102 Resources for Fiction Writers
Are you still stuck for ideas for National Novel Writing Month? Or are you working on a novel at a more leisurely pace? Here are 102 resources on Character, Point of View, Dialogue, Plot, Conflict, Structure, Outlining, Setting, and World Building, plus some links to generate Ideas and Inspiration.
CHARACTER, POINT OF VIEW, DIALOGUE
The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test
Priming the idea pump (A character checklist shamlessly lifted from acting)
Handling a Cast of Thousands – Part I: Getting to Know Your Characters
Establishing the Right Point of View: How to Avoid “Stepping Out of Character”
How to Start Writing in the Third Person
Web Resources for Developing Characters
What are the Sixteen Master Archetypes?
Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
Fiction Writer’s Character Chart
Villains are People, Too, But …
Top 10 Tips for Writing Dialogue
Advantages, Disadvantages and Skills (character traits)
How to Write a Character Bible
Character Development Exercises
All Your Characters Sounds the Same — And They’re Not a Hivemind!
Writing the Other: Bridging Cultural Difference for Successful Fiction
Family Echo (family tree website)
Interviewing Characters: Follow the Energy
100 Character Development Questions for Writers
Lineage Chart Layout Generator
PLOT, CONFLICT, STRUCTURE, OUTLINE
How to Write a Novel: The Snowflake Method
Effectively Outlining Your Plot
Conflict and Character within Story Structure
Ideas, Plots & Using the Premise Sheets
Creating Conflict and Sustaining Suspense
Plunge Right In … Into Your Story, That Is!
Fiction Writing Tips: Story Grid
Tips for Creating a Compelling Plot
The Thirty-six (plus one) Dramatic Situations
The Evil Overlord Devises a Plot: Excerpt from Stupid Plotting Tricks
The Hero’s Journey: Summary of the Steps
Outline Your Novel in Thirty Minutes
SETTING, WORLD BUILDING
The Art of Description: Eight Tips to Help You Bring Your Settings to Life
Creating the Perfect Setting – Part I
An Impatient Writer’s Approach to Worldbuilding
Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions
Character and Setting Interactions
Creating Fantasy and Science Fiction Worlds
Maps Workshop — Developing the Fictional World Through Mapping
IDEAS, INSPIRATION
Solve Your Problems Simply by Saying Them Out Loud
Writing Inspiration, or Sex on a Bicycle
Creative Acceleration: 11 Tips to Engineer a Productive Flow
The Seven Major Beginner Mistakes
Complete Your First Book with these 9 Simple Writing Habits
Free Association, Active Imagination, Twilight Imaging
Story Starters and Idea Generators
REVISION
One-Pass Manuscript Revision: From First Draft to Last in One Cycle
Revising Your Novel: Read What You’ve Written
Writing 101: So You Want to Write a Novel Part 3: Revising a Novel
TOOLS and SOFTWARE
My Writing Nook (online text editor; free)
Bubbl.us (online mind map application; free)
Freemind (mind map application; free; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)
XMind (mind map application; free; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)
Liquid Story Binder (novel organization and writing software; free trial, $45.95; Windows, portable)
Scrivener (novel organization and writing software; free trial, $39.95; Mac)
SuperNotecard (novel organization and writing software; free trial, $29; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)
yWriter (novel organization and writing software; free; Windows, Linux, portable)
JDarkRoom (minimalist text editor; free; Windows, Mac, Linux, portable)
AutoRealm (map creation software; free; Windows, Linux with Wine)
screaming
hellloooo
YAY
writergasm. this is AMAZING.
(Source: ruthlesscalculus)
Why stop at steak? SPARKLE ALL FOOD!Salt Glitter
Mix 1/4 cup of salt with a 1/2 teaspoon of food coloring in a small bowl until the salt is uniformly colored. Spread the mixture out in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for ten minutes. Allow your homemade glitter to cool before using it or storing it. And that’s it!:)
wait wait wait.
does that mean you can EAT it.
Who has two thumbs and intends to eat a rainbow steak in her future?
LANA. KIM. NOW MY FOOD WILL BE FROM THE FAIRIES.
holy crap
8O
I was looking for something to use with leftover baked salmon, and I think purple glitter salt needs to be a thing
ETA: I checked to see what temperature the oven should be set to, and this site recommends 350 degrees
ALL. OF. THESE. THINGS.
YOU. ARE. ALL. AMAZING.
NEVER. LIMIT. YOURSELF.
This is all of the true. I need, like, a daily reminder of how true this is.
(Source: hyenabonz)
Since i know i wouldn’t even have the patience to do this unless i made something fancy like this. I’m in an art slump and it’s time to get over it, and if you want, you can do this thing with me.
The point of this isn’t to make a fantastic piece of art every day, it’s to experiment in areas you are uncomfortable with and try out new things.
======
Art reference masterposts: X X (trust me, that will be more than enough)
Great art reference tumblrs: X X X X X
Inspiration: Animeclay | fyeahmonochromeart | theartofanimation | conceptartworld | creativeuncut | fuckyeahillustrativeart
Other fun/helpful things for ideas/my favorites: color-palettes | strike a pose | pixel art tutorials | colorshipping | monster boy/girl generator | art reference wiki | links of inspiration and advice
====
Phew! Anyway I hope this little project will help. You don’t have to do it for 30 days or anything, you dont even have to do it at all, I just hope it’ll give you a little inspiration to improve!
Lily, OUT.
EDIT: I made a group for it, you can submit images you do for this challenge here!
Reblogging this so I can do it in the future : 3
“I’ve been online and looked at all the theories,” Moffat told us, “and there’s one clue that everyone’s missed. It’s something that Sherlock did that was very out of character, but which nobody has picked up on.”
Hang on, Sherlockians, I think I might just have this one.
After Jim shoots himself, there’s a moment or two when Sherlock appears to be freaking out. His breath gets really loud in the sound mix at that point. The first time watching the episode, it comes across as Sherlock having a panic attack.
Except… panic isn’t very in-character for Sherlock, is it?
Check out this how-to article on holding your breath for a really long time:
1. Hyperventilate.
The buildup of CO2 in your lungs can get just as painful as the lack of oxygen. Purge as much as you can before you begin. Repeatedly exhale and inhale. Hard.
If you’re going to play dead, even for a few minutes, the obvious things to take care of hiding are your pulse and the fact that you’re still breathing. Sherlock could’ve used the rubber ball trick to hide his pulse, and made himself hyperventilate as the first step of preparing to hold his breath for long enough to convince John he was gone.
#ARE YOU READING THIS, MOFFAT?
HE HAS A HEAD IN HIS FRIDGE. WHY WOULD HE BE SCARED OF A MAN SHOOTING HIMSELF?
(submitted by yesthisiskiwi)
“I’ve been online and looked at all the theories and there’s one clue that everyone’s missed. It’s something that Sherlock did that was very out of character, but which nobody has picked up on.” - Steven Moffat
Sherlock has his phone (looks to me like that at least) in his hands there, hiding it cleverly in his coat sleeve most of the times.
Why? That leads to my idea related to quote above from Steven Moffat.
I am referring to the conversation between Sherlock and Jim on the roof. Sherlock is doing something out of character there: He’s asking questions, he seems confused. But only that much to not make Jim suspicious.
Sherlock: But the rhythm …
Jim: Partita no. 1, thank you, Johann Sebastian Bach
Sherlock: But then how did you …?
And then Jim explains his entire plan how he broke in several important buildings at once. It’s not the only time in that conversation where Sherlock acts like the “dumber one” of both, of course not too bluntly so Jim doesn’t realize what’s going on.
Why does Sherlock act like he’s lost and hasn’t figured out Jim’s entire plan? So he can record what Jim is saying (in sense of a confession) on his phone, which he has in his hand/coat sleeve.
When you watch the scene again, Sherlock steps to the edge of the roof, till to that point he was acting. Then he starts laughing, cause he feels like he has won. The most important parts he probably has recorded. So he steps back down again. Now he’s back to his “normal self”. I feel like you can see it in his attitude even (comparing 2nd screenshot with 3rd)
Later, when he’s on the phone with John, Sherlock says: “This is my note.”
Before he jumps of the building, he throws the phone away, to leave it on the roof.
Hmm, these are my thoughts to the scene so far.
EVERYONE READ THIS THIS IS AMAZING AND SO PERFECT.
READ
JUST READ IT OKAY?
It makes sense, brilliant!
Yet another awesome theory.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE
MoodGYM
An entirely FREE site that aims to deliver cognitive behavior therapy (for preventing depression) online. If you’re the kind of person that is looking for a little help, but don’t see yourself going to a therapist any time soon, definitely give this site a try…
The following quotations are taken from official court records across the nation, showing how funny and embarrassing it is that recorders operate at all times in courts of law, so that even the slightest inadvertence is preserved for posterity.
Lawyer: "Was that the same nose you broke as a child?"Witness: "I only have one, you know."
-----
Lawyer: "Now, Mrs. Johnson, how was your first marriage terminated?"
Witness: "By death."
Lawyer: "And by whose death was it terminated?"
-----
Accused, Defending His Own Case: "Did you get a good look at my face when I took your purse?"
The defendant was found guilty and sentenced to ten years in jail.
-----
Lawyer: "What is your date of birth?"
Witness: "July 15th."
Lawyer: "What year?"
Witness: "Every year."
-----
Lawyer: "What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?"
Witness: "Gucci sweats and Reeboks."
-----
Lawyer: "Can you describe what the person who attacked you looked like?"
Witness: "No. He was wearing a mask."
Lawyer: "What was he wearing under the mask?"
Witness: "Er...his face."
-----
Lawyer: "This myasthenia gravis -- does it affect your memory at all?"
Witness: "Yes."
Lawyer: "And in what ways does it affect your memory?"
Witness: "I forget."
Lawyer: "You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you've forgotten?"
-----
Lawyer: "How old is your son, the one living with you?"
Witness: "Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which."
Lawyer: "How long has he lived with you?"
Witness: "Forty-five years."
-----
Lawyer: "What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?"
Witness: "He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?'"
Lawyer: "And why did that upset you?"
Witness: "My name is Susan."
-----
Lawyer: "Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?"
Witness: "No."
Lawyer: "Did you check for blood pressure?"
Witness: "No."
Lawyer: "Did you check for breathing?"
Witness: "No."
Lawyer: "So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?"
Witness: "No."
Lawyer: "How can you be so sure, Doctor?"
Witness: "Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar."
Lawyer: "But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?"
Witness: "Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere."
-----
Lawyer: "What happened then?"
Witness: "He told me, he says, 'I have to kill you because you can identify me.'"
Lawyer: "Did he kill you?"
Witness: "No."
-----
Lawyer: "Now sir, I'm sure you are an intelligent and honest man--"
Witness: "Thank you. If I weren't under oath, I'd return the compliment."
-----
Lawyer: "You were there until the time you left, is that true?"
-----
Lawyer: "So you were gone until you returned?"
-----
Lawyer: "The youngest son, the 20 year old, how old is he?"
-----
Lawyer: "Were you alone or by yourself?"
-----
Witness: "He was about medium height and had a beard."
Lawyer: "Was this a male or a female?"
-----
Lawyer: "I show you Exhibit 3 and ask you if you recognize that picture."
Witness: "That's me."
Lawyer: "Were you present when that picture was taken?"
-----
Lawyer: "Were you present in court this morning when you were sworn in?"
-----
Lawyer: "Do you know how far pregnant you are now?"
Witness: "I'll be three months on November 8."
Lawyer: "Apparently, then, the date of conception was August 8?"
Witness: "Yes."
Lawyer: "What were you doing at that time?"
-----
Lawyer: "She had three children, right?"
Witness: "Yes."
Lawyer: "How many were boys?"
Witness: "None."
Lawyer: "Were there girls?"
-----
Lawyer: "You say that the stairs went down to the basement?"
Witness: "Yes."
Lawyer: "And these stairs, did they go up also?"
-----
Lawyer: "What is your brother-in-law's name?"
Witness: "Borofkin."
Lawyer: "What's his first name?"
Witness: "I can't remember."
Lawyer: "He's been your brother-in-law for years, and you can't remember his first name?"
Witness: "No. I tell you, I'm too excited." (rising and pointing to his brother-in-law) "Nathan, for heaven's sake, tell them your first name!"
-----
Lawyer: "Did you ever stay all night with this man in New York?"
Witness: "I refuse to answer that question.
Lawyer: "Did you ever stay all night with this man in Chicago?"
Witness: "I refuse to answer that question.
Lawyer: "Did you ever stay all night with this man in Miami?"
Witness: "No."
-----
Lawyer: "Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?"
Witness: "All my autopsies have been performed on dead people."
-----
Lawyer: "Were you acquainted with the deceased?"
Witness: "Yes sir."
Lawyer: "Before or after he died?"
-----
Lawyer: "When he went, had you gone and had she, if she wanted to and were able, for the time being excluding all the restraints on her not to go, gone also, would he have brought you, meaning you and she, with him to the station?"
Other Lawyer: "Objection. That question should be taken out and shot."
-----
Lawyer: "And what did he do then?"
Witness: "He came home, and next morning he was dead."
Lawyer: "So when he woke up the next morning he was dead?"
-----
Lawyer: "Could you see him from where you were standing?"
Witness: "I could see his head."
Lawyer: "And where was his head?"
Witness: "Just above his shoulders."
-----
Lawyer: "Any suggestions as to what prevented this from being a murder trial instead of an attempted murder trial?"
Witness: "The victim lived."
Hey guys! Sorry its been so inactive around here. I’m slowly but surely getting finished with my finals.
Anyway, I found this and thought I had to share. The way body language can tell how a person is really feeling is something that I consider very interesting. I think it would be a great way to show, in a subtle way, how a character is really feeing.
Hope its useful! And good luck with finals! Hopefully, this place will be a bit more active once summer kicks in.
THIS IS FREAKING AWESOME
omg yes
Good.
pirouette-off-the-fucking-handle:
I just figured that I should make a nice color palette chart from the GIMP palette that I have saved of the God Tier outfits’ color schemes.
Each palette is seven colors; the first two are shades for the hood color, the next two are (typically) for the upper torso, the last two are (also typically) for the lower torso, and finally the last color is the symbol’s color.
Oh yes good reference thank you <3
Just an easy trick I learned a few years ago that I thought I’d share. May not work 100% all the time, but works well for simple hand/arm placement.
