writeblr sideblog

one’s character has no impact on whether they were/are a victim or not, victim status is not something that is only afforded to the palatable.

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 sun was gorgeous, and the ocean was also gorgeous, but Taran had been here with Haven in this blisteringly-hot beach town for two weeks, and the allure of both were wearing thin. Instead, he turned his attention to the people. Most of them were not gorgeous. This wasn't a celebrity town. Taran greatly preferred staying here to Haven's place in the Hamptons, even if the Hamptons were less hot. You couldn't really talk to a celebrity, but you could talk to a person.

There were two people—a woman and a man—sitting at a table outside one of the restaurant stands near the water, eating french fries. There were also a bunch of seagulls. Well, that wasn't unusual—there were seagulls everywhere—but there was a throng of seagulls around them, really. Vying for the fries, maybe? But they had a berth of maybe five, ten feet. Out of arm's reach and out of kicking range, just watching, hawks of the busy beach.

Taran put on his best smile and walked clean through the ring of birds to lean over the table. "Hey," he said, like he hadn't just sent a bunch of seagulls fluttering, aggrieved, out of his way. The man and the woman, both similarly aggrieved, looked up at him.

"Do we know you?" the man said.

"No, but you could," said Taran, taking a fistful of the fries.

"Hey," said the woman, not an exclamation. More like she was trying to catch up to the situation she found herself in. The man she was with didn't look like he was following along, either. Not much of a surprise. Taran wasn't actually here to talk to them.

"Hey yourself," Taran said, and stepped off.

How many fries did he have? Six. Six was plenty, they were long. He tore the first one in half, and chucked it at the birds. Instantly the entire crowd were upon it, cawing and pecking at the ground.

"Hey!" the woman said again, now properly angry. "Hey, what the fuck's wrong with you?"

Taran threw another fry at the birds. They descended like piranhas. Did that imply violence? Haven's piranhas weren't violent toward one another, at least.

"Excuse me!" the man shouted, standing up from the table. "Those are my wife's fucking fries!"

"Okay," Taran said. "Do you want them back?"

It was plain on their faces that neither of them had a response to that. Well, whatever. Taran did. He chucked the handful of them at the man's feet. The birds, well aware of what Taran had been holding in his hands, swarmed instantly, and their squawks were raucously loud.

I feel like the title says it all. I (46M) live with my husband (….we'll say 50M, it's complicated) and he works from home. He is not afraid of bugs and goes to frankly absurd lengths to make sure that several of the enclosures he keeps his pets in have enough bugs to mimic their natural habitats. He really doesn't like when things are out of place, though, so the crickets will annoy him by making noise and not being where he expects them to be.

We got into an argument earlier this week because he was angry that I wanted to go out to talk to a friend (25F) who I know in the city. We have an open relationship and he was okay with me hooking up with her, but apparently going to a concert she invited me to was beyond the pale. He has been very annoying, to put it mildly, since. Yesterday he hid my car keys and I lost my temper, so I had someone deliver seven hundred crickets from a local pet supply store and opened the box in one of his planters a few minutes before he had to take a work call.

He's really mad now, and says that I crossed a line by getting him in trouble with his boss. I think he might have a point, but I also think that we were both being frustrating, and a little bit of retaliation is only fair. Besides, it wasn't even that many crickets. He'll probably kill them all before the end of the week.

Anyway, like, am i the asshole here?

So here's some fun writing exercises to try if you're in a rut with your writing. Pick and choose as you like!

1. Adapt a scene from a film, tv show, anime, etc. as directly onto the page as possible. Think small - conversations with movement, or *very* basic action sequences if you're feeling ambitious. What's hard to adapt? Are there movements you're not sure how to describe? Whose POV is it easiest to write from? What kind of prose suits the mood of the scene? The point isn't to produce something perfect at the end - it's to think about these questions and brainstorm answers.

2. Describe something really really boring, like an apple falling from a tree or a car driving down a road - and see how much you can maximalise it. How long can you make this simple action, and what becomes interesting about it? (Especially good if you struggle with not writing enough rather than the opposite.)

3. Look at something - a painting, a tree, a flower, a piece of fanart - for a short amount of time, 30-40 seconds. Then put it away and try to describe it. What's prominent? What's important? What stayed with you?

4. Take the first line of an existing story and write your own short story based on it. See where it takes you! Even if you end rewriting the original in your own words, you've still done something.

Beta reading is highly, highly subjective, so take this whole post with a massive grain of salt. IMO, in short, more feedback is always safer than less feedback, unless the author states otherwise.

Like, if they ask you to do a final read through for any lingering issues, you can speed-read your way through the manuscript for general vibes and enjoyability. If this is the first round of edits and beta reads, the more you can give them, even if you think you're over-reaching, the better.

Thank you to all my betas thus far, absolutely no shade meant with this post. Everybody's got different expectations. This is meant to help anyone who's unsure about the task before them.

So I'm going to use some snippets from my seasoned beta reader's feedback from my upcoming novella for the variety of commentary you can give.

Positive vibes/reader reaction

Even if the manuscript is a hot mess, sending back a beta read with 0 good things to say is going to demoralize the author. Even if all you can say is "this is a cool concept that can benefit from a better execution," letting the author know that they've written something salvagable helps, especially if you can do it in the first few paragraphs.

Grammar and Syntax

You are not a line editor and should not be expected to line edit someone's first draft (and this beta got the ~7th draft). However, if you do see something while reading, there's no reason that you can't leave a suggestion.

Fun commentary

We authors like to know that the reader is connecting with the story. These comments tells me absolutely nothing helpful about bettering the manuscript, but they're human responses from a human reader and it's just nice to see. Beta readers are casual, you should be allowed to stay stuff like this.

Developmental edits

Beta readers generally come before the big expensive editor (if you ever hire one at all) which means the goal is more big picture, developmental commentary over splitting hairs about punctuation. This comment got me to add about half a paragraph's worth of extra narrative to expand upon, because I liked the suggestion.

Continuity and reader comprehension

This novella happens to be about a niche subject that not every layman reader will understand, so I have to find the line between overexplaining to those who know, and underexplaining to those who don't, without reading like a textbook. The top line I ended up leaving as I didn't think the risk of confusion was worth the added technical detail. The bottom line was a continuity error that I did have to fix.

Repetition and style

I'm an author who will always look for ways to lower my word count. Sometimes cutting a random line is better for the narrative than doubling down and trying to justify it with extra details. In this case, I over-used a motif, and happily saved myself 7 words.

Potential for extra detail

If you struggle with lengthening your word count, you can ask your betas to focus on where the narrative is thin and can benefit for more immersion and backstory. This beta leaves me comments everywhere suggesting places for extra sensory details, as I write very lean narratives with little fluff, and my consistency with sensory details varies widely.

All told, over 21k words of story, this beta left me exactly 100 comments, and a couple quick line edits within the text itself. It shows me, at the very least, that she was engaged with the story. The only time she doesn't leave me comments is when a scene is so intense that she forgets to make one.

The Reader Report

The reader report is a separate document from the manuscript copy that compiles and condenses the beta's thoughts into a much shorter format so the author doesn't have to scroll up and down constantly for a big picture takeaway. It also expands upon any commentary the beta had, but didn't want to put in a single tag within the narrative and is typically written after most of the manuscript has been read for overall thoughts.

This beta in particular knows what I like, which is breaking down the report by chapter (or parts in this case). The only thing missing from her delivery is a final conclusion that will answer the three big questions:

Did she like it?

Would she buy it?

Would she recommend it?

But it was also done in a rush and in her email she said I made her cry so I count that as a yes for all 3.

—

I did not implement every suggestion from her, but I did acknowledge where other readers might feel the same and weighed the pros of trying to satisfy everything vs maintaining my clear vision.

The benefit of the beta process, if you work with multiple betas, is having more than one reader's opinion, and why I don't think anyone should pay ridiculous fees for a developmental editor. My betas all had different opinions on this manuscript, and I can treat their feedback like a scatterplot, deciding on revisions with an average throughline.

What traditional horror fiction "monster" do you find scariest?

I've tried to create general categories for this poll, but if you can't find your particular type of monster, please share it in the comments!

General:

Were you confused at any point of the story?

What genre would you say this book is?

When did you put the story down?

Is the ending satisfying?

If you had to cut 3 scenes what would they be?

When did you feel like the story really began?

What was the last book you read before this story?

Characters:

Do you get any of the characters names confused?

Which character is your favorite?

If you had to remove a character who would you and why? (you don't have to remove the character, just make sure their role is meaningful)

Which character do you relate to the most?

Which character do you relate to the least?

Do the characters feel real?

Are character relationships believable?

Are the goals clear and influence the plot?

Are the characters distinct (voice, motivations, etc)

Setting:

Which setting was clearest to you?

Which setting was the most memorable?

Am including enough/too much detail?

Plot and conflict:

Are the internal and external conflicts well defined for the main characters?

Are the internal conflicts and the external conflicts organic and believable?

Are there enough stakes?

Giving a character a unique voice in your writing involves several elements, such as word choice, sentence structure, dialogue quirks, and mannerisms. Incorporating these elements into your writing can really help create characters with distinct voices that resonate with readers and bring your narrative to life, as well as avoiding making all your characters sound the same, which is important especially when switching POVs.

Here are some tips you may find helpful:

Distinct vocabulary: Choose words that reflect the character's background, personality, profession, interests, experiences, and education level. For example, a well-educated professor would probably use more sophisticated language.

Dialogue quirks: Give each character specific speech patterns or quirks that set them apart, like repeated phrases, stuttering, using or avoiding contractions, or speaking in a particular dialect or accent, but don't overdo it to the point where it's distracting or it's hard to decipher what's being said.

Sentence structure: Pay attention to the rhythm and structure of their sentences. Some characters might speak in short, abrupt sentences, while others might use long, flowing ones. This can convey their confidence, hesitation, or urgency in the particular scenario, but also their general demeanor or manner.

Internal monologue: Show the character's unique thought process through their internal monologue. This can help readers understand their motivations, fears, and desires, further distinguishing them from other characters. (This may not necessarily apply to your story if you're writing in a third person omniscient perspective, or if you intend to exclusively follow the internal monologue of the main character.)

Physical gestures/actions: State what the the character's physical gestures and actions are while speaking. A nervous character might fidget, slouch, or avoid eye contact, while a confident character would stand tall and make direct eye contact.

Background & history: The character's upbringing, cultural influences, and past experiences can all shape the way they speak and interact with others.

Consistency: It's important to maintain consistency in the character's voice throughout the story and make sure their speech patterns, vocabulary, and mannerisms remain true to their established personality and don't contradict with anything.

Real conversations: Pay attention to how people speak in real life, and the tone, vocabulary, and speech patterns of different people, to help create more authentic and believable dialogue.

Read aloud: Reading your dialogue aloud can help you identify areas where the character's voice may not sound authentic. If it doesn't sound like something they would say, revise.

Hope this helps!

In trying to come up with ideas for No Stress November, I started designing a writeblr event called the Writeblr Village! Focusing on the community and sharing ideas and supporting each other.

Here are the “locations” in the village!

The Coffee Shop

Looking to start casual conversations with your fellow writers? Stop by the coffee shop! Open your inbox and DMs, share your ideas and WIPs, grab a nice cup of coffee and sit around to chat!

The Library

Looking to learn and do some research? Head to the library! If you're focusing on reading to find your voice, looking for inspiration, trying to complete research for your story, this is the place to be! Reach out for resources and share your progress with the community!

The Gym

Looking to set some high goals and grind on your writing? Head to the gym! Share your goals and progress with the community so we can keep up with you and cheer you on!

The Bakery

Looking to whip up some wonderful treats and WIPs? The bakery is the place to be! Let us know what you're working on and share your snippets, finished pieces, and bits of progress as you go so we can enjoy your delicious treats and congratulate you on your hard work!

The Arcade

Looking to relax and play some writing games? Stop by the arcade! Ask games, tag games, reblog chains, they’re all here and open for business! Let us know you're here so we can play with you!

The Spa

Looking to take a break from writing all together? Head to the spa! Share your favorite self care activities and where you are in your self care journey so we can support you!

The Archive

Looking to take stock of your work and figure out what to do next? The archives might be your place! Review your outline, edit your drafts, reassess and decide which project you want to work on next! Share your process so we can join you in the archive!

How to participate

The Village will be open for the rest of the year, until December 31st. You don't have to “visit” everyday, but when you do, make a post letting us know where you are hanging out and share your progress! Feel free to add as much or as little information as you want! Don’t forget to visit others in the village and support them, too!

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Original Work Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Rex & Shotgun (OC) Characters: Rex ket'Aothea (OC), Shotgun | Ayleh (OC) Additional Tags: Conversations, rex’s generally violent and unpleasant teenage behavior Summary:

Shotgun runs a stim-virus (normal) and starts talking about how the wizard war that sunk the entire continent of Ejrop was actually a community vote, whatever that even means (not normal). She and Rex talk about that.

it’s mostly just some back and forth dialogue between several characters where I sketch out some ideas for the background stuff in the plot and work out why there are so many characters who don’t want to be playing high-kayfabe on the high-kayfabe part of the game.

-

Hi. i wrote about my ocs while I was on a train. Behold.

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Original Work Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Original Characters, Rex ket'Aothea (OC) Additional Tags: Lost - Freeform Summary:

Rex, whose job is largely traveling places and not getting lost, wakes up in a shipping container. He is lost. He gets out of the shipping container.

….Still no idea where he is.

This is annoying! He never gets lost!

-