I write things then I post them on here.

writingbox:

Unless you’re the next J R R Tolkien, it’s best not to attempt a huge outpouring of historical backstory at the beginning of your novel. Your readers want a gripping story, not a history lecture.

There are many ways that you can gradually reveal backstory through your novel without having to halt the telling of your story.

1. Setting: Bombed buildings hint at a recent war, a flood may have left your characters living upstairs in their houses. Street names, pub names and building names can hint at historical backstory (such as Battle Square, Hangman’s Lane or The Burning Scholar Inn).
2. Culture: A town that used to be plagued by dragons may have a policy on killing lizards, a populace that used to be slaves may eat quickly, a town that suffers regular droughts may value water over money.
3. Character: A woman who was attacked may be scared to leave home after dark, someone who was criticised as a child may be a perfectionist as an adult. After a long war, a town may be very short on men, and the men that survived may have trouble re-adjusting to life.
4. Dialogue: Characters can, of course, talk about the past, but avoid another outpouring of historical information. Hint at things, leave clues, tell half stories; let your reader enjoy piecing everything together.

(via rowboatcopss)

thewritershelpers:

Does your character have a particular voice type in mind? Do they have an accent? Are they monotonous? Does their voice grate? Is it silky? Sultry? Low? High-pitched? Do they slur? Stutter? What in the world is the difference between some of these? Here are some links below to help further identify your character:

Words to Describe Someone’s Voice ~ With definitions of each

An Article About Describing Voice ~ Includes some thought-provoking questions to ask yourself and some exercises

Voice Types ~ Describes and gives examples of types like soprano, alto, etc.

Panix.com Character Chart ~ An extremely in-depth character chart; scroll down to the Voice Quality category for examples of some of the many types of voices, ranging from aphonic to glottalized to yawny.

Vocal Qualities ~ Directly from the above link, for those who want to head straight for the quality types.

Vocal Impressions ~ Lists listener comparisons with examples from celebrities, such as Morgan Freeman and Marilyn Monroe. (example: “She sounds like… diamonds dipped in caramel.”)

Speech Patterns ~ With examples from different well-known folks

Gender and Speech Patterns ~ An interesting article about the observation of speech between men and women

Speech Accent Archive ~ A very broad archive that includes different audio samples of accents ranging from Afrikaans to Ancient Greek to Korean to Zulu. Can search by geography as well.

Speech Impediment (Wikipedia) ~ Includes links to different pages such as stuttering, cluttering, muteness, and the social effects.

What Makes A Man’s/Woman’s Voice Sexy? ~ Just what it says on the tin.

Other Words/Synonyms for ‘Said’:

Synonyms-Antonyms.com ~ Listed according to usage

TheCaveOnline ~ Includes categories and meanings for each one

550 Alternative Words for Said (HubPages) ~ Includes adverb / phrase modifiers

—

Have more ideas/links? Have a question? By all means, submit your input and questions to The Writers’ Helpers!

-J

(via rowboatcopss)

writingbox:

No matter what genre you’re writing in, your story is a mystery. As you reveal information to your reader, chapter by chapter, they piece those snippets together to understand the whole story. It is a mystery, and a mystery needs clues.

While you don’t want your reader to be able to predict the whole story by chapter 2, you don’t want to leave them saying “What? Where did that come from? That doesn’t make any sense!” The clues you give your reader must be just enough so that it leaves them saying “Oh, of course!” They didn’t predict it but, looking back, they can see the hints you gave them.

This is foreshadowing. And it isn’t just important for your ending, but for any plot development that happens throughout your story.

For eample; if your hero shoots the bad guy, make sure they have access to a gun, and bullets, and that they know how to shoot. Make sure you’ve mentioned this earlier in the story, more than once. But also ensure that you’ve concealed it in the text. Make your reader look for the clues, make them work for the story.

A casual mention about hunting trips their Father took them on as a child, them choosing to eat rabbit in a restaurant as it’s their ‘favourite’, a gun cabinet in their home. Just a few clues left through the story makes your story believable and coherent.

(via singingmyheartsong)

thisisnotpsychology:

• What Will Your Character Do When Disaster Strikes?
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD
• Characterization and Conflict: Using Psychological Tests to Improve Your Writing
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD
• Gathering Information from Characters: Types of Questions
  by JJ Cooper 
• Using Body Language in Writing
  by JJ Cooper
• Body Language Cheat Sheet
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD

USING ARCHETYPES IN YOUR STORIES

• A Primer on Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD

Writing Better Romantic Relationships

This series looks at the Anima/Animus archetype, which is most often seen in romantic relationships, and how to use it to create more compelling romantic relationships, regardless of genre. Looks at what the anima and animus are, how they’re formed, and why fiction writers need to understand them. There’s also some and what makes love grow - and how happily ever afters really work.

• Creating Riveting Romances: The Anima/Animus Archetype Defined
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD
• Writing Romance: Three Influences on the Anima/Animus Archetype
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD
• The Perfect Hero and the Perfect Heroine: Dark and Light Sides of the Anima & Animus
  by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD
• What Does it Really Take to Live Happily Ever After?
  A look at the psychological research on what makes or breaks romantic relationships. - by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD

Creating Better Antagonists

• Three-Dimensional Villains: Finding Your Character’s Shadow
  Using Jungian archetypes and hands-on exercises, this article teaches fiction writers to tap their own dark sides to create realistic villains who will really challenge the hero/es and keep tension high. - by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD

• The Other in Fiction: Creating Wonderfully Wicked Villains
  The kinds of villains that keep us riveted to a story tap the darkest aspects of the human heart; learn about what those aspects are and how to use them in your fiction. - by Carolyn Kaufman, PsyD

FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY

• Basic Information on Forensic Science by Juan Salvo
• The Truth about Forensic Psychology by Lisa Featherston

archetypewriting.com

(via rowboatcopss)

thelostie:

Some sentences mean different things if you put the emphasis on a different word each time.

“I never said she stole his money.”

I never said she stole his money.

I never said she stole his money.

I never said she stole his money.

I never said she stole his money.

I never said she stole his money.

I never said she stole his money.

I never said she stole his money.

(via spaceninjasfromouterspace)