Scribbled Fiction

Here's something I've noticed from years of writing and reading: One small and perfect detail can help you envision a character's whole appearance. If a character's appearance feels bland, or if you feel like you just can't 'see' them in your mind's eye, adding something as simple as a nose shape or a necklace can suddenly bring it all together. That one detail establishes the basic gist of your character's appearance to the reader, and their mind will then take over and fill in all kinds of fun little details from there. It's incredible! And it only takes one small extra step on your part. Here's an example of this technique in action. We start off with a very simple description. He was tall and blond, in jeans and a t-shirt. Not so interesting, not so memorable. He could use some help. Add a small and unique detail. He was tall and blond, in jeans and a band t-shirt, with a diamond earring in his right  ear. And there it is!...

So, nobody actually tagged me in this. I just stole it. And I don't really plan to tag anybody, either, so if you want it, bend to my dark ways and steal it for yourself! Just so that I end up linking someone, I stole this from  The Writer's Song . Thanks! THE RULES: Link and thank the blogger who tagged you.  Include the graphic somewhere in the post (or make your own!)  Answer the questions truthfully and honestly. . . . Tag 3 bloggers.  So, never have I ever... ...started a novel I didn't finish I really want to say I don't start novels I don't finish because 99% of the time I finish everything I start, but there have been a few projects. There was an editing project I was working on a few years ago, and about three drafts in I realized it was not working out for me. I wasn't loving it anymore and I needed a break. And I guess I've never come back from that break? There were also like 2 first drafts I've abandoned before, b...

Mentors in stories are quite frequently killed off to keep them from being too useful to the hero, so often that it's become almost a joke. I mean, have you seen the number of memes about this?? There was literally a place in the Lego Ninjago Movie called the Bridge of Falling Mentors. That's how far this has gone. Of course, I, a meme enthusiast, have made a meme about this, so here's one: View this post on Instagram Seriously tho ✒️ #writingmeme #writingmemes #writingfunny #writinghumor #writerslife #writerlife #writinglife #amwriting #amtryingtowrite #writersofig #writerpost #writersofinstagram #writerpost #writerpic #authorsofig #authorsofinstagram #writingposts #writingpost #writing #write #writingcommunity #writingcommunityofig #writingcommunityofinstagram A post shared by Bethany Meyer (@scribbledfiction) on Dec 30, 2019 at 6:38am PST News flash! The mentor doesn't have to die. I wrote a si...

So, I love urban fantasy. I really  love urban fantasy. *finds a rooftop to scream from* URBAN FANTASY IS SO COOL!! And thus I read all the good urban fantasy books I can get my hands on. My latest most favoritest read is A Madness of Angels, or the Resurrection of Matthew Swift . Like most of my favorite books, it was written by a British author so alas, no one I have ever met has read it. But it's incredible!! Trench coats! Spray paint! Magic creatures in the phone lines! A super cool urban sorcerer taking down evil creations of magic and kicking butts! *happy sigh* I love it all. And because of this series, I have decided to write a list of inspiration for my fellow urban fantasy writers. Here is a list of everyday, ordinary things that obviously have some kind of magical qualities and should have magic qualities in urban fantasy books. Used ticket stubs 24-hour eateries Those shoes that are tied together and slung over the telephone wires Street art Myst...

If you wanted to see all the Outlining 101 posts in one place, look no further! This post is the culmination of the series, and this is the one with the PDF in it, if you happened to be looking for that one in my sea of posts. Firstly, here are the links to the individual posts, in order that I posted them: Main Characters/Overall Antagonists Secondary Characters The Mentor And now, as promised, I am including a PDF of printable worksheets for all your characters! Rather than just copying all these questions into a notebook, you can print up the sheet and just fill it out on the lines. You're welcome, and enjoy! Click the image to be taken straight to the PDF, where you can download your own copy. Btw, I would love to see if this PDF is being used. If you're using it, let me know in a comment, or in a tag on Instagram or Twitter! My handles are below. I'd love to interact with you! Twitter: @ScribbldFiction Instagram: @scribbledfiction

The mentor can be a complicated character to write. Finding a mentor for your protagonist can be a complicated business in the first place, and then on top of all that they have to be a fully fleshed-out character while being somehow wiser than the protagonist is. But fret not. I have just the tools to help you build a good one. Let's go! I don't know about you, but my favorite mentors are the ones that are unexpected. The little red dragon who is determined to help Mulan succeed and prove his own worth at any cost. The guy in the mountains who helped Batman reach his fullest potential before (*SPOILERS*) ultimately becoming the villain. The fallen demigod set on getting back his magic hook and redeeming his standing with the gods. Those mentors. The unexpected, imperfect, beautifully flawed mentors. Unfortunately, I have no surefire tips for helping you identify who your mentor other than this: Who helps your protagonist move forward and who does your protagoni...

Every time I turn around it's another month. Who knows where the time goes. That's all I have to say about February. As far as writing in February, I feel like I did pretty good. I edited quite a bit. I'm currently sitting pretty on my draft at almost 66k(and counting, since I'm technically not finished this draft yet). I'm aiming for the highest numbers I can conjure for this draft, and I feel pretty proud over how far this draft has come since I originally drafted it in November. Like, where did I conjure an extra 10,000 words from?? I have never felt so proud over creating words. I guess my flash fiction and short stories for my very own Wick and Archer are really taking off, because Archer and the Girl was the most popular post of February. Other than that the blog seems to be a little stagnant, with similar numbers across all the posts. But that's okay. Some months are like that. Care to give a little love to some of the other posts f...

So there's this character trope that I've been noticing quite a bit recently in my favorite stories, a common thread you might say, and that trope is the dumb clown and the serious clown. You probably know this trope, even if you don't think you do. Here, have a brief list of my favorite pairings: Crowley and Aziraphale ( Good Omens ) Nick Wylde and Judy Hopps ( Zootopia ) Sherlock Holmes and John Watson ( The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ) Jim Kirk and Spock ( Star Trek ) Maui and Moana ( Moana ) Kuzco and Pasha ( The Emperor's New Groove ) You may notice the similarity between the dynamics of these characters. In each relationship, there is one absolutely irresponsible, outlandish, ridiculous character and one equally endearing but more practical character. When combined in virtually any situation, their dynamic is hilarious and iconic. This is one of my favorite character tropes, and since I have now ended up writing it myself in  Robbing Ce...