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Hey hello! I made a couple of Free to Use HTML codes for Artfight! They're responsive, color-customizable and thoroughly commented to make it easier for folk to edit! The first one (first and third picture), while the second one (second picture and fourtht picture) is much shorter~ You can pick parts from one and put them on the other too!

You can find Long and Wordy here, and here's a live example

You can find Short and Sweet here, and here's a live example

She’s technically a monster too. She might not look it at first glance and seems mostly human, but it isn’t deniable even despite her looks compared to the other monsters. 

But she realizes that she is still not like the rest of the monsters either and may not have entirely the same experiences as them, which is why she feels that she might not belong to or deserve to go to the support group. By sometimes passing as human, she feels she isn’t worthy of the space. 

The sad reality though is even though she’s mostly human in appearance, that tail she has undeniably would still cause her some struggle. Humans are still gonna look at that tail and think she’s a freak. There are probably still accommodations she needs because of the tail that she may still struggle to have access to. Even if it is just the tail, that tail is still enough to other her from humans and cause her problems and discrimination. 

She should get to belong in that support group even if she gets told she’s not monster “enough”. She still shares some of the same struggles as them that are caused by being a monster, and needs support. 

So you might expect him to be more welcoming of a fellow monster who isn’t immediately obviously one, but instead HE’S the one telling her she doesn’t belong there and accusing her of lying about her monstrous heritage.

Comparisons that spring to mind:

a bi person telling an ace person they don’t belong in queer spaces or vice versa

a physically disabled person telling a mentally disabled person that their voice shouldn’t count as strongly in conversations about accessibility

a Hot Take that I read about the scene in ’Bend It Like Beckham’ where the Irish kid tells the Indian protagonist that he gets what it’s like to be discriminated against, and the post-maker was like “uh, no you don’t, you’re white,” because they were unaware of the systemic racism specifically against Irish people in England, where the movie is set

To make the fighting scenes in my low fantasy novel more realistic, I went to see a trainer for historical sword-fighting last week, both to barrage her with questions and to develop realistic choreographies for the fight scenes in the novel. Since I figured some of what she told me might be useful for you too, I put together a small list for you. Big thanks to Gladiatores Munich and Jeanne for making time! (Here are some more pictures if you’re interested.)

Caveat: I’m by no means a sword-fighting expert myself, so take these nuggets with a grain of salt – I might have misremembered or misinterpreted some of the things Jeanne told me. If I did, feel free to tell me.

1.) Weapon choices need to make sense

Let’s start with a truism: always ensure your character’s weapons make sense for a.) their profession, b.) their cultural background and c.) the environment they’re going to fight in. A farmer probably couldn’t afford a sword and might use a knife or threshing flail instead, and someone who doesn’t want to be noticed probably wouldn’t be milling about sporting a glaive or another large weapon. Also, soldiers native to a country with wide open plains would be more likely to carry long-range melee weapons such as spears or large swords, than those from a country consisting of mostly jungle or dense forests. The same applies to situations: if your character is going to be fighting in close quarters (even just a normal house), he’d get little value out of a spear or even a longsword, as there’d be no space to swing it effectively.

2.) Boldness often beats skill

In real swordfights, recklessness was often more important than technique. The fighter less afraid of getting injured would often push harder, allowing them to overpower even opponents with better technique.

3.) Even a skilled fighter rarely stands a chance when outnumbered

While a skilled (or lucky) fighter might win a two-versus-one, it’d be extremely unlikely for even a single master swordsman to win against superior numbers, even just three and if they’re below his skill level. The only way to plausibly pull this off would be to split the opponents up, perhaps by luring them into a confined space where you could take them on one by one. The moment you’re surrounded, you’re probably done for – because, unlike in Hollywood, they wouldn’t take turns attacking but come at you all at once.

4.) Dual-wielding was a thing

… at least in some cultures. I often heard people say that people using a weapon in each hand is an invention of fiction. And while my instructor confirmed that she knew of no European schools doing this—if they did, it’s not well-documented—she said it was a thing in other cultures. Example of this include the dual wakizashi in Japan or tomahawk and knife in North America. However, one of the biggest problems with the depiction of dual wielding in novels/movies/games are the “windmill”-type attacks where the fighter swings their weapons independently, hitting in succession rather than simultaneously. Normally you’d always try hitting with both weapons at once, as you’d otherwise lose your advantage.

5.) Longswords were amazing

Longswords might seem boring in comparison to other weapons, but they were incredibly effective, especially in combat situations outside the battlefield. The crossguard allowed for effective blocking of almost any kind of attack (well, maybe not an overhead strike of a Mordaxt, but still), the pommel was also used as a powerful “blunt” weapon of its own that could crack skulls. Though they were somewhat less effective against armored opponents, the long, two-handed hilt allowed for precise thrusts at uncovered body parts that made up for it.

6.)  “Zweihänder” were only used for very specific combat situations

Zweihänder—massive two-handed swords—were only used for specific purposes and usually not in one-on-one combat as is often seen in movies or games. One of these purposes was using their reach to break up enemy formations. In fact, one type of two-handed sword even owed its name to that purpose: Gassenhauer (German, Gasse = alley, Hauer = striker)—the fighters literally used it to strike “alleys” into an enemy formation with wide, powerful swings.

7.) It’s all about distance

While I was subconsciously aware of this, it might be helpful to remember that distance was an incredibly important element in fights. The moment your opponent got past your weapons ideal range, it was common to either switch to a different weapon or just drop your weapon and resort to punching/choking. A good example of this are spears or polearms—very powerful as long as you maintain a certain range between you and your opponent, but the moment they get too close, your weapon is practically useless. That’s also why combatants almost always brought a second weapon into battle to fall back one.

8.) Real fights rarely lasted over a minute

Another truism, but still useful to remember: real fights didn’t last long. Usually, they were over within less than a minute, sometimes only seconds – the moment your opponent landed a hit (or your weapon broke or you were disarmed), you were done for. This is especially true for combatants wearing no or only light armor.

9.) Stop the pirouettes

Unfortunately, the spinning around and pirouetting that makes many fight scenes so enjoyable to watch (or read) is completely asinine. Unless it’s a showfight, fighters would never expose their backs to their opponent or even turn their weapon away from them.

10.)  It still looks amazing

If your concern is that making your fight scenes realistic will make them less aesthetic, don’t worry. Apart from the fact that the blocks, swings and thrusts still look impressive when executed correctly, I personally felt that my fights get a lot more gripping and visceral if I respect the rules. To a certain extent, unrealistic and flashy combat is plot armor. If your characters can spin and somersault to their heart’s content and no one ever shoves a spear into their backs as they would have in real life, who survives and who doesn’t noticeably becomes arbitrary. If, on the other hand, even one slip-up can result in a combatant’s death, the stakes become palpable.

That’s about it! I hope this post is as helpful to some of you as the lessons were to me. Again, if anything I wrote here is bollocks, it’s probably my fault and not Jeanne’s.  I’ll try to post more stuff like this in the future.

Cheers,

A resume doesn’t need to sound fancy or overly technical, it needs to tell us why we should hire you.

“Independent novelist/writer” is more than sufficient here. If you want to express the skills that fan fiction taught you, something like, “creative writing, editing, and publication,” will get you a lot further than… Whatever that just was.

A resume should be tailored to the position, if you can afford the time and energy for that. But if not, then just think about what writing got fandom taught you. How to respond to criticism, how to present a professional pubic face, how to correct punished mistakes, creative thinking, project planning, persuasion via emotional leverage, html formatting, office suite fluency.

Writer:

Published short fiction stories for anthology collection

Able to write short fiction within a designated word count for layout purposes (900-1500 words, 1500-2000, 3000-5000)

Wrote short articles for independent publication

Assisted with editing short stories for publication

Able to reduce or expand written content based on layout needs

Able to check for basic spelling, grammar and syntax

Familiar with Microsoft Office and Google docs

Able to convert text styles such as bold and italics across platforms, including rich text and HTML

Able to communicate with project members over multiple platforms such as email, twitter, Discord chat and Google docs

Artist:

Produced full-colour digital illustration for independent magazine

Able to produce digital illustrations optimized for both online and print display

Produced full-colour 2-page spread for art anthology

Published 4-page short comic in anthology collection for charity

Able to transfer traditional art to digital illustration

Illustrated the cover (always brag if you’re on the cover) of an independent art publication

Familiar with professional illustration tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint and stylus tablet

Able to communicate with project members over multiple platforms such as email, twitter, Discord chat and Google docs

Merch artist / graphic designer:

Designed 2″ clear decorative double-sided keychain charm as bonus sale item

Designed 5″ x 6″ sheet of graphic stickers included in art anthology

Able to design bold graphics that are measured for laser cutting production

Designed layouts for 65-page art and writing magazine, focusing on (art placement, text layout, etc)

Able to keep layout design simple and in accordance with the project director’s chosen theme

Created promotional art, icons and banners tailored for social media sites like Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, etc

Familiar with professional layout and design software such as Adobe Illustrator and InDesign

Able to communicate with project members over multiple platforms such as email, twitter, Discord chat and Google docs

Running a zine

Produced an independent art and writing collection for sale / for charity

Managed (10, 20, 30) independent artists and writers out of over 500 applicants to create a short-run independent magazine

Worked in online sales and social media promotion selling an independent comics anthology

If it’s really spectacular you can brag about specific numbers

Our book raised over $4,000 for charity in under six months of production

We sold over 750 copies in two weeks of online sales

Produced a digital PDF and printed version of anthology, mailing to recipients all over the world

Communicated with printers and manufacturers of plastic accessories and paper goods, assembling professional packages of our merchandise for mailing.

Built a custom digital storefront and navigated professional market and payment systems including Paypal and Tictail / Bigcartel / Wix etc

Created promotional events to boost sales, including raffles and giveaways over social media

Organized participants through mass emails and use of social media posts on tumblr and twitter

Created private Discord chat channels to keep participants up to date on production

Choke. Just think about it, seriously. Think about what choking is and imagine speaking while it’s happening. That would fuckin’ hurt, man.

Hiss. Look, it’s just not possible, okay? No matter how “evil” you want your character to seem.

Snarl. Animals snarls. The Beast from Beauty and the Beast snarls. The Hulk snarls. You know who doesn’t snarl? PEOPLE WHEN THEY’RE SPEAKING.

Shriek. Come on, 99% of the time, “shriek” is not the word you want.Let’s face it: if you put an exclamation point at the end of the sentence, your reader gets the picture. Don’t bring to mind banshees and screaming toddlers.

Hiss is a low, threatening whisper. Raw, guttural, vicious. It is NOT a literal hiss like an animal, it is a tone of voice that serves the same function. Someone will hiss that they’re going to cut your throat- a message from one person to the other.

Snarl is the same kind of thing. Not literal, it’s a tone of voice that serves the same function. It’s raw and gutteral like a hiss, but more savage than vicious. It’s loud, it’s showy, it’s intimidating. It’s very alpha male, big man, look at how fucking dangerous I am. I’ll take ALL of you on. Even if they’re snarling at one person in particular, nobody better back them up or they’re gonna get fucked up too.

Shriek. Come on, seriously? We’ve all heard people shriek either in fear or outrage. High pitched, loud, out of control, feminine. Men can shriek, but it’s funny and emasculating. Think angry italian women throwing pots and pans or ladies on tables who just saw a mouse.

Major Arcana

The Fool-Beginnings, Risks The Magician- Actions, manifestations The High Priestess- Hidden knowledge, Secrets The Empress- Resources, Abundance The Emperor- Boundaries, Order The Heirophant- Education, Lessons, Unity The Lovers- Love, decisions The Chariot- Progress, determination Strength- Managing situations, endurance The Hermit- Searching, analysis The Wheel of Fortune- Fate, Luck Justice- Decisions, Balance The Hanged Man- Waiting, sacrifice Death- Transformation, Rebirth Temperance- Negotiation, common ground The Devil-Restrictions, Indulgence The Tower-Unexpected failure, breakdowns The Star- Hope and guidance The Moon- Anxiety and deep emotions The Sun- Growth, Recovery Judgement- The past, second chances The World- Success, completion

Minor Arcana

Cups- Water Element, “I feel”- How emotions rule over and work within the meanings of the cards.

Ace- Love, Beginnings Two- Partnerships Three- Celebration Four- Boredom, longing Five- Loss, sadness Six- Peace, reconciliation Seven- confusion, possibilities Eight- Departure, leaving behind Nine- A wish coming true, contentment Ten- Happiness, family Page- Opportunities, Chances Knights- Emotional and dreamy influence Queen- Intelligent and intuitive influence King- Charismatic and Wise influence

Pentacles- Earth Element, “I have”- How possessions rule over and work within the meanings of the cards.

Ace- Money, success, beginnings Two- Decisions, balancing finances Three- Showing talents, chances Four- Stability, hiding Five- Financial loss, chasing Six- Generosity, supporting Seven- Potential with work Eight- Money coming, building success Nine- Comfort, success Ten- Inheritance, something lost Page- An offer Knight- A dependable influence Queen- A genorous influence King- A prosperous influence

Swords- Air Element, “I think”- How thoughts rule over and work within the  meanings of the cards.

Ace-  Success Two- Stalemate Three- Heartbreak Four- Rest, overwhelmed Five- Conflict Six- Leaving conflict behind Seven- Theft of positivity Eight- Restriction Nine- Anxiety Ten- Endings Page- Intelligence, alertness Knight- A opposing influence Queen- An independent influence King- A strong willed influence

Wands- Fire Element, “I desire”- How desires rule over and work within the meanings of the cards.

Hi, thanks for the question! (Image via duitang)

For all my own posts, please see my China tag (that’s the tag I use for my original posts).For navigation via tags, my Tags page has links to common & useful tags on my blog. I’ll be updating the Tags page and this Masterpost as needed ^^.

Ziseviolet’s Replies Masterpost, Part 1 (Part 2):

Hanfu Terms:

What is Hanfu?

Guide to the different types of Hanfu

Hanfu names

My favorite Hanfu style - Part 2

Top 10 most popular Hanfu styles of 2018

Unisex Hanfu

Formal Hanfu

Difference between Ru & Shan

Banbi (half-sleeve jacket)

Bijia (sleeveless jacket)

Zhaojia (men’s Bijia)

Difference between Bijia & Banbi

Daxiushan (large-sleeve robe) - Pt 2

Difference b/w Beizi/Daxiushan/Dachang

Yuanlingpao (round-collar robe) - Pt 2 / 3

Difference b/w Tang & Ming Yuanlingpao

Hezi (chest undergarment accessory)

Weichang (short outer skirt)

Doupeng (cloak/cape)

Parallel/straight collars

U-collars (Tanling)

Aoqun & Pipa Xiu (pipa sleeves)

Jian Xiu (arrow sleeves)

Winter Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

Casual/adventurer type Hanfu (Shuhe)

Hanfu sleepwear

Mourning Hanfu (Sangfu)

Burial Hanfu (Shouyi)

Waist-high Ruqun from Wei/Jin dynasties

Identifying Hanfu in a photoset

Chinese armor

Hanfu History:

Did Hanfu exist after the Han dynasty

Comparison/charts of Hanfu from different dynasties

“Left-over-right” rule of crossed-collar Hanfu - Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4

Children’s Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

What type of Hanfu would old women wear

Commoner’s Hanfu - Part 2

Poor people’s Hanfu

Hanfu and cleavage - Part 2

Han dynasty Ruqun & footwear

Three Kingdoms period Hanfu

Northern & Southern dynasties Hanfu

What Mulan would’ve worn

Tang dynasty emperor’s Hanfu

Was Daxiushan restricted to royal ladies

Song dynasty Hanfu styles

Ming dynasty skirts

Ming dynasty summer Hanfu

Yuan/Qing dynasty Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

Symbolism of Orange-Red and Turquoise color combination

Hanfu for empress/noblewoman

Differences b/w contemporary & historical Hanfu

Books & magazines on Hanfu - Pt 2, Pt 3

Wedding Hanfu:

What are the colors of wedding Hanfu?

Wedding Hanfu recs

Pictures of wedding Hanfu

Wedding Hanfu accessories

Manchurian vs Han wedding attire

Modernized/Modified Hanfu:

Incorporating Hanfu styles in a modern way 

Combining Hanfu & modern styles

Modified Hanfu shops recs - Pt 2

Men’s modified Hanfu shops recs

Websites that sell modernized Hanfu

Where to buy modernized Hanfu

Modified Hanfu shops in the West

Identifying Chi Xia’s modernized Hanfu

Hanfu Accessories:

Pibo (long scarf) - Part 2

Tuanshan (rigid fan) - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4

Difference b/w Tuanshan & Folding fan

Jinbu (waist ornament) - Part 2

Hebao (purse) - Part 2

My tag for Chinese hats/headgear

Weimao (veiled hat) - Part 1, Part 2

Tiger hats

Douli (conical hat)

Yingluo & Xiangquan (necklaces) - Pt 2

Traditional Chinese earrings

Meaning & History of Jade

Bangshoudai (hand wraps) & Huwan (wrist guards) - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4

Panbo (strings to tie up sleeves)

Miansha & Mianlian (Veils) - Part 2

Nail guards - Part 2

Hanfu Shoes

Hu Ban (ritual tablet)

Hanfu Hair Accessories:

Names of Chinese hair ornaments

Shop recs for hair accessories

Hanfu hair accessories

Fabric flower hairpins for Hanfu

Ronghua (velvet flowers) - buy & make

Hair accessories for fine hair

Phoenix crowns (Fengguan)

Lotus crowns

Miao silver hair accessories - Pt 1, Pt 2

Huasheng (forehead ornament)

Hairpin styling question

My tag for Chinese hats/headgear

Jewelry boxes for hair accessories

Hanfu Hairstyles:

Hanfu hairstyle tutorials

Traditional hairstyles

My favorite hairstyle

Pre coming-of-age ceremony hairstyles for Han girls

Looped hairstyles in “The Empress of China”

Tang dynasty pinned peony hairstyle

Ming dynasty hairstyles

Dynasty with long loose hairstyle

Half-up half-down hairstyles

Short hair and Hanfu

Simple hairstyles for shoulder-length hair

Makeup:

Huadian (forehead decoration) - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3, Pt 4, Pt 5

Did men wear Huadian

Traditional Chinese makeup ingredients

Tang dynasty lip makeup

What makeup is used to replicate traditional makeup styles

Men’s Hanfu:

Hanfu styles for men

Men’s formal Hanfu

Types of men’s Hanfu

Resources for men’s historical hanfu styles

Pictures of men’s Hanfu

Dachang (open-fronted robe)

Zhiduo vs Daopao

Yesa/Yisan vs Tieli

Yichang vs Yesa/Yisan

Men’s Hanfu blog recs

Men’s Headwear/Hairstyles:

Historical hairstyles for men

Men’s hair accessories

Where to buy Xiao Guan

Men’s hairstyles & Guan

Guan (headdress) - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Guan & Mianguan

How bald men put up hair with a Guan

Fangjin (four-cornered flat cap)

Hanfu Undergarments:

Hanfu undergarments guide - Pt 2, Pt 3

Children’s Hanfu undergarments 

Hanfu petticoats - Part 1, Part 2

Emperor’s undergarment for Mianfu

Dudou (chest undergarment)

Lower body Neiyi (underwear)

Zhongyi & Neiyi

Wearing Hanfu:

Tutorials on wearing Hanfu

How to put together a Hanfu outfit

Mixing hanfu from different dynasties

Plus-sized Hanfu - Part 1, Part 2

Girl wearing men’s Hanfu

Wearing Hanfu made for a gender you are not part of

Chest-high Ruqun for big-chested figures

Chest-high Ruqun skirt slippage

Is Hanfu hard to wear/sew

Is Hanfu comfortable to wear

Are chest-high styles restrictive for the chest - Part 1, Part 2

Hanfu renting/dressing up

Photo studios for renting Hanfu and taking pictures in Shanghai

Do people in China still wear Hanfu - Pt 2

Events in present-day China where people wear Hanfu

Making Hanfu:

Resources for sewing Hanfu - Pt 1, Pt 2

Hanfu sewing patterns - Pt 1, Pt 2

Buying Hanfu sewing patterns

Making Hanfu by hand - Part 2

Making Chest-high Ruqun

Making Hanfu with patterned cloth

Using shiny brocade fabric

Young people learning to sew Hanfu

Buying Hanfu & Hanfu Accessories:

My recs for places to buy Hanfu - Part 2

Where to buy Hanfu & Chinese hair accessories  - Pt 1, Pt 2, Pt 3

How to buy Hanfu on Taobao

International shipping on Taobao

Using a Taobao agent

Posts with links to where to buy Hanfu

Recs for non-Taobao Hanfu shops

Buying Hanfu in US/Washington DC

Hanfu shops in Shanghai

Where to buy Hanfu in Hong Kong

Hanfu shops in Singapore

Recs for colorful & flowy Hanfu

How to search for large-sleeved crossed-collar Ruqun on Taobao

Taobao shops that regularly carry larger sizes for men’s Hanfu  

Shops that sell Hanfu w/natural fabrics

Where to find Hanfu for pageants

Hanfu from Aliexpress with right side over left

Hanfu brand Qinghuige’s Taobao page

Where to buy crane-print skirts

Where to commission high-quality screen-accurate Hanfu

How to find Hanfu for BJDs

Hanfu in films/dramas/animations:

Hanfu in television dramas

Hanfu in “The Empress of China"

Hanfu in “Eternal Love"

Hanfu in “The Rise of Phoenixes” - Pt 2  

Hanfu in “Consort Meng Arrives” 

Identifying actresses in Huadian compilation

Recs for historically/stylistically accurate Chinese drama

Hanfu in “Mo Dao Zu Shi” - Part 2

Q&A on cdrama “The Untamed” is in Part 2 of the Masterpost!

Q&A on Mulan (including Disney’s animated & live-action Mulan films) is in Part 2 of the Masterpost!

Hanfu Revival Movement:

What direction I think the Hanfu Movement will take

The motivations for the Hanfu Movement

How I feel about the inconsistency of the Hanfu Movement

Comparison with Kimono and Hanbok:

Comparing Hanfu & Kimono (padding)

Comparing Hanfu & Kimono inspired figure skating costumes

🖌️ Just made my first custom Clip Studio brushes! 🖌️

I use these design elements in my character designs ALL the time, so I’m super excited to have some brushes that’ll make the process much faster!

(I also figured out how to upload them to the asset library, where they’re both downloadable (for free!)):

 Let’s say you’ve got a city where there’s tame white doves everywhere. They’re not pests, they’re regarded as sacred, holy protectors of the city, and the whole city cares for them and feeds them like they’re pets. They’re so tame because it’s a social taboo to hurt or scare one. Nice pretty doves :)

 Then someone points out that even if they’re not seen as pests, doesn’t having a completely unchecked feral pigeon population - that not only isn’t being culled, but actively fed and cared for - mean that there would be bird shit absolutely all over the place?

 A part of you wants to say no, because these are your nice, pretty doves. To explain that there’s a reason why they’re not shitting all over the place, maybe they’re super-intelligent and specifically bred and trained to not shit all over the place. The logistics of how, exactly, could anyone breed and train a flock of feral birds go unaddressed.

 An even worse solution would be to not have those birds, editing them out of the world. No, they spark joy, you can’t just toss them out!

 Now, consider: Yes, yes they would, but the city also has an extensive public sanitation service that’s occupied 90% of the time by cleaning bird shit off of everything. One of the most common last names in the area actually translates to “one who scrapes off dove shit”, and it’s a highly respected occupation. And thanks to the sheer necessity of constantly regularly cleaning everything, the city enjoys a much higher standard of cleanliness, and less public health issues caused by poor public sanitation.

The Augsburg concept has one big pigeon house every 500m in which wild pigeons are fed, protected from weather and have nesting opportunities. Cities doing that have WAY less uncontrolled populations (since they can take out eggs if they feel they need reduce the population), way less shit AND a healthy population since it’s easier for veterinarians to notice and get to sick animals.

So I’d say one can of course still keep your general idea……but there’s also those MASSIVE palace-like pidgeon houses and only the most worthy are allowed to enter and directly interact with the pigeons (feed them, heal them, clean their lodgings). One big entrance for the human servants (priests??) and millions of small holes for the pigeons.

Scrivener is a writer’s best friend. 

It’s a word processing software created with unruly, complicated novels in mind. However, some writers stay away because its many features can be seem overwhelming at first. If you want to use Scrivener, but haven’t taken the plunge yet. Or if you already use Scrivener, but haven’t explored its many features, check out my three part guide to writing a novel with Scrivener, from planning to editing and all of the key smashing in-between. 

1. Planning with Scrivener

Scrivener comes with tools dedicated to outlining, researching, and brainstorming your manuscript. The first part of this series details everything you can do in Scrivener before setting that first line down in ink (or pixels.) 

2. Drafting with Scrivener 

The second part in this series covers the actual “writing” part of writing. It covers multiple composition modes (even making your screen mimic Microsoft Word!), writing in split screen, word targets, and more. 

3. Editing with Scrivener

The third part of this series gives advice on exporting your writing into a standard manuscript format, saving each version of your work as you go along, and the best tools for revising your manuscript. 

Download a free 30-day trial of Scrivener at its official site. 

I forgot how utterly amazing this software is, so I’m re-blogging my three Scrivener guides! 

The four features that are killing it for me right now are:

A separate text file for each chapter. The organization make it so easy to move around my manuscript, so that doing things like going back to certain chapters to find information I need isn’t an utter nightmare. Equally important, I try to make sure my chapters are between 1,500 and 2,500 words for consistency. Having a separate text file makes it easy to see how far away I am from that mark. Which brings me to feature two.

Targets! I can set manuscript targets, session targets, and chapter targets. This means I can tell Scrivener I want my novel to be 40,000 words long, my chapter to be 2,000 words long, and that I’d like to write 1,500 words today. I can even say I want to finish my book by August 1st, and it’ll tell me how much I need to write each day to meet it–adjusting automatically if I go over/under my daily goal. It’s motivational too, pushing me forward because I’m never far away from hitting a goal. 

Statistics! Scrivener goes above and beyond for manuscript statistics. I click one button and it tells me how many words there are in my book, how long the paragraphs and sentences are on average, how many chapters there are, the longest and shortest chapters, how many pages the document would be as a paperback, and even how long it would take to read!!!! I. Love. It. 

Don’t make paragraphs about it - battles are supposed to be fast-paced

Describe:

- the object used to harm the character

-where the injury is

-how long the character had had the injury

-how deep the cut is (for blades)

-whether or not the wound triggers other things (dizziness, bleeding)

There are different kinds of pain

punch/blunt force trauma:

-how it feels: aching, a single spike of pain before it fades into an ache, throbbing, numbness

-effects: swelling, bruising, broken bones, unconsciousness, dizziness, concussion, internal bleeding.

stab wound/cut

-how it feels: stinging (shallow wounds), burning

-effects: bleeding (the blood from arteries is a brighter red, like vermilion, the blood from veins is dark crimson), dizziness from the blood loss, unconsciousness, infection (if left unattended), death

gunshot

-how it feels: depends on the caliber bullet, from how far away they were shot and in what place

-effects: same as stab wounds

Things that an injured character may have/do

-heavy, harsh, ragged breathing

-panting, gasping, crying, grunting, hissing, groaning, whimpering, screaming, shrieking, clenching their teeth

-ears ringing, unable to speak

-pressing their hands on the injury to try and stop the bleeding, trembling, eyes rolling up into their head

-vision blurring, room spinning

Where to hit in a fight

temple and jaw - good for a knockout punch, but are near the skull so it will be dangerous if you miss (it can broke/dislocate your fingers)

nose/eyes - messes up the senses and distracts the opponent

neck: can mess up breathing, talking and the spinal cord

inner elbow: can disable the opponent’s arm

solar plexus: hard to hit but very effective

liver: causes immediate pain, dizziness and loss of breath

kidneys

groin

outer/inner thighs

knees

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