@loveletterstowriting

Hey there! I am a writer struggling a little bit with the emotions of the plot. I have five protagonist and I want to show how they are facing so many challenges and breaking down. I have events planned out to show their great friendship too, which is wholesome. But most of the major events impacting the internal conflict are sad. Their life is wrenched and that is what is happening. I have to show how the particular year made them face so many hardship. I will build the emotion I want but the story would just be too sad. There are 3-4 side characters but the story revolves around only the main characters and it cant leave them; that is not being able to show a different emotion than sad. How do I balance when I want to actually show they are constantly being thrown into sorrow but not let readers get bored or disappointed with just one emotion? A comic relief would just add a bunch of chaos in the story neither do my characters have time for that.

Hmm…good question, Anon.

First, I want to point out that it’s totally okay for your book to be really sad. As long as the loss and the grief means something more than just an emotional rollercoaster…then I think you should write what you want to write! Don’t feel the need to make your book happy because you don’t think your reader will like it. That being said, below is some advice for taking the focus off the sadness and putting it on different emotions.

Now I have a question for you: why is every pov sad? What I mean is, what are your characters doing? Are they being active or reactive? Are they working towards a goal and are they dealing/coping with their challenges? or are they dwelling in the sadness? Don’t get me wrong, you can totally show someone’s inability to deal with a challenge, but I’m guessing that you don’t that for every pov. So #1: make sure your characters are working towards a goal. Your character should be doing something and causing events; events shouldn’t just be happening to them. That should prevent the reader from constantly feeling the sad vibes and focus more on what’s at stake and what the characters are learning from their challenges.

#2: Write the little moments. You said your povs form a friendship, right? That’s perfect! If you want to take a break from the more negative emotions, write some scenes that get personal between your characters. Let them have fun together! Let them make inside jokes or dare the other one to do something stupid or something fluffy like that. Now, you might be thinking that these scenes won’t advance your plot but that doesn’t have to be true! Allowing your characters to get to know each other can 100% influence events in your storyline and make for some excellent character development.

#3: Make sure you know your emotions. Is every pov sad or is one hopeless? The other tired, exhausted? Angry? Distressed? Scared, in pain? All of these are negative, but they’re not all “sad”. Your reader is less likely to get burnt out if the each character is feeling a different type of emotion, so make sure you know exactly what your character is feeling and to describe each character’s emotions uniquely and distinctly. That being said, every one of those negative emotions has a positive opposite. Hopeful, energized, content, at peace, fearless. If one character is exhausted, maybe balance it out by making them also feel some hope every now and then. If another character is angry, maybe they’re also energized and fearless. 

I hope this helps and inspires you to write some more! Your story sounds  interesting and I hope you continue writing it. Who knows, maybe I’ll even see it on a bookshelf some day?? ;)

Hey there! I have been working on my work since a long time and have fairly developed the plot so that I will not be stuck anywhere. This is my third draft so I hope it comes out nicely. But the problem I am facing is burnout. I have thought and worked so much on that book that without writing it too, I feel like enough. The story is good and meaningful. The characters are deep and lovable. But shall I give it a break and begin with a new plot development whose idea I have or shall I continue with it and try to finish it?

Good question!!

From personal experience with burnout, I would definitely take a break! The break doesn’t have to be long, just until you start feeling energized about the story again. Try reading a good book during this time! That way you’ll still be getting exposed to plot maneuvers and storylines without stressing about your own.

About the “new plot development,” I’m going to assume it’s a whole new book/story. Personally, I find it hard to get back into a story if I’ve been working with and vibing with a whole other story. So if you think it’d be hard to take yourself out of the new story to go back to the old one, I wouldn’t dive too deep into plotting the second story. However, write all your ideas with the new plot development down so you can go back to it in the future! 

I hope this helps :)

Dear Writers, 

As promised, here is the good side of writing romance. For those who don’t know, a trope is a recurring plotline, kind of like an archetype but with plot instead of characters. Whether you want to write a romance as a subplot or the plot, here are some of the best tropes in existence. It’s scientifically proven that the tropes below will make your story better :)))

Enemies to lovers: Let’s get this boi out of the way. (Do I even need to explain this one?) I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a good enemies-to-lovers plotline. It makes for the perfect potion of slow-burn and passion and realizing feelings at all the wrong times. 10/10 recommend. However, please keep in mind that there are some things that maybe just *maybe* one of the characters shouldn’t be able to get past. I’m all for forgiveness no matter what, but if someone KILLS YOUR MOM maybe don’t fall in love with them.

Shy girl/boy: I didn’t know what to call this, so yes, I called it shy girl. Anyway, it occurs when one of the characters in the relationship is really shy and has trouble confessing their feelings for their special person. This one gets cuteness points because it’s cute to read about how someone will blush or stutter whenever their crush talks to them or about how they might watch from afar.  Just be careful of confusing shyness with something less than cool. It’s one thing for your character to be a secret admirer, it’s another for them to be a stalker. And it’s one thing for them to get flustered, but it’s another thing entirely if they literally can’t talk to another person. That doesn’t make for a healthy relationship, or really much of a relationship at all.

Slow-burn: I don’t know if this is considered an actual trope, but no matter what type of relationship it is, it’s gotta be slow-burn. (Remember, all of this is scientifically proven. Sorry if you don’t like slow-burn relationships but this is what the facts say.) Slow-burn means the writer takes a drawn out and thorough approach to the relationship. It makes the getting together part 300x more satisfying and exciting. However, if you choose to employ this trope, make sure to keep your reader excited about the relationship! Slow-burn can be awesome if done well, but you don’t want your reader to get bored waiting, so make sure to occasionally tease at the relationship. (But don’t you dare tease at a relationship only for it to never happen!! Don’t you dare!!)

Childhood friends to lovers: With this trope, you have the potential to craft a really wholesome and passionate relationship. It’s exactly as the name suggests: two childhood friends are beginning to fall in love. The pro about this relationship is that the characters already have a history. That means they already have inside jokes, connections, etc. and even potential conflict between the two. The con is that the reader wants to see the relationship develop, so you’ve got to make sure you don’t skip out on any of the fun stuff.

Opposites attract: Isn’t it always so cute when two people who are 100% different from each other get together? Like maybe it’s the goth and the popular girl. Or maybe it’s the smart girl and the jock guy. Obviously, they have to have some sort of common ground (similar values/beliefs, similar situations, etc.) but you really can’t go wrong with this one.

Forbidden romance: I can’t believe I almost forgot this one. You know how it is…. One person is caught in an arranged marriage but they’re secretly in love with someone else. Or maybe they’re a celebrity and they don’t want to commit to someone for fear of bringing them into the spotlight. This one has all the drama: secrets, tension, conflict. You can’t really go wrong with this one unless the reason the relationship is forbidden is something toxic. For example, cheating on someone is forbidden, but for good reason; it’s cruel and toxic as heck.

Best friend’s brother/sister: Basically, the MC has a best friend and they have a sibling that, as the name suggests, the MC falls in love with. This can be a good idea for a number of reasons. For one, there’s established common ground (the best friend) and there’s potential conflict (with the best friend).

Instant attraction: I don’t know how to explain this one well. It’s when the MC automatically knows they’re attracted to the love interest. Maybe they’re physically attracted or maybe the MC admires how well they play an instrument or something like that. This isn’t instant love, it’s just instant interest and attraction. There’s just something about the love interest that makes them stand out from other people. It can be a skill, something they said, how they act, a unique opinion.

Well, that’s all I have for you today! There are a dozen other romance tropes, but these are personal favorites. I hope you learned something from this or got an idea for your own romance. Have a blessed day :)

Love,

Ava

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P. P. S. - Can I add whatever the trope Miraculous uses?? Like what is that? A love square, a secret-identity-with-lovers crisis? I don’t know what it is, but I like it.

Got any tips for writing a character still figuring out who they are/what they want out of life? I feel like a lot of us be out here writing Coming Of Age Stories(TM), and the advice for figuring out your character’s desires tend to be “Don’t use vague platitudes! Get specific! REALLY specific! You should have a clear image of EXACTLY what your character pictures future happiness looking like! If your character isn’t strongly and CLEARLY motivated, they’re a bad character!” [1]

[2] But like. I sure as shit didn’t know what I wanted out of life when I was younger. A lot of my favorite characters in media are like, “I am DESPERATELY seeking a purpose, a direction in life and a place where I fit… but I’ve no idea what that might be.” The most specific answer I could come up with for that “clear want” for these characters would be “idk, working a job I find fulfilling surrounded by people who support and care about me?” Which seems like the wrong answer to that question.

Hi, there, anon!!

To answer your question, first, your character needs to figure out who they are. Coming of Age stories aren’t just about figuring out the future, they’re about figuring out the present. Your character doesn’t just have to ask questions like, “What am I going to do in the future?” and “How can I make an impact on the world?” Before they can even begin to answer those, they’ve got to answer questions like these: “What kind of person do I want to be?” “What do I value?” “What makes me happy?” “Who makes me happy?” “What’s most important to me?” Honestly, if you don’t want your character to know EXACTLY what they want to do in the future by the end of your story, I think it’s perfectly okay to not specify as long as you answer the above questions. Your character doesn’t have to have a detailed goal in mind, but they do have to learn about who they are and make progress towards forming that goal.

That being said, if you do want to come up with a “clear want,” it doesn’t have to be job related. Ultimately, you have to answer the question: What does your character FEAR the most about the future? Is it that they’ll be lonely? That someone will be missing from their life? That they’ll be unhappy with their job? That their family won’t be safe? Figure out what that fear is and focus on addressing that rather than addressing the character’s entire future as a whole. For example, if your character is worried about what type of job they’ll have or how they’ll contribute to society, focus on allowing them to figure out both what they’re good at AND what they enjoy (and why they enjoy it). Keep in mind that for whatever it is the character wants, they will probably have to make sacrifices. If you think “finding a fulfilling job” is the wrong answer, then it might be because the character didn’t make the proper sacrifices to get there or really delve into WHY they want that specific job. 

Overall, you really need to figure out who your character is in the present. Let them explore their own values, meet new people, go on new adventures, etc. Let them grow as a person and their future goals will eventually come to them (and you!). I hope this helps :)

Dear Writers,

Yes, yes, it’s February and Valentine’s Day is tomorrow so I’m making a romance-themed post. Whatever, if you don’t want romance, kindly keep scrolling. Anyway, for all the cool kids out there, we know a little romance can spice up a book of almost any genre. But we also know that the wrong spice can ruin an otherwise good story. So here are my tips for how to avoid writing about a toxic relationship:

• Power dynamics. The relationship must be founded upon equality, not one having power over another. This is in regard to both status and character traits. Your characters have to see each other as equals. That doesn’t mean one can’t be in a position of power or that they can’t have different strengths and weaknesses, it just means that their relationship shouldn’t be based on one having more power than the other. Toxic: a prince is seeing a maidservant; the maidservant wants to stop seeing him but is worried because he’s the crown prince. Non-toxic: a prince is seeing a maidservant who feels comfortable enough to say how she feels to him; she does not feel coerced or pressured to feel a certain way around him because of his status.
• No waiting. I’ve read too many love triangles where the second love interest is “willing to wait” for the MC to realize they’re in love with them. Uh, I don’t think so. NO WAITING, ladies and gentleman. Your MC shouldn’t be waiting for someone to fall in love with them (or another character shouldn’t be waiting for the MC to fall in love with them). The character in question should find someone who’s interested in them and won’t make them wait to make up their mind. I’m not saying two characters have to realize they’re in love at the exact same time. I’m saying that when one confesses and the other says no, then whoever confessed needs to move on. 

• Trust issues. I can’t stress this one enough. Like, I literally can’t. This is SO IMPORTANT. It can be broken into 2 parts: faith and lying. When one person has faith in another, they trust them to do what’s right. They trust their judgment, and guess what, that’s GOOD. When your MC can’t trust that their partner genuinely loves them or that their partner has their best interests in mind and will do the right thing, then your MC needs to throw those vibes away in the nearest dumpster. We don’t tolerate toxic vibes here. In regards to lying, as a general rule, when you lie to someone you look down on them*. If your MC constantly feels the need to lie to another character (or another character to the MC), then your MC doesn’t see them as an equal. They see them as someone who can’t handle the information or doesn’t deserve to know the information. Now, I get it. There will be times where your MC will feel forced to lie to their loved ones, but constantly lying or keeping something big hidden for a long time is toxic and shouldn’t be encouraged. 
• Comfort zone. This one is pretty obvious. If the MC doesn’t want to do something or feels uncomfortable doing it, they shouldn’t have to. However, I feel like some books might cross the line when it comes to the love interest making fun of the MC’s comfort zone. For example, let’s say the MC doesn’t like big social gatherings. The love interest might tease them about it, which isn’t at all a bad thing, but when that teasing turns into forcing the MC to go to a big party because it will “be fun” then that’s not cool. The love interest should respect what the other character wants and realize whether or not they’re comfortable. 
• Time and effort. The two characters in the relationship need to be putting in an equal amount of time and effort into the relationship. One character shouldn’t be constantly doting on the other one. One person shouldn’t be ignoring the other one, or so overwhelmed with other responsibilities they don’t have time for them. I don’t care how busy one character is. It’s toxic if they put their work schedule ahead of their loved one all the time. All in all, they’ve got to respect each other’s time.

Wow, there are so many things that make a relationship toxic. But don’t worry, there are plenty of things that make a romance worth writing!! I’ll make a post about the good reasons to write a romance soon <3 That being said, I might have to make a part two for all the toxic relationships stuff. I’ll link it if I do! Thanks for reading, and please keep in mind these are all my opinions. If you have something to add, feel free to comment! 

Love, 

Ava

P.S. - Reblog to help the fight against cringey toxic relationships that need to END NOW!!

*P.P.S. - Hit me up if you got the No. 6 reference…

Dear Writers, 

This is an issue I’ve personally been struggling with these past few months. I’ve been reading several classics (like Shakespeare and Kate Chopin) and I’ve just been thinking…how? How are these books so old, and yet so popular? How are they great? Are they better than books being written today? Whatever it is, I can’t help but think that I want my book to be known as a classic in the next few hundred years. I mean, who doesn’t? All I can say is that I’ve found a few things that they all have in common. Here’s 4 tips the classics seem to follow:

1. Write what you want. Don’t write what your readers want and don’t write what you feel pressured to write. Do you think Mark Twain let his critics tell him how to end The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Do you think Mary Shelley let people tell her she couldn’t write horror because she was a woman? Of course not! Write what you want. Your passion will come across in your story and make it all the more memorable.
2. Be careful when foregoing conventional writing. What I mean by this is don’t break typical writing standards unless you have a reason. I get it; you want to be quirky. But more often than not, breaking conventional writing standards will get you annoyed reviews (that’s not to say reviews determine your book’s value). For those of you who might be confused, I’m talking about when a writer does something to the font, spacing, or just overall visual style of the text. An example would be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (this isn’t technically a classic, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was taught in school 100 years into the future). Zusak has several little “inserts” where he places bold headlines in the middle of a page to emphasize certain aspects of his story. I’m not saying this is a bad idea, I’m just saying be careful with it. Feel free to break the standards but make sure you have a reason. Zusak added those inserts to emphasize important details and help shape the narration, not because he wanted people to notice his book.
3. Write the best you can. I know this is obvious, but seriously, write to the best of your ability. If every time you read a passage and you know a description or a piece of dialogue just doesn’t sound right, then FIX IT. Don’t let it go with “I can’t think of anything else” or “it’s good enough”. No, fix it. Make it better than good enough. Basically, listen to your gut. If you feel like something is off, rewrite it. (Knowing something is off and knowing something could be better does NOT equal self-doubt. You know it’s self-doubt when you don’t actually feel anything is wrong; you just feel like something is probably wrong.) An example of this in classic literature would be my boi Shakespeare. He literally contemplated nearly every line of his plays. He counted out the syllables to several of his lines to make them flow the best they possibly could. Show your book the same love!
4. Include themes. Some classics are just entertaining stories, but some delve deeper than that. Some are entertaining and give us insights into our world and humanity. For me personally, it’s these books–classic or not–that stick with me. Where would Jane Eyre be if she had sacrificed her principles and morals for someone else? Where would Hamlet be if he had not realized we all die someday? Sure, there are tons of classics that skip out on having deep and meaningful themes, but even then, all characters must have depth and morals. I haven’t read Dracula in a while, and I don’t remember it being super “deep” but I do remember the characters working together as a team and showing courage. That counts.

Overall, these are just some things I noticed a lot of classic books have in common. If you want another piece of advice, here’s an honest tip: don’t get so caught up in making your book a classic. I know, I know, that’s what this whole blog post is supposed to be about. But, really, the popularity of your book does not determine it’s worth. If you take away only one thing from this post, I hope it’s this: make your book the best it can be. That’s it. That’s all these classic authors did. It took me a while to realize that.

Love, 

Ava

P.S. - Sorry for all the Shakespeare references. I’m a bit obsessed at the moment. To show you forgive me, hit that like button???

I'm writing about someone that rushes into their relationship way too fast in hopes of being distracted from their own issues. This in turn creates a toxic and destructive relationship where both of them become kind of awful toward each other (nothing physical, but still bad.) As we all know, YA literature has a habit of falsely casting problematic relationships in a positive light. How can I make it clear to the audience that this relationship is bad, and that I'm not trying to make it seem ok?

Hi there!

First of all, I really appreciate this question. I feel like a lot of authors try to do this but their relationship still comes off as romanticized or okay.

I think the best way to pull this off is to show the full negative consequences of this relationship, showing the “symptoms” if you will. 

Intrapersonal (?) symptoms:

• headaches
• can’t sleep at night
• becoming tense when the other person walks in the room
• being really irritable (even with other people)
• self-destructive thoughts
• losing motivation
• tiredness
• not eating

Interpersonal (?) symptoms:

• manipulative behavior between the two
• physical violence
• not trusting the other
• one of them hurting the other’s self-confidence/insulting them
• trying to control the other person
• unhealthy clinginess
• dating someone for any reason other than love (and the other person doesn’t know)
• keeping score on who-did-what
• possessiveness/jealousy

Those are just some examples. (I’m sure these could be separated into better categories and there’s a ton that I’m missing, but AP psych did not sit well with ya girl.) I’m aware that a relationship can be toxic without these symptoms, so just be sure to show the negative aspects and the hurt it can bring.

Also, it definitely helps if you eventually show the MC realizing the toxicity of the relationship in the end. I don’t know what kind of story you’re writing, but add in a “journey to self-love” kind of sub-plot and that’ll definitely help keep a positive light off the relationship.

Another way to make sure your audience knows you aren’t condoning the relationship is to have one of your other characters condemn it. Maybe it’s someone close to the MC who sees how much the relationship is hurting them, or maybe it’s someone the MC just met who can’t help but notice that they aren’t acting like a normal couple. 

That’s my advice for you and I hope it helps! I’ve never tried to write a toxic relationship before, so I was kind of at a loss at what to say. Again, I hope this helps :)

Love,

Ava

Hi I'm amateur writer anon and I'm asking this question to the entirety of writer tumblr askboxes (ones where I can ask anonymously) about one of my biggest weaknesses in writing: the first opening sentence/paragraph. Please give me some advices on how to write an intriguing first sentence/paragraph so that the readers can get more into it and i can also get right into writing it :(

Hi anon! 

The first opening sentence is, in my opinion, supposed to set the mood for the entire story. The best way to determine how your story should start out is how the rest of your story is. Here’s some examples of what I mean:

Is your story full of action? Then make your first sentence something like “Run!” and then proceed to describe some action scene. (This action scene doesn’t have to pertain to the plot so much as set up your character’s daily life; this goes for all types of intros.)

Is your story a mystery? Then begin with something mysterious. Start with what your reader doesn’t know. Instead of beginning with your detective waking up like any other day, start at the scene of the crime. Describe a hooded figure fleeing from sirens. Or maybe, show off your brilliant detective by beginning the story with him/her solving a crime. If your story is about intrigue, start with intrigue.

Is your story a romance? Try opening with a pick-up line or someone talking about the MC’s love life. You don’t have to introduce the love interest now, just prepare your reader for what’s to come. Hint at the MC’s love life. Are they dating, and if so, are they happy? Are they looking for someone? Are they tired of guys hitting on them? 

Keep in mind that your reader picked up your story because they want action or a mystery or a romance, so GIVE IT TO THEM. Don’t wait until you’re 100 pages in to finally mention what the book is going to be about. This should help you feel more motivated to write too because you’re jumping right into things. Of course, this is only one method for figuring out what to write in your first sentence/paragraph, but I encourage you to give it try! I hope this helps. Feel free to write back if this was a success for you or not :)

Love,

Ava

Dear Writers,

In my last post, I shared some tips for deciding on whether or not your story should have multiple POVs. (You can read it here.) So now that you’ve decided you will indeed have multiple POVs, here are some things to make sure you do, and some things you might want to steer clear from.

DO: Have 2 to 4 POVs. This is the ideal number of POVs to have. Adding any more could overcomplicate things for the reader, making it harder for the reader to remember what has happened. And, chances are, you don’t need more than four viewpoints.

DON’T: Change the font/style with each POV change. This isn’t common, but since I’ve thought about it, I’m going to assume others have, too. Basically, unless the POV should be in italics (maybe it’s a diary entry or something), I wouldn’t recommend changing the font or making any other visible change to the text. This is because it would distract your readers. And, if you’re publishing a print book, it’s just not as “clean-looking” when flipping through the pages and publishers probably won’t let it slide (since it’s a little unprofessional).

DO: Contemplate which POV would be best to tell each scene from. Obviously, you don’t want to write the same scene four different times. So if you decide to rewrite a scene with more than one POV, make sure all POVs add something integral to the story. (Ask yourself, if this POV was missing, would my reader not be clued into something important?) If you decide not to write a scene multiple times, then to help you choose which POV to tell it from, ask yourself, which POV gives the reader the most insight into what’s going on?

DON’T: Change the POV within a chapter. DON’T DO THIS OR I WILL FIND YOU AND I WILL– Look, please don’t do this. I’m asking you nicely. Do not change the viewpoint in the middle of a chapter. Wait until the end of the chapter. When there is more than one, chapter changes almost always signify a change in POV. (FYI, an extra line between paragraphs can signify many things, not just POV changes.) It’s very frustrating when you don’t realize there’s been a POV change and you’ve been reading the past few pages in the wrong character’s voice. 

DO: Give each POV their own unique voice. This is a given; each character needs their own voice. It can be hard to convey character “voices” through text alone, but there are a few ways to help distinguish characters. 1) The way they think. Is your character analytical? Are they oblivious? Show this through their POV. Make them notice (or not notice) things. 2) Their emotions. Are they emotional? Are they calm? Cold on the outside but hot on the inside? Describe their emotions!! This is an easy way to distinguish each character since different people tend to experience certain emotions a lot more than others. Does your character get mad a lot? Are they happy where they are in life? Do they get jealous a lot? 3) Thoughts. Include direct thoughts from your character. These can give insights to how your character feels as well as allow you to show how they talk. Do they have an accent? Do they use a lot of slang? Are they sarcastic? (By the way, direct thoughts are usually in italics.)

DON’T: Reference things your character shouldn’t know. This isn’t a “don’t” so much as a warning. Make sure that when you mention something about your world or another scene, that the character from that POV was actually there or was filled in on something. Just because your reader knows what’s going on, doesn’t mean your character does just yet.

Well, those are my tips for writing multiple POVs! I hope you found these helpful :)

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Whoa, you just barely missed the like button! Hit that bad boy!!

Dear Writers, 

Are you plotting an epic fantasy novel? Or perhaps a drama-filled romance book? Or even a fanfic? No matter what you’re writing, you may be considering having multiple POVs. Here are some questions to ask yourself to help figure out whether your story is better told by one MC or several!

1. If you’ve already plotted for multiple POVs, here’s the first question; if not, then skip to the next one. Does every POV tell a unique perspective and does that character have their own purpose, goal, and motivation? Every single POV must have a purpose, otherwise they’ll be distracting the reader from the real story. The character must play an important role to the story or share a unique perspective on what’s going on. If your POV doesn’t meet these requirements, then chances are, your reader will find this POV boring and unneeded. Delete said POV.
2. How complex is your storyline? What I mean is, how many plot twists and arcs and villains and secrets does your story contain? If your story has a lot of these, another POV could help explain some of them so you don’t feel burdened to shove everything into one MC’s face. However, if your story doesn’t have a lot of these, then consider not including more than one POV. This is simply because you want your reader to fully explore every little plot twist and arc you have planned for them. Another POV could either distract the reader from the main story at hand or overwhelm your reader with details.
3. Does one POV fully explain how your MC gets from the beginning of the book to the end? Or, do you feel like, in the last chapter, you’re rushing to explain things that happened throughout the whole thing  in order to make sure your reader understands what’s been happening outside of the MC’s POV? Obviously, I’m not saying you need to reveal all your writerly secrets and plot twists with another POV, but if revealing a little bit here and there lessens the load on what your reader has to absorb during the climax, I would suggest adding at least a few interludes.

Those are my tips for deciding whether or not you should  have multiple POVs! As a general rule, I wouldn’t include more than 3 or 4 POVs just because too many could be hard for the reader to remember and/or could water down the story. Hope these help!

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Don’t be shy, leave a like!

I'm currently working on a story cause i need to take my feelings out of the inside, and i thought it would be a good way to put it on paper, so I can just 'close that chapter of my life'

I'm writing about my feelings and everyone who has read a piece of it say (maybe because i actually felt it) that i can realy put the reader throught my emotions, make them feel it too wich for me was amazing, making someone feel something you know? The problems is, I am writing about my life, real people, real situations, suddenly I started feeling ashamed of writing about the people I used to love and also scared someday someone will realize that all of that is true, even kind scared that the person I loved and the one that putted me through all this one day discovers I wrote about this person. Ashamed and scared, feeling like that even knowing that maybe no one will read it, is just... I needed to tell someone about this, thanks

This is a lot to unbox, but first I would like to thank you for reaching out to me. Reaching out to anyone can be scary and difficult, so I hope it was a relief for you to get this off your chest.

Second, I can only imagine what you’ve gone through; I’m not going to pretend like I know what’s happened. But if you have a passion for writing–no matter what–don’t stop writing! From what your friends say, it sounds like you have a talent for making your readers feel emotions through your writing. This is good. Writing your story and what you’ve been through is a good way to cope with things; this is nothing to be ashamed about. If you don’t write for anyone else, write for yourself.

That being said, I understand that you might feel hesitant or even guilty about writing about real people, especially if you used to care about them. Know that you can forgive someone without making excuses for their behavior. Even if the person you wrote about reads your story, there’s nothing they can do about it. If they didn’t want you to write about them, maybe they should have treated you better. It’s your story. Only you have the power to tell it and they can never take that away from you. It’s up to you if you ever want to publish your story (be it anonymous or with your real name). 

You’re not alone. You mentioned being scared that someone would realize your story is actually true, but…couldn’t that be for the better? Someone could be going through something similar and reading your story could give them the hope they need to get through it <3 Even if someone isn’t going through the exact same thing, they can still relate to your story and feel not-so-alone themselves. That’s the beauty of story-telling. Stories inspire people and bring them together.

I don’t know if you wanted advice or if you just needed to vent, but if you want my advice, here it is:

Write your story. Share it with someone, with the world. Don’t let anybody stop you.

Dear Writers, 

Remember that one book where the MC didn’t stand out at all? Remember that one MC that didn’t have a personality? Or, perhaps, do you remember multiple MCs that didn’t stand out or do much? Here are some tips so that your MC doesn’t get put in the “I-don’t-care-if-this-character-dies category”.

1. Give them a personality that isn’t all over the place. What I mean is, don’t make your character flawless to the point where it seems they have every single good personality trait on the planet. Don’t be afraid to make your character get attention (and I mean, attention from the READER as well as the other characters). For example, don’t make your MC kind, smart, happy, able to do things without trying, sarcastic, witty, capable, strong-willed, and observant all at the same time. Keep some of those traits and then pepper in some flaws and things that set them apart from the other characters. Maybe your MC is extremely kind, but they’re insecure or not very smart or not very strong. Maybe they’re super smart, but they’re also stubborn and angry and can’t ever believe it when they’re wrong about something. Basically, concentrate building their persona off a few key traits.
2. Give them a passion! The best way to get to know someone is through what they love best. It’s the same in the fictional world, so even if you just hint at it, make sure to mention your character’s passion. It doesn’t always have to be related to the conflict, by the way. Maybe you’re writing about a fantastical heist, but the MC is passionate about their priceless book collection or maybe they are passionate about their future career as a vet. Be sure to mention these things and connect them to the plot if you can.
3. Last (and certainly not least), give them a secret! If you’ve read some of my other posts, you’d know I love nothing more in a character than mystery and intrigue. So please, please, please, give your character a secret! It can be serious or funny, related to the conflict or not. Perhaps your MC has a tragic past or maybe they have a silly crush. Either way, your reader will enjoy trying to figure it out before the big reveal. 

To sum things up, all your character really needs is a striking personality. But if you want to spice things up some more, go ahead and give them a passion or a secret (or both). I hope you enjoyed reading and find these tips helpful!

As always,

Love,

Ava

“We all have our own process and move at our own pace, and there is just as much beauty in the words that burn slow as in the words that rush and tumble in a wild and mighty flow.” 

–Gillian Bronte Adams

Worried you’re writing too fast? Feel like you need to calm down and do a bunch of plotting before you’re in over your head? Or…worried you won’t finish when you want to? Feel like, since you love writing so much, you should be writing more, writing faster?

If the above sounds like you…I want you to know that it doesn’t matter how fast you write. Don’t compare yourself to other writers. No matter when you write, your story will be just as meaningful and precious to you as theirs is to them. It’s about what you write, not when you write it.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying you should skip deadlines or anything. I’m just saying the journey should make you as happy as the destination will :) So have fun while writing! Write when you can and don’t beat yourself up too much over your word count :)

P.S. - The quote is from YA author Gillian Bronte Adams’s Instagram story. Go check her out!! 

Hey, um, I was hoping you could help me with something. I’m writing an injury-recovery/unlikely-friendship story, but the whole plot is kicked off by a failed assassination attempt. I want to integrate the assassin in more (because I realized I didn’t really have any payoff on that element, and they’re gonna play a pretty big role in the sequel,) but... I just can’t seem to figure out how to ADD an antagonist to a story which was initially outlined without one.

Hello there^^ From what I understand, you need help integrating your antagonist into the first book more? I might be able to help! Here are some ways I came up with to get your antagonist more involved in the plot:

1. Interludes. If you don’t want to give your antagonist a full POV, then try giving them a few interludes. Interludes are basically just lapses in the main storyline where the POV shifts to somewhere/someone else. They usually only last a few pages, or sometimes even less than that. Oftentimes they get right to the point. Maybe you can describe your antagonist right before the assassination attempt, or some other big plot point. (Keep in mind that these can be great for foreshadowing, so don’t let the interlude spoil the next chapter!)
2. Ask yourself: what is the antagonist doing when they’re “off the page”? If they’re relevant in the second book but not the first, what is keeping them busy? My suggestion is to hint at what the antagonist is up to, what their big plan is, without revealing too much. For example, if they’re keeping watch on the protagonist, make the MC explain how they sometimes feel like they’re being watched, or maybe a stranger–who is actually the antagonist–keeps popping up. Or maybe the MC is reading a newspaper and takes note of a strange article; little do they know, the article is about the antagonist. 
3. Give your antagonist some relationships! Maybe the antagonist isn’t relevant at the moment, but their brother is? Or their business partner? You can use these little relationships to develop your antagonist from just a name and face to person with family, friends, motives, etc. Also, this would give them some page time since if they and the MC have people in common, they’re more likely to run into each other.

I hope these help :)

Love,

Ava

P. S. - I’m sorry if I kept you waiting; I hadn’t been checking my inbox ><; And thank you for submitting a question! I’m always happy to help :D

Time to get s p o o k y

Dear Writers,

In the spirit of the season, here are some ways to increase the scare-factor of your antagonist! Please keep in mind that I don’t write/read horror. This is coming from someone who writes/read fantasy. But trust me, a scary antagonist works just as well in a fantasy book as in a horror one.

1. Rule #1: Keep your MC in the dark! If your MC knows everything about the antagonist, it makes them less mysterious, more familiar, and overall, less scary. I suggest waiting a little bit until the MC finally meets the antagonist face-to-face, to amp up the anticipation and the fear. I suggest taking this advice if your antagonist meets any of the following: a) they’re a monster/creature/ghost; b) they’re a “masked” figure (i.e. Phantom of the Opera). Think about how scary something is when you don’t even know how it kills or where it’ll strike next. 
2. The antagonist has a “warning bell”. What I mean by this is that there’s always something that precedes the antagonist before they strike. Maybe the MC will hear mysterious whispering or claws scraping the floor when the antagonist is near. This is twice as scary if the antagonist appears human. (I mean, imagine you hear mysterious whispering before someone rounds the corner and starts walking towards you.)
3. Keep their appearance simple. Of course, you’ve got to give them a scary appearance, but don’t overcomplicate things. Try giving them a few recognizable features, like slit pupils or a forked tongue. Obviously, if your antagonist isn’t human, you can take it up a notch, but start with a basic body shape and then begin adding some spooky features. Also, do NOT give your monster/creature EVERY SINGLE SCARY FEATURE IMAGINABLE. Unless they’re some snake-goat-demon hybrid, why would they have a forked tongue, horns, claws, scales, fur, pointed teeth, AND glowing red eyes? Your reader won’t be scared; they’ll just be overwhelmed trying to remember everything.

I hope you found these tips helpful! Unfortunately, I feel like I missed some things since I’m not super familiar with this area. Feel free to comment your own ideas! I’d love to hear your guys’s advice :)

Love,

Ava

P.S.  ~~stay mysterious~~

Hora de ser e s p e l u z n a n t e 

Querido Escritores,

¡El H-ween está cercano! Debajo están algunos consejos para diseñar el peor miedo de tu personaje.

1. Su peor miedo es relacionado con algo incidente traumático del pasado. Mal: lo hemos visto antes. Bien: es creativa, pero no tan absurdo.
2. Su peor miedo es una metáfora. Déjame explicar. Puedes conectar el miedo a un elemento de la vida de tu personaje. Por ejemplo, quizá el pensamiento de estar en un espacio pequeño no le da miedo. Sin embargo, estar en un espacio pequeño le recuerda a su opresión. 
3. Su peor miedo está conectado a su orgullo. A veces, una persona tendrá miedo debido a cómo algo los hace verse o sentirse.
4. Su peor miedo es elegido por otros. Su sociedad y ambiente (como la gente cercana a ellos) pueden influenciar su miedo. (Piensa, “el susto rojo.”) 

Eso es todo lo que tengo para ti hoy. ¡Espero que lo hayas disfrutado! 

Con amor,

Ava

No soy una hablante nativa, por eso podría haber errores. Gracias por entender.

Time to get s p o o k y 

Dear Writers,

The H-ween is nearly upon us! The leaves are crunchy, it gets dark out real quick…and I can post some spooky writing advice. Below are some tips for designing your character’s worst fear.

1. Their worst fear is related to some past traumatic incident. This might sound cliché, and if used wrong, it can be kind of obnoxious, but if used right, it can make your reader really empathize with your character. Wrong: we’ve seen it before. Right: the reader couldn’t guess the incident; it’s unique. (I don’t mean to underplay any traumatic incident or make anyone’s experience seem less traumatic. I simply mean to point out that some backstories are overused.)
2. Their worst fear is a metaphor. Allow me to explain. You can easily take an “average” fear (fear of heights, claustrophobia, etc.) and connect it to your character’s life. Maybe the thought of being in a small space doesn’t scare them, but it reminds them of how they feel oppressed and like they’re suffocating whenever the antagonist is around. Or maybe they’re not really afraid of getting too close to a ledge, but the height increases their anxiety because it reminds them of how much danger they’re in and how they could fall at any moment (regarding their situation, I mean).
3. Their worst fear is connected to their pride. Sometimes someone gets scared because of how something will make them feel or look. Maybe someone is scared of failing, not because they care about the task at hand, but because their reputation will be in jeopardy. Maybe a character is scared of letting that one person win against them because if so-and-so can beat them, they must be weak and pitiful and not at all like the proud person they are made out to be.
4. Their worst fear is told to them. What I mean by this is that society influences your character’s fear. The best example I can think of is the Red Scare. If you’re not American or if you don’t know what it is, it’s the time period during the 20th century in which the general public (of the US) was extremely afraid of communism taking over. This led to people accusing others of being communist and such. While someone might not have been scared of communism at first, they were probably driven to fear because everyone around them was so frantic.

That’s all I got for you today! I hope you enjoyed reading. Go ahead and follow this tumblr if you want some more writing advice related to spooky stuff next week. Have a good day!

Love,

Ava

Dear Writers,

This tip is so important it gets its own post. Drum roll please….brrrrrrrrrrmmm….your characters must have goals! 

Before you start writing, make a list of all your most important characters and write their goal/motive beside them. What do they want to accomplish or obtain by the end of the time frame of your story?  (It’s best to establish their motives before you start writing, but don’t worry if you’re already halfway through the first draft. You can always add supporting details later!)

Motives are important because your character should be making decisions around them. Their motives help show who they are as a person as well as what they do in the story. Without a goal, your character is just reacting to events and lowkey no one wants to read that it is not captivating your reader!

If you’re having trouble coming up with a goal for your character, try answering some of these questions:

• What is their situation? And how does their situation make them feel? (What are they willing to do to get out of that situation?)
• Who are they and who do they want to be? (Does your character look up to someone and try to be like them?)
• What do they have to lose? And is someone trying to take that something away? (It could be a loved one, a throne, money, magic, etc.)
• Is their life in danger? (Motive → survive/get rid of the danger.)
• What sets them apart from everyone else? Can they do something no one else can do? (Ex. If they’re the only one who can save the world, their goal could be to save the world.) 

There’s so much more to motives, but not everything can fit on one post! I might have to make another soon ;)

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Thank you for reading!

P.P.S. - I’ve been getting a lot more notes recently, so if you’ve reblogged any of my posts or left a like, thank you so much! I really appreciate you guys :)

Dear Writers,

Don’t we all love a good plot twist? When we don’t see it coming at all and while we’re surprised and maybe even mad, we’re excited and can’t wait to see how it all plays out? Or when we predict it and victoriously exclaim so? Here are some dos and don’ts that can make or break your plot twist:

DO: Leave bread crumbs. Leave clues for your readers throughout the story. They shouldn’t be obvious, but when the plot twist is revealed, your reader should look back on the book and be like, “HOW DID I NOT SEE IT COMING?!” If you’re worried about your reader catching on too quickly, don’t be. There will always be at least one reader who will catch on, but even so, they’ll probably exclaim, “I knew it!” when the plot twist is revealed. If you make it absolutely impossible for anyone to predict your plot twist, then, well, read the next point.

DON’T: Make it come out of nowhere. Your plot twist shouldn’t be predictable and cliché, but it also shouldn’t be absurd and make no sense. Again, your reader should be able to look back on the rest of the story and see the pieces that make up the rest of the puzzle.

DO: Change the reader’s perspective. This is a simple but effective way to employ a plot twist. Throughout the majority of the story, lead the reader–and characters–to believe one thing because of a possible prejudice, bias, or point of view, and then completely turn that notion upside down. Make the reader realize they were looking at it from the wrong angle. An example would be that, let’s say, character ABCD hates the protagonist. The prejudice/bias/pov: Because it’s told from the protagonist’s pov, the reader hates the ABCD and is led to believe that there is nothing more to their hate other than one mistake the MC made. The change in perspective/plot twist: the antagonist was perceived as hateful but actually isn’t OR the reason for their hate is different than the one the MC assumed.

DON’T: Bring back a dead parent. Please kill this cliché. There are some days I want to start a change.org petition to murder this trope. Look, I get it. It’s very tempting to give your character daddy issues, but it’s overdone. Unless you can put a clever spin on the situation, don’t do it. And I’m not saying no to the whole “I thought my mom/dad was dead but it turns out they’re the villain” thing, but just don’t use it as a big plot twist. Your readers will see it coming. Again, it can make a good storyline (one of my favorites, actually), but not a good plot twist.

DO: Follow up your plot twist with a plot twist. I suggest creating a few subplots so you can have maybe two or three plot twists (assuming you’re writing a longer novel). This keeps your reader excited and interested for the remainder of the book. One plot twist should be a huge deal (this should be revealed last or nearer the end) and the others can be minor (either the readers won’t understand their significance right away or they just don’t impact the story as much). 

DON’T: Undo everything. What I mean is, your plot twist shouldn’t tear up the reader’s entire image of your world. Sure, it should tear off a corner, but the whole thing? Plot twists shouldn’t rewrite your book. If your plot twist changes your book’s genre, then something’s off. For example, if your reader is led to believe your characters are from the fifteenth century Italy but the plot twist is that one of them is a time traveler, then well, that changes the genre from historical fiction to sci-fi. Keep in mind readers are reading your book for a reason–if you write fantasy like me, then that reason is oftentimes the world. If you take that reason away, they’re not going to keep reading your series.

Those are my dos and don’ts for plot twists! I hope you gained something from reading this and thank you if you read it all the way through :) Feel free to message any questions or anything you would like to add. Have a good day~

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Reblog to bury the my-parent-is-dead-but-they’re-actually-not trope once and for all

Dear Writers,

The climax is one of the most important parts of a book. If it doesn’t feel right, the reader will never be 100% satisfied with the story. That said, here are some mistakes I’ve seen over and over again with climaxes. 

1. Too much action. The climax shouldn’t last more than 8-10% of the book. (If your book is 300 pages, the climax would be 25-30 pages.) This is because climaxes are supposed to be thrilling and exciting, but the reader won’t stay thrilled for long, so strike while the iron is hot. I usually see this problem if the climax takes place during a war, rebellion, battle, etc. A battle shouldn’t last more than 30 pages, unless there are multiple POVs, etc. Battles are fast-paced; people often can’t think straight and therefore would only describe important details. Sure, some battles last for days, but a climax isn’t several days. It’s one moment in time. 
2. It’s boring. We’ve all read that climax that didn’t live up to the anticipation. First of all, the result of your climax should never be predictable. Or at the very least, the way the result is achieved shouldn’t be predictable. For example, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, everyone knew the climax would be the final trial of the Triwizard Tournament. However, first-time readers probably wouldn’t have predicted the outcome. Even if they knew Voldemort would somehow wreck the tournament, they didn’t know how he would do it. Here are some things to keep your reader intrigued: reveal some secrets (ooooh), surprise them, have their plan backfire.
3. Cliffhanger/it’s unresolved. Don’t write a cliffhanger. Don’t do it. You’re not cool for making your reader miss out on some of the spicy secrets until book 2. Basically, your reader should feel satisfied with the revelations of the climax. If you’re writing a series, MOST questions should be answered and suspicions should be confirmed. If you’re writing a stand-alone or the last book in a series, then ALL questions should be answered. Should the climax create its own questions? Yes. But should the book end there? No. The book should end with the protagonist setting off to answer those questions. This will make the reader feel satisfied (knowing the questions will be answered eventually) while at the same time anticipating the next book in the series.

That’s all I’ve got for you tonight! (Where I am, the stars are out.) I hope these tips/examples were helpful. And as always, thank you for reading :)

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Like and follow so more people can learn that keeping the reader from the spice ≠ nice

Formatting Dialogue 

Dear Writers,

In my last post I talked about writing dialogue content-wise—you can check it out here—but this week I’m leaving some tips on the technicalities of writing dialogue. Below is a conversation that has been written by me and color-coded. The tips after that are colored to match the dialogue it corresponds with. Enjoy! 

That’s all I’ve got for today! I hope you learned something while reading this, and a big thank you if you read it all the way through. As always, all likes and reblogs are appreciated, and be sure to follow @loveletterstowriting​ for more. Thank you for reading and happy writing :)

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Marinette, Alya, and Adrien are not my characters! I just rewrote a scene from Miraculous with the purpose of showing you how to write with dialogue. 

Dialogue Content

Dear Writers,

Here are some tips I’ve picked up about writing natural dialogue between characters. These tips are specifically for the content of the dialogue, not how to format it. Check back for a post about formatting dialogue.

1. We’re starting out with a pet peeve here. PEOPLE WHO ARE  MULTILINGUAL DO NOT SPEAK IN A LANGUAGE THEY KNOW SOMEONE ELSE WILL NOT UNDERSTAND. What I mean is, if Character A speaks English and Spanish fluently, but all the other characters only speak English, Character A won’t drop random Spanish words into their conversations. Character A will speak English with other people who speak English. They’ll speak Spanish with other people who speak Spanish. It’s that simple. Character A would NOT say things like “Adios, guys, I’m going to la tienda,” in front of only English-speaking characters.
2. Your dialogue should practically ooze with your character’s personality. How your character talks with and interacts with others tells the reader a lot about them. Your reader should be able to read at least half of the dialogue and automatically know who said it. To figure out whether or not your dialogue checks out, think about the kind of person who would say it. Is it mean? Sarcastic? Sweet?
3. Remember who your character is talking to. Make sure the words being said reflect your characters’ relationship between one another. (Just because Character A may curse regularly doesn’t mean they would do so in front of their mom or their boss!)
4. People don’t usually talk in complete sentences. They drift off, stop talking, break off and start again. Your character might change their mind half way through a sentence and start saying something else. **Your dialogue shouldn’t look like the rest of the text. It should have grammar errors and a sense of flow to it!**
5. In real life, most people don’t specifically address someone with their name unless they’re trying to get their attention. If I’m trying to make my friend look up from their phone, I’ll call their name. But if I’m in the middle of a conversation, I’m not going to be like, “That’s why I did that, Name. I think that…don’t you agree, Name?” I’m not even joking when I say that one time I read a book and the mother of the mc literally said either his name or “son” every other sentence in what was supposed to be a casual conversation. Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this ><; 

Those are my five tips for writing natural, normal dialogue that won’t make your readers cringe or want to tear out pages of your book. As always, thank you for reading~

Love,

Ava

P.S. - In a week, I’ll post about how to format dialogue, so follow me to stay updated!

P.P.S - Have a good day :)

Queridos Escritores,

En Los Estados Unidos, mucho está pasando ahora mismo, por eso yo te quiero recordar que cuentos son PODEROSOS.  Tus cuentos, tus historias, tus luchas, tu vida. Todo tiene un propósito. Cuenta tu cuento; escribe sobre eso. Las voces no tienen que estar necesariamente habladas; pueden estar escritas. Muchas personas aprenden con cuentos (fantásticos o no), con comparaciones y metáforas y otras perspectivas.

Cuentos tienen significados. Cuentos cambian de opiniones. Cuentos son poderosos.

Con amor, 

Ava

No soy una hablante nativa, por eso podría haber errores. Gracias por entender.

Dear Writers,

In America, a lot is going on right now, and I just want to remind you guys that stories are POWERFUL. Your stories, your struggles, your life all have a PURPOSE. Tell your story; write it out. Voices aren’t always spoken, sometimes they’re written.

And don’t feel like when you tell your story you are limited to one genre. That’s not true. Write your story as a fantasy novel! or maybe a paranormal or a dystopian one. Analogies, symbols, foreign worlds, and magic and legends and characters can capture the heart and convey ideas we could never explain to someone otherwise. Just because a book is fantastical, doesn’t mean it can’t portray justice, honor, bravery, courage, kindness, mercy, and goodness. Or for that matter, pain, hardship, perseverance, cruelty, wrath, and true evil. People learn from stories, from comparisons and metaphors and other perspectives.

Stories have meaning. Stories change minds. Stories are powerful.

Love, 

Ava

Dear Writers,

Most of you are probably already avid readers, but if you’re looking to improve your writing, read! It helps to see what others have done with their talent so you can use yours~ Write what you want to read, but also, read what you want to write. For example, if you are having trouble with developing your own magic system, go read about one!

As always, if you any writing related questions, feel free to comment or submit a question. Thank you for reading! This tip is a bit obvious, but it needs to be said more, so I hope you found this advice helpful.

Love, Ava

P.S. - Feel free to ask for book recommendations and leave a like <3

Dear Writers,

I totally understand the struggles of defining your characters’ personalities. Sometimes it’s easy to label supporting characters or even the main character as “the _____ one.” What I mean is there are a lot of characters acting like “the mean one,” or “the dumb one,” or “the smart one.” These are often archetypes and no matter how good the story line is, your reader will never get past these one sided characters. Simple fix: show the character’s different moods and relationships. Now, it’s a simple solution, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Here are some example questions to help you out. If they’re “the mean one,” are they mean to everyone? Do they respect authority but not underdogs? Do you have to earn their respect? Do they think before they say mean things, and if they don’t, do they regret it later? When are they particularly rude? Chances are, someone won’t be mean all the time. Maybe they’re especially irritable when they come home from work, and maybe they’re more lighthearted after a good night’s rest.

That’s all I have for today :) I hope you found this quick tip helpful. 

As always, love,

Ava

P.S. - I’m sorry it’s been days between posts. I’m recovering from an odd cough; I’m not sure what it is, but sometimes it makes me say the most random of things. *cough, cough* follow Love Letters to Writing *cough, cough* like this post *cough* Ahem, sorry about that. I can’t control it.

Querido escritores,

Alguna vez te ha dado “cringe” la manera en que un personaje estaba descrito en un libro? Alguna vez has querido borrar  las frases “pelo negro azabache” y “ojos azules oceano” de toda la historia humana? No puedo conceder tu deseo, pero con suerte, bastante personas leerán este post y entenderán mejores maneras describir el aspecto de un personaje. (Sólo puede suceder si dejarías un “like” y “seguir” Love Letters to Writing!) Aquí están mis consejos de describiendo los aspectos de personajes.

1. Primeramente, pregunta: necesitas describir tu personaje? Son importante de la trama? Están en más de una página? Si no, no te preocupes por el aspecto de personaje. 
2. Cuando has decidido tu personaje es importante, escoge cual de sus rasgos y atributos físicos son lo más prominente. Describas los rasgos de lo más reconocible. Quizá su pelo es mucho largo o corto. Quizá su postura es muy mala o muy buena. Tus personajes no tienen que tener aspectos super único, sólo algo tus lectores pueden asociar con ellos (y sólo ellos).
3. Hay algunas descripciones que están utilizado mucho. Entiendo que solo hay pocas maneras describir el color de pelo, pero si no es un rasgo prominente, no uses muchas palabras describirlo. Si una muchacha tiene pelo negro, pero ella es alta extrañamente, se debería concentrar mas en su estatura que su pelo. Dicho esto, si un personaje tiene ojos azul, no comparas sus ojos como el cielo o el océano a menos que, por ejemplo, el personaje tiene una afinidad con naturaleza. Cada descripción tiene que tener un propósito y para acercar el lector y el personaje. En un post en la futura, haré una lista de frases sobreutilizan como “pelo negro azabache” and “ojos azules oceano”. (Esos frases están muy común en inglés. No se si ellos están popular en español.)
4. NUNCA describas solo los colores del pelo y los ojos de su personaje. Decir tu personaje tiene pelo rubio y ojos azules es bien, pero ese no le da el lector una imagen impresionante. Cuánto de largo es su pelo? Qué tono exacto? Qué es la forma de sus ojos, nariz, boca? Qué es su tez? Cuánto miden? Cómo es su postura? Hay muchos rasgos puedes describir. No describas solo los colores del pelo y los ojos. (Ehem, escritores de Wattpad.)
5. Dicho esto, las características no tienen que ser genética. Aspectos pueden estar influenciado por el ambiente de su personaje. Si ellos trabaja en una oficina y se sienta mucho, ellos estaría demasiado gordo. Algunos ejemplos de características que pueden estar influenciado por el ambiente: callos, tez, limpieza, postura, en forma o no, etc.

Los consejos son los primeros cinco venir a la mente. Gracias por leer, espero que le haya sido útil! Si tienes una pregunta o quieres contar un otro consejo, puedes enviar una pregunta o dejar un comentario.

Con amor, 

Ava

P.D. - Puedes ayudar salvar la humanidad de descripciones de personaje malo; le da a este tumblr un “seguir” ;)

No soy una hablante nativa, por eso podría haber errores. Gracias por entender.

Dear Writers,

Last week I posted about describing your characters’ appearances; this week I’ll be helping you choose a character name. (Click here for last week’s post!)

1. I recommend coming up with your setting and your character’s personality/situation/appearance before you decide upon a name. You want their name to fit in with their world, and not only that, it’ll be easier to come up with names when you have a feel for who you’re naming. Make sure the name is in the right genre, too. Seraphina would fit in with the fantasy or sci-fi genre, but not horror or realistic fiction.
2. Browse name sites. This sounds really obvious, but it might be overwhelming when you don’t know what to look for. Do you want your character’s name to mean something specific? (For example, Bella means ‘beautiful’.) Do you want it to start with the letter S or be a certain length? Do you want the name to be of a specific religious or ethnic origin? There are plenty of sites out there that will help you narrow down your options. My personal favorite is this one. (Yes, it is for moms. Most name sites are.) 
3. If you want the name to be unique, try taking pieces of other names or words and putting them together. For example, I made up “Valsmi” literally right now and in about thirty seconds. “Val” comes from Valerie and “Smi” comes from Smith. But be careful when doing this. MAKE SURE YOUR READERS CAN PRONOUNCE YOUR CHARACTER’S NAME or they’ll be distracted during the whole story and, quite possibly, send you hate mail.
4. Similar to the previous tip, for a title or last name, you can put together two words. (Ever heard of The Oathbreaker or a boy with the last name Skywalker?) Oftentimes, colors are part of names like these. (Ex. White Fang.) 
5. I’ve noticed there’s a lack of juniors and seniors in books and short stories. Your character could have gotten their name from a parent or family member, especially if they are royalty or noble. In fact, it is likely for royalty to inherit their name.

That’s all for this post. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading and will keep in mind these five tips when naming your fictional characters. 

Love,

Ava

P.S. - Don’t be shy! If you have a question or would like to share a writing tip with the blog, feel free to submit a question or comment.

Dear Writers,

Have you ever cringed at the way a character is described in a book? Have you ever wished to erase the phrases “raven black hair” and “ocean blue eyes” from all of human history? I may not be able to grant your wish, but hopefully enough people will read this post and learn better ways to describe a character’s appearance. (That can only happen if you like this post and follow Love Letters to Writing!) Below are my tips for describing your characters’ physical appearances.

1. First and foremost, ask yourself: do you need to describe your character’s appearance? Are they significant to the plot? Do they make more than a one page appearance? If not, don’t bother bogging down a paragraph with their description. 
2. Once you’ve decided your character is important enough, choose which of their features and physical attributes are the most prominent and make them stand out. Focus on describing the more recognizable attributes. Maybe their hair is really long or short. Maybe their posture is super tight or slouched. Your characters don’t have to have super unique looks, just something your reader can associate them with. Your reader should be able to identify your character based on only a few recognizable and memorable descriptions!
3. There are some really overused descriptions. I understand there are only so many ways to describe hair color, but if it’s not the character’s most prominent feature, don’t go to lengths to describe it. If a girl’s hair is black, but she is unusually tall, focus more on her height than her hair being black. That being said, if someone has blue eyes, don’t compare them to an ocean or the sky unless, say, they have an affinity with nature. Every description should have a purpose and bring the reader closer to the character. In a future post, I’ll list common and overused phrases like “raven black hair” and “ocean blue eyes”. I’ll link it here.
4. Do NOT  ever, ever, ever only describe your character’s coloring. I have read books, short stories, fanfics, and online stories in which only hair and eye color are mentioned. Saying your character has blond hair and blue eyes is fine, but that doesn’t leave the reader with an impressive image. How long is their hair? What exact shade? What is the shape of their eyes, nose, mouth? What’s their skin tone? How tall are they? How do they carry themselves? There are so many physical attributes to describe. Do NOT leave it at just their hair and eye color. (I’m looking at you, Wattpad writers.)
5. That being said, the traits you describe don’t have to be genetic. A lot of times, looks may depend on the character’s environment. If they spend all their time laboring in a mine, they’re going to be really skinny. If they’re always behind a desk, they might be overweight. Some attributes that depend on the environment: calluses, tans, cleanliness, posture, muscles, frown/smile lines, clothes, etc.

Those tips are just the first five that come to mind; the topic of character appearances is very broad, so I’ll do a part two if requested. Thank you for reading, and I hope you found these helpful! If you have a question or would like to share a writing tip with the blog, feel free to submit a question or comment.

Love, 

Ava

P.S. - Help save humanity from bad character descriptions by giving this blog a follow ;)

Consejo de escritura para los estudiantes de secundaria la primera parte

Querido estudiantes de secundaria,

Este post es un parte de una serie se llama “Consejos de escritura para los estudiantes de secundaria”. Los consejos debajo de este están aquí ayudar autores jóvenes, como yo, encontrar el tiempo escribir con un horario ocupado.

1. Cuando tienes el tiempo libre en la hora de estudio libre o en tu casa, NO USES TU TELÉFONO. Ni siquiera pensar en ello. En lugar de eso, usa este tiempo escribir o idear cosas para tu escritura. Tiempo precioso vuela cuando usas las redes sociales. (Podrías hacerlo ahora mismo…pero no apagues tu teléfono hasta terminas leer este post!) 
2. Siempre que una idea de escritura viene a ti, escribelo. Puedes escribirlo en los márgenes de tu tarea o tu trabajo de clase o en una servilleta. Escribir las ideas–incluso los que son más pequeños–te ahorrará el tiempo cuando quieras recordarlas más tarde.
3. Escribe en el carro. Desafortunadamente, tu lápiz volará con cada bache en la calle, pero valdrá las marcas de lápiz si puedes terminar un cuento o ensayo en tu camino a la escuela.
4. Dedica un tiempo para escribir. Puedes escribir cuando llegas a tu casa o justo antes de vayas a la cama. Esto puede ser difícil si eres un estudiante con muchos extracurriculares, pero justo una media hora puede ser muy útil.
5. COMENZA/JUNTA UN CLUB. Algunas personas—sabes quien eres—no escribirán a menos que tengan que. En un club, se verá obligado a escribir durante las reuniones o hablar de y pensar en escribiendo. Encontrarás otras personas quien te animarán escribir. No solo te divertirás, pero demostrarás las universidades que tu participar en tu escuela.  

Esos son mis consejos para este post; espero que disfrutases leerlo!  Si tienes una pregunta o quieres contar un otro consejo, puedes enviar una pregunta o dejar un comentario.

Con amor,

Ava

P.D. - Gracias por leer. Si quieres más contenido de escritura, le da a este tumblr un “seguir” ;)

No soy una hablante nativa, por eso podría haber errores. Gracias por entender.