5 Better Ways to End Your Story

yourlocalwriterblog:

1. The Dialogue Gut-Punch

I usually imagine this ending happening after some great, destructive plot twist or long-kept secret has been revealed to the narrator and/or reader. There is shock and awe and maybe some betrayal. This is where you fully feel the effects of what has changed, the beginning versus the end. And in this case, the end is not ideal.

Maybe the resolution’s scene has been set, but that’s not offering enough closure. How to tie up the loose end? A short (and I mean short) piece of dialogue. It usually involves a sense of resolve and acceptance, even if the resolution at hand is otherwise displeasing or harrowing. The gut-punch comes from that acceptance, that acknowledgment of what has been lost in the quest to fulfill their goals. Doesn’t always mean defeat or a pyrrhic victory, but all protagonists must lose things while trying to gain others. This is where that character and the reader feels the loss in the wake of a resolution.

2. A Question and an Answer

This is a lot like #1, only there’s a different setup. Instead of a scene being laid out and then one line of dialogue, there are three components. The scene is set, a question is asked, then an answer is provided. The end. The question and answer usually revolve around the reflection of what has changed. A “what now?” for all intents and purposes. Can be used for a mysterious ending to a standalone or a setup for the next installment in a series.

It is worth noting that the answer does not always have to be dialogue. For example, a character could ask: “So this is what we have left?” and then a (brief) description is given of a ragtag crew that’s survived the whole story. Play around with it.

3. The Full Circle

There are a couple ways to go about this ending. Two, in particular, are my favorite.

A) The story begins with a scene that has a very specific tone and attitude of the main character(s). The end of the story is a very similar scene (through setting, circumstance, characters, etc. as long as it’s obvious the last and first scene parallel each other). However, the last scene has the opposite tone and the opposite attitude. If the first scene is hopeful and the MC is full of naivete and energy, then the last scene is melancholy and the MC has been washed away into tired hopelessness. Or vice versa. Offers sufficient closure to standalone works. For a series, it would be quite satisfying to take the first scene from the first installment and mirror/flip it for the last scene in the last installment.

Or

B) The story comes full circle through setting (or circumstance) only. In this case, the first (or inciting incident) and last scene share a setting. But the scenes do not mirror each other overtly or consistently. The significance relies upon the setting and the changes that have been made to the setting because of what has happened. It’s a good way to symbolize similar changes in the character(s). Maybe the story begins in the MC’s childhood home, where it is bright and full of life, but when the story ends in the home, it has become desolate and empty. Something has happened to the home over time, just as something has happened to the character over time.

Note: there is also the divergence from these two examples where the character in the beginning is not the character in the end. Most everything else remains the same. It’s been used to show succession, defeat, loss, and the passage of time.

The Full Circle allows a nice platform to approach the reflection, the resolution, and the changes all through subverted scene similarities and symbolism.

4. The Joke

Pretty simple. The last line is a comedic remark. It should still involve a level of reflection and/or resolution for closure and cohesiveness. And please make sure it matches the overall tone of the story (not just the scene).

And now #5, the long one…

5. The Cliff-Hanger (But it’s actually used to its full potential)

So many times, especially with TV shows, I see a story end with a dull, exploitative cliff-hanger. Sure, it works. But it doesn’t work as well as it could. These endings usually rely upon a plot twist that has no previous setup or mild, unbelievable danger. So let’s fix that and use the crap out of a cliff-hanger’s potential.

The plot twist with no previous setup is boring and unfair. The reader (or watcher since I brought up TV) should be thinking “oh my God” not “what the hell?”. The difference is “what the hell?” equates to confusion and sometimes the fracture of their suspension of disbelief necessary for all fictional stories. “Oh my God” equates to excitement, shock, and enthrallment. ENTHRALLMENT is the key word here, as a cliff-hanger should reel you in further just as the story ends and you become impatient for the next installment. So how do we get “Oh my God” with a plot twist (there are other ways to get “Oh my God” but since (bad) plot twists are common, we’ll use that as an example)? The answer is: we build it up, we add foreshadowing and clues for the reader to find. Let them feel like detectives as they fill in informational holes and fall down rabbit holes of speculation, even if they don’t know what they’re looking for exactly. Let them get close, but not close enough. Add red herrings. If the plot twist is a shock to the narrator, make sure they miss things the reader doesn’t miss and make sure they aren’t super reliable. It all adds to that cloud of mystery around the reveal. It keeps the reader inside the narrative, not thrust out by a plot twist that comes from thin air. Trust the reader and trust your ability to manipulate the illusion of reality.

The mild, unbelievable danger that the cliff-hanger so often relies upon is an idea that easily triggers examples. Again, mostly TV episode endings are guilty of this. What this involves is a life-or-death situation involving a main character that the reader knows (or at least believes wholeheartedly) cannot die. Therefore the cliff-hanger’s life-or-death danger becomes the opposite because the reader believes the character will leave the situation alive. How to combat this? Easy. Don’t put them in a life-or-death situation (this also goes for scenes that aren’t cliff-hangers). It’s boring if you think or know the character will live no matter what. However, hopefully by this point, the reader is invested in the character fully and cares about their wellbeing (because their life is safe). So, exploit that. Offer up a situation where the character’s fears, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses are played against them. Because even though they may escape this situation alive, the reader will (probably) begin to wonder what other things are at risk. The character’s happiness, significant other, assets, stability, et al. Those things become muted points when the danger is heavily reliant upon an unbelievable life-or-death situation.

However, there is an addendum to this. If your story features a rather large MC cast and you have proven your willingness to kill off some of them in the past, then a life-or-death cliff-hanger could still maintain its intended effect. Just… don’t overuse it.

tl;dr TORTURE YOUR CHARACTERS AND DON’T PLAY YOUR READERS FOR CHUMPS.

//

If you take away only one thing from these 5 examples, let it be this:

The key to a satisfying ending is reflection.

It doesn’t have to be overt reflection (trust me when I say subtle reflection is usually better), but the ending should show in one way or another the changes that have taken place over the story and the resolution that has befallen the characters. The ending wraps it all up into a bite-size piece of text and is the last thing you leave your readers with. Proceed with thoughtful consideration and caution.

Also a quick Q&A:

Q: “I don’t know how to choose the right ending.”

A: Do a couple different things while brainstorming:

Imagine the ending of your story using each of these examples as well as others you think of

If the story is first-person or heavily driven by the MC, ask “how would this character end the telling of their story?”

Consider the overall tone and themes of your story– some endings fit those better than others

Ask “what ending offers the amount of closure I’m trying to give?”

Look at works of fiction similar to yours and their endings. Which work and which aren’t fulfilling?

This was a long post. Whew. You’re a peach if you read it all the way through. Hopefully this helps you on your writing journey.

123 Ideas for Character Flaws

slitheringink:

thewritershandbook:

Absent-minded – Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one’s
immediate surroundings. Abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious,
forgetful.

Abusive – Characterized by improper infliction of physical or psychological maltreatment towards another.

Addict – One who is addicted to a compulsive activity. Examples: gambling, drugs, sex.

Aimless – Devoid of direction or purpose.

Alcoholic – A person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and to excess.

Anxious – Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.

Arrogant – Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or
self-importance. Inclined to social exclusiveness and who rebuff the
advances of people considered inferior. Snobbish.

Audacious – Recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; braze, disobedient.

Bad Habit – A revolting personal habit. Examples: picks nose, spits tobacco, drools, bad body odour.

Bigmouth – A loud-mouthed or gossipy person.

Bigot – One who is strongly partial to one’s own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.

Blunt – Characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion. Frank, callous, insensitive, brusque.

Bold – In a bad sense, too forward; taking undue liberties; over
assuming or confident; lacking proper modesty or restraint; rude;
impudent. Abrupt, brazen, cheeky, brassy, audacious.

Callous – They are hardened to emotions, rarely showing any form of it in expression. Unfeeling. Cold.

Childish – Marked by or indicating a lack of maturity; puerile.

Complex – An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear. (List specific complex.)

Cruel – Mean to anyone or anything, without care or regard to consequences and feelings.

Cursed – A person who has befallen a prayer for evil or misfortune,
placed under a spell, or borne into an evil circumstance, and suffers
for it. Damned.

Dependent – Unable to exist, sustain oneself, or act appropriately or normally without the assistance or direction of another.

Deranged – Mentally decayed. Insane. Crazy. Mad. Psychotic.

Dishonest – Given to or using fraud, cheating; deceitful, deceptive, crooked, underhanded.

Disloyal – Lacking loyalty. Unfaithful, perfidious, traitorous, treasonable

Disorder – An ailment that affects the function of mind or body.
(List the disorders name if they have one.) See the Mental Disorder
List.

Disturbed – Showing some or a few signs or symptoms of mental or emotional illness. Confused, disordered, neurotic, troubled.

Dubious – Fraught with uncertainty or doubt. Undecided, doubtful, unsure.

Dyslexic – Affected by dyslexia, a learning disorder marked by
impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.

Egotistical – Characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance. Boastful, pompous.

Envious – Showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another’s advantages; covetous, jealous.

Erratic – Deviating from the customary course in conduct or opinion;
eccentric: erratic behaviour. Eccentric, bizarre, outlandish, strange.

Fanatical – Fanatic outlook or behaviour especially as exhibited by
excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions
on some subject.

Fickle – Erratic, changeable, unstable – especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious.

Fierce – Marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid.

Finicky – Excessively particular or fastidious; difficult to please;
fussy. Too much concerned with detail. Meticulous, fastidious, choosy,
critical, picky, prissy, pernickety.

Fixated – In psychoanalytic theory, a strong attachment to a person
or thing, especially such an attachment formed in childhood or infancy
and manifested in immature or neurotic behaviour that persists
throughout life. Fetish, quirk, obsession, infatuation.

Flirt -To make playfully romantic or sexual overtures; behaviour intended to arouse sexual interest. Minx. Tease.

Gluttonous – Given to excess in consumption of especially food or drink. Voracious, ravenous, wolfish, piggish, insatiable.

Gruff – Brusque or stern in manner or appearance. Crusty, rough, surly.

Gullible – Will believe any information given, regardless of how valid or truthful it is, easily deceived or duped.

Hard – A person who is difficult to deal with, manage, control, overcome, or understand. Hard emotions, hard hearted.

Hedonistic – Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.

Hoity-toity- Given to flights of fancy; capricious; frivolous. Prone to giddy behaviour, flighty.

Humourless – The inability to find humour in things, and most certainly in themselves.

Hypocritical – One who is always contradicting their own beliefs,
actions or sayings. A person who professes beliefs and opinions for
others that he does not hold. Being a hypocrite.

Idealist – One whose conduct is influenced by ideals that often
conflict with practical considerations. One who is unrealistic and
impractical, guided more by ideals than by practical considerations.

Idiotic – Marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless.

Ignorant – Lacking knowledge or information as to a particular
subject or fact. Showing or arising from a lack of education or
knowledge.

Illiterate – Unable to read and write.

Immature – Emotionally undeveloped; juvenile; childish.

Impatient – Unable to wait patiently or tolerate delay; restless. Unable to endure irritation or opposition; intolerant.

Impious – Lacking piety and reverence for a god/gods and their followers.

Impish – Naughtily or annoyingly playful.

Incompetent – Unable to execute tasks, no matter how the size or difficulty.

Indecisive – Characterized by lack of decision and firmness, especially under pressure.

Indifferent – The trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in
things generally, remaining calm and seeming not to care; a casual lack
of concern. Having or showing little or no interest in anything;
languid; spiritless.

Infamy – Having an extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or
strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous
act that affects how others view them.

Intolerant – Unwilling to tolerate difference of opinion and narrow-minded about cherished opinions.

Judgemental – Inclined to make and form judgements, especially moral
or personal ones, based on one’s own opinions or impressions towards
others/practices/groups/religions based on appearance, reputation,
occupation, etc.

Klutz – Clumsy. Blunderer.

Lazy – Resistant to work or exertion; disposed to idleness.

Lewd – Inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or
lechery; lascivious. Obscene or indecent, as language or songs;
salacious.

Liar – Compulsively and purposefully tells false truths more often than not. A person who has lied or who lies repeatedly.

Lustful – Driven by lust; preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires.

Masochist – The deriving of sexual gratification, or the tendency to
derive sexual gratification, from being physically or emotionally
abused. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or
trying experiences.

Meddlesome – Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner, given to meddling; interfering.

Meek – Evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or
compliant; humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or
even cowed submissiveness.

Megalomaniac – A psycho pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.

Naïve – Lacking worldly experience and understanding, simple and
guileless; showing or characterized by a lack of sophistication and
critical judgement.

Nervous – Easily agitated or distressed; high-strung or jumpy.

Non-violent – Abstaining from the use of violence.

Nosey – Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy. Offensively curious or inquisitive.

Obsessive – An unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone.

Oppressor – A person of authority who subjects others to undue
pressures, to keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority.

Overambitious – Having a strong excessive desire for success or achievement.

Overconfident – Excessively confident; presumptuous.

Overemotional – Excessively or abnormally emotional. Sensitive about themselves and others, more so than the average person.

Overprotective – To protect too much; coddle.

Overzealous – Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.

Pacifist – Opposition to war or violence as a means of resolving disputes. (Can double as a merit in certain cases)

Paranoid – Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.

Peevish – Expressing fretfulness and discontent, or unjustifiable
dissatisfaction. Cantankerous, cross, ill-tempered, testy, captious,
discontented, crotchety, cranky, ornery.

Perfectionist – A propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards.

Pessimist – A tendency to stress the negative or unfavourable or to take the gloomiest possible view.

Pest – One that pesters or annoys, with or without realizing it. Nuisance. Annoying. Nag.

Phobic – They have a severe form of fear when it comes to this one thing. Examples: Dark, Spiders, Cats

Practical – Level-headed, efficient, and unspeculative. No-nonsense.

Predictable – Easily seen through and assessable, where almost
anyone can predict reactions and actions of said person by having met or
known them even for a short time.

Proud – Filled with or showing excessive self-esteem and will often shirk help from others for the sake of pride.

Rebellious – Defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.

Reckless – Heedless. Headstrong. Foolhardy. Unthinking boldness, wild carelessness and disregard for consequences.

Remorseless – Without remorse; merciless; pitiless; relentless.

Rigorous – Rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard; demanding strict attention to rules and procedures.

Sadist – The deriving of sexual gratification or the tendency to
derive sexual gratification from inflicting pain or emotional abuse on
others. Deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from
cruelty.

Sadomasochist – Both sadist and masochist combined.

Sarcastic – A subtle form of mockery in which an intended meaning is conveyed obliquely.

Sceptic – One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.

Seducer – To lead others astray, as from duty, rectitude, or the
like; corrupt. To attempt to lead or draw someone away, as from
principles, faith, or allegiance.

Selfish – Concerned chiefly or only with oneself.

Self-Martyr – One who purposely makes a great show of suffering in
order to arouse sympathy from others, as a form of manipulation, and
always for a selfish cause or reason.

Self-righteous – Piously sure of one’s own righteousness;
moralistic. Exhibiting pious self-assurance. Holier-than-thou,
sanctimonious.

Senile – Showing a decline or deterioration of physical strength or
mental functioning, esp. short-term memory and alertness, as a result of
old age or disease.

Shallow – Lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious.

Smart Ass – Thinks they know it all, and in some ways they may, but
they can be greatly annoying and difficult to deal with at times,
especially in arguments.

Soft-hearted – Having softness or tenderness of heart that can lead
them into trouble; susceptible of pity or other kindly affection. They
cannot resist helping someone they see in trouble, suffering or in need,
and often don’t think of the repercussions or situation before doing
so.

Solemn – Deeply earnest, serious, and sober.

Spineless – Lacking courage. Cowardly, wimp, lily-livered, gutless.

Spiteful – Showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt;
motivated by spite; vindictive person who will look for occasions for
resentment. Vengeful.

Spoiled – Treated with excessive indulgence and pampering from
earliest childhood, and has no notion of hard work, self-care or money
management; coddled, pampered. Having the character or disposition
harmed by pampering or over-solicitous attention.

Squeamish – Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted.

Stubborn – Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bull-headed. Firmly resolved or determined; resolute.

Superstitious – An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear
from an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not
logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.

Tactless – Lacking or showing a lack of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others.

Temperamental – Moody, irritable, or sensitive. Excitable, volatile, emotional.

Theatrical – Having a flair for over dramatizing situations, doing things in a ‘big way’ and love to be ‘centre stage’.

Timid -Tends to be shy and/or quiet, shrinking away from offering
opinions or from strangers and newcomers, fearing confrontations and
violence.

Tongue-tied – Speechless or confused in expression, as from shyness, embarrassment, or astonishment.

Troublemaker – Someone who deliberately stirs up trouble, intentionally or unintentionally.

Unlucky – Marked by or causing misfortune; ill-fated. Destined for misfortune; doomed.

Unpredictable – Difficult to foretell or foresee, their actions are
so chaotic it’s impossible to know what they are going to do next.

Untrustworthy – Not worthy of trust or belief. Backstabber.

Vain – Holding or characterized by an unduly high opinion of their
physical appearance. Lovers of themselves. Conceited, egotistic,
narcissistic.

Weak-willed – Lacking willpower, strength of will to carry out one’s decisions, wishes, or plans. Easily swayed.

Withdrawn – Not friendly or Sociable. Aloof.

Zealous – A fanatic.

I had an anon asking about how to make their character not so perfect. Well, here’s a great list of some flaws you can try to use to balance out his good traits.

-Morgan

External vs. Internal Character, Part 1: The Three Faces

justawritingaid:

There’s a Japanese saying that has a good bit of advice for writing fiction.

The first face, you show to the world. The second face, you show to close friends and your family. The third face, you never show anyone.

People have different sides to them, shaped not just by personality and background but by situation and surroundings– and strong character writing emulates that by showing the difference between how people act around different company, (and then takes it a step further by showing that they don’t always act how they think, but that’s for Part 2). This doesn’t mean that your characters are two-faced or terrible people; it’s just a reality of life that can help make the person in a story more believable and more human.

The first face, you show the world.

While some characters may be more comfortable being their “true selves” in public or around strangers, they should still have some degree of a “public personality”. For example, someone who appreciates physical contact may commonly touch their friends, but they wouldn’t behave the exact same way toward a stranger. They may still retain the ‘touchy’ part of them, but it’s much more likely to come out with brief and less intimate touches, like a tap on the shoulder as opposed to a hug.

This “first face” can occasionally be heard as referring to a purposefully crafted personality that the character shows to the public, like a teen actor who has to maintain a squeaky-clean image to continue getting roles, but situations like that are more like special cases. That’s more of a character “mask” than just a general personality guard. A true first face is still an accurate and genuine part of the character, just adjusted for strangers.

The second face, you show to close friends and your family.

This is typically what’s thought of as basic character personality. A shy character would likely open up when surrounded by those they know and trust, showing their “true” silly side or any other trait that’s inhibited by their “first face”. It’s important to remember that the traits from the first face don’t go away because the first face isn’t a lie or mask, but traits can get more or less intense as you move between faces.

Once again, there can be special cases where a certain “close” person, usually family, doesn’t get to see the true second face because the character doesn’t allow it. Those situations are usually when the character is trying to hide something or protect themselves, but don’t count as a second face in accordance with the saying. A true second face is accurate to who the character is in their comfort zone.

The third face, you never show anyone.

Deeper than basic character personality is uninhibited personality. The third face doesn’t have to reveal anything horrifying– it can often be as simple as a character who’s naturally on the rude side choosing not to make a snappy remark. The natural rudeness is the third face: the raw character and traits that are liberated from direct outside influence. Because outside influence is everywhere, even around friends, the only person who sees a true third face is the character themselves.

In the case of secrets that will eventually be revealed, they can be kind of be considered part of the third face. However, they’re very much separate from it because they can move into a more public domain unlike the “uninhibited personality”, and are better considered as part of an overall ‘internal self’ that affects the three faces. Good secret revealing in stories has build-up and reasoning for the reveal (link embedded) and one way to show that build-up is similar to a ‘hole’ in the third face. The character may not want to show something, but it slowly leaks through anyway.

That “leak” can take a number of forms that depend heavily on character personality and context of the story:

A character with a normally cheerful second face may be slowly eaten alive by a secret that makes them more prone to frowning.

A character with good self-control might find themselves being overly self-controlling with first and second faces to avoid letting the secret slip.

A character who experienced physical contact they didn’t like may become shyer for a first face but their second face may not be affected.

While secrets aren’t fully considered as a “face”, they are related to them in that only certain people can “see” them. Sometimes it’s friends/family, sometimes it shows up more in the public persona– the way a secret leaks into a character’s life should be customized to who they are and the context of the story.

Overall, a character’s company affects how they act, so a realistic (and often stronger) story emulates that. Pulling this off is not just about dividing a character’s personality into layers, but identifying what the causes of those layers are and how they could affect the story as a whole. A character is not just three faces stuck together, but a dynamic individual that responds to external pressures on behavior.

Thinking of asking a question? Please read the Rules and Considerations to make sure I’m the right resource, and check the Tag List to see if your question has already been asked.

grednforgesgirl:

thebibliosphere:

sophies-sideshow:

thebibliosphere:

katiehahnbooks:

homesteadhorner:

senlinyuwrites:

alphaofallcats:

some writer snob somewhere: Do not start sentences with But or And because doing so is grammatically incorrect.

me, writing my fic: But I don’t care. And you can’t stop me.

To my beta’s profound dismay.

Okay, writeblr, I have a genuine question: I understand the logistics of why this makes sense. That being said, the last ten critically-acclaimed books I have read do this on the regular – and that is not an exaggeration.

Am I missing something? Is this one of those “rules” (emphasis on the air quotes) that everyone unanimously decides to ignore? If so, should I follow in the others’ examples or should I follow the rules? The rule follower in me wants to die every time I see someone do it…but it also feels right?

If anyone tells you not to start sentences with “but” or “and” in creative writing, they’re full of shit. If you’re writing an academic paper, sure, avoid starting with and or but because that makes them incomplete sentences (though I majored in English, did this regularly, and got great grades in my papers, so it depends on your major too).

But with creative writing, as long as it’s like… coherent, do whatever the fuck you want. You’re trying to establish a character’s voice, not win the Most Grammatically Correct award. People don’t talk or think in perfect English and neither should your characters.

If you see a rule that’s being picky about grammar rules like this, assume it’s meant to apply to academic/professional writing only. Applying it to your creative work will not only bring you pain and suffering but also make your narration and dialogue stiff and awkward.

Speaking as a fiction editor, being a petty little grammar pedant is rarely useful outside of academia. As a writer you want to create something that flows, that engages the reader. Not sound like you were stunned over the head with a copy of “Eats, Shoots & Leaves”, which by the way, is a terrible book. Don’t read that. The author is an elitist snob, and they might know how grammar works, but that’s the extent of their skill.

Basic grammar, yes. Good. Smashing.

But you can safely ignore anyone that tells you “said is dead”. Said is not dead, said is undead and wishes people would stop trying to replace it when it’s a perfectly good word to use.

@thebibliosphere, could you possibly expand on that last paragraph? I mean I get what you’re saying, but….well, as an amateur writer I find that when I write and use “said” all the time it feels…redundant, for lack of a better word. Like I’m repeating myself over and over and over again in a glaringly obvious way.

Is this just that I’m writing it and thus more exposed to it? Because I don’t notice this phenomenon in other writing I didn’t take part in.

This whole issue is one I’ve struggled to understand >.<

You’re likely noticing it more because you’re the one using it, and also because you were likely the victim of teachers with no actual writing skill telling you not to use the word because it was dull boring and repetitive. (It’s a universal problem in the English speaking world I’ve noticed, I can’t comment on other languages)

Which if used with no variance or descriptors, yea sure. Anything done badly is done badly.

But I’d rather read a million and one he said, she said, they said, than ever be subjected to prose like “he ejaculated loudly” when what the author (in this instance, JK Rowling herself) meant “said loudly and with heartfelt feeling”.

Also, to a reader, “said” is one of those words that tends to be skated over and ignored, because we know it’s there, we just read the dialogue. It tends to be skipped 99% of the time. You can use words like “he ejaculated” (snigger), to shorten describing an action your character is doing, but you’re just going to call attention to the fact that the word “said” isn’t there. It’s not something that tends to be noticed until it isn’t there.

writing dyspraxic characters

starcraftcd:

hey!! so i’ve seen things like this for a lot of things but not for dyspraxic characters. so i thought I’d do it myself as a guide i guess?? disclaimer: i’m not an expert or anything!! just a local dyspraxic mess™ hoping to help someone

firstly, if you didn’t know, dyspraxia is a developmental disorder that affects your coordination and movement. it can also affect your processing skills in general like your memory. it’ll affect different people in different ways so i’m just gonna do a list of examples:

motor skills the big one. dyspraxic people will (probably) have problems with balancing, catching and throwing balls, driving, etc. because of. poor coordination and balance.

if your character is in high school, pe/gym will definitely be an issue. i was pulled out of pe lessons in my last year of high school just because i was so bad at everything.

even if they aren’t, you could show this by having them trip or bump into things a lot (not just when it’s plot-relevant) or mention that they walk or get the bus because they can’t drive/ride a bike.

they could have trouble tying their shoelaces (i was FIFTEEN when i finally managed to do it), or fastening buttons, etc.

i don’t know if it’s to do with my dyspraxia bc i never asked my doctor (i assume, though) but i can’t put on makeup at all without it going everywhere and i can’t style my hair beyond a simple ponytail.

or like, if your characters are in a club or something, mention that they’re a bad dancer, two left feet or something. you get the idea.

handwriting this is actually how my teacher realised i might have dyspraxia, so it must be a pretty significant thing?

when you’re writing on lined paper, and you come to the end of the line and you start a big word bc you’re a dumbass, and then you try and fit the word in anyway.

or just having messy handwriting overall, or not being able to stay on a line or write small. these are pretty simple character quirks you could do in just a sentence.

also, writing slowly. as in, much more slowly than everyone else- for example if the character is trying to take notes in class but the teacher moves the slide on too quickly, but no one else seems to be having problems.

dropping shit. just like, all the time.

in that vein, you could have a character who maybe gets fired or can’t keep a job in service (like as a waiter etc.) because they keep breaking plates or forgetting orders.

which brings me to memory problems, the bane of my existence.

dyspraxia can affect your perception and memory as well, which means a lot of dyspraxic people can have trouble planning and remembering stuff.

the one (1) dyspraxic character i’ve ever seen on tv had a notebook they took everywhere, and wrote down important things to remember, which i thought was a great idea and planned to start doing it. but then i forgot.

other stuff that i can’t think of a name for but all kinda go together:

being unable to concentrate in class, having trouble listening to one person, etc.

this might be more to do with my adhd but it’s also listed as a symptom on dyspraxia foundation so: taking way too long to finish something (even something you want to do/something important) bc you keep getting distracted or daydreaming or just staring off into the distance. you could maybe use this as a problem for your character or even just mention it/have them be interrupted doing this.

uhh that’s all i can think of for now but if anyone wants to add on, feel free! as a reminder, i’m not an expert and not all of these things will apply to every dyspraxic person- everyone’s different. and please consider writing dyspraxic characters!! there are so few of them about.

I read books and articles on writing and they all say never do this, never do that. Then I pick up a book from a best selling author and what do I find? All the things I was told never like a prologue and back story. Is it because they’ve made a name for themselves and can do anything they want? These aspects must enhance the story or they would have been cut.

theliteraryarchitect:

Why Just About Every Published Book in the World Does 57 Things That Just About Every Book About Writing Tells You Not to Do

#1 The author has made a name for themselves and can do anything they want.

Publishers aren’t as discerning about literary quality if they’ve got a writer who they know is going to sell books. Whereas a newbie might get rejected for having 200 pages of backstory and 16 prologues, an established writer with a sales record can get away with it.

#2 Mainstream readers are not as discerning as people who write books about writing would have you believe.

Books about writing are often written by learned literary folk, whose advice is then (sometimes mindlessly) repeated by everyone else. On the other hand, bestselling novels are often written, and read, by regular folk who don’t give a crap about high literary art. It’s kind of like the difference between what they teach in film school and the reality of blockbuster movies.

#3 Really good writers can do anything they want.

The most hackneyed, clichéd, classically do-not-ever-do-this stuff can be made into pure stylistic genius in the right hands. Two chapters of nothing but dialogue? A book written from the point of view of a dog? Excessive footnotes? Run-on sentences? It’s all been done, and been done brilliantly, by really, really good writers.

This can be frustrating for new writers, who want to be able to follow a clear set of rules in order to be successful. That’s why so many of my posts have caveats like “in general,” “as a rule of thumb,” and “most often.” Because the honest answer to every single question I get is It depends. Which is why I really recommend that writers try to connect with a mentor, editor, or teacher who can read your actual work and give customized feedback. This is rarely cheap. But one or two exchanges with a professional can be worth months or years of reading writing advice books with all their generalized Dos and Don’ts.

Which leads me to…

#4 Writing is art. There are no rules in art.

This truth is what makes writing great, and also what makes writing difficult. It’s also why writing books that claim to have all the “answers” sell so damn well. I’m not saying those books aren’t full of mostly true, super helpful guidelines. Back before I had access to any other kind of help and lacked experience, I learned a lot of the basics by reading. So keep reading them! But pay attention to the overstatements, the exceptions, the reality of what excites readers, and, perhaps most importantly, the reality of what excites you. Is a writing book telling you not to do something that sets your soul alight? FUCK THAT BOOK. Do whatever you want. Have fun. Figure out how to be one of the ones who gets away with it.

This inspirational message brought to you by the end of a long day at the end of a longer week. May it rekindle your spirit as it has mine ❤

Just wondering about any tips for writing a murder mystery?

justawritingaid:

It’s about more than just the mystery. You still have characters that need attention and room for some fun. Comedy is always a nice touch, typically dark comedy, but that isn’t your only option for some “fun”. You have to show the lighter moments or the dark ones won’t look as shadowed. The protagonist (often the detective) still needs to be well rounded and have a life of their own, but it’s true that mysteries have a tendency to be a little more plot-oriented than character oriented. The problem with anything too plot-oriented, is that a reader who guesses all the twists is no longer having fun because the story itself isn’t what’s good.

Setting is not just a background. Location and surroundings can be a big thing for any sort of mystery, so learn to exploit it beyond just a place for things to happen. Interact with the setting, let the setting influence the mystery by providing context and detail.

Cliches are not always cliches– if explored properly. This point is specifically about how some cliches actually do overlap with reality, just not in the way media can portray them. A murderer dumping a body in a dark alley is rather cliche, but what if that specific dump site actually means something beyond the “dark alley”? Were they specially placed there for easy finding in the morning or so someone could watch from a window? If the body is in a trash can, does that mean something about how the murder view the victim?

It’s not about never putting suspicion on a character, it’s about putting just enough suspicion on multiple characters to keep a reader guessing. Avoiding suspicion on a certain character is a quick way to make any reader who takes some time to think about it realize the culprit. that said, its often better to focus suspension well on fewer characters than to spread it out and dilute the suspense because there can’t be as much depth of character learning.

Don’t cheat readers of information. The reader needs to be able to trace the story back and recognize the logic that shaped the murder and how it was solved. How the detective manages to put the clues together is what makes them a good detective and lets them gain reader respect. If a detective has access to information that the reader never finds out until the crucial moment of reveal, then readers will feel cheated (or at the very least that the writer wasn’t creative enough to make the story work without withholding information).

Make readers care. About the detective, the suspects, the victim, the case. Make the killer’s motives believable and realistic. Make sure your story events have cause and effect and consequences. Even if the reader manages to guess the murderer, if they care about everything else then it’s still a good story to them.

Know you literary devices and how to use them. Foreshadowing, red herrings, symbolism etc. Each of them (and many more) have a very good place in a murder mystery, but you want to be careful not to go too far with any specific one or you’ll end up shooting the story into a dead end.

Good luck with your story!