Why Is It That I Can Write Dialogue For Hours, But The Second I Try To Have A Conversation With A Real

Different sentence structures and the vibes they can achieve

1. Short, choppy sentences

Excellent for creating tension, urgency, or drama because they speed up the pacing and convey intense emotion.

She said no. I didn’t listen. I should have.

2. Long, flowing sentences

These are great for descriptions, adding detail, and explanations. They can create an intellectual or reflective vibe—or even a dreamy one. You can also use them to evoke a sense of being overwhelmed. They slow the pacing, add complexity, and help build tension. But once you're in the thick of a tense moment, it's often better to switch back to short sentences to keep the energy up.

As the sun dipped behind the horizon, casting a golden sheen across the cracked pavement, she stood there, unsure of what she was waiting for—only that something, anything, had to change.

3. Fragmented sentences

These give off a casual, stylized, and emotional tone. They're perfect for internal monologue and mimicking the way we actually think or speak.

Not the way I planned. Not even close. But here we are.

4. Repetitive structure

They add drama, rhythm, and emotional intensity. It's a powerful stylistic tool that can drive a point home.

She wanted peace. She wanted quiet. She wanted to forget.

5. Inverted or unusual word order

If you're aiming for a formal, archaic, or poetic tone, this structure will get you there.

Gone was the light from his eyes.

6. Interruptions (em dashes or parentheses)

If you're going for a conversational, conflicted, or stream-of-consciousness vibe—even something humorous if used right—interruptions are your friend. They mimic how we speak and think in real time.

I was going to tell her—God, I really was—but I couldn’t.

7. Questions

Questions are fantastic for showing uncertainty, anxiety, or inner conflict. They can also give off a philosophical tone and invite reflection from both the character and the reader.

What if I never make it out? What if this is it?

writing badly and cringily is actually an essential part of the writing process, both in terms of individual projects and in gaining voice and confidence as a writer in the long term. there is no way around the cringe. there's no way around the work.

in writing, if you're stuck on a sentence or paragraph you're supposed to just jusmp to the next part and keep writing. fine-tuning is for the revision phase not the first draft

unfortunately every single fucking letter is a bear trap

The most terrifying monster isn’t the one under the bed—it’s the one the protagonist becomes to survive. Let them stare into the mirror and flinch at what stares back.

I just found the funniest font ever

Like. What is this. Why is this. Who is the target audience of this?

Me when I cannot physically write: *intense daydreaming, the perfect scene plays out, the heavens open, angelic song fills the imaginative space, the plot holes fill in; never has there been a better scene concocted in all of written art*

Me when I write: *head empty, no thoughts* She... smiled... earnestly?? And cool shit happened??? And... uh... this happened... but like in a neat way - right?

Yes, because what if I wanna read it. Ever think about that?

I hate to break it to you, but they were right. You really do just have to finish that first draft. It can be a hot mess, but you can’t clean up a room that doesn’t exist

Anyways…

do you torture the character you relate to most and recreate your own abuse in fiction to cope or were your needs and feelings acknowledged as a child

Small fantasy worldbuilding elements you might want to think about:

A currency that isn’t gold-standard/having gold be as valuable as tin

A currency that runs entirely on a perishable resource, like cocoa beans

A clock that isn’t 24-hours

More or less than four seasons/seasons other than the ones we know

Fantastical weather patterns like irregular cloud formations, iridescent rain

Multiple moons/no moon

Planetary rings

A northern lights effect, but near the equator

Roads that aren’t brown or grey/black, like San Juan’s blue bricks

Jewelry beyond precious gems and metals

Marriage signifiers other than wedding bands

The husband taking the wife's name / newlyweds inventing a new surname upon marriage

No concept of virginity or bastardry

More than 2 genders/no concept of gender

Monotheism, but not creationism

Gods that don’t look like people

Domesticated pets that aren’t re-skinned dogs and cats

Some normalized supernatural element that has nothing to do with the plot

Magical communication that isn’t Fantasy Zoom

“Books” that aren’t bound or scrolls

A nonverbal means of communicating, like sign language

A race of people who are obligate carnivores/ vegetarians/ vegans/ pescatarians (not religious, biological imperative)

I’ve done about half of these myself in one WIP or another and a little detail here or there goes a long way in reminding the audience that this isn’t Kansas anymore.

Literally me right now

Me after a long day of writing: *closing the lid of my laptop nodding to myself* that was a good sentence