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hayatheauthor · 10 months
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Forging Epic Battles: Techniques for Writing Gripping War Scenes
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I want to start this post off with sort of an author's note: this is a long one! I tried to keep my detailing to a minimum but I guess this topic Is just so vast I couldn't help but pour it all out. This really is sort of an ultimate guide and I hope it helps! Also, it was requested by @xweirdo101x (if you want to request something just send me an ask)
War has long captivated readers' imaginations, evoking a sense of grandeur, sacrifice, and the clash of ideologies. As writers, we have the power to transport our readers to the frontlines, immersing them in the chaos, drama, and emotion of epic battles. 
Crafting gripping war scenes requires a delicate balance of research, skillful storytelling, and an understanding of the human experience in times of conflict. In this guide, I will explore various techniques that will help you create dynamic and compelling war narratives, transporting your readers to the heart of the action and leaving them breathless.
Setting the Stage: Creating a Compelling War Setting
When it comes to writing gripping war scenes, creating a vivid and immersive setting is paramount. Whether you are crafting a historical war or inventing a fictional conflict, the setting serves as the backdrop against which your characters and their stories unfold. Here are essential steps to help you create a compelling war setting that captures readers' imaginations:
Research Historical Context or Build a Fictional World:
For historical wars, immerse yourself in research to understand the time period, social dynamics, and political climate surrounding the conflict. This knowledge will lend authenticity and depth to your narrative.
If you're building a fictional world, establish the rules, geography, and cultural aspects that shape the war. Consider the unique elements that set your world apart and make it feel real to readers.
Describe the Physical Environment and Atmosphere:
Depict the landscape, whether it's a war-torn city, a rugged battlefield, or a desolate wasteland. Pay attention to sensory details—sights, sounds, smells—to transport readers into the heart of the war.
Convey the atmosphere of the setting, capturing the tension, fear, or anticipation that hangs in the air. Is it shrouded in darkness and despair, or does a glimmer of hope persist? Use descriptive language to evoke the desired emotional response.
Incorporate Cultural and Societal Elements:
Explore how the war has affected the culture and society within your setting. Are there new traditions, rituals, or customs that have emerged in response to the conflict?
Consider the social dynamics at play—class divisions, power struggles, or the impact of war on marginalized groups. These elements add layers of complexity to your setting and provide opportunities for conflict and character development.
By carefully constructing your war setting, you transport readers into a world brimming with authenticity and intrigue. Whether it's the trenches of World War I, a futuristic intergalactic battle, or a mythical realm engulfed in strife, the setting sets the stage for compelling storytelling.
Building Conflict and Tension
In the realm of war fiction, conflict and tension are the driving forces that propel your narrative forward and keep readers captivated. From the clash of opposing ideologies to the internal struggles within characters, here are essential techniques for building conflict and tension in your war scenes:
Establish Clear Goals and Stakes for Characters:
Define the objectives and desires of your main characters within the war. What are they fighting for? What personal or collective goals are at stake?
Create conflicts of interest between characters, where their motivations and objectives may diverge, leading to tension-filled interactions and confrontations.
Introduce Opposing Forces and Ideologies:
Develop compelling adversaries that challenge your protagonists. These opposing forces may represent different sides of the conflict, ideologies, or even personal vendettas.
Explore the contrasting beliefs, values, and philosophies driving each side, heightening the ideological clash and intensifying the conflict.
Utilize Internal Conflicts within Characters:
Explore the internal struggles and moral dilemmas faced by your characters. How does the war affect their beliefs, principles, and sense of self?
Delve into the emotional turmoil and psychological toll of war, showcasing the internal battles characters face as they navigate the chaos and make difficult choices.
By effectively building conflict and tension, you create a dynamic and engaging narrative that keeps readers invested in your war story. The clash of goals, the ideological friction, and the internal struggles of your characters add layers of complexity and depth to your storytelling, drawing readers deeper into the heart of the conflict.
Developing Dynamic Characters
In the realm of war fiction, dynamic and well-developed characters are essential to breathe life into your narrative and create an emotional connection with readers. By crafting relatable protagonists and antagonists, you elevate the impact of your war story. Here are key considerations and techniques for developing dynamic characters within the context of war:
Crafting Relatable Protagonists:
Give your main characters depth and complexity by exploring their backgrounds, motivations, and personal histories. What drives them to participate in the war? What are their hopes, fears, and vulnerabilities?
Develop relatable goals and desires for your protagonists that resonate with readers. Show how the war impacts their lives and pushes them to grow, change, or make difficult decisions.
Creating Compelling Antagonists:
Craft antagonists who are more than just one-dimensional villains. Give them their own motivations, beliefs, and reasons for engaging in the war. This adds depth and complexity to their characters, creating a sense of empathy or understanding.
Explore the potential for redemption or transformation within your antagonists. Are they driven by misguided ideals, personal vendettas, or the pressures of their circumstances? Allow their development to challenge readers' perspectives.
Conveying the Psychological Impact of War:
Explore the emotional and psychological toll that war takes on your characters. Depict their fears, traumas, and inner conflicts as they grapple with the horrors and realities of the battlefield.
Show the evolution of their beliefs and perspectives as they confront the brutalities of war. Allow their experiences to shape their character arcs, highlighting the resilience, resilience, and vulnerabilities that emerge in the face of adversity.
By developing dynamic characters in your war narrative, you create a multi-dimensional and emotionally resonant story. Readers will become invested in their journeys, experiencing the triumphs, losses, and personal transformations that unfold throughout the war.
Writing Action-Packed Battle Scenes
Action-packed battle scenes are the heart of war fiction, where the intensity and stakes are at their highest. These scenes immerse readers in the chaos, danger, and adrenaline of the conflict. To craft gripping battle scenes, consider the following techniques:
Structuring Battle Sequences for Maximum Impact:
Begin with a clear sense of purpose for the battle scene. What are the objectives? What is at stake? Establish the goals and set the stage for the conflict.
Build tension gradually, starting with smaller skirmishes or encounters that escalate toward the climactic moments. Consider pacing, alternating moments of heightened action with moments of respite for emotional impact.
Balancing Fast-Paced Action and Descriptive Details:
Use concise and vivid language to convey the fast-paced nature of battle. Focus on capturing the essence of the action, highlighting key movements, and sensory details that immerse readers in the experience.
Strike a balance between brevity and providing enough detail to engage the reader's imagination. Avoid overwhelming readers with excessive description, ensuring that every word serves a purpose and contributes to the overall impact.
Using Sensory Language to Immerse Readers:
Engage multiple senses to transport readers into the battle scene. Describe the sights, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations to evoke a visceral experience.
Leverage sensory details to enhance the emotional impact of the battle, capturing the fear, adrenaline, and urgency felt by characters and evoking a similar response in readers.
Good action-packed battle scenes bring the war to life on the page, immersing readers in the heart-pounding action. Remember to focus not only on the physical aspects of combat but also on the emotional and psychological experiences of your characters. 
Conveying Emotional Resonance
In war fiction, it is crucial to convey the emotional impact of the conflict on both individual characters and the larger society. By tapping into the raw emotions experienced during times of war, you can create a profound connection with your readers. Here are key techniques for conveying emotional resonance in your war narrative:
Show the Human Cost of War:
Portray the personal sacrifices, losses, and tragedies that characters endure in the face of war. Highlight the emotional toll on their relationships, families, and communities.
Explore the range of emotions experienced by characters, such as fear, grief, anger, and resilience. Through their struggles, allow readers to empathize with the profound impact of war on the human psyche.
Engage the Senses to Evoke Emotion:
Utilize sensory language to evoke emotions within readers. Describe the sights, sounds, smells, and tactile sensations associated with war to create a vivid and immersive experience.
Connect specific sensory details to the emotions they evoke. For example, the acrid stench of smoke may elicit a sense of danger or the distant cries of anguish may stir feelings of sorrow.
Develop Authentic and Complex Relationships:
Showcase the bonds formed and tested amidst the chaos of war. Explore friendships, romances, and the camaraderie among soldiers to highlight the connections that sustain characters in the face of adversity.
Depict the conflicts and tensions that arise within relationships due to the strain of war. This adds layers of emotional complexity and authenticity to your narrative.
By effectively conveying emotional resonance, you invite readers to experience the human side of war. They will connect with the characters on a deeper level and become emotionally invested in their journeys.
Navigating Moral and Ethical Dilemmas
War is often accompanied by moral and ethical dilemmas that test the values and principles of individuals and societies. As a war fiction writer, it is important to explore these complexities and shed light on the difficult choices characters face. Here are key considerations for navigating moral and ethical dilemmas in your war narrative:
Present Conflicting Perspectives:
Introduce characters with differing moral viewpoints and beliefs. Show the diversity of perspectives within the war, whether it's among the protagonists, antagonists, or the larger society.
Challenge readers to contemplate the gray areas of morality and the complexities of right and wrong by presenting conflicting viewpoints and the reasons behind them.
Highlight the Consequences of Choices:
Illustrate the consequences of characters' actions and decisions. Showcase how their choices ripple through the narrative, affecting themselves and those around them.
Explore the moral dilemmas characters face, such as choosing between duty and personal convictions, sacrificing the few for the many, or grappling with the aftermath of their actions.
Offer Reflection and Discussion:
Provide opportunities for characters to reflect on their choices, engaging in internal dialogue or discussions with others. This allows readers to contemplate the moral implications alongside the characters.
Invite readers to reflect on their own moral compass and engage in discussions surrounding the ethical dimensions raised in your war narrative.
Navigating moral and ethical dilemmas makes your war fiction go beyond the surface-level action and delve into the deeper questions of humanity. It prompts readers to question their own values, moral boundaries, and the intricate web of choices that arise in times of conflict. 
Research and Authenticity in War Fiction
For war fiction to have a lasting impact, it is crucial to conduct thorough research and strive for authenticity in your narrative. By grounding your story in accurate details and historical context, you enhance its credibility and immerse readers in the world of war. Here are key considerations for incorporating research and authenticity in your war fiction:
Study Historical Events and Settings:
Research the historical events, conflicts, and time periods that serve as the backdrop for your war narrative. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the context, including the political, social, and cultural factors that influenced the war.
Dive into the specifics of battle strategies, weaponry, and tactics employed during the time period. This knowledge will help you create authentic and realistic war scenes.
Explore Personal Accounts and Memoirs:
Read personal accounts, memoirs, and interviews of individuals who have experienced war firsthand. These sources provide invaluable insights into the emotions, challenges, and nuances of the human experience during wartime.
Pay attention to the details of daily life, the physical and psychological tolls, and the individual stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience. Incorporate these elements into your narrative to add depth and authenticity.
Consult Experts and Military Advisers:
Seek guidance from military advisers, historians, or experts in the field to ensure accuracy in depicting military operations, protocols, and terminology.
Engage in conversations or interviews with individuals who have expertise in areas relevant to your story, such as veterans, soldiers, or scholars. Their perspectives can offer valuable insights and help you portray the realities of war with authenticity.
Strive for Emotional Truth:
While research and accuracy are crucial, remember that emotional truth is equally important. Balance historical accuracy with the emotional resonance of your characters and their experiences.
Capture the human aspects of war, such as the impact on relationships, the psychological trauma, and the bonds forged in the face of adversity. Connect readers to the emotional core of your story.
By incorporating thorough research and striving for authenticity, you create a rich and immersive war narrative that resonates with readers. The combination of accurate historical details, personal accounts, and emotional depth brings your story to life.
War fiction is a genre that holds immense power to captivate readers, evoke emotions, and shed light on the complexities of human nature during times of conflict. Through the techniques and considerations I have explored in this guide, you have the tools to craft compelling war narratives that resonate with authenticity and engage your readers on a profound level.
I hope this blog on forging epic battles will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 
Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and marketing tools for authors every Monday and Thursday
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oblivionax · 3 months
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Here's my ultimate character profile template that helps define crucial details of any important character in your story, may additionally help with outline, plot holes, and even writer's block if you're stuck or losing interest:
Name:
Gender:
Personality type: (unnecessary, but may be helpful with making your cast diverse and assigning more realistic fears and desires, e.g., enneagram)
Desires: (what does your character want?)
Fears: (what keeps them from getting it?)
Beliefs and misbeliefs: (what does your character need to change their mind about in order to overcome their fear and get what they desire? There's also beliefs in this part, because some things your character believes in don't necessarily change, but if they can somehow affect the plot, why not mention it? It doesn't necessarily have to be bad)
Social life: (how does your character behave around their family? Their friends? Strangers? Rivals? Enemies?)
Addiction: (what habits does your character possess? What or who do they depend on? Do they always need something in their hands to fidget with? Or do they often ask for a light?)
Self image: (how does your character view themselves personally? What are their imperfections they feel bad about? What are the parts of their appearance they're proud of? Do not confuse with physical description!)
Physical decription: (do not confuse with the former! What does your character look like to others?)
Backstory: (here's your time to shine by using everything we established in previous parts by explaining the reason behind each (but not necessarily every single one) part. For example: where did your character's fears come from? Their desire? Their misbeliefs? The ugly scar they're so uneasy about? Why do they smoke or need fidget toys? Why are they more friendly to strangers than their own family? Etc.)
Here's the blank version to copy and paste into your projects. Feel free to use, change, ignore some parts, or add your own:
Name:
Gender:
Personality type:
Desires:
Fears:
Beliefs and misbeliefs:
Social life:
Addiction:
Self image:
Physical description:
Backstory:
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not-poignant · 1 month
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Raphael has a very poetic and grandiose way of speaking that is absolutely not the norm for day-to-day life. How do you get in the mindset to come up with his dialogues? They're perfection and I just can't even imagine how long it would take to do one paragraph of the way he talks, but you're writing an entire story with him...
Oh I love this question because I can answer it, lol sadlkjfsda
Okay so, Raphael's character is tough for me.
Normally I do a lot of dialogue research before starting to write a character in fanfiction and original fiction, but Raphael actually gets proportionately very few lines that really show his full emotional range (compared to say, Astarion), and he's got an incredibly specific way of talking that sounds similar to Astarion but at the same time is very different.
They share enough similarities (calling people darling and dear for example) that it's easy to fall into the trap of giving them the same 'voice.'
I find Astarion's voice a lot easier to 'get' and I feel like I can hear him better when I'm writing him. But Raphael I'm taking into emotional spaces we simply never see in the game, and then I have to really guess how he'd sound (like coming up with the idea that the theatricality vanishes when Raphael is genuinely panicking).
I ended up listening to a lot of interviews with Andrew Wincott, the Voice Actor for Raphael who is an incredible actor and extremely articulate. He was very clear in one of his interviews that one of the reasons he was selected to play Raphael was because, in part, he already sounded like him. Obviously there's differences / skill in changing cadence and more, but for the most part, Andrew Wincott uses similar vocabulary and talks in a similar manner to Raphael naturally, so I had an abundance of interviews that I could then listen to in order to get a feel for Raphael's voice. I picked the things that felt more 'Raphael' and added them to my dialogue notes.
I often have to go back and edit Raphael's dialogue. Sometimes it's very simple things, I had him say 'much more' in the chapter I'm editing right now, and I edited it to 'far more' because I think he'd just phrase it like that. Sometimes I expand a sentence into an entire paragraph.
I've also leaned a lot from Korilla's transcripts in the game, which have been super useful. They really cement, more than anything, how much he loves lullabies, nursery rhymes, children's tales and more.
HOW TO DO DIALOGUE RESEARCH:-
If you're new to dialogue research, it mostly involves listening to - and watching a character and then literally taking notes of how they talk. The things you observe are:
The tone of their voice - Fast or slow. Loud or soft. Musical or flat. Theatrical or matter-of-fact. High or low. Questioning or complete statements. Considered or hedging (i.e. very well constructed sentences, or a lot of pauses, ellipses, broken sentences). Rambling or concise.
How often they talk - Some characters actually say a lot with very little. Raphael is actually a lot of observation and facial expressions and eyebrow movements in between his dialogue. Little smirks, hand gestures and more. Do they interrupt or let people finish their sentences? Are they comfortable with silence? I find Raphael oscillates between long theatrical paragraphs, single sentences or words, and then a lot of silence. He's actually not very conversational, in that you can have a conversation with him, but I doubt he'd see the point of two hours of small-talk. (At this point you might be realising that dialogue research is also character research, how a character talks tells you so much about a character.)
The words (and metaphors/subjects) they use - This is a big one and I'm going to break this down a little bit more:
How they pause if they don't know what to say. Is it 'um' 'uh' 'ah' 'hm' 'mm' 'mn' or nothing at all (or something else) because they've mastered self-control over their dialogue? If Raphael says 'ah' he does so on purpose.
Filler words. Things like characters saying 'like' in a sentence. 'He was like, 'I can't believe it'' etc. This is very similar to how they pause, but it's the things people say to get from point A to point B. People who don't do this have often had training or think very hard about what they're going to say before they say it. But people say 'like' or 'and then' or 'well' or 'i realised that' or 'i thought that' etc. to carry them on. Some are more acceptable than others (people do just have realisations for example).
Profanity. How often do they swear, and how intentional is it? Some characters only swear when they get hurt or stub their toe or get angry. Some characters swear all the time for fun. Some characters only use some swear words and not others. Be specific. Be aware that some swear words are cultural! This includes blasphemy. In Faerun they use 'gods' and 'gods damn it' more often than we use 'god' or 'oh my god.'
Vulgarity. This is useful for Raphael (and Astarion) because he's very happy to be vulgar. This is like... how comfortable are they talking about sex, about sexual subjects, being crude, being seductive, flirtatious? And if they use it, do they use vulgarity to shock, seduce, scare, threaten, or for humour?
Salutations and farewells. How do they greet people? Silence? A calm hello? (A lot of greetings are omitted in dialogue but this is still good to know). How do they say hello, goodbye. How does that change between friends and enemies and strangers?
Single word sentences. This might sound weird, but sometimes when a character hears something that shocks them, or needs to acknowledge something, they may say anything from 'huh' to 'yeah' to 'fuck' to 'okay' to 'all right' to 'sure' to 'go on' to 'indeed' to just laughing out loud. The list goes on. Raphael is team 'indeed' lmao.
Sentence structure. Raphael's sentence structure is - when he's most comfortable - gently provoking, teasing, vaguely threatening, and makes liberal use of simile, metaphor, fairy tale, rhyme, sayings, colloquialisms and more. Raphael talks like someone who knows someone could quote him at any moment lmao. But from here, how a character structures their sentences can be helpful to know. Go back to 'the tone of their voice.' Those notes will give you an idea of structure.
Emotionality. How emotional are they? Do they have rage rants? Joyful giggling dialogue? Do they infodump with little emotion? Or with sheer excitement? Does their dialogue feel fake or real? Opaque or transparent? Some people wear their hearts on their sleeves, and others will never be able to say 'I love you' in anything other than actions. Raphael's emotionality in dialogue is more present in his anger and irritation, and also when he feels triumphant and/or turned on.
The symbols, sayings, colloquialisms and metaphors themselves. Not all characters use these. But some people/characters will talk through analogies, colloquialisms. This is actually Raphael's biggest dialogue departure from Astarion, imho, aside from the fact that Astarion is a lot more emotional with his dialogue.
Take into account their culture, ethnicity, conceits, upbringing, education and the people they're close to:
This one is vital. Firstly, some people tend to 'absorb' elements of those around them. A person raised by affluent people will often 'sound affluent' and a person raised in poverty will often have dialogue that reflects this and if they don't there will be reasons for that. It might be a conceit (some people self-teach themselves different accents), it might be education, it might be training, it might be the subculture/s they've entered into, and so on.
~
When doing this research, you'll end up with a kind of master-list of actual words and probably some sentences you've written down, along with a lot of notes. You can also do this for any original characters you're making at all, you're just then making it up based on the character, and this research will also give in many ways the shape of the character.
It's a fun exercise and I highly recommend everyone tries it literally for people who don't exist and also observe your friends and family, and do a dialogue cheat sheet for some of them. It's pretty eye-opening! Even one page will teach you more than nothing at all. You can go deep and write many pages, or you can do what I do and keep it lean at 2 pages. Anyone who struggles with characterisation I suggest at least try this exercise, because anyone can put on a YouTube video and/or streaming service or even a favourite Tiktoker and start doing dialogue research! It's a way of building a character from the top down while also getting information about their foundations.
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sexual tension dialogue ♡
{i’m aware that this dialogue prompt may not be for everyone, but sometimes you need to add some to spice up your text/novel/book! enjoy babies!} don’t be shy to use! - ‘don’t act like you don’t want this, baby’ - ‘god, you don’t realise what you do to me’ - ‘look at me, and only me’ - ‘my eyes are up here darling’ - ‘oh, sorry, i didn’t realise my hand had gotten so high up your thigh’ - look me in my eyes and beg for it’ - ‘don’t act shy now babe, we both know how you are when we’re not in public’ - ‘who cares if we’re in public?’ - ‘touch me, please’ - ‘oh, really?’ - ‘make me’ - ‘come closer then’ - ‘don’t make me come over there’ - ‘don’t stop… don’t ever stop’ - ‘do you just wanna get out of here?’ - ‘such a tease you are sometimes’ - ‘do you really mean it?’
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sudharsanuniverse · 4 months
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Top 20 beyond basic tips to improve your descriptive writing 💭✒️
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1. Involve your senses in descriptive writing, appealing to sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.
2. Integrate dialogues effectively to bring characters and situations to life.
3. Use metaphors and similes to make your portrayals more vivid and imaginative.
4. Experiment with unique perspectives or points of view to add a fresh angle to your narrative.
5. Create a strong sense of atmosphere and mood to enhance the overall tone of your piece.
6. Include suspense or surprise elements to enchant your readers.
7. Use symbolism to add layers of meaning to your writing.
8. Develop a consistent and original voice that reflects your personal style.
9. Play with pacing to control the rhythm and flow of your narrative.
10. Show empathy in your character portrayals to make them more relatable.
11. Build pressure gradually and release it strategically for a compelling storyline.
12. Blend humor to inje1ct a touch of personality into your writing.
13. Employ the "show, don't tell" method by allowing actions to reveal emotions and motivations.
14. Break away from linear storytelling with non-linear narrative structures.
15. Try different genres to broaden your writing skills.
16. Frame memorable and thought-provoking endings that leave a lasting impression.
17. Invent a strong opening and closing sentence for each paragraph to enrich structure.
18. Capture unique and conceivable dialogue patterns to make characters distinct.
19. Develop a balance between description and action to maintain a dynamic pace.
20. Use literary devices like foreshadowing or symbolism to add depth to your writing.
Was it helpful?
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For more writing topics, follow me at @sudharsanuniverse
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tawus · 7 months
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finxi-writes · 4 months
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What to do when you’re stuck in a scene
This is something that I always used to do wrong until now and I want to share it in case someone else is doing it, it’s very simple but it’s important. This really helped me today when I was stuck in a scene.
If you don’t know what to do next in a scene or chapter and you’re stuck, or if you have a plan for the scene and you’re trying to follow the plan as closely as possible, do not rush the ending.
This is seriously important. If you’re stuck, NEVER just end the scene quickly. I know it’s tempting to finish that annoying scene quickly so that you can move on to the next one. But if you try to end something as quickly as possible, the ending will feel forced, rushed, and unrealistic.
Instead, let the characters lead the scene.
I know that sounds controversial, because writing advice is always telling you not to lose the control over the scene, and I agree with that. But in my opinion, this is an exception (only when it’s a single scene though). You can’t come up with a satisfying ending of the scene anyway, so why don’t you relax and watch what the characters can turn this into?
It’s kind of hard to explain this, but when you’re stuck somewhere and can’t figure out a way to keep the scene interesting, just think of what a character would realistically do or say in this situation. It doesn’t necessarily have to advance the plot. I know a lot of writers say everything needs to advance the plot, but character development is just as important. Just make one character say or do something that they would realistically say in this situation and let the other characters react to that.
I once saw another writer (@the.plottery on Instagram) say that seeing dialogue as a game of ping pong can help build tension, just keep going back and forth until the tension has reached it’s highest points (or something like that, i don’t remember the exact words). I think that’s great advice, it helps keep the scene interesting without rushing through it. It even works when you have zero inspiration, as long as you don’t rush to your point immediately and build the tension up. Just keep the replies going and your scene will create itself. Moments like these keep the scene interesting and dynamic and help add depth to the scene.
Good luck with the story :)
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writingseaslugs · 1 year
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Super random question, but what advice would you have for someone who wants to get into writing smut? I really want to try, but I get so nervous about it sounding weird or just coming off wrong altogether. ^^; Thanks in advance! ❤️
Aight, so anyone who knows me knows that I like to give very long-winded explanations to simple questions, and this is no exception! So here's my process that I wished I had known when I first started writing smut, as well as a few resources. This is going to be mainly for Fanfiction writing, but you can apply this for Original Works as well.
Step 1: The Cast
Figuring out who is gonna be in the story is always a good first step. Whether it be OCs, Fandom Characters, Self-Inserts, or a Reader Insert. Knowing who will be starring is the first thing you need to know. If you're using OC(s), then make sure you know your own character. Fill out a mini form for writing them so you know who they are. If it's a character from a fandom, I like to "interview" the character to get to know them. Let's do a quick example!
Interview Example
Interviewer: "So what was it first like to come to land?"
Floyd: "Eh, what a boring question. It was kinda weird but fun, though none of us could walk. It was so funny seeing Azul fall right on his face. Oh, he told us never to tell anyone; too late for that now. Hey, how about we move on to a better question!"
Normally I just do a few of those until I get a grasp on the characters before I write them for the first time!
Step 2: The Idea
The next step is easy, find a prompt or idea to write about. If you already have something in mind, that's great! If not, you can always go on Tumblr and look up spicy prompts. Anything to get your mind working. Once you have a prompt write a paragraph about what is gonna happen in the story.
Step 3: Outlining
With normal stories I seldom ever outline...but for smut, I need to. It helps you know exactly what's going to happen. I normally write a sentence for every paragraph I'm writing and go from there.
Outlining Example:
Floyd walks in on Reader relaxing
The reader notices and waves him in
Floyd wraps his arm around Reader
Reader jokes with Floyd
Floyd nibbles on their ear
Using the Outline:
Floyd's footsteps echo throughout Ramshackle as he runs through the building, intent on finding you. Once he came to your door he didn't bother knocking, instead walking in on you.
You hear your door slamming open and turn to see Floyd standing there, shooting you a toothy grin. You give a small laugh and wave him inside the room. He didn't need to be told twice, using his long legs to make quick strides over to you.
Floyd wraps his arm around Reader
Reader jokes with Floyd
Floyd nibbles on their ear
Hope that helps you with how I make and use outlines. I mainly just write down the simple idea for the paragraph then once I finish the outline, I go through each one and fill in the details of what's going on.
Step 4: Writing
The next step is the hard part...you actually have to write things. Everything else was child's play, but now you need to write everything out! Just a few pieces of advice I have for writing sex scenes is:
Focus on sensations: What does your character feel when his hand touches them. If you can't think of something imagine yourself in that place. A cool hand runs across your own arm. Perhaps you get goosebumps, maybe a small shiver, perhaps you gasp in surprise? Focus on things like that.
Internal Things: What does the character's heart do? Skip a beat or does it beat too fast? Do they have butterflies in their stomach or a piece of lead dropping down in their gut?
Dialogue: Personally I love writing dialogue when doing smut. The character banter is everything to me, and the dirty talk? It's got people rolling when a character says something downright filthy.
Those are a few things I focus on. Here's a resource I use for kissing scenes since I feel like mine fall flat, so I've been working on them. It also helps to use different verbs when describing things. I use this often for reference.
Remember it's fine to use vulgar words when writing smut, in fact, people tend to like it. The flowery language is fine if that's your style, but you do you. It'll be embarrassing at first but push through, eventually you'll write it with a straight face.
Step 5: Get Free Labor From Friends
After you finish, send it out to a few friends and have them read it over for you. Aka ask if they can just fix any typos and get free editing out of your well-forged friendships. Remember, if you put in the effort to have friends, you deserve to force them to work for free. Queenie, I swear it's a joke please don't murder me.
But seriously, I recommend sending it to a friend to have them look over things and give some advice. You don't have to post your first few smuts, but def have a second opinion on it.
Lastly...it's possibly going to suck. Like majorly suck your first few attempts. I don't even wanna look at the smuts I wrote when I was learning. They're so bad. Just keep practicing and eventually, you'll get better. I have a lot to improve on myself, so it's always a work in progress.
Bonus Step 6: Read Smut
You can't write something if you don't read for it...so go and read some smut and see what they do. Trust me, it's needed.
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deliciouskeys · 3 months
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Just out of curiosity.
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chrysoula · 4 months
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Wanderer and the Monkey King
I'm just thinking aloud. I like how Hoyoverse approaches story and character. Even how they screw it up feels right. I feel like I understand a lot. Wanderer is the toy soldier, the tin man, Pinocchio, the cast-aside toy. We all know this guy. He's everywhere. He's a fun story. With a nice layer of setting and plot patched in, he gets the job done. But Wanderer is also the Monkey King. A reformed criminal in service to a wise child, who fights by zooming around in the air? Oh yes. Rude and raucous, antisocial, infuriatingly arrogant? Great story. We love that! And also, he happens to be Wanderer, this unique character linked to Genshin's setting. And we're all glued to our screens over here. What I feel like Hoyo does, the thing I like, is, that the real world lore steps back for Teyvat's own story, and that story thinks about its characters.
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sincerelylaurel · 1 year
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how to write consistently
@mywordsricochet on instagram
source: me <3
hello and welcome back to my page! this post is coming from someone who writes 30k in a month and then takes a 7-month hiatus from writing but i hope it can help some of you!
make writing a habit
it’s always hard at first to make something a habit. most of your habits were difficult at some point, but now you can do them as a regular part of your day. try to make writing a habit. it will be really hard at first, but it takes 3 weeks to develop a new habit and once you’ve reached that point, it will be easier. trust me.
enjoy writing, but don’t let a bad day screw you up
write because you love it. it’s easier to make a habit out of something that you already enjoy doing. however, one bad day doesn’t mean you get to skip. try to push through and write on the bad days too. once you can do this, writing will be easier to do, no matter the circumstances.
set aside time for writing
waking up 20 minutes earlier to write can make a huge difference. personally i love to wake up early, but figure out what time works best for you! carve out a 20-minute block of time for writing and writing only. limit distractions during this time and set an achievable goal for those 20 minutes.
set attainable goals
start small. even if 200-300 words a day seems like nothing to you, it means you can write a chapter a week, which isn’t nothing. getting started is the hardest part of doing anything, so just try to write for 2 minutes. write a few sentences. once you get in the flow, it’s so much easier to keep going!
accountability
find an accountability buddy. if you don’t like humans you can pick a stuffed animal to be your “writing buddy” and have them watch you as you write. share your goals with people and celebrate your progress as you go! if you have a writergram account, you can make a highlight with your progress, for example. hopefully this will allow people to encourage you as well :)
don’t let yourself get stuck
this is probably the most common source of writer’s block. you can’t write consistently if you’re stuck in your writing. every so often, you’ll stumble across a scene you simply cannot bring yourself to write, either because it’s too boring or you just can’t think of the words needed to write this bit. don’t let yourself get stuck. skip the scene and come back to it later, or write out the basic things that need to happen in this scene. you could even write only the dialogue, if it helps. some people like to write scenes out of order, which can help with this situation. however if you’re a chronological writer like me, just get something down on paper (or document) and move on. keep your momentum and flow going!
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hayatheauthor · 11 months
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Writing a Creepy Setting: Tips and Examples
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Creating a creepy setting is an essential element of horror and suspense writing. It sets the tone for the story, establishes a mood, and can make the reader feel like they are part of the experience. A good setting can be as much a character in the story as any of the people involved, adding to the tension and keeping the reader engaged. 
Whether you're writing a novel, a short story, or a screenplay, crafting a creepy setting can be a challenging but rewarding experience. Unsure how to write a creepy setting? Here are some tips and examples to help you create a setting that will send shivers down your readers' spines.
Use Descriptive Language
To create a creepy setting, it’s important to use vivid and descriptive language to engage your reader's senses. The more senses you can activate, the more immersive the setting becomes. Use descriptive language to evoke strong emotions in your reader, whether it's fear, disgust, or unease.
For example, instead of simply describing a room as "dark," you could use phrases like "light-starved" or "shrouded in shadows." Instead of a "creaking door," you could use "a tortured groan that reverberated through the empty hall." The more specific and visceral your language, the more your reader will feel like they're in the story.
Just be careful not to go overboard with your descriptions. Too much description can slow down the pacing of your story and distract from the overall mood you're trying to create. Use just enough description to set the tone and let the reader's imagination fill in the rest.
Create An Unsettling Environment 
In addition to descriptive language, utilizing sound and lighting can also help create a creepy setting. Sound can be used to create tension and unease, while lighting can play a crucial role in setting the tone and mood.
For example, you can use flickering lights to create an unsettling effect. The sudden and irregular changes in lighting can make your readers feel like something is amiss, or that danger is lurking just around the corner. Similarly, you can use deep shadows to create a sense of foreboding, or bright lights to create a sense of unease or discomfort.
When it comes to sound, you can use a variety of techniques to create a creepy atmosphere. For instance, you can use dissonant or jarring sounds to create a sense of chaos or confusion. Alternatively, you can use eerie, quiet sounds to create a sense of tension and anticipation.
Some examples of unsettling sounds you can use include creaking doors, footsteps, distant screams or laughter, whispers, or even the sound of breathing. You can also play around with the volume and timing of these sounds to create a sense of unease or suspense.
Overall, by using sound and lighting to create a creepy setting, you can immerse your readers in the world of your story and make them feel like they are part of the action. This can help to heighten the tension and suspense, and keep your readers engaged and invested in your story.
Use Appropriate Settings 
Using weather can be an effective way to create a creepy and unsettling atmosphere in your setting. For example, a sudden storm or a dense fog can obscure visibility and make characters feel isolated and vulnerable. Conversely, an oppressive heatwave can create a sense of claustrophobia and discomfort.
Consider how you can use weather to enhance the mood of your scene. Use vivid descriptions to bring the weather to life and make it feel like a character in its own right. You could also use weather to foreshadow events or create a sense of foreboding. For example, a sudden drop in temperature or an unnatural silence in the midst of a storm can signal that something unsettling is about to happen.
Don't be afraid to get creative with your use of weather. Experiment with different weather patterns and their effects on your characters and setting. With the right combination of descriptive language and atmospheric detail, you can use weather to immerse your readers in a creepy and unsettling world.
Set the Scene
When it comes to creating a creepy setting, it's important to set the scene properly. This means creating a vivid picture in the reader's mind of where the story takes place. The setting should be described in a way that immediately evokes a sense of unease or foreboding, and it should be clear that something is not quite right.
To do this effectively, you need to pay attention to the details. Describe the lighting, the sounds, the smells, and the textures of the environment in great detail. Think about the layout of the space and how it affects the characters and the story. Is it cramped and claustrophobic, or vast and empty?
For example, consider the opening scene of Stephen King's "The Shining." He sets the scene by describing the hotel as "huge, great, titanic, yet full of queer old-fashioned charm." He goes on to describe the long, empty hallways and the way the light filters through the dusty windows, creating strange patterns on the walls. By the end of the first page, the reader is already feeling a sense of unease and foreboding, even though nothing has really happened yet.
Use the Five Senses
To create a truly immersive and creepy setting, it's important to engage all of your reader's senses. By utilizing sensory language, you can transport your readers directly into the scene and make them feel like they're experiencing it firsthand.
Here are some ways to incorporate the five senses into your writing:
Sight: Use vivid descriptions to paint a picture in your reader's mind. For example, "The moon cast an eerie glow on the deserted streets, casting long shadows behind the empty buildings."
Sound: Describe the sounds that your characters hear, whether it's the creaking of old floorboards or the distant howl of a wolf. This can help create an atmosphere of tension and unease.
Touch: Consider how different textures and sensations might affect your characters. Is the air damp and clammy? Are the walls cold and rough to the touch?
Smell: The sense of smell is closely linked to memory and emotion, so it can be a powerful tool for creating an immersive setting. For example, the smell of rotting wood or musty books might evoke a sense of decay and neglect.
Taste: While taste may not always be relevant in a creepy setting, it can be used sparingly to create a visceral reaction in the reader. For example, the taste of blood in the character's mouth might indicate a traumatic event or dangerous situation.
By incorporating sensory language into your writing, you can create a fully realized and terrifying setting that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats.
Play with Expectations
One effective way to create a creepy setting is to play with the reader's expectations. This can be done in a number of ways, such as subverting a common horror trope or creating a false sense of security before pulling the rug out from under the reader.
For example, if you're writing a horror story that takes place in a haunted house, you could play with the idea of the ghost being a malevolent force. Instead, the ghost could be a sympathetic character that is only seeking peace or justice. This subversion of expectations can create a sense of unease in the reader, as they are unsure of what to expect next.
Another way to play with expectations is to create a false sense of security. For instance, you could introduce a seemingly harmless character that the reader becomes attached to, only to reveal later that they are actually the villain. This can be a powerful tool in creating tension and building suspense.
Remember, playing with expectations doesn't always have to mean subverting them completely. Sometimes, it can be as simple as delaying the expected jump scare or twist, drawing out the tension and making the eventual payoff all the more satisfying.
I hope this blog on writing a creepy setting will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  
Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 
Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and marketing tools for authors every Monday and Thursday
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heywriters · 2 years
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As a general rule, it's good to avoid 'to be' verbs in writing. But what about similies? It's extremely hard to write one without 'is like' or something similar. I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking too much about this. Any thoughts?
Similes, while they are a form of figurative language, to me feel like they are "telling" me about something instead of "showing" me that thing. They are a useful tool in describing something informally, like to a friend, or when you want your comparison to be easily understood, like to a child.
For example,
The messy warehouse was like a jungle with cords and rope hanging like vines. The tall shelves were packed so solid they were like tree trunks.
This does a fine job of describing a scene without being too flat. There is nothing truly wrong with it except the repetition of "like" can get on a writer's nerves, and occasionally a reader's. Compare it to this example,
Vines of cord and rope hung from the rusting jungle of overstocked shelves, unreachable inventory in its canopy.
By using metaphor the scene is more immersive. Instead of simply describing ideas to the reader, metaphors can make them feel and understand those ideas more intimately. Both versions are fine, but each has a different affect.
You do not need to go into your work and remove all the "like" similes. I use them whenever I want to, especially as placeholders in first drafts so I can try to transform them into metaphors later. Then sometimes only a simile will do for a scene, and in that case "is like" is free to stay.
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not-poignant · 10 months
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Techniques for writing a bad drug trip:
We're going to be using excerpts from one of my own chapters here from my story Eversion to discuss the kind of writing techniques that will help make a bad drug trip more believable. In context, the character Connor has nonconsensually been given a synthetic made-up highball of drugs that gives him a horrible time, and this does not accurately reflect what bad drug trips look like across all drugs, for example sometimes throwing up on ayahuasca is a feature, and not a bug. What I'll be focusing on instead are the actual narrative techniques that indicate an affected mind and body vs. specific technques for specific drugs.
Beginning Stages:
Firstly, pre-bad-trip, it's useful to depict your character beforehand as being fully - or as close to fully lucid as possible. Have them realising things, actively thinking, describing their surroundings, and doing things in a kind of logical way - show them doing something mundane even, like walking into a room, or a cafe. In this case, Connor walks into a cafe, describes the cafe, makes some mental notes and then has a lucid conversation.
Next, most of the time any drug gives you physical symptoms even before the bad trip part, so describe those. In this case:
Seconds later Connor’s heart began to race
The needle slid free and Connor hardly felt it.
He stumbled over nothing as he passed the group of cyclists, staring at them as his heart beat harder and harder, as sweat broke out over his forehead.
At this point in the story, another character takes over, the person who gives him the highball picks up the conversation because Connor is overwhelmed by the physical sensations and doesn't feel like talking. He stops thinking about his environment accurately and starts to notice things while dropping others. His thoughts are already being affected.
This is when you can start using techniques like time skipping, forgetfulness, memory loss, or alternatively focusing on one thing a lot and a lot of other things a little.
Connor nodded, thinking that he needed to get away, that he needed to go somewhere. He reached for his phone, but it wasn’t there. Where was his phone? His vision slanted, time slipped away from him. He was beneath a tree, throwing up while Gabriel petted his shoulder and waited beside him.
Here we have a strong time skip - Connor goes from looking for his phone, in the next paragraph he's throwing up by a tree. This progression of events has no logic, except for the bad drug trip. Which means we now know Connor is being really affected by what's happening. These two paragraphs also show forgetfulness - Connor needs to get away / needs to go somewhere, but can't remember where. He looks for his phone, but has forgotten Gabriel took it from him. You don't even need the 'time slipped away from him' description, vision slanting or blurring tends to indicate to readers in situations like this that someone is being quite seriously affected by what's happening to them.
Middle Stages:
Then, he was walking, but couldn’t think past the scattered, rushing noises in his ears, looking like black jags across his vision.
He landed hard on his knees and stared down bewildered at the grass. He looked around, vision turning to brightness, cars zooming by too fast and too large, the sky distorted, the clouds inverting. He raised a hand to his head, but another hand – warm and gentle – rested at his temple, thumb gently stroking. Connor leaned into it, whimpering.
We're doing a lot of time skipping now, alongside mental symptoms.
The writing technique itself is changing. In one sentence we cover a lot of choppy subjects - vision turning bright, cars too fast, sky distorting, clouds inverting. It gives a sense of too much information happening at the same time - Connor's senses are overwhelmed.
This kind of choppy information can be delivered in short complete sentences, but I liked one run-on sentence here because it gives that sense of 'and then this and this and this and this and this' which is sometimes how it feels to have too much information coming in at once.
It's also making use of the senses. We have vision and hearing and touch all in the same paragraph. We also have 'too fast' 'too large' - things are too much. Not only that, but describing things as distorted indicates strongly that Connor's already hallucinating and hasn't realised yet.
At this point in your bad drug trip, you should not be using your regular writing style. If your character isn't thinking like normal, you might want to consider also not writing 'like normal' for that character.
(This is the same for when a character is having a flashback, is overwhelmed, or is experiencing something intense for any reason).
He took great, shuddering breaths and then pressed shaking fingers to his stomach. The knot of pain in his thigh was manifesting there as well.
Now, for the bad drug trip to truly be bad, we also have the physicality of the experience. The body comes along for the ride and it often feels like it's dying during a bad drug trip.
Huge shuddering breaths and shaking hands can indicate an overloaded nervous system, also someone who might be going into shock, or who is hyperventilating, or who is literally experiencing respiratory distress. We don't have to know what it is - one or all of them could be true! A person on a bad drug trip, unless they're a medical professional or experienced with bad drug trips, will not know or be assessing what is happening to them as it happens.
He flinched back when he saw black inching out from beneath his knees on the grass, dimly knew it as a hallucination before that awareness vanished and he pushed himself back and away.
Boop a hallucination. Connor was already hallucinating, but now he realises too. You don't need to include this. I was writing a smart, analytical character, and he does know he's having a bad drug trip, so he's allowed little moments of realisation. Your character might know more, or they might know less.
Intense / Peak Stages:
He could feel the way his body pulsed at discordant rhythms, too fast, too slow, never in sync throughout his body. The tips of his fingers were throbbing. His feet felt like stones. He looked at Gabriel’s perfect beard and thought of tearing his face off. It would be brief, brutal, bloody, but then he could just lie down.
Writing emotional distortion here is that Connor feels like behaving violently, which - to this degree - isn't normal for him. The drug overdose is making him vengeful. We know it's part of the drug overdose because the first part of the paragraph focuses on all his physical symptoms. The drug trip might make your character too terrified to function, it might make them aroused (i.e. fuck or die sex pollen scenarios), it might make them giddy. Have some emotional distortion going on on some level. Even if it's extreme anhedonia or apathy in the face of potentially dying.
The hospital was clearly giving him too many sedatives. He didn’t know how to tell them that he had no tolerance, he couldn’t take the dosages that his father was pushing for.
Now we hit full flashback. Connor now believes he's being overdosed with sedatives in the hospital, and is no longer in the present at all. He's not even 'I remember' - he's just there. Flashbacks won't happen with every bad drug trip but they are common to any bad drug trip that is hallucinatory in nature.
Connor stared up at the ceiling of his apartment, and his hands rested on the floor. His heart was beating far too fast, fluttering in his chest. He felt hazy. Every now and then he had to clench his hands into fists so tight that his knuckles ached. A compulsion. He couldn’t stop himself from doing it. He’d feel himself shake, and then he’d stop, and he’d stare upwards. He was lying on the floor.
Connor stared ahead. The corner of his mouth felt wet. He was drooling. His fingers and toes kept twitching against his will.
What Connor is describing now is seizure activity.
Connor isn't consciously clenching his hands into fists, his body is doing that. He calls it a compulsion, but it's not. Feeling your body shake and then stop and then shake again is - in this instance for Connor - active seizure activity.
Not all seizures cause full unconsciousness of the entire brain, for example. Connor doesn't know what's happening to him, but we can tell from the physical symptoms here - heart fast and fluttering, feeling hazy, physical movements completely beyond his control - that he's now in a danger zone.
If you want the bad drug trip to reach 'a normal person would be in an ambulance by now' - this is a good place to be. Focus on strange sensations of the heart, the pulse, shaking, the sensation of overheating or being too cold. If you want, look up the symptoms of shock, or tachycardia.
Aftermath of bad drug trip:
In the aftermath of a bad drug trip, be aware that it can take some time for a person's thoughts to return to normal. Don't write an instant return to normalcy once a person is physically stabilised. Often they show mood shifts that are quite profound. Even a person coming down from MDMA often experiences depression or flatness after a great night out with zero negative memories.
Normal aftermaths/ongoing side effects from bad drug trips include apathy, depression, suicidal ideation, anhedonia, flatness, lethargy, exhaustion (literally, the body physically went through several marathons), pain, and foggy, disconnected thinking (both because the brain went through something traumatic and the drugs take a while to work through the system). GI (gastrointestional disturbances) are common, from 'not going to the bathroom at all' to 'diarrhea' etc. Sometimes these after-effects last days, sometimes they last weeks, sometimes they even last months.
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So! In summary helpful techniques for bad drug trips can include:
Shorter, choppier sentences to indicate overwhelm
Physical symptoms being 'experienced' - character often doesn't know what's happening except in special circumstances
A progression of physical symptoms.
Focus on all of the senses
Hallucinations and/or flashbacks (one usually happens with the other)
Unusual emotional affect or emotional distortion
Time skips / non-linear time jumps
Inability to think properly
Focusing on some things too much and other things not at all
Realising there is a progression, that must include a heavy aftermath (unless you're trying to be special, or unless it's one of the few drugs that can make you feel unusually euphoric afterwards and then there's still usually a crash after that lmao)
Different drugs create different, known effects, however, people will have different 'bad drug trips' depending on their circumstances.
I'm a little bit afraid this post is going to crash so I'm going to post it now! And for that anon who asked me what kind of writing I used - this is it! :D
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overly cute and lovey dialogue♡
{i tried to make these gender neutral, but you can of course change them or add in your characters pronouns if you wish!} don't be shy to use! - 'don't smile at me like that,' - 'you're literally so adorable i wanna squish your cheeks' - 'i'm one hundred percent sure you're all i think about,' - 'i missed you so much, - 'get over here, cutie' - 'tell me you love me,' - i love you so so much!' - ugh, i hate how cute you are' - 'how could i ever say no to that face?' - 'you're the most beautiful person i've ever seen,' - 'shut up, you know you're pretty,' - 'i love it when you hold me here,' - 'your hands feel perfect in my hair,' - 'i told you you'd love it!' - 'look what i made for you!... do you like it?’ - 'gimme a kiss, my love' - 'you know i love you,' - 'come, sit on my lap'
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ebookporn · 1 year
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Writing Your Own Obituary Can Teach You How to Live
Hopefully, I’ll continue to update my own obituary for years to come—and learn something about myself along the way.
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by Meg Dalton
Recently, I sat down to write my own obituary. I’m not dying anytime soon, or at least I hope not. But a few months back, I attended a workshop run by a local library in Connecticut appropriately called “How to Write Your Own Obit.” I wasn’t ready to pen my own obit then, but one misty Tuesday afternoon, I suddenly felt called to do it.
Typically, an obituary has three parts: the beginning, which tells you the name, age, cause of death; the middle, which celebrates the person’s life; and the end, which covers who the person has left behind—those grieving the subject’s death. An easy-enough structure. But I stared at my screen for a solid ten minutes before I wrote a single word. When I finally started typing, the only words that appeared before me were “Meg” and “Dalton”—my first and last name. Next came “died on DATE from THING at AGE.” Because I’m not a psychic and can’t predict when I’m going to die, I had to insert some placeholder text to keep my momentum going. The next words that flowed from my fingers were some of the hard facts you might find in an obituary, specifically where I was born and raised.
I had the most difficulty writing what followed: the part that describes what the person was like and how they spent their life. The reason I struggled at first was, in part, because I’m still figuring out how I want to live my life. Throughout the obituary-writing process, I repeatedly had to ask myself: “How do I want to be remembered?” “What mark do I want to leave on people’s lives?” “What brings me joy?”
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