WORDS TO USE INSTEAD OF: RUN / RAN

WORDS TO USE INSTEAD OF: RUN / RAN

Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “run” (or “ran”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

sprint / sprinted

dash / dashed

dart / darted

bolt / bolted

race / raced

speed / sped

hurry / hurried

jog / jogged

bound / bounded

hustle / hustled

scurry / scurried

tear / tore

rush / rushed

charge / charged

barrel / barreled

zoom / zoomed

scuttle / scuttled

scamper / scampered

book it / booked it

leg it / legged it

WEBSITES FOR WRITERS {masterpost}

E.A. Deverell - FREE worksheets (characters, world building, narrator, etc.) and paid courses;

Hiveword - Helps to research any topic to write about (has other resources, too);

BetaBooks - Share your draft with your beta reader (can be more than one), and see where they stopped reading, their comments, etc.;

Charlotte Dillon - Research links;

Writing realistic injuries - The title is pretty self-explanatory: while writing about an injury, take a look at this useful website;

One Stop for Writers - You guys... this website has literally everything we need: a) Description thesaurus collection, b) Character builder, c) Story maps, d) Scene maps & timelines, e) World building surveys, f) Worksheets, f) Tutorials, and much more! Although it has a paid plan ($90/year | $50/6 months | $9/month), you can still get a 2-week FREE trial;

One Stop for Writers Roadmap - It has many tips for you, divided into three different topics: a) How to plan a story, b) How to write a story, c) How to revise a story. The best thing about this? It's FREE!

Story Structure Database - The Story Structure Database is an archive of books and movies, recording all their major plot points;

National Centre for Writing - FREE worksheets and writing courses. Has also paid courses;

Penguin Random House - Has some writing contests and great opportunities;

Crime Reads - Get inspired before writing a crime scene;

The Creative Academy for Writers - "Writers helping writers along every step of the path to publication." It's FREE and has ZOOM writing rooms;

Reedsy - "A trusted place to learn how to successfully publish your book" It has many tips, and tools (generators), contests, prompts lists, etc. FREE;

QueryTracker - Find agents for your books (personally, I've never used this before, but I thought I should feature it here);

Pacemaker - Track your goals (example: Write 50K words - then, everytime you write, you track the number of the words, and it will make a graphic for you with your progress). It's FREE but has a paid plan;

Save the Cat! - The blog of the most known storytelling method. You can find posts, sheets, a software (student discount - 70%), and other things;

I hope this is helpful for you!

(Also, check my gumroad store if you want to!)

A list of winter aesthetics

Holding hands under blankets

Listening to old songs and letting them carry you to an another time

Owning a journal and filling it with your favourite moments of the season so you won't forget about them because they will become moments from your past one day so they are important

Picking up a random book from your dusty shelf and daring to finish it

Covering yourself with tones of clothes from head to toe

Sleepovers with friends

Having lunch dates with friends in their car while the rain is pouring outside

Hydrating and moisturizing

Drawing symbols on the windows covered with humidity

Spending your free time napping or getting cozy under your blankets while watching your favorite movie

Making handmade cards then sending them to your dearest people

Rescuing stray cats and giving them shelter

Romanticizing your life by thinking that everything you do is worth the care and admiration

Reading, reading and reading

Going to art exhibitions of artists you've never heard of

Long walks alone or with your friends and making up back stories for people you see on the street

Waking up early than usual when the world is still asleep

Listening to some playlists made by strangers on the internet

The agreeable warmth of your cocoa cup between your hands

Feeling the delicate coldness of the snowflakes on your skin

WORDS TO USE INSTEAD OF: GREAT

Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “great” to describe things in your writing? Try using these words instead:

wonderful

marvelous

excellent

grand

outstanding

splendid

amazing

fantastic

superb

sublime

dandy

magnificent

brilliant

delightful

perfect

exceptional

stupendous

awesome

phenomenal

extraordinary

show, don't tell:

anticipation - bouncing legs - darting eyes - breathing deeply - useless / mindless tasks - eyes on the clock - checking and re-checking

frustration - grumbling - heavy footsteps - hot flush - narrowed eyes - pointing fingers - pacing / stomping

sadness - eyes filling up with tears - blinking quickly - hiccuped breaths - face turned away - red / burning cheeks - short sentences with gulps

happiness - smiling / cheeks hurting - animated - chest hurts from laughing - rapid movements - eye contact - quick speaking

boredom - complaining - sighing - grumbling - pacing - leg bouncing - picking at nails

fear - quick heartbeat - shaking / clammy hands - pinching self - tuck away - closing eyes - clenched hands

disappointment - no eye contact - hard swallow - clenched hands - tears, occasionally - mhm-hmm

tiredness - spacing out - eyes closing - nodding head absently - long sighs - no eye contact - grim smile

confidence - prolonged eye contact - appreciates instead of apologizing - active listening - shoulders back - micro reactions

WORDS TO USE INSTEAD OF: LAUGH / LAUGHED / LAUGHING

Do you ever find yourself over-using the verb “laugh” (or “laughed” or “laughing”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

giggle / giggled / giggling

chuckle / chuckled / chuckling

snicker / snickered / snickering

cackle / cackled / cackling

guffaw / guffawed / guffawing

grin / grinned / grinning

titter / tittered / tittering

snort / snorted / snorting

chortle / chortled / chortling

howl / howled / howling

roar / roared / roaring

cachinnate / cachinnated / cachinnating

snigger / sniggered / sniggering

mock / mocked / mocking

crack up / cracked up / cracking up

bust a gut / busted a gut / busting a gut

in stitches / in stitches / in stitches

burst into laughter / burst into laughter / bursting into laughter

die of laughter / died of laughter / dying of laughter

split one’s sides / split one’s sides / splitting one’s sides

(NOTE: Keep in mind that all of these words have slightly different meanings and are associated with different emotions/scenarios.)