psychic-timetraveler

[psychic-timetraveler]

the scariest thing about today is that all around the world, the screams and panicked last minute frantic scrambling of writers can be heard

#good luck with nano everyone!!

[psychic-timetraveler]

show, don't tell:

anticipation - bouncing legs - darting eyes - breathing deeply - useless / mindless tasks - eyes on the clock - checking and re-checking

frustration - grumbling - heavy footsteps - hot flush - narrowed eyes - pointing fingers - pacing / stomping

sadness - eyes filling up with tears - blinking quickly - hiccuped breaths - face turned away - red / burning cheeks - short sentences with gulps

happiness - smiling / cheeks hurting - animated - chest hurts from laughing - rapid movements - eye contact - quick speaking

boredom - complaining - sighing - grumbling - pacing - leg bouncing - picking at nails

fear - quick heartbeat - shaking / clammy hands - pinching self - tuck away - closing eyes - clenched hands

disappointment - no eye contact - hard swallow - clenched hands - tears, occasionally - mhm-hmm

tiredness - spacing out - eyes closing - nodding head absently - long sighs - no eye contact - grim smile

confidence - prolonged eye contact - appreciates instead of apologizing - active listening - shoulders back - micro reactions

#reference

[psychic-timetraveler]

tbh in some cases calling my projects "wips" kinda feels like a joke, because it implies that it's actually "in progress" rather than being a thing that plagues my brain every once in a while.

#yup sounds about right #tru

[psychic-timetraveler]

tag the oc that is a grump

#oc: q #oc: holden #category: time traveler #category: demon

[psychic-timetraveler]

“Five minutes. Just give me five more minutes and I swear I’ll make this right.” 

#prompts

[psychic-timetraveler]

Tips on how to change your writing style? Or at least develop it into something you like

Developing Writing Style

Writing style isn't something you can change over night. In fact, it takes most writers years to develop their writing style. But there are things you can do now to help things along:

1 - Take Stock of Favorite Style Elements - Most writers can point to a few other writers who influenced their style, so take a close look at the writers you love and see if you can pinpoint what it is you like about the way they write. These are style elements you may want to emulate in your own writing.

2 - Emulate Favorite Style Elements - If you discover elements of another writer's style that you love, don't be afraid to emulate them in your own writing. This isn't about copying their style... it's about trying out the parts of their style that you like, seeing how they work for you, and making them your own.

3 - Write, Write, Write, Write - There's no better way to improve your writing skills and develop your style than producing a large body of work. It's through the process of writing that your style is able to develop.

.♥.

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Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

Visit my FAQ

Find answers fast on my Master List of Top Posts

Go to ko-fi.com/wqa to buy me coffee or see my commissions

#reference

[psychic-timetraveler]

SORORITÉ VINTAGE - Click to enlarge!   if you want to support this blog consider donating to: ko-fi.com/fashionrunways

#category: time traveler #aesthetic #category: psychics #oc: Lainey #oc: miss Blake

[psychic-timetraveler]

Sunrise in the woods

#aesthetic #category: psychics #category: Wizards #oc: Megan #oc: Graeme

[psychic-timetraveler]

tag the OC who is afraid of drowning

#oc: holden #oc: brad #oc: graeme #category: time traveler #category: demon #category: wizards

[psychic-timetraveler]

Hi!

May I ask?

How to show that two characters are romantically close, but without showing 'signs of affection' (touching each other), I don't know of any other ways to show romantic affection between characters, and my characters are reserved.

Sorry if you don't understand, English is not my native language.

Thank you for doing these asks ^^

Showing a Romantic Connection without Touch

There are lots of ways to show romantic interest/romantic connection without the characters touching, or even physically interacting in any way.

Body language and facial expressions go a long way:

stolen glances/eyes meeting

looking away bashfully after eyes meet

lingering looks/intense eye contact

sharing a knowing look

fluttering eyelids

raised eyebrows

tilted head

fidgeting around them

flirtatious tics: biting lip, twirling hair, running hand through hair

cheeks/neck/chest become flushed when around person

blushing when talking about person

sighing, either out of happiness or missing the other person

unable to hold back smile when other person appears

holding self/touching own arms/neck/face when can't touch other

clasping own hands as though holding other person's hand

leaning toward other person or trying to be physically near them

pursing/licking lips as though daydreaming about kissing them

preening (checking/fixing hair, makeup, clothes, appearance)

open/available/comfortable posture/body language

adopting their mannerisms/behaviors

communicating feelings through eyes (adoration, awe, interest)

If they're able to speak to one another, there are verbal indicators of romantic interest/connection:

feeling nervous/tongue-tied when talking to other person

voice cracking/fumbling for words

verbal flirting/making jokes

verbal availability/sharing info about self/asking about them

sharing secrets or things not often shared

using pet names/nicknames/terms of endearment

make excuses to speak with one another

working innuendo or deeper meaning into mundane conversation

Other non-physical signs of romantic interest/connection:

giving each other meaningful gifts

sharing meaningful possessions

keeping mementos as reminders of other person

making excuses to be near/spend time with other person

wanting to get to know other person's life/friends/family

willing to make sacrifices to make other person happy

losing track of time when with other person

reminded of other person when listening to love songs

feeling as though rest of the world melts away when together

Some signs that others might notice:

they stray from normal attitude/behavior around other person

good mood/smiling just before or after spending time with them

sad mood if they didn't get to see them that day

talking excitedly/affectionately about person to others

blushing when others press or tease about their interest

denying interest when pressed by others

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

Visit my FAQ

Find answers fast on my Master List of Top Posts

Go to ko-fi.com/wqa to buy me coffee or see my commissions

#reference

[psychic-timetraveler]

shoutout to writers who:

have chronic fatigue or brain fog

have memory issues

experience chronic pain

have focus issues

experience frequent malaise

have anything else that may make it difficult to type, come up with ideas, and/or stay motivated & working

you can do this, you belong here, and you deserve to treat yourself with kindness and care

#inspration

[psychic-timetraveler]

#oc: graeme #aesthetic #category: wizards

[psychic-timetraveler]

Demonology and witchcraft by Walter Scott, 1830

#oc: holden #aesthetic #category: demon

[psychic-timetraveler]

Deborah Ann Woll for Rogue Magazine.

#oc: kat #category: demon #face claims

[psychic-timetraveler]

RAINBOW WASH |  yanpernofski

#category: time traveler #aesthetic #oc: rose

[psychic-timetraveler]

how to write relatable characters

writing relatable characters may seem like an easy task, especially when you’re constructing your protagonist. but what if you want to make your antagonist likeable? what if you want people to hate your protagonist but still root for them? all of this and more requires that your characters be relatable. they need to feel real, so how do you do that? here’s how:

- flaws: this is probably obvious. everyone has flaws, so we should give our characters flaws, too. this applies even if your character is non-human; they cannot escape the personification that we as writers or readers project onto them. we are humans reading, so we expect to see human qualities everywhere we look. if you’re having trouble of identifying your character’s flaws, here are some prompts for ways to think about flaws beyond a list:

what skills do they lack? what do they struggle with?

can their strengths be turned against them as a weakness?

what makes them react emotionally or impulsively?

are they aware of their flaws? if so, do they want to improve them or change them?

- quirks: these are what make your character unique or special, and no, i don’t mean purple eyes or unique physical traits. i mean: what makes your character authentically themselves? what traits define them that few others have? some ways to think about this are:

how do they react when nervous? do they have a tell? similarly, how do they react on behalf of any emotion?

what skills do they have that hardly anyone else has?

what obscure thing are they obsessed with?

do they have a unique outlook on life compared to their peers?

- values: these come from life experiences: where we were raised, our family and friends, our community, religious affiliations, etc. i suggest identifying eight to ten values that define your character and then narrowing that list down to five values that mark their core or essence. think about how these values influence their choices, decisions, and ultimately, the plot of the novel. here are some more prompts to think about values:

how do they react when their values are challenged? are they one to speak up or do they sit back in the shadows?

what, if anything, will change or shatter their values?

are their actual values misaligned with their believed values?

- stakes: what is at risk for your character? what is motivating them? stakes don’t need to be over the top or life or death; they can be as simple as maintaining a relationship or reaching a goal. unless there’s an outside influence (ie. percy’s mother being kidnapped in The Lightning Thief), most stakes—especially those relatable—tie back to values. even those influenced by outside factors can tie back to values: the only reason percy is motivated to get his mother back is because he cares for her and she is the one person who has always advocated for him and cared for him. he values family and riordan uses his family to motivate him and incite the plot. generally, there will be one overarching stake for your character, but throughout your novel, there should be several smaller stakes. these may not service the plot but should elaborate on your character nonetheless. some ways to think about stakes include:

how can i use internal or external factors to create convincing, relatable stakes that tie back to basic values?

why does the overarching stake matter to my character? why do they care?

how can i raise the stakes or introduce new ones that are relevant to my character and illustrate them as a relatable being?

- connection: even if your character is an introvert, they will still be connected to someone, something, or even an idea. we, as humans, look to certain people, pets, objects, and ideas to maintain our sense of reality whether we realize it or not. if your character prides themselves in having no attachments, think about the ideas or themes that mark the cornerstones of their reality. most human beings strive for some form of connection, so here are more prompts for thinking about your characters and connection:

what does connection mean to my character? how do they show how they value their connections or relationships?

how does my character’s behavior change when around different connections?

what connections define my character and their reality? how will these connections influence my character and/or the plot?

how will removing or challenging a connection change, influence, or motivate my character?

a good rule of thumb is to treat a character as a human, not a plot device. there is a time or place in which a character must act as a plot device, but if you’re wanting your readers to be compelled by your narration and the characters within them, you should strive to write your characters as human (aka as relatable). one of the greatest pleasures i find in writing is when other’s identify themselves in my writing.

you’re not just here to tell a story, you’re here to connect with others through the illustration of your characters. let the reader navigate your prose as a detective, to search for and identify the evidence provided by you. that is to say, show us how these things manifest in your character. don’t tell us.

happy writing! hopefully this post gave you some ways to start thinking about how to show the relatability of your character. if you have any questions about implementing these tools or about writing characters, our ask box is always open.

#reference

[psychic-timetraveler]

GUYS.

If you’re having trouble starting because you physically aren’t able to/can’t get yourself to get up and go to your computer or laptop…write on your phone.

Download whichever app you use, Google Docs or MS Word or Apple Pages or whatever, log into it, and WRITE THERE. It’ll still sync to your other device, you can make progress on your project, and you won’t even have to get up.

I know this probably sounds obvious, but it only just hit me within like…the last month or two. And it’s worked WONDERS.

WRITE ON YOUR PHONE.

#reference