^Special gif for pride month! Happy pride!

I receive this question a LOT— it's probably one of the top inquiries I'm asked. It's a very difficult thing to answer because, yes, I do have writing tips, but there are so many different aspects of writing. This question is extremely vague. Do you mean tips about expanding plot? Character development? Writing emotions? Expanding vocabulary? Grammar? 

If you have a question like this, I ask you to PLEASE narrow it down for me. Are there any specific things you need help with, such as some of the things I mentioned in the previous paragraph? If I know exactly what you're looking for, I can give a more in-depth response that contains lots of detail and examples. If you ask for general tips, there are so many areas to cover that I can't possibly go into detail for every single one without writing a novel. 

An example of a question I've answered before is "Do you have any tips on writing the feelings of loss and anger?" I was able to give this person a very detailed reply with multiple paragraphs because of how specific they were. Another person asked for how they can make their writing more descriptive, and I gave them lots of different methods and words they can use that really make a reader *feel*.

Basically, yes, I have so many tips that I could write a Bible-length list. Please tell me exactly what you want help with so I'm able to put more thought and detail into the response I give you. And, as always, please check my Tellonym and other questions under this FAQ section to see if I've already answered your question!

EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS AND MY RESPONSES TO THEM: 

Q: Hi, so, when creating your OCs, is there a process that you use to create them? Like, do you make them a bio or something?

A: i don't think there's really one way that i create my OCs because it varies a lot. for example, when i was creating ares from fireheart, i had the idea for his character before i even knew what story i'd put him in. i just really wanted to have an OC like him and it took a while for me to decide on the 100, and then i came up with the plot and his backstory from there. 

most of the time, however, i'll come up with a story idea first and then create a character. like i'll think "i really want to write a ____ fanfic" and then i'll start thinking of characters and plots. i try to have my ideas be as unique as possible, so i'll study my universe of choice to see how i could expand them. my OC, vera, from mostly ghostly, came to be because i wanted an OC with ghostly/phantom-y abilities. teen wolf didn't have something like that, and i thought it would be really cool to explore creatures outside of werewolves. she also adds depth to the show with her dominican and puerto rican heritage and culture. scott's latin background was mostly ignored, so i emphasized it in the fic as well since he and vera bond through their shared latin roots. 

i also find it really helpful to use character charts. you can find tons of them online. i copy and paste them into my notes app/google docs to fill them out. this really helps me think of nitty-gritty details about them, like any bad habits they have, physical flaws, which of the seven deadly sins they relate to most, etc. i personally like to know my OCs like the back of my hand, so i typically get DEEP into their psyche. this, of course, can change and shift as i write their stories. usually, as i delve into their heads to write their books, i get a better understanding of them and add to those character charts to keep track of their habits and personal info. it helps a lot with consistency!

Q: How do you come up with the descriptions for your books?

A: descriptions are difficult to write, but i try my best to summarize my character's important background info, a bit about the plot, and a hint at the romance in the book if that applies! some of my summaries are longer than others depending on how much i am able to write, but as long as it just gives your readers an idea about what they'll be reading, that's all that matters!

Q: What do you think is better? Writing in past tense or present tense?

A: whatever you're most comfortable with is always the best bet. i don't think one is "better". i used to write exclusively in past tense, but now i write in present tense because i personally find it easier. so you could practice with both and see which one works for you!

Q: How do you balance writing and other things?

A: firstly, it's important to know that finding a perfect balance where you have equal motivation for each story you write is impossible. it's just not something that happens and that's completely okay. but there are several ways you can conquer multiple books at once depending on what works for you. 

 1. some people like to have a schedule for updates. this can be once a week or so. for example, say they'll update story A every monday and story B every thursday. the updates don't have to be super long, but it can help them finish the books faster. this may work for people if they like having a strict structure. 

 2. working with your motivation. this is just writing for whatever book you feel like at the moment, even if you're mainly focusing on it and not your other stories. i've learned to do this because the hyperfixation is usually fairly brief, so writing stuff while you're extra motivated is good. 

 3. try to write in chunks. right now, even if i haven't update my book "fireheart" in a while, the next chapter has at least a small portion already written so i'm not overwhelmed by an empty document. inspiration has been dry for a while, but at least i know that the next chapter has been started. writing can feel impossible if you have nothing to go off of, so doing this can ease the burden. 

4. bite the bullet. sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and write for something even if you don't want to. it can be a paragraph or an entire chapter, but it can be good to just get your frustration out. this might even lead to some new inspiration! even if the chapter sucks, you can always edit it later. sometimes knowing that you accomplished something helps so much.

Q: How do you come up with plot and your characters? I've had this general idea for a while, but i am struggling with like making into a plot, and even more I don't know how to make a character for that plot? Do you have any tips or things that help you make your characters real and in the plot?

A: i'm honestly not sure if i have one particular method, so this explanation may be SUPER confusing, but i'll try my best to explain it in a way that makes sense. 

firstly, it really depends on the fandom i'm writing for. for example, if it's going to be a marvel fanfic, i've tended to start by looking at different powers and picking out some that i like, then seeing which ones would work best in a story, then shape the character around their power & what it means to them. i have a list of people i want to use for faceclaims, and that helps a LOT with creating characters. when i have a faceclaim, it can help me get a feel of the character and their vibe. 

for plots, im honestly not sure. i have vague ideas all the time (which is why i made my plot shop) but really, it comes down to taking time to expand it. you have to sit yourself down and put work into it. you work on bits of it at a time, like starting with the basic idea you have and maybe beginning with the main character. once you get more concrete plot points/characterization, more ideas can stem from there. one thing that really helps is character charts. you can find them all over the internet— i usually just copy and paste one into my notes app and fill it out. it's good for getting into the nitty-gritty of a character. 

it's weird but apps like pinterest and we heart it also help a lot because i can get ideas from there. they especially help with ~*vibes*~ because i'm a visual learner and if i need to get the tone of a character to be more concrete, i can create a board for them and use images to feel around for their aesthetic. it can help me feel like i'm in the mindset of the character. usually, if you go on my accounts and scroll to the bottom of a character's section, you'll see how it changed over time as i got a different feel for them!

Q: How do you write sorrow, excitement, and those "in-love" feelings?

A: when it comes to writing in general, it's important to write something other than "the character was *insert emotion here*" because it doesn't cater to the audience's own feelings, which means they can't empathize with the character. you want to show, not tell, which is one of the #1 writing rules. 

 or sorrow, you can describe how the character feels like their world is falling apart, that they've lost their footing and are being swept away by a tidal wave of sadness, etc. of course you can also add that they're crying because that's a natural response to sadness. however, there are different types of sadness, so you can change your descriptions depending on how it feels. there's the stabbing sorrow of losing someone, the gloom of depression, the harrowing sadness accompanied with horror, etc. here's a helpful website: https://marymckernan.com/describing-sadness/ 

excitement can be shown with body language and dialogue. smiling, laughing, fiddling, jumping up and down, pacing, speaking quickly, racing pulse, and restlessness are some forms of body language you can describe. you can also add exclamation points in dialogue, but try not to overuse them. your character might feel shock from sudden excitement, like they're on top of the world, or like nothing bad can touch them because they're just so happy. 

romantic love is difficult for practically everyone. you can show love by having your characters do things for each other like constantly wanting to be close to each other, always wanting to help, eye contact, remembering details about the other, nervous ticks, etc. people usually want to be around the person they like and get nervous, so they might stumble over their words, speak quickly, fidget, and/or blush. you can describe butterflies (cliche but it's a real feeling), an overwhelming rush of affection if they do something adorable/meaningful, or other such things. with love especially, it's better to show some actions than just say "she was in love." your audience has to see this or they won't believe it.