In a court of law, it is the judge's (or jury's) opinion of you that matters. Outside of court, there is typically a person or group whose opinion of you is affected by the false accusation. Identify who is judging you in this situation so that you can focus your efforts on repairing your reputation with that person or group.  For example,  if you are accused of stealing at work, it is your boss's opinion of you that matters, because your boss has the authority to investigate the accusation and fire you if he or she believes the accuser's story. Sometimes, your only judge is your accuser. In these cases, the only consequence of the false accusation is the harm to your relationship with the accuser. You will need to respond to that person by acknowledging the pain they have suffered, explaining your innocence, and working together to repair your relationship. The appropriate response will depend upon your situation. Some false accusations arise from miscommunication, such as an accusation that you made a promise and did not keep it. Others arise from mistaken identity, such as an accusation that you harmed someone when in fact they were harmed by someone else. Some false accusations are completely groundless, like a made up story created by someone who wants to get you in trouble.  Sometimes, an alibi is your best defense. Try to establish that you were not present when the wrongdoing occurred. Offer an alternative explanation if you can. You can try to resolve cases of miscommunication or mistaken identity by identifying the guilty party or pointing out where the accuser made a mistake. It's not entirely fair to expect you to solve a problem you didn't create, but if you are able to solve the problem, you can resolve the controversy yourself. However, avoid making any false accusations of your own. In some situations, all you can do is plead ignorance. For example, "I don't know why Mark would accuse me of making a rude comment to him in the hall. I did speak with Mark in the hallway that day, but I did not make the comment he said I made." You may need to back up your story, especially if there is going to be some legal action or other formal inquiry. Look for documents that show that you were not involved in the incident, such as receipts or photographs showing that you were somewhere else. Find witnesses who observed the incident or who were with you when the incident occurred. You can also use character witnesses who are willing to say that they know you well and know that you would not have done what you have been accused of doing. The process of defending yourself against a false accusation may be brief, or it may drag on while the someone conducts an investigation. Stick to your story and rely on your evidence and witnesses to corroborate your account of the events. Most importantly, remember to reflect on your mental health. If the controversy is dragging you down, talk to someone about it and make time for the other important things and people in your life.

Summary: Identify the "judge" in your situation. Plan your response. Gather evidence and witnesses. Defend yourself.


The bowline knot also has a loop at the end that you can put around a cleat or post if you need to moor your boat temporarily. The knot tightens under pressure, so it won't untie as long as it is bearing a load. Although this knot is secure, do not use it in emergency situations. Drape the rope across your palm. Wrap the end of the rope to make an O-shaped loop. Make sure that the end of the rope is crossing in front of the rest of the rope. Take the end of the rope and bring it behind the loop. Pass the end through the loop so that you have a second loop right next to it. The second loop should be big enough for your hand to pass through. Bring the tail behind the rope, then pull it back down through the first loop that you made. Keep the tail end under the second loop. Hold onto the rest of the rope and tug on the tail end. You can slide the knot up and down the rope to make the second loop larger or smaller.

Summary: Use the bowline if you need a strong hold that is easy to untie. Form the end of the rope into a loop. Feed the tail end of the rope through the loop. Bring the tail around the rope, then pull it back through the hole. Pull on the rope to tighten the knot.


Think about who your hero is and what they want. Identify their reason for being, what they value most, and what is missing from their life. Understanding and developing your hero's motivations will be the driving force for your entire story, so it's important to make this as detailed as possible. For example, perhaps your hero has to find a special resource that will allow them to repair a machine that cleans all of the water for their village. Or, perhaps someone the hero loves has been kidnapped and they need to seek out and fight the villain who took this person from them. A good hero is not only someone with extraordinary abilities, it is also someone people look up to and would love to have as a friend. Think about what makes your hero likable and how you can incorporate these traits into your story.  For example, your hero might be the son of a blacksmith who is skilled at sword fighting, but incredibly humble about their abilities and unwilling to enter competitions. Or, your hero might be a beautiful young princess who prefers blue jeans to ball gowns and who isn't above working alongside her own staff when there's a crisis. A perfect hero will be less likable and also harder for readers to relate to. It's important to give your hero some flaws as well. Your hero needs to seem human even if they're an immortal, such as a god or goddess. Think about what your hero's weaknesses might be and how you could weave those into your story. For example, your hero might be clumsy, gullible, hot-tempered, or impatient. Demonstrating your hero's growth is an important part of writing a story about a hero. Think about what changes your hero needs to make to overcome their biggest obstacle or to obtain the object of their quest. Knowing this ahead of time will help you to plan your story out and provide your hero with opportunities to develop the skills they need to be successful. For example, perhaps your hero needs to gain self-confidence and overcome a fear of public speaking. To give them practice, they might have a couple of opportunities where they will have to get the attention of a small crowd or a room full of people. This could be leading up to a scene where they have to speak in front of thousands of people to achieve their objective.

Summary: Identify your hero's goal or purpose. Develop traits that will make your hero likable. Give your hero flaws to make them more realistic. Identify how your hero will grow from their experiences.


Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to unwind the loops and straighten out the wire as much as possible. Create a small hook about 1⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) long at the end of the wire to make it easier to catch hair. A wire snake will be able to reach clogs that are deeper than those you can reach with your hands.   If you don't have a wire hanger, you can also purchase a plastic drain snake with a hook at the end designed to pull out hair. Find these at the hardware store. Wear rubber gloves to protect from scratching yourself with the wire and to grab any clogs you pull up without touching them with bare skin. Hold a flashlight with one hand to be able to see where the clogs are. Reach the wire snake into the drain with the hook side down, targeting any large clumps of hair. Wiggle the wire around so that it goes deeper into the drain. Feel for it to hook onto the clog and pull it out. If the hair clog is tight enough to block water, it will stick together as you pull it up. You may have to repeat the process several times to pull out all of the pieces of the clog. If water runs straight down the drain, you're all set. You can put the drain cover back on and use the shower normally. If the water still doesn't drain, there is another clog deeper down in the drain and you will need to plunge, use a hand snake, or make a baking soda and vinegar solution.
Summary: Unwind and straighten a wire hanger and create a hook at the end. Reach the wire snake into the drain, hook clumps of hair, and pull them up. Turn on the hot water to tell if the clog is gone.