The Book Of Names Lists Each Person Murdered At Auschwitz

polish government has opened a website for ukrainians seeking safety and trying to cross the ukrainian-polish border:

ua.gov.pl

as of 13:10 polish time, it has been said as many people as possible will be let through the borders. they are also supposed to let through children who do not have passports, as to not divide families.

Saviour

story outlining methods, pt. 1:

take off your pants!! (“take off your pants!: outline your books for faster, better writing” by libbie hawker)

this outline starts with a character — specifically their biggest flaw — and leads to five points that will make up the core of your story. it’s best for plots and subplots that focus on overcoming the flaw!

this outline doesn’t just have to be used for coming of age novels. it is just as important in your dystopian, fantasy, or thriller novels that the main character learns something or has changed by the end.

STEP ONE: think about your character

your main character — what is their name, and what are their important features?

what are your character’s flaws? what about their FATAL flaw? ex: hubris, overconfidence, stubbornness, etc.

STEP TWO: think about the end of the story

the story (whether the main plot, a subplot, or a facet of the main plot) is the journey lead to overcome the flaw. now that you know the character’s flaw, you know what lesson they need to learn.

the end of the story = the flaw mastered, the lesson learned.

STEP THREE: think about the external goal

the external goal is the plot, the outer motivation to push the character to the end of the story where the goal is mastered. if you remember my post on quests, you know that a quest has two reasons to be there: the external factor (shrek saving fiona for his swamp), and the real reason (the lesson learned)

the external goal should provide a chance for the character to recognize their flaw and begin to change. how does your plot tie into their character development?

STEP FOUR: think about the antagonist

thinking about the external goal should reveal who the antagonist is. the antagonist should want to achieve the same goal or a goal that impedes with the protagonist’s goal. the antagonist should be the biggest obstacle to the character.

STEP FIVE: think about the ally/allies

the character(s) that is capable of forcing the protagonist down the correct path. where your protagonist most likely will resist changing and confronting their flaw, the ally will help force them to do so anyway.

STEP SIX: think about the theme

so what’s the point of your book? if you are struggling to boil it down to one sentence, you might want to think about it a little longer. this is what keeps the story feeling coherent. what are you trying to tell us?

STEP SEVEN: think about the plot

each main plot element should somehow relate to the core of the book, aka the character’s development in overcoming their flaw

OPENING SCENE - set the stage. address the flaw or the theme

INCITING EVENT - what forces the character out of their everyday life and into the story?

REALIZING EXTERNAL GOAL - what makes the character begin seeking their goal?

DISPLAY OF FLAW - if the character’s flaw hasn’t been made blatantly clear, now is the time. make it known to the reader.

DRIVE FOR GOAL - what is your character’s first attempt to reach their goal?

ANTAGONIST REVEAL - how do you first show your antagonist’s opposition to your character?

FIRST THWART - what happens to your character that keeps them from reaching their goal?

REVISIT FLAW - show the character’s flaw again, even if they themselves aren’t aware of it yet.

ANTAGONIST ATTACKS - what does the antagonist do that makes things worse?

SECOND THWART - where your character fails most likely due to the attack

CHANGED GOAL - the character finds a new goal or focuses on the external goal in a different way

ALLY ATTACKS - what does the ally do to force the character to see the flaw?

AWAKENING - the character knows what they must do to reach the external goal. how will you show that the character has also awakened to their flaw? how will you show them changing?

BATTLE - the final showdown with the antagonist!

DEATH - the character’s flaw dies here. how will you show that the character truly is different now?

OUTCOME - show whether the character won or lost the external goal, reveal the theme of the story.

naturally, you don’t have to follow that outline exactly, but it can be a good place to start ;)

Twins

You've heard of the fan bros

But have you ever heard of

The traumatised bros

*Distant sobbing*

Fiction Writing Advice Posts

Hey all, Some of you know that in addition to this Tumblr blog I also keep a blog on my website. A lot of the posts overlap, but not all of them, so I’ve made this list for your reading pleasure:

How to Control Your Pacing

How to Write During a Pandemic

How to Read Like a Writer

What if Your First Draft DOESN’T Suck?

How to Do World-Building Research

How to Properly Format a Manuscript for Submission

10 Questions to Ask an Editor Before Hiring Them

Creating Character Arcs with the DCAST Method

How to Choose the Right Point of View for Your Story

A Beginner’s Guide to Multiple Point of View

Show Don’t Tell? Not Always. Here’s When to Use Summary

8 Ways to Improve Your Fiction Writing

How to Spot Bad Writing Advice: 6 Red Flags to Look For

5 Reasons to Kill Your Critique Group

Are You Using Too Much Stage Direction?

Why Nobody Cares About Your Plot

How to Use Adverbs Like a Pro

How to Activate Your Passive Characters, One Verb at a Time

3 Easy Ways to Transform Boring Descriptions

3 Ways to Increase Conflict in Your Dialogue

A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting Killer Feedback from Beta Readers

How to Know What Kind of Editing You Need

10 Best Books About Fiction Writing

How to Spot an Info Dump

Dealing With Procrastination

Want to make sure you never miss a new blog post? Sign up for my writing advice emails and get a new blog post sent straight to your inbox about once a month.

xoxo

I saw your meta on Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan's relationship - it was fantastic, by the way - and was wondering if you'd read the Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan extras and what you thought about them.

Hi!

I actually didn’t know there were extras on them until you mentioned them…I wish I had known about them before writing my initial response on their relationship. Thank you for your compliment about my meta btw!

Overall, after reading those extras, there’s only a few major tweaks I would make to my thoughts on Shen Jiu and Yue Qingyuan’s relationship. Delving more deeply into Shen Jiu’s perspective was essential to gain a keener sense of just how cynical and self-loathing he is…and just how attached he actually was to Yue Qingyuan until the very end. 

For starters, when it comes to Shen Jiu himself, what’s emphasized throughout his origin story, is that he arguably hates himself most of all. Be it as “Shen Jiu” or as “Shen Qingqiu”, his hatred of both his names is symbolic of his deep-seated self-loathing. He hates his past as Shen Jiu because he was a poor, abused slave. And he hates his present as Shen Qingqiu because he wound up inheriting both a name that’s the same as the family who caused him so much pain AND a disposition that’s similar to Qiu Jianluo’s, the man he hated most. 

Shen Jiu’s experiences made him see everything through jade-coloured glasses. The few occasions he tried to do something positive, he always wound up suffering. He tried to help Yue Qingyuan save Shi Wu, but only got betrayed and captured. He put all his hopes into being rescued by Qi-Ge to the point of enduring abuse for years, but that came too late and with no explanation. And here’s where we get to the part from the extra that changes a bit what was presented in the main story. Initially, from what was shown to Shen Yuan, Shen Jiu’s attachment to Yue Qingyuan seemed severed after he burned down the Qiu household and left with Wu Yanzi. But we see that’s not true here. Shen Jiu obviously still cared for Yue Qingyuan and tried to think of excuses for him not being able to save him until the latter’s inability to communicate honestly when they met again made him think that he was simply abandoned. 

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how do you people deal with your emotions? I can't even apologize properly without panicking

Here’s something nuanced that people might miss if they’re not familiar with formal bows in Chinese period drama. The juxtaposition of the former and present Chief Cultivators alongside their better halves isn’t a coincidence.

Why did NHS take three steps back before giving that bow? He was including WWX as a recipient, thereby gauging where WWX stood with His (newly-minted) Excellency.

Whether it’s Xiao Zhan’s acting choice or the director’s frame composition, there’s no mistake that his half-turn was a deliberate invitation for the audience to read between the lines. WWX didn’t need to look at LWJ; his sidestep actually conveyed something.

Making a formal bow might look like an art form to those unfamiliar with the practice, but not everyone knows that accepting a bow is just as tricky. Bows can mean more than a simple greeting or a wave goodbye.

Withstanding or enduring a formal bow takes several prerequisites: seniority, meritorious deed, virtue – those lacking in the proper category might lose a few years off their lifespan; such is Heaven’s way of punishing one for their hubris.

A line from Confucius’ commentary on the I-Ching points out that those unworthy of their title (or the tribute paid to them) will draw disaster unto themselves. So, not just anyone can stand there and take it when someone of import presents a formal bow.

You bow to someone (1) in recognition of their rank, (2) in gratitude for something they’ve done, or (3) when making a formal request.

If they accept or return the bow without fuss, then it’s as good as saying (1) “Yes, I am s/he who rightfully holds the title.” (2) “You’re welcome.” (3) “Leave it to me; you can trust me with it.”

To avoid the inherent obligations in receiving a particular bow from someone, you can: -dodge sideways or turn away from the “front and center” position. -brace them up with your palms under their elbows so they can’t complete the bow or get down on their knees. -if all else fails and dignity is no object, kneel as quickly as they do so you’re not the last wo/man standing.

Coming back to the very interesting cinematic direction:

Although Qin Su is adjacent to JGY, she is not her own – she’s barely an auxiliary. Those who bow to her do it because of whom she’s with, not who she is.

You probably won’t find a well-matched power couple in a similar state. Take for example, Jiang Fengmian of the Yunmeng Jiang clan and Yu Ziyuan of the Meishan Yu clan.

On the other hand, WWX isn’t shoulder-to-shoulder with LWJ. One could even say, in this particular scene, WWX was safeguarding him. Not someone under the Chief Cultivator’s aegis, but rather, someone who precedes him.

In turning aside the reverence accorded to the new Chief Cultivator, WWX likely also signaled that he would not be bound by the limitations of what His Excellency should and shouldn’t do.

“WWX, a Strong & Independent Woman” jokes aside, this cold shoulder is extra delicious considering the other two layers – an ironic reminder that by all rights he should be receiving NHS’s belated gratitude for avenging NMJ’s murder (albeit under duress via MXY’s curse), and that a proper request for his aid (while he was still compos mentis) was never made in the first place.

Judging by how this scene was kept in the last 10 minutes of the finale according to the original editor’s intent, the textured play highlights the undertow among the three friends, and is a preview of the future of the cultivation world.

It perfectly captured their emotional dynamics: LWJ’s reserved gratitude toward the mastermind who schemed for his lover’s comeback and WWX’s refreshed circumspection and optimism dovetailed with MXTX’s barebones outline at the novel’s end – a foreshadow of things to come. In other words, the rise of the House of Nie under the stewardship of NHS.

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Footnotes - an example of bows used in different ways:

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