How to Write a First Draft Without Perfectionism by illuminara, literature
Literature
How to Write a First Draft Without Perfectionism
Maybe you’ve heard that first drafts are supposed to suck, but what does that really mean? What does a sucky first draft look like? How do you allow yourself to suck? Why would you even want to allow yourself to write something that sucks in the first place?
Because otherwise, you’ll most likely be crippled by the writer’s arch nemesis: perfectionism.
Did you just cringe? We all experience it when we sit down to write, arrange everything just so, type a sentence or two (or a bit more if you’re lucky), and then it strikes—your inner editor. It smacks you across the face and demands that you fix that grammar mist
Character Themes Template by C-A-Harland, literature
Literature
Character Themes Template
How to use this template:
This template is not designed to tell you a character’s hair colour, eye colour, shoe size, or how they like their eggs. It is for the process of applying the core themes and elements of your narrative to your character's development, and visa versa. Not all fields need to be filled in for every character. Use your own discretion to determine which ones are relevant. You may find that you do not have all the answers at the beginning, but they fall in place as you further develop your story.
The examples given are very basic responses, and are just there to give you an idea of what kind of content you can inclu
In honor of NaNoWriMo I wanted to do at least one journal about writing this month, even though I'm no expert.
Writing is everywhere
I feel like writing is one of the most unseen and perhaps even most under appreciated forms of art these days. Writing is virtually everywhere, yet it's very much overlooked. People tend to think about writing as just the stuff you read in books, but what about blogs and journals? What about your favorite game, movie, show, or anime? What about your favorite comic? Would you even like your favorite character that much if it didn't come with that backstory that made you feel so much for it?
Yes, that's writing.
5 Things That Will Make You a Better Writer by Droemar, journal
5 Things That Will Make You a Better Writer
EDIT: If you like this journal entry, check out The Sarcastic Guide to Writing ebook http://www.amazon.com/The-Sarcastic-Guide-Writing-ebook/dp/B005TOCC1C for exclusive content on world-building, character, and dialogue!
1. Work on something else. I know, I know. You've been working on that story of yours for twelve whole years, and it's your baby. Sure, it may have been inspired by that Dungeons and Dragons session you had when you were thirteen, but you're going to make your fortune with it! It's the next Harry Potter! When my pals and I have gone to writing conferences, we've made note of an interesting phenomenon: when someone has writte
Predictably Unpredictable Characters by betsyillustration, journal
Predictably Unpredictable Characters
My mom and I were watching the Korean Detective K movies last night. If you like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies or the witty bromance banter of Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr in Sherlock Holmes, then chances are you'll like these. (You can watch them on dramafever.com)
The Detective K movies have a similar feel to Pirates and Sherlock, in terms of the balance of comedy, supernatural elements, and action, except they're in Korean, and in the Joseon era, so you might have a historical fashion shock and stuff. There are also story twists galore, so yeah, I highly recommend them.
Anyway, while watching, I had this sort of enlightenment abou
----- Original Message -----
How do you develop an idea? How do you come up with the details behind stories? Do you get them from reading books? Do you get them from modern concepts? Or do they just come to you (if so, lucky you XD)? How do you develop the world in which it takes place? People or settings first? Do you include cults/religions/mass groups? How do you come up with these groups?
-- Thoughtful Writer
In other words, what you want to know is:
How do you build a Story from an Idea?
Let's begin by breaking this huge pile of questions down to smaller, bite-sized pieces...
How do you develop an idea?
I start with a Climactic Event
Writer's Tip: Writing Effective Sentences by DarlingMionette, literature
Literature
Writer's Tip: Writing Effective Sentences
Sentences—if the plot is the backbone of a story, then sentences are the muscles and tendons keeping it glued together. Unfortunately, writing solid sentences isn’t easy for everyone. As Human beings, we don’t speak the same way we write. Unless you do a lot of writing, you may have trouble putting together even the simplest of sentences. The last time you took a good look at a sentence and broke it down into its individual parts was probably around 3rd grade. Don’t worry—I’m here to help.
There’s More Than One Type of Sentence
There are (roughly) four different types of sentences, and we’re g
Help! I have a Mary Sue! by MissLunaRose, literature
Literature
Help! I have a Mary Sue!
You know that you have a Mary Sue when she upsets the monochromatic color scheme of my Writer's Guides.
Mouse over blue text to see a note.
Internet communities often lash out at writers who create Mary Sues. Declaring the writing to be below their standards, they proceed to punish the creators. They mock the characters, verbally abuse the writers, and write hyperbolically about how much they wish the characters would die.
Bullying writers (who may be very young) is only going to make them afraid to write—and therefore improve—or share their work. Not only that, but it discourages other writers from speaking for fear of public