I now have a Discord! This is a work in progress where I and featured writers will update our stories and works. Look forward to seeing you there!
I hope every writer who sees this writes LOADS the next few months. Like freetime opens up, no writers block, the ability to focus, etc etc you're able to write loads & make lots of progress <3
you ever accidentally create a recurring theme in your writing. you start putting together an outline for something you’ve never written before and get partway through planning, rearrange the pieces, and go “GODDAMMIT THIS IS ABOUT GRIEF AGAIN”? because let me tell you,
My project was supposed to be smut with a side of plot, but lo and behold, there are points about greed, trauma, etc. in it that I initially didn't intend to have.
This came across my Facebook feed, felt I’d share it.
“Perhaps somewhere, some day, at a less miserable time, we may see each other again.”
— Vladimir Nabokov
Nothing feels heavier than unsaid words.
I regret not saying a lot of things to a lot of people. Some of whom I'll never get the chance to.
Sometimes you are all I can think about and I know I shouldn't. Our time together has long since been over, yet I can't get you out of my mind. I'm going crazy racking my brain to see what we could have done differently. It just wasn't meant to be. Wrong place, wrong time.
Sometimes I think about defecting, running back to your arms. I have to fight that feeling, knowing it won't last even today. I'm doing good now, I can't afford to fuck it up. So why can't I stop thinking about you? It's not fair.
Sometimes you show me what you think of me and my heart melts knowing that, at the core of things, you haven't fully moved on either. Or perhaps at all. It pains me just as much as it secretly delights me. I want to see you happy. I'm just sorry it couldn't be with me. I might be a runner, but so are you.
Sometimes you disappear and my days are blue. My mood sours. Everyone notices, some even point it out. It's no secret what I carry for you, I wear it like a heart on my sleeve. I just can't admit it aloud. Even when questioned about it, I turn away with a smile I can't stifle.
Sometimes, I think you ruined me. You will never even know just how much you infect my thoughts. You will never see this and that's okay. I know I'm not alone. Others have known a great, fleeting love and suffer with this pain, some even greater than mine.
Sometimes, I just need to vent.
Trying to trade places with Nanami 👁️👁️
I love them so much! 😭
Some Quick Dialogue Tips
1) Reveal character through dialogue. When a character is speaking, it can reveal a lot about them as a person. Is their word choice careful and kind, or do they speak unfiltered and sarcastically? Are they withholding information willingly? Do they have mannerisms when speaking? The way a character talks and how they say the words can reveal how they’re feeling.
2) Balance dialogue with action and narration. Your scenes should contain a mixture of dialogue, action, narration, etc. If you have long conversations of dialogue, make sure to add in some actions, descriptions, and inner thoughts… too much constant dialogue with nothing else in between can mess with the pacing of your story.
3) Assign a voice to each character. Everyone in your daily life has a different way of speaking. The timid people, the bubbly people, the confident people, the deceptive people. Don’t go overboard with it, but giving your characters a distinctive way of talking will make the conversation feel more real.
4) Keep it natural. When conversing, people don’t typically use intricate vocabulary (unless that’s part of your character’s personality) nor do they speak non-stop for five minutes. When people are mad, they can be very short with one another– or rant and rave beyond control. Humans pause when thinking, can forget their line of thought, and even stagger over their words. When in doubt, just think about how you and your friends/family talk to one another.
5) Read it out loud. If you have a hard time speaking a line of dialogue, chances are it might be too wordy or complicated. If it doesn’t sound organic when you speak it, it won’t sound natural on the page.
6) Use dialogue to push the plot forward. You’ll hear it time and time again– everything in your story should progress the plot. Dialogue is a wonderful place to do that. Your characters can find out information/secrets that are vital to the plot through conversation. Character development can also happen when your protagonist opens up or vents.
7) Your characters don’t always have to tell the truth. In real life, we don’t mean everything we say (whether this is deliberate or not). When a coworker asks you how you are, you probably default to “I’m fine” even if you’re not. Through action tags and narrative, you can create an organic conversation by having your character not always say the exact truth (but their actions say otherwise).
Ben and Cassie ducked their heads as bullets ripped through the air around them. A huge blast knocked them to the ground. “Shit! There’s is gunfire everywhere, you good Cassie?” “I’m good! The blast missed me.” Cassie held her side tightly and grimaced at her fellow medic. When he turned away, she tripped her way towards the wounded children who needed her help, each step causing blood to soak her hand.
By not saying the exact truth here, we learn through her actions that Cassie is caring and selfless.
Writing Purposeful Scenes
You’ll hear it said again and again: every scene of your book should have a purpose. However, some people mistake this to mean that every scene needs something big and important to happen. This isn’t true. A well-crafted and purposefully paced novel will have a balance of conflicts and resolutions.
If you’re following the Three-Act Structure (which most stories will touch on at least a little bit) your story will consist of:
- set-ups
- conflicts
- resolutions
The Hunger Games does this amazingly. Let’s take a look:
Chapter 1 (SET-UP): Introduces us to the dystopian setting that is District 12 and shows us Katniss in her daily life.
Chapter 2 (CONFLICT): Prim’s name is drawn at the Reaping and Katniss must volunteer. This is the inciting incident of the story.
Chapter 3 (RESOLUTION): Katniss’s family and friends come to say goodbye and Katniss has time to reflect.
Of course, story structures do not have to be followed strictly. You can reorder these plot points or even skip some to further fit the story you’re trying to tell.
This post is simply to remind you that while every scene should serve some kind of purpose, that purpose does not have to always be big conflicts or huge plot movements.
Here is a list of just some purposes your scene could include:
Character Development: Does your character change in this scene? Have they realized something or learned a new piece of information? Do their emotions toward a person deepen?
Information Revealed: Does your cast find out something that progresses them forward in the plot? This can be done through dialogue, action or narrative. Do they find the missing map piece? Or does a wise wizard tell them where the magical key is hidden? Does your protagonist find out that they’re adopted?
Further your World-Building: Does this scene deepen the richness of your world? Does the cast find out more about the culture or geography? Do they run into a mysterious creature or come across a magical plant?
Conflict: Is there a physical or mental obstacle in your protagonist’s way? Does an argument break out between two characters? Does an injury occur? Conflicts could be large, or minor… like a character forgetting something at home.
Build Tension: Does this scene further the suspense of your reader? Is your cast nearing the dark castle? Is a character on the brink of death? Is a steamy scene unfolding slowly? Does your protagonist feel like they’re being followed?
do you ever not write for so long that you’re almost afraid to? like what if I’m dumb now
I struggle with this 😅




