(Source: positivelyautistic, via angieisalive)
Sup my name is Mark Thomas/Gamer/Reader/Sport-Fan and Aspiring Writer/Voice Actor
writerswrite.co.za
Plotting - 10 Basic Dos and Don'ts
We often have frustrated first time novelists on our courses. They are trying to complete a book, but they haven’t thought about plotting. (See The Top 10 Tips for Plotting and Finishing a Book)
But I’ve decided the most common problem for first time authors is their inclusion of an unrealistic, unworthy, or absent antagonist.
Yes, your hero will always be his or her own worst enemy, but you need an antagonist to help your protagonist realise how strong he or she can be. There is no conflict without an antagonist. There is no reason to write a book if you do not have an antagonist. It would be easier to write a diary or an essay. Imagine watching The Matrix without Mr. Smith. The antagonist provides physical and psychological setbacks. He or she introduces points of resistance and stands between the protagonist and his or her story goal.
The antagonist’s function is to try to prevent the protagonist from achieving his or her story goal. The antagonist raises the stakes for the protagonist and causes excitement, tension, and a plot.
Writing Tip: The antagonist is as important as the protagonist. If you don’t have an antagonist you don’t have a plot. (There are some great tips for writing about antagonists in 10 Essential Tips for Writing Antagonists.)
Alfred Hitchcock said that a great story is: ‘life, with the dull parts taken out.’
A plot is not about:
- contented characters who live a trouble-free existence
- an author / character’s interior thought processes
- an author / character’s philosophy of life
- an author trying to send a message
- a character battling the elements, or society, or a life condition
A plot is about:
- characters whose lives have been turned upside down in a negative way
- characters who act and react
- characters who talk, breathe, eat, argue and interact with other characters
- characters whose actions and words show a story
- a character who takes on another character who may represent or personify, society or a life condition
If you are an exceptional author, you may not need a plot. The rest of us do.
Writing Tip: Remember your reader.
(via oxymitch)
creativelywritingisideal asked:
Hello, your blog is one of the many gems on this site and I cannot tell you how helpful it has been for me. But, I do have a question. I looked under the "dialogue " tag, but couldn't find an answer. I was just wondering... How much dialogue is too much? I tend to really love writing dialogue, but I need to know the point when to stop or when enough is enough. Any helps or tips you have for me? Thanks in advanced!
characterandwritinghelp Answer:
Thank you! I am fond of dialogue, too.
I think a good way to gauge whether you have a bit too much dialogue in a given scene is to see how closely it resembles a script or transcript. If you have a lot of straight back-and-forth without a lot else going on besides the occasional piece of action (“he crossed his arms,” “she scowled,” and other little bits and pieces scattered throughout that are not dialogue, but do not distract from the conversation), your scene may be a bit dialogue heavy.
Sometimes, that’s what your story needs. A little back-and-forth is hardly going to wreck a story, but if you go on and on that way for an extended length of time, readers may:
- Get lost. Especially if you have a lot of speakers and not enough dialogue tags in the scene, readers may have trouble keeping up with who is saying what.
- Get bored. If the dialogue is serving a plot/scene purpose, maybe not. But if the dialogue is just there because you like it, take a step back and reevaluate what it brings to the table.
- Forget what’s going on. Talking is a Free Action is one of my greatest pet peeves in storytelling—I hate when the world at large stops moving when a conversation happens (and yet I love TES Oblivion. Go figure). If dialogue goes on long enough to make us forget what’s happening (especially if something earth-shattering is taking place), there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
Make sense? Dialogue is important, but all things in balance.
-Headless
Anonymous asked:
Is it marginalizing to write a story about an insular early civilization that's one race? See, I don't think Westeros should be as white as it is 'cause it's the size of South America, hosts multiple climates and has transport. But my story follows an empire that stridently isolates itself after conflicting w/ globalizing neighbors. Kinda like the Inca if they'd survived the conquistadors. They're not white, but their race is still pretty awash w/ homogeneity. Reasonable or problematic?
nimblesnotebook-blog Answer:
Homogeneous worlds being a problem is pretty much limited to worlds where the homogeneous population is made up of people who are the dominant power in our world. A world with hundreds of characters who are all white is a problem. An isolated empire of indigenous Americans is not.
You didn’t ask for it, but here are some tips for isolated empires anyway:
- Homogeneity: On the topic of homogeneity, whether your empire is truly homogeneous (everyone is of the same ethnicity, religion, language, etc.) depends on its size. The larger your empire, the more diversity you’ll have. Two different ethnicities can look the same in terms of appearance, but they might have a different culture, language, or religion. This makes them different ethnicities. But culture, language, religion, etc. can also spread.
- Resources: Again, this depends on how large your empire is as well as where it is. If your empire is isolated, trading will be difficult. It’s still possible if others know about this kingdom, but it’ll probably be heavily regulated and a rare occasion if your kingdom wants to remain private. An isolated empire is going to have limited resources and there are certain resources they’ll have to give up due to isolation.
- Slow Change: Without cultural diffusion or migration, cultural change is going to be slow. If you write an isolated empire, you can get away with very little change in technology over hundreds or even thousands of years. The more resources and the more influence you have, the more change will come.
- Knowledge: You said that your empire purposefully isolated itself from others. There’s some fear in there. Do the people of your kingdom know about outsiders? Are they shielded from the outside world? Are they taught to hate it? To ignore it? Are they taught nothing of it?
- Security: An empire that has purposefully cut itself off from the rest of the world will probably have some type of security to keep away outsiders. Not only that, but you’ll need a strong force to fend off those who try to take over this empire.
- Geographical Isolation: If your empire is physically isolated, it will be much easier to remain isolated and the security won’t need to be as strong because the natural world acts as a barrier already, whether it’s water, mountains, or something else.
My favorite slash couple cheering me up during 2020.
Designing a character arc
There are different forms a character arc can take. And different ways to create one. But if you’re struggling, I have a few tips on designing an arc for your character.
1. Where does your character start?
- Where are they in life? What are their ambitions and dreams?
- What are their main traits?
- Most importantly: what is their biggest character flaw/shortcoming. For a character arc, this should be something that can be changed or that shows potential.
- What is the one thing keeping your character from being the best they can be? What is the unrealized potential of your character?
- We’ll call this point A
- For example, let’s say your MC is very childish and self-centered
2. They should end at the opposite of point A
- No, this doesn’t mean an angry character should suddenly be a meek little lamb.
- It means that your character has managed to work on that flaw, has overcome their biggest weakness. Has fulfilled their potential.
- Take point A and make it shinier, healthier, better, nicer etc.
- Let’s call this point Z
- Going with our example, this would mean that the character has learnt to be mature when they need to be and has come to be considerate of others’ needs.
- This is where your character should be by the end of the story. This is the goal of the arc.
3. Which events/plot points will help your character get from point A to point Z?
- Your character can’t just spontaneously transform from A to Z. The development needs to be believable and organic.
- So, what can happen to the character to bring about this change progressively? Who can they meet? Do they fall in love? Lose someone important? Find a family? Go through war? The possibilities are endless.
- The first event is usually your inciting incident (Point B) , which takes the character away from their regular life and comfort zone. Something around them has to change before they can start to change.
- The change shouldn’t occur in a single event, however. It should be gradual.
- In our example, the character could be exposed to the suffering of others, meet a compassionate love interest, be forced to take responsibility etc.
4. Breaking point
- Most good books have a character breaking point. The point where your character has lost everything and is down in the dumps.
- The breaking point presents the final choice: give up or go on
- This should be your character’s final point before they are transformed into Z. (point Y if you will)
- Overcoming rock bottom is what will eventually make your character the best they can be.
5. Big picture
- So, eventually your character arc should look like this: A > B (inciting incident) > event C > event D etc > Y (breaking point) > Z
This is a very simple way to design an arc. Obviously, you can create one that’s much more complex. But I hope that these basics can be helpful.
Reblog if you found this post useful. Comment with your own character arc tips and any requests for future writing advice posts. Follow me for similar content.
(via svpphicwrites)
Bubbline and Catradora two sapphic ships who saved 2020
(Late) Conversations between Peter and Liz (Part 1)
Liz's brother apartment (2 AM-ish)
[Peter and Liz both siting on couch awkwardity silently]
Peter Parker: So...
Liz Allan: Yeah...
Peter Parker: I Uh...
Liz Allan: Peter I want to sort of explain something.
Peter Parker: So what...?
Liz Allan: That day at the mall...I was doing my laundry, okay?
Peter Parker: Y-you mean you’ve been dressing in an unusually sexy fashion because of me?
Liz Allan: Yeah I guess that’s what I mean.
Liz Allan: So all my regular clothes were in the wash! I was wearing that stupid little dress and all tarted up kind of as a joke, but you couldn’t take your eyes off me...
Liz Allan: And i liked it okay??
Peter Parker: That’s amazing!!
Liz Allan point her finger to her mouth: “Shh“ Keep it down!
Liz Allan: My brother has to get up at like 5 am, and he’s a total dick about it.
Peter Parker: Look at you! Even now! I’m so lucky!
Liz Allan: Oh, shut up. It’s just an ordinary night-gown.
Peter Parker: Oh.
Liz Allan: okay, no I put it on specifically after you called, actually. God, I’m such a tramp!
Peter Parker: Liz...What’s the deal with us?
Liz Allan: You mean why didn’t we...?
Peter Parker: Well, I mean, what was going on, like, in general?
Liz Allan: You know...You could have asked me if I liked you.
Peter Parker: Man you’re right. I didn’t know anything.
Liz Allan: We didn’t know that was going on we had zero comprehension. We were probably too busy trying to seem cool.
Peter Parker: Did you like me?
Liz Allan: I don’t want to talk about it.
[Peter silencing staring at Liz without she answering his questions.]Liz Allan: Anyway...You have Mary Jane now.
Peter Parker: Enggh.
Liz Allan: And you guys obviously have something special.
Peter Parker: I guess. I mean we haven’t even said the L-Word...
Liz Allan: Oh?
Peter Parker: She’s cool. But she has her own issues and stuff. Some of them are actually pretty much—
Peter Parker: I mean, they’d be dealbreakers if I was just a tiny bit less infatuated, y’know?
Liz Allan: Some folks have a lots of baggage...
Peter Parker: We just had a fight, too. A huge fight.
Liz Allan: Did you win?
Peter Parker: Uhh..Not Really.
Liz Allan: The Fight?
Peter Parker: It was about you.
Peter Parker: She thinks we have a thing or had a thing, or something, but we never did! Right?
Liz Allan: Maybe we should have.
[Peter Parker staring with surprise blank face and lookings at Liz with she can’t believe what she just say.]Liz Allan: Maybe we should.
Two Cats Moms-DC/Marvel/Miraculous Ladybug AU
If Cat Noir (Adrien Agreste) raised by Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) and Catwoman (Selina Kyle). Selina and Felicia are some how marrying? Way order to adopting Adrien both much became legally parents. In this AU Gabriel Agreste some point in his life his lose only wife but his son Adrien but Adrien survival. So Adrien put in foster care for 5 years. Young Black Cat and Catwoman on there team-up in France after stolen some stuff like tech and jewels even stealing Cat Miraculous ring. When France authority on their trail. Catwoman and Black Cat lose them by broken a building but they not realized this was a foster house and met young Adrien Agreste, Selina silence Adrien by giving his a candy. Then two leaving a house without making sound and Selina and Felicia returning to the hotel found out that Selina give the ring to that foster blonde boy.
So past weeks Selina and Felicia ordering get back the ring they pretending to be couple and get married to adoption that kid. The two success did but now they have this kid young Adrien but can’t two greedy heartless just throwing kid away. So Black Cat (Felicia Hardy) and Catwoman (Selina Kyle) agreeing on rising young Adrien.
Years later Adrien Hardy (or Kyle) growing up as normal life and raise by two moms (pretending as couple but still love his. Both agreed seeking other people without Adrien knowing) in New York or Gotham. Selina and Felicia know world isn’t safe so they trained Adrien self-defense like Hand-to-Hand Combat, Skilled Martial Artist, Stealth and Weaponry. Also Adrien still take up other speaking different languages, piano and fencing. By age 14 or 15 for his birthday. Adrien received Cat Miraculous ring and became Black-Noir, soon after learn Selina and Felicia secret identity and there false marriage (but Adrien don’t care). Occasionally Black Noir team-up with Teen Titans and Spider-Man even Batman few times but sometimes his teaming up both of his adoptions mothers but Adrien use his powers only for good. Being a hero rather than theft.
Selina and Felicia think Adrien his acting hero is phrase but they she love his who his is.