Body Language Cheat Sheet For Writers

Body Language Cheat Sheet for Writers

As described by Selnick’s article:

Author and doctor of clinical psychology Carolyn Kaufman has released a one-page body language cheat sheet of psychological “tells” (PDF link) fiction writers can use to dress their characters.

Creative Writing vs Screenwriting for Novel Writing

This is my opinion and based off my experiences. I also can’t speak for all colleges, just my own.

Something I have definitely noticed is this: Creative writing focuses more on the craft and artistry of the sentence. The actual words of writing whether it be a novel, a poem or nonfiction. It can be split and they can touch upon both, but n my experience there’s an emphasis on the writing vs the story in most studies. From what my professors have said, too, that’s often the case across the board.

Screenwriting focuses almost exclusively on how to write a strong story.

If you want to learn how to tell a strong story, as in characters, plot, structure, pacing, stakes, etc. I would seriously consider focusing on screenwriting in school or screenwriting resources.

Screenwriting focuses on what makes a story compelling whereas Creative Writing will give you the tools to make it read well. Not that it CW doesn’t ever focus on story, but there’s a general divide in the community about what to focus on that boils down to preference and other social factors.

I recommend doing both (and I wish I had the time to get a Creative Writing minor in school), but this is just my two cents.

TIP: One reason why screenwriting is helpful, too, is because if you cannot see it or cannot hear it then the exposition doesn’t work. You can’t get into your characters head without them acting it out in a way that’s visual. This can help make your ability to convey characters stronger so you’re not just constantly relying on telling your readers how your characters feel. In screenwriting, you have to show it or it doesn’t work.

If you want to know how to tell a great story: study screenwriting.

If you want to know how to write well on a sentence level: study creative writing.

If you want both: Study both.

Realistically speaking, imo, your average reader will forgive your writing artistry, but they won’t forgive a weak story. That doesn’t mean skimp on writing craft, but if you had to choose, get a stronger grip on story.

"Humans are an invasive species" you're thinking of the British, actually 💙

(This is an ask but got to be pretty long so I’m sending it as a submit instead. Also, feel free to pass me on to another writing blog if you think they’d be better answering this) How do you solve the problem of fantasy stories only ever being about the Big People? It’s always about kings or princes, or sometimes mythological heroes and knights. This also reflects in the scopes of these stories, it’s always a kingdom/continent/world threatening war or Dark Lord or succession crisis, or about gods and demigods, with worldbuilding and lore often being equally grand, spanning entire kingdoms or continents, dealing with the origin of magic or an entire culture/world’s mythology(as worldbuilding often has one true world-spanning magic system/mythology that’s designed around the story they are telling).

There’s obvious reasons for these things being common, as kings and political leaders had the most power in pre-industrial society, and as most of these stories involve conflict, protagonists would need to have fighting skills and weaponry, which usually requires them to have wealth to afford their gear(the iconic suit of plate armor was for nobility only after all). This also applies to magic and knowing any of their world’s history and lore, as only those who could afford education would be able to be educated in history/sciences/the arts, which the average peasant wouldn’t have been able to do. There’s always the option to have protagonists that are merchants/guild members and artisans, as that would give them an opportunity to get access to those things along with even excuses to travel, but even then only about 10% of medieval society was made up of merchants and craftsmen, with 90% of pre-industrial society working in agriculture.

I am aware that medieval peasants did have a lot of free time, only working for half of the day and having a large number of holidays, saints’ days, and rest days often having 1/3-½ of the year off, especially following the Black Plague, but how do you solve the issue of low class mobility and no access to things that would be needed for most fantasy stories for most of the population in pre-industrial societies, or just writing fantasy adventure stories with conflicts low in scale enough that most of the population could experience them? Even in The Hobbit, which has a farmer protagonist going on a fantastical adventure has Bilbo fighting to retake a kingdom for a dwarf king in the end.

First of all, I’m so sorry this is so late.

Now, for your question: How do you solve the issue of low class mobility in a fantasy story?

For one, your story doesn’t need to be global stakes. It doesn’t have to be about war or great magic or anything. Granted, it is a hallmark of the fantasy genre. So, my advice there would be to study and read so you understand the fantasy genre very well. Then, you know what rules to bend, break and otherwise just make your own.

Secondly, low class mobility can be bypassed a number of ways depending on your specific story, specific story world and how that society ultimately functions. For example, in The Hobbit, it essentially boils down to Bilbo having a special skill needed and wanting to go on an adventure.

But if you wanted an artisan, for example, to go on an adventure, that’s very  doable.

Also, a big one: Make the stakes very personal.

Example: Artisan goes on a journey after their mother goes missing and they must find them.

That’s high stakes for the character. It’s very personal, but the global stakes is quite low in terms of the world. But this is a perfectly doable story as your character goes through and experiences their world, as the plot progresses, in this artisan just trying to find their mother.

And, remember, people in pre-industrial times absolutely traveled. Merchants and traders, especially.These people can be your protagonists or people who support your protagonist’s journey and the plot.

Also, farm characters leaving their homestead to go on an adventure is very common. It’s basically a classic. A cliche’ even. Star Wars follows that to a T. It just really requires something in the characters life to have changed so much they need to leave.

A good rule: Your character is only going to put forth the minimum amount of effort to achieve their goal. They are going to take the next logical step.

Not to say your character will/should be lazy, but your character isn’t going to go to the town over to the get a lamp if theirs broke. If they can just go to their local market and purchase one, they’ll do that first.

Here’s a checklist for you:

1. Determine the goal of your character. What do they want. Write it in a sentence. One sentence. Only one. Make it clear and concise.

2. Determine your character’s place in society.

3. Brainstorm a list of reasons your character might decide/be forced to leave.

4. Explore those options, especially your favorites or the strongest ones. Imagine how your character would react if forced into those situations. If forced into the worst situations.

This does require you to know your character at least a little bit, but still! Explore!

It also will seriously help if you can determine what kills your character has.

Even a farmer has skills. Even the poorest in society attain skills that help them in lfie. We’re people, we all do. Consider how their skills can help them. Are they a farm hand and they’re very strong and physically healthy? Are they a merchant and good with  money?

Maybe they’re a beggar. This could mean they’re good at observing people and are street smart.

Think of their skills.

I really hope all of this helped! Again, I’m so sorry this was late!

Some soft redesign for Lexi because yay ponytail ears. Will probably do the other Loonatics :D

Art by me. Do not repost and edit without my permission.

i really really mean it please write muslim characters, it’s really not that daunting literally all you have to do is throw in a few casual qualities.

have them squint uncertainly at the meat options in a restaurant and ask if there’s pork in the sandwich. have them mention on the phone “oh, i’m gonna stop by the mosque first for prayer but i’ll be there soon.” have your hijabi girls squeal over cute scarves in mall store windows and swoon over sparkly pins. have them kindly reject a glass of water and say “oh, i’m fasting today.”

just don’t make their religion their only defining aspect. like??

for most women, wearing hijab is about as casual as wearing a shirt or pants. give me a badass woman on a mission to save the world just like you’d write literally any other badass woman on a mission to save the world— this one just happens to keep her hair in a headscarf and is careful not to eat certain foods?

and not all muslim women wear scarves, a lot of them just choose not to or they decide not right now but they’ll do it later? like, give me a girl who’s absolutely determined to break a world record and halfway through the story she shows up in a headscarf for the first time and it’s no big deal. 

give me a kid who’s on the search for an ancient magical artifact and also they get anxious at some point cause they’re busy but prayer’s gonna start soon and they don’t wanna miss it. have them whip out their phone and search for the nearest mosque. have them find some quiet place to pray alone, like in the corner of a hotel room they just booked while their travel companion’s watching TV with the volume turned down low.

just?? do a bit of research (when are the prayer times, when is ramadan, what are halal foods, mosques in texas, etc.) and write!!! muslim!!! characters!!!