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deception-united · 1 month

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Let's talk about transitions.

Transitioning between fast-paced and slow-paced scenes is essential for maintaining the flow of your narrative and keeping readers engaged throughout your story, allowing for moments of reflection, introspection, and character development.

Here are some strategies to smoothly transition between different pacing levels:

Use scene endings and beginnings: End a fast-paced scene with a cliffhanger or revelation that propels the story forward, then transition to a slower-paced scene that allows characters (and readers) to process the events. On the flip side, begin a slow-paced scene with a hook or question that intrigues readers and draws them deeper into the story.

Bridge paragraphs: Include bridge paragraphs between scenes to provide a smooth transition. These paragraphs can briefly summarize the previous scene's events, set the scene for the upcoming events, or transition between different settings, characters, or points of view.

Change in tone or focus: Shift the tone or focus of the narrative to signal a change in pacing. For example, transition from a tense action scene to a quieter moment of reflection by shifting the narrative focus from external events to internal thoughts and emotions.

Utilise pacing within scenes: Even within a single scene, you can vary the pacing to create transitions. Start with a fast-paced opening to grab the reader's attention, then gradually slow down the pacing as you delve deeper into character interactions, dialogue, or introspection. Conversely, speed up the pacing to inject energy and excitement into slower scenes.

Symbolic transitions: Use symbolic elements within the narrative to signal transitions between pacing levels. For example, transition from a fast-paced scene set during a stormy night to a slow-paced scene set in the calm aftermath of the storm, mirroring the shift in pacing.

Foreshadowing: Use subtle foreshadowing in fast-paced scenes to hint at upcoming events or conflicts that will be explored in slower-paced scenes. This creates anticipation and helps to smoothly transition between different pacing levels by maintaining continuity in the narrative arc.

Character reactions: Show how characters react to the events of fast-paced scenes in the subsequent slower-paced scenes. Use their thoughts, emotions, and actions to provide insight into the impact of these events on the story and its characters, helping to bridge the transition between pacing levels.

See my post on pacing for more! ❤

#writeblr #writing #writing tips #writing advice #writing resources #writing help #transitions #creative writing #pacing #plot development

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wordsnstuff · 3 months

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This might sound strange... writing a romance I started to see romantic potential between my lead and a side character, rather than strictly between the two leads... I'm starting to swerve. How can I suit my writing/mindset to keep the relationship with the side character platonic?

When characters develop minds of their own...

Writing is one of those mediums where people tend to overlook the importance of experimentation. It's seen as a fairly linear process: brainstorm, map the plot, write the draft, edit the draft, publish. If any other type of creation was done this way, most would see the process as incomplete, because experimentation is imperative to creativity. Curiosity is the key to finding satisfaction, and no matter how brilliant you think an idea is at its conception, the best way to do it justice is to question it.

If you find yourself in a situation where your story begins to develop outside your control, don't strangle it back into the shape you imagined for it at first. See where it goes. Let it bleed outside the lines and see what you prefer. You can always return to the original plan. The beauty in fiction is that it has infinite possibility, and if you have the talent to write characters and worlds that determine their own trajectory, enjoy the reward.

In your case, you've designed a romance between two characters but the chemistry of a different pairing has become more compelling, so see what happens. There is a good chance you've simply written a secondary character that serves the story better in a leading role, and there's no harm in experimenting to see if that's correct. If it doesn't work and you're convinced the relationship is more suitable in the platonic category, you will find the reason along the way and that reason will speak for itself as you return to writing the original pairing. If anything, this might become an organic way for you to misdirect the reader in order to make the payoff of your original idea more substantial.

Writing should be an intuitive process. If you're swerving in another direction, satiate your curiosity and then make decisions with all of the information. Just like any other artistic medium, you will only know what's right once you've established what isn't.

Best of luck,

x Kate

#writing #writeblr #writespo #writing advice #authorblr #qna #romance #plot development #editing #character development #character relationships

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agronzky · 3 months

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⠀⠀⠀𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 & 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐑𝐏. ♡

under the cut you'll find a list of 56 diverse outings and trips to use in starters or replies withing plots. this can be used to bring new cenarious to plots, starters and rps, helping to differ threads and put characters in new experiences.

Walking in nature

A bicycle ride

Visit to an art museum

Historical city tour

Boat trip on the river/lake

Mountain trail hike

Visit to a botanical garden

Picnic in the park

Bird watching

Gastronomic tour of the city

Hot air balloon ride

Cave exploration

Visit to a zoo or aquarium

Shopping itinerary in local stores

Winery tour

Panoramic train ride

Visit to historical sites

Trip to a neighboring city

Kayak/canoe trip

Tour of movie locations

Drive-in cinea

Walk on a beach

Visit local fairs and markets

Photo expedition

Horseback riding

Visit to an astronomical observatory

Urban art trail tour

Excursion to a theme park

Traditional cooking class

Helicopter ride

Camping trip

Visit to a cultural festival

Tour of haunted places

Surf lesson or other water sport

Motorcycle ride

Exploring historical ruins

Regional dance class

Treasure hunt tour

Tour of panoramic viewpoints

Rollerblading or skateboarding

Day at an amusement park

Visit to a nature reserve

Quad bike ride

Participation in a local marathon

Wildlife watching

Zip line ride

Tour of architectural monuments

Participation in a spiritual retreat

Sailing boat trip

Motorcycle ride

Visit to a contemporary art exhibition

#rph #rp resources #rp writing help #character help #rp help #plot help #plot development #rpc #writing advice #writingtips #writing tips

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em-dash-press · 4 months

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Catalysts for Your Rising Action

Someone close to your protagonist dies

Your protagonist loses a memento

A challenge makes your protagonist run away from their life

Your main character accomplishes a goal and feels unsatisfied

The goal your protagonist has always wanted becomes suddenly impossible to achieve

Your main character wants to change someone's life for the better

Revenge is the only thing on your protagonist's mind

Your main character sees a community need and strives to solve it

Something morally or ethically changes in your protagonist that makes them interact with the world in a fundamentally different way

#plot #action #writing action #plot development #writeblr #writing advice #writing tips #writing inspiration #writing community #creative writing #writing help #writers of tumblr #writing #writing resources #plot device #character arc #character creation #character building #writing characters

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novlr · 9 months

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How to create an effective plot?

How to Quickly Craft an Effective Plot

Crafting an effective plot is no easy task. It's a delicate balance of character development, dramatic tension, and narrative progression that, when done right, can turn your story into an unforgettable journey. It’s easy to get lost and overwhelmed with plot development, so here’s a quick guide to help you quickly and easily craft an effective plot that will hit all the main narrative beats.

1. Start with your protagonist

Start by creating a well-rounded protagonist. Consider their strengths, weaknesses, aspirations, fears, and quirks. Each of these characteristics can be woven into the plot and will shape how your story unfolds. The most fundamental part of any character development is determining their goal, motivation, and conflict. It’s the backbone of any good story.

Goal

Your protagonist should have a clear goal they want to achieve by the end of the novel. This goal can be tangibly external (like winning a competition) or internal (like overcoming a fear). In fact, a well-rounded character should have both an internal and external goal.

Motivation

Your protagonist’s motivation to reach their goal will be the driving force of your plot. While a clear goal gives your character a direction, their motivation is what fuels their journey. Their goal is what they want, and their motivation is why they want it.

Conflict

Conflict is what prevents your protagonist from easily achieving their goal. It increases the stakes and propels your story forward. This can come in many forms, from a physical adversary to a personal flaw or external circumstances. Whatever the conflict, it should challenge your protagonist in a way that pushes them towards growth.

2. Establish the Ordinary World

Establishing the ordinary world is an essential first step in crafting an effective plot. You sety the scene for your readers, providing a glimpse into your protagonist's daily life before the main plot takes off.

The Ordinary World is the comfortable, familiar environment your hero inhabits, acting as a baseline for their normality. Use this stage to introduce the protagonist's routine, their relationships, their hopes and frustrations, as well as any prevailing societal norms or conditions of their world.

3. The inciting incident

The inciting incident is a crucial event that sets the whole plot in motion. It disrupts the comfort of the protagonists' ordinary world, bringing a problem or situation that makes them take action.

The incident you choose will depend entirely on the kind of story you want to tell and could be anything from a personal catastrophe to an intriguing mystery or an unexpected opportunity. No matter your genre, however, the inciting incident’s critical function is to permanently disrupt the status quo and set your protagonist on their journey. It's the spark that ignites the story

4. Build your story

With your set-up complete, you enter the stage of your story where you have the most freedom and can explore your chosen genre. Your characters will grapple with the challenges and obstacles that your story presents and forms the bulk of your story, spanning from the inciting incident to the climax.

During this phase, you want to introduce conflict to raise the stakes, increase tension and keep readers engrossed. As your characters navigate their way through these trials, they grow and evolve, adding depth to their personalities. It's in this section that your characters' motivations are tested, and their true natures are revealed. It's also where plot twists and turns come into play, and you can start developing subplots.

5. The crisis

The crisis, often known as the climax, is the most intense point of your story and serves as the turning point in your plot. It's a crucial moment where the protagonist confronts the main conflict head-on, and the tension reaches its peak.

The stakes are highest at this point, and the outcome is uncertain. It often forces your protagonist to make a critical decision or take decisive action, which will ultimately determine their fate. Whether that's an epic battle, a heartfelt confrontation, or a shocking revelation, the crisis should be a moment of high drama that pushes your characters to their limits.

6. The resolution

The resolution is where all loose ends are tied up, and your characters’ journey concludes. By the time your plot resolves, all your character’s initial goals, motivations, and conflicts should be resolved despite, or perhaps because of, the conflict and obstacles faced.

The resolution should provide satisfaction to your readers, offering both a sense of closure and an insight into what the future holds for the characters. Whether it's a happy ending, a tragic one, or something ambiguous, it's crucial that the resolution ties in with the story's overarching narrative and themes, and marked the end of your character’s personal journey.

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develop-your-villain · 13 days

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Did your OC have any good life before they became a villain?

#oc #character development #oc tag #original character #tag your oc #storytelling #plot development #villain oc

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acurtist · 23 days

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Irritating Character Tropes:

1. Meddler: Had to share explosive commentary about everything and everyone.

2. Gossip-monger: Make up stories and spread them far and wide like a virus.

3. Riddler: Speaks in puzzles and keeps people on toes the hidden meanings in their tales.

4. Jester: Everything and everyone is a joke. Must crack a few ones to earn them wages.

5. Rat hole: Has to sneak in in nook and crannies like a rat to uncover secrets.

6. Interrogator: Wouldn't stop asking same questions with different angles.

7. Petty Thief: Kleptomaniac and pickpocket extraordinaire.

8. Quarreler: Need to pick a fight about everything and anything.

9. Idiot: Speaks out of turn, doesn't know what they are talking about.

10. Lame Poet: Make everyone suffer with their awful compositions.

11. Liar: Conjures up lies out of thin air without skipping a heartbeat.

12. Plotter: Manipulative, calculative, untrustworthy, and narcissistic.

13. Personality Divergent: Sucks living daylights and happiness from people around them.

14. Chaotic: Unorganized messy scatterbrain.

15. Peeping Tom: Needs jail time.

16. Impersonator: Either mentally disturbed or suffering from insecurities.

17. Man child: Regardless of gender acts like a child that needs supervision and extra attention.

18. Foul-mouthed: Starts and ends every sentence with one cursive word or the other.

19. Daydreamer: Always have head stuck in cloud and couldn't focus for more than 5 minutes.

20. Overzealous: Strict adherence to authority figures. Will not hesitate to commit crimes.

21. Righteous Prick: Nothing they do can be wrong or at fault.

22. Existentialist: Make others depressed with their annoying cynicism.

23. Overly-enthusiastic Schmuck: Out of touch with real world and impervious to any challenges. Thinks goodwill is enough resource and help.

24. Undoctor: Has a home remedy for every disease and ailment. Usually a chain-smoker with a protruding belly.

25. Know-it-all: Grammar Nazi, encyclopedia, general knowledge enthusiastic. Insufferable.

26. Geek: Lack of boundaries and respect for privacy.

27. Dare Devil: Needs to get hurt before setting anyone else on fire.

28. Psychoanalyst: Wouldn't shut up about what you actually think, need, and want.

29. Fortune-teller: Spew nonsense out their ass and present it as divine revelation.

30. Manufacturer: Breaks more things than repairs.

31. Conspiracy Theorist: Busy in organizing telepathic peace talks with president and alien civilization.

32. Over-committed Logician: Acts like a machine until an emotional explosions.

33. Otaku/Fic Connoisseur: Spoilers spoliers everywhere.

34. Drama Queen: Nonstop emotional blackmailer.

35. Fatphobic: Anorexic, suffering from health and psychological issues.

36. Glutton: Overweight, hates skinny people. Could use some exercise.

I mean the list doesn't ends. I can honestly think of just as many more of these.

Gotta add them all!

#writeblr #writing #writers on tumblr #writer problems #writing process #writerblr #writing prompt #writers community #fantasy #writing ideas #writing inspiration #writing inspo #character creation #plot development

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wjforever · 1 year

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Buy me a coffee

#love between fairy and devil #lbfad #lbfd #cang lan jue #dongfang qingcang #xiao lanhua #苍兰诀 #cdrama #clj #dfcq #xlh #development #character development #plot development #from this to this #dynamics #parallels

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doublerainbow-if · 5 months

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Reading your synopsis, it seems like MC accidentally bumped into their soulmate in NYC and if they spent years searching (plus the basis of your story) I don’t think you’d make that encounter a one off which made me think they might be one of the ROs, BUT reading about the ROs and seeing how all of them do in fact have some type of relationship with MC (deep or superficial) without there being that “my grey world finally had color” moment how could that possibly be ? Hope this ask makes sense 😂

It was an one off meeting. Like a snap shot if that make sense. The MC is trying to get back that feeling of wholeness they felt for what felt like milliseconds, a sudden shift in their world which felt finally right.

But that isn't how their story truly ends. They won't find that person who started their journey no matter how hard they try. One of the main themes is finding happiness on your own terms that isn't preordained or given to you. Which is accomplished with the people they meet in Paris once they settled down. Whether they find romantic or platonic connections, they soon find that need to find their soulmate diminishes as they find what they truly want in this world.

If that make sense.

#double rainbow- if #thanks for the ask!#wordbuilding #plot development

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auideas · 2 years

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How to make the plot beautyful?

A great question worthy of an equally-great answer: how can we as writers make our plots not just good, but beautiful?

What NOT To Do:

String a bunch of random conflicts together

Start with a clear bad guy & good guy (and maintain that relationship throughout the story)

Create plotholes on purpose (then tell yourself that it adds to the “mystique” or think you’ll answer the question later)

Only create story arcs for the main characters and not the side characters because they’re “not as important”

Ignore your own world’s fictional rules without a good reason

Include subplots that don’t support your main story arc

Rely on an outline to rigidly dictate your story’s plot

What To Do:

Start with a simple, compelling premise

Choose a base plot structure to loosely follow (Freytag’s Pyramid, The Hero’s Journey, Three Act Structure, Dan Harmon's Story Circle, Fichtean Curve, Save the Cat Beat Sheet, Seven-Point Story Structure, etc.)

Set up your beginning with your end (the beginning is the question, the end is the answer)

Think about cause and effect; allow each scene to build off the beginning into the end (ensuring each moves the plot and its clear central conflict)

Including the 5 W’s ( ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘why’ and ‘when’) will give the readers a clear sense of setting and ensure the story is more solid

Most importantly: remember that your plot doesn’t drive your characters, your characters drive your plot. Their development over time with their hardships is what will separate your story from average fair.

Hope this gives you a great idea of where to start!

- Admin M x

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temis-de-leon · 6 months

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Writing tip:

If you have an idea but not the inspiration to describe the characters or the plot, make a map.

Close your eyes, draw a blob, then open your eyes and draw lines. Blob for the country/realm; lines for rivers. Do you want lakes? Great, more blobs. (Using different colors is great for this).

Unless you already decided the name, don't try to make one up. That'll just make things more difficult.

Where's the capital? Why? If it's in the coast, is it because there are threats across the sea? If situated on top of a mountain, does it have caves or mines? Are they profitable? Deep forests usually bring mountains and cold weather. Living in the coast means living with humidity.

Still don't think of names.

Are there any more cities? Same as the capital, where and why? Civilization starts where people thrive: water, fertile soil, precious metals, etc. The better the land, the richer the people (unless there's a third party involved, which would help with the plot, even indirectly).

Now to the characters: what are the vibes? Are they farmers or hunters? Do they belong in nobility? When you think of them do you picture them wearing furs or open chested silk shirts? Are they able to survive extreme heat or cold?

Do they feel incomplete? Did something recently happen in their life? Would a journey help? Which would they prefer, a similar land to their homeland or something different?

Of course, here's where the plot takes place. If the land where your story takes place is invaded, you have to take the enemies in consideration because they're probably stealing from the poor and collecting innecesary tolls or persecuting the original rulers. If, however, your land is at peace, there's probably something about to happen.

So:

Context (where).

Background (why).

Plot (what).

In the end, if you're lost, give your characters and your story a reason to exist.

#writing #writing tips #map making #character design #story making #planning #lack of motivation #inspiration #plot development

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deception-united · 27 days

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Let's talk about misdirection.

(Requested by @voiceless9000. Hope this is helpful!)

Misdirection in storytelling, through foreshadowing and other techniques, is a powerful tool that can enhance suspense, surprise, and engagement in your narrative and make plot twists more unexpected.

Remember to maintain coherence and avoid contrivances that may undermine the integrity of your storytelling.

Here are some techniques you can use to effectively misdirect readers:

Red Herrings: Introduce elements or clues that suggest a certain outcome or plot direction, only to later reveal that they were misleading. These false leads can divert readers' attention away from the true resolution.

Selective Detailing: Highlight certain details or events in a way that implies their significance, while downplaying or omitting others that might be more relevant to the actual outcome. By controlling what information readers focus on, you can steer their expectations.

Character Misdirection: Use characterisation to mislead readers about characters' true intentions, motivations, or identities. Create multi-dimensional characters who may behave ambiguously or inconsistently, leaving readers unsure of their true allegiances, motivations, or goals.

Foreshadowing: Employ foreshadowing to hint at future events or outcomes, but do so in a way that misleads interpretation. Provide clues that could be interpreted in multiple ways or that lead readers to expect one outcome while delivering another. (See my previous post about foreshadowing for more!)

Misleading Narration: Utilise an unreliable narrator or perspective to present events in a biased or distorted manner. Readers may trust the narrator's account implicitly, only to discover later that their perceptions were flawed or intentionally deceptive.

Subverting Tropes: Set up situations or scenarios that seem to follow familiar narrative tropes or conventions, only to subvert them in unexpected ways. This can keep readers guessing and prevent them from accurately predicting the story's trajectory.

Parallel Storylines: Introduce secondary storylines or subplots that appear unrelated to the main narrative but eventually intersect or influence the primary plot in unexpected ways. This can distract readers from anticipating the main storyline's developments.

Setting: Manipulate the setting or environment to create false impressions about the direction of the plot. For example, presenting a seemingly idyllic setting that harbors dark secrets or dangers.

Timing and Pacing: Control the pacing of your story to strategically reveal information or developments at opportune moments, leading readers to draw premature conclusions or overlook important details. (See my post on pacing for more tips!)

Twists and Reversals: Incorporate sudden plot twists or reversals that upend readers' expectations and challenge their assumptions about the story's direction. Ensure that these twists are logically consistent but sufficiently surprising to catch readers off guard.

Happy writing!

#writeblr #writing #writing tips #writing advice #writing help #writing resources #plot development

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wordsnstuff · 10 months

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Sorry if this question has already been asked, but I haven’t seen anything similar anywhere. So I really love world building and characters, and I can spend hours figuring out their intricate details and visualizing them in my head. I would love to start turning them into stories, but that’s where I simply blank and have difficulty coming up with even a basic plot line. How would you recommend coming up with basic plots when you already have worlds and characters thought out?

Making a plot for your world and characters...

I often consider the outline of a story to surround the three pillars of events, environment, and characters. When you are struggling to develop any one of these elements, I find it helpful to examine how the other two are interacting. If you begin (in this instance) with a fairly developed environment and set of characters moving within it, you can analyze the interactions between the two and discern where there might be opportunities for conflict. Approaching plot development this way will primarily put your story in the character-driven category.

A more detailed example might look something like this:

You have an ensemble cast of characters who live in a dystopian society where death has been eradicated during their lifetime. They are all old enough to remember a world before immortality, and society has witnessed cultural conflict in response to this advancement in technology. This could be approached from many angles, such as dissent or advocacy from religious groups, cultural groups with practices related to death, social classes who have lesser access to the technology, political groups who manipulate the issue to their benefit, etc. Each character in your ensemble will have their own personal views and be affected individually by this factor of the environment you’ve put them in, so find the conflict in each of them. Perhaps one of the characters is inheriting a leadership position in a cultural group that advocates against the use of the technology to prolong life as it goes against their beliefs. Maybe another character is of a social class that has limited access to the technology and is going to great lengths to cure a sick family member.

That is the thought process of development that will make it easier to create a central conflict and plot for your story.

Identify unique factors of the environment

Consider your characters’ established place within the environment

Anticipate conflicts between the two

Exploit those conflicts to create tension

Outline the development of all conflicts to find the through line plot of the story

I hope this helps, and as always you can feel free to reach out if you have further questions.

x Kate

–

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#writing #writeblr #authorblr #writing tips #resources for writing #character development #plot development #world building #drafting #outlining #qna

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let-me-iiiiiiiin · 1 year

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Okay, you know what? Fuck plotting, fuck plot generators, fuck all those stupid "story ideas" that were written by commercial master-of-mainstream authors, and take a look at my

Plotting Dice.

Ingredients:

Dice. You'll need 3 of these at minimum. My regulars are two 6 sided and one 20 sided dice. The 6 sided ones were empty and I painted some images on them, but you can just assign keywords to the numbers. For the 20 sided dice any will do, and if you want greater variety just get a dnd 7 dice set. Preferably, the dice will be real, physical dice, but it's fine if you're more comfortable with digital ones.

For the two 6 sided dice: Assign one of these as the "doing" dice, and the other as the "thing" dice. The thing dice will generally give nouns, and the doing dice will give adjectives, adverbs, and verbs. It will depend on your interpretation.

The "Thing" Dice

Assign these words to the numbers:

1 -> Environment

2 -> Secret

3 -> Artifact

4 -> Monster

5 -> Character

6 -> Magic

These are not "rigid" definitions. You will have to interpret them depending on the context. Keep this in mind.

The "Doing" Dice

Assign these words to numbers:

1 -> Old

2 -> New

3 -> Weak

4 -> Strong

5 -> Legendary

6 -> Dead

Remember: flexible definitions. Nothing is set in stone.

And a regular old d20. Alright, now let's talk about:

The "How" Of The Plotting

Take your half-assed stupid WIP. Or if you don't have one, create it. This will be the framework, the starting point. Make sure to have some vague setting and a few characters.

Take your "doing" and "thing" dice. Roll them. The result will usually be in the format of "adjective + noun". Try to understand what it is referring to, related to your story. [Roll the d20 to confirm you're thinking about the correct thing if you're insecure and indecisive.]

There are no rules. This is a very flexible method, so you can either ask yes/no questions to the d20 to learn about the thing OR throw the "doing" dice to see what the thing does (the result will usually be a "verb", and added to the previous roll it will become a proper "adjective + noun + verb").

That's it. Repeat as required.

However, you might get stuck at some point, or the dice might tell you something batshit crazy. Do not panic. This is normal, the dice are not going mad. Rather, you've stumbled upon...

An opportunity.

This is where interpretation comes into play. It is a very thought-heavy process and requires some creativity, but it is where the dice method gets to shine.

A knot in the dialogue between you and the dice means a plot twist, an exposition-related plot point, or a major incident. Think of it like a big gulp of information that hurt your throat to swallow. (Ignore dick joke.) The best thing to do at this stage is to ask more questions.

Don't be afraid of getting confused or being too stupid in the face of cosmic forces. You will need the 20 sided dice here— yes or no questions will help you determine what is certain and what is not. My standard for the results are:

1-9 || No.

10 || Not no, but not yes.

11-14 || Not quite.

15-18 || Yes.

19-20 || EXACTLY that, yes.

If it's a "no", there's no point following this line of thought. Discard it.

If it's "10", you're not on the right track, but the answer is related to what you're thinking.

If it's "not quite", try a different angle, but know that you're on the right track.

If it's "yes", well, it's a yes. But there might be more to it, or you're missing some minor details.

If it's an unequivocal "YES", congratulations, it's exactly what you think. Write it down, you've solved the mystery.

You might need to use the "doing" and "thing" dice here in harmony with the d20. Usually it will be used to ask questions that aren't yes/no, or when you're too stuck to come up with a question. Think of it as a clue to help you get on the right track.

Extra Q&A

What if the dice results don't make sense?

It might be that you're focusing on the wrong thing. Ask the dice, "Is this what you want me to ask?" and the result will usually be a "no". Try changing your angle, or switch to a different part of your WIP. If it answers "yes", it just means you're on the wrong track. Try asking with a fresh, blank perspective.

My dice is telling me one thing, then when I ask it again paraphrased, it tells me I'm wrong.

It might be that your dice is trying to draw you to a particularly specific answer, and the word choice might affect your understanding of that answer greatly, or steer you down the wrong path. Write down what it has given an extremely positive 'yes' on and try asking something derived from that.

The "thing"/"doing" dice doesn't make sense.

As I said, they are adaptable dice, and can mean something different than the word's exact definition. It's always good to ask the d20, "Is this word literal?" For "Monster", it can also mean a beast, an animal, an antagonist, or a sentient being that isn't human yet behaves in a humanoid way. For the adjective "Old", it can also (and usually does) mean "from the past". "Dead" can mean "disappearing" or "removal" or "diminishing". Words have associations, and as dice have limited vocabulary, they're going to force the limits of creativity to tell you what you need to know. You can also switch the roles of the dice (making the "doing" dice the "thing" dice, though this is kinda weird for me) or ask the d20 whether something means a verb, adjective, or adverb. There are no hard rules here.

My dice is deliberately provoking me (by telling lies/giving contradictory answers/taunting me for being stupid)

First of all, stop asking your dice what it thinks about you. This is dice. It is an inanimate object that doesn't have sentience. THE DICE IS YOU. You're the one doing the interpreting by choosing to find meaning in something ultimately random. It's not that deep.

Secondly, if the answers are contradictory, ask "Is this what you want me to ask?" Because most of the time, it is not. Stop being stubborn about a plot point. THE DICE ISN'T AGAINST YOU, THE DICE IS YOU.

Finally, stop asking your dice whether it is lying. Would YOU appreciate someone asking if you're lying when they previously asked for your advice? No? So don't. Trust your dice. For the last fucking time, THE DICE IS YOU.

I've asked the same question twice, and it's given me contradictory results.

Well, since the results are random, of course the chance of you getting the same result twice will be random. And as a rule of the thumb, it's better to note and keep going than to get stuck repeating the same question over and over. If something is dubious about the roll, asking "Should I roll again?" is enough. If the dice says "no", there's no point getting stuck for no reason.

Isn't this basically dice divination?

I don't know, I don't particularly care. It is what it is. If it fits I sits. So long as it works, the label isn't important.

(And since we're on the topic, I don't think it's divination. You're not "divining" anything. Anything that came out, came out of you, and additionally it all came out because you were trying to make a bunch of randomised results make sense. I don't think that's divination. But I do think that it's your genius at work.)

My WIP isn't in the fantasy genre, there's no magic. Can I use a different keyword in its place?

Whatever floats your boat, go for it. Though it doesn't matter what genre your WIP is, the keywords aren't just themselves, they are ASSOCIATIONS. "Magic" can mean magic or it can mean "deus ex machina", "free will", and so on and on. Depending on what you associate with magic, the associations might change. I chose these keywords after reading Lazy Dungeon Master and its categorization of worldbuilding, because they were simple and I could fit them in a 6 sided dice. THERE ARE NO RULES. Do whatever suits you.

I have another question/my question isn't covered in the post.

Ask!!! I insist! I'm always happy to clarify. My asks are open and the anonymous is on.

And with that, I hope no one has to resort to "plot generators" ever again. Happy writing.

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em-dash-press · 2 years

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Plot Devices to Complicate Your Story

You're excited to write an upcoming story, but the plot seems pretty simple from start to finish.

How can you make it more complicated to deepen your themes, lengthen the story, or leave your readers with plot twists that make their jaws drop?

Try a few of these devices 👀

Add motivation to your instigating action

When the princess gets kidnapped at the start of your story, your hero will rescue her, but what's the antagonist's motivation for kidnapping her? If they're in love with the hero and take their jealousy to the extreme or secretly know that the princess asked them for an escape plan to avoid marrying your hero, the plot is much more compelling.

You could add this detail anywhere in your plot, even in the first chapter.

Layer a second motivation underneath an action

After the princess is kidnapped, the hero starts their journey to rescue her. The reader finds out in the second chapter that the hero is being blackmailed to retrieve the princess and return her to their kingdom's biggest rival to start a war.

Amplify the original problem

Your protagonist rescues the princess and brings her home, only to find out that she's had a twin brother all this time who has been taken hostage by the antagonist in retaliation for the princess' escape.

Introduce a second, more evil villain

The antagonist has kidnapped the princess for their own motivation, but the reader discovers in the middle of your story that they serve a more evil villain who holds a personal grudge against the princess' father and wants his whole kingdom to suffer as revenge.

Create conflict that brings your protagonist to their rock bottom

The protagonist rescues the princess, almost reaches their home kingdom, but she escapes. The king sends the protagonist to prison for their failure and sentences them to death in three days. The reader will feel the hopelessness along with your protagonist, which is where you can create something that injects new hope into your plot (like a dramatic jailbreak thanks to the protagonist's best friend).

Make a character betray another

The protagonist reaches the princess with the help of their best friend, but the princess stabs the protagonist in the back by trading their best friend for herself through an unbreakable vow

Reveal an unreliable narrator

Your protagonist agrees to rescue the princess for the sake of the kingdom, but the second or third chapter reveals that they are really on a mission to kill the princess for personal revenge against the king.

Reveal that the villain has known everything the whole time

Your protagonist and princess escape, but the villain factored that into their plan to start a war and have their forces waiting outside of her castle when they arrive home

Introduce sudden regret that changes a character's arc

The protagonist has to leave their best friend behind to ensure the princess' escape, but in leaving them, the protagonist realizes they've been in love with their best friend the entire time. Regret motivates them to head back for their best friend and risk their life twice as soon as the princess is home safe.

Temporarily kill a character

The princess kills the villain with some help from your protagonist, so they think they're safe. On their way back home, the villain sets a trap for them in the woods because they actually survived the attack.

Try using Chekov's gun

Before leaving for the princess, your protagonist gets a potion made by a family member. The directions? "Use it in your moment of greatest need." The protagonist uses it later when they're facing the villain or after hitting rock bottom, so the potion becomes a plot device that instigates your second or third act.

Accelerate the plot

Your reader thinks the plot is all about rescuing the princess, but she returns home in the first 100 pages. The real plot begins by choices or actions made during her rescue, which unravel into a much larger story/world event.

You likely won't be able to use all of these plot devices in a single story. You may not even have the first plot for more than one.

Consider what you're writing and what dynamics your characters/plot present to decide if any of these tricks could enhance your writing.

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downwiththeficness · 2 months

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I think it might be a little bit impossible for me to write a short fic. I'm outlining my next one (Title soon!) and I'm already at 34 chapters. Its not totally my fault. There's so much world building and foreshadowing that needs to take place before I can really dig into the meat of things.

Sometimes I wonder if readers really want that kind of thing. I know that there are times where I have been reading a story and felt the urge to skip ahead to get to 'the good stuff', but I usually have to go back a bit because I'll inevitably miss something that's pertinent to the plot.

Anyone else feel that way?

#writing #ficness thoughts #fic #plot development

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