you-are-my-neverland

[you-are-my-neverland]

Quick Tips on Writing Better Characters

Here are a handful of quick tips to writing stronger characters and understanding them better as a writer.

Give your characters a title. This can help with worldbuilding and placing your protagonist into the environment. What do others call your characters? The emperor, the bastard son, the Grinch, the chosen one, the class clown, the evil witch, the popular girl, etc.

Use your settings to enhance your character. You can use the locations of your novel to mirror or contrast your character. Do they blend in or stand out? What they focus on can say a lot about them (ex. a fearsome character mishearing things on a dark street, a princess in a ballroom only focused on the exit.)

Know your protagonist's motives and goals before you start writing. What is something they need that fuels their actions throughout the novel? Money, freedom, an artifact, food? To protect their sister at all costs and survive the Hunger Games? 

Now that you know their motive, make it more complex. A character's motive can be made more complex by putting them in high-stake situations that force them to make decisions. For example, Katniss wants to protect her sister, a very common motivation. However, present-day conflict makes her to do it in the most extreme way by volunteering in the Hunger Games. The plot forces her to make an extreme choice fueled by her motivation.

Your protagonist should be active. It's okay to have your story's events sometimes happen to your character (this is referred to as the character being passive, ex. a tornado sweeping them away) but your protagonist should be active a majority of the time. This means they should always be making decisions, thinking, reflecting and progressing through obstacles.

Instagram: coffeebeanwriting

#reblog #resource

[you-are-my-neverland]

Things That May Be Causing Your Writer's Block- and How to Beat Them

I don't like the term 'Writer's Block' - not because it isn't real, but because the term is so vague that it's useless. Hundreds of issues all get lumped together under this one umbrella, making writer's block seem like this all-powerful boogeyman that's impossible to beat. Worse yet, it leaves people giving and receiving advice that is completely ineffective because people often don't realize they're talking about entirely different issues.

In my experience, the key to beating writer's block is figuring out what the block even is, so I put together a list of Actual Reasons why you may be struggling to write:

(note that any case of writer's block is usually a mix of two or more)

Perfectionism (most common)

What it looks like:

You write one sentence and spend the next hour googling "synonyms for ___"

Write. Erase. Write. Rewrite. Erase.

Should I even start writing this scene when I haven't figured out this one specific detail yet?

I hate everything I write

Cringing while writing

My first draft must be perfect, or else I'm a terrible writer

Things that can help:

Give yourself permission to suck

Keep in mind that nothing you write is going to be perfect, especially your first draft

Think of writing your first/early drafts not as writing, but sketching out a loose foundation to build upon later

People write multiple drafts for a reason: write now, edit later

Stop googling synonyms and save that for editing

Write with a pen to reduce temptation to erase

Embrace leaving blank spaces in your writing when you can't think of the right word, name, or detail

It's okay if your writing sucks. We all suck at some point. Embrace the growth mindset, and focus on getting words on a page

Lack of inspiration (easiest to fix)

What it looks like:

Head empty, no ideas

What do I even write about???

I don't have a plot, I just have an image

Want to write but no story to write

Things that can help:

Google writing prompts

If writing prompts aren't your thing, instead try thinking about what kind of tropes/genres/story elements you would like to try out

Instead of thinking about the story you would like to write, think about the story you would like to read, and write that

It's okay if you don't have a fully fleshed out story idea. Even if it's just an image or a line of dialogue, it's okay to write that. A story may or may not come out of it, but at least you got the creative juices flowing

Stop writing. Step away from your desk and let yourself naturally get inspired. Go for a walk, read a book, travel, play video games, research history, etc. Don't force ideas, but do open up your mind to them

If you're like me, world-building may come more naturally than plotting. Design the world first and let the story come later

Boredom/Understimulation (lost the flow)

What it looks like:

I know I should be writing but uugggghhhh I just can'tttttt

Writing words feels like pulling teeth

I started writing, but then I got bored/distracted

I enjoy the idea of writing, but the actual process makes me want to throw my laptop out the window

Things that can help:

Introduce stimulation: snacks, beverages, gum, music such as lo-fi, blankets, decorate your writing space, get a clickity-clackity keyboard, etc.

Add variety: write in a new location, try a new idea/different story for a day or so, switch up how you write (pen and paper vs. computer) or try voice recording or speech-to-text

Gamify writing: create an arbitrary challenge, such as trying to see how many words you can write in a set time and try to beat your high score

Find a writing buddy or join a writer's group

Give yourself a reward for every writing milestone, even if it's just writing a paragraph

Ask yourself whether this project you're working on is something you really want to be doing, and be honest with your answer

Intimidation/Procrastination (often related to perfectionism, but not always)

What it looks like:

I was feeling really motivated to write, but then I opened my laptop

I don't even know where to start

I love writing, but I can never seem to get started

I'll write tomorrow. I mean next week. Next month? Next month, I swear (doesn't write next month)

Can't find the time or energy

Unreasonable expectations (I should be able to write 10,000 words a day, right????)

Feeling discouraged and wondering why I'm even trying

Things that can help:

Follow the 2 min rule (or the 1 paragraph rule, which works better for me): whenever you sit down to write, tell yourself that you are only going to write for 2 minutes. If you feel like continuing once the 2 mins are up, go for it! Otherwise, stop. Force yourself to start but DO NOT force yourself to continue unless you feel like it. The more often you do this, the easier it will be to get started

Make getting started as easy as possible (i.e. minimize barriers: if getting up to get a notebook is stopping you from getting started, then write in the notes app of your phone)

Commit to a routine that will work for you. Baby steps are important here. Go with something that feels reasonable: every day, every other day, once a week, twice a week, and use cues to help you remember to start. If you chose a set time to write, just make sure that it's a time that feels natural to you- i.e. don't force yourself to writing at 9am every morning if you're not a morning person

Find a friend or a writing buddy you can trust and talk it out or share a piece of work you're proud of. Sometimes we just get a bit bogged down by criticism- either internal or external- and need a few words of encouragement

The Problem's Not You, It's Your Story (or Outline (or Process))

What it looks like:

I have no problems writing other scenes, it's just this scene

I started writing, but now I have no idea where I'm going

I don't think I'm doing this right

What's an outline?

Drowning in documents

This. Doesn't. Make. Sense. How do I get from this plot point to this one?!?!?! (this ColeyDoesThings quote lives in my head rent free cause BOY have I been there)

Things That Can Help:

Go back to the drawing board. Really try to get at the root of why a scene or story isn't working

A part of growing as a writer is learning when to kill your darlings. Sometimes you're trying to force an idea or scene that just doesn't work and you need to let it go

If you don't have an outline, write one

If you have an outline and it isn't working, rewrite it, or look up different ways to structure it

You may be trying to write as a pantser when you're really a plotter or vice versa. Experiment with different writing processes and see what feels most natural

Study story structures, starting with the three act structure. Even if you don't use them, you should know them

Check out Ellen Brock on YouTube. She's a professional novel editor who has a lot of advice on writing strategies for different types of writers

Also check out Savage Books on YouTube (another professional story editor) for advice on story structure and dialogue. Seriously, I cannot recommend this guy enough

Executive Dysfunction, Usually From ADHD/Autism

What it looks like:

Everything in boredom/understimulation

Everything in intimidation/procrastination

You have been diagnosed with and/or have symptoms of ADHD/Autism

Things that can help:

If you haven't already, seek a diagnosis or professional treatment

Hire an ADHD coach or other specialist that can help you work with your brain (I use Shimmer; feel free to DM me for a referral)

Seek out neurodiverse communities for advice and support

Try body doubling! There's lot's of free online body doubling websites out there for you to try. If social anxiety is a barrier, start out with writing streams such as katecavanaughwrites on Twitch

Be aware of any sensory barriers that may be getting in the way of you writing (such as an uncomfortable desk chair, harsh lighting, bad sounds)

And Lastly, Burnout, Depression, or Other Mental Illness

What it looks like:

You have symptoms of burnout or depression

Struggling with all things, not just writing

It's more than a lack of inspiration- the spark is just dead

Things that can help:

Forget writing for now. Focus on healing first.

Seek professional help

If you feel like it, use writing as a way to explore your feelings. It can take the form of journaling, poetry, an abstract reflection of your thoughts, narrative essays, or exploring what you're feeling through your fictional characters. The last two helped me rediscover my love of writing after I thought years of depression had killed it for good. Just don't force yourself to do so, and stop if it takes you to a darker place instead of feeling cathartic

#reblog #this was good to read. #i think i've really been struggling with a mix of these relating to like. the best way to explain it is commitment issues #i love this story. i think about this story a lot. i get inspired to write all these other awesome stories too! #but instead of writing them i write ABOUT them without actually getting anywhere #like i have long 'planning' docs and i can never get to the actual outline #or i force myself to start and just stagnate forcing myself to write words without them going anywhere #so it's all dry and then i don't feel inspired bc i don't like what i've written and it feels so pointless #even though i like the story. #which i think relates to just the lack of time and space in my life to properly focus on writing and honestly idk when that's coming back. #and how to sustain it when it does #i want that writing safe space and happiness again #but i will definitely revisit this to try and put some time aside on spring break to work through some of these suggestions

[you-are-my-neverland]

As someone bad at titles. Please tell me how you got the title of your WIPs! I wanna hear the stories

#reblog #the most recent three do not have names which is a problem #but the metamorphosis of the lost is a redo of an original idea from 2019 #which was named so because they come back from the dead changed i.e. undergoing a metamorphosis #the lost is because they did not matter - they were nothing and they become something #tmotl actually does reflect that #fairbone (if anyone remembers THAT one) comes from the fairbone line. it's titular for mathieu and all that. #it was alternatively titled throne of bones because the throne of the unseelie court is made of bones #white begonia is because it sounded cool and also white begonias can symbolize 'beware' and warn of danger #but yeah. i have been unable to think of titles which i think contributes to my inability to take my stories anywhere sigh

[you-are-my-neverland]

a writeblr resurrection

my name is rhyannyn, and i'm looking to get more involved into the writeblr community after a lengthy hiatus of getting myself and my works in order. i'm always willing to follow new people, and reconnect with writeblrs i knew a few years ago when i was consistently on tumblr (going as kennedy :b)

if you write any of the following, are intrigued by any of the following, or just want to hang out and rip my OCs apart (i've got a list of where you should start, by the way) please feel free to follow and I will follow back. i'm really looking to find writeblrs right now who blogs are focused on writing, as i always love finding new things to read, and new stories to support :)

tragic characters--characters who see no way out, characters who are icarus coded and sisyphus coded AND antigone coded, characters caged by their duty and love and faith and it destroys them

in turn, complex characters with really rich backgrounds

stories influenced by slavic cultures (polish heritage plays a large part in one of my fantasy cultures)

queer fantasy stories by queer voices

FANTASY! CONTEMPORARY FANTASY! SCIFI FANTASY! DARK FANTASY! HIGH FANTASY! URBAN FANTASY! I WILL SCROUNGE THE FLOORS FOR FANTASY AND GORGE MYSELF ON IT!

stories that are anti-colonizer. i like seeing indigenous people win, and i love stories with irish, native american, sammi, and kurdish influences. i like seeing characters cling to who they are and old gods and kind ways while colonizers try to take it away, and i like seeing indigenous people prevail.

worldbuilding with a major focus on family values, religion, and magic.

any and all things dark

slowburn lovers, slowburn friendships, slowburn found family. make it teeth-gritting and loving and heart gouging. i will devour it.

characters who are hurt and traumatized and it isn't the end. characters in the dark who keep going even when there isn't any light in sight.

all things divine and demonic and grimy. i have a taste for violence as long as it serves a purpose to the story and isn't done just for fun

this is a list of things i write, and what i particularly love to read in literature, but i'm willing to follow any writeblrs and hopefully connect with some new and old accounts!

again, i've been off of tumblr for an official two years now (yes my bad, but alas i had the strangest hyperfixation on the job i despise and totally disappeared), but i am holding myself by the throat and forcing myself to resurrect because i am trying to publish a book right now!

oh and my wip page sucks. please avoid it at all costs while i try to edit it :3

#reblog #other writeblrs #i'm very inactive. but also very interested in all these things

[you-are-my-neverland]

graces to the grave -> an update;

"The inside of the palace is hauntingly decadent. The great doors they enter through pull themselves open with the squeak of something mechanical. Bedecked in swatches of red and gold, the interior is built upon the wealth of stolen cities and murdered children.  If she is to listen hard enough, will she be able to hear the screams of the dead trapped within the walls?"

the summary;

 Juliette allows herself to breathe, to pretend that, even for just a moment, she isn’t consumed by a legacy born in bloodshed. Victorian London is on the precipice of destruction. As civil war breaks out between the city’s most formidable gangs, Juliette Edevane finds herself with a daring mission: kill the leaders of the Bonellis and secure her position as heir to London’s underworld. But orchestrating the deaths of Ruth and Cassius Granville is not as simple as it may seem. 

Juliette is swept into a world of murder, magic, and marriage - where a wedding between her and a long-time rival may signify the line between success and failure in her mission. Armed with such an alliance, she must navigate the dangerous waters of a London built on the blood of gang rivalries, where betrayal and death hide around every corner. And yet, with her own heart on the line, she must confront where her true allegiances lie: with her gang, with her husband, or with those she once thought to be her greatest enemies.

psd credit; @geistcr

links;

wip intro (x) | wip tag (x)

how it started;

draft one totalled in at 102,130 words (after many, many failed attempts at draft zero).

how it's going;

draft two is currently at a healthy 62,361 words. if i average the number of words per chapter, this is looking to have a word count of 144k. which is insane!!!!!

not only have the first lines drastically changed but i like to think there's a lot more political agenda, magic with consequences.... and obviously cannibalism metaphors.

going into the future, i'm hoping to maybe get beta readers once i finish draft 3... which seems impossible but also i gotta do it for my gang wip girls (juth). so if anyone is interested keep an eye out for that in the next few months hehe !!!!

thank you all for keeping me motivated and supporting me with my writing <3

taglist under cut!

reblog or send an ask to be added/removed!

gang wip taglist: @worldsfromhoney @seasteading @lasbrumas @ikilledmyocs @redbloodprose @serpentarii @atelierwriting @moariin @socialmediasocrates @sourrcandy @anarchyandroses @halleyuhm @nightlylaments @cheshawrites @akiwitch @veneritia @n1ghtcrwler @taija-v-marie

#reblog #other wips #other wips: graces to the grave #this sounds. insane and so good. and the title is about 50% of that

[you-are-my-neverland]

#reblog #depends #on my (now stalled because of school) reread of tmotl i was pleasantly surprised to see my chapters not being too long #maybe around or under 5k at times though they started getting longer #but my fanfic chapters have historically been over 10k

[you-are-my-neverland]

i had high writing hopes!!! unfortunately i forgot that i just do not have time to think about writing when the semester starts!! i dislike this!

#.txt #day 2 and suddenly i am out of time again after drowning in research #when i don't have time to focus on something i just don't think about it but that sucks #because when i think about there's so much there but i never have time to do anything with it!!!!

[you-are-my-neverland]

always remember the Final Girl Code:

- do it alone

- do it scared

- do it with a knife in your hand if you have to

#reblog #wip: godhood #this post is naying coded

[you-are-my-neverland]

#reblog

[you-are-my-neverland]

(⠀8⠀)⠀—⠀MIRROR , MIRROR

minimal ﹒ gold ﹒ single muse ﹒ character template

⠀⠀NOTES . to use this template, go to 'file' > 'make a copy'!

this is mainly tailored towards pc use, but it can still be used on mobile's 'print layout'. it is pretty simple but still heavily made up of tables so it may be a bit hard to edit on mobile though!

feel free to change images, color palette, fonts, or anything! just don't remove credits and make sure they're visible. you can edit drawings by double clicking them. i personally don't recommend going over the word limit and making sure the lines match with the pages, just to keep it neater!

the face claim is karina from aespa!

#reblog #resource #this is so cool. maybe one day when i have time + patience

[you-are-my-neverland]

tentatively planning to do a second draft of tmotl, so i'm starting with a reread (to do a chapter by chapter synopsis) and the first chapter with vin pov is just. so good.

#.txt #wip: tmotl #'She was still looking at him. Sometimes #he wished she wouldn’t. He hadn’t been made to be seen.' #also reread india's death and wow. i forgot she wasn't just mad about dying but the fact that it was preceded by torture and then she was. #yknow. burned to death ** #*technically the blood loss got her first but you know. nothing like your last memory being fire roaring to you and you can't escape it #'There were times when he sought out the pain just to try and understand what it was.' #!!!!!!GOD

[you-are-my-neverland]

yes & no by natalie wee

#reblog #this is naying core #wip: godhood #< which is a tag i just made up. to have a tag for these interconnected floating ideas

[you-are-my-neverland]

[ID: An image of a salmon-hued sky with four birds silhouetted against it. In the bottom right corner, white text reads, "onomatopiya." End ID]

ABOUT

what's up! my name's piya (any pronouns), and i'm an indian-american writer hanging out in this small corner of the internet <33 this is a little wip directory with a bit of info about each of my writing projects, but you can also find my Official Author Carrd here if you want to see my published work. also please feel free to send me an ask or a message if you want to say hi!!

MY PROJECTS

[Image ID: A shadowed crowd cast in red and black hues. Text over the image reads, "Revolution, Retribution." End ID]

In New India, a hypercapitalist country rebuilt from the ashes of apocalypse, twins Lila and Lahar set out to cure the plague killing those on the outskirts of their country. But, after a shocking betrayal that leaves them exiled, both turn to new plans of their own, Lila at the center of a violent revolution and Lahar working to infiltrate the government to clear his and Lila’s names. But revolution and retribution both come with a price, and this game of fierce, cutthroat politics is not one that anyone can walk away from unscathed.

tag | page

[Image ID: A bronze and black background. Text over the image reads "Fever Gods," though the 'o' has been replaced with a serpent's skull. End ID]

At the very center of the largest city in the world, Arthur Carrion, the mayor's youngest child, is kidnapped a day before he is set to join the war being waged by the Auric Church against the rest of the world. Caught in a web of secrets spun by his family and hunted by the city he was raised in, Arthur must decide for himself his path forward.

tag

[Image ID: A gold-hued fern cast in shadow. Text over the image reads, "Play Dead." End ID]

Isaac Robinson is obsessive, jealous, and desperate to duct-tape his broken pieces together after dropping out of school when he meets Sawyer Dean: equally obsessive, charming yet cruel, and eager to be free of his family as he moves states for med school. As Isaac and Sawyer's lives intertwine, both find themselves growing more and more infatuated with the rush that comes with violence as the thing between them grows stranger and more twisted with every passing day.

tag | intro post

[Image ID: A purple-hued image with the silhouette of a woman with her hands clasped behind her head in the center. Text over the image reads, "Adored." End ID]

All art is made great by cruelty. This is the truth that Adona Graves has used to tip the scales to her advantage her entire life. It’s the truth that got her into the most prestigious arts school in the world, and it’s the truth that’s going to keep her at the top of her game if she can manage to keep her secrets locked away. But Adona’s drug habits and nights spent kissing nameless girls are a mark on her reputation waiting to happen, and there’s a certain Briar Halse who Adona can almost swear is watching her every move.

tag

#reblog #other writeblrs #your wips all sound so cool!!

[you-are-my-neverland]

[image id: a banner reading "[ the disinformation age ]" in white text, outlined by a black rectangle with white borders. behind the text is a blue-saturated image of a cropped train station overlayered with a lighter. end id.]

the disinformation age;

a wip by @halcionic

genre & themes / superhero & villain; YA; absolute power corrupts absolutely

tropes / crime found family; superpowers; enemies to lovers; traitors; anger as a weapon; blurred lines

status & goals / drafting; 50k;

plot /

nickei nines is a last resort to be used, should iridium city ever come upon a disaster so large it can't be contained. with a file name and a brand titled the dark divine, nickei knows that, should he be deployed, it is because the world itself might end.

the end of the world - city, world, same difference - comes in a boy named ren, an anarchist staying relatively under the radar until a three-week long black-out hits the city; no matter what they do, there's no electricity at all in the city. generators don't work, outside help is nowhere to be found, and ren stands in the middle of it all.

the black-out, however, is the least of their concerns as ren finds himself in the midst of nickei's origins, the most villainous hero he's ever met. and ren's met plenty of would-be heroes.

characters /

nickei nines; the dark divine, the last resort and a black hole to all who've met him. between necessary evils and the red that haunts his irises; the most villainous hero iridium city has ever seen.

ren; an anarchist with electricity at his beck and call, yellow burning at his palms and his eyes. the most heroic villain you'll ever meet.

bayler byne; an unlicensed doctor in iridium city's gallows, with more history under her belt than her or nickei would like to admit; finds nothing other than destruction between heroes, villains, and the in-between.

varian; the only woman in the world who knows exactly how she - and nickei - came into their power; with bloody lungs and grudges in her heart, the only saving grace iridium will never hope to see.

taglist: n/a. ask to be +/-

#reblog #other wips #other wips: the disinformation age #this sounds RAD. love me some anarchists / vigilantes / superhero world esque type shenanigans #why does varian sound so cool :eyeseyeseyes: 'bloody lungs and grudges'???

[you-are-my-neverland]

writeblr garden advent calendar: TRADITIONS. the jadesworn four

terrace of stars above, expel evil and repel demons protect life and guard the body. serve and protect the true me wisdom, bright and clear. heart, pure and serene the three hun are everlasting. the seven po are eternal

-- exorcism incantation (from the eight great incantations)

#reblog #other wips: the jadesworn four #other wips #your graphics are gorgeous and i love the warp on the text

[you-are-my-neverland]

i love it when characters are codependent. i love it when losing someone feels like losing a limb. i love it when two people "complete" each other so wholly and terribly that one can barely function without the other. i love it when the fear of losing the only person who understands them is so all-consuming they'll destroy anything to stay together, including themselves.

#reblog #wei twins.

[you-are-my-neverland]

nano day 30 update!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (final day!)

wrote: 196 words

favorite line:

They twisted, and Arete realized that Akane’s anxiety had not faded; it was a sharper beast, now, not as angry, but brittle.

#.txt #wip: pirates #nano 2023 #nanowrimo 2023 #my writing #15551 is the final count! 30% or so to 50k so not bad considering how up and down this month was #not as far as i would have liked but that's also expected given my ability to write words so one scene lasts #five pages longer than it is supposed to #we'll get there. swear