#WOWERZ THANK YOU!

[rabid-mercenary16]

THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN I WANTED TO MAKE SOME ART FOR MY APPRECIATION

[katiek101]

I've read a lot of your fanfics and theyre soooo good, the writing is so powerrful and poetic and just asklasjkl- but can you give any writing advice??

it, uh, depends on which work you’re reading :’) but thank you so much, these sort of asks are what fuel me to write during such uncertain times!

I made a post with my writing advice a while ago, and I stand by it! If you’ve already read that post and want some more advice:

-- If you’re worried about your dialog, read it out loud. This is a common tip but I don’t think people really use it because they feel silly; it’s alright! Mumble it underneath your breath if it makes you feel better. I was skeptical of this one at first until I actually started doing it; I would have sentences that made perfect sense in my head, but when I read it out loud it made me think ‘would I actually say that to another person?’ or ‘does that sentence flow in casual conversation?’. Dialog is tricky to get the hang of, especially when you realize that each character, in real life, would have their own way of speaking... some people use words like ‘y’all’ and ‘ain’t’, whereas others would find that improper and would rather die. Also, people have catchphrases. I say ‘wild’ and ‘wack’ all the time in legitimate conversation. Some people say ‘wowerz’ or ‘omg’ or ‘yeet’... kinda difficult to translate that into cat language, but I hope you see the point I’m making! A person’s language is very personalized.

(I’m sorry if that ^ is overwhelming! Don’t worry about the second part if it stresses you out, I just really enjoy writing dialog and that’s what I’m focusing on improving at the moment!)

-- I mentioned over describing and under describing on the last post. You don’t want a paragraph full of SAT words because then it’s just a pain to read, but if you want a word that evokes a stronger image, I suggest using Thesaurus.com! It can get you into trouble if you’re not careful, but it’s a great tool for beginners! Dictionary.com is also a friend. A lot of writing programs also have built-in tools for times such as this; I use the ‘define’ tool in Google Docs frequently.

-- Technique and creativity are equal parts important when it comes to writing, but I’ll tell you a secret: when it comes down to it, creativity is what gets the nod from me. That’s why I actually prefer fanfiction to published books these days. If you have an intriguing plotline with interesting and complex characters, but you make mistakes here and there, I’m willing to stick around and watch you improve (and offer suggestions wherever I can!). But if the most technically perfect fic lacks creativity or just isn’t interesting to read, then I’m out.

That’s all that comes immediately to mind right now! If you’re looking for specific advice, ask away and I’ll do my best!