Swell Dame

Stuck on a short story idea…help?

So I want to write about two women held captive on a spaceship and that’s all I’ve got. lol I know that’s not much to go on to ask for help but this is the first time I’ve written something in almost a year and I don’t want to let it go.

Any suggestions on what I should think about? Or maybe possibilities on why they’re being held captive? The overall objective to the story?

Thank you, oh genius writers of Tumblr for any and all help. :)

(via amour-de-tous)

writing
said

Writing requires discipline, but disciplined writers are not necessarily prolific. Most good work gets produced over time, sometimes many years, allowing the writer to grow with the material, to allow her world, her command over craft, and her psychological maturity to coalesce at just the right moment to produce something of value. This process often involves dreadful periods of not writing, or, worse, periods of writing very badly, embarrassingly badly. As time passes in a writing life, the writer learns not to fear these arid periods. The words come back eventually. That’s the real discipline: to train the mind and heart into believing that words come back.
…
Be willing to wait. In the meantime, write when you don’t feel like it. If you can’t write, read.

Monica Wood, The Pocket Muse (masculine pronouns changed to feminine)

I needed to hear this today.

(via savetheteaboy)

And again today.

(via one-bite-at-a-time)

(See also: the Law of Undulations)

(via referenceforwriters)

My Steampunk short story on Smashwords - It's Free! →

“Dr. Herbert Goode, His Mechanical Girl and the End of the World” by Amber Grey

Description: Predicting the fallout from a new power source, a lone scientist now lives in solitary companionship with his final creation, watching the world pass by through glass and sorrow. Living day to day in their shelter against the outside horrors, they await the end of the world.

I haven’t written anything in about a year (got a bad rejection that set me back). I have a story I want to write but I’m trying to go through the plotter’s way of preparing the story before I write it.

I’ve been thinking about starting a physical journal that I’ve heard some people suggest. But I’ve also been thinking about only planning out only the key parts I must hit on - inciting incident, climax, resolution, etc with minor details filled in but I don’t know.

Any tips? What do you do as a plotter or as a pantser?

What are some tips for describing a character’s clothing in fiction?

I’m developing a story where the character is extremely deceptive and murderous (haha). It goes without saying that I will need to describe her clothing at one point.

I don’t know which writing blog to ask this, so I’ll ask all of them.

I dare you to write only using sentences that are more than six words

idareyoutowrite:

Be creative with it, it’s harder than it looks. Really pay attention to how many words you use in each sentence- it’s so easy to fall into using the same pattern over and over.

Think outside the box, have fun with it

And don’t forget to tag I dare you to write if you’re brave enough to publish it

To the Anon who wanted to know where to find more of my writing:

http://ange-etrange.deviantart.com/gallery/27933210

Tumblr was being a boob and wouldn’t let me post your question. Thank you for liking my “Vikings” fanfic! :D

How to end your novel →

writeworld:

nanowrimodiary:

The Dos and Don’ts By James V. Smith Jr.

Don’ts

Don’t introduce any new characters or subplots. Any appearances within the last 50 pages should have been foreshadowed earlier, even if mysteriously.

Don’t describe, muse, explain or philosophize. Keep description to a minimum, but maximize action and conflict. You have placed all your charges. Now, light the fuse and run.

Don’t change voice, tone or attitude. An ending will feel tacked on if the voice of the narrator suddenly sounds alien to the voice that’s been consistent for the previous 80,000 words.

Don’t resort to gimmicks. No quirky twists or trick endings. The final impression you want to create is a positive one. Don’t leave your reader feeling tricked or cheated.

Dos

Do create that sense of Oh, wow! Your best novelties and biggest surprises should go here. Readers love it when some early, trivial detail plays a part in the finale.

Do enmesh your reader deeply in the outcome. Get her so involved that she cannot put down your novel to go to bed, to work or even to the bathroom until she sees how it turns out.

Do resolve the central conflict. You don’t have to provide a happily-ever-after ending, but do try to uplift. Readers want to be uplifted, and editors try to give readers what they want.

Do afford redemption to your heroic character. No matter how many mistakes she has made along the way, allow the reader—and the character—to realize that, in the end, she has done the right thing.

Do tie up loose ends of significance. Every question you planted in a reader’s mind should be addressed, even if the answer is to say that a character will address that issue later, after the book ends.

Do mirror your final words to events in your opener. When you reach the ending, go back to ensure some element in each of your complications will point to the beginning. It’s the tie-back tactic. Merely create a feeling that the final words hearken to an earlier moment in the story.

‘Writers Write’ is a great blog (not on tumblr as far as I’m aware) with writing tips, quotes, and more. Definitely worth checking out!
They’re also on facebook, if anyone’s interested.

Check out amandaonwriting for more from Writers Write!

(via amour-de-tous)

writing

A one-shot “Vikings” fanfiction piece

Rating: R (for sexual themes)

Summary: Aesa, engaged to be married, has fallen in love with Athlestan.

This is the first time I’ve written a serious piece in a year. I hope it’s all right.