#my brain when I saw this ask: AODNWIXNAODNWJXNWKFNRJWJDDJEKD ❤️ 😭 ✨

[emerald-x-green]

Hello this is more of a question than a request but what advice would you give to a person trying to become a writer that does requests and reader scenarios?

Oh my god, this is a milestone moment! I am so honored you want my advice. ❤️

Honestly, most of my writing isn’t requests/reader scenarios. I usually write one shots or fan fictions with multiple chapters. Transferring that to the typical bullet point format of headcanons was really tough at first.

(more under the cut)

What I learned was that you really have to go more with the flow than anything else. If a thought pops into your head, put it in a bullet point. You don’t really have to outline a post as long as you have a general idea or vibe for each character or situation.

Of course, sometimes you have a mini storyline you want to write. In that case, write it like you’re telling your friend a story. It can be a bit jagged, and it doesn’t have the flowery and long descriptions that traditional writing does, but it does still tell a story. Overall, writing requests and reader scenarios is a lot more informal than other styles of writing.

When it comes to specifically taking requests, it’s definitely a lot tougher than using your own ideas. Sometimes I can’t picture what other people are picturing. Absolutely try your hardest to write any request you get, but sometimes you just can’t. And that’s totally fine! You’re doing this for free, so you have no obligation to keep going or fulfill every single request you get.

Another piece of advice I’ve got is to set boundaries for what people can request. A popular thing for people to request is hurt/comfort related to their mental state at the moment (such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, etc.). I’ve sent similar requests to other people. It’s totally normal, but some people either feel uninformed to write on those topics or deal with it themselves and it would be detrimental to their own mental health to take those requests. Other people have different things they won’t write as well. So I’d suggest making a pinned post about what you will and won’t write (as well as how many characters one request can ask for because writing for 5+ people every post can get exhausting) as well as what to include in a request. (And a link to your master list when you feel you have too many posts to scroll through.)

And a piece of advice that I love to give wherever and whenever I can: write it stupid and fix it later. Have a certain word in your head but it just isn’t coming to you? Write a silly description of that word, keep writing, and come back to it later. Plotting a story and you know points A and C but not B? Put some bullshit down after point A and fix it later! Trying to write a perfect first draft not only takes infinitely longer but is so much more exhausting. Find a way to mark the ‘stupid’ and just keep those fingers moving!

Also as a little tidbit- even if you have 500+ requests in your inbox, always try to write some posts for yourself. It keeps your motivation high and is also a nice reward bevause writing- unless someone is paying you good money- should first and foremost be about you.

Good luck! (I’m trying to act cool but I was literally squealing when I saw this ask because oh my god you like my stuff that much???)