L.T. Ellis Blog Posts

How to use Ideological Tension in Writing I think most writers use this type of tension intuitively, but don’t know what it means. So let’s start there. → What is Ideological Tension? It's the friction between belief systems. It’s not always sword clashing and dramatic betrayals though. Just...

The Fear of Writing and Practice This blog post has been rolling around in the old noggin for a while, but I’ve only just now started forming it into a cohesive article so I hope it helps. It’s Not Writer’s Block. It’s the Fear of Practice. (And if you’re like me you're afraid of having a messy...

Situational Irony in Writing Oh, the Irony...Literally 😂🎭 Listen, I’m about a quarter into the second act of my latest project, Vows of Iniquity (it’s my gaslamp gothic fantasy with juicy political drama), and one thing that’s constantly living rent-free in my mind lately? Situational irony. Why?...

Female Evil Names That Scream "Villain Era" 😈✨ Welcome to Your Villain Era, Bestie 🖤💅 Confession time: I'm neck-deep in the second quarter of writing my book, Vows of Iniquity, which is basically my love letter to everything gaslamp, gothic, and dripping with juicy political intrigue. Naturally,...

What Are Mannerisms? (And How to Use Them to Bring Your Characters to Life)  Mannerisms: The Secret Sauce of Good Character Writing  So, I’m about a quarter of the way through my book Vows of Iniquity (send caffeine and good vibes, pls ☕📖), and one thing I’ve been hyper-focused on lately?...

Stop Saying “Nice” and “Mean.” Your Characters Deserve Better. 🤨✍️ Let’s be honest—when it comes to describing characters, most people get lazy. “She was nice.” (Wow. Riveting.) “He was mean.” (Truly groundbreaking.) “They were pretty.” (Shakespeare, is that you?) Listen, if you want your writing...

My Weirdest Hack for Writing Descriptions This was a completely accidental hack I discovered after searching for perfume dupes for Baccarat Rouge that I could add to my christmas list. As I’m reading descriptions like, “a luminous cloud of saffron, jasmine, and an ambergris base that whispers...

How to Use Vision Boards to Map Out Your Writing Goals  This year I'm determined to be a little more relaxed with my writing goals. The last few years I've been to strick, and it's harmed me more than helped me. Honestly, when it comes to writing goals, dreaming without direction often looks like...

10 Warm Drinks to Fuel Your Writing Days Burning the midnight oil? (Ignore me, I've always wanted to use that phrase.) If your staring blankly at the cursor (we’ve all been there), sometimes all you need is a mug of liquid gold to get those creative juices flowing.  Here are 10 warm drinks to keep...

How Cozy Games Can Inspire Your Writing   I’ve always been a fan of cozy games so I’m purely writing this for my own entertainment. It’s something I love and I want to not just inspire writers to recognize when they need to stop writing and recharge. There’s something a little magical about...

How Wicked Redefines What It Means to Be a Villain So, what actually makes a villain villainous? Is it the terrible things they do, their intentions, or just how everyone else sees them? For the longest time, villains in stories have been these flat, one-dimensional characters painted with the...

Writing a Disillusionment Arc Disillusionment arcs are some of the most compelling storylines in fiction. From childhood we slowly create a belief system. Through memories, experiences, and trauma, we build a foundation of ideas about what is right, wrong, safe, or dangerous. These beliefs shape...