Katherine Frances's Blog, page 72
February 26, 2018
Writing Intelligence.
Everybody has that character, sometimes they’re good problem solvers, other times they’re omniscient, but everyone has the smart one.
The main two types of intelligence is Knowledge vs Speed. You can figure out which a character is by asking this question: When they have their “smart” moments, would an average person know what the hell they’re talking about? If yes, they’re fast, if not, they’re knowledgeable.
A knowledgeable person will be:
An expert in their field.Possessing of heavenly/otherworldly knowledge.Know how to do whatever the plot requires.The one with seven PHDsThink:
Up above are fabulous characters, when they’re having a “smart moment” they spout rapid fire space/medical jargon to emphasise just how smart they are. No one can fully understand their thought process, (and everyone who can is getting offended because TV is ridiculously inaccurate).
A quick person will be:
A rapid problem solver.
The fastest learner in the history of learning.Able to come to conclusions anyone with common sense could come to, just in a millisecond.The world champion of brain teaser games and riddles.Think:
Now you may say the characters up above do have specialised knowledge, rightly so. But more often than not they’re basing their smartness on stuff the audience has already seen. This makes the audience feel stupid when they explain their reasoning, while also being more in awe at how fast they’ve figured it out.
Think of this Sherlock deduction: “The wedding ring, ten years old at least. The rest of her jewellery has been regularly cleaned, but not her wedding ring - state of her marriage, right there.” No sciencey words, no mention of Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, a logically sound deduction that the audience can understand.
Many people mention their fast characters as knowledgeable, sure, Sherlock is an expert chemist, but the majority of his deductions use common sense. And sure, House is sharp and quick-witted, but the majority of his deductions are based on his extensive medical knowledge.
It’s all about how you want to portray your character, child prodigies have no knowledge other than common sense to work with. While an immortal time traveller’s knowledge of who built the pyramids, and quantum mechanics enhance their awesomeness.
February 23, 2018
promptcenter:
Person A: “Why don’t you trust me?”Person B: “Do you want it alphabetized or by...
Person A: “Why don’t you trust me?”
Person B: “Do you want it alphabetized or by date?”
"Every flower I see for the
Rest of my days will remind
Me of you, teaching me to
Say “petunia” and..."
Rest of my days will remind
Me of you, teaching me to
Say “petunia” and “zinnia”
On warm summer days.
I was too little to see
That you were showing me
The source you drew your
Strength from, arming
Me against every sorrow
I would face in life with
The knowledge of how
To find joy in any moment,
Grounding me in the beauty
Of nature and the hope
Brought by every spring.”
-
Supermarket Flowers
- Grace Babcock © 2017
(via gracebabcockwrites)
February 22, 2018
"As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; they kill us for their sport."
- William Shakespeare in The Tragedy Of King Lear (via sapphicauthor)
rainbowbarnacle:
thenextnarcissus:
but seriously though i’m sick and tired of those masterposts...
but seriously though i’m sick and tired of those masterposts that are like “here! A reference site on Greek mythology for all your needs! Look it has all fifteen Greek gods on it!” And I’m like. tHERE WERE LIKE HUNDREDS OF FIGURES IN MYTHOLOGY YOUR CRAPPY HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL BIBLIOGRAPHY SITE MEANS NOTHING TO ME
if you want a basic outline of Greek mythology okay sure fine??? but like. if you want an extensive fucking reference site you are looking in the wrong goddamn places
as a self-declared greek mythology snob my reference site is fucking always this fucker right here. almost every single figure ever mentioned in a Greek text is on it, it has the most obscure gods, spirits, nymphs— it’s GREAT. You really wanna extend your mythological knowledge past the basic 12 and like four others? USE THEOI. plus plus PLUS everything is cited so you can actually read the source material written about whoever it is you’re looking at.
fucking signal boost this. i’m so sick and tired of writer’s helpers blogs referring people to sites with as much information you would get from opening a third grade mythology book jesus chriiiiiist
*bookmarks* 8)
gracebabcockwrites:Are we trying to chasebeauty or are we tryingto be erased? Everywhere I look, the...
Are we trying to chase
beauty or are we trying
to be erased?
Everywhere I look,
the message is the same–
here’s how to have less
body, here’s how to have
less face, here’s how
to be flawless,
until you’re gone
without a trace.
Things to Do When You Can’t Seem to Write
Are the words just not coming? Try getting away from the screen for a few minutes.
Do Something Productive
Take care of the dishes – load or unload your dishwasher, or wash a sinkfull by hand. If you have to leave any to soak, try writing for a few minutes while they do.
Put away that basket of laundry you’ve been ignoring.
Clean your bathroom sink.
Put away any shoes, jackets, or other outerwear you left lying around.Do Something Fun
Write/draw/paint in your journal, if you have one. Do a page, then try writing again.
Read a chapter of your current book.
Set a timer for five or ten minutes and play a simple game that will let your mind disengage–my go-to is Spider Solitaire.
Call/Skype/text a friend and have a chat for a few minutes.Make Your Writing Space More Pleasant
Straighten up your desk. Throw out any scraps of paper that have served their purpose, but check to make sure you’re not tossing out story notes! Dust the surface off, and put away anything that belongs somewhere else.
Light a candle.
Get a glass of water, or make yourself tea or coffee.Take Care of Yourself
Grab a small snack if you’re hungry.
Are your hands dry? Mine get terrible in winter. Moisturize!
Lips, too –grab that lip balm.
Feeling sluggish? Take a short walk or do some jumping jacks to get your energy level up.
Feeling grungy? Take a shower. “Inspirational” showers are my favorite, I get so many ideas in there.If one of these doesn’t break you from your funk, try one from another category to switch things up. And if you still don’t find your writing mojo, maybe you need a longer break, or to pack it in for the day. Just remember, working hard is great, but forcing yourself to write can burn you out, so keep yourself in balance!
These writer self care tips are super important!! Be sure to take breaks even when you think you don’t need to… it’s better to do it sooner rather than later to refuel. Trust me, you write best when you’re calmer
