theliteraryarchitect:

I got a great anonymous ask last week from someone who wanted to know how to identify weak spots in their writing. One
of the things that comes with time and experience is finding the
language to identify, discuss, and address the feeling that something
isn’t quite right or that a story is “missing something.” Not
knowing them or their writing, of course I couldn’t help them figure out what
specifically the problem was. But I did share with them a list of things I’ve done
over the years to be able to identify weak spots and improve my writing. 

1. Analyze your favorite writers.

Figure
out why you like the writing that you like. Ask yourself: What are they
doing here? What are they doing that I’m not doing? Why do I love their
writing so much? Take notes on their stories. Plot them. Write in the
margins. Read them slowly. Read their reviews—both good and bad. Did
that writer you love once write something you hated? Great, even better.
Figure out why that particular book was different from the others.

2. Analyze your own writing.

Do you have an older story you wrote that you love? Figure out why.
What did you do differently in that story that you’re not doing in the
current story you’re writing? Make notes. Draw maps. Reverse engineer
everything.

3. Develop a language to talk and think about writing.

Read
craft books, blogs, anything you can get your hands on. Learn about
point of view, conflict, character development, dialogue, story
structure, syntax, metaphors. Get your advice from good sources, and
don’t believe everything you read. If something doesn’t sit right with
you, throw it out. But be open to everything.

4. Journal and write about your writing.

Over time, you will identify consistent weaknesses that you have. Then,
in the future, when you feel like “something is missing” from your
writing, you can reference your notes and remember, for example, that
you often have difficulty with your protagonist’s motivation, with
theme, with dialogue, etc., and you’ll have a better idea about where to
go looking.

5. Share your writing with someone you trust, ideally a more experienced writer than you or an editor or mentor.

Be very careful about who you share your writing with. Friends and
family are not always the best choice. You don’t want someone who’s just
going to throw around their uneducated opinion about your work, who has
a big ego, or who won’t be honest with you. Remember: “I liked it” or
“I didn’t like it” are useless pieces of feedback. You want someone who
can read your work and say, “Your protagonist’s passion for music made
them really likeable to me. I was dying to know whether they would get
into the conservatory or not!” or “My attention wandered on page two,
when you described the couch upholstery for three paragraphs.”

6. Analyze the areas of your writing which are commonly problematic for new writers (and writers in general).

In
my experience as an editor, the most likely culprits are unclear
character motivation and lack of conflict. There are a lot of good
resources (books and blogs) about this. Try a Google search for “most
common mistakes beginning writers make.”

7. Trust your intuition.

Do you keep coming back to the same page or scene in your story, feeling like it isn’t right? You’re probably onto something.

8. Take time away from your writing.

You’d
be amazed how much more clear everything will be after a break. Give
yourself at least a week for a short story, 3-4 weeks for a novel. It
could also be the case that your ambitions for this particular story
don’t yet match your skills, and that you’ll have to wait even longer to
successfully finish it. I’ve known writers who have given up on a story
only to come back to it months or years later once they’d gained the
skills and insight to complete it. And then suddenly writing that story
seemed really easy!

throne-of-ashes-and-beauty:

smut-101:

1. Abrasive – showing little concern for the feelings of others; harsh
   
2. Absurd – wildly unreasonable, illogical, or inappropriate
3. Accusatory – suggesting someone has done something wrong, complaining
4. Acerbic – sharp and forthright
5. Acidic – harsh or critical
   
6. Admiring – approving; think highly of; respectful; praising
7. Aggressive – hostile; determined; forceful; argumentative
8. Aggrieved –  angry and sad because you think you have been unfairly treated
9. Airy –  giving an impression of being unconcerned or not serious
10. Ambivalent – having mixed feelings; uncertain; in a dilemma; undecided
11. Amused – pleasantly; entertain or divert in an enjoyable or cheerful manner
12. Angry – incensed or enraged; threatening or menacing
13. Animated – full of life or excitement; lively; spirited; impassioned; vibrant
14. Anxious –  typically with a feeling of unease
15. Apathetic – showing little interest; lacking concern; indifferent; unemotional
16. Apologetic – full of regret; repentant; remorseful; acknowledging failure
17. Appreciative – grateful; thankful; showing pleasure; enthusiastic
18. Ardent – enthusiastic; passionate
19. Arrogant – pompous; disdainful; overbearing; condescending; vain; scoffing
20. Assertive – self-confident; strong-willed; authoritative; insistent
21. Authoritative – commanding and self-confident
22. Awestruck – amazed, filled with wonder/awe; reverential
23. Barbed – deliberately hurtful
24. Barking – utter a command or question abruptly or aggressively
25. Belligerent – hostile; aggressive; combatant
26. Benevolent – sympathetic; tolerant; generous; caring; well meaning
27. Bitter – angry; acrimonious; antagonistic; spiteful; nasty
28. Blasé – unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before
    
29. Bleak – without hope or encouragement; depressing; dreary
30. Bombastic – high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated
31. Booming – loud, deep, and resonant
32. Bored – to tire or make weary by being dull, repetitious, or uninteresting
33. Brash – self-assertive in a rude, noisy, or overbearing way
34. Braying – speak or laugh loudly and harshly
35. Breathy – producing or causing an audible sound of breathing, often related to physical exertion or strong feelings
36. Breezy – appearing relaxed, informal, and cheerily brisk
37. Brittle – lacking warmth, sensitivity, or compassion; aloof
38. Bubbly – full of cheerful high spirits
39. Burbling – speak in an unintelligible or silly way, typically at unnecessary length
40. Callous – cruel disregard; unfeeling; uncaring; indifferent; ruthless
41. Candid – truthful, straightforward; honest; unreserved
42. Caustic – making biting, corrosive comments; critical
43. Cautionary – gives warning; raises awareness; reminding
44. Celebratory – praising; pay tribute to; glorify; honour
45. Chatty – informal; lively; conversational; familiar
46. Cheery – happy and optimistic
47. Childish – silly and immature
48. Chirping – say something in a lively and cheerful way
49. Clipped – speech that is fast, that uses short sounds and few words, and that is often unfriendly or rude
50. Cloying – disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment
51. Coarse – rude, crude, or vulgar
52. Colloquial – familiar; everyday language; informal; colloquial; casual
53. Comic – humorous; witty; entertaining; diverting
54. Compassionate – sympathetic; empathetic; warm-hearted; tolerant; kind
55. Complex – having many varying characteristics; complicated
56. Compliant – agree or obey rules; acquiescent; flexible; submissive
57. Concerned – worried; anxious; apprehensive
58. Conciliatory – intended to placate or pacify; appeasing
59. Condescending – stooping to the level of one’s inferiors; patronising
60. Confused – unable to think clearly; bewildered; vague
61. Contemptuous – showing contempt; scornful; insolent; mocking
62. Crisp – briskly decisive and matter-of-fact, without hesitation or unnecessary detail
63. Critical – finding fault; disapproving; scathing; criticizing
64. Croaking – a characteristic deep hoarse sound
65. Cruel – causing pain and suffering; unkind; spiteful; severe
66. Curious – wanting to find out more; inquisitive; questioning
67. Curt – rudely brief
68. Cynical – scornful of motives/virtues of others; mocking; sneering
69. Defensive – defending a position; shielding; guarding; watchful
70. Defiant – obstinate; argumentative; defiant; contentious
71. Demeaning – disrespectful; undignified
72. Depressing – sad, melancholic; discouraging; pessimistic
73. Derisive – snide; sarcastic; mocking; dismissive; scornful
74. Detached – aloof; objective; unfeeling; distant
75. Dignified – serious; respectful; formal; proper
76. Diplomatic – tactful; subtle; sensitive; thoughtful
77. Disapproving – displeased; critical; condemnatory
78. Disheartening – discouraging; demoralising; undermining; depressing
79. Disparaging – dismissive; critical; scornful
80. Direct – straightforward; honest
81. Disappointed – discouraged; unhappy because something has gone wrong
82. Discordant – harsh and jarring because of a lack of harmony
83. Dispassionate – impartial; indifferent; unsentimental; cold; unsympathetic
84. Dispirited – having lost enthusiasm and hope; disheartened
    
85. Distressing – heart-breaking; sad; troubling
86. Docile – compliant; submissive; deferential; accommodating
87. Drawling – speak in a slow, lazy way with prolonged vowel sounds
88. Dulcet – sweet and soothing
89. Dull – lacking interest or excitement
90. Earnest – showing deep sincerity or feeling; serious
91. Egotistical – self-absorbed; selfish; conceited; boastful
92. Empathetic – understanding; kind; sensitive
93. Encouraging – optimistic; supportive
94. Enthusiastic – excited; energetic
95. Evasive – ambiguous; cryptic; unclear
96. Excited – emotionally aroused; stirred
97. Facetious – inappropriate; flippant
98. Farcical – ludicrous; absurd; mocking; humorous and highly improbable
99. Feathery – extremely light and soft or delicate
100. Flippant – superficial; glib; shallow; thoughtless; frivolous
101. Forceful – powerful; energetic; confident; assertive
102. Formal – respectful; stilted; factual; following accepted styles/rules
103. Frank – honest; direct; plain; matter-of-fact
104. Fretful – expressing distress or irritation
105. Frustrated – annoyed; discouraged
106. Gentle – kind; considerate; mild; soft
107. Ghoulish – delighting in the revolting or the loathsome
108. Glum – dejected; morose
109. Goofy – foolish; harmlessly eccentric
110. Grating – harsh and unpleasant
111. Gravelly – deep and rough-sounding
112. Grim – serious; gloomy; depressing; lacking humour;macabre
113. Growling – low grating voice, typically in a threatening manner
114. Gruff – rough and low in pitch
115. Gullible – naive; innocent; ignorant
116. Guttural – produced in the throat; harsh-sounding
117. Hard – unfeeling; hard-hearted; unyielding
118. Harsh – cruel or severe
119. Hearty – loudly vigorous and cheerful
120. Hoarse – sounding rough and harsh, typically as the result of a sore throat or of shouting
121. Honeyed – soothing, soft, and intended to please or flatter
122. Humble – deferential; modest
123. Humorous – amusing; entertaining; playful
124. Husky – sounding low-pitched and slightly hoarse
125. Hypercritical – unreasonably critical; hair splitting; nitpicking
126. Impartial – unbiased; neutral; objective
127. Impassioned – filled with emotion; ardent
128. Imploring – pleading; begging
129. Impressionable – trusting; child-like
130. Inane – silly; foolish; stupid; nonsensical
131. Incensed – enraged
132. Incredulous – disbelieving; unconvinced; questioning; suspicious
133. Indifferent – having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned
134. Indignant – annoyed; angry; dissatisfied
135. Informative – instructive; factual; educational
136. Insinuating – suggest or hint in an indirect and unpleasant way
137. Inspirational – encouraging; reassuring
138. Intense – earnest; passionate; concentrated; deeply felt
139. Intimate – familiar; informal; confidential; confessional
140. Ironic – the opposite of what is meant
141. Irreverent – lacking respect for things that are generally taken seriously
142. Jaded – bored; having had too much of the same thing; lack enthusiasm
143. Joyful – positive; optimistic; cheerful; elated
144. Jubilant – expressing great happiness and triumph
145. Judgmental – critical; finding fault; disparaging
146. Laudatory – praising; recommending
147. Lifeless – lacking vigor, vitality, or excitement
148. Light-Hearted – carefree; relaxed; chatty; humorous
149. Lively – full of life and energy; active and outgoing
150. Loving – affectionate; showing intense, deep concern
151. Macabre – gruesome; horrifying; frightening
152. Malicious – desiring to harm others or to see others suffer; ill-willed; spiteful
153. Matter-of-fact – unemotional and practical
154. Mean-Spirited – inconsiderate; unsympathetic
155. Mellifluous – sweet or musical; pleasant to hear
156. Melodious – pleasant-sounding
157. Mocking – scornful; ridiculing; making fun of someone
158. Monotonous – lacking in variation in tone or pitch
159. Mourning – grieving; lamenting; woeful
160. Muffled – not loud because of being obstructed in some way; muted
161. Naive – innocent; unsophisticated; immature
162. Narcissistic – self-admiring; selfish; boastful; self-pitying
163. Nasty – unpleasant; unkind; disagreeable; abusive
164. Negative – unhappy, pessimistic
165. Nonchalant – casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm
166. Nostalgic – thinking about the past; wishing for something from the past
167. Objective – without prejudice; without discrimination; fair; based on fact
168. Obsequious – overly obedient and/or submissive; fawning; grovelling
169. Oily – unpleasantly smooth and ingratiating
170. Optimistic – hopeful; cheerful
171. Outraged – angered and resentful; furious; extremely angered
172. Outspoken – frank; candid; spoken without reserv
173. Pathetic – expressing pity, sympathy, tenderness
174. Patronizing – condescending; scornful; pompous
175. Pensive – reflective; introspective; philosophical; contemplative
176. Persuasive – convincing; eloquent; influential; plausible
177. Pessimistic – seeing the negative side of things
178. Philosophical – theoretical; analytical; rational; logical
179. Piping – high-pitched.
180. Playful – full of fun and good spirits; humorous; jesting
181. Pragmatic – realistic; sensible
182. Pretentious – affected; artificial; grandiose; rhetorical; flashy
183. Quavering – shake or tremble in speaking, typically through nervousness or emotion
184. Querulous – complaining in a petulant or whining manner
185. Rasping – harsh-sounding and unpleasant; grating
186. Reedy – high and thin in tone
187. Refined –  elegant; cultured
188. Regretful – apologetic; remorseful
189. Resentful – aggrieved; offended; displeased; bitter
190. Resigned – accepting; unhappy
191. Restrained – controlled; quiet; unemotional
192. Reverent – showing deep respect and esteem
193. Righteous – morally right and just; guiltless; pious; god-fearing
194. Robust – strong and healthy; vigorous
195. Saccharine –
     
     excessively sweet or sentimental

196. Satirical – making fun to show a weakness; ridiculing; derisive
197. Sarcastic – scornful; mocking; ridiculing
198. Scathing – critical; stinging; unsparing; harsh
199. Scornful – expressing contempt or derision; scathing; dismissive
200. Scratchy –
     
     rough; grating

201. Sensationalist – provocative; inaccurate; distasteful
202. Sentimental – thinking about feelings, especially when remembering the past
203. Shrill –

     high-pitched and piercing

204. Silvery –
     
     gentle, clear, and melodious

205. Sincere – honest; truthful; earnest
206. Skeptical – disbelieving; unconvinced; doubting
207. Smarmy – 

     excessively or unctuously flattering; ingratiating; servile

208. Smoky –
     
     a raspy, coarse and tone of quality that is deeper than usual
209. Snide –
     
     derogatory or mocking in an indirect way

210. Solemn – not funny; in earnest; serious
211. Somber –
     
     oppressively solemn or sober in mood; grave

212. Sonorous –

     imposingly deep and full

213. Sour – resentment, disappointment, or anger
214. Steely – coldly determined; hard

215. Strident –

     loud and harsh; grating

216. Stony –
     
     not having or showing feeling or sympathy

217. Suave –
     
     charming, confident, and elegant
218. Subjective – prejudiced; biased
219. Submissive – compliant; passive; accommodating; obedient
220. Sulking – bad-tempered; grumpy; resentful; sullen
221. Surly –

     bad-tempered and unfriendly

222. Sympathetic – compassionate; understanding of how someone feels
223. Thoughtful – reflective; serious; absorbed
224. Throaty –

     deep and rasping

225. Tolerant – open-minded; charitable; patient; sympathetic; lenient
226. Tragic – disastrous; calamitous
227. Tremulous –

     shaking or quivering slightly

228. Unassuming – modest; self-effacing; restrained
229. Unctuous –
     
     excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug

230. Uneasy – worried; uncomfortable; edgy; nervous
231. Urgent – insistent; saying something must be done soon
232. Velvety – soft; smooth
233. Vindictive – vengeful; spiteful; bitter; unforgiving
234. Virtuous – lawful; righteous; moral; upstanding
235. Whimsical – quaint; playful; mischievous; offbeat
236. Witty – clever; quick-witted; entertaining
237. Wonder – awe-struck; admiring; fascinating
238. World-Weary – bored; cynical; tired
239. Worried – anxious; stressed; fearful
240. Wretched – miserable; despairing; sorrowful; distressed

Reblog to save a life.

candy-m-s:

badassunicorn2016:

A list of body language phrases.

I’ve included a very comprehensive list, organized by the type of body movement, hand and arm movements, facial expressions etc. In some cases, a phrase fits more than one heading, so it may appear twice. Possible emotions are given after each BL phrase unless the emotion is indicated within the phrase. (They are underlined for emphasis, not due to a hyperlink.)

Note: I’ve included a few body postures and body conditions as they are non-verbal testimony to the character’s physical condition.

Have fun and generate your own ideas.:-)

Eyes, Brows and Forehead

• arched a sly brow:  sly, haughty
• blinked owlishly:  just waking, focusing, needs glasses
• brows bumped together in a scowl:  worried, disapproving, irritated
• brows knitted in a frown: worried, disapproval, thoughtful
• bug-eyed:  surprised, fear, horror
• cocky wink and confident smile:  over confidence, arrogant, good humor, sexy humor
• eyes burned with hatred: besides hatred this might suggest maniacal feelings
• eyes flashed: fury, defiance, lust, promise, seduction
• eyes rolled skyward: disbelief, distrust, humor
• forehead puckered:  thoughtful, worried, irritation
• frustration crinkled her eyes
• gaze dipped to her décolletage: sexual interest, attraction, lust
• gimlet-eyed/narrowed eyes: irritation, thoughtful, mean, angry
• gleam of deviltry:  humor, conniving, cunning
• kept eye contact but her gaze became glazed: pretending interest where there is none/bordom
• narrowed to crinkled slits:  angry, distrust
• nystagmic eyes missed nothing (constantly shifting eyes):  Shifty
• pupils dilated:  interested, attraction to opposite sex, fear
• raked her with freezing contempt
• slammed his eyes shut:  stunned, furious, pain
• squinted in a furtive manner:  fearful, sneaky
• stared with cow eyes:  surprised, disbelief, hopeful, lovestruck
• subtle wink:  sexy, humor/sharing a joke, sarcasm
• unrelenting stare: distrust, demanding, high interest, unyielding

Place To Place, Stationary Or Posture

• ambled away:  relaxed, lazy
• barged ahead:  rude, hurried
• battled his way through the melee:  desperate, anger, alarm
• cruised into the diner:  easy-going, feeling dapper, confident
• dawdled alongside the road:  lazy, deliberate delay for motives, unhurried, relaxed
• dragged his blanket in the dirt:   sadness/depressed, weary
• edged closer to him:  sneaky, seeking comfort, seeking protection, seeking an audience
• he stood straighter and straightened his tie:  sudden interest, sexual attraction
• held his crotch and danced a frantic jig: demonstrates physical condition – he has to pee
• hips rolled and undulated:  sexy walk, exaggerating for sex appeal
• hovered over them with malice/like a threatening storm: here it’s malice, but one may hover for many reasons.
• hunched over to look shorter:  appear inconspicuous, ashamed of actions, ashamed of height
• leaped into action feet hammering the marbled floor:  eager, fear, joyous
• long-legged strides:  hurried, impatient
• lumbered across:  heavy steps of a big man in a hurry
• minced her way up to him: timid, sneaky, insecure, dainty or pretense at dainty
• paced/prowled the halls:  worried, worried impatience, impatient, diligently seeking pivoted on his heel and took off:  mistaken and changes direction, following orders, hurried, abrupt change of mind, angry retreat
• plodded down the road:  unhurried, burdened, reluctant
• practiced sensual stroll:  sexy, showing off
• rammed her bare foot into her jeans: angry, rushed
• rocked back and forth on his heels: thoughtful, impatiently waiting
• sagged against the wall:  exhausted, disappointment
• sallied forth:  confident, determined
• sashayed her cute little fanny:  confident, determined, angered and determined
• shrank into the angry crowd:  fear, insecure, seeking to elude
• sketched a brief bow and assumed a regal pose: confident, mocking, snooty, arrogant skidded to an abrupt halt: change of heart, fear, surprise, shock
• skulked on the edges of the crowd: sneaky, ashamed, timid
• slithered through the door:  sneaky, evil, bad intentions
• stormed toward her, pulling up short when: anger with a sudden surprise
• swaggered into the class room:  over confident, proud, arrogant, conceited
• tall erect posture:  confidence, military bearing
• toe tapped a staccato rhythm:  impatience, irritation
• tottered/staggered unsteadily then keeled over:  drunk, drugged, aged, ill
• waltzed across the floor:  happy, blissful, exuberant, conceited, arrogant

Head Movement

• cocked his head:  curiosity, smart-alecky, wondering, thoughtful
• cocked his head left and rolled his eyes to right corner of the ceiling:  introspection
• droop of his head: depressed, downcast, hiding true feelings
• nodded vigorously: eager
• tilted her head to one side while listening:  extreme interest, possibly sexual interest

Mouth And Jaw

• a lackluster smile:  feigning cheerfulness
• cigarette hung immobile in mouth: shock, lazy, uncaring, relaxed casualness
• clinched his jaw at the sight:  angered, worried, surprised
• curled her lips with icy contempt
• expelled her breath in a whose:  relief, disappointment
• gagged at the smell: disgust, distaste
• gapped mouth stare:  surprised, shock, disbelief
• gritted his teeth:  anger, irritation, holding back opinion
• inhaled a sharp breath:  surprise, shock, fear, horror
• licked her lips:  nervous, sexual attraction
• lips primed: affronted, upset, insulted
• lips pursed for a juicy kiss
• lips pursed like she’d been chewing a lemon rind: dislike, angry, irritated, sarcasm
• lips screwed into: irritation, anger, grimace, scorn
• lips set in a grim line: sorrow, worried, fear of the worst
• pursed her lips:  perturbed, waiting for a kiss
• scarfed down the last biscuit:  physical hunger, greed
• slack-mouthed:  total shock, disbelief
• slow and sexy smile:  attraction, seductive, coy
• smacked his lips: anticipation
• smile congealed then melted into horror
• smile dangled on the corner of his lips: cocky, sexy
• smirked and tossed her hair over her shoulder:  conceit, sarcasm, over confident
• sneered and flicked lint off his suit: sarcasm, conceit
• spewed water and spit: shock
• stuck out her tongue: humor, sarcasm, teasing, childish
• toothy smile:  eagerness, hopeful
• wary smile surfaced on her lips

Nose

• nose wrinkled in distaste/at the aroma
• nostrils flared:  anger, sexual attraction
• nose in the air:  snooty, haughty

Face in General

• crimson with fury
• handed it over shame-faced
• jutted his chin: confident, anger, forceful
• managed a deadpan expression:  expressionless
• muscles in her face tightened:  unsmiling, concealing emotions, anger, worried
• rested his chin in his palm and looked thoughtful
• rubbed a hand over his dark stubble:  thoughtful, ashamed of his appearance
• screwed up her face:  anger, smiling, ready to cry, could almost be any emotion
• sneered and flicked lint off his suit: conceit, derision, scorn

Arm and Hand

• a vicious yank
• arm curled around her waist, tugging her next to him:  possessive, pride, protective
• bit her lip and glanced away:  shy, ashamed, insecure
• brandished his fist:  anger, threatening, ready to fight, confident, show of pride
• clamped his fingers into tender flesh:  anger, protective, wants to inflict pain
• clenched his dirty little fists: stubborn, angry
• clapped her hands on her hips, arms crooked like sugar bowel handles:  anger, demanding, disbelief
• constantly twirled her hair and tucked it behind her ear:  attracted to the opposite sex, shy crossed his arms over his chest: waiting, impatient, putting a barrier
• crushed the paper in his fist:  anger, surrender, discard
• dived into the food: hunger, eager, greedy
• doffed his hat:  polite gesture, mocking, teasing
• doodled on the phone pad and tapped the air with her foot:  bored, inattention, introspection
• drummed her fingers on the desk:  impatient, frustrated, bored
• fanned her heated face with her hands: physically hot, embarrassed, indicating attraction
• fiddled with his keys: nervous, bored
• firm, palm to palm hand shake:  confident, honest
• flipped him the bird: sarcastic discard
• forked his fingers through his hair for the third time:  disquiet/consternation, worry, thoughtful
• handed it over shame-faced:  guilt, shame
• held his crotch and danced a frantic jig:  physical need to relieve himself
• limp hand shake:  lack of confidence, lack of enthusiasm
• propped his elbow on his knee: relaxed, thoughtful
• punched her pillow:  restless, can’t sleep, angry
• rested his chin in his palm:  thoughful, worried
• scratched his hairy belly and yawned:  indolent, bored, lazy, relaxed, just waking
• shoulders lifted in a shrug:  doubtful, careless discard
• slapped his face in front of God and country:  enraged, affronted/insulted
• snapped a sharp salute:  respect, sarcastic gesture meaning the opposite of respect
• snapped his fingers, expecting service:  arrogant, lack of respect, self-centered
• sneered and flicked lint off his suit
• spread her arms wide: welcoming,  joy, love
• stabbed at the food: anger, hunger, determined
• stood straighter and smoothed his tie:  sudden interest, possible sexual interest
• stuffed his hands in his pockets: self-conscious, throwing up a barrier
• sweaty handshake:  nervous, fearful
• touched his arm several times while explaining:  sign of attraction, flattery, possessive
• wide sweep of his arms:  welcoming, all inclusive gesture, horror

Sitting or Rising

• collapsed in a stupor:  exhausted, drunk, drugged, disbelief
• enthroned himself at the desk:  conceit, pronouncing or taking ownership
• exploded out of the chair:  shock, eager, anger, supreme joy
• roosted on the porch rail like a cock on a hen house roof:  claiming ownership, conceit, content
• sat, squaring an ankle over one knee:  relaxed and open
• slouched/wilted in a chair and paid languid attention to:  drowsy, lazy, depressed, disinterest, sad, totally relaxed, disrespectful
• squirmed in his chair: ill at ease, nervous, needs the bathroom

Recline

• flung himself into the bed: sad, depressed, exhausted, happy
• prostrated himself: surrender, desperate, miserable, powerless, obsequious, fawning, flattering
• punched her pillow:  can’t sleep, anger, frustrated
• threw himself on the floor kicking and screaming: tantrum

Entire body and General

• body stiffened at the remark:  offended, anger, alerted
• body swayed to music:  dreamy, fond memories, enjoys the music
• bounced in the car seat, pointing:  excitement, fear, eager
• cowered behind his brother:  fear, shyness, coward, desperate
• curled into a ball:  sorrow, fear, sleepy, defensive
• heart galloping:  anxiety, joy, eager
• held his crotch and danced a frantic jig
• humped over his cane, each step shaking and careful: pain, aged
• inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly: buying time to find words/thoughtful, reconciled
• quick and jerky like rusty cogs on a wheel:  unsure of actions, self-conscious, tense, edgy
• rocked back and forth on his heels:  impatient, cocky, gleeful
• manhandled the woman into a corner:  bully, anger
• slumped shoulders: defeat, depressed, sad, surrender
• stiff-backed:  priggish, haughty, affronted
• stood straighter and straightened his tie:  sexual interest, wants to make an impression
• stooped and bent: aged, arthritic, in pain
• stretched extravagantly and yawned:  tired, bored, unconcerned
• sweating uncontrollably: nervous, fear, guilt
• tall erect posture:  confidence, military bearing
• was panting now at:  afraid, exhausted, out of breath, sexual excitement

-Sharla Rae

Reblogging for future everyday use

inky-duchess:

Fantasy Armoury: Swords

I love swords. Love them. Swords are to fantasy as walls to a castle. You need your swords to battle dragons, usurpers, knights and wizards. So lets go into the armory and learn about swords.

Anatomy of a typical sword

• Crossguard: This is the part of the sword between the hilt and blade. This protects the hand.
• Blade: The sharp end, duh
• Hilt: This is the part you hold. Also called a grip.
• Pommel: the end of the sword attached to the hilt. This can be decorated as you like.
• Fuller: this is a hollow running up the sword. Debates go on whether it is made to reduce suction or make blood run off quicker or to make the sword more dynamic.
• Edge: the sharpened sides of the blade. Can be singular or double.
• The point: The pointy bit at the top. Stick them into the person (jon snow logic)

Types of Swords

• Claymore: This is the Scottish Gaelic version of the Great Sword. It is a heavy sword with a long reach
• Longsword: Medieval and Renaissance weapon commonly used with with two hands.
• Bastard sword: refers to a sword of an uncertain origin. It may be a cross between a long sword and a great sword.
• Gladius: an ancient Roman blade used by gladiators and then legionaires. There is no crossguard. It is also called a shortsword. Made for stabbing rather than slashing.
• Xiphos: double-edged, single-handed sword used by ancient greeks. The blade is commonly leaf shaped made for slashing.
• Sabre or Rapier: This is a slender blade used by fencers. This blade might not be able to hack a head but its light weight makes the blade an asset in speed.
• Katana: The Japanese samurai sword. This is single-edged and the blade os hammer thin. Made for speed and deadly sharp.
• Scimitar: a curved blade with a singled edge.

Sword Moves

• Advance – to attack, going forward.
• Deflect – engaging sword with your own and pushing it away
• Empty Fade – jumping backwards as if to retreat then attacking.
• Front Guard – the sword is held in front of your face.
• Full Iron Gate Guard – the sword is halfway between your legs, angled right.
• Half Iron Gate Guard – the sword is held before your left leg.
• Lunge – leaping forwards while feet are in the same stance.
• Pass Back – moving your front foot into the rear position.
• Pass Forward – moving your rear foot into the front position.
• Pivot – Rotating 180 degrees, keeping dominant foot stationary.
• Retreat – a movement backwards.
• Shed – to allow a sword to slide away off your sword.
• Short Guard – the hilt is at your hip and the point is forward.
• Step Across – Rotating 180 degrees, crossing feet and spinning.
• Tail Guard – the hilt is at your hip and the sword is behind you.
• Two Horn Guard – pommel is at your chest with the sword pointing out.
• Window Guard – a guard where the hilt is at your ear and the sword points forwards

Things to remember about swords

1. When drawing your sword, the scabbard is on your opposite hip.

2. If a sword is two-handed, use two hands. Don’t try be cool. You will cut yourself.

3. Swords are sharpened using a whetstone and polished with oil clothes. Water rusts them. Look after your swords.

4. Swords can stick to to scabbard if the air is icy. To prevent it, you can line your scabbard with leather.

5. Practise with a blunted sword first. Blunt swords are used in tourneys.

6. Defense over Attack. Better to defend rather than attack.

7. Shields are your friend in defence but hamper your ability to attack.

8. Sword to size. Smaller and weaker swordsmen(women) can’t any wield heavier swords. Bulkier and stronger swordsmen(women) can wield heavier swords. Match sword type to body type.

artattemptswriting:

Before I get going, I’m 75% deaf, as some of you know, semi-reliant on hearing aids and lip reading. My first languages were Makaton sign and then BSL. I now use spoken English. This is part one of two. People are People covers characterization and toxic tropes.

There are a lot of issues I find with how deaf people are represented in books, when represented at all. I would love to see more deaf and hard of hearing characters in the books I read- without having to read books specifically about deaf/HoH people- but when I find them, they’re grossly undercharacterized or stereotyped. Authors write them in a way that sets signing language characters apart from speaking characters as if they are inferior, and this makes my blood boil.

Some technicalties

I’ll keep this brief.

• You may have heard that “deaf” is a slur and you should use “hearing impaired”. Don’t. I’ve never met a deaf or hard of hearing person who believed that. Use deaf for people who are deaf, and Hard of Hearing (HoH) for people who lack hearing. These can be interchangeable depending on the person. This is why sensitivity readers are a useful part of the beta process.
• Sign language is incredibly varied. It developes in the same way as spoken language. Fun fact: in BSL there are at least half a dozen ways to say bullshit, my favourite of which is laying your arms across one another with one hand making a bull’s head sign and the other hand going flat, like a cowpat. It’s beautifully crude, and the face makes the exclamation mark. Wonderful.
• There are different sign languages. Knowing more than one would make a character multi or bi-lingual, even if they are non-speaking.
• Makaton is basic sign language used by children, and it mirrors the very simple language used by toddlers.
• Yes, we swear and talk shit about people around us in sign language sometimes, and no, it isn’t disrespectful to have signing characters do this. Just remember that we also say nice things, and random things, and talk about fandoms and TV shows and what we’re having for dinner, too.
• Each signed language is different from another. ASL and BSL? Nothing alike. Just google the two different signs for horse.

Remember that sign language is a language, equal to the spoken word

Therefore, treat it as such. Use quotation speech marks and dialogue
tags. You only need to explicitly state that this character uses signed language once, and then let your modifiers and description do the rest.

 It isn’t a form of “sub-speech" or “making hand actions”- sign language is a language all on its own: it has its own grammar rules, syntactical structures, punctuation, patterns, idioms and colloquialisms. For example, “what is your name?” becomes “Your name what?” with the facial expression forming punctuation in the same way that spoken English uses alterations of prosodic tone (inflections). There is even pidgin sign; a language phenomenon usually associated with spoken language.

In the same way that you would describe a spoken-English character’s tone of voice, you would describe a signed-English speaker’s facial expressions and the way that they sign- keeping in mind that these things are our language’s equivalent of verbal inflection.

So please, none of that use of “special speech marks” or italicised
speech for sign. If your viewpoint character doesn’t understand signed
speech, then you take the same approach that would be used for any other
language they don’t understand, like French or Thai. E.g “He said something
in rapid sign language, face wrinkling in obvious disgust.” is a good
way of conveying this. The proof that you’ve done this well is in whether or not you can switch “sign language” for French or something else, and it would read the same.

Don’t be afraid to describe how things are said, either.
Sign language is such a beautiful and expressive way of talking, and to
see a writer do it justice would be truly fabulous. Putting this into practise:

“Oh, I love maths!” She said, fingers sharp and wide with sarcasm. She raised her eyebrows.

“I’m sorry.” He replied and made his face small, but could not keep the grin forming. She was starting to laugh, too.

 For the sake of readibility, I’m putting the rest of the information in part two.

---

This is part of my weekly advice theme. Each week I look at what you’ve asked me to help with, and write a post or series of posts for it. Next week: settings and character development (including heroes, anti-heroes, villains, and every other kind of character).

sentence-prompts:

So you’ve got your characters, but you’re still attempting to figure out how to make sure they don’t come off as emotionless robots? You’ve come to the right place!

The best strategy I’ve found for making sure your characters don’t come across as completely apathetic without it breaking the veil of the story you’ve created is by telling the characters emotions without explicitly saying the emotion. Your readers are smart, I can promise you they’ll figure it out. 

Do NOT say things like; “He smiled happily.” 

If he’s smiling, the readers will know he’s probably happy. Your best bet would be to either leave it as “He smiled” or if you want to be more descriptive talk about how he’s feeling other than happy. Is pride welling in his chest? Are there butterflies in his stomach? Can he feel tears forming in the corners of his eyes? Those were very different types of situations that you just thought of, wasn’t it? It also paints a better picture than happy. On average, the more your reader can picture something, the better attached they can get to the story.

Examples;

His stomach dropped to somewhere beneath his toes, and he felt an instant urge to vomit. (Describes; Dread)

She dragged her feet the whole way, lips pressed into a fine line. (Describes; Reluctance)

They could not quite manage to stifle their yawn, wiping at their eyes languidly. (Describes; Tiredness)

He could feel his cheeks flush as he averted his eyes towards the floor, taking a sudden interest in his shoes. (Describes; Embarrassment)

The easiest way to write emotions is just to think about what you feel when those emotions come to you. If possible, attempt to trigger some of those emotions in yourself. Think about an embarrassing moment, or watch a cute dog video, or a sad movie. If you’re typically unphased by the emotion you’re attempting to write, try to ask a friend what they feel.

cogwrites:

for the writer who can’t seem to write.

• Buy a pencil and paper. Get a writing program and a keyboard.
• Spill all your ideas into a notebook that will never see the light of day. Write down literally every idea you have that even sort of relates to the scene/chapter/book that you want to write until your thoughts converge on a pointed attack.
• Quality vs. Quantity? No competition. Quantity all the way. The more you write, the better you will know your story. Worry about Quality LATER.
• Think about where the idea came from. Go there. Set up a cardboard box and live there. This is your home now.
• What is the coolest, most self-indulgent thing you can think of? That’s what you want to write at this point, until you get some steam.
• Short-term goals, my friends. And by short-term, I mean a minute from now, ten seconds from now. What are you going to do to write RIGHT NOW? Stop thinking about an hour from now, stop thinking about a day from now.
• This is not a book. This is not a book. You are not writing a book. You are writing a story. A story is much easier to take bites out of than a book. A book is a big, scary, colossal thing. Stories are fun and carefree.
• Get yourself a writing friend. A cactus, an old bottle of nail polish, a fish in an appropriately sized tank, etc. Make them hold you accountable.
• Set crazy low goals. Promise yourself you will write ten words today. Ten words and you will be the Best Writer in the Entire World to Ever Exist. Accomplishing things is a morale booster and will urge you to write more.
• Just keep writing. I believe in you.

constructedlanguages:

i think there’s three main reasons a common language might come about in a fantasy world: the peaceful way, the imperialistic way, and the magic way.

the first would probably work in one of two distinct ways, the first a lot like you said: one people who are especially prolific explorers/traders and end up both adapting and spreading their language. *by adapting i mean borrowing words for various goods, weather patterns, and natural feature that might be foreign. if they didn’t have a lot of seafood, the trade language would probably use another culture’s words for those things. if their homeland was forested, the trade language might borrow words pertaining to deserts or mountains from culture who live in those climes

the other way is where the common tongue is a concentrated effort. this probably wouldn’t happen in most traditional fantasy worlds, but depending on the magic of the world, magic users (either secular or religious or both) might develop a common tongue/aid in the merging of major languages. if they are collaborating with each other, they would probably develop universal magic terms and either pick a language or develop a language or a bit of both to be the common magic tongue. over time, especially with effort, this language could pread beyond magic collaboration into common use

the imperialistic way is probably the most realistic but i’m not a sociologist so don’t quote me. if one people colonized much of the world, their language would spread. even if the colonization happened years ago and the colonies have long since revolted, the spread of language can still be seen (*cough* english, french, spanish *cough*)

the magic way… i mean there’s lots of magic ways. say a prometheus-figure descended from the heavens/another plane and taught people language. or maybe there is no common language necessarily but there’s universal translation magic fields around major cities. when it’s fantasy there’s a lot of ways to justify something.

a lot also depends on the size of the inhabited world / known world. it’s a lot easier to say there’s a common tongue around this continent than around a whole world. but then again, this is fantasy so your world could be flat or surrounded by giant snake or something so the whole world might be fairly tight-knit

tl;dr a common language might not be incredibly realistic esp in a fantasy world without (presumably) modern communication and transportation technology. however, there are a lot of ways you can justify one existing that readers will believe. wrt your idea, that’s already more thought than a lot of people give to it, and i’d definitely be able to accept it even if it might not work so neatly in real life.

howtofightwrite:

Hi I can’t decide the timeline to start story. What should be the main event in story?

You included either a lot of backstory or potential plot hooks for your narrative in the question, all of which have the potential to be very interesting stories in their own right, and that’s why we’re going to talk about something else.

Where do I start my story?

This is the question a lot of authors wrestle with and the answer is surprisingly simple — anywhere you want.

You don’t even need to start writing at the start of your story, you can start writing the middle first, or even the ending, and then start from the beginning once you know where you’re going. When I get stuck, I often write the parts in the future which I find interesting and work my way towards it because that gives me a point to aim for.

You have to start somewhere, so start with what interests you.

If you find yourself getting caught up in massive details for a fantasy setting spread across multiple dimensions and lifetimes then… write the ideas down, make note of them, fill up your notebooks with all that detail for your setting bible. That way, you can always come back to it later for more inspiration. Once you’ve done that, move on to your characters. Take a moment to step away from the big world changing events, but on the individuals in your story. The ones who will ultimately be the driving force behind these events.

These smaller, individual stories are the ones which carry the overarching plot and a narrative that could encompass anything from multiple books, or simply be the epic backstory of just one.

So, who interests you? The great hero at the height of their reign? The Rise of the Big Bad? The hero reincarnated into a new world, scrabbling to put together the pieces of their past life? Or, is it someone else? The rebellious general who realizes the evil they serve isn’t creating the world they hoped for? A young scribe keeping notes in the halls of an evil sorcerer  who steals the mcguffin and runs off to join the rebels? A battered, down on their luck bounty hunter after the relic so they can sell it to the highest bidder? A frustrated and angry high school student stuck in a small world, who dreams of a more fantastical one, where they’re the hero winth incredible powers, who wants the world they’ve seen in their dreams, but when those dreams become a reality realizes it might be more than they ever bargained for?

Epic narratives (rather than epics, the genre) can come from any narrative. The bounty hunter could be hunting the scribe, who could wind up on a buddy/road trip adventure as they carry a mystical object toward their world’s salvation or destruction. This could be an epic narrative filled with humor, potential romance, and heartache. Or, it could be cliche.

The story could be cliche, or it could be fantastic, it might even be cliche and fantastic. (This is, frankly, my favorite type of story.)

You won’t know until you sit down and start writing it.

You won’t know until you’ve finished your first draft. (All first drafts are terrible.)

You won’t know until you’ve restructured the whole thing in your second, third, fourth, and fifth drafts.

You may end up with a story wildly different from the one you imagined when you first sat down to write. This is part of why the place where you start doesn’t need to be your beginning. Writing is a journey of self-discovery, a discovery of your own creative process.

So, pick somewhere. Don’t worry if it’s the perfect character, or the right place. You can end up at right and perfect, but you can’t expect right and perfect in the beginning. You can accept messy, clumsy, and unsure. Trust yourself to get to the gem you imagine inside your mind, keep working at it and you will. Remember that what you read from a published novel is the end result of a product polished to a shine. Where we start is with a diamond, or even a rock full of diamonds we’ll need to chip out of the mountain before we can show them off. Creation is often a messy, embarrassing process filled with horror, joy, and terror. There may occasionally be hair pulling and screaming. You’ll give yourself a lot more grief trying to avoid this, than you will by just embracing it.

You don’t have to write in a straight line.

You do write one line at a time.

So, start writing.

-Michi

This blog is supported through Patreon. If you enjoy our content, please consider becoming a Patron. Every contribution helps keep us online, and writing. If you already are a Patron, thank you.

Q&A: Where do I begin? Anywhere you want. was originally published on How to Fight Write.