She-Who-Fights-And-Writes FAQ + Complete List Of Writing Resources

She-Who-Fights-And-Writes FAQ + Complete List of Writing Resources

Please refer to this page before sending any asks, please!

I will answer questions about:

Characters

Plotting

POV

Setting

Tropes

Fanfiction

Genres

Getting Started

And more!!!!

I will NOT answer questions about:

Things that are already on this list 

The publishing/editing industry (primarily because I’m unqualified)

Children’s fiction and Nonfiction (Same reason as above)

Hyper-specific details of your WIP; I can’t tell you how to write your own story. 

“Does ____ sound like a good idea?” 

Anything that can be figured out with a quick Google search (i.e. how fast can cheetahs run, how long does it take to get a license, etc.)

Asking me to reblog your post, give you a shout-out, etc. This blog is just for writing content only and will remain ad-free. 

Asking me to read/edit your story for free. I’m a college student with a very busy life who also has her own writing projects to worry about, and cannot put time aside to edit someone’s work for no cost at all. Refer to my commissions page, please!

Sorry, but I am quite rigid about these rules!

This is just a compilation of the questions I get a lot or I think I answered pretty well, so if you need anything else feel free to check out my #answering asks tag!

I’ve also included some posts from other blogs/sources as well because I feel as though they can explain it much better than I ever could!

About Me!

Once Upon A Time (Starting)

How to Get Into Writing Fiction

How to Outline

Plotting for Pansters and Pantsing for Plotters

How to Write In Certain Tenses

How to Overcome Writer’s Block

How to Write Consistently

How to Improve Your Writing

How to Expand Your Vocabulary and Utilize English Idioms/Figures of Speech

Is Your Story Better as a Fanfic or an Original Work?

Structuring

How to Write a Scene (Source: Jerry Jenkins)

How to Write a Sub-Plot

How to Write a Flashback

How to Make Your Story Longer (Feat. a helpful reblog from @romancingthebook)

How to Fix Your Filler Scenes

How to Cut back Filler Words (For People Looking to Reduce Their Word Count!)

How to End Your Story (Source: Now Novel)

POV Tips

How to Choose Which POV to Use (Source @evans-writing)

How to Write First Person POV

How to Write Switching POVs in Fanfiction

Genres + Setting

How to Write About Medieval Europe

How to Write About Mid-Nineteenth/Early Twentieth Century America

How to Write About School

How to Write an Apocalypse

How to Write Gangster/Mafia Fiction

How to Write Humor

How to Make Your Story Less Sad

How to Make Your Story Scarier

Stuff Happens (Plot)

How to Write Character Death

How to Fake a Character’s Death

How to Write Character’s Planning/An Explanation of an In-Story Plan

How to Write a Fight Scene

How to Write Magic

How to Write Missing Person’s Reports

How to Write Pain

How to Write Regret

Subverting Common Fanfiction AUs and Plot Ideas

Fantasy AU Ideas

Descriptions + Dialogue

How to Write Arguments

How to Write Dialogue

How to Write Humor

How to Write a Smooth, Rhythmic Narrative

How to Avoid Purple Prose (Source: WikiHow)

How to Balance Description and Dialogue

Prologues and Info Dumping

Master List of Speech Tags

Characters (Who you will inevitably wind up torturing)

When to Change Your Character’s Name

Ways To Tell if Your Characters are Too Similar (How To Cut Characters)

How to Describe Bodies

How to Describe Clothing

How to Write Characters Who Are Different From You

How to Write Close Platonic Relationships

How to Write Complex Characters

How to Write (Good) Female Characters

How to Write a Good Monarch/Ruler

How to Write a Villain

How to Write a Villain Redemption Arc

Villain Motivations

How to Write Young Children and Babies

How to Write Siblings

How to Write a Drunk Character (For people who can’t/prefer not to drink)

Love Stuff

How to Write Romance

How to Write Falling In Love

How to Write a Love Triangle

How to Write Enemies to Friends to Lovers

How to Write Healthy Relationships

How to Write Long Distance Relationships

How to Write Non-Explicit Sex Scenes

How to Write Teasing in a Romantic Relationship

How to Write Toxic Relationships

Reasons for Divorce

Fantastic Beasts (And How to Write Them)

How to Write Shape-shifters

How to Write Characters With Wings

How to Write Angels (A History of Angelic Lore)

How to Write Characters with Tails

How to Write Zombies

How to Write Gods, Goddesses, and Deities

How to Write Animals in Battle

How to Write a Hive Mind

Diversity

I am a white, neurotypical, cisgender woman and shouldn’t give you any advice but to DEFINITELY include diversity! Here are some great blogs for you to follow!

@writingwithcolor

@yourbookcouldbegayer

@scriptautistic

@actuallyblind

@cripplecharacters

Writing Deaf of Hard of Hearing Characters

Miscellaneous

How to Become a Writing Advice Blog

How to Write Constructive Criticism

Books You Should Get As a Writer

Writing Memes

Writing Playlists

Maddy’s Favorite Instrumental Songs

Maddy’s Ultimate Instrumental Playlist

you’re a haggard adventurer discovering worlds beyond your wildest dreams

you’re a hero who’s just lost everything

you’re a scholar searching for the secrets of the universe

you’re a villain plotting to take over the world

you’re an ancient god

you’re falling in love

you’re fighting the final battle

you’re having a tea party

you’re in a chase scene

you’re in the medieval times

you’re in your childhood room. The door is open a crack. Your family is talking downstairs.

My Book

I’m currently working on a novel titled Wings of Faith, and often post content such as art, aesthetics, and writing updates!

Summary:

Humans are nothing if not imaginative creatures. They tell tales of being watched over by invisible guardians, of bearing witness to divine messengers descending from the sky in a blaze of fire. Snowy wings, flaming swords, haloes and harps…you know, all the classic bullshit.

“Be not afraid!” they write these creatures saying, since humans like to comfort themselves with the notion that their celestial shepherds are merciful. But mercy, even for such “angels” that are so often painted and prayed about, is a luxury that only those with enough life left in them can afford.

(OR a jaded one-winged angel must team up with a ragtag band of demons to escape from Hell)

Wings of Faith Masterpost

My Art Blog

Here’s the blog that I post all of my art on, including Wings of Faith content, art wips, fandom content, and original work! Feel free to check it out here!

Master Post of Writing Advice

For a full and updated list of writing advice, click here.  All advice is by Marina Montenegro and originally posted on Writing the Words blog. 

Getting Started:

Prewriting 101

Setting Up Your Space

Starting Again (if you’ve stopped)

Where to Start

Writing the Beginning

Writing What You Don’t Know

5 Truths About Being A Writer

Characters:

Character Building

Non-Binary Characters

Writing A Hero

Writing Non-Humans

Writing Women

5 Ways to Name Your Character

5 More Ways to Name Your Character

Dialogue:

Dialogue

Improving Dialogue: Eliminate Exposition

NaNoWriMo:

NaNoWriMo

Tips & Tricks for NaNoWriMo

Planning & Outlines:

How to Start Outlining

Is My Idea Good Enough?

Should you Outline?

7 Things to Do Before You Start

Plot:

Details

Fight Scenes

Sex Scenes

Sexual Assault in Literature

Story Arcs

Setting:

Description

When Setting Really Matters

World Building:

Creating World Maps

World Building

Other:

Editing

Making Time to Write

Point Of View

Prologues

Rejection Letters

Why I Write

Writers Block

Writing with Sound

5 Signs You Treat Your Reader Like an Idiot

Embracing Chaos: A Pantser's Guide to Crafting Compelling Fiction

Planning a story when you're a pantser (someone who writes "by the seat of their pants" without extensive outlining) can be a creative and fluid process. Here are some steps to help you plan a fic, even if you prefer to write without a detailed outline:

Start with an idea. Begin with a basic idea or concept for your fic. It could be a character, a situation, a setting, or even a specific scene that's been floating around in your mind.

Character Sketches: Develop your characters. Write down their names, physical descriptions, personalities, and backstories. Even if you don't plan everything in advance, knowing your characters well can guide your writing as you go.

Set your goals: Determine what you want to achieve with your fiction. Is it a short story, novella, or novel? What's the central theme or message you want to convey? Understanding your goals can give your writing direction.

Identify Key Plot Points: Instead of a detailed outline, focus on identifying key plot points or moments you want to include in your fic. These could be major events, conflicts, or turning points. Think about the beginning, middle, and end.

Create a Loose Timeline: Organise your key plot points in a loose chronological order. This will help you maintain a sense of structure without stifling your creativity. You can rearrange or add new points as you write.

Develop Themes and Motifs: Consider the themes and motifs you want to explore in your fic. These can help guide your writing and give it depth. Themes could be love, friendship, redemption, etc.

Write a First Scene: Start with the opening scene or chapter. This will help you dive into the story without feeling overwhelmed by the entire plot. As you write, let the characters and situations evolve naturally.

Follow Your Characters: Allow your characters to guide the story. As you write, pay attention to how they react to situations and make decisions. Sometimes, the best plot twists come from character-driven choices.

Embrace Revision: Understand that your story may evolve and change as you write. Don't be afraid to revise and rewrite parts of your fic to maintain consistency and improve the overall narrative.

Use Writing Prompts: If you ever get stuck or need inspiration, consider using writing prompts. They can help you generate new ideas and keep the creative juices flowing.

Beta Readers or Feedback: If you're comfortable with it, share your work with beta readers or writing groups. They can provide valuable feedback and suggestions to help you refine your fiction.

Stay Open to Change: Be open to making major changes if the story naturally takes a different direction than you initially planned. Sometimes, the best stories come from unexpected twists.

Trust the Process: Remember that everyone's writing process is different. Embrace the pantser approach if it works for you, and trust your instincts as a writer.

Writing as a pantser can be an exciting and spontaneous journey. While it may require more revisions and editing along the way, it often leads to unique and organic storytelling. So, start writing and let your creativity flow freely!

i hope you write (i hope we both write)

Guide: How to Rekindle Your Motivation to Write

1) Find inspiration photos - create a folder on your desktop or browser and fill it with inspiration photos for your WIP. You can search for photos on Google Image Search or photo sites like Pixabay and Pexels.

2) Make a playlist - music can be very inspiring when you’re writing or planning a story, so try making a playlist for your WIP. You can do Google searches for things like “songs about love” or “songs about war” if you want songs that fit a specific theme. You can also look through the music you own and see if anything reminds you of your story.

3) Make aesthetics or mood boards - aesthetics and mood boards are photo collages that you make for your story. They can be general, for your whole story, for characters, for the setting, or even for a particular scene or event. Aesthetics are fun to make and can be very inspirational when you’re writing.

4) Draw a map or make a layout - try making a map of wherever your story takes place, whether that’s a town, kingdom, or a whole country or world. You can even draw layouts of things like high schools, houses, or other buildings in your story. Not only are they fun to do, but it can be a helpful tool for visualizing your setting, and sometimes it can lead to ideas about scenes or plot points.

5) Do a character interview - imagine that you’ve pulled your character out of a story into the room and now have the opportunity to interview them. What questions would you ask them? What do you want to know about them that you don’t already know? What do you think the reader would want to know? What might be pertinent to the story that you haven’t thought about yet?

6) Do a TV Crew follow around - no matter when or where your story takes place, imagine that you’ve dropped an invisible TV crew into your story’s world to follow your character around through an average day. Follow them from the moment they wake up until the moment they go to bed that night. What are they like when they wake up? What is their morning routine? What do they eat for breakfast? How do they get ready? What do they do throughout the day? Who do they interact with? What else do they eat and drink? What do they do for fun or relaxation? How to they make money or meet their basic needs? What is their bedtime routine like?

7) Try a writing tool - there are all kinds of interesting writing tools out there, both online and things, apps, and physical things. Story Cubes, plot generators, plot twist generators, the Storymatic, StoryForge, Story Dice, tarot cards, the Writer’s Toolbox… just to name a few!

————————————————————————————————-

Have a question? My inbox is always open, but make sure to check my FAQ and post master lists first to see if I’ve already answered a similar question. :)