thats-my-type-writer

[thats-my-type-writer]

things I do to unstick my book

(I’m a pantser!)

Ask if this scene really needs to be a scene or if I can just summarize it

Ask if this summary really needs to be summary or if I need more scene

Write a very focused, very pretty sentence

Circle back a couple scenes & ask if one of them is causing “symptoms” later in the book

Get in and get out (push through a tough scene as fast as possible & then run forward and fast like wind to the next bit)

Add an exciting element (a new character, a change of location, other… things ;))

Pause and revise if I’m feeling destabilized

Be specific about what I DON’T like (example: I can’t get past this scene because the dialogue is so mechanical instead of “ahhh I hate it all”)

Read what I last wrote aloud (to hopefully sink into some momentum) OR get a robot to read it to me

Try a teeny tiny writing sprint (1-5 minutes of nonstop writing)

Write a flashback (bonus points if it’s connected emotionally or plot-wise to the fictive present)

Read from a literary godparent (this is when you pull out the books/stories/poems etc that make you excited about writing!)

Write or brainstorm every possible direction of a scene (sometimes grueling, sometimes worth it)

Sit and think (in a bathtub, on a walk—try to immerse yourself in your story like you’re a random character who got plopped in there; what do you see?)

Method write

Find a word that excites you and use that in your next scene

Double check if you’re hitting the right story beats (or if you skipped one, spent too long on one, spent too little on one, etc)

Write “bare bones” and come back to fine tune it later (similar to get in and get out)

Write with your eyes closed (be warned of incomprehensible text if you can’t type with closed eyes)

Break down your causal chain bit by bit (even the boring parts) and see if there’s a broken link. Then delete the boring parts (sometimes we just need to see how EXACTLY we got to a place and how EXACTLY that leads us to the important bit–I find I missed something critical when I do this).

Rely on crutch words, boring details & trust you can edit it later (sometimes the idea of perfection in draft 1 can be unproductive)

Ask a friend to read the work & tell you what they think (sometimes we need help; writing is hard)

Ask a friend for a compliment read (sometimes we just need to be hyped up)

Change the tense (temporarily & be warned that different tenses may require different approaches when drafting, I only do this when I’m not sure what else to try)

Talk myself through the problem as if I’m talking to a friend (I pull up my notes and literally start typing: “so I’m struggling with XYZ scene right now for XYZ reason and I don’t know what to do. What if XYZ happened, or what if I changed XYZ?”)

Take a break—sometimes I’m just tired/burnt out/not in the mood to write (that’s okay!)

I post more tips I’ve picked up along the way on youtube!

#writing advice

[thats-my-type-writer]

How does one write characters with voices in their head?

My character is eight years old and she's had them for as long as she can remember. She can't understand anything their saying because they speak in tongues. Sometimes they go quiet and sometimes they scream so loud her ears bleed. How would you go about writing such a character? It gets boring when you're always saying 'the voices howled/bellowed/screamed.

Character with Voices in Head

You could alternate between these methods:

-- The silence was interrupted by a hiss inside my head. "Ma-ka-haaaaaaaa na-ka-looooooooh," the voices bellowed. -- The silence was interrupted by a hiss inside my head. Ma-ka-haaaa na-ka-loooooh. The voices bellowed their nonsensical ramblings, and I covered my ears in a pointless attempt to block them out. -- The silence was interrupted by a hiss inside my head, followed by the voices that plagued my thoughts. They bellowed their nonsensical ramblings and I covered my ears in an pointless attempt to block them out.

This way, you're not always using "the voices said" or even illustrating the nonsensical (to the listener/reader) things they're saying. It creates a little variety so when you do use "the voices said" it doesn't feel as repetitive/boring. :)

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I've been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I've learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

Learn more about WQA

Visit my Master List of Top Posts

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#writing advice #thank you so much #absolute life saver

[thats-my-type-writer]

 “Where are your parents?” The word ‘parents’ made her stomach lurch.

She bit her lip, averting her gaze. “Dead. And not your business.”

last line tag 🦔

Lines for my friend @splashinkling – thank you for the tag! 

“If half of us pose as do-gooders,” Quin said slowly, feeling it out, “Our odds go up. Worst case scenario, they throw us all in the brig. At least this way we have a chance.”

“No,” Sepia piped up scathingly, “Worst case scenario is they shoot us and leave us for dead.”

No pressure tags for @asher-orion-writes @dogmomwrites @did-i-do-this-write @writing-is-a-martial-art @thats-my-type-writer and anyone else who wants to join!

#last line tag #wip : blood and vengeance #tag games

[thats-my-type-writer]

The next time you're building a character profile, ask yourself these questions to dig a little deeper into your character's inner workings.

What do they wish they could change about themselves?

What is a negative trait of theirs they have to overcome?

What is their most hidden secret?

What keeps them from achieving their goals?

What's their most prized possession and why?

Happy writing!

#writing advice

[thats-my-type-writer]

The expression she wore was something between sorrow and disgust, almost as if she couldn't stomach the words coming out of her own mouth anymore, "Nothing," she murmured finally.

Tagging @inkovert @blind-the-winds

Last Line Tag

I was tagged by @oh-no-another-idea (thank you!)

No pressure tag: @jjm-blogspot @dogmomwrites @bookish-galaxy @writingpotato07 and an open tag for you!

--

Trusting Rane to take care of the undead remnants, Korzan turned and walked away. He kept walking until he couldn’t remember the stench of zombie guts. 

#tag game #writers

[thats-my-type-writer]

Sign up here for me to check out your blog 'cause I'm hunting for more writeblr friends. Bonus points if you

Write fantasy, woohoo

Favor strong platonic bonds

Are cool with receiving a nickname

Are up for gentle but chaotic interaction with me

Have adhd? Eh

Have mostly writing related stuff on your blog (this is my writeblr and I try to keep it mostly writerly except for when I just have thoughts because this is where all my followers are)

You like purple

This list is kind of arbitrary. Anyone can apply...to be my friend? Hmm.

I haven't eaten breakfast yet

End of list

#owl sounds nice :) #other writers

[thats-my-type-writer]

let me roast you based on which of my male characters you’re most like :)

#fuck you and everything you stand for #was the heart really necessary

[thats-my-type-writer]

it feels stupid to be sad when he was mean for so long. he only got nice when he was dying, and i don’t know if that counts as becoming a better person.

sometimes, i imagine him watching over me, and i hide.

— Ollie Schminkey, from "the first birthday he is not alive," Dead Dad Jokes

[thats-my-type-writer]

From my current WIP Blood and Vengeance

 He shook his head violently, eyes widening in shock. "Is it always this loud in your head?" He moved closer to her, and Lilika let the darkness manifest physically, completely shielding her from his approach. "Get away from me. And get out of my head."

@datonejagurl @dontjudgemeimawriter and anyone else who wants to join in

Last line tag

@magic-is-something-we-create and @oh-no-another-idea tagged me to share a last line. Thanks, friends!

I'm very much in sketch mode for both Spin Cylinder and Project Aria, but it does mean I have some new last line fodder. This is from Project Aria...

And my father’s rigidity and my mother’s viciousness and my brother’s fucking smile. And the judge isn’t looking at me anymore and everyone is leaving and I’m moving but my feet aren’t touching the floor. The floor. The flood. The words, all swimming. Someone tries to scream, but it comes out small and broken. Still, my blood turns blue again. Sharp, brutal, electric blue. And then dark.

I'm making this an OPEN TAG, which means that if you see if and you'd like to share the last line you wrote from any of your WIPs, you're very welcome to do that and @ me so I can see it and share it 💜

#wip tag game #writers on tumblr

[thats-my-type-writer]

if ever you find symbolism in my writing please tell me i’d like to know about it too

[thats-my-type-writer]

Tagged by @dontjudgemeimawriter

Furniture furnished (from a WIP I put all my other WIPs on hold for)

"Where am I?" Lilika tried her luck again.

He didn't respond. Merely pointed to a large living room, furnished in the same colors as the rest of the house. Lilika followed his long finger to the wall of windows. She walked over to them, making sure she didn't turn her back to him till she reached the windows. The view beyond made her gasp.

Relief (from a WIP I abandoned)

Reyra Omanan, ex-member of the Blue Moth Syndicate, wife to Felan and mother to Zachaya. She was as well-known as any other warrior that walked the kingdom of Kautin. Her name only ever struck fear, relief or distaste.

Competitive Compete

Zachaya was seated on his bed, dark brown eyes staring at the wall ahead. He was present in body but in spirit; he was in the other room. The room where his parents were arguing, yelling at the top of their lungs as if trying to compete with the thunder.

Tagging @datonejagurl @inkovert and anyone else who wants to join in

Your words are: love, doll, vengeance, voices

Word Find Tag

Tagged by @thegreatobsesso

method

Falls were one of the most effective and least suspicious methods of killing someone, but what appealed to me about the fire escape were a few of the other circumstances. The fourth floor was the top floor, and the furniture blocking the escape meant less people would leave in that direction.

knowledge

It was hard to tell. Maybe he was right. He wanted my help, though, and that knowledge sent a wave of relief over me. But how could I? The only solutions I could think of were the ones motivated by fear, ones where he stayed far away from them. How was I supposed to help without telling him what to do? 

test

“Maybe you should become a spy then,” Zachary said. I didn’t react— he had a joking tone, but he was testing me. With how much he disdains the Judge’s spies, I’ve picked up on the underlying threat. Zachary’s supposed to work under the Judge, but to him, becoming a spy for the Judge would be the ultimate betrayal. For Abigail, he’d been mad. For me, his personal protégé? 

experiment (Raymond's POV, from playing cards & sleeping snippet)

“You win,” he says, and leans over, lying down on the pillows, and he’s closer to me now and I can tell he’s tired. He’s usually tired, constantly casting a spell takes up a lot of energy and I don’t think he sleeps very well either. I considered offering to put him to sleep— after studying sleep cycles I experimented with myself. Problem was once I got to stage 2 I wasn’t conscious enough to purposefully go into REM, but then I brought it up with Jodi and she gave me permission to try it on her. Being in someone’s mind while they’re in REM is a really cool feeling, very intimate. It’s vulnerable in a real way, a way I didn’t expect. It’s really hard to get into someone’s mind while they’re asleep, but it turns out already being in opens up so much because all mental defenses are lowered. I don’t think Terran would appreciate the offer.

measure (From a scene I wrote from Zachary's POV, about Terran)

Zachary had enjoyed having an ally. Almost anyone else he’d ever worked with annoyed him. He preferred to work alone, and while that had rarely been an issue, working with people on everything except the kill itself had been a necessity. Kill orders came from the Judge and his deputies. And when he’d been put in charge of the Reapers, those kills then had to be determined who was best fit. No one was as meticulous as him, no one as concerned with planning and tidiness, no one as adamant about countermeasures. On top of that, the people in his business were competitive, disliked each other, distrusted others, and would report anything that seemed out of line to the Judge and then he’d question you. Terran was, thanks to Zachary’s control over his training, as careful and meticulous as he was, and was loyal to him, not to the Judge. 

Tagging: @oh-no-another-idea @justsome-di @thats-my-type-writer and anyone else who wants to, feel free to say I tagged you!

Your words are: furniture, relief, intimate, competitive

#tag game #wip tag game #wip stuff #writers on tumblr

[thats-my-type-writer]

I wanna follow more writers on here, if you're a writer and are looking for more followers like/reblog this plz!

I mainly write web novels! I have WiPs in other genres/styles as well but web novels get the most of my attention 😁. I'm a freelance editor (formerly for a children's book publisher). I love reading about writing craft and blogging writing journeys and such so anyone that blogs about their creativity hit me uuuup

[thats-my-type-writer]

Guess who’s back?

Back on Tumblr after a year long hiatus. Decided to take some time of and work on me and now I’m back with a brand new WIP idea 

#hiatus #mental reset #fixed mindset #healing #writing #new WIP

[thats-my-type-writer]

Hi hi. I didn't think I'd end up making this post but I've been going on a small unfollowing spree and am seeking to revamp my dash.

Reblog this post if you're a writeblr and kindly include in the tags what genre you write and what kind of content you post/reblog (writing advice/memes, your writing, other's writing etc etc).

Pls & thank you :) Appreciate a boost from mutuals.

#writing advice #other's writing #Some of my own writing

[thats-my-type-writer]

Researching for WIPs : A Collection

Patreon || Ko-Fi || Masterlist || Work In Progress

–

Historical Fiction

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : High Middle Ages & Renaissance

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1600s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1700s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1800s

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1900-1939

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1940-1969

Resources For Writing (Global) Period Pieces : 1970-1999

Resources For Writing Royalty

Procedural/Scientific

Resources For Crime/Mystery/Thriller Writers

Resources For Writing Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic Stories

Resources For Writing Sketchy Topics

Resources For Writing The Mafia

Resources For Writing Injuries

By Genre

Resources For Fantasy/Mythology Writers

Resources For Writing Science Fiction

Resources For Romance Writers

Other

Resources For Plot Development

Resources For Describing Physical Things

Resources For Describing Characters

Resources For Creating Characters

Resources For Worldbuilding

Resources For Describing Emotion

–

Masterlist | WIP Blog

If you enjoy my blog and wish for it to continue being updated frequently and for me to continue putting my energy toward answering your questions, please consider Buying Me A Coffee, or pledging your support on Patreon, where I offer early access and exclusive benefits for only $5/month.

Shoutout to my $15+ patron, Douglas S.!

#writing #writeblr #writespo #writing reference #writing resources #writing research #resources for writers #resources for writing #plot development #world building #character development #procedural resources #crime #forensics #historical fiction

[thats-my-type-writer]

Little Things to Do with Your WIP

Sometimes you want to work on your WIP when you don’t have much time (during school, work, out on errands, etc) so here are quick, easy, and little things you can do with it when you can’t actually write/plan in-depth. I’ve also included websites and links as jumping off points. 

Create a playlist based on the WIP or a character/relationship

Brainstorm possible titles/chapter names (my post about titling format examples and a deep dive into two-word titling) 

Write a journal entry/letter as one of the characters

Research very specific things about the setting/history, lore, clothing, hobbies/vocations, etc of your story

Deep dive into a category of worldbuilding (I have posts on WB here, here, and here) 

Create a mood board for the setting, a character, or entire story on Pinterest or Canva (Some examples for countryside, city at night, summer abroad, and the coast)

Write down dialogue for a therapy session your MC might have

Design a section of a character’s room/home using pictures, descriptions, or drawings

Research names and meanings (The way I find OC names)

Write down a dream/nightmare a character might have

Take a personality test as your MC

Write a fortune cookie for each MC/side character

Research actors/models/etc if you’re still creating physical descriptions for characters (I recommend using IMDb) 

Research mannerisms, habits, and quirks to enrich characterization (I wrote some down here.)

Hopefully these things help you satisfy your itch to work when you can’t exactly work. Happy writing!

#writing #creative writing #writing references #writing advice #writers

[thats-my-type-writer]

To just play with their hair, or bracelet, or hand. Let their touch ground you, yk

it feels nice to sit next to someone sometimes