I keep having to rediscover the same things when it comes to writing:

For example, when outlining a book ( yes! I do outline) I can often get stuck in the weeds figuring out what order events happen in.
I know something will happen in the story, but I don't know enough about the story yet to know exactly when it happens in the chain of events. And that can really get me stuck.

What helps me a lot with this is to identify the tentpoles events of the story, the big events that I know for sure what order they happen in. There are usually about three or four of these.

Then I create a document (usually using Scapple) where I have all the other events just as little separate notes, and I sort them into where they fall, not in relation to one another, but in relation to those tentpole events.

The smaller events can stay in a jumble, except for how they relate to the big events. Their order will change even after I've written the first draft.

One thing that watching #anime has taught me, and I've breezed past 200 series at this point, none of my story ideas are close to unique. Every plot has been done a dozen times. It's the characters and how they combine with plot that matters, with the focused message we insert to be read between the lines being the thing that brings the light to the darkness. It's all that matters—other than not plagiarizing. If you are at all worried about uniqueness, stop. Hit your forehead with the heel of your palm. Sit. Write the dang thing until done. Then write something else.

Just a reminder that my talk on getting your writing process unstuck using the techniques of compassion focused therapy is happening today

I'm one of the speakers at a free 4 day virtual event called **The Write Your Own Way Summit: Forge Your Unique Magic**.

My topic is "*Getting Unstuck: A Compassion Centered Approach to Writing Difficulties*" with a focus on neurodivergence. It takes place on 3pm EST on the 2nd of February.

**Write Your Own Way** is an event that celebrates the diverse, personal, and uniquely creative paths that writers take to to produce their best work.

Join Us for Write Your Own Way Here! (affiliate link) https://summit.writeyourownway.com/?sc=jk6Mtl61&ac=3baUA7h5

There’s an option to upgrade to the All Access Pass, which will give you access to the Summit recordings plus additional bonuses from the Summit speakers. (If you do decide to upgrade your ticket, I do receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

I'm one of the speakers at a free 4 day virtual event called **The Write Your Own Way Summit: Forge Your Unique Magic**.

My topic is "*Getting Unstuck: A Compassion Centered Approach to Writing Difficulties*" with a focus on neurodivergence. It takes place on 3pm EST on the 2nd of February.

**Write Your Own Way** is an event that celebrates the diverse, personal, and uniquely creative paths that writers take to to produce their best work.

Join Us for Write Your Own Way Here! (affiliate link) https://summit.writeyourownway.com/?sc=jk6Mtl61&ac=3baUA7h5

There’s an option to upgrade to the All Access Pass, which will give you access to the Summit recordings plus additional bonuses from the Summit speakers. (If you do decide to upgrade your ticket, I do receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

Listening In – R. L. Stine talks sharks, scaring kids, and writing anywhere https://kobowritinglife.com/2024/10/25/listening-in-r-l-stine-talks-sharks-scaring-kids-and-writing-anywhere/ #children'sliterature #children'sauthor #children'sbooks #KoboWritingLife #writingadvice #KWLCommunity #listeningin #audiobooks #audiobook #writing #horror #Blog #Kobo #tips #KWL

Writing advice:

Love what you write.

I promise you, if you manage this one thing, the rest will take care of itself. If you truly love what you write, you'll do everything in your power to make it the best it can be.

And you will succeed.

My mom advised me to stop publishing my poetry online not to get it stolen since I am a small author, what do you guys think? I plan to auto edit it #poetry #poetrycafe #poetrycommunity #writingcommunity #writingadvice

I had to keep pausing this #RiteGud #podcast episode every 10 minutes because I couldn't deal. They're unearthing bad #WritingAdvice from Twitter and Reddit and oh lord it is really fucking bad.

https://kittysneezes.com/more-bad-writing-advice/

Lowlights include

- don't use "said" because it's repetitive
- to be a good writer you don't need to read books because that's ableist
- a Sanderson-style rational magic system is necessary if you're going to write about magic

1/

Looking for some #WritingAdvice with #Black characters in a #fantasy setting...

So, in this setting, Humans all come from the same part of the world, but are from an initial population with a wide variety of skin tones. #SkinColor based bigotry is virtually non-existent among humans, for reasons, and racism-memes are towards other sapient species. (elves, goblins, lizards, etc)

What are some ways I could convey that I intend for characters to have #nonwhite skin without it sounding weird?

#HotTake #WritingAdvice:
Don't write your persecuted #fantasy race as being normal people with no distinction to justify #racism or whatever, write them as having a dark history, write them as being inherently wrong, write them as having ancestors homemade pacts with devils and sacrificed babies in droves to give their bloodline dark and corrupting powers... and now their descendants just want to be left in peace.

Let's explore prejudice in a world where the oppressor's claims are true.

writers of fedi, i have a question for you, and as a beginner writer, i wanna ask for help.

i am writing a fantasy/sci-fi post-apocalyptic drama and i wanna ask you:

is it better to start off with finishing worldbuilding and then writing a story in it, or the other way around?

and is it better to first define themes of your story before writing it, or write it unedited and then see what happens and edit it???

because i feel stuck and i don't know in what direction to go and i am afraid that i will screw everything up

thank you, please boost

Here’s my new #blog post (finally) on story structure and beats in the second half of Act 2, or, if you prefer, in Act 3 of 4.

Disclaimer: this #WritingCraft series reflects my current understanding of conventional “three act” structure and how I apply beats and milestones to help me shape my narrative chaos. As with any #WritingAdvice, take what makes sense to you and leave the rest.

#Writing #WritingCommunity #Writer

https://erinfulmer.com/2022/12/26/story-structure-in-act-2-part-2/

What's the worst #writing advice you've ever gotten?

In university I once went home in tears because a prof I had, who was a published author, told us that "real" writers have just an insatiable need to write all the time, and if you didn't feel a deep, constant need to write maybe you just weren't a "real" writer.

Now that I'm an adult and I talk to other writers, every "real" writer I know is a procrastinating train wreck that prays for the sweet release of death like 90% of the time they spend writing.

So like... idk about that one, prof.