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hersurvival · 2 days
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I told her about the rage.
How I don't know where it comes from
Yet it consumes me.
How I've tried passive, violent, silent,
And none of it makes a difference.
I would never hurt her,
But she deserved to know the truth -
That the illusion of a gentle trickle, a quiet stream
Hides an angry, deadly river within me.
I told her about the rage.
And she told me she loves me anyways.
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ceramicteapot · 20 hours
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you lay in your bed and watch everyone move ahead, get better. they’re better sons, better daughters, better students, better employees, better siblings.
and you’re just you.
and how do you make peace with that? how do you close the gaping hole in your chest and tell yourself that it’s okay. that it’s okay if you’re not the best. that even if the world tells you it’s a competition, it’s not. things happen for all of us differently.
how do you convince yourself that you’re not intrinsically flawed and doomed to be mediocre?
so you sit up, make the short walk to the sink, feel the cold water glide across your palms and wash your face. life doesn’t have to be like this. maybe there’s something else out there for you. maybe you’ll get better in time too.
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erraticprocrastinator · 2 months
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A reminder to all my lovely fellow writers: progress is progress, even when it isn't. Writing four thousand words in a session is progress. Writing a hundred words in a session is progress. Removing an entire scene because it doesn't flow well is progress. Rethinking your plan for the plot in order to get unstuck is progress. Development looks different for every writer and every story.
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writers-potion · 28 days
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Words to Use Instead Of...
Beautiful
stunning
gorgeous
breath-taking
lovely
jaw-dropping
pretty
glowing
dazzling
exquisite
angelic
radiant
ravishing
excellent
ideal
sightly
wonderful
elegant
bewitching
captivating
mesmerizing
enthralling
magnetic
impressive
tasteful
charming
desirable
enchanting
Interesting
stricking
unusual
appealing
absorbing
srresting
gripping
riveting
alluring
amusing
exceptional
fascinating
impressive
provocative
prepossessing
exotic
readable
refreshing
entrancing
exceptional
Good
honest
upright
dutiful
enthical
pure
guiltless
lily-white
reputable
righteous
tractable
obedient
incorrupt
respectable
honorable
inculpable
irreprehensible
praiseworthy
well-behaved
uncorrupted
irreproachable
Awesome
wondrous
amazing
out-of-this-world
phenomenal
remarkable
stunning
fascinating
astounding
awe-inspiring
extraordinary
impressive
incredible
mind-blowing
mind-boggling
miraculous
stupendous
Cute
endeaing
adorable
lovable
sweet
lovely
appealing
engaging
delightful
darling charming
enchanting
attractive
bonny
cutesy
adorbs
dear
twee
Shy
modest
sel-effacing
sheepish
timid
way
reserved
unassured
skittish
chary
coy
hesitant
humble
introverted
unsocial
bashful
awkward
apprehensive
If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸
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joytri · 27 days
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Who should defend the moon if not poets?
Antoni Slonimski
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novlr · 3 months
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A quick guide to animal symbolism:
Animals have a long history of symbolism that varies between cultures and customs. As literary tropes develop, some animal symbolism has become universally recognised in the western literary canon. Here are some examples you can use in your writing to give subtext, develop motifs, or promote your thematic content.
🐥 Birds: freedom, hope, escape 🦁 Lions: strength, courage, royalty 🐶 Dogs: loyalty, devotion, protection 🐱 Cats: independence, stealth, mystery 🐺 Wolves: intelligence, nature, wildness 🦊 Foxes: cleverness, cunning, deception 🐍 Snakes: temptation, evil, deceit 🦋 Butterflies: transformation, change, new beginnings 🦉 Owls: wisdom, knowledge, mystery 🦅 Eagles: strength, freedom, nobility ◾ Ravens: death, mystery, the unknown 🕊️ Doves: peace, love, purity 🐻 Bears: resurrection, strength, power, new life 🤘 Bulls: virility, sovereignty, wealth
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ellierenae · 3 months
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i love you, authors in my phone :]
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journalette · 1 month
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Tumblr media Tumblr media
I am currently working on an essay on Walter Benjamin's "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction".
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winterandwords · 2 years
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I'm not sure I can express this sentiment strongly enough, but I'm going to try via the medium of large bolded text.
Write what the fuck you want.
Write what makes you happy. Write what makes your soul sing. Write what fucks you up and makes you cry. Write what comforts you. Write what distracts you. Write what you want to read. Write what you want to watch.
Write what you want to dream about tonight.
Write what you can't get enough of. Write what you're completely obsessed with. Write what wakes you up at 4am and drags you out of bed because you can't stop thinking about what your characters are going to do next.
Write what turns you on, if that's your vibe. Write characters you're in love with and characters who inspire you and characters you want to be friends with and characters you fucking hate but oh my god they're so much fun.
Write about things you would sell your soul to do in real life and things you would never do in real life. Write about things that are happening right now and things that happened a thousand years ago and things that might happen in the future and things you wish could happen.
Write to get a publishing deal or to sell your books yourself or not to sell your books at all. Write for your friends or for strangers or for the people who reblog your posts on Tumblr and send you songs that remind them of your characters.
Write for yourself.
Fuck any system that tells you there's only one right way to create or one valid way to share your writing. Your story, the way you tell it, has so much value. Make people smile or piss people off or do both of those things because art is divisive and fascinating and beautiful.
Start writing. Keep writing. And write what the fuck you want.
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hersurvival · 2 days
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You are alive -
You open your eyes each morning
And breathe just like the rest of us.
But do you live?
Or do you fight every night
Just to get out of your own mind,
Desperate to escape the past?
Exhausted day in and day out,
Distracted, your head swirling
With thoughts better off
Forgotten?
Talk to me,
I don't understand where you go sometimes -
I search and search
But I have lost the word to utter
When you give up,
When you wish to end the game of hide-and-seek.
I just want you to come back to me.
Olly olly oxen free.
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totisviribus · 2 months
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My kind, innocent, logic-brained engineer boyfriend: “How’s your writing for your book coming along today?”
Me, cursing at the imaginary people in my head who are currently wrestling in a coat closet instead of solving the mystery, meanwhile my laptop is at 10% battery with 10 tabs open about the structural integrity of a parking garage in Boston, what it feels like to be elbowed in the nuts, Regan’s economic theories, and a Reddit post about why the teacup grip is bad when firing a gun. I haven’t seen the sun in 3 days and if I stop listening to one of my painstakingly curated playlists I might die. I’ve written a handbook for a cultish organized crime company and often have to refer to it like a real handbook because I forgot what I’ve written. The coat closet scene is now 3,000 words and these goddamn characters just need to trust each other for Christ sake-
“Its going great thanks for asking honey🤗💕✨”
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taytjiefourie · 2 years
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Showing when writing: Emotions [part 1]
Embarrassment
blushing
fidgeting
sweating
hiding their face in their hands
wide eyes
crossing their arms around their body
stutters
stammering
shifting their weight from side to side
exaggerated movements
nervous quirks appear such as picking at their nails, playing with their hair, and rocking on their heels.
avoiding eye contact
glancing or staring at random objects
stiff smiles
scratching the back of their head or neck.
subject changing
forced laughter
Anticipation
big smiles
wetting their lips
energized
constant movement
grinning
can't concentrate
clumsiness
fidgeting
questions
Awe
frozen
wide eyes
slack jaw
harsh or erratic breathing
grinning
staring
Surprise/shock
gasping
open mouth
slack jaw
wide eyes
covering their mouth with their hands
raised eyebrows
frozen
staring
stepping back
stutters or stammers
Triumph
Tilting back head and yelling out
fist pumping in the air
Jumping
Roaring
Whooping
laughter
bright smiles
grinning
Anger/Threatening
Shaking fist
Pointing
crossed arms
glares
frowning
scowling
Stabbing with finger
Slamming fist against something
Veins throbbing
Jutting out their chin
Clenched fist
Clenched jaw
flushed face
Eyebrows lowered or furrowed
squinting
Teeth bared
Wide stance
Tight-lipped smile
Rapid breathing
Sweating
aggressive stance
Flared nostrils
Puffed chest
loud voice
Nervous
lip biting
biting nails
blinking
tears
stepping back
awkward laughter
clumsiness
dry lips
dry mouth
fidgeting
darting eyes
wrapping their arms around themselves
repeatedly folding and unfolding their arms
clutching at themselves, their hip/shoulder/stomach
drawn in/furrowed brows
avoiding eye contact
jittery
pitched voice
no appetite or nervous eating so a bigger appetite
pacing
toying with things
restless
bouncing leg
rubbing at their face
scratching
sweating trembling
Hey there! I'm excited to share with you a new series I've created on Show Don't Tell. In this series, I dive deep into each emotion individually and provide a detailed list of ways to show it through body language, action, setting, and more. The first emotion we're exploring is Envy, and I promise you won't want to miss it! Check it out and let me know what you think. And if there's an emotion you'd like me to cover next, don't hesitate to leave a suggestion in the comments. Can't wait to hear from you!
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writers-potion · 25 days
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Can you please share some words to use instead of "Look", I really struggle with that, it's always "She looked at him in shock" or "He looked at her with a smile". I know there's "Gazed" and "Glanced" but I wanted some advice to use "Look" less
Words To Use Instead of "Look"
Words Closest in Meaning (w diff connotations!):
stare
eye
study
behold
glimpse
peek
glance
notice
observe
inspect
regarding
view
review
look-see
get an eyeful
peer
give the eye
eyeball
size up
size up
check out
examine
contemplate
scan
recognize
sweep
once-over
judge
watch
glare
consider
spot
scrunitize
gaze
gander
ogle
yawp
Other (more fancy) words:
glimmer
sntach
zero in
take stock of
poke into
mope
glaze
grope
rummage
frisk
probe
rivet
distinguish
witness
explore
gloat
scowl
have a gander
comb
detect
surveillance
squint
keeping watch
rubberneck
pout
bore
slant
ignore
audit
pipe
search
note
speculation
simper
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joytri · 1 month
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There are some things about myself I can't explain to anyone. There are some things I don't understand at all. I can’t tell what I think about things or what I'm after. I don't know what my strengths are or what I'm supposed to do about them. But if I start thinking about these things in too much detail the whole thing gets scary. And if I get scared I can only think about myself. I become really self- centered, and without meaning to, I hurt people. So I'm not such a wonderful human being.
Haruki Murakami, The Elephant Vanishes
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novlr · 4 months
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What makes you a writer?
If you write, that makes you a writer.
Haven’t written in a while but want to get back to it?
You’re a writer.
Haven’t published yet or don’t plan to?
You’re a writer.
Only write fanfiction?
You’re a writer.
Don’t have any readers?
STILL A WRITER!
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writers-hq · 1 year
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WHY IS WRITING IS SO FUCKING HARD?
Ten types of fuckery that stop you from writing the thing:
1. Imposter syndrome
You think you're not good enough or everyone else is better than you and you're just winging it AKA ye olde imposter syndrome bullshit. Yeah nah you're fine. No really, you're exactly where you need to be right now, and you'll keep getting better and better so long as you don't stop. Chances are, if you're filled with doubt about your abilities it means you've actually improved to the point where you can really start to understand what makes good writing. It means you know where you wanna end up and goshdarn it you're gonna get there.
Read this: 4 tips to kick imposter syndrome in the face and also genitals
And also this: How to silence the inner critic
2. Fear of rejection and/or failure
Yeah, us too. It fuckin sucks. BUT. Not all rejections are equal. And rejection is a necessary part of the process. Sometimes it takes a rejection to realise that a story isn't ready. Sometimes a rejection is entirely subjective and has ZERO reflection on the quality of your work. But shying away from the very idea of possibly maybe hypothetically getting rejected is only going to hold you back from even trying. And knowing why you got rejected and how to learn from it is one of the most valuable writing skills.
Read this: The different types of rejection (and how to deal with 'em)
Then read this: How to cope with rejection
And also this: Writing lessons from Groundhog Day
3. Not enough planning / too much planning
Leaping into a new story with nothing but a glimmer of an idea is exciting as heck (and can sometimes be a great way to begin) but at some point you're gonna need some sort of outline or plan to keep you on track. HOWEVER. Planning your story to within an inch of its life can also sometimes be a hindrance - leaving you stuck in the hypothetical stage of the process where your story doesn't quite exist yet (and therefore avoiding the prospect of it sucking). The sweet spot is in the middle. Having just enough of a plan to know where tf you're going, but enough freedom and flexibility to let the story lead the way...
Read this: Planning vs pantsing
Then read this: Five plotting techniques
And also this: The perils of overplanning
4. Your WIP just isn't working
Sometimes things just fall flat. Sometimes you work on the same story for yeeeeears and then it just kinda... dies. Sometimes you have the best plans (see above) and the best intentions and things still don't work out. Sometimes it's just time to move on. And sometimes it's not! Sometimes a story can be revived, fixed or changed. Sometimes you just need time. Sometimes YOU'RE the one that's changed and this isn't the story you need to be writing right now. Many variables. Muchly personal. Read the things below for more advice cos this is a big question:
Read this: What to do when your WIP isn't working
And also this: Give it space - how to grow a story in your head
Or how about this? Editing 101
5. You keep deprioritising it
Ah the irony of writing being the thing you love/want to do most of all AND YET the thing you procrastinate over and avoid and shove to the very bottom of your to-do list all the freakin' time. Maybe it's the comodification of art destroying our freedom to create without pressure. Maybe it's late capitalism sucking up all our available time and energy. Maybe it's a lack of self-belief subconsciously telling us our 'little hobby' doesn't really matter. Maybe it's maybelline. Whatever it is, you have the power to reclaim and revalue your writing. To say, "I'm a fucking writer, goddamnit!" and mean it. To ringfence your creative time so nothing and nobody gets to interrupt it. To do that thing you love.
Read this: Prioritise your writing
Read this: How to write in 30 second bursts
6. Shiny Thing Syndrome
You know that feeling when you're just getting stuck into a writing project and then — SQUIRREL! — you get distracted by another, better, more shiny writing project? Or maybe you're deep in the editing phase and your current WIP just isn't feeling very shiny at all and pretty much ANYTHING seems more exciting? Or you simply can't decide which of the many squirrelly writing ideas to actually start? You, fine writerperson, may be suffering from Shiny Thing Syndrome (STS). But fear not! There are a few ways to combat it, depending on the cause, and most of them involve embracing the squirrel-brain and injecting a bit of fun into your writing, like so:
Read this: Shiny thing syndrome - a writer's malady
Aaaand read this: Get excited about your writing again
And also this: Write like a kid
7. Perfectionism/self-sabotage
Look. Writing is scary as shit. What if someone READS it? What if they don't like it? What if they see into your soul and gain a deeper understanding of you through your words? Writing your truth, being vulnerable, smearing your heart juice all over the page? No thank you. But also, that's where the good shit is, so actually yes please. Just make sure you smear responsibly. And rest assured, even the most 'successful' and experienced writers ALSO feel like this sometimes, so you're in good company. It's just part of the art, bruh.
Read this: Why writing is scary (and why that's a good thing)
Read this: Beginning a story - what stops us starting?
And also this: Get out of your own way
8. The dreaded blank page
Oh godddd the blank page. It should be an exciting palimseset of possibility but is somehow also the most terrifying thing known to humankind. You wanna write something but where to start? HOW to start? You type that first line and immediately delete it. You watch the cursor blinking at you—taunting you—until you just give up and shut your laptop again. It's probably tied up with a bunch of things we've already covered so far: perfectionism, imposter syndrome, fear of failure, maybe a lack of planning or faith in your story or whatever. But it doesn't have to be this way. A blank page IS exciting and full of possibility. We just have to get over ourselves and learn to embrace the unknown...
Read this: Don't fear the blank page
And also this: The moaning method
9. Not enough time/energy/motivation/gnuuuughh
Dude, same x 1000. But you don't have to get up at 5am, do hot yoga, drink a kale smoothie and write a thousand words before sunrise to be a Proper Writer. You don't even have to write every day. But what you can do is hack your writing brain and figure out when, where, how, and why you write most effectively. Then tweak your schedule, your habits, and your attitude to ensure you're making the most of your time. Productivity is a big ol' lie but finding the secret to getting in your own personal writing zone is actual MAGIC.
Read this: Maximise your writing time
And also this: Get in the writing zone
And also unto this: The Writers' HQ Guide to Productivity
10. You're just fucken stuck
Got the writing morbs? In need of some literary sudafed? Stuck as a pig in a poke? Writing is a whole puzzle of a process—and to be honest that's what makes it so fun and exciting and addictive, because your writing brain is hardwired to both create AND solve the wordy puzzles within your story. Sometimes the answer is time. Sometimes it's a second opinion or a fresh eye. Sometimes a totally different approach or just a hefty kick up the bum. But whatever the problem, there IS a solution. You just gotta keep going and trust that you'll find it...
Read this: Troubleshoot your writing - why are you stuck?
And also this: Break through the writing blockage
And also also this: Write yourself into a pit (and then dig your way out again)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alright, that's it for today. Now go write, you flithy animals.
(And if we missed anything, stick a question in our ask box or check out the rest of our shit here)
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