thepersonalquotes:

Up.

Then down.

Then up.

Conclusion -

1. So mostly up.

Good night // thethinkinggirl ☄️

Silence won’t protect me,

but for it will probably save you;

For the time being

I am mum.

The truth about silence // thethinkinggirl

Look what we have become;

Screaming when hating,

Mumbling for when in love.

Paradox // thethinkinggirl

They say

there’s always light in the end of the tunnel-

and I am here to tell you its not.

There isn’t any light;

Cause you are.You become it.

Hopes,Happiness - don’t suddenly appear out of nowhere,

They live within you.

It will blind them for

when its time.

// thethinkinggirl

we would talk about the rain

and wish it would pour on us for days

hope for long trips to sights

we’ve never seen before.

letting things slip,

the mind unravels what once was

right in front of us

but which now lays behind

with you beneath to only wish

on the possibility

of our dreams

being alive,

wherever you reside.

i store sunshine in a jar

pour her out when i am alone

run her through my hair

drizzle her on clouds for all to see

from a far away place unknown.

i use her to dilute all infiltrations of you,

making what all was once dark blue

shine bright as if brand new

Dive In Deeper: Metaphor, Simile and Analogy

Hello, hello! It’s been a minute since I’ve posted, but I’ve been busy! But that’s really no excuse… anyway…

If you guys have any questions about any specific type of writing advise or grammar advise etc let me know and I’ll try my best to help or create a post dedicated to it!

Let’s begin with todays post!

What Is a Metaphor?

• A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares one thing to another for rhetorical effect
• One of the most famous examples of metaphor in the English language also happens to be a great example of this technique.
• Ex: “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” Shakespeare As You Like It

What Is a Simile?

• Unlike metaphors, similes create a comparison using likeandas.
• Ex: “ Life is like a box of chocolates.” Forrest Gump

What Is an Analogy?

• An analogy serves a similar purpose to simile and a metaphor
• The point of an analogy is not merely to show, but also to explain.
• when it comes to analogy vs. metaphor, an analogy is more complex.
• Ex: “What you’re doing is as useful as rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”

What’s the Difference Between Metaphor, Simile, and Analogy?

While these figures of speech are used to compare different things, here are some clear rules to help you distinguish between metaphor, simile, and analogy.

• A simile is saying something is like something else.
• A metaphor is often poetically saying something is something else.
• An analogy is saying something is like something else to make some sort of an explanatory point.
• You can use metaphors and similes when creating an analogy.
• A simile is a type of metaphor. All similes are metaphors, but not all metaphors are similes.

There you all go! Something short and sweet!

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Dive in Deeper: Irony

Hey, hey! Happy Monday! Hopefully everyone had a wonderful weekend and we’re all ready to tackle the week as strong people!

Sometimes, I forget If I’ve quickly covered something on this blog before.. I feel like I’ve done irony before but it’s probably me just imagining…

Let’s begin!

What is Irony?

• The definition of irony as a literary device is a situation in which there is a contrast between expectation and reality
• For example, the difference between what something appears to mean versus its literal meaning.
• Irony is associated with both tragedy and humor.

What Are the Main Types of Irony?

• Dramatic Irony: Also known as tragic irony, this is when a writer lets their reader know something that a character does not. In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, each young lover takes the poison, thinking the other is already dead—the dramatic irony comes from the audience wanting them to know the whole story before taking this final action. Similarly, in Shakespeare’s Othello, Othello trusts Iago—but the audience knows better.
• Comic irony. This is when irony is used to comedic effect—such as in satire. Jane Austen was a master of irony and dialogue. Her preoccupation with social divisions, and the witty and insightful tone with which she revealed hypocrisy and parodied people contributed heavily to her voice. Austen opens Pride and Prejudice with a famous line implying that men are the ones who hunt for a wife; however, she makes it clear throughout the narrative that it is actually the other way around.
• Situational Irony. This is at play when an expected outcome is subverted. For example, in O. Henry’s classic tale, The Gift of the Magi, a wife cuts off her long hair to sell it in order to buy her husband a chain for his prized watch. Meanwhile, the husband has sold his watch in order to buy his wife a comb for her hair. The situational irony comes from each person not expecting to have their gift be undercut by the other’s actions.
• Verbal irony. This is a statement in which the speaker means something very different from what he or she is saying. Think of the knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail: with both his arms sliced off, he says, nonchalantly: “It’s just a flesh wound.” He is ironically (and comically) underplaying the severity of his injury.

What Is the Difference Between Irony and Sarcasm?

• Sarcasm is a conversational device characterized by saying the opposite of what one means.
• The key difference between irony and sarcasm is that sarcasm characterizes someone’s speech. Irony can additionally describe situations or circumstances. There are some cases in which someone could say something that is considered both ironic and sarcastic, but sarcasm is not a literary device.

Five Tips For Writing Irony

• Pay attention. As you read and watch movies, think critically about what is ironic, and why. For example, in the film The Wizard of Oz, the great and powerful Oz turns out to be just a regular man, while Dorothy, who has been desperately seeking his help so that she can get home, has had the power to return home all along. Think about ways in which you can incorporate situations like this into your writing, where you subvert the expectations of your characters, your readers—or both.
• Use an omniscient point of view. Many novels written in the nineteenth century are told from an omniscient point of view. When a reader knows more than the character, as in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it generates suspense, because your reader waits for the character to learn what they already know. But you might want to invert that balance of knowledge and make the narrator a character in the story that knows more than the reader. Agatha Christie used this first-person strategy to create narrative irony.
• Have a clear point of view strategy. Point of view strategy is deeply bound up with what story you want to tell and will guide how that story unspools. No matter where you are in the drafting process, devote some time to thinking through the risks and rewards of different point-of-view strategies and consider who in your story may be best suited to hold the narrative reins.
• Use the “meanwhile” device. If you are using an omniscient narrative point of view strategy, your narrator may recount a parallel event happening simultaneously in another place using the “meanwhile” device (e.g., “Meanwhile, across town…”). Because this device lets the reader in on happenings that one character has no knowledge of, it is a great tool for generating dramatic irony.
• Use a flashback sequence. When your narrative or characters recall a long memory from a time before the story began, you may want to pull the reader back into a past scene. This is called a flashback. It important to mark the beginning and end of a flashback to make your time jumps clear to the reader, which you can do using past perfect tense to introduce the change—e.g. “he had gone to the marina.” Past perfect tense uses the verb “to have” with the past participle of another verb (in this case “gone”). After a few lines of this, transition into simple past tense—e.g. “he climbed onto the boat.” Generally speaking, using past perfect for a long section of text is jarring for most readers. It’s enough to use it only at the start of the flashback before switching to simple past tense. At the flashback’s end, use a reminder that the reader is back in the current scene.

There you have it! Please reblog, like and comment if you find these helpful!

Dive in Deeper: Imagery

Let’s not dilly-dally!

What is Imagery?

• imagery is a vivid and vibrant form of description that appeals to readers’ senses and imagination
• imagery” is not focused solely on visual representations or mental images—it refers to the full spectrum of sensory experiences, including internal emotions and physical sensations.

Seven Types of Imagery

• Visual imagery. In this form of poetic imagery, the poet/writer appeals to the reader’s sense of sight by describing something the speaker or narrator of the poem sees. It may include colors, brightness, shapes, sizes, and patterns. To provide readers with visual imagery, poets often use metaphor, simile, or personification in their description.
• Auditory imagery. This form of imagery appeals to the reader’s sense of hearing or sound. It may include music and other pleasant sounds, harsh noises, or silence. In addition to describing a sound, the writer might also use a sound device like onomatopoeia, or words that imitate sounds, so reading the poem aloud recreates the auditory experience.
• Gustatory imagery. In this form of imagery, the poet/writer appeals to the reader’s sense of taste by describing something the speaker or narrator tastes. It may include sweetness, sourness, saltiness, savoriness, or spiciness. This is especially effective when describing a taste that the reader has experienced before and can recall from sense memory.
• Tactile imagery. In this form of imagery, the poet appeals to the reader’s sense of touch by describing something the speaker feels on their body. It may include the feel of temperatures, textures, and other physical sensations.
• Olfactory imagery. In this form of imagery, the writer/poet appeals to the reader’s sense of smell by describing something the speaker of the poem inhales. It may include pleasant fragrances or off-putting odors.
• Kinesthetic imagery. In this form of imagery, the poet appeals to the reader’s sense of motion. It may include the sensation of speeding along in a vehicle, a slow sauntering, or a sudden jolt when stopping, and it may apply to the movement of the speaker/narrator or objects around them.
• Organic imagery. In this form of imagery, the poet communicates internal sensations such as fatigue, hunger, and thirst as well as internal emotions such as fear, love, and despair.

Short and quick, I switch between writer and poet but it’s the same, really.

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Dive in Deeper: Humor

Hello, hello! Today’s post will be about humor!

“What? Humor? But I’m naturally funny!”

Ha, ha! Maybe you are but that doesn’t mean you don’t need advise on how to transfer your unique sense of humor into the pages of your amazing new book!

As a quick refresher let me remind everyone that this post is one of the rest that belong in the series 22 Essential Literary Devices.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

What Is Humor Writing?

• Humor writing is a piece of fiction or nonfiction written with the express purpose of being funny.
• How it strikes a humorous chord and the resulting laughs (or groans) it produces depends on the piece.

Three Types of Humor Writing

• Humor novels. Humor novels are their own genre. These can be both fiction and nonfiction. In fiction, satirical novels fall in this category. Satire fiction uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to critique or expose a corrupt aspect of society. Two of literature’s most popular satire novels are George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945) and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22(1961).
• Short form. Short humor pieces usually take the form of a short story or piece of humor fiction. A short humor piece is usually a piece of writing under 1,000 words whose main purpose is to amuse.
• Humor essay. Humor essays are usually a personal essay whose primary aim is to amuse rather than inform or persuade. Sometimes, writers mix fiction with nonfiction in humor essays for comedic effect.

Four Golden Rules for Writing Humor

• Identify your style of humor. Everyone has a different sense of humor. We all find different things funny for different reasons. This is why it’s important that before you sit down and try to write funny things, you think about your own personal sense of humor and how you want to mine that to produce a piece of humor writing. Trying to mimic other people’s styles in creative writing won’t work. If you try and write in a style that is not your own, or if you try and force yourself to be funny in a way that you are not, the effort behind your writing will show. There are many kinds of humor. Look at this list of some popular types of humor and try and analyze where your individual strengths are and what you feel most comfortable with.

Observational/situational humor. This involves finding humor in mundane, everyday situations.

Anecdotal humor. This involves mining personal stories for humor.

Dark (or gallows) humor. Finding humor in darker, more unpleasant circumstances or aspects of life, like death, suffering, and unhappiness.

Self-deprecating humor. This involves you, the writer, making fun of yourself for comedic effect. Having a sense of humor about yourself endears you to others.

Satirical humor. Looking to the various faults of individuals, organizations, or society and mining them for comedic purposes.

• Use the rule of three. The rule of three is a common rule in humor writing and one of the most common comedy writing secrets. It involves establishing a set pattern with two ideas and then subverting that pattern with a third, incompatible idea. For example: “Can I get you anything? Coffee? Doughnut? A better attitude?”
• Mine humorous anecdotes from your real life. This is especially pertinent for humor essays. If you think about it, most of the funny things in your own life are things that our friends and family also find funny. These are the stories we tell over and over. These are the stories we use to bond or connect with others. Sometimes, we mine these stories for a more humorous effect. This is exactly what a humor essay does. Before you start writing, make sure you identify why a particular story or anecdote is funny. Is it funny to you because of your unique circumstances or understanding of a wider context? If so, it’s unlikely to be funny to your readers without that prior context.
• Leverage cliches. While clichés are something most writers try to avoid, it’s important to recognize them. Humor relies in part on twisting a cliché—transforming or undermining it. You do this by setting up an expectation based on the cliché and then providing a surprise outcome. For example: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stranger.” In humor writing, this process is called reforming.

Quick Tips For Writing Humor

• Surprise the reader. Twist a cliché or undermine any expectation you’ve set up.
• Put your funny expressions at the end of a sentence. Humor is often a release of tension, so the sentence builds that tension, and the pay-off happens most naturally at the end.
• Use contrast. Are your characters in a terrifying situation? Add something light, like a man obsessing about his briefcase instead of the T-Rex looming behind him.
• Find funny words. Some words are just funnier than others, so make a list of those that amuse you the most.
• Try a “figgin” —a story element that promises to be something horrible or disgusting but which turns out to be humorous, and yet later has a pay-off, or a moment where the item becomes important to the plot.
• Give them “sherbet lemon” —minor details you put in a text to make the reader smile. These small pulses are in the text just for humor; they don’t necessarily have a pay-off later.

There ya have it folks! Humor! Now you too can be even more funny and write it down through your writing!

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Dive in Deeper: Foreshadowing

Hello, hello! Apologies for being MIA the past few days!

Busy, busy, busy! Aha…

What Is Foreshadowing?

• it is a literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.
• it is useful for creating suspense, a feeling of unease, a sense of curiosity, or a mark that things may not be as they seem.
• Foreshadowing does not necessarily mean explicitly revealing what will happen later in your story.
• when it is used effectively, many readers may not even realize the significance of an author’s foreshadowing until the end of the story.

Why Is Foreshadowing Important?

• Foreshadowing is a key tool for writers to build dramatic tension and suspense throughout their stories
• Foreshadowing makes your reader wonder what will happen next, and keeps them reading to find out.
• it is also a great tool to prepare your reader emotionally for big reveals

Two Types of Foreshadowing

1. Direct foreshadowing (or overt foreshadowing): In this type of foreshadowing, the story openly suggests an impending problem, event, or twist. Direct foreshadowing is usually accomplished through the characters’ dialogue, the narrator’s comments, a prophecy, or even a prologue. Example: in Macbeth, Shakespeare uses direct foreshadowing when the witches predict that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and, later, king.
2. Indirect foreshadowing (or covert foreshadowing): In this type of foreshadowing, the story hints at an outcome by leaving subtle clues throughout the story. With indirect foreshadowing, readers likely won’t realize the meaning of the clues until they witness the foreshadowed event. Example: in The Empire Strikes Back: In a mysterious vision, Luke Skywalker sees that the face behind Darth Vader’s mask is his own. Later, the audience understands the significance of this foreshadowing when it is revealed that Vader is, in fact, Luke’s father.

Five Foreshadowing Examples and Techniques

1. Dialogue: You can use your characters’ dialogue to foreshadow future events or big reveals. This foreshadowing may take the form of a joke, an offhand comment, or even something unsaid that adds personality to your characters while planting the seed for later revelations. Example:Romeo and Juliet, when Romeo says, “My life were better ended by their hate, than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.” This line foreshadows Romeo’s eventual fate: commiting suicide over the loss of Juliet.
2. Title: The title of a novel or short story can be used to foreshadow major events in the story as well. For instance, Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” foreshadows not just the destruction of the physical house, but the demise of an entire family.
3. Setting: The choices you make about the setting or atmosphere of your story can foreshadow events as well. In Great Expectations, Charles Dickens uses descriptions of weather to foreshadow the dark turn Pip’s story will take: “So furious had been the gusts, that high buildings in town had had the lead stripped off their roofs; and in the country, trees had been torn up, and sails of windmills carried away; and gloomy accounts had come in from the coast, of shipwreck and death.”
4. Metaphor or simile: Figurative language like similes and metaphors can be effective foreshadowing tools. In David Copperfield, Dickens uses simile to foreshadow the betrayal of David by his mother, comparing her to a figure in a fairy tale: “I sat looking at Peggotty for some time, in a reverie on this suppositious case: whether, if she were employed to lose me like the boy in the fairy tale, I should be able to track my way home again by the buttons she would shed.
5. Character traits: A character’s appearance, attire, or mannerisms can foreshadow that character’s true essence or later actions. In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, for instance, author J.K. Rowling makes a point of describing Professor Quirrell’s turban and noting Harry’s curiosity about it. Only later, at the end of the story, do we discover that Quirrell’s turban conceals his possession by the evil Lord Voldemort.

Five Tips for Using Foreshadowing in Your Writing

1. Plan your story. You need to know exactly where your story is going before you can decide which events you can foreshadow, and how to do so. You may need to wait until your second draft to properly incorporate foreshadowing into your work. Take as much time as you need to work out every detail before dropping hints. Plan, outline, revise, and plan more.
2. Plant seeds as early as possible. The closer to an event foreshadowing is placed, the less effective it usually is. In fact, foreshadowing immediately before an event can act as a “spoiler” for the reader. Instead, make sure foreshadowing takes place long enough before the event or ending that it is not fresh in your readers’ minds. This will give your readers even more joy when they comb back through your story to find the breadcrumbs you left.
3. Scatter those seeds. When choosing where and when to foreshadow in your story, be as sly as possible. Think of it as a scavenger hunt: you wouldn’t hide all of your treasures in the same place. Instead, distribute your foreshadowing evenly throughout the story for maximum enjoyment.
4. Foreshadow in moderation. Don’t wear your reader out. Add too much foreshadowing, and your readers will feel as though they’re getting all “setup” and no “payoff.” Not enough foreshadowing, and your readers may be frustrated by an unexpected resolution. Craft the right balance, and your readers will find themselves re-reading your stories to find all of your clues.
5. Enlist a second set of eyes. As the person closest to your story, you may feel that your foreshadowing is perfectly clear—but if a reader can’t see or appreciate it, your clues will be ineffective. Grab your friend, coworker, or neighbor for a cup of coffee and hand them your manuscript. Once they finish reading it, ask them if the clues were too obvious, not obvious enough, or just right.

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101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part Four

Hello, hello everyone! Happy Friday!

Here is the final part of the romance tropes! The remaining tropes will add and equal to a total of 101!

If you have no idea what the other tropes are please find the links below!

101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part One

101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part Two

101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part Three

1. Royalty: The main character rules or is in line for the throne of a fictional country, kingdom, or principality.
2. Runaway Bride: The heroine gets cold feet on her wedding day and makes a dash for freedom. She either realises she is marrying the wrong man or realises the groom was her soul mate all along!
3. Russian Hero: A self-made business tycoon of extreme wealth, the descendant of powerful oligarchs and/or an American/British hero with Russian ancestry.
4. Second Chance At Love: A couple break up only to reunite years or decades later. Or a heroine who has been deeply and possibly repeatedly hurt in love finally gives herself – and the hero – a second chance.
5. Secret Baby: Keeping his child a secret and out of his life for several years, the heroine is now confronted with an angry and betrayed hero who wants to claim his parental rights.
6. Secret Billionaire: The hero hides his identity and/or his wealth from the heroine, usually to test if she loves him for his true nature or his enormous wealth.
7. Secrets & Lies: Someone close to the heroine tells a secret or insidious lie that causes her to betray or leave a lover without explanation. Or an antagonist feeds the hero misinformation that tears apart the budding relationship with the woman he loves.
8. Shape Shifters: These characters are still popular in paranormal romances. The hero or heroine can ‘shift’ between human and animal or mythic form – werewolves, dragons, tigers, etc. (See Werewolf, Magical Heroine)
9. Shared Pasts: The two main characters have a history together that must now be resolved in the present. The shared past could be dark and dramatic, or it could have been a wonderful period for the lovers.
10. Sheikh Hero: The hero is the ruler of fictitious Arabian tribe or country. As at home in the desert as he is in the boardroom, this royal hero is often a modern and progressive ruler.
11. Single Parent: The story focuses on a single mom or dad who is facing life after a break-up, divorce, or bereavement. The widower father is a popular, sympathetic character.
12. Small Town: Heart-warming stories set in small towns. In romantic suspense, the rural setting could hide sinister secrets.
13. Soul Mates: The two main characters feel they are destined to be together. However, other forces or characters in the story conspire to keep the lovers apart. From deadly hurricanes to horrible curses, the more obstacles in their path, the better.
14. Terminal Situations: The heroine loses her heart to a hero who is terminally ill. Or the heroine, facing a life-threatening illness or condition, must help a romantic partner deal with the situation.
15. Time Traveller: The heroine falls in love with a time traveller, from the past, future, or both, and must deal with finding love in a different place and time.
16. Transgender: The main character is in the process of changing – or has already changed – gender and falls in love with someone who is unaware of their former identity.
17. Trauma: A main character who has been abused, sexually assaulted, or traumatised in the past, finds healing through a romantic relationship.
18. Unexpected Inheritance: The heroine comes into a windfall from a distant relative.
19. Unexpected Parenthood: After a sibling dies or becomes ill, the heroine is now the sole guardian of one or more children.
20. Unexpected Pregnancy: After learning of an unplanned pregnancy, the heroine must deal with the unexpected news and decide if she will tell the hero or not.
21. Vampire:The hero is a vampire and falls for a human girl, or he becomes romantically involved with another vampire or paranormal character.
22. Virgin:The heroine’s innocence is either a threat, obstacle, or prize for the hero. Or the hero is attracted to a virgin in the story; or the heroine wants to lose virginity to a special character.
23. Weddings: Invited to a family or friend’s wedding, the heroine will either a) run into an ex-lover or enemy from her past b) meet a new love interest or c) be thrown together with another character from the wedding party, like the best man.
24. Werewolf: The hero becomes a werewolf at every full moon and must balance a human need for love with being a fearsome wolf. Often the character is under a curse and will need a lover’s help or special boon to overcome the affliction.
25. Workplace Romances: The hero and heroines are co-workers or colleagues in the same company and find that they can’t suppress their chemistry. The professional suddenly becomes very personal.
26. Wrong Side Of The Tracks: The heroine falls in love with a rough diamond from the proverbial ‘wrong side of town’. Radically different socioeconomic conditions tests the love affair. Or the heroine is from a poor background and finds romance with a handsome rich boy from the wealthier classes.

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101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part Three

Hello, hello! Happy President’s Day or Happy Monday or happy any day of the week you’re reading this post!

This is part three of the series of 101 Romantic Tropes. I have posted 50/101. So this will be another 25. and then I will post the last 26!

I hope I counted that correctly as I am terrible at maths :)

Let’s begin, shall we!

Oh! Update: Here are links to the first 50!

101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part One

101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part Two

The List:

1. Identical Twins: Identical twins trade places as part of a romantic ruse or to exact a revenge of some sort.
2. Incest: The heroine unknowingly or consciously falls in love with a sibling or close relative. The taboo causes inner conflict and tension with her family and society. A tricky trope to handle with sensitivity, it may work best in period, fantasy, or gothic romances.
3. Kidnapped:The heroine is snatched and reluctantly falls in love with her abductor. Or she must wait for hero to come to the rescue or, better yet, must find her own way out of the dangerous situation.
4. Learning-to-Love: The heroine is determined to learn a new skill (dance or drive a car, etc.) and falls head over heels for the instructor. The heroine may also head back to school or college and falls in love on campus.
5. Love Triangle: The heroine is often torn between two lovers and wrestles with the secrecy of the situation. The viewpoint of other characters in the triangle can also be explored.
6. Magical Heroine: The heroine is a witch, sorceress, shifter, spell caster, fairy, or she possesses psychic or supernatural powers.
7. Makeover:The heroine is transformed from drab to fab to catch the hero’s attention. Alternatively, the hero has to transform his looks, body, and attitude to prove his worth to the heroine.
8. Male-Male-Female (MMF): An erotic or homoerotic ménage-a-trois that explores the romantic and sexual entanglements between two male characters and one female heroine.
9. Marriage of Convenience: The heroine is compelled to marry the hero, usually an alpha hero, in name only. The marriage is based on necessity, or for financial or strategic reasons (For example, she has to save her father’s business etc.)
10. May-December:A love affair between two characters with a 15-25 year difference in age.
11. Medical Romance: While working in a medical field or profession, the heroine falls in love with a doctor hero. The hero can also be a paramedic, veterinarian, or specialist.
12. Mediterranean Hero: The dashing hero has Italian, Greek, or Spanish heritage. While he may be born in Europe, he has usually established his success internationally, if he is to be a sophisticated alpha hero.
13. The Mermaid: The mythological creature breaks the surface of romance fiction, either a shape-shifting nymph or a heroine with Undine-like qualities. The masculine ‘merman’ is also an exciting character to consider.
14. Mistaken Identity: The hero mistakes the heroine for someone from his past. The heroine is mistaken for someone rich or royal.
15. Mistress Heroine: The heroine finds herself the mistress of a rich and powerful man. In modern romances, the hero is not a married man but rather an alpha male who doesn’t seek commitment.
16. Nanny: The heroine takes a position as a child minder for a single-parent hero, who is often divorced or a widower.
17. New Girl In Town: The heroine finds herself in a new town, without many friends or adequate social skills to negotiate the new world she finds herself in. Often, she has moved to the town for a job.
18. Partners In Fighting Crime: The heroine is a cop or detective who falls in love with her handsome partner on the same beat or based at the same precinct or station.
19. Prisoner: The lead character, locked away in a penal facility, develops a sexual and/or romantic relationship with a fellow inmates, or a guard or authority figure.
20. Prom Date: Finding the right boy or a girl to take to that important dance is a highly popular plot in many teen novels and movies.
21. Rags To Riches: A struggling or down-on-her-luck heroine comes into money and/or fame through a surprising windfall – like winning the lottery or a reality TV show. The hero helps her navigate this new world of wealth and popularity. ‘Rags to Royalty is a sub-trope.
22. Return From The Dead: A man she believes is dead returns to upset the heroine’s life in a major way. The hero either faked his own death, or his demise was incorrectly reported through a chain of misunderstandings.
23. Revenge:The heroine, betrayed by the hero and/or his family, is determined to get revenge. The trope also works well if the hero is the primary character hell-bent on retribution. An extremely popular and successful theme in romantic stories.
24. Riches To Rags: A wealthy heroine or heiress loses her money and status overnight. With the hero’s help and love, she finds a way to re-establish her identity, and realize her own ambitions and self-worth.
25. Rock Star: The hero is a rock, musical, or reality/social media idol and the heroine must see beyond the groupies and fast-paced lifestyle to find the talented and vulnerable individual behind fame’s mask.

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101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part Two

Hello, hello everyone! To get to the point here is the other half of yesterday’s post! Here are 25 more!

I’ve done 50/101 Romantic Tropes! Stay tuned for the remaining!

The List:

1. Cyborg Hero: The heroine falls in love with an electromechanically enhanced man. The hero may have become cyborg after an experiment, accident, or some other tragedy.
2. The Dare Or The Bet: A staple of teen romances, the heroine takes up a challenge from friends or a rival to date or bed a popular young man – or an unpopular wallflower. She eventually loses her heart to him until he learns of her deception.
3. The Dating Game: From online dating agencies to hook-up apps, speed dating sessions to blind dates, the newly single heroine enters the world of dating with hilarious, romantic and/or sexy results.
4. A Divorce Never Went Through: The lead characters discover that their marriage was never annulled or a divorce decree was never issued because of a bureaucratic mistake or some other misunderstanding.
5. Dominant Alpha: An archetypal character in explicit, erotic fiction, the dominant alpha is rich, sexy, possessive, and always in charge. His psyche is tied up in sadism and role play. As his submissive, the heroine must break through his control and expose his vulnerability.
6. Domme Heroine: A domme, female dominatrix or BDSM mistress is often found in erotica, steamy romances, or period romances.
7. Enemies To Lovers: Probably an overused trope, but still effective. The heroine hates the hero on sight. She may still be smarting from a past betrayal or is being blackmailed by him. How the characters move past the anger to attraction and love makes up most of the narrative.
8. Fake Engagement: The hero needs to produce a date or fiancé in a hurry and the heroine steps into the role. Of course, this phony arrangement soon leads to real complications and a genuine emotional connection.
9. Female-Female-Male (FFM): An erotic ménage-a-trois that explores the romantic and sexual entanglements between two female and one male character.
10. First Love: The heroine seeks out or is reunited with her first love or high school sweetheart – has he changed or not? The hero can’t forget his first wife or a deceased girlfriend and the heroine feels she cannot compete with his former love.
11. Fish Out Of Water: The heroine comes from a small town to a big city and is unprepared for the sophistication of the hero. Similarly, a city girl finds herself working or stranded in a small town and falls for the charm of a local hero.
12. Forbidden Love: Taboos lie at the heart of this romance theme. Race, religion, conflicting culture, or feuds are just some of the forces that could potentially keep the lovers apart.
13. Forced Proximity: The heroine finds herself stuck with the hero in a confined space. She could find herself snowed in with him at a remote cabin or trapped in an elevator – the possibilities are endless!
14. French Hero: Whether he is a suave bachelor in Paris or a carefree winemaker in the South of France, the Frenchman holds a special place in romantic stories.
15. Frenemies:The hero and heroine enjoy a friendly rivalry – either socially or at work. But soon the banter, teasing, and ribbing exposes an underlying attraction and sparks fly!
16. Friends To Lovers: The main characters, who have hitherto been friends, discover a growing attraction to each other. For the heroine, this is often a childhood friend who re-enters her life as an adult.
17. Gay For You: A hitherto heterosexual character becomes attracted to a gay friend, colleague, or mentor. The characters struggle with seemingly impossible feelings to define their relationship.
18. Ghost: The heroine falls in love with a ghost, or both romantic protagonists are paranormal entities.
19. Girl Next Door: Falling for a new, cute, sexy, or mysterious neighbour is what sets the plot in motion in this storyline.
20. Grieving Lover: The heroine falls in love with a man who has lost a spouse or lover in the recent past.
21. The Guardian Or Ward: An older male is bound by the obligation of a legal will or promise to oversee the care of a young charge. When the heroine comes of age, she falls in love with her older, handsome guardian.
22. Heiress:The heroine comes for a fabulously wealthy family with an impressive pedigree. She is often in line to inherit a large fortune or take control of a family estate of company.
23. Hidden Identity: The heroine hides her true identity or creates a false persona to hide her involvement in events that usually took place in the past.
24. Holiday Romance: The heroine travels to a foreign city or exotic island and meets a sexy or intriguing stranger for a fling. The burgeoning affair will be tested by her imminent departure.
25. Home For The Holidays: The heroine returns to a hometown for a national, religious, or cultural holiday and finds romance in short space of time amid family chaos – often with someone she knew as a child or teenager.

If you find this helpful and useful please reblog, comment and like!

101 Romance Tropes for Writers: Part One

Hello, hello! Happy Wednesday or Thursday! Where ever you’re reading this from — happy day to you!

I hope you’re having a wonderful time at life and enjoying every minute of it! Find a reason to smile! There is always a reason!

As by the title, I will be diving this into parts, since I don’t want to create a long ass post. So I think I’ll do 25 on each post? I’ll see as I work on it, aha!

Let’s begin!

What Is A Romance Trope?

• speaks to a ‘type’ of story that readers expect
• It is a genre-specific device that is the catalyst for the central plot or conflict in a story
• It can also be a defined type of character found in a story
• A trope doesn’t take the place of well-plotted story or provide an excuse for flat, one-dimensional characters

The List:

1. Alien Hero: A human heroine falls in love with, or is abducted by, an alien life force hero from another planet.
2. Alpha Hero: The heroine must contend with a strong-willed, domineering, hyper-masculine, successful and wealthy hero.
3. Amnesia: The hero or heroine suffers temporary or permanent memory loss and is forced to start over and reclaim their identity.
4. Armed Forces: A sexy, dynamic hero in uniform draws the heroine into a relationship, but a career in the army, navy etc., creates conflict. The heroine may also be in the military and is attracted to someone in her unit or during a mission.
5. Artificial Intelligence: The heroine falls for a sentient robot or even a disembodied form of A.I., such as a holographic character.
6. Asian Hero: The hero is either fully Asian or of Asian ancestry (Chinese, Indian, Korean etc.) and now living in UK, Europe, America or Australia.
7. Athlete Hero: Sports themes are popular in North American romances, especially for teen and young adult audiences. Typically, the hero is a baseball, football, or hockey player, but the trope can extend to tennis stars, racing car drivers, etc.
8. Au-Pair Abroad: The young heroine takes a job as a nanny or child-minder in a new city or exotic location. She falls for an older, local hero or even the handsome, single employer.
9. Bachelor Auction: The heroine ‘buys’ a handsome, wealthy hero for a dinner or once-off date at a charity function.
10. Beauty And The Beast: The hero, often disfigured or injured in an accident, must overcome his physical and emotional scars to find love with the heroine.
11. Best Friend’s Brother: The heroine sees her friend’s brother in a new romantic light and must hide her feelings from him and her friend.
12. Beta Hero: The good guy, the guy next door – this type of hero is usually more even-tempered and more realistic than the typical alpha hero. He doesn’t want to run the world; he just wants to be king of his own castle.
13. Betrayal: The heroine is betrayed by the hero – the betrayal may be genuine or the result of a misunderstanding. She often vows revenge.
14. Bisexual Hero Or Heroine: This character is openly and equally attracted to both men and women. As a protagonist, they live by their own rules or sexual code, which makes them irresistibly unpredictable.
15. Blackmail: The heroine is blackmailed by the hero into marrying him, usually as a form of revenge or payback for a previous slight or insult, real or imagined.
16. Blind Date: The heroine agrees to a blind date. The date usually delivers a surprise or a twist – for example, her dinner companion turns out to her boss, best male friend, or an ex-boyfriend.
17. Boss & Secretary: Although a bit dated as a trope, the boss falling for his personal assistant or secretary is still popular.
18. Bully: A controversial trend and popular in teen or young/new adult romances, the heroine falls for the boy who used to bully her. She must seek revenge or confront him on his past sadism. The hero must usually atone for past behaviour.
19. Christmas Romances: Almost a genre in itself, Christmas provides a theme and background for the love story, which features European or North American settings.
20. Circle Of Friends: This trope features three or more protagonists all searching for love, in parallel to pursuing their careers and passions.
21. Coming Of Age: The first discovery of love as teenager can be a powerful theme to explore in a romance novel or story. The plot can cover a sweet, innocent crush or a dark, intense attraction to the wrong boy.
22. Coming Out: A gay hero, heroine, or transgender lead character decides to come out about their true sexuality or identity – their coming out is a catalyst for a new love interest. The lead character must overcome self-doubt, confusion, prejudice, and misunderstandings while dealing with a new relationship.
23. Country Inn: A career-driven city girl inherits or buys a charming little inn, bed-and-breakfast, or guest house in the calm, bucolic splendour of the countryside.
24. Cowboys: Whether a rancher or a Texas Ranger, the hero embodies the characteristics and moral codes of the American frontier: courage, integrity, and usually a bit of chauvinism.
25. Cursed!In a fantasy or folklore-inspired romance, the heroine may have fallen under a curse, spell, or wicked charm that only the hero can break or reverse.

Here you have it friends! 25 out of 101! I hope you find these useful! I’ll post the rest of the romantic tropes so please keep your eyes peeled for the next 26!

If you find these helpful please follow, reblog, and comment! Thank you all so much! I appreciate everyone!

Dive in Deeper: Extended Metaphor

Hello, hello everyone! Happy Valentines Day! Today si the day we all share love and appreciation for one another!

I’ve always hated Thai holiday ever since I was a little girl but today I want to practice self-love, and gratitude and appreciation for everything I have! I hope you all do the same!

I also hope you’ve had time to checkout my last post about Dramatic Irony, if you haven’t go check it out!

What Is an Extended Metaphor?

• is a literary device that figuratively compares and equates two things that are not alike.
• it’s a version of metaphor that extends over the course of multiple lines, paragraphs, or stanzas of prose or poetry.
• Extended metaphors build upon simple metaphors with figurative language and more varied, descriptive comparisons.

What Is the Structure of a Metaphor?

• The core structure of every metaphor consists of two parts called the tenor and the vehicle.
• Thetenor is the root idea that the metaphor starts with and the vehicle is the second concept that the metaphor figuratively compares the first to.

How to Use Extended Metaphor

• Think about the central themes you’re exploring: Most extended metaphors highlight central symbols or themes. Regardless of whether you are writing a poem, novel, play, or essay, think about the major themes of your work and which you think would be best served through extended metaphor.
• Brainstorm compelling images. Once you’ve settled on the starting tenor for your metaphor, free associate some compelling images and comparisons that the tenor evokes for you. Spend some time compiling a list of the possible vehicles that you’ve generated.
• Find a clear comparison. Choose a metaphorical comparison that is both evocative and clear. It shouldn’t be a leap for your reader to follow the logic of your metaphor. A good metaphor draws a natural comparison but isn’t overly obvious or literal.
• Overwrite. After you’ve settled on the tenor and vehicle of your metaphor, start to extend it over several lines or paragraphs. Allow yourself to overwrite, exploring the various ways you can illustrate the comparison and reveal different facets of your metaphor.
• Edit. Once you feel like you’ve generated enough material, edit down your extended metaphor to its most evocative and effective parts. Even though extended metaphors are longer than simple metaphors, you still want to have concise and pithy prose. Choose the sections that are most necessary to your piece and edit out the rest.

Examples of Extended Metaphor

1. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet: Upon seeing Juliet for the first time, Romeo delivers a monologue that features an extended metaphor comparing Juliet to the sun.
2. Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken: In perhaps his most famous poem, Robert Frost extends the metaphor of a road twisting its way through a yellow wood being to a long life full of ups and downs.

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Dive in Deeper: Dramatic Irony

Hi Everyone! Wow! It’s been a minute since I’ve posted a writing tip huh?

Sorry about that! A lot of stuff was happening to me and I needed to step away from it all, but I’m back and hoping I can be consistent with posting!

What Is Dramatic Irony?

• Dramatic irony is a form of irony.
• It is both a literary and theatrical device in which the reader or audience knows more than the characters they are following.
• The characters’ actions have a different meaning for the audience than they do for the actors or characters, and this device often lends itself to tragedy

What Is the Difference Between Dramatic Irony, Situational Irony, and Verbal Irony?

• Dramatic irony is when the audience knows more than the character. It creates tension and suspense.
• Situational irony occurs when there is a difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens. For example, a fire station burning down is a case of situational irony.
• Verbal irony is when a character says something that is different from what he or she really means, or how he or she really feels. This is the only type of irony where a character creates the irony.

Examples of Dramatic Irony in Literature

• In Sophocles’s Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is fated to kill his father and fall in love with his mother. Oedipus, vowing to avenge his father’s murder, is unaware that he is the one who has killed his father, Laius. When he finds out, he is overcome with grief and gouges out his own eyes.
• In Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, Odysseus returns home in disguise to test his wife Penelope’s faithfulness—but the reader know that it is in fact Odysseus.
• William Shakespeare is a master of dramatic irony. In Macbeth, Macbeth pretends to be loyal to Duncan even while planning his murder. And in Othello, the audience knows that Iago is manipulating Othello, while Othello believes him to be honest.

Tips for Creating Dramatic Irony in Writing

1. Create a more complex, multi-layered narrative by letting different characters know different types or amounts of information. The audience will see how the characters interact with each other and make choices based on the information that they have.
2. Generate interest by allowing the reader to know more than the hero. For example, your hero is waiting for his spouse to arrive, but she was murdered in a previous chapter. The reader is now filled with dread and expectation for what they know is coming: the hero’s shock at the news of his wife’s death.
3. Instead of telling the story from the point-of-view of your hero, consider exploring the point of view of the antagonist of the story. This will give your reader insights that the protagonist does not have, creating dramatic irony and suspense.
4. Build turning points in your story around ironic statements by your characters to emphasize and heighten dramatic irony. For example, in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, the character of John Hammond repeatedly says he “spared no expense” in building the park. The irony of this statement only becomes clear when things begin to fall apart.

There you guys have it! It’s a short and sweet writing tip! But I hope you guys find this information useful!

Please find the rest of the series I have been doing! As a quick reminder!

22 Essential Literary Devices and How to Use Them In Your Writing

I have been going through all 22 Essential Literary Devices!

So please check out the original post and the rest of the literary devices I have posted!

If you find my writing tips useful please follow, comment and reblog!

Hi everyone! My apologies for the inactivity! I’ve been busy adulting but I wanted to pop on here and say thank you so much for 1.2K! I’ve been growing followers despite the hiatus!

I will start posting tips soon! I promise!

I got 1K followers!? I know it’s not a lot to some of you but it is to me!

Thank you everyone who follows! It means millions!