You Teach Me And I'll Teach You

It’s still worth writing even if you aren’t feeling it right now.

It’s still worth writing even if it’s fanfiction.

It’s still worth writing even if you don’t think anyone else would ever want to read it.

It’s still worth writing even if it doesn’t get published.

It’s still worth writing even if it doesn’t get adapted into a huge blockbuster movie.

It’s still worth writing even if you can’t have fancy illustrations at the beginning of chapters or a map of the world at the beginning.

It’s still worth writing even if someone you trusted told you to stop.

It’s still worth writing if you just rolled your eyes at me.

"You wished for a happy ending," he said, brushing a silver coin across his knuckles. "But you never specified whose."

"They told me you were dead." “They always say that about people who escape.”

"Don’t trust her smiles. She only wears them when she’s hiding blood on her hands."

"Magic is a debt, not a gift. You’ve already paid in pieces of yourself... you just haven’t noticed which ones."

"You can kiss me," she said, the corner of her mouth trembling. "But it won’t make you forget her." "No," he whispered, "but it might make me wish I could."

"I wasn’t born to be anyone’s tragedy." “No. You were made to be their punishment.”

"The stars are liars," he said, throwing the constellation map into the fire. "They promised me you’d love me back."

"He’s not a villain," she whispered. "That’s what makes him dangerous," the masked girl replied.

"Tell me you’re not in love with her." "I’m not," he lied, and the chandelier above them cracked.

"If you walk through that door, your name will be forgotten." "Good," she said. "Then I can finally become someone worth remembering."

"This dress is stitched with memories. Are you sure you want to wear it to a funeral?" "Whose funeral?" "Yours, if you're not careful."

"You cannot steal fate," he said, voice rough as midnight wind. "I’m not stealing it," she replied. "I’m rewriting it."

"He kissed me like he was trying to erase a prophecy." "And did it work?" "No. But I stopped caring what the prophecy said."

"The last girl who made a wish like that turned into a star." "That doesn’t sound so bad." "She burned for a hundred years before anyone noticed."

✭ brushing your thumb over their knuckles while you're both not saying a word, just existing quietly in the same space like it's the most sacred thing.

✭ them absentmindedly playing with the hem of your sleeve because they want to touch you but aren’t ready to say it yet.

✭ “can i kiss you?” whispered like they’re afraid the moment might shatter if they speak too loud.

✭ their voice cracking just a little when they say your name for the first time in a long time.

✭ them resting their forehead against yours and just… staying there. No words. No movement. Just breath. Just nearness.

✭ sharing headphones and they keep looking at you during the best part of the song. you don’t even know what the song means to them but suddenly it means everything to you.

✭ "stay the night?" said so soft it might’ve been a wish.

✭ dragging their fingers gently down your back like they’re trying to memorize the map of your spine.

✭ tracing your features with their fingertip like you're a sculpture in a museum and they were not supposed to touch you, but god, they can’t help it.

✭ “don’t leave yet.” not because you’re going somewhere. but because being with you is the safest they’ve felt all day.

✭ their voice in the dark. low. quiet. like the night is just for you two.

✭ "this reminded me of you" and it’s just a stupid rock or a weird leaf but you hold onto it like it's a diamond because it's you to them.

✭ laying in bed, face smushed into the pillow, sleep-drunk and murmuring, “you make me feel like i’m home.”

listen. i’m not here to sell you a productivity system or convince you that waking up at 5am will make you a novelist. i am deeply Not That Girl. HOWEVER, here are 5 chaotic little writing habits that quietly rearranged my brain chemistry:

✏️ typing BEFORE i know what happens i used to think i had to outline everything before writing. wrong. i get more done when i let the scene surprise me. just start with vibes and a line of dialogue. the rest shows up once you start moving.

🗣️ saying the scene out loud like a play no joke. talking my scenes out like a script?? life-changing. the pacing, the emotion, the rhythm of it all makes more sense when i act like i’m gossiping about my blorbos in a voice memo.

⌛ 20-minute timers (not for productivity, just to start) i tell myself “just 20 minutes.” sometimes i stop. sometimes i blink and it’s 2 hours later and someone’s been emotionally eviscerated in chapter 12. this one’s black magic. use wisely.

🕯️ re-reading my WIP like a book no editing, no judging, just reading through with snacks like it’s already published. changes how i see the pacing and emotional arcs. also reminds me it doesn’t completely suck.

🧂 leaving in the messy parts i used to delete scenes that felt “off.” now i just write a little comment like “THIS IS BAD BUT KEEP GOING.” turns out momentum matters more than vibes. shocking, i know.

These are some lowkey underrated tips I’ve seen floating around writing communities — the kind that don’t get flashy attention but seriously changed how I write.

1. Put “he/she/they” at the start of the sentence less often.

Try switching up your sentence rhythm. Instead of

“She walked to the window,”

try

“The window creaked open under her touch.”

Keeps it fresh and stops the paragraph from sounding like a checklist.

2. Don’t describe everything — describe what matters.

Instead of listing every detail in a room, pick 2–3 objects that say something.

“A half-drunk mug of tea and a knife on the table”

sets a way stronger tone than

“There was a wooden table, two chairs, and a shelf.”

3. Use beats instead of dialogue tags sometimes.

Instead of:

"I'm fine," she said.

Try:

"I'm fine." She wiped her hands on her skirt.

It helps shows emotion, and movement.

4. Write your first draft like no one will ever read it.

No pressure. No perfection. Just vibes. The point of draft one is to exist. Let it be messy and weird — future you will thank you for at least something to edit.

5. When stuck, ask: “What’s the most fun thing that could happen next?”

Not logical. Not realistic. FUN. It doesn’t have to stay — but chasing excitement can blast through writer’s block and give you ideas you actually want to write.

Or for different groups amongst your cast if you have a large cast like I do

Who tends to be the one that just goes along with plans others make?

What do the others associate with each of the group members (a specific color, character, food, etc.)?

Who’s the most assertive?

Who’s the least assertive?

Who comes to things right on time?

Who comes to things incredibly late? How late?

Who comes to things incredibly early? How early?

Who’s the most reliable for petsitting or babysitting?

Piggybacking off that last question, what shenanigans would ensue if the group petsat/babysat altogether?

Does the group have something like friendship bracelets to show their bond?

What’s the name of their group chat, and why? If not from the digital age, does the group have a name they refer to themselves as in-canon? What is it? And why?

What are little habits that each of the characters have picked up from one another?

What’s the type of photos each of them would take of the others when on a hangout?

How do they help each other when one of them is scared?

✧ "because I didn’t think you’d care."

✧ "because I barely admitted it to myself."

✧ "i was gonna... and then the moment passed... like three weeks ago."

✧ "because every time i almost did, i panicked and made a stupid joke instead."

✧ "it didn’t feel like something you’d want to know."

✧ "because i’m a professional at bottling things up until they explode spectacularly."

✧ "i figured if i kept quiet, it wouldn’t be real."

✧ "i was scared you’d look at me differently. and now you are."

✧ "because it was easier to lie than to see that look on your face."

✧ "i didn’t want to need you. still don’t."

✧ "because i didn’t want to ruin whatever this is."

✧ "because i’m tired of being the problem."

✧ "you were already dealing with so much. i didn’t want to be more weight."

✧ "i didn’t think i deserved to be honest with you."

✧ "because if i said it out loud, you might leave."

✧ "because i wanted to be someone you didn’t have to worry about."

✧ "because it’s not just about me. it never is."

✧ "you ever hold something in so long it becomes part of you? yeah. that."

I am a firm believer of adoption

And I don't understand why it's not more popular than it is

Stop pressuring people to have babies.

There's already a sea of them in need of a home.

Plus with adoption you have much more time to prepare for the child. You don't have to go through the whole nine month scramble of getting everything you need in time

You can get the stuff overtime. Make sure everything is in shape before bringing a child in the home.

Oh and the whole "adoption is too expensive" is not the whole truth

It depends which way you decide to adopt

Foster care adoptions cost little to nothing since they actually cover a lot of costs for you

Adopting through an agency can cost between 20,000 to 45,000

Adopting through an independent attorney can cost between 8,000 to 45,000

And international adoption can cost between 35,000 to 70,000

So in summary, adopt not shop. I know it's what you say when you're looking for a cat or dog or other pet. But it's also true for actual children. You shouldn't shop for children but adopt them. Some might have health issues, some might have a bit of a history, and some will need time to warm up to you.

But the goal is still the same no matter what. To take care of them and help them grow up to be healthy and happy. To be there for them.

Adoption is when you acknowledge you have enough room and stability to be able to help someone else. It is important that you do not adopt or have a child unless you have the means to care for them. Remember the basics, food, water, housing, and education.

↳ What lie do they tell themselves to sleep at night? Seriously. What’s the little piece of denial that keeps them functioning? Do they pretend they don’t care what people think? Tell themselves they’re over that one person? Convinced they’re not the villain of someone else’s story? We all lie to ourselves; your OC is no exception.

↳ What’s their emotional kryptonite? A specific thing that absolutely shatters them, like someone crying? Being ignored? Praise from a parent figure? The sound of an old song? The smell of something nostalgic? Find it and use it against them (lovingly, of course).

↳ When do they feel the most alive? Is it mid-battle, mid-baking, mid-breakup? Does adrenaline light them up, or do they find joy in the quiet, mundane things, like folding laundry while listening to sad girl music? This can reveal a LOT about what drives them.

↳ What would totally ruin their day? A bad haircut? Someone touching their stuff? Or is it something deeper, like being reminded of their failures, or seeing someone else succeed where they couldn’t?

↳ Who do they think they should be? And who are they really? This one’s juicy. Do they think they should be a hero, but keep acting like a villain?

↳ What’s the one thing they’d never admit out loud, even under duress? The shameful thought. The inappropriate desire. The thing they desperately want but don’t think they deserve. DONT FORGET: Characters are built on what they repress.

↳ What are they petty about? Don’t pretend your OC is above this, I mean everyone’s petty about something. Do they hold grudges over stolen pens? Get irrationally jealous of someone’s hair? Still mad about a game of Uno from 2007? Petty makes them fucking real.

↳ How do they act when they think no one’s watching? Do they let their mask slip? Dance around the kitchen? Talk to their cat in baby voice? Cry a little?

↳ What would make them snap? Where is the breaking point? What line has to be crossed for them to finally say “Enough”? Is it injustice? Betrayal? Feeling powerless? You’ll know you’ve found it when it scares you a little (Or a lot).

Sleep: She doesn't. She's miserable apathetic and unaware that she has the option to self-assure. She just. Tosses and turns and covers her head.

Kryptonite: Finally knowing the warmth of a real friend's hug, and seeing their generosity.

Alive: If she were to make a group of friends, or draw without constant self doubt. If.

Ruin: Everything. It's already ruined. She can't make friends or be happy so why bother? All it would take is one slip... she's got no room for emotional weight left.

Admit:It's going to be okay. All of it.

Should/shouldn't: Left alone, sunshine. She actually adores friends but she's lived alone so long struggling with depression and psychosis...

Petty: I'm not sure. Maybe her own art or self criticisms. Most of all, she's pretty about telling off the voices in her head. Thousands of them, whispering confusing conflicting things that tell her what to do and keep her heart numb, lost in the shadows and fog.

Watching: She is being watched even when noone's around. She can only cling to her pillows and whimper. Never cry, as crying requires still having all your emotions, which she does not.

Snap: Betrayal. She's been through enough, she doesn't want to be hurt anymore, especially not by someone she thinks is going to save her.

Theme song: Uh... a few possible ones:

SaGa - Brighter Side

Dht - Magic Melody

Hesley - Control is a big one