Ink Away, Here to Stay! •Casu-Dana•

Never, ever apologize for 1,2 or 3 of your muses being the most dominant and forerunners of your blog! Yes, you may add more from other series’ that don’t relate, and initially that’s why some people follow you…for the “less-awake” batch, but at the end of the day, the muse/s that are loudest are your mains, and if people take issue with that, they can scoot. It’s not your job to “force” the other ones out for their benefit. And there are times where different muses become the leaders, and others become the low-levels. That’s normal in rpc!! This is NO different from single muse blogs that make several blogs, but only play on a couple of them while leaving the others in random hiatuses, indefinitely. Do NOT fall into the guilt trap. Everyone has muses that get more shine than others whether they are multi or single.

we all have lives outside of this and muses are fickle like, i get it and i never want anyone to be afraid that i’d hold it against them like if i send you a meme and you’re not feeling it? you don’t need to answer it

if we plot something and i make a starter and you’re not feeling it anymore? that’s okay too. even if halfway through a thread it feels like it’s going nowhere so you wanna drop it? that’s 100% okay

honestly? you don’t even need to let me know you’re dropping something/not answering something like im not here to pressure you or bug you about replies and i don’t care if you’re actively writing with other people  or anything, like if you’re not interested in writing something with me i won’t take it personally

and even if you don’t want to drop something and take literal months to answer? that’s chill like me too okay

if you’re like me you tend to stockpile replies like you’re preparing for the apocalypse, and there are times when i look at that large number (across multiple blogs whoops) and wonder WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I DONE I WILL NEVER DO ALL OF THESE.

BUT FEAR NOT. i have compiled a list of tips i’ve gathered over my 13+ years of rping that have made chugging out responses as stress free and fun as possible. take them or leave them, i hope you find some use in it!

       1. never ever EVER EVER give yourself a “due-date” DON’T DO IT. PLEASE DON’T. I MEAN IT. you can set a goal, that’s awesome. say, ‘hey! i want to get x amount of drafts done today’, but don’t ever tell yourself you HAVE to. this is a hobby, for FUN. when you go into your drafts with a due-date, you go into your drafts with initial stress and if you don’t meet your self-determined quota you’re going to feel bad and you should never feel bad when you write for fun. when you sit down to do drafts just tell yourself, i’m gonna work on these today and see where i get. as long as the only concrete goal you give yourself is to try, then you’re already on the right track!

       2. first thoughts, jot them down! when you go to draft your posts/like it/save it/whatever you do to keep track of your drafts, you should try to jot down a few “first thoughts” before you do so. this is just something i do personally, it’s always helped me out. when i get a reply from my partner, before i go to draft it, i make some bullet points where i would respond; my muses initial internal reaction, possible dialogue, and my muses initial external response. even if you come back to it a week later and take a gander at the reply in your drafts, you can gloss over what you wrote down to try and bring some inspiration back for the reply. you can change your mind, keep it the same, whatever. it just helps brings you back to how you first responded to the reply and spark some creativity.

       3. respond in the order you want to, not the order received this isn’t a job at the local diner, you don’t have to rotate drafts like FIFO (first in first out.) your reply isn’t going to ‘spoil’ the longer you have it in your drafts. if one draft jumps out at you more than the other, DO THAT ONE. your rp partner will (they should) understand muses can be fickle and you have preferences. when you force yourself to do a draft, it tends to come out less than stellar, or not like you wanted, and you’ll just frustrate yourself further.

       4. when you DO decide to sit down and write drafts, get comfy! listen to music? like white noise? need some generic background noise? put that shit on! even if you’re responding mobile in class (shame on you) or at home naked in your bedroom, try to make yourself as comfortable as possible. me? i prefer silence or soft ambient music in the privacy of my room, but that’s just a preference. i tend to write better when i feel the most comfortable. 

       5. TALK TO YOUR RP PARTNERS!!!! trust me i doubt they are going to mind if you head into their im/skype/inbox/whatever and ask questions you have as they come along. if there’s something in their reply you want clarified to help you in yours, ASK! even if there’s no question, i highly encourage you talk to who you’re writing with, especially for longer, more plotted threads; it’s no secret that you tend to write better with people you know/get along with. ask them to chat about their muse in that specific setting, maybe talk over a couple possibilities in the near future, get some inspiration just by chatting. i understand for some of us, talking with others we don’t know is a daunting task, but just try to remember we’re all here for the same reason; we want to write, and have fun, and be creative. the worst thing someone can say to you when you ask for feedback or input is ‘no’, and tbh if they say that then i think you’ve dodged a bullet lmfao

       6. PRAISE YOURSELF for the love of god don’t be ashamed to say HEY I DID ONE DRAFT TODAY GO ME. even if its one out of 100, you still DID IT and that’s AWESOME! the more you congratulate yourself and the more you believe in what you create, the easier creating more will be. 

       7. don’t be afraid to back out of some things this one is the hardest for me to follow, because i love everyone i write with and i tend to not want to let go of threads. but if there’s that one draft you constantly look at every time you try to get some done and it just makes you sad because you’re not sure, you’re never sure how to respond, maybe it’s time to move along. that feeling effects your overall mood and tends to make writing for other drafts more difficult. DO NOT FEEL BAD WHEN YOU DO THIS, DON’T YOU DARE. think of it more as…putting it aside for the time being. you can always revisit that particular plot/scenario at a later date, and your rp partner will understand. if they don’t, if they pressure you to keep a draft that only proceeds to upset you when you go into your drafts, you do not need to write with them. repeat after me, my lovely creative nuggets, you do not owe anyone anything. you don’t. i repeat, THIS IS FOR FUN. this is a hobby. you are not getting paid and unless your rp partner is paying you by the word, do not let them control what you reply to and when. 

       8. don’t be afraid to start NEW things don’t punish yourself. i see it all the time, people joke about having too many drafts and yet they do starter calls, reblogs memes, whathaveyou. THATS OK STOP FEELING BAD ABOUT IT! if you need some creative juices flowing, and your drafts don’t look appealing, then reblog that meme! ask for some starters! as long as you keep writing, inspiration will find you in time, i promise. 

Yes! You are allowed to have your muse trick-or-treat at this blog!