I’m Going To Say Something That Might Make Me Seem Ungrateful, But I Think It’s True Of Many Fic

"WHERE DO I WRITE MY BOOKS?"

i've gathered some resources that writers could use in writing their books. this is where you can write your books:

Microsoft Word - you can actually format a document so it looks like a manuscript or you can use the manuscript template.

Google Docs - if you do not have the first one, you can have google docs as a free alternative, it functions similarly as you can also format it to become a manuscript for your book. (EXPERIMENT WITH THIS, IT COULD DO EVERYTHING !!)

Mystory.today - you can write your book in this website because it is actually meant for writers. it's an 'all in one' website since you can have your characters and chapters all in one application. it is free but it has some premium features.

yWriter - similar to mystory.today, but i prefer this one more since it's free !!

Dabble - similar to mystory.today, it's free but it has some premium features but still definitely worth the try !

Pen and paper - i also love taking notes by hand and it feels satisfying to move my fingers and use my hands in writing too !

Milanote - this is where you can build characters, settings, and timelines but it's limited so there's premium version of it.

Manuskript - an application where you can write your books too, it's free !!

Notion - this is a bonus, i personally use this to plan my books but i do not use it for my manuscript. it's still a helpful platform if you want to make notes about your writing and plan when you are going to write your books. it's also a great tool to create a checklist of your to-dos

i hope you guys would mainly experiment on google docs but u can always use what suits your preference. i hope this helps !!

for wip wednesday this week, i thought people might maybe be interested in the planning board i made for Arc 4! Censored scene titles to avoid too many spoilers~

kanban boards are great for outlines, cause you can drag and drop scenes around when you're planning to work things out better, and I like having a 'physical' visual like this, it helps my brain.

tags are plot threads, using the colourful tags plugin to colour-code them so I can see at a glance what's what, with main plots in brighter colours and subplots subdued to mark the distinction.

I have two markers to pull out scenes: major plot beats, and spicy scenes. I wanted each chapter to have at least one of each (though as you can see, I didn't always exactly succeed). doing that helped me make sure I was balancing my developments, and having the tags let me see if I was abandoning key threads halfway through (which in draft one...i definitely was!)

not in the screenshot is the final board, which is cut scenes, because i refuse to throw things away when i might need them later.

OMG Thank you so much for recommending my urban sketcher AU! It really made my day 😍🥰

red white and royal blue fics!

I've been reading so much rwrb fanfiction lately so these are some of my favorites.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/53056363/chapters/134233072

An urban sketcher au.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/53028988

Alex is an influencer and accidently comes out to the internet by thirsting over Henry in a video.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/50062960/chapters/126414574

Roommates to lovers featuring latte art.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48037288

Henry and Alex both show up at a divorced parents mixer. Neither are divorced and neither are parents.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/45089686

Some misunderstandings caused by Henry's brittishness. (Or Alex's Americaness)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/51287146/chapters/129585469

Henry posts sleep stories on youtube. Alex has some complaints about it.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31879084/chapters/78933682

Actor au.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27641189/chapters/67631585

Camp councilor enemies to lovers.

where it all began….

this was the first rwrb art i ever made - tbh i thought it was a one-off and i never intended to post more art but as u can prob tell these lovesick homosexuals have taken over my life

Two parallel universes: one where Arthur Fox has never been sick, so he and his family lived happily ever after, and our universe where Arthur Fox died from cancer. We’re all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? Because it was, you know. It was the best. Arthur Fox and his family and the days that never came.

When you hold me, it holds me together.

--

😢🥹

RWRB Movie Posters

I've seen so many online sellers trying to make money off of printed posters that are just the promo images released by amazon, so I found HQ versions and am posting them here, for anyone else who wants them.

Sources without tumblr compression: One, two

+ Bonus

Things That May Be Causing Your Writer's Block- and How to Beat Them

I don't like the term 'Writer's Block' - not because it isn't real, but because the term is so vague that it's useless. Hundreds of issues all get lumped together under this one umbrella, making writer's block seem like this all-powerful boogeyman that's impossible to beat. Worse yet, it leaves people giving and receiving advice that is completely ineffective because people often don't realize they're talking about entirely different issues.

In my experience, the key to beating writer's block is figuring out what the block even is, so I put together a list of Actual Reasons why you may be struggling to write:

(note that any case of writer's block is usually a mix of two or more)

Perfectionism (most common)

What it looks like:

You write one sentence and spend the next hour googling "synonyms for ___"

Write. Erase. Write. Rewrite. Erase.

Should I even start writing this scene when I haven't figured out this one specific detail yet?

I hate everything I write

Cringing while writing

My first draft must be perfect, or else I'm a terrible writer

Things that can help:

Give yourself permission to suck

Keep in mind that nothing you write is going to be perfect, especially your first draft

Think of writing your first/early drafts not as writing, but sketching out a loose foundation to build upon later

People write multiple drafts for a reason: write now, edit later

Stop googling synonyms and save that for editing

Write with a pen to reduce temptation to erase

Embrace leaving blank spaces in your writing when you can't think of the right word, name, or detail

It's okay if your writing sucks. We all suck at some point. Embrace the growth mindset, and focus on getting words on a page

Lack of inspiration (easiest to fix)

What it looks like:

Head empty, no ideas

What do I even write about???

I don't have a plot, I just have an image

Want to write but no story to write

Things that can help:

Google writing prompts

If writing prompts aren't your thing, instead try thinking about what kind of tropes/genres/story elements you would like to try out

Instead of thinking about the story you would like to write, think about the story you would like to read, and write that

It's okay if you don't have a fully fleshed out story idea. Even if it's just an image or a line of dialogue, it's okay to write that. A story may or may not come out of it, but at least you got the creative juices flowing

Stop writing. Step away from your desk and let yourself naturally get inspired. Go for a walk, read a book, travel, play video games, research history, etc. Don't force ideas, but do open up your mind to them

If you're like me, world-building may come more naturally than plotting. Design the world first and let the story come later

Boredom/Understimulation (lost the flow)

What it looks like:

I know I should be writing but uugggghhhh I just can'tttttt

Writing words feels like pulling teeth

I started writing, but then I got bored/distracted

I enjoy the idea of writing, but the actual process makes me want to throw my laptop out the window

Things that can help:

Introduce stimulation: snacks, beverages, gum, music such as lo-fi, blankets, decorate your writing space, get a clickity-clackity keyboard, etc.

Add variety: write in a new location, try a new idea/different story for a day or so, switch up how you write (pen and paper vs. computer) or try voice recording or speech-to-text

Gamify writing: create an arbitrary challenge, such as trying to see how many words you can write in a set time and try to beat your high score

Find a writing buddy or join a writer's group

Give yourself a reward for every writing milestone, even if it's just writing a paragraph

Ask yourself whether this project you're working on is something you really want to be doing, and be honest with your answer

Intimidation/Procrastination (often related to perfectionism, but not always)

What it looks like:

I was feeling really motivated to write, but then I opened my laptop

I don't even know where to start

I love writing, but I can never seem to get started

I'll write tomorrow. I mean next week. Next month? Next month, I swear (doesn't write next month)

Can't find the time or energy

Unreasonable expectations (I should be able to write 10,000 words a day, right????)

Feeling discouraged and wondering why I'm even trying

Things that can help:

Follow the 2 min rule (or the 1 paragraph rule, which works better for me): whenever you sit down to write, tell yourself that you are only going to write for 2 minutes. If you feel like continuing once the 2 mins are up, go for it! Otherwise, stop. Force yourself to start but DO NOT force yourself to continue unless you feel like it. The more often you do this, the easier it will be to get started

Make getting started as easy as possible (i.e. minimize barriers: if getting up to get a notebook is stopping you from getting started, then write in the notes app of your phone)

Commit to a routine that will work for you. Baby steps are important here. Go with something that feels reasonable: every day, every other day, once a week, twice a week, and use cues to help you remember to start. If you chose a set time to write, just make sure that it's a time that feels natural to you- i.e. don't force yourself to writing at 9am every morning if you're not a morning person

Find a friend or a writing buddy you can trust and talk it out or share a piece of work you're proud of. Sometimes we just get a bit bogged down by criticism- either internal or external- and need a few words of encouragement

The Problem's Not You, It's Your Story (or Outline (or Process))

What it looks like:

I have no problems writing other scenes, it's just this scene

I started writing, but now I have no idea where I'm going

I don't think I'm doing this right

What's an outline?

Drowning in documents

This. Doesn't. Make. Sense. How do I get from this plot point to this one?!?!?! (this ColeyDoesThings quote lives in my head rent free cause BOY have I been there)

Things That Can Help:

Go back to the drawing board. Really try to get at the root of why a scene or story isn't working

A part of growing as a writer is learning when to kill your darlings. Sometimes you're trying to force an idea or scene that just doesn't work and you need to let it go

If you don't have an outline, write one

If you have an outline and it isn't working, rewrite it, or look up different ways to structure it

You may be trying to write as a pantser when you're really a plotter or vice versa. Experiment with different writing processes and see what feels most natural

Study story structures, starting with the three act structure. Even if you don't use them, you should know them

Check out Ellen Brock on YouTube. She's a professional novel editor who has a lot of advice on writing strategies for different types of writers

Also check out Savage Books on YouTube (another professional story editor) for advice on story structure and dialogue. Seriously, I cannot recommend this guy enough

Executive Dysfunction, Usually From ADHD/Autism

What it looks like:

Everything in boredom/understimulation

Everything in intimidation/procrastination

You have been diagnosed with and/or have symptoms of ADHD/Autism

Things that can help:

If you haven't already, seek a diagnosis or professional treatment

Hire an ADHD coach or other specialist that can help you work with your brain (I use Shimmer; feel free to DM me for a referral)

Seek out neurodiverse communities for advice and support

Try body doubling! There's lot's of free online body doubling websites out there for you to try. If social anxiety is a barrier, start out with writing streams such as katecavanaughwrites on Twitch

Be aware of any sensory barriers that may be getting in the way of you writing (such as an uncomfortable desk chair, harsh lighting, bad sounds)

And Lastly, Burnout, Depression, or Other Mental Illness

What it looks like:

You have symptoms of burnout or depression

Struggling with all things, not just writing

It's more than a lack of inspiration- the spark is just dead

Things that can help:

Forget writing for now. Focus on healing first.

Seek professional help

If you feel like it, use writing as a way to explore your feelings. It can take the form of journaling, poetry, an abstract reflection of your thoughts, narrative essays, or exploring what you're feeling through your fictional characters. The last two helped me rediscover my love of writing after I thought years of depression had killed it for good. Just don't force yourself to do so, and stop if it takes you to a darker place instead of feeling cathartic

Firstprince hands have their own chemistry: