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Okay, before anybody starts to think this is some weird idea, let me explain. For anyone who knows how to write (and I mean, REALLY knows how to write), you understand that a good story has everything written out on paper first.  You know, stuff like Outlines, Plot Triangles, Character Profiles.  This might be of a challenge to some of you and tie you down, but unless you are capable of keeping every piece of information in your mind, this is a good resource to fall back on.  If you do not need this, then fine—you aren’t required to use it.  According to Science Fiction Writers of America, do

Depression isn’t true, my dear Depression isn’t real. It’s just a silly tragedy You’ve forced yourself to feel. Anxiety is fake, my friend You wonder why it’s there. But others have it worse than you! Stop forming false despair. Cutting is dramatic, love, It’s ugly, and it’s dumb. Why not just get over it? Is the attention fun? Suicide is stupid, dear, And selfish, if I may. Get over yourself, darling, Can you hear these things I say? Why aren’t you replying, love? Oh, where could you have gone? I never meant to hurt you, love, Did I say something wrong? Why aren’t you replying, dear

1. it's okay to fall in love. i mean, they tell you you're never going to marry your high school sweetheart and i'm not going to tell you it's a lie because it's not. you guys will probably break up and it's gonna hurt like hell but you'll be okay. remember, you are not the only one who has felt loneliness like a knife, the only one to know the pain of lungs collapsing because they were your air, and you will never be the only one who whispered "i love you" two lives too soon. you will not be the last one to have tucked hair behind their ear and leaned in for a kiss or the last one to wake up reaching for a hand that's no longer there. b

The Art of VILLAINY ~ Making Realistic Villains for your Fiction ~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "People will do far more to Avoid Pain than they will to Seek Pleasure." -- CIA Profiler Gavin DeBecker on Human Nature True Predators ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When I craft a villain, I go out of my way to make darned sure that my fictional villains are as realistic as the villains we face in real life. I begin by giving them ordinary human Issues. Within every villain (fictional and non-fictional) there's a human issue at core that drives them to BE villains in the first place. Even mass murderers have reasons (however twisted) for doing what they do. NO villain

When a writer puts his soul and passion into his work. It will go unnoticed, often because of its length. It is a rather sad fact, but a truth nonetheless. For the simple emotions conveyed in just a few words, Often hold more sway with those who are emotionally swayed. There is no depth of the heart, nor a single thought spared. For the effort placed into a piece that forgoes the winning edge, For a hint of true meaning. You will not read this piece and I will not expect you to. It will not be popular or famous, nor will it see the light of day. For length is the bane of true poetry, And that is why so many of my kin have already l

Life spoke to the void. "Why do so many hate me? Yet they cling so tightly to my cloak." Death spoke to the void. "I am accursed and feared by so many. Yet they all come to me in the end." Joy spoke to the void. "I am pursued by all. Yet they find me so elusive." Hope asked the void: "Why am I both held so tightly and thrown so easily away?" War spoke to the void. "I am what they hate. Yet they cannot live without me." Peace spoke to the void. "I am sought by all. Yet they have never found me" Innocence asked the void: "Why am I both the first they have and the first they lose?" Strife asked the void: "Why am I the one that they hate t

I've heard so many people tell those who suffer depression to just 'cheer up.' I wonder if they can really believe that it's that simple. Depression isn't just sadness. It is emptiness, it is misery. It is pain and nothingness at once. When you are truly depressed you lack the ability or will to cheer yourself up. No one just 'has depression.' You suffer from it. This is depression: You will wake at 5, 6, maybe 7am, feeling as though you had only just fallen asleep. It's likely you did. If you don't have to be somewhere, you could lie in bed for another 3 hours...too tired, too miserable and pathetic to crawl out of you bed. Or maybe you wi

Once I happened upon a callow young lass, Who apparently thought that it was cool to be crass. And she turned her tongue upon the profession of writing; Apparently she felt that it was in need of a smiting. Though her raving and ranting made very little sense, She seemed to be taking a rather harsh stance. Apparently her pain was too great to be understood, Far beyond the comprehension of this man from the hood. So I stood there in swagger, clad in my bling. While she behaved like 'Moon-Moon', in search of a thing. She spouted some nonsense, some far fetched line, About never idolizing the keen writer's mind... ...Aaaaaalrighty then, If t

I am the shadow, and I am the light I am the sunlight, and I am the night I am the battle, and I am the fighter I am the water, and I am the fire I am a raindrop just ready to fall I am the world, and yet… No one at all.

one.     When she cries herself to sleep     six out of seven nights a week you must     say nothing. You must simply take     her in your arms and kiss her gaunt,     pale cheeks and wait for her to     slumber at the sound of your heart. two.     On the days where she wishes she     were part of the stars, tell her     no. Tell her that there are too many     lights in the sky and that just one     would be forgotten the moment you looked     away from it. Tell her that she is perfect     the way she is: completely human. three.      Don't let her think about the scars      that no one but her can see. If she      says

Master of Ravens 1 My little brother is nine years old the first time I decide to kill him. During the night, snow fell over the jagged wreckage of our land. In the morning I realize he will follow me outside if I call to him. Like an awkward-limbed colt he'll stumble through the snowdrifts, and I can leave him to the ice and wind in the shadow of a three-walled building. No one will see me. Our father will think he has gotten lost on his own. I too will cry when they find his body. When the mourning is done, however, I will be my father's true and only son. 'Cam,' he will call to me, and I'll kneel down before him. My father. Master of

In a story—whether it be told on stage, on screen, or in print—knowing your main characters inside and out helps create a well rounded and interesting plot. It also makes writing them easier too. In this guide, a companion to To Create a Character, I'll attempt to help put skin and flesh on the bare bones of a character, to create "character," and to discover things about them that you—the creator—never knew. Exercise 1: Interviews One of my favorite ways to get to know my character is to interview them as one would a celebrity. The interview can be general, just asking about their life, likes, pet peeves, etc. or it can

Huge character profile of completeness    This character profile template was made by compiling a whole lot of templates made by other artists that I felt were not specific enough and adding many more questions to make everything more specific. The links are in the description, please visit their versions too. This profile is ginormous, not every question may be relevant to your character. The main goal is to have a profile that is as complete as it can get, so not every question will need to be filled in. Add and remove as is needed as there's only few characters every question is relevant for. If you think questions should be added, commen

Dear Stranger, I'm leaving this post-it tucked in the side of the train-seat. If you're reading this, you've seen it. I've seen you sit here every few Monday mornings, sometimes tapping a bent, unlit cigarette against your thigh, sipping from your tea (who brings a tea cup onto a train anyway?); sometimes staring at the rain outside, or reading your well-worn, beaten copy of Jane Eyre (I hate that you fold the corners down - it's bibliophilic abuse. I wish the book would papercut you to defend itself a little, but I digress). You seemed so sad this Monday morning past. Please smile again. I love it when your eyes catch the light of something

Did anyone notice that she winced if you raised your arm? Did anyone notice that her eyes were wide with alarm? Did anyone notice that she never looked you in the eye? Did anyone notice that her voice was but a sigh? Did anyone notice that her skin was always bruised? Did anyone question whether she might be abused? Did anyone question why she walked in obvious fear? Did anyone question why one day she did not appear? Did anyone recognize her face on the six-o’clock news? Did anyone see her remains pulled from the river refuse? Did anyone care that this quiet girl no longer exists? No.  No one did. And she will never even be missed. R.I

After being on DeviantArt for a few years now, I've noticed patterns in people's stories. Patterns, that I can't say I've ever seen until I started using the internet. I believe that's because these kind of patterns are thoroughly unprofessional. The pattern in short is this: Character = victim Plot = bad things happening to said victim Maybe this sounds harsh. It's not if you understand that is ALL there is to these stories. They take any character, hurl them into a tragedy and that's it. Let's get this straight: We do not know your character well enough to care about them yet. No matter how bloody and gutty their injuries are, no matter

Dear Writer, I don’t like you. I’ve never liked you. Unfortunately, I need you. I need you to tell my story. I need you to create my world. I need you to set me free. I need your fingers typing on those keys, I need your mind riddling out the problems, and I need you to plough onward and upward no matter how hard it gets. Sweat, blood, and tears, I don’t care. You’ve got to fight this war, battle at a time, and win it. So I can be more. It’s a slim hope, but it is the only one I have. In your head I am bound to mortality, frailty, and the limit of your meagre imagination. Out there – out there – I

"People who kill themselves are selfish." Well, darling, let me tell you a story, A story all too true. A daughter who became a wife, a wife who became a mother. A mother of three girls... One just above the age of a toddler, One at the age of twelve, And one entering the life of a married adult. Now, the youngest girl was watching television, And the oldest at the neighbor's home. The twelve year old daughter sat at a computer with her closest friend, When something terrifying happened. Her mother was in the kitchen, coughing. The daughter, although unable to see her mother, only could imagine the situation. The mother walked calmly p

Brief introduction to your character: "(A quote from your character)" Name First name: -Meaning: - Pronunciation: - Origin: Middle name: -Meaning: - Pronunciation: - Origin: Surname: -Meaning: - Pronunciation: - Origin: Alias: -Why this alias?: Nickname(s): -Why this nickname?: Title(s): Characteristics Canon/Story: Role: Age: How old do they appear? Mental Age: Gender: Race: Nationality: Ethnicity: Blood Type: Birth Date: Birth Weight: Birth Length: Manner of Birth: First Words: Symbol: Sexuality: Religion: Native Language: Spoken Languages: Relationship Status: Chinese Zodiac Sign: Astrological Sign: Tarot Card: Social Secur

 Yes, I am a teenage girl No, I don't squeal over One Direction No, I don't wear mini skirts No, I don't curl my hair everyday No, I don't need my phone 24/7 Yes, I am a teenage girl Yes, I prefer Edward Scissorhands over Edward Cullen Yes, I like violent video games Yes, I like action movies Yes, I listen to Rock Yes, I am a teenage girl No, I don't draw hearts all over my homework No, I don't spend 20 minutes trying to make myself resemble a porcelain doll No, I'm not afraid to cry No, I don't party every weekend Yes, I am a teenage girl Yes, I hate reality shows Yes, my hair is short and messy Yes, I'd rather walk in the woods Yes, I a