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Hi it's Izzy/Ibi!

@ibeatster101

21 male, he/him
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avelera

Pro-writing tip: if your story doesn't need a number, don't put a fucking number in it.

Nothing, I mean nothing, activates reader pedantry like a number.

I have seen it a thousand times in writing workshops. People just can't resist nitpicking a number. For example, "This scifi story takes place 200 years in the future and they have faster than light travel because it's plot convenient," will immediately drag every armchair scientist out of the woodwork to say why there's no way that technology would exist in only 200 years.

Dates, ages, math, spans of time, I don't know what it is but the second a specific number shows up, your reader is thinking, and they're thinking critically but it's about whether that information is correct. They are now doing the math and have gone off drawing conclusions and getting distracted from your story or worse, putting it down entirely because umm, that sword could not have existed in that Medieval year, or this character couldn't be this old because it means they were an infant when this other story event happened that they're supposed to know about, or these two events now overlap in the timeline, or... etc etc etc.

Unless you are 1000% certain that a specific number is adding to your narrative, and you know rock-solid, backwards and forwards that the information attached to that number is correct and consistent throughout the entire story, do yourself a favor, and don't bring that evil down upon your head.

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bookishdiplodocus

Editor here. Can confirm.

"Two centuries later" just triggers a mental note to check if timing is consistent throughout the book, because it may mean more time jumps are ahead. "200 years later", or heaven forbid, "201 years later" will have me draw up a time line. The more specific the number, the more critical people become.

Strange phenomenon. Well spotted, OP.

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longroadstonowhere

actually i think i might have an explanation for this from linguistics? i think folks get more nitpicky if you have specific numbers because of gricean maxims, specifically the maxims of quality and quantity

basically gricean maxims are a set of guidelines that we all carry in our heads that we expect other people to follow when having a conversation in good faith - i’m copying and pasting definitions from someone else because my attempts at summing up quality and quantity weren’t going so hot

The maxim of quantity, where one tries to be as informative as one possibly can, and gives as much information as is needed, and no more.
The maxim of quality, where one tries to be truthful, and does not give information that is false or that is not supported by evidence.

so basically, when you put a rough number in a text, people think subconsciously ‘oh, the exact number isn’t important, because if it was they would tell me an exact number, so i don’t need to worry about this’, whereas if you put something precise in, people’s brains go ‘wait, they think i need to know this information so i’ll remember it, but now it’s later and they’ve said something that contradicts it, so at least one of those times they were lying and i must figure out which time it was’

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dduane

Also: don't specify data storage sizes. Just, you know, don't.

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unboundprompts
Pirate Terms and Phrases

-> Pirate Lingo

-> A Pirate's Glossary

  • Batten Down The Hatches - tie everything down and put stuff away for a coming storm.
  • Brig - a prison on a ship.
  • Bring a Spring Upon 'er - turn the ship in a different direction
  • Broadside - the most vulnerable angle of a ship that runs the length of the boat.
  • Cutlass - a thick, heavy and rather short sword blade.
  • Dance with Jack Ketch - to hang; death at the hands of the law (Jack Ketch was a famed English executioner).
  • Davy Jones's Locker - a mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where drowned sailors are said to go.
  • Dead Men Tell No Tales - the reason given for leaving no survivors.
  • Flogging - severe beating of a person.
  • Gangplank - removable ramp between the pier and ship.
  • Give No Quarter - show no mercy.
  • Jack - flag flown at the front of the ship to show nationality.
  • Jolly Roger - black pirate flag with a white skull and crossbones.
  • Keelhaul - a punishment where someone is dragged under the ship. They are cut by the planks and barnacles on the bottom of the ship.
  • Landlubber - an inexperienced or clumsy person who doesn't have any sailing skills.
  • Letters of Marque - government-issued letters allowing privateers the right to piracy of another ship during wartime.
  • Man-O-War - a pirate ship that is decked out and prepared for battle.
  • Maroon - to leave someone stranded on a. deserted island with no supplies, typically a punishment for any crew members who disrespected the captain.
  • Mutiny - a situation in which the crew chooses a new captain, sometimes by forcibly removing the old one.
  • No Prey, No Pay - a common pirate law that meant crew members were not paid, but rather received a share of whatever loot was taken.
  • Old Salt - experienced pirate or sailor.
  • Pillage - to steal/rob a place using violence.
  • Powder Monkeys - men that performed the most dangerous work on the ship. They were treated harshly, rarely paid, and were expendable.
  • Privateer - government-appointed pirates.
  • Run A Shot Across the Bow - fire a warning shot at another boat's Captain.
  • Scurvy - a disease caused by Vitamin C Deficiency.
  • Sea Legs - when a sailor adjusts his balance from riding on a boat for a long time.
  • Strike Colors - lower a ship's flag to indicate surrender.
  • Weigh Anchor and Hoist the Mizzen - an order to the crew to pull up the anchor and get the ship sailing.

If you like what I do and want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee! I also offer editing services and other writing advice on my Ko-fi! Become a member to receive exclusive content, early access, and prioritized writing prompt requests.

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tanaor

Want to worldbuild like a pro??

(📖 Master tips and everything I know📖)

Hello writers! You don't know how to worldbuild? Don't know where to start explaining the world you have created? Don't worry, you are in the right place! I have been there myself, and after many research (and even more trial and error) I have put together a list of the best worldbuilding tips I have encountered, and also created some of my own. (I know the first one is kind of overheard, but trust me).

  1. Don't start right away with worldbuilding. A long paragraph about how your world works and its history might overwhelm new readers. A lot of other writers suggest waiting and learning about the world at the same time the protagonist does, or if that doesn't work for your story, dropping bits of information while the story moves forward. However, if you want to give a sense of how your world works from the start...
  2. Exposition through action. This is my favorite method, and it helps a lot if you don't want to pause your story to info dump about the world you have created. Instead, this method relies on explaining the world and its dynamics while you continue with the narrative, briefly. For example: "As always, you couldn't see any trees in the meadow. The king had ordered years ago to cut each one of them because of a prophecy that foretold that the last dragon egg would lay in an oak."
  3. Use expressions that reference normality or routines. In the last point, we used "as always", but there are tons of expressions you could use in your writing. This helps the reader understand what is the norm in this new world and what things are common, to later detect something that is not within that norm (or sometimes just to understand the world and its traditions better).
  4. Use flashbacks when necessary. If you need to explain a very specific or detailed topic, I suggest using a flashback scene, that will help the reader understand with the narration and dialogue, instead of just explaining it to them. It makes for a more dynamic learning experience. But, at the end...
  5. Do whatever will intrigue you. Some readers even like info dumps, and there is not one correct way to show your world. If it would make you curious, go and do it, wether people say it's correct or not. There are a lot of successful books that randomly stop to explain something about the world, and there is nothing wrong with that if you like it.

Hope you find this list useful, and as always happy writing :)

Also, if you are interested in tips or more examples of a specific topic, you can always leave a question in my ask. I'd be glad to answer it!!

Other tips for writers: previous

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one-time-i-dreamt

Dolly Parton has come to do a show in my town. We couldn't afford tickets, so me and my mom sold my stepdad so we could go.

It turned out that we sold him to Dolly Parton, she made him sing with her and then she gave him back.

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moo-moohead

I threw my short, blonde hair into a messy bun before putting on my cowboy boots. I stared at my big blue orbs in the mirror and sighed. I'm nothing like the other step-dads in town. I'm different. I like to mow the grass.

"Stupid man!" I heard my stepdaughter yell, and I quickly hurried down the stairs to see my wife and stepdaughter standing there, arms crossed.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We need money for concert tickets, so we're selling you." My wife roared.

I felt tears flow down my rosy red cheeks as I held my Horse Monthly magazine to my chest.

"Howdy honey!" Someone's voice drawled from behind me. I turned around

"Dolly Parton!?" I gasped.

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keepongaming
last year i was eating in a fancy, large restaurant when i began to hear a rumble and the distant sound of people chanting ‘potassium, potassium’ and suddenly hundreds of people dressed as bananas flood this restaurant chanting potassium over and over and we were trapped there for a very long time because the bananas would not leave and they were everywhere

i wasn’t joking

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gendersnaps

this post has haunted me for like 3 years. every time i start to think i imagined it, it shows up on my dash again and then immediately disappears into the ether for another 17 months

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cryptotheism

I think any inanimate thing you regularly care for becomes a little alive.

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cryptotheism

If tools are just temporary extensions of the self, how much do you need to modify a foreign body until it isn't foreign anymore?

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cryptotheism

A bunch of women just saw you spill your subjectivity. At the club.

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firefox-official
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sustainpedal

Idk about this one boys, Cookie Monster always refers to Cookie Monster's self as "Cookie Monster".

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firefox-official

no he doesn’t. he refers to himself as “me.” elmo’s the one that talks in third person. that’s the joke. elmo doesn’t use pronouns and cookie monster is blue. how dare you assume i made this post and didnt know my fucking sesame street history. christ

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camokolegend

Why does @firefox-official know the ancient sesame Street lore?

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firefox-official
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writing-prompt-s

🟢 You are still a writer even when you haven't written in a while.

🟢 You are still a writer even when you feel like you aren't writing enough.

🟢 You are still a writer when you feel like your work isn't good.

🟢 You are still a writer when other people don't like your work.

🟢 You are still a writer when you aren't published.

🟢 You are still a writer when you only have works in progress.

🟢 You are still a writer if all you write is fanfiction.

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charlataninred

Love how tumblr has its own folk stories. Yeah the God of Arepo we’ve all heard the story and we all still cry about it. Yeah that one about the woman locked up for centuries finally getting free. That one about the witch who would marry anyone who could get her house key from her cat and it’s revealed she IS the cat after the narrator befriends the cat.

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meraarts

Might I add:

The defeat of the wizard who made people choose how they’d be to be executed

The woman who raised the changeling alongside her biological child

The human who died of radiation poisoning after repairing the spaceship

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eater-of-hopes-and-dreams

The adventures of a space roomba

Cinderella finding Araura (and falling in love)

I don’t know a snappy description but the my nemesis cynthia story certainly lives in my head

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blitzlowin
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charlataninred

I am in love with you /p

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the-thread-of-the-infinite

What about the one with the princess locked in a tower learning to become a wizard? That’s lived in my mind for years and I haven’t seen it in a long time

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death-of-the-endless
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death-of-the-endless
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knottahooker
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adamskiiii

Wow! @writing-prompt-s contributing to like half of these!

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writing-prompt-s

I can hardly take any credit for these stories! But I love sharing them. Unfortunately I cannot read all the prompt responses so please tag me if you want me to reblog a story that resonated with you so I can give it a little boost :)

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creativepromptsforwriting
ralseicastsgun asked:

Hey I’ve been struggling with developing a character’s inferiority complex. Do you have any tips on ways to show not tell this?

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creativepromptsforwriting answered:

How to write an inferiority complex

An inferiority complex can be described as a chronic low self-esteem, a consistent feeling of inadequacy.

Causes:

  • a low status in the social hierarchy
  • specific aspects about themself (physical or something else) that are looked down upon in society
  • being talked down on a lot
  • a lack of parental acceptance
  • failing to live up to high expectations put upon them
  • not reaching a goal they decided on themself

How to show a character's inferiority complex:

People act differently with this diagnosis, sometimes also depending on the situation and the person they are with. Here are some ideas.

  • show them focussing on negative aspects a lot
  • not being able to see it when something did work out well for them
  • talking badly about themself
  • withdrawing from friends and family
  • not being able to take a compliment or criticism
  • demeaning other's as a way to make other's feel as bad as they do
  • trying to get attention and even pity
  • can be shown through perfectionism
  • and not being able to cope well if something does not fit into the standard they have

I hope this helps you out!

- Jana

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creativepromptsforwriting

Romance Masterpost

How to write it

Prompt Lists

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

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brickme

Why Magical Girls Are Never Attacked During A Tranformation

As some of you might already have guessed, I’m a fan of Japanese girl idols. One of the many, many idol groups in existence today in Japan is NMB48, a Osaka-based spin-off group of the (in)famous AKB48. NMB has a weekly show that’s surprisingly entertaining as well as educational called NMB to Manabu-kun, in which the members of NMB and a few comedians listen to guest lectures by experts in various fields.

Back on May 15th, the theme of the episode was pataphysics/the science of sci-fi. One of the topics of the lecture held by university professor Yanagita Rikao was the age-old question of “WHY ARE MAGICAL GIRLS NEVER ATTACKED WHILE TRANSFORMING???”

This was his answer, based on the magical girl series Futari wa Pretty Cure.

Question: The transformation scenes in Pretty Cure are very long, so why don’t the bad guys attack the girls in the meantime?

“Even when I was little, I was thinking ‘Hey! Attack them now!’”

“I found this odd as well, so I watched the transformation scene many times. And what I noticed is, when the Pretty Cures yell ‘Dual Aurora Wave!’ and transform, a rainbow-colored column of light shoots up from the ground, going BOOM!”

“And then the Pretty Cures levitate, and go up into the air. Based on this, I believe the protagonists of Pretty Cure are being held up in the air by the power of light.”

“When we think of light, we usually think it heats up things or lights up things. But in reality, light has the power to hold up things as well.”

“When the sun is beating down on us in the summer, the human body is being pressed downwards by the sun beams with a force of 2/100,000g.”

“But this is only about a one-hundred of the weight of a mosquito, so no matter how hot it is, we don’t feel that sunlight is heavy.”

“So that means the light holding them up must be extremely strong. If we assume that the two Pretty Cures each weigh about 45kg and do some calculations…”

“It means the light during the transformation must have the energy of 2,100,000,000kW per 1m2.”

“While the entirety of power that Japan is capable of generating is only 100,000,000kW.”

“So they’re using 21 TIMES the amount of energy the whole of Japan can generate.”

“So what would happen if a bad guy jumped in to try to sabotage their transformation?”

“He would EVAPORATE INSTANTLY.”

“DEATH AWAITS ANYONE WHO DARES TO DISRUPT A PRETTY CURE TRANSFORMATION.”

“So this means the best thing to do would be to transform close to any bad guys.”

“Yes. They are the strongest while they transform, and are practically invincible.”

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cannibal-sarracenian
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labbydragon

When you apply science to magical girls, you find out just how strong and horrifying they really would be.

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fixyourwritinghabits

this is incredibly useful information and I’m reblogging it for reasons

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creativepromptsforwriting

Intimate Moments

  1. hugging them from behind, laying their head on the other's shoulder
  2. breathing in the other's smell
  3. whispering to each other
  4. cuddling on the couch
  5. walking hand in hand
  6. playing with the other's hair
  7. softly smiling at each other from across the room
  8. telling each other how proud they are of them
  9. leaning into the other person
  10. feeling for the other's hand
  11. pressing a kiss onto the other's hair
  12. humming a melody together
  13. playing with the other's fingers
  14. holding each other's gaze
  15. absentmindedly massaging each other
  16. resting their hand on the other's thigh, slowly stroking it
  17. handing the other one a hot cup of tea, their hands touching for a moment
  18. moving closer in bed
  19. reassuring touches
  20. telling each other I'm here
  21. cuddling in the first morning light
  22. hiding their face in the other's neck
  23. telling each other how much they love them
  24. eating from each other's plates
  25. brushing against each other, even if there is enough room

If you like my blog and want to support me, you can buy me a coffee or become a member! And check out my Instagram! 🥰

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