thewritinggrindstone

[thewritinggrindstone]

TC's Practical Writing Tips

Like I said before, I'm not gonna sit here and pretend that I can teach anyone how to write – that's a level of hubris even I'm not capable of –but in honor of my rapidly approaching ~quarter century of writing original fiction anniversary~, I did figure I would share the tips that I live by when it comes to the act of writing.

So without further ado:

Write it now, fix it later

2. It is always permissible – and usually enjoyable – to write the stupidest possible version

3. "Inspiration" is great for poets, but poison for people who write prose

3.1: if you want to write often, you need to write often, and then you will find that you don't need to be "inspired" because you will have made a habit of it and it will come naturally 3.2: even one sentence a day is still one sentence a day. And even one sentence a week is still one sentence a week. It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop 3.3: believing in the concept that you need to be inspired to write will trap you into believing in the concept of writer's block 3.4: if you are having difficulty getting out words that satisfy you, lower your standards and keep writing (see point one)

4. A few months down the line you will not remember which words came easily and which words did not

5. It is always permissible to set a project aside for now, or forever, if you need a break

6. Read widely and often, both in your favorite genres and outside of them

6.1: pay special attention to both things that you love and things that you hate - study them, engage with them, learn what makes yourself tick and your writing can only get stronger

7. Never write for the lowest common denominator, via wise words I once heard: "if you open the window and make love to the world, your story will get pneumonia", have an audience in mind and the people who like what you write will find it

8. Never write for the bad faith critic, those people will always exist and you will need to deal with them at some point if you put your writing in the world, but they don't matter and you cannot live in fear of them

9. It's fine and normal to want engagement and praise, however you must find a way to make the act of writing joyful in and of itself – make the praise the cherry on top, not the entire sunday

9.1: writing is hard work, and it's a lot of work, if you lose the ability to enjoy the journey and are proceeding only for external rewards from others, you will gradually write less and less if the ratio of work to rewards is unsatisfying

10. For anything other than final copy editing, always write a new draft into a new document, or else the words you have already written will trap you from being able to make large, sweeping changes

10.1: any change you make will invariably snowball, and you must give space for that snowball to roll

11. If someone tells you that something doesn't work for them, believe them, because people know what they like. But if people try to tell you what to do to fix it, take that with an entire serving of salt because you are the author, not them

12. It is always morally correct to look at a critique that you received, even if you asked for opinions via beta reading, and decide that it's bullshit and doesn't apply to you

13. "write what you know" means "write what you're interested in"

14. "Show don't tell" applies to screenwriting, not novels. This is the thing that drives me the most insane every time I see it. Novels are words on a page, not images on a screen. They require a lot of telling. Not all telling, but a lot of telling. Become comfortable with that.

15. It is always, ALWAYS acceptable to use "said", do not listen to the lies of others

16. Have fun, do it out of love and you will never go astray

17. Become comfortable with who you are. Your work is always going to be yours and it is always going to sound like you wrote it, and this is a good thing! No one else is ever going to write exactly like you, and you should be proud of that

17.1: the concept of "originality" is vastly overrated, every culture has some version of Cinderella and we still love it. Your writing is yours because you wrote it, and it will always be unique because of that

#writing #reading #positivity #advice #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

What lasts in the reader’s mind is not the phrase but the effect the phrase created: laughter, tears, pain, joy. If the phrase is not affecting the reader, what’s it doing there? Make it do its job or cut it without mercy or remorse.

– Isaac Asimov

#writing #quote #advice #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

This might be unpopular but I’m not going to use simpler vocabulary in my writing if it’s out of character for the narrator. If my POV character is a botanist, he’s going to call a plant by its name. If you don’t know what it is you can either Google it or move on just knowing it’s a plant of some sort.

I don’t like this trend of readers being angry that not everything is 100% understandable for them. I want my characters to be believable as people and sometimes people use words people outside of their field will not understand. That’s not a bad thing.

You don’t have to understand every word to get the gist of what’s happening. I’m not going to slow down an action scene to describe every weapon because someone might not know them by name. They can just assume it’s a weapon because that makes sense in the context of the scene.

#writing #reading #vocabulary #advice #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

Writing a Distinct Good Grumpy Character

🥀 Distinctive Dialogue:

Craft your grumpy character's dialogue with a unique, irritable tone. Use short sentences, sarcasm, and a touch of cynicism to convey their grumpiness. Avoid excessive politeness and opt for straightforward, blunt expressions.

🥀 Reveal Vulnerabilities:

Unveil glimpses of vulnerability beneath the grumpy exterior. Share moments that hint at the reasons behind their grumpiness, whether it's past disappointments, unmet expectations, or personal struggles. This adds depth and helps readers empathize with the character.

🥀 Consistent Body Language:

Describe their body language consistently to reinforce their grumpy demeanor. Perhaps they often cross their arms, furrow their brow, or sigh heavily. These physical cues enhance the character's grumpy image and create a visual representation of their mood.

🥀 Limited Social Interactions:

Restrict their social interactions or portray them in situations where their grumpiness is more pronounced. This could involve encounters with annoying colleagues, frustrating tasks, or disruptions to their routine. Highlighting these moments reinforces the character's grumpy nature.

🥀 Unexpected Acts of Kindness:

Occasionally, showcase unexpected acts of kindness or moments where the grumpy character surprises others. This adds complexity to their personality and prevents them from becoming one-dimensional. It also leaves room for character development as readers discover layers beyond the initial grumpy facade.

#writing #characters #emotions #advice #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

Foreshadowing Ideas

• Character themes/motifs. I’ve heard of one writer who tries to give each character their own theme for similes, metaphors, descriptions, etc so there’s like a theme to the way they’re portrayed. You could use that to foreshadow notable secrets about the character that will later be revealed, or if at any point they’re disguised then you can use that to tip off the reader that they have the same motifs and so might be related/the same person

• Tiny details hidden in lists. Say the MC was trying to work out the identity of a bad guy, who we know was wearing a red shirt on the day of a big bad event. A few chapters later, MC is checking around their best friend’s room to find them, with the place its usual mess with discarded takeaway boxes, the bed unmade, a red shirt left on the floor that could use a good sweep. The red shirt might not click with all the readers, but those who register it upon their first read will eat it up

• Inconsistent behavioural patterns. Once we have a good idea of what a character is like, having them act out of character can set off alarm bells and make us question what’s occurred to make them act this way. Let the other characters register it too, if it’s reasonable that they would, but let them ultimately brush it off quite quickly to keep it subtle. Or just call it right out, whichever you prefer

• Unreliable narrators. Let one character say one thing and a second character say another, even if they both ultimately agree on the same thing but get one or two small details wrong. Ideally do this two or three times in order for the reader to know it’s not just a mistake in the plot but an intentional inconsistency, but even if it’s only done once and it’s taken as a mistake it’ll still slot together like puzzle pieces in the end and they’ll be kicking themself for dismissing it

• In-universe red herrings. If you’re going to add red herrings as foreshadowing, it’s helpful if the red herring aligns with the intentions of someone person aware of the upcoming plot twist who’s trying to control the narrative. Say the plot twist was the reveal of a mysterious character’s identity to be the best friend of the MC, the best friend might have deliberately thrown the MC off their scent by planting suspicions in the MC’s mind that a different character was the mysterious character’s identity all along. This is less about foreshadowing the actual reveal, of course, but rereads will be a punch to the gut when everyone realises that all this misinformation and red herring business came from someone trying to cover their own ass rather than coming from misunderstandings or multiple other random sources

#writing #foreshadowing #characters #plotting #advice #reference #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

Creativity is inexhaustible. Experiment, play, throw away. Above all be confident enough about creativity to throw stuff out. If it isn’t working, don’t cut and paste – scrap it and begin again.

– Jeanette Winterson

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[thewritinggrindstone]

Some of my favorite words and phrases to describe a character in pain

coiling (up in a ball, in on themselves, against something, etc)

panting (there’s a slew of adjectives you can put after this, my favorites are shakily, weakly, etc)

keeling over (synonyms are words like collapsing, which is equally as good but overused in media)

trembling/shivering (additional adjectives could be violently, uncontrollably, etc)

sobbing (weeping is a synonym but i’ve never liked that word. also love using sob by itself, as a noun, like “he let out a quiet sob”)

whimpering (love hitting the wips with this word when a character is weak, especially when the pain is subsiding. also love using it for nightmares/attacks and things like that)

clinging (to someone or something, maybe even to themselves or their own clothes)

writhing/thrashing (maybe someone’s holding them down, or maybe they’re in bed alone)

crying (not actual tears. cry as in a shrill, sudden shout)

dazed (usually after the pain has subsided, or when adrenaline is still flowing)

wincing (probably overused but i love this word. synonym could be grimacing)

doubling-over (kinda close to keeling over but they don’t actually hit the ground, just kinda fold in on themselves)

heaving (i like to use it for describing the way someone’s breathing, ex. “heaving breaths” but can also be used for the nasty stuff like dry heaving or vomiting)

gasping/sucking/drawing in a breath (or any other words and phrases that mean a sharp intake of breath, that shite is gold)

murmuring/muttering/whispering (or other quiet forms of speaking after enduring intense pain)

hiccuping/spluttering/sniffling (words that generally imply crying without saying crying. the word crying is used so much it kinda loses its appeal, that’s why i like to mix other words like these in)

stuttering (or other general terms that show an impaired ability to speak — when someone’s in intense pain, it gets hard to talk)

staggering/stumbling (there is a difference between pain that makes you not want to stand, and pain that makes it impossible to stand. explore that!)

recoiling/shrinking away (from either the threat or someone trying to help)

pleading/begging (again, to the threat, someone trying to help, or just begging the pain to stop)

Feel free to add your favorites or most used in the comments/reblogs!

#writing #vocabulary #world lists #reference #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

The mystery story is really two stories in one: the story of what happened and the story of what appeared to happen.

– Mary Roberts Rinehart

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[thewritinggrindstone]

Help! For Writers

by Roy Peter Clark

My suggestion is every writer acquire a copy of this book because it's a brilliant resource for troubleshooting both your own writing and other people's. For quick reference, here's the table of contents:

Step One. Getting Started

1. I can’t think of anything to write. 2. I hate writing assignments and other people’s ideas. 3. I have trouble doing all the research.

Step Two. Getting Your Act Together

4. My work habits are so disorganized. 5. I can never find what I need when I need it. 6. I have too much material to handle.

Step Three. Finding Focus

7. I don’t know what my story is really about. 8. I struggle with the beginning. 9. I have problems selecting my best stuff.

Step Four. Looking for Language

10. My vocabulary is so limited. 11. My early drafts are littered with clichés. 12. My words don’t make things clear.

Step Five. Building a Draft

13. I am totally blocked. 14. I can’t stop procrastinating. 15. I have trouble working from a plan.

Step Six. Assessing Your Progress

16. I’m slow and miss my deadlines. 17. My middles sag. 18. It never ends well.

Step Seven. Making It Better

19. I don’t know what to revise and run out of time. 20. My work is way too long. 21. I resent criticism and editing.

#writing #writing books #reference #resources

[thewritinggrindstone]

Tips for writers - How to not procrastinate for Beginners!

I’m not pro writer but I love storytelling and writing stories of my own. So here are some tips beginners (including myself) I think should know. Of course everyone is different and some tips may work while others don’t and that’s okay! These are just my personal thoughts.

1. Nervous Writers

I honestly get this a lot when writing something new for the first time. I get nervous and worried if the story will be any good. Which may result in putting aside your story or abandoning it altogether. In reality you have no idea if a story will be good if you never write and flesh out your story. Ask for tips and learning from other writers off and online can help if your stuck or unsure about the your idea. Don’t be afraid to take that leap!

2. Technologies Distractions

I think this is a common thing that everyone (including me) has, this can apply to working on any project (for school, full/part-time job, personal hobby, etc.) My advice is to sit in a room away from game consoles, TV and mobile devices or turn off and put mobile devices silent mode so the sounds of app notifications don’t cause you to lose focus on your work. If your worried about important calls you can always have your phone in the same room as you just not in front of you.

3. Setting deadlines

Setting a deadline for yourself all depends on your situation (work/school/etc.) but generally speaking deadline could be how pages you write that week or until you finish your chapter. Whatever you want. This is a great way to keep yourself busy and avoid slacking off. Just be sure to keep it realistic, you probably won’t be able to write a entire 40,000 word novel in a span of a week. (Trust me I know..)

4. TAKE BREAKS!

Always take breaks! Never overworking yourself to the max! It’s great to see you working hard to get your story complete however, if it’s starting to affect your health then it’s time to set breaks. If you have lots of time during the week then you can use the weekend to relax and do something else. Maybe take a lunch break so you can eat and relax for a little before diving back in your work. This could also help decrease burnout.

5. BACKGROUND MUSIC (optional)

This doesn’t really help me but you can always play calm relaxing music with no lyrics. Help keep you focused and calm. This depends if background music or sounds help you.

6. Have fun!

Don’t forget to have fun writing your story! The best part of doing something you love is to have fun and enjoy what your doing.

Hope these tips help you guys and let me know what personal helps you when focusing on a craft. 😊👍

#writing #positivity #advice #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

#writing #plotting #advice #reference #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

Increase your word power. Words are the raw material of our craft. The greater your vocabulary the more effective your writing. We who write in English are fortunate to have the richest and most versatile language in the world. Respect it.

– P.D. James

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[thewritinggrindstone]

7 Ways to Hook Your Readers

How do you start a story? Why, you start it with a hook! A hook is something that intrigues the reader and has them enthralled. Sometimes, the first sentence is the hardest one to form, so here, I'll give you some examples on how to hook your audience into your story!

>>> A question: This is a pretty well-known tactic: starting off with a question for your reader has them thinking how they'd answer; hence, pulling them further into your work. If you want, your character can answer the question too! However, the question must be relevant to your story.

>>> A idiom/quote/saying: Sayings are commonly used, though one can find them controversial at times. Regardless, the majority of people understand what the meaning behind them are; and because of that factor, along with its popular usage, proverbs quickly attract readers' attention while giving some insight to your character.

>>> One-word starter: This one is pretty simple, and if you really don't have any ideas, maybe give this one a shot! The hook is simply one word (or even a short phrase) that portrays a strong part of your character. Its out-of-context and vagueness trigger interest in your reader.

>>> Starting action: Like the one-word starter, this hook seems contextless, but it's a quick way to captivate your reader and have the suspense emerge! Example: "Blood covered the ground like a thin blanket, staining the once-clean quartz with a shade of scarlet. A pair of depthless eyes seemed to burn a hole into the last person in the room; a messy, pitiful, scrambling figure."

>>> Dialogue: By now, it should be obvious that your hook should be enthralling and evoke interest in your reader. Opening with compelling dialogue can help introduce the plot and characters of your story!

>>> Interesting Introduction: Is there something special about your character? Introductions can be difficult to sneak in, but not when it's a hook! Make a short description consisting of several defining traits of your character, and be sure to add the special thing about your character as a twist to snag your reader's attention! Additionally, you can be creative with this! An introduction doesn't have to come from your main character, it can come from another character describing the protagonist!

>>> Setting: Does the setting have a strong influence on the story? Even if it doesn't, beginning with a descriptive setting can slowly captivate your audience!

Alright! These are seven ways to hook your reader: a question, a saying, one-word, action, dialogue, an introduction, and a setting! Of course, there are many more ways, so explore around!

Happy writing~

3hks :)

#writing #first chapter #first page #first line #advice #reference #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

Every sentence must do one of two things: reveal character or advance the action.

– Kurt Vonnegut

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[thewritinggrindstone]

Grammar Tip #9:

The correct phrase is

champing at the bit

not

chomping at the bit

#writing #grammar #vocabulary #advice #queued up #reblog

[thewritinggrindstone]

There's a huge difference between redemption and humanization. I feel like a lot of "redemption arcs" aren't actually redemption at all, they're just attempts to humanize the villain so that they seem multi-faceted, but people read them as "redemption arcs" and think that that is meant to justify all the evil they've done before and negate whatever made them a villain in the first place. I think true "redemption arcs" are actually kind of rare because true redemption would take making the villain acknowledge their crimes, reevaluate their actions, actively choose to do better, and then proceed to make amends and become a better person, and that would this take more time than most stories are allowed to give their characters.

I've also seen people argue that a character has to be poised for redemption from the jump for it to work because once a character does something "too bad", they can't be redeemed. I completely disagree because redemption isn't justification or forgiveness, so no matter how horrible a character's actions, they could choose to become better, but because a lot of people (including writers) think redemption means "erasing the character's flaws and making it so they did nothing wrong ever", a lot of attempted "redemption arcs" just end up erasing a character's entire history or justifying every evil thing they've ever done. And yeah, in these cases, the only way to make a character go from a villain to a perfect cinnamon roll with no flaws *is* to have been planning it from the beginning and make sure they never do anything that can't be explained away later.

TLDR: real redemption arcs require a lot of self-awareness, patience, and growth, which are things that are rarely actually allocated to villains, and that's why real redemption arcs almost never get executed. The reason people think redemption arcs are overdone is because there are so many attempts to either humanize a villain that get misconstrued as redemption or attempts to blatantly erase who a character was in the name of "redemption", which is really just poor character development.

#writing #redemption arcs #character arcs #antagonists #advice #reference #queued up

[thewritinggrindstone]

The vocation of each writer is to describe the world as he or she sees it; anything more than that is advertising.

– Hanif Kureishi

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