Deerblog

Petition to make LGBTQ+ flags a permanent addition to Tumblr's like buttons. Specifically, for posts tagged #lgbtq, #gay, #trans, etc. (the rest of the posts may remain homophobic, so be it)

Happiness:

Smiling genuinely, with crinkles around the eyes.

Open body posture, with relaxed arms and shoulders.

Leaning forward slightly towards the person or object of interest.

Making eye contact with a warm and engaged expression.

Anger:

Tightened jaw and clenched fists.

Furrowed brows and narrowed eyes.

Standing or sitting with a rigid and tense posture.

Pointing fingers or aggressive gestures.

Raised voice or speaking through gritted teeth.

Sadness:

Downcast eyes and a drooping posture.

Slumped shoulders and shallow breathing.

Avoiding eye contact and withdrawing from social interaction.

Sighing or a subdued tone of voice.

Tearfulness, with watery or red eyes.

Fear:

Widened eyes with dilated pupils.

Raised eyebrows and a tense facial expression.

Frozen or rigid body posture.

Backing away or seeking physical distance from the perceived threat.

Trembling or shaking, especially in the hands or legs.

Surprise:

Raised eyebrows and widened eyes.

Mouth slightly agape or forming an "O" shape.

Leaning forward or recoiling backward in response to the surprise.

Quick inhalation or gasp of breath.

Rapid blinking or blinking more than usual.

Disgust:

Curling the upper lip or wrinkling the nose.

Narrowing the eyes and raising the upper eyelids.

Turning the head away or physically distancing oneself from the source of disgust.

Covering the mouth or nose with the hand or a tissue.

Expressing verbal disgust through phrases like "ew" or "yuck."

GO APOLLO GO

SIC 'EM

Punctuating Dialogue

✧

➸ “This is a sentence.”

➸ “This is a sentence with a dialogue tag at the end,” she said.

➸ “This,” he said, “is a sentence split by a dialogue tag.”

➸ “This is a sentence,” she said. “This is a new sentence. New sentences are capitalized.”

➸ “This is a sentence followed by an action.” He stood. “They are separate sentences because he did not speak by standing.”

➸ She said, “Use a comma to introduce dialogue. The quote is capitalized when the dialogue tag is at the beginning.”

➸ “Use a comma when a dialogue tag follows a quote,” he said.

“Unless there is a question mark?” she asked.

“Or an exclamation point!” he answered. “The dialogue tag still remains uncapitalized because it’s not truly the end of the sentence.”

➸ “Periods and commas should be inside closing quotations.”

➸ “Hey!” she shouted, “Sometimes exclamation points are inside quotations.”

However, if it’s not dialogue exclamation points can also be “outside”!

➸ “Does this apply to question marks too?” he asked.

If it’s not dialogue, can question marks be “outside”? (Yes, they can.)

➸ “This applies to dashes too. Inside quotations dashes typically express—“

“Interruption” — but there are situations dashes may be outside.

➸ “You’ll notice that exclamation marks, question marks, and dashes do not have a comma after them. Ellipses don’t have a comma after them either…” she said.

➸ “My teacher said, ‘Use single quotation marks when quoting within dialogue.’”

➸ “Use paragraph breaks to indicate a new speaker,” he said.

“The readers will know it’s someone else speaking.”

➸ “If it’s the same speaker but different paragraph, keep the closing quotation off.

By Writerthreads on Instagram

Hopefully these descriptors can help with making your writing more detailed!

Natural Fabrics

Plant-Based

Cotton

Linen

Hemp

Jute

Bamboo

Animal-Based

Wool (e.g., Merino, Cashmere, Mohair, Alpaca)

Silk

Leather

Suede

Fur

Synthetic Fabrics

Polyester

Nylon

Acrylic

Spandex (Elastane, Lycra)

Rayon (Viscose, Modal, Lyocell)

Neoprene

Polypropylene

Knitted Fabrics

Jersey

Rib Knit

Pique Knit

Sweater Knit

Woven Fabrics

Plain Weave

Poplin

Muslin

Broadcloth

Canvas

Chambray

Twill Weave

Denim

Tweed

Herringbone

Gabardine

Satin Weave

Satin

Charmeuse

Crepe-back Satin

Luxury Fabrics

Velvet

Silk

Brocade

Damask

Organza

Taffeta

Lightweight Fabrics

Chiffon

Georgette

Organza

Voile

Tulle

Lawn

Heavyweight Fabrics

Denim

Corduroy

Canvas

Tweed

Wool

Textured Fabrics

Corduroy

Seersucker

Crêpe

Bouclé

Terrycloth

Sheer Fabrics

Chiffon

Lace

Organza

Mesh

Tulle

Durable Fabrics

Denim

Canvas

Twill

Leather

Eco-Friendly Fabrics

Organic Cotton

Hemp

Bamboo

Tencel (Lyocell)

Recycled Polyester

ACT ONE: SETUP

1. Opening Image: A snapshot of your story’s world and tone. Who are we following? What’s at stake?

2. Theme Stated: A subtle hint about the story’s deeper meaning or lesson, often posed as a question or challenge.

3. Setup: Introduce your protagonist, their ordinary world, supporting characters, and the status quo. Show us what needs to change.

4. Catalyst: The inciting incident that flips the protagonist’s world upside down. This is the point of no return.

5. Debate: Your protagonist hesitates. Should they step forward into the unknown or retreat? This beat builds anticipation.

ACT TWO: CONFRONTATION

6. Break Into Two: The protagonist makes a decision and steps into a new world (literal or figurative). The adventure begins.

7. B Story: The subplot kicks in—often a relationship or secondary goal that supports the main story’s theme.

8. Fun and Games: The “heart” of the story. Deliver on the premise and explore the stakes through action, conflict, and character growth.

9. Midpoint: A major turning point where everything changes. Stakes are raised. Success feels closer—or failure looms larger.

10. Bad Guys Close In: External and internal pressures mount. Allies falter. Enemies strike. Doubts creep in.

11. All Is Lost: The darkest moment. The protagonist experiences a significant loss or setback.

12. Dark Night of the Soul: A pause for reflection. Your protagonist processes their failure and digs deep to find the courage to move forward.

ACT THREE: RESOLUTION

13. Break Into Three: Armed with new insight or strength, the protagonist takes decisive action to face the story’s central conflict.

14. Finale: The climax. Everything comes to a head in a final showdown or resolution. Your protagonist proves they’ve changed—or failed to.

beautiful words with "land" to try to include in your poem/story

Bottomlands - low-lying land along a watercourse

Cloudland - the region of the clouds; the realm of visionary speculation or poetic imagination

Fairyland - the land of fairies; a place of delicate beauty or magical charm

Fantasyland - an imaginary or ideal place or situation

Fatherland - the native land or country of one's father or ancestors; one's native land or country

Garland - a circular or spiral arrangement of intertwined material (such as flowers or leaves); anthology, collection

Grassland - farmland occupied chiefly by forage plants and especially grasses; land on which the natural dominant plant forms are grasses and forbs

Heartland - a central area

Heulandite - a zeolite consisting of a hydrous aluminosilicate of sodium and calcium

Hinterland - a region lying inland from a coast; a region remote from urban areas

Interisland - existing, occurring, or operating between islands

Landaulet - a small landau (i.e., a four-wheel carriage with a top divided into two sections that can be folded away or removed and with a raised seat outside for the driver)

Landblink - a glow that is yellower than iceblink and that is seen in arctic regions over snow-covered land

Landlocked - enclosed or nearly enclosed by land

Landlubber - landsman (i.e., a fellow countryman; a person who lives on the land, especially: one who knows little or nothing of the sea or seamanship)

Landolphia - a genus of Old World tropical woody vines (family Apocynaceae) having large yellow or white cymose flowers with narrow lobes succeeded by large berrylike fruits

Landspout - a phenomenon like a waterspout but occurring over land

Landwrack - (or landwreck) obsolete: destruction of something on land; ruin, devastation

Lotusland - a place inducing contentment especially through offering an idyllic living situation

Marchland - land in or along border regions; borderland

Motherland - mother country; a country regarded as a place of origin (as of an idea or a movement)

Outlandish - strikingly out of the ordinary; bizarre

Pentlandite - a bronzy yellow mineral that is an isometric nickel iron sulfide and the principal ore of nickel

Vacationland - an area with recreational attractions and facilities for vacationers

Woodland - land covered with woody vegetation; timberland, forest; growing, living, or existing in woodland

If any of these words inspire your writing, do tag me or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

Show, Don’t Tell – The golden rule! Instead of flatly stating emotions, reveal them through actions, dialogue, and sensory details. Like, don’t say, “She was angry.” Show her slamming a door or clenching her fists.

Head-hopping – When you switch POVs in the middle of a scene without clear demarcation. It's confusing and jarring, like taking a sudden detour while driving.

Purple Prose – Over-the-top, flowery writing that can come off as trying too hard. A little flair is fine, but don’t smother your reader with excess.

In Medias Res – Starting a story in the middle of the action. No boring build-up, just bang—we’re already in the heat of things.

Foreshadowing – Dropping subtle hints about what’s coming next. A small detail now could be a huge reveal later. It’s like dropping breadcrumbs leading your readers to an epic twist.

Chekhov’s Gun – If you introduce an object or detail, it better serve a purpose later. No random things just hanging around. Everything matters.

Canon vs. Fanon – Canon refers to the original source material, while Fanon is the fan-created version. You can take liberties with Fanon, but Canon needs to stick close to its roots.

Saturation Point – That place in your writing where things become too repetitive, too familiar. You’ve got to find a way to push beyond it to keep your writing fresh and engaging.

Bait and Switch – Leading your reader to expect one thing, then suddenly giving them something unexpected. It’s like pulling the rug out from under them.

Plot Device – Any element (object, event, or person) that drives the plot forward or allows the resolution of the story. It’s the item or moment that has to exist for the plot to make sense.

Vignette – A brief, evocative scene that focuses on one moment or idea, often without a formal plot. It's about capturing a snapshot of a bigger picture. Think of it like a small, poetic portrait within a larger narrative.

Mise-en-Scène – A French term used to describe the setting or visual elements within a scene, especially in film and theater. It refers to how everything is placed or designed to create a specific atmosphere.

Framing Device – A structure or technique used to tell a story within a story. It's like having a character tell their experiences through flashbacks or letters, giving the plot a layered, nested feel.

Endowment Effect – When writers unintentionally overvalue a character or plot point simply because they created it. It’s the I’m so proud of this, it’s got to stay! mindset. Sometimes less is more, so watch out for this.

Conflict (Internal/External) – Internal conflict is the emotional struggle within a character (e.g., wanting something but being afraid of it), while external conflict comes from forces outside of the character (e.g., fighting an enemy or dealing with societal pressures).

Pacing Breathers – Moments in the story where the action slows down to allow the characters to breathe and reflect. These help balance the high-energy scenes and give readers time to process.

Symbolism – Using objects, actions, or settings to represent larger ideas. Think of a wilting flower symbolizing the decay of a relationship. It’s subtle but adds layers to your story.

Subtext – The hidden or underlying meaning in a scene or dialogue. What isn’t said, what’s implied but not directly stated. Like that tension between two characters that’s so obvious but never spoken aloud.

Red Herrings – Misdirection! These are the details or clues that seem significant but lead readers down the wrong path. It’s like planting a fake trail to keep your reader guessing.

Narrative Whiplash – When you suddenly change tones or perspectives, jerking the reader’s expectations. It’s like riding a bike and then suddenly taking a sharp, unexpected turn. Used well, it adds suspense, but too much can feel disorienting.