Q: Smell Ya Later - Tumblr Posts
Be of good heart.
Vincent van Gogh, “Letter to Theo Van Gogh” January 1873 (via wordsnquotes)
halloween prompts
mortal enemies accidentally showing up in matching costumes every fucking year
we team up for the couples contest every year as friends but this year you’re with someone else and i’m definitely Not Jealous and definitely Not Realising Feelings
i love halloween and you hate it so a) how will we raise the children and b) don’t think for a second you’re getting out of the skit i have planned for the trick or treaters
we hate each other but we were invited to a mutual friend’s party and were warned to be civil so you complimented my costume and fuck you, i haven’t changed yet
strangers who hooked up at a party while in costume but tbh i might be in love with you so i’m gonna walk this earth looking for the right woodland nymph
or, we’re in costume and i know exactly who you are but pretend i don’t so i have an excuse to make out with you just once
you’re a cop here to break up the party but i thought it was a costume and may have made some inappropriate suggestions regarding your handcuffs
i’m sick on halloween but told you to go have fun at the party anyway but instead you surprised me with a blanket fort, tons of candy and all my favourite scary movies
i’m the only one who gets your costume and apparently that makes you wanna rip my clothes off
we’re secret friends with benefits and you accidentally wore my shirt to to the party so you’re pretending you came as me and it turns out your impression of me is on point and you know me better than you know myself are you sure you’re not in love with me??
WC NaNo: Day Twenty-Three Planning Prompts
Day twenty-three of planning prompts! Choose one or work through them all–whatever works best for your planning process!
WORLD BUILDING: What is a stereotypical family in your world? How close are most families? Is there a “normal” vs. “outside the norm” when it comes to family structure?
CHARACTER: What is your character’s greatest source of comfort? Is it a person (a family member, a lover, etc.), a routine (taking a long bath, drinking hot chocolate) or an object (a stuffed toy, a pillow)?
CRAFT (Character Voice): Letter to Myself: write a letter from the perspective of your protagonist at the end of your WIP, addressed/sent to themselves at the start of the novel.
WILDCARD: Time Travel: Place your characters in a real-world era outside of their story. Some options: present day, 1920s Chicago, Victorian London, King Louis XIV’s court in France. BONUS POINTS: A character has the opportunity to interview a famous figure from that period. What do they do?
Feel free to share the products of these prompts through the submission box–just include “WC Prompt Share” in the title or tags!
having ocs tht have sex n do drugs n shit when youve never done any of those things
Writer’s Scene Checklist
This works for film/TV as well as for a checklist for an entire novel chapter. Decided to make this because I used to have a lot of trouble figuring out how to structure a scene.
Exposition
Introduce the scene’s characters, situation, time, and place. Basically, let us know how the setting has changed since the last scene (if at all).
This shouldn’t be too long or drawn out (unless you have good reason to). This is just to orientate the audience. And if the scene/story calls for it, you don’t have to orientate them to all four; characters, situation, time, and place. In a mystery, you may not let the audience know everyone who is present, what time it takes place, where, etc. Only do what’s necessary for them to not be too disoriented.
Rising Action
Complication of the situation; intensify or complicate the main conflict; introduce a new conflict. This is the gist of scene, which takes up the most word count/screen time.
Turning Point/Climax
Situation/conflict of the scene is directly addressed or confronted. This is what the gist of the scene has been building up to; the highest moment.
Often times this is the shortest part of the scene since it is a single moment.
Falling Action
Conflict either appeased, put off, or ended; hint of new conflict/situation. Unless this is the final scene, I like to think of this as the SET UP for the next respective scene/chapter.
Conclusion/Tag
Rise of new conflict/situation. Usually, the next scene’s conflict is clearly stated in the conclusion, or at least overtly hinted at.
EXAMPLE SCENE: Airplane ride through a storm.
Exposition
Milo and Alisha are on a passenger plane, headed through the Bermuda Triangle.
This could be stated in one sentence: “Milo shoved Alisha’s carry-on bag into the overhead compartment, taking care not to squash their lunch.”
Rising Action
Milo is nervous about planes, and it is no help that there is supposed to be a storm. Alisha assures him they’ll be alright.
This is the gist of the scene and can carry on for several pages as they talk about his anxiety, what they’re going to do when they land, etc.
Turning Point/Climax
The plane hits severe turbulence due to an intense downburst.
As I said before, stating the climax doesn’t take very long at all since it is, in fact, only a single moment: “The plane lurched downward and the emergency masks dropped with it.”
Falling Action
The pilots lose control; oxygen masks deploy; panic ensues in the cabin.
This could take some time, but usually doesn’t. Once the climax is reached, you’ve now begun setting up for the next scene.
Conclusion/Tag
The plane crashes on a strange island.
You could end a scene like this right as they crash; you could end it a bit after the crash as they bear witness to the aftermath. Personally, and for the most part, I would end the scene at the impact, or just after, and save the aftermath for the next scene.
If this seems really simplified, that’s because it is. It may seem like it’ll make your scene short and choppy, but trust—it won’t. These are simply beats in your scene that you need to hit for the scene to seem plausible; and it isn’t even necessary to have them in this order. You could cleverly state in the beginning that the plane is going to crash, putting the conclusion in the beginning, and then build up to it. It’s all up to you. But these are the beats that make a scene or even a chapter (though some chapters may have more than one scene in them–but even with multiple scenes in a chapter, the chapter will still have these five beats overall)
Favorite writing advice
Read. Read. Read. (Literally every author/writer says this. And it’s true.)
Protect your writing time and space. Make it sacred.
Keep a notebook on hand (could be the sticky notes on your phone, which is where I keep all my notes for when I think of future ideas, quotes, characters, etc.)
Read it out loud to yourself. (This is actually true for ANY type of writing. It just helps you hear the “flow” and if anything sounds awkward)
“The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you’re allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as for writing. But it’s definitely true for writing.) So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I’m not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.” — Neil Gaiman
“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” –Jack London
Me: *Has a drawer full of empty notebooks*
Also me: *Goes to a store* omg notebooks
Things to ask a small press publisher
There’s a ton of information out there about indie/self publishing, and a ton about “traditional publishing” (which I’m defining here as getting an agent and working with a large commercial publishing house). But there’s very little about small press publishing, other than caveats about avoiding scams.
Since I’m about to embark on my third experience working with a small press, and I was briefly marketing manager for one, I figured I might have something helpful and positive to say about it.
Small press publishing can be a great experience, or a horrible disappointment. As with any publishing path, the key is doing your homework, and not getting so swept away in the excitement of SOMEONE WANTING TO PUBLISH YOUR BOOK that you overlook potential problems.
First things first, weeding out the obvious scams: No legitimate press, even a small one, will EVER charge you money to publish your book. Reading fees, etc. are a GIANT RED FLAG. Familiarize yourself with Yog’s Law: money always flows to the writer. Anyone who demands money to put your book into print isn’t a publisher. They’re a printer.
For God’s sake, look at your freaking contract:
Most small presses don’t pay advances. Some people will say that’s a red flag, but it’s pretty typical. Small presses run lean, and they’re going to have to spend upfront money in editing, cover design and layout. That’s their investment. But they do offer fair (and sometimes negotiable) terms for splitting royalties. Typically the split is better for eBooks than for print copies. Also, be aware that the royalty split is going to be on net profits. That’s what they earn after paying for printing or paying Amazon’s or another company’s cut on eBooks.
For the love of God, look at what rights you’re signing over. Make absolutely sure the contract specifies geography (Worldwide, US, US/UK?), format (print? e-book? audiobook?), language (it’s unusual to ask for foreign language rights. If they do, it’s typically something you can push back on).
Do they expressly leave you rights to Merchandising? Graphic novels? Film rights? Can you do other things with your characters? Do they want first right of refusal on sequels? These are things you want to know going in.
What’s the term? I’ve had small press contracts for 2 years, 5 years, and 7 years. “Forever” or “in perpetuity” is not an acceptable term. If a small press wants you to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to ever get your rights back, contest that sh!t. And if they won’t back down, walk away.
It’s fair for them to ask for a term that will ensure they can earn out their investment and profit on your book. It’s not fair for them to lock up your rights in perpetuity. Especially considering how often small presses fold. It’s pretty damn tough to get your rights back from a company that doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve known writers who lost their rights for decades because an editor died. If your term is 5 years, you have a contract stating in five years you get your rights back. No matter what else happens.
Beyond the contract:
Look at their covers. Some small presses have great covers. (I have a friend whose gorgeous, fully-painted small press covers are amazing.) Some have covers that are nothing short of embarrassing. Most are a mixed bag.
If you see some that give you pause, ask about it. Maybe it’s from when they were just getting started, and their standards are higher now. Maybe the author pitched a hissy fit and insisted on keeping their (horrible) self-designed cover. But covers sell books. So make sure you get a say, and make sure they have the wherewithal to provide one that doesn’t suck.
Ask about their distribution. What really separates the pros from the hobbyists in small presses is their ability to get your book into the hands of readers.
Your print books being Print on Demand (POD) isn’t a big deal. But having your print copies run through LightningSource or IngramSpark as opposed to Createspace, makes it 1000% easier to get them into a Barnes & Noble. Do they sell at events? Have shelf-space in a few indie bookstores or gift shops?
If they’re digital-only, what is their marketing plan? Will they do a BookBub, or if not (it’s genuinely tough to get in), a collection of smaller promotional emails like BargainBooksy? Will they buy ads on Amazon or Facebook? Schedule a blog book tour? Make the ARC available on Netgalley or send it out to a list to garner reviews?
How are they going to earn their part of the royalty, beyond editing, cover design and layout? If those things are all they are bringing to the table, and you’re going to be solely responsible for sales and marketing, you might be better served paying someone to do those things, and going the self/indie publishing route. Just to be clear: any publisher is going to expect you to also help market and sell your book. But you shouldn’t be doing it all.
Small press publishing is more than anything else a partnership. And it can be awesome, when you have a team who are truly as excited about your work as you are. That’s a great feeling. You’re contributing your intellectual property and months or years of your work. Just make sure they’re delivering their part.
I was very grateful to have heard it again. Because I guess we all forget sometimes. And I think everyone is special in their own way. I really do.
Stephen Chbosky, Perks of Being a Wallflower (via books-n-quotes)
Invest in yourself. You’re the only constant you have.
- The voice of experience
*me, to my own mind* can u like s h u t the fuck up for once
Character Mannerisms
Here’s some considerations for the tiny little details that can add a lot to a character. Figuring out these mannerisms can do a lot for conveying character traits through their normal actions rather than just their thoughts, dialogue, etc.
How’s their posture? There are more options than just sitting up straight or slouching a lot. What’s their most comfortable sitting position? Do they have a consistent posture or does it change depending on situation / present company?
How’s their etiquette? Do they hold the door for people behind them? How do they handle handshakes and other kinds of typical contact? Does their language change or become more formal when speaking to strangers? To their elders? To their superiors?
In a crowded space, do they get out of people’s way, or do people get out of THEIR way?
How do they point something out? Pointing their finger? Nodding their head? A flippant wave of the hand?
What are their comfort gestures or self-touch gestures? Common comfort gestures include rubbing the back of the neck or gripping their own arms. Can they suppress these gestures or do they do them often?
Also consider the character’s common reactions to common emotions. Do they whoop when they’re excited? Do they tremble when angry?
What parts of the body are the most expressive? Do they shuffle and stomp their feet a lot when agitated or excited? Are they a hand talker? Do they have an impressive range of motion with their eyebrows?
How do they sound? Do their car keys jingle as they walk? Do they drag their feet? Do their heels clack resoundingly on hard floors? Do they breathe loudly? Do they fidget in ways that make a lot of noise?
How do they handle eye contact?
Any behaviors they reserve for moments when they’re alone? (Or possibly among family/friends that don’t care?) Do they pick their nose? Do they bite their toenails? Do they sniff their armpits? Or do they not care if people see behavior like this?
Apart from comfort gestures, what else do they do to comfort themselves in trying times? What’s their go-to self care? What’s their comfort food? Where’s their safe space?
What are they doing with themselves as they’re suppressing emotion? Lip biting, fist clenching, and avoiding eye contact are common methods of coping with strong emotions.