#randytalks

@kazooli -- love their BNHA writing and inspired a lot of my darker work.

@married-to-google-translater -- have you read their Obey me work? *Chef's kiss* beautiful. The boys are all in character and wowow, heart pumping!

@legoshi-plz -- love their Beastars work and their Pretense series is what sealed the deal for me.

@slasherhaven -- the way they write Micheal Myers makes me frothe at the mouth.

@k-dokja -- ok, so they're Lookism work is amazing and actually inspired/motivated me to write about Lookism.

@reality-phantom -- their pegging Doma work is what made me write about Doma in the first place. But their other kny pieces are awesome!

@diablo-writing -- also inspired my darker work, specifically my Doma petal series and the breeding program for the Iroh series.

@whumperooni -- dark content that made me question myself but detail in their work that is *mwah*.

@wolfishwriting -- their William Afton work made me simp for the man even harder and start simping for Micheal Afton.

@plus-size-reader -- this blog was my source of comfort when for the first time in years I read about my favorite charcters with my body type. Tho I changed physically, it still brings me joy to read.

@jackrrabbit -- nsfw pieces made me hot. I really can't think straight after reading their work.

There's more likely more writers I like but I can't remember well enough because I'm a dumbass that forgets to follow ;-;. That's probably what I get for sleeping late af and rely too much on caffenine. Uhh, can you guys reccomend some blogs to check out? Like, I feel like I should know more but I'm lost in a way.

I don't come on this blog to read but I should make this my main blog ( i have a throw-away blog) soon so I can get to know everyone more and be more "social" and active, y'know? I think that makes sense, but I'll think about it.

If this happens to make people question me or lose respect for me, that's fine. Go ahead, bound to happen.

Okay, so let's establish that this is basically some weird love triangle. You have to think about their place in the story. Why are they there, what purpose do they serve, and how do they affect the story? Don't just focus on one person, focus on both second lead and intended partner and have their charcter/personality mean something. Don't just forget about them and randomly include them again. Once they're introduced, keep bringing them in! Example:

Create some chemistry between your main lead and second lead; whether it be banter, an intimate moment, rivals, etc. They have an interesting /close relationship with the main lead that may or may not be romantic. Give the readers something to work with b/c that random coffee barista who took their order will probably not be shipped with the main lead beacuse they said "here's your order, sweetheart" and we never hear of them again. Won't appease to everyone or help your story.

But remember, not everyone will like it if your second lead is mean, borderline abusive to the main lead. You gotta sprinkle in some fluff or at least don't make it... too worrisome.

Example:

ML and SL arguing over who ruined a task and blaming each other, but you can 'see' one of them finding the situation amusing or it makes them react the same way. Yet, over time, they begin to get along after a certain moment or grow closer. OR,

Main lead doesn't realize how perfect their second lead (i.e. best freind) is and ignores them for their love interest.

Give them more "screen-time". By that, I mean incoprarte your second lead more in a way that pleases the readers/goes with the story. Give them more lines! More scenes with the main lead! Make us feel something! It'll play in well with establishing their character and their place in the story while maybe also adding some chemistry.

If wattpad and tumblr has taught me anything, it's drama. I dont know about you, bestie, but that unexpected drama is mouth-watering. It can by between just two of them or all of them, your choice. Personally, I like when the two people are fighting over the main lead or one of them hides their feelings for the other. Or like, second lead makes a big deal about something concerning main lead. Anything like that really.

Example:

"Dumbass, why didn't you fight back?! Or call for help?!" Adam shouts, gripping your arms tightly and breathing heavily, his hands trembling even as he held you. You looked at him in shock, seeing his golden eyes turn glossy. "Do you know how scared I was?! H-How scared I was getting that call that you... that you almost died...?"

"Adam..."

The "show, not tell" tip is extremely important here (imo). Why? You want to show the readers what your character might be feeling and have their minds fill in the blanks. However, it's sometimes nice to have some context.

Example: Tell vs Show. (this is something made on the spot, random names) Adam stopped talking and smiling once you walked in, the crush he habored for you seemingly growing in an instant. He regretted at that moment, how cold and mean he was when all you wanted to do was be his friend.

God, you were so beautiful, like an angel. And every man at the party thought the same thing, making Adam furious that he couldn't claim you as his. He hears your laugher from where he stands, almost as if he was right next to you.

Adam, as much as he hated to admit it, was absolutely enamored with you, despite all his wrong doings. But how could he say it now when all he ever was to you was a bully? He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't even notice his friend calling out to him.

vs Adam's words died in his mouth, trailing off as the woman of the hour finally walked in. His heart beat wildly in his chest as his gaze landed on you, heat crawling up his neck as he drank in how the girl he hated had vanished in mere hours and had been replaced with the most beautiful woman he's ever seen. Yet, you had already haunted his waking mind and now, the image of you tonight would haunt his dreams.

In his eyes, you looked nothing more than a sinful angel stepping down from her chariot, wrapped in crimson and black, immersed in what he could only describe as pure lust - pure temptation to him. Yet, like an angel among demons, the men in the crowd could only look at you in hunger as they notice your presence, beginning to make their way to you as if they were in a trance.

Adam could only watch and seethe in his spot, his blood boiling at the thought of any man approaching you. His hold on his bottle tightens, clecnhing his jaw as his mouth goes dry. Even from this distance, your laugh reached him and it made his stomach churn.

The calling voice of his friend fell on deaf ears, his trickster mask falling for a moment as his smile falls completely. The memories of every hurtful word he spat at you when you greeted him came crashing down -- every sarcastic comment, every insult, every nasty and hateful thing he said when all you wanted is to be his friend. His brows furrow and his gaze falls to the floor.

I did not excecute this correctly, holy shit. Don't think the first one is bad!! Both are acceptable, but sometimes readers like to read something that insiuates the possibility of something else without ever saying it. It's just that the word "was" tends to sound repetive at times and it always depends on the scne you're working on. If someone says don't use "was", ignore them. That choice is all yours.

But you get what I'm trying to do, right? I didn't say he had a crush in the second one, but I did point to it with my descriptions (i hope). This is something you can try to do or be blunt like in the first one.

Remember: context is important and the first one can work perfectly if you already laid your foundation.

Establish why the main lead should be with the second lead or why they're better. Let's say second lead is the better person than the intended lover, and if you managed to create some chemistry and history with your main and second lead, it will play out more effectively when the time comes for you to make your decision. Also can frustrate readers (in a good way).

However!! Like I said before, try to make the main lead and second lead have chemistry in a way that makes them work together, not clash and fall apart everytime they get together. Make them have common ground and build more interactions from there, something that makes them connect in a way they don't with the intended love interest.

Make your second lead's life not revolve around the main lead. Ok, this only exceptional if they happen to be childhood firiends that happen to reunite or stay in touch. Other than that, it'll be more interesting to see who the second lead is as a person and some people may even fall in love with them. Show their flaws too because sometime making them too perfect breaks their charcter.

Friend-zone/Break-up. Ok, at some point someone has to be friend-zoned or broken up with. Someone and that choice is yours to make but you got ot have your base set up as to why it's happeneing. There's got to be a build up or it won't be as effective as you want it to be.

Love Confession or Realizing ML/SL is in love with the other. Ooo, this should and can go into the drama one but this is interesting all on its own. But trust, there's a reason I'm making its own bullet.

Ok, nothing is more dramatic and heartbreaking or pulls more at your heart strings than hearing in their confession of how they feel (not knowing the outcome) "You are the person I want the most in my life/I want by my side" or "Being your friend is more than enough for me" because they rather have main lead in their life than not at all.

Or even ML, after some time, reminiscing about the time spent together with SL and realizing they love SL, finally understanding why SL treats them the way they do and why ML themselves feels their chest ache when SL is around a potential lover. Stuff like that,,

Give me that love confession, and maybe a rejection/revealation even.

ANGST. Bestie, angst is like drama but it hurts not only the characters, but also your audience/readers. Give us SL reacting out of character for ML, give us ML rejecting SL or pushing them away, give us ML and LI content that is heartbreaking -- give us death!!!

Example:

"Why didn't you ever tell me...?"

"Because I see the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you...," Adam mutters, his eyes glued to the wall before him. His voice, though tired and raw, never failed to make your stomach churn, yet as you take in his beaten appearance, helaughs. A bitter, broken laugh."You look at him like he's your whole world and your eyes light up everytime you see him. It's like no one elese matters when he's around. And him? God, he looks at you like you're a walking dream, [Name]. Like your his everything and more. I-I've never seen my best friend so happy..."

"Adam-"

He cuts you off, finally looking at you. You didn't even notice you were crying until you saw his own tears, supsirsed to seeing the boy who acted like nothing mattered cry. "I love you, even though I shouldn't... A-And all I want is for you two to be happy, even if it hurts me seeing my best friend get the girl I love. I... As long as you are in my life, I don't mind..."

I think you get the gist right?

My tips are confusing but I heard that k-dramas are the best when it comes to second lead syndrome and watching how they utilize it is a good way to go if you're more of a viusal learner.

Now that I think about it, I probably just gave you an outline on how to write a novella romance...