@pearlsslippingoffastring

Tone:

It’s important to establish your writing tone in the first chapter.

A brief definition of this is how you say what you say.

It’s also important to make sure your tone matches up with the genre you’re writing.

▪️Let’s take mystery-thrillerfor instance:

Example:

There was a knock at the door.

Danielle walked down the stairs to answer it.

But when she opened the door, she noticed that no one was there.

That was weird, she thought. 

Vs.

There was a knock at the door.

Danielle crept down the shadowed stairs and the floorboards creaked under her weight, spooking her.

When she made it to the bottom she put her hand on the cold knob and slowly opened the door.

No one was there.

This is scary, she thought.

Often times you can use“adjectives”to set your tones.

Example:

Use these adjectives to set a negative tone

▪️Angry

▪️Annoyed

▪️Hurt

▪️Sad

▪️Anxious

▪️Scary

▪️Sick

▪️Awful

▪️Insane

▪️Bad

▪️Black

▪️Embarrassed

▪️Envious

▪️Lazy

▪️Tense

▪️Blue

▪️Evil

▪️Lonely

▪️Fierce

▪️Mad

▪️Terrifying

▪️Foolish

▪️Mysterious

▪️Timid

▪️Tired

▪️Confused

▪️Frightened

▪️Troubled

▪️Crappy

▪️Nervous

▪️Upset

▪️Crazy

▪️Grieving

▪️Creepy

▪️Grumpy

▪️Weak

▪️Cruel

▪️Outrageous

▪️Weary

Show not tell “Happy”:

▪️Her cheeks glowed pink.

▪️He smiled, his brown eyes sparkling.

▪️She skipped across the room, humming a love song.

▪️He laid down with an amused smile on his face.

▪️Her hands clasped together and she squealed.

▪️She laughed, falling into the chair and holding her stomach.

▪️She jumped to her feet and cheered them on.

▪️She danced around her room, grinning wide.

▪️Her eyes teared with joy at the sight of her missing daughter.

▪️She wiggled her feet in the sheets, a soft sigh on her lips.

▪️Warm goosebumps broke out on her skin as she stared into his wonderful eyes.

▪️She waved her hands from side to side, twirling.

Notice that I’m not describing happy with “happy” synonyms: 

▪️She was ecstatic.

▪️She felt joyful.

▪️She looked cheery.

This is still telling and your readers won’t get the picture you’re trying to paint.

Example:

She felt so cheery and joyful. ✖️

Vs.

Her cheeks hurt from smiling as she skipped from the room, daydreaming and singing a love song. ✔️

Prospective:

Have your readers “walk in your character’s shoes”.

It’s attractive to read about a worse situation than your own. Your annoying neighbor next door or your upcoming doctors’ appointment.

One way you can do this is by putting your characters in tough situations, allow the unimaginable to happen to them.

Ideas:

▪️A character loses leg/legs

▪️A character contracts a rare, uncuriable disease

▪️A character is forbidden to ever marry but is desperately in love

▪️A character watches someone close to them suffer and die

▪️A character accidentally kills someone they love

▪️A character’s life is threatened

▪️A character contracts a psychopathic stalker

▪️A character gets amnesia

▪️A character forgets how to speak

▪️A character that’s a millionaire suddenly goes bankrupt

▪️A character is blackmailed into committing crimes

▪️A character is sentenced to death for saving someone’s life

▪️A character loses their job and can’t find employment

▪️A character goes into a coma for five years and suddenly wakes up

▪️A character is cheated on repeatedly but fights for their partner regardless

▪️A character loses their beauty to a horrible accident

▪️A character goes to a mental ward but they’re perfectly sane and can’t prove it

Escapism:

1. seeking to escape from reality

2. seeking to escape from reality by form of books

▪️your readers want to escape from the worry and unpleasantness of life.

▪️keep this in mind and you’ll write great stories that your readers won’t be able to put down.

This is especially easy if you add suspenseto your book.

How to create suspense:

▪️start scenes and chapters with urgency

Example:

Molly woke up.

She yawned and stretched and moseyed into the kitchen to make her cereal.

She found her favorite kind (cinnamon toast crunch) and poured it into a bowl with milk.

Now, she sat down in front of the window to watch the morning birds pecking the ground.

Let’s say someone is about to break into Molly’s house and kidnap her. Well… your readers will probably never make it to find out because this scene started out with no promise and no urgency what so ever. It’s just a boring morning routine that no one wants to hear.

Let’s try it another way…

Molly woke up with a strange feeling in her gut.

The house was quiet and she remembered that her parents had left on vacation.

Maybe she was just nervous about being alone. Yeah, that was it.

She started breakfast but the feeling wouldn’t leave her so she decided to lock all the windows and bolt the front door.

But the strange feeling persisted.

Suddenly, she remembered that she had forgotten to lock the basement door.

She sat down her bowl of cereal and slowly headed down the dark stairs…

Synonyms for “Looked”:

▪️Heglanced at the girl.

▪️Shegazed at the horizon, unaware of how much time had passed.

▪️Shespotted him in the crowded airport.

▪️Shepeeked through the curtain, giggling.

▪️He saw a glimpse of the cabin through the trees.

▪️Hewatched her car disappear down the road.

▪️Shesurveyed her child’s arm for any scratches.

▪️Shestudied the words on the page.

▪️Hespied the dog in the bushes.

▪️The girl eyed the boy, crossing her arms.

▪️Shechecked her purse to make sure nothing was missing.

▪️His eyes focused on hers, his heart fluttering.

▪️Heinspected her expression, seeing that she was upset.

▪️Hescanned the church building. It was empty.

▪️Sheogled the cake, licking her lips.

▪️Hepeered up at the balcony, seeing her there.

▪️The child squinted at the ocean against the sunlight.

▪️Heviewed the blood on the carpet.

For more, try this book with impactful synonyms that will bring your writing to life ☺️ link below:

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Describing Setting:

Don’t overload:

The bluebird was singing soft melodies and flapping its wings. The breeze was blowing sweet scents from the flowers that were red, blue, and purple. The sky was clear with only a few thin clouds. The tall dark trees were creaking and echoing against the woods. ✖️

Vs.

The rose-scented wind blew breezes against the forest. Bluebirds sprang into the air with songs of summer. ✔️

Ideas for Writer’s Block

• Search Pinterest for photography relevant to your WIP. I find “nature” and “character inspiration” help a lot. Visualizing your character, their house, their car, can really help you break through writer’s block as it opens your mind to detail. You can just start describing what you see!
• Listen to music.This often sets the “mood” for writing. Not for everyone, but definitely works for me! I like to pretend my character is the voice singing and then ask questions, why, what, where, and who.
• Read, read, read books. I find that reading gets me in the mood for writing. I’ve gone through months of writer’s block and then the moment I pick up a book and start reading, I’m like “okay, where’s my laptop?”. And then a whole novel is spat out in a matter of days.
• Newspaper. Sounds old and boring, but I tried it the other morning and it worked. Just read through the columns and see if anything stands out. A lot of times, I use them to help me think up book titles. Magazines work just as well.
• Just let it flowand don’t stop. Don’t overthink it. Set a timer for 30 minutes and just write until the timer goes off. Sometimes we get caught up trying to make each sentence immaculate. That’s what editing is for later. The longer you hang up on a chapter or scene the worse is gets. Just write. Move past it. And don’t look back.

I hope these tips helped! Good luck! If you’d like to share your tips for writer’s block, please feel free in the comments below. ❤️

Start your Book by Describing Detail

It can be anything. A cup of coffee with milky swirls. An emotion like fear or anger. The way a soft blanket feels in bed. Just begin describing something in detail and let it guide you into the next paragraph and see what you come up with. This can be helpful with writer’s block as well.

Watch as I describe a sweater:

I loved that red sweater. Not the balled-up fabric that felt scratchy against my skin. But the memories soaked into the material. The sleeves stained with mascara tears.

-from my upcoming book ❤️

Describe Vs Explain

You’ve probably heard “show don’t tell”. This is another way of phrasing that. And a lot of writers have found that it clicks better. ☺️

Describe don’t explain!

Writing Tip of the Day:

• Read what you want to produce.

When you read suspense, you’re teaching yourself how to write suspense. When you read romance, you’re teaching yourself how to write romance. And so on and so forth.

Here are some tips for learning while you read:

▪️Study the sentence structure.

▪️Study the paragraph.

▪️Study the dialogue.

▪️Ask yourself what makes you like to read this book? What keeps you hooked? Captivated?

▪️What words or positioning of words builds suspense.

▪️How does the author describe characters?

▪️How does the author describe scenery?

▪️How does the author describe emotions?

▪️Study the pacing of the story

Keep in mind, just by reading (without purposely studying) your brain is going to work learning how to write.

Read what you want to produce! It’s a great way to stay inspired and keep you in the writing mood ☺️

POV’s

▪️Third person Omniscient:

The narrator knows everything and can jump between multiple characters’ thoughts, feelings, and perspectives.

Pronouns:he, she, they, it

Example:

She stared at his face but didn’t know what he was thinking. But he thought she could read the jealousy on his expression.

▪️Third Person Limited:

The narrator stays with one character’s point of view at a time.

Pronouns:he, she, they, it

Example:

She stared at his face but didn’t know what he was thinking.

▪️First person:

There isn’t a narrator. The story is told from an individual’s or group’s point of view.

Pronouns:I, we

Example:

I stared at his face but didn’t know what he was thinking.

▪️Second Person:

The story is told from the readers’ perspective.

Pronouns:you

Example:

You stare at his face but don’t know what he’s thinking.

Clarity

Writing clear sentences can be hard so follow this example and I’ll show you how to make it easier.

Vs.

It can be hard to write clear sentences. But I’ll show you how to make it easier. ✔️

Words to cut:

▪️Which

▪️By the way of

▪️Of

▪️Incidentally

▪️Because of

▪️Clearly

▪️Obviously

▪️felt

▪️heard

▪️smelled

▪️therefore

▪️was(to be verbs)

▪️words ending in “ing”

▪️words ending in “ly”

The car roared loudly down the street. ✖️

Vs.

The car roared down the street ✔️

(“Roared” already says the car was loud and we don’t need to add “loudly” so watch out for your adjectives ending in “ly”.)

▪️something (try to be more specific)

She felt something strange.

Vs.

Her stomach twisted in a knot.

▪️cut out unnecessary words.

Note:

Some of the words listed make your sentences clearer. If so, leave them be. Delete the words I listed when it makes sense.

Good luck!❤️

4 TOP TIPS for Relatable Characters:

▪️Give them GOALS:goals drive your characters forward and the sooner you establish their goals the better off your story.

Goals can be anything from sadness, wanting to win an award, trying to overcome anxiety, wanting to open their own restaurant etc.

▪️make them FAIL:if the guy gets the girl by chapter 3 it doesn’t make for a good story. There has to be struggle, conflict, and failure.

▪️Make them VULNERABLE:everyone has flaws. If you make your character flawless then you risk your readers not being able to relate. The vulnerability can be something secret and buried deep within like past hurt that shows up in the form of jealousy and so on.

Vulnerabilities can be an addiction, lust for power, vanity, anger, anxiety, dishonesty, etc.

▪️Give them FEARS:fear is one of the most relatable traits and can range from fear of dying, fear of certain insects, fear of the dark, fear of falling in love, the list goes on.

Also, your characters’ fear more than likely will tie into their goals. Their fears will prevent them from reaching their goals or be the very problem their trying to overcome. This makes for a good read☺️

Check out these books for more “character” ideas and help:

https://amzn.to/3tHZbhK

Build Better Characters: The psychology of backstory & how to use it in your writing to hook readers (Creative Academy Guides for Writers Bo

Writing Hooks

• Start your book with an onomatopoeia: (Sounds words)

Bark!

I jet up in bed with a racing heart. Why is Luna barking at this hour?

Bang!

The sound echoed through the woods, birds hurrying into flight.

• Start your book with repetitive phrases:

No. No. I stared at the torn picture in unbelief.

“Where’s dad? Where’s dad?” I asked, tears running down my face.

• Start your book with ADJECTIVES:

White swirls covered the top of my salted caramelcoffee.

Agiant blue wave crashed over the little blonde-headedgirl.

• Start your book with a personal experience:

I always loved the way rain sounded on a tin roof; it would lull me fast to sleep.

When I was five, my big brother had punched me in the nose. He used to always get away with bullying me.

• Start your book with SETTING:

The neighbors’ house was dark, always shadowed even on a sunny day. The black iron gate that surrounded the mansion kept everyone out and what was in, stayed in.

The park was full of children and their pets, racing back and forth through the sandboxes and dewy morning grass.

Catch me spilling stars

Across floorboards

Like glitter specks,

They dash around

Impossible to kill

You have to wait

For them to dry up

And become black holes

Fuck them anyways,

Useless ornaments

Writers love them too much

They’re wishes,

They’re tears,

They’re hopes,

They’re nothing to me—

I swear it upon my soul

I speak of them

With exasperation

Stars sicken me

Them and their likenesses

Are etched too deep

—They ruin my dreams,

And stop my sleep

Endless escapades and

earnest midnight dreams

Haunt the world after dark,

beneath a sad moon’s gleam

A breath taken,

But not a second passes by

—You could bike to the stars

The once taut rope

Loosened and stretched far

There are spirits that come

To fill souls and liquor cups

Gold and flashing dresses

Solid to the touch

What wonders exist

In the corners of night

Oil lamps, candlelight,

Dewed eyes sparkling bright

They all conjure such rise,

These late hours

Swathed in shadow—

Amidst fantastical lies

I gathered people like dewdrops

Collect upon a lonely leaf

They were made in the clouds

Of pollution and acid rains

I beckoned and waved—

The wind forced my hand

Yet upon my lonely branch

Ne’er a hopeful bird did land

Only dewdrops grew

Little parasitical things

They burned and ate

And I turned yellow with grief

Pocked with holes

In sickly sheen

The Struggle for Originality

I found myself knee deep in poetry

Not knowing which direction to go

I settled, staying ’neath nonexistent leaves

Telling myself I’ll remain

Until the frost becomes much too cold—

Then, I could write of my

Fucking goddamn depression

Bass drop

It’s three o’clock in the morning

And I’ve been kissing individual framed photos

In my shrine of Poe Whitman Plath

I harbor such a pretentious heart

I could not bear to part with mediated prose

(Man these tumblr poets

And their penchant for simplistic thought)

—I’ve drunk so much irony in my tea

I can no longer taste its potent punch

I am so well-versed in the craft,

All my alliteration attempts are absolutely art

My words are like stars, night, dewdrops, love, eyes, the sunskyandmoon

I can write so fresh, I’ll write of farts

I’ve nothing to prove, nothing to lose

Whether I rhyme or not—

Conform or not—

There is nothing to gain

In being a contrarian.

Drunken Stargazing

I was hoping I’d find you here

Throwing back a gallon of beer

Sitting upon the shingles,

Housed by the star speckled sky

My chest burned alight

With a coil of emotions—

Pity,

Heartache,

Pity—

Fear

I don’t quite remember when

You began transferring your beer,

Pouring cans into milk jugs

As you grew out your hair

—You had also lost ten pounds

Sweated out under the weight

Of your circumstantial life

I beg of you,

Cry your troubles into my shirt

I’ll adorn myself with your tears,

Your alcoholic perfume,

Your subtle guise,

And the brunt

Of your star-misted eyes

//

Tell me of whales,

Lumbering gentle beasts

Wading, drifting—

Through pools reflected

In the Milky Way’s eye

They cut through

Glassed water—

Smooth bodies

Gracing tides

Their ridged throats

Conjure sounds

So mellow

And their eyes

Droop so peacefully

No vision

Dwelt so holy—

And no vision

Exacerbated

Such deep longing

I speak the truth—

Blatant honesty.

A cold stone

Could deceive you

More than I

Yet you cry.

Mountains could

sustain salmon

with your tears

Would you prefer

If I poured

Spoons of sugar

Into your bird mouth

Feel the warm embrace

Of my

unadulterated words

Why won’t you

Stop crumbling?

It’s not productive.

And you know

Life would not

Caress you like I

I’m a Coca-Cola Addict

Send me to an oblivion

Sugar-pumped veins throbbing

To the tune of my empty brain

My thoughts are jacked—

Like you wouldn’t believe

With what my friends call

Crackhead energy

Thirty—

Sixty—

Three hundred milligrams—!

Of heart-palpitating caffeine