#author tips

Everyone writes “they looked tired.” But let's look closer.

Here are some quick ways to show a character is neglecting themselves (without saying "they were neglecting themselves"):

• They drink coffee instead of eating again

• They never ask for help

• They keep wearing the same jacket even when it’s too warm

• Their phone battery is always at 3%

• Spending a long time away from others

• They say “I’ll eat later” three times in the same day

• Withdrawing quietly when stressed rather than seeking help

• Their place runs out of small things (soap, clean cups, toothpaste)

• Always late or overdue on bills

• They sleep in strange places because the bed is buried under things

• Using alcohol or substances to cope

• Overworking or staying constantly busy to avoid thinking about personal needs

• They stop replacing things that break

• Being highly critical of themselves while being extremely compassionate toward others

• They forget what day it is, but remember every obligation

• Lack of concern about their own wellbeing (acting reckless/stupid)

• They open the fridge, stare, and close it again

• Their laundry slowly becomes “the chair”

• Saying "I'm fine" to everything.

• Being the “listener” or emotional support for everyone else, but rarely opening up themselves

• Someone asks if they’ve eaten and they have to actually think about it

Those are some quick tips. Reblog if you want more. Idk if people like these. <3

Every character who speaks gets their own paragraph. If two characters are talking, each time they switch you must create a new paragraph.

What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing in stories is the art of using imagination, emotions, and original ideas to craft narratives ranging from fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and much more.

Creative writing focused on storytelling includes:

Characters—crafted or invented people with their own motives, conflicts, and personalities.

Plot—a sequence of events that play out through the story with an intricate structure of beginning, conflict, resolution, and ending.

Setting—where and when the story takes place.

Conflict—the struggle or problem that drives the story.

Theme—the deeper message conveyed through the story.

Main Types of Creative Writing

Creative writing fundamentally consists of two main branches: prose and poetry.

Poetry

Poetry uses rhythm, structure, and carefully chosen words to awoke vivid imagery and emotional impact. Some poems follow strict patterns of rhyme and meter, while others use free verse with no set structure. Song lyrics and spoken word performances also fall under this category.

The main goal of poetry isn’t just to tell a story—capturing a feeling or moment through the beauty of the language.

Prose

Prose uses sentences and paragraphs to craft stories or share experiences. Many popular forms of creative writing fall under prose, including:

Novels are long fictional works that develop characters, settings, and complex plots over usually 250-400 pages.

Short stories are brief fictional pieces that focus on a single event or idea, usually read in one sitting.

Memoirs are true stories based on the writer’s personal life and experiences.

Personal essays are reflective pieces where writers explore their thoughts, feelings, or perspectives on a topic.

Scripts are works written for film, television, or theater that include dialogue and scene directions.

Copywriting and blogs: Creative writing isn’t limited to books. Marketing content, advertisements, and blog posts often use storytelling techniques to connect with readers and persuade them.

Why Creative Writing Matters?

Creative writing delivers information like any other form of writing, but it also communicates emotions, sensory experiences, and deeper meanings that can’t always be articulated properly.

It allows writers to explore ideas, express identity, and connect with others through the power of words.

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OC WHEELCHAIR GUIDE

I remade this guide to be a bit easier to read, less info dumping, a bit more specific info and stuff for you to understand, and also some stuff to help people decide which chair would be best for their characters!

oh my god—thank you so much, angel?? that means the world to me, truly. i’m gonna treasure that in my lil writer heart forever.

and YES absolutely, here are some writing tips that have helped me so much:

1. vary your sentence lengths for rhythm.

short sentences hit. longer ones, especially when they spiral through thought or emotion, build momentum. mixing them creates a natural cadence that keeps your reader engaged and makes the emotions feel real and lived-in.

2. repetition = power.

repeating a word or phrase on purpose can emphasize urgency, grief, desire—whatever you need. (“she said no. no. no.” vs “she refused.”) don’t be afraid to break technical rules if it makes the moment land harder.

3. write like you’re confessing something.

the best writing feels intimate. sometimes i ask myself: what would this character never say out loud—but think when they’re alone? that’s where the magic is.

4. let the emotional beats breathe.

sometimes what you don’t say hits harder. instead of “she cried for hours,” try: “the floor was cold beneath her knees. still, she didn’t move.”

5. use contrasts to create impact.

“she was smiling when she said it. but her hands were shaking.” those emotional contradictions?? that’s gold.

6. your voice matters more than perfect grammar.

if it feels good when you read it aloud, it is good. rules are helpful, but style is what makes people remember you.

and most importantly:

7. don’t edit while you write.

1. through action, context, and interacting with the world

example: “she ducked through the doorway she’d hit her head on twice already this month.”

tells the reader shes tall without explicitly stating it

example 2: he pushed his glasses up for the third time during the meeting.

the reader immediately knows he wears glasses

process/steps:

1. choose what you want to show (tall)

2. ask yourself how are tall people different, what do they go through, how do they experience the world differently from short people? (might hit their head on things)

3. how can you show it through action? (them ducking through a doorway to avoid hitting their head)

2. select what matters

dont describe every single thing about your character. choose key fratures that reveal something deeper about them

bad: she had dark, straight hair. (this is forgettable and unimportant)

better: she never cut her dark hair. it was the one thing protecting her from the world. she could pull a curtain of it over her face whenever she wanted to disappear.

what to do:

1. choose a trait you want to show (long, dark hair)

2. choose a deeper part that you could reveal through showing that trait (shy, escapinst, sentimental)

3. pov filter

describe appearance through the eyes of whoever is perceiving. this can be a tool to reveal relationship dynamics, or if your character is describing themselves, it can be a way to show how they feel about themselves. (admiration, fear, resentment)

bad: my son was loud.

a mother wouldn't describe her son the way a stranger would. take into consideration their dynamic, her feelings, and the situation.

better: i could hear my sons laughter from the kitchen, making him chocolate pudding. his favourite meal.

reveals the mothers love towards her son

process/steps

1. choose what you want to reveal (mothers love towards her son)

2. consider the situation (son is outside playing, being loud. mother is inside)

3. fit the situation to the feeling (the mother is making her son his favourite meal while listening to his laugher)

if your character is describing a stranger and there is no relationship dynamic to reveal, take into consideration what your character would notice and point out. if they are very neat and judgemental, they might point out the stains and messy hairstyle of someone passing by, they might notice their bad posture—this reveals a lot about your character to the reader and even though it doesnt describe your characters appearance, it gives an idea to who they are and what they might look like based on that (your reader might assume that they have a good posture, neat hair and clean clothes since theyre judging a random person for not having those things) this can also be a good way to show your reader that your protagonist is a hypocrite (make sure they have stains on their shirt while judging a random person for it)

4. space out the physical description throughout the first part of the story instead of listing it all at once

dont just describe your character in specific detail one time and never revisit their appearance/traits again. use context to reveal little pieces every once in a while. the most important physical traits can be in the first quarter of your book. let the reader find out little details and piece together the character throughout the book. you don't always have to give a description for a character to be described. characters are created from their actions, the way others treat them, talk to them, the things they notice and do, etc.

examples:

chapter 1-the group photo pointed out the same sharp jaw and tired eyes shed spent years trying to ignore.

chapter 2-she had her mothers copper-colored hair and her fathers impossible height

5. use other characters and dialogue

your protaganists best friend might point out something about their appearance (a change they notice, something they like about your main character, something your protaganist is not even consciously aware of)

examples:

“you seemed happier when you were still living with your mom”

“dont be silly. of course he wants to go out with you. he likes blondes.”

“i know you’re lying. your nose is doing that weird thing again.”

(these are not necessarily good examples to add straight into a book. theyre just for making my point clear)