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Approaching Writing (Tutorial Part 1)A tutorial on how to write.Approaching Writing (Tutorial Part 1)1 year ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
We've seen it all before. Why then, should you even bother to read any further into this one?
I'm not just going to tell you how to write, but what I've learnt through experience. I'm also going to break a few moulds, and show you how some of the well known advice doesn't exactly work in the simple way others make you believe.
In this section, I'm going to outline the things you need to deal with before you even start writing.
That's your introduction. Now down to business.
1.The Idea
So, how shall we start? Let's begin by examining what gets you writing in the first place. That of course, is the idea.
It's
Ten Writing TipsHere are a few useful tips that I've learned about the hard way. Amway, this is a small round-up of useful tips that anyone who's interested in serious writing should find valuable.Ten Writing Tips3 years ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
1. Work on a memory stick. It's invaluable, and I cannot stress this enough. Too many times, your computer will crash, and if it has the most recent files on it then you've lost a heck of work, you cannot get them back. So, buy a cheap USB, (you can get a 2GB one for £10 here in the UK, which is plenty of space) and save your work on it. This way, you won't be crying if your computer dies, and you can also work on your writing from any computer.
2. Buy a di
Great Fenir"Closer, boy."Great Fenir1 year ago in Scraps More Like This
No voice calls out between the scrawny pines, creaking under age old snows. Only the whisper of the bitter north wind. The cold bites into me, snow settling on my nose, skin too cold to even melt them. I peer between the frozen trunks, searching the brooding forest for the one who speaks to me.
"Closer."
His words are the only sounds, save the creak of rotting branches and the soft crunch of snow underfoot. Nothing stirs in the gloom. I can sense his presence growing; a rising force in my mind. I tremble at every echo of his words, and every shadows seems to be his skulking predatory guise.
"Where are you?" I cal
Writing 101 - A Crash Course1. Open Boldly.Writing 101 - A Crash Course2 years ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
A lot of the times, the opening sentence of a piece of writing sets the standard of the rest of it. The opening line needs to be what I outlined above – bold. It's your chance to hook the reader in, and any old sentence will not suffice. It has to grip me. It has to prove that its worth reading.
So, here's an example of how not to open.
"He stood above the city, watching the chaos below."
Never ever start with a simple he or she statement. You see how boring it is? On first impressions, it makes me thing the entire bit of prose will just be simple telling.
Let's try something better.
"Screams of chaos ech
The Great FenrirCloser.The Great Fenrir3 months ago in Short Stories More Like This
No voice calls out between the scrawny pines. They only creak and groan under ages old snows; roots grasping for grip over icy stones. No, only the whisper of the north wind calls to my ears; its voice bitter, biting.
Closer.
I peer between the frozen trunks, searching the brooding forest. I might in vain search for tracks, his presence grows; a looming weight in my heart. Nothing stirs in the gloom save the creak of rotting branches and the soft crunch of snow underfoot.
Closer.
Still he lures me on, his chuckle a deep tremor underfoot. I tremble at every echo, and every shadow seems to be his skulking guise.
"Where are you?" I
No GloryUnder dark leaves of shadowed trees, I tread lightly. Between the impassive, unmoving trees, the soft patter of sleet spirals down from the bleak sky. The lacklustre clouds seem to bleed their contents; falling without the vigour of rain or the grace of snow, all across this liminal plane, bathed in lingering twilight, stuck between day and night.No Glory6 months ago in Short Stories More Like This
The scene makes me smirk.
Inside me, my beast, my burden, my wolf; he aches to sing with my throat. But I am not a wolf. He haunts me, the spectral creature inside me; constantly reminding that I can never be whole. Just like the twilight bathing me, I am neither one nor the other, night or day; h
Writing Basics (Tutorial Part 2)This is the second part of the writing tutorial I'm putting together. In the first part we talked about ways to approach writing. In this piece we'll build upon that foundation by talking about how to write. Although it might seem simple enough, there are points in this that are easily overlooked.Writing Basics (Tutorial Part 2)10 months ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
Quality versus Quantity
This is a widely debated issue with a lot of answers. As a writer, we all try to lean towards quality, but that's in ideal factors. More often than not, there will be competing circumstances that will affect your choice on this issue.
For instance, if you're writing a piece with a specified minimum word count; perhaps for
Writing Tutorial (Part 3)In the third part of these tutorials, we’ll be expanding upon the basics and applying them to specific points in storytelling, then finishing upon a few things you’ll need to address with yourself. The following headings are shorter pieces that’ll help you have a rough idea of what to do about each idea. The irony of writing is that all advice is at best a general guide, as you should be focusing on how to create your own style, rather than mirror someone else’s.Writing Tutorial (Part 3)1 month ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
Action Scenes
These are always a thorn in the side of any writer. Writing action; whether it be large battles, a fistfight or a great escape; action scenes
Running MemoriesI've had many people urge me to get more involved. Take an interest in what the others do, show willing. Give and take; all that rubbish.Running Memories1 year ago in Short Stories More Like This
It would be fine if we were alike at all.
The most amusing conception is that we're like a close knit family, with some sort of ethos like the Three Musketeers; all for one and one for all!
If only.
Welcome to the dark forests. Life is grim, hard and short here. You'll feel pain more than comfort, as there never is enough time for rest. Take what sleep you can in snippets. Be ready for any danger. You'd think at twenty years old, you'd still have your life ahead of you?
Wrong.
The reality, is I'll mos
Interview with a WolfOh so I suppose that's how I must be?Interview with a Wolf3 years ago in Short Stories More Like This
Boohoo, look at me, I'm a werewolf! By day I must go about in normal clothes and pretend to be some content member of your society. Then, by night, I'm some savage creature. How vain of you lot to even think you'd taste good enough to eat!
You know, I prefer that compared to the other things out there. Those pictures of werewolves in clothes, all happy and smiley and the worlds coated in sugar... ugh! What am I? Some cuddly bear? Give over.
But I must say, I love the whole "werewolf" idea. Yes, I must be a part human... *sigh* No, no, no, no, and no! NO! I am – we are not human. Get it? We're wolv
How Not To SuckUp Your WritingHello. If you're here, reading this, then you're interesting in bettering your writing. In other words, you want to make sure you don't write something stupid and suck up what might have been a good chapter. As a (slightly) seasoned writer, I can honestly attest to the fact that the slightest goof can, in fact, suck something up.How Not To SuckUp Your Writing3 years ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
So, I'm CoyoteCaliente, and here's advice on how not to suck at writing. There's real no rhyme or reason to what I'm going to be telling you, but they help me. So, hell, they should help you to some degree. And before you get any misconceptions, NO. This is not a beginner's guide or anything like that. Th
W-Lupus,Xenofrobe Collab Pt2God, this hurts.W-Lupus,Xenofrobe Collab Pt22 years ago in Introductions & Chapters More Like This
I think myself as tough, but this pain is something new. I look down at the ragged whole in my right shoulder, cringing slightly at the smell of my own blood. I've seen blood many times, but it's always unsettling to see this much of your own blood.
That weapon of his is lethal, but most importantly, new.
Strange...
The image of the lump of metal it shot into the tree leapt into my mind's eye.
"Is that what's in me? Best get it out, now then."
Gritting my teeth, I plunge my thumb and index finger into the wound, my eyes streaming as I try to remove the lump of metal buried inside my flesh.
The pain makes my head spin b
The Mongrel I saw the dog again this morning. He was waiting for me in the wooded area near the parking lot leading up to the office, just like he had been for past several days. He is a beautiful animal, kind of reminds me of those wolf/German shepherd dog crosses people sometimes buy because they want to "own a piece of the wilderness." Large muscular frame, dark gray sable colored coat, one ear held pricked up and alert while the other is allowed to flop over to the side. The charming appearance is marred only by the look of neglect he has earned over what must have been a lifetime spent living as a stray. The handsome coat is dull aThe Mongrel5 years ago in Short Stories More Like This
FallListen!Fall7 months ago in Free Verse More Like This
Howls echo across the face
Of gnarled bark and dark-leaf pines,
Every nook and cranny shakes,
His hearty resonance thus spake;
Oh! The wolf, carnal king
Chief of red-tongue eaters,
Shiver at his tremulous call;
The ravenous appetite for succulent flesh.
He, the form of savage nature
Law upon his wretched prey;
Anaemic, cud chewing creatures,
Scavengers off the forest floor.
What the mighty discard for naught,
They steal with decrepit jealousy
To sate the maw of hunger's pains,
That renews payment daily.
Oh fie! Oh fie! The noble wolf
Cry; what a wretched existence,
To subsist off rotting squalor,
To dine upon trodden muck,
To
Werewolf Tribal2 years ago in Drawings
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PactA twig snaps underfoot.Pact10 months ago in Short Stories More Like This
But I'm standing still.
I draw my breath, the forest falling silent at the sound. The trees encircling me lean closer, listening intently, waiting to see what may happen. I hold my hands together, hoping to control the tremor in my fingers.
I don't bother to turn, to look or even call out. I don't need to. I have no way of telling what's behind me; nothing but a feeling in my gut. Under the starlight, my eyes are blind to the subtleties of the shadows. Everything around me is nothing but shades of darkness, with only the white pricks of stars above piercing the night's veil.
I'm not shivering because I'm cold. The
How to write about WerewolvesFrom the amount of pieces of writing about them on the internet, it's best to deal with this subject in a small section of it's own.How to write about Werewolves3 years ago in Reviews & Guides More Like This
So, why on earth is there a tutorial on writing about werewolves? Isn't this pointless?
This really, is just a few guidelines and rough ideas I have that anyone might find helpful when dealing with the subject. Let's face it, there is a huge amount of werewolf themed writing on dA alone, so the question is, how can you really stand out from the crowd?
Let's first of all examine an important aspect of writing. Characterisation. This is simply the process of how you build up your character, so he or she appears
Dream ComplexThe surround sound thunders at the noise, sending the very seat I sit upon rattling as if I were there. But for the cheap, plastic 3D glasses on my face, I might be taken in. Indulge in escapism for a few hours, before the lights turn back and cold reality beckons once more.Dream Complex1 year ago in Short Stories More Like This
I'm hoping it is even that.
The façade on the screen is barely believable. Suddenly, the world's best marksman is missing all the time against the main characters. The poor thugs on the other hand have no such blessing. Pity, they are certain to be more interesting that the barely concealed stereotypes emblazoned on the screen.
Am I to believe that the dear protag
Still a Werewolf at HeartTo be free, a concept for that people have fought and died over for centuries but what does it really mean? We call ourselves a ‘free society’ but it seems as if we are nothing more than slaves. Slaves to debt, slaves to fashion, slaves to society’s expectations but most of all, slaves to the mistakes of our pasts. But what does it truly mean to be free? Is it wrong of me to want to want to get away from all the pressure and restrictions to live a life of pure independence? It was these ‘cabin fever’ like feeling which led me to fall in love with werewolves.Still a Werewolf at Heart3 months ago in Short Stories More Like This
I have always been interested in animals but it
Request for LazywolfThe forest surrounding me was alive with the constant buzz of birdsong. I could make out the shapes of many different creatures in the canopy above, each one caught up in its own struggle for survival. Light beamed down in pillars of light through holes in the canopy, giving the entire grove an almost surreal quality.Request for Lazywolf3 years ago in Short Stories More Like This
I'd left Dacian behind with the rest of the pack while I went off hunting by myself. I just wanted to be alone for a while. I needed time to myself, time to think or to just unwind.
I knew that I was somewhere near the southern border of the pack's territory, but that didn't bother me in the slightest. Th
Insults are Never SungLiri was an elf.Insults are Never Sung2 years ago in Short Stories More Like This
Just.
He didn't have pointed ears, he didn't have pale skin. He wasn't lithe; far from it!
They found his toned body revolting, obscene even.
Compared to their high, angled faces, his was round and dull.
He wasn't fast either. Neither was he graceful. It's no wonder he was laughed out of the academy; he wasn't quick enough or thin enough to wield a blade, and he was too strong for a bow.
It snapped like a twig, even at half pull.
Neither was he skilled at magic.
He in return abhorred their treehouses. To shape a tree to your whims, to live inside it; he saw it carcinogenic.
He also hated their teahouses.
They hated
Do You Say Hello?You'd be surprised how challenging life can be when you have hooves for feet. It's a modification from earlier designs, because trials with paws suffered from broken bones in their feet often, but they fixed that when they changed the bone composition. Still, try having legs that feel like permanently coiled springs. Okay, so I won't go jumping off, but if you look at me, you'd think I'm in a continuous state of to sprint in a race, or jump up high somewhere. If it helps you at all, the bio-engineers all say I have a digitgrade stance.Do You Say Hello?2 years ago in Short Stories More Like This
All I know is that it makes balance hard. Because of that, friendship choices are made over the most pedant
The Job Interview "I'm sorry Mr. Kumin, but I simply can't hire you," the doctor said.The Job Interview2 years ago in Short Stories More Like This
I was a little ticked off at this. I knew he needed an assistant and I was more than qualified. "Thank you for your time," I said, holding out my hand. He looked at it like he was discussed at the thought of touching me. I took the hint, nodded curtly and walked out the door. Well, that's another one to scratch off my list.
I walked down to the front desk, leaned on the counter and sighed. "You didn't get it," the receptionist said
Way of the Wolf, Pride of the LionWay of the Wolf, Pride of the LionWay of the Wolf, Pride of the Lion1 year ago in Short Stories More Like This
It's never easy being a werewolf.
I've always been a loner, ever since I was bitten as a ten-year-old kid. No one in my family knew I was a werewolf, and I kept it hidden well. And once I was out of high school, I basically went on my own, living my own life, away from control-freak parents. I traveled a lot, visited a lot of places, but I tried to stay away from people, given my nature. I was in full control of my power, but still, I didn't want to risk an innocent person suffering the same thing I did.
Being a werewolf was nothing like what mythology said. A lot of what the books and modern fiction sai
Sta.sh
