u/nveven

Is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?

The official tests are only 3-4, apart from them, which are the most realistic and abundantly available practice tests for TOEFL?

okay so genuinely tell me if this is a universal writer thing or if i am just broken.

Action scenes? I'm in my element. Give me a chase scene, a battle, someone making a terrible decision at 200mph and I will deliver. Landscapes, emotional gut punches, morally grey villains? Fine. Great even.

But the second my characters sit down to eat dinner and just... talk? My brain leaves the building.

"Hello," he said.

"Hello. This bread is good."

"Yes. Very bread."

Like what is WRONG with me. These are people I invented. I know everything about them. But apparently the moment there's no immediate threat to their lives I forget how conversations work entirely.

I think part of it is that action has clear structure (tension, escalation, resolution) and casual dialogue is just vibes?? There's no obvious endpoint to "two friends catch up at a tavern." It just kind of... goes until I mercy-kill it.

Anyone have any exercises that helped with this? Or at least confirm that I'm not the only one writing sword fights to avoid writing small talk lmao

So please try to look decent when you go, because the last thing you want is colleges reviewing your application and seeing a zombie who just crawled out of a coffin.