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writingwithcolor

nochillpokemon asked:

Hello! I’m writing a fantasy story about dragon riders where two of the main characters are black. The first one (A water priestess), I’ve been reading through your posts and think I’m good with her. I am, however, have questions/worries about my second one. He is the second prince of the kingdom and love interest of the protagonist boy and his childhood friend/rival. My worry is the way I’m portraying him. Oberon (the prince) witnessed the protagonist’s “death” early in the story and when (1/2)

(2/2) they meet again, he has no idea that the protagonist is his “dead” childhood friend and he reacts a badly because of the reminder of his friend and crush so soon after the death. Lots of arguing and fighting between the two for a while. I don’t want to play into the aggressive black man with dreads stereotype, and the prince is already a part of a military school so should I find a different way to show how badly he was effected by the protag’s “death”? Thank you for your time. 

Black man reacts in anger to reminders of dead friend/lover

Your character is grieving. Grief may come out in the form of anger, especially at reminders of such a painful experience. His upbringing, unresolved feelings, self-blame, all these things could lead to such reactions.

There could very well be other non-anger reactions and vulnerability you could show as well.

Personal Experience Time: When my father died, one of my sisters and I (whom i’m quite close with) fought a lot for no good reason. Not so much with others, just each other, not that we blamed the other for the circumstances at all. Grief just does strange things to people and it’s hard to control. We were going through the same thing and took it out on each other. There were other moments of denial, depression, and so on during the grief, but anger was one way it was expressed, and it was very specifically-directed anger. It didn’t define the whole of our grief, though.

Grief is not one-toned. There would likely be tender moments and vulnerability that slip out. Show that, too. At some point, it should be clear his anger isn’t just randomized aggression towards this person either, but because of the painful reminders and the emotion it pulls from him against his will.

Allow him to grieve, to be human! If he were constantly seeking a fight with everyone, unrelated to the “Dead” friend, i’d feel more reluctant about this characterization. However, it’s clearly a focused aggression (ultimately reflecting his hurt). 

It doesn’t mean he’s justified in the harm he may cause during his pain, but no one said all Black characters had to be perfect either. They just have to be human (when they’re in fact, humans). 

~Mod Colette

nochillkiller Black men death scary black man stereotypes angry black man asks
writingwithcolor

xburntchildx-deactivated2020022 asked:

Hello! I'm writing a fantasy novel and one of the supporting characters is a Black man who becomes involved in the war in order to avenge family members who were killed by the opposing side. Do you have any advice on how to write a Black, knight-style warrior without falling into anger/violence stereotypes?

Black Man Joins War to Avenge His Family

Add depth to his revenge. Calculate his anger and violence versus making it a wild and blind rage. His emotions are clearly focused and not directed to everyone who crosses his path. Show those other sides of him. Vulnerability in his pain, love and honor towards the family members who have passed. How does he react to people who have done him no harm? That help him?

Make us understand him. Feel him, even if not everything he does is moral or right in everyone’s eyes. Keep in mind even antagonists are the heroes of their own stories and tend to have a reason for what they do. He’s a supporting character, so i’d just recommend you allow enough space in your text to represent multiple sides of him, and explain the core of his complex actions.

~Mod Colette

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writingwithcolor

Monster Hunter Black Dad: Is he an Absent Black Father Despite Loving His Kids?

Hey, I love this blog so much! I’m writing a story and this pertains to one of the protagonists’ cousins, who is a important character to the story; Her name is Simone and she’s biracial. She has a Afro-Haitian mother and Caucasian father (Mixed Swedish and Dutch; from New York), and she’s related to the mentioned protagonist paternally, who herself is mixed Caucasian (Dutch and Swedish)/Romani (Lovari with some Hungarian ancestry).

My question is if Simone’s father being away from home a lot and secretive about it could be read as the absent father trope; Simone’s father is generally a very secretive and closed off dude, but his wife and his 3 children are his world; Her father is a monster hunter (specifically a Nephilim) and he takes his job very seriously. Simone’s cousin Veronika (protag I mentioned) had her mother killed when she was young due to a hunt gone wrong, and since then her father (Simone’s) has tried to keep that aspect of his life away from his personal life because as mentioned, he loves his family very very much, and wouldn’t be able to function if something happened to them. Since he is so secretive about why he’s gone so much, Simone is bitter, very hurt and very paranoid about the idea of her father cheating on her mother or walking out on them, or that he just doesn’t love them anymore. This has caused tension between them. However, his mother is aware of this aspect of his life, and has accepted it (she’s a Nephilim as well but has decided to not raise her children in that life as well). She’s very happy with Simone’s father and they have a very loving and healthy relationship. Simone eventually discovers it and becomes a hunter as well, but there is still some strain on their relationship. I am still concerned that even with all this nuance, it could still be a harmful trope. Any feedback or criticism is deeply appreciated. :)

This doesn’t read like an Absent Black Father, although it very well might for the daughter. Are the readers filled in on why he’s secretive and away so much? If so, the stereotype is dispelled for us.

If readers don’t know until the daughter herself does, I recommend peppering hints that there’s way more to this situation than an apathetic, creeping father.

He is closed off, but loves his family a whole lot. How does he show that love? Include little moments of tenderness and vulnerability.

  • The rarely verbalized but heartfelt “I love you” to his kids and wife.
  • Nicknames he gives them. EX: kiddo, baby girl, maybe he calls Simone a play on her name here and there.
  • A gentle touch on the shoulder when he passes by his loved ones.
  • Taking them out to special places when he is around.
  • Gifts brought back from his travels.
  • Consistently keeping them well-fed, clothed, and overall provided for.
  • Prideful moments caught on film (him looking lovingly at his wife and/or kids during a birthday or graduation)

They could be rare gems, but clear indicators of his love.

In the case we have an unreliable narrator, and you cannot outright say “he loves them! He just can’t be around because he’s hunting monsters.” You will just have to show it. The main character may be confused by his affections, ride them off or downplay them, but we the readers can make our own conclusions of something else going on besides maliciousness. Just lay out enough breadcrumbs.

~Mod Colette

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writerswritecompany
Whenever you start a new scene or chapter in your story, it is always a good idea to orientate the reader. The reader wants to identify with a character, get a sense of place and time, and understand the needs of this character right before the...

Whenever you start a new scene or chapter in your story, it is always a good idea to orientate the reader. The reader wants to identify with a character, get a sense of place and time, and understand the needs of this character right before the conflict or tension starts.

In a way, the writer can think of these as scene markers. Here are the four ways to make your reader comfortable.

Source: writerswrite.co.za
Writing Advice Anthony Ehlers Writers Write
writerswritecompany
Have you read a book you feel compelled to carry on reading? You know the kind of book I’m talking about. You read it past your bedtime and during your lunch breaks. You read it because you want to not only know what happens next, but you also wonder...

Have you read a book you feel compelled to carry on reading? You know the kind of book I’m talking about. You read it past your bedtime and during your lunch breaks. You read it because you want to not only know what happens next, but you also wonder what is really going on.

Chances are the author is using a series of cliffhangers to keep you interested.

10 Cliffhangers That Make Readers Turn The Page

Source: writerswrite.co.za
Amanda Patterson Writing Advice Writers Write
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Draft to Debut; the writing to querying Mini-Master Post

themerrywriter

So, this is not a huge post of resources, really, just a collection of basic tools and tips to get you from the first draft to the query stage without tearing your hair out! Enjoy!

Getting and Cultivating Ideas;

Prompts and sentence starters

Develop your ideas

Organise your Ideas


Plotting

Different structures

Plotting better 

The Hero’s Journey Structure

The Definitive Guide


The First Draft

Three Killer Mistakes

The Seven Deadly Sins of Writing

Finding Motivation

Finishing Your First Draft


Editing and Proofreading

Self-editing in three stages

Proofreading

Five Proofreading Rules

How to Fix Plot Holes


Identifying an Agent and Querying

Choosing an Agent

Write a Great Synopsis

Query Well

Vet your contract


Marketing

15 Promotion Tools

5 Steps to Market and Sell

71 Ways to promote and Sell

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Pros and Cons of Different Points Of View

wordsnstuff

image

Objective Point Of View

“With the objective point of view, the writer tells what happens without stating more than can be inferred from the story’s action and dialogue. The narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer.”

Pros

  • Adds a potentially useful suspense to the events of the story, as the reader cannot predict as easily what will happen next based on the characters’ internal thoughts.
  • More direct with the events and description of elements of the story, such as setting and the rate at which time passes in the story, which can be muddled in stories in points of view like third person, where these details can be overshadowed by descriptions of thoughts, feelings, backstory, etc.
  • Descriptions can come across more fluidly and make the actual images and scenes visualize more easily in the readers head. It is the closest point of view to a movie, as films don’t typically focus on what the audience is explicitly being told, but what they see and what they can deduce from the images in front of them.

Cons

  • This point of view can be more difficult to relate to as readers, due to the story being told and described in a more detached way, rather than being pulled into the story in a way that makes them feel like a character themselves.
  • You have to really utilize subtext and context with this perspective. You can’t convey the story’s tone through any of the characters’ thoughts or feelings, so you have to rely completely on the pure course of events to tell the story and grip the reader emotionally.
  • This makes it really hard to connect to the characters and understand their motivations unless the reader is looking really deep into the context and reading between the lines.

Third Person Point Of View

“Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.”

Pros

  • This is pretty much exactly like first person narration, but with different pronouns. Instead of “I walked to the store” it’s “he walked to the store” and eliminates the reader’s potential skepticism of the narrator’s reliability while still telling the story in the same words.
  • You have the potential to divulge more about what other characters are thinking or doing at any point in time because you’re not technically limited to one character.
  • It’s a pleasing way of telling a story. It doesn’t take too much analysis for the reader to imagine how the perspective could be tainted by emotion in some way. It doesn’t require too much brain power to read. It flows nicely.

Cons

  • This isn’t as much a con as it is a warning. Your characters need to be rounded and diverse if you’re going to write a story in third person. If they all share the same characteristics and motivations and emotions, your story will fall flat super fast.
  • Third person has a viewpoint character, typically. If you want to be able to tell whatever you want about whomever you want, then you need an omniscient point of view. Third person usually focuses on a main character and occasionally shares about other characters when it serves the story.

Second Person Point Of View

“Second person is a point of view (how a story is told) where the narrator tells the story to another character using the word ‘you.’ The author could be talking to the audience, which we could tell by the use of ‘you,’ 'you’re,’ and 'your.'”

Pros

  • Your reader feels what you write so much more intensely, because you’re referring to them specifically. It’s a reader insert point of view. You’re speaking directly to them. 
  • Action and romance are really good genres for this, I imagine, because those are stories where readers often put themselves in the place of the protagonist anyway, so second person would amplify that to your advantage.
  • There works so well when it’s done correctly, and if you take the time to practice with it and master the pacing and what really makes a reader tick in second person point of view, it will grab that reader and pull them very, very quickly.

Cons

  • You usually have to be really really vague about descriptions. If your reader doesn’t have blonde hair and hazel eyes, but your character does, this will really put a damper on their experience because every time you describe how their blonde hair blows in the wind, they’ll detach from the story.
  • Sometimes your reader may feel confused because second person is a very hard point of view to read about at first. It takes some time to get used to. A lot of fanfiction (mainly reader-insert) is second person point of view and I’ll be the (not) first to say that it took so time to adjust to, at least for me.

First Person Point Of View

“In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of the story. When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of the accounting.”

Pros

  • Is not limited to the point of view of the main character, as displayed in books such as The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
  • A certain connection between the reader and the character can create a sense of authenticity and intimacy between the reader and the story as a whole.
  • The themes and motives behind the story can become easier to decode, as they are disclosed in a more clear and direct manner.
  • The character can be easier to understand and relate to, as everything is being told by them, with their bias and interpretation included.
  • It puts the reader inside of the story rather than having them watch from the outside. The intimate details and description can make put them in a position to experience the story from inside and therefore make the story mirror their reality in a way.

Cons

  • It may become difficult for the reader to differentiate who is speaking to them in the story, as many sentences will begin with “I” or “we” and create a repetitive narration and lose the reader alone the way.
  • The reader may become bored with hearing the story from only one’s perspective. The style in which the story is told {the adjectives, the themes, the personality} may not vary enough to keep them entertained. 
  • Imagery can be difficult to pull off in this point of view because the writer may get into the habit of telling the reader what is happening instead of showing them through smooth interjections of descriptive vocabulary. 
  • The writer may experience a dependence on dialogue to try to compensate for lack of description of events, and the reader may lose track of story details that may become imperative to events later in the scene/story.
  • This makes it a lot easier to pull an “unreliable narrator”, as first person is only the perspective of a person, rather than the story told from a purely factual position.

Omniscient & Limited Omniscient Points of View

“A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient. A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a limited omniscient point of view.”

Pros

  • This makes it really easy to include details about many characters that you wouldn’t be able to from the perspective of a single person.
  • You are writing as yourself. You are the author, you have all the information to give the reader, and you get to give it in the least convoluted way you could ever desire, and in your own words. In any other point of view, you are pretending to be somebody else, even in third person, so this allows you to really demonstrate your unique voice as a writer and express your own style.
  • You can write fast paced scenes without the reader questioning what an individual character is feeling all the time. You can slip in whatever information you want at whatever point you wish and it just sounds natural to the reader.

Cons

  • Plot twists are ten times more difficult because there’s no reason why anything would be a surprise. Your reader technically has access to all information and foreshadowing required to predict what will happen next, so if you’re planning a big surprise, prepare for a challenge delivering it.
  • Keeping the focus on one subject is more important when you’re writing for younger, less experienced readers. You have to have a protagonist and a linear story for them to follow, which can be tricky with omniscient point of view. It’s important to keep your audience in mind if you’re going to choose any point of view, but especially this one.

These pros and cons are subjective, depending on what you are intending to convey in your story. Please consider this with a grain of salt and take the detail and unique qualities of your own work into account when using this resource. Not all pros and cons in this piece will apply the same to every story, and that is something to keep in mind. I hope this will be useful to you all. Cheers! 

Ext. Sources ~ x x x x 

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102 Ways to Spark Novel Ideas

themerrywriter

102 Ways to Spark Novel Ideas

The hardest part of writing is, for many, getting started; formulating a viable idea is harder than it sounds for many writers.

Never fear – TheMerryWriter (that’s me!) is here to save the day!

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Well… maybe not, but I do have a list of 102 prompts, story starters, and suggestions for idea generation that might just haul you out of this rut;

Idea Generators

Some ways to formulate ideas, both big…

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