Writing things I found out by writing a lot 🥺
Correct me if I’m wrong 🤷♀️
1) Don’t put multiple strands of dialogue in one paragraph of text. It’s confusing. Start a new line when a new character speaks. Please.
2) When describing characters, try not to just describe them by hair or eye color. Use literally anything else: clothing, vibes, scars etc. This gives way more information about your character, regardless of if it’s fanfiction or not. Even if it is fanfiction and the reader is familiar with the character, the description of how they dress or their expressions can give away the impression you want your story to give the reader.
3) do not write with a word count in mind. Just write. That’s going to force you to add things you probably don’t need to add. Just write as you’d like, then go back to check the pacing and add/take away from there.
4) Write the simplest outline you can possibly make. Don’t put in too much details. Personally, I just write down whenever the setting changes. That usually gives me the idea of the things I want to happen. Ex:
1. House
2. Meadow
3. House
4. Tower of death
5) if you’re stuck on a scene, ignore it. Write another scene. Come back when you’ve came up with an idea for it. This may be tricky when you decide to write the scene you’re currently struggling with differently and that means you’d have to change the scene you’ve already written, but hey, practice :)
6) show personality and friendships through dialogue and action. It can get across more emotion when it’s shown this way instead of being described by the narrator. I’m going to cry more if someone dies after reading our narrator a lullaby, not after an infodump about how much they mean to the narrator.
7) last one cuz I’m sleepy. Change your font when you proof read. It makes it easier to catch mistakes you would’ve usually overlooked. 🕺🕺
If you think I’m wrong then maybe I am. I am mostly a fanfic writer with no beta reader. I learn by trial and error lmao.
