#writer tips

​I see a lot of writers deleting scenes they don't like, and it hurts my soul!

​One of the best habits I’ve picked up is keeping a dedicated folder for everything that didn't make the cut. Bad scenes, boring chapters, even entire abandoned novels, I don't delete any of it.

​When I'm stuck on a current project or feeling uninspired, I raid that folder.

If every story is worth telling, there are some elements to take into account to make it right.

Every cause has consequences. A story is logical in one way or another. Whether you plan your story or go with the flow, if you ask about: the origins, reactions and actions to be taken following an event, the pieces somehow will ‘click into place’.

Everything has a cost. Magic system, war, life in general... Don't forget that resources are not unlimited. Consider the societal, social, natural, (magical, if need be) limitations.

Challenge the statut quo and the villain's motivations (if there's a villain in the original sense of the term) : Ask yourself why the villain wants to ‘change the world’ (and really question his legitimacy) and what the world should look like after the final confrontation. If we come back to the original point, it's that the plot didn't serve any purpose, being no more than a ‘historical aside’. Remember that everything happens for a reason, so make that reason a good one.

Make actual research about geography and climate: forest, desert and especially rivers can't pop out of nowhere, they must respect certain natural principles. For example, a river must have its source somewhere, often high up in the mountains. So it seems logical that a river should be close to a mountain. Be careful if you want to incorporate a map in your story !

hiii! i'm sharing in this post all my resources for writers. over the past 5/6 years, i've been sharing on gumroad some resources, such as worksheets, workbooks, templates, and much more.

i've decided to create this masterpost so that everything is in one place and easier to find and share :)

notion templates

author's corner (dark academia) a full dashboard for your novels, ideas, and resources, with a snowflake method page and character building template built in link

the drafting room  keeps every piece of your story within reach such as session log, daily word count, chapters, and 28 bonus story prompts, all connected so nothing gets out of sync link

notion for writers ☕️🌿 my og free template for writers where you can set goals, ideas, novels, resources, word count, and socials, all in one dashboard link

autumn writing corner 🍂 a very cozy & seasonal template to track your writing schedule and goals with an autumnal aesthetic link

games for writers

build & break your story  this is a 135-card game that doesn't ask what you could write. in fact, it makes you fix what you already wrote. build a premise, then survive four waves of sabotage link

plotdeck 🃏 draw characters, settings, genres, twists, and conflicts to build unique stories on the spot. you can play solo or with friends link

shuffling ideas a card game with over 1 million plot combinations, perfect for beating writer's block solo or in a group link

writing game (7 day-challenge) 👾 get a daily email for a week with a scene, characters, setting, conflict, and resolution to write. by the end you'll have a full short story link

guides & ebooks

character building 32 pages on brainstorming, flaws and virtues, character arcs, and how to show don't tell through relationships link

the dialogue guide for writers 💬 15 pages on writing dialogue that reveals character depth and drives your plot forward link

hook your reader from the first sentence a mini ebook with 5 narrative techniques to start your book strong, with examples and quick exercises link

nanowrimo survival kit everything to help you hit 50k words in november. it has a calendar, 3-act structure template, character worksheets, and a title brainstorm page link

workbooks, journals & trackers

the writer's workbook 60+ exercises covering character development, plot structure, world-building, and plot twists to help you draft your novel link

plan your book 🧑🏻‍💻 a 5-page worksheet to map your idea, settings, conflict, characters, and plot structure from scratch link

the author's journal 📔 about you, socials, now writing, and resources sections. It two PDF versions to choose from: plain PDF or fillable version link

jolly book 🎅🏼 a festive edition writing workbook with 8 sections of cozy activities, from poetry to playlist making link

excel sheet: tasks & word count two simple sheets to manage deadlines and track your word count progress link

obsidian template for writers 🪻 a ready-to-use obsidian vault with folders and templates for characters, scenes, worldbuilding, plot, and research notes link

that's everything for now! i'll try to keep this post updated whenever i drop something new, so feel free to bookmark it 🤍

part 2

avoid writing in bed if you can. writing in bed is the mind-killer. writing in bed is the little death that brings obliteration. you may think "but i can write AND be cozy" you will get sleepy so fast. 98% of the time when i try to get a nighttime writing session done in bed i go to sleep. maybe 70% of the time if it's an afternoon writing session. also it fucking kills your wrists.

STRETCH before writing. stretch as many parts of your body as possible ESPECIALLY YOUR WRISTS! i have chronic tendonitis in both of my arms from not doing this and it is manageable but it is Not Fun!

plug your phone in on the other side of the room. better yet, plug it in and leave it in another room. better yet, power it off and leave it in another room. "i'll just check one quick thing" do not underestimate the power of the doomscroll.

do a warmup. look up writing prompts (i like one-word prompts or prompts that focus on a general theme as it's easier to integrate into my writing style), set a timer for fifteen minutes, or ten, or five, and go ham. make it shitty or incomprehensible, as long as you make it. create a dump document for all your warmups. i currently have two novels in the works that started as one of these fifteen minute little warmups.

pick your background noise ahead of time if you use it, and look for something long. i listen to 3-hour-long silent hill ambient mixes on youtube dot com.

take breaks. around every 45 minutes, as i'm noticing myself begin to lose focus, i get up, grab a drink, get my blood flowing, and give myself some space to breathe.

sometimes i sit down to write and i think "every atom in my body is averse to doing this right now. i would rather dance barefoot on a bed of nails than open my laptop and start typing." and you know what i do? i go do something else instead. don't force it! it will become a chore.

that being said! write as often as possible. try to write every day. try to write at the same time. don't beat yourself up if you can’t, BUT the more often you write, the more often you'll want to write.

if you're stuck on a scene or a page or a chapter, go back to the last place where you felt like you knew what you were doing and start writing from there. keep a copy of your other writing in case you want to reuse it or refer back!

i don't know if this is something that will be helpful for other people but i start mentally preparing myself for my writing session a few hours ahead of time. i will say to myself, "today, at this time, i'm gonna sit down and write that scene where mina walks out on her book club, and it's going to be awesome and i'm looking forward to it." then, by the time i actually begin, i basically have the whole thing written out in my head and can just put it down to paper. it's a good way to at least kickstart the session !

Not every scene needs high drama. But every scene should shift something.

A “quiet” moment can still reposition your characters:

– A confidante pulls away

– A threat is implied but not voiced

– A loyalty is tested and doesn’t break… this time

– Someone smiles, but only for show

If nothing changes, it’s not a scene. It’s a pause.

Feminine

Hekateia / Enodia / Jennifer / Katerina

Amaris / Propylaia / Aikaterine / Vespera

Caterina / Circe / Selene / Nienke

Opaline / Cato / Aradia / Despoina

Melinoe / Hekate / Catharina / Lunessa

Celestia / Mikina / Nodia / Aylin

Rhiannon / Kora / Trinity / Morwenna

Aveline / Thonia / Solenne / Katheryn

Keto / Tria / Belladonna / Drusilla

Thessaly / Eka / Katia / Cadi

Nymeria / Morrigan / Mino / Calista

Dasha / Mirielle / Doro / Itzel

Lilith / Cate / Elvira / Arcana

Laya / Phosphora / Ina / Umbria

Elaria /Virelai / Mirabel / Lunette

Nessa / Ariadne / Nebula / Aeloria

Elowen / Astra / Milagros / Louve

Guinevere / Carmenta / Zoraida / Calypso 

Gizem / Liora / Aisana / Morana

Masculine

Hekatos / Lucifer / Arcadius / Karanos 

Acheron / Drogo / Dante / Vesper

Ophios / Corvus / Dash / Dorian

Mika / Thorne / Lysander / Amon

Vesper / Caelum / Stellan / Ambrose

Nyxander / Leander / Ansel / Corvin

Caspian / Valerian / Orpheus / Elias

Auberon / Morian / Nathair / Silas

Evren / Alaric / Erebus / Asterion

Zephaniah / Cassian / Damien / Bastien

Draven / Lucien / Elio / Phobos

Ravyn / Sirius / Lowell / Conan

Mirou / Lovel / Wolfe / Gergory

Eran / Modris / Oliverio / Anastacio

Osiris / Lazarus / Damon / Caden

Gender-Neutral

Nyx / Veil / Brontes / Cross

Obsidian / Key / Torch / Echo

Rune / Sage / Midnight / Salem

Lux / Ari / Myth / Cipher

Phos / Fable / Onyx / Aether

Naga / Zenith / Moon / Indigo

Halo / Shadow / Winter / Riven

Aster / Dusk / Ash / Reverie

Silver / Poe / Wren / Crow

Isami / Raven / Clover / Marlowe

Rowan / Ember / Storm

Miracle / Liraz / Phoenix

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