Free Resources To Write A Novel In 2024

Drawing bases & pose references pt 47 ✨

There are 3 more poses for patrons!

Drawing bases & pose references pt 46 ✨

There are 3 more poses for patrons today!

Stop making this prologue mistake

Are you making this mistake when writing a prologue? Lots of new writers don’t know what prologues are for.

But let’s first jump into what they are not for →

Infodumping, worldbuilding, or backstory! A prologue is not the place to set the image of what your world is, what led to it being this way, why your protagonist finds themselves in their current predicament, or retelling the backstory of your hero.

Why not? Because when a reader first opens your book, they don’t yet have an incentive to care about your world or your character, and therefore pummeling them with a ton of information about things they haven’t gotten to know yet (or care about!) is the easiest way to lose their interest.

I know you might be thinking - but how will they know whose story I’m telling and what world it’s set in? This comes down to one simple thing → Trust your readers.

Building your world, your characters, and their backstories organically throughout the story you’re telling is going to result in a lot more gratitude from your readers.

Why? Because you’re not serving them all the information on a silver platter. Instead, you’re letting them ask questions and discover things on their own. They will FEEL that sense of trust you’re giving them, when you don’t over explain yourself.

So what are prologues actually for then? A strong prologue should tease the story, or set up the central story question that you’re asking. It should never give away too much, but act as a small glimpse or hint of things to come. It should make your readers intrigued about the story.

Here’s how you can figure it out easily →

The simplest distinction to conclude whether you have a strong prologue is this: Does your prologue pose questions or answer them? If it’s the former - great!

If it’s the latter - rethink whether you need it, or you might simply be too untrusting of your readers.

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Novel Plotting Academy

Simple Plotting Tools to Get You Clear on Your Story

[REDACTED] moodboard

I've done the research, but I don't think the results I've found have answered my question. My WIP stars a trio of teens who are 14 - 15. And since this story centers around change, firsts, and coming into one's own, I wanted to feature a romance between two of the three MCs. I know more subtle signs of romance include shared looks, unspoken communication, hand holding, shoulder bumps, gentle headbutts, and going out of your way for the person your care for. But is that everything?

The Subtle Signs of Romantic Interest and Love

Whether affection is just beginning to develop or two people are in the early stages of a relationship, there are lots of subtle signs to indicate romantic interest and love. In no particular order…

External Signs

- stolen glances- lingering looks- intense eye contact- sharing a knowing look- eyes meeting- looking away bashfully after eyes meet- feeling nervous/tongue-tied when trying to talk to the other person- voice cracks when trying to speak to the other person- flirting- straying from normal attitude or behavior with other person- denying interest in other person when pressed by friends (in early stages)- communicating feelings through the eyes (worry, pain, pride, love, etc.)- awkwardness after accidental touching- shared laughter after accidental touching- an “electric” feeling when touching the other person- speaking at the same time (a little cliché, but it can happen)- tentative touching- finding ways to touch when intimate touch is restricted- open, affectionate touching (holding hands, hugging, nuzzling, etc.)- brushing a lock of hair behind the ear- gently stroking jaw line, chin, or cheek- kissing forehead, temple, or top of head- rubbing nose tips together- displaying flirtatious tics like biting lip, twirling hair, running hand through hair- talking excitedly or affectionately about the other person to friends- constantly talking about the other person to friends- blushing when teased by friends about the other person- giving the other person meaningful gifts- keeping mementos as reminders of the other person- making excuses to be near the other person- making excuses to spend time with the other person- wanting to get to know the other person’s friends and family- good mood/always smiling from being with or thinking about other person- giving each other nicknames or using pet names/terms of endearment- being reminded of other person when listening to love songs- sharing possessions, letting each other borrow meaningful possessions- willing to make sacrifices to be with the other person or to make them happy- sharing secrets, or things not often shared, with the other person- speaking softly or whispering in the person’s ear- cheeks/neck/chest becoming flushed- moving quickly toward the other person to close the distance- sighing, either out of happiness or missing the other person- losing track of time when with the other person- feeling like the rest of the world melts away when with the other person

Internal Signs

- thinking fondly of the other person- thinking about them constantly- recalling fond memories- seeing constant reminders of the other person- worrying about the other person- daydreaming about future activities with the other person- daydreaming about sharing a future with the other person- analyzing a previous interaction- dreaming about the person- feeling “weak in the knees” around the other person- remembering moments containing looking/touching moments- wanting to know everything there is to know about the other person- wanting to spend every waking second with the other person- orchestrating meetings that seem to be happenstance- feeling joy/racing heartbeat/butterflies upon seeing other person- craving the person’s touch, or being able to touch them- constant feeling of being “on cloud nine”- often distracted due to thinking about other person- wanting to impress the other person or make them proud- when not with the other person, noticing things they would appreciate- unable to see anything but positives where the other person is concerned- feeling suddenly warm- feeling breathless- noticing (and loving) little details (moles, scars, birthmarks, unusual traits)- wanting to improve self to impress or benefit other person- eyes constantly seek the other person out- inability to stop looking at the person, difficulty not staring at them- thinking you see the other person in a crowd when they’re not there- difficulty sleeping/loss of sleep- feeling a deep desire to kiss the personIf you need an extra boost, watch a few romantic comedies or love stories. Watch the way the characters behave as their interest in one another is building and as they begin to explore a relationship. :)

How do I figure out what motions/handlings to write? (Hand gestures, moving in the scene, etc).

I am autistic and have never paid much attention to the way people move. I only do so now because I have been reading and noticed it was missing from my own writing. I never see anyone struggle with this, so I feel like I am missing some understanding on how to structure a scene

Guide: Working Body Language Into Your Writing

Body language is the process of communicating nonverbally through conscious or unconscious movements of the body.

Th four types of body language:

-- Facial Expressions -- Posture -- Hand Gestures -- Body Movement

Facial Expressions communicate thought and emotion using the features of the face, such as eyes, mouth, nose, and eyebrows. Some examples of facial expressions are:

-- an upturned mouth -- dimples -- a raised eyebrow -- flushed cheeks -- a scrunched nose -- rolling eyes -- gaping jaw -- eye signals (winking, narrowed eyes, twinkling eyes, etc.)

Posture communicates thought and emotion using the positioning of the body, head, and limbs. Some examples of posture:

-- sitting up straight -- slouching -- leaning toward someone -- hugging oneself -- crossed arms -- hands on hips -- slumped shoulders

Hand gestures communicate thought and emotion using intentional movements of the hand. Some examples of hand gestures:

-- pointing -- "face palm" -- waving -- beckoning with hand or finger -- thumbs up -- middle finger -- clenched fists -- covering mouth with hand -- placing hand over heart -- gesturing at someone/something -- clapping

Body movements communicate thought and emotion using bigger actions, like gestures using the head/neck or limbs, or moving the entire body. Some examples of body movements:

-- jumping up and down -- cowering -- flinching -- bowing/curtsying -- handshakes/hugs -- hitting/kicking/pushing -- taking a step back -- moving toward -- shrugging -- shaking head/nodding -- tipping head back -- dancing in place Choosing Body Language to Show Emotion

A character's thoughts and emotions can be conveyed using a combination of different body language signals. Every body language signal (such as a wink, smile, frown, shrug, wave, etc.) has a bunch of emotions it can be tied to.

For example, we all know that smiling is typically a sign of positive emotions like happiness, joy, satisfaction, triumph, and affection. Shrugging is usually an indication of indifference or not knowing something. However, we can also modify body language using adjectives. For example, a "nervous smile" or a "sad smile" tells us something very different from just a regular smile. An "apathetic shrug" clarifies indifference, whereas an "enthusiastic shrug" implies excitement about something but not having all the answers or facts.

Sometimes, choosing the right emotion to illustrate a character's thoughts and feelings is as simple as considering what you yourself might do in that moment. Or, perhaps someone you know who is like your character. Other times, it can be beneficial to research which body language signals are typically indicative of a particular emotion. For that, I would strongly recommend purchasing a copy of The Emotion Thesaurus by Becca Puglisi and Angela Ackerman. This handy reference lists a variety of emotions along with the body language that often indicate them, and it goes even further in that it also describes the internal sensations that often go with these emotions, which is handy when you're writing in first-person or third-person close/limited. The book is available for purchase in print and e-book, and you can find samples by searching for "One Stop for Writers Emotion Thesaurus."

I hope that helps!

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I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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Finally got around to redoing all the Eras

(except for the Inevitable shhhhhhhh the giant whale just wouldn’t fit)

Sometimes I forget how much they’ve changed and how much I’ve improved art-wise from the first compilation page from over a year ago

some people think writers are so eloquent and good with words, but the reality is that we can sit there with our fingers on the keyboard going, “what’s the word for non-sunlight lighting? Like, fake lighting?” and for ten minutes, all our brain will supply is “unofficial”, and we know that’s not the right word, but it’s the only word we can come up with…until finally it’s like our face got smashed into a brick wall and we remember the word we want is “artificial”.

The New Republic

Trump Wants Snitches to Report on DEI. There’s Just One Problem.

Donald Trump wants people to expose diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the federal government. The idea is already flopping.

The threat was loud and clear: Report your so-called “DEI” employees or else. What exactly “DEIA or similar ideologies” means is up in the air, but the message was out there. And so was the email address of the DEIA snitching hotline. Fake emails quickly started to roll in. ‘I don’t care, fuck these McCarthyite bastards,” one BlueSky user said, with an screenshot attached of an email to the hotline where he ironically reported Donald Trump and JD Vance for being “put in their positions solely because of their race and/or gender despite the fact that they are wholly unqualified for their jobs and, in some cases, have criminal records.” “Anyone have a script to fire off a billion e-mails an hour??” another user asked in the replies. “Anyone can email anything of any size even if it crashes the site,” one X user noted. The scope and effectiveness of this latest phase of Trump’s anti-DEI crusade remains to be seen.

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