Inklings Sprint

HELLO you are asking questions that literature and poetry THROUGHOUT the middle ages has asked, and it is from this questioning that we derive things like the Codes of Chivalry (which is not "how to treat a noble lady really nice" but is actually "how to be an ethical person when you're rich and you own a horse" and includes such things as "don't run people over with your horse")

In fact I daresay you already know instinctively just from cultural osmosis what a good boss -- a good liege lord -- is and does based on the tropes that have survived to the current day and the kinds of things that get Hugely Praised in things like legends of King Arthur.

A good boss (liege lord) is:

Merciful. He is not having his peasants killed for things like poaching rabbits during a famine. In fact, he is working to mitigate famine. During times of individual hardship, he might negotiate with a peasant for a payment plan on their annual rent.

Patient. He is not impulsive, he does not lose his temper.

Prudent. He makes choices that are thoughtful, considered, conservative (in the sense of not needlessly risky--he's not investing his entire fortune in having everyone plant an unproven crop). He is making sure local infrastructure like roads and public buildings are maintained and kept in good nick.

Gentle. He doesn't haul off and slap a servant or a tenant for breaking a dish or making a mistake. He doesn't abuse animals, his wife or children, or his employees. He doesn't rape the servants.

Generous (both in money and in spirit). He is not extorting the peasants for an amount of rent that is beyond their means, he is not raising taxes every year to cover his own lavish lifestyle. He is paying his servants a living wage (or, if wages are low, he's giving them room/board/clothing to make up the difference). If someone in a tenant's family dies, the lord is sending a gift of condolence, or helping to pay for the funeral, or possibly even ATTENDING the funeral and speaking a few kind words about the deceased, ESPECIALLY if they were a really upstanding and important member of the community. If one of his tenants is gravely sick, the lord is sending a basket of food or paying for a doctor. He is giving charitably (generally this will be, like, a bequest to the church so that they can run a hospital or an orphanage or a school for the local village children).

Pious. This classically means "goes to church, submits with humility to God" but to me this quality is subtextually standing in for "maintaining an ongoing sense of Perspective that HE'S not god, that there are higher powers he is Accountable to, that he too can be Judged, etc, so that he doesn't end up going on a weird fucked up power trip"

Humble. One of the most admiring things you hear about a lord doing in literature and epic poetry is, "He ate off of wooden plates while his followers ate off of gold and silver." Humility isn't about being meek, it's just about not thinking so much of yourself that you turn your nose up and sneer at what "lesser" people do. In other words: Don't be a fucking diva. If your carriage gets stuck in the mud, climb out and help everybody else push, you're not gonna die from getting mud on your shoes.

Condescending. This word has changed wildly in meaning/tone over the last couple centuries -- it's now a rude thing to do (because we've done away with legal social hierarchies, so someone acting like they're lowering themselves to your level IS insulting), but in older times, a high-ranking person "condescending" to a servant was worthy of praise and admiration: it means they were setting aside rank and privilege to speak to them with the easygoing, friendly respect and compassion they'd give a peer. This is things like... Treats those beneath him with courtesy and respect (ie: listens soberly and attentively when one of his servants or tenants comes to complain about a problem). Having a sense of humor and kindness about it when the lord and a servant both come around a corner at the same time and run into each other and the servant gets knocked to the ground and starts babbling apologies--the condescending (positive) lord helps them to their feet with his own hands and cracks a joke to show them that it's ok (as opposed to just walking off without a word or insulting/scolding them). This is also things like trusting a farmer, woodcutter, or artisan to speak with expertise about their own livelihood and taking their advice into consideration if they tell the lord that one of his ideas won't work.

Good boundaries. The ethical liege lord knows that it's normal for the staff to probably be softly bitching about him in private (even with a really good boss, we all grumble from time to time). He's not eavesdropping on them, he's not going into the staff areas where they should reasonably expect to have a degree of privacy, etc.

Righteous and protective of "the weak". The "weak" here doesn't necessarily mean physically weak, this is often used in the sense of someone politically or socially weak, aka The Marginalized -- the poor, the disabled, women, children, the elderly, etc. If a lord sees someone like this being mistreated or abused, he's supposed to step in and put a stop to that.

Committed to reciprocity. In a highly hierarchical system like feudalism, every person (from the lowest peasant all the way up to the crown prince) legally OWES their liege lord certain things (taxes, labor, service, loyalty, etc). A good liege remembers and takes very seriously the idea that this should be a balanced and reciprocal relationship -- in other words, he owes something BACK. Feudalism is modeled very strongly on the family system: If children owe their parents obedience and service, then parents owe their children care and protection. This still applies when the "child" is a farmer and the "parent" is a local baron. Or when the "child" is a duke and the "parent" is the king.

Basically, we get so caught up in the aesthetics of nobility that we forget that it literally is a managerial position that comes with responsibilities that were... very similar back in the day to the same ones we have now. Humans have not changed all that much. At the end of the day, a really good boss in the 1400s versus in one from the 2020s displays most of the same qualities of personality, even if the details of execution are different.

The next question is, of course, "well, but this theoretical liege lord is HIGHLY idealized -- how often did that actually HAPPEN? Wasn't it more likely that everyone was exploited all the time?" and to that I say: Well, maybe. But again, I don't think humans have changed all that much. Just like the bosses of today, there's a SPECTRUM: A really really good boss is rare and precious and one that you tell stories about for years after you've left that job, but a truly, genuinely, homicidally nightmarish boss is also pretty rare. Most bosses are sort of meh -- they have their good moments, they have their shitty moments, but they're tolerable and you can get along with them well enough to do your job, and then you roll your eyes at them behind their back. Generally, humans don't take outright exploitation lying down. Being a bad boss in the historical period is how you get peasant uprisings and revolts, and you know that to be true because your parents raised you with that knowledge, so unless you are very stupid or inbred or an egomaniac, there is literal personal incentive to at minimum be a Tolerable liege lord. And that means hitting at least SOME of the above bullet points.

TL;DR: In the words of Honore de Balzac, "Everything I have just told you can be summarized by an old word: noblesse oblige!"

I LIKE it

someone else might LIKE it

it is FUN to do

I get those THOUGHTS out of my head

it's fun to look BACK on

have I mentioned it's FUN?

it's CATHARTIC

it's nice to see what I CAN DO

1. The FBI's Famous Cases & Criminals archive (fbi.gov/history/famous-cases) has detailed breakdowns of real fraud cases, Ponzi schemes, and confidence operations. The language they use is clinical and precise, which is perfect for getting the procedural details right.

2. The FTC Consumer Sentinel Network publishes annual reports on the most common fraud tactics in the US. Great for understanding how modern scams actually work and what makes people fall for them.

3. The Smithsonian's American Art Museum has a free digital collection of forgery case studies. If your character forges documents or art, this is gold.

4. Court Listener (courtlistener.com) is a free legal database where you can read actual court transcripts from fraud trials. Want to know how a real con artist talks under oath? This is where you find out.

5. The Internet Archive's collection of old newspaper crime sections. Search for "confidence man" or "swindle" in papers from the 1920s through 1960s and you'll find incredible real stories that would feel too dramatic for fiction.

Bonus: The Psychology of Fraud section on the Association for Psychological Science website has accessible articles about why people trust, how deception works cognitively, and what makes someone a convincing liar. Essential reading if you want your con artist characters to feel psychologically real.

The key is to find the process that suits you. Duh.

This is actually way more complicated than it sounds and requires some serious autoethnographic exploration and empirical experimentation.

Remember, there are no wrong or right answers. Whatever works for you is the best method. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

Writing is serious work. Don't let others belittle that, they obviously don't understand how hard a commitment that is.

Writing requires time. Space. Quiet. No disturbtions. No obligations jumping out the corner.

Sacrifaces of things, easier things you would rather be doing. Visits. That new Netflix series. Scrolling through social media. Reading another writing advice book.

Don't strain yourself. Even if you are in the flow. If you do, you will power down, exhaust yourself and are less likely to start. Your brain will go all defensive and won't allow you to get back into something as straining again.

The hardest things for most people is to start. So don't fret about starting. Idea to try: surprise yourself with sudden jumping to the keyboard and writing. Don't overthink. Overthinking is paralyzing.

Perfectionism is more common in people than the opposite. Everyone wants to do it well. It's the enemy of creation, spontaneity and playfulness.

Let the pressure go woozh. Ideas: Write the worst thing you possibly can. Freewrite. Call it the shitty first draft. If that's too evaluative for you (it's for me anyway, brr) call it the Zero draft. The no pressure draft.

Listen. Redrafts are normal. They are the sign of professional writers. Students and people who don't know how to write go with their first drafts, all vulnerable and unpolished, because they have waited that long or can't look at it anymore or don't want to permit themselves to be mistaken.

Professional writers know there are at least 3 stages to every text. Zero draft where you play and create. Second draft, where you put things in order to make sense. Third draft, where you let out the perfectionist who fine tunes the details. (Use however many more drafts you need).

The edits don't mean it was necessarily bad or wrong. It means the wip could shine even more. Try seeing it as underlining, polishing, highlighting.

You can't keep all that detailed info in your head all the time.

You owe it to yourself to have it recorded. In scenes. So you can read it and enjoy it for yourself for comfort in rainy days.

Cause wordcount goals and writing updates are so cool. They feel all professional.

Brag about having actually written.

Ticking off wordcounts, chapters, scenes and arcs feels very fulfilling. Like scratching things off from the to-do list. So good.

You will never learn what your writing weaknesses are. Then you can't join those cool sympathetic discussions with other writers about "yeah I always do that and I forget that stuff..."

You will also never get nice tips from the field how to manage that.

You can know all the theory you want, but you will never improve on those weaker things, if you don't know what they are.

You can give meta behind-the-scenes-info. Writing this made me feel xxx. Working on that chapter made my heart go all xxx.

Posting cool quotes and snippets out of your writing. VALIDATION

People can read and fall in love in the story with you. <3

Fans of the worlds and people inside your head!

Connection. Understanding. People who like your writing will likely have many common interests and tastes.

Finishing stuff is HUGE confidence boost.

No word is ever wasted, cause you are learning.

Rereading your story when you forget the details. Serisouly, worth millions.

Focus on the content, not on the style. Focus on what and not on the how. We are all natural storytellers with excellent practice in our heads. Use that. Be proud of that.

You probably won't notice the imperfections first. Enjoy it! It's perfect little baby. Once you notice them, celebrate! You have grown! You are a better writer now!

Experience. That pesky little thing you need with skills by, y'know, actually doing them.

Stories are the best way for the brain to transmit information. The most natural, enjoyable, easiest way. Human brains are wired for it. So the greatest way to explain your awesome world/characters/plot/themes? Show them through the story. In scenes.

Writing advice masterlist

Johnson's Dictionary Online (thanks @yellowbelliedtoad!) – 1755 and 1773

Green's Dictionary of Slang – 1300s to today

A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue – 1788

𐙚⋆.˚ Trailing off mid-sentence and not finishing the thought 

𐙚⋆.˚ Answering a question with a question to buy time 

𐙚⋆.˚ Laughing before saying something painful 

𐙚⋆.˚ "I'm fine" said in twelve completely different ways 

𐙚⋆.˚ The pause before a name that carries a whole conversation in it 

𐙚⋆.˚ Repeating the last word someone said while processing 

𐙚⋆.˚ Starting a sentence three times before finishing it 

𐙚⋆.˚ Saying "no, yeah" vs. "yeah, no" (opposite meanings) 

𐙚⋆.˚ The overly casual voice when asking something they desperately care about 

𐙚⋆.˚ Talking faster when nervous, slower when trying to control the room 

𐙚⋆.˚ The subject change that's so obvious it becomes its own confession 

𐙚⋆.˚ "It's fine" vs. "It's fine" vs. "...it's fine" 

𐙚⋆.˚ Going very quiet and polite when actually at their most dangerous 

𐙚⋆.˚ Agreeing just to end the conversation 

𐙚⋆.˚ Using someone's full name vs. nickname as a power shift 

𐙚⋆.˚ Apologizing for things that aren't their fault out of habit 

𐙚⋆.˚ The "anyway—" that means I'm done being vulnerable now 

𐙚⋆.˚ Jokes as deflection (always) 

𐙚⋆.˚ Saying the brave thing, then immediately walking it back 

1. Slow down at emotionally important moments.

Big emotions need space to land. If a scene feels rushed, pause the plot briefly to show how the moment affects the character.

2. Add reactions, not explanations.

Instead of explaining what a character feels, show it through physical responses, hesitation, or small actions that reveal emotion naturally.

3. Ground every scene in the senses.

If a scene feels thin, add one or two sensory details—sound, texture, smell, or temperature—to make the moment feel lived-in.

4. Let thoughts interrupt action.

A line of internal thought can deepen a scene without slowing it too much. Thoughts show stakes, fear, longing, or conflict beneath the action.

5. Expand consequences, not events.

You don’t need more things to happen—you need to show what matters. Focus on how events change relationships, decisions, or self-perception.

6. Strengthen setting where emotion peaks.

The environment should echo or contrast the emotion of the scene. Setting is not decoration—it’s emotional reinforcement.

7. Add specific details instead of general ones.

Underwriting often relies on vague language. Swap “they argued” for one sharp line of dialogue or a specific breaking point.

8. Let dialogue breathe.

Short dialogue exchanges without pauses can feel flat. Add beats—silence, gestures, interruptions—to give the conversation weight.

9. Show transitions between scenes.

If scenes jump too quickly, readers feel disoriented. A brief transition helps establish time, mood, and emotional continuity.

10. Clarify stakes early in the scene.

If readers don’t know what can be lost, scenes feel empty. Make sure the character wants something specific and fears losing it.

11. Use the “what are they feeling right now?” check.

After each major beat, ask what emotion is dominant in that moment. If it’s missing on the page, the scene is likely underwritten.

12. Expand scenes that feel “too clean.”

Alright, Tumblr writers. Sit down. Drink some water. I’m back with more writing tips I learned the hard way, usually at 2am while questioning every life choice I’ve ever made. Take what helps. Leave what doesn’t. Argue with me in the comments if you must.

1. Your tone doesn’t have to stay consistent to be good. You can be funny and devastating. Soft and brutal. Whiplash is sometimes the point. Life doesn’t stick to one genre — your writing doesn’t have to either.

2. Trauma shouldn’t only explain behaviour; complicate it. If a backstory only makes a character quieter, sadder, or “stronger,” it’s underused. Trauma creates contradictions: wanting closeness but flinching from it, craving stability but sabotaging it. That tension is the point.

3. If you’re exhausted by your own story, take that seriously. Burnout while writing isn’t a sign that your story is bad — it’s usually a sign that something is off in the process. You might be editing while drafting, forcing the plot to go somewhere it doesn’t want to, or circling the same emotional beat without letting it change. Before you delete anything or decide you “hate” the story, step back. Distance fixes more drafts than starting over ever will.

4. If you suddenly lose all motivation halfway through a scene, don’t push — jump. That drop usually happens right before an emotional beat you haven’t figured out yet. Instead of forcing filler, jump past it. Write the aftermath. Write the reaction. Once you know where the scene lands, going back to fill in the middle is way easier.

5. Don't be afraid to kill your darlings. Sometimes, you write a line or a scene that you love, but it doesn't fit the story. It's okay to cut it. Maybe it can be used elsewhere, or maybe it just needed to be written to get you to the next part. Your story will be stronger for it. But make sure to save it somewhere else for later.

6. Let characters surprise you. Sometimes, a character will do something unexpected. Don't fight it. Let them surprise you. Maybe they'll reveal a hidden side or take the story in a new direction. Trust your characters—they might know where they're going better than you do.

7. If your dialogue sounds stiff, check how the character answers. Real people dodge, deflect, misunderstand, and answer questions with different questions. If one character asks something important and the other responds clearly and honestly on the first try, it can feel fake. Add friction. Let them avoid the point. That’s usually where the tension lives.

8. If you get a sudden burst of inspiration for a totally different scene, write it immediately. Don’t worry about continuity. Don’t worry about spoilers. Don’t worry about “doing it out of order.” That excitement is your brain handing you something important. You can always stitch it in later — you can’t always get the feeling back.

9. If you ever catch yourself thinking, “I should probably explain this,” pause. That urge usually shows up right after you’ve written something subtle and start worrying the reader won’t get it. Before you add explanation, ask: is the clue there? If the emotion, action, or detail already points in the right direction, trust it. Over-explaining often flattens moments that were already working.

10. If you don’t know how to start a scene, start a few seconds late. Writers often open scenes too early — characters entering rooms, greeting each other, settling in. Skip that. Start where something is already happening: mid-conversation, mid-thought, mid-tension. Readers will catch up faster than you think. (A LOT of my writing starts like this, but lots of people like it... so it works I guess.)

11. If you write your main character as “normal,” don’t abandon that the second they're thrown in a difficult situation. If you establish a character as ordinary — awkward, untrained, unsure — they shouldn’t suddenly start moving smoother, or reacting like a seasoned fighter the moment things get hard. Stress doesn’t usually make people cooler or more competent; it makes them messier. If you want them to survive a difficult situation, let it be through panic, luck, instinct, help from others, or small, clumsy decisions. The moment they act like a different person, they stop feeling real — and readers will notice.

12. If your redemption arc starts with instant forgiveness, it isn’t redemption. Redemption requires effort, discomfort, and time. The character should change before they’re accepted again — not after. Forgiveness is a result, not a starting point. Saying the character did some bad things but the second they apologise everything is forgiven (or to an extent) not only sounds unrealistic, but simple too.

-

Okay, that’s it. No more tips. I’ve run out of wisdom and it’s past the hour where good decisions are made.

If even one of these made you go, “oh. that explains a lot actually,” then this post did its job. You don’t have to use all of them. You don’t have to agree with me. Writing isn’t a checklist — it’s trial and error and accidentally discovering your best scenes while doing something “wrong.”

So write out of order. Let the tone shift. Let your characters be complicated and a little inconvenient. Skip the boring parts. Trust the moment before you explain it to death.

And if your draft feels messy or unfinished or emotionally confusing?

Good. That usually means you’re close.

Go write something that surprises you. Something that hurts a little. Something you’ll reread later and realise you were braver than you thought.

You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re writing.

by writingwithoutconfidence (you all make me more confident <3)

Writing Tips

My Writing (very long though)