Heyo it’s back to school time and here’s a research tip from your friendly neighborhood academic librarian.When searching for any topic on the internet just type in the word ‘libguide’ after your topic and tada like magic there will be several  beautifully curated lists of books, journals, articles, or other resources dealing with your subject. Librarians create these guides to help with folks’ informational needs, so please go find one and make a librarian happy today!!

i have just stumbled upon the most beautiful public document i have ever laid eyes on. this also goes for anyone whose pastimes include any sort of character creation. may i present, the HOLY GRAIL:

https://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf

this wonderful 88-page piece has step by step breakdowns of how names work in different cultures! i needed to know how to name a Muslim character it has already helped me SO MUCH and i’ve known about it for all of 15 minutes!! i am thoroughly amazed and i just needed to share with you guys 

Writing Description Notes:

Updated 19th October 2025
More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes

• Dialogue Tags
• Facial Expressions
• Masking Emotions
• Smiles/Smirks/Grins
• Eye Contact/Eye Movements
• Blushing
• Voice/Tone
• Body Language/Idle Movement
• Thoughts/Thinking/Focusing/Distracted
• Silence
• Memories
• Happy/Content/Comforted
• Love/Romance
• Sadness/Crying/Hurt
• Confidence/Determination/Hopeful
• Surprised/Shocked
• Guilt/Regret
• Disgusted/Jealous
• Uncertain/Doubtful/Worried
• Anger/Rage
• Laughter
• Confused
• Speechless/Tongue Tied
• Fear/Terrified
• Mental Pain
• Physical Pain
• Tired/Drowsy/Exhausted
• Eating
• Drinking
• Warm/Hot
• Cold/Freezing

While we do ask that folks take a look at our tags, we still get a slew of questions on the same topics again and again, time after time. While we love helping (why else would we be here?), consider this the ultimate post of tag links for those topics we get asked about all the time, and have a hefty number of resources for already.

If, after reviewing posts in these tags, nothing is applicable to your situation, please feel free to send us an ask.
And if your question is pretty specific to your story, or you personally, we do often answer questions to those who post off Anon privately. In fact, to better serve everyone, we request that you ask more specific/personal questions off Anon as if it’s too specific/personal, it’s likely an Anon posing such questions won’t get answered in a timely fashion. (And you can always request us to answer your question privately, too!)

Frequently Asked Questions Tags:

Getting Started

Beginnings

Prologues

Planning / Outlining

Motivation

Focus

Inspiration

Writer’s Block

Writing Style

Action Writing

Dialogue Writing

Plotting

Plot Structure

Plot Development

POV

1st Person

3rd Person

Character Names

Place Names

Setting

Description

Romance

Sexuality

Relationships

Kissing

Sex/Smut

Character Profiles

Characterization

Character Development

Character Description

Protagonists

Antagonists

POC Characters

LGBQTA+ Characters

Editing

Revision / Revising

Beta Readers

Titles

Publishing

The Writer’s Editors

These people have generously offered their expertise for when you have questions specific to areas that we may not be as well versed in and/or able to answer in a timely manner (and if you want to be added to either of these, let us know):

Genre Helpers

Language Helpers

Keep in mind that we have tons of tags on various topics. These are just ones we tend to get questions about A LOT. Bookmark this link. Reblog it. Save it. Learn it. Bop it. Twist it. Shake it.

does the makeup look sad or happy? >>> goth & sad >>> middle tang dynasty [lmao]

Building/Architectural Terms for Writers

Trying to find a good word today and found these bookmark-worthy sites! Hope they help other writers with their descriptions.

• Glossary of House Building Terms —if you're having trouble imagining a residential home for your story, this site's primary purpose is to offer house plans
• Words That Describe Buildings or Rooms and Parts of Buildings — the sidebar on this page offers relevant glossaries for building materials, fences and outside walls, etc.
• House Parts You Didn't Know Had a Name — this site is best for antique and historical homes, and offers professional DIYs for improving/maintaining every facet of an old home, which is good for descriptions

A Collection of Posts to Read Before Asking About the Blind Prophet / Blind Seer Trope

Hi all,

I thought I would start creating collections of my posts on this topic. Please read these before asking about the blind prophet trope, as I believe these will answer most questions. To ensure you are reading the most up-to-date version, go to my pinned post and find this under the blind prophet trope discussion in bold. It should direct you to the most updated list if you found this through a reblog. See if these posts answer your questions before asking me.

Trope Discussion: The Blind Prophet / Blind Seer Trope

Below is a list of questions I have answered that seek advice on avoiding the problems often associated with this trope. In some, I highlight what writers are doing well. In others, I offer suggestions for possible changes.

A post that contains discussions of two different characters with future vision, only one of whom is blind, which helps in avoiding the association of future vision with blindness. It also discusses avoiding making up for blindness and having more than one blind character.

Here is a post about avoiding erasing blindness with prophecies and using other senses instead.

Here is one where the asker has written about the spectrum of blindness as well as a blind character who isn’t the only one who can see the future.

Here is a post where the writer displays a blind community and avoiding erasing blindness using a special visions of the future. The character seems to be totally blind and I offer suggestions of using other senses instead of sight or giving the character residual vision to use instead. Includes details and links about the spectrum of blindness.

This post is a great follow-up reinforcing another option for the above linked post and for this trope in general, which is writing a character whose future vision is the same as it is in the present. The character can use multiple senses, including residual sight, to understand the future just as they would in the present.

Another ask about giving the character future visions with the same sight they use in daily life. For example, tunnel vision or central vision loss should occur in both future visions and daily life. The writer also addresses having other blind characters, a twist on the prophet trope, and switching from writing the character as temporarily blind to being blind since birth. I also suggest having a blind character not a prophet. Having another prophet who isn’t blind might also work.

While the information in these posts may not address every possible scenario, I hope they are helpful.

Requests

Having a writer's block with requests, so... if you have any requests for a series I do, let me know! Just put it under this post.

Examples of series that I have:

• Dialogue Responses
• Reactions to…
• List of Names
• All The Fic Titles
• AU ideas
• Favourite Tropes
• How to write emotions
• How to create an atmosphere

Tell me the series and what you would like to see with it. Maybe you can inspire me, just like I always try to inspire you :)

- Jana

OC ASK GAME

1. Where was your OC born, and where did they grow up?
2. How does your OC remember their childhood? Is this an accurate reflection of what their childhood was actually like?
3. If your OC could revisit their childhood, what would they want to change about it, if anything at all?
4. Describe three of the most important photographs your OC owns.
5. What is your OC's gender identity and sexual orientation? Is this also what they identify as in canon, or are they not (fully) aware?
6. How comfortable is your OC in their skin? Do they like who they are? What would they want to change about themself?
7. What is your OC's occupation?
8. What does your OC's family look like?
9. Describe a mundane day in your OC's life.
10. Does your OC have any physical scars? What is the story behind them?
11. What does your OC carry around in their pockets? What about their bag?
12. What is the worst thing that has happened to your OC? How has it affected their behavior, their health, and their life in general?
13. What is something your OC does (to others) that they would not like if others did to them? Are they aware that they do this?
14. Does your OC hold grudges? How good are they at letting things go? Do they believe in second chances?
15. What is your OC's fatal flaw?
16. Is there anyone your OC has lost contact with? What happened?
17. What are some of your OC's coping mechanisms during stressful or overwhelming periods in their life?
18. What are your OC's bad habits?
19. How does your OC handle preparing for and initiating a difficult conversation? How does the conversation itself go?
20. How quick is your OC to shift blame? Do they own up to their mistakes, or are they prone to start pointing fingers at others?
21. How does your OC handle criticism?
22. How good is your OC at apologizing, if they do this at all?
23. What is your OC like when they're angry?
24. What is your OC like when they're upset?
25. What is your OC's deepest desire? Would they ever ask for this?
26. How quickly does your OC reach their breaking point? What are they like when this point has been reached?
27. What are some assumptions others make about your OC? Are any of them true?
28. What does your OC think others are saying about them behind their back? Is any of this true?
29. What are three traits your OC has that can both have positive as well as negative qualities?
30. How paranoid is your OC? How does this affect their daily life?
31. Are there any places or people your OC is avoiding?
32. How does your OC handle rejection?
33. How does your OC handle jealousy?
34. What would be some of the signs your OC is starting to push people away?
35. If your OC had to kill someone, how would they do it? If killing is a near-daily occurrence to them, what is their preferred method?
36. Does your OC believe they deserve it when bad things happen to them?
37. What is the most common feeling or emotion in your OC's life?
38. What is the most recurring theme in your OC's nightmares?
39. What is your OC's pain tolerance like? What is the worst pain they have ever felt?
40. What is your OC afraid of?
41. Has your OC ever hurt someone, either physically or verbally?
42. How easily influenced by others is your OC?
43. What are common things your OC worries about?
44. Do others consider your OC to be scary or intimidating?
45. Does your OC keep their promises? Have they ever broken one before?
46. Does your OC carry any guilt with them?
47. If your OC had to pick a new identity and skip town, what would they come up with? Where would they go?
48. What would your OC do if they knew that this was their last day alive?
49. Does your OC fear death?
50. How does your OC die, eventually?

Types of Chapter Hooks

• The Cliffhanger. End right before the outcome of a tense moment so the reader needs to know what happens next.
• The Shocking Reveal. Drop unexpected information that changes how the reader sees the situation.
• The Unanswered Question. Raise something important that isn’t resolved yet, pulling the reader forward.
• The Emotional Hit. End on a strong feeling—grief, anger, love—that lingers beyond the chapter.
• The Sudden Twist. Shift the direction of the story in a way the reader didn’t expect.
• The Decision Moment. A character makes a choice that will have major consequences.
• The New Problem. Just as one issue ends, a bigger or more dangerous one appears.
• The Mysterious Line. A vague or intriguing statement that hints at something deeper.
• The Interrupted Moment. Cut off a conversation, action, or confession at the most crucial point.
• The Calm Before Chaos. End on a quiet or normal moment that subtly hints something is about to go wrong.
• Get free writing tools: Join the newsletter!