#writing pointers

hellooo this is just a lil masterpost for the writing tips i have collected over my time writing since it's a question i get often!! this way it's all in one place <3 this is also for my own reference to look back on when i forget them lol

tips for specifically writing long fics

on coming up with a main storyline.

planning out a general idea & premise at the beginning of the fic that helps two characters get closer to one another, such as a forced proximity, some sort of mutual agreement, a mission to complete, etc. is a great way to get the ball rolling on a fic and can create environments between characters that feels connected and necessary rather than forced

on coming up with secondary storylines.

after laying down the main groundwork, building some side storylines adjacent to the main one that will give you options down the line to play with narratively (you don't need to figure out exactly what you want to do with secondary plotlines up front, but having them in place can create flexibility in your story to pivot towards some ideas if you'd like to later in the story)

on planning chapters & scenes.

it's wise to have a general idea for your series, but it's also okay to scrap those ideas if ultimately they don't work. there will be scenes that do not make sense or fit in the way you thought they would've, and making last minute decisions is okay and totally normal. sometimes better answers will find you along the way, and it's only a testament to how well you're getting to know your own story and also your own characters. it's also okay to plan multiple path ideas for your story, and choose whichever one fits best once you get to that point. it's not necessary to have a scene-by-scene in order to start writing! planning is useful, but writing is more important

on finding motivation to continue long fics.

having certain "key" scenes planned out in the very early stages of writing that you know you will look forward to writing can help with finding motivation. it will also help you find momentum to write during points where you might have some writer's block. also, one of the best tips i have seen for writing chaptered fics, is to end your chapters when you still have a little bit left planned. so cutting it like 10% short so that you have an immediate jumping off of point that you can start with for the next chapter

omg yes of course I will! first of all thank you so much, that was so sweet! I dont really think I’m the best option for this but ill obviously do it still lmao

so this is kinda what I could think of myself.

so lbh Tumblr isn’t a publishing company. most people wont give two shits about capital letters. if you dont feel like focusing on that, dont. nobody gives a shit. honestly.

that being said, other things might still be important

a big ass lump of text will make people too tired to read by just looking at it. always use ‘spacing’ or whatever the fuck it’s called in English. (so like skip a row, press enter, however you wanna put it)

try to start sentences differently. this can be really hard if you write in a language that’s not your maternal one. I often catch myself trying to start every damn sentence with “you”. tbh this is probably the biggest mistake people make and possibly also the most annoying one, both for reader and writer.

also try to use different words if you find yourself repeating them in the sentences. for me this usually goes for him/her. if I’m writing about some cute boy it’s usually “him” all the time, so try and switch it up with the most simple things. if the guys name is Erik, use that! if it’s someone’s brother you can also use words like sibling or brother! I also find myself trying different verbs and adjectives a lot. whenever im unsure I google translations (and learn new words!) but it can be kinda repetitive to read about how “pretty” someone is all the time, there are many ways to say those things. (dont be afraid to use big words! no one will care if you make a mistake)

try and make sure to keep the same tense throughout a story. it’s confusing when writers switch. I think that’s usually a language-barrier thing but try to work on it!

I’ve also come across writers who switch between I/you/her/him etc while writing “for” the reader (did that make sense?)

the best thing you can do is to just write whatever you want. whatever inspires you and whatever is in your head. if you dont want to post it, dont. the practice makes you a better writer with each step. its a lot easier to actually get to writing if you have an idea what you want to make. the result is also usually better that way.

if you post things, I myself would always but a picture or gif on top of the post, idk why but it’s way more appealing to people and for some reason it seems like most “bigger” writers in fandoms do this. so I guess thats a good idea

also if you write longer texts, use the “see more” (see more?) thingy. it makes life easier.

oh and always read through!!!! always!! before posting!!! for typos and for things in the story that dont add up! sometimes it gives you new ideas to use as well

tags!!!!!! use tags!!!!! that’s how you get your stuff out. you really dont have to do much. lets say you write about Justin Bieber. just tag his name and then maybe ‘Justin Bieber imagine’ and ‘Justin Bieber writing’, ‘beliebers’ maybe?

now, to the sad part. there’s a possibility you dont get a lot of notes. it happens to all of us. it’s okay. I know it can be a little unmotivating, but that’s why I advice you to write what you want to write, not what others want you to. whatever is in your head, that’s what you should get down In words. in my opinion that makes writing more fun, more motivating. that way you dont need notes.

also, the notes will come. dont worry. as you get better and get more followers, they will come.

So, I noticed a recent trend in a lot of fanfictions when it comes to concussions in particular. From what I’ve seen, it looks like it’s almost no big deal and they don’t have too many symptoms. They might just stay in bed, be a bit tired and it’s brushed off completely. It’s pretty vague when it comes down to description.

After a hecka lot of research, I’m finding this to be an improper depiction of concussions.

There are some cases where it may be a minor concussion, and this would be okay. In the terms of ‘Miraculous Ladybug’, where we have superheroes flinging themselves around with their heads unprotected, this may not be the case.

Concussions can be caused by car crashes, sudden movements, or hits to the head. Hits to the neck can also cause concussions. They can also develop overtime, and can take months to years to actually heal. Symptoms will not show for a few days, making it hard to diagnose. Fanfiction-wise, I’ve seen characters getting hits far harder than a sudden jerking motion, and would surely cause more damage and trauma to the brain.

Not all concussions will cause fatal symptoms or permenent damage- but with this sort of head impact symptoms can, and will, be more severe and take more than a few days or a week to heal. These types of injuries are not ones to be handled at home, and may need temporary (sometimes immediate) hospitalization.

They can also be pretty dangerous though, and can be accompanied with internal or external bleeding of the head. Some cases have had fractures in the skull as well. Blood clots in the head can also occur, which can result in stroke. Now even more severe symptoms are brought up. These types of strokes can result in blindness even.

The following are a few potential symptoms of concussions:

• Seizures • Nausea and Vomiting • Headaches (can be severe) • Dizziness or Disorientation • Memory loss • Confusion • Loss of coordination • Ringing in the ears • Excessive fatigue • Irritability • Sensitivity to light • Mild depression • Difficulty speaking (slurring words) • Sensitivity to sound • Personality changes • Blurred vision • Loss of conciousness

Concussions are basically big ol’ hits to the head with lots of different symptoms. A tad more description can certainly help a ton. It can happen with lots of other injuries as well. Getting a good background on the injury you’re working with can help you a bunch.

I don’t know if I’m good at giving pointers for that, since I’m always pretty much aimless when it comes to forming the plot. I start at the scene that pops into my head, and then I just write the rest around it. That works especially well if it’s a short story. Longer stories are a bit more difficult.

 But let me try it anyway.  

 First off, I start with that idea that inspired me for this story. I write that idea down – it’s gonna be the core of the whole story.

 My next point is which character is going to be my “protagonist” for this story.

Is the story from his / her point of view only, so that the reader takes part in his or her thought process

Does the view change to other characters at one point?

The protagonist can change a lot. For example, when I write from Izuku’s point of view, I’m likely to write different scenes and thought-processes than when I try to write, I don’t know, Bakugou. (There’s not as much swearing in it.)

Then I try to figure out what happens before and after that one scene that started the whole thing.

How did it come to that particular situation?

What happened beforehand?

What conditions have to be met for that scenario to happen?

And after that scene, what happens then?

Perhaps there is a conflict or an argument in the story. Does it get sorted out by the end of the story, or is it left open?

Towards the end, the story should slow down a bit. The most stressful and action-packed scenes should not be at the end of the story, more towards the middle or the beginning.

(Ending a story at the height of action just screams for a sequel, though, so that’s a possibility, too. ;) )