Word List: Alternatives to “Walk”

writeworld:

Instead of walk, consider:

  • Amble: walk easily and/or aimlessly
  • Bounce: walk energetically
  • Caper: skip or dance about in a lively or playful way
  • Careen: pitch dangerously to one side while walking or running
  • Cavort: jump or dance around excitedly
  • Clump: walk heavily and/or clumsily
  • Falter: walk unsteadily
  • Flounder: walk with great difficulty
  • Foot it: (slang) depart or set off by walking
  • Footslog: walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
  • Gimp: limp; hobble
  • Hike: take a long walk, especially in a park or a wilderness area
  • Hobble: walk unsteadily or with difficulty; see also limp
  • Hoof it: (slang) walk; see foot it
  • Leg it: (slang) see foot it
  • Limp: walk unsteadily because of injury, especially favoring one leg; see also falter
  • Lumber: walk slowly and heavily
  • Lurch: walk slowly but with sudden movements, or furtively
  • March: walk rhythmically alone or in a group, especially according to a specified procedure
  • Meander: walk or move aimlessly and idly without fixed direction
  • Mince: walk delicately
  • Mosey: see amble; also, used colloquially in the phrase “mosey along”
  • Nip: (Britishism) go briskly or lightly; also used colloquially in the phrase “nip (on/out/over/round/down/in)” to refer to a brief trip to a certain destination, as if on an errand
  • Pace: walk precisely to mark off a distance, or walk intently or nervously, especially back and forth
  • Pad: walk with steady steps making a soft dull sound
  • Parade: walk ostentatiously, as if to show off
  • Perambulate: see stroll; travel on foot, or walk to inspect or measure a boundary
  • Peregrinate: walk, especially to travel
  • Plod: walk slowly and heavily, as if reluctant or weary
  • Pound: walk or go with heavy steps; move along with force or vigor; see lumber
  • Power walk: walk briskly for fitness
  • Prance: walk joyfully, as if dancing or skipping
  • Promenade: go on a leisurely walk, especially in a public place as a social activity; see parade
  • Prowl: walk noiselessly and carefully in a predatory manner
  • Pussyfoot: walk stealthily or warily
  • Ramble: walk or travel aimlessly
  • Roam: go without fixed direction and without any particular destination, often for pleasure; see ramble
  • Rove: travel constantly over a relatively lengthy time period without a fixed destination; wander
  • Sashay: glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly; see parade
  • Saunter: walk about easily
  • Scuff: walk without lifting one’s feet
  • Shamble: walk or go awkwardly; shuffle; see scuff
  • Shuffle: walk without lifting the feet or with clumsy steps and a shambling gait; see scuff
  • Skulk: move in a stealthy or furtive manner
  • Somnambulate: walk in one’s sleep
  • Stagger: walk unsteadily
  • Stalk: walk stealthily, as in pursuit
  • Step: walk, or place one’s foot or feet in a new position
  • Stomp: walk heavily, as if in anger
  • Stride: walk purposefully, with long steps
  • Stroll: walk in a leisurely way; see saunter
  • Strut: walk with a stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait; see parade
  • Stumble: walk clumsily or unsteadily, or trip
  • Stump: walk heavily, as with a limp; see lumber
  • Swagger: walk with aggressive self-confidence
  • Tiptoe: walk carefully on the toes or on the balls of the foot, as if in stealth
  • Toddle: move with short, unsteady steps, as a young child; see saunter and stagger
  • Totter: walk or go with faltering steps, as if from extreme weakness; see stagger (also, sway or become unstable)
  • Traipse: walk lightly and/or aimlessly
  • Tramp: walk heavily or noisily; see lumber and hike
  • Trample: walk so as to crush something underfoot
  • Traverse: walk across or over a distance
  • Tread: walk slowly and steadily
  • Trip: walk lightly; see also stumble
  • Tromp: tread heavily, especially to crush underfoot; see lumber
  • Troop: walk in unison, or collectively
  • Trot: proceed at a pace faster than a walk; see nip
  • Trudge: walk slowly and with heavy steps, typically because of exhaustion or harsh conditions; see plod
  • Waddle: walk clumsily or as if burdened, swinging the body
  • Wade: walk through water or with difficulty, as if impeded
  • Wander: to move from place to place without a fixed route; see ramble

Resources: (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

NOTE: The words on this Word List are not necessarily synonyms of walk, simply alternatives. If you feel you could improve upon this Word List, please message us with your recommendations. We appreciate all civil messages we receive, and will amend this Word List as suggestions for its improvement are made. Thank you.

/ reblog

How To Recognize Each Myers-Briggs Personality Type In Real Life

personalitytheorist:

infjedi:

When attempting to assess the Myers-Briggs personality types of other people, the only accurate way to do so it to identify which cognitive functions they use across a variety of different situations. Accurately assessing the types of other people takes patience, insight and a thorough knowledge of the inventory. However, learning to do so can be an infinitely valuable tool that helps you to understand and connect with those around you.

Because cognitive functions are the truest determinants of type, this article will explore typing through the lens of individual functions. The best way to determine type is to identify which of the four perceiving functions (Either Se, Si, Ne or Ni) and which of the four decision making functions (Either Te, Ti, Fe or Fi) an individual uses most oftenand which order they use them in. Keep in mind that of those two dominant functions, one must be introverted and one must be extroverted. From that point, their tertiary and inferior functions follow logically – see the chart below to learn which four-letter types are associated with which functions.

If you have no idea what cognitive functions are all about, clickhere. Otherwise, read on to learn about how to recognize each function in real life.

Extroverted Intuition (Ne):

Ne Dominant Types: ENFP/ENTP
Secondary Ne Users: INTP/INFP

How to spot them:

  • Ne dominant types experience bursts of high energy, followed by periods of reclusion.
  • They are quick-witted and gain energy through debating ideas.
  • They enjoy discussing possibilities above all else.
  • They want to explore every side of a given situation and may be more prone to playing ‘devil’s advocate’ than other types.
  • They tend to jump from topic to topic with ease and enthusiasm.
  • They may directly contradict themselves multiple times while speaking.
  • They enjoy using metaphors to explain things – their metaphors are prone to gaining complexity as they speak, which excites the Ne user.
  • Ne dominant types bore quickly and almost always have a new project on the go.
  • These types usually advocate for keeping your options open, exploring all possibilities and taking an unconventional approach to solving problems.

Introverted Intuition (Ni):

Ni Dominant Types: INTJ, INFJ
Secondary Ni Users: ENTJ, ENFJ

How to spot them:

  • Everything an Ni dominant type does is deliberate. You will likely get the sense that they have carefully (but covertly) planned out their actions and words.
  • They may ask many questions in conversation, but questions tend to be open-ended. I.e. “Can you tell me more about that,” As opposed to, “When did that happen?”
  • They prefer sticking to one topic of conversation but may feel the need to ‘explain around’ the topic if they are unable to convey the essence of it concisely.
  • Ni dominant types usually pause to fully take in and consider what you have said in conversation before replying.
  • They may also return to a topic of conversation weeks after you’ve had it, having processed and analyzed what you’ve said more fully.
  • They enjoy talking about future possibilities in a linear fashion.
  • These types have a lot of ‘epiphanies’ or ‘realizations.’
  • Ni dominant types often give off a stoic or “Zen” vibe.
  • These types usually advocate for thinking through your options carefully, optimizing your experiences and keeping your long-term objectives in mind at all times.

Extroverted Sensing (Se):

Se Dominant Types: ESFP, ESTP
Secondary Se Users: ISFP, ISTP

How to spot them:

  • Se dominant types are highly in tune with their environments and are constantly scanning their surroundings.
  • They may be more physically ‘wired’ than other types and have trouble sitting still.
  • Se users tend to be ‘up for anything’ and don’t mind changing or hopping on board with plans at the last minute.
  • They tend to make very direct observations about people and situations – they don’t beat around the bush and are the masters of saying what everyone else was secretly thinking.
  • They enjoy slapstick or ‘obvious’ humour.
  • They enjoy the ‘finer things in life’ and may be particularly attracted to expensive gadgets or high fashion.
  • Dominant Se users are almost always present and engaged in conversation, unless something in the immediate environment is distracting them.
  • These types usually advocate for ‘Just going for it’ – that is, following your gut instinct and approaching what you want directly.

Introverted Sensing (Si):

Si Dominant Types: ISTJ, ISFJ
Secondary Si Users: ESTJ, ESFJ

How to spot them:

  • Si users have excellent memories when it comes to specific facts and occurrences and will usually remember things you’ve mentioned only in passing.
  • They are incredibly detail-oriented and usually ask for specific clarifications in conversation (I.e. “Where did you meet up? What day?”)
  • They are uncomfortable with the ambiguous and in conversation, they prefer relaying relevant facts to speculating. I.e. when discussing possibilities for the future, they will point out what has happened in a similar situation in the past.
  • They enjoy having things planned out in a predictable fashion.
  • Si users tend to place a higher value on tradition, social conventions and status than other types.
  • These types usually advocate for using the tried and true method, referencing the facts that already exist on the matter and assuming that the future will resemble the past.

Introverted Thinking (Ti):

Ti Dominant Types: ISTP, INTP
Secondary Ti Users: ESTP, ENTP

How to spot them:

  • Introverted thinkers like talking about facts or theories and information – when conversation turns to people or events, you can almost see their eyes glazing over.
  • Dominant introverted thinkers require a great deal of alone time. They aren’t shy about overtly ignoring others if they infringe on this.
  • Dominant Ti users often have a grumpy or aloof demeanour but a good sense of humour beneath it.
  • In conversation, they may ask slightly different versions of the same question multiple times, as they try to figure out precisely how it fits in with what they already know.
  • They may zone out of conversations as they relate what you’re saying to their current understanding of the topic – and then zone back in to ask clarifiers.
  • Dominant introverted thinkers may have trouble explaining something in a direct way – they tend to branch off and get lost explaining different components of how a given system works.
  • Ti dominants are indifferent to most small-scale decisions and will avoid making them whenever possible.
  • These types usually advocate for looking at things objectively, questioning everything and ensuring you understand a given situation fully before making a decision about it.

Extroverted Thinking (Te):

Te Dominant Types: ENTJ, ESTJ
Secondary Te Users: INTJ, ISTJ

How to spot them:

  • Extroverted thinking types are extremely goal oriented. They will usually ask you about your own goals, either subtly or overtly.
  • They enjoy talking about plans they have and the expected outcomes of those plans.
  • If you go to a Te user with a problem, they will immediately jump to solving it as quickly and effectively as possible.
  • Te users are bothered by inefficiency and strongly dislike people being late or veering off topic if there’s work to be done.
  • Dominant Te types may come across as bossy or know-it-all-ish, even when they genuinely mean well.
  • They will always argue from a results-based, purely practical standpoint.
  • These types usually advocate for staying organized, setting goals and making whatever choice will glean the best outcomes.

Introverted Feeling (Fi):

Fi Dominant Types: INFP, ISFP
Secondary Fi Users: ENFP, ESFP

How to spot them:

  • Fi users tend to use emotion-laden vocabulary (I.e. Preferring the phrase, “I feel like…” over “I think that…”).
  • Fi dominant types tend to ‘zone out’ or daydream more than any other type – they may even do this in the middle of a conversation.
  • They are incredibly patient listeners who are happy to let you talk for as long as you need to, without jumping in to offer solutions.
  • These types connect and show empathy by exposing their own experiences and struggles as a means of letting you know you’re not alone.
  • Fi users are the easiest types to offend, particularly if you question an aspect of their identity or betray one of their morals.
  • They will almost always argue from a subjective or emotional standpoint – often using the way they feel as an argument in and of itself.
  • These types make other people feel comfortable by exhibiting an inclusive, non-judgmental attitude toward them.
  • These types usually advocate for staying true to oneself, following your heart and doing what you know to be right.

Extroverted Feeling (Fe):

Fe Dominant Types: ENFJ, ESFJ
Secondary Fe Users: INFJ, ISFJ

How to spot them:

  • Dominant Fe users talk almost exclusively about what other people are doing or thinking.
  • They are proactive in adhering to the needs of others (I.e. Ensuring there is food ready for houseguests before they show up, just in case they are hungry upon arrival).
  • They tend to be warm and welcoming toward new people.
  • They use confirming language when speaking with others, I.e. uttering “Oh no,” Or “Aw,” while someone else is speaking, to show empathy.
  • These types make other people feel comfortable by anticipating their needs and adhering to social niceties.
  • Immature or unhealthy Fe users are the harshest (and most vocal) judges of others.
  • The moods of Fe users are particularly dependent on the moods of those around them – I.e. They will visibly and genuinely cheer up after hearing someone else’s good news.
  • These types advocate for keeping the peace, considering other’s points of view and accommodating loved ones.

Stacking Of Cognitive Functions By Type:

ENFP: Ne – Fi – Te – Si
INFP: Fi – Ne – Si – Te
INFJ: Ni – Fe – Ti – Se
ENFJ: Fe – Ni – Se – Ti
ISTJ: Si – Te – Fi – Ne
ESTJ: Te – Si – Ne – Fi
ISTP: Ti – Se – Ni – Fe
ESTP: Se – Ti – Fe – Ni
INTJ: Ni – Te – Fi – Se
INTP: Ti – Ne – Si – Fe
ENTJ: Te – Ni – Se – Fi
ENTP: Ne – Ti – Fe – Si
ISFJ: Si – Fe – Ti – Ne
ISFP: Fi – Se – Ni – Te
ESFJ: Fe – Si – Ne – Ti
ESFP: Se – Fi – Te – Ni

Things to keep in mind when determining type:

-Everyone uses their extroverted function when interacting with others but if someone is an introvert, their extroverted function is not their dominant function. For example, an INTJ’s dominant function is Ni but they use Te to interact with the outside world – which may cause them to seem like an ENTJ in some social situations.

-To determine if someone is an extrovert or introvert while typing, you can use traditional methods of determining where he or she falls on the dichotomy. I.e. Look at whether they seem more energized or more drained after a few hours of social interaction (indicating extroversion and introversion respectively).

-To determine an introvert’s type, you will need to examine their dominant function as it supports their extroverted function – I.e. If someone’s dominant function is Fe but you suspect they are an introvert, you can determine if they lead with Si or Ni by turning your attention to how they support others – is it through concrete, practical methods (Si), or through gaining a thorough understanding of how the person’s mind operates (Ni)?

-If someone is an extrovert, you can determine their auxiliary function by examining what they use to back up their dominant function – I.e. If they are a dominant extroverted sensor, do they prioritize engaging with interesting new people (Indicating auxiliary Fi) or with exciting new physical challenges (Indicating auxiliary Ti)?

-Once you know someone’s dominant and auxiliary functions, their tertiary and inferior functions necessarily follow.

-In order to type someone accurately, you need to observe which cognitive functions he or she uses most consistently, across a range of different situations. Any type can call on any cognitive function if absolutely necessary – but at the end of the day, type is determined by which functions naturally and consistently provide their user with the most energy


x

If you’re not typing with this method, I don’t know WHAT you’re doing :)
~INFP-sama

/ reblog

writers:

ironinkpen:

  • break up your paragraphs. big paragraphs are scary, your readers will get scared
  • fuuuuck epithets. “the other man got up” “the taller woman sat down” “the blonde walked away” nahhh. call them by their names or rework the sentence. you can do so much better than this (exception: if the reader doesn’t know the character(s) you’re referring to yet, it’s a-okay to refer to them by an identifying trait)
  • blunette is not a thing
  • new speaker, new paragraph. please.
  • “said” is such a great word. use it. make sweet love to it. but don’t kill it
  • use “said” more than you use synonyms for it. that way the use of synonyms gets more exciting. getting a sudden description of how a character is saying something (screaming, mumbling, sighing) is more interesting that way.
  • if your summary says “I suck at summaries” or “story better than summary” you’re turning off the reader, my dude. your summary is supposed to be your hook. you gotta own it, just like you’re gonna own the story they’re about to read
  • follow long sentences w short ones and short ones w long ones. same goes for paragraphs
  • your writing is always better than you think it is. you just think it’s bad because the story’s always gonna be predicable to the one who’s writing it
  • i love u guys keep on trucking
/ reblog

Character Development & The Second Draft

fictionwritingtips:

Fine tuning your characters is an important part of editing. It can be hard to figure out what’s wrong with your characters and difficult to look at them critically, but it’s something you have to do. 

If you want to improve your characters during the second draft, keep these things in mind:

Motivations

Your character’s motivations can change, but they should make sense considering what your character is going through. If your character is trying to rescue their mother, for example, they’re not just suddenly going to stop looking for no reason. That type of motivation should stay consistent. Just make sure the motivation matches the character’s journey.

Needs

Needs can also change throughout your novel. Make sure you know what your character needs at all times and what they will do to get it. In order to develop your character properly, you need to know what they want. What’s pushing them forward?

Background

If you want to show more about your character, consider exploring their past. Including more background information might help show your readers something new and gain some perspective. Consider what their background means and how it’s shaped them as a character.

Interaction with Your World

Your characters need to make sense. And by that I mean their actions need to make sense in the world you created. If your character interacts with your world in a way that doesn’t make sense, your readers will notice. How your character lives in their world is an important aspect of your story.

-Kris Noel

/ reblog

Alternative Words for ‘Say’

wexchester:

My least favourite thing in the world is trying to come up with something more creative than “he/she says” while writing a story, so I decided to put together a list of all the possible variations, organised into different categories for your convenience. Yay! Please let me know if there are any words you think I ought to add.

And remember, kids: more often than not ‘say’ is just as good a word as any! 

Simple speaking words
Say, state, utter, voice, quote, articulate, explain, repeat, mention, tell

Laughter
Snicker, laugh, chortle, giggle, titter, twitter, chuckle, snigger, cackle, guffaw, snort, choke, splutter, hoot

Quiet words
Mumble, mutter, murmur, whisper, breathe, hiss, sigh, stammer, whimper, whine, grunt, croak, coo, mewl, wheeze, squeak, huff, rasp, purr

Loud words
Shout, call, scream, yell, roar, bellow, howl, shriek, holler, bark, rage, trumpet, thunder, yowl, cheer, exclaim

Read More

/ reblog

Outlining your Novel

whataboutwriting:

Now that NaNoWriMo is getting closer, it’s time to start thinking about planning and outlining. While this is a strategy that doesn’t work for everyone, it’s undeniable that it might come in handy when it comes to writing a novel.

If you’re still deciding whether outlining is for you or not, you might want to take a look at the bullet points below. We put together the pros and cons of outlining. These cons are arguments often used by those who don’t like outlining, and we also present ways of going around those cons. However, as you will conclude after this, there is no right answer when it comes to knowing whether you should outline your story or not. It works for some people, but it just doesn’t for others. After reading this, though, you’ll hopefully have a clearer idea of where you stand when it comes to this.

Pros of Outlining:

  • You’ll write faster. If you know exactly where you need to take your story next, it makes writing easier, thus allowing you to write faster. Writing faster works as great motivation, given that you’ll feel more productive and want to keep going.
  • It’s not as likely to get stuck with plot twists. Given that your plot twists and what happens afterwards are already planned out, there’s less of a chance of you being stuck wondering where you should take your story next. 
  • You’re less likely to get writer’s block. While losing the motivation to write can happen to anyone while writing a story - whether they planned it out or not -, if you know where your story is going, it’s less likely that you’ll get writer’s block. Still, it’s always good to keep track of the things that can motivate you.
  • It avoids inconsistencies. If you have an outline of your plot that you can go back to later, it makes it easier to avoid inconsistencies. The same thing happens if you decide to outline the basic aspects of your character’s life and personality.
  • It increases the chance of having a good first draft. The less you have to edit after writing your first draft, the better (as long as the final product is exactly what you feel it needs to be). With an outline, you increase the chances of having a first draft that pleases you instead of one that feels like a burden to edit.

Cons of Outlining:

  • It keeps you from being spontaneous. However… While, with an outline, it’s expected that you have most of your story planned out, nothing is 100% set. There’s no rule saying you can’t go back and change your mind. As your story progresses and you feel the need to change something in order to keep your characters in character or for the sake of the plot, there’s nothing keeping you from doing so. It’s okay to go back and change your outline if you feel the need to do so.
  • It may turn out to be not as good as you thought. However… Sometimes, a certain idea sounds great when you outline a story, but as you write it down… It just doesn’t seem as good. However, like I said above, if you have a completely different idea and the plan you originally had becomes useless, it’s okay to let go of that outline or start an outline from scratch. Again, outlining a story is supposed to help you, not be a burden. Don’t feel obliged to follow an outline if it’s becoming too difficult. It’s okay to give up on it and/or start a new one.

How does one outline?

  • Brainstorming. I think brainstorms are one of the most powerful things when it comes to planning out your novels. Write down every single thing you can think of about your story. Don’t worry about whether it makes sense. Just write down aspects of your story, whether they’re going to be important, crucial or useless. Just write things down. This will give you material to work later on.
  • Connect the ideas. Now, try to create some kind of connection between your ideas. Connect the ones that are related, and make sure you also write down how they are related to each other. If there is any idea that doesn’t seem to fit with any of the others, ask yourself if it is important in your story. If the answer is yes, ask yourself why, and how it will fit in your story.
  • Develop your characters. Your story is going to be strongly influenced by your characters’ goals, motives and personalities, and therefore it’s important that you know them well enough before starting to actually plan out your story.  
  • Take a break. Stepping away from what you already have and forcing yourself to think about something else puts things in perspective. When you go back to thinking about it, you’ll be able to have a more unbiased opinion about it. Check if the ideas and their connections still make sense.
  • Break the story into chapters. This allows you to have an organized plan, to which you can go back later if need be. Deciding what happens on chapter one, chapter two and so on can help you making sure you have a well-structured story. You can also write down a list of the events that happen, in the right order, and then see how you can divide them by chapters.
  • Edit your outline. Go back and read everything. Does the beginning of your story ignite the conflict, or does it take too long for it to start being… a conflict? Does every question get its answer? Is your conflict resolved by the end of your book? If you answer no to any of these questions, it’s time to go back and edit what needs to be edited!

Don’t be afraid of skipping or adding any step. This is not an exact science, and outlining works differently for all of us. You just have to find your style, to realize what works best for you. These tips might help you, but you shouldn’t limit yourself to them.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to write anything in text form. Diagrams also work for most people, though they can get confusing if you add too much information, or incomplete if you add too little information. You have to find what works best for you.

There are several methods used for Outlining, most of them more precise then the tips above, so make sure you also check those out. (Links below)

For further reading: (I took inspiration from these websites, so check them out!)

/ reblog

lora-mathis:

whereareyoupress:

Compiling a manuscript can be a strenuous process that makes you sit with your work and analyze your relationship to it. It’s not easy. With the Where Are You Poet manuscript contest in full swing, I have compiled some tips that I keep in mind when working on a new collection: 

• Always put your strong poems first. The first poem plays a strong role in setting a reader’s interest level and whether or not they will keep reading. 

• Cut out any poem that you are unsure of or think is “okay.” My goal when writing is book is for the reader could flip to any page of it and be blown away. 

• Each poem should attempt to say something unique. It’s okay for poems to have similar goals. However, attempt to have them reach their goals in new ways. 

• Be aware of the arch of the collection. Try to create some sort of flow & story.

• Edit edit edit. Reread. Send the work to a few people who you respect and know for their honesty and have them give you feedback.

•  Don’t use the same word or metaphor in every poem.

• Take note of imagery that you often return to. is it getting redundant? or could it be played up? 

• Pay attention to punctuation. Does one poem end each line with a period and another have no punctuation at all? Attempt to make a seamless collection where the focus is on the poems as they exist together, rather than each one separately. Try to be consistent with punctuation. 

• If possible, live in the book for a period of time. Give your thoughts to it. Question what you would like it to say. A book does not have to communicate every single thought you have ever had. There is always room for more books. Think about what makes this collection special. 

I hope that these tips aid you in the process of compiling your work. To submit to the Where Are You Poet manuscript contest, please submit 10-20 pages of your manuscript here. We look forward to reading your work!

I put together a list of some things I keep in mind when compiling a new collection! I encourage poets to submit to the Where Are You Poet contest! It’s an opportunity to get your work read and have a chance to be published by a dedicated press. 

/ reblog

Ways to un-stick a stuck story

firemoon42:

  • Do an outline, whatever way works best. Get yourself out of the word soup and know where the story is headed.
  • Conflicts and obstacles. Hurt the protagonist, put things in their way, this keeps the story interesting. An easy journey makes the story boring and boring is hard to write.
  • Change the POV. Sometimes all it takes to untangle a knotted story is to look at it through different eyes, be it through the sidekick, the antagonist, a minor character, whatever.
  • Know the characters. You can’t write a story if the characters are strangers to you. Know their likes, dislikes, fears, and most importantly, their motivation. This makes the path clearer.
  • Fill in holes. Writing doesn’t have to be linear; you can always go back and fill in plotholes, and add content and context.
  • Have flashbacks, hallucinations, dream sequences or foreshadowing events. These stir the story up, deviations from the expected course add a feeling of urgency and uncertainty to the narrative.
  • Introduce a new mystery. If there’s something that just doesn’t add up, a big question mark, the story becomes more compelling. Beware: this can also cause you to sink further into the mire.
  • Take something from your protagonist. A weapon, asset, ally or loved one. Force him to operate without it, it can reinvigorate a stale story.
  • Twists and betrayal. Maybe someone isn’t who they say they are or the protagonist is betrayed by someone he thought he could trust. This can shake the story up and get it rolling again.
  • Secrets. If someone has a deep, dark secret that they’re forced to lie about, it’s a good way to stir up some fresh conflict. New lies to cover up the old ones, the secret being revealed, and all the resulting chaos.
  • Kill someone. Make a character death that is productive to the plot, but not “just because”. If done well, it affects all the characters, stirs up the story and gets it moving.
  • Ill-advised character actions. Tension is created when a character we love does something we hate. Identify the thing the readers don’t want to happen, then engineer it so it happens worse than they imagined.
  • Create cliff-hangers. Keep the readers’ attention by putting the characters into new problems and make them wait for you to write your way out of it. This challenge can really bring out your creativity.
  • Raise the stakes. Make the consequences of failure worse, make the journey harder. Suddenly the protagonist’s goal is more than he expected, or he has to make an important choice.
  • Make the hero active. You can’t always wait for external influences on the characters, sometimes you have to make the hero take actions himself. Not necessarily to be successful, but active and complicit in the narrative.
  • Different threat levels. Make the conflicts on a physical level (“I’m about to be killed by a demon”), an emotional level (“But that demon was my true love”) and a philosophical level (“If I’m forced to kill my true love before they kill me, how can love ever succeed in the face of evil?”).
  • Figure out an ending. If you know where the story is going to end, it helps get the ball rolling towards that end, even if it’s not the same ending that you actually end up writing.
  • What if? What if the hero kills the antagonist now, gets captured, or goes insane? When your write down different questions like these, the answer to how to continue the story will present itself.
  • Start fresh or skip ahead. Delete the last five thousand words and try again. It’s terrifying at first, but frees you up for a fresh start to find a proper path. Or you can skip the part that’s putting you on edge – forget about that fidgety crap, you can do it later – and write the next scene. Whatever was in-between will come with time.
/ reblog

fixyourwritinghabits:

writingwithcolor:

image

Writing with Color: Description Guide - Words for Skin Tone

We discussed the issues describing People of Color by means of food in Part I of this guide, which brought rise to even more questions, mostly along the lines of “So, if food’s not an option, what can I use?” Well, I was just getting to that!

This final portion focuses on describing skin tone, with photo and passage examples provided throughout. I hope to cover everything from the use of straight-forward description to the more creatively-inclined, keeping in mind the questions we’ve received on this topic.

So let’s get to it.

S T A N D A R D  D E S C R I P T I O N

B a s i c  C o l o r s

image

Pictured above: Black, Brown, Beige, White, Pink.

“She had brown skin.”

  • This is a perfectly fine description that, while not providing the most detail, works well and will never become cliché.
  • Describing characters’ skin as simply brown or beige works on its own, though it’s not particularly telling just from the range in brown alone.

C o m p l e x  C o l o r s

These are more rarely used words that actually “mean” their color. Some of these have multiple meanings, so you’ll want to look into those to determine what other associations a word might have.

image

Pictured above: Umber, Sepia, Ochre, Russet, Terra-cotta, Gold, Tawny, Taupe, Khaki, Fawn.

  • Complex colors work well alone, though often pair well with a basic color in regards to narrowing down shade/tone.

For example: Golden brown, russet browntawny beige

  • As some of these are on the “rare” side, sliding in a definition of the word within the sentence itself may help readers who are unfamiliar with the term visualize the color without seeking a dictionary.

“He was tall and slim, his skin a russet, reddish-brown.”

  • Comparisons to familiar colors or visuals are also helpful:

“His skin was an ochre color, much like the mellow-brown light that bathed the forest.”

M o d i f i e r s 

Modifiers, often adjectives, make partial changes to a word.The following words are descriptors in reference to skin tone.

D a r k - D e e p - R i c h - C o o l

W a r m - M e d i u m - T a n

F a i r - L i g h t - P a l e

Rich Black, Dark brown, Warm beige, Pale pink…

If you’re looking to get more specific than “brown,” modifiers narrow down shade further.

  • Keep in mind that these modifiers are not exactly colors.
  • As an already brown-skinned person, I get tan from a lot of sun and resultingly become a darker, deeper brown. I turn a pale, more yellow-brown in the winter.
  • While best used in combination with a color, I suppose words like “tan” “fair” and “light” do work alone; just note that tan is less likely to be taken for “naturally tan” and much more likely a tanned White person.
  • Calling someone “dark” as description on its own is offensive to some and also ambiguous. (See: Describing Skin as Dark)

U n d e r t o n e s

Undertones are the colors beneath the skin, seeing as skin isn’t just one even color but has more subdued tones within the dominating palette.

image
  • Mentioning the undertones within a character’s skin is an even more precise way to denote skin tone.
  • As shown, there’s a difference between say, brown skin with warm orange-red undertones (Kelly Rowland) and brown skin with cool, jewel undertones (Rutina Wesley).

“A dazzling smile revealed the bronze glow at her cheeks.”

“He always looked as if he’d ran a mile, a constant tinge of pink under his tawny skin.”

Standard Description Passage

“Farah’s skin, always fawn, had burned and freckled under the summer’s sun. Even at the cusp of autumn, an uneven tan clung to her skin like burrs. So unlike the smooth, red-brown ochre of her mother, which the sun had richened to a blessing.”

-From my story “Where Summer Ends” featured in Strange Little Girls

  1. Here the state of skin also gives insight on character.
  2. Note my use of “fawn” in regards to multiple meaning and association. While fawn is a color, it’s also a small, timid deer, which describes this very traumatized character of mine perfectly.

Though I use standard descriptions of skin tone more in my writing, at the same time I’m no stranger to creative descriptions, and do enjoy the occasional artsy detail of a character.

C R E A T I V E  D E S C R I P T I O N

Whether compared to night-cast rivers or day’s first light…I actually enjoy seeing Characters of Colors dressed in artful detail.

I’ve read loads of descriptions in my day of white characters and their “smooth rose-tinged ivory skin”, while the PoC, if there, are reduced to something from a candy bowl or a Starbucks drink, so to actually read of PoC described in lavish detail can be somewhat of a treat.

Still, be mindful when you get creative with your character descriptions. Too many frills can become purple-prose-like, so do what feels right for your writing when and where.

Not every character or scene warrants a creative description, either. Especially if they’re not even a secondary character.

Using a combination of color descriptions from standard to creative is probably a better method than straight creative. But again, do what’s good for your tale.

N A T U R AL  S E T T I N G S - S K Y

image

Pictured above: Harvest Moon -Twilight, Fall/Autumn Leaves, Clay, Desert/Sahara, Sunlight - Sunrise - Sunset - Afterglow - Dawn- Day- Daybreak, Field - Prairie - Wheat, Mountain/Cliff, Beach/Sand/Straw/Hay.

  • Now before you run off to compare your heroine’s skin to the harvest moon or a cliff side, think about the associations to your words.
  • When I think cliff, I think of jagged, perilous, rough. I hear sand and picture grainy, yet smooth. Calm. mellow.
  • So consider your character and what you see fit to compare them too.
  • Also consider whose perspective you’re describing them from. Someone describing a person they revere or admire may have a more pleasant, loftier description than someone who can’t stand the person.

“Her face was like the fire-gold glow of dawn, lifting my gaze, drawing me in.”

“She had a sandy complexion, smooth and tawny.”

  • Even creative descriptions tend to draw help from your standard words.

F L O W E R S

image

Pictured above: Calla lilies, Western Coneflower, Hazel Fay, Hibiscus, Freesia, Rose

  • It was a bit difficult to find flowers to my liking that didn’t have a 20 character name or wasn’t called something like “chocolate silk” so these are the finalists. 
  • You’ll definitely want to avoid purple-prose here.
  • Also be aware of flowers that most might’ve never heard of. Roses are easy, as most know the look and coloring(s) of this plant. But Western coneflowers? Calla lilies? Maybe not so much.

“He entered the cottage in a huff, cheeks a blushing brown like the flowers Nana planted right under my window. Hazel Fay she called them, was it?”

A S S O R T E D  P L A N T S &  N A T U R E

image

Pictured above: Cattails, Seashell, Driftwood, Pinecone, Acorn, Amber

  • These ones are kinda odd. Perhaps because I’ve never seen these in comparison to skin tone, With the exception of amber.
  • At least they’re common enough that most may have an idea what you’re talking about at the mention of “pinecone.“ 
  • I suggest reading out your sentences aloud to get a better feel of how it’ll sounds.

“Auburn hair swept past pointed ears, set around a face like an acorn both in shape and shade.”

  1. I pictured some tree-dwelling being or person from a fantasy world in this example, which makes the comparison more appropriate.
  2. I don’t suggest using a comparison just “cuz you can” but actually being thoughtful about what you’re comparing your character to and how it applies to your character and/or setting.

W O O D

image

Pictured above: Mahogany, Walnut, Chestnut, Golden Oak, Ash

  • Wood is definitely an iffy description for skin tone. Not only due to several of them having “foody” terminology within their names, but again, associations.
  • Some people would prefer not to compare/be compared to wood at all, so get opinions, try it aloud, and make sure it’s appropriate to the character if you do use it.

“The old warlock’s skin was a deep shade of mahogany, his stare serious and firm as it held mine.”

M E T A L S

image

Pictured above: Platinum, Copper, Brass, Gold, Bronze

  • Copper skin, brass-colored skin, golden skin…
  • I’ve even heard variations of these used before by comparison to an object of the same properties/coloring, such as penny for copper.
  • These also work well with modifiers.

“The dress of fine white silks popped against the deep bronze of her skin.”

G E M S T O N E S - M I N E R A LS

image

Pictured above: Onyx, Obsidian, Sard, Topaz, Carnelian, Smoky Quartz, Rutile, Pyrite, Citrine, Gypsum

  • These are trickier to use. As with some complex colors, the writer will have to get us to understand what most of these look like.
  • If you use these, or any more rare description, consider if it actually “fits” the book or scene.
  • Even if you’re able to get us to picture what “rutile” looks like, why are you using this description as opposed to something else? Have that answer for yourself.

“His skin reminded her of the topaz ring her father wore at his finger, a gleaming stone of brown, mellow facades.” 

P H Y S I C A L  D E S C R I P T I ON

  1. Physical character description can be more than skin tone.
  2. Show us hair, eyes, noses, mouth, hands…body posture, body shape, skin texture… though not necessarily all of those nor at once.
  3. Describing features also helps indicate race, especially if your character has some traits common within the race they are, such as afro hair to a Black character.
  4. How comprehensive you decide to get is up to you. I wouldn’t overdo it and get specific to every mole and birthmark. Noting defining characteristics is good, though, like slightly spaced front teeth, curls that stay flopping in their face, hands freckled with sunspots…

G E N E R A L  T I P S

  • Indicate Race Early: I suggest indicators of race be made at the earliest convenience within the writing, with more hints threaded throughout here and there.

  • Get Creative On Your Own: Obviously, I couldn’t cover every proper color or comparison in which has been “approved” to use for your characters’ skin color, so it’s up to you to use discretion when seeking other ways and shades to describe skin tone.
  • Skin Color May Not Be Enough: Describing skin tone isn’t always enough to indicate someone’s ethnicity. As timeless cases with readers equating brown to “dark white” or something, more indicators of race may be needed.
  • Describe White characters and PoC Alike: You should describe the race and/or skin tone of your white characters just as you do your Characters of Color. If you don’t, you risk implying that White is the default human being and PoC are the “Other”).

  • PSA: Don’t use “Colored.” Based on some asks we’ve received using this word, I’d like to say that unless you or your character is a racist grandmama from the 1960s, do not call People of Color “colored” please. 
  • Not Sure Where to Start? You really can’t go wrong using basic colors for your skin descriptions. It’s actually what many people prefer and works best for most writing. Personally, I tend to describe my characters using a combo of basic colors + modifiers, with mentions of undertones at times. I do like to veer into more creative descriptions on occasion.
  • Want some alternatives to “skin” or “skin color”? Try: Appearance, blend, blush, cast, coloring, complexion, flush, glow, hue, overtone, palette, pigmentation, rinse, shade, sheen, spectrum, tinge, tint, tone, undertone, value, wash.

Skin Tone Resources

Writing & Description Guides

I tried to be as comprehensive as possible with this guide, but if you have a question regarding describing skin color that hasn’t been answered within part I or II of this guide, or have more questions after reading this post, feel free to ask!

~ Mod Colette

THIS NEVER CEASES TO BE AMAZING, bless writingwithcolor

/ reblog

some REAL writing advice

luciferofficial:

i posted this list a few years ago but i thought i’d repost it with a couple edits, since it’s all still perfectly good and plenty of people could do to see it. it works no differently for fanfic and original works.

  • For the most part, just don’t listen to anything your English teachers say unless they’re like, a published author. You know that shit about how “you shouldn’t use the same word to start a sentence more than once in 4 consecutive sentences” - yeah, that’s bullshit. As long as you don’t REALLY over-use something, you’re fine. Good flow in a story isn’t even necessarily consistent with proper grammar.
  • That being said, be well-versed in proper grammar. Yeah, there’s always artistic liberty, but there are times when you do absolutely need to structure a sentence a certain way. Such as “would have” (correct) vs. “would of” (you’ll look like an idiot if you write that). Know participles and all the different tenses and how to use them correctly, know passive and active voice, etc.
  • Keep expanding your vocabulary. Contrary to what your English teachers say, using “said” a lot isn’t that bad, but using other words sometimes keeps it from getting monotonous. Keep learning new idioms and phrases. Know when to use the words and how to use them. Example: “for all intensive purposes” isn’t a thing - it’s for all intents and purposes. Know the connotations that certain words have.
  • Know your voice. Even if you’re writing in 3rd person, you’re probably still writing from the POV of a particular character - write as though you’re in that character’s head! Keep to a vocabulary level that that character likely has. Vaguely switch over to first person occasionally. Teachers often say not to write how you speak, but if you’re writing limited from a person who wouldn’t speak like a scholar all the time, write how they would speak. If you’re writing omniscient, you’re hopping from person to person and you can still do that.
  • Know how people work. Observe people, keep track of your own emotions, actually think about how different people would react in a certain situation. Make people stutter a little bit in their dialogue or not say precisely what they mean - most people don’t talk like a textbook. Put in thought processes and body movements in between dialogue. A sentence like “He blinked.” is perfectly acceptable in some contexts and could mean a lot.
  • Know how the world works. If you’ve never had a job before, research what getting a job is like before you write about it. If you’ve never had anal sex before, dear god please fucking research it. Make your story realistic and keep the “altering real-life events for the sake of a more entertaining story” to a minimum. And if you’re writing fantasy, do some worldbuilding.
  • And that being said, know what’s entertaining. Know what keeps your readers hooked. You don’t have to write out every single class a character goes to and all their homework and whatnot if it’s not relevant to the plot or characterization. You can just mention that they had a long day at school. Do time lapses, it’s okay. You don’t even have to give a summary of the things that happened during the time lapse because that makes it seem like you think your readers are stupid. Give them credit and don’t explicitly state everything.
  • Really just a follow-up, but DON’T write day-to-day. Unless it’s specifically a day-to-day fic or something that takes place in a very short amount of time. Chances are not every day has something interesting or relevant to the plot going on.
  • Write more about thoughts and actions than dialogue. Knowing how a character is feeling about something and how they express it is can be much more telling than what they’re saying. But it’s also good to have a healthy mix of thoughts, direct dialogue, and hearsay.
  • Know how to structure your writing, mainly for accessibility. Don’t make paragraphs that are too long and don’t only make one-sentence paragraphs. Start a new paragraph when someone starts talking. Don’t confuse your readers.
  • Read. Read a lot. Get a good grip on how the most successful writers of our age write. Read unpublished writers, too. That isn’t to say that you should copy them - just take some pointers from them. No one writes well without ever reading a fuckload. Develop a writing style that you’re comfortable with. Some people are more descriptive than others, and that’s okay. Some people rely more on dialogue to tell a story, and that’s also okay.
  • Write. Just keep writing. Like anything else, the more you do it, the better you get. Write things you like to write about and get feedback. Even Shakespeare probably started out with some pretty shitty stuff, so it’s okay if you’re a little rusty right now. You will get better with practice.
tips /
/ reblog
k.