theoneforwriting

[theoneforwriting]

“how did you get into writing” girl nobody gets into writing. writing shows up one day at your door and gets into you

[theoneforwriting]

[theoneforwriting]

has this been done

[theoneforwriting]

[theoneforwriting]

I've already said that my number one piece of writing advice is to read.

But my number two piece of advice is this: be deliberate.

Honestly this would fix so many pieces of bad writing advice. Don't forbid people from doing something, tell them to be conscious and deliberate about it. This could help stop people from falling into common mistakes without limiting their creativity. Black and white imperatives may stop a few annoying beginner habits, but ultimately they will restrict artistic expression.

Instead of "don't use epithets": "Know the effect epithets have and be deliberate about using them." Because yes, beginners often misuse them, but they can be useful when a character's name isn't known or when you want to reduce them to a particular trait they have.

Instead of "don't use 'said'" or "just use 'said'": "Be deliberate about your use of dialogue tags." Because sometimes you'll want "said" which fades into the background nicely, but sometimes you will need a more descriptive alternative to convey what a character is doing.

Instead of "don't use passive voice": "Be deliberate about when you use passive voice." Because using it when it's not needed can detract from your writing, but sometimes it can be useful to change the emphasis of a sentence or to portray a particular state of mind.

Instead of blindly following or ignorantly neglecting the rules of writing, familiarize yourself with them and their consequences so you can choose when and if breaking them would serve what you're trying to get across.

Your writing is yours. Take control of it.

It probably sounds like I'm preaching to the choir here because most of my mutuals are already great writers. But I'm hoping this will make it to the right people.

[theoneforwriting]

[theoneforwriting]

The trope where people don't recognize each other because it's been so long since they last interacted and they've both changed so much that they're basically strangers UNTIL one of them does their Signature Thing™ and the other just stops dead because oh. It's YOU. All at once it's so clearly you

[theoneforwriting]

doctor he wants to talk about his ocs but has nothing concrete to say about them. and yes it's fatal.

[theoneforwriting]

I just got a comment on a fic I wrote in 2015* and to celebrate my good fortune, I want to send out a wish that any fic writer who sees this gets a comment too

*(and yes I replied within approximately 2 minutes 🤣)

[theoneforwriting]

people think writers make good English teachers but the opposite is true. sixth grader asks why she can’t start a sentence with “and” and im like idk girlie grammar is a construct and language is a fluid gelatinous animal. people used to write “thou” and they were being totally unironic about it. start your sentences with an exclamation point for all i care. a+

[theoneforwriting]

[theoneforwriting]

worlds slowest fanfic author tries really really hard

[theoneforwriting]

if you ever feel awkward leaving a long ao3 comment getting no reply remember that at this point receiving any feedback at all will leave most authors too stunned to speak

[theoneforwriting]

[theoneforwriting]

I fucking love repetitive lines that change meaning over a piece of writing yes slay

[theoneforwriting]

Writers on a random Tuesday: Sits down, locks in, giggles, writes 10k, does not sleep

Also writers on a random Tuesday: writes one sentence and then stares into the abyss for five fours

[theoneforwriting]

art will save you, being unreasonably passionate about something niche will save you, letting past sources of joy show you the way back to yourself will save you, earnestness over composure will save you, the natural world will save you, caring for something bigger than yourself will save you, daring to be seen will save you, kindness not as a whim but a principle will save you, appreciation as a practice will save you, daring to try something new will save you, grounding will save you, love will save you, one good nights sleep will save you