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anon ask - "how do i write introductions?"

my inbox is being pissy so i am having a hard time responding but anon i hope you find this bc i rlly wanted to answer xox i'm sorry :(

yall can still send in requests but I might just have to tag you rather than do a direct response. maybe it'll fix itself soon? idk

introductory paragraphs are probably one of the most important paragraphs of your story. and really, I'd extend your introduction to the first 'chapter' or 'act' or however you've decided to divvy up the writing.

What does the introduction do?

It introduces the story. 'Holy fuck!' I know, crazy. bad jokes aside, the introduction does a lot more than introduce characters and setting. It also introduces the voice and style of your writing, which can make or break your writing just as much as a character.

This is more geared towards original 'published' work, but can absolutely be a tip for fic writers too. Most of my writing tips I've tried to make accessible to both, so take it with a grain of salt.

"Voice" "Style" and "Narration" are all used to describe the way the story feels. When you write the first couple of pages, it needs to grab the reader and shove them into your little world. There are good and bad examples of this.

I would say a good example of this would be Harry Potter (sorry i know but it's v accessible). The voice is introduced, we get a sense of the backstory without it being too overwhelming, and it gives enough mystery to keep you reading. (look up a pdf)

Here are some Dos and Don'ts

Do: describe setting. Don't: give us a verbal blueprint. Describe the setting subtly. Instead of, "The coastal town of Whalebone was frequently rainy, and it never got above a brisk 65F" try, 'the sky was grey and dreary. it had been raining the past week, and the air had a bite to it.'

both sentences describe the weather, but the second one does it in a way that is more relevant to the story rather than sounding like a weather report. The reader will pick up on the setting nuances as they read.

Drop descriptions in occasionally, try to create an ambience rather than an overwhelming situation. describe setting in context to the event. The reader doesn't care if it's sunny when they're more concerned about the fight scene. They might care about the weather if there's a traveling caravan that can't go through mud. (I'm using weather as an example but this can be applied for every setting)

the hobbit would be an example of overwrought setting.

2. Do: introduce your character. Don't: overdo it.

The audience will be spending the entire book with this character. there is no rush to explain everything in the first chapter. Don't do the "She woke up at 8 am and rushed downstairs to eat breakfast. Her mother, Deborah, had made her favorite pancakes. The girl wolfed down a couple before running to her friend Emily's house." that's too much. I quickened the pace to provide examples but all of that can be found out subtly.

The readers should determine the relationships based on their interactions. Don't tell the reader. Show them. If 'Emily' (bff) and Girl are chatting together and making jokes, you can assume they're good friends. Flat-out telling the reader takes away an opportunity for building dynamic.

3. Do: set the tone. Don't: change it later.

pick the style and stick with it. If you flip between waxing poetic and writing like a sarcastic teenager, it'll give your readers whiplash. pick a style of storytelling that can accurately convey your writing to its full extent. If you write a scene and it's out of the theme, we'll notice. the introduction is a good place to mess around with this.

Hope this helps!

(sorry about the inbox thing, i'm gonna do some digging to fix it!)

keep sending requests ily guys xox

writing tips - flashbacks

welcome back yall i have not written this in a lukewarm minute

flashbacks! good shit.

Flashbacks are great for adding information or reminding the reader of a past action without making it a whole deal. but flashbacks are kinda specific as far as when they should come up.

let's start with the benefits of using flashbacks:

Character development.

flashbacks can reveal hidden motives, memories, inciting incidents, and alternative perspectives to the main plotline and the characters. It might contextualize disputes or hard feelings between characters.

2. mystery!

Flashbacks are still from the character who's flashbacking's perspective. If you add the flashback, it might add another level of mystery to the conflict or a clue to the end result.

3. context

You don't always want to write a massive exposition paragraph describing all the context for everything, so little scenes dropped here and there will help clear the waters without mucking up the pace.

Now that that has been summarized, let's focus more on when they should be used.

Flashbacks make sense when the content of the flashback relates to the current scene's actions. If the character flashbacks to their mother's fiftieth birthday during a business meeting, it doesn't make sense. But, if it's their mother's sixtieth birthday and they are reminiscing, it makes more sense.

There needs to be a sense of continuity. Trauma-based flashbacks have a trigger - a sound, smell, texture, phrase, etc that incites the flashback. if there is no trigger, it makes no sense.

When a traumatic flashback is triggered, an emotional reaction is usually attached. traumatic flashbacks are jarring, uncomfortable, and stressful for the victim. Afterwards, a panic attack or dissociative period is common.

if the flashback is not connected to a traumatic response, the reason for the flashback needs to be clear.

pause: i'm gonna refer to flashbacks as 'episodes' because typing 'flashbacks' every two words is reviving my carpal tunnel.

unpause!

The episode has the desired effect when the connection between past/present is clear and the 'discovery' is important. Maybe it's an elaboration of a previously established memory that reveals a secret only after a specific event.

Flashbacks are great, but overdone and they get frustrating and old. Find a format that you only apply to the episodes will help. Italics are a common favorite, parentheses, a specific divider between main text and the flashback....something that lets the reader know what's going on.

Nothing is worse that trying to figure out what century you're reading when every other page is a flashback episode. Make it easy on your readers!!!

If the thing you're flashing to is so important that the flashback takes multiple pages, find a different way to convey the information. they're called 'flash' backs, not 'separate plot point specifically for this moment' backs. what I'm trying to say is - short and sweet.

Episodes are meant to be enlightening, not as confusing as everything else.

Summary - flashbacks are a great tool when used sparingly and intentionally, I love to see them!

xox

A long story like this always makes you hesitate to read it, makes you think “Is the story worth reading that much?”. But it is, and it carries with it the spirit of the World, and of Simple, Humble Beauty.

Temples are built for gods. Knowing this a farmer builds a small temple to see what kind of god turns up.

Your prompt for today is... 2 words, 1 color!

AUTUMN, TIME, AND GREY

Have fun <3

— Ferris

Thanks so much bestie!!

Writing prompt #1: Sullen

Words: 523

A/n: Hope this is long enough!! I'm gonna use this as a way to tease a new oc.

..........................

Autumn is a cold month for most. A season full of giving and horror. It's a funny combination if one were to consider it. The leaves change, but he's stuck. He can't change. He sees all the people around him age with time. His eyes watch, but his mind wanders.

It wanders to memories that last a whole century. Most faded, gray in feeling.

He sits on a lonely bench, nothing to hold other than a lukewarm coffee cup. Half empty. His life was half empty. He lost many to time. He lost himself a few times. The world now is much too modern. It's hard to hold onto who he originally was. He spent too much time searching to really enjoy the changes of the world.

Watching the world move on without him. He felt small. Friends were a luxury. Something his weak heart couldn't afford. He could only be a spectator in the joys of what life should be. Seeing couples share happiness and sadness. The true sorrows of humanity. He witnessed many children age and many elders wither away. The loved ones often mourning their deaths.

He longed for someone to mourn him. Maybe they did. Back then. When he had people. People who sought his attention. His love. All lost now.

His skin chilled with the cold wind of Autumn. The only reminder of his living state. This was the best season for death. They were celebrated. Something he will never have. His gaze met a large tree. The largest one in the park. The leaves a reminder. That he wasn't allowed to change.

It was cruel. His life was cruel. There was no release for his poor soul. His soul that witnessed the downfall of civilization and how society would be rebuilt. Rebuilt without him.

Those he lost would never get to see him in the afterlife. And he wouldn't get to see them. His beating heart only beating to keep him living. He lacked a reason. Any reason. He just wanted color. Color in his life. He needed colorful leaves to his lonely dead tree that is him.

He longed to feel something other than numbness. He craved it.

Why was he being tortured? He never wanted this life. But here he is. His life being never ending.

He ruminated in his thoughts. The lack of memories that he could hold on too. The only break from his thoughts was the small sip of his coffee.

A few more moments of sitting, the only sound that filled the space was the chatter of passersby, he decided it was time to leave.

That was what he wanted, but there was added weight on the bench. A slow glance to his side, he saw the most beautiful person. They were warm. A contrast to the chilly weather that required turtlenecks and flannels. This individual held so much life. More life than he's ever seen.

They had more color than his gray life. Cheeks a gentle color of flushness, and kissed by the chilly air. He wanted to know this person's name. He had a reason. A reason to change.

This isn't about Strawberry jam

I want to ramble on about something I am not so sure about what it is, so I will tell yall a story.

So imagine this; You are 20 years old, you live with your partner in your shared apartment, your partner buys a tiny glass jar of strawberry jam. 

If I pointed at that moment and asked you what it was, I think you would say “Well, it's a jar of strawberry jam” 

Okay now, imagine one week later; the jam was good, but the jar was tiny so you and your partner already ate all of it, holding the empty and dirty jar you realize, wow it has a very nice shape, maybe I can use it as a cup, so you clean the jar and lets it sitting beside your water filter. 

If I pointed now and asked what it was, what would you say? “It’s an empty jar of strawberry jam that we use to drink water.”

Okay cool, nice and practical, lets go forward, Imagine 10 years later… Yea I know a lot of time, but hear me out; You are 30 years old and you had a child in the meantime, this child is 7 years old. 

If I pointed to the empty jar of strawberry jam and asked what it is, you know what they would say? “It’s a glass cup, we use it to drink water.” Do you see where I am going?

Okay now let's go 30 years in the future, imagine; you are 60 years old and this story isn’t about you anymore, no this story is about your grandchild now. Your 37 years old child has a 10 year old child themselves now. If I pointed to the glass cup and asked the same old question, what would they say? “Oh that's a vintage glass cup that belonged to my grandparents, my parents get it out on… special occasions.” Okay cool, it's a vintage heirloom now I guess.

Okay now Imagine; Someone broke it, what would be said if I pointed to the glass and asked you to say what it is?

“This was an empty jar of Jam, we bought it a bunch of years ago and I don’t remember if the Jam was good or not, but it served us well.”

Ok, and If I asked your child?

“Oh, this was an old glass cup that was in my parents house. I liked to use it when we would drink vodka… I think it was older than me. It's a shame it is broken.”

Your grandchild?

“This was a family heirloom. It was older than my parents and I pretended to give it to my child one day. To be honest, the thing was old, it is a miracle how long it lasted.”

The garbage man that will dispose of it.

“Someone threw broken glass in the wrong bin, I will have to put on my gloves.”