#writing help

Prompts for Writing Urban Legends!!

Write an urban legend...

✮⋆˙ to explain a strange sound that happens only at midnight in a specific building.

✮⋆˙ about a road where cars mysteriously stall.

✮⋆˙ ✮⋆˙ about a photograph that shows something no one remembers seeing.

✮⋆˙ about a phone number that shouldn't be called after dark.

✮⋆˙ about a house that's changed hands many times, but is never empty for long.

✮⋆˙ about an elevator that stops on a floor that doesn't exist.

✮⋆˙ about a hitchhiker who's never seen twice by the same driver.

✮⋆˙ about a school hallway that's always one door too long.

✮⋆˙ about a song that isn't safe to listen to at a certain hour.

✮⋆˙ about a mirror in an abandoned building that shows the wrong reflection.

✮⋆˙ about a bridge where something always goes wrong at exactly the same time each year.

✮⋆˙ about a text message that arrives before the sender has actually sent it.

✮⋆˙ about a park bench that no two people ever remember sitting on the same way.

✮⋆˙ about a radio station that plays only static, except once a year.

✮⋆˙ about a photo booth that develops pictures of things that haven't happened yet.

✮⋆˙ about a well-known shortcut that always adds time instead of saving it.

✮⋆˙ about a diner that's always open, but never has customers who remember being there.

✮⋆˙ about a staircase that has a different number of steps every time it's counted.

✮⋆˙ about a security camera that records footage from a place that doesn't exist.

1. Try to avoid using the same terms over and over again

When writing a kiss, it can be hard to find the right words. When stuck, read scenes from actual published authors, or even fanfics (I find most fanfics sometimes have better writing). You can also look up adjectives or verbs that can go with the specific atmosphere you’re going for.

2. Warn your readers of any possible triggers

This post was sort of intended for a romantic, consensual kiss, but I still felt the need to add this. If it is a non consensual kiss, or if there are any sort of violent themes, add a warning at the beginning of your book.

3. Focus on the sensory more than actually telling the reader the act

Don’t say “they kissed.”, unless you are doing it stylistically. Focus on the way the lips feel, the taste, the air around them, the emotion… etc etc

4. The context of the kiss should match the way you describe it

A goodbye kiss should not read as an excited, “yay!” type of kiss. This one is pretty self explanatory, but it’s easy to miss

5. Aftermath

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You didn't have to come."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Say that again, I dare you."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I'm not leaving without you."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "How long have you known?"

⊹₊⟡⋆ "This wasn't part of the plan."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Do you trust me or not?"

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I've made worse decisions than this."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You're bleeding." "I'm aware."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I need you to listen to me very carefully."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Stop looking at me like that."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "We don't have time for this."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I never asked for your help."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You could've just asked."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I'm not who you think I am."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Give me one good reason."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You promised."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I wasn't ready to say goodbye."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Since when do you care?"

⊹₊⟡⋆ "It's not what it looks like."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I'd do it again."

⊹₊⟡⋆"You left the door open on purpose."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I know you're lying. I just don't know why."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Don't make this harder than it has to be."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You're the only one who ever asked."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I remember everything."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "That's not an answer."

⊹₊⟡⋆"You're supposed to be on my side."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I wasn't talking to you."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Get out. Now."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I've never told anyone that before."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You don't get to decide that for me."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "How do you know my name?"

⊹₊⟡⋆"This is exactly why I don't trust people."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You're shaking." "I'm fine."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I'll only say this once."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You could've warned me."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "There's a version of this where you don't get hurt."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I'm done waiting."

⊹₊⟡⋆"You're not the person I fell for."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I did it for you."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "That's the second time you've said sorry tonight."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You knew, didn't you?"

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I'm not scared of you."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Then prove it."

⊹₊⟡⋆"This conversation isn't over."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I let you win. Don't get used to it."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "You have thirty seconds to explain."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "I wasn't going to tell you like this."

⊹₊⟡⋆ "Some things you don't get to take back."

Jealousy boiling over !! 

₊⟡ "you didn't have to laugh at his jokes like that." -- "are you jealous?" -- "...maybe." [watches from across the room, drink untouched, jaw tight]

₊⟡ "he's just a friend." -- "i didn't ask." -- "you were thinking it so loud i could hear it."

₊⟡ "careful. your face is doing the thing." -- "what thing?" -- "the 'i want to fight someone' thing."

₊⟡ "you left me standing there for twenty minutes." -- "i got caught up." -- "with who." -- "...does it matter?" "yes."

₊⟡ "i don't like how he looks at you." -- "how does he look at me?" -- "like i look at you. and i don't share."

₊⟡ "are you actually mad or just being dramatic?" -- "can't it be both?"

₊⟡ "you're doing that thing where you get quiet and polite. i hate when you get quiet and polite."

₊⟡ "i'm not jealous." [white knuckles around a glass] "i'm just observant."

₊⟡ "who's he texting?" -- "why do you care." -- "i didn't say i cared." -- "you asked twice."

₊⟡ "you danced with him for one song." -- "one song." -- "i counted every second of it."

₊⟡ "say his name again like that and see what happens." -- "like what?" -- "you know exactly like what."

₊⟡ "i'm allowed to have friends." -- "i never said you weren't." -- "then why do you look like that every time i mention him."

₊⟡ "you didn't even notice i was in the room." -- "i noticed." "you didn't look at me once." -- "i looked at you the whole time. that's the problem."

₊⟡ "is this about earlier?" -- "what happened earlier." -- "don't do that." -- "do what." -- "pretend you don't remember exactly what happened earlier."

₊⟡ "he put his hand on your back." -- "it was nothing." -- "it wasn't nothing to me."

₊⟡ "i'm not mad you talked to him. i'm mad you didn't tell me you were going to."

₊⟡ "i trust you." -- "but?" -- "but i don't trust him."

₊⟡ "you could've just said you didn't want to dance with anyone else." -- "would that have been so hard to hear?" -- "no. it would've been exactly what i wanted to hear."

₊⟡ "you're being ridiculous." -- "maybe. doesn't mean i'm wrong."