Writing Thoughts - Blog Posts
being a writer will make you the sort of person who has to google shit like “what color is soup”
me, shaking my main character oc: “THE PLOT! JUST TELL ME THE FUCKING PLOT!!”
my main character, covered in blood, grinning maniacally and saying nothing just like i created them to do
me: wow i made so much progress on my WIP today!
them: cool! how many words did you write?
me:
me:
me: well…
*I’m a writer* i mutter as i type “what does it feel like to stab someone” into the google search bar
Physically you can hurt only your characters. Emotionally you can hurt both your characters and your readers
Anyone else start as a fanfic writer then started writing your own original ideas, and the best way to do it is to write your drafts like fanfiction of your own work? Like that's the only way I get stuff done.
I write a story with the characters I like, write an arc with facts about the world and characters as it becomes relevant, no real point to the scenes except me having fun with a scene I happen to be enjoying. I take a character I wanna have fun with, say "Go do that important thing so we have a plot while you show off how cool you are", then add random ideas that sound generic but fun to act as story beats. They went to a town, they got beat up by monsters, they discovered a super power, they make friends.
I take breaks between writing the story to obsess over other stuff, then come back when I have an epiphany in the shower a month later and quickly resolve the current arc in order to jump them into the next one. Like, there's still continuity, they mention "Hey we just went through something, wanna talk about your feelings?" "Not really man, wanna go on a quest for that Macguffin and uncover our deep-seated issues that way?" "Sure!" But the story follows a barely-connected story beat with side characters and new world building for the new adventure. And then this happens over and over.
Then I come back, one day.
I'm 600 pages into this Sysphian writing style of starting arcs that have barely any organization yet undeniable continuity and I think to myself, "Man, what if I just start the whole thing over now that I know where the story KINDA goes." So I start writing my second draft...like it's a fanfic of my original draft. I can do whatever the hell I want with these quirky facts about the characters, maybe translate one hobby into a backstory, take this tragic fact about the backstory and make it into an actual trait that defines how they react to situations, take these two characters that would TOTALLY get along and make them friends, I can take a character who should be getting introduced way later and just introduce them now!
And then it's...it's good? It's something I would genuinely read without cringing at??
It's got foreshadowing and interpersonal conflict and secret passions and even more secret traumas and it's humorous and the introduction of characters or quests actually seem to...make sense??? Like oh shit there's actually a REASON we want this thing, it's not a Macguffin anymore! Oh crap these two characters who were later revealed to be related can have a really interesting dynamic if I introduce them like they know from the beginning they're related instead of dropping it like the most casual thing ever in an arc 300 pages later??? These two characters are prominent figures so they would likely get along but have SO much sass between their one braincell. Ya know, this guy would be a really great guy for them to talk to in order to solve that weakness they have, but they wouldn't fix it because they don't get along. OH MY GOD I COULD SHIP THESE TWO AND IT WOULD BE PERFECT -
And what I get is a story where a lot of things have changed, mainly plot-wise, but the bare bones of the former story is still there. I think "Would this character know anything about this topic?" and then think "Well I made them an inventor with a backstory like this, so maybe they wouldn't know it directly, but they'd know a famous story about it" or "Yeah, that knowledge works with their backstory. Actually, if I take that thing I can expand it into this whole other thing. Wait, that means they would definitely know this other character. Oh, they would NOT get along with this character, how can I get THEM in the same room?"
Bonus, because my draft is so long, I feel the natural urge to be like "I wanna write the most exciting scene RIGHT NOW, how do I skip over all the fluff to get to the stuff I wanna WORK with" and so I've written a way more interesting hook that feels more natural jumping into the middle of their lives. I don't have to have the long-winded backstory from birth to the present, but now I can have them reference their backstory as more of a mystery to the characters they just meet - who are learning at the same time as the audience. I can think about how this character perceives that backstory and chooses to describe it, how another who was related might see it differently, and make it unclear who had the more accurate recounting since, ya know, I didn't actually write it beat for beat in this version!
The characters sometimes evolve into something completely different from my original telling - and I have NO IDEA how but I'll take it man! I had a shy and nice character get introduced as a more mysterious but knowledgeable and competent character because I had finally figured his personality out later on. He's still a tragic and kind person, but now he's being introduced to someone who doesn't know him and I get to see how yo he would be so much cooler if THIS was the side of him we saw FIRST. This is how he acts to strangers, rather than bearing his heart and true personality on the first go around because in the first draft I just wanted to get to the part where we're already going with his true version.
This is just how I write fanfiction. This character had this thing about them, but what if it was introduced like THIS?!
Basically I'm an AU OC writer at heart. Ask me to pull a story outta my ass and you'll get the equivalent of burnt toast, but ask me to write a fanfic of my own characters and I am a Master Chef in my natural habitat making a buffet. Why does my brain work like this? Am I the only one that does this?
i hate how i can write drabbles and small tidbits for days, but once it comes to actually writing a full-fledged chapter for a fic it feels forced n ends up sounding like a sad song on a forgotten instrument.
~ m.n.
Words/Phrases You Probably Didn't Know About
hi hi ! hello dears, it's been a while but i've decided to put together a list of words or phrases that you most likely didn't know as well as their definitions !
have fun writing and please let me know if you wish for a pt. 2 !
~ m.n.
accismus (n) - pretending to be disinterested in something when you actually want it.
ala rasi - an Arabic phrase that roughly translates to "anything for you."
anomia (n) - a brain disorder that makes it hard to remember the names of people and objects.
balter (v) - to dance or tread clumsily.
clinomania (n) - the persistent desire to stay in bed, even when there are other responsibilities.
constult (v) - to act stupidly together.
defenestrate (v) - throw (someone) out of a window.
draconian (adj) - something that is excessively harsh and severe.
eglaf (n) - a word that has no meaning and can be used in place of any other word.
ephemeral (adj) – lasting for a very short time.
fabulist (n) - a liar, especially a person who invents elaborate, dishonest stories.
gheegle (n) - the urge to squeeze or pinch something very cute.
heterophemize (v) - unconscious use of words other than those intended; to say something different from what you meant to say.
irenic (adj) - aiming or aimed at peace; promoting peace.
jayus (n) - a joke that amuses because it is so unfunny or poorly told.
jouska (n) - the act of repeatedly playing out hypothetical conversations in one's head.
latibulate (v) - to hide or seek refuge, often in a corner, to protect oneself or find comfort.
lethologica (n) - the inability to remember a particular word or name.
moonglade (n) - the bright reflection of moonlight on a body of water.
morosis (n) - an obsolete medical term that means idiocy, stupidity, or fatuity. it can also refer to a decline in intelligence due to foolishness.
nedovtipa (n) - one who finds it difficult to take a hint.
nepenthe (n) - a potion used by the ancients to induce forgetfulness of pain or sorrow.
obganiate (v) - to annoy someone by repeating the same thing over and over.
phosphenes (n) - a ring or spot of light produced by pressure on the eyeball or direct stimulation of the visual system other than by light; the colors, "stars," you see when you rub your eyes.
pregret (v) - to feel regret for an action before it has happened.
shlimazl (n) - a person who is unlucky or inept, or bad luck itself.
smyster (v) - to smile to oneself while daydreaming.
snaccident (n) - accidentally eating a snack, especially an entire bag or box of junk food.
ultracrepidarian (n) - expressing opinions on matters outside the scope of one's knowledge or expertise.
i found this image to be quite inspirational, thus i wish to share it. you don't have to make something phenomenal much less rather something exceptional. you must first put it out there and tweak things later because you cannot build off of something you put nothing into. some day you'll regret never putting yourself out there.
create beautiful, wonderful things.
~ m.n.
The two scenes that inspired the rest of the trilogy in mine:
Golden eyes. A gracious heart. Beautiful blood. Blood. Blood. The sharp taste of blood in my mouth, my nose. I could feel the sticky blood on my hands. Slowly, agonizingly, I began to remember fragments of what I’d lost. Pain. Someone had a knife. Was it me? Blood. Fear.
Pain.
The worst pain I’d ever felt concentrated right in between my ribs. I resisted the urge to scream out, and somehow through the thick haze of agony and confusion, I could start to hear voices.
And
It was all a lie. A beautifully created lie, one that only could have been weaved by Athena or Arachne. And I’d believed every second of it. Of course I had, he had played into every single one of my insecurities, building me up before subtly, ruthlessly, tearing me back down again. After all, they say the higher you climb the harder you fall.
I feel like every writer has created whole stories before around just that one specific scene that they thought of and really wanted to write. Sometimes I wonder what those scenes were for my favourite stories.
Character-driven vs Plot-driven Stories
What is a Character-driven story?
Character-driven stories gravitate toward intra and interpersonal relationships with the characters. Unlike a plot-driven story, these types of stories focus on how the character(s) arrives at a choice.
Readers tend to enjoy these types of stories because of the realistic characters authors write in those books. It allows the reader to see themselves or others in those characters, developing an emotional connection.
What is a Plot-driven story?
A Plot-driven story gravitates toward the external rather than the internal conflict. Unlike a character-driven story, these types of stories focus on the choice a character must make rather than what they do to get there.
Readers tend to enjoy these types of stories because of the well-constructed plot. Seeing a character in a situation they cannot control may provide a sense of purpose or familiarity for the reader.
(This is something my friend said she likes about plot-driven stories. It may be true for other readers, as well.)
Which is best?
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. There is no such thing as the “best” way to write a story. It all depends on preference.
If you want to write a story for an audience who will analyze your characters, write for that audience. If you want a story for an audience who will gravitate toward your well-constructed plot, write for that audience.
There is somebody out there who will love your book, I guarantee.
If you have any questions, or feel as though I’ve missed something, feel free to let me know!
Characters Types
Protagonist:
The Protagonist is the main character of your story. They are the most mentioned, the one who drives the plot, the one the readers will be paying most of their attention to. Generally, there is only one, but there can be more than one protagonist in a story.
Antagonist:
The Antagonist is the character that goes against the Protagonist. An Antagonist doesn’t have to be a person, necessarily. It can be a group of people, society, nature, et cetera. They don’t even have to be evil, they just need to go against the Protagonist’s motives.
Villain:
Both the Villain and the Antagonist are opponents of the Protagonist. Though, the main difference is the Villain has bad intentions. They are evil.
Dynamic Character:
A Dynamic Character is the person who undergoes a change throughout the story, whether it be good or bad. The character’s motives or morals are different than they were in the beginning. The change is normally permanent.
Flat or Static Character:
A Flat or Static Character is the opposite of a Dynamic Character, hardly experiencing any changes throughout the story, if at all. Generally, the reader doesn’t know much about this character.
If you have any questions regarding character types, or feel as though I’ve missed something, feel free to let me know!
Character Traits
An interesting trick I learned from scrolling through my Instagram feed (instead of writing) is to focus on the extremes of your character - the two ends on a character’s personality spectrum.
Take a perfectionist, for example. This person strives to be perfect all of the time, therefore, they work extremely hard. However, this person is so obsessed with being perfect that they can come off as condescending or controlling.
A character’s personality traits also depend heavily on the viewpoint at which you’re looking. Take an abusive parent. When the parent is at work, all of their co-workers may see them as a caring, respectful, and friendly person. To their child, they’re seen as uncivilized and a monster.
I’m not saying you have to use the “extremes” concept on every character. In fact, assigning only negative traits helps the reader identify who the antagonist (or villain) may be. However, giving a character both positive and negative traits helps humanize the character.
If you have any questions regarding character traits, or feel as though I’ve missed something, feel free to let me know!
Character Development
When developing a character, I choose the role I want my character to play, then decide how I could make it realistic.
Take my character Remi Wolf, for example. Remi is always in the center of chaos, and she is aware of it. To save herself an emotional breakdown, she plans ahead. Some would call it being prepared, but when her doing it affects her everyday life, it slowly starts to be an anxiety disorder.
There are ways to portray Remi’s anxiety without saying she has anxiety, such as giving her noise cancelling headphones. Since she has been around chaos most of her life, she may be sensitive to noise. Remi could wear these in a classroom, in the cafeteria, et cetera.
As tedious as this task may be, putting a reason behind the tiniest detail not only helps the development of the character make sense, but it humanizes the character in a way where the reader can relate to them.
(Tip: Everybody gets anxious, but if it’s to the point where your anxiousness is affecting how you perform everyday tasks, talk to someone about it. Preferably, a doctor of some sort, but it helps to talk to your peers.)
If you have any questions regarding character development, or feel as though I’ve missed something, feel free to let me know!
Top Ten Tips for Beginner Writers
Understand
Writing is amazing. It is so satisfying to be able to hold your success, to see your success, to know your hard work paid off. On the opposing side, writing can be a pain. As unfair as it may seem, to succeed, you need to fail. Truthfully, writing is more than putting words on a page. In order to be a successful writer, you need to understand that.
Writer Friends
No one will understand a writer's mind better than a writer. Of course, every writer is different. Even so, they have been/are where you are. They will assist you in growing as a writer, probably better than any English teacher ever could.
First drafts
Think of a building. Obviously, you build from the floor upward. Essentially, your first draft is the foundation of your story - something to build upon. That being said, your first draft is not the story as the floor is not the building.
Keep Writing
As previously stated, in order to succeed, you need to fail. If you aspire to be a successful writer, you need to also understand that it is not the fact you fail, but whether you rise despite the failure. Furthermore, if you wish to improve, you need to continue writing beyond your mistakes.
Originality
Originality is not mandatory. If your plot derives from an AU, writing prompt, or already exists (a book or movie having the same general plot), your story does not lose its value. Some of the best stories exist more than once.
Yes, it counts.
If you post on Fanfiction, you are a writer. If you post on Wattpad, you are a writer. If you write, you are a writer. Your work is valid, no matter what you decide to do with it.
Writing Journals
There will come a time when the perfect idea hits you and you don't have access to a device. Sure, we operate digitally. Even so, invest in a journal. You’ll never know when you might need it.
Reading Books
Reading action packed books helps me understand how to effectively shift between a scene/moment in a chapter. Even if you’re not much of a reader, rest assured the techniques you wish to master are hidden in pages for you to observe.
Taking Advice (the irony is strong)
You will stumble upon posts instructing you on what to use in a sentence, what not to use, how to express emotion, et cetera. Keep in mind that not all of it will apply to you. Use the word “very” if you want to, end a sentence with a preposition if you would like, don’t name your chapters if you don’t feel like it. You are in charge of your story.
Taking Breaks
It is okay to take an hour break, or a week-long break, or even a three-month break. It does not make you any less of a writer. Do whatever you need to do to become the writer you aspire to be, even if that means not writing for a while.
If you have any questions, or feel I missed something, feel free to let me know!
My brain is in demand for SG soundstar atm...but I'd have to finish my long list of: things I wanna write which is rather long and all SoundStar related or adjacent (starwavewave)
-tf es
-tf prime
-tfone
