personal blog tags. For example, I use #Undine writes stuff to organize all of my original writing on my blog — chances are, people aren’t following that tag, but it’s important to my writeblr. Your next priority should be your organizational tags for your own blog.

You can also include some tags that you couldn’t fit in the first five! Again, the first twenty will show up in search so if you think someone might search a particular tag, it’s a good idea to include it as well.

And finally, any comments that you want to leave in the tag should be after you get all of your important tags out of the way!

Your personal writeblr tag

So a lot of writeblrs like to use their own url as tags whenever they make an original post, so people can find it easily.

However, if you’re like me and your url has hyphens in it, it will not show up anywhere! So instead of #pens-swords-stuff, I use #pens swords stuff.

This also goes for all of your people tagging other writeblrs in your hashtags — if they have a hyphen in their url, try writing it out without the hyphens so it’ll show up!

Don’t bother trying to use popular tags for reblogs

Your tags won’t show up in any tracked tags or searches if it’s not an original post! When you reblog someone else’s posts, you can forget the first 5 tag rule, and just jump straight into your organizational tags and your tag comments.