#writing assignment

Writing Sauce for Secret Societies

Secret (Hidden) vs. Secretive/Classified

An important distinction to make while writing exclusive societies is the extent to which they shirk the eyes of the public and/or government:

“Secret” or “Hidden” societies push their existence under the rug. No one but the members know of their activities at all. (e.g. Camp Half-Blood from the Percy Jackson series, the wizarding society of the Harry Potter series)

“Secretive” or “classified” societies exist publicly with a clear purpose. However, the specifics of their activities are only disclosed to his members. (e.g. the CIA, higher-ranked military organizations)

While secret societies are often illegal, rebellious, or anarchist, secretive societies are legal and institutional. 

Here are some other elements that I think a secret society requires. The specifics of how these are implemented will depend on the size of your society. 

The Origin Story 

What is the society’s motto? Who created it? Why do the members/the public need it? 

A goddess creates a secret society of demigods to protect them from monsters. 

A professor creates a secret society to teach illegal materials to his best students. 

A society of the undead striving for survival on Earth after the

Membership Requirements & Rules

How many newbies? How are they recruited? Any consequences if prospective members fail? Any initiation practices? Consequences for breaking the rules? 

Inheriting a particular bloodline: demigods, half-angels/demons, royal blood, etc. 

Becoming a supernatural creature: vampire, zombie, werewolf, etc. 

A rigorous interview/testing process (could be similar to a job interview)

Sending prospective members on a dangerous mission 

Existing members paying prospective members a visit in the middle of the night

Sending out dream messages and instructions for initiation constantly until potential members are obliged to come.

The Cover-Up Story 

How does your society keep itself hidden? How do they cover up for their mistakes if classified information leaks out? 

Killing any witnesses and outsiders. 

Exerting control over media/news/government organizations (either back-door or legally)

Using a magical cover: memory-redaction, mist/veil that manipulates appearances, etc. 

The power bestowed by the society upon their members are immediately withdrawn upon excommunication or if they break rules 

The cover-up story has to be stronger for larger, ancient secret societies to make it plausible that they’ve managed to survive hidden. Think of strong mechanisms that makes it the members’ own interests to keep the society protected, even though it may cost them their life. 

Funding and Maintenance

Where does the society get its money/weapons/materials from? 

Generational wealth that the members’ family possess. 

Secret governmental/university funding, obtained under someone else’s name

Having members who are placed in high-ranking position in companies, banks, the government, etc. 

Could be as simple as a trust fund/endowment fund run under a fake name (e.g paper company, a fake family name that is handed down from one society leader to another) 

Hope this helps!

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I have a rough draft for a writing assignment due on Tuesday and I've only go 2 of like 5 paragraphs written but my brain won't let me start the third

I sit staring at the Google doc trying to write the first sentence of the third paragraph but my brain won't fucking let me

hihi!! i have this english assignment where i needed to write about two different scenarios in the same form, and as youll notice, a big theme in both stories had to be a color of my choosing.

i wrote these two short stories and would appreciate some feedback for this rough draft before i send it over to get graded, if youve got some time to spare to read them and leave your feedback in the comments or a reblog!! thank you ^^

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Brown Perspective 1 -

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For the first time in his life, James Willow was all alone, in an empty white room, yet to be decorated. He wore a teal sweater, bright socks with cartoon cats on them, and cream-colored trousers that he had already dirtied by sitting on the floor. His light brown shoes sat by the orange door, it was a hideous shade, and he was sure he would pay someone to paint it.

His father had hired movers for his newly-bought furniture, but James had insisted on building everything himself, which was a decision he came to regret. He held unfamiliar tools, read instructions that he could not process, and sobbed repeatedly.

His cellphone sat beside him, his father’s number saved, easy to call, but James couldn’t bring himself to pick it up and ask for help. How many times before had he asked for help and received none, how many times before had he needed his father and was instead left completely alone. His father didn’t understand feelings, all he knew was money, and he would throw it at problems.

James sobbed to the point of dehydration, curled up on the floor, surrounded by metal screws of various shapes and sizes.

A knock at his door alerted him, James quickly sat up, he brought his cellphone to his face and frantically wiped away his tears, he stared at himself, strawberry blond hair and seagreen eyes that seemed more unfamiliar than ever before.

Another knock, James put his phone down and stood up, he made his way towards the door and opened it, on the other side stood a stranger, smiling awkwardly. James stared into his dark eyes, and sniffled quietly, waiting for the other to announce his business.

“Thin walls,” he said, motioning to the right, where his own apartment was.

James’s cheeks flushed, his mouth fell slightly open, and he stared, speechless for a few moments, before the appropriate response came to mind.

“I apologise, I hope I didn’t wake you.” he quickly replied, “I’ll quiet down.” “It’s just 8pm, don’t worry,” the man shook his head, “I actually wanted to check on you, you seem pretty uh-” “I’m alright. Thank you,” James quickly nodded, but his fake act quickly crumbled, the word ‘alright’ had an indescribable effect on him, and he leaned against the doorframe, about to fall into another sobbing fit, “I’m sorry- I’m really sorry, I don’t understand why-why I feel like this, I’m stressed.” The conversation flowed naturally, James found himself falling deeper, losing himself in the man’s warm eyes. He let him in after explaining his situation, and with the stranger’s help, he built the bookshelf he so desperately needed.

It was a nice rich shade of brown, similar to the man’s skin. The man whose name was Angel, James cracked a joke about how fitting his name was, and Angel simply smiled, revealing two nice dimples.

The two sat close together, as the man brought over his toolbox and explained the purposes of different things to James.

James, who was too busy staring into his dark brown eyes, to focus on the unfamiliar tools.

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Brown Perspective 2

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His son had gone off to an apartment complex near his college campus, as for his other son, Leonardo never knew where he was. One thing both boys had in common was how terribly they craved independence away from him, Leonardo would’ve thought he did something wrong, if it wasn’t for the fact that at their age he too craved distance from his father.

Now he sat in his office, it was late at night, and the only light on was a small lamp on his desk that emitted a warm yellow glow all throughout his home office. Light didn’t make the place seem any more lively, it was plain, as offices should be, decorated with various shades of brown and some details were forest green.

Leonardo held a glass and stared at it as he swirled around the brown liquid inside, a bottle of Scotch his son gifted him for his birthday that year, it sat untouched for months, Leonardo thought he would open it on a special occasion, when his son was accepted into Cambridge.

He was accepted, Leonardo was overwhelmed with pride and joy, but his son had iced him out completely. So he sat in his dimly lit, disgustingly brown office, drinking what felt like the loneliest glass of Scotch in his life.

Leonardo leaned back against his dark brown leather seat, outside the door was his mansion, he was the only Willow left in it. His wife was gone, his sons had grown bored of him, and Leonardo debated for some moments if he was needed anymore, if he would be missed, or if his death would be celebrated.

He was a young father, he still had a long life ahead of him, he had to figure out some way to bring joy into his life without depending on his sons.

Leonardo put the glass down on his oak desk, he stood up, and heaved a sigh as he looked around. The office that was once new and exciting to build, now a shell of what it once was.

Then an idea crossed his mind, and it brought a small smile to his face.

Perhaps, after many years, all the office needed was a renovation.

Leonardo made his way across the office and flicked the light switch open, he saw his reflection in the mirror, dark red hair and forest green eyes, features that made him stand out, they made him special.

So people are always talking about the similarities between Leo and Percy, how Leo is like Percy when he was younger or something.

But I just remembered a line in the first book, how Percy had strangled a snake when he was a kid/baby and was waving it around like a toy or something. Meanwhile Leo was tested by Hera with a snake but couldn’t bring himself to actually do anything.

That’s it. I’m really bad at making inner thought, I guess that’s something that makes them a bit different (?). Look I’m bad at this stuff I just realized this and felt like sharing.