❀ Intro
In this weekly, you're going to be dabbling in four different, incredible genres–but what are those genres? What makes them so unique, and, more importantly, what makes them different from each other? By the end of this workshop, you'll have those answers ;D

❀ Myth
Myth is a subgenre of folklore (and often theology as well) that consists mostly of narratives about characters like non-humans (gods, demigods, or other supernatural figures), as well as occasionally human heroes–however, stories of everyday humans (often a leader of some type) are usually considered legends instead of myths. Myths are occasionally distinguished from legends because myths deal with gods and supernatural beings, usually have no solid historical basis, and are set in a world of the remote past, which is often very different from that of the present. Many cultures consider myths and legends to be true accounts of their remote past and are usually closely tied to a culture or group's religion. Myths can also explain how a culture's customs, institutions, and beliefs came to be. Some of the most widely-known myths are those from Greek, Roman, Egyptian, and Norse mythologies!

❀ Historical Fiction
Historical Fiction is characterized by a fictional narrative taking place in the past, usually at a specific time or during a specific historical event. Its main characteristics are that it's almost always set in the past and it pays attention to the customs and mannerisms of the time period (which means that you do indeed typically have to do some research to write in this genre well and accurately <33). It's also used to explore notable historical figures, allowing readers to see one way they might've perceived the events that happened and the time they lived in when they were alive.

❀ Fairy Tale
Fairy Tale is another subgenre of folklore and is rich with fantasy elements–from dragons to fairies to monsters to talking animals and other mythical or supernatural beings. They of course usually also include some sort of magic and/or enchantments and/or curses. Fairy Tales usually contain a moral lesson of some sort, which is the characteristic that separates them the most from folklore, myths, and legends. Many popular collections of Fairy Tales have been written and have been adapted into movies and retold over and over again.

❀ Folklore
Folklore is often considered the metaphorical heart of a culture, subculture, or particular group of people. It's a very broad term that includes stories, material culture, folk beliefs, and rituals or celebrations. But of course, I'm only going to cover the story part in this workshop ;D Folklore stories traditionally originate from stories told and retold for generations, and then were eventually written down. This includes myths, legends, proverbs, tales, songs, and much more! Many evolve and change over time, especially when it's retold by a different storyteller who has their own take on it, so the original story/song/poem/etc. could be wildly different from the ‘newest’ version. Folklore is almost always passed along informally between people, regions, and/or generations, and isn't typically something that you'll find being taught in a school curriculum or a study into the fine arts.

❀ Differences
So now that you know a bit more about these genres… what makes them different?
Historical Fiction is the most different of the four, because of its non-fiction/historical elements. But how is a folk tale different from a myth or fairy tale?
As I said above, the main characteristic that separates Fairy Tales is the moral lessons told by them. Myths typically have connections to the distant past of gods and the like, explore the culture of the myth's origin's worldview, and can also help explain how certain customs came to be.
Folklore contains fairy tales and myths under its umbrella, but it also contains lots more, anything from oral stories passed down for generations to written fables of times long gone. Unlike myths, folklore is often widely recognized as fictional tales instead of true accounts from the past.

❀ Conclusion
I hope this workshop gave you a better knowledge of these four incredible genres, and I wish you good luck on your journey to complete the first weekly!

❀ Rescources used
Google for miscellaneous research ;D
Wikipedia for information about Myths, Hi-Fi, Fairy Tales, and Folklore!

⯎ Intro

One of the greatest powers an author can possess is the ability to pull readers in and keep them in a state of anticipation for pages and pages. The reader lays awake at night- either reading their book under the covers with a flashlight or staring at the ceiling, wondering what could possibly happen next.
Mysteries lend themselves really well to this- their whole purpose is to keep the audience on their toes. However, sometimes the genres that are the most fun to read are the hardest to write, and mystery is no exception. It can take a lot of thought-out planning, but once you get into it, it’s only fun, games, and riddles ahead.


⯎ Pt.1 ~ The 'Why’

Many of you may be looking at your screen, thinking something like- “Why should I care about plotting a mystery? I can write plenty well without outlining anything!”

It may be true that you're really great at writing without an outline- and that's amazing! However, mystery can be a tricky genre because it's incredibly complex, with many layers that can be hard to juggle if you don't have a road map to work with ahead of time. An important part of writing mysteries is knowing where to drop hints and clues, all while pacing the story to stay suspenseful without giving away the mystery too quickly. Having an outline- even a basic one- will help you feel more in control of your story and will help you grow more comfortable with the genre as a whole.


⯎ Pt.2 ~ Road Trips and the Initial Wrongdoing

To put a mystery story in perspective, think of going on a road trip- getting from point A to point B.
When you’re on a road trip, along the way, you’ll likely see signs of where you’re headed- whether that’s a changing landscape or a sign that something like “Exit to the Misty Mountains- 7 miles”.

Think of it like this- the plot of your story (the characters/the reader slowly coming to make sense of the mystery) is the road that they're travelling along. Along this road, they’ll encounter those “road signs” that show hints of where they’re headed- clues, flashbacks, etc. The further the story goes, the closer they’ll get to their destination- or in other words, having a full understanding of what happened. The mystery itself and the central story of discovering it may come together later (the main character is threatened by the criminal, the culprit commits another crime, etc.), but the majority of your story will likely be focused on trying to make sense of something that's already happened. In short, it’s a story that slowly reveals another story beneath it.

You'll probably want to start by figuring out what that mystery is- the big revelation that the character will discover towards “the end”. Think like a detective. What was it? Who did it? What was their motive? How would they try to hide what they did? Where will signs of their wrongdoing peek through?

Got an idea? Even a little one? Congrats! You've just created the first parts of your mystery. Keep building on this as long as you can, understanding everything about the heinous act until you know it like the back of your hand.

Next up, it’s got to be solved.


⯎ Pt.3 ~ Solving the Mystery

First, you want to think about how long you want your story to be. If you’re just working on this mystery for a daily or weekly, you likely don’t have the room to throw around endless clues and red herrings.
You can divide it into little chapters, episodes, or (especially if it’s a shorter story), you can divide it into the well-loved plotline- exposition / inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. This type of planning works especially well with writing mysteries because it gives you a sense of where to build more tension by adding more clues.
For the sake of your average-sized SWC daily/weekly, we’ll be looking at that type of outline!

⇾ Exposition / Inciting Incident ~ Like any other story, this is where you’d introduce the main characters, the setting, and the general tone of your story. Additionally, this is also where you’ll want to introduce the mystery itself- the big question that looms over the whole story. Maybe the main character finds something new that points them to an old mystery (such as someone in modern-day solving something that happened years and years ago), or something entirely new happens that throws the main character into the thick of the story.

⇾ Rising Action ~ This is where the speed of the story picks up and the riddles and puzzles start piling up, ready to be picked apart by the main character (and the readers!). Here, the main character learns more about the mystery via clues. This can be evidence from the crime scene, a tip-off from another character, or really anything that has to do with the mystery. The rising action should take up the majority of the story, as the main character discovers clues that lead them closer to the truth. However, all good rising action has to involve some setbacks. Typically in mysteries, these manifest themselves as red herrings, loss of important clues, or another issue arriving. All that matters is that it’s building up to…

⇾ The Climax ~ It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Here is where it really all comes together. In this part, something happens that leads the main character/detective to answer the classic question- whodunit? Or, more generally, what happened? What’s the big answer? A lot of things can lead to this big moment, whether it’s an important clue that comes to light, a plot twist, or the main character having a stroke of genius. All in all, just think of those big “lightbulb moments”. Your goal here is to leave your reader open-mouthed in shock.

⇾ Falling Action ~ Even once everything is solved, the work isn’t quite over. Oftentimes, a few things have to happen before everything is considered to be fully wrapped up. Maybe the culprit puts up a fight, or an accomplice to the crime appears, or the culprit pulls out one last trick. It’s all up to you how this goes. The only thing that matters is letting the reader worry about the safety of the characters for a little longer before putting their mind at ease.

⇾ Resolution ~ Happily ever after! Or… almost. Or not at all? There are countless ways to end any story- all it takes is knowing which way is right for you. You could do a picture-perfect happy ending, where all the questions and clues are nicely tied together and the whole adventure is at rest. You could leave a question hanging over the characters’ heads, that could lead to another mystery (though you’ll likely want to avoid this unless you plan on writing more mysteries). You could also torture your characters further by leaving them in agony. Maybe the villain won! Maybe an important character d!ed! Anything can happen- the only thing that matters is that the main mystery has been solved and there aren’t any loose plot holes anywhere.


⯎ Pt.4 ~ Last Notes

Congrats! You’ve now got an idea of how to set up a mystery, whether it be only 300 words or a full novel. Plotting mysteries can be hard - really really hard- but it’s one of the aspects of mysteries that make them so compelling. Their layered plots keep the reader (and often, the author) trying to think three, ten, or twelve hundred steps ahead.

Note that your plot outline might not be perfect at first. You might start writing and you realize that you have too many clues planned for one part, or that you’ve accidentally created a plot hole. It’s no big deal- you can always go back and edit until you’ve got something you’re proud of. Writing takes time. Solving mysteries takes time. All that matters is getting the words down and letting your creativity run wild.


⯎ Useful Resources
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-gripping-mystery-novel
https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-plot-a-mystery-story/

hello there, fellow writers! ready to master the art of red herrings and clues? in this workshop, we'll be learning how to craft a thrilling journey for your readers, filled with suspense and the puzzle of unfolding the truth! this will equip you with the tools to weave a gripping story that keeps your readers guessing until the very end. so, buckle up and get ready to unleash your inner detective!

understanding the terms

clues - these refer to the breadcrumbs you scatter throughout the story, leading your readers towards solving a certain mystery. clues provide essential information, guiding the audience towards piecing together the puzzle.

red herrings - on the flip side, red herrings are intentional distractions. they divert attention away from the truth, injecting suspense and unpredictability into the story. a well-crafted red herring keeps readers guessing until the big reveal.

inserting red herrings and clues

setting - don't underestimate the power of your setting! it can be more than just a backdrop – it can actively participate in leading readers astray. seemingly insignificant details can be subtle clues, while deliberately placed elements can act as red herrings. for example, in gone girl by gillian flynn, the missouri landscape serves as a clue, revealing the complexities of the characters' relationships.

evidence - planting evidence isn't just about placing a smoking gun at the scene. It's about strategically introducing elements that shape the investigation, be it:

• subtle clues | footprints, trace materials (hair, fibers, soil), library records, deleted browser history and more!
• altering evidence | tampering with the crime scene, forging documents, or destroying evidence raises questions about who to trust
• misinterpretation | a piece of evidence might be misinterpreted at first, leading the investigation astray until the truth is revealed

characters - characters in a mystery are more than just people in a story; they are players in shaping clues and red herrings. here's how they can reveal information:

• dialogues | everything a character says can serve as a lead towards solving a mystery; and the casual conversation might hold hidden details
• actions | nervous ticks, changes in behavior, or seemingly irrelevant stories can offer subtle clues.
• secret relationships | a character might conceal a past connection to the victim or suspect, adding intrigue about their role in the story
• double identities | a seemingly innocent character might be living a double life, harbouring a dark secret that connects them to the crime

how to use them effectively

plant clues early - give your readers a chance to play detective! scatter subtle hints throughout your story, allowing them to piece together the puzzle as they go.

plausible red herrings - ensure your red herrings are believable and don't contradict established facts or break the story's logic!

don't overdo it - too many red herrings can be frustrating for your readers. use them sparingly, but strategically, to maximize their impact.

serving a purpose - every red herring should have a reason for being there. it should either develop character motivations, showcasing how someone might be trying to shift blame or manipulate events - or illustrate the protagonist's difficulties and false starts they encountered during their investigation.

the concluding payoff - this is where the magic happens! reveal the true purpose of both clues and red herrings. show how the clues led to the truth and how the red herrings were cleverly used to mislead. this ensures a satisfying conclusion for your readers.

perceiving characters - introduce characters with suspicious motives, means, and opportunity, only to reveal their innocence later. conversely, try incorporating innocent characters that eventually unfold their evil motives towards the end. this keeps the reader guessing and adds a layer of suspicion.

unreliable narrator - experiment with a narrator who is biased, unreliable, or even delusional. this forces the reader to question everything they read, creating a challenging and immersing experience.

conclusion
so there you have it! i hope that this workshop improved your understanding upon red herrings and clues, and how you can effectively utilise them while writing. always keep your readers on the edge, captivated by the mysteries that lie ahead!

— finley

resources i used
• what is a red herring - twinkl
• how to mislead and surprise readers - storygrid
• difference between red herrings, evidence and clues - zara altair
• ultimate guide to red herrings and clues - the write practise
• should your mystery include red herrings? - dabble
• non fishy ways to plant red herrings - autocrit

feel free to refer to these to further develop your understanding!

• Harry Potter receives a letter of acceptance from a magical school

• His aunt and uncle try to stop the letter from reaching him, and the letters build up until the uncle eventually takes them to a shack in the middle of the ocean, away from the mail

• The story is set in an alternate version of our world, primarily in Europe, where magical humans live secret lives as wizards, away from prying “Muggle” eyes

• Within this alternate Europe, there are magical schools, the most famous of which is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
  

• The story explores themes of good versus evil and the triumph of love, family and friendship through a magical lens

• The characters learn how to cope with loss, fear and despair through their battle against the dark side
  

• Exposition: We learn about Harry’s upbringing and we are slowly introduced to the magical world.

• Rising Action: Harry arrives at Hogwarts and begins to get used to his new life, all while witnessing strange events around the school that might point to the return of Voldemort
  

• And so on.
  

The Ingredients

New Character Introduction (Jim Flabsdz)
“Greetings swc-er, I'm Jim Flabsdz, guardian of the skies and keeper of the galaxswc. Many people pass through beneath my watchful gaze along their travels, and they're all the same. The monotony bores me; I need some variety in my existence before I devour another planet.”

Choosing this ingredient will add a new character introduction to your stew.

Flashback (Smarlls)
“Hey!! Smarlls here- remember me? I just came by to say hi and remind myself of the good ol' days… I've really missed hanging out with all you swc-ers, so it's great to see everyone again and to be part of another weekly. I'd forgotten how chaotic you all were, and it's awesome to get to relive another session with you.”

Choosing this ingredient will add a flashback to your stew.

Plot Twist (Gurtle)
“Hi everyone! I’m Gurtle - as I’m sure most of you probably know. At this point, you all have probably tried to use the Heimlich maneuver on me in order to get all of your very scrumptious links back. But… what if I were to tell you that I wasn’t the one eating your links, and that it was actually just Smarlls disguised as me? That’d be quite a plot twist if I do say so myself!”

Choosing this ingredient will add a plot twist to your stew.

New Conflict Arises (Mangoes)
“Have you ever seen fire mangoes being used as arson during Cabin Wars? If you haven’t, I assure you it’s definitely a sight worth watching..at least in some cases! As allies betray each other and enemies form truces, it’s interesting to see where new conflict is just waiting to arise.”

Choosing this ingredient will add a sudden new conflict to your stew.

New POV (Fire)
“Ah, fire… I yearn for more chaos to engulf the world, to fuel my hunger switch it up a bit, and change the POV of your story to something different. Feel free to go as crazy as you want with this one, how about a pebble on the road is suddenly able to narrate the events happening around it? Or how about the family dog who has their own opinions on the situation?”

Choosing this ingredient will add a scene with a different POV to your stew.

Foreshadowing (Writing Utensils)
“Hey, do you see something in the reflection of the pen? Wait, are those the results of the session? Just like how some people can guess the results as the session passes by drop some hints that foreshadow an event in your story. Whether through dialogue or actions find some ways for readers to guess the end of your story.”

Choosing this ingredient will add some foreshadowing to the main conflict in your stew.

Introducing a Symbol (Frying Pans)
“Ah, yes- the glorious Frying Pan. Supreme ruler of the kitchen, ultimate form of weaponry, and master of all things frying and panned. truly, whenever I gaze upon its form, I feel emboldened by it. It exudes a sense of pride, of passion, of glory! ‘tis a symbol of SWC’s true brilliance.”

Choosing this ingredient will add a recurring and meaningful symbol to your stew.

Breaking the Fourth Wall (Computer Screen)
“Do you ever feel as if your characters are trapped within the confines of their surroundings? Perhaps the people you see on your screen are just itching to burst out into real life- or perhaps, even, Smarlls and Gurtle and Jim Flabsdz from this project have already snuck through your screen and entered the real world… who knows?”

Choosing this ingredient will add some fourth wall breaking to your stew.

Epistolary – Diary Section (Among Us / SUSWC)
“Well, well, well—by now, you've surely hit some snags, but they've all been outside threats. Unfortunately, not everyone on the inside is trustworthy—once again, there's an impostor in suswc. Thankfully, whoever it was has left behind some diary entries—confessions, you could say.”

Choosing this ingredient will add a section in letter/diary format to your stew.

Genre Swap (Peeles)
“Hey there, astronaut! It's me, Peeles, your friendly planet-alien-being from the far outreaches of the galaxswc. You've come quite a way in your journey, and I'm sure you've seen planets and galaxies unlike any you've ever known! How odd, the way different planets change radically with a mere light-year of distance between them.”

Choosing this ingredient will sandwich a genre swap into your stew.

Cliffhanger (Parodies)
“Imagine that you’re reading through a mystery story (maybe perhaps from last week’s weekly) - as the events progress, more tension is start to build up. It seems as if the protagonist is on the brink of solving the mystery - but before the author reveals the truth, the chapter is done! Talk about getting someone’s hopes up-”

Choosing this ingredient will add a cliffhanger somewhere in your stew.

Open Ending (Goats and Apples)
“Goats vs Apples is quite an interesting thing to think about. It truly depends on what terms and conditions we’re considering, am I right? If we were to write a story on which one was better overall, wouldn’t it be best to let the reader decide? Give them the chance to determine who’s the winner - I mean, that’s the beauty of open endings after all!”

Choosing this ingredient will make your stew conclude with an open ending.

All Done?
Now that you've chosen your elements, hold on! Don't do anything with them quite yet - move on to the next part to discover how to use your elements in the outline.

Example by Blau

…The wars of ancient kings and warlords left the once-beautiful planet of Arginos in ruins. The once clear-blue skies, crystal-like waters, and lush, green forests lay in desolate waste and smoldering flames after the great wars, and even now the planet is still in the same state.

And even now, in the year 3024 and an entire millennia has passed, the flames still burn, fueled by the rage and hatred remaining from the primordial monarchs. The skies are still hazy and dark, filled with smoke and ire. The waters no longer rush around, standing instead and slowly draining through the soil and rocks…

Example by Yume

After experimenting with the lock time and time again, the trunk finally opened. Inside sat a small leather book. Carefully, Willa reached in and lifted the book from the wooden case, brushing off the dust enveloping the surface of the cover. “It’s still here,” she whispered to herself, “All his research and notes.” flipping the book over. Memories of the past washed over her as she began to read.

Twenty years earlier…
“There’s no time to lose! You have to do this,” the boy begged, the supposed cure in his hands, “Take me to the past. Please- They’re coming.” Young Willa watched from the sidelines as her brother conversed with the keeper of Time itself, holding the precious vial in his hands. They knew- knew of the power contained in that cure if used wrongly. And they were coming for him.

Example by Kiara

Prompt 1- “magical school students”
Pace 1- Slow-paced

“Woah~”

The same thought was reverberating through every student’s mind as they approached the school. It was a hulking giant of a building, with gray stone towers and an iron gate that was taller than anything Hornsetia had ever seen. Entering the darkened shadow of the building, the small group of students watched as the professor – a spindly wizard with a tall black hat and a hooked nose – paused for a moment, allowing everyone to admire the building. Or stare at it in fear, in this case.

Prompt 2- “trapped inside a magic mirror”
Pace 2- Fast-paced

In the palace hallway, a hand reached out from a mirror leaning up against the wall and pulled me in. I passed through the mirror as if it was water, entering a world of clear glass. Gasping for air, I banged my fists against the crystal bubble surrounding me. I didn’t see any sign of the person who had grabbed me, but that didn’t stop me from calling out to them at the top of my lungs.

“Shush, you’ll get us in trouble,” a voice said from behind me, and I whirled around to see someone that I vaguely recognized.

No, it couldn’t be.

Because the girl who was standing in front of me had disappeared three years ago.

• Two separate scenes with 150 words each: one original scene, and one based on someone else’s passage in 10 years (300 words).
  
• A story with two storylines, with 200 words each, coming together (400 words).
  
• A story alternating between slow and fast pace (300 words)
  
• A story combining at least 2 of the elements from previous sections (500 words)
  

Introduction

Passage of time is a critical part of any story, and something that all writers should consider when bringing their piece to life. In this workshop, I’ll be going through different ways of showing the passage of time, the merits and drawbacks of each one, as well as referencing several pieces of well-known storytelling along the way. Grab a pen and let's get started!

Why is time important in writing?

Time, as well as location, establishes the setting of a story and, particularly in books that centre around time travel or are based in specific time periods, this is an important element to bear in mind.

For example, much of the success gained by the hit show Stranger Things stems from not only its brilliant plotlines and intriguing characters, but also the nostalgia for those who grew up in the ‘80s. From kids riding bikes for hours without anyone batting an eyelid, to mullets and perms and house phones, Stranger Things encapsulates some of the best trends of the ‘80s.

Time anchors readers in the journey that your characters are on, and you should be able to show this passage of time without boring your audience or detaching them from the story. Here are a few ways to do that effectively…

Clear Time Skips

By time skip, we usually mean: “two weeks later…”

This is a very obvious time leap that can be found in many popular pieces of literature such as Harry Potter or Eragon, and therefore isn’t without its merits. It’s a clear, concise way of indicating time passing and doesn’t dwell on unnecessary details.

For example, The Inheritance Cycle, written by Christopher Paolini, is a tetralogy (four books) which span an entire continent and its people. We watch as Eragon befriends the dragon Saphira and travels all across Alagaësia over the course of weeks, even months. Because of this, Paolini strategically uses time skips in order to speed up the passage of time, and smoothly transition the reader from one scene to the next.

Time skips are often more effective for short time periods rather than longer ones.

For example, “two weeks later” suggests that nothing important to the story has happened in those few days, and goes over the reader’s head. However, “two years later” might detach the reader from the story because things have likely changed for the characters, and readers have therefore missed this.

So, think carefully about where to include these time skips, but don’t be afraid to sprinkle them in if necessary!

Natural Descriptions

This includes descriptions of the natural world around your characters (usually the setting), and you can use these details to indicate the passage of time. Some things to incorporate are:

• Weather: rain changing to snow is an example of this, and different weather can also be used to show the change in location.

• Seasons: similarly, the seasons can be shown through falling leaves, hot summers, hail in December, etc.

• Plants: the growing and wilting of plants such as trees and flowers.

• Moon phases: waning and waxing of the moon at different times of the month.

• Decay: collapsing buildings, growing moss/vines, ruins and fossils, etc.

Natural descriptions are a good way of showing the passage of time instead of simply telling it, and adds another dimension to your settings.

One thing to remember when applying these is to avoid wordy descriptions – in some cases this is fine, but you don’t want to lose your reader with hefty descriptions of the moon.

However, small references to natural changes such as “burgundy leaves fell” or “clouds shadowed the crescent moon” give a subtle reference to the passage of time without feeling too long-winded.

Changes in Characters

Changes in characters doesn’t just mean the development of their personality, but also relationship dynamics and physical changes. Here are a few ways to show this:

• Relationships breaking or forming: how does this affect your character? Are their interactions awkward? Do they have a new dynamic with another character?

• Differences in appearance: have they grown taller? Is their hair longer? Are they stronger than they were before? Has their fashion preference changed?

• Personality: have their likes and dislikes changed? Do they have different views on life?

• Hobbies: have they given any up, or taken on a new one? Why?

Similarly to natural descriptions, changes in characters is a good way of showing the passage of time, and allows readers to form vivid, memorable impressions of characters that add to the story.

Summaries vs. Scenes

The natural order of storytelling is that the more dull and boring parts of any tale are only briefly told, but we spend much longer on those which we find interesting. And so, there are moments in writing where you’ll need to choose which parts deserve entire scenes on them, and which are sufficient with a few sentences summary.

For example, one Harry Potter book spans the course of an entire academic year in Harry's life at Hogwarts, but summaries are used in various places to keep the reader's attention. We don't need to see what all of Harry's O.W.L.s were like, because one detailed scene and a vague summary of the rest are enough. In some cases, less words is more.

A good rule of thumb is: if you as the writer are bored of the scene you’re writing, your readers will probably feel the same.

This might be a sign that you need to shorten a few scenes and turn them into summaries by using time skips, or showing the effect of time through descriptions, etc. This allows your story to flow naturally, and keeps your reader’s interest piqued long enough for them to follow the character's journey from its humble beginning, right to its very end.

Summary

• Time establishes the setting of any story.

• Time skips are a clear, concise way of indicating the passage of time, but are more effective for short time periods.

• Natural descriptions include the changing of weather, season, moon phases, etc.

• Changes in characters include the changing of relationships, appearance, personalities, etc.

• Write summaries for parts that can be skimmed through, and entire scenes that are necessary for the story to progress.

Conclusion

And that’s it for this workshop! I hope you enjoyed this and learnt something new – head back to the main cabin to work on your activity! ^^

Sources

• https://www.novlr.org/writing-tips/how-to-write-the-passage-of-time

• https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/tips-for-dealing-with-the-passage-of-time-in-a-story/

• https://writershelpingwriters.net/2017/06/a-question-of-when-indicating-time-passage-in-our-stories/

• https://www.aliventures.com/handling-time-in-fiction/

• https://writersedit.com/writing/5-ways-present-flow-time-story/

Introduction

Hi there! Welcome to the workshop on dual timelines, in which I’ll go over the concept of dual timelines and the ways you can create them. If you would like more general information on plotting timelines, feel free to reference my previous workshop, but this should be all you need for the weekly activity!

Let’s jump right into it!

I. Definition

Timelines

First off, to understand dual timelines, we should define timelines. Well, what exactly are timelines? Strictly speaking, they are representations of a sequence of events arranged by time. A timeline is traditionally structured graphically in a line format, true to its name; however, it can be organized in any format, as long as it indicates the passing of time and the corresponding events. There are two main types of timelines: linear and nonlinear.

Linear timelines present the events of the story in the order in which they occur. The narrators can change, and there can be short time skips, but overall all of the events are happening in chronological order. Many books and short stories utilize this format of storytelling.

Although linear timelines are common, there are occasions where an author may opt for non-linear timelines! They involve the events of the story being presented in a non-chronological order, and the narrative may be jumping back and forth in time.


Dual timelines

Now that we have timelines and their two main categories established, we’ll get to defining dual timelines: they are an example of a nonlinear timeline, and they (as you might be able to tell by the name) involve two (or more!) separate timelines happening at different times. An example would be Alan Gratz’s book, Refugee, where the three protagonists’ storylines take place during the 1930s, 1990s, and 2010s, respectively.

Common non-linear devices include flashbacks and flashforwards, which are also often utilized in an otherwise linear storyline. The distinction between flashbacks/flashforwards and dual timelines is important to note: dual timelines are typically more or less equal in terms of content and focus, and each tells a cohesive story, while flashbacks and flashforwards are typically very brief.


II. Outlining Dual Timelines

General timeline tips

Some folks may prefer flexibility in planning, while others prefer specific details, and that’s perfectly fine! However, there are some aspects of your story that are best determined before you start writing.

For example, the main conflict and resolution should be figured out. They don’t have to be extremely detailed; just make sure you have these backbones of your story fixed.

Plot points are the critical events that build up your plot and drive it forward. They usually have large effects on your characters, making an opportunity for character development to occur. And you should map your plot points out in your timeline. Consider the relationship between them: is it cause-and-effect, where one event causes the next? Or are they relatively unrelated? Are they caused by the same character or another plot point?


Dual Timelines Outline

Here’s an example of what a dual timeline might look like!

Timeline 1: Event #1 (1914, chapter 1) ———— Event #2 (1915, chapter 5) ———— Event #3 (1999, epilogue)
Timeline 2: Event #1 (1940, chapter 2) ———— Event #2 (1942, chapter 6) ———— Event #3 (1999, epilogue)

The plot would follow the timelines back and forth, switching in every chapter/page break or so.

For dual timelines, it’s important to keep both/all timelines equally interesting, so readers won’t be overwhelmingly favoring one over the others. Be sure to reduce dissonance: the pacing, intensity, and plot revelations (among other aspects) should more or less match between the timelines.

And of course, the timelines should become increasingly convergent. There are a variety of ways to do this, but the reader gradually sees how the timelines are connected. (In some cases, the end of one timeline also becomes the beginning of another.) Do the protagonists meet? What is the significant thread linking these timelines together?

There is often a common motif among the timelines, one example of which is a harmonica that all three protagonists encounter, from the book Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. The motif can also be a character or a setting. With all of the timelines, you'd have to find a way to bring the entire story together, showing how the characters, plot, and themes of the separate timelines are entwined with each other.


Considerations

Beyond just a motif, the themes of your story should benefit from your use of dual timelines. Usually, there is something fundamentally similar in both of the dual timelines. Usually, there is something fundamentally similar in both of the dual timelines. This is part of the reason that dual timelines are utilized so often in historical fiction: often, the combination of the timelines serves to give a greater understanding of the era(s) the story is set in. Referring back to the example of Refugee, all three timelines of the book focus on characters who are trying to leave their country, and their struggles and relationships have significant parallels as well. In other cases, a cohesive backstory provides an immense amount of context to the story set in the “present” time; this applies significantly to the mystery genre.

There are also different approaches you can take with the convergence of the two timelines. In many works with dual timelines, the connection between the timelines is usually slowly expanded on, with revelations scattered throughout the course of the story. However, you can also have the connection be much more subtle at first, and reveal the majority of it during the climax of the story. With either approach, however, make sure your timelines explain each other - adding callbacks, both trivial and major, between timelines allows strengthens the connection between them.


Execution

While writing and planning dual timelines and devices, there are several things you should keep in mind.

Maintaining consistency in point of view/tense is a good idea when switching between timelines. POVs and tenses can be changed according to the structure and time, but it can be confusing when there are too many shifts. In addition, it is often good to be consistent in pacing and emotion as well—for example, the climaxes of separate sections often occur within consecutive chapters.

Another thing that can be helpful in switching between narratives is visual indications – page dividers, italics, a different storytelling voice/format (shifting from prose to poetry, for example), etc. – when deviating from a linear timeline. This will make your timelines more identifiable to the reader. Similarly, make sure you transition well between

Finally, build suspense! Suspense is one of the advantages of nonlinear timelines over linear ones – the revelation of information has a huge potential for impact across the other timeline(s) of the story. Creating complex storylines and placing the key plot points in the right places can be very meaningful, especially when plot points overlap. What happens often in dual timeline works is that arcs stop at cliffhangers before transitioning to another timeline, which is great for building anticipation. (However, remember that all timelines should be engaging enough, especially at the climax!)


Mediums
Finally, where would you go about outlining dual timelines?

I find that spreadsheets are very helpful: you can make columns/rows for individual timelines’ time and events, and you can also configure the order in which you present the separate timelines in your writing. You might want to limit elaboration on your plot points, as spreadsheets can get clunky and difficult to navigate with too much text, especially given the fact that two (or even more timelines can quickly become confusing).

If you’re not as comfortable with spreadsheets, you can try using a word-processing application. You can still arrange the information in the same way, and it’s also easier to describe the details of your plot points. (If you like both, you can use it in conjunction with a spreadsheet!)

There are also many great options for making timelines on paper! You can trying using index cards or post-it notes to represent your events, then rearranging them in the order that you like.


Conclusion
Thank you for reading through this workshop; free to ask for clarification on anything written here ^^ I hope that you’ve learned new things about dual timelines - have fun working on the activity!


Sources
(I used a good few sites for reference, but these are the main ones)

• https://www.masterclass.com/articles/guide-to-nonlinear-narrative
  
• https://www.masterclass.com/articles/ways-to-structure-your-narrative-timeline
  
• https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/6-ways-to-pull-off-dual-timelines-in/
  
• https://www.thenovelry.com/blog/dual-timelines
  
• https://www.jeannettedebeauvoir.com/thoughts/multiple-timelines
  

- Introduction -

Hello there, and welcome to this workshop! Over here, we will be going through what pacing is, the types of pacing, and how to employ those different types of pacing. We'll also learn about tension, why it is important, and how to utilize it while writing a story! However, keep in mind that these devices should not be used for the sake of a change of pace. Instead, they should always fulfill a purpose within the story itself.

What is pacing?

In literature, pacing is a technique that controls the rate at which a story unfolds itself. This stylistic device is a very important feature that impacts your writing quite a bit! In this workshop, we'll learn how to slower down your pace in situations that call for it, and fasten it up when the time is right.

Why is pacing important?

There is a quite prejudiced opinion that all you need to hook your readers are compelling characters and a rich plot. While those components are very essential to a story, you do need a bit more than that! Even books containing beloved characters like Percy Jackson and Inej Ghafa would not be as popular if it described them slugging through their daily activities. That's where pacing comes into view! Pacing affects the mood and tension of your piece, helps develop ideas and themes, and allows your dear readers to connect with your characters and understand the events that are taking place.

Effects of poor pacing:

It is very important to try and maintain a good pace, as poor pacing can lead to a disjointed narrative and loss of tension, leading to reader/audience disengagement. If a story is too fast-paced, the reader may not have time to invest in your characters and understand your well-planned out plot fully! If a story is too slow-paced, your story may appear to drag, risking boredom and detachment.

Don't worry, heroes- pacing can be quite hard to control, however, here is a guide to buckle down that beast and ride it proudly! Here are some tips to maintain slow-paced in gentle and wonderous situations, and have it fast-paced in tensed and rigid scenarios.

- how to maintain a slow pace or a fast pace -

Lengthen or cut down your sentences

The structure of your sentences and paragraphs can significantly impact the pace of your writing! Longer sentences can efficiently slow the pace down, while shorter and rapid sentences could fasten it up. Here are some tips on controlling the flow and length of your sentences based off your pace.

Shorten your sentences

In slow-paced situations, it would be recommended and better to use shorten sentences. This would help readers feel your characters heightened emotions from use of descriptive words, as well as the use of a certain element called a *staccato structure.
While using shorter sentences, it is clear that things are moving at a speed and makes the piece more intriguing, while helps arouse curiosity.
It is ideal for action scenes or climactic movements. They also get directly to the point, allowing you to skip unnecessary directions and details that are implied.

Take this example from 'Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy- “Kettle, plug, fridge, milk, coffee. Yawn.”

Instead of taking the readers through the whole process of making a cup of coffee, Douglas Adams simply chose the words associated with the action, allowing readers to fill in the blanks.

Staccato structure*:

A staccato structure is an element that is ideal for slow-paced scenarios. It is short and on to the point, and uses few words to make an idea clear. It is useful for grabbing attention or showing action, and is used significantly to add drama or a sense of urgency. A staccato structure helps readers understand integral points quickly. However, keep in mind that this element should be used carefully. An overuse can make sentences feel choppy and not well-defined. It can be mixed in with longer sentences to give more of a balance, which keeps the reader engaged and makes the message stand out.
Take these examples, all succesfully driving to the point in short and abrupt sentences:

- The courtroom was packed. Sweating. Silent.” (To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee)

- “I don’t know. I don’t know, he said. It’s like a furnace in there. A churning crimson furnace.” (Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury)

- “You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved.” (Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott)

Lengthen your sentences:

In long paced scenarios, longer sentences help slow down pace since they take longer to read. They are often associated with being able to explain more complicated ideas, and allow for reflection and deeper understanding. They comprise of detailed descriptions and introspective movements, which let the audience connect with the characters and feel their thoughts and emotions.

Take this section from The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, in which Dickens describes his thought process on the saying- “Dead as a door-nail”.

“Mind! I don’t mean to say that I know, of my own knowledge, what there is particularly dead about a door-nail. I might have been inclined, myself, to regard a coffin-nail as the deadest pieces of ironmongery in the trade. But the wisdom of our ancestors is in the simile; and my unhallowed hands shall not disturb it, or the Country’s done for. You will therefore permit me to repeat, emphatically, that Marley was as dead as a door-nail.”


Description or dialogue

In stories, the use of description and dialogue is very essential! What most people don't know that it also plays an integral role in pacing. Depending on your pace, you might either focus on description or dialogue. it is important to realize that your piece should have a combination of the two, but as regards to your pace, you might want to focus slightly more on one of the two. Here are some ways in which you can quicken up and slower down your pace using more of one element!

Dialogue

Rapid dialogue will go a long way in quickening up the pace of your story! Instead of long-winded descriptions, create captivating dialogues where your characters can interact and show their personality. This can help you remove irrelevant descriptions and be more on-point and focused. Dialogues are a very handy tool, but can ruin your story and is frowned upon if it is overused. Make sure to balance the amount of dialogues you have!
As a handy example, take this exchange between Robin and Strike, the main characters of The Cuckoo’s Calling.

“It’s a death threat,” she said. “Oh yea,” said Strike. “Nothing to worry about. They come in about once a week.” “But—” “It’s a disgruntled ex-client. Bit unhinged. He thinks he’s throwing me off the scent by using that paper.” “Surely, though — shouldn’t the police see it?” “Give them a laugh, you mean?” “It isn’t funny, it’s a death threat!” she said, and Strike realized why she had placed it, with its envelope, in the plastic pocket. He was mildly touched. “Just file it with the others,” he said, pointing towards the filing cabinets in the corner.

Descriptions

Descriptions can help you slow down the pace of your story. In other words, stop and smell the roses! Try and include five senses, and have detailed sentences- however, make sure to not make it too long.
Sure, it’s useful to be concise — but if your purpose is to have your readers take a breather, then adjectives are your allies! These can help you give more of an explanation, and make the pace slower. It's also extremely useful to focus on the background and the settings of your story!
Additionally, show some introspection. More than just describing your character’s actions, show what they are thinking and how they are feeling. Show the reader the thought process that leads a character to make a specific decision. This makes your story more interesting, and gives time for your audience to understand your characters and even relate to them!

Take this section from the The Two Towers by Tolkien, which describes the forest scenery that Merry and Pippin encounter after escaping from the orcs:

“The ground was rising steeply still, and it was becoming increasingly stony. The light grew broader as they went on, and soon they saw that there was a rock-wall before them: the side of a hill, or the abrupt end of some long root thrust out by the distant mountains. No trees grew on it, and the sun was falling full on its stony face. The twigs of the trees at its foot were stretched out stiff and still, as if reaching out to the warmth."


Subplots- or cliffhangers?

In stories, having subplots may be a good idea! These can significantly shorten down the pace and avert direction from the main narrative. The more shifts and subplots you include, the longer it’ll take to reach the resolution of the main storyline! However, it is important to keep in mind to not avoid focus on the main storyline for /too/ long, as it can be quite boring.

Additionally, making use of flashbacks and backstories is also an important consideration. Those can divert attention from the main storyline. However, in short-paced scenarios, they might not be the best solution. Rather than having flashes from the past, in short-paced situations, cliffhangers are one of the best and most intriguing ways to keep a reader hooked!

Subplots and flashbacks!

Shifting your story’s focus to a secondary storyline will decrease the pace at which the main story line progresses.
In Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, there are two main storylines: Anna’s and Levin’s. These stories take place simultaneously, with constant back-and-forth shifts but little crossover. This allows readers to take a break from one story and jump into another, slowing down the pace at which each storyline resolves.
A good way to break the focus from the current narrative is to go back and show the readers what happened in the past. This way, you can simultaneously halt the story and give additional information and context to your readers. However, keep in mind that these devices should not be used for the sake of a change of pace. Instead, they should always fulfill a purpose within the story itself.

Limit your subplots- and wait, is that a cliffhanger?

The fastest route is a straight line — so, if you want to get directly to the resolution, the best way to do so is to cut out or limit any unnecessary plot points that take the reader away from the main narrative.
To use a previous example, if Tolstoy had limited Anna Karenina to her involvement with Vronsky, we would have a much shorter romance, instead of the 800+ pages of Russian society, politics, theology, and philosophy that we did get.
Nothing keeps a reader more hooked than wanting to find out what happens next, which is why cliffhangers are so popular. These are abrupt, unresolved endings to chapters or entire stories provoke tension, which encourages readers to press on and discover how the story resolves.
An example of a great cliffhanger is in The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell. Towards the end of chapter two, we are given a wonderful piece of intrigue when Sophie, who has just moved into a school cottage beside the woods, discovers a sign nailed to a fence.

She turns to put the latch on the gate as she leaves the back garden and as she does so her eye is caught by something nailed to the wooden fence.

A piece of cardboard, a flap torn from a box by the looks of it.

Scrawled on it in marker and with an arrow pointing down to the earth, are the words, ‘Dig Here.’

Those are my main pointers in slowing down your pace, and bringing it back up! Keep in mind while using all of these that any of these techniques should not be overused, as they can quite ruin your writing, and make it less engaging for your audience. Now that we're done learning how to quicken up your pace and slow it down, let's talk about the different types of pacing. The factors here can help you build up that pace over a long period of time, changing from slow paced to fast paced!

- types of pacing -

Fast Pacing: This often involves quick action, rapid dialogue, and events that unfold in rapid succession. Fast pacing is used to create excitement and keep the reader engaged and on edge.

Slow Pacing: Characterized by detailed descriptions, introspective passages, and a focus on character development or setting over plot. Slow pacing allows for deeper emotional connections and builds tension in a more subtle way.

Variable Pacing: A combination of fast and slow pacing within the same story, often used to keep the reader’s interest peaked while allowing time for character development and setting exploration.

Incremental Pacing: This type of pacing comprises of a gradual increase in the pace of the story, intriguing the audience and building up tension.

- tension -

What is the purpose of creating tension in a story?

Tension is a critical element in storytelling that serves various purposes and enlightens a story, the key among them being to engage and maintain the reader’s interest throughout the narrative. Tension compels readers to continue turning pages in anticipation of the outcome by creating a sense of uncertainty about what will happen next!

Engagement and emotional connection

Tension engages the readers/audience by raising the emotional stakes in the narrative, and immersing them in it. This element makes the story resonate with them on a deeper element, and allows them to feel the atmosphere and emotions that are apparent in that particular moment. This emotional movement makes the highs more exhilarating and the lows more devastating, allowing the audience to connect with the characters and their journeys.

Driving the plot forward

Besides being there for audience engagement, tension is a pivotal point that helps drive the plot forward. It makes progress in the storyline and introduces conflicts and obstacles that the characters must navigate. This continuous momentum is crucial for keeping the story dynamic and preventing stagnation.

Enhancing character development

Tension plays a vital role in the development of characters. It shows us how different characters respond to different conflicts and obstacles, and how they deal with stress and problems. As the tension escalates, characters are pushed to their limits, revealing how they act and their defense systems when they're pushed to the edge. This shows the character's hidden personality, and gives the audience an understanding of their general behavior.

Creating a memorable experience

In the end, ultimately, the point of using tension is to create an overall memorable and enjoyable experience! A story that expertly weaves tension will create a lasting impression, prompting reflection, discussion, and maybe even different theories once the last page is turned.

How to use pacing to build tension in a story

Set the stage with slow pacing

In the beginning of your story, lay out a foundation and start with a slower pace to allow characters and settings to develop. This not only gives chance for the readers to form attachments and understand the characters, but also sets up the right stakes to create more tension. Use the tips mentioned above to help you write with slow pacing!

Introduce conflict at a steady pace

Now that we've set up our base, let's build on it! Gradually introduce elements of conflict while slightly increasing the pace. Use the techniques mentioned in the first section to help you do this. It keeps the audience interested and starts to build anticipation, intriguing your readers.

Utilize chapters and section breaks

This is the time to bring up the cliff-hangers mentioned earlier! Use the end of chapters to create a piece of mystery which intrigues your readers. Nothing keeps a reader more hooked then wanting to find out what happens next. Starting a chapter with a swift, action-packed scene can also reinvigorate interest and tension.

Climax with fast-pacing

As you approach the climax, the high point of the story, increase the pacing! Use the techniques mentioned above to make the scenes tense and rigid. This should be where tension peaks and events unfold quickly, compelling the reader to race to the resolution.

Resolve and reflect

Gradually solve the elements of conflict and decrease the tension in the story. This slower pace helps wrap up the story and allows for reflection and resolution! Congratulations, heroes, you've made it to the end of your story.

While this way of introducing tension is common and highly recommended, there are other ways of doing so! Some stories start directly with the problem, introducing the conflict in the first sentence of the chapter itself. An example of this is apparent in a book we know all to well- ‘Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief’. It starts with the line- “Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood”- introducing the problem in the starting itself, decreasing the pace from there, and increasing it back up. This allows your readers to get hooked, and invigorates their interest.

Another way of doing this is also ending with a cliff-hanger, which is common in many books as well. While this can arise a lot of angry fans ranting about how the story ended, it definitely will pique interest in its sequel!

- conclusion -

Congratulations, you've completed this workshop! I hope you've learnt quite a bit about pacing, how to control it, and how to use tension effectively in your story. Head on to the weekly to find out the task, and good luck! I can't wait to see your incredible pieces. Have fun!

Example by Summer

A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte
Based on the painting by Georges Seurat

Warmth, and peace, and calm
Are the words on the lips of all
Who lounge comfortably on the soft green grass
And gaze at the swiftly sailing ships

Ladies dressed in Sunday best
Rows of unfurled parasols
Yet the children are still dear friends with the sun
And cherish its golden glittering gaze

It’s a perfect day for a picnic
To go out on the shining water
To do anything that the heart desires
Underneath the soft tree shade

Example by Niko

Lena
Lena tapped her finger impatiently against her glass staring out the tavern’s window. Her mind was full of thoughts of Maya as she worried what sort of problems she must have run into to be so delayed.

Maya
Maya’s breath caught as she heard the sounds of her captors feet. She had just gotten free of her bonds by finding a jagged stone but it seemed luck was not on her side. Her hands flew making an illusion of tied hands as she prepared to meet the person behind all of this.

Lena
Lena grabbed her coat in a rush dropping some money on the table and swiftly left the tavern. More than an hour had now passed and Maya was nowhere in sight. Lena looked out onto the road that split into three paths trying to make a decision.

Example by Luka

Character: Detective Grant Langston

• Full of pride, overly confident and jumps to conclusions
  
• Infatuated with Daisy Parkwell

Surely it was her. Lucy was the only person in the room that could never truly stand William, and that was well known. His disappearance was surely foul play on her part, and only a detective could see the truth. Fortunately I was one, and I knew Lucy's innocent act wouldn't hold up much longer. Those crocodile tears would dry up soon.

Daisy looked at me with a look in her eye I couldn't decipher. She was as pale as a ghost, but who could blame her? A kidnapping would make anyone petrified, so petrified that they'll begin mumbling to themselves. So terrified that they'll tell themselves it wasn't their fault. Just like Daisy.

However, a culprit can never do the things Daisy was doing. All they can do is hide behind a screen made of false tears, a common case with criminals. Therefore, I resolved that I would tear down Lucy's screen with my bare hands, comfort my dear Daisy, invite her for dinner, and celebrate with a perfectly-aged ‘70’s Carlo Rossi. All in that order.

Example by Alia

• the chosen one
  

It's your job to create an entertaining story, Isla remembers her father saying. They're all watching you.

Isla takes a deep breath, glances up at the ceiling. She seems alone, in her little workshop surrounded by rolls of paper and pots of ink, but she's not. She's never alone. There's a whole world watching her.

How does one even create an engaging story? she wonders. What is she supposed to do? She's not been chosen by the gods for any special purpose, found no special object, learned from no wise old mentor. She's just…her. In what world can she create a story entertaining enough for all who want to read it?

Example by Mabel

I pondered in the garden, dangling my legs off a bench, deep in thought.

Suddenly I heard footsteps approached. Unsure, my head shot back just to see a tall, brunette girl standing in front of me. She gazed deeply into my eyes, wanting something.

“Who are you?” I blurted out, my hands jittering. What did this girl want with me? She raised an eyebrow.

“I’m Mabel,” she said calmly with practically no expression on her face, fingers stroking through her hair as she patiently waited for a reply.

“What do you want with me?” I whispered. She could barely hear me. I took a deep breath out.

“I need your help.”

1. Write three 100-word scenes, with the first and last have a different perspective than the second | 300 words
2. Brainstorm and write a scene using unreliable narration traits | 300 words
3. Brainstorm two trope/conventions and write a scene with a character acknowledging/criticizing it | 400 words
4. Insert yourself into your world and have your OC react to you | 400 words

Switching Characters and Scenes Workshop

Intro

Hey SWCers, welcome to the first workshop of this weekly! We’re going to be looking at an essential storytelling device that you have almost certainly seen before in some of your favorite books, or even in your own writing: transitions between different perspectives and scenes. You’ll learn about when you should switch between scenes and viewpoints, how to not confuse your reader when doing so, and how to avoid abrupt transitions. Let’s get into it!

Why switch between characters and scenes?

• Pacing: Skipping forward in time is often essential to maintaining good pacing in your story. “Unimportant” events are not necessary to describe and might end up boring the reader if included. For example, say that you are writing a murder mystery. Your detective visits the crime scene in the morning, takes a break to go back home and eat lunch, and then interviews a suspect. Two of those events are obviously relevant to the plot, and one is not. You don’t need to write about what the detective ate for lunch – you can skip over that moment entirely with a scene change.
  

• Suspense: Ending scenes on cliffhangers before switching to different perspectives/settings can greatly heighten suspense in your story. Leigh Bardugo demonstrates this in her book Six of Crows, which follows a group of outlaws trying to pull off a near-impossible heist. Chapters alternate between viewpoint and location, and often end just as the stakes have been significantly raised for one character. The reader is left anxious to find out what happens next, but they must read through a different character’s viewpoint chapter before they can find out.
  
  Additionally, perspective/scene changes can reveal or withhold certain knowledge from the reader. By switching to the viewpoint of a secondary character, for example, the reader might learn something that the protagonist is unaware of. Or perhaps a secret is revealed to the main characters, but hidden from the reader via a scene skip.
  

• Unique Perspectives: Whether you’re trying to develop your world, cover multiple plotlines at the same time, or flesh out different characters, it can be enormously helpful to write from multiple points of view. Each of your characters will have unique experiences and perspectives that you may want to explore. What better way to do that then to spend some time directly inside their head?
  

Writing Scene Transitions

In order to write effective scene transitions, you must keep clarity in mind. The last thing you want is for your reader to be confused about where the story is taking place, or whose perspective it is being told from. The first and last lines of every scene should be written to indicate that something has changed, or is about to change.

Beginning Scenes

Start your scene by informing your reader of the new location, time, and (if necessary) viewpoint. Take this opening chapter line from Maggie Stiefvater’s novel The Raven Boys:

Gansey woke in the night to find the moon full on his face and his phone ringing.

In one sentence, the time (night) and viewpoint character (Gansey) are established. The reader can also infer the location (Gansey’s bedroom). This is also important to note: you don’t have to explicitly spell out everything. It would get repetitive to start every scene with “X character was at X location, at X time.” Instead, you can supply some details and let your reader deduce the rest.

Ending Scenes

The last lines of each scene should serve as a setup for the next one. For example, Chapter 12 of Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief ends:

She pointed downhill, toward train tracks I hadn’t been able to see last night in the dark.“There’s an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon.”

This segues smoothly into the following chapter, which begins with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover on the train. The ending of a scene should introduce the next point of action, and signal a resolution of the current moment. Alternatively, you can end on a cliffhanger, leaving the action unresolved in a way that increases suspense. To take another example from The Lightning Thief, Chapter 13 ends:

I turned and jumped. My clothes on fire, poison coursing through my veins, I plummeted toward the river.”

Obviously, the reader will want to keep reading, so that they can learn if Percy survives this seemingly fatal fall. And they will find out, in the next scene, which picks right up where Chapter 13 left off.

Switching Between Perspectives

Just like scene transitions, different viewpoints must be clearly handled and distinguished. A common mistake writers make is that all their characters’ perspectives sound the same. You should always try to give your viewpoint characters unique voices so that the reader can distinguish between them (and it’s also just a good practice for character development). When writing from a character’s perspective, try filtering the world through their eyes. Consider some of the following:

• How would they describe certain people/events?
  

• What is their attitude like?
  

• What are their thought processes like?
  

• Are there things that they are more likely to notice (or not notice) about their surroundings?
  

• Do they use specific words and phrases more often in their vocabulary?
  

These are not by any means the only questions you can ask when developing your character’s voice. However, they are a good place to start. Every single person processes the world differently, and a skilled writer is able to reflect that in their characters.

Aside from more subtle changes in tone and style, you should remember the rule of establishing important details in your opening sentences. Try to include the viewpoint character’s name early on in your scene, and paint a clear picture of what they are doing or thinking. Your goal is to pull the reader directly into their experiences, their mindset, their world.

Other Common Mistakes

You should always switch between scenes and perspectives with a clear sense of purpose. Don’t throw in random location hopping and viewpoint changes just because you feel like it. Does it make sense for you to end a scene here, and start a new one? Take care with your pacing; you want events to move along at an engaging speed, but rushed transitions will leave your reader overwhelmed.

Furthermore, make sure that all of your different characters’ perspectives serve an important purpose in the overall narrative. Too often, writers get carried away with adding new viewpoints into their story. What results is a narrative bogged down by voices that are unnecessary and difficult to keep track of. Each viewpoint that you write should be well-fleshed out and contribute something significant to the story that you want to tell. If you don’t need it, maybe consider deleting it.

Finally, you should ensure that the placements of your perspective changes make sense. Maintain balance between viewpoints; the main character’s perspective should receive more attention than the side characters’, for example. Stories with multiple main characters should hone in equally on each protagonist. If you are unsure whose head to hop into during a scene, a good rule of thumb is to pick the character who is most impacted by the current action. Readers will want to follow someone who has the most to lose, or feel, or learn. Also remember the technique of revealing/withholding information discussed earlier in this workshop. Be smart about whose thoughts you are inhabiting, and when; you can manipulate viewpoints to convey specific knowledge at specific times.

Summary

• Scene transitions are necessary to control pacing, and can also increase suspense
  

• Shifting viewpoints can add depth to a story and its characters
  

• The start of a scene must clearly establish what has changed
  

• The end of a scene must transition smoothly into the next scene
  

• Character viewpoints should be easy to differentiate between
  

• Scene and perspective changes must be made with purpose
  

Conclusion

And that’s a wrap on this workshop! Hopefully you’ve learned something about scene/viewpoint transitions, and are ready to try both in your own writing. Good luck with the weekly activity, and have fun!

Sources Used

How to Write Multiple Perspectives: 5 Tips for Switching Points of View - 2024 - MasterClass
Writing Multiple Points of View: How to Bring A Story to Life (self-publishingschool.com)
6 Tips & Tricks For Writing Scene Transitions - Writers Write

Unreliable Narrators: A Workshop

Narrators play a key role in storytelling, and subsequently, how they tell the story. But, what if your readers can’t trust the storyteller? Unreliable narrators are a fun way to add suspense and intrigue. It keeps the readers in a perpetual state of guessing what is real and what is fake (…or cake? ;0) In this workshop, we’ll be going over what an unreliable narrator is, why we use them, why and how they are unreliable, the kinds of unreliable narrators, and how to write them effectively.

What is an unreliable narrator?

Unreliable narrators, as the name indicates, are narrators that aren’t reliable. Let me explain. The way the narrator shows what is going on is different from reality, for one reason or another. Some ways that this can be done is by withholding information, tweaking the reality, or lying. Due to their subjective view and casting biases onto the reader, the narrator isn’t truthful about what is going on. Another key point to keep in mind is that the readers need to see the cracks in their facade, in order to make them wary about the narrator. If the narrator is not telling the truth, there should still be nuggets of truth that the reader is able to see, or the narrator won’t come off as being unreliable.

Why use an unreliable narrator?

So, now that we know what they are, why would we use them? When reading a story, there are questions that come up. What happened? Why did things go that way? Who did it? By adding a narrator that cannot be trusted, we give readers more questions to ponder: why is the narrator not telling the truth and what are they hiding from us? What else are they not telling us? Withholding information fuels the search for the answer.

Unreliable narrators are most often used in thrillers and mysteries, because of the ways that they lend themselves to those genres with similar aspects (not knowing the truth, suspense, etc.) However, they are not limited to those genres and those principles can be applied to other genres as well. They create a direct tension between the book and the reader. The narrator extracts key information, giving a different depth to the character and pulling the reader in.

Why is your narrator unreliable?

Every character has a motive, so what’s yours? In this specific case, you also have to consider why your narrator is unreliable and how that impacts the story.

There are two kinds of unreliable narrators, those who unintentionally muddle the truth and those who intentionally lie and deceive.

Unintentional unreliable narrators are unaware that they aren’t telling the truth. This can be done with children, or naive characters in general, who genuinely don’t understand what is going on. Amnesia is a popular trope to use with unreliable narrators, because while they may know some of the truth, their memories aren’t credible, as important pieces of information may be gone or slightly askew. They could also have mental disorders, like schizophrenia, not being mentally stable to tell the truth, even if they believe that they are. (If you do decide to go this way, be sure to research in order to portray disorders accurately ^^) Another way that narrators may unintentionally be unreliable is by filtering the world through their biases, exaggerating scenarios or by letting their emotions dictate how they view the world around them.

Biased narrators aren’t always unintentional though, as they could also be intentionally letting those biases dictate how they choose to present themselves. For example, they could be disregarding important facts, simply because it doesn’t line up with their narrative (Ex: All signs point to them being the culprit, but they make questionable excuses and focus on minor facts to prove that they aren’t.) These intentional unreliable narrators could be smarter than average, staying one step in front of everyone else and using that to their advantage. They know that they are lying to the readers, which can make parsing the truth in the lies harder, as they are crafting a story around the false narrative.

Why a narrator is unreliable can be a simple or complicated question to answer. In some cases, it's as simple as they don't know any better, because of naivety, impaired knowledge, or faulty memory. In other cases, it could be that the narrator has a motive. Is the narrator the culprit all along, intentionally trying to get the reader to believe them and believing that they are in the right? A compulsive liar? Delusional? They could be trying to get away with a crime, attempting to convince the reader and those around them that it wasn't them. Whatever their reason, it should filter nearly everything that is being told by the narrator directly towards the reader, keeping the motive consistent.

How is your narrator unreliable?

There are many ways that narrators can distort the truth, but in 1981, Willian Riggian identified five archetypes for the unreliable narrator: picaros, madmen, naifs, clowns, and liars.

• Picaros: The Exaggerators. Think drama queens and hyperboles. What they are saying has some truthful basis, but it’s blown out of proportion.

• Madmen: The Mentally Unstable. They are not mentally in tune with what is going around them in order to properly view and project it.

• Naifs: The Child/Naive. The characters who know the truth, but aren’t well-versed and are confused by what is going on around them.

• Clowns: They don’t take narrating seriously and play around with the reader’s expectations and the truth.

• Liars: Often consciously fabricating a story, these narrators tell blatant lies.

These can be mix and matched and how your narrator is unreliable doesn’t have to be exclusive to these categories ^^

How do you write an unreliable narrator?

The final step: how do you write a good unreliable narrator? One thing to consider is the point of view. First person is often used because the narrator and the character are the same. However, other POVs can achieve this as well, specifically deep third person. A bit of a hybrid between first person and third, it gets into the character's head, but still uses the third person pronouns (he/she/they) over the first person (I/me). Point of view is important because the readers need to be given limited amounts of information, not knowing the whole truth. A third person omniscient perspective, for example, is all-knowing, making it difficult to achieve an unreliable narrator.
How do you write an unreliable narrator that is clearly an unreliable narrator? As stated earlier, readers need to be able to see that the narrator isn't telling the truth, or at least not all of it. Showing this straight off the bat is a good way to ensure that readers catch on and there are a few ways to do so, but essentially, readers need to have some access to reality. They need some glimpse at the truth to know what the lie is.
Side characters can play a key role in this. Perhaps the narrator is recollecting what went on earlier to a friend, but they are lying, and readers will know because they know the truth. Or, in another scenario, the narrator could also be in a discussion about the big case that is going on and the evidence that other characters are bringing up contradicts what the narrator has told you. Side characters may also mention facts about the narrator in passing that weren't revealed to you earlier. All of these make you wonder about the credibility of the narrator. The reader should either know the truth when a lie is told, or be told an undeniable truth contradictory to the lie that they have believed.

Misc Things to Keep in Mind/Prompts

• Remember that even though your narrator is unreliable and and have many things that can be frustrating for readers, they still have something going for them so that your readers don’t hate them or not enjoy the reading experience due to it.

• What truths you choose to lie about or tweak should have a reason. Think about how omitting the truth in a situation won’t only affect the scene, but also the story as a whole.

• Plot twists can be especially fun in unreliable narratives, because they can come from the narrator themselves, not an outside force. They could show their true selves for a scene or finally reveal a major piece of evidence readers have been kept in the dark about.

• Play around with the POVs and characters! Having dual POV unreliable narrators can give the readers a better glimpse at what is the truth (what is said by both) but also explores how both characters are withholding information and the differences in how they choose to show the world.

• Have fun with the genres too! Fairy tales with an unreliable narrator? An exposé style piece from the POV of a naivete? A typical thriller story, but with a high fantasy twist? The possibilities are endless.

Summary

In this workshop, we have learned:

• Unreliable narrators don’t accurately portray the reality of what is going on

• They can be used to create tension and engage readers

• There are intentional and unintentional unreliable narrators

• Narrators have a reason to be unreliable

• There are five unreliable narrator archetypes.

• Readers need to be able to see the flaws in their facade and know that they can’t trust everything that they are being told

Conclusion

And that is it on unreliable narrators for this workshop! If this interested you, I encourage you to look into it more on your own; they are so much fun <3 Feel free to ask any questions and I hope that you learned something new.


Main Sources

https://www.writingmastery.com/blog/how-to-write-an-unreliable-narrator
https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/8-tips-to-writing-unreliable-narrators
https://thehistoryquill.com/top-tips-for-pulling-off-an-unreliable-narrator
https://www.thenovelry.com/blog/unreliable-narrator
https://studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english-literature/literary-elements/unreliable-narrator/#:~:text=The%20five%20most%20common%20types,readers%20in%20the%20wrong%20direction

A Message From Alia and Zai:

Hey everyone! After two months of work and many, many sleepless nights (literally), we present to you our POLAR BEARS (People Originating Lovely Activities Right Before Every Amazingly Refreshing Session) magnum opus…IslandSWC! Please go show incredible appreciation to everyone else on team, none of this would be possible without everyone else - Moss, Amethyst, Alana, Inky, Alba, and Sienna <33

This is our last session on the activities team, and this really is the culmination of not just two months of work but two years, since we first joined the activities team. We hope you love this project as much as we do.

Intro Comic: Mazasa Finding a New Den

Mazasa (in boat, watching old den disappear in distance): Goodbye, old den! I'm off to find a new home and a new adventure!

A horrible storm hits, crashing Mazasa's boat.

Mazasa (spotting land): A new den! (enters den) But it's so empty in here…

Smarlls (appearing): Mazasa! I saw your ship crash into those rocks and I got here as soon as I could!

Mazasa (smiling): Smarlls!

Smarlls: I was so worried but it seems you've already found a new home!

Mazasa: It doesn't quite feel like home yet…

Smarlls: I heard the cabins might have some spare decorations! Maybe you could ask them for some help.

Mazasa (moving outside the den): Okay, I'll give it a shot!

Smarlls (handing over pirate hat): Take this! It'll help keep you warm while travelling the Seven Seas!

Mazasa (taking hat): Thanks, Smarlls!

Introduction

After donning your pirate hat and saying goodbye to Smarlls, you clamber into your boat and set off into the wild ocean! What will you find? Who will you meet? You don’t know, but you’re so excited to find out.

Begin your story by writing 100 words of whatever you like.

Instructions

Complete 8 writing prompts - 200 words each - and 8 nonwriting prompts! You must do at least one prompt from each cabin, so you will do the writing and nonwriting prompt for for three cabins. For each other cabin, pick either the writing or nonwriting prompt. After completing the prompts, the cabin's leaders will give you the a decoration for Mazasa's den. Collect all 13 decorations to complete the weekly!

Happy adventuring!

Cabin 1: Bi-Fi Waterpark

Mazasa: Ooh, this looks like such a fun place!! I wonder if they have anything I could decorate my den with?

Alana: Hey there! Welcome to our wonderful island of fun! Are you looking for anything in particular?

Mazasa: Actually, yeah! Do you have any decorations I could use for my polar bear den?

Summer: Hmm…I think we might have just the thing for you. But how do we know you’ll use it well?

Pepper: I’ve got the perfect idea. We've got a couple of prompts ahead for you complete, and then we can give you the decoration!

Bi-Fi Prompts

Writing: Use one of these sentence prompts:

• All of a sudden, a rabid moose…
  
• Then, next to the (location), I spotted a glowing potato!
  
• After, I decided to get a coffee with a bit of turnip.

Non-Writing: Make a nutritious snack (try to make it banana themed!)

End Dialogue

Alana: Great job on completing our prompts!

Summer: We’ve got this cool piece of furniture that we haven’t really been using

Pepper: We think it might fit in nicely with your den! Here it is… what do you think?



Mazasa: I love it! Thank you!

Cabin 2: Dystopian Lighthouse

Mazasa: Oh wow, an old lighthouse! This is so cool! Helloooo? Is anybody there?

Ave: Oh, hey! Welcome to our light house. Is there anything I can help you with?

Mazasa: Yes, please! I’m looking to decorate my polar bear den, and I’d love to use anything you have for me!

Recca: I’m sure we have a little trinket somewhere to give you! As long as you prove yourself first, of course.

Vi: We’ve got a small test for you - a little trial, of sorts. Just pass the prompts, and we’d be happy to give you your decoration.

Dystopian Prompts

Writing: Your narrator suddenly realizes their motives aren’t as pure as they thought! How do they react? What do they do?

Non-Writing: Do twenty jumping jacks then drink a glass of water

End Dialogue

Ave: Oh, nicely done. Recca, will you grab our present for this fantabulous polar bear?

Recca: Sure thing, Ave. Here you go!



Mazasa: Woah… that’s so cool. But what is it?

Vi: Ohh, the city-in-a-bottle! Hope you like it– we love it, but it’s just been sitting in storage. Take good care of it!

Cabin 3: Fantasy Wonka Factory

Mazasa: This looks so, so yummy!! Look at all the candy…I wonder if I can eat any of it? Or take it to my den!

Rockie: Welcome to the finest candyland in all of IslandSWC! Feel free to look around - just don’t eat anything.

Mazasa: Oh no! I was wondering if I could take any back to my den to decorate. I think some candy could be just what I need.

Reese: We can figure something out! We have sweet treats everywhere, so something’s definitely going to work for you.

Sienna: We have those cookies baking right now we could give you! They’re almost ready…there’s just have one more step to complete them. Would you be able to help us out?

Fantasy Prompts

Writing: Try playing around with magical realism - introduce a magical element into your story no one thinks is out of place!

Non-Writing: Bake a sweet treat to share

End Dialogue

Rockie: Here’s the plate of cookies, as promised.

Mazasa: Those cookies look amazing. Thank you!

Reese: That’s not it! We have the best chocolate, but actually cooking with it is just as important.

Sienna: Take this wood-burning stove! It’ll help you make great food.

Cabin 4: Folklore Market

Mazasa: LOOK AT ALL THE POLAR BEARS!! THEY’RE JUST LIKE ME!! Wow, am I famous?

Sun: Hey! I see you’ve found our polar bear merch stand. Feel free to take a look around.

Mazasa: I love this place!! Could I take some of this lovely polar bear merch to my den to decorate?

Chocolate: Hmm, I don’t know if we can give any of this to you…but wait, we’ve got something even cooler for you!

Aurora: If only I could find it. We have writing prompts everywhere, cluttering everything…hey, I know! Mazasa, would you mind helping us organize a little? Then we can give you that something for your den.

Folklore Prompts

Writing: Give an animal human characteristics - make one start talking, or walking on two legs, or anything else!

Non-Writing: Play the Google dinosaur game

End Dialogue

Sun: This’ll be pretty heavy, but we found this in the back of one of the stalls.



Mazasa: What?! You have an arcade machine– just lying around?

Chocolate: Yep! You can find basically everything here.

Aurora: Have fun with it! It hasn’t really been unused, but we think you might like it.

Cabin 5: Gothic Castle

Mazasa: Ooh, such a spooky looking castle! Are these stone statues other bears like me?

Moss: Welcome to our castle, Mazasa! Those are gargoyles - they protect our castle from supernatural danger!

Mazasa: Wow, that’s so interesting! Hm…I don’t think my den needs any gargoyles, but I’d love to take another spooky thing!

Mouse: Sure! But first, uh, do you happen to have any spare mangoes? We need to finish feeding our gargoyle.

Veni: Are we out again? I’m afraid we need to finish feeding Garg first, then we can help you out.

Lio: Hey, what if Mazasa helped us out? That way Garg gets fed, and we can look for a decoration for him.

Gothic Prompts

Writing: Change the setting of your story! Does the location change suddenly? The time?

Non-Writing: Draw yourself as a ghost

End Dialogue

Moss: Great, Garg is all fed now! Thanks for your help, polar bear.

Mouse: Here’s your gift! It’s not as spooky as the gargoyles, but…



Veni: We figured that it would be a little more reasonable to carry around.

Lio: Yeah, exactly! It’ll also help you keep your home nice and bright.

Cabin 6: Horror Abandoned Town

Mazasa: Hey…what is this place? It looks like there’s no one here…helloooo? Is anyone homeeee?

Em: Oh, a visitor! Sorry, we don’t get too many people around here, as you can tell. What can i help you with?

Mazasa: I’m on a hunt for decorations for my den! Actually, having a little something from here could be just the touch it needs.

Sarah: We’ve definitely got some cool old stuff around! It might take a bit to find you something, though.

Silky: Hey, I know what Mazasa can do while he waits! We can treat him to….our haunted prompts.

Horror Prompts

Writing: Your narrator suddenly gets a hallucinatory vision! What do they see? Does the vision eventually come true?

Non-Writing: Play any kind of board or video game

End Dialogue

Em: WAIT! I finally found something!



Sarah: Oh– that’s cool. It’s like a souvenir!

Mazasa: Is that a painting of this place?

Silky: Yeah! You’ll always remember where you got this from.

Cabin 7: Mystery Marketplace

Mazasa: Woww, this is such a pretty marketplace! I wonder if I can - WAIT, IS THAT ANOTHER BEAR OVER THERE?

CJ: Hi! I’m CJ the bear. Is there anything you’re looking for in our market?

Mazasa: Yes, please! I’d love something pretty to take back to my den. Maybe from that stall - or that one…

Sandy: Yeahh, our stalls have gotten a little mixed up recently. It might take us a while to find something for you.

Crim: Mazasa, would you be able to wait just a little bit? We just need to quickly reorganize the stalls, and then we’ll be able to find you whatever you want. Till then, you can complete these prompts!

Mystery Prompts

Writing: Your characters find an object that changes the course of the story. Is it something from a character’s past? Is it magical? What does it do?

Non-Writing: Play the New York Times connections game

End Dialogue

CJ: Hello again, fellow bear! I found this thing in one of our stalls. What do you think?



Mazasa: Why do I look like that? No, scratch that – why does everything look so weird?

Sandy: That’s because it’s a funhouse mirror! It distorts the reflection.

Crim: To be honest, we’re not sure how it works. It’s a nice decoration, though!

Cabin 8: Non-Fi Parliament Building

Mazasa: This building is sooo cool! It looks so official and fancy that I’m sure they’ve got some fancy decorations for me!

Finley: Why, hello there! You’ve come by on a very important day…election day! Hey, would you like to run?

Mazasa:That sounds so fun! Maybe I can take a break from collecting decorations. Could you give me one after I run, though?

Soki: Of course! Now, just head over here, and we’ll get everything set up for you.

May: Our electoral process is very unique. Once you complete these prompts, then people can vote!

Willow: Tons of people have shown up to vote today! Complete the prompts, and I’m sure they’re all going to love you.

Non-Fi Prompts

Writing: Incorporate multimedia - a letter, diary entry, newspaper article, etc

Non-Writing: Draw something in the world you’re writing about

End Dialogue

Finley: Congrats on winning the election!

Soki: As a gift of congratulations, we’ve brought this for you.



Mazasa: Ooh, I’ve seen this in the history books.

Willow: Yeah, it’s a greek-style statue.

May: I hope it fits right in with your den!

Cabin 9: Poetry Castle

Mazasa: Oh, this castle is absolutely enchanting! It gives me such happiness to be here, in the starlight with the butterflies.

Coco: Welcome to New York - sorry, welcome to our castle! Apologies if I seem a little out of it. We lost our prophecy!

Mazasa: I know all too well what it’s like to lose something you need. That’s why I’m here, actually - I need decorations for my den.

Amethyst: We have just the one thing for you! But first…well, long story short, we need to find our prophecy first.

Fi: Can I ask you a question…? Could you just wait a bit while we found it? It’s been missing for only a fortnight, and we’d forever and always be grateful! We have a couple prompts for you to do while waiting.

Poetry Prompts

Writing: Introduce a symbol into your story, something that represents a larger idea than the literal thing it may be

Non-Writing: Make a playlist revolving around eerie/mysterious themes - bonus points if it has to do with castles! If you can’t make a playlist, jot down a list of songs

End Dialogue

Coco: Our entire realm is saved, thanks to you recovering our prophecy!

Amethyst: Yep, and we’ve gotten our queen back on the throne. I wish we could give you more-

Mazasa: That’s okay! I’m just looking for furniture.

Fi: Alright then, here’s a fauteuil. It’s a French armchair, and it’s super fancy.

Cabin 10: Sci-Fi Laboratory

Mazasa: Ohh, is this a lab? A hospital? It’s so clean and shiny! I’m sure they’ve got something interesting for me.

Poppy: Oh, hey! You might not want to hang around here for too long - there’s a disease spreading around quickly!

Mazasa: Oh no! I’ll head out quickly then. Quickly though, do you have a decoration I could put in my polar bear den?

Summer: Maybe something in the back! We need to focus on battling this, though. It might be a while until we can find it.

Snowy: The luluvirus spreads quickly, but its fairly easy for us to catch and treat though. We'll be just a minute, and then we can give you your decoration! Why don't you do these prompts while you wait?

Sci-Fi Prompts

Writing: Write a flashforward into your story! Does your character predict the future? Do they get a glimpse into the future somehow?

Non-Writing: Make oobleck by mixing 1 cup cornstarch and 3/4 cups water together for 10 minutes, and see what happens!

End Dialogue

Poppy: We’ve stalled the luluvirus enough that we've been bought a ton of time.

Summer: Thank you. You’ll want to be careful not to break this, but…



Snowy: This is a lava lamp. It’s got a bunch of deadly bacteria in it, though, so make sure not to drop it! Otherwise… who knows what would happen.

Mazasa: Got it.

Cabin 11: Script Radio Hall

Mazasa: A radio hall! It’s so bright and pretty! You know, I’ve always wanted to start my own podcast…

Luka: Hey! I couldn’t help but overhear you’ve wanted to be on a podcast. We’ve got an opening in our schedule today!

Mazasa: Wait, really? Well, I am just looking for a decoration for my den…but I can make a quick stop and do this first!

Yume: Perfect! And we’ll of course give you something for your den also.

Maia: Our podcast works through writing prompts - all you have to do is respond to the ones below, and there you go!

Blau: Alright, no time to waste! You’re on air in just a few minutes.

Script Prompts

Writing: Write a scene of primarily dialogue, with as little mention of the environment or character actions as possible

Non-Writing: Listen to a song, audiobook, or podcast

End Dialogue

Luka: You did so well today!

Blau: Our viewer numbers have gone up by so much.

Yume: Here - this is our gift to you for all the work you have done today.


Maia: This way, you can tune into our podcasts whenever you want.

Cabin 12: Solarpunk Greenhouse

Mazasa: Whoaa, I’ve never been anyplace so green! Everything looks like it came straight out of the future.

CD: Hey there! Welcome to our greenhouses, where we’re always building higher, greener, and better!

Mazasa: I love that! As a polar bear, I feel that every day. Oh, well - I came here to ask if you have a decoration for my den?

Rae: You came on a busy day - we’re renovating! We’re trying to make the ultimate ecofriendly greenhouse.

Alex: You could help us out! We can use as many hands - or, in your case - paws as possible. And of course we’ll have a decoration for you after!

Solarpunk Prompts

Writing: Incorporate the environment into your story in some way - do your characters reach a natural obstacle? Does nature help them somehow?

Non-Writing: Turn natural objects (sticks, leaves, rocks, etc) into some kind of crafts project

End Dialogue

CD: Here’s a gift for you! We always like having a few of these around.



Mazasa: Aww, it’s so cute! What exactly is it?

Rae: It’s a terrarium; it’s like we’re putting a little bit of nature into a bottle.

Alex: Take good care of it!

Cabin 13: Thriller Detective Agency

Mazasa: This place looks kind of scary! Ooh, it’s a detective agency? Maybe they can help me find another decoration!

Inky: Hey! Welcome to our supernatural agency. Are you facing a haunting? A ghoul? A phantom?

Mazasa: Umm…I’m not sure what those are! Could you help me find a decoration for my den, though?

Kiara: We have something! Although we’re booked out today - there’s that house filled with ghosts we need to catch.

Gabbie: Could you help us with the haunting quickly? It’s very simple - just answer some prompts! And then we’ll be free to help you find the decorations.

Thriller Prompts

Writing: Increase the pace of your story! What happens all of a sudden to add a heightened sense of anxiety and anticipation?

Non-Writing: Play any kind of puzzle - sudoku, a nonogram, a crossword, etc

End Dialogue

Inky: Thanks for helping us return the ghosts home! Here’s a gift of thanks.



Mazasa: Woah, a crystal ball?!

Kiara: Yep! You might not be able to tell the future with it, though.

Gabbie: It’s still ominous and cool though, and a perfect decoration!

End Scene

Mazasa returns home and puts all the decorations in his den.

Mazasa: My den feels just like home now! Thanks for your help <33

Congratulations!!

You've visited 13 cabins and collected all the decorations! Write 100 words to wrap up your story. To submit, you must have written a minimum of 1800 words, as well as completed 8 non-writing prompts. Congratulations on making it through!

A Final Note from Alia

Hey everyone <3 Congratulations on making it through the project firstly! This project really is like a magnum opus of sorts, a final mark on the Daily Team and the executive side of SWC. We had an such a time making it, and we hope you loved it just as much as we do <33

This moment is so bittersweet, leaving the Daily Team after four sessions. This genuinely has been such an integral part of life since I first joined. I’ve dipped my toes in just about every aspect of Daily Team - coordinating dailies, weeklies, workshops, graphic design, even some coding. There have been so many highs and lows, but in the end I couldn’t be prouder of what my fellow coordinators have achieved every session. Thank you so much to everyone who’s been on the Daily Team with me - my first Daily Team back in March ‘23; Starr, Moonlit, Moss, and Luna in Nov ‘23 and March ‘24, and of course Zai, Moss, Amethyst, Alana, and everyone else who helped out with this final weekly.

To future Daily Teams, I can’t wait to see what you come with down the line. Being on the team is truly one of the most meaningful experiences I’ve had, and I hope it means everything to you it did to me <3

Finally, thank you to everyone in SWC. You guys are the reason I keep coming back to the Daily Team, the reason it’s all worth it in the end. I love yall <33

Love,
Alia

A Final Note from Zai

Hey! It’s Zai, congratulations on making it to the end. Thanks for playing!

After two years of the activity team (jul 22, nov 22, july 23, jul 24; honorary in mar 23 & mar 24), this is my last time on the team. It’s bittersweet, but I hope I’ve made an impact. <3 As you may or may not know, I’ve been the main coder and compiler of nearly every fourth project weekly. I brought to you SuSWC, Absurdy Birdi Wordy Crawl, SWC Eras Tour, MemorieSWC, and now this final fourth project weekly: IslandSWC. I also started the GVRSWC/OBSC gameshow in nov 22, which was revived one last time for a bi-daily. Beyond that, I started the tradition of critiquitaires and activity team surveys!

Being on the activity team has always been a thankless job, and I definitely don’t do it for the little attention we get– what brings me to the activity team every session to help create these dailies, weeklies, and projects has always been because I want to ensure that every SWCer has a blast. If any of the fourth weekly projects made you smile, then the sleepless nights compiling them would all have been worth it. That’s what I’m here for; all I want is to make campers happy and excited. I hope you had as much enjoyment finishing IslandSWC as I enjoyed coding and compiling it. This is my final fourth weekly project; maybe you can revisit all of the fourth weekly projects every once in a while and leave a comment so these weeklies aren’t forgotten?

Without you, the POLAR BEARS would be out of a job. Thanks for keeping the activity team employed. <3

• Horror

• Bi-Fi

• Folklore

• Mystery

• Non-Fi

• Poetry

• Gothic

• Fantasy

• Sci-Fi

• Dystopian

• Solarpunk

• Script

• Thriller

• You may not plan wars with other cabins (e.g. strategically planning to war an ally or get a war yourself), but you may plan wars within your own cabin. The one exception to this is asking generically for “a war” (not a specific one!) in the main cabin. More guidance on this can be found in this project by yours truly.

• A cabin can opt to write half the required words for ONE war every cabin wars day.

• Valid wars cannot be taken back.

• Your cabin may not war another cabin twice in a row.

• A cabin cannot be warred the same war nor extra challenge twice in a row.

• You must use the given wars. You may not make up your own.

• There is a 3 hour shield time, where a cabin may not be warred for 3 hours between each war.

• Leaders and cos may end their cabin's shield early if they wish, but they must lower it by commenting in the studio of their cabin.

• Each word you write may only count towards one war at a time.

• You do not have to ask before warring a cabin, though your leaders can set guidelines (based only on cabin relationships, not rankings).

• Cabin wars must be sent manually (not with bots).

• There is no penalty if you break a rule; the war just won’t count.

• SLEEP > SWC <3