"Words to use instead of amazing"

• Adorable
• Alluring
• Ambrosial
• Astonishing
• Astounding
• Awe-inspiring
• Awesome
• Beauteous
• Beautiful
• Bewitching
• Beyond words
• Blue-ribbon
• Bonny
• Breathtaking
• Brilliant
• Capital
• Captivating
• Charming
• Classy
• Darling
• Daunting
• Dazzling
• Delectable
• Delicate
• Delicious
• Delightful
• Divine
• Elegant
• Enchanting
• Enthralling
• Enticing
• Ethereal
• Exalted
• Excellent
• Exceptional
• Exhilarating 
• Exquisite
• Extraordinary
• Fabulous
• Fantastic
• Fascinating
• Fearsome
• Fetching
• First-class
• First-rate
• Glorious
• Gorgeous
• Graceful
• Grand
• Heavenly
• Ideal
• Impressive
• Incomparable
• Inconceivable
• Incredible
• Indescribable
• Ineffable
• Inspiring
• Irresistible
• Lovely
• Luscious
• Magnetic
• Magnificent
• Majestic
• Marvelous
• Mesmerizing
• Outstanding
• Prodigious
• Radiant
• Rapturous
• Ravishing
• Refind
• Resplendent
• Savory
• Scrumptious
• Sensual
• Sexy
• Shocking
• Spectacular
• Splendid
• Staggering
• Striking
• Stunning
• Stupefying
• Sublime
• Superb
• Supreme
• Surprising 
• Tantalizing
• Thrilling
• Top-notch
• Transcendent
• Tremendous
• Unbelievable
• Unearthly
• Unutterable
• Uplifting
• Wonderful
• Wondrous
• Yummy

"The Writing Process"

1. Prewriting
1. Research
1. Library
2. Internet
3. Interviews
4. Outlining
2. Freewriting
3. Clustering
2. 1st Draft
1. Fast
2. Get it down
3. Revision
1. Structure
2. Content
3. Support
4. Point of view
4. Proofreading
1. Diction
2. Grammar
3. Mechanics
4. Format
5. Publishing
1. Posting 
2. Submitting
3. Mailing

"Bad Beginnings"

• Waking Up: Starting your story with your character waking up (from a coma, from being knocked out, from being asleep, etc.) is not only cliche, but boring 
• Dreams: Like waking up, starting your story with a dream is another cliche and it cheats the the reader 
• Back Story: We don't care about your character yet! Get right to the action. Don't start with an info dump of background information on your character

"The Five Elements of Story"

1. Someone to Care About
• External
• Undeserved Misfortune
• Power and Humility
• Weaknes
• Internal
• Morality
• Desire
• Wil
2. Something to Want
• Story Goal
• Motivation
• Internal and External
• Stakes
• Ideal
3. Something to Dread
• Curiosity, Expectation, Fear
• Suspense
• Dread
• Dreadful Promises
• Progressively Worse Obstacles
• Dread Embodied, The Villain
4. Something to Suffer
• Suffering=Story Goal Value
• Building Suffering to Climax
• Hero's Ideal=Suffering
• Physical
• Inconvenience
• Discomfort
• Pain
• Loss
• Emotional
5. Something to Learn
• Theme
• Premise
• Ideals
• Meaning
• Character Change
• Revelation 

"Character Motivations"

• Basic Motivations
• Survival
• Failure
• Peer pressure
• Curiosity
• Guilt
• Desire
• Instability
• Noble Motivations 
• Love
• Loyalty
• Honor
• Obedience
• Vengeance
• Inequality
• Unfulfillment
• Evil Motivations
• Hatred 
• Dishonor
• Pride
• Greed
• Revenge
• Lust
• Jealousy 
• Fear Motivations
• Death
• Humiliation
• Pain
• Rejection
• Loss
• Regret
• Shame

"How to Write a Scene In 11 Steps"

1. What need to happen in this scene?
2. What's the worst that would happen if this scene were omitted?
3. Who needs to be in the scene?
4. Where could the scene take place?
5. What's the most surprising thing that could happen in the scene?
6. Is this a long scene or a short scene?
7. Brainstorm three different ways it could begin
8. Play it on the screen in your head
9. Write a scribble version
10. Write the full scene
11. Repeat 200 times

"9 Tips for Creating Conflict"

1. Introduction: Every novel needs conflict. Without it, your characters have nothing to disagree on and no arc to develop. Without it your plot will flatline.
2. Source of Conflict: Your protagonist should face conflict from lots of sources, but the main barriers should always come from your antagonist
3. Make the Conflict Specific: Don't be broad and start a war because your hero and villain dislike each other. Start a war because your villain killed your heroes wife
4. Target the Conflict: If you want your hero to invest in saving the world then give him a specific reason. Make the conflict personal to him.
5. Make It Emotional: Make the conflict mean something to your hero. If it means something to them it will mean something to your reader too
6. Realism=Believability: Make sure your conflict is plausible to your world/genre/plot. If it's plausible, it's realistic which makes it believable
7. Time Is Of The Essence: Add time pressure to your conflict raises the pace and tension in your novel
8. Go All In: Don't just raise the stakes once with your conflict. Add layers, keep raising the stakes and throwing barriers in your protagonists way until winning seems impossible. Only then does he become a hero to win
9. Torture Your Hero: Conflict is there to torture your hero. In order to win they have to suffer and lose something.

"16 Government Types"

1. Republic: A government whose authority is based on citizen's votes, which are represented by elected or nominated officials chosen in free elections
2. Democracy: Democracy means 'rule of the people' The term today refers to a political system in which the people or their elected representatives govern themselves
3. Theocracy: A government where priests rule in the name of God or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or consistent with the principles of a particular religion
4. Autocracy: A government controlled by absolute power, and in the hands of a single person with minimal restraints on the decisions and lack of any mechanisms of popular control
5. Technocracy: A government where scientists and technical experts are in control of the state and where rulers are selected on the basis of their knowledge/skill rather than wealth/power
6. Fascism: It is a way of ruling that advocates total control of the people and seeks to promote the ancestral and cultural values and eradicate foreign influences
7. Anarchy: Anarchy is a state of absence of law, a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)
8. Monarchy: A government where supreme authority is vested in a single and usually hereditary figure, such as a king and whose powers can vary from absolute to none at all
9. Oligarchy: Rule of the few. It is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a faction of persons or families
10. Plutocracy: Government ruled by the rich or power provided by wealth, often used to describe a wealthy class ruling a government, often from behind the scenes
11. Tyranny: Government or authority of an absolute ruler; arbitrary exercise of power over subjects not requisite for the purposes of government/approved by law and justice
12. Totalitarian: A totalitarian system is the one in which a single political authority regulates total control over state, that is centralized and dictatorial
13. Federation: A political organization characterized by union of small states, groups or parties, which are self-governed in internal affairs and are united under a central government 
14. Communism: As a system of government, communism is a system of government in which the state owns and operates industry on behalf of the people
15. Junta: Refers to a group or coalition that takes control of the state after overthrowing a government; usually this is done by a military group
16. Dictatorship: A form of government where the power rests entirely on one person or a group of persons; this rule could be acquired by inheritance or force and is usually oppressive 

"Obscure Color Words"

1. Albicant: whitish; becoming white
2. Amaranthine: immortal; undying; deep purple-red color
3. Aubergine: eggplant; dark purple
4. Azure: light or sky blue
5. Celadon: pale green
6. Cerulean: sky blue; dark blue; sea green
7. Chartreuse: yellow-green color
8. Cinnabar: red crystalline mercuric sulfide pigment; deep red or scarlet color
9. Citrine: dark greenish-yellow
10. Eburnean: of or like ivory
11. Erythraean: Reddish color
12. Flavescent: yellowish or turning yellow
13. Greige: a grey-beige color
14. Haematic: blood colored
15. Heliotrope: purpish hue
16. Hoary: pale silver-grey color
17. Isabelline: greyish yellow
18. Jacinth: orange color
19. Kermes: brilliant red color
20. Lovat: grey-green; blue-green
21. Madder: a reddish or red-orange color
22. Mauve: light bluish purple
23. Mazarine: rich blue or reddish-blue color
24. Russet: reddish brown
25. Sable: black; dark; of a black color
26. Saffron: orange-yellow
27. Sarcoline: flesh-colored
28. Smaragdine: emerald green
29. Tilleul: pale yellowish-green
30. Titian: red-gold; reddish brown
31. Vermilion: bright red
32. Virid: green

"Basic Overlooked Worldbuilding Questions"

1. Where does the water come from and how is it distributed?
2. Who makes the food?
3. Who transports and distributes the food?
4. If your world has moder utilities, are they widespread or only for the rich? Do utilities have to be modified to work in your world?
5. What happens to trash?
6. What happens to sewage?
7. What building materials are available?
8. What do people do when they get sick?
9. What do people do in case of a natural disaster?
10. What do people do in case of a fire?
11. How are large objects moved?
12. How are items that take skilled labor to make created and distributed?

"61 Words to Describe Smells"

1. Acidy
2. Acrid
3. Antiseptic
4. Aromatic
5. Balmy
6. Biting
7. Bitter
8. Briny
9. Burnt
10. Citrusy
11. Comforting
12. Corky
13. Damp
14. Dank
15. Distinctive
16. Earthy
17. Fishy
18. Flowery
19. Fragrant
20. Fresh 
21. Fruity
22. Gamy
23. Gaseous
24. Heavy
25. Lemony
26. Medicinal
27. Metallic
28. Mildewed
29. Minty
30. Moldy
31. Musky
32. Musty
33. Odorless
34. Peppery
35. Perfumed
36. Piney
37. Pungent
38. Putrid
39. Reek
40. Rose
41. Rotten
42. Savory
43. Scented
44. Sharp
45. Sickly
46. Skunky
47. Smoky
48. Sour
49. Spicy
50. Spoiled
51. Stagnant
52. Stench
53. Stinking
54. Sulfur
55. Sweaty
56. Sweet
57. Tart
58. Tempting
59. Vinegary
60. Woddy
61. Yeasty

"3 Stages of Editing"

1. Macro-Edits: Rewriting and making big-picture changes in plot, character arcs, etc.
2. Line Edits: Looking for medium issues, repetitions, accuracy, etc.
3. Copy Edits: Nit-picking for small details like punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc. 

"Tone Vocabulary List"

Positive Tone/Attitude Words

1. Amiable
2. Amused
3. Appreciative
4. Authoritative
5. Benevolent
6. Brave
7. Calm
8. Cheerful
9. Cheery
10. Compassionate
11. Complimentary
12. Confident
13. Consoling
14. Content
15. Dream
16. Ecstatic
17. Elated
18. Elevated
19. Encouraging
20. Energetic
21. Enthusiastic
22. Excited
23. Exuberant
24. Fanciful
25. Friendly
26. Happy
27. Hopeful
28. Impassioned
29. Jovial
30. Joyful
31. Jubilant
32. Lighthearted
33. Loving
34. Optimistic
35. Passionate
36. Peaceful
37. Playfu;
38. Pleasant
39. Proud
40. Relaxed
41. Reverent
42. Romantic
43. Soothing
44. Surprised
45. Sweet
46. Sympathetic
47. Vibrant
48. Whimsical

Negative Tone/Attitude Words

1. Accusing
2. Aggravated
3. Agitated
4. Angry
5. Apathetic
6. Arrogant
7. Artificial
8. Audacious
9. Belligerent
10. Bitter
11. Boring
12. Brash
13. Childish
14. Choleric
15. Coarse
16. Cold
17. Condemnatory
18. Condescending
19. Contradictory 
20. Critical 
21. Desperate
22. Disappointed
23. Disgruntled
24. Disgusted
25. Disinterested
26. Facetious
27. Furious
28. Harsh
29. Haughty
30. Hateful
31. Hurtful
32. Indignant
33. Inflammatory
34. Insulting
35. Irritated
36. Manipulative
37. Obnoxious
38. Outraged
39. Passive
40. Quarrelsome
41. Shameful
42. Smooth
43. Snooty
44. Superficial
45. Surly
46. Testy
47. Threatening
48. Tired
49. Uninterested
50. Wrathful

Humor-Irony-Sarcasm Tone/Attitude Words

1. Amused
2. Bantering
3. Bitter
4. Caustic
5. Comical
6. Condescending
7. Contemptuous
8. Critical
9. Cynical
10. Disdainful
11. Droll
12. Facetious
13. Flippant
14. Giddy
15. Humorous
16. Insolent
17. Ironic
18. Irreverent
19. Joking
20. Malicious
21. Mock-heroic
22. Mocking
23. Mock-serious
24. Patronizing
25. Pompous
26. Quizzical
27. Ribald
28. Ridiculing
29. Sad
30. Sarcastic
31. Sardonic
32. Satiric
33. Scornful
34. Sharp
35. Silly
36. Taunting
37. Teasing
38. Whimsical
39. Wry

"Romance Plot Template Cheatsheet"

Act One

1. Introduce the protagonist (who feels incomplete)
2. Protagonist meets love interest but there is conflict
3. Characters are forced to spend time together
4. Characters' goals are at cross purposes

Act Two

1. Characters are bound together in a situation (sexual tension occurs)
2. Protagonist's individual desire conflicts with the growing relationship
3. Crisis- shift to prioritize relationship ends in disaster

Act Three

1. Climax- protagonist must make personal sacrifice for ultimately fulfilling relationship

"57 Senses or Things Your Character May Be Aware of to Use in Your Writing"

1. Time
2. Sight
3. Taste
4. Color
5. Depth
6. Solidity (barriers)
7. Relative sizes (external)
8. Sound
9. Pitch
10. Tone
11. Volume
12. Rhythm
13. Smell
14. Touch (Including pressure, friction, heat, cold, oiliness)
15. Personal emotion
16. Endocrine
17. states
18. Awareness of awareness
19. Personal size
20. Organic sensation (including hunger)
21. Heartbeat
22. Blood circulation
23. Cellular and bacterial position
24. Gravitic (self and other weights)
25. Motion of self
26. Motion (exterior)
27. Body position
28. Joint position
29. Internal temperature
30. External temperature
31. Balancerature
32. Muscular tension
33. Saline content of cells
34. Fields/magnetic
35. Time track motion
36. Physical energy
37. Self-determinism
38. Moisture
39. Sound direction
40. Emotional state of others
41. Personal position on the tone scale
42. Affinity (self and others)
43. Communication (self and others)
44. Emotional state of groups
45. Compass direction
46. Level of consciousness
47. Pain
48. Perception of conclusions
49. Perception of computing
50. Perception of imagination
51. Perception of having perceived
52. Awareness of not knowing
53. Awareness of importance or unimportance
54. Awareness of others
55. Awareness of location and placement (including masses, spaces, location itself) 
56. Perception of appetite
57. Kinesthesia 

"250 Ways to Say Went"

1. Absconded- To depare in a sudden and secret manner, especially to aboid capture and legal prosecution
2. Ambled
3. Approached
4. Bailed
5. Barged
6. Barreled
7. Beat it
8. Beelined
9. Blazed
10. Blew out
11. Bolted
12. Boogied
13. Booked it
14. Bore
15. Bounced
16. Bounded
17. Breezed
18. Budged
19. Buggered off
20. Burst
21. Bustled
22. Buzzed off
23. Cantered
24. Capered- To leap or skip about in a sprightly manner; prance; frisk; gambol
25. Careened
26. Charged
27. Chugged
28. Clambered
29. Cleared out
30. Climbed
31. Clumped
32. Coasted
33. Coursed
34. Crawled
35. Crept
36. Cruised
37. Cut and Run
38. Danced
39. Darted
40. Dashed
41. Decamped- To depart quickly, secretly, or unceremoniously
42. Departed
43. Disappeared
44. Doddered
45. Dove
46. Dragged
47. Drifted
48. Drove
49. Ducked out
50. Eased
51. Eluded
52. Encroached
53. Entered
54. Escaped
55. Evacuated
56. Evaded
57. Evaporated
58. Excursed
59. Exited
60. Faded
61. Fell
62. Flopped 
63. Fled
64. Flew
65. Flitted
66. Floated
67. Followed
68. Forged
69. Gadded
70. Gallivanted
71. Galloped
72. Galumphed- To move along heavily and clumsily
73. Gamboled- To skip about, as in dancing or playing
74. Gimped- To limp; walk in a halting manner
75. Glided
76. Glissaded- A sliding or gliding step
77. Got going
78. Hastened
79. Heated
80. Hied
81. Hightailed
82. Hiked
83. Hobbled
84. Hoofed it
85. Hopped
86. Humped
87. Hurdled
88. Hurled
89. Hurried
90. Hurtled
91. Hustled
92. Inched
93. Intinerated
94. Jerked
95. Jetted
96. Jogged
97. Journeyed
98. Jumped
99. Knifed
100. Launched
101. Leapt
102. Left
103. Leggecd it
104. Limped
105. Lit out
106. Loped
107. Lumbered
108. Lunged
109. Lurched
110. Made a break
111. Made hast
112. Made off
113. Marched
114. Maundered
115. Meandered
116. Migrated
117. Moseyed
118. Motored
119. Moved
120. Muscled 
121. Neared 
122. Negotiated
123. Nosed 
124. Paced
125. Padded
126. Paraded
127. Peeled
128. Penetrated
129. Perambulated
130. Peregrinated
131. Plodded
132. Pranced
133. Proceeded
134. Progressed
135. Promenaded
136. Pulled out
137. Pushed ahead
138. Pushed on
139. Quitted
140. Raced
141. Rambled
142. Ran
143. Ranged
144. Receded
145. Relocated
146. Retired
147. Retreated
148. Retrogressed
149. Ricocheted
150. Roamed
151. Rocketed
152. Rode
153. Rolled 
154. Roved
155. Rumbled
156. Rushed
157. Sailed
158. Sallied forth
159. Sashayed
160. Sauntered
161. Scaled
162. Scampered
163. Scooted
164. Scrabbled
165. Scrambled
166. Scudded
167. Scuffed
168. Scurried
169. Scuttled
170. Set out
171. Shimmied
172. Shot
173. Shrank
174. Suffled
175. Skated
176. Skedaddled
177. Skidded
178. Skipped
179. Skirted
180. Skittered
181. Skyrocketed
182. Slid
183. Slinked
184. Slipped
185. Slithered
186. Slogged
187. Snaked
188. Sped
189. Spilled
190. Split
191. Sprang
192. Sprinted
193. Spurted
194. Staggered
195. Stalked
196. Stepped
197. Stole away
198. Stomped
199. Stormed out
200. Straggled
201. Strayed
202. Streaked
203. Streamed
204. Strode
205. Strolled
206. Struck out
207. Strutted
208. Stumbled
209. Swaggered
210. Swept
211. Threaded
212. Tiptoed
213. Toddled
214. Took off
215. Tore
216. Tottered
217. TOured
218. Trailed
219. Traipsed
220. Tramped
221. Trampled 
222. Traveled
223. Trekked
224. Tripped
225. Trod
226. Trooped
227. Trotted
228. Trudged
229. Tumbled
230. Vacated
231. Vamoosed
232. Vanished
233. Vaulted
234. Veered
235. Ventured
236. Waddled
237. Wafted
238. Walked
239. Waltzed
240. Wandered
241. Weaved
242. Wended
243. Whisked
244. Whizzed
245. Withdrew
246. Wobbled
247. Wormed
248. Wriggled 
249. Zipped
250. Zoomed

"Character Checklist"

1. 'It' Factor: Are both the protagonist and the antagonist extraordinary in some way?
2. Realism: Do they both have a mixture of good and bad qualities that will make them real?
3. Goals: Do they have clear and compelling goals, and are those goals mutually exclusive?
4. Passion: Do they both care passionately about something that the reader can understand?
5. Core Opposition: Is what they care about at the heart of their opposition?
6. Relatability: Are they both likable or at least relatable to the reader?
7. Strength: Is the antagonist at least as strong as the protagonist and just as compelling?
8. External Versus Interior Goals: Is there opposition between what the protagonist wants and what she needs?
9. High Stakes: Are there terrible consequences if the protagonist fails?
10. Sacrifice: Does the protagonist have to make an impossible choice to win against the antagonist?
11. Choice between Internal and External Goals: Does she have to choose between what she wants and what she needs?
12. Character and Story Arc: Does the protagonist change in character and circumstances?
13. All Characters Real?: Do all the main characters in the book have genuine flaws and eccentricities? 

"Common Character Flaws"

1. Abusive
2. Impatient
3. Ruthless- Without pity or compassion; cruel; merciless
4. Acts superior
5. Impractical
6. Sadistic- Pertaining to or characterized by sadism; deriving pleasure or sexual gratification from extreme cruelty 
7. Anarchist- A person who promotes disorder or excites revolt against any established rule, law, or custom
8. Impressionable
9. Sarcastic
10. Angsty/Emo
11. Impulsive
12. Secretive
13. Arrogant
14. Inconsiderate
15. Selfish
16. Assertive
17. Indulgent
18. Sensitive
19. Attitude
20. Jealousy
21. Sexist
22. Avoids their problems
23. Kleptomaniac- A person that has an irresistible impulse to steal, stemming from emotional disturbance rather than economic need
24. Shy
25. Big mouth
26. Lazy
27. Smart ass
28. Blames people
29. Liar
30. Sneaky
31. Bossy
32. Loud
33. Sore loser
34. Careless
35. Manipulative
36. Spaz
37. Chatter-box
38. Mean
39. Spoiled
40. Closed off
41. Messy
42. Stereotypical
43. Cocky
44. Mischievous
45. Stubborn
46. Cold
47. Naive
48. Superstitious
49. Competitive
50. Nosy
51. Temper
52. Conceited
53. Obnoxious
54. Thief
55. Controlling
56. Offended easily
57. Thoughtless
58. Cruel
59. Outsider
60. Traitor
61. Cunning
62. Overdramatic
63. Trust issues
64. Cynical- Showing contempt for accepted standards of honesty or morality by one's actions, especially by actions that exploit the morals of others
65. Over emotional
66. Undependable
67. Deceptive
68. Over reacts
69. Unorganized
70. Defiant
71. Player
72. Unreasonable
73. Dictator
74. Poser
75. Unstable relationships
76. Disrespectful
77. Pretentious- Characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved 
78. Unsympathetic
79. Distracted easily
80. Prideful
81. Uses others
82. Egotistical- Given to talking about oneself; vain; boastful; opinionated 
83. Pushy
84. Vain- Excessively proud of or concerned about one's own appearance, qualities, achievements
85. Evil
86. Pyromaniac- Someone who has the compulsion to set things on fire
87. Vengeful
88. Forgetful
89. Quick tempered
90. Violent
91. Greedy
92. Rash 
93. Wasteful
94. Holds grudges
95. Rebellious
96. Wimp
97. Hostile
98. Reckless
99. Whiney
100. Immature
101. Rude
102. Wrathful

"How to make a character's death sadder"

1. Don't have them die of old age after a long, fulfilling life. Many people don't even think of this as sad (not that this can still work if you have enough of the other factors).
2. Leave one of their major goals unfinished. The more enthusiastic they are about completing the goal, the sadder.
3. Give them strong relationships with other characters.
4. Make them fight against whatever is causing their death. Their ultimate loss is sadder if they struggle.
5. Kill them in the middle of their character arc.
6. Don't describe their funeral in detail. 

"The 8 Laws of Foreshadowing"

1. Make sure an incident needs foreshadowing: Foreshadowing should be reserved for significant events in your novel to avoid unintentionally comical effects
2. Understand the device's purpose: Foreshadowing is used to build suspense or prepare the reader for an event that would otherwise seem to be included in the story without reason
3. Don't foreshadow without paying off: Anton Chekhov once said that if a gun is introduced in a story, it must be fired at some point. Readers may feel cheated if you don't develop the coming incidents you've teased.
4. Plan your structure: During the outlining phase of writing your novel, identify significant events you have planned for your novel so that you can go back and outline their foreshadowing too.
5. Introduce foreshadowing with the right amount of emphasis: The reader should be able to go back and realize that there were plot clues without his or her knowing it.
6. Make sure the payoff suits the foreshadowing: To avoid readers being frustrated, meet expectations you've already clearly put in place
7. Incorporate Revisions: If you've revised a large swathe of your book, and have added in later events, make sure you revise foreshadowing so that the narrative is not accidentally disjointed by developments.
8. Get feedback: Because you're familiar with your own text, you might not see where foreshadowing isn't working. Ask a trusted novel-reader friend or relation to help you determine whether it all hangs together well.